THE TEN COMMANDMENTS   BY STEVE FINNELL

The Ten Commandments were given by God to the nation of Israel as a covenant. The Ten commandments were not given to those living under the New Covenant. Nine of the Ten Commandments have been restated under the New Covenant. The one commandment that has not been restated under the New Covenant is remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.

New Testament Christians worship on the Lord's Day, "Sunday."

TEN COMMANDMENTS GIVEN TO ISRAEL

Exodus 34:27-28 The the Lord said to Moses, "Write these words, for in accordance with these words I have made a covenant with you and with Israel." 28 So he was there with the Lord forty days and forty nights; he did not eat bread or drink water. And he wrote on the tablets the words of the Ten Commandments.

The covenant was made with Israel. It was not made with those living under the New Testament (The New Covenant).

NINE OF THE TEN COMMANDMENTS ARE RESTATED  IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

Ten Commandments with Israel. (Exodus 20:1-17) 
1. "You shall have no other Gods before Me.

Restated in the New Testament. Matthew 4:10

2. "You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness  of what is in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the water under the earth.

Restated in the New Testament. 1 John 5:21, Revelation 21:8

3. "You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not leave him unpunished who takes His name in vain.

Restated in the New Testament. Matthew 6:6, Acts 19:13-16, Matthew 5:33-37, James 5:12, Matthew 7:21-23, Mark 7:7

4. "Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Exodus 20:8-11....9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is a sabbath of the Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you or your son or your daughter, your male or female servant  or your cattle or your sojourner who stays with you.....

Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy has not been restated in the New Testament.

5. "Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be prolonged in the land which the Lord your God gives you.

Restated in the New Testament. Ephesians 6:1-3

6. "You shall not murder.

Restated in the New Testament. 1 John 3:15

7. "You shall not commit adultery.

Restated in the New Testament. 1 Corinthians 6:9

8. "You shall not steal.

Restated in the New testament. Ephesians 4:28, 

9. "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

Restated in the New Testament. Luke 3:14, Matthew 15:19

10. "You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall shall not covet your neighbor's wife or his male servant or his female servant or his ox or his donkey or anything that belongs to your neighbor.

Restated in the New Testament. Ephesians 5:5

Christians under the New Covenant did not and do not worship on the Sabbath nor did they, nor do they keep it holy. Christians worshiped and worship on Sunday, the Lord's Day, the first day of the week.

Acts 20:7 On the first day of the week, when we were gathered together to break bread, Paul began talking to them, intending to leave the next day, and prolonged his message until midnight.

1 Corinthians 16:1-2 Now concerning the collection for the saints, I directed the churches of Galatia, so do you also. 2 On the first day of every week each one of you is to put aside and save, as he may prosper, so that no collections be made when I come.

Sunday is not the Sabbath, it is the Lord's Day. 

The Sabbath that Christians should be concerned about is their final resting place.

Hebrews 4:9-11 So there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God. 10 For the one who has entered His rest has Himself also rested from works, as God did from His. 11 Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through following the same example of disobedience.

   

QUOTING SCRIPTURE?  by steve finnell

Quoting Scripture is no indication of what is believed by most denominational churches.

Acts 2:38 Peter replied: "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.(NIV 1973)

Quoting Acts 2:38 and then stating that water baptism is not essential for the forgiveness of sins nor receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit is an indication that the quoted Scripture is not believed.

John 14:6 Jesus answered, "I am the way--and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.(NIV 1973)

Quoting John 14:6 and then saying there are many way to be saved apart from Jesus, indicates a disregard for the truth of Scripture.

1 Timothy 3-4 This is good, and pleases God our Savior, 4 who wants all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth.(NIV 1973)

Quoting 1 Timothy 3-4 and then stating that God has select a few to be saved and all other to burn in hell, is a contradiction of Scripture.

The question is, do you really know what your church leaders believe? Do they believe the Scriptures or the man-made creeds written by  denominational leaders.

Most Christian denominations claim they believe the Bible to be God's truth, but do they really?

God wrote the Bible, He did not write man-made creeds. 

If man-made creed books are inspired by God, then they should be added to the 66 books of the Bible. Why are they not added, because even those who use creed books for faith and practice know they are not Scripture.

[NOTE: The problem in the contemporary church is most church leaders study books written by men who do not even believe the Biblical plan of salvation.------ If men are not grounded in the Scriptures they will fall for most anything.]

Not one denominational writer has ever written one verse of Scripture, yet believers in Christ  accept their writings as the gospel truth.

If denominational preachers, and writers do not even know God's terms for pardon, why would anyone look to them for spiritual guidance?????

   

  

WHOSE TRUTH SHOULD YOU BELIEVE?  by steve finnell

Whose truth should be believed, God's truth, or  denominational truth?

The truth of "Disciples Ministries," The United Methodist Church.

Q: Do I have to be baptized in order to be saved?

A: No, but baptism is a gift of God's grace to be received as part of the journey of salvation. To refuse to accept baptism is to reject one of the means of grace that God offers us.

ReF: https://www.umcdisciples.org

GOD'S TRUTH

All Scripture is from, The Better Version of the New Testament

Mark 16:16 He who has believed, and has been immersed, will be saved.....

If baptism is not essential to salvation, then you can be saved without being saved.

Acts 22:16 And now, why do you delay? Arise, and be immersed, and wash away your sin, calling on the name of the Lord.

If you do not have to be baptized in order to be saved, then you can be saved without having your sins washed away.

1 Peter 3:20-21...that,is eight souls, were carried to safety by water. 21The like figure, in which immersion, does, also, now save us (not a putting away of the filth of the flesh, but seeking of a good conscience toward God) by the resurrection of Jesus Christ;

If you can be saved without water baptism, then you can be saved without seeking a good conscience toward God.

Colossians 2:11-13 ...by the circumcision of Christ; 12 Having been buried with him by immersion, by which also you were raised up with him, through the belief of the strong working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And you, who were dead through your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made alive together with himself, and freely forgave us all our trespasses.

In you can be saved without water baptism, then you can be saved without having your trespasses forgiven.

Galatians 3:27 For as many of you as have been immersed into Christ, have put on Christ.

If you can be saved without water baptism, then you can be saved without putting on Christ.

Acts 2:38 The Peter said to them, Let each one of you repent and be immersed, in the name of Jesus Christ, in order to the remission of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

If you can be saved without water baptism, then, you can be saved without having your sins forgiven, and without receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 5:25-27 ... Christ loved the church, and delivered himself up for it. That he might sanctify it, having cleansed it by the washing of water with the word; 27 That he might place the church beside himself, a glorious church, without spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it might be holy and without blemish.


If you can be saved without water baptism, then, you can be save without having been cleansed, sanctified, and without being made holy.



   


      

GOD WANTS ALL MEN TO BE SAVED by steve finnell

Contrary to what some believe, God wants all men to be saved from the penalty of sin.

God predestined all who would believe in Jesus Christ to be saved.

God did not individually select who would be predestined for salvation. God does not force men to believe that Jesus is the Christ.

Ephesians 1:4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love,(NKJV)

Who was chosen? Those who responded to the gospel and were saved. They were not selected individually to be saved apart from their free-will.

Ephesians 1:5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.(NKJV)

Who were those who were predestined? 

Galatians 3:26-27 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ.(NKJV)

Who  were those who were predestined? Those who had faith in Christ Jesus. Those who were baptized into Christ. No one was preselected  to be individually forced to believe and be baptized against their will.

GOD WANTS ALL MEN TO BE SAVED

Titus 3:11 For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all men.(NKJV)

Grace is available to all men. Not to just a few Calvinists.

1 Timothy 2:3-4 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, 4 who desires all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth.(NKJV)

God wants all men to be saved, not just few special preselected men.

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.(NKJV)

God does not want any to perish. God has not preordained which individuals will be saved and which ones will be lost.

1 Peter 5:8 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.(NASB)

If men have been preselected for salvation and can never be lost, why should they worry about the devil devouring them?

Acts 17:30 "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent,(NKJV)

Why would God tell men who were predestined to burn in hell to repent? If God selects people for hell it would be impossible to repent.

The gospel is still available for all. Mark 16:16 "He who believes and is baptized will be saved....(NKJV)    

       

DOES THE MAJORITY RULE? by steve finnell

Does majority opinion invalidate God's doctrine? The majority of the world believes that Jesus is not the only way for salvation.

Acts 4:10-12 ..the name of Jesus Christ....12 "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (NKJV)

Majority opinion does not invalidate God's doctrine.

There are 43 million Baptists in the world and all but a small fraction of Baptist deny that water baptism  is essential for salvation. Majority opinion does not invalidate God's doctrine.

Mark 16:16 "He who believes and has been baptized will be saved.....(NKJV)

The majority who claim to be Christians deny that a person has to, first believe and then be baptized in order to be saved. Denying God's doctrine does invalidate the truth.

The majority of believers teach that unbelieving infants can have the guilt of Adam's sin and all their future sins washed away, by having water sprinkled on them.

Two problems: 1. No person, but Adam is guilty of his sin. 2. Only believers are qualified for water baptism (immersion in water).

Majority opinion does not invalidate God's doctrine.

The account of the 3000 converts on the Day of Pentecost.

First they believed: Acts 2:36-37 "Therefore let the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ." 37 Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Men and brethren, what shall we do?" (NKJV)

Belief came first. Not one infant was cut to the heart and asked what shall we do.

Second step of salvation: Acts 2:38 Then Peter said to them, "Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. (NKJV)

Note: Peter did not tell them that their sins were forgiven the minute they believe that Jesus was Lord and Christ. Peter said remission of sins and receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit followed repentance and immersion in water.

Most preachers do not preach the same sermon Peter preached, on salvation, because it is contrary to majority opinion of their congregation or denomination.

Majority opinion does not invalidated God's doctrine.

The terms of salvation are not difficult to understand, however, pride and fear of losing employment prevent God's terms from being preached.

TERMS OF PARDON: John 3:16---Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19---Romans 10:9---Mark 16:16, 1 Peter 3:21, Acts 22:16      

IS JESUS GOD THE FATHER?  BY STEVE FINNELL

The question remains in the minds of some. Is Jesus, God the Father? Is Jesus and the Father one in the same. No, Jesus as is not God the Father.

1 Corinthians 11:3 But  I want you to understand that Christ is the head of every man, and the man is the head of a woman, and God is the head of Christ.

1. Is Christ and every man the same thing? No.

2. Is man and woman the same? No.

3. Is Christ, God the Father and the head of Himself in the form of Jesus? No. God the Father is the head of Jesus the Christ. God the Father is not the Christ.

John 14:28 You heard that I said to you, 'I go away, and I will come to you.' If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.

If Jesus is God the Father how could He be greater than Himself? How could Jesus go to Himself?

John 20:17 Jesus said to her, "Stop clinging to Me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father; but go to My brethren and say to them, 'I ascend to My Father and your Father, and My God and your God.'"

If you believe that Jesus is God the Father, then you would have to believe that Jesus was calling Himself, His Father and His God.

Philippians 2:5-10 Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, 6 who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, ..... 9 For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, 10 so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth.

God the Father exalted Jesus. Jesus did not exalt Himself. Jesus is not God the Father.

1 Corinthians 15:24-28 then comes the end when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and authority and power........28 When all things are subjected to Him, then the Son Himself also will be subjected to the One who subjected all things to Him, so that God may be all in all.

If Jesus is the Father, then how will He put Himself into subjection to Himself? 

JESUS IS NOT GOD THE FATHER.

Jesus is the Son of God.

Jesus is the Christ.

Jesus is the Savior of all who meet His terms for pardon.

Jesus is the Lord of Lord and the King of Kings.

Jesus is one of the three persons in the God Head.

Jesus shed His blood so men can receive forgiveness of sins.

Jesus was a miracle worker.

All things that came into being were created through Jesus.

HOWEVER, JESUS IS NOT GOD THE FATHER  

PRO-CHOICE FOR WHOM?  by steve finnell

Did you ever notice that not one pro-choice advocate has ever been aborted? Not one single woman in a pro-choice rally has ever been murdered in the womb. If unborn babies had the opportunity to live or be aborted what would their choice be?

Unborn babies are not pro-choice, if they were, there would not have been 55 million babies, in the U.S.A., murdered in the womb from 1973 to 2013.

Life begins at conception. Babies in the womb are not part of the mother's body. 

GOD BELIEVES LIFE BEGINS AT CONCEPTION, DO YOU?

Genesis 25:21-24 Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived. 22 But the children struggled together within her.......24..... indeed there were twins in her womb.(NKJV)

There were two children in the womb of Rebekah. The twins were not part of Rebekah's body. Rebekah carried children in her womb, they were not nonhuman blobs of tissue.

Job 3:3 "May the day perish on which I was born, And the night in which it was said, 'A male child is conceived. (NKJV)

Job was a male child at conception.

Luke 1:36 "Now indeed, Elizabeth your relative has also conceived a son  in her old age; and this is now the sixth month for her who was called barren. (NKJV)

Elizabeth conceived a son called, John The Baptist. Mary conceived a son called, Jesus. They were sons at conception.

Luke 1:43 "But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? (NKJV)

The Virgin Mary was considered a mother before Jesus was born.

------------------------------------

The only people who are pro-choice are the ones who are already born.  

ORIGINAL SIN ROMANS 5:19 by steve finnell

Are all men guilty of sin because of Adam's sin in the Garden of Eden? No, they are not. Will men spend eternity in hell because Adam sinned? No, they will not.

Original sin advocates present Romans 5:19 as a proof-text for original sin.

Romans 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous.(NKJV)

The theory is that because Adam was disobedient in the Garden of Eden, then all men are guilty of sin at birth. Men are guilty of sin because they sin, not because Adam sinned.

Are all men made righteous because of the obedience of Jesus? No, they are not. Men become righteous only if they are obedient to the gospel plan of salvation.

All men are not sinners because Adam sinned.

All men are not righteous because Jesus did not sin.

Romans 3:23 for have sinned and fall short of the glory of God (NKJV)

All men become sinners because all men sin.

1 John 3:4 Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness.(NKJV)

All who commit sin are sinners. Being born is not committing sin. Being born is not a lawless act.

James 1:14-15 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. (NKJV)

Temptation comes before sin. Babies in the womb are not tempted. Infants do give into the desires of fornication, drunkenness, theft, murder etc. Only those who know good from evil are capable of sin.

Romans 5:12 Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned---(NKJV) [BECAUSE ALL SINNED]

Adam introduce sin into the world. All men will die physically because of Adam' sin. Men will suffer spiritual death, because they themselves sinned.

2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgement of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.(NKJV)

Men will be judged according to things they have done. Men are not going to be judged by what Adam and Eve did in the Garden of Eden.

The only way to escape the punishment of sin is forgiveness through Jesus Christ.


ORIGINAL SIN IS NOT FOUND IN THE BIBLE, IT IS A MAN-MADE DOCTRINE.

    

    

IS SPEAKING GOD'S TRUTH UNLOVING AND UNCHRISTLIKE? by steve finnell

Is preaching the truth and exposing the false doctrines of denominational churches being unloving and unchristlike? Is preaching that Christians will go to heaven and those who reject Jesus as the Son of God will spend eternity in hell the example of an unloving Christian?

Was the teaching of Jesus unloving and unchristlike?

Jesus speaking to the Pharisees said, John 8:24 "Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins." (NKJV)

Was Jesus being unloving and unchristlike?

Jesus speaking to the Pharisees said, John 8:44 "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is  a liar and the father of it.(NKJV)

Was Jesus being unloving and unchristlike?

Jesus speaking to the Pharisee named Nicodemus said, John 3:5 ..."Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.(NKJV)

Was Jesus being unloving and unchristlike by telling Nicodemus unless he was baptized in water he could not enter the kingdom of God?

Jesus said, Mark 16:16 "He who believes and has been baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.(NKJV)

Was Jesus being unloving and unchristlike by making belief and water baptism a prerequisite for salvation?

Are those who deny belief and water baptism are essential for salvation standing for God's truth or are they taking a stand for their own opinion?

It takes a master of deception and a willing student to believe there is salvation without believing and being baptized in water.     

THE LACK OF KNOWLEDGE IS NO EXCUSE FOR IGNORANCE!  BY STEVE FINNELL

The lack of knowledge about God and His plan of salvation is no excuse for ignorance. Do not fall prey to the belief that God's knowledge is found by reading the writings of the early church fathers, Bible commentaries, creed books, catechisms, books about the Bible and other extra-Biblical sources. This is an exercise in self-delusion.

God put His knowledge in the Bible for a reason. Why was that? So men would not be lead astray by the traditions of men.

Matthew 22:23-32...But Jesus answered and said to them, "You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God......

The Sadducees were confused in their understand about the resurrection. Why was that?  They did not understand the Scriptures. They had access to the Scriptures, but either, they did not bother to read them or believed their own opinions were more trustworthy. They did not understand the power of God.

LACK OF KNOWLEDGE IS NO EXCUSE FOR IGNORANCE

Hosea 4:6 My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge.Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being My priest. Since you have forgotten the law of God, I also will forget your children.

There are those who do not know God's knowledge simply because they reject God's knowledge. A New Testament example would be those who reject water baptism as being essential for salvation. The Bible makes it clear that water baptism is in order to the the forgiveness of sins. Men chose to reject the Scriptural reality of baptism in favor of the doctrines of men. They lack God's knowledge because of their self imposed rejection of Scripture.

1 Corinthians 15:34 Become sober-minded as you ought, and stop sinning; for some have no knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.

There are many believers in Christ who continue living a sinful lifestyle because they lack knowledge of the Scriptures. Some continue sinning because they are not held accountable by church leaders.

These Scriptures are not difficult to understand if they are studied, however, rejecting knowledge renders men to have a lack of knowledge.

1 Corinthians 6:1-11
1 Corinthians 6:18-19
Galatians 5:19-21
Ephesians 5:19-21
Revelation 21:7-8
Colossians 3:5-10 Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to idolatry. 6 For it is because of these things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience, 7 and in them you also once walked, when you were living in them........

A sinful lifestyle should be past tense for Christians.

THE LACK OF KNOWLEDGE IS NO EXCUSE FOR IGNORANCE!