COLLISION AND CONFLICT

We don’t seem to hear much about this topic in our day. At least I don’t. Powerful Scriptures, powerful Sermon. Here’s another short excerpt…

John 15:19 If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you.

Philippians 3:18 (For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ:

THE PREACHER

J. Blackburn, Claremont Chapel, Pentonville, August 7, 1831

Brethren, be assured that there will ever be a collision between light and darkness – between the principles of good and evil – between the church and the world.

“The world will love it’s own – but because ye are not of the world therefore the world hateth you” – the seed of the serpent will oppose the seed of the woman, and we shall continually find in our hearts, in our houses, and in our spheres, the opposing principles in powerful operation and in fearful conflict.

Now the individuals whom the Apostle describes, wished to screen themselves from all the secular disadvantages which might result from their avowed attachment to the cross of Christ.”

THE RULE OF THE MULTITUDE

Following is a short excerpt from a sermon preached in 1831.  I discovered it yesterday, and I found the words to be very powerful and very relevant for the day in which we live. Be blessed as you read…

Exodus 23:2 Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil; neither shalt thou speak in a cause to decline after many to wrest judgment:

THE PREACHER

J. Blackburn, Claremont Chapel, Pentonville, August 7, 1831

The powerful influence which numbers exert over the human mind, led Moses, on one occasion, to caution the children of Israel, saying “Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil;” and assuredly, my brethren, the popularity of any course is very dubious evidence of it’s truth.

When this rule, the rule of multitude, prevailed, Noah stood alone – Lot stood alone – Elijah stood alone – Jeremiah stood alone – yea, the Son Of God himself stood alone – “hand joined hand,” and wickedness was triumphant.

The road of both profaneness and error is wide. “Broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many there be that go in thereat;” and it is therefore delusive and dangerous for us to allow our minds at any time to be affected by the mere circumstance that numbers attach themselves to any cause, or advocate any class of principles. 

Paul was conscious of this influence,; and knowing that it was employed to promote some dangerous errors, he sought, in his conversations, and in his correspondence, to guard his brethren in Philippi against the effects which the corrupt principles and practices of the multitude might produce; “for many walk,” he exclaims, “of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ.”

MARY MARY

Where to begin. The false Roman Catholic doctrines associated with Mary are many, and many Roman Catholics have embraced those false doctrines.

I heard a sermon recently by an evangelical pastor. The title of the sermon was “The Blessed Mother”. I did not like the title of the sermon because “Blessed Mother” is a very Roman Catholic term. He did address some false beliefs about Mary, but the preacher never mentioned that the false doctrines about Mary are Roman Catholic doctrines. Nor did he warn of the very real danger of devotion to Mary. He began by saying there was much controversy within Christianity about Mary. True Christianity has no controversy at all about Mary. Roman Catholicism is not true Christianity.

When witnessing in the past to someone strongly devoted to Mary it seemed as if they were agreeing with the Gospel presentation. But though they listened, and seemed to agree, their final words were “through Mary”.  So for them it was yes to Jesus, but “through Mary”. They were not believing the true Gospel. “Through Mary” is “another gospel”.

I overheard someone speaking in church. I don’t remember the exact words but they said something like… “God wouldn’t send my Grandmother to hell because she prays to Mary or prays the rosary”. The biblical fact is that if a person is saved, born again, they will not pray the rosary or pray to Mary.

Alberto Rivera (read his powerful testimony) the former Roman Catholic Jesuit priest, said that he would always hear “through Mary” as he read the Scriptures even though the Scriptures never said that at all. When he was born again he was set free from the demonic deception that one must go “through Mary” to get to Jesus. He left the Roman Catholic Church and became a preacher of the true Gospel.

Mary. The Roman Catholic prays to her. I did. They may talk about Jesus, but ask them…”do you pray to Mary?”

Mary is hidden in the background, but she is there, and she is central. She was central in my life before I was born again.  

Mary. The popes dedicate their lives to her.

Mary. The popes dedicate the world to her.

Mary. The devil is impersonating her around the world, deceiving multitudes with Marian apparitions. 

And the evangelical world is silent.

With all their programs.

With all their activities.

With all their conferences.

Not a word about Mary.

Not a word about the soul damning false gospel of Roman Catholicism.

This is the day that we are living in.

Will you speak up and bear his reproach outside the camp? Will you? Will I?

Hebrews 13:13 Let us go forth therefore unto him without the camp, bearing his reproach.

Roman Catholic teaching perverts the Scriptures by giving Mary divine attributes.

The Council of Trent and Counter Reformation would intensify Marian devotion in the West. (Wikipedia)

 

MY TESTIMONY – Part 3 (A Gospel Witness)

Many years ago my two young children belonged to a bowling league. I took them to the bowling alley every Saturday morning. It was fun and I enjoyed being there. A woman from my old neighborhood was there also, with her son. Little did I know that it was a “Divine Appointment”.

I was at the bowling alley wearing my “Mary medal” and this woman noticed. Unbeknownst to me she was a born again Christian. As we became acquainted she began witnessing to me. At that point in time I was very Roman Catholic and very into the Marian apparitions, especially the Marian apparition at Medjugorje, Yugoslavia. Bless the Lord for giving that woman the boldness to witness to me and to speak to me of all the false teachings I had been exposed to and had embraced. She spoke to me about Jesus and the Scriptures. She clearly addressed the false gospel of Roman Catholicism and the error of praying to Mary. She even talked about the Mary medal I wore.

I was not offended. I didn’t understand, but I was not offended. It made me curious.  

She encouraged me to read the Bible, which I did. 

The reason I even had a Bible and was reading it was because of answered prayer. I had prayed that the Lord would show me truth, and the Lord used a girl in my office to guide me to His truth. She was a Bible believer and knew that I was involved in the Catholic Charismatic Renewal, and that my husband and I were following a certain priest from parish to parish to attend his Charismatic healing Masses. One day she just said to me “Why are you following that priest around?” Go buy a Bible!” You know what? Simple as that, I went out and bought a Bible and began reading it. Over time that Bible just fell apart I read it so much. Wish I still had it.

Back to the woman at the bowling alley. She would tell me that the apparitions of Mary were not of God. She focused on Jesus and the Bible. I didn’t get it. I would keep telling her I didn’t see what was wrong with praying to Mary and I didn’t see what was wrong with the the Marion apparitions. She encouraged me to keep reading the Bible and I did. I kept on reading and searching and trying to understand.  

One night, at the end of the league, there was a bowling dinner. She sat next to me and talked with me. I still was without understanding. I wanted to understand but didn’t. 

BUT THAT NIGHT, when I went home, I read again the literature I had about the apparitions of Mary in Yugoslavia, but this time I saw the falsehood of it all. “Mary’s” message contradicted Scripture. (It wasn”t Mary at all. It was a deceiving demonic spirit. I saw the truth clear as a bell. I had read the Bible, seeking, and the Lord opened my eyes. What amazing grace. What a true miracle. I saw it all.

I tried to tell my husband. My husband was very into the Marian apparitions at Medjugorje. I also told him that the teaching of Roman Catholicism contradicted the Bible. He didn’t understand and wouldn’t listen to what I was saying. I typed up Bible verses that addressed the errors of the Marian apparitions and the errors of Roman Catholicism. Thank the Lord that He read them. Thank the Lord. I would weep as I gave my husband the typed up Bible verses because at that point I realized what a great deception I had been under and that he was still under. It took some time, not too long at all, and the Lord opened my husband’s eyes to the truth of Scripture.  

We left the Roman Catholic Church.  

We threw out our rosaries and our Roman Catholic literature.

We were both born again.

Clear witnessing bears fruit.

Just a little note to end this post.  After I was born againI I became aware that there was another woman in my office who was also born again. Not the one who told me to get a Bible, but someone else. She was a nice lady and someone I knew and spoke with. I asked her why she never witnessed to me. I wasn’t angry with her or anything like that, I was just curious. She said I did tell you, I told you to pray to God. I’m sure she meant well, but it certainly was not a clear witness. Clarity is the word of the hour. Clarity.  

1 Corinthians 14:8 For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound who shall prepare himself to the battle?

MY TESTIMONY – Part 1

MY TESTIMONY – Part 2

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS

I was a Roman Catholic for almost forty years. I wrote the following as a Bible tract in the 1990’s, after I was born again. It was written for the purpose of encouraging Christians to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with Roman Catholics within their sphere of influence, and to pray for their salvation.

Behind Closed Doors

We are living in a day of ecumenism when the professing church is promoting an unbiblical unity, a unity which can only be achieved by compromising the truth of God’s Word. Many high profile evangelical leaders and pastors promote Roman Catholicism as just another Christian denomination. Nothing could be further from the truth. Roman Catholicism preaches another gospel, a gospel of works, that is not found in the Bible. It preaches a gospel that cannot save, a false gospel that according to the Bible is leading multitudes to an eternal hell. Often such a statement will be perceived as unloving, but in fact just the opposite is true. I have often wanted to take ecumenical leaders and pastors behind closed doors into the homes and nursing homes of the many precious Roman Catholic people that I know, so that they could see for themselves the true condition of these lost souls.

I know of many people, a good number of them who are elderly and in the final years of their lives, that are still trusting in Mary, the sacraments, miraculous medals, scapulars, and their own merits for salvation. They also believe in a place called purgatory that is nowhere to be found in the bible. I also know of those who are beginning this soul damning cycle afresh, indoctrinating their little ones by having them baptized as infants. They are deceived into believing that baptism is the means of the new birth (regeneration), not knowing that the Bible teaches otherwise.

This unbiblical unity is being promoted by many Christian organizations and individuals who align themselves with the Roman Catholic Church in evangelistic work and political causes. Many Christians are succumbing to the intense pressure within the professing church of our day to consider Roman Catholics as brethren in Christ. As this becomes more prevalent, fewer Roman Catholics will be evangelized.

The Jesus of the Roman Catholic Church is another Jesus, not the Jesus proclaimed in God’s Word. It is only when you look past the surface and delve deeper into Roman Catholic teaching that you will be able to discern the truth. I encourage you to do this.

The Roman Catholic false gospel of works is rooted in paganism and very real occult practices. Mary is the primary mediator for the Roman Catholic. The truth is that if someone is praying to Mary it is a clear indication that they are not born again, and that they are in desperate need of salvation. Praying to Mary (praying the rosary) is an occult practice. It is idolatry and rebellion against God’s Word. It is witchcraft and it will damn the souls of those who do not repent. (1 Timothy 2:5, Deuteronomy 18:10-12, 1 Samuel 15:23)

I would be negligent if I ended this tract without speaking of “Mother Teresa”. I have heard many pastors and evangelists praise Mother Teresa and speak of her as if she were a true believer.

The following is a quote by Billy Graham:

“When Mother Teresa died the only thing she owned was her rosary beads and the simple clothing that she wore. But one writer said of her she took a vow of poverty and became fabulously wealthy in the ways that really matter. She’s wealthy in the next world.” (Billy Graham San Francisco Bay Area Crusade, Excerpt from December 1997 televised broadcast, Speaker: Billy Graham, Topic: The Value of a Soul)

This propagates the false belief that Rome preaches the true gospel and that Roman Catholics are saved.

The following is a quote by Mother Teresa:

“If coming face to face with God we accept Him in our lives, then we … become a better Hindu, a better Muslim, a better Catholic, a better whatever we are … What God is in your mind you must accept.” (Desmond Doig, Mother Teresa: Her People and Her Work, Harper & Row, 1976, p. 156)

There is no question in a true Christian’s heart that, according to God’s Word (John 14:6, Acts 4:12), Hindus and Muslims need to put their faith in Jesus Christ alone in order to be saved. There is also no doubt that they must forsake their former affiliations and various forms of idolatry. Without exception the same is absolutely true for a Roman Catholic. If a Roman Catholic becomes born again and receives the Holy Spirit, they would be disobeying God’s Word by staying in and supporting an organization that preaches a false gospel.

My prayer is that you would join me in clearly sounding the trumpet by speaking the truth in love to those who desperately need to hear it.

For if the trumpet give an uncertain sound, who shall prepare himself to the battle? (1 Corinthians 14:8)

But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him. (2 Corinthians 11:3,4)

But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:8,9)

In closing I want to say that whatever your calling is in the Body of Christ I pray that you would take what is written in this tract to heart, and speak out at a time when it is not popular to do so. Those who have done so have reaped a harvest of souls for the Kingdom of God. I encourage you to do this especially if you are a pastor, evangelist, or in any position of leadership and have the God given opportunity to reach many. Speak not only to the Catholic people who are lost and need to hear the true gospel, but speak also on their behalf, speak for them who cannot speak for themselves. Tell your congregation that Roman Catholics need to be evangelized, and then teach them how to evangelize the Roman Catholics. Silence at a time such as this permits evil to flourish and precious souls to be lost forever. May the Lord bless and encourage you as you labor in His vineyard and “earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.” (Jude 1:3)

Open thy mouth for the dumb in the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction. Open thy mouth, judge righteously, and plead the cause of the poor and needy. (Proverbs 31:8,9)

Son of man, I have made thee a watchman unto the house of Israel: therefore hear the word at my mouth, and give them warning from me. When I say unto the wicked, Thou shalt surely die; and thou givest him not warning, nor speakest to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life; the same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood will I require at thine hand. (Ezekiel 3:17-18)