THE CHARISMATIC FALSEHOOD OF REBUKE

Psalm 119:118, “Thou hast trodden down all them that err from thy statutes: for their deceit is falsehood.”

Matthew 22:29, “Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.”

It is common among Charismatics to “rebuke Satan” or to “rebuke illness” with vain repetitions (“I bind you, Satan!”), but the question must be asked: Do Charismatics have Biblical authority to do so? Do Charismatics have the right to rebuke illness or even Satan? A diligent study of the scriptures and taking it all in proper context gives a clear answer: No!

First, let us consider a few things: Are some sicknesses caused by devils? Yes. An example of this is found in Luke 13: A woman had a spirit of infirmity for eighteen years before Jesus healed her. Here, though, he did not rebuke the spirit. He simply told her she was loosed and laid his hands on her, and she was healed.

Luke 13:11-13, “And, behold, there was a woman which had a spirit of infirmity eighteen years, and was bowed together, and could in no wise lift up herself. And when Jesus saw her, he called her to him, and said unto her, Woman, thou art loosed from thine infirmity. And he laid his hands on her: and immediately she was made straight, and glorified God.”

However, not all sicknesses are of the devil. An example of this is found in Matthew 9, when a woman was healed simply by touching the hem of Jesus’ garment. If the issue of blood she had was “an attack by Satan,” as Charismatics like to claim about all afflictions, the Bible would have said so. It does not.

Matthew 9:20-22, “And, behold, a woman, which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years, came behind him, and touched the hem of his garment: For she said within herself, If I may but touch his garment, I shall be whole. But Jesus turned him about, and when he saw her, he said, Daughter, be of good comfort; thy faith hath made thee whole. And the woman was made whole from that hour.”

Notice that the woman did NOT rebuke Satan, nor did she rebuke the illness, nor did she utter silly, vain repetitions such as, “I bind you, Satan!” She simply had faith that Jesus would heal her.

There IS one example of an illness being rebuked in the scriptures. However, we MUST remember WHO did it: it was the Lord Jesus Christ himself.

Luke 4:38-39, “And he arose out of the synagogue, and entered into Simon’s house. And Simon’s wife’s mother was taken with a great fever; and they besought him for her. And he stood over her, and rebuked the fever; and it left her: and immediately she arose and ministered unto them.”

We are NEVER given a command in scripture to rebuke illness, nor are we given a command to rebuke Satan for illness. In fact, the Bible tells us that even Michael the archangel did not dare rebuke Satan, instead leaving it up to God. Now, if Michael the archangel, who is greater than any man, does not have the authority to rebuke Satan, what makes the foolish Charismatic think he does?

Jude 9, “Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.”

When Paul the apostle was afflicted with an infirmity, a thorn in the flesh, did he rebuke Satan (“I bind you, Satan; I rebuke you!”)? No, he did not! Instead, he tried to pray to God three times to be healed. However, God’s answer was no. Why? It was to keep Paul humble, and also to show him that the strength of Jesus Christ is made perfect in weakness.

2 Corinthians 12:7-9, “And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.”

This refutes the foolish heresy of Charismatics that God wants us one-hundred percent healthy one-hundred percent of the time. The above Scriptures, taken together, also refute the foolish Charismatic heresy that every single sickness and disease is a “Satanic attack.” Has it never occurred to any of them that sickness can also be a form of chastisement by God for sin?

Psalm 38:3-7, “There is no soundness in my flesh because of thine anger; neither is there any rest in my bones because of my sin. For mine iniquities are gone over mine head: as an heavy burden they are too heavy for me. My wounds stink and are corrupt because of my foolishness. I am troubled; I am bowed down greatly; I go mourning all the day long. For my loins are filled with a loathsome disease: and there is no soundness in my flesh.”

It is unfortunate that Charismatic heresy has affected many churches today, but it is even more unfortunate that its followers do not love God or His word of truth enough to verify the claims made by these lying deceivers!

Acts 17:10-11, “And the brethren immediately sent away Paul and Silas by night unto Berea: who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so.”

1 John 4:1, “Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.”

AMERICA: A NATION OF PSYCHOPATHS

Jeremiah 51:7, “Babylon hath been a golden cup in the LORD’s hand, that made all the earth drunken: the nations have drunken of her wine; therefore the nations are mad.”

According to the above scripture, Babylon made all the nations spiritually drunk. Because of their spiritual drunkenness, the nations are mad. America is another example of a nation that has become so spiritually drunk that she is mad.

If you are wondering how this can be so, let us look at the behavior of American society, which can be easily observed:

1. The lust for strange flesh (“sexual orientation”) is actually considered a civil right AND Constitutionally defendable. (“Love is love!”, “Live and let love!”) Lust for strange flesh is even defendable by twisting or flat-out denying the truth of the word of God. The same can be said for sodomy. Only a nation of psychopaths would do this.

Leviticus 18:22, “Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.”

Romans 1:26-27, “For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.”

2. The death penalty for unrepentant serial killers is an abomination, and it is a cruel and unnecessary punishment. However, it is a “human right” for wicked women to kill their unborn children (for ANY reason), and if that “right” is threatened or rebuked in any way, it is a travesty that causes emotional meltdowns. The killing of unborn children has also become “Constitutionally defendable.” Only a nation of psychopaths would do this.

Exodus 20:13, “Thou shalt not kill.”

Psalm 106:36-38, “And they served their idols: which were a snare unto them. Yea, they sacrificed their sons and their daughters unto devils, And shed innocent blood, even the blood of their sons and of their daughters, whom they sacrificed unto the idols of Canaan: and the land was polluted with blood.”

3. It is an absolute abomination for children to be taught the King James Bible (the modern perversions are corrupt and spiritually destroying lives everywhere), but there is nothing wrong with teaching them witchcraft, sorcery, and occultism (Harry Potter books). It is also acceptable to expose them to the sodomite agenda (various same-sex-related children’s books) and now “gender-transitioning” (child abuse that is “scientifically defendable”). Only a nation of psychopaths would do this.

Matthew 18:6, “But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.”

4. Once-great Bible colleges have become dens of thieves and cesspits of unbelief and mockery of the word of God. These colleges teach that we have no perfect word of God, that we can find the long-lost original autographs, and anyone who believes otherwise is a heretical nut. These colleges are also supported by many deceived, undiscerning, religious people. Only a nation of psychopaths would do this.

Amos 8:11-13, “Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD: And they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the LORD, and shall not find it. In that day shall the fair virgins and young men faint for thirst.”

5. It is an abomination to put your trust in God for strength, wisdom, understanding, and peace, but it is a must that you go out and vote for the next corrupt politician who promises liberty yet brings corruption, the politician who speaks empty words of vanity and flattery just to boost his numbers. Despite the fact that the majority of politicians are corrupt and do not keep their promises, one is mocked if he decides not to play the voting game. (“If you do not vote, you cannot speak!”) Only a nation of psychopaths would do this.

Jeremiah 17:5-8, “Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD. For he shall be like the heath in the desert, and shall not see when good cometh; but shall inhabit the parched places in the wilderness, in a salt land and not inhabited. Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is. For he shall be as a tree planted by the waters, and that spreadeth out her roots by the river, and shall not see when heat cometh, but her leaf shall be green; and shall not be careful in the year of drought, neither shall cease from yielding fruit.”

2 Peter 2:18-19, “For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.”

6. It is an abomination to defend or stand with born again Christians in any way, but it is a must that we defend and stand with a nation that openly rejects Jesus Christ just because false teachers have twisted scriptures to teach that Christ-rejecting Israel is still God’s chosen people (this ended with the start of the new covenant). Imagine that: You can reject the Son of God and still be called God’s chosen people, and yet those who have actually received the Lord Jesus as their Saviour… what are they, an afterthought? Only a nation of psychopaths would do this.

Malachi 2:17, “Ye have wearied the LORD with your words. Yet ye say, Wherein have we wearied him? When ye say, Every one that doeth evil is good in the sight of the LORD, and he delighteth in them; or, Where is the God of judgment?”

There are many more examples of America’s madness and descent into psychopathy, but I think these sufficiently prove what I am saying. All six examples can be traced to the root of rejecting God’s word, mocking it, etc. America truly is a nation of psychopaths. Why then should God bless this once-great nation? What legitimate reason does he have to bless this nation of unbelieving heathens, murderers, sodomites, blasphemers, covetous lovers of money, and proud evildoers? Can you think of any Biblical reason why God should bless America today?

Proverbs 14:34, “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.”

Proverbs 28:4, “They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them.”

FOLLOWERS OR IMITATORS?

“No man was ever great by imitation.” —Samuel Johnson

There is a difference in meaning between the words “follow” and “imitate.” The King James Bible defines “follow” as coming after something, or someone. Examples of this are found in Matthew 16 and Luke 9.

Matthew 16:24, “Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.”

Luke 9:23, “And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.”

You will not find the word “imitate” in the King James Bible. Why? Because the word “imitate,” by its definition in the dictionary, allows for the possibility of counterfeiting (not necessarily financially). However, you WILL find “imitate” in the modern perversions of the Bible; “imitate” replaces “follow” in the following scriptures: 1 Corinthians 4:16, 2 Thessalonians 3:9, Hebrews 6:12, 13:7, and 3 John 11. Remember the claim of modern bible version editors: They are only replacing “difficult” and “archaic” words! Is “follow” an archaic word?! (We will look at the NIV’s rendering of the aforementioned scriptures, since it is the top-selling “bible” today.)

1. In 1 Corinthians 4:16, Paul beseeched the Corinthian believers to follow him (to come after his example). In the NIV, Paul “urges” them to “imitate” him. Does he want the Corinthians to mock him or be counterfeits? With “imitate,” anything is possible!

1 Corinthians 4:16, “Wherefore I beseech you, be ye followers of me.”

1 Corinthians 4:16 (NIV), “Therefore I urge you to imitate me.”

2. In 2 Thessalonians 3:9, Paul exhorts the Thessalonian believers to follow his ensample in the matters of labor, shunning idleness and ill company. In the NIV, Paul is merely a “model for [them] to imitate.”

2 Thessalonians 3:9, “Not because we have not power, but to make ourselves an ensample unto you to follow us.”

2 Thessalonians 3:9 (NIV), “We did this, not because we do not have the right to such help, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you to imitate.”

3. In Hebrews 6:12, the Hebrew believers are exhorted not to be slothful, but to follow them who inherit the promises of God by faith and patience. In the NIV, the Hebrews are told to be imitators of the heirs of the promises. Again, what could possibly go wrong?

Hebrews 6:12, “That ye be not slothful, but followers of them who through faith and patience inherit the promises.”

Hebrews 6:12 (NIV), “We do not want you to become lazy, but to imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised.”

4. In Hebrews 13:7, the Hebrew believers are exhorted to follow the faith of those who spake the word of God unto them. In the NIV, they are called to “imitate” this faith. Is this why we see so many imitation “Christians” today?

Hebrews 13:7, “Remember them which have the rule over you, who have spoken unto you the word of God: whose faith follow, considering the end of their conversation.”

Hebrews 13:7 (NIV), “Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.”

5. I saved the best for last. In 3 John 11, the beloved are commanded to follow that which is good, not evil. In the NIV, they are commanded to IMITATE that which is good.

3 John 11, “Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.”

3 John 11 (NIV), “Dear friend, do not imitate what is evil but what is good. Anyone who does what is good is from God. Anyone who does what is evil has not seen God.”

The problem with the NIV’s rendering is that it seems to encourage professing Christians to be Pharisees, who had outward righteousness, but were inwardly unclean, according to Jesus.

Matthew 23:25-28, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye make clean the outside of the cup and of the platter, but within they are full of extortion and excess. Thou blind Pharisee, cleanse first that which is within the cup and platter, that the outside of them may be clean also. Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity.”

Also, recall that Satan transforms himself into an angel of light, and one of his “I will’s” in Isaiah 14 was to “be like [imitate!] the most High.” Not only does Satan transform himself, his ministers transform themselves into the ministers of righteousness!

Isaiah 14:12-14, “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.”

2 Corinthians 11:13-15, “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.”

If you are a born again believer in Christ who wants to follow Christ, be a follower, not an imitator! A follower of Christ is allowed to retain their individuality; an imitator is merely a copycat. What is it going to be?

ARE WE SAVED BY THE CATHOLIC CHURCH?

Matthew 19:25-26, “When his disciples heard it, they were exceedingly amazed, saying, Who then can be saved? But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.”

According to Jesus Christ in the scriptures, it is impossible for man to save himself, but it is possible for God to save man.

There is a dangerous false doctrine today that is leading multitudes of Catholics to hell, and that is the claim that salvation is only available to members of the Catholic Church. According to them, no one outside the Catholic Church is saved.

“The Second Vatican Council’s Decree on Ecumenism explains: ‘For it is through Christ’s Catholic Church alone, which is the universal help toward salvation, that the fullness of the means of salvation can be obtained.’” -1994 Official Roman Catholic Catechism, p. 215, no. 816

According to the scriptures, a church is a congregation or assembly. It is NOT the building itself. Hebrews 2:12 uses the word “church”, while Psalm 22:22, quoted in Hebrews, uses the word “congregation.” This is NOT a translation error, it is a synonym. The same applies to the word “assembly.”

Psalm 22:22, “I will declare thy name unto my brethren: in the midst of the congregation will I praise thee.”

Hebrews 2:11-12, “For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.”

Therefore, since the Catholic “Church” claims that it is the source of salvation for sinners, it is essentially saying that you cannot be saved if you are not part of the Catholic CONGREGATION, or ASSEMBLY.

Friends, this is nothing more than a heretical doctrine of a religious club. The scriptures do NOT teach us to join a congregation in order to be saved! Rather, the scriptures teach that we are saved only by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ!

John 6:47, “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.”

John 14:6, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.”

Acts 4:10-12, “Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

It is Jesus Christ who is the mediator between God the Father and man, NOT a religious congregation!

1 Timothy 2:3-6, “For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour; Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” 

JESUS CHRIST IS ETERNAL LIFE!

John 11:25-26, “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this?”

In John 11, Jesus tells Martha that he is the resurrection and the life, that whosoever believes on him will never die. The death Jesus refers to is spiritual: whosoever believes on the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour will never perish in the fires of hell, though they die physically. They have everlasting life.

John 10:27-29, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me: And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.”

There are some false teachers in the world who deny, or have denied, the Biblical doctrine of eternal security, such as Phil Kidd, Dan Corner, John Wesley, Jacob Arminius, and others. To deny eternal security is to deny God’s free gift of salvation! We just read from Jesus himself that his sheep shall NEVER perish!

According to the scriptures of the Holy Bible, Jesus Christ IS eternal life. If you have not eternal life, you have not Jesus Christ!

1 John 1:1-3, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;) That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.”

We read in 1 John 1:1-3 that the Word of life was with the Father and was manifested unto his people. This is also taught in John 1.

John 1:1-18, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. He came unto his own, and his own received him not. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word 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 bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.”

Going back to 1 John 1:2, we find that ETERNAL LIFE was manifested unto the people. Eternal life is the Lord Jesus Christ himself; he is the Word of God.

John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

Revelation 19:13, “And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called the Word of God.”

Jesus is God manifest in the flesh.

John 1:14, “And the Word 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.”

1 Timothy 3:16, “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”

Jesus is the Lamb of God.

Genesis 22:8, “And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.”

John 1:29-36, “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me. And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God. Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!”

According to 1 John 5:20, Jesus Christ IS the true God, and eternal life. If you have not eternal life, you have not Jesus Christ! If salvation can be lost, then Jesus Christ is not your Saviour, and you have made God a liar!

1 John 5:4-13, “For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God? This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.”

1 John 5:20, “And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.”

FRANKLIN GRAHAM’S ZIONIST HERESY EXPOSED

Romans 16:17-18, “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.”

According to the word of God, born again Christians are commanded to mark them which divide the body of Christ by heresies (contrary to Biblical doctrine) and avoid them. They that are such serve NOT God, but themselves. By their enticing words, they deceive the simple-minded who are ignorant of the scriptures (or simply reject them). Franklin Graham is one of those men to be avoided.

A family member recently sent me an article about Franklin Graham’s speech at the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C. which took place in 2014. As your typical Israel-worshipping televangelist, Franklin Graham willingly denied the scriptures to proclaim his support for wicked, Christ-rejecting Israel.

According to the article (which will be cited), Franklin Graham stated, “I support Israel. I support Israel not only because I worship a Jew but because of what the Bible says about Israel and the future of Israel.” (Franklin Graham, quoted by Bob Paulson, “Franklin Graham Speaks At Israeli Embassy”, May 1st, 2014)

What does the Holy Bible say about Israel exactly? Plenty, and much of it negative. For example, Jerusalem is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt in Revelation 11!

Revelation 11:7-8, “And when they shall have finished their testimony, the beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make war against them, and shall overcome them, and kill them. And their dead bodies shall lie in the street of the great city, which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.”

Time and time again in the Old Testament, Israel is condemned as a spiritual harlot, continually going after other gods while rejecting the true God.

Deuteronomy 31:16-17, “And the LORD said unto Moses, Behold, thou shalt sleep with thy fathers; and this people will rise up, and go a whoring after the gods of the strangers of the land, whither they go to be among them, and will forsake me, and break my covenant which I have made with them. Then my anger shall be kindled against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide my face from them, and they shall be devoured, and many evils and troubles shall befall them; so that they will say in that day, Are not these evils come upon us, because our God is not among us?”

Deuteronomy 31:24-30, “And it came to pass, when Moses had made an end of writing the words of this law in a book, until they were finished, That Moses commanded the Levites, which bare the ark of the covenant of the LORD, saying, Take this book of the law, and put it in the side of the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God, that it may be there for a witness against thee. For I know thy rebellion, and thy stiff neck: behold, while I am yet alive with you this day, ye have been rebellious against the LORD; and how much more after my death? Gather unto me all the elders of your tribes, and your officers, that I may speak these words in their ears, and call heaven and earth to record against them. For I know that after my death ye will utterly corrupt yourselves, and turn aside from the way which I have commanded you; and evil will befall you in the latter days; because ye will do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger through the work of your hands. And Moses spake in the ears of all the congregation of Israel the words of this song, until they were ended.”

Isaiah 1:21, “How is the faithful city become an harlot! it was full of judgment; righteousness lodged in it; but now murderers.”

Ezekiel 16:15-16, “But thou didst trust in thine own beauty, and playedst the harlot because of thy renown, and pouredst out thy fornications on every one that passed by; his it was. And of thy garments thou didst take, and deckedst thy high places with divers colours, and playedst the harlot thereupon: the like things shall not come, neither shall it be so.”

So, based on Franklin Graham’s words, he supports Christ-rejecting Israel even though much of their history consists of idolatry, spiritual wickedness, and oppression. Did he forget the scriptures that declare that if a man supports evildoers (or Christ-rejecters), he becomes a partaker in their sins? Is Franklin Graham willing to be a partaker of Israel’s sins?

1 Timothy 5:22, “Lay hands suddenly on no man, neither be partaker of other men’s sins: keep thyself pure.”

2 John 9-11, “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.”

According to the scriptures, Franklin Graham is a partaker of Israel’s evil deeds because he bids them God speed. What about you, friend? Do you bid Christ-rejecting Israel God speed contrary to the scriptures?

It gets better: Franklin Graham not only bids God speed to Christ-rejecting Israel, he also denies that the Jews killed Christ, even though Paul, Peter, and Jesus declared otherwise!

According to Franklin Graham, “it wasn’t the Jews that killed Christ. It wasn’t the Romans that killed Christ.” (op. cit.) This contradicts clear declarations in the scripture. For example, Peter, in Acts 2, declared that the men of Israel killed Christ.

Acts 2:22-24, “Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him, being delivered by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it.”

Acts 2:36, “Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, whom ye have crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

Peter again declares the men of Israel (AND their rulers) as the men who killed Christ in Acts 3, and once more in Acts 4!

Acts 3:12-17, “And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? The God of Abraham, and of Isaac, and of Jacob, the God of our fathers, hath glorified his Son Jesus; whom ye delivered up, and denied him in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let him go. But ye denied the Holy One and the Just, and desired a murderer to be granted unto you; And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses. And his name through faith in his name hath made this man strong, whom ye see and know: yea, the faith which is by him hath given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all. And now, brethren, I wot that through ignorance ye did it, as did also your rulers.”

Acts 4:10-12, “Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

Paul declared the Jews as them that killed Jesus Christ in 1 Thessalonians 2.

1 Thessalonians 2:14-16, “For ye, brethren, became followers of the churches of God which in Judaea are in Christ Jesus: for ye also have suffered like things of your own countrymen, even as they have of the Jews: Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets, and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men: Forbidding us to speak to the Gentiles that they might be saved, to fill up their sins alway: for the wrath is come upon them to the uttermost.”

According to Paul, not only did the Jews kill the Lord Jesus, they also killed their own prophets, persecuted the Christians, please not God, and are contrary to all men. In addition to all of this, God’s wrath is come upon them to the UTTERMOST! Despite Franklin Graham’s efforts to please the Jews (and the simple-minded) with fair speeches, the word of God stands firm and proves Franklin Graham to be a liar!

His most egregious statement, however, is this, “It was each and every one of us [that killed Christ]. Because the Bible says, ‘God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.’” Franklin Graham claims that every one of us killed Christ, even though that is not taught ANYWHERE in the Holy Bible, and he attempts to back it up with a scripture (John 3:16) that does not even say that!

So what is it going to be, friends? Who is correct, Franklin Graham or God? Are you going to receive the words of a Zionist deceiver or the words of God?

Jesus himself declared that he would be killed by the Jews (by his parables in Matthew 21). Is Jesus a liar, or is Franklin Graham a liar?

Matthew 21:33-45, “Hear another parable: There was a certain householder, which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country: And when the time of the fruit drew near, he sent his servants to the husbandmen, that they might receive the fruits of it. And the husbandmen took his servants, and beat one, and killed another, and stoned another. Again, he sent other servants more than the first: and they did unto them likewise. But last of all he sent unto them his son, saying, They will reverence my son. But when the husbandmen saw the son, they said among themselves, This is the heir; come, let us kill him, and let us seize on his inheritance. And they caught him, and cast him out of the vineyard, and slew him. When the lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen? They say unto him, He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out his vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render him the fruits in their seasons. Jesus saith unto them, Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner: this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken: but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder. And when the chief priests and Pharisees had heard his parables, they perceived that he spake of them.”

Israel has no future UNLESS they repent and believe the gospel of Jesus Christ. “Christian” Zionists “bless” Israel politically, financially, verbally, militarily, etc. Have they ever PRAYED for Israel’s salvation? None of the other things matter if they are not born again!

Romans 10:1-4, “Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is, that they might be saved. For I bear them record that they have a zeal of God, but not according to knowledge. For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth.”

CALVINISTIC SOVEREIGNTY REFUTED

John Calvin was a heretic, the father of what we call Calvinism today. Following are some quotes of his:

“The first man fell because the Lord deemed it meet that he should.”

“I freely acknowledge my doctrine to be this: that Adam fell, not only by the permission of God, but by his very secret counsel and decree…”

“Creatures are so governed by the secret counsel of God, that nothing happens but what he has knowingly and willingly decreed.”

“Whatever things are done wrongly and unjustly by man, these very things are the right and just works of God.”

“God not only foresaw the fall of the first man, and in him the ruin of his posterity; but also at his own pleasure arranged it…”

As you just read, Calvinism teaches that God is SO SOVEREIGN that he is the very author of sin. However, is this really what the Holy Bible teaches? We will look at these claims and refute them, one by one, with the scriptures.

1. God is NOT the author of sin. He did NOT bring sin into the world. When man became violently wicked in the earth, it GRIEVED God at his heart. Why would God be grieved by man’s sin if he was the author of it?

Genesis 6:5-6, “And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.”

Isaiah 63:10, “But they rebelled, and vexed his holy Spirit: therefore he was turned to be their enemy, and he fought against them.”

2. God does NOT control every political appointment. (Yes, Trump-supporters, that includes Donald Trump as well!) It follows that God does NOT control everything political leaders do.

1 Samuel 15:10-11, “Then came the word of the LORD unto Samuel, saying, It repenteth me that I have set up Saul to be king: for he is turned back from following me, and hath not performed my commandments. And it grieved Samuel; and he cried unto the LORD all night.”

Hosea 8:2-4, “Israel shall cry unto me, My God, we know thee. Israel hath cast off the thing that is good: the enemy shall pursue him. They have set up kings, but not by me: they have made princes, and I knew it not: of their silver and their gold have they made them idols, that they may be cut off.”

3. God does NOT control the sacrifice of children. It is man’s wickedness that drives him to commit such evil, NOT God’s “sovereignty” (as defined by Calvinists).

Leviticus 18:21, “And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.”

Jeremiah 7:31, “And they have built the high places of Tophet, which is in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my heart.”

Jeremiah 19:5-6, “They have built also the high places of Baal, to burn their sons with fire for burnt offerings unto Baal, which I commanded not, nor spake it, neither came it into my mind: Therefore, behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that this place shall no more be called Tophet, nor The valley of the son of Hinnom, but The valley of slaughter.”

Jeremiah 32:35, “And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin.”

4. God does NOT decree the outcome of every event. There ARE events, believe it or not, that happen by time and chance.

Ecclesiastes 9:11, “I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.”

Isaiah 5:3-4, “And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt me and my vineyard. What could have been done more to my vineyard, that I have not done in it? wherefore, when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes?”

Luke 10:31, “And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side.”

5. It is well known (and daily observed) that not all men do God’s will. God does NOT control man’s free will, otherwise it would NOT be free will!

Matthew 23:37, “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!”

Luke 7:30, “But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him.”

6. As stated before, God is NOT the author of sin, nor is he the author of confusion. If Calvinism were true, he would be the author of both, but not according to the scriptures.

1 Corinthians 14:33, “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.”

James 1:13-15, “Let no man say when he is tempted, I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth he any man: But every man is tempted, when he is drawn away of his own lust, and enticed. Then when lust hath conceived, it bringeth forth sin: and sin, when it is finished, bringeth forth death.”

7. God sometimes speaks of the future with uncertainty. This is NOT to say he has no foreknowledge, but in fact he knows all: He knows what will happen, but he also knows what would happen if an event took a different turn.

Genesis 18:17-21, “And the LORD said, Shall I hide from Abraham that thing which I do; Seeing that Abraham shall surely become a great and mighty nation, and all the nations of the earth shall be blessed in him? For I know him, that he will command his children and his household after him, and they shall keep the way of the LORD, to do justice and judgment; that the LORD may bring upon Abraham that which he hath spoken of him. And the LORD said, Because the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous; I will go down now, and see whether they have done altogether according to the cry of it, which is come unto me; and if not, I will know.”

Jeremiah 36:1-3, “And it came to pass in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah, that this word came unto Jeremiah from the LORD, saying, Take thee a roll of a book, and write therein all the words that I have spoken unto thee against Israel, and against Judah, and against all the nations, from the day I spake unto thee, from the days of Josiah, even unto this day. It may be that the house of Judah will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way; that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin.”

8. God does NOT control men’s actions. Sometimes man’s actions have caused God to change his plans.

Exodus 32:7-14, “And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people: Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation. And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand? Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people. Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever. And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.”

Jonah 3, “And the word of the LORD came unto Jonah the second time, saying, Arise, go unto Nineveh, that great city, and preach unto it the preaching that I bid thee. So Jonah arose, and went unto Nineveh, according to the word of the LORD. Now Nineveh was an exceeding great city of three days’ journey. And Jonah began to enter into the city a day’s journey, and he cried, and said, Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown. So the people of Nineveh believed God, and proclaimed a fast, and put on sackcloth, from the greatest of them even to the least of them. For word came unto the king of Nineveh, and he arose from his throne, and he laid his robe from him, and covered him with sackcloth, and sat in ashes. And he caused it to be proclaimed and published through Nineveh by the decree of the king and his nobles, saying, Let neither man nor beast, herd nor flock, taste any thing: let them not feed, nor drink water: But let man and beast be covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God: yea, let them turn every one from his evil way, and from the violence that is in their hands. Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not? And God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way; and God repented of the evil, that he had said that he would do unto them; and he did it not.”

9. God gives everyone a chance to repent (change their mind), though most refuse. Again, he does NOT control their mind and cause them to receive or reject him.

Psalm 78:41, “Yea, they turned back and tempted God, and limited the Holy One of Israel.”

Acts 7:51, “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.”

2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

Revelation 2:20-21, “Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols. And I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.”

As you can see, God is indeed the most High, and he knows all, and he is powerful, but that does NOT mean he is sovereign to the point of overriding our free will. God created man, NOT robots with no free will!