THE GOLDEN RULE TWISTED ~ PART 1

A few days ago I was reading some recent articles at Watcher's Lamp and came across one entitled "A Sign of Things to Come" (click on the title to read the article for yourself). I sat up and took notice of it because of the symbols on the page representing interfaith cooperation. I had come across a similar combination of symbols some time ago and had stored it on my computer. In fact, as I was deleting some unused information on my computer several days ago I saw it and decided to delete it too. Well, I just downloaded it again so that I could place it on this post, as I now have a better understanding of how it is relevant to what is happening in the churches today, especially with regard to the ecumenical movement.

This movement has now gone beyond crossing denominational borders in its early days, to crossing the borders to different faiths or religions. Tolerance is the by-word of the interfaith movement, regarding all religions as equal and having the same God. No one religion is considered to possess the truth, as they all have their own truth. Those who would remain faithful to God's Word, the Bible, which says that Jesus is the ONLY way to God would be excluded and considered intolerant. Only "nominal Christians" who don't believe that the Bible is the final authoritative Word of God for ALL of mankind will be accepted into this movement. That definitely places me in the "intolerant" and "politically incorrect" category.

In this and following posts you will find a number of resources which will expose the driving force behind this movement, where it shows up, and some of the implications for Bible-believing Christians.

The Roman Catholic church in particular has been at the forefront of this movement. A Roman Catholic organization called Scarborough Missions is heavily involved in interfaith dialogue. They have created a "Golden Rule" poster (the picture at the beginning of the article) and an interactive movie to promote their agenda, with the premise that they can create world peace by implementing it. They say that since every religion has its own golden rule that it can be used to bring harmony amongst the different religions. (Watch the movie by clicking HERE).

The Golden Rule Meditation Exercises on Scarborough Missions' website gives these recommendations on preparing yourself to meditate on their interfaith Golden Rule:

• Choose an appropriate time for your meditation/reflection-a time when you will not be disturbed by other persons, the phone, the TV, and so on.
• Unplug your house phone and turn off your cell phone 10 minutes before your meditation. Do not reactivate your phones until a period of 10 minutes has elapsed after the meditation/reflection.
• It is likely that your meditation will be enhanced if, just prior to your meditation/reflection, you avoid distracting activities e.g. watching television.
• For your meditation, find a suitable place in your home or a favourite locale in nature.
• Take time to slow down your mind, your emotions and your body. You may want to do some deep breathing exercises, yoga or another form of physical movement. Or you may want to simply sit in stillness.
• Realize that harmony of body and spirit is important. Adopt a body stance that is peaceful, balanced, relaxed and alert. Try to keep your back as straight as possible
• You may want to light a candle and close the curtains in order to create a meditative atmosphere.
• Open your heart and mind. As a final preparatory gesture, you may want to centre yourself by:
  • maintaining silence
  • repeating a mantra
  • asking for spiritual help
  • making a prayer of offering or dedication
  • using any appropriate preparatory practice in your faith tradition
  • using any preparatory practice that works for you(1)

Scarborough Missions has created a school curriculum which it promotes, and its products are also available at the official United Nations Bookshop. Below is an account of the presentation of the Golden Rule Poster to the United Nations. It contains some rather interesting information. Please note that it says that schools are one of their biggest audiences for the poster. Guess what junior is learning in the classroom these days?!!

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United Nations gets the Golden Rule poster

The Scarboro Missions Golden Rule poster is now on permanent display at the United Nations headquarters in New York City. On January 4, 2004, Mrs. Gillian Sorensen (pictured here), Assistant Secretary-General of the UN, accepted the poster as a gift from the North American Interfaith Network.

The presentation was part of an interfaith ceremony in which it was pointed out that the Golden Rule is not just a moral ideal for relationships between people, but also for relationships among nations, cultures and religions.

In presenting the poster to the Assistant Secretary-General, a statement was read by a representative of the North American Interfaith Network (NAIN). Read the full statement.

The Progress of a Poster

Scarboro Missions' Golden Rule poster makes its way around the world

The Scarboro Missions Golden Rule poster is making its way around the world. What began as an obscure idea in the basement of Scarboro Missions' headquarters is now emerging as a 'coat of arms' for the international interfaith movement.

This striking and beautiful four-colour poster features a written and symbolic depiction of the Golden Rule in 13 religions. Scarboro Missions has been overwhelmed by both the success and the universal appeal of the poster.

Most striking is the diversity of audiences that are purchasing this piece of multifaith art. This audience includes penitentiaries, airports, seniors' homes, corporate offices, hospitals, schools, religious institutions, universities, social justice groups, stores, Sunday schools and private homes.

Various institutions use the poster as a healing tool. For example, a network of addiction recovery homes in Calgary, Alberta, utilizes the poster in its programs. Jeff Archambeault, chaplain to North Bay Psychiatric Hospital in Ontario, has discovered some very creative ways to use the poster with patients and staff at the hospital. In the words of Archambeault, "this amazing poster just keeps on giving."

In the weeks following the September 11 tragedy, multifaith prayer services took place all over North America. Organizers of many of these prayer services used the Golden Rule poster in a number of ways in their efforts to promote forgiveness and healing.

Schools are the biggest audience for the poster, with accompanying lesson plans now being planned for elementary and high school classes. World religions classes find the poster extremely useful. Joe Wey, a teacher at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel School in Toronto, begins his world religions program with the poster. Says Wey, "Most of the students have studied only Christianity, so some of them are surprised to see the similarities among the religions...We teach not just tolerance, but respect for other religions."

In tune with Scarboro Missions' global vision, the poster is travelling the world. Fr. Tony Cereskos of the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales writes from Divine Word Seminary in the Philippines: "Thank you very much for the kind gift of the Golden Rule posters. We plan to have one framed for one of our classrooms. The message of the poster is very timely for the Philippines. As you are probably aware, Muslim-Christian relations here are very tense and problematic, especially in the South."

In the coming years, Scarborough Missions will join with people all over the world in translating the poster into several languages. Indeed, we have every reason to believe that this piece of theological art will continue to work its wonders in terms of interreligious healing, unity and reconciliation.(2)

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It will certainly be interesting to see how this all is connected in the one-world government and one-world antichrist religion in the coming days. To those who are alert and watching, the information I am presenting here and in the coming days will be no surprise, although it can be disheartening at times; so I leave you with Jesus' words from Luke 21:28-36

"But when these things begin to take place, straighten up and lift up your heads, because your redemption is drawing near."

Then He told them a parable: "Behold the fig tree and all the trees;

as soon as they put forth leaves, you see it and know for yourselves that summer is now near.

"So you also, when you see these things happening, recognize that the kingdom of God is near.

"Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all things take place.

"Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away.

"Be on guard, so that your hearts will not be weighted down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life, and that day will not come on you suddenly like a trap;

for it will come upon all those who dwell on the face of all the earth.

"But keep on the alert at all times, praying that you may have strength to escape all these things that are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man."

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Read the THE GOLDEN RULE TWISTED ~ PART 2
Read the ADDENDUM TO THE GOLDEN RULE TWISTED ~ PART 2
Read the THE GOLDEN RULE TWISTED ~ PART 3

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(1)http://www.scarboromissions.ca/Golden_rule/meditation_exercises.php
(2)http://www.scarboromissions.ca/Golden_rule/poster_at_un.php

THE HEART OF CHRISTMAS

One of the things that has stood out for me in the story of Christ's birth this year is the description of each of its main characters, and the condition of their hearts.

First in the book of Luke we have barren ELIZABETH and her husband ZACHARIAS, a temple priest. They were a Jewish couple who loved God, were righteous in His sight, and were humble and obedient.

" They were both righteous in the sight of God,
walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord."
Luke 1:6

Verse 14 of the same chapter says that the angel told Zacharias that his prayer had been heard; Zacharias was a praying man, revealing his devotion to God. He exhibited faith and the trust that God heard his prayer. This led to the miracle of the birth of John the Baptist.

Next comes the angel's appearance to MARY. The first thing Gabriel tells her is that she is favoured by God and that God is with her, blessing her among women. A little later he tells her again that she has found favour with God. When I noticed the second mention of this I wondered what would cause God to favour her. I believe the answer is given in verse 38, which says:

"And Mary said, Behold the bondslave of the Lord;
be it unto me according to thy word."

Mary was a willing and devoted servant, completely open to God using her as He would choose, to accomplish His plans and purposes, and in spite of the initial shock and fear she experienced at the angelic encounter.

Then later on in verses 46-55 in Mary's song ~

And Mary said: "My soul exalts the Lord,
And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior.
"For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave;
For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed.
"For the Mighty One has done great things for me;
And holy is His name.
"AND HIS MERCY IS UPON GENERATION AFTER GENERATION
TOWARD THOSE WHO FEAR HIM.
"He has done mighty deeds with His arm;
He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart.
"He has brought down rulers from their thrones,
And has exalted those who were humble.
"HE HAS FILLED THE HUNGRY WITH GOOD THINGS;
And sent away the rich empty-handed.
"He has given help to Israel His servant,
In remembrance of His mercy,
As He spoke to our fathers,
To Abraham and his descendants forever."

What a rich expression of joy and faith ~ Mary is filled with joy because God has noticed her humility and allowed her to take part in the fulfillment of prophecy regarding His Son. She understands that God's mercy comes to those who fear Him; those who place their relationship with Him above all else, and have a deep reverence for Him. Mary did not take God's grace for granted and treat it lightly even though it filled her with joy. She also states that those who are proud in the thoughts of their heart are scattered; that He fills those who are spiritually hungry. This reminds me of the verses from the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew chapter 5 in which Jesus blesses the pure in heart, stating that they will see God, and that those who hunger and thirst after righteousness will be filled.

JOSEPH is described as a righteous man in Matthew chapter 1, who wanted to spare Mary any disgrace and possibly from death, as that was a possible consequence for an unmarried pregnant woman in those days. His plan was to send her away quietly and his main concern was to spare Mary the pain she would suffer when she was found to be pregnant and unmarried. Following a visit by an angel he was faced with another solution, to continue with the marriage and keep her a virgin until the birth of Jesus took place.

"And Joseph awoke from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him,
and took Mary as his wife, but kept her a virgin until she gave birth to a Son;
and he called His name Jesus."
Matthew 1:24-25

Next on the scene are the SHEPHERDS tending sheep in the fields outside of Bethlehem. When they received the good news given by an angel of the holy birth they hurried to see the newborn Son of God, spread the news of His arrival, glorifying and praising God as they returned to their flocks. They were simple people, nobodies on the political and spiritual scene in those days. And yet they simply believed and rejoiced at the great revelation God had entrusted them with, demonstrating the simplicity of the good news and God's love and attention given to those with a simple faith and trust.

Nothing is said of the position of SIMEON, only that he was a righteous and devout man, filled with the Holy Spirit and looking for the appearance of the Messiah to Jew and Gentile alike:

And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon;
and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel;
and the Holy Spirit was upon him.
And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came in the Spirit into the temple;
and when the parents brought in the child Jesus,
to carry out for Him the custom of the Law;
then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said,

"Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace,
According to Your word;
For my eyes have seen Your salvation,
Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples,
A LIGHT OF REVELATION TO THE GENTILES,
And the glory of Your people Israel."

And His father and mother were amazed
at the things which were being said about Him.
And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, "Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed--and a sword will pierce even your own soul--to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed."
Luke 2:25-35

And finally, there is ANNA, an eighty-four year old widow, a prophetess, a proclaimer of truth.

"...She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers.
At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God,
and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking
for the redemption of Jerusalem."
Luke 2:37b-38

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As I think about these biblical characters I have been reminded and challenged to examine the condition of my own heart in this season of the celebration of His birth. God revealed the inner workings of His plan to those who were humble, righteous, devout, obedient and looking for His appearance. They weren't interested in fanfare or high positions in society. They just quietly went about the business at hand while humbly following God and seeking His face. It was the condition of their hearts that God noticed and the reason he revealed Himself to them.

So few expected the Messiah to arrive on the scene when He did. A tiny infant born to a virgin who was espoused to a carpenter. Could there have been two more unlikely people to whom this revelation would come? And the same goes for Elizabeth, Zacharias, the shepherds, Simeon and Anna. To most people they were nobody important. To God they were the ones He chose to reveal the greatest truths on earth. Thinking about this reminded me of part of one of my favorite Psalms of David.

To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul.
O my God, in You I trust,
Do not let me be ashamed;

Do not let my enemies exult over me.

Indeed, none of those who wait for You will be ashamed;
Those who deal treacherously without cause will be ashamed.

Make me know Your ways, O LORD;
Teach me Your paths.
Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation;
For You I wait all the day.

Remember, O LORD, Your compassion and Your lovingkindnesses,
For they have been from of old.
Do not remember the sins of my youth or my transgressions;
According to Your lovingkindness remember me,
For Your goodness’ sake, O LORD.

Good and upright is the LORD;
Therefore He instructs sinners in the way.
He leads the humble in justice,
And He teaches the humble His way.
All the paths of the LORD are lovingkindness and truth
To those who keep His covenant and His testimonies.

For Your name’s sake, O LORD,
Pardon my iniquity, for it is great.

Who is the man who fears the LORD?
He will instruct him in the way he should choose.
His soul will abide in prosperity,
And his descendants will inherit the land.
The secret of the LORD is for those who fear Him,
And He will make them know His covenant.
Psalm 25:1-14

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Are you seeking for meaning in this season? If so, I urge you to humbly seek God, who is the rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

" ...without faith it is impossible to please him:
for he that cometh to God must believe that he is,
and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him."
Hebrews 11:16

Like the wise men described in the story of Christ's birth, look for Him and worship Him today and every day throughout the coming year.

"For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth
that He may strongly support those whose heart is
completely His.
2 Chronicles 16:9a

It is my prayer that you will have a blessed Christmas and a New Year filled with His goodness. May you look forward to His second coming even more than His first!

Sincerely, Bonnie

OF POPES AND PACIFISTS

WILL YOU BE A ROMAN CATHOLIC MENNONITE?

As I begin this post I first of all want to acknowledge that I realize the information I am presenting here will not make me a very popular person with the majority of Mennonites. However, the windfall of this is the responsibility of the Holy Spirit. I acknowledge and take full responsibility for my presentation of this material and accept the consequences of doing so. It is the Holy Spirit who guides people into the truth, and is responsible for convicting and directing people into the truth. It is merely my responsibility to proclaim it. Let the chips fall where they may!

I will also qualify my public criticism of the MB Herald for publishing these articles on the basis of the fact that the following articles are published publicly and therefore may be criticized publicly. By publishing these articles, they have not committed a personal offense, but rather a public one. Paul publicly rebuked Peter for publicly promoting circumcision amongst the Gentiles as necessary for their salvation.

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For those of you who have taken the time to read the latest (December 2007) issue of the MB Herald you may have noticed that there are several articles which appear to be pro-Roman Catholic. (To link directly to the articles, click on the underlined words).

The first is an article entitled Pope greets Mennonites: a first in church history (a Mennonite World Conference release). Here are a few quotes from the article:

“Since it is Christ himself who calls us to seek Christian unity, it is entirely right and fitting that Mennonites and Catholics have entered into dialogue in order to understand the reasons for the conflict that arose between us in the 16th century. To understand is to take the first step towards healing,” said Benedict XVI, in his short address.

“My impression of the whole four days was that they have a high regard for our theology,” added Canadian delegate Ron Penner, from the Evangelical Mennonite Conference.

My question for the Mennonite World Conference and the editor of the MB Herald is this: "Is it biblical to sacrifice truth for the sake of peace or unity, and what is true unity based upon?". Also, "Do they honestly believe that 'they have a high regard for our theology'?", and if they do I would suggest that either there is something wrong with Mennonite theology, or maybe the Mennonites don't really understand Catholic theology or vice versa.

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Next to be found is the article What I learned from my 7-year Mennonite-Catholic dialogue by Harold Jantz, in which he says:

My experience in these encounters with Roman Catholics has led me to a number of conclusions.

The first of these is the deepened conviction that if we are to find one another as fellow believers, it must be rooted in Jesus Christ. Genuine communion with one another can be based in one reality only and that is the confession we make that salvation is in Christ Jesus alone.

I have learned that on core issues such as salvation, we are closer than I might have thought.

In the article Jantz goes on to tell of two couples who have made the journey to the Roman Catholic church from the evangelical church. He then says:

For them the authority of the church to maintain faithfulness to its confession was a powerful attraction.

And so I ask, "Has the Roman Catholic church changed its doctrine, becoming more evangelical and biblical in the last 1000+ years?", and "Does the Roman Catholic church have a truly biblical confession which we can adhere to, and is it an authority which can be trusted?" These are absolute essentials in understanding this movement to unite with the Roman Catholic church. If we cannot agree that these things have happened, we have no business yoking ourselves to it, persuasive as it may be.

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And then finally Mother Teresa, the "Mennonite" by James Toews. Here are some quotes from this article:

“She must be a Mennonite! Who would have known?” I thought as I read, Come Be My Light: The Private Writings of the Saint of Calcutta.

So what can we take from the writings of Mother Teresa, the “Mennonite”?

For me it was a reminder that we are the ancestors of a culture, like Mother Teresa’s, that taught and lived radical obedience and self-sacrifice. The world may not have idolized our “saints,” but they worked, built, served, sacrificed, and preached to the “poorest of the poor” just as Mother Teresa did. And they did it with their whole lives. Their stories are still alive among us.

Not all is familiar, of course. Mother Teresa represents a facet of the Christian world as bizarre and exotic as a Western Protestant can imagine. It is the world of ancient Catholicism, of vows and blind obedience, of monastic orders. The fact this foreign Mother Teresa wasn’t easy to understand is not surprising.

Come Be My Light is a timely reminder of the fundamental humanity of our heroes. For all the adoration given her, Mother Teresa was not perfect. She was a remarkable person to be sure but she also fought selfishness, pride, despair, judgementalism, and a host of other very human maladies. Putting our heroes on pedestals that can’t accommodate reality serves no one well. She was not above reproach and what she accomplished is only made more remarkable when we realize she was one of us.

Pride is a complex sentiment, but we should be proud of our “saints” and, like Malcolm Muggeridge, tell their stories well. Their feats are extraordinary. The fact that we already know them to be human and fallible only makes their stories richer.

Upon first reading this article I thought Toews was saying this tongue in cheek (and in a way he is); however, he goes on to say "she was one of us". This begs the question, "Was Mother Teresa a Christian in the biblical sense?" I think not. A good Roman Catholic, yes, but a Christian, really? Some may think I am audacious in doubting, but one only needs to carefully examine Roman Catholic doctrine to see that there is no salvation according to the scriptures being taught in the Roman Catholic church, and Mother Teresa was a devout Catholic. Only God knows a person's heart and is the final judge, but Mother Teresa held firmly to Roman Catholic doctrine and trusted it.

The real issues here are the definition of the gospel, and who is saved according to Scripture. Only this determines whether or not we can consider Roman Catholic followers to be fellow-believers and co-labourers in spreading the gospel. This has massive implications, because if we are, then we no longer need to evangelize Roman Catholics. This would mean that they are already saved. It also ignores the reality and severity of the widespread persecution and death inflicted upon her resisters which took place over the centuries for those who opposed what they considered to be a false religious system.

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Let us look at the false religious system called the Roman Catholic church.
(Go to BereanBeacon to hear the message Unmasking the Pope and the Catholic System by John MacArthur for a more detailed explanation, which is the source for the following items)

*It has a false priesthood, proclaiming the Pope to be the "Vicar of Christ" (the one who stands in the place of Christ). Biblical Christianity proclaims the priesthood of all believers with Christ alone as our High Priest.

* It follows a false source of revelation: tradition and the magisterium

*It has illegitimate power granted to it by it's hierarchical system

*It engages in idolatry and the veneration of saints. Scripture says all who follow Christ are His saints, and they need no veneration

*It gives Mary an exalted place above Christ

*It enforces celibacy on its representatives, which is an unnatural state and a gift only given to a few

*It conducts a twisted sacrament of the Lord's Supper in the Mass, in which Jesus is sacrificed again and again.

*It offers forgiveness through the confessional

*In it a person is able to participate in the acquisition of salvation by performing good works

*It calls for the unscriptural and useless sacrament of infant baptism

*It is motivated by money, and driven by the unbiblical doctrine of purgatory which hold the whole system together. This is its safety net.

*In it you can never know if you're saved and are going to heaven, but rather uses guilt and fear to retain its members.

*And to top it all off, there is the PAPACY, which has usurped the headship of Christ as the head of His church, declaring all others to be outside of Christ if they are outside of the Roman Catholic church.

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Here are some recent examples of the Roman Catholic church's continuing unbiblical practices:

PURGATORY AND INDULGENCES
From BBC http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7131088.stm
Thursday, 6 December 2007, 16:44 GMT

Pope approves Lourdes indulgences
Pope Benedict XVI places great importance on indulgences Pope Benedict XVI has authorised special indulgences to mark the 150th anniversary of the Virgin Mary's reputed appearance at Lourdes.

Catholics visiting the site within a year of 8 December will be able to receive an indulgence, which the Church teaches can reduce time in purgatory.

Lourdes has drawn pilgrims since Mary was said to have appeared in 1858 to shepherdess Bernadette Soubirous.

The waters of the French shrine are said to have miraculous healing powers.

The Pope is expected to visit the shrine next year.

The pontiff also said believers who prayed at places of worship dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes from 2-11 February next year - or who were unable to make the journey - would also be able to receive indulgences.

The decree was signed by US Cardinal J Francis Stafford, who is head of the Apostolic Penitentiary, a Vatican court dealing with indulgences and matters of conscience. Indulgences became infamous in the 16th century for being sold rather than earned, helping, historians say, trigger the Protestant reformation. While some might consider indulgences an outdated concept, great spiritual importance have been assigned to them by Benedict XVI and his predecessor, Pope John Paul II.

INDULGENCES AND PURGATORY
A plenary indulgence offers full pardon of the temporal punishment (suffering in this life or the next) due to sins already forgiven in confession
Purgatory is a kind of spiritual waiting room - for people who do not go directly to paradise or hell after death - to purify souls of residual sin before they enter heaven

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EUCHARISTIC ADORATION
From http://www.therealpresence.org/eucharst/pea/a2.html

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Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration is the adoration of Jesus Christ present in the Holy Eucharist. In the many Churches that have this adoration, the Eucharist is displayed in a special holder called a monstrance, and people come to pray and worship Jesus continually throughout the day and often the night. Christ’s great love for us was shown when he was crucified on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins and give us eternal life. He loves us without limit, and offers Himself to us in the Holy sacrament of the Eucharist. Can we not give Jesus a few minutes of love and adoration in return?

Lanciano

From http://www.therealpresence.org/eucharst/a.html
(A Roman Catholic website)

God's love for us is poured out in the sacrament of the Eucharist, where Christ is truly present for us, giving us life and healing.

The Roman Catholic Church has consistently held fast to the belief in the Real Presence. The Catechism of the Catholic Church states:

The mode of Christ's presence under the Eucharistic species is unique. It raises the Eucharist above all the sacraments as "the perfection of the spiritual life and the end to which all sacraments tend." In the most blessed sacrament of the Eucharist "the body and blood, together with the soul and divinity, of our Lord Jesus Christ and, therefore, the whole Christ is truly, really, and substantially contained." "This presence is called 'real' - by which is not intended to exclude the other types of presence as if they could not be 'real' too, but because it is presence in the fullest sense: that is to say, it is a substantial presence by which Christ, God and man, makes himself wholly and entirely present."

- The Catechism of the Catholic Church: paragraph 1374

In many ways, Our Lord, is calling us to worship and receive Him in the Eucharist. He speaks this desire in many ways: through the Pope and the Magisterium of the Church, in the Bible (Jn. 6), through his Blessed Mother in approved Marian apparitions, through the testimonies of Saints and Martyrs, through Eucharistic miracles, through Church approved messages given by Jesus by Divine Revelation, through our souls who long for Jesus in Communion, and through our suffering world which is in much need of prayer before the Blessed Sacrament. Unfortunately many of us disbelieve or have grown indifferent towards Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament.

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John MacArthur says:

What is our response to this current issue, a truce with Rome? Are we going to betray the martyrs? Are we going to betray the history of our faith? Are we going to betray those who lived and died to get us the truth? Are we going to betray the Tyndales and the Luthers, Calvins and all the rest? Are we so senseless? Are we so blind? Are we so ignorant? Are we so faithless? Are we so cowardly that we will not fight?

The doctrinal ignorance of the evangelical church is shocking, matched only by its cowardice, I fear. That has certainly been revealed to everybody in the recent response to the death of the Pope and the installation of his successor. The promotion of Catholicism that we’ve seen in the media in the last couple of months has had no equal in history. This is the single greatest promotion of the Roman Catholic system in the history of that system. The world media has set aside the sickening pedophilia, the abuse issues to parade the pomp and circumstance of this false system as if it were truly all glorious. It is a classic illustration of the old story of the Emperor’s New Clothes, spiritually it’s naked. And here we are at the very time when Roman Catholicism is receiving through the devil’s medium since he controls both, its greatest exposure. It is perpetrating on the world its greatest seduction. It is bringing to the world its damning delusion as never before. And Protestants and Evangelical representatives are just embracing it and its damnable heresies. The media, have you noticed how uncritical they are? Have you noticed how they don’t ever bring up the scandal of the priests? We hear people say, “Well, Catholicism is a different denomination.” Catholicism isn’t a different denomination. It’s a different religion. I don’t think people know the difference between the denomination and a religion. Has Rome changed? No. O Rome morphs, Rome is a chameleon, whatever it needs to be in any nation in any time it will become. Whatever it takes. That’s how the devil always works. He moves, changes to become whatever wins over people.

But here is Protestant/evangelicalism abandoning sound doctrine, shaming the name of Christ. And all in bold relief so the whole world can see. And the world was watching the death of Pope John Paul II in an unrivaled spectacle of worship given to a man. And the question came up, is the Pope in heaven? And you hear all these people say, “Yes, yes, yes.” People have asked me, “Is the Pope in heaven?” And my answer is, “Is the Pope Catholic?” Isn’t that the answer? I think he is, I think the Pope is Catholic. Does he believe Catholic theology? Yes. He is the guardian of Catholic theology. Do you get to heaven by works, by Mary, by Penance, by Baptism, by confession, by Rosary? No. This is another gospel. This is not the true gospel.

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So fellow-believers and fellow-Mennonites,
how should we respond?

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Here are a few other resources for study on this matter:
Alignment of New Evangelicals With Apostasy (& Some Biblical Principles For Separation From Error In Doctrine & Practise) by former Roman Catholic priest Richard Bennett

Biblical Truth vs. the New Catechism

DO YOU HAVE A RATIONAL FAITH?

Dear Reader~

Have you ever asked yourself why you believe the things you believe? Most people want to know what they believe and why. It just helps them to make sense of life and to understand their purpose for being on the planet. And did you know that the fulfillment of biblical prophecy is one of the most convincing arguments for believing in the existence of God and in the absolute authority of the Bible?

Today I have placed an item on my sidebar called The Brown Paper Package. It is a collection of materials put together by someone who has studied prophecy and understands its importance in the life of a Christian. I have personally ordered my own Brown Paper Package and can attest to its value. It is a treasure to be explored and valued, and yet it is offered free to all who request it. You can go directly to the website to read all about it and to get the ordering information by clicking HERE

This website is operated by a good friend of mine, Carla, who also carries this offer on her blog morebooksandthings. That is how I found out about it first and where I ordered mine from. She has graciously allowed my to use her brownpaperpackage blog to provide the ordering information. Thank you Carla, and thank you to D. Hills who is the package distributor giving these away for absolutely nothing in return. These are two godly fellow-believers who love the Lord and have a wonderful ministry.

You won't regret placing your order. Do it today. Oh yeah, did I mention it was FREE?

God bless you, Bonnie

PEOPLE GET READY!

I just finished listening to a fantastic sermon online about the nearness of Christ's second coming. If you do nothing else today, I would strongly encourage you to listen to it. It is called The Need to Smell the Coffee. (Click HERE to listen). Thanks to Carla over at morebooksandthings for posting this on December 8th, leading me to it.

In light of the sermon, and Bible prophecy, I wonder how many of you are aware of a few facts I've come across just recently. DEBKAfile, an independent Israeli newspaper, reported on December 5 that Russia is sending a sortie of six Russian warship to the Mediterranean in the vicinity of Israel in order to keep up its appearances on the world political scene, and not wanting to be outdone by the Bush administration's position of power in the Middle East. In light of the fact that Russia and Iran are beginning to make alliances (which is a fulfillment of prophecy) it appears that we need to watch first of all for a 7-year peace treaty in the Middle East, followed by all-out war headed by a Russian/Iranian alliance. Do you not think that the second coming is at the door?

Another recent item that has come to my attention can be found at ChristianityToday (click to read it HERE). David Neff, editor-in-chief posted an article today entitled, Evangelical Leaders Reiterate Call for Two-State Solution for Israel and Palestine. The article reports that over 80 evangelical leaders have signed a statement affirming the creation of a two-state solution for the Israelis and Palestinians. God says in His Word that there will be a curse on any who divide the land, so their support would be contrary to God's plan for Israel. If you haven't done so yet, I also encourage you to go to my sidebar under the heading Israel ~ God's Chosen Nation and watch the video called What Really Happened in the Middle East to gain a better understanding of the tensions there.

Here are some of the signatories of the statement in the ChristianityToday article with whom you may be familiar:

Ed Boschman, Executive Director
U.S. Conference of Mennonite Brethren Churches

Tony Campolo, President/Founder
Evangelical Association for the Promotion of Education

Jim Holm, President
Mennonite Brethren Biblical Seminary

Gregory A. Monaco, Associate Field Director,
Youth for Christ/USA

David Neff, Editor-in-Chief
Christianity Today
(the author of the article)

Watch and pray, as it appears that the last day's prophecies are happening right before our eyes!

DIABOLICAL CONNECTIONS

I am going to take you on a journey. I hope I won't lose you, but if you follow carefully, you should be able to see how "Christian" contemplative prayer is endorsed by the New Age in what I am about to reveal and why it should be avoided at all cost. My question is, "Why on earth would a New Ager promote contemplative prayer unless it fit with their spirituality?"

Fasten your seatbelt, because here we go...

Last summer when I was doing some web-surfing on the subject of the United Nations and some of its New Age connections. I was watching a YouTube video of Dr. Don Beck, who is a "geopolitical commentator and founder of the New Age global Center for Human Emergence, briefing an audience at the United Nations in 2007. He challenged the Security Council to adopt a radically new, fresh approach to global governance."(1) The method he proposes that is supposed to bring about peace in the Middle East is called Spiral Dynamics. It is a method based on the theory of evolution.

Here is that video of Don Beck:





Now, Don Beck is the founder of the Center for Human Emergence. This is his baby. Here are a few quotes from his website:

“The Center for Human Emergence will help facilitate the conscious emergence of the human species using a synthesis of profound breakthroughs in human knowledge and capabilities, encompassing natural pattern coherence, mega-integration, unification, expanded whole mind capacity, deep intelligence and consciousness" - Dr. Don Beck (2)

“Countless beings, I vow to help cross the ocean of existence.
Eternal Suffering, I vow to end.
Innumerable spiritual methods, I vow to study and comprehend.
Awakening to Truth, I vow to realize.” - Bodhisattva Vow (3)

“It's natural that an intelligent species would be successful enough to hit the limits of its own growth without knowing it was going to do so. It's natural that through our successes we have overindustrialized, overpopulated, polluted and used up our environment. It may be that this whole predicament is a natural phenomenon and that this intelligent species is now getting a signal : evolve or die.” - Barbara Marx Hubbard (4) (proponent of the New Age)

One-world religion anyone? Or how about a One-world government? This is what this is heading to.

Here is a video explaining Beck's theory and method, Spiral Dynamics:

On the Human Emergence website, on this page, Ken Wilber is listed as one of the key personnel of this organization. Ken Wilber has his own New Age organization called The Integral Institute (all-is-one). This is where it gets interesting.

Here is the description of another video (seen below the following paragraphs) called The Mystic Heart (Part 1 of 6), a dialogue between Wayne Teasdale (proponent of contemplative prayer) and Ken Wilber:

"In this dialogue series, Brother Wayne Teasdale and Ken Wilber discuss the advent of an integral mysticism in the postmodern world. Reflecting on their own spiritual experiences, the relation of science to spirituality, the lives of the great inter-spiritual pioneers, and how youth culture is revitalizing the mystical traditions, Brother Wayne and Ken show how an integral perspective can bring the revelations of mysticism into everyday life. In so doing, we learn to give fullest expression—as parents and professionals, students and seekers—to the Mystic Heart in each of us.

If, as historian Arnold Toynbee put it, the introduction of Buddhism into the West "may well prove to be the most important event of the 20th century," we might also argue that the re-discovery of the contemplative roots of Christianity will be equally important. And as we enter the 21st century, it stands to reason that the recognition of a common mystical ground between Buddhism, Christianity, and the other World Religions will be the most important event of all."(5)

Ken Wilber is definitely promoting New Age contemplative spirituality through contemplative prayer. This is a quote from a paper written by Wilber (you can read the entire paper if you click HERE):

'The Ascending path is the path of "vertical transcendence" (Goodenough, 2001), the path of spiritual awakening which culminates in union with God- the mystical experience of unity. The process of spiritual awakening generally requires an ardent and sincere devotion to the spiritual path, which involves various spiritual disciplines. The outer aspect of spiritual discipline entails the cultivation of virtue in thought and action through the practice of generosity, kindness, truthfulness, loving service, etc. The outer practice is balanced and sustained by the inner practices - meditation, yoga, contemplative prayer, "Jesus prayer", sacraments, etc. - which allow the practitioner to "touch the divine, the exquisite emptiness, or the mystery and learn to bring that into one's life" (Kornfeld, 1984).' (6)

So, please tell me why seminaries like the Mennonite Brethren "Biblical" Seminary are promoting these types of things in their Spiritual Formation curriculum? If you don't believe it, click HERE to see their 2008 syllabus for the course. Please note exercises called, "The Jesus Prayer", "Apophatic (Breath) Prayer", "The Prayer of Examin", "Labyrinth Prayer", "Body Prayer", and "Celebration of the Eucahrist" which the seminary students are required to participate in in order to receive a grade. These are all contemplative disciplines of the mystical sort. The New Age proponents have inroads into Christendom through pseudo-evangelicals like Richard Foster, Dallas Willard, Eugene Peterson and (the late) Henri Nouwen, to mention a few. These men are all scholars, and in their deceptive ways they appeal to other scholars. They have infiltrated our Christian institutions at an alarming rate.

To show just where the mystical pathway leads, I will leave you with a telling quote:

"Today I personally believe that while Jesus came to open the door to God's house, all human beings can walk through that door, whether they know about Jesus or not. Today I see it as my call to help every person claim his or her own way to God."
(From Sabbatical Journey, Henri Nouwen's last book page 51, 1998 Hardcover Edition) ~emphasis mine

When Henri Nouwen died he was a "Bhuddist/Hindu/Christian" just like the others that continued their walk down the contemplative pathway. It eventually leads to a belief that all faiths worship the same God, that all paths lead to spiritual unity in God. If this information doesn't keep you awake at night, I don't know what will. If you a follower of Christ and you understand the implications of this movement, you will separate yourself as far from it as you can. It is diabolical and deceitful, and it looks as though it may be the strong delusion that God will send to those who don't sincerely love the truth. It is coming to a church near you. Will you be found among the faithful when the Lord returns? At the rate the church is falling into apostasy it could be any day now.


For more information on the contemplative prayer movement, I suggest you take the time to study the Light House Trails Research Project website. Click HERE to go directly to the page.

(1) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qdZNA_umTYA
(2) http://www.humanemergence.org/vision.html
(3) http://www.humanemergence.org/vision.html
(4) http://www.humanemergence.org/organization.html
(5) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eDuAHdaleNU&feature=related
(6) http://www.uvm.edu/giee/Tom/spirit/docs/IntegralSpirituality.html

SO, WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE?

In a recent comment sent to my blog entitled MYSTICISM AND THIS GENERATION, a reader said that if as a Christian I am not "contemplating, meditating on God, and His Word, I'm not growing". In a blog entitled IF NOT YOU, WHO? I had included the "contemplative/experiential/mystical gospel" in a list with other false gospels. Today I will begin to explain why I chose to include it in that list. I agree with my reader's comment that contemplating or meditating on God and His Word (as long as it is in a biblical manner) is essential to a Christian's spiritual growth. However, there is a movement well underway which has HIJACKED this spiritual discipline and is now promoting its own agenda within Christendom. I believe this is one of the tactics Satan is presently using to undermine God's Word and the power of the cross.

Scripture admonishes us to meditate upon God's Word. Upon examining various passages of Scripture I have found that the word meditate, when examined in its context and with the Hebrew and Greek meanings refers to the act of pondering, "revolving in the mind", reflecting on, declaring, reciting and/or memorizing something from God's Word. Many examples of this can be found in the Old Testament. See Joshua 1:8; Psalm 1:2 andPsalm 63:5-7.

This is for the purpose of renewing our sinful minds, teaching us to obey and conforming us to God's will. This is a good thing to do.

"And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God." Romans 12:2

The only place I can find in any version that uses the term "contemplate" is found in Romans 4:19 in the NASB, which speaks of Abraham contemplating the condition of his body with regard to the promise given to him about becoming a great nation. Obviously here, the meaning conotes considering or thinking about, which is the same as meditate.

The New Age Movement and Eastern religions also use meditation and contemplation in their spiritual practices. This would be at the opposite end of the spiritual spectrum from biblical meditation. It is occultic and Satanic in nature. Here is a perfect example of this type of meditation, found at transmissionmeditation.org:

Transmission Meditation is both a world service (Karma yoga) and the most potent technique of personal development (Laya yoga) available today. This meditation is a virtual 'hot house' for the spiritual growth of those who participate on a consistent basis. It provides a vehicle for service affecting the entire evolution of humanity for the better.Transmission Meditation enhances any other developmental practice currently used by the individual, and the potency of energies released during meditation can initiate powerful healing experiences. You can help the world and personally benefit at the same time!
Thousands of people around the world are joining together to aid in the work of transmitting these powerful new spiritual energies for the benefit of humanity and the construction of a new world based on Brotherhood, Sharing and Justice. With the advent of the Aquarian Age, this new opportunity is available to those who seek to serve their fellow men. Under the experienced guidance and direction of the Spiritual Hierarchy of our planet, the energies of Love and Light and Power can be safely 'stepped down'. These energies facilitate the difficult changes now in progress and speed the transformations leading to a better world for all. You are invited to join with others who are meditating and transmitting these special energies.

*The Masters of Wisdom, together forming the Spiritual Hierarchy, are the custodians of the Divine Plan for this planet. They have inspired great human achievements throughout history, working from behind the scenes through their disciples in all fields of human endeavor. The Masters guide and teach, but it is humanity itself, responding of its own free will to their stimulus, which creates each new civilization."(1)

And then we have the bridge between these two types of meditation, bringing them together, meeting in the middle and becoming a new form. In actuality, this is the Hegelian Dialectic at work (thesis + antitheses = synthesis). In other words, and in this case, take the biblical idea of meditation, add the new age/eastern technique to it, and you get a combination of the two. An example of this is Christian Zen. Here is a website called Seven Thunders with an explanation:

Seven Thunders is an organization formed to support growth towards a deepening spiritual awareness and appreciation of life. We believe each of us has a unique path and we benefit from teachers and companions along the Way. Membership is open to all people interested in the practice of contemplative prayer or meditation.

Formed in 1992, Seven Thunders is incorporated in Oregon as a non-profit ecumenical religious organization. For guidance we look to teachers from the Christian contemplative tradition as interpreted by Fr. Willigis Jaeger, OSB, and from the Zen Buddhist tradition of the Diamond Sangha. (2)

Contemplative Intensive Retreats include approximately 8 hours of sitting contemplation each day. Our Contemplative program is modeled after the format established by Fr. Willigis Jaeger, Roshi, a Benedictine monk, who studied Zen in Japan for 6 years with Yamada Koun Roshi. Fr. Jaeger is one of the pioneers in adapting Zen techniques to contemplative Christian practice. (3)

Although this organization says on their website that they do not attempt to merge the two systems, this is exactly what they ARE doing. Is it permissible for Christians to learn spiritual techniques from people of different faiths? Scripture is emphatic in teaching that we are not to follow the spiritual practices of those who worship a different god. Hindus, Bhuddist, and New Agers continue to insist that we do worship the same God; but, if we are faithful to God's Word, this can never be so.

Richard Foster, Thomas Merton, Thomas Keating, and Basil Pennington are all men who are melding the two forms of meditation and are actively teaching them. This spiritual practice is called "contemplative prayer" or "centering prayer". The following is a letter from the President of Contemplative Outreach, Ltd., Gail Fitzpatrick-Hopler (the Friar Thomas she refers to is Thomas Keating):

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From the President
Vedanta Presentation
Love, The Free Flow of Grace

by Gail Fitzpatrick-Hopler, President

Editor’s Note:
Vedanta is one of the world’s most ancient religious philosophies, affirming the oneness of existence, the divinity of the soul, and the harmony of religions.

This article was excerpted from my keynote presentation at the annual Vedanta Society Memorial Day Inter- Faith Retreat held in Olemant, California. For almost thirty years this retreat has featured an inter-faith dialogue. Spiritual seekers from all faiths are invited. Over the past thirty years, the group has increased to over 1,000 persons in attendance.

Fr. Thomas was the keynote speaker in the late 80’s and this year it was my pleasure to present Centering Prayer and the Christian contemplative dimension of the Gospel under a large tent that was erected in a beautiful, park-like environment for this special occasion.

Swami Yuktatmananda> of St. Petersburg, Florida spoke on a similar topic from the standpoint of Vedanta.

Christian message is Love—to love one another as Christ has loved us and to love our neighbor as ourselves.”

Love is the energy that relates us one to another as human beings. It unites each of us to the center of ourselves and, beyond that center, to the Indwelling Spirit. The love that we share is fueled by God’s love for us. It is an endless supply of love flowing through us. As Christians, we call it Grace.

We can’t isolate ourselves from interacting with others; our families, friends, neighbors, anyone we meet in our daily encounters. Unless we behave in a loving way—starting with loving ourselves—we are not allowing the love of God to flow. We can’t say, “I love God, but I don’t love my neighbor.”

Contemplative living cultivates the freedom to say and do what the Spirit prompts us to say or do, without exceptions or conditions. Keeping an open heart, mind and intention, refreshed daily by our Centering Prayer practice, is vitally important. We begin to grasp that, as we sit in silence each day, we are holding and supporting one another in the energy of love.

It is an approach from “the ground up” to being human, to being lovers of God and lovers of one another.

In the silence the only thing we have to do is to be present and open. The Spirit does the work. The Spirit binds us to each other and we let go of our thoughts that separate us. That is to say, we let go of judgments, assumptions and opinions of who we are and who others are, and remain open to find out the truth of who we really are in God.

Whether we are Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, or Hindu is not important. These words label our belief systems. What we share and what human condition. If we let go and let God live our lives for us and act from a place of love, transformation is possible. We find that differences can be resolved and peace can be part of our lived experience. Grace, then, is the recognition that there is no separation between us and all that is good and true.

Contrary to popular opinion about the nature of contemplation—that it is simply a withdrawal into oneself—contemplation is both silence and action. Contemplation places us in the immediacy of open presence, which is living life as it is one moment at a time.

The humble giving of ourselves, one to the other, in order to understand the movements of love and the free flow of Grace with open heartfulness is the joy that is lying in wait for us through the contemplative life. (4)

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So, the question I ask you, dear reader is this: IS THIS A FAITHFUL BIBLICAL RENDERING OF PRAYER and MEDITATION? or is it an occultic practice? How are we supposed to pray and meditate? Is it according to the biblical description given in the way King David meditated or it is according to the Desert Fathers and their practice of meditation (contemplative prayer)? It absolutely cannot be both.

"Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in [them]; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean [thing]; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty." 2 Corinthians 6:14-18

Footnotes:
(1) http://www.transmissionmeditation.org/
(2)http://home.comcast.net/~seventhunders/aboutone.html
(3)http://home.comcast.net/~seventhunders/aboutone.html
(2)http://www.centeringprayer.com/newsltrs/2007Dec/From_the_President.htm

WHAT IS THE GOSPEL?

I had a comment not long ago in which the reader asked what I meant when I referred to the "real gospel". While researching today, I came across a website called What Is The Gospel? and I decided that it's author, Rolaant L. McKenzie, did such a good job explaining it, that there is no point in my repeating what he says. Click HERE to read his article.

He also has an article entitled The True Gospel and the Counterfeit Gospel: An Exegesis of 1 Corinthians 15:1-11 and Galations 1:6-10. Click HERE to read the article.

It is incredible how quickly evangelical Christians (especially teens and young adults) have been losing the ability to understand and clearly explain what the gospel is. I believe this is a sign of the end of the age. With the prevalence of false teachers comes a tidal wave of confusion. Don't get swept away. Stay close to your Bible.

THE MARKS OF FALSE TEACHING

I was doing some web-surfing this morning and came across a website called REAL CHRISTIANITY. Since exposing false teaching and doctrine is one my reasons for beginning this blog, I decided I would like to link to this site in today's posting. Alan Higgins does an excellent job of explaining the marks of false teachers and teaching.

Click on the links below to read his articles:

The marks of false ‘christian’ teaching and teachers
Part 1 - A form of godliness
November 12, 2007 by Alan Higgins

The marks of false ‘christian’ teaching and teachers
Part 2 - Scripture Twisting
November 13, 2007 by Alan Higgins

The marks of false ‘christian’ teaching and teachers
Part 3 - The abuse of biblical numerology
November 16, 2007 by Alan Higgins

The marks of false ‘christian’ teaching and teachers
Part 4 - Man Centered theology
November 30, 2007 by Alan Higgins

SHOFAR MINISTRIES and THE THIRD TEMPLE

I was just over at Bob Mitchell's website, SHOFAR MINISTRIES and read his latest article regarding prophecy called Another Step Toward Antichrist's Temple. How interesting that many items are ready to be placed in the temple at Jerusalem as soon as it has been rebuilt. The latest is a crown for the high priest, fashioned according to the Bible and other Jewish sources. Bob quotes an Israel Today article for December 3, 2007 about its completion. According to the article, the next task is the completion of the architectural blueprints for the third temple.

I recommend you link to his sight (link above) to read this insightful post in its entirety.

THE "SOCIAL" GOSPEL

This posting is a response to a comment made by Dan regarding the previous posting, "MYSTICISM AND THIS GENERATION". I felt it was appropriate to respond in this manner so that I could add relevant links, and because it was originally my plan to further explain some of these "other gospels" I had mentioned in that post in greater detail at a later date. So here it is...

It is important at the outset to accurately define what I mean when I use the label "social gospel". For a good definition of it, read the definition at The Canadian Dictionary website (you can link directly to it by clicking on the underlined words above). According to this definition, the purpose of the social gospel is to create social change, reforming the world's social programs by aligning them with scripture (their rather thin view of scripture) or inventing new ones. Please keep in mind, that by and large, the proponents of the social gospel hold a liberal view of scripture, not believing it to be the inspired, inerrant Word of God, but rather a historical book written by men and containing error.

In the social gospel, salvation is collective rather than individual. They also do not believe in the literal return of Christ to the earth at a future date, but rather that we have been left on earth to build the kingdom of God here and now, and that's all there is. No new heaven and no new earth. It is basically a works-based gospel rather than a grace-based one and it teaches that we can follow Jesus without being born again. Their definitions of biblical terms are very different from the biblically-based definitions of them. Instead of reading scripture to understand what it says and means, they enforce their pet belief onto scripture, twisting it to align it with their own theology; therefore, their theology is not biblical. To them, the cross was a senseless act of violence against an innocent man who died a premature death at the hands of the Romans; Christ did not die to make atonement for our sins; and He did not lay down His life by His own will, rather His life was taken from Him. This is contrary to Scripture and this is what happens when you proof-text. The cross does not have the same meaning to them as it does to conservative evangelicals; their teaching makes the cross of no effect.The Christ they present was a good man who came to teach us how to live life better and make the world a better place to live, rather than a Saviour who would completely reform us as individuals.

"For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God." 1 Corinthians 1:17-18

In a practical sense, is it really possible to reform society and align it with biblical values? (Because this is what proponents of the social gospel want to do). In reality, this is not possible. The social gospel denies the presence and power of sin and our fallen human nature. They have completely erased sin from the equation. Now if you believe that we aren't sinners, you can buy into the social gospel, because that is what it does. If you deny that the inhabitants of earth are under the curse of sin, why would you need a saviour to die to pay the price for sin? It would be unnecessary. Then Christ becomes just another prophet, another good man, another great leader, but not the Saviour.

Now, to move on...

Should the cross change how we treat people?
Absolutely. We are to love justice, to have mercy, and walk humbly with our God (Micah 6:8). This should be the outcome of a redeemed life. But those who adhere to a social gospel will not first come to the cross for cleansing. The works that they do are works of the flesh, not of the Spirit. This gospel misses a key ingredient. They attempt to make Jesus Lord, but refuse to accept Him as saviour and redeemer. This gospel attempts to save by good works, placing man in the position of redeemer. The Christ of the social gospel is not the Christ of the Bible, just as their cross is not the cross of the Bible. Yes, they use the Bible to validate what they teach, but they are using it incorrectly. They want to throw solid biblical doctrine to the wind.

Romans16:16-18 says:
"Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness."

In order to become a true servant of righteousness, according scripture, we must first be made free from sin through the atoning blood (according to the doctrine which was delivered). Until then we are servants of sin, which leads to death.

Christ and His disciples fed those who had come to hear what they were teaching when they became hungry. They met people's needs as they were going about preaching the gospel. They didn't go preaching in the villages and around the countryside with the purpose of solving a hunger problem in the physical sense. They didn't set out to abolish slavery or close down houses of prostitution. Christ did not come to correct societal problems, but to reach individuals. I believe Christ wants followers who come to Him with pure motives, not just for the food or for healing...but because they want HIM, the bread of life. He was always pointing to Himself as the ultimate fulfillment of their deepest need. When Jesus walked on the earth, did He heal every sick person on the earth? It sure doesn't say so. He may have even healed some who were not interested in the salvation He came to offer. But this was definitely not His primary objective. He did not come to establish an earthly kingdom, but a spiritual one; so His primary objective was spiritual rather than physical. But obviously that doesn't mean that he ignored the physical needs of those around Him. This is where we have to carefully examine our own hearts. Are the good deeds we do for others just a way of excusing ourselves from offering others the gift of salvation? Have they become a substitute? It's always so much easier to just offer somebody a cup of coffee and walk away feeling good about ourselves, rather than being willing to step out in faith and share the gospel with them. But if that person does not know Christ, we will have loved them straight into the pit of hell. Left them without even trying to meet their primary need. We need to examine our motives for helping others. Is it with a sincere heart? Because true love always seeks to meet man's deepest need, his spiritual need.

If you see a man dying on the side of the road, should you rush over and preach to him? Well, I think trying to save his life first by getting him medical help would be a good idea if it looked as if he were going to survive, and then later go back and witness to him. But what if he is in the process of dying in your arms? Would you not help him know the way to eternal life? When it comes down to the crunch, it becomes obvious what is more important in the eternal realm of things.

When my daughter was in Brazil on a missions trip this summer she was deeply impacted by the poverty she saw all around her. She told me that she realized there was no way either she, nor the group she was with, nor the church in the area, and not even the denomination she represented could solve the hunger problem there. She understood that the best thing she could do for the people there was give them the gospel.

I believe it is a fallacy to think that we can solve the world's problems, and also the height of arrogance. This, however, is the social gospel's objective. We will not save and change the world. Just look at what Scripture says about how it's all going to end. It has a different ending than the social gospel.

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"For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works." 2 Corinthians 11:13-15

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If you would like to read some comprehensive articles about what the social gospel is, I suggest you start with the following links in the order given:

A Brief History of the Social Gospel by John A. Battle
(this article also explains what the true gospel is)

The Impact Of The "Social Gospel" On The Church by Sewell Hall

Treason in the Church: Trading Truth for a "Social Gospel" by Berit Kjos

It always pays to do your homework! :)

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Some current promoters of the social gospel are Brian McLaren, Tony Campolo, Rick Warren, N.T. Wright (see my November 24th post entitled DO YOU NEED A NEW PERSPECTIVE? by clicking on his name), and Bono of U2. Check out the links provided here to see how this is so.

If you are interested in hearing an example of solid biblical doctrine on this matter, putting faith and good works in perspective, go here to listen to a song by Robert Evans entitled "Make Me Want You Want Me To Be", found in "Other Songs #1"~at the bottom of the page~at his website called Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs.