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The way forward for Ecclesiastical Unity
By
Apostle Dr. Genesis A. Dawuda DD, KSA
Administrator, Centre For World Rebirth, Jos Plateau State, Nigeria
© Copyright 2010
Centre For World Rebirth
Jos, Plateau State
Nigeria
Table of Contents
Preface
Chapter One: Ecumenism? 6
Chapter Two: Leadership Challenges 12
Chapter Three: Mission of Selected Organisations 16
Chapter Four: Local Ecumenical Challenges 21
Chapter Five: International Ecumenical Challenges 24
Chapter Six: Proposals of the possible solutions to Ecumenical Challenges 29
Chapter Seven: Facts of History 33
Chapter Eight: Reform proposal for the Roman Catholic rite 34
Chapter Nine: Seven Objections Against the Roman Catholic Church 38
Chapter Ten: Some Good and Bad Popes in history 45
Chapter Eleven: Prophecies 47
Chapter Twelve: The Freemason 49
Chapter Thirteen: How to identify Dangerous Religious Groups 55
Chapter Fourteen: Pictures, Pictures and Pictures 58
Chapter Fifteen: Media interview by Word of life Newspaper on Ecumenism 60
Chapter Sixteen: Efforts made towards the Unity of the Church 62
Preface
The Challenges against Christ and His Church has been around since the Church’s birth and throughout its growth. This work is not enough to address the issue of Ecumenism in promoting the division in the Universal Church of Christ. This is just an attempt as there are serious issues bedeviling her existence. No wonder he said that “the gates of hell shall not prevail against the growth of His bride (the Church). But His Bride is seriously suffering in the hands of both charlatans and demonized religions and individuals.
This is happening both internally and externally. To claim I’m addressing issue is to deal with all the following texts below in which yours sincerely cannot treat extensively; at least not now, neither tomorrow but properly sponsored in the distant future.
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"Now I beseech you...that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment." Paul, 1 Corinthians 1:10, The Christian Scriptures (New Testament), KJV. |
Divisions within Christianity:
In its earliest years, the Christian religion was divided into three major religious movements: the Gnostics, Jewish Christians, and Pauline Christians. There were also many minor versions of Christianity. Often, there would be many competing forms of the religion in a given city -- much like today. The Gnostic Christians almost disappeared, but is experiencing a period of rapid growth today. The Jewish Christians -- the original form of the religion -- were largely wiped out by the Roman Army and eventually disappeared from the scene. Almost all current Christian groups trace their lineage back to the Pauline Christian movement.
Today, there are many ways of classifying the over 1,000 Christian faith groups around the world:
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By denomination |
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Into three or four meta-groups (e.g. Roman Catholic, Orthodox,
Protestant, Anglican), |
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By theological belief system (Calvinism, Arminianism, etc.) |
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By religious family,
(Baptist, Lutheran, Pentecostal, etc.), and |
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By "wing." The conservative, mainline, and liberal wings of Protestantism are described below. |
Divided Christianity:
According to David Barrett et al, editors of the "World Christian Encyclopedia: A comparative survey of churches and religions - AD 30 to 2200," there are 34,000 separate Christian groups in the world today. "Over half of them are independent churches that are not interested in linking with the big denominations."
Differences among Christian faith groups are so great that some observers have suggested that a useful way of classifying Christian groups is to view them as a number of separate religions with different beliefs and practices, who share:
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The name "Christianity,"
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The text of the Bible, and
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Not a great deal else.
They often take various conflicting positions on such topics as abortion, homosexuality, physician assisted suicide, therapeutic cloning, disciplining children, divorce, etc. They have very different beliefs on historical Christian teachings, such as the virgin birth, the atonement, the resurrection, Heaven, Hell, salvation, Satan, demons, etc.
This section describes how people have attempted to classify individual Protestant Christians and Protestant Christian denominations into liberal and conservative -- or liberal, mainline and conservative -- wings. It also describes some of the conflicts both within and among Protestant denominations. These divisions and conflicts are largely traceable to different methods of interpreting the Bible. Ranging from the most conservative to the most liberal Christians we see the following three belief systems:
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The Bible is the actual Word of God.
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The Bible contains the Word of God.
However, it also contains material that we must reject
because it has always been opposed to the will of God. This
includes passages which condone slavery; exhibit religious
intolerance; involve the torturing prisoners; treat women as
property; require the execution of non-virgin brides,
witches and gays; and which advocate genocide, sexism,
racism, homophobia, xenophobia, etc. |
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The Bible is a wide-ranging human document.
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With such different approaches to the Bible it is extremely rare that conservative and liberal Christians will agree on anything about its message. By starting with such diverse beliefs about the Bible, conservative and liberal Protestants come to totally different conclusions about its contents. As far as the North is from the South, the east from the west and the lightening-bug is from lightening. So are differences in the beliefs of Christians all over the world.
Chapter One
Ecumenism
“A leader who is willing to step out in faith may step out alone, but he will soon have followers. Together they will change lives. Many have changed the course of history.”-Anon
“A person who doesn’t have to survive chooses to make the right decision even if it’s not a popular one.”-Anon
“God gives selfless people spiritual power. That’s what makes the difference.”- Anon
“ That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.”- John 17:21 KJV
“The concern for restoring unity involves the whole Church, faithful and clergy alike. It extends to everyone, according to the talent of each…” (Decree on Ecumenism Unitatis Redintegratio, n. 5, Second Vatican Council)
“ A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth. He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers; Frowardness is on his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord. Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.” Proverbs 6:12-15 KJV
“These six things doth the Lord hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, an heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, a false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.” Proverbs 6:16-19
“ Eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.” (Eph. 4:3)
Definition:
ecu·men
ist n.
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
ecumenism [ɪˈkjuːməˌnɪzəm ˈɛkjʊm-], ecumenicism [ˌiːkjʊˈmɛnɪˌsɪzəm ˌɛk-], ecumenicalismn(Christianity / Ecclesiastical Terms) the aim of unity among all Christian churches throughout the worldCollins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003
Ecumenism, Oecumenisma movement within Christianity toward the recovery of unity among all Christians. — Ecumenicist, n.See also: Christianity
the doctrines and practices of the ecumenical movement, especially among Protestant groups since the 1800s, aimed at developing worldwide Christian unity and church union. Also ecumenicalism, ecumenicism.See also: Protestantism-Ologies & -Isms. Copyright 2008 The Gale Group, Inc. All rights reserved.
more here: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ecumenism ; http://www.yourdictionary.com/ecumenism
Ecumenism (also ëcumenism, oecumenism, œcumenism, or even eucumenism) now mainly refers to initiatives aimed at greater religious unity or cooperation.
In its broadest sense, this unity or cooperation may refer to a worldwide religious unity; by the advocation of a greater sense of shared spirituality across the three Abrahamic faiths of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Most commonly, however, ecumenism is used in a more narrow meaning; referring to a greater cooperation among different religious denominations of a single one of these faiths.
The word is derived from Greek οἰκουμένη (oikoumene), which means "the inhabited world", and was historically used with specific reference to the Roman Empire. Today, the word is used predominantly by and with reference to Christian denominations and Christian Churches separated by doctrine, history, and practice. Within this particular context, the term ecumenism refers to the idea of a Christian unity in the literal meaning: that there should be a single Christian Church. more: http://religion.wikia.com/wiki/Ecumenism
The goal of ecumenism is not to create a unity that does not exist, but to bring to fulfillment the very real unity that is already there between Catholics and non-Catholics who are brothers and sisters in Christ. - Father Neuhaus more: http://www.extremeecumenism.org/
According to http://religion.wikia.com/wiki/Ecumenism Christian ecumenism, in the narrower sense referred to above, is the promotion of unity or cooperation between distinct religious groups or denominations of Christianity. Christian ecumenism is distinguished from interfaith pluralism. Ecumenism in this broad sense is called religious pluralism, distinguished from ecumenism within a faith movement. The interfaith movement strives for greater mutual respect, toleration, and co-operation among the world religions. Ecumenism as interfaith dialogue between representatives of diverse faiths, does not necessarily intend reconciling their adherents into full, organic unity with one another but simply to promote better relations. It promotes toleration, mutual respect and cooperation, whether among Christian denominations, or between Christianity and other faiths.
while http://www.ianpaisley.org/article.asp?bible17.htm answering the question, "What is Ecumenism?" said, The term 'Ecumenism' comes from a Greek word meaning 'the inhabited earth'. The word occurs in the New Testament in Luke 2:1, where it is translated as 'all the world'. In the 20th century in the non-Roman Catholic world it is used of a movement for Church unity which resulted from the Edinburgh Missionary Conference of 1910 and which has now evolved through the Faith and Order, Life and Work, and International Missionary Council movements into the World Council of Churches (WCC) - the term 'Christian' being rightly excluded from the title. In the Roman Catholic world it is used for a parallel movement aiming at the eventual inclusion of all other churches and religions in the Church of Rome and is headed in that department of the Vatican known as the Secretariat for Promoting Christian Unity.
His Holiness Pope John Paul II:
“The commitment to ecumenism is of primary importance for the Christian. [...] Jesus prayed at the Last Supper for the unity of his Disciples, with heartfelt intensity: 'as you, Father are in me, and I in you, I pray that they may be [one] in us, that the world may believe that you sent me' (Jn 17:21)”Father John Meyendorff, Orthodox intellectual and former Dean of St. Vladimir's Theological Seminary (1926-1992):
"Why then participate [in ecumenism]? The answer to this question is simple: the mission of the Church requires it. As Orthodox we have no right to ignore the world around us; this world requires our presence and our voice wherever it can be heard, precisely because our message is unique and because the Church is the guardian of a universal Truth.”Dietrich Bonhoeffoer (1906-1945):
“Who will call us to peace so that the world will hear, will have to hear, so that all peoples may rejoice...? Only the one great ecumenical council of the holy church of Christ over all the world can speak out so that the world, though it gnash its, teeth, will have to hear...”
“We can hardly expect to affect the world while Christians are so fragmented, so divided. In our disunity we really have nothing to say to the world and it is for this reason the church lives in weakness and is held in contempt by society. Therefore, above all other things our need is to unite. There is power in numbers and if we can get enough Christians together we can influence society as the church was intended to do.” – Pastor Ray C. Stedman, Body Life
“To carry out anything lawful that shall promote the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ and its unity.” – Article 3(h) of the Constitution of the United Fellowship of Christ Ministries,(A Messianic Jewish Ministry) USA
“Having all faith in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord, Christ Jesus; that there is but one true Church in the Body of Christ of which the Lord Jesus is the head; that we, His servant, fit jointly together for the service of His continuing ministry. That His true Church is without divisions of any kind.” – Statement of Faith of the United Fellowship of Christ Ministries, New Jersey USA
“The restoration of unity among all Christians is one of the principal concerns of the Second Vatican Council. Christ the Lord founded one Church and one Church only. However, many Christian communions present themselves to men as the true inheritors of Jesus Christ; all indeed profess to be the followers of the Lord but they differ in mind and go their different ways, as if Christ himself were divided. Certainly, such division openly contradicts the will of Christ, scandalizes the world, and damages that most holy cause, the preaching of the Gospel to every creature.”
- Vatican Council 11, Decree on Ecumenism (Unitatis Redintegratio, 21 November, 1964) page 452
Added to this statement is what Ray C. Stedman had to say on the Unity of the Church; “It is extremely important that Christians stop quarreling, bickering, struggling against one another, and feeling strong resentment and hate. A Church where these attitudes exist is a totally ineffective body in its community. A Church that has this kind of activity going on can say nothing to which the world will pay any attention.”
The unity of the church cannot be overemphasized rather the time has reached for us to face it squarely.
The Word Ecumenism simply means “Universal”. That which concerns itself with the Whole Christian World or universal Church. And any such effort seeking to restore the unity of the Christian Churches worldwide.
On a lighter mood, Ray C. Stedman wrote that; “Certain men have become so devoted to this ideal that they have been labeled ‘ecu-meniacs,’ while others disdainfully suggest that the problem with the church is that it is passing through its ‘ecu-menopause.’ Then I wonder when we will reach an ‘ecu-meniscus’ in order to measure the level of achievement we have made so far in our ecumenical pursuit.
The Creeds:
Apostle’s Creed
I believe
In God the Father Almighty
Maker of heaven and earth:
And in Jesus Christ, His only Son, our Lord,
Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost,
Born of the Virgin Mary,
Suffered under Pontius Pilate,
Was crucified, dead and buried,
He descended into hell;
The third day He rose again from the dead,
He ascended into heaven, and
Sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty;
From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead.
I believe
In the Holy Ghost;
The Holy Catholic Church;
The forgiveness of sins;
The Resurrection of the body, and
The life everlasting. Amen
The Nicene Creed
We believe
In one God, the Father, the Almighty Creator of heaven and earth and of all that is seen and unseen; and
In one Lord Jesus Christ the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father: God from God, Light from Light, True God from True God. Begotten, not made, one in being with the Father, through Him all things were made. For us and for our salvation, He came down from heaven and, by the power of the Holy Spirit He was born of the Virgin Mary and became man. For our sake, He was crucified under Pontius Pilate, he suffered, died, and was buried. On the third day He rose again, in fulfillment of the Scriptures. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He shall come again in glory to judge the living and the dead and His Kingdom shall have no end.
We believe
In the Holy Spirit, the Lord the Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father. With the Father and the Son He is Worshipped and glorified; He has spoken through the prophets.
We believe
In one Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church, we acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins, and we look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come. Amen.
The Reformed Faith
One God in Trinity: There is only one God. This God, however includes the Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, each of which has his own area of concentration.
Creation: God has created the entire universe and DECLARED BOTH PHYSICAL AND SPIRITUAL AS GOOD. Therefore, we accept both physical and spiritual as having equal value in His eyes. It is important to work in the world as it is in the church.
Salvation by Grace: The only way we can we can be saved by Christ is by His undeserved grace. Because we are all dead in sin, we are unable to lift up ourselves. Thus the initiative has to come from God and that is called ELECTION. No amount of human effort can lead to or cause our salvation. Nevertheless, this salvation comes to us through our faith, which is a gift from God and ENABLES us to do good works. This salvation and its resultant Christian life begin in this world and continue into everlasting life.
God’s Covenant Promise: God is free and cannot be bound. However, he has voluntarily bound Himself to us by a promise of faithfulness in His care for us. He is therefore not arbitrary. We can count on Him to keep His Promises to us in life and death. We can thus be sure of our salvation. Our own part on that covenant is to obey and follow Him without fear that He will forsake us.
One Kingdom and Lord: In distinction from other Christian traditions, the Reform faith testifies that there is only one kingdom of God that includes all of the creation, the Physical and the spiritual, heaven and earth. The church plays a central part in that Kingdom, but it is not the whole. This Kingdom is created and preserved mainly by God the Father, but at this stage of history, Jesus Christ, the Son, has been appointed Lord over this entire Kingdom. Thus His Lordship covers all life, including politics and business. The Holy Spirit gives us power to obey Him in all we do and to overcome opposition.
Revelation: God reveals Himself in three major ways: In nature, in the Bible and in Jesus Christ. Each of these is the word of God. Nature proclaims His power, and love. But because our ability to reason properly has been undermined by sin, we need the Bible to understand nature. The Bible explains to us the meaning of creation and the entire scheme of salvation, including the role of Jesus Christ. It is trustworthy, reliable and dependable in what it tells us of God and His world. We listen not only to the Bible but also nature, which includes human history and experience.
Our Task (Cultural Mandate): We have the CULTURAL MANDATE in Genesis 1, which instructs us to develop and rule the world as God’s deputy governors. Thus Christians must participate in all areas of life in the name of God. That is our basic RELIGIOUS duty. Because unbelievers cannot properly carry out this task, we also have the GREAT COMMISSION of Matthew 28, which sends us into the world to preach the Gospel and to teach our neighbors all that we are taught in God’s word. Thus these two commandments have common aim. Both are to be carried out in the context of the GREAT COMMANDMENT, which is love for God and neighbor. In our present day, important aspects of this basic task include strong concern for evangelism, honesty, healing, and peace, justice for all and the environment.
Our Christian Hope: We share with all mainline churches the hope of the return (the new heaven and the new earth), and through the resurrection, everlasting life. In the meantime, we witness to the same world of the love, peace and justice that is promised us in the new creation.
Priesthood of all Believers: While some churches have developed many ranks and titles almost army style, the Reformed have rejected this approach. They have seen that in the long run, rank and title have led to abuse of power in the church. Instead of responsibility, lust for privilege took over. Hence, there are no different ranks for the Pastors: all are equal. And the Pastors are under the supervision of the local elders, who are expected to be spirit-filled servants of God and His people. In fact, every believer is considered a priest. That is. Every believer has the Spirit of God. The Pastors have no monopoly over His Spirit…
1. Whosoever will be saved, before all
things it is necessary that he hold the catholic faith;
2. Which
faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he
shall perish everlastingly.
3. And the catholic faith is this:
That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity;
4.
Neither confounding the persons nor dividing the substance.
5.
For there is one person of the Father, another of the Son, and
another of the Holy Spirit.
6. But the Godhead of the Father, of
the Son, and of the Holy Spirit is all one, the glory equal, the
majesty coeternal.
7. Such as the Father is, such is the Son,
and such is the Holy Spirit.
8. The Father uncreated, the Son
uncreated, and the Holy Spirit uncreated.
9. The Father
incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the Holy Spirit
incomprehensible.
10. The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and
the Holy Spirit eternal.
11. And yet they are not three eternals
but one eternal.
12. As also there are not three uncreated nor
three incomprehensible, but one uncreated and one incomprehensible.
13. So likewise the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, and
the Holy Spirit almighty.
14. And yet they are not three
almightiest, but one almighty.
15. So the Father is God, the Son
is God, and the Holy Spirit is God;
16. And yet they are not
three Gods, but one God.
17. So likewise the Father is Lord, the
Son Lord, and the Holy Spirit Lord;
18. And yet they are not
three Lords but one Lord.
19. For like as we are compelled by
the Christian verity to acknowledge every Person by himself to be
God and Lord;
20. So are we forbidden by the catholic religion
to say; There are three Gods or three Lords.
21. The Father is
made of none, neither created nor begotten.
22. The Son is of
the Father alone; not made nor created, but begotten.
23. The
Holy Spirit is of the Father and of the Son; neither made, nor
created, nor begotten, but proceeding.
24. So there is one
Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Spirit,
not three Holy Spirits.
25. And in this Trinity none is afore or
after another; none is greater or less than another.
26. But the
whole three persons are coeternal, and coequal.
27. So that in
all things, as aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in
Unity is to be worshipped.
28. He therefore that will be saved
must thus think of the Trinity.
29. Furthermore it is necessary
to everlasting salvation that he also believe rightly the
incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
30. For the right faith is
that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of
God, is God and man.
31. God of the substance of the Father,
begotten before the worlds; and man of substance of His mother, born
in the world.
32. Perfect God and perfect man, of a reasonable
soul and human flesh subsisting.
33. Equal to the Father as
touching His Godhead, and inferior to the Father as touching His
manhood.
34. Who, although He is God and man, yet He is not two,
but one Christ.
35. One, not by conversion of the Godhead into
flesh, but by taking of that manhood into God.
36. One
altogether, not by confusion of substance, but by unity of person.
37. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man, so God and
man is one Christ;
38. Who suffered for our salvation, descended
into hell, rose again the third day from the dead;
39. He
ascended into heaven, He sits on the right hand of the Father, God,
Almighty;
40. From thence He shall come to judge the quick and
the dead.
41. At whose coming all men shall rise again with
their bodies;
42. And shall give account of their own works.
43. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting and
they that have done evil into everlasting fire.
44. This is the
catholic faith, which except a man believe faithfully he cannot be
saved.
Chapter Two
Leadership Challenges
We have to recognize the problems that the Church faces from the World and non-Christians both locally and internationally, in order to foster unity among the Churches. Such problems like Leadership issues in relation to the Doctrine of Apostolic Succession, Who is supposed to be the legitimate head of such an ecumenical movement?, what really brings in the issues of denomination into the Church of Christ that had no denominational clichés in the first century? What really led the Church into the Laodicean age of materialism & carnality? Curbing the problems of dooms-day cults like that of Jim Jones(the Guyana Tragedy), hunger & poverty, Lack of reforming capability of the Church has led to a great societal decay.
If heresy connotes a doctrine or opinion that is contrary to the fundamental doctrines or creed of any particular church; an error of opinion respecting some fundamental doctrine of religion; an opinion or doctrine tending to create division ; an unsound and untenable doctrine of any kind.” Hence, a heretic is one whose errors are doctrinal, and usually of malignant character, tending to subvert the true faith.” Among such ancient heresiarchs are the Ebionites, the Cerinthians, The Arians, The Gnotics, The Appollinarians, The Nestorians, and The Eutychians; while in recent years we have, the Freemasons, the Spiritism, New Age, Jehovah’s witnesses, Theosophy, Christadelphians, Christian Science, Unitarianism, Mormonism, Theosophy, Unity school of Christianity, Catholicism?, Islam, any kind of organization that refuses to subscribe to the First Seven Ecumenical Councils of the undivided Church.
Will it surprise you to find out that an atheist in the person of David Humes commented that, “In the lives of most people, religious principles are perverted by those who seek wealth and power, instilling terror as the primary principle of religion?” Rather it should make the Church to know that the world is watching her. It was the same Philosopher David Humes who stated that, “The proper office of religion is to reform Men’s lives, to purify their hearts, to inforce all moral duties, to secure Obedience to the Laws & Civil Magistrate. While it pursues these purposes, its Operations, though infinitely valuable, are secret and silent; and seldom come under the Cognizance of History. That adulterate Species of it alone, which inflames Faction, animates Sedition, & prompts Rebellion, distinguishes itself on the open Theatre of the World.” Prior to this there had been a statement close to this one; “For the ‘proper office of religion is to regulate the heart of men, humanize their conduct, infuse the spirit of temperance, order, and obedience; and as its operation is silent and only enforces the motive of morality and justice, it is in danger of being overlooked and confounded with these other motives.’ True religion is an attitude to God which ought to lead to an attitude to man, a guide to action; and it functions only as it guides. When it is seen as a separate principle, institutionalized and propagated by forms, ‘ it has departed from its proper sphere and has become only a cover to faction and ambition.” I may not agree with all the ideologies of the American Poet, Ella Wheeler Wilcox, but he made a point here when he wrote that “there are so many gods, so many creeds; so many paths that wind and wind; when the art of being kind; is all this sad world needs.” Philo also declares that, “ it is certain, from experience, that the smallest grain of natural honesty and benevolence has more effect on men’s conduct than the most pompous views suggested by theological theories and systems.” Humes further said, “ ‘true’ religion did not operate on the “open theatre of the world,” was not the contestant for party or faction, was not the enforcer of superstition. Proper religion supported silently the benevolent intentions of men. It operated privately adding to the innate moral tendencies of individuals, it is not the foundation of, but rather the complement to benevolence.”
Such philosophical thoughts should make us think inwards and consider what the world out there thinks about us. This same man had in the past been an admirer of George Whitefield, one of the greatest revivalist in history, David Humes usually hurries himself to attend Whitefield’s crusades in order to catch precious words from him and learn more of what this Man of God stands for in his philosophy of life, he weighed Whitefield’s Morals with what He stands for as a Philosopher of Morals. The story is told that one day David Hume is seen hurrying up along a street and was asked by a friend where he was going. ‘To hear Whitefield’ came the unexpected reply. His friend was startled. ‘Surely you don’t believe what Whitefield is preaching, do you?’ ‘No,’ replied Hume, ‘but Whitefield does’.
So you may be someone’s research material whether knowingly or stealthily.
- Disillusionments also include situations where fellow clerics scandalize the name of their colleagues by calling them bastards because they have not been brought under Apostolic Succession; I wonder why a cleric will call a brother that have been purchased and covered by the precious blood of Jesus Christ, who is also born-again of Spirit and water a BASTARD? We call God Abba Father through the Spirit of adoption. Was John the Baptist under any line of Apostolic Succession? Or was Moses, Elijah, Ezra, Daniel, Ezekiel, Apollos, under any of such doctrine of succession? Some even call their fall-out colleagues FAKE all because of titles and applause; such applause that one is not really sure of getting from God on that GREAT judgment day. Others are called spiritual harlots because they become dissatisfied with leadership, Jezebels because they confront the statusquo, 419 because they are not as privileged as the person, Anti-Christ because their success is overwhelming, Fraudsters because they can’t explain how God is using the person. All because they chose to abide by certain codes of ethics different from theirs, but then only God can Judge perfectly the deeds of every human being on earth, be it a Christian or a non-Christian. In some quarters loyalty has turned into sycophancy. Hero-worship has taken over the place of servant-leader concept of leadership. Divorce by ministers no matter how bitter/terrible the case may be, has brought scandal to the Church of Jesus Christ to the extent that both the Church members and the minister’s children in many quarters are estranged, with each other suffering because of the deeds/intolerance of just two people.
Now that the Patriarch of Yeshua International and the Archbishop of all of England, Cardinal Peter R. Edwards has fallen out with the Primate of Yeshua Embassy Network of Churches, USA, Archbishop Ambrose Joseph Milner; who has also fallen out with the Primate of Keys to the Kingdom Covenant Communion USA, Archbishop Kenneth Duane Grimble and one is not in the proper picture of those that have left the ICU(Independent Catholic Union) in good faith, one keeps wondering whether these people really knew what was on Christ’s mind when He prayed for the Church in John 17:21. Archbishop Peter Edward’s attitude of addressing Archbishop Ambrose Milner as a Bishop and not with his full titles leaves room for many questions that would need urgent answers.
Yeshua Embassy Network of Churches is no small ministry but you see all these scandals has seriously reduced her presence as an ecumenical body in all the Continents where she was once in full control. But the United Fellowship of Christ Ministries had never caused such an international scandal to the point of the members leaving for good or should I say for bad?
Something has to be done against all these miscreants that have been severing the Corporate Body of Christ while we have been making serious efforts to Unite the different rites.
Unity should be built around the following basic beliefs written to the Church at Ephesus by the Apostle Paul;
“There is one body, and one Spirit, just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all, who is above all and through all and in all.” Eph. 4:4-6
Let me end my little article with a message from Second Vatican Council;
“While preserving unity in essentials, let everyone in the Church, according to the office entrusted to him, preserve a proper freedom in the various forms of spiritual life and discipline, in the variety of liturgical rites, and even in the theological elaborations of revealed truth. In all things let charity prevail. If they are true to this course of action, they will be giving ever richer expression to the authentic catholicity and apostolicity of the Church.”
- Second Vatican Council,
If you have forgotten all that I have been trying to say to you and your congregation; the Scriptural verses below will help you not to forget anything I have said at all:
“The servant who knows what his master wants him to do but does not get himself ready and do it will be punished with a heavy whipping, but the servant who does not know what his master wants and yet does something for which he deserves a whipping will be punished with a light whipping. Much is required from a person to whom much is given, much more is required from a person to whom much more is given.” Luke 12:47,48 GNB
If we don’t want to heed the Holy call for a Unified Corporate Christ on earth, definitely when the favor gets back to the Jews they will by virtue of their population pool a unifying force that will fulfill all this effort with ease. This calls for us to tremble and fear Him who graffed us in; that He can also bring them back.
“Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not high-minded, but fear: For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou shalt also be cut off. And they also, if they abide not still in unbelief, shall be graffed in: for God is able to graff them in again. For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural branches, be graffed into their own olive tree? For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in.” Romans 11:20-25 KJV, According to Gary Larrabee on the presence of Israel in diaspora, “These people are here on Earth and make up about 25% of the world population.” The MacTavish family(also known as Mactamhais or the Dunadees, or the highland Scots) are believed to be part of the tribe of Israel, they have a presence in Australia, Canada, America and Europe, they trace they Christian heritage to the 4th century AD and are making effort to restore the Christian Kingdom in the Christian Quarter of Jerusalem. Since these people are making such frantic effort as a Tribe, woe unto us if we don’t unite to form a united body that will restore the dignity of the Corporate Christ.
Now that you know the need to unite, if you refuse to make any effort on your part you will attract HEAVY whipping to yourself and those loyal to you.
Till we meet at the TOP!!!! Peace be unto you.
Chapter Three
Mission of some selection Organisations
Statement of Faith of the United Fellowship of Christ Ministries endorsed by the Centre For World Rebirth as Truths of the Faith in Christ Jesus
1. Having all Faith that the Holy Bible (original autographs) is divinely inspired, the only infallible, final and authoritative Word of God. That the cannon of Scripture is a sealed and completed work from God.
2. Having all Faith that there is one God, eternal existent in three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. That these three comprise the Godhead of all authority and power for all time.
3. Having all Faith in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, in His virgin birth, in His sinless life, in His miracles, in His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, in His bodily resurrection, in His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory. Salvation is given to all those who believe and receive Him; that Christ Jesus provides the only pathway to God.
4. Having full understanding that Satan is controlling and takes dominion over the present world and that those outside of the Faith in Christ are led of this sinful spirit and are powerless against this leading. That they are led in captive bondage and kept blinded to the truth of Christ Jesus.
5. Having all Faith in the great commission that we are to reach the entire world with the message of the Gospel of our Lord. That all should hear His message and make their choice, having full knowledge in the truth of the Lord.
6. Having all Faith in the divinely given Baptism of the Holy Spirit with an evidence of speaking in an unknown tongues as recorded in Acts of the Apostles, as well as the ceremonial baptism in water for public professing of our devotion and faith in Christ Jesus.
7. Having all Faith that for the salvation of lost and sinful people, regeneration by the Holy Spirit is absolutely essential to reach the fullness of Christ Jesus with a purity of the heart. That this fact will be made evident by the outward appearance of the fruits of the Spirit in Love.
8. Having all Faith in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life. Whose divine power is with us today providing individual gifts which operate in His will through those He selects, who have received Him.
9. Having all Faith in the gifts of Ministry (Apostles, Prophets, Pastors, Teaches, Evangelists) divinely given to expand, develop and grow the Kingdom ministries. That God has set FIRST in the Church Apostles, NOT Cardinals, nor Bishops, neither Popes for the effective Founding and Structuring of His Church on earth, with the seal of His presence displayed through extra-ordinary signs and wonders. That there is no such Biblical Titles as Cardinal, Pope, Rev. Father, Most Reverend, Archbishop and Monsignor but are Titles identifying in man’s world that such ones are divine vessels of God recognized by the civic society. As such titles are ecclesial endorsements and should not in anyway deny Apostles of their Holy Place in effecting their office in the Body of Christ and in the earth.
10. Having all Faith in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto the resurrection of life eternal in Christ Jesus and they that are lost unto the resurrection in Christ Jesus and receive the final judgment unto eternal damnation in total and permanent separation from God.
11. Having all faith in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord, Christ Jesus; that there is but one true Church in the Body of Christ of which the Lord Jesus is the head; that we, His servant, fit jointly together for the service of His continuing ministry. That His true Church is without divisions of any kind. We declare our belief in the normative decrees of the Seven Ecumenical Councils of the undivided Church: The Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, Constantinople in 381 AD, Ephesus in 431 AD, Chalcedon in 451 AD, Constantinople 11 in 553 AD, Constantinople 111 in 680 AD and Nicaea 11 in 787 AD. It is Scandalous to cause a schism in His Universal Church of any kind.
12. Having all Faith that only God can ordain anyone for His ministry!!! Man can only give recognition of this calling by Licensure. No man-created religion has the ability to CREATE a minister. Christian Organizations can only grant license for ministry. The Anointing for Ministry comes not from man but from GOD. Men can perform no ceremony that will impart this Anointing. Many Organized Religions will try to dispute these facts, however the Truth is clearly evidenced in the Holy Bible.
13. Having all Faith in the sacraments of Baptism and Eucharist (The Lord’s Supper) otherwise known as Holy Communion, or Divine Liturgy. As instituted by Christ; who is Himself certainly and really present in His own ordinances (though not in the elements thereof as subscribed by the Roman Catholic Church), and are signs and seals of His Gospel not to be separated therefrom. They confirm the promises and gifts of salvation and, when rightly used by believers with faith and prayer are, through the operation of the Holy Spirit, true means of grace. It is the central focus of our Church Service. The Eucharist should be offered as often as possible to all baptized Christians who are, or believe themselves to so to be, a part of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church, and shall not be turned away from the Love of Christ for reasons of race, religion, creed, national origin or sexual orientation. It is a hope and expectation that those who do partake of the Sacrament of the Eucharist, do so after confessing their sin to Almighty God and renounce and repent from their sin.
14. Having all Faith in all that the City-Church stands for, in bringing the Church to its full Maturity in this Age. That the Century One Church was a seed form of what God is doing in this end-time to bring His Church to Maturity. Regardless of how glorious it will be in this end-time it’s still the body of Christ.
15. Having all Faith that God in His appointed time will allow and return the favor back to the Jews (Messianic Jews) to rebuild their Temple according to the pattern recorded in Ezekiel 40-48. That when this happens it will knock off certain theology and ecclesial theology we had held so dogmatically in the past. That it will take a prophet to effect this teaching and Angel Michael and Gabriel who will appear in such a time as the Mighty Prince of Israel to help the Israelites. Daniel 12:1
16. Having all Faith that before the world comes to an end Daniel 2:44 must be fulfilled and the Universal Church will be glorified, Economically, Politically, Spiritually, Socially and Materially; as the stone cut out without hands. That this Ecumenical Church will break in pieces Religions, Nations, Kingdoms and Powers that be in order for God alone to be exalted above the peoples of the earth through the glorification of His Kingdom on earth. The Silver and the Gold are His. That the Vatican does not in any way represent the FULL manifestation of His grand plan for His Kingdom. His Kingdom is all encompassing, it is all-denominational as well as it is non-denominational. When all these begins to happen it is clear sign that the Fulness of the Gentile Church has come.
This Ministry Subscribes to the Code of Canon Law of the Independent Catholic Union, Gurnee, Illinois USA as a guide to our practices in the promotion of Ecumenism. In which canon 5 states that;
The Independent Catholic Union is an Ecumenical (Inter-Communion) Apostolic jurisdiction of the Holy Order of the priesthood that welcomes unity of the Christian ministry that consists of the Anglican Rite, Episcopal or Reformed Episcopal, Lutheran, Celtic Rite, Roman Rite, Liberal Catholic Rite, and Orthodox Rite. We come together as one cause for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. The Union is made up of a unity within an Inter-communion of Lay Ministers, Deacons, Priests, and Bishops that are looking for a place without being judged by their past. We are all Disciples of Christ dedicated as Apostles to preach the Gospel of His Holy Word. We are here to teach what the Bible has given us, the truth of the Living God. This makes the Apostolic Rite. We are the teachers of Christ and follow what was passed down in the Scriptures.
Yeshua Embassy Network of Churches International, USA was a member of the ICU recognized under the Charismatic Catholic Rite.
It is the Mission of Yeshua Embassy Network of Churches International, Ashdale Circle, Newark DE USA to Spread the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ to every part of the entire world, with a need for ministers of the Gospel and Churches to be united in Christ so that we’ll be able to fight satan and his agents to surrender. We wish to encourage Ministers to have a sense of belonging.
· To make your tribe, Church, or Ministry a voice to be heard in your generation, a force that creates impact and a star that cannot be covered but gives light to all.
· To expose you to beautiful opportunities in life and Ministry
· To get you connected to advancement in life and Ministry
· To be involved in God’s Mission of taking the gospel to every tribe, that His righteousness may reign every where among the heathen
· To admit intending missionaries, train and send them to cities, nations or continents wherever the need(to Macedonia calls) or to Churches that demand for it.
· To give international ordination, recognition and international ministerial license to accredited Ministers of the Gospel
· To project Ministers of the Gospel to new heights of attainment in the Christian World.
· To assist you with information and to help you in Church planting wherever our network covers.
And to the Constitution of Yeshua International and the Old Roman Catholic Church in England. Articles 5(ii) and (iii) Which aims to;
“Secure the association of Ministers on the basis of their common Evangelical faith, each Member retaining liberty to fulfill his or her own distinctive Ministry, witness and mission.
To foster their continued fellowship in prayer, worship and work, to co-ordinate their common aims, activities and resources for the evangelization of the people and the extension of Christ’s Kingdom in every sphere of life.”
Mission and the Work of This Generation
According to the Leader of International Branch of the Lion Judah in Spokane, Washington USA, Gary Larrabee, the Following points below make up the mission of this generation.
1. To come into Unity as believers in God And Jesus Christ his Son.
Reveal the difference of being saved and the difference of being a part of the Kingdom of God.
a. To reveal the Truth of God’s Branch
b. To reveal the Truth of the 10 Lost Tribes and the difference of between Judah and Israel.
c. Plumb Line Principal of designated authority.
d. Be submissive and directed by the Holy Spirit through the Biblical principal of the Plumb Line where all spiritual authority is directed from the Head downward throughout the body of Christ. Through a standard to be established the The Lord Jesus Christ will lead all believers individually and fully submitted to, and abiding fully in Christ through total submission.
2. To learn to hear God’s voice.
3. To submit to what God wants to do in each of our lives.
4. To Take upon the Power and the authority of God working through us.
a. To defeat the world system, the Fall of Babylon.
b. The Keys to the Kingdom is the power given to believers to rebuke, to bind and to cast out.
c. When we as the body of Christ become the perfect man described in Ephesians 4:11-13, we will be given the power to take this world from satanic forces and prepare the Kingdom of God for the return of the Lord Jesus Christ.
5. To structure the Plumb Line Principal of designated authority.
6. Establish Jesus Christ as the Head of His Body.
7. To Gather all the weapons of war from every Nation and convert the metal into agriculture equipment.
8. Let Jesus Christ through his Spirit live the life of His Body.
a. The seven eyes upon one stone.
b. The Plumb Line in Priestly Authority and the Plumb Line in Civil Authority.
c. Take hold of the power and use the keys to the Kingdom.
d. In unity bind rebuke and cast out all spiritual forces of evil upon the earth.
e. To evangelize the earth as the Army of God.
9. Manifest this power and authority upon the earth by re-claiming the earth and all that is in it for the Glory of God.
10. Rebuild the Tabernacle of David and all it stands for in rebuilding the Kingdom of Israel.
11. Establish a New World Economic System, to re-place Babylon.
a. Establish new Banking System free of interest charges.
b. Establish the principal of giving to receive rather than lending.
c. Establish a financial base for every living person upon the earth.
12. Establish the Borders to the Land of Israel as described by Ezekiel.
13. Renovate the City of Jerusalem.
14. Establish the boundaries of the Land for each of the 12 Tribes.
15. Let each of the 12 Tribes build their territory in Jerusalem according to each ones boundary.
16. Gather the Silver and the Gold from the nations of the world to Jerusalem for the structure of the Temple of the Messiah.
17. Construct the Temple of God in Jerusalem.
18. To re-develop all the cities of the earth into equal housing and equal prosperity for everyone.
19. To establish agriculture production to where there is no one lacking in the entire world.
20. To establish free energy and sharing principals of all commodities.
21. To do everything under the direction of the Holy Spirit to prepare for the Return of Jesus Christ and for the Kingdom to be handed over to Jesus Christ by Moses one of the two witnesses.
Chapter Four
Local Ecumenical Challenges
Without unity there will be a whole lot of mischief that will continue against the Church as the earthly body of Christ. Since there are the gates of hell fighting against the triumphing efforts of the Church, we must fight in union to see to it that we prevail against all gates of hell that the devil has kept wide open to cause a delay in the fulfillment of our Destiny. One of such gates is the gate of disunity and the materialism tendencies of the Church against the primary mandate of preaching the message of the coming Kingdom of God whose principles of governance is contrary to what the secular world defines as a State, Nation or a Kingdom.
Let us just list out facts in Nigeria about the number of crises that involved the lost of lives, properties and Churches including the expertise of the Pastors that were killed during such religious crises;
1. In 1978 during the Constituent Assembly sitting on the Shari’ah debate which nearly led to a bloodletting situation because the Christians don’t see any justification in allowing the Muslims practice Shari’ah Law in a Plural and Secular state.
2. In 1979, members of the Muslim Students Society(MSS) at Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, took matters into their hands when they rioted on the streets of Kaduna and Zaria, took matters into their hands when they rioted on the streets of Kaduna and Zaria. They came up with the idea that either Nigeria adopted the rejected Shari’ah law or the country be split up. This bout of religious riots, termed ‘Islam-Only’ uprising, on account of inscription the rioters defiantly scrawled on walls, led to wanton destruction of property and disruption of academic life at the university. But with hindsight, this was a mere tip of iceberg.
3. Between June 1978 and December 1980 alone, 34 religious clashes were recorded involving Islamic groups.
4. In 1982 Nigeria played host to two important Christian personalities. His Holiness Pope John Paul visited Nigeria in February 1982 during which 94 deacons were ordained in Kaduna. The Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury visited in April of the same year during which he laid the foundation stone for the construction of a church in Fagge, Kano. These visits drew the ire of Muslim Fanatics resulting in rioting and the burning of churches in Kano. At the end of the day eight churches were completely burnt down and the newly erected church in Fagge seriously vandalized.
5. In January 1986, the secret upgrading of Nigeria in OIC(Organization of Islamic Conference) from an Observer to a membership status during General Babangida’s regime led to a bitter quarrel between Christians and Muslims. Which led to four religious disturbances and the build up to the bloody Kaduna crises of 1987.The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) estimated that 153 churches were burnt and hundreds of lives, including that of the clergy and their families, were lost.
6. In June 1988 During the ABU Zaria students’ Union election violence erupted when it transpired that the Muslim candidate was losing to a Christian.The campus was invaded by Muslim hoodlums from Samaru village afflicting violence on Christians.
7. On April 20, 1991 violence broke out of Tafawa Balewa which quickly spread to other towns leaving hundreds of people dead.
8. On October 11, 1991 religious riot once again broke out in Kano. This time around Muslim youth attacked Christians in Sabon Gida and Fagge areas over a crusade organized by Christians with the German preacher, Rev. Reinhard Bonnke as guest speaker. He narrowly escaped being assassinated.
9. The same month Christians were attacked in Katsina over a Publication.This publication sparked off riots which did not only stop at the burning of the DAILY TIMES offices but spread to the destruction of property of Christians in Katsina and other towns like Sokoto and Kaduna.
10. In April 1992 crises once again erupted in Tafawa Balewa. This time around, Muslims attacked the Seyawas over the use of the town abattoir. The Muslims attacked the Christians alleging that they slaughtered pigs in their section. The riots were to spread to other towns in the State. Many Churches and Mosques were destroyed during the riots. A notable Nigerian historian noted: “ This riot was so fierce that most religious conflict analysts seem to agree that it was more of war than riot.”
11. The same year the Zango kataf riots broke out over the ownership of land between the indigenous Katafs and the Muslim Hausa-Fulani.
12. About the same time, Kano again went berserk attacking and killing Christians, looting and burning their shops after decapitating an Igbo trader and parading his head on a wooden spike around the town. Gideon Akaluka, the victim, was alleged to have used a page of the Koran to wipe himself in the toilet. How this was proved will never be known but a trail of Christian blood followed his terminal exit.
13. In 2001, 2008, and 2010 the city of Jos and its environs in Plateau State suffered terrible assaults from the Hausa/Fulanis. So many lives and property were lost and churches burnt down.
14. In 2009 the Northern part of this country woke up to a terrible attack by an Islamic sect known as Boko Haram. They attacked Churches, Government properties and Police installations and burnt them down so many lives were lost as a result. This took place in Borno, Yobe.and Bauchi States of Nigeria.
15. In the same year another sect known as Kalikatu attacked each other in Bauchi in which innocent lives were lost including the Task Force assigned to quell the riot.
You can find details of these issues in the book, “State of Emergency” By Rotgak Gofwen and Jonathan Ishaku. “The History of Religious Crises in Nigeria(1978-1999) and you can choose to add more of your own research in order to spice up the project and its urgency.
According to Jordon Samson Rengshwat http://www.tcnn.org/index_files/rb50.rengshwat.html in his paper titled Christian Association of Nigeria: Politics and Ecumenism and E.P.T. Crampton's book titled "Christianity in Northern Nigeria," CAN came into existence for addressing . . . the take over of schools and other institutions of the Voluntary Agencies by the Federal Government.
The next step towards solidarity and co-operation was the invitation of the government. In February 1976 the Nigerian federal government invited Christian leaders to a meeting.The meeting was presided by Brigadier (later Major-General) Shehu Yar’adua, the then Chief of Army Staff. At this meeting an incident took place which showed to the Christian leaders in graphic terms the scandal of their disunity. Musa A.B. Gaiya narrates the incident in the following words,
At this meeting, Yar’adua had asked Muslims to both open and close the meeting with prayers. One of the Christian leaders stood up [and] asked, “Can’t you ask a Christian to say a prayer?” Yar’adua replied, as reported by Jolly Tanko Yusuf, “There are so many denominations represented here, how can I ask any Christian to say a prayer?”
Such was the drama and puzzling situation that led to the first initiative that led to the formation of C.A.N. as the first Ecumenical effort in Nigeria with the Late Cardinal Dominic Ekandem as the first President and Mr. C.O. Williams as the Secretary.
Chapter Five
International Ecumenical Challenges
Internationally, Christians in Jerusalem still suffer a hell of persecution from those practicing Judaism and also from Moslems. Irrespective of the fact that there was once a Christian Kingdom in Jerusalem(Acre) which fell into the hands of the Mamelukes in 1291 AD . The Mamelukes placed heavy and grievous restrictions upon both Palestinian Jews and Christians. By law, Jews had to wear yellow turbans and Christians blue turbans to distinguish them from the first-class Moslem citizens.
Prior to this event Christians had suffered under Moslems in 1009 AD when they ordered the destruction of the church of the Holy Sepulcher in which 30,000 christian buildings were said to have been destroyed at that time.
In 1095 AD, Peter the Hermit while addressing a congress in Clermont, France voiced out that; “From the Borders of Jerusalem… evil tidings have come. An accursed race, estranged from God, has invaded the lands of the Christians… and have depopulated them by fire, steel, and ravage. They have led away many into captivity, they have torn down the Churches of Christ, or used them for their own rites. In some they stable their horses, and befoul the altars with the filth from their bodies.
Even now they are torturing Christians, binding them and filling them with arrows, or making them kneel, bending their heads to try if their swords can cut through necks with a single blow. They are ravishing Christian women. Pilgrims from our lands have been forced to pay toll at the gates of cities and at entrance of Churches. Those who had no money were searched, even the callouses on their bare heels were cut to see if they carried money their. They were given poison to drink, until they vomited, but finding no coins in the vomit, their bowels have been cut open with a sword so that if any treasure was hidden there it might be disclosed. Who can relate this without being deeply grieved? For they are your blood brothers – children of the same Christ and sons of the same Church!”
So I will ask too, Who can relate this without being deeply grieved?
There was no label of denomination on those Christians that were Frustratingly persecuted. It was after this fiery speech that Jerusalem was taken by Christians on July 23, 1099 and Godfrey of Bouillon was elected as governor and defender of Jerusalem. This was the end of the first crusade.
The next seven crusades was followed by the disgraceful exit of Christians out of Jerusalem and the final fall of Acre, since then the Crescent had triumphed over the cross and the Crusaders left behind only the ruins of their castles, their blood that coursed through the veins of the natives with whom they had intermarried and the memory of wars which they had waged and a Kingdom which they had founded and lost.
The most controversial scandal to me is Worship practice in Jerusalem in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre best described by this novel ;
“…Christian Quarter . This place, too, was a minor political battle ground; each of the Christian sects and nationalities argued over whose ground was the most sacred which was the proper mode of worship. Each claimed to have cornered the market on truth and righteousness and god. Ellie paused to stare up the street as a procession of incense-bearing priests passed by. To her left rose the towers of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre where Jesus was said to have died. Ellie wondered what He would have said if he could see Jerusalem now splintered into a hundred fragments, each block was a deadly time-bomb of self-righteousness. And where is God in all this? Ellie wondered. If He was ever really here, she decided, surely He has given up on this contention and moved His headquarters somewhere else.”
This is really a thought provoking statement, I know that God will never chew His words of prophetic agenda concerning Jerusalem and the Unity of His Church, He may provoke Jerusalem by starting the revival elsewhere but it will end up with a Mass gathering into Jerusalem. In which Nigeria or Africa and Australia has always been seen to play a very important part in the Unity and the revival of the Church of our Lord Jesus Christ.
If we choose not to unite the devil will not rest on his oars waiting for us to come together.Before he strikes his blows against the Church. His gates has been open for the past 2000years ever since this pronouncement was made that, “the gates of hell shall not prevail” but it is our unity that will make his gates not to prevail against the Corporate Christ. Even the Organisation of African Unity(OAU) has reformed to African Union(AU), so also Europe is Uniting under the umbrella of EU(European Union); so what will stop the Church from making frantic efforts to Unite, not in the spirit of what the world is doing but on the very fact that whatever happens to the conscience of the world, the Church is to be blamed.
We must recognize that the First 800years of the Church on earth had a reasonable corporate unity of the Body of Christ on earth on which we should subscribe as a Universal Church to the First Seven Ecumenical Councils of the undivided Church, i.e. The Council of Nicaea in 325 AD, Constantinople in 381 AD, Ephesus in 431 AD, Chalcedon in 451 AD, Constantinople 11 in 553 AD, Constantinople 111 in 680 AD and Nicaea 11 in 787 AD.
If the Unity of the Church is just to fulfill the objective of forming a body that will promote a corporate identity and voice against persecution it is not a good enough reason. We need to look at issues such as the following:
· Missions
· Theology
· Unity
· Worship
· Power &
· Justice
The presence of the Church on earth in this 21st Century or New Millennium poses a great prophetic challenge to such ones that are sensitive to the higher call of the King of kings and Lion of the tribe of Judah who has always been known more as the savior and the Lamb of God than as a King. We are in a sensitive season in our quest for listening and hearing for His voice in order to understand what God wants to do in this 21st Century.
The scandal we are facing today in the Church is such that it even nullifies the prayer of Christ to the Father about the unity of the Church in the Trinity. So the plea of Christ’s prayer to the Father is that for the world to believe that the Father sent Him there must be a reflection of His identity by the Corporate Christ here on earth. If the world does not respect the corporate Christ they may never respect the Messiah Himself. So, I believe that the quest for a united fellowship of Christians must continue in order to stop the scandalous activities that the world has known some of us for.
The Church that is supposed to be the voice and conscience of society has turned out to be the echo and nescient of society.
The fact that even Second Vatican Council promotes the respect for the gifts of the separated brothers shows that they are eager to see to it that the scandal that disunity poses to the Universal Church of Christ is reduced if not totally erased as seen in the following statement from Vatican Council 2, “ This sacred Council firmly hopes that the initiatives of the sons of the Catholic Church, joined with those of the separated brethren, will go forward, without obstructing the ways of divine Providence, and without prejudging the future inspirations of the Holy Spirit. Further, this Council declares that it realizes that this holy objective – the reconciliation of all Christians in the unity of the one and only Church of Christ – transcends human powers and gifts. It therefore places its hope entirely in the prayer of Christ for the Church, in the love of the Father for us, and in the power of the Holy Spirit. ‘ And hope does not disappoint, because God’s love has been poured forth in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us’ (Romans 5:5).”
It further stated that, “ On the other hand, Catholics must gladly acknowledge and esteem the truly Christian endowments for our common heritage which are to be found among our separated brethren. It is right and salutary to recognize the riches of Christ and virtuous works in the lives of others who are bearing witness to Christ, sometimes even to the shedding of their blood. For God is always wonderful in His works and worthy of all praise. Nor should we forget that anything wrought by the grace of the Holy Spirit in the hearts of our separated brethren can contribute to our own edification. Whatever is truly Christian is never contrary to what genuinely belongs to the faith; indeed, it can always bring a more perfect realization of the very mystery of Christ and the Church.” – Vatican Council 2, Decree on Ecumenism.
This reminds me of an illustration in Charles Spurgeon’s book, ‘Lectures to my students’, when he wrote that; “How well you can see the misunderstanding between Christians in Mr. Jay’s story of two men who were walking from opposite directions on a foggy night! Each saw what he thought was a terrible monster moving towards him, and making his heart beat with terror; as they came nearer to each other, they found that the dreadful monsters were brothers. So, men of different denominations are often afraid of one another; but when they get close to each other, and know each other’s hearts, they find out that they are brethren after all.” Pastor Ray C. Stedman also stated a beautiful case as follows; “A number of years ago, I met with a Roman Catholic Bishop in Mexico and spent an hour or two with him talking about Christ. I was a Protestant and he a Catholic, and if we had gone into doctrinal areas we would have found many differences of outlook. But with this particular bishop I sensed immediately a oneness which we shared together in Christ. He knew the reality of a living Lord, just as I did. We talked about him. Our organizations were not one, but we were one because we had entered into the experience into the experience of the unity of the Spirit.”
Another issue is the case of Christians and the KGB in the defunct USSR as quoted below from the book, ‘Faith Despite the KGB’ by Herman Hartfeld;
“For many decades the KGB has been carrying on an unlawful battle against the Christians in the Soviet Union. Unfortunately, people in the West do not have a clear understanding of exactly what the KGB is. It is not simply a secret police force concerned with problems of government scrutiny. The KGB is an organ which strives to take into its own hands not only the control, but also the direction, of the entire country, overseeing all areas of life, including ideology. The KGB even tries to dictate the administration of Christian Churches: Orthodox, Adventist, Baptist, Lutheran, Catholic, and others. To do this the KGB attempts to recruit ministers of the Church, pressuring them from all sides. Unfortunately, there are sad cases where individual ministers have become involved in such contact with the KGB. They not only give information regarding the life of believers and the church, but allow the KGB to direct church affairs. The church is experiencing innumerable misfortunes on this account. Under no conditions does the KGB want children and young people to join the church, and by manipulating co-operative ministers, the KGB attempts to corrupt the Church from within.
This strategy began in 1930s. At that time, most ministers refused to collaborate with the KGB. Consequently thousands lost their freedom, while many lost their lives. One of those was the president of the Baptist Union, Nikolai Vasilievich Odinzov, who died in a Soviet concentration camp.
In recent years the KGB’s attempts to recruit church ministers have intensified. Those who refuse to co-operate in this destructive work are subjected to all kinds of repression, including prison and concentration camps. Occasionally official delegations representing the church in the USSR come to the West and deliver original speeches that promote the ideas of communism. They even talk boldly about great religious freedom in the USSR! So the question arises: for what purpose did these people come? And who put them up to it?”
One always wonders why the church fails to understand that denominationalism is only known within the member churches not by the secular world so the earlier we recognize the evil forces by all these the better.
Chapter Six
Suggested Solutions
Contrary to what Vatican 2 listed as the desirable requirements for Those who have Special Ecumenical tasks i.e.:
a. They should have special advanced training in some branch of study- such as Theology, exegesis, history, philosophy, religious sociology;
b. They should be properly instructed in the principles of the present-day ecumenical movement, in the questions which occupy it, in what it has achieved and has still to achieve. Over and above what they can learn from lectures and research, they should be strongly urged to take every possible part in ecumenical relationships, which they can do by means of meetings, conferences, centers or institutes for ecumenical studies and so on;
c. They should be properly instructed in the traditions of those Christians, side by side with whom they live and work. Studies of this sort should as far as possible be done by regular contact with those who know and live such traditions.
All these points are very important to be taken note of in our bid to promote ecumenical studies but it should never replace;
a. The Leadership position of the Holy Spirit in inspiring leadership in the Body of Christ.
b. The Breeding position of the Holy Spirit in adding to the Church such as should be saved.
c. The Feeding position of the Holy Spirit in nurturing the Church with such truths that is dynamic to the state of the Church at that material time in question.It is only the Holy Spirit that knows exactly what to do, teach, by inspiration to bring about balanced growth to the Church. It was the Holy Spirit that fostered Unity throughout the early Church era as recorded in the book of Acts of the Apostles.
d. The fact that God can raise a St. Francis of Assisi, a St. Anthony of Padua, a D.L. Moody, a Billy Sunday, a Joseph, a Daniel, a Nehemiah, a Moses or an Elijah without titles going before their names to initiate a revolutionary effort towards ecumenism.It may be somebody that does not even know how to pronounce the technical term called Oecumene(Ecumenism). A person who doesn’t have to survive chooses to make the right decision even if it’s not a popular one. God gives selfless people spiritual power. That’s what makes the difference.
e. The fact that an African can use his contextual approach to proffer solution using his cultural practices to draw out a new paradigm that will shift the Church from her present thinking to a new shift in thinking, without distorting the fundamental Doctrines of the Church. For instance, the Social Anthropological studies of the Kwararafa people group of Nigeria in Africa is full of lessons or should I say challenges that the Church of Christ can learn from; their system of theocratic autonomous government is an interesting study. The whole Kingdom has about seven religious rites, which anyone from the kingdom can choose to practice any rite he wishes to go with. What fascinates me is the statement below from a re-known authority in Social anthropology, Dr. C.K. Meek wrote in his book ‘A Sudanese Kingdom’ that; “In the past centuries. The Jukun Empire was a loosely knit confederacy composed of a semi-independent chiefdoms. The heads of which recognized the supremacy of the King of Api (Kororofa) and later of Wukari as being the foundation and highest example of divine kingship. If a purely religious parallel were drawn the Jukun King might have been likened to the Pope of Rome and the heads of subordinate chiefdoms to the Cardinals and Bishops.” The only condition for the legitimacy of each rite is that it must be loyal to the King as the Vicar of the gods and must have a civic responsibility to the Kingdom/Empire. The fact that the King grants autonomy to the Chiefdoms and yet retains his despotic power is what fascinates me most. The renaissance of a Kingdom is strongly determined on her culture. According to E.A.Oke, A social anthropologist; “Because culture consists of learned patterns of behavior and beliefs, cultural traits can be unlearned and learned anew as human needs changes”. Even the Bible states that the children of this world are wiser in their generation than the children of light. Luke 16:8 KJV
f. The fact that God can use His sovereignty and omniscience attributes and choose the most foolish person in the eyes and judgment of the world to confound all the wise of this world should never be undermined. He may choose to use a Donkey or any clown if we don’t want to hear Him telling the Church to Unite. Perhaps when we see a Donkey speaking we will then know that it is imperative for the Church to UNITE or should I say UNTIE since we have bound ourselves in groups bearing a band of different names for identity.
g. The fact that we must consciously make efforts on our part to unite before God will release the power for healing of His body, and the release of supernatural miracles that the world has never heard, seen or read about.
h. The fact that the unity of the Church needs to be maintained. It is already there contrary to the idea that it is the Ecumenical effort that will bring it. What the ecumenical efforts is supposed to do is to make it evident. We must get below the surface, behind the differences that are all too apparent, and then the fundamental unity will be evident.
i. The fact that we must respect the heterogeneous structure of the Church with her varying rites and denominations. In the true church of Christ the rich and poor are to gather on the same footing, without distinction and certainly without favor. Jews or Gentiles, men or women, black red, yellow or white – it is to make no difference. This, admittedly, is not the way the church has always been, but this is the way the Church was meant to be and can be. The Church crosses all the boundaries which men erect and all natural distinctions as well, and gathers all peoples, without exception, into one body. No other body in the world attempts to unite people from such widely variant origins and backgrounds.
j. The fact that Church is not supposed to be seen as a gathering of individuals who happen to agree upon certain ideas, but as an organism in a bodily unity. It is true that a body is an organization but it is much more than an organization. The essence of a body is that it consists of thousands of cells with one mutually shared life. It is the sharing of life that makes a body different from an organization. An organization derives power from the association of individuals, but a body derives its power from the sharing of life. This efforts has to be spiritual rather than mechanical there should be a free flow of life from the Body with Christ as the Head of His Corporate Body on earth. I don’t pretend in anyway to think that I can bring about Unity in the Corporate identity of the earthly body of Christ. But I feel I am doing my best to add to what others have started and others should also continue from where I have stopped. It is good to assert here according to Ray C. Stedman, that “there is a unity that is already there by virtue of the existence of the church. There is no need to create it, in fact, men are incapable of producing the unity that is essential to the life of the Church. It can be produced only by the Spirit of God; but once produced, it is the responsibility of Christians to maintain it.” Pastor Ray C. Stedman feels this is where there is trouble with the modern ecumenical movements. “Those who are striving to bring about union of Christians are ignoring the unity which already exists and are trying to produce another.”
k. The fact that God may ignore the doctrine of Apostolic Succession in order to fulfill His divine purpose in the Church and on Earth.
l. The fact that God has used the instrument of the State to empower the effectiveness of His people on earth in whatever place that they were found. God used Xerxes, Darius, Cyrus to fund the mission of His people He used Kings in providing assets for the Church Fathers and He has not tired in doing it as long as it is His people that are involved in the need of such assistance.
Can it be? Trevor Newport in his booklet, ‘Secret to Success’ stated that; “ One of the greatest men of all time is Abraham Lincoln who became the president of the United States in 1860. He grew up on an isolated farm and only one year of formal education. In those early years he only had about 6 books to read. In 1832, he lost his job and was defeated in the race for the Illinois legislature. The following year, he failed in business. In 1832, Lincoln was elected to the state legislature; in 1835 his sweetheart died; in 1836, he had a nervous breakdown. In 1838, he was defeated for Speaker of the House; and in 1843, he was defeated in a Congressional race. In 1846, he was elected to the Congress; but in 1848 he lost the renomination.
In 1849, he was rejected for a federal land office appointment; and in 1854, he was defeated in a Senate race. In 1856, he was defeated for nomination of Vice President; and in 1858, he was again defeated when he ran for the Senate.” Lincoln refused to give up!
Indeed it is true of an anonymous adage that ‘ A leader who is willing to step out in faith may step out alone, but he will soon have followers. Together they will change lives. Many have changed the course of history.”
There may be seeming obstacles and hurdles, If life seems to
Cripple us we will have a Sir Walter Scott,
Lock us in a prison cell, you will have a John Bunyan,
Raise us in abject poverty, and you have an Abraham Lincoln,
Strike us down with infantile paralysis, and you have a Franklin Roosevelt,
Burn us severely in a fire that even Doctors would say we will never walk again, and you will have a Glen Cunningham, who set the world record in 1934 for running a mile in four minutes and six seconds,
Deafen us and you will have a Ludwig Van Beethoven,
Call us slow learners, even retarded and write us off as illiterate, and you have an Albert Einstein,
Call us insane, useless and even disown us and you will have a St. Francis of Assisi, Mock the soundness of our message and mandate by your heresy and you will have a St.Anthony of Padua as ‘the Doctor of the Church’, the ‘Hammer of Heretics’ and ‘The Ark of the Testament.’
Sell us into slavery in another Country and you will have a Joseph, Prime Minister of the United Nations of Egypt. Crucify us and seal us in a hewn tomb for three days and you will have a resurrected Jesus Christ of Nazareth, The hope of all Christians and the Whole World; the way, the Truth, and the Life, no man cometh to the Father except through Him. Send us into exile and you will have a John the Beloved and the Book of Revelation.
Chapter Seven
Facts of history
Other Facts:
381 – Constantinople (now Istanbul in Turkey) is made Christianity’s second city.
1000 – Muslims persecute the Egyptian Coptic Church
1009 – Trouble in the Holy Land: the Muslims destroy the Church of the Holy Sepulchre.
1054 – Roman and Byzantine Christianity split as the Pope and Patriarch of Constantinople exchange letters of anathema
1274 – The Council of Lyons, attempts to reunify the Roman Church and that of Constantinople. It fails.
1438 – The Council of Ferrara fails to reunify the Churches of Rome and Constantinople
1453 – Constantinople is taken by invading Turks
1521 – Luther is excommunicated at the Diet of Worms. The Protestant Reformation begins.
1896 – The Vatican declares all Anglican ordinations invalid
1545 – The Council of Trent begins. Attempts to reconcile Roman Catholicism and the growing Protestant movement fail.
1910 – Beginning of the Ecumenical Movement at Edinburgh Missionary Conference.
1928 – Papal document Mortalium Animo forbids Catholics to worship with other Christians.
1948 – First meeting of the World Council of Churches.
Chapter Eight
A Reform Proposal for the Roman Rite
A Reform Proposal for the Roman Rite:
If the Roman Catholic Church is really going to make an impact in the New Millennium she should look inward and if possible align to this proposal:
She should look into what Yeshua International and the Old Roman Catholic Church in England is doing in order to Change, Most especially in the area of Titles, Hierarchy and appointments.
Brief history of the Holy Rosary :
The Rosary is made up of two things: Mental prayer and Vocal prayer. In the Holy Rosary mental prayer is none other than meditation of the chief mysteries of the life, death, and glory of Jesus Christ and of His Blessed Mother. Vocal prayer consists in saying twenty decades of the Hail Mary, each decade headed by an Our Father, while at the same time meditating on and contemplating on and contemplating the twenty principal virtues which Jesus and Mary practiced in the twenty mysteries of the Holy Rosary.
In the first five decades we must honor the five Joyous Mysteries and meditate on them; in the second five decades the Mysteries of Light and in the third group of five the Sorrowful Mysteries and in the fourth group of five the Glorious Mysteries. So the Rosary is a blessed blending of mental and vocal prayer by which we honor and learn to imitate the mysteries and the virtues of the life, death, passion and glory of Jesus and Mary.
Since the Holy Rosary is composed, principally and in substance, of the Prayer of Christ and the Angelic Salutation, that is, the Our Father and the Hail Mary, it was without doubt the first prayer and the first devotion of the faithful and has been in use all through the centuries, from the time of the Apostles and disciples down to the present.
But it was only in the year 1214, however, that Holy Mother Church received the Rosary in its present form and according to the method we use today. It was given to the Church by Saint Dominic who had received it from the Blessed Virgin Mary as a powerful means of converting the Albigensians and other sinners.
It is true without any argument that the early Church never used the Holy Rosary to effect their Apostolic and evangelical efforts, relied more on the Holy Spirit. But the fact that the Holy Rosary proved to be effective to certain ones should not make us fight against it rather we should watch curiously with an open mind and allow such ones that believe in it to fulfill the King of Kings mandate through the mystery that the Holy Mother revealed.
The fact that it summarizes the story of the gospels makes it a handy means of recalling His Birth, Life, Suffering, Dead, Resurrection and Ascension. It is just like saying it has a profound place better than the Clergy vestments in the New Testament.
Since the Rosary in its present form (with the phrase Mother of God ascribed to Mary) was not there during the First Seven Ecumenical Councils of the undivided Church, it is and should not in anyway be a means for scandal in the Church rather it should help such ones who believe in it to gain such graces they believe it can invoke for making them better Christians but should never insist or coerce other separated brothers to practice it. Such practices should be maintained by only those who felt it was revealed to them for invoking divine graces.
How to Pray The Franciscan Crown Rosary Prayer:
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Announce the first mystery and say OUR FATHER on the bead from the Cross
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Say one HAIL MARY for each of the ten beads.
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Announce the second mystery and then say OUR FATHER repeat steps 1 and 2 for the 3rd through the 7th mysteries
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Say two HAIL MARY’S to complete 72years of Mary’s Joy on the 3rd and 4th beads from the cross.
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Say OUR FATHER and GLORY BE for the intentions of the HOLY FATHER on the 2nd bead from the Cross.
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Say HAIL MARY on the bead closest to the cross.
OUR FATHER:
Our Father, who art in Heaven, hallowed be Thy name; Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil. For thine is the Kingdom, and the Power, and the Glory forever. Amen
HAIL MARY:
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen
THE DOXOLOGY:
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit as it was in the beginning is now and ever shall be world without end. Amen.
THE TWENTY MYSTERIES:
1. Joyful Mysteries: Mondays and Saturdays
*Annunciation Luke 1:31,32
*Visitation Luke 1:42,45
*Birth Luke 2:6,7
*Presentation Luke 2:22
*Finding in the Temple Luke 2:46,47
2. The Mysteries of Light: Thursdays
*Baptism Mark 1:10
*Self-Revelation John 2:11
*Proclamation Mark 1:15
*Transfiguration Matthew 17:2
*Institution of the Eucharist Luke 22:19
3. The Sorrowful Mysteries: Tuesdays and Fridays
*Agony in the garden Matthew 28:5,6
*Scourging at the Pillar Matthew 27:25,26
|*Crowning with thorns Mathew 27:28,29
*Carrying the Cross John 19:17,18
*Crucifixion and Death Luke 23:45,46
4. Glorious Mysteries: Sundays and Wednesdays
*Resurrection Matthew 28:5,6
*Ascension Luke 24:50,51
*Descent of the Holy Spirit Acts 2:3,4
*Assumption Judith 13:18 (Luke 1:28,35) Quoting from the very account of the Blessed Virgin Mary holds more credibility compared to quoting the account of Judith. So I object on this context of scriptural quotation.
*Coronation Rev. 12:1 Contrary to the opinion held that the woman symbolizes Mary as the Queen of heaven, certain accounts shows that:
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The woman seems to be the body of Christ – the bride whose time has come. The sun is her purity being clothed in the light of Jesus Christ – the light of the world.
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The twelve stars seem to have several meanings.
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The message of the Zodiac pointing to Christ that the three wise men recognized by coming to Bethlehem.
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The 12 apostles with Christ.
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The reuniting of the ten lost tribes of Israel with Judah.
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3. The birth of the man-child is the birth of the Branch, the 144,000 spoken of in the seventh chapter of Revelation.
An Ecumenical Dream:
I dream of a Church; where love and people are more important than stone and steeple.
I dream of a Church; with an open door where no one is privileged except the poor.
I dream of a Church; where milk and honey will flow more freely than Power and Money
I dream of a Church; where young and old will be inspired to change their world.
I dream of a Church; that will make my dream come true.
Titles and How to address the Clergy
Titles:
For an Apostle, The Executive Administrator/Pastor, The Executive Reverend (Apostle or Rev.)
For an Archbishop, Primate or Patriarch, The Most Reverend. (Most Rev.) UK,USA Australia, Canada
For a Bishop (Auxiliary Bishop) The Right Reverend (Rt. Rev.) UK. The Most Reverend (Most Rev.) Canada, Australia, USA
For an Abbot The Right Reverend (Rt. Rev.)
For a Protonotary Apostolic de Numero (Monsignor)
The Most Reverend Monsignor ( Most Rev. Msgr)
For a Protonotary Apostolic Supranumerary, Prelate of Honour of his Holiness, or Chaplain of Holiness (Monsignor) The Monsignor (Rev. Monsignor)
For a Vicar or Rector The Reverend (Rev)
For a Priest Reverend (Rev.)
Deacon The Reverend Mister (Rev. Mr.)
How to Address Clergy
Apostle: Your/His Excellency
Pope: Your/His Holiness
Cardinal: Your/His Eminence
For a Patriarch: Your/His Beatitude
For an Archbishop ( Metropolitan, Coadjutor, Titular, Emeritus) or Primate: Your/His Grace – UK – Australia Your/His Excellency USA, Canada
For a Bishop (Ordinary, Coadjutor, Auxiliary, Titular, Emeritus) [My] Lord Bishop – UK, Australia; Your/His Excellency USA, Canada
Chapter Nine
Seven objections against the practices of the Roman Catholic Church
* Seven objections against the Practices of the Roman Catholic Church By J. Oswald Sanders, Home Director for Australia and New Zealand of the China Inland Mission
I decided to just allow this great man of God to say it all for himself, he felt there is no ground upon which the Protestant Church should unite with the Roman Catholic Church. Study his views analytically and draw your own conclusion. I as an individual agree with most of his points but also object on certain ones, so enjoy;
We place Roman Catholicism at the head of the list of heresies, since it is the largest and most influential of them all. Its emissaries circle the globe, claiming that their Church alone has universal sovereignty over the souls of men, and having as their avowed objective the bringing of every creature into subjection to the Roman Pontiff.
There is a notion widely current that the Roman Catholic and Protestant Churches are simply different branches of the same Church, each leading, although by different routes, to the same goal. They stand, however, for totally, fundamentally, irreconcilably different religions which lead to goals as far separated as hell is from heaven. Experience has proved that the vast majority of Protestants, if challenged, can give no reasoned basis for their non-adherence to the tenets of the Roman Church, and it is with a view to supplying this lack that we propose to advance seven reasons why no Bible-believing Christian can intelligently be or become a Roman Catholic.
First, let it be understood that we have no desire to speak against Romanists as individuals, for many of them are amiable in disposition and estimable character. Nor do we doubt that among their priests and nuns, there are men and women who sincerely, though mistakenly, seek to live holy lives. A slight acquaintance with Church history would be sufficient to dispel the idea that there are no true believers from the Roman fold. But these concessions in no way prove that the religious system with which they are united is sanctioned by scripture or that it enjoys the Divine approval.
Next, let us remember that there is much we hold in common with the Roman Church, which, to its credit, has never wavered in its adherence to the great fundamental doctrines of Holy Writ. With us, she tenaciously holds such as the plenary inspiration and authority of the Scriptures, the Virgin birth and deity of our Lord, His substitutionary death, physical resurrection and ascension, the fact of sin and the certainty of future retribution. In these matters we are more at one with her than with the advanced Modernist.
“ if you have so much in common with Rome,” it might be objected, “ why not, for the sake of unity, concentrate on that which you hold in common, and forget those points on which you differ?”
Why not? If what has been stated above were all, perhaps the difficulty of taking such a course would not be insurmountable. But the truth is that there is scarcely one of these doctrines which Rome has not emasculated or so encrusted with the traditions of her councils, as to almost nullify them. We think you will agree that this is the case before we conclude this paper.
We Reject Roman Catholicism
I. Because of her attitude to the Scriptures.
The writer of the Apocalypse gives solemn warning in these words:
“ If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book.” – Rev. xxii. 18.
How does Rome heed this warning? Pope Pius IV. Answers for us in his creed. “ I most steadfastly admit and embrace apostolic and ecclesiastical traditions… I also admit the Holy Scriptures, according to that sense which our holy mother the Church has held…” The Council of Trent, while receiving the Scriptures, adds, “… and also the traditions relating as well to faith as to morals. …” Thus the door is left wide open for the addition to the Word of God of anything the Church may desire.
Hear what the Lord had to say to the Pharisees who adopted the same attitude to Scripture:
“ Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition ? Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.” - Matt. xv. 3,6
A Roman Catholic may have the Bible, but always plus the traditions of the Church and the interpretations of the Fathers. Pope Pius IV. Maintained that, “ it is manifest by experience, that if the Holy Bible in the vulgar tongue be suffered to be read everywhere without distinction, more evil than good arises.”
In countries where Romanism is in the saddle, Bible burning is still practiced. As recently as 1936 a nun in Canada endeavored to obtain a Protestant Gospel of John from a Catholic, so that she might burn what she was pleased to call “a pack of lies.”
In view of these incontrovertible and documented facts, we could never unite with a Church which denied us the God-given right of possessing, reading and interpreting for ourselves, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit, the Sacred Scriptures.
II. Because of her demand of submission to the Pope as an indispensable condition of salvation.
The attitude of the Roman Catholic to the Papacy, the words of Dr. Hugh Pope, himself a Catholic, make abundantly clear. “ For a Catholic, the Papacy is the key to the whole religious question. For, to put it concisely, we believe the doctrines of our faith, not because we fancy we discover them set forth in the New Testament, nor because a vague entity called ‘the Church’ has held them, but because the visible teaching Church – the Corpus Christi or body of Christ – has taught them, and continues to teach them, through its Head on earth, the Pope, the Successor of St. Peter, the Vicar of Christ.”
The claim of Rome that, having a Pontificate of about twenty-five years, from A.D. 42-67, Peter was the first Pope, is without a shred of historical evidence to support it. Luke, the reliable historian, has given us a history of the Church from its founding until thirty years after the resurrection, but there is no record of Peter, the apostle to the circumcision, ever having set foot in Europe. When Paul wrote his Epistle to the Romans in A.D. 58, he sent salutations to twenty-seven Christians there, but Peter was not among them. Is this omission conceivable if Peter was at that time the Bishop of Rome ? in not one of the six epistles he wrote from Rome does he mention Peter, nor is there any record of Peter having visited Paul while he was in prison – surely an inexcuseable neglect of his “ beloved brother Paul.” Strange. Too, that Peter himself wrote no epistles either to or from Rome.
Unam Sanctum, the Bull of Pope Boniface VIII. Declared by Cardinal Manning to be “Infallible and beyond all doubt an act ‘ex cathedra,’” states: “We declare, affirm, define and pronounce it to be necessary to salvation for every human creature to be subject to the Roman Pontiff.” In his book, published in 1936, Rev. A. Bonnar contends that this decree is “not a document which the Holy See has in any way retracted.” So this preposterous demand of Rome is not out of date.
In support of this view, Pope Pius IX. Blasphemously asserted, “ I alone, despite my unworthiness, am the successor of the apostles, the Vicar of Jesus Christ. …I am the way, the truth, and the life.” If this be the truth, then submission to him would be most reasonable. But is it the truth ?
Even the Roman Catholic Scriptures teach that salvation consists in submission, not to the Pope of Rome, but to the Lord of Glory.
“ Neither is there salvation in any other; for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” – Acts iv. 12
“ No man cometh unto the Father but by Me.” – John xiv. 6
This being the case, we do not propose to entrust our salvation to a fallible Roman priest or Pope, but to our Great High Priest who in heaven still bears in His hands the evidences of our redemption.
III. Because Romanism teaches a gradation in sin which is foreign to Scripture.
Sins, Rome teaches, are divided into mortal – grievous sins bringing everlasting death, and venial – smaller sins, not meriting eternal punishment.
In his book, published with the imprimatur of Cardinal Cullen of Dublin, Furniss writes: “It is a venial sin to steal a little. It is a mortal sin to steal much. …If you steal often a little, when the little sums come to make altogether a large sum, it becomes a mortal sin.”
Think of it! Sin is condoned and glossed over by a distinction which is unknown either to Scripture or to reason. Sin is either sin or it is not sin. An ethically perfect God must demand ethically perfect God must demand ethical perfection of His creatures, and anything in which we fall short of that perfection is sin, and requires atonement. If venial sins are sins, they need forgiveness. If they are not sins, they need no forgiveness, nor do they require purgatory to expunge them.
The clear, explicit teaching of Scripture is that “ the wages of sin” – all sin – “is death” (Rom. vi.23). We refuse to subscribe to such an immoral doctrine as that set out above.
IV. Because Romanism denies the privilege of confession direct to Christ, without a priest as intermediary.
Rome’s contention that confession in order to be effective, must be made into the ear of a human priest, is entirely without Scriptural support. Our sins are not forgiven merely because we confess them, else there would down to be merit in our very confession. They are forgiven because Christ died for them and expiated their guilt.
“ If we confess our sins our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” – I John i.9.
“I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord, and thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin.” – Ps. xxxii. 5
“ If any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” – I John ii. 2
Although the publican poured his confession into the ear of no priest, we are assured that “ he went down to his house justified” (Luke xviii. 14). The dying thief enjoyed no privileges of priestly mediation, and yet immediately at death, he entered Paradise with his new-found Lord.
We will not surrender to Rome the blessed, blood-bought right of confessing direct to the One against whom we have sinned, and of receiving absolution at His hand.
The tyranny which the priesthood exercises over the Roman Catholic laity is one of the dark blots on its history. On one occasion Dr. G. F. Pentecost was urged to visit a dying Roman Catholic woman in Boston. She had neglected her religious duties and had fallen out with the priest, who retaliated by refusing to visit her in her dying hour. When Dr. Pentecost came he apprised her of the fact that she had not long to live. She said she knew it, and what could she do ? The priest would not come, and even if he did, she was too ill to do any penance, How then could she make her Peace with God ?
The minister told her that she did not have to make her peace with God, for Christ had already made that peace for her, through the blood of His cross (Col. i. 20). He instructed her with such verses as Eph. ii. 14; Isa.xxvi. 3; Rom viii. 1, and pointed her to Christ as the One who alone could grant her absolution of her sins. The dying woman turned her face to the wall and was silent for a time. Then she said, “ Oh! To think of that! That Christ should have made peace for the likes of me!” But for the timely visit of the messenger of the Cross, this woman would have spent her last moments in fear of purgatory, and would have passed out into the unrelieved darkness of a lost eternity.
V. Because Romanism admits of many mediators, whereas the teaching of Scripture is unequivocally clear:
“For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.” – I Tim. ii. 5.
In spite of this clear statement of Scripture, mary and the saints are interposed between the soul of the Catholic, and Christ. One of the best-known writers on this subject, Liguori, gives us statements of recognized Catholic saints. Here are some of them :
“ We often obtain more promptly what we ask by calling on the name of Mary, than by invoking that of Jesus.”
“ If my Redeemer rejects me on account of my sins and drives me from His sacred feet, I will cast myself at those of His beloved mother, Mary … until she has obtained my forgiveness.”
“ O immaculate Virgin, prevent thy beloved Son, who is irritated by our sins, from abandoning us to the power of the devil.”
What a ghastly travesty of the character of the Christ who loved us enough to give Himself for us! But not content with this, Romanists place the love of Mary on the same level as the love of God! Saint Bonaventure actually says: “ Mary so loved the world that she gave her only begotten son.” What blasphemous dishonour to God and His Son!
No sincere believer in the Deity of Christ would tolerate for a moment the intrusion of even a glorified human being between the soul and God. “ There is ONE mediator.”
VI. Because Romanism denies the finality of Christ’s atoning sacrifice.
She teaches that the holy eucharist is the real body and blood of Christ, under the outward appearance of the sacrifice of the Cross – a perpetual sacrifice, indispensable to salvation. In the mass, the elements are changed into the veritable body and blood of Christ.
Thus is the simple memorial feast in which we proclaim the Lord’s death, till He come, perverted and misconstrued. On no point do the Scriptures speak with greater clarity and emphasis than on the completeness and finality of Christ’s atoning sacrifice.
“ Nor yet that He should offer Himself often, as the High Priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; For then must He often have suffered since the foundation of the world; but now once in the end of the world hath He appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.” – Heb. ix. 25,26
“ By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus once for all. But this man, after He had once offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God.” – Heb. x. 10,12
With these, and many other passages of holy Writ to support us, we refute this objectionable and irrational dogma of Rome, and affirm that when Christ cried “ It is finished,” He was proclaiming a blessed and emancipating truth. His sacrifice was accepted by God, as evidenced in His resurrection from the dead, and needs no repetition.
VII. Because Romanism, for its own profit, promulgates the unscriptural dogma of purgatory.
This dogma arise out of the belief that after the pardon of eternal punishment, there still remains a guilt of temporal punishment to be expiated in purgatory, where the soul makes satisfaction for sins committed after baptism, by suffering a longer or shorter time according to the degree of guilt. “ All who die at peace with the church but are not perfect, pass into purgatory.” “ The teaching of the Catholic Church,” writes Rev. P. Ryan, “is that there are three states in the other life – heaven, where those go who die, having no sins upon their souls; hell to which those who die in mortal sin go forever and ever…. There is also a middle state where those go who die having venial sins upon their souls, or who have not expiated the temporal punishment due to their mortal sins.”
One would surely expect that for such a terrifying conception, there would be a formidable array of Scripture proofs. But is this the case ? In the Catholic Dictionary, we read, “We would appeal to those general principles of Scripture, rather than to particular texts often alleged in proof of purgatory. We doubt if they contain an explicit and direct reference to it.” (Italics ours)
Is heaven mentioned in Scriptures? Many times. And hell? Many times. And purgatory? NOT ONCE. Nor was the idea introduced until the end if the sixth century. It was not decreed as an article of faith of the Roman Catholic Church until 1439 at the council of Florence. Does it not seem strange that the Scriptures are silent concerning it, the early Church knew nothing of it, and fourteen centuries elapsed before even the Roman Church adopted this coffer-filling belief? Do you wonder that Hugh Latimer designated it “ Pick-purse Purgatory”?
Protestants do not fully realize that even the devout and faithful, except in rare cases (and even then no one can be sure), must experience the purgatorial fires, “the pains of which are more grievous than all the pains of this world” (Thomas Aquinas).
Even the truly saintly Faber describes it thus:
“ In pain beyond all earthly pains,
Favourites of Jesus, there they lie,
Letting the fire burn out their stains
And worshipping God’s purity.”
Is this the way Christ treats His favourites ? Is this what He meant when He said:
“ Come unto Me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” – Matt. xi. 28.
“Let not your heart be troubled…I go to prepare a place for you.” – John xiv. 1,2
Is purgatory the promised rest, the prepared place? Is this the prospect Paul had in view when he had such a desire to depart and be with Christ, which he maintained was far better? (Phil. i.23)
Even a Catholic devout lives in the fear of death, but our Lord partook of flesh and blood for the express purpose of delivering them “ who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage” (Heb. ii. 15). The dogma of purgatory gives the Roman Church the strangle-hold in death as in life. It has led to the iniquitous system of indulgences which is by no means a relic of bygone centuries.
On p.44 of the booklet, Spiritual Bouquet offered to souls in Purgatory, the Savior is pictured as coming in a vision to St. Gregory, and saying, “My friend, I wish to bestow on you a unique privilege – that is, every soul in purgatory for whom shall be offered thirty masses in your honor, without interruption, shall be delivered immediately, whatsoever be its debt towards me, and moreover, I shall not wait till the masses are said, but shall deliver that soul as soon as the offering is made.” Thus, by paying a lump sum, release can be effected.
We refuse to submit to this religion of superstition and fear, which puts the dead at the mercy of the living. We have not received “ the spirit of bondage again to fear,” for “perfect love casts out fear.”
With complete confidence in an inspired and infallible Bible, conscious as we are of having deeply sinned, we confess our sin to Christ, our one and only Mediator, and commit our souls to His keeping in the sure and certain confidence that He is faithful to His promise and has cleansed us in the true purgatory, His own blood, “which cleanseth from all sin.”
Chapter Ten
Some Popes Good & Bad
Since Second Vatican Council is really eager to embark on a research in order to address the scandalous issue of disunity in the Universal body of Christ. I believe that they won’t be angry with Oswald Sander’s Writing but will also with a “Berean” mentality study the area of contention in order to reform; by the way the Pope, His Holiness Bennedict XVI. Was a progressive theologian before switching over to a conservative status. Anyway whatever happens to the Latin Rite of the Universal Church, he will be the one to blame.
He should do his best not to end up like these BAD POPES;
The life of Pope John XII. Leaves apologists with so many unanswered questions. How comes he was so unchecked in all the sins he committed against, God, the Church, and his office; Ordaining a deacon without celebrating the mass of the Eucharist, Toasting wine to the Devil, Turning his palace into a whore-house, sleeping with other men’s wives and living his private life as if he wasn’t the Prince of Preachers and Servant of the Servants of God. If Pope John XII’s death was really out of his randy behavior, then there is more than what meets both our ears and eyes.
The case of Sergius III (904-911). Who lived with a notorious harlot, Marozia, and their illegitimate Children they raised to become Popes and Cardinals left nothing good to be desired from them.
Benedict IX (1033-1045). Was made a Pope as a boy of twelve. He committed murders and adulteries in broad daylight and robbed graves. Finally the enraged people of Rome drove him out of the city.
Gregory VI (1046). He was one of the three rivals for the throne at this time. Benedict IX and Sylvester III both laid claim to it with him. Rome swarmed with hired assasins, as each pope was trying to cut the throat of the other. Finally, Emperor Henry III stepped in, kicked all three out, and appointed his own pope, Clement II.
Innocent III (1198-1216). He was the powerful of all popes. He condemned England’s Magna Carta, and forbade Bible reading.
Rather he should consolidate Christianity like :
Pope Leo I (440-461). He was the fore-runner of future popes, and bishop of Rome. He gained great popularity by twice saving the city, once from Atilla the Hun, and later from Geneseric the Vandal. And,
Gregory I (590-694). He was the first real pope. He consolidated Christendom after the fall of Rome in 476, and was basically a good man.
But if the pope refuses to return to his Progressive theological status God can still raise a John Wycliff, a John Huss, a William Tyndale, an Erasmus, a Martin Luther ( Founder of Protestantism), or a Zwingli, a John Calvin, Or a John Knox who single-handedly swept Romanism out of Scotland, or a Roger Williams, or a Jonathan Edwards, a John Wesley, a George Whitefield, a William Carey, an Adoniram Judson, or a David Livingstone, a D.L. Moody, a Billy Graham, an Oral Robert, a Morris Cerrullo, a T.D. Jakes, Yeeeeeeeesssssss!!!!! a St. Anthony.
Bu we must still comment about the present state of the Church: little comment is needed to describe the sad state of Christendom as it exists today. Many groups which brazenly carry the name of Christian seem to prefer Communism to democracy, encourage immorality, support anarchy, downplay every important biblical doctrine, ridicule Bible believers and, in general, literally fulfill Paul’s prediction when he wrote: “Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof” (2 Tim. 3:5). However, it must be quickly added that a small (but powerful) and growing minority of individuals in local churches and schools are demonstrating a love for the scriptures, the Savior, and the souls of men rarely seen in church history. These schools and churches are filled with people who have heard Him knock and have gladly opened wide their doors.
So I challenge you to open wide your doors to the Coming King!!!!!
Chapter Eleven
Prophecies
According to Gary Larrabee, in his book ‘Thy Kingdom Come’, (The wording is as it was written at the time he was listening to the Holy
Spirit speak these words to him) “The body of Christ is coming into unity by judgment. Judgment begins at the house of God and since April 1984, all believers, organizations, or denominations have been under severe judgment in breaking the body. All true believers are being broken to the point of dying to self – to the point it is no longer I, but Christ, that lives in me. I can no longer live this life by myself.” He further stated that, “The embassies of many governments work the same way in foreign countries by watching and seeing what the other government or agency is doing. This is a problem for my people. Almost every church teaches the same gospel, the same Sunday School classes. But they have different names and labels. They have not been able to grasp the principle of leverage.” We need to “Now visualize the wheels as a network of various churches all teaching the basic doctrines of salvation, by grace, and the other main points of agreement. What if we were to establish city, county, and neighborhood communication centers for pastors and church leaders by their own choice to participate in prayer for each other? What if we have them pray over the Internet in order to establish a test for everyone to see how the ‘plumb line principal’ works? This would allow us to introduce My method of being the head of the church.” As stated through a prophecy given through him by the Holy Spirit.
There seems to be two-staged events taking place;
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The first stage is the believers of all churches, denominations, and religions under the Mosaic anointing recognizing that Jesus is the savior of the world will come together into one body – a body of believers without labels or divisions. This seems to have a strong tilt to the Priestly responsibility of the Branch. The anointing of coming of worldly systems is released here symbolized by Moses who left the glory of Egypt for a far-reaching glory.
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The second stage is the operational structure. With the Church symbolizing Zerubabel Known as the Signet ring of the Lord. This is how we become the Branch, where there is no mountain or problem that cannot be removed. The words to Zerubbabel were: “Not by might, not by power, but by My Spirit, sayeth the Lord.” This has more to do with the civic responsibility of the Branch. This Zerubbabel concept shows that we will rule for Him in the capacity of the Branch while He is the Vine and our Father is the Husbandman.So we are His Signet ring of authority and power on earth. But we are not yet in alignment with His purpose until we have fulfilled stage one. Then we can fulfill Daniel 2:44 legitimately. And Haggai 2:20-23 KJV
Chapter Twelve
The Freemasons
The Freemason and its threat to Christianity in the American State and the World.
The Freemason is an organization that has come to be known as a cult that has come to represent what the American state stands for now whether knowingly or unknowingly to the American citizens.
According to Dr. Reuben A. Torrey “ I consider what is called ‘ the work’ of the Masonic lodge to be childish and foolish. I once took time to study ‘the work’ of the lodges up to the Royal Arch degree. At that time I knew exactly what they did, and I could never understand how a serious-minded man could give time to such tomfoolery. I could understand a child’s doing it. When I hear Masons talking together about ‘the work’ of the lodge, I can scarcely refrain from laughing. It is difficult for me to see how any man who has a proper amount of self-respect and manly dignity, can go through what a man goes through when he becomes a Master Mason and then ever go back to the lodge again to take part in the initiation of another candidate. To my mind, it is belittling, degrading and disgusting. My attention was called to it when I was about twenty-two years of age, by a man who had been initiated at the Masonic lodge, but came out completely disgusted with his experience and who never back to the lodge again. How any Christian minister can submit to what a minister is compelled to submit to when he is initiated into the Blue Lodge, I cannot understand. I do not question that there are many excellent men who are members of Masonic lodges, but to me it is incomprehensible how any Christian man can be.”
His verdict is that Freemasonry is futile, and unworthy of the allegiance of grown men. But should we condemn them unheard? No, let’s look at its history.
The encyclopedia Britanica, however, maintains that Freemasonry had its rise not earlier than A.D. 1717. To-day (in the 1940s) it boasts almost three million members throughout the world, but not all of these are active members.
Its thirty-three degrees, through each of which a Mason must pass before he attains the secrets of the Mystic shrine, are in three sections:
The Blue Lodge: with its three degrees which must be taken before further progress can be made.
The York Rite: with its ten degrees, entitling the one who has taken them to membership in the Mystic Shrine. This rite is exclusively for (professing) Christians.
The Scottish Rite: consisting of degrees four to thirty-third degree, the Mystic Shrine. This rite is for Jews, Gentiles and Mohammedans.
Though, J.S.M. Ward, in his book (Freemasonry and the Ancient Gods) who himself is a Mason, claimed that the Masonic Order is the oldest religious system in the world and the custodian of the basic ideas common to all religions. He traces its origin from the secret societies of antiquity through the ages, to the present orders. Since its rules, symbols and rites are much the same as the ancient mysteries of paganism, there is little doubt as to its heathenish source. Some of the degrees in Masonry are supposed to be a continuation of orders which date back to the Crusades.
No movement draws millions of men into its membership without some real benefits to offer. What are the special attractions afforded by the Masonic Order?
First of all, there is the social fellowship for which the hearts of all men can crave. Man is essentially a social animal. Many find in the gatherings of their lodge the satisfaction for their social instincts, although in some cases time is spent in the lodge which had better been spent within the family circle. Then, too, there are commercial advantages which accrue to the members of the fraternity. The loyalty of a Mason to his fellows in the matter of business preference is proverbial. No small proportion of members of the Order have had their eye more on the material benefits to be derived than on the mastery of its mysteries. Tragically enough, it appears that Christian ministers are attracted to the Order by the supposed religious advancement it would secure them. Without any hesitation we assert that it is always a retrograde step for a man of God to join in any such association from such motives.
Before I come to the VERY BIG issue of international interest which is the Cryptology and symbology contained in the American coat of Arm , I will like to write that I don’t have all the time to write about the absurdity, abomination, anti-christianess and what our attitude should be towards what FREEMASON stands for in ruining the very foundation of Christianity.
The Big Bang!!!!!
Do you know that:
The Great Seal of the United States of America was designed by the Freemasons and contains a mass of symbolism that non-masons are not to understand?
Do you know why there is a Pyramid on the $1 note?
Do you know that the Pyramid has of old been the fascination of Freemasons?
Do you know that it is a pagan temple of Satan worship ?
Do you know that Aliester Crowley a Freemason and chief Satanist of the 20th Century performed a satanic ritual in the King’s Chamber?
Do you know that the latin words on the $1 bill ‘Annuit Coeptis’ means ‘Announcing The Birth Of’ and ‘ Novus Ordo Seclorum’ means ‘New World Order’ and that it says ‘Announcing the birth of the New World Order?
Do you know that the date in Roman Numerals is 1776? The year the modern illuminati was formed and also the year of American Independence.
Do you know that the latin ‘E Pluribus Unum’ means ‘One out of many’? which is the New World Order’s plan to unify the world’s governments, religions and money systems into one so the world can be controlled.
Do you that the capstone has not come down on the pyramid? Which means that the plan is not complete only when the New World Order is established upon all nations and the world leader is enthroned will the plan be completed.
Do you know that the right dexter wing of the eagle on the American Seal has thirty-two feathers? The number of ordinary degrees in Scottish Rite Freemasonry.
Do you know that the sinister wing has thirty-three feathers? The additional feather corresponding to the Thirty-third Degree of the Scottish Rite conferred for outstanding Masonic service.
Do you know that the tail feathers number nine? The number of degrees in the Chapter, Council, and Commandery of the York Rite of Freemasonry.
Do you know that the stars above the eagle’s head forms a hexagram? The most evil of all witchcraft symbols.
According to Manly Palmer Hall, “ European mysticism was not dead at the time the United States of America was founded. The hand of mysteries controlled in the establishment of the new government for the signature of the mysteries may still be seen on the Great Seal of the United States of America. Careful analysis of the seal discloses a mass of occult and Masonic symbols chief among them, the so-called American Eagle. … the American Eagle upon the Great Seal is but a conventionalized phoenix…”
He further stated that “Not only were many of the founders of the United States government Masons, but they received aid from ac secret and august body existing in Europe which helped them to establish this country for A PECULIAR AND PARTICULAR PURPOSE known only to the initiated few.”(Manly P. Hall, The Secret Teachings of All Ages, pp. XC and XCI)
The European group he is talking about is the Illuminati. They claimed America to establish the New World Order. This is the peculiar and particular purpose known only to certain high ranking freemasons.
In case you want to know who Manly P. Hall is a member of the illuminati and 33rd degree Freemasons, called ‘The 20th century’s greatest Masonic scholar and philosopher’ by the Supreme Council of the 33rd Degree of Freemasonry’s official monthly publication, the Scottish Rite Journal in the obituary section of August 1990. His book ‘The Secret Teachings of Ages’ is called his Magnum Opus, An Encyclopedic Outline of Masonic, Hermetic, Qabbalistic, and Rosicrucian Symbolical Philosophy. Manly also instructs the reader the reader to bring a human sacrifice to Lucifer each year. This is pure Satanism.
Massonic Symbols in a $1 Bill
13 leaves in the olive branches
13 bars and stripes in the shield
13 feathers in the tail
13 arrows
13 letters in the “E Pluribus Unum” on the ribbon
13 stars in the green crest above
32 long feathers representing the 32º in Masonry
13 granite stones in the Pyramid with the Masonic “ All seeing Eye” completing it.
13 letters in “ Annuit Coeptis, “ God has Prospered”
On the front of the dollar bill is the seal of the United States made up of a key, square, and the Scales of Justice as well.
The Hidden Symbols of the Illuminati
Recalling what Manly P. Hall stated regarding the Great Seal that, “Careful analysis of the seal discloses a mass of occult and Masonic symbols…” For this careful analysis 2 transparencies are made of both sections of the seal then merged together.
The three stars around the Masonic eye represent the satanic trinity composed of Satan/Lucifer, the Antichrist(the future World leader) and the False Prophet (Leader of World Religion). This symbol was found in a Masonic controlled Catholic church.
The symbolism in the merger is incredible. The eye has come down on the pyramid which means the New World Order domination of the World is completed. The Pyramid becomes a winged symbol which is Masonic. Notice at the bottom, the eagle’s feathers touch the base of the pyramid showing once again precise mathematical design. The most disturbing thing is that the Masonic eye is coming out of the eagle’s eye. Bible prophecy states that the New World Order of the Antichrist will be a revived Roman empire. Taking into account that the symbol of the Roman empire was an eagle, we have the Masonic New World Order coming out of the Old Roman order thus in fulfillment of Bible prophecy.
My observation:
As much as the Lord of Sabbath has his plans for His Children, the Devil also has a plan to thwart God’s plan by intercepting it with his lying wonders. That will not stop God from still fulfilling His purpose for the earth. I believe that Gary has a better version of this divine mandate to rule the world in the name of God. But since the Devil has been identified as the god of this world who has used his evil spirits to blind the eyes of people so that they will not see the Light of the glorious gospel of our Lord, Savior and King. You can go to www.vinesbranch.com to study and see what God has in store for the world. I just pray that God will open our eyes so that the god of this world will not keep us blinded forever but that the eyes of our understanding shall be flooded with the light from God Himself from whom all blessings flow.
There are so many people that have testified about the absurdities that take place in the Masonic order. One among such people is the greatest evangelist of the first half of the century, Charles G. Finney, writing as an ex-Mason he renounced stated that, “ The fact is that Freemasonry is the most anomalous, absurd and abominable institution that can exist in a Christian country; and is on the face of it, from the fact that it will not allow its principles to be discussed and divulged, a most dangerous thing in human society.”
There are not a few Masons who are sensitive about and a little ashamed of the rites of initiation into the Order. According to Oswald Sanders, many Masonic secrets are enshrined in a book that he read, we learnt that when the candidate is initiated in the first degree, his own clothing is removed and he is thinly clad in the clothes provided for him. Next he kneels blindfolded before the Masonic altar, with a light rope around his neck. Arranged on the altar are an open Bible on which rests a square and a compass. On either side lighted candles are burning. He is then asked by the Worshipful Master to repeat after him the first Masonic oath, after which the covering is removed from his eyes – and he has entered into the light of Masonry!
Dr. A. C. Dixon, noted Pastor of the Moody Church of Chicago, indicated his reaction to this initiation ceremony. “ I would be ashamed to describe the initiation. I felt I had lost some of my influence by submitting to the indignities of that initiation- such as boys would go through and laugh over, but when men come down to them, they are certainly indignities, if not insults.”
Some readers will find it difficult to believe that intelligent Christians could submit to this foolish and humiliating ceremony, and take on their lips the some horrible oaths to which reference is made later.
Such oaths and ceremonies is not just empty but has some religious significance as described by A. G. Mackey, Past General High Priest of the General Grand Chapter of the United States, in this connection: “ The shock of entrance is, then, the symbol of the disruption of the candidate from the ties of the world, and his introduction into the life of Masonry. It is the symbol of the agonies of death and the throes of the new birth.”
The state of the initiate prior to the ceremony is described in the same book , pp. 22,23: “ There he stands without our portals, on the threshold of this new Masonic life, in darkness, helplessness, and ignorance. Having been wandering amid the errors and covered over with the pollutions of the outer and profane world, he comes inquiring to our doors, seeking the new birth, and asking a withdrawal of the vail which conceals divine truth from his uninitiated sight….There is to be , not simply a change for the future , but also an extinction of the past; for the initiation is, as it were, a death to the world and a resurrection to new life.”
Freemason has abominable practices that cannot be endorsed whether nationally, ethically or spiritually. For every Freemason must take oaths involving penalties which increase in intensity as the degrees advance. In his book, James Putt quoting from King Solomon and His Followers, No. 13, gives the oath which is taken by every Mason, as any honest member will admit. Here is it in all its obnoxiousness:
“ Of my own free will and accord, in the presence of Almighty God and this worshipful lodge, erected to Him and dedicated to the Holy Saint John, do hereby and hereon, most solemnly and sincerely promise and swear, that I will always hail, forever conceal and never reveal, any of the secret arts, parts, or points of the hidden mysteries of the Masonry which may have been heretofore or shall be at this time, or at any future time, communicated to me as such, to any person or persons whatsoever, except it be a true and lawful brother Masons, or within the body of a just and lawfully constituted lodge of Masons; nor unto him or them, until by strict trial, due examination, or lawful information, I shall have found him or them as lawfully entitled to them as I am myself.
“I further promise and swear, that I will not write, print, paint, stamp, stain, cut, carve, hue, make or engrave them on anything, moveable or immovable, capable of receiving the least impression of a sign, word syllable, letter or character whereby they might become legible or intelligible, to any person under the canopy of heaven, and the secrets of Masonry be thus unlawfully obtained by my unworthiness.
“All this I most solemnly and sincerely promise and swear, with a firm and steadfast resolution to keep and perform the same, without the least equivocation, mental reservation, or self-evation whatsoever, whatsoever, binding myself under no less penalty than that of having my throat cut from ear to ear, my tongue torn out by its roots and buried in the sands of the sea, at low water mark, where the tide ebbs and flows twice in twenty-four hours, should I in the least, knowingly or wittingly, violate or transgress this my Entered Apprentice obligation. So help me God and keep me steadfast.”
One Mason, on being faced with the serious implications of the oath, replied, “That doesn’t mean anything. Of course, we go through the form, but it doesn’t mean anything.” Oaths taken on the Bible mean nothing! If they mean nothing, then it is blasphemy to swear them in the name of God. If they mean something and are to be taken seriously and literally, how can a Christian man take such oaths upon himself? We cannot see that such oaths are ever justifiable, even apart from the Scriptures which specifically forbid it. See Matt. 5:14-16, 33-37; James 5:12
The issue here again is that it’s a sworn secrecy. It is essentially a secret society – secret signs, secret codes, secret meetings. Its oaths are with a view to compelling absolute secrecy on its members. But why must it be secret? Has Masonry something to hide? If not, its secrecy is illogical and unnecessary. If so, then no self respecting man, not to say no Christian, should join it. Secrecy is opposed to the whole spirit of Christianity, whose benefits are extended not to a few favored initiates, but to a whole world. Its secrecy panders to the “caste” spirit which is so alien to the ideal of the Christian life. Concealment finds no place in the Christian message. If we have something which is for the good of humanity, it is for us to broadcast it, not to conceal it. Conversely, we should not keep secret any bad thing which should be revealed.
Chapter Thirteen
How to identify “Dangerous Religious Groups”
Here’s an excerpt from the book “How to identify Dangerous Religious Group” Edited by David Sper, we are supposed to be wise to ask the following questions about those we are relying on for leadership:
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Are they marked by reverence and humility, or by brashness and arrogance? (2 Cor.10:18)
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Are they gentle, or demanding? (2 Tim. 2:24-26)
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Do they themselves show respect for authorities (both friends and enemies), including the Lord, parents, government, and even Satan? (2 pet. 2:10-12; Jude 8-10)
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Do they show respect and love for other leaders? (1 Cor. 3:1-9)
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Do they promote personal discernment, growth, and maturity in their followers, or do they foster dependence and submission? (Acts 17:11; Eph 4:11-16)
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Do they exploit their members financially? (1 Peter 5:2; 2 Pet. 2:3)
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Is there evidence of sexual faithfulness, or have they left themselves open to question and rumor? (2 Pet. 2:14)
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Do they lovingly and courageously tell the truth about sin, or do they only tell their group what they want to hear? ( 2 Tim. 4:3-4)
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Do they sacrifice their own interests for the well-being of their group, or are they carried like kings on the shoulders of their followers? (Phil. 2:3-4)
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Do they draw the attention and allegiance of their followers to Jesus, or do they focus attention on themselves? (Acts 20:28-31, 3 John 9-10)
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Do they lead by “throwing their weight around,” or by information, encouragement, and example? (1 Pet. 5:1-4)
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Are they willing to be viewed as brothers? (Matt. 23:8-13)
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Is their group loved and hated because of their personal faith and allegiance to Christ, or because of the teachings and interpretations peculiar to the founder? ( 1 Tim. 1:3-7)
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Do they keep their members by love, example, and teaching, or by making them afraid to leave the group? ( Gal. 2:11-21)
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Do they meet the qualifications of a spiritual overseer, or are they gifted men of questionable character? ( 1 Tim. 3:1-7)
These questions address issues rooted not merely in a leader’s words but in his or her attitudes and actions. They help us to see that the issue is not just doctrine, but the spirit and fruit of the leader.
Differences between the Right kind of Church and Dangerous Religious Group
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The right kind of church stresses the authority of scripture (2 Tim. 3:16-17). DRGs often emphasize the authority of leaders who claim to have received additional messages from God.
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The right kind of church is directed by persons who lead with strong but gentle example, instruction, and encouragement (2Tim. 2:24-25; 1 Pet. 5:1-3). The leaders of DRGs often dominate by the strength of their personality, and by fear, rules, and threats.
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The right kind of church teaches godly relationships within society (1 Cor. 5:9-11; 1 Pet. 2:11-17). Some DRGs require total withdrawal from society except for purposes of gaining money or converts.
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The right kind of church encourages love and respect for family members, while recognizing that a family member’s disregard for Christ may produce division ( Matt. 10:34-37; Eph. 5:22-6:4). Many DRGs insist on contempt for non-member parents regardless of what those parents think of Christ.
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The right kind of church keeps its focus on Christ (1 Cor. 1:10-17; 2 Cor. 4:5-6). DRGs often shift that focus to the person and teachings of their leader.
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The right kind of church shows respect even for those people and institutions they believe to be under the influence of Satan (Rom. 13:1-7; Titus 3:1; 1 Pet. 2:13-17). DRGs often encourage scorn and contempt for outsiders.
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The right kind of church acts with integrity at all costs ( 2 Cor. 4:2). DRGs often operate by the rule that anything that protects and promotes the group is allowable.
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The right kind of church requires its leaders to maintain a high standard of moral and sexual purity (1 Tim. 3:1-13; Titus 1:5-9). DRGs often allow their leader to live “above the law.”
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The right kind of church makes personal faith in Christ the sole requirement for salvation (Gal. 3:1-7; Eph. 2:8-9). DRGs almost always make additional requirements such as baptism or obedience.
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The right kind of church teaches that giving is to be made on a voluntary basis (2 Cor. 9:7). DRGs often spell out the giving requirements, or demand that property be assigned to the group.
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The right kind of church encourages members to judge for themselves whether they are being led in a manner consistent with the Bible (Eph. 4:11-16; 1 John 4:1-6). DRGs often discourage or even forbid any critical or analytical thinking.
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The right kind of church recognizes and accepts all who confess the name of Christ in faith and practice (1 Cor. 3:1-9; Phil. 1:15-18; 2 John 7-11). DRGs often recognize only their own membership.
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The right kind of church teaches biblical principles, which in turn encourage personal growth, thought, decisions, and maturity (2 Tim. 3:16-17; 1 Pet. 2:1-3). DRGs often create a sense of dependence, which in turn allows the leader to make all important decisions.
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The right kind of church avoids manipulative techniques of persuasion, while believing in the ability of the spirit of God to work in peoples’ lives through the Word of God (1 Cor. 2:3-5; 2 Cor. 2:17; 10:1-6). DRGs may use techniques of behavior modification similar to those used on prisoners of war.
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The right kind of church is loved or hated because of its identification with Christ and His Word ( Matt. 5:11; John 15:18-21). DRGs are usually loved or hated because of what they add to or subtract from Christ and His Word.
Coming Out!!!
How can one come out from a DRG?
Due to disillusionment from DRGs it is factual that so many people want to leave but don’t have the courage or the know-how for coming out.
Certain people have become so confused, and disappointed and even angry with God because of the time, resources and public shame they have brought upon themselves. Others even threaten to commit suicide. While out fear of what might happen to them decide to remain there while they are dying slowly from inside.
But according to Ron Enroth, a DRG expert, “The good news is that people can leave these groups successfully. There is life outside of the cult. And the best news is that it is possible for them to have a genuine relationship with God through Jesus Christ. I have seen so many lives transformed by the goodnews of the gospel. For many of these people, the good news of the cult has been bad news. They need to experience the grace and forgiveness of God. They need to experience freedom, not bondage. I have seen people leave groups and in a period of days, overnight sometimes, have a life change that is very dramatic, very evident, and very exciting.”
There is hope for former DGR members. First they must acknowledge the sin of giving to a man, woman, or organization the honor that belongs to God alone. How thankful we can be that for such sins Christ died! How thankful we can be that Christ then rose from the dead to give new life to all who will trust Him – the only One who deserves to be called Teacher – to lead us to the only One who deserves to be called Father (Matt. 23:8-10).
Chapter Fourteen
Pictures, Pictures and Pictures
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Chapter Fifteen
Media Interview
Chapter Sixteen
Efforts Made towards the Unity of the Church
So many groups and individuals are trying their best to effect unity but first and foremost confronting the decay in the Church of Christ both local and international.
One of such organization is the “End Times Visions and Christian prophecy for the church and for the nations” you can follow this link to visit their site
@ http://endtimespropheticwords.wordpress.com. There is need for purging from within the Churches and Ministries. Once this cleansing by the authority of the
Word of God takes place we shall then know which are God’s.
According to David Orton, the Church will have to grow to a place where we outgrow unity by agreements but by the leadership and maturity of the Spirit of God.
Organizations like the World Council of Churches are doing wonderfully well but we need to grow further.
Further reading visit this site on Ecumenism
Resources:
1- Stott, John, ‘The Contemporary Christian’, IVP,UK 1992
2- Austin Flannery, O.P. ‘Vatican Council 2’ Costello Publishing Company, Inc. USA 1975
3- Ray C. Stedman, ‘Body Life’ , Regal Books Division USA, 1972
4- United Fellowship of Christ, ‘Constitution of the Registered Trustees of the United Fellowship of Christ Ministries International, USA 2004
5- United Fellowship of Christ, ‘ Statement of Faith’, UFCMI Website; www.ourchurch.com/member/u/UFofC New Jersey USA, 2004
6- Independent Catholic Union, ‘Code of Canon Law; Organization and Administration, Holy Order of Apostolic Priesthood’, ICU website; www.i-c-u.org USA, 2004
7- King James Version, ‘Holy Bible’, Thomas Nelson, Inc. USA 1984, 1977
8- Larrabee, Gary, ‘ Thy Kingdom Come’, International Branch of the Lion of Judah, Canada, 2000 , website; www.vinesbranch.com
9- Rotgak Gofwen & Jonathan Ishaku, ‘State of Emergency’, St. Stephen Bookhouse, Nigeria, 2006
10- Willmington, H.L. ‘Willmington’s Guide to The Bible’, Tyndale House Publishers, Inc. USA, 1984
11- Herman Hartfeld, ‘Faith despite the KGB’ Stephanus Publishers, Germany 1976
12- Dr. Dawuda Genesis, ‘Great Kwararafa Kingdom in a New Age’ page 30, The Heritage News Magazine.
Vol. 2 No. 6 October 2004,Kwararafa Heritage Communication Limited, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria
13- Clan Mactavish, www.clanmactavish.org
14- J. Oswald Sanders, ‘ Heresies Ancient and Modern’, Zondervan Publishing House, Michigan USA 1948
15- David Orton, ‘A Statement Concerning the City-Church’, Lifemessenger Inc. USA, website: www.lifemessenger.org
16- Dawuda P. Ashu, ‘Christian Reformed Church of Nigeria: A legacy of Faithful servants of God’, Haske da Gaskiya Books, Taraba State, Nigeria 1999
17- Trevor Newport, ‘Secret to Success’
18- Yeshua International and the Old Roman Catholic Church in England, website; www.yeshuainternational.com
19- Ralph Cohen, The essential works of David Hume, Bantam Books USA, Canada 1965
20- The New Age, Volume LXVIII, Number 1, April 1960
21- The Masonic Seal of America. Htm 5/24/2003
22- David Sper, “How to identify a Dangerous Religious Group” Radio Bible Class, Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA © 1994
23- B.A. Robinson, Copyright © 2008 by Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance. www.religioustolerance.com
Biography
Genesis Api Dawuda was born in the year of our Lord, 1973 April to the Family of Mr. And Mrs. Dawuda Agyo Likita, in Wukari, Taraba State of Nigeria.
He began his education at Township Primary School, Jos, Plateau State, and Completed at St. Lukes Primary School, Jos, Plateau State.
He attended his Post Primary Education at Govt. Day Secondary School, Wukari. His post Secondary education was brief at
Federal University of Technology Yola before answering the call into active ministry. While in FUTY, he assisted in Pastoring Winans Klub,
a Campus Ministry.
He got ordained into ministry by the United Fellowship of Christ Ministry, New Jersey, USA. He runs a Chartered Apostolic Ministry,
known as Centre For World Rebirth, aka Apirikahin Incorporated Ministries.
His Ministry shares Intercommunion with Yeshua International, UK and is a member of Yeshua Embassy Network of Churches Int’l, USA.
He works in partnership with Ourchurch.com, Florida, USA as a Webmaster.
And International Branch of the Lion of Judah, a Messianic Jewish Ministry in Spokane, Washington USA.
He runs an online Ministry and School that has inspired a lot of people in ministry.
He was honored by the Zoe Life Theological College, Newark , USA with Doctor of Divinity.
Among other ministries he is in good standing with are, Fire of Israel (FLAME)USA, Keys to the Kingdom Covenant Communion, USA.
As gifted and trained graphic artist, he has been able to use that to promote his Ministry and that of associates with ease.
He is a poet and a creative writer.
He is a Knight of the Virtual Order of St. Anthony of Padua (KSA). And the Grand Patron of the Order.
He has been able to effect unity among different ministries on the International level.
He is the Webmaster of some ministries within the country and around the world.
His hobbies include, reading, writing, watching Science Fiction and Adventure movies. He loves making new friends. He likes keeping the
company of Children around him, he believes that unto such belongs the Kingdom of God.
He has published two E-Books and has many unpublished works.
He is not such a popular minister in Nigeria, but has been able to use the Internet to fulfill so much and is still actively involved in his online work.
He is the administrator of Bethel School of Wisdom (Online) and Bethel Virtual Bishop College.
He is the Executive Apostle of Centre For World Rebirth and Bethel Worship Centre.
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