They Have No Anger

They have no emotions except love. They tell us how to get along with everyone, including the ones who destroy the church and our loved ones. They come as sheep and teddy bears. They haul us into court and take away our children. They have no anger for they are under control of pharmaceuticals and psychologists. They have no anger and they shoot to kill. These are our 'loving' spouses and brethren. They have no anger but only love. Who is kidding whom?

Chris Simonson  10/30/2006

2 Corinthians 6&7: "Come Out and Be Separate."

Paul interprets the prophecy to mean that we as individuals must not be bound together with unbelievers. Those not interested in becoming holy look for other interpretations and run to Revelation to make up some stories about the end times. Instead of perfecting holiness in the fear of God, they proclaim to know what Babylon is and warn everyone to flee the organized churches, or the United States or whoever has become their target. One cult, the Children of God, got passports and left the United States, which was no loss to us. They now call themselves the Family (from the Family of Love) and practice adultery and fornication to spread the "gospel." Their women lure men by posing as prostitutes for God, thus introducing them to the Family. If you visit their website, you would not know how evil they are. They just talk about Jesus and his love.

Many in the church today have fallen into this kind of mentality. It’s O.K. to divorce your wife and marry the attractive sister over there (as long as she divorces her husband, that is). Or, the way to win souls is "friendship evangelism." Within baby churches like Golgotha Chapel, the fornication and divorce rate is rampant. That’s because they love to preach on love. They hate to talk about holiness in the sense that it means "to separate." Paul says to Timothy that within a great house there are many vessels. We take this to mean the visible church. Paul warns Timothy to separate himself from the unclean vessels within that house.

That’s a pretty big house. In the last two thousand years, we have a church that is represented by everything from the abomination of desolation down to underground churches that are hated by mainstream Christianity. We have huge organizations like the Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church, and the dozens of Protestant denominations. Each one of these sects has within its territory those who are deceivers and Jezebels, who teach their parishioners to fornicate. Sometimes, the entire sect teaches fornication. Witness the homosexual churches and those churches that are pro-homosexual, like the Episcopalian church. They pretend to be loving, tolerant and non-judgmental, but they hate Christ and the holiness of God - you can prove it to yourself if you begin to call them to account for their lifestyles.

Sometimes, in order to come out and be separate, you really must physically leave a particular church. You would have to leave the Family, for instance, in order to obey the command. This is almost true of the Catholic Church. She teaches so much against the true religion of Christ that it would be a miracle to stay on and remain a believer. You would have to be a missionary to them, or so ignorant as to be forgiven, in order to not provoke the wrath of God. Anyone who stays with the Episcopalian church had better be making a lot of noise against her fornications. All churches hate to be admonished. If you do not admonish them, however, then you become a partaker of her judgments. If you just sit there and smile, you too will be deceived and lose your faith. You will be like the blind being led by the blind. You may get so weird that a cult like the Family will snatch you up and bind you hand and foot to destruction.

You may not believe any of this. You have been taught by your church that Jesus loves you and no man can possibly snatch you out of the Father’s hand. But you should take notice of whether you are in the Father’s hand in the first place. Coming to the Father is not a matter of casual ritual like saying the sinner’s prayer. Nor is it a matter of chronic ritualism (like being in the Catholic Church). Having done something in the past, or practicing outward religious acts like lighting candles, does not make you an entrant of the kingdom of God. Salvation through Jesus Christ is a present fact, not a memento to our emotional need at sometime in our past. Nor is it something we aspire to by carrying statues of Mary. If we believe that Jesus is the right man, then we should do what Paul says and come out and be separate. If we do not come out and be separate, maybe the Holy Spirit is not working inside us like we pretend.

God knows those who are His. God sends His Holy Spirit to reassure us of who we are in Christ. However, there are many who think they have the Holy Spirit precisely because they are deaf and blind sinners and can really tell nothing at all about the Spirit. They are perhaps like the gentleman who had received the baptism of the Holy Spirit (he thought) and it was accompanied by lots of tremendous feelings of love, acceptance, speaking in tongues and other cathartic fireworks. Then, two weeks later, he decided to take some mescaline, and lo and behold! the same thing happened, or so he testified. The point here is: we cannot measure our acceptance with God by internal, subjective, manifestations. We must take these internal experiences and measure them against the external written Scriptures, or we become little gods deciding we are loved just the way we are. God resembles us and we are ripe for a fall.

That’s what Paul is trying to get across to the new church at Corinth. He sees a vector for idolatry infecting the assembly. He also sees the Corinthians becoming distant from him by their hardening of heart. He shows them how open his heart is to them, and commends them for taking action against the fornicator that was leavening their church earlier. But there is more to be done. They are admonished to cleanse themselves from all defilement of flesh and spirit. Then Paul launches into the care of the churches. When we become hardened, we become denominational. The sectarian spirit does not come about by division over doctrine so much as self-interest, pride and jealousy. This is a defilement of spirit. Churches will not communicate with one another, except at pastor’s conferences, which are a joke. It is no wonder that the doctrines then become divergent.

Read 2 Corinthians 7, 8 and 9 in light of one church caring for another. The only care that exists in this country is along denominational lines, and it is pride running the show. If any work is done, the pastor has to have his name on it. If evangelism, then it is for each church or denomination. Even para-church ministries, like World Vision, toot their own horn and spend millions on fund-raising (they are actually one of the more responsible practitioners of the social gospel). You certainly don’t hear these ministries putting in a good word for the "other guys." The local churches, the ones that claim that "they’ll know us by our love," have "outreaches" which consist of stealing from one another’s churches. They are the great believers in attracting people to church by sales appeal (or sex appeal, whatever). This merely attracts them away from the church in which they were brought up.

Once in a great while, the churches may come against abortion together, or some other social issue, but their gospels differ widely and they don’t care about that. To them it doesn’t matter whether their cohorts teach a false gospel that lead most men to destruction of their souls. To them, the real issue is that all life is holy, which cannot be taught from the Scriptures. Witness the unholy union of Mormons, Catholics and evangelicals on this very issue. The reason things are the way they are is because the leaven has practically leavened the whole lump. But we are admonished to purge out the leaven and become a new unleavened bread in Christ. We can’t leave the world or the USA or the body of Christ in order to do it.

Instead, we must perfect holiness in the fear of God individually, then corporately. This is done by obeying the doctrines of the apostles. Paul is especially suited for Gentiles, but Dispensationalism has ruined most of his teaching. If you go to a church that pays no mind to the need for holiness and church discipline along the line of Paul’s teaching, then you will not go very far in Christ. You will probably become cold and listless. But if you find some believers that are like-minded, then you will find strength and comfort in your mutual faith. We cannot recommend a church or a denomination, but it is important to find one that is not loaded with sectarianism. Shouts of "We Baptists!" or "My Church!" or "Our Pastor!" drown out fellowship of the Spirit. In order to serve Christ, you may have to separate yourself from the hard party liners. But in order to find fellowship of the Spirit, you may have to go to their well-funded churches. You may find some that need fellowship or even the gospel (not that we ourselves don’t!). There are many young people who do not know Christ precisely because of the churches’ hypocrisy. The hypocrites whine about tolerance and love, but they practice evil. They begin to attack the true ministers of God’s love by demeaning their gospel, fearful that church attendance may go down, or that if the Spirit gets hold of the congregation, they may lose their stipend, or there may be persecution from the wicked.

Yes, we can come out from among them. Babylon the great will certainly fall, and we will be comforted at her destruction. But we cannot physically leave and go somewhere. We must separate ourselves, as have all courageous men and women throughout church history, by preaching the gospel. If you are really the Father’s, you know what the gospel is. You read your Bible and don’t go for wishy-washy new age interpretations of God’s love. You know that God is to be feared, not patronized. You know that the grace of God in your life is directly proportional to the realization of His wrath upon sinners. You have confidence that no matter how much wrath God has against sin and against sinners, you have come out from among them and you are coming out from among them. You know that all is by faith in Christ and not in a church, a movement, or a pastor/priest.

There is a seal. This is the seal: God knows those who are His, and let everyone who names the Name of Christ depart from iniquity (2 Timothy 2:19). If you are of the modern opinion that you are sealed in Christ just because your pastor said so, then this verse means absolutely nothing to you. But if you have examined your faith over and over again to make sure that you believe in the Jesus whom Paul preached and found no cause to correct him (Paul), then you can begin to find assurance from the Holy Spirit. If you have found assurance from the Holy Spirit, then certainly, you must find evidence of the Holy Spirit in your life. Are you "assured" and yet remain an adulterer? You will not inherit the kingdom if you are an adulterer. Period. Do you find "evidence" in your life but you are a homosexual? Don’t kid yourself any more. It would be better to drop Christianity and know you are going to hell as a result, than to keep on in your false way.

There are many evil things that men do to themselves and to others. But we must come out of that realm. The time is short; our salvation is nearer than when we first believed (Romans 13:11). Paul says to the believer, "You are the temple of the living God." But this does not mean we are the temple of God and that’s it. No, Paul continues by quoting the prophet: "As God has said, ‘I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be my people’ ‘Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord; do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be my sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty’" (2 Cor. 6:16-18).

- Chris Simonson  10/27/2006

Pastors Taking Guidance from Sheep: The Anti-Sermon

Number Ten:

Number Nine:

Number Eight:

Number Seven:

Number Six:

Number Five:

Number Four:

Number Three:

Number Two:

And, the Number One clue that you may be plastic Christian: You buy everything on your MasterCharge^{® Platinum Christian Faith® credit card.}

(Sign at Christian gift shop: "Show me your faith with your personalized charge card; and I'll show the works.")

Chris Simonson  10/25/2006

In it’s attempt to satisfy all men, America has lost it’s innocence. America has attempted to justify it’s sins by accusing or excusing: many of it’s leaders and people take pleasure in accusing, discrediting and dishonoring those who hold to morality, whom seek justice and those who worship God; generally these same people and leaders, to justify their own murderous behavior and longing for perversion, make laws to supersede the laws of the just and moral, such as abortion and homosexual rights. They often parade their defilement under the guise of ‘love’ or ‘tolerance’.

America has become ungrateful and covetous, constantly seeking after power, pleasure and wealth. America, in it’s attempt to ‘liberate’ women, has become bound by feminism, and their children are rising up as their oppressors. America stands guilty before the holy and just God, who will judge all men.

Is America alone in it’s sins? By no means; the Bible says we have ALL fallen short of the glory of God, and deserve to spend eternity apart from Him, in hell. God commands men everywhere to repent of their sins, turn from their idolatries, immorality and covetousness and to accept His son Jesus Christ as Lord, in order to be saved from His Wrath.

 - Steven  10/24/2006

Trophy Religion

We know from the story of Samuel and Saul that "disobedience is as the sin of
witchcraft" 1 Samuel 15:23. Specifically, Saul had saved alive King Agag, a trophy of war, and a bunch of animals for sacrifice against Samuel's orders. These had both been devoted to destruction by the Lord. Saul's intentions were good: He only wanted to serve the Lord, that's all.

This sort of ruse did not fool Samuel. The Bible doesn't tell us what the motivations of Saul were in disobeying the explicit command of the Lord, but we can assume he fell into "trophy religion." This sort of obedience is not so concerned with following orders so much as it wants everyone to see how victorious we are (always giving the Lord credit, of course). King Agag is the typical bad guy: aren't we supposed to display them as our subdued enemies? Men are impressed when they see the king who Saul conquered. Now Saul gets to have his chance at showing who's the tough guy. I suppose this would be O.K. if he had won the victory merely by trusting in his own devices, but no, he was victorious because the Lord God had devoted them all to destruction. But his servant wanted the glory to himself and thus disobeyed.

This sort of underhanded disobedience takes place in many Christian's lives. They use
subterfuge and flattery to gain the praise of men. They use the blessings given to
them by their Lord to destroy the works of the Lord. They partially obey the explicit
instructions given them by the Word and the Spirit, saying it's O.K. to be 75% right.
Their "obedience" is in fact as the sin of witchcraft. They compensate for their lack
of faith by saving things to offer to God that he has expressly forbidden. Then they
think they can use this sort of "sacrificial offering" to substitute for obedience.
The Lord says today as he always said, "I will have obedience and not sacrifice" 1
Samuel 15:22

The only way to break oneself of this sort of disobedience is to stop looking for the
adulation of men. One must start by removing all the trophies he has collected and
throw them in the trash. It's O.K. to tell of the wondrous works of God done through
you or in your presence, but make sure you know why you are "giving your testimony" so that you do not incur the judgment of that same God.

May God be with us as we follow the straight path that leads to salvation.

Chris Simonson  10/23/2006

It's Broke!

The lawnmower blew a puff of white smoke and then poof! she stopped. José came over, being the lawnmower mechanic quintessential and fiddled with things while Fred watched apprehensively. After a few minutes of pulling things apart, José said, "It's broke!" That meant there was nothing further to do but toss the mower into the trailer and forget about it. Go get a new one.

Often, in life, we see people come to the point where all we can say is, "It's broke!" All we can do is comfort them in their final days or moments, or, if it's not death of the body that's impending, we lock them up in mental wards or prisons.

Occasionally, and this is very rare but it happens, some of these people who are broke come back from the junk pile. It's kind of unnerving really. Given up for dead, they straighten themselves out and become "valuable members of society" or some such label. And even rarer still, some of these people become what we Christians call "saved." They know that it was not themselves that pulled them back form the brink of hell, but God Himself pulled them from the road to perdition. They are the "redeemed of the Lord." They know they will never again be thrown on the junk heap, because they actually have a "new life in Christ." This life has been exchanged for their old life, which in time they will forsake for the new. So, it's O.K. if we break, because if we call upon the Name of Jesus Christ, we will be made whole.

Chris Simonson  10/20/2006

Chris Simonson  10/19/2006

The Church

 It is no simple task to explain the church; for brevity’s sake, I will differentiate between the ordinary sense of the word and the mystical.  

The Bible mostly speaks of the ordinary, practical, church. As we look through the New Testament, we see that the church is an organized assembly of believers. Jesus spoke of the church in the gospel of Matthew only. In one passage, He uses the mystical sense; in the other the practical sense. “…upon this rock I will build My church.” (Matt 16:18) and, “…if he refuses to hear them, go tell it to the church.” (Matt 18:17).

 We will deal with the practical, here-on-earth, meaning of the church first, because this seems to be the Biblical order. In Acts, the church is being founded and built upon:  “And the Lord added daily to the church those who were being saved.” (Acts 2:47) Saul wreaks havoc against the church (Acts 8:3). Saul and Barnabas assemble with the church in Antioch (Acts 11:26). King Herod stretches out his hand to harass the church (Acts 12:1). The church prays for Peter (Acts 12:5). Paul and Barnabas appoint elders in the churches (Acts 14:23).  They return to Antioch and gather the church together (Acts 14:27).  “So the churches were strengthened in the faith, and increased in number daily” (Acts 16:5). And so forth...

Paul in his letters also affirms the practical nature of the church. “I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cenchrea” (Romans 16:1). Paul gives his greetings to the church that is in Priscilla and Aquila’s house (Romans 16:5).  Paul speaks of Gaius not only being his host, but of the entire church (Romans 16:23).

In the book of 1 Corinthians, Paul develops several ideas concerning the nature of the believers’ unity, the gifts of the Spirit and the body of Christ.  But he continues to use the word “church” in its common, everyday, application. The following passage is revealing: “But if anyone seems to be contentious, we have no such custom, nor do the churches of God. Now in giving these instructions I do not praise you, since you come together not for the better but for the worse. For first of all, when you come together as a church, I hear that there are divisions among you, and in part I believe it. For there must also be factions among you, that those who are approved may be recognized among you. Therefore when you come together in one place, it is not to eat the Lord's Supper. (1 Corinthians 11:16-20).

It appears that the accepted, normal, meaning of the word church is “when you come together as a church… when you come together in one place.” This is not strange or mystical or terribly earth-shaking. It is wholesome, sound, doctrine. It is not until chapter 12 that Paul begins to make the tie between the body of Christ and the church itself. “Now you are the body of Christ, and members individually. And God has appointed these in the church: first apostles, second prophets, third teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, administrations, varieties of tongues” (1 Corinthians 12:27-28). This would indicate that Paul has made some serious attempt to communicate the nature of the body of Christ to the Corinthians in preceding material, and indeed, he has. The entire twelfth chapter is a shift from what we see with our eyes to the reality of the Lord’s body, the very issue with which the Corinthians are struggling.

It is no wonder that Paul then wrote chapter 13. But we must remind ourselves that Paul has not launched some new understanding of the word “church.” He continues to use the word in a normal fashion even as he proceeds with his thoughts: “yet in the church I would rather speak five words with my understanding, that I may teach others also, than ten thousand words in a tongue.” (1 Corinthians 14:19) He is not here talking of some mystical union of believers, but a real-time sequence where members of the body of Christ are exercising their gifts on earth, in an assembly. Each church, in Paul’s mind, is a legitimate object or entity to be dealt with as a whole while recognizing the individual differences of gifts.

True, we do not have Paul anymore. Nor Peter, I might add. But ,we still have their apostolic authority as preserved by their writings. And upon this rock I will build my church, we heard Jesus say. The church and the Bible are inseparable. Attempts by the devil to destroy that tie have been many and almost successful. He has even made false churches that outwardly accept the Bible, but actually discredit it by their teachings that essentially supersede the Holy Scriptures themselves. That is another story and a long one in church history, but we are here examining only the basic meaning of church.  In order to know the church, however, we admonish the reader to investigate what has been happening for the last two thousand years!

Paul speaks with full apostolic authority when he writes, “For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints. Let your women keep silent in the churches, for they are not permitted to speak; but they are to be submissive, as the law also says. And if they want to learn something, let them ask their own husbands at home; for it is shameful for women to speak in church. Or did the word of God come originally from you? Or was it you only that it reached? If anyone thinks himself to be a prophet or spiritual, let him acknowledge that the things which I write to you are the commandments of the Lord” (1 Corinthians 14:33-37). Having shown the practicality of the apostle and his application of the word church in his writings, it should be no hard matter to convince the reader that in this passage Paul is quite serious and quite literal. But, unfortunately, that is not the case with most nowadays, and the concept of church has slidden off the platter onto the floor sometime during the evening. Paul adds, possibly knowing this is the case, “if anyone ignores this, let him be ignorant” (1 Corinthians 14:38).

About the only time Paul alludes to a church universal or as an entity besides the local church, is when he speaks of his persecution of the church (1 Corinthians 15:9, Galatians 1:13). That is, until we get to Ephesians, in which he states simply, “And He put all things under His feet, and gave Him to be head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all” (Ephesians 1:22-23). We have a beautiful picture of this mystical sort of church given in Ephesians 5, wherein the marriage relationship is used to describe the Lord and his church. The equation between the church and the body of Christ is repeated in the book of Colossians (Colossians 1:18 and 24). Paul never loses sight of the practical meaning of church, as we see from Colossians 4:15, “…and the church that is in his house.” The writer of Hebrews is very eloquent as he shows how it is all related: “But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant…” (Hebrews 12:22-24).

If we look at all the passages using the word “church” (or “churches”), we find that the majority of the cases use the word to mean a gathering of believers that can be located on any terrestrial map.  But we also see that there is another use for the word “church” that means the mystical body of Christ. I use the word “mystical” only in the meaning of “spiritually significant” and not to mean in any sense obscure or occult ramblings of the demented. If the word church is used to mean the body of Christ, it should be used carefully so. The apostles did not usually use it thusly, but Paul reveals that the church understood a certain way is indeed the body of Christ.

We must never confuse the two. The local churches derive their authority and benefit only as they are members of the body (singular) of Christ. If a church deems itself as the mystical body of Christ, then it is no longer receiving fellowship of the spirit (or Spirit) but has removed itself from its place in the golden lampstand. It does not matter whether the influence of that church spreads throughout the world and if it commands the world’s leaders; it is not in fellowship with the true believers, but against them. It doesn’t matter if the church has only three members. If it considers itself the true church, to the exclusion of the other brethren who are members of the body of Christ, then it is a sect and possibly a cult.

We know that in the true body of Christ, there are to be no sects (divisions). Of course, there are divisions and we call them denominations. Many pastors and parishioners want to justify such sectarianism with psychological appeals to fleshly differences in mental functions of believers, but the Bible recognizes only differences of gifts. The local churches should recognize their unity in Christ and seek the benefit of the entire church and not their denomination. However, this usually involves one sect trying to get the others to come to an agreement with its beliefs.  Modern-day ecumenism under the banner of “love” is one such attempt at getting churches to buy into the heresy of universalism (the doctrine that all souls will eventually find salvation in the grace of God).

The church practical is not a pure, mystical, representation of the body of Christ. If it is an impure, carnal, representation of the body of Christ, then Jesus must be sending a mixed message. But we are confident that the churches are not representations but gatherings of true believers (and a few seekers because of God and a few heretics thrown in because of the devil). The world does not know us. They seek an organization to bring them into captivity, to destroy all the opponents. The church is not so, and neither should the local churches be. We know that nearly two thousand years have passed since the church had its beginnings. We should know that the church universal, the body of Christ, is mystical and unified throughout time and eternity. We should know that the church here on earth is an temporary extension of that eternal church, but not to be mistaken as the body of Christ. The churches are places that believers meet for exercising their gifts. If we can find believers so minded, we should come together regardless of our fleshly differences and seek to edify one another using our God-given talents.

It is the end times, brethren. Many of the major churches (denominations) have fallen completely from the faith. The rest seem to be working on it. But the Lord knows those who are His, and let him who names the Name of the Lord depart from iniquity (2 Timothy 2:19). “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I shall build my church, and the gates of hell will not prevail against it.”

- Chris Simonson  10/18/2006

Each religion in the world has its own outward rituals to please some god or to secure their righteousness and each one thinks he is right. However, while the way of every man is right in his own eyes, there is One who judges the heart.

What He finds in men’s hearts and how He weighs the thoughts of men are radically different from what the world esteems. The Son of God bore testimony to us that the hearts of men are desperately wicked above all things. It is not any sort of food that a person puts into his mouth that will condemn him but what comes forth from the heart; and from the heart comes evil thoughts, murder, adultery, other sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, and slander.

Change your heart and mind, and be forgiven. Do not be satisfied with a debased nature. The natural man will be destroyed because he follows the desires of the flesh; but a mind like Christ’s will be renewed by the Word of God. Oh, stubborn man, who will save you? None other than Jesus Christ, the Son of the Most High God. Anyone who trusts in Him will never be put to shame.

Matt Simonson  10/17/2006

The Witness of God: The Sermon of Many

The reader is admonished to read 1 John 5:9-13. The witness of God... that is, the record that God has kept and shows to us, is far greater than the testimony of man (v.9). In fact, if we do not believe the record that God has given concerning his Son, Jesus Christ, we make God a liar (v.10).

Far better to let the testimony of every man be false than let God be suspected of lying. Paul is so bold as to say so in Romans 3: 4. If we must make every man a liar, so let it be, in order than God may be true!

But what record shall we trust when it comes to God? If we trust in our own ability to select the true from the false, then we are not trusting in God, but in ourselves. The Bible says that the way of every man is right in his own eyes, but God weighs the hearts. It also says that there is a way that seems right to a man, but the end of that way is death. There are many other records that the Bible contains to show that man's judgment and man's abilities fall far short of being able to discern God, much less be capable of doing what God wants us to do. This is the record in the Bible. It is not a flattering witness for man. It is, in fact, a condemning witness. This is why such passages are neglected in typical Sunday sermons. The mind of man loves to be flattered, not revealed.

Why does the mind and heart of man tire of hearing such things? Don't we all like to hear good things about ourselves?  Why is this? Much of philosophy and psychology comes from such questioning. Man's answers to the question "why pain and sorrow?" are many and varied. Man's solution to escape the pain and sorrow becomes a record of failure. Much pain and sorrow is created in the quest to escape from it. Many witnesses and records are called. Many are the courts in which man is tried and many are the attempts to justify him; many are the attempts to condemn him. At the end of all of this pain and sorrow comes the final blow: Death. Death to all, both rich and poor, wise and foolish, justified and condemned. It is it no wonder the Preacher said, "All is vanity!" in the book of Ecclesiastes.

But we have a greater witness than man. We have God's own witness that he has given concerning his only Son. Although the world lies in sin and death, God is righteous and he is life-giving. The Son, Jesus Christ, is the life. The Son, Jesus Christ, is the righteousness. This is the record that God has given us concerning him. The record shows that God is against wicked men on the one hand, but he is for the Son of Man and those who are made righteous by him. God, who cannot lie, promises eternal life to the righteous, and eternal destruction to the wicked.

Man, on the other hand, makes up all sorts of systems to get around the simple promises of God. Doing so, he makes God a liar.

For instance, a popular, but false, view of the 'love' of God calls into question the righteousness or justice of God. "How could a loving God inflict wrath on me when I am basically good?", they witness, concerning themselves. "How could God punish me because I am ignorant or am not perfect?", they say. "If I am ignorant or not perfect, then why doesn't God make me understand all things and make me perfect?", they continue. "How then can he hold me accountable?", they question.

"God loves me no matter what I believe or do," they testify. And so forth. They quote the Bible where it says, "God is love", but do not quote it thoroughly. "He who does not love does not know God" is what it says. Some do not know God, therefore. Jesus said, "Broad is the way that leads to destruction and many there are that go that way; narrow is the way that leads to life and few there are that find it." Most, therefore, do not know God.

To quote a portion of a verse that says God is love and to ignore the first part that plainly acknowledges there are those who do not know God nor do they love, is sign that men are once again up to their lies. Looking further ahead in 1 John 4 we read "If someone says, "I love God", and hates his brother, he is a liar." Men are by nature liars and speak much of their love for God and secretly hate those who really do love God.

They are like Balaam. They have fallen into the error of covetousness. They possess spiritual gifts, they do spiritual exploits, and they feel God and prophesy of him. But they do not possess eternal life because they do not love. They pretend to love God. But they do it for pay and will turn against Him for personal gain. "Woe to them! For they have gone the way of Cain, and for pay they have rushed headlong into the error of Balaam, and perished in the rebellion
of Korah." Jude 11.

Here's what Balaam had to say about it: "God is not a man that He should lie, nor a son of man, that He should repent; has He said, and will He not do it?  Or has He spoken and will He not make it good?" Numbers 23:19. Balaam may have been blinded by his greed, but his eye could see that there was no way to influence God with outward sacrifices. "Alas, who can live except God has ordained it?" he finishes. Numbers 24:23.

2 Peter 1:19 - We have also a more sure word of prophecy; in which you do well by taking heed, as unto a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as the Holy Spirit moved them.  But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. And through covetousness they will with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingers not, and their damnation slumbers not.

And this is the testimony: God gave us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who has not the Son of God has not life. 1 John  5:11,12.

- Chris Simonson 10/16/2006

Holy Spirit or Self-Will?

Always within the church there are people who get special attention from the Holy Spirit. They have ecstasies, visions, dreams, messages, visitations and more. However, the main method for their special treatment seems to be feelings or intuitions. This is according to our feminized gospel of “love.” 

And so, we have men and women going around bumping into objects, led away with various desires and thinking this is the Holy Spirit. They speak in tongues, cast out demons, make great prophecies about this and that, and when they are done, they are shipwrecked. They are self-willed and experts at hiding it under pretended care for others.  If they get the proper response from their friends, spouse, children, then they know this is the Holy Spirit. They can be little saints running around like Mother Teresa, oh so humble but oh, so self-deceived.

The Holy Spirit needs to come into their lives and reveal to them their self-will that masquerades as service to God.  The Holy Spirit needs to crush them, as Chuck Swindoll said in a radio sermon. The Holy Spirit comforts the afflicted and afflicts the comfortable.  If we are comfortable with our lives and we claim to be Christians, let us look at the message to the Laodicean church: “Because you say I am rich and increased with wealth and have need of nothing, and you do not know that you are wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind and naked...” Revelation 3:17.

- Chris Simonson  10/13/2006

The Tentative Brother

Introduction: This letter sadly represents the attitude of the modern church; while parts of it maybe be humorously exploiting sublevels of authority, it remains serious in it's underlying message. I believe it resoundingly portrays the ideals and goals of modern "christianity". 

My dear brother,

I’ve considered your letter; I’ve pondered your situation deeply in the reality of this congregation’s direction. I perceive the dilemma which besets you; it is a three-fold envelope: triangular precautionary loss of fundamental principles, totalitarian dogma and a lack of a diversified portfolio of love.

Let’s analyze the first one, the TPLOFP, shall we? For picturesque purposes and the ability to understand where you are and where you need to be, your placement on the Graph of TPLOFP is 35%. What this means is, you are 40 points below the 75% average of most well-meaning, loving, church-going pew-warmers. (Please pardon my excessive hyphen use.) Now, 35% is nothing to sneeze at, but the pre-profit margin and post-income margin don’t match up. Considering that you have given a good effort, we say that effort is good. We’ve noticed that in our considerable experience.

On to totalitarian dogma, hereafter known as TD. Your TD has needs to be MIA; the dogma must evolve to the catma. To escape the fearful canine in us all, we must become more the feline.

Your lack of a diversified portfolio of love, known as the D-Pol in most charismatic circles, is what concerns us the most. D-pol, for simplicity’s sake, will be referred to as the Deep Hole, as in ‘the god-shaped hole in your heart’. The Deep Hole is the key to understanding strong percentage growth: it can never be satisfied by mere TPLOFP or TD... these must be connected with the substance of micro-relational management. Not to be confused with the descriptions of empirical facts, or the basics of the Gospel, but to be confused in the gentleness of hymnal-testimonial praise of our corporate love of the church.

To sum up the scientific design of sectarian beliefs, I must conclude that your total of 35% does not fall into the category of our sales figures for this fiscal year, and therefore effects our ability to grow in economically driven avarice and offends our estimated investment earnings in love. This drives the price of our prosperous, social shares into a downward spiral, thus losing the faith of our tithing investors. This could lead to a catastrophic free-fall of Christian value; please consider these very specific and detailed descriptions, that you may improve on your overall TPLOFP score and escalating worth.

For further reference, the mathematics of this situation you find yourself in are very simple: we preach about love (13.333%), plus Christ (35%), plus tolerance (13.333%), plus tithing (13.333%); so you see the average Christian is rated as 75%. 

Your rating is follows: love - 0%, tolerance - 0%, tithing - 0%, Christ - 55%. If you increase your love percentage and tithing percentage, or the tolerance percentage and tithing percentage, we would be satisfied. We are not asking for the whole enchilada, just 2 out of three would be fine. In such a case you would be at close to 61%; we have extra-curricular activities that would boost your score up to the desired 75%; each camping trip, for instance, is worth 7% , and cleaning the church toilets periodically is worth 7%. Two of these extracurricular activities, once a year, would satisfactorily add to you, and the Church, the missing 14%. In order to enjoy the camping or clean correctly, we offer summer classes on camping 101 and janitorial skills 101. The sign-up sheet for these is in the foyer.

Your percentage of Christ is admittedly rare; for most, they have to earn their 35% Christ points through extra-curricular activities, chiefly through becoming an Affirmative Specialist in the Art of 'Yehss'. This is a secretive and coveted servitude, under the pastoral staff.

We believe that this letter has been clear and specific on what you need to do to fit in with our church. If you have any questions, ask your wife.

 - Your Tentative Brother 

Steven  10/12/2006

Consequences of the Fall

It's hard not to think of yourself as a sinner as your body rots away. Some of the more religious among us see a correspondence to disease and accidents that's hard to argue away. Sometimes these religious folks think they can stop the curse of death and disease by having faith healers lay hands upon them. Usually this only makes them more convinced of sin. But, most people evidently convince themselves they are O.K. enough to pass muster, even if they are under the care of physicians and psychiatrists.

As a member of the fallen human race, I can testify to the tendency to accuse oneself of sin because one is going through deep problems such as sickness, divorce, and
other sources of pain. In order to live another moment, one finds the resources to excuse oneself of sin. This horrible back and forth between accusing and excusing oneself is a direct result of the Fall.

The Fall of Man happened in the garden of Eden, so goes the story in the Bible. The man ate of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, becoming as a god. His sons also inherited this ability to be godlike; however, they also inherited the ability to die because of disobedience. When we feel the effects of the Fall, we have hardwired into us the knowledge of good and evil. Our consciences therefore bother us, at least those of us who have not seared our conscience with the hot iron of continued and deliberate sin. Our sins cry out against us as we rot away in our flesh, paying the
consequences of adultery, fornication, homosexuality, drug abuse, lying, cheating...or all of the above. We claim to be Christians, or at least spiritual, but our bodies testify against us.

Even those of us who are really followers of Christ rot away. But we can have clear consciences anyway, if we come into the light as He is in the light. If we confess our sins, He is faithful to forgive of our sins and cleanse us of all unrighteousness. This is the consequence of faith in Christ. We must stop leaning on our own understanding but believe the promises of a holy God who will by no means let the wicked go unpunished, and will by all means justify those who have faith in His Son Jesus Christ.
Now as our bodies rot away, we have great hope. We are serving Christ in our lowly bodies, our clay vessels, until He comes (or we die). Either way, we rejoice in hope of glory and have no confidence in our flesh. Let all those who call upon the Name of Jesus Christ say so. Amen.

Chris Simonson  10/11/2006

Taking the Credit

The Christianity that does not save is the safe variety. It is also the kind that makes it into the history books as defining the religion of that time. Today's Christianity might be termed one that will go down in history as "tolerant, loving, and non-judgmental," to quote one of its most admired spokespersons, Chuck Smith. But this epithet would apply to any new-age feminist, would it not?

However, these adherents of pop religion will go for new stuff if it becomes the new rage. New rage Christianity could become popular in the near future, who knows? This Christianity would be reactionary, like Ann Coulter and her right-wing left-bashing version. If a man, like Chuck Smith or Chuck Swindoll, were to speak like Ms. Coulter, he would be instantly defamed by the feminized church (so he doesn't). But, I assure you that if this became the variety that attracts flies, both Chucks would turn into Rush Limbaughs. Right now, everyone who is a pastor shies widely away from anything that looks like hell-and-damnation street preaching; especially if it detracts from feminists and homosexuals (but do they tithe compensatingly?).

Worldly Wisdom 101 tells us to wait and see what happens to those guys rushing up the hill before we attach our name to it. Casual Chapel et al are adroit at using this technique in their public relations. They criticize crude efforts at preaching the 'gospel B' until something goes platinum. Then they are the first in line to take the credit for a job well done. If we look through the history of the church, this is Roman Catholicism 101. So, if we want to have the praise of men, then let us not jump on the bandwagon until just the right moment. To insure the advertising opportunity, invest heavily at just the right moment. This will "show the world we love one another" (wouldn't want to waste time and money on anything ineffective). Remember, take a lesson from the world: "It's all about image." Images lead to idolatry, do they not?

Chris Simonson  10/10/2006

Psychologists - The New Pharisees

Even if your pastor doesn't mean to, he or she is probably practicing psychology on you and the rest of the flock. Is your minister a closet psychologist? It is the New Age thing. Pastors, preachers, ministers, priests, counselors, or whatever they call themselves, manipulate their clients using well-known psychological techniques taught them by their colleges or cult leaders. In turn, their listeners learn the same techniques and practice them on each other, especially in marriage and family situations. They are the new experts in religion and acceptable behavior.

In the days of Paul the apostle, the Jews had their entrenched experts who decided the proper way to worship God. Jesus came against them, calling them hypocrites. As a result, we use the term 'Pharisee' to label people we don't like, especially when they tell us we are wrong in religious matters. This is not the proper way to use the label 'Pharisee,' of course. So we say that anyone who is a 'legalist' is a 'Pharisee.' This is just one label defining another. We need to know what a Pharisee represents before we start labeling others with such a loaded insult.

The Pharisee represents a person who has a religious system that counts beans, instead of making something wholesome from them. Paul called them the 'circumcision.' These read the scriptures and think that because they know a lot about them they are somehow better than others. They think that by reading the scriptures they are saved, but Jesus said to the Pharisees even though they read the scriptures, they did not discern that the Scriptures spoke of himself, Jesus, as Christ. Therefore they could not come to him in order to be saved. Therefore, among other things, the term 'Pharisee' means one who is not saved. The Pharisee makes interpretations of scriptures for others and loads them up with all sorts of things to do in order to progress. Jesus railed on them for that also. They not only search high and low for proselytes to take to hell with them, but they bind loads on everyone else to which they themselves won=t so much as lift a finger. Pharisees do other horrible things, but we'll stop right there.

Pharisees are the experts that give other people things to do to make themselves better people. Is this not exactly what psychologists do? Don't good Christians spend billions of dollars each year looking for answers outside the Bible? And don't they buy into the latest psychological fads presented as Christianity by the interpreters who do all the thinking for them? If the Bible says, "Wives be submissive to your own husbands, as unto the Lord" (Ephesians 5:22), how is it that the counselors (women as likely as not) tell the men that if they treated their wives such-and-such they would have no problem with the wives coming alongside them? There is no Bible here, only a hypocritical list of things for the husband to do. The new Pharisees certainly won=t touch the load with their little finger and are themselves bound by sins of all sorts. They are experts as hiding their real hearts. They smile a lot and nod knowingly, but they are manipulating you.


Pharisees are legalists by definition. Legalism says that in order to progress in the Lord you must buy into a different set of rules than the one that saved you in the first place. They talk about love, but so did the scribes and the Pharisees. After all, the two greatest commandments are about love. But now as then, the Pharisees thought they could keep the commandment to love by instructing others how to love according to their own inventions. The true doctrine tells us we cannot love except that we have faith in Christ, who first loved us. Leave that behind and you might as well paint yourself white, white as a white-washed sepulcher.

I recommend Titus 1:10-16 for further instruction.

Chris Simonson  10/09/2006

O Say Can You Deal

I saw there above the car dealership, floating in the air from the poles of the parking lights, the flag, all spread out like a billboard come-on. It had its desired effect. The passions of my soul were ignited and I needed to buy something. I went to investigate. Although the day had long faded and the natural light was gone, the manmade glare of halide dawn dazzled my eyes, and I could see the stars of a hundred lamps  reflected a thousand times by the clear-coat acrylic shine of the brave new road lords, war-striped and ready for delivery. As I maneuvered into the asphalt arena, I could hear Muzak plumbing the depths of the air, the flag still rippling there. Together they intoned: 

"Buy now, buy, before it’s too late!"

Before me lay row after row of SUV’s, pickups, sedans and more, the pinnacle of oil-induced triumph, lined up like a war machine. They were painted beasts and beauties of brilliant polymerized luster, metallic rainbows in consumer formation. We, the consumers, formed in perfect union of purchasing power, began to move into action. Trying to look knowledgeable, I and the others went up and down the ranks of the metal-flaked paramours, fending off pimply young men in ties. Trying to look disinterested, we drooled as we shivered, our desires tempered by icy price tags. The sweat ran down my brow as I fought the good fight of supply and demand, need and desire, pocketbook and credit card. My adversary, the salesman, finally cornered me. He was merciless. He showed me the wondrous cross-linked synthetics and pounded me with engine talk. My head reeled at sticker shock.

"O say, can you deal!" I sung, and his insolence flagged; he would talk to the manager.

He returned from the manager's office. I listened as the asking price began bursting in the air and gave proof that the trade was still there. It was then that I remembered all the recent tragedies that had brought on this new flurry of national concern and sales gimmicks. Not only had millions of flags been sold lately, but when attached to other objects, they increased their desirability and, therefore, value. The flag seemed to represent all that was cherished, all that was worthy, all that was for sale. In that moment of anxious undertaking, my eyes swam in tears as I remembered my endangered countrymen abroad, and as I remember my all-time low credit rating.

However, my war-torn wallet was of no use here. I mustered up the reserve courage that these times of sacrifice can engender and told the salesman I could always go down the street and buy on next-to-nothing credit. But now, I saw clearly that the salesman was going to talk to the manager again. Could I overcome and get the Utopia for $37,289 (plus taxes, licenses and fees)? With no down? Would our nation’s economic strength provide me victory in the closing deal? Would I make it to Heaven Burger in time for the two-for-one with purchase of Coke?

Each purchase we make in four-by-four market holds major significance to what we defend. We must drive out the terrorists and press on the pedal in order to live, to consume and to spend. Modern technology, give us your cars, your trucks, your Hummers and vans. May the highways of home bless you and keep you, may cost at the pump not spoil your plans. Crude oil the spoils, and commuting the goal, may your horsepower be high, may your tank remain full. Oh, the glory of buying a new vehicle!

We need to search out destroy those who would interfere with peace, love and the bottom line. It certainly can’t be the Muslims. They own the car dealership, for crying out loud. Nor could it be the Catholic Church (they own the land the dealership is on). No, it is those subversives who dare speak against the lovely idolic life that our forefathers gave up their forefathers for. There are like mean-spirited Luddites out there trying to rob us of our God-given right to enjoy our fair share of technology’s bounty. We won’t sell out for promises of pie-in-the-sky when we can have our cake and file chapter 11 too.

Hold on! The salesman is back. Praise Ford! He’s even going to throw in a personalized license plate that says ILUVGOD. Boy, when I pull up in the church parking lot this Sunday, my fellow Lukewarmericans will be jealous with a godly jealousy. It will no doubt spark some of that wonderful purchasing spirit so needed in our free enterprise theocracy. Well, I have to throw a dollar in the patriotism box on the way out of the parking lot. It’s to help the families of those who lost their jobs in the Great Terrorism. Oh, and they tell me that 10 cents of every dollar will go into hunting down subversive elements within our culture...

- Chris Simonson  10/06/2006

Founded around 30 A.D. by Jesus Christ.

Jesus was killed by Romans in Jerusalem, a main city in Palestine. He spent no more than 3 days and 3 nights in a tomb. He rose from the dead and appeared to several people over the next few weeks. He then ascended to a place he called heaven. At that time, there was no real organized church.

He told his followers to wait for power from "on high" before they went out to form any kind of movement in his name. No problem, because they were afraid of the persecution that had already arisen from the brief ministry of Jesus in Palestine. However, power did come, miraculously, in the "pouring out" of what is called the Holy Spirit. The newly empowered disciples, as they were called, went everywhere preaching the good news of their faith, no longer afraid but filled with faith and the Holy Spirit. The only real, authoritative, history we have of the "primitive" church is the New Testament, especially the Book of Acts. This book takes us to no more than around 60 A.D., leaving us with Paul imprisoned.

Any other early church history we have comes from scant sources, some more unreliable than others. We have speculations pieced together from men trying to figure out when someone wrote something, like the letters written by the apostles. Other speculations use documents pretty far removed from the actual events. They are unreliable because they are written for subjective reasons such as self-promotion (witness Josephus), or they are promoting favorite doctrines by editorializing on remote sources, such as what I am doing right now. But as we cull through a lot of testimonies, we can piece together a picture of how it must have been for the first hundred years of the church. This is the way church history is written, and there are probably several hundred such books. This brief history does not attempt to outdo them or undo them, but merely to set in order a couple of things for the average Christian reader who has no time for finding things out.

The early church was persecuted. All histories verify this. The disciples had a powerful new religion, but it seemed there was a powerful opposition to it from Jews and Gentiles alike. This is fully documented in many historical accounts. The main account we have for this period comes from Roman history. Rome tried to stamp out Christianity by stamping out Christians. This went on for almost three hundred years. Both Christian and secular sources verify this. During this period, most, if not all, modern Christian ideas and attitudes were formed, argued about, fought over, discarded, reformed, anathematized, held precious, held in contempt and fought over some more. During this period, the New Testament was canonized, that is, only some writings were included as inspired and authoritative; the rest were excluded as non-canonical. Underlying all this activity, the preaching of the gospel brought persecution no matter where in the world the good news went. We can imagine that during this three hundred years many evangelists went not only through the Roman Empire, but everywhere in the world. We don’t have much of an account outside the "known world" (that is, the Roman world); however, that doesn’t mean the gospel stayed put; only that it was pretty much rejected.

All of the foundational tenets (religious teachings) of the faith were set in stone by, say, 325 A.D. Up until this time, in order to be a Christian you had to be willing to die for your faith. Your religious ideas were in direct conflict with the religious ideas of those in power. If you renounced your faith, as many did, some churches did not readmit you when the heat was off and you decided it was time to be a Christian again (this caused much division in the early church) Then there were church bodies who felt that Jesus didn’t really come in the flesh, or some that allowed other ways to God besides Jesus, or he wasn’t really born of a virgin, etc., etc., etc. So they started their own denominations, or cults (whatever). These things are still fought over today, if not in fights between churches, then at least in one’s own mind.

It is interesting to note that even though the Roman government in all its power tried to rid the world of Christianity, it was not successful, whereas other parts of the world appear to have succeeded in their effort. We have little history of the gospel outside the Roman Empire for the first three hundred years. This is important to keep in perspective that early church history as we have it today is mostly a Roman thing. I am aware that there are plenty of histories, Egyptian, Indian, Mormon, etc., that are not Roman histories, but I don’t see any real authority in these histories, either.

Something very interesting happened in the early part of the fourth century. The Roman Emperor, Constantine, made Christianity into the state religion. Just like that. Christianity went from being the persecuted to being the persecutor. This is where church history really comes alive, of course. The Roman Empire was crumbling, but the Church rescued it. With the powerful teaming up Christianity and Rome, the church could now have big buildings, fancy festivals, gospel campaigns (bloody and otherwise), and the blessings of secular government. They could also use the state propaganda machinery to spread the new religion (you can have your cake and eat it too).

It took another 250 years or so for the Holy Roman Church to put its first Pope in power, but all the preparations for a secularized church had been in place since Constantine. So, say from about 590 to around 1517, the Catholic Church had supreme power in the area formerly the Roman Empire. There may have been millions of true conversions in this time period; maybe not. How many thousands of true Christians were martyred during this time is hard to estimate. We have a few records, but remember that they are mostly official church records. Also, we have things like Foxe’s Book of Martyrs, but where did he get his information? However, in piecing together various accounts, it is clear that much persecution of true Christians continued regardless that the state religion was Christianity. Later records, say from the fourteenth century on, are more reliable and show the vast efforts to stamp out unauthorized Christianity. Present-day news reports tell the same story, so we have no reason to discount this trend in church activity..

Missionary activity consisted mostly of conquering pagan countries in the name of the Church, according to the official records. However, there must have been some preaching of the good news apart from organized establishments in various locales. Maybe the message of the gospel was passed word of mouth to relatives and associates, much like it happens today. The official church may have been taking all the credit, but it is disputable that the Holy Roman Empire and its Catholic Church was doing much real evangelizing at all. It seems, from modern perspective, that they were merely spreading the Holy Roman Empire and its flavor of Christianity. They certainly tried to dull the effect of unauthorized preaching by various efforts (like mounting armies against settlements, or burning heretics if they could catch them singly).

There was something called the Reformation, somewhere in the early sixteenth century. To place it in American history, Columbus had just sailed the ocean blue and found the West Indies. Remember that we are mostly dealing with European history at this point. Russia, Turkey and those guys had their own brand of Catholicism by now (called the Orthodox Church). The British were becoming a force to be reckoned with. The Renaissance was around the corner. The Dark Ages were over. If you haven’t read a story about the Reformation, then you should. That’s what launched our modern world view (some would discount this and say it was the Renaissance, but they are secularists anyway).

As the Reformation swept the civilized world (Europe, mostly), the above-mentioned church began to lose its military strength. It lost its power to be the sole propaganda machine. Germany was lost, then Switzerland, France, England. The Russians had already had their own Catholicism, so they don’t count. The Catholic missions remained strong, however. The formerly uncivilized world was indoctrinated into the Catholic religion. But now, the rebellious "Protestants," as they were called, began to do their own missionary outreaches. Wars were fought and people were killed, tortured, run out of their own countries, and worse. Modern church history is just loaded with persecution stories.

The British rebelled and formed their own state church. They also decided they should own the rest of the world, too, and sent colonists to their holdings. They ruined the Spanish navy and their Catholic cause. This allowed them to establish their sway in Northern America. I don’t know what they teach in public school nowadays, but I was told some Pilgrims and other dissidents came over and had something to do with the setting up of local government. They grew tobacco and made rum. After a while, they rebelled against England and started their own government, with an attempt to provide religious freedom. That was a little over two hundred years ago. This government was called "a noble experiment," but was deemed too unstable and unrealistic to last very long. It has lasted and become the world power.

The church history we are likely to hear from American schools today is that our forefathers died trying to make sure that Islam, witchcraft, Buddhism and North American spiritism should have equal representation in state affairs. This is a lie, because our forefathers hated those things and were active in converting or removing such elements from society. For instance, North American Indians (called "native Americans" by the politically correct) were either eliminated or absorbed into the culture of European religion. Protestants appeared to have the day. The Roman Catholics were tolerated, if suspiciously so.

It wasn’t long before the right to freedom of religion was put to the test. Eventually, in order to keep up the appearance of toleration, every sort of vile religious practice and devilish belief system had to be accommodated. Today, America stands as the model of Christian toleration. However, true Christians who don’t have any nation or church they can call home, who don’t really care to be called Protestant or Catholic or Orthodox, are still persecuted. They just don’t seem to fit in. Their teachings are based on the Bible, in which they profess to be skilled. They say such things like "scripture alone," or "faith alone." If they find a practice in a church that is contrary to the Bible, they make a noise about it. They think they have some sort of authority apart from the state religion, or, in the case of America, apart from every sect run by itinerant preachers. Even worldwide fads like Pentecostalism have no authority over them, they say.

It’s nice to know that public education, the media, and just about every other form of propaganda, is being run by the loving, tolerant and non-judgmental children of the sixties and seventies, who once participated in the "Jesus People" movement and are now the antichrist counselors of a nation whose church is weak and its people fat and bloated with greed. We can be assured of many comfortable years of having our cake and eating it too. Unless, maybe, we have to defend ourselves from the oil-crazed terrorists out there, but that’s another story. At any rate, persecution becomes rare when the wheat is dressed up like the tare.

Because I am not a historian, I realize some of the foregoing is not technically correct. The reader is welcome to add any corrective or illustrative historical information to the foregoing, as long as it isn’t pedantic or self-promoting, and lends itself to the flavor of this rumination; that is: the true church has always been, and will always be, persecuted. Large historical tracts that show the superiority of the author are boring, anyway.

- Chris Simonson  10/05/2006

We might think we know how to preach to gospel, and yet find our way of presenting the gospel in direct opposition to the way Paul would preach it. Or Peter. Or Jesus.

“Not me,” you say.

O.K. Then you would be shocked to know that when you preach the love of God saying, “God loves us just the way we are,” then you are in direct opposition to John 3:16 that says, “Whosoever believeth.” John 3:36 says that whoever does not believe, “the wrath of God rests and stays on him.” That means God hates us just the way we are. But you just won’t preach it, will you?

So, there is one little example. Your gospel may be more in agreement with many false gospels that claim “whosoever” means anyone, and everyone, whom you can get to say the sinner’s prayer. You may have learned a cute way of “leading sinners to Christ” by using infallible logic like “whosoever means you, doesn’t it?” They agreed to the logic and said the sinner’s prayer, repeating after you. But, you wouldn’t follow the same logic and say “whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire,” would you? Why didn’t you tell them that, pastor?

Why would a preacher preach a gospel that is not in accordance to the Word of God? The answer is: He is under strong delusion. He thinks what he preaches is correct or he would change his preaching.

“Preach the Gospel.” One of these words is not popular. It is “preach.” Modern preaching is called “sharing.” Modern pastors are trained sermon-makers and not preachers. They think of themselves as teachers. They teach; not preach. They assume that is what pastors are supposed to do. If one were to ask a pastor what he pastor does, he would probably answer he shares the message of the good news with his flock, or something of that sort. Whatever the case may be, he will probably say he is not a “preacher.” In most cases he would be correct, he is not a preacher.

There is no problem with sharing the message of the good news with anyone. The problem arises when the message of the good news is no longer the gospel but some invention of popular theology. That is a real problem. That is a problem swamping the churches today. No gospel is preached. Only sermons about how to love.

That is the Law. The Law of Moses states: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. It says that in Leviticus 19:18. It doesn’t say that anywhere else in the Old Testament. When Jesus quotes it, that is what he is quoting. Why is Leviticus 19:18 so special? Because it sums up the Law in one word, as Paul said. It sums up Leviticus 19:17 “you shall not hate… but you shall surely rebuke your neighbor, and shall not incur sin because of him.” But why do you, pastor, tell your flock not to rebuke the wickedness, but to “love”? This flies in the face of the commandment itself.

Some of you are very confused at this point. You think you understand love. You think it is like that good feeling you get when you watch a romantic movie. Such romances are based on compassion, kindness and gentleness overcoming meanness and hatred and uncaring attitudes. On the face of it, this seems commendable. But have you noticed that the compassion, kindness and gentleness portrayed have nothing whatever to do with repentant sinners, but with man’s goodness? It usually involves adultery or fornication, doesn’t it? Oh sure, man’s badness can always be portrayed as some crazy preacher telling people to repent, right?

Any more, the preacher of righteousness is bad, in popular opinion. And the wicked claim to have a special relationship with God based on their love for Him, even though they obey not Leviticus 19:31 or 20:13. These ones feel an overwhelming calling to instruct others on how to love. They are all experts on the subject and have mountains of advice on how to love. Their gospel appears to be nothing more than an ongoing sermon on what they think is the best way to love. Very little of what they say is Biblical, of course, because they find their opinions constantly attacked or ignored by the Scriptures.

They only use the Scriptures for “buzz words.” They love to use the word “love.” And they use “kindness,” “gentleness,” “meekness,” “tolerance,” and other such Biblical words. But they, like the devil when he argued with Jesus, take the words and leave the meaning. In their natural reasoning they seem to get it right, thus fulfilling the Scripture that says, “there is a way that seems right to a man, but the end of its paths is death.”

Pastor, when was the last time you warned anyone to repent of their own reasoning and come to the Judge of all, Jesus Christ the Righteous, and ask for forgiveness? When did you explain who God is and why his is so outraged at the wicked? When did you set forth the judgment of God on sinners so they could rightly understand grace? So many pastors preach a social gospel of forgiveness that they don’t even understand what true forgiveness is all about.

Much of this sermonizing occupies its time instructing husbands and wives how to have good marriages. It is strange how terse the Bible is on such important affairs. It is strange how silent these “marriage counselors” are on Biblical affairs. Granted, sometimes they use the Scriptures to belittle bachelor number one, Paul the apostle. Perhaps they really dig in and mention Sarah and Abraham. Their proof texts are brief and well-arranged to get the desired result. The desired result, of course, is to submit to the pastor and his church. It is not to submit to one another in the fear of God. If the submission occurred at this level (man to God), then the rest would follow. Wives would submit to their own husbands (instead of to any man who flattered them or acted as their advocate). Husbands would love their own wives instead of ogling other women or becoming passive under the wife’s dictates. Adultery and homosexuality would become scarce. Men would become men and women would become women.

Oh, and if you want to know how to preach the gospel, I highly recommend the Bible. Also, I suggest the small book titled Today’s Gospel – Authentic or Synthetic?, published by Banner of Truth Trust.

- Chris Simonson  10/04/2006

No Guts No Glory

Is it possible to be a Christian and cowardly? Of course, or how else could we explain the tens of millions who, as armchair warriors hiding in living rooms, judge everything from football players to pharisaical preachers?

In a generation that experiences virtual religion like a cosmic chat room, we must warn and tell them that without reality religion, there is no hope of glory. The Bible says that we must suffer the real thing in order to gain glory with our Lord who was crucified for us. Don't we want to be courageous for our Lord? That is why we must face off the devil and trust in Christ, no matter what devious and terrifying method our enemy uses to get to us.

We have need of faith therefore. This faith has to be nursed, but not feminized. The purpose of nursing is to wean the child eventually so he can be a man (Psalm 131:2). The purpose of feminization is to ruin a man's courage to do what is right, regardless of the threatened withdrawal of the mother's milk. Once weaned of shallow emotions of the flesh, the real faith is "powerful energetic, elastic and durable - in short, a fit vessel for containing the entire gamut of human passions" (from Mike Mason's book The Gospel According to Job). The Bible tells us that God is pleased by the faith that believes He Is, and that we pursue him passionately by this faith (Hebrews 11:6).

God isn't looking for smug, scared, theologians. He is hiring those who are willing to die for their faith, even if it means being unpopular with the girls. Courageous men and women of God nurture the true emotions that come from suffering insults, shame, injustice, and even bodily torture and death, due to the calling of their Lord and Savior. Although most Christian religion out there today tells us that if we obey a certain set of traditions we will meet with success (a lie easily disproved), the true Christianity says that it is with much tribulation that we enter the kingdom of God (Acts 14:22, John 16:33).

Take courage when men speak evil of you, brethren. We must fulfill the scriptures. Matthew 5:11.

Chris Simonson  10/03/2006

Guilt Trips and 'Pastoral Counseling'

Marriage counseling is big business in the church today. And no wonder: men have cast off their faith in Christ, they have lots of time and money, and they must fulfill 2 Timothy 4:3. If the devil can get us to focus on the family, or something else besides our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, he is successful at his business. The smug church believes it can tell the difference between good teaching and bad, but it has come under the influence of the 'ministers of righteousness' spoken of in 2 Corinthians 11:15. The misled misquote proverbs about counseling, but they are devoid of the truth. If there is strength in numbers when counsel is sought, this applies not only to good counsel but to evil. The evil counselors outnumber the good counselors by a wide margin today, because men have rejected the truth of the gospel and rely on man's wisdom instead. Christian psychologists abound, mixing profane and holy into a witches' brew of confusion, snaring the unsuspecting souls who have been recently delivered from their sins.

A favorite tactic of marriage counselors is to deal with subjects using generalities that no one can take exception to. They will talk about 'attitudes,' going on and on with platitudes, until they wear out their victim. When questioned about specifics, they say they leave the real work of conviction to the Holy Spirit. Of course, this gives them liberty to bring veiled accusation on the husband, or in rare cases, the wife. These are oblique hit and run attacks, not something the husband can call the counselor out onto the mat to be wrestled with. As a matter of fact, the counselor is a 'neutral' party and is untouchable. This should be enough of a warning signal to anyone who is attempting to find the truth.

These counselors use well-proven techniques to evade questions about themselves and put their quarry on the defense. They can then manipulate the proceedings in pretty much whatever direction they want to go. If it looks like they are siding with the wife, say, and warning that husbands should not be tyrants, you ask, are you talking about me? They immediately reverse engines and send a backwash, using clichés and excuses that it must be the Holy Spirit bringing conviction. This sort of smart-aleck tricky psychology is then picked up by the wife and she uses it whenever possible to answer back to her own husband. This is just one example among hundreds.

The new counselors are manipulators and deceivers, unable to come into the light with specific scriptural correspondence to our supposed sin. This drives us to think we are sinning when we preach the gospel. They say, go home and get your house in order then come and preach the gospel. These hypocrites fail to tell you they are presently in bondage to sin, mostly because they have listened to marriage counselors themselves. These tell us not to seek the kingdom of God, but the things of earth. Then our guilt is complete, as we wait in fear for the judgment. Our conscience has been defiled with false teachings on false love and we wind up hating the things of God. We become lovers of money in the guise of loving our family. If we don't repent of these falsehoods, we will be caught in the snare which is coming upon the face of the whole earth.

As for specific actions to take, let us read Hebrews 13.

Chris Simonson  10/02/2006