Drop the Façade! Unmasking Religious Wolves

8/31/2019 16 Comments

Signs of false preachers

With the advent of modern means of communication, many preachers have likewise utilized not only the traditional media but also the various social media platforms to reach out to as many people to propagate their faith, gain fame, and promote other personal motives.

While most of them use the Bible as their main prop, not all of them speak of biblical truths. In other words, not all of them are prophets of God. The truth is, the majority of them are false prophets.

Using the Bible as our reference, let us try to unmask these preachers and let us see for ourselves if they are truly prophets of God or if they are among the so many false prophets that proliferate in this dispensation.

Actually, if you will just consider their physical appearance, their apparel, and their manner of speaking, you would hardly suspect that they are false prophets or false preachers because they are elegantly dressed, are very gentle, and speak in low and well-modulated voices. Not to mention that they use flowery and enticing words, too. They do all these to capture people’s attention and to project a good impression. But it is all a façade!

2 CORINTHIANS 11:13-15 (KJV) says,

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

To deceive people, these false prophets and false apostles are transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. They simply pretend; they make themselves appear righteous and holy before other people, just like satan who transforms himself into an angel of light, but in truth, he is an angel of darkness (biblically speaking, darkness means “evil”). Hence, it is no longer surprising that his ministers also pretend to be ministers of righteousness.

What will be their end? According to PHILIPPIANS 3:19 (KJV),

Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)

Their end is destruction. Their god is not the true God but their belly, and their glory is in their shame. They are shameless. Verily, it is gross shamelessness if a person’s glory is on things that are shameful.

Aside from that, earthly things preoccupy them. They always speak of prosperity; they brag about their big chapels and cathedrals.

While the minds of false prophets are focused on earthly things, the minds of the true preachers of God are focused on heavenly things.

COLOSSIANS 3:1-2 (KJV) says,

1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God.
2 Set your affection on things above, not on things of the earth.

The preoccupation of the preachers of God is on things above, not on earthly things.

If a preacher always thinks of earthly things, you can be sure that such preacher is a false prophet. Like that one American preacher who once said, “I am not going to heaven bankrupt.” Apparently, he wants to go to heaven with lots of riches and money.

So, one has to be very keen for him to determine who is a false prophet, and who is not. Always remember that false prophets always present themselves as saintly as they can. Their physical appearances and their speeches could be very deceiving so you have to exercise extra caution.

As written in MATTHEW 7:15 (KJV),

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

They portray themselves as sheep, which are meek and gentle, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

False prophets also do nothing but burden their members with tithes and other monetary contributions. They keep on promising their followers with prosperity and blessings when, in reality, they are the only ones who prosper and receive blessings (from satan, their father).

They live in luxury at the expense of their members. In fact, sometimes their members do not even have anything to fill their hungry stomachs but still, they are compelled to give financial contributions, even for the whims and caprices of their pastors, or preachers. Otherwise, they would be accused of robbing the Lord. The Lord Jesus Christ gave us a very important factor to look for in a preacher.

JOHN 7:17-18 (KJV) says,

17 If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.
18 He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

Consider what the preacher is teaching. You have to investigate if the doctrines he is preaching are the very doctrines taught by God and the Lord Jesus Christ, or if they are merely inventions of their religious leaders.

For example, in the Catholic Church, they teach the existence of purgatory but in the Bible, there is no such thing as purgatory. Also, for over a thousand years, they have been preaching about limbo. The priests made their members believe that if a child dies unbaptized, he shall not be able to enter heaven but he is going to limbo instead. Again, there is no such thing as limbo in the Bible. Anyone who is preaching about purgatory and limbo is simply speaking of invented teachings. They are not biblical.

It’s good enough that one pope by the name of Joseph Ratzinger, who was called Pope Benedict XVI, confessed that the doctrine of the Catholic church about limbo is not true. He admitted that limbo does not really exist.


Actually, the Catholic teaching that a baby who died unbaptized will not go to heaven is contradictory to what the Lord Jesus Christ taught.

MATTHEW 19:14 (KJV) says,

But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

The Lord Jesus Christ guaranteed the salvation of children. Without any question, children are going to heaven because they are innocent and they are sinless.

In line with this, there is also no truth to the Catholic belief of “original sin.” According to the Catholic Church, the sin that Adam and Eve committed is the “original sin.” And this sin is passed on from one generation to the succeeding generations. Because of this, infants need to be baptized to cleanse them of the original sin which they inherited from Adam and Eve.

Again, this teaching is against the Bible.

EZEKIEL 18:20 (KJV) says,

The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

That was the pronouncement of God Almighty. It is not true that there is such a thing as original sin. Why? Adam committed a sin against God but Abel, his son, his direct descendant, did not inherit the sin that his father committed. Take note, Abel was not baptized but God found him righteous.

HEBREWS 11:4 (KJV) says,

By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

Children are destined to be heirs of heaven even without baptism. Newborn babes need not be baptized. In fact, the Lord Jesus Christ had given us an example as to when baptism should be received. Christ was baptized at the age of thirty, not while he was a baby.

The sin or the original sin that Adam committed was he listened more to his wife than to the voice of God. And for doing that, a curse came to Adam.

GENESIS 3:17 (KJV) says,

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 your life;

Another recommendation given by the Bible that would help you identify a false prophet, or a false preacher, is stated in 1 JOHN 4:1 (KJV), which says,

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

It is a must that you have to investigate -- you have to try the spirit. Find out if their doctrines are similar with the doctrines that the Lord Jesus Christ taught. Try them to gauge how much they know the teachings of Christ. For instance, ask your pastor if the Gospel of Christ teaches tithing, or the paying of 10%. If he tells you that it is a part of the Gospel, then that is proof that he is lying because tithing is not a Christian doctrine.

One thing is very certain, if a pastor or a preacher is teaching something which is not in the Bible, without a doubt, he is false preacher, or a false prophet.

Using all these as your guide, it is now your turn to check on your respective pastors or preachers. Investigate their lifestyles, their preoccupations, and most especially, the doctrines that they teach. And the result of your investigation will tell you if your pastor or preacher is indeed a prophet of God, or if he is nothing but a false prophet. Just don’t let yourself be deceived.

May God bless you!

16 Comments:

The Bible, An Authority of Truth

8/23/2019 17 Comments


This article aims to give people preliminary insights that will lead them, with God’s help, to a better appreciation of the Bible.

The Bible is a compilation of books. The first five books of the Bible were written by Moses while he and the Israelites were wandering in the wilderness for forty years. These books give an account of what happened to the Israelites after their liberation from the hands of the pharaoh in Egypt until the time that they were about to enter the Promised Land. Remember, God promised Abraham that He would give that land to his seeds, and biologically speaking, the seeds of Abraham were the Israelites whom Moses led out of bondage from the land of Egypt.

Everything that happened in that span of forty years up to the time that they were ready to enter the Promised Land was recorded in the books of Moses which we now call as the Pentateuch, referring to the first five books of the Bible.

But originally, these five books were only one book. Translators of the Bible divided it into five and gave specific titles to each book namely: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

It must be understood that Moses used the Hebrew language in writing his book. From Hebrew it was translated to Greek; hence, most of the titles given to Moses’ books were Greek words.

What I am trying to point out is that the titles of the different books of the Bible, like the books of Job, Psalms, the Prophets, the first and second Corinthians, the first and second Thessalonians, etc., were likewise given only by their translators.

Practically, all the events that happened to God’s people — or the Israelites — had been recorded in the Bible. But for what reason?

1 CORINTHIANS 10:6-11 (KJV) says,

6 Now these things were our examples, to the intent we should not lust after evil things, as they also lusted.
7 Neither be ye idolaters, as were some of them; as it is written, The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.
8 Neither let us commit fornication, as some of them committed, and fell in one day three and twenty thousand.
9 Neither let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed of serpents.
10 Neither murmur ye, as some of them also murmured, and were destroyed of the destroyer.
11 Now all these things happened unto them for examples: and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.

They were written for our admonition. The Apostle Paul wrote the evil things that the Israelites committed against God as a reminder and a warning to Christians and to the generations to come so that they should not do what the Israelites had done. They committed idolatry; they indulged in earthly pleasures like eating, drinking and merry-making, and in doing so, it even reached a point that they had forgotten God. They committed fornication which prompted God to send them a plague that caused the death of far more than 23,000 people. All their transgressions displeased God and provoked Him to anger.

Basically, the Bible is intended for us and for the future generations.

PSALMS 102:18 (KJV) says,

This shall be written for the generation to come: and the people which shall be created shall praise the Lord.

All the books of the Bible were written for our benefit and for the benefit of the generations to come – until the end of the human race.

The Lord of the Bible knows that more and more people would come to exist in this world. That was why He caused the writing of these Scriptures.

1 CORINTHIANS 14:37 (KJV) says,

If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.

The Lord commanded the kings, prophets, and evangelists to write — that is why we have the Bible now.

Let me emphasize that the Bible was written; it was not created. Only God creates. God creates something that does not exist yet. The Bible is something not created; it was written by chosen men who used different tools and instruments in writing.

For instance, during the time of the prophet Isaiah, God commanded him to write His prophecy on a table of stone.

ISAIAH 30:8 (KJV) says,

Now go, write it before them in a table, and note it in a book, that it may be for the time to come for ever and ever:

The words of God were written on tables or tablets of stone, on wood, and later, on papyrus, for them to be preserved for years.

The Apostle Paul acknowledged the writings of Moses on tablets of stones, and he even cited them in his epistles.

2 CORINTHIANS 3:6-7 (KJV) says,

6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.
7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance; which glory was to be done away:

As we all know, the Ten Commandments were originally written by the finger of God on two tablets of stones. Later, when Moses had to rewrite what God had written he also used tablets of stone.

The prophet Habakkuk was likewise commanded to write on tablets of stone. HABAKKUK 2:2 (KJV) says,

And the Lord answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.

They were written on stones to preserve them for a longer period of time.

Later on, those writings were compiled by God-fearing people. They regarded them as sacred writings — hence, the people of God refer to them as the Holy Scriptures or Sacred Scriptures.

2 TIMOTHY 3:15 (KJV) says,

And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

The Apostle Paul called these the Holy Scriptures.

2 TIMOTHY 3:16 (KJV) says,

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

There are many scriptures and they are collectively called as the Holy Scriptures.

MATTHEW 1:1 (KJV) says,

The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.

Matthew was trying to introduce the book that he wrote, which was named Matthew. He introduced it as “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ . . .” Please, take note of the word book, which is in the singular form.

In Greek, that word is biblos. When taken singly, each book in the Bible — like the book of Matthew — is called biblos, or biblion. But if you refer to all the books altogether it becomes biblia, which is the plural form of biblos or biblion. Just like some English words like “bacterium”, which is singular, but becomes “bacteria” when pluralized. The same thing applies with the singular noun “criterion”, which becomes “criteria”; “datum” becomes “data”; “forum” becomes “fora.”

As previously mentioned, the Bible is a compilation of many books. They were compiled by God-fearing people for the benefit of the generations to come. They wrote copies of it and, later on, they were translated in different tongues. All these people who wrote the different books of the Bible were moved by the spirit of God to write patiently because during those times, there were no printing equipment yet. Typewriters and computers, especially, were also not available during that time. So we can just imagine the difficulty they experienced just to come up with a copy of the Scriptures.

Those handwritten materials are what we call manuscripts, derived from the word “mano” which means “hand.” And I was fortunate enough to have seen one in the British Library in London. It is called the Codex Sinaiticus.

The books of the Bible were written by more or less forty people who came from different walks of life. One of them was Moses, a learned man. Remember, while he was still under the care of the pharaoh’s daughter, he learned all the wisdom of Egypt.

ACTS 7:22 (KJV) says,

And Moses was learned in all the wisdom of the Egyptians, and was mighty in words and in deeds.

Another author happened to be a doctor, Luke. He wrote the Gospel of Luke and the Book of Acts. About two or three books were written by fishermen. Other writers included a tax collector, Matthew; and a Pharisee or a lawyer, in the person of the Apostle Paul, who wrote practically most of the books of the New Testament.

All those books were written by the inspiration and by the commandment of God. The Bible is a very reliable book because it speaks of things which are in recent years, discovered by archeologists and by science as a whole, to be true. One of the amazing things that the Bible had spoken, and was proven by science to be true is the fact that the earth is round. The Bible had spoken this truth more than 2,000 years ago.

ISAIAH 40:22 (KJV) says,

It is he that sitteth upon the circle of the earth . . .

The word “circle” implies that the world is round, and not flat as previously believed.

But man discovered it only during the time that Ferdinand Magellan and his men made an expedition in search for the spice island. Starting at a point somewhere in Spain, they circumnavigated the earth. Although Magellan was killed in the Philippines, his men continued, and following the same route, they were able to get back to the place where they started their sail.

Aside from that, today we have physical evidences that prove that the earth is round. Pictures of the Earth that have been taken from Apollo 11 in space confirm that it is indeed round. These only prove the veracity of the declarations made in the Bible more than 2,000 years ago.


Biblical pronouncements are reliable; they are irrefutable because they came from the God Almighty who knows everything before it happens.

To God be the glory!

17 Comments:

Faced with Doubts on Catholicism: What Must a Devout Catholic Do?

8/17/2019 , 15 Comments

leaving the Catholic Church for Christianity

It always happens that when Catholics, who are inherently God-fearing and are indeed searching for the truth, hear the Christian doctrines that I preach, they readily come to realize that the Catholic teachings which they were made to believe and accept are the exact opposite of what were written in the Bible. Inevitably, they develop the interest in joining our congregation, the Church of God International.

However, sometimes some things seem to hold back others because they know that joining the Church of God would also mean that they have to completely turn their backs to the religion that they grew up with, not only with its doctrines but also with the traditions, ceremonies, and festivals that they subscribed to and observed all throughout their being Catholics. Aside from that, the other thing that gives them the feeling of hesitation is the fact that, subsequently, they also have to leave there the people dear to them who continue to cling to the Catholic faith.

And inasmuch as they have spent practically their whole lifetime in Catholicism, they are worried if there is really nothing wrong in turning one’s back and in departing from one’s former religion.

To shed light on this matter, let us go over first to the story of one of the pillars of the Church of God, the Apostle Paul.

GALATIANS 1:13-17 (KJV) says,

13 For ye have heard of my conversation in time past in the Jews’ religion, how that beyond measure I persecuted the church of God, and wasted it:
14 and profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers.
15 But when it pleased God, who separated me from my mother’s womb, and called me by his grace,
16 To reveal his Son in me, that I might preach him among the heathen; immediately I conferred not with flesh and blood;
17 Nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those apostles before me, but I went into Arabia and returned again to Damascus.

Please, take note of what verse 16 says. When God commissioned the Apostle Paul to preach to the Gentiles, he obeyed unhesitatingly and without even consulting anybody. He did not confer with anyone; he did not even ask the opinion of the people dearest to him. Without giving it a second thought, the Apostle Paul heeded to God’s calling. He turned his back to his former religion despite the fact that, that time, he was a leader of the Jewish faith. I repeat, the Apostle Paul was not merely a member but a leader of Judaism. Yet, he did not show any reluctance in leaving his former faith when God called him.

For a leader of a religion to have done that hastily, I don’t see any reason why an ordinary member should find it difficult to stop cleaving to a wrong religion like Catholicism! Instantly, the Apostle Paul left Judaism, and when he did, he did not even bother to look back anymore.

Actually, looking back to something which you have left behind is something not good for God. Remember the story of Lot, his wife, and his daughters? The angel commanded them to leave Sodom and Gomorrah, with specific instructions: Do not look back because what you are leaving is an evil place. Forget your gold; forget everything that you have in Sodom and Gomorrah. Just run for your life, do not look back. Unfortunately, Lot’s wife looked back and she became a pillar of salt. I do not want that to happen to you that is why I am telling you all these with frankness.

You should not hesitate to leave anything that is wrong. Practically, all the Catholic doctrines are wrong! Examples of these are child baptism with a fee, confirmation with a fee, prayers and masses with a fee. Everything is sold by the Catholic Church.

As per biblical admonition, the gospel should be preached freely, like what the apostles had done. They raised the dead, they performed unparalleled miracles yet they did not ask for any fee. But in the Catholic Church, every move that a priest makes has a corresponding price. Will you find it difficult to leave that kind of church? Well, it is up to you.

But if you will do as the Apostle Paul did, you will not consult nor ask the opinion of anybody anymore. When you feel that God is revealing to you the truth, do not look back. Immediately take the first step: turn your back to your wrong religion.

ISAIAH 52:11 (KJV) says,

Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord.

We are commanded to depart from it, to go out.

ROMANS 16:17 (KJV) says,

Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.

The Apostle Paul was telling the Romans that they should not be fooled by those who were teaching doctrines that are contrary to the doctrines of the real Christianity. They should also be avoided because they are full of deceits.

ROMANS 16:18 (KJV) says,

For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.

When you have found out that the teachings of your church are against the teachings of the Bible and of the apostles, you have to leave it immediately. That is a proof that your church is not founded by God, but by satan. There are so many churches now that were founded by satan. Satan uses his ministers – false prophets, false apostles, and false preachers – to deceive as many people.

You have to hate practices which are against the will of God. I am not preaching the gospel of hate but you have to hate everything that is evil.

ROMANS 12:9 (KJV) says,

Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

“Abhor that which is evil” means, hate evil. We do not hate people; we love them; we love even our enemies. And the love that God wants us to possess is a love without dissimulation, or a love without hypocrisy. As rendered in the American Standard Version,

ROMANS 12:9 (ASV) says,

Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good.

That is the kind of love that we ought to have – a love that abhors, or hates, evil. For instance, if you have learned that idol worship is an abomination in the sight of God, you would automatically abhor idolatry if you truly love God. It is an undeniable fact that the Catholic Church practices idolatry, or idol worship. If you love God, you would abhor, too, the practice of idolatry.

I am not teaching you to abhor, or to hate Catholics. No! They are good people, and they are only misled by their leaders. We have to show them mercy, compassion, and love. Actually, despite the threats that I receive, I continue exposing their unbiblical doctrines and practices because I love them. I do not want them to be deceived all their lives.

Telling people that what they do is wrong is a way of showing them that we love and care about them. That is the genuine love that the gospel teaches us – a love that abhors that which is evil.

If I were a Catholic, I would readily turn my back to the Catholic Church because it is a church that is not of God. If it is not of God, then it is of the devil. And the Bible tells us to . . . abhor that which is evil.

I hope you understand what I am trying to say.

May God bless you!

15 Comments:

On Speaking in Tongues, the Holy Spirit and the Lord Jesus Christ

8/09/2019 15 Comments

Signs that the Holy Spirit is present

Nowadays many people have different notions about the Holy Spirit. Most of the time, their notion is either vague or wrong. In this particular article, I intend to offer you a clearer understanding about the significance or relevance of the Holy Spirit and the observable indicators that a person, a preacher most especially, is filled with the Holy Spirit.

First of all, it must be understood that the Holy Spirit is part of what the Bible calls as “Godhead”.

In Greek, theiotēs, or the being of God, has been translated in English as “Godhead,” and “divine” in some other translations. In theiotēs, or in the Godhead, is embodied the three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

We know for a fact that the Father is an eternal being; He is immortal just like the Son. If the Father and the Son are both eternal, we also have to also accept that the Holy Spirit is eternal, it being a part of the Godhead, being a part of what the Bible calls in Hebrew as Elohim.

The word Elohim, according to the Hebrew dictionary of words in the Bible, means “God”. It is the plural form of the word Eloha in Hebrew.

We know that there are more than one persons in the Godhead because during the creation of man the Elohim or God, said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness:” (Genesis 1:26, KJV) The pronouns “us” and “our” imply that there were more than one beings who worked together in the creation of man.

Aside from that, there is also a particular admonition of the Lord Jesus Christ to the apostles that further proves that the Godhead, or the theiotēs, is more than one person. Specifically, this was when He instructed them to make disciples in all nations.

MATTHEW 28:19 (ESV) says,

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,

We have the certainty that the Holy Spirit is very relevant not only in our times but even until the end of the world. As stated in MATTHEW 28:20 (KJV), “teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.”

Now, what are the manifestations that the Holy Spirit dwells in a man? When can we say that a person is filled with the Holy Spirit?

Today, people have different bases in determining if a person is filled with the Holy Spirit. The Pentecostal churches, for instance, believe that the Holy Spirit is present in a person if he is able to speak in tongue. This is a gross misconception! It is not true that if you are filled with the Holy Spirit you are going to speak in tongue!

If we are going to consider what happened to the apostles and the first century Christians, although they were filled with the Holy Spirit, not all of them spoke in tongues.

1 CORINTHIANS 12:13 (KJV) says,

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.

The Apostle Paul told the first century Christians in Corinth, “by one spirit are we all baptized.” In other words, all of them were immersed; all of them were baptized in one spirit and that is the Holy Spirit of God.

After baptism, they all became members of the Church regardless of whether they were Jews, or Gentiles, or Barbarous, or Sicians, or free, or slaves. After they were baptized, what happened next?

1 CORINTHIANS 12:28-30 (KJV) says,

28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues,

After their baptism, they received different gifts like being apostles, teachers, miracle workers, etc.

29 Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles?
30 Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak in tongues? do all interpret?

The answers to the questions enumerated in verses 29 and 30 are all NO. Not all are apostles; not all have the gift of healing; not all speak in tongues. This is despite the fact that they were all baptized in the Holy Spirit.

This only shows how wrong the teaching is of the Pentecostals that the proof that the person (who had been baptized) is filled with the Holy Spirit is his ability to speak in tongue.

In case you are not aware of it, speaking in tongues is one of the main doctrines of the Pentecostal church.

“Speaking in tongues was an integral part of Spirit baptism in the Book of Acts. It is the only manifestation associated with Spirit baptism which is explicitly presented as evidence authenticating the experience, and on that basis should be considered normative.”

Reference link: 
https://ag.org/Beliefs/Position-Papers/Baptism-in-the-Holy-Spirit

It is an erroneous teaching; it is a lie and it has no biblical basis. This teaching did not come from God, and neither did it come from the Lord Jesus Christ nor from the apostles.

Actually, the Apostle Paul gave the first century Christians a specific instruction concerning speaking in tongues.

1 CORINTHIANS 14:27-28 (KJV) says,

27 If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret.
28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God.

Verse 27 implies that even if there are several who could speak in tongues, the Bible has set a limit to the number of people that could speak in tongues. There should be a maximum of three only, but NOT ALL. And there has to be an interpreter. Without an interpreter, they were advised to remain silent.

Now, what are the manifestations that the Holy Spirit is present in a man or in a preacher, specifically?

A preacher with the Holy Spirit speaks spontaneously of the wisdom of God.

2 PETER 1:20-21 (KJV) says,

20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

The way a holy man of God speaks manifests the presence of the Holy Spirit in him. When he speaks, he speaks the wisdom of God; he speaks of the fulfillment of the prophecy; he speaks the exact words of God in the Bible.

2 PETER 1:19 (KJV) says,

We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:

This declaration of the apostles was prompted by their faith. Although the prophecy is not of private interpretation, the apostles had that certainty that they had a surer word of prophecy because they were guided by the Holy Spirit. They had this trust in their hearts.

So, one manifestation that the Holy Spirit is in a preacher is that he speaks and teaches something that is sure, something that is certain, something that is not objectionable, something that nobody can object or gainsay. As said by the Lord Jesus Christ in LUKE 21:13-15 (KJV),

13 And it shall turn to you for a testimony.
14 Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:
15 For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.

MARK 13:11 (KJV) says,

But when they shall lead you, and deliver you up, take no thought beforehand what ye shall speak, neither do ye premeditate: but whatsoever shall be given you in that hour, that speak ye: for it is not ye that speak, but the Holy Ghost.

That is a testimony coming from the Lord Jesus Christ Himself. And this is very possible because of the Holy Spirit. He promised that He would send the Holy Spirit to the first century Christians to teach them everything that they need to know as well as the sure word of prophecy.

So if you encounter a preacher who speaks spontaneously about the wisdom of God, you can be sure that that preacher is guided by the Holy Spirit.

Any man who is filled with the Holy Spirit is knowledgeable about the word of God.

PROVERBS 1:23 (KJV) says,

Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words to you.

Knowledge about the word of God is a proof that the Holy Spirit is present in a person, or a preacher.

Aside from that, the presence of the Holy Spirit in a person is also manifested in the virtues he possesses.

GALATIANS 5:22-23 (KJV) says,

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
23 Meekness, temperance: against such there is no law.

The Lord, through the Apostle Paul, said that the number one fruit of the Holy Spirit is love. The Holy Spirit is with the person who dwells in love.

Actually, even if a person speaks in tongues, even if he performs miracles, the Holy Spirit would not be in him if he is without love.

1 CORINTHIANS 13:1-2 (ASV) says,

1 If I speak with tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am become sounding brass, or a clanging cymbal.
2 And if I gave the gift of prophecy, and know all mysteries and all knowledge; and if I have all faith, so as to remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing.

Therefore, the first and most important virtue that we will have, if we are filled with the Holy Spirit, is love. We have to learn to love the biblical way. We have to love God most of all, and also our fellowmen, and even our enemies.

According to the Apostle Paul, even if one is capable of speaking the tongues of men and of angels, if he is without love the Holy Spirit will not dwell in him. Therefore, the presence of the Holy Spirit in a person is not determined by his ability to speak in tongues.

Aside from love, a person filled with the Holy Spirit also manifests joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, and faith.

Moreover, the presence of the Holy Spirit is also evident in the wisdom of the preacher that speaks the word of God. He speaks of things that nobody can gainsay or resist just like what happened to the apostles and to the first century evangelists, like Stephen. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Stephen spoke the truth, which prompted the unbelieving Jews to stone him to death.

ACTS 6:8-10 (KJV) says,

8 And Stephen, full of faith and power, did great wonders and miracles among the people.
9 Then there arose certain of the synagogue, which is called the synagogue of the Libertines, and Cyrenians, and Alexandrians, and of them of Cilicia and of Asia, disputing with Stephen.
10 And they were not able to resist the wisdom and the spirit by which he spake.

Meekness, like the meekness of the Lord Jesus Christ, is also another manifestation of the presence of the Holy Spirit in a person. Christ said, I am meek and lowly in heart.

All we have to do is look at the person of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in Him we will see the evidences of the Holy Spirit.

But one thing that the Pentecostal movements did not realize is that, the Lord Jesus Christ did not even attempt to speak in tongues. He spoke the tongue that He grew up with, and that was Hebrew. Indeed, Christ was filled with the Holy Spirit but He did not speak in tongues.

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Diligent Parenting Can Help Resolve Teenage Pregnancy

8/03/2019 , 12 Comments

Preventing Teenage Pregnancy the Biblical Way

The worsening problem of teenage pregnancy is something that poses fear and alarm to many parents. Actually, we cannot even call it teenage pregnancy anymore because there are cases of females becoming pregnant at the age of twelve or eleven. This only means that they got engaged in sexual relationships before reaching their teenage years.

This is indeed very disturbing, and let me tell you, this is not a simple problem. But is there anything that we can do to prevent it? Controlling the problem of teenage or early pregnancy is beyond our power. We have reached the point where there is practically no human power that is capable of controlling the wickedness in the world.

2 TIMOTHY 3:13 (KJV) says,

But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.

The world has grown wicked; men have become very evil. This situation would not get any better. Instead, it is bound to get even worse. Not even the toughest president of a nation could succeed in eliminating the evils in society today.

If we want to control the wickedness that abounds in the world today, we need the Lord Jesus Christ because no matter how hard we try to eradicate it, our efforts would be in vain. We will surely fail if we will just rely on ourselves.

Although we cannot totally stop it, we can, in our own little way, lessen the occurrence of teenage pregnancy if all parents would do their part. It really has to start within our respective families, with our own children. As parents, we have our responsibilities to our own families.

1 TIMOTHY 5:8 (KJV) says,

But if any provide not for his own, and specially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith, and is worse than an infidel.

God commanded us to look after our respective households. It is our foremost obligation. Let us take care of our children; let us always be on guard. Let us restrict their use of their cellphones. Do not allow them to browse or to have access on any site on the internet because there are sites that will definitely stir their curiosity about sex. And there is always the possibility that they might try doing what they see on the internet. And before you know it, your very young daughter is already pregnant.

While it is true that the internet offers us lots of benefits and advantages, you have to also be aware that it is likewise being used by the devil to spread wickedness, to pollute minds, and to entice people to indulge in worldly pleasures. So, parents should be watchful.

The sad reality is, even if we take all precautions to safeguard our children, there is still no guarantee that they will be safe at all times. We cannot be by their side 24/7. Inevitably they go out of our abodes; they go to school and other public places.

Even in school, there are dangers that await them like drugs, sororities, and fraternities, gangs, etc. Even their own peers and circle of friends could also influence them negatively. We can only do so much for our children, but to give them absolute protection is beyond our capability.

Whether we like it or not, the world is heading toward destruction.

REVELATION 11:18 (KJV) says,

And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

According to the verse, God will destroy them that destroy the earth. We are heading for destruction and we are contributing towards it. One of the destructions we’re guilty of, literally speaking, is the destruction of the environment.

Today, for instance, man has made the seas a dumping site for garbage and other wastes. There had been many sea creatures like dolphins, sharks, and whales that died because of plastic – either they swallowed it or they got strangled by it. Isn’t it that man’s irresponsibility and disregard of the environment have likewise led to the destruction of the earth’s ozone layer?

Spiritually speaking, we are also heading for destruction. We have destroyed our own selves because of our sins, our interests, and our love for ourselves alone.

That is why there will come a time that God will destroy those who destroy the earth.

Indeed, our only hope is the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. When He comes, He will rule the earth for a thousand years together with those who were included in the first resurrection.

REVELATION 20:4 (KJV) says,

And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.

And during the millennial reign of Christ, He will correct everything that is wrong.

In my study of the Bible, I have learned that no human being and no government of men could ever succeed in correcting human errors and in rectifying the wrongs of the society. We are incapable of doing those. We need the Lord Jesus Christ.

Even controlling the problem of teenage or early pregnancy is beyond our power. To do that, we have to control a lot of things first, like television and the internet. But how will you control the internet? Despite the fact that it is from the internet that children learn about sex and all kinds of mischiefs, even the president of a country has no power to control it.

And we would also probably have to control the schools also because there are schools that teach sex education to their young pupils. Even at an early age, the young minds of the schoolchildren are already fed with matters concerning sex and sexuality.

But inasmuch as we have no control over them, the best thing that we can do is to concentrate on our own sons and daughters. To meddle or to interfere in the lives of other people outside our family would be very difficult.

I am just too thankful to God that as a leader of a religious organization, the Church of God International, our brethren in faith, both parents and children, abide by the word of God. Parents never fail to monitor the whereabouts of their children; they see to it that they are in good company; and they do their best to prevent them from getting married unprepared, and at a young age.

1 CORINTHIANS 7:36 (KJV) says,

But if any man think that he behaveth himself uncomely toward his virgin, if she pass the flower of her age, and need so require, let him do what he will, he sinneth not: let them marry.

There is a biblical admonition that while the daughter has not reached the age of maturity, it is but proper that her parents discourage or prevent her from getting married. But when she has reached the flower of her age, or the age of maturity, and she already wants to get married, then, the parents may grant their consent to their daughter getting married.

Any parent who prevents his daughter from getting married is doing something better.

As written in 1 CORINTHIANS 7:38 (KJV),

So then he that giveth her in marriage doeth well; but he that giveth her not in marriage doeth better.

Actually, even under the law of men, there is such a thing as “legal age.” And anybody who is not yet in a legal age is still under the custody of his parents.

So, while a son or a daughter is below the legal age, parents must exercise due diligence in safeguarding their children. This way, they can contribute in the prevention of early pregnancy.

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