Division or The True Church
Pastor Jerry Wilhite,
author I have written over 500 studies based from scripture, I am now a 32-year-old believer that for 20 years I tried the church even to the point of becoming a pastor. I tried different denominations and non-denominations and felt something was missing. So I studied scripture and church history from first century to 1990. All I found was more questions and no real answers it was not until 1993 when my wife and I agreed that I would stay home and find the truth and she worked. So I searched and found four verses that got me to seek God not by the church but via the spirit. The four were, Matthew 6:33 that tells us to seek God first, seek all of God, then John 14:6 that said the only way to God is through Him (which I already knew). John 14:26 that told me that all I was to learn was to be taught to me via the Holy Spirit, Romans 8:16 that the Spirit (God) itself would testify to my spirit that I am a child of God. Then I decided to seek God, so I say daily quit free of distractions to hear from God, and in six months (2 years from the start of seeking) from following this daily ritual I heard Him call me His child. Matthew 6 33. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. The above verse was the first one I stood on from the beginning seek God first, His kingdom and His righteousness. John 14 6. Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. We learn that if we want to be of God and know Him there is only one way through Jesus. John 14 26. But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. Jesus said that we are to be taught all things by the Holy Spirit not just some but all, how could the Holy Spirit teach. I always had believed the Bible was the end all and we learned from the Bible. 1 John 2 27. But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him. I learned from the Lord about Christ, God led me in the Greek to discover that Christ meant anointing and Messiah. Messiah is the Hebrew word for Christ, but the anointing was something new. Then in Luke 4:18 I discovered that Jesus had told what He was anointed with was the Spirit of God. So that if I were of Christ I was of the anointing the Spirit of God. Luke 4 18. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised, The Spirit of God is the anointing or Christ and those of Christ are of the Spirit of God. Revelation 3 19. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. 20. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me. 21. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne. 22. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Then while reading Revelation He guided me to the above verses, how Revelation 2-3 was totally other than the above 4 verses dealing with seven churches and how only one of seven was of the Lord. Then He told me to read it in the Greek and this is what I discovered from the Greek, (the New Testament was written all in Greek). Revelation 3 19. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent. Who does He love, it is all: John 3 16. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. He rebukes (admonish) and chasten to train up a child, i.e. educate, or (to train up a child, i.e. educate, or discipline) or convicts us of our sin so we will repent and be zealous for Him. He will educate us so we will warm up to Him and think differently of Him. Rev 3:19
Rev 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears and listens to and heeds My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will eat with him, and he [will eat] with Me.
Rev 3:21 He who overcomes (is victorious), I will grant him to sit beside Me on My throne, as I Myself overcame (was victorious) and sat down beside My Father on His throne.
Rev 3:22 He who is able to hear, let him listen to and heed what the [Holy] Spirit says to the assemblies (churches). (Amplified)
Bottom line was that He is waiting for us to listen to Him, that throughout the Old Testament was proof of hearing from God, that it was expected and those who heard were blessed. Then in the New Testament was evidence and proof we are to hear, that the Bible is to teach us the basics on hearing, how and that we should. That all we are to learn is to come from God not man.
That since the dawn of mankind, man has misled others and would continue to the end and the closer to the end we get the more misleading teachings would come about, such as Divinci Code, and other false teachings including many in main stream church.
Romans 12
2. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.
So I asked God how to overcome the lie with the truth and He taught me and showed me the above verse how we are to renew our minds daily in Him, in His word (Jesus).
2 Corinthians 10
5. Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;
I also learned that we do not have original thought as I had thought, that every thought we have or will have has already been thought and will be thought by others after us.
That there are only two sources for thought, that of the world (Satan) who forces his thoughts on us. Some times directly but mostly in directly through those he can find to reach the majority of people. Such as some who write television, movies, games and books to impart in us their views, beliefs and false teachings.
The other is God His thoughts that we have to seek, He does not force but to reach His we have to overcome a life time of lies and deceptions we have come to believe as truth.
So we are to take every imagination (thought, idea) and if they are not of the knowledge of God we are to cast them down. Take what is left into captivity to the obedience of Christ (Spirit (God)).
John 4
24. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
God is a Spirit and in Him is the truth, not in man.
Acts 5
11. And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.
12. And by the hands of the apostles were many signs and wonders wrought among the people; (and they were all with one accord in Solomon's porch.
13. And of the rest durst no man join himself to them: but the people magnified them.
14. And believers were the more added to the Lord, multitudes both of men and women.)
I discovered as early as the above verses just after the Jesus rose and went up to be with the Father that the community (church) was divided into two groups those of the Spirit and those who believe the later being the largest group. That those of the later were of the later due to fear of the Spirit of God due to what happened to Ananias and Sapphira when they lied.
1 Corinthians 1
11. For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you.
12. Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ.
13. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?
Then I found even later that the division went further to the point of separating based on who's house they were meeting in, and Paul was not thrilled by this, how much more would he be today. Take Paul, Apollos, and Cephas in verse 12 and replace them with names of local churches today.
After this a lot of the history I had read made sense how in the 4th century the ruler of Rome made a law that all citizens were Christian no matter if they were or not.
In time this effected the church, what happened was as time went by those who did not believe but wanted power became leaders of the church and from that we got such great times as the dark ages, crusades, inquisition, etc.
None of which was based on the Bible, God, or truth but man's interpretation of what they thought God would want.
By the 16th century one of the church had translated and read two books of the Bible mostly the books of Romans and Hebrews and decided that the church was wrong. This person was Martin Luther and he wrote to the Pope of that time and called him an antichrist.
Now understand the popes before and after through as late as the 19th century would go forth and start and be involved in wars with others for any reason from land grabbing to difference in ideas.
While you are reading all of this remember Jesus taught we are to love each other as our selves can you see this love in anything so far? Of course not, killing over land or ideas, subjecting the followers to interpretation and not allowing them to read the Bible for themselves do not show the love. Oh yes the only ones who had the Bible were those officials of the church such as priests and up.
But in the 16th century by the time Luther died and those who followed started forming groups based on ideas and interpretation, doing just what Luther had claimed the church had done.
One of the differences was over dunking or sprinkling as far as baptism would go. And if water baptism was the one true baptism maybe they would have had a point to talk about but not to kill over. Yes, they killed, those who believed in sprinkling were the larger group and they would take those who insisted it was dunking to a lake. Placed them on a see saw and dunk them each time a little longer until they changed their mind or drowned.
For those of you who believe water baptism is anything more than just showing of ones faith I have added this section to show that the one true baptism was not water but of the Spirit.
Matthew 3
11. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
John said Jesus would baptize them with the Spirit.
John 1
15. John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me.
John even said that Jesus was preferred before him, meaning the baptism Jesus would baptize with was preferred before John's baptism of water but would come after John.
Acts 1
5. For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
Jesus even said it, that the baptism of the Spirit would come as Johns had been now would be of the Spirit.
Acts has many accounts of baptism not all of water but most of the water were done and they said they did because they knew of no other. The others were merely showing of ones faith until they would be baptized with the Spirit, and after Acts the subject of water ends.
Why was Jesus baptized in water? The same reason He followed the law He did all that was of the time, including being baptized by John to show the end of water was coming and would be replaced with the Spirit. What descended on Jesus as He came out of the water not as He was in it, the Spirit.
Satan has used such things as water baptism to divide us for five hundred years, and anything else he could convince us to be divided over such as communion.
Some claim it should be grape juice others wine, some that it is every Sunday others at different times through the year.
The point is Satan was dividing the church over things that were physical and that is not what Jesus came about, that is why the Jews did not recognize Him in the first place.
Jesus came to reunite us to God in the Spirit, He was spiritual king not physical or at least not until His second coming.
But the church did all those of old the synagogue did, and that was to be of the physical, the law, but not grace.
Jesus brought one temple not a building but the true believer who would be the temple of God.
So what does the church do, they build bigger and better buildings even to the point of going into debt which is a sin especially for the church. The problem today is the church is a business never has been of the Spirit as Jesus intended.
Matthew 16
15. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am?
16. And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.
17. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.
In the above verse 17 Jesus said "flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven."
Revealed what?
Who Jesus is and all that it means as The Christ, the Son of the living God.
Matthew 16
18. And I say also unto thee, That thou art a piece of the rock, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
In verse 18 above the translators for some reason translated Petros "a piece of the rock" as Peter. And due to that a lot have been misled another error was the word church, it was not in the Greek writings, the word should be community.
Jesus was building His community, not man's church based on revealed knowledge from God who Jesus was as the Christ and the Son of the living God, and all that means.
Matthew 16
19. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
20. Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.
Jesus then told them not to tell anyone because then it would be head knowledge and not revealed spiritual knowledge and not understood.
John 3
12. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?
He said if I tell you of earthly things and do not understand how can He tell them of heavenly or Spiritual things.
Do you know there are a lot of people of different denominations that do not believe in being born again, even though Jesus said if one is not born again of the Spirit they can not see or enter the kingdom of God.
John 3
3. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
4. Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?
5. Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
6. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.
Some even use verse 5 to try to prove baptism of water, but neglect verse 6 He is saying in that of water or flesh is of flesh and that of Spirit is spirit. We are born of water of a woman the first birth the second is when we are born of the Spirit, of Him.
Maybe this is why the same ones do not know if they are saved until they get to the next life, that is right they teach based on predestination that some are predestined to salvation and others are not.
Maybe if they believed in being born again and sought it, they would learn predestination is that God predestined us all to salvation (John 3:16 is proof),.
John 3
16. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
But the problem is when man of man leads man they are like the blind leading the blind.
Matthew 15
8. This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
9. But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
If you think Jesus was just referring to those then and no one today you may be in for a shock in the next life.
Matthew 23
13. But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in.
Many today are misled by those taught of man, but if the above is not enough the following is Jesus referring to those who say they are of Him.
Matthew 7
13. Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:
14. Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.
15. Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
The word many in verse 13 is actually most, most are led down the path to destruction (verse 15) by false prophets (teachers, leaders, etc) who are actually wolves in sheep's clothing.
Jesus goes on for a few verses trying to show them how fruit or works of the flesh is not the true works or fruit but that of the Spirit only are true fruit. Because all others fruit or works other than of the Spirit anyone can do, only those of the Spirit can have the fruit there of.
Matthew 7
20. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
21. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23. And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
In verse 23 Jesus calls those of verse 22 workers of evil and tells them to depart. But all that would see the works of those in verse 22 would believe by their works they are of God. But Jesus states do not be misled by works, and He tells us the reason they are not of Him is because He never knew them. Of course He knew of them, but they never took the time to know Him.
Revelation 3
20. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.
21. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.
22. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Today there is false teachings such as Jesus and Mary had a child, that of God being a woman, and much more. Do you not know that in the next life sex is not an issue there is no men or women just Adam.
If you want to know the truth do not listen to or believe man, listen to and believe God.
And if you think those today are really all you think remember the first century and beyond they did not attend colleges to become men of God, God called them and they were converted and taught.
Just as Saul on the road to Damascus met the Lord was converted from one persecuting all of the Lord to one of the most persecuted of the Lord and was Paul.
2 Corinthians 5
17. Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
You are not a new creature based on you or the physical but based on grace and the Spirit.
Ephesians 2
8. For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
9. Not of works, lest any man should boast.
You are not saved based on anything you can do, such as being baptized of water or anything of the physical realm only of the Spirit and the Spiritual realm.
Romans 8
16. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God:
When we are connected to the Spirit to our spirit, then all we need comes from the Spirit, to our spirit, up to our soul (mind, will and emotions) and out our mouth as rivers of living water. Not of us, but of Him, and Him alone.
Matthew 1
36. But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment.
37. For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.
Idle means any words not of God, or the knowledge of God are idle words and shall be judged.
Matthew 15
17. Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?
18. But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
Words come from either the mind which is either fed by the spirit which is fed by the SPIRIT, or the mind which is fed by the world. Those of the spirit are life those of the world are not.
Matthew 15
14. Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.
Many today follow those claiming to be men or women of God and are like the blind being led by the blind.
Satan has had thousands of years to prepare for us, to learn what works and what does not, how to deceive and lie in ways we would not understand or realize but accept as truth because no one told us any differently. And he has learned how to manipulate those and deceive them into believing his lies and then passing them on, and these are mostly those that would reach the largest part of the population. Either by books such as the Devinici Code and others like it (there are many now on the market) or by viewing television shows and movies written by people we do not know and have no idea what their belief is and their vision is. By politicians that appear to be for the people but have underlying agendas that we are not about or for, or even religious leaders with the same intent or that have not the first idea of who God is.
Any who do not teach that we are to hear from God and to be taught of God or teach against being born again, or some other area that does not line up with His love is teachings of Satan and not God. I agree many do not know they are but that is no reason to follow them.
Remember in II Cor 10:5 we are told to cast down all imaginations (thoughts, ideas, teachings) that go against the knowledge of God. Well those teaching against being born again are just such this verse refers to because Jesus said it, not me, that we are to be born again. So those who teach against it are going against the knowledge of God and are of the church of Satan that Jesus refers to in Revelation 2-3. Also those who teach water over Spirit baptism are the same as those teaching against born again.
The Bible is meant to lead you to God, in this life to be of Him in His Spirit, taught by Him, and led by Him and in the life to come everlasting life. Any teaching opposing this is against the knowledge of God and is of one of the six churches Jesus states is not of Him.
In Matthew 7 you read how MOST are on the path to destruction due to false prophets, teachers, etc, MOST means the more than the majority but the largest part there of. Jesus also said only a FEW are on the path to life.
While researching, then hearing from God one thing that came through was the few are those listening to Him and led of Him while the MOST are led of man.
Read the Old Testament how time after time mankind took a man over God and the same is true today.
Ask yourself this question, am I 100% sure I am saved, if not, then you are not hearing from God.
We are not seeking members of our ministry, if anything the opposite is true so we have nothing to gain from this teaching other than being honest and true to Him, not us or man.
Join His community, not man's church, and find all He promised deliverance, salvation, etc.
Luke 4
18. The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,
Here is how we hear from God:
1. We are saved and have a desire to hear from Him.
2. We ask for His help.
3. We find a place that is free from distractions and quiet where we spend 30 mins a day listening quietly not thinking or doing anything.
6. If you fall asleep retrain the body not to fall asleep at this time.
7. We do this daily for as long as it takes until we hear. It takes anywhere from 2 weeks to 6 months (some take longer) depending how much has to be overcome in us and how long we spend daily.
8. When you hear you ask one question, "Did Jesus Christ come in the flesh?" If you hear, "no" tell Satan to go to Hell. If you hear, "yes" you listen, and in time ask questions.
9. While doing the above read II Cor 10:5 (controlling thoughts), and James 1:26 (controlling the tongue) read daily in John and pray.
1 John 4
1. Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
2. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God:
3. And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.