Defending the Trinity

Answering Common Objections

to the Doctrine of the Trinity

Author: Ben Rast
Source: Contender Ministries - August 23, 2005
Link: about.me/gideonsword




Though the doctrine of the Trinity is quite biblical, many Christians find themselves unable to adequately answer the attacks on this doctrine by other monotheistic religions such as Islam and Judaism, as well as polytheistic and henotheistic religions such as Mormonism and the Jehovah’s Witnesses (henotheism is the belief in multiple gods, but the worship of only one).  Few Christian doctrines are attacked so viciously as the doctrine of the Trinity.  This aspect of the nature of God is awe-inspiring and wonderful.  As Christians, we should be prepared to explain it to unbelievers and to defend it against attacks.  As you will see, most arguments against the Trinity are weak and unable to stand up to biblical scrutiny or an appeal to logic.  If you witness to a Mormon, Jehovah’s Witness, or a Muslim, some of these arguments are likely to come up, and it’s vitally important that you are able to give an answer (1 Peter 3:15), demolish these arguments (2 Corinthians 10:5), and contend for the faith (Jude 3,4).

I have covered the biblical supports for the triune nature of God in a previous article, “A Comprehensive Biblical Defense of the Trinity.”  If you have not read that article, I encourage you to do so before moving on to this one.  In it, I provide biblical proof for the following points:

1.      There is only one God

2.      The Father is God

3.     Jesus is God

4.     The Holy Spirit is God

5.      The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three distinct Persons.

Before addressing the most common objections, it’s important to make sure that we are starting with an accurate definition of the Trinity.  Many who oppose the Trinity do so with a faulty understanding of the definition.  Simply put, the doctrine of the Trinity states that there is one true God, and within that God there are three co-equal and co-eternal persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Each Person of the Trinity is distinct from the other, but all three comprise one God.  Various heresies arise when this definition is distorted, and I covered some of them in the previous article.  Now that we start from a common definition, let’s turn ourselves to some common objections.

1.  The word “Trinity” isn’t found anywhere in the Bible!

True enough, the word “Trinity” isn’t found in the Bible.  A similar argument is used by theological modernists who assert that the term “homosexual” is a modern word that didn’t exist at the time the Bible was written, therefore the Bible can’t condemn homosexuality.  I think most people will agree that the Bible STILL condemns homosexuality, even thought this particular English word wasn’t used in the Greek or Hebrew texts.  Interestingly, the word “pornography” is similarly absent from Scripture, but we are still able to view the biblical teachings on sexual morality, coupled with Jesus’ teaching that a man who looks at a woman with lust commits adultery with her in his heart to recognize that pornography is sinful.  The word “theocracy” is not found in the Bible, but the concept can be found there.  The absence of a word does not preclude its teaching in Scripture.

Critics also argue that no single verse of Scripture clearly teaches the doctrine of the Trinity.  While many single verses provide excellent evidence for the triune nature of God (see the previous article), it is true that this doctrine is not capsulated in a single verse or passage of Scripture.  The Bible is not titled, “Christian Doctrine for Dummies.”  It is sometimes necessary to look at the teachings of Scripture as a whole.  When we allow ourselves to do that, we can see that the Trinity is quite Scriptural.

2.  The Trinity doctrine is confusing, and God is not the author of confusion.

1 Corinthians 14:33 in the NIV states in part, “For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.”  In the spurious New World Translation of the Jehovah’s Witnesses, the verse similarly states, “For God is [a God], not of disorder, but of peace.”  Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons will frequently cite this verse when arguing against the Trinity.  After all, the concept of a triune God can be confusing.  They argue that such a confusing doctrine must come from Satan, since God is not a God of confusion or disorder.  Yet such an argument is illogical.  That humans cannot fully understand the nature of God simply means that we are finite created beings who do not possess the mind of God.  The Bible is clear that such confusions are to be expected:

-   “‘For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,’ declares the LORD.  ‘As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.’” – Isaiah 55:8-9

-   “Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!” – Romans 11:33

-   “Now we see but a poor reflection; then we shall see face to face.  Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.” – 1 Corinthians 13:12

Many aspects of God’s nature are hard, if not impossible, for the human mind to comprehend.  For example, infinite concepts give me a headache.  If I try to comprehend the concept of an infinite sum, I get a headache.  If I try to really comprehend the eternal nature of God (without a beginning or an end), I get a headache.  My finite human mind simply cannot comprehend eternity beyond the vague concept.  I’m not alone in this either.  While Jehovah’s Witnesses will use the confusion argument against the Trinity, they contradict themselves in other areas.  In the Watchtower publication Reasoning from the Scriptures, they acknowledge this confusion after citing Psalm 90:2, referencing God’s eternal nature: “Is that reasonable? Our minds cannot fully comprehend it.  But that is not a sound reason for rejecting it.” ^[1]

As is so often the case in arguments by cultists and heretics, they have divorced 1 Corinthians 14:33 from its context to use it in the fashion they desire.  It is vital that we read Scripture in context to gain a proper understanding of it.  Let’s put this verse back in its appropriate context, including verses 26-33, 39-40:

“What then shall we say, brothers? When you come together, everyone has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. All of these must be done for the strengthening of the church. If anyone speaks in a tongue, two--or at the most three--should speak, one at a time, and someone must interpret. If there is no interpreter, the speaker should keep quiet in the church and speak to himself and God.  Two or three prophets should speak, and the others should weigh carefully what is said. And if a revelation comes to someone who is sitting down, the first speaker should stop. For you can all prophesy in turn so that everyone may be instructed and encouraged.  The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. For God is not a God of disorder but of peace….Therefore, my brothers, be eager to prophesy, and do not forbid speaking in tongues. But everything should be done in a fitting and orderly way.”

When placed in context, we can see that this passage is talking about how our worship should be orderly.  Paul is trying to put the gifts of tongues and prophecy into their proper usage and eliminate the confusion that can result in a service when these gifts are used improperly.  Just as there is no discord within God, so there should be no discord or confusion in our worship of God.  Putting Scripture in context allows us to read it the way the authors (and the Ultimate Author) intended us to do so.

3.  The Trinity is a pagan concept adopted by Christianity.

This is one of the most common arguments against the doctrine of the Trinity.  I’ve heard it expressed often by Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses.  Usually, the person using this argument has no evidence to back up this assertion, but on rare occasions they do.  Unfortunately, it is equally rare that a Christian is prepared to “demolish” this argument.  It can be done easily by an appeal to facts and logic.

The argument typically is expressed that certain pagan cultures, such as the ancient Babylonians and Assyrians, developed a Trinitarian belief in places far removed from the birthplace of Christianity and predating it by thousands of years.  Therefore, it’s logical to conclude that these pagan doctrines were introduced into Christianity hundreds of years after the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.  However, this isn’t exactly true.

The Babylonians and Assyrians did NOT develop a Trinitarian theological dogma.  Rather, they believed in triads of gods who headed up a council of other gods.  In other words, whereas the doctrine of the Trinity teaches that ONE GOD is comprised of three co-equal and co-eternal persons, the Babylonians and Assyrians believed that three separate gods formed a leadership over other gods.  In this, their beliefs more closely resemble the polytheistic/henotheistic beliefs of the Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons.  Mormon doctrine holds that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three separate gods in leadership over this world.  Jehovah’s Witnesses believe that Jehovah God created Jesus – a lesser god, and that the Holy Spirit is simply Jehovah’s active force in this world.  These beliefs are closer to the ancient pagan beliefs than is the Trinity doctrine, which is strictly monotheistic.  Moreover, the separation of early Christian development from these pagan beliefs with respect to time and geography make it highly unlikely that the pagan beliefs played any role in the Church’s clarification of the Trinity doctrine as found in the Athanasian Creed.  This creed reads, in part, “This is what the catholic faith teaches: we worship one God in the Trinity and the Trinity in unity.  Neither confounding the Persons, nor dividing the substance.  For there is one person of the Father, another of the Son, another of the Holy Spirit.  But the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit have one divinity, equal glory, and coeternal majesty.  What the Father is, the Son is, and the Holy Spirit is.  The Father is uncreated, the Son is uncreated, and the Holy Spirit is uncreated.  The Father is boundless, the Son is boundless, and the Holy Spirit is boundless. The Father is eternal, the Son is eternal, and the Holy Spirit is eternal.  Nevertheless, there are not three eternal beings, but one eternal being.  So there are not three uncreated beings, nor three boundless beings, but one uncreated being and one boundless being.  Likewise, the Father is omnipotent, the Son is omnipotent, the Holy Spirit is omnipotent.  Yet there are not three omnipotent beings, but one omnipotent being.  Thus the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God.  However, there are not three gods, but one God.”  It should be noted that “catholic” in the early centuries was used to describe universal and orthodox Christianity long before the Roman Catholic Church existed as such.  The creed continues in this manner.  Athanasius did not fabricate this.  Rather, he summarized the teaching of Scripture. 

Association based on similarities is faulty logic.  Pagans (and indeed practically all ancient cultures on earth) have a legend concerning a global flood.  Does this negate the truthfulness of the global flood described in Genesis?  Does this mean the Genesis account was “borrowed”?  Of course not.  The ubiquity of the flood story actually buttresses its truthfulness, even though other cultures don’t have all the details correct.  Furthermore, some pagan cultures have a “messiah” legend that has similarities to the gospel.  However, there are also differences in these stories.  We can take joy in the fact that these legends haven’t the accuracy of the Bible as verified historically and archaeologically.  Similarities don’t impart guilt.  Therefore, similar pagan doctrines in triads of gods are not the same as the Trinitarian doctrine of Christianity, and it is baseless to assume that the Trinity was “borrowed” from paganism.  It’s simply not true.

4.  Jesus calls the Father, “the only true God,” therefore Jesus cannot be God.

This is an interesting argument often raised by Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses.  This argument, as we will see, is self-defeating for them.  This argument refers to Jesus’ words to the Father in John 17:3, “Now this is eternal life: that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.”  Critics argue that the Father cannot be the “only true God” if Jesus and the Holy Spirit can also claim to be God.  The thinking is illogical.  First, Jesus’ words do not exclude the Son and Holy Spirit from also being the only true God.  They DO exclude Jesus and the Holy Spirit from being separate gods.  In other words, if the Father is the only true God, then Jesus cannot also be a true God and the Holy Spirit cannot also be a true God (distinguishing them as separate gods rather than simply separate persons).  If we understand the true nature of the Trinity, we can acknowledge that the Son and Holy Spirit are co-equal and co-eternal persons that comprise the one true God, and John 17:3 does not counter that.  However, Jehovah’s Witnesses and Mormons believe that Jesus is a separate god, and Mormons believe that the Holy Spirit is yet another god.  In the Mormon New World Translation, John 1:1 states, “In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god” (emphasis added).  Mormonism’s founding prophet taught, “In the beginning, the head of the gods called a council of the Gods; and they came together and concocted a plan to create the world and people it.”^[2] Now if a Mormon or Jehovah’s Witness wants to claim that this verse teaches that the Father alone is the only true God, then Jesus and the Holy Spirit must be false gods.  If that is true, the teachings of the LDS prophets and the New World Translation must be wrong. 

5.  Jesus prayed to God in the garden, so Jesus can’t be God.

This statement has needlessly stumped some Christians, though not for long.  It is a misleading generality to say, “Jesus prayed to God.”  To be more precise, we should say that Jesus (The Son) prayed to The Father in the garden.  While it is true that there is only one God, it is equally true that God exists as three persons – Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.  During His earthly ministry and being subject to a mortal body, Jesus willingly endured the limitations of man.  As such, it should come as no surprise that He communicated with The Father through prayer!  This does nothing to diminish the deity of Jesus Christ or to contradict the monotheistic nature of God. 

6.  The Bible says that God is ONE!

This argument, which attempts to disprove the triune nature of God based on unity, is based largely on two verses:

-"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one." – Deuteronomy 6:4   -"The most important one," answered Jesus, "is this: 'Hear, O Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one’.” – Mark 12:29

Deuteronomy 6:4 in the New World Translation says, “Listen, O Israel: Jehovah our God is one Jehovah.”  We’ve gone into detail in other articles about the fact that “Jehovah” is not a word that appears in the Bible, but is rather a modification of Yahweh.  One way to read the last phrase with some of the Hebrew intact is “Yahweh (Jehovah) our elohim is one Yahweh (Jehovah).  The Hebrew words themselves are “Yahweh elohim echad Yahweh.” The NIV footnote for this verse lists a few possible ways to translate this verse based on its grammatical construct.  Echad means “one” or “only”.  Because of the construct, this verse could be translated as it is above, or as “The LORD our God is one LORD,” “The LORD is our God, the LORD is one,” or “The LORD is our God, the LORD alone.”  I think the best of these translations can be assessed by observing the context of the passage.  In Deuteronomy 5, Moses had just presented the Israelites with the Ten Commandments.  One sin that marked these people was their habit of turning to idolatry (golden calf ring a bell?).  As we read down in chapter 6, we see that this is still the focus and concern at this point.  In verses 14-16 we read, “Do not follow other gods, the gods of the peoples around you; for the LORD your God, who is among you, is a jealous God and his anger will burn against you, and he will destroy you from the face of the land. Do not test the LORD your God as you did at Massah.”  This is a very clear exhortation for the Israelites to abandon their worship of multiple “gods.”  Therefore, the most reasonable way of interpreting Deuteronomy 6:4 is “The LORD is our God, the LORD alone.”  This establishes that only Yahweh is the true God.  All other “gods” are false and must be rejected.  Deuteronomy 6:4 does not exclude God from being triune in nature.  Mark 12:29 is simply a recitation of Deuteronomy 6:4 with the intent of that verse intact – we have one and ONLY one God!

Yahweh is our elohim, Yahweh alone.  In my previous article on the Trinity, I established Scripturally that not only is the Father Yahweh, but Jesus is also Yahweh.  Similarly, the deity of the Holy Spirit reveals He is also Yahweh.  In this article and the previous one, I have addressed some of the most common objections to the doctrine of the Trinity.  The teaching of the Word of God is clear.  There is one God.  God exists in three co-equal and co-eternal persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  Each of these three are rightfully called God, yet each is distinct from the other.  The absence of one convenient summary of this truth in Scripture does not negate its truthfulness, nor does it mean this truth is not found in Scripture.  God has revealed this wonderful truth to us through His Word.  The question is, are we listening?

NOTES:

1. Reasoning from the Scriptures (Brooklyn: Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, 1989), p. 148.

2. Joseph Smith, Jr., The King Follett Discourse (Salt Lake City: Joseph Lyon & Associates, 1963), p. 9.

The Global Alliance (Pt. One)

The Global Alliance

PART ONE

Link: about.me/gideonsword
Author: Carol Brooks
Source: InPlainSite.org



The “Silly Women” of 2 Timothy 3:6-7 were not the only ones who were “ever learning, and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth”




Introduction: The Coming Age of Aquarius and The Reappearance of The Christ
 
The many headed hydra called the New Age has, over the last couple of decades, become even more sinister with every passing year. Most New Agers share a common vision ... the present phase of human existence is one of transition from the Piscean Age of rationality, to the Aquarian Age of spirituality, and harmony of all things. [See New Age Overview]

That the New Age is within our reach may not, in itself, sound too bad.

However, what is particularly alarming is that while many New Agers may merely subscribe to some elements of New Age philosophies, A large branch of the New Age movement believes that the utopian age will only come about under the leadership and guidance of a world leader/teacher. They contend that Buddha, Muhammad, Confucius, Jesus, and many others were "christs", but one greater than all of them... a "World Teacher" will soon come to usher in the New Age.

They believe, and teach, that the world has to be prepared for this one-world leader who is called by various names including The Christ, Sanat Kumara or Maitreya, and who will, in human form, come as a saviour to save the world from sliding into chaos, teaching us to live at peace and unity with each other. He will begin preparing humanity for the advent of the Age of Aquarius... a glorious New Age millennium. Many believe that this leader, possibly a man who has achieved godhood, will possess unparalleled wisdom and knowledge and perhaps psychic abilities to boot. As said by Warren Smith:

"According to the "new gospel, "Christ is not a person. It is an office. The "new gospel" teaches that while Jesus of Nazareth occupied the office during His active ministry, He no longer holds that same position. Today the office of "Christ" is occupied by someone else. And this "someone else" is presently in the process of establishing contact with humanity. This "Christ" intimates that he is already in the world awaiting mankind's call.

Concerned that humanity is in peril and facing possible extinction, this "Christ" explains that his "new gospel" will unify the world's major religions and bring peace to the Earth." [Warren Smith. Reinventing Jesus Christ: The New Gospel. Preface. Pg 9]

In other words, one the main goals of the New Age movement has become a concerted effort to facilitate what is called "The Reappearance of The Christ". With this ultimate goal in mind, an incredibly huge network of groups, trusts, foundations, clubs, religious groups etc. have become focused on making changes not only at an individual, but global level.

Not only do the following organizations present what they call "ageless wisdom" teachings, but they are doing everything they can to create the conditions necessary for the Reappearance of The Christ. Heralded as the 'salvation of earth' or the 'new earth', this movement has gathered immense size and power along the way, and is poised to come to fruition.


Introduction To The Seminal Organizations
 
In recent years there has been an explosion of individuals and organizations who base their philosophy, aims, and teachings...in fact their very raison d'être on the teachings of three seminal organizations.

Helena Blavatsky and Theosophy: The word Theosophy is derived from the Greek Theos (god) and Sophia (wisdom) which can be translated as Divine Wisdom, or the recently popular term, Ageless Wisdom. Theosophy holds that all religions are attempts by the "Spiritual Hierarchy" to help humanity in evolving to greater perfection however, each religion has but a portion of the truth.

The masters of Theosophy, who although not human, often seem to be 'headquartered" in Tibet, "preserve and extend this ancient wisdom",[1] and periodically, go into the world (or send a messenger) to "help spread this teaching to all of humanity"[1]. They say that, in the 19th century, after a hundred years of searching, they found Helena Blavatsky, who met the "master" in Hyde Park in London when she was 20. She managed to enter Tibet and was trained by said masters for a period of about two years (from 1868 to 1870). She claimed to have written Isis Unveiled and her three-volume magnum opus The Secret Doctrine under the direction of the Masters of Wisdom, Tibetan holy men who communicated telepathically with her in England from the Himalayas

As her site says "Her master work is the Secret Doctrine, written in 1888 - a book that will remain seminal for centuries. Her first book-length work, Isis Unveiled, shook the rafters of science and religion, and the world hasn't been the same since. Many people reading this will hold views that were first planted in the West by Blavatsky."[1] [Read more HERE]

Alice Bailey and Djwhal Khul: Alice Bailey's story is similar. Approached, as a fifteen year old, by a mysterious stranger in a turban, she proceeded to co-operate with this entity who called himself Kuthumi, and told her that he had previously been in contact with Helen Blavatsky. Alice Bailey moved to the US and got involved with Theosophy (which she later parted ways from), then encountered Djwhal Khul, also called The Tibetan, who was another non-human [fallen angel] "master". Over the next 30 years Djwhal Khul dictated nineteen books to Bailey, and she wrote five of her own.

Bailey started the Lucifer publishing company to publish her books, eventually changing the name of the company to Lucis Trust, which was the first step in their road to becoming a force to be reckoned with in the international community. Lucis Trust is a powerful institution that enjoys "consultative status" with the United Nations, and provides worldwide financial support for the Arcane School, Triangles, World Goodwill, Lucis Publishing, Lucis Productions, Lucis Trust Libraries, the New Group of World Servers etc., most of which organizations were formed so that Djwhal Khul could find a nucleus of people through whom he could work. I have also read that they maintain the UN meditation room, but have been unable to confirm this. [Read More about Alice Bailey and Djwhal Khul HERE]


The Agni Yoga Society: (Agni means "fire" in Sanskrit, while the fire god Agni is a major deity in the Vedic pantheon). The Agni Yoga Society, located on West 107th Street in New York, is a nonprofit educational institution, founded in 1920 by the artist Nicholas Roerich and his wife Helena. It is a spiritual teaching, which the followers of Agni Yoga believe was given to the Roerich family and their associates by the Master Morya, which was Helen Blavatsky's guru. Through the early 1920s Helena Roerich received the messages which became her first two book, Leaves Of Morya's Garden I and II. Not only did Helena Roerich go on to channel other works from Morya, including New Era Community in 1926; Infinity in 1930; Hierarchy in 1931, and The Fiery World in 1933-34, but she also translated Blavatsky's The Secret Doctrine into Russian.

The teachings of the Agni Yoga Society are also referred to as the Teaching of Living Ethics, the Teaching of Life, the Teaching of Light, or simply as "the Teaching". In their own words, the society is described as a "....synthesis of ancient Eastern beliefs and modern Western thought and a bridge between the spiritual and the scientific." The society teaches that "the evolution of the planetary consciousness is a pressing necessity and that, through individual striving, it is an attainable aspiration for mankind"[02] and that "spiritual liberation depends on cultivating awareness of unity, which is possible only with the guidance and protection of the compassionate enlightened beings who belong to the Brotherhood, the Hierarchy of Light."[2b]



Two Predominant Themes

Theme 1: The Reappearance of "The Christ" And "The Masters"

The foundation of organizations across the globe is largely based on the teachings of these three highly influential organizations. In a nutshell, they believe and teach that a day is not far off when a great world teacher, accompanied by his fallen angel cronies (the Ascended Masters, the Brotherhood, the Masters of the Wisdom, the Hierarchy of Light etc.) will emerge on the world's stage and bring about a new era of peace and prosperity.

This is clearly expressed by The Seven Ray Institute and The University of the Seven Rays, who say their their organizations "serve as vehicles for the presentation of the Ageless Wisdom teachings at this time of preparation for the return of the World Teacher."[03] Partially quoting Alice Bailey's book The Reappearance of the Christ (Lucis Publishing Company, 1948, p. 8) Their site says:

"Throughout the ages, especially during times of difficulty, people have looked with a sense of expectancy and hope for someone greater than themselves to bring solace to their lives. Someone is expected and anticipated by the masses of people -- a great teacher, a savior -- someone who can bring an end to the suffering and who can restore a sense of order and balance in the world. Such teachers have ever come in times of difficulty and crisis, when the problems confronting us seemed beyond our capacity to adequately resolve and today will be no different. They have been defined as '"extraordinary Men who from time to time appear to change the face of the world and inaugurate a new era in the destinies of humanity." They come to bring to an end the old and undesirable ways of living and being and to make way for the new forms that will more adequately house the incoming light. They come in times of excess and apparent darkness -- when humanity has lost its way. And for this very reason, if for no other, such a Teacher may be looked for at this time." [04]

According to the Aquarian Age Community, a non-profit, accredited non-governmental organization (NGO) in association with the United Nation's Department of Public Information, this World Teacher is:

"...that Great Being Whom the Christian calls the Christ; He is known also in the Orient as the Bodhisattva, and as the Lord Maitreya, and is the One looked for by the devout Mohammedan, under the name of the Iman Madhi." [05]

Implementing The Plan
However, not only do these organizations present what they call "ageless wisdom" teachings, but they are doing everything they can to create the conditions necessary for the Reappearance of The Christ.

The Aquarian Age Community is very clear that their organization:

"Cooperates and collaborates with the worldwide community that is actively preparing the way for the reappearance of the World Teacher -- the Christed (Anointed) One, the true Aquarian."[06]

But how will man aid spiritual beings return to earth? There are, apparently, two effective ways to "materialize" the Hierarchy's plan for humanity:

1) Raising Global Consciousness by means of Occult Meditation.
For reasons little understood...when the consciousness (or spirituality) of humanity has been raised enough, The Plan can be put into effect. Who knows how many hundreds of thousands of people have "awakened", and who knows how many, or how few, more it will take in order to have altered the energy of the earth enough to bring about the "Reappearance of the Christ".

There are those that believe that the self indulgent narcissism of the New Age isn't transforming anything, but simply causes people to feel better about themselves in the world just as it is. I beg to differ. In our typically Western way, we are rushing in where angels fear to tread. With little regard to the deeper issues behind them, terms and practices that were previously both obscure and esoteric now roll off people's tongues, and find a prominent place in people's daily routines. In other words, whether we are aware of it or not, all our efforts to awaken our own ungodly spirituality are contributing to the success of this enormous plan.

One of these days the doors will be open wide enough for evil to cross the threshold, and the fallen angel "masters" to walk the earth again.

2) the reciting of The Great Invocation given Alice Bailey by her demonic pal Djwhal Khul.
The term invocation means an appeal to a higher power for assistance, and The Great Invocation has been described as a call for "the Christ to return to Earth". [More about The Great Invocation HERE]

But this is not all. They also believe:

The Days of "Fanatics" Are Numbered
These groups also believe "no religion has the last and final work concerning the relation of God and man" and:

"It is necessary for adherents of the world's faiths to understand that each great world religion comes, ultimately, from One Source which The Secret Doctrine reveals...Introducing and explaining these few points to the unenlightened millions is a huge work and it will be resisted strenuously by the fanatical adherents of various faiths -- and all faiths have their fanatics! But the day of the fanatics has its term and is destined to fade away...The Great Lord Maitreya, the Christ, the Head of the Spiritual Hierarchy is "on His way". His intention is to reappear when a measure of economic sharing prevails, when a measure of peace has been restored, and when the "Church cleans house..."[07]

Gordon Davidson and Corinne McLaughlin of The Center for Visionary Leadership say that "war is only one form of change, and often the least effective", but add there is yet:

"...a role for the right use of destruction when it is used against rigid and crystallized forms of thought and cultural patterns that prevent Life from evolving to it's next step."[08]

And:

"If groups are aligned with the Higher Will when this energy is released through them, they will expand and become more creative, alive, powerful. If they are out of alignment, they will degenerate emotionally, physically and mentally. This process has already begun, as we can see through the downfall of groups that are opposing evolution and synthesis, and will only accelerate in the years ahead."[09]


Who is This World Teacher (The Christ), And Who Are The Hierarchy/Ascended Masters?

The "Christ"
Perhaps the term "world teacher" becomes a little more clear if Christians would wake up and realize that this 'Christ' (false messiah) has nothing to do with Jesus Christ of the Bible, which leaves us with but one other choice...he is the Antichrist that the Scriptures warned us about.

"Hierarchy"?
The World Service Intergroup defines what is meant by the "Hierarchy".

"Hierarchy is a term used here to refer to those spiritual Masters of all traditions who have evolved through human experience to embody greater light, love-wisdom and spiritual power through ceaseless service to humanity and the Divine Plan. They have worked throughout the ages to further human evolution, and They are now in process of "externalizing" or becoming known in public life."[10]

Ascended Masters?
The Church Universal and Triumphant...another of the organizations that disseminates the teachings of the Ascended Masters and endeavors to facilitate their return to earth, tries to answer the question of who they are on one of their web sites:

"The Ascended Masters are enlightened spiritual beings who once lived on earth, fulfilled their reason for being and have ascended and reunited with God in the ritual of the ascension. They are referred to in the Book of Revelation as the saints robed in white who come as a "great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues." The ascended masters are true teachers of mankind. They direct the spiritual evolution of all devotees of God and guide them back to their Source."[11]

Let us look at the verse in the book of Revelation which is being referred to above. It says:

"After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands." [Revelation 7:9 NASB]

It is possible to make the Bible say anything you want it to say, simply by plucking verses from their context. I suppose that since the so called church of today excels at this, one cannot blame the non-believer for doing the very same thing. However, anyone who bothers to read the rest of the chapter, will realize that the identity of the people in white robes is clearly set forth. The apostle John (whose vision is being recorded here) was asked by one of the 24 elders who the people in the white robes were. When he, in essence said he did not know, the elder told him:

"...These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. "For this reason, they are before the throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them. "They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat; for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life; and God will wipe every tear from their eyes." [Revelation 7:14-17 NASB]

In other words these were the martyrs from the Great Tribulation, many, if not most, of whom will be killed by the Antichrist and his followers...Ironically, the very same beings whose return to earth is being facilitated by these groups. There is not a single word about these white robed people being "masters" of anything. Much to the contrary, the chapter is very clear that they serve God day and night and He, in turn, protects and looks after them.

No "wisdom teachers" directing anyone’s "spiritual evolution" in this group.

All of this was foretold by the Bible
And how, if at all, does this anticipation of a "world teacher" tie in with what the Bible says will transpire. Unfortunately it couldn't dovetail any more neatly. In her book The Reappearance of the Christ, Alice Bailey said "in the immediate future", there would be a:

"return to the situation which existed in Atlantean days," when the "Masters will walk openly among men", and "the Members of the spiritual Hierarchy were openly guiding and directing the affairs of humanity,"[12]

Bailey believed that the civilization of Atlantea was destroyed by the great Flood, therefore when she talk about the "situation which existed in Atlantean days", she is obviously referring to the days immediately preceding the Great Flood. Albeit with a different slant, Alice Bailey's demonic sources are only reiterating what the Scriptures said thousands of years ago...In this regard, Jesus' words are hugely important...since He linked two epochs together and said that one is the parallel of the other:

"As it was in the days of Noah, so shall it be in the days of the coming of the Son of Man," [Luke 17:26-30. Also See Matthew 24:37-39]

[For Details See As It Was In The Days of Noah]


Theme 2: Peace and Safety

Has anyone noticed how, in the last couple of decades at the most, the sheer number of people and organizations that have 'peace' in a pivotal role in their mission statement has rapidly escalated. The terminology varies from individual to individual, organization to organization. Harmony, acceptance, reconciliatory dialogue, conflict resolution, right human relations, cultural understanding/awareness, interfaith dialogue/cooperation, global interdependence, shared or common vision, inter-connectedness, global partnership, solidarity, kinship, unity are some of the phrases commonly heard. However, while the vocabulary may differ, the central concept stays the same. Here are a very few examples drawn from a very vast pool [All Emphasis Added]:

In 1981 the United Nations General Assembly passed resolution 36/67 declaring an International Day of Peace. In 2001, the United Nations General Assembly adopted a new resolution (55/282) declaring 21st September of each year as the International Day of Peace, inviting "all Member States, organizations of the United Nations system, and non-governmental organizations and individuals to commemorate, in an appropriate manner, the International Day of Peace, including through education and public awareness".[13]

The annual Prayer Vigil for the Earth (now in its 20th year) takes place next to the Washington Monument every fall, when "people of diverse faiths, cultures, ethnic backgrounds and all ages gather together to pray for harmony with the Earth and each other...The Prayer Vigil, a 100-percent volunteer event, continues to expand each year by adding more simultaneous celebrations at various sites in the United States and throughout the world."[14] These prayer vigils are held in numerous locations, from Sedona Arizona (of course) to Ankara, Turkey.[15]

"The heart and soul of the Rainbow Ark Foundation is to help create a culture of peace through the fundamental teaching of Sacred Ecology."[16]

The organization We, the World says they "are working to awaken a spirit of caring and involvement in the public so that millions of people begin to see themselves as part of one global interdependent community -- and actively take part in creating a world that works for all!"[17]

Now do not get me wrong here. It would take someone with a few loose screws to not want peace. Peace keepers, in one form or another, have always existed and bless them...the world would have been a far worse place without their efforts.

The problem here is not the motives of these organizations, but their methods.

They seek peace by invoking the aid of evil, looking to a Luciferian messiah (world teacher) to teach them how to live and to bring harmony to the planet. They seek peace but completely turn their backs on the God of the universe. They choose to rely on the words of unidentified apparitions and subjective feelings and experiences, totally ignoring the fact that God Himself has promised us everlasting peace in His kingdom, (and no, this kingdom, or heaven, will not be some ethereal realm 'out there', but a very real and tangible place, right here.) They seek peace by shaking hands with the devil. Students, teachers and practitioners of the so called 'Ageless Wisdom' abound. They seek peace by misrepresenting the words of Scripture.


The Chilling Facts

These people and organizations are doing everything they can to render to these minions of hell "intelligent assistance which will make their plans for humanity materialize". All three founders were well tutored by ectoplasmic apparitions from the nether regions, supposedly the ascended masters Kuthumi, Djwhal Khul and Morya, who, in at least two of the cases, simply showed up and were unquestioningly accepted.

If at this point you are getting the impression that these beliefs are limited to a few ‘kooks' spread across the globe, you would not be more wrong. For example, Steve Rother, president of Lightworkers, who "channels the loving entities simply known as The Group," has presented the material from the group five times at the United Nations.

"The Group first came to Steve Rother in 1996 and since then has given information for a evolving planet that has filled several books now translated into 18 languages. The monthly 'Beacons of Light - Reminders from Home' are translated into 24 languages each month and have been presented at the United Nations five times on two continents."[18]

However, what is really alarming is the sheer number of organizations working towards the same goals, and the fact that few, if any, of of these organizations seem to work in isolation, but are closely interconnected with many of the others. While I am not sure that we have done more than skim the surface, this page should suffice to give the reader an inkling of the magnitude of the great darkness that is sweeping the world.

I am sure you are familiar with the old saying, "The road to hell is paved with good intentions". Thanks, in no small part, to the following institutions, that road is not only paved, but is being turned into a multiple lane superhighway.

Cremation or Burial?

Cremation or Burial?

The Christian Perspective

Author: Jim Elliff
Source: Christian Communicators Worldwide
Link: about.me/gideonsword



There is no sin in cremation, that is for sure. And there is no inability on God’s part to raise a cremated body from the dead. But is cremation, a practice most often seen in Eastern religions, the best for the believer in Christ?

It is clarifying to note that burial was God’s preferred method of disposing of the body of Moses. God had the power to cremate Moses’ body on the spot, but rather, this gentle and loving phrase is found: "[God] buried him in the valley in the land of Moab" (Deut. 34:6). This fact alone is enough for me. If God chose this method Himself, then it certainly should be my preference also.

We must add, for a second reason, that burial underground (or in tombs) was the ordained method for the patriarchs, for God’s chosen people, and for New Testament believers. There are numerous references to this, from Abraham’s burial in the cave of Machpelah to Lazarus’ entombment in a crypt. The bodies of these saints were kept, as much as possible, in their original state, awaiting the resurrection of the body.

For a third reason, consider the death of Christ Himself. He is our example in everything. Christ was in charge of His death. As He said, "No one has taken [my life] away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative" (John 10:18). Certainly His burial was no accident either. The dramatic events God ordained to take place included the tomb as an essential ingredient. It accentuated His resurrection.

A fourth part of the rationale has to do with the place the body plays in our theology. Christianity is the most materialistic of the religions in this respect. That is, it gives an importance to the body and to all things tangible that other religions do not. For Hindus, the body is evil. This is why you find some Hindus practicing religious ritual abuse of their bodies or meditating for long periods in an attempt to escape their bodies. I’ve seen the burning of Indian bodies on a funeral pyre. There is no glory to God in it. But Christianity sees the body as useful, rather than evil. It can do much good, if a believer is controlled by the Spirit. It is so valued by God that the very body we are living in will be raised up one day, made new for eternity. For this reason, we symbolize the importance of the body by burying it with love.

Fifth, the burial of Christians was designed by God as the basis for our understanding of baptism. Though baptism does not save, it does picture our death, burial, and resurrection with Christ (cf. Rom. 6:3-4). Such a powerful picture as baptism is dependent for its meaning on the burial of Christ and of believers.

Finally, we should bury because the grave is such a potent reminder of the future resurrection. I recently stood beside the graves of some famous authors in New Hampshire. Staring at their burial site reminded me again of the future bodily resurrection of both believers and non-believers, some to a resurrection of life and the others to a resurrection of judgment (cf. John 5:28-29).

As family and friends look at my grave one day, I am hopeful that it will keep on preaching the gospel. I want my family to spare no expense to put a clear message on that stone. But mostly I want that stone to remind people of a coming new day, which those in Christ should find most exhilarating. I’ve tried to say something in my life; I want to say something in death as well. And I hope that what is said will make clear what is ahead.

Not long ago I stood by the grave of my mother. It is hard to imagine a more selfless and sincere believer. On her stone were these simple words, taken from a hymn she would sing to herself day after day: "Jesus is all the world to me." It’s a powerful message that reminds me to put Christ first in everything. I rejoiced that she will be "raised imperishable," body, soul and spirit, at the resurrection of the righteous (1 Corinthians 15:52).

I realize that some will die at sea and others will be blown apart by bombs during war. But if at all possible, I recommend that you honor your dead loved ones by burial, keeping the body unchanged as much as you can. There will be change enough at the resurrection of the dead.


The minimizing of cost through cremation is often a consideration when loved ones die. Read about how believers can reduce the cost of funerals and still bury their loved ones with dignity below:

Reducing the Cost of Funerals

Author: Jim Elliff

It may seem strange that I chose this subject, but the issue is such a nagging problem with believers and ministers that I felt I should address it, however briefly.

I’ve often stood in the funeral home with believing church members while they selected a casket for their loved one. There is such a real pressure to spend too much money at that moment. The expense is one of the main reasons many choose to be cremated rather than buried. I can understand this dilemma.

But money can be saved if things are done differently. We do not need to let the funeral business determine our practice. As sincere as the funeral director may be, it is still his objective and the objective of those over him to make money during the time when people are the most vulnerable. I would not want to demean this honorable profession, but things have gotten way out of hand.

Let me make these practical suggestions:

First, consider having the graveside service for family and perhaps a few close friends before the memorial service. This will reduce the pressure to buy a casket that is too expensive. In fact, as far as I am concerned the cheapest possible casket is appropriate, if things are done this way. The family understands, especially if this is the stated wish of the one who has died. Also, the long ride out to the cemetery in limousines will not be needed for this intimate gathering. Just arrive in your cars and have the kind of service that is meaningful to you led by a pastor or friend. A funeral home person will need to be there to bring the casket, the flowers (if there are some), and to make the proper arrangements with the cemetery, but you have cut down considerably on costs. Also, you may bury your dead sooner this way. I suggest that seeing your loved one at the funeral home is a good thing for the family, but you do not have to rent the funeral room for extra days.

Second, in certain cases a graveside service may be enough. If the deceased does not have any (or very few) friends still living, or if the rest of the family lives far away, this may be the right thing to do.

Third, you may choose to have the memorial service at a church building or another facility that costs less than a funeral home. There is something rather morose about most funeral homes, frankly. The "coronation" of a believer should be a different affair, and brightness and joy should characterize the time together. Let me add that having the memorial in the evening and on a day when more people can come is also advisable. It is increasingly hard for people to get off work for a memorial service. Make it easy on them. You can wait for four or five days if you wish. The church leaders can provide the obituary and any other handouts, saving even more money.

By using the church facilities or another less-expensive meeting place, and by having already buried the deceased loved one, there will be no need for any funeral people to be involved in the memorial service at all. No limousine rides are necessary, or funeral home ushers, etc.

In some cemeteries it will be necessary to purchase an expensive vault to put the casket into when interred. Cemeteries often require this to keep the body dry and the ground from sinking as time goes on. The cemetery may require this, but our theology does not. The other reason for a vault is more emotional. If the family cannot be comfortable without a vault, of course, for emotional reasons, you will have to have one.

It will be a good idea to check with more than one funeral home about burial costs. The fees vary significantly. In fact, we recently found thousands of dollars difference in pricing for the same service between two funeral homes in our area. There will be someone in the family who will be free enough and business-like enough to handle this sort of thing. It is important. Your loved one would not want your hard-earned money to be thrown away just because you were unwilling to check on pricing.

In my view, it is good to spend extra money on a gravestone that communicates well the believer’s life message. If you cannot afford a large stone, that is reasonable, but do put some writing on the stone for future readers. In this way your loved one can "preach" for years to come. A gravestone may be purchased and placed on the grave later, in most cases.

If you are considering the costs for your own burial, it will be especially important to write out instructions for your family before you die, if at all possible. In this way you will guarantee that your family will not go overboard in their spending when they are most vulnerable. It will ease their minds.

And remember that God has saved you "in order that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus." However humble your funeral, God has great things in store for you.

_________________

Copyright © 2013 Jim Elliff
Christian Communicators Worldwide, Inc.
Permission granted for not-for-sale reproduction in unedited form
including author's name, title, complete content, copyright and weblink.
Other uses require written permission.
www.ccwtoday.org

Christians in Babylon

Link: about.me/gideonsword

Living in Babylon

Author: Don Closson
Source: InPlainSite.org

Introduction
Since the era of the Moral Majority and the rise of the so called "religious right," there has been an ongoing debate within the Christian community about how to define the appropriate relationship between Christians and the contemporary American culture. Many believers find the teaching that Christians are to be "in the world but not of it" difficult to interpret and apply to their daily lives.

Part of our problem in relating to our culture is in identifying an accurate metaphor for modern America. Some see America as a new Israel, a nation that God has providentially blessed, a nation that is special to God in a way that other nations are not. When pressed, few would actually claim that America has replaced Israel of the Old Testament, but many see America as a uniquely Christian nation. Although one cannot dismiss the powerful influence that Christian thought has had on this country, this view of America raises some difficult questions.

For instance, how should believers respond when a majority of Americans reject the Christian worldview regarding specific moral issues such as abortion or gay rights? To what length are we required to go to maintain a Christian society? Many now believe that we are confronted with the dilemma of living in a largely post-Christian America, and that soon we will no longer have the political power to pass legislation that would enforce our views.

A few have already given in to the temptation to respond violently when the legal system fails to promote a biblical standard, resulting in murdered abortion doctors and bombs set off outside of gay bars in the name of Christ. They reason that if God ordered the Promised Land to be purged of Baal worshippers and their sinful culture by force, violence is justified today in the U.S. to remove its sinful practices.

Christians almost seem surprised to encounter sin in America, or to discover that our culture might be following the path of European nations that had previously been influenced by biblical truth. Some act as if God has promised that America would be exempt from worldly temptations. Even though the vast majority of Christians don't stockpile weapons or plan violent revolution, some of us become angry and paralyzed by the way America has changed over the last few decades.

Rather than seeing the U.S. as the new Israel, it might be more helpful to see it as a modern Babylon. Christians in America should see a reflection of themselves in Daniel, who found himself exiled in Babylon and having to live in an alien culture that was often hostile to his faith. Or perhaps we should identify with the apostle Paul who planted churches and discipled future leaders under the cruel and tyrannical Roman government.

Let's consider what it means to live a life worthy of the calling that we have in Christ in modern day America, and seek to better understand the admonition to be "in the world but not of it."

Aliens and Strangers
In his new book, Standing for Christ in a Modern Babylon, Marvin Olasky argues that if we are to have an influence on the culture that exists in America today, we need to see ourselves more like Daniel in Babylon than like Joshua taking the Promise Land. America is very different from Joshua's situation. Ancient Israel was a theocracy established and ruled by God for a people who had covenanted with God to live according to Mosaic Law and to be separate from other cultures. America is neither a theocracy nor a promised land. Although America benefited from the participation of godly men and biblical ideals during its founding, it is a republic that derives the right to rule from its people. As people have moved away from strongly held Christian convictions, so have its institutions.

Olasky describes modern America as a theme park for liberty, noting that it is idolized by the rest of the world as a country that promotes nearly unlimited personal freedom without any commensurate requirement for virtue. It is very much part of the "world" or cosmos that the New Testament writers John, Paul and James warn us that is contrary to the Gospel of Christ. Regarding this "world" James writes, "don't you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God." (James 4:4) To be a friend of the world is to agree with a system of values that the world represents. This worldview refuses to acknowledge God's role as creator and sustainer of the universe and rejects the moral structure that He made part of its existence. It also rejects the need for a savior. It's not that there is no support for Christian virtue left in America, but that the predominant set of values found in our major institutions no longer reflects a biblical worldview.

If asked, most believers would agree that our life here on earth is principally a place to prepare for the next life. The New Testament provides a clear picture of what our relationship to the world should be characterized by. In 1 Peter (2:11-12) we are told,

"Dear friends, I urge you, as aliens and strangers in the world, to abstain from sinful desires, which war against your soul. Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us."

Our lives here in America, or wherever God puts us, are to be characterized by the awareness that the world as it exists is not our permanent abode. Our affection for the things of this world should fade, and our desire to build God's Kingdom should increase because we have become "fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household." (Eph. 2:19)

Ambassadors for Christ
Considerable energy is spent by sincere and well-meaning Christians to make America a more righteous nation. Their dream is to use political power to transform the American culture and its institutions into a society that becomes a beacon to the world for God's righteousness and compassion. Others have given up on America and see separation from its worldly culture as the only appropriate Christian response, turning their backs to the political process as well as the arts and entertainment that it offers. Many Christians live in a state of constant tension between the heavenly Kingdom of God and the earthly kingdom that God has placed them into. They endure a dual citizenship that seems to pull them in two opposite directions.

The problem for Christians hoping to transform American society is that, although the Bible tells us much about the kind of culture that is to exist within the church, it says little about what kind of culture should exist outside of it. The New Testament doesn't encourage believers to fight for political reform or even for religious freedom within the Roman political system of the day. There are many "one another" passages that describe how one believer is to relate to another believer, and there are places where we are told to pray for our political leaders and to obey our country's laws. But little is said about the kind of political or social institutions that should be endorsed by Christians. Beyond working for justice and human dignity in a general way, how should Christians relate to the current society that we live in? [Also See The Christian and Worldliness]

A clear biblical teaching for all believers is that we are to be ambassadors for Christ. Some may be called vocationally to politics, the arts, or even the entertainment world, but each of us can and should be an ambassador for God's Kingdom wherever He places us and regardless of how He has gifted us as individuals. To do this well, ambassadors need to be cognizant of our sovereign's message or agenda. 2 Cor. 5:18-20 says that we have been given a message of reconciliation, and that God is using us to appeal to our neighbors to be reconciled with God through faith in Jesus Christ.

All of us desire to see our culture transformed into a reflection of God's truth, justice, and mercy. However, we also need to acknowledge the role of providence in both the timing and the extent of any future cultural revival. America has experienced awakenings in the past and God has certainly used individuals and organizations to realign our culture with His character. But ultimately the timing and the manner of revival is in God's hands and it will be accomplished by those who see themselves as ambassadors sharing Christ, not as a King David ruling on God's throne over America. [Also See End Time Revival or Apostasy?]

Jeremiah's Charge
Using the metaphor of believers in Babylon, it might be helpful to read how the prophet Jeremiah told the children of Israel to live among the pagans of that day. He told them to:

"Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce. Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease. Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the LORD for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper." (Jeremiah 29:4-7)

It is significant what Jeremiah did not tell the Jews to do while in Babylon. They were not told to establish the Kingdom there; it wasn't the right place or time. They were also not instructed to use guerilla tactics to overthrow the Babylonian political structures. God Himself would eventually bring about the conditions of their release to rebuild the Temple and the walls of Jerusalem. They were to instead seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which God had sent them, and to pray to God for it. This is very similar to the language that Paul uses in writing to Timothy when he tells him to pray "for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness." (1 Tim. 2:1-3) As mentioned earlier, Peter says we are to "live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us." (1 Pet. 2:12) He literally says that we are to live a "noble lifestyle" so that the pagans will see our good works and eventually recognize and give glory to God.

Unfortunately, according to recent surveys Christians are not known for their "noble lifestyles." In one survey, George Barna discovered that "evangelicals" ranked near the bottom of a list of population segments regarding favorable or positive impressions, right between lesbians and prostitutes.{1} We are often so consumed by our displeasure with what unbelievers are doing that we fail to see the activities of our daily lives in terms of ministry. When we integrate into our daily living an understanding to reflect God's image, be stewards over His creation, and love others as we love ourselves, we will begin to view all of our activities as acts of worship and service to God. As Peter reminds us regarding Christian maturity: "For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ." (2 Peter 1:8)

The Language of Addition
How do we stand for Christ as His ambassador in America without getting depressed? It might be helpful to ask how the apostle Paul kept his cool in Athens as he viewed the various idols built for a pantheon of Greek and Roman gods, or how Daniel was able to function in a pagan Babylonian government that "praised the gods of silver and gold, of bronze, iron, wood and stone, which cannot see or hear or understand." (Dan. 5:23) Both men probably had to turn to God often, quiet their souls, and occasionally see some humor in the culture in which God had placed them, all the while realizing that it is ultimately God who changes cultures by working through flawed but redeemed individuals.

Marvin Olasky remarks in Standing for Christ in a Modern Babylon on the impractical focus Christians often have on using censure, boycotts, or legislation to erase sinful behavior from American society. He writes: "We need to understand that saying, 'Thou shalt do X because God says so,' leads to blank stares or incredulous glances..."{2} He adds "We should understand that in the American liberty theme park, we cannot eliminate the negative; so our realistic option is to emphasize the positive."{3} A nation that has elevated tolerance and choice to its greatest virtues is much more likely to respond to positive moral alternatives than to chastisement.

Just as Paul offered an alternative to the gods of Athens, we need to be prepared to suggest a Christian alternative to the views held by unbelievers in America. As effective ambassadors everywhere must do, we need to understand the issues of the day and respond in a manner that resonates with the culture.

When P.E.T.A. and others extol the rights of the "species of the month" while saying nothing of the killing of unborn children, we need to suggest the view that children are far more precious than birds, seals, and dolphins. When the splendor and wonder of human sexuality is twisted and perverted in novel ways, we need to be ready to offer the benefits and beauty of monogamous heterosexual unions for both spouses and their offspring. When someone argues that morality is subjective and that anarchy is a reasonable response, we should be prepared to offer a picture of how biblically revealed virtues can profit a society. Using the language of addition will encounter far more listening ears in America than will the language of boycotts, censure, and anger.

The ultimate reason for being an effective ambassador, and for apologetics, is to improve the chances that the gospel will be heard and received. Our mission is not to merely reduce sin but to model Christ so that people will come to know and accept the wonderful message "that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them...so that in him we might become the righteousness of God." (2 Cor. 5:19,21)


Notes

1. Barna Research Online, [http://www.barna.org/cgi-bin/PagePressRelease.asp?PressReleaseID=127&Reference=D] (Jan. 30, 2004).

2. Marvin Olasky, Standing for Christ in a Modern Babylon (Wheaton, Ill:, Crossway Books, 2003), 23.

3. Ibid.


© 2004 Probe Ministries. Copyright/Reproduction Limitations This document is the sole property of Probe Ministries. It may not be altered or edited in any way. Permission is granted to use in digital or printed form so long as it is circulated without charge, and in its entirety. This document may not be repackaged in any form for sale or resale. All reproductions of this document must contain the copyright notice (i.e., Copyright 2007 Probe Ministries) and this Copyright/Limitations notice.

Hyperinflation

Link: about.me/gideonsword

HYPERINFLATION?

Author: Britt Gilette
Source: End Times Bible Prophecy - 11.13.2008

Lately, I've run across a number of articles warning people to prepare themselves for hyperinflation in the United States. Inevitably, these warnings are accompanied by comparisons to Germany's Weimar Republic and its infamous bout with hyperinflation in the aftermath of World War I.

But is this really something to be worried about?

To answer that question, we must first understand what hyperinflation is. In simple terms, hyperinflation is a rapid increase in the general price of goods and services, brought about as a result of a rapidly expanding money supply.

Given the current worldwide credit crunch and subsequent actions by the Federal Reserve, a number of people are predicting a period of hyperinflation for the United States.

These commentators point to the U.S. Treasury, the Federal Reserve, and the massive amounts of "liquidity" each institution is injecting into the marketplace. Their theory rests on the assumption that in its drive to end the current credit crisis, the federal government is essentially printing money in order to stimulate economic activity.

Since the U.S. dollar is a fiat currency, meaning its sole value is derived from a holder's faith in the promise of the U.S. government to back it up, no limits exist on how much currency the government can print.

The theory goes that as the U.S. government prints more and more dollars and extends more and more credit, the value of its fiat currency is eroded and the world is flooded with an excess supply of U.S. dollars.

As a direct result, it takes more and more U.S. dollars to purchase goods and services.

Based on these assumptions, quite a few websites are advising readers to be on the look out for hyperinflation and to prepare themselves and their families accordingly. As such, people are being encouraged to buy gold, silver, and other precious metals as a hedge against hyperinflation.

This is sound advice if the diagnosis of hyperinflation is correct. But unfortunately, it's not.


The Real Threat

I know I'll receive a barrage of emails from well-intentioned people who are convinced our current economic environment is setting people up for a nasty bout of hyperinflation. But it's just not true, and in good conscience, I can't let these claims go unanswered. United States citizens, and most people throughout the world, should not be preparing for the mythical threat of hyperinflation.

In fact, they should be preparing for the exact opposite.

The real threat of the current financial crisis is deflation - a general decrease in the price of all goods and services as a result of a contraction of the global money supply. In short, deflation is a net contraction of base money and credit while inflation and hyperinflation are the opposite.

What's Really Happening...

The hyperinflation argument is built on the faulty premise that the money supply will dramatically increase in the near future, while demand remains steady, thus increasing the general price of all goods and services.

However, if we observe the world around us, we see the exact opposite forces in effect.

This is because the money supply is a total of all currency, coin, and credit in the marketplace. Take note that physical U.S. dollars a person can actually hold in his hand account for only a small fraction of the money supply. The remainder of the money supply essentially consists of credit or IOUs held in the form of various financial instruments.

In our fractional reserve banking system, the money supply expands in tandem with the expansion of credit. Yet, right now, all the indicators are signaling that the days of easy credit are over. The extension and acceptance of credit is contracting.

Simply put, fewer institutions are willing to lend money, and fewer institutions and individuals are willing (or able) to borrow.

As individuals and institutions default on their debts, the debt instruments (money) decline in value, effectively decreasing the money supply.

While I've put this in very simplistic terms, the fact of the matter is that we're in the midst of a massive global credit crunch, the effective result of which is a worldwide contraction of the money supply.

Furthermore, we're witnessing a tectonic shift in consumer spending attitudes as people turn away from the recent past behavior of borrow and spend to a more realistic view of work and save.

This means total demand for consumer products throughout the economy is in general decline.

While it's true that the United States is issuing new currency and coins at an unprecedented rate, this increase in the base money supply (physical currency) is increasing at nowhere near the pace at which credit and consumer demand are being destroyed. The net effect is deflation.

In an earlier article, I wrote about the declining value of the U.S. dollar:

"Anyone in touch with the world today knows that the dollar is losing value on an almost daily basis. The dollar has fallen relative to oil, gold, silver, and every other commodity on the planet. Although this fall won't last forever, it's a clear symptom of an ominous future for the dollar's underlying value."

When the above statement was made, the world was near the pinnacle of the largest credit bubble in world history. The easy extension of credit over the course of several consecutive years dramatically increased the money supply. Since demand for the dollar remained relatively stable over that same time period, an increase in supply resulted in a lower price for dollars. In other words, the dollar lost value. As credit expanded (increasing the money supply along with it), it took more and more dollars to purchase gold, oil, silver, food, gasoline, houses, and just about everything. Essentially, the world experienced rampant inflation for the greater part of this decade.

The idea that "peak oil" or increased demand or anything other than speculation and a general decline in the value of fiat currency was responsible for $147 a barrel oil is simply dead wrong. An ounce of gold will purchase approximately the same number of barrels of oil today as it would have purchased ten years ago. Inflation, caused by the rapid expansion of credit, was the driving force in the rising price of oil - as well as the rising price of just about everything else.

What's Going On Now...

When the massive credit bubble burst, it led to an immediate contraction of the global money supply - a contraction that is still in the process of unraveling. This isn't entirely the result of massive debt defaults, but also the product of a global race to hoard cash in order to service debt and make adequate provision for the future. Financial institutions are hoarding cash in order to guard against future losses and meet government reserve requirements. Corporations are hoarding cash as they watch past lines of credit disappear. And individuals are hoarding cash as they face the prospect of job layoffs as well as mounting debt obligations. So, not only is the money supply contracting, but demand for cash has increased.

This demand for cash has had, and will continue to have, worldwide implications. In an effort to increase their cash holdings, corporations, hedge funds, and individuals have been selling assets.

As a result, we've witnessed a general price decrease in just about every asset class. The price of gold is down. The price of oil and gasoline is down. The housing market is down, and the stock market is down.

In such a world, the idea of hyperinflation is almost laughable. This isn't an environment that breeds hyperinflation.

It's an environment of widespread deflation.


The Deflationary Spiral

Unfortunately, a deflationary environment is one of the worst economic situations possible. Consumers, faced with unemployment, or the very real prospect of unemployment, curtail discretionary spending, and the collective result of their efforts is lower profits for many businesses.

Faced with decreased demand and poor cash flows, businesses throughout the economy respond by trimming their workforce. This, in turn, further derails consumer spending since the jobless are not a reliable source of customers for most businesses.

In addition, the gainfully employed cut back on spending and hoard cash in preparation for the next round of layoffs. And on and on... The vicious cycle just feeds itself.

This is the same situation which plunged the world into the Great Depression.

So where does it all end? Unfortunately, government efforts to "fix" a crisis government created in the first place will inevitably fail. The Federal Reserve Board can cut the discount rate and the fed funds rate. Other central banks throughout the world can follow suit, and they have. Governments can guarantee bank deposits, buy up debt obligations, nationalize banks, and run the printing presses night and day. But in the end, all of these efforts will be futile in attempting to spur economic activity.

Why?

Because, in the end, governments can't make lenders lend and borrowers borrow.

And until lenders are willing to lend, and borrowers are willing (and able) to borrow, the credit side of the money supply equation will continue to contract, and the economic landscape will continue to deteriorate.

Collapsing debt obligations, rising foreclosures, rising credit card defaults, and rising unemployment are deflationary forces. And these events are not exclusive to the United States. The credit crisis is worldwide. Only after the debt bubble fully deflates (i.e. the foreclosures and bankruptcies end), then - and only then - will credit and economic activity expand.

Once that happens, inflation will become a threat once again. But for the moment, inflation and hyperinflation are no where on the horizon.

That said, we remain in a severe global economic downturn. So what does all this have to do with bible prophecy?


Economic Crises Give Rise to Despots

If history provides any indication, times of economic crisis are especially susceptible to the rise of demagogues and despots.

Historically, political leaders take advantage of both perceived and real crises in order to increase the power and scope of government. The current credit crisis is no different.

Already governments throughout the world have taken advantage of public fear and hysteria, drafting massive bailout packages to select corporations and industries, temporarily suspending the rules and regulations of financial markets, and forcing the nationalization of banks and other private industries.

Recently, several prominent world leaders issued a clarion call to "rewrite the rules of international finance." In the meantime, each of these government power grabs occurs against the backdrop of a citizenry which is ever increasingly looking toward government as its Savior.

In an environment such as this one, ambitious individuals have been know to push through bold and radical agendas with relatively little opposition from the public. A hungry and unemployed public places far more emphasis on jobs and security rather than freedom and liberty.

Our last deflationary spiral, The Great Depression, is instructive in this regard. The economic deflation of the 1930?s gave rise to Adolf Hitler in Europe and Huey Long in the United States. Few people realize that Huey Long had successfully transformed Louisiana into his own personal police state. Had he not been assassinated in 1935, Huey Long might well have become President of the United States, effectively giving America its own dictator.

History is clear, an economic crisis is fertile ground for a demagogue.


The Antichrist

As world leaders such as UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown issue calls for building a "global society," the stage is being set for the most infamous dictator in human history to seize power. Known as the Antichrist, the bible states that, in the last days, this man will come to control all of the world's economic activity:

"He required everyone - great and small, rich and poor, slave and free - to be given a mark on the right hand or on the forehead. And no one could buy or sell anything without that mark, which was either the name of the beast or the number representing his name." - Revelation 13:16-17 (NLT)

In fact, he will exercise complete power over every person on earth:

"And he was given authority to rule over every tribe and people and language and nation." - Revelation 13:7 (NLT)

This is why the current economic crisis is of dire consequence to the people of the world. While we can't know for sure whether this particular crisis will give rise to the Antichrist, we can be certain that the calls for increased global cooperation, global government, and governmental power over the free markets are setting the stage for a single man to seize control of the entire earth.


How the World Can Recover

While most of the world anxiously looks toward government for answers to the current economic turmoil, Christians can move forward with bold confidence. Why? Because the Bible provides us with the guiding principles for curing this economic ailment. If the rest of the world had followed, or would dare to follow, biblical principles in its financial dealings, then the current economic crisis would be a non event.

While most of the world grew drunk on the excesses of debt, the bible issued dire warnings of its pitfalls:

"Don't agree to guarantee another person's debt or put up security for someone else. If you can't pay it, even your bed will be snatched from under you." - Proverbs 22:26-27 (NLT)

"Owe nothing to anyone - except for your obligation to love one another." - Romans 13:8 (NLT)

"Just as the rich rule the poor, so the borrower is servant to the lender." - Proverbs 22:7 (NLT)

It's not too late for the world to start following the biblical principles of finance, but unfortunately, the world will follow its own path.


Conclusion

Hyperinflation is not a concern right now. The world is in the midst of a deflationary spiral similar to that which caused the Great Depression, and this period will probably last several months or years. Nevertheless, Christians shouldn't be overly concerned with our preparations for dealing with the ills of this world. While we should make wise provision for the future, if we first pursue the Kingdom of Heaven above all else, then we will be capable of easily enduring any number of economic conditions, from deflation to inflation and hyperinflation.

A life which glorifies Jesus Christ should not be overly concerned with the fleeting value of earthly wealth. For it can thrive in any condition:

"Not that I was ever in need, for I have learned how to be content with whatever I have. I know how to live on almost nothing or with everything. I have learned the secret of living in every situation, whether it is with a full stomach or empty, with plenty or little. For I can do everything through Christ, who gives me strength." - Philippians 4:11-13 (NLT)

Regardless of the material condition in which we find ourselves, we should live our lives in the service of Christ.

Our faith should not be in stock markets, pensions, or job security. Our faith shouldn't be in the provisions we've made or the gold and silver we've hoarded in anticipation of an economic collapse.

Our faith should be in Christ alone.

For this faith is the foundation of all the wealth we will ever have:

"The rich think of their wealth as a strong defense; they imagine it to be a high wall of safety." - Proverbs 18:11 (NLT)

"Teach those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which is so unreliable. Their trust should be in God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment." - 1 Timothy 6:17 (NLT)

Christians have far more than the riches of this world; we have the riches of Christ.

"And anyone who believes in Him will never be disappointed." - 1 Peter 2:6 (NLT)

"Don't store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be." - Matthew 6:19-21 (NLT)



Britt Gillette is the founder of End Times Bible Prophecy and the author of Signs Of The Second Coming: 11 Reasons Jesus Will Return in Our Lifetime.