My Journal

This entry is intended to give light from the Truth. The Truth shall set us free.

Audio archive can be downloaded HERE.

The term extremist would be preferable among other accusations.

Summary:

1. Rev. Chi claimed according to the Bible, only vine (grape) fruit juice and unleavened bread can be used.

First of all, the Bible never says one must use unleavened bread or wine or vine fruit. Consequently, if
the formal was so, it would be very hard for some people in certain places and
certain time to be able to fully appreciate the true meaning of Holy
Communion. Therefore, without understanding of the true purpose of the
Lord's Supper, Rev. Chi had given a sermon that's full of bondage and
promoting the risk of self destruction (2nd Peter 3:16). What a pity.

2. (At Audio Recording time: 13:27) Rev. Chi used the verse
1Corinthians 11:27 to explain the word "理" from "不按理" to further his
first point.

The original Greek word is ἀναξίως (anaxiōs),
means unworthily, as King James version translated. However Rev. Chi
has superficially misunderstood the word "理" as rule, regulation, forms
of things, (a more proper word for the wrong definition would be "礼".
Without any knowledge of the true meaning of the word, he bravely
explained the word with the wrong definition in order to fit his own
opinion.

3. (At Audio Recording time: 14:22) Treating the
bread and cup as actual body of Christ. (Audio Recording time 18:00)
Rev. Chi tried to use 1Corinthians 11:29 to further his point.

The Catholics have similar notion, transubstantiation,
John Calvin has called it blasphemy, because of Christ only need to die
once. The word in 1Corinthians 11:29 is "discern". Rev. Chi's intention
is similar but hoping different effect. His intention is to expect a
great outcry from the crowds, a very pentacostal style way of
"repentence". Why would I say this, every Holy communion he has
repeatedly tempted the Lord by following the popular form of asking
those who are touched or want to repent to come forward. None has ever
come. One would say, he doesn't give up, good. But one has already
failed to see this is testing God because a church is also to be
witness to all, including to non-believers, hence, when the message is
not clear, asking questions without giving answers, no responses, and
still keep this going, this will give non-believers and others an
opportunity to mock God. This is not allowed. One who stands on the
pulpit must be very sensitive at these sort of things. However, Rev.
Chi would keep doing this because of one misunderstanding...he valued
superficial effect more than true faith, quality. So, when a church is
not as actively "repenting" as those other examples he's seen, this
church is still not saved but awaiting to be saved.

There are
many more problems in the perversed message, such as contradictions,
hypocritical statements, lies, etc. But I have pointed out the main ones.

The
Holy Communion is not a time to focus on our sins and repent, nor the type of bread/wine used but a time for the
remembrance of our Lord Jesus Christ. If we keep saying that the Holy Communion is a time to focus on our sins, we would one day believe that it is okay for Christians to sin because we have a habit of repenting everytime during Holy Communion and this church would become a church that keeps on repenting, not able to be holy. Holy Communion is for Christians, the truly repented ones, not for non-christians. We must however, examine ourselves every second, every day, to be holy, and not to wait for the Holy Communion to
do so. And there's no such thing as emphasizing our holiness MORE
during this ceremony. Do we emphasize it any less in other times? This
is another example of superficial "faith".

So, the final
question: What do we do with pastors like that? Do we fire him? My
response would be "No". However, by holding true to Biblical doctrine,
we can reject such person's perversed teaching, reject following him
and beware of such person. Boldly correct false teachings is done in
public, but knowing the time and place, for example, we shouldn't turn
the sanctuary into a quarrelling or fighting place, it is God's holy
place, everyone including non-believers should be able to see that, one
must be wise at such thing even before it happens. But in situations where correction would
greatly profit everyone, it is right to boldly correct in public. As
Paul did Peter.

To this question, I would base my answer on:
Mathew 23:1-3 Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his
disciples, saying, The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat:
All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but
do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

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On a Saturday night about two weeks ago, I attended a dinner hosted by a mission group. There a pastor gave a speech where in order to emphasize the responsibility of the great commission on every christian, he described pastors as frogs so when church members bring in newcomers, the pastor (aka frog) would trap them. Frogs sit and wait for their prey.

If this is so, I wonder, was Jesus like a frog too? How about Paul? Peter? Stephen?

Mat 23:4 For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne, and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers.

Just a little reminder to those who wish to become like a frog.

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Those who like to use this principle of church planting, church growth are the ones who are bad at math. The one who started this must be crackpot at math but insisting on being a mathematician, hence used his pretend mathematical skill in a non-relevant area.

If Noah had used this principle, he would have given up preaching a long long long time ago.

Therefore, this principle is ridiculously unbiblical.

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There was once a time where there was world peace. God ended it, because it was without glory to God.

So don't use your own humanity, your own judgement to argue with God. God's plan has never changed from the beginning. God is God.

The Babelians were perhaps the last sign of the old world and evidence of the greatest mercy of God in ancient time before Christ.

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Like the Pentacostal movement, 远志明 creatively concluded the word "船"
in his topic <<神州>>, as Noah's "一舟八口", and in
<<老子与圣经>> 老子 is God's prophet, is rather ridiculous. I
would say he's read many chinese literatures, but his lack of
understanding is the result of what Peter would say in 2nd Peter 3:16
"...信中有些难明白的，那无学问、不坚固的人强解，如强解别的经书一样，就自取沉沦。"

As a result, one can see Mr. Yuan's theological understanding is
a mess. I can assure you he will not be able to find the relationship
between a just and righteous God and a merciful God. To him, if God is
as fierceful today as before, that would be mean.

Secondly, Lao
Zhi cannot be prophet of God because there's no mention of God in
DaoDeJin. Mr. Yuan cannot see the difference between common revelation
(things revealed to all) and special revelation (only to God's chosen
ones).

As for the word and other words mentioned by Mr. Yuan in
relationship to Biblical accounts, I would have to first ask of the
source of his discovery, and not just basing this on his own
imagination or if he ever claimed God spoke to him. If by creativity, I
could link more chinese words to Biblical accounts than he did in
<<神州>>. But if they are not true, I would shame God. And
since God is perfect, I would be in trouble. True, there are words that
could link to Biblical accounts, but you do it with wisdom, not with
your creative stupidity. For example the word "样", "不像样", is
philosophically biblical.

Obviously, as long as one's
creativity can link anything to God regardless of the truth, Mr. Yuan
would like to be in the picture. Like the Charismatic believers. They
do not realize that by abandoning the truth, lack of careful studying
the facts, they have already abandoned God. We must pray for them.
Christ said in Matthew 7:21-23, "not everyone calling me Lord shall
enter into the Kingdom of Heaven", these including those who've done
works in Jesus' name, and He will say to them, "I never knew you,
depart from me". Evil doesn't just mean hating God, it could cover
those who think they love God as well.

So we must always fear God, and not be trapped by our pride.

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October 04 2006
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ENTRY
07:33pm:

The main problem with American church today is sermon. The sermons have become irresponsible lectures. Having no relationship with the audience or ignorant of the audience.

Sermon is the most important part in servitude of the Lord. Many have failed here. Hence, the church is scattered, some brought in ingredients of other religions, philosophy and rationalization of man.

It is unfortunate that some think the Bible, the Word of God, is merely a philosophical book. Hence, this brings the question of their faith. Why are they Christians? Or rather, why do they CLAIM to be christians?

Most would reply it is because they like Christianity, they like having the fellowship. The smarter ones would add because Jesus saved them but not knowing what that really means except that it was the answer given by many pastors who have mostly aquired such answers from their academical pursue. So in conclusion, they like it, they feel a connection to it, hence they CHOOSE to become a Christian. To clarify, I use this analogy. When a person is born to this family, he is loyal and faithful to this family, one would easily argue that if he were to be born to the other family, he would have been loyal and faithful to that family. Because he was born there, he was given food and care, he grew up there.

Nonetheless, in Truth, Christianity is the only path not because one likes it. It is the only path because that is the truth.

Is this important to know? Of course it is. One may think he's a christian, but he might not be. One might not be a christian now, but at the last second, the grace of God could be so effective on him on his deathbed that he repented just before his death when no one was around. The Jews thought they were all CHOSEN, but in Romans 9-11, we know the term CHOSEN is only used by God, not by any natural law or regulation.

It is therefore our duty, to inform others, so that they may come back to the right path.[@more@]