Articles of Faith: Why did Jesus have to die?

Is this the great revelation we have all been waiting for.LOL

The principle of sacrifice for the christian is true. However, I continue to wonder what Mr Aribisala's mission is in his denial of Paul's gospels. The bible says a little leaven leavens the whole lump. A tiny bit of denial of portions of the bible puts major stains on this and many of Mr Aribisala's writings. Scripture and Christianity cannot be re-written. Many of us know enough to defend the faith and therefore challenge those who desire to cause confusion in the minds of many young christians and those who may be weak in faith. Brethren, lets guard our hearts. The sririt of God will guide us and lead us into all truth.

I honestly wonder if Aribisala cannot write a decent piece of article without ever attacking Saint Paul. If 2/3rd of the entire New Testament is written by Paul the 'antichrist' as Aribisala constantly alleges, then how sure are we that the remaining 1/3rd is not equally faulty? Now if most of the New Testament scriptures are faulty as has been newly discovered by Aribisala (PhD Oxford), then does that not imply that this will lead people to wonder if the Christian faith has not been set on a faulty foundation? No wonder, an adherent of the Grail Message expressed his satisfaction with his message! As with Aribisala's previous articles, this article again is full of erroneous interpretations of the Word of God which I will endeavour to point out shortly.

So this is the reason christ came to teach men not to love their life. So all the prophecies about christ's coming from genesis(..the seed of the woman shall bruise satan's head..) until john the baptist(the voice crying in the wilderness to prepare the way of the lord)and upto the angel who appeared to mary saying she would bring forth a son whose name shsshall be jesus, for he shall save his people from their sins. Was just to teach men to lay their life even in death for God. My question is what lesson did the 4 hebrew guys teach in the face of the kings command in babylon?

Its becoming increasingly disturbing for Christains around the country, reading Mr. Aribisala's articles. Not because his seeming revolutionary ideas question some notions we hold dear, but because his ramblings are beginning to border on the absurd. One begins to question his entire purpose and, i daresay, the entire purpose of Timbuktu Media for putting him on each Sunday. I refrain from getting intellectually engaged (not because its out of place) with Mr. Aribisala on celestial matters and interpretation of the scriptures but, forgive my arrogance, i consider it demeaning getting into such disputes with Mr. Aribisala who judging by his conclusions has no meaningful idea of what Christainity is about or what the scriptures say. I will advise Christains who read the pieces of this heretic to guard their hearts. And if Next desperately needs a revolutionary Christain commentator and is determined to go out of the box, then i suggest they consider more credible options rather than insulting the Christain faith and all it represents by putting this heretic in our faces each week.

The doctrine of Salvation is very simple-man is born in iniquity through the disobedience of one man Adam(this is called the principle of federal headship)Man thus need help to be delivered from the power of sin.From the scriptures Genesis to Revelation it is very crystal clear Jesus' role in God's plan of redemption.That role and God's plan IS NOT WHAT FEMI ARIBISALA has written in this article.A good understanding of the difference between the doctrine of justification and sanctification will bring clarity to the this issue of salvation .

I've read mr aribisala and in spite of religious misgivings I'm always intrigued by his boldness and honesty to the revelations he gets!he does seem like a heretic but so did jesus!the truth of God and/or christianity is debatable!and if it can't stand to other spiritual argument it becomes suspect!if mr aribisala has a 'new' truth time will vindicate his message and so if not!so let's read articles of faith and see how sure our foundation really is-if for that alone mr aribisala serves a godly pupose and represents a lofty ideal I to me o!

Matthew 20:28 Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and TO GIVE HIS LIFE A RANSOM for many. Mark 10:45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and TO GIVE HIS LIFE A RANSOM for many. John 10:15 As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I LAY DOWN MY LIFE FOR THE SHEEP. John 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I LAY DOWN MY LIFE, that I might take it again. John 10:18 No man taketh it from me, but I LAY IT DOWN of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father. John 15:13 Greater love hath no man than this, that a man LAY DOWN HIS LIFE for his friends. Jesus laid down His Life for us. That is how he saved us. Mr. Aribisala, for denying this Biblical fact, is a heretic.

I love it when 'upright' Christians get their knickers in a twist and sail on their arrogant 'I won't engage Aribisala' trip. Why is it so difficult for you to understand that there are many truths? Why can't you read and learn something for once? I am not a believer but I find Aribisala's interpretations interesting. Next, some of us love this guy!

@Haha heehee you are the voice of Jacob but the arm of Esau - keep deceiving yourself we know your game-you are part of Femi Aribisala

I was tempted to go the way of Efe Paul until I read the comments of sage and felt I had to post these verses from 2Peter. Note that they from Peter and not Paul! "But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked: (For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;) The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished: But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities". (2Pe 2:1-10 KJV)

Further," These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error. While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage. For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning. For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire". (2Pe 2:17-22 KJV)

Mr Aribisala is writing for a nation in which life is increasingly worthless. How many times have we heard of family members killing each other over five naira or less? In politics, the mantra from high and low is that everything is a do or die battle. This gra-gra ideology is crowned with the slogan, if you believe in anything, better be ready to die for it (anything, including akara and moi moi?). That is the root of what is happening in Jos right now. Our people are misled into believing that by sacrificing their lives, they would be rewarded by their God but the scriptures already teach that God is merciful and forgiving which was why Abraham was told to leave Isaac alone and sacrifice a lamb instead. Many parents today are misled into killing their own children by fake pastors who accuse them of witchcraft. Respect for human life, including your own, cannot be against the teachings of Christ who said that he died that you may live. Only the devilish would preach that you should waste your life in order to save it. If you believe, then you are already saved and should not be in the business of tempting the Lord thy God by sacrificing your life to your selfish ego just to see what happens in the afterlife. The right to life is a basic human right and quite rightly so. Thou shall not kill!

Sunday after Sunday all you do is affect and attack the sensibilities of Christians. Is that the official policy of Next234 Newspapers to deny and triavialise our cardinal teachings? Or is this the work of one man going unchecked? Every Christian who reads Mr. Aribisala ends up furious!This is not about freedom of speech because you dare not attack any of the fundamental beliefs of Islam without severe consequences. You very well know that. I have been an avid reader of your Newspaper from the very beginning and have introduced it to countless of my colleaques but i dare say i have given up on your paper from today Sunday 24th January, 2010 because you are an offshoot of the antichrist!

Aribisala quotes Jesus as saying: “I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of him who sent me” (Jn 6:38). If the position of some of the traditional Christians pontificating here is true, maybe you can explain why the will of the Father is different from the will of Jesus, the Son. If the Father's will is for Jesus to die and wash away our sins, why was this noble cause against the will of Jesus? What is the will of Jesus that is different from the will of the Father according to the traditional Christian point of view?

Your comment is as funny as your name. You said there are many truths and I beg to disagree with you. There is only one truth and one way in Christianity. I will like to ask Dr. Femi at this point whether he believes in the whole Bible or not. Sir, you cannot pick and choose. It is either yes or no. The other thing is that which church do you go to and what is the population of your congregation? The reason why I am asking is that we have the Jehovah’s Witness, Seventh Day Adventist, The Mennonites, etc. They all have their bibles. Do you have a bible or not? If you don’t then with due respect, it will be wrong for you to attempt to rewrite our own bible for us and expect us to accept your logical reasoning based on the assumption of many truths to the holy bible. Finally, 234NEXT please stop any publication of Dr. Femi Aribisala that goes contrary to the Christian faith. Though, I am a democrat but my understanding is that democracy should not be a license for excesses. There was a time in Kano when the state television was airing Ahmed Deedat’s video (please Google or Dogpile search his name), it was one Hausa/Fulani guy who wrote in the Triumph newspaper that CTV should stop the airing. One of his reasons was that Nigeria is a multi-religious state and he would not support any criticism of the bible by a Muslim public speaker. Shalom.

It is practically impossible to be shepherded by Jesus and not understand the cardinal principle of laying down one's life in order to be able to inherit the kingdom of God. It is a great revelation, but certainly not a new one made up by Dr Aribisala. It is all about what Jesus taught and did. Patriot says he has something to write against that. Pastors who are not led by Jesus tell their congregation that salvation is significantly about living the best of their lives here and now in prosperity, good health into old age, good companies of the high and mighty, while maintaining good reputation in the world, like being Newsweek Man of the Year. It was the devil that took Jesus high up the mountain, showed him the ‘beauty’ of the world, and offered everything to Jesus if only he would bow down to him in worship. Jesus rejected it. Sadly today, it is pastors that lead their greedy and undiscerning congregation up to the mountains and say the vanity of the world is what Jesus came to give plus eternal life. Don’t be deceived. If you don’t turn the other cheek when one is slapped; rich man if you can’t sell your possessions, give them to the poor, carry your cross and follow Jesus; if you don’t forsake ALL other relationships to follow Jesus, and if you choose to save your very life, you deceive yourself thinking that you are on the narrow way to the kingdom of God. Why do people steal, kill, commit adultery, fornication, oppress other people, practice idolatry and commit many other sins? It is because of their love of life and fear of death. Instead, Jesus Christ our Lord counsels that we should hate our lives in this world. Why genuine believers miss it is because they have been deceived to think that Jesus accomplished salvation for them. It is only true that Jesus did everything as an example for us to follow his footsteps, so that where he is now, there we may be also. Believers in Jesus should completely lose their will to do only the will of God, as Jesus did. Genuine believers are people of no reputation and low esteem, just like Jesus while on the earth. Genuine believers are not in the company of the multitude. Genuine believers are always objectionable to the people of the world who might also seize the pulpit every Sunday. When genuine believers do the will of God, they are guaranteed loses and tribulation than anything else in the world. Jesus certainly knows better. But the good news is that by relinquishing his will and life, Jesus overcame sin and death. He is resurrected and is sitting with God on the throne of Heaven. That’s the aspiration of every true believer in Jesus. The important thing is not just this revelation, but what we do with it. Only few people will accept it. Overwhelming majority will reject it. Paul muddled it up in his unprofitable theology.

So much hot air from the Pharisees and Sadduccees here. If you have a problem with Aribisala's article, why not point out where the problem lies? What has he said that you disagree with and why? Which scripture did he misquote or quote out of context? To read some of these comments, I begin to wonder if you people dont consider Jesus himself a preacher of heresy. Must Aribisala agree with you? Is he not entitled to his own point of view? What makes your view superior to his, especially since you cannot even enter into an intelligent debate with him without resort to name-calling? Did the people writing here even bother toread the article at all?

If Aribisala believes the Pauline epistles are not divinely inspired, why should we believe his own teachings are divinely inspired? What stronger or greater insights does he possess more than Paul, the apostle of apostles? Denying or disproving the Pauline epistles is equal to denying the new testament because Paul wrote two thirds of the new testament.To my mind, Aribisala is similar to William Branham who started well but did not stay humble enough and soon ran into errors, espousing doctrine of devils. The only tragedy is that young people in the faith may be led into error by him.

It's always very easy to poiint fingers.....but I thought Christianity is pretty simple....Christ died that WE ALL may have life and have it more abundantly. Make no mistake about it.....no man can be like God / Christ because all our righteousness are like filthy rags to Him........so hating our lives here on earth to be more Christlike wont help our righteousness in the sight of God. The Almighty still sees flesh / filthy rags and unless He sees the Blood of the Lamb he takes no recognition of our purpoted holiness / righteousness / charitable lives. Remember the Passover? Its exactly the same.......the Angel of God only passes over if there's sign of the Blood.....God's ways are clear and simple....He did not ask His Angels to passover people who hated their lives or try to be holier than thou......... Back to the topic, God's instruction is CRYSTAL CLEAR.....dont contend with it, re-write it or manipulate it, just OBEY!!! Obedience is better than sacrifice!!! The only way to God is through CHRIST who died for our sins. Shalom

haba! what is bad in this article? He has simply said that those who are willing to lay down their lives as Jesus did will be able to get into the kingdom of heaven. Meanwhile all of you that deem ur lives so worthy that you are unwilling to sacrifice...ehen, na hell of all una dey go hell now. This is simply a case of "everybody wan go heaven but nobody wan die".E mean say all of una heart no dey clean, dis wan wey be say una wan begin cry for here. You must to die to get to heaven. Matter don finish be dat.

Men and brethren -understanding the difference between justification and sanctification can be as important as understanding the difference between salvation and damnation. Rightly dividing between the two is of crucial importance. When we understand what they are, we can then draw a line in the sand and say, "This is what saves. This is not what saves." Justification is the work of God where the righteousness of Jesus is reckoned to the sinner so the sinner is declared by God as being righteous under the Law (Rom. 4:3; 5:1,9; Gal. 2:16; 3:11). This righteousness is not earned or retained by any effort of the saved. Justification is an instantaneous occurrence with the result being ETERNAL LIFE. It is based completely and solely upon Jesus' sacrifice on the cross (1 Pet. 2:24) and is received by faith alone (Eph. 2:8-9). No works are necessary whatsoever to obtain justification. Otherwise, it is not a gift (Rom. 6:23). Therefore, we are justified by faith (Romans 5:1). Sanctification, on the other hand, involves the work of the person. But it is still God working in the believer to produce more of a godly character and life in the person who has already been justified (Phil. 2:13). Sanctification is not instantaneous because it is not the work of God alone. The justified person is actively involved in submitting to God's will, resisting sin, seeking holiness, and working to be more godly (Gal. 5:22-23). Significantly, sanctification has no bearing on justification. That is, even if we don't live a perfect life, we are still justified. While justification is a legal declaration that is instantaneous, sanctification is a process. In accordance with the Bible while justification comes from outside of us, from God, sanctification comes from God within us by the work of the Holy Spirit. In other words, we contribute to sanctification through our efforts. In contrast, WE DO NOT CONTRIBUTE TO OUR JUSTIFICATION THROUGH OUR EFFORTS. This is one of the areas in which Femi got it wrong. Justification is not by works .Man is a sinner from birth he cannot save himself by any acts that he does except to repent. Now does this mean that those justified by grace can sin as much as they want? No -for the scriptures say in the following places: Romans 6:1-2 says, "What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer in it?" 1 Thess. 4:7 says, "God has called us not for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification." The Scriptures teach us that we are to live holy lives and avoid sin (Col. 1:5-11). Just because we are saved and eternally justified before God (John 10:28), is no excuse to continue in the sin from which we were saved. Of course, we all sin (Rom. 3:23). But the war between the SAVED and SIN is continuous (Rom. 7:14-20) and it won't be until the return of Jesus that we will be delivered from this body of death (Rom. 7:24). To sin continually and use God's grace to excuse it later is to trample the blood of Christ underfoot (Heb. 10:29) and to reveal the person's true sinful, unsaved nature (1 John 2:4; 2:19). (Other verses worth checking out are: Heb. 12:14; 1 Pet. 1:14-16; and 1 Pet. 2:21-22.)Now this is where am heading to- the cults consistently blur the meanings of the two terms and misapply the truths taught in God's word. The result is a theology of ‘works righteousness’, of EARNING salvation which only leads to damnation. This what Femi has been preaching but we know that by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified (Gal. 2:16). Man cannot contribute to his salvation (Gal. 5:1-8). This strange idea of a person having to lay down his/her life in order to earn salvation is not of God but it is the spirit of religion which is all over the world. It is man made and from the pits of hell.The truth is man is sinful and even his best deeds are stained and filthy before God (Isaiah 64:6). Therefore, MAKING A PERSON RIGHT BEFORE GOD CAN ONLY BE GOD’S WORK (Gal. 2:20). Typically, in cult theologies, a person is not justified (declared righteous in God's eyes) until the final day of judgment when his works are weighed and a reward is given or he is found worthy of his place with God. Thus, a person with this errant theology can not claim 1 John 5:13 as his own which says, "These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that you may know that you have eternal life, and that you may believe on the name of the Son of God." Contextually, "These things" refers to loving God, being obedient to Him, belief in Christ, and eternal life in Jesus. Therefore, 1 John 5:13 can be considered a test. If you are believing and doing the right things, then you will know if you have eternal life. Can a cultist know he has eternal life? No. He cannot. But a Christian can. People in cults don't understand the difference between justification and sanctification. Therefore, they must depend upon a cooperative effort with God to have their sins forgiven which is, essentially, combining the filthy works of man (Isaiah 64:6) with the holy work of God. They don't mix. They can't. Hence, salvation is by grace through faith, alone. To believe anything else is to miss salvation. Truth is not a feeling. Truth is not an idea. The truth is found in the Bible. The cults are wrong and Femi is wrong because they do not have the truth. That is, they have a false understanding of God the Father, of God the Son, of the Holy Spirit, and the work of Christ on the Cross. Because they are in error in these things, they are in error concerning the doctrine of salvation. Every man made religion preach that the adherents die for their god it is only Christianity that says that God died for man and here is the major difference. Good works -dying to self without been born again is a lie and do not bridge the gap of sin between God and man. Only the blood of Jesus can cleanse a person (Heb. 9:22).Anyone who wants to know the truth should pray and ask God to speak to him/her about the stuff posted here by folks like Femi Aribisala.

I left out Haha Heehee in the first line of my comment.

It's sad that we cannot engage in conversation without name calling. I may not agree with many of Mr Aribisala's opinions but I would hate to deny him that right. Jesus did not die for the 'righteous' but for those who are lost. And that includes all shades of sinners. He also preached love and tolerance. He only hated sin. Our faith is only this way because it has withstood over 2000 years of persecution and dissent. We also allow debate. We would do well to learn from these.

Since Jesus is supposed to have taken away our sins, thereby ensuring that our names are written in the book of life, why then does he say the following: “Whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Mt 16:25). Why does he make our salvation our responsibility in this verse, if he has completed the works of salvation on the cross of Calvary? So he could not have been talking about salvation when he said “it is finished” on the cross. If he said to God the Father before going to the cross: “I have finished the work which You have given Me to do” (Jn 17:4), then the work on the cross according to Jesus must be different from the work on the cross according to classical Christianity. Christians believe the major work of Jesus was that he took away our sins on the cross of Calvary. But Jesus himself says he finished his major work before Calvary. If Jesus has done it for us at Calvary, as the song-writer says, why does he say: “You will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved” (Mt 10:22). If he has done it, why must our salvation nevertheless depend on our endurance? Why is it that our pastors and mega-pastors are not hated by all for the sake of the name of Christ? Why are they liked by all and some are voted as the best liked men in Nigeria? Why is Aribisala hated by many on this website and yet he is writing for the sake of the name of Christ? Do the indignant Christians on this blog not know that the word of Jesus cannot be broken? How come Jesus tells us to love our enemies but every week you express pure hatred for Aribisala and yet fool yourselves with prefaces saying you are disciples of Christ? Do disciples of Christ abuse people? Are you not in fact the disciple of that “false christ” who says to the Galatians: “If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let him be eternally condemned!” (Gal 1:9). Jesus says to his Jewish adversaries: “If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham” (Jn 8:39). Many of the contributors here are not God’s children. You are Paul’s children because you do the works of Paul. When the case of an adulterous woman was brought to Jesus, he had mercy on her and told her to sin no more. When the case of an adulterous man was brought to Paul, Paul directed that the man should be killed. Is that in your bible? This is what he said: “Deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (1 Cor 5:5). I know a lot of jokers here will insist that Paul did not mean the man should be killed. But you need to explain to us how you can destroy a man’s flesh without killing him. You will also need to explain why hundreds of thousands of people were accused of heresy and burnt at the stake by Christians in Europe in the middle ages, using 1 Corinthians 5:5 as their authority. Paul’s approach is certainly not the way of Christ, no matter how you try to rationalise it. Finally, when Martin Luther broke away from the prevailing position of the Catholic Church and start the protestant movement, did your fore-fathers not call him a heretic? Why is it that you don’t continue to call him a heretic today? Let me end here with the words of Jesus: “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, and say, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.' Therefore you are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets. Fill up, then, the measure of your fathers' guilt. Serpents, brood of vipers! How can you escape the condemnation of hell? Therefore, indeed, I send you prophets, WISE MEN, and scribes: some of them you will kill and crucify, and some of them you will scourge in your synagogues and persecute from city to city, that on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of righteous Abel to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar (Mt 23:29-35). Did anybody notice that Jesus sends WISE MEN? I thought Paul told you that God does not like to call wise men: “For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called” (1 Cor 1:26). The reason you are so offended that Aribisala has a Ph.D from Oxford is because you only listen to Paul and not to Jesus. The reason you believe that the doctrine of Christ is not logical and reasonable is because Paul does not want you to think. If you think, you will find out his doctrine does not hold water. But God says: “Come now, let us reason together” (Isa 1:18).

Have the Christians reading these articles of faith ever seen these scriptures before? These are the words of Jesus and they are repeated in five different varieties in order to cover every angle and to make sure there is no loophole for the disobedient to claim he does not understand them: “He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it” (Mt 10:39). “Whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it” (Mt 16:25). “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own life also, he cannot be my disciple” (Lk 14:26). “Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it” (Lk 17:33). “He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life” (Jn 12:25). Are these words of Jesus in the bible or not? What do they mean? What is their relevance for your Christian life?

If you do not believe that Jesus died and rose again, and if you do not confess your belief in his death and resurrection, why would you want to lay down your life? What is the motivation? What is the inspiration. Femi Aribisala contrives a dichotomy between Paul and Jesus. His is actually a worn out thesis in theological scholarship. And that is why he does not see that laying down one's life is a form of confession of faith in the death and resurrection of Jesus.

Why bother Dr.Femi. Many of these bloggers don't see things the way you do. Many feel you are out to destroy the foundations of christianity.Some whose faith have been anchored on the wrong foundation fail to appreaciate the truth inherent in your pieces. Others accuse you of heresy.Some just feel you are in support of the Grail messages, elizabeth claire and others.The truth is that not many of us who call ourselves christians will appreaciate certain things.My hope is that many here and outside will understand that Jesus Christ we all claim to profess as Lord may very well deny He knows us.May this not be our portion.Amen!!!!So I would rather say, please no need to respond to accusations. Let those who want to write replies do.Let those who want Next to give them a columns request such from Next.I still maintain as I have always maintained and like Ghandi said...your Christ I embrace, not your christianity.For me I am yet to meet a christian in this 21st century including those in this space that reminds me of Christ.I rather be taught by Christ than by any man.May the Spirit of Truth guide and guard our hearts into all truths.Amen!!!

Interesting article and even more interesting comments here. I agree with Ehi, '... Anyone who wants to know the truth should pray and ask God to speak to him/her about the stuff posted here...'. We all claim to talk to God and God answers us, yet when push comes to shove, we will rather believe men - like Paul and Dr. Femi Aribisala - rather than talk to God to get the correct answers. I only hope Ehi follows his own advice.

@oracle aribisala, the problem with your type of analysis is you just pick a verse and analyse it out of context.If we are to agree with your analysis,then nobody outside those he was addressing shd follow christ bcos ''you will be hated by all (everybody) for my names sake''.

Dr Femi, thank you for the article, the kingdom of heaven is truly close at hand for those willing to reach out for it.it is up to us to bring about the kingdom of God, it was not done for us by Jesus as Paul alleges. Jesus only showed us how to do it for ourselves. please continue your work of magnifying the words of our Lord and Brother over others.

@Ehi Oseivhi, you posted a long comment full of the teachings of Paul and not a word of Jesus can be found in it, yet you maintain you are a disciple of Jesus. how is that possible?

Readers of this blog should go over what Ehi Oseivhi has written. He has given an interesting thesis of the difference between justification and sanctification. To do this, Ehi cited over 28 scriptures. 18 of these are from Paul. Only one is from Jesus. And yet, it is Jesus and not Paul who is supposed to be our Saviour. The one scripture he cites from Jesus is distorted. He cites Jesus as saying in John 10:28 that Christians are “eternally justified before God.” Where does Ehi get this doctrine from? Such a doctrine is not from Jesus who warns us that “many are called but few are chosen.” “The first shall be last and the last first.” “The children of the kingdom shall be cast into outer darkness, there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” If what we are talking about is the doctrine of Jesus, how come we can never allow Jesus to speak for himself? How come when Aribisala tells you what Jesus says you are offended? Then you contradict this with what Paul says or with some old wives’ tale that has no foundation in the scriptures?

This question is to the Christian fundamentalists who have been royally offended by Femi Aribisala’s articles. Since you claim Jesus died as a sacrifice for your sins, why did Jesus cry out on the cross: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Try fitting that cry into your classical doctrine about the cause of his death and you will see that it does not work. The reason for your hue and cry is this. If Aribisala is right, then you are wrong. If Aribisala is right, then you have been led to believe a lie. If Aribisala is right, then some of you have been preaching falsehood. Otherwise, why are you so determined that Aribisala should not express an opinion different from yours? Why must young Christians only listen to the lies you tell them? Why can’t you leave them to determine for themselves what is truth and what is falsehood? Who appointed you the defender of the faith? Who gave you the copyright to the Christian faith and where did you get it from? You certainly did not get it from Jesus because you don’t believe his words.

The laying down of life is not a new gospel. It is an integral part of salvation. Salvation is a two-part work. First there is the repentance from a life of sin, and second is the laying down of 'life' only for the sake of God, godliness, righteousness and the good news. We all seem to agree on the first part, but have a problem with the second crucial element. To show that this is not a new gospel, the follwing bible characters lost or were willing to lose life in one form or another. Three Hebrew boys(refusing to bow down and willing to die in furnace of fire), Daniel(praying against the king's decree and willing to die), Abraham (willing to lose his son at God's command), isaiah(willing to lose his reputation or risk being called a mad man by going around the town near naked at god's command), hosea (willig to sacrifice his 'manhood' and marry a prostitute), john the baptist(willing to leave the comfort of a comfortable home for life in the wilderness, for the sake of preaching the gospel), all the disciples (willing to leave all their businesses and livelihood for the sake of the gospel), and finally Jesus(willing to leave the majesty of God's presence in heaven to come to this sinful world for the sake of the gospel). Jesus says that it is for his sake and for the good news that we should be willing to lay down our lives. Bringing it home to today's life for a believer. We must be willing to lose our jobs instead of telling a lie;; for the sake of not conforming to the world some will have to give up their fashion sense and become a 'bush man' in the eyes of friends;; for the sake of obeying God, we will sell a car or a house and give all to the poor;; to obey christ, we will lose our pride and refuse to divorce our spouses;; because christ says that all that is highly esteemed with men is an abomination with God, we will give up the things that WE, not others, esteem, for the sake of being sons of God;; when somebody sues us to court even though we're in the right, we refuse to go to court and give our 'coat' also;; when someone cheats us out of some huge some of money, we forgive him and even turn the other cheek by helping him if we find him in need;; if a man becomes our enemy by falsifying documents that cause us to lose a job our and spend one year in jail, we pray for him to find God and become a better person. These are ways in which life is lost for the sake of God, Godliness, truth and the gospel. I wonder how many of us would hear a voice saying, 'marry a prostitute', or 'walk around lagos naked whilst preaching the gospel', and not attribute it to the devil. But some men heard these types of things and obeyed because they knew the voice of God and were willing to lose anything for the sake of God, godliness and the good news. He that is not willing to give his life up or he that believes that God is in the business of making our lives perfect in this world cannot hear the voice of God. He that is not willing to lose his 'life', cannot become a son of God.

@Dammy. Jesus does not speak like Paul. When he says all, he means all. Take another look at the scripture I cited that you don’t understand. This is what Jesus says: “Ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake” (Mt 10:22). Listen carefully. In this scripture, Jesus means ALL MEN. He means exactly what he says. Let me explain it to you. In everything, Jesus creates dichotomies. On one side there is heaven, on the other side there is earth. On one side there is spirit on the other side there is flesh. On one side there is God the Father and Jesus the Son and sons of God, on the other side there is Satan and men. The sons of men (or men for short) are from the earth and belong to the kingdoms of this world. The sons of God, on the other hand, are “from heaven” and they belong to the kingdom of God (or the kingdom of heaven). Jesus presents this dichotomy succinctly in a discourse with the Jews: “The baptism of John-- where was it from? From heaven or from men?” (Mt 21:25). You can see from this that what is from heaven cannot be of men. What is of men cannot be of heaven. When Jesus rebuked Peter, he called him Satan, then he told him that he is mindful of the things of men and not the things of God. Observe that men are mindful of the things of Satan. So men and Satan are on the same side. Elsewhere, Jesus counsels his disciples, who he is shaping to be sons of God: “Beware of men” (Mt 10:17). As a matter of fact, the difference between the things of God and the things of men are extreme: “He said to them, "You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God” (Lk 16:15). Can you see how extreme the difference is according to Jesus? What men have a high regard for is rubbish to God. What men consider to be white is black to God. That is part of what I was trying to point out to you in this article, but you still have difficulty understanding it. So my dear brother, when Jesus says his disciples will be hated by all men, he means all men. But mega-Pastors are loved by all men, so they are not of God. Now let us look at Brother Paul. Paul says God will give us ALL THINGS: “He who did not spare his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us ALL THINGS?” (Rm 8:32). Does Paul mean ALL things or SOME things? Paul means ALL THINGS to deceive you. If you say he means SOME THINGS then the verse will no longer make any sense. Now differentiate this with Jesus’ precision: “How much more will your Father who is in heaven give GOOD THINGS to those who ask him (Mt 7:11). Now Brother Dammy, whose report do you believe? Will God give believers ALL THINGS according to Paul; or will he give us only GOOD THINGS according to Jesus? Dammy, you have fooled yourself into disobeying Jesus by assuming he does not mean what he says. Jesus always means what he says. He even means it when he says if your eyes will cause you to sin, pluck it out. Brother, if you cannot stop your lust of the eyes then you better pluck your eyes out LITERALLY. You will become a blind man, but you will improve your chances of inheriting eternal life.

Oracle sorry Femi Aribisala you can't keep to your word -you would rather comment under a different name -anyway your theory is simply wrong and that is the truth.You have attempted in your article to trivialise the work of the cross and that is not of God.The problem like I said is that you do not understand the difference between justification and sanctification.Laying down one's life as Jesus says is a lifestyle of denial.John elaborated this for us in in I John 2:15,16 "Do not love the world or the things in the world:for all that is in the world-the desire of the flesh,the desire of the eyes,the pride of life-comes not from the Father but from the world".And he goes on to say in verse 17 "And the world and its desire are passing away,but those who do the will of God will live forever".Another word for this is called "Walking in the Spirit" Only those who are saved are required to walk in the Spirit for they are the ones who have the Spirit of Christ in them having humbled themselves before God to save them in order to walk with God.All the above concepts is what is called sanctification -it is a process and not an event.Oracle Femi,let me quote what you wrote here: "... Since nobody on earth ever laid down his life for God before Jesus, the kingdom of God was limited to heaven. Therefore Jesus taught his disciples to pray: “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Mt 6:10). Once Jesus came to earth as a man and fulfilled this will of God, the kingdom finally reached the earth." This statement contradcits what the writer of Hebrews says in Hebrews 11:35-39 " ...But others were tortured, not accepting release, to obtain resurrection to a better life. 11:36 And others experienced mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. 11:37 They were stoned, sawed apart, murdered with the sword; they went about in sheepskins and goatskins; they were destitute, afflicted, ill-treated 11:38 (the world was not worthy of them); they wandered in deserts and mountains and caves and openings in the earth. 11:39 And these all were commended for their faith, yet they did not receive what was promised."I would rather go with the bible than with your personal interpretation-so according to HEBREWS - YOU ARE WRONG! Men and women died for God before Christ came so it does not make sense for God to send Jesus to teach men how to lay down their lives for God. Femi writes again and I quote"...But Jesus refused to save his life because it is through death that we return from this “far country” back to the Father (Lk 15:11-32). Thereby, he confirmed the Father’s love:" What a revelation! To debunk this I ask why did the Egyptinas build the pyramids if they did not believe in life hereafter. Who does not know that death is the exit door to the so called "far country."?Did Jesus have to teach anybody this simple element of life? This is why I say Femi in this piece only trivialises the cross of Jesus.Lastly Femi is wrong because I know that what he wrote in this piece is one of the major doctrines of Hinduism.Hindus deny themselves and live ascetic lifestyle just to please Brahman-it is one of the four yogas for breaking out of Samsara-the so called wheel of life.Jesus Christ could not have come to teach Jews or humanity about one of the hindusim doctrines of salvation.Christianity is not the same as Hindusim.And by the way Stephen Lawson -do you know why why Gandhi was denied a noble peace prize and his family life was a great mess ?Go do you reasearch and mabye then you will stop quoting Mahathma Ghandi.Mahathma Ghandi built his philosophy of Ahimsa "non violence" on Jesus' inspiration but he never practised it at home with his family.Stephen -Ghandi is not the right person to bring into this conversation.If you understand the doctrine of justification and sanctification you will stop quoting Gandhi.

I pray that the Holy Spirit will touch the heart of Femi Aribisala and drive him to true repentance. It is so unfortunate that new converts into christianity can be easily misled by these erroneous and heretical teachings. I have sent my views to the editor. This was published under the voices section in yesterday's paper.

I think it's high time Femi Aribisala stopped writing for Articles of faith. He (Aribisala) is sense-ruled, religious and obviously very far from the revelation knowledge of God's Word. His erroneous contributions are a minus for NEXT!

Mr Femi Aribisala, If you care enough to make your teachings that detail then give us practical examples on how to lay down our lives not by quoting verses we know already. Do u expect everyone to go on doing after a sacrifice that has taken away sins once and for alllll?????????

I have observed Aribisala's disciples' spurious attempts to create a non-existing dichotomy between the 'words of Jesus' and the 'words of the Apostles' as if the apostles espoused a message different from that of Jesus.I will therefore re-post my last comment on this thus: Aribisala consistently affirms that believers should stick to ‘only the words of Jesus’ as in his opinion, there are ‘contradictions’ between what Jesus said and what others, particularly the Apostles taught the Church. But is this really true? Let’s check out the foundation of the New Testament Church; “And they continued stedfastly in the APOSTLES’ DOCTRINE and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.” (Act2:42). It is evident from this scripture that once souls were won over to the Lord, this new body of believers (the church) devoted themselves to the doctrine that was taught them by the apostles. It did not say they continued in ‘Jesus’ Doctrine’ or ‘Jesus’ words’ but in the apostles’ doctrine. Why was this? Simply because Jesus himself ordained, commissioned and authorized the Apostles to do so. “And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and TEACH all nations, …. Teaching them to observe ALL THINGS WHATSOEVER I HAVE COMMANDED YOU and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.” (Mt28:18-20). In order words, Jesus first taught the Apostles and then charged them to teach the church what he himself had taught them. Whatever the Apostles therefore taught the church was simply based on what Jesus himself had taught them. In addition, because Jesus is alive even this very minute, he still continued to teach the Apostles after he left the earth. However, the teachings Jesus taught the apostles after he left the earth were done through the person and ministry of the Holy Spirit and these teachings are called REVELATIONS. Not only that, these revelations were consistent or in perfect agreement with what Jesus had told the Apostles while he was physically on earth. Jesus confirms this in Jh16:12; “I have yet MANY THINGS to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the SPIRIT OF TRUTH, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall HEAR, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come”. From the foregoing, it can be clearly seen that whatever the Apostles taught the church were based on what they received from Jesus through his teachings and revelations of the Holy Spirit and both teachings and revelations are in perfect harmony, not contradictory. Now, whereas the 12 foundational Apostles (Peter et al) based their doctrine on what Jesus ‘taught’ them because they were physically with him, Paul based his doctrine on what Jesus ‘revealed to him through the Holy Spirit after his conversion and both truths were in perfect harmony. For example, it was by ‘revelation’, not by Jesus’ ‘teaching’ that Peter became convinced that the gospel was meant for not only the Jews but the Gentiles as well (Act10&11). In addition, it was by revelation, not by Jesus’ teaching that Peter knew that the time of his death was imminent (2Pet1:14). It was by revelation not by Jesus’ teaching that Paul knew what transpired at the Lord’s Supper on the night Jesus was betrayed (1Cor11:23). One thing remains certain: EVERYTHING the Apostles received by revelation was IN HARMONY with what Jesus had taught them. Finally, it is these teachings or the APOSTLES’ DOCTRINE (as Act2:42 calls it) that constitute the EPISTLES written to the various assemblies of God’s elects from Galatia to Ephesus to Corinth to Rome etc. This is how Aribisala & co could become a danger to themselves and others: when they suddenly come up with a strange doctrine of discarding the written Word of God under the false guise of certain scriptures not conforming to the ‘words of Jesus’. The dangers are already manifesting when they affirm that children should not call their own parents fathers under the guise of ‘sticking to the words of Jesus’. This is the same way many religious cults, sects and terrorist groups begin- when people persistently claim their own interpretation of religious books is supreme and are outrightly unwilling to even consider for once that they might be wrong!

@The Patriot, you quote Jesus but completely miss what he was saying>>> and teach them to observe all the commands I gave you. And look, I am with you always; yes, to the end of time.'(Matthew 28:20)>>>Jesus said his disciples are to preach only what he commands. This means that the Apostles are to stay faithful to the words of Jesus only. An example of an Apostle preaching only the commands of Jesus can be found in book of James>>>Above all, my brothers, do not swear by heaven or by the earth or use any oaths at all. If you mean 'yes', you must say 'yes'; if you mean 'no', say 'no'. Otherwise you make yourselves liable to judgment.(James 5:12). Apostle James is only echoing what Jesus taught his disciples about swearing (Matthew 5:33-37). Contrast this with Apostle Paul, who contrary to the teachings of Jesus, insists that men should swear like Christians do today with the bible>>> Human beings, of course, swear an oath by something greater than themselves, and between them, confirmation by an oath puts an end to all dispute.(Hebrews 6:16). Paul goes on to show that he stands by his words when he starts swearing by God>>>I swear before God that what I have written is the truth.(Galatians 1:20) and please don’t say Paul was quoted out of context because he continues with his habit of swearing in other places in the bible>>> I swear by the pride that I take in you, in Christ Jesus our Lord, that I face death every day. (1 Corinthians 15:31). According to the words of Jesus, anyone who swears is of the devil>>>All you need say is "Yes" if you mean yes, "No" if you mean no; anything more than this comes from the Evil One.(Matthew 5:37). Two Apostles, one preaching the gospel according to Jesus, the other preaching the gospel according to the evil one. So Mr. Patriot, which one of them continued steadfastly in the APOSTLES’ DOCTRINE.

Since the Patriot finds it necessary to fill every blog of Femi Aribisala with the same thing he posts on an earlier blog to another article, I will also make a point of copying those responses that debunked his earlier submissions. This was a response to his last submission showing that the gentleman does not know what the "apostles doctrine" means and to whom it applies. "Paul is not an apostle of Christ. The people who continued in the “apostles’ doctrine” in the book of Acts don’t include Paul. At the time that was written, Paul had not even met Christ. Paul’s doctrine is different from that of the apostles. A true apostle does not deviate from his master; therefore the apostles’ doctrine was the same as Jesus’ doctrine. However, Paul’s doctrine was different from that of the apostles. That was why he was always at loggerheads with them. When Paul discovered that the true apostles were always sending people to the churches he established to correct his message, he was mad. That is why he wrote to the Galatians: “Even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed” (Gal 1:8-9). Here is someone who is supposed to be a disciple of Christ (who asks us to love our enemies), cursing other disciples of Christ and even cursing angels from heaven. This is proof that Paul’s message is not from heaven as he claims; otherwise it could not possibly be contradicted by an angel from heaven. On occasion, the true disciples of Christ in Jerusalem has cause to call Paul to order because of his heresies. Paul was a preacher of lawlessness. Jesus said he did not come to destroy the law but to fulfil it. But Paul preached that the law had been abrogated: “On the following day Paul went in with us to James, and all the elders were present. When he had greeted them, he told in detail those things which God had done among the Gentiles through his ministry. And when they heard it, they glorified the Lord. And they said to him, "You see, brother, how many myriads of Jews there are who have believed, and they are all zealous for the law; but THEY HAVE BEEN INFORMED ABOUT YOU THAT YOU TEACH ALL THE JEWS WHO ARE AMONG THE GENTILES TO FORSAKE MOSES, saying that they ought not to circumcise their children nor to walk according to the customs. What then? The assembly must certainly meet, for they will hear that you have come. Therefore do what we tell you: We have four men who have taken a vow. Take them and be purified with them, and pay their expenses so that they may shave their heads, and that all may know that those things of which they were informed concerning you are nothing, BUT THAT YOU YOURSELF ALSO WALK ORDERLY AND KEEP THE LAW. But concerning the Gentiles who believe, we have written and decided that they should observe no such thing, except that they should keep themselves from things offered to idols, from blood, from things strangled, and from sexual immorality” (Acts 21:18-25). Paul of course, violated this “apostles’ doctrine” that Gentiles should not eat things offered to idols. Although he was there at the Jerusalem Council where the directive was drafted, and he was made a mere messenger to carry it to the churches, he would subsequently tell the Gentiles that they could eat food sacrificed to idols: “Some people are still so accustomed to idols that when they eat such food they think of it as having been sacrificed to an idol, and since their conscience is weak, it is defiled. But food does not bring us near to God; we are no worse if we do not eat, and no better if we do” (1 Cor 8:7-8). Paul, I repeat, is not an apostle of Christ. He is not a disciple of Christ. He is not even a follower of Christ. This will soon be clear beyond reasonable doubt to anyone reading these Articles of Faith."

@Dazmillion, I have already responded to a similar poser you raised in your arguement on your strange doctrine of 'sticking to only Jesus' words' doctrine. My simple question to you and others who believe blindly in literal interpretation of every one of Jesus' statement is: how do you exectute Jesus' command in Mt5:29-30; "And if thy right eye offend thee, PLUCK IT OUT, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell. And if thy right hand offend thee, CUT IT OFF, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell." Under the guise of sticking to Jesus' words, may I ask under what circumstance do you pluck out your eyes and in case you are blind, under what circumstance cut off your right hand?

This is Paul’s key to salvation: “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Rm 10:9-10). Therefore, according to Paul, once a man says Jesus is Lord, he is saved. Paul even goes further to say this: “No one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor 12:3). Therefore, according to Paul, once a man says Jesus is Lord it means he is inspired by the Holy Spirit. Now compare Paul’s falsehood to the truth of Jesus: “Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!' (Mt 7:21-23). Can you see now that Paul is either wrong or deceitful? Saying Jesus is Lord does not amount to anything in determining a man’s salvation. As long as you believe Paul, you will not determine the will of the Father in heaven, and you will not do his will.

all very interesting posts...there is something to learn for everyone, if only those that have ears would hear, and those that have eyes would see. I just have questions. 1. if Jesus had to die to forgive sins why did he demonstrate 'to show that the son of man has power to forgive sins he said to the man 'take up your bed, get up and walk'? or say to another 'your sins are forgiven, go and sin no more' 2. what exactly is 'abundant life? or 'having life more abundantly'? is it having more cars than I can fit in my garage? More family holidays a year? What is it?

Dr. Femi’s blog has always come with some fun and the more you think you can keep him quiet, the more he comes out fighting back with his group. It is so amusing. ‘…Christian fundamentalists who have been royally offended by Femi Aribisala’s articles.’ He is always at his best when you attack his articles. My thinking is that we are serving into his hands by making comments that opposes his views but I will continue to read his articles.

The article is thought provoking. Let’s address the issues it raises instead of arguing over irrelevant matters? We don’t have to like the writer. How do we lay down our lives? How do we overcome sin? Those are the issues. Can we discuss them in this forum instead of pointless arguments? The justification/sanctification theory the brother was raising is old and tired. Let’s face it, it has not worked.

When Jesus first talked of going to the cross, Peter contradicted him and said such a thing would not happen to him. Suddenly, Jesus rebuked Peter in the harshest manner he ever rebuked a disciple in the scriptures: “Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men’” (Mt 16:23). He then told Peter and the rest: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it. For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mt 16:24-26). Peter learnt his lesson, but not quite. On another occasion when Jesus talked to his disciples about going away, Peter also decided to declare his readiness to lay down his life for Jesus. But Jesus pointed out to Peter that he still does not understand. By asking us to lay down our lives, JESUS IS NOT ASKING US TO DIE FOR HIM. HE IS ASKING US TO LIVE FOR HIM. Therefore Jesus told Peter he cannot even die for Jesus: “Simon Peter said to Him, "Lord, where are You going?" Jesus answered him, "Where I am going you cannot follow Me now, but you shall follow Me afterward." Peter said to Him, "Lord, why can I not follow You now? I will lay down my life for Your sake." Jesus answered him, "Will you lay down your life for My sake? Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times” (Jn 13:36-38). You see, the man who cannot live for Jesus cannot die for Jesus. The man who dies for Jesus without living for Jesus has missed the boat. It is relatively easy to die for a cause. Many did it before Jesus and many have done it since. It is more difficult to live for a cause. Many in the Old Testament died for God. Many men of faith died for the name of the Lord. But only Jesus lived for God before he died for God. All martyrs love life. That is why they sacrifice their lives. Martyrs sacrifice their lives for a cause that has to do with this life. They are trying to affect this life. They are trying to change something in this life and are convinced that by dying, their death will inspire or provoke that change. In short, martyrs give their life because they love this life. Jesus is not that kind of martyr. God is not looking for that kind of martyr. That kind of martyr is a dime a dozen. Al Qaeda will never be short of the kind of martyr who give their life because they are promised a better life in heaven that is the same kind of life they desire on earth with virgins and other carnal pleasures. Jesus did not give his life for an earthly cause. Neither did he sacrifice his earthly life because his earthly life was worthless. THE MAN WHO LOVES GOD MUST NOT SACRIFICE HIS LIFE. THE MAN WHO LOVES GOD MUST HATE HIS LIFE. IF A MAN HATES HIS LIFE AND LAYS IT DOWN, HIS LIFE IS NOT A SACRIFICE. YOU CANNOT SACRIFICE WHAT YOU HATE. When pull came to shove, Peter could not go to the cross with Jesus because he loved his life. Like most Christians, Peter followed Jesus because he loved life. He expected dividends in this life as a result of following Jesus in this life: “Then Peter answered and said to Him, "See, we have left all and followed You. Therefore what shall we have?” (Mt 19:27). Therefore, when Jesus was arrested and it seemed Peter might also be convicted of guilt by association, Peter denied Jesus three times on the trot. He denied Jesus in order to save his life. Thereby, he is back in the devil’s captivity of the love of life and fear of death. But whoever saves his life will lose it. However, everything changed for Peter with the resurrection of Jesus. This transformation did not come as a result of a bogus reason that Peter’s sins were washed away by the precious blood of Jesus. It came because Peter finally understood the message of Jesus which did not make sense to him without the cross. When Jesus rose from the dead, Peter finally realised the meaning of these words of Jesus: “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die” (Jn 11:25-26). Peter finally recognised that a true believer’s life cannot be lost. A true believer never dies. Even if he is killed, he will resurrect from the dead. Therefore Peter no longer feared death. Peter no longer cared to save his life. He lost all his fears. As a result Peter, a coward who had earlier denied Christ, now stood fearlessly before the Sanhedrin, declaring he would rather obey God than men. Luke says: “When they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated and untrained men, they marveled. And they realized that they had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13). THEY HAD BECOME THE LAMBS OF GOD WHO DID LOVE THEIR LIVES UNTO DEATH. That is the reason why Jesus had to die. To bring that understanding to us.

What needs to be saved? Jesus says what needs to be saved is a man’s life. How can a man’s life be saved? Jesus gives a simple prescription that is a kingdom dynamic. He says a man can only save his life by losing it: “Whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Mt 16:25). How can a man lose his life? Jesus says: “Whoever desires to save his life will lose it” (Mt 16:25). If you follow Paul’s vain salvation prescription; answer an altar call and confess with your mouth that Jesus is your Lord and Saviour, YOU ARE NOT SAVED. How can a man save his life? He has to lose his life. Jesus has come to give us life. We cannot receive this life without getting rid of the life we already have. Jesus has come to give us life. The first thing he asks us is to relinquish the life he we have before we can receive the life he has to give. The rich young ruler could not do that. He did not want to lose his life. His life is what men call “the good life.” His life was a rich life by this world’s standards. Therefore, he could not relinquish it in exchange for eternal life. That is why rich men cannot inherit the kingdom of God. In order to do so they have to reject their life. They have to reject their wealth. They will refuse to do so because their wealth is their life. So the only way a rich man can inherit eternal life is by agreeing to become poor. But the poor have a better chance because they have no riches to protect. But often they have been lied to and are therefore mindful of the things of men. They are poor but they want to be rich. They are poor, but they want to gain this life. They are poor, but the hope to be rich in this life. They are poor, but they are lied to that if they give out of their poverty they will get a hundredfold return in this life. Therefore, they also end up trying to save their life and therefore lose it. But the word of Jesus stands sure: “Whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it” (Mt 16:25). Two thieves were crucified with Jesus. One sought to save his life and thereby lost it. He said to Jesus: “Aren't you the Christ? Save yourself and us!" (Lk 23:39). The other, however, was no longer concerned about saving his life, but was now interested in gaining the kingdom of God. He said: “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (Lk 23:42). Because he did not try to save his life, Jesus said to him: “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise” (Lk 23:43). It does not matter whether you agree with Femi Aribisala. It makes no difference whether you like the man. He is not very likeable. He has a big mouth. He is very arrogant. He thinks too much of himself. That is between him and his God. What matters is whether you agree with the message of Jesus Christ. God says concerning Jesus: “This is My beloved Son, listen to Him!” (Mk 9:7). Don’t listen to Femi Aribisala. But PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE, LISTEN TO JESUS.

In Mark 10:39, Jesus said, 'he that loses his life for my sake shall find it'. This is a fundamental part of the chirstian faith. Its about sacrifice. Selflessness. Self denial. Christianity is about putting God first, others second, yourself last. Check out Acts 2:45: 'And they sold their possessions and goods, and parted them to all men, as every man had need. And they, continuing daily with one accord in the temple, and breaking bread from house to house, did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart'. In 2 Cor 8:9 Paul wrote, 'For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich...'. The church of God is meant to be selfless. So, I do not think this is a point anyone should argue about. The issue with Mr Aribisala's writings, however, is that he tends to be selective in the scriptures he believes in and he rejects a good portion of the new testament. Beyond that, he has a purist and combative approach, believing in logic, rather than having absolute faith in God's saving grace and the teachings of the Holy Spirit. The mystries of God can only be revealed by God himself. And we must all realise that as Christians, we owe it to God and to ourselves not to mislead other Christians. It is better to teach others to get close to God, to hear from God, to walk with the Holy Spirit; rather than sending them on a theological journey on how Paul was wrong and how the church has missed it for 2000 years. We cannot rewrite or redefine christianity. Several people have tried and failed. I will state again, that I understand the heart of Mr Aribisala, The Oracle and Dazmillion. I believe they do not seek to destroy. But they just may be doing a lot of damage. They need to humbly recoil into their closets and speak to God about these issues and get God's perspetive. Their logic cannot be used to rationalise God's style. I have been on both sides of these arguements at a time in my life. I have ultimately found that the entire bible is true. I have sort God privately and I have been delivered from these teachings. I urge those who consider themselves as 'babes in Christ' to stay away from all of this. Spend more time in building your relationship with God, rather than soaking up this theological conversations that may end up confusing you and leading you astray. I pray God will shed His light into everyone's heart.

A typographical error in my last post: 'I have SORT God privately and I have been delivered from these teachings'. I mean to write SOUGHT. Sure you guys really got my point though.

@ The Patriot,Jesus the man you claim to serve said we should not swear, not even by heaven (Matthew 5:34). A stranger comes along and establishes his doctrine by swearing before God that his 22 epistles are true (Galatians 1:20). How can you still believe the words of such a man especially when Jesus says that anyone who swears is of Satan (Matthew 5:37). Jesus never had to swear in other to convince us that his words are true; the truth stands on its own. It is because of the sacrificial doctrine of the Apostle of Satan that you and other Christians are unable to understand the simple message of Jesus in the above article of Faith. The greatest sacrifice a man can make is to lay down his life out of Love for God (not suicide). That is the will of the Father that Jesus came down to show us how to accomplish. That is why the words of Jesus are of supreme importance. It is his words that show us how to accomplish that sacrifice. When Jesus spoke to the people again, he said: I am the light of the world; anyone who follows me will not be walking in the dark, but will have the light of life. (John 8:12) It is not a strange doctrine to stick only to the words of Jesus because he is the light that will guide us back to the Father (John 14:6) it is only strange to you because you have spent your time listening to strangers and defending them. You say how does one execute the command of Jesus in (Mt529-30). The command is simple; anything that hinders you in any way from the kingdom of God should be removed. It is not only limited to eyes and hands but to husband, wife and family>>>'Anyone who comes to me without hating father, mother, wife, children, brothers, sisters, yes and his own life too, cannot be my disciple.(Luke 14:26). They constitute your love of life on earth and prevent you from laying down your life. For example, because of your love for your earthly father you are willing to disobey the words of Jesus that you should call no man your father (Matthew 23:9) because Paul loved his earthly life he appealed to Caesar when his life was threatened (Acts 25:11) The road to the Father as presented by Jesus is very narrow road and requires a daily laying down of Life. This narrow road is opposite to the broad road that Paul offers Christians as their Father (1 Corinthians 4:15), a road full of swearing (Galatians 1:20) and lying (Philippians 1:18), a road where Jesus has achieved everything for the Christian which leaves the Christian free to love life to the fullest. That is not the path of a true disciple of Christ. It is only in the words of Jesus that the blueprint for laying down ones life can be found. shalom

I have read the article and also the blog, hey guys whats going on here. The article and the blog are so different in my view. The article seems to be telling us what Jesus says we need to do to be better people so we can enter the Kingdom of the Father. For me that i am battling sin in my life this is a very apt article. on the flip side people on the blog are going on and on about issues that distract from how to be better Christians. People please stick to the article take what you get from it, leave what you dont and pray that God helps you.Let each fight for there salvation.

@Ade. The problem with your wonderful prescription is that it does not lead men to righteousness. If Christ died for our sins, I don’t need to be righteous. My sins have been taken away. I lose the incentive for righteousness. That is why Jesus never preached grace. He never even once mentioned the word. He made salvation completely man’s responsibility. If you are merciful, you will receive mercy. Jesus says: “By your standard of measure it will be measured to you in return” (Lk 6:38). Therefore, salvation is not the work of Jesus. It is the work of men. The kingdom sufferes violence, the violent take it by force. Jesus does not take it for them. Jesus’ assignment is to call men to repentance. If they repent, they are saved from their sins. But the main repentance is the repentance of the sin of the love of life. That is the foundation of all sin. Once we deal with that, we cannot sin. Sorry, laying down one’s life is fundamentally different from your perception of it. It is not merely sacrifice, selflessness and self-denial. You get that in every religion and faith. It is based on the hatred of life. If you started from the hatred of life, you would not end up with sacrifice and self-denial. A man who hates his life does not deny himself of life. He does not deny himself of what he hates. A man who hates his life does not sacrifice his life. How can I hate beans and then you say my not eating it is a sacrifice. If I don’t eat beans it does not come from self-denial. It comes from my hatred of beans. But if I hate beans and I eat beans, then that is a sacrifice. A man does not sacrifice what he hates. JESUS DID NOT SACRIFICE HIS EARTHLY LIFE BECAUSE HE HATED HIS EARTHLY LIFE. Please don’t allow the love of life to obscure you from this important gospel truth. God does not want our sacrifices. He wants us. Jesus is not asking us to sacrifice our life. That is what Bin Laden requires. Jesus is asking us to hate our life: “He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life” (Jn 12:25). Christian doctrine of sacrificial atonement is a deceptive red herring. It is a bankrupt doctrine. In 2000 years, it has not led to righteousness. Christians today are not more righteous than atheists. In many cases, we are worse because of self-righteousness and religious pride. The true word of God cannot be broken: “THOUGH GRACE IS SHOWN TO THE WICKED, THEY DO NOT LEAR RIGHTEOUSNESS; even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil and regard not the majesty of the LORD” (Isa 26:10). @Ade, they will not see the majesty of the Lord. They will not inherit eternal life. Paul’s salvation by grace is one of the greatests deceits in the world. It robs men of life. It ensures that they don’t strive for eternal life because they are told it is a gift and Jesus has done it for us. By faith you are saved, says Paul. Don’t you know, O foolish man, says James to Paul, that faith without works is dead? All that Jesus preaches is salvation by works. Jesus says: “Unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:20). If you lay down you life today, you will not sin today. Jesus’ doctrine is that effective. Righteousness is not imputed or imparted. Righteouness is learnt. God back to the Isaiah quote: “Though grace is shown to the wicked, they do not LEARN RIGHTEOUSNESS.” Jesus does not zap us with righteousness as a result of his completed works on the cross. We learn righteousness as we progressively lay down our lives; as we turn the other cheek; as we refuse to answer back; as we refuse to fight; as we stop lusting after the so-called good things of this life. In short, we learn righteousness by not trying to save our lives.

There is no dispute about the doctrine of selflessness. The dispute is in Mr Aribisala's final comments - "Don’t be deceived by Paul’s vain altar-call confessions (Rm 10:9-10)." 'A little leaven leaventh the whole lump'. When you cast aspertions on Paul, you indirectly (and subtly) cast doubt on most of the new testament and the entire doctrine of the Christian Church which has been from the early days - 2000 years ago! You redefine christianity. It was a subtle clause, which is in line with previous posts here. For those who don't know, that is what all the concern is about. And reading all the debate and concern, would everyone not agree that these 'anti-Paul' teachings are distractive? Would it not be more expedient for Mr Aribisala to focus on issues that edify and build us in the faith? In my view, his article above would have been very good if not for the clause I refer to here. We all do not benefit from vain blabblings and endless geneologies and theories. Let us focus on God and matters that will help us do more of His will. If Mr Aribisala must continue his writings, I urge him to focus on these things without giving it the 'Paul bashing' slant.

Mr Aribisala is now pretending to be Oracle, an action he condemned in the past on this blog. How far can he fall to continue the hypocrisy and ego seeking? Mr Aribisala, please get saved-then the light will come in. The scales will fall and you will understand the gospel of salvation. There is no other route except through the accomplished work on the cross. Self righteousness will not impress God. Salvation is a gift through Christ.

I dont have problem with Aribisal's intellect,but with the interpretation of it.If imay ask,has Aribisala ever heard from God at all,especially on the issues he is talking about?if NO,let him wait and hear from him before commenting about God,his words and HIS followers.The truth is that, ther's only one truth in christianity and that is the holy bible,anything contrary is false and Evil.NEXT should evaluate Aribisal's contributions,its implication and people's reaction to know the NEXT step to take.Let's remember that no one can analyse the words of God(as the yorubas would say,'oro Oluwa edee'), you either take it as it is or reject it.I'm not surprise at some people agreeing with Aribisal, it's simply because that's what they want to hear and not what they should hear.The fact is no one,no matter how brilliant can change God's words,talkelss of God.

What does it mean to have life more abundantly?

@ AB the olodo

Peter Oscar -God bless you for spotting what many still refuse to see here which I have pointed out.It is sad that so many are still chasing shadows when Femi Aribisala has exposed himself as a deceit and people are still blind to see this.Men and brethren let all the arguement stop for Femi Aribisala has exposed himself for the whole world to see at least for those who can see.Read what Femi says at his last posting " @BELOVED NEXT BLOGGERS. I will henceforth limit my contributions on this blog to my articles because a number of the items above bearing my name were not written by me" Has Femi done so .NO!Rather he has decided to come via another identity THE ORACLE-and he has as usual written far more than the article which he posted.Such desperation and deception.Just to show that he Femi Aribisla is RIGHT and others are WRONG-such carnal mindset still caught in the spirit of right/wrong and this is the man who called Paul a liar in one of his earlier postings.The same man who says all other pastors are liars.The same man who says we should live like lambs.A man who cannot keep his word lacks INTEGRITY and this is what Solomon says about integrity: Pro 20:7 The righteous person behaves in integrity; blessed are his children after him. Pro 10:9 The one who conducts himself in integrity will live securely, but the one who behaves perversely will be found out. Pro 19:1 Better is a poor person who walks in his integrity than one who is perverse in his speech and is a fool. Pro 28:6 A poor person who walks in his integrity is better than one who is perverse in his ways even though he is rich. Jesus says in Mat 12:33 “Make a tree good and its fruit will be good, or make a tree bad and its fruit will be bad, for a tree is known by its fruit.Mat 7:20 "So then, you will recognize them by their fruit" Femi quotes Jesus- he wants all to know that it is Jesus' words that matter but he is far from doing what he preaches-such HYPOCRISY!He says men love life that is why they sin they should lay down their lives -yet he collects rent from one of his buildings from a church- in V.I.He has not told them to stop paying rent because he wants to lay down his financial life for others-by every standard I want to assume that he is a rich man ,yet he has not sold everything he has to live an ascetic lifestyle to prove that he belives in what he preaches afterall we should take Jesus' word literally.Femi a.ka. The Oracle the day you choose to live what you preach by selling all your properties to show that you do not love life many will believe you.But unfortunetly 234NEXT might not give you the opportunity to write on this site any more when you are poor because one of the reasons why you have this 234 platform is because of your earthly status and possessions.Which poor man has the opportuniy to be a weekly writer on this site?

The Oracle: In Romans 6:1, Paul writes "6:1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?" Paul also wrote in Philippians 3:13-15, "Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let those of us who are mature think this way, and if in anything you think otherwise, God will reveal that also to you". Lets be frank, Paul never preached that once you voice out 'Jesus is Lord' thats the end. He urged us to stive for holiness and righteousness, always seeking God to help us.

The Oracle: Please consider this other scripture before you say 'Paul’s salvation by grace is one of the greatests deceits in the world' as you wrote above. Paul urges us to focus on the things of the spirit and be dead to flesh, only this way can we pleae God. Romans 8:1-8 (written by Paul) "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God."

WHOSE REPORT DO YOU BELIEVE? Jesus says: “Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Mt 7:21). But Paul says: “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rm 10:9). WHOSE REPORT DO YOU BELIEVE? Jesus warns that not everyone who calls him Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven (Mt 7:21); but Paul says everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved: “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Rm 10:13). WHOSE REPORT DO YOU BELIEVE?

WHOSE REPORT DO YOU BELIEVE? Jesus says true believers will never die: “Whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die” (Jn 11:26). But Paul says believers died with Christ: “We have died with Christ” (Rm 6:8). WHOSE REPORT DO YOU BELIEVE? Jesus says he was a ransom for only some people: “The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many” (Mt 20:28). But Paul says Jesus was a ransom for everybody: “There is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all” (1 Tim 2:6). WHOSE REPORT DO YOU BELIEVE? Jesus says God does not desire sacrifices: “Go and learn what this means: ‘I desire mercy and not sacrifice’” (Mt 9:13). But Paul says God himself sacrificed Jesus for us: “Indeed Christ, our Passover, was sacrificed for us” (1 Cor 5:7). WHOSE REPORT DO YOU BELIEVE? Jesus says eternal life is attained by hearing and believing his words: “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life” (Jn 5:24). But Paul says eternal life is obtained by grace: “Where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rm 5:20-21). WHOSE REPORT DO YOU BELIEVE? Jesus is a man: “Jesus said to them, ‘If you were Abraham's children, you would do the works of Abraham. But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth” (Jn 8:39-40). Jesus resurrected bodily as a man of flesh and blood: “‘Behold My hands and My feet, that it is I Myself. Handle Me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see I have.’ When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His feet. But while they still did not believe for joy, and marveled, He said to them, ‘Have you any food here?’ So they gave Him a piece of a broiled fish and some honeycomb. And He took it and ate in their presence” (Lk 24:39-43). But Paul says flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God: “I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Cor 15:50). WHOSE REPORT DO YOU BELIEVE? Jesus teaches believers how to pray: “Now it came to pass, as He was praying in a certain place, when He ceased, that one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples." So He said to them, "When you pray, say: our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Lk 11:1-2). But Paul says believers don’t know how to pray: “We do not know what we ought to pray for” (Rm 8:26). WHOSE REPORT DO YOU BELIEVE? Jesus says forgiveness of sins comes through repentance: “He told them, ‘This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem’” (Lk 24:46-47). But Paul says forgiveness comes through the blood of Jesus: “In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins” (Col 1:14). WHOSE REPORT DO YOU BELIEVE? Please note that Jesus says: “Repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations” (Lk 24:47). He does not say the washing of sins by his blood will be preached. He does not say sanctification by his blood will be preached. Forgiveness comes through repentance. It does not come through the blood of Jesus. WHOSE REPORT DO YOU BELIEVE?

The Oracle: I will prefer that we focus our discussions and not continue to expand the scope. Lets take one issue at a time. In my comment above, I have addressed the assertion that Paul does not want us to live holy lives and that he says we should just say 'Jesus is Lord' and that is all we need. What do you say to the scriptures I have shown above? Please lets deal with this before going to other issues. Dont worry, God will help us to interprete scripture with scripture. One at a time.

@Ehi Oseivhi, Pete Oscar, you both know who is talking to you.

@Ehi Oseivhi, Pete Oscar. I am sure you know who is talking to you. Solomon says wisdom is profitable for instruction. You people use dirty tricks. At one point, “Ehi” became “Think,” then he became “Ehi” again. And yet, this same “Ehi Oseivhi” sounds very much like a Yoruba man. If you are so sure of your position, you would not use unrighteous methods of impersonation to promote it. Your approach is the approach of Paul, and not of Christ. He said to the Corinthians: “Crafty fellow that I am, I caught you by trickery!” (2 Cor 12:16). You are crafty people and you use all kinds of tricks on this website. But to be fore-warned is to be fore-armed. Jesus says: “Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves. Therefore be wise as serpents and harmless as doves” (Mt 10:16).

@Ade. Romans is the worst book in the entire bible and Romans 8 is among the worst chapters in Romans. It starts by saying there is no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus. Who are those in Christ Jesus? Christians. It then ends by saying nothing will separate Christians from the love of God. These positions are anathema to the doctrine of Jesus. Jesus does not give us such false assurances of salvation. He warns us to the contrary: “I tell you that men will have to give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken. For by your words you will be acquitted, and BY YOUR WORDS YOU WILL BE CONDEMNED” (Mt 12:36-37). Jesus said to his disciples: “Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned” (Lk 6:37). In which case there is condemnation awaiting the Christian who condemns others. Judas was in Christ, but he later betrayed Jesus and was condemned: “Then Judas, His betrayer, SEEING THAT HE HAD BEEN CONDEMNED, was remorseful and brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders” (Mt 27:3). The first shall be last and the last first for many are called and few are chosen. That means many Christians who are called will end up by being condemned: “I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Mt 8:11-12). That’s why we are sharing: so we won’t be among the condemned. And that is why the deception of Paul must be exposed, so we won’t end up weeping and gnashing our teeth. Paul has led billions to condemnation. @Ade, don’t be deceived. No man is free in this lifetime from the possibility of sin and death. In any case, there is no law of the Spirit of life. Neither is there any law of sin and death in the scriptures. These are all Paul’s fabrications. Jesus never mentioned any such laws. What exactly is Paul doing here? Paul is castigating the Law of Moses as the law of sin and death. This is untrue and Jesus would never say that. The law only means death to the lawless and to those who disobey it. Obedience to the law is the wellspring of life. Solomon says: “The commandment is a lamp, and the law a light; reproofs of instruction are the way of life” (Prov 6:23). Jesus maintains that the law gives life: “Behold, one came and said to Him, ‘Good Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?’ So He said to him, ‘Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God. But if you want to enter into life, keep the commandments’” (Mt 19:16-17). So we must not listen to Paul. Finally, Paul says and you quote: “Those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Rm 8:8). That is nonsense. We are all still in the flesh. That is why our bodies will die one day. Paul contradicts himself in the previous chapter by saying: “I know that in me (that is, IN MY FLESH) nothing good dwells” (Rm 7:18). That means he is still in the flesh. Jesus was in the flesh: “THE WORD BECAME FLESH and dwelt among us” (Jn 1:14). Paul speaks from both sides of his mouth. This is what he says about Jesus elsewhere: “And you, who once were alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled IN THE BODY OF HIS FLESH through death” (Col 1:21-22). If you want to confuse a baby Christian, let him read Paul’s epistles. Incidentally, you can say something again and again and thereby convince yourself it is true. Paul did not write two-thirds of the New Testament. The combination of Luke and Acts exceed all Paul’s epistles. The bulk of the New Testament is Mattthew, Mark, Luke and John. In 2008, I preached three times a week for 52 weeks. Every message I preached was about Jesus. There is enough meat in Jesus’ message to last us a lifetime. We can talk about just laying down our lives for the rest of the year. That is what Aribisla’s article is about. But the people on this blog don’t want to talk about it.

@Ade. I am ready to discuss whatever you want to discuss. You are the one who took the discussion in that direction. i would have thought the best thing is to discuss Dr. Aribisala's article: "Why did Jesus have to die?" This blog is supposed to be about his article. But it appears some people want to distract people from the contents of his article.

@Oracle If Jesus says: “Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Mt 7:21). And Paul says: “If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Rm 10:9). What is the contradiction? Can't you see that you cannot simply confess with your mouth and get saved. The use of "and" means the second precondition is to "believe in your heart" and that sounds like "the will of My Father in heaven". I am sure you know John 3:16 says "...whosoever believes in Him will be saved"

I am fully focused on Mr Aribisala's article. Check my comments above. All I am saying is that the principle of dying to self is true. Jesus preached it. Every Christian must fall in line with this. But Mr Aribisala went on to infere that Paul did not preach this. That is why I quoted Paul. When you preach the truth and end it the way Mr Aribisala did (with a pinch to cause refusal of Paul's epistles) you put a doubt in readers' minds about the bible. But Paul was consistent with Jesus' doctrine. The bible is absolutely consistent. I have taken time to confirm this. And we can take it subject by subject. Not in an arguement but in a constructive discussion. Not condemning each other. My concern is that not all Christains are ready for this kind of discussion as some are still battling with the basics and need to cling on to God to stand. There is a time and place for everything. I do not think it is necessary to subject the whole Christian public to thoughts about whether Paul was right or wrong. Fundamentally, it must be the interest of all christians to guard and protect our brethren. We must use the right medium to say the right hings to the right people. Moreso, when the subject is clearly contentious. I have been down this road before and I have prayed, studied and found that this thinking is wrong. This is why I stay on this blog for others to hear my views too and create a balance. I pray God will help us all to guard our hearts and not fall into error.

@Ehi Oseivhi. Femi Aribisala is a sinner. Femi Aribisala is a hypocrite. Femi Aribisala is unrighteous. I know him, even though you dont. So I can say authoritatively that he is quilty, quilty, quilty as charged. I also know he wont try to save his life as a result of your valid accusations. Femi Aribisala is all sorts of terrible things. So please, please, please let no one follow Femi Aribisala. That is why he is no more a pastor. He is a blind man, he cannot lead the blind. Follow Jesus not Femi Aribisala. Jesus is not a sinner. Jesus is not a hypocrite. Jesus is not unrighteous. Can we therefore be focused on Jesus for a change? You seem to have a problem with that as well. That is why you write a whole essay with 28 scriptures, 18 from Paul, and only one from Jesus. And even the single one from Jesus is distorted. You want to fight someone, but nobody seems to be interested in fighting you. Why are you so hot around the collar? Are you the only Christian reader of NEXT? Remember, this is not your column. This column belongs to Femi Aribisala. He can decide what he wants to do with it without having to bother with you. Please apply to NEXT for your own column. I am sure many people are dying to read the Articles of Faioth of Ehi Oseivhi.

The Oracle: THanks for your comments. It is clear to me and most readers that when Paul talks of 'he who walks in the flesh' he was talking figuratively. 'The flesh' means 'carnal self'. It is the same way you talk about 'hating yourself'. Do you agree with this? Because this is what puts Romans 8 into perspetive. I want to believe this is clear to everyone who has read the book of Romans. For the records, when I just got saved, I studied the book of Romans profusely. I found a lot of milk therein. It helped me a lot. I still recommend it to new converts and it does help them. It is a clear and gentle guide of the precepts of God. This is the first time I am hearing anyone say it is confusing or wrong. I am suprised!

The Oracle It is time to add up certain things from Femi Aribisala’s articles. Satan is a terrorist who has kidnapped many men. He has put us in a prison called SIN. While there, all we do is sin against God on a daily systematic basis. How did the devil capture us? He captured us through our love of life. Because we love life, the devil entices us with the lust of our eyes, and the lust of our flesh and the pride of life. He shows us beautiful things and we covet them. So we mortgage our lives as labourers in the devil’s vineyard in order to buy them. Or we steal in order to get them. Or we kill in order to acquire them. The devil creates an international economic system where money is king. Therefore, we seek to make money so that we can omprove our lives. But we never get enough. Therefore, we worship money instead of God. We want power, so that we can control our life and the lives of others. We want positions, so that we can have pride in this life. But the biggest weapon of the devil is his power of death. The devil can kill, and he can get people to kill. Therefore, he imprisons us in sin through our fear of death. We fear death, so we go to Babalawos to make sure we don’t die and that are children and loved ones don’t die. We fear death, so we kill before we are killed. Or we kill, to defend our life. Or we kill, to acquire the resources of others to improve our life. But the man who loves life and fears death cannot love God. God’s kingdom is not of this world. Therefore the man who loves this world cannot love God’s kingdom. You either love one or the other. The reason is also because they are extreme opposites. What is of heaven cannot be of earth. What is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the eyes of God. So we cannot love this life and love God at the same time. We cannot love God and love money at the same time. We can also not love God and fear death. The reason is simple. It is through death that we God back to God. One of God’s many commandments is “Return, O children of men” (Ps 90:3).

And in support of The Oracle's last post, I refer everyone to a quote from Paul's letter to the Romans in Romans 8:8: "For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God". Let us all focus on Godliness and righteousness. Strive to obey everyone of God's commandments and to be more and more like Christ. Let us all pray to God that by his grace and mercy, the Holy Spirit will help us to achieve the rown of eternal life.

I believe Femi Aribisala is the same person masqurading as the oracle. The styles of language are so similar. I dare Aribisala to disprove this.

@Ade. That is the beauty of this wonderful opportunity that NEXT has given us. I also loved Romans initially until my eyes were opened. If you can send me your email address, I will send you an entire manuscript for your edification free of charge. If you cannot, let us look at just one set of scriptures in Romans. Please tell me, is this the word of God? Paul says: “LET EVERY SOUL BE SUBJECT TO THE GOVERNING AUTHORITIES. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. For RULERS ARE NOT A TERROR TO GOOD WORKS, BUT TO EVIL. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil” (Rm 13:1-4). @Ade, is this the word of God? How does it apply to the three Hebrew children? Should they have obeyed the governing authority? How does it apply to Peter before the Sanhedrin? Should he have obeyed them and stopped preaching in the name of Jesus? Were the rulers of the Jews not a terror to Jesus in spite of his good works? Did they not kill him? Why is Paul saying this if it is not because he will later tell you Jesus has given him authority over you so you must do what he says: “Therefore I write these things being absent, lest being present I should use sharpness, according to the authority which the Lord has given me for edification and not for destruction” (2 Cor 13:10).

The Oracle: We agreed to keep to this article and take these issues one at a time. I am very ready to discuss the book of Romans verse by verse. But lets finish this topic first. Are we in agreement that Paul did not say we should forsake holiness? And that he actually encouraged us to strive to be righteous as Jesus Christ instructed? I have tried to show these in the scriptures I refered to.

Who is The Oracle?

@Ade. Forgive me. I don’t know which scriptures you are referring to. But let us talk about Paul and the promotion of righteousness. Paul’s trick is to speak from both sides of the mouth. The totality of Paul’s message is that he ensures that Christians are not righteous. He says righteousness is imputed to us: “Abraham received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also” (Rm 4:11). But if righteousness is imputed, then we don’t have to be righteous. We are said to be righteous even though we are not. Then he says righteousness is imparted to us. When righteousness is imparted, it does not come from us. We are zapped with it. Paul declares that those who are in Christ “wait for the hope of righteousness by faith” (Gal 5:4-5). But what does that mean in practical terms? We are not so much waiting for righteousness, which would be pathetic enough; we are waiting for its “hope.” Thereby, he puts Christians in a holding pattern, waiting for the righteousness of Jesus to be imparted on us. But are we righteous while we are waiting? The fruit is self-evident. In the churches of Paul, “there is none righteous; no not one” (Rm 3:10). The righteousness of Paul is a vain hope. It is something that will happen in the future by and by. He says furthermore: “The earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God” (Rm 8:19). But are we children of God now or shall we be his children at some future date? Unlike Paul, John is unequivocal: “Beloved, now we are children of God” (Jn 3:2). Jesus came to save us from our sins (Mt 1:21). Those sins are not in the future, but in the present. Therefore, we must repent now. When Zacchaeus the tax collector declared a readiness to offer restitution for his ill-gotten gains, Jesus told him he was saved (Lk 19:9-10). Zacchaeus did not have to wait for the hope of righteousness. He took immediate steps and salvation came to him that very instant. Jesus did not come to save what will be lost. He came to save what has already been lost (Mt 18:11). We are lost now. We need to be found immediately. We must walk in righteousness today.

Who is Babs Dodo?

@ Ade: I see that the issue you have with this article is the penultimate paragraph, otherwise it was nice. Great. Now that you are discussing Romans 8, I have read it through again. It is full of babbling. Let’s have a look at some verses of the chapter. [3] “For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: [4] That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.” What can you take out of this? Is the law a person? Is it not people who should obey the law and thereby become righteous? Jesus was not sent in the likeness of sinful flesh. He simply came as a man, with the full compliments. Jesus spoke against sin, but that he “condemned sin in the flesh” is meaningless. [10] “And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness.” This completely confuses the message of Jesus about laying down our life. In the words of Jesus, we are the ones to lay down our lives. But according to vs 10 above, who is responsible for the death of the body because of sin and the spirit being alive because of righteousness? This leads to the conclusion that Paul confuses the messages of Jesus, either deliberately or in ignorance. If we take it as his own theology, one can safely disregard it because it is meaningless and dangerous to anyone who is genuinely interested in following Jesus. This is where you also find that you and I are completely removed from any responsibility of our actions, as Ehi put it with ridiculous exactitude as Paul teaches, in the thesis of justification and sanctification. We know Paul contradicts himself elsewhere. [19] “For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God.” What is this about? What or who is the “creature” he refers to? Paul continued in this line of empty verbosity. [22] For we know that the WHOLE CREATION groaneth and travaileth in pain together until NOW. [23] And not only they, BUT OURSELVES ALSO, WHICH HAVE THE FIRSTFRUITS OF THE SPIRIT, even WE OURSELVES groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.” Are trees, animals and even inanimate objects involved in this groaning? That is an element of Paul’s mysticism. When is the “now” he referred to? Here you see the usual attempt by Paul to direct attention to himself. How is he among the “firstfruits of the spirit”? Who are the second fruits of the spirit? [24] “For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for?” Are Christians saved by hope? It is more appropriate to say Christians hope to be saved, if they follow Jesus’ teachings and endure the consequences of doing so to the end. If this is accurate, you will discover that you cannot talk of confession and believing as a prerequisite for salvation, even if you add other hay on it. Paul’s philosophy is often very puerile. A Nigerian university applicant who has scored a higher mark than the cutoff point for his/her choice course in the UME (before introduction of post UME testing) should have hope of gaining admission. He/she will need to hope to gain the admission because of corruption in the system. In similar situations elsewhere, he/she will need to hope the more because of racism, sheer perversion or system failure. My brother let me stop here. There is no missing part in Jesus’ teaching that needs to be supplied by anyone else. Let’s focus on Jesus. I thank you for seizing the initiative from Ehi, Patriot and Pete.

The Oracle why the steam? Much ado about nothing. After all you are not Femi Aribisala.How much did Femi pay you to do all these postings -you have hijacked Femi's site and Femi might not like that except you are Femi Aribisala. Well 'nuff' said-now listen up Mr The Oracle a.k.a. Femi Aribisala I say again you have lost the moral justification to pontificate on this site.If you have any conscience -you should repent for setting out to deceive readers on this site with your double identity trick.An act which you condemned in others.I know those who behaved the way you done right now in the times of Jesus Christ -They were called THE PHARISEES. Their modus operandi? 'Do as I say not as I do'. Femi Aribisala I really don't care what you write about me -YOU have failed the INTEGRITY test.And when a messenger is discredited the message is also discredited.Period!You are not better than the pastors whom you love to criticize often. You are all the same-it is all about you guys, the so called spiritual leaders in the form of pastor or whatever title you go by and not really about Jesus Christ.Am not going to say that you should stop writing your stuff because the more you write the more you expose yourself and the more others will learn.I will stop here for now with this story so that we all might learn one or two things about the grace of God in Christ Jesus.Ray Pritchard, in his book, An Anchor for the Soul, tells a humorous story which depicts our situation before God. Picture a rich, well-dressed man coming up to Saint Peter at the entrance gate to Heaven. He rings the bell and Peter says, “Yes. Can I help you?” The man says, “I would like entrance into Heaven.” Peter said, “Excellent, we always want more people in Heaven. All you need to enter is to earn 1,000 points.” The man says, “That shouldn’t be any problem. I’ve been a good person all my life. I’ve been involved in civic things; always given money to charitable causes, and for 25 years I was chairman of the YMCA.” Peter writes it all down and says, “That’s a marvelous record. Let me see, that will be one point.” With a look of fear on his face, the man says, “Wait a minute! There’s more. I was married to my wife for 45 years and I was always faithful. We had five children–three boys and two girls. I always loved them and I made sure they got a good education. I took care of them and they all turned out all right. I was a very good family man.” Saint Peter says, “I am very impressed with your life. We don’t get many people like you up here. That will be another point.” The man is really sweating now and starts to shake with fear. He says, “Peter, you don’t seem to understand. I was a member in my church. I went every Sunday. Further, I gave money every time they passed the plate. I was a deacon, sang in the choir, and I even taught Sunday School class.” Saint Peter said, “Your record is certainly admirable. That’ll be another point. Now let me add this up: That’s one, two, three points. I believe we only need 997 more.” Astonished and trembling, the man falls to his knees and in desperation says, “But for the grace of God, nobody could get in there!!” Peter looks at him, smiles and says, “Congratulations! The grace of God is worth 1,000 points.” A lot of people think that the way they are going to have their sins forgiven and get into Heaven is to believe in Jesus and do something! The Bible utterly condemns such thinking: “It is not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy Christ saved us” (Titus 3:5). “By the works of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight” (Romans 3:20). “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved” (Acts 16:31). “For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:40). “Then Jesus said, ‘The work of God is this: to believe in the One He has sent’” (John 6:29). “Therefore, being justified by faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). Ade -good job by the way-keep it up.I salute your patience with this guy.

@ Ehi: I interviewed Dr Aribisala in 2008. He said he resigned from government because he saw that he could not contribute much to the charade. If he had continued, you would be calling him “your excellency” today. Jesus never said you should not collect your rent. His attention is only on what you do with it or what you do to your tenant when he is unable to pay, especially if he begs for your forgiveness/understanding. I thought Dr aribisala should not leave the blog to his column to people who do not know what they are talking about. There are also people who have genuine questions or concerns about what he writes. So he is back. It seems okay by you that some people wrote as Femi Aribisala when they are not the columnist.

I have come to discover that all Aribisala does is to recycle the same messages again and again under different topics thus the responses they will evoke will not be nothing different from comments I have made to his previous write-ups. For the sake of those who may be new to Aribsala's new method of perverting the gospel of our Lord Jesus, I will make the a few comments. That Jesus has taken away believers’ sins does not exempt them from the personal responsibility of walking in holiness. This is the simple truth the Lord Jesus, Paul and other Apostles affirm. Why on earth Aribisala and his disciples persistently attempt to pervert this simple gospel truth is quite alarming. Consider Heb12:14 for instance; “Follow peace with all men, and HOLINESS, without which no man shall see the Lord”. In order words, by believing on Jesus, a person becomes saved instantly and has God’s kind of righteousness imputed to them. Thus the person becomes a new creature in Christ. The person however needs to produce fruits of righteousness that are consistent with their new creation reality. We are saved first and then produce works of salvation rather producing works of salvation first as a requirement for experiencing eternal salvation.

It is rather disheartening when children of God forsake the truth that ours is a sin-sick world in dire need of a Savior and engage in mere academic arguments just to prove the superiority of one reasoning to another. Jesus lived on this same planet and his legacies are here to stay; Paul also left his marks pointing men to Jesus. Perhaps the rest of you will be remembered for the soundness or otherwise of your arguments and the length of articles you post(ed) on 234Next.

Femi, when this stuff started, I thought you were playing some kind of joke. You see, I spent money on the book you published in 2004 after reading the excerpts from the Guarding. I am now perplexed that you have gone down this road that many have taken in the past to their damnation. How can you sincerely profess to be a Christian yet reject some of its books? If you were a Muslim and rejected the Quo ran, would you have been allowed a space in a serious paper like NEXT or even in the mosque to preach? You unwittingly create the impression that God is helpless. Do you really believe that God with all His wisdom, power and mercy will allow so many people except you and your band of followers to miss it? How can an educated man like you be so conceited? You have completely failed to exhibit a single fruit of the spirit on this blog. You cut the picture of one that is very difficult to hold a conversation with. You are likely to be a very difficult person to relate with. We never so learned Christ. I am resolved not to quote a single scripture to you again because you do not believe in the whole Bible. I am saddened that I have lost someone I admired from afar. The thoughts of your heart have been exposed for the whole world to see-and they are not good thoughts. Pride is fatal to your soul. Some men's sins are open for all to see, following them to the seat of judgment...others are exposed at the seat of judgment. I pray that you will return yet. The days of ignorance, God winked at(Here I go again), but now has commanded everyone to repent. The choice is yours. For my brothers, if NEXT permits, I will post some prayer points that we need to pray. The time has come for the God that answers by fire to be God.

Oracle perverted the gospel of Jesus in stating that whereas Paul claimed that merely saying Jesus is Lord is enough to be saved whereas Jesus said not all calling him Lord will be saved. This claim is nothing but a deliberate and satanic perversion of the gospel. Oracle deliberately took Jesus and Paul’s words out of context in order to sustain his heresy. In Rom10:9-10, Paul through the Holy Spirit was laying a foundation for obtaining the gift of eternal salvation obtainable in Christ. He was showing how anybody can receive this gift-it is by believing in one’s heart, the atoning death and resurrection of the Lord Jesus and confessing it. This was the same way people were being saved in Christ even before Paul’s own conversion. Acts 2-5 give an account of how 3000 people and 5000 people respectively were saved in just ONE day after hearing the gospel. These people were saved not over a period of time, not the following day, not in one year but in ONE day. It was an instantaneous and immediate salvation. Therefore Paul stating how people can receive God’s gift of eternal salvation instantly by believing on the Lord Jesus and confessing it is nothing new, strange or different from what Jesus established and what the Apostles practised. In relation to Mt7:21-23 which Oracle deliberately quoted out of context to mislead people, Jesus was painting a picture of judgement that awaits people in eternity. He pointed out that there would be people on that day that will be denied entry into heaven because they were WORKERS OF INIQUITY. This category of people would attempt to justify themselves by claiming they had performed miracles and done noble deeds in the name of Jesus and even calling him Lord. Jesus said he would deny them all because they were living in sin while on earth. This is the fearful judgement of God that Paul and others Apostles laboured day and night to warn believers not to fall into. It is therefore evidently dangerous for Oracle to suddenly wake up and be deliberately perverting this sacred message by claiming Paul was deceiving people with the scriptures.

@Dazmillion, it’s amazing how you persistently the gospel in order to perpetuate your satanic doctrine. How on earth do Paul’s words in Gal1:20 constitute swearing? How on earth do Paul’s word in Phil1:18 translate to lying? In Phil1:18 for instance, all Paul was pointing out was the severe persecutions he encountered occasioned by people preaching the gospel in falsehood in an attempt to get him into more troubles. He went on to state that not withstanding those folks preaching out of a wrong motive or pretext, he was contended that at least the gospel was being preached. This was a powerful declaration coming from a man whose life was sold to the cause of the kingdom just as with the other apostles. I know you deliberately try to discredit Paul and by so doing, discredit the scriptures the Holy Spirit inspired him to write and to give this attempt a semblance of rightness, you hide under the canopy of ‘sticking to only the words of Jesus’. You that claim to hate your life more than Paul did, have you suffered one-hundredth of the sufferings he experienced for the sake of God’s kingdom? Have you ever suffered shipwreck? Being imperils of robbers? Stoned to the point of death? being in numerous fastings and hungers? Accused falsely? Beaten and ridiculed publicly for the sake of Christ? Locked several times in jail? Dazmillion my dear, if you don’t understand what you are talking about you had better keep your mouth shut. The judgement of God is such a terrible thing but I pray that will not be yours or my portion.

Satan trapped Eve using this strategy of the lust of the eyes and the pride of life. He told her the forbidden fruit was forbidden because God did not want Adam and Eve to be like him. But if they ate the fruit, they would be like God: “When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it” (Gen 3:16). From that time, Eve and then Adam became trapped by the devil in the prison of sin. But their son, Abel, did not fall into the same trap. Jesus declares that Abel was a righteous man. He said to his opponents: “That on you may come all the righteous blood shed on the earth, from the blood of RIGHTEOUS ABEL to the blood of Zechariah, son of Berechiah, whom you murdered between the temple and the altar” (Mt 23:35). The prophets of God did not also fall into the devil’s trap and they were not locked up in Satan’s prison of sin. For example, Abraham loved God enough to leave his home and his people to dwell in tents in the wilderness at God’s instruction. But Abraham’s life was his son. Because he loved life and wanted a son, the devil was able to trap him into adultery with his house-help when his wife Sarah was barren. When God finally gave Abraham the life he wanted, a son; he was required to relinquish this life/son by offering him as a sacrifice. Because Abraham did not try to save his life/son, he entered into God’s promise. But because God does not really desire sacrifices, how much more human sacrifices, Abraham was prevented from sacrificing his son. All those Old Testament giants of faith who loved not their lives unto death are now in the kingdom of God. How do we know? Jesus tells us so: “There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth, when you see Abraham and Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets in the kingdom of God, and yourselves thrust out” (Lk 13:28). So Abraham, Isaac and Jacob and all the prophets are in the kingdom of God. THEY GOT THERE WITHOUT THE BLOOD OF THE LAMB. These people got into the kingdom of God without Calvary. They all lost their lives and therefore saved their lives. Jesus says no man gets to the Father except by him. These men did not get to the Father. They got to God. People who got to the kingdom by way of Moses enter as servants of God. That dispensation is over. Now all come to the Father; and no one comes to the Father except through Jesus. People who come to the kingdom by way of Jesus come as sons of God. Jesus’ revelation about the Father who is love, and who does not steal, kill and destroy, is different from Moses revelation about a God who is merciless, and who killed and destroyed. From listening to Jesus’ parables, it is apparent that in the kingdom of God, there is the Father, sons of God, servants of God and angels. Those who came in through the dispensation of the Old Testament came in as servants of God. Those who come in through Jesus’ New Testament come in as sons of God.

In the Old Testament God sent many saviours to try and deliver men from the captivity and bondage of sin and Satan. These include Moses and the prophets. In the New Testament, God sends only one Saviour, Jesus. How will Jesus deliver men from Satan’s captivity? He will not make a sacrifice. Sacrifices are to God. But Satan is the one who has kidnapped men. Jesus will give his life as a ransom to Satan. He will live on earth as a man who hates his life and lays it down. That way he will not be trapped by the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the pride of life. In the temptation in the wilderness, Satan used all these devices against Jesus. He appealed to the possibility of the lust of the eyes and the pride of life in Jesus by showing him all the kingdoms of the world, and offering him to be the ruler if he would just worship him. Many men who love life succumb in this kind of situation when offered much smaller posts, like that of the Managing Director of a Bank, or Governor of a city. But Jesus had no regard for any position in this world, so he would only worship God. Then he appealed again to the pride of life in Jesus. He told him to jump from a high tower so that all men would know that he is indeed the Son of God. But Jesus does not receive honour from men. So he refused to oblige. He also appealed to his lust of the flesh. Knowing he had just gone through a long fast and was very hungry, he told him to turn stones into bread and thereby demonstrate that he is the Son of God. But Jesus knows he is the Son of God and does not have to prove that he is. A woman is a woman. She does not have to prove she is a woman by getting pregnant. She does not have to prove she is a woman by having a boy or a girl. If she is a woman, then she is a woman whether pregnant or barren. Jesus refused to fall into the devil’s trap of the sin of love of life. He told him “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes out of the mouth of God.” The devil left in disaappointment and failure, but he never gives up. His next tactic was to threaten Jesus’ life. He had no interest in killing Jesus. Indeed, he knew he had no power to kill him. All he wanted was for Jesus to try and save his life. Once he did, Jesus’ life would be lost, and he would not have been able to go back to heaven. But Jesus refused to save his life. Therefore, he did not lose his life. God the Father had told Jesus that under no circumstances whatsoever should he try to save his life. He repeated this word that he heard from the Father to his disciples and to us: “Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it” (Lk 17:33). That is a great principle that the Father uses to harvest souls for eternal life. Jesus warns: “So will it be in the day when the Son of Man is revealed. In that day, he who is on the housetop, and his goods are in the house, let him not come down to take them away. And likewise the one who is in the field, let him not turn back. Remember Lot's wife. Whoever seeks to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life will preserve it. I tell you, in that night there will be two men in one bed: the one will be taken and the other will be left. Two women will be grinding together: the one will be taken and the other left. Two men will be in the field: the one will be taken and the other left” (Lk 17:30-36). Because Jesus did not fall into the devil’s captivity, his life became a ransom payment for us. His life showed us the way of salvation. His life revealed to us how to overcome Satan and how to overcome the world. Therefore, it can be said that Jesus laid down his life in heaven as a ransom, to come down to earth, to show us how to overcome the enemy. By living this life of victory, he opened our prison doors that we may follow his example and walk as free men. Thereby, Jesus fulfilled his mandate: “The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to preach good tidings to the poor; he has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, TO PROCLAIM LIBERTY TO THE CAPTIVES, AND THE OPENING OF THE PRISON TO THOSE WHO ARE BOUND” (Isa 61:1).

@Femi Aribisala Several issues may not be unaddressed in your posts: (1) if Paul deliberately corrupted doctrine, what was the motivation for this (2) if Paul's doctrine was so different from the other disciples, why was there not more open opposition from them (3) how does Jesus meet the Old Testament criteria for the messiah such as: political and spiritual redemption of the Jewish people and restoring Jerusalem (Isaiah 11:11-12; Jeremiah 23:8; 30:3; Hosea 3:4-5). He will establish a government in Israel that will be the center of all world government, both for Jews and gentiles (Isaiah 2:2-4; 11:10; 42:1). He will rebuild the Temple and re-establish its worship (Jeremiah 33:18). He will restore the religious court system of Israel and establish Jewish law as the law of the land (Jeremiah 33:15).

Femi Aribisala a.k.a.The Oracle-My sincere advice for you right now is that you should take some time off. Take a rest,relax ,go watch a movie-I recommend you go watch 'The Book of Eli' or if that is too worldly for 'ya', go on a retreat in order to hear God speak to you again from the pages of the holy writ.After reading your last two comments I can see that you are realy laboring to convince your readers.You are doing too much -if your message is the truth (although it is far from the truth)it will speak for itself.You are not laying down your life now men.'Cmmon' Men! You gotta to lay down your ego.You are still defending your message with so much passion and bravado but I want you to know that it is not by power nor by might but by the Spirit of the Lord.

Many of Aribisala’s critics are pastors and they are concerned he is bad for business. These pastors are not about the Father’s business. They are using the church as a business to finance their own lifestyles and their own glory. They have turned the Father’s house into a den of thieves. Pastors hustle and sell because they are looking for customers. They market the church because they see the gospel as a product. They measure their success by counting the naira that flow in. If the stream slows down, they modify the product until it is more to the liking of the customer. The customer is always right, even in the Church of God of today. But Jesus says you cannot serve God and mammon. And because the modern evangelical church is clearly in the hot pursuit of mammon, it cannot be serving God. Christ cleansed the Temple because the avaricious had made it into a den of thieves. Pastors have thought to do even better today. They have turned a den of thieves into a temple.

@Oracle a.k.a Aribisala. Reading through your postings which you have laboured so much to write in order to sustain your heresy, it is so easy to easily identify some falsehoods and errors in your interpretation of the Word of God. One thing that is evidently but suprisingly glaring is that you don't even understand what you are attempting to write on! You erroneously claimed that Moses saved people from sin and Satan, what a lie! From where did you read that? One of the 7 books of Aribisala? There are scriptures upon scriptures that present Jesus as saving mankind from sin and Satan but can you present a single scripture showing Moses as a saviour from sin and Satan? Aribisala if you don't understand what you are talking about, is it not better you suspend your blog on Next? You falsely claimed that Jesus' death had no relevance to the lives of the righteous people who lived in the Old Testament yet you couldn't answer the question I have asked you before i.e. why was it that it was after Jesus died and rose that the bodies of many saints who had died before Christ came were able to come out of their graves even though they all died righteous? You persistently laboured to diminish the saving power of the eternal blood of Christ that was shed for man's redemption. Did you not know that it took the blood of Jesus to overcome Satan? Have you ever read a single instance in the Old Testament where any righteous person ever cast out devil? Didn't you know the power to exercise authority over Satan came through Jesus and that everybody that cast out devil in the NT did so using the name of Jesus? Did you know why Jesus was called the saviour and why his purpose was to save people from their sins? Did you how Jesus fulfilled that purpose i.e. saving people from sin. The 3000 people, the 5000 people that became saved and were added to the church in just one day, were they saved gradually? Aribisala does not know or refuses to acknowledge that everybody born through Adam with the exception of Jesus is born a sinner and a fallen man, Abel, Abraham, Moses, David and all. Why did you think it was necessary for God to bring Jesus to the world through the virgin birth? Why did you think it was only Jesus that scriptures testified about as being without sin? Did Aribisala even know that there is a difference between the righteousness associated with complying with the Law and maintaing a good conscience And God' own kind of righteousness obtainable through the faith in the finished redemptive work of Christ? Did Aribisala know that no man was born again before Jesus died, shed his blood and rose? And that because no one was born again, nobody ever spoke with new tongues until after Jesus had been glorified? My painstaking observation of Aribisala and his cult members through their posts in the last couple of weeks reveal one fact: what they don't know and understand FAR EXCEED what they think they know and understand and this is very dangerous!

I am really very angry that Femi Aribisala is allowed to continue preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ on the NEXT website. I thought we had sufficiently put the fear of men in all Christians to ensure that they don’t do this kind of thing. I am so angry, I have not been able to eat my favourite meal for three days. I am so angry, I nearly forgot to collect the offering in church during the mid-week service. That would have been disastrous. So many precious souls would have been denied their blessings. I am so angry; I have told my internet-provider that I will not be renewing my subscription when it expires. I feel very strongly that the big big men of God in Nigeria and around the world should convene an international conference as a matter of great urgency. We need to get together to establish a Christian police force to monitor the gospel that is preached. We should have a world press conference and announce that if any one should preach any gospel other than the prosperity gospel, that person should be accursed. We should state it in no uncertain terms that if any angel from heaven should come and preach any other gospel than the bread and butter gospel we have been preaching and that has been blessing people in the millions and billions with hundredfold returns, that angel should be accursed. Do we need to continue to try to convince men about the truth of our gospel? Definitely we should not. O you great men of the faith. The whole world knows that we are currently in a recession the likes of which we have not seen since the 1930’s. The world also knows that in these hard times one area of business that is still yielding good dividends for all concerned is church business. Are we going to sit still and watch men like Aribisala open the eyes of the blind and spoil this business for us? It is time to act and to act now. Let us meet on the mountain and pray some fire prayers. Let us call on the god that answers curses to answer from heaven. Let us heed the clarion call of our resident pastor on this blog, pastor Pete Oscar, a noble disciple of Jesus of the tithe-collecting church of the living God, to meet and pray and call snow down from heaven. By the time it starts snowing in Lagos, who no know go know. One thing is certain, if we pray the effective fervent prayers of self-righteous men that avail more than little, at the very least Aribisala will be forced to refund the money our pastor Pete paid for his book in 2004.

I had thought we could have an honest discussion about truths of the scriptures. I see 'The Oracle' may not want to do just that. Rather, I can see a continous effort to prove and justify the anti-Paul doctrine of Mr Aribisala. The Oracle: I know you have a bible. Read it please and pray to God to expalin it to you. Everyone should pray for these folks. They need our prayers, not condemnation. God is the author and finisher of our faith. When men insist on pursuing an agenda, even in the face of glaring facts, then we can only leave them in God's hands. The Oracle, Dazmillion and Mr Aribisala: one day, you will remember that some man called Ade warned you about this error you are in. One day. On that day, I pray you call on God to help you find the path home...and he surely will. On this note, I sign off from this discussion. God bless you.

According to Paul, sin is hereditary. We all inherited it from Adam. If Paul is right, then only Adam is guilty. Paul says: “Through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Rm 5:12). But with characteristic inconsistency and lack of fastidiousness, Paul goes on to change the “all men” to “many” men: “By one man's disobedience many were made sinners” (Rm 5:19). Whichever of these statements is the true reflection of Paul’s position; neither is the truth. Sin is not a virus. It is not a malignant disease transmitted from father to son. Indeed, if it were so, all men except Adam would be blameless since they could not but be sinful. It would be grossly unjust to sentence a man to death for something that is hereditary. In any case, John points out correctly that sin is “the transgression of the law” (1 Jn 3:4). Therefore, for a man to be guilty of sin, he has to commit it. He cannot be declared guilty of sin, as Paul declares, just by virtue of being born “a sinner.” Even if he were to have an inborn tendency to sin, he would still not be a sinner until he commits sin. Paul and his disciple pastors are guilty of misrepresenting God. God is not unjust. He does not condemn any man simply as a result of the transgression of Adam. To those who have been paying attention, God has corrected this false doctrine of hereditary sin time and again through his prophets. He says, for example, through Ezekiel: “What do you mean when you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying: 'The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge'? “As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “you shall no longer use this proverb in Israel” (Eze 18:2-3).

@AB. You posted a very important question yesterday. You asked, what it means to live life more abundantly. Jesus says: “one's life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Lk 12:15). If so, then the “abundant life” cannot be about the abundance of things, and God-given prosperity cannot be about material wealth. One of the ways to understand life is by examining death. Wealth never prevented a rich man from dying. The rich die as well as the poor. They may live longer, and have better access to good medical care, but at the end they die like everyone else. Jesus says: “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (Jn 10:10). Were people not alive before he came? What then does he mean by saying that he has come that we may have life. If he came that we might have life, then it means we did not have life before Christ. It therefore becomes imperative to determine precisely the nature of the life Jesus came to give and to find out how best to enjoy it. What kind of life did Jesus himself live? Surely, the author of “abundant life” must have enjoyed that life? If so, how did he enjoy it? Once we ask this question, the contradictions to popular thinking becomes apparent. Jesus did not have many of those things we normally attribute to the good life. He was born in a manger. He grew up a carpenter’s son. He had no formal schooling or education. He had neither chariots nor horses. He had no lands and houses. He did not have a wife. He had no children. When a certain man volunteered to be his disciple, Jesus warned him that they would not be staying at the Sheraton Hotel: “Jesus said to him, ‘Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head” (Mt 8:20). How then is a man to enjoy life? Only by enjoying the life that Jesus came to give. That life is not the life of the body. That life is the spiritual life. It was the spiritual life that was missing; the physical life existed before Christ came. Before Christ, man was spiritually dead. Because of Christ, man can be spiritually alive. What was man dead to? Before Christ, man was alive to man, who is flesh, but dead to God, who is a Spirit. After Christ, man is now able to be alive to God and to the righteousness of God. Seen from this perspective, it becomes apparent why mere physical life is not life. Physical life cannot be life because it always ends in death. Life must surely be spiritual. The life and death that God talks about is spiritual and not physical. God is the ancient of days. He lives forever and can never die. And yet, God is not material or physical. God is a Spirit. Therefore real life must be spiritual. Eternal life is spiritual life and should not be confused with physical life. Adam and Eve had physical life, but were dead spiritually. They died when they sinned, because sin disconnected them from God: the source of life. And yet, they continued to live physically. Adam lived for another seven hundred years after he died, that is after he ate the forbidden fruit. Therefore, the life that he lived was not genuine. What then is life? Life can only mean fellowship with God. Jesus said: “I have come that they might have life and they might have it more abundantly.” What exactly does this mean? It means: “I have come that they might have a relationship with God, and that they might have it abundantly.” Jesus came that we might have a relationship with God to the fullest. He came that we might enter into a new personal and intimate relationship with God. The abundant life is the life that enables us to spend as much time as possible with God. We can have that life now in this lifetime, and then have it even more abundantly in the life to come.

Please leave Aribisala alone. He is the only reason some of us read NEXT, especially after their recent 'Revelation' about Yar'adua's 'vegetable-status life'. He is an intellectual trying to set things straight which were muddled up by the early Christians and their church councils. If you read the history of the making of the Bible, you certainly would learn to accommodate the views and postulations of Aribisala. Much of the Bible as we have it today is the willful product of MAN and his evil genius. That explains why there are so many contradictions and controversies in that Holy Book. Why can't we take an opposing view? Why do we like playing holier than thou? Why do we claim the sole ownership of Jesus and God to the exclusion of others who don't agree with us? Are we still surprised there's so much conflict and tension in the world? Please keep and express your views, and have the humility to allow others to keep and express theirs. The sun shines on us all. The world is big enough to contain us all. Keep thy holiness and self-righteousness to thyself!

@Oracle or is it Dr. Aribisala,I don't think I hav time to argue on all ur points yet but let me point 1 out for now. u said "WHOSE REPORT DO YOU BELIEVE? Jesus says true believers will never die: “Whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die” (Jn 11:26).But Paul says believers died with Christ: “We have died with Christ” (Rm 6:8)". Sorry I'd like to correct u, this is what Paul said: "Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him.(Rom 6:8-9)" Please correct me if I am wrong, Jesus died and rose physically abi? His death and resurrection was for our sins abi? If I am right then from the scriptures above,that is if we want to link them like you did, then it means when Jesus died physically we died with him symbolically, when he rose we rose symbolically.I think that was what Paul was saying there and you didn't get it our misquoted him,deliberately?. Remember the John 11 you were quoting from was about the raising of Lazarus, a believer, from the DEAD.and just before this verse Jesus said: "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies" (John 11:25). I could go on and on about the half quotes, half truths and out of context quotes evident in a lot of your articles and comments. But Bros...I nor get your time. I have a few questions though: Wetin Paul do u sef? are a descendant of Stephen who was stoned to death? Even Stephen has forgiven Paul na.. You be christian? where u dey worship sef? But Christianity sweet o! u too u know say if to say u be muslim somebody for don put Ransom for ya head sinnncccce.

@TM. Paul’s crucifixion with Christ has ostensibly significant implications. It means whatever Paul says or does must be regarded as coming directly from Christ. Please note also that in Galatians 2:20, Paul’s concept of being crucified with Christ is not something applicable to the other disciples, or indeed to anybody else. Only Paul and nobody else is crucified with Christ. It is the outcome of a personal and exclusive grace that he claims he received of the Lord. If you go back to the scriptures, you will find for example that, according to Paul, Peter is not “crucified with Christ” (Gal 2:11-20). Furthermore, Paul claims he has the mind of Christ: “Who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?" But we have the mind of Christ” (1 Cor 2:16). Please go back to the text and read the entire chapter of 1 Corinthians 2, from verses 1 to 16. There you will find that the “we” endowed with the mind of Christ is not referring to Christians in general, as popularly assumed. It is a royal “we” referring exclusively to the mind of Paul as the mind of Christ. In effect, Paul led himself to believe that he was Christ reincarnated, that he had the mind of Christ, and that his thoughts were the thoughts of Christ. This is quite contrary to what the word of God proclaims. God declares in Isaiah: “My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways," says the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa 55:8-9). What conclusions can we draw from this? If God’s thoughts are not our thoughts, how can mortal Paul have the mind of Christ? This is the same Paul who writes: “What I am doing, I do not understand. For what I will to do, that I do not practice; but what I hate, that I do” (Rm 7:15). Does this sound like someone with the mind of Christ? Certainly, Paul was suffering from great delusions. Paul claims he suffers for believers in the flesh just like Jesus did. Moreover, he claims that Jesus’ suffering for the church was somehow incomplete. It was therefore necessary for him, Paul, to complete and perfect it: “I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church” (Col 1:24). This is beginning to sound like the words of a megalomaniac. How come we have not seen until now that this must be the words of an antichrist? Have you ever heard of the demonic deception known as the “stigmata?” People are said to bleed in their hands and feet; just as Jesus did. This deception was created by Paul who claimed that he had the marks of Christ on his body: “From now on let no one trouble me, for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus” (Gal 6:17). How did Paul get these marks? When did he get them? Why did he get them? Did Jesus say we shall bear his marks on our bodies? No he did not. Paul was simply perverting the gospel, and making it into something akin to some of the occultist pagan religions of the East. He was also trying to show that he had far greater intimacy with Christ than anybody else. But the total effect of this is that, suddenly we discover that Paul gradually and insidiously takes over from Christ. Christ lives in him. He has the mind of Christ. He has the wounds of Christ in his own body. He too ascended up to heaven and came back down to earth: “I know such a man-- whether in the body or out of the body I do not know, God knows- how he was caught up into Paradise and heard inexpressible words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter” (2 Cor 12:3-4). If Paul is allowed to hear these words, why can’t we hear them as well? God is not a respecter of persons. Jesus says: “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops” (Mt 10:27).

Femi, Oracle Aribisala, you are just rambling on and on. It is clear that you want to preach through this medium. The problem is your foundation is so faulty-you just do not understand the basic truths of the faith you profess. You doubt that sin came through one man. Please tell us how sin came into the world. Femi, the word of God is not grievous. If you preach it correctly, people will be blessed. However, you lack the basic truths hence cannot give what you do not have. Your articles generate controversy because of the falsehood you peddle. Contrary to your claim, those in our churches are not hoodwinked-they know when the truth is preached. You are not likely to make much headway with them even if they were to come to this blog. Once they discover that you do not believe in the whole Bible, you will lose credibility. You have been damaged Femi. We have quoted several scriptures to show you that there is no difference between what our Master, the Lord Jesus taught and Paul's epistles that are now part of the canon of scriptures, accepted in the Bible, yet you are unyielding. Even if the Lord were to come down to tell you Himself that there is nothing wrong with the Bible, you will reject it. I am not surprised because you will not be the first. Judas heard the gospel from the Master but we lost him-he was a son of perdition. I keep wondering whether you are on-I pray not. Please, sit down and assess your stand. Ask yourself some questions. First, find out what you want to achieve, be sincere about it. Secondly, ask yourself why the rest of the world is wrong except you and a few band of supporters. Thirdly, find out whether God has ever really spoken to you. Fourthly, ask yourself why it is rational to accept only some portions of the Bible. Femi, what is your prayer life like? How do you study the Bible? Who has discipled you? You see, Paul and Peter submitted their doctrine to be scrutinized by others to see whether what they taught and did were right. Who do you fellowship with? Since you are prone to changing your views as you have just done (Remember 2004), is it possible that you will yet change your views again? You have preached another gospel. Note this; “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed”.

The chameleon has changed again. Now he is the Compatriot. How can a Christian not have the mind of Christ. He lives in us through the Holy Spirit. What is so difficult about that? You do not understand what Paul meant by bearing the mark of Jesus so refrain from commenting on it. Please have you ever read this in your Bible; "Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace:For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city. And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them". The Bible records the Lord endorsing Paul here and goes further to state that he taught the word of God but you say no, he taught error.Who do we believe?

The chameleon has changed again. Now he is the Compatriot. How can a Christian not have the mind of Christ. He lives in us through the Holy Spirit. What is so difficult about that? You do not understand what Paul meant by bearing the mark of Jesus so refrain from commenting on it. Please have you ever read this in your Bible; "Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace:For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city. And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them".(Acts 18:9-11). The Bible records the Lord endorsing Paul here and goes further to state that he taught the word of God but you say no, he taught error.Who do we believe?

WHOSE REPORT DO YOU BELIEVE? Jesus said those who are without sin should be the first to cast stones at a woman caught in adultery: “He raised Himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first” (Jn 8:7). But Paul asked that an adulterous man be cast to Satan and killed: “In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (1 Cor 5:4-5). WHOSE REPORT DO YOU BELIEVE? Jesus says if God is for us, the whole world would be against us: “If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you” (Jn 15:18-19). But Paul says if God is for us, no one would dare to be against us: “What, then, shall we say in response to this? If God is for us, who can be against us?” (Rm 8:31). WHOSE REPORT DO YOU BELIEVE? Jesus says the Father will only give us “good things:” If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!” (Mt 7:11). But Paul says the Father will give us “all things:” “He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” (Rm 8:32). WHOSE REPORT DO YOU BELIEVE? Jesus says only those who do the will of the Father will enter the kingdom of heaven: “Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Mt 7:21). But Paul says it is those who have been predestined to salvation: “He predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will” (Eph 1:5). WHOSE REPORT DO YOU BELIEVE? Jesus says some things are of the devil: “Why do you not understand My speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it” (Jn 8:43-44). But Paul says all things are of God: “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation” (2 Cor 5:18). WHOSE REPORT DO YOU BELIEVE? Jesus says we should not retaliate and offers us no satisfaction for wrongs done to us: “You have heard that it was said, 'An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.' But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also” (Mt 5:38-39). But Paul teaches that revenge will be ours, only that God will be the instrument of that revenge: “Beloved, do not avenge yourselves, but rather give place to wrath; for it is written, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay," says the Lord. Therefore "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him a drink; for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head” (Rm 12:19-20). WHOSE REPORT DO YOU BELIEVE? Jesus says we should beware of the ruling authorities of this world because they will persecute us: “But before all these things, they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons. You will be brought before kings and rulers for My name's sake” (Lk 21:12). But Paul says we should not beware of them because they are not a terror to good works: “For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil” (Rm 13:3-4). WHOSE REPORT DO YOU BELIEVE?

Hello people. Happy New Year to you all, your families, friends, and loved ones. I see nothing much has changed around here. Despite the clear words of Jesus in Matthew 26:27-28, that His ‘BLOOD …was shed for many FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS’, Aribisala a.k.a. The Oracle/The Compatriot and his disciples still refuse to understand that Jesus died/shed his blood as a sacrifice for our sin/spiritual death. According to this article, Jesus died merely to teach us how to hate our lives, and how to lay it down for his sake – I say it’s nonsense. (1) First, I agree completely that as Christians/followers of Christ, we are meant to lay down our lives/live our lives for God. HOWEVER, THIS IS NOT WHY JESUS DIED. JESUS DIED/SHED HIS BLOOD AS A SACRIFICE FOR OUR SIN/SPIRITUAL DEATH. Jesus didn’t die merely to ‘TEACH’ men how to hate their lives, and how to lay it down for his sake. If salvation were that simple, there was no need for Jesus to die to teach that message - God could have simply sent that message though the prophets of old, or used Old Testament examples to teach it to us. To clarify this point further, let’s look at the two examples (Abel and Abraham) used by Aribisala a.k.a. The Oracle. The Oracle writes that, Abel was not trapped ‘by the devil in the prison of sin’ and, ‘Because Abraham did not try to save his life/son, he entered into God’s promise’. This means that Abel and Abraham understood the ‘Aribisala Doctrine of salvation’ by laying down their lives/living their lives for God. So, let’s ask ourselves some questions - if Abel and Abraham (and other Old Testament saints) clearly understood this ‘Aribisala Doctrine of salvation’, why then did Jesus still have to come to die to further teach it to us? Couldn’t God have simply said/written in the Law, ‘Hey, My children, look at the way Abel and Abraham got their salvation by laying down their lives/living their lives for Me – now, use that as a blueprint for your own salvation’? The truth is that the ‘Aribisala Doctrine of salvation’ by laying down our lives/living our lives for God, makes no sense (either spiritually, or logically,) and it has not answered the fundamental question of the article which is, ‘why did Jesus have to die?’ The truth remains that JESUS DIED/SHED HIS BLOOD AS A SACRIFICE FOR OUR SIN/SPIRITUAL DEATH. Jesus didn’t die merely to ‘TEACH’ men how to hate their lives, and how to lay it down for his sake. Jesus came to ‘DO’ something impossible/miraculous i.e. to die as “the Lamb of God” to take away the Sin of the world [John 1:29]. The sin of the world is ‘SPIRITUAL DEATH’ and not ‘the love of life’. Ironically, without being born again (i.e. spiritual death washed off by Jesus’ blood, so that a person can take on eternal life/the nature of God,) there is no way for a person to truly lay down his life/live his life for God. Sadly, this is something which remains hard for Aribisala (a.k.a. The Oracle/The Compatriot) and his acolytes to grasp. If there is anything to take away from some of the comments here, it is this – we have been reminded that Christianity involves laying down our lives/living our lives for God (i.e. no compromises with sin/worldly values, putting all our gifts/resources/abilities to God’s use, etc). However, this should never be mistaken as the reason why Jesus died. I will close in my usual way, ‘A ‘TRUE’ CHRISTIAN/CHILD OF GOD, SHOULD LIVE A RIGHTEOUS, SIN-FREE, LOVE-FILLED LIFE JUST LIKE JESUS CHRIST’. My prayer is that we all think and act on this. Amen.

@TM. There is more. Suddenly, we discover that, like God, Paul too could be in two places at the same time. Paul could transport himself or project himself in the spiritual realm: “I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed” (1 Cor 5:3). This is nothing short of astral projection. Is it not amazing therefore that such writing is considered to be the word of God. Paul, by these words is claiming to be a spirit being who can monitor the activities of his subordinates even in his absence. Moreover, Paul could transmit all sorts of powers and gifts to people by simply laying his hands on them. Thus he wrote to Timothy: “I remind you to stir up the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands” (2 Tim 1:6). Observe that the gift of God has come into Timothy because of the completed works of Paul. This kind of letter is designed to make Timothy into a disciple of Paul and not a disciple of Christ. Paul is telling Timothy: believe in me. But we must only believe in Jesus Christ. Suddenly, Paul starts to arrogate to himself even the role of God the Father. Jesus had said to his Disciples: “Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. (Mt 23:9). But as usual, being either ignorant or contemptuous of the words of Christ, Paul readily violates this injunction. He writes to Philemon that he is the spiritual father of Onesimus: “I appeal to you for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten while in my chains” (Phil 1:10). Can you see that? Onesimus is begotten of Paul. John notes that the sons of God are begotten of the Father: “As many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (Jn 1:12-13). But this must be another new revelation for we suddenly discover that some sons of God are begotten by Paul: “Though you might have ten thousand instructors in Christ, yet you do not have many fathers; for in Christ Jesus I have begotten you through the gospel” (1 Cor 4:15). Note that all other teachers are instructors, but there is only one father: Paul. Indeed, Paul says they can have only one father and that is him. Jesus said: “If I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all peoples to Myself." (Jn 12:32). In these letters, Paul is not even hiding it. Or if he is hiding it, he is doing it very badly. Paul is lifting up himself and is trying to draw men to himself. And it is quite clear that, in the Christian world, he has succeeded to a remarkable degree. The spirit of Paul in Christianity today has created the situation where, contrary to the instructions of Jesus, many Christians claim that some Pastor or Prophet is their “father in the Lord.” In his growing sense of self-importance, Paul practically told the people in the churches to follow him and not Christ: “I beseech you, be ye followers of me” (1 Cor 4:16). You can see here that Paul is no longer preaching Christ, if he ever was, but is now preaching himself. At other times, Paul insists he is the only one who can interpret Christ to the people. Although he wrote to Timothy acknowledging that: “There is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Tim 2:5). He soon violated this position by presenting himself as the mediator between Christ and men: “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ. I praise you for remembering me in everything and for holding to the teachings, just as I passed them on to you” (1 Cor 11:1-2). He went even further with the Philippians: “The things which you learned and received and heard and saw in me, these do, and the God of peace will be with you” (Php 4:9). What this means is that Paul, no longer Christ, is the example.

guys i admit i was wrong all this time.......Aribisala is correct....i was just ashamed to admit that i too had my reservations about paul"s doctrine......

@Anonymous you are bias.

The strategies Aribisala aka The Oracle (Oracle of Satan?) use in perverting the gospel of our Lord Jesus include: 1.Quoting scriptures without due recourse to the context in which it was written 2.Advocating a literal interpretation of the Word of God without recourse to other relevant scriptures to get the whole picture on any particular subject. 3.Attacking perceived and evident flaws in the Church and the practices of her ministers to create in people's mind a sense of exoneration for himself and enhance the acceptance of his messages. 4.Pointing out perceived differences btw the words of Jesus and others, particularly the Apostles and labelling them as contradictory and unsafe where the issue is a simple lack of spiritual understanding on his part. 5.Discrediting Apostle Paul by labelling him as the antichrist by wrongly interpreting scriptures that warn the church on the dangers of false ministers claiming they warn the church about Paul even where there is no single reference to Paul in the scripture and where Paul had not even been converted or even born. Aribisala claims that some of Jacob’s prophecies to his 12 sons in Gen49 were about Paul! 6.By discrediting Paul, effectively discrediting 2/3rd of the New Testament scriptures advocating that believers should reject them as a basis of understanding and enhancing their faith-walk with God. 7.Admonishing people to 'stick to only Jesus' words' even where scriptural evidences establish the New Testament Church walked in the Apostles'doctrine, not Jesus'doctrine, the Apostles having been authorized by Jesus himself to do so. 8.Hiding under the canopy of 'in the mouth of 2 or 3 witnesses shall every word be established' to advocate that unless a verse of the scripture is repeated by another writer, it should be rejected, not knowing that the admonition to establish every word does not apply to the words of scriptures but as a way of establishing issues that may be in dispute by men. Or where else is it written in scriptures apart from Gen1:14-19 that it was on the 4th day that God made 2 great lights to rule the earth? Now does the fact that this was not repeated elsewhere in Scriptures connote that that account was false? 9. Persistently claiming to have the supreme knowledge of determining which words were originally spoken by Jesus and others in the Bible and those words that have been inserted into the original statements. 10.Selectively determining which words of the Bible are inspired by the Holy Spirit and which words were inspired by Satan thereby having a sole prerogative to determining which part of the Bible to reject and those to accept. 11. Persistently attempting to diminish the power of the eternal blood of Jesus Christ and its significance in obtaining eternal redemption for mankind, claiming through dubious interpretation of the Word of God that the death of Jesus Christ-the very reason why He came to the world, was insignificant! Having studied Aribisala's messages in the last couple of weeks, it hasn't been difficult for me to arrive at these objective evaluations of his doctrine, making it self-evident that this guy IS SIMPLY IN ERROR and making him liable to being used by Satan to deceive and enslave others through his false doctrine. I dare Aribisala to prove me wrong on my evaluations of his doctrine.

@TM. The bible records that the Word (Jesus) became flesh and lived among us. Unfortunately for Paul, he did not know this flesh and blood Jesus. Therefore, Paul sought to create a spiritual Jesus: "From now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer" (2 Cor 5:16). By Paul's own account, this "spiritual" Jesus was only known to Paul and was unknown to all of the older Disciples including Peter, James and John. Because of a deep-seated inferiority complex vis-à-vis the more seasoned Disciples, Paul was at pains to make up and build up his curriculum vitae as he went along. This resulted in a number of contradictions. On the one hand, Paul says boasting is excluded from the Christian by the "law of faith" (whatever that means): "Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? Of works? No, but by the law of faith" (Rm 3:27). Then he proceeds to boast: "As the truth of Christ is in me, no one shall stop me from this boasting in the regions of Achaia" (2 Cor 11:10). Then he cautioned himself because he is not supposed to save his life by boasting; and then boasted some more: "I have become a fool in boasting; you have compelled me. For I ought to have been commended by you; for in nothing was I behind the most eminent apostles, though I am nothing" (2 Cor 12:11). On the one hand, Paul says it is unwise to compare oneself with others: "We dare not class ourselves or compare ourselves with those who commend themselves. But they, measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise" (2 Cor 10:12). On the other hand, he was always comparing himself with the more seasoned disciples: "Are they Hebrews? So am I. Are they Israelites? So am I. Are they the seed of Abraham? So am I. Are they ministers of Christ?-- I speak as a fool-- I am more: in labors more abundant, in stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often" (2 Cor 11:22-23). Therefore, by his own account, Paul prays more, teaches more, speaks more in tongues (1 Cor 14:18), labours more (1 Cor 15:10) and suffers more than everybody else. Some people have taken this grandstanding as truth. In this struggle for supremacy with the real apostles, Paul went on to make some shocking declarations in his epistles that most Christians have been blinded from seeing. Let us go through some of these fallacies. Paul claimed that at as a result of his experience at Damascus Road, he suddenly discovered that he was Christ. Don't take my word for it; the self-proclaimed divinity of Paul is evident in such writings as this: "When it pleased God, who separated me from my mother's womb and called me through His grace, to reveal His Son in me, that I might preach Him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately confer with flesh and blood" (Gal 1:15-16). Observe that Christ was revealed "in Paul" and not "to Paul." Paul became, in effect, the reincarnation of Christ. The other disciples did not experience such a mystical union. In fact, they could not have, because Paul's position was that this set him apart from them and put him on a much higher level of wisdom and spiritual understanding. As a result of this distinction, Paul insisted that the life he was living was exactly the life of Christ: "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Gal 2:20). It needs to be pointed out here that this concept of being "crucified with Christ" does not originate from the doctrines of Christ but from the delusions of Paul. At no time does Jesus say, directly or indirectly, that his Disciples would be crucified with him.

According to Paul, sin is hereditary. We all inherited it from Adam. If Paul is right, then only Adam is guilty. Paul says: “Through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned” (Rm 5:12). But with characteristic inconsistency and lack of fastidiousness, Paul goes on to change the “all men” to “many” men: “By one man's disobedience many were made sinners” (Rm 5:19). Whichever of these statements is the true reflection of Paul’s position; neither is the truth. Sin is not a virus. It is not a malignant disease transmitted from father to son. Indeed, if it were so, all men except Adam would be blameless since they could not but be sinful. It would be grossly unjust to sentence a man to death for something that is hereditary. In any case, John points out correctly that sin is “the transgression of the law” (1 Jn 3:4). Therefore, for a man to be guilty of sin, he has to commit it. He cannot be declared guilty of sin, as Paul declares, just by virtue of being born “a sinner.” Even if he were to have an inborn tendency to sin, he would still not be a sinner until he commits sin. Paul and his disciple pastors are guilty of misrepresenting God. God is not unjust. He does not condemn any man simply as a result of the transgression of Adam. To those who have been paying attention, God has corrected this false doctrine of hereditary sin time and again through his prophets. He says, for example, through Ezekiel: “What do you mean when you use this proverb concerning the land of Israel, saying: 'The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge'? “As I live,” says the Lord GOD, “you shall no longer use this proverb in Israel” (Eze 18:2-3).

Paul says: “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God” (Rm 13:1). Here Paul presents his infamous doctrine of the divine right of kings. Paul’s position is contrary to that of Jesus, which is radical and anti-establishment. Nowhere in scripture is Jesus ever seen on the side of the establishment. But here we have Paul, ostensibly a Jewish Christian, presenting a doctrine of primary benefit to the Roman government, who were then oppressing the Jews. The governing authorities are not established by God but by the devil, who is the ruler and prince of this world (Jn 14:30). The devil offered to give Jesus authority over the world because he is the ruler of this world: “Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him, "All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours” (Lk 4:5-7). If, according to Jesus, the prince of this world is the devil (Jn 14:30), then it cannot be expected that earthly kings and rulers will do the will of God. Paul compounded his falsehood by saying: “Rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. For he is God's minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God's minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil” (Rm 13:3-4). This is so obviously false, it is ludicrous. Was Hitler only a terror to evil people? No. He killed millions of innocent Jews. Was Stalin or Saddam Hussein only a terror to evil people? No. They were terrors to both the good and the evil. Human experience shows that this so-called scripture is asinine. Should Shadrach, Meschach and Abednego have obeyed Nebuchadnezzar and bowed down to his golden idol? The answer is emphatically “No.” When confronted in Acts, the true disciples of Jesus did not submit to the authority of men when commanded not to teach in the name of Jesus. They replied: “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). Paul says God’s ministers don’t bear the sword in vain. But according to Jesus, God’s ministers don’t bear arms at all (Mt 26:52). God’s ministers don’t even fight (Jn 18:36). Neither do they kill. God’s ministers love even their enemies. In contravention of Jesus’ teachings, this so-called scripture of Paul’s has provided the basis for the support of Christians for killings and wars, including Christian support of Hitler’s Germany, and Christian support for George Bush’s wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The challenge of Christian life is in laying down our life. Jesus lived a sinless life not because he was sanctified and justified, but because he hated his life and laid it down. Does Jesus require Christians to lay down their lives as well, or is it something he does alone on behalf of all men? Jesus requires Christians to lay down their lives. If we had followed his instructions, the church would have long prevailed over sin, instead of the sin-filed churches we have now. Jesus says he gives (present continuous) his life as a ransom. But he does not limit the giving of his life as a ransom to himself. He says all Christians should give their lives as a ransom. Let us put this in the context of his speech: “Jesus called them to Himself and said, ‘You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are great exercise authority over them. YET IT SHALL NOT BE SO AMONG YOU; but whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant. And WHOEVER DESIRES TO BE FIRST AMONG YOU, LET HIM BE YOUR SLAVE- JUST AS THE SON OF MAN DID NOT COME TO BE SERVED, BUT TO SERVE, AND TO GIVE HIS LIFE A RANSOM FOR MANY” (Mt 20:25-28). We can see here that Jesus is asking his disciples not to lord it over others and not to exercise authority over others but to serve others. That is the reason why pastors are not likely to highlight this scripture because they persist in violating it. They lord it over the members of their churches. They exercise authority over others. But such authority is not given by Christ. Jesus says we should be servants, just as he is a servant. He says we should give our lives as a ransom for many, just as he gave his life as a ransom for many. The man who gives his life as a ransom for many lays down his life. Strictly speaking, Jesus is not referring to matyrdom here. Neither is he referring to the cross. He is talking about serving men and not expecting men to serve us.

It is important for us to study how Jesus lived his life so that we can emulate the pattern that he laid. The way and manner he lived and the lifestyle he endorsed is consistent with his mandate of laying down life. How can we lay down our life? In the first instance, we should have no regard for this life. We should not see this life as something to be gained. We should see it as something to be lost. The man who wants to gain heaven should not waste time competing for this world. If we have no regard for this world, we lose all our ambitions for this life. God’s providence can put us anywhere, but we must not strive to gain positions or advantages in this world. We should have no interest in making money or getting rich. We must also not seek public renown. We must be God-seekers.

Aribisala’s critics should read this scripture and meditate on it. He said, "Go, and tell this people: 'Keep on hearing, but do not understand; keep on seeing, but do not perceive.' "Make the heart of this people dull, and their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and return and be healed." Then I said, "Lord, how long?" And He answered: "Until the cities are laid waste and without inhabitant, the houses are without a man, the land is utterly desolate” (Isa 6:9-11).

Have you ever wondered why there are so many prophecies in the bible that indicate that Christians will not inherit the kingdom of God? Listen to this one by Jesus and then ask yourself if it is quoted out of context. Jesus says: “I say to you that many will come from east and west, and sit down with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob in the kingdom of heaven. But the sons of the kingdom will be cast out into outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Mt 8:11-12). Do you realise that the sons of the kingdom today are Christians? Yet Jesus says they shall be cast into outer darkness. He says they shall weep and gnash their teeth. Could it be that the reason behind this is that they have been taught to believe lies? Yes, says Jesus. They have built their houses on the sandy soil of Paul and those false prophets. Listen again to the wordsof Jesus: “Whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock. Now everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall” (Mt 7:24-27).

Whose report do you believe? This is Jesus’ explanation of his own crucifixion and he says nothing about being a sacrifice for sins. “There was a certain landowner who planted a vineyard and set a hedge around it, dug a winepress in it and built a tower. And he leased it to vinedressers and went into a far country. Now when vintage-time drew near, he sent his servants to the vinedressers, that they might receive its fruit. And the vinedressers took his servants, beat one, killed one, and stoned another. Again he sent other servants, more than the first, and they did likewise to them. Then last of all he sent his son to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.' But when the vinedressers saw the son, they said among themselves, 'This is the heir. Come, let us kill him and seize his inheritance.' So they took him and cast him out of the vineyard and killed him” (Mt 21:33-39). Jesus says Jesus, the son of God, the landowner, was killed by the vine-dressers (the pastors and bishops) in the bid to take over the landowner’s vineyard (the church). There is nothing here about the bogus traditional Christian doctrine of the Father sacrificing the son as atonement for sins. Whose report have you believed?

Jesus redefined death. Man talks of day and then night. God talks of night and then day. Man talks of life and then death. God talks of death and then life. According to Jesus, a man does not pass from life to death. A man passes from death to life: "We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death" (1 Jn 3:14). Death as gateway to glory: "Jesus answered them, saying, "The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor" (Jn 12:23-26). Can I love my life a little bit? No such luck. He who loves his life will lose it. It does not say only he who loves his life just a little bit will keep it. Jesus then goes further to avoid any misunderstanding: "He who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life." Jesus then made himself an example of hatred of life by laying down his life at the cross. To make sure we know that he was not crucified against his will, he told his Disciples repeatedly beforehand that he would be arrested and crucified: "Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father." (Jn 10:17-18). Thus, Jesus went to the cross as the Good Shepherd, so that we might follow suit.

@The Patriot, >>>I swear before God that what I have written is the truth. (Galatians 1:20)>>>I must admit that I am not a university graduate so my English is not the best. But when you wrote -- how on earth does Paul’s words in Gal1:20 constitute swearing-- I had to read the verse again to double check. I even had to ask my 6yr old niece to read the verse back to me in order to be absolutely sure that Paul was swearing. She ended up asking if it was right to swear to God as her friends at school say ‘I swear to God’. I had to explain to her that Lord Jesus told us not to swear at all and that the man found swearing in the bible was wrong to swear before God. The Patriot, I believe your ability to read and write are excellent considering your posts on this blog. What I don’t understand is how you reading skills always seem to fail you whenever it concerns the meaning of Paul’s words that are contrary to your Christian ideology. Paul in order to convince us he is telling the truth concerning his teachings always swears contrary to the teachings of Jesus. But I say this to you; do not swear at all, either by heaven, since that is God's throne; or by earth, since that is his footstool; or by Jerusalem, since that is the city of the great King. (Matthew 5:34-35). This is what Jesus taught his disciples during his sermon on the mount and don’t tell me Jesus did not mean it. Paul naturally loves to swear. He has no idea about the Sermon on the Mount; if he did he would have known that Jesus taught his disciples not to swear. Paul points out to his disciples that it is only by swearing that the truth is established>>>Human beings, of course, swear an oath by something greater than themselves, and between them, confirmation by an oath puts an end to all dispute. (Hebrews 6:16) Paul leaves no one in doubt that for him the truth is established only by swearing hence the need for him to swear>>>And so on this very day I swear that my conscience is clear as far as all of you are concerned, (Acts 20:26)>>>I swear by the pride that I take in you, in Christ Jesus our Lord, that I face death every day. (1 Corinthians 15:31) This is contrary to the teaching of Apostle James (James 5:12) who was present at the Sermon on the Mount. Because of the example of Paul, Christians go to court and place their right hand on the bible and swear to tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help me God. If it were the Holy Spirit that gave Paul his revelations, He would have revealed to Paul that he should not swear. Is the God Paul was swearing by the Father of Jesus, who according to Jesus doesn’t accept swearing or oaths. The Patriot please be man enough to admit that your master is clearly in the wrong. I never claimed to hate my life more than Paul; I am just a baby disciple learning gently at the feet of my master Jesus. I believe you know how brutish life is in Nigeria on a daily bases so the sufferings of Paul is a minor issue. But shouldn’t you be worried about a man that constantly boosts about his sufferings in Christ. Why is Paul trumpeting his sufferings before us? This is not how a disciple behaves and according to Jesus he has already lost his reward>>> 'Be careful not to parade your uprightness in public to attract attention; otherwise you will lose all reward from your Father in heaven. (Matthew 6:1) Paul has attracted your attention by his claims of a suffering upright disciple; your admiration of his suffering on this blog is his reward. Jesus said those who worship God must worship Him in secret (John 4:24) which means that our acts of worship must be keep well beyond human sight. You ask if I have ever suffered a ship wreck, I must admit I have never been in a sinking ship. Paul suffered ship wreck not because he was on his way to Rome to preach the gospel but because he appealed to Caesar to save his life (Acts 25:11). The Patriot, why are you being economical with the truth? The man who you quote his teachings is a wicked man that hands over his brethrens to Satan.>>>I mean men like Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan so that they may learn not to be blasphemous. (1 Timothy 1:20). I wonder if Pastor PETE OSCAR were handing over erring members of his congregation to Satan whether people will still be going to his church. Shalom.

Jesus came to the world to witness to the truth. Therefore, he could not relinquish his life until his mission was completed. From childhood, it was clear that where he wanted to be was in his father’s house. He loved the company of the Father. He was always in communion and prayer with the Father. When he seemed to get lost after the Passover feast at the age of twelve, his parents looked for him anxiously for three days. When they finally found him in the temple, he asked them why they were looking for him. “Don’t you know that I must be in my Father’s house?” The devil offered him all the glories of the world. He rejected them. The devil asked him to jump down from the pinnacle of the temple to demonstrate that he is the Son of God. Thereby, he would have earned a name for himself. He refused it. The people wanted to make him an earthly king. But he ran up the mountain to escape from them. Peter asked him to save his life. He told him: get thee behind me Satan. When the time came, he offered up is life, eager to return to his Father’s house. His love of the Father and his hatred of life in this world was his key to eternal life. If Jesus himself had ended up loving this life; if he had been seduced by the glories of this life; he would have lost the glory he had with the Father. He would have lost his eternal life. What will you choose? Gratification now or gratification later. Consolation now or consolation later. Reward now or reward later. In the world, we say a bird in hand is worth two in the bush. But in the kingdom of God, a bird in heaven is worth billions in hand.

Jesus says: “He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life” (Jn 12:25). This does not say some who love their life. It does not say most of those who love their life. It says he who. It means all those who love their life will lose it. Which life is Jesus talking about? He is talking about the life in this world. The life in this world is then juxtaposed to eternal life. Pastors urge Christians to commit their lives to Jesus but not to hate their lives. But if you love life, you hate God. Therefore to repent of sin is to repent of the love of life.

@Femi Aribisala, others Answer the question of WHY? What was the motive for Paul?

@Dazmillion. God bless you for always standing up for the truth. Only a blind man would read Paul’s epistles and then say he does not swear. Paul was a man who was always economical with the truth. Because our brothers have been blinded to his lies, we owe it to them to expose them. Paul's history fits that presented about the devil by Jesus: "You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it" (Jn 8:44). Paul was murderer of Christians from the beginning. There is no truth in him. He was an inveterate liar. He exposes himself through such statements as this one: "For if the truth of God has increased through my lie to His glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner? And why not say, "Let us do evil that good may come"?-- as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just" (Rm 3:7-8). This so-called scripture attests to the fact that even in the days of Paul, many were already calling him a liar. He claims they were slandering him, but they were not as we shall see. The faithful believers could see that Paul had little or no regard for the truth of the gospel. He himself attested to this inadvertently through his own writings: "What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is preached; and in this I rejoice, yes, and will rejoice" (Php 1:18). One need hardly say here that Jesus Christ would not have his gospel preached at discretion: in pretence or in truth. This is the position of man who is lawless, and who came up with a doctrine that says: "all things are lawful unto me" (1 Cor 6:12). Christ would never agree that all things are lawful.

@Dazmillion. Equally suspect is Paul’s background. Paul claimed to be a Jew from the Benjamin stock. But the evidence suggests that he was actually a Gentile who was pretending to be a Jew. This comes out in part from his writings: “To the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the law, as under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without law, as without law (not being without law toward God, but under law toward Christ), that I might win those who are without law; to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some” (1 Cor 9:20-22). What we have here are the principles of a 419 man. They are the principles of a chameleon and a hypocrite. They do not in any way conform to the principles of Jesus Christ. @Dazmillion, how can a Jew say that he acts like a Jew to the Jew? Only a non-Jew would say that. Look ar another writing of Paul: “Christ has redeemed US from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree"), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that WE might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith” (Gal 3:13-14). Paul uses “us” and “we” in these verses, but he is talking about Gentiles. That suggests the writer of these verses is a Gentile. But wait for the clincher. Paul, a so-called Jew, supplies the “scripture” that was used by Hitler and his gang to kill six million Jews. How is that possible? This is what Paul says: “For you, brothers, became imitators of God's churches in Judea, which are in Christ Jesus: You suffered from your own countrymen the same things those churches suffered from the Jews, who killed the Lord Jesus and the prophets and also drove us out. They displease God and are hostile to all men in their effort to keep us from speaking to the Gentiles so that they may be saved. In this way they always heap up their sins to the limit. The wrath of God has come upon them at last” (1 Thes 2:14-16). These verses reek of anti-semitism from first to last. It is full of hatred for the Jews. Observe what Paul says. The Jews killed Jesus. They always displease God. They are hostile to all men. God has punished them.

@TM. What is the motive of false prophets? What is the motive of all these prosperity pastors that we see all around us? Power and money, nothing more nothing less. But there is even a more sinister one. Paul was working for Satan, whether he realised it or not. Who is the Babalawo working for? What is his motive? Who are Nigerian politicians working for? What are their motives? Love of Life. They are servants of mammon. Their father is the devil, says Jesus.

@The Guru. Without going into detail, the arguments seem more gray than black-and-white. They seem divorced from answering "cui bono" - who benefits from this individual's actions? For example, why would a con man: (1) revive a religious movement that many claim was in decline by change its doctrine (2) endure so many alleged claims of hardship (3) live a relatively long life.

@The Oracle. His writings suggest a life full of strife, hardship, and imprisonment. What indications are there of power and wealth? Assume that these are his motives, being that those with power and wealth often operate in concert with others, then was he acting independently? Because this is absolutely not the case for many in power

Jesus amends the law of Moses concerning divorce in Mark 10:5 and even explains to the Pharisees that Moses presented the law, not according to God but according to the hardness of the heart of men. Jesus also states clearly that the least in the kingdom of God is greater than John the Baptist; who expressed uncertainty about the identity of jesus in luke 7:19 though the Holy Spirit had earlier revealed in luke 3:22; Jesus as the Son of God while He was being baptised by John. If these great men of God could have missed it along the way, do we not think we should pay close attention to the words of Jesus instead of defending a man called Paul that may have missed it as well? It is clear to me that the words of Jesus represent the absolute truth about God and His kingdom. Jesus' words never indicated a washing away of sin by His blood but by forgiveness. Jesus says in Matthew 5:17 that He did not come to destroy the law and the prophets but to fulfill. Implying to me that He would obey the law fully and not commit sin and would teach the gospel completely in order for us to do likewise. Therefore, does His command and example to us, to lay down our lives contradict the law? Certainly not, infact if we lay down our lives we will not sin and would in essence fulfil the law just like Jesus did. On the contrary, does a confession of Jesus as Lord and a belief that He was raised from the dead help to fulfil the law in casuing us not to sin? let us be honest, in answering the questions i have posted above and stop deceiving ourselves. The words of Jesus are clear and we should at least accept them as the truth and try to abide by them instead of defending a christian tradition that is not yielding the fruits of righteousness in our lives.

@TM. You say Paul’s life was full of strife, hardship and imprisonment. That is if you buy his testimonies. Paul tells too many lies that I find I just cannot believe what he says any more. In the mouth of two or three witnesses, everything is established in a court of law. In most cases, Paul is his only witness. In some of his epistles, he talks about himself over one hundred times. He is a one-man campaign organisation. But don’t let that fool you. Jesus explained Paul beforehand. He said: “Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are” (Mt 23:15). That is Paul in a nutshell; and Jesus’ statement should actually provide all the answer you need to your question. You ask why someone would work so hard if their motives are not good. But first you need to acknowledge that people do. The reasons remain the same: love of life. Power, money and sex. Paul put in place an intimidating structure to maintain and sustain his control over the churches. First, he established a network of spies who are always reporting back to him about what is going on. On one occasion, he even inadvertently reveals the identity of one of his spies: “My brothers, some from Chloe's household have informed me that there are quarrels among you. What I mean is this: One of you says, "I follow Paul"; another, "I follow Apollos"; another, "I follow Cephas"; still another, "I follow Christ” (1 Cor 1:11-12). Secondly, Paul uses spiritual witchcraft. He gives the people the impression that he knows what is going on by revelation even when he is not there: “For I indeed, as absent in body but present in spirit, have already judged (as though I were present) him who has so done this deed” (1 Cor 5:3). Thirdly, he uses in some cases the extreme sanction of getting people killed in the name of the gospel: “In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when you are gathered together, along with my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, deliver such a one to Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that his spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus” (1 Cor 5:4-5). Fourthly, Paul is always issuing threats, an approach that is foreign to Jesus: “I hope I won't need to show you when I come how harsh and rough I can be. I don't want to carry out my present plans against some of you who seem to think my deeds and words are merely those of an ordinary man. It is true that I am an ordinary, weak human being, but I don't use human plans and methods to win my battles. I use God's mighty weapons, not those made by men, to knock down the devil's strongholds. These weapons can break down every proud argument against God and every wall that can be built to keep men from finding him. With these weapons I can capture rebels and bring them back to God and change them into men whose hearts' desire is obedience to Christ. I will use these weapons against every rebel who remains after I have first used them on you yourselves and you surrender to Christ. The trouble with you is that you look at me and I seem weak and powerless, but you don't look beneath the surface. Yet if anyone can claim the power and authority of Christ, I certainly can. I may seem to be boasting more than I should about my authority over you-- authority to help you, not to hurt you-- but I shall make good every claim” (2 Cor 10:2-8). “This is why I write these things when I am absent, that when I come I may not have to be harsh in my use of authority-- the authority the Lord gave me for building you up, not for tearing you down” (2 Cor 13:10).

@TM. Paul’s desire for power, authority and absolute control, led the Christian Church to practice excommunication, genocide, imprisonment, and death for unbelievers. Paul says: “Each man's work will become manifest; for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done.... If any man's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through the fire” (1 Cor 2:13-15). The “fire” that Paul lit burned innocents at the stake. They were hanged, strangled, impaled, beheaded, and stoned to death. He misled so many people. Many died, all for the desires of one man: Paul. It is unfortunate that for centuries, the “church” put into practice Paul's tradition of excommunication and the execution of sinners, those who did not fit the measure of the “church.” Hundreds of thousands met an agonizing end as a result of Paul's “gospel.”

@TM. That Paul was a dictator is evident in his writings. He says for example: "I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view than mine; and he who is troubling you will bear his judgment, whoever he is" (Gal 5:10). If his gospel seems wrong, an aberration of his own mind, then it is because: "In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the likeness of God" (2 Cor 4:4). Fifthy, Paul has enforcers. He has a team of people working with him to exercise his power and authority. We can see this from the way he got money out of the Corinthians. First he threatens them. Then he tells them the Macedonnians were better Christians. Then he asks them to contribute money. But then he says it is not a command. Nevertheless, he says by giving the money, they will prove their loyalty and love. "We want you to know, brethren, about the grace of God which has been shown in the churches of Macedo'nia, for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of liberality on their part. For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own free will, begging us earnestly for the favor of taking part in the relief of the saints- and this, not as we expected, but first they gave themselves to the Lord and to us by the will of God. Accordingly we have urged Titus that as he had already made a beginning, he should also complete among you this gracious work. Now as you excel in everything-- in faith, in utterance, in knowledge, in all earnestness, and in your love for us-- see that you excel in this gracious work also. I say this not as a command, but to prove by the earnestness of others that your love also is genuine" (2 Cor 8:1-8). If they are Christ's, then they don't need to prove anything to Paul. To make sure they sent the money, Paul sent a gang of his close supporters to intimidate them: "Accordingly we have urged Titus that as he had already made a beginning, he should also complete among you this gracious work" (2 Cor 8:6). "He not only accepted our appeal, but being himself very earnest he is going to you of his own accord. With him we are sending the brother who is famous among all the churches for his preaching of the gospel; and not only that, but he has been appointed by the churches to travel with us in this gracious work which we are carrying on, for the glory of the Lord and to show our good will. We intend that no one should blame us about this liberal gift which we are administering, for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord's sight but also in the sight of men. And with them we are sending our brother whom we have often tested and found earnest in many matters, but who is now more earnest than ever because of his great confidence in you. As for Titus, he is my partner and fellow worker in your service; and as for our brethren, they are messengers of the churches, the glory of Christ. So give proof, before the churches, of your love and of our boasting about you to these men" (2 Cor 8:17-24). This looks very much like extortion to me. Paul is making sure they would have no choice but to send money. He then tells them he has mighty weapons to capture rebels and bring them to the obedience of Christ: "Being ready to punish all disobedience when your obedience is fulfilled" (2 Cor 10:6).

Whenever Paul says something is written in the scriptures, one needs to double-check to see the context in which it is written and what it means exactly. Very often, it does not mean what Paul claims it means, and it does not support the doctrine he is trying to establish. Let us look at some examples. Paul used an Old Testament scripture as the basis for creating a whole array of ministerial positions in the churches. He presents the authority he has to do this in his letter to the Ephesians: “This is why it says: ‘When he ascended on high, he led captives in his train and gave gifts to men’” (Eph 4:8). However, this scripture is a deliberate misquote and distortion of the original. Observe the difference in the original Psalm: “When you ascended on high, you led captives in your train; you received gifts from men, even from the rebellious-- that you, O LORD God, might dwell there” (Ps 68:18). The Psalmist says men gave gifts to the Lord. Paul says the Lord gave gifts to men. What are the bogus gifts that Paul claims God gave to men? “And He Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ” (Eph 4:11-12). Paul wanted to create posts in the churches, so he twisted a scripture to make it seem that it was the Lord who authorised it. As a result today, there are people who insist that the Lord has called them to be evangelists, pastors or teachers, not knowing that Jesus did not establish these designations under the New Covenant. Indeed, these titles and positions are contrary to the doctrines of Christ. In creating these posts, which have since spawned others such as Popes, Arch-Bishops, and Right-Reverends, Paul reveals that he has the spirit of the Pharisee. Jesus warned against this tendency by mocking the pomposity of the Pharisees: “They love the best places at feasts, the best seats in the synagogues, greetings in the marketplaces, and to be called by men, 'Rabbi, Rabbi.' But you, do not be called 'Rabbi'; for One is your Teacher, the Christ, and you are all brethren” (Mt 23:6-8). So Jesus says we should not be called rabbi or teacher, but Paul goes ahead anyway to establish not only teachers upon teachers, but a whole set of apostles, prophets, evangelists and pastors as well. And to add insult to injury, Paul told Timothy that Jesus called him as the very one he warned us against; a “teacher.” “I was appointed a preacher and an apostle-- I am speaking the truth in Christ and not lying-- a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth” (1 Tim 2:7). “I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles” (2 Tim 1:11). Paul is a liar. Jesus does not appoint teachers. Would you buy a used car from Paul? Don’t buy falsehood from him.

Nowhere did Paul do as much havoc as he did with the issue of women. Let us look here at one of his commandments that have no corroboration in scripture but is peculiar only to Paul in the entire bible: “Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control” (1 Tim 2:11-15). Is this the word of God? No, it is the word of Paul. In the first instance, Paul is not talking about God here at all. He is laying down his own law. Note his words: “I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence.” Who does not permit this? It is Paul. What about God? Does he permit a woman to be in authority over a man? Yes he does: “Now Deborah, a prophetess, the wife of Lapidoth, was judging Israel at that time. And she would sit under the palm tree of Deborah between Ramah and Bethel in the mountains of Ephraim. And the children of Israel came up to her for judgment. Then she sent and called for Barak the son of Abinoam from Kedesh in Naphtali, and said to him, "Has not the LORD God of Israel commanded, 'Go and deploy troops at Mount Tabor; take with you ten thousand men of the sons of Naphtali and of the sons of Zebulun; and against you I will deploy Sisera, the commander of Jabin's army, with his chariots and his multitude at the River Kishon; and I will deliver him into your hand'?" (Judg 4:4-7). Here we have Deborah exercising God-given authority over all Israel. The authority was not given to her husband, Lapidoth, who was still alive. It was given to his wife, Deborah. She exercised this authority over men. Here, we have her sending for men and giving them directives from God. God says: “I am the LORD, I do not change” (Mal 3:6). Therefore, we know that the same God who gave authority over men to Deborah in the Old Testament can give it to them in the New Testament. If the case of Deborah had been a mistake, Jesus would have corrected it. Any alteration must come from Jesus of Nazareth and not from Paul of Tarsus. In any case, Paul did not even claim that he received this new injunction as a revelation from Jesus. What he is presenting here is simply his personal opinion. Paul’s personal opinion might be of some importance to Timothy, after all, according to Paul, he is Timothy’s father. But Paul is not our father, so we don’t have to listen to him.

The word of God cannot be used to denigrate a whole group of people. This is what Paul does to the Cretans in his letter to Titus: “One of them, a prophet of their own, said, ‘Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons.’ This testimony is true. Therefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith, (Tit 1:12-13). Once again, this writing exposes Paul’s limited intelligence. If indeed Cretans are always liars, this statement by one of them must also be false. But Paul says it is true. Thereby, Paul falls into a trap of his own making. Paul says that Epimenides' testimony is true whereas the very testimony shows that Epimenides is, at best, a bigot. Surely this kind of puny logic must be of merely human origin. It is definitely not the mind of Christ but the mind of Paul.

I joined the debate because some of the people on this log should have known better not to start an argument that they cannot win. Everybody knows Paul talks a lot of rubbish. People are just too afraid to say so. Thank God we have some people here who have the courage of their conviction. Thanks everybody for sharing these vital findings with us.

Another ridiculous error in logic can be seen in the book of Romans, where Paul decides to pontificate in the style of the Pharisees but ends up revealing that he could not have been a Pharisee. Paul writes in Romans 7:1-3: <<< Or do you not know, brethren (for I speak to those who know the law), that the law has dominion over a man as long as he lives? For the woman who has a husband is bound by the law to her husband as long as he lives. But if the husband dies, she is released from the law of her husband. So then if, while her husband lives, she marries another man, she will be called an adulteress; but if her husband dies, she is free from that law, so that she is no adulteress, though she has married another man>>> This passage is remarkably muddle-headed. Anyone who says this is inspired writing need to have their head examined. Paul is trying to compare the abrogation of the Law and the advent of the New Testament with a second marriage contracted by a widow. But he is unable to keep clear in his mind who it is that corresponds to the wife and who corresponds to the husband; or even who is supposed to have died; the husband or the wife. It would appear that what he wanted to say is that the wife is the Church; the former husband is the Law, and the new husband is Christ. Paul tells us that a wife is released by the death of her husband to marry a new husband. That would mean that the Church was freed, by the death of the Law, to marry Christ. But instead, in the analogy he presents, it is the wife (the Church) that dies. There is even some play with the idea that the new husband, Christ, has died. The only term in the comparison that is not mentioned as having died is the Law. And yet, it is the Law that needs to die for the analogy to make any sense. On the other hand, there is also present in the passage an entirely different idea: that a person becomes free of legal obligations after his or her own death. Indeed, this seems to be the theme first announced: “that a person is subject to the law so long as he is alive, and no longer.” But the theme of the widow being free to marry after the death of her first husband is quite incompatible with this. Yet Paul confuses the two themes throughout, so much so that at one point he even seems to be talking about a widow and a husband who are free to marry each other and have acceptable children because both widow and new husband are dead. Confusion cannot be worse confounded than this. Thus what we have here is a case of someone trying to construct a legal analogy and failing miserably because of his inability to think in the logical manner one expects of a legal expert. These failures in logic justify us in concluding, at the very least, that when he wrote these lines he was not writing under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, but was simply recording whatever came to his mind. Paul was not particularly intelligent or he would have spotted the fallacies in his arguments even without the aid of the Holy Spirit.

As a preface to his article: “Paul is a Male Chauvinist”, Dr Aribisala counselled that Christians should not be afraid to admit the point of the title. Paul used fear as his weapon as we have seen in the posts above. With regard to the teachings of Jesus, evidences of the apostasy of Paul are overwhelming. Never mind Paul pretended or presumed he was writing about the kingdom of God. Paul was more interested in talking about the death of Jesus than His teachings so that he (Paul) could take the centre stage. He made sure he didn’t appeal to the authority of the words of Jesus, which Jesus himself says will endure when heaven and earth might have passed away. Jesus as a Passover lamb, who has been sacrificed for sins is a cunning ‘scripture’ in this agenda. The mistake many make is that they accept the letters of Paul as complementary to the teachings of Jesus. Now we see that it is a grave mistake. I hope we will take the benefit of the boldness of bloggers who have identified the evil and double-speak that characterised Paul’s letters to free ourselves from his yoke and those of the pastors. The words of Jesus are by far more significant for salvation than his death.

@Solomon,is that really what u read in the epistle of Titus.LOL.Please go back & read that portion again, starting from verse 10.

Jesus said inMt26:28; "For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." Why because, "without shedding of blood is no remission" (Heb9:22). The simple gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

"And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother PAUL also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;As also in ALL his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be UNDERSTOOD, which they that are unlearned and unstable WREST, as they do also the other SCRIPTURES, unto their own DESTRUCTION." (2Pet3:15-16) People, isn't it amazing that scriptures written some 2000 years ago are being FULFILLED in our very eyes today on this blog? Food for thought!

My dear Patriot, these men are on the path to destruction so they will not hear you. I have quoted 2Peter 3:15-16, but it did not make any impact. The strategy Aribisala has adopted now is to recruit many in his fellowship to support him on this blog. If you quote scriptures that destroy their thesis, they simply change the subject or just ignore it. Let me ask Femi aka Oracle, Compatriot etc whether these scriptures were also written by Paul: "And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother PAUL also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in ALL his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable WREST, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction." (2Peter3:15-16), "Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace: For I am with thee, and no man shall set on thee to hurt thee: for I have much people in this city. And he continued there a year and six months, teaching the word of God among them".(Acts 18:9-11). Let me repeat the question; are these scriptures written by Paul? Please answer me Pastor Femi and his flock. Are the above scriptures in your Bible? The Word of God has been fulfilled in our times just like it had done in other generations. The word of God is eternal and true.

It is a trap to focus on finding yet another problem with the writings of this individual. It is akin to getting stuck in the trees without seeing the forest. Also, perhaps it is misguided to attribute the "success" of this individual solely to personal motives (power, money, etc.) considering that the vast majority of successful individuals have patrons. ___ This raises the question of who the patrons could be and what their motivations were. Why would they “revive” a religion that was under attack and on death's door by paganizing/corrupting it?

@Solomon,your anti Paul Hysteria is clouding your ability to read properly.Paul was admonishing Titus to appoint credible leaders who are sound in doctrine in order to silence them of the circumcision who are going about spreading such dangerous messages like ''Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons'’

Paul writes: “Even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed” (Gal 1:8). Paul says here that if anybody preaches a gospel different from his, the person should be cursed. This would seem to indicate that Paul was cursing the older disciples who were preaching a gospel different from him. The question is who is more likely to preach a false gospel: Paul or Peter? Who is more likely to get a lot of revelations from Jesus: Paul or Peter? According to his own witness, Paul would automatically claim that he is the one. In so many of his letters, Paul is often bearing witness of himself. But Jesus says: “If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true. There is another who bears witness of Me, and I know that the witness which He witnesses of Me is true” (Jn 5:31-32). Did God provide anybody else as witness to the revelations that Paul claims he has from God? No. In most cases, there are no other witnesses other than Paul. That is unlike God, for he always uses witnesses to validate his truth. Again Jesus says: “By the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established” (Mt 18:16). Simply put, Paul has precious few witnesses concerning his so-called revelations. But Peter has witnesses. Indeed, Peter has the witness of all witnesses that he is open to revelations from the Lord: “Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven” (Mt 16:17-19). Peter’s witness is the Lord himself. Paul’s witness is Paul. Who are you going to believe? Paul himself inadvertently provides the answer: “It is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends” (2 Cor 10:18). Jesus told the twelve disciples before he went to Calvary: “He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me” (Lk 10:16). But Paul would not listen to the older disciples, claiming he had special revelations. By not listening to them, he rejected Christ.

The cardinal principles of Paul's theology are anathema to Jesus Christ. They are deceptive and are designed to mislead. Already during his lifetime, people were getting concerned that Paul's tendency to twist the scriptures was misleading a lot of people to their ruin and damnation. Although close scrutiny suggests that a reference to Paul in an epistle from Peter is an interpolation, which means it was smuggled in out of context (probably by a disciple of Paul); nevertheless its subject-matter indicates that Paul's letters were increasingly suspect. Paul’s letters were already causing controversies. Such that somebody found it necessary to defend them: “And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation-- as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures” (2 Pet 3:15-16).

According to Paul those under the law are cursed: “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them” (Gal 3:10). But wait a minute: Did God actually give the Law that people might be cursed? Is it actually written that those under the law are cursed? Certainly not! All that Moses says is that those who don’t do what the law requires would be cursed: “'Cursed is the one who does not confirm all the words of this law.' And all the people shall say, 'Amen!'” (Deut 27:26). Deuteronomy actually pronounces blessings on those who are careful to fulfil the commandments of the law: “And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, because you obey the voice of the LORD your God: Blessed shall you be in the city, and blessed shall you be in the country. Blessed shall be the fruit of your body, the produce of your ground and the increase of your herds, the increase of your cattle and the offspring of your flocks. Blessed shall be your basket and your kneading bowl. Blessed shall you be when you come in, and blessed shall you be when you go out” (Deut 28:2-6). Contrary to what Paul says, God gave the Law that the people might be blessed: “Therefore know this day, and consider it in your heart, that the LORD Himself is God in heaven above and on the earth beneath; there is no other. You shall therefore keep His statutes and His commandments which I command you today, that it may go well with you and with your children after you, and that you may prolong your days in the land which the LORD your God is giving you for all time” (Deut 4:39-40).

Another bogus principle of Paul’s theology is our ostensible redemption from the curse of the law by Jesus Christ: “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree")” (Gal 3:13). But if, ab initio, there is no curse of the law, then Christ cannot redeem us from what is non-existent. In any case, Christ cannot redeem Gentiles from the curse of the law, because Gentiles were not under the Law of Moses. More significantly, nowhere in the law is it written that “cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree.” This is entirely of Paul’s fabrication. What does the Law actually say? “If a man has committed a sin deserving of death, and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain overnight on the tree, but you shall surely bury him that day, so that you do not defile the land which the LORD your God is giving you as an inheritance; for he who is hanged is accursed of God” (Deut 21:22-23). This scripture from Deuteronomy is certainly not in agreement with Paul. The scripture does not say: “cursed is everyone who hangs who hangs on a tree.” For a man to be cursed as a result of hanging, he must have committed a sin deserving of death. Those who are innocent and are hanged are definitely not cursed. Now how does this apply to Paul’s position that Jesus has been made a curse for us? Paul’s position is that Jesus was innocent but was hanged because of our sins. Because he was hanged, he became accursed of God. So we have his conclusion: he was made a curse for us that we may enter into blessings. This is nonsense. Jesus was an innocent man, and God is not unrighteous. He would not place a curse on the innocent. The wise man says in the book of Proverbs: “Like a flitting sparrow, like a flying swallow, so a curse without cause shall not alight” (Prov 26:2). David asked his oldest brother: “Is there not a cause?” Our curses, which we insist were non-existent under the law, could not have stuck to Jesus because he was innocent. In any case, we were not under any curse. Not even Adam was cursed. But God cursed the ground for his sake: “Then to Adam He said, "Because you have heeded the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree of which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat of it': "Cursed is the ground for your sake; in toil you shall eat of it all the days of your life. Both thorns and thistles it shall bring forth for you, and you shall eat the herb of the field. In the sweat of your face you shall eat bread till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for dust you are, and to dust you shall return” (Gen 3:17-19). Please note that THIS SITUATION OF OUR HAVING TO EAT THROUGH HARD LABOUR AND OF RETURNING TO DUST WAS NOT REVERSED AS A RESULT OF JESUS GOING TO THE CROSS.

Paul talks a lot of rubbish. This is an example. He says: “The gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable” (Rm 11:29). This is definitely not true. The birthright of Esau was revoked, as was the calling of the House of Eli, the High Priest. Judas was called, but his works led to his condemnation. Jesus says: “Many are called, but few are chosen” (Mt 22:14). If not all the called are chosen, then the calling is revocable. Paul’s writings are not inspired. Paul’s word is not the word of God.

Paul repeats his diatribe against women in another scripture, using new arguments to back his position: “Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church. Or did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached? If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord. But if anyone is ignorant, let him be ignorant” (1 Cor 14:34-38). It is apparent here that Paul’s position has not gone down well with his audience, so he has to try to get the upper hand. So here the man who claims that the law is no longer applicable to Christians now seeks refuge in the law. Paul claims that it is stated in the law that women should keep quiet in the church: “as the law also says.” Paul here he is being deceptive again, for nowhere is it so stated in the law. There is no scripture in the entire Old Testament that states that women should be silent in the synagogue. How can this male chauvinism be the word of God? Why would God give women a mouth and then insist that they cannot speak and only men can speak? In another letter, Paul mistakenly contradicts the position he holds here by acknowledging that women do pray and prophecy in the church (1 Cor. 11:5). And then in a letter to the Galatians, he argues that such classifications as men and women are no longer applicable to those that are in Christ: “As many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal 3:27-29). If we are all one in Christ, why should the women be silent and only the men be allowed to speak.

Is Mark profitable for ministry or not? Let us ask Paul. Apparently he is because Barnabas and Saul took his as their assistant: “And Barnabas and Saul returned from Jerusalem when they had fulfilled their ministry, and they also took with them John whose surname was Mark” (Acts 12:25). But suddenly, Paul insists Mark is an unprofitable servant. Did he also receive this by revelation? “Now Barnabas was determined to take with them John called Mark. But Paul insisted that they should not take with them the one who had departed from them in Pamphylia, and had not gone with them to the work. Then the contention became so sharp that they parted from one another. And so Barnabas took Mark and sailed to Cyprus; but Paul chose Silas and departed, being commended by the brethren to the grace of God. And he went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches” (Acts 15:37-41). But then, just as suddenly, Mark becomes profitable again: “Only Luke is with me. Get Mark and bring him with you, for he is useful to me for ministry” (2 Tim 4:11). Which one is the word of God? Is Mark profitable or is he unprofitable? Paul is a double-minded man. He is unstable in all his ways.

How often does Femi want to keep going round in circle and when is Femi going to exercise some self control and stop this journey of 'spiritual masturbation'that he has embarked upon? One of the tactics of the devil is always to FORCE his view on peopele -giving them no breathing space to think for themselves -the same approach of Femi who keeps writing the same thing over and over again since the inception of this article.Any discerning mind out there by now should have noticed this is not of God but from hell.It is hell that operates like this.The Spirit of God is not this agrressive and manipulative.Even when Adam and Eve sinned against God -God still gave them a chance to defend themselves,He asked 'where are you ?'.When they told Him they were naked He asked 'what is this that you have done? even when He knew what they had done.Over 156 comments have been made on this site thus far and probably about half if not more were done by FEMI under all kind of names.Jesus says the gentiles heap up empty phares for they think they shall be heard because of their MANY WORDS.

It is apparent that Paul’s many critics during his lifetime accused him of distorting the scriptures, so much so that he often found it necessary to respond to their accusations in his letters: We have renounced secret and shameful ways; we do not use deception, nor do we distort the word of God. On the contrary, by setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God” (2 Cor 4:2). But on investigation, it is clear that Paul used scriptures deceptively and that he often distorted the word of God. He does this so systematically that whenever Paul says “as it is written,” it is necessary to double-check to determine two things: Is it actually written in the scriptures? Is it written the way Paul claims it is? Let us look at some examples. Paul says: “And so it is written, ‘The first man Adam became a living being.’ The last Adam became a life-giving spirit” (1 Cor 15:45). The concepts of the first Adam and the last Adam are entirely of Paul’s own creation, so it is dishonest to preface them with “as it is written” when they are nowhere so written in the bible. Indeed, the concept of Jesus as a “spirit” violates the biblical record of his nativity. Jesus was a man of flesh and blood. As we shall see, Paul’s distortion is part of an elaborate process by which he practically denies the humanity of Jesus, creating in its stead, a mystical spiritual Jesus known only by Paul. In spite of writing so many epistles, Paul hardly ever quotes Jesus. But one of the few occasions he does is recorded in the book of Acts: “I have shown you in every way, by laboring like this, that you must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, 'It is more blessed to give than to receive’” (Acts 20:35). However, there is no evidence in the scriptures that Jesus ever said this. It is simply not written. Where did Paul get it from? It would appear that this is one of those cases where Paul simply fabricated scripture at his own convenience. To use his own expression, PAUL CALLS THOSE SCRIPTURES THAT BE NOT AS THOUGH THEY WERE. We must remember that, since he never walked with Jesus physically, it could not be said that he recalled some things from memory.

@EhI Oseivhi,>>>'In your prayers do not babble as the gentiles do, for they think that by using many words they will make themselves heard.(Matthew 6:7)Please quote Jesus fully so that you can understand what he is saying. We are here not for prayers, as disciples of Jesus prayer in secret. We are here to magnify the words of Jesus and at the same time to expose a robber, an impostor and a wolf in sheep clothing called Paul.

Dazmillion-get the message.The letter kills.Quoting Jesus verse by verse is not the issue it is knowing how to apply the principle taught in the words of Jesus that matters.The same mindset that informs MANY WORDS in prayer informs many words in every area of life.If your niece says "good afternoon uncle" to you 20times within 2 minutes -won't you think that that something is wrong somewhere?When a man keeps posting the same message over and over again after writing an article that is supposed to convey the same message -don't you think something is wrong somewhere-why the SAME MANY WORDS? Your self appointed obsessive duty of exposing Paul is a senseless and foolish mission which many people with no tangible message in the past have embarked on with no success.No matter how you want to slice it the gospel is still the GOOD NEWS.

I have a brief comment to all of this.The problem with all of us,Pro-Femi and anti-femi,is that we have only one thing in mind,absolute concern with our own purity and righteousness.We are so interested in being right,and in seeming pure that we are ready to question the Bible because it does not agree with our personal belief system,or because if our faith in the words of the scripture are questioned,we automatically become unbelivers.I for one am turning away from the worship of the bronze serpent of religious purity,and instead turning to faith in Christ Jesus.To femi and his criticsSTOP TRYING TO BE SO RIGHT.TRY TO BE SO FOLLOWER OF CHRIST TO THE POINT THAT CHRIST IS ALWAYS RIGHT AND YOU ARE ALWAYS WRONG. One final word.IT is time Christians abided in Christ.Not in Baur's hypothesis or pauline theology,or any of the ologies.JUST CHRIST AND CHRIST ALONE. And that's my final post on this side of NEXT.God bless all.

One interesting thing I have observed on the madness going on here is this: it is the same members of Aribisala's fellowship who have already embraced Aribisala's anti-Paul and 'stick to only the words of Jesus' doctrines that keep on posting comments on this blog again and again in an attempt to defend their erroneous doctrines.This simply means that it is those who are already been influenced that remain trapped, thus rendering their efforts, wasted. Unfortunately for them, in their zealous attempt to defend their doctrines, they post far too many &lenghty comments that do not leave room for Spirit-filled believers to help them divide the word accurately in a way that will enhance their freedom from the bondage they are currently in. Nonetheless, we will keep trying to help them.

Femi Aribisala is a brave warrior in a battle called, “He who writes the most on 234next.com, wins”. Although he is just one man, he is not fighting this battle alone. He has the help of his own multiple personalities (The Oracle, The Compatriot, Mr. Somebody, The Guru, The Preacher, The Lamb of God, The Matrix, The Wise Man, The Seer, Meek & Gentle, Soothsayer, and possibly, Solomon,) and they are all fighting to force one message down our throats. Seriously, this is now getting ridiculous.

According to 2Tim2:15, believers are enjoined to study the Word of God to enable them rightly divide it. It therefore follows that just as it is possible to RIGTHLY divide God's word, so also it is possible to WRONGLY divide or interpret it.Unfortunately, this is what Aribisala and his disciples have been doing on this blog.Quoting the Bible,yes, but interpreting it wrongly to sustain their heresies which I will keep trying to address for the sake of the unlearned and babes in Christ. Their HERESY no.1- 'That Jesus did not appoint ministry gifts(Pastors, Teachers, Evangelsits etc) in the Body of Christ, rather these gifts were all Paul's creation (Eph4:11)'. But is this really true? Let's check Acts 13:1 written by Luke; "Now there were in the CHURCH that was at Antioch certain PROPHETS and TEACHERS; as Barnabas, and Simeon that was called Niger, and Lucius of Cyrene, and Manaen, which had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work whereunto I have called them". This verse clearly reveals that such men were already functioning in such ministry gifts as those of PROPHETS and TEACHERS at the early stage of Paul's ministry long before he wrote the epistle to the Ephesian church. Also consider Acts21:18; "And the next day we that were of Paul's company departed, and came unto Caesarea: and we entered into the house of Philip the EVANGELIST, which was one of the seven; and abode with him. Here again, we identify Phillip functioning in the office of an Evangelist. He was one of the 7 men chosen by the Apostles to oversee the welfare issues of widows in Acts6. He was already functioning as an evangelist as far back as Act when Saul began an intense persecution of the church forcing Phillip to travel down to Samaria from where he carried out his evangelistic ministry. In addition, Jesus himself ordained 12 men and designated them as APOSTLES (Mk3:14). These were the 12 foundational apostles. Paul was not among them. However, the Lord Jesus ordained other men into Apostolic ministry apart from these 12, examples of whom include Paul,Andronicus and Junia. "Salute Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen, and my fellow-prisoners, who are of note among the APOSTLES, who also were in Christ before me." (Rom16:7). From the foregoing, we can see clearly how believers were functioning in the various ministry gifts and that these offices were not created by Paul but by the Lord Jesus himself. It is also Jesus through the Holy Spirit that calls men into the offices to do the work of ministry, build the Body of Christ and mature the saints.

Paul talks a lot of rubbish. This is an example. He says: “From now on even those who have wives should be as though they had none” (1 Cor 7:29). Any married man who follows this prescription should not be surprised if his marriage breaks down. He says: “He who is unmarried cares for the things of the Lord-- how he may please the Lord. But he who is married cares about the things of the world-- how he may please his wife” (1 Cor 7:32-33). This is just plain silly. Many unmarried men don’t care about the Lord. And many married men have no regard for their wives. Paul says: “No one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit” (1 Cor 12:3). If you put a gun to a man’s head he can say just about anything. If you put a knife to the throat of an atheist and tell him to say “Jesus is Lord” and he does, does that mean he was inspired? This is just so stupid and simplistic. Paul says: “(Love) believes all things, hopes all things” (1 Cor 13:7). A true believer does not believe all things. Neither does he hope all things. Should a Christian hope that a man’s wife should die so that he can marry her? No. Should a Christian belive that Jesus was working for the devil? Certainly not! So why should Paul write this? Paul is indoctrinating Christians. He is making sure they will believe anything rubbish he tells them. Paul’s writings are not inspired. Paul’s word is not the word of God.

Lol. ‘And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force.’ Matt 11:12.

When one thinks further about Paul’s injunction that women must keep silent in church, it becomes clear that Paul himself has not given the matter sufficient thought. It means that women cannot even sing aloud in church, or read scripture aloud, or pray aloud, for that would violate the commandment of Emperor Paul. To add insult to injury, Paul says if women have any questions, they should ask their own husbands at home. Here, the foolishness of Paul’s position becomes even more glaring. What about widows and single women who don’t have husbands? Who should they ask at home? Paul then caps it all not only by insisting that this ridiculous directive is the word of God, but by using it as the definitional construct for determining whether a man is a prophet or is spiritual. Paul says if a man accepts his position as coming from God, then he is indeed a prophet and is spiritual. But if he does not accept that it comes from God, it can only mean that he is none of the above. Paul has used this kind of witchcraft to hold, not only women, but all Christians in bondage for nearly two centuries. He is very good at manipulating people into subjection as we can see in such deceptive writings as this one: “For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe” (1 Thes 2:13). This is a lie. Paul’s word is not the word of God. At no time did God validate Paul’s ministry among many witnesses and say: “This is my beloved Paul, hear him.” He only validated the words of Jesus Christ. Jesus prays in John chapter 17 for the true church: “I have given to them the words which You have given Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came forth from You; and they have believed that You sent Me” (Jn 17:8). People who have received the word of God from Jesus (the true bread) don’t need to receive the bread of deceit from Paul. The commandments of Paul should be seen for what they are: they are the commandments of men.

@Duma. How did you manage to get your own posting in? Who told you when we are reading Femi Aribisala's Articles of Faith, we want to hear repeatedly from a man who calls himself The Patriot?

Aribisala's Heresy no.2: 'That every word or testimony purpotedly written in the Bible must be corroborated by at least 2 or 3 witnesses for it to be accepted as the truth but because many of the writings of Paul were not substantiated by other witnesses, they cannot be valid'. But is this really true? To sustain this heresy, Aribisala and co persistently quote Jesus' words in Mt18:16; "But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established." However, what they conviniently overlook are both the origin of what Jesus said and the context in which he said it. First, Jesus himself was only quoting what was written in Deut17:6. This principle of validating evey claim through multiple witnesses DOES NOT in any way apply to testimonies or scriptures of the Holy Bible but to issues bothering on potential disputes among human beings. There are countless prophecies, revelations and records of events written in the Bible that have not been corroborated, substantiated or repeated by other witnesses/writers. It does not in any way imply that those writings are satanic. Taking Genesis, the 1st book of the Bible as an example.The writer of Gen1:13 states that it was on the 3rd day that God created vegetation, now this revelation was neither repeated by any other writer in the Bible nor was it confirmed by 2 or 3 witnesses, does it then mean that that verse of the Bible lied in its claim? Does it mean the writer was a false prophet or an antichrist as Aribisala loves to label people? Now if that verse will be valid simply because it is revelational, what then makes Aribisala to apply a different rule when it comes to understanding and interpreting what Apostle Paul wrote? Why?

Paul writes: “We know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God” (Rm 3:19). As usual, this is false. God did not give the law so that “all the world” may become guilty before him. The law was not given to all men. It was only given to the Jews. It was not given to the Gentiles: “He declares His word to Jacob, his statutes and His judgments to Israel. He has not dealt thus with any nation; and as for His judgments, they have not known them” (Ps 147:19-20). “Remember the Law of Moses, My servant, which I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments” (Mal 4:4). “What great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day?” (Deut 4:7-8). God gave the law in order that Jews would know his ways and do them. Moreover, nowhere is it stated in the Old Testament that the law is impossible to fulfill. On the contrary, Moses the law-giver insists that the law is easy to obey: “This commandment which I command you today, it is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, ‘Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, ‘Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?’ But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it” (Deut 30:11-14). Jesus agrees with Moses and insists the law must be obeyed. He says: “Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:19).

Paul is a bundle of contradictions. Compare these two statements: ““Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Rm 3:20); and “Not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified” (Rm 2:13). First he says by the deeds of the law no one would be justified. Now he says the doers of the law will be justified. Which one exactly is Paul’s position? The theology presented here is Paul’s and not Christ’s. Jesus regards men like Paul to be least in the kingdom of God because they teach men that God’s law cannot be obeyed: “Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:19). According to Jesus himself, a man is justified by the law. He says to a man who asked him what he must do to have eternal life: “If you want to enter into life, keep the commandments” (Mt 19:17). Moreover, the knowledge of sin did not come through the law. The knowledge of sin came through Adam and Eve eating the forbidden fruit in Genesis. The law came from God through Moses to protect man from sin.

Ade says Romans is a great book for new believers. That shows he does not understand the book. Paul says in Romans that: “The righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe” (Rm 3:21-22). This is false. The law and the prophets do not bear witness to a righteousness of God apart from the law. Faith in Jesus Christ is not sufficient to render a man righteous. As James points out, demons believe in God but are not righteous: “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe-- and tremble! But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead?” (Jam 2:19-20). The foolish man that James seems to be referring to is none other than Paul, the fake apostle. James is correct. Demons were quick to acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God: “When He had come to the other side, to the country of the Gergesenes, there met Him two demon-possessed men, coming out of the tombs, exceedingly fierce, so that no one could pass that way. And suddenly they cried out, saying, ‘What have we to do with You, Jesus, You Son of God? Have You come here to torment us before the time?’” (Mt 8:28-29). However, the belief of the demons in Jesus did not make them righteous. Therefore to insist that there is righteousness apart from the law is to deceive men into ignoring and breaking the law. Paul is the man of lawlessness that Jesus warns us about: “Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?' "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'” (Mt 7:22-23).

Paul’s doctrine is designed to lead men to condemnation. Look at what he says here: “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Rm 3:24). But contrary to Paul’s position here, Jesus maintains that justification is not free but costly: “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it” (Lk 14:28). Is salvation a free gift? Certainly not! It will cost us everything. What are some of the costs? According to Jesus, they include houses, brothers, sisters, father, mother and lands: “Assuredly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My sake and the gospel's, who shall not receive a hundredfold now in this time- houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions--and in the age to come, eternal life” (Mk 10:29-30). We can see therefore that Paul’s position is dangerous. It lulls Christians into a false sense of security. We are made to think we are saved when we are not. We fail to pay the price of salvation and do not even realise there is a price to pay. Salvation will cost a man his life. In order to be saved, a man must hate his life. He must lay down his life, just as Jesus did, in order to take up the new life of God: “He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life” (Jn 12:25).

Ask Christians a question about Jesus, and they are likely to answer you with a quotation from Paul. Little do they know that Paul is anathema to Jesus. Indeed, Paul is that singular solitary stranger that Jesus warns us about in the scriptures. He did not enter through the door: he was not appointed as an apostle by the Lord. He was not part of the twelve disciples, or of the seventy that the Lord sent preaching before his face; or of the one hundred and twenty numbered after the Pentecost. On the contrary, he violently opposed the disciples after the ascension of Jesus. He even took on the services of the high priest as a hired gun and got some of them arrested and killed. However, Paul went through a dramatic conversion after Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus. But unknown to many Christians, as a “convert” he became, in a more subtle and insidious manner, the greatest opponent of the faith, and in his writings, he sought to destroy the faith from within. Paul mentions details of the Old Testament stories in his letters, but precious little about the life of Jesus Christ. He almost never quotes Jesus in his epistles and writings. Most important of all, the principles and doctrines he presents in his letters to the churches are at variance with those that Jesus preached in his ministry of three and a half years. Indeed, Paul’s teachings effectively undermine those of Christ ensuring that Christians are followers of Paul and not followers of Jesus. Paul made few references to the life and teachings of Christ because he did not know about them. He never heard Jesus preach, and he was not humble enough to learn at the feet of the Apostles. Instead, he developed a self-serving doctrine that it was better not to know Jesus “after the flesh.” (2 Cor 5:16). In effect, Paul was severely handicapped. He preached Christ through a distortion of the Old Testament, and not through the eye-witness accounts of the disciples who walked with Jesus. Inevitably, his theology was flawed. Today, Paul’s teachings only serve one discernible purpose: to lead people away from Christ.

A lot of Paul’s bible references are bogus. He often says “it is written” when it is not. Paul says God promised Abraham that he would be the heir of the world. (Rm 4:13) But again nowhere in the bible was such a promise ever made. He presents man as a slave of sin and maintains that: “The Scripture declares that the whole world is a prisoner of sin.” (Gal 3:22) But there is no scripture whatsoever in the bible that says this. In Ephesians, Paul seemingly quotes an Old Testament scripture: “Therefore he says: ‘Awake, you who sleep, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light.’” (Eph 5:14) However, the entire quote is a compilation of Paul’s. The quote is non-existent anywhere in the Old Testament. Paul also has this tendency to fabricate the Law of Moses as he goes along. He says: “Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says.” (1 Cor 14:34) This is a lie. Nowhere in the Law of Moses does it say that. He says: “The wife is bound by the law as long as her husband liveth; but if her husband be dead, she is at liberty to be married to whom she will.” (1 Cor 7:39 KJV) This is also false. The Law permits a man to divorce his wife, after which she is free to marry another man. (Deut 24:1-2) She does not have to wait until he is dead.

Heresy no3: ‘That Paul is the antichrist’. Aribisala and his people consistently err in labelling Paul an antichrist. I understand they do this chiefly to discredit him and by so doing, discredit 2/3rd of the New Testament scriptures which God gave brother Paul grace to write, thereby diminishing the Christian message. But objectively speaking, is Paul really an antichrist? Who really is antichrist? Thankfully, the Bible through which we understand the principles of the kingdom provides the answer. Let’s check 1Jh2:22; “Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? HE IS ANTICHRIST, THAT DENIETH THE FATHER AND THE SON”. According to the written Word of God, not according to Aribisala’s philosophy, for a person to be an antichrist, he must deny both God the Father and the Son (Jesus Christ). Now, did Paul ever deny God? No! Never! Did he deny Jesus Christ? No, not once! Was he then an antichrist? No he wasn’t. Look at it this way. I assume Aribisala to be a black man going by his name. Supposing I wake up suddenly one day and start calling him a Caucasian (white man), does it make him a white man? No it doesn’t. You see, no matter how much I argue or hate him, he simply cannot be called a white man simply because he doesn’t fit into the mould of a white man. In the same vein, no matter how much Aribisala and his team hates Paul, calling him an antichrist from now till eternity does not in anyway make him an antichrist, simply because, he did not fit into scriptural mould of who an antichrist is. Likewise, Aribisala errs by labelling the epistles of Paul written some 2000 years before Aribisala was born, as satanic. Again, is this true? The Bible establishes according to 2Tim3:16 that; “ALL SCRIPTURE is given by the inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine…..”. What did Apostle Peter, (not Dr Aribisala) one of the 12 foundational Apostles of Jesus Christ have to say about ALL of Paul’s epistles to the various churches? “….even as our beloved brother PAUL also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in ALL his EPISTLES, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the OTHER SCRIPTURES, unto their own destruction.”. People of God, can we see clearly how Apostle Peter placed ALL PAUL’S EPISTLES in the same pedestal as he placed OTHER SCRIPTURES? Peter equated all, not many, not some, not few, but ALL of Paul’s epistles with scriptures and proceeded to warn believers on dangers of men and women who will WREST or DISTORT or PERVERT Paul’s epistles as they distort other scriptures. Can we see today, how blindly people are fulfilling this very 2000 –year-old prophecy of 2000 in our very eyes? Can we see how Paul’s scriptures received by the inspiration of God for the edification of the Church are being distorted simply because the people concerned do not have spiritual understanding? The beauty of God’s principle is that it allows people to make a choice. Whom would you believe, Aribisala or the Written Word of God? The choice is yours.

Most Christians are unaware that Paul is guilty of habitually distorting scripture. Paul handles scriptures deceitfully often to the point of outright distortion. When what Paul says is written actually has terms of reference in the Old Testament; we need to double-check to determine its precise context and meaning. Very often, it does not mean what Paul claims, and it does not support the doctrine he is trying to establish. For example, in Romans, Paul gives a false assurance of salvation to Israel. He says: “ALL ISRAEL will be saved, as it is written: "The Deliverer will come out of Zion, and He will turn away ungodliness from Jacob” (Rm 11:26). This is a dangerous distortion, one designed to lull Israelites into a false sense of security. It suggests that righteousness will be imparted to Israel without regard to the works of the Israelites. But this is far from the meaning of the original scripture, which comes from Isaiah. In the first place, Paul changes Isaiah’s “redeemer” to “the deliverer” in order to present a false case of deliverance instead of the true case of redemption. In the second place, Isaiah does not say that the Deliverer will COME FROM Zion but that the Redeemer will GO TO Zion. More importantly, he will not stop Israel from sinning. Isaiah says he will only go to THOSE WHO STOP SINNING: “The Redeemer will come to Zion, and TO THOSE WHO TURN FROM TRANSGRESSION IN JACOB," says the LORD” (Isa 59:20). Can you see the difference? Paul’s distortion is designed to deceive the Israelites into complacency while they wait for “the deliverer” to take away their sins. But Jesus did not “turn away ungodliness from Jacob.” Isaiah’s scripture, on the other hand, is designed to spur the Israelites into repentance. The responsibility belongs to Israel and not to God. Because the Israelites did not repent, Jesus says the kingdom will be taken away from them. He does not say all Israel will be saved: “I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it” (Mt 21:43).

As a matter of policy, Paul did not preach in those churches established by the true disciples of Jesus. He rationalises it as follows: “I have made it my aim to preach the gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build on another man's foundation, but as it is written: ‘To whom He was not announced, they shall see; and those who have not heard shall understand’” (Rm 15:20-21). This “as it is written” here is another distortion of the words of Isaiah. Nowhere does Isaiah proscribe preaching to those who have already heard the word. All Isaiah wrote is that the Messiah will give the people new insight and new understanding: “So shall He sprinkle many nations. Kings shall shut their mouths at Him; for what had not been told them they shall see, and what they had not heard they shall consider” (Isa 52:15). The unlearned, hearing about Christ for the first time from Paul, had no means of confirming the veracity of his teachings. The Gentiles, in particular, were unfamiliar with the scriptures. Therefore they would not know if Paul was distorting them or if he was quoting them out of context. But those who had been preached to by the Apostles, already had some terms of reference, making them problematic for Paul. If Paul had been preaching the true gospel of Jesus Christ, he would not have had any problem building on another man’s foundation. Jesus himself stresses this very approach: “I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors” (Jn 4:38). Preaching to the ignorant gave Paul the latitude to distort the scriptures and to attribute to them what were not intended by their original writers.

Christians need to correct the error propagated by Paul that salvation is by faith alone. (Rm 3:28) The salvation that Jesus provides is not by faith alone but by works. Without works, a man cannot be saved. Let us heed the voice of the Good Shepherd, instead of listening to the voice of the stranger. Jesus says: “Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Mt 7:21). According to Jesus, salvation is only open to those who do the will of God, and not those who just believe in God. Indeed, the works of righteousness that Jesus requires are greater and more exacting than those required under the Law of Moses. Laying down one’s life requires a lot of prayer and self-application. No man can do it by faith alone. Thus, Jesus warns his disciples that: “Unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:20). Jesus’ requirements go way beyond a man’s badge of faith. He insists on the obedience of his commandments, which means works. (Jn 14:15) He asks his disciples: “But why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and do not do the things which I say?” (Lk 6:46) From Jesus’ parables, it is clear that mere confessions of faith will not lead to the inheritance of the kingdom of God. Jesus asks the chief priests and the “elders” of the Jews: “But what do you think? A man had two sons, and he came to the first and said, 'Son, go, work today in my vineyard.' He answered and said, 'I will not,' but afterward he regretted it and went. Then he came to the second and said likewise. And he answered and said, 'I go, sir,' but he did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?" They said to Him, "The first." Jesus said to them, "Assuredly, I say to you that tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you” (Mt 21:28-31). Here again we see that it was the man who does the will of the Father who inherits the kingdom, showing that the salvation of Jesus Christ is by works and not by faith alone. Therefore, a man would be a fool to heed the precepts of Paul with regard to salvation. Anyone who does so is likely to discover that he cannot inherit the kingdom of God.

@The Patriot, your blind fellowship of Paul is depriving you of basic understanding of scripture. In order for any scripture to be established the witness of two or three persons is needed. Jesus applied this rule to his own words>> Were I to testify on my own behalf, my testimony would not be true;(John 5:31). The words of Jesus were a source of dispute because most of his teachings were contrary to the teachings of the established religion of his day. Therefore Jesus had to present witnesses even though he was telling the truth>>> and in your Law it is written that the testimony of two witnesses is true. I testify on my own behalf, but the Father who sent me testifies on my behalf, too. (John 8:17-18). God himself testified directly on behalf of Jesus on several occasions, one at his baptism>> And suddenly there was a voice from heaven, 'This is my Son, the Beloved; my favour rests on him.' (Matthew 3:17), at the mountain with Moses and Elijah>> And a cloud came, covering them in shadow; and from the cloud there came a voice, 'This is my Son, the Beloved. Listen to him.' (Mark 9:7) and another time in Jerusalem>> Father, glorify your name! A voice came from heaven, 'I have glorified it, and I will again glorify it.' (John 12:28) At every turn Jesus always made the point that a man doesn’t testify of himself>> Jesus replied: I have told you, but you do not believe. The works I do in my Father's name are my witness; (John 10:25). Jesus commissioned Apostles for the primary propose of bearing witness to his words>> And you too will be witnesses, because you have been with me from the beginning.(John 15:27). When the time came for the Apostles to replace Judas, they deliberately narrowed down the list of potential Apostles to only men who were with Jesus from the beginning. They took this decision because of the importance of selecting a man who can testify of the works/words of Jesus. >>'Out of the men who have been with us the whole time that the Lord Jesus was living with us, from the time when John was baptising until the day when he was taken up from us, one must be appointed to serve with us as a witness to his resurrection.' (Acts 1:21-22). Paul was not a witness to the works/words of Jesus, so on what basis did he appoint himself an Apostle. Most of Paul’s testimony comes from Paul himself. How can you believe a man who testifies about himself when Jesus, the Son of God, had to present witnesses? Jesus says it is by witnesses that the truth is established, Paul says it is by swearing>> Human beings, of course, swear an oath by something greater than themselves, and between them, confirmation by an oath puts an end to all dispute.(Hebrews 6:16) Paul then goes on to establish his truth by swearing.>> I swear before God that what I have written is the truth.(Galatians 1:20) Paul was his own witness and that is why he felt the need to swear before God in order to convince people his teachings were true. The Epistles of Paul are full of lies and double talk and it is not the word of God. The Patriot, you mention Genesis as an example. You have to understand that any scripture not confirmed by Jesus is not true. For example>> On the seventh day God had completed the work he had been doing. He rested on the seventh day after all the work he had been doing. God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on that day he rested after all his work of creating. (Genesis 2:2-3). God doesn’t rest and Jesus himself testifies to this fact when he said>>His answer to them was, 'My Father still goes on working, and I am at work, too.' (John 5:17) and the palmist also testifies that God is beyond mundane things like resting>> You see -- he neither sleeps nor slumbers, the guardian of Israel. (Psalms 121:4). These two witnesses show that the writer of Genesis was sincerely wrong about God resting. That is why every word in the bible must have a witness; a witness is not only needed in disputes between a bus conductor and a passenger. The Patriot from your comments you show that the words of Jesus are not the building blocks of your faith. You need to tear down the beautiful mansion you have built with the words of Paul. It is a painful process I must admit as someone who has gone through the process. But please be consoled that the house you will build with the words of Jesus will never be torn down, neither by Dr Aribisala or me. 'Therefore, everyone who listens to these words of mine and acts on them will be like a sensible man who built his house on rock. Rain came down, floods rose, gales blew and hurled themselves against that house, and it did not fall: it was founded on rock. (Matthew 7:24-25)

What kind of people are these? The Patriot: I salute your patience! May God help them. Too many things written by these guys would never have been written by Jesus. This is what happens when a sect begins to feel they know more than everyone. May God help. But it looks like most serious Christians have left the blog anyway. We have seen many sects come and go. Even in the early books of Acts, Gamaliel mentioned this. So, we will keep trusting God for the needed change.

@Dazmillion, the Word of God always gets me excited! If you would humbly go over my last comment again, you will see that I have by the help of God, destroyed one of the principal basis of your and Aribisala's heresy-stating the need to confirm every single claim, revelation, prophecy or record of event in the Bible by the 'mouth of 2 or 3 witnesses b4 it can be valid'- simply, it doesn't simply apply to words of scriptures. Or did you disagree with my Gen1’s example? However, I will use the same references you made as par how Jesus' ministry was validated by other people's witnesses and the miracles he did, to equally buttress how Paul's ministry was also validated by others, for your own benefit. 1. You quoted Jesus as saying; "The works I do in my Father's name are my witness; (John 10:25).You are absolutely right, but do we have a similar experience of how God used miracles to validate the ministry of Paul? Yes, let's check Acts19:11; "And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul:So that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them." Please note that this passage was not written by Paul himself. Likewise, it says God, not Satan, wrought miracles through Paul. 2. What did other Apostles and Church Elders have to say about Paul? Again, we refer to the Word of God in Act15:25; "It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and PAUL, Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ". That was a positive testimony on Paul(&Barnabas) coming from the 12 Apostles. 3.Did the Lord Jesus himself, the Head of the Church have anything to say on Paul. Yes several. Again, the Word of God is our guide.Acts9:15;"But the Lord said unto him (Ananias), Go thy way: for he(Paul) is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:For I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name's sake" 4. The Holy Spirit himself had several things to say about Paul. Let's take just one example in Acts13:2; "As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the HOLY GHOST said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul(PAUL) for the work whereunto I have called them." 5.You know what, even the devil recognized the spiritual identity of Paul! "And the evil spirit answered and said, Jesus I know, and PAUL I know; but who are ye?" 6. Equally, Apostle Peter, one of the 12 Apostles,corroborated and validated ALL Paul's epistles equating them with Scriptures (2Pet3:15-16). 7.Finally, the Holy Spirit of God that I and millions of other believers have received bear WITNESS with our SPIRIT-MAN-man that the epistles of Paul, Peter and other Apostles &the entire 66 books of the Holy Bible are given by the inspiration of God. When we therefore talk of the Word of God, we are not only talking of things we have heard, been told or seen but things we have HANDLED or EXPERIENCED.1 Jh1:1 summarizes it; "That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life". We are talking of the realities of new creation in Christ that we have experienced just as Paul wrote 2000 years ago that believers would experience (2Cor5:17).We talk of having tasted the power of God and of the powers of the world to come just as the Bible promises. We talk of having experienced Satanic powers and all oppositions bowing to the authority in the name of Jesus just as Paul wrote it would happen in Phil2:10. To Aribisala, Dazmillion and others who are currently treading the path of heresies, we declare to you with all confidence that we do not only believe the scriptures Paul and other Apostles wrote, we are SEEING them in action in the lives of millions of believers who love Jesus and who are awaiting his 2nd coming. God bless.

My dear Patriot, we are not dealing with rational men. They know they are wrong but have gone too far to return to the path of rationality. I cringe at some of the stuff they write about the Bible-even Muslims would be scared to label the word of God as nonsense openly. Thanks for your patience with these people. One thing is clear; no one with the Spirit of God will write the stuff they have posted on this blog. Just watch and see how they will treat the quantum of scriptural evidence you have presented in your last post. They will ignore them. God bless you my brother.

Obviously, discrediting close to 2/3 of the New Testament tends to cast doubt on the rest of it. This is a major problem for the anti-Paul community - having a second Nicea/other would be a real challenge. Not one post as to who Paul's patrons were. Not one post on such a key issue.

Try sorting out Paul's position on the Law of Moses in his letter to the Romans alone and you will be confused. Are we justified by the law or not? Paul speaks with a forked tongue. He says we are: "Not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified" (Rm 2:13). Then he says we are not: "By the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin" (Rm 3:20). Leaving aside for the moment the fallacy in the latter quote that "by the law is the knowledge of sin," (for the knowledge of sin came not by the law, but long before the giving of the law in the Garden of Eden), Paul then takes another strange turn by saying: "Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law" (Rm 3:31). So let me summarise this confusion. We are justified by the works of the law; we are not justified by the works of the law; therefore we establish the law.

Paul is a dishonest man. Moses (the giver of the Law) maintains that the law is not difficult to obey: “This commandment which I command you today, it is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off. It is not in heaven, that you should say, 'Who will ascend into heaven for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' Nor is it beyond the sea, that you should say, 'Who will go over the sea for us and bring it to us, that we may hear it and do it?' But the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it” (Deut 30:11-14). Paul knew this scripture and must have realized it did not back his position. So what does he do? He distorts it and uses it as the basis of his own concept of justification by faith. Just take a look at the extent of Paul’s dishonesty by carefully examining his words: “For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the law, "The man who does those things shall live by them." But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, "Do not say in your heart, 'Who will ascend into heaven?'" (that is, to bring Christ down from above) or, " 'Who will descend into the abyss?' " (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). But what does it say? "The word is near you, in your mouth and in your heart" (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation” (Rm 10:5-10). Can you see the photo-trick? Paul ascribes to his righteousness of faith what actually belongs to the Law of Moses. He plagiarises Moses’ words, attributes them to himself, and then uses Moses words to make a case against Moses. Moses was writing about the law; but Paul now pretends that the words are not the words of Moses, and that they are about Christ. He then employs the very words Moses uses in favour of how easy it is to keep the law to make a bogus case about how difficult it is to keep the law, relative to what he calls the righteousness of faith. It is grievous that it is precisely on this distortion that Paul has built his doctrine of salvation; a doctrine which has become the bedrock of Christianity, especially in Pentecostal circles. Paul reduces the requirement for the attainment of eternal life to a vain platitudinous confession which every Jack, Jill and Harry has no difficulty in making. Just answer an altar call; confess that Jesus is your Lord and Saviour, and believe that God raised him from the dead and you are saved. By this fast-track salvation formula, we pastors have filled churches with billions of people who are fooled into believing they are “born again” just because of their confessions of faith.

The true salvation Jesus offers is not easily attainable. Indeed, it is not open to the multitude. Jesus warns time and again that only a few shall be saved: “One said to Him, ‘Lord, are there few who are saved?’ And He said to them, ‘Strive to enter through the narrow gate, for many, I say to you, will seek to enter and will not be able’” (Lk 13:23-24). Here Jesus says salvation is difficult and those interested would have to strive to enter through a door that is narrow and a way that is hard. But the salvation that Paul preaches requires no striving. It is easily attainable by grace through faith. This shows that the salvation of Jesus Christ is remarkably different from that preached by Paul. Paul also says eternal life is the gift of God. (Rm 6:23) But from listening to Jesus we discover that this is not only false; it is downright misleading. At no time did Jesus ever say eternal life is a gift. On the contrary, he leaves no one in doubt that eternal life is very costly. He warns that it comes at great price to the believer. It will cost us our houses, parents, children, relatives and possessions. Jesus says: “Everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or wife or children or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive a hundredfold, and inherit eternal life” (Mt 19:29). Indeed, the salvation preached by Jesus is such a tall order; he says it will cost us our very lives: “He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life” (Jn 12:25).

There is a world of difference between making a confession to a pastor and laying down one’s life to God. When the chief young ruler learnt that eternal life would cost him the forfeiture of all his possessions, he lost interest and went away sorrowful. Therefore Jesus asks us to count the cost first before even asking for eternal life: “Which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it- lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build and was not able to finish.' Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace. So likewise, whoever of you does not forsake all that he has cannot be My disciple” (Lk 14:28-33). And so we end up with major discrepancies between the pathway to eternal life presented by Jesus and that presented by Paul. Jesus says the way to eternal life is narrow and difficult (Mt 7:13-14), but Paul prescribes a way of the confessional that is wide and easy.

Paul presents righteousness as a gift of God instead of it being the product of man’s works and of human will and self-application. He claims sin was inherited from Adam and righteousness is inherited from Jesus. He then says something very strange: “Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous. Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rm 5:17-21). This is one of the more perverse of the writings of Paul. In the first place, men knew righteousness before the coming of Jesus. In Romans 3:20, Paul himself states erroneously that by law is the knowledge of sin. The law could not have brought the knowledge of sin without revealing the righteousness of God. But now in Romans 5, Paul contradicts his earlier submission. Suddenly, the law does not bring the knowledge of sin any more. Paul now says the law was given because God wanted to create a large number of sinners, so that grace would abound in Christ. Suddenly, in Paul’s doctrine, God emerges as the author and promoter of sin. This is ludicrous, if not blasphemous.

Paul maintains that God imputes righteousness to men apart from their works. He refers to David’s writings in the Psalms and declares that: “David also describes the blessedness of the man to whom God imputes righteousness apart from works” (Rm 4:6). But we are back here again to Paul distorting scripture for his own purposes. David does not say God “imputes righteousness apart from works.” David says God does not “impute iniquity” to the sinner who acknowledges his sins and repents. Quite simply, this means God forgives the repentant sinner: “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man to whom the LORD does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. When I kept silent, my bones grew old through my groaning all the day long. For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was turned into the drought of summer. I acknowledged my sin to You, and my iniquity I have not hidden. I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD," and You forgave the iniquity of my sin” (Ps 32:1-5). Righteousness is not a gift; it comes as a result of works. The righteousness of God is neither imputed nor imparted. Righteousness is learnt and earned. Ezekiel contradicts Paul by insisting that righteousness is not transferable: “The righteousness of the righteous shall be upon himself, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon himself” (Eze 18:20). This means the righteousness of Jesus cannot be imparted on believers.

Paul does not seek to establish the law but to abrogate it, identifying him as the man of lawlessness. Paul writes that Jesus abolished the law. (Eph 2:15) He insists that Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every believer (Rm 10:4), that we might be justified by faith (Gal 3:24-25). Paul argues that it is impossible for a man to obey God’s commands according to the Law (Rm 7:14-24). He says God gave the law knowing full well that man could not fulfill its conditions. The law therefore is presented as a trap and a dead end. Any one who tries to fulfill its requirements is likely to be frustrated to death. This position is simply not true and it is not confirmed by the scriptures. There are examples in the bible of men and women who fulfilled the law. For example, Zacharias and Elizabeth were said to have been blameless in all the ordinances and commandments of the Lord. (Lk 1:6) The chief young ruler also kept the law. Jesus did not contest his claim to have done so. (Mt 19:20-21) Paul himself insisted to the Philippians that he fulfilled all the requirements of the law. (Php 3:6) So if Paul could be blameless under the Law, so could others.

And hell waits for those who are pretending to be followers of Jesus but are against the some books of the Bible-the prophetic books, the Acts, the epistles of Peter, the epistles of John, the Revelation and the epistles of Paul. They are even against some portions of Mathew, Mark, Luke and John. Wao! What a group. And they claim to be Christians. Then who is an unbeliever? Unbelievers who refuse to repent cannot escape the damnation that is to come. Let me just post these scriptures again even though I know they will ignore them. ACTS 13:1 “NOW THERE WERE IN THE CHURCH THAT WAS AT ANTIOCH CERTAIN PROPHETS AND TEACHERS; AS BARNABAS, AND SIMEON THAT WAS CALLED NIGER, AND LUCIUS OF CYRENE, AND MANAEN, WHICH HAD BEEN BROUGHT UP WITH HEROD THE TETRARCH, AND SAUL .AS THEY MINISTERED TO THE LORD, AND FASTED, THE HOLY GHOST SAID, SEPARATE ME BARNABAS AND SAUL FOR THE WORK WHEREUNTO I HAVE CALLED THEM" (Emphasis mine). You see, Paul was not on a frolic of his own, he was called by the lord through the Holy Ghost.. Can you find that in your Bible Femi Aribisala and his follower? Let me add some more scriptural evidence since I am equally a lawyer by God’s grace. See this:ACTS 15:25-26, “IT SEEMED GOOD UNTO US, BEING ASSEMBLED WITH ONE ACCORD, TO SEND CHOSEN MEN UNTO YOU WITH OUR BELOVED BARNABAS AND PAUL, MEN THAT HAVE HAZARDED THEIR LIVES FOR THE NAME OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.” This is the testimony of the other disciples on Paul. See what the Lord Himself had to say about Paul. ACTS 15:10-: “AND THERE WAS A CERTAIN DISCIPLE AT DAMASCUS, NAMED ANANIAS; AND TO HIM SAID THE LORD IN A VISION, ANANIAS. AND HE SAID, BEHOLD, I AM HERE, LORD. AND THE LORD SAID UNTO HIM, ARISE, AND GO INTO THE STREET WHICH IS CALLED STRAIGHT, AND ENQUIRE IN THE HOUSE OF JUDAS FOR ONE CALLED SAUL, OF TARSUS: FOR, BEHOLD, HE PRAYETH, AND HATH SEEN IN A VISION A MAN NAMED ANANIAS COMING IN, AND PUTTING HIS HAND ON HIM, THAT HE MIGHT RECEIVE HIS SIGHT. THEN ANANIAS ANSWERED, LORD, I HAVE HEARD BY MANY OF THIS MAN, HOW MUCH EVIL HE HATH DONE TO THY SAINTS AT JERUSALEM: AND HERE HE HATH AUTHORITY FROM THE CHIEF PRIESTS TO BIND ALL THAT CALL ON THY NAME. BUT THE LORD SAID UNTO HIM, GO THY WAY: FOR HE IS A CHOSEN VESSEL UNTO ME, TO BEAR MY NAME BEFORE THE GENTILES, AND KINGS, AND THE CHILDREN OF ISRAEL(EMPHASIS ARE MINE). The Lord called Paul a chosen vessel. Aribisala, are you a chosen vessel? Who are you serving? Master Jesus says Paul is a chosen vessel but you denigrate him (Paul). Are you better than the Lord? May be the above quoted scriptures are not in your Bible. I know you will ignore this as usual.

@Pastor Pete Oscar. I suggest you spend a few weeks at the beginner's class in Pastor Aribisala's church. I am prepared to finance the expenses. I think you need it.

Wale, if that is your real name, can't you read before making comments? What can I Learn from you and Aribisala about the faith I profess? At least you should have read the scriptures I quoted. Unlike you and Aribisala, I believe in the whole Bible. Next time manage and read before you come up with an infantile comment. May the Lord help you.

@Pastor Pete Oscar. Wow. You are so easy to bait.

@Pastor Pete Oscar. If you didnt write saying you are a disciple of Jesus, we would not have guessed. The Pastor needs to lay down his life. You should have read the article. Since you cant learn from others, why presume somebody wants to learn from you? I am waiting for your inevitable reply. Do you think you can resist?

Dear Dr. Femi Aribisala, don’t you think it’s time for you to ‘shake the dust off your feet’ at us on the issue of Paul. You (and your amazing number of multiple personalities) have repeatedly made the point that Paul is the cause of so many of the world’s problems (perhaps including Yar’ Adua refusal to handover to Jonathan). Naturally, some people (mainly your disciples, the Muslims, the occultists, and folks from the Grail Message) will believe you; while others (mainly people who can see through your selective manipulation of the Bible) will not believe you. My point is – you have said your bit, now leave the “Paulinists” to God’s judgment. Frankly, going on and on about Paul (especially through multiple personalities) is unwise, especially in view of Jesus’ injunction about ‘shaking off the dust of our feet’ at those who refuse to believe us. Furthermore, it’s now getting boring, and you, Dr. Femi Aribisala, are an interesting man, who has so many more fantastic things to tell us (e.g. God hates airplanes, There is no hell, etc.) I respectfully suggest, sir, that perhaps it’s time for you to move off Paul and share the other fantastic parts of your doctrine with the good people on this website. Thank you.

lol@Duma. That was spot on. @Pete Oscar.Thanks for your efforts. I think it's best to simply ignore Wale Olanihun-he's quite childish.You the age-long advice indicating silence to be the best answer for a fool applies evidently in his case.

Congrats folks. I salute your zeal without knowledge. I wanted to see if I could provoke you to get the comments on this log to 200. You did not disappoint me. Since you dont want to hear about Paul, my advice to Pastor Aribisala is to continue writing about him. Sorry o.

@The Patriot.>>Then Yahweh said to me, "What they have said is well said. From their own brothers I shall raise up a prophet like yourself; I shall put my words into his mouth and he will tell them everything I command him. Anyone who refuses to listen to my words, spoken by him in my name, will have to render an account to me. (Deuteronomy 18:17-19) Moses spent 40 days up the mountain with God and brought down the commandments. Yet after all that, God still saw the need to send a Prophet to tell his people his whole word. What does this mean? Did Moses not write exactly what God told him in those 40days? In fact Moses had to go back to rewrite the Law again after he broke the tablets. This should tell you that the man who wrote the book of Genesis doesn’t have the complete word of God; as such you should put too much faith in his words. For example, Moses allowed divorce, Jesus says no divorce. Who testimony is right? Due to the testimony of Jesus I know Moses is wrong. If Moses is wrong on divorce then he could be wrong in other scriptures he wrote. I always find it amazing the zeal with which you defend Paul. You and Ehi Oseivhi have never defended Jesus with such passion. But I am happy you used the same references I used for Jesus to defend Paul in your comment. One man defending Jesus the other defending Paul. YOU WROTE ‘God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul’. Yes I agree, but looking at it from the stand point of Jesus it means absolutely nothing. Judas also performed miracles>> And the seventy returned again with joy, saying, Lord, even the demons are subject to us through Your name. (Luke 10:17). Even a man who was not a disciple of Jesus was working Miracles in the name of Jesus>> John said to him, 'Master, we saw someone who is not one of us driving out devils in your name, and because he was not one of us we tried to stop him.' (Mark 9:38) this is why I say it means nothing because Jesus says>> When the day comes many will say to me, "Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, drive out demons in your name, work many miracles in your name?" Then I shall tell them to their faces: I have never known you; away from me, all evil doers! (Matthew 7:22-23) A man is not a disciple because he casts out demons. YOU WROTE ‘What did other Apostles and Church Elders have to say about Paul? It seemed good unto us, being assembled with one accord, to send chosen men unto you with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, Men that have hazarded their lives for the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.(Acts 15:25-26) The Apostles were talking about the trust worthy men who they were sending out with Paul and Barnabas. These men were to act as upright witnesses to the decision the Apostles had taken over circumcision. Even if for argument sake I accept they commended Paul, it still means nothing. Paul was at the time still toeing the line of the Apostles. He had not yet risen to prominence at the time hence the need for him to travel down to Jerusalem to receive orders from the Apostles. When Paul started writing his epistles he had already cut off from the Apostles and was giving his own directives.

@The Patriot,YOU WROTE ‘Did the Lord Jesus himself, the Head of the Church have anything to say on Paul’ then you went on to quote>> But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel:(Acts 9:15) I have never said Paul did not encounter Jesus. Judas too encountered Jesus at some point in his life and was even chosen as one of his Apostles>> Jesus replied to them, 'Did I not choose the Twelve of you? Yet one of you is a devil.' (John 6:70) The Patriot, according to Jesus many are called but few are chosen. Judas too was among those called but at the end he was not chosen. It is not the one who is called that is chosen, it is the one who perseveres to the end that is chosen.>> But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. (Matthew 24:13)YOU WROTE: You know what, even the devil recognized the spiritual identity of Paul! (Acts 19:15)’. My brother in your desperation to defend Paul you have now gone to appeal to lying spirits to witnesses for Paul. Your witnesses the evil spirits claimed that they knew Paul, are they reliable witnesses? Can they be trusted? Did they know him as a friend or as a son of God? I ask this because in the case of Jesus they called him son of God. But Jesus did not allow them to testify on his behalf unlike you who allows lying spirits to be your witness about scripture>> Devils too came out of many people, shouting, 'You are the Son of God.' But he warned them and would not allow them to speak because they knew that he was the Christ. (Luke 4:41) YOU WROTE: Equally, Apostle Peter, one of the 12 Apostles, corroborated and validated ALL Paul's epistles equating them with Scriptures (2Pet3:15-16). The Patriot, you have access to the internet, go and do your research. The author of 2 Peter is disputed; no one knows who wrote 2 Peter. The Patriot, judging from your last comment you believe that Paul was an Apostle because miracles were worked through him, You have been deceived because you are not yet an elect of Jesus >> for false Christs and false prophets will arise and produce signs and portents to deceive the elect, if that were possible. You, therefore, must be on your guard. I have given you full warning.(Mark 13:22-23). If only you were listening to Jesus you would not have been deceived by the false prophet. Paul the false prophet testifies that it is by his miracles that he has captured you into believing that his epistles are the word of God>>Truly the signs of the apostle were worked out among you in all patience, in miracles and in wonders, and by works of power. (2 Corinthians 12:12). You claim that the Holy Spirit bears witness that the epistles of Paul are inspired of God; this is fundamentally a false statement. This is what Jesus says about the mission of the Spirit that he will send to us>> but the Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all I have said to you. (John 14:26). The Spirit did not come to remind us about the words of Paul. The Spirit came to remind us of the words of Jesus only. Nowhere is it written that the Spirit came to expound on the words of Paul. Among these are Hymeneus and Alexander, whom I have delivered to Satan so that they may learn not to blaspheme. (1 Timothy 1:20) Paul is a wicked man who delivers his brethrens to Satan. How can man who hands his neighbor over to Satan in prayer, be trusted? Then Peter went up to him and said, 'Lord, how often must I forgive my brother if he wrongs me? As often as seven times?' Jesus answered, 'Not seven, I tell you, but seventy-seven times. (Matthew 18:21-22) If Paul were a disciple of Jesus he would have forgiven Hymeneus and Alexander when they offended him>>The Patriot, you need to take a sledge hammer to the beautiful palace you built in the name of Paul and bring it down with all ferocity. Unless you do that you cannot build as Jesus requested. 'Everyone who comes to me and listens to my words and acts on them -- I will show you what such a person is like. Such a person is like the man who, when he built a house, dug, and dug deep, and laid the foundations on rock; when the river was in flood it bore down on that house but could not shake it, it was so well built. (Luke 6:47-48). Go back to the words of Jesus and he will set you free from Paul.

Here is how aribisala responds to the validation of Paul by Apostle Peter in 2Pet3:15-16 ''---------Although close scrutiny suggests that a reference to Paul in an epistle from Peter is an interpolation, which means it was smuggled in out of context (probably by a disciple of Paul);----------'' This man is a comedian.

Dazmillion, thanks for your pieces. But these guys are as blind as bats. They just cannot see the light. But we cannot give up on them. With God, nothing shall be impossible. Jesus is in the business of opening the eyes of the blind. I am convinced that they have learnt one or two things from here. Of course, they are not going to admit it. But the word of God is like a hammer that breaks a stone. Already the wind is blowing and the rain is falling, their house is about to collapse all around them. They want to salvage something, but it is a waste of time. The house cannot stand because it is not built on the rock of Christ. One thing that worries me though is that these guys have a strange spirit in them. And when you read some of their postings here, that strange spirit is always there. They are malicious and full of hate. They pay lip-service to Christ but are so mean-spirited. Why are they so het up? Are they fighting for Baal? God can fight his own battles. Are we back in the days where people were burnt at the stake for not adhering to official church heresies? Me and my friends have been really amused that these guys are liable to develop high blood pressure this week. The big joke was Pete Oscar who called for a prayer meeting where fire would be called down from heaven. I wonder what happened to the fire. The man forgot where he was. He thought he was talking to people from his church who are easily intimidated into docility by pastoral witchcraft. How do you have a discussion with an intelligent man and, when he becomes lost for words, he threatens to call fire from heaven? Bring it on. Since your fire still has not come, it shows you have missed it somewhere. Please repent, before the fire you call on others burns you.

Pastors don't forsake all to follow Jesus - a cardinal requirement for discipleship. Pauline pastors who have shown up on this blog will unlikely forsake the wrong foundation they have been building on. The cost for them will be too great.

@Dazmillion-this is a quick response to your last 2 comments. If God wills, I will give you detailed response later. However, I keep saying say with all sense of modesty but with full authority that you &others in your boat lack spiritual understanding.What you dont understand FAR EXCEEDS what you understand and that exactly is where the danger is. I have noticed that you &others keep affirming that because Jesus said divorce was wrong then it means Moses erred in instituting it and because you thought Moses erred, not all the books of the Bible he wrote could be taken as completely accurate. My dear how WRONG you are. Simply it means you did not understand what Jesus what saying! Jesus was simply trying to point out that in the original purpose of God for instituting marriage as occured in the beginning with Adam &Eve in the garden of Eden, it was not God’s intention for people to divorce their spouses. This was why he made the statement in Mt19:4-6 in which he himself quoted God's original purpose as disclosed in Gen2:24; "Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh." What Jesus was saying is this: in the beginning, before Adam fell, when he still had God's nature and love within him, God intended that once a man is joined to his wife (marriage), that union becomes permanent and insoluble (cannot be dissolved in divorce). However, after man fell, he lost that nature and love of God in him, he became a falllen man and could therefore no longer meet that condition of an inseparable union with his wife.This was why God permitted Moses to institute divorce in the Law simply because the people of Israel like all other human beings were fallen or unregenerated people. But Jesus sought to clarify that divorce was never in God's original intention but he allowed it because of the fallen nature of the people he was relating. It does not mean that Moses erred in instituting it. Think of it, God said a man shall be joined to his wife and they will become one flesh, how on earth did you think this applied to people like David who had 6 wives, Solomon who had 700 wives, Elkanah (husband of Hannah) had 2 wives, Jacob had 4 wives?- now these were righteous people by Old Testament wives but they all had multiple wives, so which of those wives was each of these men joined to? Of David's 6 wives, which one of them was he joined to, bearing in mind that marriage in God's original intention is between one man and one wife? Dazmillion, Moses was in perfect order. You see, it is only people in Christ who can fulfil this original intention of God for marriage i.e. that of marrying one wife and never divorcing. Why because, the man in Christ is a regenerated man or a new creature, he is no longer a fallen man and therefore, he has the love and nature of God in him-it is therefore possible for him to fulfil God's original purpose for man in every area including marriage. The Moses, David, Abraham, Solomon etc you saw in the old testament were all fallen or unregenerated men-they were not born again. You see nobody was born again or regenerated until Jesus died and resurrected. This is meaning of redemption-restoring man back to the state he was before Adam fell. But thank God that through the death of Jesus, millions of people are now born again and once a person becomes born again- the love of God is shed abroad in their heart (Rom 5:5).

Wonders they say shall never end! The blind calling the sighted blind and trying to lead them!!! I can't help laughing haha ahaa aha aah haah. Who really is blind? The ones that believe that the Bible is the inspired Word of God or the ones that believe in selecting the scriptures they want to believe and those they dont want to believ- e.g. like some people here saying 2Pet must have been an interpolation, or that certain words were inserted into the statements Jesus made! The answer is glaring. @Dazmillion, you said it is possible for people to perform great miracles in the name of Jesus and still end in hell as in the case of Judas, true. But you fraudulently attempted to submit that that also was the lot of Paul,how wrong you are! From where did you read that Paul denied Jesus or became a castaway? From where did you read or hear that he fell away from the faith? Was it in an angel that brought you this revelation? or you had a supernatural visitation from someone claiming to be Jesus? Or perhaps, that 'discovery' is in your own version of the Bible? or could it be contained in one of the 'seven books of Aribisala? Please let me know, I'm all ears! My friend if you don't have proofs you don't have points.

@Dazmillion-Paul saying he handed over two men over to Satan for trial is not wickedness but merely exericising his authority in Christ. Do you know if I so desire I can also hand you over to Satan to teach you one or two things? But dont be afraid I wont do that. Remember Jesus said WHOSOEVER sin ye retain shall be retained? Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven? Touch not my anointed? Let no man trouble me for I bear in my body the mark of the Lord Jesus? So this is not wickednss, again it's merely revealing yet another principle of the kingdom you dont understand.

I have never in my life met a man who distorts the bible as much as The Patriot. God never permitted divorce. Moses did. He is the Lord. HE DOES NOT CHANGE. His words are eternal. They are settled in heaven. Moses created the distortion and Jesus corrected him. Moses said if you eat with unwashed hands you are unclean. Jesus corrected him. He said only what comes out of a man’s heart makes him unclean. Moses said God created the world in six days and rested on the seventh. Jesus corrected him by pointing out that God does not rest. Moses said God gave the Israelites manna from heaven to eat. Jesus corrected him that the manna was not from heaven, and all those who ate it died. So we need to ask this Patriot who creates his own scriptures why Christians still divorce their wives if they are now regenerated men. The ignorance of Patriot will soon become legendary.

@Wale Olanihun If convenient, please provide the biblical references that support the previous post. thanks.

Romans 9:10 if you accept the Lordship of Jesus and believes that God raised Him from dead you will be saved. whats erroneous about that? is there any other way you can be saved without accepting Jesus as the Owner of your body soul and spirit..? Lord from the word LandLord means the Owner. its actually is resurrection from the dead that gave me victory over the fear of death and an assurance of eternal life because this same spirit of Christ that raised Jesus from the dead leaves in me.so i don't have a life any more it belongs to the Lord(owner) Or whats the writer saying? does that mean everybody need to be nailed to the cross and be beaten and now resurrect the 3rd day like Jesus before he/she knows that he/she is saved? Please i will appreciate your reply. Thanks

@D, compare Paul’s statement with this statement by Jesus: "Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven” (Mt 7:21). Just think. Anybody who makes a confession will enter the University of Lagos. Somebody is fooling you. Salvation requires much more than a platitudinous confession. Even demons confessed the lordship od Jesus.

@oracle, coonfession and acceptance of Christ leads to a renewal of the heart and mind. One begins to follow jesus. Evidence of faith in Christ is the change of life that evidences this rebirth. So living the righteous life is not counter to confession of Christ but as a consequence of it. On the other hand, if one is righteous and earning one's salvation by good works, then why Christ at all? Why does he come and die?