The Salvation Doctrine According to the Bible
The Flaming Sword Newsletter
By John Torell
September 2003
A LETTER FROM A CHRISTIAN WOMAN
On August 13, 2003, a strong Christian woman, devoted to the Lord Jesus Christ, wrote me a letter. Her name is Mrs. Dolores Knie and she lives in North Augusta, South Carolina. (My wife and I read all letters coming into our ministry. We are not always able to answer each one of them but we pray over them and those letters which require an answer, we do write back or someone in our staff will).
This letter was in response to my August newsletter and when I read what Mrs. Knie wrote, I was deeply touched, humbled and corrected. I realized that I had been living in “denial” when it comes to other ministries. Even if I do bring out the truth, it hurts so badly that I had not publicly come to the conclusion that most of the so-called “leadership” among Christians in America are not really Christians but apostate religious leaders fleecing the flock.
Let me quote from her letter:
“In your recent newsletter I was puzzled and shocked at your descriptions and definitions. On page five you stated that ‘Ekman was converted to the ‘damnable theology’ (and that it is) at Kenneth Hagin’s school.’ I can’t call it a Bible school, which it is not – it is a school of heretics. So Ekman was not and is not a Christian. If Jesus did not die on the cross for our sins, then there is no basis for our faith and hope. You mentioned many others, Copeland and others and refer to them as ‘Christian Leaders’ – I say, not according to my King James Bible. They are apostates; they have another Gospel, another Jesus. If Ekman believes that Jesus did not die for our sins, how can he and his followers tell anyone about the true Jesus. He isn’t capable to witness to a Jew, Mormon, Catholic or anyone. He is a fraud. He is not a Christian or a Christian leader.”
MRS. KNIE IS CORRECT
In the Christian community it is commonly agreed that Mormons are not Christians, but a false religious movement, teaching that God is an evolved man from another solar system. Jehovah’s Witnesses do not believe that Jesus Christ is divine, and according to I John 4:1-3 they are labeled to be of the spirit of Antichrist and a sect of religious heretics. There are many groups which are rejected by true Christians because they do not measure up to the standard of the Bible.
Because of the popularity of the so-called Faith Movement and its broad acceptance, it is hard to see the truth for what it is and state that the followers of Kenneth Hagin Sr. and his doctrine “that Jesus did not pay for our sins on the cross, but in hell, after Jesus had died spiritually and lost his divinity,” is nothing but blasphemy. Mrs. Knie is correct, the people who cling to the doctrine of “Jesus Died Spiritually” (JDS) cannot and are not born again believers in the Jesus of the Bible, but disciples of a different Jesus, just like the Mormons and the Jehovah’s Witnesses. 1
THUS THE NAKED TRUTH IS THIS, THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN JOSEPH SMITH, CHARLES TAZE RUSSELL, MOHAMMED, OR ANY OTHER FALSE RELIGIOUS LEADER AND KENNETH HAGIN AND HIS FOLLOWERS. THEY ARE ALL REPROBATE FALSE TEACHERS!
The tragedy is that many born again Christians are attracted to the Faith Movement due to their teaching of financial prosperity and spiritual power. Hagin and his “apostles” have become “wise” over the years; they do not openly teach the JDS doctrine, but bring it in later, once a person has been snared into their movement. They use the same line as the Mormons, “do not cast your pearls before swine,” therefore the so-called “deep teaching” is saved for a later time when a person is tied to the organization and has become spiritually blinded.
WHAT IS SALVATION (Being Born Again)?
As born again believers in Christ, we need to know the New Testament doctrine of what really is salvation. To establish this, we must first establish what Bible is going to be used in setting this doctrine. As a conservative “Baptist/Pentecostal” preacher of the Gospel, I have settled once and for all in my mind that the old authorized King James version of the Bible is the most reliable translation in the English language.2
Let us first find out what Jesus said. In the Gospel of John, chapter 3, verses 1-16, Jesus states very clearly that a person must be born a second time. This is a spiritual birth which no man or organization can produce – John 1:12-13. To be born again a person must believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, that He, as God, came and dwelt among men, He lived a sinless life on the earth, He was then killed by crucifixion on a cruel cross and raised up from the dead on the third day by God the Father.
Before He was crucified, He was scourged [whipped, flogged] (Matthew 27:26) so that our diseases can be healed on earth (Isaiah 53:1-7; Matthew 8:14-17; I Peter 2:24). But it was on the cross that all sins from Adam and Eve to the last living human being on the earth were laid upon Him, and it was on the cross that He paid in full for our sins, by becoming sin in our stead and being punished by God the Father. Acts 4:7-13; Hebrews 9:1-28. When he gave up his life after three hours on the cross, Jesus stated clearly that His work was finished!
Now there stood by the cross of Jesus his mother, and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleophas, and Mary Magdalene.
When Jesus therefore saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son!
Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother! And from that hour that disciple took her unto his own home.
After this, Jesus knowing that all things were now accomplished, that the scripture might be fulfilled, saith, I thirst. Now there was set a vessel full of vinegar: and they filled a spunge with vinegar, and put it upon hyssop, and put it to his mouth.When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.
The Apostle Paul describes in detail what a person must believe and confess in order to be born again – Romans 10:1-17. Confession means repenting from sins, and this is clearly laid out in the Book of Acts, chapter 2:37-39 and repeated in Acts 3:19. The apostle Paul makes it very clear that all people living on the earth have sinned and are lost unless they repent and turn from their sins – Romans 3:1-31
The new birth, salvation from eternal punishment is not something man can work for, it is a gift from God, paid for by Jesus Christ on the cross – Ephesians 2:8-10.
As a result, the new believer in Christ submits himself to baptism by immersion in water and he will begin to do good works, not to be saved, but BECAUSE HE IS SAVED!
Any group or denomination calling themselves “Christians,” but not having this biblical doctrine of salvation are not Christians, but heretics. There is no place in the Bible that states that a church or an organization can save a person from their sins; there are no dead persons (so-called saints) who can bring them salvation, and Mary (Maria) the mother of Jesus is not divine, she has no saving power AND ANYONE PRAYING TO HER IS COMMITTING THE SIN OF TALKING TO THE DEAD AND MAKING HER INTO A goddess! The old English word for a person who is communicating with the dead is “necromancer,” and God has strongly stated that a necromancer is an abomination (hateful, disgusting thing to God).
When thou art come into the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee, thou shalt not learn to do after the abominations of those nations.
There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch,
Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer.
For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee. Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.
Neither can a person be saved, born again, after he has died physically. There is no purgatory, no incarnation, there is no second chance. There is no place in the Bible where this is taught. Instead, the Bible clearly states that after a person dies he will be judged. Hebrews 9:27
Every human being who has ever lived on the earth shall some day stand before God in judgment, and if he has not been born again, his name will not be written in the Book of Life. If your name is not written in the Book of Life, there is only one place for you to live for the rest of eternity and that is in The Lake of Fire where you will be tormented forever, day and night, with no end in sight. It will be an eternal damnation and torment. You might argue and disagree, but this is what is written in the Bible, the Word of God!
And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
WARNING!
Make sure that the salvation you believe you have is based upon the Bible, not some kind of church doctrine you have been given. If your church doctrine does not line up with the Bible, you are not saved and you are on your way to hell, and later to the Lake of Fire!
Read this warning from Jesus Himself:
Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.
Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.
The apostles were not crowd pleasers, neither were they ecumenical and trying to bring all kinds of doctrine under one roof. Instead they warned over and over again, to reject those who were bringing in heresy, marking them and telling people who were the false teachers. The Apostles were not afraid of naming names and neither should we be. If a person is a heretic and is leading people to hell, he should be exposed and it should be told to anyone wanting to hear, in order to save people from eternal destruction. This is real love (agape)! Agreeing with everyone and trying to hold on to a coalition is spiritual suicide! Colossians 2:8; I Timothy 4:1-3; 6:3-5; Titus 3:9-11; II Peter 2:1-22; I John 4:1-3; II John 7-11; Jude 1-25.
Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
The doctrine that says the Jewish people are going to be dealt with separately and that God has a special salvation plan for them is a doctrine WRITTEN BY THE DEVIL!
Any person who calls himself a Christian and believes this lie, promotes it and supports the ministries who teach it, is walking in darkness and with your money and doctrine you are sending Jews to hell. There is no place in the Bible where God tells his people to “drag the Jews to the political State of Israel.” This is another lie from the Devil.
THE DEFINITION OF AN ANTI-SEMITE IS A GENTILE WHO HATES JEWS. If you are promoting Israel, paying for or working to bring Jews to Israel, but refusing to give them the Gospel of Jesus Christ, you are hating them, sending them to hell and you are A TRUE ANTI-SEMITE!
Thomas saith unto him, Lord, we know not whither thou goest; and how can we know the way?
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.
This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
THE SINNER’S PRAYER
You have probably heard about the “sinners prayer.” You will not find it written out in the Bible per se, but by using the information given and taken from the Bible, believers in Christ have formulated a prayer which will take into account all of the necessary items needed for a person to be saved. Since there will be many unbelievers reading this newsletter, I will write down what is called the sinners prayer, so anyone who wants to can use it and be saved, right where you are. Remember this, you do not have to pray this prayer in a church building in order to be saved. The only stipulation is that you must be alive on planet earth and pray before you die, being convicted of your sins and be willing to repent.
1. Acknowledge that you believe in God, the God of the Bible, also known as the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob. (Definition found in Exodus 3:6)
2. Acknowledge that because of the sins of Adam and Eve, all people born on the earth are born in sin and that all have come short of the glory of God and are in need of a Saviour. (Definition found in Romans 3:23)
3. Acknowledge that God so loved the people in the world, that he sent His only begotten Son to die on the cross and pay for our sins, in order that we might be forgiven and receive salvation. (Definition found in John 3:16)
4. Confess with your mouth that you believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, born of a virgin, that Jesus lived a life on earth without sin, that He was crucified on Calvary, that on the cross He paid for the penalty of sin by shedding His blood for the redemption of man, that He rose from the grave on the third day, and that He today is seated in heavenly places with God the Father. (Definitions found in John 1:1-14; Luke 1:26-35; I Peter 2:21-23; Matthew 27:26-37; Hebrews 9:1-28; Luke 24:1-12; Revelation 1:10-20; Hebrews 1:1-5)
5. Be totally willing to confess your sins and then repent of them, by asking God to forgive you and cleanse you with the blood of Jesus. Repenting means that you are willing to turn from your sins, renounce them and resist the temptation to engage in them again. You are never going to be able to become sinless as long as you live in your physical body on the earth, but as you walk with Christ on a daily basis you will become less and less entangled with sin. (Definition found in I John 1:4-10)
If a married man commits adultery and then asks his wife to forgive him, because he is truly sorry for his action, in his mind he does not think that I will try my best not to have sex with other women again, he simply stops. He might be tempted, but that does not mean that he has to give in to the temptation.
6. Ask Jesus to become Lord of your life, and state that you are now surrendering to Him your life, your body, your soul and all that you are and say. (Definition found in Romans 10:1-9-11)
7. Start thanking God that He has heard your prayer for salvation; thank Him that it is a gift from Him, that you cannot work or earn it; praise Him that you now have been born again, that your dead spirit has now become alive and that you now have eternal life in Christ Jesus forever. (Definition found in Ephesians 2:1-10)
8. Seek out other Christians, who are truly born again and are using only the King James Bible and start to fellowship with them. Start sharing your faith in Christ with others, as often as an opportunity arrives. (Definitions found in Hebrews 10:19-25; Matthew 28:18-20)
WHY SHOULD A BORN AGAIN CHRISTIAN BE BAPTIZED IN WATER?
This was a question that I encountered myself in 1966, after I had come to Christ and made him Lord of my life. Having been born in Sweden in 1939, I automatically became a member of the State Lutheran Church and on my third day or so on this planet, a State Lutheran priest came to our home, sprinkled my head with water and pronounced that I now was a “Christian” by this religious ceremony. Being only a few days old, I had not the foggiest idea what had happened to me and my inherited sins were still with me, and I was not born again.
At the age of 14, I went through the ritual of confirmation in the State Lutheran Church, took communion for the first time and the only thing that impressed me at this religious ceremony was that I did not like the wine (Lutherans, like Catholics, use fermented wine), it tasted horrible to me. As a result, I never again went back to the Lutheran church and had communion.
At the age of 27 years, my wife and I started to attend a Southern Baptist Church in Salt Lake City. We had only been to church a few times when the pastor, Robert McCullar, told me that we needed to be baptized in water through immersion. My immediate reaction was anger. What’s wrong with this pastor; he should be happy that we had come to Christ, after all, I was sprinkled (given a hair wash) as a baby boy.
But Pastor Robert did not let the subject go. He took us to the Bible and started to show us Scripture. First he showed us that Jesus himself was baptized in water through immersion – Matthew 3:13-17. Then he took us to Matthew 28:18-20 and showed us that Jesus commanded his disciples to preach the Word, and once the people were saved, baptize them in water. Jesus never told his disciples to sprinkle the heads of infants, this doctrine is not to be found in the Bible! Furthermore, the custom of sprinkling heads was not used by John the Baptist, nor by Jesus or his apostles, it was another custom brought in hundreds of years after Christ!
When I learned this, my confidence was shaken, how could I argue with the Bible? Then followed more passages in the Bible, Acts 2:38-41; 10:44-48 and many more. But it was when he came to chapter six of Romans, that I was able to understand the significance of water baptism. WATER BAPTISM IS AN ACT OF OBEDIENCE AND SUBMISSION.
What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound?
God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?
Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.
For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection:
Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.
When I read this, I realized that water baptism does not make me a member of a church or a denomination, but that I was to be baptized into Christ. Going under the water I was symbolically dying to my flesh, and when I came up out of the water it was a sign of the resurrection that shall happen to me one day. Since I had an intense love for Jesus as my Lord and Saviour, I wanted to please Him and be obedient to Him, and since He had told us to be baptized in water, there were no more doubts in my mind. My next question was, “How soon can this be done?”
Water baptism through immersion is an act of the will, when the born again believer in Christ submits to the command of Jesus and in obedience is baptized in water. It was now clear to me, that the sprinkling of infants is another man made doctrine which has no validity before God!
Shortly thereafter I stood in the water ready to be lowered under the water by my pastor. But the traditions of men have a strong hold on people, and suddenly great fear came upon me. The thought came into my mind, “What am I doing, am I going to discard family traditions going back for hundreds of years? Am I abandoning my faith and family?” As this fear swept over me, I quickly reviewed Scripture verses, and then took a step of faith, trusting that the Bible was my foundation, not the Lutheran traditions. The joy that filled me when I came up out of the water cannot be described. Jesus had saved me and now I had openly taken the ultimate step for me and proclaimed I AM A FOLLOWER OF JESUS, A CHRISTIAN!
Know this, you are baptized in water because you are a Christian, not to become a Christian!
THE BAPTISM OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
For the next three and a half years my wife and I served the Lord Jesus at Central Baptist Church in Salt Lake City, Utah, teaching Sunday School, visiting people and leading them to Christ, working on the church building, and traveling to many churches in the area as members of the Gideons. But it soon became clear to me that there was something missing in my Christian life, THE POWER AS DESCRIBED IN THE BOOK OF ACTS. It was not until late in 1969 in the State of California, that we were introduced to the understanding of the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. (John 7:37-39; Acts 1:4-7; 2:1-4)
But before I was baptized in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit showed me that I first had to be DELIVERED FROM DEMON OPPRESSION.3
Once I had moved through these two events, the power of God manifested itself in me to a degree that I never could have dreamt was possible. Now when I prayed for the sick, they were healed; when I came in contact with demon infested people, I had the power to cast demons out; but most of all, I had total peace inside of me, the security of my salvation and the joy of serving God.
Remember, it is all built upon the work that Jesus did on the cross. He laid the foundation and without a proper foundation there can be no great building. Do not trust in what people have told you or are telling you, go directly to the source – THE BIBLE, and then make the decision for Christ that will not only give you eternal life with God, but also a powerful triumphant life on the earth, as we serve God here and now.
For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is.
If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward
If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
Do you have an ear with which to hear?
1. Kenneth Hagin Sr. died September 19, 2003.
2. For a complete discussion regarding the King James Bible, see The Dove 2002 article entitled, “What Ever Happened to the English Bible?” More informative articles on Bible Versions.
3. The full story of my deliverance from evil spirits was written in the May 2003 Newsletter.
| Treason | God gave this message to the prophet Daniel some 2,500 years ago, that in the latter time there shall arise a world ruler, which in the New Testament is called “the Antichrist.” This evil kingdom will be built upon two Satanic pillars, FLATTERY and DECEPTION. It will be done by a vile (evil) person, speaking peace and using a small group of people to do his bidding. |
| World Super Bowl 2003 - USA vs Iraq | As we approach a final showdown between Saddam and George W., it reminds me of the hype that is being built up before each Super Bowl in the United States. There are two teams facing each other, the Iraqi armed forces with its coach, Saddam Hussein, and the American armed forces with its coach, George W. Bush. Look at this satirical allegory: |
| No Physical Body - No Ministry on Earth | Having been in the ministry since 1967, first as an evangelist and then as a pastor, I have been engaged in warfare with the Devil and his evil spirits. Many Christian soldiers have been shot around me, some died, others were so wounded and damaged that they could not be treated and healed and put back in the battle. I have written much on the battle with demons, but in this newsletter I want to focus on the chemical and biological warfare that Satan is using against the believers in Christ. |
| God has a plan for the Muslims | This newsletter is being written on the second day of April, 2003. As I predicted in my February newsletter, the American media is treating the war in Iraq as a “sports event,” and will stage special interviews with parents, siblings or friends of killed American service men, prisoners of war, and the biggest catch of it all, interviewing an escaped American P.O.W. All the TV networks are looking to get “the biggest scoop,” in order to up the ratings for the network. |
| Arrested Development Spirits | The shooting war in Iraq is over and now the world is facing another crisis, the SARS “epidemic.” The Lord Jesus Christ is leading me this month, not to deal with the different ongoing crises in the world, but to deal with a spiritual problem which is plaguing most people living on the earth, regardless of their religious affiliation. I am talking here about the infestation of evil spirits in human beings. |
| What Happened to the Military Victory in Iraq? | This is a question which need to be answered for the Christian community to understand current political events and how to pray and prepare for what is coming in the near future. It is obvious that something has gone wrong with the American involvement in Iraq. We are hearing on the news that almost every day another American soldier has been killed in Iraq? Where are the cheering Iraqis who were waiting to be liberated by the United States? |
| The World Government System Is Like Cancer | I have met and ministered to many people, who have died of cancer. They all had one thing in common; their immune system had been destroyed. The immune system is directly tied to a person’s emotions which are seated in the soul. Grief, sorrow, disappointment, rejection, fear, failure, lack of hope and peace, feeling of having no purpose in life, being put down by people, not measuring up to someone’s standard, will lay the foundation for the cancer. Rebellion against God’s physical and spiritual laws is a sure way to acquire cancer. |
| Iraq - A Replay of the Vietnam Tragedy | The credibility of George W. Bush is being attacked by forces beyond his control. Our president has been trapped by the people surrounding him. He has been betrayed by the American intelligence community. The World Government has spun a web around him and it will take a miracle of God for him to break out of it. |
| The Salvation Doctrine According to the Bible | On August 13, 2003, a strong Christian woman, devoted to the Lord Jesus Christ, wrote me a letter. Her name is Mrs. Dolores Knie and she lives in North Augusta, South Carolina. (My wife and I read all letters coming into our ministry. We are not always able to answer each one of them but we pray over them and those letters which require an answer, we do write back or someone in our staff will). |
| Trail Of Blood And Murder Part 1 | The recent murder of the Swedish Foreign Minister, Anna Lindh, brought to my memory a number of prominent Swedes who had been murdered over the years. This murder took place in Stockholm, Sweden on September 10, 2003, when she was stabbed with a knife in an upscale department store. She was taken to a hospital, but after many hours of surgery, she died early in the morning of September 11, 2003. |
| Trail Of Blood And Murder Part 2 | This Swedish man was born in Stockholm, Sweden on January 2, 1895. He was a member of the Swedish royal family, his father was the brother of the Swedish King Gustav V. As was the custom in European royal families, Folke entered the Swedish Army as a young man and in 1918 was commissioned at the age of 23 years as an officer. |
| Trail Of Blood And Murder Part 3 | So far we have followed the trail of blood and murder of prominent Swedes from the murder of Sweden’s Foreign Minister, Anna Lindh, who died September 12, 2003. We then moved back in time and took a look at the murder of the Swedish business tycoon, Ivar Kreuger, who was murdered in Paris, France March 12, 1932. Then we looked at the murder of the Swedish diplomat, Raul Wallenberg, who was murdered in a Soviet prison sometime around the 1970’s. |
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