Saturday Song: The Chambers Brothers, "Time Has Come Today"

Time certainly is a strange thing. It drags when we're in agony and rushes when we're having fun. It also seems to accelerate as we grow older.

I fell immediately in love with this Chambers Brothers song when I heard it back in September of 1968. The AM rock stations used to play the short version while the FM outlets played the hypnotic long version. Both were my favourites.

Hear the live version here. Sorry for the commercial that YouTube put there. It's nothing to do with me.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsBwBct0_5U

God isn't effected by time but we are. Compared to eternity, our seventy or eighty years on this earth are like the steam rising from a cup of coffee. It's there for a second and then it's gone.

This is all the more reason to examine ourselves. Unless we place our trust in Christ and yield our wills to his beneficent leadership, we face an eternity of agony apart from God's blessings. As Scripture says in 2 Corinthians 6:2 (KJV), "For he saith, 'I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.'"

Putting off such a crucial decision is extremely foolish. As Jesus said after telling a parable in Matthew 24:42 (KJV), "Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come." Remember too that there are no "do overs" at the end of life.

So, what do you think of the song and what I wrote? Please comment below. But if you'd rather not, have a great weekend.

Are Mormons Christians?

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints claims to be the only true church. They believe that shortly after the gospels and epistles were written, the message of the gospel was lost until Joseph Smith revealed it. If this is the case, they should agree with what Holy Scripture says about being saved.

Many verses in the Bible state that it's only by faith in the atoning work of Christ on the cross that we can be saved from eternity in hell. Titus 3:5 (KJV) states, as just one example, "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;"

Furthermore, Psalms 14:3 (KJV) leaves no room for doubt that we are helpless and can't possibly save ourselves through good works. "They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one."

Romans 10:13 (KJV) urges, "For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved."

And as for good works, they come naturally from our salvation. James 2:18 (BBE) explains, "But a man may say, You have faith and I have works; let me see your faith without your works, and I will make my faith clear to you by my works."

As four acts of righteousness which we attempt to do to earn God's favour and salvation, Isaiah 64:6 (KJV)explains, "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."

But Mormons believe that good works save a person. All through Doctrine and Covenants, the false gospel of works righteousness is proclaimed. As nice as individual Mormons are, their works are wasted when it comes to saving their souls.

I'll be writing about this and much more in my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? People must realize that they can't earn salvation. It's a gift from God Almighty through Jesus Christ. Otherwise it wouldn't be a gift if people have to work for it.

Was Joseph Smith's Inspired Bible Inspired?

Having shown how bogus the Book of Mormon is, along with other writings by Joseph Smith, some folks might be surprised that this faker also wrote his commentaries in the Bible. He took the King James version and inserted references to his own scriptures as if they too were divine.

Consequently, we can easily understand that this version of the Bible wasn't inspired in the way Joseph Smith meant the term to mean.

God opposes any additions or subtractions to his sacred word. As John wrote in Revelation 22:18 -19 (KJV), "For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book."

Even from the beginning, the single command of God was questioned by people. Genesis 3:1 (KJV) shows how Satan planted doubt in Eve's mind. "Now the serpent was more subtle than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden?"

Furthermore, here's proof that the New Testament writings were true scripture and not mere opinion. Regarding Paul's writings, 2 Peter 3:16 (KJV) explains, "As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction."

"Wrest" means twist and that's what Joseph Smith and other false prophets did to God-breathed Bible books. This is why we must study and hold fast to what the Lord has revealed. False prophets and teachers continually rise and draw away followers, teaching them Satan-inspired lies.

I'll deal with this subject in greater detail in my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? Because many Christians don't know their Bibles, lying teachers are able to shunt them off the path of righteousness and into the cul-de-sac of error.

Saturday Song: Rupert Hine, "The Set Up"

Any one who has had a traumatic childhood can identify with this song. Children are powerless and dependent upon adults for their very lives.

The sad reality is that many children are victims of adult childishness. Like the line about the child being Mother's little weapon when Father broke her rules, children are used as pawns. Even if the kids aren't physically assaulted, the emotional battering they receive takes it's toll.

Here "The Set Up" here.

Because of being used by callous adults for personal vendettas, children come to believe that God behaves the same way. In their minds, he's cruel, arbitrary, and petty. Nothing could be farther from the truth.

Christ's disciples assumed that he didn't want to be bothered by mothers bringing their infants to him to be blessed. As Mark 10:14 (KJV)records,  "But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, 'Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God.'"

I know from personal experience that it's hard to change our perceptions after a lifetime of abuse but it is indeed possible. It happened in my life and, with Christ's help, it can happen in yours too.

If you liked what I wrote and you enjoyed this poignant song, please write your comment in the box below. And if this matter is too painful for you at this time, I wish you a blessed weekend.

Are North American Natives Israel's Descendents?

The Book of Mormon makes much of Christ's supposed visit to the natives of North America. It claims that they were descendants of an Israelite named Nephi who sailed west with his family and relatives in 600 B.C. to escape persecution. Mormons claim that the native people of North America had cities, metallurgy, and European domestic livestock.

If all these things are true, we should have found many archaeological sites where these cities once stood. Not one has been found yet. Neither have artifacts such as engraved brass plates or breastplates been unearthed.

Joseph Smith himself claimed that the gold plates were in a stone box, "Convenient to the village of Manchester, Ontario county, New York, stands a hill of considerable size, and the most elevated of any in the neighborhood."

Though archaeologists have examined all the hills there with exacting thoroughness, not a trace of any Nephite relics  were discovered. Certainly such a civilization would have left abundant ruins, according to the wars mentioned in the book.

According to the DVD DNA Vs. The Book of Mormon, scientists examined the genes of north American native tribes. They found that 94% of the DNA segments studied were totally alien to Middle Eastern people. This is the final nail in the coffin of Joseph Smith's hoax.

The Bible, on the other hand, has a massive amount of archaeological, historical, and prophetic evidence to prove that it is a supernatural book. And unlike the Book of Mormon, the Bible has had more than forty authors writing its books during a fifteen-hundred year period. The message has remained consistent in spite of all those scribes.

My goal is to point out these many facts in my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? The choice of where we'll spend eternity can't be left up to whim and fancy. There's no "re-do" with this decision once we die.

What About Book of Mormon Cities?

Another proof of God's revealed Word is that the writings match up with archaeology. The Middle East is so rich with archeological artifacts from past civilizations that building contractors must stop work whenever they find any ancient objects. This frequently happens because of the rich history of the area. In fact, ancient cities such as Jericho have been unearthed in the same condition as the Bible described them.

Since this is true of the Bible, what of the Book of Mormon? If it really is another testimony of Jesus Christ, as Joseph Smith alleged, where are the ruins of Nephite, Lamanite, and Jaredite cities? Not one has been found.

No swords and Armour have been unearthed either. With all the farming and city-building that has happened for the past few centuries all over North America, only artefacts from indigenous people have been discovered.

The Book of Mormon claims that the Nephites brought over sheep and cattle to North America. Where are the bones of these domestic animals? Archaeologists have yet to find any which predate European settlement.

And what of the gold and brass plates upon which Joseph Smith claimed to have read and translated those writings? He claimed that the angel Moroni took back the gold plates, a convenient excuse for somebody inventing a lie. But I'm still waiting for the answer to where the brass plates went, if they ever did exist.

This false prophet also claimed that the Egyptian papyrus he bought from an antiquities peddler was written by the patriarch Abraham when he was in that land. It turned out to be a burial document and not the embellished tale Joseph Smith wrote.

Furthermore, Joseph Smith claimed that the North American natives were descendants of Nephi and his family who sailed from Israel to what is now New York state. Thanks to the science of genetics, this myth has been proven false. North American natives came from northeast Asia over the land bridge formed between the two continents during an ice age. Their DNA is devoid of characteristically Middle Eastern genes.

I could list so many more falsehoods taught by  the Mormons, had I the time to do so. Instead, I'll add this information to my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? People need to realize how alien Joseph Smith's bogus religion is to the God-breathed Word of God. Only a relationship with the Christ of the Bible will get us into heaven.

Saturday Song: Crack The Sky, "Sleep"

On a BBC comedy show called Porridge, Ronnie Barker (Fletcher) commented that sleep was the only escape for a prisoner. This is a certainty, as I discovered during my six years at Jericho Hill School for the Deaf and Blind.

Hear Crack The Sky's song here.


But sleep need not be a mere escape from dreary reality. My dreams are sometimes cinematic. For example, I sometimes dream that I'm accompanying Doctor Who, played by Tom Baker, as he battles aliens throughout space and time. And unlike television, my adventures are in full colour and with no commercial interruptions.

I've also dreamt that I was in episodes of Get Smart or Hogan's Heroes. Each one of those adventures seems real until I awaken to find myself in my own bed.

Most of the time, my nocturnal journeys are into my past but with some elements of modern life. For example, I dreamt that I was a young man and I bought a new house with a huge gymnasium in the basement. People from the shopping mall next door had used it for basketball games and didn't know that I was now the new owner. No matter how I threatened them, they wouldn't leave. The police officer whom I called on my flip phone just said he'd call me back and hung up.

Some folks in the Bible actually had dreams sent from God. As Peter said to the citizens of Jerusalem in Acts 2:17 (KJV), "And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith  God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and  your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see  visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:"

I never have had prophetic dreams and neither have others I've befriended, though they claimed that they did. Even so, I can tell from my nightly cinema screenings that my mind has plenty of issues to work out.

So, what do you think of the song and what I wrote? Please comment in the box below. But if you'd rather not, have a beautiful weekend.

Joseph Smith: Prophet or Phony

The leader of the Mormons, otherwise known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, claimed to be a revelator and a prophet. But how do we know if he was or wasn't telling the truth? Anybody could claim to have had a revelation from the Lord but how can we tell if it's real or not?

Here is how to discern if a prophet is genuine. Deuteronomy 18:22 (KJV) explains, "When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him."

But what if a prophet prophecies something that does come to pass? Here's how to know if this person is sent from God or just claims to be his messenger. The Lord explains in Deuteronomy 13:1-3, "If there arise among you a prophet, or a dreamer of dreams, and giveth thee a sign or a wonder, And the sign or the wonder come to pass, whereof he spake unto thee, saying, 'Let us go after other gods, which thou hast not known, and let us serve them;' Thou shalt not hearken unto the words of that prophet, or that dreamer of dreams: for the LORD your God proveth you, t
o know whether ye love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul."

Joseph claimed to have seen an angel appear in his room one night and during the following days. He wrote in The Book of Mormon, "he informed me of great judgments which were coming upon the earth, with great desolations by famine, sword, and pestilence; and that these grievous judgments would come on the earth in this generation. Having related these things, he again ascended as he had done before."

The Bible measures a generation as being forty years. Joseph Smith penned these words back in 1830. No great judgements came upon the earth in that time. And there are many other failed prophesies I could list had I the luxury of time and space to do so.

Jesus warned in Matthew 7:15 (KJV) to,  "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."

The history of the LDS church is soiled with the carnal misdeeds of Joseph Smith and his followers. Whole books have been written about this subject.

And as for books, I'm working on one called You Think You're Going to Heaven? So many sincere and kind folks are in for a horrific shock when the day of judgement arrives and they're on the wrong side of Christ. My hope is that God will use the work of my hands to rescue as many of them as will come out of their deception.

Mormonism Vs. Christianity on Humanity

Now that I've shown the differences between Mormon and Christian beliefs in the persons of God and Christ, I need to examine why we were created.

Firstly, God made this world for us to live on. Genesis 2:15  (KJV) reads, "And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it."

The answer for God creating us is to bring him glory. As 1 Chronicles 16:29 (KJV) says, "Give unto the LORD the glory due unto  his name: bring an offering, and come before him: worship the  LORD in the beauty of holiness."

Mormons, on the other hand, believe that we existed as spirit beings before our births and that Adam and Eve were immortal. So Satan lured the first two humans into sin so they would become mortal and be able to have flesh-and-blood children. Mormons claim that there are many "spirit children" birthed by Heavenly Father and Heavenly Mother but they needed bodies of flesh. Adam and Eve were allowed to sin and become mortal so many pre-existent spirits could start their journey toward godhood by being born into human bodies.

That's a far cry from the sentences God dished out to all sinners through our two founding parents, as well as to Satan, in Genesis 3:14-19. "And the LORD God said unto the serpent, 'Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.' Unto the woman he said, 'I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and thy conception; in sorrow thou shalt bring forth children; and thy desire shall be to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee.' And unto Adam he said, 'Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, "Thou shalt not eat of it:" cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; Thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.'"

Adam and Eve could have had children before the fall but Satan lured them into committing sin against God. The Lord also gave humanity a huge privilege in choosing to follow or reject him. By doing this, the eventual result would be far better in the long run. Even so, Adam and Eve fell.

And as for planets upon which we'll raise future god children, Christ put an end to that Sadducee nonsense when he said in Matthew 22:30 (KJV)  "For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven."

At the end of history, humanity will be separated into two groups, those bound for heaven and those bound for hell. Jesus explained in Matthew 25:32 (KJV), "And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:"

Mormons and other deceived individuals must understand that Jesus is eternal and that the honorific "son" is meant to describe his special status with the Father, not his supposed condition as a procreated spirit being.

I'll be writing much more about the deity and eternality of Christ in my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? Since eternity is endless and there's no "do overs," it's vital that all of us make the right choice here before we die.

Saturday Song: Gary Glitter, Rock 'n' Roll Part 1 & 2

I don't know about you but this song brings back memories of enrolling in high school. I felt so grown up as I began taking my classes and carrying a real ID card.

Listen to this song here.

At that time, I began living on my own. Though my parents paid my rent, it was the first time I had the freedom and unsupervised responsibility of my own room. I learned how to cook that autumn as well. I only depended on Mom to wash my laundry. That was because she made it seem so complex that I let her do it. I learned how easy it actually was a few years later.

This reminds me of what the apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13:11 (KJV). "When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things."

We all must grow in our spiritual lives or we ought to be growing in grace and wisdom. There are some folks who enjoy the primary tenets of Christianity so much that they don't want to graduate to the next level.

That's one reason I feel disappointed with most Sunday Services. I only hear things I already know and have studied for decades. It's like a perpetual kindergarten. Like John MacArthur, I want to delve deeply into each verse to wring out every last drop of its truth.

So, what was high school like for you? Does this song evoke good memories or bad? Please let me know in the box below. And if you don't feel so inclined, have a good weekend anyway.

Mormonism Vs. Christianity on Christ

Mormons, as I pointed out in the previous post, use the same terms as Christians but they change the meanings of them. For example, the Bible states in John 1:1 (KJV), "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God."

Reading the following verses, we discover that Jesus was the word which John mentioned. This and other scriptures show that Jesus and God are eternal beings and are part of the
Trinity.

Jesus was, according to the Book of Mormon, a saviour of the world, not thee saviour. Nephi 10:4 says, "Yea, even asix hundred years from the time that my father left Jerusalem, a prophet would the Lord God raise up among the Jews— even a Messiah, or, in other words,a Savior of the world."

Mormonism teaches that Jesus had a heavenly father and a heavenly mother. They believe that the purpose of this world is to give spirits human bodies. And since Jesus was a spirit, he was given a body.

The book of Mormon claims that Christ visited the so-called lost Israelites which traveled to North America and became the aboriginal peoples. This is manifestly false since North American natives never heard of Jesus Christ. Neither are they descendents of Jacob but are related to the people of northeast Asia.

Instead of visiting North Americans, Christ ascended to heaven and is at the right hand of God. Romans 8:34 (KJV) states, "Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that  died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand  of God, who also maketh intercession for us."

Moreover, Luke quoted an angel in Acts 1:11 (KJV), "Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven."

I'll be writing more about falicies in false gospels in my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? People who follow counterfeit teachings will be in for a horrible shock come Judgment Day because they didn't obey Christ's commandments regarding faith in him.

Mormonism Vs. Christianity on God

This month, I feel the need to show the stark differences between Mormonism and Christianity. Many Christians assume that Mormons are believers. After all, Jesus Christ is in their church's name.

Mormons also use the same terms as we do but they mean different things to them. For example, they believe Jesus is a mere created being and the spirit brother of Lucifer.

The moral behaviour of Mormons tricks naive people into thinking that they're born again. By examining what Scripture says, we can see that Mormons are in fact misled and unsaved cult victims.

We know from the Bible that God is eternal. He had no beginning and has no end to his existence. As Psalms 90:2 (KJV) proclaims, "Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever thou hadst formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, thou art God."

Mormonism teaches that God, whom they call Heavenly Father, was once a man and that we mere mortals will become gods someday. They appear to take this idea from Psalms 82:6 (KJV) which says, "I have said, 'Ye are gods;' and all of you are children of the most High."

What these people forget, or don't understand, is that all scriptures must be read in the context of the passage in which they are found. The next verse explains, "But ye shall die like men, and fall like one of the princes."

This is a psalm of judgment against the rogue leaders of Israel and of the rebellious nations who abused vulnerable people. They acted like they were gods with the power of life and death over their citizens. But all of them fell in death and only their bones remain.

As sincerely as Mormons believe in this and other LDS doctrines, they're still wrong. Sincerity is no gauge of a person's salvation and spiritual growth. For this reason, I'm writing a book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? Judgment day will be a day of horror for many who placed their trust in doing good works while having no personal relationship with Christ. I wish nobody would end up in hell because they trusted in their good deeds.

Why is Christ Superior to Mohammad?

Having written about the difference between God and Allah, what of Christ verses Mohammad.

First off, Christ proved himself to be the Son of God. Neither did he deny it. Matthew 16:16( KJV) reads, "And Simon Peter answered and said, 'Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.'" If he wasn't, as the Qu'ran claims, he would have rebuked or corrected Peter. Instead, he praised him and called him blessed.

Martha also wasn't rebuked or corrected in John 11:27 (KJV). "She saith unto him, 'Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.'"

But Mohammad was only a man and very sinful too. He performed no miracles which weren't self-fulfilling slight of hand. Neither did he teach the truth. Had he done so, he would have affirmed the Bible's record of Christ.

Jesus was much more than Mary's son. Mohammad taught in sura 3:45 that, "The Angels said, 'O Mary, Allah gives you good news of a Word from Him. His name is the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, well-esteemed in this world and the next, and one of the nearest.'"

Furthermore, if Mohammad was a prophet sent from God, why did he blaspheme the central tenet of Christianity, namely the crucifixion of Jesus? In sura 4:157, it says, "And for their saying, 'We have killed the Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, the Messenger of Allah.' In fact, they did not kill him,nor did they crucify him, but it appeared to them as if they did. Indeed, those who differ about him are in doubt about it. They have no knowledge of it, except the following of assumptions. Certainly, they did not kill him."

My hope is to challenge such blasphemous beliefs in my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? If Christ didn't die and if he was a sinner like us, Christianity would be just another religion. Instead, it's the truth in which we can fully trust.

Saturday Song: Big Brother and the Holding Company, "Piece of My Heart"

This song always reminds me of September, 1968. I was back at Jericho Hill School for the Deaf and Blind, facing three more months of misery. My only comfort was a pocket radio which my parents bought me.

With some songs, I even remember the moment I first heard them. As I trudged up the grassy hill to the dorm after lunch one sunlit Saturday, this great song came blasting out of the speaker. I immediately loved it.

Hear "Piece of My Heart" here.

The woman in the song sure had a difficult time loving her two-timing man. She adored him but he was being an inconsiderate jerk to her. Sadly, this happens all too often.

In our Christian walk, we frequently encounter people who need plenty of forgiveness. Old habits die hard and we all slip back into them easily. Holding grudges is one bad habit we need to ditch immediately or sooner.

Neither is this a new problem. Matthew 18:21 (KJV) says, "Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?"

But Jesus replied in Luke 17:4 (KJV), "And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him." In other words, there is no limit.

And why should we keep forgiving difficult siblings in Christ, apart from the fact that Jesus said so? 2 Corinthians 2:7 (KJV)explains,  "So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow."

So, what do you think of this song and what I wrote? Please comment in the box below. But if you'd rather not, have a great weekend anyway.

Salvation Assurance in the Bible Vs. the Qu'ran

Since our heavenly Father loves us and sent Christ to die and save us, we can rest assured regarding our eternal home in heaven. Better still, we're sealed for that day with the Holy Spirit.

And though we mustn't grieve him with our rebellious actions and thoughts, we're still guaranteed to be eternally with the Trinity. Ephesians 4:30 (KJV) promises, "And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption."

But this is what the Qu'ran says will happen to the believers of Allah. Sura 39:61 claims, "And Allah will save those who maintained righteousness to their place of salvation. No harm will touch them, nor will they grieve."

Some Christians also believe that we can lose our salvation. They quote Hebrews 6:4-6 (KJV) which reads, " For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Ghost, And have tasted the good word of God, and the powers of the world to come, If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame."

The people mentioned in this passage aren't born-again believers but those, like Judas, who were mere seekers of the good things Christ offers. We read in 1 John 2:19 (KJV) that, "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us."

It truly is a blessed assurance that we are saved forever. We do stray, as sheep are wont to do, but we're still in the Good Shepherd's flock.

I'll emphasize this in my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? People need to understand fully that their salvation depends on the finished and irrevocable work of Christ on the cross.