Friday, August 26, 2016

War Has Been Declared Part #2 of 3

I recently shared a video on the social media that said, "Let's put prayer back in Schools." In a comment, words were used that were suppose expose my 'so-called phobias' and as an added insult I was told I was being selfish.  Now, no one wants to be called selfish.  All of which the intended purpose was to shame me because of my Christian viewpoints.  The perfected art of shaming is a tool used to force the masses into accepting alien viewpoints.   Shaming forces an adversary to accept a position of weakness.   This is the 'wiles of the devil'. 

"Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.  (Ephesians 6:11-12)

It seems as if the admonition of Jesus and Paul's called to war has been misinterpreted, overlooked or no longer believed.  For many, the battle has become personal as we rejoice in songs that tell of beating the Devil running or even crushing his head.  False hope is a sellable product of a false religion.  False hope has caused many to turn away from God and the church.  If our religion is false, we can easily be shamed into accepting false doctrines.

There are a natural war and a spiritual war raging around us.  The war that the saints should be concerned about is the spiritual war between good and evil, not the war between countries and states. No amount of misdirected praying or misquoted scriptures is going to eliminate the battleground.  The war has been declared and as Christians, we should enlist and prepare ourselves to fight the spiritual battle against the forces of darkness.

Considering the fact that Jesus rarely if ever addressed the natural state of humanity, Paul described this war as a spiritual or supernatural war.  This war is older than the war between nations; it is the war between good and evil.   This war began in Heaven long before God said let us make a man.  Forgotten in the backdrops of bible history man was created to fight in this war or "subdue the earth". 

It began as a Heavenly encounter; the Devil lifted up in pride challenged the throne of God.   God declared war and the Devil were cast out of heaven, where he brought destruction upon the earth.  Jeremiah prophesying of the Pre-Adamic Age declared, "I beheld the earth, and, lo, it was without form, and void; and the heavens, and they had no light." (Jeremiah 4:23).  Thus began Genesis 1:2, "And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.  And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters."  Not a condition of creation but a created condition caused by the catastrophic event of Satan being kicked out upon the earth. 
   
With Satan was expelled from heaven, this did not end the war, the war merely intensified.  In the Old Testament, Moses described God as a man of war an attribute that we rather not attribute to God.  "The LORD is a man of war: the LORD is his name." (Exodus 15:3)  To continue the fight God created man, capable of living in the natural and guided by the spiritual.  In his first encounter with the Devil, the man was tempted, resulting in the loss of the first battle.  The battle against Satan on earth began as a natural battle, God empowered men as Kings and often led the charge, even the elements were at God's disposal in his battle against evil.  

With the coming of Christ, the battlefield shifted to a spiritual plane. Christ approach was to let the wheat and the tares grow together. (Matthew 13:30)  It is often taught that the Devil is a defeated foe, yet Paul stated," Wherefore takes unto you the whole armor of God that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand." (Ephesians 6:11)  Peter's admonition to the saints was; "Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:" (1st Peter 5:8)   Peter and Paul was writing to the church, not those who were standing on the outside looking in. 

Paul is addressing the supernatural aspects of the Devil's long-standing war against God.  As a side note which we shall discuss in a future article, Satan has organized his domain into seven major divisions, called principalities.  He has placed a powerful demon at the head of each principality that is responsible for spreading a particular brand of temptation and bondage over the world.  Those who that study or follow the occult is aware of the seven major principalities of Hell that are a part of the teaching of witchcraft.  Satan and his demons exist, and they are exceedingly powerful.

The total defeat of Satan and all that were deceived by him will come at a time of God's own choosing, until that time Satan is allowed to operate on earth and in the astrosphere.  The Devil  and his demons are supernatural, above, over earthly, "natural" forces, they can do whatever they want to do, unless God specifically steps in to prevent it.  For some reason, the above statement cannot be made without adding the disclaimer.  If we say the Devil can do anything he wants to somehow it seem as if we are taking away from the power of God.  Still, much of what Satan wants to do in this world today, he can do. This is why much of witchcraft, and Eastern Meditation, and Alternate Medicines, etc., work, because Satanic power is making it work, and God is not stepping in to prevent it.  When God steps in it will be a time of judgment.

As a former member of the military, I am aware of the necessity of battlefield assessments.  Information from the battlefront allows the command center to tailor the battle to meet the enemy where he is the strongest.   This military conceit allows the marshaling of superior forces against impending threats.   Battlefield assessments can present a true picture of the enemy, exposing his weakness and allowing for successful prosecution of the conflict.

The failure of the church to engage the Devil effectively was the theme of Jesus indictment against the church in Revelation 2-3.   The battle is not about collecting favors, the battle is about winning souls.  There are those who grew up in the church that has walked away from the church and they are replaced by a type that has a strange ideology of God.   Preachers, teachers, and even gospel music singers are amassing a following and a fortune perverting the Word of God in the process.  These people are not fighting against the Devil, they have become allies of the Devil.

Monday, August 22, 2016

War Has Been Declared Part #1 of 3


"And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet". (Matthew 24:6)

It seems somewhat redundant that Jesus would speak of war and rumors of wars as a sign of the end of time.  Wars and rumors of wars were common occurrences since the beginning of time. The Old Testament presents a bloody picture of nations in conflict.   In the modern age, World War 1 and World War 2 were the wars to end all wars, yet the drums of war continue to sound.

The New Testament speaks of wars and rumors of wars before the end of days.  When I attempted to use this as a forum during a Bible study, a student challenged me by informed me that this is nothing new.  When reading the New Testament prophecies concerning the wars and rumors of wars many can find a type of faith numbing contentment in stating the above fact.   To reconcile what seems to be a redundant statement it is easy to proclaim that every since Adam sinned we have been living in the end of time.  But leaving such important statement or verse hanging in such a precarious manner has caused the faith of many to grow cold.

When God created man, he gave him a battlefield commission to subdue the earth.  "And God blessed them, and God said unto them, be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth." (Genesis 1:28).  Subdue is the military command to engage the enemy and win the battle.   What was the nature of the battle set before man before nations were born?

Imagine you being in the middle of a horrific battle and not aware of what is going on around you?  While we are singing and dancing the enemy is creeping upon us.  This might seem like an unrealistic scenario but it has been known to happen to even battle harden worriers.  Reflecting upon and studying the scripture requires that we maintain the proper perspective and context. Failure to do so will result in a distorted and perplexing view of God plan.  This can lead to self-doubt, an attribute that is essential to losing the battle.  

In the Old Testament, God worked in the natural through those he called to his service.  Often God led his follower into battle and spilled the blood of his adversaries upon the ground.  Many of the battles fought in the Old Testament were for advancing God plan.  The Old Testament depicts a war between good and evil.   Wars consist of many fronts and many battles, there are the "boots on the ground" type of war and there is the "propaganda war".   One is natural and the other deals with the spirit.

When the call to battle sounded, the men did not hesitate to leave their mother and fathers, their wives and kin to fight for their God and country.    Judges 7:2-8 tells the story of too many people showing up to fight.  God gave Gideon a plan to reduce his force down to a lean fighting machine before going into battle.  In the early years of a nation, the people rallied around their country's flag.   The flag was the representative of an idea, a concept or culture.   When that nation, that concept, that culture through a type of propaganda is divided, according to Jesus destruction is at the door.

Often I have attempted to quote scriptures and before I finished I was forced to rethink the meaning of the scripture.  As a religious society, we have become comfortable in misquoting the scripture. Too often, we take what God said to one group of people and apply it to another group because it sounds good.  There are three groups of people addressed within the scripture and a message to the Jews is not a message to the church.  "Give none offense, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:" (1st Corinthians 10:32) We need to stop quoting 2nd Chronicle 7:14 as if it is a verse on political intercession.   To the Jews it was a natural entitlement; to the church, it is spiritual.  As I have said before many of our quotes have made the God of our salvation seems as if he is impotent.

As I prepared for a surgical procedure, my mentor a messenger of God insisted on me saying "Amen" to the question of whether I believe God can part the Red Sea.  For me it is not a question of what God can or cannot do, it is how God works.   Today I can get in my car and drive to Texas, but will I do it?  No.  If I did it once, will I do it again?   Not necessarily so.  Clichés and hyperbole do not prepare us for the battle ahead. 

The church was to serve as the command center for those who were engaged in warfare.    Paul's admonition to the team was, "Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places." (Ephesians 6:10-12)  After the death of Christ, and the institution of a new dispensation, God began to works through his spirit, and the battle became a spiritual entity. Paul defined the conflict that is raging around us as spiritual. 

"But thou, O Daniel, shut up the words, and seal the book, even to the time of the end: many shall run to and fro and knowledge shall be increased". (Daniel 12:4)

In Daniel's, end time prophecies he alluded to a time when knowledge would increase and many would run back and forth.  During early 1800, the knowledge of man increased as many nations were caught up in the industrial and mechanical revolution.  The greatest achievement during that era was the invention of the steam engine.  Through more than one hundred and sixty years in the development stage, the steam engine would bring about a revolution in the way humanity travel.   For nearly 6000 years, the use of animals and walking was the primary form of transportation.  During the next 200 years, humanity would travel into outer space and explore the planets.  In the process, we challenged the existence of God. 

I became aware of the war to challenge God in the early 60's and since that date, the battles have intensified.  Many others had existed before that time but for me, Madalyn Mays also known, as Madalyn Murray O'Hair was one of the earlier Generals in the war against God. O'Hair known for the Murray v. Curlett lawsuit, which led to a landmark Supreme Court ruling ending official Bible-reading in American public schools in 1963. This came just one year after the Supreme Court prohibited officially sponsored prayer in schools in Engel v. Vitale. Afterward, she founded the American Atheists and won Murray v. Curlett, she achieved attention to the extent that in 1964 Life magazine referred to her as "the most hated woman in America".  That was then; today she is referenced as a great thinker.  These acts set the stage for the government knowingly and unknowingly to enjoin the battle to declare God as an irrelevant entity. 

The events that I have referenced in this article took place within a nation that once declared it a God-fearing nation.  Its founding fathers had the audacity to proclaim that God had shed his grace on it.  This nation supported Israel because it was the biblical thing to do.  The increase in knowledge that Daniel prophesied has perverted this nation core values. (Daniel 12:4)  It has turned its back on Israel and now proclaim itself a nation of many gods while it engages in debates on what bathrooms we should use. According to Paul, there is the spiritual weakness in high places.(Ephesians 6:10-18)

Now let us revisit the question, when Jesus spoke of wars and rumors of wars, was he speaking of the conflicts between nations and peoples.  Maybe we should discard our cavalier approach to understanding the word of God and search the scripture for the answer.  Often when we search the scripture, we are seeking to prove a preexisting idea or concept.   Thus to prove our point the shaping of the scripture becomes a necessity.  Is it possible that Jesus was speaking of the intensification of spiritual warfare, a flagrant attack on God?



                                  To be continued

Saturday, August 13, 2016

Hearing The Voice Of God

1st Samuel 3:7-10 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him.  And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me. And Eli perceived that the LORD had called the child. Therefore, Eli said unto Samuel, Go, lie down: and it shall be, if he calls thee, that thou shalt say, Speak, LORD; for thy servant heareth. So Samuel went and lay down in his place. And the LORD came, and stood, and called as at other times, Samuel, Samuel. Then Samuel answered, Speak; for thy servant heareth.

One of the scariest moment as a wee lad growing up in the church was when the preacher prefaced its message with, "God spoke to me", Visions of a longhaired, bearded, red-lipped, frowning old man partially hidden by clouds filled our tender and childish minds with fear.  The intent of the proclamation was to validate and ensure attention to the message.  This was a part of an indoctrination process. Our earlier indoctrination taught us that no God-fearing person would dare take the name of God in vain. God, himself declared in Deuteronomy 5:11, "Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain: for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain".   Therefore, when a supposedly God-fearing person said, "God spoke to me", we could be reasonably sure that God was speaking.  When God speaks, everybody was supposed to listen. 

As we grew older and became more knowledgeable of God, our greatest achievement in our religious walk was to hear the voice of God. Hearing the voice of God became a means of validating our spirituality.  The preacher, the choir director, and even the bench member learned to boost their status by uttering the words, "God spoke to me".  The voice of God described as being loud and clear by many, and many describe the event similar to conducting a conversation with someone in another room.  Yet, a strange truth began to emerge, many who were struggling to be sincere in their Christian walk found themselves on the outside wondering why God did not speak to them.   But, that was the 'elephant in the room' that we don't talk about.  One songwriter tried to bridge the gulf by stating, "when I am on the mountain top God speaks to me, but when I am in the valley, God is silent." 

It was not long before many realized that conflicting messages were emulating from the household of faith and they were carrying the seal of a message from God. God often speaks during the offering collection, he is constantly telling the parishioners to give more money.  Hearing God speak became a moneymaking and status improvement proposition.  There are numerous books are written on the subject and seminars are conducted on "How to hear God speak".  Beautifully crafted sermons are delivered on, "Hearing the voice of God".  Somehow, we have constructed a belief that rather than studying God's word it is necessary for God to speak daily words of motivation into our life. The gullibility of Christianity comes into full play, who dare say, brother or sister, you need to check your message source. 

The silence of God, as well as the fear of God, does not set well in  our modern and pessimistic society.  As Aaron did at the base of the Holy mountain, we have created a God in our own image and we have endowed him with all of the attributes that are pleasing to us.  God is a God of love, we can find  scriptures to justify that.  Yet the visual image that we have created of our God is one of an impotent deity.   One messenger of God proclaimed that if you are praying about it God is working on it.  Through all of the work our God is said to be doing and all of the favors we ask of him, the world situation is continuing to deteriorate.  The voids created are filled irrelevant platitudes that are only good for emotional and motivational responses, leaving the spirituality of humanity to suffer.   "He might come when we want him to come but he is always on time", have left many standing on the banks of the 'river' filled with doubt and confusion.   

A message or a song that cries out to God to speak is a powerful inducement to an emotional encounter with God.  Even a prayer that entreats God to help us along our way seems to open the door to a greater spiritual encounter.  At this point, in my mind, the word 'content' seems to come into focus.  Paul addressed the issue as such, "Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content." (Philippians 4:11).  He seems to infer that our prayer sessions should not be guided by our wants.  Can you imagine your child coming to you on a daily base with a list of wants?

In Paul's address to the Hebrew Jews, Paul explained it as such; "Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee" (Hebrews 13:5).  This is one of those scriptures that have been twisted, misinterpreted, and used to create false Gospels.   The first part of the verse implies conditions and if those conditions were met God would not forsake his chosen people,   but the rest of the story can be found in 2 Chronicles 15:2, "... but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you".  

That old Satan is engaged in a battle to make the name of God of none effect. How can this be when the name of God is invoked in more and more encounters? The internet and the social media has become a religious billboard, and God is speaking and doing things for his people.   Yet Heaven is becoming less appealing and Hell is less horrific.  For many the Gospel has become liken unto a fairy tale and it meaning is based upon who is telling the story and what is the desired outcome.   Church attendance has become equivalent to a rock concert of a football game.  Star power is what draws the people in and star power in the church is achieved by hearing the voice of God.   

There are several key factors in 1st Samuel 3:7-10 that we will look closely at, but before we proceed we must establish certain facts. The establishment of these facts is necessary to rightly divide the word of truth.  The dispensation is that of the Law, the book is of deeds of the Children of Israel, therefore it is a Book of God's interaction with his chosen people, it is not written to the church.   The perspective and the context must be maintained.  Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him.  This is an interesting assessment of a person who did not know God but was about to be called by God.   Both Moses and Paul and there are others also who would be classic examples of men being called into God's service whose belief and faith was weak or non-existence.  There is no record of these men begging God to speak to them.   In the Old Testament, the evolving message of God was given through conversations with God or his Angels.  In the New Testament, under the dispensation of Grace, men operated under the direction of the Holy Spirit. 


"And the LORD called Samuel again the third time. And he arose and went to Eli, and said, Here am I; for thou didst call me".  This was a form of validating the call of God.  It is well within the power of God to make himself known to Samuel without going through these seemly unnecessary steps.  Consider this; there was a relationship between Eli, the priest and Samuel.  Eli validated the calling by instructing Samuel on how to proceed.  Imagine the misunderstanding, the animosity that would have existed in the relation if Samuel had come to Eli the Priest and said: "God spoke to me."  It is the Devil, not God who is the author of confusion.

Friday, August 5, 2016

A Study Of The Soul, Part #6 of 6

Salvation of the Soul

A wise man once said, "Just because you can't see the air, doesn't mean you stop breathing.   And just because you can't see God, doesn't mean you stop believing."   The believability of the soul has gone the way of the belief in God, the Devil, Heaven, and Hell.  These spiritual assets have not been cast aside instead they are redefined in such a manner that the freedom of humanity is not infringed upon.   Even the attributes of God has been used to redefine God as a God of love who would not send the soul of his wayward children to Hell.

In any debate or conversation about the soul, "Do we believe in God", is the ultimate question that must be answered.  Yet, the answer to the question is superficial because there is no agreement here.  Neither does rephrasing the question to ask, "What God do you believe in", provide the platform for an amicable discussion.  If you are a Christian you must deny the existence of other gods.  In today's society, a belief in the God of Abraham does not place us at the same table, because from the loins of Abraham sprang forth two religions.   Those two religions are at war today.  The worlds of opposites have existed for as long as the devil has sought to pervert the Word of God. 

The saga of the soul will continue as long as humanity places their trust in their own ideology.   What one believes is personnel and to disagree is said to be judging.   The quickest way to shut down a Christian from expressing a Christian viewpoint is the accusation of judging.  The so-called pious elite has justified sin by claiming that the Bible says we should not judge.  If this were true of Matthew 7:1 then John 7:24 becomes a contradiction.  Surgical removing certain words from a statement and presenting them as a complete thought is one of the tools of shaping the truth.  Shaped truths allow for the emergence of new and polluted Gospels.

 Most newly, emergence gospels do not include the salvation of the soul as an integral part of their doctrine.  This was also true of many of the ancient organized pagan religions.  Unaware or unconcern about this deficiency most followers of these newly founded cult type religions  revel in a newfound freedom, that is nothing more than the justification of lust.   The desire to obtain the pleasures that financial success can bring is the driving force of many "Gospels".   A Gospel or ministry should not be more concern about collecting money to elevate its leaders.  Jesus posed a relevant question.  "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? Or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?" (Matthew 16:26)

An interesting aspect of many of the gospel messages heard today, the phrase, "Repent for the Kingdom of God is at hand", seldom is heard.  This is a condition of Soul salvation, yet it is overlooked because of the desire not to offend.  John the Baptist and Jesus came preaching this message.  Peter even picked up the theme and proclaimed, "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Acts 2:38) There again, this was a condition of the salvation of the Soul.

There appear to be other things more important than soul salvation in today's society, such as how to get what you want from God, and walking in God's favor.   The Word of God is trivialized and much of what we hear and read is smart platitudes designed to titillate the sensibility of those who do not understand the word of God.  In church, we are told of the healing power of God, and when we are sick we pray, beg and cry to God for our healing.  There are those among us who dealing with life threating situations, and they have placed the matter in the hands of their God.  There are no tears, there are no demands for prayer, it is simply your will Lord, my soul is at peace.   The thought of Lord, when are you coming to get me does not set well with most indoctrinated believer.  

There are many examples of messages that cater to the salvation of the soul is in the Holy Scripture.  Rather than focusing on the important part of these messages, men of skill have shifted the focus to the text to the subtext.  When Jesus said repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, the focus of the message was repentance, it has now shifted to, "Where is the Kingdom of Heaven?"  The placement of the Kingdom of Heaven here on earth allows humanity to claim all of the blessings of the Kingdom here and now.  This is not a new age discussion or problem, Paul's attempt to address the situation was as such; "Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption." (1st Corinthians 15:50)

If the statement made by Paul is true, then it does not matter what argument presented or even what scriptures that are quoted, flesh and blood cannot enter the Kingdom of God.  Therefore, we are looking forward to the coming of the Kingdom and the blessings that it has to offer.   The charlatan has come in and through the art of twisting of scriptures, overlooking context and perspectives; they have devised a Gospel that soothes the pallet of the knowledgeable and are leading humanity down a path of destruction.

In my writing, including several books, in my regular weekly blogs and in my lectures in scores of cities, I have taught the necessary steps to Understand the Word of God. I have chosen not to try to provide an answer, but to engage your mind and make you think. 

Tuesday, August 2, 2016

A Study Of The Soul, Part #5 of 6


It takes a skilled deceiver and a willing student to believe that the souls of unrepentant Christians, are once saved always saved.  Jesus and Paul spoke of these people coming into the church and leading souls astray.

"Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all the host of them". (Genesis 2:1)  From the early days of creation, man has used his expanding knowledge to explain the working of God.   This was a godsend for the people, such as Solomon who were truly called by God.  He sought God for wisdom and knowledge rather than a conduit to amassing fortune, fame, and glory. 

David, a writer of Psalms often referenced the soul in his writing.   When he was in trouble he cried out to God, "deliver my soul from the wicked". (Psalms 17:13)  "O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit." (Psalms 30:3)

"In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you". (John 14:2) 

The question was posed, "do the soul cease to exist after death"? The introduction of this question in a Bible Study session introduces a multilevel debate that proved that the consensus that once existed among the brethren no longer exist. The question that needs reflection upon is why is it necessary in this day and age to question the existence of the soul?   What would it profit a person to debate the existence of air? At the end of the discussion would we be a smarter person?  Many religious leaders are questioning the immortality of the soul and phrasing answers that are contrary to the word of God.  The answers that are forthcoming  are not for spiritual enlightenment, they are  necessary for the justification of sin and the accumulation of followers. 

In our advanced, politically correct society, sin must be justified.  The justification of sin allows for the concoction of catchy phrases such as we must love the person and hate the sin, or the Bible says for us not to judge. Being able to formulate these statement requires a twisting of the scripture.   As we have stated before this is not a new process, it began in the garden when the Devil explain to Eve what God said. The evil art has perfected itself over time now we can proudly proclaim that once in Christ we are never out

It takes a skilled professional who has perfected the art to convince Christians that they can continue in an unrepentant sinful lifestyle and still be saved.  I am not allowed to teach or preach against your lifestyle because one sin is no greater than the other.  The purpose of this statement is to justify sin and the organized church in its lukewarm and weaken state cried "Amen".

It takes a master of deception to get men to believe in once saved always saved.  The basis of this thesis is based upon a scripture that says  "I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee." (Hebrew 13:5)  No consideration is given to context or perspective.  Other scriptures that failed to bear out this ideology is overlooked, "The LORD is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you." (2nd Chronicles 15:2) The twisting of the scriptures to support alien viewpoints  is a common occurrence within the household of faith.   Often times entire doctrines are built upon the convoluted concept that after 2000 years we finally got it right. 

The apostle Paul was not warning the Christians at Corinth about sin because he believed once saved always saved or even that you lack the potential to judge righteously.  

"Dare any of you, having a matter against another, go to law before the unjust, and not before the saints? Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels? how much more things that pertain to this life? If then ye have judgments of things pertaining to this life, set them to judge who are least esteemed in the church. I speak to your shame. Is it so, that there is not a wise man among you? no, not one that shall be able to judge between his brethren? But brother goeth to law with brother, and that before the unbelievers. Now, therefore there is utterly a fault among you because ye go to law one with another. Why do ye not rather take wrong? why do ye not rather suffer yourselves to be defrauded? Nay, ye do wrong, and defraud, and that your brethren.  Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God. All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any. Meats for the belly, and the belly for meats: but God shall destroy both it and them. Now the body is not for fornication, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body.  And God hath both raised up the Lord, and will also raise up us by his own power. Know ye not that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christ, and make them the members of a harlot? God forbid. What? know ye not that he which is joined to a harlot is one body? for two, saith he, shall be one flesh. But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit. Flee fornication. Every sin that a man doeth is without the body; but he that committeth fornication sinneth against his own body. What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?" (1 Corinthians 6:1-19)