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The Church of the Apostasy, Part II

The Church of the Apostasy, Part II: Dr. Arnold G. Fruchtenbaum Ariel Ministries www.ariel.org   “The new phase [of apostasy] claims to affirm the fundamentals of the faith…” The following is excerpted from The …

Sins of the Fathers, Nepotism, and Apostasy in the Church Commentary by Roger Oakland

Reposted from

Understand The Times International: Roger Oakland Ministries
www.understandthetimes.org
1.800.689.1888

For printer friendly version, please click here
 

There is an obvious pattern observed from a brief study of genealogies found in the Old Testament. When a father follows God and leads the people, overseeing in the right direction, there is absolutely no guarantee this virtue will carry over to the next generation. In other words, the saying “he is a chip off the old block” is not always the pattern we find when it comes to biblical history. 

While there are many examples we could use to lay the foundation for this “father-son” relationship, I will quote God’s word regarding His promises that is found in 1 Kings chapter 9. We read:

And it came to pass, when Solomon had finished the building of the house of the LORD, and the king's house, and all Solomon's desire which he was pleased to do, that the LORD appeared to Solomon the second time, as he had appeared unto him at Gibeon. And the LORD said unto him, I have heard thy prayer and thy supplication, that thou hast made before me: I have hallowed this house, which thou hast built, to put my name there forever; and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually. And if thou wilt walk before me, as David thy father walked, in integrity of heart, and in uprightness, to do according to all that I have commanded thee, and wilt keep my statutes and my judgments: Then I will establish the throne of thy kingdom upon Israel forever, as I promised to David thy father, saying, there shall not fail thee a man upon the throne of Israel. But if ye shall at all turn from following me, ye or your children, and will not keep my commandments and my statutes which I have set before you, but go and serve other gods, and worship them: Then will I cut off Israel out of the land which I have given them; and this house, which I have hallowed for my name, will I cast out of my sight; and Israel shall be a proverb and a byword among all people. [1]

God’s warning to Solomon cannot be misunderstood. The Lord God made it clear in advance to Solomon what would happen if he strayed away from his father David’s legacy and worship the gods. While the Bible reveals that David had his own faults, he was “a man after God’s own heart” as the Bible describes. Unfortunately, Solomon, the son, while a wise man, disobeyed and rebelled.

There is another way of understanding this truth that is very simple. God stated that if a son follows his father, and the father follows God and His Word, then he will continue to be blessed. As the Scriptures clearly reveal, this was not what happened in Solomon’s life. He and the children of Israel suffered the consequences as they rebelled against God and ended up under judgment.

While this one example features the point I am trying to make in this commentary, a broader study of the Bible reveals the father-son rebellion pattern in repetitive detail. This happened over and over again, generation after generation. The lesson learned should be easily transferred to what often happens in the church today.

 

Nepotism

Another pattern found in the Bible equally as revealing is in regard to father-son relationships and relating to a term called nepotism. According to one definition, nepotism is defined as: “patronage bestowed or favoritism shown on the basis of a family relationship, as in business and politics.” [2]

 

However, nepotism is not limited to business and politics. It is more widely understood when describing spiritual leaders, both in the past and the present. Think of the number of mega-church pastors who have turned over the leadership of their churches in their golden years to their sons. 

According to the Bible, ministry is a calling and cannot be inherited based on genetics. In fact, passing the ministry down to keep the family business intact, almost always proves to be a mistake. Here are some examples of Christian-leader fathers whose sons or son-in-laws have received the baton of ministry and have benefited from their fathers’ names and successes to build their own. Do your research and see whether these sons are following biblical Christianity or going down a slippery slope of apostasy and sadly taking many of their followers with them. Take some time and think about what I am saying. Two questions that should be asked: Did the fathers equip their sons properly through example and in the Word to have godly discernment and be aware of spiritual deception in the last days? Or, as many of these fathers are remaining silent today, were they silent on important issues then too?

·    Charles Stanley (father) and Andy Stanley (son) [3]

·    Jim Bakker (father) and Jay Bakker (son) [4]

·    Chuck Smith (father-in-law) and Brian Brodersen (son-in-law) [5]

·    Raul Reis (father) and Ryan Reis (son) [6]

·    Lee Strobel (father) and Kyle Strobel (son) [7]

·    Dr. Richard DeHaan (grandfather) and Mart DeHaan (grandson) [8]

The Slippery Slope

While the gospel found clearly in the Scriptures must remain biblically based or it is no longer the gospel, when the younger postmodern generation inherits the pulpit from their fathers who have been senior pastors or prominent leaders for years, all of this can change for the worse. 

If you haven’t noticed what is happening, then here are some of the symptoms:

·    Truth becomes relative while mysticism opens the door to eastern spirituality.

·    There is ecumenical unity with Rome at any cost replacing the biblical theme that Jesus Christ is the narrow way and the only way to salvation. 

·    Instead of the Bible remaining the Word of God, the Bible is replaced by the ideas of men who critique the Bible and look for ways to grow the church numerically.

·    Bible prophetic warnings that once warned about church apostasy are replaced by the idea that all religions contain truth and that there are many ways to God.  

·    When worship becomes noise for the sake of sensual stimulation, the Word of God has been forgotten and often totally ignored.

This description of the pathway to apostasy could be developed much further. For now, hopefully you will recognize what is happening to the present-day church. If you are wondering why I am writing this, there is a simple explanation. Someone has to stand up like the prophets of old and warn the sheep. Those who are doing this are scattered and few. Today, those who should be warning remain in their tight-knit fellowships refusing to speak out for fear of rocking the boat or losing numbers. Perhaps the ones who seem to say the least are the ones who have passed on the baton to their own sons.

Thus the reason for this commentary: “The Sins of the Fathers, Nepotism, and Apostasy in the Church.” Read it and share it with someone. Perhaps some will wake up!

 

[1] I Kings 9: 1-7

[2] http://www.dictionary.com/browse/nepotism

[3] http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=21421; http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=21418

[4] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbVAVy5pWE0.  

[5] http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=21110

[6] http://www.understandthetimes.org/inthenews/1112_mna.shtml

[7] http://www.metamorpha.com/

[8] http://www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/blog/?p=10800.

A Final Wake Up Call

A Final Wake Up Call
 

Commentary by Two Norwegian brothers
Understand The Times International: Roger Oakland Ministries
www.understandthetimes.org
1.800.689.1888

We were musing in a conversation the other day about some of the issues associated with the difficulties of doctrinal divergence. Our discussion focused on a certain fellowship of churches.  Like countless others, we were greatly disturbed by the seemingly steady shift to the slippery slope of doctrinal relativism that seems to be plaguing many within this movement at the moment. 
 
Although we completely believe God is in control and will ultimately perform His will in and through the lives of people within His Church, we also see a call to the leadership of any movement in order to do so. A lack of action in the midst of opportunity, for the sake of “letting God handle it,” is nothing short of Christian fatalism. 

We believe 2 Timothy 4:2 makes it clear that we are to “Preach the word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching.” These are not passive but an active response to the need for direction and correction with the church. As we well know, Paul says in
1 Timothy 5:20:

Them that sin rebuke before all, that others also may fear.

We were both part of a fellowship for many years. One of the main themes was the “perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry.”  We were inspired by our leader to be reproducers of all we were taught by word and works.

We have both felt an “uneasiness” with this subtle shift of emphasis of ministry and saw a “new breed” of pastors being raised up. Many of them seemed to have a strangely different ethos for ministry than what we both had witnessed during our years of association with this fellowship. Some leaders often proudly announced, “We don’t need to follow in the footsteps of our leaders.” They did not seem to understand that in taking the name of the mother church, they were to adhere to some basic essential doctrines for the sake of unity in order to avoid confusion.

As we struggled to understand this new paradigm, we decided to do a simple comparative analysis of great church movements of the past and see if there were any similarities with their rise and ruin that we were witnessing within the broader landscape of this worldwide fellowship.  

We hereby offer an abbreviated overview of our findings for the consideration of the leaders of this fellowship of churches before it is too late.

…………………………………………………

We have all heard of the M-Model for the life cycle of movements of God through men. We heard the founding pastor of this movement once teach that God starts with a Man who is given a Mission by God that becomes a Ministry. It may later grow and turn into a Movement which ultimately ends up a Monument. Are we therefore destined to see the day when the movement we once participated in will end up as another monument that will be dissected in Church History lessons and discarded by critics like all other movements before it?

What is fascinating about this M-Model representation is although it accurately identifies the five phases of past movements that became monuments, it does not address the “how” question. How does this problem arise, and will the leaders resign themselves to their ultimate destiny by becoming yet again another Monument rather than a Movement that continues from generation to generation?

In summary, we have found through our research and observation there is a P-Model (as we call it) that is interesting to consider as we believe there are a number of examples of this principle in Scripture. Simply put the Man on a Mission with a Ministry generally starts out with a heart for the PEOPLE.  The people are simply the focus of the ministry, and all resources flow in the direction from the minister to the people.

As the ministry grows into a Movement, some who join have their eye on a POSITION over the people. We believe these pseudo pastors are more interested in standing in the Pulpit than washing the feet of the people.  In this type of ministry, the people are there to give the minister his audience.

Over time, as the popularity of the movement grows, they acquire PROPERTY. The acquisition of tangible assets within a movement is inevitable as the natural desire of most ministers is to move out of the “tabernacle and into the Temple.” They see this as God’s provision for the ministry. 

But as we all know, “owning things” can sometimes really mean that those things “own us.” People are therefore encouraged to “support the ministry” and the flow now runs from the people to the “ministry.”  Worse yet, now that they have a temple, they have a very large staff and a very large budget to meet. They find it difficult to address certain issues that should be addressed because they need to raise a lot of money to keep the machine running. If they were to address some of these very important issues that have prophetic importance, many of their big supporters would leave and find another church where they are more comfortable and where things are less controversial. This is a dangerous pathway that is well understood in light of what is often known as “Peter Druckerism.”

Such methods are described in the Bible as the scratching of “itching ears.” This can and will include many church-growth methods that may even introduce heretical teachings that lead to ecumenism that leads to Rome that leads to a one-world religion. This, of course, leads us back to the Word of God that many will not read nor understand because the leaders tell stories or entertain their flocks with a lot of stand-up humor. As we know, going to Hell is not funny at all. Hell is real, and Jesus said there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth there. 

During this phase of development (apostasy), it could be said that the “Flock is being Fleeced” by the wolves in sheep’s clothing. The Bible does mention this has happened throughout history. Because of the many doctrines of demons, apostasy will be repeated in the Last Days before Jesus comes to take His bride.

As the property holdings of the ministry increase, the next phase kicks into gear where the ministry team is infiltrated and finally overrun by those who are interested in the POWER that Position and Property yield. At this point, the ministry to the people begins to breakdown completely as they are viewed as subservient to the leadership of an institution that has eclipsed the free-flowing movement of God.

 

Corporate style structures and controls are put into place to “manage the masses.”  In the Bible, we are told about the Ichabod account. Some years ago someone tried to warn the leaders about what was taking place and no one paid any attention. Some became very angry and stated that this person had fired a missile over the bow. Actually, it was not a missile, it was the truth because it was biblical to warn the “brothers” of the dangers of operating a church like a business. Anyone could see this if they were not too close to the epicenter. 

Now, with the people in submission to the powerful leaders, moguls in the Movement take over. The PERPETUATION of the movement becomes of paramount importance. When the original leader starts to age, those who want to take his place rear their ugly heads. While not obvious to the sheep, it is obvious to some of the Cardinals. When they meet, they ask the leader to leave the room and then they ask each other – “Who will be the next Pope?” 

This is when the Movement really starts to fall apart. Some see this happening and take down the logo that the movement has endorsed. They put up their own logo and even slightly change their name. Apparently, they do not want to be totally associated. Some have names already made up so that if something happens they will say, “NOT US,” we are not of that brand. 

Worse yet, many of the leaders are not concerned with sound doctrine. They continue with their position of power and assemble more property and want even more and more. They also love notoriety.  Rather than being led by the Spirit of God, they now are led by their flesh. As Paul wrote to the Galatians in Chapter 3 verse 3:

Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?

The movement finally reaches the stage of becoming no more than a monument to something that happened in the past. The leadership members are now more interested in continuing a dynasty rather than the distribution of God’s Word, God’s way. Sadly, the survival of the organization becomes more important than the service of the people. Perhaps the best way to understand what has happened is to read Zechariah chapter 11. Then it will be easy to understand why this is happening now and why it happened before throughout biblical history.

To illustrate this from a biblical point of view, we will take you to the familiar story of Gideon. Gideon had a great start. He is one of those characters who springs to mind when you consider how God uses ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things. His unique blend of humility and determination made him an ideal person for God to demonstrate both His incredible power and His supernatural provision through this judge of Israel. 

In Judges chapters 6-7 we are confronted with his modest beginnings, his zeal for righteousness, and his deep commitment to the calling of God. His performance as an unwavering leader in the face of insurmountable odds has become an icon of fearless commitment to duty.  

Judges 6:13-15:

Oh my Lord, if the Lord be with us, why then is all this befallen us? and where be all his miracles which our fathers told us of, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up from Egypt? but now the Lord hath forsaken us, and delivered us into the hands of the Midianites.  And the Lord looked upon him, and said, Go in this thy might, and thou shalt save Israel from the hand of the Midianites: have not I sent thee?  And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father’s house.

He had a passion for the People of God. We are all familiar with his mighty victory over the Midianites because of his obedience to God. But watch what happens after the victory.
Judges 8:22:  

Then the men of Israel said unto Gideon, Rule thou over us, both thou, and thy son, and thy son’s son also: for thou hast delivered us from the hand of Midian.

They wanted a King. Not only did they want Gideon to “rule over them,” they wanted to establish a dynasty.  Rather than remain humble and submitted to God, Gideon allowed the people to “bless him.”
Judges 8:23-27:

And Gideon said unto them, I will not rule over you, neither shall my son rule over you: the Lord shall rule over you. And Gideon said unto them, I would desire a request of you, that ye would give me every man the earrings of his prey. (For they had golden earrings, because they were Ishmaelites.) And they answered, We will willingly give them. And they spread a garment, and did cast therein every man the earrings of his prey.  And the weight of the golden earrings that he requested was a thousand and seven hundred shekels of gold; beside ornaments, and collars, and purple raiment that was on the kings of Midian, and beside the chains that were about their camels’ necks. And Gideon made an ephod thereof, and put it in his city, even in Ophrah: and all Israel went thither a whoring after it: which thing became a snare unto Gideon, and to his house.

Gideon’s mishandling the result of God’s victory became a “snare” to him and also to his house. HOW?  Property always seems to be an Achilles Heel for many ministers over the years. 

The problem really escalated with one of Gideon’s sons named Abimelech. Interesting that the name Abimelech means “my father is king.” It is also the title given to the king of the Philistines (Israel’s arch enemy).
Judges 9:1-2:

And Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem unto his mother’s brethren, and communed with them, and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying, Speak, I pray you, in the ears of all the men of Shechem, Whether is better for you, either that all the sons of Jerubbaal, which are threescore and ten persons, reign over you, or that one reign over you? remember also that I am your bone and your flesh..”

Judges 9:5

And he went unto his father’s house at Ophrah, and slew his brethren the sons of Jerubbaal, being threescore and ten persons, upon one stone:

Abimelech carries out a classic corporate consolidation of power—kill-off the competition, and establish fear in the hearts of anyone who would oppose him.

Is there a lesson in all of this for the leadership of the fellowship we are writing about? While we are not giving specifics, as the saying goes, time will tell.

It is very important to follow the Good Shepherd, Jesus Christ, and not to follow any man or any movement.  Otherwise the movement will be judged just like the children of Israel were judged over and over again.

God used the prophets to warn the leaders of Israel, but they hardened their hearts and refused to listen. They did not repent but instead they lied and kept on sinning. They had no fear of God. Worse yet, many did not know God at all.

As Jesus will state on Judgment Day as recorded in Matthew 7:23-24:

Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock..

This is very sobering for those who think they are home free and that they will spend eternity with Jesus. 

Remember the question Jesus asked in
Luke 18: 8:

Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?

Now finally, it would be good for everyone to read the entire chapter of Ezekiel 8. If you want to know the end of the story, you will have to read the secular papers. What is coming is ugly. Christianity will suffer greatly. Tragically, because of jealousy, there will be a lot of arguing and fighting. No one will want to take the blame and will pass the blame onto someone else.

What’s more, other things will be revealed that have been hidden because the God of the Bible sees everything.

History repeats itself according to Solomon (Ecclesiastes 1:9). We need to be like the Tribe of Issachar:

And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment. 
1 Chronicles 12:32:

And of the children of Issachar, which were men that had understanding of the times, to know what Israel ought to do; the heads of them were two hundred; and all their brethren were at their commandment.

This is a serious reminder based on the Word of God.

We also know that God is merciful. He is not willing that “any should perish.” There is not one without sin except the One who took all of our sins upon Himself and shed His blood that we might have eternal life. Jesus Christ is the Good Shepherd. Jesus lived a sinless life and then sacrificed His life that whoever believes on Him will live eternally with Him. He died, and then He rose from the grave, and He lives today.

There is still time for all those who will just bow their knee and repent from sin.

The time is short. We both know the verse we learned by memory when we were little boys – from our Norwegian Dads. John chapter 3 verse 16:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Jesus is coming soon – Maranatha.

Written by two Norwegian brothers

(based on God’s Word)

The Great Apostasy by Jack Kelley

Grace Thugh Faith
Wednesday, November 12th, 2014

• End Times
• Interpreting Verses
• Past Featured

A Feature Article By Jack Kelley
Reposted from: Grace Through Faith
 
Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction (2 Thes 2:3).

In the King James, the Greek word translated “rebellion” above is rendered “falling away.” The actual Greek word is “apostasia” from which we get the English word “apostasy”. This word is most often used to describe the departure from one’s religion. It’s when someone says they believed in a particular religion in the past, but later left that religion, and either said they no longer believe in it, or admit they never really did believe in it.

Because Paul said this apostasy would precede both the Day of the Lord and the public introduction of the anti-Christ, many students of prophecy are trying to determine whether Paul’s prophecy has been or is being fulfilled.

In reality it’s not as simple as it seems for two reasons. One is that the apostates of today still see themselves as being believers, and don’t feel they’ve left their religion. The other is that the apostasy has been going on a lot longer than most people realize.

You Must Be Born Again

For example, the Bible says we must be born again in order to see the kingdom of God (John 3:3). I know the phrase “born again” carries negative connotations in some “Christian” circles, so let’s define what it means.
John 1:12-13 says that to those who received the Lord and believed in His name He gave the right to become children of God – children born not of natural descent nor of human decision or a husband’s will, but born of God.

In John 3:5-6 Jesus equated being born again with being born of water and of the Spirit. Since we all spend the first nine months of our existence in a sac of amniotic fluid that is very similar in composition to sea water, we are all born of water. This is what John had called being born of natural descent or of human decision or a husband’s will in John 1:12-13.

Being born of the Spirit takes place when we believe we are a sinner in need of a Savior and that Jesus came to Earth to die for our sins. Paul said at that moment we are marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit, who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance (Ephes. 1:13-14). In God’s view we immediately become a new creation that replaces the old one (2 Cor. 5:17) and receive the full rights of a child of God (Galatians 4:4-7). This is what being born again means.

That Was Then.  This Is Now.

For most of its 2,000 year history the great majority of Christians have believed this basic tenet of our faith, but sadly that is no longer the case. According to a recent poll by the Barna Group, in the US only about half of those who claim to be Christians also identify themselves as being born again.

It’s hard to say when this apostasy began because it’s been happening gradually, but it can probably be traced to the time when the formerly great main line denominations began to replace being born again with membership in a local congregation as the means by which believers receive salvation. This happened after theological liberalism began invading American seminaries in the early 20th Century. Over time, the deity of Jesus, the inspiration of Scripture, the existence of Hell, the Lord’s claim to being the only way to salvation and other traditional Christian beliefs were also called into question.

Because of that we now have a couple of generations of good people who attend church regularly and call themselves Christians but don’t meet the requirement of John 3:3 to have eternal life. They can’t really be called apostates because they never left the faith they came into. It’s the liberal denomination they belong to that has become apostate.

Many of the true believers among them eventually left these denominations in search of a church that still believes what the Bible teaches. But they weren’t falling away from their faith, they were looking for a place that still believed it.  The “Jesus movement” of the 1970’s was probably the most concentrated exodus from the denominations. Most of the ones who didn’t leave had always been Christians in name only and were happy where they were.

On the other side of the coin we have the Evangelical churches, many of which are non-denominational . They’re the ones the true believers came to after leaving their apostate denominations. Over the years they’ve attracted more people and even though they have consistently taught about sin and salvation, and the need to be born again, some who came to them responded to the gospel message and some didn’t.

The ones who didn’t respond grew tired of hearing about it and began drifting away to the emerging churches where sin and salvation aren’t talked about so much and where attending church felt more exciting to them.  The emerging church movement talks about the need to be followers of Christ, not just believers, and places great emphasis on the so-called social gospel. Their leaders tap into the youthful energy of their followers with endless ministry programs that keep the membership busy and fulfilled. The fact that many of their “Christ followers” aren’t saved doesn’t seem to trouble them.

That brings us back to the definition of apostasy. Remember, apostasy is when someone says they believed in a particular religion in the past, but later left that religion, and either said they no longer believed in it, or else they never really did believe in it.

The operative phrase is never did. Now don’t misunderstand me here. I’m making general observations about these groups. I know there are born again believers among the population of denominational Christians and there are born again believers among those who attend emerging churches.

But for the most part, when the liberal denominations went apostate the pastors and members who stayed never did believe in the need to be born again. It was the true believers who left.

The opposite was the case with the evangelical churches. Most of those who left to join the emerging church never did believe in the need to be born again either. It was the true believers who stayed.

But the end result was the same.  Whether they stayed as in the first case, or left as in the second, they weren’t falling away from their faith, because it was a faith they had never embraced. Remember, Paul quoted the Holy Spirit in saying that in later times some would abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons (1 Tim. 4:1).  He didn’t say they would abandon “their faith” which would have implied it was something they personally held, he said they would abandon “the faith”, meaning the faith held in common by born again believers.

And in 2 Timothy 3:5 he said these people will have a form of godliness but will deny its power. This describes the Christians in name only, since born again believers cannot deny the power of God in their lives.

How Do You Know These Things?

How can we be sure that true believers are not abandoning their faith? First, we’ll look at a couple of overview statements. In John 5:24 Jesus said,
“Very truly I tell you, whoever hears my word and believes Him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned but has crossed over from death to life.”
Notice He didn’t say “will have eternal life”, he said “has eternal life”.  Whoever hears the word of the Lord and believes in what He did for us already has eternal life. In John 6:37-40 He said,
“All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all those he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise them up at the last day.”

Put into the shepherd/sheep analogy, if we ask to join the Father’s flock, He will entrust us to the care of His son, the Good Shepherd, who has promised not to drive any of us away or lose any of us. That means even if we wander off, as sheep are prone to do, He will go after us and bring us back (Luke 15:3-4).

Finally, in John 10:27-30 Jesus said no one could snatch us out of either His or His Father’s hand. (It doesn’t say no one but us.) Everyone who joins the Father’s flock is part of that flock forevermore. Paul explained how this happens.

Remember, in Ephesians 1:13-14 he said we were included in Christ when we heard the gospel of our salvation and believed it.  At that time we received the seal of the Holy Spirit as a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance.  There’s not a word anywhere in the New Testament about the seal being broken, or the deposit being returned, or the inheritance being canceled, and here’s why.

In 1 Cor 6:19-20 he said we are not our own but have been bought with a price.
In 2 Cor. 1:21-22 he said it’s God who makes us stand firm in Christ.  He anointed us,  set His seal of ownership on us and put His spirit in our hearts as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come.  So it’s God who bought us, and the price He paid was the blood of His Son (1 Peter 1:18). The Creator of the Universe has made us His own and the decision is irreversible.
God is not a man that He should lie, or the son of a man that He should change His mind. Does He speak and then not act? Does He promise and not fulfill? (Numbers 23:19)
“I have revealed and saved and proclaimed— I, and not some foreign god among you.You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “that I am God.  Yes, and from ancient days I am he. No one can deliver out of my hand.  When I act, who can reverse it?” (Isaiah 43:12-14)

As the tide of public opinion turns against the acceptability of being a Christian, two things are happening. Those who are truly born again are moving closer to God and to each other, and those who are Christian in name only are embracing the ways of the world and completing their move away from the faith they never embraced. It’s the latter group that constitutes the Great Apostasy and is the fulfillment of 2 Thes. 2:3. 10-19-13

Christian colleges and churches “shaken” by pagan craze

Reblogged from standupforthetruth.com

 

By now you’re probably seen the viral “Harlem Shake” videos that are sweeping the nation with new versions uploaded to YouTube daily. If you haven’t, here’s how they work: First you see a subdued, well-behaved group or crowd. Suddenly you hear music audio declaring, “Con Los Terroristas!” A sole individual is then seen dancing while wearing a helmet or mask, while the others seem oblivious to the gyrations in their midst. When the song breaks into “Do the Harlem Shake!” the video cuts and shows the room filled with people in costumes dancing wildly and seductively. It is reminiscent of the Golden Calf scene in the Ten Commandments movie.

Here are students at The Cape Coral Vineyard Ministry:
Everyone’s doing it, including Christian colleges, and church youth groups. Christian News Network has gathered video from Rick Warren’s Saddleback high school ministry, the late Jerry Falwell’s Liberty University, Providence Christian College, Kentucky Christian University, St. Louis Christian College, Northwest University and Cedarville University have all uploaded footage online of their youth breaking out dancing — sometimes with sensual and suggestive moves, and little clothing.

“It would seem that these institutions are in full sync with this culture rather than a witness to the lost,” stated Pastor David Whitney of Cornerstone Evangelical Free Church in Pasadena, Maryland.

A video uploaded by a student at Cedarville University video shows male students dancing in their underwear, with two of the men making sexual poses at each other. One Liberty University video captures a student sporting a yellow shirt with the words “I pee in pools” as he gyrates on top of a couch with his shirtless friends. Another video from Liberty, entitled, “Two Men, One Dorm,” shows two men dancing sexually with one male wearing only a pair of spandex.

“Weird that these are the same kind of LU kids that say homosexuality is a sin,” wrote one commenter.

One of a number of Liberty University “Harlem Shake” videos posted to YouTube
“It’s going on all over the country,” said Dave Moquin, Associate Pastor of Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Virginia, where many Liberty University students attend church. “It’s really a situation of a bunch of young people getting together being silly.”

Moquin told Christian News Network, however, that the church has not taken a position on whether “The Harlem Shake” is inappropriate.
“The church is not taking any type of position because we don’t feel we need to take a position,” he said, but noted, “It’s not something that we would promote or be a part of it.”

“Liberty University has a code of conduct that was established by its founders and which is enforced by student leadership and the Conduct Office,” said Vice President of Communications, Johnnie Moore. “Our Conduct Office will take appropriate action in instances where the code of conduct is violated.”
Moore declined to comment on whether an any action will be taken or whether the student behavior depicted in the videos conflicted with the university’s mission to “impact the culture for Christ.”

Cedarville University in Ohio, however, confirmed that officials will be addressing responsible individuals after being notified about a “Harlem Shake” video of a number of male students dancing in their underwear and making sexual poses. Mark Weinstein, the Executive Director of Public Relations for Cedarville University in Ohio, told Christian News Network that the behavior of the students “was inappropriate and not in line with the values” of the university.

“The university will deal with this matter swiftly and appropriately,” Weinstein vowed.

“The Harlem Shake” in the House of God?
Numerous churches from across the nation are also recording themselves doing “The Harlem Shake,” including Celebration Church in Jacksonville, Florida, City Church Downtown in San Antonio, Texas, Sandals Church in Riverside, California, Champions Centre in Tacoma, Washington, Crosspoint Church in Nashville, Tennessee and Destiny World Outreach Center in Killeen, Texas.

City Church Downtown features the video prominently on the home page of their church website, as it begins with a helmeted individual dancing in the aisle while the pastor is preaching a sermon. It then cuts to the entire congregation dancing in party style, and some standing on their chairs while the strobe lights flash. C3 Church in Australia even recorded a “Harlem Shake” video while reenacting Jesus’ death on the cross.

Pastor John Wyatt

John Wyatt, the Executive Pastor of Celebration Church in Jacksonville, Florida, said that he believes the videos are harmless fun and can be used as an evangelistic tool.
“The Harlem Shake was a fun element for our Sub30 service that night,” he wrote in an email response to Christian News Network, explaining the young adult and college ministry video that is posted online. “In that context, we believe fun elements in our services help us reach people for Christ, which is always our primary goal.”

However, Scott Brown, the director of the National Center for Family-Integrated Churches and elder at Hope Baptist Church in Wake Forest, North Carolina, said that he unequivocally finds “The Harlem Shake” to be out of place.

“When a Christian institution participates in these types of things, they are simply writing Ichabod on their door for all the world to see: ‘the glory of the Lord has departed,’” he said. “The true people of God do not emulate worldly movements and personalities. The Bible says, ‘Do not learn the ways of the heathen.’"

Pastor David Whitney

Pastor Whitney agreed.
“I am surprised that this is a craze among churches, Christian colleges and ministries,” he stated. “This seems entirely out of place for a church, Christian college or ministry to be promoting if they are truly serious about making disciples of Jesus Christ.”

“Imagine the Lord Jesus or Paul, Silas or Barnabas performing these lewd acts,” Brown lamented. Is this an expression of the new man — holiness, purity, wisdom [and] love?”
He stated that the fact that some of the videos are coming out of youth ministries as opposed to church services does not lessen the concern.

Scott Brown

“It shows the world the kind of bankruptcy that exists in modern youth ministries,” Brown stated. “The church has long suffered under the weight of the creation of youth culture. This craze is just one expression of how destructive and defiling it is to do so.”

Both Whitney and Brown cautioned other churches and Christian colleges from participating in the fad.

“Does this reflect anything good that is promoted in Scripture?” Brown asked. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.”
“Any church even considering making such a video ought to think twice about why it even exists as an institution,” Whitney said bluntly. “If you wish to follow the world, why pretend to be a disciple of Jesus Christ at all?”            

SOURCE

Related articles

• Controversy Erupts Over Explosion of Church, College Groups Gyrating to ‘The Harlem Shake’ (countdowntoeternityblog.wordpress.com)
• Harlem Shake – C3 Church Style: Jesus vs. Satan (slaughteringthesheep.wordpress.com)

Diversity, not Jesus, saves says Presiding Bishop

Personal note from the blog author: 

This is what happens when men and women in leadership who have not been called by God, but rather are chosen by men and women for whatever reason. Ms.´ Schori´s belief is a good example of a new brand of extreme legalistic theopolitical  phariseism. 

I will limit myself to this personal comment and let the words of the Lord Jesus weight in on the matter instead. 

The Lord Jesus addressing the pharisees about spiritual blindness:

³⁵ Jesus heard that they had thrown him out, and when he found him, he said, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?”
³⁶ “Who is he, sir?” the man asked. “Tell me so that I may believe in him.”
³⁷ Jesus said, “You have now seen him; in fact, he is the one speaking with you.”
³⁸ Then the man said, “Lord, I believe,” and he worshiped him.
³⁹ Jesus said,^[a] “For judgment I have come into this world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind.”
⁴⁰ Some Pharisees who were with him heard him say this and asked, “What? Are we blind too?”⁴¹ Jesus said, “If you were blind, you would not be guilty of sin; but now that you claim you can see, your guilt remains. John 9: 35-41.

The Narrow and Wide Gates

¹³ “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. ¹⁴ But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it. Matthew 7: 13,14.

The Blind lead the Blind
¹⁰ And he called the multitude, and said unto them, Hear, and understand:
¹¹ Not that which goeth into the mouth defileth a man; but that which cometh out of the mouth, this defileth a man.
¹² Then came his disciples, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Pharisees were offended, after they heard this saying?
¹³ But he answered and said, Every plant, which my heavenly Father hath not planted, shall be rooted up.
¹⁴ Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. Matthew 15:10-14

The Lord Jesus has a remedy for her blindness, if only she heeds his word to the church of the end times:

To the Church in Laodicea

¹⁴ “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write:

These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. ¹⁵ I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! ¹⁶ So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. ¹⁷ You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. ¹⁸ I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see.

¹⁹ Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest and repent. ²⁰ Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me.

Here is a link to what I personally believe about a woman being ordained pastor according to the Word of God. 


Diversity, not Jesus, saves says Presiding Bishop

Reblogged from http://anglicanink.com/article/diversity-not-jesus-saves-says-presiding-bishop

Article | May 20, 2013 - 2:52pm | By George Conger

 

The Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church has denounced the Apostle Paul as mean-spirited and bigoted for having released a slave girl from demonic bondage as reported in Acts 16:16-34 .
In her sermon delivered at All Saints Church in Curaçao in the diocese of Venezuela, Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori condemned those who did not share her views as enemies of the Holy Spirit.

The presiding bishop opened her remarks with an observation on the Dutch slave past. “The history of this place tells some tragic stories about the inability of some to see the beauty in other skin colors or the treasure of cultures they didn’t value or understand,” she said.

She continued stating: “Human beings have a long history of discounting and devaluing difference, finding it offensive or even evil.  That kind of blindness is what leads to oppression, slavery, and often, war.  Yet there remains a holier impulse in human life toward freedom, dignity, and the full flourishing of those who have been kept apart or on the margins of human communities.”

Just as the forces of historical inevitability led to the ending of industrial slavery, so too would the march of progress lead to a change in attitude towards homosexuality, she argued.

“We live with the continuing tension between holier impulses that encourage us to see the image of God in all human beings and the reality that some of us choose not to see that glimpse of the divine, and instead use other people as means to an end.  We’re seeing something similar right now in the changing attitudes and laws about same-sex relationships, as many people come to recognize that different is not the same thing as wrong.  For many people, it can be difficult to see God at work in the world around us, particularly if God is doing something unexpected.”

To illustrate her point presiding bishop turned to the book of Acts, noting “There are some remarkable examples of that kind of blindness in the readings we heard this morning, and slavery is wrapped up in a lot of it.  Paul is annoyed at the slave girl who keeps pursuing him, telling the world that he and his companions are slaves of God.  She is quite right.  She’s telling the same truth Paul and others claim for themselves,” Bishop Jefferts Schori said, referencing the first chapter of the Epistle to the Romans.

“But Paul is annoyed, perhaps for being put in his place, and he responds by depriving her of her gift of spiritual awareness.  Paul can’t abide something he won’t see as beautiful or holy, so he tries to destroy it.  It gets him thrown in prison.  That’s pretty much where he’s put himself by his own refusal to recognize that she, too, shares in God’s nature, just as much as he does – maybe more so!,” the presiding bishop said.

The New Testament passage goes on to say that Paul and Silas were imprisoned for freeing the girl of her demonic possession. Presiding Bishop noted “an earthquake opens the doors and sets them free, and now Paul and his friends most definitely discern the presence of God.  The jailer doesn’t – he thinks his end is at hand.”

However, Paul now repents of his mistake in casting out the spirit of divination, she argues.  “This time, Paul remembers who he is and that all his neighbors are reflections of God, and he reaches out to his frightened captor.  This time Paul acts with compassion rather than annoyance, and as a result the company of Jesus’ friends expands to include a whole new household.  It makes me wonder what would have happened to that slave girl if Paul had seen the spirit of God in her.”

In support her argument for radical inclusion and diversity over doctrine Bishop Jefferts Schori adds that the day’s reading “from Revelation pushes us in the same direction, outward and away from our own self-righteousness, inviting us to look harder for God’s gift and presence all around us.  Jesus says he’s looking for everybody, anyone who’s looking for good news, anybody who is thirsty.  There are no obstacles or barriers – just come.  God is at work everywhere, even if we can’t or won’t see it immediately.”

She concluded her sermon by stating that we are not justified by our faith but by our respect for diversity.
“Looking for the reflection of God’s glory all around us means changing our lenses, or letting the scales on our eyes fall away.  That kind of change isn’t easy for anyone, but it’s the only road to the kingdom of God.”

Salvation comes not from being cleansed of our sins by the atoning sacrificial death of Jesus Christ, but through the divinization of humanity through the work of the human will. “We are here, among all the other creatures of God’s creation, to be transformed into the glory intended from the beginning.  The next time we feel the pain of that change, perhaps instead of annoyance or angry resentment we might pray for a new pair of glasses.  When resentment about difference or change builds up within us, it’s really an invitation to look inward for the wound that cries out for a healing dose of glory.  We will find it in the strangeness of our neighbor.  Celebrate that difference – for it’s necessary for the healing of this world – and know that the wholeness we so crave lies in recognizing the glory of God’s creative invitation.  God among us in human form is the most glorious act we know.”

Responses posted on the Episcopal Church’s website to the Presiding Bishop’s sermon have been uniformly harsh, noting her interpretation was at odds with traditional Christian teaching, grammar, and logic. “This is quite possibly some if the most delusional exegesis I’ve ever read in my life,” one critic charged. “I’m sorry, but this sermon is not a Christian sermon.”

The reception by bloggers has been equally unkind. The Rev Timothy Fountain observed the presiding bishop had up ended the plain meaning of the text. “Instead of liberation” in freeing the slave girl from exploitation, presiding bishop finds “confinement.  Instead of Christ’s glory, there’s just squalor.”

The Rev. Bryan Owen argued “What's happening here is the exploitation of a biblical text in service to a theopolitical agenda.  Given what she says in the first paragraph I've quoted from her sermon, the Presiding Bishop suggests that anyone who doesn't buy into that agenda - anyone who holds to the traditional, orthodox understanding of such matters - is likewise afflicted with the same narrow-minded bigotry as Paul, and thus in need of enlightenment.”