What Is The Mystery Of Iniquity?

For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 2 Thessalonians 2:7

How many of us have heard this verse quoted, but never really quite understood what it meant? What is this mystery of iniquity, that the apostle Paul wrote about, and why did he write about it? What does it look like, and should we as believers be concerned about it? If so, why? To get a deeper understanding of  verse, let us read a little further into the chapter.

It reads:
(7) ” For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
(8)  And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of his mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of his coming:
(9)  Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
(10)  And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
(11)  And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
(12)  That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

As we can see, what Paul is describing here, is an unseen activity of iniquity or lawlessness, that was at work in his day; secretly evolving and growing in the earth. A silent spawn of evil, spanning eras and centuries of time.

According to the scriptures, it will continue to grow, until it reaches global proportions, and then it’s doom will come, as the”man of sin” asserts his global power. Then, it will operate under his control, as he dominates the world, in open raw unrestrained global lawlessness, evil, and terror.

So again, what is this “mystery of iniquity”? Let’s talk about it.
Continue reading “The Mystery of Iniquity”

Peter’s Vindication

Grace, Mercy, and Peace be to all in the precious name of Jesus.

Welcome to the third and final part of this “Test Everything” video examination. This portion which has been entitled “Peters’ Vindication”, has been named so, as a direct result of the strong, overwhelming, scriptural evidence and support, which was revealed during this spiritual fact finding review. Based upon the biblical facts of information, established in the two previous sections of the test, I have come to the following conclusions concerning the aforementioned beliefs and claims:

1. That there is no scriptural evidence whatsoever, to support, or to suggest, that Old Testament clean and unclean food ordinances, survived God’s Acts 10:15 disannulment of them, during His conversation with the apostle Peter.
2. That there is no scriptural evidence whatsoever to support, or sustain the beliefs contained in the “119 Ministries Acts 10 (Peter’s Vision) Video”, which promotes these claims.
3. That this video should not be used or relied upon as a basis for teaching biblical facts, principles or truths.

In support of the Kingdom of God, and the beloved apostle Peter; his loyalty, his dedication, and his faith.

I do humbly submit the following rebuttal, in support of his witness, labor, and sacrifice of obedience, to the heavenly vision.

 

REBUTTAL OF PETER/PHARISAIC THEORY

Upon examination of the  beliefs, I found no evidence in the scriptures whatsoever to justify this gross misrepresentation of the apostle Peter’s character and mindset, other than the fact that he makes mention of a separation law, which in actuality really does exist.

His acknowledgement of this law puts in jeopardy the whole alleged belief, that God was talking figuratively, and not literally, when He informed Peter than He had now cleansed all unclean animals for his consumption.

For if God was revealing to Peter, that He was doing away with an actual covenant law, banning association with Gentile nations, then the whole belief that God was not abolishing clean and unclean laws is totally destroyed. There could be no legitimate foundation upon which this belief could be sustained, thus Peter’s understanding of the law must be destroyed. He must now be made to look like one who has no spiritual understanding of God’s Holy Scriptures and laws.

This is a very sad, tragic, and embarrassing situation, seeing that this is being done in the name of promoting Yahweh’s truth. One need but read the first five or six chapters of the book of Acts, to see
Peter’s knowledge, understanding, and use of the Holy Scriptures consistently, as well as his love for God, loyalty to Christ, and love toward all people. Moreover, God’s approval of his actions, words, and deeds, can be evidently seen, by the level of heavenly support, and power in the Holy Ghost, he was given from the Father for his mission.

This whole idea that he was somehow following the doctrines of the Pharisees; the very ones who condemned Christ, while at the same preaching Christ, is ridiculously absurd; and a destructive mishandling of the Holy Scriptures.

For even God himself, set His is approval upon the teachings of Peter, when He sent an angel to loose him by night from his imprisonment in Jerusalem. for the angel commanded
him saying:
“Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.” Acts 5:20

How can one be so trusted, supported, and commanded in such a fashion, except they are known of God to walk in truth?

Can one who is so blinded by Pharisaic doctrine, have such power with God? Would he not need be blinded first, like brother Paul, that he might truly see to serve the Lord?

Christ Himself has clearly told us that, no man can serve two masters, as these would suggest was the case with Peter. I have no doubt in my heart, that this gross folly will eventually come to nought, and that those who have so recklessly and presumptuously spoken these things, will fall victim to their own misguided teachings. Let us pray therefore, that God will grant them space to repent, and to recover themselves from the snare of Satan, who now holds them captive to do his will.

Selah

“Test Everything”119 Act 10 Video Peter’s Vision Test Results Pt. 2

Grace be to all and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus the Christ.

Welcome to part two of the “TEST EVERYTHING” video challenge.

In the second part of the test, I examined the statement made concerning God’s alleged correction of Peter, who is said to have been following the traditional teachings of the Pharisees. Again, we refer to the portion of the video which reads:

Acts 10:28
“He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with a Gentile
or visit him. But God has shown me that I should not call any man impure or unclean.”

“Nowhere in the Scriptures do we find this to be true. This was NOT Yahweh’s law. It was man’s law. That which was passed down from the Pharisees. And so, the Father brought this vision to bring His people back to the true meaning of who Israel is to be, as stated in the book of Numbers.”
Numbers 15:15-16
“The community is to have the same rules for you and for the alien living among you; this is a
lasting ordinance for the generations to come. You and the alien shall be the same before the
LORD. The same laws and regulations will apply both to you and the alien living among you”

In this portion of the test, I examined the scriptures, to test the legitimacy of this belief, by seeing if there was scriptural evidence, which ran contrary to it, and if so, how much was there, and was it significant enough to actually refute these claims. This is what I discovered:

1. Fact:  The law mentioned in the video, was for foreigners who chose to live among the people of Israel, as part of the future nation of Israel, after their exodus out of Egypt. (Numbers 15: 15-16)
   
2. Fact:  The law Peter refers to is a different law, against visiting foreigners outside of the new nation of Israel in the Land of Promise, under Joshua. (Joshua 23:1-13)
3. Fact:  Peter and the disciples, wondered if the kingdom was being restored to Israel at that time, and questioned Jesus about it, just prior to His ascension. (Acts 1: 6-7)
4. Fact:  The law referred to by Peter, was established by God, under covenant, through Joshua, at Shechem,  after Israel had been restored. (Joshua 5:1-9) (Joshua 24:24-28)
5. Fact:  Peter saw the Holy Ghost fall first on the Jews. (Acts 2:1-4)
6. Fact:  Peter then taught unbiasly from the scriptures, that the Holy Ghost was for all people, prior to meeting Cornelius. (Acts 2:14-17)( Acts 2:38-41)
7. Fact:  Christ warned Peter to avoid the Pharisee’s doctrine (Matthew 16:6-12)
8. Fact:  Peter was not teaching the bias doctrine of the Pharisees’, when he mentioned God’s law of separation. (Joshua 23:1-13)
9. Fact:  In the vision God gave to Peter, God told Peter that animals, which He once established as unclean, were no longer to be called (considered) unclean. (Acts 10:13-15)
10. Fact: Peter thought about the vision, and made an inference based on it.(Acts 10:19-20)
11. Fact:  Inference-an idea or conclusion that’s drawn from evidence and reasoning.
12. Fact:  Peter then concluded, that God was showing him, that Gentiles were no longer to be considered unclean as well.  Both similarly established laws, were now simultaneously abolished. (Act 10:28)

Conclusion: Based on the fact, that Peter was repeating an actual Old Testament law of God, and that God challenged him to break an actual Old Testament law in the vision of unclean animals, a valid, just, and honest comparison can be made between the two events; which can be honestly use as the basis to strongly support the belief that God literally meant what he said to Peter concerning the doing away of both laws.

In addition:  Based on the fact that Christ warned Peter to avoid the Pharisee’s doctrine; that Peter unbiasly taught the Holy Ghost was for all people, (prior to meeting Cornelius) and that Peter was repeating an actual Old Testament law of God; a valid, just, and honest comparison can be made between the three events.

It can be honestly and strongly suggested that, God was not correcting Peter, but rather showing him that all of the new covenant promises, would be fulfilled without the old covenant laws of separation and purification. That the kingdom of Israel would be restored without these.

 

 Acts 2:14-17
(14)  But Peter, standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and said unto them, Ye men of Judaea, and all ye that dwell at Jerusalem, be this known unto you, and hearken to my words:
(15)  For these are not drunken, as ye suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day.
(16)  But this is that which was spoken by the prophet Joel;
(17)  And it shall come to pass in the last days, saith God, I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams:

Acts 2:38-41
(38)  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
(39)  For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call.

 

The New Generation Circumcised

Joshua 5:1-9
(1)  And it came to pass, when all the kings of the Amorites, which were on the side of Jordan westward, and all the kings of the Canaanites, which were by the sea, heard that the LORD had dried up the waters of Jordan from before the children of Israel, until we were passed over, that their heart melted, neither was there spirit in them any more, because of the children of Israel.
(2)  At that time the LORD said unto Joshua, Make thee sharp knives, and circumcise again the children of Israel the second time.
(3)  And Joshua made him sharp knives, and circumcised the children of Israel at the hill of the foreskins.
(4)  And this is the cause why Joshua did circumcise: All the people that came out of Egypt, that were males, even all the men of war, died in the wilderness by the way, after they came out of Egypt.
(5)  Now all the people that came out were circumcised: but all the people that were born in the wilderness by the way as they came forth out of Egypt, them they had not circumcised.
(6)  For the children of Israel walked forty years in the wilderness, till all the people that were men of war, which came out of Egypt, were consumed, because they obeyed not the voice of the LORD: unto whom the LORD sware that he would not shew them the land, which the LORD sware unto their fathers that he would give us, a land that floweth with milk and honey.
(7)  And their children, whom he raised up in their stead, them Joshua circumcised: for they were uncircumcised, because they had not circumcised them by the way.
(8)  And it came to pass, when they had done circumcising all the people, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they were whole.
(9)  And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day.

Joshua’s Charge to Israel’s Leaders

Joshua 23:1-13
(1)  And it came to pass a long time after that the LORD had given rest unto Israel from all their enemies round about, that Joshua waxed old and stricken in age.
(2)  And Joshua called for all Israel, and for their elders, and for their heads, and for their judges, and for their officers, and said unto them, I am old and stricken in age:
(3)  And ye have seen all that the LORD your God hath done unto all these nations because of you; for the LORD your God is he that hath fought for you.
(4)  Behold, I have divided unto you by lot these nations that remain, to be an inheritance for your tribes, from Jordan, with all the nations that I have cut off, even unto the great sea westward.
(5)  And the LORD your God, he shall expel them from before you, and drive them from out of your sight; and ye shall possess their land, as the LORD your God hath promised unto you.
(6)  Be ye therefore very courageous to keep and to do all that is written in the book of the law of Moses, that ye turn not aside therefrom to the right hand or to the left;
(7)  That ye come not among these nations, these that remain among you; neither make mention of the name of their gods, nor cause to swear by them, neither serve them, nor bow yourselves unto them:
(8)  But cleave unto the LORD your God, as ye have done unto this day.
(9)  For the LORD hath driven out from before you great nations and strong: but as for you, no man hath been able to stand before you unto this day.
(10)  One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.
(11)  Take good heed therefore unto yourselves, that ye love the LORD your God.
(12)  Else if ye do in any wise go back, and cleave unto the remnant of these nations, even these that remain among you, and shall make marriages with them, and go in unto them, and they to you:
(13)  Know for a certainty that the LORD your God will no more drive out any of these nations from before you; but they shall be snares and traps unto you, and scourges in your sides, and thorns in your eyes, until ye perish from off this good land which the LORD your God hath given you.

  The Covenant Renewal at Shechem

(Gentile Separation Law Enacted)

 

Joshua 24:24-28

(24)  And the people said unto Joshua, The LORD our God will we serve, and his voice will we obey.
(25)  So Joshua made a covenant with the people that day, and set them a statute and an ordinance in Shechem.
(26)  And Joshua wrote these words in the book of the law of God, and took a great stone, and set it up there under an oak, that was by the sanctuary of the LORD.
(27)  And Joshua said unto all the people, Behold, this stone shall be a witness unto us; for it hath heard all the words of the LORD which he spake unto us: it shall be therefore a witness unto you, lest ye deny your God.
(28)  So Joshua let the people depart, every man unto his inheritance.

Israel’s Disobedience

Judges 2:1-5
(1)  And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you.
(2)  And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?
(3)  Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.
(4)  And it came to pass, when the angel of the LORD spake these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.
(5)  And they called the name of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed there unto the LORD.

Selah

 

This concludes Part 2. “Test Everything” results

 

“Test Everything” 119 Act 10 Video Peter’s Vision Test Results Pt. 1

Grace be to all and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus the Christ.

About a week ago, while on the Disqus social platform, I came across a channel entitled “Let’s Talk Torah”. I found this channel via following a gentleman who was actively commenting on the channel. Thinking that this was an active friendly discussion, I joined in, only to discover that I had entered an all out faith feud in progress. The topic of discussion was centered around the apostle Peter’s vision in Acts chapter 10 and 11 of the New Testament.

The members of the channel, believed that God was not literally telling Peter it was okay to eat unclean animals, while the gentleman believed that He was. Upon joining the discussion, one of the members referred me to a video which was created by a group know as “119 Ministries”.

In the 13 minute video, entitled “Acts 10 Peter’s Vision” , a gentleman suggests that God was not telling Peter that the laws of separation ( clean and unclean) were abolished for both him and the Gentiles, but rather Peter was being corrected by God.

Using Abraham as a comparison, he suggests to the audience, that Peter like Abraham, was being told to do something, which God did not plan for him to actually carry out; that God did not mean literally what He said to Peter, concerning eating unclean animals.

He suggests that Peter was being corrected over the false understanding that Gentiles were unclean, and that Peter got this

law from the Pharisee’s traditions (Talmud)(Jewish Oral Law), and not the Old Testament law; stating that:

“Nowhere in the Scriptures do we find this to be true. This was NOT Yahweh’s law. It was man’s law.That which was passed down from the Pharisees.”

These representations were made under a challenge slogan, inviting visitors to “Test Everything, hold onto what is good – 1 Thessalonians 5:21”, which I decided to do, as a means of examining the basis for these teachings.

What I discovered, I will now present as a means to reveal, what is truly represent in the Holy Scriptures.

In the video the following comments and questions were present:

“I’ve heard some say, “If God didn’t want Peter to eat the unclean animals in that sheet, then why did he
tell him to?” With this in mind, then why did God tell Abraham to kill Isaac? Did He REALLY want Abraham to kill his son? Of course not”.

I started here to test the legitimacy of this question. To see if Abraham could be used as a valid similarly situated person, in comparison to Peter’s situation before God, and if not, were there others more deserving of this comparison. This is what I discovered

 

1. Fact:  God proved (tested) Abraham’s faith, love, and obedience, when He instructed him to offer up Isaac (Gen22:1-18)
2. Fact:  Prove – to test the truth, validity, or genuineness of.
3. Fact:  God gave Peter a visual analogy, when He instructed him to eat of the unclean animals. (Acts 10:9-19)
4. Fact:  Analogy – a comparison between two things, typically for the purpose of explanation or clarification, a similarity between like features of two things, on which a comparison may be based.
5. Fact: Peter thought about the analogy, and made an inference based on it.(Acts 10:19-20)
6. Fact:  Inference-an idea or conclusion that’s drawn from evidence and reasoning.
7. Fact:  Peter shared his conclusion with those around him. (Act 10:28)
8. Fact:  Being proved, is not similar to being given an analogy.

 

Conclusion: Because the the two situations have no qualifying similarities, no just, honest, or valid comparison can be made between the two events; nor can they be honestly use as the basis to suggest or support the belief that God did not literally mean what he said to Peter.

Having concluded that Abraham was not a valid comparison, nor the question being posed a legitimate one, I continued to examine the scriptures, to see if there were others more deserving of this comparison. This is what I discovered.

Ezekiel 4:9-15
(9)  Take thou also unto thee wheat, and barley, and beans, and lentiles, and millet, and fitches, and put them in one vessel, and make thee bread thereof, according to the number of the days that thou shalt lie upon thy side, three hundred and ninety days shalt thou eat thereof.
(10)  And thy meat which thou shalt eat shall be by weight, twenty shekels a day: from time to time shalt thou eat it.
(11)  Thou shalt drink also water by measure, the sixth part of an hin: from time to time shalt thou drink.
(12)  And thou shalt eat it as barley cakes, and thou shalt bake it with dung that cometh out of man, in their sight.
(13)  And the LORD said, Even thus shall the children of Israel eat their defiled bread among the Gentiles, whither I will drive them.
(14)  Then said I, Ah Lord GOD! behold, my soul hath not been polluted: for from my youth up even till now have I not eaten of that which dieth of itself, or is torn in pieces; neither came there abominable flesh into my mouth.
(15)  Then he said unto me, Lo, I have given thee cow’s dung for man’s dung, and thou shalt prepare thy bread therewith.

 

1. Fact:  God commands Ezekiel the priest to defile himself by eating food baked with man’s dung. He pleads with the Lord about it, then is allowed to defile himself with cow’s dung instead (Ezekiel 4:9-15)
2. Fact:  God used Ezekiel to symbolize the siege of Jerusalem.
3. Fact:  God defiled Ezekiel as visual analogy for the people of Jerusalem ( Ezekiel 4:12-13)
4. Fact:  God meant this literally, and Ezekiel took it literally.
5. Fact:  This violated Ex29:14, Lev 4:11, Lev 16:27 and Num 19:5
6. Fact:  Ezekiel and Peter both are commanded to partake of things they considered unclean.
7. Fact:  Ezekiel and Peter both make identical pleas to God.
8. Fact:  Both their pleas contain identical expressions, that show they believed God meant literally what He commanded.
9. Fact:  In both situations God used symbolism and analogy to convey is plan and purpose.

 

Conclusion:  Because the two situations have very unique qualifying similarities, a valid, just, and honest comparison can be made between the two events; and can be honestly use as the basis to strongly support the belief that God literally meant what he said to Peter.

Having concluded that Ezekiel was a valid comparison, and that his was far more a legitimate one, I continued to examine the scriptures, to see if there were any others, more deserving of this comparison as well. This is what I discovered.

Hosea 1:1-11  The word of the LORD that came unto Hosea, the son of Beeri, in the days of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz, and Hezekiah, kings of Judah, and in the days of Jeroboam the son of Joash, king of Israel.

(2)  The beginning of the word of the LORD by Hosea. And the LORD said to Hosea, Go, take unto thee a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms: for the land hath committed great whoredom, departing from the LORD.
(3)  So he went and took Gomer the daughter of Diblaim; which conceived, and bare him a son.

(4)  And the LORD said unto him, Call his name Jezreel; for yet a little while, and I will avenge the blood of Jezreel upon the house of Jehu, and will cause to cease the kingdom of the house of Israel.

(5)  And it shall come to pass at that day, that I will break the bow of Israel in the valley of Jezreel.

(6)  And she conceived again, and bare a daughter. And God said unto him, Call her name Loruhamah: for I will no more have mercy upon the house of Israel; but I will utterly take them away.

(7)  But I will have mercy upon the house of Judah, and will save them by the LORD their God, and will not save them by bow, nor by sword, nor by battle, by horses, nor by horsemen.

(8)  Now when she had weaned Loruhamah, she conceived, and bare a son.

(9)  Then said God, Call his name Loammi: for ye are not my people, and I will not be your God.

 

1. Fact: God commands the prophet Hosea to marry a wife of whoredoms and children of whoredoms. (Hosea 1:2-3)
2. Fact:  God used Hosea to symbolize the whoredoms of Israel and Judah. (Hosea 1:2-3)
3. Fact: God defiled Hosea as visual analogy for the people of Israel and Judah.( Hosea 1:4-9)
4. Fact: God meant this literally, and Hosea took it literally.
5. Fact: This violated Ex20:14, Deu 23:17-18 and caused Hosea to live in adultery.
6. Fact:  Ezekiel, Hosea, Peter are all commanded to partake of things that are considered unclean.
7. Fact: In each situation, God used symbolism and analogy to convey is plan and purpose.

 

Conclusion:  Because all three situations have very unique qualifying similarities, a valid, just, and honest comparison can be made between the three events; and can be honestly use as the basis to strongly support the belief that God literally meant what he said to Peter.

Isaiah 55:8-9  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.

 

Selah

 

This concludes Part 1. “Test Everything” results

Shutting Up the Kingdom. Is It Happening Near You?

But woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye shut up the kingdom of heaven against men: for ye neither go in yourselves, neither suffer ye them that are entering to go in. (Matthew 23:13)

In a scolding rebuke of their hypocrisy, Jesus condemns the conduct of Jewish religious leaders, who in their day were actively trying to prevent the people from becoming citizens of the kingdom of God. They themselves would not repent and believe the gospel of the kingdom, being taught by Jesus, nor would they accept or receive anyone else professing belief in the gospel of the kingdom.

They attempted to create all types of obstacles for the people. They started attacking Jesus, and falsely accusing Him of being a false prophet, a blasphemer, a devil,  and so on. They went so far as putting people out of the synagogue (John 9:22), if they confessed that Jesus was the Christ; to even plotting to kill Lazarus, (John 12:10) because he resurrected by Jesus.

The bible tells us that they did these things, because they envied Jesus, (Mat 27:18) and were losing their control of the people, who were abandoning their hypocritical religious teachings, to follow Him into His kingdom. (John 12:11)

Over the centuries, the message of the Gospel has spread throughout nearly all the world, changing hearts and transforming lives. Drawing many sons and daughters to God, through the message of salvation by faith in Jesus the Christ.

With the increase in both knowledge and understanding of the Gospel, one would think that the obstacles of the past, would be a thing of the past.

Unfortunately however, with the growth and spread of the Gospel, we see new enemies to Christ emerging daily. New leaders bringing old obstacles from the past; challenging a new generation to press their way into the Kingdom. Is it happening somewhere near you? If so, what does it look like? And what should we do about it, if anything?

 

 

Fleecing In The Name of God. What Should We Do?

In Luke 12:15-21, and various other places throughout the scriptures, we are warned by God as believers to avoid the practice of heaping up treasures unto ourselves, and yet today, despite those warnings, there are those amongst us who openly choose to disobey these commands; creating non-profit after non-profit, through which they and their accomplices willfully gourge themselves at the table of godly giving and financial donation; financially enriching themselves through outrageous salaries, and compensation packages in the name of serving Christ, the church, and the poor.

Determined, that godly ministry is a source of financial gain, they fleece the church, the poor, and thousands upon thousand of unsuspecting donors of their much needed financial support; taking also the “widow’s mites” which is considered most valuable by the Lord amongst all our offerings to God.(Luke21:1-4)

Despite their conduct however, we know from Christ’s teachings, (Matthew 7:21-23) the fate that awaits these false believers. They will be rejected for the iniquities which they practiced in His Name.

This being true, what efforts should true believers put forth (if any) to prevent or deter the abuse of the church, the poor, and unsuspecting donors, who are being exploited in the name of Godly ministry.

 

Denomination, Does It Mean Anything?

In Ephesians 4:4-6 we are told that: There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, one baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all.

Despite this fact, there are those who will tell you that they are either Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, Pentecostal, Lutheran, Adventist, or some other religious order, as though there are various types of bodies, (congregations) and faiths, (denominations) in Christ.

Seeing that these beliefs run contrary to the scriptures, are we or are we not obligated in Christ to refrain such denominational observances? Does denomination mean anything to God?