The campaigners of one of America's fastest growing apostate religious movements, "The Emergent Church" champions the neo-Marxist call for a utopian society through spiritual evolution where good and evil merge to form a better "third way". This idea derives from the belief system of German philosopher, George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, and finds its modern-day manifestation in the "Third Way" movement of Bill Clinton, Tony Blair and more recently Barak Obama. In the Emerging view, capitalism, socialism, and communism merge to form a misanthropic combination of the three. This blending is now represented in simple terms like "The New World Order" and "The New Enlightenment."
The Emerging Church view promotes a toxic blend of communism, socialism, atheism, and cosmic capitalism. They believes in universal health care, government-subsidized housing and education, global radical environmentalism or "green politics", Fabianism, Socialism, and the likes. To hear evangelicals tell us that we need practices that were never spelled out in the Bible to become more like Christ or to get closer to God is astonishing. What is more astonishing is that colleges, seminaries, and church denominations are requiring their students and members to study practices that are relics of Medieval Rome, not found in the Bible, and closely akin to the practices of manly pagan societies. The bottom line is that the Interfaith Movement, the Emergent Subversive Movement, and the Spiritual Reformation Movement all lead to the richly endowed Harlot Church of Revelation chapter 17.
Be it Catholicism, (For more than a thousand years the Roman Catholic Church was the principal church of Christianity, and have since divided into different sects like Protestantism, Pentecostalism, evangelicalism, Baptist, Methodist, and more e.g. Second Adventism; (Adventism is strongly Protestant and observes Saturday as the Sabbath, while Second Adventism holds the view that the second coming of Jesus as Judge for the Last Judgment is imminent).
Judaism (originated from Moses, and assumed its modern form in 586 B.C.); Islamism (founded by Mohammed 622 A.D.); Buddhism (founded in 6th c. B.C. by Gautama Buddha); Bahaism (founded by Baha'u'llah in 1863 and incorporates Christian and Islamic tenets); Confucianism (by Confucius, a Chinese philosopher, at the end of 6th B.C.); Hinduism (one of the oldest religion, founded since 2000 B.C. by the indigenous Indians; it spreads into Brahmanism, Krishnaism, Shaktism, Shivaism, Vishnuism, Vedism, and Yoga. It is a religion of the majority of India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal); Shintoism (indigenous religion of the Japanese, characterized by a veneration of nature spirits and of ancestors, founded in the 6th c. and was revived in the 17th c.); Unitarianism (developed in Poland in the late 16th c., stresses individual freedom of belief and rejects the Trinity);
Animalism (holds the doctrine that there is a no distinction between man and animal); Atheism (a godless religion); Shamanism (Any animistic religion); Pantheism (a religion that tolerates all gods or The doctrine or belief that God is the universe and regards the universe as a manifestation of God); or any other new age "ism"; or movement including Scientism or Scientology (associated with American writer, L. Ron Hubbard in 1955 and characterized by a belief in the power of a person's spirit to clear itself of past painful experiences through self-knowledge and spiritual fulfilment); and Traditionalism (a religious teaching that strictly believes that all cultural and traditional knowledge of doctrines are divine revelation and that it is transmitted from ancestral generations, it is a common religious practice of most of Africa):
The true Religion Jesus built is not exclusive to any of these "bodies" or religious group. True Religion understand prophecy, apostate religion try to predict prophecy. The Religion Jesus established knows what lies ahead for humanity-including both the short-term bad news and the long-term good news. Apostate religious is concerned with image and money laundering. True Religion, unlike apostate religion, will tell it's believers that they are utterly incapable of governing themselves or solving their problems without the help of God! The Religious movement that Christ ordained on earth believes and teaches the plain truth, only the truth, and nothing but the truth
Friday, November 4, 2011
History of Roman Catholic Church
The Roman Empire, also known as Rome, was established in the 5th century B.C. Rome grew as a group of villages on seven hills on the east bank of the Tiber. Rome was ruled by seven kings until 510 B.C., when it was made a republic. From 27 BC to 446 AD, the empire was the most dominant ruling authority on earth.Rome defeated Carthage in the Punic wars (1st Punic war (264 -241 BC); 2nd Punic war (218 -201 BC); 3rd Punic war (149 -146 BC). Rome also gained territory in Spain, Sicily, Sardina, most of N. Africa, and Macedonia in 146 BC.
Rome produced Great war Emperors, amongst the likes of Emperors Julius Caesar (101 – 44 B.C), Augustus (27 B.C. - 14 A.D), Tiberius Julius Caesar (14 – 37) Caligula (37 – 41), Claudius (41 – 54), Nero (54 – 68), Alexander Severus (222 – 35), and Romanus Agustulus –the last Empire, (475 – 476), who he was disposed by Odaocer, and spent the rest of his life in retirement. These war inspired heroes conquered nations and placed them under tributary compliance under the Roman Empire.
Atheist like Joseph Stalin and Mao Tse-dong did not show their displeasure over certain religious sect like the Romans did against Jews and Christians. Rome has been the perpetuators of religious killings and persecution in ancient times. In the 1st c. AD, the Roman Empire, under Emperors Caligula, Claudius and Nero, caused the gruesome murder of many of the early Apostles. The faith of most of the Apostle was decided in Rome. First, Emperor Gaius Caesar Germanicus (Caligula) ruled with so much cruelty and tyranny that many attributed to have resulted from madness. Next was Tiberius Julius Caesar; then Claudius Caesar (Nero) –who used the fire which destroyed much of Rome as a pretext to persecute Christians in 64 AD.In the year 303 – 305 AD, Emperor Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus (Diocletian) began a bitter persecution on Christians and was abdicated from office in 305 AD by Constantine I “the Great” –the first Christian Emperor.
Constantine made Christianity the official religion (313) and refused the heresies of Arianism and nestorianism. Constantine also defeated the Byzantine Empire (present day Turkey) in the East and re-named it Constantinople, which became the capital of the Roman Empire in 330 AD. Constantine died in 337 AD. Years later, Emperor Theodosius I, together with his half brother –Gratian, established Catholic-ism as the official religion (380) and convened the council of Constantinople (381). Theodosius I “the Great” ruled the eastern Roman Empire from 346-95 AD and the western part as Valentinian II from 375-92 AD. After his death, the decline of the Roman Empire became final, and the emergence of the Holy Roman Empire was eminent as papal influence over Rome was increasing. A furious religious set of beliefs was set up in Rome by the Pope who commissioned kings in England, France, Prussia (Germany and Poland), and in the most nations of N. Africa..
In the 5th century AD, Pope Leo I helped to re-establish the supremacy of the Romans, and prevented further attacks on Rome by Attilla in 452 AD.mThe Roman Empire has brought urban civilization and a high degree of material prosperity, as well as Roman law, the Latin language and the Christian religion to a to a large part of Europe. Rome came to be the capital of the Papal States in 756 and the Holy Roman Empire became the spiritual centre of Western Europe throughout the middle ages.
In 962 AD, the Holy Roman Empire, a loosed confederation of central European states was endorsed by Pope Leo III, when he crowned Emperor Otto I of the Byzantine Empire as Holy Roman Emperor, ostensibly to protect the papacy, and also to enact the imperial power of Charlemagne, which had disintegrated. Charles I (Charlemagne) intervened to save the pope from disposition in 799 AD, and was rewarded with the title of Holy Roman Emperor in 800 AD. He ruled a vast empire bounded by the North Sea, the Mediterranean, and the Atlantic.
Rome was several times devastated by invading armies, but began to recover in the late 15th c. and became a centre of the Renaissance between the middle ages and modern times. The Renaissance reached its height in the 16th c. AD, especially under the patronage of Pope Julius II, who restored the Papal States to the papacy by suppressing Venice in 1509, and driving France from Italy in 1511, with the help of the Holy League (An alliance formed in 1510, comprising of Ferdinand V of Spain, Henry VIII of England, and Emperor Maximilian I). Julius II also began the building of St Peter’s at Rome. Other patriarchs of the Renaissance include: Pope Leo X, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Machiavelli –who brought a new approach to political thought.
The Catholic Church long believed that Christ is the Lord of the whole world, and that at His departure He left His dominion to His representative, Peter, and to Peter’s successors, the popes (How untrue). Therefore, it is the stated believe of the Catholic Church that true and genuine temporal power and dominion lie exclusively in the hands of the pope. The primacy and power the Church enjoyed globally up to 1798 had enabled her to persecute her enemies, and hence was tagged in Bible prophecy as a beast power.The history of the Roman Catholic Church is full of deception. The Roman Catholic Church combines religious and political power simultaneously. Saint John saw this union in a prophetic vision concerning the fourth and final kingdom of the world and described it as, "a woman sitting upon a scarlet coloured beast" Rev. 17:3.
In the Bible, a woman is a symbol of a church, "as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the LORD." "For I...I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ" Jeremiah 3:20; 2 Corinthians 11:2.
In addition, it is unanimously understood in prophecy that a beast is a nation. Even in today's world, nations are symbolized as beasts. The USA is seen as an eagle, Russia is likened unto a bear, and China carries the image of a dragon.
Many years ago, God unveiled to Daniel all the world empires until the end of time. In a vision, Daniel saw the last beast to be "diverse from all the others" Daniel 7:19. But how would it be diverse? According to Revelation 17:3, as seen above, this beast (nation) will have a woman (church) ruling it.
Today, is there a church and state working together as one globally recognized power? The only entity in the world that has accomplished this is the Roman Catholic Church.
The Roman Catholic pope is absolute religious leader of over one billion followers world-wide.
"The Roman Pontiff, as the successor of Peter, is the perpetual and visible source and foundation of the unity both of the bishops and of the whole company of the faithful." Vatican Council II (1962-65)
"Every cleric must obey the Pope, even if he commands what is evil; for no one may judge the Pope." Pope Innocent III (1198-1216)
Simultaneously, the pope is king over the independent nation Vatican City. The Vatican is a distinct sovereign miniature nation, although within Italy. Thus, the papacy is a unique power combining religious and civil power.
Informed Catholics readily confirm forgeries as a way of life for the popes. Hans Kung, a Catholic priest and theologian who was a consultant to the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), stated that as early as the fifth century, the popes "decisively extended their power with explicit forgeries." The Catholic Church: A Short History (translated by John Bowden), p. 61
One of the best examples is the document Donation of Constantine, dated March 30, 315 AD, which the Roman Catholic Church forged to extend her power and authority. Through this false document, Pope Stephen III in the eighth century convinced Pepin, king of the Franks, that the territories of the Lombards had been given by Constantine to the Roman Catholic Church. This led Pepin to fight the Lombards and usurp the cities for the pope. In 1440, this document was proven forged by a papal aide called Lorenzo Valla, yet pope after pope never admitted nor confessed this forgery. To this day, there is an inscription in the baptistery of St. John Lateran in Rome perpetuating this forged document.
""The great over-riding feature of the entire system of the Anti-Christ -- the New World Order -- is blatant deceit. In fact, New World Order writers boast of their planned deceptions, because they arrogantly believe the great majority of the world's population is too stupid and lazy to know what is best for them. Only the New World Order Planners know what is best for the world, and they have determined that they can achieve their goals only by deliberate deception of the poor masses." Bill Cooper, " Behold A Pale Horse" p.49
The Roman Catholic Church ruled ruthlessly for 1260 years having absolute dominion over other nations. This period has a clear starting point, and a 'deadly wound' at its end. The Roman Catholic Church received its deadly wound in 1798 when [Pope Pius VI] was taken prisoner in France at the behest of Napoleon.
"In 1798 General Berthier made his entrance into Rome, abolished the papal government, and established a secular one." Encyclopedia Britannica, 1941 edition. Having established the end of the prophecy to be 1798, going back 1260 years, we arrive at 538 AD. For the papacy to fulfill this identifying mark, an important event must have occurred in 538 AD to mark the start of the 1260-year period.
Historical evidence reveals that in 533 AD the Roman Emperor Justinian recognized the pope's ecclesiastical supremacy as 'head' of all the churches in both east and west of the Roman Empire. However, it was not until 538 AD when the papacy was effectively freed from its last Arian opponent, the Ostrogoths (who were at that time ruling Italy) that the pope emerge as the leading figure in the West. Thus, in 538 AD the stage was set for the gradual but steady ascendancy of the papacy.
"Vigilius...ascended the papal chair (538 A.D.) under the military protection of Belisarius." History of the Christian Church, Vol. 3, p. 327
As the papacy increased in power, she subjugated not only her followers but also the rulers and kings of Europe. To that end, the popes issued several papal bulls to bolster their authority over the kings of Europe. "It is the office of the papacy to tread under foot kings and emperors." J.H. Ignaz Dollinger, The Pope and the Council, (London), p. 35
"Fear, then, our wrath and the thunders of our vengeance; for Jesus Christ has appointed us [the popes] with his own mouth absolute judges of all men; and kings themselves are submitted to our authority." Pope Nicholas I (858-867 AD)
In the papal bull of Pope Gregory XI, dated 1372 AD, and entitled In Coena Domini, the pope pronounced papal dominion over the entire Christian world, secular and religious, and excommunicated all who failed to obey the popes and to pay them taxes. This papal bull was confirmed by subsequent popes and, in 1568 AD, Pope Pius V vowed that it was to remain an eternal law.
The Roman Catholic Church persecuted Christians during the 1260-year period. During this period of history (also known as the Middle Ages), the Roman Catholic Church held a strong sway over Europe, and every citizen was required to be a Roman Catholic. Anything short of total submission to the pope was punishable by torture or death. This led the Roman Catholic system to become one of the most persecuting religions the world has ever known, according to Vicars of Christ: the Dark Side of the papacy, by Peter de Rosa, p. 180
"That the Church of Rome has shed more innocent blood than any other institution that has ever existed among mankind will be questioned by no Protestant who has a complete knowledge of history. It is impossible to form a complete conception of the multitude of her victims, and it is quite certain that no powers of imagination can adequately realize their sufferings." W. E. H. Leeky, History of the Rise and Influence of the Spirit of Rationalism in Europe, Vol. 2:32, 1910 edition
In the Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 12, page 266, the reader will find a lengthy article describing the authority of the Roman Catholic Church in punishing 'heretics', whose only crime was that they were faithful Bible-believing Christians.
The Roman Catholic Church will fully recover from its 'deadly wound' and the whole world will wonder after it:
When Pope Pius VI died in captivity in France in 1799, the world expected an end to the Roman Catholic Church. However, God had told us about 2000 years ago that the beast would recover from its deadly wound. Here is how the New York Times reported the healing of the beast, the papacy:
"MORTAL WOUND HEALED: Rome, June 7.--From 11 o'clock this morning there was another sovereign independent State in the world. At that time Premier Mussolini ... exchanged with Cardinal Gasparri, Papal Secretary of State, representing Pope Pius XI, ratifications of the treaties signed at the Lateran Palace on Feb. 11. By that simple act the sovereign independent State of Vatican City came into existence." New York Times, July 7, 1929
The San Francisco Chronicle reported the 'recovery' of the papacy as follows:
"Mussolini and Gaspari (Cardinal) Sign Historic Pact... Heal Wound of Many Years." The San Francisco Chronicle, July 7, 1929
Does the world today 'wonder' after the papacy, as the Bible predicted?
"The best way to honor Pope John Paul II, truly one of the great men, is to take his teaching seriously; is to listen to his words and put his words and teachings into action here in America. This is a challenge we must accept." President George W. Bush, March 21, 2001
"Pope John Paul II is one of the greatest moral and spiritual leaders of this century." Billy Graham in the Saturday Evening Post, Jan-Feb. 1980
"I admire Pope John XXIII tremendously. I felt he brought a new era to the world". Billy Graham, Chicago Tribune, June 8, 1963
"Pope John Paul II celebrates outdoor mass in Spanish for over a million people in Mexico City." The New York Times, Jan 25, 1999
The Roman Catholic Church has the mysterious number 666. The official title of the pope is "Vicarius Filii Dei", which translated is, "Representative of the Son of God". To confirm, the Catholic newspaper Our Sunday Visitor of April 18, 1915 wrote: "The engraved letter on the pope's Mitre is as follows: 'Vicarius Filii Dei '". Since in Latin certain letters have numerical values, we only need to add them up to come to 666.
The Roman Catholic Church blasphemes by claiming to be God and granting absolutions."We hold upon this earth the place of God Almighty." Pope Leo XIII, in an Encyclical letter, dated June 20, 1894
"The Pope is not only the representative of Jesus Christ, but he is Jesus Christ, hidden under a veil of flesh." The Catholic National, July 1895
"But the supreme teacher in the Church is the Roman Pontiff... [who] requires... complete submission and obedience of will... as to God Himself." Pope Leo XIII, the Great Encyclical Letters, p. 193
The Roman Catholic Church created a vast 'market' on earth for a unique kind of merchandise, for which she had no competitors and unquenchable demand. She claimed that she had the right to sell God's grace, His free act of forgiveness, to the sinners. To this day, this blasphemous power, maintains the power to forgive sin.
"This judicial authority will even include the power to forgive sin." The Catholic Encyclopaedia Vol. 12, -article "Pope", p. 265
"And God himself is obliged to abide by the judgment of his priest and either not to pardon or to pardon, according as they refuse to give absolution, provided the penitent is capable of it." Dignity and Duties of the Priest, p. 27, New York: Benziger Brothers, Printers to the Holy Apostolic See, 1888
The Roman Catholic Church made other blasphemous claims by undertaking actions belonging only to God:
Here are samples of the blasphemous claims and teachings of the Roman Catholic Church:
"The priest has the power of the keys, or the power of delivering sinners from hell, of making them worthy of paradise, and of changing them from the slaves of Satan into the children of God. And God himself is obliged to abide by the judgment of his priests... The Sovereign Master of the universe only follows the servant by confirming in heaven all that the latter decides upon earth." Liguori, "Duties and Dignities of the Priest", pp. 27, 28
"Thus the priest may, in a certain manner, be called the creator of his Creator, since by saying the words of the consecration, he creates, as it were, Jesus in the sacrament, by giving him a sacramental existence, and produces him as a victim to be offered to the eternal Father...The power of the priest, is the power of the divine person; for the transubstantiation of the bread requires as much power as the creation of the world." Saint Bernadine of Sienna
"Priests are the saviors of the world." Saint Jerome
As for her blasphemous actions, the Roman Catholic Church has committed the most blasphemous act of all. She altered the very law of God- the Ten Commandments. She dared to cancel the second commandment altogether, for it condemned her practices and rituals. And worse, she changed the day of worship in the Fourth Commandment from Saturday to Sunday. This was done although God gave Adam this perpetual command at creation and has confirmed to us "My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips" Psalms 89:34.
The Ten Commandments are the only portion of the Bible that was uttered by God's voice in the presence of a congregation. And to ensure that Moses did not miss a letter, God wrote them with His own finger and handed them to Moses. "These words [The Ten Commandments] the Lord spake unto all your assembly...and he added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of stone..." Deuteronomy 5:22.
Christ further stressed the immutability of the Ten Commandments when He said, "it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail" Luke 16:17. The sun shining in the heavens, the solid earth upon which you dwell, are God's witnesses that His law is changeless and eternal. Though they may pass away, the divine precepts shall endure. Christ further confirmed "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled" Matthew 5:17, 18.
The Catholic Church is not ashamed that she changed the day of worship. In fact, she takes pride in this action, and regards it as her 'mark' of authority and superiority over other churches and religions.
"The Sabbath, the best known day of the law, was changed into the Lord's day. These and others have not ceased because of instructions received from Christ, (because he himself says, I have not come to destroy the law, but to fulfill it), but because due to the authority of the church they have been changed." Archbishop of Rheggio, Sermon on 1-18-1562, Mansi XXIII, p. 526
"The Sunday is a Catholic institution, and its claim for sacredness can be defended only on Catholic authority...In Holy Scripture from the beginning to the end we find not one single text which justifies the transfer of the weekly public worship service from the last to the first day of the week." Catholic Press, Sidney, 8-25-1900
"Nowhere in the Bible is it stated that worship should be changed from Saturday to Sunday. The fact is that the Church was in existence for several centuries before the Bible was given to the world. The Church made the Bible; the Bible did not make the Church." Things Catholics Are Asked About, by Martin J. Scott, 1927 ed, p. 136
"We celebrate Sunday instead of Saturday, because the Catholic Church has transferred the sacredness from Saturday to Sunday at the council of Laodicea in the year of 364 AD." The Converts Catechism of Catholic Doctrine, from P. Geiermann, the work of Pope Pius X, on 1-25-1910
According to the Roman Catholic Church 'Sunday' is their distinct and distinguished mark of authority.
"Sunday is our mark of authority. The church is above the Bible, and this transference of Sabbath observance is proof of that fact." The Catholic Record, London, Ontario, September 1, 1923
"The observance of Sunday by Protestants is an homage they pay, in spite of themselves, to the authority of the (Catholic) Church." Plain Talk About the Protestantism of Today, by Monsignor Segur, p. 213
"But the Protestant mind does not seem to realize that in...observing the Sunday... they are accepting the authority of the spokesman for the church, the pope." Our Sunday Visitor, Catholic weekly, Feb. 5, 1950
"Of course the Catholic Church claims that the change was her act... a mark of her ecclesiastical power and authority in religious matters." Office of Cardinal Gibbons, through Chancellor C. F. Thomas, Nov. 11, 1895
Why is this mark so important? Have you ever signed a document to validate or confirm its authenticity? Have you ever given your 'seal of approval' to something? It is compulsory in any government. Only by signing, is a document authenticated. Government declarations must always bear an official mark or seal. What are the features of these governmental marks or seals? An official seal or signature must include three features:
1. The name of the official
2. The title of the official
3. The territory or domain of his authority
For example, when the President of the United States signs a bill into law, he must sign it, George Washington (name), President (title) of the United States of America (territory). Every document must be signed in this manner to be official and legal.
Looking to the Almighty Creator, we realize that He has a Heavenly Kingdom. And the document containing the law of His Kingdom is The Ten Commandments. Looking directly in the midst of them you will find the seal of the living God! "For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea..." Exodus 20:11.
Notice the three distinct features:
1. Name: THE LORD ("I am the Lord: that is my name" Isaiah 42:8)
2. Title: CREATOR ("the LORD made")
3. Territory: HEAVEN AND EARTH (Heaven and earth)
Clearly, the seal of the Creator is found in the Sabbath commandment of His law. It is an acknowledgement of His authority as our Creator. When we keep His Sabbath, we are expressing that we acknowledge Him as our Creator.
On the Sabbath, we have the opportunity to worship God as our Creator. When we keep holy the day the Lord chose, we are proclaiming to the entire world that the Creator of the universe is our God! The devil, "Lucifer" is attacking the Sabbath, because he wants to be worshiped "like the Most High" Isaiah 14:14. The Creator seeks your worship on His holy Sabbath day, and Satan, seeking to be like the Creator, wants your worship on his Sunday. Which will you choose?
"And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God" Ezekiel 20:20.
From the overwhelming weight of evidence, we can decisively conclude that the History of the Roman Catholic Church is full of Apostasy. , and that the Catholic Church has never practiced the exuberant faith of Jesus Christ.
Rome produced Great war Emperors, amongst the likes of Emperors Julius Caesar (101 – 44 B.C), Augustus (27 B.C. - 14 A.D), Tiberius Julius Caesar (14 – 37) Caligula (37 – 41), Claudius (41 – 54), Nero (54 – 68), Alexander Severus (222 – 35), and Romanus Agustulus –the last Empire, (475 – 476), who he was disposed by Odaocer, and spent the rest of his life in retirement. These war inspired heroes conquered nations and placed them under tributary compliance under the Roman Empire.
Atheist like Joseph Stalin and Mao Tse-dong did not show their displeasure over certain religious sect like the Romans did against Jews and Christians. Rome has been the perpetuators of religious killings and persecution in ancient times. In the 1st c. AD, the Roman Empire, under Emperors Caligula, Claudius and Nero, caused the gruesome murder of many of the early Apostles. The faith of most of the Apostle was decided in Rome. First, Emperor Gaius Caesar Germanicus (Caligula) ruled with so much cruelty and tyranny that many attributed to have resulted from madness. Next was Tiberius Julius Caesar; then Claudius Caesar (Nero) –who used the fire which destroyed much of Rome as a pretext to persecute Christians in 64 AD.In the year 303 – 305 AD, Emperor Gaius Aurelius Valerius Diocletianus (Diocletian) began a bitter persecution on Christians and was abdicated from office in 305 AD by Constantine I “the Great” –the first Christian Emperor.
Constantine made Christianity the official religion (313) and refused the heresies of Arianism and nestorianism. Constantine also defeated the Byzantine Empire (present day Turkey) in the East and re-named it Constantinople, which became the capital of the Roman Empire in 330 AD. Constantine died in 337 AD. Years later, Emperor Theodosius I, together with his half brother –Gratian, established Catholic-ism as the official religion (380) and convened the council of Constantinople (381). Theodosius I “the Great” ruled the eastern Roman Empire from 346-95 AD and the western part as Valentinian II from 375-92 AD. After his death, the decline of the Roman Empire became final, and the emergence of the Holy Roman Empire was eminent as papal influence over Rome was increasing. A furious religious set of beliefs was set up in Rome by the Pope who commissioned kings in England, France, Prussia (Germany and Poland), and in the most nations of N. Africa..
In the 5th century AD, Pope Leo I helped to re-establish the supremacy of the Romans, and prevented further attacks on Rome by Attilla in 452 AD.mThe Roman Empire has brought urban civilization and a high degree of material prosperity, as well as Roman law, the Latin language and the Christian religion to a to a large part of Europe. Rome came to be the capital of the Papal States in 756 and the Holy Roman Empire became the spiritual centre of Western Europe throughout the middle ages.
In 962 AD, the Holy Roman Empire, a loosed confederation of central European states was endorsed by Pope Leo III, when he crowned Emperor Otto I of the Byzantine Empire as Holy Roman Emperor, ostensibly to protect the papacy, and also to enact the imperial power of Charlemagne, which had disintegrated. Charles I (Charlemagne) intervened to save the pope from disposition in 799 AD, and was rewarded with the title of Holy Roman Emperor in 800 AD. He ruled a vast empire bounded by the North Sea, the Mediterranean, and the Atlantic.
Rome was several times devastated by invading armies, but began to recover in the late 15th c. and became a centre of the Renaissance between the middle ages and modern times. The Renaissance reached its height in the 16th c. AD, especially under the patronage of Pope Julius II, who restored the Papal States to the papacy by suppressing Venice in 1509, and driving France from Italy in 1511, with the help of the Holy League (An alliance formed in 1510, comprising of Ferdinand V of Spain, Henry VIII of England, and Emperor Maximilian I). Julius II also began the building of St Peter’s at Rome. Other patriarchs of the Renaissance include: Pope Leo X, Michelangelo, Leonardo da Vinci and Machiavelli –who brought a new approach to political thought.
The Catholic Church long believed that Christ is the Lord of the whole world, and that at His departure He left His dominion to His representative, Peter, and to Peter’s successors, the popes (How untrue). Therefore, it is the stated believe of the Catholic Church that true and genuine temporal power and dominion lie exclusively in the hands of the pope. The primacy and power the Church enjoyed globally up to 1798 had enabled her to persecute her enemies, and hence was tagged in Bible prophecy as a beast power.The history of the Roman Catholic Church is full of deception. The Roman Catholic Church combines religious and political power simultaneously. Saint John saw this union in a prophetic vision concerning the fourth and final kingdom of the world and described it as, "a woman sitting upon a scarlet coloured beast" Rev. 17:3.
In the Bible, a woman is a symbol of a church, "as a wife treacherously departeth from her husband, so have ye dealt treacherously with me, O house of Israel, saith the LORD." "For I...I have espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chaste virgin to Christ" Jeremiah 3:20; 2 Corinthians 11:2.
In addition, it is unanimously understood in prophecy that a beast is a nation. Even in today's world, nations are symbolized as beasts. The USA is seen as an eagle, Russia is likened unto a bear, and China carries the image of a dragon.
Many years ago, God unveiled to Daniel all the world empires until the end of time. In a vision, Daniel saw the last beast to be "diverse from all the others" Daniel 7:19. But how would it be diverse? According to Revelation 17:3, as seen above, this beast (nation) will have a woman (church) ruling it.
Today, is there a church and state working together as one globally recognized power? The only entity in the world that has accomplished this is the Roman Catholic Church.
The Roman Catholic pope is absolute religious leader of over one billion followers world-wide.
"The Roman Pontiff, as the successor of Peter, is the perpetual and visible source and foundation of the unity both of the bishops and of the whole company of the faithful." Vatican Council II (1962-65)
"Every cleric must obey the Pope, even if he commands what is evil; for no one may judge the Pope." Pope Innocent III (1198-1216)
Simultaneously, the pope is king over the independent nation Vatican City. The Vatican is a distinct sovereign miniature nation, although within Italy. Thus, the papacy is a unique power combining religious and civil power.
Informed Catholics readily confirm forgeries as a way of life for the popes. Hans Kung, a Catholic priest and theologian who was a consultant to the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), stated that as early as the fifth century, the popes "decisively extended their power with explicit forgeries." The Catholic Church: A Short History (translated by John Bowden), p. 61
One of the best examples is the document Donation of Constantine, dated March 30, 315 AD, which the Roman Catholic Church forged to extend her power and authority. Through this false document, Pope Stephen III in the eighth century convinced Pepin, king of the Franks, that the territories of the Lombards had been given by Constantine to the Roman Catholic Church. This led Pepin to fight the Lombards and usurp the cities for the pope. In 1440, this document was proven forged by a papal aide called Lorenzo Valla, yet pope after pope never admitted nor confessed this forgery. To this day, there is an inscription in the baptistery of St. John Lateran in Rome perpetuating this forged document.
""The great over-riding feature of the entire system of the Anti-Christ -- the New World Order -- is blatant deceit. In fact, New World Order writers boast of their planned deceptions, because they arrogantly believe the great majority of the world's population is too stupid and lazy to know what is best for them. Only the New World Order Planners know what is best for the world, and they have determined that they can achieve their goals only by deliberate deception of the poor masses." Bill Cooper, " Behold A Pale Horse" p.49
The Roman Catholic Church ruled ruthlessly for 1260 years having absolute dominion over other nations. This period has a clear starting point, and a 'deadly wound' at its end. The Roman Catholic Church received its deadly wound in 1798 when [Pope Pius VI] was taken prisoner in France at the behest of Napoleon.
"In 1798 General Berthier made his entrance into Rome, abolished the papal government, and established a secular one." Encyclopedia Britannica, 1941 edition. Having established the end of the prophecy to be 1798, going back 1260 years, we arrive at 538 AD. For the papacy to fulfill this identifying mark, an important event must have occurred in 538 AD to mark the start of the 1260-year period.
Historical evidence reveals that in 533 AD the Roman Emperor Justinian recognized the pope's ecclesiastical supremacy as 'head' of all the churches in both east and west of the Roman Empire. However, it was not until 538 AD when the papacy was effectively freed from its last Arian opponent, the Ostrogoths (who were at that time ruling Italy) that the pope emerge as the leading figure in the West. Thus, in 538 AD the stage was set for the gradual but steady ascendancy of the papacy.
"Vigilius...ascended the papal chair (538 A.D.) under the military protection of Belisarius." History of the Christian Church, Vol. 3, p. 327
As the papacy increased in power, she subjugated not only her followers but also the rulers and kings of Europe. To that end, the popes issued several papal bulls to bolster their authority over the kings of Europe. "It is the office of the papacy to tread under foot kings and emperors." J.H. Ignaz Dollinger, The Pope and the Council, (London), p. 35
"Fear, then, our wrath and the thunders of our vengeance; for Jesus Christ has appointed us [the popes] with his own mouth absolute judges of all men; and kings themselves are submitted to our authority." Pope Nicholas I (858-867 AD)
In the papal bull of Pope Gregory XI, dated 1372 AD, and entitled In Coena Domini, the pope pronounced papal dominion over the entire Christian world, secular and religious, and excommunicated all who failed to obey the popes and to pay them taxes. This papal bull was confirmed by subsequent popes and, in 1568 AD, Pope Pius V vowed that it was to remain an eternal law.
The Roman Catholic Church persecuted Christians during the 1260-year period. During this period of history (also known as the Middle Ages), the Roman Catholic Church held a strong sway over Europe, and every citizen was required to be a Roman Catholic. Anything short of total submission to the pope was punishable by torture or death. This led the Roman Catholic system to become one of the most persecuting religions the world has ever known, according to Vicars of Christ: the Dark Side of the papacy, by Peter de Rosa, p. 180
"That the Church of Rome has shed more innocent blood than any other institution that has ever existed among mankind will be questioned by no Protestant who has a complete knowledge of history. It is impossible to form a complete conception of the multitude of her victims, and it is quite certain that no powers of imagination can adequately realize their sufferings." W. E. H. Leeky, History of the Rise and Influence of the Spirit of Rationalism in Europe, Vol. 2:32, 1910 edition
In the Catholic Encyclopedia, Vol. 12, page 266, the reader will find a lengthy article describing the authority of the Roman Catholic Church in punishing 'heretics', whose only crime was that they were faithful Bible-believing Christians.
The Roman Catholic Church will fully recover from its 'deadly wound' and the whole world will wonder after it:
When Pope Pius VI died in captivity in France in 1799, the world expected an end to the Roman Catholic Church. However, God had told us about 2000 years ago that the beast would recover from its deadly wound. Here is how the New York Times reported the healing of the beast, the papacy:
"MORTAL WOUND HEALED: Rome, June 7.--From 11 o'clock this morning there was another sovereign independent State in the world. At that time Premier Mussolini ... exchanged with Cardinal Gasparri, Papal Secretary of State, representing Pope Pius XI, ratifications of the treaties signed at the Lateran Palace on Feb. 11. By that simple act the sovereign independent State of Vatican City came into existence." New York Times, July 7, 1929
The San Francisco Chronicle reported the 'recovery' of the papacy as follows:
"Mussolini and Gaspari (Cardinal) Sign Historic Pact... Heal Wound of Many Years." The San Francisco Chronicle, July 7, 1929
Does the world today 'wonder' after the papacy, as the Bible predicted?
"The best way to honor Pope John Paul II, truly one of the great men, is to take his teaching seriously; is to listen to his words and put his words and teachings into action here in America. This is a challenge we must accept." President George W. Bush, March 21, 2001
"Pope John Paul II is one of the greatest moral and spiritual leaders of this century." Billy Graham in the Saturday Evening Post, Jan-Feb. 1980
"I admire Pope John XXIII tremendously. I felt he brought a new era to the world". Billy Graham, Chicago Tribune, June 8, 1963
"Pope John Paul II celebrates outdoor mass in Spanish for over a million people in Mexico City." The New York Times, Jan 25, 1999
The Roman Catholic Church has the mysterious number 666. The official title of the pope is "Vicarius Filii Dei", which translated is, "Representative of the Son of God". To confirm, the Catholic newspaper Our Sunday Visitor of April 18, 1915 wrote: "The engraved letter on the pope's Mitre is as follows: 'Vicarius Filii Dei '". Since in Latin certain letters have numerical values, we only need to add them up to come to 666.
The Roman Catholic Church blasphemes by claiming to be God and granting absolutions."We hold upon this earth the place of God Almighty." Pope Leo XIII, in an Encyclical letter, dated June 20, 1894
"The Pope is not only the representative of Jesus Christ, but he is Jesus Christ, hidden under a veil of flesh." The Catholic National, July 1895
"But the supreme teacher in the Church is the Roman Pontiff... [who] requires... complete submission and obedience of will... as to God Himself." Pope Leo XIII, the Great Encyclical Letters, p. 193
The Roman Catholic Church created a vast 'market' on earth for a unique kind of merchandise, for which she had no competitors and unquenchable demand. She claimed that she had the right to sell God's grace, His free act of forgiveness, to the sinners. To this day, this blasphemous power, maintains the power to forgive sin.
"This judicial authority will even include the power to forgive sin." The Catholic Encyclopaedia Vol. 12, -article "Pope", p. 265
"And God himself is obliged to abide by the judgment of his priest and either not to pardon or to pardon, according as they refuse to give absolution, provided the penitent is capable of it." Dignity and Duties of the Priest, p. 27, New York: Benziger Brothers, Printers to the Holy Apostolic See, 1888
The Roman Catholic Church made other blasphemous claims by undertaking actions belonging only to God:
Here are samples of the blasphemous claims and teachings of the Roman Catholic Church:
"The priest has the power of the keys, or the power of delivering sinners from hell, of making them worthy of paradise, and of changing them from the slaves of Satan into the children of God. And God himself is obliged to abide by the judgment of his priests... The Sovereign Master of the universe only follows the servant by confirming in heaven all that the latter decides upon earth." Liguori, "Duties and Dignities of the Priest", pp. 27, 28
"Thus the priest may, in a certain manner, be called the creator of his Creator, since by saying the words of the consecration, he creates, as it were, Jesus in the sacrament, by giving him a sacramental existence, and produces him as a victim to be offered to the eternal Father...The power of the priest, is the power of the divine person; for the transubstantiation of the bread requires as much power as the creation of the world." Saint Bernadine of Sienna
"Priests are the saviors of the world." Saint Jerome
As for her blasphemous actions, the Roman Catholic Church has committed the most blasphemous act of all. She altered the very law of God- the Ten Commandments. She dared to cancel the second commandment altogether, for it condemned her practices and rituals. And worse, she changed the day of worship in the Fourth Commandment from Saturday to Sunday. This was done although God gave Adam this perpetual command at creation and has confirmed to us "My covenant will I not break, nor alter the thing that is gone out of my lips" Psalms 89:34.
The Ten Commandments are the only portion of the Bible that was uttered by God's voice in the presence of a congregation. And to ensure that Moses did not miss a letter, God wrote them with His own finger and handed them to Moses. "These words [The Ten Commandments] the Lord spake unto all your assembly...and he added no more. And he wrote them in two tables of stone..." Deuteronomy 5:22.
Christ further stressed the immutability of the Ten Commandments when He said, "it is easier for heaven and earth to pass, than one tittle of the law to fail" Luke 16:17. The sun shining in the heavens, the solid earth upon which you dwell, are God's witnesses that His law is changeless and eternal. Though they may pass away, the divine precepts shall endure. Christ further confirmed "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled" Matthew 5:17, 18.
The Catholic Church is not ashamed that she changed the day of worship. In fact, she takes pride in this action, and regards it as her 'mark' of authority and superiority over other churches and religions.
"The Sabbath, the best known day of the law, was changed into the Lord's day. These and others have not ceased because of instructions received from Christ, (because he himself says, I have not come to destroy the law, but to fulfill it), but because due to the authority of the church they have been changed." Archbishop of Rheggio, Sermon on 1-18-1562, Mansi XXIII, p. 526
"The Sunday is a Catholic institution, and its claim for sacredness can be defended only on Catholic authority...In Holy Scripture from the beginning to the end we find not one single text which justifies the transfer of the weekly public worship service from the last to the first day of the week." Catholic Press, Sidney, 8-25-1900
"Nowhere in the Bible is it stated that worship should be changed from Saturday to Sunday. The fact is that the Church was in existence for several centuries before the Bible was given to the world. The Church made the Bible; the Bible did not make the Church." Things Catholics Are Asked About, by Martin J. Scott, 1927 ed, p. 136
"We celebrate Sunday instead of Saturday, because the Catholic Church has transferred the sacredness from Saturday to Sunday at the council of Laodicea in the year of 364 AD." The Converts Catechism of Catholic Doctrine, from P. Geiermann, the work of Pope Pius X, on 1-25-1910
According to the Roman Catholic Church 'Sunday' is their distinct and distinguished mark of authority.
"Sunday is our mark of authority. The church is above the Bible, and this transference of Sabbath observance is proof of that fact." The Catholic Record, London, Ontario, September 1, 1923
"The observance of Sunday by Protestants is an homage they pay, in spite of themselves, to the authority of the (Catholic) Church." Plain Talk About the Protestantism of Today, by Monsignor Segur, p. 213
"But the Protestant mind does not seem to realize that in...observing the Sunday... they are accepting the authority of the spokesman for the church, the pope." Our Sunday Visitor, Catholic weekly, Feb. 5, 1950
"Of course the Catholic Church claims that the change was her act... a mark of her ecclesiastical power and authority in religious matters." Office of Cardinal Gibbons, through Chancellor C. F. Thomas, Nov. 11, 1895
Why is this mark so important? Have you ever signed a document to validate or confirm its authenticity? Have you ever given your 'seal of approval' to something? It is compulsory in any government. Only by signing, is a document authenticated. Government declarations must always bear an official mark or seal. What are the features of these governmental marks or seals? An official seal or signature must include three features:
1. The name of the official
2. The title of the official
3. The territory or domain of his authority
For example, when the President of the United States signs a bill into law, he must sign it, George Washington (name), President (title) of the United States of America (territory). Every document must be signed in this manner to be official and legal.
Looking to the Almighty Creator, we realize that He has a Heavenly Kingdom. And the document containing the law of His Kingdom is The Ten Commandments. Looking directly in the midst of them you will find the seal of the living God! "For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea..." Exodus 20:11.
Notice the three distinct features:
1. Name: THE LORD ("I am the Lord: that is my name" Isaiah 42:8)
2. Title: CREATOR ("the LORD made")
3. Territory: HEAVEN AND EARTH (Heaven and earth)
Clearly, the seal of the Creator is found in the Sabbath commandment of His law. It is an acknowledgement of His authority as our Creator. When we keep His Sabbath, we are expressing that we acknowledge Him as our Creator.
On the Sabbath, we have the opportunity to worship God as our Creator. When we keep holy the day the Lord chose, we are proclaiming to the entire world that the Creator of the universe is our God! The devil, "Lucifer" is attacking the Sabbath, because he wants to be worshiped "like the Most High" Isaiah 14:14. The Creator seeks your worship on His holy Sabbath day, and Satan, seeking to be like the Creator, wants your worship on his Sunday. Which will you choose?
"And hallow my sabbaths; and they shall be a sign between me and you, that ye may know that I am the LORD your God" Ezekiel 20:20.
From the overwhelming weight of evidence, we can decisively conclude that the History of the Roman Catholic Church is full of Apostasy. , and that the Catholic Church has never practiced the exuberant faith of Jesus Christ.
8 Undeniable Facts About The Second Coming Of Christ
The second coming of Christ is a core Christian belief that is taught throughout the Holy Scriptures. In Matthew 24:29-31, Jesus revealed about 2000 years ago that he will return in the future to judge the living and the dead. So many very influential people have misled others with their false predictions of the day of the Second Coming of Christ simply because they confuse a certain period of tribulation to the period of Christ' return. In a this article, I want you to recall the words spoken in the past by the holy prophets and the command given by our Lord and Savior prior to His Second Coming.
1). No one knows the day or the hour of Jesus' second coming (Matthew 24:36-37). Not even the angels in heaven. There is no point trying to fix any date to the second coming of Christ, because the Word of God is very clear on this.
2). The day of Christ's return will come like a thief." Prior to the second coming of Christ, people will continue in their normal business activities. They will say, "ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation."
3). While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
4). There will be false prophets before Jesus returns: Jesus Himself prophesied in Matthew 24 that there would be false messiahs before his return and history has provided us with many examples.
5). The Bible says that the Gospel (the message about Jesus Christ' return will be preached throughout the world. The Bible also says that sometime after this happens, the Jesus will come. The Bible has been preached throughout the world for a long time now and with the increasing worldwide availability of television and the Internet, there is greater potential for the Gospel to be preached to to the entire world.
6). Just prior to the Second coming of Christ, there would be unequaled destruction and suffering, such that the world has never seen since it's creation: Many people have offered their opinions about this prophecy, claiming that it has already happened, or that it is happening, or that it will happen in the future. However, more suffering will come in the form of widespread killer diseases and famine, brutal terrorism, or nuclear war, etc. If those days had not been cut short (that is, if Christ does not intercede the suffering by the event of His Second Coming), no flesh would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened (Christ will come and Redeem His own).
7). Jesus prophesied that the Gentiles (non Jews) would trample upon Jerusalem prior to His Second Coming.
8). In books, movies and Internet articles, so much attention is given to the prophecies that foretell the future of the world that we sometimes overlook the prophecies that foretell our own futures, on an individual basis. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives. So then, dear readers, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to Pray honestly, and fervently for the mercy of God to help you overcome this sinful world. Therefore we should desire to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, so that we may be found spotless, blameless and at peace with God at the second coming of Christ.
1). No one knows the day or the hour of Jesus' second coming (Matthew 24:36-37). Not even the angels in heaven. There is no point trying to fix any date to the second coming of Christ, because the Word of God is very clear on this.
2). The day of Christ's return will come like a thief." Prior to the second coming of Christ, people will continue in their normal business activities. They will say, "ever since our fathers died, everything goes on as it has since the beginning of creation."
3). While people are saying, "Peace and safety," destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
4). There will be false prophets before Jesus returns: Jesus Himself prophesied in Matthew 24 that there would be false messiahs before his return and history has provided us with many examples.
5). The Bible says that the Gospel (the message about Jesus Christ' return will be preached throughout the world. The Bible also says that sometime after this happens, the Jesus will come. The Bible has been preached throughout the world for a long time now and with the increasing worldwide availability of television and the Internet, there is greater potential for the Gospel to be preached to to the entire world.
6). Just prior to the Second coming of Christ, there would be unequaled destruction and suffering, such that the world has never seen since it's creation: Many people have offered their opinions about this prophecy, claiming that it has already happened, or that it is happening, or that it will happen in the future. However, more suffering will come in the form of widespread killer diseases and famine, brutal terrorism, or nuclear war, etc. If those days had not been cut short (that is, if Christ does not intercede the suffering by the event of His Second Coming), no flesh would survive, but for the sake of the elect those days will be shortened (Christ will come and Redeem His own).
7). Jesus prophesied that the Gentiles (non Jews) would trample upon Jerusalem prior to His Second Coming.
8). In books, movies and Internet articles, so much attention is given to the prophecies that foretell the future of the world that we sometimes overlook the prophecies that foretell our own futures, on an individual basis. Since everything will be destroyed in this way, what kind of people ought you to be? You ought to live holy and godly lives. So then, dear readers, since you are looking forward to this, make every effort to Pray honestly, and fervently for the mercy of God to help you overcome this sinful world. Therefore we should desire to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, so that we may be found spotless, blameless and at peace with God at the second coming of Christ.
7 Things That Makes a Home Church Valid in Today's Society
House churches, home churches, cell groups, and other terms refer to a popular movement today. Some have made a principle of separating themselves from denominations and emphasizing that only the house church is a viable representative of apostolic Christianity. Others have used the small group movement to infuse more vitality into a spiritless congregation. Others take a middle-of-the-road attitude, and engage in house churches for practical reasons.
Most of the single denominations in existence today do not adhere to a majority of the commandments, hence they are not valid for any true worshiper who seeks to follow God's law. In fact, there is no denomination that adheres even to the least kept of the commandments: one God, the Sabbath, and prohibition of adultery, stealing and killing. So for practical reasons, the true believer simply cannot participate in just any religious establishment.
Walking with God is the basic form of worship. It continued with Enoch (Gen 5:24) "And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him." This daily family meeting with God for worship, this walking with him, is the preparation for being taken from this earth one day to meet the Lord in the air. Those in the days of Enoch who neglected the form of worship instituted with Adam and Eve were eventually destroyed in the Flood. "Noah was a just man and perfect in establishing a valid family or home church. and Noah walked with God." (Gen 6:9)
At the coming of the Messiah, worship was reverted to the original plan. Jesus established the original format of small-scale worship in Matthew 16-18, giving precise details for how worship should be organized. The basic institution is in (Mat 18:19) Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. (Mat 18:20) For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Home churches were established quite close to each other, such as that kept, apparently in the home of the deaconness Phebe in Cenchrea, well within walking distance of Corinth, where another church gathered. The apostolic church generally gathered in homes or in secluded places out of doors... That was the prevalent system before imperial Christianity, which started building large structures in order more easily to control the people and indoctrinate them with apostasy.
A valid home church has the obligation to perform certain ordinances besides ordaining elders and deacons, they include:
1). Prayer for the sick. James 5:14.
2). Give alms to the poor and needy; and visit widows and orphans in their distress. James 1:27
3). The ministry of the Word. Revelation 1:3.
4). Baptism by immersion of those who believe in the death and resurrection of Christ. Romans 6:4.
5). The washing of feet at the beginning of the communion service. John 13:14.
6). The communion in commemoration of the body and blood of Christ. 1Corinthians 11:23-33.
7). Blessing of children. Matthew 19:14.
We do not need a new organization, nor do we need to participate in the institutions engaged in apostasy. The home church that was established in Eden, affirmed in the Gospel, and maintained by early commandment-keeping believers has not changed. It is sufficient to gather as a family at the family altar daily, and come together with like-minded believers in a designated house as occasion permits.
Most of the single denominations in existence today do not adhere to a majority of the commandments, hence they are not valid for any true worshiper who seeks to follow God's law. In fact, there is no denomination that adheres even to the least kept of the commandments: one God, the Sabbath, and prohibition of adultery, stealing and killing. So for practical reasons, the true believer simply cannot participate in just any religious establishment.
Walking with God is the basic form of worship. It continued with Enoch (Gen 5:24) "And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him." This daily family meeting with God for worship, this walking with him, is the preparation for being taken from this earth one day to meet the Lord in the air. Those in the days of Enoch who neglected the form of worship instituted with Adam and Eve were eventually destroyed in the Flood. "Noah was a just man and perfect in establishing a valid family or home church. and Noah walked with God." (Gen 6:9)
At the coming of the Messiah, worship was reverted to the original plan. Jesus established the original format of small-scale worship in Matthew 16-18, giving precise details for how worship should be organized. The basic institution is in (Mat 18:19) Again I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching any thing that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven. (Mat 18:20) For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.
Home churches were established quite close to each other, such as that kept, apparently in the home of the deaconness Phebe in Cenchrea, well within walking distance of Corinth, where another church gathered. The apostolic church generally gathered in homes or in secluded places out of doors... That was the prevalent system before imperial Christianity, which started building large structures in order more easily to control the people and indoctrinate them with apostasy.
A valid home church has the obligation to perform certain ordinances besides ordaining elders and deacons, they include:
1). Prayer for the sick. James 5:14.
2). Give alms to the poor and needy; and visit widows and orphans in their distress. James 1:27
3). The ministry of the Word. Revelation 1:3.
4). Baptism by immersion of those who believe in the death and resurrection of Christ. Romans 6:4.
5). The washing of feet at the beginning of the communion service. John 13:14.
6). The communion in commemoration of the body and blood of Christ. 1Corinthians 11:23-33.
7). Blessing of children. Matthew 19:14.
We do not need a new organization, nor do we need to participate in the institutions engaged in apostasy. The home church that was established in Eden, affirmed in the Gospel, and maintained by early commandment-keeping believers has not changed. It is sufficient to gather as a family at the family altar daily, and come together with like-minded believers in a designated house as occasion permits.
7 Major Facts About Christianity
There are about one billion people that say that they are Christians. Most of these call themselves Catholics, although majority of all non-Catholic Christians are in old mainline liberal and reformed denominations such as Evangelicals, Pentecostals, Adventists or Baptist. Some are in independent Bible churches. You could be an atheist, a Buddhist, Muslim, or whatever, and you're welcome read this article.
JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD. Some Christian denominations don't believe this, and some denominations believe otherwise. If you're a Jew, Jehovah's Witness, or Mormonist, you pretty much hold a different view. What you are, or whatever you believe in, don't matter much to me because there are so many documents, so much literature, so many scrolls, so much history you can study, to back up this fact. When Jesus was born in Bethlehem between 4th and 7th BC, Jupiter, Mars and Saturn were in conjunction and the astronomers can proved this. This is what the Magi saw. There was a Jesus Christ, even non biblical sources say this and time and ink will not permit me to start prove that He is the Son of God, but i absolutely believe that He is. The purpose of this article is for you to completely believe that Christianity is a pure religion that it is backed by facts and not fallacy.
The early Christian leaders were not picked because of their position in the community or the size of their bank account. Some merited their Episcopal position because of their evangelism of the lost, others because of their zeal for the gospel, and they did not love their lives even unto death. Examples of such early church fathers are Irenaeus, Origen, Eusebius, Jerome, and St. Augustine, amongst others. These formed the pillars of the Christian faith that we are associated with today.
The early Christians had wonderful fellowship with each other and with Jesus. They were not building large churches or having country club meetings, rather, they inculcated a kind of Christ-like fellowship with the Father and this made other unbelievers to call them the name "Christians". They met regularly to expound Bible passages and implemented Christ-like morals into their daily lives. Many, to be all inclusive and to reach non-Christians, have made their fellowship once weekly and it is actually a time of entertainment rather than a time to feed the flock, worship God and to provide the message of the kingdom of God.
Those who were first admonished as Christians manifested their faith through accompanying signs. They spoke in new tongues, they prophesied, and their prophecies came to pass for others to see and believe. The Holy Spirit was obviously working through all born again believers then, even as He is now, and Christians could easily cast out demons and heal sick people in the society through the powerful name of Jesus. Those Christians knew themselves as God's special anointed leaders.
The centerpiece of Christianity is the spiritual endowment that is exhibited by the followers of Christ. When Christ resurrected, He gave gifts to as many that dared to believe in Him. Some, he gave prophetic gifts, some, He endowed with the gift of healing, some with gift of teaching. To many, He gave the gift of wisdom, yet to some, He gave the gift of giving, Too many Christians walking about today don't even know how powerfully gifted they are in all kinds of workmanship.
I absolutely believe Jesus rose from the dead. Not because the Bible said so; not because I've been to His Grave to see that His body was not there; not because some preacher pressured me to agree with his/her persuasive words of natural wisdom; not because He's the most written about, most talked about, most argued about, or most controversial Person in human history; but simply because my entire hope of salvation rest on the fact that He rose from the dead. And I cannot believe otherwise because He rose from the dead, he was the Son of God and Christianity is true. Christianity rests on the resurrection. If the resurrection didn't happen, then Christianity is a big joke, and if the resurrection happened, then Christianity is legit. It all stands or falls on that.
Christianity is the only Religion that teaches the gospel truth. Well, Islam did okay. They didn't do great harm to the gospel of Jesus Christ, no insult to anybody, but Islam is not characterized by heavenly standards of living. I don't want to get into Islam. That's like a whole other thing. Some denominations teach that Christians are to live like early Israelites. They promise their members that if they can keep the whole law, they will eventually go to heaven to dwell with God. Knowing fully well that no man can be completely guiltless with regards to the law, they leave faithful believers completely shattered and bewildered whenever they fall short of the grace of God through their sins. The Gospel of Jesus Christ as seen from the four gospels is very clear: Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand.
Remember, Satan is a master deceiver. He has forged many forms of false believes all over the world. He counterfeits the truth in endless ways, and God's calling process is no exception. Be certain of whether you are being called at this time. You must decide whether you grasp the truths of this article-whether you are being given the opportunity for salvation now!
JESUS IS THE SON OF GOD. Some Christian denominations don't believe this, and some denominations believe otherwise. If you're a Jew, Jehovah's Witness, or Mormonist, you pretty much hold a different view. What you are, or whatever you believe in, don't matter much to me because there are so many documents, so much literature, so many scrolls, so much history you can study, to back up this fact. When Jesus was born in Bethlehem between 4th and 7th BC, Jupiter, Mars and Saturn were in conjunction and the astronomers can proved this. This is what the Magi saw. There was a Jesus Christ, even non biblical sources say this and time and ink will not permit me to start prove that He is the Son of God, but i absolutely believe that He is. The purpose of this article is for you to completely believe that Christianity is a pure religion that it is backed by facts and not fallacy.
The early Christian leaders were not picked because of their position in the community or the size of their bank account. Some merited their Episcopal position because of their evangelism of the lost, others because of their zeal for the gospel, and they did not love their lives even unto death. Examples of such early church fathers are Irenaeus, Origen, Eusebius, Jerome, and St. Augustine, amongst others. These formed the pillars of the Christian faith that we are associated with today.
The early Christians had wonderful fellowship with each other and with Jesus. They were not building large churches or having country club meetings, rather, they inculcated a kind of Christ-like fellowship with the Father and this made other unbelievers to call them the name "Christians". They met regularly to expound Bible passages and implemented Christ-like morals into their daily lives. Many, to be all inclusive and to reach non-Christians, have made their fellowship once weekly and it is actually a time of entertainment rather than a time to feed the flock, worship God and to provide the message of the kingdom of God.
Those who were first admonished as Christians manifested their faith through accompanying signs. They spoke in new tongues, they prophesied, and their prophecies came to pass for others to see and believe. The Holy Spirit was obviously working through all born again believers then, even as He is now, and Christians could easily cast out demons and heal sick people in the society through the powerful name of Jesus. Those Christians knew themselves as God's special anointed leaders.
The centerpiece of Christianity is the spiritual endowment that is exhibited by the followers of Christ. When Christ resurrected, He gave gifts to as many that dared to believe in Him. Some, he gave prophetic gifts, some, He endowed with the gift of healing, some with gift of teaching. To many, He gave the gift of wisdom, yet to some, He gave the gift of giving, Too many Christians walking about today don't even know how powerfully gifted they are in all kinds of workmanship.
I absolutely believe Jesus rose from the dead. Not because the Bible said so; not because I've been to His Grave to see that His body was not there; not because some preacher pressured me to agree with his/her persuasive words of natural wisdom; not because He's the most written about, most talked about, most argued about, or most controversial Person in human history; but simply because my entire hope of salvation rest on the fact that He rose from the dead. And I cannot believe otherwise because He rose from the dead, he was the Son of God and Christianity is true. Christianity rests on the resurrection. If the resurrection didn't happen, then Christianity is a big joke, and if the resurrection happened, then Christianity is legit. It all stands or falls on that.
Christianity is the only Religion that teaches the gospel truth. Well, Islam did okay. They didn't do great harm to the gospel of Jesus Christ, no insult to anybody, but Islam is not characterized by heavenly standards of living. I don't want to get into Islam. That's like a whole other thing. Some denominations teach that Christians are to live like early Israelites. They promise their members that if they can keep the whole law, they will eventually go to heaven to dwell with God. Knowing fully well that no man can be completely guiltless with regards to the law, they leave faithful believers completely shattered and bewildered whenever they fall short of the grace of God through their sins. The Gospel of Jesus Christ as seen from the four gospels is very clear: Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand.
Remember, Satan is a master deceiver. He has forged many forms of false believes all over the world. He counterfeits the truth in endless ways, and God's calling process is no exception. Be certain of whether you are being called at this time. You must decide whether you grasp the truths of this article-whether you are being given the opportunity for salvation now!
Christ's Warning To All Members Of The Church
Christ thunders this message to all members of the Philadelphian Church worldwide: “Therefore come out from among them, and be you separate…and I will receive you, and will be a Father unto you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty” (2 Cor. 6:17-18).
Some few Christians are choosing to come out of the world. They are willing to seek God with all their hearts. These are those called of God at this time. Let’s understand. The Bible does plainly speak of those who have been called by God. Notice what Paul said to the Thessalonian brethren: “Faithful is He that calls you...” (I Thes. 5:24). As a warning to the Galatian congregation, who were losing sight of the true gospel, he said this: “I marvel that you are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel” (1:6), and later added, “This persuasion comes not of Him that calls you” (5:7-8). To the Corinthian congregation he wrote, “For you see your calling brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called” (I Cor. 1:26).
When you read or hear things like these in books such as this one, do they have meaning to you? Are you grasping them? Are they plain to your understanding? Do you see them as special knowledge others do not have? Do you feel tempted to pinch yourself in disbelief that you could be shown things of which the masses have no idea? If the answers to these questions are “yes,” then God is calling you! The mysteries of the kingdom of God are being given to you!
In the end Christ beckons those who have faithfully responded to His call, “Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name My God, and the name of the city of My God, and the New Jerusalem, which comes out of heaven from My God, and i will write on him My new name” (Revelation 3:11-12).
Remember, satan is a master deceiver. He has forged many forms of false religion all over the earth. He counterfeits the truth in endless ways, and God’s calling process is no exception. Be certain of whether you are being called at this time. “Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble” (2 Pet. 1:10). You must decide whether you grasp the truths of this book—whether you are being given your opportunity for salvation now!
The Laodiceans were famous for producing shiny, black wool clothing and boasted of an outstanding medical centre that specialized in eye ointments. With the wealth amassed, it had also become the banking centre of the region. For all its wealth, the city had poor water, the water either came from the nearby hot springs and was cooled to lukewarm or came from a cooler source and warmed up in the aqueduct on the way (notes on Revelation 3). Christ says to this church: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot” (verses 15-16).
The city of Laodicea had a water problem. One nearby town had fabulous hot springs and another had cold, clear water. Laodicea, however, was stuck in-between lukewarm mineral-laden water that tested like sulphur. Not hot, not cold. Given these facts, the words of Jesus to the Laodicean brethren must have stung. Christ uses the Laodiceans’ lukewarm and distasteful water to point out that their poor spiritual state is equally offensive to Him. And when He thought of them, He felt like vomiting –like the effect of their water. What was their problem? Was it the sin of indifference about whether to accept the gospel; or to stick to their self-sufficiency, which had satiated their taste for Christ?
Christ warns them that, if they do not rapidly improve their spiritual condition, He will reject them. He detests the Laodicean attitude of compromising with God’s laws. By contrast, He later describes those who are faithful to Him as “those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus” (Revelation 14:12). Further, even if their clothing were world renowned, Christ tells them that their “spiritual garments” were in pitiful condition.
“…you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed… (Revelation 3:17-18). He recommends that they focus on buying from Him the spiritual clothing of true righteousness that He later describes as “fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints” (Revelation 19:8). Jesus next tells those brethren, who were blind to their true spiritual condition that, the “Phrygian powder” concocted in their medical centre as an eye ointment was useless.
Instead, He advised them to use His true spiritual eye salve so they can clearly see and repent of their compromising attitudes. Lastly, Christ warns them not to put their trust in their physical wealth but in Him, who can develop the true gold that comes from overcoming trials and building righteous spiritual character. The Laodicean Church represents the final state of the church during the Great Tribulation.
The mainstream churches are slowly but steadily gliding into the Laodicean era. However, in the very end of time, at the fulfilment of this prophecy, the church on earth would not heed this message to repent of their sins. Because they would already be in perfect harmony all manner of worldliness. Though the whole of mankind would be afraid of God because of His wraths that are being unleashed on the earth and its inhabitants; yet they would also be afraid of the dragon who gave his power to the beast (Rev. 9: 20-21). They would be indifferent –lukewarm- about who to obey, being neither hot nor cold, and as such bringing great destruction on themselves.
Therefore Christ wraps up the prophecy: “He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still. And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last” (Revelation 22: 11-13)
I want to believe that your heart has been loosened by the amazing and true words that you have read thus far. The purpose of being a Christian or being born again is to submit to the will of God and allow Christ to guide you in the path that leads to everlasting life. From Genesis to Revelations, the commandments of God are evident to all believers. A true servant of God will do everything within his/her power to obey the commandments of God so as to escape the wrath of God. “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building… Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.” (1 Cor. 3:9; 16-17)
Having known all these things, what manner of Christians should we be? Should we remain in the ‘valley of decision’ knowing that even if we are made to walk in the valley of the shadow of death, we should fear no evil? Should we be under the sway of the devil, when the Spirit of Jesus Christ that is in us is greater than the antichrist spirit that is in the world? Should we allow the works of the flesh restrict us from keeping the commandments of God which he has put in our hearts –to proclaim the gospel of peace to all nations – citing persecution and religious obscurity as an excuse for not saving the lost sheep of Israel?
I beseech you brethren, by the grace of God: “Even if we die, let us not die like fowls; if we must die, let us die like soldiers of Christ. If we must live, let us “fight the good fight of faith” till the end of time. And if we live, let us live for Christ.”
There is an evil which I have seen on the earth. Those who say publicly that they know Christ have not even been known by Him (In other words, Jesus Christ does not know them); but those who are known by Christ are often afraid to profess their faith in Him. I have not written to you because you don’t know Him, but that you know Him and you must confess Him even unto death.
“Behold I give you authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you” (Luke 10:19). May God help you to come out of the Babylon of this world (Rev. 18:4), that you may qualify to rule with the all-powerful, living Christ in the wonderful, utopian new heaven and earth that lies ahead!
“All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. GO and make disciples of all nations, baptising 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; and lo, I am with you always even to the end of the age.” Amen. (Matt. 28:18-20)
Some few Christians are choosing to come out of the world. They are willing to seek God with all their hearts. These are those called of God at this time. Let’s understand. The Bible does plainly speak of those who have been called by God. Notice what Paul said to the Thessalonian brethren: “Faithful is He that calls you...” (I Thes. 5:24). As a warning to the Galatian congregation, who were losing sight of the true gospel, he said this: “I marvel that you are so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel” (1:6), and later added, “This persuasion comes not of Him that calls you” (5:7-8). To the Corinthian congregation he wrote, “For you see your calling brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called” (I Cor. 1:26).
When you read or hear things like these in books such as this one, do they have meaning to you? Are you grasping them? Are they plain to your understanding? Do you see them as special knowledge others do not have? Do you feel tempted to pinch yourself in disbelief that you could be shown things of which the masses have no idea? If the answers to these questions are “yes,” then God is calling you! The mysteries of the kingdom of God are being given to you!
In the end Christ beckons those who have faithfully responded to His call, “Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name My God, and the name of the city of My God, and the New Jerusalem, which comes out of heaven from My God, and i will write on him My new name” (Revelation 3:11-12).
Remember, satan is a master deceiver. He has forged many forms of false religion all over the earth. He counterfeits the truth in endless ways, and God’s calling process is no exception. Be certain of whether you are being called at this time. “Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble” (2 Pet. 1:10). You must decide whether you grasp the truths of this book—whether you are being given your opportunity for salvation now!
The Laodiceans were famous for producing shiny, black wool clothing and boasted of an outstanding medical centre that specialized in eye ointments. With the wealth amassed, it had also become the banking centre of the region. For all its wealth, the city had poor water, the water either came from the nearby hot springs and was cooled to lukewarm or came from a cooler source and warmed up in the aqueduct on the way (notes on Revelation 3). Christ says to this church: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot” (verses 15-16).
The city of Laodicea had a water problem. One nearby town had fabulous hot springs and another had cold, clear water. Laodicea, however, was stuck in-between lukewarm mineral-laden water that tested like sulphur. Not hot, not cold. Given these facts, the words of Jesus to the Laodicean brethren must have stung. Christ uses the Laodiceans’ lukewarm and distasteful water to point out that their poor spiritual state is equally offensive to Him. And when He thought of them, He felt like vomiting –like the effect of their water. What was their problem? Was it the sin of indifference about whether to accept the gospel; or to stick to their self-sufficiency, which had satiated their taste for Christ?
Christ warns them that, if they do not rapidly improve their spiritual condition, He will reject them. He detests the Laodicean attitude of compromising with God’s laws. By contrast, He later describes those who are faithful to Him as “those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus” (Revelation 14:12). Further, even if their clothing were world renowned, Christ tells them that their “spiritual garments” were in pitiful condition.
“…you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed… (Revelation 3:17-18). He recommends that they focus on buying from Him the spiritual clothing of true righteousness that He later describes as “fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints” (Revelation 19:8). Jesus next tells those brethren, who were blind to their true spiritual condition that, the “Phrygian powder” concocted in their medical centre as an eye ointment was useless.
Instead, He advised them to use His true spiritual eye salve so they can clearly see and repent of their compromising attitudes. Lastly, Christ warns them not to put their trust in their physical wealth but in Him, who can develop the true gold that comes from overcoming trials and building righteous spiritual character. The Laodicean Church represents the final state of the church during the Great Tribulation.
The mainstream churches are slowly but steadily gliding into the Laodicean era. However, in the very end of time, at the fulfilment of this prophecy, the church on earth would not heed this message to repent of their sins. Because they would already be in perfect harmony all manner of worldliness. Though the whole of mankind would be afraid of God because of His wraths that are being unleashed on the earth and its inhabitants; yet they would also be afraid of the dragon who gave his power to the beast (Rev. 9: 20-21). They would be indifferent –lukewarm- about who to obey, being neither hot nor cold, and as such bringing great destruction on themselves.
Therefore Christ wraps up the prophecy: “He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still. And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to everyone according to his work. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last” (Revelation 22: 11-13)
I want to believe that your heart has been loosened by the amazing and true words that you have read thus far. The purpose of being a Christian or being born again is to submit to the will of God and allow Christ to guide you in the path that leads to everlasting life. From Genesis to Revelations, the commandments of God are evident to all believers. A true servant of God will do everything within his/her power to obey the commandments of God so as to escape the wrath of God. “For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s field, you are God’s building… Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of God is holy, which temple you are.” (1 Cor. 3:9; 16-17)
Having known all these things, what manner of Christians should we be? Should we remain in the ‘valley of decision’ knowing that even if we are made to walk in the valley of the shadow of death, we should fear no evil? Should we be under the sway of the devil, when the Spirit of Jesus Christ that is in us is greater than the antichrist spirit that is in the world? Should we allow the works of the flesh restrict us from keeping the commandments of God which he has put in our hearts –to proclaim the gospel of peace to all nations – citing persecution and religious obscurity as an excuse for not saving the lost sheep of Israel?
I beseech you brethren, by the grace of God: “Even if we die, let us not die like fowls; if we must die, let us die like soldiers of Christ. If we must live, let us “fight the good fight of faith” till the end of time. And if we live, let us live for Christ.”
There is an evil which I have seen on the earth. Those who say publicly that they know Christ have not even been known by Him (In other words, Jesus Christ does not know them); but those who are known by Christ are often afraid to profess their faith in Him. I have not written to you because you don’t know Him, but that you know Him and you must confess Him even unto death.
“Behold I give you authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you” (Luke 10:19). May God help you to come out of the Babylon of this world (Rev. 18:4), that you may qualify to rule with the all-powerful, living Christ in the wonderful, utopian new heaven and earth that lies ahead!
“All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth. GO and make disciples of all nations, baptising 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; and lo, I am with you always even to the end of the age.” Amen. (Matt. 28:18-20)
The Church As A Symbol of the Kingdom of God on Earth
When Christ returns. He shall be Ruler and Governor over all nations on earth forever and ever. Notice: “And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, ‘The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of His Christ; and He shall reign forever and ever”’ (Rev. 11:15).
But this is not all. Immediately, upon His Return, here is what Christ does: “And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude… saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigns. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And He says unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb…” (Rev.19:6-9). Of course, the Lamb of God has always been Jesus Christ (John 1:29, 36; Rev. 5:6).
Let's go to Romans 8 and read verse 9: “But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.” To be a true Christian, one must have the Spirit of God. It is that simple. Recall that I Corinthians 12:13 revealed that all members of the Church are “baptized into one body.” Baptized means ‘immersed, put into’. Therefore, a Christian is put into God’s Church by receiving the Holy Spirit. This Spirit makes him a begotten son.
Those without God’s Spirit, regardless of their church affiliation or denomination, are “none of His.” We have seen that all of the Spirit-begotten become “heirs” of salvation (Rom. 8:17). But there is more important knowledge to understand. It is tied directly to the purpose for human marriage and family. The way a husband loves, works with and leads his wife is intended to be a reflection of Christ’s leadership over His Church. The New Testament actually identifies the Church as Christ’s betrothed Bride.
The eternal purpose of God for the Church is for her to be His Bride, forming a magnificent building in the holy city of the new Jerusalem that will descend out of heaven from God (Revelations 21: 10 - 13). Many verses reveal this. First, notice the following parallel between Christ and His Church, and human husbands and their wives: “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the Church…That He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:23, 27). The Bible reveals that the husband’s relationship with his wife is a parallel of Christ’s relationship to the Church! Christ works with His Church the way husbands are to work with their wives. He intends to “present the Church to God,” in a marriage ceremony, with all spots, wrinkles and blemishes gone. But this wedding is only attainable for those learning the lessons of this life—those who gain experience through suffering and building character now!
Now fully comprehend this awesome knowledge: Christ is God. He is of the “God kind.” Just as God and Christ could not reproduce outside their kind (Gen. 1:24-26), anymore than any animal could reproduce with any other kind, Christ could not marry outside the God kind either. At His Return, in one of the most awesome events in all history –The Marriage Supper of the Lamb – Christ will marry His Church! This is the plain truth from God’s Word—and you have just heard it! God calls His Church, His future Bride, “a building” that is “fitly framed together” (Eph. 2:21). Christ is literally “building a temple” consisting of “living stones” (I Pet. 2:5). Christ is continuing His building of the Church today, and you have come in contact with it.
We saw that the true Church is depicted as a type of Jerusalem and as the Mother of all the brethren in the Church (Gal. 4:26; Heb. 12:22-23). Like any Mother, she cares for and feeds her children. We have also seen that the true Church is also pictured as a Bride prophesied to marry Jesus Christ at His Return (Rev. 19:7-9). She is described as, at that time, having “made herself ready” for this wonderful and glorious event! Will you be among those who strive to “make yourself ready”?
Finally, we have already addressed the actual meaning of the Greek word translated “Church” in the New Testament. This needs no further clarification. Most have supposed it means a building or an organization, when it means neither. The word “church” is ekklesia, meaning Christians are indeed “called out” of this world—its ways—its customs—its practices— its traditions—its false knowledge—and into the true Church, and fellowship with God and Christ (I John 1:3). Take time to savour this marvellous understanding!
But this is not all. Immediately, upon His Return, here is what Christ does: “And I heard as it were the voice of a great multitude… saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigns. Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to Him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife has made herself ready. And to her was granted that she should be arrayed in fine linen, clean and white: for the fine linen is the righteousness of saints. And He says unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb…” (Rev.19:6-9). Of course, the Lamb of God has always been Jesus Christ (John 1:29, 36; Rev. 5:6).
Let's go to Romans 8 and read verse 9: “But you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of His.” To be a true Christian, one must have the Spirit of God. It is that simple. Recall that I Corinthians 12:13 revealed that all members of the Church are “baptized into one body.” Baptized means ‘immersed, put into’. Therefore, a Christian is put into God’s Church by receiving the Holy Spirit. This Spirit makes him a begotten son.
Those without God’s Spirit, regardless of their church affiliation or denomination, are “none of His.” We have seen that all of the Spirit-begotten become “heirs” of salvation (Rom. 8:17). But there is more important knowledge to understand. It is tied directly to the purpose for human marriage and family. The way a husband loves, works with and leads his wife is intended to be a reflection of Christ’s leadership over His Church. The New Testament actually identifies the Church as Christ’s betrothed Bride.
The eternal purpose of God for the Church is for her to be His Bride, forming a magnificent building in the holy city of the new Jerusalem that will descend out of heaven from God (Revelations 21: 10 - 13). Many verses reveal this. First, notice the following parallel between Christ and His Church, and human husbands and their wives: “For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the Church…That He might present it to Himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish” (Eph. 5:23, 27). The Bible reveals that the husband’s relationship with his wife is a parallel of Christ’s relationship to the Church! Christ works with His Church the way husbands are to work with their wives. He intends to “present the Church to God,” in a marriage ceremony, with all spots, wrinkles and blemishes gone. But this wedding is only attainable for those learning the lessons of this life—those who gain experience through suffering and building character now!
Now fully comprehend this awesome knowledge: Christ is God. He is of the “God kind.” Just as God and Christ could not reproduce outside their kind (Gen. 1:24-26), anymore than any animal could reproduce with any other kind, Christ could not marry outside the God kind either. At His Return, in one of the most awesome events in all history –The Marriage Supper of the Lamb – Christ will marry His Church! This is the plain truth from God’s Word—and you have just heard it! God calls His Church, His future Bride, “a building” that is “fitly framed together” (Eph. 2:21). Christ is literally “building a temple” consisting of “living stones” (I Pet. 2:5). Christ is continuing His building of the Church today, and you have come in contact with it.
We saw that the true Church is depicted as a type of Jerusalem and as the Mother of all the brethren in the Church (Gal. 4:26; Heb. 12:22-23). Like any Mother, she cares for and feeds her children. We have also seen that the true Church is also pictured as a Bride prophesied to marry Jesus Christ at His Return (Rev. 19:7-9). She is described as, at that time, having “made herself ready” for this wonderful and glorious event! Will you be among those who strive to “make yourself ready”?
Finally, we have already addressed the actual meaning of the Greek word translated “Church” in the New Testament. This needs no further clarification. Most have supposed it means a building or an organization, when it means neither. The word “church” is ekklesia, meaning Christians are indeed “called out” of this world—its ways—its customs—its practices— its traditions—its false knowledge—and into the true Church, and fellowship with God and Christ (I John 1:3). Take time to savour this marvellous understanding!
Saturday, October 29, 2011
THE MEANING OF APOSTASY
Christians can live in confidence of their salvation.
(1 Jn.5:13; 1 Pet. 1:3-5).
However, this does not mean that the Christian has a license to sin without punishment (Rom. 6:1-2, 23).
Christians are called to be diligent and watchful, in order to avoid falling away from God (Heb. 3:12-13).
Christians can lose their faith (Luke 17:1).
Christians can fall away from grace (Gal. 5:4).
When people who profess to be Christians live in sin, their fellowship becomes corrupted and apostate (1 Tim. 4:1).
Apostasy literally means "a standing away," hence the concept of "falling away." It is "an abandoning of what one believed in, as a faith, etc." (Webster).
Recall that the church is made up of people, and the true Church represents the body of Christ (Eph 4:12), so when people in a church sin willingly, they are actually apostatizing or ‘falling away’ from Christ’s body.
Since so many religious people have been persuaded that it is impossible for a Christian to so sin as to lose his salvation, we offer Bible facts all from the new testament to refute this doctrine of men.
THE POSSIBILITY OF A CHURCH IN APOSTASY
One who has believed can fall away, therefore a congregation can also fall away: - Luke 8:13.
Christians can sever from Christ and fall away from grace: -
Gal. 5:2-4.
Gal. 5:2-4.
An enlightened one can fall away & so with an enlightened church: - Hebrews 6:4-6. See: 1 Corinthians 10:12; 2 Thessalonians 2:3; 1 Timothy 4:1-3; 2 Timothy 4:3-4; James 5:19-20)
EXAMPLES OF APOSTASY OF GOD'S PEOPLE IN THE EARLY CHURCH
Simon Peter, though He repented and was saved:
- Luke 22:31-34, 54-62; Galatians 2:11-14.
Another Simon - Acts 8:12-13, 18-24.
Some Fornicators in the Corinthian church:
- 1 Corinthians 5:1-5, 13; 2 Corinthians 2:5-8.
Hymenaeus and Alexander:
-1 Timothy 1:18-20.
Laodiceans:
- Revelation 3:15-19.
CAUSES OF APOSTASY
Times of temptation:
- Luke 8:13.
Worldliness:
- Luke 8:14; James 4:4; 1 Tim. 4:1; 2 Timothy 3:1; 2 Timothy 4:10.
False doctrine:
- Acts 20:29-30; 1 Timothy 4:1-3; 6:3-5.
Seeking justification by the O. T. law of Moses:
- Galatians 5:4.
Hardened hearts against God's revealed will:
- Hebrews 3:12-13.
THE PREVENTION OF APOSTASY
Grow Spiritually unto maturity by constant prayer and meditation in the word of God:-Luke 18:1; 1 Peter 2:1-2; 2 Peter 1:5-11.
Don't love the things in the world/Seek heavenly things:
-1 Jn. 2:15-17; Col. 3:1-3.
Live in the doctrine of Christ
-2 John 9; 1 Timothy 6:3; 1:3.
Know that salvation is only in Christ
- Galatians 2:16; Acts 4:12.
Do not harden your heart against God's will
- Hebrews 3:7-8.
THE CHRISTIAN'S REMEDY FOR APOSTASY
Repent of your sin. Stop sinning willfully, pray for God’s grace and His mercy, and by determination, forsake sin:
-Luke 17: 1-10; Luke 18:1; Acts 8:22; 17:30; 1 John 2:1-3; Acts 8:22; James 5:19-20; Galatians 6:1; Revelation 2:5.
"Blessed are those who endure when they are tested. When they pass the test, they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him"
James 1:12
The Faithfulness of The Philadelphian Church
Many New Testament verses show that the Church that Christ built is unified—with all its members and congregations walking together in complete agreement with each other, and with the word of God. Another important scripture, demonstrating that the Philadelphian Church is unified and teaches the truth emerges from Christ’s prayer in John 17, on the night of His betrayal.
He prayed: “And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth…That they all may be one; as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be one in Us: that the world may believe that You have sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them; that they may be one, even as We are one: I in them, and You in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them, as You have loved Me” (vs. 19, 21-23).
These are powerful statements! Christ intended that Philadelphian Church be unified—“one”—no less than were He and His Father! There is no room for disagreement in a Philadelphian Church that is this unified. These verses describe a perfect oneness through the truth—the same kind of oneness that the Father and Christ enjoy. It is only the word of God that can keep the Church completely unified. It is this kind of unity that allows true Christians to be “in Them” —Christ and the Father (vs. 21).
Men have their own differing ideas of where the Philadelphian Church actually is, but only the Bible’s view—God’s word—matters. Read it for yourself. Paul wrote to Timothy the evangelist, “…that you may know how you ought to behave yourself in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (I Tim. 3:15). The Philadelphian Church is a unified body, and teaches “the truth.” In the end, no other view devised by men is acceptable.
We read that Christ promised that when false leaders, whom He refers to in John 10 as “thieves and robbers,” have been able to get into the Church, “the sheep hear His (Christ’s) VOICE: and He calls His own sheep by name, and leads them out.” His voice is plainly defined in Scripture as “the truth” (John 18:37). He went on in John 10 to add, “He goes before them, and the sheep follow Him: for they know His VOICE. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers” (vs. 3-5). Christ continues by describing certain ministers: “The hireling flees, because he is an hireling, and cares not for the sheep” (vs. 13).
This remarkable promise shows that Christ will never abandon His sheep and will always protect those who hear His voice and willingly follow Him when they are in danger of false doctrines! God wants His sons to understand His purpose. God has given us basic comparisons that are easy to grasp. He compares His love for the Church in Ephesians 5: 25-27 as the love a Husband has for His wife. God concludes in Genesis 2:24 that “a man Shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh” —to make ONE human body.
“For as the BODY IS ONE, and has many members, and all the members of that ONE BODY, being many, are ONE BODY: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into ONE BODY...” (I Cor. 12:12-13). Colossians 1:18 and Ephesians 1:22-23 revealed that “one body” means the Church. There is only one Church with many “little flocks” and like the human body, all the flocks are connected by the truth. Notice, 1 Corinthians 6:19 adds, “… your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit” and in chapter 12:27 “Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually”. The Philadelphian Church is an organized, structured and combined body of individuals, put together by Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit —it has Jesus Christ as the Head of its government! God’s purpose to make the Church a Bride of Christ, is of lasting value to the entirety of the Philadelphian Church at any time in history.
He prayed: “And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth…That they all may be one; as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You, that they also may be one in Us: that the world may believe that You have sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them; that they may be one, even as We are one: I in them, and You in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them, as You have loved Me” (vs. 19, 21-23).
These are powerful statements! Christ intended that Philadelphian Church be unified—“one”—no less than were He and His Father! There is no room for disagreement in a Philadelphian Church that is this unified. These verses describe a perfect oneness through the truth—the same kind of oneness that the Father and Christ enjoy. It is only the word of God that can keep the Church completely unified. It is this kind of unity that allows true Christians to be “in Them” —Christ and the Father (vs. 21).
Men have their own differing ideas of where the Philadelphian Church actually is, but only the Bible’s view—God’s word—matters. Read it for yourself. Paul wrote to Timothy the evangelist, “…that you may know how you ought to behave yourself in the house of God, which is the Church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth” (I Tim. 3:15). The Philadelphian Church is a unified body, and teaches “the truth.” In the end, no other view devised by men is acceptable.
We read that Christ promised that when false leaders, whom He refers to in John 10 as “thieves and robbers,” have been able to get into the Church, “the sheep hear His (Christ’s) VOICE: and He calls His own sheep by name, and leads them out.” His voice is plainly defined in Scripture as “the truth” (John 18:37). He went on in John 10 to add, “He goes before them, and the sheep follow Him: for they know His VOICE. And a stranger will they not follow, but will flee from him: for they know not the voice of strangers” (vs. 3-5). Christ continues by describing certain ministers: “The hireling flees, because he is an hireling, and cares not for the sheep” (vs. 13).
This remarkable promise shows that Christ will never abandon His sheep and will always protect those who hear His voice and willingly follow Him when they are in danger of false doctrines! God wants His sons to understand His purpose. God has given us basic comparisons that are easy to grasp. He compares His love for the Church in Ephesians 5: 25-27 as the love a Husband has for His wife. God concludes in Genesis 2:24 that “a man Shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh” —to make ONE human body.
“For as the BODY IS ONE, and has many members, and all the members of that ONE BODY, being many, are ONE BODY: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into ONE BODY...” (I Cor. 12:12-13). Colossians 1:18 and Ephesians 1:22-23 revealed that “one body” means the Church. There is only one Church with many “little flocks” and like the human body, all the flocks are connected by the truth. Notice, 1 Corinthians 6:19 adds, “… your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit” and in chapter 12:27 “Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually”. The Philadelphian Church is an organized, structured and combined body of individuals, put together by Christ, and filled with the Holy Spirit —it has Jesus Christ as the Head of its government! God’s purpose to make the Church a Bride of Christ, is of lasting value to the entirety of the Philadelphian Church at any time in history.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
What Is A Church?
It is very well known from the Holy Scriptures that the term “Church” refers to the body of Christ (Colossians 1:24). Christ gave up His own body (physical) on the Cross in order to receive another body (A spiritual one), which as it stands out is now the Church. This assertion cannot be closer to the truth. The Church includes people with specific spiritual gifts to edify the entire the body of Christ “…Till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ” (Ephesians 4:11-14).
The list of such gifts is given in 1 Cor.12:28: “And God has appointed these in the Church, first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then the gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues.” These gifts are further discussed in detail in 1 Corinthians 12-14.
Many people have miscellaneous misconceptions about what the word ‘church’ means. Most equate it with a building. But throughout the Scriptures, church and congregation refer to people, and never to a building. In fact, we find several verses in the New Testament where the “church” (people) were meeting inside certain members’ homes (buildings) in the local area (Romans 16:3-5; 1 Corinthians 16:19; Colossians 4:15; and Philemon 2). The Church is made up of people called to follow Christ. That group of people collectively is called “the body of Christ” (1 Corinthians 12:27; Ephesians 4:12).
The church is a spiritually transformed body of believers not limited to a particular locale, organization or denomination. The Holman Bible Dictionary, in its article “Church,” explains the background of the word church: “Church is the English translation of the Greek word ekklesia or ecclesia. The use of the Greek term prior to the emergence of the Christian church is important as two streams of meaning flow from the history of its usage into the New Testament understanding of the church. “First, the Greek term which basically means ‘called out’ was commonly used to indicate an assembly of citizens of a Greek city and is so used in Acts 19:32, 39.
The citizens who were quite conscious of their privileged status over slaves and non-citizens were called to the assembly by a herald and dealt with matters of common concern; like the ‘national assembly’ in most countries today. When the early Christians understood themselves as constituting a church, no doubt exists that they perceived themselves as called out by God through Jesus Christ for a special purpose and that their status was a privileged one in Christ (Ephesians 2:19). The word “Church” was derived from Ecclesia, because Jesus Christ called out some special people from the world to make them kings and priests in His coming government. “Ecclesia” literally means a special congregation or a group of people who are “called out” from the society for special functions.
The story is not different when you take the Old Testament church as a case study. God called out Adam, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses and the twelve tribes of Israel popularly called the ISRAELITES. This ELITE group of people were separated from the world and highly favoured by God above all other nations of the earth. The Greek term ‘ekklesia’ was used more than one hundred times in the Greek translation of the Old Testament in common use in the time of Jesus. The Hebrew term (qahal) simply means ‘assembly’ and could be used in a variety of ways, referring for example to an assembling of prophets (1 Samuel 19:20), soldiers (Numbers 22:4).
The use of the term in the Old Testament in referring to the people of God is important for understanding the term ‘church’ in the New Testament. For the first Christians to use a term given by Christ in Matthew 16:18, that was common in the Old Testament for the people of God, reveals their understanding of the continuity that links the Old and New Testaments. The early Christians, Jew and Gentile, understood themselves to be the people of God, who had revealed Himself in the Old Testament (Hebrews 1:1-2), and the true children of Israel (Romans 2:28-29) with Abraham as their father (Romans 4:1-25), and as the people of the New Covenant (Hebrews 8:1-13).
God purposely chose the Israelites for Himself, so that they can worship Him in truth, and also trust in Him (Deuteronomy 7:6). The Old Testament Israelites served as a pattern of the New Testament Church. Then, God led the Israelites by the hand of Moses, but now He is leading the Church by the hand of Jesus Christ –His Son- who said, “For where two or three are gathered in My name, I am there in the midst of them (Matt. 18:20)”
As a consequence of this broad background of meaning in the Greek and Old Testament words, the term ‘church’ is used in the New Testament for a local congregation of called-out Christians, such as the ‘church of God which is at Corinth’ (1 Corinthians 1:2), and also of the entire people of God, such as the entire body of believers. Thus, affirming that Christ is ‘the head over all things to the church, which is his body’ (Ephesians 1:22-23)”. The Church therefore, can best be described as where God dwells. More so, the Church of God is the temple of the Holy Spirit. The Church of God is a spiritual gathering of an elite group of people, filled with the Holy Spirit and great authority. The Church is the body of Christ, and not an embodiment of old relics or beautiful Church buildings. The Church is also not found in the name of an organization like: ‘The Apostolic, Evangelical, Revival, Healing, Prophetic, (or any other name) Church of God Ministries.’
The earliest church on earth was founded at the time when men began to call upon the name of the Lord (this started towards the end of Genesis 4). Then, men started a search for God. The first Church in the Scriptures was established as early as Genesis 5:22, which states that “Enoch walked with God.” The whole essence of God is worship. God is always seeking for those who are worshipping Him. The more an individual worships God and gives glory to His name, the more Church that individual has inside of Him. Before the days of Enoch, men had not known the Church because they had not known God. Enoch was the first after Adam to find God. And he became a friend of God by constantly worshipping and walking with Him. The Bible also states in Genesis 6:9 that “Noah walked with God.” This is what God expects from every Church of His today. At the same time, the devil has also been seeking for worshippers; because he always wants to mimic God’s style. The Creator seeks your worship, and Satan, seeking to be like the Creator, wants your worship too, so which will you choose?
The true founder of the church is God, as opposed to the dubious idea that Peter founded the Church. It is sacrilege to believe such heretical doctrine because Peter never founded any Church; neither was he the head of any Church. Like all true Believers, Peter is a living stone in the temple of God –which is the Church. So he says in 1 Peter 2:4-5: “Coming to him as a living stone, rejected indeed by men but chosen by God and precious, you also as living stones are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ”. God used Peter and the other apostles, to lay the foundation of the spiritual temple of God.
On the day of Pentecost, Peter, together with one hundred and twenty others, including Mary the mother of Jesus (Acts 1:13-15) were gathered in “one accord” (Acts 2:1) when the New Testament Church came into existence, and 3,000 converts were baptized (vs. 41). They formed the very foundation (Spiritually) of Christ’ Church. The initial description given was “…and they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship” (vs. 42), “… all that believed were together” (vs. 44) and “…they, continuing daily with one accord…did eat their meat (food) with gladness and singleness of heart” (vs. 46).
Do you know of any Church organization in the world today that does this? From the above verses, we can clearly see that the Church Jesus built began in unity—agreement—over doctrine, and were together. Now verse 47 concludes: “And the Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved.” In the true Church, the Lord Jesus Christ guides and directs it. He is the One who adds to it and builds it! Though the Church has changed her way and manner of worship over many generations, this has done little to wear or tear God’s unfailing affection for His Church. The way and manner Enoch, Job, and Elijah worshipped God in the Old Testament has not changed a great deal. The emergence of the New Testament church came as Christ died on the cross. The veil of the temple was torn open, marking the end of worshipping God in temples and synagogues as the only way to worship God (John 4:20-24).
One noticeable change between now and the New Testament Church, was that believers worshipped God in small groups then. It is sufficient to gather as a family and pray daily; or worship together with few like-minded believers in a designated house or location like the Apostles did. God wants all believers –Jews and non-Jews – to worship Him in Spirit and in truth. Jesus said to the Samaritan woman: “Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:21-24).
Therefore, you who profess to love God, worship God in the Spirit through Jesus Christ wherever you go. And like the patriarchs of old, erect an altar (a holy and sincere heart) to the Lord wherever you pitch your tent. We do not need more denominations or organizations. Nor do we need to participate in the institutions engaged in apostasy today. The home Church that was established in Eden, affirmed in the Gospel, and was maintained by early commandment-keeping Apostles.
It is a common belief that many Churches were founded by the apostles, especially Paul. How true this may be, I cannot tell. However I know from scriptures that it is only God that can form a Church. The apostles won converts for Christ in diverse places, and anywhere those converts worshipped God, that place was called ‘the Church of God at ‘place of worship’. For example, Paul, in 1 Corinthians 1:2 writes: “To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ, both theirs and ours.”
There are twelve separate places where the New Testament records that the true Church is kept in the name of God. Five refer to the entire Church, or body of Christ, as a whole. Another four speak of a specific local congregation, while using the same term “Church of God.” Three other references speak collectively of all the individual local congregations combined. All these references use the term “Churches of God” (Acts 20:28; I Cor. 1:2; 10:32; 11:16, 22; 15:9; II Cor. 1:1; Gal. 1:13; I Tim. 3:5, 15; I Thes. 2:14; II Thes.1:4).
In modern days, various mainstream denominations may have adopted the name “Church of God” with a few affixes, but are teaching variety of false doctrines. The Church Jesus built is not exclusive to any body or religions. The true Church knows what lies ahead for humanity—including both the short-term bad news and the long-term good news. True Christians understand prophecy and do not take matters into their own hands to try and play the role of Christ by organising followers after themselves. The Church Jesus built is not involved in the ‘image laundering’. The Church of God portrayed in Revelation 12, shows man that he is utterly incapable of governing himself or solving his problems without the help of God! We read how Christ prayed in John 17, “Sanctify them through Your TRUTH: Your word is TRUTH.” The Church that Christ founded, believes and teaches the plain truth, only the truth, and nothing but the truth!
· Be it, Catholicism, (For more than a thousand years the Roman Catholic Church was the principal church of Christianity, and have since divided into different sects like Protestantism, Pentecostalism, evangelicalism, Baptist, Methodist, and more);
· Islamism (founded by Mohammed 622 A.D.);
· Judaism (originated from Moses, and assumed its modern form in 586 B.C.)
· Buddhism (founded in 6th c. B.C. by Gautama Buddha);
· Bahaism (founded by Baha’u’llah in 1863 and incorporates Christian and Islamic tenets);
· Confucianism (by Confucius, a Chinese philosopher, at the end of 6th B.C.);
· Hinduism (one of the oldest religion, founded since 2000 B.C. by the indigenous Indians; it spreads into Brahmanism, Krishnaism, Shaktism, Shivaism, Vishnuism, Vedism, and Yoga. It is a religion of the majority of India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, and Nepal);
· Shintoism (indigenous religion of the Japanese, characterized by a veneration of nature spirits and of ancestors, founded in the 6th c. and was revived in the 17th c.);
· Unitarianism (developed in Poland in the late 16th c., stresses individual freedom of belief and rejects the Trinity);
· Animalism (holds the doctrine that there is a no distinction between man and animal);
· Atheism (a godless religion);
· Shamanism (Any animistic religion);
· Pantheism (a religion that tolerates all gods or The doctrine or belief that God is the universe and regards the universe as a manifestation of God)
· Second Adventism (Adventism is strongly Protestant and observes Saturday as the Sabbath, while Second Adventism holds the view that the second coming of Jesus as Judge for the Last Judgment is imminent);
· or any other new age “ism”; including Scientism or (associated with American writer, L. Ron Hubbard in 1955 and characterized by a belief in the power of a person's spirit to clear itself of past painful experiences through self-knowledge and spiritual fulfilment);
· and Traditionalism (a religious teaching that strictly believes that all cultural and traditional knowledge of doctrines are divine revelation and that it is transmitted from ancestral generations, it is a common religious practice of most of Africa):
The Emerging “Third Way” of Apostate Religion and Globalization
The campaigners of one of America’s fastest growing religious spiritual movements, “The Emergent Church” champions the neo-Marxist call for a utopian society through spiritual evolution where good and evil merge to form a better “third way”. This idea derives from the belief system of German philosopher, George Wilhelm Friedrich Hegel, and finds its contemporary manifestation in the “Third Way” movement of Bill Clinton, Tony Blair and Barak Obama. In the Third Way, capitalism, socialism, and communism merge to form a misanthropic combination of the three. This blending is now represented in simple terms like “The New World Order” and “The New Enlightenment.”
The Third Way promotes a toxic blend of communism, socialism, atheism, and cosmic humanitarianism. The Third Way believes in universal health care, government-subsidized housing and education, global radical environmentalism or “green politics”, Fabianism, Socialism, and the likes. To hear evangelicals tell us that we need practices that were never spelled out in the Bible to become more like Christ or to get closer to God is astonishing. What is more astonishing is that colleges, seminaries, and church denominations are requiring their students and members to study practices that are relics of Medieval Rome, not found in the Bible, and closely akin to the practices of manly pagan societies. The bottom line is that the Interfaith Church Movement, the Emergent Subversive Church Movement, and the Spiritual Reformation Movement all lead to the richly endowed Harlot Church of Revelation chapter 17.
The true Church of God was inside God from the beginning. Jesus Christ was inside God from the very beginning of creation. Just as the body cannot live in isolation from the head, even so, Jesus Christ cannot live in Isolation from the Church, since He is the head of the Church. The Church basically is a conglomeration of true worshippers of Jesus Christ who are gathered together to seek the face of God.
It has always been God’s plan for the Church to be a spiritual body of authority. In the fourteenth chapter of the gospel of John, while all the disciples were gathered together with Jesus, and as such, forming a Church, Phillip, one of the twelve said to Jesus: “Lord, show us the Father and it is sufficient for us” (Verse 8). Jesus understood that what Phillip was requesting was a normal craving for all true worshippers of God (to see God); therefore Jesus replied: “Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father in Me… Most assuredly I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do because I go to My Father. (John 14: 11-12) ”
Let’s take a closer look at this very technical passage of Scripture. Sensual knowledge will tell us that the two statements: “I am in the Father” and “the Father is in Me” are mutually exclusive. Howbeit, through desperate attempts to break down this scripture, and by grace, I found out that Jesus Christ was talking about His body (the Church of God) being inside of God: “I am in My Father”. Also, the Holy Spirit Being inside His body – the Church: “And the Father in Me”.
Most people who refer to the Trinity as God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit often have a hierarchical view of God. Some will say God the Father is the first God, followed by God the Son –Jesus Christ, then God the Holy Spirit is third Person of the Godhead. This assertion is not true, as it has the capacity to cause the Church to derail. The truth remains that there is only one God. Isaiah calls Him “the Holy One of Israel.”
Now, God the Everlasting Father is God. Jesus Christ is God and the Holy Spirit is the same One God with the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, and He is also the Spirit of Jesus Christ. Because of the scope of this book I will stop there and encourage you to believe that for a start. As you read on I hope you will understand. Due to the fact that it was the Holy Spirit who empowered Mary’s womb to carry the Holy Seed of God –Jesus Christ; He (Jesus) also found it appropriate to refer to the Holy Spirit as His Father, even after referring to God, the Eternal Creator, as His Father.
How Religion has Derail the Church of God for 2000 years
So who is behind this suppression of the Church which could have unleashed crucial knowledge that could have restored humanity to its previous glorious state? Is the Church in complete apostasy now? How can you identify with the true Church now? Answers to these questions and much, much more are herewith revealed.
Religion has been responsible for the ‘in-action’ of the Holy Spirit for most part of 2000 years. The truthful and trustworthy knowledge that would have completely erased mankind’s problems was held back from the world since the first century, leaving humanity dumbfounded on how it could have solved its problems –disease, poverty, and death. This amazing understanding is now revealed—along with the conspiracy to suppress it. Billions are now being deceived. Previous billions have been! Even you and I have been lied to. A complete seduction has taken place, and all the world’s religions have played a big part in it. The leaders of these religions are being deceived that they are on the right path to solving the world’s problems, but they are not. The vital knowledge of the gospel would have shown mankind the solution to its most insoluble problems. And yet, except for the apostle John, all the original apostles were martyred for teaching the truth of God’s authoritative gospel.
Every supposed “great religion” of the world has helped suppress it. Theologians neither comprehend nor are willing to teach the truth. A correct understanding of the true gospel reveals crucial knowledge. It contains a dimension of understanding that cannot be discovered by scientific inquiry. The Bible states that, since his rebellion prior to the creation of man, Satan has greatly “deceived the nations” (Revelations 20:3) and “weakened the nations” (Isaiah 14:12) in understanding the critical knowledge explaining God’s true purpose for His Church. His deception has been complete. We will explore how he deceived the Church into believing another gospel. “The entire world remains deceived about the fact that it is deceived!” (David C. Pack, the Awesome Potential of Man, pg. 10)
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