Please note Billy Graham’s message to America at age 95

[evangelist-7]

His message was given on Fox News Channel, TBN, Christian networks and local TV stations.

“On his 95th birthday Nov. 7, the most famous Protestant evangelist of the 20th century,
Billy Graham gave what he called his final and most important message to the world …
it was much the same core message Graham has steadfastly shared for seven decades
-- the love of God for mankind, as manifested in the sacrifice of His Son on the cross,
and the resulting free gift of salvation and eternal life through individual repentance
and faith.” (Ref: The Whistleblower, Volume 22, No.12)

As you will see below, he was NOT referring to a one-time repentance and faith.

Shortly before his TV message, Graham declared in an exclusive interview with Whistleblower:

“… people need to repent of their sins, turn to God and take the narrow road that Jesus
talks about in the Bible. The narrow road means that you forsake sin and you obey God,
that you live up to the Ten Commandments and that you live up to the Sermon on the
Mount desiring to please God in everything. The narrow road is hard and it is difficult;
you can’t do that yourself. You need God’s help and that’s the reason we ask people
to come to receive Christ because when you receive Him, the Holy Spirit comes
to live within to help us live the life.” (Ref: The Whistleblower, Volume 22, No. 12)

Note: We see here basically the same technique as used in the Bible:
Initially, simple without many details.
Later, more details of what is really involved.
.

 

[BobRyan]

One more non-SDA source that accepts the Bible teaching that the TEN Commandments are still valid

 

[DHK]

One more non-SDA source that accepts the Bible teaching that the TEN Commandments are still valid

Obviously what he has said is taken out of context.
Secondly, he never said one must keep the Ten Commandments to be saved, and that is very clear.
Third, he never gave any hint that one can lose their salvation. To infer such is slander.
Fourth, his teaching is just as clear as it has always been:

the love of God for mankind, as manifested in the sacrifice of His Son on the cross,
and the resulting free gift of salvation and eternal life through individual repentance
and faith.

The free gift of salvation translates into no works are involved, including the Ten Commandments!
The free gift....eternal life. Eternal means eternal. Salvation cannot be lost.
He is clear on these doctrines. Keeping the Ten Commandments is not a requirement for salvation nor is it a requirement to maintain one's salvation. Billy Graham never said that.

 

[evangelist-7]

Graham mentions "the narrow road" 3 times ...

Matthew the 7th Chapter (NKJV)

13 Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction,
and there are many who go in by it.
14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to (eternal) life, and there are few who find it.
"Life" here is "zoe" (Strong's #2222), which means eternal life.

And a little further on ...

21 Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven,
but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name,
cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’
23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'
IMO, Jesus has emphatically picked the most extreme case.
EVEN those whom one would expect to be golden, may refuse to obey the Father's will, and miss heaven.

Everything is for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear!
.

 

[DHK]

Matthew the 7th Chapter (NKJV)

13 Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction,
and there are many who go in by it.
14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to (eternal) life, and there are few who find it.
"Life" here is "zoe" (Strong's #2222), which means eternal life.

21 Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven,
but he who does the will of My Father in heaven.
22 Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name,
cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’
23 And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'
IMO, Jesus has emphatically picked the most extreme case.
EVEN those whom one would expect to be golden, may refuse to obey the Father's will, and miss heaven.

Everything is for those who have eyes to see and ears to hear!
.

Isn't it odd that you left out verse 15 which sets the entire passage in its proper context.

Matthew 7:15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

The context is false prophets, especially everything that follows verse verse 15. Those that are standing before Christ professing their good works are false prophets to whom Christ said "Depart from me, I never knew you."

Preceding that he describes two roads: one is wide; it leads to destruction. Most people take it for they reject Christ. The other is narrow, reserved for the ones who trust Christ as their Savior. They have eternal as a gift of God, never to be taken away.

 

[evangelist-7]

Isn't it odd that you left out verse 15 which sets the entire passage in its proper context.

Isn't it odd that you insist on ignoring what Graham is talking about ...
he mentions "the narrow road" 3 times ... and was obviously referring to ...

Matthew the 7th Chapter (NKJV)

13 Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction,
and there are many who go in by it.

14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to (eternal) life, and there are few who find it.

"Life" here is "zoe" (Strong's #2222), which means eternal life.

Guess what? ... You will stand before Jesus on Judgment Day.
.

 

[BobRyan]

One more non-SDA source that accepts the Bible teaching that the TEN Commandments are still valid

Obviously what he has said is taken out of context.

Indeed - any quote from any scholar that supports the TEN Commandments as still valid "must be dismissed as being taken out of context".

But aside from that made-up rule - what actual evidence is there to suggest that "Affirming the TEN Commandments" as Graham did - is the way to "dismiss them"???

Your argument rests on extreme inference alone - and then dismissing the actual words used in the sources that disconfirm your inferences as all being "out of context" even before you read them. (in as much as you admit you did not read the Baptist Confession of Faith for example).

in Christ,

Bob

 

[DHK]

Isn't it odd that you insist on ignoring what Graham is talking about ...
he mentions "the narrow road" 3 times ... and was obviously referring to ...

Matthew the 7th Chapter (NKJV)

13 Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction,
and there are many who go in by it.

14 Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to (eternal) life, and there are few who find it.

"Life" here is "zoe" (Strong's #2222), which means eternal life.

Guess what? ... You will stand before Jesus on Judgment Day.
.

You are right; I will be judged.
As there are two resurrections, there are two judgments.
One judgment is for the righteous (who will never be condemned).
The other is for the wicked who will be cast into the Lake of Fire and there suffer torment eternally.

I know which judgment I will stand in. It is called "The Judgment Seat of Christ," and is described in 1Cor.3:11-15. No unsaved person will be present there. It is for believers only. There is no possibility of any person losing their salvation. They may lose rewards, but not salvation. It will be a time of gaining or losing rewards for the believer. One's salvation is not in question. That is where I will be.

If you are not sure of your salvation, then perhaps you are not really saved. If not then you may stand before that judgment in Rev.20:11-15. That is a dreadful sight to behold. All those there are the unsaved of all time and will be cast into the Lake of Fire.
I would make sure if I were you, which judgment you will be standing in.
I am eternally secure in the hand of Christ.

 

[DHK]

One more non-SDA source that accepts the Bible teaching that the TEN Commandments are still valid



Indeed - any quote from any scholar that supports the TEN Commandments as still valid "must be dismissed as being taken out of context".

But aside from that made-up rule - what actual evidence is there to suggest that "Affirming the TEN Commandments" as Graham did - is the way to "dismiss them"???

Your argument rests on extreme inference alone - and then dismissing the actual words used in the sources that disconfirm your inferences as all being "out of context" even before you read them. (in as much as you admit you did not read the Baptist Confession of Faith for example).

in Christ,

Bob

I doubt if Billy Graham read that Confession either. It is not really important to us as a whole. Clearly you don't understand Baptists. A mention of the "Ten Commandments" does not means he either affirms nor denies the Sabbath as you imply. It is used almost idiomatically to refer to the moral law, which the Sabbath is not a part of.

 

[BobRyan]

Turns out - the judgment seat of Christ is described in 2Cor 5:10 and goes something like this --

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Rom 6:23 "The wages of SIN is death"

Matt 7 "Not everyone who SAYS Lord Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven"

Romn 2:13-16
13 for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, 15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, 16on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.

1 Cor 6
8 On the contrary, you yourselves wrong and defraud. You do this even to your brethren. 9 Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God

(BTW that last quote from 1Cor 6 is usually where we like to remind the gay-marriage folks that you cannot marry that idea to the Bible.)

 

[BobRyan]

I doubt if Billy Graham read that Confession either.

How can you be certain he was in the dark regarding that document?

in Christ,

Bob

 

[DHK]

How can you be certain he was in the dark regarding that document?

in Christ,

Bob

I can't be certain. He graduated from the same university I did. It wasn't required reading. Why waste time reading such an archaic document when the Bible is our standard for faith and practice.

 

[saturneptune]

One more non-SDA source that accepts the Bible teaching that the TEN Commandments are still valid



Indeed - any quote from any scholar that supports the TEN Commandments as still valid "must be dismissed as being taken out of context".

But aside from that made-up rule - what actual evidence is there to suggest that "Affirming the TEN Commandments" as Graham did - is the way to "dismiss them"???

Your argument rests on extreme inference alone - and then dismissing the actual words used in the sources that disconfirm your inferences as all being "out of context" even before you read them. (in as much as you admit you did not read the Baptist Confession of Faith for example).

in Christ,

Bob

You keep referring to Baptists in general as not upholding the Ten Commandments, yet the essence of your beliefs and doctrine deny at least five or six of them. Bearing false witness and Ellen White in relation to the first three commandments is a good start. Everytime you or your allies post a verse, it is out of context to line up with your warped theology.

The very idea of using Billy Graham and his ministry for Christ to uphold SDA dogma is right next to blasphemy. In the illustrations used for the narrow and wide gate, you do not accept a one way road to becoming more like Jesus. Evidentally, in your journey, there are lots of U turns that require a new salvation experience. In other words, you do not trust the work of Jesus Christ on the cross to deliver each saved person to glorification.

 

[steaver]

Turns out - the judgment seat of Christ is described in 2Cor 5:10 and goes something like this --

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.

Bob, either you are deceitful to your students or you are ignorant of exegesis, it's one or the other for Paul makes it PERFECTLY CLEAR this judgment seat of Christ is NOT about losing salvation!

1Cor3:13 - "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....(15) If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire".

1Cor4:5 - "Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God".

2Cor5:10 - "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad".

It is all about works at the JSoC and salvation is not in view. Only Christians will be there and the fire could burn most of his works but he himself shall be saved. Your works religion fails under proper exegesis.

 

[evangelist-7]

Billy Graham ...
-- was called by God to be an evangelist
-- had the benefit of 70 years in the ministry
-- travelled all over the world, discussing Christianity with a wide variety of believers

Thus, IMO, his opinions about the faith should be given extra-special attention.

Kinda reminds me of God's prophets in the OT.
But, they were mostly ignored by God's chosen people.

Those who are brainwashed and deceived will undoubtedly reject Graham's wise counsel,
very possibly to their own demise.
.

 

[DHK]

Billy Graham ...
-- was called by God to be an evangelist
-- had the benefit of 70 years in the ministry
-- travelled all over the world, discussing Christianity with a wide variety of believers

Thus, IMO, his opinions about the faith should be given extra-special attention.
.

Then pay attention to his views about the faith.
He taught that salvation was by faith and faith alone in the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ; that it was not by works. Only Christ could save. He gave one the gift of eternal life at the time of salvation, and one could not lose it. It was a gift not to be worked for, but to be received by faith.
This is what Billy Graham taught.

 

[webdog]

Billy Graham ...
-- was called by God to be an evangelist
-- had the benefit of 70 years in the ministry
-- travelled all over the world, discussing Christianity with a wide variety of believers

Thus, IMO, his opinions about the faith should be given extra-special attention.

Kinda reminds me of God's prophets in the OT.
But, they were mostly ignored by God's chosen people.

Those who are brainwashed and deceived will undoubtedly reject Graham's wise counsel,
very possibly to their own demise.
.

Hogwash. He is just a man. He has said some things through the years that have been blatantly false. His opinions should be measured against Scripture and given the same amount of respect as any other non inspired teacher.

 

[evangelist-7]

Then pay attention to his views about the faith.
He taught that salvation was by faith and faith alone in the shed blood of the Lord Jesus Christ; that it was not by works. Only Christ could save. He gave one the gift of eternal life at the time of salvation, and one could not lose it. It was a gift not to be worked for, but to be received by faith.
This is what Billy Graham taught.

Art thou so hopeless that you don't understand that BACs can grow spiritually?

A pastor preaches a sermon on a passage, then 30 years later,
he preaches on that passage with a much deeper understanding.
etc.

Graham either believes differently now, or he is finally now revealing his true deep beliefs.
He stated that this was his LAST message ... at age 95.

IMHO, 'tis the latter ... his popularity with the Christian community is not so important now!

“… people need to repent of their sins, turn to God and take the narrow road that Jesus
talks about in the Bible. The narrow road means that you forsake sin and you obey God,
that you live up to the Ten Commandments and that you live up to the Sermon on the
Mount desiring to please God in everything. The narrow road is hard and it is difficult;
you can’t do that yourself. You need God’s help and that’s the reason we ask people
to come to receive Christ because when you receive Him, the Holy Spirit comes
to live within to help us live the life.”
.

 

[Rippon]

Then pay attention to his views about the faith.
Only Christ could save. He gave one the gift of eternal life at the time of salvation, and one could not lose it.
This is what Billy Graham taught.

And now have you have finally renounced your earlier insistence that God had nothing to do with giving you faith --that it was entirely of your derivation?

 

[DHK]

And now have you have finally renounced your earlier insistence that God had nothing to do with giving you faith --that it was entirely of your derivation?

Pay attention.
For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord (Romans 6:23).

I never said that faith is the gift of God. God doesn't have anything to do with the giving of faith. The giving of salvation, yes, but not the giving of faith. It is the duty of man to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and upon doing so, the Lord shall give to him eternal life. That is what the Bible teaches.