Your Reformation Nation sermon of the week is Ray Comfort’s Hell’s Best Kept Secret.
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According to the LDS published book, Gospel Principles (1997 edition, pages 303-304), there are just a few things that are required in order to attain salvation in Mormonism. I thought I’d list them here.
** Warning ** Do not attempt to read the list of requirements in one breath. Asphyxiation may occur.
1. We must be baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ.
2. We must receive the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost.
3. We must receive the temple endowment.
4. We must be married for time and eternity.
In addition to receiving the required ordinances, the Lord commands all of us to–
1. Love and worship God.
2. Love our neighbor.
3. Repent of our wrongdoings.
4. Live the law of chastity.
5. Pay honest tithes and offerings.
6. Be honest in our dealings with others and with the Lord.
7. Speak the truth always.
8. Obey the Word of Wisdom.
9. Search out our kindred dead and perform the saving ordinances of the gospel for them.
10. Keep the Sabbath day holy.
11. Attend our Church meetings as regularly as possible so we can renew our baptismal covenants by partaking of the sacrament.
12. Love our family members and strengthen them in the ways of the Lord.
13. Have family and individual prayers every day.
14. Honor our parents.
15. Teach the gospel to others by word and example.
16. Study the scriptures.
17. Listen to and obey the inspired words of the prophets of the Lord.
Finally, each of us needs to receive the Holy Ghost and learn to follow his direction in our individual lives.
Whew! Is that all? What saith the Scriptures?
For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.
Ephesians 2:8-9
The trying of our faith works patience and hope into the fabric of our Christian lives. No one, I am convinced, will follow Jesus very long without tribulation. It is His way of demonstrating His presence. Suffering and trials–like persecution–are a normal part of the Christian walk.
– K.P. Yohannan
Paul Washer is interviewed on this episode of Cross Talk.
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I trust that this will get some discussions going.
A brief comparison between the written Word of God and some of the practices of the Roman Catholic Church.
1). “And when you are praying, do not use meaningless repetition as the Gentiles do, for they suppose that they will be heard for their many words.” (Matthew 6:7)
2). “Beware of the scribes, who like to walk around in long robes, and love respectful greetings in the market places, and chief seats in the synagogues and places of honor at banquets, who devour widows’ houses, and for appearance’s sake offer long prayers. These will receive greater condemnation.” (Luke 20:46)
3). “Do not call anyone on earth your father; for One is your Father, He who is in heaven.” (Matthew 23:9)
4). You shall not make for yourself an idol, or any likeness of what is in heaven above or on earth beneath or in the water under the earth. You shall not worship them or serve them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God . . .” (Exodus 20:4-5)
Every few years the “church” in America needs some new hype to keep it interested in its own narcissistic version of Christianity.
This video raises an interesting question (0ne of many). Does the Holy Spirit fill someone (Fire!, Fire!) without there first being some acknowledgment and turning from sin (repentance) and the regeneration (conversion) of the sinner, or does the Holy Spirit of God dwell in those who have not even come to faith in Jesus Christ, and just wanted to feel the “presence of God?”
I will not say anything more above this video and let you, the readers, weigh in. Can you spot how many things are wrong with this?
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Lately there’s been an infatuation with and an endorsement of the Beatles by those who are supposed to be shepherds and pastors of their respective “churches.” Now, if these “churches” are promoting, endorsing, and honoring the Beatles–and mixing them with the things of the church–then they must be a band worthy of “sharing time” in the house of God, right? Much like what was done at this church, and this church, and this church, (just to name a few).
Well, I thought I’d take this occasion (the 27th anniversary of his death) to examine just one of the Fab Four–John Lennon–to see how the Beatles measure up.
What did John Lennon say himself?
“Christianity will go. It will vanish and shrink…. I don’t know what will go first, rock ‘n’ roll or Christianity. We’re more popular than Jesus now. Jesus was all right, but his disciples were thick and ordinary. It’s them twisting it that ruins it for me.” (London Evening Post, March 04, 1966)
“Christianity will go, it will vanish and shrink. I needn’t argue about that. I’m right and will be proved right. . . . We’re more popular than Jesus now.” (The San Francisco Chronicle, April 13, 1966)
On page 14 of his book A Spaniard in the Works, John Lennon describes Jesus this way: “Jesus El Pifico, a garlic-eating, stinking little yellow, greasy fascist bastard Catholic Spaniard.”
Toward the end of his life he described himself as a “Zen Christian, Zen pagan, Zen Marxist” (Christianity Today June 12, 2000).
What did others say about John Lennon and the Beatles?
“We probably seem to be anti-religious. . . none of us believes in God.” – Paul McCartney (Hit Parader, Jan 1970, p.15)
“They’re COMPLETELY ANTI-CHRIST. I mean, I am anti-Christ as well, but they’re so anti-Christ they shock me which isn’t an easy thing.”
– Derek Taylor, Press officer for the Beatles (Saturday Evening Post, Aug. 8, 1964).
“I’ve sold my soul to the DEVIL.” – Ray Coleman quoting John Lennon (Coleman, Ray, Lennon p.256)
What about John Lennon and the Hare Krishna’s?
The Hare Krishna devotees had been visiting with the Lennons’ for several days, discussing world peace and self-realization. Because of this and other widespread exposure, people all over the world soon began to identify the chanting Hare Krishna devotees as harbingers of a more simple, joyful, peaceful way of life. Hare Krishna News Network
Nineteen sixty-nine was for John Lennon a year of intense search for social and personal liberation. He had already been to the Maharishi and later would enter primal therapy and left-wing politics. He was in a major transitional period; he had married Yoko Ono in March, and the Beatles were about to break up.
On September 14, John, Yoko, and George Harrison, after enjoying an Indian vegetarian meal prepared by the devotees at the Temple, walked over to Srila Prabhupada’s quarters for their first meeting. Three months before in Montreal, some of the Hare Krishna devotees had sung with John and Yoko during the recording of “Give Peace a Chance.” And now they were about to meet the guru who brought the Hare Krishna mantra to the West.
Their lively discussion with Srila Prabhupada, which you can hear by listening to the RealAudio clip on this page, deals with the path to peace and liberation, the eternality of the soul, reincarnation, the nature of God, qualifications of the guru, and the authority of Bhagavad-gita (the Indian spiritual classic still sacred to 600 million people. Hare Krishna New Network
I’m not shocked that the Beatles did these things or said these things. After all, they were just doing what comes natural to fallen man. What is shocking (and an abomination and an absolute affront to God) is that these pastors wolves in sheep’s clothing will bring this trash into their “churches” and defile the house of God. What does light have to do with darkness? What does Belial and Christ have in common? What business do the Beatles have being mixed with the church? (2 Corinthians 6:14-18).
You wolves who are doing this are being called out! This is apostasy! Either repent and turn from this blasphemy, or at least practice truth in advertising and remove the title “church” from your Sunday morning social gatherings!
We have already been warned :
For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but wanting to have their ears tickled, they will accumulate for themselves teachers in accordance to their own desires, and will turn away their ears from the truth and will turn aside to myths. 2 Timothy 4:3-4
I suppose that if performing the Spice Girls’ song If You Wanna Be My Lover in “church” is acceptable, (see my previous post), then why not a little Michael Jackson too?
Judge not lest you be judged has become the most misquoted verse in, well, the world. Many people now are using this to justify not making a judgment about anything. In fact, this is certainly a sign that many people have accepted the post-modern worldview that says truth and reality are created by man. In fact, you may hear someone say, “That may be truth for you, but not for me.” They’re really saying, “Judge not lest you be judged.” Well, this is not what the Scripture is saying. This is why we need good hermeneutics, or study the Bible in context. Jesus is saying don’t judge harshly, don’t judge for selfish reasons. Don’t be a hypocrite. And get the log out of your own eye before you get the speck out of someone else’s. Another words, judge, but do it for the right reasons. In fact, a few verses later Jesus Himself calls people pigs, dogs, and wolves in sheep’s clothing. And in Revelation chapter 2 verse two, Jesus Himself commends the Church of Ephesus for judging false teachers.
– Brannon Howse
Are you too familiar with the story of Christmas?
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For a child will be born to us, a son will be given us; and the government will rest on His shoulders; and His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6
A South Carolina man was charged with forgery after he tried to open a bank account with this gospel tract. Living proof that the love of money is the root to all evil.
See related story here.
It’s a sad time in America when people are more upset because of the display of images of horrific and barbaric murders, than they are of the horrific and barbaric murders themselves. I wonder if the same view is taken toward violent movies and video games targeting children?
For more, watch the video below and read the article by clicking here.
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For a similar endeavor to get the message out, check out these trucks.
Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, “I will dwell among them and walk among them; and I will be their God and they shall be My people. Therefore, come out from their midst and be separate,” says the Lord. “Do not touch what is unclean; and I will welcome you. And I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to Me,” says the Lord Almighty.
– The Apostle Paul
2 Corinthians 6:14-18
As reported by the Reformed Gadfly and spreading through the blogosphere like wildfire, Rick Warren, Bill Hybels, Brian McLaren, and Robert Schuller have asked for Allah’s forgiveness. Check out the unbelievable story by clicking here.
Right now we are in an age of religious complexity. The simplicity which is in Christ is rarely found among us. In its stead are programs, methods, organizations and a world of nervous activities which occupy time and attention but can never satisfy the longing of the heart. The shallowness of our inner experience, the hollowness of our worship, and that servile imitation of the world which marks our promotional methods all testify that we, in this day, know God only imperfectly, and the peace of God scarcely at all.
– A.W. Tozer
1897 – 1963
The Catholic Church has produced a new coloring book in which it warns children to beware of predator priests. Watch the video below, and read the article here.
“Being Friends. Being Safe. Being Catholic.”
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If you take contemporary Christianity in America you can find no equal to her in the past. She’s a devient, she’s separated, she’s cut herself off from her root and no longer Christian.
– Paul Washer
The best thing about this video isn’t the images, it’s the accompanying audio from 1967. Listen as the Watchtower’s circuit overseer Charles Sunutko tells of the fate to befall the world in 1975.
And yet the Jehovah’s Witnesses will sit in my living room and flat out lie to my face. They will deny that the organization ever taught or even emphasized the end of the world in 1975.
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For those who have a morbid fascination with death, darkness, and the macabre, and want a little religion on the side, fear not, for you don’t have to die to self and become a new creation anymore. Now you too can become a professing Christian and remain a “Goth” at the same time.
Find a whole community of like-minded “Goths” at such sites as:
We Christians are ashamed of many of our ancestors who did not act in the spirit of Christ. No doubt there are traces of this plague in our own souls. But true Christianity–which is radically different from Western culture, and may not be found in many Christian churches–renounces the advance of religion by means of violence. “My kingdom is not of this world,” Jesus said. “If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting” (John 18:36). The way of the cross is the way of suffering. Christians are called to die, not kill, in order to show how they are loved by Christ.
– John Piper
Christ Alone Wyoming 