This weekend I took my family to worship @ the church where I grew up. We got to see many old friends and people were actually nice to us in the church. That is right up there with the Red Sea miracle. That is about where the good ends.
There were several things about the worship service that my children noticed that concerned them. (Yes, it did concern my wife and I also.) I will put the heresy and the scripture it violates next to it for my readers.
The pastor/preacher was a woman – violates 1 Timothy 2:11 – 14.
During the announcements, it was told that a former woman pastor had now attained the office of bishop – violates 1 Timothy 3:1-7, Titus 1 and 2.
The scripture that was referenced was Mark 6. The point of the sermon was that Jesus was nice to people so we should be also. Here are a couple of quotes:
“When Jesus was with the people, it was almost like God was there.”
“The people could see the presence of God in Jesus. It is what attracted people to him.”
“God created Christ to do good things just like he created you to do good things.”
This violates large portions of Isaiah, the entire Gospel of John, and other large portions of scripture where the deity of Jesus Christ is affirmed.
There was more but these 3 will suffice to demonstrate that I thought I had been transported to my local kingdom hall. If you are playing name that heresy, this is the Arian heresy resurrected by the Jehovah’s Witnesses and now apparently being preached in the main line church.
The deity of Jesus Christ is the doctrine that separates cults from Christianity. Jesus Christ was not and is not some created lesser god. He is the “I AM” of all eternity (John 8:58). He is the Creator and Sustainer of all things (Colossians 1:16,17). He is the Alpha and the Omega (Revelation 1). It was not “like” the people could almost feel the presence of God when Jesus was around. He was God in the flesh, Emmanuel. God, Himself was with them (Matthew 1:23).
I would also like to bring up that what the people liked about Jesus was His good that He did. However, what the world hated about Him then (enough to crucify Him) and still hates about Him today was His holiness and call to obedience. People like welfare and they want a savior, they really do not want a Lord and King. The world loves darkness and their sins.
Here are a few other observations from our trip down heresy lane.
The youth’s mission trip was a sport’s camp in another city. They may also get to work in a soup kitchen but not sure yet. When I was growing up, we used to call this a field trip. A mission trip was disaster relief or even street preaching or handing out Gospel tracts.
The men who prayed sounded like teenage girls from the valley in CA praying. Like, like, and like, and like with a breathy soft voice.
Finally, we were also informed by the pastoress during the sermon, that “almost everybody today who ministers receives some sort of compensation.” I would like to call into remembrance the doctrine of the priesthood of believers and she is very wrong.
Needless to say, we will not be worshipping @ this church next Sunday. I have a scripture for anyone that is part of the United Methodist Church today. Please read Revelation 18:4.
In Christ,
George