Some months before Jim's homegoing, the Lord had revealed to him that he would be leaving soon and Jim obediently set about putting things in order. In accordance with this revelation, Pastor Jim named Pastor Dick Helms associate pastor for The Cyber-Church and asked that we at ChristRing Ministries continue his ministry.

Lord Jesus, thank you for Jim's example of seeking you first in all things.

James West on James West

I was born at a very early age, on November 17, 1930, in or near a little place called Benoit, Mississippi, to an unwed mother named Ethel Mae Taylor who was 13 years old. Mom's father, Humphrey Taylor, was a pentecostal preacher (at that time he was a "holy roller") who had passed away before I was born. My grandmother had remarried and I was reared by my grandparents, Thomas Howard and Ida Mae King.

I attended school in Greenville, Mississippi and later Arizona Western College in Yuma, Arizona. I am a retired printer and I supervised the printing facility at Oklahoma City Southwestern College in OKC for a while. OCSC was owned by the Pentecostal Holiness Church Headquarters.

Having heard during my childhood that there is a heaven and there is a hell I decided the matter was so important that I better find out what it's all about. Since I would only live this life once, I must surely get it right the first time.

I read the family bible my grandmother kept at home and I read the current Christian commentaries kept at the local library. I read about the great religions of the east and about the cults and other religious variants in our own environment.

I obtained the Greek and Hebrew translations of the bible with the original words defined as to their original meanings. The eternal condition of my soul was so important to me that I explored every available avenue to knowledge about God.

I read and evaluated other people's opinions: I listened daily to radio preachers such as J. Charles Jessup***, who preached over radio station XERF in Via Cuna, Mexico. Early on I knew I would preach God's love but I had to know what I was preaching and how to give an account of why I believed what I believed.

So I set about to learn everything about Him that was available. I'm STILL going about that business. After years of prayer and study of God's word I have reached these opinions you will find expressed here. I make no suggestions or recommendations that you apply MY opinions to YOUR life except the central core of Christianity: That you must be born again to be saved. No other doctrine or any addition to that doctrine is vital to salvation. Jesus is not only the way and the door, but He is the ONLY way and the ONLY door. You can not get saved by "doing" or "not doing" anything. God will only see you righteous by looking through the blood of His Son, Jesus.

James West on salvation

You MUST be born again: Salvation (soteria - deliverance) is a free gift from God to fallen man. It can not be earned, bought or otherwise acquired by any personal merit. It is THE permanent gift from God who loved his creation so much that He gave His Son, Jesus Christ, as propitiation for our sins that we might stand justified in His presence. Read John 3:16 . To accept this great gift from God you must invite Jesus into your heart as your Lord. Your knee must bow (and you WILL bow, either now or later) to the King of kings. When you have sincerely accepted Jesus He will begin a life-long fellowship with you that will sustain, uplift and keep you. He will lead you in the path of His righteousness. You will love His word and keep His commandments. This is called, "being born again."

James West on eternal security

I believe a person can only be "born again" ONE time. The spiritual realm closely parallels the physical and even Nicodemus knew that one can not repeat the birth process. The bible teaches that a child of God CAN chose to abandon his salvation and spend eternity separated from God.

The statement in Hebrews 6:4-6  and other scriptures would be totally irrelevant if one could not fall from a place where he had been. God never usurps your right to "free will." He has provided that nothing in this world is strong enough to separate you from Him.

No sin, no creature, no circumstance has the power to do it, but you can, at any time, exercise your right to choose. God's judgment on His born again children is in the realm of "reward" and does not touch on "salvation." We can no more "keep" ourselves saved by our own righteousness than we could "get" ourselves saved. Else in either case we would not need Jesus.

Just as your decision to follow Jesus brought salvation, Your final decision to abandon Him will end your relationship with Him. You will not stop being His child, you can not become "unborn" but you CAN spend eternity separated from Him.

It is YOUR decision....