Subject: Comment
From: Greg
To: The Path of Truth
Date: 9/29/2010 11:16 AM
Hello,
As I was searching on the internet I was brought to your website. My initial purpose is to find witness and agreement to the false teaching of Theophostic Prayer that is sweeping into many evangelical churches, including the church that I am currently attending. One of the members of the church I’m attending has been trying to get me involved in it, but I am “kept” by the Holy Spirit, knowing it is not the true light of Christ. After reading your article on Theophostic Prayer, I would just simply say I am in agreement.
As I continued looking at the website I came across another article regarding the King James Version of the bible. Honestly, I read most of it but not all of it in it’s entirety, but I do think I get the point of what you are trying to make….that we cannot put absolute trust into any one version of the bible since it is imperfect from the original, therefore our only true hope is to be led of the Holy Spirit who is the One who convicts us of sin, righteousness, and judgement, and who teaches and leads us into all truth.
As there is much I could write, I will keep it brief. There are only two doctrines to choose from, and only one of them will lead to life everlasting. One doctrine is from man and the other is from Jesus Christ the Son of God:
Man’s doctrine says, “We’re sinners saved by grace.”
Jesus Christ’s doctrine says, “Go and sin no more.”
Personally, I have used many versions of the bible, but the KJV is direct and to the point to the doctrine of Jesus Christ.
Blessings in Christ,
Greg
From: Paul Cohen
To: Greg
Cc: Victor Hafichuk
Sent: Friday, October 01, 2010 9:47 AM
Subject: Re: Comment
Hi Greg,
Even more than what you say about all Bible translations being imperfect, we also couldn’t put our trust in even a perfect rendition, because as you also say, it is the Holy Spirit (the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ) Who enlightens us. The Pharisees had a pretty perfect Bible in their possession, as you may recall. As long as we are going by our own sight and wisdom, we are lost, though we think to be found. Therein lays deception and sin.
It is true that we are sinners saved by grace, and we can say so, if we have the reality of Christ and His salvation. By His grace we sin no more, but have the Law of God fulfilled in us.
We too appreciate the King James in its directness.
Lord willing, we hope someday to give the Lord’s interpretation of the New Testament, with the understanding He has given us of His intent and meaning in the words there (some of which don’t belong there at all, as you will find explained on our site).
Thank you for your letter, Greg.
Paul
From: Greg
To: Paul Cohen
Sent: Saturday, October 02, 2010 10:25 AM
Subject: Re: Comment
Hi Paul,
Thank you for your response letter. You are very correct the Pharisees, Sadducee’s, Scribes, etc. had a much more perfect Bible in their possession, but lacked the faith necessary for their eyes to be opened. But why? Because they were unwilling to let go of their sin.
Your comment of saying, “It is true that we are sinners saved by grace,” is not correct. We WERE sinners (Rom. 7: 5), therefore true Christians are doing what Jesus Christ commanded to do and, “go and sin no more.” This is only revealed by the Holy Spirit, which is also confirmed in His word of truth. But in order to see it we have to be willing to let go of our sin, all of it! But you have to hunger and thirst for this, not settle for the status quo. This is what Jesus meant in Luke 9: 23-24; Luke 14: 27-28, and the Apostle Paul in Rom. 10: 10.
The KJV is in perfect harmony and in agreement with the Holy Spirit to this truth, but more than this, is our lives evidence of this conversion? If not, then were just playing games and being religious, unwilling like the religious leaders in Jesus’ day to let go of sin, therefore being deceived.
Read 1 Cor. 9: 27; 1 Jn. 3: 6; 1 Jn. 5: 18; Jn. 8: 32-36
Blessings in Christ,
Greg
From: Paul Cohen
To: Greg
Cc: Victor Hafichuk
Sent: Sunday, October 03, 2010 12:37 PM
Subject: Amazing Grace
Hi Greg,
You are right that Jesus commands us to “go and sin no more.” Requiring that of us, He also gives us grace to obey. This we wholeheartedly affirm and teach. But we are not wrong to say we are sinners saved by grace, and if you have received like grace, you will agree and understand what I am about to say.
I was once a sinner without hope of change, totally unwilling and unable to give up my sin, until the Lord gave me His grace, beginning with repentance. Isn’t this what the Scriptures say?
“For it is God Who works in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13 MKJV).
What I hear you saying is that it is Greg who works in you to will and do of His good pleasure. If so, you are walking in your own righteousness, doing works of the flesh according to your will and not works of the Spirit by His grace.
Now, because it is God working in me to fulfill His Law, it is no longer me doing the works, but Christ in me. Isn’t this what the Scriptures say?
“I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, Who loved me, and gave Himself for me” (Galatians 2:20 KJV).
So, did the apostle Paul say he was the chief of sinners, which he should have said, according to your doctrine?
“Faithful is the Word and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief” (1 Timothy 1:15 MKJV).
Paul said that after being delivered from his sins, as a born again, obedient son of God. There is no contradiction in saying “I am a sinner saved by grace,” and walking in the precious salvation of Christ. On the contrary, there is complete harmony. In fact, it is the faithful Word of God and worthy of all acceptance!
Paul also said this:
“I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then with the mind I myself serve the Law of God, but with the flesh the law of sin” (Romans 7:25 MKJV).
What will you do with that?
In me, in my flesh, dwells no good thing. That is always true as long as we are in this present housing. “I keep my body under,” Paul said. Why? What is the need if no longer a sinner? He even declares himself the chief of sinners!
Thank God for His righteousness in Christ, which is ours when we believe and walk according to His Spirit. This is salvation! This is Jesus Christ coming in the flesh!
We understand all the Scriptures you gave us, Greg, and there is no contradiction in any of them with what I am saying to you. What you are missing is that unless the Lord gives you the cross to take up, you can’t deny yourself any more than you can lift yourself off the ground by your own shoelaces. You can’t make yourself free of sin – only the Son can do that.
It was not their known sins that were the great problem with the Pharisees, but their unperceived sin, that being their righteousness. In your insistence that with you there is no sin, you will come to disillusionment and recognize your need for the Finisher of your faith as well as the Author, the Omega as Deliverer and Savior, as well as the Alpha.
Until then, people are going to be forced to bite their tongues and keep their eyeballs from rolling upwards when confronted with your righteousness, not to mention trying not to feel condemned by it. For our part, we can’t be condemned by you, having had our victory secured in and by Him, we obviously will not bite our tongues, but neither will we roll our eyes because we understand your lack, and speak what we know to meet it.
Paul and Victor
From: Greg
To: Paul Cohen
Sent: Monday, October 04, 2010 2:28 PM
Subject: Re: Amazing Grace
Hi Paul and Victor,
I have a couple questions. If it is no longer you who live, but Christ that lives in you, will He lead you into sin? Also, once we are born-again, are there not works of righteousness He does through us?
I can of my own self do nothing, therefore my need to abide in Him, and He in me (Jn. 15: 4-5), so your understanding of me that I’m living by my own righteousness is a wrong.
I don’t think you really understand how serious God is toward those who call themselves a Christian, yet continue to sin (2 Tim. 2: 19)? I know your argument, as I was brought up with this same doctrine that you believe. It’s a “light fantastic” theology, one in where you can have your cake and eat it too. This doctrine that you hold on to goes back to the Garden of Eden, one that agrees with the serpent when he said, “You shall not surely die.”
At this very moment you think Christ represents your holiness, therefore you deflect all responsibility on to Him, which makes God’s commands of no effect (Matt. 15: 6). God said, “Be you holy, for I Am holy” ( 1 Pet. 1: 16), also, “If a man therefore purge himself from these things…” (2 Tim. 2: 21). There is obviously a doing on our part to be a certain type of person (peculiar people), an expectation of the Lord to those who are called by His name, but your understanding of Scripture takes away this responsibility, not to mention the command to be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might (Eph. 6: 10). When a person is truly born-again of the Holy Spirit they are empowered by Him to do the works of God, therefore His works of righteousness through us.
Your understanding of grace, multiplied by many in the Church, is the reason the world is so messed up (1 Pet. 4:17). We have grace to get out of sin, not continue in it (Rom. 6: 1)!
Jesus says, “Either make the tree good, and his fruit good; or else make the tree corrupt, and his fruit corrupt, for the tree is known by his fruit” (Matt. 12: 33). It’s an either/or thing with God, but most in the Church today believe confessing sin and repentance is enough, thinking this is being born-again, but they believe this to their own destruction.
Jesus said, “Unless you be converted…, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven” (Matt. 18: 3), not to mention that, “unless one is born-again he cannot see the kingdom of God.” God’s Word is clear, if anyone who does the deeds of the flesh as stated in 1 Cor. 6: 9-10; Gal. 5: 19-21; Eph. 4: 20-22; etc., will not inherit the kingdom of God.
This surely tells me that if I don’t get serious with putting away the sins of the flesh, then I should not expect to enter into the kingdom of heaven.
It is because you are taught that you are a sinner do you continue to sin, therefore you see the Apostle Paul as one who still sinned after coming to Christ; a disposition you use as a means to justify your sin.
Jesus said, “If the Son therefore shall make you free, you shall be free indeed” (Jn. 8: 36), He did not imply this to mean that we will sin as He overlooks our sin as His blood spiritually covers our sin! Much to the contrary. The blood of Christ thoroughly purges our sin (Matt. 3: 12). The Greek word for indeed for the above verse is “ontos”, which means: certainly, clean, of a truth, for real.
I encourage you to learn now how to stop sinning through Christ and His Word of truth (Matt. 11: 29; Eph. 4: 20).
We can continue making excuses, being taught of men to justify our sin as we believe in this “light fatastic” theology, or we can begin to get real with Him, as this dispensation of grace is soon to close.
Remember Christ’s words, “Take heed that no man deceive you” (Matt. 24: 4), and also, “Take heed therefore how you hear…” (Lk. 8: 18).
The bottom line to God’s Word is that for those who come to Christ put away their sins (“go and sin no more”). The Bible is not called the Bible, but the Holy Bible (Tim. 3:16).
Get right or get left (behind).
In Christ,
Greg
From: Paul Cohen
To: Greg
Cc: Victor Hafichuk
Sent: Tuesday, October 05, 2010 9:10 PM
Subject: Re: Amazing Grace
Greg,
You really are trying to be authoritative and important, aren’t you! The Lord calls it “pride” and “presumption.”
“Take heed how you hear” are ironic words coming from your mouth, as one who has not heard a word of what we said. All you heard was your righteousness being maligned, as it fully deserves according to the Word of God, the Living and recorded:
“But we are all as the unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as a menstruation cloth” (Isaiah 64:6 MKJV).
We haven’t said any of the things you accuse us of saying, and we don’t teach those things either (read Law and Grace). That’s why you don’t quote us. It’s much more convenient to put words in our mouths in order to build phony straw men that you can knock down with your awesome Bible knowledge and holy purity.
But all of that is going down the toilet, Greg, because it’s your works and your righteousness. And we are not sorry to have to tell you that. On the contrary, we rejoice at the promise of the end of such horrid grandstanding in the Name of Christ. What a relief when all of that will be put away by the fire He brings through the Word spoken in His faith.
So if you don’t want to be responsible for actually listening to what we say and engaging us in reality, then you can continue to play the fool who is pleased with himself and empty knowledge, until your time runs out.
Paul and Victor
www.ThePathofTruth.com
From: Greg
To: Paul Cohen
Sent: Wednesday, October 06, 2010 6:46 PM
Subject: Re: Amazing Grace
Friend,
From my heart and with all sincerity I am not trying to be important, or authoritative, or self-righteous.
My entire message is one thing, “Jesus Christ and Him crucified.”
You said to me in your last email that I haven’t heard a word that you’ve said. I don’t understand?
In my last email I clearly pointed out that it’s not my righteousness, but His through me. But you continue to say that I’m living by my own righteousness. How can that be since I stated just the opposite?
Why do you make reference to a verse in the O.T. that is still looking forward to the cross, as in Is. 64:6? We live in the dispensation of grace; grace to get out of sin, not continue in it.
The power of the cross of Jesus Christ is enough, and is everything we need to do and to live His doctrine, which is to “go and sin no more.”
Let me ask you a question. The Bible says,
“If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 Jn. 1: 8), but the next verse says,
“If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 Jn. 1: 9).
Well, if I do verse 9, is it wrong for me to say that I have no sin, since I’m forgiven and cleansed from all unrighteousness upon confession of my sins?
The real question is, what are we doing after we do verse 9? Are we rewriting sin upon our heart? The Holy Bible says, “Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on to perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, and of faith toward God” (Heb. 6: 1).
We are given grace (unmerited favor of time) to get out of sin. All of us have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Yes, we all have sinned! But to say that I’m a sinner (after coming to Christ) is not biblical. This is why is firmly state it is wrong to say “we’re sinners saved by grace.”
Don’t you see that this was the reason Christ Jesus went to the cross? To free us indeed (“ontos- for real; truly) (Jn. 8: 36) from sin!!
You don’t have to take it (sin) anymore, hallelujah!! You can be set free from it. You can be totally free! But like I said in a earlier email, you have to hunger and thirst for His righteousness (Matt. 5: 6). If we have this desire (to sin no more) then we need to learn how to do it; “Come and learn of me…” (Matt. 11: 28); “But be you doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves” (Ja. 1: 22).
It all starts by doing Romans 10: 13; Jer. 33: 3.
Jesus said, “If you can believe, all things are possible to him that believes” (Mk. 9: 23).
Can you believe that you can go and sin no more? Or maybe you believe that isn’t possible, which would make Jesus a liar?
With all the love of Christ,
Greg
From: Paul Cohen
To: Greg
Cc: Victor Hafichuk
Sent: Tuesday, October 12, 2010 7:13 AM
Subject: Carnal Knowledge of Biblical Truth Isn’t Saving Faith
Greg, you fault us for quoting Isaiah 64:6, not understanding that grace was also in the Old Testament, as when Noah, for one example of many, found grace in the sight of the Lord (Genesis 6:8).
Don’t you think John the Immerser was saved? He was the forerunner, introducing Jesus to the world! Was he forever lost, having died before the cross? This man was filled with the Spirit when yet in his mother’s womb (Luke 1:15).
And what did Jesus, before the cross and resurrection, have to say about Zaccheus?:
“And Jesus said to him, This day salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham. For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:9-10 MKJV).
And the Law is in effect in the New Testament, albeit not the ceremonial Law or the Law of the Levitical priesthood and sacrifices, or of the Temple. Our brother Paul wrote, by the Spirit of grace:
“Do we then make the Law void through faith? Let it not be! But we establish the Law” (Romans 3:31 MKJV).
Read Law and Grace. You err, Greg, no matter how good you are with colors or if you had Bob Hope for a client. You need to be as dead spiritually to yourself as Bob Hope is physically to himself, if you are to have hope.
Unless Greg is crucified with Christ, he doesn’t know Christ crucified. You are walking in your own righteousness, Greg, knowing nothing of the cross or Christ. You are so consumed with yourself and your knowledge that you can’t hear anything other than the sound of your own voice. Greg has to go!
Not hearing the brethren is how we know you are of the spirit of error (despite having some correct doctrine, which doesn’t matter – so did the Pharisees):
“We are of God. He that knows God hears us; he that is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error” (1 John 4:6 EMTV).
Victor and Paul
From: Greg
To: Paul Cohen
Sent: Tuesday, October 12, 2010 12:36 PM
Subject: Re: Carnal Knowledge of Biblical Truth Isn’t Saving Faith
Hello Paul and Victor,
The bottom line question to ask ourselves is:
Are we still committing sins of the flesh? If we are, then we need to confess and repent immediately and be converted (Acts 3:19).
I think your understanding of grace is being confused with His mercy. The Lord is compassionate and kind and has long patience toward us, but grace is given for us to get out of our sins; not to continue therein (Rom. 6: 1).
Here’s a good example:
If I wanted to starve myself to death, then I must not allow my body to consume any food or drink, for in doing so, I would be sustaining the body. But if after approximately 40+ days, give or take a few days(depending upon the person’s fat content, etc.) of no food or drink, the body will die. From day one to however long it takes for the body to die, there is this dying out process, but realize as long as I give the body any food or drink, it will only take that much longer for the body to die.
In the same way if we keep feeding the fleshly nature it will never die, but if we do as the Scripture tells us to do, then we will live, because we, through the power of the Holy Spirit, do the things required and expected of us.
Many of God’s children have succumbed to the lie of the devil, thinking that they can never overcome their sin nature, therefore they continue to give into the sins of the body, .
Jesus went to the cross with joy because He knew the strength the Father was to provide to every true believer, which is through the Holy Spirit.
Once we receive the Holy Spirit through confession of sin and true repentance, then we need to learn to be “doers of the word.” We must learn to exercise and train to be obedient by not giving into the sins of the body. As we exercise and train in righteousness, we are building our selves up in His holiness.
But the Bible says that most are unwilling to die out to themselves because they want to keep their sin nature, “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because there deeds were evil” (Jn. 3: 19) and
“Enter in at the straight gate, for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leads to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat” (Matt. 7: 13).
If I’m so wrong in my understanding of Scripture, then explain to me the meaning of:
“He that has this hope in Him purifies himself, even as He is pure” (1 Jn. 3:3).
“Whosoever abides in Him sins not; whosoever sins has not seen Him, neither known Him” (1 Jn. 3: 6).
“We know that whosoever is born of God sins not; but he that is begotten of God keeps himself, and that wicked one touches him not” (1 Jn. 5: 18).
“Seeing you have purified your souls in obeying the truth through the Spirit to unfeigned love of the brethren, see that you love one another with a pure heart fervently” (1 Pet. 1:22).
All these verses mentioned above is Scriptural evidence that we are given a responsibility to keep sin out of our lives.
“Know you not that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?
If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple you are” (1 Cor. 3: 16-17).
Jesus Christ went to the cross so we might be free from sin. He did His part, now will you do yours? Or maybe you want to continue to deflect responsibility of keeping sin out of your life and would rather just keep sinning while believing He represents you as holy.
It is this “light fantastic” type of theology that doesn’t bring strength to the person, “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth” (2 Tim. 3: 7). It is, in fact, this reason the secular world looks at the condition of the church and mocks it.
Either get right or get left, but make a decision,
“He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still” (Rev. 22: 11).
In Christ,
Greg
From: Paul Cohen
To: Greg
Cc: Victor Hafichuk
Sent: Wednesday, October 13, 2010 7:57 AM
Subject: Assumption and Presumption
Greg, you are assuming we support sinning, that we believe we cannot help but sin, that we deny that one can walk in righteousness altogether. You are wrong in all your assumptions. We preach against sin and sinning. We know the believer can, and must, walk without sinning. We walk without sinning. But you don’t believe us and you certainly don’t believe the Scriptures yourself.
Furthermore, you refuse to read what we have to say on the subject. You refuse to acknowledge the link we have sent you that often and much supports the very things you say. Therefore, you sin, in that you don’t love the brethren of the Lord, you accuse them falsely to vaunt yourself, and your sin is great indeed.
Your ways stink before God, the One you presume to love, worship, and serve. You choose to appear as a beautifully painted wall to men, thinking you know your colors, but know this: it is an ugly sight to God. Your ways are vile before Him, putrid in the self-righteousness you call a sinless life.
Can you turn off your pre-recorded speeches and consider what we are telling you? If so, here are some other pertinent articles to read:
Diabolical Doctrine: We cannot help but sin; it is impossible not to sin
Imperfection Tries to Argue Against Perfection
Is Your Profession of Faith Vain, Christian?
How One Is Saved
Only the Death Sentence Will Avail
Obedience
If you will not read our materials, however, and will not genuinely try to understand what we preach and what we stand for, and choose to continue to walk in your sin, then go your way; we have nothing more to say to you. A devil of feigned righteousness has overcome you because you have chosen to exalt yourself as God.
Victor and Paul
From: Greg
To: Paul Cohen
Sent: Thursday, October 14, 2010 8:05 PM
Subject: Re: Assumption and Presumption
Hi Paul and Victor,
If you would go back to my initial email I said (regarding your reading materials) that, “honestly I read most of it, but not all it in it’s entirety”). If you say that you do not sin, and know this, and walk and teach that we do not sin, praise God, which I am also encouraged to hear!
But then there should be no issues with you toward me in understanding that the Apostle Paul, when he said, “of whom I am chief,” is making this declaration in the present tense, referring to his past, when he persecuted the church in ignorance and unbelief, even as he said, “For when we were in the flesh…” (Rom. 7: 5). You cannot tie this declaration of Paul of being the chief of sinners and conclude that it’s okay to say that “we are sinners saved by grace.”
True Christians do not sin!! Therefore my comment to you when you said, “we’re sinners saved by grace. Rather, we WERE sinners saved by His grace.
Furthermore, you really need to go back to the beginning of our emails, and read through the progression of them, and you will see that YOU were the one’s who made “the jump” to start accusing me of being self righteous and so forth. I was only defending the fact that true Christians cannot say “we’re sinners saved by grace.” But now you accuse me of being self righteous.
I honestly find it very difficult to believe when someone claims that they know, walk, and teach, that we do not sin, but yet believe it isn’t wrong to say, “we’re sinners saved by grace.”
This is contradictory in it’s purest form, therefore the reasons I have said the things I have said throughout our entire email conversations.
Jesus Christ is the Lord and He loves you,
Greg
From: Paul Cohen
To: Greg
Cc: Victor Hafichuk
Sent: Saturday, October 16, 2010 8:54 PM
Subject: Re: Assumption and Presumption
Greg,
The apostle Paul spoke of himself as a sinner, not because he was still sinning, as he made very clear:
“What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin so that grace may abound? Let it not be! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it?” (Romans 6:1-2 MKJV).
So why did he speak of himself as a sinner in the present tense, if he was no longer sinning?
As we have told you, he was acknowledging it was not by his own work or righteousness that he was delivered of his sins. He was a dead man and there was nothing he could do about it.
Paul said these things for the benefit of his hearers, that they might have hope in Christ for the same salvation Paul experienced. He was saying to them, “This is what I am all about – I am not some super saint or hero, but whatever I am now, it is by the grace of God through Jesus Christ. The glory is His, and it’s the same for you. You can’t save yourselves from your sins, but He can, no matter how removed you are from Him, which He proved by saving me, His greatest enemy. By the same grace He will save you.”
Paul openly confessed and acknowledged his wretchedness and unworthiness. But we don’t hear you doing that. Why? Because you have never been delivered from your wrongness and wretchedness. Not being delivered of those things, you haven’t known either the grace or glory of God. When you speak of walking without sin, you are talking about your own works and righteousness. Your righteousness hasn’t exceeded or differed from that of the Pharisees, who despised the publicans.
Here is the difference between us agreeing with the saying, “We are sinners saved by His grace,” and you denying it, insisting “I was a sinner saved by His grace.” We are giving the glory to the Lord Jesus Christ, and you are giving yourself the glory.
The sinlessness you think to walk in is your own works and righteousness, the filthy menstrual rags of which Isaiah spoke. But we, who do have that new sinless Nature from the Lord, know that He gives us the grace to fulfill the Law without any merit or works on our part, that we might be, and are, without sin.
We worship the Lord with the twenty four elders, who cast their crowns before Him:
Revelation 4:9-11 MKJV
(9) And whenever the living creatures gave glory and honor and thanks to Him Who sat on the throne, Who lives forever and ever,
(10) the twenty-four elders fell down before the One sitting on the throne. And they worshiped Him Who lives for ever and ever, and threw their crowns before the throne, saying,
(11) O Lord, You are worthy to receive glory and honor and power, because You created all things, and for Your will they are and were created.
It’s all about Him, Who is worthy, and not us, who are not. That’s why we say that we are only unprofitable servants, as the Lord told us to. That’s not false modesty; it’s the truth about Who is righteous and sinless and who is not. We hear you proclaiming in your proud and presumptuous way, “I am clean! I am clean! I am righteous because I have it right by my own might though I profess to give God all the glory.”
The Word of God says to you:
“Who can say, I have made my heart clean; I am pure from my sin?” (Proverbs 20:9 MKJV)
Isaiah 65:2-6 MKJV
(2) I have spread out My hands all the day to a rebellious people who walk in the way not good, after their own thoughts;
(3) a people who without ceasing provoke Me to anger to My face; who sacrifice in gardens, and burn incense on the bricks;
(4) a people who remain among the graves, and sleep in the tombs, who eat swine’s flesh, and broth from hateful things in their vessels;
(5) who say, Keep to yourself, do not come near me; for I am holier than you. These are a smoke in My nose, a fire that burns all the day.
(6) Behold, it is written before Me; I will not be silent, except I will repay; yea, I will repay into their bosom….
Paul Cohen
Victor Hafichuk
www.ThePathofTruth.com
From: Victor Hafichuk
To: Greg
Cc: Paul Cohen
Sent: Sunday, October 17, 2010 2:44 PM
Subject: Question for You
“My brothers, do not be many teachers, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation. For in many things we all offend. If anyone does not offend in word, the same is a full-grown man, able also to bridle the whole body” (James 3:1-2 MKJV).
Are you a “full-grown man,” Greg, able to bridle the whole body?
From: Greg
To: Victor Hafichuk
Sent: Wednesday, October 20, 2010 8:08 PM
Subject: Re: Question for You
The key is to abide (continually remaining) in Christ, and Christ in you (Jn. 15: 4), if to have any possiblility of being the person we are all called to be, “But He which has called you is holy, so be you holy in all manner of conversation” (1 Pet. 1: 15). But even doing John 15: 4 is not automatic, as Jesus says, “Every branch in me that bears not fruit He takes away….” (Jn. 15: 2). So it is possible to be in Christ and not bear fruit, which tells me there is a doing on my part to bear good fruit.
It should be realized by now that producing good fruit is what the Lord expects, even if it’s only one fig.
Good fruit does not come from within me, for within me is absolutely nothing good, but only when I take up my own cross and die to myself daily. Only when we do Galatians 2: 20 is it possible for the Holy Spirit to produce His good fruit in us.
Jesus said, “…If therefore the light that is in you be darkness, how great is that darkness!” (Matt. 6:23).
We must be careful (watchful) that we do not become presumptuous concerning salvation.
The Bible is called the Holy Bible. It’s purpose is found in 2 Tim. 3:16-17. God has commanded us to be holy, as in 1 Pet. 1: 16. Holiness means to be pure, without sin. Therefore for me to say the things I have said is of the Truth, for the Truth supports the things I have said. Jesus said, “And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me” (Lk. 7: 23).
What I find interesting is that you would rather defend why you still sin then ask the question of how you can be set free from it indeed! (Jn. 8: 36).
In Christ love,
Greg
From: Victor Hafichuk
To: Greg
Cc: Paul Cohen
Sent: Thursday, October 21, 2010 1:18 PM
Subject: Subtle Deception
Greg, you are a stubborn, self-righteous one, aren’t you – building straw men to tear apart and to glorify yourself. Why wouldn’t you rather choose His glory than your own? Is it any wonder you have no worthwhile companions?
We have said all that can be said to you and you are stone deaf, hard-hearted. Nobody here is defending sin, or sinning, or saying one must sin, or cannot walk without sinning. Indeed, we have preached the opposite, but we did say, do say, and will say with Paul the apostle that we are sinners saved by grace.
We do not “do” Galatians 2:20; we ARE it. His life in us is a reality and not something we do. Your words constantly give you away.
Thus says the Word of God: “I thank God, through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then, with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin” (Romans 7:25 Webster). But Greg has no flesh. He is special, and doesn’t need Paul to say such things by the Spirit of God for him. Greg is exempt by virtue of his key to righteousness. No treasure in earthen vessels there. The vessel itself is a glorious and heavenly treasure.
You have no keys, you do not abide, you bear no fruit, and are yet in your own righteousness. You have nothing whatsoever to do with the Lord Jesus Christ. We write to tell you so, for your sake, and for the sakes of others who need to hear the truth and to be delivered of your brand of subtle deception. Now that we have spoken, you are without excuse. In us, you have contemptuously dealt with the One you presume to imitate and to obey.
Victor Hafichuk
From: Paul Cohen
To: Greg
Cc: Victor Hafichuk
Sent: Thursday, October 21, 2010 1:20 PM
Subject: Doctrinal Fig Leaf
You didn’t answer our last question, Greg, and haven’t answered anything regarding the writings we’ve sent you.
And you haven’t produced a single fig, but we do recognize that you have swiped a doctrinal fig leaf to cover your nakedness. To which you add nothing new here, only repeating what we have already fully answered in previous letters. All you are doing is talking to yourself, bolstering your self-deception.
We won’t have any more to say to you, Lord willing, unless and until you engage us in a meaningful way with something we have actually said.
Paul Cohen
From: Greg
To: Paul Cohen
Sent: Thursday, October 21, 2010 10:44 PM
Subject: Re: Doctrinal Fig Leaf
There’s nothing more to say.
In Christ,
Greg
From: Greg
To: Paul Cohen
Sent: Friday, October 22, 2010 1:00 AM
Subject: Re: Doctrinal Fig Leaf
Why is your focus on me? It should be on what Jesus said, and your eyes focused on Him.
Greg
From: Greg
To: Victor Hafichuk
Sent: Thursday, October 21, 2010 10:56 PM
Subject: Re: Subtle Deception
If I’m self-righteous Victor, then why did I say in my last email that “good fruit does not come from within me, for within me is absolutely nothing good?”
I would like to end our emails because you would rather attack me, than converse with me in His love. Doctrine is very important, but also is loving others as yourself. This should be our approach and attitude.
In Christ,
Greg
From: Victor Hafichuk
To: Greg
Cc: Cohen, Paul
Sent: Friday, October 22, 2010 6:14 AM
Subject: Re: Subtle Deception
Greg, there is no attack, we do love you, and you accuse us falsely because the Truth threatens your untenable position. We, in Christ, love all men. It is you who doesn’t love, presenting your own righteousness and posturing as you do. You don’t love us or anyone but yourself. As to your claims, why should we take your word for it? Again, you plainly give yourself away by that suggestion. Are your claims and words any different from those of the self-righteous? Don’t they claim the same?
“The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses’ seat. Therefore whatever they tell you to observe, observe and do. But do not do according to their works; for they say, and do not do. For they bind heavy and hard-to-carry burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders. But they will not move them with one of their fingers” (Matthew 23:2-4 MKJV).
No, Greg, from all that we know and understand of the Lord Jesus Christ over our years of walking with and learning from Him, you don’t have the Son. You only claim to have Him. And because God’s love extends to all the earth, we speak to you, and if you love us, you will believe and obey the Truth. Some day, you will. All men will, but each in his order.
We speak so that you’ll have life, not death. If that isn’t love, what is? We have nothing whatsoever to gain by making enemies, and we are neither sadists nor masochists, but men who, by God’s grace, walk with Him and reach out in Him so that others may know Him and worship Him in spirit and truth.
Do you attend or belong to an earthly church organization? If so, which is it, specifically? Perhaps, we can tell you more, if you wish to hear more evidence of falsehood in simple terms to give you sure and Heavenly-nutritious food for thought.
Jesus Christ is Lord!
Victor
From: Greg
To: Victor Hafichuk
Sent: Friday, October 22, 2010 11:00 AM
Subject: Re: Subtle Deception
Hi Victor,
Scripture says, “Hereby perceive we the love of God, because He laid down His life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren” (1 Jn. 3: 16). I think a good question we both need to ask ourselves is if we are willing to lay our lives down for one another? (We shouldn’t answer this question because we know what the right response should be, but rather, are we really willing to do this for one another?). This is where the “rubber meets the road.” Even as Christ loved us while we were still sinners.
Many times we can lose sight of the “doing” of Scripture because we can get stuck in doctrine. Yes, doctrine is extremely important, but if it doesn’t produce loving the Lord with everything within us, as well as loving others as ourselves, and producing the fruits of the Spirit, this doctrine that we perceive to be correct is nothing more than clanging symbols. And how do we know when we’re loving God and others? “By this we know that we love God, when we love God, and keep His commandments” (1 Jn. 5: 2); “And this commandment have we from Him, That he who loves God love his brother also” (1 Jn. 5:21).
I say all that to say this; If we claim that we are sinners saved by grace, then we are saying we still sin. And if we still sin, then how can we say we love God and the brethren? We can’t! No, but rather, we were sinners saved by grace. Therefore, we keep sin out after we have been cleansed and forgiven of all unrighteousness (1 Jn. 5: 18). Does that mean if we should fall into sin that He won’t forgive us in the future? Absolutely not! We must confess that sin and keep going in Him, but with the understanding that sins of the flesh must be overcome. This is the very word that Jesus Christ gave to the seven churches in Revelation (that sin must be overcome). But the problem today is that many in the churches are deflecting this responsibility back on to the cross, after they have been forgiven and cleansed from all unrighteousness.
Many are not fighting the “fight of faith” to keep sin out of their lives because one, they either don’t believe it’s possible, or they really don’t desire to do what is necessary to be holy.
Therefore to say that we are sinners saved by grace leaves a connotation and a mindset that we still sin; a phrase that is contrary to Scripture.
In Christ,
Greg
Jesus Christ is the Lord and He loves you!!