Hebrews 10:25-27 (KJV) 25 Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
Category: apostacy
Isaiah 28:5-15 Commentary by Matthew Henry
Isaiah 28:5 In that day shall the LORD of hosts be for a crown of glory, and for a diadem of beauty, unto the residue of his people,6 And for a spirit of judgment to him that sitteth in judgment, and for strength to them that turn the battle to the gate.7 But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment.8 For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean.9 Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts.10 For precept must be upon precept,precept upon precept;line upon line,line upon line; here a little, and there a little:12 To whom he said, This is the rest wherewith ye may cause the weary to rest; and this is the refreshing: yet they would not hear.13 But the word of the LORD was unto them precept upon precept,precept upon precept;line upon line,line upon line; here a little, and there a little; that they might go, and fall backward, and be broken, and snared, and taken.
The prophet next turns to Judah, whom he calls the residue of his people. Happy are those alone, who glory in the Lord of hosts himself. Hence his people get wisdom and strength for every service and every conflict. But it is only in Christ Jesus that the holy God communicates with sinful man. And whether those that teach are drunk with wine, or intoxicated with false doctrines and notions concerning the kingdom and salvation of the Messiah, they not only err themselves, but lead multitudes astray. All places where such persons have taught are filled with errors. For our instruction in the things of God, it is needful that the same precept and the same line should be often repeated to us, that we may the better understand them. God, by his word, calls us to what is really for our advantage; the service of God is the only true rest for those weary of the service of sin, and there is no refreshment but under the easy yoke of the Lord Jesus. All this had little effect upon the people. Those who will not understand what is plain, but scorn and despise it as mean and trifling, are justly punished. If we are at peace with God, we have, in effect, made a covenant with death; whenever it comes, it cannot do us any real damage, if we are Christ’s. But to think of making death our friend, while by sin we are making God our enemy, is absurd. And do not they make lies their refuge who trust in their own righteousness, or to a death-bed repentance? which is a resolution to sin no more, when it is no longer in their power to do so.
Strikes Against Roman Catholicism
True Holiness and Worship
Day of a Pagan Goddess
“There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death” -Proverbs 14:13; 16:25
The English word Easter and the German Ostern come from a common origin (Eostur, Eastur, Ostara, Ostar), which to the Norsemen meant the season of the rising or growing sun — the season of new birth. The word was used by ancient Europeans to designate the “Feast of New Life” in the spring. The word long antedates Christianity. Originally, it referred to the celebration of the spring sun, which had its birth in the East and brought new life upon the earth. The ancient Teutonic goddess of spring was addressed as Eostre. Easter, then, antedates Christianity by centuries.
But what about the myriad customs that surround this day — the chocolate bunnies, the Easter eggs, the parades? Again, you may be surprised to learn that red, blue, yellow or green eggs, as symbols of the renewal of life, were part of a custom that goes back centuries before the birth of the Messiah. Eggs, a symbol of fertility in many lands, are easily traceable to ancient pagan lore. So is the famous Easter bunny. (Only the chocolate rabbit is modern.) This rapidly breeding and multiplying animal was an ancient symbol of fecundity. And so modern children, eagerly hunting for Eastern eggs supposedly deposited by a rabbit, are unknowingly following an ancient fertility rite. What about the Easter parade? Does that, too, date back to the days of antiquity when pagans paraded in the springtime, donning new hats and clothes to honor their goddess of spring? The answer is yes. Scholars can trace the Easter parade to similar rites in ancient Germany, Greece, and even India. Hot-cross buns, interestingly enough, were eaten by pagan Saxons in honor of Easter, their goddess of light. The Mexicans and Peruvians had a similar custom. In fact, the custom of eating hot-cross buns was practically universal in the ancient pagan world! Easter fires, although not a widespread phenomenon today, are still lit in some northern European countries, notably Germany. This practice is clearly traceable to pagan antiquity. And what about Easter sunrise services? They too go back to the pagan custom of prostrating before the rising springtime sun. The goddess of light, Eastre or Ostera, was identified with the rising sun. Throughout the Middle Ages, this pagan custom was continued, “A universal celebration was held in the Middle Ages at the hour of sunrise. According to an old legend, the sun dances on Easter morning or makes three cheerful jumps at the moment of rising, in honor of Christ’s Resurrection….All over Europe people would gather in open plains or on the crests of hills to watch the spectacle of sunrise on Easter Day. The moment of daybreak was marked by the shooting of cannon and the ringing of bells… In most places the crowds would pray as the sun appeared….From this medieval custom dates our modern SUNRlSE SERVICE held by many congregations in this country on Easter Sunday” (Weiser, The Easter Book, pp. 158 — 159). Plainly, then, today’s Easter has its roots deep in ancient paganism — centuries before the birth of the Messiah — and its rites have scarcely changed.
There was an ancient pagan custom of holding a sunrise service in the spring to worship the risen sun-god, Baal, Tammuz, or Nimrod! The Bible condemns this practice. Notice in the book of Ezekiel:
He said also unto me, Turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations that they do. Then he brought me to the door of the gate of the Lord’s house which was toward the north; and, behold, there sat women weeping for Tammuz. Then said he unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man turn thee yet again, and thou shalt see greater abominations than these. And he brought me into the inner court of the Lord’s house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the Lord, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the Lord, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east (Ezekiel 8:13-16).
When is the sun toward the east? In the morning! These men were holding a sunrise service, worshipping toward the rising sun! At the very temple of YEHOVAH God, they were mixing in pagan religious rites, customs and ceremonies! Source page
Exposing the Common Errors in Biblical Interpretation
An important teaching for every Christian:
Many teachers will twist scriptures because they use faulty interpretation methods. This is how many are fooled into believing they can celebrate X Mass and Easter, or that Christians can be homosexuals.
Iron and Clay
Every Christian tradition needs to ask itself to what degree iron and clay are mixed in its building blocks and to be self-critical about the Gospel sustainability of its foundation.
From the article, “The Clay of Paganism with the Iron of Christianity”: Cornelius Van Til’s Critique of Roman Catholicism
(hattip: Maria from A Pilgrim’s Progress
What’s the Big Deal About Christmas?
FTA: A positive thought which comes to me as I consider the focus of this movie (Saving Christmas) is that the truth of Christmas’ pagan origins, and the conviction that participating in such rites is contradictory to the will of God, is increasing to such an extent that it has now appeared on the radar of mainline denominational Christianity. It is no small decision for many believers to choose not to participate in Christmas, for it is a cherished holiday, loved as much by the unsaved as it is by those professing to be Christians. That so many are paying the cost of estrangement, reproaches, and being labeled extremist, by family, friends, and neighbors reveals that there remains a remnant who place obedience to God above personal interests.
Joseph Herrin (Originally posted on 12-06-2014) Kirk Cameron’s Saving Christmas – Poster Modified to Promote Tr…
parablesblog.blogspot.com|By Joseph Herrin
The X Mass Blog 