28/07/2009

  • Change in Confessional Subscription

    Two weeks ago, I have changed my personal subscription to Confessions.   I subscribe (and my future household will subscribe) to the following as being wholly agreeable and entirely subordinate to the Bible:

    Belgic Confession

    Heidelberg Catechism

    Canons of Dort

    Church Order of Dort

    Solemn League and Covenant

    (I also still subscribe to the other Westminster Standards in so far as they agree with the aforementioned  Reformed Standards.)

16/01/2009

  • Four observations over the past week

     1.   On Friday, I went to my favorite Recreational Park for a workout.    In a field off one of the Perimeter Trails, I noticed 2 deer initially.   Then I stopped and counted what I saw or heard.   There were 13 total deer: 11 deer in the field and 2 calling and running forth and back and scraping their antlers in the adjacent woods.    I am no hunter, but I suspect the 2 in the woods were males battling over the small doe herd in the field. (Is it still rutting season?)   If they were there the next day, then the Game Wardens would have easy pickings for the Wildlife Management Hunt that the County has been holding in that park to cull the deer population.

    2.  That same evening, I was looking through the channels.   Of the religious channels, I usually watch EWTN (a major Catholic network), which is much better than the other religious channels on there such as TBN which caters to Pentacostal Looneyland.    The guest priest in their Mass was one from their right-to-life organizations, and his sermon was a good one on prayer.    However, in the midst of the 2nd part of the Mass ("Liturgy of the Eucharist") when Communion is consecrated and served, I noted that the people ironically sang a Lutheran hymn "Wie Schön Leutchet der Morgenstern".  

    3.   In a discussion with a fellow Protestant Christian this week, the common myth on Catholicsm keeping the Bible from the people arose.    I've heard the same myth propagated in a Reformed Elder's sermon in the past.    Neither proved or substantiated their assertions.  Especially on matters of religion, I am not a "Yes" man.   From reading history, related engineering technologies, and religion; I have strongly been of the position that Catholicism did NOT keep the Bible from the people and that there is no substantial evidence that Catholicism overwhelmingly kept the Bible from the people.  

    4. Today, I went to the Rec Park. As I went along the Perimeter Trail, I saw 5 deer on one soccer field (2 darted in the woods) a little lower than the trail. On another section, there were 10 deer running from a soccer field (about 15 feet higher than the trail), down the steep hill from the field, across the field, and into the woods. In the same field as I mentioned in #2, there were 2 other deer. It seems the Rec Park is a deer haven except on Wildlife Management Hunt days. 

13/01/2009

  • Christanity vs. Mormonism

    Inspired by a Reformed brother's posting the Christian testimony of a former Mormon missionary, I am reposting an excerpt each from my 2 LDS Membership removal letters that addresses certain teachings of the Mormon religion, that re-affirms of true Christianity and the one true Church, and that repudiates false religions and churches.   The biblical Truth therein would also address all other false religions especially those that masquerade under the descriptor "Christian".    Hopefully this week, I will post a long article on Divine Revelation.

    (To the Catholic who, yesterday, requested one verse supporting Sola Scriptura in the Bible:  #17 is the first part of my answer to you with several verses.  Please expect the 2nd part of my answer hopefully this week.)

     

    My Letter #1 Excerpt

    1.  The true Gospel (and by necessary implication, the identity of God) is of first and primary importance.  Anything else (the organization of the Church, the name of Jesus Christ in a church’s name, apostolic and priesthood succession, how to love our neighbor, the “Great Apostasy”, Visions and Apparitions, miracles, the mode of Baptism, the use of water in the Lord’s Supper, the plethora of non-LDS churches, supposed medical and scientific evidence, et cetera) matters worse than nothing if a church does not teach the true Gospel.   If a church does not follow the true Gospel of Jesus Christ or follows a foreign god, then that church is a false church and a synagogue of Satan under God’s TWICE-SAID damning curse.  It is interesting to note that the verse in Galatians effectively means human OR ANGEL.   (1.Corinthians 15:1-3; Galatians 1:7-12, Matthew 7:15-23)

     

    2.  God is indeed Triune and is not dependent on any other person for creating the angels, human souls/spirits, and the rest of the seen and unseen Universe and spiritual realms.   It is interesting to note that 2.Nephi 31:21, Alma 11:44, Mosiah 15:4-5, Mormon 7:7, D&C 20:28, and Moses 1:20 are, individually and collectively, Trinitarian passages which Joseph Smith Jr. and the LDS Church repudiate in one later D&C passage (D&C 121) and extra-scriptural teaching and effectively rejects those parts of the Book of Mormon, Doctrine & Covenants, and Pearl of Great Price.   Either the Godhead is Triune (one God) or three separate God-beings; it canNOT be both.   (As I have mentioned, God is Triune: 3 God-persons in 1 God-being.)  Hence, the LDS Church and its extra-biblical Scriptures self-contradict each other when it comes to the identity of God, and its official anti-Trinitarian claim and teaching are false.   (Isaiah 44:24, Psalm 33:6; Nehemiah 9:6; Deuteronomy 6:4, Mark 12:29 and 32, James 2:19; Matthew 11:25-27, John 1:18, 2 Timothy 1:2; John 1:1, John 5:17-22, John 8:53-58, John 10:27-30, John 14:7-11, John 20:28-29, Romans 9:5, Philippians 2:6-7, Hebrews 1:8 and 10-12; Acts 5:3-4, 2 Corinthians 2:9-13; Matthew 28:19, Luke 3:21-22, John 14:26, John 15:26, John 16:5-7, John 17:25, 2 Corinthians 13:14, 1 Peter 1:2)

     

    3.  God has always been without any gods or “Heavenly Fathers” before or after Him. (Isaiah 43:10-11; Isaiah 44: 6,8; Isaiah 46:5, 9; Isaiah 42:8; John 8:58)

     

    4.  Each Person of the Godhead, including Jesus Christ, has been and will always be eternal God and did not advance from mere spirit beings to Godhood either in the spirit realm or having to go through mortal human life.  The Godhead has lived and will live literally from infinite time to inifinite time.  The Godhead has no beginning and no end.   Hence, contrary to what “Prophets” Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and Lorenzo Snow taught; the Father did not go through a mortal life on this or another planet or star, and He has no Heavenly Father, Heavenly Grandfather, Heavenly Great-grandfather, et cetera.   The LDS notion of God’s eternity can also be disproven in a very simple manner through Transcendental Mathematics (the mathematics dealing with infinity and other non-linear functions).   (Colossians 1-2; Isaiah 9:6, John 1:1, John 8:53-58, John 10:27-30, John 17:5, John 20:28-29, Hebrews 1:10-12, Revelation 1:1 and 8 and 11; Habukuk 1:11; Malachi 3:6; Psalm 90:2; Numbers 23:19; Rom. 1:20-25; Rev. 9:16; Hosea 11:9; Psalm 119:142)

     

    5.  God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Ghost are all Uncreate. (John 8:58; Genesis 1:1-2 with John 1:1-3, Psalm 104:30, Revelation 1:4-5 with 4:11)

     

    6.  The only true God (i.e, the Triune Christian God) is omnipresent in the fullest sense of the word. Each Personage of the Triune Godhead can be wholly and simultaneously present at any location.  (Isaiah 66:1; Jeremiah 23:23-24)

     

    7.  Since Lucifer is a created being and Christ is not a created being; Lucifer (who later fell in rebellious pride against God and became Satan) is not the spirit brother of Christ or of any human.   Humans and angels are indeed not interchangeable unlike the LDS teaching on the Archangel Michael becoming Adam, Noah appearing as the Archangel Gabriel to Blessed Mary, and the character Moroni in 400 AD appearing as the Angel Moroni to Joseph Smith, Jr., in the 1820’s.  Revelation 14:6 does not refer to Moroni.  (Genesis 3:24; Exodus 25:20, Psalm 128:2-5, Colossian 2:15, Rev. 14:6)

     

    8.  The true Gospel is the following.  Christ died for our sins to save us by Grace Alone through Living Faith Alone (God’s instrument and gift, not a work) by Christ alone.  Salvation is the full and entire economy/order of salvation from pre-creation Election to Justification to Glorification.  (Glorification is similar to but not the same as LDS Exaltation.)  No part of that salvation is dependent on any of our works or so-called LDS “Gospel laws” (or “First Principles”) except that “Gospel law” of faith.  Our works, even any Sacrament or ordinance (being a sacred work of man) or fasting, done in righteousness are reckoned as debt and like filthy cloth and does not merit or qualify us for salvation whether in whole or in part.  Any claim to a work saving us nullifies the Grace of God and entirely repudiates Faith.    James 2:24 does not pertain to justification before God, and John 3:5 does not indicate that Baptism is required for salvation.  (Ephesians 2:1-8; Luke 23:43; Isaiah 64:6; Romans 4:2-4; Titus 3:5; Galatians 3:6; Romans 4:9; Romans 11:6; Acts 16:30-31; Romans 3:28; Galatians 3:10; Romans 10:9; James 2:23; Gal. 5:4; Romans 10:9; Romans 4:13-14; Genesis 15:6; Romans 9:11-12; Romans 9:16; Romans 3:20-21; Galatians 2:15-16; Matthew 15:28; Mark 10:52; Matthew 9:22; Romans 9:31-33; Matthew 23:23; Matthew 23:13; Luke 11:52; Hebrews 11:4; Romans 4:6; Acts 10:43; Philipians 3:9; Luke 18:9-14; John 5:24; Acts 15:9; 1.Peter 1:5; 2.Timothy 1:9; John 3:36)

     

    11.  Not all humans are Elect since some humans do not have faith in the one true God, and without faith it is impossible to please God (and be saved).  (Matthew 11:25-26, Romans 9:11-13 and 18 and 20-23, Romans 11:7-8, Hebrews 11:6; 1 Peter 2:8, Jude 4)

     

    12.  Contrary to the LDS church’s teaching of Universal Atonement and Universal Salvation, although Jesus has the ability to atone for the sins of the whole world, the Atonement is effectual only for the Elect who turn to Him for salvation.  (1.John 2:1-2; Hebrews 7:24-26; John 10:11, 14-15; John 10:26-29; John 6:37, 44; John 8:47)

     

    13.  Unconditional Election occurred without respect to any created being or choice of man as God is not a respecter of persons.  (Romans 9)

     

    14.  Only the Elect go to Heaven. (Matthew 25:31-46)

     

    15.  Contrary to the LDS church, when we die, we go straight to God who assigns the Elect to Heaven and the Reprobate to Hell (Hell being the equivalent to the Mormon Outer Darkness) and we never through any intermediate Purgatory or Spirit Prison or intermediate Paradise, and there is no 2nd chance to accept the Gospel and thereby no way to do vicarious ordinances for the dead.  Hence, vicarious ordinances (even the ones I’ve done at the _____ Temple) are also not true.  (Heb. 9:27, Luke 16:19-31; Matthew 25:1-10; Psalm 49:6,7; Matthew 26:1-10)

     

    16.  Indeed, after our full salvation is consummated when Christ returns and judges the world, the Elect will receive varying glories in the single Kingdom of Heaven.  Contary to the LDS teaching of the 3 Kingdoms in addition to the Outer Darkness in the afterlife, there is only one Kingdom (i.e, Heaven also known as the City of God), not 3 kingdoms, where the entire Godhead (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) reigns and lives.  (Revelation 4, 5, 21)

     

    17.  Contrary to the LDS church; the Protestant Canon of the Bible in its original writings is infallible, inerrant, the Word of God alone, and the only Scripture.   With the one of many examples I stated in #2; the LDS extra-biblical Scriptures (Book of Mormon, Doctrine & Covenants, and the Pearl of Great Price) err and therefore are not infallible and are not the infallible Word of God.   It is interesting to note that in the Title Page’s closing sentence of the Book of Mormon, Joseph Smith Jr. implies the possibility of errors in the Book of Mormon and later in the Book of Mormon’s Introduction and his later teachings, erroneously claims that it is the most correct of any book (even more correct than the Bible).  (2. Timothy 3:16; Psalm 53:1-3; Rom. 3:23, Rom. 5:12; John 20:30-31; 1.Peter 1:20-21)

     

    18.   Original Sin (Total Depravity) is indeed Truth.   Because of the Fall, we are totally unable to turn to Christ and seek after Christ apart from the inward regeneration of the Holy Ghost.   It is not that we seek after and find God, but rather God sought us and found us who were running as fast as we can from God to Hell.   Because of Adam as the God-appointed federal head of the human family, all men die and are born totally depraved and in a state of sin (original sin).   Even so, through Christ, the Elect are made alive and are saved.   (Romans 6, Psalm 51, Psalm 53)

     

    19.  The LDS Prophets and Apostles from Joseph Smith Jr. to the current “Prophet” Thomas S. Monson are false “Prophets, Seers, and Revelators” and wolves in sheep’s clothing.    Necessarily false prophets who profess Christ and add things to salvation without biblical warrant are blind leading the blind and are also effectively legalistic Pharisees that, as the Lord Jesus Christ Himself says, bind man’s conscience with unnecessary rules and makes their followers twice as much as children of Hell as themselves.   (Deut. 13:1-3; 18:20-22; Isaiah 41: 22-24; Isaiah 44:25; Jeremiah 14:13-15; Jeremiah 23:32-34; Ezekiel 13:1-10; Ezekiel 22:28; Gal. 1:8-9; Titus 1:16; Matthew 7:15-23; Matthew 24:23-25; 2.Corinthians 11:13-15; 2. Peter 2:1-3; 1.John 4:1, Matthew 23)

     

    20.  Visions and miracles can and certainly do happen even in these last days.   Some are truly of Christ such as 2 miraculous physical healings I’ve personally witnessed, but there are some that are not of God but of Satan.  The Bible is clear that in these last days, Satan who can be a powerful impostor of Christ will seek to deceive and apostasize many through counterfeit visions and miracles that mimic the power of God but are in reality the power, sophistry, and deception of Satan.  Visions and miracles alone do not give veracity or basis to a church.  Alas! The LDS church’s sole basis is Joseph Smith Jr.’s First Vision in 1820 and the visionary beings’ telling him that every Christian church at that time is an abomination to the Lord!   According to 1 Nephi in the Book of Mormon, it rightly says that every church that is not part of the Lord’s Church is part of the Church of Satan.  However, the LDS church accords, in self-contradiction and false ecumenism, the name “Christian” to non-LDS churches (part of Satan’s church in the Book of Mormon’s perspective).   A Christian Church cannot be simultaneously part of Christ’s Church and Satan’s Church.  (Matthew 24:26, Luke 21:7-9, Acts 2:17, 2.Tim. 3:13-14, 2Thess. 2:5-12, Revelation 13:11-13, 18)

     

    21.  Because the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints has not the true Gospel or the true identity of God,   Joseph Smith Jr.’s First Vision was Satan masquerading as a Heavenly being (masquerading as God the Father and God the Son in that case). (Matthew 7:15-23; Matthew 24:23; 2.Corinthians 11:14)

     

    22.  The “Great Apostasy” occurred during the Reformation when the Catholic part of our Lord’s Church (the major part, not the entire Church) apostatized from following AntiChrist who infiltrated the Church even in the Apostles’ time.  The Bible does not indicate that the entire church must apostasize but rather Christ will not let Satan prevail against His Church to the extent of total Apostasy.   Not all of the Church apostatized or fell away. (2.Thessalonians 2:3-5; Matt. 16:18 cf 28:20)

     

    23. Contrary to the LDS Church; the US Constitution is not a divine or inspired document.  Religious liberty, as the US has and the LDS Church supports, is not found in the Bible, and a church is NOT to be politically neutral since the spiritual welfare of the nation is at stake.  The Church and State are to remain separate as to their God-given roles but never to the extent of Disestablishmentarianism (i.e, not establishing true Christian religion as the Nation’s religion), which compromises and maligns Christ, His Church, and His Gospel; introduces and permits a plethora of false religions (including atheism) that do not have the Gospel; negatively affect the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom and His Gospel on the Earth; and are invariably a moral and social threat to the nation.    The nations and their Governments, as they are called (civil) ministers of God by God through Paul, are to uphold and preserve Christ and His Church in the land, to encourage them that do good, to threaten and punish those that do evil, and to suppress all forms of public heresy.  The Church is to address the nation on its spiritual state when the State calls the Church to do so.  Even when the State does not call the Church to address the nation spiritually, the Church is witness of Christ and call all evildoers, even individuals and nations, to salvation in the Lord Jesus Christ.  (Psalm 2 and Romans 13)

     

    24.   All LDS ordinances (including my Baptism, Confirmation, ______ Priesthood ordination, Baptisms for the Dead, Confirmations for the Dead, and several Priesthood Blessings) are invalid as they have the appearance of godliness but deny the power thereof and are not done with the true commission and authority of Jesus Christ.  (2.Tim 3)

     

    I renounce my LDS creed and strongly re-affirm the following Creeds and attest to their Scriptural truth:  the Apostles Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Athanasian Creed, the French Confession, the 1647 Westminster Confession of Faith, the Westminster Larger Catechism, the Westminster Shorter Catechism, the Solemn League & Covenant, the Westminster Directory of Family Worship, the Westminster Directory of Publick Worship, and the Form of Presbyterial Church Government.

     I know that my total salvation comes as a free gift of God (Romans 6:23), and that there is absolutely no way that I can earn it, and that even to attempt to do so is to insult the One who offers salvation to me. I have been born again, saved by grace, which is totally inconsistent with the teaching of the Book of Mormon at 2 Nephi 25:23.

    I have also found that the LDS Church has not been open with its people. Joseph Smith was not a true prophet of God, as he violated the Biblical standards of a true prophet as laid down in Deuteronomy 13:1-3 and 18:20-22. He violated the first passage by proclaiming, “...you have got to learn how to be Gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, the same as all Gods have done before you...” (The King Follett Funeral Discourse as recorded in Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pages 345-348). This is in direct violation of what God has said in Isaiah 43:10: “Before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me.” This teaching is causing people to follow after ‘another god’ as Deuteronomy 13:2 said would happen. This alone makes Joseph Smith a false prophet. However, it is quite easy to list a number of false prophecies of Joseph Smith that allow him to qualify under the teaching of Deuteronomy 18:20-22. Some of these would include Doctrine and Covenants section 111, 114, and 124:59-60. The most amazing, however, is the entire Book of Abraham, which is, in reality, the Egyptian Book of Breathings taken from the Egyptian Book of the Dead, all of which is totally pagan material.

    I renounce my LDS creed and strongly re-affirm the following Creeds and attest to their Scriptural truth:  the Apostles Creed, the Nicene Creed, the Athanasian Creed, the French Confession, the 1647 Westminster Confession of Faith, the Westminster Larger Catechism, the Westminster Shorter Catechism, the Solemn League & Covenant, the Westminster Directory of Family Worship, the Westminster Directory of Publick Worship, and the Form of Presbyterial Church Government.

     

    My Letter #2 Excerpt

    I likewise strongly re-affirm that (1) the biblically orthodox Protestant churches constitute the one and only true Church of Jesus Christ and exclusively have the ministerial authority to administer the ordinances of God and (2) that all other churches (including biblically heterodox Protestant churches, the Catholic church, and the LDS church) are false churches and synagogues of Satan and do not have any true pastoral, priesthood, or ministerial authority to administer the ordinances of God.   I repudiate, in the strongest yet most charitable terms, the false, heretical doctrines and the pretended, usurping authority of the LDS Church.

31/10/2008

  • HAPPY REFORMATION DAY!!!

    Unbeknownst to most Christians, October 31 is Reformation Day, which has often been overshadowed by the pagan “holy day”  Halloween.  Reformation Day is not a holy day according to Scripture and thus not obligatory on the Church or on men's consciences, but I personally celebrate it in thanksgiving to God for the Reformation.

    On October 31, 1517; our bold brother Rev. Dr. Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the Wittenberg Castle Church door and thereby started the (Protestant) Reformation.   By 1517, our Lord’s Church had many ceremonies and worship innovations (indulgences, the Church above Scripture, Salvation through faith and works, holy days to Mary and the saints, saint worship, Mary worship, &c.) that had and still have no basis/warrant in Scripture and thereby have no rightful place in the Church or the Christian life.    (The counter-response to the Reformation by Roman Catholicism was the Counter-Reformation and the Council of Trent, which effectively sealed the apostasy of the Roman Catholic part of our Lord’s Church by dogmatizing salvation through faith and works, Church Tradition being equal to the Bible in infallibility, and other atrocious teaching and practices.  Even today, the Roman Catholic Church remains apostate.)

    The true Gospel and Christ’s Kingship was at stake in the Reformation, and thousands have given their lives to protect the Gospel and Christ’s Kingship during the Reformation in Europe, the related Inquisitions in France and Spain, the related Killing Times in Scotland, and even today in closed nations (China, Iran, Vietnam, etc.).

    The Reformation’s purpose was and always has been to return the Church to its pure, unadulterated form found during the time of Jesus and the Apostles.     (Just as we individuals are imperfect sinners though saved by God’s Grace, the Church is imperfect in the same respect.   Hence, the continual need to reform the Church until Christ comes again.)   For more information on Reformation Day and the continuing Reformation:

    http://www.stpaulskingsville.org/reformation.htm (FAQ’s on Reformation Day answered by a conservative Lutheran church)

    http://www.monergism.com/directory/link_category/MP3-Audio--Multimedia/Celebrate-Reformation-Day/ (from Monergism, a conservative Christian site)

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reformation_Day (from Wikipedia)

    Halloween, other “holy days”, and man-made worship innovations have no support/basis/warrant in Scripture and hence no place in the Church or Christian life according to conservative view of the (Presbyterian) Regulative Principle of Worship.    Hence, I personally do not celebrate or observe those things.

    On Sola Fide against those who claim faith is still in salvation by Grace through faith and works:

    In the New Testament (especially Romans 1-9, Romans 11, Ephesians 2, and Galatians),  claiming works to save us nullifies God’s Grace and by necessary implication, also nullifies and completely devalues Faith.  Therefore, salvation through faith and works is really salvation by works alone despite what faith-and-works-based people may erroneously claim about still having faith in the equation.   As the Old Testament Prophet Jeremiah said, “our righteous works are filthy rags”.  Works show that we have love for God and living faith, but they, being imperfect due to sin, always fall short of God’s glory and can never save us in whole or in part. 

20/10/2008

02/08/2008

  • The Election, Economy, and Business

    I hope God will have His hand on the upcoming election (and He will since our God is a Sovereign, Provident God whose Will cannot be thwarted). I don't like the platforms of any of the candidates, but as my friend Sarah mentioned from the humour in the great movie "Master and Commander", I intend to vote of the lesser of the two evils (i.e, vote Republican). Only once in my history of voting have I voted for a Democrat (5th Congressoinal District - VA), but that was 15 years ago in my college freshman year. He was later replaced with another Liberal who thankfully turned Conservative. Ever since, I've always voted Conservative. These bail outs (and subsidies) that Congress is handing out (and the longstanding federal commodity quotas such as the Sugar Quota) concerns me because I think it stifles free trade/enterprise and interferes with the natural way and course of business. I don't like for a business to fail, but if a failure will teach how a business to become more efficient and warn others to become more efficient, then let inefficient businesses fail to promote free enterprise and not waste money through quotas and subsidies. (I advocate a laissez faire approach to the economy with minimal subsidies, more WORK-fare, and minimal quotas; but the British tyranny during the Irish Great Famine is laissez faire to an unnecessary extreme.)

    Welfare (known as the Dole in the UK and Ireland) is fine, but it is being constantly abused by those who can work but choose to remain lazy. We taxpayers are footing the bill for those lazy abusers on welfare. Welfare should only be given to those on medically verifiable disability (i.e, those who truly can't work).

    If a Government resorts to pay farmers not to grow something (as the US does and as Christian author Larry Burkett mentions in his book "Business by the Book"), then that Government (whatever world State) is a sorry Government indeed.

    BTW, these issues are only indicators/fruit of the root problem. The root problem is not welfare, liberal vs. conservative, or the quota and subsidy system. The root problem is our nation's forsaking God (and not recognizing the giver of true liberty) for the last 230+ years. Fix that root problem, then a huge majority of other problems will be resolved.

  • Re-opening contact (conditionally) with the LDS

    ___________
    ___________, MD ______
    August 1, 2008

    Mr. ___________, __________ Ward Bishop
    ______________
    ___________, MD ______

    Dear Bishop _______:

    This letter is being sent to you by certified mail, return receipt requested. Its purpose is to inform you of reinstating contact and to express thanks to you and President ________.

    I am informing you that effective immediately, I have opened conditional contact with members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (hereafter LDS Church).   The related condition regarding contact is that any future contact by an LDS member is not purposed to persuade me to return to the LDS Church.    The reinstatement is due to 2 main reasons:  (1) necessarily having to discuss business with LDS that are on my business marketing team and (2) LDS friendly acquaintances (from your ward and also elsewhere in the US) that have expressed interest in retaining contact on a non-spiritual level.   If an LDS person tells me about his/her involvement in the ward or about LDS history, I am accepting of that, but I will neither entertain nor tolerate spiritual conversation purposed toward LDS apologetics or to persuade me to return to the LDS Church.    Again, if an LDS member is experiencing a physical emergency, I will indeed help them to the best of my ability if the member calls me since I will help all people in emergencies regardless of religious creed.    However, there is still no intention or desire whatsoever to return ever to the LDS Church.

    Regarding your past concerns about people in your ward being swayed from being in contact with me, they are valid concerns.   Your concern should be minimal since all of my friendly acquaintances in the LDS Church are currently not open to converting to orthodox Protestant Christianity.   If a person (of whatever religion) is not open to converting, then I always will treat them with biblical charity.    It is very unfortunate and deplorable that, in the early days of the LDS Church and even in isolated cases today, some non-LDS Christians in various unbiblical ways have not treated their LDS neighbors in the Lord with biblical charity.   Though LDS and non-LDS are not brothers and sisters in the Lord, LDS and non-LDS are certainly neighbors in the Lord, and Christ in the 2nd greatest Commandment (upon which hang all of the Law and the true Prophets) exhorts us to love our neighbors as ourselves.   This is not to say that I will never evangelize LDS.

    On the evening of July 31, 2008; I received a telephone call from an LDS sister missionary.   I could not recognize the voice and the caller ID didn’t match the missionary numbers at your ward.    I believe she mistakenly called me since the missionary was asking to speak to another person.   She did enquire if I had my copy of the Book of Mormon, and I answered her in the affirmative.   (I still have my LDS “Quad”.)   To her credit, she respected my wishes when I expressed that I was not interested in the LDS Church.    Since I am taking the missionary’s telephone call to be an honest mistake, I am forbearing the incident.

    On July 2, 2008; I received a letter from the membership and statistical records office of the LDS Church in Salt Lake, and that letter is written confirmation and acknowledgement that I am no longer a member of the LDS Church. I express great and sincere thanks to you and President ______ for respecting my desire and acting according to my wishes in a very quick and efficient manner.

    Sincerely,

    (Signature of full name)

    Whitney ______
    _____________
    ____________, MD _________

    I write this letter and bear this testimony in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

28/07/2008

  • My response to a Reformed Christian about crosses inside & outside of worship

    No, I believe that it would not be right (i.e, biblical) to use it to
    represent the Christian religion. The center of the Christian
    religion is Christ, and any representation of the Christian religion
    would be representing Christ though perhaps indirectly. There is no
    avoiding visibly representing the Christian religion without
    representing Christ. Also, most importantly, it goes back to the
    Regulative Principle and hence the sufficiency of Scripture as rule
    of faith and worship. If we can use the cross to represent the
    Christian religion (and Christ) to the world, then there must be
    warrant in Scripture either explicitly or by necessary inference.
    In Scripture, the only elements to represent the Christian religion
    (and Christ) are the visible Sacraments: Baptism and the Lord
    Supper, which are the Gospel set before our eyes. For that, we have
    Scriptural warrant; however, Scripture again sets forth how those
    Sacraments (and the signs/emblems in those Sacraments) are to be
    adminstered (when, by whom, and how). We don't have Scripture
    warrant apart from the administration of the Sacraments (by lawful
    ministers of God) to display such representative emblems willy-nilly
    to the world. Further we, are exhorted by Scripture to set our
    mines on things above, not on finite, corruptible things (eg,
    crosses, worldly treasure, etc.) below regardless of how "holy" or
    spiritiually significant they are. The word of the Gospel, its
    visible signs of the Sacraments, and its outward effect in our lives
    are the alone sufficent and alone biblicaly warranted means to
    represent the Chrisitian religion. We need no other means.

    Although the Reformers and their teaching are fallible and
    subordinate to Scripture, I don't think that in their godly lives or
    their congregation's lives one could find an example of their
    teaching or condoning the display of the Cross to represent the
    Christian religion.

    When I visited land of the Covenanters (the original Presbyterians)
    in 2006, I saw Glasgow Cathedral and other places where they tore
    down such symbols of Christ and Christianity to reform the Lord's
    Church back to pure, simple, Scriptural worship. I am sure that
    before such destruction of idols, there were both kinds of crosses
    (even the pagan celtic cross of my Papist and pagan Irish ancestors,
    the Papist non-empty cross, and the empty cross). They tore them
    down because it was not in accordance with or warranted by Scripture.

    To add to what Scripture warrants smacks of false religions (and
    especially the pride of sinful seeking to find positive signifance in
    his sinful state) especially Popery and Mormonism that always want to
    have a visible means apart from the Gospel and the Sacraments to
    represent Christ and Him Crucified.

    Therefore, my summary reason for not using the Cross for representing
    Christanity is that there is primarily no warrant in Scripture to do
    so and subordinate to Scripture, no evidence in the Reformers lives
    or teaching to condone such unwarranted practice. In other words,
    there is no evidence explicitly or by necessary inference to give
    warrant to such representative practice.

    If you think that there is Scriptural warrant to have the cross
    represent Chrstianity (and also therewith and inseparably, Christ),
    then please show us how Scripture would provide warrant.

    FCC&C,
    Whit _____
    Free Church of Scotland (Continuing), Communicant Member
    Washington Metropolis, DC

07/07/2008

  • "Controversial" Survey (as seen on myspace)

    Do you have the guts to answer these Q's and re-post as The Controversial Survey? YES

    Would you do meth if it was legalized? NO

    Abortion: for or against? CATEGORICALLY AGAINST

    Would our country fall with a woman president? NO.  THOUGH I AM AGAINST THE IDEA OF A FEMALE PUBLIC SERVANT/OFFICER, OUR NATION MORE THAN LIKELY WOULD NOT FALL BECAUSE OF A SINGLE FEMALE PRESIDENT

    Do you believe in the death penalty? YES

    Do you wish marijuana would be legalized already? YES BUT ONLY FOR MEDICAL PRESCRIPTIONS

    Do you believe in God? YES AS EXPLAINED BY THE ORIGINAL WESTMINSTER STANDARDS

    Do you think same sex marriages should be legalized? NO

    Do you think its wrong that so many Hispanics are moving to the USA? NO AS LONG AS THEY ARE LEGAL IMMIGRANTS/TRANSPLANTS

    A 12 year old girl has a baby..should she keep it? YES BUT ONLY UNDER THE CLOSE SUPERVISION OF A MATURE ADULT

    Should the alcohol age be lowered to 18? YES

    Should the war in Iraq be called off? NO

    Assisted suicide is illegal...do you agree? YES (IT IS ALSO NON-BIBLICAL.)


    Do you believe in spanking your children? I DON'T HAVE CHILDREN YET, BUT YES, I WILL SPANK THEM IF CIRCUMSTANCES WARRANT.


    Would you burn an American flag for a million dollars? NO UNLESS IT WAS A DIGNIFIED, SOLEMN, PRIVATE DISPOSAL OF A WORN, TATTERED FLAG


    A mother is declared innocent after murdering her 5 children in a temporary insanity case? NO. I BELIEVE THIS PARTICULAR CASE WARRANTS THE DEATH PENALTY. IN ANY CASE, THE PERSON (JUST AS THE REST OF US) WILL EVENTUALLY HAVE TO APPEAR BEFORE THE PERFECT, SUPREME JUDGE OF THE UNIVERSE (GOD) WHO CANNOT BE DECIEVED AND WHO WILL JUDGE RIGHTEOUSLY AND WITH PERFECT JUSTICE.


    Are you afraid others will judge you from reading some of your answers? NOT REALLY. I FEAR GOD MORE THAN MAN.

02/07/2008

  • The deplorable spiritual state of the world

    A man put his very soul on web auction:

    http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080702/ap_on_fe_st/odd_soul_auction

     

    Thankfully, the auction site cancelled the auction.  However, it among people actually selling their lives and now souls to other humans who can't save them is quite unbiblical.    If you want to sell your soul, sell it to Jesus Christ who is God, who is the Lamb without blemish, who already paid the enormous debt for your sin, and who alone can ransom your soul from Hell (Rom. 6:23, Rom. 5, Eph. 2:1-8).