With Love and Kindness? Part 2 of 3

“Love and kindness” and “thou shall not judge”, has become two of the most famous buzz phrases in an overly permissive society.  The use of these phrases has caused the true Christian message to be  dumb-down and to adhere to the guidelines established by the government pertaining to hate messages.  The condemnation of sin is controversial and is considered hate speech, as God and sin become relative.  The admonition of Paul in 2 Timothy 4:2  is quickly cast aside and the contextual nature of the scripture is often overlooked in favor of presenting a gospel that is not controversial.

A Gospel that is non confrontational is more capable of providing for the bottom line of the organized church.  It ascribed to the scripture that says, “let both grow together until the harvest…”  The proliferation of the organized church has left many struggling for a message that embraces all to come together and enjoy the entertainment aspect of Christianity.

As we engage each other in this holiday season, there is a constant reminder of the of the message God gave in Jeremiah 31:3 to the prophet concerning the Children of Israel, and I reiterate, this message was to Jeremiah concerning the Children of Israel.  God’s message was, it was with love and kindness that he had drawn them.  One of the interesting aspects of this proclamation is that God is saying when you were slaves under the guardianship of the Egyptian rulers; I extended to you my love and kindness.  I allowed you to grow and flourish, and when you became a nation, I delivered you.  He is saying, the hardship you endured was a test to see if you could and help you survive as the children of God and fulfilling his purpose of subduing and establishing an earthly kingdom.

Now if we shape it and twist it, stumbling over the Ages and Dispensation, claiming the children of Israel is the church or the world, we create certain anomalies within the scripture that cannot be sustained through Bible research, the application of the Knowledge of God or just plain common sense.  In the beginning God demonstrated his love for man by creating him in his own image and bestowing upon him the gift of freedom of choice.  It is a biblical fact that man’s first encounter with the devil resulting in the abuse of this great gift.   The freedom of choice infused with the knowledge of good and evil paved the way for the justification of sin in todays society.  It became easy to say God will not punish me because he love me.  Because God often spoke of his love and kindness the fear of God has been tempered.

The message of love and kindness have become the gospel of love and kindness because it embraces man in his sinful nature.  God loves me, therefore I am blessed is a misnomer that has invaded the church and the world outside of the church.  God knows and understand, if I sin, he will forgive me because he loves me.  If this is true, then what was the purpose of Jesus suffering and dying on the cross? 

Christianity has always existed as a religion that sought to condemn the evilness of the world. Within the last one hundred years the knowledge of good and evil has grown expeditiously and the fear of God has decreased.  God, Christianity and the Bible are subjected to modern day interpretations.  There is no hesitation to speak out against the one God concept, rearrange the scripture and even use the scripture to justify sin.  If the scripture  is used to condemn, then love and kindness take center stage, and it is backed up with Matthew 7:1  Judge not, that ye be not judged.  If that is the case, how do we reconcile this? 2 Timothy 4:2  Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine. Ephesians 5:11  And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them. 

This command of judging refers to the rash, censorious, and unjust judgment. See Roman 2:1. Luke 6:37 explains it in the sense of condemning.  Christ does not condemn judging as a magistrate, for that, when, according to justice, is lawful and necessary. Nor does he condemn our forming an opinion of the conduct of others, for it is impossible not to form an opinion of conduct that we know to be evil. But what he refers to is a habit of forming a judgment hastily, harshly, and without an allowance for every palliating circumstance, and of expressing such an opinion harshly and unnecessarily when formed. It rather refers to private judgment than judicial, and perhaps primarily to the habits of the scribes and Pharisees whom he was addressing.

That Christ does not here forbid judicial judging by the civil magistrate, nor ecclesiastical judging by the church governors, whose office gives them authority so to do. 2 Timothy 4:2.  Nor does he forbid one Christian to pass a judgment on the notorious actions of another, seeing the duty of reproof cannot be performed without it; but it is such a rash and censorious judging our brother, as is void of love towards him, as is accompanied with contempt of him, especially if we have been guilty of the same or greater sins before him.  John 7:24  Judge not according to the appearance, but judge righteous judgment.

The application of God’s love as expressed in the ancient days was much different from what we perceive to be an expression of his love today.  Many of us growing up in the early sixties knew our parent loved us, yet they would punish us harshly for our wrong doing.  Many times our idea of suffering was nothing but the performance of a job that need to be done.  God loved Joseph, but he was allowed to suffer and endure hardship to prepare him for a task that he had been selected to perform.  God loved Moses, but first Moses had to endure the hardship of a good soldier.   Even so, God often spoke of his love for the seed of Abaraham, yet they were to linger in slavery and their journey to freedom was not without punishment, because they fail to obey their creator.

Many ethnic groups or nations have served in the servitude of another group or nation, rather than the acceptance of the struggle as stepping stones, their hearts have become hard and the price that has been paid by those who pave the way has been desecrated.  The Children of Israel were guilty of the same desecration.  It began soon after their deliverance, when they began to wish they had remained in Egypt, then they began to question God because of their suffering.   They even began to question God as to the reason for their suffering.  Because of their questioning and disrespect for God, they were scattered among the nations.

After the Gospel of grace was extended to all mankind, suffering became a necessary and productive element to prepare a person or group to reign.  The suffering that we are encouraged to endure in no ways detract from the love and kindness of the father.  If it were not for the love of the Father, we would have long been destroyed.  We have created a God who is helping us and carrying us through the storm, but in reality Jesus is standing at the finish line with his hands outstretched saying, “if you can endure, I will give you a crown of life.”

With Love and Kindness? Part 1 of 3

During a 2014 international church convention, a ranking Bishop spoke somewhat graphically concerning the sins of humanity. He was preaching against the gay movement that had openly presented itself as an integral part of the church convention. His sermon was streamed live over the internet and was subject to world scrutiny. Some said his sermon addressed the subject in a despairing manner. A media storm erupted and other ministers and convention attendee began distancing themselves from him. His sermon was classified as a message of hate. He should have known those who had chosen an alternate lifestyle under the sanction of the government, are protected from hate speech. 

He was chastised for not following the precepts of the scripture that say, "with love and kindness have I drawn them". A search of the scripture for support was found in Jeremiah 31:3 The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with loving kindness have I drawn thee. This is a conversation between Jeremiah and God in reference to his chosen people, the Children of Israel, who was in line to receive a harsh punish from God. God often sent his prophets to a city or people to predict doom and destruction, but because of his love for his creation he often gave them a chance to repent. This scripture is taken out of the context of which it was spoken, transported across dispensations, applied to the church and used by the Devil to suppress the criticism of sin in any form. A full reading of the chapter would show that this was not God’s intent.

With the implementation of the Faith Based initiatives and the acceptance of funding from the government many religious denominations have opted to allow the federal government to define and set guidelines for issues that once was considered religious in nature or controversial. Issues such as, when do life began, what is the definition of family, marriage and even the definition of hate, These are just a few of the questions that the government has been allowed to answer. The answer to these questions is not based upon the knowledge of God rather they are based upon the knowledge of good and evil. As we have shown in another post, there is a difference between the knowledge of God and the knowledge of good and evil. The government's answer to these questions are not without the infringed upon the rights of certain individuals or groups and the religious community.

Hate speech is speech that offends, threatens, or insults groups, based on race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or other traits. The application and enforcement of this rule, though somewhat ambiguous, can only be achieved through the infringement upon the constitutional rights of others. Hate in any form cannot be eradicated by the enacting or enforcement of laws. When a law is enacted or enforced to control a type of hatred, the end result is the suppression and intensification of the act itself, which become a ticking time bomb. If you doubt the veracity of this statement, tune in to the six o clock news, open the newspaper or simply take a look around your community. 

Often we speak of racism, a condition of the heart, as if laws can eradicate this created blight. Racism, the illegitimate child of hate, came into existence when the knowledge of good and evil preformed an unholy act.  It sought to control the emotion of a person's heart by taking from one and giving to another in the name of justice. Racism and hatred is without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, or other traits. It exists within the home, community and the church.  Racism possesses a dual personality or polarity the same as electricity.  To exist, it must infect or rely upon an opposite, opposing hosts. Racism feeds on racism, yet it is controllable, one must be willing to turn the switch off.

The spiritual church that is supposed to exist within our heart and serve a purpose within the home and community is overshadowed by the organized church that exist as an earthly entity. Many leaders of these fine organized churches have opted for money, fame or glory and is operating as well paid motivational speakers, they have become guilty of manipulating and perverting the word of God. The church never was about making money or lording over God's people. The church was a refuge from the storm. The church is suppose to help us be ready as we prepare for the coming of the bridegroom. The question that should be addressed is, do we believe in God, or are we just play acting? 

There is a failure or disconnect between the organized church and the emerging generation. The church, the Bible and even the God of Abraham no longer hold the sacred place that they once enjoyed. The fault is not the new translations that are emerging, it is the different interpretation of the Word of God that is causing confusion in the community of faith. It is easy to see why those who are, "of the world", as Jesus would say, find it hard to believe the message of the church today.

Why has the Church erased the true gospel that saves perfectly from sin, and in its place, created another gospel without any power at all? The gospel and God have been transformed into a money making machine. Making money to provide for one's well being and salvation is two separate entities that exist on two extremely different planes, one is natural and the other is spiritual and should never be combined. When we combine the natural with the spiritual we are committing spiritual fornication. 

There are obliviously many flaws in our interpretation and application of the Holy scriptures, especially when we refuse to follow certain guidelines. The Holy Scriptures are not a systematic treatise on Theology, History, Science or any other topic. The scriptures are a revelation from God of His Plan and Purpose down through the Ages, separated by dispensations, as pertaining to the earth and the human race. They were given to us piecemeal "at sundry times and in divers manners." Heb 1:1. Holy men of God spake, and wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit during a period of 1604 years, extending from B. C. 1492 to A. D. 100. The book of Genesis tells how the creative works of God began, Revelation tells us how all of this is going to end. 

There are two ages spoken of in the Holy scripture, before "Time" the "Alpha" or "Creatie Ages," and after "Time" the "Omega," or "Ages of the ages." In "Time" there are three "Ages" and eight "Dispensations." The "Ages" are 1. The Antediluvian Age. 2. The Present Age. 3 The Age Of Ages. The "Third Age" is a "Dual Age," composed of the "Millennial Age" and the "Perfect Age."

The "Dispensations" are, 1. The Edenic, 2. The Antediluvian, 3. The Postdiluvian, 4. The Patriarchal, 5. The Legal, 6. The Ecclesiastical, 7. The Messianic, 8. The Dispensation Of The "Fulness Of Time".

The difference between an "Age" and a "Dispensation" is, that an "Age" stands for a period between two great physical changes in the earth's surface, while a "Dispensation" stands for a "moral" or "probationary" period in the world's history. For illustration, the "Present Age" began with "The Flood," and ends with the return of Christ to the Mount of Olives. "The Flood" caused such physical and climatic changes that the length of human life was reduced from 900 to 100 years; all this will be reversed when Christ comes back, when the whole contour of the Land of Palestine will be changed (Zec 14:4-10; Eze 47:1-12), and men shall live again for upwards of 1000 years. Isa 65:20. 

The Dispensations are probationary periods, in each one the form of "Administration" is different and progressive in each "Dispensation." For illustration, the Administration of the "Legal Dispensation" was that of "LAW," of the "Present Dispensation" is "GRACE," and of the one to follow is "RIGHTEOUSNESS." 

Now in simpler form here is where the problem began. To combine the Dispensation of the Law and the Dispensation of Grace is to deny the purpose of Christ's suffering and dying. When we take the Old Testament and the New Testament and combine them together without regard to Age and Dispensation we end up with a polluted mess that can neither be sustained through the Word of God, the Knowledge of God or common sense. When we search the scripture searching for a word or phrase to validate a point, we are guilty of shaping the word of God. The Bible becomes a tool for manipulating the emotions of those who are clinging to a dubious indoctrination. 

To understand the Word of God, we should consider, who is talking, who is being spoken to and what the conversation is about. Now Matthew 4:4 comes into play, "But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God." If the phrase "live by', means "do everything", then we have placed ourselves in an untenable position. Many who claim to have achieved this standard often find themselves amiss in the face of the many commands given by God in the Old Testament. In a letter to Timothy, Paul explained it this way. 2 Timothy 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:

The content of our posting for the next few weeks will be based upon what constitute Love and Kindness. The message of the churches is changing to reflect a more loving and kinder message. The fear of God has long been cast aside and judgement is a thing that is rarely spoken of. When Jesus met the Gentile woman at the well he referred to her as a dog. Matthew 15:25-27 Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children's bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table. It is undeniable that the Jews referred to the Gentiles as dogs

Isaiah 56:10 His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. Isaiah 56:11 Yea, they are greedy dogs which can never have enough, and they are shepherds that cannot understand: they all look to their own way, every one for his gain, from his quarter. Revelation 22:15 For without are dogs, and sorcerers, and whoremongers, and murderers, and idolaters, and whosoever loveth and maketh a lie.

The governments of our great nation in cooperation with many of our organized churches has decreed that to threaten a person with hell fire and destruction constitute hate speech. To preach against deviant sexual orientations is hate speech and is to be avoided. 

Revelation 19:20 And the beast was taken, and with him the false prophet that wrought miracles before him, with which he deceived them that had received the mark of the beast, and them that worshipped his image. These both were cast alive into a lake of fire burning with brimstone. Revelation 20:14-15 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

With Love and Kindness, Continued

The Justification Of Sin

We live in a self defining culture where the concept of sin has become entangled in a legalistic argument over what is right and what is wrong.  The true concept of God can no longer be injected into a legal argument because the burden of proof cannot be met.  Christianity is struggling in the hands of the devious to come to a conscious on what is right and wrong based upon subjective (man) morality rather than objective (God) morality.  In our political correct society it has become necessary to redefine sin as it applies to all of mankind. A philosopher of some sort has stated, "Right is that which is formed within a person's mind, that brings peace to his inner longing."  Thus the rule of, "If it feel good, do it", has become one of the standards of determining right and wrong.  A rather risque  and dangerous way to begin a search for right and wrong.  

In a culture that is infused with the knowledge of good and evil rather than the knowledge of God, there are two moralities at play, objective and subjective.   Objective morality recognizes God as the decider of right and wrong.  Subjective morality gives man the final authority as to what is right or wrong and it conclusions are derived from the knowledge of good and evil.  Thus, with feigned and ambiguous words the learned philosophers have set the rules of debate.  The objective morality verses The subjective morality debate is really a Christianity verses Atheist debate in disguise.  To engage in a meaningful debate, both sides must respect each other position, but Christianity has never been a religion that respected the position of the ungodly and Atheist will never respect the values of Christianity.   

Proverbs 14:12  There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.  The objective morals that were promoted by the Western societies are being replaced by a subjective morality, Christian values are replaced by political correct values.  The organized churches are adopting  a message of peaceful coexistence rather than confrontation.  It is conceivable that if Jesus or Paul were to preach a message in today's modern church they would be harshly chastised.  Imagine John the Baptist standing in the pulpit of a marvelous and richly endowed church screaming, "Oh ye generation of vipers, who has warned you to flee from the wrath of God."

Among Christians, the concept of sin flows from the ideas of inherent human sinfulness, the original sin of Adam and that one's subjective moral or natural inclinations must be categorically classed as evil. Genesis 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.  This was God's assessment of the man who had partaken of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.  This knowledge was so powerful that soon after he attained it, he overstepped his bounds and began to challenge God.  A restraining order was enacted in that God confused the languages, but in time the man overcame that and within the last one hundred years his knowledge has increased substantially.


The problem with deciding the sin question is that the moral principles that Christians often claim to be "objective" or of God usually coincide with what they "feel" subjectively to be true. This could be explained as the, "Spirit within us concept", but religious indoctrination also plays an important role here.  When pressed to provide justification, the person in question can be led to believe through skillful manipulation that its concept of morality or God might not be objective, and the question of sin becomes a test or a question of belief.  This question of belief might consequently grow and cause doubt or hysterical as the subjective basis of their arguments are revealed.  Without proper support many are led astray.

The debate as to what is right and what is wrong can continue to the "N" degree, but the true question is, "Do we believe in God?"  If the answer is an unequivocal  "Yes", and without doubt, the question of sin is settled.   In every field of human endeavors there will always be the good and the bad, the right and the wrong, we live and we die.  There are those who will openly deny the existence of God, and there are those who have redefined God according to their own standards.  If we refuse to accept God as the Supreme Being, the Bible as the history of God interaction with his creation that tells how all of this began and how it will end, then we have nothing to add to the equation of life.   Our existence is merely a perverse form self-gratification. 

When many of us consider the sin question we think of violations of the Ten Commandments.  Even then, we tend to think of murder and adultery as "major" sins compared with lying, cursing, or idolatry.  The writer here is using the law as a guide.  Under the law, certain sins carried a death penalty.  1 John 5:17  All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death.  Paul, however, puts this in perspective in Romans 3:20, when he says, "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in His sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin." A dichotomy is at work and a decision must be rendered.  To be conscious of sin, we become aware of the feeling derived from sinning, therefore our reaction to sin is based upon how it makes us feel. 

The road to the justification of sin began with allowing our emotions to play a role in determining what is a sin an what is not.  If we believe in God, then the Word of God should be the determining factor. Paul explained what happens when we remove the knowledge of God from our thought process.  Romans 1:28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; Feeling good is subjective morality, it allows us to justify sin. 

God wanted us to recognize our sins. Even those who have not murdered or committed adultery will find themselves convicted of lying, or of worshipping false idols like wealth or power ahead of God. We have created new idols.  The worship of the ancient golden calf has returned in a new and ruthless disguise. It exists in the form of  in the idolatry of money and in the dictatorship of an impersonal economy within the organized church whose worship services are lacking a true spiritual purpose other that to stimulate or excite the mass.  

What is sin?  If you believe in God, this should be a no-brainer. Some things are wrong, some things are right, simply because God says so and He knows. But if you do not  believe in God to become involved in a legalistic argument over what is right and what is wrong is pointless.  This is an argument can never be resolved.  In Psalms 53:1, David speaks to a group of none believers.  To the chief Musician upon Mahalath, Maschil, A Psalm of David.  "The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good."  David said the "fool", that word is edited out of the modern text, is a person that says there is no God.  This can be achieved through words or deeds. 

The organized church has allowed itself to be drawn into an arena of contradictions and lies.  Vain promises are made in the name of God and God is not responding to these requests.  The respect that should be given to God, the church and Christianity is quickly fading.  Many churches are becoming nothing more than a place of entertainment as a new and suggestive beat invades what once was a sacred worship service.  A play on the emotions is taking center stage and the spirit of God is defined as nothing but an emotional expression. 

Men and women of dubious stature are demanding that they become respected as messengers of God when their message is tainted with subjective moralities. Leaders who practice to deceive are amassing fortunes selling a shaped message and goods designed to make the listener feel good, while they skillfully massage the sinful nature of humanity.  Whenever  there is a discussion that involves religion, Christians are forced to mount a defense that is quickly silenced based upon objective morality and political correctness. Luke 18:8  I tell you that he will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless when the Son of man cometh, shall he find faith on the earth?  Jesus even foresaw a time when mankind would not endure sound doctrine.

The justification of sin under the guidelines of the government has already taken place, and one by one the organized church are being drawn in.  In a society based upon subjective morality, the people represented by the government reserve the right to define such things as, when does life began, the definition of marriage and even how one is separated from sin.  In exchange for funds churches are organized and are required to issue human rights statements that adhere to the standards set forth by the government. While the church and many minority groups danced in the street and proclaim it to be the works of God, The Human rights act of 1964 sets the stage for a direct attack on God's authority and the church said, "Amen". 

Listening carefully to the message of the Bishop as he chooses his words carefully in his attempt  to justify the position of the church and  reconcile  the difference in opinions among his constituents.  A church that once was noted for its message of, "It's Holiness or Hell", dumbed down its rhetoric in the face of adversaries and now proclaim, "God loves all of us."  A deviant interpretation of John 3:16.  This occurs when we surgically remove one verse from the supporting conversation or scripture and present it as a complete thought. From that same verse many teach that we are not to condemn those who walk in darkness.  John 3:18-19  He 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. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.

The Exposition Of A Failed Church, Substitution Part #5

There are many of us who hold the opinion that the future of humanity as we know it is at risk because our system of values has become corrupt and the world as we know it is suffering from moral bankruptcy.  America, a nation that was founded upon the claim that God had shed its grace on it, seems to have lost its way and become adrift in a sea of confusion guided by the clammy hands of political correctness. America, that nation that once chooses to challenge the status quo and had the audacity to proclaim itself one nation under God, has ripped apart the moral fibers of its collective consciousness and now proclaims itself a nation of many gods, cultures and beliefs.   The only consensus is the indoctrination of "In God we trust" has failed.

Many organized churches accepted the offer of money and joined hands with this state to create a new form of godliness.  Together they performed a subliminal act of substitution and introduced the masses to a new found freedom from an ancient and sometimes tyrannical God.  The substitution of one God, for another, was better than having no God at all.  If man  exists without a God, then he exists without purpose.  A deity based upon loving and caring for his creation was much better than the concept of an angry God who demanded service and worship, then punished those who fail to obey him.  The children of Israel were desirous of a personal relationship with their God, but they became accustomed to a God who spoke thru a limited number of anointed vessels.  The purpose of this arrangement was to protect the purity of the message of God. The organized church would provide the platform for a greater number of people to speak in the name of God.

The church that was ordained by Jesus Christ has undergone many strange transformations  since the day of conception.  The church that was never supposed to be a business has evolved into a big business that even imposes taxes upon all of its members.  The church’s path leading from a medieval society to a modern society is littered with ideas that were fostered by men who processed the knowledge of good and evil, rather than the knowledge of God. Men whose ideas were to rule over God’s people rather than serve.  Many of ideas took on a life of their own and came to fruition as a new denomination or a new concept, while others suffering from a lack of acceptance were replaced or substituted. 

  

In a world whose focus is worldly gain and instant gratification, stars and superstars are created.  Star status is awarded based on the ability to provide those services.  Many multi-levels marketing organization, promising financial gains has been proven to be nothing but a scheme designed to extract money from the bottom levels, the poor and working class and channel it to the top layers.    Many churches follow the same path and there is always a promise that God is about to bless someone.  On the internet, prominent men of the Gospel post pictures of money and make dubious promises in the name of our heavenly Father. God's favors are traded for "Likes" and by typing the word "Amen".  Exodus 20:7  Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.

Motivational speakers have learned to enhance their talents by endorsing a type of religion that appeals to the masses.  Consider this, a young man lacking an extensive educational background, can make millions of dollars in the sports arena.   A motivational speaker can make millions of dollars twisting and shaping the words of Jesus, and minister’s are learning to live comfortably in the churches where they have set themselves up as the authority of the Word of God.   There is something inherently wrong with this picture.

The church as an organized body was and is a failure.  The seven letters to the church in the book of Revelation began with a letter to a church on the road to failure and ends with a letter to a church that represented the  total failure, the total apostasy of the organized church.    There is a prevailing belief that these seven churches represent seven church ages from the day of conception to the day Christ return for its true church. Such a belief some say  is speculative at best. True, we cannot prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that the seven churches represent seven church ages. One could just as well argue that the seven churches are seven organizations or “branches” of the true church at the time of the end. But that, too, would be speculative.  A better argument would be to prove that they are dated,  irreverent and of no value to the church of today, the same as we do with most of the Bible as we proclaim we are living by every word of God.

Consider this timeline of Revelation 2-3; and the dated events of history.
The Church in Ephesus: Apostolic Church (A.D. 33–100)
The Church in Smyrna: Era of Persecution Under the Ten Caesars (A.D. 100–312)
The Church in Pergamum: Era of Church-State Union (A.D. 312–590)
The Church in Thyatira: Era Spanning the Middle Ages (A.D. 590–1517)
The Church in Sardis: Protestant Reformation (A.D. 1517–1750)
The Church in Philadelphia: Era of Revival and Great Awakening (A.D. 1750–1925)
The Church in Laodicea: Era of “Higher Criticism” (A.D. 1900–Tribulation)

In his letter to The Church in Ephesus, Jesus condemns the church for walking away from its first love.  It is not hard to imagine what their first love was, it was men and women of different nationalities and different languages coming together to hear the gospel.   The Holy Spirit was there to provide the interpretation through the gift of "tongues".  When the church became organized as a natural body, it becomes segregated in form.   As a spiritual entity that existed within humanity's heart, there was no type of segregation, Peter preached against this.   But as a natural body, the church is divided as pertaining to race and denominations.  Most prevalent today is the black churches and the white churches.    If one were to strive to understand the difference, it would be easy to conclude that there is a black God and the is a white God. The worst sernado would be to try to consider how all of this is going to play out in the Kingdom of God.

Let's go off point for a moment. It is often stated that the church superseded the Jews.  Once this claim has been sustained through scripture manipulation, the entire Bible is referenced to reflect the journey of the church.  The blessings and promises made to Abraham is now transferred to the church and the church is transformed from a spiritual body into a natural body, the sellable assets of the organized church are blessings and miracles.   Members are invited to plant a seed and watch their blessing grow. 

If the church were to exist as a spiritual body, then domination of the church would fail.  The devil cannot prevail against the church as a spiritual body.  In 1 Corinthians 10:32, Paul referenced three separate entities, “Give none offense, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God.”  This should put to rest the  question of the church replacing the Jews.  As often stated the church, a spiritual body, represented as the bride of Christ.   The Jews, an earthly body chosen by God as his bride, whom he divorced, but will be given another chance.  This will be manifested in the judgment of the Jews. 

The judgment of the Jews is as follows.  The Jews in their misery will call upon the Lord. Zec 12:10. Then Christ will come back to the Mount of Olives (Zec 14:4) and the Jews will look upon Him whom they "pierced" (Zec 12:10), and a nation, the Jewish Nation, shall be "born (converted) in a day." Isa 66:8. This will complete the judgment of the Jews.

God’s anger peaked when he gave Israel,  his bride, his chosen people a bill of divorcement.  Jeremiah 3:8  And I saw, when for all the causes whereby backsliding Israel committed adultery I had put her away, and given her a bill of divorce; yet her treacherous sister Judah (western civilization)  feared not, but went and played the harlot also.  The church is the bride of Christ, a virgin bride, and its purpose is defined in the Holy Scripture.  God spoke through his prophets concerning the final consummation of things, then God was silent until the fulfillment of time, then his Son came forth, not to broker a peace treaty or to pave a road to prosperity, but a plan of salvation.  

The Grace brought by Jesus through the works of the cross did not turn God into a fun loving God, but a God who is storing up his wrath until the works of Grace is complete. Revelation 15:7  And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever.  

Now I  have introduced an idea or concept of a god that is not politically correct, nor is it in the best interest of promoting a loving God.   The Old Testament depicted a God that was prone to bouts of angry and long periods of silence.  The Old Testament introduced us to a God that actively  participated in killing sprees.  The New Testament introduced us to the Son of God who extolled the virtues of love.  To overcome the obstacles presented in the Old Testament and to make God more user-friendly it became necessary to deconstruct and reconstruct God in a fashion that is compatible with today's standards.   This is a form of modern day crucifixion.

When I see what is taking place today in the name of the Lord, I am overcome by the words of that  old Negro spiritual;  Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble.

Were you there when they crucified my Lord?

The Exposition Of A Failed Church, Domination Part #4

It has been the intent of the Devil to dominate the church from the day it was conceived, the same as it was his plan to dominate man the day he was created.  For reasons we shall not delve into, he chose Eve to put his infamous plan of divide and conquer into action.  The church was formed as a spiritual entity that existed within the heart, thus creating a strange paradox.  If the Devil were to enter the secret chambers of the heart in search of the church, the church could not be found.  Thus Jesus, speaking of the spiritual church, proclaimed that the gates of Hell would not be able to stand against the church.  To circumvent this proclamation and to achieve it ends, the Devil realized the necessity of recreating the church or assembly as a natural, organized and most importantly a corruptible body.

The road to the domination of a church or the church as an organized earthly body began with false claims being made in the name of God.  Like the rock star of the sixties who proclaimed that, “God is dead”, church leaders began to preface their message with, “God spoke to me.”  In the face of such stunning proclamation there were no questioning the validity of the message, as the church marched down the wide road of emotional bliss.  New doctrines emerge and new leaders are lifted up the same as the Children of Israel lifted up the golden calf.  The ancient end time prophecies of Daniel and Revelation is cast aside as men of piety with impressive titles before and after their name debated the relevancy of God in a modern society.  As the new day dawns, humanity embraces a new and politically correct deity

The spirituality of the church as an organized body has changed as the natural elements of life is being embraced.  The message of salvation has changed into a message of deliverance.  God is portrayed as delivering his people from all types of  adversities.   The promise of healing, deliverance and financial blessings are used by the unscrupulous to draw people into a cult type relationship.   Often our eagerness to hear God speak causes us to step outside of the sheepfold and our ears to become attuned to the voice of the Devil.   Maybe the message should be, “God has already spoken.” 

Now, it is not acceptable to speak of false claims  being made  in God name because the God of our salvation is capable of performing any and all acts.  God is redistributing wealth, buying cars and providing all of the basic necessities of life.  The acceptances of this conclusion, allow us to depend on God for deliverance in every situation.  Daniel was able to say in  Daniel 3:17,  “If it be so, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out of thine hand, O king.”  Yet, Paul wrote to all of the saints in Christ Jesus which was at Philippi, in Philippians 1:29, “ For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake;.”  Paul, whose life was a true example of suffering was writing and offer consolation to the church who was enduring persecution.  2 Timothy 2:3  Thou therefore endure hardness, as a good soldier of Jesus Christ.  2 Timothy 3:12  Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution. 

The Church in Pergamum depicts the Era of Church-State Union (A.D. 312–590).  It denotes a visible church that began to organize itself under guidelines set forth by the State.  State acceptance and control of the church was now becoming a reality.  Jesus frowned on this type of organized church that was formed by those who desired to be leaders of the church.  Revelation 2:14-15  But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumbling-block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication. So hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate.

Who was Balaam and what was his claim to fame in the Word of God?  Numbers 22-23 detail the story of a man of God, whose focus was on the money. In  2 Peter 2:15 Peter spoke of the leaders, “ Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness;” Jude 1:11  Woe unto them! For they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core. 

Many leaders claimed to have the knowledge of Christ, but their motives are contrary to the teaching of Christ.  False claims became an indisputable road to power in an earthly organized church.  This is necessary because the church as a spiritual body offered no earthly enhancements of life.  Jesus often spoke of the suffering one must endure to follow him.  False claims or twisted the Word of God to deceive is a concept that has been in practice from the beginning of time.  In the garden the Devil convinces the created that they could be like the creator by explaining what God meant.  Imagine a church whose message was to prepare its members to suffer, with all of the suffering going on in the world, people would run from the church.

In the early days of the church the people came together, without any preconceived idea or notion of a blessing, their purpose was to search the scripture in hope of obtaining everlasting life.  Whether they worked as a successful fisherman or had great wealth, they were attuned to the fact that I know I am going to leave this place and leave all of this behind.  Jesus posed the question in Matthew 16:26  “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?”  Their joy and emotional stimulate was derived from remembering and reflecting on the promises that Jesus made.  John 14:2  In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.  John 3:16  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.  Galatians 6:8  For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption; but he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting.

John 16:13  Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will show you things to come.  In this age when God is silent and Jesus after being rejected, returned to the right hand of his father, The only thing that is standing between mankind and judgment in this final age and dispensation is the Holy Spirit within the heart of humanity, pleading and struggling to bring mankind into the way of truth.  If you were to read the Bible as the unfolding history of God’s interaction with his creation, allowing the Holy Spirit to guide you into the way of truth, this would be the inspired conclusion.  If it is your desire to establish a conduit of control and manipulation then you will overlook ages and dispensations and use the Word of God to create a cure all for the common ills of humanity.  In doing so, we create a sellable product, we also create an impotent god whose power is derived from those who are blinded by the glitter.  The same as we create “stars” whose value is of an irreverent nature, whose purpose is to entertain.  Entertainment is a sellable product and the visible church has now become dominated by entertainers.

Visualize a church without walls, a church without denominational restrictions.  Visualize a church whose sole purpose is the spiritual enlightenment and empowerment of its members.   The church that Jesus founded was never intended to rule over by a man, even Jesus referred to himself as being a servant.  What the church has become was what the spiritual church was never intended to be.  If the question was asked, what is the church?  The researched and studied answer should be, the church is a spiritual body, referred to as the bride of Christ.  Many noted theologians refer to the church as been purchased by the blood of Christ, therefore it is infallible.  This is the grand ideology as Jesus spoke of the gates of Hell not being able to stand against the church, but there is a “but” included here for Jesus himself condemned what the church had become and issued threats against the visible corruptible church

Is the church of today a conduit to salvation?  This is a question that screams for an answer if the church wishes to regain its relevancy.   In today’s political correct society, the question cannot be truthfully answered because the answer would be based upon  denominational affiliations.

Next

The Exposition Of A Failed Church, Substitution. Part #5

The Exposition Of A Failed Church, Pagan Worship Part #3B

There is a specter of witchcraft and voodoo hanging heavily over many church worship services as pastors and worship leaders strive to replicate the powers manifested by Jesus Christ and his apostles.  The use of God’s name in rituals that have no spiritual edification has become commonplace.  God is often introduced in the social media, making vain promises to award money and special favors to those who type “Amen”.  I got a message from God that says your prayer is about to be answered, is a familiar ploy designed to elevate the status of the speaker.  It usually evokes an emotional response equivalent to the home team scoring a touchdown.   Reminiscent of the day when  the minister began his message to a crowd of fifty or more listeners with,  “God said there is somebody in here with a headache…” Exodus 20:7  Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.  Somewhere in all of this a grain of common sense was missing.

Many church leaders are traveling to third world countries and are attempting to commune with Pagan deities in search of the familiar powers.  Church and worship leaders are engaging in rituals and dances that exposes the fabric of the soul to the dark influences of the world.  Paul warned the church in Ephesians 6:12, For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. What began as an experiment with chicken blood and chicken parts have morphed into an elaborate scheme of mind control that is being played out through a process of indoctrination, cute clichés and misquoting the scripture.  

Ceding from the position of offering spiritual guidance to a spiritual body, the new church of today has taken on the role of a Provocateur of Pagan or earthly values, offering earthy richness, and emotional edification of the flesh in exchange for money, and Jesus is left standing at the door knocking. 

The Christian life is and always been a warfare against sin, Satan, the world, and the flesh.  The Gospel teaches us that we must never yield to our spiritual enemies.   Jesus promise to the spiritual church in Revelation 2:10 was, “… be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life”.  There is nothing in that statement that says I will give you a big bank account.  As Christians, if we are faithful unto death, we shall have a glorious triumph and reward. All who persevere, shall derive from Christ, as the Tree of life, perfection and confirmation in holiness and happiness, not in the earthly paradise, but in the heavenly.  The Gospel of the Kingdom never was intended to deliver one from the suffering of this world, but to minister to those who chose to suffer to follow Christ.  The questions that the Christ asks today is, “do you love me?  Will you suffer for me? Will you die for me?”

The Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Gospel of the Kingdom is often made of none effect by the desire of those who wish to be a wonder or a superstar.  Many are  making spurious promises in the name of God.  From the pages of social media to the alter of the church, God is making promises to fix situations, to heal sick bodies and to fight battles for us.  The promise of healing and blessings is used to promote our earthly agenda.  The earthly promises that were made to an earthly people (Jews) are now being transferred to a spiritual body (the church), creating contradictions in the Word of God.  With hungry hands uplifted to God, we beg for the blessing of Abraham. 

What was it that caused the church as depicted in the Book of Revelation 2:3 to abandon its position?   Jesus said it began with the church losing its first love.  "… And you have perseverance and have endured for My name's sake, and have not grown weary. But I have this against you, that you have left your first love.  'Therefore remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you and will remove your lamp stand out of its place-- unless you repent.…"  What was the church’s first love?   Was the church promoting a love affair of earthly goods? 

The church’s love for the bridegroom had declined.  The church’s love for spiritual things had declined.  The church was warned that it  must be grieved and ashamed for its sinful declining, and humbly confess it faults in the sight of God. The church must endeavor to recover their first zeal, tenderness, and seriousness, and must pray as earnestly, and watch as diligently, as did when it first began its Christian journey.  If the presence of Christ's grace and Spirit is slighted in the least bit, we should expect the presence of Christ’s  displeasure.   

The early sixties saw the rebirth of Paganism in the United States as a religion.  The sixties also  herald the birth of a new type of consciousness that was described in song as the dawning of the age  of Aquarius.  The Age of Aquarius, an astrological term denoting either the current or forthcoming astrological age, depending on the method of calculation.  An age when mankind takes control of the earth and its own destiny, as  its rightful heritage. As such, mankind will become the "Son of God"  Jesus or Christianity was no longer promoted as the only way, they were characterized as one of many ways, by those whom we had lifted up. 

One of the keywords of Aquarius is "enlightenment". The destiny of mankind in the Age of Aquarius is the revelation of truth and the expansion of consciousness.  These also are the attributes of Paganism made possible through the  proliferation of the forbidden knowledge of good and evil.  Paganism is no longer a loosely constructed group or ideology.  As a religion, it is a way of life and it affords all of the protections that other religions are entitled to under the constitution of the United States.

How can this be in a God fearing country such as the United States?  How could a country that prided itself in being, one nation under God, fall so far from grace?  How can the God of our salvation be cast about and discarded so easily?  It's really not a hard question to answer when we consider that it began in our school systems where the young minds are shaped.  A slow erosion of Christian values replaced by a Pagan view of the heavens and the earth, this left the church in an untenable position.  Many church leaders were not prepared or even qualified to stand against the onslaught of this Pagan knowledge and found themselves changing to accommodate the viewpoints of this younger generation.  It was a necessary act to increase the body count and sustain the cash flow of a failing organization.

The United States, was once considered a Christian nation until it was forced to acknowledge the sins of its past.  In an overt attempt of self correction, new laws were enacted, but not without forethought and extensive planning.  The church, sided with the minority population, using the world as a stage was instrumental in chastising the government.  The church along with other groups had presented itself as entities that needed to be punished and brought under the control of the government. 

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 enacted July 2, 1964 was considered to be a landmark piece of civil rights legislation in the United States.  In the simplest terms, it outlawed discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.   In churches across the nation this piece of legislation was hailed as a blessing from God, diverse and ethnic groups joined hands and danced in the street at the awakening of a new day for America.  Like the rat who only see the cheese while anticipating the feast, the subliminal control was never noticed until the trap sprung shut.  In less than forty years, Christianity a two thousand year old religion was downgraded from the true religion to just one of many religions, and the church is being brought under the control of the government. 

President George W Bush's first executive order created the Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives in the White House. This action expanded on the "Charitable Choice" provision, passed as part of President Clinton's 1996 welfare reform bill, that allowed smaller and more overtly religious groups or churches to receive government funding for providing social services.  There are many varied definitions of religion which allow for the inclusion of all types of belief structures, thus Christianity is but one of many religions.   In 2003, faith-based social services grants is said to have totaled more than $1.17 billion dollars. Critics of the government’s action, including some evangelical Christians warned that it will lead to the entanglement and endangerment of the church.  Jesus frowned on this type of relationship.  

The warnings proved to be especially foresighted. It soon came to light that under Bush, promises of faith-based money were being dangled in front of religious communities in return for political support.  Throughout the bible, this type of relationship is called, “playing the whore.”  In 2002 and 2004, staffers from the White House faith-based office appeared at rallies alongside GOP candidates, implying to voters that the best way to get faith-based grants was to support the GOP.  Faith-based grants were also used to silence critics of the program.  A well known TV preacher was an early opponent of the initiative, asserting that churches would become dependent on government aid, which would become “like a narcotic.” He stopped voicing these concerns, after his charity was given a $1.5 million grant.

Faith-based grants forces the church to operate as a business, and when a business receive funds from the federal government it must operate according to the mandates of the federal government.  Under The Civil Rights Act of 1964 the government has gained control of  the message of many mainstream churches.  Marriage, a Christian institution is now being defined by the government.  Church conventions or meetings that once were held for spiritual empowerment, now give space to teach budding ministers how to get money from the government. After decades of chipping away at the facade of, In God We Trust”,  first the schools, then the courts, the president of the United States was finally able to go on national television and declare to the world, “America is no longer a Christian nation”, and the church said, Amen. `

In the book of Revelation we have the symbol of seven golden lamps, signifying the Church in its completeness and perfection here upon the earth. The true Church is perfect, and without spot or wrinkle.  Not the local assembly, the visible church, but the invisible Church as described in Ephesians 5.  So the “seven golden lamps” symbolize the Church in its perfect estate. The seven Asiatic lamps have long since been removed according to the divine threat (Revelation 2:5). And a similar judgment is about to overtake the professing church as a whole (Romans 11:22). Where are the lampstands of gold today? This should be a solemn and a searching question for the church on earth today. 

The Exposition Of A Failed Church., Pagan Worship , Part #3-A

The influence of Paganism in church worship services is that elephant in the room that modern day Christians have learned to ignore.  If we were to look closely at the parallels brought out in this discussion, we would be forced to admit, Paganism is playing a role in modern day worship services.  Voodoo and witchcraft has reemerged and is given a seat at the table of respectability, they are now being introduced as the power of God.   These processes can either be studied more closely or they can be cast aside as nothing more than the irrelevant rant of an ambiguous old man. 

Christians have a long history of being dogmatic, legalistic, and often misusing, mis-locating and misquoting the Scriptures when striving to validate various points. Any question concerning the influence of Paganism in the modern church often digresses into a discussion of Saturday versus Sunday worship services or Christmas and the Easter rabbit.  It is almost impossible to discuss the subject from a biblical viewpoint without somebody disagreeing. Each person tends to think of himself or his group as being properly balanced, but the truth is, people of different denominations draw lines in different places, based upon their knowledge or lack of knowledge, thus adding to the overall confusion of Christianity.   This level of confusion allowed the Devil to invade the church and install elements of Pagan worship that is acceptable to many, but contrary to the word of God.

Paganism embraces the concept of multiple gods, which is contrary to the Word of God who said, “I am God and there is none other”.   Existing first as a non religion, Paganism prided itself on being in tune with the heaven and the earth.  The god of the sun and the god of the moon being the dominant gods, but there were gods of war and gods of peace.  The days of the week were named after pagan gods, or they originated from pagan cultures.  The first day of the week was named to honor the god of the sun, whereas Monday was named to honor the moon god, Tuesday derived its name from the war god, (*Tīwaz (“Tyr, god of war”) + *dagaz (“day”). In the ancient days, no god fearing Pagan would dare go to war or even enter into marriage without first vainly invoking the blessing of their war god or the god of fertility. 

Exodus 20:7  Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain.  It seems as if God is saying do not use my name in settings that do not modify my spirituality.  Thou shall not use the name of God in vain worship of men or money.  Matthew 15:9  But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.  John 4:23-24  But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.

Much of the argument that consumes the religious community has already been settled by the scripture, yet it seems to be in the best interest of the religious community to keep these arguments alive.   Controversy and confusion, allow those who are seeking power and control to expand their own group.  For instance, the confusion that exists concerning the application of the Law could be put in the proper perspective by reading Galatians 3:24-25, “Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.”  It is often to the advantage of many to argue the evidence away. Proverbs 4:7  Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding.

One of the most astonishing attempts in the Bible to merge Pagan practices into the worship of God took place while Moses was up on the mountain receiving God’s laws.  Moses spent forty days (Exodus 24:18) up on the mountain communing with God, and by the end of that time, the people were beginning to think Moses had died or left them. The people urged Aaron, a leader that was chosen by God, to make a god for them to follow. Their Egyptian upbringing had fostered a false concept of a god that required a visual representation. This was the result of their confused thinking, tainted by the influences of growing up in a Pagan society.  Rather than being a strong leader and standing firm against the will of the people, Aaron gave in.  He took their gold earrings, which they had brought from Egypt, and melted them down to make a golden idol.   (He took their money and made an idol out of it.) The idol he crafted for them was a calf, but Aaron maintained the name of the Lord in connection with it (Exodus 32:5).

A new level of understanding could be open up by reading and rereading the action of Aaron and the people of God.  What was it that Aaron did wrong?  Lets make several simple observations  and agree to discuss them in detail later.  He took the people gold and fashioned a golden calf, then he lifted it up before the people.  He maintained or claimed that this calf represented the Lord that brought them out of the land of Egypt.  He used a natural object to modify a spiritual God, this allowed the people to have a natural and emotional experience with their god.  He used the name of the Lord in this obscene practice, and by doing so he felt he could justify his actions.   God had already spoken in Exodus 20:4, and said, “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:”

Aaron and the people were merging the pagan practices they were familiar with and the worship of the God they were just beginning to be re-acquainted with. Aaron, I repeat for the sakes of reiteration, at the risk of being redundant,  was a man chosen by God,  called the people together and lied to them, he told them that the golden calf was the god that delivered them from Egypt. If there were any doubters of the action of Aaron or the people, a proclamation of this nature was enough to win them over.  Aaron also proved to be envious of Moses position.  The people offered sacrifices and then engaged in rituals, to worship this new god image.  The Pagan rituals that they were familiar with being, meditation, chanting or singing, drumming, myth- and storytelling, ritual drama, dance, and other acts of emotional ecstasy.

Exodus 32:17-19  And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp. And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear.  And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses' anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount.

2 Timothy 3:1-9  This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, Without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce, despisers of those that are better,  Traitors, heady, high-minded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God; Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away. For of this sort are they which creep into houses, and lead captive silly women laden with sins, led away with divers lusts, Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.  Now, as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so do these also resist the truth: men of corrupt minds, reprobate concerning the faith.  But they shall proceed no further: for their folly shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs also was.

Within the last few decades, there has been many strange occurrences within the household of faith that has been touted as the power or spirit of God.  The use of snakes in a worship service is nothing new, but encouraging members to get down on their knees and eat grass, while another sent his parishioners throughout the church in search of angel feathers and angel dust introduces a new level of confusion and disbelief.  In many church worship services, members are encouraged to throw money on the altar at the foot of the preacher, a practice I first observed in a strip club in my younger days.  Positions and entourages are created within the church that places the pastor, praise leaders or others in a lifted up position that demands honor and respect Church and pastor’s anniversaries have taken on a life of their own and the driving force behind salvation is money.  Are we guilty of creating a golden calf?

Most Christian messages are geared around convincing the listeners to give more money with a promise that God is going to return their gift one hundred fold.  Those on the outside looking in often come to the unsustainable conclusion that from a financial perspective the sinner is poor and the Christians are rich. 

It has been said that music is capable of soothing the savage beast.  Music can be relaxing or it can be stimulating.  In the church often music is viewed as a means to facilitate an encounter with God; it will move us closer to God. In this schema, music becomes a means of mediation between God and man. But is this idea closer to ecstatic pagan practices than in Christian worship?  1 Timothy 2:5  For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;  Some churches embrace the use of musical instruments, while some churches refrain.   According to Paul, Wine is good, but in the hands of a fool it is a mockery. 

Often the discussion of pagan worship is centered around what day those who was involved in pagan worship set aside to worship their god or the rituals they used to edify the group.  Admittedly, there is a divide within the household of faith on the day of worship or even the celebration of certain holidays.  Christmas and Easter usually rank high on the list of pagan influenced holidays.  New and modern day studies seeks to destroy the traditions of the past, thus creating a vacuum that is quickly filled by warring spirits.  This divide is further amplified by the desire to include selective elements of the Jewish law into the Christian worship. (Galatians 3:23-25).  

To Be Continued