Participants: John Stanton, John Lomacang
Series Code: HCL
Program Code: HCL110020
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00:01 Hello friends, grab your Bible and a friend
00:03 and sit back as we explore God's word together 00:06 on this edition of House Calls. 00:22 Well, welcome to the most exciting program 00:24 happening anywhere, and I think you believe that, 00:26 that's why you are watching us right now. 00:28 And so thank you for joining John and John 00:31 in what we consider the most exciting thing to do 00:34 that's walk through the word of God together, 00:35 am I right John. I believe it. 00:37 And you have chosen to join us, 00:39 whether you in a large group, there is a large group there, 00:41 welcome to every one of you. 00:43 If you're by yourself, you're special hit the record button 00:45 get your pen, your pads, your paper 00:47 and pray that God will guide you today 00:49 through this very important topic as we continue to study 00:51 of "Why So Many Denominations?" 00:54 But before we get into our study, 00:57 we always like to pray and John has been designated 01:00 as the prayer, go head prayer. 01:03 All right, let's go to the Lord in prayer. 01:05 Dear Father in heaven, we are so thankful every time 01:09 we begin another new program that we can come to in prayer. 01:12 We can depend upon you, we can trust you 01:15 that you would fill us with truth and that is through 01:18 your spirit and that we invite Him today here 01:21 doing another program to do just that. 01:24 We thank you for not only the truth that You give us 01:27 through Your word, but Lord how You're leading, 01:29 guide your people who are honestly seeking you out. 01:32 And so who are many seekers out there today, 01:34 we just pray that we will find you in Jesus name, amen. 01:37 Amen. And we always like to thank you for your questions. 01:42 So thank you for your questions. 01:44 You send them to us, we answer them, 01:47 you say amen, you say, wait a minute 01:49 that's not exactly the way I want you to answer 01:50 and you send us back another email, we'll try again. 01:53 And that's where we have this interaction, 01:55 so don't forget to send your questions and comments to us 01:57 here at House Calls. 01:59 The address there is housecalls@3abn.org 02:02 that's housecalls@3abn.org and we do our job 02:07 as long as you do your job, we will try to do our job. 02:10 And, John, we have some very good question today, 02:13 you know, this are good ones. 02:14 So go ahead and start off with the one you have. 02:18 Yeah this question comes to us from Victor, 02:21 and he is saying here couple of questions actually. 02:25 First of all, do we know where the Garden of Eden 02:27 might have been, and really we don't. No. 02:31 There is just no indication in Bibles 02:32 to where the Garden of Eden was. 02:34 Secondly, where might our different skin colors 02:38 originate from? How do you believe 02:40 or how do you use the Bible to explain that, 02:42 does evolution have a hand in it? 02:45 Well, you know, you're gonna be disappointed at me again, 02:49 the Bible just doesn't tell us, where skin colors, 02:53 where facial differences, where any of our differences 02:57 in characteristics come from, but we do know this that 03:00 God is a God of diversity and He love diversity 03:04 and He wants none of us to be the same, we are all unique. 03:08 And so in that respect we can rejoice in our diversity 03:11 and enjoy that those differences 03:13 that we have between each other. 03:15 One of the questions, the part of is question here 03:17 that I wanted to elaborate on though is, 03:20 did evolution have a hand in this. Okay. 03:23 And there is a large and I don't know, 03:25 if you mean evolution, or if you mean adaptation 03:28 or if you mean subtle changes throughout time, 03:31 I don't know what you mean there, 03:32 but evolution as we know as the term we use today, 03:35 there is no part I believe is no part 03:38 really in Biblical Christianity. 03:41 The Bible I think clearly says that the Lord created heaven 03:44 and earth in six days, that is six literal days, 03:47 each day comprise of a day and a night 03:51 and then on the seven day He rested and sanctified 03:54 bless the Sabbath day and that set the weekly cycle 03:57 in motion throughout eternity 03:59 or at least throughout this earth's history. 04:02 So no evolution in that part, nor there has been evolution 04:06 as we've gone down through time that would have effected 04:09 somehow our skin colors, our differences and look 04:12 and make up and another things. 04:15 But there is a word that I would say 04:17 or there are scientific evidence 04:19 that I might suggest you that 04:22 and I use kind of simple analogy. 04:26 There are many kinds of dogs 04:29 and there are many kinds of cats. 04:32 And I don't believe it's not my understanding at all 04:36 from scripture that God created 04:38 hundreds of kinds of dogs, or hundreds of kinds of cats. 04:41 We've seen some evidence of that a limited number 04:44 of distinction of cats and dogs throughout the world. 04:49 But the numbers we have today are continuing to grow. 04:52 In other words what would happen is 04:54 breeders would get together and they would bread 04:56 a specific characteristic of a dog or a cat to arrive 05:01 at the look they wanted that dog or cat to have. 05:04 And out of doing that throughout history 05:06 we find some of our through are purebred dogs, 05:10 or purebred cats still today. 05:12 And they are different 05:13 than what the original dog and cat look like. 05:16 And I might say that scientifically we can find 05:19 an adaptation there, a subtle change through breeding 05:22 and other things that have come through time. 05:24 Well, it's very likely that even after the Tower of Babel 05:28 when the people of the earth were scattered 05:30 that the places they went and the people they procreated 05:35 with continue develop certain characteristics overtime 05:39 among that specific people group. 05:42 Now, I'm not gonna establish that, 05:43 I don't give that from scripture, 05:45 but I do say scientifically we see evidence of that 05:48 with other kinds of species and we do also find evidence 05:51 of that even with humanity within our own families, 05:55 a characteristics, oh, you know, 05:57 how many times John if you heard, 05:58 boy you look just like your mother or your father. 06:02 That's true. Or something, 06:03 that's because you have come 06:05 from mother or father and this could even be passed down 06:08 through several generation. 06:09 So anyway I done my best to theorize, 06:12 but I'm sorry I don't have a thus saith the Lord 06:14 on either of these questions. 06:16 And I think its just something we're gonna find out later on 06:19 when we get to heaven, it will be 06:20 one of those exciting things 06:21 we can ask God what happened there. 06:23 You know the Bible gives these following statements 06:27 about the development of nations. 06:30 One of the well, not one of but 06:34 there was first Adam and Eve, then their sons Cain and Abel. 06:40 You find that anyone that exists 06:43 we all have the same mother and same father 06:45 when you go all the way back to the very beginning. 06:49 But when you look at the commands, 06:51 or when you look at the covenant that God made, 06:53 one of the first covenants you find 06:55 is in Genesis 17 verse 4 as it relates to 06:59 the development of other nations. 07:01 Here is the one, let me read it for you 07:04 "As for Me, the Lord is saying behold, 07:06 My covenant is with you, 07:08 And you shall be a father of many nations. 07:13 No longer shall your name be called Abram, 07:16 but you, your name shall be called Abraham, 07:19 for I have made you a father of many nations." 07:24 And so you find also in Genesis Chapter 48. 07:27 It speaks about the continual the continual development 07:30 of the many nations. In Acts 17 verse 26 says, 07:36 "From one blood came all nations of men." 07:38 So when you go all the way back, 07:40 God truly does believe in diversity. 07:43 Some suggest that the sons of Noah Ham, 07:47 Shem and Japheth were the three progenitors 07:50 of the human race, thus we've the Mongoloid, 07:54 Caucasoid and Negroid. 07:55 Those are the three anthropological names 07:58 that are given to those with yellow skin, 08:01 those with white skin, those with brown skin primarily. 08:05 But what happens as you go to the course of time, 08:08 and man proliferated throughout the earth 08:11 specifically one of the stories told that 08:13 from the Tower Of Babel when God confuse the languages, 08:16 you find all the different language groups 08:18 start their beginning. 08:20 And they now began to form nations among those 08:23 who spoke the same language that they did 08:26 and they went throughout the earth 08:27 and began to proliferate. 08:29 And in the course of time the process is that 08:33 God put into place began to continually 08:36 form different humans, different races. 08:40 I can speak for myself, I'm literally a milkshake 08:43 of various nationalities. 08:45 Some times people send me emails, John, 08:47 and they say what are you 08:49 and I was--I knew what they meant, 08:51 or I know what they mean, 08:52 but sometimes I drag it out what am I, 08:55 they say what race are you, I said human race. 08:59 But in fact my mother is Filipino and French, 09:03 the European French. 09:04 My father is Native American and African American, 09:06 so right there you have red and yellow, 09:08 black and white, all four. 09:10 And so whatever the cause maybe 09:12 we are as we go back to the--our humble beginnings 09:16 we see that we're all sons and daughters of God. 09:19 Now the reason I say that because we had a pastor, 09:21 very dear friend of mine, who as a he result of slavery 09:27 there were many people that came out with very, 09:30 very fair skin and green eyes and straighter hair 09:34 and then there were others that 09:36 because of the intermingling 09:38 of the different nationalities, 09:40 the different races and so he said he was tracing his family 09:44 through John, he got all the way back to the place where 09:46 he ended up at a shack somewhere in the south 09:49 and that really discouraged him until one day 09:50 he said he was reading his Bible. 09:54 And he says we are sons of Adam who is the son of God 09:59 and that was encouraging to him enough to let him know 10:02 that truly regardless what happens thousands of years 10:06 later we are all children of the Most High God 10:09 and that was the encouraging thing to him. 10:11 So let's celebrate our diversity, 10:15 let's celebrate our unity and let's celebrate the Lord 10:18 that He has given us this 10:20 wonderful garden of nationalities. 10:25 Selena in Birmingham, U.K Birmingham, 10:29 but if was somewhere and I say Birmingham, 10:31 but is from Birmingham, the United Kingdom, 10:35 that's how they say over there Birmingham. 10:37 Okay let's go to the question. 10:40 How can we prove that when Jesus said 10:42 He would send comforter He was referring to the Holy Spirit 10:47 rather than the Prophet Elijah Muhammad 10:51 that's an easy one? 10:53 I'm glad you send that question because 10:54 I--the one thing I do as I allow 10:56 the Bible to speak for itself. 11:00 Muslims believe that when they said he was saying 11:02 another comforter they believe that he was sending 11:05 a replacement for Jesus and they said 11:07 that was Elijah Muhammad. 11:08 But let me let Bible speak for itself 11:10 listen to the following text, 11:11 I'm making little larger for me to see them. 11:14 It says I'll start with John 16 verse 17, 11:20 "Nevertheless, I tell you the truth 11:23 it is to your advantage that I go away, 11:25 for if I do not go away, the Comforter or the helper 11:29 will not come to you, but if I depart, 11:32 I will send him to you." 11:35 The suggestion is that means Elijah Muhammad, 11:37 but listen to the other words of Jesus. 11:40 John 14 sorry John 14 verse 26, 11:47 "But the Helper or the Comforter, 11:51 the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, 11:56 he will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance 12:01 all things that I said to you. John 15:26, 12:06 "But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you 12:12 from my Father, the Spirit of truth 12:16 who proceeds from the Father, He will testify Me. 12:20 So it's not Elijah Muhammad, 12:22 as well many as Muslims maybe on that note 12:27 the helper that's talked about, 12:29 the helper that talked about there is not Elijah Muhammad, 12:33 but the Holy Spirit. 12:34 And by the way John many people didn't know 12:36 that the prophecy was established by Jeremiah. 12:38 Jeremiah 47 verse 4, And I will pray the Father, 12:42 and He will give you another helper, 12:43 that he may abide with you forever 12:45 that sounds just like John doesn't it 12:49 almost the quote exactly, 12:50 but that was Jeremiah 47 verse 4, 12:54 I will pray the Father, 12:55 and he will give you another helper, 12:56 that he may abide with you forever 12:58 and Jesus repeat those words, 12:59 He says the helper is the Holy Spirit 13:02 whom My father will send. 13:03 Another thing to is abide with you forever 13:06 that's something clearly Muhammad has died 13:10 and is not with us right now. Right. 13:11 So that's not forever. Very good point. 13:14 All right good, good answer. 13:16 Okay I have a question about speaking in tongues, 13:19 question that we do get from time-to-time. 13:22 And it is, it goes as this, it goes as follows 13:25 and looks like it's from Dyane, yes Dyane. 13:29 I would like to understand the meaning 13:31 of the gift of tongues, 13:35 and also why the tongues, 13:39 these tongues are not practiced at all 13:42 in the SDA Church. 13:45 Interesting here 13:50 the gift of tongues is found 13:52 where its first scene in Acts Chapter 2 13:56 and so you got to go there first of all to establish 13:59 what the gifts of tongues is in practice. 14:02 In other words as evidenced by the story 14:04 of the gift of tongues descending upon disciples 14:08 as they prayed in the upper room. 14:10 So we will do that in just a moment here, 14:12 but there is a suggestion here that the gift of tongues 14:14 isn't practice at all in the SDA Church. 14:17 And I have heard and this maybe just 14:19 that you haven't heard accounts of this, 14:20 but I would I've heard many accounts of individuals 14:24 within the gift of tongue, within the Adventist Church 14:27 using the gift of tongues or having bestowed upon them 14:30 the gift of tongues to breakdown 14:32 the barriers to communicate the gospel 14:34 to others where there is one that maybe only speaks English 14:38 and the other one speaks Spanish and they are together 14:40 and the ones speaking English communicates in a way that 14:43 the one speaking Spanish clearly hears 14:46 and that's miracle of God at work. 14:48 But it is in his own or her own language. 14:52 And so here's what we need to read from Acts Chapter 2 14:57 and this really the foundation of all gifts of tongues. 15:01 And I'm reading now from verse 7 15:04 now if you recall they were in the upper room, 15:08 they were praying for the gift of the Holy Spirit, 15:10 Holy Spirit comes upon them and God bestows the gift 15:14 of tongues because in the immediate sense 15:17 this is what they needed to be able to 15:18 communicate the gospel. Right. 15:20 So they went out to preach and that's the first thing 15:23 they did after being bestowed this gift, 15:26 it was to preach. And it says in verse 7, 15:30 and these were those who were being preached to 15:33 "That they were all amazed and marveled, 15:35 saying to one and another, Behold, 15:37 are not all these which speak Galileans? 15:41 And how here we every man in our own tongue, 15:45 where in we were born. 15:47 So these were Galileans and they were preaching to people 15:53 who were not Galileans and the people 15:55 listening to the preaching were hearing 15:57 in their own language, their own tongue. 16:01 This John is really the basis for all expressions 16:06 of the gift of tongues. Right. 16:08 Is to communicate the gospel where you don't know language 16:10 that the other one knows, but they can hear it 16:12 in their own language, simple as that. 16:15 To go further on that definition is to read 16:18 into the text something that is not there. Okay. 16:22 It's just simply that, you are adding to that text 16:24 that something is not, simply not there. 16:27 And, you know, I don't know why people are just so bent 16:30 on wanting to use this 16:36 strange language. 16:38 Somehow they feel they can fool the devil 16:40 and him not being able to decide what they are saying. 16:44 What so weak about that is if we believe that 16:46 the Lord is greater, if He that is with us is greater 16:50 than he that against us which in fact is true 16:52 if you're in Christ. 16:55 Why do we feel we have to somehow fool the devil? 16:58 Then there are others who say well, 16:59 the reason I don't pray it loud 17:01 is because the devil may hear my prayer. 17:04 I may send a an answer that 17:07 averts me away from God's will. 17:10 Those are crazy things 17:13 that have been conjured up, 17:16 that's spiritualistic term for the purpose of giving you 17:20 impetus to do something 17:22 that is not really supported by scripture. 17:24 So don't be side track by this need to speak in tongues 17:30 when you're not the one that determines the need. 17:33 The gift, all the gifts of spirit 17:34 are imparted by the spirit as he wills. 17:36 Yes, exactly the spirits, that gifts that we have 17:39 everyone of them amplify that John for brief moment here 17:43 because you know these gifts that people 17:45 are wanting so badly are being pushed 17:48 by many denominational leaders when in fact the Bible 17:52 is in essence saying desire the best gifts 17:55 that you may edify the church. 17:57 I wouldn't give you a shovel if you wanted to be painter, 18:01 it wouldn't really fit. 18:03 I wouldn't give you a kite if you planned on 18:06 flying that kite in a closet, it really wouldn't get, 18:09 it will never get off the ground. 18:10 We have to understand the gift is proportionate 18:12 to the situation that you're in. 18:15 If you're in a place like my good friend 18:17 Pastor Doug Batchelor once one day. 18:20 I don't think he will mind me sharing the story. 18:22 He used to pick a hitchhikers years ago and one day 18:25 he picked up a Spanish person who all the way from Texas 18:29 up to Kouvola where ever he picked him up, 18:31 they communicated back and forth without any problem. 18:35 When he got home and the guy was there for a couple of days 18:37 his friend, I won't mention Doug's friend name, 18:41 I know him very well. Said hey, Doug, 18:43 I didn't know you spoke Spanish. 18:44 Doug said I don't Spanish, he says well 18:45 that's what you were speaking to that guy 18:47 and Dough didn't even know he was communicating 18:50 in a different tongue to a man of a different tongue. 18:53 Did God see the need for that communication to happen, 18:57 yes he did. And to finish the story, 18:59 it's very wonderful story. 19:01 The guy confessed after couple of days 19:03 being with Dough there in Kouvola, he said, 19:04 you know my intention was to rob you. 19:07 But somehow God got hold of me through the journey 19:12 we took together and my life has been changed. 19:15 And so you see friends, that was the purpose 19:17 of the gift of tongues to lead a person to Christ 19:20 because this person did not understand English 19:22 and Doug did not have the ability to speak in Spanish, 19:25 but God fix it so, Doug spoken his language 19:29 the wonderful works of God. Yes. 19:32 That's how that happens, that's the gift of tongues. 19:34 It's something he didn't have the ability to do, 19:36 no, but God gave him that ability. 19:37 And he didn't even ask for, the Lord, the spirit 19:39 gave him because the moment required that. Right. 19:42 You know, what gets me, John, 19:43 these preaches many of them that teach their churches 19:45 to teach, to preach in tongues, 19:47 they will go over to foreign country 19:49 and take an interpreter with them. Is that odd. Yeah. 19:54 They say speaking tongues 19:57 as the evidence of the Holy Spirit. 19:58 they do it in their church, you know, 20:00 is really call glossarial confusion, 20:03 but they go to a foreign country 20:04 and they take a interpreter with them, 20:05 so they don't really have the gift of tongues. 20:07 Well, speaking of interpreter, 20:08 let me share a another passage. All right. 20:10 With our viewers and our listeners, 20:13 1 Corinthians 14 verses 26 to 28. 20:16 Notice this, this is the practice again 20:18 of the gift of tongues, How is it then, brethren? 20:21 When ye come together, every one of you has a psalm, 20:24 has a doctrine, has a tongue, has a revelation, 20:27 has an interpretation. 20:28 Let all things be done unto edifying. 20:32 If any man speak in a tongue, and, you know what, 20:35 some scriptures add unknown tongue there, 20:40 that is not part of the original manuscript. 20:42 That's right. It is not an un-this is not seen 20:43 as unknown tongue, tongues are languages spoken 20:48 that others know, okay. 20:50 So in this specific Bible I got here the word 20:54 unknown as italicized, becuase 20:57 it doesn't appear on the original. 20:58 So if anyone speaks in an unknown tongue or tongue 21:02 let it be by two, or most by three, and that by course, 21:06 let it be let one interpret. 21:08 "But if there is no interpreter' notice this, 21:10 this is a rule 'let him keep silence in the church, 21:14 and let him speak to himself, has to God."' 21:18 All right, so if there is no interpreter 21:21 and this will John has broken over and over and over again. 21:26 You and I went to meet with a minister of your community 21:31 very locally here and we spend sometime with them 21:34 and you know the object is to just get to know each other 21:38 and get to know each others face and built relationships 21:40 and bridges there. And this one guy step forward, 21:44 I don't know if you remember this, 21:45 he starts-speaking in tongues. 21:49 Everybody you could see those who are part of the church 21:52 that she did this start getting wild up, 21:55 remember that and there was getting 21:56 an increasingly excitement I'm thinking to myself 21:59 right there, where is the interpreter here. 22:01 We're breaking all kinds of rules and this is over 22:03 I see this repeatedly, they are breaking their own rules. 22:07 Well she finally settles down, 22:09 everybody else does and you stepped in, 22:11 I remember this very distinctly. 22:12 You stepped in, you said I've a song 22:13 that I want to kind of share with everybody. 22:16 And during your song everybody was at peace in worship, 22:20 it was like a contrast of black and white, 22:23 darkness confusion and then during the song 22:27 it was this that's the gospel being communicated. 22:31 And so even just, that's just one story of many stories 22:35 we can tell you about this. 22:37 The gift of tongues is so misinterpreted 22:40 and so misused today, I truly can say with 22:45 absolute conviction that there is a false, 22:49 a counterfeit tongues going around and Christian Churches 22:53 are playing a huge part in propagating that counterfeit. 23:00 That's true. Christians are the first offenders, 23:03 because for some reason one of the deception that Satan 23:07 has infiltrated the church with is, 23:11 this whole idea of speaking in tongues. 23:13 But John I would like you to read 23:15 Revelation Chapter 16 verse 13 and 14. 23:20 And when you read that I want you to note specifically 23:24 where deception is introduced, 23:28 where deception is introduced, 23:30 listen to this verse 13 and 14. 23:34 "And I saw three unclean spirits like frogs 23:37 coming out of the mouth of the dragon, 23:42 out of the mouth of the beast, 23:43 and out of the mouth of the false prophet. 23:46 For they are the spirits of devils, working miracles, 23:50 which go forth unto the kings of the earth 23:52 and of the whole world, to gather them 23:55 to the battle of that great day of God Almighty. 23:58 What better way to gather people than through the mouth, 24:01 false doctrines, false exercise 24:05 of the gift of the spirit, miracles, miracles, you know, 24:09 when you mention miracle service now days, 24:11 people come out in the drove buses come out pack 24:15 because they want this instant pill 24:17 and America particularly is a great offender in this area, 24:21 because the gospel has been, 24:23 has become an enterprise in America, 24:25 is a biggest way to make money. 24:29 And so there are many people that are using the gospel 24:31 for selfish motives, I talked about that in a series I did. 24:34 But this out of the mouth, out of the mouth, 24:36 out of the mouth, glossarial, 24:38 the false use of the gift of tongues, 24:41 miracles the false use of miracle 24:44 for the purpose of leading people to ignore the plain 24:47 "Thus saith the Lord" 24:48 and accept the miracle in replacement for it. 24:51 So you see clearly the devil said, 24:52 I'm going to use the mouth to deceive 24:55 and that's exactly what the tongues movement is, 24:57 the use of the mouth for the purpose of deception. 25:00 Jesus said that your father, the devil is a liar 25:02 and he has been a liar from the very beginning. 25:03 Yes, everything he says is a lie. 25:06 And so anyway here is the last one I think, 25:09 well, maybe the last one. 25:12 I'm trying to make it through with this cold hampering 25:14 me here, so be patient with me. 25:17 Greetings in Jesus Christ, I'm concerned because 25:19 several women in our fellowship have wandered 25:23 into the word of faith movement 25:25 through popular television evangelists 25:28 and not Seventh-day Adventist Church. 25:31 They have been insisting that if you can believe anything 25:34 according to the God's will, so the salvation of loved ones 25:38 and not a doubt it will come to pass. 25:39 In other words, if my mother does not find her way 25:42 to salvation it is my fault, because I did not excuse, 25:47 I did not exercise in our faith, 25:49 or if some one's husband does not come back 25:52 to the marriage, it is their fault. 25:55 The fault of the one praying for the outcome 25:58 that because she didn't have or exercising her faith 26:02 after all God hates divorce. 26:07 So what is the correct way to view the passage 26:10 in Matthew 17 and verse 20, 26:12 let's go there Matthew 17 verse 20. 26:17 This passage reads as follows 26:20 because of your unbelief 26:23 for shortly I say to you and John I'd like you to read 26:26 the verse before that I have it right, 26:27 I brought up from my computer but read verse 19 26:30 and see this connect us in the context. 26:34 Then came disciples to Jesus apart, and said, 26:37 Why could we not cast him out? 26:39 That is they tried to cast our demons 26:42 and there weren't able to do it. Right. 26:44 "And Jesus said to them, Because of your unbelief 26:47 for verily I say unto you, If ye have faith 26:50 as a grain of mustard seed, 26:51 ye shall say unto this mountain, 26:53 Remove hence to yonder place, 26:56 and it shall remove, 26:58 and nothing shall be impossible unto you." 27:01 So the bottom-line is here as Jesus said, 27:04 simply it says, be it unto you according to your faith, 27:07 faith has lot to do with, that's just one factor. 27:10 But the Lord works in other ways, 27:13 let me use my life as an example. 27:15 As a teenager I love the church, 27:18 went out into the world for many years, 27:20 the lady who raised me in the church did not know 27:21 what happened to me, I went out of the world. 27:24 And somebody may say, well, but she prayed 27:28 she prayed for him to be saved, well, you know, 27:30 what the problem is lot of times 27:32 we want it to happen our way, 27:34 on our time according to our clock. 27:38 Against the free will of another. 27:40 Against the free will of another. 27:42 A couple things you need to know, 27:43 as God does not enforce Himself or force Himself 27:46 where He is not invited. 27:47 Secondly, God does do something. 27:50 Hosea says, I will not allow Gomer, 27:55 she would pursue her lovers' the thing she like, 27:57 but she will never catch up with them. 27:59 And there are many people pursuing the things 28:00 they like and the reason why they don't catch up 28:02 with them or have satisfaction in those areas, 28:04 because, is because we prayed for them. 28:07 He said Lord, they are not in Christ, 28:10 I pray that one day they will be saved, 28:12 let that one day be in God's timetable. 28:16 So the people that say, well, 28:17 you didn't have enough faith no. 28:18 No there is this word of faith in ministry 28:21 going around now a days. 28:23 They talk about not the faith to move mountain, 28:26 but the faith to move your pocketbook 28:29 or the faith to plant a seed of faith, 28:33 that's what they are doing in essence it's a another way 28:35 to deceive people, deceive this the minds of the simple. 28:39 So here it is, well, God respond to your life 28:42 according to your faith, yes. 28:44 But if you pray to somebody else or force someone else 28:47 give God the latitude and freedom to work it out 28:50 in his timetable in harmony with their human heart, 28:54 he will not allow them to go down the wrong path eternally, 28:58 because He is still pursuing them, 29:00 but even if they choose not to follow Him, 29:02 the Lord will so work out situations 29:04 that they will not find pleasure 29:06 in the things that they pursue. 29:08 I know that, I can give you 29:10 some personal experience there, but it's not warranted. 29:13 Let the Lord save that person 29:14 according to His own timetable. 29:16 I could suggest. Yeah. I will suggest. Okay. 29:19 Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane 29:21 prayed that they cut my past from him. That's right. 29:23 Was that prayer not a prayer of faith? 29:25 Very much so. It was a prayer of faith, 29:28 Jesus always prayed in faith. 29:29 And what did He add to that. 29:31 He added, but not My will, thou will be done. 29:34 That's right. And so he left 29:35 it in God's hand this is what we're saying, 29:37 pray with all faith, but leave it in God's hand. 29:40 That's right. Not just name it, 29:42 claim it and you got it. 29:45 As a matter of fact there is a phrase 29:47 that the prosperity theology, people that are opponents 29:50 to the prosperity theology, they said opponents 29:53 to our prosperity theology have given the teachings 29:55 a number of negative label such as "Name It and Claim It" 30:00 and Blab It and Grab It" 30:04 excuse us for the levity, but that's the funny one. 30:07 "Blab It and Grab It". "Blab It and Grab It" 30:08 or "Name It and Claim It" 30:10 that just that's entrepreneurship in America. 30:12 We have found many in diverse ways of getting money 30:15 from people and this is just another way, 30:17 word of faith "Name It and Claim It" 30:19 and what they're talking about primarily is how much money 30:21 they could name and how much money they could claim 30:23 look at the bottom-line, it's financial not spiritual. 30:26 That's right, right. 30:27 Well, thank you for your questions. 30:30 I know that we've, taken the time, 30:33 we generally try to get there at lease three questions. 30:36 But comments will come forth from you and questions 30:39 may come forth from you. 30:40 If you have any questions or comments 30:41 you can send them here to housecalls@3abn.org 30:45 that's housecalls@3abn.org and we thank you 30:48 for your faithfulness, you know you pray for us, 30:51 we appreciate that. You send us questions, 30:53 we do appreciate that. 30:54 You financially support 3ABN we sure do appreciate that, 30:57 because we believe the undiluted 30:59 Three Angles Messages must go to the world 31:02 before Jesus comes. So thank you for that. 31:05 John lay the foundation for our topic today because 31:08 we're winding up on "Why So Many Denominations"? 31:11 Yeah there is, we've been talking about of course 31:13 the Mother Church of all denominations and we explained 31:17 how we arrived at that title from the word of God. 31:20 We're using Revelation 12, Revelation 17. 31:24 We've also began to explore the harlots or her children, 31:28 the harlot and her children, the children that came out of, 31:31 came from her from Revelation 17 31:33 and we've looked at various Christian denominations 31:35 not covering them all, but generally just covering 31:37 some basic principles of some of the major denominations 31:40 and shown where they are in harmony with some scriptures, 31:43 not in harmony with other scriptures and that those that 31:46 they are not in harmony with often come from 31:48 the Mother Church Babylon, the Church of Rome. 31:52 But now we're getting to an area 31:54 where there is a couple of churches 31:55 that claim complete divergence from Rome, 31:58 they don't claim any connection 32:00 or line to the authority of the Church of Rome. 32:03 Yet we will find in both of these, 32:05 there is an absolute connection to it, 32:08 just the same as the others, not only that, 32:10 we're gonna find that these two churches 32:13 diverged significantly from what commonly is referred to 32:17 at least in general refer to is orthodoxy, 32:20 the general orthodoxy of the Christian faith. 32:23 And so these two we'll talk about today 32:26 our Jehovah Witnesses and the Mormon Church 32:29 or the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints. 32:33 You know John I often said, 32:36 as Adventist we are latter-day saints 32:38 and we are witnesses for Jehovah. Yeah. 32:40 But we don't fall into the label 32:42 of the Jehovah's witnesses nor do we fall unto the label 32:44 of Mormon Church, because we don't hold many things 32:47 in common with them, but they are some things, 32:49 what I like to do is as we begin with the, 32:52 with the Jehovah Witnesses, let me outline the ones 32:56 we hold in common and then I'll have you amplify, 32:58 we'll go back and forth on. 33:00 But we can go back one, two, three, four, five 33:01 and go to the ones that we hold in common. 33:04 First of all some of the doctrines 33:06 that we hold in common that are scripturally support, 33:08 scripturally supported by the Bible. 33:12 Is the priest of, the priest would have all believers 33:15 and all are called to be witnesses. 33:18 Accountability. Right. 33:20 Acts 5 verse 29 and 32, 33:25 we all His witnesses 33:27 and so else where those who obey Him. 33:30 He gives a spirit to those who obey Him, 33:32 those who are filled by the Holy Spirit are witnesses. 33:35 And by the way when we're witnesses, 33:36 we are not witnesses for ourselves, 33:38 we are witnesses for Christ, witnesses of Christ. 33:43 Very good, you know, the one that actually 33:46 we agree with as Adventist that is found in the Bible 33:49 is also accepted by Jehovah's Witnesses 33:52 is the condition upon death or the State of a Dead. 33:56 And that is that, when one dies 34:00 there is no immortal soul 34:02 that goes on to exist in heaven 34:03 in its own conscious state, 34:05 but there is a returning 34:09 of the body to dust 34:11 and a returning to God of the spirit 34:14 which is the essence of life, the breath of life itself 34:17 which will one day be restored 34:18 back to them at the resurrection. 34:21 Now the resurrection is we have differences 34:23 of opinion there, but at least the condition 34:25 upon death we do agree that they have that right 34:28 according to the scriptures. 34:30 The other one is the Annihilation of the Wicked. 34:34 We also believe that sinners cannot burn 34:35 for ever and ever, because they don't have eternal life. 34:38 Jehovah's Witnesses also believe that, 34:41 that God will not burn sinners in hell 34:43 for millions of years, but they will ultimately 34:46 be consumed supported by the Bible, number four. 34:50 Baptism by Emersion and so that's something 34:53 that they believe in which is biblical. 34:58 And finally. Signs of the Times. Go ahead. 35:01 In the eminent end of the world, 35:04 we disagree to what that end and how that end will be? 35:07 But we do believe that, the Bible does give us signs 35:09 that the end is near and they agree with that, 35:11 they, they believe the same. 35:13 You know the, when you look at the inception 35:16 and the growth of the Jehovah's Witnesses, 35:20 a man by the name of Russell. 35:25 They used to be called Russellites and, you know, 35:28 I lived in Brooklyn, New York, where they have their major 35:33 international headquarters of Jehovah's Witnesses 35:36 is in Brooklyn, New York. 35:38 We, when you go on to Brooklyn bridge, 35:39 you pass by this big building, 35:42 when you're going on the Brooklyn bridge from Brooklyn 35:44 and you make that first turn, 35:46 you see this big signs cynicism, 35:47 witness Jehovah's Witnesses are watch tower. 35:50 And that's where their main headquarters 35:52 is located there in the international headquarters 35:55 by the way in Brooklyn, New York. 35:58 But, the biggest, the biggest concern 36:02 I have with this particular denomination 36:04 is that Jesus is demoted. 36:07 I mean, Jesus is the lesser God 36:10 and his Father is the greater God. 36:12 They don't look at Jesus as being equal 36:14 with the Father in anyway. They say, well, 36:17 you know, he has some characteristics, 36:19 but God is greater than Him and He is lesser. 36:21 And they look at those statements that Jesus made 36:23 in the New Testament, where He said, 36:25 there is none good but one that is God, oh, 36:28 my father is greater than me and they put that 36:30 in the context of, that means at all times 36:34 what he was talking about that was in his condensation 36:36 mode as a human walking the earth. 36:39 Surely, God, in human flesh is not as great as He was 36:45 saying the God, He was saying that 36:46 as He was in human flesh, 36:48 His father was greater than He is. 36:51 But I want to look at some of the parallels John, 36:54 and walk us through that because there are some, 36:55 there are some similar parallels 36:57 between the word Jehovah. 36:59 And by the way the word Jehovah 37:03 is not prevalent orthodox scripture, 37:05 it was written in different ways like Yahova, not "J", 37:09 the letter "J" was not used there, was the letter "Y". 37:13 But look at some of the parallels between Jehovah 37:17 and Jesus and see if they are the same person. 37:19 Yeah, John, there Jehovah is God, 37:22 that's the name they use for God and, Jesus, 37:25 it says all together different. 37:26 So let's look at the text. That make them the same. Okay. 37:30 Okay, so number one, Jehovah is Glory. 37:33 We get that from Isaiah 42 verse 8. 37:36 Jesus is Glory, Matthew 16:27 parallel, connection there. 37:42 Jehovah is creator, Isaiah 40 verse 28, 37:46 Jesus is creator, Ephesians 3:9. Clear. 37:50 Jehovah is redeemer, Isaiah 33:22, 37:54 Jesus is redeemer, Acts 4:12. Clear again. 37:59 Jehovah is judge, Isaiah 33:22, 38:02 Jesus is judge, John 5:22. Jehovah is king, 38:07 Isaiah 33:22, Jesus is king, Revelation 19:11to 16. 38:11 That's right. Jehovah is the rock, 38:14 Deuteronomy 32:3 and 4, 38:17 Jesus is the rock 1 Corinthians 10:4. 38:20 And Jehovah is beginning, has a beginning 38:22 and has no beginning and ending, 38:25 Jesus has no beginning and ending either, 38:27 Jehovah's Isaiah 41:4, Jesus', the reference for Him 38:31 is Revelation 1:8 through 11. 38:34 Same person, Jehovah is Christ, 38:38 Christ is fully God and the Bible is clear on that. 38:41 Now John, I've met with Jehovah witnesses, 38:44 I'm sure you have too in your house, 38:46 they usually--I got one shot, 38:49 because they don't come back after one opportunity, 38:52 but I sit down with them on one time 38:54 and here's two things that really, 38:58 I think are deceptive as far as 39:00 practices are concerned. All right. 39:02 Number one, you have to use their Bible, 39:06 because the other Bibles misinterpret it. 39:08 What that is saying is that, God to me, 39:11 it is saying that God, that I should not trust 39:16 in the Bible as God has passed it down through time. 39:21 Where God says his word could be trusted, 39:24 I should now not trust the word, I need to trust 39:26 in the Jehovah's Witness's translation of the word, 39:29 okay that's problematic. 39:31 The second thing 39:32 is they will not read any material 39:37 except that is produced by their church, 39:42 by the Watchtower Society, whereas as an Adventist, 39:47 it's permissible to explore my faith by reading 39:50 other material to validate that what I believe is true. 39:53 That's right. So it's even encouraged 39:55 in our studying to look at extra material to make sure 39:58 that what I believe and what I have held 40:01 is truth is accurate. 40:03 Right, where, they are not even given 40:05 the opportunity to do that. 40:07 So they will--they have a free dialogue for a time, 40:09 but they won't get into a serious study 40:11 using another book, Bible, except their own, 40:15 nor will they read any material you want to give them 40:17 to help them study on their own. Right. 40:19 So they've actually cut themselves completely 40:21 off to any influence that the Holy Spirit 40:25 might be giving them or leading them 40:27 to a different understanding of the gospel 40:30 than what they hold. 40:32 You know, to say reality is if Jesus, 40:33 And that's cultic, I'm sorry that's cultic. 40:35 Okay, I'm glad you said that. 40:37 The reality of it is, 40:40 if my religion cannot stand up 40:43 to the test of scrutiny, 40:45 then really it has no foundation, 40:47 because the Bible says, the winds and the ways of life 40:50 will beat with all force against our homes, 40:52 but anything established on the rock will make it 40:55 through wil stand. 40:57 And so that's--what is often done in having 40:59 met with many Jehovah's Witnesses in New York, 41:02 I have met them in California, where I lived in to study, 41:06 to study, to study and the topic of Jesus 41:08 is one that is repetitious topic. 41:11 If for some reason they are trying to get Jesus 41:13 out of the picture as the one through whom we are saved. 41:17 How can you be saved by the one 41:20 that you teach has been created? 41:24 He is either the creator, or he is the created. 41:27 If he is the one that was created, 41:29 He can't redeem us. 41:30 He himself needs a redeemer. Right. 41:33 Because nobody who is created can be the redeemer, 41:37 you see, so what's the biggest issue 41:39 with this defying or this de, 41:44 yeah, defying of Jesus. 41:46 They are just lowering Him from being almighty God 41:51 to being mighty God. 41:52 But there are number of scriptures that 41:53 really the Jehovah's Witnesses have a hard time with. 41:57 I, one Sunday morning, used one of their Bibles, 42:01 when I met a young man by the steps of my house 42:03 as I was on my way to play basketball and had his Bible. 42:07 And he said to me, you know, no, 42:08 you can't use any other Bible and they also believe 42:10 the Sabbath is done away with. 42:11 They believe the Commandments 42:12 went out of the cross and number of other things. 42:15 But he wanted to use his Bible to show me 42:17 that the Commandments were done away, 42:18 but then they are all bundled together. 42:20 And I showed them this text and by the way 42:22 if you ever have an opportunity to use a New World Translation, 42:26 here is something you can do. 42:27 And this is just go to Deuteronomy 5 and verse 22, 42:32 now, you will see something. 42:34 I will just punch it up on my computer here, 42:36 thank the Lord for technology 42:40 and in Deuteronomy 5 verse 22, 42:44 this is the text that in the New World Translation, 42:48 it really punches away at the idea 42:50 that all the Commandments were coupled together. 42:53 If you look at this text, the New World Translation 42:55 it reads as follows. 42:57 This is the New Kings James version by the way. 42:59 And it says, these words the Lord spoke 43:01 to all the assembly in a midst in the mountain, 43:04 from the midst of the fire, the cloud 43:06 and the thick darkness 43:08 with a loud voice and he added no more. 43:11 That is when He gave the commandments, 43:12 He added no more, He wrote them on 43:15 two tablets of stone and gave them to me. 43:17 In the New World Translation, it says, 43:20 and he added nothing. 43:24 So Ten Commandments, and how much that he add? 43:26 Nothing, I use that Sunday morning, 43:30 that Sunday morning many years ago in New York City 43:32 was standing there with my basketball uniform on, 43:35 this tall straightly young man was gonna train 43:38 two Jehovah's Witnesses girls by grand standing me. 43:43 Well, they end up walking away, 43:44 because his own Bible condemn the idea 43:47 that the Commandments are coupled all in one 43:50 bundled together with all the other laws 43:52 and ceremonial rituals of the Jewish faith. 43:55 It says and he added nothing, how much did he add? Nothing. 43:59 He couldn't do anything with that, 44:00 so they walked away. 44:02 But here is the bottom-line, whenever a person 44:06 is leading you to minimize Jesus 44:08 and this is huge, 44:09 bit of Sunday sacredness and immortality of the soul, 44:12 this is just as diabolical when you say the one 44:15 who has just saved you 44:16 is really a created being, 44:18 you have just cancel your salvation, 44:20 because he can't save you. 44:21 Because the creator, and you made the statement, 44:24 I want to restate, the creator can only save, 44:27 He is the only one that can save His creation. 44:29 Right, and the reason for that is there has to be 44:31 a link between us and our redeemer, 44:34 so that where by we as created beings 44:37 can reach up and clasp or grab 44:39 the hand of divinity to elevate us above the sin that we have. 44:44 Right, we are utterly depended upon our creator 44:47 being fully God and fully man, 44:50 that link has to be together. 44:51 And if you are saying He is lesser God 44:54 and man which I don't even think they had the man part, 44:57 just see He is a lesser God, right, then it completely blows 45:00 out of the water salvation and I am sorry, 45:03 that's a huge problem. 45:04 Let's just share a few others 45:05 because we have another one before we finish, 45:07 we have about few minute, not too many minutes left here. 45:10 Okay, Sunday, obviously they believe in Sunday sacredness, 45:13 one of the things that clearly 45:16 that does it ties them to Rome. 45:18 They would like not to think that, 45:20 but that's where the Sunday, you know, the Sabbath 45:23 was apparently or intended to be changed 45:26 by Roman Catholicism to being Sunday. 45:31 One of the other things that they do, 45:34 that teaches it's very unique is that 45:35 Christ presence although invisible 45:39 in a spiritual sense came to this earth in 1914. 45:45 Yes, that's right. 45:47 And there I--we don't even have time to get into 45:50 all how they arrived at that, 45:51 but when you read scripture, 45:53 you read clearly that the next time 45:55 He is coming again, He is coming to receive 45:57 us to Himself that where we, He is there we may be also. 46:02 So if He came to this earth, already again, 46:06 we should already be with Him 46:08 and so that is problematic we find as well with scripture. 46:13 You want to add anything on that? 46:15 I do, I do, just to give you a text 46:17 that I talk about a moment ago. 46:20 This passage, Jesus is obviously the redeemer. 46:24 Listen to this, this is very powerful passage, 46:27 Isaiah 44 verse 6, and I am reading 46:29 the New Kings James version, Isaiah 44 verse 6, 46:35 "Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel, 46:39 and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts." 46:43 This is what they say, "I am the first, 46:46 I am the last, besides me there is no God." 46:50 And verse 8 says, "Is there God besides me, 46:52 indeed there is no other rock, I know not one." 46:57 So you find here the Redeemer and the father 47:01 literally calling themselves the first and the last, 47:05 beside me there is no God. 47:08 Clear indication, not a clear indication 47:10 but a clear statement showing that divinity is throughout. 47:13 Jesus is not less, so what you have Father, 47:17 then the Son and the Holy Spirit 47:19 all being lesser, no, these three are one. 47:22 These three are unified in the plan of eternity 47:25 and in the plan of salvation. 47:26 Amen, the last thing that I just mentioned here 47:29 that they do not support or do not believe 47:31 in His literal six day creation week. 47:36 They believe that creation 47:39 was 7000 years long, 47:42 probably ties in a day 47:48 is a 1000 years which is a day to us 47:53 or 1000 years to us is a day to Christ, 47:55 is that the text you--, yeah, the day that 47:57 you spoken of God's creation actually is a 1000 years long 48:00 each one of them which is where they get to 7000 years. 48:03 Of course creation was over six days, 48:05 God did not create on the seventh day, 48:07 He established and blessed that days 48:08 of day of rest from creation. 48:10 So even their own logic, 48:14 it should be 6000 years but anyway. 48:16 Okay, do you know any vegetation that can exist 48:19 in darkness for a 1000 years, or 500 years 48:23 and repetitively speaking, repetitively 48:26 the sad reality that is denying the very fact of creation, 48:30 so Jehovah's Witnesses belief not only minimizes 48:33 Jesus to the lesser God, takes Him out of the rank 48:36 of creator because the creator, 48:37 I mean sorry, takes Him out of the rank of the redeemer 48:40 because the redeemer has to be the God. 48:43 And then secondly he denies the very fact 48:45 of the six literal creation days of the week. 48:50 All right, now let us go on to the Mormon Church and, 48:55 you know, as we get into what they believe here, 48:59 we are going to find that it's highly divergent 49:02 from the scriptures as we know it. 49:05 They have another book called the Book of Mormon 49:08 what they say is a higher authority 49:10 than the scriptures themselves 49:11 because the scriptures are only as good as 49:14 they are translated correctly and so that's the problem 49:17 because again what we find as with Jehovah's witnesses 49:20 there is minimizing of the authority 49:22 of the scriptures themselves. 49:24 Of course, you know, that the logical thought John 49:26 is that if the scriptures may be translating correctly 49:30 well I can't trust them, right, 49:31 and you destroy the authority of the Bible that way. 49:34 You know, there are these four aspects here, 49:37 number one, the Roman Catholic Church says, 49:40 that tradition is over the scriptures. 49:43 Then you have in the reformation Sola Scriptura 49:46 which is the scriptures of the Bible 49:48 and the Bible only as the authority for our will 49:51 or our will of faith in practice 49:53 and then you have these two groups coming along. 49:55 Now, they are saying, well, it's not properly translated, 49:57 so you can't trust it. 49:59 And then you have Christian science, 50:00 which is saying it's all allegorical, 50:03 look at the attack on God's word. 50:06 It's coming from every angle, 50:08 but the only one clearly led by God himself 50:11 during the reformation was Sola Scriptura. 50:13 Right, so if a denomination doesn't believe 50:15 in the Bible and the Bible only? 50:18 Don't go. Right. 50:19 It's a dangerous setup-- It's a-- 50:22 It's a dangerous setup and I had a chance to go to Utah 50:27 to the Mormon Temple there and I asked that very question 50:30 and one of the I'm using the phase, 50:34 disciples there said. 50:35 Well, as I said, you know, 50:37 what bothers me is that if you give out the Bible, 50:39 you give out the King James Version Bible 50:41 to the people you come in contact with is that a hook? 50:44 They said what do you mean? 50:45 I said, because you don't really believe it. 50:47 They say we do believe it as it's translated 50:50 by the Book of Mormon. 50:52 So you have this one man Joseph Smith, 50:55 who is the authority over the 66 books of the Bible 51:00 written by some 27 different authors. 51:04 Does that make sense? 51:06 Doesn't really make sense. 51:07 So you have this one man, 51:08 who must take his word over all the writers of the Bible, 51:12 who are not in comfort with themselves. 51:14 And the facts don't add up. 51:16 Because what we have are Dead Sea Squirrels 51:18 to go back before the time of Christ 51:21 that are proving that the major books 51:24 of the Bible including the Old Testament 51:27 scriptures are accurate, 51:29 they have been translated correctly. 51:32 So it's nice to say well so many years, 51:35 I mean they can't possibly be correct, 51:37 but yet we are finding old manuscripts, 51:40 old copies of the scriptures that are accurate. 51:45 That the only issue involving some of them 51:48 in the translations you only issue involving 51:50 the translations as it's passed on 51:52 on are grammatical things, are things that are of 51:55 minor importance that just one transcribed correctly, 51:58 but the words themselves and the import of the meaning 52:01 of the scriptures, it's nearly perfect. 52:04 So they tell you all this time can't be translated correctly, 52:07 isn't translated correctly, but the facts don't add up. 52:10 It's just simply not true. 52:12 It doesn't add up, and the reality of it is, 52:14 if it doesn't add up, it's not going to add up. 52:17 So don't seek to find harmony among something 52:20 that is devoid the word of harmony. 52:22 Now, we're about to end quickly, 52:23 so let's just cover the other things 52:25 really fast as to what they believe. 52:28 They believe that man is an immortal soul, 52:30 he existed, but he goes further than that. 52:32 He preexisted with God, 52:36 prior to being make bodies for. 52:38 So when God created the world, 52:39 when people are born, 52:41 they have a body that is put into them, 52:43 an immortal soul that has no awareness 52:46 that they already preexisted immortal soul. 52:48 As a matter of fact, John I have to say 52:49 something on this, I was in the, you know, 52:52 my voice is changing as we sit here, 52:55 I am the way passed puberty, this is a cold. 52:58 But as I visited 53:00 the Mormon Church there in Utah, 53:05 Salt Lake City, they have this long mirror John, 53:08 this is really amazing and they show 53:10 the progress of a person's life all the way through, 53:13 from birth to death, to going back to heaven as it were. 53:19 They show first the man in the spirit form 53:21 at the beginning and then they show him on earth 53:24 and I asked the lady to explain that to me 53:26 she says, we believe that all humans 53:31 that eventually exist here preexisted as souls, 53:36 as these divine babies or divine spirits in heaven. 53:41 And when a body, when a baby was born 53:45 on the earth that soul went into that baby. 53:48 And specifically one of the reasons 53:49 why they have so many, many children 53:52 is because in order for that baby 53:55 that soul to return to heaven, 53:58 they have to learn the lesson well 54:00 in order to qualify for being able to return. 54:05 Once again, a complete system of works, 54:10 they have to work their way into the God's favor 54:12 to get back and I tell you John, 54:14 I have video and pictures of that 54:16 and I thought to myself, Lord have mercy, 54:18 just when you think it's safe to go back in the water, 54:20 I am just making it very clear, 54:22 you went to something like that. 54:24 They also don't believe that sin 54:25 is a real major problem either 54:27 because sin is something that we experience 54:29 as we are given a soul to a body, 54:31 We're experiencing the body, so that we might identify 54:33 with evil and know the full aspect of God. 54:37 So at the view of evil and it's origination 54:40 all those things is completely contrary to scripture, 54:42 they mean, you know, Jesus is a polygamist, 54:46 He was married to Mary, Martha and the other 54:48 Mary Magdalene and so that's where 54:53 you get polygamy coming from. 54:58 And you know, they also- there are some things they do well 54:59 which is they build the family unit as a strong, 55:02 as a strength of their church, that's the real identifying 55:05 kind of wedge, they seek to help to 55:08 or bridge I should say that they bring 55:11 with other Christian churches as they try to bring others 55:14 into their faith is this family building up 55:16 of a family and stuff to. 55:18 So, but there are so many other things 55:20 that we haven't really talked about Jesus now currently 55:22 preaching to spirits, immortal souls in prison. 55:25 You know, as we end here John, 55:27 here is one thing that I want to comeback to, 55:30 as I met with my a Mormon friend of mine 55:32 that I had some studies with, I said, I can't get past 55:36 the two things you still use or still have in common 55:39 with every other church. 55:40 That's right. 55:42 And you identify, with the mother church, 55:43 the Church of Rome, and you can't get away from it. 55:46 It's staring at you in your face 55:47 and you don't even see. 55:48 He said, what's that? 55:49 I said, Sunday worship and the immortality to soul. 55:54 Bible simply doesn't teach you and I went through 55:56 and showed it to him and he thought well. 55:58 His response to me was, you are the first pastor, 56:01 in any denomination, I have ever gone to, 56:04 and I have been to a lot 56:05 who not only will study with me, 56:07 but is giving me answers to my questions. 56:10 And that's a good thing because there are many 56:14 sincere people in the walk of Mormonism. 56:17 I know people that have come out that movement 56:20 and became Seventh-day Adventists. 56:23 So you have individuals that have joined 56:25 other churches one of the things that 56:27 the Mormons were concerned about 56:29 or the Catholic church was concerned about 56:31 is that people were leaving their movement 56:33 becoming Mormons, Jehovah's Witness 56:35 and Seventh-day Adventists and Pentecostals. 56:38 Those are the four major groups that 56:39 many former Catholics were becoming members in, 56:43 and so that was the concern that they had. 56:44 However, if you study the Bible 56:47 and allow God's word to lead you, 56:49 it will always lead you to the truth 56:51 and you will not find Sunday sacredness 56:53 nor the immortality of the soul in that moment. 56:56 I'd rather stand before the judgment of God 56:58 before Christ himself and say, 57:00 Lord the only answer I have for you 57:02 is I followed Your word, rather than to say, 57:06 but I try this other book, 57:08 or my pastor said, or this or that. 57:10 I followed your word. 57:12 And so, you know, think about that, 57:14 the importance of that, that is the basis of our faith 57:16 and should always be the basis for everything we believe. 57:19 That's right friends, we don't cut the cheese here 57:22 at House Calls except right down the middle, 57:24 and so continue studying God's word, 57:26 continue trusting God's word 57:27 and you will never end up in darkness. 57:29 You will always walk in His marvelous light. 57:31 God bless you, have a great day in Christ. |
Revised 2014-12-17