Expert: Dr. Ronald E. Shultz - 7/4/2011

Question
QUESTION: Hello and welcome in Our Saviours most Holy name.I often look in wonderment at the various web sites and Christian teachers who state /think that all who do not accept the trinity are dammed/lost.This is what was said to me recently by one of the sites I emailed.It has also been said to me at the door by Jehovahs witnesses,I am a goat,an evil servant.!! How can this be ? both ends of the apple cart and I am doomed.So who is the Lord Jesus Christ to me ? and why do I warrent the above from both ends of the stick.
         The Lord Jesus Christ is my personal savior.He is the Son of the most holy God Jehovah.Begotten before the ages in whom our Holy Father took delight.Upon the cross he paid the ransom sacrifice for both mine and the worlds sins(if I be lifted up will raise all men unto me-God is the saviour of all men,especially those who beleive,as in adam all die so in Christ will all live).
         Neither you nor I can tell in what quiet moment in a persons life they have not expressed their faith in our Savior.None of us can even begin to imagine what another person has been through.Only Jehovah God and His dear son our Lord Jesus know.
         Jesus was a carpenter.Paul a tentmaker.Peter a fisherman.None went to higher theological schools.None of them wore their collars back to front,said that they were methodists or what have you as each side of the conflict blessed their weapans of destruction.In the past few years I have heard vicars deny the miracles of our dear Lord,that heaven exists and that the garden of eden is a myth ! who is therefore culpable ?
         The only answer is that the Church of Christ exists in the hearts of true believers throughout the world.The Lord knows those that are His.
       Instead of knocking the cults as you call them'why not take an internal look ?There is a lot more to this than meets the eye.
        Can I finish with numbers 6.24 to 26 to you Mr Bateman,and to all those who 'knock'what they in a way have probably helped to create. Finally both hal linsy,luther and graham made false prophecies are you going to say that they are/were not Christians?
         God Bless you and all who read this little letter.And of course God bless all in the times of restitution in the coming kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ,God manifest in the flesh.
P.S.Please answer from your heart,with your feelings/knowledge,not in the place of Jehovah God,otherwise this could I feel be a problem for you.
Phil

ANSWER: While I understand what you are trying to say, you have to know that there are cults and false teachers using the name of Christ.  Jesus said it in Matthew 7 and John warned about those who went out from us that were not of us and Paul said that false prophets would rise up among the believers.  Paul called names and said that a heretic after the second admonition reject.  Paul also said that there must needs be divisions among us that the approved would stand out.  

To truly have the Gospel of Christ, you have to have the truth of Christ.  Thus, if you do not believe in the Deity of Christ or the Trinity or believe that Jesus is the brother of lucifer, you have a false gospel that John said if you bid them godspeed that preach such things you are a partaker of their error.  Paul also warned of those in the last days that some would deny the very Lord that bought them and bring in damnable heresies.  

There are divisions that are caused by sincere misinterpretation of a passage and then there are purposed heresies. Some errors and heresies are not damnable in that believing them will not send you to Hell, but there are doctrinal heresies that will do so.  We are to mark them that cause divisions and obviously you have to know what is heresy and what is not if you are going to mark and reject or shun them.  

Indeed, the Lord knows them that are His but we are also to judge by their fruit and to hold to sound doctrine so if the doctrine is damnable we can we can know they are not of the Lord. If the doctrine is not damnable we will still have to work in separate fields for two cannot walk together except they be agreed.  They may be saved and yet hold to a false doctrine or two or call it an error if that makes it better to you, but separation is still going to happen.  

There are saved Methodists and Baptists and there are lost ones.  Methodists err in their infant baptism, but if they grow up and receive Christ as their Saviour, they will go to Heaven even if they believe they can lose it.  Baptists are often wrong in the way they teach certain doctrines even if their premise is right, but if they are truly saved they will be in Heaven whether their women wear pants or if they smoke or drink.  Some Baptists that do not smoke or drink and their women wear only dresses will be in Hell because they have a head knowledge and not a true conversion experience that comes often from bad evangelistic techniques.   

While I cannot tell if a person accepts the truth right before they die and are thus saved, I can warn those who are listening to false prophets that they cannot count on getting that quiet moment except for right now and that now is the day of salvation if they will receive the truth.  That is my job as a Christian to warn of the wrath to come and to offer the way to salvation.  The only way to do that is ensure they know what is truth and what is a lie so they can choose truth.

May God grant you wisdom and grace as you seek His will.  

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thankyou for your reply,even if a bit dogmatic.At least you took the time to do so,which I greatly appreciate.But in viewing your answer I have to state the following I feel.I was not "trying" to say anything.I said it.You failed to understand what I said.Like so many of the cultists you put yourself in the judgment seat of the most Holy God Jehovah.No one knows who is or isn't saved.The quiet moment is between God and the parson in prayer.You make no mention of my points on vicars.My points re the Lord Jesus and His ransom for all .I know that I am saved,that the Lord Jesus died for me,as do many untold millions who have gone through repentance.Believe on the Lord Jesus and you will be saved,not believe in the trinity.You remind me of the inquisition believe in this certain way or else.In very much the same way as the little papacy of the J.w's.Believe in the governing body,dont think for yourselves.How you can dare to put yourself in the place of the most Holy God I have no idea.
         Anyway,may He bless you and perhap's your heart will open to the title of a book that I read many moons ago.Your God is to small.
       By By. Phil Murray.

ANSWER: I do not put myself in the place of God. His Word is the standard.  I can only say what He says in the Word and I quoted it when I made my statements.  I truly wish there were no Hell except for the devil and his angels or that everyone went to Heaven. However, based upon His Word I know that is not so.  John told us to try the spirits and so we must for not all are of God. I freely admit that many Baptists will be in Hell and I have questioned my own salvation over the years in order to make my calling and election sure as we are enjoined in Scripture.  Paul warned us about other gospels. Christ said that others would come in His name so that there are groups using the Bible and the name of Christ that are not of the truth is no great revelation.  Obviously, I have to know what is heresy and what is not if I am to heed Paul's injunction to have nothing to do with them after the second admonition.    

If they do not believe in the trinity they have another Christ and another Gospel and they are not saved.  They have to believe on Christ as who He is and He is the second person of the Godhead and that is that.  Not my call, but His.  Many have made Christ to be many people, a teacher, a prophet, a revolutionary, etc.  They are partly right for indeed He taught, prophesied and for that time a revolutionary in that He was against the religious rulers, both Left and Right for they had strayed from the path.   

My God is huge and yet exclusively inclusive.  Whosoever will may come but the have to come to Him as He is and on His terms. He says that He is a trinity and I cannot argue with Him though I may not understand it.  He is not playing a game as Modalists feel that in the OT, He called Himself YahWeh, Jesus was Him on earth and now He is manifesting as the Holy Spirit.  Was He talking to Himself in the garden?  He is not a good man that the Holy Spirit came upon and left him at the Cross nor is He the brother of satan.  Shoot, if I said you were the brother of the most recent mass murderer you would be insulted.  How much more so is the Son of God being called brother to the enemy of God?  It makes Him a created being and robs Him of His Godhead.  Do you really think folks believing that will be saved?  You have to wonder about the lads who make Jesus the ultimate multi-level marketer who promises to make everyone rich. That is not the Jesus of Scripture they are preaching who had no place to lay His head.

No, I do not play God nor do I want to play with God's character and identity or His Word.  There are heresies and damnable ones.  Damnable ones mean just that.  They will damn the teacher and his disciples that teach them.  My goal is to keep people from those heresies, not condone them.  

May God grant you discernment.      

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: p.s. On the box (tv) there was a program about the 2nd world war(39 to 45 ) Several dear souls were on it who had been experimented on by mengaley and the like.There was one dear chap who was a Jehovah's witness.Day by day in terrible conditions he scraped out the wounds of another inmate.Day by day he scraped out the maggots from the sore and bound the wound, till he reached the bone in hid leg.Then the maggots moved on to this dear persons spine and he fell asleep in death.To you this Jw because he does not accept your theology will be dammed to hell.He preys to Jehovah God through his mental concept of who God and His dear Son is.Can you dare to tell me that this dear soul is doomed ?
         People like you,you, are turning searching souls away from God.
         Reply if you dare with your version of God.
        Phil

Answer
Luke 13:1-5
1 There were present at that season some that told him of the Galilaeans, whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices.
2 And Jesus answering said unto them, Suppose ye that these Galilaeans were sinners above all the Galilaeans, because they suffered such things?
3 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.
4 Or those eighteen, upon whom the tower in Siloam fell, and slew them, think ye that they were sinners above all men that dwelt in Jerusalem?
5 I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. KJV

Titus 3:5-7

5 Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;
6 Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour;
7 That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.  KJV


The irony is that the JW does not believe in Hell as a place of eternal damnation so we are arguing about a place he does not believe he would go.  There is none righteous, no not one.  There are many pagan people who do things that are good. Atheist soldiers have sacrificed their lives for their country or fellow soldiers. There were Jewish men and women who did such good works as well in the camps.  WWII was horrible. Many people died after doing grand works of self-sacrifice. Those have nothing to do with the deity of Christ or their salvation.  

Matt 7:21-23

21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. KJV

Here is an example of people who believe they believed in Christ and yet they ended up in Hell.  They thought they knew Him, but He did not know them. They did many wonderful things in His name and I imagine they prayed to Him as well. I suppose you think that is harsh as well. You can argue with Christ if you like, but we shall argue no more.  There is no benefit to be derived from it.