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Gary Hill

Professor Bill Carnagey

BBS Christian Issues 1

22 July 2013

6,313

Christian Issues 1

When I first saw this issue without reading the study

material, I became excited that I could write about Ecclesiology.

After all, the field of Ecclesiology has multiple issues that are

likened to leaves on a tree. The real problem lies well below the

ground, rarely seen or discussed. The leaf issues, in my

analogy, are turning ones back on God (apostasy), immoral

behavior, abortion, aberrant theologies, declining attendance,

and a lack of the evidence of the Spirit of God in the church.

Let me right off state, I do not take this issue lightly or

condemn anyone or anything trying to appear spiritually superior.

I do not have any and do not intend to acquire any in the near or

far future.

Christian Issues Today – Lack of Knowledge

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The church used to be high on the hill of ethics and was the

honorable light to the country that could affect the wayward

sinner to their knees. Today, without the movement of the Holy

Spirit in the services, most churches do not even create traffic

congestion on Sunday mornings. The number one issue for any

organization, church or individual, is when they defiantly thumb

their nose at God. For the individual, this is extremely

dangerous because most Christians live life outside the

protection of God’s guidance. The result of this Christians life

is failure, disappointment and frustration.

The reasons for this are many. Paradigm changing

scriptures, if we get tired enough of failing God’s tests, to

read and study, will literally revolutionize ones Christian walk.

For example for me it is scripture like this, “Your word is a

lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” (NKJV Psalm 119:105)

God states that He will light ones feet and the road ahead if we

will explore the Word of God and use it in each walk. What does

this mean? In the beginning, the biggest issue had to be the

lack of motivation to understand and spread the Word of God to

specific situations.

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There is a book of the Old Testament that parallels in so

many ways the United States. The book of Hosea says, “My people

are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected

knowledge, I also will reject you from being a priest for Me;

because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will

forget your children.” (Hosea 4.6) There is so much deep meaning

in this one scripture. For one, a lack of knowledge will destroy.

In the physical world, touch a power line without a ground. Walk

out into an expressway with a disregard for fast moving cars. In

the spiritual world, just as real are the encounters of the

unknown and unseen world. I do not want to kick a dead horse, but

when are we going to start to realize this, “For we do not

wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities,

against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age,

against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”

(Ephesians 6.12)

Without a firm foundation in the Bible, and knowledge in the

effectively use of the Word, a Christian is not different from

anyone in the world. Secondly, because many Bible colleges and

universities have abandoned the Word of God as a basis on which

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to teach, most preachers and teachers stumble down the wrong path

because of a lack of understanding of the Word of God on their

own. Replacement and Inclusion Theologies are the result of an

aberrant hermeneutic and misinterpretation of a few scriptures

while ignoring many others. The students who are attending these

schools have not been taught the truth by their parents, nor the

churches they attended. Next, they attend a school teaching a

watered down allegoric interpretation of the Word of God.

Graduating, they instill a watered down allegoric version of the

Word of God to pew sitters whom themselves are unaware. Can one

begin to see how the church is in the mess it is? These preachers

and teachers, forbidden by God as being His agents, just as the

writers of Gnostic Gospels were.

And last, because people have abandoned the immutable Word

of God, God has turned His back on America and the country has

responded with 56,000,000 million abortions of convenience. The

blood of all these souls on the hands of the U.S. Supreme Court,

U.S. government, lethargic and lazy people of God who have

allowed this atrocity to continue. What needs to be done is

nothing short of a revolution, if it is not too late.

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For me, the most effective way to learn the Word of God is

through an organized system. There is the Bible study in a home

environment hosted by someone in your church, or even another

church. There are institutions out there that will inspire and

get one to study the Word. For example, Koinonia Institute is a

Berean style Bible school that teaches each book of the Bible

requiring between 8 to 16 weeks per book. There is a quiz each

week on material studied and a final exam covering the material

studied, however, often introducing questions on new material.

The professor involved presents the material live in Coeur

d’Alene, Idaho or River Lodge, Reporoa, New Zealand before

students in the classroom. The sessions recorded and sold as DVD,

CD, or audio tape. College transfer is available for the student

wants to use the credit earned. The cost is negligible with most

people able to afford this excellent structured Bible study.

With any Bible study, only go to charismatic people who are

teaching the literal and inerrant Word of God. The problem here,

most people are so unfamiliar with the Word, how are they to

know?

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Man has been going out on his own without God since the

beginning of resistance which began on earth with the

introduction of uncertainty and doubt by Satan with Eve. The

costs to each of us remains more complex than most have ever

given thought. For sure we have a shorter lifespan, toil and

sweat for a majority of life, and sin that only brings misery,

pain and suffering.

It is not difficult for a person to receive the Word of God

on their own through the power of the Holy Spirit. I should know

- I did. However, I quickly learned that there is a lot of

information available for a serious student of the Word of God.

When one takes advantage of this opportunity, one can quickly

learn the Word of God. To summarize, the lack, ignorance, or

avoidance of the Bible has caused inaction and ignorance that has

infected and been in the Church for the last 50 years. The

government also has failed because of its ignorance of the Word

of God. Because of the failure of both the church and the

government, God has withdrawn His favor.

There is a direct correlation between Israel during the time

of the split between the Northern Kingdom under Jeroboam and the

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Southern Kingdom under Rehoboam, the son of Solomon. Under

Jeroboam, the Israelites had regained significant lands they had

already lost. The Northern Kingdom experienced unprecedented

material gain; many people had second homes, and there was much

monetary wealth. To them it was the best of times, but from

God’s point of view it was the worst of times. God commissioned

Hosea when He wanted to warn the Northern Kingdom of what was

sure to follow, unless they repented. The results were the lowest

ebb of godlessness and corruption in Israel’s history. This time

characterized by social injustice, violent crimes, religious

hypocrisy, political rebellion, selfish arrogance, and spiritual

ingratitude. Does this sound familiar?

In 722 B.C., the Assyrians wiped the Northern Kingdom off

the pages of history never to return. In America, abundant

material wealth is evident. Most every family has several

cellphones, a computer and laptop, plus two or more cars. A lot

of people would argue that America is enjoying the best of times.

However, God does not see things the way we do. If God rebuked

Israel for its brutality and indifference, so He has rebuked and

will continue to admonish America. School shootings, the attacks

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on New York and Washington (regardless of who paid for the

attacks), and more crime recorded in New York City in one year

than England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, Switzerland, Spain,

Sweden, the Netherlands, Norway, and Denmark combined.

Scholastic Aptitude Test Report on College and Career

Readiness for 2012 reveals:

That only 43 percent of SAT® takers in the class of

2012 graduated from high school with the level of

academic preparedness associated with a high likelihood

of college success. These findings are based on the

percentage of students in the class of 2012 who met the

SAT College & Career Readiness Benchmark, which

research shows is associated with higher rates of

enrollment in four-year colleges, higher first-year

college GPAs and higher rates of retention beyond the

first year. (SAT Report)

Not only is there an apostasy stained church shying away

from the Word of God, but a nation of poorly educated teens has a

surprisingly slight chance of success in the real world without

God. The Index of Leading Cultural Indicators, since 1963, the

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same year that the U.S. Supreme Court removed God from the

classroom and all public forums, have increased exponentially:

Violent crime has increased over 500 percent.

Illegitimate births have increased 400 percent.

Divorces have increased 400 percent.

Children living in single-parent homes have increased 300

percent.

Child abuse has increased 340 percent since 1976.

Teenage suicide has increased 200 percent.

S.A.T. scores have dropped almost 80 points, despite huge

increases in education spending. (Robert P. Dugan, Jr. P.

169-170)

Society in the United States, since the removal of God from

the classroom, has changed the way it thinks, changed the way it

lives, and without God their life and the nature of thinking can

and does explain people and accentuate its achievements. All

aspects of society have declined in the United States since the

courts removed God from the classroom. The government and

courts, the creation and the cost of laws are no different. Since

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1963, with a few rare exceptions, the decisions made by the

government and courts have been humanistic, without God.

It is not too far removed to reveal that the time between

when the court removed God from the classroom and public forum

(1963) until the church turned its back on God in bowing to the

politically correct god of humanism (2008). The U.S. Supreme

Court in a decision in late June 2013, with a majority pagan

makeup, continues to thumb its nose at God, striking down a

portion of the Defense of Marriage Act and declaring it

unconstitutional.

This is where it gets complicated, and where I’ll try to

demystify exactly where this began in America. I have heard that

humanism is a religion, declared by the U.S. Supreme Court. I

have heard this by not one, but two, professors at Koinonia

Institute. Is there any truth to this? Most people point to the

court decision made in the Torcaso v. Watkins in 1961. Austin

Cline reveals what the results entailed,

Roy Torcaso was appointed by the Governor of Maryland

to the position of Notary Public. When the time came

for him to actually assume his duties, he was denied

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his commission and had his appointment rescinded

because he refused to declare his belief in God.

Article 37 of Maryland's Declaration of Rights stated:

No religious test ought ever to be required as a

qualification for any office of profit or trust in this

State, other than a declaration of belief in the

existence of God. Torcaso filed suit in state court

because he felt the test unfairly penalized him for not

believing in God. In a unanimous decision in 1961, the

Supreme Court ruled that Maryland's religious test

violated Torcaso's religious freedom. In his majority

opinion, Justice Black stated that the need to protect

people from taking religious test oaths was what led to

the creation of Article 37 of the Constitution: No

religious Test shall ever be required as a

Qualification to any Office or public Trust under the

United States. This was soon followed by the First

Amendment which further guaranteed basic religious

liberties: We repeat and again reaffirm that neither a

State nor the Federal Government can constitutionally

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force a person "to profess a belief or disbelief in any

religion." Neither can constitutionally pass laws nor

impose requirements which aid all religions as against

non-believers, and neither can aid those religions

based on a belief in the existence of God as against

those religions founded on different beliefs. One of

the reasons this case is important is some of the dicta

which were attached to the final opinion. The term

dicta is a plural and shortening of "obiter dictum," or

"said in passing." Such statements are personal

opinions of the justice - they are not necessary to the

final result and have no legal force. In a dictum

footnote attached to this opinion, Justice Black wrote:

Among the religions in this country which do not teach

what would generally be considered a belief in the

existence of God are Buddhism, Taoism, Ethical Culture,

Secular Humanism, and others. This is frequently cited

by people on the religious right as that the Supreme

Court has declared Secular Humanism to be a religion,

but such people are simply unaware of the fact that

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dicta have no legal force. (“Supreme Court Decisions on

Religious Liberty”)

What does this decision really say? Justice Black issued an

opinion that different religions have no faith in the existence

of God. This is, of course, not law, but only Justice Black’s

position. The basis on which this and other future judicial

decisions each used this definition:

The substantive model generally delimits religion to

the range of traditional theism: Judaism, Christianity,

Islam, Hinduism and so on. The functional model, in

contrast, is more inclusive. By defining religion

according to its social function, the functional model

treats religion largely as synonymous with such terms

as cultural system, belief system, meaning system,

moral order, ideology, world view and cosmology.

(Hunter p.58)

Let’s explore further into when the courts may have defined

humanism as a religion. Consider the following statement,

In other words, a functional definition describes

religion as "a set of beliefs, actions and emotions,

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both personal and corporate, organized around the

concept of an Ultimate Reality. This Reality may be

understood as a unity or a plurality, personal or non-

personal, divine or not, and so forth, differing from

religion to religion." Such a definition clearly

encompasses the worldview of Secular Humanism. U.S.

courts have moved from a generally substantive

definition of religion (where the religion must affirm

a transcendent deity) to a functional definition of

religion even including Secular Humanism. For example,

in United States v. Kauten (2d Cir. 1943),

conscientious objector status was granted to Mathias

Kauten, not on the basis of his belief in God, but on

the basis of his “religious conscience.” (Peterson p.

124)

Clearly in this earlier ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court

defined exclusion based on his “religious beliefs” in secular

humanism as a religion, not in 1961 as commonly believed, but

rather in 1943 which has never been redefined or rescinded by the

courts.

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What have we learned in relation to a Christian’s lack of

knowledge? It is tantamount to defeat that Christian’s have

abandoned the Word of God. This has been a deliberate act by a

majority of Christians who fit the model presented by Jesus

Christ in Matthew 13, the sower and the soils. Matthew 13.22

Jesus explains, “Now he who received seed among the thorns is he

who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the

deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes

unfruitful.” The biggest sin of the seventh church in the letter

by the Lord Jesus Christ to the Laodicea church was, “I know your

works, that you are neither cold nor hot, I could wish you were

cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold

or hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth. Because you say, I am

rich, have become wealthy and have need of nothing—and do not

know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—I

counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may

be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the

shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes

with eye salve, that you may see.” (Revelation 3.17)

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The Word of God contains everything we need to come clean

before the God that created us. God knows the condition of the

heart. The Shema, “Hear O Israel, the Lord is our God, the Lord

is One! (Shema Yisrael Adonai eloheinu Adonai ehad) You shall

love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul,

and with all your strength.” (Deuteronomy 6.4-5)

This is just normal service to God, not something that is

unique. When we affirm and experience God first, wife and/or

family second, and any situation third, then life is in the right

alignment with the God who created us. Many have forgotten this,

and therein lies the tragedy.

Abortion

The nation’s 2nd biggest sin, which rates close to turning

your back on God, is the killing of innocent babies that do not

have a way to shout out - “I am alive”. The solution to Social

Security being broke for the future, stop killing the innocent.

The National Right to Life Center, Washington, DC, states, “After

dropping 25 percent from a high of over 1.6 million in 1990, the

number of abortions performed annually in the U.S. has leveled

off at about 1.2 million a year.” The total number of abortions

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through the end of 2008 defined to be at 54,560,000. (“NRLC

Downloadable Factsheets”)

Dr. Susan Bohlin states, “It’s no coincidence that the two

most heated issues of our day are abortion and homosexuality;

underlying both is an insistence on sexual freedom while thumbing

one’s nose at God and His laws.” (“Abortion”)

Sue’s theme is one every Christian should take under

consideration. Society today advocates sexual expression in

movies, TV shows, books, magazines and popular music. Presented

as usual, all media’s show that sexual expression is common.

Abstinence exists, however, never taught at any level of

understanding resulting in inspiring teenagers, and younger, to

be more sexually active. The attitude of acceptance of

recreational sex plays a vital role in the large number of

abortions each year. In fact, according to Guttmacher Institute,

“18 percent of all abortions in 2008 were by teenagers who became

pregnant unintentionally.” Perhaps those who did not intend to

become pregnant would consider abstinence, especially if taught

this common sense approach in school. (“Induced Abortion”)

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Christians have a say in the abortion issue. The Bible is

God’s Word and in direct contradiction to a woman’s right to

choose, which arose out of the Woman’s crusade and politically

correct thinking.

My mother once told me not to add insult to injury. That

seems what the academic and medical communities are doing. Mary

Gehl, senior researcher at Koinonia Institute states, “The two

fetal cell lines that have been used heavily in vaccine

development have been named for the laboratory facilities where

they were developed. The first one is WI-38, developed at the

Wistar Institute in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA by Dr.

Leonard Hayflick in 1962. The cell line began with lung cells

from an aborted strong female fetus at the end of the third month

of pregnancy. According to his article published in the

scientific journal, Experimental Cell Research, Dr. Hayflick,

identified three cell lines, WI-26, WI-38, WI-44, developed from

aborted babies.” (“Choose This Day: Life or Death”)

I’m a dog lover. So do not misunderstand me. These public

service advertisements about the mistreatment of dogs and cats

makes me quite angry. Where are advocates for the babies that

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have never seen the light of day? Viewing these advertisements

inspire me to be a powerful mechanism for babies who are not yet

out of the womb. Civil and criminal law which stand in direct

contradiction to the Word of God are not to be used as an

argument against God’s expressed Words. Being legal in the eyes

of the law does not warrant a Christian to do what God has

declared as evil. The blood of nearly 56,000,000 babies is on the

hands of the United States government, who does nothing to stop

it, the U.S. Supreme Court who has not reversed this travesty,

and those in the medical community who have performed the

dismantle killing of human beings.

The Christian Issue of Marriage and Divorce

In the very beginning, God paired Adam with Eve, and not

Steve. The model that God created in the Garden is the type that

Jesus Christ used of Himself and the Church. The Center for

Disease Control and Prevention keeps records of all marriages and

divorces in the United States. The current statistics are:

Number of marriages: 2,096,000 yearly

The marriage ratio: 6.8 per 1,000 total population

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The divorce ratio: 3.6 per 1,000 total population

(“CDC Fast facts”)

A disturbing aspect of previous statistics, divorces

outnumber marriages in the United States. The cohabitation of

couples increased to 48 per cent cohabitating in the years from

2006 to 2010. The past cohabitation was 34 per cent in 1995.

The divorce statistics for different groups reveal some

fascinating correlations:

26 per cent of Evangelical Christians divorced

33 per cent of non-Evangelical Christians divorced

33 per cent of Nominal Christians divorced

38 per cent of associated with non-Christian faith

divorced

30 per cent of atheist or agnostics divorced

32 per cent of born again Christians divorced

33 per cent of all non-born again (McManus P. 183-

186)

Dr. George Barna states,

"There no longer seems to be much of a stigma attached

to divorce; it is now seen as an unavoidable rite of

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passage," the researcher indicated. "Interviews with

young adults suggest that they want their initial

marriage to last, but are not particularly optimistic

about that possibility. There is also evidence that

many young people are moving toward embracing the idea

of serial marriage, in which a person gets married two

or three times, seeking a different partner for each

phase of their adult life." (“New Marriage and Divorce

Statistics”)

As I have said on a number of occasions, I have been guilty

of two divorces. For this God has forgiven me, and now has

empowered me to help others solve their similar issues. God can

now use the diverse experiences I have been through, both moral

and immoral, done right and more often mistaken to help others.

I can say as Paul has stated, “I the chief of sinners.”

The apostle Paul says to Timothy, "This is a faithful

saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came

into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief.” (1 Timothy

1:15) On the subject of Christian marriage, if more young people

would abandon their lives to Jesus Christ, perhaps the Holy

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Spirit would help them to the right person God intended. Divorce

is not an acceptable Christian witness. I can state that

emphatically. If there is one thing every Christian needs to

demonstrate: a true Christian witness in a decidedly dark

spiritual world.

Theologies That Misses the Mark

Inclusion Theology is much like the preverbal tossed salad.

Islamic, homosexuals, transgenderism, Gnostics, New Age all

invited as equals to the church who stands in apostasy and

disobedience to the Word of God. It stands to reason that all can

marry in this church, as well. How does one stop those who are

committing apostasy? Paul told the Romans to avoid these types of

people,

Now I urge you, brethren, note those who cause

divisions and offenses, contrary to the doctrine which

you learned, and avoid them. For those who are such do

not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly,

and by smooth words and flattering speech deceive the

hearts of the simple. (Romans 16.17-18)

Paul spoke to the Philippians as well,

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Brethren, join in following my example, and note those

who so walk, as you have us for a pattern. For many

walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you

even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of

Christ: whose end is destruction, whose god is their

belly, and whose glory is their shame—who set their

mind on earthly things. (Philippians 3.17-19)

Paul told his understudy Timothy,

Now the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some

will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving

spirits and doctrines of demons, speaking lies in

hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a

hot iron….If you instruct the brethren in these things,

you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished

in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which

you have carefully followed. (1 Timothy 4.1-2,8)

Peter’s epistle of passionate and comprehensive denunciation

of heresy, 2nd Peter states,

But there were also false prophets among the people,

even as there will be false

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teachers among you, who will secretly bring in

destructive heresies, even denying

the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift

destruction. And many will follow their destructive

ways, because of whom the way of truth will be

blasphemed. (2 Peter 2.1-2)

Other scriptures that teach the lesson about false teachers:

Matthew 7:15-23; Matthew 24:10; Acts 20:29-31;

Galatians 1:6-9; Colossians 2:8,18-19; 2 Thessalonians

2:1-12; 1 Timothy 1:3-7; 1 Timothy 1:18-20; 1 Timothy

4:16; 1 Timothy 5:3-10; 1 Timothy 6:20-21; 2 Timothy

2:14-18; 2 Timothy 3:1-9; 2 Timothy 4:1-5; Titus 1:9-

16; 2 Peter 3:14-18; 1 John 1:18-27; 1 John 4:1-6; 2

John 7-11; Jude 3-19.

Blasphemy is a crime against God. It is also a witness to

the world that is confusing at its best, and a tragedy to those

who might be led by those committing blasphemy, straight down a

path to hell.

Other philosophies and there are many that Christians must

avoid are cash only ministries, a ministry based on miracles

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only, positive or possible only theologies and any other that

tries to put God in any box. God can, and does, anything to

anyone, at any time it fits His purposes. Never forget that

Christian’s worldwide should be so involved doing the things of

God that every demon of the Devil is shaking in their proverbial

boots.

The Apostasy Now and to Come?

To say there is apostasy among certain denominations, and

churches within denominations, is certainly an understatement.

The untruth of unlimited potential demonstrated in godly mind

powers seems to indicate a tremendous reality giving promise of a

coming New Age. However, Jesus Christ warned us,

But take heed to yourselves, lest your hearts be

weighted down with carousing, drunkenness, and cares of

this life, and that Day come on you unexpectedly. For

it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the

whole earth. Watch therefore, and pray always that you

may be counted worthy to escape all these things that

will come to pass, and to stand before the Son of Man.

(Luke 21.34-36)

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That scripture is quite sobering, especially when combined

with 1 Corinthians 3.11-17,

For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which

is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if anyone builds

on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones,

wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear;

for the Day will declare it, because it will be

revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s

work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has

built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If

anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he

himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. Do you

not know that you are the temple of God and that the

Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone defiles the

temple of God, God will destroy him. For the temple of

God is holy, which temple you are.

As I have on occasions stated, we all have time left to

improve grades on each report card with the Lord Jesus Christ. We

will all stand before the Lord alone, with each one’s works

judged. My appreciation for what God has done for me, by the Lord

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Jesus Christ who paid the ultimate price, is reason enough for me

to do all I can through the power of the Holy Spirit to do

whatever I can.

I’m pretty sure that although others have not expressed it

this way, that most totally committed Christians feel the same.

Paul stated,

Now we beseech you, brethren, by the coming of our Lord

Jesus Christ, and by our gathering together unto him,

that you be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled,

neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from

us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. Let no man

deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come,

except there comes a falling away first, and that man

of sin be revealed, the son of perdition. (2

Thessalonians 2.1-3)

A group of theologians do not like the Bible presenting such

a bleak picture of the future. A day of judgment is coming

swiftly like a “trap” snapping shut on every earth dweller. This

well-defined is, everyone who did not “receive the love of the

truth so as to be saved”. (2 Thessalonians 2.10) These are the

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earth dwellers whose names “have not been written in the Book of

Life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world”.

(Revelation 13.8) They that believed the lie under a strong

delusion.

Perhaps the same theologians have not understood where the

true Christians will be at that time. We will not be making the

world a better place like some teach. The scriptures teach that

the whole world will worship the Antichrist. (Revelation 13.3)

One of the interpretations of 2 Thessalonians 2.6-7, “And now you

know what is restraining, that he may be revealed in his own

time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He

who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way.”

This is the understanding my Mother taught me long ago.

It is the Holy Spirit indwelling each true believer that

empowers us with a restraining order until He (the Holy Spirit),

stands removed with the rest of us. In other words, it is the

Holy Spirit and His believers are taken up in the clouds in a

sudden departure to heaven by Jesus Christ. This is often

mislabeled by its critics and admirers as secret. This function

will not be concealed with millions of born again believers

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suddenly missing from their jobs and homes. Many have tried to

allegorize it away or misread it. It is the “rapture”, a trigger

at some point for the Tribulation. Jesus Christ said,

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. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will

come again and receive you to Myself that where I am,

there you may be also.” (John 14.2-3)

And with Paul’s words to the Thessalonians pretty

conclusively states,

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a

shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the

trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first.

Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up

together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in

the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. (2

Thessalonians 4.16-17)

The rapture occurring ushers in the Antichrist, however, how

soon is only speculation. The apostasy which is already evident,

written about by Paul, would then be allowed to grow into full

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bloom. To state that strong delusion and deception are already at

work in the world would be hard to deny. (2 Thessalonians 2.3)

Why does the apostasy come first? Apparently it is a part of

the puzzle in the final guile and deception that will proceed

rapidly over the whole world so that the Antichrist can move

forward with resolve. By far the saddest part of this is those

who “did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved. (2

Thessalonians 2.10)

Paul’s prediction of apostasy occurring in the church seems

to fly in the face of optimism and predictions of a great revival

that seem to dominate the Christian media. Things are not getting

better and better in the Word of God, quite the opposite.

The rapture is controversial and has its opponents. The

biggest difference I see is those of us that have studied,

understand and come to a scholarly conclusion about the rapture

are not condemning those who wish to go through Tribulation are

going to be a pretty rough, scorched, and unkempt bride of

Christ. The Gentile converts during Tribulation from the Word of

God are either be martyred or converted to the heresy of the

Hill 31

Antichrist. Paul told Timothy what would happen to Christians of

all ages,

But you have carefully followed my doctrine, manner of

life, purpose, faith, longsuffering, love,

perseverance, 11 persecutions, afflictions, which

happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, at Lystra—what

persecutions I endured. And out of them all the Lord

delivered me. Yes, and all who desire to live godly in

Christ Jesus will suffer persecution. But evil men and

impostors will grow worse and worse, deceiving and

being deceived. But you must continue in the things

which you have learned and been assured of, knowing

from whom you have learned them, and that from

childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are

able to make you wise for salvation through faith which

is in Christ Jesus. (2 Timothy 3.10-15)

Here is an example of a differing Christian view:

So, is there going to be a Rapture for that frog-faced

prophet Benny Hinn with his interracial fan club going

to God's abode in the heavens, while the rest of us

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racist hate mongers are left behind in a tribulation of

hellfire, expecting 144,000 antichrist Jews to convert

to Christianity? I want to be left behind, so I'm not

going to hold my breath. The race mixers are going to

be raptured, but they ain't going to heaven. And when

that glorious day arrives, when they are removed, I

don't see how things could get worse… do you? Indeed,

it will finally be a relief to get rid of them. (Pastor

Mark Downey “It's Going to Get Worse”)

I’m sure that was a pretty sermon to an adoring audience for

Pastor Downey. I can pre-suppose from his comments about Benny

Hinn, he probably forgot the words of Jesus Christ,

If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in

private; if he listens to you, you have won your

brother. But if he will not hear you, then take with

you one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three

witnesses every word may be established. And if he

shall neglect to hear them, tell it to the church: but

if he neglect to hear the church, let him be to you as

an heathen man and a publican.” (Matthew 18.15-16)

Hill 33

I also think that Pastor Downey has made a mistake using the

World Wide Web to so openly to condemn a colleague over a

difference in Hermeneutics. We have enough resistance from Satan

and his minions, the politically correct crowd, Islam and lately

the U.S. government sticking its nose where it does not belong.

Nevertheless I’ve studied expansively the book of Revelation, and

we do succeed in spite of erring brothers who should be on the

same side, Satan and the forces from hell. I, for one, present my

entire being to the only way to God, my Lord and savior, Jesus

Christ.

Hill 34

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Barna, George. "New Marriage and Divorce Statistics." Barna Group.

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Cline, Austin. "Supreme Court Decision - Torcaso v. Watkins."

Agnosticism / Atheism - Skepticism & Atheism for Atheists & Agnostics. N.p.,

n.d. Web. 23 July 2013.

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Downey, Mark. "It's Going to Get Worse by Pastor Mark Downey”.

Kinsman Redeemer Ministries | Christian Identity Ministries. N.p., 14 July

2009. Web. 28 July 2013.

Dugan, Robert P.. Winning the new civil war: recapturing America's values.

Portland: Multnomah, 1991. Print.

"Facts on Induced Abortion in the United States." Guttmacher

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Gehl, Mary. "Choose This Day: Life or Death". Koinonia House - The

Ministry of Chuck and Nancy Missler. N.p., 2 June 2012. Web. 25 July

2013. 

Hunter, James Davison. Culture wars: the struggle to define America. New

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McManus, Michael. Living Together. New York: Howard Books, 2008.

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"NRLC Downloadable Factsheets. “National Right to Life. N.p., 12 Jan.

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Peterson, Michael L.. Philosophy of religion: selected readings. 3rd Ed. New

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"SAT® Report: Only 43 Percent of 2012 College-Bound Seniors Are

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