The Head of the Snake in Laodicea
Satan can make the Bible say whatever he wants.
“Truth engenders hatred of truth. As soon as it appears, it is the enemy.” ~ Tertullian
Satan has so enamoured us with the doctrines of men (and women) that as soon as someone preaches the monergistic Gospel of Grace through Faith, hissy fits ensue to defend the ruler of this world.
Frankly, I am over it.
This is an emotional plea to all who would listen that the Gospel is only to be received by those born-again:
John 3:5-8 LSB Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. (6) “That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of the Spirit is spirit. (7) “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ (8) “The wind blows where it wishes and you hear its sound, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going; so is everyone who has been born of the Spirit.”
I have been “born of the Spirit”, and you do not know where I come from and where I am going because I am a slave to Jesus. I live a spiritual life in a physical body.
Being born again comes first; a sovereign act of monergistic salvation leads to instruction from the Master Himself. You need no other teachers:
Matthew 23:8-10 LSB “But do not be called Rabbi; for One is your Teacher, and you are all brothers. (9) “And do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven. (10) “Do not be called instructors; for One is your Instructor, that is, Christ.
Those among you who believe you are born again because you attend church regularly, or studied under a seminary, or did anything at all to justify yourself to everyone around you, you are children of your father the devil.
Ephesians 2:4-10 LSB But God, being rich in mercy because of His great love with which He loved us, (5) even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— (6) and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, (7) so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. (8) For by grace you have been saved through faith, and this not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; (9) not of works, so that no one may boast. (10) For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them.
Satan is a counterfeiter, and you need look no further than all the mega-churches and their leaders to recognise how effective his deceptions are.
Do these churches do any good for us?
Of course they do! But the deception lies in the “almost right”.
Satan’s strategy has always been the same.
Twist the Word in the mind of the believer, and he is lost to God.
Genesis 3:1 LSB Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which Yahweh God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?”
God did not instruct Adam not to eat fruit from any tree in the garden. He instructed Adam not to eat from one tree only. It was a specific instruction, not a general instruction.
So what has changed today?
Nothing.
“Did God really say…..” is the eternal question of Satan, and in our comfortable and wealthy lifestyles, we take a twisted, comfortable outcome over the discomfort of slavery to Jesus every day of the week.
We learn in Genesis 4 that sin is now an ever-present reality in our lives, and that we must master it.
Genesis 4:6-7 LSB Then Yahweh said to Cain, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? (7) “If you do well, will not your countenance be lifted up? And if you do not do well, sin is lying at the door; and its desire is for you, but you must rule over it.”
We cannot do this on our own. The final solution of God is the impartation of the Holy Spirit. We MUST be born again to master it.
Romans 7:17-25 LSB So now, no longer am I the one working it out, but sin which dwells in me. (18) For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh; for the willing is present in me, but the working out of the good is not. (19) For the good that I want, I do not do, but I practice the very evil that I do not want. (20) But if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one working it out, but sin which dwells in me. (21) I find then the principle that in me evil is present—in me who wants to do good. (22) For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man, (23) but I see a different law in my members, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a captive to the law of sin which is in my members. (24) Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from the body of this death? (25) Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin.
Jesus chose twelve nobodies to take the Gospel forward in His absence. He even told them that it was necessary for Him to go, otherwise the benefits of the Holy Spirit would not come:
John 14:25-26 LSB “These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. (26) “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.
Without the Holy Spirit, no remembrance of Jesus’ teachings.
He also intervened in the life of Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus, His chosen instrument to move the Gospel of Grace into the Gentile nations.
Acts 9:3-7 LSB And as he was traveling, it happened that when he was approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him; (4) and falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me?” (5) And he said, “Who are You, Lord?” And He said, “I am Jesus whom you are persecuting, (6) but rise up and enter the city, and it will be told you what you must do.” (7) And the men who traveled with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one.
Conclusion
It is hard to imagine how lost we have become, and bereft of the Holy Spirit. But nothing Paul did not warn us about:
2 Timothy 3:1-5 LSB But know this, that in the last days difficult times will come. (2) For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, (3) unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, without gentleness, without love for good, (4) treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, (5) holding to a form of godliness, but having denied its power. Keep away from such men as these.
Peter made the same point:
2 Peter 2:1-3 LSB But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. (2) And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned. (3) And in their greed they will exploit you with false words, their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.
Nothing that Jesus did not tell us about either:
Revelation 3:14-19 LSB “And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: This is what the Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God, says: (15) ‘I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. (16) ‘So because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of My mouth. (17) ‘Because you say, “I am rich, and have become wealthy, and have need of nothing,” and you do not know that you are wretched and pitiable and poor and blind and naked. (18) I advise you to buy from Me gold refined by fire so that you may become rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself, and that the shame of your nakedness will not be manifested; and eye salve to anoint your eyes so that you may see. (19) ‘Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline. Therefore be zealous and repent.
As we move faster and faster towards the end of life as we know it, if you are not being reproved and disciplined, you are NOT born again, and the fiery lake may be your destination. It is not too late to repent and believe.
And I repeat:
“Truth engenders hatred of truth. As soon as it appears, it is the enemy.” ~ Tertullian
I will defend Jesus and stand ready to die for His Gospel as we move speedily into the last days.
Can you say the same?
Testing Every Teaching by the Whole Counsel of God
Geoff, your article raises concerns Christians should take seriously. We must be born again by the Holy Spirit (John 3:3-8). Salvation depends entirely upon God’s grace and cannot be earned through religious activity or good works (Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 3:4-7). Satan twists Scripture, churches can become complacent, and false teaching must be confronted (Matthew 4:1-11; Revelation 3:14-22; 2 Peter 2:1-3).
Nevertheless, every Christian, including every writer, pastor, and teacher, must test personal conclusions against the context of each passage and the whole counsel of God (Acts 17:11; 2 Timothy 2:15).
The Gospel and Our Theological Systems
The gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ died for our sins, was buried, rose again, and grants eternal life to those who repent and believe (Mark 1:15; John 3:16; 1 Corinthians 15:1-4). Salvation is found in Christ alone and received by grace through faith, not earned by works (Acts 4:12; Ephesians 2:8-9).
Calvinism and Arminianism are theological systems that attempt to explain how God’s sovereignty, grace, election, regeneration, and human responsibility relate. Neither system should be confused with the gospel itself.
Both affirm that fallen humanity cannot come to Christ apart from God’s grace. They disagree about whether saving grace is limited to the elect, whether it can be resisted, whether regeneration precedes faith, and how election relates to foreknowledge. These are serious disagreements, but neither side should equate its preferred system with Christ or condemn everyone who disagrees.
Grace and Human Responsibility
Scripture affirms God’s sovereign initiative: no one comes to Christ unless the Father draws him (John 6:44). Yet Scripture also repeatedly calls people to respond:
“Repent and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15 NKJV).
“Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 16:31 NKJV).
“Whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved” (Romans 10:13 NKJV).
Jesus lamented over those who were unwilling to come (Matthew 23:37), and Stephen said people could “resist the Holy Spirit” (Acts 7:51). We should allow all these passages to speak: God is sovereign, grace is indispensable, and people remain accountable for responding to His truth.
Born Again and Taught by Christ
John 3 clearly teaches that we must be born of the Spirit, but it does not explicitly resolve whether regeneration logically precedes faith. John also repeatedly connects believing with receiving life (John 1:12-13; 3:16; 5:24; 20:31). We may defend our understanding without claiming that one passage settles every later theological debate.
Likewise, Matthew 23:8-10 does not teach that Christians need no human teachers. Christ condemned pride and religious self-exaltation, while elsewhere Scripture teaches that He gives pastors and teachers to equip His Church (Ephesians 4:11-16; 2 Timothy 2:2). The Holy Spirit is our ultimate Teacher, but He works through Scripture and faithful members of Christ’s body.
Complete Context Matters
Genesis 4:6-7 teaches Cain’s responsibility to resist sin, but it does not directly address whether regeneration precedes faith. Romans 7 describes the struggle with indwelling sin, but Paul’s argument continues into Romans 8: “There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are in Christ Jesus” (Romans 8:1 NKJV). Christians struggle against the flesh, but the Holy Spirit gives life and empowers holy living (Romans 8:5-14; Galatians 5:16-25).
Revelation 3:14-22 warns a wealthy, self-sufficient, lukewarm church to repent. It applies powerfully today, but it does not identify Arminianism, seminaries, or disagreement with monergism as the “head of the snake.” Those conclusions are not stated in the passage.
Defending Truth in Christ’s Manner
Calling theological opponents “children of the devil” is an extremely serious judgment. Jesus knew perfectly the hearts and intentions of those He confronted in John 8:39-47. We should not assume His divine authority to condemn people merely because they misunderstand salvation or disagree with our system.
Christ knows those who are His (2 Timothy 2:19). We may examine fruit, confront error, and call people to repentance, but final judgment belongs to the Lord (1 Corinthians 4:5; James 4:11–12).
Scripture commands us to correct opponents with gentleness and humility (2 Timothy 2:24-26), speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15), and defend our hope with meekness and respect (1 Peter 3:15). Sincerity and strong conviction do not prove that every interpretation is correct. Faithfulness requires both conviction and humility.
A Call to All of Us
The warning “Has God indeed said?” should lead each of us to examine our own interpretation, not merely confirm that everyone else is deceived.
The gospel belongs to Jesus Christ, not to Calvin, Arminius, a denomination, seminary, megachurch, or independent teacher. Let us proclaim that all have sinned, Christ died and rose again, salvation is by grace through faith, people must repent and believe, the Holy Spirit gives new life, and Jesus Christ alone is Lord and Savior.
Let us test every teaching by Scripture, including the teaching we most strongly prefer, and defend the truth while displaying the character of the One who is “the truth” (John 14:6). May we always be found “speaking the truth in love” (Ephesians 4:15 NKJV).
Personal correspondence and city council records betray John Calvin’s extraordinary influence in Geneva. Although he was asked to leave in 1538 when he enforced his strict moral standards and pushed for the church’s independent power to excommunicate people, Genevan officials invited him to return in 1541 to resolve church divisions. Upon his return, the city council approved his Ecclesiastical Ordinances that included the establishment of the Consistory. The Consistory, a church court that oversaw the discipline of the citizens of Geneva, met every Thursday to review cases (This book is a chronicle of the Consistory’s records from 1542-1544.) John Calvin led the court. Although the Consistory did not have the power to imprison, exile, or kill those who were guilty, Calvin could still convince the city magistrates to wield such power when his theological opponents contradicted him.
When Jacques Gruet, a theologian with differing views, placed a letter in Calvin’s pulpit calling him a hypocrite, he was arrested, tortured for a month and beheaded on July 26, 1547. Gruet's own theological book was later found and burned along with his house while his wife was thrown out into the street to watch.
Michael Servetus, a Spaniard, physician, scientist and Bible scholar, suffered a worse fate. He was Calvin's longtime acquaintance who resisted the authority of the Roman Catholic Church.
However, he angered Calvin by returning a copy of Calvin's Institutes with critical comments in the margins. So what did Calvin do? You can read his resolution from a personal letter he wrote to a friend:
“Servetus offers to come hither, if it be agreeable to me. But I am unwilling to pledge my word for his safety, for if he shall come, I shall never permit him to depart alive, provided my authority be of any avail.” - Letter to Farel, 13 February 1546.
The next time Servetus attended Calvin's Sunday preaching service on a visit, Calvin had him arrested and charged with heresy. The 38 official charges included rejection of the Trinity and infant baptism.
The city magistrates condemned him to death. Calvin pleaded for Servetus to be beheaded instead of the more brutal method of burning at the stake, but to no avail. Some people see Calvin’s compassion in pursuing a more humane method of death, but ultimately he supported killing Servetus and all such heretics.
On October 27, 1553, green wood was used for the fire so Servetus would be slowly baked alive from the feet upward. For 30 minutes he screamed for mercy and prayed to Jesus as the fire worked its way up his body to burn the theology book strapped to his chest as a symbol of his heresy. Calvin summarized the execution this way:
“Servetus . . . suffered the penalty due to his heresies, but was it by my will? Certainly his arrogance destroyed him not less than his impiety. And what crime was it of mine if our Council, at my exhortation, indeed, but in conformity with the opinion of several Churches, took vengeance on his execrable blasphemies?” -
Calvin
How could such torture be condoned? In November 1552 the Geneva Council declared Calvin's Institutes of the Christian Religion to be a "holy doctrine which no man might speak against."
Disagreeing with Calvin’s view of God was a violation warranting the death penalty according to the way John Calvin interpreted Leviticus 24:16. The Geneva city council records describe one verdict where a man who publicly protested against John Calvin’s doctrine of predestination was flogged at all the city’s main intersections and then expelled (“The Minutes Book of the Geneva City Council, 1541-59,” translated by Stefan Zweig, Erasmus: The Right to Heresy). You did not get to disagree with Calvin in this town.
So we see that not fully operating in the very holy spirit of the living one true God and living and being led by the flesh and not in the very holy spirit, inclusive of holding on to bad ungodly interpretations can indeed wrongfully kill people.
John Calvin argued:
“Whoever shall now contend that it is unjust to put heretics and blasphemers to death, knowingly and willingly incur their guilt. It is not human authority that speaks, it is God who speaks and prescribes a perpetual rule for His Church.”
Most who only elevate certain theological interpretations against all the truths of Jesus and not in honouring the spirit, just the letter causes disappointment in an unbiblical god, anxiety about what he demands, or a false sense of security rooted in biased beliefs. But it also can kill. John Calvin justified murder with his bad Bible interpretations and holding on to them above exalting Jesus as the Living Christ as Lord. It isn't representative of his entire life or his contribution the what became the Protestant church, but we would be wise to learn from the mistakes he made.