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ACHAIA MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH DOCTRINAL INTEGRITY SERIES TEST THE ORIGIN If you suffered a trauma and an enemy gave you a nickname based upon that trauma; how would you feel? Worst, if that name is a cute one and everyone begins to refer to you by it, what would you do? Let's say that only the enemy knows that the name is hurtful and everyone else thinks you are just being silly because you hate it. What would you say to them knowing that you cannot bear to divulge the details of the trauma? Many of the holy things of the church were made so by God's enemies. Since God's enemies are our enemies, we must test the origin of every act of worship, sign of the Spirit and doctrine of "The Church" and "The Kingdom" that has received acceptance. As a general rule, any holy observance is accepted as a matter of course. Any deviations in the biblical policies involved are accepted as variations and not deviations. But are they simply variations? The "I Change Not", of our God has become; "Any change is good". Who said God is too loving and holy to punish sinners? When did God, Jesus or The Holy Spirit say that God is no longer our Father? It is now taught that the bible indicates He's a mother. Jesus never referred to God as a mother. Where does it come from? It proceeds from the enemy, (as did the nickname in our example); dressed in the guise of scholars, theologians, church fathers, apostles, evangelists and prophets. Acceptance of any doctrine is based upon popularity, charisma and apparent success, not their biblical accuracy. As nicknames catch on for no apparent reason, so do these religious exertions. They soon become unchangeable and unquestionable doctrines. Understand first, that the bible may list or name an object or person and identify them by type or title. However, none of the above ever requires the bible or the God that wrote it to condone, justify or verify the holiness or righteousness of the thing so listed or labeled. In the second chapter of M't, the bible lists some men as; "wise men from the east". Nowhere in that account did the bible seek to verify whether they were or weren't wise. The actions of these men in the account prove that they were unwise sinners. Throughout the bible, without any exceptions, God's way of judging sin is to act only after man has committed the sin. As is His custom, He waited until after they did what they came to do. They went to Jerusalem, alerted the Lord's appointed executioner, then went to Jesus and gave Him burial spices and money to spend in His next life. After this initial sin was committed and before they could compound it by divulging the Lord's whereabouts; in a dream God stepped in and "warned" them of their impending doom as He told them they should not go back to Herod. They were doomed for more reasons than one I'm sure, but what stands out here is their use of astrology to locate Jesus. This account shows in graphic detail what happens when man uses Satan’s devices in an attempt to worship God on man's terms. Thousands of children were killed and the lives of countless families were destroyed because astrology was used in an attempt to locate the Messiah. Never mind that God had already decreed that astrology and other sciences were abominations. Never mind that God sent angels to herald His Son's birth to shepherds and not kings and wise men. Never mind that none of Herod's necromancers saw the star. Never mind that it still took the people of God to identify the birthplace of the Lord and that the star went directly to the Lord's house only after it had alerted Satan’s assassin of the Child's existence. This is only one example of numerous abominations that have been given prominent positions in tradition and worship. Today Christianity is replete with unholy doctrines and dogmas, devilish incantations, pagan icons, and blasphemous interpretations that God has said repeatedly are abominations and that He hates them all. But, because they are popular those who should resist at all costs their influences upon the body of Christ actually protect them. God can't get many of these so-called preachers of the good news to come out against any of this. Those of us who do call an abomination an abomination are called narrow minded and bigoted, religious fanatics. The Lord God and we are just being silly because we hate everything it, (this new thought), stands for. If a preacher stands against any facet of this ungodly dribble, he is a bigot and a fool. God has never allowed it and He has historically and biblically destroyed thousands, yea, millions for these very acts. Lev 20:1-5; Worshipping Molech 20:6-8; Consulting spirits 20:9; Cursing parents 21:5-9; Priest's prohibitions 21:13-15; The high priest can marry 21:16-24; Excluded from the priesthood 22:1-2, 6; Sanctify thyself 22:10-16; No stranger may partake 22:17-30; Offer only the best 22:31-33; "I will be holy among you." Deu 4:2; Don't add or abate the word 4:3-8 Who is like children of God? 4:9, 23; "Lest ye forget." 4:10-19; Corrupt not yourselves 4:39; Know and consider 5:1; 6-21; Hear and keep 6:2-9; Teach them at all times 22:5 Cross-dressing: abomination 23:17-18; Sexual abominations 25:16; Abominations unto the Lord Jesus fulfilled the requirements of the laws of God. We now face the abominable practice of substituting the keeping of the laws of God for those things Jesus has clearly died for. This fosters an unholy belief that Jesus is responsible for many of the trials we encounter in keeping God's commandments. Coupled with man's innate desire to go God one better, it gives rise to interpretations that are themselves abominations, but, are acceptable because they originated in a bastardization of the word. The tragedy persists because the "famous" promote these lies and a majority of Christians are uninformed or simply afraid to contest their validity. One last example: the shroud of Turin. It doesn't take a bible scholar to discredit this abomination. Turin is in Italy, not Israel. No apostle has ever uttered a single word of approval for relic worship. Relic worship is a sub-type of idol worship. The practice of dressing idols in clothing brought about the secondary doctrine of stating that anything that the idols wore was also holy. That gave credence to worshipping the garments that they wore. The shroud is another relic that has been given religious credence by saying that it was draped over the body of Jesus. It Is Holy For No Other Reason. Lev 6:25-30; (27, 28); (27) "Whatsoever shall the touch the flesh thereof shall be holy: and when there is sprinkled of the blood thereof upon any garment, thou shalt wash that whereon it was sprinkled in the holy place. (28) But the earthen vessel wherein it was sodden shall be broken: and if it be sodden in a brasen pot, it shall be both scoured and rinsed in water." This passage proves that things touching the sin offering became holy, however, the affiliation was temporary and had to be broken, ( broken and discarded in the case of the earthen pots), or washed away. Worshipping anything other than God is an abomination. Worst yet, this lie is being propagated upon the very person of Jesus Himself! If it belonged to some pagan gOD it could be treated like any other run-of-the-mill sin. But this has tied the death, burial and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ to its validity! God prophesied concerning the Lord's garments; cf. Ps 22:18. His winding cloths in birth and death were cited; cf. Lu 2:12; Joh 19:40, 20:6-7. His clothes for His second coming are described, Rev 19:11-13. Why then did the bible leave out such an important piece of clothing? It is because the shroud of Turin has absolutely nothing to do with Jesus. It is an abomination in the sight God as are all those that worship it. Ro 1:18-25, 32. One last thought on the shroud of Turin: In Isaiah the controversy is ended. Isa 50:6; 52:14; (6) "I gave My back to the smiters, and My cheeks to them that plucked off the hair: I hid not My face from shame and spitting." (14) "As many were astonied at thee; His visage was so marred more than any man, and His form than the sons of man." Based on the above scriptures, Jesus had no discernible face by the time he made it to the cross. If His face was vitiated beyond all recognition, and it truly was, how then can the shroud of Turin have a face with a full beard imprinted on it? It is because the shroud of Turin has absolutely nothing to do with Jesus. It is an abomination in the sight God as are all those that worship it. TEST THE ORIGIN Do you wish to concede, to relinquish your hold on your ways of doing God's will? Can He now, as He once did, rule by His providence? If you have truly surrendered your manner of living unto Him: confess it with your mouth in this prayer; believing that Jesus hears you. "Lord Jesus, I need you, Please forgive me. Please take charge of my life and make me the type of person you want me to be. I now receive your guidance as my Savior and Lord. Thank you for forgiving me and delivering me. Renew my joy and hide my life in You. In the Name of Jesus and to the glory of God our Father, I pray. Amen." Author: Rev. Samuel A. L. Pope, Sr. Copyright © 2004 Achaia Missionary Baptist Church Please feel free to post your comments in the discussion: Test the origin. |
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