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To which "Church" do you cling?
Message #45
Date: Sep 04 1999 12:35:42 EDT
From: "Greater Things" <Greater_Things-owner@listbot.com>
Subject: To which "Church" do you cling?
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SUBJECT: Essay: "Which Church?" and the Dialogue it Created
I've had quite a bit of fun/fulfillment in the last couple of days. I
posted a piece about "To Which Church do you Cling? Satan to Prevail
Against Hypocrite 'Saints" to a "baptism of fire" discussion group I am on
as well as to a few people who are on my private mailing list.
www.GreaterThings.com/Essays/which_church.htm
Some of you are also members of that discussion group and/or are on my
private list and have a sense of the plethora of response which that post
evoked.
I spent virtually the entire day yesterday posting those responses to a
discussion board as they came in (and writing a few replies myself).
http://disc.server.com/Indices/67164.html [obsolete]
40 messages in all so far.
I thought you might like to go take a peek at the essay as well as the
responses.
And while you are at it, why don't you go ahead and weigh in on the
discussion!
We'll see you there!
Sterling
(Silver Thunder)
http://www.GreaterThings.com
new scripture word studies
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The original post:
To Which Church are you Clinging? Satan to Prevail Against Hypocrite
'Saints'
From: Sterling D. Allan <sterlingda@GreaterThings.com>
To: bap_fire e-group <Baptism_of_Fire@topica.com>
Date: Thursday, September 02, 1999 8:35 PM
Subject: which "church"?
I am worried for those on this list who are so adamant about standing
their ground in The Church no matter what, admonishing others to do the
same.
My question is this. What is the "church" wherein salvation is found?
Is it an institution with a name inscribed on the walls of its buildings,
or is it a body of those who have come to Christ?
The scriptures support the latter definition as being that body wherein
safety lies, and they pulverize the former as being wrought with folly,
where men get puffed up in self-righteous pride and persecute the humble
followers of Christ.
"Behold, this is my doctrine--whosoever repenteth and cometh unto me, the
same is my church. Whoso declareth more or less than this, the same is not
of me, but is against me; therefore he is not of my church." (D&C
10:67,68)
Repent and come to Christ.
That is the "church" to which I cling. That is the association from which
I never wish to part.
Even though the Saints who are established on the rock of Christ might
meet together in a common building, the building is not what makes the
church of Christ.
There are many who hold membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of
Latter-day Saints who are going to be toast when the great sifting occurs.
And there are many outside of the LDS church who are part of the body of
Christ who will remain steadfastly anchored to that rock and will not fall
when the devil sends his shafts.
One of the biggest shafts he has hurling our way is the mark of the beast.
How many Mormons do you know who are prepared to resist this mark? They
don't even talk about it in their lessons or manuals or classes. The
closest you can come to any wisdom on the matter from LDS sources is to
read an obscure book which may or may not be found in the bookshelves of
the mainstream LDS bookstores.
I see the mainstream body of the LDS church headed right into the lap of
Satan when he introduces the mark. They will buy it hook and sinker -- not
as a matter of policy, but as a matter of subtle cultural acceptance,
scorning any who defy their norm.
They belong to the church of the devil, and they will be cut off from
among the remnant in the valley of decision. Salvation is not in an
earthly church. Salvation is in Christ.
If an earthly church is founded in the gospel of Christ, then it affords
safety to those who associate with it. But if that church strays from that
gospel, that church will fall. (3 Ne. 27:11)
A careful study of the doctrine of Christ and his gospel reveals that the
LDS church has significantly strayed from that doctrine.
See www.GreaterThings.com/Books/MightyChange/
The absence of the gifts of the Spirit in abundance which are to follow
the believer bespeaks the condemnation the latter-day saints are under
because they do not live the gospel and accept the grace of Jesus Christ.
They are too busy going about to establish their own righteousness.
That is not a safe foundation. It is a sandy foundation, and they will
fall when the storms come.
Speaking of falling, and Saints, let us consider some prophecies in this
context.
First, those who are established on the rock of Jesus Christ are given the
promise that the gates of hell will not prevail against them. That is a
sure promise.
Second, think of three sister prophecies: one in the Old Testament,
written to the Jews; one in the NT, written to the Christians; and one in
the D&C, written to the Mormons.
I am referring to Daniel 7:21, Rev. 13:7, and D&C 103:8 (and 50:8;
76:30-32). All three speak of the Devil making war with the saints and
prevailing against them.
Question. If the devil is prevailing against that body called "saints"
(tongue in cheek I'm sure), is that body founded on the rock of Jesus
Christ?
NNNNNOOOOOOOO
Do you get it?
Who else on earth is more famous for the title "Latter-day SAINTS" than
the Mormons?
Satan is going to prevail against the Mormons (and the Christians in
general, for they are no better about these things than the Mormons,
though the latter have more accountability, having been given more light
than any other people as a whole). Another proof for this point is found
in the parallel between Isaiah 28 and II Nephi 28
www.greaterthings.com/Parallels/Hybrids/Isa28=2Ne28&29PAR.htm
(The same with commentary:)
www.greaterthings.com/Parallels/Commentary/Isa28v2-4=2Ne28v16-19COM.htm
In the left hand column, Isaiah is talking about the "Drunkards of Ephraim
in the head of the fat valleys."
Who else in the world better fits this description than the Wasatch Front
area code 801 Mormons.
In the right-hand column, Nephi is talking about the "great and abominable
church."
These are lined up side-by-side, matched together in the parallel.
The Mormons, more than any people on earth, were in a position to build
the kingdom of God on earth and to oppose Satan's kingdom.
What have they done instead?
They persecute their neighbors who are getting their food storage while
sending their own kids to the socialist park lunch (the hand that rocks
the cradle rules the world).
They snub the home schoolers and send their own kids to the humanist
brainwashing camps.
They smirk at the John Birchers and proudly wave their flag as the likes
of New-World-Order George Bush drives down the street.
Yes, they are in a whale of a mess.
They are as salt that has lost its savor.
Not only do they not stand up for freedom, but they now participate in the
strengthening of the New World Order chains.
Being the people God looked to to build his kingdom and oppose Satan's
kingdom, they are the single most responsible group for the rise of
Satan's kingdom.
They could have stopped it, but they didn't. Instead, they are joining it.
That is not a body of people with whom I wish to be associated.
I wish to be associated with the body of Christ, who take the Spirit to be
their guide and who watch carefully for the signs of Christ's coming. They
read the scriptures. They ponder the prophecies. They do all they can so
as to not be caught off guard. And the Spirit guides them in their path.
The get the information about the mark of the beast. They get their food
storage. They work on their personal relationship with Christ. They seek
personal revelation.
That is the body of Christ. They are the ones against whom Satan will not
prevail. They are the ones who will be the martyrs as their neighbor
"saints" turn them over to the beast to be killed.
No, it is not the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to which you
want to cling, but the church of Christ.
Of this I bear my humble witness, even in the name of Jesus Christ, who is
my Lord and Savior.
Amen.
Sterling D. Allan
http://www.GreaterThings.com
