The Admiral and the Crow

“The Admiral and the Crow”

Sermon 2 in the Series – “Why I am a Member of the church of Christ”

“From Ulster Plantation to the Carolina’s with the Gospel!” *

Russell H. McCullough / Archdale church of Christ, 2525 Archdale Drive, Charlotte, NC 28210

www.archdale.org / gospelcall.blogspot.com - Date:  

Text: Matthew 16.16 - 20

Thesis: I am a member of the church of Christ “Because It was Founded on the Scriptural Foundation”

1           Introduction

A.   Vice Admiral Horatio Nelson “turned a blind eye” to Admiral Parkers signal to retreat at the Battle of Copenhagen in 1801.

B.   In the age of sail before the discovery of latitude and longitude coordination, at the top of the tallest mast on the ship was the “crow’s nest.”  So-called for it contained just that, a nest of crows in a cage.  When released the crow would immediately fly to land in the shortest and fastest route possible, thus the saying “as the crow flies.”

2          To What Does “Upon This Rock” Reflect?

A.   Petros – Peter

B.   PETRA – the CONFESSION

C.    “IF” there would have been the office of the pope then:

1.      Paul would have been pope for he was the one who chastised Peter in Galatians and not the other way around.

2.     Paul would have been pope since he was the “apostle to the gentiles.”

3.    Paul would have been pope since he was not married and Peter was.

3          I Corinthians 3.11

A.   No other foundation

4         Ephesians 2.20

A.   Christ is the chief cornerstone

1.      Psalms 118.22 – rejected corner

2.     Matthew 21.42 – Jesus applied this to Himself

3.    Acts 4.11 - Peter applied this to Christ

B.   The witnesses are one and the same as they are part of the foundation

a.    Acts 1

5          CONCLUSION: The one Singular Jesus Christ build his one and only singular church on the one singular foundation of which He is the only singular chief and cornerstone!

6         The Meaning of the Text in It’s Theological, Historical & Cultural Context:

A.   Jesus promised, built, and is head of only one church – HIS!

7          The Challenge of the Text for Christians Today

A.    We must continue to strive to “contend for the faith that was once delivered to the saints.”

8         “The Gospel Call”

·         My fifth great uncle was Hugh Gaston who was rector at the Ballywillan Presbyterian Church (pictured above left) in County Antrim, Ulster Plantation (Northern Ireland) and wrote the most dangerous book of his time; Gaston’s Collections.  It allowed “the ploughman to know more Bible than his clergyman.”  Hugh fled to South Carolina where he died prematurely of the measles.  He is buried just one hour south of Charlotte in Chester County, S.C. in “Burnt Meeting House Cemetery.”   Uncle Hugh continues to inspire my ministry to this very day.  You can read more about Uncle Hugh here: http://www.ballywillanpci.org/rev-hugh-gaston

Ruins photo courtesy of: ballywillanpci.org.

Leo, Luther, and the Paradigm of Delusion

NOTE:  2017 is the 500th Anniversary of the Reformation.  This venue will explore a number of posts relating to this historical year during 2017.

The Death, Burial and Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the central event in all human history.  As such being the case, baptism into that event is the central doctrine of the New Testament.  Satan does not really care if people believe in the historical resurrection.  His purpose is to dissuade people from being biblically baptized into the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.  If he can instill a "paradigm of delusion" in the minds of people where they will reject baptism, he will relish in collecting souls for hell fire.  Satan has craftily used a long ago fight between two men who fought over baptism.  Satan has lifted a passage out of context in Ephesians 2 in order to create a mantra that continues to delude nearly every man, woman and child in America today.   That mantra?  "We are saved by grace and not by works lest anyone boast."  Satan loves Scripture...Scripture out of context that is!

Five hundred years ago this year, Martin Luther took issue with Pope Leo X.  They fought over  many issues.  The main issue, however, was over salvation.  Was salvation by works or was it by grace?  Leo took the side of the Roman Catholic Church, baptism saves a person because it is a sacrament.  Even though such a thing as a "sacrament" is never mentioned in the New Testament, Leo asserted that one is saved by obedience to the seven sacraments of the Roman Catholic Church and as such, is a "work"  Luther took the opposite approach.  Salvation is totally by grace and not connected with baptism as it is a "work."  Hence, Leo and Luther took positions 180 degrees apart.  There was no compromise, no turning back.  Luther was excommunicated by a papal bull in 1521.  War broke out between the Catholics and Protestants.  A series of religious wars between these two parties lasted nearly 300 years and did not end until Catholic France was defeated at Waterloo in 1815 by Protestant allies England and Prussia.  Now 200 years removed from the last of the Leo - Luther wars, who actually was right?  Was it Leo?  Was it Luther?  Was it salvation by works?  Was it salvation by grace?  Sadly, both Leo and Luther were wrong, both choosing the Paradigm of Delusion.

Luther's 180 degree insistence on "faith only"  was based on being as far away from Leo as possible.   They both had sort of a "Hatfield's and McCoy's" outlook; "If he's for it, I'm agin it!" There is a chilling difference between seeking the Truth and embracing a paradigm.  A paradigm is a narrative, a manta, a preconceived notion.  It is moving full ahead with blinders on. It is simply a goal driven by emotion and feelings being totally subjective.  Leo's paradigm was that salvation was by sacrament within Roman Catholicism.  Luther's was grace alone without baptism outside of Roman Catholicism.  They both were wrong.  They both were deluded.  They both embraced the Paradigm of Delusion.

Truth is by definition rational and reasonable for that is what God is.  Not only that, it is by REASON that God makes His appeal to us.  He says in Isaiah 1.18; "Come now let us REASON together..."  Both Leo and Luther rejected two things; reason and Scripture.  By holding onto their paradigms they both were "partially" right but both were altogether wrong. The truth was found where neither looked, in Scripture.  

Luther, Calvin, Zwingli, Knox, et al, embraced Ephesians 2.8 -9 as a narrative, a mantra, the drumbeat of the Reformation and later American Evangelicalism.  In this form it is out of context and is used to twist the passage from "in context" to "out of context.".  The entire context is Ephesians 2.1 - 10.  The truth contained in the passage...in context...is found in vs. 10 which concludes that salvation by grace is made possible by something else.  That something else? It's "Workmanship."  Whose workmanship?  Not human!  It's DIVINE workmanship.  Salvation by grace not by human works is achieved by Divine workmanship.  When and where, then, is this Divine workmanship applied?  The biblical interpretive model of "here a little, there a little, precept upon precept" takes us to another Pauline passage, Colossians 2.11 - 12.  There we discover that the "powerful WORKING of God" is applied in and during...BAPTISM.  No where else is "salvation by grace not of works lest any man should boast" applied.  Not in a so-called "sinners prayer," not in an "experience," not by "praying through," and not by any so-called "holy spirit baptism."  ONLY in the watery grave is the WORKMANSHIP of God applied!

Are we saved by grace as Luther asserted?  YES.  Are we saved by works as Leo asserted? YES.  Are these operational separately as both Luther and Leo asserted?  Absolutely not!  To separate these two is to form a Paradigm of Delusion.  It is delusional to reject the Scripture and form a narrative of sacrament(s) alone as did Leo.  It is delusional to reject the Scripture and form a narrative of grace alone as did Luther. What is of reason, that which is rational, and this which is biblical, is to embrace the entire Scripture as a whole to answer correctly any spiritual question, especially the question; "What must I do to be saved?"

Delusion is deadly.  Leo and Luther's delusion caused the death of millions over 3 centuries. Even more tragic is the loss of even one soul to the Devil's Hell.  Are you delusional?  May God bless you with reason.  May you embrace the Truth of the Gospel.  "Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, "Brothers, what shall we do?"  And Peter said to them, "Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." - Acts 2.37 - 38 (ESV)

Both images courtesy of: Wikipedia Commons to which I am grateful

Jesus and the Outlaws!

Image Courtesy of: Ballywillin Presbyterian Church PCI, County Antrim, Ireland

"From Ulster Plantation to the Carolina’s with the Gospel!” *

Russell H. McCullough / Archdale church of Christ, 2525 Archdale Drive, Charlotte, NC 28210

www.archdale.org / gospelcall.blogspot.com - Date: 17 April 2016

https://youtu.be/zlKDJpIZmS0 

Text: Mark 7.1 - 8

Thesis: Tradition is a False Guide, a “strong delusion,” making one an OUTLAW!

The Reenactment of the OK Coral!

1          Introduction

A. “The Talmud is the heart of Rabbinic Judaism; after the Bible, the Talmud is the book most studied by religious Jews and the Hebrew Bible is read and interpreted in light of the Talmud.” – Joe Carter in “Gospel Coalition” August 2014

B. We reviewed the theological approach of the Pharisees last week, essentially…what was important to the Pharisees was not the Bible but what the rabbis SAID ABOUT the Bible!

C. As forgiveness and salvation were not considered due to their “favored status” with God, they were most concerned with “Works of righteousness” that elevated them above other men in the sight of God.

D. The Pharisees and the Scribes saw Jesus not only as a heretic but as a threat to their hold on the people.  

E. This scene is full of high drama, much like a showdown in the “wild west.”

F. The consequences of this showdown are far more urgent than the consequences of every conflict in every time…rolled into one.

G. Leaving the Commandments of God for the Traditions of men is a false guide, “a strong delusion.”

H. II Thes. 2.7 – 12 – Literally “without law”

             1. I Corinthians 9.21 – “without law” - --- OUTLAW

I. JESUS IS STARING DOWN THE OUTLAWS OF JUDEA!

2        Of Hands, Cups and Couches – Mark 7.1 -  5

A. The tradition of Hand Washing

B. The tradition of Cup Washing

C. The tradition of Couch Washing

D. The Awkward Question

3        The Explosive Answer – Mark 7.6 - 7

A. Isaiah’s prophesy names you of hypocrisy for your embrace of tradition!

B. The embrace of tradition shows that the lips and the heart are not in sync, they are in opposition

C. Traditional worship is vain worship

D. The doctrine of men is NOT the Doctrine of God!

4        The Line in the Sand – Mark 7.8

A. When one leaves the commandment of God, he embraces the tradition of men.

B. When one embraces the traditions of men, he leaves the commandment of God.

5        The Meaning of the Text

A. “Argumentum ad antiqitatem” or Appeal to Traditon

B. Will we embrace tradition or will be embrace Christ?

C. The appeal to tradition is the same as leaving the commandment of God.

D. The embrace of tradition is a “false guide” and a “strong delusion.”

E. Tradition is a spiritual narcotic. 

1. Tradition numbs the mind

2. Tradition erases both guilt and duty towards a Holy God. 

3. Tradition will lull one into a deep spiritual sleep that will ultimately result in a fatal overdose.

       F. To embrace tradition is to become an OUTLAW

 G. To embrace tradition is to embrace death itself.

6        The Challenge of the Text

A.   Clearly understand the origination of all modern religious traditions can be traced to the Council of Trent in 1545 that declared that Tradition, Canon Law and Scripture are equal legs  that must all stand together equally. Roman Catholicism also declares the "Laws of the Church" to be of equal authority with Scripture.  Canon  252 Sec. 3 claims sacred tradition is the basis for dogmatic theology.

1.      "We confess that the Pope has the power of altering Scripture, or increasing and diminishing it, according to his will." --Article I, "Confessio Romani-Catholica - 1838 Tom. 2, p. 343

2.     "We confess that whatsoever new thing the Pope of Rome may have instituted whether it be in Scripture, or out of Scripture, its true, divine, and salvific; and, therefore, ought to be regarded as of higher value by lay people than the precepts of the living God." --Article IV,"Confessio Romani-Catholica - 1838 Tom. 2, p. 343

3.    "We confess that Holy Scripture is imperfect and a dead letter, until it is explained by the Supreme Pontiff and permitted by him to be read by lay people." --Article XXI, "Confessio Romani-Catholica, 1838 Tom. 2, p. 343

SOURCE: http://www.dianedew.com/traditn.htm

B. Clearly understand that the Council of Trent and the “Tradition of the Elders” are both cut from the same block of wood.

C. Clearly understand that the appeal to tradition among churches of Christ regarding the instrument, female leadership and changing the meaning of baptism stems directly from Satan via the Tradition of the Elders and the Council of Trent.

7         “The Gospel Call”

·         My fifth great uncle was Hugh Gaston who was rector at the Ballywillan Presbyterian Church (pictured above left) in County Antrim, Ulster Plantation (Northern Ireland) and wrote the most dangerous book of his time; Gaston’s Collections.  It allowed “the ploughman to know more Bible than his clergyman.”  Hugh fled to South Carolina where he died prematurely of the measles.  He is buried just one hour south of Charlotte in Chester County, S.C. in “Burnt Meeting House Cemetery.”   Uncle Hugh continues to inspire my ministry to this very day.  You can read more about Uncle Hugh here: http://www.ballywillanpci.org/rev-hugh-gaston

Ruins photo courtesy of: ballywillanpci.org.

Christ or "Christ's Mass?"

 

Image Courtesy of: http://commons.wikipedia.org Courtesy U.S. Navy Public Domain Photo

 

Sermon Outline and Video Sermon

 

https://lnkd.in/bBmyV-K

 

1.       Christmas is a transliteration of “Christ’s Mass”

2.       The “Christ’s Mass” is NOT:

a.       A Celebration of Christ’s birth

b.       A Memorial of His birth

c.       A Remembrance of His birth

3.       What then, IS Christmas?

4.       It is a Trifold celebration of the MASS on a day arbitrarily called Christ’s birthday

5.       Any celebration of the birth of Christ

a.       Is extra-biblical and an addition to the Holy Writ

b.       The date is never mentioned in the Bible

c.       It was never commanded by Christ

d.       It was never observed by the Apostles

e.       It was never practiced by anyone for centuries after the Incarnation

1.       Irenaeus (ca. 130 – 200) - No mention whatsoever

2.       Tertullian (ca. 160 – 225) - No mention whatsoever

3.       Origen (ca. 185 – 264)

a)       Even the chief allegorist of the church mocks Roman birth anniversaries as pagan

4.       Clement of Alexandria (ca. 150 – 215) does speculate on the date of Christ’s birth BUT he dates it, not December 25, but either one of three spring dates; April 20, April 21 or May 20

5.       By the fourth century, the western (Roman) church recognizes the December 25 date while the eastern (Byzantine) church recognizes the January 6 date, the day of the Feast of the Epiphany, the visit of the Magi’s.  the intervening days became known as the “12 days of Xmas.”

6.       The jump between spring to winter took place primarily due to the influence of Augustine of Hippo’s extreme allegory.

1)      Ca. 200, Tertullian calculated the date of the crucifixion was on the 14^th of Nisan, March 25 in the Roman calendar.

2)      A contemporary anonymous author published a work entitled ON SOLSITICES AND EQUINOXES which says; “Therefore our Lord was conceived on (March 25) which is the day of the passion of the Lord and of His conception.  For on that day he was conceived on the same He suffered.”

3)      Augustine not only allegorized Scripture, he allegorized history!  This is what he says in ON THE TRINITY (ca. 399 – 419): “For Jesus is believed have been conceived on the 25^th of March, which day He also suffered; so the womb of the Virgin, in which He was conceived, where no one of mortals was begotten, corresponds to the new grave in which He was buried, wherein was never man laid, neither before Him or since.  But He was born, according to tradition, upon December the 25^th.”

6) Before we can understand Xmas, we must first understand the MASS.

                a. “Ite missa es” – To send out – The final “blessing”

7) Before we can understand the Mass, we must understand the most twisted doctrine ever associated with Xianity – TRANSUBSTANTIATION

                a. The Catholic Church allegorizes the literal and literalizes the metaphorical

                                1. John 6.47ff - The literal eisegesis of this passages is the foundational sand          

                                  of the doctrine of "transubstantiation." 

 

                b. Mark 16.6

                                1. He was crucified, He was dead, He was here, He was laid BUT now He’s Alive

                                2. RCC – He’s still crucified, He’s still dead, He’s still in the grave, He’s not risen.

                c. The Mass re-sacrifices Christ on the cross

                d. The Mass disembodies the Body of Christ

                e. The Priest cannibalizes the remains

                f. The Lord’s Supper – The Living Presence of a Risen Savior - as taught in the Bible

                g. The Mass – a re-sacrifice of the mutilated remains of a dead savior - Per Rome

                h. How?

                                1. The Essence of the bread and wine miraculously change into the literal

                                     body and blood of Christ.

                                2. The Accidents of the literal body and blood of Christ change back

                                     miraculously to appear as bread and wine.

                                3. Words change essence the bread and the wine to the body and blood

                                4. The same words immediately change the accidents of the body and blood into                                      what, by all appearances, is bread and wine.

Bible: I Corinthians 5.7 -8; Hebrews 9.23 - 28 Teach that re-sacrifice of Christ is impossible

Conclusion: Christmas is “Christ’s Mass”  “Christ’s Mass” is a twisted re-sacrifice of Christ, a Christ who is ever dead.   Mark 16.6 proclaims that Christ WAS crucified, dead, and laid in a grave BUT has RISEN and is very much ALIVE!    The "Christ Mass" has no place in the worship of Christ's church!

Sources consulted:

THE HOLY BIBLE

McGowan, Andrew, "How December 25 Became Christmas" in BIBLE REVIEW, December, 2002

Sproul, R. C., "The Mass and Christology" - Reformed Bible Studies & Devotionals (on line) at Ligoneir.org. 





Revelation! - "Written To Us, About Us or For Us?"

Image Courtesy of Bing Images

 

Lesson 5 - Chapter 1

Watch This Gospel Call TV VIDEO to Answer These Questions:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFcRMS86kkU&feature=youtu.be

1.      Review:

a.      Whose Revelation is it?

b.      Given from who to whom?

c.       The recipient then gave the Revelation to whom?

d.      That recipient then gave the Revelation to whom for recordation?

e.      The Revelation was written about events that would happen when?  The word translated “soon” literally means I___ S____________ in the original.

2.      According to I John 1.1 – 3, what 3 things can John testify to?

3.      The angel signified that John could testify to what 3 things per vs. 2?

4.      The word translated “signified” is from the original esmainon which means A S________, A M___________ or I________________.  This word occurs in only 5 other places which sheds light on its meaning:

a.      John 12.23 ____________________________________________________

b.      John 18.32 ____________________________________________________

c.       John 21.9 _____________________________________________________

d.      Acts 11.28 _____________________________________________________

e.      Acts 25.27 _____________________________________________________

5.      This word tells us very early on that Revelation is written in S_______________ language, not L______________.  The only exception is the A______________ which goes from 1.8 – 3.22.

6.      Though there are many descriptions, what is the “Testimony of Jesus Christ” according to John 11.25 – 26?

7.      Blessings come to what two parties in 1.3?  These blessings come with what caveat?  Why is this principle so very important?

8.      Why is the word “are” so very important in 1.3?

9.      What attribute of God is described in 1.4?  Does Satan possess this attribute?

10.  The letter comes from what 3 parties identified in vs. 3 – 4?

11.  Does this conflict with vs. 1?  Why or why not?

12.  Jesus Christ has made us all what?

13.  To what end has He made us thusly?

14.  Does the phrase “coming” always refer to the 2^nd coming of which we have already studied?  (See 2.5, 2.16, 2.22, 3.3, 3.11 et.al.)

15.  In THIS CONTEXT, what indication do we have that Christ already came to the 7 churches of Asia?



Salvation According to the Pope and to the Savior!

 

(3)

In an interview published October 1, 2013 by the Washington Post with an Italian atheist, the pope made the following statements regarding the RCC's new position on salvation and grace:

 

“Each of us has a vision of good and of evil. We have to encourage people to move towards what they think is good . . . Everyone has his own idea of good and evil and must choose to follow the good and fight evil as he conceives them. That would be enough to make the world a better place.” (1)

 

Francis tells the atheist reporter that the holy quality (grace) “is the amount of light in our souls, not knowledge nor reason. Even you, without knowing it, could be touched by grace.” (2)

 

Apparently, the pope is now a universalist, anyone can be saved!  If the parameters of the pope were applied to Hitler, Mussolini, Stalin, Mao, Napoleon, Pol Pot and Edi Amin even they can claim entrance to heaven!

 

1.  These men had a "vision of good and evil."

2.  These men "moved toward what they thought was good."

3.  These men had their "own idea of good and evil."

4.  These men "chose to follow the good and fight the evil as they conceived them."

5.  These men thought they were "making the world a better place."

 

The central issue here is not what the pope says.  The central issue is "what does Jesus say?"  Here is what Jesus says about salvation:

 

1. "...except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish." - Luke 13.3, 5

2. "Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven." - Matthew 10.32

3. "He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; he that believeth not shall be damned." - Mark 16.16

 

There we have it, dear reader.  In whom will you put your trust?  Francis or Christ?  Heaven and hell literally hang in the balance!

 

(1)  http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/on-faith/pope-francis-stirs-debate-yet-again-with-interview-with-an-atheist-italian-journalist/2013/10/01/9e7a6790-2acb-11e3-97a3-ff2758228523_print.html

(2) Ibid.

(3) Public Domain photo courtesy of Wikipedia