Saturday, December 18, 2010
Tuesday, December 7, 2010
Would you stand on the firm platform of truth or converted to error by signs and lying wonders?
Despite what you think the human mind is affected and lured by signs and wonders ,it happen in the past and this will hold fast till the close of probation.
See the following..
Acts 2:41 Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls.42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
43 And fear came upon every soul: and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles.44 And all that believed were together, and had all things common;
A Statement : “With clearness and power Peter bore witness of the death and resurrection of Christ: "Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by Him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know: Him . . . ye have taken, and by wicked hands have crucified and slain: whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that He should be holden of it."
{Acts of the Apostles 41.2}
Many were converted in these times not only by the presentation of Holy Spirit directed and convicting truth, but by the Holy Spirit empowered working of miracles.
Now this moving of the mind in one direction based on truth and the Holy Spirit is one thing. Sadly the Opposite is true.
We need not be deceived
"We need not be deceived. Wonderful scenes, with which Satan will be closely connected, will soon take place. God's Word declares that Satan will work miracles. He will make people sick, and then will suddenly remove from them his satanic power. They will then be regarded as healed. These works of apparent healing will bring Seventh-day Adventists to the test. Many who have had great light will fail to walk in the light, because they have not become one with Christ."
-2Selected Messages page53
Lying signs and miraculous wonders is also the tool utilized by Satan the Chief of all deceivers. Make no mistake Satan will utilize this very influence to lead many to destruction. Now remember Lucifer wants to be like Christ Isa 14:14
Marvelous Signs and Great wonders beyond the imagination is coming.
Matt 24:24 For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.
2 Thess2:8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
Why Signs and Lying wonders even if we know they are coming will be so powerful an influence on even people of God?
Zephaniah 1:15 That day is a day of wrath, a day of trouble and distress, a day of wasteness and desolation, a day of darkness and gloominess, a day of clouds and thick darkness,
Luke 21:25 And there shall be signs in the sun, and in the moon, and in the stars; and upon the earth distress of nations, with perplexity; the sea and the waves roaring;
26 Men's hearts failing them for fear, and for looking after those things which are coming on the earth: for the powers of heaven shall be shaken.
The Scenario painted via Holy writ gives us a compelling picture that the end will no be regular days/weeks/months/years. The time here brought to view speaks of tumultuous times, apocalyptic in magnitude. These times if I can sum up in events we have already witness will be like the combination of 911 and The French revolution on steroids. We have not included all the natural disasters that we have seen put together just yet but to include these is evening frightening. Added to these things the scripture above talks of the unexplainable occurrences involving the celestial bodies (the sun moon and stars) ,these will be affected and manipulated in ways we have not yet witness.
Added to all this, let me summaries by saying we cannot imagine the state of affairs. The distress that will be experience at this time will be second to none, we have not seen anything yet. These things will be enough to give any healthy man a cardiac arrest and many loins will be loosen at the site of these things.
Under these foreboding circumstances will the satanic powers, Lucifer himself and all his demonic agents those of angels and those of the wicked human race will work great signs and lying wonders. It is under these conditions that miracles with the intent to deceive will have there detrimental effects. Spiritualism has already educated the mind to receive these errors unchecked.
It is only biblical truth known and engrained in the mind can provide a way of escape.
Who would be susceptible to these great miracles, who would be deceived?
1 Cor 1:21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumbling block, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
Those who would be seduced by signs and lying wonders are:
- Those who follow after the wisdom of the world.
- Those who think the preaching of Christ is foolishness.
- They will even be among those residing within the precincts of bible truth “THE JEWS” Spiritual Israel even Seventh Day Adventist.
Note even among those who are spiritual JEWS, Those of Spiritual Israel will be deceive.
How would this be accomplished? Watch carefully!
One of the common things among the Jews and the Greeks is that of Unbelief.
Seventh Day Adventist NOT ALL, CERTAINLY NOT A FEW will be overcome by lying signs and wonders?
How can this happen?
Luke 16:31 And he said unto him, If they hear not Moses and the prophets, neither will they be persuaded, though one rose from the dead.
Who is Moses and who is the Prophets.
The books of Moses are known as law. What do the prophets represent?
These two classes of people are represented here.
1. One who disobey the law the Ten Commandments. The world.
2. One who listens not to the Prophets represented as a group of “Christians” They have obey or follow the rudiments of the law but this group refuses to receive counsels from the prophets. We can include Apostate protestants as this group and this will prove true but is there among us those who claim to believe the law but not the prophets .What about us who have bee severed from the quarry of the world by the great cleaver of truth?
I am convinced even among Adventist that these delusions will have a negative effect.
There are among us a large number who do not really believe the prophets.
Who or what is represented as the prophets
2 Tim 3:15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:
17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
Note the books of the prophets belong to category of Holy Scriptures, so we could deduced safely that the Books of the prophets are also designed
- By inspiration.
- Is profitable for doctrine.
- For reproof.
- For correction.
- For instruction in righteousness.
- So that we may be perfect.
- Thoroughly furnished unto all good works.
Pay attention to and keep in mind the super 7s mentioned above as characteristics of The Books of the prophets.
What other Characteristics can we get from the Prophets?
Remember we want to confirm who are the people that will be deceived by lying wonders and signs that are even within the Spiritual Israel.
Other characteristics of the prophets
2 Peter1:16 For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For he received from God the Father honor and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 18 And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount. 19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: 20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the Scripture is of any private interpretation. 21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
From the above we can glean the following.
- Prophecy testify of Jesus Christ (This is my beloved Son).
- It’s a sure word meaning it is solid as the ROCK Christ Jesus. This suggests that what is illustrated in the prophets as future events will come to past.
- The prophets bring Light on issues or events obscure or unknown to us.
- The moral purpose of prophecy is to bring the Day Star (Christ the SUN of Righteousness Malachi 4:2) in our hearts. This is sanctification in verity.
- The prophet’s information came not by man’s wisdom but by the Holy Spirit speaking to them.
As Adventist we know that the Spirit of Prophecy is the gift that has always been with God’s people . The above scripture along with Rev 12:17 Rev 19:10 tells us plainly that the testimony of Jesus Christ is the Spirit of prophecy.
- Those who would be deceived by Signs and Lying wonders are the same ones who did not and will not listen to the prophets.
- These are the same who not want admonitions and fearful warnings of the SPIRIT OF PRPOPHECY.
- They do not recognize or are indifferent to Inspiration (Ellen G white), the do not believe that her writings or that of any prophets are profitable for Instruction; they have turn a blind eye to reproofs, correction, instruction in righteousness. They say perfection in Christ is unattainable; they do not believe they can be thoroughly furnished unto all good works. In other words 2 Tim 3:15-21 is of none effect.
- They choose which truths they want to believe as if they were at a buffet lunch.
- Those who are seduced by signs lying wonders may reside in the church but are overtaken by unbelief the same as the Jews and the Greeks.
- They rather listen to mans wisdom instead of Gods counsel.
- Those who would be moved my miracles are those who have not set their feet on the firm platform of the sure word of prophecy. They would rather listen to all the Conspiracy theories and mysteries.
- These are those who have neglected or even shun the invitation of the feast (feasting of the word). They are the very ones who was invited to the wedding feast but did not come..they are even among those who came with their own garments ( righteousness)but have not on the garments of Christ . Isaiah 4:1 describes such a class.
- Those seduced by signs and lying wonders would as 2Thesalonians 2 says: “love not the truth” they would have been “step by step yielding to worldly demands and conforming to worldly customs”. Prophets and Kings 148.
- The selfsame individuals would say of our faith “We have believed cunningly devised fables.” They would believe that they were hoodwinked into a delusion call Adventism.
Those seduce would have had a history of worshiping as they want and not as God requires.
Isaiah 66:3 He that killeth an ox is as if he slew a man; he that sacrificeth a lamb, as if he cut off a dog's neck; he that offereth an oblation, as if he offered swine's blood; he that burneth incense, as if he blessed an idol. Yea, they have chosen their own ways, and their soul delighteth in their abominations.
4 I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spoke, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.
Brethren and friends many will stand in this time and testify that “we would not take the mark of the beast”. But its not that easy. Just like the process of sanctification takes time and effort and the working of Christ in the Life, similarly the process that will lead you and I into believing and being convince by these amazing miracles signs and lying wonders before us would have been working in us long in advance. We would have been building characters ready to receive error with gladness.
If we have not let go the things of the world and the worldly custom, If we are not living up to the light given us, darkness proportion to the light will overtake us.
We will be deceived if we have not shunned the world and love truth.
May God help us to put away many things?
There are many things to learn and many, many things to unlearn.
May God help us as we grow closer to Christ.
May we overcome by the indwelling daily feeding on Christ and Christ alone not a mixture of Christ and the world.
Final statement :
“The enemy is preparing to deceive the whole world by his miracle-working power. He will assume to personate the angels of light, to personate Jesus Christ So far as his power extends, he will perform actual miracles. Says the Scripture: "He . . . deceiveth them that dwell on the earth by the means of those miracles which he had power to do," not merely those which he pretends to do. Something more than mere impostures is brought to view in this scripture. But there is a limit beyond which Satan cannot go, and here he calls deception to his aid and counterfeits the work which he has not power actually to perform. In the last days he will appear in such a manner as to make men believe him to be Christ come the second time into the world. He will indeed transform himself into an angel of light. He will come personating Jesus Christ, working mighty miracles; and men will fall down and worship him as Jesus Christ. We shall be commanded to worship this being, whom the world will glorify as Christ. Just before us is "the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." Revelation 3:10. All whose faith is not firmly established upon the word of God will be deceived and overcome. Satan works "with all deceivableness of unrighteousness" to gain control of the children of men, and his deceptions will continually increase. But he can gain his object only as men voluntarily yield to his temptations. Those who are earnestly seeking a knowledge of the truth and are striving to purify their souls through obedience, thus doing what they can to prepare for the conflict, will find, in the God of truth, a sure defense. "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee" (verse 10), is the Saviour's promise. He would sooner send every angel out of heaven to protect His people than leave one soul that trusts in Him to be overcome by Satan.
{Maranatha 207.5}
Perfect peas and at such a time.
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Christ the big Rock,The stone that destorys the image in Dan 2,Gods remnant people. They are all connected
PETER THE NAME.
Exodus 4:22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:
Its important to note when anything or anyone is mention the first time in the Bible. Big lessons are involve.
Note who peter is and what he does.
Matthew 4:17 From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
18 And Jesus, walking by the sea of Galilee, saw two brethren, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea: for they were fishers.
19 And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.
20 And they straightway left their nets, and followed him.
Root meaning of PETER :
Petros
pet'-ros
Apparently a primary word; a (piece of) rock (larger than G3037); as a name, Petrus, an apostle: - Peter, rock. Compare G2786.
Couple scriptures containing the word rock.
Exodus 33:21 And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: ROCK AS SUPPORT
Exodus 33:22 And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: ROCK AS PROTECTION.
Matthew 7:24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: ROCK AS FOUNDATION
Luke 20:17 And he beheld them, and said, What is this then that is written, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner?.. CORNER STONE= MODEL STONE..PATTERN
Matthew 7:25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not; for it was founded upon a rock. FOUNDATION AGAIN.
1Samuel 17:40 And he took his staff in his hand, and chose him five smooth stones out of the brook, and put them in a shepherd's bag which he had, even in a scrip; and his sling was in his hand: and he drew near to the Philistine. STONE AS A WEAPON
Isaiah 57:6 Among the smooth stones of the stream is thy portion; they, they are thy lot: even to them hast thou poured a drink offering, thou hast offered a meat offering. Should I receive comfort in these?
THINGS TO NOTE
- SMOOTH STONES OR ROCKS WERE USED IN OR AS A WEAPON.
- NOTE ALSO WHERE THE STONES CAME FROM .From among running water or a flood.
- WHO REPRESENTS WATER IN BIBLE? PEOPLE AND WARING ARMIES COMING , PERSECUTION IS REPRESENTED AS A FLOOD
Isaiah 28:2 Behold, the Lord hath a mighty and strong one, which as a tempest of hail and a destroying storm, as a flood of mighty waters overflowing, shall cast down to the earth with the hand.
Jeremiah 47:2 Thus saith the LORD; Behold, waters rise up out of the north, and shall be an overflowing flood, and shall overflow the land, and all that is therein; the city, and them that dwell therein: then the men shall cry, and all the inhabitants of the land shall howl.
Note the overflowing flood was the Babylonians coming from the north
- NOTE ALSO THE CONDITIONS OF THE STONES. What did the water do to the stones?
- THEY ARE SMOOTH. Perfection but what smooths the stone
- persecutions (overflowing flood) smooths the stone.
"In the absence of persecution, there have drifted into our ranks some who appear sound, and their Christianity unquestionable, but who, if persecution should arise, would go out from us. In the crisis, they would see force in specious reasoning that has had an influence on their minds"
{Maranatha page 28 Paragraph 3}.
So the stone represents Gods people !
A second testimony on who the stone is.
Stone cut out of Mountain without hands.
Daniel 2:45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
What entity represents mountain.
A) Psalms 48:2 Beautiful for situation, the joy of the whole earth, is mount Zion, on the sides of the north, the city of the great King. See also Isaiah 14 :13 Satan imitates Christ.
B) Isaiah 10:32 As yet shall he remain at Nob that day: he shall shake his hand against the mount of the daughter of Zion, the hill of Jerusalem.
C) Isaiah 18:7 In that time shall the present be brought unto the LORD of hosts of a people scattered and peeled, and from a people terrible from their beginning hitherto; a nation meted out and trodden under foot, whose land the rivers have spoiled, to the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, the mount Zion.
Who,what where is mount Zion.
A) Isaiah 51:16 And I have put my words in thy mouth, and I have covered thee in the shadow of mine hand, that I may plant the heavens, and lay the foundations of the earth, and say unto Zion, Thou art my people.
Note Zion represents Gods people which was Spiritual Israel the Jews but they denied him thus Christ via spiritual adoption the gentiles were made Israelites ..See the following..
Romans 2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:
Romans 2:29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
Conclusions : Zion is God's People,His denominated people, then Literal Israel now Spiritual Israel. Those who accept Christ as Saviour and keep his Commandment.
REMEMBER THIS TEXT?
Exodus 4:22 And thou shalt say unto Pharaoh, Thus saith the LORD, Israel is my son, even my firstborn:
So a stone will come out of Mountain.
Daniel 2:45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
Remember Satan wants to be like The Most High ? see Isaiah 14 he wants his own mount (His people or church)
note specifically verse 12 How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations!13 For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north:
Note Satan is interested in a MOUNT also in IN THE SIDES OF THE NORTH.
Now if we have mount Zion(truth) and another mount that SATAN (lies) claims or wants,what do we have in the middle?
A VALLEY.. VALLEY IS where a decision i made between truth and Error (lies). This is the Amegedo valley where the Battle of Armageddon has to be fought. Its is not a litteral battle although we will have many of thos in the end .But its a spiritual battle that all in the world have to fight. Now in Revelation there is this one great decision all will have to take. This one decision will be the culmination of all decisions made before that time reaches us..
The stone is Christ ultimately yes but if Zion is God's Denominated people ( His church) then we can expect a great stone ,a part of mounting to be of course some people coming out of his "His church" Spiritual Israel. Every decision we make now is equipping us to make the right choice or the wrong choice when the day of the Lord comes.
The decision ? see Revelation 13:17, Revelation 19:20, Revelation 14:11, Revelation 16:2.
Clever of Truth
Seventh-day Adventists have been chosen by God as a peculiar people, separate from the world. By the great cleaver of truth He has cut them out from the quarry of the world, and brought them into connection with Himself. He has made them His representatives, and has called them to be ambassadors for Him in the last work of salvation. The greatest wealth of truth ever intrusted to mortals, the most solemn and fearful warnings ever sent by God to man, have been committed to them to be given to the world; and in the accomplishment of this work our publishing houses are among the most effective agencies.--Testimonies, vol. 7, p. 138. {ChS 147.5}
A quarry is a mountain ,stones are cut out of mountains.
Now note, Rev 10:7, Col 1;2-27 tells us Christ's character will be fully developed in a certain group of people.
Christ is the stone that destroys the image, BUt this stone is a kingdom note the following verses :-
Daniel 2:44 And in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand forever.45 Forasmuch as thou sawest that the stone was cut out of the mountain without hands, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the brass, the clay, the silver, and the gold; the great God hath made known to the king what shall come to pass hereafter: and the dream is certain, and the interpretation thereof sure.
People make Kingdoms ,a Kingdom is made up of subjects and is rule by a king. Christ is the king the kingdom is Gods people the mountain,This is mount Zion, But a stone would be cut out of this mountain and its a weapon it is militant and it destroys the image.
Christ the stone of all stones,the model stone(cornerstone:- the one in which all others stones are shape like for building)
1PETER 2
1 Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings,2 As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:3 If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious.
4 To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, 5 Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
6 Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Zion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded.
7 Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,
8 And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.
9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should show forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light:
CONCLUSION.
Is there a link between the stone Petros- the Pebble.
The round perfect stone the weapon that past through the water, the flood.
The Petra the boulder ie Christ the Cornerstone, the model stone.
The Rock cut out without hands out of the mountain (Zion).
Armageddon the battle between truth and error?
OUR SALVATION STARTS WITH THE STONE CONTINUES WITH THE PERFECTING PROCESS ENDS WITH THE STONE, CHRIST the hope of glory.
That stone ,That weapon that destroys the image in the days of the ten kings that has power for one hour See the following
Daniel 7:24 And the ten horns out of this kingdom are ten kings that shall arise: and another shall rise after them; and he shall be diverse from the first, and he shall subdue three kings.
Revelation 17:12 And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast.
This stone is the 144,000 that comes from among God's people Zion( the mountain) Those who are sealed,first fruits ,No guile in the mouth. These are those who have transformed by the indwelling presence of the Christ the Petra, big stone ,the Corner stone .This great army of truth preachers who will meet against the error and deception at the end would have receive the out pouring without measure .Why They would have experiences the sprinkling thus prepared for the latter rain .These are represented as the angel in Rev 18:1 having great power.
- May we all be sealed and protected as though under the cleft of THE ROCKExodus 33:21. PROTECTION.
- May we all study to show our selves approve, and not be found in the shame of our nakedness with our own righteousness but standing on THE ROCK Christ Jesus. FOUNDATION.
- May we continue to let Christ chisel and mould us into the perfect stones,fashion after his image . MODEL STONE..CORNERSTONE.
- May we hold fast to the sure word of Prophecy 2Pet 1:19,So that the DAY STAR can rise in our hearts.May we also be among the wise,also call the MANY that " shall be purified, and made white, and tried" for we know the wise will uderstand. SMOOTH STONES ,THE WEAPON that brings down Israel's enemy, The Goliath giant.The image of Daniel 2 and the 10 kings of Rev17:12-14...
Perfect Peace and at such a time.
Thursday, September 30, 2010
Winds of Strife ( God Removing His protective Hand) a triple application of prophecy
1+2=3 thats all. Its that simple.
Its where you have a Biblical history repeated that is if it happens twice for sure it happens again a 3rd time.
- 2Corinthians 13:1 This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.
- 1Timothy 5:19 Against an elder receive not an accusation, but before two or three witnesses.
- Hebrews 10:28 He that despised Moses' law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
- Revelation 11:3 And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred and threescore days, clothed in sackcloth.
- Matthew 18:16 But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.
This is proven in-depth using bible history to get prophetic events that has happend or will happen soon.
A quick example is The 3 Romes.... Pagan Rome(Caesars) + Papal Rome( Papal Caesars)= Modern Rome Popes and the Vatican.
Also the 3 Elijahs . Elijah history+ John the Baptist history(Luke 1:17) = 3rd and Final Elijah Malachi4:5 ...Detailed study could be found here
Triple application in the the Winds of Strife when God remove His protective hand .
Leviticus 26:1-13 Blessings ( His Protection)
Leviticus26:13 -39 dreadful cursing(Removal of God's Protective hand) or what is known as seven times chastisement or 7x 360= 2520 time prophecy.
Note the Removal of his protective hand in Leviticus 13-39 means.
- Bloodshed would come upon them.
- Implements of economic gain removed.
- Natural disasters.
- Diseases will come upon them.
Israel was split into two the northern and the southern kingdom one 10 and one 2 tribes. God removed his protective hand from the two groups which comprise Israel.
- 2 Chronicles 33:1,2,3 Manasseh did Evil .
- 2 Chronicles 33:10 God spoke to him and his people but they did not listen.
- 2 Chronicles 33:11 God brought the Assyria upon them ( protection removed) taken into slavery.
- But he was restored after turning from his wicked ways.
- 2 Kings 17:1,2 Ahaz king of Judah other tribe did wickedly in the site of the Lord.
- 2 Kings 17:6 Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria,(Removal of God's Protective hand) and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.
- 2 Kings 17:7 For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods.
Wind 1 (War Physical violence bloodshed nation against nation and city against city)
Job 1:14 And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them:
15 And the Sabeans fell upon them , and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
Wind 2 (means of Wealth destroyed/Economic implements)
16While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
Wind 2 (means of Wealth destroyed/Economic implements)
17The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
Wind 3 (Relatives Killed Natural Disaster)18 While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:
19 And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
Where is Wind 4 ?lets look in Job2.
Wind 4 (Disease)
Job 2:7 So went Satan forth from the presence of the LORD, and smote Job with sore boils from the sole of his foot unto his crown.
8 And he took him a potsherd to scrape himself withal; and he sat down among the ashes.
(2Corinthians 13:1,1Timothy 5:19 )
History Manasseh+History of Ahaz + History of Job= can tell you when the Winds of Strife are let loose.
- The Assyrians (Babylonians/Mystery Babylon the great lead out by the Papacy) will come upon Gods people. Daniel 11:40-45 tells us this does Rev 20:4..There be bloodshed see Daniel 11:44 utterly make away many =persecution. See also Mathew 24:21, Daniel 12:1,Mark 13:19
- Implements of Economic wealth would be removed Revelation 13:17. Dan11:43.
- Natural disasters Matthew 24:29,Luke 21:11
- Disease and pestilences ( The 7 last plagues are enough to show the dreadful ness of what is to come.Revelation 21:9
But some will come out of these things like Job and some would not survive these things because of the hardness of their heart.
May God help us that are of Spiritual Israel.
Wednesday, September 29, 2010
C.S.Lewis a bridge to Rome yet Many Adventist adore him as a writer.
Note immediately below adorations and references made in one of our major periodicals "The Adventist Review".
MEGAN BRAUNER says :
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The entire article could be read here Source: http://www.adventistreview.org/article.php?id=3762
J. Saunders
--Mark Brumley, President of RC Ignatius Press
“Lewis has been credited (or blamed) in recent years with setting numerous people on the road to Rome. Such Catholic converts have included many of the serious scholars and disciples of Lewis, some of whom knew him before he died…”2
--R.A. Benthall, Professor of Literature, Ave Maria College
Clive Staples Lewis was born in Belfast, N. Ireland in 1898 to Protestant parents and, for most of his adult life, was a Tutor at Oxford and a lecturer of Medieval and Renaissance literature at Cambridge. He wrote more than thirty books, and his most popular accomplishments include The Chronicles of Narnia, The Screwtape Letters, and Mere Christianity. At age 32, through the encouragement of his devout Roman Catholic friend and colleague, J.R.R. Tolkien (The Lord of the Rings), and after reading The Everlasting Man by Roman Catholic convert, G.K. Chesterton, C.S. Lewis converted to Christianity from atheism and returned to his Anglican roots where he remained until his death in 1963. Although Lewis never converted to Roman Catholicism, inwardly he leaned towards certain of its dogmas so that his colleagues considered him to be an Anglo-Catholic.
It is obvious, by the support given C.S. Lewis today by some conservative Christians, great ignorance exists about his life and beliefs. Therefore, we have included several pertinent quotations, individually cited, gleaned from both Lewis’s own writings, and those of his official biographers and personal friends, in order to enlighten and awaken. For, it is an indisputable fact that to those who seek reconciliation with Rome, C.S. Lewis is a bridge.
“Certainly the path he had taken to ‘mere Christianity’ was very largely the Roman road along which guides such as Chesterton and Tolkien, and Patmore and Dante and Newman had led him.”3 Patmore and Dante were Roman Catholic writers. Newman was an Anglican priest who converted to Catholicism and subsequently became a Cardinal.
“After more than two decades in the [RC] Church, I have met or learned of scores of far more illustrious Catholic converts who likewise list Lewis on their spiritual resumes.”4
“When I converted [to Catholicism] in my teens, it was largely due to reading Lewis’ Screwtape Letters…G.K. Chesterton and Lewis sort of guided me into the Catholic Church, even though Lewis wasn’t a Catholic.”
In 1952, C.S. Lewis published his theological work Mere Christianity, which originally began in 1942 as a three-part BBC radio broadcast. As the title suggests, Lewis focused on the mere or common ground he felt existed in Christianity and tried to restate a theology without controversy. The result is a generic Christianity that suits anyone anywhere who can in any way relate to God. Lewis bent over backwards trying to find common ground with all denominations, omitting any doctrine that may be deemed offensive. For this reason, Tolkien disparagingly labelled his friend “Everyman’s Theologian.” Even Mormons find his writings inoffensive.
“He [Lewis] is widely quoted from tried-and-true defenders of Mormon orthodoxy. It just shows the extraordinary acceptability and the usefulness of C.S. Lewis because, of course, most of what he says is perfectly acceptable to Mormons.” 6
Mere Christianity has long been regarded a classic exposition of the Christian faith, yet oddly enough, not one Bible verse is quoted in the first half of the book and only three partial verses in the latter half with no Bible references in the entire book. How can we present Christianity without its foundation – the Word of God?
Mere Christianity is a compilation of four essays, transcripts that were sent to four clergymen to gauge their reaction with regard to its common ground.
“I tried to guard against this [putting forth his Anglican beliefs] by sending the original script of what is now Book II to four clergymen (Anglican, Methodist, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic) and asking for their criticism. The Methodist thought I had not said enough about Faith, and the Roman Catholic thought I had gone rather too far about the comparative unimportance of theories in explanation of the Atonement. Otherwise all five of us were agreed.”7
“You will not learn from me whether you ought to become an Anglican, a Methodist, a Presbyterian, or a Roman Catholic. This omission is intentional. There is no mystery about my position …the best service I could do was to explain and defend the belief that has been common to nearly all Christians at all times.”8
Regarding reunification, Lewis said that he “did at least succeed in presenting an agreed, or common, or central, or mere Christianity” and congratulated himself in having helped to bridge the “chasm” between Protestant denominations and Roman Catholicism.
“If I have not directly helped the cause of reunion, I have perhaps made it clear why we ought to be reunited.”9
“The time is always ripe for reunion. Divisions between Christians are a sin and a scandal and Christians ought at all times to be making contributions toward reunion…the result is that letters of agreement reach me from what are ordinarily regarded as the most
different kinds of Christians; for instance, I get letters from Jesuits, monks, nuns, also from Quakers and Welsh Dissenters, and so on.”10
In his quest for unity, Lewis had to muddy the waters of doctrinal distinction. For instance, in chapter 19 of his Letters to Malcolm, Lewis suggests that the Roman Catholic doctrine of transubstantiation [i.e., the bread and wine become the actual body and blood of Christ], which takes place in the Mass, might be just as valid as the Protestant view of the Lord’s Supper as a memorial.
“There are three things that spread the Christ life to us: baptism, belief, and that mysterious action which different Christians call by different names – Holy Communion, the Mass, the Lord’s Supper …anyone who professes to teach you Christian doctrine will, in fact, tell you to use all three, and that is enough for our present purpose.”11
“Next to the Blessed Sacrament itself, your neighbour is the holiest object to your senses.”12
Equating Mass [“Blessed Sacrament”] and the Lord’s Supper is not a light matter. In the 39 Articles of the Anglican Church, Article 28 describes transubstantiation accordingly: “Transubstantiation…is repugnant to the plain words of Scripture.” Article 31 describes the sacrifices of the Mass as “blasphemous fables and dangerous deceits.” Godly men and women – among whom were notable Anglicans – were burned at the stake for refusing to accept this Roman Catholic Sacrament. Lewis’s casual equation is an affront to the many who gave their lives defending the Truth of God.
Joseph Pearce, the highly acclaimed RC biographer, takes Lewis’s position on the Mass one step further in his book C.S. Lewis and the Catholic Church, and concludes that Lewis believed that the sacraments play a part in salvation. “Immediately, therefore, Lewis is excluding the Protestant doctrine of sola fide [faith alone] from the ‘merely Christian’” (Pearce 127). The Bible doctrine of justification by faith alone in Christ alone without works cannot be undervalued in its supremacy. For Lewis to deviate here and espouse the sacraments in the work of salvation is a grave matter.
In 1945, Lewis published The Great Divorce, an allegory dealing with another Roman Catholic doctrine: Purgatory. To be fair, however, he did not claim to accept the full RC doctrine of Purgatory, but rather his own aberration:
“Death should not deprive people of a second chance…Lewis frankly admitted believing in Purgatory. To him it was a place for souls already saved but in need of purifying – purging. Lewis felt that our souls demand Purgatory. Who would want to enter heaven foul and dirty? Lewis thought of the dentist’s chair. ‘I hope that when the tooth of life is drawn and I am coming round, a voice will say, ‘Rinse your mouth out with this.’ This will be Purgatory.”13
“Lewis could never accept the Roman Catholic practice of praying to the saints…however, he emphatically believed in praying for the dead. He believed that his prayers could somehow bless them. One must remember that Lewis believed in a temporary purgatory for the blessed dead as a kind of entryway to heaven.”14
“Our souls demand Purgatory, don’t they? Would it not break the heart if God said to us, ‘It is true, my son, that your breath smells and your rags drip with mud and slime, but we are charitable here and no one will upbraid you with these things, nor draw away from you. Enter into the joy?’ Should we not reply, ‘With submission, sir, and if there is no objection, I’d rather be cleaned first.’ ‘It may hurt, you know’ – ‘Even so, sir.’”15
“A further strong and enduring Anglo-Catholic influence on Lewis was his longstanding friendship with Sister Penelope of the Convent of the Community of Saint Mary the Virgin.” 16
“As Lewis approached the end of his life there is little doubt that he was continuing the ascent towards the ‘High Church’ principles of Anglo-Catholicism. There is little doubt that the ascent was caused by his assent to those truly Catholic principles that represented not mere but more Christianity (Pearce 143). Believing that he was dying, his Anglo-Catholic friends arranged for an Anglican clergyman to administer extreme unction, or the last rites, the sacrament of anointing with oil when a patient is in extremis…this can be taken as Lewis’s acceptance of the seventh and final sacrament of the Catholic Church.”17
Walter Hooper, Lewis’s personal friend and literary executor to the Lewis estate, was an Anglican clergyman until his conversion to Catholicism in 1988.18 When asked in 1994 whether Lewis would have become Catholic if he had lived longer, Hooper replied, “I think so.” Hooper added that more and more Catholics are buying his books.19
“Lewis, it seems, has been abandoned by his own church but embraced by Catholics and evangelical Protestants…Since Lewis insisted on the sacraments and Creed as being necessary parts of ‘mere Christianity’, it is clear that Protestants have to reach beyond their own beliefs if they are to embrace fully the beliefs of Lewis.”20
Contrary to the opinion of the uninformed, the Roman Catholic Church and her doctrines remain unchanged. If you did not know that, you need to read her official documents such as The Council of Trent or The New York Catechism. These and other sources are readily available on the Internet. You will read things like this:
“Whosoever shall affirm that men are justified solely by the imputation of the righteousness of Christ…let him be accursed.”21
[Regarding the “immaculate” or “sinless” conception of Mary]
“The immunity from original sin was given to Mary by a singular exemption from a universal law through the same merits of Christ, by which other men are cleansed from sin through baptism.”22
“Taken up to heaven she [Mary] did not lay aside this saving office but by her manifold intercession continues to bring us gifts of eternal salvation…Therefore, the Blessed Virgin is invoked in the Church under the titles of Advocate, Helper, Benefactress, and Mediatrix.”23
These and many other RC beliefs are the antitheses of the Word of God. Therefore, as Lewis downplayed the Mass and other Catholic doctrines in his quest for unity, he not only failed to warn Catholics of their perilous position, he rather did the cause of Truth much harm.
A final unrelated but yet disturbing fact is that Lewis did not believe in the total inerrancy of the Bible.
“Although Lewis never doubted the historicity of an account because the account was miraculous, he believed that Jonah’s whale [sic], Noah’s ark, and Job’s boils were probably inspired stories rather than factual history.”24
“The Old Testament contains fabulous elements. As to the fabulous element in the Old Testament, I very much doubt if you would be wise to chuck it out. Jonah and the Whale [sic], Noah and his Ark, are fabulous; but the court history of King David is probably as reliable as the court history of Louis XIV.”25
So why is Lewis so revered today by Evangelicals?
Considering Lewis’s evident Anglo-Catholic position and the current trend of tolerance among Evangelicals for Roman Catholicism – especially since the signing of the document Evangelicals and Catholics Together [ECT] in 1994 – it is not surprising that many Evangelicals today revere him as a foremost Christian thinker and philosopher. In an article commemorating the 100th anniversary of Lewis’ birth, J.I. Packer called him “our patron saint.” Christianity Today [Neo-Evangelical magazine] also reported that Lewis “has come to be the Aquinas, the Augustine, and the Aesop of contemporary Evangelicalism” (Sept. 7, 1998) and the “20th century’s greatest Christian apologist” (April 23, 2001). Focus on the Family made a similar claim in their November 2001 issue.
In 1993, Christianity Today suggested the reason for Lewis’s popularity among Evangelicals: “Lewis’s concentration on the main doctrines of the church [including the Roman Catholic church] coincided with evangelicals’ concern to avoid ecclesiastical separation.” Nicky Gumbel continues this ploy in his Alpha Course, where he quotes Lewis liberally. Given the theological climate of today, it is sad but not surprising.
What is surprising is that sincere, Bible-believing Christians can claim an affinity with C.S. Lewis, whose doctrine and associations are so evidently compromised. There can be only one explanation: there exists among Christians an alarming ignorance of basic Bible doctrine. Lewis himself admitted his own lack of knowledge in doctrine: “I should have been out of my depth in such waters: more in need of help myself than able to help others.”26 Also, in the preface of The Problem of Pain, Lewis confessed how ill-qualified he was to attempt this theological work: “If any real theologian reads these pages he will very easily see that they are the work of a layman and an amateur…any theologian will see easily enough what, and how little, I have read.”27 I wonder if Lewis would not cringe at his exaltation were he alive today.
Even from the early 1960’s, men like the late Dr. D. Martin Lloyd-Jones warned that Lewis had a defective view of salvation and was an opponent of the substitutionary and penal view of the atonement (Christianity Today, Dec. 20, 1963). Unfortunately, the Lewis-loyalty of some Christians overrides their willingness to admit his defective theology. Meanwhile, a whole generation has been infected, and the damage is great.
“Protestants who tend to equate Christianity with their Protestant version of it will find
in Lewis no ally. Which brings us back to Lewis and Catholicism. It is a curious phenomenon, demanding explanation, that so many people influenced by Lewis…have embraced more than ‘mere Christianity’; they have become Catholics, crediting Lewis with helping them to cross the threshold.”28
In conclusion, since the “mere” message of C.S. Lewis is able to confuse people to the extent that they actually convert to Catholicism, that in itself would suggest an urgent need for born-again Christians to wake up to the tragic reality that the Lewis message is hindering Roman Catholics from coming to Christ alone for salvation [John 14:6, Rom. 6:23, Eph. 2:8]. Even some fundamentalists are treading the same precarious ground, and the evident shift is nowhere seen more clearly than in the Christian seminaries and bookstores of our nations. Today, the market is full of writers following in the footsteps of C.S. Lewis. If Christians continue to set aside the solid foundation of the Word of God for the shifting sands of the philosophies of men, how will Roman Catholics and other needy people be rescued without the right lifeline?
Every Christian book and author needs to be measured against the yardstick of Scripture, for no matter how popular or convincing they may seem, “if they speak not according to this word, it is
because there is no light in them.”29 “If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.”30
C.H. Spurgeon wisely said, “Those who compromise with Christ’s enemies may be reckoned with them.”31 We cannot accept the peripherals when the fundamentals are in error. May God grant us discernment in these confused times.
“For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; and they shall turn away their ears from the truth…”
J. Saunders
Whitefield Christian Collegiate Institute
Toronto, Ontario
---------------------------------
1 M.Brumley, The Relevance and Challenge of C.S. Lewis, (www.ignatiusinsight.com), Nov. 29, 2005.
2 R.A. Benthall, Ave Maria College, Michigan quoted in C.S. Lewis and the Catholic Church by Joseph Pearce, Ignatius Press, 2003, p.xv.
3 J. Pearce, C.S. Lewis and the Catholic Church (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2004), p.41.
4 M. Brumley, The Relevance and Challenge of C.S. Lewis, (www.ignatiusinsight.com), Nov. 29, 2005.
5 R. Purtill, C.S. Lewis’ Case for the Christian Faith, (www.ignatusinsight.com), 2005.
6 D. LeBlanc. Mere Mormonism.(Christianity Today, Feb. 7, 2000).
7 C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell, 1982), p. 11.
8 Ibid., pp.6-7.
9 Ibid., p.12.
10 C.S. Lewis, The Grand Miracle, and Other Selected Essays on Theology and Ethics from God in the Dock, (Random House, 1970), p. 35.
11 C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, (New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell, 1982), pp. 108-09.
12 C.S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory (London: HarperCollins, 1977), pp.109.
13 K. Lindskoog, C.S. Lewis: Mere Christian, 4th ed., (Chicago: Cornerstone Press, 1997), p. 105.
14 Ibid., p.135 (based on Lewis’s Letters to Malcolm, London: Collins, p. 15, 107-110).
15 C.S. Lewis, Letters of Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer. (New York: Harcourt, 1963), pp.108-9.
16 J. Pearce, C.S. Lewis and the Catholic Church (San Francisco: Ignatius Press, 2004), p. 132.
17 Ibid., p.147.
18 Ibid., p.167.
19 Ibid., p.167.
20 Ibid., p.168.
26 C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity (New Jersey: Fleming H. Revell, 1982), p.7.
27 C.S. Lewis, The Problem of Pain (San Francisco: HarperCollins,1996), p.xii.
28 M.Brumley, The Relevance and Challenge of C.S. Lewis, (www.ignatiusinsight.com), Nov. 29, 2005.
21 Council of Trent, Section 6(www.enwikipedia.org/wiki/Council ).
22 Catholic Encyclopedia (www.newadvent.org).
23 Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 969 (www.vatican.va/archive/catechism.htm ).
24 K.Lindskoog, C.S. Lewis: Mere Christian, 4th ed., (Chicago: Cornerstone Press, 1997), p. 199.
25 C.S. Lewis, The Grand Miracle, (New York: Random House, 1970), p. 32.
29 Isaiah 8:20
30 Galatians 1:9
31 C.H. Spurgeon, Faith’s Checkbook (Chicago: Moody Press), June 12 entry.
32 II Timothy 4:3-4
Thursday, September 23, 2010
The Papacy is preparing.. Are you?
The Pope’s latest encyclical can read like an ideological bombshell. However, when we study papal history with its obsession for global power, it is not so shocking. The Pa-pacy has an agenda for the United Nations, economic institutions, and international fi-nance organizations. The Pope has called for the crafting of a new governmental body above these groups and intends that the new body be equipped with enforcement power on a startling scale. Much more sobering is the detailed body of Roman Catholic social doctrine on which the encyclical is built and which the Papacy is in the process of insti-tuting secularly. These documents need to be analyzed and rejected before nations and peoples unwittingly concede both temporal and religious control to the Vatican. We have outlined the heart of the major tactics found in the body of Roman Catholic social doctrine, which includes the Pope’s latest encyclical. Our article is called; “The Pope’s Plans on Organizing Political, Economic, and Religious Activities Worldwide.” We consider this to be one of the more important analyzes we have done. I ask therefore that you forward the article to many Christians who need to take heed. I request also, if possible, that you post it on your Website or blog. The article is below.
Trusting in the Lord’s grace and mighty power,
Richard Bennett
The Pope’s Plans on Organizing
Political, Economic and Religious Activities Worldwide
By Richard Bennett
On June 29, 2009, Pope Benedict XVI published a new encyclical entitled “Caritas in Veritate (Charity in Truth).”1 After a list of Roman Catholic people to whom the document is ad-dressed, it inclusively states, “and [to] all people of good will.” The Pope’s audience is to be not only the adherents of the Church of Rome, but also all those who claim to believe that jus-tice, integrity, and love are the ethical foundations of human wellbeing. Thus to induce others into his line of thinking, the Pope includes leaders and followers of every religious creed, social dogma, economic and political persuasion. Many who purport to be Evangelical are already actively endorsing Papal Rome. For example, a Presbyterian conference to be held January 2010 is to offer “insight into some of the factors involved in Protestants converting to the Ro-man Church” and a study of the influence of the Vatican Council II in order to learn from the Roman Catholic communities.2 One of fifty books offered on the Internet explains how you can accept Roman Catholicism. It states, “If you are of a Baptist or Evangelical persuasion … get an understanding of how Catholicism corrects and fulfills many of the strands of theology.”3 Thus the Papacy moves ahead with strategic dialogue for enlisting every civil regime and all major religious establishments worldwide
The Pope’s latest encyclical does not stand alone. Rather it is only the most recent ad-dition to the corpus of Roman Catholic social doctrine. Catholic social doctrine, a tool of the Papacy, has been and is being carefully honed and directed toward gaining both spiritual and temporal control over all nations.
Historically the Papacy has been obsessed with world control. It could not and did not arise until after the power of the Imperial Roman Empire had disintegrated. The horrendous persecutions of Bible believers in earlier centuries did not cause them to give up their faith but instead created turmoil within the authority structure of the Imperial Roman Empire. Conse-quently, the Emperor Constantine in 313AD declared Christianity to be the official state relig-ion. This gave Christians legitimate status within the Imperial Empire. Accordingly, Constan-tine organized the newly designated official religion under four districts, very much as was his military. Thus he replaced the biblical structure of the church with a new military style struc-ture. In the fifth century, as the Imperial Roman Empire destabilized, the bishops of the realm, particularly the Bishop of Rome, were called on for advice. Gradually through this setting they gained legal authority in the civil arena. In the sixth century the Emperor Justinian sought the use the “Christian” state church as a stabilizing force to thwart the disintegration of the Imperial Roman Empire, which had been established and held together by military might. Justinian’s edict in 538 AD proclaimed the bishop of Rome “the Head of all the holy churches.”4 Thus he declared the Bishop of Rome head of the state church over all four districts of the Imperial Ro-man Empire. By 800 AD, however, the shoe was on the other foot when the Pope as religious leader of the Holy Roman Empire crowned Charlemagne as its Emperor.
It was Hildebrand, Pope Gregory VII, in the eleventh century who nailed down the legal power base of papal canon law so that it became incorporated into Western civilization in the legal system. Through Hildebrand’s claim of divine authority for his teaching, the Papacy in the succeeding centuries was able to surpass the kings and princes with whom it fought for su-preme authority in the Holy Roman Empire. It was through Popes Innocent III and Boniface VIII that Hildebrand’s strategy was fully implemented throughout the Holy Roman Empire. Innocent III’s contribution was principally to turn the Crusades from being used against Islam to being used against those whom the Papacy termed “heretics.” The Roman Catholic Church as part of the civil state had the authority to define and teach the Christian faith. Therefore, what ever the Papacy called heresy was a civil offense, and civil authority could be used to enforce conformity to the state religion. Thus the infamous Inquisition began in 1203 against the pros-perous Bible believing Albigenses.5 The Inquisition, the Papacy’s bloody tool for enforcing submission to its dictates by both kings and common people, lasted over 600 years across Europe. Upwards of fifty million people were tortured and killed, their goods and lands confis-cated to the Papal treasury.6 Nobody was exempt.
The beginnings of the breakup of the Holy Roman Empire manifested in the sixteenth century and seemed complete at the end of the eighteenth century. The power of the Papacy with its enforcer, the Inquisition, was broken by the recovery of the Bible and the true biblical Gospel, which were the power of the Reformation of the sixteenth century. Apparent final de-mise of the Holy Roman Empire and the Inquisition occurred when Napoleon’s army entered the Vatican and removed Pope Pius VI from his throne. With that, the destruction of the Holy Roman Empire per se was complete, for the Papacy had lost the last vestige of its basis as a civil power. The Papacy at that point had neither military might nor civil authority infrastruc-ture by which to enforce its rule through its Inquisitors.
Current Papal Progress towards Moral and Judicial Authority
The kind of world government Pope Benedict XVI is seeking to advance is one over which the Papacy would again sit as moral and judicial authority. It is to be a one-world civil body com-posed of member nations, all of whom are equal in status and power. Over the civil body of member nations is to be a political governing body which in turn will enforce through civil law the ideas of Catholic social doctrine. While papal plans for accomplishing this agenda are still being formulated, much of their strategy and practice is already at work in the world.
First, the Roman Catholic Church still claims that its popes, who sit in the Chair of Pe-ter, are each in his time “the Vicar of Christ.”7 As such he claims the right and the duty to judge everybody and every institution of whatever kind and magnitude. In present day canon law, Canon 1405 states that it is the right of the Pope to judge those in highest civil offices.8 Canon 333, Sect. 3 states, “There is neither repeal nor recourse against a decision or decree of the Roman Pontiff.” Pope Pius XI’s encyclical “Quadragesimo Anno,” is part of the corpus of Roman Catholic social doctrine. It states “[T]hat principle which Leo XIII so clearly estab-lished must be laid down at the outset here, namely, that there resides in Us [the Papacy] the right and duty to pronounce with supreme authority upon social and economic matters.”9 These documents, and many others, state emphatically that the modern day Papacy has right and duty to pronounce with supreme authority upon social and economic matte
Second, the papal plan will require a new social order as defined by the corpus of Ro-man Catholic social doctrine. The new social order does not apply to the Papacy itself, which is claimed to be divinely instituted, or in their terminology “from above.” It does apply to all peo-ples, all lay Roman Catholics, all civil and secular structures. These all are designated as tem-poral, or “from below.” This distinction is absolutely primary to the Papacy.
The new social structure will include every human person of the temporal realm. In his latest encyclical Benedict, citing Pope Paul VI, states, “authentic human development concerns the whole of the person in every single dimension.”10 And, “The truth of development consists in its completeness: if it does not involve the whole man and every man, it is not true [authen-tic]…development.”11 What many true Bible believers may not understand is that “the whole man and every man” in the temporal realm will be required to conform to the goals of the world administration devised by the Popes of Rome and enforced by the nation states and the govern-ing body superior to them.
The Conformity that will be Mandatory
In order to implement this agenda, the Compendium of [Roman] Catholic Social Doctrine has already spelled out some of the necessary compliances. For example, nobody will be allowed to refrain from cooperating in “the common good.” “The common good” is officially defined as follows,
“The principle of the common good, to which every aspect of social life must be related if it is to attain its fullest meaning, stems from the dignity, unity and equality of all people…the common good indicates ‘the sum total of social conditions which allow people, either as groups or as individuals, to reach their fulfilment more fully and more easily…The common good, in fact, can be understood as the social and community dimension of the moral good.”12
Benedict’s encyclical makes much of requiring freedom for the individual “human person” and for the Papacy. This is totally a ploy as there is no freedom allowed for anyone in the temporal realm. Thus Compendium states, “The common good therefore involves all members of soci-ety, no one [in the temporal realm] is exempt from cooperating, according to each one’s possibilities, in attaining it and developing it.”13 Further, all private property and goods are to be subject to papal ruling on whether it is being used for “the common good.” The Compen-dium, of which this latest papal encyclical is a part, states the position to which Benedict holds. Its directive is the following,
“Putting the principal of the universal destination of goods into concrete practice…means that methods, limits and objects must be precisely defined…If it is true that everyone is born with the right to use the goods of the earth, it is likewise true that, in order to ensure that this right is exercised in an equitable and orderly fashion, regulated interventions are necessary, interventions that are the result of national and international agreements, and a juridical order that adjudicates and specifies the exercise of this right.” 14
While this is astonishing, the directives become worse, the Compendium states,
“Christian [i.e., Roman Catholic] tradition has never recognized the right to private property as absolute and untouchable: ‘On the contrary, it has always understood this right within the broader context of the right common to all to use the goods of the whole of creation: the right to private property is subordinated to the right to common use, to the fact that goods are meant for everyone.” 15
The idea that “goods are meant for everyone” is a principal that inspired Marxism and has been practiced in all the communist regimes of the Soviet Union, North Korea, China, Yugoslavia, Cuba, Hungary, etc. The Compendium continues,
“The Church’s social teaching moreover calls for recognition of the social function of any form of private ownership that clearly refers to its necessary relation to the common good….The universal destination of goods entails obligations on how goods are to be used by their legitimate owners…From this there arises the duty on the part of owners not to let the goods in their possession go idle and to channel them to productive activity, even entrusting them to others who are desirous and capable of putting them to use in produc-tion. 16
“New technological and scientific knowledge must be placed at the service of mankind’s primary needs, gradually increasing humanity’s common patrimony. Putting the principle of the universal destination of goods into full effect therefore requires action at the interna-tional level and planned programmes on the part of all countries.”17
Whatever papal Rome teaches on economics, re-distribution of wealth, and social justice, it does so even while seated as a primary player in international industry and banking. Being in-ternational itself, the Papacy wants increasing influence on an international level.
Clearly Roman Catholic social doctrine envisions neither a communist nor a welfare state because it holds that all goods, including private property, are to be at the service of civil authorities. These authorities will direct how, when, and by whom all goods are to be used. Further, the Papacy understands that people do not come easily or willingly to accept govern-mental authority over the use of their privately owned goods. But it is expected that over time,
therefore, are not the legitimate concern of civil government. Rather, they are the legitimate concern of individuals and of the church.
In his latest encyclical, however, the Pope makes use of the concept of “subsidiarity,” a concept which does not apply to the Papacy. He writes,
“A particular manifestation of charity and a guiding criterion for fraternal cooperation be-tween believers and non-believers is undoubtedly the principle of subsidiarity an expression of inalienable human freedom. Subsidiarity is first and foremost a form of assistance to the human person via the autonomy of intermediate bodies. Such assistance is offered when individuals or groups are unable to accomplish something on their own, and it is always de-signed to achieve their emancipation, because it fosters freedom and participation through assumption of responsibility. Subsidiarity respects personal dignity by recognizing in the person a subject who is always capable of giving something to others.” 24
The Pope gives the impression that the Papacy itself accepts and lives by the principle of sub-sidiarity. In its official teaching and practice it does no such thing. Regarding individual per-sons and the basic rights of families, the Papacy claims and exercises its power. It claims to have absolute authority over families in its legislation over marriage, even its validity and un-making.25 In its present Code of Canon Law, Canon 1671 states, “Marriage cases of the bap-tized belong to the ecclesiastical judge by the proper right.” In Canon 1142 the Pope legislates, “For a just cause, the Roman Pontiff can dissolve a non-consummated marriage between bap-tized persons or between a baptized party and a non-baptized party at the request of both parties or of one of them, even if the other party is unwilling.” These are just two of the more than one hundred ten canon laws that Church of Rome legislates on family life for Catholics around the world.26 Thus the Pope’s statement concerning subsidiarity and “inalienable human freedom” is simply a ruse and strategy to conceal his true intentions. In a similar way while speaking of the sovereignty of governments, the Papacy claims authority over nations across the world. Pope Benedict, in speaking of the principle of subsidiarity, uses it to fashion a façade under which he operates to capture power over families and nations. Thus the Pope with many long sentences of many words attempts to entice authorities worldwide to institute the Vatican’s policies.
The thrust of the latest encyclical is to promote the “reform” of the United Nations, economic institutions and international finance so that a newly established authority will be able legally to enforce papal social doctrine among nations that belong to this world body.
this is what is being articulated in its Section 67, “In the face of the unrelenting growth of global interdependence, there is a strongly felt need…for a reform of the United Nations Organization, and likewise of economic institu-tions and international finance, so that the concept of the family of nations can acquire real teeth…Such an authority would need to be regulated by law, to observe consistently the principles of subsidiarity and solidarity, to seek to establish the common good, and to make a commitment to securing authentic integral human development inspired by the values of charity in truth. Furthermore, such an authority would need to be universally recognized and to be vested with the effective power to ensure security for all, regard for justice, and respect for rights. Obviously it would have to have the authority to ensure compliance with its decisions from all parties, and also with the coordinated measures adopted in various in-ternational forums…The integral development of peoples and international coopera-tion…also require the construction of a social order that at last conforms to the moral order, to the interconnection between moral and social spheres, and to the link between politics and the economic and civil spheres as envisage by the charter of the United Nations.
The papal call for reforming the United Nations, economic institutions and international finance under a new universal authority has come a little over a century since the public advent of the new Roman Catholic social doctrine. Strong nations still have to be leveled to be economically equal with the third world nations. Capitalists still abound and stand in the way of redistribu-tion of their goods. National governments throughout world continue to be regulated by inter-nal laws and accountability measures. As such, they are not so quick to give over their national sovereignty. Thus the Papacy wants a world civil authority that is able “to ensure compliance with its decisions from all parties.” It means that the Papacy, in spite of all its talk of peace, understands red-letter perfect the necessity of a new universal civil authority that possesses co-ercive powers to enforce effectively its decisions on every nation. Finally, it is the Pope, as the purported “Vicar of Christ”, and his Vatican that will declare what is the correct “interconnec-tion between moral and social spheres.” Regarding politics, economics and civil governments of all levels – or the temporal sphere – the new universal temporal authority will enforce these papal declarations. Section 67 of the latest encyclical, when placed in the context of the corpus of Roman Catholic social doctrine, shows that the Papacy is very much obsessed with gaining the power to have all of the world under its control
“Pincer Tactic”
The Papacy is engaged in applying a classic pincer tactic of squeezing from the top and the bot-tom to capture its objective. It is employing both the civil governments, as shown above, and the Catholic lay faithful to achieve its objective. The Pope as the “supreme t
he Roman Catholic Church has decreed the following for its lay people.
“In the tasks of evangelization, that is to say, of teaching, catechesis and formation that the church social doctrine inspires,It is addressed to every Christian (i.e. Catholic).
“This social doctrine implies as well responsibilities regarding the building, organization and functioning of society, that is to say, political, economic and administrative obligations — obligations of a secular nature — which belong to the lay faithful, not to priests or reli-gious. These responsibilities belong to the laity in a distinctive manner, by reason of the secular condition of their state of life, and of the secular nature of their vocation.
By fulfill-ing these responsibilities, the lay faithful put the
and thus fulfil the Church’s secular mission.” 28
“Testimony to Christ's charity, through works of justice, peace and development [as defined by Roman Catholic social doctrine]… form the basis for the missionary aspect of the Church's social doctrine, which is an essential element of evangelization.
The Church's social doctrine proclaims and bears witness to faith [in the Roman Catholic church 29 . It is an instrument and an indespensable setting for formation in faith.30
The Papacy has put real teeth into its dictates on this issue: “Insofar as it is part of the Church's moral teaching, the Church's social doctrine has the same dignity and authority as her moral teaching. It is authentic Magisterium, which obligates the faithful to adhere to it.”31 The duty of all lay Catholics to evangelize by teaching and implementing Roman Catholic social doctrine everywhere in secular society is obligatory on pain of excommunication. This means that the Papacy has a dependable fifth column in every nation where Catholics are found.
The Papacy’s vision is this: it claims the divine right to organize the whole human race by whatever means necessary to participate in its “divine vision” because “Man's earthly activ-ity, when inspired and sustained by charity, contributes to the building of the universal city of God, which is the goal of the history of the human family. In an increasingly globalized soci-ety, the common good and the effort to obtain it cannot fail to assume the dimensions of the whole human family, that is to say, the community of peoples and nations, in such a way as to shape the earthly city in unity and peace, rendering it to some degree an anticipation and a pre-figuration of the undivided city of God.”32
Conclusion
To organize “the community of peoples and nations, in such a way as to shape the earthly city” is to work to implement a terrible snare. The Lord Jesus clearly proclaimed, “My kingdom is not of this world.”33 The Lord fulfilled all righteousness in respect to fearing God and fulfilling His law. Plainly, the kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ is heavenly, not a “globalized society” on earth. True believers in the Lord Jesus Christ live in the world as He did. They are in the world, but they not of the world. In contrast, the kingdom of the Pope of Rome is very much of this world. Papal Rome binds men in political, economic and religious activities. Papal pro-nouncements documented here can only be understood in the light of the Pontiff’s continued plans for world government. His presupposition is that the kingdom of God already exists in the Roman Catholic Church. This is consistent with his teaching in his new Catechism, “The [Roman Catholic] Church is the seed and beginning of this kingdom. Its keys are entrusted to Peter.”34 His documented statements are an affront to the Lord Jesus Christ in His work of re-demption. Likewise they are an affront to the Holy Spirit in His ministry of convincing the world of sin, righteousness and judgment. The Apostle Paul wrote under the direction of the Holy Spirit, “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighte-ousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.”35 Who can bear with the devouring fire of God’s everlasting wrath? The good news is that personal faith and salvation are also from His hand, “Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Savior, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.”36 The Scripture proclaims, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” The Lord Himself declared, “He that believeth, and is baptized, shall be saved; he that believeth not shall be damned.” The Lord will always be mer-ciful to those who turn to Him in faith for the remission of sins. He clearly said, “Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest to your souls.”
Before the all-holy God, according to the Bible, an individual is saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. Following on this, all glory and praise is to God alone! ♦
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1 www.vatican.va7/.../encyclicals/.../hf_ben-xvi_enc_20090629_caritas-in-veritate_en.html
2 www.auburnavenue.org/pastorsconference/index.html
3 www.amazon.com/gp/richpub/.../3MNVUE0HW2NSR
4 LeRoy Edwin Froom, The Prophetic Faith of Our Fathers, 4 vols. R & H 1950, 1978) Vol. I, p. 511-513
5 See our DVD on the Inquisition on: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rx8PdvOELvY
6 John Dowling, The History of Romanism (Vance Publications 2002, 1845) Bk. 8, Ch.1, pp. 542, 543
7 Catechism of the Catholic Church (1994), Para. 882
8 Code of Canon Law, Latin-English ed. (Wash. DC: Canon Law Society of America, 1983). All canons are taken from this source unless otherwise stated.
9 Encyclical “Quadragesimo Anno,” Pius XI, May 15, 1931, Para. 41 Emphasis not in original.
10 “Charity in Truth”, Sect. 11
11 “Charity in Truth”, Sect. 18
12 Compendium of the Social Doctrine of the [Roman Catholic] Church, Sect. 164 On line at: www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/
13 Compendium, Sect. 167 Throughout this paper, emphasis in original is marked by underlining. This paper’s emphasis is marked by bolding.
14 Compendium, Sect. 173
15 Compendium Sect. 177
16 Compendium Sect. 178
17 Compendium Sect. 179
18 Compendium, Sect. 191 Emphasis in original
19 Pope John Paul II, Address to the General Assembly of the United Nations, 5 October 1995 http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/speeches/1995/october/documents/hf_jp-ii_spe_05101995_address-to-uno_en.html 10/3/09
20 Compendium, Sect. 160.
21 Timothy 3:4-5; II Peter 1:5-8; Proverbs 16:32
22 Psalm 101; II Ephesians 6:1-4; 1 Timothy 3-4-5
23 Romans 13:1-4; I Peter 2:13-14 It is God’s prerogative to make His laws bind conscience so that men, “render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.” Mark 12:17.
24 “Charity in Truth”, Sect. 57
25 Pope Leo XIII’ decree in The Christian Faith in the Doctrinal Documents of the Catholic Church, Ne-uner, J., and Dupuis, J., eds. (Cork: The Mercier Press, 1967) Para. 1821
26 So comprehensive are these laws that they are organized into chapters. Canons 1055 – 1165:
27 “Charity in Truth”, Sec
28Compendium Sect. 83
29 Catechism, Para. 168, 169, 181 30 “Charity in Truth”, Sect. 15. See also “Justice in the World,” World Synod of Catholic Bishops, 1971, Sect 58 “The liturgy, which we preside over and which is the heart of the Church's life, can greatly serve education for justice…The liturgy of the word, catechesis and the celebration of the sacraments have the power to help us to discover the teaching of the prophets, the Lord and the Apostles on the subject of jus-tice. The preparation for baptism is the beginning of the formation of the Christian conscience. The Eucharist forms the community and places it at the service of people.” http://catholicsocialservices.org.au/print/49 10/8/09
31 Compendium, Sect. 80
32 “Charity in Truth”, Sect. 7
33 John 18:36
34 Catechism, Para. 567.
35 Romans 1:18.
36 Acts 5:31.