• Faith Confessions
• Pornography: a Satanic Scavenger
• Racism is devilish.
• Defeating Depression.
• Exposing and Overcoming the Power of Lust.
• A sexual sin called Masturbation.
• Homosexuality: a pathway to utter ruin
• Abortion: tantamount to murder.
• Reincarnation: an eccentric ideology
• Excerpt: Overcoming Afflictions.
• Excerpt: Your Mouth, Your Destiny.
• Excerpt: From Darkness to Light.
• False Doctrines- Part 1
• False Doctrines- Part 2

FALSE DOCTRINES & GOSPELS

The Church does not only refer to a building or a worship centre. It also refers to the body of Christians, the body and/or the bride of Christ. Jesus Christ is the head of the Church while His followers represent the body. A Christian is a follower of Christ, one who is born again or born of the Spirit of God. The Church started on the day of Pentecost in an upper room when the Holy Spirit was poured out on 120 Disciples of Christ (Acts 2). The love of Christ is the unifying force of the Church. The Church consists of God’s ambassadors delegated to take dominion over the earth as well as to destroy the works of darkness. The body of Christ is the light of God on earth that can defeat and destroy the works of darkness. Consequently, the enemy is bent on infiltrating the Church in order to pollute, weaken or possibly destroy it. The Bible states that right from the days of John the Baptist, the kingdom of God suffers violence and the violent takes it by force. The Church is constantly under attack from the kingdom of darkness. Apostle Paul in 1. Cor. 12 likens the Church to a body with different parts. The Church is in parts of denominations that has many sub-groups or arms which includes: the Orthodox Churches; the Roman Catholic Church; the Pentecostal Churches, and so on. Denominations arose as a result of cultural differences, geographical factors, spiritual ideologies and perceptions. For instance, the Lutheran Church was founded by late Martin Luther King who was regarded and called a heretic by some other denominations. Please note that this article on false doctrines and gospels is in no way aimed at vilifying or rubbishing any denomination. It is unequivocally and objectively aimed at exposing the influence and the works of darkness in the Church through false and/or unbiblical doctrines and gospels.

Well known denominations include but are not limited to:

- The Adventists;
- The Anglicans;
- The Baptists;
- The Charismatic renewal;
- The Church of Jesus Christ of latter-day-saints;
- The Ecumenical apostolic Church;
- The Episcopal Church;
- The Evangelical Christian Church;
- The International Church of Christ;
- The Latter days Saints;
- The Lutherans;
- The Light of the world Church;
- The Methodist Church;
- The Presbyterian Church;
- The Seventh-day Adventists;
- The Unification Church;

and others.

All these denominations have their respective doctrines, some of which are biblical and others unbiblical and/or heretic. Doctrines are teachings or instructions based on perceived principles, ideologies and interpretations (rightly or wrongly) of the word of God. Examples include:

i. Some Churches forbid women from preaching the gospel;
ii. Some Churches forbid women from wearing trousers or applying make-ups;
iii. Some Churches condemn and frown at the use of Jewelry;
iv. Some Churches ordain homosexuals as priests and bishops;
v. Some Churches refer to television sets as the “devils box” and discourage their members from watching television programs;
vi. Some Churches believe in re-incarnation;
vii. Some Churches do not believe in the gifts of the Holy Spirit as well as the baptism of the Holy Ghost, evidenced in speaking in tongues;
viii. Some Churches do not believe in tithing;
ix. Some Churches forbid wearing of shoes or any kind of foot wear into a Church building or worship center;
x. Some Churches observe Saturdays as Sabbath or holy days of rest and worship and thus discourage any kind of work whatsoever on such days.

There are many doctrines in the body of Christ and some of them are doctrines of darkness. The enemy uncompromisingly attacks the Church through false doctrines. Churches and pastors are fighting themselves over doctrinal issues while many souls are perishing and are plunged into hell every hour. One major problem militating against the Church in this dispensation is the introduction and appropriation of unscriptural or false doctrines. Heretic theologies and doctrines abound globally, for example:

_ Water baptism is falsely said to be an essential pre-requisite for the remission of sin or for salvation;

_ Salvation is falsely claimed to be achieved through good works/deeds.

Many so-called Churches today are nothing but dangerous and deceptive cults as their practices are very much at variance with the word of God. The body of Christ is being derailed from God’s ordained purposes and plans through the infiltration of strange and/or sacrilegious doctrines as well as the emergence and atrocities of false prophets. The word of God is Spirit and Light. The Spirit of God is the author of the word of God and He alone gives light and meaning to His word. As Christians, we are the light of the world. But is our light truly shinning to disperse the darkness of this world? The devil fights persistently to bring division and confusion into the Church through the influx of strange, false and unscriptural doctrines and theories that derail from the truth as exemplified in Holy Blood, Holy Grail by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh and Henry Lincoln; the Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown; the Gospel of Judas; rivals of Jesus in the secret Bible, as well as other cooked up distorted fables. It beats my imagination that some people will indeed sell their souls to the devil just to gain global recognition and affluence. The word of God reveals in Rom. 1: 18 that:

“The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness”

This Scripture prophecy will surely come to pass, it states:

“Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of the Father”.
- Phip.2:9-11

I pray that all messengers of deceit and intellectual hoax will encounter the risen Christ, just like Apostle Paul did after vehemently persecuting Christians and denying Christ Himself. Jesus died to save liars and sinners from hell. Christians particularly should be sensitive to the persisting onslaught of Satan but unfortunately they fight and rubbish themselves over doctrinal differences such as covering of hair, ladies wearing trousers and make-ups, the use of jewelry, female preachers, and so on. The primary commission of the Church is to make Jesus Christ known to every human being on Earth. False doctrines are predominantly peddled by false prophets and teachers. The Bible states in 2 Peter 2:1,

“But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction”.
- (RSV)

Just as the above Scripture says, there are many cults, false prophets and teachers today who propagate heresies and ungodly doctrines all over the world, some purporting to be Churches and prophets/teachers of God. Such doctrines are deadly and can only be destroyed through the power of God’s revealed word. My intention herein is not to offend anybody but to unveil the reality of the negative impact of false doctrines, prophets and teachers, through the undiluted word of God. The Bible states in Romans 16:17-18,

“I appeal to you, brethren, to take note of those who create dissensions and difficulties, in opposition to the doctrine which you have been taught; avoid them. For such persons do not serve our lord Christ, but their own appetites, and by fair and flattering words they deceive the hearts of the simple-minded”.
- (RSV)

I sound this loud alarm to warn everyone particularly those of the household of God to beware of false doctrines and ungodly practices which is currently so highly prevalent in many parts of the world. 2 Tim 2:15 states:

“Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth”.

The word of God must be rightly handled and divided. The word of the living God does not condemn biblical doctrines, only false and unscriptural ones. In 2 Tim 3:16-17, the Bible clearly states that:

“All scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for
Reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work”

- (RSV)

Romans 16: 17 as well states that:

“I appeal to you, brethren, to take note of those who create dissensions and difficulties, in opposition to the doctrine which
you have been taught; avoid them”


– (RSV)

The Scripture warns all to beware of false prophets and teachers who propagate false doctrines for selfish purposes. Hereunder are two Scripture passages that warn against deceitful prophets and teachers:

Jude 3-4,

“Beloved, being very eager to write to you of our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints. For admission has been secretly gained by some who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly persons who pervert the grace of our God into licentiousness and deny our master and lord Jesus Christ”
- (RSV)

Let’s see Matt 7:15,

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves” - (RSV)

The word of God must be rightly divided, but not in a judgmental manner of condemnation.

In Ezekiel 44: 23, the Bible states:

“And they shall teach my people the difference between the unholy, and cause them to discern between the unclean and the clean”
- (NKJV)

Most unfortunately, many people are spiritually fast asleep. As a result, the enemy is successfully on the prowl sowing tares (false doctrines and teachings) among the wheat – Matt 13:24.

Apostle Paul warns most aptly in 1 Tim 4:1,

“Now the spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of Demons”
– (NKJV)

Jesus cautions in Matt 24: 4-5,

“… take heed that no man deceives you. For many will come in my name, saying, I am the Christ, and will deceive many”
- (NKJV)

Jesus is the living word of God. The Church is established on the rock, which is the word of God that lives and abides forever. The kingdom of darkness battles furiously to destroy the integrity and/or deny the deity of Jesus Christ through the concoction and spewing out of lies as evidenced in the Da Vinci Code, the Gnostic gospel and other false doctrines and gospels. Always remember this friend: the gates of darkness can never prevail against the body of Christ. Every demonic ballistic long range missile of unimaginable lies and devilish doctrines fired by Satan through his captives and agents like Dan Brown, (author of the Da Vinci Code) and other pawns in the hand of the devil will fail. Their attack against righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost through Jesus Christ our savior will only lead more and more people to accept Christ as savior and strengthen the Christian faith. Christianity is not merely an ideology: it is living God’s kind of life. Jesus Christ is Lord forever and He is more real to billions of people than false prophets, teachers, misguided and preposterous authors who in my opinion, inadvertently and insensibly mortgage their souls to Satan for a plate of Porrage and unpopular fame. These days, many preachers, teachers, prophets, researchers, authors, and the like, ostensibly add to and/or subtract from the word of the living God in order to achieve their selfish objectives. Many of these false prophets and teachers strive to be on the cutting edge through eloquence and the dissemination of “dazzling revelations” to impress and woo their audience or congregation. My advice to all and sundry is to flee from any gathering where the word of God is manipulated and where falsehood is spread. Some teachers and/or prophets teach in error or alter the truth through the erroneous misinterpretation of the word of God. Some interpret the Bible out of context. This is a different situation. Anyway it goes, please realize that false doctrines and teachings are very harmful. They are proliferated through books, Christian and/or religious literatures, newsletters, movies, and so on. They are usually worldly as they appeal to the flesh. They are often based on the traditions of men, unscriptural philosophies and principles, which may even sound logical. The word of God must remain the only standard for measuring false doctrines. A number of Christians claim that some of these false doctrinal principles produce results and have thus given them their desired break through(s). Perhaps so! That doesn’t make false doctrines and practices right. The devil performs supernatural acts through his demonic principles. Not all supernatural workings are ascribed to the handiwork of God Almighty.

Here are thirty false doctrines presently being proliferated by various religious sects and Churches:

1. The doctrine that speaking in tongues is false and a mere senseless blabbing;

2. The doctrine of the worship of images as representations of God;

3. The doctrine that Mary is the Mother of God and
Queen of Heaven interceding for Christians;

4. The doctrine of purgatory which states that Christians who are unable to make it to heaven are purged in a place called purgatory after their demise so their souls could then be fully purged;

5. The doctrine of re-incarnation which claims that Christians are
given another chance to live a better life on earth;

6. The doctrine that denies the Trinity i.e. God in three
persons: Father, Son and Holy Ghost;

7. The doctrine that the Holy Spirit is not God but a force of
energy used by God;

8. The doctrine that hell exists only in the figment of the
imagination of religious heretics;

9. The doctrine that Apostolic signs of healing and miracles are not
for today’s Christianity;

10. The doctrines that women who wear trousers or leave
their hair uncovered are sinners and/or agents of
demons;

11. The doctrine that a man may have more than one wife as long as
he does not hold a position of authority in a local Church;

12. The doctrine that salvation of a soul and the baptism of the
Holy Spirit are one and the same experience;

13. The doctrine that Christians are baptized with the Holy Ghost
while sinners are baptized with fire;

14. The doctrine that salvation through grace is irresistible and
compulsorily enforced by the Holy Ghost;

15. The doctrine that Jesus Christ is not God;

16. The doctrine that Jesus was a prophet who died and never
resurrected;

17. The doctrine that there will be no second coming of Christ;

18. The doctrine that the virgin birth is absurd and false;

19. The doctrine that salvation is only achieved through the good
works of men on Earth;

20. The doctrine that there is nothing like sin nature from birth;

21. The doctrine that the Catholic Church is the only real Church
of God;

22. The doctrine that the television set is the devil’s box;

23. The doctrine that forgiveness comes through confession of
one’s sins to a priest;

24. The doctrine that the blood atonement of Christ was
unnecessary for salvation;

25. The doctrine that sins are forgiven through water baptism;

26. The doctrine that infants should be baptized;

27. The doctrine that the Holy Communion must be observed
weekly;

28. The doctrine that it is forbidden for musical instruments to be
used in worship of God;

29. The doctrine that God was once a man (an exalted man) and
that all men shall become as God is.

30. The doctrine that God has already chosen all those He wants
saved already.


I will address only two of the fore-going false doctrines on this site but first, let’s take a look at three Scripture passages:

_
Matt. 7:20,
“Therefore by their fruits you will know them”

- (NKJV)

_
Ti 1:10-12,

“For there are many rebellious people, mere talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision group. They must be silenced, because they are ruining whole household by teaching things they ought not to teach- and that for the sake of dishonest gain. Even one of their own prophets has said, “Cretans are always liars, evil brutes, lazy gluttons”.


_
Eph 5:12-13,

“For it is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. But everything exposed by the light becomes visible”.

Many people are destroyed and waste away for lack of knowledge of the truth. Do not be tossed to and fro by strange and false doctrines. It is not news that Satan always strives to oppose, twist, contradict, ridicule and misquote the word of God. He did just that to Eve in Eden. He is the chief of all liars. His native tongue is lying.

Hear this: on Monday 5th June 2006, there was a frenzy of text messaging and emailing all around the world, calling on all Christians to fast and hold night vigil prayers as the next day, 6th June 2006 aka 06.06.06 or better put, 666, was symbolic of the day of the anti-Christ, the beast described lucidly in Revelations chapter 13. My heart wailed in utter astonishment when I got this call from several quarters. Tuesday June 6th 2006, a day of the anti-Christ? Incredible!! It is unfortunate that many Christians bask in gross ignorance. How many Christians really take out time to diligently study the Bible? Relatively very few, I presume. Listen: the spirit of the anti-Christ (anti means instead of) has been hovering all around the world for ages. What do you think is responsible for promoting vehement falsehood as manifested in the Da Vinci Code, the Secret Gospel, Holy Blood, Holy Grail, the Gnostics gospel as well as the Gospel of Judas? The spirit of the anti-Christ is behind “gay” marriages, pornography, incest, adultery, racism, massacre and sacrifice of defenseless unborn babies through abortion, lust, rape, fornication, suicide, terrorism, robberies, corruption, fear, poverty, and the likes of them. Christians should collectively, consistently and fervently pray against the influence of this beast of darkness that has been destroying the souls of men. I wonder what could possibly have been the prayer point concerning 6th June 2006, aka 06.06.06? Was it a prayer that the person of the anti-Christ should not manifest on this day or that he should die? I just can’t understand that. Such prayers are born out of ignorance and fear and thus are null and void. It is indeed regrettable that many people can be so simply distracted due to ignorance.

Astonishingly, the number 666 has made many very fearful. For instance, a man who procured a pre-owned car was assigned the number 666. He vehemently refused it insisting he was prepared to even pay extra money for any other plate number available. Just in case you buy or rent a home and discover the number is also 666, you can turn it upside down to read 999 if that would make you feel better. Let’s take a quick look at Revelation Chapter 13, verse 1-8; 11-13 & 16-18:

“And I saw a beast coming out of the sea. He had ten horns and seven heads, with ten crowns on his horns, and on each head a blasphemous name. The beast I saw resembled a leopard, but had feet like those of a bear and a mouth like that of a lion. The dragon gave the beast his power and his throne and great authority. One of the heads of the beast seemed to have had a fatal wound, but the fatal wound had been healed. The whole world was astonished and followed the beast. Men worshiped the dragon because he had given authority to the beast, and they also worshiped the beast and asked, ‘who is like the beast? Who can make war against him?’ The beast was given a mouth to utter proud words and blasphemies and to exercise his authority for forty-two months. He opened his mouth to blaspheme God, and to slander his name and his dwelling place and those who live in heaven. He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them. And he was given authority over every tribe, people, language and nation, All inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast-all whose names have not been written in the book of life belonging to the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world……..Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon. He exercised all the authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. And he performed great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men……He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name. This calls for wisdom. If anyone has insight, let him calculate the number of the beast, for it is man’s number. His number is 666”.


This apocalypse describes the imminent battle between the forces of darkness and the kingdom of God’s light during the Tribulation period that will be evident in a one-world government, economic and religious system, as encapsulated in the book of Revelations. It is a sign of the end-time world system. The beast figuratively represents a person who will be as cruel and lawless as a beast and will possess incredible religious and political powers globally. Several past and present world leaders have been referred to as this anti-Christ particularly some from middle-eastern countries. This demonic personality will reign for 42 months and will declare or portray himself as a loving and caring god as he will be endowed with terrible evil powers. There shall emerge another beast that shall likewise perform signs and wonders. He will be referred to as a false prophet that will propagate horrendous falsehood and deceitful doctrines. The anti-Christ will strive to gain world economic control and dominance. The number 666 is metaphorically that of man who calls himself god. It has no bearing whatsoever with the 6th day of the 6th month of any 6th year.

Let me address two false doctrines here: the doctrine of Purgatory and that of Reincarnation. Watch out for the book: “From Darkness to Light: exposing the calamity of darkness….unveiling the miraculous power of God’s light” slated for release in 2007. It analytically addresses several sensitive false doctrines.


_ THE DOCTRINE OF PURGATORY

Every human being is destined to live forever. The human flesh will someday indubitably return to the dust from whence it was borrowed as an earthly Jacket, but the human spirit, which is the real person, will live eternally, albeit somewhere. The question is where will everyone spend eternity? Everybody is first a spirit being that has a soul and lives on Earth in a body. Everlasting life in heaven comes as a reward of righteousness (1 Jn. 5:3) while eternal torment and anguish is experienced in hell and is a penalty for unrighteousness (Matt. 13:41-42). The word of God speaks plainly about heaven and hell hundreds of times but never once was the word purgatory ever mentioned. In fact, Jesus warned and talked about hell time and again but never once did the savior of humanity speak about purgatory.

Before proceeding any further, let us first analyze the concept of purgatory. It is believed by not a few people, that purgatory is a form of purification of the dead in order to set them free from the penalties of sin. There are several opinions about this process of purification and they include but are not restricted to:

1. That purgatory is the final purification or sanctification of souls that are unable to make it to heaven due to carnal imperfections and impurities;

2. That it is an interlude or intermediate period between death and glory in heaven;

3. That it is the process of encountering Jesus which leads to the destruction of the sinful nature of a dead person thereby qualifying such person(s) to dwell in God’s holy presence in heaven;

4. That the process of purification in purgatory involves dire sufferings;

5. That it exist as a temporal purging of the dead;

6. That it is a compulsory pre-requisite to enter into heaven;

7. That everyone in purgatory is guaranteed entry into heaven;

8. That the intensity of the suffering of those in purgatory can be reduced by the good deeds and prayers for the dead by those alive;

9. That those who have more friends and relatives praying for them when they die will make it faster to heaven from purgatory;

10. That the prayer stated hereunder is purported to be powerful and most effective to release 1000 souls from purgatory to heaven, each time the prayer is said:

“PRAYER”

“Eternal Father, I offer thee the most precious blood of thy son, Jesus, in union with the masses said throughout the world today, for all the holy souls in purgatory. Amen”.

Adherents of this doctrine have asserted that the great Martin Luther King was in total agreement with this creed. That is partially correct. However, this so-called agreement was short-lived as Luther King eventually denounced and rejected the concept of purgatory as completely unscriptural and therefore unfounded. Besides, Martin Luther was a mere man and not God. It means he was susceptible to initially make wrong interpretations and judgment which he did through his previous acceptance of the doctrine. He retracted his steps from that initial position and agreement with the concept of purgatory when he received better insight on the reality of the after-life vis-à-vis the word of God.

Putting it mildly, purgatory is a laughable fantasy, but to put it bluntly and candidly, it is fundamentally a spurious, poignant, vain and deficient concept that is at absolute variance with the word of God. It is asserted in some credible historical records that this code of belief may have been fashioned as a subtle means to attract Church donations to execute Church projects. It is without doubt a myth which smacks of scriptural illiteracy. It is a deceptive ideology baked in the oven of darkness as it is targeted at diminishing the perfect redemptive work of Christ since it gives credence to salvation by human effort i.e. an attempt to assist Jesus Christ in the salvation of mankind. An imaginary place where people go to or an intermediate state wherein people find themselves when they neither qualify for heaven or hell exists only in the imagination of those who twist and misinterpret the word of God. All who argue that purgatory is scriptural will only succeed in implanting false heretic interpretations to any Scripture they dare proffer. There are 66 books in the holy Bible and none of them howsoever makes any mention of purgatory, not even once. The doctrine of purgatory has become a license for many to live and wallow in sin on Earth with the hope of being purged someday in a fictional place or state called purgatory, especially with the alleged prayers and support of living relatives and friends. For instance, someone can choose to live consistently and comfortably in immorality, depravity, carnality, and other vices, having contracted friends and relatives in advance to intercede for him/her when he/she passes on. If I may ask:

_ How long will a soul stay in the so-called purgatory?

_ Where does this purging take place? In the sun, the moon,
or in hell? Certainly not on Earth.

_ What kind of punishment or suffering is meted out
on the dead in purgatory?

One school of thought in strong support of this doctrine insist that purgatory is a place located in the heart of the earth, close to the chambers of hell and derives its heat for purification from hell itself. The entire concept of purgatory is basically a weak speculation and mere insinuation. It is also claimed that souls in purgatory are released for entry into heaven on Christmas day. Hmmm!!

Ok! Let us get into the word of God now for more insight and direction. In Rom 6: 23 the Bible states:

“For the wages of sin is death but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord”.

Eternal life is a gift from God and an end result of righteousness.

In Ps. 89:48, the Bible formidably states:

“What man can live and not see death, or save himself from the power of the grave?”

Every human being will die a physical death as a result of Adam and Eve’s disobedience to God’s word. Death is the only departure gate from the earth. Howbeit, the spirit of every soul will live either in heaven or in hell as we shall see shortly.

Jn. 3:16 & 36,

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life…Whoever believes in the son has eternal life, but whoever rejects the son will not see life, for God’s wrath remains on him”.

Eternal life is a never-ending life in the glory of heaven.

1 Jn. 5:12 states,

“He who has the son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life”.

Everlasting life in heaven is a function of having and accepting Jesus Christ, not a function of intercessory prayers for the dead.

In Mark 8:36, Jesus is asking here:

“What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, yet forfeit his soul?”

To loose one’s soul in this context is to perish or to cease to exist on Earth without the gift and assurance of eternal life, all because of the lust for worldly acquisition and wealth. Jesus tells us about our heavenly home in John 14:1-3:

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, trust also in me. In my Father’s house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am”.

What an awesome revelation. How instructive!

Hell is mentioned over 160 times in the Bible. If it wasn’t of grave concern, God would not cause it to be written down as warning to mankind. For instance, Jesus warns in Luke 12:4-5 saying:

“I tell you, my friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body and after that can do no more. But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after the killing of the body, has power to throw you into hell”.

“Killing the body” is physical death which is in itself, a painless exit from the earth. What do you think happens when someone dies physically? Is physical death the end of the road? Heaven and hell are real. Where does purgatory take place if it ever does? The only credible and infallible source of explanation on this issue about human existence must be the only reliable source of explanation for what happens after physical death. That trustworthy source is the Bible: the word of God.

What is hell? It is beyond human imagination. It is a place of outer darkness (Matt. 8:12); one of eternal damnation (Mk. 3:29); a place of eternal judgment (Heb. 6:2) and of eternal fire (Jude 1:7). Hell is also known as the pit (Isa. 14:9); the abyss (Rev. 9:2); a place of brimstone – sulfur (Job. 18:15); a place of eternal torment (Rev.14: 11) and one of everlasting punishment (Matt. 25:46). It is a place created by God for Satan and his followers (Matt. 25:41); it is a place where the worms there do not die and the fire does not quench (Mk. 9:46)

In Mark 9:43-47, Jesus says:

“If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter life maimed than with two hands to go into hell where the fire never goes out”.

Awesome words. God Himself says to everyone that whatever causes you to sin cut such off. Flee all temptations to sin. It is better than going into hell where the fire never goes out. No word or inference on purgatory in the above Scripture. It is sad that the reality of hell has been thoroughly trivialized as it is so often used as swear words such as “go to hell you idiot! or “go rot in hell fool!” In Mathew 23:33, Jesus says to the Pharisees:

“You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to Hell?”

Hell is real. It was created for Satan, the beast and all his loyalists. The Bible says in Rev. 20:10 & 15:

“And the devil, who deceived them, was thrown into the lake of burning Sulfur, where the beast and the false prophet had been thrown. They will be tormented day and night for ever and ever…….if anyone’s name was not written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire”

Purgatory is a castle in the air. It is imperative to realize that no one can sneak through the back door of hell into heaven. No one in hell can bribe his/her way into heaven. To everyone who walks in unrighteousness, I advise that you quickly find out about hell now and dread going there. Do not wait to find out when you get there. Thousands of people die worldwide, every hour, everyday. Many of these folks who die daily rush to hell unfortunately. The greatest mistake anyone could ever make is to die a sinner. Can you mention one good thing about sin? Sure you can’t. Sin is evil and brings death. It is sin that takes people to hell, not God. He is a God of love and mercy. He is also a holy God of justice. The doctrine of purgatory is a deceptive ploy from the pit of darkness to lure people into rejecting God’s gift of righteousness and eternal life through Christ Jesus who though being God, became flesh, dwelt among men, in order to satisfy the spiritual demands of justice for the sins of mankind. When one rejects the word of God, it is practically the same as rejecting the sacrifice of Christ, opting to pay the full penalties for one’s sins. Hell is a place of torment and painful suffering.

Purgatory may sound like a good option for all who dwell in sin but it is just a figment of unbridled imagination. It is as false as it is unscriptural. Purgatory is said to be associated with grave suffering and pain which is experienced by all who are unable to make it to heaven. Obviously, those who propagate this doctrine unwittingly confuse hell for a so-called purgatory. One must not wait to die physically to be purged or sanctified for admission into heaven. Sanctification is by the power in the blood of Jesus (Rev. 1:5) through his redemptive work on Calvary as well as by the word of God (Jn. 17:17). Do not accommodate the temporal pleasures of sin such as cheating, fraud, prostitution, homosexuality, lying, lust, sexual immorality, revenge, sensual depravity, fear, and the rest. The salvation of our souls through the redemptive work of Christ is perfect and complete. The purification of our lives is effected here on Earth and not in a purported purgatory. Anyone who denies the existence of hell calls Jesus a liar. God forbid it!

The word of God declares that the self-righteousness of man is like a filthy rag before God (Isa. 64:6). The Bible says in Titus 3:5,

“he saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but because of his mercy…”

For anyone to be purified, one needs only to accept Jesus as Lord over one’s life as well as his gift of righteousness. Sin consciousness is the bedrock of every religion. Christianity is a way of righteous living through Christ Jesus. Righteousness is the absence of sin consciousness whereby God declares a Christian righteous by faith in the Son of God. Acts 16:30-31 states:

“He then brought them out and asked, ‘sirs, what must I do to be saved?’ They replied, ‘believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved – you and your household”.

Salvation or purification from sin does not necessarily come by human effort in doing good deeds like almsgiving. It comes by believing in the Lord Jesus and walking in the consciousness of His righteousness.

Righteousness is a condition of innocence whereby God declares a believer NOT GUILTY. The word of God declares in Romans 5:17-18,

“For if, by the trespass of the one man, death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. Consequently, just as the result of one trespass was condemnation for all men, so also the result of one act of righteousness was justification that brings life for all men”.

The final solution to sin consciousness is walking in the knowledge of our righteousness through Christ Jesus and not through purgatory. Christ has paid the price for the penalties of our sins. We do not need to pay anymore for sin. Simply walk in the light of your righteousness in Him. Righteousness is received by faith, not by punishment in a fictitious non-existent purgatory, not by works of good deeds and certainly not by the prayers of the living for the dead. Righteousness is a ticket to have fellowship with God because through the blood of Jesus, we have been ushered into a better covenant with God.

Concerning the end times, the Bible states in Daniel 12:2,

“Multitudes who sleep in the dust of the earth will awake: some to everlasting life, others to shame and everlasting contempt”.

You can lay hold on eternal life by pursuing after righteousness by faith (1 Tim.6:11-12).

Some purgatory supporters claim that the process is an instantaneous occurrence which takes place immediately a person dies. Consequently, they insist that purgatory cannot be a particular place but rather a state of consciousness. Now, since purgatory involves suffering, punishment and prayers for the dead to be released into heaven, what time do the living then have to intercede for the dead since purgatory is instantaneous according to those who believe in this doctrine? Also there are others who claim that God exists outside of time and so prayers for the release of the dead from purgatory can still be effective even when it appears late. These are very vague, ambiguous and unsubstantiated assertions. Christ made a perfect sacrifice once and for all and this has abolished the yearly atoning sacrifices required by the law. The previous annual sacrifices were a reminder of sin. The blood of goats and bulls could never perfectly cleanse and take away sin but the blood of Jesus has. Through the sacrifice of the blood of Jesus, we have been made holy once and for all and so God promises that our sins and lawlessness he will remember no more (Heb. 10:17). The concept of purgatory insults the perfect atoning sacrifice of Christ Jesus. Don’t be deceived by this false doctrine of purgatory. Heaven and hell are real and Jesus spoke stridently about them. He never mentioned a final place or state for the purification of souls after physical death. Every unrepentant sinner is bound to perish in hell, a place of wailing and gnashing of teeth (Matt. 13:42); a fiery lake of burning sulfur (Rev. 19:20). You can redeem your soul by accepting Jesus Christ now. All in all, let me wind down this segment with the following Scriptures:

Jn. 11:25, Jesus says:

“…I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live even though he dies.”


1 Pet. 1:3-4,

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade – kept in heaven for you”.

Heb. 9:27 states:

“Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment, so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and he will appear a second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him”.

Rom. 6:5-11, is one very inspiring Scripture passage. It says:

“If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin – because anyone who had died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus”.

This is the grace of God, favor unmerited. Finally, let us look at a very widely held Scripture usually read out during interments:

1 Cor. 15: 51-54,

“Listen, I tell you a mystery: we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed – in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and he will be changed. For the perishable must cloth itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: Death has been swallowed up in victory”.

In Rev. 1:18, Jesus says:

“I am the living one; I was dead, and behold I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades”.

It is by grace that we are saved through faith in Christ Jesus, not by works, not by the prayers of the living for the dead. In him we have received redemption through his blood and the forgiveness of sins (Eph. 1:7) according to the riches of God’s grace that he lavishes on us with all wisdom.

_ THE DOCTRINE OF REINCARNATION

Reincarnation is the concept and doctrine of the rebirth of a soul in another body after the death of a person. It is also referred to as the transmigration of souls whereby individual souls are believed to pass through series of lives. It is believed by some to be an endless process of a soul from infant, to adolescence, through teenage and adult years, and death, and then the circle begins all over. There are people who claim that children are a reincarnation of their grand parents. Thus, such children are sometimes named after their dead grand parents. Many people do not believe in the existence of heaven and hell. Some Christians are of the opinion and strong belief that the only way a soul can attain salvation and be like Christ is to spend more time on Earth in order to be perfected through the process of reincarnation. They insist God’s creation is meaningless without reincarnation and that it gives validity to Christianity. This is another controversial subject but assuredly, the spirit of God will reveal the mind of God concerning this absurd and false doctrine.

Have you ever heard people make comments like “In my next life, I’ll prefer to be a man because women carry too much burden such as menstruation, pregnancy and giving birth”? Well, I have. The concept of reincarnation is inter-twined with that of the doctrine of the “law of Karma”. It is believed by many, that everybody’s evil deeds of a previous life affect their present lives and that the present life will as well affect the future life on Earth.

The “law of Karma” does not accommodate the concept of mercy and forgiveness whatsoever. Life after death is indeed a mystery that has been revealed by God Himself in His word. It is appalling that many people convert their personal opinions born out of unsubstantiated speculations and belief, converting them to doctrines. Many naïve Christians have been brainwashed by this fantasy called reincarnation. Now I ask you: can you remember your past life on Earth? Were you male or female, black, white, tall or midget? The answer is No!! You surely can’t because you never had a previous life here on Earth and don’t ever believe such a cheap unintelligent lie from the father of lies himself. Take a look at a few of the scriptural examples that some folks proffer as biblical evidence of reincarnation.

In the book of John 9:1-3, we are informed of how Jesus healed a man who had been born blind. Jesus saw a man who had been blind from his birth. His Disciples asked him whose sin had made the man blind from birth? His or his parents? Jesus replied in verse three:

“Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life”.

Based on the above Scripture, some people believe and claim that the Disciples of Jesus believed in reincarnation and the “law of Karma” which prompted their question to Jesus: “Who sinned, this man or his parents?” Jesus is assumed to support the law of reincarnation and karma based on His reply to His disciples:

“Neither…”

The Bible says that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God. Ps. 51:5 states:

“Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me”.


Every newborn child is born with a sin nature as a result of sins defilement of the human race in the Garden of Eden. So if Jesus tells His disciples it wasn’t the man’s sins that caused his blindness at birth, it definitely did not refer to reincarnation or “the Law of Karma” as inferred. Jesus wanted His Disciples to realize that it isn’t sin that causes all sickness or afflictions. Some are permitted for divine purposes. Also, in Matt. 16:13-14, Jesus asked:

“Who do people say the son of man is?”

His disciples answered in verse 14:

“Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets”.


‘Christians’ who believe in reincarnation use the above Scripture to support their doctrine of physical rebirth since Jesus Himself was suspected by some to have been the reincarnation of John the Baptist or Elijah or Jeremiah or one of the prophets. They strongly aver that if the concept was false, Jesus would have rebuked His disciples. My response to that is: Jesus didn’t need to respond to every absurdity. Instead, he responded to the revelation of Himself that Peter had received.

The account of Adam and Eve is very well known to many, including atheists. Adam in the Hebrew language actually means ‘Man’. It is asserted by some Christian folks that Adam is believed to have reincarnated back to the earth due to his grievous sin in Eden and that he first came as David and later as Jesus. Has this circle of Adam’s reincarnation ended? It really blew my imagination to discover that there are other ‘Christian’ groups today that assiduously believe that Adam reincarnated as Jesus while Eve reincarnated as Mary. Adam is said to have come back to the earth as Jesus, in order to pay the penalties of his sins based on “the Law of Karma”, which demands justice to be done only if/when a guilty person pays for his sins/crime. Thus, the only one said to be capable of paying for his own sin is Adam himself who purportedly reincarnated as Jesus. Here are some Scripture passages used to support this belief:

1 Cor. 15:45-48,

“So it is written: The first man Adam became a living being, the last Adam, a life-giving Spirit. The spiritual did not come first, but the natural, and after that the spiritual. The first man was of the dust of the earth, the second man from heaven”.

Listen carefully: it is a very dangerous thing to read the Scriptures out of context or upside down, figuratively speaking. How could Adam be Jesus? In the beginning was the word (Jesus) and the word was with God and the word was God. All things were made by Him (including Adam) and without Him was nothing made. In Him was/is eternal life and His life was the light of men that destroys the works of darkness – Jn. 1:1-14. How could God who created Adam, be Adam? How could God disobey His own command and be displeased afterward? It doesn’t end there. Some of these so-called Christians also believe and promote the concept that Eve reincarnated as the virgin Mary. That is an incredible heretic farce. Adam became Jesus and Eve, Mary? Preposterous!! This is one false doctrine that dug its own grave. In Rom 5:14, the word of God states:

“Nevertheless, death reigned from the time of Adam to the time of Moses, even over those who did not sin by breaking a command, as did Adam, who was a pattern of the one to come”.

Adam was a pattern of the one to come. Does this mean he was the one to come? Certainly not! A pattern is a model of which a copy can be made; an example. It is inconceivable that Jesus, the ancient of days and sun of righteousness, who knew no sin until He took upon Himself the sins of humanity, is referred to as the created fallen man who introduced sin to mankind through obedience to Satan. In Christ, all the fullness of deity lives in bodily form – Col. 2:9. Redemption from sin is a gift from God but this gift is different from the trespass of sin for all died by the trespass of Adam but through God’s grace and precious gift, salvation is made available to all who will receive God’s abundant gift of righteousness. There are divergent views about this doctrine of reincarnation that is ardently believed not only by some heretic Christians but also by several religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism and so on.

Another perspective of reincarnation with regards to the first man, Adam, is that he is believed to have gone through several processes and stages of reincarnation before he came into the earth as Jesus. Some believe Adam reincarnated severally in the following personalities: Seth, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Melchizedek, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, David and finally as Jesus. Is it possible to reincarnate in dual personalities, for example, as Moses and Joshua, Abraham and Melchizedek? The Bible is said to be full of countless contradictions. This is untrue. It is those who are spiritually blind and or dead who assume the Bible is full of contradictions. The Scripture is the inspired word of the living God – God breathed. Seeming contradictions dissipate through the eyes of faith. Human reasoning is incompatible with faith. The word of God is Spirit and only the Holy Ghost can give the appropriate interpretations and revelations of the Scriptures. Many are drawn to unbiblical doctrines such as reincarnation which provides them only a false hope. They claim that if they don’t live right in this life, they have another opportunity in their next life on Earth. Beware of false and dangerous doctrines!!!

To think that some ‘Christians’ would believe such lies is beyond me. Have you ever heard this question asked: “Why do bad things happen to good people?” Perhaps you have. One answer usually offered to this question by those who propagate the doctrine of reincarnation is that adversity such as rape, murder, accidents, poverty, business failures, persisting debts, death of loved ones and the like, occur in many lives as a result of the bad life such victims lived in their previous lives. It is believed that they pay for the misdeeds of their earlier lives. It is also believed that the soul of every human being chooses the location, family, religion and situation where it will be born into. If that is the case, then I think those who choose to be born or reincarnate into very poor countries, cities, villages, or families, or in famine or war ravaged countries and communities, all need psychotherapy.

The Bible states in 1 Cor. 2:14,

“The man without the spirit does not accept the things that come from the spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them because they are spiritually discerned”.

Carnal minds cannot comprehend the mysteries of God. Life is an expression of the intelligence of a supreme and sovereign God.

In Mark 4:11-12, concerning parables, Jesus tells His disciples:

“The secret of the kingdom of God has been given to you. But to those on the outside everything is said in parables so that they may be ever seeing but never perceiving, and ever hearing but never understanding; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven!”

The concept of the rebirth of a soul in a new body repeated times for its purification is totally unbiblical. Christ never taught such falsehood when He spoke to Martha concerning Lazarus who had died, as claimed by some heretics. Jesus said:

“I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die. Do you believe this?”
- Jn. 11:25

This verse of Scripture in no remote way speaks about reincarnation. Jesus is saying categorically that whoever believes in Him will not be doomed by physical death but that it will only be a means to eternal life in the presence of the Lord. I have read several articles written by atheists, psychiatrists, and the likes of them, casting aspersions on the credibility of the Bible and in support of the concept of reincarnation. When a psychiatrist doctor writes a book that promotes the doctrine of reincarnation based on purported first hand experiences and reports from a psychiatric patient who claims to remember his/her previous life under the influence of hypnotism, then there obviously is a big problem. A psychiatric patient is presumably more often than not a mentally unstable person. How trustworthy is the report or testimony of such a patient which is usually spurned out of hallucination?

Jesus said to the Pharisee called Nicodemus:

“I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again”
- Jn.3: 3


This verse of Scripture has erroneously been misinterpreted to mean reincarnation or physical rebirth of the soul. No, it clearly isn’t. To be born again is to receive spiritual rebirth thus receiving eternal life and salvation through the redemptive sacrifice of Jesus Christ. This has nothing to do with physical birth. Jesus is saying here that in order to enter the kingdom of God and to have everlasting life, one must be reconciled to God through Christ; one must accept His salvation so as to be recreated and transformed by God’s precious Spirit.

On another interesting note, some Christian groups allege that the doctrine of reincarnation was clearly enunciated in the Bible and remained so for several centuries until it was expunged from the Scriptures by Emperor Constantine of Rome while he secretly reconstructed and edited the historical facts of the Bible. Constantine is also accused of deleting all references on reincarnation in the Bible in order to meet his wife’s request. This is blatant falsehood!!

Emperor Constantine, also known as Constantine the Great, was the first Christian Roman Emperor ever. Before his conversion, he was a pagan worshipper just like all previous Roman Emperors. He is known to have fought many battles and wars which he won. He got converted to Christianity after his victory at the Milvian Bridge Battle in the year 312 AD. This victory he attributed to a vision he received from God which revealed to him that his battle would be won by God’s divine enablement through the power of Calvary’s Cross. Based on this victory and in spite of his very limited knowledge of Christianity, he became committed to the stability and advancement of Christianity and this led to his issuance of an edict called “The Edict of Milan” in 313AD which was promulgated to foster and ensure religious tolerance and freedom. This led to the end of the persecution of Christians. Through him, Christianity was legalized. He did all he could to unite the Church, which was being torn apart by diverse doctrines such as the doctrine of the Trinity, that is to say, God in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. When these doctrinal issues became irresolvable, he then established a council made up of over two hundred Church leaders, which included bishops, pastors, and even many commoners. Emperor Constantine only presided over the council that was set up to objectively and essentially analyze the doctrinal issue of the Trinity and to adopt a position of consensus. The doctrine of the Trinity was adopted with emphasis on Jesus being of equal substance with God the Father. Emperor Constantine’s contributions and impact towards enhancing the growth and progress of the Church were immense and remarkable. In spite of his limited knowledge of Christianity after his conversion, he was determined to resolve controversial and divisive disputes within the Christian community through the deliberations of divergent Christian leaders and groups.

Has anyone ever wondered how a traditionally pagan Roman Emperor who was also considered a god himself would suddenly convert to Christianity and submit to the lordship of Jesus? That’s the power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ. A pagan Emperor encountered the risen Christ and his destiny changed. On the 20th day of May 325AD, Constantine the great established the first ecumenical council called the council of Nicaea in present day Turkey, with the goal of settling crucial doctrinal problems within the Church. This council met for about two months with hundreds of Church leaders in attendance for all intents and purposes of sorting out theological controversies with regards to the divinity of Christ. Long before this time, Christians prayed in the name of Jesus and worshipped Him as Lord and Savior. Also, the Bible had long been canonized (cataloged) before the promulgation of the council of Nicea. There is no evidence whatsoever on Earth that Constantine the great spear-headed or maneuver the removal of a non-existent doctrine of reincarnation in the Bible. This is merely a fictitious assumption. The four gospels, the epistle of Apostle Paul and the other letters already had canonical clout by the second century long before Constantine was born. Of course the Bible passed through numerous developmental stages since then but none of that affected the contextual import of the Scriptures. Historical records confirm that there were four major centers of Christianity which were in Egypt, Syria, Asia Minor and Rome. The Church at Asia Minor was more dominant than the others. Constantine the great could not have manipulated the Scriptures at the council of Nicea and also succeeded in manipulating the acceptance of such a fallacious Scripture by all the Christian communities in various parts of the world. At the council of Nicea, legislation was thereafter passed into law to outlaw cheating, stealing, immorality, religious intolerance and the abuse of basic fundamental human rights. Constantine the great was accused of expunging parts of the Scripture that supposedly support reincarnation. If he so did, what was his motive? How could the false doctrine of reincarnation have co-existed with Hebrews 9:27 which till today still states:

“And as it is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment”
- (KJV)

Every human being has an appointment with physical death someday. It is destined for everyone to die once, thereafter comes the judgment of God. The one life doctrine is not man made per se but God ordained. So, that doctrine which states that every soul must undergo several physical rebirths and deaths in order to be sanctified before exiting the so-called reincarnation circle, is baseless fabrication.

Jesus said to one of the two criminals hung on the cross beside him:

“I tell you the truth, today you will be with me in paradise”.

Paradise symbolizes heaven or the presence of God. Jesus is letting us know that once a person is saved, he immediately goes into paradise or heaven.

The Bible was written centuries ago by many authors from different cultures and background. It applies to all generations of mankind because it is inspired by God Himself. The Scripture (Old Testament) we have today is the same that Jesus used and read from. The Old Testament is the support for the New. Testament simply means covenant. For many centuries, the Bible has gone through many stages of development but great effort was always applied to ensure the preservation of the text in spite of the numerous translations. There were no printing presses in those days. The Bible at one stage was neither in chapters nor in verses. In spite of all these developments, God preserved the message of His word and not even the great Emperor Constantine could amputate the word of the living God. Jesus who is the word of God, never for once, talked about or made any reference to the concept of reincarnation, which negates the word of God. Reincarnation is a satanic doctrine. Be vigilant, my friends, because the enemy of humanity is on the prowl, sowing false doctrines into the hearts of men in order to destroy souls eternally.
Take heed!!

-Continued in Part 2, in the next page in this section

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