ADAM AND EVE

 "THIS ACCOUNT IS NOT IN THE BIBLE AND THEREFORE SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN AS THE WORD OF GOD"

 

 

 

THE FIRST THOUSAND YEARS: ADAM TO YARÊD (Jared).

[The Creation. First Day.]

In the beginning, on the First Day, which was the holy First Day of the Week, the chief and [Firstborn of all the days, God created the heavens, and the earth, and the waters, and the air, ( the fire, and the hosts which are invisible (that is to say, the Angels, Archangels, Thrones, Lords, Principalities, Powers, Cherubim and Seraphim), and all the ranks and companies of Spiritual beings, and the Light, and the Night, and the Day-time, and the gentle winds and the strong winds (i.e. storms). All these were created on the First Day. And on the First Day of the Week the Spirit of holiness, one of the Persons of the Trinity, hovered over the waters and through the hovering thereof over the; [Fol. 3b, col. 2] face of the waters, the waters were blessed so that they might become producers of offspring, and they became hot, and the whole nature of the waters glowed with heat, and the leaven of creation was united to them. As the mother-bird maketh warm her young by the embrace of her closely covering wings, and the young birds acquire form through the warmth of the heat which [they derive] from her, so through the operation of the Spirit of holiness, the Spirit, the Paraclete, the leaven of the breath of life was united to the waters when He hovered over them. Note 1

[The Creation. Second Day.]

And on the Second Day God made the Lower Heaven, and called it REKI'A' [that is to say, " what is sold and fixed," or " firmament "]. This He did that He might make known that the Lower Heaven doth not possess the nature of the heaven which is above it, and that it is different in appearance from that heaven which is above it, for the heaven above it is of fire. And that second heaven is NÛHRÂ (i.e. Light), and this lower heaven is Darpition [Fol. 4a, col. I]8 and because it hath the dense nature of water it hath been called "Rekî'a." And on the Second Day God made a separation between the waters and the waters, that is to say, between the waters which were above [Rekî'a] and the waters which were below. And the ascent of these waters which were above heaven took place on the Second Day, and they were like unto a dense black cloud of thick darkness. Thus were they raised up there, and they mounted up, and behold, they stand above the Rekî'a in the air; and they do not spread, and they make no motion to any side. Note 2

[The Creation. Third Day.]

And on the Third Day God commanded the waters that were below the firmament (Rekî'a) to be gathered together in one place, and the dry land to appear. And when the covering of water had been rolled up from the face of the earth, the earth showed itself to be in an unsettled and unstable state, that is to say, it was of a damp (or moist) and yielding nature. And the waters were gathered together into seas that were under the earth and within it [Fol. 4a, col. 2], and upon it. And God made in the earth from below, corridors, and shafts, and channels for the passage of the waters; and the winds which come from within the earth ascend by means of these corridors and channels, and also the heat and the cold for the service of the earth. Now, as for the earth, the lower part of it is like unto a thick sponge, for it resteth on the waters. And on this Third Day God commanded the earth, and it brought forth herbs and vegetables, and it conceived in its interior trees. and seeds, and plants and roots Note 3

[The Creation. Fourth Day.]

And on the Fourth Day God made the sun, and the moon, and the stars. And as soon as the heat of the sun was diffused over the surface of the earth, the earth became hard and rigid, and lost its flaccidity, because the humidity and the dampness [caused by] the waters were taken away from it. The Creator made the sphere of the sun of fire and filled it with light. And God gave unto the sphere of the moon and the stars bodies of water and air, and filled them with light. And when the dust of the earth became hot, it brought forth all the trees [Fol. 4b, col. I], and plants, and seeds, and roots which had been conceived inside it on the Third Day. Note 4

[The Creation. Fifth Day.]

And on the Fifth Day God commanded the waters, and they brought forth all kind of fish of divers appearances, and creatures which move about, and twist themselves and wriggle in the waters, and serpents, and Leviathan, and beasts of terrible aspects, and feathered fowl of the air and of the waters. And on this same day God made from the earth all the cattle and wild beasts, and all the reptiles which creep about upon the earth. Note 5

[The Creation. Sixth Day.]

And on the Sixth Day, which is the Eve of the Sabbath, God formed man out of the dust, and Eve from his rib. And on the Seventh Day God rested from His labours, and it is called " Sabbath."

[The Creation of Adam.]

Now the formation of Adam took place in this wise: On the Sixth Day, which is the Eve of the Sabbath, at the first hour of the day, When quietness was reigning over [Fol. 4b, col. 2] all the Ranks [of the Angels], and the hosts [of heaven], God said, " Come ye, let Us make man in Our image, and according to Our likeness." [ Gen1:26 ] Now by this word " Us" He maketh known concerning the Glorious Persons [of the Trinity]. And when the angels heard this utterance, they {ell into a state of fear and trembling, and they said to one another, " A mighty miracle will be made manifest to us this day [that is to say], the likeness of God, our Maker." And they saw the right hand of God opened out flat, and stretched out over the whole world; and all creatures were collected in the palm of His right hand. And they saw that He took from the whole mass of the earth one grain of dust, and from the whole nature of water one drop of water, and from all the air which is above one puff of wind, and from the whole nature of fire a little of its heat and warmth. And the angels saw that when these four feeble (or inert) materials were placed in the palm of His right hand [Fol. 5a, Col I], that is to say, cold, and heat, and dryness, and moisture, God formed Adam. Now, for what reason did God make Adam out of these four materials unless it were [to show] that everything which is in the world should be in subordination to him through them? He took a grain from the earth in order that everything in nature which is formed of earth should be subject unto him; and a drop of water in order Mysteries of Heavethat everything which is in the seas and rivers should be his; and a puff of air so that all kinds [of creatures] which fly in the air might be given unto him; and the heat of fire so that all the beings that are fiery in nature, and the celestial hosts, might be his helpers. God formed Adam with His holy hands, in His own Image and Likeness and when the angels saw Adam's glorious appearance they were greatly moved by the beauty thereof. For they saw [Fol. 5a, col. 2] the image of his face burning with glorious splendour like the orb of the sun, and the light of his eyes was like the light of the sun, and the image of his body was like unto the sparkling of crystal. And when he rose at full length and stood upright in the centre of the earth, he planted his two feet on that spot whereon was set up the Cross of our Redeemer; for Adam was created in Jerusalem. There he was arrayed in the apparel of sovereignty, and there was the crown of glory set upon his head, there was he made king, and priest, and prophet, there did God make him to sit upon his honourable throne, and there did God give him dominion over all creatures and things. And all the wild beasts, and all the cattle, and the feathered fowl were gathered together, and they passed before Adam and he assigned names to them; and they bowed their heads before him; and everything in nature worshipped him [Fol. 5b, col. I], and submitted themselves unto him. And the angels and the hosts of heaven heard the Voice of God saying unto him, "Adam, behold; I have made thee king, and priest, and prophet, and lord, and head, and governor of everything which hath been made and created; and they shall be in subjection unto thee) and they shall be thine, and I have given unto thee power over everything which I have created." And when the angels heard this speech they all bowed the knee and worshipped Him.
Note 6

[The Revolt of Satan, and the Battle in Heaven.]

And when the prince of the lower order of angels saw what great majesty had been given unto Adam, he was jealous of him from that day, and he did not wish to worship him. And he said unto his hosts, "Ye shall not worship him, and ye shall not praise him with the angels. It is meet that ye should worship me, because I am fire and spirit; and not that I should worship a thing of dust, which hath been fashioned of fine dust." And the Rebel meditating these things [Fol. 5b, col. 2] would not render obedience to God, and of his own free will he asserted his independence and separated himself from God. But he was - swept away out of heaven and fell, and the fall of himself and of all his company from heaven took place on the "Sâtânâ" because he turned aside [from the right way], and "Shêdâ" because he was cast out, and "Daiwâ" because he lost the apparel of his glory. And behold, from that time until the present day, he and all his hosts have been stripped of their apparel, and they go naked and have horrible faces. And when Sâtânâ was cast out from heaven, Adam was raised up so that he might ascend to Paradise in a chariot of fire And the angels went before him, singing praises, and the Seraphim ascribed holiness unto him, and the Cherubim ascribed blessing; and amid cries of joy and praises Adam went into [Fol. 6a, col. I] Paradise. And as soon as Adam entered Paradise he was commanded not to eat of a [certain] tree; his entrance into heaven took place at the third hour of the Eve of the Sabbath (i.e. on Friday morning). Note 7

[The Making of Eve.]

And God cast a sleep upon Adam and he slept. And God took a rib from the loins on the right side of Adam, and He made Khâwâ (i.e. Eve) from it: and when Adam woke up, and saw Eve, he rejoiced in her greatly. And Adam and Eve were in Paradise, and clothed with glory and shining with praise for three hours. Now this Paradise was situated on a high range of hills, and it was thirty spans--according to the measurement of the spirit--higher than all the high mountains, and it surrounded the whole earth. Note 8 Now Moses the prophet said that God planted Paradise in Eden and placed Adam there (Gen. ii. 8).
Note 9

[THE SYMBOLISM OF EDEN.]

Now Eden is the Holy Church, and the Church [Fol. 6a, col. 2] is the compassion of God which He was about to extend to the children of men. For God, according to His foreknowledge, knew what Satan had devised against Adam, and therefore He set Adam beforehand in the bosom of His compassion, even as the blessed David singeth concerning Him in the Psalm (90), saying "Lord, Thou hast been an abiding place for us throughout all generations," [ Ps90 ] that is to say, Thou hast made us to have our abiding place in Thy compassion." And, when entreating God on behalf of the redemption of the children of men, David said, "Remember Thy Church, which Thou didst acquire in olden time" [ Ps74:2 ] , that is to say, " [Remember] Thy compassion, which Thou art about to spread over our feeble race." Eden is the Holy Church, and the Paradise which was in it is the land of rest and the inheritance of life, which God hath prepared for all the holy children of men. And because [Fol. 6b, col. I] Adam was priest, and king, and prophet, God brought him into Paradise that he might minister in Eden, the Holy Church, even as the blessed man Moses testifieth concerning him, saying, " That he might serve God by means of priestly ministration with praise, and that he might keep that commandment which had been entrusted to him by the compassion of God" [ Gen2:15 ] . And God made Adam and Eve to dwell in Paradise. True is this word, and it proclaimeth the truth: That Tree of Life which was in the midst of Paradise prefigured the Redeeming Cross, which is the veritable Tree of Life, and this it was that was fixed in the middle of the earth.

[Satan's Attack on Adam and Eve.]

And when Satan saw that Adam and Eve were happy and joyful in Paradise, that Rebel was smitten sorely with jealousy, and he became filled with wrath. and he went and took up his abode in the serpent, and he raised him up, and made him to fly through the air to the skirts of Mount [Eden] whereon was Paradise [Fol. 6b, col. 2]. Now why did Satan enter the body of the serpent and hide himself therein? Because he knew that his appearance was foul, and that if Eve saw his form, she would betake herself to flight straightway before him. Now, the man who wished to teach the Greek language to a bird --now the bird that can learn the speech of men is called "babbaghah" (i.e. parrot)--first bringeth a large mirror and placeth between himself and the bird. He then beginneth to talk to the bird, and immediately the parrot heareth the voice of the man, it turneth round, and when it seeth its own form [reflected] in the mirror; it becometh pleased straightway, because it imagineth that a fellow parrot is talking to it Then it inclineth its ear with pleasure, and listeneth to the words of the man who is talking to it, and it becometh eager to learn, and to speak Greek. In this manner (i.e. with the object of making Eve believe that it was the serpent that spoke to her) did Satan enter in and dwell in the serpent, and he watched for the opportunity, and [when] he saw Eve by herself [Fol. 7a, col. I], he called her by her name. And when she turned round towards him, she saw her own form [reflected] in him, and she talked to him; and Satan led her astray with his lying words, because the nature of woman is soft (or, yielding). And when Eve had heard from him concerning that tree, straightway she ran quickly to it, and she plucked the fruit of disobedience from the tree of transgression of the command, and she ate. Then immediately she found herself stripped naked, and she saw the hatefulness of her shame, and she ran away naked, and hid herself in another tree, and covered her nakedness with the leaves thereof. And she cried out to Adam, and he came to her, and she handed to him some of the fruit of which she had eaten, and he also did eat thereof. And when he had eaten he also became naked, and he and Eve made girdles for their loins of the leaves of the fig-trees; and they were arrayed in these girdles of ignominy for three [Fol. 7a, col. 2] hours. At mid-day they received [their] sentence of doom. And God made for them tunics of skin which was stripped from the trees, that is to say, of the bark of the trees, because the trees that were in Paradise had soft barks, and they were softer than the byssus and silk wherefrom the garments worn by kings are made. And God dressed them in this soft skin, which was thus spread over a body of infirmities. Note 10

[Adam's stay in Paradise.]

At the third hour of the day Adam and Eve ascended into Paradise, and for three hours they enjoyed the good things thereof; for three hours they were in shame and disgrace, and at the ninth hour their expulsion from Paradise took place. And as they were going forth sorrowfully, God spake unto Adam, and heartened him, and said unto him, "Be not sorrowful, O Adam, for I will restore unto thee thine inheritance. Behold, see how greatly I have loved thee, for though I have cursed the earth for thy sake, yet have I withdrawn thee from the operation of the curse. As; for the serpent [Fol. 7b, col. I], I have fettered his legs in his belly, and I have given him the dust of the earth for food; and Eve have I bound under the yoke of servitude. Inasmuch as thou hast transgressed my commandments get thee forth, but be not sad. After the fulfilment of the times which I have allotted that you shall be in exile outside [Paradise], in the land which is under the curse, behold, I will send my Son. And He shall go down [from heaven] for thy redemption, and He shall sojourn in a Virgin, and shall put on a body [of flesh], and through Him redemption and a return shall be effected for thee. But command thy sons, and order them to embalm thy body after thy death with myrrh, cassia, and stakte. And they shall place thee in this cave, wherein I am making you to dwell this day, until the time when your expulsion shall take place from the regions of Paradise to that earth which is outside it. And whosoever shall be left in those days shall take thy body with him, and [Fol. 7b, col. 2] shall deposit it on the spot which I shall show him, in the centre of the earth; for in that place shall redemption be effected for thee and for all thy children." And God revealed unto Adam everything which the Son would suffer on behalf of him.

[Adam's expulsion from Paradise.]

And when Adam and Eve had gone forth from Paradise, the door of Paradise was shut, and a cherub bearing a two-edged sword stood by it. [According to the Book of the Bee , the cherub, or, as some think, a " terrible form endowed with a body," was armed with a spear and sword, each being made of fire.] And Adam and Eve went down in ....... Of spirit over the mountains of Paradise, and they found a cave in the top of the mountain, and they entered and hid themselves therein.
Note 11 So Adam and Eve went down from that holy mountain [of Eden] to the slopes which were below it, and there Adam knew Eve his wife. [A marginal note in the manuscript says that Adam knew Eve thirty years after they went forth from Paradise.] And Eve conceived and brought forth Cain and LebhÛdha, his sister, with him; and Eve conceived again and she brought forth Hâbhîl (Abel) and Kelîmath, his sister, with him. [The Book of the Bee makes Kelîmath the twin sister of Cain, and Lebhudhâ the twin sister of Abel.] And when the children grew up, Adam said unto Eve, " Let Cain take to wife Kelîmath, who was brought forth with Abel, and let Abel take to wife LebhÛdhâ, who was brought forth with Cain." And Cain said unto Eve his mother, " I will take to wife my twin sister LebhÛdhâ, and let Abel take to wife his twin sister Kelîmath "; now LebhÛdhâ was beautiful. When Adam heard these words, which were exceedingly displeasing unto him, he said, " It will be a transgression of the commandment for thee to take [to wife] thy sister, who was born with thee. Nevertheless, take ye to yourselves fruits of trees, and the young of sheep, and get ye up to the top [Fol. 8a, col. I] of this holy mountain. Then go ye into , and offer ye up your offerings, and make your prayers, and then ye shall consort with your wives." And it came to pass that when, Adam, the first priest, and Cain and Abel, his sons, were going up to the top of the mountain, Satan entered into Cain [and persuaded him] to kill Abel, his brother, because of LebhÛdhâ; and because his offering was rejected and was not accepted before God, whilst the offering of Abel was accepted, Cain's jealousy of his brother Abel was increased. And when they came down to the plain, Cain rose up against his brother Abel, and he killed him with a blow from a stone of flint. Then straightway Cain received the doom of death, instead of curses, and he became a fugitive and a wanderer all the days of his life. And God drove him forth into exile in a certain part of the forest of Nôdh, and Cain took to wife his twin sister and made the place of his abode there
Note 12

[The Birth of Seth.]

And Adam and Eve mourned for Abel [Fol. 8b, col. I] one hundred years (sic). And then Adam knew his wife again, and she brought forth Seth, the Beautiful, a man mighty and perfect like unto Adam, and he became the father of the mighty men who lived before the Flood. Note 13 [The Posterity of Seth.]
And to Seth was born Anôsh (Enos), and Anôsh begot Kainân (Cainan), and Kainân begot Mahlâlâîl (Mahalaleel); these [are] the Patriarchs who were born in the days of Adam.

[The Death of Adam.]

And when Adam had lived nine hundred and thirty years, that is to say, until the one hundred(l and thirty-fifth year of Mahlâlâîl, the day of his death drew nigh and came. And Seth, his son, and Anôsh, and Kainân, and Mahlâlâîl gathered themselves together and came to him. And they were blessed by him, and he prayed over them. And he commanded his son Seth, and said unto him, " Observe, my son Seth, that which I command thee this day, and do thou on the day of thy death give my command to Anôsh, and repeat it to him, and let him repeat it to Kainan, and Kainân shall repeat it to Mahlâlâîl [Fol. 8b, col. 2], and let this [my] command be handed on to all your generations. And when I die, embalm me with myrrh, and cassia, and stakte, and deposit my body in . And whosoever shall be left of your generations in that day, when your going forth from this country, which is round about Paradise, shall take place, shall carry my body with him, and shall take it and deposit it in the centre of the earth, for in that place shall redemption be effected for me and for all my children. And be thou, O my son Seth, governor of the sons of thy people. And thou shalt rule them purely and holy in all the fear of God. And keep ye your offspring separate from the offspring of Cain, the murderer." And when the report " Adam is dying " was known generally, all his offspring gathered
together, and came to him, that is to say, Seth, his son, and ânôsh, and Kainân and Mahlâlâîl, they and their wives [Fol. 9a, col. I], and their sons, and their daughters; and Adam blessed them. And the departure of Adam from this world took place in the nine hundred and thirtieth year--according to the reckoning from the beginning--on the fourteenth day of the moon, on the sixth day of the month of Nîsân (April), at the ninth hour, on the day of the Eve of the Sabbath (i.e. Friday). At the same hour in which the Son of Man delivered up his soul to His Father on the Cross, did our father Adam deliver up his soul to Him that fashioned him; and he departed from this world.

[The Burial of Adam.]

And when Adam was dead his son Seth embalmed him, according as Adam had commanded him, with myrrh, and cassia, and stakte; now Adam's dead body was the first [body buried] in the earth. And grief for him was exceedingly sore, and Seth [and his sons] mourned for his death one hundred and forty days; and they took Adam's body up to the top of the mountain, and buried it in . And after the families and peoples of the children of Seth had buried Adam, they separated themselves from the children of Cain, the murderer. And Seth took Anôsh [Fol. 9a, col. 2], his firstborn, and Kainân, and Mahlâlâîl, and their wives and children, and led them up into the glorious mountain where Adam was buried; and Cain and all his descendants remained below on the plain where Cain slew Abel.

[The Rule of Seth.]

And Seth became the governor of the children of his people, and he ruled them in purity and holiness. And because of their purity they received the name, which is the best of all names, and were called " the sons of God," they and their wives and their sons. Thus they lived in that mountain in all purity and holiness and in the fear of God. And they went up on the skirts of [the mountain] of Paradise, and they became praisers and glorifiers of God in the place of that host of devils who fell from heaven. There they dwelt in peace and happiness: there was nothing about which they needed to feel anxiety, they had nothing to weary or trouble them [Fol. 9b, col. I], and they had nothing to do except to praise and glorify God, with the angels. For they heard continually the voices of the angels who were singing praises in Paradise, which was situated at no great height above them--in fact, only about thirty spans--according to the measure of the spirit. They suffered neither toil nor fatigue, they had neither seed [time] nor harvest, but they fed themselves with the delectable fruits of glorious trees of all kinds, and they enjoyed the sweet scent and perfume of the breezes which were wafted forth to them from Paradise. [Thus lived] those holy men, who were indeed holy, and their wives were pure, and their sons were virtuous, and their daughters were chaste and undefiled. In them there was no rebellious thought, no envy, no anger, no enmity. In their wives and daughters there was no impure longing, and neither lasciviousness [Fol. 9b, col. 2], nor cursing, nor lying was heard among them. The only oath which they used in swearing was, " By the blood of Abel." And they, and their wives, and their children used to rise up early in the morning, and go up to the top of that holy mountain, and worship there before God. And they were blessed by the body of Adam their father, and they lifted up their eyes to Paradise, and praised God; and thus they did all the days of their life.
Note 14 And when Seth had lived nine hundred and thirteen years he became sick unto death. And ânôsh his son, and Kainan, and Mahlâlâîl, and Yârêd (Jared), and Henôkh (Enoch), and their wives and their sons, gathered together and came unto him, and they were blessed by him. And he prayed over them, and commanded them, and made them to take an oath, and said unto them [Fol. 10a, col. 1], " I will make you to take an oath, and to swear by the holy blood of Abel, that none of you will go down from this holy mountain to the children of Cain, the murderer. For ye know well the enmity which hath existed between us and Cain from the day whereon he slew Abel." And Seth blessed ânôsh, his son, and gave him commands concerning the body of Adam, and he made him ruler over the children of his people. And Seth ruled them in purity and in holiness, and he ministered diligently before the body of Adam. And Seth died when he was nine hundred and twelve years old, on the seven-and-twentieth day of the blessed month of Abh (August), on the second day of the week (Monday), at the third hour, in the twentieth year of the life of Enoch. And ânôsh, Seth's first-born son, embalmed his body and buried him in , with his father Adam; and they made a mourning for him forty [Fol. 10a, col. 2] days.
Note 15

[The Rule of Anôsh.]

And Anôsh rose up to minister before God in . And he became the governor of the children of his people, and he kept all the commandments which his father Seth had commanded him, and he urged them to be constant in prayer. Note 16 And in the days of Anôsh, in his eight hundred and twentieth year, Lamech, the blind man, killed Cain, the murderer, in the Forest of Nôdh. Now this killing took place in the following manner. As Lamech was leaning on the youth, his son [Tubal-Cain], and the youth was setting straight his father's arm in the direction in which he saw the quarry, he heard the sound of Cain moving about, backwards and forwards, in the forest. Now Cain was unable to stand still in one place and to hold his peace. And Lamech, thinking that it was a wild beast that was making a movement in the forest, raised his arm, and, having made ready, drew his bow and shot an arrow [Fol. 10b, col. I] towards that spot, and the arrow smote Cain between his eyes, and he fell down and died. And Lamech, thinking that he had shot game, spake to the youth, saying, " Make haste, and let us see what game we have shot." And when they went to the spot, and the boy on whom Lamech leaned had looked, he said unto him, " O my lord, thou hast killed Cain." And Lamech moved his hands to smite them together, and as he did so he smote the youth and killed him also.
Note 17 And when ânôsh had lived nine hundred and five years, and was sick unto death, all the patriarchs gathered themselves together, and came unto him, viz. Kainân, his first-born son, and Mahlâlâîl, and Yârêd, and Enoch, and MatÛshlah (Methuselah), they, and their wives, and their sons. And they were blessed by him, and he prayed over them and commanded them, and spake unto them, saying, " I will make you to swear by the holy blood of Abel that not one of you shall go down from this mountain to the plain, nor into the encampment of [Fol. 10b, col. 2] the children of Cain, the murderer; and ye shall not mingle yourselves among them. Take ye good heed unto this matter, for ye well know what enmity hath existed between us and them from the day whereon Cain slew Abel." And he blessed Kainân, his son, and commanded him concerning the body of Adam, that he should minister before it all the days of his life, and that he should rule over the children of his people in purity and holiness. And Anôsh died at the age of nine hundred and five years, on the third day of the month of the First Teshrin (October), on the day of the Sabbath, in the fifty-third year of the life of Methuselah. And Kainân, his first-born, embalmed him and buried him in , with Adam and Seth, his father. And they made a mourning for him forty days.
Note 18

[The Rule of Kainân.]

And Kainân stood up before God to minister in the Cave of Treasures. He was an honourable and pure man, and he governed the children of his people in the complete [Fol. 11a, col. I] fear of God, and he fulfilled all the commandments of ânôsh his father. And when Kainân had lived nine hundred and twenty years [in The Book of Adam and the Book of the Bee 910 years], and was sick unto death, all the Patriarchs gathered together and came unto him, viz. Mahlâlâîl his son, and Yârêd, and Enoch and Methuselah and Lamech, they and their wives and their children, and were blessed by him. And he prayed over them and commanded them, saying, " I will make you swear by the holy blood of Abel that not one of you shall go down from this holy mountain into the camp of the children of Cain, the murderer, for ye all know well what enmity hath existed between us and them since the day whereon he killed Abel." And he blessed his son Mahlâlâîl, and admonished him concerning the body of Adam, and said unto him, " Behold, O my son Mahlâlâîl, minister thou before God in purity and holiness [Fol. 11a, col. 2] in , and depart not thou from the presence of the body of Adam all the days of thy life. And be thou the governor of the children of thy people, and rule thou them purely and holy." Kainân died, being nine hundred and twenty years old, on the thirteenth day of the month of Hezêrân (June), on the fourth day of the week (Wednesday), at mid-day, in the five and sixtieth year of [the life of] Lamech, the father of Noah. And Mahlâlâîl, his son, embalmed him, and buried him in ; and they made mourning for him forty days. Note 19

[The Rule of Mahlâlâîl.]

And Mahlâlâîl rose up and ministered before God in the place of Kainân his father. He was constant in prayer by day and by night, and he urged earnestly the children of his people to observe holiness and purity, and to pray without ceasing. And when Mahlâlâîl had lived eight hundred and ninety-five years [Fol. 11b, col. I], and the day of his departure drew nigh, and he was sick unto death, all the Patriarchs gathered together and came unto him, viz. Yârêd, his first-born, and Enoch and Methuselah, and Lamech, and Noah, they and their wives and their children, and were blessed by him. And he prayed over them, and commanded them, saying, " I will make you to swear by the holy blood of Abel, that not one of you shall go down from this holy mountain. And ye shall not permit any one of your descendants to go down to the plain, to the children of Cain, the murderer, for ye all well know what enmity hath existed between us and them from the day whereon he slew Abel." And he blessed Yârêd his first-born, and he commanded him concerning the body of Adam, and revealed unto him the place whereto he should make ready to go. And he also commanded him, and made him to swear an oath, saying, " Thou shalt not depart from the body of our father Adam all the days of thy life, and thou shalt be [Fol. 11b, col. 2] the governor of the children of thy people, and shalt rule them in chastity and holiness." And Mahlâlâîl died, [being] eight hundred and ninety-five years old, on the second day of the month Nîsân (April), on the first day of the week (Sunday), at the third hour of the day, in the four and thirtieth year of the life of Noah. And Yârêd, his first-born, embalmed him, and buried him in ; and the people made a mourning for him forty days. Note 20

[The Rule of Yârêd]

And Yârêd his son rose up and ministered before God [in ]. He was a perfect man, and was complete in all the virtues, and he was constant in prayer by day and by night. And because of the excellence of his life and conversation, his days were longer than those of all the children of his people. And in the days of Yârêd, in the five hundredth year of his life, the children of Seth broke the oaths which their fathers had made them to swear. And they began to go down from that holy mountain to the encampment of iniquity [Fol. 12a, col. I] of the children of Cain, the murderer, and in this way the fall of the children of Seth took place. Note 21 AND IN THE FORTIETH YEAR OF YÂRÊD THE FIRST THOUSAND YEARS, FROM ADAM TO YâRêD, CAME TO AN END.
And in these years the handicraftsmen of sin, and the disciples of Satan, appeared, for he was their teacher, and he entered in and dwelt in them, and he poured into them the spirit of the operation of error, through which the fall of the children of Seth was to take place.

 ***"THIS ACCOUNT IS NOT IN THE BIBLE AND THEREFORE SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN AS THE WORD OF GOD"***

 

IT IS JUST AN INTERESTING STORY I THOUGHT YOU SHOULD KNOW 

Does the following prophecy have anything to do with the Roman Catholic Church?

Does the following prophecy have anything to do with the Roman Catholic Church?

“And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. ... And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. ... And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues” (Revelation 13:1-6, 9, 15).

When Dave Hunt published a book in 1994 (A Woman Rides the Beast) that identifies the religious harlot of Revelation 17 with Roman Catholicism, it created quite a controversy. Hunt’s book was blacklisted by many Christian bookstores and denounced by some key Evangelical leaders and ministries, including the Christian Research Institute (CRI). On the Bible Answer Man radio broadcasts, Hank Hanegraaff claimed that it is ludicrous to identify the Roman Catholic Church as the whore of Revelation 17.

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Such a controversy is relatively new. For a thousand years and more, Baptists, Protestants, and Fundamentalists have identified Rome with the Harlot of Revelation 17. Consider a few examples:

At the end of the NINTH CENTURY, “Tergandus, Bishop of Treves, called the Pope antichrist, yea, a wolf, and Rome, Babylon” (Martyrs Mirror, 5th English edition, p. 240).

In THE TENTH CENTURY, Arnulphus, Bishop of Orleans, in a full council at Rheims, called the Pope Antichrist (Peter Allix, The Ecclesiastical History of the Ancient Churches of Piedmont, 1821, p. 229).

In THE ELEVENTH CENTURY, Berenger of Tours denounced Rome’s dogmas and maintained that the Roman Church was the See of Satan (George Faber, The History of the Ancient Vallenses and Albigenses, 1838, p. 159).

THE WALDENSIANS, throughout most of their long history, identified the pope as the Antichrist. The Waldensian treatise titled the Noble Lesson, dated 1100 A.D., stated: “Antichrist, the predicted murderer of the Saints, hath already appeared in his true character, seated monarchally in the seven-hilled city.” In 1120 or 1160 A.D., A Treatise Concerning Antichrist identified the Pope of Rome as the Antichrist. George Faber identifies this as a production of Peter the Waldo (Faber, pp. 379-384).

In 1206, at the conference of Montreal, the ALBIGENSES made the following confession: “That the Church of Rome was not the spouse of Christ, but the Church of confusion, drunk with the blood of the martyrs. That the polity of the Church of Rome was neither good nor holy, nor established by Jesus Christ” (Peter Allix, The Ecclesiastical History of the Ancient Churches of the Albigenses, 1821 edition, first published in 1692, p. 178).

The BOHEMIAN BRETHREN held the following beliefs, according to the Roman Inquisitor. This description uses material from the 13TH CENTURY: “The first error, saith he, is that the Church of Rome is not the Church of Jesus Christ, but an assembly of wicked men, and the whore that sits upon the beast in the Revelation. ... They declare the pope to be the head and ringleader of all errors” (Allix, Ancient Churches of Piedmont, pp. 242-259).

The LOLLARDS of the 14TH AND 15TH CENTURIES maintained “that the Church of Rome was not the Church of Christ, but of infidel heathens; and they despised all ecclesiastical laws, together with all the Bishops and Ministers of the Church” (Allix, Ancient Churches of the Albigenses, p. 230).

The PETROBUSIANS judged the pope to be the Antichrist (Allix, Ancient Churches of the Albigenses, p. 142).

Throughout THE REFORMATION ERA, Rome was considered the Mother of Harlots. On September 9, 1560, Pastor Jean Louis Paschale of Calabria, just before he was burned alive in the presence of Pope Pius IV in Rome, turned to the Pope and “arraigned him as the enemy of Christ, the persecutor of his people, and the Anti-Christ of Scripture, and concluded by summoning him and all his cardinals to answer for their cruelties and murders before the throne of the Lamb” (J.A. Wylie, History of the Waldenses, c1860, p. 120).

All of the Reformation leaders considered the pope the Antichrist, including Martin Luther, John Calvin, and John Huss, and their successors in the 16th, 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries persisted in this.

Bible translator WILLIAM TYNDALE identified the pope as the Antichrist in his treatise The Practice of Prelates and also in the Preface to the 1534 edition of his New Testament.

Many of the EARLY PROTESTANT BIBLES contained dramatic woodcuttings portraying the Scarlet Woman of Revelation 17, plainly identifying the Roman Catholic Church with this apostate religious system. The 1560 Geneva Bible is an example. The notes on Revelation 17 said: “The Beast signifies an ancient Rome; The woman that sits thereon, the New Rome which is the Papistry, whose cruelty and blood shedding is declared by scarlet and full of idolatries, superstitions and contempt for the true God. ... This woman is the Antichrist, that is, the Pope with the whole body of his filthy creatures, as is expounded in verse 18.”

In fact, it was so common in the 16th century for dissidents to label Rome the antichrist and harlot of Revelation 17 that in 1516 Pope Leo X issued a papal bull which forbade preachers to touch on the subject of the antichrist in their sermons (M’Crie, Reformation in Italy, p. 20)!

This situation continued to exist among Protestants and Baptists generally throughout the 19th century and well into the 20th. In his 1893 work titled Union with Rome, Bishop Christopher Wordsworth of the Church of England stated the view that prevailed among Protestants at that time: “... we tremble at the sight, while we read the inscription, emblazoned in large letters, ‘Mystery, Babylon the Great,’ written by the hand of St. John, guided by the Holy Spirit of God, on the forehead of the Church of Rome.”

These examples could be multiplied almost endlessly.

Further, large numbers of old-line Protestants, Baptists, and fundamentalist Christians continue to identify Rome with Revelation 17 TODAY.

We have no doubt that the Roman Catholic Church is the partial fulfillment of the prophecy in Revelation 17 of a one-world religious Harlot. This is not to say that Revelation 17 is entirely fulfilled by Roman Catholicism. The prophecy not be finished until the reign of the Antichrist just prior to the coming of the Lord, and Rome will be joined by a conglomeration of other apostate churches and organizations, the end result, no doubt, of the present Ecumenical Movement.

The religious harlot of Revelation 17 is aligned with the antichrist (compare Rev. 17:3 - 13:1) and like the antichrist it has two aspects: historic (and present) and prophetic.

In 1 John 2:18, the apostle said, “Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.”

Thus there are two aspects to the antichrist. There is the antichrist singular that will rise in the future and will rule the world for a short period during the Great Tribulation just prior to the return of Christ, and there are antichrists plural that have been in the world since the beginning of the church age.

Likewise, the Harlot of Revelation 17 has two aspects. There is a sense in which she has existed throughout the church age and there is a sense in which she will arise during the Tribulation.

Though she does not fulfill this prophecy in its final entirety, it is an amazing fact that every feature of the religious Harlot is found in the Roman Catholic Church. She has ridden through church history upon the back of kings, is clothed in gorgeous robes and decked in expensive attire. She sits on seven hills, is full of abominations, and has a golden cup. She is certainly drunk with the blood of the martyrs, and the inhabitants of the world are indeed drunk with the wine of her fornication. Countless multitudes of deceived people from practically every nation blindly follow Rome’s errors and glory in Rome’s false religion.

It is interesting that even Rome herself has understood her fulfillment of this prophecy. “In 1825, Pope Leo XII struck a medal, bearing on the one side his own image, and on the other, that of the Church of Rome symbolized as a ‘Woman,’ holding in her left hand a cross, and in her right a CUP, with the legend around her, ‘Sedet super universum,’ ‘The whole world is her seat’” (Alexander Hislop, The Two Babylons).

Following are some of ways the harlot of Revelation 17 is identified with Rome:


1. HER CHARACTER IDENTIFIES HER WITH ROME (“the great whore,” Rev. 17:1).

This is true of Rome both spiritually and literally.

From her inception, Rome has committed spiritual whoredom with the pagan rulers and demonic powers of this world. She gleefully joined hands with Constantine of old, and she has disobediently affiliated with pagan governments ever since.

The Roman Catholic Church has also been associated with immorality in a more literal sense.

Her popes are immoral. Even her own history books describe the unspeakably vile deeds of her “holy” popes, even though they rarely give the whole story.

Pope John XII (955-63) is described by the Catholic Encyclopedia as “a course, immoral man, whose life was such that the Lateran palace was spoken of as a brothel.”

Pope Benedict IX (1032-1045) was a murderer and an adulterer; the Catholic Encyclopedia admits he lived a “dissolute life.”

Pope Sixtus IV (1471-84) erected a house of prostitution in Rome.

Pope Pius II (1458-64) had two illegitimate children.

Pope Innocent VIII (1484-92) had at least two illegitimate children that he raised to positions of authority and wealth in the Catholic Church.

Pope Alexander VI (1492-1503) had at least four illegitimate children and he made them rich through appointments. He made his son, Caesar Borgia, a cardinal when he was only 18 years old. Caesar was an immoral and violent man who had his brother put to death as well as his sister Lucrezia’s husband. Alexander held unspeakable orgies in his palace and kept mistresses who were married women. He died of syphilis.

Pope Julius II (1503-13) had at least three illegitimate children.

Rome’s priests have also been immoral. They have taken vows of celibacy, but they have not been celibate! In The Priest, the Woman, and the Confessional, Charles Chiniquy, a former priest, documented the moral vileness associated with Rome’s practice of confession, and that is only the tip of the iceberg.

Even to this very day, Rome has an immoral testimony. Throughout the world, her priests are renowned for homosexuality and child abuse. In recent years, Rome has paid millions of dollars to settle court cases brought against homosexual, child-molesting priests.

A 2004 study in America found 11,757 cases of sexual abuse involving 5,148 priests. The study also found that the Catholic Church has spent at least $1 billion in lawsuits and treatment for priests. These studies only involve about half of the priests in the U.S.

The Archdiocese of Portland and that of Tucson filed bankruptcy in 2004.

According to Roman Catholic Bishop Pat Buckley, studies have shown that 80% of the Catholic priests in Ireland have broken their vows of celibacy. The bishop estimates that at least one in 10 of the 5,000 priests have regular clandestine affairs with women (“500 Irish Priests Having Regular Sex with Women,” London News Telegraph, Jan. 21, 2006). Buckley says the figure of one in 10 is “an extremely conservative estimate” and that when the statistics are widened to include “practicing homosexuals,” it would be found that UP TO 40% OF THE PRIESTS ARE SEXUALLY ACTIVE. Buckley operates a ministry called Bethany, which counsels women who have been involved with priests. He says, “From the top down it is hypocritical. We are preaching compulsory celibacy, but very few are living it.” He describes as common the practice of priests and their housekeepers living secretly as husband and wife and says that relationships between priests and nuns is so common that it is unofficially called the “third way.”

Martin Luther visited Rome expecting to find the headquarters for holiness, but after the visit he testified: “If there be a hell, Rome is built over it.”

2. HER LOCATION IDENTIFIES HER WITH ROME (“The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth,” Rev. 17:9).

John pictures the great harlot sitting upon seven mountains, which most Protestants of old and Fundamentalists of the present identify as the city of Rome.

“The woman is a city, and the city is Rome, the religious capital of the world. ... Rome was the city set on seven hills and was known as such to both pagan and Christian writers. ... Ovid said, ‘Rome looks around on the whole globe from her seven mountains, the seat of empire and abode of the gods.’ ... She is religious Rome, which at that time will have inherited all the religions of the world. ... It will attain the goal of the present-day apostates of all the great systems of the world: Romanism, Protestantism, pagan religions, cults and isms” (J. Vernon McGee, Revelation).

3. HER WORLDWIDE REACH IDENTIFIES HER WITH ROME (“that sitteth upon many waters,” Rev. 17:1).

No matter where you go in this dark world, Rome’s tentacles have extended there.

Further, Rome is busy extending her influence by yoking together with the Christian denominations and pagan religions of the world. A statement made in recent decades by the Archbishop of Canterbury, the head of the Anglican and Episcopalian churches, shows how far the ecumenical movement has gone toward reconciliation with Rome. On August 7, 1977, Michael Ramsey said he would accept the pope as “President-Bishop” of a united “church” (Focus, Jul.-Aug. 1988, p. 5). Ramsey also said: “We should like to see the churches of England, Scotland, the United States and any other countries, bound together in one body. If the pope would like to come in as chairman, we should all welcome him” (Why Were Our Reformers Burned?).

My book Evangelicals and Rome documents the back to Rome movement within practically every segment of Protestantism.

And not only are apostate Christian denominations returning to Rome, so are pagan religions. At the last three general assemblies of the World Council of Churches, the main speakers included non-Christians. There were Hindus, Buddhists, Jewish rabbis, Muslims, Sikhs, Native American Indians, and Australian aborigines. Pagan altars were erected and fire offerings made to various pagan gods. “Ecumenical” means universal, worldwide, and the present-day movement of Christian unity, represented by groups such as the World Council of Churches, is the fore view of this worldwide apostate “church.” The WCC itself is composed of more than 300 denominations representing some 500 million people in more than 100 nations. This large body of apostate Christianity has already become one in spirit with the Roman Catholic and Greek Orthodox Churches and even recognizes the so-called spirituality of non-Christian religions.

The emerging “harlot church” was seen on January 24, 2002, when Pope John Paul II led the third Day of Prayer for Peace in Assisi, Italy. This ecumenical prayer gathering featured some 200 religious leaders, including representatives of “Christian” denominations (Roman Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Reformed, Baptist, Lutheran, Mormon, Mennonite) as well as representatives of Islam, Judaism, Buddhism, Sikhism, Bahai, Confucianism, Shintoism, Hinduism, Jainism, Zoroastrianism, and members of African and North American “traditional religions.” Prominently featured were 29 Muslim leaders from such countries as Saudi Arabia, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Sudan, Morocco, and Libya, all of which persecute Christians to some degree.

There is already a harlot “church” taking shape and sitting upon many waters.

4. HER UNHOLY EFFECT UPON MEN IDENTIFIES HER WITH ROME (“and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication,” Rev. 17:2).

Apostate religion allows men to continue in their sinful pleasures while having a form of religion to soothe their guilty consciences.

The term “fornication” in Rev. 17:2 refers to the seducing power of the Romish system in drawing away the affections from Christ, who is the only true and proper object of faith for the heart. “The priest comes between the heart and the blessed Lord; the Bible is concealed; the mind of God is unknown; the people are intoxicated with her exciting falsehoods; and worship they know not what” (Miller’s Church History).

The attraction of apostate Christianity to the people of the world, in spite of the fact that apostate Christendom has constantly discredited itself, is amazing to behold.

This is illustrated by the world’s supernatural attraction to the pope. Even the secular, humanistic press gives the Roman pope great acclaim; something that is not accorded any other Christian leader.

Of Pope John Paul II’s journey to South America in 1980, Time magazine said: “The Polish-born pontiff proved a spell-binding presence, drawing crowds of a million or more on at least six occasions.”

Following the first visit ever made by a pope to America, Time magazine gushed: “A gentle shepherd with a will of steel, John Paul II thrilled the U.S. with a glorious pilgrimage that won hearts—and challenged the nation. ... After only a year in office, the Pontiff is emerging as the kind of incandescent leader that the world so hungers for--one who can make people feel that they have been lifted above the drabness of their lives and show them that they are capable of better emotions, and better deeds than they may have thought.”

Several people have been trampled to death in the great crowds that flock to see the pope during his world travels. In 1980, nine people were trampled to death and dozens were hospitalized in Africa, while three were trampled to death and 30 injured in El Salvador. These duped millions are indeed drunk with the wine of the fornications of the harlot “church.”

That the supernatural attraction to the office of the pope has increased dramatically in recent decades was evident at the funeral of John Paul II in April 2005. The ultra large front-page banner for the April 8 edition of the Evening Standard of London, England, was “UNITED BY THE POPE,” and that about sums it up. Claudira Ribeira Santos, a Brazilian nun who attended the Pope’s funeral, observed: “The entire world is here. John Paul tore down the walls of countries, of classes, of religions.”

The funeral was watched on television by an estimated two billion people. It was the first papal funeral attended by 200 world leaders, including at least 70 presidents and prime ministers. It was the first papal funeral attended by an Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury, the first attended by a British prime minister, and the first attended by a future monarch of England. It was the first papal casket before which a president of the United States bowed (The Times, London, April 7, 2005, p. 36) and the first papal funeral to draw an entourage of a current and two former presidents of the United States.

The world is indeed drunk with the wine of the fornications of the harlot “church.”

The attraction of the world toward apostate Christianity will continue to increase as the Great Tribulation draws nearer. Finally, the Antichrist’s prophet will “cause the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed ... and deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do...” (Rev. 13:11-15) “... God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.” (2 Thess. 3:11-12)


5. HER ILLICIT RELATIONSHIP WITH CIVIL GOVERNMENT IDENTIFIES HER WITH ROME (“with whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication,” Rev. 17:2).

The apostles never yoked together with secular government. They gave their attention to establishing churches and their principle was that the church has its business and the state has its (Rom. 13:1-7). They wrote: “Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?” (2 Cor. 6:14-15).

Apostate Christianity, on the other hand, does not hesitate to unite with godless men in government to accomplish its purposes.

During the Dark Ages the Roman Catholic Church yoked with secular government and oftentimes even ruled over it.

In 1302 Pope Boniface VIII issued a papal bull entitled Unam Sanctam, in which he claimed that no one can be saved who does not submit to the pope as the supreme head of the church and demanded that kings and all earthly authority be subject to him.

Pope Gregory VII humbled Emperor Henry IV. In 1076, the pope called a council of bishops and proclaimed that the emperor could no longer rule his kingdom. In January 1077, the emperor traveled to Italy to the castle where the Pope was staying on a visit to the duchess Matilda and begged his forgiveness. The haughty Pope forced the emperor to stay outside in the winter cold, barefoot and fasting, for three days.

Pope Innocent III humbled King John of England (1199-1216). When his highness the pope became displeased with the king, he excommunicated him and issued a decree declaring that he was no longer king and releasing the people of England from any obligation to him. The haughty Pope ordered King Philip of France to organize an army and navy to overthrow John, which he began to do with great zeal, eager to conquer England for himself. The Pope called for a crusade against John, promising the participants remission of sins and a share of the spoils of war. In the meantime, King John yielded to the pressure and submitted to the Pope, pledging complete allegiance to him in all things and resigning England and Ireland into the Pope’s hands.

The Roman Catholic Church still yokes together with secular government. It has hundreds of ambassadors to the nations.

6. HER BLASPHEMY IDENTIFIES HER WITH ROME (“full of names of blasphemy,” Rev. 17:3).

Rome is indeed full of blasphemy, having exalted herself to the place of God in people’s lives.

The very titles of Rome’s popes are blasphemous. The pope calls himself the “holy father” and “his holiness,” names that belong solely to Almighty God. He calls himself the “vicar of Christ,” which is the office of the Holy Spirit.

Rome’s priests also take to themselves blasphemous titles and claims. They are called “father,” a title which Christ forbade (Mat. 23:9). They are ordained after the order of Melchisedec even though this is an office that belongs to Christ alone (Heb. 5:6, 10, 20). What mere man can be ordained after a priestly order that requires that one be “without father, without mother, without descent, having neither beginning of days, nor end of life” (Heb. 7:3)?

Speaking of blasphemy, what about Rome’s doctrine of Mary, that she is Redemptress and Mediatrix, that she is sinless and ascended to heaven and was crowned Queen of the universe, that she hears and answers prayers? Is it not pure blasphemy to depict Mary as any of these things and to build statues to her depicting her as the Queen of Peace and showing her hanging on the very cross with Christ, as we find at St. Mary Major Basilica in Rome?

7. HER CLOTHING IDENTIFIES HER WITH ROME (“arrayed in purple and scarlet colour,” Rev. 17:4).

The apostles and Christians of the early churches were humble Bible-believers who lived simple lives and did not follow the pattern of the world’s leaders and religions. The harlot church, on the other hand, loves impressive cathedrals, colorful robes, gorgeous ritualism, expensive ecclesiastical clothing and trappings.

Revelation 17:4 describes exactly how Rome’s bishops and archbishops and cardinals and popes are clothed even to this day. We have described the mass that we observed in St. Paul Without the Walls in 2003, in which the bishops were clothed in scarlet. A few years ago, I watched a televised broadcast of the papal Christmas mass at the Vatican, and it looked like a very sea of purple and scarlet!

The Catholic Encyclopedia describes the garments of the Catholic clergy. The Cappa Magna is a cloak with a long train with a hooded shoulder cape. The color of it is purple wool for bishops, scarlet silk for cardinals, and red velvet for the pope. The Cassock is a close-fitting, ankle-length robe, the color of which is purple for bishops and scarlet for cardinals.

8. HER WEALTH IDENTIFIES HER WITH ROME (“decked with gold and precious stones and pearls,” Rev. 17:4).

This is an accurate description of the wealth of the Roman Catholic Church. It also describes literally the gold and jewels with which Rome has decked itself.

Consider this description of the coronation of Pope Gregory IX (1227-1241): “On the day of his coronation he proceeded to St. Peter’s, accompanied by several prelates, and assumed the pallium according to custom; and after having said mass he marched to the palace of the Lateran, COVERED WITH GOLD AND JEWELS. On Monday, having said mass at St. Peter’s, he returned wearing two crowns, mounted on a horse richly caparisoned, and surrounded by Cardinals CLOTHED IN PURPLE, and a numerous clergy. The streets were spread with tapestry, INLAID WITH GOLD AND SILVER, the noblest productions of Egypt, and the most brilliant colors of India, and perfumed with various aromatic odors” (George Waddington, A History of the Church from the Earliest Ages to the Reformation, 1834, p. 335).

The crown of Pope Paul II (1464-1471) was “set with diamonds, sapphires, emeralds, chrysolites, and jaspers” (Ouseley, A Short Defence, 1821, p. 230).

The crown of Pope Julius II was valued at 200,000 ducats or gold coins. That is as much as Pope Paul III gave to Emperor Charles V to finance an entire war against the Protestants in the 16th century (Miller’s Church History, chapter 46). It is also the same amount as the entire dowry the king of Spain gave for the marriage of his daughter, Catherine, to Arthur, Prince of Wales and heir to the British throne in the 16th century.

Rome grew wealthy through tithes and donations that flowed to her from the ends of the earth.

She grew wealthy through the sale of clerical offices. The following description of conditions in England in the 13th and 14th and 15th centuries was true throughout Europe: “The pope of Rome was farmer-general of the English Church. He who could pay highest was sure of the place in market, whether it were a country parish, or the Primacy of England; and the buyer must in turn, farm it out in the way which would bring the largest percentage on the cost. The richest prizes fell to Italians, parasites of the Pope, some of whom, though unable to speak a word of English, and who had never set foot on English soil, held twenty, thirty, nay, some of them fifty and sixty valuable benefices in the English Church. On the revenues thus obtained they lived in magnificence at Rome, and laid up enormous fortunes, notwithstanding the large yearly sums paid out of them into the papal treasury” (Conant, Popular History of the Translation, p. 7).

Rome grew wealthy though rich men joining the monasteries and donating their wealth to the church.

She grew wealthy through the crusades. Not only did the crusaders bring much wealth back and donate it to the Roman Catholic Church, but it was the Catholic Church that provided much of the money for the crusades by loaning money to the crusaders. Though usury was officially forbidden by church law, the Catholic Church had ways to get around this, such as by gaining free use of the crusaders’ lands during the owner’s absence (Jonathan Phillips, The Fourth Crusade, p. 96).

She grew wealthy by the doctrine of masses for the dead, whereby the loved ones of the deceased paid money to the Catholic church to have masses performed to deliver them from purgatory. The wealthy would leave part of their inheritance to Rome for the saying of masses.

She grew wealthy through the sale of indulgences. This is how the popes built St. Peter’s Cathedral in Rome.

She grew wealthy through the Inquisition, because she not only arrested and imprisoned and tortured and burned “heretics” but also confiscated their property.

The wealth of the Catholic Church is still vast. The harlot church is spiritually bankrupt, but amazingly full of material wealth.

9. HER CUP IDENTIFIES HER WITH ROME (“having a golden cup in her hand,” Rev. 17:4).

The only cup that is mentioned in connection with the New Testament church is the cup of the Lord’s Supper. In Bible believing churches, this cup merely symbolic and is made of wood or aluminum or glass or plastic. But Rome is not satisfied with a humble ritual that merely symbolizes Christ’s death; she has converted it into a glorious pageantry at the heart of which is the transubstantiation of the “host” into the very body and blood of Jesus Christ. For such a pageant a golden cup is more fitting.

Until recent times, Catholic liturgical law required the chalice (the cup of the mass) be made entirely of gold or at least to be gold plated (Catholic Encyclopedia).

To this day, the papal chalice is made of gold.

The Roman Catholic Church possesses thousands of gold chalices in its churches around the world.

10. HER ABOMINATIONS IDENTIFY HER WITH ROME (“full of abominations,” Rev. 17:4).

Indeed, Rome is filled with abominations. Her mass, which she claims is a bloodless re-sacrifice of Christ, is an abomination. The consecrated “host,” which is called the “corporal” and which is worshipped as Christ, is an abomination. Her sacramental salvation, her worship of Mary, her prayers to the saints, her doctrine of purgatory, her love affair with the bones of dead men, the unscriptural claims of the pope, all are abominations before God.

11. HER ASSOCIATES IDENTIFY HER WITH ROME (“the Mother of Harlots,” v. 5)

The Harlot of Revelation 17 is a mother who has daughters that are similar to her in character. They, too, are harlots. The Protestant denominations split off from Rome in the 16th and 17th centuries, though they retained some of her doctrine and practice, such as infant baptism, state churchism, and the allegorical method of Bible interpretation, and in the last 100 years they have apostasied from their former protestant faith and today they are re-affiliating themselves with their Mother.

12. HER VIOLENCE IDENTIFIES HER WITH ROME (“And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus,” Rev. 17:6).

The Roman Catholic Church has murdered millions. No one has ever been able to count the exact total number, but it has been estimated by careful and reputed historians of the Catholic Inquisition that 50 million people were slaughtered for the crime of “heresy” between the A.D. 606 and the middle of the 19th century (John Dowling, History of Romanism, 1847, book VIII, chapter 1, footnote 1).

Rome is drunk with the blood of the Albigenses, the Waldenses, the Lollards, the Anabaptists, the Baptists, and the Protestants, to name a few.

In the Netherlands alone following the Reformation, multitudes were tormented and destroyed. Consider the following excerpts from a record of those persecutions dating from the 1520s:

“The history of the Low Countries from this time is so full of martyrdoms, that it is like a gradual extermination of the population. ... The fires were now kindled all over the country, and edict following edict, with increasing severity, kept them burning. It was death to read a page of the scriptures; death to discuss any article of the faith; death to have in one’s possession any of the writings of Luther, Zwingle, or OEcolampadius; death to express a doubt respecting the efficacy of the sacraments, or the authority of the pope. In the year 1536, that good and faithful servant of the Lord, William Tyndale, was strangled and burnt at Vilvordi, near Brussels, for translating the New Testament into English, and printing it in 1535. ... About four hundred churches were thus plundered and defaced in a few days. ... The troops were ordered to be distributed over the distracted country, that the persecuting edicts might be enforced. The Protestants were reduced to great straits; many were put to death, and many fled the country ... In the year 1567 the cruel duke of Alva was sent into the Netherlands with an army of fifteen thousand Spaniards and Italians; and the Inquisition was to put forth all its energies. . The wooden churches were pulled down, and, in some places the beams were formed into a great gallows on which to hang the minister and his flock. [These atrocities against Bible believers were] to be witnessed almost daily in the country for nearly forty years. ... In the year 1567 ‘the council of blood,’ as it was called, held its first sitting. ... Blood now flowed in torrents. ... A new edict was issued, affixing a heavy penalty upon all waggoners, carriers, and shipmasters, who should aid in the emigration of ‘heretics.’ They had resolved that none should escape. ... Upon the 19th of February 1568 a sentence of the Holy Office condemned all the inhabitants of the Netherlands to death as heretics. ... A proclamation of the king, dated ten days later, confirmed this decree of the inquisition, and ordered it to be carried into instant execution, without regard to age, sex, condition. This is probably the most concise death-warrant that was ever framed. Three millions of people--men, woman, and children, were sentenced to the scaffold in three lines. Under this universal condemnation the reader will see the real spirit of popery, and what all had to expect who did not yield an absolute, though blind submission, to all her idolatries, and superstitions” (Miller’s Church History, pp. 1002-1008).

Similar atrocities were being committed against Bible believers across Europe and wherever Rome was in power, including South America, Mexico, the Philippines and other parts of Asia,

The persecution is not finished. Unprecedented persecution will be unleashed against those who hold to the Word of God after the final form of the Harlot church appears, supported by the satanic power of Antichrist’s government.

13. HER ASSOCIATION WITH BABYLON OF OLD IDENTIFIES HER WITH ROME (“mystery Babylon the great,” Rev. 17:5).

By this name, the final apostate harlot church is connected with the false religion established at Babel in mankind’s early history (Gen. 10:8-10; 11:1-9). The Harlot is the final product of Satan’s corruption of true religion through the ages. Babel of old typifies the end-times Babylon in the following ways:

There was a man-made unity (Gen. 11:1). Likewise, the keynote of end-times Babylon is “ecumenism.”

There was worldly ambition and ingenuity (Gen. 11:4). Likewise, the end-times Babylon glories in man’s ability and contrivances. Babylon erects impressive structures and creates an impressive system of religion.

There was rebellion against God’s revealed will (Gen. 11:4). God told Noah’s family to “multiply and replenish the earth” (Gen. 9:1, 7), but Babel was a scheme to avoid being “scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth” (Gen. 11:4). Likewise, end-times Babylon is in open rebellion against the New Testament Scriptures and has replaced the Word of God with human tradition.

There was pride. The founders of Babel said, “Let us make us a name” (Gen. 11:4). End-times Babylon is also proud and haughty, with its impressive cathedrals, its pomp and circumstance, its boasts of apostolic succession, its worldly ways.

There was idolatry. Babel was the beginning of the idolatrous mystery religions. The desire to build a tower to heaven had a religious meaning associated with astrology and idolatry (worship of the sun and moon and stars) (Gen. 11:4; Rom. 1:21-23). Rome also adopted many idolatrous practices, such as the worship of the Queen of Heaven and a mystery mass wherein god is sacrificed on man’s altars.

CONCLUSION

In light of these sobering facts, it is time to be watching for Christ’s return. “And that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we believed” (Rom. 13:11).

The Word of God warns us that the apostasy that began even during the days of the apostles will increase until the formation of the great harlot religion of Revelation 17. We know that the hour is late. We see the ecumenical movement, the Evangelicals and Catholics together movement, the deep penetration of the Roman Catholic Church in the Charismatic movement.

It is time to be spiritually alert and on fire for the Lord and busy in His service.

It is also time to be saved. “But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation” (1 Thess. 5:8). Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone because of the blood of Christ alone and is without works or sacraments. “Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works” (Rom. 4:4-6).

Dear reader, if you are not truly born again, we urge you to acknowledge and repent of your sin and to trust the Lord Jesus Christ exclusively for eternal salvation. Do not trust your baptism or some other church ritual. Do not trust any Christian service you might be doing. Do not trust that you have been born into a “Christian” home. Do not trust any good works that you believe you have done. Do not trust the ministry of a priest. Jesus warned, “Except ye be born again, ye shall not see the kingdom of God.” That statement was addressed to a very religious man, Nicodemas. The apostle Paul said, “For by grace are ye saved, through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not of works, lest anyone should boast” (Eph. 2:8-9). Turn from apostate religion to the resurrected Christ and from a false gospel to the true gospel of the grace of Jesus Christ and be saved before it is eternally too late.

It is time to be discerning. “These were more noble than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness of mind, and searched the scriptures daily, whether those things were so” (Acts 17:11). In these days of spiritual and religious confusion God’s people need to emulate the Bereans more than ever. We need to “prove all things; hold fast that which is good” (1 Thess. 5:21).

It is time to be in a strong church. “Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching” (Heb. 10:25). The church is God’s program and it is the place of discipleship, training, fruitfulness, and spiritual protection. It is dangerous to neglect the house of God. And we need to be in a strong Bible-believing church, a church that is not compromising the Word of God, a church that exposes heresy and apostasy and separates from it.

It is time to warn others. “And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh” (Jude 22-23). Every born again child of God has a responsibility to preach the gospel and to earnestly contend for the faith and to try to help those who are out of the way.

It is time to be separated. “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away” (2 Tim. 3:5). “And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues” (Rev. 18:4). Biblical separation is a matter of spiritual protection, for “a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump” (Gal. 5:9), and, “evil communications corrupt good manners” (1 Cor. 15:33).

Any preacher or church that speaks well of Rome and affiliates with Rome is disobedient to God’s Word and must be avoided. We are sad to say that this includes Billy Graham, Franklin Graham, Bill Bright and Campus Crusade for Christ, Chuck Colson, James Dobson, Elisabeth Elliot, Jerry Falwell, Bill Hybels, D. James Kennedy, the National Association of Evangelicals, J.I. Packer, Luis Palau, Robert Schuller, John R.W. Stott, Joseph Stowell, Wycliffe Bible Translators, the United Bible Societies, Jack Van Impe, Wheaton College, Fuller Theological Seminary, World Vision, Philip Yancy, and Youth for Christ, to mention but a few.

The Basics of Salvation Through

Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ

s you will see in the very powerful verses I will be listing in this article – Jesus Christ, and His sacrificial death on the cross, is the central and most important fundamental, basic tenet of the Christian faith. Jesus Christ is God’s only plan of eternal salvation for the entire world.

The Bible specifically says, without any other possible interpretation, that there is only one God, one faith, one baptism and one way to God the Father – and that is only through His Son Jesus Christ and His sacrificial death on the cross. Jesus says that He, and only He, is the way, the truth and the life leading to God the Father and that no one comes to the Father except through Him!

Many people, including some Christians, believe that God the Father honors all other religions as long as people try to live a good and godly life and try to stay out of trouble. However, as you will see in the Scripture verses I will list below, this is not the way God the Father has everything set up. God will not honor any other religion, and He makes it very clear that it is only through His Son and His sacrificial death on the cross that will give people eternal salvation and thus eternal life with Him in heaven.
The Bible says that we are appointed for the defense of the gospel. It is our job, when called upon, to defend God and Jesus on the basics of our salvation. Here are two verses specifically telling us this:

1. “… knowing that I am appointed for the defense of the gospel.” (Philippians 1:17)
    
2. “… always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you …” (1 Peter 3:15)

Below are some of the main verses from Scripture that will deal with the basics of our salvation through Jesus Christ. These verses are the basic ammunition that you will need when witnessing to anyone.
There are 6 main principles to the basic message of God’s plan of eternal salvation for the entire world. Here they are, along with all of the Scripture verses to back them up.

1. Jesus Christ is the Only Way to God the Father and Heaven

As stated above, there is no other name under Heaven by which man can be saved other than through the name of Jesus Christ! God the Father will not honor any other name, religion or faith!
Please note the extreme power and authority on the first four verses listed below. These first four verses specifically tell us, without any other possible interpretation, that Jesus Christ is the only way to be able to receive eternal salvation with God the Father.

1. “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12)
    
2. “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself a ransom for all …” (1 Timothy 2:5)
    
3. “There is one body and one Spirit … one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.” (Ephesians 4:4)
    
4. Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” (John 14:6)
    
5. “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and find pasture … I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.” (John 10:9)
    
6. Jesus said to her, “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.” (John 11:25)
    
7. Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.” (John 8:12)
    
8. And Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.” (John 6:35)
    
9. “I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.” (John 6:51)
    
10. “… whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (John 3:15-16)
     
11. “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” (John 3:36)
     
12. “Therefore I said to you that you will die in your sins; for if you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” (John 8:24)
     
13. “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 to life.” (John 5:24)
     
14. “… And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; He who does not have the Son of God does not have life.” (1 John 5:11)
     
15. “And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.” (1 John 4:14)

I do not see any other interpretation as to what these verses are trying to tell us other than Jesus Christ is the only way to God the Father and His dwelling place, heaven! I don’t think God the Father could have made things any more clearer than by the way He has worded all of the above Scripture verses!
Jesus Himself said in the New Testament that He did not come to bring peace – but division! What He means by this is that He is drawing a major battle line in the sand. You either believe in Him and everything that He stands for – or you do not. There are no middle or neutral grounds on this issue.

If you choose not to believe in Jesus and His message of eternal salvation through His death on the cross, then you will die in your sins and go straight to hell when you die – no if, ands or buts about it! The life that we are living down here on this earth is serious business! The choices that we make in this life will determine our ultimate fate in the afterlife.

Choose Jesus and the blood that He has personally shed for you on the cross – and you will become saved and born again – and you will then enter into the most incredible place imaginable when you die – heaven itself!

Choose anyone or anything else, and you will cross over into the most horrible place imaginable when you die – hell itself, and then eventually into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone after the Millennium has taken place, where the Bible says that the smoke of your torment will ascend forever and ever!

2. God Desires All Men to be Saved

God has given each man and each woman a free will to make their own choices in this life. The next 3 verses will show us that God does not want anyone to perish, but that He will not make or force anyone to accept Him and His Son and what His Son’s death on the cross really means for all of us.
Here are three very powerful verses showing that God wants all men and all women to be saved through the Blood of His Son Jesus.

1. “… God our Savior, who desires ALL MEN to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2:4)
    
2. “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9)
    
3. “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. For WHOEVER calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Romans 10:12)

Notice that God is wanting all men and all women to accept His free gift of eternal salvation through His Son Jesus Christ. He is not making any exceptions either by race, color, creed or gender.
The Bible also tells us that God the Father is no respecter of persons, which means He loves each man and each woman equally and unconditionally.

3. We Are Saved by Grace Through Faith – Not Works

The gift of eternal salvation is a free gift given by God to all those who will believe on Jesus and what His death on the cross really means for all of us. These next 3 verses will specifically tell us that good works will not get us into heaven. Works are needed after salvation.
The Bible says that faith without works is dead – but that is after you have received God’s gift of eternal salvation. After you get saved, God has a plan and a purpose for your life, and this is where you will go to work for God into whatever your calling is going to be in Him. But to initially receive the gift of eternal salvation from God the Father is simply done by having faith and belief in Jesus Christ and what He personally did for you on the cross. Here are the verses:

1. “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8)
    
2. “… knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ … for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.” (Galatians 2:16)
    
3. “Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin … for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:20,23)

The Bible specifically tells us in that last verse that all men and all women have sinned and have fallen way short of the glory of our God. The Bible says that there are none that are righteous before the eyes of God the Father. As a result, none of our fleshly works, no matter how good we think they may be, will ever be good enough to get us into heaven or back into the good graces of our Lord and Savior.

4. The Gift of Salvation Now Makes Us Righteous Before God the Father

Once you become saved and born again by accepting Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior, the Bible says that we are now made perfectly righteous before the eyes of God. The righteousness of Jesus has now been imputed to us. This means that we are now free to approach the throne of God for intimate prayer and communication, and when we die, we will all go straight to heaven.

Even though we will continue to commit sin from time to time, God will always forgive us as long as we properly confess each sin when it does happen. We will never become totally sinless or perfect. No one will ever become the fourth person of the Holy Trinity. Only God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit are totally perfect in Their actual natures and in all of Their ways. Humans and angels are not!

The Bible says that all men have sinned and will continue to sin, and thus will fall way short of the glory of our God. That is why Jesus had to come and die for all of our sins – which will include all of the past sins that we have ever committed, all of the present sins we are now committing, and all of the future sins that we will ever commit.

As a result of Jesus dying on the cross for all of our sins, God the Father now sees all of us as righteous and justified before His very eyes – now and for all of eternity, even though we are all still sinners! Talk about an incredible pardon!
Here are two very powerful verses showing us that we have now all been made perfectly righteous and perfectly justified before God the Father as a result of Jesus dying on the cross for all of our sins.

1. “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
    
2. “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him.” (Romans 5:8)

So not only do we get a full pardon and a full remission for all of our sins, but we now get to be made perfectly righteous before God the Father Himself. Righteousness and Redemption – what more could we ask for!

5. How to Become Saved and Receive the Gift of Eternal Salvation

The Bible makes it very clear as to how to receive the Gift of Eternal Salvation from God the Father:

1. Admit that we are sinners, be willing to confess our sins before God, and be willing to repent and turn from those sins.
    
2. Be willing to accept the fact that Jesus Christ came to our earth in the flesh to die on the cross for all of our sins, that He rose from the dead on the third day, and then be willing to formally accept Him as your personal Lord and Savior.

This acceptance of Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior must be confessed out loud before God the Father. It does not have to be done in a church. This can happen to anyone at anytime at any place. It can be done in the privacy of one’s own bedroom. Here are three specific verses showing all of the above points.

1. “REPENT THEREFORE and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, so that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.” (Acts 3:19)
    
2. “IF WE CONFESS OUR SINS, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9)
    
3. “… 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 to righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made to salvation.” (Romans 10:9)

Notice the last verse says to confess with your mouth, and with the mouth confession is made to receive salvation. This means just saying a good, basic salvation prayer out loud direct to God the Father from your heart.
Below is a good, basic salvation prayer to give to someone who wants to get saved by accepting Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior. Some people call this the “Sinners Prayer.” Others call it a basic salvation prayer. Either title will work.

Basic Salvation Prayer

Say the following prayer out loud, believe it from your heart and you will be saved.

Dear Heavenly Father,

I now believe that Jesus Christ is Your only begotten Son, that He came to our earth in the flesh and died on the cross to take away all of my sins and the sins of this world.

I believe that Jesus Christ then rose from the dead on the third day to give all of us eternal life.

Lord Jesus, I now confess to You all of the wrong and sinful things I have ever done in my life.

I ask that You please forgive Me and wash away all of my sins by the blood that You have personally shed for me on the cross.

I am now ready to accept You as my personal Lord and Savior. I now ask that You come into my life and live with Me for all of eternity.

Father, Jesus – I now believe that I am truly saved and born again.

Thank you Father.

Thank you Jesus.

For more information on the above Sinner’s Prayer, we have another article in our site in the Prayer section titled “The Sinner’s Prayer.” In this article, we give you some additional information as to what goes on behind the scenes in the spiritual realm when God does start to move in on someone in an effort to try and get them saved.

6. Become a Fisherman for God

All of the above are what I call the basics to understanding what eternal salvation through Jesus Christ is really all about. I will be doing other articles on what it really means to be born again, as this comes off the story of Adam and Eve.
To lead someone into eternal salvation through Jesus Christ is really a work of the Holy Spirit. I will show you how God the Father will set people up, and why every Christian needs to be open and sensitive to letting God, through the Holy Spirit, direct you as to who you should witness to and exactly how to go about it. Now that your are saved, God wants you to become a fisherman for Him.

All of the above Scripture verses will give you major, live, ammunition to use when trying to get someone saved. The Holy Spirit will really move on someone if you stay with His leadings as to when to witness to that someone and exactly how to go about it.

According to the Bible, the greatest thing we can accomplish in this life is to get another person saved and brought home to the Lord – because with the gift of eternal salvation comes the gift of eternal life – which means that when we die, we will be able to enter into heaven to be with God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, all of Their angels and all of our saved loved ones who have passed away and are now living in heaven.
To bring a person into that reality after they die is the greatest thing you can do for another human being! It is the ultimate superman scenario. You are literally saving their eternal life. I do not believe there is any other accomplishment that will bring about as much fulfillment as this one act will do.

I will leave you with 16 good verses from the Bible showing you the extreme importance on God being able to use each and every one of us to get other people saved in this life.

1. Then Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations …” (Matthew 28:18)
    
2. And He said to them, “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” (Matthew 4:19)
    
3. “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” (John 20:21)
    
4. “You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” (Matthew 5:14)
    
5. “Whatever I tell you in the dark, speak in the light; and what you hear in the ear, preach on the housetops.” (Matthew 10:27)
    
6. “… to whom I now send you, to open their eyes and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who are sanctified by faith in Me.” (Acts 26:17)
    
7. “Preach the word. Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, and exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.” (2 Timothy 4:2)
    
8. “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things.” (Romans 10:15)
    
9. “For the Son of Man has come to save that which was lost … Even so it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.” (Matthew 18:11,14)
    
10. “Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony of our Lord …” (2 Timothy 1:8)
     
11. “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes … ” (Romans 1:16)
     
12. “For I seek Your precepts. I will speak of Your testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.” (Psalm 119:45)
     
13. “Deliver those who are drawn toward death, and hold back those stumbling to the slaughter.” (Proverbs 24:11)
     
14. “Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us …” (2 Corinthians 5:20)
     
15. “They shall speak of the glory of Your kingdom, and talk of Your power, to make known to the sons of men His mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of His kingdom.” (Psalm 145:11)
     
16. “Men shall speak of the might of Your awesome acts, and I will declare Your greatness. They shall utter the memory of Your great goodness, and shall sing of Your righteousness.” (Psalms 145:6)

If you believe the Holy Bible is truly the inspired and infallible Word of our God, then there is absolutely no other interpretation or spin that you can put on the above verses. God the Father has made it as clear as He possibly could with the way that He has worded all of the above Scripture verses.

Bottom line – God’s free gift of eternal salvation can only be received by accepting His Son Jesus Christ and the blood that He has personally shed for each and everyone of us on that day He died on the cross.
There is no other way into the kingdom of God! We either come through the blood and the cross – or we don’t come through at all!

I rest my case for my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Salvation according to the Bible

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Believe upon Jesus

Believing upon Jesus (the right Jesus) is a necessity to being saved: John 3:18, "He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."

We must repent

We must turn from our wicked ways: Luke 5:32, "I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." and also Luke 13:3, "I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish."

Be born again

We must be born again: 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."

If you continue reading in John chapter 3 verses 14 through 21 tells you how you can become born again. Verse 16 pretty much tells you what you need to do: 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."

Beware of the 'wrong Jesus'

Warning against 'another Jesus': 2 Corinthians 11:4, "For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him."

The true Jesus would be born of a virgin: Isaiah 7:14, "Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel." (Also see Matthew 1:23) Mormonism for example, believes that the Father (which in their belief is Adam who became a god) came down physically and mated with his 'spirit daughter' Mary and out came Jesus' body. Their Jesus resulted from INCEST and NOT from a virgin birth! They also believe that Satan and Jesus are brothers! That is a mockery to the true Jesus!

Jesus (the right Jesus) is the ONLY way to heaven: John 10:1, 9, "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that entereth not by the door into the sheepfold, but climbeth up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber... I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture." 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."

Beware of religions that appear to be good

Warning about Satan's ministers appearing to be righteous: 2 Corinthians 11:14, 15, "And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works."

Beware of angels giving revelations contrary to God's Word: Another thing I'd like to point out is that the Mormon's "revelation" came from an angel (a fallen angel by the name of Moroni), and in Galatians 1:8 it directly warns us against an angel giving us a revelation that doesn't line up with God's Word, "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."

In the end days, there will be many who fall into deceiving religions: 1 Timothy 4:1, "Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils." If you look up seducing in the Greek for that verse, it means deceiving. Deceiving means to appear to be true, yet it's false, or to give a false impression. This verse is talking about religions that appear to be right, but don't lead a person down the path to heaven. For example, Mormonism is the kind of religion they are talking about here, because it 'seems right' and yet it is so far off the track. I think it's pretty clear that Satanism won't lead a person to heaven, but yet it doesn't look like a godly religion either. It's pretty clear that they aren't trying to 'appear' godly. Satan works in different ways in different religions. The goal of Satanism isn't to try to deceive Christians to convert, but to directly bring Satan glory (demon worship, marrying Satan, etc.). Whereas the goal of Mormonism is to appeal to lukewarm Christians and people who are looking for a "nice" religion.

Simply believing in Jesus isn't enough

Just acknowledging Jesus isn't enough: Shortly after John 3:16, it tells us in verse 21, "But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God." Also, James 2:19-26 says, "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead? Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only. Likewise also was not Rahab the harlot justified by works, when she had received the messengers, and had sent them out another way? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also." Some people claim that they are Christian, so that they feel they are going to heaven, but if they don't turn from their wicked lifestyle, then they aren't living up to their professed faith.

Salvation cannot be earned

On the other hand, we cannot earn our salvation: Eph 2:8-9, "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast." But notice that in verse 10 it says, "For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them." I believe it's telling us that we can't be 'saved' by our works, but we are suppose to live a Godly life as a Christian. We aren't to claim we are Christians, and then go out and continue to live in the world.

Obey God's commandments

We must obey God's commandments: Matthew 7:21-23, "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. 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? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

What are God's commandments? Matthew 22:37-40, "Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." There are a lot of laws in the OT against things such as incest, adultery, worshipping idols, etc., but they all fall into these two categories. If a person loved God, they wouldn't be worshipping idols, misusing their bodies or minds for purposes that don't glorify God, and if a person loved his neighbor, he or she wouldn't steal, murder, or mistreat others. Jesus says that we prove our love for Him when we keep His commandments (John 14:15, 23, 24).

If we don't love the brethren, we abide in spiritual death: 1 John 3:14, "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren. He that loveth not his brother abideth in death. Whosoever hateth his brother is a murderer: and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life abiding in him." Mark 11:26 tells us that if we don't have mercy and forgive one another, it blocks us off from God forgiving us.

The unrighteous will not enter the kingdom of God: 1 Corinthians 6:9, "Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God." Of course, a person can come from that kind of a lifestyle, and be redeemed (that's why Jesus came to earth!), but that doesn't mean they can continue in their sins.

Sanctification (becoming more like Jesus)

Becoming more Christ-like is a growing process: Have you noticed how nobody becomes perfect in all their ways the moment they accept Christ? I believe there is a growing process we go through called sanctification. 1 Thessalonians 5:23, "And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 Timothy 2:22, "Flee also youthful lusts: but follow (pursue) righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart."