Death-bed And Jailhouse Repentance “The great salvation” refers to deliverance from the grave by a resurrection to life and a share in the Kingdom of God. As we have seen, this is based on faith in the promises made to the fathers, a mind and attitude like Abrahams, baptism into the name of the Holy One, and faith made perfect by works. In other words, salvation is only promised to those who walk in the steps of Abrahams faith. To deny this is to deny the testimony of God. His own Son was not exalted until he was made perfect by suffering. “He that believes the gospel and is baptized will be saved, and he that does not believe will be condemned.” This decree has never been revoked. Therefore, it is as valid and without exception as when it fell from the lips of the Son of God. In view of this undeniable truth, what can we say of a system that holds out an assurance of “heaven” to humans living earthly, sensual, and demonic lives who have become prisoners of disease or convicts in the clutches of the law? When death stares them in the face, they are exhorted by their “spiritual guides” to “make their peace with God.” Even those facing the scaffold are taught by “prison chaplains” to expect to meet the companions of their crimes in heaven. They have only to partake of the “sacrament” to make their souls ready “to meet their God!” And what is the basis all this “consolation” of religion? It is based on a terrible fear of the molten and flaming sulfur in hells cauldron into which these remorseful ones are taught their “immortal souls” will be plunged by God to be tormented by the Devil for all eternity. Not many weeks ago a prison-chaplain at Coventry actually burned a female convicts hand with the flame of a candle as a foretaste of her torture after death if she did not repent! This was his plan of proceeding to “cure her soul!” But if disease or crime had not captured these “poor unfortunates” they would have still been living lives of iniquity. Finding there is no escape from death by the rope or in the ordinary way, their boldness and unrighteousness are suspended. They are imposed upon by clerical assurances that the Lord is “waiting to be gracious.” They are reminded of the thief on the cross and deceived by the falsehood that “while the lamp still burns even the vilest sinner may return.” All is ready, the gospel feast is prepared, and nothing is lacking but for them to believe Christ died for them, express sorrow for the past, profess themselves at peace with God and all mankind, and to “pray for forgiveness through Jesus Christ.” Thus, the “spiritual guides” of the people prepare them for perdition. A mere act of the mind prompted by terror and the persuasions of the clerics is claimed to put aside a whole life of unrighteousness and crime! What low views such men must have of the God whose ministers they pretend to be! Their “consolations” are utter blasphemy and false from first to last. Why are they surprised at the little impression they make on the public mind by their preaching and that humanity is increasing daily in unfaithfulness? The billions, though they are ignorant, are not fools. They ask “Why should we trouble ourselves about religion. We can be saved in half an hour for all the offenses of a long life of sin.” It is the preachers that make people infidels by the ridiculous absurdities they preach in the much abused name of Christianity. But the worst and most repulsive form of ministerial blasphemy is exhibited in the consolations of prison-chaplains. These are a striking manifestation of clerical ignorance of the letter and spirit of the Truth. The Scripture says “no murderer has eternal life abiding in him” and that even “anyone who hates his brother is a murderer.” As a result, he is beyond the reach of mercy. Murder can only be pardoned through faith in the Truth which works by love that purifies the heart and makes it perfect through obedience. If such a believer falls short of the grace of God after this and hates and murders his brother there is no forgiveness from God. “He will not see life, but the wrath of God will abide upon him.” As with the sprinkling of infants in the name of the Lord and calling it Christian baptism, saving criminals at the gates of death and calling it repentance then committing their loathsome carcasses to the ground with a “common prayer” and calling it Christian burial, shows there is no reason to conclude (even if we were ignorant of the Truth itself) that both priests and people are deceiving and being deceived. To call the popular system of religion by which we are surrounded the “religion of Christ” is not only a mistake, it also reflects poorly on the wisdom of God. Infant-sprinkling, death-bed repentance, and “Christian burials” as they are called are mere human inventions. They belong to the apostasy and have nothing to do with the “things of the Kingdom of God and name of Yeshua the Christ.” If a person serves the lusts of his flesh all his life, no remorse or resolutions on a bed of death will serve him in the least. “He that sows to his flesh will reap corruption from the flesh, for whatever a person sows is what he will reap.” (Gal. 6:7-8) Again: “To be carnally-minded is death,” and “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God,” and “If you live according to the flesh you will die.” (Rom. 8:6, 8, 13) These are testimonies that show in a few words there is no salvation for people who serve themselves all the days of their lives and when they are no longer able to grasp the world offer the extreme fag-end of their existence to God. It is like eating all the meat off a joint and throwing the bone to your friend. If your friend feels insulted, how must God consider a similar treatment of His majesty? Would He not justly reject the hypocrite from His presence? It is because of these abominations that the judgments of God are falling on the nations. Ministerial and popular iniquities have brought pestilence on some people and war and famine on others. These are just the beginning of sorrows, though. At present the storm has lulled, but only so it can gather enough force to sweep away all the refuges of lies. “Woe to the world because of offenses!” JT, Elpis Israel
Posted on: Tue, 28 Jan 2014 00:09:30 +0000
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