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Radical Takeover Pt. 4 – Rome’s Crusade of Genocide in Rwanda

Below is a documentary entitled “In the Name of God”. The film is about Rome’s crusade in Rwanda, which started with Rome’s priests teaching Catholicism to the Tutsis, who were the elite tribe in Rwanda. Rome then made the Tutsis the ruling class of the country. The Tutsis ruled according to the authority, and dictates of Rome’s priests, and bishops. In this way, Catholicism ruled over the country, until the Tutsis tribe liberated themselves from the rule of the Catholic Religion so that they could govern themselves. Rome’s retaliation toward the Tutsis’ rebellion was to convert the Hutus, which were oppressed by the Tutsis, and taught them to commit holy war against the Tutsis by killing everyone in the tribe; men women, and children, and to reestablish Roman Catholic rule over Rwanda; thus making the Hutus the ruling class. This crusade was led by Rome’s bishops, priests, and nuns, and killed more than 800,000 Tutsis over a 3 month period, in which the U.S, and the U.N., did nothing to stop it.

To learn more about this well documented case of genocide by the hands of Rome, click on the links entitled “Innocent Blood“, and “Genocide of the Tutsis – the Role of the Roman Catholic Church“.

The Guardian –

Martin Kimani is deputy director of the Ansari Africa centre at the Atlantic council in Washington DC and associate fellow at the conflict, security and development group at King’s College London. He is presently working on a book on religious belief and genocide in Rwanda

The Guardian –

For Rwandans, the pope’s apology must be unbearable

If you are an Irish Catholic, and have suffered sexual abuse at the hands of a priest, you were recently read a letter from Pope Benedict that tells you: “You have suffered grievously and I am truly sorry. I know that nothing can undo the wrong you have endured. Your trust has been betrayed and your dignity has been violated.”

For any practising Catholic in Rwanda, this letter must be unbearable. For it tells you how little you mean to the Vatican. Fifteen years ago, tens of thousands of Catholics were hacked to death inside churches. Sometimes priests and nuns led the slaughter. Sometimes they did nothing while it progressed. The incidents were not isolated. Nyamata, Ntarama, Nyarubuye, Cyahinda, Nyange, and Saint Famille were just a few of the churches that were sites of massacres.

To you, Catholic survivor of genocide in Rwanda, the Vatican says that those priests, those bishops, those nuns, those archbishops who planned and killed were not acting under the instruction of the church. But moral responsibility changes dramatically if you are a European or US Catholic. To the priests of the Irish church who abused children, the pope has this to say: “You must answer for it before almighty God and before properly constituted tribunals. You have forfeited the esteem of the people of Ireland and brought shame and dishonour upon your confreres.”

The losses of Rwanda had received no such consideration. Some of the nuns and priests who have been convicted by Belgian courts and the International Criminal Tribunal for Rwanda, respectively, enjoyed refuge in Catholic churches in Europe while on the run from prosecutors. One such is Father Athanase Seromba, who led the Nyange parish massacre and was sentenced to 15 years in jail by the tribunal. In April 1994, Seromba helped lure over 2,000 desperate men, women and children to his church, where they expected safety. But their shepherd turned out to be their hunter.

One evening Seromba entered the church and carried away the chalices of communion and other clerical vestments. When a refugee begged that they be left the Eucharist to enable them to at least hold a (final) mass, the priest refused and told them that the building was no longer a church. A witness at the ICTR trial remembered an exchange in which the priest’s mindset was revealed.

One of the refugees asked: “Father, can’t you pray for us?” Seromba replied: “Is the God of the Tutsis still alive?” Later, he would order a bulldozer to push down the church walls on those inside and then urge militias to invade the building and finish off the survivors.

At his trial, Seromba said: “A priest I am and a priest I will remain.” This, apparently, is the truth, since the Vatican has never taken back its statements defending him before his conviction.

In the last century, Catholic bishops have been deeply mired in Rwandan politics with the full knowledge of the Vatican. Take Archbishop Vincent Nsengiyumva. Until 1990, he had served as the chairman of the ruling party’s central committee for almost 15 years, championing the authoritarian government of Juvenal Habyarimana, which orchestrated the murder of almost a million people. Or Archbishop André Perraudin, the most senior representative of Rome in 1950s Rwanda. It was with his collusion and mentorship that the hateful, racist ideology known as Hutu Power was launched – often by priests and seminarians in good standing with the church. One such was Rwanda’s first president, Grégoire Kayibanda, a private secretary and protege of Perraudin, whose political power was unrivalled.

The support for Hutu Power was therefore not unknowing or naive. It was a strategy to maintain the church’s powerful political position in a decolonising Rwanda. The violence of the 1960s led inexorably to the 1994 attempt to exterminate Tutsis. These were violent expressions of a political sphere dominated by contentions that Hutu and Tutsi were separate and opposed racial categories. This, too, is one of the legacies of the Catholic missionary, whose schools and pulpits for decades kept up a drumbeat of false race theories.

This turning away from the Rwandan victims of genocide comes at a time when the Catholic church is increasingly peopled by black and brown believers. It is difficult not to conclude the church’s upper reaches are desperately holding on to a fast-vanishing racial patrimony.

Perhaps it is time Catholics forced the leaders of their church to deal with a history of institutional racism that endures, if the church is truly to live up to its fine words. Apologies are not sufficient, no matter how abject. What is demanded is an acknowledgment of the church’s political power and moral culpability, with all the material and legal implications that come with it.

The silence of the Vatican is contempt. Its failure to fully examine its central place in Rwandan genocide can only mean that it is fully aware that it will not be threatened if it buries its head in the sand. While it knows if it ignores the sexual abuse of European parishioners it will not survive the next few years, it can let those African bodies remain buried, dehumanised and unexamined.

This is a good political strategy. And a moral position whose duplicity and evil has been witnessed and documented. For, it turns out, many people, scholars, governments and institutions inside and outside Rwanda are excavating their own roles in the genocide. The Vatican stands as an exception, its moral place now even lower than that of the government of France for its enduring friendship with genocidaires.

Zechariah 11

15   And the LORD said to me, “Next, take for yourself the implements of a foolish shepherd.
16   For indeed I will raise up a shepherd in the land who will not care for those who are cut off, nor seek the young, nor heal those that are broken, nor feed those that still stand. But he will eat the flesh of the fat and tear their hooves in pieces.
17   ” Woe to the worthless shepherd, Who leaves the flock! A sword shall be against his arm And against his right eye; His arm shall completely wither, And his right eye shall be totally blinded.”

Related articles are listed below:

“Radical Takerover Pt. 3 – Rome’s Extreme Liberal Stance on Gun Control“
“Little Horn Pt. 1“
“Little Horn Pt. 2“

The Catholic Calvinists Pt. 1 – RC Sproul

The minds of modern day Protestants are far removed from the concept, and history, of Protestantism, and, therefore, have a poor understanding of the Protestant Reformation. For this reason, many who call themselves Reformed, or Calvinists, are not able to recognized when major offenses against the faith are being made. For example: many are not aware that the Protestant Reformation was rooted in a breaking away from the Roman Catholic Church by many of its clergy, who realized that their religion was not the gospel of Jesus Christ, and could not lead anyone to salvation. These Roman Catholic clergymen’s eyes were also opened to the fact that Rome, and it’s religious system, which, by that time, was drunk with the blood of the saints, by labeling them as heretics for not submitting to the false doctrines of the Catholic Church, and by torturing and killing many hundreds of thousands of Christians, was Mystery Babylon the Great, which was foretold in Revelation 17:1-1-6, and that it’s king (the popes) is the scarlet beast, which she rides.

This lack of knowledge allows many Calvinists teachers, with Roman Catholic leanings, to commit major errors concerning Christian doctrine. One of which is Dr. RC Sproul, because of his high regard for, and public praise of, Thomas Aquinas. Dr. Sproul’s ministry has described Tomas Aquinas in this way:

Ligonier.Org –

The noted theologian Thomas Aquinas (1225–1274) is our fourth example of faith from church history.

One of the most important contributions that Aquinas made to the church was his teaching on God’s revelation.

We have Aquinas to thank for reminding us that all truth is God’s truth and is therefore both universal and permanent.

These statements by Ligonier Ministries acknowledges Thomas Aquinas as an “example of faith” to Christ’s followers, and a major contributor of church doctrine, whom the church should be thankful for; thus acknowledging him as a fellow brother in Christ.

But, are these statements true?

Is Thomas Aquinas an example of faith to Christ’s followers?

Is he a fellow believer, whom the church should be thankful for?

This is who Thomas Aquinas is:

Wikipedia.Org –

Thomas of Aquin or Aquino, was an Italian Dominican priest, and an immensely influential philosopher and theologian in the tradition of scholasticism, within which he is also known as the “Dumb Ox”, “Angelic Doctor”, “Doctor Communis“, and “Doctor Universalis“.

Thomas is held in the Roman Catholic Church to be the model teacher for those studying for the priesthood, and indeed the highest expression of both natural reason and speculative theology. The study of his works, according to papal and magisterial documents, is a core of the required program of study for those seeking ordination as priests or deacons, as well as for those in religious formation and for other students of the sacred disciplines (Catholic philosophy, theology, history, liturgy, and canon law).

Pope Benedict XV declared: “This (Dominican) Order … acquired new luster when the Church declared the teaching of Thomas to be her own and that Doctor, honored with the special praises of the Pontiffs, the master and patron of Catholic schools.”

Thomas Aquinas was not a follower of Christ. Instead, he was a Roman Catholic, who served as a Dominican priest during the Great Inquisition, which was lead by the Dominican Order during the 13th century in which Aquinas lived.

Wickipedia.Org –

In the 13th century, Pope Gregory IX (reigned 1227–1241) assigned the duty of carrying out inquisitions to the Dominican Order. They used inquisitorial procedures, a legal practice common at that time. They judged heresy alone, using the local authorities to establish a tribunal and to prosecute heretics. After 1200, a Grand Inquisitor headed each Inquisition. Grand Inquisitions persisted until the mid 19th century.

Therefore, Tomas Aquinas was not an example of godliness, nor was he a man of faith. Instead, he was a champion of a false religion that was, during his lifetime, persecuting masses of Christians.

To understand the major heretical views of Tomas Aquinas, one only has to read his contribution to the Roman Catholic Catechism.

Vatican.Va –

460 The Word became flesh to make us “partakers of the divine nature“:⁷⁸ “For this is why the Word became man, and the Son of God became the Son of man: so that man, by entering into communion with the Word and thus receiving divine sonship, might become a son of God.”⁷⁹ “For the Son of God became man so that we might become God.”⁸⁰ “The only-begotten Son of God, wanting to make us sharers in his divinity, assumed our nature, so that he, made man, might make men gods.”⁸¹

Nevertheless, Dr. Sproul has been able to teach on the life, and teachings of, Thomas Aquinas without being rebuked for doing so. Furthermore, he does not hide the fact that Aquinas is a Dominican, when he includes Aquinas in his list of great theologians of the Christian faith. On the contrary, Sproul’s audience knows Aquinas’ membership in the order, because he taught it to them. Dr. Sproul simply doesn’t mention that Aquinas is a heretic, because he taught a different gospel, and served in the very religion that Martin Luther, whom Sproul also knowledges as a great theologian, proclaimed to be Mystery Babylon the Great. Sproul does not mention the fact that Aquinas worked, throughout his life, for the antichrist, who was murdering Christians by the masses.

The following link is a lecture by Dr. Sproul, entitled “Lecture 3, Thomas Aquinas (Part 1):” that further reveals his love for Aquinas, the heretic.

Dr. Sproul’s zealous support of Thomas Aquinas has subtly taught Christians to think highly of, and praise, heretics. It has also helped to further weaken all that was gained by the Protestant Reformation, because the acknowledgment of Roman Catholic theologians breaks down the wall of separation between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism, which was built up by the Protestant Reformers.

Another offense of Sproul is his endorsement of a Bible translation (ESV; The Reformation Study Bible), which is based on a corrupt text that has various passages of Scripture missing (Codex Sinaiticus), and it is a rejection of the received text (Textus Receptus), which the Protestant Reformers used for the Protestant Reformation. Accepting this corrupt text, which was also endorsed by Rome, and encouraging others to do the same, is a direct attack on the innerancy of Scripture, and including the ESV translation in the “Reformation Study Bible” is a sad insult to the Reformers, the church, and Christ himself, who is the word of God (John 1:1). Hopefully, this last offense of Dr. Sproul was committed in ignorance. For more information on this textual controversy, click on the link entitled “War on Consciousness Pt. 25 – The True Bible – Textus Receptus vs Codex Sinaiticus“.

The public praise of Aquinas by Dr. Sproul, which he has done for years, reveals the ignorance of many of his followers, and the lack of concern for the purity of the gospel on the part of those who are aware of Sproul’s offense, yet still insist on promoting Dr. Sproul’s ministry, and on calling themselves Reformed. This ignorance, and apathy reveals the deadness of the Reformation, and its replacement, which is a counterfeit that is more consistent with Rome’s Counter Reformation.

Related articles are listed below:

Worldview Weekend’s Commentary on “Passion 2013”

Worldview Weekend.Com –

Jesus Culture and Judah Smith to Join Piper, Moore, Chan and Others at Giglio’s Passion 2013

A new year means a fresh batch of conferences. And a fresh batch of conferences means a whole new crop of questionable decisions being made by the leaders and organizers of those gatherings.

To start off the 2013 conference season is Louie Giglio’s Passion 2013. Held at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta, it will run from 1–4 January. Giglio aims this gathering specifically at young people, and according to the event’s website, last year saw “more than 40,000 students and leaders from around the world” at the US event. Today The Christian Postreports that 60,000 students are scheduled to attend this week’s event.

Source

Passion targets the younger generation with such high-profile names as Beth Moore, John Piper, Francis Chan, rapper Lecrae and this year, pastor Judah Smith of The City Church in Seattle and popular Christian band, Jesus Culture.

Who Is Judah Smith?

Judah Smith has been profiled briefly here before when, in May of this year, Smith invited Word Faith teacher Brian Houston of Hillsong Church (who, incidentally, just preached weekend services at Rick Warren’s Saddleback Church) to preach at The City Church. Oddly enough, New Calvinist pastor Mark Driscoll was excited about the invitation, even encouraging his Twitter followers to attend.

Judah Smith co-pastors his church with his wife, Chelsea, making the Reformed Driscoll’s endorsement even more perplexing. The presence of a pastrix at The City Church ought not surprise, though, when it is considered that this church was founded by Judah’s parents, pastor Wendell and pastrix Gini Smith:

Source

The reader will note that, in the screenshot above, it states that Wendell and Gini Smith originally served under Dick Iverson at Bible Temple in Portland. According to C. Peter Wagner’s book Apostles Today: Biblical Government for Biblical Power, Iverson was the “founder of one of America’s foremost apostolic networks, Ministers Fellowship International, out of Portland, Oregon.” So it sounds as though The City Church has some rather colorful roots.

Who Is Jesus Culture?

Speaking of colorful, this leads to the concerning inclusion by Louie Giglio of the “Christian” music group, Jesus Culture. The group’s website tells us that it was spawned out of the youth group at Bill Johnson’s Bethel Church in Redding, California. For those who are unfamiliar with Johnson and Bethel, the following video shares some of the “signs and wonders” shenanigans that take place there, and also demonstrates some classic Bill Johnson Scripture-twisting:

Now, one could camp for quite awhile on some of the statements made by Johnson in that video, but since Johnson is not under discussion here, we’ll move on. The point is, of course, that this is the church that birthed the Jesus Culture phenomenon.

The entirety of Jesus Culture’s “About Us” page warrants a close examination, and will aid in understanding why Christians should be concerned that this band is being mainstreamed by men like Louie Giglio:

Source

The choice of words in the paragraphs above is curiously alarming. The language surrounding a “new breed of revivalists” emerging is of particular interest, as such vocabulary is prominent within the New Apostolic Reformation movement.

Note also that the group claims direct revelation and instruction from the Lord Himself.

The members of Jesus Culture claim that the Lord spoke to them, revealing the characteristics of their movement (which noticeably does not include repentance or sanctification, only love and supernatural experience), commissioning them to “mobilize this new breed,” and in so doing issued a mandate to Jesus Culture that cannot be ignored. Taking this to its logical conclusion, then, to question the actions or words of Jesus Culture and its members is to question God Himself.

Examination of this website further reveals that the goal of this group is to lead people into an experience or an “encounter” with God. It seems that truth may be cast aside in favor of temporary and potentially deceiving experiences.

The Music of Jesus Culture

It behooves us, then, to see just how it is that the music of Jesus Culture may lull the professing Christian teenager into a so-called “encounter” with God. Below you will witness the group leading the crowd in a repetitive mantra, followed by some singing and what appears to be tongues-speaking. The clip will close with band member Kim Walker-Smith breaking into spontaneous prayer and declaration.

The repetition of the mantra “Jesus” at the beginning of the clip, while appearing to be spiritual, actually potentially could lead a person into an altered state of consciousness. Contemplative prayer, which is little more than a “Christianized” version of Eastern meditation, often encourages such a practice, as one seeks to journey inward to discover the “divine spark” within oneself. Yet, Scripture nowhere teaches this type of praise or prayer, but rather condemns the practices of pagan religions.

Also of note in the clip above is the apparent spontaneous breakout into tongues at approximately 2:30, following the singing of the line, “Heaven beckons to me.” The fact that these were nothing more than gibberish and were not a known language, as per the biblical definition of ‘tongues,’ ought to cause concern as well.

In watching and listening to Jesus Culture, it does not take long to realize that the focus of their music and teaching is all about an experience of “God’s love.” Yet, without acknowledging the righteous wrath of God, His love can never fully be understood or appreciated. Unfortunately, a warm-fuzzy feeling up and down one’s spine does not a true Christian make.

The “Teaching” of Jesus Culture

Jesus Culture does more than simply play music, however. It seems that, at times, various members of the group also may preach or teach. Below is Jesus Culture member Kim Walker-Smith preaching to a large crowd at the Awakening 2011 event, and offering a rather detailed account of her own personal encounter with “Jesus.” This video is a bit lengthy, but the reader is urged to watch it in its entirety.

Kim Walker-Smith claims that she spoke with Jesus, that He cuddled her, and that she saw God the Father. And while she acknowledges that such visions are not regular occurrences, she nevertheless indicates that she’s had multiple encounters with Him. One wonders how many people sitting amongst that large crowd left disappointed that night that they had not “encountered” Jesus as Kim Walker-Smith claimed that she had. Walker-Smith’s recollection of the vision is natural, and seems to presume that everyone should experience such a thing. Yet, when face to face with God Almighty, how did Isaiah react?

In the year that King Uzziah died I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up; and the train of his robe filled the temple. Above him stood the seraphim. Each had six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. And one called to another and said:

“Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!”

And the foundations of the thresholds shook at the voice of him who called, and the house was filled with smoke. And I said: “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts!” (Isaiah 6:1–5)

And Ezekiel?

And above the expanse over their heads there was the likeness of a throne, in appearance like sapphire; and seated above the likeness of a throne was a likeness with a human appearance. And upward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were gleaming metal, like the appearance of fire enclosed all around. And downward from what had the appearance of his waist I saw as it were the appearance of fire, and there was brightness around him. Like the appearance of the bow that is in the cloud on the day of rain, so was the appearance of the brightness all around. Such was the appearance of the likeness of the glory of the LORD. And when I saw it, I fell on my face…(Ezekiel 1:26–28)Moses, who we are told spoke to the Lord as a man speaks to a friend (Exodus 33:11), was not even allowed to see Him in all of His glory!

Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The LORD.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” And the LORD said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.” (Exodus 33:18–23)Not one of these men, after a brief moment of awestruck fear, “fell into Jesus’ arms” as Walker-Smith claims that she did. Not one describes God the Father running around deliriously and laughing while Isaiah or Ezekiel danced around in a music box. So to Kim Walker-Smith’s claims above that she has spoken personally with Jesus Christ and God the Father, I would like to offer this challenge: Prove it. And while you’re at it, disprove this: God just spoke to me and told me that you are lying, Kim Walker-Smith. Don’t believe me? Well, who is to say that your experience was real and mine was not?

Christian, herein lies the grave danger of such claims of personal revelation and visitations from God. They cannot be proven and they are not Scriptural. If they are to be found in Scripture, they appear to be more indicative of the deceptive angel of light (2 Cor. 11:14–15) than anything else.

Parents, if your teenager is attending Passion 2013 this week, this is the type of so-called Christian leaders to whom they are being exposed. This is the type of music that will bombard their eardrums during these four days. If your impressionable teen is wandering in the crowd of Passion 2013, it is my prayer that you will pray mightily for his or her protection.

What Happened at Passion 2012?

As a reminder, last year’s Passion Conference saw the featured speakers lead the humongous crowd in a troubling display of “Lectio Divina-lite.” In the post, “Biblical Silence vs. Mystical Silence and What Really Went On at Passion 2012?” the topics of contemplative prayer and lectio divina were discussed more thoroughly. The following videos of Session 5 of the Passion 2012 conference also were shared in that article.

Here is popular New Calvinist preacher John Piper:

Here we see the SBC’s favorite female Bible teacher, Beth Moore:

And here is Passion founder Louie Giglio closing this session:

Of special note are the words spoken by Giglio at the close of this exercise:

How many of you heard the voice of God speak specifically, clearly, directly, and personally, to you? Can you just put a hand up? I’d like you to share it. Can you put a hand up for a minute?

Just want you to look around; that’s people saying, “God Almighty (pause) the Maker of heaven (pause) the one Who’s sitting on the only throne (pause) that’s not under threat (long pause, audience cheers)—He spoke to me. He spoke to me.”

“God spoke to me.” (long pause) Don’t let the voice of the darkness, tell you that you are not (pause) worth (pause) that God would not speak to you. (pause) Don’t let him tell you, you don’t matter. (pause) God spoke to you.

As was asked in last year’s reporting of this event: When did Protestant leaders begin to teach that we need the Bible “plus” anything? God has spoken. He has graciously, clearly, and perfectly spoken in His Word. We have no need to be still and wait for His audible voice outside of Scripture. He has not stuttered. He has not stammered. He has not whispered. If you want to hear from God Almighty, open your Bible and read.

Until Passion 2013 commences, there is no way to know if a similar exercise will be practiced again. A live stream of the event will be provided, and those who are concerned may want to take the time to watch some of the sessions.

Conclusion

It is important to note that this article is not attempting to throw anyone under the guilt-by-association bus. No one is saying that, because one of these individuals will be sharing the stage with another that they necessarily endorse that other person’s ministry. Of course, that does not speak to the wisdom of certain speakers choosing to participate in this event. What must be acknowledged, however, is that simply by extending an invitation to these individuals, Passion founder Louie Giglio is issuing an apparent endorsement of each one’s ministry. For those who maintain that Giglio is a conservative and trusted teacher, this poses a rather complicated problem.

Evangelicalism appears to be taking broader strides toward the wide road of destruction. Compromise is rampant as numbers take priority over fidelity to Scripture. These are not small issues, dear Christian. What we are witnessing is the mainstreaming of movements that once existed only on the fringe of the “Christian” community, such as Word Faith and dangerous, deceptive “charismatic chaos.” In the face of the visible church’s compromise, the true Christian must stand on God’s Word alone. To ground oneself upon anything else is to guarantee a certain, perhaps eternal, collapse.

Related articles are listed below:

2013: The Year of Unmasking Truth; The New Real Talk Radio Show

Join us as we kick of the new year with a fantastic show! We will recap all of the important events of 2012 from the election to hurricane Sandy along with other events. We will also kick off a three month show in our new “Unmasking” series by taking a look at what makes up a cult and how we should deal with them biblically. We’ll be joined by our very own master blogger Brian “The Doulos” Feaster of the Urban Truth Network blog sharing his insights from the word of God and his unique perspective. As always Double “L” will bring her wit and snappy humor to the table as we discuss the important issues of the day from a biblical perspective. The “LIVE” chat room and phone lines will be open for you to express your views on any topic. Come join us!

To listen to the show, click on the link entitled “Unmasking Truth: The Christian Cults Yesterday and Today“.

Related article: “The New Real Talk Radio Show“

The New Christianity Pt. 12 – Alice Bailey & The Christian World Servers

WorldServerFoundation.Org –

Vision and Mission

Our vision

Our vision is a world where collaboration and co-operation are recognised as essential in solving the contemporary challenges – social, economic, political and environmental – facing the global community.

Mission statement

The mission of the World Servers Foundation is to highlight and facilitate the positive work of others and to promote and cultivate the inherent ability within all human beings to bring about positive change.

We believe that co-operation and collaboration are vital next steps in human history and that these will be essential features of our longer-term survival.

On a daily basis we will contribute to a more stable and co-operative world community through:

Education and Encouragement – Providing courses and retreats for people who are in a position to influence, motivate and educate others. These courses and retreats will provide a forum for fresh perspectives on the nature of education and human development and will help key decision makers and educators bring about positive change within their respective fields and to leverage this position for wider impact.

Providing a platform for global discussion and debate that enables individuals and organisations at all levels, in every country, to tell their story, express their feelings, highlight key issues and showcase work in all areas related to positive change.

Using the media and the power of the internet as a collaborative educational platform.

Creativity and Connection – Network building: locating, connecting and communicating the initiatives worldwide which are serving the good of their communities and providing ways for others to be involved and further this work.

To identify and connect groups and individuals in areas such as education, science, the arts, business, charity and politics who are aligned with this vision and mission, making their service more visible and tangible.

To provide platforms for practical expression, action, creativity, discussion and collaboration.

Neutrality – To maintain religious, social and political neutrality, free from the influence of any particular country, organisation or group.

This mission stems from our desire to make visible the power of the human spirit and goodwill by highlighting those thoughts and actions that go beyond individual interests and serve the good of the whole.Through this work we aim to educate and encourage others and therefore increase the pace and volume of positive change around the world to meet our core vision.

Continue Reading…

The herald of the “world servers” was occultist, Alice Bailey, who was the founder of Lucis Trust, which was originally founded as Lucifer Trust in the early 1920’s. Bailey was a Luciferian, a the herald of the New Age, and she wrote extensively about the coming new world order, and its “world servers”. She described the world servers in the following:

Lucis Trust –

The “world servers” are people who seek to serve the good of the whole, share the same consciousness, carries out every activity which forwards, and fosters, good will and right relations. They seek to be harmless, constructive, and inclusive, in their thinking, and in their actions. World servers are active in all fields of life, and all countries. They are laying the foundations for right relations, and world unity. The new group of world servers is a living organization. It is not an organization. It has no headquarters, or official representatives. Every person, in every country, who is living a life of service to the good of the whole, is a member of the group. Every man, and woman, in every country, who is working to heal the breeches between people, to evoke a sense of brotherhood, to foster a sense of mutual interrelation, and interdependence, and who sees no racial, national, nor religious barriers, are part of the new group of world servers, even if they never heard of it by name. Members of the group are active in all branches of human enterprise. They include creative workers, psychologists, teachers, scientists, political workers, religious workers, business people, financiers, labor & management, environmentalists, and human rights workers.

For more information on Alice Bailey’s description of the “world servers”, click on the link entitled “The New Group of World Servers“.

Tony Blair, who is a member of the Fabian Society has established the Tony Blair Faith Foundation, which includes Pastor of Saddleback Church, and author of “The purpose Driven Life”, Rick Warren, as one of the members of its religious advisory council. Rick Warren has been highly involved in working for world peace & security by his humanitarian work in countries around the world through church planting, and has even signed a document which affirms the Universalist’s claim that the God of Christians and the god of Islam is the same god, who they both serve for the sake of world peace, called “A Christian Response to ‘A Common Word between Us and You’“. According to the statement below, the Tony Blair Faith Foundation is geared toward the same agenda as Alice Bailey’s “world servers”, by using religion as a tool to secure, and sustain, world peace.

The Tony Blair Faith Foundation –

The Tony Blair Faith Foundation promotes understanding and respect between the world’s major religions. We believe this is central to a policy to secure sustained peace.

The world continues to become increasingly interconnected. Old boundaries of culture and identity are being eroded. However, faith has remained at the core of life for billions of people. It underpins systems of thought and behaviour.

Faith can be used to unite people around a common cause. But too often, faith can also be distorted and used to fan the flames of hatred and extremism.

The Tony Blair Faith Foundation supports and collaborates with those who seek peace. We educate and develop understanding about religion in the modern world by promoting leadership, literacy and lives.

Leadership: we seek to ensure that current and future leaders understand the role religion plays in the modern, globalising world.

Literacy: we educate and support young people to help them become global citizens.

Lives: we help religious communities in 140+ countries work together to save lives.

We do this through three innovative programmes Faith and Globalisation Initiative, Faiths Act, and Face to Faith.

The Christian “world servers” can be seen in world-wide church planting initiatives that seeks spiritual, social, and cultural transformation of entire cities and regions, which is not evangelism, but the changing of various people’s world views for the purpose of uniting the church with the secular communities of the world. Below is an example of global church planting of Christians, who’s, ecumenical, dominionist’s agenda, reflects the agenda of the “world servers”.

Global Church Advancement –

This GCA Church Planting and Renewal Conference is an inter-denominational training event designed to equip church planters, pastors, and lay-leaders to start, grow and multiply healthy, gospel-centered churches that result in the spiritual, social and cultural transformation of entire cities and regions.

Christian leaders from more than 50 countries, representing over 300 denominations and mission agencies, have taken this church planter training.

Our Plan –

In order to best accomplish our strategy, GCA has designed a tactical plan to equip church leaders to start, grow and multiply Gospel-Centered Churches that intentionally form Church Planting Networks and Alliances that will, by God’s grace, birth Church Planting Movements and Gospel Renewal Movements. This is the strategy through which we pray that God’s invisible Kingdom will be made visible among all nations—resulting in the fulfillment of the Great Commission (Matt. 28:16-20). This plan includes starting, growing and multiplying:

Churches

A Gospel-Centered Church focuses its ministries primarily on: 1) Evangelism (good news for the lost), 2) discipleship (good news for the found), and 3) societal transformation (good news for the community). A Gospel-Centered Church shares a Kingdom vision for the spiritual, social and cultural renewal of its community, region, nation and the world through starting, growing and multiplying churches by the power of the gospel in word and deed. The plan is not merely to start Gospel Centered Churches but also Church Planting Networks.

Timothy Keller, Pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church, who also teaches this false gospel of cultural renewal, described his approach to proclaiming the gospel of cultural transformation below, which also reflects the agenda of the world servers, but on a city-wide scale, instead of nation wide.

ChristianityToday.Com –

First, that Christ changes the way we use wealth and power. Our understanding of work must reflect what Robert Bellah (from his book, Habits of the Heart) describes as a contribution to the common good. Along this line, I’d express a desire to populate the city with people who embody this vision. I’d want to see an explosion of philanthropy, in which we don’t spend money on ourselves, but instead cooperate with others who want to make the city a desirable place to live. Much like Wilberforce did in the early part of 19th-century England, we would pursue healing and redemption.

Second, I would address artists and thought-leaders, emphasizing that Christians have a positive outlook for the future over and against the dystopian pessimism that so often characterizes evangelicals. We are not naïve about suffering and evil, but we have a long term hope for society that can seize an ordinary life.

Third, we’d like to encourage growing civility and true pluralism in our society, that is, to counteract anger and contribute to the creation of an atmosphere of mutual respect among people of differing beliefs.

What makes the Christian “world servers” different from the secular “world servers” is their traditional views on morality, such as their opposition to same sex marriage, and abortion. Nevertheless, each younger generation becomes more liberal, due to the culture’s secular education, the influence of the secular media, mainstream arts & entertainment, and the growing liberal Christianity. The result of the growth in liberal Christian views will cause the true followers of Christ, who strictly adhere to Scripture, and separate themselves from the world’s herd mentality, to seem like a strange fringe group among Christians, who are out of touch with, what the world is now learning to believe is, Christ’s work of redemption, and Christian love, peace, unity, humility, and godliness. But this false Christianity cannot put out the light of the gospel. Instead, it will only cause its proclamation to shine brighter by way of the church’s love for one another, and through the boldness of their preaching in the midst of persecution.

Matthew 5

10   Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11   Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12   Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
13   Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men.
14   Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.
15   Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house.
16   Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven.

John 13

34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.

Matthew 10

34   Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword.
35   For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.
36   And a man’s foes shall be they of his own household.
37   He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
38   And he that taketh not his cross, and followeth after me, is not worthy of me.
39   He that findeth his life shall lose it: and he that loseth his life for my sake shall find it.

2Thessalonians 1

3   We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is meet, because that your faith groweth exceedingly, and the charity of every one of you all toward each other aboundeth;
4   So that we ourselves glory in you in the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that ye endure:
5   Which is a manifest token of the righteous judgment of God, that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer:
6   Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;
7   And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
8   In flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ:
9   Who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power;
10   When he shall come to be glorified in his saints, and to be admired in all them that believe (because our testimony among you was believed) in that day.
11   Wherefore also we pray always for you, that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfil all the good pleasure of his goodness, and the work of faith with power:
12   That the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and ye in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

1Thessalonians 5

1   But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you.
2   For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
3   For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
4   But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5   Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
6   Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
7   For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night.
8   But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation.
9   For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ,
10   Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him.
11   Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.

John 16

1   These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.
2   They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.
3   And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.
4   But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.
33   These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

1John 5

1   Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him.
2   By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
3   For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.
4   For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.
5   Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
6   This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth.
18   We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not.
19   And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
20   And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.

Revelation 1

7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

Revelation 2

24 I will put upon you none other burden.
25   But that which ye have already hold fast till I come.
26   And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations:
27   And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.
28   And I will give him the morning star.
29   He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Revelation 22

11   He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still.
12   And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
13   I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
14   Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
15   For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
16   I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
17   And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
20   He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
21   The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.

Related articles are listed below:

The New Christianity Pt. 11 – Commentary by Ken Silva on the Modern Church

SAIDRadio.Net –

Today we were blessed to interview Ken Silva of Apprising Ministries and Pastor of Conneticut River Baptist Church Claremont, New Hampshire. Today Ken will give us some background on how Apprising Ministries got started, comment on modern day christian worship, the emergent church’s impact on today’s church, the connection b/w the word faith / seeker driven movement among many other topics. We hope you are blessed, let’s listen in.

Click here to listen or right click to save an mp3 of our interview:

http://ccodtruth.org/InterviewSAIDRadioKenSilva.mp3

Ken’s Website:
www.apprising.org

Book Review #4 – Beth Moore’s “The Beloved Disciple”

Beth Moore’s book, “The Beloved Disciple”, is up for review due to her many claims of “God spoke to me“. These claims need to be examined due to the fact that when God gives commands to his church, it is authoritatively binding for the whole church, and equal with Scripture (2Peter 1:19-21, James 1:21-25). However, if God has not spoken to a person, who claims that God did speak to them, and told them to give commands to his church, then that person is guilty of taking the Lord’s name in vain by adding to the words of God to his church.

Exodus 20

7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Proverbs 30

5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

The Beloved Disciple , Pg. 220

Beloved, I am convinced one of our severest needs is pure rest. Not only sleep, but refreshment and recreation. Recently God spoke to me about capturing what He and I are calling “Sabbath moments.” Like many of yours, my schedule right now is particularly tough, and I see no time in the near future for a number of days off. God spoke to my heart one Saturday morning while I was preparing for Sunday school: “My child, in between more intense rests, I want to teach you to take Sabbath moments.” I wasn’t certain what He meant. Just that morning God confirmed His desire for me to drive all the way to the other side of Houston to the medical center to visit a patient with brain cancer. I was very thankful for the privilege of visiting this patient, but I knew in advance it would be tough emotionally and far from restful.

I fought the traffic across Houston, then visited with my new friend and her husband while choking back the tears. They have two young sons, and unless God performs a miracle, their mother will go home to be with the Lord before they are grown. I got in my car and prayed. I pulled out of the parking garage, fighting the tears. A few blocks later as if on autopilot, I turned my steering wheel straight into the parking lot of the Houston Zoo!

Christ seemed to say, “Let’s go play.” And that we did. I hadn’t been to the zoo in years. I heard about all the improvements, but I never expected the ultimate: Starbucks coffee! (OK, so I don’t have all my health issues down pat.) Can you imagine watching a baby koala take a nap in a tree on a rare cold day in Houston with a Starbucks grande cappuccino in your hand? Now that’s a Sabbath moment! God and I had a blast.

Beth Moore’s god cannot be recognized as the God of Scripture, since nowhere in Scripture has the God of glory ever invited his servants to “go with him to play” (Psalm 29:3, Acts 7:2-3). Instead, he invites his people to delight themselves in him, which is done, not by focusing on the earthly affairs, and pleasures of this life, such as going to Starbucks, and enjoying a cup of cappuccino (1John 2:15-17, Jude 1:16-19). God’s instruction, from Scripture, is to delight one’s self in the Lord, by meditating on him, his word, his goodness, his loving kindness, his work of redemption…etc. which are Heavenly blessings, and not superficial, and earthly, as Beth Moore’s god is (Psalm 1:2-3, Psalm 34:8, Psalm 37:4, Psalm 118:1, Psalm 119:13-20, Romans 11:33-36, Ephesians 1:3, Ephesians 5:18-20, Colossians 15:17). God has given all things under Heaven for man’s enjoyment, but delighting oneself in the Lord should not be confused with earthly pleasures. Scripture does not direct the church to focus on delighting themselves in regular earthly pleasures, but on things that are above (Colossians 3:2).

Furthermore, Christ’s commands to his church must come from the Bible, because “The Lord spoke to me…” is a breeding ground for heresy, and it is the foundation which cult leaders build on to take, from the church, a following after themselves. Therefore, to allow the church to be in the habit of listening to teachers who frequently make the claim of God speaking to them, and giving them commands for his church, which cannot be found in the Bible, is to tear down the wall of defense for the church that would have protected Christ’s sheep from deceivers, who cause divisions and offenses contrary to the gospel, and do not serve the Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple (Romans 16:17-19). This is made evident by Beth Moore’s “vision of the church“, and her “acknowledgment of Roman Catholicism as just another Christian denomination“.

Therefore, teachers like Beth Moore must be marked, and avoided. This means that their books should not be read, and they must not be welcomed into the church as believers, because their authoritative commands, which, they claim, were given by divine revelation from God, cannot be affirmed by Scripture (2John 1:8-11).

Christ gave his Apostles, and prophets, to the church for the purpose of building up his church in their knowledge of the gospel, until the New Testament was written by them. Now that the church has the New Testament, it no longer needs the presents of Apostles, and prophets. Nor does the church need the constant claims of God giving people visions, and extra-Biblical messages, because Scripture alone is sufficient to make the church wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus, and it was given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, so that the church may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. (2Timothy 3:15-17). This is why it is said “whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away. When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known” (1Corinthians 13:8-12). Therefore, the need for tongues, prophecy, and words of knowledge, were present because the church was still immature in it’s development. Now that the church has God’s written word, which is the mirror of the perfect law of liberty, they only need Scripture to instruct them in Christian living. The written word of God is the more reliable word of prophecy, because “no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (2Peter 1:19-21).

Ephesians 4

11   And he gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers;
12   For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:
13   Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:
14   That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
15   But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, even Christ

Romans 16

17   Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them.
18   For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple.
19   For your obedience is come abroad unto all men. I am glad therefore on your behalf: but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good, and simple concerning evil.

Matthew 7

18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Related articles are listed below:

Test All Things Pt. 4 – Being “Missional”

Is the Jesus of incarnational ministry the same as the Jesus that is presented in Scripture?

This question must be asked in light of the new movement in evangelicalism, known as being “missional” and “incarnational”. Many Reformed Theology adherents are following this movement with zeal, and are even learning about it in seminaries, such as Westminster Theological Seminary. Incarnational ministry is built upon the, Pelagian, “substitutionary theory” of Christ’s Atonement, which claims that Christ came into the world to give mankind a moral example of how to live. Although this is being taught in Reformed Seminaries, it is not being taught to the exclusion of the, Reformed, “vicarious substitutionary” view of the Atonement, which rightly claims that Christ came into the world to pay the penalty for the sins of mankind (Romans 3:21-26, Romans 5:18-19) . Therefore, two doctrines are being merged as one within the minds of many new Calvinists.

This merging of the two views of Christ’s Atonement is the basis for incarnational ministry, which is an attempt to follow Christ’s example of being a humanitarian, for the purpose of evangelism, and, for some, bringing about the kingdom of God on earth, as though the church age is the thousand year reign of Christ on earth. This movement holds a promise of a better world, which will be brought about through the good works of one’s own hands, for many who follow it. This better world is to be realized by taking on the social problems of the world as though the church has been empowered by Christ to put an end to the affects of sin, such as poverty, war, and tyranny (Revelation 6:1-6). This is why many new Calvinists claim to be on a mission of reclaiming the culture, and even creation itself. Many have even taken the focus off of evangelism, and have, instead, began teaching the Jesus came to reconcile all creation to himself, and therefore, he has reconciled his church to creation. They are also teaching that God made mankind to be creators, just as God is a creator. This belief that the church will bring about the redemption of all things is consistent with the 1679 “Prophecy of the Coming Kingdom“ by the Christian mystic, Jane Lead, minus the conversion of the world through signs, and wonders, but it is inconsistent with the teachings of Scripture.

In order to believe that the church is able to bring about a better world, certain Biblical truths must be ignored, misinterpreted, and even completely thrust aside. One of those truths is Revelation 12, which teaches that Satan has been cast down to the earth, and is full of wrath, because he knows that he only has a short time to persecute Christians. Also, 2Corinthians 4:4 teaches that Satan is the ruler of this world. Daniel 12, Revelation 13, 19 and 20, shows that Christians will endure persecution, and murder, until Christ returns, and destroys this present world’s system, and sets up his own kingdom, which is the kingdom of Heaven come down to earth. These passages, and many others, prove that Christ did not send his church to reclaim, or to transformed, the culture, because it is Satan’s territory. Jesus’ return to earth, and nothing else, will transform this world.

Christ’s incarnation was not centered on humanitarianism, but saving lost souls from eternal punishment, and reconciling them to God. Jesus clearly affirms this when he said “…the Son of man is come to seek and to save that which was lost”, and “…as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved” (Luke 19:10, John 3:14-17). Also, Christ’s ministry of preaching the gospel for the saving of the lost was the same ministry that he gave to his Apostles. That is why Jesus said “Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:
And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things. And, behold, I send the promise of my Father upon you: but tarry ye in the city of Jerusalem, until ye be endued with power from on high”, “…and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Luke 24:46-49, Acts 1:8). That is why Paul said, “all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2Corinthians 5:18-21).

Therefore, the Jesus of incarnational ministry, who came into the world to empower his church to teach the world how to be good people, is not the Jesus of the Bible. The real Jesus is the Savior of the world, and not a humanitarian. To merge two different teachings of who Jesus is, by teaching both the Pelagian and the vicarious substitutionary view of the Atonement, is to create a different god – a false God. According to the Apostle John, those who try to change the teachings of who Christ is, is an antichrist (1John 4:1-3).

The proof that the missional movement is not from Christ can also be found in the actions of the movement. For example: the movement is not centered on evangelism, and discipleship, but embracing the non-believing communities of the world as though it were the church; thus blurring the lines between those who are the family of God, and those who are not. This is also reinforced by applying certain passages of Scripture that only apply to the church to everyone in the community in which a local church is planted in, such as the following passage:

Matthew 25

31   When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory:
32   And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:
33   And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left.
34   Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:
35   For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in:
36   Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me.
37   Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink?
38   When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee?
39   Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
40   And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.
41   Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels:
42   For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink:
43   I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not.
44   Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee?
45   Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me.
46   And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

This passage is used to support the social efforts of the missional movement, when it is really addressing Christ command to his church to love one another, by saying “Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me”, and “Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me” (Matthew 25:40 & 45). The world is not Christ’s brethren, but the church is. Incarnational ministry ignores that important detail.

Some have also used the Apostles’ charge to Paul to remember the poor, which Paul was also eager to do (Galatians 2:10). But Paul’s ministry to the poor did not reflect the missional movement, because the book of Acts, as well as, Paul’s epistles, did not mention Paul caring for the poor people of the unbelieving world. Instead, what is mentioned in 2Corinthians 8 is Paul’s collection of the gifts of the Gentile churches for the relief of the poor believers in Jerusalem, which began in Acts 11:19-20, because of a great famine that impoverished Judea. No where in Scripture has Paul reflected the work of the missional movement.

Is it wrong to meet the needs of the poor?

It is wrong to call humanitarian work “the work of God”, because believing in Jesus is the work of God in the world (John 6:26-29). To call something else that Scripture does not acknowledge as “the work of God” for the church, is to take the Lord’s name in vain, and God will not hold such a person, or movement, guiltless who does this, because it is contrary to the will of Christ (Exodus 20:7, Luke 12:47-48).

Nevertheless, it is not wrong to meet the needs of the poor “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself” (Galatians 5:14). Therefore, it is not wrong to meet the needs of poor unbelievers, but it is wrong to call this act the work of Christ’s church, or incarnational minsitry, or being missional.

It is by the church’s love for one another that the world will know that they belong to God, because they love one another just as Christ loved them (John 13:34-35). This is one of the ways that the church allows their light to shine, so that men will see their good deeds, and glorify their Father in Heaven (Matthew 5:14-16). This love for other believers is the light of the church that has been recorded in Scripture in passages such as Acts 2:42-47, Acts 4:32-37, and Acts 6:1-6). Furthermore, this kind of love was also taught by the Apostles in passages such as Romans 12:4-16, Romans 15:1-7, 1Corinthians 13, Philippians 2:1-8, James 2:14-16, 1John 3:16-19.

Therefore, the missional movement would do well to redirect its focus from the world, and onto loving the church just as Christ loved his church. A movement such as that could indeed be supported by Scripture, but the social efforts of incarnational ministry, which is nothing more than the social gospel, is the work of a different religion. This work will only serve to cause people to hope in an earth-based/works-based salvation. Such a movement is not the work of God, but it is more consistent with the ministry of white-wash, which the false prophets of Israel were well adapt in (Ezekiel 13:4-14).

In conclusion, incarnational ministry is not the work of the gospel, but it is the work of the social gospel that is deceiving Christians into putting their efforts towards helping the world to work for, and hope in, an earth-based/works-based salvation. It is causing people to be under the same condemnation that the rich man of Luke 12:16-21, who was not condemned for being greedy, but for not preparing for the more weightier matter of being justified before God. The missional movement does this by taking the focus off of evangelism, and instead, putting the focus on earthly cares, and heart-felt needs, as though that is what matters to God the most. But Scripture makes it clear, that believers must love their neighbor as themselves, and they must love the church, just as Christ loved the church, by giving his life for them. Therefore, loving the church is the orthodox focus for Christ’s church, and not incarnational ministry. The missional movement is more consistent with Rick Warren’s world wide “Purpose Driven Emerging Church movement” than the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Ezekiel 13

3   Thus says the Lord GOD: “Woe to the foolish prophets, who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing!
4   O Israel, your prophets are like foxes in the deserts.
5   You have not gone up into the gaps to build a wall for the house of Israel to stand in battle on the day of the LORD.
6   They have envisioned futility and false divination, saying, ‘Thus says the LORD!’ But the LORD has not sent them; yet they hope that the word may be confirmed.
7   Have you not seen a futile vision, and have you not spoken false divination? You say, ‘The LORD says,’ but I have not spoken.”
8   Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “Because you have spoken nonsense and envisioned lies, therefore I am indeed against you,” says the Lord GOD.
9   “My hand will be against the prophets who envision futility and who divine lies; they shall not be in the assembly of My people, nor be written in the record of the house of Israel, nor shall they enter into the land of Israel. Then you shall know that I am the Lord GOD.
10   “Because, indeed, because they have seduced My people, saying, ‘Peace!’ when there is no peace — and one builds a wall, and they plaster it with untempered mortar —
11   say to those who plaster it with untempered mortar, that it will fall. There will be flooding rain, and you, O great hailstones, shall fall; and a stormy wind shall tear it down.
12   Surely, when the wall has fallen, will it not be said to you, ‘Where is the mortar with which you plastered it?’ ”
13   Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: “I will cause a stormy wind to break forth in My fury; and there shall be a flooding rain in My anger, and great hailstones in fury to consume it.
14   So I will break down the wall you have plastered with untempered mortar, and bring it down to the ground, so that its foundation will be uncovered; it will fall, and you shall be consumed in the midst of it. Then you shall know that I am the LORD.

Luke 12

16   And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully:
17   And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits?
18   And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods.
19   And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry.
20   But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided?
21   So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.

Matthew 7

21   Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
22   Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
23   And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
24   Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
25   And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
26   And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
27   And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

Luke 12

42   And the Lord said, Who then is that faithful and wise steward, whom his lord shall make ruler over his household, to give them their portion of meat in due season?
43   Blessed is that servant, whom his lord when he cometh shall find so doing.
44   Of a truth I say unto you, that he will make him ruler over all that he hath.
45   But and if that servant say in his heart, My lord delayeth his coming; and shall begin to beat the menservants and maidens, and to eat and drink, and to be drunken;
46   The lord of that servant will come in a day when he looketh not for him, and at an hour when he is not aware, and will cut him in sunder, and will appoint him his portion with the unbelievers.
47   And that servant, which knew his lord’s will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes.
48   But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

1Corinthians 3

9   For we are labourers together with God: ye are God’s husbandry, ye are God’s building.
10   According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon.
11   For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ.
12   Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble;
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.
14   If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward.
15   If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.
16   Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?
17   If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.
18   Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise.
19   For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.
20   And again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the wise, that they are vain.

War on Consciousness Pt. 27 – Hubris

pope_in_cope_2

2Timothy 3 (Apostle Paul approx. 66 – 67 AD)

1   But know this, that in the last days perilous times will come:
2   For men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy,
3   unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good,
4   traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,
5   having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away!
6   For of this sort are those who creep into households and make captives of gullible women loaded down with sins, led away by various lusts,
7   always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.
8   Now as Jannes and Jambres resisted Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, disapproved concerning the faith;
9   but they will progress no further, for their folly will be manifest to all, as theirs also was.

Catechism of the Catholic Church

Why did the Son of God become flesh? (St. Thomas Aquinas 13th century)

460 The Word became flesh to make us “partakers of the divine nature”:⁷⁸ “For this is why the Word became man, and the Son of God became the Son of man: so that man, by entering into communion with the Word and thus receiving divine sonship, might become a son of God.”⁷⁹ “For the Son of God became man so that we might become God.”⁸⁰ “The only-begotten Son of God, wanting to make us sharers in his divinity, assumed our nature, so that he, made man, might make men gods.”⁸¹

The Popes claiming to be God.

Christian Mystic, Jane Lead’s, 1679 prophecy of an elite church that will become immortal, convert the whole world through signs and wonders, take over the world before Christ return, and bear the mark of their god.

Mormons claiming that God was a man, who lived a perfect life, and became a god, and that people who follow Mormon doctrine, perfectly, can become gods as well. (Mid 1800’s)

The “New Age” religion’s claim that people are gods. 1970’s

The Christian cult leaders, who claim to be gods. 1960’s to the present.

Glenn Beck teaching his followers to take the name “I Am”.

The result of this longstanding hubris will be the following:

2Thessalonians 2

1   Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you,
2   not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.
3   Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition,
4   who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.
5   Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?
6   And now you know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own time.
7   For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.
8   And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord will consume with the breath of His mouth and destroy with the brightness of His coming.
9   The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan, with all power, signs, and lying wonders,
10   and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11   And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie,
12   that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Acts 17

30 Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent,
31 because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.

Test All Things Pt. 3 – Wimpy Christians & The Culture War

OneNewsNow.Com –

A respected Southern Baptist pastor and author says “wimpy” pastors and laypersons are the reason Christians are losing the culture war.

Why are many Christian leaders silent when religious freedom comes under attack? That question was raised Tuesday evening by Fox News Channel’s Bill O’Reilly and posed to Dr. Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church Dallas and author of How Can I Know: Answers to Life’s 7 Most Important Questions.

“I think one reason is a lot of Christian leaders have the wrong idea about Jesus,” Jeffress replied when asked the question. “They see Jesus as this little, wimpy guy who walked around plucking daisies and eating birdseed and saying nice things, but never doing anything controversial. The fact is, Jesus did confront his culture with truth — and he ended up being crucified because of it.”

The Dallas pastor chastised pastors who shy away from controversy.

“Wimpy pastors produce wimpy Christians — and that is why we are losing this culture war,” he emphasized.

These are indeed some bold, and hard hitting, comments. But are they true? Are Christians wimps for not participating in the culture war? Has Christ called his church to go to war with the culture? Did Jesus go to war with the culture?

First, to set the record straight, there are many pastors going to war with the culture, and are even willing to be led in the culture war by false teachers, such as, the historical revisionist, David Barton, Glenn Beck, the Mormon, Roman Catholics, and even “Word of Faith” & New Apostolic Reformation” heretics. So it wouldn’t be accurate to claim that pastors are not engaged in the culture war. Mr. Jeffress might not like the amount of people involved, but he should be realistic in his observation, because the majority of Western society holds to a secular world-view; thus out numbering those who still hold to traditional Christian morality.

Nevertheless, Mr. Jeffress’ statements should be challenged.

Did Jesus, in fact, go to war with his culture, by trying to compel the Jews to keep the Old Covenant law? It is true that he rightly accused the Jews, and even the leaders, by telling them that none of them keeps the law, and that they even nullify the law by replacing it with their own traditions (John 7-19, Matthew 15:3-9). But was it the law that Jesus was telling the people to obey? Jesus did not command the Jews to do a better job at keeping the law. Instead, he told them to do “the work of God”, which is to “believe in Him whom He [God] sent… Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me has everlasting life. I am the bread of life” (John 6:29-48). That was Jesus’ messages, and that is what he confronted his culture with, saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel” (Mark 1:15). Nowhere can it be found in the gospel, or even the epistles, where Jesus is commanding the people to do better at keeping the law. Instead, he shows the people their lost and sinful state, by showing them how they have always broken the law, and cannot keep the law, because of their sinful heart. This was made evident when he said “For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell” (Matthew 5:18-30). Sinful man, even orthodox Jews, cannot live up to this standard “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God” (Romans 8:7-8). That is why Jesus said “You must be born again”, because “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new” (John 3:7, 2Corinthians 5:17).

Did Jesus tell his Apostles to fight a culture war, when he commissioned them after his resurrection? No, instead, he told them to “go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you” (Matthew 19:20). None of Jesus’ commands to his disciples had to do with fighting for control of the world’s culture. Instead, his commands were centered on salvation from sin, and from a world that is mark for destruction, and that is what the Apostles preached, saying “Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead”, and “believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved” (Acts 30:31, Acts 16:31).

Is Christ’s church engaged in war of any kind? Yes, the church is, in fact, engaged in, and called to a war. But it is not a war against the culture, because “though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh”, and the war for the culture is a war against people, for control of a nation, which is not what Christ commanded the church to do (2Corinthians 10:3). Yet, “from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force” (Matthew 11:12). Christ church, therefore, is engaged in a spiritual war “against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:10). These opposing forces wage war on the truth, which the church is called to contend earnestly for, by refuting the heresies of false teachers. This war is fought by abiding in the truth, and by “casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ” (2Corinthians 10:5, Ephesians 6:14-18, Jude 1:3-4).

Many false teachers fight against the truth, by teaching the church, and the world, to do things in Christ’s name that Jesus never commanded, and the church must expose their lies, and “mark those who cause divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which they’ve learned, and avoid them. For those who are such do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the hearts of the simple” (Romans 16:17-18). “These are grumblers, complainers, walking according to their own lusts; and they mouth great swelling words, flattering people to gain advantage”, but Christ church must “remember the words which were spoken before by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ: how they told you that there would be mockers in the last time who would walk according to their own ungodly lusts. These are sensual persons, who cause divisions, not having the Spirit (Jude 1:16-19). Jesus also gave this warning when he told his disciples to “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. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a bad tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Therefore by their fruits you will know them” (Matthew 7:13-20).

Therefore, Christ has called his church to engaged in a war, but it is not a war for the culture, which is doomed, according to Scripture (Acts 17:30-30, 1John 2:15-17). Instead, the church is engaged in a war for the truth of who the true God is, and for the truth of the true gospel of salvation, because many false prophets are in the world, and they are leading the world to obey false gods, false Christs, and false gospel (1John 4:1-6, 1John 5:19-21). Some are even telling the church that Jesus wants them to take charge of the culture through civil law, or through bringing about world peace in his name, even though Christ has already said “do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his own household.'” (Matthew 10:34-36). The hatred, and lack of peace, is directly linked with the world’s hatred of Christ, “because he testified of it that its works are evil”, and the church must do the same, through the power of the Holy Spirit (John 7:7, John 16:8).

Those who are not willing to follow Christ’s commands to engage in this spiritual warfare are fearful. This is because they fear sinful man more than God, who is able to kill, and send those who disobeyed him to Hell, and the “Lake of Fire” (Matthew 10:29, Revelation 21:7-8). Those are the true wimpy Christians, who will not inherit the kingdom of Heaven, just as those who have told lies in Christ name (Revelation 21:7-8). That is why the Scriptures says “…all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone…” (Revelation 21:8). “These are spots in your love feasts, while they feast with you without fear, serving only themselves. They are clouds without water, carried about by the winds; late autumn trees without fruit, twice dead, pulled up by the roots; raging waves of the sea, foaming up their own shame; wandering stars for whom is reserved the blackness of darkness forever” (Jude 1:12-13). To take the Lord’s name in vain, by telling people that God wants them to do certain things that he never told them, is not a small matter, “for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain” (Exodus 20:7).

Christians who fight in a war, who have not been commanded by God to do so, are fooled into waring against the very people that Christ has commanded them to preach the gospel to, so that they will repent, believe the gospel, and be saved, from their sins, and from this evil world. Believers are called to “set their minds on things above, not on things on the earth”, because “no one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier” (Colossians 3:2, 2Timothy 2:4). The church’s war is centered upon salvation, and upon making disciples. Christ does not burden his people with the hopeless cares of this world, that is ruled over by Satan, who is “the god of this world” (2Crointhians 4:4, John 16:11, Revelation 12:12). Instead, he says “I will put on you no other burden. But hold fast what you have till I come. And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations. ‘ He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessels’, as I also have received from My Father; and I will give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” (Revelation 2:24-29).

Revelation 22

12   And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be.
13   I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.
14   Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
15   For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.
16   I Jesus have sent mine angel to testify unto you these things in the churches. I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star.
17   And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
18   For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
19   And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.
20   He which testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus.
21   The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.