Forcing Baptism on Anyone is Not God's Way

6/25/2015 452 Comments


A Catholic priest by the name of Rev. Fr. Stephen “Steve” Shott O.S.F.S. tweeted in response to questions and criticisms of his faith as follows:


Poor Stephen Shott. He doesn’t know his Bible. This is where we can see the benefit and the importance of reading the Bible!

In Matthew 28:19-20, there is no such thing as “baptize all nations”! The commandment is “teach all nations!”

MATTHEW 28:19-20 
19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 
20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

It is absolutely impractical to be able to baptize a nation. A preacher of God can preach into an entire nation but never in the history of humanity, more so in Christianity, that a whole nation was baptized! It is because of acceptance of teachings that is a pre-requisite.

The Lord Jesus Christ, the most sensible preacher of all times, taught the nation of Israel His teachings but was not successful in making His entire nation accept His teachings and therefore be baptized.

Truth and reality qualify and quantify the intended meaning of a statement. The commandment “teach all nations, baptizing them” does not mean that all nations or an entire nation be baptized. The commission to teach, yes, and baptism is to follow. But there is a qualifying and quantifying truth to the intended meaning of the speaker.

The Lord Jesus Christ very well knew that not all nations and not all people of each nation would accept His teachings. So with the baptism He commanded to the apostles to be carried out. The Apostles and the disciples understood what the Lord Jesus Christ meant when He said, “baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” They will baptize only those who believed in His teachings! Here’s a story about a eunuch who merited baptism.

THE ACTS 8:36-38 
36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? 
37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 
38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.

Had the eunuch answered in the negative, the possibility - one hundred percent - is that Philip will not baptize him. That fact qualifies and quantifies the intended sense of the commandment!

Why are we sure biblically and logically that the baptism commanded by the Lord Jesus Christ will not be bestowed upon anyone who does not believe? Baptism signifies submission of the seeker to God’s power by his faith.

HEBREWS 11:6 
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Why will a true preacher of God baptize a person if doing such will not please the God who sent him? Clearly, the qualifier is “faith,” the quantifier is “faith,” and the distinguisher of the age of anybody in a nation that is qualified for baptism is “faith.” A baby or an infant cannot have faith.

HEBREWS 5:13 
For every one that useth milk is unskillfull in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

Faith comes from hearing.

THE ROMANS 10:17 
So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.

Babies and infants have no capacity to believe or to have faith. In contrast, a grown up or a hundred-year-old man has the capacity to understand and so can believe. However, if he has no faith, he must not be baptized!

Being an adult and having the capacity to understand and to receive the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ is not enough gauge to receive baptism. He must receive them in faith in order to be baptized.

THE ROMANS 14:23 
And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

If in eating a person that eats without faith is damned, will not somebody being baptized without faith being fully aware of what he is doing be damned? The answer is clear: “For whatsoever is not of faith is sin.”

What then is the age essence or limit in Matthew 28:19-20? The age of reasons where a man can, by his own free will, accept the teachings and baptism commanded by the Lord Jesus Christ!

It does not stop there, however. Baptism is just the beginning of the journey of a true Christian.

What follows after baptism? “Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you.” After baptism follows the teaching "to observe"! A baby or an infant, even long after baptism, has not the capacity to observe or obey the laws of the Lord Jesus Christ. But what did the poor Catholic priest say?

Let’s look into more exchanges in Twitter.


It is true that teaching starts from childhood but not from “babyhood” and “infanthood.” Timothy was instructed in the Holy Scriptures from “childhood.”

II TIMOTHY 3:15 (RSV) 
and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings which are able to instruct you for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.

The mention of the term, “from childhood” can be understood from the fact that from the grandmother to the mother and to Timothy, faith dwelt.

II TIMOTHY 1:5 
When I call to remembrance the unfeigned faith that is in thee, which dwelt first in thy grandmother Lois, and thy mother Eunice; and I am persuaded that in thee also.

Since childhood, Timothy was being instructed by his mother and his grandmother. But one thing is sure: he was not baptized in “babyhood” or “infanthood”! He was baptized only when of age - as a reasoning adult.

This glaring truth is something that Catholic authorities cannot perceive! The mystery of the Kingdom of God is not given to just anyone! Therefore, things ring as parables in the ears of “the blind.”

MARK 4:11-12 
11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables: 
12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.

Light illuminates. But light blinds others!

JOHN 9:39 
And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind.

Glaring light to an unbelieving person may cause blindness. But to a believer, light illuminates the eyes to see and the mind to understand.

THE ACTS 26:18 
To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.

When Stephen Shott was asked if Christ instituted infant baptism, his answer was Yes, He did, and more. There was no discrimination. It was free for all. Christ instituted baptism for infant, child, teen, adult. Age was no barrier according to this priest.


How can a child be the same as an adult, to say the least that “infant baptism” is the same with “adult baptism”? How stupid! More than not discriminating with age, his understanding also of baptism is that all nations are to be baptized.


I pity this priest and those who will believe in him! In his futile defense of his erroneous faith, he resorts to adding his own thoughts in the Bible! This is the spirit that dictated the leaders of the Roman Catholic Church to institute what they call “holy inquisition.”

They killed and annihilated everyone who would not accept their baptism and their teachings because they have in mind the wrong interpretation of what the Lord Jesus Christ said and changed it to “baptize all nations”!

During the height of the power of the Roman Catholic Church, if people did not accept baptism, they were poisoned, beheaded, burned at stake, and fed to beasts!

What was the Inquisition?


For several centuries Catholic Church lorded it over in Inquisitions. When was this?


But here’s an excerpt from a Catholic Apologist, Thomas Madden in CatholicityDotCom (October 3, 2003) trying his best to cosmeticize the Inquisition that was part of Catholic history. In “The Truth About the Inquisition,” he wrote that Conversos were admittedly those forced into baptism. (Take note of the streaks of idolatry that were introduced to them as in calling Mary, the mother of God).

Spanish rabbis after 1391 had considered conversos to be Jews, since they had been forced into baptism. Yet by 1414, rabbis repeatedly stressed that conversos were indeed true Christians, since they had voluntarily left Judaism. By the mid-15th century, a whole new converso culture was flowering in Spain – Jewish in ethnicity and culture, but Catholic in religion.

Conversos, whether new converts themselves or the descendants of converts, took enormous pride in that culture. Some even asserted that they were better than the "Old Christians," since as Jews they were related by blood to Christ Himself. When the converso bishop of Burgos, Alonso de Cartagena, prayed the Hail Mary, he would say with pride, "Holy Mary, Mother of God and my blood relative, pray for us sinners…"

Several hundred years later, a pope would be asking for forgiveness for what happened during the Inquisition. This is from The Foreign Post, March 16-22, 2000 Vol. 8 No.370 and is titled, “Please Forgive Us.”

Luckily, in the Philippines, those who did not accept the baptism in Limasawa fought with swords and killed the Roman Catholic colonizer, Ferdinand Magellan.


The death of our National Hero, Dr. Jose Rizal, was initiated by Catholics because of the attacks and criticisms written by our hero against the abuses of the Catholic Church in my country of origin, through his books, “Noli Me Tangere” and “El Filibusterismo.”

One of Rizal’s famous quotes goes –

“Our liberty will not be secured at the sword's point... We must secure it by making ourselves worthy of it. And when the people reaches that height, God will provide a weapon, the idols will be shattered, tyranny will crumble like a house of cards, and liberty will shine out like the first dawn.”

The death of Rizal is obviously religious persecution from abusive and greedy Catholic friars. Their mission: “to baptize the entire Philippine nation” because of their wrong interpretation of Matthew 28:19-20! To assure their power, even a child must be baptized contrary to biblical Christianity. 

Definitely, there’s no more inquisition these days but the Catholic Church’s forcible baptism has changed configuration: It is focusing on the innocent and helpless – the infants.

There is wisdom in God’s words. Baptism requires understanding and acceptance of the teachings of our Lord, Jesus Christ. Therefore, age is important – and more than that is the acceptance of baptism itself. Then and only then will a person be baptized. Baptism, in any case, should not be forced on anyone. Neither should any religion be.

A whole nation is not expected to accept truth and one cannot force it by any means, least of all through inquisitions like those of the past. Otherwise, through enforcing, you violate the will of the person and resort to violence or to killing him – physically as well as spiritually. This veritably is not God’s way.

More to come. May God bless you.

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Infant Baptism: Why Persist When There’s No Limbo?

6/18/2015 646 Comments


The concept of infant baptism to the Roman Catholic Church is a series of false doctrines knotted to form a whole which is that of going to heaven or not. It is tied to a place of no suffering after death called Limbo, “original sin,” and sprinkling of water on body parts especially the forehead – all contrary to what the Bible says. In the end as always, there is money paid. But there is no more Limbo as one brave Pope Benedict XVI pronounced. So why carry on with infant baptism? 

The reason why Catholics institute infant baptism is the belief that an unbaptized child will go to limbo. Limbo is supposedly a place where there is no suffering. 



And the reason why a child cannot go to heaven if not baptized is because of the doctrine of the “original sin.” 




And because it may be too risky for an infant to be baptized by immersion, the practice of pouring or sprinkling water in baptism was invented. 




Imagine, for convenience they are willing to disobey the sacred manner exemplified by Christ in His baptism.

MATTHEW 3:16 
And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

If we meticulously study the history or the doctrines of the RCC, its precepts and practices, we will be traveling in time as far as the Middle Ages and discover that these invented doctrines and practices were instituted a thousand years after the death of the last apostle.This clearly defines for us through history that these are man-made doctrines! 

One invention was necessitated by another and so on and so forth. The pack of lies support each other. Thus, the Bible says:

TITUS 1:14 
Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.

If we may notice, the Jews are the authorities for salvation.

JOHN 4:22 
Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.

But the apostles, who were taught directly by Christ, set a limit on what a Christian must believe in and be part of his faith. That limit is that Christians must learn from the Apostles not beyond what was written. Repeat: Not beyond what was written.

I CORINTHIANS 4:6 
And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.

Logically and biblically, before the end of the first century, all Christian doctrines were completely taught and adhered to and practiced by early Christians. Although, the circumcision of a male child is a covenant between God and Abraham, the Apostles did not make it a necessary burden for salvation. They emphasized only four important doctrines as dictated by the Holy Spirit, excluding circumcision. These are abstaining from: 1) Pollutions of idols; 2) Fornication; 3) Things strangled; and 4) Blood.

THE ACTS 15:1-2, 19-20, 28-29 
1 And certain men which came down from Judea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. 
2 When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. 
19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: 
20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. 
28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; 
29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well, Fare ye well.

Emphatically, the Apostles with the instruction of Christ and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, practically and factually, omitted Old Testament practices of the Jews. This was to make Christians believe and practice only the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ and not those under the Law of Moses.

THE ACTS 13:39 
And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.

If even the teachings and the Law of Moses which came from God were nullified by the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Apostles, how can we accept precepts, teachings, doctrines, invented by the Catholic Church that are “non-Jew?” Consider that Jews were authorities of faith and salvation but Jewish fables were commanded by the Apostles to be rejected by Christians!

TITUS 1:14 
Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.

Let us focus on the inventions of the Roman Catholic Church (RCC). Let us analyze scientifically, mathematically, and biblically their doctrine of the “original or inherited sin.” We begin with the three definitions of sin in the Bible: 

First, transgression of the law.

I JOHN 3:4 
Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.

Second, any act not done in faith.

THE ROMANS 14:23 
And he that doubteth is damned if he eat, because he eateth not of faith: for whatsoever is not of faith is sin.

Third, the knowledge of doing what is not good and the intentional inaction of what is good.

JAMES 4:17 
Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

None of these definitions of sin apply to a child, especially to a newborn baby.

HEBREWS 5:13 
For every one that useth milk is unskillfull in the word of righteousness: for he is a babe.

The human society (Of course, not all are Catholics) believe that there is a universal consideration of age in evaluating what a human does or what is done to him. There is then universal human common sense when it comes to age! Veritably, Catholic priests do not have this common sense! 

Isn’t this what their doctrine of infant baptism over the years manifest? Despite the fact that Pope Benedict XVI, speaking ex cathedra, said there is no Limbo after all, they continue with their senseless baptisms. Here’s the meaning of ex cathedra from Oxford Dictionary -




Meanwhile, let us read these exchanges from Twitter where a Catholic priest grossly displays his ignorance about Baptism. Steve Shott believes that when Christ said, Go and baptize all nations, he did not refer to any age.This indicates the shallow understanding of Catholic authorities on the meaning and essence of baptism. 

A child is devoid of understanding if he is still a child. At that age he has no capacity for making any covenant with anyone, least of all God.He cannot understand yet what it is that baptism binds him to do. But Shott mentions Matthew 28:19. -

Matthew 28:19 (KJV) 
Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: 




Steve Shott was being asked if Christ ordered child baptism. Was he answering the question correctly? 




Being a child can be a “disadvantage”as when one is not allowed something like baptism (in the true church). But there are times it is an advantage as for example in what is referred to as infancy defense in crimes. His age protects him from being liable for crime on the notion that the minor mind is not capable of forming criminal intent.

Infancy is a criminal defense, descended from British common law, that attempts to disprove liability for a crime by reason of the defendant's very young age. Under the assumption that minors are incapable of forming criminal intent in the same manner as adults, the common law infancy defense traditionally bars the prosecution of children under the age of seven for crimes and presumptively precludes the prosecution of children aged seven to fourteen years under the adult criminal law system. Contemporary statutes in United States criminal law, however, hold that children in the latter age group are eligible for prosecution through the juvenile justice system. (Ref: http://www.lectlaw.com/mjl/cl032.htm)

The original sin, also called ancestral sin, has Catholic origins. History records that “the concept of original sin was first alluded to in the 2nd century by Irenaeus, Bishop of Lyons. At that time this Catholic Bishop was dueling with certain dualist Gnostics. (Ref: “Original Sin,” Wikipedia) Biblically speaking, the original sin of the original man was turning away his ears from listening to God to listening to his wife.

GENESIS 3:17 
And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;

How can a baby have such “original sin”? The truth is, “SIN IS NOT INHERITED.” What sin our ancestors have done is not passed on to us. There is no such thing as original sin. The Bible assures us that the iniquity of the father shall not be borne by the son. God is just. As a baby, he has no sin at the time he is being baptized. Even if he sins, as he grows older like an unmarried like a Catholic priest, he won’t be able to pass anything down!!!

EZEKIEL 18:20 
The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him.

How pitiful to think that Catholics, who possess many good things of this earth, would let their offspring inherit their sins! Is that a good thing to do – ever?

PROVERBS 19:14 
House and riches are the inheritance of fathers: and a prudent wife is from the LORD.

Adam, the original man, who committed “the original sin,” did not pass it to Abel.

HEBREWS 11:4 
By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh.

Abel was not baptized and so were Moses, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Baptism was instituted only by the Father at the time of John and the Lord Jesus Christ.

JOHN 1:31-32 
31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water. 
32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

Although the Israelites were allegorically baptized with Moses in water and the clouds, baptism was not instituted until the coming of John.

I CORINTHIANS 10:1-2 
1 Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; 
2 And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;

If the doctrine of the Catholic Church that claims universal supremacy were universally applied, all infants and children since time immemorial that died without baptism would all be going to limbo! Imagine that! But Christ speaking of universal facts and spiritual truth opened the gates of heaven to all children of all dispensation!

MATTHEW 19:14 
But Jesus said, Suffer little children, and forbid them not, to come unto me: for of such is the kingdom of heaven.

MATTHEW 18:3
And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Of the more than 260 popes in the Roman Catholic Church, I consider only one having the guts to think and that is Pope Benedict XVI. He declared that limbo is non-existent and that infants and children will go to heaven without being baptized! Could this be the reason he later resigned or was forced to resign? Was he seeing through the errors of the Roman Catholic Church? If the doctrine of infallibility “ex-cathedra” is true, can it be that only Benedict XVI was speaking the truth about infant baptism and limbo, and all the more than 260 were wrong? For almost a thousand years they taught Catholics of the existence of limbo and original sin that may bar a child from entering heaven. 

I do not expect a logical and reasonable answer from Catholic priests. None of them can answer this because none of them can speak “ex-cathedra” – unlike the pope. I, therefore, expect an answer from a pope. 


The Bible is a complete reference for the doctrine of salvation.

II TIMOTHY 3:15-17 
15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 
17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

In Christ, not even a letter of the alphabet is lost.

REVELATION 22:13 
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.

When He said, “I am Alpha and Omega, he is also beta, gamma, delta, epsilon….” The fullness of things and salvation is in Christ for the Father is pleased that all fullness dwell in Him.

COLOSSIANS 1:19 
For it pleased the Father that in him should all fullness dwell;

The book of Acts is a record of all Christian acts and faith - COMPLETE!

LUKE 1:1-3 
1 Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, 
2 Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word; 
3 It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,

THE ACTS 1:1-2 
1 The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus, of all that Jesus began both to do and teach, 
2 Until the day in which he was taken up, after that he through the Holy Ghost had given commandments unto the apostles whom he had chosen:

And it is evident that there was no infant baptism that was recorded in the Book of Acts. The foolish Catholic priest asked, “Where can you show me that the apostles forbade infant baptism?” 



Such a foolish question! But I am giving a logical and a biblical answer. 

The disciples, who have the right to baptize, baptized only a believing person, not an infant!

THE ACTS 8:36-38 
36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? 
37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. 
38 And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.

We will continue these discussions. I have to park here. Expect more on baptism by sprinkling or pouring, and a broader depth discussion on original sin and other collateral matters. 

The reasoning of Shott - really a "bad Shott" - is that that there is no age mentioned in Matthew 28:19. That is not how to construe the Bible and its meaning. The verses are not islands by themselves. Did he read the next verse following it? We will prove biblically then beyond any shadow of doubt that there is a consideration of age in Matthew 28:19-20. 

More to come, God willing.

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Outrageously Obvious: Idolaters Don’t Read the Bible!

6/11/2015 440 Comments



Idolatry is one of the many abominable things that God hates among His people. It is part of the past of early Christians.

I PETER 4:3 
For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries:

Their idolatries were described as abominable, hence clearly unacceptable to God. Generally, there are seven abominable things in the sight of the Lord: 1) A proud look, 2) A lying tongue, 3) Hands that claim innocent lives, 4) Heart that devised wicked imaginations, 5) Feet that run to do mischief, 6) False witnessing, and 7) Sowing discord among brethren.

PROVERBS 6:16-19 
16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: 
17 A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 
18 A heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, 
19 A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

Of the seven mentioned, idolatry falls into “heart that deviseth wicked imaginations.” 

From Strong’s Dictionary -

G1495 
εἰδωλολατρεία 
eidōlolatreia 
i-do-lol-at-ri'-ah 
From G1497 (eidōlon) and G2999 (latreia); image worship (literally or figuratively): - idolatry.

Idolatry in the biblical sense constitutes kneeling, praying, gazing or seeing an idol. But idolatry from the context of the entire Bible itself is not only kneeling down or seeing or gazing unto an idol but also keeping within oneself sentiments - against the will of God.

EPHESIANS 5:3-5 
3 But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness, let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints; 
4 Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting, which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks. 
5 For this ye know, that no whoremonger, nor unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, hath any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and of God.

Paul further emphasized unto the church in Colossae what constitutes idolatry: covetousness. A covetous man is a greedy man that cannot have what he wants. He is an idolater in that the person devotes much time thinking of his object of desire more than he should.

COLOSSIANS 3:5-6 
5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry
6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience:

The damage to the soul caused by idolatry is not limited to just directly kneeling down, praying, gazing unto an idol of wood, metal, stone, and the like. It extends far beyond the presence of an idol including eating foods offered to it - before the idol or without. 

Here are what the Bible warns about idols: 1) Idols can pollute the mind; 2) Offerings like meat are being offered to idols; 3) Conscience can be inhabited by the idol as allowed by man; 4) Conscience can be defiled by the idol; 5) Food sacrificed to idols can defile the one eating it - when eaten knowingly.

THE ACTS 15:19-20, 28-29 
19 Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: 
20 But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. 
28 For it seemed good to the Holy Ghost, and to us, to lay upon you no greater burden than these necessary things; 
29 That ye abstain from meats offered to idols, and from blood, and from things strangled, and from fornication: from which if ye keep yourselves, ye shall do well, Fare ye well.

I CORINTHIANS 8:7 
Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled.

I CORINTHIANS 10:27-28 
27 If any of them that believe not bid you to a feast, and ye be disposed to go; whatsoever is set before you, eat, asking no question for conscience sake. 
28 But if any man say unto you, This is offered in sacrifice unto idols, eat not for his sake that showed it, and for conscience sake: for the earth is the Lord's, and the fullness thereof:

In the last situation, there stands the restricting clause, “but if any man say unto you.” You are free to eat; there is no information of food being offered to an idol. But… Remember, you are to consider your brother offering you a feast. If told that the food was offered to an idol, you must not eat it. It is plain to see here the relationship between conscience and idols. 

God condemns respecters and keepers of idols! Incidentally, in some residences, gods of all sizes and all constitutions whether stone, wood, metal or ceramics can be found. Some are encased in glasses, some merely standing, and some placed visibly where a garland of fresh flowers is placed from time to time. Of course, such gods are made by the hands of men, which is why they are mere idols.

GENESIS 31:30-34 
30 And now, though thou wouldest needs be gone, because thou sore longest after thy father's house, yet wherefore hast thou stolen my gods
31 And Jacob answered and said to Laban, Because I was afraid: for I said, Peradventure thou wouldest take by force thy daughters from me. 
32 With whomsoever thou findest thy gods, let him not live: before our brethren discern thou what is thine with me, and take it to thee. For Jacob knew not that Rachel had stolen them
33 And Laban went into Jacob's tent, and into Leah's tent, and into the two maidservants' tents; but he found them not. Then went he out of Leah's tent, and entered into Rachel's tent. 
34 Now Rachel had taken the images, and put them in the camel's furniture, and sat upon them. And Laban searched all the tent, but found them not.

Precious metals offered and used in idolatry or adoration of idols are equally evil with the idol itself that may cause snare of the soul of any person keeping it.

DEUTERONOMY 7:25 
The graven images of their gods shall ye burn with fire: thou shalt not desire the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it unto thee, lest thou be snared therein: for it is an abomination to the LORD thy God.

This is why God condemned the household of Achan. They were idolaters. They coveted the material things of unbelievers that they were told to destroy.

JOSHUA 7:19-26 
19 And Joshua said unto Achan, My son, give, I pray thee, glory to the LORD God of Israel, and make confession unto him; and tell me now what thou hast done; hide it not from me. 
20 And Achan answered Joshua, and said, Indeed I have sinned against the LORD God of Israel, and thus and thus have I done: 
21 When I saw among the spoils a goodly Babylonish garment, and two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of gold of fifty shekels weight, then I coveted them, and took them; and, behold, they are hid in the earth in the midst of my tent, and the silver under it. 
22 So Joshua sent messengers, and they ran unto the tent; and, behold, it was hid in his tent, and the silver under it. 
23 And they took them out of the midst of the tent, and brought them unto Joshua, and unto all the children of Israel, and laid them out before the LORD. 
24 And Joshua, and all Israel with him, took Achan the son of Zerah, and the silver, and the garment, and the wedge of gold, and his sons, and his daughters, and his oxen, and his asses, and his sheep, and his tent, and all that he had: and they brought them unto the valley of Achor. 
25 And Joshua said, Why hast thou troubled us? the LORD shall trouble thee this day. And all Israel stoned him with stones, and burned them with fire, after they had stoned them with stones. 
26 And they raised over him a great heap of stones unto this day. So the LORD turned from the fierceness of his anger. Wherefore the name of that place was called, The valley of Achor, unto this day.

But what are idols?

PSALMS 115:4-8 
4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. 
5 They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: 
6 They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: 
7 They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. 
8 They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.

This Catholic priest accepts that kneeling down to pray before graven images is idolatry. But he does not consider that those images in the Catholic Church are mere wood or metal or stone, mere idols. Why couldn’t he when carpenters fool them by placing chemicals inside the idol that can drop in slow trickles as blood so that Steve Shott and his likes can claim miracle afterwards? (Some “religious” people enjoy being fooled and that explains why there are carpenter fools). 




Neither the idol (statue) nor any thing used in making it - be it precious like gold, silver, or stone - should be kept by a Christian! But Roman Catholics keep them all - complete with devotion and prayers being offered unto them.

THE ACTS 17:29 
Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.

Dr. Paul M. Elliott, a writer, wrote about the Roman Catholic Church as “The Historic Champion of Counterfeit Worship.” In his article of the same title, he said -

Vatican teaching alleges a distinction between what it calls dulia (venerating saints and bowing before statues and human remains) and latria (worship directed toward God). Veneration is not the same as worship, they say. We are only venerating saints, relics, Mary, and popes past and present. However, they are making a distinction between veneration and worship that does not stand up under the light of Scripture. When man gives the adoration to other persons and objects that is to be reserved for the one true and living God alone, that is nothing less than counterfeit worship. When man gives the love, reverence, devotion, adulation - and yes, the veneration - to other persons and to other things when that love, reverence, devotion, adulation, and veneration rightfully belongs to God alone - Rome may call it by whatever Latin name it likes, but it is still counterfeit worship. Moreover, when man makes images and prays to them it is idolatry…. (Ref: teachingtheword.org).

LET US DIG DEEPER. 

Catholic Faith Apologetics reason that God ordered Moses to make the Ark of the Covenant. In this ark, the two tablets of stone with the (genuine) ten commandments written on them should be kept.

II CHRONICLES 5:10 
There was nothing in the ark save the two tables which Moses put therein at Horeb, when the LORD made a covenant with the children of Israel, when they came out of Egypt.

And upon it are the images of cherubs made with gold.

EXODUS 25:18 
And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat.

A quick look at the verses and a deep analysis of them reveals that it is not a commandment for all people, nor to any catholic, but to one particular person who is Moses.

HEBREWS 8:5 
Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern showed to thee in the mount.

Catholics do not have the same stature as that of Moses. God showed Moses heavenly things which things were not shown to any Catholic from its inception up to now. When I mentioned the Ten Commandments, I said, “the genuine Ten Commandments.” Why? Because the Catholic Church had intentionally restructured the genuine into their own crooked version! 

Let us read the genuine version:

EXODUS 20:2-17 
2 I am the LORD thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. 
3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me. 
4 Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: 
5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; 
6 And showing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. 
7 Thou shalt not take the name of the LORD thy God in vain; for the LORD will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. 
8 Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. 
9 Six days shalt thou labor, and do all thy work: 
10 But the seventh day is the sabbath of the LORD thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: 
11 For in six days the LORD made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the LORD blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. 
12 Honor thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. 
13 Thou shalt not kill. 
14 Thou shalt not commit adultery. 
15 Thou shalt not steal. 
16 Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbor. 
17 Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor's wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbor's.

Now let us read this photo reference indicating how the Catholic “formula” is arrived at. Second commandment is deleted! 




Ref: http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/command.htm 

The Catholic Church removed the second commandment that is, “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:” 

Outrageous! Take note of the Bible verses on the left. Moving to the right, they have what is called a “formula” but now the injunction about images is not reflected (Commandment 2 or “You shall have no other gods before me.” [Deuteronomy 5 for short form and Exodus 20 for longer form]). Towards the end, what happens is a splitting of the ninth commandment to serve as the 9th and 10th. 

What could be their intention in removing that? Isn’t removal an indication that they understood what graven images mean yet refuse to follow? This is an utter disregard for the word of God, a very obvious foolhardiness of Catholic authorities striking out a very important portion of the Ten Commandments. 

The clear objective is to cosmeticize their practice of profane, recklessly open, vulgar, and abominable idolatry! This is unspeakable, beastly, horrendous! 

Read what is written in the Bible, and compare again and again the Catholic version of the Ten Commandments and you will discover that their disobedience of the Lord is scandalously evil and intended! 

The second commandment of the genuine version (those reflected on the left portion) is missing in the “formula;” can you see that? (The “formula” is the one they teach to their people). Instead, the commandments that are supposed to follow are raised up higher and the last one is split in two. Would God need to split coveting when he has to declare it a sin?  

But the Catholic Church did not just diminish a word but took away the entire second commandment!

DEUTERONOMY 5:7-9 
7 Thou shalt have none other gods before me. 
8 Thou shalt not make thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the waters beneath the earth: 
9 Thou shalt not bow down thyself unto them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me,

JEREMIAH 26:2 
Thus saith the LORD; Stand in the court of the LORD's house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the LORD's house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word:

The question with Catholics is that they are not advised by their priests to read the Bible, contrary to the customs and traditions of real Christians! 

Here’s what a Catholic priest said. He sounds assertive but the assertion more than displays his ignorance. To him, there is no injunction about reading the Bible. How sad for a priest – a supposed teacher of people! 




What will he teach his people if he doesn’t know his Bible? The Catechism is not the Bible. Meanwhile, the Bible is teeming with verses advising God’s people to read it. 

It is now being affirmed that Catholics are not God’s people especially their priests. As exemplified by Steve Shotts, they do not know this particular will of God! Sadly, there are many Steve Shotts in the world, in fact, beginning with their present Pope whom we criticized for his pronouncements about Jesus Christ.

ISAIAH 34:16 
Seek ye out of the book of the LORD, and read: no one of these shall fail, none shall want her mate: for my mouth it hath commanded, and his spirit it hath gathered them.

COLOSSIANS 4:16 
And when this epistle is read among you, cause that it be read also in the church of the Laodiceans; and that ye likewise read the epistle from Laodicea.

I THESSALONIANS 5:27 
I charge you by the Lord that this epistle be read unto all the holy brethren.

There is discipline in reading the Bible. Two are outstanding and these are – First, not to think of men above that which is written.


I CORINTHIANS 4:6 
And these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and to Apollos for your sakes; that ye might learn in us not to think of men above that which is written, that no one of you be puffed up for one against another.

No purgatory, no limbo, no rosary. More yet, no Mary that appears and appears and speaks, no Catholic saints that start religious orders. 

Second, not to add to nor take away from or deduct anything from what one is reading.

REVELATION 22:18 
For I testify unto every man that heareth the words of the prophecy of this book, If any man shall add unto these things, God shall add unto him the plagues that are written in this book: 19 And if any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

All these things are not only being disregarded by Catholic authorities but also being dreadfully transgressed! 

The fact is, a minister of Christ must always read the Bible. He needs to do it.

I TIMOTHY 4:13 
Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.

But what will Timothy read?

II TIMOTHY 3:15-17 
15 And that from a child thou hast known the holy Scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. 
16 All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: 
17 That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works.

What obtains is that Catholic priests read fairy tales like apparition of Mary, the papal encyclicals, and the likes that lead them and their members away from the truth! 

But God’s people from its kings down to the least of them are commanded by God to always read the Bible.

DEUTERONOMY 17:18-19 
18 And it shall be, when he sitteth upon the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write him a copy of this law in a book out of that which is before the priests the Levites: 
19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read therein all the days of his life: that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, to keep all the words of this law and these statutes, to do them:

JOSHUA 1:8 
This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.

In spite of their folly, Catholics have the gall to claim that they were the ones who canonized the Scriptures. What a shame! 

Now, does it pay to read the Bible? Definitely, YES! One gets blessed.

REVELATION 1:3 
Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

I am appealing to all Catholics who hate me. Continue hating me. I am blessed anyway by your hatred but please read your Bible and do your souls a favor!

MATTHEW 5:11 
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

As for me and my household, we will continue reading the Bible! 

More to come. 

Truly yours, 

Brother Eli Soriano

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