Paul Labored More Abundantly Than the Other Apostles

4/29/2017 36 Comments

Apostle Paul labored more

This is a reply to a comment posted by a certain Vladimir Sputnik on my article entitled Karl Marx’s Unwise Definition of Religion.

Dear Presiding Minister,

Almost 70% of the Russians hate Karl Marx’s ideas. Most Russians are members of Russian Orthodox Christianity therefore majority of us believe in the existence of God. Amen!

Your articles are very informative except for the following which is very confusing:
You quoted:

(1 Corinthians 4:8, 11-13) “Now ye are full, now ye are rich, ye have reigned as kings without us: and I would to God ye did reign, that we also might reign with you…” “…Even unto this present hour we both hunger, and thirst, and are naked, and are buffeted, and have no certain dwelling place; And labor, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it: Being defamed, we entreat: we are made as the filth of the world, and are the off scouring of all things unto this day.”

(2 Corinthians 12:14-15) “Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.”

Question: >>>>Is it true that he suffered the most & labored more abundantly than any of the apostles? If not, I’m still looking for your added information. If yes, Is it proper for him to claim that he labored more than any of the apostles?

(Romans 12:20) “Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.”

>>>>>>Comment: Is it helping the enemy or insulting the enemy? Well, If it is indeed true that we need to feed the enemy, then why did he uttered the ff words in Galatia:

“If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be ACCURSED.” (Gal. 1:9)

……..Feeding an accursed enemy?

“I wish those who unsettle you would MUTILATE themselves” (Galatian 5:12 RSV)

……..Mutilate themselves?

“I would they were even cut off which trouble you” (Galatian 5:12 KJV)

……….cut off?

…… to love those enemies in Rome only? Just asking!

Waiting for clarification!

Spasibo!!!

Vladimir_Sputnik

Dear Vladimir Sputnik,

I have a different attitude in reading the Holy Scriptures. I do not doubt the authors (or the penmen) used by God in writing the Scriptures. If there are doubts that come into my mind, my first option is to look into the translation — if it was mistranslated or not; but never did I doubt the authority of these persons used by God to record His holy words. Why? Because I believe in God and His power who guided the penmen of the Bible.

(2 Peter 1:21) 
“For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

(1 Corinthians 14:37) 
“If any man think himself to be a prophet, or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.

(John 1:3-4) 
“That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.”

It is a brotherly advice I am giving you that instead of doubting those who were instrumental in writing the word of God (like the Apostle Paul), search the Scriptures instead, to find the ‘real score’ of the truth.

(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.”

What the Apostle Paul said that he labored more abundantly than all the other Apostles must not be doubted because our Lord Jesus Christ Himself predicted that some of those who will believe in Him will do greater work because He is going to the Father.

(John 14:12) 
“Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.”

I never doubted that the Apostle Paul really labored more than the previous Apostles of Christ. He even said that he is augmenting what was ‘wanting’ in what our Lord Jesus Christ did.

(Colossians 1:24-25) 
“Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church,of which I became a minister according to the divine office which was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully known…”

While he said that he really labored more than the other Apostles, but credited it to the grace of God in him.

(1 Corinthians 15:9-10) 
“For I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am: and his grace which was bestowed upon me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me.”

The records written in the book of Acts by the physician Luke, testifies to the fact. The record shows the extent of the missionary journey and sacrifices of the Apostle Paul. Even the Apostle Peter, James, and John are witnesses to the gifts and the wisdom of the Apostle Paul. That is why they have entrusted to him and Barnabas the management of the larger portion of the first century Church — which is the Church of the Gentiles.

(Galatians 2:9) 
“And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.”

The first twelve Apostles were sent in the beginning of their ministry within the boundaries of Israel; but the authority of the Apostle Paul reaches from Jerusalem as far the Gentiles, and even unto the uttermost part of the earth — including our dispensation and all of the countries of the world now.

(Matthew 10:5-6) 
“These twelve Jesus sent forth, and commanded them, saying, Go not into the way of the Gentiles, and into any city of the Samaritans enter ye not: But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

The jurisdiction given to the Apostle Paul covers the Jews, the Gentiles, even to kings.

(Acts 9:15) 
“But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel…”

And especially to the Gentiles.

(Acts 13:47) 
“For so hath the Lord commanded us, saying, I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.”

Considering the scope of the jurisdiction given to him, it is but prudent to believe that he labored more than the other Apostles. The verses that you cited in 1 Corinthians 4:8, 11, 13 are not confusing. Paul is speaking of his condition in comparison with the condition of the members of the Church. He is just the opposite of modern day leaders — they are overfed. Members are underfed —even deprived of the precious word of God because of their self interest.

(Ezekiel 34:2-5) 
“Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered.”

(Jeremiah 5:26-28) 
“For wicked men are found among my people; they lurk like fowlers lying in wait. They set a trap; they catch men. Like a basket full of birds, their houses are full of treachery; therefore they have become great and rich, they have grown fat and sleek…

The Apostle Paul labored with his hand to augment his personal necessities and some of his co-laborers in Christ. He spent what he can — even his own life.

(2 Corinthians 12:15) 
“And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.”

(Acts 20:33-35) 
“I have coveted no man’s silver, or gold, or apparel. Yea, ye yourselves know, that these hands have ministered unto my necessities, and to them that were with me. I have showed you all things, how that so laboring ye ought to support the weak, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to give than to receive.”

(2 Corinthians 12:14-15) 
“Behold, the third time I am ready to come to you; and I will not be burdensome to you: for I seek not yours, but you: for the children ought not to lay up for the parents, but the parents for the children. And I will very gladly spend and be spent for you; though the more abundantly I love you, the less I be loved.”

He, surely, is the opposite of religious leaders today who covet money they spend for their vices, from their member’s pockets.

PAUL, INSULTING HIS ENEMIES?

You cited Romans 12:20, which states…

“Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.”

…and asked if he is helping or insulting the enemy. The words of God in the Bible were never meant by God to insult anybody. The Scriptures are…

(2 Timothy 3:16) 
“… given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.”

The words of God were given to men, and were written to be used for doctrine, for reproof, "for correction, for instruction in righteousness." 

What does the Bible mean when it said that by feeding your enemy, you are going to heap coals of fire upon his head? The Apostle Paul defined to us the kind of teachings of the New Testament. They are spiritual.

(2 Corinthians 3:6) 
“Who also hath made us able ministers of the New Testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life.”

The New Testament that the Apostle Paul preaches teaches us of spiritual things. The good and kind things that we are going to do to an enemy will be like coal that burns on top of his head — meaning, that it will bother him and make him think of the evil he is doing to you; and the good thing you are doing in return. How about Galatians 1:9?

“As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”

The word ‘accursed’ used by the Apostle Paul is:

anathema 
an-ath’-em-ah 
From G394; a (religious) ban or (concretely) excommunicated (thing or person): – accursed, anathema, curse, X great.

Meaning, if anyone preaches another gospel, other than what was preached by the Apostles, such teachings must be banned or must not be accepted by the Church. How about Galatians 5:12?

“I would they were even cut off which trouble you.” (KJV)

“I wish those who unsettle you would mutilate themselves!” (RSV)

“I wish that those causing you to doubt will cut themselves off.” (MKJV)

“I would that they that unsettle you would even go beyond circumcision.” (ASV)

“I wish that the people who are upsetting you would go all the way; let them go on and castrate themselves!” (Good News Bible)

The phrase ‘mutilate themselves’ (which you doubt) simply means those who are bothering the Christians at Galatia, and teaching other doctrines than what was preached by Paul, he wished that they circumcise themselves.

Let us take it from the context.

(Galatians 5:2-12) 
“Now I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who receives circumcision that he is bound to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any avail, but faith working through love. You were running well; who hindered you from obeying the truth? This persuasion is not from him who calls you. A little leaven leavens the whole lump. I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view than mine; and he who is troubling you will bear his judgment, whoever he is. But if I, brethren, still preach circumcision, why am I still persecuted? In that case the stumbling block of the cross has been removed. I wish those who unsettle you would mutilate themselves!

There are those in the local Church of Galatia that bothers the faith or unsettle the brethren by teaching other than what Paul had taught them. They emphasize fleshly circumcision, which was practiced by those under the Law of Moses, which is not a requirement in the New Testament anymore. So, he said that “…in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision is of any avail…” But those who still insist on circumcision, he wished to circumcise or ‘mutilate’ themselves.

(Galatians 5:12) 
“I would that they that unsettle you would even go beyond circumcision.” (ASV)

Meaning, that he wishes that they will learn more than the letters of the Law of Moses, which is doing righteousness — the Christian way; keeping the law of Christ, whether circumcised or not.

(Galatians 2:3) 
“But even Titus, who was with me, was not compelled to be circumcised, though he was a Greek.”

Circumcised or not, a Christian does the will of God from the heart without any intention of being praised by men.

(Ephesians 6:6) 
“Not with eyeservice, as menpleasers; but as the servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart…”

Because he is circumcised, not in the flesh but, in the heart, he pleases God and not men.

(Romans 2:29) 
“But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.”

I pray for your enlightenment.

God Bless!

Brother Eli Soriano

36 Comments:

Where Can There be More Evil?

More evil in the hearts of religious and political leaders

Evil is evil when done evilly. Justice is injustice if rendered impertinently. The Bible tells us that where justice is, there is also evil.

ECCLESIASTES 3:16 
And moreover I saw under the sun the place of judgment, that wickedness was there; and the place of righteousness, that iniquity was there.

This does not apply to everywhere in the universe. The verse tells us it is “under the sun” or on earth. Of course, this is not the case in heaven where God reigns. It is one of the intentions in the prayers taught by the Lord Jesus Christ to His apostles “Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven”.

MATTHEW 6:9-13 
9 After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. 
10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. 
11 Give us this day our daily bread. 
12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. 
13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

If only God’s will will be done in the entire earth as it is in heaven, the earth will surely be a very nice place to live in.

There are places on earth which can be considered hostile to live in, physically and spiritually: Physically, because they are plagued with crime and moral decadence; and spiritually because of governmental and religious corruptions.

I am a septuagenarian and had lived with awareness in almost every aspect of human life for half a century. In my native country, about four decades ago, you can walk on the main thoroughfares of any metropolitan area with confidence and feeling of safety. Of course, there are isolated cases of misdeeds, especially among drunken standbys, but they are almost negligible. Just run as fast as you can, when, by chance, they want to make you a plaything of their drunkenness, and you are saved! I experienced this incident once in my forty years of roaming around Metro Manila streets, even in the wee hours of the morning.

Now, as I look around me, I see my people fighting and killing one another. I see them raping our own women; butchering our own children; and destroying our own homes. What possible power could have deprived them of this decency that they will now violate the sanctity of Filipino women? What possible power could have twisted the hearts and minds of our people that they will now fight and kill each other? In sheer desperation, I tried to find answers from the Holy Scriptures and these are what they have to say:

PROVERBS 29:2 (RSV) 
When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice; but when the wicked rule, the people groan.

The Hebrew word translated “groan” is:

אנח 
ânach 
aw-nakh’ 
A primitive root; to sigh: – groan, mourn, sigh.

This is the Biblical reason why people of my country, even those who had left in search for greener pasture groan and sigh.

But what makes wicked rulers?

Partiality and bad influences!

EXODUS 23:8 (RSV) 
And you shall take no bribe, for a bribe blinds the officials, and subverts the cause of those who are in the right.

DEUTERONOMY 16:19 (RSV) 
You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality; and you shall not take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and subverts the cause of the righteous.

But what can influence a ruler to show partiality and subverts the cause of the righteous? They are religious leaders and influence peddlers.

In our country religious leaders use their flocks to influence the power-hungry politicians. In blatant defiance of our constitution, religious leaders dictate whom to vote upon their members in threat of being excommunicated if they disobey.

II PETER 2:1-3 
1 But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. 
2 And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. 
3 And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.

These religious leaders exploit their members as their ‘merchandise’ and ‘medium of exchange’ to crooked officials to gain favor and respect. Biblically, religious leaders are agents of hell and satan who are the most venomous makers of evil people.

MATTHEW 23:15 
Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.

Religious leaders are the most influential corruptors of people in government. It is highly logical because even these political leaders have their religious leaders too.

Nothing is more evil than doing evil in utter awareness that what you are doing is evil with an evil intent!

JUDE 1:15 (NKJV) 
to execute judgment on all, to convict all who are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have committed in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”

But where can there be more evil? In the minds and in the hearts of leaders: political or religious.

JEREMIAH 17:9-10 
9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? 
10 I the LORD search the heart, I try the reins, even to give every man according to his ways, and according to the fruit of his doings.

And what is the root of these evils that plagues the minds and hearts of ungodly leaders? Money and power!

I TIMOTHY 6:10 
For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

To stay in power, Herod ordered the butchering of children upon learning the birth of the King of the Jews.

MATTHEW 2:1-2, 7-8, 16 
1 Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, 
2 Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. 
7 Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, inquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. 
8 And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also. 
16 Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently inquired of the wise men.

To stay in power, somebody hungry of power may go to the extent of murdering people.

May God Almighty save and bless my country!

Sincerely in Christ,

Brother Eli

29 Comments:

A Bunch of Ignorance and a Mammoth of Delusion

4/15/2017 35 Comments

the catholic fallacies about the eucharist

To be ignorant may be pardonable because it is not being hopeless, but to delude oneself is something else.

After claiming that the wine in the chalice of the Catholic priest is the real blood of the Lord Jesus by the process of transubstantiation, here comes Catholic apologetics saying that their mass is an unbloody manner of sacrificing Jesus Christ – something they do-again and again.

First of all, history records that Catholics had arguments as to what transubstantiation would mean in their ritual of the Eucharist, when wine becomes blood and the bread, the body of Christ, although the appearance of the substance of wine and bread are still the same. Do the wine really become the blood of Christ, and the bread his body? In the first, the change is in the meaning as thought so in the mid-twentieth century; in the second, it is literal.  In 1965, Pope Paul VI said with finality: it is the literal body and blood of Christ. And now, the Catholic Church finds comfort that transubstantiation has plunged back to emphasizing that wine is still wine in appearance, bread is still bread in appearance, but they are equally still the body and blood of Christ. It now has a different name: Real Presence (Source: Britannica Concise Encyclopedia: transubstantiation).

Still and all, even to the uninformed, that is ambiguity in the highest degree and thriving in delusion, just so to continue in a practice not commanded in the Bible.

Here is the defense:

“There can be no question of a grievous offense against Christ Himself unless we suppose that the true Body and the true Blood of Christ are really present in the Eucharist.” 

(Source: Online Catholic Encyclopedia. http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/05573a.htm).

If what is in the chalice is the real blood of Jesus, how can the mass be an unbloody sacrifice?  If what is in the cup is only symbolic blood, doesn’t it follow that it is also symbolically bloody?

Someone criticizing me said that the prophecy in Malachi 1:11 is not applicable to me, after which she claims that it rightfully fits the Catholic Church, for they are the only group that has the incense mentioned in the prophecy.  Let us read,

MALACHI 1:11  
For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts.

I dare say, this verse does not apply to the Catholic Church for the simple reason that they do not understand the verse!  The incense mentioned in the prophecy is not the literal incense that Catholic priests burn in their altars! Notice what is said in this verse.

REVELATION 5:8 (RSV) 
And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and with golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints;

How can literal incense reach God’s throne when it cannot even penetrate into the atmosphere?  They in the Catholic Church do not know the meaning of the verse they are appropriating for themselves. It is a misappropriation! The sacrifice that Christians should always offer is not the Lord Jesus Christ for when He offered Himself in Calvary He made an offering “once for all and once forever.” The Bible says so.

Mind you, the body of Christ which a believer must receive is not His literal flesh!

JOHN 6:50 
This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die.

Paul revealed a mystery that flesh and blood will not enter into the kingdom of heaven; that is something corruptible will not inherit that which is incorruptible!

I CORINTHIANS 15:50-51 
50 Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 
51 Behold, I show you a mystery; We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed,

Continuing with His discourse in Chapter 6 of John, we can understand that He speaks not of material flesh but of spiritual.

JOHN 6:50-63
50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. 
51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live forever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. 
52 The Jews therefore strove among themselves, saying, How can this man give us his flesh to eat? 
53 Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Except ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 
54 Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, hath eternal life; and I will raise him up at the last day. 
55 For my flesh is meat indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. 
56 He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him. 
57 As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me. 
58 This is that bread which came down from heaven: not as your fathers did eat manna, and are dead: he that eateth of this bread shall live forever. 
59 These things said he in the synagogue, as he taught in Capernaum. 
60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is a hard saying; who can hear it? 
61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? 
62 What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before? 
63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

The literal flesh profiteth nothing from the spiritual flesh He was talking about. Note verse 63; Thus, everything He said in Chapter 6:50-63 was spiritual.

HEBREWS 10:12 
But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down on the right hand of God;

And what is that sacrifice that Christians should offer to God? Take note that it is not something outside of the one doing the sacrifice.

HEBREWS 13:15 
By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.

Prayers and praises are the sacrifice that we should offer again and again to God, “that is the fruit of our lips giving thanks to His name,” and not the mass of the misled Catholics.  It jives with the prophecy in Malachi that says, “My name shall be great among the Gentiles.”

Praying and praising His name is symbolic of the incense which is a pure sacrifice that will reach the throne of the Almighty!  It is not something material, for then, not everyone would have access to it. It is not something readily found in those who prefer to delude themselves by way of ascribing the spiritual presence of the Christ’s blood and body to bread and wine – which they offer again and again.

And mind you, the greatness of His name will be known from the east to the west, not the other way around!

The Catholic Church started its mission of misleading people from the west! Beginning with their rituals, they really do mislead a lot.

35 Comments:

Still Stuck on Mass and the Eucharist

4/08/2017 , 36 Comments

Correcting wrong beliefs is an act of love.

One of my readers named Babe asked me: "Why do some people keep on wasting their time criticizing the belief of others? Is this a Christian work? Or is it just you?" 

My answer:  It’s not just me and my own; it is Christ’s way of liberating people from errors and fallacies! It is from Him we pattern our interactions, especially as he said in MARK 7:7,

MARK 7:7 
Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

Jesus Christ criticized the man-made doctrines of the Jews! So we also criticize the practices of some – not to waste our time – but for errors and fallacies to be highlighted – so that people will be liberated from their ignorance of Christ’s way.

MATTHEW 15:5-9 
5 But ye say, Whosoever shall say to his father or his mother, It is a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; 
6 And honor not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition. 
7 Ye hypocrites, well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying, 
8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoreth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me. 
9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.

The Catholic Mass is a man-made doctrine, and so I have compassion for the many millions who were made to believe that it is a commandment of God!

It is always an act of love to show people their errors that they may reform and be saved from shame! If criticizing the belief of others is a waste of time according to you, why are you criticizing our way which is the way of Christ? Aren’t you contradicting yourself? To disapprove of something rightfully being used by others and then approve of what you wrongfully use is utterly against the Bible.

THE ROMANS 14:22 
Hast thou faith? have it to thyself before God. Happy is he that condemneth not himself in that thing which he alloweth. 

Please note that I am not aware of you reading my blogs. I hope that in your doing so, your time is not being wasted!

Another comment from a certain Michael says“In your church you do it another way, not similar to the Roman Catholic’s but it’s the same way actually.” [Laughter]

How can it be the same when, according to you, “In your church you do it another way….” Understand first the meaning of the simple word, “other” or another before you laugh! “Other” or another means different, and in no way could they be the same. The intention is different; therefore, the spirit is different.

KU, my reader says: “All religions were invented by men. No one can say one is better than the other. No one religion can guarantee eternal salvation, if ever there is such a thing. Denigrating other religions, whether it’s Roman Catholic, Anglican, Islam, etc, so as to give the impression that yours is better, doesn’t work for me. It’s like when courting a girl. Telling the girl about the imperfections of your rivals only reflects on your own insecurities. Stand on your own. Highlight your good qualities but not on the expense of others.”

The work of preaching is not dictated by men, starting from topics to delivery. You do not compare it, for example, with worldly activities like courting. And there is no system that works for one and doesn’t in another. It is either it is according to God’s will or not.

It is not our principle to stand on “our own” as you said! And we do not “highlight our good qualities at the expense of others!” It is our principle to stand on the faith we learned from the Bible.

COLOSSIANS 1:23 
If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

It is your own belief that all religions were invented by men! Where did you base that claim? The Bible teaches a religion established by God and not by men!

MATTHEW 6:33 
But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

JAMES 1:27 
Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this, To visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep himself unspotted from the world.

There are those who have established their own righteousness like you! It is obviously because of a different intention and therefore, a different spirit that works. The Bible says something about submitting to the righteousness of God. In ROMANS 10:3, For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.  As to your charge that I criticize to my own advantage, it is not good for anybody to highlight his own qualities! Mali ka dyan pare! You don’t know me.

PROVERBS 27:2 
Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips. 

Further, it is not true that we are “DENIGRATING” anybody or any religion! We are telling the truth! Telling the truth so that the people may know is not denigrating. You cannot blacken something already black; you cannot speak damagingly of something already damaged! On the other hand, you must tell the TRUTH! And telling the truth is telling it as it is.

Sometimes truth can hurt us and others, but telling the truth is a duty. That is just what I am doing here. I cannot, for example, greet Godspeed to those who practice their man-made inventions.

PROVERBS 24:24 
He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him: 

Still another reader, Doug Lawrence says: “At Mass, Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, who IS the perfect and eternal sacrifice for the sins of the world, is NOT sacrificed again and again, but he most certainly is OFFERED UP to God the Father again and again, for the sins of the world … renewing the divine promise of salvation … every hour of every day … every day of every year … in virtually every nation on earth.” 

My question is: Who gave you or your priests the right to offer again and again the Lord Jesus Christ at the altar of the Catholic Church? As you said, “but he most certainly is OFFERED UP to God the Father again and again, for the sins of the world….”

 The truth is that it is Jesus Christ who offered Himself up according to the Bible! What right do human beings have in offering up Jesus Christ? Is that even commanded for believers to do? Would God accept a Christ being offered up by others? And would Christ allow human beings to offer him up to the Father? What ascendancy do Catholic priests have over having to offer up Christ to the Father – even just once?

Here’s what the Bible says in three references.

HEBREWS 7:27 
Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. 

HEBREWS 9:14 
How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? 

HEBREWS 9:26 
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. 

Note in the preceding verses the following citations! The words “offer himself” and “sacrifice himself” point out that He did the act himself. The verb is reflexive.

…“Who needeth not daily”… 
…“for this he did once, when he offered up himself”…
…“offered himself without spot to God”…
…“but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself”…

The offering of Christ gives sanctification or holiness, because of the sacrifice he had to undergo. Surely, it does not speak of his body and blood simply given on a platter by human beings in rituals, and then offered up to God. There is sacrifice involved.

HEBREWS 10:10 
By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 

HEBREWS 10:10 (BIBLE IN BASIC ENGLISH) 
By that pleasure we have been made holy, by the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once and for ever.

It will constitute an insult then to Christ if anybody will offer Him up again and again!

HEBREWS 6:6 
If they shall fall away, to renew them again unto repentance; seeing they crucify to themselves the Son of God afresh, and put him to an open shame. 

Partaking of the bread and cup as commanded to the 1st century Christians is not to offer again and again what Jesus Christ had offered “once for all” and “once forever”. It is proclaiming the Lord’s death until He comes.

I CORINTHIANS 11:26 (REVISED STANDARD VERSION) 
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. 

I CORINTHIANS 11:26 (KING JAMES VERSION) 
For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do show the Lord’s death till he come. 

I CORINTHIANS 10:16 
The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? 

We are 100% certain that “this bread” is not the “host” of the Catholic Church!

MATTHEW 15:17 
Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught? 

The host is fed through the mouth and will certainly be cast out into the draught! The bread Christians have to partake is not literal but spiritual!

JOHN 6:50, 63 
50 This is the bread which cometh down from heaven, that a man may eat thereof, and not die. 
63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.

Being a part of the body “or the church” is the way to partake with the bread or flesh and the blood of the Lord Jesus!

I CORINTHIANS 10:17 
For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.

The body is the church!

COLOSSIANS 1:18 
And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

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It's Not God's Fault; Blame the Hypocrites!

Do not blame God for bad things happening

God has been the subject of criticism among the agnostics, atheists, the not-so believing, and the innocent.  Whenever natural calamities strike humanity, the enemies of God have a ready target in the person of somebody who they do not believe to exist — rendering themselves as idiots.

JUDE 1:10 
But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.

If only they are using their power to think, their allegation that “if there is a God, why is he permitting these things to happen?”, they should have realized the truth that there are things that happen on earth beyond the control of all humanity -- proving that somebody more powerful than man is doing such thing.  Their criticism, if investigated, will compel them to believe in the existence of God.

The notion that “if there is a God these should not happen” gives honor to God whose existence they deny.  They are unwittingly proving that God is a God of goodness — who must not permit these things to happen.

Let us investigate earthquakes (like the four powerful earthquakes last January 18, 2017 in Italy), volcanic eruptions, and tidal waves are acts of God.

JOB 9:5-6 
5 Which removeth the mountains, and they know not: which overturneth them in his anger. 
6 Which shaketh the earth out of her place, and the pillars thereof tremble.

AMOS 9:6 
It is he that buildeth his stories in the heaven, and hath founded his troop in the earth; he that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is his name.

Although not all catastrophes are acts of God; there are those caused by the recklessness and irresponsibility of men.

REVELATION 11:18 
And the nations were angry, and thy wrath is come, and the time of the dead, that they should be judged, and that thou shouldest give reward unto thy servants the prophets, and to the saints, and them that fear thy name, small and great; and shouldest destroy them which destroy the earth.

Flash floods most of the time are caused by the irresponsible act of greedy loggers, who by influence, were able to secure permits from corrupt government officials. The proliferation of non-bio degradable materials in the water systems is also a cause of flash flooding causing the death of poor people in human society.  Whenever these things happen people always look for the person to blame; sometimes even blaming God who has nothing to do about it.

If people will only be wise in analyzing these  things, even those which can be regarded as “inevitable”, it will be more prudent to look for the cause rather than looking for someone to blame.


God is a loving and compassionate God; but why would such a God cause a tidal wave, earthquake, and a volcano to erupt?  Let us find out the reason.

In His sovereign power, God must be obeyed, feared, and respected.  Fearing him means keeping His commandments.

ECCLESIASTES 12:13 
Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

Keeping His commandments also means loving Him.

I JOHN 5:3 
For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.

God is worthy to be loved “…because he first loved us.”

I JOHN 4:19 
We love him, because he first loved us.

If we love God we will merit His favors.   All things will work for the good of those who love Him.

THE ROMANS 8:28 
And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.

If we love him and obey his commandments, God promises his blessings and protection to us.

DEUTERONOMY 28:1-9 
1 And it shall come to pass, if thou shalt hearken diligently unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe and to do all his commandments which I command thee this day, that the LORD thy God will set thee on high above all nations of the earth: 
2 And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou shalt hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God. 
3 Blessed shalt thou be in the city, and blessed shalt thou be in the field. 
4 Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. 
5 Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store. 
6 Blessed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and blessed shalt thou be when thou goest out. 
7 The LORD shall cause thine enemies that rise up against thee to be smitten before thy face: they shall come out against thee one way, and flee before thee seven ways. 
8 The LORD shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee. 
9 The LORD shall establish thee a holy people unto himself, as he hath sworn unto thee, if thou shalt keep the commandments of the LORD thy God, and walk in his ways.

There is a very important thing to ponder:  our God-given power to choose proves the existence of an Almighty God.  We have been endowed with the power to obey or even to disobey.

DEUTERONOMY 30:19 
I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live:

If it is our willful choice to disobey, curses will inevitably follow.

DEUTERONOMY 28:15-22 
15 But it shall come to pass, if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the LORD thy God, to observe to do all his commandments and his statutes which I command thee this day; that all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake thee: 
16 Cursed shalt thou be in the city, and cursed shalt thou be in the field. 
17 Cursed shall be thy basket and thy store. 
18 Cursed shall be the fruit of thy body, and the fruit of thy land, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep. 
19 Cursed shalt thou be when thou comest in, and cursed shalt thou be when thou goest out. 
20 The LORD shall send upon thee cursing, vexation, and rebuke, in all that thou settest thine hand unto for to do, until thou be destroyed, and until thou perish quickly; because of the wickedness of thy doings, whereby thou hast forsaken me. 
21 The LORD shall make the pestilence cleave unto thee, until he have consumed thee from off the land, whither thou goest to possess it. 
22  The LORD shall smite thee with a consumption, and with a fever, and with an inflammation, and with an extreme burning, and with the sword, and with blasting, and with mildew; and they shall pursue thee until thou perish.

God is a just God that executes loving kindness and justice upon the earth.

JEREMIAH 9:24 
But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the LORD which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the LORD.

His justice and counsel will prevail.

ISAIAH 43:13 
Yea, before the day was I am he; and there is none that can deliver out of my hand: I will work, and who shall let it?

It will not be justice for those who obey and love God if he will not execute his judgment against those who mock and hate him.

GALATIANS 6:7 
Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.

In a court of law it is justice to punish the offender and relieve the offended.

GALATIANS 5:10 
I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be.

If we are wisely looking for the cause of all the unfortunate things that are now affecting humanity:  sicknesses, natural disasters, wars, discontent, and many more, we have nobody to blame but ourselves.


I believe that the atheists, agnostics, and those who say they believe in God (but disobey Him) are the main cause of the evils and sufferings that affect human society.

TITUS 1:16 
They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.

PSALMS 53:1 
The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. Corrupt are they, and have done abominable iniquity: there is none that doeth good.

Let’s now ask ourselves, is God to be blamed for all of these?

No! Blame yourselves, atheists! Blame yourselves, hypocrites!

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