Abortion

          If an unborn child is not a human being, what is it: an inhuman being?  What is the distinction between the following?

1. Abortion (as birth control). 

2. Sacrificing a baby for better crop yield (as in idol worship). 

3. Death of an infant from outside forces (murder as defined by our laws).

          There is no need whatsoever for an abortion clinic to exist.  If there is a real medical need for an abortion, it should be done in a hospital where they used to be performed.  Those medical personnel that believe like I do would not have a problem under that system.  ‘Abortion on demand’ is murder straight up.  Abortion is a legitimate medical procedure that, as far as I know, was never against the law.   Abortion on demand is nothing more than birth control used as a substitute due to laziness.  There are many forms of birth control that are much easier, cheaper and less complicated.  What about Choice?  Do you really want to go there?  If there was no choice in the causation of the pregnancy, it wasn’t sex, it was rape.  Since rape is not in God’s plan, it must therefore be considered to be from the only other power in the universe.  There are those wonderful women that chose to keep the child that is a product of rape which proves two things.  1. Good can result from evil plans if God’s people choose to make the effort.  2. The devil cannot create anything on his own, so he has to pervert that which the Lord has established.  Life is established and begins at the moment of conception.  There is no question left about this fact.  “Apart from God, there is no meaning in life.”[1]  Oops, is not, in my opinion, a reason to end a viable life, and that is what abortion on demand really amounts to.

I used to sell medical equipment.  In my years in the field of gynecology equipment sales, I was exposed to many facets of the medical field.  When I sold for Gynemed, I was introduced to the line of Berkley Bioengineering products.   Berkley was the company that made the abortion equipment.  At the sales meeting where the line was introduced, the entire sales force expressed our objections.  It was agreed that we would not actively promote the sale of the equipment, but rather act as customer service.  (I still regret staying with that company.)  We had plenty of other product lines to keep us busy.  Many of the hospitals I called on had the abortion equipment, including the Baptist hospital that was very close to Jerry Farwell’s church.  One of the nurses I remember talking to at the University of Richmond hospital was considering changing her field due to the increased number of abortions.  She said that since the government had stopped paying for their birth control pills the women were using abortion as birth control. 

Another story I would like to relate involves an abortion clinic in North Carolina.  The owner told me his story.  He didn’t even have a high school education, but was the owner of several of these clinics.  He explained that when Roe vs. Wade became law, he recognized the opportunity.  He rented a building, the furniture, and the fixtures.  He also described the doctors and nurses as rented.  At the point of my meeting him, he owned three clinics, buildings, furnishings and all.  He was making quite a bit of money.  He still described his staff as being rented.  He also had the staff sterilize and reuse the ‘disposable’ plastic instruments to save money.

Healthcare workers, with a fervent belief that abortion on demand is a crime or a sin, are told that they need to find other employment. There really is a growing crisis in this country, and that is the lack of sufficient supply of qualified personnel.  Taxpayers, regardless of their beliefs, are being told that they will be funding abortion on demand.  I believe that these same healthcare workers and taxpayers would have no problem with abortion being performed for instances such as rape, incest, miscarriage, health of the mother, baby died in the womb and perhaps some other circumstances - real, legitimate medical reasons. 

          Let’s see what God says about it - In Psalm 139:13-14, David said: “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.”  Jeremiah 1:5; “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you.”  Luke 1:41; ”When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.”  Exodus 20:13; “Thou shalt not murder.”  Proverbs 6; “There are six things the Lord hates ,seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.”

Margaret Sanger, the hero of the Planned Parenthood movement, is very seldom fully explained.  She was indeed concerned about the plight of those people who were being saddled with an over abundance of children.  Birth control was needed very much, if only to keep the women alive.  When abortion on demand became the law of the land, I was told by a close relative that it was a good idea because whites would never do it, and it would keep down the population of blacks.  Well as it turns out, that was one of Margaret Sanger’s reasons as well.  Some of her other reasons were, to limit the population of the poor, the retarded and physically and mentally handicapped.  Eugenics was also one of her areas of concern.  Hitler, and some others, joined right in with her.   

          Professor Priscilla Coleman –Bowling Green state Univ., Ohio said: “Terminating a pregnancy can double the risk of severe mental illness.  There are in fact some real risks associated with abortion that should be shared with women as they are counseled prior to abortion.  Among women, one in ten of all mental health issues is a result of abortion.”  Another area of concern is that the procedure sometimes causes infertility.

Keep in mind the “...life, liberty and the pursuit...”[2]   “…I set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life….”[3]

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[1] Ecclesiastes  1:2 and 12:13,14

[2] Declaration of Independence

[3]  Deuteronomy 30: 19-20

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The War On Christianity

          I believe that the Emergent Church, Islamic Jihad, the New Age movement, witchcraft/sorcery, Marxism/Communism/Socialism and atheism are all equal in God’s sight.  This could all be understood as lusting after other gods.  Anything that separates you from God is sin, and we all know who the author of sin is.  All of these different facets are controlled by the same personage: the Devil.  Apparently, the Devil is under the impression that he can overwhelm and thwart God’s plans.  Although the Bible predicts these things will come about through a New World Order and Interfaithism, many Christians are complacent, ignorant or misinformed.  Fear not!  All these things, and more, must happen, before the return of Christ.

 

Some examples of the deviousness of Satan: 

"Throughout the last 2,000 years this symbol has designated hatred of Christians. Nero, who despised Christians, crucified the Apostle Peter on a cross head downward. This hideous event resembled the Teutonic cross and became a popular pagan insignia of the day. Thereafter, this sign became known as the 'Neronic cross.”[1]  Revived in the sixties by hippies and others who protested nuclear weapons, Western culture, and Christian values, it became a worldwide symbol of a new age of global peace and earth-centered unity. But many heavy metal rock fans would agree with Nero and have used it to mock Christ and His followers.” The peace symbol (also called the "broken cross," "crow's foot," "witch's foot," "Nero Cross," "sign of the 'broken Jew,'" and the "symbol of the 'anti-Christ''') is actually a cross with the arms broken. It also signifies the "gesture of despair and the" death of man.''[2]  Essentially it represents the rejection of Christ.

            "The meaning for the Hebrew letter for V (Van) is 'Nail.' Now, 'The Nail' is one of the secret titles of Satan within the Brotherhood of Satanism. Satan is letting us know that this is one of his favorite signs. Why else does he like the PENTA-gram (Penta = five!) and the FIVE-fold salute used in Masonry and Witchcraft?'' "The Leftists, radicals, and Satanists who have popularized that sign...know its ancient significance very well. In fact, that 'V' sign is now used extensively by such Communist organizations as the Young Socialist Alliance, Vets for Peace in Vietnam, and the Students for a Democratic Society."[3]

 

Some derivations of the above -

 

 

          A recent conversation I had on Facebook involving what was posted on my profile went as follows –

     RK: What's a Charismentalist Christian?

     ME: Charismatic Fundamentalist Christian - One who puts no limits on God and believes the Bible is true.

     RK: you actually believe the bible is true ...word for word? Really! and which bible would that be?

     ME: The one breathed by the Spirit of God. Why, which one do you believe in?

     RK: I believe in the ORIGINAL BIBLE and not all the made up various versions

     ME: I don't speak or write Hebrew or Greek so I have to depend on the English translations. The one I trust most is The King James but I do read several other versions. The Antioch scriptures seem to be superior to the Egyptian versions, the King James is taken from the Antioch papers. Which one do you consider the original bible?

     RK: There is only ONE Bible. It is the Old Testament. Other versions are a bunch of crap!

     ME: Rather intolerant of grafted in Jews isn't it? Also of those Jews that believe that Jesus is the Messiah. Ever read Isaiah 53?  Perhaps we can agree that the Old Testament is the inspired word of God. Perhaps we can agree to disagree on the New Testament. Most of all, shouldn't we agree to pursue these matters in the realm of the love of God, rather than an adversarial confrontation. (I never received a follow up response)

          One man wrote the following three statements - In his early life he wrote - “Through love of Christ we turn out our hearts at the same time toward our brethren who are inwardly bound to us and for whom Christ gave himself in sacrifice.”   During his college years he wrote - “I wish to avenge myself against the one who rules above. I hate all gods, I worship Satan.”   In the latter part of his life he wrote - “thus heaven I’ve forfeited, I know it full well.  My soul, once true to God, is chosen for Hell.”   The author of all three was Carl Marx.

          The only real challenge to this New World Order is Biblical Christianity.  The average person today is in his own little world, and is either ignorant of what is going on, or too concerned with his own life and problems to take the time to comprehend the danger.  Basically, we can see that the people in the world are like a flock of sheep.  God is the Shepard who protects and cares for the flock.  The Holy Spirit could be looked on as the sheep dog, directing and protecting the flock.  The Devil would be the big bad wolf, the lion, and the bear that would like to eat the flock.  We can see that the flock, on its own, is not capable of protecting itself from a multifaceted attack.  Without God’s guidance and protection, the flock of the world has no chance of survival.  God provided an escape clause which will get the individual out of any real danger.  That escape clause is salvation and remission of sin, available through Christ. 

          When you want to know about algebra, you read an algebra book; not a book on trigonometry.  When you want to know about American history, you don’t read a book about China.  When you want to learn to speak Spanish, you don’t use a book on German.  When you want to know about God, you use the Bible; not a book on the New Age movement.

          It is hard for some intellectuals to humble themselves, and set aside their pride, in order to accept Jesus.  My mother fancied herself a great intellect (graduated Magna Cum-Laude from Duke University).  I think that she was disappointed in my lack of scholarly pursuits in my younger years.  At one time she said that she didn’t think I understood that she was a true intellectual.  My response was that I did, but that I had forgiven her.  I don’t think she ever quite forgave me for that.  The unpardonable sin seems to be the rejection of Jesus, among other reasons, due to a hardened heart because of intellectualism and pride.  As far as I can tell, my mother never received salvation through Christ.  For years she had suffered with goiter attacks, and finally had to have surgery as the goiter was cancerous.  I visited her at Mt. Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland.  When I arrived, she was very upset because of the diagnosis.  Despite her usual objections, I prayed for her healing.  The next day she told me that during the night a bright light shown down from the upper left corner of her ceiling.  A voice came from the light that told her she did have cancer, but it was being taken away and not to worry.  The medical staff, after further testing, told her that there was no longer any sign of the cancer.  It was there, but now it was gone.  It was less than two days when doubt entered her mind.  From that time on she would say that she didn’t know what that was in her room that night; but the healing was not taken away.

I keep my eyes wide open all the time.

I keep a close watch on this heart of mine.   

I keep the ends out for the ties that bind.

Because your mine, I walk the line.

          This old Johnny Cash song describes the way I feel about my walk with Jesus.  At times it’s not easy to be a Christian.  The world is so filled with controversy, falsehood, rejection and downright distain for Christians, that living the Christian life is fraught with pit falls.  However, I still recommend it as being superior to anything else. 

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[1] http://www.jesus-is-savior.com/False%20Religions/Wicca%20&%20Witchcraft/peace_sign.htm

[2] http://www.crossroad.to/Books/symbols1.html

 

[3] http://www.crossroad.to/Books/symbols1.html

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New Age Religion, The New ‘Normal’

Those of you who have been receiving and reading my “Gin’s Reflections” writings, (or my ‘epistles’ as Phil, my brother-in-law calls them) are aware that much of the content of each one has been related to my sense of an urgency for all true Christians to take their heads out of the sand, and hopefully return to the conviction that we must test everything that we hear, believe, think, and do, with the truth as it is found in the Bible. Most of us, myself included, have become biblically illiterate, depending on others to do the studying for us, and then often accepting just about anything that is said or written by others without studying and verifying what is true or not. No wonder true Biblical faith is quickly becoming a thing of the past. All too often we have set aside our Bibles, and yet we quickly turned to books and/or the words of others that proliferate the dissemination of every half truth or out right lie being proclaimed by the “if the it feels good, do it” gurus that are springing up like a bunch of cock roaches. And what are we Christians, who say we are dedicated to our faith in Christ, doing while our Lord and His Word are, not so slowly, but very surely, being marginalized, watered down, perverted, compromised and every other word one could think of that denotes the ultimate destruction of true Christianity. Then when we are confronted with the reality of the teachings that are now being presented as the New Age versions of Christianity, we listen to them and accept them as being the new normal, and often discarding true Biblical doctrinal knowledge as old hat and not relevant in this ‘evolving’ world.

When I first began writing today, I felt so angry with such teachers of deception, and those supporting them, I wanted to ring every one of their necks for what they are doing to Jesus and to those who believe in Him. I must admit that I was going at this from a rather self righteous attitude. My anger was misguided and misplaced. I was reminded that there, but for the grace of God, go I. If we are not careful, any one of us can be tempted to listen to and fall into that same pit of deception that others have. Not only that, we could even become one who deceives and perverts the Word of God ourselves. With the help of the Holy Spirit, I hope I can correct myself and write this from Jesus’ point of view with love even towards those who would even crucify Him all over again.

If there is to be any anger, it must be first directed at myself rather than others. I am just as guilty of passively standing by while the apostate church has been blossoming, and now is almost in full bloom. I look to my own actions, or inactions, to explain what may be some of the causes which have created an environment for this deception to be able to take root and grow so rampantly in our world today. My life has often been a good example to illustrate the meaning of the scripture: “But be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the Word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: for he beholdeth himself and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was.” (James 1:22 - 24) I was not diligent to keep God’s Word ever before my eyes and ever in my heart that I may be consistent in not just knowing the Word, but also in obeying it. I don’t mean this in a legalistic point of view, for none of us can keep the law. Saved or not, none of us is ever free from the temptation to sin. Realizing that should reinforce the understanding of our continual need for God’s forgiveness, mercy, and grace in our lives.

How different my life could have been had I been more diligent to make use of the glass, or mirror, of the “perfect law of liberty” (God’s law), by which I could be convicted of my sin and thereby recognize my need to ask God’s forgiveness, and be set free from the law of sin and death by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ. Too many times I walked according to the desires of my own flesh, and not according to the Word of the Lord. In so doing, I have given the ones I love a mixed message.

Why then should it be a wonder to me when even those whom I may have had a chance to influence, turn from the true faith in Christ, and go after strange gods. Before you know it, they have then listened to and begun to follow this belief in this ‘New Age faith’ where anything goes. It becomes easy to set aside the God of the Bible, and replace Him with many gods, no god, or the god of ‘self’. Forgetting who we are in Christ, we begin to think that is the ‘normal’ way to believe and live.

If only I had better demonstrated the example as given in the following scripture - “But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the Word, this man shall be blessed in his deeds.” (James 1: 25) I make no excuse for my failure, for there is none. I can’t even blame my failures on ignorance, for the answer to my lack of knowledge and wisdom was always there and accessible to me. It is written: “If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth (without reproach) not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. A double minded man is unstable in all his ways.” (James 1:5 -8) Had I not been ‘double minded’ myself, perhaps I would have had a more positive affect in the lives of others. I say this not to exalt myself as having any innate qualities to affect the lives of others, but had I let God dwell within more richly, I would have been a more capable vessel to draw others to God and thereby glorify Him.

The past can not be changed except to ask God’s forgiveness and rest in the assurance that, because of Christ, I am and will be forgiven each time I repent. Thank God, He does not leave me as I am, but continues to perfect me and transform me more into His image.

So now, you may still be asking, what has all this to do with the growing apostasy in the church and world today? The apostate church could not exist unless the apostate individual(s) did not first exist. I have been doing some research into the various kinds of deception that are infiltrating the body of believers, not just the lives of unbelievers. There are so many, I could not possibly attempt to cover all of them. I must admit, I was seduced by some of these, and even a supporter, in times past. That is how I personally know how devious Satan is. He puts just enough truth in his lies so as to make them appear to be the truth. When we don’t study the Word ourselves, we become vulnerable and easy prey to his seducing lies, and to the desires of the flesh.

It is my intent to expose one of the most popular and powerful persons, and her partner that is causing many today to fall away from faith in the Christ of the Bible. Before I mention her by name, I wish each of us to once again realize that but for the grace of God any one of us could also follow. Oprah Winfrey, and her guru partner, Eckhart Tolle, have begun one of the fastest growing churches presently in the world. She was raised as a Baptist and still professes to be a Christian. That, and the fact that she has such popularity and power through her TV programs, makes her extremely dangerous and influential in contributing to apostasy even in the lives of those who profess to be Christians.

I used to be a fan of Oprah, and listened to her program quite often. Then some time ago, I heard of her New Earth Religion, and how she was distorting who Christ is and why He came to Earth. One of the first things I heard her say was that she had turned away from the God of the Bible because He was a jealous God, and she did not want to believe in a God that was jealous of her. My heart sank for her, for just as Satan had deceived Eve, so too was Oprah. He whispered this lie, and in her weakness and vulnerability, she received it. I was led to look up the word jealous to determine just what it meant in relationship to the God of the Bible being a jealous God. I discovered that it does NOT mean ‘to envy another’ as Oprah had misinterpreted it. Rather, it means ‘to be vigilant and zealous.’ So God is saying to us that He loves us so much that He is zealous and vigilant to watch over and care for us. Remember, He is the one who first loved us even when we were lost in sin and did not even know Him.

In my research, I listened to several of her video clips where she explains that she believes that there could not possibly be only one way to God, for each person’s way is the ‘light’ within themselves and their own ‘consciousness’ that they choose to follow. Thus, the god that is in you is not the Holy Spirit, but the god of your own enlightenment that you develop by and within yourself. She says that Jesus did NOT come to die on the cross to redeem us from sin, but by example to show us how to develop our own similar consciousness. It is true that He is our role model for our behavior. However, to limit who He is to the status of simply being a role model, is to deny the deity of Jesus, making the sacrifice of His life’s blood meaningless. And of course, since Jesus was not the Son of God who arose from the dead, we can not have a personal relationship with Him, nor can we receive His Holy Spirit to indwell us and lead us into all truth. No longer can we have the assurance of our own eventual resurrection, for His death on the cross and ultimate resurrection and return to Heaven is also negated and denied.

One of Oprah’s gurus, Eckhart Tolle, has written several books which have been used as part of the basis for the curriculum taught in Oprah’s New Earth religion. It involves a great deal of Buddhism, Hinduism, other Eastern Religions, paganism, and the belief in reincarnation. Isn’t it ironic, that even some Christians are falling away from biblical faith to believe in teachings of a mere humanbeing like Tolle, but they won’t search the Scriptures for the real truths of God? “Ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (II James 3: 7) We are reminded to test everything to see if it aligns with the Scriptures, for they provide the only true measuring stick. “Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.” (I Thes. 5: 21)

“Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God. Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even already is it in the world. (I John 4: 1 – 3)

“But continue in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them; and that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ
Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.” (II Tim. 4: 14 – 17)

I have not written this to stir up hatred towards Oprah or her partner, but to be a ‘voice crying out in the wilderness’ to stir each of us up to awaken to this reality. Satan is using anything and everyone he can to cause even believers to fall away from the faith in God and His Word. I believe Oprah may be a very loving, kind, and sincere person, but she and her partner are sincerely wrong. I do not say they are going to Hell. Heaven or Hell is in God’s hands, for He is the only one that knows the heart. I know that God does not wish anyone to perish (die in their sins and thereby condemn themselves to Hell). I do know that God has instructed us to study the Word that we may be a workman that does not need be ashamed. To be forewarned is to be forearmed against the fiery darts of Satan and the powers and principalities of this world. I pray that both Oprah and Mr. Tolle will repent and have faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as Lord and Savior before it is too late for them. He is faithful to forgive. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh to the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6) To the unbeliever Jesus said, “Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he [the Son of God], ye shall die in your sins.” (John 8: 23, 24) If a person does not believe in and follow Christ as Lord and Savior and the only way to God the Father, can he legitimately call himself a Christian?

Woe be unto all those who practice to deceive others and draw them away from faith in Christ, the Son of God, who gave His life on the Cross. Jesus said, “And whosoever shall offend
(harm) one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. However, the Lord does not want anyone to perish, but to come to the saving knowledge of Christ the Lord. Christians, let us not be deceived. Stand on the solid rock of faith in Jesus Christ, the only name by which one can be saved. Stand on the Word, and speak boldly in defense of Christ our Lord


Jesus said:
“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. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. He that believeth on Him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he has not believed in the only begotten Son of God.” (John 3: 16 – 18)
The ‘whosoever’ means any of us can come to Jesus, ask Him for forgiveness, and ask Him into your heart to be your Savior and Lord of your life.
“The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God has raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed.” “For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved. (Romans 10: 8 – 11, 13)

Ginger Rahn

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Sit Not In The Counsel Of The Ungodly

As I have been studying the Word, I have been trying to understand what God teaches us about our own responsibility in the company we keep. The main query with which I have been puzzled, and seek to understand, is related to the principal found within the following scripture:

II John 1: 7-10
“For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist. Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward. Whosoever transgresseth, and abidith not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: for he that biddeth him God speed is a partaker of his evil deeds.”

Just as in the times of John, there are even more false teachers that would have us believe that Jesus can not be God in the flesh. They may assert that He is a good man, or even a prophet.
Yet, to proclaim him as a prophet, but deny His divinity, is to automatically disqualify Him as a prophet. If one who proclaimed to be a prophet of God, was once found to be a liar, he was to be stoned to death, for He would be guilty of misrepresenting God and His Word. Jesus said of himself that He was the Son of God; therefore, if He was lying, He can not be a prophet. We must either admit that He is the Son of God, or declare Him to be a liar or a lunatic. It has to be one or the other, for “a house divided can not stand.” There is no in between ground when it comes to acknowledging who He is.

The Word of God teaches us that we are to love our neighbor as we love ourselves. In other words, we are to do no harm to others, not even if they happen to be unbelievers. Jesus sought out those who did not believe in order to bring them to the saving knowledge of who He was and what He alone could do for them- grant them forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life. As Christians, we too are taught to take up His mission of spreading the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ to all that will listen. Receiving unbelievers, as well as believers, into ones home is actually the will of God in that it provides an opportunity for sharing God’s love and redemption with others. This kind of hospitality is approved of and desired in the Christian home.

On the other hand, according to John, who was the apostle of love, has instructed us to be aware of anyone that professes to be a Christian, but either denies or perverts the doctrine of Christ. We are not only to be aware of them, but we are not to have anything to do with them. So if one teaches that Christ is not the Son of God, or that there is any other path to God the Father, thereby making the blood of Jesus meaningless, a Christian is not to give hospitality to any such false teacher. I believe this is very much connected to the scriptures that tell us to give no place to the devil, and give no appearance of evil. We never know who is watching our lives, or how we might affect their lives in a positive or negative way. If we are seen inviting such teachers into our home, we could be encouraging others to heed their heretical teachings just by giving the appearance that we may accept them and what they teach.

John makes it clear that he does not condemn our hospitality towards unbelievers, but he
emphatically condemns even giving the appearance of supporting those who are dedicated to opposing the true teachings of God. Not only are we not to invite them into our homes, but we are not to even wish them well. We are forewarned that if we do so, we are then just as guilty in promoting the antichrist spirit as they are. Whoa! That sounds like a pretty big deal to me. John has warned us of the dangers of not taking heretical teachings seriously. If we allow even a little bit of ‘leaven’ into our hearts, homes, and churches, we open ourselves to pollution, corruption, and eventually, total destruction.

We are admonished to love one another and to walk according to the commandments of God. But we are not to sit in the counsel of the ungodly. There are those that would have us believe that all paths lead to God. They are even encouraging Christians to join in prayer and worship with believers in Islam and many other religions; for after all, aren’t they all praying to the same God? If that were true, why did others in the Bible refuse to worship any other god except the one true and living God of the Hebrews? Have you ever noticed that prayer is most often discouraged and looked upon with disdain when one wishes to pray in the name of Jesus? The following are but two of the best Biblical examples that I can site as our examples to follow:

Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, in the book of Daniel stood strong in their exclusive dedication to worship no other God but the God of the Hebrews. When ordered to worship King Nebuchadnezzar as god, they refused and chose to be thrown into a fiery furnace rather than worship any other god. They were protected by the angel of the Lord.

Daniel, under King Darius, refused to comply with the King’s decree that all must bow down and worship a statue, which either represented himself or another god of those times. He chose possible death from being thrown into a den of lions. Once again, he was saved by the Lord.

Though these were saved, there are many who have chosen death, rather than compromise their faith in God by accepting the idea that all gods lead to the same place. We too must be willing to stand strong in our faith in Jesus Christ as being the one and only way to God the Father. There is no other name by which we can be saved. Yet there are those that are trying to get Christians to believe that all other gods are equal with our God. Therefore, we should become inclusive and join in worship with believers in any and all other religions, even including pagan gods. Yet the apostle John has made it quite clear that we are not to even invite such a heretical teacher into our homes, much less join in group prayer with them.

I know that to the ‘natural man,’ this inclusive joining together in unity of peoples of all religions may look like a good thing. It reminds me of the efforts of man to go his on way in the building of the Tower of Babel. We must not get caught up in the insidiousness of this deception. Let us determine to stand fast, as we are taught in the Bible, and worship God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and Him alone. Refuse to give any appearance of accepting any part of this deception, and have nothing to do with those who dedicate themselves to the promotion and teaching of these lies, for they seek to destroy the gospel of Biblical Christianity. And if your church shows signs of going this route, my advice would be to run immediately to the nearest door and never darken those doors again!

Study the Word of God. Stay rooted and grounded in His Word. Worship the Lord, and have no other gods before Him. Stay safe and secure in the shelter of His mighty wings, and He will be your shield and buckler. Depart from any that would teach you otherwise. Refuse to sit in the counsel of the ungodly.

Ginger Rahn

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From The Beginning

          In the Garden of Eden there was one plan.  God told Adam, everything is yours except for the tree of the knowledge of good and evil[1].  At this point, there was no knowledge of evil, for everything was good, even the forbidden tree.  There was no evil, no sin, no pain and no death or illness.  Only after the one and only restriction was ignored did evil enter the world; through the urging of Lucifer.

          Since the beginning, through his God given right of free will, man has thought either that he knows better than God or that surely an all loving God wouldn’t condemn you for doing as you pleased.  Just a little bite of the fruit!  Not a big thing.  Surely God would overlook that little thing.  But it was enough to bring rebellion (sin) into existence in God’s perfect place, and plan.  I won’t go into detail about Lucifer’s rebellion and rejection of God.  Suffice it to say that although Lucifer was in the presence of God, he rebelled in order to further his own desires.  My estimation is that that was the first sin, unless you would count the envy that led up to it.  From that point on, Lucifer set out to thwart all of Gods plans for mankind.

          From that point on, man (with the help of Lucifer) chipped away at the respect (fear) and authority of God.  Since ‘a little bit’ wouldn’t hurt, surely a little bit more wouldn’t matter.  By the time of Noah, man had become so self absorbed with his own desires and things had gotten so bad, God realized He had to start things over.  Perhaps this time man would respect Him and His creation.  Apparently, at that point in man’s history, Noah and his family were the only ones left with any respect (fear) of God. 

          As usual, with mankind, being led astray by the devil and their flesh, the world was doing as it pleased during the time of Abraham.  Abraham yielded himself in faith to God, and the result was the Hebrew nation.  Abraham and his descendents, for the most part, followed God and His will.  As time passed, God’s chosen people did not follow Him as they should.  The result was over four hundred years of servitude in Egypt.   After that time, God was able to find a man whom He could trust, and who trusted Him.  That man was Moses.   Moses wasn’t perfect.  He murdered a man and neglected to circumcise his son.  That little thing, circumcision, being overlooked, almost cost him his life[2].  Moses even argued (contended) with God several times.  The result of his complaining, about not being good enough, resulted in God allowing Aaron to take over part of his mission[3].  He argued with God over His decision to destroy the Hebrew people and beginning again with him[4]; thus the Hebrew nation was saved.  Through Moses, God gave the Hebrew people ‘the law’, so they would have no doubt as to what He wanted them to do.  

          Time, after time, after time, the Hebrew people would reject God and time after time, after time, they would return to Him.  When they followed Him they prospered, but when they strayed they fell into disrepute.  He sent a multitude of prophets to bring the people back to Him.   The prophets were treated shamefully.  It was at just such a time of betrayal that God decided to put forth one more effort to redeem His people.  He thought; surely they will respect my Son and return to me. 

          From the beginning, God has done everything godly possible to bring us to Himself.  At this time, about one third of the world claims to be Christian (followers of Christ).  The last chance is at hand.  Through His Son, Jesus, we are given one last chance to redeem ourselves.  You can reject Him, as you have done with all God’s previous messengers, or receive the gift of salvation that He paid for, with His sacrifice of suffering and death, on your behalf. 

          There are two kinds of death: the ‘death’ which is a celebration of the passing over to glory and eternal life with God, and dead-dead, which is the passing over to eternal damnation. The second death is not part of the celebration.

          I don’t want to just give lip service to Jesus: Judas did that when he kissed Him.  There are consequences for pretending to be a Christian.  The lack of true acceptance of the salvation of Christ leads to spiritual death.  You must truly accept Jesus, as Lord of your life, to be acceptable to God.  God doesn’t “sell salvation”[5] to the highest bidder.  Salvation isn’t something you can earn by your good deeds or the sweat of your brow.  It is a free gift; bought and paid for by the blood of Christ.

          It’s easy.  All you have to do is admit your need for Him, ask for forgiveness, invite Him into your life as your own personal Lord and Savior, and pronounce to others that you have accepted Him as your Lord and Savior.  The time is short.  Jesus will be returning soon, and when He does the offer will be retracted.  If you ask now, the door to salvation will be opened to you.  If you wait too long, the door will be locked for all time.  Today is the day of salvation!

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[1]  Genesis 2:17

[2] Exodus 4:24-26

[3] Exodus 4:10-16

[4] Numbers 14:12

[5] Max Lucano The Applause of Heaven

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