Apostasy

All posts tagged Apostasy

The Blind Leading the Blind @ ELCA

Posted by whatyareckon on May 15, 2021
Posted in: America, Bible, Christ, Christian, Christianity, Churches. Tagged: , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Matthew 15:14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch.

‘Over the weekend, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America became the first mainline Protestant denomination to elect a transgender bishop.

The Rev. Dr. Megan Rohrer, who was born female but now identifies as male, using the pronouns “he” and “they,” was elected Saturday, May 8, to serve as bishop of the Sierra Pacific Synod of the ELCA.

Rohrer was approved by 209 votes, barely surpassing the Rev. Jeff Johnson, pastor of University Lutheran Chapel of Berkeley, who received 207 votes, according to a press release from the denomination.

The transgender pastor, currently leading Grace Evangelical Lutheran Church in San Francisco, will be installed as bishop Sept. 11 at St. Matthew Lutheran Church in Walnut Creek, California.

Rohrer has made news before. In 2018, the minister was featured in Cosmopolitan. Rohrer, who identified solely as “they” at the time, said, “I haven’t really figured out how I want to have my body in the rest of my life.”’https://www.faithwire.com/2021/05/14/protestant-denomination-elects-first-transgender-bishop-who-celebrates-dismantling-theology/?utm_source=cbn&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=news-eu-faithwire&utm_content=20210514-2341183&inid=5f29ebc0-7f5b-eb11-b823-005056af0da1

There is NOTHING Evangelical about the ELCA but it is certainly an example of apostasy.

Apostate Liberation Methodist Connexion

Posted by whatyareckon on December 5, 2020
Posted in: America, Bible. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Paul plainly wrote in Romans 1:26,27 For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27 And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet.

In spite of this clear teaching in God’s Word ‘A group of progressive United Methodists announced….they are forming a new Methodist denomination, the Liberation Methodist Connexion, or LMX.

For half a century, the United Methodist Church has debated the full inclusion of its LGBTQ members. It pushed any discussion of sexuality from its quadrennial General Conference meeting in 2016 to a special session in 2019, where delegates voted against allowing the church to ordain LGBTQ clergy or perform same-sex marriages.’

One of the BIGGEST MISTAKES a group of churches can do is to DEBATE the Word of God! Debating the Word of God is a clear indication that these Methodists do not see the Bible as their sole rule of faith and practice! Anyway, ‘A new plan has been proposed since then to split the denomination according to beliefs on LGBTQ ordination and same-sex marriage. The split was to be decided upon at the 2020 General Conference, but due to COVID-19 shutdowns, the conference was cancelled and the decision postponed until next fall at the earliest. United Methodists would’ve met this week to consider a split. What are they doing instead?

Some United Methodists eager for change have simply grown tired of waiting.

“The timeline of the Holy Spirit is driving our decision to launch LMX at this moment, and we are responding to that call,” the Rev. Althea Spencer-Miller said during a presentation Sunday evening following the denomination’s first online worship service.

The LMX seeks to embrace the “full participation of all who are living out their God-given identities and expressions,” according to the site. That includes people of all gender expressions and sexual identities, races and ethnicities, mental and physical abilities, sizes and ages.

Its theology “is not written in stone,” the website said, but it builds on Methodist theology with various expressions of Liberation theologies, which were first developed by Latin American Roman Catholics in the 1950s and 1960s.

Correct doctrine is less important to the new denomination than correct action, collaborators said during Sunday’s presentation. That action includes reparations, caring for the earth, and finding new ways to live together outside of systems like colonialism, white supremacy, patriarchy, clericalism and heteronormativity, they said.

“We seek not answers that lead us to correct doctrines as to why we suffer. We seek correct actions, correct praxis, where God sustains us during the unanswerable questions,” Spencer-Miller said.

More conservative Methodists, however, believe the new denomination veers from both orthodoxy (correct doctrine) and orthopraxy (correct actions). 

Mark Tooley, president of the Institute on Religion & Democracy—a conservative Christian thinktank, which promotes its views among mainline Protestant churches—predicts the United Methodist Church will divide over these issues.

“As the United Methodist Church effectively dissolves, there are likely to be various shatterings,” Tooley told The Roys Report in a statement Wednesday.  “At the very least, there will be a traditional global church, a liberal USA church, and a radical USA church, with perhaps several others. This Liberation Methodist Connexion will be the radical branch, or perhaps one of several radical branches.  It will be hard long to cohere a denomination around Identity Politics and without core theology. . . . The United Methodist Church was created in 1968 mostly based on theological pluralism, which was an experiment that failed.”

However, leaders of the new denomination said those who join them aren’t expected to leave their denominations. In fact, collaborators said Sunday that United Methodist members are encouraged to continue to partner with the United Methodist Church’s ethnic caucuses.

“There are no doctrinal litmus tests in the movement. We are moving beyond the supremacy of a single belief system,” said the Rev. Janet G. McKeithen, a member of the Connexion working group.

It’s about following Jesus to the margins, added the Rev. Alex da Silva Souto, one of the leaders of  UM-Forward  and a General Conference delegate from the New York Conference.

Da Silva Souto said in May that a coalition of groups already describing themselves as Liberationists had been discussing the possibility of forming a new denomination. That discussion grew out of events — the UM-Forward summit in May 2019 in Minneapolis, an Advent gathering outside of Denver, a Lenten gathering this spring in Dallas — following a special session of the United Methodist General Conference in 2019.

The Traditional Plan favored by theologically conservative United Methodists, approved at that special session, was set to take effect earlier this year, strengthening language in the denomination’s Book of Discipline barring LGBTQ clergy from being ordained and same-sex couples from marrying in the United Methodist Church.

But United Methodist bishops and advocacy group leaders from across theological divides agreed to a moratorium on its enforcement in January after negotiating a proposal to split the denomination, called, “A Protocol of Reconciliation and Grace Through Separation.” The proposal, negotiated by 16 United Methodists, would commit $25 million to create a new conservative “traditionalist” Methodist denomination. The “post-separation United Methodist Church” would then have the opportunity to rescind the Traditional Plan and pass affirming language.

Delegates would have voted on that proposal at the United Methodist General Conference scheduled in May. At the time, Da Silva Souto called its postponement, due to the pandemic, a “curveball.”

But, said Da Silva Souto, “we’re not waiting for the protocol to answer the call that we feel, which is love and liberation right now.”

The LMX is planning to host its next worship service on New Year’s Eve and encouraged those interested in joining to sign up for its email newsletter on its website.’https://julieroys.com/progressive-methodists-new-denomination/?mc_cid=e8a2ae265a&mc_eid=b13d34ad49

The LMX is a pawn in Satan’s family of apostate churches.

‘Queering God: Feminist and Queer Theology’

Posted by whatyareckon on January 6, 2018
Posted in: Apostasy, Christian, Uncategorized. Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , . Leave a comment

Swarthmore College180103_homepage_c (1)Swarthmore College began as a Quaker institution of higher education in 1860 https://www.swarthmore.edu/a-brief-history#event-founders-and-the-quaker-tradition. One hundred and fifty eight years later one of the courses now taught at Swarthmore is ‘QUEERING GOD: FEMINIST AND QUEER THEOLOGY’.

‘The God of the Bible and later Jewish and Christian literature is distinctively masculine, definitely male. Or is He? If we can point out places in traditional writings where God is nurturing, forgiving, and loving, does that mean that God is feminine, or female? This course examines feminist and queer writings about God, explores the tensions between feminist and queer theology, and seeks to stretch the limits of gendering-and sexing-the divine. Key themes include: gender; embodiment; masculinity; liberation; sexuality; feminist and queer theory.’  http://catalog.swarthmore.edu/preview_course_nopop.php?catoid=7&coid=8805

If that isn’t enough a 2014 graduate of the school created a tree shrine on campus because Naia Installing Shrineshe was ‘Inspired by Hindu and Buddhist icons that she studied in Professor Steven Hopkins’ class The Power of Images in Spring 2012′ making ‘an icon of Lucretia Mott as a transgendered, multi- racial and multi-armed godLucretia Glorydess astride her flaming Phoenix, holding safely in her womb the campus Quaker Meeting House, and brandishing in each of her graceful hands symbols that represent service and leadership, scholarship, the Social Sciences, Natural Sciences, and Humanities, and the virtues of athletic discipline.’

This graduate went on to say ‘When I took The Power of Images. . .  I stared and stared at those gorgeous snapshots of Hindu shrines sprung up overnight like miraculous technicolor weeds, at Jizo shrines overflowing with little statues; shimenawa, omamori, baby Krishnas, reliquaries, Shiva processions . . . Do you know what it’s LIKE to be both an artist and a student of religion? Have you ever been forced, starving and depressed, to look at hundreds of professional photos of world-class sushi or baked goods? It was a lot like that. I thought, ‘why don’t we DO anything like this?’ The religious experience—ANY religious experience—is a thing beyond everyday description. To me that comes across best in a riot of color, clutter, sound, smell, and ceremony.’ https://www.swarthmore.edu/religion/making-image-swarthmore

Do the Quakers have any control over this school and what is taught? NOW, the Bible is pretty clear on the subject of making images and gender. For instance on gender, Paul wrote in 1Timothy 3:16 that ‘God was manifest in the flesh…’. 

John the Apostle wrote in John 1:14 that ‘…the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth’ John 1:14.

Of course both John and Paul were speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ. What gender was Jesus? That’s not hard to answer for when reading the Scriptures the only conclusion one can end with is; He was a male. As to Jesus’ Father ONLY male nouns and pronouns are used of Him. Now, that wasn’t hard, was it?!

So, why would the professors at Swarthmore College try to make the plain sense of Scripture say something else? Paul summed up the religious teaching at Swarthmore College when he wrote ‘Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils’ 1Timothy 4:1.

THE APOSTATE

Posted by whatyareckon on October 12, 2013
Posted in: Uncategorized. Tagged: , , . 3 Comments

Recently I was sent a sermon preached by a man who is filling in for another minister who is on  “a 3 month vicar swap”.  I read the sermon and almost immediately this man openly declared where he was theologically. In the third paragraph of his “sermon” he mentions positively The Jesus Seminar’s Marcus Borg. Borg is a fulfillment of the words of 1Timothy 4:1 “Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils”. Borg and all apostates preach another gospel. 

There are several other things this visiting minister said in that sermon that shows he is in the same theological apostate camp as Borg. He said “salvation is occasionally about an afterlife-but most of the time it is not.” He goes on to say “So also saved and saviour are not primarily about being saved from our sins so we can go to heaven.”  Basically what this man believes is that the main thrust of salvation is political and as such “has two focal points justice and peace.”

Considering the justice of which he speaks; he says that some justice issues today are “human rights, gender equality, sexual orientation, and the environment”. This is typical of one who has departed (apostatized) from the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. In fact this visiting minister had a billboard placed in front of his own church the Christmas of 2012 which depicted the baby Jesus in a crib with a halo of rainbow colours. This man was asked about this depiction and he said Jesus may have been ‘gay, maybe not. Does it matter?’” That is blasphemous but typical of apostasy!

Men such as Borg and a multitude of others like him are described by Jude in his small but practical and pointed book. Jude describes the apostate well. In verse 4 Jude tells us that these apostates are men who have “crept in unawares”. These three words are one Greek word and is only used here. It speaks of one who settles alongside, to lodge stealthily, unnoticed. They act like and look like a believing Christian.

These are those of whom Paul speaks in Acts 20: 29 who are “grievous wolves” and “enter in among you, not sparing the flock.” These wolves have crept into the churches via the side door unawares with the very intent of teaching another gospel. The apostates are “ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.”

Their gospel according to Jude is “the way of Cain” which is a bloodless and faithless gospel. The writer to the Hebrews said “By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain”. That “more excellent sacrifice” was by blood and faith.

God’s Word tell us in Genesis “that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD. And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering: But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect.” Why? It was because Abel had faith whereas Cain did not and Abel’s sacrifice was a blood sacrifice whereas Cain’s was not! Today’s apostate is the same as Cain!

As Jude says these apostates are likened to the Israelites which the Lord destroyed because they “believed not.” The apostate lacks saving faith. They know intellectually the truth but willingly reject it. Then Jude compares the apostate to “the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation”. They openly rebelled against God and because of that they are “reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.” There is a judgment day coming for the apostate. They do not have saving faith for they have rebelled and denied “the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ”. The apostate may be the most likeable person in the crowd but they are a rebel and in open opposition to God and God’s Word.

The apostate is also like  “Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.” They defend the sodomite life and many of them give themselves over to such “strange flesh”.  As we draw closer to the coming of our Saviour in the air the the louder will some who claim to be evangelical defend the sodomite life; showing by this that they themselves are apostate. Note 1Co 6:9 – 11 “Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind,  10 Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God.  11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” NOTE, “such WERE some of you BUT” you are no longer. This includes no longer being effeminate not an abuser with mankind. There has been a heart and life change through faith in the person and work of Christ.

Surprisingly the apostate is also a separatist. Yes, you read that correctly. Jude says they “separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.” The apostate is a separatist but the wrong kind. He has separated from godliness and from God’s Spirit but is separated unto sensualness and have “the spirit of this world”.

However, Jude does not leave those of us who know the Lord Jesus Christ in despair. As the apostate so often receives the accolades of the world Jude tells us to be “building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost, Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.”

To God be the glory!