The Roman Church vs. The Bible

Before getting into this article, I’d like to tell you all that my background is Roman Catholic.  Before I got saved I spent over 50 years sitting in the pew.  I never considered myself a “good Catholic”.  I went to parochial grade school for my first eight years of my education, and every morning would be at Mass.   I never did believe in most of the doctrine the nuns and priests tried to teach us kids.  I absolutely never believed in the dogma of “transubstantiation”.  I quote from “Revelation Expounded” by Finis Dake.  “The dogma of transubstantiation was decreed by Pope Innocent III in the year 1215 A.D. By this doctrine the priest pretends to perform a daily miracle by changing a wafer into the body of Christ, and then he pretends to eat Him alive in the presence of his people during Mass. The gospel condemns such absurdities; for the Holy Communion is simply a memorial of the sacrifice of Christ, Lk. 22:19, 20; Jn. 6:35; 1 Cor. 11:26.”(1)  ( End of quote).  When I got married, I made a promise to the priest I’d raise my children Catholic.  That I did do, one boy is now a Pentecostal, and my oldest son I think is still Catholic.  My brothers and sisters all still claim to be Catholic. 

I got the following information from the Vatican’s web site. (2)  The following points from the Catholic Catechism conclude that the Bible is definitely the true written Word of God.   But that’s about where it ends, because much of the doctrines of the Roman church, and their Canon Law, and traditions of men are diametrically opposed to what is written in the bible.   One priest up in North Idaho where my family attended Mass for a long time, taught the bible was just allegorical stories, his sister who was a nun in a discussion thought that the anti-christ in the Book of Revelation was Nero, and all this end-time stuff already happened with the early Christians.  I didn’t know the Bible at all back then (I was Catholic) to let her know that the Revelation of Jesus didn’t happen until Nero was dead some 40 years.

• Article 3 SACRED SCRIPTURE
• II. Inspiration and Truth of Sacred Scripture

§  105 God is the author of Sacred Scripture. "The divinely revealed realities, which are contained and presented in the text of Sacred Scripture, have been written down under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit."⁶⁹

§  "For Holy Mother Church, relying on the faith of the apostolic age, accepts as sacred and canonical the books of the Old and the New Testaments, whole and entire, with all their parts, on the grounds that, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, they have God as their author, and have been handed on as such to the Church herself."⁷⁰

§  106 God inspired the human authors of the sacred books. "To compose the sacred books, God chose certain men who, all the while he employed them in this task, made full use of their own faculties and powers so that, though he acted in them and by them, it was as true authors that they consigned to writing whatever he wanted written, and no more."⁷¹

§  107 The inspired books teach the truth. "Since therefore all that the inspired authors or sacred writers affirm should be regarded as affirmed by the Holy Spirit, we must acknowledge that the books of Scripture firmly, faithfully, and without error teach that truth which God, for the sake of our salvation, wished to see confided to the Sacred Scriptures."⁷²

Article 3 SACRED SCRIPTURE

• IN BRIEF

§  135 "The Sacred Scriptures contain the Word of God and, because they are inspired, they are truly the Word of God" (DV 24).

§  136 God is the author of Sacred Scripture because he inspired its human authors; he acts in them and by means of them. He thus gives assurance that their writings teach without error his saving truth (cf DV 11).

§  137 Interpretation of the inspired Scripture must be attentive above all to what God wants to reveal through the sacred authors for our salvation. What comes from the Spirit is not fully "understood except by the Spirit's action' (cf. Origen, Hom. in Ex. 4, 5: PG 12, 320).

We just read quotes from the Catechism that confirms basically that the Bible is the true written Word of God.  But if we continue reading in the Catechism, in Section 2, Chapter 1, we read: 

^§    1213 Holy Baptism is the basis of the whole Christian life, the gateway to life in the Spirit (vitae spiritualis ianua),⁴ and the door which gives access to the other sacraments. Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission: "Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water in the word."⁵

We just read that we must have water baptism for salvation.  I don’t remember reading in the Bible that Jesus got down off the cross to water baptize the criminal on the cross next to him.  He assured him that “today he would be with him in paradise”.  Ephesians 2:8-9 (KJV) ⁸ For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: ⁹ Not of works, lest any man should boast.  The Bible teaches that we are saved thru faith in what Christ did at the cross, and not thru works.

§  78 This living transmission, accomplished in the Holy Spirit, is called Tradition, since it is distinct from Sacred Scripture, though closely connected to it. Through Tradition, "the Church, in her doctrine, life and worship, perpetuates and transmits to every generation all that she herself is, all that she believes."³⁷ "The sayings of the holy Fathers are a witness to the life-giving presence of this Tradition, showing how its riches are poured out in the practice and life of the Church, in her belief and her prayer."³⁸

Traditions of religion was condemned by Jesus Himself: Matthew 15:1-9 (KJV) Mark 7:7-9 (KJV) ⁷ Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. ⁸ For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. ⁹ And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.

The Council of Trent held in the year 1545 declared that tradition is of equal authority with the Bible.  (3)  In the Book of Revelation, Jesus warns of changing scripture : Revelation 22:18-19 (KJV) ¹⁸ For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: ¹⁹ And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

Some teach that this only means the Book of Revelation, well no, it means the whole Bible.  The Roman church has done nothing but change scripture to accommodate their own teachings.  Case in point, the Roman Church has changed the 10 Commandments as written in the Bible.  They have removed the 2^nd commandment as written in the Book of Deut 5:8 (KJV)
⁸ Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth:  and replaced it with a redundant commandment about not coveting your neighbors wife.  This allowed the church to continue with worshipping all the statues of the saints, especially images of Mary.

II. The Precepts of the Church

2041 The precepts of the Church are set in the context of a moral life bound to and nourished by liturgical life. the obligatory character of these positive laws decreed by the pastoral authorities is meant to guarantee to the faithful the indispensable minimum in the spirit of prayer and moral effort, in the growth in love of God and neighbor:

2042 The first precept (“You shall attend Mass on Sundays and holy days of obligation.") requires the faithful to participate in the Eucharistic celebration when the Christian community gathers together on the day commemorating the Resurrection of the Lord.⁸²

The second precept (“You shall confess your sins at least once a year.") ensures preparation for the Eucharist by the reception of the sacrament of reconciliation, which continues Baptism's work of conversion and forgiveness.⁸³

The third precept (“You shall humbly receive your Creator in Holy Communion at least during the Easter season.") guarantees as a minimum the reception of the Lord's Body and Blood in connection with the Paschal feasts, the origin and center of the Christian liturgy.⁸⁴

2043 The fourth precept (“You shall keep holy the holy days of obligation.") completes the Sunday observance by participation in the principal liturgical feasts which honor the mysteries of the Lord, the Virgin Mary, and the saints.⁸⁵

The fifth precept (“You shall observe the prescribed days of fasting and abstinence.") ensures the times of ascesis and penance which prepare us for the liturgical feasts; they help us acquire mastery over our instincts and freedom of heart.⁸⁶

Let’s consider the 4^th precept, most of these “Days of Obligation” has to do with honoring, or worshipping Mary, which the 1^st Commandment condemns.  Deuteronomy 5:7 (KJV) ⁷ Thou shalt have none other gods before me.  Mary herself, in her own words was in need of salvation.Luke 1:46-49 (KJV) ⁴⁶ And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, ⁴⁷ And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. ⁴⁸ For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. ⁴⁹ For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.

"The Council of Trent pronounced the anathema (curse) more than 100 times upon those who accepted the beliefs of the Reformers;  Vatican II reconfirmed those anathemas and added one of its own; and thus Roman Catholicism damns to eternal hell all evangelical Christians today.”    (4)  Yet what is so incredible when reading the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the parts I wrote earlier about the bible being the true Word justify what Protestant reformers such as Luther, Calvin, Knox, Wesley and others tried to establish.  Because of their beliefs, which are now similar to parts of the Catechism, they were anathematized, or cursed by several Councils of the Catholic Church.  

As incredible as that all sounds, just wait, there’s more.  This will knock your socks off.  It sounds to me in Canon 30 of the Council of Trent, that they curse none other than St. Paul himself, or possibly even blaspheme the Holy Spirit, which is the one unforgiveable sin.   “If anyone says that after the reception of the grace of justification the guilt is so remitted and the debt of eternal punishment so blotted out to every repentant sinner, that no debt of temporal punishment remains to be discharged either in this world or in purgatory before the gates of heaven can be opened, let him be anathema.” (5)    Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit writes in his letter to the Romans 5:8-10 (KJV) ⁸ But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. ¹⁰ For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.

What I have given here is just a small portion of what the Roman Church teaches that does not line up with the Bible, that they themselves say is the “inspired Word of God”.  Doctrines of man, and traditions of man, never do.  In the notes at the end I have provided a direct computer link to the Vatican web site, one for the Catechism and one link to the Canon.   All you Catholics and people considering Catholicism as your denomination need to read the Canon just to see what you’ll be judged on at the “judgment of the nations”.  St. Paul points out in the 2^nd Chapter of Romans you’ll be judged according to the light you received.   Romans 2:11-16 (KJV) ¹¹ For there is no respect of persons with God. ¹² For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; ¹³ (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. ¹⁴ For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: ¹⁵ Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) ¹⁶ In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

I recommend reading the Book of Galatians, where it goes into detail that the “Law” (Mosaic Law) has been done away with.  So why would anyone want to go back into “law” whether it be Mosaic Law, or Canon Law?  We have all received our salvation thru the Cross and the work Jesus did at the Cross.  Salvation can never come thru religion.

At first I wasn’t going to add the following, but here are a list of 40 heresies adopted by the Roman Church over the centuries.  These are assembled by Finis Dake, and appear in his book “Revelation Expounded” which he wrote in 1926 and was updated in 1948.  So any possible changes resulting from Vatican II are not listed. 

LIST OF HERESIES

Adopted and perpetuated by the Roman Catholic Church in the course of 1,600 years

These dates are in many cases approximate. Many of these heresies had been current in the church years before, but only when they were officially adopted by a Church Council and proclaimed by the pope as dogma of faith did they become binding on Catholics.

At the Reformation in the sixteenth century these heresies were repudiated as having no part in the religion of Jesus as taught in the New Testament.

                (1) Of all the human inventions taught and practiced by the Roman Catholic Church, which are contrary to the Bible, the most ancient are the prayers for the dead and the sign of the cross. Both of these began 300 years after Christ.

(2) Wax candles were introduced in churches about 320 A.D.

(3) Veneration of angels and dead saints began about 375 A.D.

(4) The Mass as a daily celebration was adopted in 394 A.D.

(5) The worship of Mary the mother of Jesus and the use of the term “Mother of God” as applied to her originated about 381 A.D., but was first decreed in the Council of Ephesus in 431 A.D.

(6) Priests began to dress differently from the laity in 500 A.D.

(7) The doctrine of purgatory was first established by Gregory the Great about the year 593 A.D.

(8) The Latin language as the language of prayer and worship in churches was also imposed by pope Gregory I in the year 600 A.D.

(9) The Bible teaches that we pray to God alone. In the primitive church never were prayers directed to Mary or to dead saints. This practice began in the Roman Church about 600 years after Christ.

(10) The papacy is of pagan origin. The title of pope, or universal bishop, was first given to the bishop of Rome about 600 A.D. Jesus did not appoint Peter to the headship of the apostles and expressly forbade any such notion, Lk. 22:24-26; Eph. 1:22-23; Col. 1:18; 1 Cor. 3:11.

(11) The kissing of the pope's feet began in the year 709 A.D. It had been a pagan custom to kiss the feet of emperors. The Word of God forbids such practices, Acts 10:25, 26; Rev. 19:10; 22:9.

(12) The temporal power of the popes began in the year 750 A.D. Jesus expressly forbade such a thing and He Himself refused worldly kingship, Mt. 4:8, 9; 20:25, 26; Jn. 18:36.

(13) Worship of the cross, images, and relics was authorized in 787 A.D. Such practice is called idolatry in the Bible, and is severely condemned, Ex. 20:2-6; Dt. 27:15; Ps. 115.

(14) Holy water, mixed with a pinch of salt and blessed by the priest, was authorized in the year 850 A.D.

(15) The veneration of St. Joseph began in the year 890 A.D.

(16) The baptism of bells was instituted by pope John XIV in 965 A.D.

(17) Canonization of dead saints, first by pope John XV in 995 A.D. Every believer and follower of Christ is called “saint” in the Bible, Rom. 1:7; 1 Cor. 1:2, etc.

(18) Fasting on Fridays and during Lent was imposed in the year 998 A.D. by popes said to be interested in the commerce of fish. See Mt. 15:11; 1 Cor. 10:25; 1 Tim. 4:1-3; Col. 2:14-17; Rom. 14:1-23.

(19) The Mass was developed gradually as a sacrifice and attendance made obligatory in the eleventh century. The gospel teaches that the sacrifice of Christ was offered once and for all, and is not to be repeated, but only commemorated in the Lord's Supper, Heb. 7:27; 9:26-28; 10:10-14.

(20) The celibacy of the priesthood was decreed by pope Hildebrand and Boniface VII in the year 1079 A.D. Jesus imposed no such rule, nor did any of the apostles. On the contrary, Peter was a married man, and Paul says that bishops were to have a wife and children, 1 Tim. 3:2-5, 12; Mt. 8:14, 15.

(21) The rosary, or prayer beads, was introduced by Peter the Hermit in the year 1090 A.D. This was copied from Hindus and Mohammedans. The counting of prayers is a pagan practice and is expressly condemned by Christ, Mt. 6:5-13.

(22) The inquisition of heretics was instituted by the Council of Verona in the year 1184 A.D. Jesus never taught the use of force to spread his religion.

(23) The sale of indulgences, commonly regarded as a purchase of forgiveness and a permit to indulge in sin, began in the year 1190 A.D. The Christian religion, as taught in the gospel, condemns such a traffic, and it was the protest against this traffic that brought on the Protestant Reformation in the sixteenth century.

(24) The dogma of transubstantiation was decreed by pope Innocent III in the year 1215 A.D. By this doctrine the priest pretends to perform a daily miracle by changing a wafer into the body of Christ, and then he pretends to eat Him alive in the presence of his people during Mass. The gospel condemns such absurdities; for the Holy Communion is simply a memorial of the sacrifice of Christ, Lk. 22:19, 20; Jn. 6:35; 1 Cor. 11:26.

(25) Confession of sins to the priest at least once a year was instituted by pope Innocent III in the Lateran Council, in the year 1215 A.D. The gospel commands us to confess our sins direct to God, Ps. 51; Isa. 1:18; Lk. 7:48; 15:21; 1 Jn. 1:8, 9.

(26) The adoration of the wafer (host) was invented by pope Honorius in 1220 A.D. So the Roman Church worships a god made by hands. This is plain idolatry and absolutely contrary to the spirit of the gospel, Jn. 4:24.

(27) The Bible was forbidden to laymen and placed in the index of forbidden books by the Council of Toledo in 1229 A.D. Jesus and Paul commanded that the Scriptures should be read by all, Jn. 5:39; 2 Tim. 3:15-17; 2 Tim. 2:15.

(28) The scapular was invented by Simon Stock, an English monk, in 1287 A.D. It is a piece of brown cloth, with the picture of the virgin and supposed to contain supernatural virtue to protect from all dangers those who wear it on naked skin. This is fetishism.

(29) The Roman Church forbade the cup to the laity, by instituting the communion of one kind in the Council of Constance in 1414 A.D. The gospel commands us to celebrate Holy Communion with bread and wine, Mt. 26:27; 1 Cor. 11:26-29.

(30) The doctrine of purgatory was proclaimed as a dogma of faith by the Council of Florence in 1439 A.D. There is not one word in the Bible that would teach the purgatory of priests. The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sins, 1 Jn. 1:7-9; 2:1, 2; Jn. 5:24; Rom. 8:1.

(31) The doctrine of Seven Sacraments was affirmed in 1439 A.D. The gospel says that Christ instituted only two sacraments, baptism and the Lord's Supper, Mt. 28:19, 20; 26:26-28.

(32) The Ave Maria, addition of part of the last half, in 1508 A.D. It was completed fifty years afterward and finally approved by pope Sixtus V, at the end of the sixteenth century.

(33) The Council of Trent held in the year 1545 declared that tradition is of equal authority with the Bible. By tradition is meant human teachings. The Pharisees believed the same way, and Jesus bitterly condemned them, for by human tradition they nullified the commandments of God, Mk. 7:7-13; Col. 2:8; Rev. 22:18.

(34) The apocryphal books were added to the Bible also by the Council of Trent in 1545. See Rev. 22:18-19.

(35) The creed of pope Pius IV, was imposed as the official creed in 1560. True Christians will retain the Holy Scriptures as their creed. Hence, their creed is 1,500 years older than the creed of Roman Catholics. See Gal. 1:8; Rev. 22:18, 19.

(36) The immaculate conception of the virgin Mary was proclaimed by pope Pius IX in the year 1854 A.D. The gospel states that all men, with the sole exception of Christ, are sinners. Mary herself had need of a Savior, Rom. 3:23; 5:12; Ps. 51:5; Lk. 1:30,46,47.

(37) In the year 1870 pope Pius IX proclaimed the dogma of papal infallibility.

(38) Pope Pius X, in the year 1907, condemned, together with “modernism,” all the discoveries of modern science which are not approved by the church. Pius IX had done the same thing in the syllabus of 1864.

(39) In the year 1930 Pius XI condemned the public schools.

(40) In the year 1931 the same pope Pius XI reaffirmed the doctrine that Mary is “the Mother of God.”

            This doctrine was first decreed by the Council of Ephesus in the year 431. This is a heresy contrary to Mary's own words, Lk. 1:46-49.

                 What will be the next invention? The Roman Church says it never changes; yet it has done nothing but invent new doctrines which are contrary to the Bible, and has practiced rites and ceremonies taken wholly from paganism. At least 95 per cent of the rites and ceremonies of the Roman Church are of pagan origin.

Cardinal Newman, in his book The Development of the Christian Religion admits that . . . “Temples, incense, oil lamps, votive offerings, holy water, holidays and seasons of devotions, processions, blessing of fields, sacerdotal vestments, the tonsure (of priests and monks and nuns) and images are all of pagan origin,” page 359.

The above chronological list of human inventions and “abominations” disproves the claim of the priests of the Roman Church that their religion was taught by Christ and that the popes have been the faithful custodians of that religion. (6)

David J Theisen

Endnotes:

[1]” Revelation Expounded”, Finis Dake, P252 #24

[2] Web page for Catechism   http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG0015/_INDEX.HTM

[3] “Revelation Expounded” pg 253 #33

[4] Dave Hunt “A Woman Rides the Beast,” Harvest House Pub. 1994 pg 521

[5] Richard A Noll “When Catholics Die,” Olive Press, 1999, pg 73

[6] “Revelation Expounded” Pgs 250-254

[7] Vatican Web site for Canon Law http://www.vatican.va/archive/ENG1104/_INDEX.HTM

False Doctrine and the Church of Ephesus

In Chapters 2 and 3 of the Book of Revelation, we read of Jesus dictating to John the letters he was to write to 7 particular churches of his time. First of all, I want to say that there is no scripture that can be found in the Bible that says these churches written about in these 2 chapters has anything do to with any dispensation through the ages. Finis Dake points out in his book “Revelation Expounded”.  I quote:

The dispensational application of these church letters; i.e., that they portray seven church periods or phases of church history, is really based upon human theory alone. There can be no Scripture produced to prove this theory in any one aspect. Similarity to certain phases of church history proves nothing. One can even find similarities between the history of the Church and Israel, and there is no end to similarities that could be found in history between almost any two things one chooses to compare. Anything that is based upon human theory is not dependable and is misleading and unscriptural. If there was such an application of these letters there would have been two or three passages to support each letter and its application to some definite period in history.

Much confusion and many false teachings are based upon this method of interpretation. Some teachings are as follows: that we are in the Philadelphian or Laodicean periods; that the rapture of the Church takes place in either one of these two periods; that the Church Age ends with Philadelphia; that Laodicea deals with things after the rapture; that the Ephesian period ended with the apostles; and many other theories are unscriptural. We still have the conditions of Ephesus, etc., in local churches today. These conditions existed in John's day and they will continue to exist as long as the Church is on earth, so seeing there are Scriptures to prove a local, prophetic, and individual application, and anything said about a dispensational application must rest upon human theory and cause numberless differences as to interpretation, it would be best to forget this application entirely. End of quote. (1)

But, most expositors, and teachers still teach this. Jimmy Swaggart in his Bible Commentary on Revelation points this out too, but says he does teach that these Churches give’s us a prophetic view of the Church Age (2). However this is not why I’m writing this article. When we break down the scripture, we can see a direct correlation to what is going on in the apostate church of today.

Revelation 2:1-7 (KJV) 1 Unto the angel of the church of Ephesus write; These things saith he that holdeth the seven stars in his right hand, who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks; 2 I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars: 3 And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name's sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. 4 Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love. 5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. 6 But this thou hast, that thou hatest the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. 7 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches; To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God.

In verse 2 Jesus calls these false apostles that the “Church of Ephesus” dealt with to be nothing but liars. We certainly see this today in many of our own churches and denominations. This has much to do about the “Latter Rain” doctrine that has been allowed to enter the churches. This doctrine was condemned by the Assemblies of God back in 1948, but unknowing Christians who don’t know any better, and who don’t study their bible, have embraced this false doctrine. This is the responsibility of every Christian to recognize false doctrine when they hear it. John points out in his first Epistle: 1 John 4:1-2 (KJV) 1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: Unfortunately most of these false apostles are not hearing from the Holy Spirit, but are getting their so-called “revelations” from “New Age” spirits, or their “spirit guides” When you leave the true gospel of the finished work of what Jesus did at the Cross, and start accepting false doctrine, you loose the protection of the Holy Spirit and allow the whisperings of demon spirits. 2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV) 15 Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.

In verse 4 Jesus admonishes the Church of Ephesus for leaving their “first love.” What was this first love? Is this just the zeal we had for Christ when we were first saved? No, Jesus is talking about proper FAITH we had in Christ when we were first saved. We are taking this faith we had in the Cross of Christ and taking it to other doctrines of man. We are now trying to live a Christian life on our own strengths, which Paul so taught against. Galatians 6:14 (KJV) 14 But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. Whenever a Christian does this, he is leaving the Cross and places his faith in something else, he comes immersed in law. He finds himself in constant condemnation, which means he is walking after the flesh, not after the Spirit. Romans 8:1-2 (KJV) 1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. 2 For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin and death.

In verse 5, he tells them that they must repent, and come back to their first love, or he will remove the candlestick from the church. So we see this is pretty serious stuff. How many churches or denominations can you go into today and see they are teaching another Gospel? How many churches can you go into and see that all the crosses have been removed, lest they offend someone?  I can't imagine any of these Pastors preaching from the 6th Chapter of the Book of Romans.  No matter what spiritual condition they are in, they want to keep them in the pew and fill the coffers.

In Verse 6, he commends them for hating the deeds of the Nicolaitans, as he hated their deeds also. The best way to describe them is to translate the Greek “Nicao”, which means to conquer, and “laos, which means laity. Nicolaitans would be translated “laity conquerors.” They were leaders in the church who posed as “lords” over the laity. Doubtless, this is the start of the priestcraft that later developed into the Roman hierarchy. (3) 

Verse 7, we have here the exegis is: 1. Jesus addresses those who know how to hear spiritually. 2. We are to hear what the Holy Spirit says to the Churches, and not man. 3. Only the overcomers will prevail. (4)

When we prevail against all the false doctrines being preached in today’s churches, we will be the overcomers... Dave

Footnotes:
1) Revelation Expounded.  Finis Dake Chapter 4 page 44
2) Jimmy Swaggart Bible Commentary: Revelation P8
3) Jimmy Swaggart Bible Commentary: Revelation Pg 60
4) Jimmy Swaggart Bible Commentary: Revelation Pg 61

Just BELIEVE what it Says!!! Baxter, Misinformed? Latter Rain? You Decide!

While I was flipping thru channels last night, being bored with the Sunday night football game, I came across a program on so-called Christian television with a fellow by the name of Irvin Baxter and a website of http://www.endtime.com/ came up. I nearly rolled off the bed with laughter while listening to some of this biblical fantasy. I just can’t understand how people can come up with some of the stuff that they do, and still claim to study the Bible. If people would just take bible scripture literally, and only take a scripture as symbolic or figurative if it can’t be literal, of course still looking for the literal truth, then they wouldn’t come up with all this ridiculous stuff. It would also eliminate a lot of confusion. He was teaching from the Book of Daniel 7:4-7 (KJV)
4 The first was like a lion, and had eagle's wings: I beheld till the wings thereof were plucked, and it was lifted up from the earth, and made stand upon the feet as a man, and a man's heart was given to it.
5 And behold another beast, a second, like to a bear, and it raised up itself on one side, and it had three ribs in the mouth of it between the teeth of it: and they said thus unto it, Arise, devour much flesh.
6 After this I beheld, and lo another, like a leopard, which had upon the back of it four wings of a fowl; the beast had also four heads; and dominion was given to it.
7 After this I saw in the night visions, and behold a fourth beast, dreadful and terrible, and strong exceedingly; and it had great iron teeth: it devoured and brake in pieces, and stamped the residue with the feet of it: and it was diverse from all the beasts that were before it; and it had ten horns.

Describing the beast that came out of the sea, instead of teaching the interpretation of the beast by the angel, or even teaching the interpretation of Daniels dream of the same beast in Dan 2:31-43, he claims the lion (Babylon) is Great Britain, and the eagle wings was the United States, the bear (Medo-Persia) was Russia, and the leopard (Grecia) was actually Germany. He then jumps to the 7 headed beast of Revelation that the whore rides on. He doesn’t teach the 7 headed beast represents the 7 kingdoms that have oppressed Israel in the time of the gentiles, Rev 17:7-10 (KJV)
7 And the angel said unto me, Wherefore didst thou marvel? I will tell thee the mystery of the woman, and of the beast that carrieth her, which hath the seven heads and ten horns.
8 The beast that thou sawest was, and is not; and shall ascend out of the bottomless pit, and go into perdition: and they that dwell on the earth shall wonder, whose names were not written in the book of life from the foundation of the world, when they behold the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.
10 And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space.
Many teachers claim the 7 mountains of Mystery Babylon is the city of Rome. Here is what bible scholar Finis Dake says about that theory. Now this is pretty funny.

[1] “The very popular theory that Rome is the city of seven hills of Rev. 17 is truly unscriptural. In the first place, there is no mention of such a city in Rev. 17 or in any other scripture. As seen above, the seven heads on the beast of Rev. 17 refer to kingdoms, not literal hills on which Rome, Moscow, or any other city is built. If the seven heads referred to literal hills on which Rome is built we would have to believe and teach that five of these hills had already become flattened out before John wrote the Revelation, for “five are fallen” (Rev. 17:10). Rome would be on only one hill at the time John wrote Revelation, for only “one is” (Rev. 17:10). And, Rome would have to be moved from this, the sixth hill, to a seventh hill sometime after he wrote Revelation, for only “one is not yet come” (Rev. 17:12). From the seventh, which would continue “a short space” (Rev. 17:10) Rome would be moved on to an eighth hill (Rev. 17:11).
Such a theory is unreasonable. But when we understand the seven heads and the beast itself as referring to eight kingdoms, we do not have such a problem. These eight kingdoms that have persecuted and will yet persecute Israel in “the times of the Gentiles” are Egypt, Assyria, Babylon, Medo-Persia, Greece, Rome, Revised Rome, and Revived Greece."
The beast of Rev. 13 and 17 was “like a leopard,” which in Dan. 7:6 symbolized the old Grecian Empire. This is the one of the five kingdoms that had fallen before John wrote Revelation, and when it is revived again, as predicted in Dan. 7:7-8, 23-24; 8:7-9, 20-25, it will become the eighth kingdom of Rev. 17:11. The seventh empire will be made up of ten kingdoms, and the eighth will be the same ten kingdoms only formed into one empire under the human Antichrist”.

Now you can see how silly this sounds when your actually break it down.

Some bible teachers claim that the demon locusts of Revelation 9 are: Revelation 9:1-11 (KJV)
1 And the fifth angel sounded, and I saw a star fall from heaven unto the earth: and to him was given the key of the bottomless pit.
2 And he opened the bottomless pit; and there arose a smoke out of the pit, as the smoke of a great furnace; and the sun and the air were darkened by reason of the smoke of the pit.
3 And there came out of the smoke locusts upon the earth: and unto them was given power, as the scorpions of the earth have power.
4 And it was commanded them that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree; but only those men which have not the seal of God in their foreheads.
5 And to them it was given that they should not kill them, but that they should be tormented five months: and their torment was as the torment of a scorpion, when he striketh a man.
6 And in those days shall men seek death, and shall not find it; and shall desire to die, and death shall flee from them.
7 And the shapes of the locusts were like unto horses prepared unto battle; and on their heads were as it were crowns like gold, and their faces were as the faces of men.
8 And they had hair as the hair of women, and their teeth were as the teeth of lions.
9 And they had breastplates, as it were breastplates of iron; and the sound of their wings was as the sound of chariots of many horses running to battle.
10 And they had tails like unto scorpions, and there were stings in their tails: and their power was to hurt men five months.
11 And they had a king over them, which is the angel of the bottomless pit, whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon, but in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon.

Some claim these to be Cobra helicopters with their min-guns on their tails. My first thought when I heard this one was, “How did they ever get all those helicoptors in the abyss in the first place? Who put them there, and what did they do to deserve being locked in the pit? Come on people, these are SUPERNATURAL beings, why can’t we believe that they are supernatural?

The NARzies (New Apostolic Reformation) have taken the 7 Mountain Kingdoms to be the 7 mountains of society that must be overcome…. Read this article that we posted earlier in the year. http://omegachurchdeceptions.blogspot.com/2011/05/7-mountain-mandate-ie-dominionism.html by Discernment Ministries. It will truly enlighten you.

Dave

[1] “The Rapture and the Second Coming of Christ” by Finis Dake page 40

JOEL’S ARMY

“Joel’s Army” heresy has not only crept into the Church in the last six decades, but in recent times has made leaps and bounds.  Of course the preachers and so-called apostles who preach in the pulpits don’t call it “Joel’s Army”, or “The Latter Rain” for that matter, because both of these have connotations of being associated in the past with New Age and the occult.  Although it was associated in the past with the occult and the New Age does not mean that it is not longer associated with these practices.  They are still there, stronger than ever.  Instead they call it “The New Apostolic Reformation”.  This has its more recent roots from the late 1940’s, which incidentally was about the same time Israel became a nation once again.  Is this a coincidence?  Perhaps, but I hardly think so.  Satan saw his time as getting shorter, so he had to come with more deception to steal a few more souls.  With his sights always on God’s chosen.

Much of the information presented here I culled from a booklet entitled “Joel’s Army” by Jewel Grewe.  As I can only present bits and parts of this information, in this short blog, you can buy her booklet for about $3.00 thru this website.  I highly recommend it to everyone.  http://home.etcable.net/hestervanboven/Books.htm  and please visit their website.  They are Discernment Ministries and their web address is:   http://www.discernment-ministries.org/

“Joel’s Army is only one name among many that is used to describe the same teachings.  Other names are “New Wave”, New Breed”, “Overcomers”, “First-Fruits”, “Elijah Company”, “The Bride”, “Manifested Sons of God”, “Phineas Priesthood”, “New Wineskin”, and of course “ The Latter Rain”.

In the Book of Joel 2:1-11 (KJV)
¹ Blow ye the trumpet in Zion, and sound an alarm in my holy mountain: let all the inhabitants of the land tremble: for the day of the LORD cometh, for it is nigh at hand;
² A day of darkness and of gloominess, a day of clouds and of thick darkness, as the morning spread upon the mountains: a great people and a strong; there hath not been ever the like, neither shall be any more after it, even to the years of many generations.
³ A fire devoureth before them; and behind them a flame burneth: the land is as the garden of Eden before them, and behind them a desolate wilderness; yea, and nothing shall escape them.
⁴ The appearance of them is as the appearance of horses; and as horsemen, so shall they run.
⁵ Like the noise of chariots on the tops of mountains shall they leap, like the noise of a flame of fire that devoureth the stubble, as a strong people set in battle array.
⁶ Before their face the people shall be much pained: all faces shall gather blackness.
⁷ They shall run like mighty men; they shall climb the wall like men of war; and they shall march every one on his ways, and they shall not break their ranks:
⁸ Neither shall one thrust another; they shall walk every one in his path: and when they fall upon the sword, they shall not be wounded.
⁹ They shall run to and fro in the city; they shall run upon the wall, they shall climb up upon the houses; they shall enter in at the windows like a thief.
¹⁰ The earth shall quake before them; the heavens shall tremble: the sun and the moon shall be dark, and the stars shall withdraw their shining:
¹¹ And the LORD shall utter his voice before his army: for his camp is very great: for he is strong that executeth his word: for the day of the LORD is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?

In the Book of Joel Chapter 2 we read about God’s mighty supernatural army.  The men who preach this believe they are this army.  But this army has to be supernatural as pointed out by Finis Dake in his Bible commentary: 

Seven Proofs that These People Are Supernatural

1. There have never before been any like them appearing on earth before (Joel 2:2).

2. Nor will there be any like them again for many generations -- until the end of the Millennium when Satan and his angels and demons will appear on earth in an effort to take it over, at which time God will send this army of heaven against them (Joel 2:2; Isa. 24:22; Rev. 20:7-10).

3. A fire will devour before them (Joel 2:3; Ezek. 38:17-21; 2Th. 1:7-10).

4. They will be riding horses or be in chariots (Joel 2:4). This is pictured several times of God's army (2Ki. 2:11-12; 6:16-19; Zech. 1:7-11; 6:1-8; Rev. 19:11,14,21).

5. They will not be hurt even if they fall upon a sword (Joel 2:8).

6. Different from men, they are able to climb walls; they will climb upon the houses and enter into the windows like a thief (Joel 2:9).

7. They are the Lord's army and He will be leading them personally (Joel 2:11). His army is definitely spoken of as being all the holy angels and the resurrected saints from heaven (Zech. 14:4-5; Mt. 16:27; 24:31; 25:31; 2Th. 1:7-10; Jude 1:14-15; Rev. 19:11-21).

As Jewel Grewe points out in her booklet on page 2.  This false gospel shows no regard for:

1. Israel as an everlasting chosen nation of God, and their national repentance and restoration, both physically and spiritually, in one day at the 2^nd Advent of Jesus Christ. (There Messiah) (Gen. 17-7,13,19; Is. 66:7-8; Jer. 31: 35-37; Zech. 12-14; Rom. 11:1-2,25-27

2. The great outpouring of the Spirit on Israel (the Jewish nation) and on all flesh, Jesus Christ returns from heaven with His saints (the Church) at the end of the tribulation period.  (Zech. 12:10-13; Joel 2:28; Acts 2:16-21)

3. The Rapture – the catching away of both the dead and the living saints to meet the Lord in the air.  (1Thes. 4:16-18; 2Thes. 2:1; John 14:1-3; 1Cor. 15:51-56;)

4. The Judgment Seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10; Rom. 14:10-12);

5. The Seven-year tribulation (Dan. 9:24-27; Matt. 24:21-22; Jer. 30:4-7; Dan. 12:1; Rev. 6-19

6. The descent of Christ from heaven with His saints (His TRUE army) at the Battle of Armageddon.  (Zech. 14:5; Jude 14; Rev. 29:14)

All references pertaining to Israel, and the “Day of the Lord in the Book of Joel is “spiritualized” to mean the Church.  In the “New Apostolic Reformation” theology, everything God has promised to Israel is automatically referred to being the Church.  Some cases to such extremes that they have the Church deified.  Symbolism is used so extensively, that most have lost sight of the literal meaning of the Word of God.   They have certainly rewritten the Bible to the point of being “Gnostic”.  A 2^nd century way of interpreting the Bible, allegorical.  To me taking everything as an allegory would get to be very confusing…. Who is keeping track to what the allegorical interpretation is supposed to mean?  You may as well toss the Bible away if you believe this.  It’s all up for grabs.  Another question pops into my mind.  Are these people blaspheming the Holy Spirit, the unforgivable sin, by taking His inspired Word, and changing it to mean whatever they want it to?  The “Day of the Lord” (as taken from Jewels booklet pg 8) is re-interpreted by the false prophets to mean that Christ will come to His Church and incarnate (become God in flesh) an army of believers – thus giving them supernatural qualities to execute judgment on the Church.  “The Day of the Lord” is also misconstrued to mean a time of judgment starting with the church.  They love this scripture: 1 Peter 4:17 (KJV) ¹⁷ For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?  So what are we talking here, a new Spanish Inquisition?

Jewel continues on pg 8.  The “Day of the Lord” as seen through the eyes of the New Wave “prophets,” will be a time when Joel’s Army, led by these “prophets”, will pour out God’s wrath on the church!  Then, they claim, for the first time in two thousand years the “pure church” will come forth.  In other words, the blood of Christ did not avail, nor will it in the last days because this Joel’s Army and the “prophets” will do what Jesus Christ blood could not; i.e., “cleanse” the church.  If indeed it takes this Joel’s Army to purify the church, then all the preaching of the Cross from the early church to the present was in vain.  (End of quote)   I may ask, if this is all true, then why did Christ have to die on the Cross at all?  With the help of this army, we can do it all alone.  Sounds like salvation by “works” to me.  This heresy is nothing but “another gospel” It poses a real threat to unstable churches because it is another great deception beguiling the Church. 

Joel’s Army and Latter Rain have basically the same mindset.  Their claims of new revelation and deep insight lack substance other than expressing subjective feelings.  From page 12, Jewel mentions 4 things that hold their religious beliefs together.  They are: 1) personal experiences; 2) mysticism – understood only by the elite; 3) allegorizing scripture; and 4) preaching bases on intuition, feelings or perception (as opposed to Biblical Truth).   These subjective ingredients appeal to Christians who are unstable in the Word of God.  (Read Patti’s Blog entitled “The Spirit of Familiar Scriptures.)”

Jewel uses a great analogy for “Manifest Sons of God” doctrine.  She calls it “Jello Theoloy.” This doctrine is just like Jello, you can shape it in any mold you want, but it is still Jello.  It comes as “Dominion Theology” or Kingdom Now” teaching.  It can be called the “Bride” tomorrow, and the next day they may call it the “Phineas Priesthood” (those who executed judgment in the name of the Lord in Numbers 25.)

Bill Hamon in his book “The Eternal Church” from 1981.  (He has been preaching this heresy for over 30 years).  He states:

Each restorational advancement of the Army of the Lord has established denominational forts that are given responsibility to maintain the purity and power of that truth… New recruits are now being drafted and trained and older soldiers and generals are being put through intensified training for the next advancement of the Church Army.  They are being purified by the Baptism of Fire.. Are you ready?

So, what is ahead?  The Manifested Sons of God!  On pg 385 of the same book, Bill Hamon lays it out.

The Earth and all of creation is waiting for the manifestation of the sons of God, the time when they will come into their maturity and immortalization….  When the Church receives its full inheritance and redemption then creation will be redeemed from its cursed condition of decay, change and death… the Church has a responsibility and ministry to the rest of creation.  Earth and its natural creation is anxiously waiting for the Church to reach full maturity and come to full sonship.  When the Church realizes its full sonship, its bodily redemption will cause a redemptive chain reaction throughout all of creation.  (Paradigm Shift, I heard this many times on the pulpit of our last church)

Again, who is glorified here, not God or Christ Jesus.  It’s the “Church” or the “Manifested Sons of God.”  It’s easy to be deceived here because Bill sounds so “scriptural.”   But we have to remember that Bill Hamon is himself being deceived by seducing spirits. 

Has this false doctrine been around so long that we do not recognize error any more?  Is the church going to sit complacently by and allow the written Word of God to be corrupted?  The Christ that is being preached today is the “bloodless Christ.”  The Cross of Christ is not preached in most churches anymore because it “might offend someone” Most important to most of these preachers is to fill up the pews and the coffers.  

We must be all be cautioned that the Word of God has some very strong things to say about those who do not abide in the Doctrine of Christ.  2 John 1:7-11 (KJV)
⁷ 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.
⁸ Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
⁹ Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
¹⁰ If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:
¹¹ For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.

I want to wrap this up by using Jewels own words on page 32.  She tells us the three basic traits all these Apostate teachings have in common, including:  “Joel’s Army,”  “New Breed,”  “Manifest Sons,”  “Latter Rain,”  “Elijah Company,”  “Son of Man Company,” etc.  You can print this off and keep it for a reference, and start listening closely to what is being preached in your church. 

1. Discredit the Word of God

a. Wrest the fundamental doctrines “as they do also the other Scriptures” 2Pet.3:16

            b. Allegorize the truth away

            c. Deny the literal meaning of scripture.

            d. Compare the Bible to other books and irreverence the written Word.

            e. Place their revelations on a par with scripture.

            f. Emphasize their thoughts and ideas above Scriptures.

            g. Esteem the authority of the Church over the Scriptures.

2. Deify Man.

            a. “Change the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped….the creature more than the Creator.”

            b. The Church (man) is the ongoing incarnation of Jesus Christ, in other words, the Churth IS Jesus Christ come in the flesh.

            c. The believer is a god-man, i.e. A supernatural being.

            d. The focus of the “gospel” centers on MAN – his self love, esteem, glorification and dominion.

3. Disregard Israel (the Wife of God).  Israel is an outcast and has been replaced by the Church.

            a. “Ethnic Israel’s” rebirth depends on the “Son of Man company” (The Endtime “Prophets”) and not the Messiah (Jesus Christ) at His Second Advent.

            “Ethnic Israel’s” only hope of ever being restored is contingent on the prophetic word of the prophets and being birthed into the “One New Man Company” of the Church.

 The Church giving birth to Israel is a master deception by Satan.  He can kill two birds with one stone with this one.  Kill the belief that Israel is an everlasting people of God, and that Israel is to be saved and reborn spiritually in one day through the advent of their Messiah, Jesus Christ.  Time is getting short for Satan. 

Blessings…..  Dave

THE LATTER RAIN - Part 3

Before we get into Part III, we would like to make a statement regarding the precious written Word of the Living God.  Don’t we always?

When I was a teenager I really didn’t enjoy reading.  I just thought what could these authors have to say that would be worth my time?  I had things to do and places to go as a teenage girl.  Important things like go to the soda shop to meet friends and to the movies and to the pool.  But once I got into my sophomore year of high school, reading quality books by noted authors was mandatory.  Sigh.  Trapped like a rat.  The first book that we were assigned to read was "A Tale of Two Cities".  Once I had read the first chapter I was hooked.  It had everything.  Intrigue, danger, love, excitement, and sorrow was cleverly woven throughout every page.  But as I read, there were times when I wondered why the author wrote the things he did.  The book was written so well that I found myself thinking about the characters even when I wasn’t reading the book.  I felt that I knew them and in my opinion, perhaps they would not behave and think the way the author was portraying them.  My mind was filled with “what ifs”.  But by staying with the author to the end of the book, I understood his methods.  I understood his story.  And even though I didn’t like the terribly sad ending, it was still a fine book and one that I am glad that I read even until this day.  But even though, while reading this novel, I found pause with the author a few times, I never once dreamed of changing the story, not even in my mind.  That was not a possibility.  It was a finished work that is still read today.  Movies have been made of this book as well.  Even Hollywood kept the integrity of the author’s story.  I never submitted a “re-write”.  I have never told the story any other way than the way it was written.  Can you imagine the ridicule I would have received?  Can you imagine how the literary world would have attacked me?  And they would have been right to label me a thief and a fool.  Charles Dickens, the author of "A Tale of Two Cities," was long dead when I read this book.  But I still respected the tale he left behind and would never dream of attacking or altering this fine and finished work of a man.  I knew it was finished when I got to the last page and it said…The End.  Those words invite no more input.  And yet, down through the ages men and women, supposedly of God, have done just that to the Holy Scriptures!!  They continue to “add” by any means possible.  Do they feel a certain “ease” in doing this because the author cannot be seen?  I am not talking about Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, Paul, or Moses, and of course many more, because they are dead, but of the Holy Spirit Who is God and is eternal and Who was the inspiration to the minds and hands of these earthly authors. 

So how do we know that the Bible is a finished work?  If you look at the last word in the Book of Revelation it says “Amen”.  In other words, so be it.  The Bible is a brilliant book that took over some 1600 years to write in totality.  And just as a copyright protects human authors from others tampering with their writings, the infallibility of God, the Holy Spirit, protects this divine book.  And just as there are severe penalties for men when they infringe copyright laws, so are there penalties for those who dare to tamper with the written Word of God.  In fact, as most know, this penalty is laid out in the Book of Revelation itself and it is not just speaking of that one book as some state.  Revelation 22:17-19 (KJV)
¹⁷ And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And let him that heareth say, Come. And let him that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let him take the water of life freely.
¹⁸ For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book:
¹⁹ And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.  That warning is very clear as imparted by the Holy Spirit.  And the penalty is damnation!!  So those who believe in “once saved, always saved” must reconsider these words.  He clearly states, “God shall “take away” his (those who dare to alter the Word of God)  part out of the Book of Life, and out of the Holy City, and the things that are written in this book!! 

The glaring question is, why do men fear copyright laws more than they fear the wrath of the living God?  Why do men never even dream of “re-writing” any written and established paper or novel?  And why do some men not have the fear of God in them and DARE to tamper with His written Word?!  It has been this way down through the ages.  And any intelligent man knows that what is in the Bible today is exactly what God wants in there.  The Holy Spirit didn’t retire after the inspiration of this most holy book.  He continues to this day to look over and after God’s Word and God’s people.  The continued integrity of this holy book is of the utmost importance as it is the instrument by which God will judge His people.  We will not come before Jesus, or God forbid the Great White Throne Judgment, as saved Christians or unsaved heathens, and hear Him say, “Well, you were not aware of this issue because some folks back in the Dark Ages didn’t like this one point and took it out of my Word, but I am going to judge you by it anyway even though you were not aware of the repercussions”  People, we serve a just and mighty God Who is more than able to get His perfect Word in it’s totality to His people!!!  Of course you have to have Holy Spirit inspired faith, trust, and belief in God to come to this conclusion.  And if any “angel” or “messenger” or even a voice saying that he was God himself came to me and told me that even one word of the Holy Scriptures was not true or that some were missing, I would immediately say, “Get thee behind me Satan!”  Paul also issued a dire warning in Galatians 1:6-12 (KJV)
⁶ I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:
⁷ Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.
⁸ But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.
⁹ As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.
¹⁰ For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
¹¹ But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man.
¹² For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.  This scripture says it all and it comes with a stern and dire warning from Paul.  We MUST take time to learn what God has put into His “manual for living” and that is His Holy written Word!!!  If you follow the ramblings, ravings, and twisted scriptures of any man, you too will be accursed!!!  PLEASE…your very SOULS are on the line here people.  Take a stand and BOLDLY drive anyone away from you in the name of Jesus that tries to impart a false and twisted scripture to you.  We only have this one lifetime to get this right.  The next step is eternal.  Where will you spend your eternity?  We love you and pray for all our readers everyday.  God’s richest blessings to you all.  (And you will find all those blessings in the Bible!)

Okay, now back to the work at hand…the Latter Rain movement and our information for you on Joel’s Army.  Sadly, more “twisted scripture” is at work here.  Have you ever heard the saying, “where there is smoke there is fire”?  Well, get this saying deep into your soul.  “Where there is twisted scripture, there is demonic presence!”  Flee from it!

A vital doctrine of the Latter Rain is that there will be the “Manifest Sons of God”, or “Joel’s Army”.  The movement teaches that as the end of the age approaches (and according to a letter written by Bill Hamon to the Elijah List which was published on February 25, 2008, the “age” is now here.)  the “overcomers”, which are the Latter Rain’s version of what the Bible means by overcomers, will arise within the church (as all evil does).  There is some infighting within the ranks of the Latter Rain followers as to the extent of this “rising” but from what we have heard first hand from these people, they fully believe that they will become “transfigured” over a time (period of time is never given) into exactly what Christ Himself was while on earth.  I would like to point out here that the practice of “transfiguration” is a study and ritual of the New Age movement.  God is NEVER present during this blasphemy, but demons are.  So, to the Latter Rain folks…and that includes those who follow those tenets to this day (but have not the guts to openly claim their affiliation with the “Latter Rain” or the “Manifest Sons of God”…the “chosen”) claim they will actually come into the FULL STATURE OF CHRIST and will receive the Spirit without measure which will enable THEM to perform healings and miracles through special communication with the Holy Spirit and God Himself to establish Scriptural truth.  These men also claim that they have inherited what they call the “God-Man”.  They believe that “they” are the Church.  They believe that “they” share in all Christ had and will have including His DEITY!  This is blasphemy in its purest form.  And need I mention to anyone that the Word warns that the only unpardonable sin is that of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit?  If any of this was truth and if any of this would happen at the will of God, it would be in the Bible!!  The audacity of these people is stunning!!!  Not one of these men and women will perform miracles.  Not one of us that lays hands on people EVER is the healer or miracle worker.  When these things happen it is the Holy Spirit, and only the Holy Spirit working through us!  But these people with thinking that they will become like Christ say that they will also take part in and actually become deity just as Jesus was and is deity!!  Here they have not only taken their raving to the edge of the cliff, they have jumped off!!  They also believe that they will be capable of “astral travel” and will be able to travel from one place to another by thought.  This again is a teaching and exercise of the New Age.  They believe that the Holy Spirit will bless them with the ability to speak to anyone anywhere in their own language.  Listening to this tripe is ludicrous, and yet every Sunday, people sit in church and listen and absorb and worse yet, carry these wretched tales to others.  They think that if someone that has all this popularity says these things, then they must be true.  If your Pastor sings the praises of these men and women, you feel that they must be valid.  You must realize that these men and women, although they see themselves as “gods”, are mere men and women in the hands of demons and are issuing forth the doctrine of devils.  This was warned of in the Bible as well.  1 Timothy 4:1 (KJV)
¹ Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

My husband Dave is going to continue writing on Joel’s Army.  It is really a message unto itself and if I were to include it in this message of the Latter Rain, of which it is a vital part, I would have to add at least two more parts to this writing.  So I will continue with the next topic we need to examine about the Latter Rain.

ECCLESIOLOGY

The “Sacrifice of Praise” and the restoration of the Tabernacle of David are important themes in the preparation of the Latter Rain (Reign).  They must have a totally devoted following with no dissention in their ranks.  They plan to take over the earth and bring it under their submission in the name of Christianity and Christ.  Every knee WILL bow and every tongue WILL confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.  But I just feel it in my spirit that if these people are this taken with themselves then in actuality, every knee WILL bow and every tongue WILL confess that they are God-man and Christ just as Jesus said that some would in those days.  Again the audacity is numbing!!

For this reason you will notice in these churches that you will hear instructions by either the apostle/prophet, or the worship leaders, that everyone must sing.  Everyone must lift their hands and give praise.  Everyone must come up to the altar.  Everyone must speak in tongues on a cue from them.  In the upper room we see that the Holy Spirit set a precedent as far as speaking in tongues.  He didn’t get a strangle hold on each one of them and order them to open their mouths, but the scripture says…Acts 2:4 (KJV)
⁴ And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.  “As the Spirit gave them utterance” means that they did not initiate this themselves, but that it was initiated by the Holy Spirit.  The same applies today...period.  We have been in a church, and while we were praising the Lord, no we were not leaping over the pews nor rolling down the isle, or barking like a dog, but in our own way, we were lost in our personal worship of our precious Jesus as were many others.  All of a sudden the apostle/prophet starting shouting, “STOP, STOP!” interrupting the Worship Service.  Well, we jumped about a foot straight up!  The apostle claimed that he could not feel the Holy Spirit and therefore we were to blame by our lackluster praise.  “Press in!” he ordered.  Well, we all know by now that the Holy Spirit can visit one person and not visit a person right next to him.  It is a very precious and personal thing.  But by doing this in services, the apostle/prophet or the Worship Leaders show their need to control not only the actions of those in the service, but also that of the Holy Spirit!  You will also notice that as you remain in one of these churches, and they can see that you are “falling into line” as ordered, you will be called up to the altar and told exactly what your gifting and ministry is.  Even though you cannot carry a note in a basket, you may be told that your voice will bless the church and you will join the choir.  (Of course after they hear you croak a few notes, they will have a NEW revelation and move you somewhere else quickly.)  They never claim error, only new revelation.  After all, if they are deity, mistakes would be impossible right?  They speak of taking cities, nations, and the World for the church. (Oh…yes…they throw in “for Christ” too in order not to be run out into the street just yet.)  They know that Jesus is being “held, captive so to speak” in Heaven by the Father until all of His enemies have been placed under His (Christ’s) feet by the new Dominion ordered by the New (Latter Rain) Apostolic Reformation.  Once they have subdued the earth, then “they” will tell Jesus that he can come back, with their permission and blessing, to rule and reign the world.  Is this not the most ludicrous thing that you have ever heard of!?  The scripture in my Bible says that Jesus at His second coming is King of Kings, and Lord of Lords.  A King does the bidding of no man.  He is summoned by no man.  He is not subject to any man.  A little common sense should tell you that your “revelation” of the scriptures is dead wrong and you should be questioning just who you are getting “revelation” from.  You see, when you think you are hearing from God, there is one way to determine this.  You go to the timeless Word of the Living God, and see what the “literal” meaning of what you heard is there.  If it is twisted from the text or worse yet, not even there, IT WAS NOT GOD, NOR THE HOLY SPIRIT, NOR AN ANGEL OF GOD YOU WERE TALKING TOO!  Nowhere in the Word does it tell us to use “revelation” to interpret the Word.  In fact the Word says that 1 Corinthians 1:17-20 (KJV)
¹⁷ For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect.
¹⁸ For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
¹⁹ For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
²⁰ Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? And…

Isaiah 55:7-9 (KJV)
⁷ Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.
⁸ For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.
⁹ For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.  This says it all and the Lord Himself is saying it.  If we could ever do better than the Word exactly as it were written, then that would also be laid out in the Word of God, and it clearly is not.  But these men are blinded by their own ambitions and hunger for power and control.  They are practicing on their own congregations.  By now the Latter Rain should clearly be known to you as well, and long planned after “REIGN of terror” that will be perpetrated by the church on its own people first, and then the unbelievers.  They once again have misconstrued the scripture that says that “judgment will begin in the church” to mean that “they” will do the judging. 

Another belief of the Latter Rain (NAR/DOM) is that in the last days, the five fold ministerial rolls spoken of in Ephesians 4:11 (apostle, prophet, evangelist, pastor, teacher) would come into play again.  They believed that the fundamental roles of the apostles was lost in the Dark Ages, apparently along with the high secrets of God that “used to be” in the Bible and the restoration of these things is only being “revealed” to the “chosen” Latter Rain members in the last days.  In this belief lies the basis for the rise of the apostle and prophet, along with the other ministries but only as directed and determined by the “chosen” ones.  Did you know that one of the “chosen” ones, Bob Jones, along with Bobby Conner, go to Heaven every year, at the same time every year, and have a meeting with God to lay out these plans?  Did you jaw fall open yet?  The first time I heard this, mine did.  And these people believe it!  And thousands of Christians buy into this stuff.  We sat in the audience at a conference where these men were speaking and heard it first hand, and the audience went nuts!!  They clapped and cheered, and took money and put it on the altar and pieces of material for these men to touch because they have touched God Himself.  These so-called Christians are incredibly naïve, and give misdirected and blasphemous praise and honor to mere men.  To set the record straight, these five fold ministries mentioned in the Bible are not offices or man given authorities given to “chosen” men.  These ministries are functions available to the entire church as directed by the Holy Spirit. 

PNEUMATOLOGY

The Baptism of the Holy Spirit is something that believers in that gift seek after with prayer and sometimes fasting.  It is a gift given exclusively by the Holy Spirit alone as pointed out in this blog earlier.  However, once again the New (Latter Rain) Apostolic Reformation teaches and believes that it is something that man controls.  How many times can I say blasphemy here?!!  They believe that man can lay hands on other men and “impart” their gifts and anointing.  All you are getting for your dime here is the empty hands of self anointed and self appointed men.  Only the Holy Spirit can impart a gift or ministry!  These men will call out people from the audience that THEY feel are ready to be given a gift or ministry and then they will supply “prophecies” that will ensure the compliance of their “chosen” ones.  If they refer to God at all they will say that God chose to work through them to impart the “gift”.  Again, God the Holy Spirit does not need man to impart anything to man.  And this is how the youth of this movement are being trained to follow their “leaders” of this movement. And Christian parents willingly and blindly are turning their young people over to these “Christian Youth Lock Downs”.  Like I said in a previous blog…stay up late some night and catch The Ramp on TV.  Watch the aggressive behavior of these kids.  It is scary…very scary indeed. It is like the Nazi Youth movement.

 Sadly, the only open and strong opposition to the Latter Rain is from the fundamentalist of the Word of God.  And we are diminishing in numbers.  But there will be a revival.  A revival of truth and faith in Jesus Christ and the work He and only He did at the Cross of Calvary.  And we will all go in the Rapture, all labeled as “the evil ones” by the NAR/DOM and mark my words, they will take credit for that too!!

SHORT LIST OF FOUNDERS AND LEADERS

• Maria Fraser founded the Latter Rain Assemblies in South Africa
• Reg Layzell founded Glad Tidings church and author and influence of such books as “The Key of David” and Unto Perfection”.
• George Warnock wrote “The Feast of Tabernacles” (1951) which became know as the Latter Rain Bible.  It established the Latter Rain’s spiritual hermeneutic.
• George Hawtin and his brother Ern were the early movers and shakers who promoted the spread of the movment in the late 40’s and early 50’s.  They “took it on the road” so to speak and it caught on again after centuries of condemnation by the established church.
• A. Earl Lee was a father of this movement as it spread into California after his involvement with Aimee Semple McPherson.
• Myrtle Beall and her family ran the Bethesda Christian Church in Detroit, MI.  It was considered the first main line church to “openly” embrace the Latter Rain Movement.
• James Watt, one of the original “elders” of the Sharon Orphanage and school.
• J. Preston Eby was an early proponent who resigned under the pressure given him by the Pentecostal Holiness Church in 1956.  The Latter Rain was definitely not recognized or approved of by the church.
• Thomas Wyatt, a pastor from Portland, OR hosted the North Battleford men at a pastor’s conference and enabled this doctrine to be spread.
• Dick Iverson, founder of City Bible Church, formerly Bible Temple, and Portland Bible College, is the apostolic overseer of Ministers Fellowship International (MFI)
• Kevin Conner an influential Bible teacher who came out of the Latter Rain.  This gentleman has done more to “blend” the false doctrines of the Latter Rain with mainstream theology than any other man to date.  He has been the influence of many “TV evangelists” such as the well-known T.D. Jakes.
• David Schoch, a honorary member of the apostolic board of MFI, and the leader of the church now called City at the Cross in Long Beach, CA.  David died in 2007
• Violet Kiteley founded Shiloh Christian Fellowship in Oakland, CA.  Her son David is also a honorary member of the MFI leadership.
• Sam Fife and the Move also known as End-time Body-Christian Ministries.
• Maranatha Campus Ministries, a college campus outreach movement that was dissolved in 1989 and re-grouped in the 1990’s and is now know as Every Nation.
• The Living Word Fellowship, better know as “The Walk” founded by John Robert Stevens.  Another member of this group was Royal Cronquist a believer in the Latter Rain movement.  Well known and published author Francis Frangipane came out of Stevens’ “The Walk” ministry, but left before the scandals began.  A 1985 documentary was done by Anthony Cox which showed “The Living Word Fellowship” for what is truly was.
• The Assemblies of the Body of Christ.
• Bishop Bill Hamon of Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, has infiltrated and become a consistent player in the Charismatic movement, including being featured numerous times in Charisma Magazine.  Hamon’s book, The Eternal Church, outlines the movement and emphasizes his presence in it.
• Glenn Ewing and his son from Robert Ewing, of Waco, TX trained Jim Laffoon, leading prophet for Every Nation.
• Elim Fellowship and its college, Elim bible Institute in New York.
• Destiny Image Publications, founded by Don Nori who was a prophet in a Latter Rain church before founding the publishing house.  Published works by Varner, Joyner, Hamon and others of the Latter Rain Movement.
• The Independent Assemblies of God, International, organized by A.W. Rasmussen.
• Church of the Living God
• Body of Christ Movement
• Joel’s Church of Love
• The band known as “The Rainmakers”

I have ended this writing on the Latter Rain with this very short list of people and associations and churches in order to make you aware of “it’s everywhere” and beware.  The only way that you can be sure that you are not listening or being influenced by any false doctrine is to KNOW the Word, the TRUE Word of the Living God as inspired by God the Holy Spirit.  Please find time.  The biggest excuse for not reading God’s Word is “I just don’t find time”.  Let’s face it.  If someone came up to you with two free tickets to a major league Sports event or concert, you know that you would re-arrange your schedule and find time to go!!  Can you not tarry with Christ for just one hour?  Was this not His admonition to the apostles in the Garden of Gethsemane?  Matthew 26:40-42 (KJV)
⁴⁰ And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour?
⁴¹ Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

Blessings, Patti.