Thursday, December 18, 2008
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Twas the night before a Holiday
Twas the month before Christmas
When all through our land,
Not a Christian was praying
Nor taking a stand.
See, the PC Police had taken away,
The reason for Christmas - no one could say.
The children were told by their schools not to sing,
About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.
It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say,
December 25th is just a 'Holiday.'
Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit,
Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!
CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod,
Something was changing, something quite odd!
Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa,
In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.
As Targets were hanging their trees upside down,
At Lowe's the word "Christmas"
was no where to be found.
At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears,
You won't hear the word "Christmas;" it won't touch your ears.
Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty,
Are words that were used to intimidate me.
Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen,
On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton!
At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter,
To eliminate Jesus in all public matter.
And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith,
Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace.
The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded,
The reason for the season, stopped before it started.
So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree,'
Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.
Choose your words carefully; choose what you say.
Shout "MERRY CHRISTMAS,"
not "Happy Holiday!"
When all through our land,
Not a Christian was praying
Nor taking a stand.
See, the PC Police had taken away,
The reason for Christmas - no one could say.
The children were told by their schools not to sing,
About Shepherds and Wise Men and Angels and things.
It might hurt people's feelings, the teachers would say,
December 25th is just a 'Holiday.'
Yet the shoppers were ready with cash, checks and credit,
Pushing folks down to the floor just to get it!
CDs from Madonna, an X BOX, an I-pod,
Something was changing, something quite odd!
Retailers promoted Ramadan and Kwanzaa,
In hopes to sell books by Franken & Fonda.
As Targets were hanging their trees upside down,
At Lowe's the word "Christmas"
was no where to be found.
At K-Mart and Staples and Penny's and Sears,
You won't hear the word "Christmas;" it won't touch your ears.
Inclusive, sensitive, Di-ver-si-ty,
Are words that were used to intimidate me.
Now Daschle, Now Darden, Now Sharpton, Wolf Blitzen,
On Boxer, on Rather, on Kerry, on Clinton!
At the top of the Senate, there arose such a clatter,
To eliminate Jesus in all public matter.
And we spoke not a word, as they took away our faith,
Forbidden to speak of salvation and grace.
The true Gift of Christmas was exchanged and discarded,
The reason for the season, stopped before it started.
So as you celebrate 'Winter Break' under your 'Dream Tree,'
Sipping your Starbucks, listen to me.
Choose your words carefully; choose what you say.
Shout "MERRY CHRISTMAS,"
not "Happy Holiday!"
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
The Hand from the Womb Says Thank You!
The picture is that of a 21-week-old unborn baby named Samuel Alexander Armas, who is being operated on by surgeon named Joseph Bruner.
The baby was diagnosed with spina bifida and would not survive if removed from his mother's womb. Little Samuel's mother, Julie Armas, is an obstetrics nurse in Atlanta . She knew of Dr Bruner's remarkable
Surgical procedure. Practicing at Vanderbilt Univ Med Ctr in Nashville , he performs these special operations while the baby is still in the womb.
During the procedure, the doctor removes the uterus via C-section and makes a small incision to operate on the baby. As Dr Bruner completed the surgery on Samuel, the little guy reached his tiny, but fully developed
Hand through the incision and firmly grasped the surgeon's finger. Dr Bruner was reported as saying that when his finger was grasped, it was the most emotional moment of his life, and that for an instant during the procedure he was just frozen, totally immobile.
The photograph captures this amazing event with perfect clarity The editors titled the picture, 'Hand of Hope.' The text explaining the picture begins, 'The tiny hand of 21-week-old fetus Samuel Alexander Armas emerges from the mother's uterus to grasp the finger of Dr Joseph Bruner as if thanking the doctor for the gift of life.'
Little Samuel's mother said they 'wept for days' when they saw the picture. She said, 'The photo reminds us pregnancy isn't about disability or an illness, it's about a little person.'Samuel was born in perfect health, the operation 100 percent successful.
Now see the actual picture, and it is awesome....incredible. The world needs to see this one!
God is an awesome God!!
The baby was diagnosed with spina bifida and would not survive if removed from his mother's womb. Little Samuel's mother, Julie Armas, is an obstetrics nurse in Atlanta . She knew of Dr Bruner's remarkable
Surgical procedure. Practicing at Vanderbilt Univ Med Ctr in Nashville , he performs these special operations while the baby is still in the womb.
During the procedure, the doctor removes the uterus via C-section and makes a small incision to operate on the baby. As Dr Bruner completed the surgery on Samuel, the little guy reached his tiny, but fully developed
Hand through the incision and firmly grasped the surgeon's finger. Dr Bruner was reported as saying that when his finger was grasped, it was the most emotional moment of his life, and that for an instant during the procedure he was just frozen, totally immobile.
The photograph captures this amazing event with perfect clarity The editors titled the picture, 'Hand of Hope.' The text explaining the picture begins, 'The tiny hand of 21-week-old fetus Samuel Alexander Armas emerges from the mother's uterus to grasp the finger of Dr Joseph Bruner as if thanking the doctor for the gift of life.'
Little Samuel's mother said they 'wept for days' when they saw the picture. She said, 'The photo reminds us pregnancy isn't about disability or an illness, it's about a little person.'Samuel was born in perfect health, the operation 100 percent successful.
Now see the actual picture, and it is awesome....incredible. The world needs to see this one!
God is an awesome God!!
Sunday, November 30, 2008
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Religious Freedom
"Our forefathers made it quite clear that the so-called wall of separation between church and state is a gate, and it's a one-way gate, and it prohibits the government from interfering with religion or imposing religion," he said. "But it does not in anyway prohibit American citizens, churches, congregations, believers, worshippers from bringing their faith out into the public. That's one of our great freedoms."
Saturday, November 22, 2008
School takes 1st-graders to see lesbian teacher wed
Posted: October 11, 2008
7:30 pm Eastern
© 2008 WorldNetDaily
Photo courtesy Liz Hafalia, San Francisco Chronicle
A public school in San Francisco bused 18 first-graders to City Hall yesterday, so the youngsters could scatter rose petals in celebration of their lesbian teacher's wedding.
The students, from Creative Arts Charter School, waited on the steps for their teacher with bags of pink rose petals, bottles of bubbles and, at least for some, with political buttons asking Californians to vote down Proposition 8, a ballot measure that seeks to define marriage in the state as a union between one man and one woman.
"She's a really nice teacher. She's the best," 6-year-old Chava Novogrodsky-Godt told the San Francisco Chronicle, wearing a "No on 8" button on her shirt. "I want her to have a good wedding."
As WND reported, supporters of California's Proposition 8 have claimed that combining legalized same-sex marriage with the state's mandate that schools "teach respect for marriage and committed relationships" would result in kindergartners being taught the virtues of homosexual marriage. Opponents have called such arguments fabrications and scare tactics.
Yesterday's field trip wasn't quite kindergartners, but it was close.
"It shows that not only can it happen, but it has already happened," said Chip White, press secretary for the Yes on 8 campaign.
"It's just utterly unreasonable that a public school field trip would be to a same-sex wedding," White told the Chronicle. "This is overt indoctrination of children who are too young to have an understanding of its purpose."
The school's interim director Liz Jaroflow, however, defended the field trip to a homosexual wedding as academically justifiable.
"It really is what we call a teachable moment," she told the Chronicle. "I think I'm well within the parameters."
Jaroflow also told the Chronicle that despite the potential objections of some the decision was not controversial for her, and that "it's certainly an issue I would be willing to put my job on the line for."
According to the Chronicle, the field trip was a surprise to the teacher, Erin Carder, and originally proposed by a parent.
"How many days in school are they going to remember?" asked parent Mark Lipsett. "This is a day they'll definitely remember."
Carder married Kerri McCoy on the office balcony of San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who officiated the ceremony.
As the couple held hands on the balcony overlooking the City Hall's rotunda, Carder proclaimed, "With this ring I thee wed!" shouting the last word for emphasis.
The couple told the Chronicle that they have participated in campaigning against Proposition 8 and planned to travel around the city after the ceremony in a motorized trolley car with banners reading "Just Married" and "Vote No on 8."
Two families of children in the class chose not to give permission for the trip, their children remaining at the school with another first-grade class.
from: http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=77734
7:30 pm Eastern
© 2008 WorldNetDaily
Photo courtesy Liz Hafalia, San Francisco Chronicle
A public school in San Francisco bused 18 first-graders to City Hall yesterday, so the youngsters could scatter rose petals in celebration of their lesbian teacher's wedding.
The students, from Creative Arts Charter School, waited on the steps for their teacher with bags of pink rose petals, bottles of bubbles and, at least for some, with political buttons asking Californians to vote down Proposition 8, a ballot measure that seeks to define marriage in the state as a union between one man and one woman.
"She's a really nice teacher. She's the best," 6-year-old Chava Novogrodsky-Godt told the San Francisco Chronicle, wearing a "No on 8" button on her shirt. "I want her to have a good wedding."
As WND reported, supporters of California's Proposition 8 have claimed that combining legalized same-sex marriage with the state's mandate that schools "teach respect for marriage and committed relationships" would result in kindergartners being taught the virtues of homosexual marriage. Opponents have called such arguments fabrications and scare tactics.
Yesterday's field trip wasn't quite kindergartners, but it was close.
"It shows that not only can it happen, but it has already happened," said Chip White, press secretary for the Yes on 8 campaign.
"It's just utterly unreasonable that a public school field trip would be to a same-sex wedding," White told the Chronicle. "This is overt indoctrination of children who are too young to have an understanding of its purpose."
The school's interim director Liz Jaroflow, however, defended the field trip to a homosexual wedding as academically justifiable.
"It really is what we call a teachable moment," she told the Chronicle. "I think I'm well within the parameters."
Jaroflow also told the Chronicle that despite the potential objections of some the decision was not controversial for her, and that "it's certainly an issue I would be willing to put my job on the line for."
According to the Chronicle, the field trip was a surprise to the teacher, Erin Carder, and originally proposed by a parent.
"How many days in school are they going to remember?" asked parent Mark Lipsett. "This is a day they'll definitely remember."
Carder married Kerri McCoy on the office balcony of San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, who officiated the ceremony.
As the couple held hands on the balcony overlooking the City Hall's rotunda, Carder proclaimed, "With this ring I thee wed!" shouting the last word for emphasis.
The couple told the Chronicle that they have participated in campaigning against Proposition 8 and planned to travel around the city after the ceremony in a motorized trolley car with banners reading "Just Married" and "Vote No on 8."
Two families of children in the class chose not to give permission for the trip, their children remaining at the school with another first-grade class.
from: http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=77734
Saturday, November 15, 2008
Try Answering These Questions Using the NIV Bible.
By Rex L. Cobb
INSTRUCTIONS:
Using the New International Version Bible, answer the following questions to this NIV quiz.
Do not rely on your memory. As the Bible is the final authority, you must take the answer from the Bible verse (not from footnotes but from the text).
1. Fill in the missing words in Matthew 5:44. "Love your enemies,__________ them that curse you, ______________ to them that hate you, and pray for them that __________ and persecute you."
2. According to Matthew 17:21, what two things are required to cast out this type of demon?
3. According to Matthew 18:11, why did Jesus come to earth?
4. According to Matthew 27:2, what was Pilate's first name?
5. In Matthew 27:35, when the wicked soldiers parted His garments, they were fulfilling the words of the prophet. Copy what the prophet said in Matthew 27:35 from the NIV.
6. In Mark 3:15, Jesus gave the apostles power to cast out demons and to: ____________
7. According to Mark 7:16, what does a man need to be able to hear?
8. According to Luke 7:28, what was John? (teacher, prophet, carpenter, etc.). What is his title or last name?
9. In Luke 9:55, what did the disciples not know?
10. In Luke 9:56, what did the Son of man not come to do? According to this verse, what did He come to do?
11. In Luke 22:14, how many apostles were with Jesus?
12. According to Luke 23:38, in what three languages was the superscription written?
13. In Luke 24:42, what did they give Jesus to eat with His fish?
14. John 3:13 is a very important verse, proving the deity of Christ. According to this verse (as Jesus spoke), where is the Son of man?
15. What happened each year as told in John 5:4?
16. In John 7:50, what time of day did Nicodemus come to Jesus?
17. In Acts 8:37, what is the one requirement for baptism?
18. What did Saul ask Jesus in Acts 9:6?
19. Write the name of the man mentioned in Acts 15:34.
20. Study Acts 24:6-8. What would the Jew have done with Paul? What was the chief captain's name? What did the chief captain command?
21. Copy Romans 16:24 word for word from the NIV.
22. First Timothy 3:16 is perhaps the greatest verse in the New Testament concerning the deity of Christ. In this verse, who was manifested in the flesh?
23. In the second part of First Peter 4:14, how do [they] speak of Christ? And, what do we Christians do?
24. Who are the three Persons of the Trinity in First John 5:7?
25. Revelation 1:11 is another very important verse that proves the deity of Christ. In the first part of this verse Jesus said, "I am the A______________ and O___________, the _________ and the _______:"
Conclusion: Little space is provided for your answers, but it's much more than needed. If you followed the instructions above, you not only failed the test, you receive a big goose egg.
(Ed. These are all missing in the NIV.) So now what do you think of your "accurate, easy to understand, up to date Bible"?
INSTRUCTIONS:
Using the New International Version Bible, answer the following questions to this NIV quiz.
Do not rely on your memory. As the Bible is the final authority, you must take the answer from the Bible verse (not from footnotes but from the text).
1. Fill in the missing words in Matthew 5:44. "Love your enemies,__________ them that curse you, ______________ to them that hate you, and pray for them that __________ and persecute you."
2. According to Matthew 17:21, what two things are required to cast out this type of demon?
3. According to Matthew 18:11, why did Jesus come to earth?
4. According to Matthew 27:2, what was Pilate's first name?
5. In Matthew 27:35, when the wicked soldiers parted His garments, they were fulfilling the words of the prophet. Copy what the prophet said in Matthew 27:35 from the NIV.
6. In Mark 3:15, Jesus gave the apostles power to cast out demons and to: ____________
7. According to Mark 7:16, what does a man need to be able to hear?
8. According to Luke 7:28, what was John? (teacher, prophet, carpenter, etc.). What is his title or last name?
9. In Luke 9:55, what did the disciples not know?
10. In Luke 9:56, what did the Son of man not come to do? According to this verse, what did He come to do?
11. In Luke 22:14, how many apostles were with Jesus?
12. According to Luke 23:38, in what three languages was the superscription written?
13. In Luke 24:42, what did they give Jesus to eat with His fish?
14. John 3:13 is a very important verse, proving the deity of Christ. According to this verse (as Jesus spoke), where is the Son of man?
15. What happened each year as told in John 5:4?
16. In John 7:50, what time of day did Nicodemus come to Jesus?
17. In Acts 8:37, what is the one requirement for baptism?
18. What did Saul ask Jesus in Acts 9:6?
19. Write the name of the man mentioned in Acts 15:34.
20. Study Acts 24:6-8. What would the Jew have done with Paul? What was the chief captain's name? What did the chief captain command?
21. Copy Romans 16:24 word for word from the NIV.
22. First Timothy 3:16 is perhaps the greatest verse in the New Testament concerning the deity of Christ. In this verse, who was manifested in the flesh?
23. In the second part of First Peter 4:14, how do [they] speak of Christ? And, what do we Christians do?
24. Who are the three Persons of the Trinity in First John 5:7?
25. Revelation 1:11 is another very important verse that proves the deity of Christ. In the first part of this verse Jesus said, "I am the A______________ and O___________, the _________ and the _______:"
Conclusion: Little space is provided for your answers, but it's much more than needed. If you followed the instructions above, you not only failed the test, you receive a big goose egg.
(Ed. These are all missing in the NIV.) So now what do you think of your "accurate, easy to understand, up to date Bible"?
Friday, November 14, 2008
Popes Testify that Catholicism and Islam Worship the Same God
11/14/2008 - Tur8infan
Occasionally, I point out that one of the biggest reasons to reject the doctrines of Rome, is that Vatican II dogmatically taught that God and Allah are the same: that Muslims worship the one true God. As well, Vatican II teaches the Jews worship the one true God. This doctrine is false. Those who reject the Son of God reject God, and both religious Jews and Muslims do reject the Son of God.
I get a variety of reactions from those who are part of the Roman church when I point this out. Sometimes the reaction is disbelief that Vatican 2 actually taught that. Other times the reaction is an argument suggesting that Vatican 2 actually taught something else, such as that the Muslims are right to be monotheists. A few agree and try to come up with some way in which Muslims worship God by worshiping the fictional conception of Allah (an interesting squirm, but not particularly availing). Finally, a few acknowledge that it is what Vatican II taught, and accept it.
Below, I will point evidence supporting my contention that the Roman church teaches the God and Allah are one and the same - and that Muslims and Jews worship the same God as Rome does. I hope that this will give those readers of mine who identify themselves with the church of Benedict XVI some pause. I hope they will consider the fact that this is not a true doctrine: that it is contrary to Scripture.
The following is my evidence from the mouth of your two most recent popes, John Paul II (JP2) and Benedict XVI (Ben16).
"As I have often said in other meetings with Muslims, your God and ours is one and the same, and we are brothers and sisters in the faith of Abraham."
JP2 1985 (source")
Nevertheless, neither religious Jews nor Muslims have the faith of Abraham, for they reject the Son of Abraham.
"We are all children of the same God, members of the great family of man. And our religions have a special role to fulfil in curbing these evils and in forging bonds of trust and fellowship. God’s will is that those who worship him, even if not united in the same worship, would nevertheless be united in brotherhood and in common service for the good of all."
JP2 1985 (source")
Notice that JP2 acknowledges that the worship itself is different, but asserts that it is worship of the same God.
"In the final analysis, prayer is the best means by which all humanity can be united. It disposes people to accept God’s will for them. It also affects the relationship of those who pray together, for by coming together before God in prayer people can no longer ignore or hate others. Those who pray together discover that they are pilgrims and seekers of the same goal, brothers and sisters who share responsibility for the same human family, children of the same God and Father. It is my ardent hope that the Day of Prayer for Peace to be held in Assisi, at which Christians of all Communions and believers from all the great religions have been invited to participate, will be a beginning and an incentive for all believers in God to come often before him united in prayer."
JP2 1986 (source")
Nevertheless, those who have not received adoption are not the children of the Father. Likewise, Muslims and Christians have different and competing goals - not the same goal.
"I thank you for your visit, all representatives, leaders, of the Muslim community here in Uganda. Archbishop Wamala said that you are cooperating and that in doing so, you are also accomplishing the will of God, our Creator, our Father. God has created all of us, men and women, the whole human race, to cooperate–to cooperate in order to improve the world. He, our God, committed us, the world, to being inhabited, to being used, not abused, not abused, used, and to serving the human being, human existence. It is necessary to cooperate all together, for the riches of the world are sometimes in danger and the human community is many times is in danger. It requires the cooperation of all of us who believe in the same God, the one God of Abraham, the Father who gave us his son Jesus Christ. Thank you very much for your visit."
JP2 1993 (source")
Nevertheless, the Muslims do not believe in the same God, for they do not even know God.
"We Christians joyfully recognize the religious values we have in common with Islam. Today I would like to repeat what I said to young Muslims some years ago in Casablanca: “We believe in the same God, the one God, the living God, the God who created the world and brings his creatures to their perfection” (Insegnamenti, VIII/2, [1985], p. 497)."
JP2 1999 (source")
What joy is there in the fact that there are those on the road to hell who happen to acknowledge some parts of the truth? This truth partially known will not save - it will only increase the condemnation of those who, like the Muslims, reject the one true God.
"This year is also the 40th anniversary of the conciliar Declaration Nostra Aetate, which has ushered in a new season of dialogue and spiritual solidarity between Jews and Christians, as well as esteem for the other great religious traditions. Islam occupies a special place among them. Its followers worship the same God and willingly refer to the Patriarch Abraham."
Ben16 2005 (source")
But James said:
"Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." James 4:4
I'm not suggesting that we cannot be kind to Muslims. We can, should, and must. Nevertheless, we need to distinguish between being kind and respectful to them as people and endorsing or esteeming their religion. Islam is a path to judgment, part of the broad road that leads to destruction. Friendship with Islam as such is an unkindness not a kindness to the members of that religion. Those siding with Islam are siding against Christianity.
To parody an old saw, we must love the Muslim not Islam: the man not his religion.
Hopefully, this settles the matter of what Rome teaches, as well as illustrating some reasons why what Rome teaches is wrong. You will notice that in each case, the quotation is taken from the English translation provided at the Vatican's official web site. These are not my own translations. Now, I call on those of you in the Roman communion to consider whether Scripture teaches that one can both be one who worships God and who rejects the Son of God. If you see that the Scriptures do not teach that, I urge you to come out from the Roman communion and into fellowship with an Evangelical body that maintains not only the historic but Scriptural distinction between the followers of Christ and all other religions, including the religions of Mecca and modern Jerusalem.
-TurretinFan from www.aomin.org
Occasionally, I point out that one of the biggest reasons to reject the doctrines of Rome, is that Vatican II dogmatically taught that God and Allah are the same: that Muslims worship the one true God. As well, Vatican II teaches the Jews worship the one true God. This doctrine is false. Those who reject the Son of God reject God, and both religious Jews and Muslims do reject the Son of God.
I get a variety of reactions from those who are part of the Roman church when I point this out. Sometimes the reaction is disbelief that Vatican 2 actually taught that. Other times the reaction is an argument suggesting that Vatican 2 actually taught something else, such as that the Muslims are right to be monotheists. A few agree and try to come up with some way in which Muslims worship God by worshiping the fictional conception of Allah (an interesting squirm, but not particularly availing). Finally, a few acknowledge that it is what Vatican II taught, and accept it.
Below, I will point evidence supporting my contention that the Roman church teaches the God and Allah are one and the same - and that Muslims and Jews worship the same God as Rome does. I hope that this will give those readers of mine who identify themselves with the church of Benedict XVI some pause. I hope they will consider the fact that this is not a true doctrine: that it is contrary to Scripture.
The following is my evidence from the mouth of your two most recent popes, John Paul II (JP2) and Benedict XVI (Ben16).
"As I have often said in other meetings with Muslims, your God and ours is one and the same, and we are brothers and sisters in the faith of Abraham."
JP2 1985 (source")
Nevertheless, neither religious Jews nor Muslims have the faith of Abraham, for they reject the Son of Abraham.
"We are all children of the same God, members of the great family of man. And our religions have a special role to fulfil in curbing these evils and in forging bonds of trust and fellowship. God’s will is that those who worship him, even if not united in the same worship, would nevertheless be united in brotherhood and in common service for the good of all."
JP2 1985 (source")
Notice that JP2 acknowledges that the worship itself is different, but asserts that it is worship of the same God.
"In the final analysis, prayer is the best means by which all humanity can be united. It disposes people to accept God’s will for them. It also affects the relationship of those who pray together, for by coming together before God in prayer people can no longer ignore or hate others. Those who pray together discover that they are pilgrims and seekers of the same goal, brothers and sisters who share responsibility for the same human family, children of the same God and Father. It is my ardent hope that the Day of Prayer for Peace to be held in Assisi, at which Christians of all Communions and believers from all the great religions have been invited to participate, will be a beginning and an incentive for all believers in God to come often before him united in prayer."
JP2 1986 (source")
Nevertheless, those who have not received adoption are not the children of the Father. Likewise, Muslims and Christians have different and competing goals - not the same goal.
"I thank you for your visit, all representatives, leaders, of the Muslim community here in Uganda. Archbishop Wamala said that you are cooperating and that in doing so, you are also accomplishing the will of God, our Creator, our Father. God has created all of us, men and women, the whole human race, to cooperate–to cooperate in order to improve the world. He, our God, committed us, the world, to being inhabited, to being used, not abused, not abused, used, and to serving the human being, human existence. It is necessary to cooperate all together, for the riches of the world are sometimes in danger and the human community is many times is in danger. It requires the cooperation of all of us who believe in the same God, the one God of Abraham, the Father who gave us his son Jesus Christ. Thank you very much for your visit."
JP2 1993 (source")
Nevertheless, the Muslims do not believe in the same God, for they do not even know God.
"We Christians joyfully recognize the religious values we have in common with Islam. Today I would like to repeat what I said to young Muslims some years ago in Casablanca: “We believe in the same God, the one God, the living God, the God who created the world and brings his creatures to their perfection” (Insegnamenti, VIII/2, [1985], p. 497)."
JP2 1999 (source")
What joy is there in the fact that there are those on the road to hell who happen to acknowledge some parts of the truth? This truth partially known will not save - it will only increase the condemnation of those who, like the Muslims, reject the one true God.
"This year is also the 40th anniversary of the conciliar Declaration Nostra Aetate, which has ushered in a new season of dialogue and spiritual solidarity between Jews and Christians, as well as esteem for the other great religious traditions. Islam occupies a special place among them. Its followers worship the same God and willingly refer to the Patriarch Abraham."
Ben16 2005 (source")
But James said:
"Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God." James 4:4
I'm not suggesting that we cannot be kind to Muslims. We can, should, and must. Nevertheless, we need to distinguish between being kind and respectful to them as people and endorsing or esteeming their religion. Islam is a path to judgment, part of the broad road that leads to destruction. Friendship with Islam as such is an unkindness not a kindness to the members of that religion. Those siding with Islam are siding against Christianity.
To parody an old saw, we must love the Muslim not Islam: the man not his religion.
Hopefully, this settles the matter of what Rome teaches, as well as illustrating some reasons why what Rome teaches is wrong. You will notice that in each case, the quotation is taken from the English translation provided at the Vatican's official web site. These are not my own translations. Now, I call on those of you in the Roman communion to consider whether Scripture teaches that one can both be one who worships God and who rejects the Son of God. If you see that the Scriptures do not teach that, I urge you to come out from the Roman communion and into fellowship with an Evangelical body that maintains not only the historic but Scriptural distinction between the followers of Christ and all other religions, including the religions of Mecca and modern Jerusalem.
-TurretinFan from www.aomin.org
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Stop the Obama Constitutional Crisis
Sign the Petition : 89,391 Letters and Emails Sent So Far
Article II, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution reads: "No Person except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United States at the time of the adoption of this constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that office who shall not have attained to the age of thirty five years, and been fourteen years a resident within the United States."
There are numerous questions as to Obama's citizen status raising suspicion and doubt about Obama constitutional qualification to be president. To settle these questions Mr. Obama must produce proof of citizenship!
Documents that must be produced include;
(a) a certified copy of "vault" (original long version) birth certificate;
(b) certified copies of all reissued and sealed birth certificates in the names Barack Hussein Obama, Barry Soetoro, Barry Obama, Barack Dunham and Barry Dunham;
(c) a certified copy Certification of Citizenship;
(d) a certified copy Oath of Allegiance taken upon age of maturity;
(e) certified copies of admission forms for Occidental College, Columbia University and Harvard Law School; and
(f) certified copies of any court orders or legal documents changing his name from Barry Soetoro.
It is reasonable that these documents should be produced considering that his father is Kenyan, his adoptive father is Indonesian, and his grandmother claims to have been present at his birth in Kenya. If he is a natural born citizen then producing these documents should not be any problem.
These allegations will not go away until Mr. Obama produces proof to federal authorities and the public. If he will not do so voluntarily he must be compelled by every means available. You, as an employee of The People, have sworn an oath to support and defend the Constitution.
We The People are demanding you to make every effort, both public and private, to resolve this fundamental Constitutional question before 20 January.
You can sign the petition at:
http://www.rallycongress.com/constitutional-qualification/1244/
Article II, Section 1 of the U.S. Constitution reads: "No Person except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United States at the time of the adoption of this constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any person be eligible to that office who shall not have attained to the age of thirty five years, and been fourteen years a resident within the United States."
There are numerous questions as to Obama's citizen status raising suspicion and doubt about Obama constitutional qualification to be president. To settle these questions Mr. Obama must produce proof of citizenship!
Documents that must be produced include;
(a) a certified copy of "vault" (original long version) birth certificate;
(b) certified copies of all reissued and sealed birth certificates in the names Barack Hussein Obama, Barry Soetoro, Barry Obama, Barack Dunham and Barry Dunham;
(c) a certified copy Certification of Citizenship;
(d) a certified copy Oath of Allegiance taken upon age of maturity;
(e) certified copies of admission forms for Occidental College, Columbia University and Harvard Law School; and
(f) certified copies of any court orders or legal documents changing his name from Barry Soetoro.
It is reasonable that these documents should be produced considering that his father is Kenyan, his adoptive father is Indonesian, and his grandmother claims to have been present at his birth in Kenya. If he is a natural born citizen then producing these documents should not be any problem.
These allegations will not go away until Mr. Obama produces proof to federal authorities and the public. If he will not do so voluntarily he must be compelled by every means available. You, as an employee of The People, have sworn an oath to support and defend the Constitution.
We The People are demanding you to make every effort, both public and private, to resolve this fundamental Constitutional question before 20 January.
You can sign the petition at:
http://www.rallycongress.com/constitutional-qualification/1244/
Evangelicals responsible for Obama victory
Here's the single most important takeaway from Tuesday's election: evangelical voters are responsible, all by themselves, for putting Sen. Barack Obama into the White House.
A mentor of mine was fond of saying that the church is the secret government of the world, based on Jesus' teaching that his followers are the salt of the earth, arresting the spread of decay, and the light of the world, bringing illumination to a darkened and deceived humanity.
As the church goes, he believed, so the world goes.
According to exit polling data, Sen. Obama, a supporter of unlimited abortion rights and the radical homosexual agenda, did not win a majority of evangelicals in any state in the Union.
Overall, 74% of self-identified evangelical or born-again Christians voted for Sen. McCain, who has a 100% voting record on the pro-life issue and supported the state marriage amendments which were on the ballot in Arizona, California and Florida, all of which won decisively. One quarter of evangelicals voted for Sen. Obama.
In my home state of Idaho, 80% of evangelicals voted for the McCain-Palin ticket, while just 19% voted for the Obama-Biden ticket.
Two things are particularly noteworthy. One, it's amazing all by itself that 25% of evangelicals found some way to justify voting for a presidential candidate who supported infanticide while a state senator in Illinois, wants to overturn every pro-life law in the land as his first order of presidential business, and calls the Defense of Marriage Act an "abhorrent" law which he wants to repeal as soon as he can.
One can only wonder what kind of teaching these evangelicals are getting on morality in public policy from their pulpits. Have they been told that the Bible teaches that, according to Psalm 139 and Luke 1, a woman carries a baby in her womb, and not a blob of tissue? Have they been taught that the Scriptures teach in Genesis 1, Matthew 19, and 1 Corinthians 7 that marriage is the union of one man and one woman, and that the Scriptures teach in Romans 1 and 1 Corinthians 5 that homosexual behavior is contrary to nature?
Secondly, it's clear that the simplest path toward recapturing America's moral compass is to create more and better instructed evangelicals.
Evangelicals now comprise 26% of American voters, meaning that of the 120,659,318 votes cast, 31,371,423 of them were cast by evangelicals. This means, bottom line, that 7,842,856 evangelicals cast their votes for Obama.
Sen. Obama's margin of victory in the popular vote was 7,576,856. This, you will note, is less than the number of evangelical votes for Obama. The bottom line, then, is that if all evangelicals had voted according to biblical standards of morality, Sen. McCain would have won the election by 266,000 votes.
Thus the most radical, left-leaning president America has ever had has evangelicals to thank for his elevation to the highest office in the world. He has been put into White House by evangelicals. Evangelicals all by themselves had the power to keep the most liberal senator in United States history out of the Oval Office and did not do so.
If evangelicals had cast their votes according to what they claim are their most deeply held convictions, we would now be talking about Sen. McCain's choice of cabinet members rather than fretting about how it will be possible to stop the pro-abortion, pro-homosexual juggernaut that will be unleashed on America on January 20.
And even assuming voting patterns remained the same, if evangelicals consisted of 37.5% of the electorate instead of just 25%, McCain also would have won. Under that scenario, McCain would have received almost 34 million votes from evangelicals, with Obama receiving just over 11 million, and the difference of 22.5 million votes would have been enough to overcome the 7.5 million vote margin that Obama received on Tuesday.
Bottom line: if we want to salvage the future of this country, all we need are more evangelicals.
The most patriotic thing we can do, both for the kingdom of God and the United States, is to bring our family members and friends into a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
Evangelism, in other words, is not only our spiritual duty, it is our patriotic duty.
If each of us brings one soul into the kingdom of God over the next four years, the faith community will double in size, and even if teaching in the church does not improve, candidates who respect the Judeo-Christian underpinnings of American history and culture will easily be elevated to office.
Thus the path forward for evangelicals who care deeply about the moral fiber of this country, the soundness of its public policy, and the future of the country we are leaving for our children and grandchildren is quite clear: We should pray and work (in that order) for spiritual awakening to come to America and especially to its churches, and pray and work (in that order) to see that America's pulpits are filled with men who without apology and without compromise preach the word of God.
The Evangelical Electoral Map (Updated) | Christianity Today
© Bryan Fischer
from:
http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/fischer/081106
A mentor of mine was fond of saying that the church is the secret government of the world, based on Jesus' teaching that his followers are the salt of the earth, arresting the spread of decay, and the light of the world, bringing illumination to a darkened and deceived humanity.
As the church goes, he believed, so the world goes.
According to exit polling data, Sen. Obama, a supporter of unlimited abortion rights and the radical homosexual agenda, did not win a majority of evangelicals in any state in the Union.
Overall, 74% of self-identified evangelical or born-again Christians voted for Sen. McCain, who has a 100% voting record on the pro-life issue and supported the state marriage amendments which were on the ballot in Arizona, California and Florida, all of which won decisively. One quarter of evangelicals voted for Sen. Obama.
In my home state of Idaho, 80% of evangelicals voted for the McCain-Palin ticket, while just 19% voted for the Obama-Biden ticket.
Two things are particularly noteworthy. One, it's amazing all by itself that 25% of evangelicals found some way to justify voting for a presidential candidate who supported infanticide while a state senator in Illinois, wants to overturn every pro-life law in the land as his first order of presidential business, and calls the Defense of Marriage Act an "abhorrent" law which he wants to repeal as soon as he can.
One can only wonder what kind of teaching these evangelicals are getting on morality in public policy from their pulpits. Have they been told that the Bible teaches that, according to Psalm 139 and Luke 1, a woman carries a baby in her womb, and not a blob of tissue? Have they been taught that the Scriptures teach in Genesis 1, Matthew 19, and 1 Corinthians 7 that marriage is the union of one man and one woman, and that the Scriptures teach in Romans 1 and 1 Corinthians 5 that homosexual behavior is contrary to nature?
Secondly, it's clear that the simplest path toward recapturing America's moral compass is to create more and better instructed evangelicals.
Evangelicals now comprise 26% of American voters, meaning that of the 120,659,318 votes cast, 31,371,423 of them were cast by evangelicals. This means, bottom line, that 7,842,856 evangelicals cast their votes for Obama.
Sen. Obama's margin of victory in the popular vote was 7,576,856. This, you will note, is less than the number of evangelical votes for Obama. The bottom line, then, is that if all evangelicals had voted according to biblical standards of morality, Sen. McCain would have won the election by 266,000 votes.
Thus the most radical, left-leaning president America has ever had has evangelicals to thank for his elevation to the highest office in the world. He has been put into White House by evangelicals. Evangelicals all by themselves had the power to keep the most liberal senator in United States history out of the Oval Office and did not do so.
If evangelicals had cast their votes according to what they claim are their most deeply held convictions, we would now be talking about Sen. McCain's choice of cabinet members rather than fretting about how it will be possible to stop the pro-abortion, pro-homosexual juggernaut that will be unleashed on America on January 20.
And even assuming voting patterns remained the same, if evangelicals consisted of 37.5% of the electorate instead of just 25%, McCain also would have won. Under that scenario, McCain would have received almost 34 million votes from evangelicals, with Obama receiving just over 11 million, and the difference of 22.5 million votes would have been enough to overcome the 7.5 million vote margin that Obama received on Tuesday.
Bottom line: if we want to salvage the future of this country, all we need are more evangelicals.
The most patriotic thing we can do, both for the kingdom of God and the United States, is to bring our family members and friends into a personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.
Evangelism, in other words, is not only our spiritual duty, it is our patriotic duty.
If each of us brings one soul into the kingdom of God over the next four years, the faith community will double in size, and even if teaching in the church does not improve, candidates who respect the Judeo-Christian underpinnings of American history and culture will easily be elevated to office.
Thus the path forward for evangelicals who care deeply about the moral fiber of this country, the soundness of its public policy, and the future of the country we are leaving for our children and grandchildren is quite clear: We should pray and work (in that order) for spiritual awakening to come to America and especially to its churches, and pray and work (in that order) to see that America's pulpits are filled with men who without apology and without compromise preach the word of God.
The Evangelical Electoral Map (Updated) | Christianity Today
© Bryan Fischer
from:
http://www.renewamerica.us/columns/fischer/081106
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Friday, November 7, 2008
Yes the Rapture will happen...but When?
As owner and developer of the 4 Gospels Christian Network I am sometimes reluctant to post things that may be controversial. This has opened my eyes to something that has bothered me for some time. Many of our church leaders may also be victims of the same reluctance.
I was raised believing in something that was taught to me by men of faith. I respected these men for their call to preach the Gospel and still do. For many years I believed that in the end days His church would be taken out of this world before the great tribulation period. I believed it 100%, I had no doubts. One day a few years back I was ask by someone to show them scripture that supported the pre-trib rapture belief. When asked I first thought that this would be easy. After all it is being taught from the pulpits of America every day by men of faith. But not really, some simply avoid the subject the way I have. The Rapture WILL happen. The question is when?
I began to study scripture searching for the proof of a pre-trib Rapture. I studied all scriptures pertaining to the Rapture of the church. I just thought you may be interested in the results of the study. Please read all that is written here.
Any serious study of the Rapture must start with the verses in 1 Th 4:13-18.
1 Th 4:13-18
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
KJV
The event described here by Paul is an event that WILL happen. It doesn’t matter what you call it. This event will happen. And nothing in this scripture suggest a silent…in secret event!
• Paul talks about those that “sleep in Jesus” and “dead in Christ”
• Paul talks about “we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord”
• “the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout”
• “with the voice of the archangel’
• “with the trump, (which is the last trumpet, 1 Cor. 15:52) of God”
• “the dead in Christ shall rise first”
• “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air”
It doesn’t matter when you believe this tribulation begins, it ends for His church at the event described in 1 TH 4:13-18, “and so shall we ever be with the Lord”. So, when is this event going to happen, (not the date on the calendar but the timing of the event in relation to other events)?
The scriptures of 1 TH 4:13-18, do not say much about the timing but they do give us important clues. There will be a resurrection.
• The scriptures here talk about a resurrection of the dead in Christ.
• It plainly says this resurrection will happen first. It will precede the ones alive being caught up.
When does the Bible speak about the “First Resurrection”?
Rv 7:9
9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
KJV
Rv 7:13- 14
And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
KJV
Here John is witnessing the after effects of the rapture; he is seeing the results of it, (Paul saw it). However, a question is asked and the elder answers John by saying, “These are they which came out of great tribulation”
Rev 20:4-6
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
KJV
Here again, in these scriptures, John is seeing the results of the “first resurrection” not the actual resurrection, (Paul saw it). But he described the souls as “souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands” At this point John has witnessed the results of all that were part of the “first resurrection”, then he gives it a name, “This is the first resurrection.” If this is the first resurrection then there has not been another before it.
Mt 24:29-31
Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
KJV
His second coming:
Rv 16:15
15 Behold, I come as a thief . Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
KJV
1 TH 5:2-6
2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
KJV
He will come as a “thief in the night”, without warning to the lost. We should “not sleep…watch and be sober”. If the gathering up of his elect was done at anytime before His Second Coming, His Second Coming would not be a surprise. People disappearing from cars, a church pew, even unborn children from wombs is not going to be something that will be secret and unnoticed. A thief does not call you on the phone and warn you that he will be breaking into your house soon.
Rv 19:11-14
11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. (power and glory)
12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
KJV
The marriage of the lamb:
Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come (the time is at hand), and his wife hath made herself ready( by withstanding the fiery darts of Satan…Eph 6:11-17).
Rev 19:8 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.
Rev 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
Why is it so hard for the human mind to believe that our God that created heaven and earth by His spoken word, can not Rapture His church, prepare them for battle, and clothe them in white linen in a twinkling of an eye?
When you put all the scriptures together they describe the events below.
• “Immediately after the tribulation of those days” (Mat 24:29)
• “the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready” (Rev 19:7)
• And “called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb” (Rev 19:9)
• ‘And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven” (Mat 24:30)
• “with the trump, (which is the last trumpet, 1 Cor. 15:52) of God”
• “the dead in Christ shall rise first” (1 Th 4:16)
• “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air”, (1Th 4:17)
• “corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality”, (1 Cor. 15:54)
• “she should be arrayed in fine linen” (Rev 19:8)
• “heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war…And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.”, Rv 19:11-14)
• All this “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye”, (1 Cor 15:52). “As thief in the night.” (1 TH 5:2)
• Satan and his army will be caught unaware. They are totally defenseless against an army of immortals. They are easily defeated.
• “And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; 18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.” Rev 19:17-18.
• “And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet…These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.” (Rv 19:20)
• “and so shall we ever be with the Lord”, (1Th 4:17)
“There exists at least one 18th century and two 19th century Pre-Tribulation references, in a book published in 1788, in the writings of a Catholic priest Emmanuel Lacunza in 1812, and by John Darby himself in 1827. However, both the book published in 1788 and the writings of Lacunza have opposing views regarding their interpretations, as well.
The rise in belief in the "Pre-Tribulation" rapture is sometimes attributed to a 15-year old Scottish-Irish girl named Margaret MacDonald (a follower of Edward Irving), who in 1830 had a vision that was later published in 1861.” (Wikipedia)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Macdonald_%28Prophecy%29
The link above goes to an article in Wikipedia that contains the text of Margaret’s letter about her vision. I actually could not really see anything in the letter that would clearly described a pre tribulation rapture of the Church. Actually quite the contrary, I found the statements listed below:
• “This is the fiery trial which is to try us. --- It will be for the purging and purifying of the real members of the body of Jesus; but Oh it will be a fiery trial. Every soul will be shaken to the very centre. The enemy will try to shake in every thing we have believed”
• “Now shall the awful sight of a false Christ be seen on this earth, and nothing but the living Christ in us can detect this awful attempt of the enemy to deceive.”
• “The trial of the Church is from Antichrist. It is by being filled with the Spirit that we shall be kept.”
What confused me after reading Margaret’s letter is that it actually didn’t seem to indicate that the church would be Raptured before the tribulation. The letter did speak of us meeting Christ in the air, but it went on to describe the church being here during the tribulation. She did describe what the sign of the coming of the Son of God would be like. But she never indicated that we would be taken away before the tribulation. It makes me think that it really wasn’t her vision so much as it was the interpretation of it that vision.
This, (not scripture) gave birth to the pre-trib Rapture doctrine. The person who interpreted her letter must have already believed the pre-trib doctrine before they read it. Then twisted her vision to fit in the same way the scriptures have been twisted.
The pre tribulation belief of the Rapture of the church sells a lot of books and Hollywood loves it, but is it really scriptural.
Some say it doesn’t matter when it happens because I’m a believer and will be a part of it whenever it happens. However, what you believe about the timing could effect how you prepare spiritually. I’ll give an example.
If a recruit enters army boot camp today he knows there is a very good chance of being sent to Iraq as soon as he completes his training. Therefore he will take his training more seriously and prepare himself as well as he can for what he is likely to face soon.
However; a recruit going through boot camp in peace time will possibly not take his training as serious. Then if he is suddenly unexpectedly caught up in a war soon after he completes boot camp, he may fail to meet the challenge of his trials.
Satan will use any trick he can to put us in a vulnerable position. The recent events around the world are with out a doubt related to end-time prophecy. If the pre-trib Rapture fabrication is actually true, then the rapture should have already happened. Many world events match the prophecies of the tribulation.
I was raised believing in something that was taught to me by men of faith. I respected these men for their call to preach the Gospel and still do. For many years I believed that in the end days His church would be taken out of this world before the great tribulation period. I believed it 100%, I had no doubts. One day a few years back I was ask by someone to show them scripture that supported the pre-trib rapture belief. When asked I first thought that this would be easy. After all it is being taught from the pulpits of America every day by men of faith. But not really, some simply avoid the subject the way I have. The Rapture WILL happen. The question is when?
I began to study scripture searching for the proof of a pre-trib Rapture. I studied all scriptures pertaining to the Rapture of the church. I just thought you may be interested in the results of the study. Please read all that is written here.
Any serious study of the Rapture must start with the verses in 1 Th 4:13-18.
1 Th 4:13-18
13 But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him.
15 For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep.
16 For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first:
17 Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
18 Wherefore comfort one another with these words.
KJV
The event described here by Paul is an event that WILL happen. It doesn’t matter what you call it. This event will happen. And nothing in this scripture suggest a silent…in secret event!
• Paul talks about those that “sleep in Jesus” and “dead in Christ”
• Paul talks about “we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord”
• “the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout”
• “with the voice of the archangel’
• “with the trump, (which is the last trumpet, 1 Cor. 15:52) of God”
• “the dead in Christ shall rise first”
• “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air”
It doesn’t matter when you believe this tribulation begins, it ends for His church at the event described in 1 TH 4:13-18, “and so shall we ever be with the Lord”. So, when is this event going to happen, (not the date on the calendar but the timing of the event in relation to other events)?
The scriptures of 1 TH 4:13-18, do not say much about the timing but they do give us important clues. There will be a resurrection.
• The scriptures here talk about a resurrection of the dead in Christ.
• It plainly says this resurrection will happen first. It will precede the ones alive being caught up.
When does the Bible speak about the “First Resurrection”?
Rv 7:9
9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;
KJV
Rv 7:13- 14
And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they?
14 And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
KJV
Here John is witnessing the after effects of the rapture; he is seeing the results of it, (Paul saw it). However, a question is asked and the elder answers John by saying, “These are they which came out of great tribulation”
Rev 20:4-6
4 And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.
5 But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection.
6 Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.
KJV
Here again, in these scriptures, John is seeing the results of the “first resurrection” not the actual resurrection, (Paul saw it). But he described the souls as “souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands” At this point John has witnessed the results of all that were part of the “first resurrection”, then he gives it a name, “This is the first resurrection.” If this is the first resurrection then there has not been another before it.
Mt 24:29-31
Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken:
30 And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.
31 And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.
KJV
His second coming:
Rv 16:15
15 Behold, I come as a thief . Blessed is he that watcheth, and keepeth his garments, lest he walk naked, and they see his shame.
KJV
1 TH 5:2-6
2 For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night.
3 For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape.
4 But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief.
5 Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness.
6 Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober.
KJV
He will come as a “thief in the night”, without warning to the lost. We should “not sleep…watch and be sober”. If the gathering up of his elect was done at anytime before His Second Coming, His Second Coming would not be a surprise. People disappearing from cars, a church pew, even unborn children from wombs is not going to be something that will be secret and unnoticed. A thief does not call you on the phone and warn you that he will be breaking into your house soon.
Rv 19:11-14
11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. (power and glory)
12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.
13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.
KJV
The marriage of the lamb:
Rev 19:7 Let us be glad and rejoice, and give honour to him: for the marriage of the Lamb is come (the time is at hand), and his wife hath made herself ready( by withstanding the fiery darts of Satan…Eph 6:11-17).
Rev 19:8 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.
Rev 19:9 And he saith unto me, Write, Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb. And he saith unto me, These are the true sayings of God.
Why is it so hard for the human mind to believe that our God that created heaven and earth by His spoken word, can not Rapture His church, prepare them for battle, and clothe them in white linen in a twinkling of an eye?
When you put all the scriptures together they describe the events below.
• “Immediately after the tribulation of those days” (Mat 24:29)
• “the marriage of the Lamb is come, and his wife hath made herself ready” (Rev 19:7)
• And “called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb” (Rev 19:9)
• ‘And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven” (Mat 24:30)
• “with the trump, (which is the last trumpet, 1 Cor. 15:52) of God”
• “the dead in Christ shall rise first” (1 Th 4:16)
• “Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air”, (1Th 4:17)
• “corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality”, (1 Cor. 15:54)
• “she should be arrayed in fine linen” (Rev 19:8)
• “heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war…And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.”, Rv 19:11-14)
• All this “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye”, (1 Cor 15:52). “As thief in the night.” (1 TH 5:2)
• Satan and his army will be caught unaware. They are totally defenseless against an army of immortals. They are easily defeated.
• “And I saw an angel standing in the sun; and he cried with a loud voice, saying to all the fowls that fly in the midst of heaven, Come and gather yourselves together unto the supper of the great God; 18 That ye may eat the flesh of kings, and the flesh of captains, and the flesh of mighty men, and the flesh of horses, and of them that sit on them, and the flesh of all men, both free and bond, both small and great.” Rev 19:17-18.
• “And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet…These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone.” (Rv 19:20)
• “and so shall we ever be with the Lord”, (1Th 4:17)
“There exists at least one 18th century and two 19th century Pre-Tribulation references, in a book published in 1788, in the writings of a Catholic priest Emmanuel Lacunza in 1812, and by John Darby himself in 1827. However, both the book published in 1788 and the writings of Lacunza have opposing views regarding their interpretations, as well.
The rise in belief in the "Pre-Tribulation" rapture is sometimes attributed to a 15-year old Scottish-Irish girl named Margaret MacDonald (a follower of Edward Irving), who in 1830 had a vision that was later published in 1861.” (Wikipedia)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Macdonald_%28Prophecy%29
The link above goes to an article in Wikipedia that contains the text of Margaret’s letter about her vision. I actually could not really see anything in the letter that would clearly described a pre tribulation rapture of the Church. Actually quite the contrary, I found the statements listed below:
• “This is the fiery trial which is to try us. --- It will be for the purging and purifying of the real members of the body of Jesus; but Oh it will be a fiery trial. Every soul will be shaken to the very centre. The enemy will try to shake in every thing we have believed”
• “Now shall the awful sight of a false Christ be seen on this earth, and nothing but the living Christ in us can detect this awful attempt of the enemy to deceive.”
• “The trial of the Church is from Antichrist. It is by being filled with the Spirit that we shall be kept.”
What confused me after reading Margaret’s letter is that it actually didn’t seem to indicate that the church would be Raptured before the tribulation. The letter did speak of us meeting Christ in the air, but it went on to describe the church being here during the tribulation. She did describe what the sign of the coming of the Son of God would be like. But she never indicated that we would be taken away before the tribulation. It makes me think that it really wasn’t her vision so much as it was the interpretation of it that vision.
This, (not scripture) gave birth to the pre-trib Rapture doctrine. The person who interpreted her letter must have already believed the pre-trib doctrine before they read it. Then twisted her vision to fit in the same way the scriptures have been twisted.
The pre tribulation belief of the Rapture of the church sells a lot of books and Hollywood loves it, but is it really scriptural.
Some say it doesn’t matter when it happens because I’m a believer and will be a part of it whenever it happens. However, what you believe about the timing could effect how you prepare spiritually. I’ll give an example.
If a recruit enters army boot camp today he knows there is a very good chance of being sent to Iraq as soon as he completes his training. Therefore he will take his training more seriously and prepare himself as well as he can for what he is likely to face soon.
However; a recruit going through boot camp in peace time will possibly not take his training as serious. Then if he is suddenly unexpectedly caught up in a war soon after he completes boot camp, he may fail to meet the challenge of his trials.
Satan will use any trick he can to put us in a vulnerable position. The recent events around the world are with out a doubt related to end-time prophecy. If the pre-trib Rapture fabrication is actually true, then the rapture should have already happened. Many world events match the prophecies of the tribulation.
10 Ways to Pray for Barack Obama
Whether you are happy about this week’s election results or not, all Christians must unite in prayer for our new president. Please don’t forsake this responsibility.
It’s over. We’ve reached the end of the longest, angriest and most nerve-wracking presidential campaign in American history. Finally the “I approved this message” ads have ceased. The endless robot phone calls have stopped ringing. The debates, and the annoying post-debate comments from “experts,” are history—until the next election cycle.
More than half the nation is celebrating today while others are mourning. We are a divided nation, split into unhappy fragments by abortion, gay marriage, global warming, a failed economy and an unpopular war. Those who voted for Barack Obama have claimed a historic victory; some on McCain’s side are already looking for scapegoats. Politics is politics.
But when I got up this morning, I turned all my attention to the fact that Jesus Christ is still on the throne. His government is what is most important. Regardless of who sits in the Oval Office, the Bible says “the nations are like a drop from a bucket” to God (Is. 40:15, NASB). That includes the United States. We may boast about being “the greatest nation on earth,” but He who sits in heaven has a different perspective. Let’s take a big sigh of relief now and remember that God is sovereign.
I’ll admit this election did not turn out as I had hoped. I supported McCain primarily because I am pro-life and I prefer his small-government mindset. But now that the election is over, I’m not going to harbor bitterness toward Obama supporters or go into attack mode. Obama has been elected president of this country, and that means I have a biblical responsibility to support him in prayer—even if I challenge his policies.
Whether you voted for Obama or not, you need to pray for him. Here are 10 ways I plan to intercede for him regularly:
1. Pray for Obama’s protection. We already know that some weird, neo-Nazi fanatics in Tennessee plotted to kill Sen. Obama during his campaign. Let’s pray that racist hatred is not allowed to spread. Let’s cancel every assassin’s bullet in the name of Jesus. May civility triumph over bigotry.
2. Cover his wife and daughters in prayer. It is not easy to live under constant media scrutiny. Pray for Obama’s wife, Michelle, and their two daughters, Malia and Natasha, as they face invasive cameras, nosy reporters, maniacal fans and dangerous enemies. Obama is not only a politician but also a husband and a father.
3. Pray that Obama will govern with God’s wisdom. God rewarded Solomon because he asked for wisdom instead of wealth, long life or vengeance on his enemies (see 1 Kings 3:11-12). Pray that Obama will order his priorities like that. Despite Solomon’s tragic character flaws, his legacy was wisdom. We can ask God to give our president the same grace.
4. Ask God to keep our president humble. Many great American leaders became corrupt after they moved to Washington. The fatal attraction of fame, wealth and power proved irresistible. The only thing that will guard a man or woman from this pitfall is humility. May God deliver President Obama from the curse of pride.
5. Pray for wise and righteous advisers to surround him. Godly leaders cannot do their job alone. Even the best leaders have failed because they trusted the wrong people. Pray that Obama will not select his counselors based on party, race, pedigree or political cronyism but on godly character and proven wisdom. Pray also that he will not allow secret traitors into his inner circle.
6. Ask for the spirit of reconciliation. Some segments of our deeply divided society want nothing to do with Obama now that he has won the presidency. Even some Christians will be tempted to harbor resentment and nurse political grudges throughout his term in office. Pray that God will grant forgiveness and healing so that leaders on all political levels can have constructive dialogue.
7. Pray that Obama will adopt pro-life convictions. Many politicians have changed their views on key issues while in office. In the 1800s some leaders who favored slavery later denounced it. In the 1950s some who opposed racial integration later became champions of it. Even though Obama won approval from many voters because he sanctions abortion, God could soften and change his heart.
8. Bind all evil forces assigned to manipulate our president. The specter of Islamic terrorism looms over the United States, and dark forces are ready to infiltrate. Our only hope lies in prayer to the God who is able to expose and outwit the schemes of the wicked. This is truly a time for spiritual warfare, and intercessors must not come off the wall in this hour! Pray that no foreign government, terrorist organization or demonic principality will use Obama as a tool. We must stand strong against the spirit of antichrist that promotes dictatorship, persecution of Christians and hostility toward Israel.
9. Pray that Obama’s door will remain open to the church. The loudest voices of secular culture—from Bill Maher in Hollywood to atheists in academia—would be happy if religion were removed from public life. Pray that Obama, who claims to have a personal faith in Jesus Christ, will unapologetically welcome Christian leaders into his company and seek their counsel. And pray that false religious leaders (who claim to know Christ but deny His power) will not have his ear.
10. Pray that our nation will enjoy God’s peace and blessing during the Obama administration. The apostle Paul instructed early believers to pray for all in authority “so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity” (1 Tim. 2:2, NASB). God’s will is for America to experience peace and prosperity so that we can continue to export the gospel to the nations. This must happen whether a Democrat or a Republican is in the White House. As we cry out for God’s mercy on our wayward nation, pray that He will allow us to be a light to the world as we finance global missions, feed and heal the world’s poor and share Christ’s love at home and abroad.
J. Lee Grady is editor of Charisma.
http://fireinmybones.com/
Thursday, November 6, 2008
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Support Academic Freedom
Across America, the freedom of scientists, teachers, and students to question Darwin is coming under increasing attack by self-appointed defenders of the theory of evolution who are waging a malicious campaign to demonize and blacklist anyone who disagrees with them.
You can help by signing the Academic Freedom Petition and stand up for free speech and free scientific inquiry.
“We, the undersigned American citizens, urge the adoption of policies by our nation's academic institutions to ensure teacher and student academic freedom to discuss the scientific strengths and weaknesses of Darwinian evolution. Teachers should be protected from being fired, harassed, intimidated, or discriminated against for objectively presenting the scientific strengths and weaknesses of Darwinian theory. Students should be protected from being harassed, intimidated, or discriminated against for expressing their views about the scientific strengths and weaknesses of Darwinian theory in an appropriate manner.”
If you agree with this statement please go to the following website and join other Americans in supporting academic freedom. Petitions will be delivered to appropriate state and federal education officials and departments.
Go to:
http://www.academicfreedompetition.com/
The Gay Marriage Sermon On The Mount
Could someone please tell me where in Matthew 5-7, it says that Jesus supports gay activity?
Also, since when is the book of Romans obscure?
Rom 1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
Rom 1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
Is this also obscure?
Lev 18:22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.
Lev 18:23 Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.
Lev 18:24 Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you:
Lev 18:25 And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.
Lev 18:26 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you:
Also, since when is the book of Romans obscure?
Rom 1:26 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature:
Rom 1:27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.
Is this also obscure?
Lev 18:22 Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.
Lev 18:23 Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.
Lev 18:24 Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you:
Lev 18:25 And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.
Lev 18:26 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you:
Tuesday, November 4, 2008
Arabs Fear Fallout Of Nuclear Conflict
Arab governments are deeply worried about the prospect of war between Iran and Israel and/or the US for the very good reason that several of them would be directly in the firing line if hostilities erupted. Any fallout could have devastating consequences. Iranian retaliation against oilfields, refineries and desalination plants in the Gulf, especially in eastern Saudi Arabia, is an obvious worry. Tehran has gone on the record as threatening to close the Straits of Hormuz, the choke point for 40% of globally-traded oil, if it is attacked. Washington quickly insisted that it will not let that happen. As the sabres rattled this week, Iran warned that it would strike at Tel Aviv and the US navy, though Revolutionary Guard Shehab missiles would find it difficult to distinguish between American and Arab targets: the US Fifth Fleet is based in Bahrain; US Central Command in nearby Qatar and the US navy has long relied on docking facilities at Jebel Ali in the United Arab Emirates. Even without the threat of war, Iran's Arab neighbours have long lived in fear of another Chernobyl: the Bushehr nuclear reactor, two miles from the Gulf coast, is closer to six Arab capitals (Kuwait, Riyadh, Manama, Doha, Abu Dhabi and Muscat) than it is to Tehran. Any nuclear accident would be an ecological disaster. But the recent sniping has been ominous. "We are sandwiched between Iran on the one hand and Israel and the US on the other," said Mustafa Alani of the Gulf Research Centre in Dubai. "We feel that we are going to be victims." Abdullah Alshayji, a Kuwaiti analyst, agrees, describing the Gulf states as "feeling like helpless bystanders with little room to manoeuvre". War would be "a nightmare of epic proportions for the whole region," he said. And Tehran is mistrusted in almost every Arab capital. None believe the insistent claim that it is interested only in civilian nuclear power and has no military ambitions. It is seen as working to establish its hegemony across the Middle East, setting the agenda through allies or "non-state" proxies such as Hizbullah and Hamas, confounding the US and Israel in Iraq, Lebanon and Palestine.
Saturday, November 1, 2008
School Clams Up on 'Gay' Pledge Cards Given to Kindergartners Romas 1:26-28
A California school system refuses to say what action, if any, it will take after it received complaints about a kindergarten teacher who encouraged her students to sign "pledge cards" in support of gays.
During a celebration of National Ally Week, Tara Miller, a teacher at the Faith Ringgold School of Arts and Science in Hayward, Calif., passed out cards produced by the Gay, Lesbian and Straight Education Network to her class of kindergartners.
The cards asked signers to be "an ally" and to pledge to "not use anti-LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender) language or slurs; intervene, when I feel I can, in situations where others are using anti-LGBT language or harassing other students and actively support safer schools efforts."
The school has acknowledged that the exercise was not appropriate for kindergartners.
Parent Adela Voelker, who declined to be interviewed in depth for this report, said she was furious when she found her child's signature on one of the cards. She said she contacted a non-profit legal defense organization specializing in parents' rights.
Meanwhile, a school board member, Jeff Cook, says some type of action should be taken.
"We have a general rule that all instruction should be age appropriate, and this clearly was not," said Cook, who has served on the school board for five years.
Val Joyner, a school district spokeswoman, told FOXNews.com in an e-mail that when deciding what to teach on this subject matter, educators "gather materials from community agencies and other education groups" and that "the materials have grade level indicators which help determine what is age-appropriate."
The district said the pledge cards were intended for middle school and high school students.
Asked last week if the district planned to take action against Miller, Joyner said she would have to look into the incident. On Thursday she told FOXNews.com that she did not have an answer for the question and that she would no longer be doing any media interviews.
Joyner said in an e-mail that Miller, the teacher, "planned to teach students how to become an ally and conflict-mediation through various activities." She added that the district doesn't advocate for a specific cause and/or lifestyle, and it has "no curriculum for gay, lesbian and transgender lifestyles."
The district employs a "Professional Learning Specialist: Equity," who is in charge of gathering material and helping teachers decide what should be taught on the subject matter.
Brad Dacus, president of Pacific Justice Institute, the group representing Voelker, said parents at the Faith Ringgold School weren't notified of what was going to take place in the classroom.
He said that teaching students as young as pre-school about gay, lesbian and transgender issues is common in California, but that there are "all kinds of material the average parent could find highly objectionable or potentially harmful" to their children.
When asked if the school district did anything wrong, he said, "possibly," but he declined to go into detail or say whether Voelker would sue the district.
Dacus would not comment specifically on whether children who signed the pledge could be held responsible if the school determined that they were not honoring it. He said they are minors and there are certain degrees of limited liability, but from a psychological and emotional perspective, it's a whole different ballgame.
"[There is] tremendous peer pressure put on children to accept a pro-homosexual philosophy and attitude," Dacus said.
Meanwhile, opponents of gay marriage are up in arms over the incident, which occurred as California voters prepare to vote Tuesday on Proposition 8, which would overturn the state Supreme Court's ruling legalizing gay marriage.
"How do you teach a 5-year-old to sign a pledge card for lesbian, gay and transgender issues without explaining what transgender and bisexual is?" asked Sonja Eddings Brown, a spokeswoman for Protect Marriage California.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Thursday, October 30, 2008
Should Christians be tolerant of other people's religious beliefs?
In our age of “tolerance,” moral relativism is touted as the supreme virtue. Every philosophy, idea, and faith system has equal merit, says the relativist, and is worthy of equal respect. Those who favor one faith system over another or—even worse—claim a knowledge of absolute truth are considered narrow-minded, unenlightened, or even bigoted.
Of course, different religions make mutually exclusive claims, and the relativist is unable to logically reconcile outright contradictions. For example, the Bible makes the claim that “it is appointed unto men once to die” (Hebrews 9:27), while some Eastern religions teach reincarnation. So, do we die once, or many times? Both teachings cannot be true. The relativist essentially redefines truth in order to create a paradoxical world where multiple, contradictory “truths” can co-exist.
Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by Me” (John 14:6). A Christian has accepted Truth, not just as a concept, but as a Person. This acknowledgment of Truth separates the Christian from the so-called “open-mindedness” of the day.
The Christian has publicly acknowledged that Jesus rose from the dead (Romans 10:9-10). If he truly believes in the Resurrection, how can he be “open minded” concerning an unbeliever’s assertion that Jesus never rose again? For a Christian to deny the clear teaching of God’s Word would indeed be a betrayal of God.
Note that we have cited the fundamentals of the faith in our examples so far. Some things (such as the bodily resurrection of Christ) are non-negotiable. Other things may be open to debate, such as who wrote the book of Hebrews, the nature of Paul’s “thorn in the flesh,” and the number of angels that can stand on the head of a pin. We should avoid becoming embroiled in disputations over secondary matters (2 Timothy 2:23; Titus 3:9).
Even when disputing/dialoguing over prominent doctrines, a Christian should exercise restraint and show respect. It is one thing to disagree with a position; it is quite another to disparage a person. We must hold fast to the Truth while showing compassion to those who question Truth. Like Jesus, we must be full of grace and truth both (John 1:14).
Peter strikes a good balance between having the answer and having humility: “Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15).
Of course, different religions make mutually exclusive claims, and the relativist is unable to logically reconcile outright contradictions. For example, the Bible makes the claim that “it is appointed unto men once to die” (Hebrews 9:27), while some Eastern religions teach reincarnation. So, do we die once, or many times? Both teachings cannot be true. The relativist essentially redefines truth in order to create a paradoxical world where multiple, contradictory “truths” can co-exist.
Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father but by Me” (John 14:6). A Christian has accepted Truth, not just as a concept, but as a Person. This acknowledgment of Truth separates the Christian from the so-called “open-mindedness” of the day.
The Christian has publicly acknowledged that Jesus rose from the dead (Romans 10:9-10). If he truly believes in the Resurrection, how can he be “open minded” concerning an unbeliever’s assertion that Jesus never rose again? For a Christian to deny the clear teaching of God’s Word would indeed be a betrayal of God.
Note that we have cited the fundamentals of the faith in our examples so far. Some things (such as the bodily resurrection of Christ) are non-negotiable. Other things may be open to debate, such as who wrote the book of Hebrews, the nature of Paul’s “thorn in the flesh,” and the number of angels that can stand on the head of a pin. We should avoid becoming embroiled in disputations over secondary matters (2 Timothy 2:23; Titus 3:9).
Even when disputing/dialoguing over prominent doctrines, a Christian should exercise restraint and show respect. It is one thing to disagree with a position; it is quite another to disparage a person. We must hold fast to the Truth while showing compassion to those who question Truth. Like Jesus, we must be full of grace and truth both (John 1:14).
Peter strikes a good balance between having the answer and having humility: “Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear” (1 Peter 3:15).
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
What makes Christianity unique?
Is Christianity really unique or is it just one of many roads on the path to Truth? Is Christianity truly unique among the many religions around the world? If it is, what makes it so? Unique among all religions, Christianity makes several claims that others do not. First, all other religions exhort man to reach up to God and grasp hold of Him through their own efforts. Christianity is the only religion where God reaches down to man. Second, other religions are systems of do’s and don’ts to appease God; whereas Christianity is a relationship with God. Third, Christianity looks to the Bible as the singular source of Truth. Finally, Christianity is based upon truly the most unique event in all of human history—the Resurrection.
As to the first issue, other forms of religion subscribe to a system of works—those we should do and those we should avoid—which will make us “good enough” to please God and merit His favor. Christianity, on the other hand, is based on the biblical principle that we can never be good enough to be in the presence of a perfect, holy God. The Mosaic Law was given to mankind to prove to us that we can’t keep it. Galatians 3 describes the purpose of the Law. It is a “tutor” or “schoolmaster” to lead us to Christ because “…by observing the law no one will be justified” (Galatians 2:16). The impossibility of keeping the Law is revealed in what Jesus called the “first and greatest commandment” in Matthew 22:37: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This would meaning loving God with every fiber our being 24/7, with never a thought for ourselves, an impossible task for anyone. But rather than condemning us as law-breakers and leaving it at that, God provided a substitute— Jesus Christ—who obeyed the Law perfectly for us. By faith in Him and accepting His work on our behalf, we are justified and made righteous. Here is the crucial difference between Christianity and all other religions.
As to the second point, Christianity is not a religious system, but a relationship with God, one that He initiated and maintains. Christians believe that mankind was created specifically to have a relationship with God, but sin separates all men from Him (Romans 3:23, 5:12). Christianity teaches that Jesus Christ walked this earth, fully God, and yet fully man (Philippians 2:6-11) and died on the cross to restore the relationship that was broken by sin. After His death on the cross, Christ was buried, He rose again, and now lives at the right hand of the Father, making intercession for believers forever (Hebrews 7:25). The intimacy of this relationship is revealed in two poignant pictures. Now no longer seen as law-breakers, we have been adopted into God’s own family as His children (Ephesians 1:5). Even more intimately, believers are the very “body of Christ” of which He is the head (Ephesians 1:22-23), having been purchased by His blood ((Hebrews 9:12). No other religion makes assertions that even begin to approximate this incredible truth.
Another fact that makes Christianity unique is that of its source of information. All religions have some sort of basis of information that outlines its beliefs and practices but none have one source of information that makes the claims Christianity does about the Bible—it is the written Word of God and it is infallible and inerrant and all that is necessary for faith and practice (1 Timothy 3:16). Christians believe that the Bible is the inspired—literally “God-breathed”—Word of God, and that its teaching is the final authority (2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:20-21). Though there are other religions that have prophecies in them, none are 100% accurate as are those in the Bible and none of them point to someone like Jesus who made incredible claims and performed incredible deeds.
Perhaps the most defining principle of Christianity that makes it truly unique in every way and provides its fundamental basis is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Within Christianity, the resurrection is vitally important for without it, Christianity does not exist and our faith is useless (1 Cor. 15:14). It was Jesus' resurrection that changed the lives of the disciples. After Jesus was crucified, the disciples ran and hid. But when they saw the risen Lord, they knew that all Jesus had said and done proved that He was indeed God in flesh. No other religious leader has died in full view of trained executioners, had a guarded tomb, and then risen three days later to appear to many people. The resurrection is proof of who Jesus is and that He did accomplish what He set out to do: provide the only means of redemption for mankind. Buddha did not rise from the dead. Muhammad did not rise from the dead. Confucius did not rise from the dead. Krishna did not rise from the dead. Only Jesus has physically risen from the dead, walked on water, claimed to be God, and raised others from the dead. He has conquered death. Only in Christianity do we have the person of Christ who claimed to be God, performed many miracles to prove His claim of divinity, died and rose from the dead, and claimed that He alone is “the way the truth and the life” (John 14:6) and that no one comes to the Father except through Him.
As to the first issue, other forms of religion subscribe to a system of works—those we should do and those we should avoid—which will make us “good enough” to please God and merit His favor. Christianity, on the other hand, is based on the biblical principle that we can never be good enough to be in the presence of a perfect, holy God. The Mosaic Law was given to mankind to prove to us that we can’t keep it. Galatians 3 describes the purpose of the Law. It is a “tutor” or “schoolmaster” to lead us to Christ because “…by observing the law no one will be justified” (Galatians 2:16). The impossibility of keeping the Law is revealed in what Jesus called the “first and greatest commandment” in Matthew 22:37: “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This would meaning loving God with every fiber our being 24/7, with never a thought for ourselves, an impossible task for anyone. But rather than condemning us as law-breakers and leaving it at that, God provided a substitute— Jesus Christ—who obeyed the Law perfectly for us. By faith in Him and accepting His work on our behalf, we are justified and made righteous. Here is the crucial difference between Christianity and all other religions.
As to the second point, Christianity is not a religious system, but a relationship with God, one that He initiated and maintains. Christians believe that mankind was created specifically to have a relationship with God, but sin separates all men from Him (Romans 3:23, 5:12). Christianity teaches that Jesus Christ walked this earth, fully God, and yet fully man (Philippians 2:6-11) and died on the cross to restore the relationship that was broken by sin. After His death on the cross, Christ was buried, He rose again, and now lives at the right hand of the Father, making intercession for believers forever (Hebrews 7:25). The intimacy of this relationship is revealed in two poignant pictures. Now no longer seen as law-breakers, we have been adopted into God’s own family as His children (Ephesians 1:5). Even more intimately, believers are the very “body of Christ” of which He is the head (Ephesians 1:22-23), having been purchased by His blood ((Hebrews 9:12). No other religion makes assertions that even begin to approximate this incredible truth.
Another fact that makes Christianity unique is that of its source of information. All religions have some sort of basis of information that outlines its beliefs and practices but none have one source of information that makes the claims Christianity does about the Bible—it is the written Word of God and it is infallible and inerrant and all that is necessary for faith and practice (1 Timothy 3:16). Christians believe that the Bible is the inspired—literally “God-breathed”—Word of God, and that its teaching is the final authority (2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:20-21). Though there are other religions that have prophecies in them, none are 100% accurate as are those in the Bible and none of them point to someone like Jesus who made incredible claims and performed incredible deeds.
Perhaps the most defining principle of Christianity that makes it truly unique in every way and provides its fundamental basis is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Within Christianity, the resurrection is vitally important for without it, Christianity does not exist and our faith is useless (1 Cor. 15:14). It was Jesus' resurrection that changed the lives of the disciples. After Jesus was crucified, the disciples ran and hid. But when they saw the risen Lord, they knew that all Jesus had said and done proved that He was indeed God in flesh. No other religious leader has died in full view of trained executioners, had a guarded tomb, and then risen three days later to appear to many people. The resurrection is proof of who Jesus is and that He did accomplish what He set out to do: provide the only means of redemption for mankind. Buddha did not rise from the dead. Muhammad did not rise from the dead. Confucius did not rise from the dead. Krishna did not rise from the dead. Only Jesus has physically risen from the dead, walked on water, claimed to be God, and raised others from the dead. He has conquered death. Only in Christianity do we have the person of Christ who claimed to be God, performed many miracles to prove His claim of divinity, died and rose from the dead, and claimed that He alone is “the way the truth and the life” (John 14:6) and that no one comes to the Father except through Him.
Introductory Post
This Blog is part of The 4 Gospels Christian network.
As founder and developer of The 4 Gospels Christian Network I have felt led for sometime to do something more than what I was doing to help spread the gospel. It is my hope that in some way this website will help lead someone to Christ or help those of us that are in His Grace to grow in the Word and praise for Christ Jesus. This is not my site it belongs to Jesus. The Internet is a very powerful tool to reach people around the world.
As founder and developer of The 4 Gospels Christian Network I have felt led for sometime to do something more than what I was doing to help spread the gospel. It is my hope that in some way this website will help lead someone to Christ or help those of us that are in His Grace to grow in the Word and praise for Christ Jesus. This is not my site it belongs to Jesus. The Internet is a very powerful tool to reach people around the world.
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