Month: December 2020

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Devotionals

THE SHREWD STATESMAN EMPEROR: CONSTANTINE THE GREAT

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

THE SHREWD STATESMAN EMPEROR: CONSTANTINE THE GREAT

“Constantine had been watching, he said, those [Roman Caesars] who had PERSECUTED the Christians [during the Smyrna stage of the church], and found that they usually had a BAD END, while his father, who was favorable toward them, had PROSPERED.

“So when he and Licinius met at Milan in 313 A.D., they jointly prepared an edict, usually called ‘THE EDICT OF MILAN,’ which gave equal liberty to Christians and pagans, Had Constantine STOPPED here, he might have been HONORED as the originator of religious liberty in the Roman Empire, but he had a DIFFERENT aim in view.

“The Roman Empire had been ruled at times by two, four, or even six Caesars jointly, and in his AMBITION to become the sole Emperor, Constantine, as a shrewd statesman, soon saw that the Christian church had the ViTALITY to become the STRONGEST FACTOR in the empire. The other Caesars were persecuting the Christians.

“If he could WIN them without LOSING the goodwill of the pagans, he would win the GAME! He therefore set himself to the task of BLENDING the two religions (Christianity and Paganism) into ONE. As H. G. Heggtveit (Lutheran) says:

‘Constantine labored at this time untiringly to UNITE the worshippers of the old and the new faith to ONE RELIGION. All his laws and contrivances are aimed at promoting this AMALGAMATION of religions. He would by all lawful and peaceable means MELT together a PURIFIED HEATHENISM and MODERATED CHRISTIANITY……His injunction that the ‘Day of the Sun’ should be a GENERAL REST DAY was characteristic of his standpoint…..Of all his blending and melting together of Christianity and heathenism NONE is more easy to see through than this making of HIS Sunday law. ‘The Christians worshipped their Christ, the heathen their SUN-GOD; according to the opinion of the Emperor, the OBJECTS of worship in both religions were essentially the SAME.’ – ‘Kirkchistori’ (Church History), pp. 233, 234. Chicago: 1893.” – Facts of Faith, Christian Edwardson, p. 109.

Tomorrow, the full text of Constantine’s Sunday Law of 321 A.D. We are rapidly approaching the prophesied final confederacy of all churches and religions, supported by the state powers to enforce the “Christian Sabbath” or “Lord’s Day,” which is none other than Sunday. Do you know what your responsibilities are towards this final test of faith, and how to prepare for it, even now, with family members who are willing? May the Lord of the Sabbath bless us all, NMF 

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Devotionals

BISHOPS OF DENMARK AND NORWAY HONESTLY ADDRESSED THE SABBATH-SUNDAY PROBLEM

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

BISHOPS OF DENMARK AND NORWAY HONESTLY ADDRESSED THE SABBATH-SUNDAY PROBLEM

“Bishop Skat Rordam, of Denmark, says:
‘As to  whom and how it became customary to keep the first day of the week the New Testament gives no information…..The first law about it was given by Constantine the Great, who in the year 321 ordained that all civil and shop work should cease in the CITIES, but AGrICULTURAL LABOR IN THE COUNTRY was permitted….

‘Still no one thought of basing this command to rest from labor on the 3rd [4th] commandment BEFORE the latter half of the SIXTH CENTURY. From that time on, little by little, it became the established doctrine of the church during its ‘DARK AGES,’ that the holy church [?] and its teachers, or the bishops of the Roman Pope at their head, as the Vicar of Christ and His holy apostles on earth [?!], had TRANSFERRED the Old Testament Sabbath with its glory and sanctity over unto the first day of the week.’ – ‘Report of the Second Ecclesiastical Meeting in Copenhagen, Sept. 13-15, 1897,’ P. Taaning, pp. 40, 41. Copenhagen, 1887.

“Bishop A. Grimelund, of Norway, says:
‘Now, summing up what HISTORY teaches regarding the ORIGIN of Sunday and the development of the doctrine about Sunday, then this is the sum: It is NOT the apostles, nor the early Christians, not the councils of the ancient church which have imprinted the NAME and STAMP of the Sabbath upon the Sunday, but it is the CHURCH OF THE MIDDLE AGES and its scholastic teachers.’- ‘Sondagen Histori’ (The History of Sunday), p. 37, Christiana: 1886.

‘What do we learn from this HISTORICAL REVIEW? ……That it is a doctrine which ORIGINATED IN THE PAPAL CHURCH that the sanctification of the Sunday is enjoined in the 3rd [4th] commandment, and that the essential and permanent in this commandment is a COMMAND from God [?!] to keep it holy one day each week.’ -Ibid, pp. 47, 48.”- “Facts of Faith,” Christian Edwardson, Southern Publishing Asso.,(Revised), 1943, p.108.

“Stamp” is synonymous with “mark,” “seal,” and “sign.” It is critical that we know for a certainty when the Dark Ages began, and what three things had to happen before the papacy could be fully formed!

Stay tuned and connected; remain on the prophetic track we are on! Bless all, NMF 

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Devotionals

WHAT THE AUTHOR OF THE ‘BAPTIST MANUAL’ SAYS ABOUT THE BURNING ISSUE OF WHICH IS THE TRUE SABBATH

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

WHAT THE AUTHOR OF THE ‘BAPTIST MANUAL’ SAYS ABOUT THE BURNING ISSUE OF WHICH IS THE TRUE SABBATH

“Dr. Edward D. Hiscox, author of the ‘Baptist Manual’ says:
‘There was and is a commandment to keep holy the Sabbath day, but that Sabbath day was not Sunday. It will be said, however, with some show of triumph [?!], that the Sabbath was TRANSFERRED from the seventh day to first day of the week, with all the duties, privileges, and sanctions. Earnestly desiring INFORMATION on this subject, which I have studied for many years, I ASK, where can the record of such a transaction [change] be found? NOT in the New Testament, absolutely not. There is NO Scriptural evidence of the change of the Sabbath institution from the seventh to the first day of the week.

‘‘I wish to say that this SABBATH QUESTION, in this aspect of it [the ‘transactional change’] is THE GRAVEST and MOST PERPLEXING QUESTION CONNECTED WITH CHRISTIAN PEOPLE; and the only reason that it is not a MORE DISTURBING ELEMENT in Christian thought and in religious discussions, is BECAUSE the Christian world has settled down CONTENT on the conviction that SOMEHOW a transference has taken place at the beginning of Christian history.

‘To me, it seems UNACCOUNTABLE that Jesus during three ears’ intercourse with His disciples, often conversing with them upon the SABBATH QUESTION, discussing it in some of its various aspects, FREEING it from the false glosses, NEVER ALLUDED TO A TRANSFERENCE of the day; also that during 40 days of His resurrection life, no such thing was intimated.

‘Nor so far as we know, did the (Holy) Spirit which was given ‘to bring to their remembrance all things whatsoever He had said unto them,’ deal with this question. Nor yet did the inspired apostles, IN PREACHING THE GOSPEL, founding churches, counseling and instructing those founded, discuss or approach this subject.

‘Of course I quite well know that Sunday did come into the early Christian history as a religious day, as we learn from the Christian Fathers and other sources. But what a PITY it comes BRANDED with the mark of Paganism, and christened with the name of the SUN-GOD, when adopted and sanctioned by the PAPAL APOSTASY, and bequeathed as a sacred legacy(??) to PROTESTANTISM!’” – A paper read before a New York Ministers’ Conference, held Nov. 13, 1893. From a copy furnished by Dr. Hiscox for the ‘Source Book,’ pp. 513, 514. Wash., D.C., Review & Herald, 1892 – Facts of Faith, Christian Edwardson, pp.107, 108. Southern Pub.Asso., 1943.

Bless all, but only with and in the truth as it is in Jesus, NMF. 

Categories
Devotionals

THE PREDICAMENT OF PROTESTANTS AND CHRISTIANS CALLING AND KEEPING SUNDAY AS THE ‘LORD’S DAY

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

THE PREDICAMENT OF PROTESTANTS AND CHRISTIANS CALLING AND KEEPING SUNDAY AS THE ‘LORD’S DAY

Walter Farquhar Hook, D.D., Vicar of Leeds, the same thought:
‘The question is, whether God has ordered us to keep holy the first day of the week. Baptism and the Lord’s Supper are UNDOUBTED ordinances of God; so we can count the chapter and verse in which we read of their being ordained of God.

‘But as to the Lord’s Day (Sunday), we are not able to refer a SINGLE passage in ALL the Scriptures of the NEW TESTAMENT in which the observance of it is enjoined of God. If we refer to TRADITION, tradition would NOT be of value to us on the point immediately under consideration.

‘The Romanist regards the tradition of the Church as of authority EQUAL to that of Scriptures. BUT WE ARE NOT ROMANISTS……But on this point there is NOT EVEN  tradition to support us…..There is NO TRADITION THAT GOD ORDAINED the first day of the week to be a Sabbath…..The change of the Sabbath to Sunday was NEVER mentioned, or, as far as I can discover, thought of by the early Christians.

‘The Sabbath, that is to say, the observance of Saturday as a day to be devoted to God’s service, to rest of body and repose of mind, was an ordinance of God. This ordinance relating to Saturday could be changed by God and by God ONLY.

‘We, as PROTESTANTS, must appeal to the BIBLE, and the Bible ONLY, to ascertain the fact that God has chafed the day—-that God has HIMSELF substituted Sunday for Saturday…..It is NO answer to this to say that the apostles SEEM to have sanctioned the assembly of Christians for public worship on the Lord’s Day, or that St. John in the Apocalypse speaks of the Lord’s Day and MAY possibly allude to the Sunday FESTIVAL. For this is one of the arguments that PROVES TOO MUCH.

‘We ourselves keep Easter Day; this is no proof that we do not keep Christmas Day, or that Easter has been substituted for Christmas. And if we have instances of the first day of the week being kept holy by the APOSTLES, we have MORE instances of their observing the Jewish Sabbath.’” —‘Lord’s Day,’ p. 94. London: 1856; quoted in ‘The Literature of the Sabbath Question,’ Robert Cox, Vol. iI, pp. 369, 370.”- Facts of Faith, Christian Edwardson, pp. 106, 107, Southern Publishing Asso. (Revised), 1943.

Note that both Easter is observed on Sunday, and December 25 was the birthday of the sun god Mi to Mithras of Ancient Rome.

Let us be faithful followers of Christ and the Bible, not the Church and churches of tradition and fables! Bless all, NMF 

Categories
Devotionals

THE ROMAN CHURCH HAS LONG APOSTATIZED: WHAT ABOUT THE PROTESTANT CHURCHES?

December 4, 2020

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

THE ROMAN CHURCH HAS LONG APOSTATIZED: WHAT ABOUT THE PROTESTANT CHURCHES?

“Now, long after the Sabbath has been changed, Protestants are at a loss to find authority in the Bible for this change. They have rejected the authority of the Roman Church to LEGISLATE on Christian faith, and cannot accept TRADITION, therefore THEY NOT WHERE TO TURN.

“Professor George Sverdrup, a leading man in the Lutheran Church, gives expression to this predicament in the following words:

“For, when there could not be produced ONE solitary place in the Holy Scriptures which testified that either the Lord Himself or the apostles had ordered such a TRANSFER of the Sabbath to Sunday, then it was not easy to answer the question: WHO has transferred the Sabbath, and who has had the RIGHT to do it?’ – ‘Samlede Skrifter i Uvalg, Andrea Helland, Vol. 1, p. 342, 343. Minneapolis, Minn.: 1909.

Next week, we will read what the Vicar of Leeds said about the same predicament of the Sunday-keeping Protestant Christians way back in 1856. Bless all as we educate ourselves on the true philosophy of history regarding nations and kingdoms, as well as New Testament church history as revealed in Bible prophecy. Bless all, NMF.

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Devotionals

THE PROPHESIED ‘FALLING AWAY’ OF THE CHURCH AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PAPACY

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:

THE PROPHESIED ‘FALLING AWAY’ OF THE CHURCH AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PAPACY

“The terrible nature of these sensual gratifications of this pagan festivals, in which the leaders of the Church now allowed to members to indulge, a person can hardly imagine TILL the sickening facts are spread before one’s eyes by Livy in (Hist. lib. xxxix, chap. 9-17). The learned Englishman, F.A.S, in his ‘Second Annals,’ Vol. 3, on the ‘Gentile Nations,’ pp. 487-489, says that this ‘most revolting and abandoned villainy’ was so general, that when the Roman Senate has to proceed against its worst features, ‘Rome was almost deserted, so many persons, feeling themselves implicated in the proceedings, sought safety in flight.’

“[Edwarson writes]: ‘A church that will take in members, WITHOUT CONVERSION, and then allow them to CONTINUE in the most putrid corruption, must have LOST all respect for MORALITY (not to say CHRISTIANITY), and cannot be in possession of divine power of the Gospel: which CHANGES the hearts and lives of people.(Rom. 1:16; 2 Cor. 5:17.)

“The apostle Paul had foretold this ‘falling away’ of the Church. (Acts 20: 28-30; 2 Thess. 2:1-7.) And it was during this fallen condition that the Church CHANGED its weekly rest day from the Sabbath to the Sunday.

“Dr. N. Summerbell says: ‘The Roman Church had totally apostatized….It reversed the Fourth Commandment by doing away with the Sabbath of God’s word, and instituting Sunday as a holiday.’- ‘The Christian Church,’ p. 415. Cincinnati: 1873. (From “Facts of Faith, C. Edwardson, pp. 104, 105.

Only “truth as it is in Jesus” can truly “set us free” from the power is sin and the darkness of error and ignorance: this is the true liberty and victory in Christ abiding in the soul!
Bless all, NMF

Categories
Devotionals

PAUL’S PROPHESIED ‘FALLING AWAY’ OR GREAT APOSTASY OF THE EARLY CHURCH

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK: 

PAUL’S PROPHESIED ‘FALLING AWAY’ OR GREAT APOSTASY OF THE EARLY CHURCH 

“Now brethren, concerning the (second) coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you to not too shaken in mind and troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.

Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless THE FALLING AWAY comes first, and THE MAN OF SIN be revealed, THE SON OF PERDITION, who opposes and exalts himself ABOVE all that is called God or that is worshipped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, showing himself that he is God.” 2 Thess. 2:1-4, NKJV (See verses 5-12).  

Apostle Paul was not only the quintessential apostle to the Gentiles; he was a prophet, too. He foretold of the great apostasy of the Church, described as the “falling away” and the earliest beginnings of the development of the Papacy.

The book of Hebrews was written first to the early Christians who expected Jesus to return soon in their time by revealing to them, and to our time as well, that Christ would not come before the papacy would have been fully exposed by the third angel’s message, and by providing the details of Christ’s penultimate office closing work in the heavenly sanctuary as the merciful High Priest, all-powerful Mediator, Advocate and Intercessor for His faithful followers on earth, and in closing, the righteous Judge of all the earth and mankind.

As Paul wrote in Romans, “For we shally stand before the judgment seat of Christ.”  “So then each one of us shall give account of himself to God.” Rom. 14:10,12. Paul here is echoing and re-emphasizing to the New Testament Christian what Solomon wrote in the Old Testament:   “Let us hear the CONCLUSION OF THE WHOLE MATTER: Fear God and keep His commandments: for this is the WHOLE DUTY of man.

For God shall bring EVERY WORK INTO JUDGMENT, with every SECRET thing, whether if it be good or whether it be evil.” Eccl. 12:13,14, KJV.   Now, back to more recorded historical details of this great “falling away.”   “Speaking of this great immoral pagan feast [Sun worship] Cardinal Newman says: ‘It certainly is possible that the consciousness of the sanctifying power in Christianity may have acted as a TEMPTATION to sins, whether of DECEIT or VIOLENCE; as if the habit or state of GRACE destroyed the sinfulness of certain acts, or as if THE END JUSTIFIES THE MEANS.’-‘ Development of Christian Doctrine,’ p. 379. London: 1878.  

Here we see the seeds of the distortion and corruption of the meaning and purpose of ‘grace’ as is taught in the Christian mainstream today! Also, the Jesuit brainchild of “the end justifies the means” finds its earliest origins at time, as an eminent Roman Catholic author, Cardinal Newman, wrote in his book.  More tomorrow. God bless, NMF

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Devotionals

MITHRAISM, SUNDAY, THE LORD’S DAY, CHRISTIANITY, AND ROMANISM (Part VII)

FROM YOUR PASTOR’S DESK:  MITHRAISM, SUNDAY, THE LORD’S DAY, CHRISTIANITY, AND ROMANISM (Part VII)  “Cardinal Newman says:  Confiding then in the power of Christianity to resist the infection of evil, and to transmute the very instruments and appendages of demon-worship to an evangelical use, the rulers of the Church from early times were prepared, should the occasion arise, to ADOPT, to IMITATE, or sanction the existing rites and customs of the populace, as well as the philosophy of the EDUCATED CLASS……  “The same reason, the NEED OF HOLY DAYS for the multitude, is assigned by ORIGEN, St. Gregory’s master, to explain the establishment of the LORD’S DAY……..  “We are told in various ways by EUSEBIUS, that CONSTANTINE, in order to recommend the new religion to the heathen, TRANSFERRED into it the outward ornaments to which they had been accustomed in their own…..Incense, lamps, and candles, holy water; asylums, holy days, and seasons, the ring in marriage, turning to east [Easter Sunday morning worship services], images, ……are all of pagan origin, and sanctified by their adoption into the Church.’ – ‘Development of Christian Doctrine,’ pp. 371-373. London: 1878.  “Real SUPERSTITIONS have sometimes obtained in parts of CHRISTENDOM from its intercourse with the heathen, as PHILOSOPHY has sometimes corrupted her divines [church leaders], so has paganism corrupted her worshippers.’ Ibid, pp. 377, 388.  “The Church can CONVERT heathen appointments into spiritual rites and usages. Hence there has been from the first much variety and change, in the SACRAMENTAL acts and instruments which she has used.’  -Ibid, p. 379.”- (From “Facts of Faith,” Cristian Edwardson, p. 104. Southern Publishing Asso., Nashville, TN. 1942.  The Christian religion of man is mingled with pagan practices. The Christian religion of Christ and the Bible is free from these corruptions of faith and doctrines. What is your religion?   Bless all, NMF