Discern…discerning…discernment. You hear these words tossed around in church and read them in the Bible. What does it mean to be discerning, and how does it apply to literature? If you are discerning, you are perceptive, have keen insight, and can detect subtleties. When spoken of in the Bible and the Church, it means that you can apply Godly-principles to what you are seeing, hearing, and reading. To be discerning in literature means that you do not blindly accept facts just because the book was written by an alleged biblical scholar. People who are new to Christianity or who have yet to develop a strong biblical foundation might be tempted to accept what they are reading or hearing as fact, especially if the author or lecturer is widely acclaimed as an expert.
Let’s use Remembering The Parables: Using The Art of Memory to Remember Jesus’ Parables as an example of what to look for when you are discerning whether or not the book is based on a solid biblical foundation. When I was approached to review the book, the only information I knew was the publisher, the authors’ names and a brief description. I’ll admit, I didn’t really check it out prior to saying I’d review it. So, if you found the book in your local bookstore, what would raise red flags?
First, the back cover quotes Giordano Bruno. Bruno was a Dominican Friar who left the order to lecture against basic church beliefs, to declare Christianity irrational, and to proclaim anyone who believed the Bible was illiterate. He was sentenced as a heretic and burned at the stake. What if you didn’t know all of this? If you are unfamiliar with the authors and people quoted on the back of the book, what should you look for?
Read the table of contents. If everything still looks ok, read the introduction. Read the first chapter. Turn to the back of the book and look at the names of the people who were quoted. Remembering the Parables relies heavily on Dominic O’Brien, a British memory champion who peddles his program online and promises his quantum memory system will provide you with a limitless memory (hence the god-like ability to know everything). The majority of the alleged experts, though claiming to have religious backgrounds, spent many years teaching religion at secular institutions. Several were members of the Jesus Seminar. Adolph Julicher, a German scholar of the late 1800’s—early 1900s, taught that the Gospel of Mark contained a hidden message and that Jesus was a historical figure who never claimed to be the Messiah.
By doing this, you would have found Remembering the Parables included the Gnostic gospel of Thomas. Gnosticism is one of the original heresies of the church. Alleged experts have declared that it precedes the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. The Gospel of Thomas is not accepted by the Catholic Church or by Protestant Denominations. The majority of biblical scholars have declared it a collection of sayings which are based on Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and which contains statements which cannot be attributable to Jesus. (apologeticsindex dot org has more information on the gospel of Thomas and the Jesus Seminar. Perform a site search by clicking on how to use and scrolling down toward the bottom of their page.) You would have also found that the book only included 30 parables that “experts” had agreed were valid. A book with a strong, biblical foundation would not question the legitimacy of any text contained within the Bible.
When in doubt, don’t purchase a book until you have had a chance to research the authors, quoted experts, and read some book reviews online.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
I'll take the super-sized fries with that!
We’re all familiar with the saying, “It’s not what’s on the outside, it’s what’s on the inside that counts.” Did you know that is in the Bible? Seriously....in 1 Samuel 16:7, ”But the LORD said unto Samuel, Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him: for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.” Apparently, people during Old Testament times were just as concerned with body image as we are today.
What spurred my thoughts to run to jiggley arms and muffin tops? I just read Margot Starbuck's book, Unsqueezed: Springing Free From Skinny Jeans, Nose Jobs, Highlights, and Stilettos. If you're not familiar with Margot, she has a dry, sarcastic, witty sense of humor and draws heavily on her own life for examples. Stiffling chuckles and silently being convicted as I read, I began to think about body image, relationships, and life in general.
The Bible says we are made in God’s image (Gen 1:27), and our bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19-20). I fail to see anything divine in the jiggly underarm wings and muffin tops we develop as we get older. But wait......could it be that we defiled our temple with daily runs to Starbucks for caramel macchiatos and to McDonalds for super-sized value meals? Jesus walked--a lot--and ate a healthy diet. If we are to care for our bodies, we should follow suit.
It's not just our eating habits in which we are negligent. We are also apathetic in our pursuit of Christianity. Our lives have become convenient and comfortable. Christianity has shifted from a "go" mentality ("go ye therefore into all the nations...baptizing..teaching) to a "come" mentality (come to church and see what God can do for you).
Stay tuned as we explore these themes in upcoming articles!
Blessings!
What spurred my thoughts to run to jiggley arms and muffin tops? I just read Margot Starbuck's book, Unsqueezed: Springing Free From Skinny Jeans, Nose Jobs, Highlights, and Stilettos. If you're not familiar with Margot, she has a dry, sarcastic, witty sense of humor and draws heavily on her own life for examples. Stiffling chuckles and silently being convicted as I read, I began to think about body image, relationships, and life in general.
The Bible says we are made in God’s image (Gen 1:27), and our bodies are a temple of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 6:19-20). I fail to see anything divine in the jiggly underarm wings and muffin tops we develop as we get older. But wait......could it be that we defiled our temple with daily runs to Starbucks for caramel macchiatos and to McDonalds for super-sized value meals? Jesus walked--a lot--and ate a healthy diet. If we are to care for our bodies, we should follow suit.
It's not just our eating habits in which we are negligent. We are also apathetic in our pursuit of Christianity. Our lives have become convenient and comfortable. Christianity has shifted from a "go" mentality ("go ye therefore into all the nations...baptizing..teaching) to a "come" mentality (come to church and see what God can do for you).
Stay tuned as we explore these themes in upcoming articles!
Blessings!
Which version are you contemplating?
Someone asked what I have against contemplative spirituality. I’ve heard some people apply the term to a quiet life of prayer. One in which you spend time in solitude to clear your mind and converse with God. That’s fine; we DO need quiet times of prayer. Unfortunately, the growing trend of contemplative spirituality that is popular involves a mixture of new age, eastern mysticism, and secular humanistic elements. If you are quietly and prayerfully journeying, and are focused on Christ…that’s ok. When you start trying to tap into the “god within us….spiritual oneness”, when you remove the focus from Jesus and place it on human reasoning or on yourself, and when you manipulate Bible verses to support your purpose…there’s a problem.
Simply expressed, contemplative prayer encourages the use of breathing techniques and repetitive chanting to achieve an altered state of higher consciousness. This is simply transcendental meditation (TM). Wrap TM in some scripture verses and throw in the backing of one or two big names and the end product is contemplative spirituality.
Early monks used a memory system to memorize the Bible so that they would be able to meditate upon it later. Contemplation, as exemplified in monastic orders, is different from that which is arising in the Emergent Church.
New-fangled contemplation puts the focus inward upon the person. It is not longer God-centered. It is a blend of New Age and eastern mysticism.
So, as a matter of semantics, I am both for and against it. When the definition becomes clear, as a Jesus follower, I cannot endorse something which eradicates the need for Jesus and puts the focus solely on man, a collective consciousness, and a god-within mentality. I can; however, support quietly pondering on God’s word while prayerfully communicating with Him and attempting to draw nearer.
Simply expressed, contemplative prayer encourages the use of breathing techniques and repetitive chanting to achieve an altered state of higher consciousness. This is simply transcendental meditation (TM). Wrap TM in some scripture verses and throw in the backing of one or two big names and the end product is contemplative spirituality.
Early monks used a memory system to memorize the Bible so that they would be able to meditate upon it later. Contemplation, as exemplified in monastic orders, is different from that which is arising in the Emergent Church.
New-fangled contemplation puts the focus inward upon the person. It is not longer God-centered. It is a blend of New Age and eastern mysticism.
So, as a matter of semantics, I am both for and against it. When the definition becomes clear, as a Jesus follower, I cannot endorse something which eradicates the need for Jesus and puts the focus solely on man, a collective consciousness, and a god-within mentality. I can; however, support quietly pondering on God’s word while prayerfully communicating with Him and attempting to draw nearer.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Another Gnostic Train Wreck
We've all seen movies in which the protagonist is torn between listening to the cute little angel on his/her left shoulder vs. the demon on the right shoulder. The cartoonish portrayal is complete with the golden halo and the li'l red devil complete with pitchfork. A similar battle ensued in my head when I was approached to review Remembering The Parables: Using The Art of Memory to remember Jesus' parables jointly co-authored by Susan Elliott and Gary Lee Entsminger. I should have listened.....I should have researched it more. Then again, perhaps not for it provides a valuable lesson.
Remembering The Parables is one of several books, lately, whose authors or publishers have gleefully shipped a copy to me in exchange for a fair review. While I'm sure they were also hoping the respective reviews would be glowing, these authors and publishers possess no degree of influence over the resulting review. It is also one of several books whose author(s) embrace the modern-day version of Christianity that embraces New Age ideals, eastern mysticism, and secular humanistic thought. Proudly relying on Dominic O'Brien and John Dominic Crossan as experts and a standard to emulate, the book is a theological disaster and one more in a line of many that relies heavily on the gospel of thomas.
For those unfamiliar with who these men are, Dominc O'Brien is a British mnemonist. Billed as an 8-time world champion, he is able to remember an astounding amount of facts, numbers, etc. He has developed a quantum memory system which he peddles online to unsuspecting sacrificial lambs who are interested in improving their own memories. John Dominc Crossan was a professor emeritus at DePaul University--a private, secular school--with several books to his name. One of his biggest achievements was his role in co-founding and running the Jesus Seminar.
Sounds harmless and impressive, right? Sure, except for the fact that O'Brien's memory system is based on quantum memory (thought is matter; reality is what you perceive....think The Secret) and Crossan is a hero of the Christian Aetheist movement (a rejection of God, but the belief in following the teachings of Jesus who was not God but just a great man with a really cool idea of how to live a revolutionary life).
O'Brien's Quantum Memory system promises a limitless ability to memorize data. There will not be a limit on the amount of data that you will be able to memorize-therefore know-if you use his system. Sounds as though he is promising you will become omniscient. Eating of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil didn't really work out for Adam and Eve. Trying to build a tower to Heaven didn't really work out in Babel. And, I'm sure studying quantum memory and buying into the new age ideology when applying it to religion is not going to work for a true follower of Jesus.
Crossan, Irish born, predominantly European educated, and ordained a priest from 1957--1969, was elevated to professor emeritus at DePaul University where he taught world religion. Self-taughted as an expert on Christianity, and proclaiming to be a Christian, he dispelled belief in all doctrines of Christianity. He taught that mankind explains the higher power through each culture's religious system, espoused Christianity was not the only way, and declared anything he found difficult to believe in as unfounded events that did not happen. Indeed, Crossan declared the majority of Jesus' sayings in the New Testament as fiction.
The Gospel of Thomas....ah, where do I BEGIN with the problems associated with esteeming it as a legitimate gospel...the equivalent of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John? Ah, yes, but it was validated by none other than John Dominic Crossan and the Jesus Seminar. The Gospel of Thomas was one of 13 volumes found in 1945 at Nag Hammadi. Most true, biblical scholars believe it was actually written in the second century in Syria and is a restatement of what was contained in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John along with its own ideology. This contrasts with the view of the new-agey, christian aethists who date it older than the accepted gospels.
How on earth have these beliefs managed to infiltrate mainstream Christianity? The Bible warns followers to beware. Then the LORD said to me, "The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries and the delusions of their own minds." (Jeremiah 14:14). In the New Testament, Jesus referred to them as "ravenous wolves" (Matthew 7:25)
New Age beliefs are not actually new. They spring from the ancient heresy of gnosticism and espouse the "god within....know yourself and know the gods, heaven is not a place but is a state of mind" rhetoric. Pray for discernment. Memorize scripture. Stay focused on Christ.
If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. (1 Timothy 6:3) These people, though they may proclaim they know Jesus, will not be known to Him in the end.
Remembering The Parables is one of several books, lately, whose authors or publishers have gleefully shipped a copy to me in exchange for a fair review. While I'm sure they were also hoping the respective reviews would be glowing, these authors and publishers possess no degree of influence over the resulting review. It is also one of several books whose author(s) embrace the modern-day version of Christianity that embraces New Age ideals, eastern mysticism, and secular humanistic thought. Proudly relying on Dominic O'Brien and John Dominic Crossan as experts and a standard to emulate, the book is a theological disaster and one more in a line of many that relies heavily on the gospel of thomas.
For those unfamiliar with who these men are, Dominc O'Brien is a British mnemonist. Billed as an 8-time world champion, he is able to remember an astounding amount of facts, numbers, etc. He has developed a quantum memory system which he peddles online to unsuspecting sacrificial lambs who are interested in improving their own memories. John Dominc Crossan was a professor emeritus at DePaul University--a private, secular school--with several books to his name. One of his biggest achievements was his role in co-founding and running the Jesus Seminar.
Sounds harmless and impressive, right? Sure, except for the fact that O'Brien's memory system is based on quantum memory (thought is matter; reality is what you perceive....think The Secret) and Crossan is a hero of the Christian Aetheist movement (a rejection of God, but the belief in following the teachings of Jesus who was not God but just a great man with a really cool idea of how to live a revolutionary life).
O'Brien's Quantum Memory system promises a limitless ability to memorize data. There will not be a limit on the amount of data that you will be able to memorize-therefore know-if you use his system. Sounds as though he is promising you will become omniscient. Eating of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil didn't really work out for Adam and Eve. Trying to build a tower to Heaven didn't really work out in Babel. And, I'm sure studying quantum memory and buying into the new age ideology when applying it to religion is not going to work for a true follower of Jesus.
Crossan, Irish born, predominantly European educated, and ordained a priest from 1957--1969, was elevated to professor emeritus at DePaul University where he taught world religion. Self-taughted as an expert on Christianity, and proclaiming to be a Christian, he dispelled belief in all doctrines of Christianity. He taught that mankind explains the higher power through each culture's religious system, espoused Christianity was not the only way, and declared anything he found difficult to believe in as unfounded events that did not happen. Indeed, Crossan declared the majority of Jesus' sayings in the New Testament as fiction.
The Gospel of Thomas....ah, where do I BEGIN with the problems associated with esteeming it as a legitimate gospel...the equivalent of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John? Ah, yes, but it was validated by none other than John Dominic Crossan and the Jesus Seminar. The Gospel of Thomas was one of 13 volumes found in 1945 at Nag Hammadi. Most true, biblical scholars believe it was actually written in the second century in Syria and is a restatement of what was contained in the gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John along with its own ideology. This contrasts with the view of the new-agey, christian aethists who date it older than the accepted gospels.
How on earth have these beliefs managed to infiltrate mainstream Christianity? The Bible warns followers to beware. Then the LORD said to me, "The prophets are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them or appointed them or spoken to them. They are prophesying to you false visions, divinations, idolatries and the delusions of their own minds." (Jeremiah 14:14). In the New Testament, Jesus referred to them as "ravenous wolves" (Matthew 7:25)
New Age beliefs are not actually new. They spring from the ancient heresy of gnosticism and espouse the "god within....know yourself and know the gods, heaven is not a place but is a state of mind" rhetoric. Pray for discernment. Memorize scripture. Stay focused on Christ.
If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. (1 Timothy 6:3) These people, though they may proclaim they know Jesus, will not be known to Him in the end.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
New Age Lies Exposed
This is a repost from my personal blog that, sadly, I have been lax in keeping.
A friend told a story to me this week. She heard it on television, but couldn’t remember which religious show she heard it on. It went like this, “Some teenage boys wanted to see an R-rated movie, however, their father refused. Sulking, they went to their bedroom. Meanwhile, the father gathered some dirt from outside and poured it into the brownies that he was baking. When the boys tasted the brownies later that night, they wondered what was wrong with them. Their little brother, who was not eating any, laughingly explained to them what their father had done. In astonishment, they stared at their father. He lovingly explained to his boys that the dirt represented the things of the world that they wanted to participate in: things that didn’t seem too bad, but that went against their Christian values. While one or two movies might not seem like a big deal to them, it would have an effect on them nonetheless. This was the best way he knew to illustrate to them that a little dirt did affect the batter just as a little sin affects our lives.”
What is being done to Christianity today is similar to the dirt in the brownies. The Bible is the inerrant word of God. Hebrews 13:8 tells us that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. Yet, in today’s world, we see an increase in people and denominations attempting to manipulate the scriptures to fit their modern lives. There are many verses in the Bible that warn us to not be deceived by false teachers. In her book, New Age Lies Exposed: How To Stand Firm In God’s Truth, Dr. Sandra Clifton gives a brief history of the New Age Movement, explains the difference between Gnostics and true Christian mystics, and defines the differences between the various definitions of humanism. From her book, you will also learn the gradual shift from a God-centered theistic humanism to deistic humanism, to naturalism where God doesn’t exist and finally to the modern New Age rhetoric being spouted by people such as Eckhart Tolle, Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Wayne Dyer. Clifton presents detailed explanations of New Age arguments mentioned above as well as existentialism, relativism, pantheism, and quantum physics. More importantly, she also tells you how to recognize their rhetoric, gives prayer strategies to combat them and pertinent Bible verses to meditate upon.
I have encountered many Christians who faithfully watch Oprah (not all of her shows are bad) and who claim that they have learned from and been benefited by the books of Eckhart Tolle, Rhonda Byrne and Wayne Dyer. They have even attempted to point out that the books reference God and that some reference Jesus. It is not the Jesus of scripture, however. The books do not mention Jesus as Savior; rather Jesus is one of many enlightened teachers. These people have been misguided by self-proclaimed experts who use a little truth combined with their new age rhetoric to manipulate scripture so that it fits their lives. Just as a little dirt in the batter ruined the brownies, a little new age rhetoric that sounds good in the moment can pollute the true meaning and message of the Bible. New Age Lies Exposed will show you how to address these arguments. The book is available from sources such as the publisher at www.bridgelogos.com or from www.amazon.com
A friend told a story to me this week. She heard it on television, but couldn’t remember which religious show she heard it on. It went like this, “Some teenage boys wanted to see an R-rated movie, however, their father refused. Sulking, they went to their bedroom. Meanwhile, the father gathered some dirt from outside and poured it into the brownies that he was baking. When the boys tasted the brownies later that night, they wondered what was wrong with them. Their little brother, who was not eating any, laughingly explained to them what their father had done. In astonishment, they stared at their father. He lovingly explained to his boys that the dirt represented the things of the world that they wanted to participate in: things that didn’t seem too bad, but that went against their Christian values. While one or two movies might not seem like a big deal to them, it would have an effect on them nonetheless. This was the best way he knew to illustrate to them that a little dirt did affect the batter just as a little sin affects our lives.”
What is being done to Christianity today is similar to the dirt in the brownies. The Bible is the inerrant word of God. Hebrews 13:8 tells us that Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. Yet, in today’s world, we see an increase in people and denominations attempting to manipulate the scriptures to fit their modern lives. There are many verses in the Bible that warn us to not be deceived by false teachers. In her book, New Age Lies Exposed: How To Stand Firm In God’s Truth, Dr. Sandra Clifton gives a brief history of the New Age Movement, explains the difference between Gnostics and true Christian mystics, and defines the differences between the various definitions of humanism. From her book, you will also learn the gradual shift from a God-centered theistic humanism to deistic humanism, to naturalism where God doesn’t exist and finally to the modern New Age rhetoric being spouted by people such as Eckhart Tolle, Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Wayne Dyer. Clifton presents detailed explanations of New Age arguments mentioned above as well as existentialism, relativism, pantheism, and quantum physics. More importantly, she also tells you how to recognize their rhetoric, gives prayer strategies to combat them and pertinent Bible verses to meditate upon.
I have encountered many Christians who faithfully watch Oprah (not all of her shows are bad) and who claim that they have learned from and been benefited by the books of Eckhart Tolle, Rhonda Byrne and Wayne Dyer. They have even attempted to point out that the books reference God and that some reference Jesus. It is not the Jesus of scripture, however. The books do not mention Jesus as Savior; rather Jesus is one of many enlightened teachers. These people have been misguided by self-proclaimed experts who use a little truth combined with their new age rhetoric to manipulate scripture so that it fits their lives. Just as a little dirt in the batter ruined the brownies, a little new age rhetoric that sounds good in the moment can pollute the true meaning and message of the Bible. New Age Lies Exposed will show you how to address these arguments. The book is available from sources such as the publisher at www.bridgelogos.com or from www.amazon.com
What's a Biblical Worldview?
“All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17 (KJV)
So, what is a biblical worldview? For starters, it is based upon the Bible. Absolute moral truth exists as defined by the Bible. There is a Heaven, hell, Satan, absolute morality exists, salvation is through grace not by works, and there is a requirement for sharing your faith. Our lives should be modeled after Jesus and we should look to the Bible--the living Word of God--for guidance instead of new age gurus. While this is a basic summary definition, what does it actually mean? How does it impact our lives?
If we live using the Bible as our compass, it will affect every area of our lives. God's word, conveyed to us through the Bible, is clear on the use of psychics--whether called psychic, intuitive, etc--gambling (lottery, betting, etc), gluttony, drunkenness, murder, sexual sins, respecting parents and elders, respecting government, loving one another, and many other things.
We are warned in the Bible to "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because[a] narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." Matthew 7:13-14. In other words, in life, we cannot take the easy way out to escape persecution or to enjoy secular--but ungodly--pursuits.
The Bible also cautions us, “See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them." (Luke 21:8) New age gurus, self help books, and alleged spiritual experts advocate a self-development and self-reliance to develop the god within us. People, including some Christians, have been led astray to believe that "all paths lead to the same God". Yet this is not what the Bible says.
There even exists a group, The Jesus Seminar, made up of men claiming to be biblical scholars. Most were hand-picked by founder, Robert Funk who, himself, advocated "demoting Jesus" and called Christianity fiction. You might be familiar with some of their work. Around the time of the release of the DaVinci Code, "experts" from the Jesus Seminar were often quoted in interviews as biblical scholars to support the erroneous historical facts and bad theological doctrines used in the book and movie. The members of the Jesus Seminar met to vote on biblical stories and to decide, by casting colored beads, what made sense to them. Whatever didn't make sense, they deemed fictitious. It's not up to man; however, to decide what makes sense. God is bigger than man and heavenly concepts are often difficult to grasp. Jesus spoke in parables. Those that were hungry for the word, sought out the meaning and understood. Unbelievers failed to grasp the meaning of any of his stories.
This is just one of many instances of the secularization of Christianity. We're all familiar with the saying "when the going gets tough, the tough get going." In terms toward the shift modern Christianity is making, the saying should be edited to "When the going gets tough, we change the rules to suit ourselves."
Increasingly, Christians are attempting to change Christianity to suit their lifestyles. Pastors, anxious to draw people, are failing to preach the true gospel and are embracing new age practices and eastern mysticism. The new growing fad in Christianity is contemplative spirituality. If you do a Google-search of “contemplative spirituality”, you will find many articles, mostly negative. By its definition, I found the following terms and beliefs applied to it “divinity in all of us, no need to connect through Jesus and the cross, Eastern Mysticism, spiritual oneness.” All contrary to a biblical world view and warned of in the Bible, “Beware, lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit….” (Col 2:8 KJV)
So, is a biblical worldview relevant to us today? Of course it is. The Bible is living Word of God. Living. It is the same yesterday, today and forever. It tells the story of God's relationship with and love for people. Within its pages are words of guidance, love, inspiration, and reproof. It provides a code by which we are to live and gives us the example of Jesus' life on earth. We are to guard our hearts because they affect our lives (Prov 4:23). The movies we watch, the music we listen to, and the books we read have an effect on us. If we watch or read ungodly material, over time it will desensitize us and have an effect on how we live our lives.
So what is a Christian to do?
You've heard of "putting on the armor of God", right? Ephesians 6:13--17 is our action plan.
So, what is a biblical worldview? For starters, it is based upon the Bible. Absolute moral truth exists as defined by the Bible. There is a Heaven, hell, Satan, absolute morality exists, salvation is through grace not by works, and there is a requirement for sharing your faith. Our lives should be modeled after Jesus and we should look to the Bible--the living Word of God--for guidance instead of new age gurus. While this is a basic summary definition, what does it actually mean? How does it impact our lives?
If we live using the Bible as our compass, it will affect every area of our lives. God's word, conveyed to us through the Bible, is clear on the use of psychics--whether called psychic, intuitive, etc--gambling (lottery, betting, etc), gluttony, drunkenness, murder, sexual sins, respecting parents and elders, respecting government, loving one another, and many other things.
We are warned in the Bible to "Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because[a] narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it." Matthew 7:13-14. In other words, in life, we cannot take the easy way out to escape persecution or to enjoy secular--but ungodly--pursuits.
The Bible also cautions us, “See that you are not led astray. For many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them." (Luke 21:8) New age gurus, self help books, and alleged spiritual experts advocate a self-development and self-reliance to develop the god within us. People, including some Christians, have been led astray to believe that "all paths lead to the same God". Yet this is not what the Bible says.
There even exists a group, The Jesus Seminar, made up of men claiming to be biblical scholars. Most were hand-picked by founder, Robert Funk who, himself, advocated "demoting Jesus" and called Christianity fiction. You might be familiar with some of their work. Around the time of the release of the DaVinci Code, "experts" from the Jesus Seminar were often quoted in interviews as biblical scholars to support the erroneous historical facts and bad theological doctrines used in the book and movie. The members of the Jesus Seminar met to vote on biblical stories and to decide, by casting colored beads, what made sense to them. Whatever didn't make sense, they deemed fictitious. It's not up to man; however, to decide what makes sense. God is bigger than man and heavenly concepts are often difficult to grasp. Jesus spoke in parables. Those that were hungry for the word, sought out the meaning and understood. Unbelievers failed to grasp the meaning of any of his stories.
This is just one of many instances of the secularization of Christianity. We're all familiar with the saying "when the going gets tough, the tough get going." In terms toward the shift modern Christianity is making, the saying should be edited to "When the going gets tough, we change the rules to suit ourselves."
Increasingly, Christians are attempting to change Christianity to suit their lifestyles. Pastors, anxious to draw people, are failing to preach the true gospel and are embracing new age practices and eastern mysticism. The new growing fad in Christianity is contemplative spirituality. If you do a Google-search of “contemplative spirituality”, you will find many articles, mostly negative. By its definition, I found the following terms and beliefs applied to it “divinity in all of us, no need to connect through Jesus and the cross, Eastern Mysticism, spiritual oneness.” All contrary to a biblical world view and warned of in the Bible, “Beware, lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit….” (Col 2:8 KJV)
So, is a biblical worldview relevant to us today? Of course it is. The Bible is living Word of God. Living. It is the same yesterday, today and forever. It tells the story of God's relationship with and love for people. Within its pages are words of guidance, love, inspiration, and reproof. It provides a code by which we are to live and gives us the example of Jesus' life on earth. We are to guard our hearts because they affect our lives (Prov 4:23). The movies we watch, the music we listen to, and the books we read have an effect on us. If we watch or read ungodly material, over time it will desensitize us and have an effect on how we live our lives.
So what is a Christian to do?
You've heard of "putting on the armor of God", right? Ephesians 6:13--17 is our action plan.
- Speak truth: have integrity, don't lie--let your word be your word---and don't gossip
- Live righteously: respect the Lord, love others, help those who are less fortunate
- Recognize pitfalls and traps ahead of time (what tempts you) and memorize some scriptures to recite when you get tempted. If you can identify triggers to your temper and environments that cause you to stumble and fall, you can plan to stay away or limit contact.
- Guard our minds: garbage in = garbage out. Stop reading lustful books, quit going to movies and watching television shows that are sexual, violent, etc.
- Study the Bible: memorize verses to help you in your daily walk
- Pray: ask the Holy Spirit to give you strength and to help you in times of temptation.
Monday, March 8, 2010
Who are Jehovah's Witnesses
I cross paths with people of many different religions. Most are all very sweet-spirited and likeable people. Their demeanor, however, does not make them a Christian. Some, such as the Jehovah’s Witnesses (hereafter referred to as just "JW"), claim to be Christians, and truly believe that they are, however they have been led astray and are really members of one of the largest cults whose formation was based on Christianity. If you mention to a JW that they have cultish teachings, they will become very argumentative. They have volumes of books that teach them how to reply to these, among other, accusations. Indeed, they believe that THEY are the only true Christians. So, what is the Christian response? How do we know that JW are a cult?
CULT 101
While there are several factors which can be used to identify cults and cultish teaching, there are some main characteristics that separate cults from Christianity:
***They claim a special revelation that sets them above Christianity
Example: An angel appeared to the founder telling him that Christianity was corrupted and new information will be revealed to him that will help him be true to what God really meant. Sometimes, they claim God speaks directly to/thru them in prophecy, et cetera and only they or their organization can be trusted.
***They claim to have more accurate higher teachings than the Bible.
***Their views of who Jesus is.
***They distort scripture by adding to it to “clarify”, refusing to use all of it, and/or retranslating it.
The JW meet all three of the above factors. Their founder, Charles Taze Russell, sold his men’s furnishings store and set-out to preach against ministers and Bible translators thereby organizing his own religion which he based, loosely in part, on the doctrines and theology of the Seventh Day Adventists and Pyramidology. He made several prophetic pronunciations about the end of the world which failed to come true thereby causing the organization to continually change dates in its publications. Upon his death, Russell was succeeded by Joseph Franklin Rutherford. To further solidify his power and lessen any remnants of Russell’s influence, Rutherford declared any devotion to Russell as “creature worship”. It was under Rutherford’s leadership that the society of JW made it clear that angels transmitted information to the governing body.
The JW discourage study of outside material. In some congregations, study of Christian material can be cause for “disfellowshipping”. The society claims that the Bible can only be understood by the aid of either AWAKE or The Watchtower. In 1950, despite having used the King James Version of the Bible for the past 75 years, under Rutherford’s and the governing body’s guidance, the New World Translation was published. Supposedly, the NWT was more accurate because of the guidance of the angels and because of the discovery of new manuscripts which made it easier to clarify what the previous verses were truly trying to say.
Lastly, the third factor which is used to indicate a cult/cultish teaching is the view of who Jesus is. Belief in Jesus as the Christ, the fulfillment of old testament scriptures, and being fully God in human form are central to Christianity. JW, however, teach that Jesus was the archangel, Michael. He is a creation of God, but not fully God, himself.
CULTISH TEACHINGS OF THE WITNESSES
Let’s look at some of the beliefs of the JW. In parenthesis, I have given some of their specific materials. The references are not inclusive of all references that could have been provided.
1. God is not triune, ie Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Let God Be True, pgs 100-101; Make Sure of All Things, p 386)[Witnesses claim that the theory of the trinity is pagan. I read an article somewhere that one culture they point to is the ancient Egyptian gods/goddesses. This is not the case, however, as the Egyptians do not have a triune god. The sun god, Ra, is the supreme god. All others are subordinate.]
2. Jesus was really the archangel, Michael. He became known as Jesus when he became man on earth. (The Watchtower, May 15, 1963, p307; The New World, 284)
Jesus was only a man, not God in the flesh (Reasoning From The Scriptures, 1985, p306)
3. Jesus did not rise from the dead in his physical body. Russell told his followers that Jesus either dissolved into gases or is still preserved somewhere. Likewise, man has no spirit. (AWAKE! July 22, 1973, p4)
Jesus came back invisibly in 1914 and is ruling the world (The Truth Shall Make You Free, p300)
4. The only true church and the only church with members who will be saved are the JW (The Watchtower, April 1, 1972, 9127; The Watchtower, Feb 15, 1981, p19; The Watchtower, Feb 15, 1979, p30)
5. Good works are required for salvation (Studies in the Scriptures, vol 1, p 150, 152) [This is why they go door-to-door. Their followers are told that they are following in Jesus’ footsteps. This is not true, however, because Jesus never went door-to-door. When Jesus entered a town, the people flocked to Him.]
6. Hell does not exist. It is just the grave. The wicked are simply annihilated and cease to exist. (Let God Be True, pgs 79—80)[The JW organization teaches that the dead will rise again and live on earth for 1000 years. During that 1000 year period, they must live perfect lives without sin or they will be annihilated. Despite being good for 999 years, they believe they will be annihilated if they fail to remain perfect for the 1000 year period.]
7. Only 144,000 will get to heaven and they must be JW (Reasoning From The Scriptures, 1985, p 76 and pages 166—67; The Watchtower, November 15, 1954, p. 681; Let God Be True, p121)
8. Satan was entrusted with the duty of overseeing the creation of the earth (Children, p55)
9. Angels, not the Holy Spirit, are responsible for the light (information) (Preservation, 1932, pg 203) because Jesus came to earth and invisibly assumed his throne in 1918 and the Holy Spirit ceased at that time (Preservation, 1932, pgs 202—203). [The JW believe the Holy Spirit was not part of the triune God and was only a force, not a person]
In addition to their erroneous beliefs, the JW have made several false prophecies. Their own writings contradict themselves in several places. The body of JW are trained to answer people who point to their erroneous prophecies by saying they did not make the prophecies in the name of Jehovah, rather they were statements meant to clarify/interpret prophecies. However, if you read their publication, The Watchtower, April 1, 1972, p 197, you will see a statement claiming they are prophets of God and as such speak God’s warning. Their top leaders have consistently referred to themselves as the new Ezekiel, Elisha, John , et cetera class. All of whom were prophetic and all of whom were used by God. So, what are some of their false prophecies?
1. 1877—the world is ending soon (N.H. Barbour and C.T. Russell, Three Worlds and The Harvest of This World, p 17)
2. 1879—Christ came in 1874
3. 1880—7th trumpet was sounded in 1840 and world will end in 1914 (Zion’s Watchtower, Nov, 1880, p1)
4. 1888—world ending in 1914 (The Time Is At Hand, 1988, pgs 76—77)
5. 1889—The setting up of the Kingdom of God on earth has already began and the world will end in 1914. (Studies In The Scriptures, Vol 2, The Time Is At Hand, 1889 Ed, p101.****NOTE: the 1914 was changed to 1915 in the 1915 Edition of Studies In The Scriptures)
6. 1889—Christ’s reign began in 1873 not 1840 after all (Studies In The Scriptures, Vol 2, p 40, 1889)
7. 1889—all governments will cease to exist in 26 years (C.T. Russell, Studies In The Scriptures, Vol 2, p 98--99, 1889)
8. 1894—Made a statement that the dates come from God and that the date for the end of the time of trouble is 1914 (Russell, Studies in the Scriptures, Thy Kingdom Come, Series III, p 342, 1987 edition)
9. 1897—Again made a statement that the dates come from God and that 1914 is now the date for the beginning of the time of trouble. (Watchtower, July 15, 1894)
10. 1903—used astrology to predict the planetary time that the world would end in 1914 (The Watchtower, May 1, 1903, p 130-131)
11. 1904—time of trouble will be between 1910 and 1912 with ending of world in 1914 (The New Creation, Studies In The Scriptures, vol 6, p579, 1904)
12. 1914—we never said 1914 was the year (Watchtower, November 1, 1914, p325)
13. 1914—the end will be in 10 more years (Watchtower, December 15, 1914, p376)
14. 1914—Armageddon might possibly be in the spring (Watchtower Reprints, VI, 1914, p5450)
15. 1915—the present great war is the beginning of Armageddon (Pastor Russell’s Sermons, p 676)
The prophecies continued to be issued with the dates being moved farther into the future. When 1915 did not occur, it was prophesied that 1925 would be the end. (A booklet, Millions Now Living Will Never Die, was published by the Watchtower Society which advocated 1925 would be the end as well as various Watchtower articles). So sure was Rutherford that the world would end and the old prophets would return that he deeded land and vehicles to them (Time Magazine, March 31, 1930; interview with Rutherford in the San Diego Sun Newspaper, January 9, 1931). When the world did not end in 1925, a date was given in the 70’s. When that failed to occur, a prophecy was made that the world would pass away before all those who were of age during 1914 died. (Watchtower May 1, 1992, page 3: The Year That Shocked The World)
WHAT DOES CHRISTIANITY TEACH
1. While the term “trinity” is not found in the Bible, several scriptures support the existence of a triune God. Some of these same scriptures also support the bodily resurrection of Christ. (NOTE: There are several additional scriptures in the Old and New Testaments. The scriptures in parenthesis are just a sampling.)
***Isaiah 43:10—there is 1 God
***Matthew 28:19---Jesus instructs the disciples to baptize in the name of “The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit”
***2 Corinthians 13:14---“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all.”
***1 Peter 1:2---“Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ”
***John 1:1---“In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”[Jesus was not created by God, the father. He existed from the very beginning.]
***Colossians 2:9---For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily [Paul was writing to address the claim of Gnostics who disputed the deity of Christ. Even centuries past, Satan has inserted doubt into the midst of the believers.]
***Luke 24:39—“Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.” [Jesus was bodily resurrected. The Holy Spirit is not flesh and bone.]
2. The Bible teaches that all will know when Jesus comes again. He will come as he departed, not discretely so that only a select few know.
***Acts 1:11---“…why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”
3. Jesus is fully God, begotten not made
***John 1:1---“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.”
***Michael, the archangel was referred to in several scriptures. The Bible states angels are not worshipped. Several verses in the Bible state that Jesus was worshipped (Matthew 2:11, 14:33, 28:9; Hebrews 1:6; and Revelation 5:8). Point out this discrepancy to the JW.
4. The Holy Spirit is God (spirit—not flesh and bones, is not a “force” but is alive)
***Acts1:8---But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
***Acts 13:2---As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work where unto I have called them. (If you are interested in a list of the attributes of the Holy Spirit, email your request to sedminaministries@gmail.com)
5. The ONLY way to Heaven is through Jesus Christ and is not through works or obedience to the 10 commandments
***John 3:16—18-- For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
***Acts 4:12-- Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (additional verses: Romans 5:21, 1 John 2:23, 1 John 5:11, Romans 3:20)*****obedience and works are outward signs that will follow faith and becoming a Christian
6. Hell is a real place
***Matthew 23:33-- Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
***Luke 12:5--But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
***2 Peter 2:4--For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment
***Revelation 20:10--And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
7. The Bible warns to beware of false prophets and tells us that many will come who will present false teachings.
***Matthew 7:15--Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
***2 Peter 2:1—2--But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
***Jude 1:3—4--Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
For additional information on Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Christian Response, check out the following websites: http://www.towerwatch.com/about_us/introduction.htm, http://www.freeminds.org/psychology/cults/opening-the-closed-mind.html, http://www.carm.org/jehovahs-witnesses or enter “Christian response, Jehovah’s Witnesses” into your search bar.
An interesting article by Jay Rogers makes the assertion that all modern day heresies, including the Jehovah’s Witnesses, can be traced back to three ancient heresies. The text can be found here: http://www.forerunner.com/orthodoxy/X0008_7._Christianity_vs._.html
As an interesting sidenote: The Jehovah's Witnesses randomly changed several scriptures to reflect God's original and true name of "Jehovah." In reality, the name "Jehovah" was never found in any of the original Aramaic, Greek or Hebrew scriptures. It was first coined by a Roman Catholic priest, Raymundus Martini, in 1270 CE.
For questions or comments, please email sedminaministries@gmail.com
CULT 101
While there are several factors which can be used to identify cults and cultish teaching, there are some main characteristics that separate cults from Christianity:
***They claim a special revelation that sets them above Christianity
Example: An angel appeared to the founder telling him that Christianity was corrupted and new information will be revealed to him that will help him be true to what God really meant. Sometimes, they claim God speaks directly to/thru them in prophecy, et cetera and only they or their organization can be trusted.
***They claim to have more accurate higher teachings than the Bible.
***Their views of who Jesus is.
***They distort scripture by adding to it to “clarify”, refusing to use all of it, and/or retranslating it.
The JW meet all three of the above factors. Their founder, Charles Taze Russell, sold his men’s furnishings store and set-out to preach against ministers and Bible translators thereby organizing his own religion which he based, loosely in part, on the doctrines and theology of the Seventh Day Adventists and Pyramidology. He made several prophetic pronunciations about the end of the world which failed to come true thereby causing the organization to continually change dates in its publications. Upon his death, Russell was succeeded by Joseph Franklin Rutherford. To further solidify his power and lessen any remnants of Russell’s influence, Rutherford declared any devotion to Russell as “creature worship”. It was under Rutherford’s leadership that the society of JW made it clear that angels transmitted information to the governing body.
The JW discourage study of outside material. In some congregations, study of Christian material can be cause for “disfellowshipping”. The society claims that the Bible can only be understood by the aid of either AWAKE or The Watchtower. In 1950, despite having used the King James Version of the Bible for the past 75 years, under Rutherford’s and the governing body’s guidance, the New World Translation was published. Supposedly, the NWT was more accurate because of the guidance of the angels and because of the discovery of new manuscripts which made it easier to clarify what the previous verses were truly trying to say.
Lastly, the third factor which is used to indicate a cult/cultish teaching is the view of who Jesus is. Belief in Jesus as the Christ, the fulfillment of old testament scriptures, and being fully God in human form are central to Christianity. JW, however, teach that Jesus was the archangel, Michael. He is a creation of God, but not fully God, himself.
CULTISH TEACHINGS OF THE WITNESSES
Let’s look at some of the beliefs of the JW. In parenthesis, I have given some of their specific materials. The references are not inclusive of all references that could have been provided.
1. God is not triune, ie Father, Son and Holy Spirit (Let God Be True, pgs 100-101; Make Sure of All Things, p 386)[Witnesses claim that the theory of the trinity is pagan. I read an article somewhere that one culture they point to is the ancient Egyptian gods/goddesses. This is not the case, however, as the Egyptians do not have a triune god. The sun god, Ra, is the supreme god. All others are subordinate.]
2. Jesus was really the archangel, Michael. He became known as Jesus when he became man on earth. (The Watchtower, May 15, 1963, p307; The New World, 284)
Jesus was only a man, not God in the flesh (Reasoning From The Scriptures, 1985, p306)
3. Jesus did not rise from the dead in his physical body. Russell told his followers that Jesus either dissolved into gases or is still preserved somewhere. Likewise, man has no spirit. (AWAKE! July 22, 1973, p4)
Jesus came back invisibly in 1914 and is ruling the world (The Truth Shall Make You Free, p300)
4. The only true church and the only church with members who will be saved are the JW (The Watchtower, April 1, 1972, 9127; The Watchtower, Feb 15, 1981, p19; The Watchtower, Feb 15, 1979, p30)
5. Good works are required for salvation (Studies in the Scriptures, vol 1, p 150, 152) [This is why they go door-to-door. Their followers are told that they are following in Jesus’ footsteps. This is not true, however, because Jesus never went door-to-door. When Jesus entered a town, the people flocked to Him.]
6. Hell does not exist. It is just the grave. The wicked are simply annihilated and cease to exist. (Let God Be True, pgs 79—80)[The JW organization teaches that the dead will rise again and live on earth for 1000 years. During that 1000 year period, they must live perfect lives without sin or they will be annihilated. Despite being good for 999 years, they believe they will be annihilated if they fail to remain perfect for the 1000 year period.]
7. Only 144,000 will get to heaven and they must be JW (Reasoning From The Scriptures, 1985, p 76 and pages 166—67; The Watchtower, November 15, 1954, p. 681; Let God Be True, p121)
8. Satan was entrusted with the duty of overseeing the creation of the earth (Children, p55)
9. Angels, not the Holy Spirit, are responsible for the light (information) (Preservation, 1932, pg 203) because Jesus came to earth and invisibly assumed his throne in 1918 and the Holy Spirit ceased at that time (Preservation, 1932, pgs 202—203). [The JW believe the Holy Spirit was not part of the triune God and was only a force, not a person]
In addition to their erroneous beliefs, the JW have made several false prophecies. Their own writings contradict themselves in several places. The body of JW are trained to answer people who point to their erroneous prophecies by saying they did not make the prophecies in the name of Jehovah, rather they were statements meant to clarify/interpret prophecies. However, if you read their publication, The Watchtower, April 1, 1972, p 197, you will see a statement claiming they are prophets of God and as such speak God’s warning. Their top leaders have consistently referred to themselves as the new Ezekiel, Elisha, John , et cetera class. All of whom were prophetic and all of whom were used by God. So, what are some of their false prophecies?
1. 1877—the world is ending soon (N.H. Barbour and C.T. Russell, Three Worlds and The Harvest of This World, p 17)
2. 1879—Christ came in 1874
3. 1880—7th trumpet was sounded in 1840 and world will end in 1914 (Zion’s Watchtower, Nov, 1880, p1)
4. 1888—world ending in 1914 (The Time Is At Hand, 1988, pgs 76—77)
5. 1889—The setting up of the Kingdom of God on earth has already began and the world will end in 1914. (Studies In The Scriptures, Vol 2, The Time Is At Hand, 1889 Ed, p101.****NOTE: the 1914 was changed to 1915 in the 1915 Edition of Studies In The Scriptures)
6. 1889—Christ’s reign began in 1873 not 1840 after all (Studies In The Scriptures, Vol 2, p 40, 1889)
7. 1889—all governments will cease to exist in 26 years (C.T. Russell, Studies In The Scriptures, Vol 2, p 98--99, 1889)
8. 1894—Made a statement that the dates come from God and that the date for the end of the time of trouble is 1914 (Russell, Studies in the Scriptures, Thy Kingdom Come, Series III, p 342, 1987 edition)
9. 1897—Again made a statement that the dates come from God and that 1914 is now the date for the beginning of the time of trouble. (Watchtower, July 15, 1894)
10. 1903—used astrology to predict the planetary time that the world would end in 1914 (The Watchtower, May 1, 1903, p 130-131)
11. 1904—time of trouble will be between 1910 and 1912 with ending of world in 1914 (The New Creation, Studies In The Scriptures, vol 6, p579, 1904)
12. 1914—we never said 1914 was the year (Watchtower, November 1, 1914, p325)
13. 1914—the end will be in 10 more years (Watchtower, December 15, 1914, p376)
14. 1914—Armageddon might possibly be in the spring (Watchtower Reprints, VI, 1914, p5450)
15. 1915—the present great war is the beginning of Armageddon (Pastor Russell’s Sermons, p 676)
The prophecies continued to be issued with the dates being moved farther into the future. When 1915 did not occur, it was prophesied that 1925 would be the end. (A booklet, Millions Now Living Will Never Die, was published by the Watchtower Society which advocated 1925 would be the end as well as various Watchtower articles). So sure was Rutherford that the world would end and the old prophets would return that he deeded land and vehicles to them (Time Magazine, March 31, 1930; interview with Rutherford in the San Diego Sun Newspaper, January 9, 1931). When the world did not end in 1925, a date was given in the 70’s. When that failed to occur, a prophecy was made that the world would pass away before all those who were of age during 1914 died. (Watchtower May 1, 1992, page 3: The Year That Shocked The World)
WHAT DOES CHRISTIANITY TEACH
1. While the term “trinity” is not found in the Bible, several scriptures support the existence of a triune God. Some of these same scriptures also support the bodily resurrection of Christ. (NOTE: There are several additional scriptures in the Old and New Testaments. The scriptures in parenthesis are just a sampling.)
***Isaiah 43:10—there is 1 God
***Matthew 28:19---Jesus instructs the disciples to baptize in the name of “The Father, The Son and The Holy Spirit”
***2 Corinthians 13:14---“The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Ghost, be with you all.”
***1 Peter 1:2---“Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through the sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ”
***John 1:1---“In the beginning was the Word (Jesus), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”[Jesus was not created by God, the father. He existed from the very beginning.]
***Colossians 2:9---For in him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily [Paul was writing to address the claim of Gnostics who disputed the deity of Christ. Even centuries past, Satan has inserted doubt into the midst of the believers.]
***Luke 24:39—“Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me and see, for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.” [Jesus was bodily resurrected. The Holy Spirit is not flesh and bone.]
2. The Bible teaches that all will know when Jesus comes again. He will come as he departed, not discretely so that only a select few know.
***Acts 1:11---“…why stand ye gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”
3. Jesus is fully God, begotten not made
***John 1:1---“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God and the Word was God.”
***Michael, the archangel was referred to in several scriptures. The Bible states angels are not worshipped. Several verses in the Bible state that Jesus was worshipped (Matthew 2:11, 14:33, 28:9; Hebrews 1:6; and Revelation 5:8). Point out this discrepancy to the JW.
4. The Holy Spirit is God (spirit—not flesh and bones, is not a “force” but is alive)
***Acts1:8---But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.
***Acts 13:2---As they ministered to the Lord, and fasted, the Holy Ghost said, Separate me Barnabas and Saul for the work where unto I have called them. (If you are interested in a list of the attributes of the Holy Spirit, email your request to sedminaministries@gmail.com)
5. The ONLY way to Heaven is through Jesus Christ and is not through works or obedience to the 10 commandments
***John 3:16—18-- For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
***Acts 4:12-- Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (additional verses: Romans 5:21, 1 John 2:23, 1 John 5:11, Romans 3:20)*****obedience and works are outward signs that will follow faith and becoming a Christian
6. Hell is a real place
***Matthew 23:33-- Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can ye escape the damnation of hell?
***Luke 12:5--But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.
***2 Peter 2:4--For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment
***Revelation 20:10--And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
7. The Bible warns to beware of false prophets and tells us that many will come who will present false teachings.
***Matthew 7:15--Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.
***2 Peter 2:1—2--But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.
***Jude 1:3—4--Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.
For additional information on Jehovah’s Witnesses and the Christian Response, check out the following websites: http://www.towerwatch.com/about_us/introduction.htm, http://www.freeminds.org/psychology/cults/opening-the-closed-mind.html, http://www.carm.org/jehovahs-witnesses or enter “Christian response, Jehovah’s Witnesses” into your search bar.
An interesting article by Jay Rogers makes the assertion that all modern day heresies, including the Jehovah’s Witnesses, can be traced back to three ancient heresies. The text can be found here: http://www.forerunner.com/orthodoxy/X0008_7._Christianity_vs._.html
As an interesting sidenote: The Jehovah's Witnesses randomly changed several scriptures to reflect God's original and true name of "Jehovah." In reality, the name "Jehovah" was never found in any of the original Aramaic, Greek or Hebrew scriptures. It was first coined by a Roman Catholic priest, Raymundus Martini, in 1270 CE.
For questions or comments, please email sedminaministries@gmail.com
Monday, February 8, 2010
Basic Beliefs of Christianity
I’ve found an alarming trend that is on the increase. If you ask professed Christians to name the basic tenets of Christianity, most will not be able to do it. They are unable to verbalize what they believe or why they believe it. I’ve watched interviews with a well known pastor who admits to not knowing the Bible or anything about theology. In one interview, when asked about a well known cult that claims to be Christian, he said that if they claimed to be Christian, that was good enough for him. Exasperated, the secular interviewer attempted to point out doctrine while he just smiled and shrugged. Satan has entered the church in the form of fear and indifference.
Applying the label, “Christian,” to yourself and saying you believe in God is not proof positive of being one. Christianity was a term that was applied to “Christ followers”. The very essence of Christianity is the belief in Jesus as your personal savior. So many people seem to miss this point. If living a good life and professing a belief in God is all it takes, Muslims could refer to themselves as Christians, yet they don’t because they know that they are not. (It should be noted that Allah is also different than our God). Although they recognize Jesus as a prophet, He is not their Messiah. So, too, God’s chosen people, the Jewish, while believing in God, deny Jesus as the Christ.
Before delving into cults and world religions, it is important that we first examine the basic tenets of Christianity so that you can begin to recognize false doctrines. Let me begin by stating, differences in procedures and customs are not what defines a cult. You will find many differences and disagreements over liturgical matters from one denomination to another, however, the core beliefs are not in dispute. Cults form when Christian doctrine is altered. The Bible is clear that neither are we to add nor detract from God’s word. “Every word of God is PURE: He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him. ADD YOU NOT unto His words, lest He reprove you, and you be found a liar" (Prov. 30:5-6).
In case you’ve ever wondered, the basic tenets of Christianity can be traced back to Council of Nicea in 325 A.D. An oversimplified explanation for the council is that it was ordered by the emperor Constantine to settle the divisions within the church that were caused by the faulty doctrines being taught by the eastern church (Arianism: denied deity of Jesus saying he was made by God and was fully human). (For a simple, yet more detailed, explanation of the Council of Nicea see http://www.gotquestions.org/council-of-Nicea.html ). The 300 Bishops met, voted and affirmed that Jesus was divine and fulfilled the Old Testament scriptures. It is important to note, the Council did not make up the Trinity or the doctrines surrounding Jesus. They gave official recognition to the Old Testament doctrines and confirmed that Jesus fulfilled them. The term, trinity, though not referred to with that word, is in the Bible. The writings, in 160 A.D., of Theophilus, the Bishop of Antioch, are the first written example we have of the use of “trinity.”
So, what do Christians believe?
1. There is one God (Isaiah 43:10) who is eternally existent in 3 individuals (not three separate gods): Father, Son and Holy Spirit (refer to Matthew 28:19, Colossians 2:9, 2 Corinthians 13:14, 1 Peter 1:2)
---Jesus is fully God, begotten not made (John 1:1, Colossians 2:9)
---the Holy Spirit is God (spirit—not flesh and bones, is not a “force” but is alive) (Acts 5:3—4. 13:2, Luke 24:39)
2. The Bible is the infallible word of God (2 Timothy 3:16) and is not to be added to or detracted from (Deuteronomy 12:32, Galatians 1:9-10, 2 Corinthians 11:4, Proverbs 30:5-6, Revelation 22: 18-19)
3. The ONLY way to Heaven is through Jesus Christ and is not through works or obedience to the 10 commandments (John 3:16—18, John 14:16, Matthew 7:13, Acts 4:12, Romans 5:21, 1 John 2:23, 1 John 5:11, Romans 3:20)*****obedience and works are outward signs that will follow faith and becoming a Christian
4. That believers are commanded to be baptized as a sign of their new birth and regeneration through Jesus (Acts 2:38, John 3:7)
5. Upon death, all will face judgment (2 Corinthians 5:10)
6. Existence of Hell (Matthew 23:33, Matthew 25:31-46, Luke 12:5, 2 Peter 2:4, Revelation 14:10-11, Revelation 20:10)
7. Existence of Heaven (Matthew 5:12, Matthew 6:20, Mark 16:19, Luke 15:7, John 14:2—3, 1 Thessalonians 4:17)
8. Those who accept Jesus as their personal Savior are guaranteed eternal life while everyone else will be condemned to hell (Romans 5:21, Romans 6:23, Romans 8:1, Romans 10:9, John 3:17—18, John 3:36, Acts 4:12, 1 John 2:23, 1 John 3:17—18, 1 John 5:11)
If we were doing a more in-depth study, there are several other beliefs that could be presented; however, these are the basic beliefs that need to be understood prior to a study of world religions and cults. There are several Bible verses that could have been used for each point. These verses provide a nice starting point to understanding each. As always, questions and comments are welcome, either on this blog or by email to sedminaministries@gmail.com
Applying the label, “Christian,” to yourself and saying you believe in God is not proof positive of being one. Christianity was a term that was applied to “Christ followers”. The very essence of Christianity is the belief in Jesus as your personal savior. So many people seem to miss this point. If living a good life and professing a belief in God is all it takes, Muslims could refer to themselves as Christians, yet they don’t because they know that they are not. (It should be noted that Allah is also different than our God). Although they recognize Jesus as a prophet, He is not their Messiah. So, too, God’s chosen people, the Jewish, while believing in God, deny Jesus as the Christ.
Before delving into cults and world religions, it is important that we first examine the basic tenets of Christianity so that you can begin to recognize false doctrines. Let me begin by stating, differences in procedures and customs are not what defines a cult. You will find many differences and disagreements over liturgical matters from one denomination to another, however, the core beliefs are not in dispute. Cults form when Christian doctrine is altered. The Bible is clear that neither are we to add nor detract from God’s word. “Every word of God is PURE: He is a shield unto them that put their trust in Him. ADD YOU NOT unto His words, lest He reprove you, and you be found a liar" (Prov. 30:5-6).
In case you’ve ever wondered, the basic tenets of Christianity can be traced back to Council of Nicea in 325 A.D. An oversimplified explanation for the council is that it was ordered by the emperor Constantine to settle the divisions within the church that were caused by the faulty doctrines being taught by the eastern church (Arianism: denied deity of Jesus saying he was made by God and was fully human). (For a simple, yet more detailed, explanation of the Council of Nicea see http://www.gotquestions.org/council-of-Nicea.html ). The 300 Bishops met, voted and affirmed that Jesus was divine and fulfilled the Old Testament scriptures. It is important to note, the Council did not make up the Trinity or the doctrines surrounding Jesus. They gave official recognition to the Old Testament doctrines and confirmed that Jesus fulfilled them. The term, trinity, though not referred to with that word, is in the Bible. The writings, in 160 A.D., of Theophilus, the Bishop of Antioch, are the first written example we have of the use of “trinity.”
So, what do Christians believe?
1. There is one God (Isaiah 43:10) who is eternally existent in 3 individuals (not three separate gods): Father, Son and Holy Spirit (refer to Matthew 28:19, Colossians 2:9, 2 Corinthians 13:14, 1 Peter 1:2)
---Jesus is fully God, begotten not made (John 1:1, Colossians 2:9)
---the Holy Spirit is God (spirit—not flesh and bones, is not a “force” but is alive) (Acts 5:3—4. 13:2, Luke 24:39)
2. The Bible is the infallible word of God (2 Timothy 3:16) and is not to be added to or detracted from (Deuteronomy 12:32, Galatians 1:9-10, 2 Corinthians 11:4, Proverbs 30:5-6, Revelation 22: 18-19)
3. The ONLY way to Heaven is through Jesus Christ and is not through works or obedience to the 10 commandments (John 3:16—18, John 14:16, Matthew 7:13, Acts 4:12, Romans 5:21, 1 John 2:23, 1 John 5:11, Romans 3:20)*****obedience and works are outward signs that will follow faith and becoming a Christian
4. That believers are commanded to be baptized as a sign of their new birth and regeneration through Jesus (Acts 2:38, John 3:7)
5. Upon death, all will face judgment (2 Corinthians 5:10)
6. Existence of Hell (Matthew 23:33, Matthew 25:31-46, Luke 12:5, 2 Peter 2:4, Revelation 14:10-11, Revelation 20:10)
7. Existence of Heaven (Matthew 5:12, Matthew 6:20, Mark 16:19, Luke 15:7, John 14:2—3, 1 Thessalonians 4:17)
8. Those who accept Jesus as their personal Savior are guaranteed eternal life while everyone else will be condemned to hell (Romans 5:21, Romans 6:23, Romans 8:1, Romans 10:9, John 3:17—18, John 3:36, Acts 4:12, 1 John 2:23, 1 John 3:17—18, 1 John 5:11)
If we were doing a more in-depth study, there are several other beliefs that could be presented; however, these are the basic beliefs that need to be understood prior to a study of world religions and cults. There are several Bible verses that could have been used for each point. These verses provide a nice starting point to understanding each. As always, questions and comments are welcome, either on this blog or by email to sedminaministries@gmail.com
Monday, February 1, 2010
God is jealous of me?
A friend recently sent a video for me to view on Facebook. The video was titled, “The Church of Oprah” and showed several clips from the show in which Oprah advocates that there is one God and several paths to reach Him. At one point, audience members tell her that there is just one way and that way is Jesus. Oprah becomes argumentative and dismissive. Her reply to the audience members is that Jesus is their way, but not THE way. Further clips present additional information on the new age gurus who Oprah is increasingly beginning to feature on her show. The New Age Rhetoric of Wayne Dwyer, Rhonda Byrne and Eckhart Tolle that Oprah so earnestly embraces and advocates is not being questioned by Christians. Alarmingly, a woman asked Oprah how she, as a Christian, managed to reconcile these enlightening teachings with religious beliefs. Oprah’s answer was that she realized Christianity wasn’t the only way after sitting in church one day and listening to the preacher say that God was jealous. It did not make any sense to her that God was jealous of her. Yes, God IS jealous, however, not of you Oprah and not of me. God is jealous over the things that we put before Him.
Let’s look at some of the verses that attribute “jealousy” to God. The second part of Exodus 20:5 contains the statement, “ for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God.” The preceding verses, however, clearly state that God is jealous when we worship graven images or serve anyone other than Him. This is clarified again in Exodus 34:14 "For thou shalt worship no other god; for the Lord is a jealous God." Further study of the use of the word “jealous” in reference to God is equated with people who serve worldy things or graven images. In Joshua 4:19, “jealous” refers to the people who were attempting to serve the gods of the Amorites and Egyptians as well as God. Deuteronomy 4:24 and 5:9 refer to graven images. If you read the first chapter of Zephaniah, you will find that God’s jealousy was provoked by a society that was serving idols and worldly vices. In 1 Corinthians 10:20-22, God is provoked to jealousy against us because of the sins that are being committed by, once again, serving worldly things or false gods. “But I [say], that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy?” The following are a few of the things that people often place more concern and value on accompanied by Bible verses that explain they are negative:
Food
Philippians 3:19 “Whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly…”
Money
Matthew 6:24 “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon [wealth/money]”
Pride (appearance, possessions, self-image)
Proverbs 6:16—19 "Theses six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren."
While you may not think of these things as “false idols” and argue that you don’t serve them, consider this definition of an idol: image of a deity, any person or thing regarded with devotion r blind admiration, false conception or notion, figment of mind. Anything that we put above God that takes up all of our time and energy could be defined as something we are serving—a false idol—and that is what brings God to jealousy.
Unfortunately, this is not an isolated event. Increasingly, I hear of people who, because of one thing or another, begin to disagree with their Christian upbringings. They may have been influenced by someone they met; they may have been swayed by a course they took in college, or by something in the media. They begin searching until they find a different religion or a cult whose doctrines “fit” more with their lifestyles and current beliefs.
The Bible contains many warnings about false prophets and teachers who will lead others astray with their false doctrines. “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” Matthew 7:15. In the upcoming weeks, join us for an introduction into the beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, Christian Science, Scientology, The New Age Movement, Eckankar, Rosicrucianism, Kabbalah, Buddhism, and Islam.
Let’s look at some of the verses that attribute “jealousy” to God. The second part of Exodus 20:5 contains the statement, “ for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God.” The preceding verses, however, clearly state that God is jealous when we worship graven images or serve anyone other than Him. This is clarified again in Exodus 34:14 "For thou shalt worship no other god; for the Lord is a jealous God." Further study of the use of the word “jealous” in reference to God is equated with people who serve worldy things or graven images. In Joshua 4:19, “jealous” refers to the people who were attempting to serve the gods of the Amorites and Egyptians as well as God. Deuteronomy 4:24 and 5:9 refer to graven images. If you read the first chapter of Zephaniah, you will find that God’s jealousy was provoked by a society that was serving idols and worldly vices. In 1 Corinthians 10:20-22, God is provoked to jealousy against us because of the sins that are being committed by, once again, serving worldly things or false gods. “But I [say], that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils. Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy?” The following are a few of the things that people often place more concern and value on accompanied by Bible verses that explain they are negative:
Food
Philippians 3:19 “Whose end is destruction, whose god is their belly…”
Money
Matthew 6:24 “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon [wealth/money]”
Pride (appearance, possessions, self-image)
Proverbs 6:16—19 "Theses six things the Lord hates, yes, seven are an abomination to Him: A proud look, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness who speaks lies, and one who sows discord among brethren."
While you may not think of these things as “false idols” and argue that you don’t serve them, consider this definition of an idol: image of a deity, any person or thing regarded with devotion r blind admiration, false conception or notion, figment of mind. Anything that we put above God that takes up all of our time and energy could be defined as something we are serving—a false idol—and that is what brings God to jealousy.
Unfortunately, this is not an isolated event. Increasingly, I hear of people who, because of one thing or another, begin to disagree with their Christian upbringings. They may have been influenced by someone they met; they may have been swayed by a course they took in college, or by something in the media. They begin searching until they find a different religion or a cult whose doctrines “fit” more with their lifestyles and current beliefs.
The Bible contains many warnings about false prophets and teachers who will lead others astray with their false doctrines. “Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.” Matthew 7:15. In the upcoming weeks, join us for an introduction into the beliefs of Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons, Christian Science, Scientology, The New Age Movement, Eckankar, Rosicrucianism, Kabbalah, Buddhism, and Islam.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
