Dear Issues of Life,
I was told about your organization by a friend of mine and became very upset. I just don’t understand how it would be possible for a person that claims to be interlocked within Christ to be so abusive and untrue to his very word. God says many things in the Bible, but the one thing that he makes very clear is to love. In addition to this, God loves us all because we are his children. There for he has unconditional love for all of us, even you!. I know God loves me for I am his child. I KNOW GOD LOVES ME BECAUSE HE HAS ENTERED MY HEART & SOUL. No one can break that bond. I KNOW THAT GOD LOVES ME BECAUSE HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, CHRIST JESUS, TO DIE FOR MY SINS. I talk to God every night before I go to sleep and I ask him to forgive of my sins. He does so because he loves me. Even though it is hard for me I know what God would want me to do, I must pray for Victor and Paul as well as your followers. I am going to pray that God works in wonders in you as he has many times in others throughout time. You can be saved, just ask him to come in.
Peace be with you.
Libby
Libby,
Sara here from The Issues of Life. I am a sister in Christ and (only using your term here) “follower” of Victor and Paul.
I want to tell you that God has worked wonders in me, but that was not while I listened to those that only spoke gentle and soft, loving words. I needed (and need) to hear the truth, which was (and is) hard to take, but which liberates marvelously in the end. It is only by the stripping away of the false that one can come into the true. Other people were not able to tell me the truth, not having been prepared by the Lord to speak what was needed.
How could it be that all of those who speak gently and lovingly are in the truth? Don’t they contradict each other? Yes, they do, and they also contradict the Holy Scriptures. We sent out a couple of series on The Issues of Life on this subject. This letter came first: Does God Speak Only Gentle Words?, and then we also sent The False Religious Love that Hates (Rejects) God.
I have another question for you. You say that God loves us all unconditionally. What does that mean, Libby? Does that mean that everyone can do whatever they want to do, and that we are all OK, so long as we do not judge each other? Doesn’t this contradict the Scriptures? The Bible is full, absolutely full of testimony of the Lord’s anger towards, and judgment of, those who persist in going their own way, doing their own thing, yet claiming to follow Him. Look up His words for the Pharisees and scribes.
We also sent out a recent series, and this example was brought up by Paul as to a great example of the Lord’s judgment and wrath. Paul’s comments follow each Scripture:
“Numbers 25:1-13
(1) And Israel lived in Shittim, and the people began to fornicate with the daughters of Moab.
Disobeying God, mixing flesh and spirit, the people went whoring after other gods, as we shall see.
(2) And they called the people to the sacrifices of their gods. And the people ate and bowed down to their gods.
They committed fornication in the worship of strange gods.
(3) And Israel joined himself to Baal-peor. And the anger of Jehovah was kindled against Israel.
God is angry with His people, and those who teach these things; do you believe that? Do you hear?
(4) And Jehovah said to Moses, Take all the heads of the people and hang them up before Jehovah against the sun, so that the fierce anger of Jehovah may be turned away from Israel.
His anger is fierce.
(5) And Moses said to the judges of Israel, Every one of you kill his men who were joined to Baal-peor.
Jesus said, “Fear Him Who can destroy soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28).
(6) And behold! One of the sons of Israel came and brought to his brothers a woman of Midian, before the eyes of Moses, and before all the congregation of the sons of Israel, who were weeping before the door of the tabernacle of the congregation.
When evil has spread as a cancer, people have no shame or fear of God or His servants.
(7) And when Phinehas, the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, saw it, he rose up from among the congregation and took a spear in his hand.
When Jesus drove the moneychangers from the Temple, it was said of Him: “The zeal of Your House has consumed Me” (Psalm 69:9).
(8) And he went after the man of Israel into the tent, and pierced both of them through, the man of Israel, and the woman, through her belly. So the plague was stayed from the sons of Israel.
By the aggressiveness of a man of faith, the plague of God was stayed.
(9) And those that died in the plague were twenty-four thousand.
No doubt those who died were offended with the “bad manners” of those who loved God, such as Phinehas.
(10) And Jehovah spoke to Moses saying,
God spoke to the one who faithfully delivered His “aggressive” judgments.
(11) Phinehas the son of Eleazar, the son of Aaron the priest, has turned My wrath away from the sons of Israel while he was zealous for My sake among them, so that I did not destroy the sons of Israel in My jealousy.
A man turned away His violence by his zeal that was violent,
(12) Therefore say, Behold! I give him My covenant of peace.
and gained peace.
(13) And he shall have it, and his seed after him, the covenant of an everlasting priesthood, because he was zealous for his God, and made an atonement for the sons of Israel.
This is no small thing to God. How many other times have you heard of Him saying such a thing?”
Would you like to receive The Issues of Life, Libby?
Sara
Greetings in the Lord Jesus Christ, Libby,
What kind of love is it that accuses others of abuse and faithlessness towards God’s Word without offering one shred of evidence? Have you actually red anything we have written? I suggest you read the following (Sara has already sent you two of these letters):
The False Religious Love that Hates (Rejects) God, Does God Speak Only Gentle Words?, and Reality Is What We Need.
Afterwards you can get back to us, and tell us specifically where and how we err. If you will not do this, know for certain that it is not us, but you, who lacks love.
However, we are patient with those that oppose themselves. We give an opportunity to hear the truth so that you might know, not only by our testimony, but also by the testimony of Scripture, wherein you err. There is room for repentance, there is a clear direction to walk in, and, if you disagree, or have questions, you may express yourself that we might further illuminate the truth, God willing. That is love. Your love accuses and condemns on indistinct charges, without a hearing, offering no remedy. Why does it do so? Because it is a love of self that seeks protection from the Truth, Who calls us to the cross, and because it does not love the Truth, Who is God.
What remedy do you offer us? That we stop speaking the Truth? Tell us what lies we have spoken, that we may not speak them. Give us substance, woman, or learn to shut your mouth, fear God, and listen for the Truth in all matters.
In His fear, and true love,
Paul
Libby, Victor here,
You have not red Our Testimonies. If you had, you might have thought twice about counseling us to “ask Him to come in.” I can understand how you feel and think towards us for the words we speak, which, to you, appear harsh and ungodly. That is because you worship another Jesus, and not the One of Whom the Holy Scriptures testify. Using your religious standard, you are right, but we are not going by your standard, neither is the Lord represented by, or the Author of, your standard. God’s love is very different from what you think. Your goddess is Ashtoreth, who lies with an appearance of love, which appeals to the flesh. Her worshippers have placed the Lord Jesus Christ’s Name on her, and He is misrepresented. When she has you, she destroys you; that is her aim and game. Think about it: Does Jesus come and say, “As many as I receive, I kiss and caress”? Or “Every son (or daughter) I receive, I shower with wonderful, enjoyable feelings and pleasures”? Does He not rather say, “As many as I receive, I rebuke and chasten” (Revelation 3:9), and “Every son (or daughter) I receive, I scourge” (Hebrews 12:6)? Of course, He does. But He does it to correct, to deliver, and to bring life (John 10:10). If you know Him, you will know that what we say is true. But you do not know Him; therefore you do not know whether what we say is true or not. Not knowing, you scatter abroad, when you think to gather with Him, and you oppose those who are truly His.
If you do not know Him, where does that leave you? This is what the Bible says, in the NEW Testament, by the disciple whom Jesus loved:
“He who believes on the Son has everlasting life, and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides upon him” (John 3:36 MKJV).
Wrath of God?! Yes, wrath of God. But you find that hard to believe, don’t you?
You think He lives in you when it is quite otherwise. What will you do then? Here is what to do:
“As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten; therefore be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him and he with Me. To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame and have sat down with My Father in His throne” (Revelation 3:19-21 MKJV).
Libby, because you have not believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, you will not now believe me when I tell you that we have overcome, and do sit with Him on His throne. We speak to you from that spiritual place of victory, rest, and authority, knowing whereof we speak, in true love, not the love this world loves, but the love which God is. You need to repent of your ways entirely if you will enter into life.
Contending against all false faiths, but for the true faith once delivered to the saints (Jude 3), not so that any will be destroyed, but to reprove the works of darkness (Ephesians 5:11), rebuking them sharply (Titus 1:13), that they might come to a knowledge of the Truth and be saved.
Victor