Saturday, March 7, 2009

My Conversation with Paul Cohen

Pauls C writings will be in black and my responses in color.


Hi Scott, You invited me to consider your thoughts about my answers to those discussing The Deadly Error of the Universalists on Tentmaker forum. I appreciate your offer and have done so. What follows is my reply to your comments for me and to your commentary on the matters at hand. I would have posted this on the forum, but, as you know, I have been banned from doing that. Nevertheless, we will include this correspondence on our site for those who would like to hear the answers and to be edified by the Truth.

You took note that we have some common beliefs, and commented as follows on what I said in "Deadly Error":

"So it seems to me he is a believer in the salvation of all, but holds to a working out of that salvation in each and every life by the principles and requirements God has put forth in His word…"

How true! And doesn't that say it all? Jesus is Lord, and only by knowing Him as such, in obedience to all things He says and requires, is His power to save fulfilled in a person.

As James wrote: "But someone will say, 'One person has faith, another has actions.' My answer is, 'Show me how anyone can have faith without actions. I will show you my faith by my actions'" (James 2:18 GNB). And Paul: "So then, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling" (Philippians 2:12 EMTV).

I appreciate how you differentiated between what I was and was not saying in the paper:

"You will note He does not state the deadly error of Universalism, he states the deadly error OF THE UNIVERSALISTS, which is a BIG difference."

You also made this important point to those who accuse me of "knowing it all":

"…but both myself and Craig if he was still here would tell you that we know we do not know it all but put forth what we see as of right now."

Hi Paul thank you for taking the time to reply.


You state

What I have put forth is what I actually see (not "think I see") and know from God, nothing added. Like my Brother, Jesus, I speak what the Father gives me, because I know His commandment is eternal life.

I have no problem with this Paul as I put forth what I see also not what I think I see.

Some people on the forum have treated "judgment" like a dirty word. There can be but one reason for that: they love their sins and reject life. But God loves judgment because through it He brings His people into life: "Hate the evil, and love the good, and establish judgment in the gate: it may be that the LORD God of hosts will be gracious unto the remnant of Joseph" (Amos 5:15 KJV).

Whoever rejects His judgment does not receive His grace.

I agree; however, judgment must be done on a proper scale. (I am not accusing you of not using a proper scale Paul, as I was not there when you were banned nor am I privy to any of your posts that may have been deleted) From what I have gleaned and it may be wrong you came to the tents and made a broad judgment that no one here (on tents) knows the Lord. If you did indeed do that, you made a judgment without knowledge, for just because people are on a Universalist board own by Gary A. Does not mean everyone on the board follows his teachings or the teachings of any other Universalists. I can only speak for myself but I believed in the restitution of all things for over 20 years before I ever met another who believed in it. I did NOT receive this teaching from any MAN it was given to me directly by our Heavenly Father, and I only put forth what I SEE and not what others might believe. So by using (if indeed you did) your broad sweep of saying no one on tents knows the Lord you included me in that judgment before you even spoke to me to find out that which I believe, and that would be judging me without knowledge. And this broad sweep did not just judge me, but also other brothers and sister in the Lord before you even knew that which they believed. Please remember these comments only pertain if you did make such a broad judgment if you did not please disregard these comments or let me know in your own words what judgment you gave.

Someone on the forum characterized what we preach as follows: "Everyting that's a fraction different is 'deadly'" Scott, you replied:

I actually agree with that sentiment bro as there is only ONE truth, and anytime mans view is in place you will find that fraction deadly. My only problem here would be if Paul C thinks he knows all the truth for scripture itself tells us And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. But I am not sure Paul C is saying he knows everything, if he indeed is then he would do well to heed the scripture I just posted.

You are right again: Anything that man interjects or removes from the gospel of Christ is deadly. That is why Paul wrote as he did to the Galatians: "But even if we or an angel from Heaven preach a gospel to you beside what we preached to you, let him be accursed" (Galatians 1:8 MKJV).

You are wrong, however, in your interpretation and application of the Scripture you quoted.

How could servants of God not know "all the truth" regarding the gospel of Christ and its real life application, when it is God Who prepares and sends them to preach? He is the One testifying to men through His chosen vessels: "For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father Who speaks in you" (Matthew 10:20 MKJV).

Otherwise, it cannot be but that man will be found adding or subtracting from the gospel, being dependent on his limited human perspective to represent God to those whom he teaches. Going without the Mind of Christ, he couldn't help but deviate and be accursed.

But God does not work that way, because He properly equips and sustains His ministers that do His work: "You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read by all men, it having been made plain that you are the epistle of Christ, ministered by us, not having been written with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not on tablets of stone, but in fleshly tablets of the heart.

And we have such trust through Christ toward God, not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves, but our sufficiency is of God; Who also has made us able ministers of the new covenant; not of the letter, but of the spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit makes alive" (2 Corinthians 3:2-6 MKJV). And the gift of God is to make all His children of one mind – His: "But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned. But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is judged by no one. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ" (1 Corinthians 2:14-16 MKJV).

Here is the Scripture you have wrongly interpreted, in context: "Now concerning the things offered to idols, we know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. And if anyone thinks that he knows anything, he has come to know nothing yet as he ought to know" (1 Corinthians 8:1-2 EMTV). The apostle is not saying that we have no knowledge. In fact, he is saying the opposite. We do have knowledge, however, that is not our Help or Answer. Even were we to have all knowledge, as he says elsewhere (1 Corinthians 13:2), unless we are walking in the Spirit of God, we are as nothing and have nothing. Those who trust in their knowledge are not walking with God.

The part I highlighted in red was actually my point in quoting 1Co.8:2. Knowledge puffeth up and if one is puffed up by their knowledge thinking that they know anything he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know. But remember Paul I did not say you did not know everything/puffed up with knowledge, I said IF you thought you knew everything/were puffed up with knowledge you did not know yet as ye ought.

Therefore, you can't conclude I know nothing because I speak with authority and say what is true. That is illogical and unScriptural.

Again Paul I NEVER made that conclusion I said IF, as I was not around when these things took place I don’t know what you said, nor would I ever make a conclusion based on what others might have said about you. If I did that it would be judgment without knowledge.

If it were possible, you need to show that what I say is untrue, not just say it is wrong based on your opinion backed by fallacious reasoning.

That my point Paul, I NEVER said what you said was untrue, or wrong nor did I base ANYTHING on my personal opinion. I do NOT KNOW what you said that why I NEVER judged you for your words or action. If I did judge you for them based on what others said do you really think I would have spoken up for you?

Because you find our words a "type of attitude of judgment" that you don't like, doesn't qualify them as error. You may be wrong in your judgment of our judgment, both in where we are coming from and the validity of our words.

That you do not even allow for this possibility shows you are already in error and don't understand the most basic principles of godly judgment.

Paul words of judgment do not bother me, words of judgment without knowledge do.


Here you say I found your words as a judgment and I don’t like them so believe you to be in error, then you go on to say I may be wrong in my judgment of your judgment and that I do not even allow for this possibility shows I am already in error and don’t understand the most basic principles of Godly judgment.


Please show me anywhere in anything I wrote were I judged you or your words.


Yet here you have made a judgment of me based on NOTHING that I have said or implied and that is a judgment without knowledge.

Do not let what others from tents have said to you influence you in your judgment of me Paul, judge me if you must on what I SAY not what you perceive me to say.


So if you cannot find where I judged you or your words it would behove in the Lord to remove your judgment of me least you find yourself being judged likewise of the Lord.

Thus you are led into making other false conclusions.

I NEVER made any conclusions or judgments towards you Paul, you are seeing things that are not there.

What I wrote to the various posters on Tentmaker had nothing to do with being banned and getting my "knickers in a bunch."

I never said that was why you got your knickers in a bunch I said that it MIGHT have been why you posted to some of them as you did, as I was not there when it these things transpired.

After all, I was banned after I wrote many of those posts.

That is my point Paul, I was not aware of that fact, as I was not around at the time and your posts were deleted. You seem to see what I said about the knickers as some kind of judgment towards you, but I actually said it in your defence. Go figure.

I spoke the truth to these people, without malice or harmful intentions, and their reactions show it is their “knickers that are in a bunch.” (If you have not, go see what has been going on since I was banned, on the thread where I introduced myself, and see how this is so.) We are not harmed at all by these reactions or the banning, but these people are surely destroying themselves in their ways.

I agree some did seem to get their knickers in a bunch and that is why I entered that thread you started because I did not see anything you wrote that caused them to react the way they did. Your posts being deleted and all.

One of your main concerns is that I have judged some on the forum not to be children of God based on what they believe. You are concerned that I am not differentiating between children who can only take milk and those mature enough to eat meat. You wonder if I am forcing meat on children, and when they cannot take it, dismissing them altogether as unbelievers.

Yes that was my concern.

This is not remotely the case. I was the one dismissed, and not over doctrine.

By your own words Paul you said that you made those judgments of some of the people while still on the board, and were not dismissed until afterwards. Therefore, you dismissed them as unbelievers based on what they believe. And if you did not dismiss them as unbelievers based on what they believe what criteria did you use to dismiss them?

Can you actually show otherwise? If you are going to bring forth accusatory conjectures you need to provide specifics or you simply should not speculate on such matters publicly. You are only adding to the confusion and abetting the wicked actions of others, who toss out the brethren of the Lord in their ignorance and darkness, thinking they do God service.

Again Paul please tell me what criteria you used to dismiss them as unbelievers if it was not what they believe? You do realise what a person believes is that which they drink (milk) or eat (meat) do you not?

You wrongly presume to understand what I think, and err in your own understanding of the ways of God and the Scriptures. You write:

"What Paul C. needs to realise, that he does not seem to, is that a child of God whether he understands everything perfectly is still a child of God. Paul (the Apostle) never said those who believed in Christ were not children of God…."

You automatically take the word of any who says he or she is a Christian to be true.

Now who is presuming to understand what who believes? Show me where I said or implied I take everyone’s word on if they are a Christian or not. If you cannot show me where I said this you have erred in your own understanding and made another judgment without knowledge which is NOT according to the judgements of God or the scriptures.


And I stand by what I said above based on my knowledge of the people at tents, unlike you I know what many of them believe and what they do not, so my judgment of them is with knowledge whereas your judgment of them is without knowledge.

The apostle Paul never taught that. He taught the opposite:

"For I know this, that after my departure grievous wolves shall enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also men shall arise from your own selves, speaking perverse things in order to draw disciples away after them" (Acts 20:29-30 MKJV). "For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:13-14 EMTV). "For a time will be when they will not endure sound doctrine, but they will heap up teachers to themselves according to their own lusts, tickling the ear. And they will turn away their ears from the truth and will be turned to myths" (2 Timothy 4:3-4 MKJV). The Lord Himself taught that many taking His Name would be the product of seed sown by the enemy: Matthew 13:25-30 EMTV (25) But while the men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went away. (26) But when the stalk had sprouted and produced fruit, then the tares also appeared. (27) So the servants of the master of the house approached and said to him, 'Sir, was it not good seed you sowed in your field? From where then does it have tares?' (28) "He said to them, 'An enemy has done this.' So the servants said to him, 'Do you wish then that we should go and gather them up?' (29) "But he said, 'No, lest gathering up the tares you also uproot the wheat with them. (30) Leave both to grow together until the harvest; and at the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather together the tares, and bind them into bundles to burn them, but gather together the wheat into my barn."

Yep all good scriptures, I have no problem with any of them, I believe them all.

Are you not aware at all that there are tares as well as wheat?


Yep


Are you not aware that there is salt that has lost its savor?


Yep


Is talking to such the same as talking to children who are immature in understanding?


Nope


You are not walking in discernment, Scott.


Then why did I just agree with you? If I am lacking in discernment yet I am in full agreement with you what then can be said of your discernment?


You are not even aware there is such discernment, while giving me a lecture on discerning!


Baseless judgment again without knowledge.


You have some major backtracking to do on your theories. If you are Christ's you will hear, repent, learn, and follow.


I do repent, learn, and follow Paul, but only to God and not to any man.


As to my what you call my theories you have yet no idea of what I believe and what I do not.

Does the Lord tell His people to "come out from among them" in vain?

Nope

Another thing you don't recognize is that there is a place for reproving, rebuking, and exhorting:

"Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine" (2 Timothy 4:2 KJV).

Another judgment of me without knowledge, you seem to judge a lot without knowledge Paul.

Are those things only for adults?

Nope


Are not children most in need of correction,


Yep, but according to you they are not children of God but reprobates.


whereas mature adults ought to have learned discipline?


Agreed

But we know that only His children at any age receive correction. Bastards do not receive correction. Christ did not rebuke the Pharisees as God's children, but as the children of the devil He openly called them. They, as did these on the forum, protested that God was their Father, but the Lord refuted them:

As I keep telling you I was not there so won’t give any judgment concerning what took place.

"Therefore Jesus said to them, 'If God were your Father, you would have loved Me, for I came forth and have come from God; nor have I come from Myself, but He sent Me. Why do you not understand what I say? Because you are unable to hear My word'" (John 8:42-43 EMTV).

Consider, if you can, what I am saying in light of your admonishment:

"Of course saying people are not children of God who believe in Christ is off base but it might be Paul C did not take into account the difference in age (spiritually) of Gods children. And if that is the case it might be that pointing this out to him might have corrected his error and I hope he reads this and realises his error in doing that. Force feeding a babe meat just chokes the baby is a good rule to remember when speaking of the things of God, yet we have ALL been guilty of doing it."

I have not been force feeding babies, but rather rebuking Pharisees. How is it you assume a man of God cannot know the difference?

Jesus knew that which the Pharisees believed Paul, His judgment was with knowledge, your judgment so far has been without knowledge, and that shows me though you might be a man of God your judgments here are NOT based on the judgements of God which probe the heart of man.

You are quite in error, Scott, and I will show you within the text of your posting where you diverge from the gospel of Christ revealed to Paul, having mixed in some of the deadly error of the Universalists in your gospel:

"Here is a question that a lady asked here awhile back and my response to it, I post it again in hopes that both Paul C and those who have had issue with what Paul C has said might understand the difference between the reconciliation which is pasts and the salvation which is promised as I believe this is where at least in part some of the confusion has come in.

Why preach the gospel at all?

For me the reason Jesus was sent and the reason Jesus sends us is to free people through Him from sin and death. Salvation is not complete just because one believes Jesus died for them.

Believing is only the starting point on our journey toward full salvation, for we are reconciled by His death, but saved by His life.

All men everywhere are already reconciled by His death, this is a done deal because He died 2000 years ago for all men's reconciliation and mans belief or unbelief CANNOT change this fact.

If someone does not believe Jesus died for then simply does not change the fact that He did.

So then all men everywhere have already been reconciled, [my emphasis added] but not all men are yet saved from sin and death."

You are talking about two different things and treating them as one. The first is the fact that Jesus Christ finished the work of atonement and sealed it by His death. "It is finished," He said. Nothing can change this – you are right. But this does not mean that you can automatically declare your second point, that because the Lord has completed the work now, all men are reconciled to God. If that were the case, there would be no need to preach repentance.

Repentance, however, is the very first word of the gospel message:

Hmmm does a babe in Christ have need of repentance for their sins? Have they not been reconciled by His death? His death reconciled us just as the scriptures proclaim, His life is what saves us. Thus until we have endured unto the end there is always need for repentance and the need to preach it.

"Now having heard this, they were cut to the heart, and they said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, 'Men and brothers, what shall we do?' Then Peter said to them, 'Repent, and let each of you be baptized in the Name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 2:37-38 EMTV).

They did not receive the forgiveness of sins until they repented. They were in unrest because they were made conscious of their sin – a very real matter and not just something in their heads.

Like I said repentance is still need because not all are yet saved, just because one is a follower of Christ does not negate their need to repent of their sins.

Peter didn't answer their heartfelt cry according to your gospel, "You don't have to do anything! Don't you know your sins are already forgiven and you are already reconciled?"

Never said anything like what you just said above, you keep reading things into what I have said making statements to make it look like I said something I never did. That is a shameful tactic and unworthy of one who says he is a man of God.

Without the gift of repentance, which is a wholesale turning to God and away from sin, reconciliation cannot become reality. And even among those who have been granted the gift of repentance, reconciliation is not complete until we are made complete in Him:

You like many are mixing up His reconciliation by His death with His salvation by His life.

Two different sides of the same coin Paul, yet you seem to think they are the same.

"Now then, we serve as ambassadors for Christ, as though God were appealing through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Corinthians 5:20-21 EMTV).

You did not quote enough of the scripture Paul, just enough to make it look like you are right.


Let’s look at just a little more of those same scriptures.


2 Corinthians 5:14-20
14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.
16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. 17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God.


As can be seen in the red and green part that I highlighted Paul judged that as one died for ALL then were ALL dead, and that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again.


The difference being that some are still dead in Christ not knowing they have been reconciled by His death 2000 years ago. Thus they have yet to pass from death unto life.

Continuing your post:

"Therefore Jesus send us out in order to proclaim His salvation by His LIFE."

Here is another common error of many evangelicals and other religious. They presume that Jesus made a commandment two thousand years ago to them.

He did no such thing. He is a present, not a past, Lord. As is recounted in Acts: "As they ministered to the Lord and fasted, the Holy Spirit said, So, then, separate Barnabas and Saul to Me for the work to which I have called them" (Acts 13:2 MKJV).

The sending of the Lord in His ministry is done by Him Personally and presently, as part of a calling and preparation He undertakes with every one of His servants.

Hmmm did you say anything different then I did? I said Jesus sends us out to proclaim His salvation, you said Jesus sends us into the ministry. We said the same thing yet you say I am in error, go figure.

The Lord hasn't sent you, Scott.


You have no idea.


No condemnation intended, but you will take it that way if you haven't the love for the Truth.

I don’t feel condemnation by your words Paul for there is no condemnation for those in Christ.

Continuing:

"His death reconciled all men, but His LIFE is what saves all men, this salvation is not a one time deal as such, but is a long process of walking in His LIFE and forsaking our own. Taking up the cross and following Him and enduring unto the end that we might be saved."

All true.

"Thus we are told to proclaim His death and therefore His reconciliation for all men as a FACT that cannot be disputed , and we are to do this so that the entire world can have the same hope in His LIFE that we to have. Thus it is not by His death that sin and death are defeated but by His LIFE.

When we witness about that which Jesus done, we are first to tell all men that they have been reconciled because of His death, this fact breathes hope into the world that God does indeed love them. Then after people become aware of the fact of this reconciliation by His death we are to proclaim His resurrection. And it is because of the fact that He was resurrected OUT OF DEATH that the world is given hope of the same resurrection OUT OF DEATH. We are NOT saved from death, we are saved OUT OF DEATH, for it was while we were DEAD in sin that He died and was raised to life again for us."

While there is some truth in what you write, you have left out the foundation of any true conversion – repentance, and what must follow, the baptism with the Spirit of Christ. You have replaced these with a philosophical rationale that is as satisfactory for a true spiritual life in Christ as a plastic orange tree is for food.

Never left anything out Paul I was not asked about conversion, repentance or baptism with the Holy Spirit so did not go into them. If I was asked I would have said all are needed for ones salvation.

Men are not saved by knowledge of salvation any more than their hunger is satisfied by knowledge of food.

Never said men were saved by knowledge of salvation, you keep adding your thought to what I have said as though I said them. Did I not say earlier:


“His death reconciled all men, but His LIFE is what saves all men, this salvation is not a one time deal as such, but is a long process of walking in His LIFE and forsaking our own. Taking up the cross and following Him and enduring unto the end that we might be saved."


And did you not say all true.

So how is it now you accuse me of saying men are saved by knowledge?

You are offering people a false salvation, one that retains the flesh by leaving the carnal man in charge. Your hearers are now assured of their salvation without the Lord's direct involvement. If they can comprehend what you tell them of what He has done, they can proceed in confidence as they choose. It is up to them. The journey they think to take for salvation turns out to be a fake, because they, and not God, are making it up as they go along. Nothing is happening from Him. They remain unregenerate. He is not building the house, so that they labor are doing so in vain.

Again I said


“His death reconciled all men, but His LIFE is what saves all men, this salvation is not a one time deal as such, but is a long process of walking in His LIFE and forsaking our own. Taking up the cross and following Him and enduring unto the end that we might be saved."


And you said all true.

So how is it I am offering people a false salvation that retains the flesh by leaving the carnal man in charge?

Did I not say and you agree with, that we must take up our cross and follow Him enduring unto the end the we might be saved?

And your say that taking up ones cross and following Christ is offering a false salvation to people, you really need to get a grip Paul.


Do you not see the corner you have backed yourself into, first you agree with me then because you add your own thoughts to what I have said you say I am offering a false salvation.


And yet you judge me as one who has not been called of the Lord. Yet it is you that is twisting my words which was your undoing here, if you wrote your reply from what you received from our Father to give to me as correction this would NOT have happened. Thus showing you have become puffed up with knowledge and; therefore, do not know, as ye ought.

You are not saving people any more than the seven sons of Sceva were casting out a devil in the Name of the Lord Whom Paul preached. The devil said to them: "Jesus I know, and Paul I am acquainted with; but who are you?" (Acts 19:15 EMTV)

Funny I know to whom I belonging to, but because you have become puffed up with knowledge I am not sure if you know to whom you belong to.

So is the effectiveness of your gospel useless. You have to come up the right Way, through Him, and not just through a second-hand knowledge of Him. That is all you have, Scott.


I would laugh Paul if these statements were not so sad, like I have said you have no idea.

He has given us firsthand knowledge, which is what you and everyone on the forum find most objectionable. You do not want to hear from Him and what He requires, only your foolish ideas and the tickling of each other's ears, just as Paul warned.

And I said


His death reconciled all men, but His LIFE is what saves all men, this salvation is not a one time deal as such, but is a long process of walking in His LIFE and forsaking our own. Taking up the cross and following Him and enduring unto the end that we might be saved."

And you said all true.

So what firsthand knowledge was it that you have been given that I do not have?

Concluding:

"So the resurrection is a moving from DEATH to LIFE, so as He died for all men, so to did He rise for all men, and this is the gospel of the good new toward ALL MEN EVERYWHERE.If one believes Jesus died for all men, should it not go without saying that when He rose again that it was for all men also? Can we really separate His death from His resurrection? If so, how then can DEATH be swallowed up of LIFE?"

Yes, every man in his own order, according to His will. Being out of order will not cut it, though. That is what I found and exposed at Tentmaker, and hear in your preaching. You continue to manifest The Deadly Error of the Universalists. It may help you to read the entire section: Universalism.

People hear what they want to hear Paul and you demonstrated that principle to perfection in this letter, for I said


His death reconciled all men, but His LIFE is what saves all men, this salvation is not a one time deal as such, but is a long process of walking in His LIFE and forsaking our own. Taking up the cross and following Him and enduring unto the end that we might be saved."


And you said all true,

then went on to say that I am offering people a false salvation when clearly you can see that I believe in one taking up their cross and following Him, dying daily to the old man, walking in His perfect will, always being obedient and never deviating from that obedience of which He has called us.

And this to you is a false salvation! Yikes.


So you did not expose anything at tents Paul except YOURSELF.


And I did finish reading the entire section Paul and was in agreement with you, but now I have to wonder if you did to Gary what you just finished doing to me, putting words in his mouth that he never said just your interpretation of what he said in order to promote yourself and what you believe over others.


Jesus said other sheep I have that are not of this fold, Paul you my very well be of the fold of Christ, but you have yet to recognize His other sheep that don’t belong to your fold and because of this you trample under your feet His sheep.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am honored to be getting to know you Scott.

Wow...I truly marvel at the workmanship of the Lord in your life.

All of your comments were anointed for sure...and you are your Mother's child for sure...For WISDOM is justified in HER CHILDREN...smile.

There is a glorious peace and wisdom that you have been clothed with and carry...and I praise Father for you.

Be blessed my brother,
DaughterofDavid

Paul Cohen said...

Scott, you complain that I have judged you according to conditional statements you made before actually hearing what I said. Yet you have not changed your tune on those statements, even though you now say that you have red all the postings and understand what I said. In other words, your statements are no longer conditional. You maintain that I judged the people on Tentmaker unrighteously. Otherwise, you would plainly and forthrightly dismiss your false conjectures in the sight of those to whom you made them. You have not done any of these things.

In my initial reply I answered your theories and speculations that were addressed to me before all. I described the errors you made public, which you haven't retracted when they were proven baseless. Therefore the shoe fits and remains on your foot. The judgments I spoke against you and your conditional accusations have found their home, as appointed by God Who gave them. You will now reap the consequences of breaking His commandment (bearing false witness against your neighbor), which you cannot argue away with spiritual reasonings, leastways not with God.

You had no business speculating on what I said, and then speculating on the meaning of what you speculated I said. You did so against the Word of God, taking the word of liars rather than seeking His only. You chose to justify men in their darkness, sins, and lies. You did that for yourself, not them. You played the part of a hero, falsely accusing me on their behalf, while trying to appear the objective and wise Christian. That which I wrote in my letter to you exposed you as a theoretical Christian, one who tries to talk the talk, but doesn't know what he is talking about and doesn't admit it when found out. All you have done now in reply is to show yourself as an unrepentant blowhard and fool.

I admit that it would have been simpler had I asked you to read over the posts on our site and then comment. But now that you have red them, and continue as before with the same complaint, not seeing a thing that nullifies it, only goes to prove that my judgments were accurate. Nevertheless, I am not writing you off because you have acted foolishly in unbelief. I am instead speaking to you as one being in great need of repentance, which means there is much to be gained if you will listen. Only stubborn pride will keep you in the darkness that leads to destruction. Will you listen, or am I your enemy because I tell you the truth?

I have more to specifically say about your response:

You write:

"Please show me anywhere in anything I wrote were I judged you or your words."

You openly dismissed the letters on our website, saying they were "a type of attitude of judgment" that you didn't like. I said more than opinion was necessary to condemn our words from God as carnal judgment, but you still have given no specifics. All you say is:

"…words of judgment do not bother me, words of judgment without knowledge do."

If that is not judging us and our words, I don't know what is. If someone said the same thing to you about Jeremiah or Ezekiel or Paul or Peter, cavalierly tossing out their words as coming from a wrong attitude of judgment, would you not count that as a carnal and unrighteous judgment? Of course you would. You will speak up on behalf of the Bible, while against the Author and those who speak His Words. You are a blind hypocrite, too. You go on:

"I NEVER made any conclusions or judgments towards you Paul, you are seeing things that are not there."

Either I am seeing things that are not there, or you are not seeing things that are. Which is it? What makes you think you are right, when you plainly cannot see what you have said and done? Here is a description of that in your postings, which you continue to justify:

"If anyone teaches otherwise, and does not consent to wholesome words (those of our Lord Jesus Christ), and to the doctrine according to godliness, he is proud, knowing nothing. He is sick concerning doubts and arguments, from which comes envy, strife, evil speakings, evil suspicions, meddling, of men whose minds have been corrupted and deprived of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness. Withdraw from such" (1 Timothy 6:3-5 MKJV).

There you were, sowing doubts, making evil surmisings, and now when you are confronted with the truth, your corrupt mind cannot comprehend it. Here are some of the doubts and arguments you present to me in your proud ignorance and sickness:

"By your own words Paul you said that you made those judgments of some of the people while still on the board, and were not dismissed until afterwards. Therefore, you dismissed them as unbelievers based on what they believe. And if you did not dismiss them as unbelievers based on what they believe what criteria did you use to dismiss them?"

Scott, show me where I "dismissed" them. I was not the one who cut off communication with anyone there; they cut it off with me and decided not to talk to me. The one who did write us, Nathan, said he did not read more than ten lines of the answer Victor sent him. Yet that answer was full of good sense and applicable Scriptures. So who is dismissing whom?

Next, show me where any of the judgments I spoke in the Name of the Lord are wrong, or any in Victor's letter to Nathan. You have not and cannot do this, because our Words are from God. You are one of those who dismiss the Word of God without cause or reason.

Your great error is that you judge by doctrine and count what people believe as evidence or lack of godliness. You are in worship of doctrine, not God. We know on Whom we have believed, and we can tell by your response here whether you believe on Him or not. Those who hear our words are of God, and those who do not hear our words, are not of God.

"We are of God. He who knows God hears us. The one who is not of God does not hear us. From this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error" (1 John 4:6 MKJV).

The Truth is not complicated by doctrinal reasoning and human calculation. That is the domain of Pharisees and religious bigots. Those who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ will hear them who speak His Words, and they will obey. They will both have, and will learn, true doctrine from Him. They will not reject Him in His brethren based on the teachings of men or their own understanding. They will hear and receive Him in the flesh, but you are of those who do not:

"By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God; and every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. And this is the antiChrist you heard is coming, and even now is already in the world" (1 John 4:2-3 MKJV).

In your perfect worship of doctrine you defend your unsubstantiated defense of sinners:

"And I stand by what I said above based on my knowledge of the people at tents, unlike you I know what many of them believe and what they do not, so my judgment of them is with knowledge whereas your judgment of them is without knowledge."

You judge them by what they believe; we judge them by Whom they don’t believe, and what they say and do that proves they do not believe Him. Thus you answer your own query, “Show me where I said or implied I take everyone’s word on if they are a Christian or not,” by the previous quote. You show how you are blinded by what you see and hear with your carnal senses, not perceiving the reality and manifest fruits of wickedness. Jesus said, "You will know them by their fruits," but Scott says, "I know them by what they say they believe." Jesus said, "Judge not by appearance," but Scott says, "I will judge them by what I see." As for the fruits that are there to tell, you are wholly incapable of spiritual judgment.

That is why you are the companion and apologist of Pharisees and those who say they are "Jews," and are not, but are of the synagogue of Satan, you being one of them yourself.

Jesus did not judge the Pharisees based on what they believed, as you would have it, but on what they did:

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you pay tithes of mint and dill and cummin, and have neglected the more important things of the law: justice and mercy and faith. These things you should have done, and not have neglected the others" (Matthew 23:23 EMTV).

Here is another manifest token of the idolatry that has blinded you. You say:

"If I am lacking in discernment yet I am in full agreement with you what then can be said of your discernment?"

If you have any agreement with me, it is only partial and in the letter, but not in the Spirit even a smidgen, which is all that matters. You are as far removed from agreement with me as Hell is from Heaven. Will you really argue this point? But for your information, we wish you were not so removed. Why in Heaven or on earth would we wish for you to be in disagreement with the Spirit? Repent, and come to the Light and Truth. Join us to fight for God, instead of fighting against Him when confronted on your vain philosophies and careless words. Stop scattering and begin gathering.

More on which I will comment:

"I do repent, learn, and follow… but only to God and not to any man."

We cannot take your word for what you do, and there is no witness of God to your claim, except to the last four words, where Truth agrees that you are an independent son of Satan who will not take instruction from a man of God.

"As to my what you call my theories you have yet no idea of what I believe and what I do not."

I have more than an idea; I know Him on Whom you have not believed, by Whom I am informed of things you cannot conceive. He who saw Nathaniel under the tree lives in us. We see you very plainly, Scott, because He has given us eyes to see. It is no wonder that a blind man who thinks his blindness is sight cannot fathom or agree with the things we see and tell him that show him his blindness.

"As I keep telling you I was not there so won’t give any judgment concerning what took place."

In many ways you confess your status as a corrupt son of earth, having nothing to do with the saints in Heaven who judge all things by the Spirit of God, even when not present in body or person:

"For as being absent in body but present in spirit, I indeed have judged already as though I were present concerning him who worked out this thing" (1 Corinthians 5:3 MKJV).

Even after "being there" by reading all the posts, you still aren’t "there," having no discernment of the spirits, yet judging mine all the same.

You have no knowledge or understanding in the things of God. None. Thinking you do and acting as if it were so has made you an insufferable, pontificating jackass. Repent, Scott.

You use the right words, but don’t know what they mean:

"Hmmm does a babe in Christ have need of repentance for their sins? Have they not been reconciled by His death? His death reconciled us just as the scriptures proclaim, His life is what saves us. Thus until we have endured unto the end there is always need for repentance and the need to preach it."

Babes in Christ have experienced repentance, the Feast of Passover, as it is written:

"I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His Name's sake" (1 John 2:12 MKJV).

Only the false are forever repenting, deceived into thinking they received Christ's forgiveness in the first place, having never forsaken their sins or taken up the cross. They have never experienced the Feasts of Passover or Pentecost, not to mention Tabernacles and the Rest of God.

The true are not continually sinning, as the apostle also writes:

"We know that everyone who has been born of God does not continue to sin, but the one born of God guards himself, and the evil one does not touch him" (1 John 5:18).

Then there are those who have had the Feasts of Passover and Pentecost, knowing the repentance of Christ and the power of His Spirit, but who are turned back to the world, for whom repentance is no longer possible:

"For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted of the heavenly gift, and were made partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good Word of God and the powers of the world to come, and who have fallen away; it is impossible, I say, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify the Son of God afresh to themselves and put Him to an open shame" (Hebrews 6:4-6 MKJV).

You do not distinguish or recognize the Feast of Passover because you have never experienced it. You have not turned to Christ. You have repented of some sins, and been filled with religious doctrine, but you have not turned from your ways and repented of your sin. There is a profound difference between man's religious piety and God-given repentance. Those who experienced the latter will know what I am talking about. You are in need of repentance, the initial, transformative event that marks the beginning of the walk with God in Christ.

You have replaced Passover with your doctrine of "reconciliation by His death," and then assume you have "salvation by His life," the other half of your inert equation. I tell you that when one has been reconciled to Him by His death, that one has salvation by His life, for there can be no reconciliation without the Life of His Spirit, so you are a fool in your speech, a child of darkness. You have neither reconciliation or salvation in reality, they being one. It is all theoretical to you, but now exposed as straw that the fire takes away:

1 Corinthians 3:12-15 EMTV
(12) Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw,
(13) each one's work shall be made manifest; for the Day shall reveal it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall test each one's work, as to what sort it is.
(14) If anyone's work which he has built remains, he shall receive a reward.
(15) If anyone's work is burned up, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, but so as through fire.

In your Passoverless, Pentecostless "salvation," you do not hear the Voice of the Lord or recognize His Personal Presence and leading, the hallmarks of any true Christian life. I pointed out to you that His ministers are appointed directly by Him, not according to general words red in the Bible. As an example, Paul and Barnabas were separated by God to the preaching of the gospel among several witnesses confirming His directive; they did not simply read about it in the Bible and decide to go out on their own. But you completely overlook the distinction between hearing from God directly and reading about Him, thinking they are the same thing, and ask incredulously:

"Hmmm did you say anything different then I did? I said Jesus sends us out to proclaim His salvation, you said Jesus sends us into the ministry. We said the same thing yet you say I am in error, go figure."

The Lord hasn't sent you, Scott. If you have heard a voice, it has not been His. But you haven’t even heard one, have you? It has been your presumptuous imagination.

What you call the cross and salvation are theoretical representations created in your own mind to substitute for the real thing. We know this because we have the Real and recognize you as one who does not have a wedding garment. Thus we bind you for removal, for you are not permitted to stay at the wedding feast.

We see on your blog that you have a picture of "Jesus Christ" grouped with your dogs. That is a blasphemous representation of the true Lord Jesus Christ, but a good representation of your christ, one who travels with a pack of dogs. That was what we met at Tentmaker, and that is what you defend.

Read "Religious Images, Icons, & Likenesses" on our site.

Paul Cohen
www.thepathoftruth.com

Scott said...

Thank you DaughterofDavid.