*UPDATE*
check out Paul’s new blog
http://iftruthbeknown.wordpress.com/
War on the Saints
Never since the days of the Reformation has there been such pressure upon the true body of Christ. No longer can a man even speak of being a Christian without making some form of doctrinal clarification to define what he means. Protestant Christianity is in an absolute upheaval as the majority of the prominent leaders claiming to represent the true Christian church tend to be liars, cheats or teachers of dubious doctrine.
The Bible itself as God’s infallible Word is bombarded daily by false accusations questioning its credibility, authenticity, accuracy and recently its clarity. ( The argument is that the scripture may be God’s word but who can truly understand what it is saying??)
The Deity of Christ is questioned and rejected in many sectors. The virgin birth of Christ is scoffed at. The doctrine of hell is no longer taught by those embarrassed at its reality. Many reject it altogether. Men claiming to be the restored apostles and prophets are now a dime a dozen and the heretical nonsense that they spew out is not worth a dime. Sin is rarely mentioned and error of judgement is the preferred condition of man before the Holy God. Man has become elevated to the lofty position of lord of the earth and the One enthroned in heaven can do little without the interaction and partnership of his church. The Lord God Almighty can now be addressed as Allah. Many call God Papa or Daddy and their familiarity with the Almighty has bred the inevitable contempt towards His terrifying holiness. Music that stirs the emotions has replaced the actual presence of God by his Holy Spirit. Man for all intents and purposes has been deified for almost every sermon is geared towards how man can become more blessed. Preachers have forsaken the scriptures and become personal coaches using the modern pop psychology of self improvement. The unity of heretical doctrines under the banner of a new age Jesus is the One untouchable golden Cow in today’s modern apostate church. The Pentecostal and charismatic’s have immersed themselves with the New Age movement. The Holy Spirit has been replaced by a deceiving spirit for the most part and very few cry foul!
Many traditional denominations have blessed same sex unions and so have blessed what God deems an abomination. Lev 20:13 If a man also lie with mankind, as he lieth with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination: they shall surely be put to death; their blood shall be upon them.
Worse in my opinion are the traditional denominations that have remained silent and not delivered a clarion call concerning the righteousness of God and the sanctity of the church. These cowards do more damage in the long run as they string along many misguided saints who are not ready to break fellowship with their traditional church as long as they do not directly approve of what is evil. The fruit of this is an ineffective witness and a snail paced apostasy.
Cowardly pastors should not be in the pulpits today. May the God of scripture judge them for they have done more damage by their people pleasing, world loving silence than the legions of hell who have been unleashed upon the saints.
Papal Rome has all but conquered the reformation. Protestantism has been sold out by such traitors as the Billy Graham association and Chuck Colson’s Evangelicals and Catholics together organisation. Some of the evangelical signatories of that abomination included Bill Bright of Campus Crusade for Christ, Os Guinness of the Trinity Forum, Richard Mouw of Fuller theological Seminary , Mark Noll of Wheaton College , Jim Packer of Regent College, Pat Robertson of Larry Lewis of the Home Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention, Richard Land of the Christian Life Commission, Jesse Miranda of the Assemblies of God, and John White of Geneva College.
Somewhere between Vatican Two ( 1962 ) and 1994 these so called Christian leaders must have concluded that Rome preaches a gospel of salvation for they agreed that they would cease to attempt to convert the Roman catholic faithful to the true religion of biblical Christianity. They in essence helped seal the fate of the hundreds of millions of Catholics by refusing to preach the truth to them.
In a nutshell the church is at rock bottom. All that can get worse will be the increasing measure of the evil mentioned above. I ought to be weeping but an ugly spin off that the scripture mentions is that the love in my heart has grown cold.
Matthew 24:12 And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. May the Lord soften my own angry heart so that I might pray for the saints rather than prey upon them.
What then can be done or what will the end of this be? Surely the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ is one of hope. Where sin abounds grace also abounds, so says the apostle Paul.
Rom 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
There is an abundance of grace for the Saint who grieves at the church’s current state. The rejection, isolation, separation misunderstanding and accusations that become our daily bread are in essence our crown in glory. We are sharing in the sufferings of Christ. As the writer to the Hebrews has well put it.
Hebrews 13:12 -14 Wherefore Jesus also, that he might sanctify the people with his own blood, suffered without the gate. 13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach. 14 For here have we no continuing city, but we seek one to come.
The Lord Jesus suffered outside the camp and this needs to be our current estate while within the camp apostasy abounds. We in our rejection and isolation are in good company. Currently our pain is the payment for our eternal crown. One that some day by God’s grace we can lay at the feet of our saviour when we see him in his glory. We ought to be rejoicing for we have been found worthy of suffering for His names sake.
It is possible that once again the Lord may decree a final reformation of biblical orthodoxy but if he chooses not to then things will certainly get worse. When Elijah thought that he alone stood against the spiritual whorings of Israel, the Lord informed Him that seven thousand had not bowed the knee to, or kissed the hand of Baal. Biblical Christian you are not alone! Elisha’s servant thought so when the city of Dothan was surrounded. He was wrong!
2 Kings 6:15-17 And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? 16 And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them. 17 And Elisha prayed, and said, LORD, I pray thee, open his eyes, that he may see. And the LORD opened the eyes of the young man; and he saw: and, behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha.
Whatever the future unfolds we must pray for grace to persevere and be a bold witness regardless of the cost. These are days in which the true saints of God will shine like the stars in the universe. The current evil around us is actually making the mediocre flicker of our candle shine like a lighthouse on a moonless night.
There is indeed war being waged against the saints but tell me friend when has there ever not been? As the Psalmist says:
Psalm 149: 5-9 Let the saints be joyful in glory: let them sing aloud upon their beds. 6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, and a twoedged sword in their hand; 7 To execute vengeance upon the heathen, and punishments upon the people; 8 To bind their kings with chains, and their nobles with fetters of iron; 9 To execute upon them the judgment written: this honour have all his saints. Praise ye the LORD.
Have no fear Christian, we win in the end.
by Paul Gowdy
Printed by permission.
35 comments
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January 15, 2010 at 9:03 am
cherylu
Thanks for the encouragement in this article, Paul
In the area where I live I honestly can not find a church that doesn’t seem to be off base in some way that makes it impossible to go there and feel like I don’t have to be sitting on the edge of my seat all of the time sifting through everything with a fine toothed comb to know if what is being taught or promoted in one way or another is false or has a very negative impact on the body in one way or another. There is either a leaning towards the contemplative and the folks that teach that, the new age stuff you mentioned in the pentecostal/charismatic circles or they just plain teach the Scripture in a way that I don’t see is a correct understanding of it at all.
As a result, I haven’t been attending a church body here for some time. And I certainly have received some grief for it from fellow Christians too. Folks just don’t seem to understand and sometimes come across as if not going to church is the worst possible sin that someone that is a Christian could possibly commit!
I attended a home fellowship for some time until I realized that group was very much into the charismatic stuff that you referred to as new age.
It is certainly different out there than when I was younger. It all seemed pretty simple and quite straight forward then.
January 15, 2010 at 10:13 am
Paul
Hi Cheryl, Yes we live in days that have changed very rapidly. In the 26 years ive been a follower of Christ the change is staggering. I once preached that if you were not in some church , some where that taught and believed bible then you were the problem.
That may have been true years ago but today I don’t believe it. It may just be than for some the reason they aren’t in any chuch is because there are no churches close by to them that are orthodox in thier teaching and practice.
The Lord will grace us whatever the situation. If were called to be a light in a dark assembly or area he will give us the strength. Remember Antipas in Pergamos where satan’s seat was!
If we are seperated and alone and have no fellowship with other saints apart from internet or phone remember Elijah who only had crows to break bread with for 3 years!.
The Lord is sufficient in all things but personally i’m thankful that we can encourage each other a little online.
January 15, 2010 at 10:36 am
Valerie
Thanks Kim for passing on this great article. I was very encouraged.
That scripture about the love of many growing cold has been brought to my mind often about myself. I am glad to hear that there are other Christians out there that really love the Lord and His truth that are feeling that way as well.
It is a struggle to witness to people who are so self confident in their own ability and goodness that they don’t really see any need for God’s mercy and forgiveness. The response being that we are all sinners and I am not any worse than anyone else. A basic belief that people are basically good, but are capable of doing bad things. I find that the longer I walk with Christ, the more I cry out for His wonderful mercy.
January 16, 2010 at 6:56 am
Craig Lee
Paul:
Great article! Where did you originally post this?
January 16, 2010 at 7:16 am
Craig Lee
Paul,
There’s more than just an alignment with Papal Rome. The following shows false ecumenism of Islam and Christianity with some of the very same folks you reference above:
First is a “Christian Response” to an open letter by Islamic clergy. Check out the signatories below:
Click to access fullpageadbold18.pdf
This whole thing was intitiated by Pope Benedict XVI:
http://www.acommonword.com/
…and followed up by Muslim clerics:
http://www.acommonword.com/index.php?lang=en&page=option1
This shows an attempt at false ecumenism between Roman Catholicism, Islam and Christianity. Tony Blair (among others) in his Faith Foundation has termed Judaism, Islam and Christianity the “Abrahamic” Faiths in his push for false unity. [It should be noted that Rick Warren, one of the signatories above, is on the board of Blair’s Faith Foundation.] Of course, Abraham is in all 3 of the Holy Scriptures of each faith; HOWEVER, the big difference is Jesus Christ.
January 16, 2010 at 10:00 am
Paul
Craig right here, I just wrote it a couple of days ago and Kim graciously allowed me to stick it here as I’ve no blog site of my own at present. I hope it encourages you.
January 16, 2010 at 2:09 pm
Craig Lee
Paul,
Yes, it did encourage me as I’m without a “church” at the moment by choice. I’ve been spending quite a bit of time this past year reading the Book of Revelation and other end times prophecy. He is coming soon!
My last comment was delayed as I put in three weblinks – did you see it?
January 18, 2010 at 1:57 am
Mary
Hello everyone above,
Just been reading some of your comments. I don’t know each of your particular circumstances exactly. Though I’ve blogged with many of you before and you all know me. I’ve not blogged for many months. I just want to respond to CherlyU and some other comments. I too racked my brain trying to find the perfect church and I know there is alot of garbage out there. But I nearly lost my mind spending all my time on the internet reading EVERYTHING wrong with the church, every abberrent teaching, every new movement in charismania and it led my down a dark road of dispair. I’want to say be careful. God is still God. He promises never to leave you nor forsake you and His Holy Spirit is residing in you. The gates of hell willl not prevail and God is still building His kingdom one person at a time. Just don’t paint this picture of gloom and dispair. We are not to dispair. Thank God for His grace. I just think you are painting a God who has no power to save His own. BTW, God lead my husband and I to a Calvary Chapel and we love the believers there. Is everything perfect there? Probably not. But I am honored to be part of that fellowship of beleivers and I’m being built up in my faith. I see miracles. Miracles of changed hearts and ecouragement in the face of huge difficulties. No gold dust or anything like that, ofcourse! I don’t think it a good idea to go too long without face to face fellowship. Unless God has specifically called you to that for a season, you’ll die off spiritually. And let be God. Or else you will wind up like I did, paranoid at christian that came my way. That’s not how we are to live.
January 18, 2010 at 7:41 am
notonmywatch!
Hello Mary. I’m really happy for you that you found a healthy church and I also hope that being out of church is only for a season for most if not all of us. That said the Lord is able to keep us with or without a local assembly to worship in every Sunday. He has been doing in for the past 2000 years in various parts of the world. I don’t think reading EVERYTHING is at all a healthy diet or balance for any Christian walk so I can understand why that was destructive to your walk with the Lord.
Again this should never be a reason to stop using discernment and honestly Mary the amount of Christians who are fighting the truth war is a very very smal minority and it may just be that they/ we are carrying an unfair burden because much of the church are failing to do so.
God will grant grace for every situation and my hopes would be that some day in the future we can find a local bible believing fellowship where we can worship and contribute to the welfare of the saints and the glory of God.
Paranoia is a thought process heavily influenced by anxiety or fear, often to the point of irrationality and delusion. I do not for a second believe that this is the case for the vast majority of people who write on discernment sites. There may be some that you have come across but most are christians who grieve over the state of the church due to its lack of truth and use the internet as a release of the heart and a hope that others might be helped by what we have to share. I can only hope that what i have just said would bring a healthier perspective than the one you shared above?
Blessings in Christ and joy for yopu and your husband in the new fellowship.
Paul.
January 18, 2010 at 8:56 am
Kim
Mary,
It is so wonderful to hear from you and to find out that you are in a church that you like.
I understand what you are saying about constantly reading/reviewing/studying the negatives in the church. It can be totally depressing. I myself go through periods where I have no desire to write, post or search for articles. There are so many alarming trends and apostasy that I despair of it. I ask the Lord…Should I continue with this?
But you know what happens? Some genuine seeker of the truth will comment and usually someone else..not me…has a perfect response. I remember more than once being pierced by the truth and the drastic changes these truths made in my walk with the Lord.
A group of us are starting a new church, a free and independant church of the Lutheran denomination. It will be Bible-based and separate from the apostate ELCA synod, using instead WordAlone and the LCMC as our association.
http://wordalone.org
http://lcmc.net
But I was placed in the original church by God. I could see and hear the unbelief of scripture around me and I was shocked. Why do you want me in this church, i kept asking God….but…now I know the answer.
I was there to help form this new church. Will it be perfect? Nope.
We are to be a beacon of light and truth to others. Some will hate us for it and some will be encouraged.
January 18, 2010 at 9:52 am
Mary
I understand what you are all saying. And if God has called you to write about false teaching then I applaud you. I say let the mainline churches fall. They are spiritually dead. Let the charismatic church be given over to seducing spirits and apostacy. What God has willed will come to pass and I take comfort in that.
I think it’s great, Kim, that you are involved in starting a new church.
And I have no doubt many people have been helped by discernment sites on the internet. I have. But if we only focus on whats wrong and not get our eyes on how great our God is, and how absolutely in controll He is over our times, many of us will dispair and fall into depression. I just don’t hear much encouragement out over the internet. I guess it is limited in that way.
God bless,
Mary
January 18, 2010 at 10:02 am
Mary
Paul,
Nice to see you are doing well. Let me clarify. I didn’t mean the people writing on discernment sights were paranoid. I meant reading so much about wrong doctrine and trends made Me paranoid.
I just wanted to clear that up.
Blessings,
Mary
January 18, 2010 at 10:17 am
cherylu
Mary,
Just so you know, I was in 8 different church groups, 6 of them organized churches and 2 home type groups in the last 12-15 years and there were major problems in all of those groups. We live in a small rural area and there are not as many choices here as there are in bigger areas. But from what I know of the other churches in town, they all have major problems too. I’m sorry, but sometimes trying to be a part of a “church” just becomes more problematic then staying away at the time. It isn’t very conducive to spiritual growth to sit and always be at odds with what is being taught from the pulpit and in the Bible studies and to feel like you can’t express what you are really thinking and believing to the people either because you know they will not agree and then you will be at odds with them too. And it is extremely exhausting to sit and be taught a mixture of truth and error and have to sort through it constantly to know what is Scriptural and safe to take in and what is not and needs to be avoided like the plague. Just couldn’t do it anymore. And with all of the warnings in Scripture to be careful of the doctrine we believe and to be aware of false prophets and teachers, I don’t think there is anyway we can just relax and not be very careful.
It isn’t always doctrinal problems either. One church had a Pastor that told some very questionable jokes from the pulpit. Another had an angry pastor that lambasted the folks in the pews that didn’t agree with him. Those things are pretty hard to take too, specially over a period of time.
I agree there is no perfect church. However, going to church shouldn’t be a time of agony because of what you have to listen to and because of being at odds with the people in the pews because you are just not on the same page, should it?
January 18, 2010 at 11:53 am
Craig Lee
Mary,
I’m assuming you are the Mary from the ol’ Sign of Jonah days(?). Back then I used to blog using my middle name “Lee” but, now I go by either “Craig” or “Craig Lee.” Glad to have you back!
There was a time I stopped blogging altogether for the very reason you cite — it got too depressing. I still step back from time to time; however, I do believe that God led me into this aberrant stuff to get me study the Word more. I have learned so much over the past 3 years as I have had to learn to true to accurately discern the false. I did not want to dismiss some teaching until I KNEW it was wrong.
Thankfully, I have a few Christian friends here who I had been going to (and facilitating) a small group.
I have been to a local Calvary Chapel; but, it didn’t feel like a good fit for me. I could well be that I was the problem. I will have to check it out again. For a time it met in a very small strip center; but, then it moved to a school and I just didn’t like the room/surroundings.
The good part is that Calvary Chapel does verse-by-verse preaching expounding as they go rather than the usual topical discussion (which many times is not much more than pop psychology).
This has all led me to do an indepth study into eschatology as I do believe we are in the last days. These are exciting times we live in! Jesus is coming soon!
January 18, 2010 at 11:55 am
Craig Lee
Kim,
I submit this: Is it possible that another reason you were at your old church was to find out more of what’s wrong with the “church” so you could be more aware and blog about it?
January 18, 2010 at 12:41 pm
Kim
Craig,
I believe I was there to point out the scriptures that verified my belief. For instance I was having a brief discussion of false religions and I stated that Jesus is the only way to God the Father. The person replied, “Well. I don’t think I believe that”, to which I asked ‘What… you don’t believe John 14:6, you don’t believe the Bible?”
I always used scripture to back up my positions. And so, now that we have left this church, they know why!
January 19, 2010 at 2:30 pm
Mary
Hi Lee,
Yes, I am the Mary of Sign of Jonah. I miss the people and that blog. I learned alot.
Gosh, what I am looking for in a fellowship is not heavy doctrine. I could care less about Calvin. You can sit in seminary and study study study till it comes out your ears but that is not walking with the Lord. It wasn’t meant to be complicated. Just simple faith that Jesus atoned for my sin. I did nothing to deserve it. It’s all Him. That’s it. Love one another and live like the church in the book of Acts. Have everything in common. Why does it have to be so complicated?
Craig,
Not every Calvary Chapel is the same. I didn’t like the one I attended at first simple because it was too blue collar and I felt out of place. But once we started hosting an in-home fellowship I found I couldn’t have been more wrong. I gave it a chance simple becasue I had no where else to turn and as I began to study the scripture along with listening to the teachings on CD, God started to deal with me. I realized He had been working on me to bring me to this point and I was exactly where He wanted me to be. Finally I surrended and gave it a chance. I started realizing God is amazingly forgiving when we are broken and repentant.
I can’t speak about all CC but the one I attend is truly spirit filled.
Cheryl, I have spent most of the last 15 years searching for a church. I know what you are going through. I will pray that God meets you where you are. Hopefully He will provide you with meaningful fellowship with believers who walk in the truth.
It is a frustrating time. But the turning point for me was spending time in the “Hall of Shame”. That website truly showed me what a real christian is not. I think that website is a disgrace and whoever is responsible for that site is truly not right with God. I guess I am just rambling now so I’ll go.
Kim,
I will be praying for your new church as well. I had no idea that things were so bad in your old church that people didnt believe in validity of the scriptures at all. Good Grief. God has truly stepped into His chariot and left that house of worship.
January 19, 2010 at 2:35 pm
Mary
oops Craig, Lee I know you are the same person. Didn’t mean to address you as 2 separate people.
January 19, 2010 at 3:19 pm
cherylu
Thanks, Mary.
I would love to find a good church again where I can feel “safe” and have true fellowship. I have prayed for one too. But so far there doesn’t seem to be an answer.
I miss the Sign of Jonah blog too. There are other folk from there that I miss as well. I am glad you have reappeared here too!
January 20, 2010 at 4:38 pm
Mary
It’s nice ti be back again thank you Cheryl,
BTW, If anyone wants to hear any teaching tapes, I would be glad to send them to you. Kim can contact me. I have a great series on Ezekiel.
January 29, 2010 at 4:28 pm
Mary
“Papal Rome has all but conquered the reformation. Protestantism has been sold out by such traitors as the Billy Graham association (Graham the Free Mason himself worked as an emissary of the Vatican )”
Paul, if you are still around can you please explain how Billy Graham is/was a free mason?
This is what I was talking about above :
I have heard people rip apart Elizabeth Elliot, Billy Graham and every other Christian leader that wer e considered respectable with fruitful ministries. So frankly I begin to wonder about the people on some of these discernment sites. If I put a magnifying glass up to their souls I bet I’d find some hypocracy too. I agree with you that it’s dangerous to listen to false prophets, the NAR, and all that junk that . But, if King David were alive today, some of these discernment sights would be guilty of character assasination. They would have his head on a platter. How about Peter denying the Lord? This list of failures of people God used in the Bible is endless, and so is His mercy and grace.
What about seventy times seven regarding forgiveness? Yes I thought it poor judgement when Billy Graham’s last crusade included Bill Clinton. Bad judgement. But no reason to destroy Billy Graham’s entire ministry. Eventually, some of these discernment writers sound just like clanging cymbals. (1 cor. 13 : 1-2) Present company excluded Kim :).
January 29, 2010 at 8:30 pm
Paul
Billy Graham started off a seemingly fundamental Christian but somewhere down the road he started to warm up to Rome. He writes a little bit about this in his book, “just as I am’. The Billy Graham association has for many many years now had the local catholic church have their priests and counsellors work the altar calls at many so called gospel crusades that Billy did. They would find out what church a person was coming from or born into and greviously if the person who walked to the front hoping to find Christ at a Billy Graham rally, if he happened to be a catholic he was directed right back into the papish system that he had just escaped from. This is biblically a case of throwing lambs to the wolves.
Graham was seen a number of years ago when some minister who was becoming a 33rd degree mason had as one of the people present Billy Graham. Initially the Graham association denied the whole affair but later they admitted that the reverend Graham was there but only as an observer. This is a nonsense as the free masons are a secret organisation and outside non masons do not watch the initiation ceremony of a 33rd degree mason!. The minister who was being initiated that evening later found Christ, repented and left the organisation.
As to what Graham believes, just watch the links on these videos. If Billy is right then the church, the bible and the gospel of Jesus Christ are a norrow and evil nonsense.
January 29, 2010 at 9:32 pm
Mary
Paul,
I attended a Billy Graham crusade and because I listed myself catholic, I was met by a catholic down on the field. I still cannot write Billy Graham off. I incidentally was not contacted by the catholic church but by a Oneness Pentecostal church after that crusade. Yikes!
All I can say is I knew I wasn’t going to find the truth in either church.
I believe God leads those who are willing to listen and who He calls.
That person on the field gave me the Gospel of John. I read it over and over again. Go lead me to a Bible believing church where I became a believer. I believe the Billy Graham crusade was a seed planted.
I don’t believe a person is guilty by association. I attended a spiritualist meeting for evangelistic purposes. If I were famous and someone happened to see me there, then my ministry would be destroyed? I am not arguing with you Paul. Just trying to understand where you are coming from. I will look at those links. But as of now, I don’t believe the man is an apostate.
Why doesn’t Bill Clinton concern you? He was a liar, an adulterer, and a supporter of abortion? Looks like we won’t see eye to eye on this.
January 29, 2010 at 9:53 pm
Mary
Paul,
BTW on another thread you mentioned a connection with the catholic charismatic movement’s speaking in tongues leading to increased worship of Mary. Do you have any additional information or links? That makes alot of sence to me as I have had some contacts with catholic charismatics and knew they were wacky with bizarre visions and so forth. What you said puts the pieces of the puzzle together for me.
January 29, 2010 at 10:08 pm
Kim
I have seen those links before and they truly compel me to believe that Billy Graham is now on the wide path. What he is saying is going to deceive many.
There are probably many who truly were saved during the crusades, but there are many who just in the emotion of the moment were not. There have been surveys of those who walked the aisle, answered the call, but have never shown any conversion in their life.
Yes, indeed Bill Clinton is all those things. But what I hate worse are false teachers. They are held to a higher standard and will be judged mightily.
January 30, 2010 at 7:35 am
Paul
Mary here is a link to what Charismatic catholics think and believe about Mary the mother of Jesus.
http://religion-cults.com/spirit/virgin.htm
January 30, 2010 at 9:58 am
Mary
Paul,
I don’t have sound on our computer so I can’t fully appreciate what is being said. I don’t understand why Billy Graham would even go on Hour of Power. I do believe this was a while ago and I think many christians just didn’t know the truth about Robert Schuller. I recently read “The Seduction of Christianity” by Dave Hunt so I didn’t fully understand how dark RS’s beliefs were.
All I can say is may God have mercy on Billy Graham’s soul. I will get to another computer soon to listen to the videos. It is a very sad thing. And frankly i am really depressed now. Alot of christians say this is an exciting time to live in. I disagree. I think it very very tragic. I do hate the catholic church. But I was delivered by God’s mercy. My prayer is he’ll continue to do the same to many others. Thanks for the links.
God Bless
February 4, 2010 at 12:12 pm
robert karl
I think most of you are very short sighted. You need to deeply pray to God in a sincere way. Many have stated that this preacher is no good because he was with Bill Clinton, a liar, adulterer, etc. You mean a man of God is hanging around sinners!, prostitues! and tax collectors1–who does he think he is jesus of Nazareth.
If you hate the Catholic Church then go to your nearest Catholic Church and talk to a priest or nun. You can talk to them, yell at them, etc. You probably will find out that you hate yourself or you are missing something- and you will find the love of Jesus.
February 4, 2010 at 7:22 pm
Kim
Yes, Jesus did hang out with sinners and he told them to stop sinning.
And many love Jesus but do they love Him the way He asks us to love Him?
Deuteronomy 11:13
So if you faithfully obey the commands I am giving you today–to love the Lord your God and to serve him with all your heart and with all your soul–
Joshua 22:5
But be very careful to keep the commandment and the law that Moses the servant of the Lord gave you: to love the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to obey his commands, to hold fast to him and to serve him with all your heart and all your soul.”
Nehemiah 1:5
Then I said: “O Lord, God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and obey his commands,
Psalms 119:88
Preserve my life according to your love, and I will obey the statutes of your mouth.
Psalms 119:167
I obey your statutes, for I love them greatly.
Daniel 9:4
I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: “O Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with all who love him and obey his commands,
John 14:15
“If you love me, you will obey what I command.”
John 14:23
Jesus replied, “If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.
John 14:24
He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
John 15:10
If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father’s commands and remain in his love.
1 John 5:3
This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome,
So those who truly love the Lord, hold to His teachings and do not dilute, warp or minimize them. Instead they study the Bible daily and pray that they will serve God in obedience to His will. That is love.
February 4, 2010 at 7:25 pm
Kim
Hey I will be gone for a couple of days to attend the Bible Study Fellowship leaders retreat in Portland. See ya!
Mary….I know your heart and so I bid much love to you, my sister-in-Christ.
kim
February 4, 2010 at 8:13 pm
cherylu
Kim,
Have a great time at the retreat. I pray you will come back refreshed and strengthend.
August 25, 2010 at 4:46 pm
Robertt
Why do you denounce the Church. Catholics are not Christians! Stop the hate.
What do you hate about the Catholic Church. You do not know what the Church stands for. Why not go and talk with a priest or a nun and find out.
As Catholics we believe in the Holy Scriptures as the Word of God written by the Hily Spirit. You could have fooled ne that the Catholic Church is a not a bible centered Church. The Holy Scriptures is very simple and clear on the Eucharist: This is MY BODY. This is MY BLOOD. No ifs, ands or buts.
Your comments are like teenagers who say that they hate their parents and can not stand them, but when ask why they can not tell you. Read your Bible and pray that you do God’s will.
August 25, 2010 at 5:18 pm
Kim
I believe that all who believe the gospel are saved by faith.
The reformation separated works from grace. We are saved by faith in Jesus Christ alone. We don’t have to do penance, or buy indulgences or pray to Mary. Idol worship is indeed idolaty.
The Lord’s Supper has always had some controversy. Here is an explanation from Davic Guzik’s commentary.
h. The precise nature of the bread and the cup in communion has been the source of great theological controversy.
i. The Roman Catholic Church holds the idea of transubstantiation, which teaches that the bread and the wine actually become the body and blood of Jesus.
ii. Martin Luther held the idea of consubstantiation, which teaches the bread remains bread and the wine remains wine, but by faith they are the same as Jesus’ actual body. Luther did not believe in the Roman Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation, but he did not go far from it.
iii. John Calvin taught that Jesus’ presence in the bread and wine was real, but only spiritual, not physical. Zwingli taught that the bread and wine are mere symbols that represent the body and blood of Jesus.
….. Luther later read Calvin’s writings on the Lord’s Supper (which were essentially the same as Zwingli’s) and seemed to agree with Calvin’s views.
iv. Scripturally, we can understand that the bread and the wine are not mere symbols, but they are powerful pictures to partake of, to enter in to, as we see the Lord’s table as the new Passover.
Most here are very familiar with the Bible.
August 25, 2010 at 5:29 pm
Craig
Robertt,
I respectfully disagree on the doctrine of transubstatiation which did not become an official doctrine of the RCC until the 13th century:
http://www.americancatholic.org/newsletters/cu/ac1006.asp
From the site:
Meanwhile, Berengar of Tours taught that Jesus was not really present in the host, which was only a symbol of his presence. The Church repudiated his views at Lateran IV in 1215 by affirming Christ’s Real Presence and introducing the concept of transubstantiation (the substance of bread becomes the substance or “being” of Christ) to support this doctrine.
Here’s something I posted on another blog regarding the Eucharist. I’m responding to another’s comment( in italics):
Paul affirms the Real Presence in 1 Corinthians 10:16 and 11:27-29.
“The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ?… Therefore, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord…For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself.”
Paul is referring to the Cross — Jesus’ blood shed and his fleshly body given up which is exactly what Jesus Himself referred to in John 6:62-63. Yet Jesus knew there were those who did not understand because they did not believe in Him (verse 64) which is why He said (verse 65), “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him.” This was a reference to His earlier words in 6:44 which he used in the beginning of His discourse on Himself as the bread that “He will give for the life of the world.” [v 51c]
Why did He ask the question in verse 62, “What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before?” This was to let them know He was going to give up His body and blood in His death by crucifixion to atone for all the sins of the world. In verse 64, it’s, “The Spirit” – the Holy Spirit that “gives life” — meaning that in the words regarding the ‘bread’ He was speaking of a Spiritual nature, not literal/physical. This is why He then says, “the flesh counts for nothing.” He reiterates, “The words I have spoken to you are spirit (not literal) and life (life giving if you accept His atoning work on the Cross).
In the Lord’s/Last Supper, Jesus was instructing them to “do this in remembrance of Me” — that is to take the bread and wine and remember his sacrifice on the Cross.
August 25, 2010 at 5:34 pm
Craig
Robertt:
you wrote:
Why do you denounce the Church.
This is the typical elite attitude of the RCC — and yes even the current pope said this very thing — “the Church” according to the RCC means the Roman Catholic Church excluding all others as “defective.”
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19692094/