Not satisfied with gravesucking and other abominations, Bethel Church Redding CA detestable practices have gone into overdrive as they are now endorsing Christalignment Destiny Reading Cards aka "Christian Tarot Cards". Bethel's website praises the "ministry" of Christalignment leaders Ken and Jenny Hodge, stating: "..we have a value for what they are seeking to accomplish..
..The Hodges are attempting to contextualize the Gospel and bring people to the realization that God is looking for them and loves them no matter where they are – just like the apostle Paul often did. In Acts 17:22-34, Paul spoke to a group of religious people who didn’t yet know God and lived in a city full of altars, idols, and various religions. In that moment, Paul referred to a single altar in their city that had an inscription to the “unknown god,” and he used this familiar object (something they understood and valued) as a starting point to connect them with the God of all creation. He wasn’t worried that they would get a wrong idea (like that God is merely one of many gods or that idols are appropriate) because he would soon be introducing them to the true God." {1}
When Paul referred to the alter with the inscription "To the unknown God", he immediately made known the gospel of Jesus Christ. He didn't undertake any occult practices or "readings", he simply preached the gospel, something that Bethel and their associates seem incapable of doing.
So Paul, standing in the midst of the Areopagus, said: “Men of Athens, I perceive that in every way you are very religious. For as I passed along and observed the objects of your worship, I found also an altar with this inscription: ‘To the unknown god.’ What therefore you worship as unknown, this I proclaim to you. The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, for
“‘In him we live and move and have our being’;
as even some of your own poets have said,
“‘For we are indeed his offspring.’
Being then God’s offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.” (Acts 17:22-31).
From the Christalignment Website:
"Team members can be booked individually for deep consultations, healing, spiritual readings, & spirit cleansing.
We draw from the same divine energy of the Christ spirit , as ancient followers did and operate only out of the third heaven realm to gain insight and revelation.
Christalignment teams are trained in destiny reading, Presence therapy, trauma recovery, entity cleansing, relationship alignment and physical healing using divine energy. Dream interpretation is done using the Hebraic method which can facilitate deep spiritual alignment.
Christalignment encounters coming from the third heaven realm bring lasting life transformation and guidance.
The team are trained as intuitive readers .." {2}
We draw from the same divine energy of the Christ spirit , as ancient followers did and operate only out of the third heaven realm to gain insight and revelation.
Christalignment teams are trained in destiny reading, Presence therapy, trauma recovery, entity cleansing, relationship alignment and physical healing using divine energy. Dream interpretation is done using the Hebraic method which can facilitate deep spiritual alignment.
Christalignment encounters coming from the third heaven realm bring lasting life transformation and guidance.
The team are trained as intuitive readers .." {2}
Those churches that persist in continuing a relationship with the New Apostolic Reformation and Bill Johnson/Bethel will reap terrible consequences. (2 Peter 2:17).
ABOMINABLE PRACTICES:
“When you come into the land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominable practices of those nations. There shall not be found among you anyone who burns his son or his daughter as an offering, anyone who practices divination or tells fortunes or interprets omens, or a sorcerer or a charmer or a medium or a necromancer or one who inquires of the dead, for whoever does these things is an abomination to the Lord. And because of these abominations the Lord your God is driving them out before you. You shall be blameless before the Lord your God, for these nations, which you are about to dispossess, listen to fortune-tellers and to diviners. But as for you, the Lord your God has not allowed you to do this. (Deuteronomy 18:9-13).
{1} http://www.bethel.com/about/christalignment/
{2} http://www.christalignment.org/
Its hard to believe all this stuff, or is it?
ReplyDeleteYou really do wonder what these people will come up with next!
Wolves in sheep's clothing? They have well and truly taken their mask off.
Sadly, I suppose, many in this increasingly fast moving and dumbed down world we now find ourselves in just don't find the time to read God's Book and check out these charlatans. As long as they get that weekly fix, all is well and good, isn't it?
God bless.
These leaders are the heads of the Hydra, cut one head off and two grow back. They are a distraction, causing us to lose focus on the task given to us to preach the true gospel.
ReplyDeleteThese heads all come from the same body, and with the same message. New revelation from God (no more Sola Scriptura), and as with all Pentecostal and neo-Pentecostal belief systems, they all go back to Edward Irving and the Scottish Pentecost early in the 19th century. (read Gordon Strachan).
Many would disagree with this, believing that the "gifts" have continued for the last 2000 years but have simply been neglected. In this case, rather than being restored as per Restorationism, they have never actually been away.
Lets get back to the five solas.
I agree that the five solas are paramount Mike. I became a Christian through "Charismania". After having a terrible time with them which culminated in a devastating false personal prophecy, I moved to an AOG Pentecostal Church in Leicester, now Trinity Life Church. TLC are now way off beam. I could not possibly attend a Pentecostal church these days, and from what I hear I have been blacklisted.. what a blessing!
ReplyDeleteI can't find scriptural evidence showing that the gifts have ceased-- this makes me cautious about cessationism. However, any prophetic gift absolutely MUST be tested by the scriptures. God has not changed the goalposts as the NAR fake "apostles" and "prophets" claim, and the original Apostles cannot be replaced. Most of the so called gifts of the Spirit I have witnessed have been false, but that doesn't mean that the real thing has ceased. "Do not despise prophecies" 1 Thessalonians 5:20.
Thank you for your thoughts Mike.
God bless.
It is difficult to take in the depth of apostasy escalating in our time Colin. Perhaps we can see it more clearly because we are on the outside looking in - Thank God! I wonder how much worse it will get?
ReplyDelete"..while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived." 2 Timothy 3:13.
God bless.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDuwxDuvTQU&t=1s
ReplyDeleteThis is a very good introduction by Sam Waldren and Matt Slick, done with a great spirit of brotherhood even though they are quite different in their views, they are both very Bible focussed.
The starting point is Ephesians 2:19-20 which is quite clear, though of course it is attacked for that very reason.
Cessationists, at least as far as I have understood, only believe that the sign gifts have ceased, not all the gifts. This is because the sign gifts authenticated the messenger, the Apostles (12), or those to whom they chose to impart such gifts (Rom1:11), such as Stephen and Philip.
The confusion today is a deliberate strategy of the enemy. Divide and conquer, making fake spirituality everywhere, and preventing Bible teaching from the text. Those caught up in the charismatic delusion are all victims - but they have stopped their ears. Those who want the truth after realising they have been surrounded by fakery, don't know where to start.
I will watch tomorrow Mike. Thank you.
ReplyDeleteRed-faced (and rightly so) Redding seemingly has forgotten that apostasy-loathing volcanoes like Mt. Shasta and Lassen Peak are waiting not far away to blow their top, not to mention that the well-known underground saint, San Andreas, could soon get a kick out of what goes on over his head and make a motion (and second it) that could stop the unholy shaking up above him!
ReplyDeleteAs always Irv you have defined it to a t. God bless.
ReplyDeleteMy NAR prayer list gets ever bigger, I just hope for many to be rescued out of the NAR pyramid structure, from those at the top like che ahn, through to the unaware sheep in the congregations at the bottom ...
ReplyDeleteMike I have been watching the youtube vid on an off today. I totally agree with Dr Walden about the foundational apostles + his point that the canon of scripture is closed. However - I have just heard him explain the "cascade argument", which stands on the premise that the gifts were limited to the apostles.. The following verses seem to weaken his position.
ReplyDelete"On the next day we departed and came to Caesarea, and we entered the house of Philip the evangelist, who was one of the seven, and stayed with him. He had four unmarried daughters, who prophesied. 10While we were staying for many days, a prophet named Agabus came down from Judea. And coming to us, he took Paul’s belt and bound his own feet and hands and said, 'Thus says the Holy Spirit, ‘This is how the Jews at Jerusalem will bind the man who owns this belt and deliver him into the hands of the Gentiles.’” Acts 21:8-11.
I have not finished listening yet, so perhaps I am being premature.. Hopefully his argument will become a little clearer as I continue to listen. It is a very interesting and civilised debate and there is much to think about.
God bless.
I have now listened to the whole vid Mike.
ReplyDeleteDr Waldron seems to think that ALL prophecy MUST BE canonical. He does not separate the gift of prophecy from doctrine. Prophecy does not have to be directly connected with doctrine.. as in Acts 21 i.e. Agabus prophecy about Paul. When doctrine is involved in prophecy then of course the scriptures are authoritative... we test the spirits by the scriptures. 1 John 4:1.
Unless I misunderstood him at the beginning, DW said that the gifts were limited to the apostles. However, he said later on that the apostles may have laid hands on others and that the gifts were more widely spread throughout the church and gradually died out.
DW makes the continual point that if someone prophesies they must have the title of "Prophet". I do not necessarily think that this has to be the case. For someone to be a "prophet" I think that they would regularly prophesy? A "word of knowledge" " here and there or the odd prophetic statement from God does not necessarily make someone a "prophet"?
DW takes the prophecies of two witnesses in Revelation 11 as allegorical… this is a problem for me. "And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for 1,260 days, clothed in sackcloth." I take this literally.
DW: Some gifts remain and others do not.. this is also a problem. How do we decide?
DW says that Christians may make predictive statements, but he does not classify this as prophecy… this seems to be a contradiction.
I would like to go through Dr Waldron’s material much more thoroughly. From what I have heard him say on this vid, I disagree with him on many levels.
Oh dear .. Matt Slick is amillennial. He takes the scriptures literally as far as the two witnesses are concerned, but not Revelation 20.
God bless.
Hi Treena,
ReplyDeleteGreat that you watched it all, and you saw both guys in action. I am not sure how well you understood it on the first time of watching, but you picked up several key points that are worth looking at in more depth.
As I have understood it, Matt Slick is Premillenial, and perhaps dispensational too, I am not sure about the last bit, but I have heard/read him justifying the premillennial position. Myself, I am somewhere between the half preterist and the amillenial position, though I was dispensational for the first years after my conversion. It was a hard process to even listen to anyone who didn't agree with the dispensational view at first - for me they were all liberals at the time.
DWs first point is that the continuationist argument is broken when considering the Apostolic gift, which in his view has clearly ceased. Most Pentecostals and early Charismatics would agree with him, but the apostolic church(Wales) and restorationists (19th century Scottish and 20th Century British and American)clearly don't. Apostolic rule was the key to the shepherding movements.
DW also makes the point (if I remember right) that there has only ever been one type of prophecy and one type of prophet. There is no new testament prophet that is different to the old testament prophet (even though John the Baptist was the last of the OT prophets). Therefore, when a prophet speaks, he speaks on behalf of God, and it is "thus saith the Lord" without doubt. However, not everything that God has said through his prophets was written down and became part of the OT or NT. Nevertheless, it is still God speaking. It is not something to be tested by a committee to decide whether it is from God or not. This was a fallacy created by Wayne Grudem. There was one gift of prophecy, not two, and since the foundation has been laid why would it continue?
As Paul wanted to go to Rome to impart spiritual gifts, we must assume that he was already doing that wherever he set up churches, and that the other apostles were doing the same. There is however, no evidence that those with the gifts, other than apostles, could impart them to someone else. The gifts were for laying the foundation of the church, and authenticating the message from the apostles.
In the early church there were prophets, and they were part of the foundation of the church. (Some think Eph 2:20 means OT prophets, but most agree it is the NT prophets). These spoke for God to the church, in its infancy, and were part of the laying of the foundation with the apostles. The foundation was laid and cannot be relaid or changed.
If you haven't read it yet, and you are a premil or dispensational believer, then I recommend John MacArthur's appeal to charismatics. It will probably deal with all your questions, and you won't feel as cautious as if reading works by an amil or postmil. See "Strange fire" 2013 chapter 12 "an open letter to my charismatic friends".
Unfortunately, the inability of believers to keep this door of "new revelation" closed has been the source of nearly all the division in the churches since the start of the 19th century, and was at the root of Montanism and Christian Gnostic heresies, as I am sure you know. It was one of the great freedoms of the Reformation to ditch all the Roman stuff about revelations and the equality of tradition with the scripture. Finally the scripture became the sole source of God's revelation about himself, his plan of salvation, and his love for His Son and His bride. However, it was not long before the more extreme Anabaptists started with new revelations and prophecies.
It seems hard for believers to shake off the mystical and magical side of their faith. They need to have more than the Bible. The Bible is not enough for them. There must be something else for them. They need signs. (Mat 16:4)
//Mike
There is much wisdom in Mike's understanding of cessationism so-called. I agree with much of what he asserts, apart from our millennial beliefs. How believers cannot see the Bible's plain proclamation of the pre-millennial return of Christ is quite, well, beyond me, but there it is! I agree with John MacArthur on much of his writing on the Pentecostal Charismatic Movement, but its a shame he subsequently totally lost the plot! added to this, he is also a Dispensationalist. All Dispensationalists are pre-trib, but NOT all pre-millennialists are Dispensationalists, this fact is lost on many, though we be in the minority!
ReplyDeleteI read a book (the Author's name escapes me at present) that systematically dismantled Grudem's thesis. It is unusual for a reformed teacher to have such views, but these are strange days!
Granted, there is no statement anywhere in the NT that says "And from thence the miraculous gifts have now ceased", but such can be confirmed by a systematic study of God's Book, in my opinion at least. Paul says "And now abideth faith, hope, love...the greatest of these is love." 1 Corinthians 13.13, and of course when the Saviour returns, hope and faith will also have ceased! Love is the "greatest" because we will throughout eternity be forever grateful for the fact that Jesus loved and died for us while we were yet sinners Romans 5.8!
With regard to 1 Thess 5.20 "Despise not prophesyings", the Apostle was telling his hearers not to despise what God's prophets where saying! as the canon of Scripture was not yet complete. But which 'prophet' do we listen to today? To the best of my knowledge the Lord warned us NOT to listen to any! (Matt 24.11, Mark 13.5, Luke 21.8 etc.)
God bless.
Hi Colin,
ReplyDeletePerhaps you read "The Final Word" by O.Palmer Robertson. It is an thorough take down of Grudem's views on prophecy today.
Historically, Pre-mil and Amil have been the main systems for eschatology, but many today who are pre-mil have taken on the dispensational ideas to go with it, especially with regard to anything connected with Israel. Spurgeon was a historic premil, and he found the dispensational idea laughable. Nevertheless, the dispensationalists with all their gaps think their view is undeniable, even though they have two gospels, the gospel of Christ a mystery hidden in plan B!, and the cross ignored by Daniel!
There is a tension between believers on eschatology that has been as traumatic as the charismatic divisions over gifts of the spirit, and "baptism of the spirit". The divisions have caused untold damage. I think the eschatology of premil and Amil can work together, and sometimes Amil and dispensationalism, though it is tough, but it is the charismatic delusions that have split the modern churches most, and it was done deliberately by the fountain trust (as you may know) - the idea being to infiltrate the denominations and bring renewal from the inside, and reduce the reliance on scripture.
//Mike
Just another thought.
ReplyDeleteMike, you said "I was dispensational for the first years after my conversion....",
and subsequently you have now rejected the pre-millennial truth incorporated within the false theology known as Dispensationalism?
I have heard a similar line of reasoning from many who have said "I USED to be a Christian...", but, (and I believe you know where I am coming from) were they TRUE Christians to begin with? And I am sure you would agree with me that they were not. So, I would humbly ask you, DID you really and fully understand pre-millennialism before 'rejecting' it?
Many cults the world over, the Jehovah's Witnesses and the Mormons, perhaps being the best known, are also pre-millennial. Many reject the biblical pre-millennial return of Christ on this aspect alone, so I believe. But what does God's Book say on this? Men; (these cult leaders) DO in fact "hold the truth in unrighteousness" Romans 1.18!
I can well understand why you have rejected the pre-millennial Return of Christ, for you also say "they were all liberals"! And, of course, Dispensationalism (pre-tribulationism) tends to go in hand with liberalism/easy believism through the Left-Behind movies and, the notion that the Lord Jesus could return at any time, seems but a natural prerogative for the Creator God in Christ! But does God's Word teach anymomentism? NO! it doesn't! for Antichrist MUST come first 2 Thess 2.3-8, then afterwards will the Lord Jesus destroy him by "the brightness of his coming".
I don't know whether you have heard of them or not, but, can I ask that you look up the Sovereign Grace Advent Testimony (SGAT) London, they are a registered charity, and the books they sell on the pre-millennial Advent of Christ are incredibly cheap! They also have much on-line material, they too are reformed, cessationist, Calvinistic....
God bless.
Mike,
ReplyDeleteYes, O. Palmer Robertson, he was the man!
After my own personal study of God's written word, I would also like Spurgeon, call myself an historic pre-millennial believer. Dispensationalism, laughable? I would call it satanic! This damnable theology does indeed create another gospel.
Many in Reformed circles are very surprised when you tell them that Spurgeon was pre-millennial, (considering the voluminous writer he was, he wrote practically nothing on prophecy) they think he was either a or post mill! Certainly he was scathing toward Darby, calling him a "thorough pope"!
Regarding the Pentecostal error and the untold damage that that ghastly movement has done to the body of Christ since its corporate inception in 1907 is, well, beyond me! Nevertheless, God's Book clearly says in no uncertain terms that "offences must come" and also "perilous times"! Scriptures such as these are but confirmation that the living Word is true! Although I call it "ghastly", I must commend it for its fervent witness as opposed to what some may call the dead Reformed Calvinistic movement!
Certainly, I would agree that the amillenial position is much preferable to the postmillennial one, if I can put it that way, but both are unscriptural!
As for the Fountain Trust and its ecumenical partners, they are but doing the devil's work.
The times I have personally been in the company of believers who have said "God told me to do this and that" I could write a book about! Truly it pains me, and I have seen many hurt by it all. "Charismatic delusions" very true.
God bless.
Hi Colin,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your messages. There is much here that could be discussed, but actually I think you and I are on the same page apart from eschatology.
I was thinking of adding a comment about the "I used to be..." in the last message but left it out because I didn't want to make the text even longer. For example "I used to be a Muslim...", "I used to be a creationist...", "I used to believe in fairy's...", "I used to be a communist..." are often designed to give weight to the new whatever it is. I read a webpage at the weekend setup by a couple who had been against the "baptism in the spirit" and they said after studying the scriptures more fully, they changed their mind and were baptised in the spirit after only two days! The same stories with "tongues", crystals, homeopathy, climate change etc, etc.
So, your point is fully accepted here.
I did not fully understand the dispensational view when I held it, but I realised when I confronted someone who had recently changed to Amil, that my attitude was more tribalistic than anything. It was like this guy was saying my favourite football team was rubbish - hard to take!
:-)
This forced me to try to understand the issue, along with many other issues I had wrong. I had not properly understood the doctrines of grace and was really Arminian if the truth be told. Many of my Christian friends were Dispensational, and some work colleagues. It was tough to get answers, and there was always conflict. I decided not to discuss these issues any more and to study in more detail. I read some key books like D.Pentecost, and referenced Ryrie and Walvoord, but as I started to see the significance of AD70, and the misuse of some texts regarding "this generation", hyperliteralism and many other things, the whole Dispensational system collapsed.
I am familiar with the Premil position, and would say that if I could choose, I would choose postmil because it is so positive and motivational. Our Amil and Premil is negative.
As a family we have been going through Revelation, just now we are at the last chapter, and I have tried to show the different ways different eschatological views interpret the book. We have looked at the symbol/literal meanings, and I think it would be helpful for all Bible believing Christians to get a handle on the different views without getting into the conflict zone, and without thinking they have it all sorted out. I don't by any means mean compromise though.
//Mike
Mike,
ReplyDeletePre-millennialism is most certainly NOT a negative belief; for it is MOST gloriously POSITIVE! For we KNOW that God in Christ WILL destroy the coming Antichrist by "the brightness of His Coming" 2 Thess 2.8. This is what we LOOK FORWARD to! In this present "evil age" when wickedness is exponentially increasing, the time will surely come as the Apostle describes it in Romans 13.12 "The night is far spent, and the Day is at hand." That is, the darkest night of Israel's long and most wretched history will surely end, and the glorious millennial Day when Abraham will set foot in the Promised Land is finally come! 2 Sam 23.4 speaks also of "the morning without clouds..." when the "Rock of Israel (Christ) will sit on His throne on Mt Zion from where He will rule ALL the nations!
Absolutely NOTHING negative about this, or is there?
As regards AD 70, can I please ask that you read the last few posts on the heading "DISPENSATIONALISM: OCCULT ROOTS..FROM LIBERTY TO THE CAPTIVES, (17/01/2017) on this ere blog?
BTW; Dispensationalism cannot be understood, even its adherents don't understand it!
I will address "this generation" in due course.
May God be pleased to bless your studies.
PS. I had a chuckle or two about that couple on the baptism of the Spirit!
Hi Colin,
ReplyDeleteI am somewhat familiar with the views of Ladd, and I assume you and I both subscribe to the now and not yet kingdom inauguration. Indeed I know some dispensationalist who also do.
When I say that Amil and Premil (historic) are negative, also dispensationalism, it is because we share the view that the world is ever becoming more ungodly, and will continue until Christ returns (will he find faith on the earth?). The postmil view is not like this, and believes in the church conquering, spreading the Christian faith in missions, influencing society to improve it (The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness will not overcome it). Instead of Christ returning to a post-Christian paganised mess, He would return to a world ready for and anticipating Him, with increasing revivals (Jonathan Edward, George Whitefiled and others).
With Amil/Premil the end of course is not not at all negative for those who will be saved, even the process of getting their for the Christian is positive despite many trials, but in the world it is increasingly negative. By this I don't wish to undermine the good work done in science and medicine, or the environment, famine and disease relief - there is much that is positive, but morally and spiritually it can easily be argued that it is a negative trend which will end badly, with increasing idolatory.
Bible ping-pong is often not very edifying, so there is no need to address some of the issues I posted as examples. I am already familiar with the various arguments and I don't intend to respond to premil views as such on this blog. Primarily this is because I think it would detract from the purpose of the blog in dealing with the spiritual apostasy today and undermining of the scriptures as the sole authority for the church today, in all matters it speaks about.
Best regards,
Mike
Mike,
ReplyDeleteThanks for that.
I never once thought it as "Bible ping-pong"! I had hitherto regarded it as conversation between believers, I had really and truly no idea that I was playing a game! I would happily and at anytime discuss the things of God in Christ with anyone, on-line, or in the flesh.
When I use CAPITAL letters, it is NOT because I am shouting, only for emphasis. I cannot use italics here, but on other mediums, I think you can.
But on we go; God used Edwards, Whitefield and others, of that, there is absolutely NO doubt.
But, TODAY, here we are with FAR greater light than those great men of God EVER enjoyed. We NOW see Israel back in their God given land (in unbelief as the Bible teaches), the world becoming more antichristian by the second, and you would have us believe (or at least suggest) that the FALSE post-millennial doctrine offers us hope? Post-millennialism is somewhat akin to what is known as the social gospel.
The Bible (our ONLY port of call, not Edwards & Co.'s theology) tells us in NO uncertain terms whatsoever that we are to be witnesses for the truth as it is in Christ (& make disciples thereof), Matthew 28.19.20, and Acts 1.8 where the Lord Jesus says in NO unequivocal terms "ye shall be WITNESSES unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth."
Indeed, "Will He find faith on the earth?" His words PERFECTLY align with His pre-millennial Return, for we are told most PLAINLY that Antichrist MUST come first! THEN He will destroy him by "the brightness of His Coming." Wickedness increasing in our present age is the de facto of pre-millennialism, NOT post-millennialism!
Here we are today in 2018, and do we see the Gospel of Christ making any inroads? Is society being bettered by the Bible being accessible to all in our land? Nay! I see the diametric opposite! Apostasy and wickedness is increasing as the Scriptures plainly teach would happen. Our witnessing (poor as it most SURELY is) God is using to call out His elect from the world.
So, we ARE to be witnesses (not converters, God does THAT!) until the Lord Jesus, who IS the "Stone cut out without hands which smote the image upon his feet." Daniel 2.34. The Return of God in Christ WILL happen SUDDENLY and be pre-millennial, this is what the Bible plainly teaches.
I make no apologies for my dogmatism on this truth. Nevertheless, I am a believer in salvation by God's free sovereign electing grace alone.
May God be pleased to bless our studies.
God bless.
PS. "Good work done in science and medicine, environment, famine , disease relief", I see absolutely NO evidence of this whatsoever! In fact man is making a bigger mess of everything as the time approaches His return.
I just realised that we have strayed way OFF topic!
ReplyDeleteMaybe an article on the millennium sometime in the future would be in order?
God bless
Hi Colin,
ReplyDeleteI take an Amil position, not a postmil. Amil and Premil take the same view in the downward trend of Christianity as we get closer to the Lords return. You and I don't have a disagreement over that.
However, it is important to recognise that not all is bad, and that the source of our information is often not balanced. There is a positive view of the world, not of Christianity itself, but actually most of the positive comes as the fruits of Christianity, particularly from the Reformation. I have selected and edited a short report from a British journalist in 2014 as an illustration, see next post....
...we have much to be thankful for.
This of course doesn't include a discussion about Christianity, the church, or anything spiritual. Without true Christian faith, and Godly world view, the fruits of all the progress in science and learning can turn extremely bad. Examples of this were seen in WWII with the eugenics movement for instance, and many today I will not mention.
As spirituality is being increasingly dominated by neo-pentecostalism, and a return to myticism, with false apostles and prophets, divided into 50,000 protestant denominations, it is hard to be positive about the future of the church on earth. Our own disagreement about millennial interpretation, even with a solid Biblical basis only serve to illustrate the problem. I don't see a solution to it this side of glory.
Nevertheless, ...
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Phil 4:6-7
Very best regards,
Mike
Edited article from 2014 by British journalist
ReplyDeleteThe world is always full of atrocity, violence, death and debt.
Are things really worse now or are journalists just reporting the clouds in every silver lining? Remember the media does not give a fair summary of what happens in the world. It tells you disproportionately about the things that go badly wrong. If it bleeds, it leads, as they say in newspapers. Good news is no news.
So what is going, and could go, right? Actually it is a pretty long list, just not a very newsworthy one. Compared with any time in the past half century, the world as a whole is today wealthier, healthier, happier, cleverer, cleaner, kinder, freer, safer, more peaceful and more equal.
The average person on the planet earns roughly three times as much as he or she did 50 years ago, corrected for inflation. If anything, this understates the
improvement in living standards because it fails to take into account many of the incredible improvements in the things you can buy with that money. However rich you were in 1964 you had no computer, no mobile phone, no budget airline, no Prozac, no search engine, no gluten-free food. The world economy is still growing every year at a furious lick — faster than Britain grew during the industrial revolution.
The average person lives about a third longer than 50 years ago and buries two thirds fewer of his or her children (and child mortality is the greatest measure of misery I can think of). The amount of food available per head has gone up steadily on every continent, despite a doubling of the population. Famine is now very rare.
The death rate from malaria is down by nearly 30 per cent since the start of the century. HIV-related deaths are falling. Polio, measles, yellow fever, diphtheria, cholera, typhoid, typhus — they killed our ancestors in droves, but they are now rare diseases.
Education is in a mess and everybody’s cross about it, but consider: far more people go to school and stay there longer than they did 50 years ago. Besides, through a mysterious phenomenon called the Flynn effect, IQ scores keep going up everywhere, especially in those topics that have least to do with education, probably thanks to better food, richer upbringing and so forth.
The air is much cleaner than 100 years ago, with smog largely banished from our cities. Rivers are cleaner and teem with otters and kingfishers. The sea is still polluted and messed with in every part of the world, but there are far more whales than there were 50 years ago. Forest cover is increasing in many countries and the pressure on land to grow food has begun to ease.
We think we are getting ever more selfish, but it is not true. We give more of our earnings to charity than our grandparents did. Violent crimes of almost all kinds are on the decline — murder, rape, theft, domestic violence. So are capital and corporal punishment and animal cruelty. We are less prejudiced about the sexes and race. Paedophilia is no more prevalent, just hushed up less.
Despite all the illiberal things our governments still try to do to us, freedom is on the march. 50 years ago only a few countries were democracies; the rest were run by communist or fascist despots. Today there’s only a handful of the creeps left — they could all meet in a pub: fat Kim, Castro the brother, Mugabe, a couple of central Asians, the blokes from Venezuela and Bolivia, the Belorussian geezer.
The weather is not getting worse. Despite what you may have read, there is no global increase in floods, cyclones, tornadoes, blizzards and wild fires — and there has been a decline in the severity of droughts. If you got the opposite impression, it’s purely because of the reporting of natural disasters, which has become a lot more hysterical. Besides, thanks to better infrastructure, communications and technology, there has been a steep decline in deaths due to extreme weather.
Globally, your probability of dying as a result of a drought, flood or storm is 98 per cent lower than it was in the 1920s.
Mike,
ReplyDeleteI wasn't going to respond, but I since thought better of it.
"Lord, wilt thou at THIS time restore again the kingdom to Israel? And He said unto them, it is not for you to know the times or the seasons, which the Father hath put in His own power." Acts 1.6-7. The apostles (in line with their national hope) knew and believed in a literal millennial earthly reign.
There is NOT one a or post millennial theologian anywhere that can answer this question. It is answered ONLY by the Lord's setting up His kingdom on THIS Earth: The literal reign from Mt Zion in Jerusalem over All the Earth.
You say "it is important to recognise that not all is bad", God says "the whole world lieth in wickedness." 1 John 5.19.
Who do I believe, you or God?
As for that article by a "British journalist", do you really believe all that drivel?
I would certainly agree with his opening eleven words, who wouldn't? Yet everything he subsequently says is diametrically opposed to them!
Is the world really more "wealthier, healthier, happier, cleverer, cleaner, kinder, freer, safer, more peaceful and more equal"? I am astounded that any sane person could write such!
"Improvement in living standards"? Where is the evidence for this? This is subjective nonsense!
I haven't the time to address every point (I will do upon request), but as for the fact that "people live longer" what of their quality of life? What of the droves that spend their last twenty or more years petering out in old peoples homes? The nation is now full to overflowing of such places, haven't you noticed? They didn't exist fifty years ago in such vast numbers!
Air cleaner? The sea? Apparently there is greater pollution in the seas at the present moment than any time in history! Much of this pollution is due to oil and plastic waste. More whales-how would we know? Forest cover, what do trees do?
The crime rate is increasing exponentially! Believe this 'journalist' at your peril!
As for those of a philanthropic bent, they are only giving away what they don't need.
Democracy? This satanic institution will culminate in bringing in the Antichrist to power! How do I know this? Unbelievers vote for wicked people! (this is why I haven't voted in the last twenty years or more-read just ONE manifesto YOU would agree with?).
"Freedom is" NOT "on the march"! Our nation is now more brainwashed and unbelieving than any previous point in history!
As for progress in 'science', many today can't make up their mind if the Earth is flat or a ball!
And, as for that last statistic "Globally, your probability of dying ...is 98% lower than it was in the 1920s" Well, this shows what a 'good' researcher this 'British journalist' is. Doesn't he realise that there were about 1.5 billion or less people on the Earth in 1920, and today we are now approaching 8 billion? (Yes in LESS than a hundred years!).
It really does beggar belief that you can believe such nonsense!
God bless.