APOSTASY

[EricH]

Christmas is not the issue...

In 1 Corinthians 1-3 the Apostle Paul rebukes the church for their sectarianism; "Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas (Peter); and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul?"

"For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying and strife, and divisions are ye not carnal?"

"For where envying and strife is, there is confusion (just like at Babel) and every EVIL work."

Some have estimated that there are over 20,000 distinct churches!

In Revelation, we see, two - In Revelation 17, the "Harlot and her daughters," the Catholic/Protestant denominational system of men that replaces the Word of God with her traditions. In my posts on the Antichrist, I have attempted to demonstrate that this is the system the Antichrist will use.

Jesus said, "Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

MANY will say to me in that day, Lord,Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? ("Christians" do works in His name.) And then will I profess unto them, I NEVER KNEW YOU: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (lawlessness)

The flip side is "And hereby we do know that we KNOW HIM, IF we keep his commandments. He that saith, I KNOW HIM. and keepeth not his commandments is a liar, and the truth (Jesus, Himself) is not in him." 1 John 2:3,4.

"And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues." Revelation 18:4.

The Bride of Christ is mentioned in Revelation 12:17 - "And the dragon (Satan) was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ."

And "Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus."

"Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city."

God's people are a commandment-keeping people - ALL ten.

It is not in keepeing a set of commandments that we enter into a relationship with God. OUr salvation is found in the righteousness of Jesus, not our own. Any obedience we accomplish occurs because of a salvation that has already taken place. Here is the correct relationship spelled out:

For by grace you are saved through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God's gift-- not from works, so that no one can boast. For we are His creation-- created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time so that we should walk in them.

Epheisans 2:8-10 NASB

We are saved by grace through faith in the accomplished work of Jesus. This salvation now makes it possible for God to entrust us with good works.

[other one]

Huuummmmmm, another sabbath thread in the making...... I'll be back at aobut page 60.....

Sam

[ted]

Careful Sam, this could turn into another "last" thread.....

t.

[Smalcald]

Well Ellen White was a very persistent person, but of course if you want to talk about somebody who was apostate......

[RGR]

Well Ellen White was a very persistent person, but of course if you want to talk about somebody who was apostate......

[herald2]

"The path of the just is as a shining light that shines more and more unto that perfect day." We fail, but, if we repent, He forgives and enables us to walk in His ways.

The New Covenant is the finger of God writing His laws upon our hearts (Jeremiah 31:31-34).

"A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and CAUSE you to walk in my statutes..." Ezekiel 36:26, 27.

And what Spirit does He put within us to "cause" us to walk in His ways? His Holy Spirit of grace. Hebrews 10:26-31.

"Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law." Romans 3:31.

Jesus said, "MANY will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? ("Christians" do works in his name.) And then will I profess unto them I NEVER KNEW YOU: depart from me, ye that work iniquity." (lawlessness)

The flip side is 1 John 2:3,4 - "And hereby we do know that we know him, IF we keep his commandments.

He that saith, I KNOW HIM, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth (Jesus, Himself) is not in him."

The Catholic/Protestant denominational system has gone astray - the "Harlot and her daughters," trading the Word of God for her various traditions. (Revelation 17)

The Bride of Christ is seen in Revelation 12:17 - "And the dragon (Satan) was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ."

"Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Revelation 14:12

At the end of all things, the Apostle John makes the connection between keeping the commandments and entering Heaven:

"Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life and may enter in through the gates into the city." Revelation 22:14.

"But uno you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings..." Malachi 4:2

Worship the Sun of righteousness!

Edited August 13, 2006 by herald2

[Smalcald]

Well there certainly is Apostasy today and there has been for many thousands of years. The apostasy of what much of the SDA and in particular Ellen G White teaches is part of that, although I think they are not yet totally apostate and many are believers. But if the denominational system has "gone astray" please enlighten us with what particular group you are with that has not gone astray?

Indeed believer

[gypc]

Col 2:6So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live in him, 7rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

8See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the basic principles of this world rather than on Christ.

9For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, 10and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. 11In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, 12having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.

13When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

16Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. 17These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. 18Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you for the prize. Such a person goes into great detail about what he has seen, and his unspiritual mind puffs him up with idle notions. 19He has lost connection with the Head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.

[Daymon]

This is correct.

Too bad Christians think Christmas on December 25th is really the birth of Jesus Christ and all things associated with that celebration.

Constantine was no Christian.

Catholic... Roman Emperor... the first pope...heretic.

Constantine was the first Roman Emperor who was a Christian. Is that what you meant? As far as Christians thinking Jesus was born on the 25th, like youreself, most of us are fully aware that there is no record of the exact day, or even month Jesus was born, yet we do celebrate it anyway. If we celebrated on July 25th instead, you likely would have said the same thing, no? The important thing isn't what day he was born, or what day we celebrate his birth, but that he was, in fact, born.

[RGR]

Agreed, Daymon! To me, the fact that it is celebrated around the time of a pagan holiday really doesn't matter to me. If nothing else, I see it as giving Satan a black eye by taking something that he used for the bad and using it for something good. As a matter of fact, I don't think the Catholic church ever intended for someone to view that as the ACTUAL birthdate of Christ, but rather as a celebratory day to honor His birth.