The Disastrous Effects Of The Doctrine Of "Original Sin"

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< > Chapter Five The Great Tribulation Satan is allowed to run riot at the end of this age; “the mystery of lawlessness.” 2Thes.2v7. At the end of this Age, the Age of Grace, immediately before our Lord’s Second Coming, there will be a time of great trouble of three and a half years duration, the like of which has never been seen since the beginning of the world, this period of time is called, “The Great Tribulation.” We are told in Rev.12v7-12., that this tribulation occurs, because Satan and his evil angels, now in the heavenly places, are cast out of them into the earth, and Satan begins his plan, called, “the Mystery of Iniquity” (“Iniquity,” is “anomias,” 458, lawlessness). God has up to this time restrained Satan’s plans, however, during The Great Tribulation God allows Satan to put his plans into operation, to expose Satan’s great wickedness. See 2Thes.2v3-12., N.B. v7 “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. v8 And then the Lawless One will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.” (NKJV). “Kai katargesei te epiphaneia tes parousias autou,” The commanding word and outshining, splendour and glory of Jesus at His second coming destroys his enemies. Rev.19v15,19-21. Zech.14v12. “Restrains” in Greek is, “katechon” 2722, to hold fast or down, to restrain. There will be a sudden deluge of evil into the world, which will produce conditions like those experienced by Noah before the Flood, and Lot, when he fled from Sodom. During this time because “iniquity shall abound (literally, has come to the full) the “agape” love of many (Christians) will wax cold,” these believers will be overwhelmed by the evil in the world, because they have failed to prepare themselves for this terrible time. Rev.7v14. 12v9,12,14. Matt.24v12,21. Eph.6v12. 2Thess.2v1-12. N.B. v7, Luke.17v26-37. 18v1-8. Dan.8v23. John writes in 1John.4v1-6., v1 “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. v2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, v3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. v4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. v5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. v6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.” The apostle John states very strongly that the person who “confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist.” He is referring here to the destructive heresy of Docetic Gnosticism, which many Christians today hold and believe, because of their acceptance of the doctrine of “Original Sin.” When John stated that the person who does not believe that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is “not of God,” and has “he spirit of antichrist,” he clearly had in mind also, not just his own time, but also the time of The Great Tribulation. During which the final and most evil Antichrist sets up his image in the Temple in Jerusalem, from where he reigns. John states that we can only overcome Antichrist, the false prophets and teachers, of the evil days of The Great Tribulation, if we believe “that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh”, that is if we recognise that Jesus had a real humanity exactly like our own, and NOT as the false prophets and teachers teach, that He was Docetic phantom. 2Thess 2v4. The believer will only overcome in these dark evil days if their mind is filled with truth, as John writes in 1John.5v4., “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.” The truth that we believe in these evil dark days that are coming is vital for our eternal salvation, because, as our Lord stated in Matt.24v12,13., “And because iniquity shall abound, the “agape” love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” It is quite clear that it is those who have their minds filled with the Truth, and have prayed and not fainted, who will be saved, the others will have backslidden and gone into apostasy, so it is vital for us as believers to “love” the truth. Luke.18v1. See 2Thess.2v10. “And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.” Paul, in writing to Timothy in 1Timothy.3v16, states the vital truth that, “God was manifest in the flesh” and then immediately in the next verse, 1Timothy 4v1., goes on to state; “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils!” Paul, like John, knew that the destructive heresy of Docetic Gnosticism would still be in the Church in the last days, and so he warns us against believing it, by stating that our Lord did, indeed, come in the flesh, and had a humanity like our own. Paul states that the denial of the humanity of Christ in the days of The Great Tribulation will mean that “some will depart from the faith.” Peter writes to the Christians of the five Roman provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, in Asia Minor, to warn them about and against the development of the Docetic and Cerinthian Gnostic heresies, which also greatly disturbed Paul, and he wrote against it in Colossians, Ephesians, and Pastoral Epistles, and John also attacks this mindset in his Gospel, Epistles, and the Apocalypse. Peter states in 2Peter.1v16 to 2v3. v16 “For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. v17 For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." v18 And we heard this voice, which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. v19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; v20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, v21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” 2Pet.2v1-3. “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. v2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. v3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.” (NKJV). Peter saw the terrible effects of the evil doctrine of Docetic Gnosticism in the Church in the last days of this Age, especially in the last three and a half years of this Age (The Great Tribulation) and the end of the false teachers, and those who believe them. These apostates will deny the Lord who bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction, and go into eternal punishment. The doctrine of “Original Sin,” craftily and secretly brings this very doctrine of Docetic Gnosticism into the Church, and in The Great Tribulation it will produce spiritual confusion, bewilderment, havoc and apostasy in the Church. In 2Pet.1v16., Peter uses the phrase, “cunningly devised fables”, “sesophismenois” 4679, “muthois” 3454. “Sesophismenois,” is the perfect passive participle of “sophizo,” to invent cleverly (as used here) or to play the sophist. “Muthois,” is an old term for word, narrative, story, fiction, fable, and falsehood. Peter states that the false doctrine of the Docetic Gnostics is “cleverly invented fiction, fables and falsehoods.” Peter states that the false teachers and those who accept and believe the evil doctrine of Docetism from them, will lead a “pernicious” life. “Pernicious ways” is the Greek “aselgeiais” 766, the associative instrumental case of “aselgeia,” which means, unbridled lust, excess, licentiousness, lasciviousness, wantonness, shamelessness, and insolence. In 2Peter.2v3-22., he goes on to give Old Testament examples of the character of these evil people and their final end. In Mt.24v45 to 25v13., Jesus gives two examples of those who come through The Great Tribulation victoriously, in the “faithful and wise servant” and the “five wise virgins,” and two examples of those who do not, in the “evil servant” and the “five foolish virgins.” N.B. “The Contrast Between Adam and Christ in Their Effect Upon Humanity. Rom.5v12-21. Some interpret these verses in Romans to mean that men are forced into sin, and they cannot help sinning, because of the sin of Adam. Those who insist that these verses teach that all humanity is forced into evil by Adam's sin, must accept that this would make these verses teach ultimate reconciliation for all mankind. The key verses are verses 17,18, and 19; Adam's sin did not force men to be sinners, no more than Christ's atonement forces men to be justified; in both cases, the free will of man is the determining factor. Rom.5v12,17. The result of following Adam is spiritual death; whereas the result of following Christ is justification and spiritual life. Is.53v6. Paul compares the severity of God in condemning Adam after one sin, with God's mercy to the Christian after a multitude of sins. Rom.5v16. James.5v19,20. Adam's first sin, the first step away from God, was the beginning of many steps away from God. God dealt immediately with Adam's sin, both for Adam's and the Creation's sake, lest he continued to live forever by partaking continually of the tree of life. Notice the kind and gentle attempts to make Adam and Eve confess their sin, and the thoughtful provision of God, even after their rebellion. The physical death which fell upon the human race after Adam's sin, is not the result of any person's sin, for children still die who have not sinned, Rom.5v14., physical death is the result of the withdrawal of the tree of life. Had not this been done, Adam would have lived in sin forever. Gen.3v22-24. N.B. The secret of Paul’s prayer life and spiritual victory. Rom.8v26. Paul states that the Holy Spirit always makes His unlimited abilities available to us when we pray. Paul writes in Rom.8v26., “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” (NKJ). In, “For we know not what we should pray for as we ought,” “as we ought,” is “katho dei,” “as it is necessary.” Rom.8v26. After about 25 years of Christian experience, Paul states that it was only the Holy Spirit’s help and gifts that prevented him from making mistakes over what to pray for, and enabled him to intercede effectively for God’s saints. N.B. Jn.14v16,17,26. 15v26,27. 16v6,16,17. In the light of this intercession by the Holy Spirit, we can well understand why Paul thanked God in 1Cor.14v18., that he spoke in tongues more than any of the verbose tongue speaking Corinthians. Praying in tongues releases the Holy Spirit’s power gifts, and prayer for the saints according to the will and desires of God. We do not know how to pray “as we ought,” “katho dei,” “as it is necessary,” but the Holy Spirit, “maketh intercession for us;” “huperentungchanei,” 5241, which only occurs here in the New Testament. It is derived from the verb “entungchano,” 1793,” which means "to light upon or fall in with; to go to meet,” and signifies to intercede or negotiate for another. A. T. Robertson says “It is a picturesque word of rescue by one who "happens on," “entungchanei” 1793, one who is in trouble and "in his behalf," “huper,” 5228, pleads "with unuttered groanings" (instrumental case) or with "sighs that baffle words" (Denney).” End of quote. Compare Acts.25v24. Rom.8v34. 11v2. Heb.7v25. Paul tells us in Rom.8v26,27., that the Holy Spirit is always available to us, to take hold with us against our infirmities, weakness, and limitations. “Helps,” poorly expresses the thought in “sunantilambanetai,” the present indicative of “sunantilambanomai,” 4878, “to lend a hand together with, at the same time with one.” It is a compound of” sun,” 4862,” “with,” or “together;” and “anti,” 473, “against;” and “lambanomai,” 2983, “to take and get hold of,” and so, “to actively support and help.” The Holy Spirit comes to enable us to pray, and mightily supplement our weakness and limitations with His infinite abilities, grace and love. The Holy Spirit comes to make the promise real to us that, “by Christ’s bruise we are healed,” and to reveal to us the ghastly bruising of our Lord’s emotions, body, soul, and spirit, during his life, ministry and atonement, that have bought healing for our body soul and spirit. By His bruise, we are healed! < >
The Disastrous Effects Of The Doctrine Of Original Sin \| By His Stripes We Are Healed \| The Book Of Revelation \| The Second Coming Of Christ \| The Baptism And Gifts Of The Holy Spirit \| The Comforter Is Come

Chapter Five

The Great Tribulation

Satan is allowed to run riot at the end of this age; “the mystery of lawlessness.” 2Thes.2v7.
At the end of this Age, the Age of Grace, immediately before our Lord’s Second Coming, there will be a time of great trouble of three and a half years duration, the like of which has never been seen since the beginning of the world, this period of time is called, “The Great Tribulation.” We are told in Rev.12v7-12., that this tribulation occurs, because Satan and his evil angels, now in the heavenly places, are cast out of them into the earth, and Satan begins his plan, called, “the Mystery of Iniquity” (“Iniquity,” is “anomias,” 458, lawlessness). God has up to this time restrained Satan’s plans, however, during The Great Tribulation God allows Satan to put his plans into operation, to expose Satan’s great wickedness. See 2Thes.2v3-12., N.B. v7 “For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way. v8 And then the Lawless One will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.” (NKJV). “Kai katargesei te epiphaneia tes parousias autou,” The commanding word and outshining, splendour and glory of Jesus at His second coming destroys his enemies. Rev.19v15,19-21. Zech.14v12.

“Restrains” in Greek is, “katechon” 2722, to hold fast or down, to restrain. There will be a sudden deluge of evil into the world, which will produce conditions like those experienced by Noah before the Flood, and Lot, when he fled from Sodom. During this time because “iniquity shall abound (literally, has come to the full) the “agape” love of many (Christians) will wax cold,” these believers will be overwhelmed by the evil in the world, because they have failed to prepare themselves for this terrible time. Rev.7v14. 12v9,12,14. Matt.24v12,21. Eph.6v12. 2Thess.2v1-12. N.B. v7, Luke.17v26-37. 18v1-8. Dan.8v23.

John writes in 1John.4v1-6., v1 “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. v2 By this you know the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God, v3 and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the spirit of the Antichrist, which you have heard was coming, and is now already in the world. v4 You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. v5 They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. v6 We are of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.”

The apostle John states very strongly that the person who “confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist.” He is referring here to the destructive heresy of Docetic Gnosticism, which many Christians today hold and believe, because of their acceptance of the doctrine of “Original Sin.” When John stated that the person who does not believe that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is “not of God,” and has “he spirit of antichrist,” he clearly had in mind also, not just his own time, but also the time of The Great Tribulation. During which the final and most evil Antichrist sets up his image in the Temple in Jerusalem, from where he reigns. John states that we can only overcome Antichrist, the false prophets and teachers, of the evil days of The Great Tribulation, if we believe “that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh”, that is if we recognise that Jesus had a real humanity exactly like our own, and NOT as the false prophets and teachers teach, that He was Docetic phantom. 2Thess 2v4.

The believer will only overcome in these dark evil days if their mind is filled with truth, as John writes in 1John.5v4., “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.”

The truth that we believe in these evil dark days that are coming is vital for our eternal salvation, because, as our Lord stated in Matt.24v12,13., “And because iniquity shall abound, the “agape” love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” It is quite clear that it is those who have their minds filled with the Truth, and have prayed and not fainted, who will be saved, the others will have backslidden and gone into apostasy, so it is vital for us as believers to “love” the truth. Luke.18v1. See 2Thess.2v10. “And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.”

Paul, in writing to Timothy in 1Timothy.3v16, states the vital truth that, “God was manifest in the flesh” and then immediately in the next verse, 1Timothy 4v1., goes on to state; “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils!” Paul, like John, knew that the destructive heresy of Docetic Gnosticism would still be in the Church in the last days, and so he warns us against believing it, by stating that our Lord did, indeed, come in the flesh, and had a humanity like our own. Paul states that the denial of the humanity of Christ in the days of The Great Tribulation will mean that “some will depart from the faith.”

Peter writes to the Christians of the five Roman provinces of Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, in Asia Minor, to warn them about and against the development of the Docetic and Cerinthian Gnostic heresies, which also greatly disturbed Paul, and he wrote against it in Colossians, Ephesians, and Pastoral Epistles, and John also attacks this mindset in his Gospel, Epistles, and the Apocalypse.

Peter states in 2Peter.1v16 to 2v3. v16 “For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. v17 For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." v18 And we heard this voice, which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. v19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts; v20 knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, v21 for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.”

2Pet.2v1-3. “But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction. v2 And many will follow their destructive ways, because of whom the way of truth will be blasphemed. v3 By covetousness they will exploit you with deceptive words; for a long time their judgment has not been idle, and their destruction does not slumber.” (NKJV).

Peter saw the terrible effects of the evil doctrine of Docetic Gnosticism in the Church in the last days of this Age, especially in the last three and a half years of this Age (The Great Tribulation) and the end of the false teachers, and those who believe them. These apostates will deny the Lord who bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction, and go into eternal punishment. The doctrine of “Original Sin,” craftily and secretly brings this very doctrine of Docetic Gnosticism into the Church, and in The Great Tribulation it will produce spiritual confusion, bewilderment, havoc and apostasy in the Church.

In 2Pet.1v16., Peter uses the phrase, “cunningly devised fables”, “sesophismenois” 4679, “muthois” 3454. “Sesophismenois,” is the perfect passive participle of “sophizo,” to invent cleverly (as used here) or to play the sophist. “Muthois,” is an old term for word, narrative, story, fiction, fable, and falsehood. Peter states that the false doctrine of the Docetic Gnostics is “cleverly invented fiction, fables and falsehoods.”

Peter states that the false teachers and those who accept and believe the evil doctrine of Docetism from them, will lead a “pernicious” life. “Pernicious ways” is the Greek “aselgeiais” 766, the associative instrumental case of “aselgeia,” which means, unbridled lust, excess, licentiousness, lasciviousness, wantonness, shamelessness, and insolence. In 2Peter.2v3-22., he goes on to give Old Testament examples of the character of these evil people and their final end.

In Mt.24v45 to 25v13., Jesus gives two examples of those who come through The Great Tribulation victoriously, in the “faithful and wise servant” and the “five wise virgins,” and two examples of those who do not, in the “evil servant” and the “five foolish virgins.”

N.B. “The Contrast Between Adam and Christ in Their Effect Upon Humanity. Rom.5v12-21.
Some interpret these verses in Romans to mean that men are forced into sin, and they cannot help sinning, because of the sin of Adam. Those who insist that these verses teach that all humanity is forced into evil by Adam's sin, must accept that this would make these verses teach ultimate reconciliation for all mankind. The key verses are verses 17,18, and 19; Adam's sin did not force men to be sinners, no more than Christ's atonement forces men to be justified; in both cases, the free will of man is the determining factor. Rom.5v12,17. The result of following Adam is spiritual death; whereas the result of following Christ is justification and spiritual life. Is.53v6. Paul compares the severity of God in condemning Adam after one sin, with God's mercy to the Christian after a multitude of sins. Rom.5v16. James.5v19,20. Adam's first sin, the first step away from God, was the beginning of many steps away from God. God dealt immediately with Adam's sin, both for Adam's and the Creation's sake, lest he continued to live forever by partaking continually of the tree of life. Notice the kind and gentle attempts to make Adam and Eve confess their sin, and the thoughtful provision of God, even after their rebellion. The physical death which fell upon the human race after Adam's sin, is not the result of any person's sin, for children still die who have not sinned, Rom.5v14., physical death is the result of the withdrawal of the tree of life. Had not this been done, Adam would have lived in sin forever. Gen.3v22-24.

N.B. The secret of Paul’s prayer life and spiritual victory. Rom.8v26.
Paul states that the Holy Spirit always makes His unlimited abilities available to us when we pray.
Paul writes in Rom.8v26., “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” (NKJ). In, “For we know not what we should pray for as we ought,” “as we ought,” is “katho dei,” “as it is necessary.” Rom.8v26. After about 25 years of Christian experience, Paul states that it was only the Holy Spirit’s help and gifts that prevented him from making mistakes over what to pray for, and enabled him to intercede effectively for God’s saints. N.B. Jn.14v16,17,26. 15v26,27. 16v6,16,17.

In the light of this intercession by the Holy Spirit, we can well understand why Paul thanked God in 1Cor.14v18., that he spoke in tongues more than any of the verbose tongue speaking Corinthians. Praying in tongues releases the Holy Spirit’s power gifts, and prayer for the saints according to the will and desires of God. We do not know how to pray “as we ought,” “katho dei,” “as it is necessary,” but the Holy Spirit, “maketh intercession for us;” “huperentungchanei,” 5241, which only occurs here in the New Testament. It is derived from the verb “entungchano,” 1793,” which means "to light upon or fall in with; to go to meet,” and signifies to intercede or negotiate for another. A. T. Robertson says “It is a picturesque word of rescue by one who "happens on," “entungchanei” 1793, one who is in trouble and "in his behalf," “huper,” 5228, pleads "with unuttered groanings" (instrumental case) or with "sighs that baffle words" (Denney).” End of quote. Compare Acts.25v24. Rom.8v34. 11v2. Heb.7v25.

Paul tells us in Rom.8v26,27., that the Holy Spirit is always available to us, to take hold with us against our infirmities, weakness, and limitations. “Helps,” poorly expresses the thought in “sunantilambanetai,” the present indicative of “sunantilambanomai,” 4878, “to lend a hand together with, at the same time with one.” It is a compound of” sun,” 4862,” “with,” or “together;” and “anti,” 473, “against;” and “lambanomai,” 2983, “to take and get hold of,” and so, “to actively support and help.” The Holy Spirit comes to enable us to pray, and mightily supplement our weakness and limitations with His infinite abilities, grace and love. The Holy Spirit comes to make the promise real to us that, “by Christ’s bruise we are healed,” and to reveal to us the ghastly bruising of our Lord’s emotions, body, soul, and spirit, during his life, ministry and atonement, that have bought healing for our body soul and spirit. By His bruise, we are healed!

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