On October 9, 2021

NOTES ON LOSING NEVERLAND: SALVATION VS. SUPERSTITION IN THE AMERICAN CHURCH – PART I: WILLFULNESS

SCRIPTURE. “For if we go on willfully and deliberately sinning after receiving the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice [to atone] for our sins [that is, no further offering to anticipate], but a kind of awful and terrifying expectation of [divine] judgment and the fury of a fire and burning wrath which will consume the adversaries [those who put themselves in opposition to God].” – HEBREWS 10:26-27, AMP

PART II: TREACHERY (Malachi 2:10)

PART III: MAMMON (James 5:1-6)

PART IV: SHELTER (Psalm 91:1)

QUOTATIONS

C.S. LEWIS. “It would seem that Our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite Joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased.” – ‘The Weight of Glory, and Other Addresses,’ 1949; edited

ELIE WIESEL. “The opposite of love is not hate, it’s Indifference. The opposite of art is not ugliness, it’s Indifference. The opposite of faith is not heresy, it’s Indifference. And the opposite of life is not death, it’s Indifference.” – Author of ‘Night,’ 1969; in ‘U.S. News and World Report,’ October 27, 1986; edited

THE CHURCH. “They came to pray with their President, though in truth many came just to worship him. Donald Trump’s Friday launch of his so-called ‘Coalition of Evangelicals’, an attempt to shore up the support of the Religious Right ahead of November’s election, had the feel of any other campaign rally, except this time with Gospel music … ‘He might be a little rough around the edges for some people, but he says it like it is, and if some of the things he says or the actions he takes upset some people it doesn’t make him less of a man of God’ [U.S. Navy veteran Michael David Layne].” – RICHARD LUSCOMBE, “He Was Sent to Us,” ‘The Guardian,’ June 4, 2020; edited

Selah. Selah.

FIRST THOUGHTS

Perhaps you are wondering why I chose the Title of this series in reference to the iconic story of PETER PAN. This description of the background of the grand, whimsical tale should begin to explain.

“Peter Pan is a fictional character created by Scottish novelist and playwright, J. M. BARRIE. A free-spirited and mischievous young boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood having adventures on the mythical island of Neverland as the leader of the Lost Boys, interacting with fairies, pirates, mermaids, Native Americans, and occasionally ordinary children from the world outside Neverland. Peter Pan has become a cultural icon symbolizing youthful innocence and escapism.” – EDITORS, ‘Wikipedia,’ September 28, 2021; edited

A METAPHOR. For the past two generations (about 40 years), the American Church has increasingly become a purveyor of a ‘Fairy Tale,’ a false gospel defined by Merriam-Webster as ‘marked by seemingly unreal beauty, perfection, luck, or happiness.’”

The Consequences have been, to understate it, Catastrophic, resulting in nothing less than the Great Undoing of the American Order.

Well now, Dr. Kelly, I see you are here to encourage us once more. Actually, yes. For my 40 plus years as a Christian educator, I have taught and lived by the ironclad Principle proclaimed out our Jewish Messiah in the following Paraphrase:

The Truth, however painful, shall set you free. The Lie, however, though momentarily delightful, shall destroy you. – cf. JOHN 8:31-32

LOSING NEVERLAND. To extend the Metaphor, Americans, led by a Dark Coalition of Evangelicals, Business Professionals and Extremist Right-Wing zealots, sense that they are ‘Losing the American Dream,’ (i.e., Neverland), and are increasingly willing to resort to Violence to protect what is left of it.

Here is that American Vision cast from DONALD TRUMP around which the entire MAGA Movement forms and fights more and more furiously every day.

“The American Dream is freedom, prosperity, peace-and liberty and justice for all. That’s a big dream. It’s not always easy to achieve, but that’s the ideal. More than any country in history we’ve made gains toward a democracy that is enviable throughout the world. Dreams require perseverance if they are to be realized, and fortunately we’re a hard-working country and people. We are the luckiest people in history, just by the fact that we are Americans.” – LACEY ROSE, “Donald Trump on the American Dream,” ‘Forbes,’ May 22, 2007

Note TWO THINGS here. One, the mouth from whence the Vision came. Two, the piercing silence on matters of Providence, upon which the True American Dream was built. God was absent from Trump’s Vision in 2007, and He is no less absent today. Perhaps even more so, as he is willing to reduce America to rubble if he cannot have it to control.

LINES IN RED SAND. While I promise to avoid beating a nearly Dead Horse into final oblivion, neither will I ever betray my moral duty to remind the American Nation and Church of the bloody ‘Rubicon’ that was crossed on JANUARY 6, 2021. To this central point:

Americans are now willing to use ‘violence and force of arms’ to defend The Dream they believe in, vastly more than they believe in the God they claim to worship in Church every Sunday.

“In February [2021], the Survey Center on American Life, released a new poll that revealed some disturbing findings: Under certain circumstances, a significant number of Americans appeared to endorse the use of political violence. Nearly one in three Americans said that ‘taking violent actions’ is an appropriate remedy when elected leaders refuse to protect the country. An even larger share of the public — 36% — agreed that the ‘use of force’ is necessary to arrest the decline of America’s traditional way of life. But how alarmed should we be about the rise of public support for political violence in the US? If my initial reaction was one of concern, further research has only compounded my fears.” – DANIEL COX, “Support for Political Violence in America is On the Rise,” ‘Business Insider,’ March 26, 2021; edited

DK’S TAKE. Because of these studies, and my own observations of the American community around the country in casual conversation, I am convinced we are heading for an increasing number of violent confrontations between TWO GROUPS:

THE NATIONALISTS. Fathered nearly exclusively by the Trump Vision of America, brought to the forefront since his election to the presidency on November 8, 2016. His Movement has crossed all sorts of traditional political and economic boundaries, peopled overwhelmingly by White citizens, the Church, Business community, ‘New Conservatives,’ and property owners, farmers and the elderly.

THE TRADITIONALISTS. Ironically, this is minority, informally loose-knit grouping of such subgroups as Never Trumps, people of color and the poor, ‘Old School’ moralists, a good portion of the college and university graduate community, most young people – pretty much a first-time Alliance of these otherwise disparate sub-cultures.

CIVIL WAR. I see its roots sinking deeper every day, with more reports of violence over the Vax & Mask issue. A poll released on February 4, 2021 by Zogby Analytics found that a plurality of Americans expect another civil war to occur in the near future: 46%. Clearly the hostility has heated up substantially in the last 8 months. We are getting closer every day, beloved.

I’ll close this section with a quote from a just off the press article by the always thoughtful DAVID FRENCH, who generally agrees.

On Thursday the University of Virginia released polling results that should shock exactly no one who closely follows American politics and culture. A ‘majority’ of Trump voters (52 percent) and a strong minority of Biden voters (41 percent) strongly or somewhat agree that it’s ‘time to split the country.’

Why would they even contemplate taking such a drastic step?

Well, the poll provides the answers, and they’re not surprising. Competing partisans loathe each other and view the opposition as an existential threat. This also isn’t new. It’s been tracked in poll after poll for year after year. This one found that a ‘strong majority’ of Trump supporters falsely believe there is no real difference between Democrats and Socialists. A ‘majority’ of Biden voters falsely see no real difference between Republicans and Fascists.” – “A Whiff of Civil War in the Air,” October 3, 2021; edited

You hearing this, beloved? America is catapulting toward a FINAL DIVIDE over these matters. I frankly give it no more than 2-3 years, at best, before it is completely out of our control.

THE GREAT AMERICAN DELUSION

My Reasons for such a dark expectation is vastly more Spiritual than it is Political. In short: I believe The Times are now very much engaged in what Christ, the Prophets and the Apostles prophesied must happen before Messiah’s Return.

Consider the following definition of this hour, the very Hour of the ‘Man of Lawlessness’ arising.

SCRIPTURE. “The coming of the [Antichrist, the lawless] one is through the activity of Satan, [attended] with great power [all kinds of counterfeit miracles] and [deceptive] signs and false wonders [all of them lies], and by unlimited seduction to evil and with all the deception of wickedness for those who are perishing, because they did not welcome the love of the truth [of the gospel] so as to be saved [they were spiritually blind, and rejected the truth that would have saved them]. Because of this God will send upon them a misleading influence, [an activity of error and deception] so they will believe the lie, in order that all may be judged and condemned who did not believe the truth [about their sin, and the need for salvation through Christ], but instead took pleasure in unrighteousness.” – 2 THESSALONIANS 2:9-12, AMP

DELUSION. This vital term and definer of the Present Era in my view, is taken from the Greek word, ‘Plané’ [πλάνη], translated by the Amplified above as ‘a misleading influence’ sent by God, to all closed hearts. More accurately: “A wandering; fig: deceit, delusion, error, sin; fraudulence; a straying from orthodoxy or true piety; based on the root term, ‘Planos’ [πλάνος], to rove as a tramp; a misleader, deceiver; a seducer; error which shows itself in action, a wrong mode of acting.”

COMMENTARY. “‘And for this cause’—i.e., Because ‘they did not care’ [were ‘Indifferent!’] whether things were true or not. This verse is not a mere repetition of 2 Thessalonians 2:9-10. There we were told of external dangers which would attend Antichrist’s coming for them that perish: Because they had not cared for Truth, therefore the presence of the Man of Sin, which could not even imperil the Truth-Lovers, would for them be full of special marvels and frauds by which they might be misled … ‘Shall send.’ A ‘strong delusion’ should be ‘an effectual inward working of error’—no longer a mere Indifference to Truth, but a real influence of ‘Error upon their hearts.’ This inward work of error is sent ‘with a view to their believing the lie.’” – CHARLES ELLICOTT, ‘An Old Testament and New Testament Commentary for English Readers,’ 1878, 1897; edited – cf. 1 Samuel 16:7

Ellicott ends his Commentary with a sobering observation: “A terrible combination when God and Satan are agreed to deceive a man! Yet what an encouragement to see God using Satan for His own purposes.” Selah right about here, y’all.

THE CHURCH IN FREEFALL. So back to that same old drum I refuse to stop beating, as it is the Historic Fulcrum on which the very Turn of a Nation occurs. As the brilliant JAMES MADISON said it so piercingly long ago:

“‘Is there no Virtue among us? If there be not, we are in a wretched situation. No theoretical checks, no form of government can render us secure. To suppose that any form of government will secure liberty or happiness without any Virtue in the people, is a chimerical idea. If there be sufficient Virtue and Intelligence in the community, it will be exercised in the selection of these men; so that we do not depend on their Virtue, or put confidence in our rulers, but in ‘the people’ who are to choose them.” – ‘The Virginia Ratifying Convention,’ June 20, 1788; edited

Need I comment further on what has become agonizingly apparent to nearly all formerly thoughtful Americans: We apparently no longer care about these powerful, Biblically rich Foundational Ideas. We are rather become CRASS PRAGMATISTS by all the polls and voting profiles:

‘Whatever works for my benefit, I will choose to follow.’

And the rest, as they say it, is History Writ Large, unfolding before our very eyes every single day, in very bold print.

THE TEACHING

So here we go where no right-minded Bible scholar wants to travel. Several KEY TERMS define this powerful passage that takes us down the very thorny path of THE CENTRAL QUESTION: ‘Can sustained, willful disobedience jeopardize one’s salvation?’ I know. I may have well lost my mind here, my friends. Or, possibly, found it!

WILLFULNESS. This central doctrinal term is taken from the Greek, ‘Hekousiós’ [ἑκουσίως], the very core of the ‘Doctrine of Free Will’: “Willingly [‘continually’] sinning, of one’s own accord, spontaneously; voluntarily, intentionally; refers to the sins done designedly and deliberately in the face of better knowledge; sinful acts committed obstinately, stubbornly; by specific design with set purpose; without reluctance, with one’s free will; cheerfully [enthusiastically]; by one’s own choice.” NOTE: The Key to Repentance here is to avoid ‘going on too long’ in one’s insurrection against the Lord. As with Pharoah’s heart that “God hardened” [‘Chazaq’- חָזַק], which became rigid, obdurate, and could no longer be given grace. – cf. Exodus 9:12

RECEIVED. A second crucial term comes next, ‘Lambanó’ [λαμβάνω]: “Actively, aggressively lay hold of, seize, attain; to ‘accept with initiative;’ emphasizes the volition (assertiveness) of the receiver; to take in order to wear, put on; carry away forcibly [as one’s own]; as when one marries a wife; to get possession of, obtain; to catch at, reach or strive after; to apprehend to oneself; not to refuse or reject; to choose; to experience; to accept, embrace of admit; in sum, taken; accepted; admitted; embraced; entertained; fully believed as due reward.”

KNOWLEDGE [OF TRUTH]. A third criterion for this soteriological algorithm is from the Greek word, ‘Epignósis’ [ἐπίγνωσις, εως], or: “Knowledge of a particular point (directed towards a particular object); perception, discernment, recognition, intuition; precise, correct [and fully comprehended understanding of things ethical and divine; with the genitive of the person known; — of God, especially the knowledge of His holy will and of the blessings which he has bestowed and constantly bestows on men through Christ; i.e., the true knowledge of Christ’s nature, dignity, benefits; of the one true God which ‘has illumined’ the soul.”

NO SACRIFICE. In a chilling section of the Teaching, it is observed that there is no longer Atonement for such a true convert. From ‘Thusia’ [θυσία]: “Propitiation; an act of offering a sacrifice on behalf of another; an official sacrifice prescribed by God; hence an offering the Lord accepts because

offered on His terms; all awaiting their fulfillment in their antitype, Jesus Christ (Hebrews 10:5-12); in Theology, the Atonement or atoning sacrifice offered to God to assuage his wrath and render him propitious to sinners. Christ is the Propitiation for the sins of men. – Romans 3:25; 1 John 2:2”

FIERY INDIGNATION. The most terrifying Consequence imaginable to mankind is found here. From the term, ‘Zelos’ [ζῆλος], from which we derive ‘Divine Zeal’ for sustained wrongs done to Him, His name, or His people. More specifically: “To have warmth of feeling for or against, to be ‘zealous or jealous’; eagerness, zeal, enthusiasm, rivalry [from other suitors, preferences, idols]; properly, burning emotion (inner feeling boiling over, ‘boiling from heat’); (figuratively) something very fervent (‘red-hot’); ardor in embracing, pursuing, defending anything; the fierceness of indignation, punitive zeal; an envious and contentious rivalry, jealousy; emulation.”

DK’S TAKE. Here we have the reconstruction of a FORGOTTEN DOCTRINE, again. This is how the Early Fathers of the Church conceived of the entire idea of ‘Apostasia’ – or the Great Falling Away of the mass of believers at the End of History.

Significantly, it is NOT what we are taught today in the American Church. So here we go, to dismantle still another ‘Shibboleth’ – i.e., “a common cultural saying or belief with little current meaning or truth.”

THE CHURCH FATHERS. Much of this Review is drawn from TODD TOMASELLA’S Blog, ‘Christian Forums,’ excerpted from his book, ‘Lie of the Ages,’ published in 2012. Buckle up Buttercups – this one’s bound to hurt.

Again: Done in the interest of scraping away the dust, clutter and the cobwebs of centuries for all to see a bit more clearly. I report, you decide (remember that saying?).

JUSTIN MARTYR. “But I believe that even those, who have been persuaded to observe the legal dispensation along with their confession of God in Christ, shall probably be saved. And I hold, further, that such as have confessed and known this man to be Christ, yet who have gone back from some cause to the legal dispensation, and have denied that this man is Christ, and have not repented before death, shall by no means be saved. Further, I hold that those of the seed of Abraham who live according to the law, and do not believe in this Christ before death, shall likewise not be saved.” – ‘Dialogue of Justin,’ 47, A.D. 160

IRENAEUS. “Christ shall not die again on behalf of those who now commit sin, for death shall no more have dominion over Him; but the Son shall come in the glory of the Father, requiring from His stewards and dispensers the money which He had entrusted to them, with usury; and from those to whom He had given most shall He demand most. We ought not, therefore, as that presbyter remarks, to be puffed up, nor be severe upon those of old time, but ought ourselves to fear, lest perchance, after [we have come to] the knowledge of Christ, if we do things displeasing to God, we obtain no further forgiveness of sins, but be shut out from His Kingdom. And, therefore it was that Paul said, ‘For if [God] spared not the natural branches, [take heed] lest He also spare not thee, who, when thou wert a wild olive tree, wert grafted into the fatness of the olive tree, and wert made a partaker of its fatness.’” – ‘Against Heresies,’ 4:27:2 A.D. 180

TERTULLIAN. “But some think as if God were under a necessity of bestowing even on the unworthy, what He has engaged (to give); and they turn His liberality into slavery. But if it is of necessity that God grants us the symbol of death, then He does so unwillingly. But who permits a gift to be permanently retained which he has granted unwillingly? For do not many afterward fall out of (grace)? Is not this gift taken away from many?” – ‘On Repentance,’ 6 A.D. 204

THEN CAME AUGUSTINE. “I assert … that the perseverance by which we persevere in Christ even to the end is the gift of God … [The grace of God] which both begins a man’s faith and which enables it to persevere unto the end is not given in respect of our merits, but is given according to His own most secret and at the same time most righteous, wise, and beneficent will; since those whom He predestinated, them He also called, with that calling of which it is said, ‘The gifts and calling of God are without repentance.” – ‘Treatise on the Gift of Perseverance,’ A.D. 428-429

CHARLES ELLICOTT. The connecting links are the thought of the consequences to which such ‘sinful neglect’ (Hebrews 10:25) may lead, and the awful revelation of Judgment which the Final Day will bring. Even more clearly than in Hebrews 6:4-6 the state described is one of ‘wilful and continued sin,’ which is the result and the expression of Apostasy from Christ. It is not, ‘If we fall under temptation and commit sin;’ but, ‘If we are sinning wilfully.’ The descriptive words are few as compared with those of the former passage, but they teach the same lesson. Not merely the ‘knowledge’ but the ‘Full Knowledge’ (Romans 1:28) of the Truth has been received by those to whom the writer here makes reference; they have been ‘sanctified in the Blood of the Covenant’ (Hebrews 10:29).” – Dean of Exeter, Bishop of the Gloucester and Bristol, Church of England, ‘An Old and New Testament Commentary,’ 1878, 1897; edited

ALBERT BARNES. “For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the Truth – If after we are converted and become true Christians we should ‘apostatize,’ it would be impossible to be recovered again, for there would be no other sacrifice for sin; no way by which we could be saved. This passage, however, like Hebrews 6:4-6, has given rise to much difference of opinion. But that the above is the correct interpretation, seems evident to me from the following [five] considerations: [First and foremost] It is the natural and obvious interpretation, such as would occur probably to ninety-nine readers in a hundred, if there were no theory to support, and no fear that it would conflict with some other doctrine.” – Presbyterian minister and scholar, Princeton Theological Seminary, 1823, ‘Notes on the Old and New Testaments,’ 1884; edited

DK’S TAKE. I can only summarize my own conviction, somewhat recently I confess, that this ironically ‘Unknown’ Commentary captures it all quite accurately as the CONSENSUS OF THE CHURCH FATHERS.

“What we gather from all these quotes is that the Early Church believed one was saved by faith in Christ and His blood, apart from works. That we’re redeemed and washed from our sins, there must be Repentance, if one sinned and did ‘not’ repent they would be lost. They believed God’s foreknowledge and predestination, and they believed by Blaspheming the Holy Spirit and/or forsaking God that one would lose salvation.” – UNKNOWN, n.d

Selah, beloved, as never, ever before. I keep hearing in my spirit, over and over again: “Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision!” – JOEL 3:14

LAST THOUGHTS

My final reflection further advances us to the very Center of the Controversy: Just what is ‘An Apostate’ – Someone ‘never saved’ before though professes belief, or one ‘truly saved,’ but later rejects the Savior?

APOSTATIZE. From the unique Greek term, ‘Apostasia’ [ἀποστασία], an unambiguous reference to: “Defection, revolt; a falling away [from the faith]; a full forsaking of God and truth; a standing away from or departure; an abandonment of what one has professed; a total desertion, or departure from one’s faith or religion; an Apostate is therefore defined as false, a traitor; one who has forsaken the Church, sect or profession to which he before adhered. In its original sense, applied to one who has abandoned his religion.”

THE GREAT FALLING AWAY. “Now in regard to the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to meet Him, we ask you, brothers and sisters, not to be quickly unsettled or alarmed either by a [so-called prophetic revelation of a] spirit or a message or a letter [alleged to be] from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has [already] come. Let no one in any way deceive or entrap you, for that day will not come unless THE APOSTASY comes first [that is, the great rebellion, the abandonment of the faith by professed Christians], and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction [the Antichrist, the one who is destined to be destroyed], who opposes and exalts himself [so proudly and so insolently] above every so-called god or object of worship, so that he [actually enters and] takes his seat in the temple of God, publicly proclaiming that he himself is God.” – 2 THESSALONIANS 2:1-3, AMP

DK’S TAKE. Beloved, I believe the Antichrist is already here (The First Seal of Revelation 6:1-2), and many of you know who I suppose him to be. Second, I have marshaled all the pertinent evidence in this brief tome that speaks against the current understanding of Salvation as some convenient ‘fait accompli,’ a doctrine the American Church has been teaching for generations now.

To this last, sobering Admonition from the Apostle Paul.

“Therefore, my dear ones, as you have always obeyed [my suggestions], so now, not only [with the enthusiasm you would show] in my presence but much more because I am absent, work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete) your own salvation with reverence and awe and trembling (self-distrust, with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation, timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the name of Christ).” – PHILIPPIANS 2:12, AMPC

Of this passage, DR. ALEXANDER MCCLAREN writes in eloquent, forceful prose, the following.

“‘What God hath joined together, let no man put asunder!’ Here are, joined together, in the compass of one practical exhortation, the Truths which, put asunder, have been the war-cries and shibboleths of contending sects ever since. Faith in a finished salvation, and yet work; God working all in me, and yet I able and bound to work likewise; God upholding and sustaining His child to the very end; ‘perfecting that which concerns him,’ making His Salvation certain and sure, and yet the Christian working ‘with fear and trembling,’ lest he should be ‘a castaway’ and come short of the grace of God.” – ‘Expositions of the Holy Scriptures,’ 1900; edited

CASTAWAY. Defined by the Greek word, ‘Adokimos’ [ἀδόκιμος]: “Failing to pass the test, unapproved, counterfeit; unapproved, rejected, worthless; reprobate; unworthy; spurious; unable to discern or distinguish [true from false, good from evil, right from wrong]; void of judgment; of an abominable mind to be abhorred by God and man.”

Thus ‘An Apostate,’ is most accurately defined as: A ‘former believer’ who voluntarily and continually rejects God and Truth once believed and received. To whom both the Lord and His apostle would speak it plain.

JESUS CHRIST. “When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, ‘Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.’” – MARK 8:34-38, NKJV

PAUL THE APOSTLE. “Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers [do not make mismated alliances with them or come under a different yoke with them, inconsistent with your faith]. For what partnership have right living and right standing with God with iniquity and lawlessness? Or how can light have fellowship with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and Belial [the devil]? Or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever?” – 2 CORINTHIANS 6:14-15, AMPC

JOHN FOXE. By much brighter contrast, I close with a lovely, powerful statement by the eminent Christian historian and martyrologist whose epic book, ‘Actes and Monuments’ (Book of Martyrs) published in 1563, neatly captures the True Saint of God living in perilous times.

“‘A good Christian’ is bound to relinquish not only goods and children, but life itself, for the glory of his Redeemer: Therefore, I am resolved to sacrifice everything in this transitory world, for the sake of salvation in a world that will last to eternity.”

If there are further questions – and there certainly shall be – I refer them to the Great Heroes of the Faith, who were like the great company described in REVELATIION 12:11.

“And they have overcome (conquered) him [the accuser of the brethren] by means of the blood of the Lamb and by the utterance of their testimony, for they did not love and cling to life even when faced with death [holding their lives cheap till they had to die for their witnessing].”

THE TRUE SAINT. This is the stuff of Spiritual Greatness, beloved, the very stuff of Philadelphia and of Smyrna, and I plead with God often to deposit it in me and my loved ones. He is the only one who can.

DK, your ever faithful servant.

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