rom Philip, a servant of Jesus Christ and God the Father whose mercy is from everlasting to everlasting: who has blessed us by His redeeming work on the cross making us heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, by grace, giving us the Holy Ghost as a witness to our sonship. May grace and peace be with you from our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ and God the Father. For we know that in the latter times many will depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. Let this not be named among you. From the beginning there have always been false teachers, false doctrines, and ministers of untruth that dilute and distort the truth that was given to you by prophecy and the apostles. What caused you to be removed from the truth? Have you accepted a "watered down" gospel? or a "short cut" teaching to living holy? Have you accepted church traditions as bible truths? These are doctrines and practices that lure you away from the real truth and give you a false sense of righteousness and holiness - for there is but one doctrine, that is, the apostles doctrine of Jesus Christ. Where is the hunger and desire to know God that you had in the beginning? Did He not call you for His purpose? Did He not die for your past sins and your present and future sins? Did He not give you His righteousness to cover your unrighteousness solely by His grace and mercy? Instead of falling on your knees thanking Him for what He has already done, you have become carnal, sensual in your thanksgiving and praise. You look for emotion and entertainment to feel that you reach God. Is this the acceptable way to please God? God forbid! Those that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth! If you have become comfortable and take for granted your relationship with God, you have, unknowingly, lost your fear of God (which is your first love) and have already departed from the faith. Are you not to press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling in Christ Jesus? Are you not to work out your own salvation in fear and trembling? Are you not to seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and set your affections on things above and not on things of the earth? Is it not written "Love not the world neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (1 John 2:15) - for these things are carnal, not spiritual, howbeit they may appear just, but by their nature they are far from God. Be not deceived and try all the spirits to see if they are of God. You have become the sons of God by the love of the Father and the world is not to know you because the world didn't know Him. Let not your love wax cold. "Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect will of God" (Rom 12:2). You are the redeemed, whom Christ gave himself for, purifying to himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works and loving the brethren. Let not the foolish jealousies, envies, and the ideas and natural achievements of the world become your measurement of good works of righteousness for the things that we see are temporal but the things we don't see are eternal. Let not these carnal and natural things be in your heart especially at the time of the visitation. For if the Spirit of God truly dwells within you, you have been bought with a price and you are not your own. Seek out the old way; the written way for in them is God's way to eternal life in Christ Jesus. Remember how God brought the children of Israel out of Egypt (600,000 men not counting women and children!), through the Red Sea, gave them His laws, fed them, blessed them by healing their bodies, guiding them by a cloud by day and fire by night, provided water when thirsty, meat when hungry, manna because they complained, preserved their clothing so they never wore out, and gave them the hope of reaching the promised land, however only two made it in to the promise land. The rest perished in the desert because of unbelief, which is lack of faith. Seek the Lord while He is near that He may renew your spirit in Him and stir up the gift that is within you so that your work be not in vain. Have peace with all men and holiness for without which no man shall see the Lord.
