Israel

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Kersfees: Nugter nagedink oor 25 Desember

christmas-tree-blue cool

Grant Swart

Ek het groot waardering en respek vir God se kinders wat radikaal heilig wil lewe en in alle dinge die wil van God eerste probeer stel. Dis immers in ooreenstemming met  die duidelike opdrag in 1 Petrus 1:16 “Wees heilig, want Ek is heilig!”  Aan die anderkant is daar wel ook Christene wat ‘n behae daarin skep om hare te kloof en andere skuldig te laat voel oor nietige randsake. (moontlik as gevolg van onkunde)

Een so ‘n saak is die vraag : “Mag ‘n Christen Kersfees vier?”


VASTE FEITE

Kom ons begin met die nugtere stel van ‘n paar feite wat vas staan en waaroor almal behoort saam te stem :

Feit nommer een is : Jesus is nie op 25 Desember gebore nie. 

Verder:

  • Die groot meerderheid van mense op aarde vier Kersfees op ‘n goddelose en Godonterende manier (met vreet op aarde in plaas van vrede op aarde)* 
  • Daar is geen Bybelse bevel om Kersfees as ‘n feesdag te vier nie.
  • Daar is wel duidelike Skrifgedeeltes wat die geboorte/menswording van Jesus beskryf.
  • Daar is wel toegewyde gelowiges wat Kersfees vier op ‘n Godverheerlikende wyse.
  • Daar is ook opregte Christene wat niks met Kersfees te doen wil hê nie en dit as deur en deur heidens beskou.

Uit bogenoemde is dit klaar duidelik dat Christene verdeeld is oor hierdie saak. Selfs onder Christene Continue reading →

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Angus Buchan roadshow: Coming soon.. to infest your community

Angus Buchan USA add

 Grant Swart

About a letter of concern from a brother in Ireland.

From far beyond South African shores, the adopted country of self-styled superstar and cowboy preacher of iniquity, Angus Buchan (2 Co 11:13), and where he first hatched plans for his evil and blasphemous road-show, a brother in Ireland has sent us thought-provoking and concerned correspondence.

Adam’s letter serves to further illustrate the alarming rate at which the vile deception of the false gospel is expanding, under the guise of Christianity and in the hands of unscrupulous religious fraudsters. Buchan employs his particular version of deceitful gospel to masquerade as Christianity, exploit the desperately religious world (2 Cor 4:4) and to glorify secular humanism and false spirituality at the expense of God’s Word and Truth.

With his charismatic personality, his magnetic appeal to the unbelieving masses in the religious world and his strategically choreographed stage performance, which always seems to involve the weather in one way or another (Mat 24:24), Buchan has been able to deceive tens of thousands of “seekers” into believing abominable lies about the Lord God. In South Africa, as well as on a rapidly expanding international stage, Buchan and his Mighty Men franchise has been able to gather a fanatical cult Continue reading →

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REPENTANCE: Legal vs. True

Repentance

Grant Swart

If our forgiveness was dependent on what we as sinners could do (or refrain from doing), in order to repent, who would be so bold as to claim that they could achieve it sufficiently as to gain recognition by a perfectly Holy God? Is repentance something we can and should do in order to be saved, or is repentance a gift granted to those who are saved by God?

All too often one hears the instruction issuing forth from religious zealots: “You must repent, you must turn from your sin, you must turn to God, or…!”. In my country, as I suppose it is in many others, many will-worshipping churches have coined a new favourite phrase: “Turn or burn!”, and in some Afrikaans congregations the translated phrase, “Draai of braai”, is bandied about with even more self-righteous enthusiasm. As if it were simply up to the listener to do the turning, and God will have no choice but to accept those who turn!

Those who do not have Christ, hear these warnings and are left terrified by their own inability to do what the preacher expects of them. They have heard the stern instructions, but have no understanding of it, no idea of where to start, or how to go about this seemingly impossible task. How can they turn to God when they do not know Him, do not know where He is, or who He is? How could they possibly repent without God’s help and without the guidance of His Holy Spirit? Continue reading →

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Scofield “Bible” (Part 3) – C.I. Scofield: Dispensational Scalawag

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Grant Swart

This is a short follow-on to Parts 1 & 2 Scofield “Bible” – A Handbook for Genocide AND Scofield “Bible” (Part 2) – Re-defining the darkness of fraud, conspiracy and heresy of a brief series I have posted over the past few weeks, which deals with the Scofield Reference “bible”, its author Cyrus Ingerson Scofield, and the massively popular heretical dispensational beliefs it continues to spawn.

Scholarly Bible believing Christians cannot accept a view of Scripture as put forward by the Scofield Reference “bible” (and a God who would have contrived it), and are those who speak out against the spiritual, geo-political, ethnic and religious consequences of such an astonishingly narrow and mistaken world-view as that of Dispensational Pre-millenialism. They also experience with sadness the realization that such enormous energy and devotion have been poured into such a misguided enterprise. More often than not, these “Bereans” would themselves have been introduced to the heretical conspiracies of dispensational pre-millenialism by the worldly church and would have discovered the truth about the kingdom of God and the second coming of the Saviour Jesus Christ only through conscientious and inspired study of Holy Scripture.

While this article describes C.I.Scofield as the scalawag he chose to be, it can be argued that most of the famous dispensationalists world-over and throughout the historic existence of the dispensational heresy, can be regarded as such to a lesser or greater extent, due to their proclaiming such a gross misrepresentation of Scriptural prophecy.  Among these world famous dispensational teachers have been some otherwise truly remarkable pastors and Christians. However, details pertaining to the lives and of the dispensational protagonists are of less significance to the Christian, than the heretical teachings which constitute dispensationalism.

It is not my intention to discuss in this article, all the specifics which constitute the eschatological heresy of Dispensational Pre-millenialism. Continue reading →

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Scofield “Bible” (Part 2) – Re-defining the darkness of fraud, conspiracy and heresy

Scofield Jesuit

Grant Swart

The life of often referenced dispensationalist Cyrus Ingerson Scofield is characterized by dishonesty, scandal, lies, fraud, adultery, forgery and disgrace. However, I wish to make it abundantly clear once again, that my series of posts of which this article forms a part, should by no means be regarded as an attempt to pass judgement on the private life, sins, criminality, convictions, indiscretions, iniquities, personal shortcomings, lies and fraudulent lifestyle of the man. In this regard let us call to memory the words of the Apostle Paul as we contemplate the content of this series of articles: (Romans 3:20-24) For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it– the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

Scofield may have been all of those sinful things, or he may have been none of them. How many Christians are not guilty of some, if not all of the same sins? Scofield may have been a believer in Jesus Christ, although very little of his life bears testimony to that probability, least of all his Bible notes. However, none of that can change the fact that the reasons for the existence of the heretical teachings held within the Scofield Reference “Bible” were fraudulent and deceptive. The teachings and ideas contained in his notes resulted in the heinous lies which have been instrumental in supporting some of the greatest heresies and filthy atrocities in post reformation Christianity. Whether the wayward lifestyle of the man had much to do with his teachings and expository deficiencies, or not, does not alter the reality that the Scofield Reference “Bible” is a work which re-defines the darkness of the fraud which spawned it’s heresies, conspiracies and deceptive messages. 

**Generally speaking, dispensationalists tend to cherish his teachings without any concern whatsoever for what kind of man Scofield really was. For some reason, his admirers consider it unethical or possibly even contemptible to expose embarrassing little known secrets about the man. Facts should not be buried because they make people feel uncomfortable. Neither C.I. Scofield nor his work are above reproach and considering the impact he has had on Christendom, his life should be examined. The type of person that he really was will have a major influence on the theology that he taught.

As was the case with the previous article by a different author, which I posted regarding the Scofield Reference “Bible” (see https://fortheloveofhistruth.com/2013/08/25/scofield-bible-a-handbook-for-genocide/), I do not necessarily endorse or subscribe to all of the thoughts and work of the author of this attached article. So, I ask those opposed to this work, to please refrain from playing the tired “guilty by association” card in these instances, these matters have been considered. However, differences which may exist are not sufficient reason for me not to regard what follows, as a thorough and honest article aimed at exposing the filthy theology which the Scofield Reference “Bible” has spawned, and the devastating results it has had within the church and around the world. For those reasons, I am grateful to the author/s concerned. Continue reading →

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Eschatology by Ethos: Why the “Optimism” vs. “Pessimism” Paradigm Doesn’t Work

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Why the “Optimism” vs. “Pessimism” Paradigm Doesn’t Work

Kim Riddlebarger

Anyone familiar with the in-house feud between Reformed postmillenarians and Reformed amillenarians knows that the debate between these two positions is often framed in terms of “optimistic” postmillenarians vs. “pessimistic” amillenarians. Despite the widespread use and apparent utility of these labels, I remain unconvinced that one can formulate a proper and biblical eschatology merely by identifying a position’s distinctive ethos and then choosing the most “optimistic” of the various options.

To avoid being labeled an “eschatological pessimist”—a negative label that postmillenarians have successfully pinned on dispensationalists—a number of Reformed amillenarians self-consciously identify themselves as “optimistic” amillenarians. In making this identification, the optimistic amillenarian attempts to co-opt the attractive rhetoric of cultural progress and transformation used by postmillenarians, while at the same time avoiding the serious exegetical problem associated with postmillennialism—a rather embarrassing shortage of biblical passages in the New Testament that teach such a view.

While I am “optimistic” about the kingdom of God and the progress it will make during the interadvental age (and would likely qualify to be an “optimistic” amillenarian), I’m not so sure an unqualified affirmation of “optimism” is the best way for Reformed amillenarians to respond to those who determine the soundness of one’s eschatological position using the optimism/pessimism paradigm. Here’s why.

No Christian who truly believes that the resurrection of Jesus Christ inaugurates the new creation and guarantees the final victory over Satan and his kingdom at the end of the age wants to be identified as a “pessimist.” No doubt, the New Testament is crystal clear about who wins in the end. God will save his elect, usher in the age to come, consummate his kingdom, raise the dead, judge the world, and make all things new. These truths are certainly reason enough to be optimistic about the eventual outcome of the present course of world history, especially when one considers what Jesus Christ did to secure our redemption from sin’s power and consequence. Through his death and resurrection, Jesus Christ removes the curse and defeats our greatest enemy, which is death. No small thing and a very good reason to be optimistic. Continue reading →

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What stone Temple ? Jesus, is the True Temple !

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Jesus, the True Temple

By Kim Riddlebarger 

When Jesus declared of himself, “I tell you, something greater than the temple is here,” (Matthew 12:6) and when he told a Samaritan woman that he can give her “living water” (John 4:10-14), we are given a major clue that the authors of the New Testament have reinterpreted the pre-messianic understanding of God’s temple in the light of the coming of Jesus, Israel’s Messiah.

When we consider the fact that the temple occupies a major role in the witness of Israel’s prophets regarding God’s future eschatological blessing for the nation, and that this imagery points forward to person of Jesus, we are greatly aided in our understanding of the nature and character of the millennial age as a present reality.

We begin with the Old Testament expectation regarding the temple of the Lord.  Both Isaiah 2:2-4 and Micah 4:1-5, speak of God’s future blessing upon Israel in the last days, when God’s people will go up to mountain of the Lord, and to the temple, where God’s people will once again learn the ways of the Lord. Continue reading →

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DISPENSATIONALISM = ASSUMPTION + SENSATIONALISM + CONSPIRACY

GRANT SWART

Dispensationalism is a complicated system of belief about the “last days”, the Jewish nation, the millennium and other related subjects. This system is extremely popular and has been heavily promoted around the world during the last two centuries.  The system of Dispensationalism is built on false assumptions about Scripture and Bible prophecy. If ANY ONE of these assumptions is wrong then the entire system collapses and in essence, NONE of these assumptions can be biblically supported. With reference to my previous post on this subject, what follows is an outline of Dispensational assumptions.   

Assumption One

Dispensationalism assumes God deals differently with people in different time periods called dispensations [hence the name]. Although there is some disagreement among dispensationalists, most agree that there are seven distinct dispensations. The dealings of God with mankind are seen as separate – with perhaps some overlap.

Is God’s plan really broken up into different ways of dealing with people at different times? This is a dangerous assumption to make because it means that God is unpredictable. He has had different unrelated plans in the past and may then have different plans in the future. It also means that salvation in some of these dispensations was possible without the cross. Some people are saved, in this view, simply because of their national heritage. Continue reading →

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Dispensationalism: Focusing eschatology on assumption and human politics, and reducing Christ’s role in Bible prophecy

Grant Swart

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Dispensational Premillenialism sharply focuses the events surrounding the end times, on the so-called “secret” rapture and a perceived forthcoming millennium. At the center of this focus is national Israel, daily events which take place in the Middle-East and in the realm of international politics and, of course, the increasing popularization of any number of future personalities representing the Antichrist. Sensational speculation and enthusiastic debate, motivated mainly by geo-political human affairs and major natural events, are designed to divert attention away from biblical prophecy regarding the end times. The end time is thereby reduced to a small window of time in the future and fragmented and isolated events in recent human history, rather than an ongoing eschatological understanding of biblical prophecy which stretches from Genesis to Revelation.

Some of the most commercially successful books, television shows and even certain reference Bibles, have been remarkably innovative and convincingly sincere in finding ways to support the false assumptions which are necessary to support the  “concept” of dispensational premillenialism in its various forms. Continue reading →

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A Present or Future Millennium?

by Kim Riddlebarger

Most American Evangelicals are firmly committed to the idea that an earthly millennial age will begin immediately after our Lord Jesus Christ’s Second Advent. Since premillennialism is so dominant in American church circles, many who encounter historic Protestantism for the first time are quite surprised when they discover that all of the Protestant Reformers and the entire Reformed and Lutheran traditions are amillennial. Amillennialism is that understanding of eschatology which sees the millennium not as a future golden age as does premillennialism (the age of the church triumphant), but instead as the present course of history between the First and Second Advent’s of our Lord (the age of the church militant). And indeed, I am sure that there are many readers who will express shock and disappointment upon learning of my own amillennial convictions. But I am convinced, however, that many readers simply do not understand the basic end-times scenario found in the New Testament. Part of the problem is that dispensational premillennial writers have completely dominated Christian media and publishing. There are literally hundreds of books, churches, and parachurch ministries all devoted to taking premillennialism and the “pretribulation” rapture idea to the masses. And so, I can only lament the fact that my own tradition has done so little to produce popular books introducing and defending amillennialism. It is my guess that many who read this article will have never heard the case for the classical position held by the church regarding the return of Christ and the millennial age.

Another problem encountered when examining this subject is that discussions of it often generate a great deal of heat but not very much light. One local prophecy pundit has quipped that the people in heaven with the lowest IQs will be amillennial. Hal “Late Great” Lindsey goes so far as to label amillennialism as “anti-Semitic,” demonic and heretical.1 It is not uncommon to hear prophecy teachers label amillennial Christians as “liberal” or to accuse them of not taking the Bible literally. The result of such diatribes is that American Christians cannot help but be prejudiced by such unfortunate comments, and many simply reject outright (without due consideration of the other side) the eschatology of the Reformers and classical Protestantism-an eschatology that is amazingly simple, biblical, and Christ centered. And so, if you should be in that camp, instead of simply turning me off at this point, please bear with me, hear my case, and then decide for yourself on the basis of Scripture. Continue reading →

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The Dangers of the Hebrew Roots Movement /The Sacred Name movement

The Hebrew Roots movement (HRM) is also known as  The Sacred Name movement.

I have noticed that the influence from this movement has become quite common on the social media networks like Facebook and blogs. It concerns me that not many people are aware of this heresy.  Again this is just another stream of false teachings that we need to keep our eyes and ears open for, it leads people into error and a false legalistic type religion. I will be combining two good article sources that I found, between the 2 the explanation becomes clear of what the dangers are.  This movement has also taken root in South Africa, like in the rest of the world.

 1 John 4 Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for  many  false prophets  have gone out into the world. 
And  Jesus said : And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray.

From the articles I found :

The Sacred Name movement consists of those persons, groups, and assemblies who use the Hebrew names for God (i.e. Yahweh, Yahvah) and for Jesus (i.e. Yahshua) in the devotion and worship. They have characterized themselves as “the True Worshippers” eschewing the name ‘Christian’ as being of pagan origin. Continue reading →

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SINNERS IN THE HANDS OF AN ANGRY GOD

On this day, July 8, in the year 1741, America heard what is often hailed as the greatest sermon preached on her soil from a man who is often hailed as the greatest theologian and thinker to minister on her soil.

(Considered to be one of the most famous sermons in American history, “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God” was first delivered in Enfield, Connecticut on July 8, 1741. Timely yet timeless, Edwards shows us our true nature, that nature which we see so very clearly even today.)

by Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758)
Enfield, Connecticut
July 8, 1741
Their foot shall slide in due time
Deut. 32:35


In this verse is threatened the vengeance of God on the wicked
unbelieving Israelites, who were God’s visible people, and who lived under
the means of grace; but who, notwithstanding all God’s wonderful works
towards them, remained (as in verse 28) void of counsel, having no
understanding in them. Under all the cultivations of heaven, they brought
forth bitter and poisonous fruit; as in the two verses next preceding the
text. The expression I have chosen for my text, Their foot shall slide in due
time, seems to imply the following things, relating to the punishment and
destruction to which these wicked Israelites were exposed.

Continue reading →

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What is the Hebrew Roots movement?

I found this on gotquestions website and think we should be aware of this another stream of deception in present in the churches today.

Answer: The premise of the Hebrew Roots movement is the belief that the Church has veered far from the true teachings and Hebrew concepts of the Bible. The movement maintains that Christianity has been indoctrinated with the culture and beliefs of Greek and Roman philosophy and that ultimately biblical Christianity, taught in churches today, has been corrupted with a pagan imitation of the New Testament gospels.

Those of the Hebrew Roots belief hold to the teaching that Christ’s death on the cross did not end the Mosaic Covenant, but instead renewed it, expanded its message, and wrote it on the hearts of His true followers. They teach that the understanding of the New Testament can only come from a Hebrew perspective and that the teachings of the Apostle Paul are not understood clearly or taught correctly by Christian pastors today. Many affirm the existence of an original Hebrew-language New Testament and, in some cases, denigrate the existing New Testament text written in Greek. This becomes a subtle attack on the reliability of the text of our Bible. If the Greek text is unreliable and has been corrupted, as is charged by some, the Church no longer has a standard of truth.

Continue reading →

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Not all questions deserve answers and not all questions are deserved

by Grant Swart

Titus 3:9 But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.

When the life of a person is effectually saved by the Grace of God, that salvation which is freely received by faith, it is inevitable that the person will perform differently in his life and good works will necessarily follow. The faithful servant knows that those good works are certainly not in order to earn or maintain salvation, but rather are a natural result of the work of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. Those who believe in God, must take care to consider their good works and also take the opportunities that come their way in the run of day to day living, to do those good works. Worthy and righteous good works will be because of the love in the heart of the saved believer. In this regard let us also consider the difference between a deserved question and a deserved answer, when even our best deeds are filthy. (Isaiah 64:6).

Continue reading →

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Osama Bin Laden killed: Moral Confusion

Grant Swart

Following on that which I posted a few days ago, “Osama Bin Laden killed, Why we should rejoice (but not gloat)”, here is another article regarding the West’s conscientious attitude and moral confusion on the same subject.

We should guard against adopting an attitude wherein we place social acceptance and tolerance of falsehood at the expense of God’s Truth, blessings and Grace. Like a thick blinding mist, the blizzard of affected opinions in the media, among political and religious leaders and other public commentators, prohibits us from simply doing what is right, by appealing to popular social morals. Continue reading →