IS THERE A PROBLEM WITH THE CHURCHES TODAY?
The Sacred and the "Secular"
By Alan J. Hemenway
Who
is the "Church"
The Church’s Foundation Must Be
Biblical
The Pastoral Epistles Grossly Neglected
Man's
Ecclesiastical Deception
God's Biblical Design Authority for the
Ekklesia
The Transition In The Book of Acts
The Scope Of
The Book Of Acts
The Time Of Reformation
"One Baptism"
Ephesians 4:5
John's Jewish Traditional Mikveh Baptism
Holy
Days
"Communion" vs. Passover
Former
Fundamentalist "Churches"
Israel, The Key To World
History
The Book of Revelation: Late Chapters
Closing
Statement
Scriptures
Printable
Copies under "Associates":
www.MauriceJohnsonArchives.com
April
12, 2016 [Edited April 12, 2025]
The
Sacred and the "Secular"
By
Alan Hemenway
FORWARD
Everyone’s World View is the result of the influences in their life and those influences, whether you consider them random, programmed, or providential, are so varied that the results are going to be varied. How did each of us get there? Most of us are individually different, and I think that most people will agree, and because we are distributed widely enough, we are inclined to conclude that everybody is different, until we start to group together with those who are like-minded. Many of us may find affirmation, security, and acceptance among people who “think like us”. We develop value systems along the way which today are called World View.
For your reading pleasure, this article titled The Sacred and the “Secular” is addressed to Christians in support of Biblical Christianity as opposed to liberal theology, man-made religion, and speculative debate... of which we are not interested. We are only interested in what the Bible actually says, as compared with itself, and we will even translate it from the original Greek scriptures to prove any point; the Bible being the ultimate authority. This writer, after a long life as a devout Christian, has compiled a series of observations in his church experience and in Biblical studies of which he recognizes that there are church traditions practiced which are not Biblical, or not understood fully, because there is a lack of effort required to compare scripture with scripture which would lead to an accurate conclusion. The truth is there; all you have to do is find it. There is only one truth, whether we like it or not. Truth is not selectively your truth or my truth. Somebody might not have found the truth yet.
Man has taken popular church tradition and has brought it up to the level of assumed "Sacred Doctrine", often a test of fellowship. Sectarianism has mis-led many Christians. Thousands of denominations can't all be right. One may be right or none may be right if all are different. The purpose of this article is to point out some of the most glaring examples in hopes that the problems may be corrected. We proceed on the premise that our safety is in literal Bible translation from most original Greek sources, then comparing scripture with scripture, such as considering context when understanding the difference between the Mosaic Law and the dispensation of Grace. There is also the Apostles' growth in understanding throughout the New Testament timewise in handling such issues and decisions made regarding the Gentiles as not required to act like Jews, and much later, Jewish Christians were then also free of the Mosaic Law; a decision which was for some time resisted by those who were called Judaizers. This is called Progressive Revelation. Lack of knowledge and confusion in many subject areas are commonly the source of division among Christians to this very day, almost entirely by men who thought they had a better idea.
Thesis: Everything in this life is subject to the standards and terms of the Creator God. Man will be successful or unsuccessful based on his relationship, or lack of relationship, with the Creator God, just as His laws of physics cannot be changed.
But, there may be God's Physics and purposes which haven't been revealed to us, such as His application of miracles. It is laughable that anybody exercises their free will and [temporarily] gets away with the sin of turning their back on God and going contrary to His revealed Word. There are dire consequences to any alternative lifestyle away from God's standards. Do they think that the infinite all-knowing God is busy elsewhere and not constantly watching everything we do? God is interested in all that Man is doing or not doing; and if He be God, He will judge us.
THE SACRED AND THE "SECULAR"
Man
has created NOTHING. He can only use the resources provided by God's
creation. There is nothing outside the realm of God and His Creation;
therefore it is impossible to validate the separating of a "secular"
away from the sacred as legitimate. In God giving Adam dominion over
all the Earth... it is obvious that Adam was commissioned as an
object of God's favor. The Fall of Adam changed much of that. Not
discounting God's foreknowledge, I can't imagine God intending
to have Adam displaced by the sinful persons who were to follow. It
was going to happen. As just stewards, and not passive Calvinists,
like the Buddists, we are responsible to not let evil triumph. We
have allowed society, principalities & powers, to set the agenda
and the rhetoric which has weakened our influence. As Born Again
Christians, we have God's favor. We believe the Bible. It includes
God creating Man, the fall of Man, and the ongoing process of God
eventually winning Man back to Himself; including the end of Satan,
according to Revelation Chapters 20-22.
Those
who do not embrace God have attempted to separate themselves from God
by effectively
assuming they are bigger than God, and by accepting false concepts
implanted in society, through such terminology as "secular"
and "separation of church and state", until even Christians
accept these false concepts. A Christian is supposed to be a
Christian 24 hours per day every day of their lives. If you become a
prominent executive or politician, what you believe as a Christian
should be reflected in your entire lifestyle, freely and
unapologetically, but we cave in to the pressures of society from the
media, the educational system, and social interaction, which attempt
to validate their independent secular
humanism.
It exists but it reflects the doomed rebellion against God in which
a degenerate World is attempting to cancel out God.
WHO IS THE "CHURCH"
Please keep in mind that the church is defined by the New Testament and not by the traditions of men which have been brought into the "church". The church is not a man-made building but is the assembly of all the Christians now, or have ever existed. Many Christians do not recognize the difference between the worldly corporation or the physical building which calls itself a "church"... and the spiritual Body of Christ. They are prejudiced by what they have been taught or conditioned to believe; without question. There is one true church to which all Christians belong; whether they know it or not. It is a spiritual body but men condescend to things they can see and touch and do... by religiosity! There is "one Lord, one faith [no sects], one baptism [not two], one God and Father of all," Eph. 4:5-6, written about 64 A.D., 31 years after Pentecost. The literal definition from the original Greek New Testament is "out-called-ones" from the Greek word ekklesia, which is manifest as the gathering together of all believers, over all the World, in the unity of the Holy Spirit.
The New Testament, especially from the original Greek, is all we need to know to bring all Christians to consensus, as it is designed, but the works of men have produced confusion, with all its man-made denominations. The early New Testament church, in breaking from the old Temple worship, did not have sacred buildings, ordinances, holy days, denominations, seminaries, ornaments, nor ecclesiastical garments.
Any devout Christian who knows his Bible, having studied it for a lifetime, and has become familiar with the functioning of many churches, should recognize that the churches today do not resemble the churches of the Bible. This is due to man-made tradition entering the ordinary of the "churches". When men add to, or take away from, the simplicity of the Bible and complicate our fellowship, it makes us ripe for division, heiresy, and sectarianism; which God hates. John 17:21, "that all may be one, as You are in Me, Father, and I in You, that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me." Romans 16:17-18, "And brothers I exhort you to watch those making divisions and causes of stumbling contrary to the doctrine which you learned, and turn away from them. 18 For such ones do not serve our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly, and by smooth speaking and flattering they deceive the hearts of those without guile." We need to agree with God. Therefore, this Bible study considers the seriousness of the problem and faces it, elaboraring as much as we can on specific problems. Our attempt is to be reasonably thorough but we can't claim completeness. If you are living a separated life, strong in the Holy Spirit, you should recognize truth and be convicted when appropriate. What we present here is much of the most pressing issues. If you are open to the spirit of correction in at least one example... by the increase of the holy spirit in you, with such a condition of your heart, God is able to give you of more truth. I pray that you will be open to conviction, pray for it, and not hold on to anything that has become an idol.
The apostle Paul did not hold back God's truth for fear of offending strangers. "Rightly dividing the Word of truth", 2 Timothy 2:15, is a call to study the Scriptures by comparing scripture with scripture, using the original Greek, and Greek grammar. The work has already been done by others and a goodly amount is presented here. When somebody becomes saved, they seem to think they have to do something. All you have to do is draw near to Christ. It's the most mature thing you can do.
You will find man-made church traditions not supported by scripture, as well as works programs, ordinances, and holy days carried over from the Law of Moses. They are now discontinued under Grace, since Jesus' death fulfilled the Law which was of sin and death, but is now the forgiveness of sin through Jesus paying for our sin by His death, taking our place. And through His Resurrection, He prepared a place for us, true believers, in Heaven. He did it for all who would receive Him. The Christian life is not a religiosity about the historical Christ; it's a loving relationship between us and Christ; not for us to be busy seemingly for Him, but to be preoccupied with Him, the center of your life.
Try to picture God's intended Christian standard -- His standard for every human being. For a more recent example, we have the model of the Pilgrims of Plymouth, who were trying to function according to Biblical standards, and the implication is that they would not consider any part of their lives as "secular"; The Pilgrims were not Puritans. The Puritans were trying unsuccessfully to reform a Church of England which was not far removed from the Church of Rome. The Pilgrims were Separatists, and except for the Mayflower Compact which simply says they intended to be civil toward one another, were not a man-made denomination. The Pilgrims strongly believed that the Church of England, like the Church of Rome, "had strayed beyond Christ's teachings, and established religious rituals, and church hierarchies, that went against the teachings of the Bible. This belief put them at odds with church officials who, in the early years of King James I, tried to have them arrested and thrown in jail for refusing to participate in church rituals.", and "The Pilgrims did not celebrate Christmas and Easter. They believed that these holidays were invented by man to memorialize Jesus, and are not prescribed by the Bible or celebrated by the early Christian churches, and therefore cannot be considered Holy days." "It seems too much for any mortal man to appoint, or make an anniversary memorial [for Christ]," taught the Pilgrims' pastor John Robinson. The book Perth Assembly (Leiden, 1618)--the book that got Elder William Brewster into such hot water with the King of England and ultimately resulted in the confiscation of his printing press--was largely about the rejection of Christmas and other appointed "Holy Days." as per www.mayflowerhistory.com/religion/ The Pilgrims would not proclaim a denomination. History records a separated life that was Bible-based in spite of how the revisionists would re-define those who were called Pilgrims or Separatists.
THE CHURCH'S FOUNDATION MUST BE BIBLICAL
All
the World's problems are spiritual problems, both in individual lives
and that which society is doing to itself. We are informed by the
news media! How can we as Christians not be aware? Satan is slick!
He has been doing everything he can to keep us Christians (and Jews)
out of his way, rendering us impotent so as to not interfere with his
own
program. Satan
"goes to church" and has corrupted the churches into
feel-good places and entertainment cathedrals; something that does
not resemble the Biblical model. We heed the traditions we've been
taught rather than what the Bible says, and most Christians don't
know what the Bible really
says. Over time, Biblical Christianity has been dumbed-down. We've
lacked checks and balances on what Christians are being taught. Most
Christians are weak conformists, going along with denominational
traditions rather than rightly dividing what the Bible really
says, and be corrected. The so-called churches have been so
institutionalized, as re-defined over the centuries, especially from
Constantine to Luther, so much so that we don't see or even question
the lack of the Biblical model. With all the denominations and
conflicting
doctrines, something
has got to be very wrong!
This
author was in a workable setting in California. Teachers had a
Biblical literacy superior to what's been achieved by the seminary
system, making the seminaries superfluous by their ignorance and lack
of Biblical foundation precision.
The
original edition of this study; half this volumn, was written to 15
ministering brethren personally known to this author, most of which
had some understanding of the implications of the New Testament Greek
which will be discussed herein. It had to do with a church split and
church splits in general. Later, after editing the material to
perhaps help with the understanding of the Greek for non-Greek
reading people, it was sent to about 200 well known families.
There is not found a popular translation of the English Bible that is completely faithful to the original Greek. The singular problem with the King James is that it preserves the ecclesiastical terminology of the Church of England which came from the Church of Rome, designed to preserve the clergy/laity system of hierarchical control. From Constantine, about 311 A.D., to Luther, the established church defined institutional church tradition which continues to be similar to the influence of Judaizers with ordinances and holy days which continues to this very day. When "Christianity" became institutionalized by Constantine, he played a significant role in shaping ecclesiastical doctrine, mixing the old traditional pagan Easter confusing it with the Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The correct word for the actual day of Jesus' Crucifiction in the original Greek text is Πάσχα Pasha Passover, because it was on the Passover, but it happened to co-incidentally be on the pagan Easter that year which is related to fertility worship. The King James version used the word "Easter" instead of Passover; a bad precedent for Christians to follow.
Today,
we do not have an acceptable popular
N.T. translation because all
popular
translations since 1881 use the Gnostic Greek text from Alexandria
Egypt; The result is the confusion of many strange sounding
translations in their departure from the Biblical consistency of the
Textus Receptus/Majority Greek text, contributing to the spawning of
today's apostate former
evangelical
churches.
The evidence is extensive on the Internet; Youtube, with books by
Les Garret, Gail Riplinger, Mary Chrnalogar, et.al. A recent
word-for-word literal translation of the Textus Receptus/Majority
Greek Text is the KJ3 Literal Version. Even a child can understand
it.
See it all: http://www.thewordnotes.com/litv/litv.htm
THE
PASTORAL EPISTLES GROSSLY NEGLECTED
The
Lord and the apostles are the real
foundation of the church [not the reformers and their institutions],
Christ Jesus being the chief cornerstone. (Eph 2:20) This section is
regarding the qualifications of "overseers" in Christian
assemblies. It is lengthy and repetitive in order to keep context
going because it is the biggest problem today and historically, being
of ambitious unqualified men. When the overseer [commonly referred to
as "bishop"] is not qualified in God's eyes, the assembly
is not going to be validly blessed.
With the apostles gone, it is left to the elders to recognize those among themselves who have the qualifications to be an overseer as per the Pastoral Epistles: Timothy and Titus. Local assemblies were autonomous. They did not have denominational hierarchies.
The wrong Greek word in Thompson's which is commonly translated "appoint" is discussed below and the actual Greek word is examined for the accurate translation.
The issue of the following Greek presentation is that in Titus 1:5 "appoint" overseers is not even an inaccurate translation, it is absolutely wrong as far as the Greek words are concerned in Titus 1:5. Timothy and Titus had the power of the Holy Spirit to discern who to "appoint" as overseers [so-called bishops] as part of their commission to fix problems in the assemblies. However, the literal translation of the original Greek in this passage is, "so that the things lacking you should set in order, and stasis [stability/stablize]."
Bible
students & preachers who are lacking in knowledge of the Greek
N.T. commonly don't reconcile the difference between elders and
so-called King James "bishops". They lack knowledge when
they say that "elder and bishop" are the same thing. They
are partially right when they know that the overseers [bishops]
always come from among the elders. The
Biblical model for the church is clear and absolute,
for known
local men from among
[Titus 1:6] the older
brethren (Greek; presbuteros=seniors)
to qualify as overseers
(Greek; epi-scopos=
literally 'over-sight') [not man's traditional doctrine of 'bishops'
and the
word 'office of'' is nowhere
implied in the Greek]
who are required to meet 17 qualifications, as required according to
Titus (and Timothy). It would be arrogant
for men to declare a calling and appoint
themselves
but should be pointed
out
by their brethren who
know them.
The Bible does not mention a search committee to look for nor
consult other overseers from outside. The apostles are gone and did
not leave us anything but a local
consensus of elders. Obviously, with Timothy and Titus gone, the
process is that the potential overseer(s)
are to be vetted by who else but all
the elders
[all
the older brethren] in the local assembly, in recognition of those
known among them who should qualify. Today, churches
are institutionalized and denominated against keeping with a local
autonomy. When more than one church
joins together, there becomes a tempting control issue leading to
splits and hierarchical sectarianism. It will fail because that is
not the way the Lord designed the Christian assemblies through the
Apostles, which is by the blessing of Holy Spirit.
With
the infant
church
coming together, Titus' [& Timothy's] instructions by Paul are
presumed to be given them accompanied by the Apostolic power of the
Holy
Spirit
to be able to discern who to designate as overseer(s). The
Greek word in the text is κατάστασης [kata stasis],
literally according
to stasis or
per
equilibrium,
proceeded by "set in order". Designate or appoint are
action;
equilibrium and stasis are states
of
being.
They don't relate well.
Strong's No. 2525 chosen word appoint doesn't seem appropriate because it would require spuriously καθιστημί [kathistami] which is not in the actual Greek text. The J.P. Green, Sr. Interlinear Greek/English New Testament indicates that the original Greek is κατάστασης [kata stasis; according to stasis] as above; καθιστημί [kathistami] is not κατάστασης [kata stasis]; Strong's κατθιστημί [kathistami], the wrong word, says to place down permanently, i.e., (fig.) to designate, constitute, convoy: appoint, be, conduct, make, ordain, set; Is Strong trying to be politically correct with man's traditions from the institutionalized ecclesiastical order of things; a man to have the authority to appoint/ordain today? The KJV uses "ordain". The problem is in the translation. We prefer Kittle's Dictionary translation, below, derived from stasis, which transliterates to English.
The literal translation of ἵνα τὰ λείποντα ἐπιδιορθώσῃ καὶ καταστήσῃς [hina ta leiponta epidiorthose kai katasteses] should be, "so that the things lacking you should set in order, and stasis [stability/stablize]." The clergy/laity ecclesiastical system would prefer their power to "appoint". We believe pastors are chosen in God's sight.
God's
Apostle Paul authorizes Titus to fix any problems which would likely
include designating overseers by the anointing Titus (and Timothy)
had of the Holy Spirit; The apostles are gone and by default the
overseers are to be vetted by the elders ever since then; even today.
The idea is more of 'recognize' or 'point out' considering the list
of qualifications in the vetting process.
According
to Kittle's Dictionary, Vol. VII, pages 568-571, στάσης
(stasis) outside
the Bible
is used to denote the results of action as well as being
qualitative. In the Greek Septuagint
[which is a translation of the Hebrew Old Testament into Greek] a
sense of what is set up, boundary stone, statute, treaty, stability
(of the sun and moon), place where one stands. In the New
Testament,
unchanged existence Heb 9:8, uproar Mark 15:17, uproar which
threatens political security and thus gives rise to complaint Act
9:40, conflict Act 15:2, a στάσης [stasis] between Pharisees
and Sadducees, unrest and the intervention of the procurator. Kittle,
p. 571, says στάσης [stasis] never used in the NT regarding
conflicts
within the Christian community. The Oxford Dictionary says that it is
a period or state of equilibrium. Today we might say settled.
Additionally, with today's secular Greek dictionary translation being repair and status. It is Titus being sent to fix any situations in the young assemblies = κατά πόλιν πρεσβύτερος [kata polin presbuteros] by city, elders.
Again,
in summary, the context is the model for the local
churches
to be established, "set in order and stasis" as the
standard [not man "ordain"], and to continue after
the apostles are gone
for known
local men from
among
[Titus 1:6] the older
brethren (Greek; presbuteros=seniors)
to qualify as overseers
(Greek; epi-scopos=
literally 'over-scope', 'over-seers') [not KJV office
of a 'bishops';
'office
of' is nowhere implied in God's chosen Greek],
who are required to meet 17 qualifications, according to Titus 1:5-9
[and I Timothy 3]. "Office of" was inserted for the
establishment of ecclesiastical power. (Welsh theologian James Owen
tried to teach that presbuteros and episcopos were the same thing,
Too many preachers take that at face value today.) Most churches are
out
of order,
and not legitimately blessed because men seek what they think are
ministering "leadership gifts" and preeminence without
considering
the foundational qualifications set down by Timothy and Titus. Hey!
We
have God's Word! Shouldn't
the "churches" go back and get themselves in order?
"Leadership"
is not Christian doctrine. "Leader(s)" appears 9 times in
the concordance and each instance refers
to the world's examples and not to relationships in the church. If
somebody gets in your face and mis-represents
themselves as "are over you in the Lord", with that
attitude,
they are a fraud.
There
are teachers who understand these issues who have either survived the
seminary system, or managed to avoid it, who have an uncompromised
Biblical literacy superior to what is lacking in the seminary system,
making the seminaries superfluous by lack of a valid Biblical
foundation.
The
study http://www.mauricejohnsonarchives.com/Bishops_and_deacons.html
by Milton Dunavant, suggests from the Old Testament the implication
of ages
of 'elders' (inclusive of overseer elders) and 'servants' [diakonoi]
are likely to be. ['Deacons' should not be considered an assured
path to 'overseer'.] An overseer qualifies in
the Lord's
eyes. Since the apostles are gone, it is necessary that a vetting
process recognize this. An overseer's 17 listed qualifications
suggest that he might be the most
humble
man in the assembly, congenially working in one accord with all the
older brethren who vetted him; trusting
them who trust him.
The world's examples of military leadership and chain of command,
which demands that you follow the leader, right or wrong, is not
compatible with Christian fellowship. The elders are a consensus
"endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of
peace", Ephesians 4:3, not a rubber stamp on the 'preacher' but
through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, as opposed to Robert's Rules
of Order, Articles of Incorporation, By-Laws, Statements of Faith,
and any other worldly
vehicles. But, as usual, many modern
preachers are covetous of their positions and not secure enough to
let the Biblical model happen naturally because they
lack faith in it being able to happen without them being in
control.
Overseers are supposed to be humble, the opposite
of the model high-powered CEO who the World admires and the
seminaries instill in their postulants.
As per: Titus 1:5-16 [and I Timothy 3:1-13 similar]: These are called the Pastoral Epistles which are the Biblical standard for pastoring; how we are to minister to one another. Once we are saved this is what we are supposed to do. It is how we sustain the ekklesia in the unity of the Holy Spirit. Timothy and Titus must be the most neglected books of God's Bible because most churches haven't conducted themselves accordingly over many centuries because of their allowing dominant unvetted men to lead them contrary.
"If
anyone is..."
Blameless
One
wife [polygamy common among the new Gentile converts from the
culture]
Vigilant
Sober
Of Good Behavior
Given to
hospitality
Aptitude to teach
Not given to wine
Not
covetous
*Rules well his own house
*Having children in
subjection with all gravity
Not a novice
Have a good report
of them from outside the assembly
No striker
Not greedy of
filthy lucre
Patient
Not a brawler
*The elder, typically 50 or more years old [as in the Old Testament, Numbers 4:23; 8:24-26], to be qualified as an overseer must be: Ruling his entire family well. His wife also circumspect, having children of faith in subjection with all gravity not accused of riot or unruly [1 Timothy 3:4], which can be very telling of genuineness not long after they leave home; the overseer is still liable as having been a fit parent.
Titus 1 (KJ3 Literal Translation)
5 ¶ For this cause I left you in Crete, that you might set in order the things lacking and appoint elders in every city, as I ordered you: 6 ¶ If anyone is blameless, husband of one wife, having faithful children, not in accusation of loose behavior, or disobedient, 7 (for the overseer must be blameless as a steward of God), not self-pleasing, not prone to anger, not given to wine, not a quarreler, not greedy of ill gain; 8 but hospitable, a lover of good, discreet, just, holy, temperate, 9 clinging to the faithful Word according to the teaching, that he may be able both to encourage by sound doctrine and to convict the ones contradicting. 10 For there are indeed many insubordinate men, empty talkers and mind-deluders, especially those of the circumcision, 11 whose mouth you must stop, who overturn whole houses, teaching things which they ought not for the sake of ill gain. 12 One of them, a prophet of their own, said: Cretans are always liars, evil beasts, lazy gluttons. 13 This testimony is true; for which cause convict them severely, that they may be sound in the faith, 14 not listening to Jewish myths and commandments of men, having turned away from the truth. 15 Truly, all things are pure to the pure, but to the ones being defiled and unbelieving, nothing is pure, but even their mind and conscience has been defiled. 16 They profess to know God, but by their works they deny Him, being abominable and disobedient, and worthless to every good work.
1 Timothy 3 (KJ3 Literal Translation)
1 ¶ Faithful is the Word: If anyone reaches out to overseership, he desires a good work. 2 Then it behooves the overseer to be blameless, husband of one wife, temperate, sensible, well-ordered, hospitable, apt at teaching; 3 not a drunkard, not a contentious one, not money-loving, but gentle, not quarrelsome, not avaricious; 4 ruling his own house well, having children in subjection with all respect. 5 But if anyone does not know how to rule his own house, how will he care for an assembly of God? 6 He should not be a novice, lest being puffed up he may fall into the devil's judgment. 7 But he must also have a good witness from those outside, that he not fall into reproach and into a snare of the devil. 8 ¶ Likewise, deacons are to be reverent, not double-tongued, not addicted to much wine, not greedy of ill gain, 9 having the mystery of the faith with a pure conscience. 10 And also let these be tested first, then let them serve, being without reproach. 11 Likewise, their wives are to be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. 12 Let deacons be husbands of one wife, ruling their own houses and children well. 13 For those having served well gain a good grade for themselves and much boldness in faith, those in Christ Jesus.
The
Biblical order of the early
disciples had
greater influence upon the World than all later generations of
Christianity combined. Everyone professes to admire them but very few
are motivated to emulate them. (JWL) How many preachers emulate them
today? I haven't found a single Christian assembly that functions in
obedience to God's Pastoral Epistles. Do any exist somewhere? Please
tell me. I might go there!
MAN'S
ECCLESIASTICAL DECEPTION
Man's
devised traditions;
religiosity, gave us the clergy/laity system and the seminary
concept. The so-called churches
today have a feeder system through the seminaries for anybody who
wants
to be a 'Reverend'. Ps. 111:9, "holy and reverend is His
name". 'Reverend' appears in the Bible once, only referring to
God!
The ecclesiastical system might as well be a model of the world's
secular humanistic system of striving for excellence in the flesh
without God. Similar to the rites and rituals, ceremonial cleansings
and washings, ordinances, and liturgy of the Jewish temple [not for
Gentiles under Grace]; their 'reverend' is the celebrant who ascends
the altar. Did the apostles have an elevated pulpit for the apostle
Paul rising above the assembly; the ekklesia
[literally, the 'out-called-ones'] distranslated as church.
The Greek word αίρεση, (h)airesi, is literally translated
heresy
published softer as sect.
Acts 24:5; 28:22, etc. The εκκλησία; ecclesia as explained
in Kittle's, Vol. 1, Pgs 182-183. The word church
is derived from the German kirche
which was the word some time ago for the architectural
design
of a traditional "church" building.
Ambitious
men have coveted
the legitimate ministering gifts: 'activity'
such as preaching, teaching, exhortation, serving, administrations,
giving, and mercy [empathy], not
to be confused with 'qualification' required
to be an overseer.
Again, rightly
dividing the Word in Timothy & Titus, men are not actually
'qualified' to be an 'overseer' unless they have been vetted locally,
as having lived among, thus being known for their long established
reputation by those to whom they would oversee or preside
cooperatively; with the inclusiveness of the priesthood of all
believers. 1 Peter 2:9. The sectarian tradition of the clergy/laity
system of subservience to the clergy, encompassing most of organized
religion ever
since,
would find the Biblical model threatening to their job security as it
purges the churches
of its carnality. The 17 qualifications in Timothy & Titus would
in themselves automatically vet the most righteous and humble men in
the congregation. Again,
the apostles are gone and this is the limit of what they left us.
The Holy Spirit will only bless us if we are Biblical. Sectarian
religion led us astray. The Reformation from within and from without
had compromising results. We should
be capable of seeing the deficit. Any rationale that the
Ecclesiastical / seminary system is practical, is a departure from
God's order. The diverse sectarian confusion and the apostasy we see
today are the proof of a bad system. "Where the spirit of the
Lord is, there is liberty." Where there is liberty, the spirit
of the Lord
moves and bears fruit. Man's innovations are not better than God's.
When we
take
over,
the Holy Spirit likely abandons us to our own devices. See "The
Great Ecclesiastical Conspiracy":
www.awildernessvoice.com/GEC.html
GOD'S BIBLICAL DESIGN AUTHORITY FOR THE EKKLESIA
We all only belong to the Lord's one true church [ekklesia = out-called-ones].
Being right with God should be easy. What you truly believe, you should likely abide by. If everybody values and abides by Biblical doctrine, they will have unity. One with Christ is automatically one with each other. Our conduct requires the fruit of the Holy Spirit. If we are selfish, or impose our personality on others, we break the unity.
There
are scriptures about division in the church and of its consequences.
Some are Romans 16:17, divisions and offences; 1 Corinthians 1:10,
that there be no divisions; 1 Cor 3:3, divisions, are ye not carnal;
and 1 Cor 11:18, hear that there be divisions. If we are part of a
division we need to let go of it and become part of the solution and
not be part of the problem... in order for us to be right
with
God.
We are part of the priesthood of all
believers! 1 Pet 2:9 Do not fear rejection when you have a
conscience void of offense. Splits
have grieved
the Holy Spirit enough to abandon us to our own devices. Some
"ministers" conduct themselves like inquisitors. If they
would have been vetted by all
the elders, as per Titus 1 (and 1 Timothy 3), they would
not have qualified as overseers.
When nobody is vetted, we get stuck with the
unvalidated/unqualified and the result is God's judgment. We'd
deserve it! Do the men just go along with those who are dominant?
How do we restore the blessings of the Holy Spirit? We'd need to
rekindle the Holy Spirit back among us. It starts with us as
individuals to immediately embrace an attitude in our hearts of the
unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace, and not be fearful,
discouraged, nor destroyed because of the selfish ones who want to
carnally be in control, or of those who flee independently, often
finding false liberty in independent lifestyles that are not in
keeping with a time when Christian fellowship was more fruitful in
our separation from the carnality of the World. It would be tangible
and do-able for the older
brethren
to come back and all
decide who qualifies to be overseer(s). It would be a real miracle
for such a motivation
to take place. We [many of the original addressees] once had it very
good but lost it when the assemblies compromised and gave in to those
who were carnally ambitious for control. For now, we are to ignore
the naysayers and the ambitious who have destroyed whatever unity we
once had, and those who are still part of the problem. Simplicity in
Christ brings joy if we have the Holy Spirit and the love of God's
Word. The
real
ekklesia,
so-called
church,
is
not
about
us,
and
our
wants,
it is all
about
Christ.
Christ through his Word has all our solutions
beyond our alibis and arguments. Through the unity of the Spirit in
the bond of peace! Ephesians 2:11-22; 4:1-3.
THE
TRANSITION IN THE BOOK OF ACTS
We
need to understand that Acts
is a transition
from first phase, all Jewish Christians, to middle phase, including
Gentiles, to final phase, all being one in Christ. The transition
starts in Acts 10, Acts 15, and Galatians. What to do with the
Gentile Believers? Acts 15: "24 Since we heard that some of us
having gone out have troubled you with words, unsettling your souls,
saying, Be circumcised and keep the Law, to whom we
gave
no
command;
28 For it seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to put not one
greater burden on you than these necessary things: 29 To hold back
from idol sacrifices, and blood, and that strangled, and from
fornication..." No ordinances for Gentile Believers in Acts
15, nor even for Jewish
Christians in any of Paul's late
epistles; all
under Grace.
"When
our Lord Jesus Christ discoursed to His Jewish disciples on the night
He was betrayed, He said, "I have yet many things to say unto
you, but ye cannot bear them now; howbeit when He, the Spirit of
truth is come, He will guide you into all truth." (John 16:12,
13.) Had He told them at that time that the religious system under
which they were living—the Jews' religion (Gal. 1:13, 14)—was
decaying and waxing old and ready to vanish away (Heb. 8:13), that it
stood only in meats and drinks and divers baptisms (Gr.) and carnal
ordinances (Heb. 9:10), and was to be displaced with "better"
things (Heb. 7:19, 22; 8:6; 9:23; 10:34; 11:40), they could not have
borne it. That revelation had to wait for about thirty years, when
God gave it to Paul, in order that all differences between Jews who
believe and Gentiles who believe might be dissolved. Three years
after the revelation in Hebrews, Peter said there were some things in
Paul's Scriptures "hard to be understood. 2 Pet. 3:15, 16."
[quote, Ed Stevens]
https://mauricejohnsonarchives.com/ChartOfTheTransition.html
THE SCOPE OF THE BOOK OF ACTS
"In Acts, first chapter, we find our Lord Jesus Christ meeting with the disciples and commanding them not to depart from Jerusalem. This was during the forty days after His resurrection - about 33 A.D. In the last chapter we find Paul a prisoner at Rome, dwelling in his own hired house for two years, during which time he wrote the Epistle to the Hebrews (63 A.D.), in which the Jewish believers are told that the Mosaic system, "imposed on them until the time of reformation" (9:10), is become old and is "now ready to vanish away" (8:13). And the revelation is given about this time that the barriers between the Jews and Gentiles, though potentially broken down by the cross, were actually left standing until the clear revelation of this new man. (Eph. 2:11-19.)" [quote, Ed Stevens]
Acts
2 Pentecost - Jews and Jewish Proselytes saved.
Acts 8
Samaritans saved.
Acts 10 Cornelius' gentile household saved, 8
years after Pentecost.
Acts 15 Council at Jerusalem regarding
Gentiles, 19 years after Pentecost.
Acts 18:18 Paul observes
Jewish vow.
Acts 21:24 Paul's Jewish purification at Temple
occurs 27 years after the cross.
Acts 28:28 End of Acts, 31
years after Pentecost.
One year later - 64 AD, Ephesians
2:14:15, Colossians 2:14, and Hebrews 9:10.
Christ
"who hath made both one, and broken down the "middle wall
of partition" between us [differences between Jews and
Gentiles]; having abolished in His flesh the enmity, even the law of
commandments contained in ordinances", Ephesians
2:14-15;
and "Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against
us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it
to the cross", Colossians
2:14;
abolished at the cross... but not revealed until after the close of
the book of Acts, about one year later when Hebrews is written to
Jewish believers, and Colossians and Ephesians is written to
Gentiles; this is "the
time of reformation",
as in Hebrews
9:10,
where the original Greek text is literally, "setting things
right imposed". The Apostles didn't have instant maturity at
Pentecost. It took a long time to get there.
THE TIME OF REFORMATION
The
Jewish believers continued Jewish ordinances up until the
time
of reformation; just
after Acts. The carnal ordinances, the ceremonies, the meats and
drinks, which were imposed on the Jews in the Mosaic law, had then
come to an end. Note what Paul says, Hebrews 9:10, concerning the
system... "Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers
washings
(Greek baptismos)
and carnal ordinances imposed on them (the Jews) until
the
time of reformation (Διορθώσεως
επικειμενα ; diorthoseos epikeimena ; literally, “setting
things right being imposed)." After Acts
was
written, the Epistle to the Hebrews,
circa AD 64, along with Ephesians
and Colossians,
was written, releasing the "Jews which believe" from the
Mosaic system, and unveiling the "better" things that
displace the fulfilled law. This brought them into the same
relationship to the law that the "Gentiles which believe"
had been enjoying for twenty years, completing a major purpose of the
Book of Acts. "Until" the time of reformation, has to be
connected here to the Hebrews 9:10 scripture contemporarily because
this is when
Paul imposes it and there is no indication that it is something in
the future. See Saved By Dry Baptism:
https://mauricejohnsonarchives.com/baptism.htm
"ONE BAPTISM"
If
there is "one Lord, one faith, one baptism", Ephesians 4:5,
the one baptism occurs the instant
you become a true Christian, by the Holy Spirit; it's not water!
[There is] "one
Lord, one faith [no sects], one baptism [not
two],
one God and Father of all,"
Eph. 4:5-6 Jesus "baptism" in the Jordan River was his
anointing
to be The Christ, He had no sin! Christos means The Anointed One.
Christ Himself spoke only of a spiritual baptism to come; His death.
Acts 1:5, "for John indeed baptized in water, but you will be
baptized in
the
Holy
Spirit
not many days after." There is no other water baptism
authorized to take the place of John's water immersion according to
the traditional Jewish Mikveh in natural flowing water, e.g., the
Jordan, or a baptistry with self flowing pipes. The instant Jesus
died, the Jewish Law with animal sacrifices, ceremonial cleansings
and baptismal washings ceased.
Or, we would still have a "works" program. No
fleshly ordinances nor holy days for
believers therefore "now no condemnation to the ones in Christ
Jesus, not walking according to flesh, but according to Spirit.",
Romans 8:1. "Christ also loved the Assembly [ekklesia
=
out-called-ones] and gave Himself up on her behalf, that He
might sanctify her, cleansing
it
by the bathing
of water
in
the
Word.",
Ephesians 5:25-26; by
the
Holy
Spirit.
"Not works in righteousness which we had done, but according to
His mercy, He saved us through the washing [λουτρου loutron,
not βαπτιζο] of regeneration [παλιγ-γενεσια =
return-genesis] and renewal of the Holy
Spirit"
Titus 3:5. "Which antitype
[Noah] now also saves us, baptism, not putting away of the filth of
the flesh; the answer of a good
conscience
toward God through
the resurrection of Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 3:21.
JOHN'S JEWISH TRADITIONAL MIKVEH BAPTISM
A mikveh or mikvah (Hebrew: מִקְוֶה / מקווה, Modern: mīqve, Tiberian: mīqwe, pl. mikva'ot, mikvot, or (Ashkenazic) mikves, lit.,"a collection") is a bath used for ritual immersion in Judaism to achieve ritual purity. In Orthodox Judaism, these regulations are steadfastly adhered to; consequently, the mikveh is central to an Orthodox Jewish community. Conservative Judaism also formally holds to the regulations. The existence of a mikveh is considered so important that, according to Halacha, a Jewish community is required to construct a kosher mikveh. Mikvot appeared at the beginning of the 1st century BC, and from then on, ancient mikvot can be found throughout the Land of Israel, as well as in historic communities of the Jewish diaspora. Hundreds of mikvot from the Second Temple period have been discovered so far across the Land of Israel, in locations including Jerusalem, Hebron, Masada, and Hannaton. Traditionally, the mikveh was used by both men and women to regain ritual purity after [many] various events, according to regulations laid down in the Torah and in classical rabbinical literature. [Source: Wikipedia].
John
the "baptist", the apostles, and the Ethiopian Eunuch were
very familiar with the Mikveh in Jewish society. As early believers,
what do you think they were doing?
Mikveh in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, and Mikveh excavation in Qumran.
Why do the Baptist types have two baptisms? Which baptism does the one baptism have to be? The one Baptism very necessarily occurs the instant you believe! Otherwise not Biblical. John the "Baptist" was preaching the Kingdom Message for the Nation of Israel to repent while still under the Law and Jesus was just beginning His formal ministry with John anointing Him in the Jordasn. The traditional Mikveh was used for John's program. But Jesus, without sin, was just then being anointed for something bigger. As of today, the Nation of Israel still hasn't repented!
No
fleshly ordinances nor holy days for
any believers therefore "now no condemnation to the ones in
Christ Jesus, not walking according to flesh, but according to
Spirit.", Romans 8:1. "Christ also loved the Assembly
[ekklesia
=
out-called-ones] and gave Himself up on her behalf, that he might
sanctify her, cleansing her by the bathing
of water
in
the
Word.",
Ephesians 5:25-26; by the Holy Spirit. "Not by works in
righteousness which we had done, but according to His mercy, He saved
us through the washing of regeneration
and renewal of the Holy
Spirit"
Titus 3:5. "Which antitype
now also saves us [Noah didn't get wet], baptism (not putting away of
the filth of the flesh; the answer of a good conscience toward God
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ." 1 Peter 3:21.
"COMMUNION"
VS. PASSOVER
The
Passover Seder, one night per year for Jews only, doesn't look like
nor translate into communion
Sunday.
Communion; the Greek word in the Bible is koinonia
and is the same word koinonia
for fellowship! Communion and fellowship are synonyms, perfectly!
The 'Lord's table' is part of everything
being the Lord's when Christians come together. e.g., 1 Corinthians
11 which was attended by both Jews and Gentiles. This was not
the Passover. Gentiles were never told to celebrate ordinances. Some
project their guess work and think that communion
is instituted as a memorial to Jesus Christ! How can you hold a
memorial for Christ who is alive
in Heaven and alive
in you? There is no scriptural authorization for that which man has
described vs. the Passover
elements,
and designated them as "communion". They don't look alike
but if you tell people often enough, they might believe it!!!
HOLY DAYS
Easter
The
New Testament does not instruct Gentiles to celebrate holy
days;
Christmas
and Easter came from pagan origins long before Christ. (Gal.
4:10-11).
Regarding
Easter, Schaff-Herzog Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge, Vol. 2,
page 682: "The present variable time was appointed by early
Romanism
in amalgamation with
the very ancient pagan spring festival to the goddess of spring. It
was fixed on the Sunday immediately following the 14th day of the
paschal moon which happened on or first after the vernal equinox."
The Babylonian "queen of heaven," Semeramis, the wife of
Nimrod, was the original impersonation of the heathen goddesses,
Astarte and Venus of the Greeks, Juno, of the Latins, Ashtoreth, of
the Zidonians, Ishtar of the Babylonians, and Eostre, the goddess of
spring, of the early Anglo-Saxons. The Druids held religious
festivities in her honor and of the sun-god in April, calling it
"Easter Monath." Hence, the careless insertion of the word
"Easter" instead of "Passover" in Acts 12:4 by
the King James translators.
This Ishtar, or Eostre, was worshipped as the goddess of love and fertility, and as the life of nature. In Babylonish mythology this "queen of heaven" was worshipped as the goddess of the sexual impulse. In Hastings Encyclopedia of Religious Ethics, page 117, we read of these ancient "Easters": "A spring feast was celebrated. These occasions were marked with great sexual license." The "groves" connected with the "high places" that Israel so frequently "went a whoring with" (Psa. 106:28-39) were the images and places where these filthy "queen of heaven" festivals were carried on. The word "groves," found forty times in our English Bible, comes from the Hebrew word "Asherah" and is always associated with the worship of Ashtoreth, alias Ishtar, Eostre, the goddess of spring.
In
II Tim. 2:8 we are told to "remember that Jesus Christ was
raised from the dead," but "days and months and times and
years" are not to be religiously observed (Gal.
4:10-11).
Christmas
Satan sought to turn men away from God's plan of redemption by producing a counterfeit Christ. Nimrod, "the mighty hunter before the Lord" (Gen. 10:9) who had met with a violent death and had been deified his wife, Semeramis. His wife sought to retain power over men herself, deceiving them into joyfully believing that through a miraculous conception she had given birth to a son called Tammuz, purported to be Nimrod incarnated, Satan's counterfeit of the promised "Seed" of the woman. This woman with her illegitimate son was thenceforth worshipped as "mother of (a) god" (Madonna) - "the queen of heaven."
The familiar halo seen in so called pictures of Mary and babe was first invented in ancient Babylon in connection with Semeramis and child. The worship of Mary, by the way, is as abominable in God's sight as the worship of the Babylonian harlot, Semeramis. Strange, is it not, that the expression, "queen of heaven," mentioned five times in Scripture in connection with Israel's idolatry, is so commonly and piously used by religionists today.
Alexander Hislop, in his monumental work, "The Two Babylons," has clearly shown that the papal worship is none other than the worship of Nimrod and his wife, disguised in a garb of falsified Christianity. Concerning the Christmas festival we find these lines on page 93: "The Christmas was originally a pagan festival is beyond all doubt. The time of the year, the ceremonies with which it is celebrated, prove its origin. In Egypt, the son of Isis, the Egyptian title for the queen of heaven, was born at this very time, about the time of the winter solstice. Yule Day - proves at once its pagan and Babylonian origin. 'Yule' is the Chaldee name for 'infant,' or 'little child'; and as the 25th of December was called by our pagan Anglo-Saxon ancestors 'Yule-Day' or 'the child's day', and the night that precedes it, 'Mother Night', long before they came in contact with Christianity, that sufficiently proves its real character."
Pope Gregory wrote to Augustine, the first missionary to the British Isles (A.D. 597): "Do not destroy the temples of the English gods; change them to Christian churches. Do not forbid the harmless customs which have been associated with the old religions; consecrate them to Christian uses."
Source:
https://www.mauricejohnsonarchives.com/EasterandChristmas.htm
FORMER FUNDAMENTALIST "CHURCHES"
There
are Christians who lost their churches
to the praise movement and they are on the Internet, warning and
writing books about it. The churches
they had are no longer fundamentalist; but churches
[sic]
driven by the drum beat of praise music which lacks strength of
melody, harmony, and words
of doctrinal depth, in the guise of being relevant today. If their
Words are weak, they cannot be called fundamentalist. It's a
carnival where they get pumped up for an hour or two.
The
Calvinist, like the ascetics, is effectively a pacifist and,
effectively, to them, everything good or bad is pre-ordained by God,
including the placement of evil persons to rule throughout the World
and to slaughter millions of people, and is perceived by some
Christians supposedly designed to punish the World into submission to
God, even in this age of grace before the Rapture. World-scope
punishment in the book of Revelation doesn't occur until after the
Rapture. Psalm
75:7 "But God is the judge: he putteth down one,
and
setteth up another."
It
doesn't say that He processes everybody
up or down.
God did not ordain Hitler and Stalin. If Calvinism were true, man
cannot do anything of any consequence because of destiny, so why try
to evangelize? By contrast, God's people have neglected their part
in having dominion "over all the Earth... and subdue it".
Gen.1:26-28
ISRAEL, THE KEY TO WORLD HISTORY
The key to understanding World History is found in focusing on the Biblical significance of the Jews. God created the Universe and the last thing he created was Man, Adam and Eve, and everyone descends from them as part of God's Creation; They started as God's people and there is much accounting for it in the many pages of the Bible. It is the full heritage of Man, good and bad. Sin multiplied in the World, as part of Man's failures with many object lessons in the Bible for our learning.
The Jews had a problem accepting Jesus as Messiah because they were looking for a powerful militant prophet, priest, and king who would lead them against their worldly enemies. Throughout History, and in keeping with Bible Prophecy, every major event is in a continuity which points to Israel in ways that may not be too obvious. There is God's overall plan which is progressively revealed through extensive Bible Prophecy. Satan doesn't want anyone to recognize Israel as the main player in World History; and Satan wants Christians to not interfere with his "Secular" program.
Bible Prophecy is extensive throughout the Bible; both Old and New Testament. It requires an active country, or State of Israel, to coincide with the fulfillment of Bible Prophesy. The Jewish diaspora, dispersion, or exile, is the dispersion of Jews out of their ancient ancestral homeland (the Land of Israel) and their subsequent settlement in other parts of the globe. Such has been the condition of Israel in their absence from their land since the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. up until the modern State of Israel.
The overal effort of an organized nationalist movement for the Jews and today the continued protection of their land, was called Zionism... and Zion, mentioned 152 times in the Hebrew Bible, is a synonym for Jerusalem as well as for the Land of Israel as a whole; 2 Samuel 5:7. The serious idea of the re-establishment of Jewish sovereignty in Palestine, to be facilitated by the Jewish return from the diaspora, of a Jewish country, or State, was promoted by Theodor Herzl in 1897. The Balfour Declaration, November 2, 1917, expressed British support for the establishment of a Jewish Homeland. After the end of the British Mandate for Palestine, which was assigned to Britain by the League of Nations, April 25, 1920 (1920–1948), Israel declared independence on May 14, 1948, with the entire region known as Palestine. Upon establishment, the country formally adopted the name State of Israel. (Wikipedia)
Today, Israel is home to around 40% of the world's Jews, and it is also the only country in which Jews account for the majority of the population. To date, there is no other example in human history of a nation being re-established after such a long period of existence as a diaspora. (Wikipedia) The current non-Jewish residents of Palestine migrated there since the diaspora. When the Jews were previously there, their neighbors from Jordan lived there among them.
During the 17th, 18th, and 19th Centuries we see nominal "Christianity", though with compromises, having some impact in the World, even in high places; and some impact into the early 20th Century. Christianity was proactive. "Christianity" had a respectability among the general public. Jesus had some reference in people's lives, obviously more than is the case today. I fear that many have tolerated the "secular" concept that has neutralized the saints of God into being passive because we don't want to appear to be carnal and involved in "worldly" things.
For recent decades - and steadily increasing, Christianity is being persecuted by a growing "politically correct" minority which is gaining support in the courts, the legal system, and by zealous administrators -- by the misinterpretation of "separation of church and State". What the framers of the U.S. Constitution precisely had in mind was that they rejected the European model of the established church controlling the principalities and powers of Europe; many of our Founding Fathers were Christians and have been quoted accordingly!
Our Christian voices and our representations are being suppressed from public display, as never before in the History of the United States of America. It is becoming a cultural restructuring motivated by those who adamantly reject the Lord Jesus Christ. Our representation, as ambassadors of the Lord Jesus Christ, is being suppressed by the Christ rejecters. Christ is the real target but we are the tangible target. The question is... How far can this go in the interim before we, with our families, are rounded up in a Holocaust to be eliminated? Is the thought offensive enough, that you don't want to think about it? If it happened to the Jews, it could happen to us. We pray that we will be kept safe.
Besides
global ambitions, Hitler found it necessary to get rid of the Jews.
Picture the Jews lining up for the Holocaust. They largely did not
resist. They went as sheep to the slaughter. Today, radical Islam
[one of Satan's many proxies] has the same objective and wants to
annihilate both Christians and Jews. They are in our midst
procreating five times faster than us. They target the United States
and Europe because they consider them Christian
[sic],
if not for the fact of our unwanted presence in Islamic countries,
but especially because the United States has been a very prominent
friend of the State of Israel. Israel is what this is all about, and
it fits Bible Prophecy and the whole Biblical scenario.
There
is no indication in the Bible that Christians won't go through
physical persecution, prior to the Rapture, not unlike the
Inquisitions and various other persecutions which Christians have
already experienced throughout History. God's
chosen people went through the Holocaust.
Are the redeemed of the Lord exempt? The World is in extremely
terrible spiritual shape, especially in most recent times when you
look at all the conflicts and injustices, and Christians being
exterminated in the Islamic and Communist Worlds, etc. -- which the
news media suppresses. It is most disturbing that so-called
civilized
nations like the USA are becoming anti-Christian.
Looking at the signs of the times -- political, economic, social, and religious, they suggest the eventual crippling of the United States of America, along with the rest of the world, by the deterioration of the infrastructure and the destruction of commerce into the chaos of wars and rumors of wars. [Matthew 24:6-8].
"The New Book of Christian Martyrs" is a 600 page book by Johnnie Moore. It is based on the idea of the 16th-century Foxe's book of martyrs and upon "observations that when Islamic terrorists attack Christian churches in the modern day, they don't look for the Catholics or the Protestants or the Evangelicals or of the Baptists or any of these things. They just look for the cross." [Moore] A large portion of the book deals with Christians killed in recent decades. "There have been more martyrs in the last century than the previous 19 centuries combined. I've traveled around the world, met with persecuted Christians in the most difficult places... they always say it didn't begin like this. Here it began with our community being squeezed and marginalized and discriminated in our workplaces. It began with our children being treated differently in schools." [Moore]
The
Globalists admit they want to replace Western Civilization. Their
thesis is that Jews and Christians gave us today's Western
Civilization and that Jews and Christians must be destroyed in order
for the Globalists to transition to a Global Reset of total control
of the World, no matter the cost. [Josh Hammer]
We
see that Satan
is behind all the evil in the World and the motive behind it is the
destruction of the Jews and Christians, so that he
can rule. Global upheaval is the means to that end. Satan's efforts
will be assisted by the [Beast] Anti-Christ and the false prophet;
both human. If you've been watching the news regularly over recent
times, you will note that the USA and the World have been
accelerating toward madness. When the World becomes bankrupt and
emergency measures imposed on the World for a new world order Reset;
it will be the intended setup for the Anti-Christ, who will be
revealed after the Rapture of the Lord's true believers. With our
infrastructure destroyed and massive unemployment, unavailable
resources and utilities, it will create the kind of civil unrest that
will cripple the World, set for the anti-Christ to come, who will
supposedly solve the World's problems, including the debts of nations
being dissolved into a Global
Reset.
THE BOOK OF REVELATION: Late Chapters
I am thankful for the very recent opportunity in being called upon to teach the Book of Revelation, which required me to improve myself in preparation. I ordinarily would not have chosen Revelation but it is one of the best things that has happened to me. It is very accessible if taken literally. I reject the "higher criticism" which would venture to reject any one of God's Sovereign powers or miracles. If God was able to create the entire Universe, He is capable of doing anything He chooses. If any of Revelation would be though to be allegorical, the results would be the same.
The Rapture is when God's children ascend into the sky, to meet Christ in the air, the same way that the Lord Jesus Christ arose, as prophesied in 1 Thessalonians 4:16,17 and 1 Corinthians 15:51-52. The Rapture must occur before the Antichrist signs the peace treaty with Israel, because Believers will be kept from the Tribulation, which may/may not be placed during the Seven Trumpet judgments in the Book of Revelation. No place in the Book of Revelation indicates, in its contexts, the moment or the Chapter for the occurrance of the Rapture. A lot of preaching is guess work, especially regarding Chapter 4 when the Apostle John is caught up to Heaven as a witness for him to be able to write The Book of Revelation. It must be later.
Before the Rapture, we expect tragic events with widespread chaos, but at Revelation 9:13-21, which we want to believe is after the Rapture, a World War occurs with 1/3 the world destroyed. We don't remember World War 1 nor World War 2; so... why not another but of Biblical proportions. We don't want to think about it, so we subjectively and speculatively prejudice ourselves on the preaching we hear, and we pray for an 'Early Rapture'. But yes! We should be gone. There is no fear when we trust in Revelation 3:10, which should be before the Rapture, and removes our fear, "Because you kept the Word of My patience, I also will keep you out of the hour of trial which is going to come on all the habitable world in order to try those dwelling on the earth." We fear for lack of knowledge.
If
we could insert 1 Corinthians 15:52-53 [and 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17]
in its proper sequence in Revelation, then we would know the sequence
of when the Rapture takes place, "In a moment, in a glance of an
eye, at the last trumpet; for a trumpet will sound, and the dead will
be raised incorruptible, and we shall all be changed. For this
corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on
immortality." Likewise for 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, 'Because
the Lord Himself shall come down from Heaven with a commanding shout
of an archangel's voice, and with God's trumpet. And the dead in
Christ will rise again first. Then we who remain alive will be caught
up together with them in the clouds to a meeting with the Lord in the
air. And so we will always be with the Lord.". We
need to respect God's precise and appropriate timing and trust Him
for the care of his ekklesia ( out-called-ones; "church").
Hold
on to the assurances of Revelation 3:10.
The serious Bible student should not neglect the Book of Revelation. The Rapture certainly takes place at a significant time; because of many events, before the destruction of Babylon in Chapter 18; the Battle of Armageddon is in Chapter 19, the Millenium is Chapter 20, and the New Heaven and New Earth is Chapters 21 & 22. With the Rapture, the true believers are gone to be with the Lord and the Lord directs His total attention to the Nation of Israel for the last chapters of the Book take us believers into eternity. In God's timing, the Rapture, with the removal of the Holy Spirit from the Earth, should have already taken place prior to the revealing of the Anti-Christ. Then starts much pouring out of curses and judgements by the Lord, upon an evil World, typically through His angels. Satan; Lucifer, was a fallen angel himself and he had 1/3 the angels follow him. They are someplace today! There will be battles involving men and/or angels. The book of Revelation does not reveal the amount of time between events but there is the impression that there could be any amount of time between the Rapture and the Battle of Armageddon, i.e., many Chapters with many events. Angels have great power and can destroy cities, etc. [Genesis 19:13] Then they can even look like us. Hebrews 13:2, "Do not forget hospitality, for by this some unknowingly took in angels as guests." Angel, angelos in the literal Greek translation, simply meaning "messenger". They don't have wings. Seraphim have six wings; the four living creatures in Revelation 4:8; Isaiah 6:2. Cherubim spread their two wings over the ark of the covenant; 1 Kings 8:7.
Revelation reveals that the Sixth Trumpet War, Revelation 9:13-19, depicts one of God's many judgments upon an evil World by the release of four angels from the Euphrates, who unleash a massive army of two hundred million mounted troops, causing the death of a third of mankind through plagues of fire, smoke, and sulfur. The World will have a long way to go... as bad or worse than it has ever been, for the Anti-Christ to clean-up and rebuild. The anti-Christ and the false prophet are human beings. They are located in Babylon in the land of Shinar, Genesis 10:10; 11:2. [Peter mentions a church in Babylon, in his time.] Revelation 14:8 and 18:2 say that "Babylon is fallen". Revelation 17:1-7 describes Mystery Babylon The Great, The Mother Of Harlots And Abominations Of The Earth, which is an evil, materialistic, power hungry world system presided over by the Antichrist. Babylon is not Rome! Rome appears to have been swallowed up by Babylon long before Revelation 17. The descendents of Magog will have had millenia to spread over the former Roman Empire with a large future population from now until that time. The description of Babylon suggests that it will be the World's power capital at that time.
Then, Armageddon is some time later in Revelation 19. Bible prophecy gives the consolation that Christ will eventually defeat the anti-Christ. When the nations attack Israel, The Lord Himself destroys the armies of Gog and Magog, etc. Magog was the second son of Japheth [Genesis 10] who settled in the land of Gog, also known as Scythia, and the descendants continued to spread from there toward all Europe, the Near and Far East, including the areas of the former Roman Empire. The Battle of Armageddon lasts an hour:
Revelation 19: "19 And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth, and their armies being assembled to make war with the One sitting on the horse, and with His army. 20 And the beast was seized, and with this one the false prophet doing signs before it, by which he led astray those having received the mark of the beast, and those worshiping its image. The two were thrown alive into the Lake of Fire burning with brimstone. 21 And the rest were killed with the sword of the One sitting on the horse, [like] the sword having gone forth from His mouth. And all the birds were filled from their flesh." They are thrown in the Lake of Fire by an unnamed Angel.
"End-Times" is assumed to be referring to one application in Bible Prophecy. "Last days" εσχαταις ημεραις [escatais hamerais] - literally, in the Google Greek dictionary, "you are finally here", it appears in various contexts: in Gen 49:2, "will happen to you in the days to come"; Isa 2:2, "the mountain of the Lord's temple shall be established"; Mic 4:1, "mountain of the house of the Lord shall be established"; Act 2:17, "last days"; 2 Tim 3:1, "last days"; Heb 1:2, "he made the ages"; Jam 5:3, "stored up treasure in your last days"; 2 Pet 3:3, "will be coming in the last of the days"; -- all are not unique to the "End Times" excitement. "Last days" appears to be applicable to the end of any period of time or event.
The
current year on the Jewish calendar is 5785 [as of 2025]. "What
if" scenario:
"What
if" speculation...
if the Seven Millenniums of Jewish History Theory
is indicative and if
valid,
The Kingdom Age / The Millennial Reign of Christ would begin in the
year 6000? Completion would be 7000, then a new Heaven and a new
Earth. The rapture could be seven years before 6000... 208 years
from now [from 2025]. The prior years may be necessary for the
remaining portion of the World to hear the Gospel when all peoples
are with advanced communication technology. By that time Babylon can
reach her prophesied status. I don't look for an imminent Rapture but
we still need to always be ready. The Lord tarries, and we continue
to cope.
CLOSING STATEMENT
Those of us who are separatists need to realize that although every denomination is man-made, and virtually all not functioning according to Timothy and Titus, that all of them are not totally apostate. Some of our sectarian brethren lead the charge in defending the Body of Christ from our eroding U.S. Constitution and Legal system. The whole World is similar. The rest of us avoid what we think is carnal involvement in "worldly" things, and simply wait for the next Holocaust. When things get a lot worse, and we can no longer do anything about it, our families suffer, and persecutions get to the point where we start losing our lives, not unlike examples in the past; we will wonder... desperately, how long the Lord will tarry.
Thesis:
Everything
in this life is subject to the standards and terms of the Creator
God. Man will be successful or unsuccessful based on his
relationship, or lack of relationship, with the Creator God, just as
the laws of physics cannot be broken. There must be more God's
mysteries that we don't know about.
SCRIPTURE
Matthew
24:3-15 Literal
Translation, Textus Receptus Greek, J.P. Green, Sr.
[KJ3
Literal Translation published in 2006 is translated word for word
literal.]
3 And
as he was sitting on the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him
privately, saying, Tell us, when will these things be? and what is
the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?
4 And
answering, Jesus said to them, See (that) not any mislead you.
5 For
many will come in My name, saying, I am the Christ; and (they) will
cause many to err.
6 But
you are going to hear of wars and rumours of wars. See, do not be
terrified. For all things must happen, but the end is not yet.
7 For
nation will be raised against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:
and there will be famines, and plagues, and earthquakes, against
(many) places.
8 But
all these
(are) the beginning
of throes [travail].
9 Then
they will deliver you up to affliction, and will kill you, and you
will be hated by all nations for My name's sake.
10 And
then
many will be ensnared, and they will deliver you up one another, and
will hate one another.
11 And
many false prophets will be raised, and will cause many to
err.
12 And
because lawlessness shall be multiplied, the love of many will grow
cold.
13 But
the (one) who endures
unto (the) end,
that
one will be kept safe.
14 And
this gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the earth for a
testimony to all the nations, and then
will come the end.
15 Then
when you see the abomination of desolation,
which was spoken of by Daniel the prophet, standing in (the) holy
place, the (one) reading, let him understand.
1
Thessalonians 4:13-17
KJ3 Literal Version [Textus Receptus Greek Text]
13
But brethren, you have no need for
anything
to be written to you concerning the ones who have fallen asleep
[died]; in order that you may not be sorrowful like the rest who have
no hope.
14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose up, so
the ones who fell asleep through Jesus, God will also bring together
with Him.
15 For this we say unto you in the
word of the
Lord, that we, the living, who are left in the presence of the Lord,
should never attain heaven
before
the ones who fell-asleep.
16 Because the Lord himself will be
descending from heaven, in a commanding yell, in the voice of the
archangel and the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will be
rising up first;
17 therefore we, the living, who are left,
will be seized at the same-time together with them in the clouds, to
the encounter of the Lord in the air, and so we will always be
together with the Lord.
18 So then, encourage one another in
these words.
Hebrews
8:6-11 KJ3
Literal Version [Textus Receptus Greek Text] Also, Jeremiah
31:31-34. The promised New Covenant is not realized with Israel and
the House of Judah yet. If not in Millennium, it is certainly the New
Kingdom of Heaven and Earth.
6
But now He has gotten a more excellent ministry, also by so much as
He is a Mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on
better promises.
7 For if that first was faultless, place would
not have been sought for a second.
8 For finding fault, He said
to them, "Behold, days are coming, says the Lord, and I will
make an end on the house of Israel and on the house of Judah; a new
covenant shall
be,
9
not according to the covenant which I made with their fathers in the
day of My taking hold of their hand to lead them out of the land of
Egypt; because they did not continue in My covenant, and I did not
regard them, says the Lord.
10 Because this is the covenant
which I will covenant with the house of Israel after
those
days,
says the Lord, giving My Laws into their mind, and I will write them
on their hearts, and I will be their God, and they shall be My
people."
11 "And they shall no more teach each one
their neighbor, and each his brother, saying, Know the Lord; because
all
shall
know
Me,
from the least of them to their great.
KJ3
Literal Version - See it all:
http://www.thewordnotes.com/litv/litv.htm
www.ChurchGrowth.CC
www.MauriceJohnsonArchives.com
April
12, 2016 [Edited April 12, 2025]
Biography
& Testimony
Alan
Hemenway was born June 25, 1943, in Acushnet, Mass.
He attended
grade schools in New Bedford and Fairhaven.
His family moved to
Los Angeles in 1956, graduating from
Belmont High School in 1961
and from Pacific Christian
College, Long Beach California in
1972 with a B.A. in
Christian Ministries, with his requirement
of N.T. Greek
from Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena,
California.
Alan
served in the U.S. Army Security Agency 1962-1965
at Fort Ord,
CA, Fort Devens, MA, and Vint Hill Farms, VA.
where he became a
Computer Equipment Operator, which
became his early profession
upon separation from the Army,
before attending college. Later,
Real Estate Appraiser, Asset
Manager, and State Appraiser for
USDA Rural Development.
Alan
dedicated himself to the Lord while at First Congregational
Church
in Los Angeles, about 1967, where he sang in the choir,
including
its Annual Bach Festival. When in Bible college, Alan
would
teach his college studies in Sunday School. Alan led Children's
Church at Van Nuys Baptist Church. He and his wife Judy have been
gifted with the ministry of music all their lives.
Alan
came to a place in his Christian walk where he recognized
problems
in the churches
and decided that all denominations
are man-made religion. About
1973, he found a substantial
group of Christians who had the
same beliefs. They were
originally inspiredby the teachings of
Lyman H. Johnson and
Maurice M. Johnson (unrelated). Relocating
to Oregon in 1998,
Alan & Judy endeavor to find churches
that are decent enough for them to have much needed fellowship; they
have to compromise some, but they don't hide what they believe.
Alan
J. Hemenway
www.ChurchGrowth.CC
www.MauriceJohnsonArchives.com
April
12, 2025