Amazing Pharisees

I was reading in the book of Matthew today when I came to chapter 12 where it says:

9Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, 10and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to accuse Jesus, they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” 11He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? 12How much more valuable is a man than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” 13Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other. 14But the Pharisees went out and plotted how they might kill Jesus.

This is one of the many stories involving Jesus that amazes me. But this time, it’s not Jesus doing the amazing, it’s the Pharisees. As you know, the Pharisees were the Jewish religious leaders of Jesus’ day; their word was the last word to the Jews. It was the Pharisee’s job to interpret the Hebrew Scripture and to then tell the common folks how to live.

So here was the Son of God, preforming a miracle right before their very eyes, yet all they could think about was that He was “breaking the rules”! This upset them so much that they began to plan a way to get rid of Jesus, not by running Him out of the country, but by killing Him!

These guys knew about Jesus, meaning they knew that He was the promised Messiah. They knew the scripture and the time frame set out by God’s prophets. They were expecting the Messiah to show Himself at any time. The only problem was that they were looking for a big guy with a big sword who’d kill a bunch of Romans and put the Jews on all the thrones of the world.

What they were starting to realize though, was that the Messiah was establishing a different kind of kingdom – a spiritual kingdom that would include not only the Jews, but the Gentiles as well; and that each member of this kingdom would be a priest of God.

Needless to say, the Pharisees didn’t like this one bit! They didn’t want to lose their place of leadership. They enjoyed being looked up to and being the most important people in the room. To bring it down to ground level, they were selfish, egotistical sinners. Or in other words… you and me.

Aren’t we the same way? When you think about it, there are only three people we care about -- me, myself and I. We are all sinners whose every though is, “How do I please myself?” We are all Pharisees at heart. Even when we are helping others, we do it because it makes us feel good to do so.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, will forgive us of all our sins (no matter what they are), and then He will send His Spirit to live in us to teach us, to guide us and to motivate us to help others with unselfish motives.  

Jesus is the Messiah, the Christ. He is the One who sacrificed Himself to allow us to become children of God. We are because He is; we owe our every action and thought to Him. I’m a sinner, but I will one day live in heaven in the shadow of my God because of His grace given to me through Jesus’ death on the cross and resurrection from the grave. Join me, will you, in this grace and forgiveness, happiness and joy, and eternal life with the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Is There a Christian Presidential Politician?

I’ve just read an article entitled, “Where Have All the Bold Pastors Gone?” by Jerry Newcombe published on March 13, 2012 (http://worldviewchurch.org/columns/featured-column/1221-where-have-all-the-bold-pastors-gone). The article is about pastors speaking up and being bold in their pronouncements, particularly presidential candidates. He does find one pastor who seems to be boldly speaking out; here is a quote by Mr. Newcombe that I found interesting:

“Another outspoken minister has been Dr. Robert Jeffress of Dallas, who was castigated about half a year ago for stating he preferred a Christian politician to a Mormon one” (the first minister mentioned was a Catholic priest).

Although not so stated Mr. Newcombe, Dr. Jeffress was speaking about Mitt Romney (http://www.christianpost.com/news/interview-robert-jeffress-refuses-to-back-down-on-mormonism-is-a-cult-57933/). This statement by Dr. Jeffress, and the fact that it is quoted by Mr. Newcombe, does bring up some questions.

The first question would be to ask them both to name a Christian politician running for president. As far as I know, there isn’t one. Yes, I know that Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich both are Roman Catholics; but, Roman Catholicism is not a Christian denomination.

Here is a small sampling of the heresies that Catholics believe; people must believe this to be a member of the RC church! A true Christian would not dare to be a member of a group whose statement of faith contained any of these anti-Christian beliefs. The Roman Catholic Church’s Catechism published in 1992 (http://kwing.christiansonnet.org/church-news/theo_Catholicism.htm) says:

- 82 As a result the Church, to whom the transmission and interpretation of Revelation is entrusted, "does not derive her certainty about all revealed truths from the holy Scriptures alone. Both Scripture and Tradition must be accepted and honoured with equal sentiments of devotion and reverence.

- 494 ... As St. Irenaeus says, "Being obedient she [Mary] became the cause of salvation for herself and for the whole human race." ...

- 495 ... the Church confesses that Mary is truly "Mother of God" (Theotokos).

- 508 From among the descendants of Eve, God chose the Virgin Mary to be the mother of his Son. "Full of grace," Mary is "the most excellent fruit of redemption" (SC 103): from the first instant of her conception, she was totally preserved from the stain of original sin and she remained pure from all personal sin throughout her life.

- 966 "Finally the Immaculate Virgin, preserved free from all stain of original sin, when the course of her earthly life was finished, was taken up body and soul into heavenly glory, and exalted by the Lord as Queen over all things, so that she might be the more fully conformed to her Son ..." The Assumption of the Blessed Virgin is a singular participation in her Son's Resurrection ... "In giving birth you kept your virginity... You conceived the living God and, by your prayers, will deliver our souls from death" (Byzantine Liturgy, Troparion, Feast of the Dormition, August 15th.).

- 846 Basing itself on Scripture and Tradition, the Council teaches that the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation ... thereby affirmed at the same time the necessity of the Church which men enter through Baptism as through a door. Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it.

- 841 The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day.

- 891 The Roman Pontiff, head of the college of bishops, enjoys this infallibility in virtue of his office, when, as supreme pastor and teacher of all the faithful -- who confirms his brethren in the faith -- he proclaims by a definitive act a doctrine pertaining to faith or morals. ... The infallibility promised to the Church is also present in the body of bishops when, together with Peter's successor, they exercise the supreme Magesterium," above all in an Ecumenical Council. ... This infallibility extends as far as the deposit of divine Revelation itself.

- 1263 By Baptism all sins are forgiven, original sin and all personal sins, as well as all punishment for sin.

- 980 It is through the sacrament of Penance that the baptized can be reconciled with God and with the Church: "Penance has rightly been called by the holy Fathers `a laborious kind of baptism.' This sacrament of Penance is necessary for salvation for those who have fallen after Baptism, just as Baptism is necessary for salvation for those who have not yet been reborn" (Council of Trent (1551): DS 1672; cf. St. Gregory of Nazianzus, Oratio 39, 17: PG 36,356).

- 1030 All who die in God's grace and friendship, but still imperfectly purified, are indeed assured of their eternal salvation, but after death they undergo purification [purgatory], so as to achieve the holiness necessary to enter the joy of heaven.

- 1129 The Church affirms that for believers the sacraments of the New Covenant are necessary for salvation. ... The fruit of the sacramental life is that the Spirit of adoption makes the faithful partakers in the divine nature by uniting them in a living union with the only Son, the Saviour.

- 1365 Because it is the memorial of Christ's Passover, the Eucharist is also a sacrifice. ... In the Eucharist Christ gives us the very body which he gave up for us on the cross, the very blood which he "poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."

- 1493 One who desires to obtain reconciliation with God and with the Church, must confess to a priest all the unconfessed grave sins he remembers after having carefully examined his conscience. The confession of venial faults, without being necessary in itself, is nevertheless strongly recommended by the Church.

- 1497 Individual and integral confession of grave sins followed by absolution remains the only ordinary means of reconciliation with God and with the Church.

- 1471 An indulgence is a remission before God of the temporal punishment due to sins whose guilt has already been forgiven, which the faithful Christian who is duly disposed gains under certain prescribed conditions through the action of the Church which, as the minister of redemption, dispenses and applies with authority the treasury of the satisfactions of Christ and the saints. ... Indulgences may be applied to the living or the dead.

- 1478 An indulgence is obtained through the Church who ... intervenes in favour of individual Christians and opens for them the treasury of the merits of Christ and the saints to obtain from the Father of mercies the remission of the punishments due for their sins. ...

So clearly, the RCC is not a Christian denomination; likewise, its members are not Christians. So, there is no Christian for Dr. Jeffress to vote for; like the rest of us, come voting time in November, he’ll have to settle for socialist Muslim or a capitalist cultist. Come soon Lord Jesus, come soon!

Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing: Mother Teresa

What? Mother Teresa was a wolf in sheep’s clothing? Yep. Let’s start with what exactly is a wolf in sheep’s clothing.

In the book of Matthew, verse 7:15, Jesus tells us to “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves.”

Jesus also said in Matthew 24:24, “For false Christs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and miracles to deceive even the elect—if that were possible.”

So was Mother Teresa really a wolf in sheep’s clothing? Although I don’t believe if she ever preformed a miracle, she surely showed great signs of love and compassion toward those much less fortunate than herself.

No doubt that she really cared for people in the midst of their hardships and sicknesses. I can’t argue that she didn’t do great things in India, well above and beyond the “call of duty”. She puts most people to shame with her unselfish sacrifice and dedication to service.

But, does all this make a person a Christian? No it doesn’t. The only thing that makes a person a Christian is their belief in Jesus Christ of the Bible; and that only He is the way to have our sin forgiven. That only He is “the way, the truth and the life” and that “no one goes to the Father except through Jesus”.

Is this what Mother Teresa believed? Here are some quotes she made to describe her beliefs and about who gets to heaven. Now you can decide if she was a Christian or not.

“I am not sure exactly what heaven will be like, but I know that when we die and it comes time for God to judge us, he will not ask, 'How many good things have you done in your life?' rather he will ask, 'How much love did you put into what you did?”

For one thing, God’s not going to ask us anything! He’s going to open the Lamb’s Book of Life and if our name isn’t in it, we’re not going to heaven. Plus, if He did ask us a question, I’m betting it’ll be in the line of, “Did you believe in my son and what did you do with that belief?”

“I’ve always said we should help a Hindu become a better Hindu, a Muslim become a better Muslim, a Catholic become a better Catholic.”

Isn’t helping someone get better at doing their godless religion just affirming their religion? Why would they then ever want to become a Christian?

“Some call Him Ishwar, some call Him Allah, some simply God, but we have to acknowledge that it is He who made us for greater things: to love and be loved. What matters is that we love. We cannot love without prayer, and so whatever religion we are, we must pray together.”

Really? It doesn’t matter what religion we are? All we have to do is pray together? Well, I tell you what, you pray to that rock over there and I’ll pray to that sock on the clothesline over here and we’ll all meet in heaven someday!

She was overheard saying to a dying man, “You say a prayer in your religion, and I will say a prayer as I know it. Together we will say this prayer and it will be something beautiful for God.”

Here was her chance to tell a dying soul about Jesus Christ yet she dishonored God, Jesus and that man by godless rhetoric.

Mother Teresa was no saint, and no Christian. On judgment day, she’ll be on the left side of God with the other goats. Hell and destruction is her destiny; not heaven and the glory of God.

We all need to be discerning in the people we trust; it doesn’t matter who they are, we need to be diligent in making sure we look up to true Christians.

References:

http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/838305.Mother_Teresa

http://www.mostholyfamilymonastery.com/32_Religiousorders.pdf

Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing – Rick Warren

The first I ever heard of Rick Warren was in the early 2000’s when the church I was attending decided to do the 40-day Purpose Driven Life Challenge. Every member of the church was given a copy of Warren’s book, The Purpose Driven Life, and we were told “The next 40 days will transform your life.”

Both my pastor and Rick Warren were wrong, the book was nothing more than an unbiblical platform to push Warren’s godless seeker-friendly program! I knew nothing of the seeker-friendly movement at the time but I quickly saw that this book promoting something not found in the Bible; and I wondered how could my church be going along with this. Less than a year later I left my church as it became apparent that it wanted to be a mirror image of Warren’s Saddleback church.

Although we cannot know a man’s heart, we can know their actions. From what I’ve seen and read about Rick Warren, I question whether he is truly a Christian or not. This seeker-friendly movement that he has helped start is definitely not a Christian movement:

“A ‘seeker-sensitive’ church is a church whose main purpose is to try to make the church look more attractive to unbelievers… the influence that is brought in is about meeting one’s emotional or “felt” needs rather than preaching the gospel… The biblical importance of the message is often overlooked and the emphasis is to meet the emotional needs of people.” (http://www.christianexaminer.com/Articles/Articles%20Mar05/Art_Mar05_oped1.html)

Pastors should meet the needs of their congregation, but at the expense of the gospel? Warren is a master at befriending people, as evidenced by his 19,000-member Saddleback church in Lake Forest, CA. But, is he really being a “friend” to these people, or is he simply covetous of large numbers and really cares nothing of their final destination?

There are a lot of unbiblical actions made by Warren that can be easily found on the internet, so I’ll just present the one that may be the most concerning. It appears that Warren has no clue as to who God really is. The Bible has made it perfectly clear that to know Jesus is to know the Father, for they are One.  God is loving, forgiving and desires peace. But Warren seems not to know this as he believes that the God of the Bible and the god of Islam are one and the same!

Warren has joined a group called King’s Way whose main objective is to bring Christianity and Islam together as one! Since God and Allah are the same being, then members of both groups are children of God! Really? How can a man of his position not know how to do research? How can he not know how to verify something before he jumps into that something “full steam ahead”?

Who really is Allah:

“According to the Encyclopedia of Religion, Allah corresponded to the Babylonian god Baal, and Arabs knew of him long before Mohammed worshipped him as the supreme God. Before Islam the Arabs recognized many gods and goddesses, each tribe had their own deity. There were also nature deities. Allah was the god of the local Quarish tribe, which was Mohammed's tribe before he invented Islam to lead his people out of their polytheism. Allah was then known as the Moon God, who had 3 daughters who were viewed as intercessors for the people into Allah. Their names were Al-at, Al-uzza, and Al-Manat, which were three goddesses; the first two daughters of Allah had names which were feminine forms of Allah. Hubal was the chief God of the Kaaba among the other 360 deities. Hubal was the chief God of the Kaaba among the other 360 deities. Hubal was a statue likeness of a man whose body was made of red precious stones whose arms were made of gold. (Reference Islam George Braswell Jr.)”

(http://www.letusreason.org/islam6.htm)

I believe Warren knows exactly what he is doing. I do not believe that he is a Christian. He is an agent of Satan that the Bible predicted would show up to lead the children of God astray. He has fooled over 19,000 people and still counting.

Christians – it’s time to get your heads out of the sand! Wake up and seek the God of the bible!

Check out these References:

http://filesfromtoni.blogspot.com/2012/02/rick-warren-says-muslims-and-christians.html

http://www.ocregister.com/articles/muslims-341669-warren-saddleback.html

http://godfatherpolitics.com/3962/pastor-rick-warren-says-allah-and-god-are-one-in-the-same/#ixzz1nv7uV171