Just One Name

 

Acts 4:12  Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

As I teach this Bible Study, the world’s freedom fighters are currently at war in Afghanistan. That war draws a bit closer to our local church this evening as two of our heroic missionaries, Allan and Lynden Shalm, head back to neighboring Pakistan to continue their ministry in a Muslim nation on the border of a nation at war.

In his powerful speech to a joint session of Congress on September 20, just nine days after the terrorist bombings in New York and Washington, President George Bush called this war a battle between freedom and religious terrorism. He warned that the terrorists we’re warring against are seeking to impose their religious beliefs on the entire world. And that truly is the admitted goal of all Islamic extremists. They want to replace the Bible with the Koran, and they seek to impose a single religion upon the earth by force: Islam.

Yet, the present war goes far beyond this conflict. The war we’re involved in has always been, and always will be, between two eternal powers: God and Satan. It started eons ago in Heaven and will not end until time itself ceases at the border of eternity! But the outcome of the war has already been determined – and God is the ultimate victor. The only choice that remains is personal – are YOU willing to serve God so that you can be on the winning side?

Revelation 12:7-10  ⁷And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, ⁸And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. ⁹And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. ¹⁰And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night. ¹¹And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. ¹²Therefore rejoice, ye heavens, and ye that dwell in them. Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time.

Since the beginning, Satan has known that he will ultimately lose this war, and that any informed person will categorically refuse to serve him. That’s because the devil’s kingdom can’t produce life, love, joy or peace – it only produces death. So, his only remaining tactics are deception and persecution. Simply stated, he will tell you ANY LIE to keep you in his kingdom, and THE MOMENT YOU BEGIN TO SEE THROUGH THE LIE, he will begin to war against you.

North Americans seldom believe in a literal devil anymore. Researcher George Barna found that only 40% of Americans believe that Satan is a living being.  It is little better in the religious world, where 69% of Catholics and 65% of Protestants believe the notion of Satan is only symbolic of evil. But any Apostolic new convert who has made up their mind to serve God and forsake sin can tell you that the devil is real!

There are no recorded cases of demon possession in the Old Testament, but you will find it is rampant in the New Testament.  This is because the war that is being waged between God and the devil is a spiritual conflict for men’s souls.  Israel had a physical covenant; we have a spiritual one.  We enter into its spiritual blessings, but also into its spiritual battles!  That warfare moved from heaven to earth at the incarnation, and we are still fighting ground warfare even today!

Satan is a master of falsehood, and has deceived many by his lies:

·        He has a synagogue (Revelation 2:9)

·        He can have a seat in a church from which to work (Revelation 2:13)

·        He has power, signs and wonders (2 Thessalonians 2:9)

·        He deceives the whole world (Revelation 12:9, 18:3)

·        He uses sinners to prophesy, cast out devils, do wonderful works (Matthew 7:22-23)

·        He works miracles (Revelation 16:14)

·        He has his own doctrines (1 Timothy 4:1)

·        He uses false prophets, false Christs, evil men and seducers (Matthew 24:11, 2 Timothy 3:13)

·        He disguises himself as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14)

Satan knows that his time is short on the prophetic calendar, and so his last and greatest deception encompasses ALL of these elements! It is identified in Scripture as a single world RELIGION!

There has been a dramatic change in the thinking of Christian leaders in the last century regarding the Apostate World Church of the book of Revelation.

Billy Graham has met with Pope John Paul II and called him, “the greatest religious leader of the modern world.” James Dobson considers the Pope to be “the most eminent religious leader who names the name of Jesus Christ.” Paul Crouch said, “I’m eradicating the word Protestant even out of my vocabulary … I’m not protesting anything … It’s time for Catholics and non-Catholics to come together as one in the Spirit and one in the Lord.” Robert Schuller said, “It’s time for Protestants to go to the shepherd – the Pope – and say, ‘What do we have to do to come home?’”

And yet Roman Catholicism is the ecumenical leader in a move to unite all the world’s religions!

Former Pope Paul VI said, “The Hindu life and the Christian life shall go together. Your message and my message are the same.” In a 1993 tour of Africa, the current Pope told believers in voodoo that “they would not betray their traditional faith by converting to Christianity.” Speaking to Muslims, he said, “Christians and Muslims, we meet one another in faith in the one God.” Speaking to Buddhists, he said, “I express my joy that God has distributed these gifts among you.” Pope John Paul II believes that “in all diverse religious traditions there is something true and good, the seeds of the Word.” He believes that the Bible encourages Christians to discover “the riches which a generous God has distributed among the nations.”

AND THIS IS THE ECUMENICAL MOVEMENT THAT WE ARE BEING ENCOURAGED TO JOIN?! 

Try to imagine Moses suggesting that Israel discover the riches to be found in the religions of the idol-worshipping pagans around them, or Paul suggesting that the Christians in Ephesus discover the riches of the pagan worship at the temple of Diana! What in the world are we doing?!

The issue at the center of the war of the ages is the NAME OF JESUS! Every religion of the world is willing to admit that Jesus was a good teacher and a great man, but Jesus claimed to be ALMIGHTY GOD!

Many Christian denominations teach that Jesus was the Son of God, part of God, a subordinate God, or a member of the Holy Trinity, but Jesus claimed to be ALMIGHTY GOD!

In Scripture and in salvation, this is a NON-NEGOTIABLE ISSUE!

Colossians 1:14-19  14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: 15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. 19 For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell;

Colossians 2:9  For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.

 

Neither the Old nor the New Testament uses the word “trinity” or associates the words “three” or “persons” in any significant way with God.  No passage says God is a holy two, holy three, or holy trinity, but over 50 verses call God the “HOLY ONE.”

Isaiah 47:4  As for our redeemer, the LORD of hosts is his name, the Holy One of Israel.

David prophetically spoke of Jesus using the term “Holy One,” and his prophecy was quoted and confirmed by both Peter (Acts 2:37) and Paul (Acts 13:35).

Psalm 16:10  For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.

During Jesus’ earthly ministry, the demons recognized that He was One God manifest in flesh!

Mark 1:23-25  23 And there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, 24 Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. 25 And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him.

James 2:19  Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

In Isaiah 45:22-23, God said, “Look unto me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else.  I have sworn by myself, the word is gone out of my mouth in righteousness, and shall not return, That unto me every knee shall bow, every tongue shall swear.”

But in Philippians 2:10-11, Paul said, “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Every tongue in creation is going to testify, not that Mohammed, Buddha or Allah is Lord, but that JESUS IS LORD!

Right now, the backslidden ecumenical church is racing into the arms of Satan’s strategy for a one-world church. Eventually, Bible prophecy teaches us that this unified church will include all of the world’s major religions … including “Christianity”!

One well-known Christian evangelist was interviewed recently on network TV, and asked this point-blank question: “Will Muslims be saved? And will Jews be saved if they don’t believe in Jesus?” Clearly, the evangelist was being backed into a corner by the interviewer. He knew the press would crucify him if his response was not politically correct. How would you have responded?

In that crucial moment several weeks ago, the well-known evangelist answered, “Muslims love Jesus. And Jews have the Spirit of Jesus in them. Yes, they’ll both be saved.” He caved in under pressure!

The world can embrace a Jesus who is just a man, or a good teacher, or a great prophet, or even “part” of God. In fact, millions of lukewarm Apostolics have already been deceived by all the talk about “Jesus” in the ecumenical movement!

The very mantra of the devil’s One World Church will be “Jesus” – but they will praise a Saviour that they refuse to obey!

Matthew 7:22-23  ²²Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? ²³And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Luke 6:46  And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say?

It is impossible to be accepted by the world – or the world church – if you take a stand on the Oneness of God and the essentiality of JESUS NAME in the plan of salvation … because that is the deciding issue in the war of the ages!

John 15:20-21  20 Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. 21 But all these things will they do unto you for my name’s sake, because they know not him that sent me.

Matthew 10:22  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

We are not anti-Semitic, anti-Islamic, anti-Charismatic, or anti-anything … we are FOR something, we are FOR someone! We stand for the NAME OF JESUS!

Right now, various ecumenical groups are drafting theological statements for the one-world church union, and they’re dealing with what they call “the Jesus issue.” Already the European Union and several individual countries are only one step away from forbidding “religious bigotry” and outlawing “proselytizing” in the name of any religion … especially Christianity!

This is all part of Satan’s strategy, because he knows that there is JUST ONE NAME!

Paul warns us not to succumb to the pressure in the last days!

2 Corinthians 11:3-4  ³But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. ⁴For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him.

The word “simplicity” in verse 3 means “singleness, exclusiveness.” In other words, don’t be led away from the truth of ONE GOD to another “Jesus,” who isn’t the true God at all! Are you ready to be thought of as intolerant, bigoted, and politically incorrect? If not, then you’re not ready to stand for Jesus!

What a day it will be when the world’s terrorists stand before Jesus Christ. They were promised paradise for their sacrifice, but they’ll suddenly realize that the very NAME they tried to wipe out now stands before them as their judge! Truly, the conflict of the ages boils down to one exclusive, intolerant verse:

John 14:6  Jesus saith unto him, I am THE way,  THE truth, and THE life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.