Bunyan’s Allegory and the Christianity Group on Gab

Now Faithful play the Man, speak for thy God.

Fear not the wicked’s malice, nor their rod:

Speak boldly man, the Truth is on thy side;

Die for it, and to Life in triumph ride.

In many ways the Christianity group feature on Gab (a free speech social media alternative to Twitter) reminds me of the Vanity Fair in John Bunyan’s classic Pilgrims Progress. Like Bunyan’s Vanity Fair, Gab’s Christianity group is given over to frivolous pursuits and idle amusements.

Although Gab’s Christianity group is comprised mostly of unregenerate and reprobate Christians, it mirrors Bunyan’s fair in that it lures regenerate believers to the traditions, philosophies, and vain imaginings of a fallen world and away from the whole counsel of God and the Gospel of Jesus Christ found only in Scripture.

As at Bunyan’s fair, “the ware of Rome and her merchandise is greatly promoted” so it is in Gab’s Christianity group. Although false gospels resound throughout the cyber group, chiefly promoted among them is Roman Catholicism’s false gospel.

Papal apologists stand at the ready to distract from the truth of Scripture and to direct attention away from it. And when all offers to recognize Church and papal supremacy are spurned and rejected, believers can expect to be verbally attacked and even threatened with violence by Church zealots and apologists.

Born-again believers are the special targets of the group’s hostility. Believers who refuse to conform to the ecumenical leanings of the maniacal group can expect to be taunted, insulted, and ridiculed.

The group’s unregenerate and reprobate Christians take great exception to anyone who claims that Scripture is the sole the authority for the Christian faith and that the King James Bible contains the only Scripture that is trustworthy.

The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Timothy that there would be times like these. “[T]he Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron” (4:1-2 KJV). And reprobate Christians have a seared conscience.

The smorgasbord Christianity that pervades the Gab group is antithetical to Biblical Christianity. Scripture does not teach that God loves everybody or that everyone who believes in God or says “Jesus Christ is Lord” is Heaven bound.

There would be no need for repentance and salvation, and people would be able to think and do whatever is right in their own eyes if it were true that God loves everybody unconditionally.

Scripture clearly teaches that God does not love everybody, that people are sinners under God’s condemnation and judgment, and that repentance is necessary for salvation. The teachings of Scripture are unambiguous; God hates wickedness and all workers of iniquity.

Scripture also teaches that demons believe in God and are condemned to Hell, and that many who do great works and call Jesus Christ Lord will also spend eternity in Hell.

Biblical Christianity is exclusive and does not allow for people to pick and choose verses and passages willy nilly from a smorgasbord of options that they can combine with teachings from other religions or philosophies. Paul attests in Galatians that God does not take the bastardization of His Gospel lightly.

Generally speaking, the Christianity group on Gab displays no love for Biblical truth, nor do they want to hear it in clips or see it in placards, memes, or posts. Equivocation notwithstanding, I denounce the group’s rejection of Biblical truth.

However, as a proponent of freedom of speech and conscience (seared or not), I must defend the unregenerate and reprobate Christian’s right to reject Biblical truth. In fact, I champion both their right to reject it, as well as my right to say that they have done so.

Peace.

I.M. Kane

 

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Genesis 6:6 Figurative or Literal?

Scripture clearly teaches that God does not change His mind. “For I am the LORD, I change not” Malachi 3:6 KJV.

In Numbers we read, “God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?” (23:19 KJV)

The Apostle James writes, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.” (1:17 KJV)

The three verses above state explicitly that God does not change His mind or repent as though He were making a mistake, backtracking, or trying a new approach. Yet, Genesis 6:6 says, “it repented the LORD that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him at his heart.”

Keep in mind that one verse does not a doctrine make. Clearly Genesis 6:6 does not mean that God created humanity expecting human beings to follow Him, and He was dismayed when they didn’t and strayed.

The Bible uses figures of speech to accommodate human understanding. For example, the Bible uses anthropomorphism to ascribe physical attributes to God. The Apostle Peter refers to “the eyes of the Lord” (1 Peter 3:12), and the Apostle John mentions, the arm of the Lord (John 12:38), which depict God’s watchfulness and power respectively.

The Bible also uses anthropopathism to ascribe human feelings and passions to God. The words “repented” and “grieved” vividly portray, from a human perspective, God’s displeasure with man’s rebellion.

God’s written word uses anthropopathisms and anthropomorphisms to accommodate man’s inherent limitations and basic ignorance and to get a meaningful revelation through to him. A parent using “baby talk” to help toddlers understand more easily is another way to look at it.

The Bible uses words like “repented” and “grieved” after the manner of men to express God’s thoughts and actions. In other words, God graciously describes Himself as having human feelings, human passions, human thoughts, and human body parts to communicate effectively with man who would otherwise have no frame of reference.

Genesis 6:6 is figurative language, and not to be understood literally. God does not have eyes and arms because He is Spirit. Nor does He become emotional or get confounded over the depths of man’s depravity and wickedness because He knows everything that has happened or ever will happen and He inhabits the past, present, and future simultaneously.

The Millstone Diaries is dedicated to the truth that is of service to the Faith.

I.M. Kane

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Why Evil Exists in the World

“[E]vil is a massive reality, massive. It is the dominant reality of human life … It is massive. It is dominant. It is uncontrollable; it is systemic. It is outside us; it is inside us. You cannot go anywhere in this universe without the affects (sic) of evil being manifest.” John McArthur

According to Scripture, God is all-powerful and all-knowing. He is good, loving, and holy. He is sovereign and controls absolutely everything. Nothing exists or occurs that is not in His control.

“The Lord brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up. The Lord sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts.”  1 Samuel 2:6-7 KJV

“Who is he that saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth it not?” Lamentations 3:37 KJV

Why then doesn’t God destroy evil? If He is good, loving, and all-powerful as the Scripture says, He should want to destroy evil.

Yet evil exists. In fact, the greatest evil, Christ’s crucifixion, was ordained by the predetermined counsel of God.

How can the existence of God be harmonized with the existence of evil? The truth is most Christians don’t know enough about Scripture to answer the question and avoid it altogether. And those who attempt to answer the question often revise Scripture and reinvent God and do more harm than good.

If Christians could rightly divide the truth of God’s written word, they would discover that God has disclosed in Scripture why evil exists in the world.

John McArthur’s sermon delivered at Ligonier Ministries’ Contending for the Truth: 2007 National Conference is a good jumping off point for Christians who don’t know why the God of Scripture doesn’t destroy evil.

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The Millstone Diaries is dedicated to the truth that is of service to the Faith.

I.M. Kane

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Was Mary Born Without Original Sin?

For Roman Catholics their source of truth is the Roman Catholic Church. They trust their church for truth and for salvation, and they believe that there is no contradiction between what Scripture teaches and what an “infallible” Pope and the Roman Catholic Church teaches.

They believe and trust their church’s interpretation of Scripture, which can be a fatal mistake because they can be deceived and won’t know it. The only way they can know for sure if their church’s teachings are correct is to do what the Bereans did in Acts 17:11, compare the teachings to the Scriptures.

The Roman Catholic Church’s teaching that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was immaculately conceived, i.e., born without original sin clearly contradicts the clear teaching of Scripture. The verses quoted below are from the the Roman Catholic Douay-Rheims translation of the Bible (DRV).

If Mary was born sinless, why would she need a savior? In Luke’s Gospel, Mary says, “And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.” (Luke 1: 47 Douay-Rheims) 

If Mary’s life was pure and sinless, why did she go through the purification period and offer a sacrifice to make atonement for her sin and to cleanse her? According to Old Testament Law (Leviticus 12:1-8), the mother must be purified after a birth because the issue of blood makes her ritually unclean. According to the law of the Lord, Mary went to Jerusalem and offered a sacrifice of turtledoves or young pigeons Luke 2:22-24 Douay-Rheims.

If Mary were the only human being born sinless, why would Jesus say, “there hath not risen among them that are born of women a greater than John the Baptist (Matthew 11:11 Douay-Rheims)? Surly the sinless Mary would be greater than John the Baptist.

If Mary were truly sinless, why did Jesus downplay Mary’s importance and put her on the same level as everyone else? After hearing Jesus teach, a woman shouted from the crowd, “Blessed is the womb that bore thee, and the paps that gave thee suck.” And Jesus responded saying, “Yea rather, blessed are they who hear the word of God, and keep it” (Luke 11:27-28 Douay-Rheims). Not only did Jesus not elevate Mary when given the opportunity, He diminished her status by making her equal with everyone else who hears the Word of God and obeys it.

The following Scriptures teach that all human beings are born sinners:

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned 

Romans 3:9-12 For we have charged both Jews, and Greeks, that they are all under sin. As it is written: There is not any man just. There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. All have turned out of the way; they are become unprofitable together: there is none that doth good, there is not so much as one.

Romans 5:12 Wherefore as by one man sin entered into this world, and by sin death; and so death passed upon all men, in whom all have sinned.

Romans 7:14  For we know that the law is spiritual; but I am carnal, sold under sin.

Ephesians 2:3 In which also we all conversed in time past, in the desires of our flesh, fulfilling the will of the flesh and of our thoughts, and were by nature children of wrath, even as the rest:

Isaiah 53:6 All we like sheep have gone astray, every one hath turned aside into his own way: and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is perverse above all things, and unsearchable, who can know it?

Job 15:14-16 What is man that he should be without spot, and he that is born of a woman that he should appear just? Behold among his saints none is unchangeable, and the heavens are not pure in his sight. How much more is man abominable, and unprofitable, who drinketh iniquity like water?

Genesis 8:21 And the Lord smelled a sweet savour, and said: I will no more curse the earth for the sake of man: for the imagination and thought of man’s heart are prone to evil from his youth: therefore I will no more destroy every living soul as I have done.

Roman Catholics can believe either what Scripture clearly teaches about the mother of Jesus, or they can believe what their church teaches about the immaculate conception, they just can’t believe both any longer.  

Peace

I.M. Kane

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Roman Catholic Church’s Teachings Are Antithetical to Scripture

Until Vatican II, popes throughout history have condemned Bible-believing followers of Jesus Christ as heretics for believing and teaching that salvation is through Christ alone.

Pope Innocent III  said, “Anyone who attempts to construe a personal view of God which conflicts with (Catholic) church dogma must be burned without pity.” (Source: Papal Bull, 1198 A.D.)

The foundation for the Christian faith is in God’s written word, the Bible, and not the Roman Catholic Church, whose teachings are antithetical to Scripture.

The Catholic Church teaches the Pope’s word is truth. “The Supreme Pontiff, in virtue of his office, possesses infallible teaching authority…” (Canon 749*).

In marked contrast, Scripture teaches every word of God is true. “Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (John 17:17).

The Catholic Church teaches that sacred images are acceptable and encourages “veneration,” or the act of bowing down before them. “The practice of displaying sacred images in the churches for the veneration of the faithful is to remain in force…” (Canon 1188).

Scripture teaches against making sacred images and bowing down before them. “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God” (Exodus 20:4-5).

The Catholic Church teaches the sacrifice of the cross must be continually offered. “Remembering that the work of redemption is continually accomplished in the mystery of the Eucharistic Sacrifice, priests are to celebrate frequently…” (Canon 904).

Scripture teaches that Jesus was offered one time as the perfect and complete sacrifice for sins, and He now sits at the right hand of the Father in glory. “When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.” (John 19:30). “And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins: But this man [Jesus Christ], after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God” (Hebrews 10:11-12).

The Catholic Church teaches priests are necessary mediators between men and God. “They [the priests] are in fact sharers of the priesthood of Christ Himself…to celebrate divine worship and sanctify the people” (Canon 835).

Scripture teaches that all believers are part of the royal priesthood having direct access to God. “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light” (1 Peter 2:9). “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all” (1 Timothy 2:5-6).

The Catholic Church teaches salvation begins at baptism. “Baptism, the gate to the sacraments, is necessary for salvation in fact or at least in intention, by which men and women are freed from their sins, are reborn as children of God, and configured to Christ…” (Canon 849).

Scripture teaches that salvation is by grace through faith in Christ alone. Nothing can be added to what Christ has already done that will merit God’s favor. “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8-9). “This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.” (John 6:29). “And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace” (Romans 11:6).

Jesus told the Pharisees that they worship God in vain and transgress His commandments because they keep for doctrines the commandments of men (Matthew 15:3,9). Peter and Paul also warned that “false teachers” would become leaders in the churches and bring in “damnable heresies” and “doctrines of devils”. (2Peter 2:1-3, and 1Timothy 3:2-5). 

As an evangelical Bible-believing Christian, I disagree with virtually every doctrine and practice of Roman Catholicism.

I.M.Kane

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Roman Catholic Church Councils Didn’t Give People the Bible

It’s been said that people would not have the Bible if it weren’t for the Roman Catholic Church. According to the Church, the councils of Hippo (393) and Carthage (397) had ruled the canon issue settled, and the 1546 Council of Trent reaffirmed their rulings. The Church’s claim that its councils gave the world the Bible is as ludicrous as Al Gore’s claim that he gave the world the Internet.

First of all, the Hippo and Carthage councils were provincial, not ecumenical, that is, the rulings they issued were local and not binding on the entire church. What’s more they didn’t authoritatively settle any canonical issues in the church at the time they met.

“[T]here was not a “catholic” (universal) canon of the New Testament even as late as the 8th century. There was widespread agreement by that time on the 27 books that we recognize were inspired, but there was no authoritative presence telling all Christians they must accept one set of books or another.”

According to historian and author Rod Gragg, the Roman Catholic Church councils did not select the books in the Bible.

“[T]he New Testament canon … was not a group of books assembled by chance or forced on the early church by fourth century church councils but was steadily and unhurriedly established through its acceptance by church congregations from the first century onward.” Rod Gragg

Almost the entire New Testament could be duplicated from the quotations found in early church writings before the Council of Nicea in 325. In Gragg’s view, “the church councils did not pick the 27 books of the New Testament, but rather acknowledged what already had been accepted by the Christian community.”

Gragg points out “the Old Testament canon was already well-established by the Jewish community more than 250 years before Christ.” The Jews recognized and correctly assembled the Old Testament Scriptures without the aid of the Roman Catholic Church, and the early Christians did the same thing with the New Testament Scriptures. Gragg concurs:

“The New Testament canon … was established not by a single meeting or by a pronouncement by a group of Christian leaders, but by the progressive, unhurried acceptance of those 27 books by Christian congregations in the era of the early church. Historically, Christianity has attributed the emergence of the New Testament as an act of the Holy Spirit. By the time the famous church councils began meeting in the 4th century A.D., the New Testament canon was already well-established by the use of those 27 books within the early church.”

Keep in mind the Scriptures were being circulated to the churches when the apostles were alive (Colossians 4:16; 1 Thessalonians 5:27; Revelation 1:11), and they were read in the synagogues and churches (Luke 4:16-20; Acts 15:21; 17:1-2; 10-12; 1 Timothy 4:13).

Some people carried the Scripture with them (Acts 8:30-34), and they were meant to be read by all (1 Corinthians 1:2; Ephesians 1:1; Revelation 1:3). Jesus referred to the three parts of the Jewish canon (“the Law of Moses…the prophets…the Psalms…” Luke 24:44), and Peter acknowledged Paul’s writings as Scripture and likened them to other Scriptures (2 Peter 3:15-16).

The truth is the “councils did not actually pick books and declare them to be the Bible; instead, they recognized or acknowledged the canon that already existed.”

I.M. Kane

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What the Old Testament says about predestination

Most “self-identified” Christians know very little about the doctrine of predestination and what the Scripture teaches on it. For those with ears to hear, Professor Gordon Clark’s lecture provides a survey of what the Old Testament says about predestination.

 

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Does the Bible Forbid Ordination of Women?

Does the Bible Forbid Ordination of Women? By Gordon H. Clark

http://gordonhclark.reformed.info/does-the-bible-forbid-ordination-of-women-by-gordon-h-clark/

Professor Gordon Clark’s article refutes the current arguments for women pastors and church officials. Clark writes, “If we accept Scripture as our norm, it is forbidden to seize one verse and misinterpret it to the detriment of other explicit passages. The more obscure must always be understood in the light of what is clear and indisputable. … In the New Testament there is no authority for or example of a woman elder or minister. And we are bound by the Scriptures, the infallible and only rule of church government. We dare not add, subtract, or alter.”

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What does it mean to believe in Jesus?

Belief is based upon knowledge; therefore, to believe in Jesus is to believe in His person, His work, and His word. The Gospel is “that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures” 1 Corinthians 15: 3,4 KJV

 

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NEARLY 8 OUT OF 10 AMERICANS ACCEPT WOMEN MINISTERS

Nearly 8 Out of 10 Americans Accept Women Ministers

By Jerry A. Kane

According to a newly released survey by the Barna Group, 79 percent of Americans are comfortable with a female priest or pastor, but evangelicals remain largely uncomfortable with the idea.

I am woman watch me grow
See me standing toe to toe
As I spread my lovin’ arms across the land
But I’m still an embryo
With a long, long way to go
Until I make my brother understand

Oh yes, I am wise
But it’s wisdom born of pain
Yes, I’ve paid the price
But look how much I gained
If I have to, I can face anything
I am strong
(Strong)
I am invincible
(Invincible)
I am woman

According to Scripture, women should learn in silence, keep quiet, and be subject to the man and not teach or usurp authority over him. The reasons for this are that God created Adam first and Eve was created from Adam. Apart from God’s established created order, it was Eve who was deceived by Satan, not Adam. She was the one beguiled and believed Satan’s word over God’s, which led to man’s fall and sin entering the world (1 Timothy 2:11-14).

According to Scripture, only men should be in positions of spiritual teaching authority in the church. Women can teach other women and teach children, but they are restricted from having spiritual authority over men and from serving as pastors to men.

The question all self-identified Christians should answer is what the underlying authority for their faith is. Is it a Magisterium, an anointed Governing Body, a denomination’s doctrine, a Prophet/President, a charismatic preacher, or the Scripture? In other words, who or what determines your Christian theology.

Must I remember? Why, she would hang on him

As if increase of appetite had grown

By what it fed on, and yet, within a month—

Let me not think on ’t. Frailty, thy name is woman!

—Shakespeare, Hamlet: Act 1, Scene 2, lines 143-147

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