What Is Truth?
By: Eddie Jones
Our generation has grown up with an educational system that teaches, truth is something the individual must learn for himself. Those who are searching for truth today, ask the question, “What is truth?” Many centuries ago, Pilate asked the same question to Jesus. John 18:38. You do not have to be satisfied with mere theories and ideas of men, when you can learn what is truth!
UNDERSTANDING TRUTH
Philip asked the Ethiopian eunuch, who was reading from the prophet Esaias, “Understandest thou what thou readest?” He answered, “How can I, except some man should guide me?” Acts 8:30, 31. Proper guidance, with divine revelation, will bring a good understanding to those who really desire to know the truth.
The word “truth” defined by Webster simply means — “Quality or state of being true, genuineness, agreement with a standard, that which is true.”
To know the truth, it is important to understand that truth cannot be separated from God. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the WORD WAS GOD.” John 1:1. “And the Word (which was God) was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and TRUTH.” John 1:14. Jesus said, “I AM the way, the TRUTH, (Word made flesh,) and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6. Jesus also said, “Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice.” John 18:37.
We cannot receive Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour, without receiving the truth, (God’s Word) for they are inseparable. Likewise, we cannot reject the truth, or any portion of God’s Word, without rejecting the only Saviour of our soul. “Ye shall know the truth, (Jesus) and the truth shall may you free. If the Son (Jesus) therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” John 8:32, 36.
It is very important that we receive all the truth and nothing but the truth. The absence of truth is dangerously misleading. just as adding to or changing truth. Because a half truth is a half lie! “ALL SCRIPTURE is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” Timothy 3:16. No one has the right to change God’s Word to agree with his opinion, or to choose one portion of scripture and reject another. If any man’s interpretation of a scripture clashes with another scripture, his interpretation is
in error. For truth will never contradict itself. All scripture will agree together, with proper interpretation and produce a clear understanding of truth to a sincere believer. “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.” 2 Peter 1:20, 21. Therefore Paul instructed, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15.
TRUTH ESTABLISHED
Once truth is established it cannot be changed. It is always truth! Truth never takes away from, replaces, or destroys truth. Truth always builds to, strengthens, or agrees with truth. Isaiah declared, “For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little.” Isaiah 28:10.
Now, let us establish the truth in our hearts! Basically, what is true Bible salvation?
1. Faith in God
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:16. Paul and Silas said to the Philippian jailer, “BELIEVE ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house.” Acts 16:31. The truth is established that faith in God is essential to salvation. But faith alone cannot save an individual. James emphasized, “Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead being alone.” James 2:17. Therefore, we cannot stop with faith, for it is only part of the truth. There is more!
1. Repentance to God with Divine Forgiveness
Jesus stated, “Except ye REPENT, ye shall all likewise perish.” Luke 13:3. God COMMANDETH all men everywhere to REPENT. Acts 17:30. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” 1 John 1:9. The truth is established that repentance to God with divine forgiveness, is essential to salvation. But this does not take away from faith, it only builds to and strengthens. For a sinner must have faith in God to repent of his sins. But repentance alone will not save an individual. There is still more truth!
3. Water Baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ for the Remission of Sins Jesus said, “He that believeth and is BAPTIZED shall be saved …” Mark 16:16. “While the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by WATER. The like figure whereunto even BAPTISM DOTH ALSO NOW SAVE US.” 1 Peter 3:20, 21. Jesus commissioned that repentance and REMISSION OF SINS should be preached in HIS NAME. Luke 24:47. Peter preached, “Repent, and be BAPTIZED everyone of you in the NAME OF JESUS CHRIST FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS …” Acts 2:38. “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is NONE OTHER NAME (JESUS) under heaven given among men, WHEREBY WE MUST BE SAVED.” Acts 4:12. Ananias said, “And now why tarriest thou? Arise, and BE BAPTIZED, and WASH AWAY THY SINS, CALLING on the NAME OF THE LORD.” Acts 22:16. The truth is established that water baptism in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, is essential to salvation. But this does not replace repentance, here again it only builds to. As Isaiah said, “Precept MUST BE upon precept; line upon line; here a little, and there a little.” But water baptism alone will not save an individual. We must sincerely receive all the truth.
4. Holy Spirit Baptism Evidenced by Speaking in Tongues
Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Except a man be born of water and of the SPIRIT, he can not enter into the Kingdom of God.” John 3:5. The Lord COMMANDED His disciples that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father. “For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall BE BAPTIZED WITH THE HOLY GHOST not many days hence.” Acts 1:4, 5. Jesus promised, “And these signs shall follow them that believe . . . they SHALL SPEAK WITH NEW TONGUES.” Mark 16:17. On the day of Pentecost, 120 disciples were all FILLED WITH THE HOLY GHOST, and began to SPEAK WITH OTHER TONGUES, as the Spirit gave them utterance. Acts 2:4. Peter assured, “For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.” Acts 2:39. The truth is established that the Holy Spirit Baptism, evidenced by speaking in tongues, is essential to salvation. But this does not do away with water baptism, for it works together in agreement with it. Once truth is established it cannot be destroyed.
Like pieces of a puzzle, we rightly divide the word of truth, fitting the scripture together to produce a beautiful picture of true Bible salvation. To answer the believers who asked, “What shall we do?” Peter put it all together when he said, “REPENT, and BE BAPTIZED every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall RECEIVE the gift of THE HOLY GHOST.” Acts 2:37, 38.
TRUTH EXPERIENCED
Following the initial outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and the ministry of Peter at Pentecost, the Bible states, “They that gladly received his word were BAPTIZED: and the same day there were added unto them (1 20 disciples) about three thousand souls.” Acts 2:41.
When Philip went down to Samaria, and preached the things concerning the Kingdom of God, and the Name of Jesus Christ, THEY BELIEVED and WERE BAPTIZED in the Name of the Lord Jesus. But it was not until Peter and John came, that THEY RECEIVED THE HOLY GHOST. Acts 8:12-17.
Peter preached faith in Jesus Christ and remission of sins through His Name, to the Gentiles at Cesarea. And the HOLY GHOST FELL ON ALL them which heard the Word. Now, the Jews were astonished that on the Gentiles also was poured out the gift of the Holy Ghost, FOR THEY HEARD THEM SPEAK WITH TONGUES. Then asked Peter, “Can any man forbid WATER, that these should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? And he COMMANDED them to BE BAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF THE LORD.” Acts 10:43-48.
At Ephesus, Paul asked certain disciples of John the Baptist, “Have ye received the Holy Ghost SINCE YE BELIEVED?” They replied, “We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.” Now, here were baptized believers, who had not received the Holy Spirit baptism. But when they heard the preaching of Paul, they were REBAPTIZED IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS. “And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the HOLY GHOST CAME ON THEM; and THEY SPAKE WITH TONGUES …” Acts 19:1-6.
Paul concluded, “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy, He saved us, (how?) by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; which He shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour.” Titus 3:5, 6.
How beautiful is the truth! Repentance builds upon faith, water baptism builds upon repentance, and the Holy Spirit Baptism builds upon water baptism. Each is dependent upon the other, as they all work together in agreement, to produce salvation in the hearts of believers. The Bible reveals, “There are three that bear witness in earth, the SPIRIT, and the WATER, and the BLOOD: and these three AGREE in one.” 1 John 5:8.
If you desire to know the truth, I urge you to open your heart and receive all that God has for you in His Word. Why settle for anything less, when you can experience true bible salvation?
“Ye shall know the truth and the truth shall make you free.” John 8:32.
(The above material was published by Know The Truth Literature in Minden, LA.)
WHY SO MANY CHURCHES AND WHICH IS RIGHT?
Article 2
By: Irvin Baxter, Jr.
Have you ever heard someone say, “Well, I should go to church, but there are so many different kinds which teach so many different beliefs that I would have no idea which one to attend”? Why are there so many different “Christian” churches?!
Do you know that it was prophesied in the Bible that there would come a time when there would be many different churches which would go under the banner of Christianity? Not only that, the Bible reveals in this prophecy the distinguishing teaching of the true church. The prophecy which explains all this is unveiled in the following study.
Revelation 17:1-3. “And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, come hither: I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet colored beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.”
The importance of this study in every individual’s life is shown in the very first verse. The angel said, “I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore.” Here God has pronounced judgment upon someone or something. The question immediately arises, “Am I going to be included in this judgment?” If we don’t know who or what is destined to be judged, then we cannot act to dissociate ourselves from that which is to be judged.
The first and foremost question we must ask is, “Who is this woman?” As we search for the answer to this question, we will find that every symbol which surrounds this woman is interpreted in plain language in this very same chapter.
WHO IS THE WOMAN?
Rev. 17:18 states very plainly, “And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.” So the first thing we discover is that the woman represents a city. There is a city somewhere on earth right now that God has pronounced judgment upon. We need to discover what city this is. If we live in that city, we need to move out so that God’s judgments will not fall upon us also. Rev. 18:4 speaking of the same city says, “Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.”
The next clue in Rev. 17:9 tells what these seven heads symbolize. “And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.” (Or on which the city sitteth.)
We now know two things: the woman is a city, and this city is located upon seven mountains or hills. There is only one city in the world today that is known as the city of seven hills. If you will look in many encyclopedias under Rome, you will see ROME, THE CITY OF SEVEN HILLS. If Rome is this city, then the rest of the clues in this chapter should fit her too.
Again in Rev. 17:18 – “And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth-” Does Washington, DC reign over the kings of the earth? Does Moscow? Does New York? London? Paris? The answer of course is definitely not! We can prove, however, that Rome does reign over the kings of the earth. In 1951 the Roman Catholic Church made a law that the Catholic Church had the right to guide the political thinking of any and all of its members. That states very plainly that if a pope should choose to issue an order to a head of state who is Catholic, that he is bound by the laws of Roman Catholicism to obey. Do you realize that many heads of state today are Roman Catholic? One pope emphatically declared, “Popes have the right to remove kings and emperors, since spiritual rules over temporal.” During the middle ages, 500-1500 A.D., the pope named, removed, and replaced kings in Europe at will. European rulers, as recently as 100 years ago, went to be crowned by the pope. Napoleon planned to be crowned by the pope, but a rift developed between his country and the Vatican, which prevented it. When the pope is crowned in his coronation ceremony, he is pronounced “king of kings and ruler of rulers of the earth.” God foresaw all of this before Catholicism ever existed, and foretold it in minute detail so that honest-hearted individuals would not be deceived. The remarkable thing is that Catholicism issues statements which are worded almost exactly like God’s prophecies concerning her!
In verse one again, the woman is shown sitting upon many waters. The angel tells John in verse 15, “The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.” Roman Catholicism claims 500,000,000 subjects or members. (Catholics
are many times referred to as subjects of the pope.) These members are in virtually every kingdom of the world. What an accurate description of Catholicism given by God before Roman Catholicism even existed! Roman Catholicism-a city and yet an international system.
Verse 4 further described Catholicism, “And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication.”
In a description of a papal parade, the attire of the pope and the cardinals was described using almost the identical words as those above. Scarlet (red) is the color worn by cardinals, purple is worn by the pope and others, the pope’s crown is gold, his throne is gold, the pope and the cardinals always have gold crucifixes hung about their necks, and pearls are used by all members in the form of their rosary The astonishing thing is that the Catholic Church claims to be the true church, yet Paul taught against the wearing of pearls, gold, and costly array. (I Timothy 2:9.) Of course if you will take notice of the different doctrines of Catholicism, you will find that hardly any are the same as those of the early church. That’s the reason God hates Catholicism so, and has vowed to send terrible judgment upon it.
Verse 6- “And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus:”
Of all the persecutors of the true saints of God, Roman Catholicism ranks number one. In her history she has killed in the neighborhood of 68,000,000 Christians because they would not bow to her false doctrines. In one six-year period alone, Roman Catholicism was responsible for 6,000,000 deaths. (Not mentioning the unspeakable torture that came before death.) There are countries today in which one may not preach contrary to Catholicism without endangering his
life. This seems so foreign today in the midst of the Ecumenical Movement, but the history books shout a warning to us if we will but listen. Not only has Catholicism been a persecutor in the past, but the Bible prophesies that in the immediate future she is going to be a party to persecution such as the world has never seen. It is no wonder that God said that Catholicism was drunken with the blood of the saints.
Verse 5-“And upon her forehead was a name written, Mystery Babylon the Great, The Mother of Harlots and Abominations of the Earth.”
To understand the first part of this name which was written upon the forehead of this woman, “Mystery Babylon the Great,” we must know something about Babylon. The first time we hear of Babylon is at the tower of Babel. This was shortly after the flood. The idea behind building the tower which would reach high into the heavens was that if another flood came, the people could save themselves by going up into the tower rather than depend on God to save them. Also this great tower would weld the people together into a single nation and government. They already had the same language. So the spirit of Babylon which began at the tower of Babel was the spirit of self sufficiency. One ruler, one government, one language, and one economy. Give us these and we can solve all our problems.
The spirit of Babylon got into Nebuchadnezzar one night causing him to forget that God held control over the earth and could bring about the exaltation or the downfall of any ruler or kingdom. In his pride he exclaimed, “Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?” Immediate, the kingdom was taken from Nebuchadnezzar, and he was driven into the field to roam there as a maniac until he
acknowledged the supremacy of God.
This lesson was remembered but a short time. Nebuchadnezzar’s grandson Belshazzar reigned over the kingdom of Babylon. One night Belshazzar held a great feast “at which he was the center of attention and praise and exaltation which his subjects had bestowed upon him. In his exalted condition he sent for the golden and silver vessels which were dedicated to the worship of God. As he drank from those forbidden vessels, God wrote a message to Belshazzar in the plaster of the wall.
“God hath numbered thy kingdom and finished it. Thou art weighed in the balances, and art found wanting. Thy kingdom is divided, and given to the Medes and the Persians.” The spirit of Babylon once again brought God’s judgment, as it always does.
The spirit of Babylon is still working in our times. When Hitler rose to power, his message and goal was to bring 1000 years of peace to the earth. (With the Germans as rulers.) The reason Satan inspired Hitler to attempt this 1000-year reign was simply because Satan has always tried to do what God has promised He will do. Every saint of God longs for the return of Jesus Christ to set up His millenial (1000-year) kingdom on earth. (Rev. 20:2-3,6.) Before Hitler’s 3rd Reich it was the 1st Reich and the 2nd Reich, all inspired by the spirit of Babylon and all with the same vision: to establish a world kingdom that would last 1000 years. Undoubtedly, we will soon see the emergence of the 4th Reich, preaching the same Babylonian message of one world government, one religion and the promise of 1000 years of peace and prosperity.
Now the Bible did not say the woman’s name was to be Babylon; it said “Mystery Babylon.” In other words she will not be called Babylon, but she will have the same spirit and doctrine that Babylon has always possessed. True to form, Catholicism does not believe that Jesus Christ is going to return to earth in person and set up a thousand- year kingdom of peace; but rather, they believe that through the spreading of the influence of Catholicism, they eventually will gain enough power to rule the world and to establish the Pope as “King of Kings.” Isn’t it amazing how accurate Bible prophecy is, even thoughw ritten 2,000 years ago? It is not fulfilled in just one or two points but in every single detail, no matter how small.
THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS
This last portion of the name that God gave to Catholicism is, undoubtedly, the most important in opening our understanding. Here we can know the true from the false.
Notice, first of all, that Catholicism was called a harlot. Now God is saying that she is not only a harlot but is also the “Mother of Harlots.” A harlot is a woman who bears children having no husband.
Throughout the New Testament God’s true church has been called the bride of Jesus Christ. (II Cor. 11:1-3 and Rev. 21:2.) In order to be in the bride, we must take the name of the bridegroom. The way we can take the name of Jesus is through baptism. (Gal. 3:27.) Except we are baptized in the name of Jesus we have no husband. If we won’t take the name, we can’t be in the bride.
This brings us to a crucial question: how does your church baptize? There are principally two formulas which have been used for baptism by present-day churches. 1) In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. 2) In the name of Jesus Christ. Those who were baptized in the Bible were always baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. If you will look in most encyclopedias, they will tell you that until 325 A.D. baptism in the name of Jesus Christ was the accepted formula. (Canney Encyclopedia, page 53; Dictionary of the Bible by Scribners, page 241; Dictionary of the Bible, James Hastings; Encyclopedia Britannica, volume 3, pages 365-366, the 11th edition.)
On the other hand, no one in the Bible was ever baptized using the titles “Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.” Until 325 A.D. this formula was never used or recognized as valid.
Then in 325 A.D. the Nicean Council was called by what had become the Catholic Church. At this council the mode of baptism was changed from “In the name of Jesus Christ” to “Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.” Also at this council the doctrine of the Trinity was formulated. This was the founding of the “great whore,” the “Mother of Harlots.” She became a woman with no husband. She bore no man’s name.
In the 16th century Martin Luther led the reformation carrying with him millions. The Roman Catholic Church hastily called the Council of Trent in an attempt to stem the tide away from Catholicism. At this council many decrees were made condemning the Protestants; however, the council decreed that the Protestants, at least, had not forsaken the Mother Church’s baptism, With this fatal mistake the Protestant movement was doomed to eventually be nothing but a lot of little harlots following in the footsteps of their Mother. We see this doom being fulfilled today with the Protestants turning back to Mother. Pope John XXIII issued this statement: “We the Mother Church are opening our arms to all of our daughters to return home. Any one who holds to our baptism may return without being rebaptized.” How accurately it is being fulfilled!
Finally, God said of Mystery Babylon in Rev. 18:7: “How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: For she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.” Now, why would Catholicism say, “I sit a
queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow”? Simply because articles like this and God’s true preachers are going to be preaching so loudly: “You’re a widow. Before 325 A.D. you bore the name of Jesus, but now you’re a widow and a harlot. You are soon to be judged.” In defense she is going to say, “I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.” But Rev. 18:8 says, “Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine: And she shall be utterly burned with fire: For strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.”
Judgment is coming to Catholicism! Judgment is coming to Protestantism, her daughters! All this is in your Bible, whether a Protestant or Catholic Bible! Get your Bibles down and read for yourself. Are you going to reap the wrath of God, or are you going to wake up and obey the truth?
Remember, the point on which the entire issue turns is the formula of baptism used. Ecumenical leaders are saying, “We have a basis for unity. It is our common mode of baptism . . . Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.” All churches will soon be divided into two basic groups – those who baptize using the phrase that was never used one time in the Bible . . . Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, or those who baptize using the phrase that was used every single time by the New Testament church. . . In the name of Jesus (or Jesus Christ). See Acts 2:38, Acts 8:16, Acts 10:48, Acts 19:5. In the Bible God’s true church is symbolized as a virgin bride. All false churches are also symbolized as a woman, but the woman is a harlot. The Bible prophesied that there would be many false “Christian” churches-the Mother harlot and all of her daughter harlots. Their relationship is cemented by their common baptism.
As the dark cloud of ecumenism closes in on the world, there are many honest-hearted and sincere individuals in these false churches that God would like to save. The Word of God rings out, “Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” (Rev. 18:4.)
For more information or assistance on the above subject, please call or write us. You may want to request our booklet on Water Baptism-free upon request. Your inquiry will be confidential.
(The above material was produced by Endtime, Inc. in Richmond, IN.)
Christian Information Network
PENTECOSTAL CODE OF CONDUCT
Article 2
I am an Apostolic Pentecostal. I serve in the forces which guard the faith and our holy way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense.
I will never surrender. If I am a leader, I will encourage our youth to fight the good fight of faith with their hear, mind, soul and strength.
If I am tempted, I will continue to resist by all means available. I will make every effort to gain the victory and pray others through to victory. I will accept no compromise from Satan nor special favors from the world.
If I become separated from my brethren. I will keep the faith once delivered to the saints. I will not betray my God nor take part in any action which will be harmful to my brothers and sisters in Christ. If I have the word of wisdom, I will take charge. If not, I will respect those who have authority over me and will pray for and support them in every way.
When questioned, I will declare only Christ, His authority and kingdom, and will testify of the new-birth experience I have received. I will evade answering questions of vain philosophy to the utmost of my ability. I will make no oral or written statements disloyal to my God and His people or harmful to His cause.
I will never forget that I am a Christian, responsible for my actions and dedicated to the principles which made my salvation free. I will trust in my God and in those filled with His Spirit.
(The original source and/or publisher of the above material is unknown.)
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