Showing posts with label False Religion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label False Religion. Show all posts

Friday, September 7, 2018

Thy Kingdom Come - The Truth About the Rapture - The Introduction



Thy Kingdom Come

The Truth About the Rapture

Based Upon the Study Guide of the Same Title by: David R Pharr



Lesson #1 – Introduction – Archdale church of Christ

ANSWER GRID

Thesis: “These studies will show why we are not praying “Thy Kingdom come.”  Instead, we are praying that people will come to the Kingdom.”    From the Introduction, pg. 10

1.    Matthew 4.23 – What did Jesus preach? – The gospel of the Kingdom

2.    Matthew 13.31 – What word does Jesus use for “metaphor?” - Like

3.    Matthew 16.18 – 19; 18.18 – What did Jesus anticipate regarding “the key?” – That it would be specifically implemented to lose and bind.

4.     John 3.1 – 7 – How would one enter Christ’s Kingdom? – Not by being born, but by being “born AGAIN.”

5.    Matthew 18.3 – 4 – Being “born again” is akin to what? – Entering the kingdom of God.

6.    John 18.36 – What did Christ tell Pilate that is central to this study? – “My Kingdom is NOT of this world, or else my disciples would fight.”,

7.    Matthew 4.17 – Christ taught that His Kingdom was what? – At hand

8.    Matthew 3.1 – 2 – Who else had this same message? - John

9.    Matthew 10.7 – Jesus taught His disciples to preach what? – That the Kingdom was at hand.

10.                       Mark 9.1 – Just how soon did Christ anticipate the Kingdom coming? - Imminent

11.                       Matthew 6.10 – What was one thing that Christ’s disciples were to pray for? – The coming of the Kingdom

12.                       Acts 2.30 – 36 – When did the Kingdom come? – The Day of Pentecost, 50 days after the crucifixion.

13.                       Daniel 7.13 – 14 – Who had prophesied this? - Daniel

14.                       John 6.15 – Who did the Jews want to rule over them in an earthly Kingdom and who would have none of it? – Jesus, Jesus

15.                       Luke 17.20 – 21 – Just where is the Kingdom of God located?

“What then is the Kingdom of God?  It is Heavenly rule in the Hearts of men.”

16.                       What passage is often twisted to support a coming earthly kingdom that would last 1,000 years? – Revelation 20

17.                       Titus 2.13 – For what do we look? – “The appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ”

18.                       Hebrews 9.28 – For what are we assured of? – His 2nd coming “to save those who are eagerly awaiting Him.”



Material Adapted by:

      Russell H McCullough

Friday, August 10, 2018

No Need of Salvation? - A Sampling of Websites Among churches of Christ


There was a time when nearly every Christian could share the gospel plan of salvation with anyone who would listen,  Not only that, numerous persons in every congregation were "at the ready" to study the Bible with anyone, anywhere, anytime.  Sadly, times may have changed.  For the last twenty years or so most every congregation has posted and maintained a website.  The website is a snapshot of one individual congregation of the churches of Christ (Romans 16.16) and is a reflection of the spiritual health and teaching found there.  

The other day, I viewed three websites of prominent "churches of Christ" (1) in three cities (2) that openly espouse Calvinist / Baptist error on the subject of salvation.  All three state without
equivocation that salvation comes to one without and prior to baptism.(3)  In other words, baptism is simply an "outward sign of an inward grace."  Disturbed, I began to wonder, "Just how prominent is this sectarian error among us?"  "How can we know?"  I needed a sample, a sample that everyone would agree that it was not random on my part.  Where would I find such an objective sample? I decided to list every congregation mentioned in the current issue of the Christian Chronicle for any reason.  Though my count may be off somewhat, I found 42 congregations mentioned by name.  I proceeded to look up the 42 congregations and discover for myself what kind of salvational message each one had on their respective websites.  I then grouped the 42 into 5 separate categories based upon what I discovered.  Here they are:

  1. NO - No website
  2. N/A - No salvational message of any kind
  3. AMB - A salvational message written in ambiguous language that contains some Bible and some Calvinism.  These salvational messages seem to want to have in both ways, "Calvin and Christ"
  4. BIB - A salvational message consistent with what the New Testament teaches.
  5. BAP - A salvational message clearly Calvinist and clearly anti-biblical.
The results are not encouraging.  Of those 42 congregations:

  • 11 congregations have a clearly articulated and biblical salvational message clearly stating that "baptism is for the remission of sins."  This is where the "good news" ends.
  • 11 congregations have no websites whatsoever.
  • 9 congregations have no salvational message of any kind.  In other words these 9 websites do not answer the question of the ages; "What must I do to be saved?"
  • 9 congregations have a salvational message that contains "some Bible" and some "Calvinism."
  • 2 congregations have a clearly articulated Baptist / Calvinist salvational message in clear contradiction with Scripture.

Here are the chilling conclusions:

  • In this sample, only about 26% of all the congregations mentioned by name in the current (August, 2018) edition of the Christian Chronicle have communicated the gospel message on their websites.
  • An equal amount of about 26% of the 42 congregations mentioned have no kind of website at all!
  • Another approx. 21% of the 42 congregations mentioned have no salvational message whatsoever!
  • Disturbingly, yet another approx. 21% of the mentioned congregations have an ambiguous salvational message, mixing Christ and Calvin.
  • At least honestly, an approx. 5% of mentioned congregations openly admit their Baptist / Calvin error by publishing it on their website in a "salvational message."

What does this say about churches of Christ in America?  Can God be pleased when 75% of these "mentioned congregations" either have no website at all, have no salvational message at all, have mixed "Christ and Calvin" in a synchronistic Yahweh / Baal kind of way, or have apostated completely from the Truth by teaching the "doctrines of men?"

Simply, these say that each and every eldership must monitor and revamp their website to biblically answer the question of the ages; "What must I do to be saved?"  Each and every eldership must purge it's website of all Calvinist teaching.  Each and every congregation must make sure that no elder, no deacon, no preacher, no Bible school teacher, or anyone else openly articulates Calvinistic error.  God help us!


NOTES:

(1)  Though their salvational statements are consistent with the teachings of the Baptist Church and other "evangelical" sectarian bodies, these congregations continue to promote themselves as what they once were but are no longer.... "churches of Christ." 
(2) These 3 are: The Providence Road "church of Christ" in Charlotte, NC, the Williamsburg "church of Christ" in Williamsburg, VA, and the Madison "church of Christ" in Madison (Nashville), TN.  
(3) Here are the specific links to which I refer:
a. http://prcoc.org/new/new-life - "If you have accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and      Savior, then your are ready to be baptized,  Just like a bride and groom show others their love for one another by a wedding ceremony, your baptism is your opportunity to show others that you trust in Christ and are now walking with Him,,, It is a pronouncement of belief.  It is like preaching a visual sermon.  It is a public way of saying to everyone that you have decided to give your life to Jesus Christ... Baptism doesn't make you a believer it shows that your already believe.  The Bible teaches that faith in Christ is the source of our salvation.  Baptism is the biblical response to saving faith.  It is the visible symbol of the commitment you make in your heart....Does water baptism save me?  No.  Scripture is abundantly clear that only Jesus saves (Acts 4.12).  Faith in His actions is the heart of our salvation.  The work of salvation is a finished work by Christ on the cross (Hebrews 9.23 - 28; 10.10 - 14).  Baptism has no redemptive powers of it's own.  There is nothing special about the water in the river, pond or baptistery."
b. https://www.williamsburgcoc.org/baptism  - A very similar statement to Providence Road's appears on the Williamsburg website as you can see by the link.
c. http://www.madisonchurchtn.org/what-we-believe/- "SALVATION BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH - We believe in the salvation of sinners by grace through repentance and faith in the perfect and sufficient work of the cross of Calvary by which we obtain remission of sins.  (Ephesians 2.8 - 9; Hebrews 9.12, 22; Romans 5.11).  WATER BAPTISM - We believe in the necessity of water baptism by immersion in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit in order to fulfill the command of Christ. (Matthew 28.19; Acts 2.37 - 39; 19.1 - 6).

NOTE: Public Domain Image of John Calvin Courtesy of Wikipedia.  "Church of Christ" photograph courtesy of the Archdale church of Christ, Charlotte, NC.

Tuesday, June 5, 2018

More Blessed than the Apostles? - In One Way...YES!

Audio and Outline of a Sermon Rendered 3 June 2018, Morning Service, Archdale church of Christ, 2525 Archdale Drive, Charlotte, NC 28210 by Russell H McCullough:

https://soundcloud.com/archdale-church-of-christ/sounds-from-sunday-morning-5

Text: Luke 1.26 - 33; John 20.24 – 31
Thesis: We are more blessed than the apostles because we have only HEARD the testimony, never seeing it.
Introduction – Why does no one doubt the veracity of the existence of any other historical figure OTHER than Christ Jesus? 
• Who ever heard; “I would believe in the existence of Julius Caesar if only I could have seen him.”
• Who ever heard; “I would believe in the existence of Abraham Lincoln if only if I could have seen him.”
• Who ever heard: “I would believe in the existence of the law of gravity if only I can see it.”
• Today, people have more faith in the words of Charles Darwin than they do in the words of Jesus Christ!
• NO ONE here today has ever seen any of these mentioned.
1. We know of these and believe in their existence because of the testimony of the spoken word of 3rd parties.
a. People simply believe some 3rd parties and dismiss others.

I – Luke’s Testimony – Do you believe in angels?

a. Hearing is believing
b. Admiral Cochrane
• “Besides 9/11, the only other attack by an outside force on Washington, D.C. was in 1814 when Adm. George Cockburn of the British Royal Navy, literally walked into the White House, at Pres. James Madison’s dinner, drank his wine, and then sat fire to the place.”  DID YOU BELIEVE WHAT YOU HEARD OR NOT?

II – Luke’s Testimony – Do you believe in the virgin pregnancy?

a. Hearing is believing
b. Edwin Booth
• “Months before his assassination, Abraham Lincoln’s son Robert fell from a train platform in Jersey City.  The hand that pulled him to safety belonged to Edwin Booth, brother of John Wilkes Booth (Lincoln’s killer).”  DO YOU BELIEVE WHAT YOU HEARD OR NOT?

III – Luke’s Testimony – Do you believe in the eternal reign?

a. Hearing is believing
b. The Polish impostor
• “After a Polish impostor who claimed the throne of Russia was found out, he was executed, burned and had his ashes shot out of a cannon back toward Poland.”  DO YOU BELIEVE WHAT YOU JUST HEARD OR NOT?

CONCLUSION:  People believe what they want to believe without evidence and reject what they want to reject regardless of evidence!

 “The Gospel Call” – Acts 2.38 -

NOTE: Illustrations courtesy of “WTF Fun Facts”




Monday, January 22, 2018

The Way of Zebah and Zalmunna

Illustration Courtesy of: www.st-takla.org via Google Images

LISTEN! to this lesson on SOUNDCLOUND!  Just click the link:

It's called a number of things.  Pragmatism.  Outcome based thinking.  Visualization.  Positive thinking.  Self improvement.  Self actualization.

Pick your own title.  They are all the same.  We are told that we can "become what we imagine."  Really?!  Can we?  Can we make our own success by these methods?  Sadly, no.

Long ago, a 15,000 man army "imagined" that they could retreat, relocate, and relax having escaped from the Lord of Hosts and the 300 man army of Gideon.  Their two "positive thinking" commanders were named Zebah and Zalmunna.  The Bible says in Judges 8.11 that this army "felt secure."  Feelings lie.  Far from secure, this army that retreated from the Lord of Hosts, relocated to a valley of perceived security, and finally relaxed in a false hope...instead were soon destroyed as a fighting force.  Their two leaders were slain by Gideon himself.

And so it is today.  Unless we surrender to Jesus Christ, we too, will be surrounded and destroyed.  To retreat from our sin, relocate to a new place of perceived security, and relax in a false hope will gain us nothing and cost us everything.

This sermon was preached by Russ McCullough at the Archdale church of Christ, 2525 Archdale Drive, Charlotte, NC 28210 at the 10 a.m. morning worship service on Lord's Day morning, 21 January 2018.  Feel free to use this material as you choose.

Wednesday, December 20, 2017

Paul's Letter to the Ephesians - An Introduction

           LISTEN! to the Introduction on: SOUNDCLOUD!

       Ephesians
Paul’s Greatest Church Planting Success
 20 December 2017
Archdale church of Christ – Russ McCullough
Lesson #2 – Introduction


1.     Both the author and the recipient are clearly S______________ in 1.1.
2.     This Letter to the Ephesians was actually the _______ letter of Paul as we know from 3.1 – 4.  The referenced letter is lost to history by the W_____ of the H__________ S______________.
3.     The city of Ephesus was likely the _______ largest city in the Roman Empire and had an estimated population of _______________ or more based upon the _______________ seat capacity theater.
4.     Ephesus was the capital of the Roman province of A___________.
5.     Many early manuscripts do not contain the name of “Ephesus,” and is a likely an indication of the fact that the book, like others, was ENCYLICAL which literally means: __________________________________________.
6.     Our English word “encyclical” was first used in ca. ___________ and originates from both the Latin and Greek languages.  Latin: encyclicus.  Greek: enkyklios.  Both words mean the same: en (in) + cyclicus / kyklios (circle).  Our common English usage means: “a letter written to each member of a singular group by rotation one to another.”
7.     We know from history that it was common practice that once a letter was R__________ to the congregation, it would be C__________ before the A__________________ was sent to the next congregation.  This constant “passing around” wore the original A____________ out almost immediately.
8.     By the “encyclical method,” each congregation over time would have a L____________ of all the New Testament books.
9.     This “encyclical” model was adopted on the American Frontier by the practice of C______________ R____________ P_________________.
10. This was “standard operating procedure” in the 1st century church of Christ as we see from Colossians 4.16 and also seen in Paul’s letters to Timothy, Titus, and Philemon.  It is most clearly stated in the Book of R_____________ where the E____________ List is stated precisely.
11. From Acts 28 we know that Paul was imprisoned in Rome ca. 0060.  From here in prison Paul wrote what have come to be known as the P_________ E____________, one of which is Ephesians.  We know this from 6.18 – 20.
12. The first mention of the church of Christ in Ephesus was in Acts 18 while A__________ and P_____________.  There they converted A____________.  It is only after this in Acts 19 that P ______ comes to the great city.
13. Ephesus was a great S____________ on the C___________River.  (Centuries later Ephesus was abandoned when silt filled the harbor.)  She was of great economic prowess and competed with the great cities of R___________, A_____________ of P___________, A_____________ , A___________ of S__________, C__________________and C_______________for prominence in the ancient world.
14.  Ephesus as renowned as a great religious center and was home to the temple to the goddess A____________ or as the Romans called here, D____________.  This temple was one of the 7 Wonders of the Ancient World.  There was a booming tourist trade where S__________ artisans sold S_______________ of the goddess for the gullible to take back home.
15.  Paul met with such success in Ephesus that he stayed here about ______ years.  For the first ______ months he preached at the J____________ S_______________.  After being “asked to leave” he spoke daily for 2 years at the L______________ Hall of T___________________.
16. The letter to the Ephesians is a didactic book in New Testament genre.  A didactic book is one centered in D____________.  “Didactic” means “…designed or intended to T__________.”  The English form of this word was first used ca. 1658 and comes to us from the Greek word didakticos which means “A_____ to T____________.”
17. After Paul’s 3-year service, T______________ was sent by Paul for “perhaps a year and a half” to deal with F_________ D_____________ being taught primarily by H______________ and A________________
(I Timothy 1.3, 20) During Timothy’s tenure the congregation was burdened with “F____________ and endless G_______________.”              (I Timothy 1.4)
18. The Ephesians also wrestled with “forbidding of M______________ and A________________ from certain F____________.” (I Timothy 4.3)
19. The letter to the Ephesians has two distinct parts.  The first 3 chapters deal almost exclusively with D_____________ while the last 3 deals almost exclusively with C________________ L____________.
20. These issues came about as these former P______________ and worshippers of A_________________ came into the faith and practice of Christianity.
21. In the ongoing years the congregation O__________________ and became so doctrinally rigid that 36 years later Christ Himself said in Revelation 2 that they had “L__________ their F___________ L___________.”
22. Two key doctrines covered by Paul in this letter are: 1) The M_____________ of the church, and, 2) The B___________ of Jesus Christ.  The book also has much to say about God’s C________________.

Reference: MacArthur, John (The MacArthur Bible Handbook, Thomas Nelson & Co)., 2003, pg. 399 - 402


                                   ANSWER GRID:


1                                                              1.   Stated
2.     2nd, Will of the Holy Spirit
3.     2nd, 250,000 / 25,000
4.     Asia
5.     “In wheel”
6.     1656
7.     Read, Copied, Autograph, Autograph
8.     Library
9.     Circuit Rider Preachers
10. Revelation, Entire
11. Prison Epistles
12. Aquilla & Priscilla, Apollos, Paul
13. Seaport, Cayster, Rome, Antioch, Pisidia, Alexandria, Antioch, Syria, Carthage, Corinth
14. Artimes, Diana, Silver, Statuettes
15. Three, Six, Jewish Synagogue, Lecture, Tyrannus
16. Doctrine, Teaching, Apt, Teach
17. Timothy, False Doctrine, Hymenaeus, Alexander, Fables, Geneologies
18. Marriage, Abstinence, Foods
19. Doctrine, Christian Living
20. Pagan, Artimes
21. Overcompensated, Lost, First Love
22. Mystery, Blessings, Character

Thursday, November 9, 2017

Does Ezekiel 40 - 48 Teach Premillennialism?

Image Courtesy of: galatiansfour.blogspot.com via Google Images

Listen to the Audio File below on SOUND CLOUD


Ezekiel
Lesson – 52 – Ezekiel 40 - 43 - Archdale church of Christ
 Russ McCullough – 8 November 2017 – “The New Temple” Part 3
“Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone, we are cut off.” – 37.10

1.   Read Ezekiel 40.1 – 4; 43.18 - 27
2.   Prayer
3.   Three kinds of eschatology or “end times.”
A._________________________________
B._________________________________
C._________________________________
4. Millennial is a term for a ___________________________.
5. Premillennialism was a popularly held in the Gnostic Apostasy from the ______ Century to the ___________.
6. I was revived in the ___________ Century Reformation by the H_______________, the A___________________ and some P_________________.
7. It rose again in the late ____________ Century first in E______________ before spreading to A______________________.
8. It then began to be called for a whiled D________________________.
9. It’s current form was popularized first by J_____________ N_______________ D______________ (died 1882).  It was he who first taught of a P__________ T_______________ R___________________.
10. P_________ T____________ are also known as C________________ P______________________ whose most famous is C. I. Scofield.  He taught:
          A. ______________________________________________________________
          B. ______________________________________________________________
          C. ______________________________________________________________
          D. ______________________________________________________________
          E. ______________________________________________________________
          F. ______________________________________________________________
11. The H_____________ P_______________________ teach nearly identical theology
With the exception being that the R______________ takes place after the T__________________ instead of before.
12. These teachings came about by a W__________________ literalism Imposed on Scriptures such as Ezekiel 40 – 48.  This method views all forms of G__________ as if they were all Prophetic N______________________. 
13. “IF” this were to be the case then:
          A. Physical Israel must be R_________________ to the physical L________
          B. Israel would have to be ruled by one literal King D____________ who would have to be re-encarnated.  (37.22 – 24)
          C. The Nation of Israel would dwell in the physical land for all E________________. (37.25)
          D. A new T_________________ would have to be built on the O_________ earth in which G_________ would have to dwell for E_______________ (37.26, 27; 43.7)
          E. The Levitical P___________________ would have to be restored forever.  (43.19; 44.15; Lev. 16.34 with Zadokites ONLY O____________ating.
          F. A________________ would have to be sacrificed for S__________ and to make A______________________ for sin for an eternity.  (43.19, 20, 21,22, 25, 26; 44.27, 29; 45.17)
          G. C______________ would be restored as essential to communion with God in worship (44.9)

REFERENCES:
http://www.theopedia.com/premillennialism
 McGuiggan, Jim, (THE BOOK OF EZEKIEL), (Montex Publishing Company, Lubbock, TX, 1979, 1984), pg. 332


Ezekiel
Lesson – 52 – Ezekiel 40 - 43 - Archdale church of Christ
 Russ McCullough – 8 November 2017 – “The New Temple” Part 3
“Our bones are dried up and our hope is gone, we are cut off.” – 37.10
1.   Read Ezekiel 40.1 – 4; 43.18 - 27
2.   Prayer
3.   Three kinds of eschatology or “end times.”
A._________________________________
          A: PRE-millennialism – Christ comes before a “7-year great tribulation” just prior to a 1,000 year earthly reign.
B._________________________________
          A: POST – Millennialism – Christ comes after a “7-year great tribulation” just after a 1,000 year earthly reign.
C._________________________________
          A: A – Millennialism – The biblical view, there is no earthly millennial reign.  Christ comes without warning.
4.   Millennial is a term for a ___________________________.
A: 1,000-year time frame
5.   Premillennialism was a popularly held in the Gnostic Apostasy from the ______ Century to the ___________.
A: 2nd / 5th

6.   I was revived in the ___________ Century Reformation by the H_______________, the A___________________ and some P_________________.
A: 16th, Huguenots, Anabaptists, Puritans
7.   It rose again in the late ____________ Century first in E______________ before spreading to A______________________.
A: 19th, England, America
8.   It then began to be called for a while D________________________.
A: Dispensationalism
9.   Its current form was popularized first by J_____________ D______________ (died 1882).  It was he who first taught of a P__________ T_______________ R___________________.
A: John Darby, Pre-Tribulation Rapture
10.                P_________ T____________ are also known as C________________ P______________________ whose most famous is C. I. Scofield.  He taught:
A: Pre-Tribulationists, Classic Premillennialists
A.   ______________________________________________________________
A: The 2nd coming comes in 2 stages separated by a 7 year long “Great Tribulation”
B.   ______________________________________________________________
A: The 1st coming will be an “air rescue of the church rapture”
C.   ______________________________________________________________
A: During the 7-year “great tribulation” the anti-Christ will conquer the world and kill anyone who will not worship him.
D.  ______________________________________________________________
A: At the far end of the 7 years, 144,000 “witnesses” will go out and convert all the Jews living in Israel so that “all Israel might be saved”
E.   ______________________________________________________________
A: At the end of the 7 years, Christ returns for the 2nd time, destroys the anti-Christ and rescues Israel
11. The H_____________ P_______________________ teaches nearly identical theology with the exception being that the R______________ takes place after the T__________________ instead of before.
                             A: Historic Premillennialist, Rapture, Tribulation
12.These teachings came about by a W__________________ literalism Imposed on Scriptures such as Ezekiel 40 – 48.  This method views all forms of G__________ as if they were all Prophetic N______________________. 
A: Woodenized, genres, Narrative

13. “IF” this were to be the case then:
          A. Physical Israel must be R_________________ to the physical L________
A: Returned, Land (Egypt to the Euphrates, and down the West Bank, which would mean that Israel would absorb parts of Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Jordan)
B. Israel would have to be ruled by one literal King D____________ who would have to be re-incarnated.  (37.22 – 24)
                   A: David
C. The Nation of Israel would dwell in the physical land for all E________________. (37.25)
                   A: Eternity
D. A new T_________________ would have to be built on the O_________ earth in which G_________ would have to dwell for E_______________ (37.26, 27; 43.7)
                   A: Temple, Old, God, Eternity
F.   The Levitical P___________________ would have to be restored forever.  (43.19; 44.15; Lev. 16.34 with Zadokites ONLY O____________ating.
A: Priesthood, Officiating
G.  A________________ would have to be sacrificed for S__________ and to make A______________________ for sin for an eternity.  (43.19, 20, 21,22, 25, 26; 44.27, 29; 45.17)
A: Animals, Sin, Atonement
H.  C______________ would be restored as essential to communion with God in worship (44.9)
A: Circumcision

REFERENCES:
http://www.theopedia.com/premillennialism
 McGuiggan, Jim, (THE BOOK OF EZEKIEL), (Montex Publishing Company, Lubbock, TX, 1979, 1984), pg. 332
  

Thy Kingdom Come - The Truth About the Rapture - The Introduction

Thy Kingdom Come The Truth About the Rapture Based Upon the Study Guide of the Same Title by: David R Pharr Lesson #1 – I...