MARTYRS AT THE GATES OF HELL, Chapter 4 of 7 of

How Secret Societies Control The Rise And Fall Of Religions,

(The Religious Beast From The Earth, Rev. 13:11-18. )

With evangelists Glen & Renette Vermeulen, courtesy of Now Unbanned Publications C.C.

 

THOSE WHO FEARED SUDDENLY PROCLAIMED THE GOSPEL: 

True to Jesus’ promise in Acts 1:8, filled with or possessed by the indwelling Holy Spirit, the disciple Peter stood up and raised his voice, saying, ‘These other tongues that you hear is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: And it shall happen in the last days, says God, that I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh, [all those saved through My Son;] your sons AND your daughters shall prophesy… will see visions… dream dreams.  And on My menservants AND on My maidservants, I will pour out My Spirit and they shall prophesy. 

Peter continued in Acts 2:40, ‘Be saved from this perverse generation, [these followers of spiritually dead religion, Judaism.] Repent, [from Judaism, believe the Gospel,] and let every one of you [disciples] be baptized… and you shall receive the [Spirit as a Gift from God – not because you were baptized, but because you have accepted Jesus as the Savior, or Messiah. (Mark 16:16; Mt. 28:19; Gal. 4:6.)  Then those who gladly received his word were baptized...  That day about 3000 souls were added…’ to the body of Christ. 

This means that each one of these believing disciples personally received Jesus as their Savior, then they obeyed His example and commandment, and was baptized by immersion.  Jesus Personally gave us the blueprint of this baptism in Mt. 3:13-17.  It is the same baptism which He commanded just before His ascension, (Mt. 28:19, and Mark 16:15-16.)  The disciples of the ecclesia or ‘the called out assembly’ never performed any other baptism than the baptism of BELIEVERS by immersion, (Rom. 6.)  All other Scriptures that are used to ‘prove’ the opposite were twisted and taken out of context, and that is the truth.  If you truly see the light, you will ‘naturally’ see the water.  The verse that proves this beyond a doubt is Acts 8:37, which was omitted from the NKJV of the Bible. 

In Acts 8:35-38 ‘Philip… preached Jesus to the eunuch…  And as they… came to water, the eunuch said, See, here is water.  What hinders me from being baptized?  Then Philip said (v. 37,) IF YOU BELIEVE WITH ALL YOUR HEART, YOU MAY…  And both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, and he baptized him...’

No matter how long the hierarchies of Catholicism and Protestantism have been committing their disobedient idolatry, NO ONE has the right to change and twist God’s Word, and lead His blood-bought souls astray.  Disagree with me if you will, for I am only a servant, but please, for the sake of your own soul, renounce all religious deception and seek the truth about BIBLICAL baptism and the BIBLICAL gifts and ministrations of the Holy Spirit! – Rev. 22:18-19. 

Scripture continues, ‘And [these born-again, baptized disciples] continued steadfastly in the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, [G.: ‘koinonia’ – partnership, participation, communion, (spiritual) assembly, or the Holy Spirit’s unity that glues sincere believers together,] in the breaking of bread, and in prayers.  Then [Godly, reverent] FEAR came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done through [ordinary disciples: Mark 16:16-17].  All who believed were together, and… sold their [excess] possessions and divided them among all…’ – [Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance,; S.F. Bible.] 

This was, and still is, the spiritually born again ecclesia of Christ, who were called ‘Followers of The Way;’ (Followers of Jesus Christ Himself,) the body of Christ, the ‘called out assembly,’ which Davis and Clark wrote about in their remarkable work, ‘The Great Ecclesiastical Conspiracy.’  This was, and is NOT the traditional ‘church’ that most of us grew up with.  The traditional church, or the secular form of Christian religion, housed in buildings, ruled by a hierarchical priesthood of ministers, pastors, priests and so-called ‘elders,’ is a political-religious system modeled on the ‘kings of the Gentiles,’ which Jesus so strictly forbade in Lu.  22:24-27. 

 

THE BAPTISM WITH FIRE - A LESSON IN OBEDIENT SERVICE: 

In Jesus’ baptism with fire, just as with His baptism in water, Jesus set the example for all the sincere members of His body, and announced, ‘I have a baptism to be baptized with, (the suffering of the cross,) and how distressed I am till it is accomplished!’ 

He also promised the baptism of fire for all those believers who would truly accept Him as their Savior.  ‘Fire either purifies or destroys.  Hence, salvation in Christ will be purifying for the true Jews [and Gentiles] who accept Him as Messiah and destructive for those who reject Him.’ – Mt. 3:12; Lu. 12:50, S.F. Bible. 

Throughout Jesus’ ministry, He prepared His disciples for this baptism which was to come, so that they would not ‘think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try them, as though some strange thing happened to them.  They were to rejoice to the extent that they would partake of Christ’s sufferings, that when His glory is revealed, they may also be glad with exceeding joy.’  - 1 Pet. 4:12. 

Jesus said, ‘Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth… but the sword.’  The Kingdom of God, manifested in the hearts of sincere believers, and extended by their obedience to Jesus’ commission to ‘go into all the world…’ did not and would not bring peace to planet earth, but the greatest of distress. - Mt. 10:34-39. 

However, Jesus did not bring the sword of war, torture, death, and division - that is the work of the devil, ‘who does not come accept to steal, kill, and destroy.’

Jesus brought the ‘word of God which is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, even dividing soul and spirit, and joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.’  Confronted with this sword ‘there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open to the eyes of Him to Whom we must give account.’ – Heb. 4:12-13.   

Every time Jesus’ believers declare the Truth of His Gospel, they unsheathe the Sword of Light against the ‘gates of hell;’ the very forces of darkness in the spiritual world, as well as in the hearts and minds of men.  The result was, is, and always will be a full-scale war that will last until Jesus’ return. – 2 Cor. 10:4. 

Jesus’ warning and instruction concerning persecution still stands, ‘I send you out [into the political-religious world] as sheep in the midst of wolves…  They will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues.  You will be brought before governors and kings for My sake…  Brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child, and children will raise up against parents…  BUT HE WHO ENDURES TO THE END will be saved… He who loves [his family] more than Me is not worthy of Me.  And he who does NOT take up his cross, [standing in My truth, declaring the Gospel,] and follow after Me is not worthy of Me.  He who finds his life [through the world’s acceptance,] will loose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it [for all eternity…]  

‘When they persecute you in this city, FLEE to another… You will not have gone through the cities… before the Son of Man [returns.]’  And so, the writer of Hebrews could say, ‘[You should] recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated, you endured a great struggle with sufferings, partly while you were made a spectacle both by reproaches and tribulations, and partly while you became companions of those who were so treated…  For you have need of endurance, so that after you have done the will of God, you may receive the promise [of everlasting life...] – Heb. 10:32-39. 

When James and John asked Him to give them places of great authority in His Kingdom, Jesus answered, ‘Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, and be baptized with the baptism that I Am baptized with…  You will indeed drink the cup that I drink, and with the baptism I Am baptized with you will be baptized…  You know that those who are considered rulers over the Gentiles lord it over them…  Yet it shall not be so among you.  Whoever desires to become great among you shall be your servant.  And whoever of you desires to be first shall be SLAVE of all.  For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many,’ (Lu. 12:50; Mark 10:38-45; Mt. 20:20.)  James and John were thoroughly polluted by the Kingdom-Now theology.  As many other, they ‘have also been led into a snare by false notions of Christ’s Kingdom, as if it were of this world, and like the kingdoms of the potentates of this world.  They conclude, If Christ rise again, He must be a King, and if He be a King, His disciples must be peers, and one of these would be the first peer of the realm, and the other next him, like Joseph in Pharaoh’s court.  Our weakness and short-sightedness appear as much in our prayers as in anything.  We cannot order our speech, when we speak to God, by reason of darkness, both concerning Him and concerning ourselves.  It is folly to prescribe to God, and wisdom to subscribe.  It is the will of Christ that we should prepare for sufferings, and leave it to Him to recompense us for them… He that exalts himself shall be abased…  The Son of man submitted first to the greatest hardships and hazards, and then entered into His glory, and can we expect to come to it any other way; or to have more ease and honor than He has?’ – [M.H. Commentary.] 

‘The cup or baptism of Mt. 20:20 refers to Jesus’ death, and His judgment against the sin of pride and unbridled ambition.  This baptism speaks of being immersed in divinely appointed suffering’ - for the purpose to teach us humility and unselfish service.  Jesus Is the High Priest ‘forever, according to the Order of Melchizedek, Who, in the days of His flesh, when He had offered up prayers and supplications, with vehement cries and tears to Him Who was able to save Him from death…  though He was the Son, yet He learned obedience by the things which He suffered.  And having been perfected, He became the Author of eternal salvation to ALL who OBEY Him.’ – [Heb. 5:6-9 – S.F. Bible.] 

God had promised, [On ALL My believers,] ‘and on My men AND maidservants, [or men and woman slaves,] I will pour out My Spirit and they shall prophesy.’ God’s men and woman servants would be willing spiritual ‘slaves,’ who, by example, would warn Jesus’ ecclesia to expect that they would have to follow in the  footsteps of  their Lord. - [Strong’s Concordance, no. 5650 and 8198.] 

They would indeed experience Jesus’ baptism with fire, just as He Himself did.  And so the author of Acts 14:22 concluded, ‘We must through many tribulations enter, [or rather, extend] the Kingdom of God.’   Paul and other slave-servants of the ecclesia ‘not only taught the joy, and peace of the Kingdom, (Rom. 14:17,) it’s power, (1 Cor. 4:20,) and its present authority to cause the believer to triumph over evil, (2 Tim. 4:18; Rom. 16:20,) they also taught that [sincere believers] experience trial, suffering, and not always an instant victory, (2 Ths. 1:4-5.)  God did not promise life without struggle.  Victory ONLY comes through battle, and triumph ONLY follows trial…’ – [S.F. Bible.] 

 

THE GATES OF HELL SHALL NOT PREVAIL: 

The Jewish chief priests, the Sanhedrin, who insisted on Jesus’ crucifixion, were actually the last members of the Old (OT) Levitical priesthood.  They planned to parade Jesus in public as a conquered king, but by sacrificing the Messiah on the cross, this priesthood actually inaugurated His living, indwelling Kingdom here on earth.  Completely possessed by the Holy Spirit, the Followers of The Way became so drenched in love for their King; so on fire for His cause; so empowered by His Spirit; so completely provided for by their Father – Satan had to tremble as he realized that even though he may torture, maim, and kill every citizen of this Kingdom, the Gospel would still march on.  And on…  - [Acts 9:2.]

Foxe wrote in his ‘Book of Martyrs,’ ‘Christ, hearing the confession of Peter, who first openly acknowledged Him as the Son of God… build His [ecclesia] so strong, that the gates of hell would not prevail against [her.]  Three things are to be noted:- first, that Christ will have a [Kingdom through His ecclesia] in this world; secondly, that the same [ecclesia] should be mightily impugned, not only by the [religious] world, but also by the powers of hell; and, thirdly, that the SAME [ecclesia,] notwithstanding the efforts Satan, should continue.’ 

Jesus’ metaphor, ‘the gates of hell shall not prevail against her,’ explains the constant, fearless, but Holy-Spirit-guided attack of the born again ecclesia on the forces and fortresses of evil.  In Jesus’ time a battle was fought at the gate of a city in order to gain entrance to the city; the gate could never be an attack-mechanism against enemies on the outside.  Therefore Jesus commissioned His followers to continually assault the spiritual, fortified ‘cities’ of the kingdom of darkness with prayer and the Gospel of Light, in the power and leading of the Spirit, and under the protection of His mighty angels. – (2 Cor. 10:4.)  - [‘Early Church,’ by Zondervan.] 

As the slave-servants of this newborn ecclesia were at the forefront of their onslaught against the ‘gates of hell,’ logically then, they would also be the first to be butchered for the Truth, Kingdom, and Name of Christ. - Mt. 20:26; 16:18. 

Jesus promised in Mark 16:16-17, ‘He who believes and [allows himself to be] baptized will be saved…  And these SIGNS will follow [these believers.]  In My Name they will cast out demons; they will speak with new tongues; they will take up serpents, [or do battle with demons, Eph. 6:10-18,] and if they [accidentally or without their knowledge] drink [or be attacked by] anything deadly, it will not harm them; [see: Acts 28:3-5.]  They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.’ 

Jesus’ promise of spiritual authority and power became an immediate reality, that day when the Holy Spirit founded His ecclesia.  After God used Peter’s sermon to save 3,000 souls, God healed a lame man through Peter and John, and as they ‘spoke boldly to the people [and] the priests… the Sadducees came upon them.’ 

The Sadducees was a Jewish sect of the Sanhedrin who did not believe in the resurrection, therefore ‘they were greatly disturbed that the [disciples] taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead.’ 

These religious chiefs promptly arrested Peter and John.  It was already evening and they put them in prison until the next day.  ‘But many of those who heard the Word believed; and the number of believers came to be about FIVE thousand.’ 

Eight thousand born again Followers of The Way in such a short time!

Jesus Christ is the Creator God