At the outset one might think “What a strange title for an article,” but please bear with me as I will show that there are many things being taught in the world that are being presented as teachings of Christ but are not. Additionally, there are many things being pushed off as utterances of The Most High God, The Father, that are not from Him.
To begin with, notice something that the Creator said to His creation, Adam and his wife Eve. At Genesis 3:6-13, we have a scenario in the Garden where Adam and Eve hid themselves because of eating of the fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Bad THEY make the determination that they are naked. Yet. notice what God says to them at Genesis 3:11:
Who told you that you were naked?
Here, the Most High God is essentially saying, “If I did not tell you that you were naked, why are YOU saying you are naked? Who told you that?” “And, why do you believe it?”
I use the above scenario as a preface to what I will now discuss: That there are utterances and teachings extant today that neither the Most High God or His Christ uttered. So, naturally, the question should enter into our minds, “Who told uttered them?”
That Jesus – The Son of God – Is God
This is a biggy as many persons in the world today and within the system of religion called by men, Christianity, sincerely believes that Jesus is God. Yet, the question The Creator asked Adam, “Who told you that you were naked?” should click in here. Who told mankind that Jesus is God? Did the Creator? Or, is this a machination of men? Let’s see.
At Jesus’ baptism by John in water and with Holy Spirit from the Father at Matthew 3:17 we are told by God, that Jesus is His Son.
And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
At the transfiguration at Luke 9:35, The Most High echos the same thought:
A voice came from the cloud, saying, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen; listen to him.”
I could easily go into who the disciples of Jesus knew and believed him to be and who he himself said he was. My primary focus here is what God says concerning His Son. Did God say that Jesus is God? No! So “Who told you that my Son is God? I didn’t?”
The above expression is another utterance that is popularly taught within the system of religion called by men, Christianity, that neither God or His Son uttered.
1 Corinthians 15:22 shows that because of Adam ALL persons are dying, but ALL in the Christ will be made alive.
Jesus teaches at John 3:16 God loves ALL of the world [of mankind] and for that reason, He sent His Son into it to save it from becoming extinct (perishing). Jesus promises at John 5:28-29 a resurrection for ALL.
We have the instances of an adulterous woman – who was not a disciple of Christ – that the Teachers of the Law and the Pharisees condemned to death by stoning and Jesus did not condemn her. (John 8:3-11)
We have the instance of the thief – a man who was not a follower of Christ – who Christ promised would be in paradise with him. (Luke 23:43)
We have the instance of those who persecuted him and put him to death Jesus asked the Father to forgive them. (Luke 23:34)
There are many more examples, but the three instances mentioned above show that Jesus did not condemn anyone. He freely forgave them; unlike what we see today within the religious system, called by men Christianity, who hurl fire and brimestone and threat of eternal torment for those who do not accept Jesus as their Lord.
They fail to see that what Jesus offered those he forgave a free gift from God. A gift is not free if there are conditions that come with it. Jesus offered up his life so that ALL persons be one day declared righteous. Jesus’ death released ALL of mankind from perishing into nonexistence. In other words, all persons born since Adam will be resurrected back to life again whether they are a follower of Christ or not. (John 8:31-32 and Acts 24:15)
There is no condemnation to an eternal hellfire uttered by The Most High God. How do I know that?
First of all the idea of burning people in a fire for all eternity is something NEVER envisioned by the Creator. Notice what the Creator Himself says about the matter at Jeremiah 7:31:
They have built the high places of Topheth in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to burn their sons and daughters in the fire—something I did not command, nor did it enter my mind.
So, the idea of burning people in a fire is something that God did NOT command or EVER enter into His mind. So, who is telling people that they will be tormented for all eternity in a hellfire? God would say, “Who told you that you are going to burn and be tormented for all eternity?”
2 Thessalonians 1:9 teaches that the punishment for sin is everlasting destruction NOT everlasting torment. These are two different things.
They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might.
The punishment is everlasting destruction. If one is tormented for all eternity then there is no destruction of them. The punishment for sin will be a blotting out of ones name from The Book of Life (God’s memory). If one does not exist in God’s memory, they do not exist; not even as a dead person who to be resurrected.
That hell is NOT an eternal place can be seen by the examination of two Scriptures: Revelation 20:14 and Revelation 21:4.
Revelation 20:14 shows that both “Death and Hell” are thrown into something. What? The Lake of Fire which is The Second Death.
Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. The lake of fire is the second death.
Revelation 20:14 shows several things: One, that Hades (Hell) and Death are thrown into The Lake of Fire. Two, that Hell and The Lake of Fire are not the same thing. Three, that The Lake of Fire is not a literal fire; How can a literal fire burn Death and Hell? Four, that Hell is not a place people are sent because they are sinners. What sin did Death and Hell commit? Five, Hell is not eternal; this is what I will show you next.
That Hell is not eternal can be seen by examining the next Scripture at Revelation 21:4. Notice what it says:
He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death’or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.
Why will there be no more death? We were told why at Revelation 20:14: It was thrown into The Lake of Fire. Now, if Hell is ALSO thrown into The Lake of Fire, then it too, will be no more.
This identifies what The Lake of Fire which is the Second Death is: It is the state of BEING NO MORE or NONEXISTENCE. Anything cast into it ceases to exist.
Satan, his angels, his Beast, his False Prophet and all of those who willingly aligned themselves to the Devil in those future days will enter into nonexistence; erased from God’s memory.
Noteworthy is the mention at Revelation 20:14 of Death and Hell together as going into the Lake of Fire which is The Second Death. If Death will one day cease to exist, then that means that one day people will not die. They will live – as God promised – for all eternity. It this is true – and it is – then there will be no need for graves to mar the earthly landscape. Therefore, Hell is the common grave of mankind. Remember, at John 5:28-29 Jesus promised to call ALL out of their graves.
What about all of the billions of persons who existed before Jesus arrived on the earthly scene? They are not his follower and would have never known him or heard his teachings. Are we to believe that they will perish? Well, the system of religion called Christianity largely seems to think so. And, that view is selfish and blind.
Those persons will also be resurrected from their graves.
Revelation 7:9 mentions a Great Crowd of persons which no man was able to number who would come out of all of the nations, and tribes and peoples and tongues who would stand before Christs throne. The earths population today is nearly 7 billion people. This is a number that can be counted. So the persons which no man was able to number would have to be ALL persons ever born since Adam who will one day stand before Christs 1000 year kingdom as they ALL will have palm branches in their hands. This is consistent with the promise Jesus made the thief (Luke 23:43) and the promise of a resurrection of ALL persons at John 5:28-29)
So who is telling mankind something God did not tell mankind?
That Jesus Will Return and Remove His Faithful One Off The Earth (Rapture)
Here is another popular teaching that neither God or His Christ told mankind. The discussion the Apostle Paul is having at 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 is about the hope of the resurrection, not a rapture hope. Careful reading of this passage shows the Apostle counseling the congregation there in Thessalonica not to be ignorant concerning persons who are dead and in their graves and that they NOT be like those who have NO HOPE. He goes on to show that they believe in the hope of the resurrection. He says:
For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him.
In other words, if Jesus died and was resurrected, so shall we. That is the hope, not a rapture.
The man-made rapture teaching is a false-hope-teaching that did not come from God and His Son. So, who told mankind that it was?
That The Year 1914 Was The Year Jesus Was Enthroned King In The Heavens
This particular teaching issues forth out of The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society (Jehovah’s Witnesses). The 1914 date has been widely advertised and published by The Watch Tower Organization as being the end of The Appointed Times of the Nations, the beginning of the Last Days, the year that Jesus’ presence (Parousia) took place and he began to rule as king over the earth.
To Jehovah’s Witnesses, this is a very important and pivotal date as much of what they believe as far as the end times hinges on the accuracy of this date. But, is it something God and Christ told them?
The March 1880 Watch Tower magazine first began to identify the year 1914 as the end of The Appointed Times of the Nations. In other words, it was The Watch Tower Organization that identified this 1914 date, not God? There are two problems with this.
One: The 1914 date did not originate with the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. It was borrowed and adopted by the Watch Tower Organization founder Charles Taze Russell when he was a Second Adventist. The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society today claims that Jehovah has had a Faithful and Discreet Slave Class on earth since Pentecost 33. If the 1914 date came out of the Second Adventist movement, where they of that Faithful and Discreet Slave Class? Where they “God’s Earthly Organization?”
Two: Jesus says it is not possible for humans or angels to know such dates. This is so stated at Matthew 24:24, Matthew 24:42, Acts 1:7, and Mark 13:32. That Jesus says something entirely different from what the Watch Tower Organization states presents a major problem as far as I am concerned. The problem: Who do we consciously listen to, Jesus or a human agency? The answer should be unhesitantly the one The Most High God said we are to listen to, His Son. Yet, for a great many, an organization of men are being listened to instead.
So, did God tell mankind that He would enthrone His Son as king in the year 1914? Further, did He tell mankind to be concerned about dates? His spokesman – The Word of God – says at Acts 1:7:
He [Jesus] said to them: “It is not for you to know the times or dates the Father has set by his own authority.
I sincerely hope you, dear reader, see this: Human agency makes it their business to know of times or dates. Jesus says it is not our business, it is not the angels business; nor is it his [Jesus] business. Jesus says that it is not for us to know these things and the knowledge of such things belong only in the jurisdiction of the Father. It is only the Father’s business.
We should be faithfully watchful because …
You do not know on what day your Lord will come. (Matthew 24:42)
To establish and publish any date, such as 1914, is an acknowledgment of knowing. And, Jesus said we do not know.
The reason is glaringly clear as to why human agency should not be delving in establishing dates they cannot possibly ascertain or know: Because they will never get it correct. Only the Father holds this information. Even Jesus says he does not know. Therefore, it is both presumptuous and arrogant for any human or human agency to claim to know something Jesus says that he does not know. (Mark 13:32)
Let me explain to you the subtle slight of hand tactics that religious organizations use to justify establishing dates.
Sell The Idea That God Is With Only Them
By selling the idea that God has chosen a special select few persons that collectively make up a Faithful and Discreet Slave Class through whom Jesus dispenses light to the domestics in the congregations below, is a way an organization can justify for itself that it is in the know. God tells Jesus, Jesus tells the Faithful and Discreet Slave Class and the Faithful and Discreet Slave Class tells the membership within the congregations.
Sell The Idea That God Has Set Up an Earthly Organization That He Operates Through
Making the lofty claim (and selling the idea) that Jehovah God has established an Earthly Organization – The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society – through which He only operates through is a subtle way to mislead persons into believing in dates such as 1914. The reasoning is that “If this is Jehovah’s Earthly Organization, then the 1914 date must be true.”
Sell The Idea That The Organization Is The Way, The Truth and The Life
If an organization can (1) indoctrinate one into believing that it is indeed God’s earthly organization; (2) that association with that organization is the only WAY to access the Father and gain life and; (3) that those within her are in the TRUTH; and (4) that all within her exist now in a spiritual paradise LIFE; then all that the organization teaches will be viewed as truth and will not be challenged or questioned. The Watch Tower Organization does not take kindly to it’s members questioning it’s teaching. It does not take kindly to having those things that it teaches as being put to the test per 1 John 4:1. It strikes a kind of fear in those who do question and challenge the teachings that issue from it. And, if one persists in questioning the organization and do not allow themselves to be readjusted, such ones are conveniently labeled as rebellious, disobedient to God, unfaithful, or apostate and put out of the organization.
It is a very difficult thing to reason with a Jehovah’s Witness. Though many are very good people and sincere in their beliefs, the indoctrination is so strong that disloyalty the organization is viewed akin to disloyalty to God.
Yet, what I mentioned above about The Way, The Truth and the Life are things that are ascribed to Jesus [the] Christ, not an organization; no matter what claim it makes for itself. Jesus says at John 14:6:
I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.
No human or human agency can – or should – ascribe these things to itself. It is not up to an organization to decide who and who do not have access to the Father. The water baptismal vow all Jehovah’s Witnesses must go through even states that one is not a Jehovah’s Witness – that is, witness of God – unless they are associated with the spirit directed organization. Yet, Jesus said that no one comes to the Father except through him; he – not an organization – is the way.
Sell The Idea That The Bible is The Word of God
This is a real danger. Why? Because if one can sell the idea that the Bible is The Word of God, then one can refer to it as such and extract things out of it that God did not “breathe” or say. Revelation 19:13 identifies ONLY Jesus [the] Christ as The Word of God; and The Most High God says we are to listen to him. (Luke 9:35)
It is NOT a book that we should be listening to. The Watch Tower Organization – as well as all of the more than 33,000 contending Christian denominations – has done this beautifully. They all first make it a fact the Bible is The Word of God; then they can justify referring to it to establish false dates. I hope you, dear reader, see this. Human agency establishes dates and timetables and they say conjure these things up from “The Bible” or they will say “The Bible” says or teaches it. DO YOU SEE IT? This is NOT listening to Christ! Christ says no one but the Father knows these things and it is not for us to know times and dates! See the abject opposition human agency has towards what the Christ has stated? See the disrespectful posture the religious system called by men Christianity causes those within her to take towards God and Christ while making it appear that they are pro God and Christ. The disrespect is in this regard: That they stand up next to Jesus, The Word of God, a book called the Bible ALSO as The Word of God. Furthermore, they look to it more than they do the words Jesus spoke. They think God says to them, “This is my book, listen to it.” Where God did not say such a thing.
So, just as God told Adam, “Who told you that you were naked?” He would say to those who make the Bible The Word of God, “Who told you that the Bible is my word? Did I tell you that?
What Should You Do?
This Part Is Easy: Listen to Christ? How? Pray to his God and our God through him and let your petition to God be known that you wish to attach yourself to His Son – the one He sent – and become his disciple. (John 8:31-32). Acknowledge before God and His Christ through Christ that you recognize that Holy Spirit from the Father can only come through His Son. That this Holy Spirit is what Jesus said we are to be baptized in. (Matthew 3:11)
It will by by God’s Holy Spirit that we receive through His Son that we are taught and illuminated and we come to know the deeper things if God. It is not by religious organizations. Religious organization is nothing but a grotesque appendage and third party that seeks to implant itself in front of mankind, standing in between us and Jesus [the] Christ. It seeks for mankind to attach itself to them. It stands in a holy place where it does not belong. Only Jesus [the] Christ can stand in this position as Mediator between mankind and his Creator. Jesus [the] Christ is mankind’s ONLY Head, not religious organization. (1 Cor 11:3)
If Christ recognized his Head as God and he is not placing a substitute in God’s place, then we too should recognize Christ as our ONLY Head and not substitute or make equal to him a book or a human agency.
This Part Is Not So Easy: You must detach yourself from all religious organization because they rose up out of the earth (mankind); they are not from above. This easily said than done. You must then attach yourself to the PERSON of Jesus [the] Christ. DO NOT be fooled or misled into thinking that membership with a religious organization that calls itself by some “Christian” sounding name is the same as attaching yourself to the Christ. Membership in religious organizations and systems is just that: membership in them. Your attachment to to them, not the Christ.
This is what is known as being no part of the world. You will find it a lonely existence. You will also find that the world – that is, your former Brothers and Sisters – will either not display the love they had for you when you were with them or they will think something is wrong with you.
The important thing is that YOU know who YOUR Master is: Jesus [the] Christ and that you cling to him.
Please, please, please be careful not to allow yourself to be taken captive again by a religious organization, humans, and human agencies, and/or teaching that did not come from the Master. Do not join or attach yourself to any. Be ever aware that one of the major goals of the religious system called by men Christianity is to snatch you up back into itself. It is a predator.
This religious system is deviously clever in that it knows how to play all of the psychological games and angles to make you feel guilty, empty, unsure, and afraid. But think: Is that loving? It does not care that you seek to obey God and Christ (John 8:31-32 and Luke 9:35), it’s only concern is that you attach and join yourself to them. Why? So that they can control you and subtly make you like them: persons who oppose Christs teachings and who do not do the will of the Father. (Matthew 7:21-23)
The most difficult thing you will have to do is be prepared for the onslaught from those who you used to be with. These might be friends and family members. Yet, you as a follower and disciple of Christ, are obligated to love them (as he did) even though they might not reciprocate.
Always, always, always put to the test anything anyone says to you with regard what God and His Christ says. (1 John 4:1)
Make sure of all things and do not accept something because it is popular or because the majority believes it. What counts is that God breathed or spoke it.
Be ever conscious of persons who constantly in their speech patterns say, “The Bible teaches this or the Bible teaches that.” Be ever so careful when persons ascribe something Jesus said to “The Bible saying it.” Why? Because the Bible cannot speak or teach? It is Christ who is our Teacher. (Matthew 23:8 and John 13:13)
Keep your senses. Christ promised to be with you so you will not be alone. (Matthew 28:20).
After you begin to mature as a disciple of Christ, you will receive baptism by Holy Spirit. I cannot tell you when; that is up to God. But you will receive it. Then you will see things and understand things you did not think possible. You will not rely upon your own understanding; it will be by the understanding of God that you will possess. He will continue to bless you with it.
The more you receive, the more the world (of Christianity) will turn on you. You become a threat. A spiritual enemy. You will be engaged in a war with this very cunning counterfeit. It has no choice but to attack you – the person – and place foul stench upon you in hopes other will find you repugnant.
But above all obey The Most High God who told us to “listen” to His Son. Obey Christ and your Head, Teacher, Lord and Master and make disciples to him (not to yourself). They will learn from you what is entailed in becoming a disciple. It will be Christ himself who will teach them.
This blog is a good place to be.
