Calif. Megachurch Accused of Practicing Occult in Use of 'Destiny Cards'

Christianpost.com ^ | December 24, 2017 | Leonardo Blair

[Mom MD]

One can also believe that Christ is truly present in His supper Body and Blood without all the other stuff thrown in. There is no perpetual sacrifice that was once for all and done. There is no worshipping the elements. There is only Grace. Grace that you can see touch smell and taste. What a Savior we have.

[ealgeone]

I’d say they’re following another Gospel if they’re involved in this mess.

[Mom MD]

And a solemn reminder that when you stray from Scripture and start to follow the teachings of men, no matter how good they sound, this is where you end up

[ealgeone]

There is no perpetual sacrifice that was once for all and done.

The New Testament disagrees with you.

8Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. 10For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:8-11 NASB

23Therefore it was necessary for the copies of the things in the heavens to be cleansed with these, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; 25nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own. 26Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. 27And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, 28

so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.

Hebrews 9:23-28 NASB

11Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins;

12but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, 13waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET. 14For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. 15And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying, 16“THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THEM AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS UPON THEIR HEART, AND ON THEIR MIND I WILL WRITE THEM,” He then says, 17“AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE.” 18Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.

Hebrews 10:11-18 NASB

[ealgeone]

I think I misread your post. My apologies for the confusion.

[ealgeone]

One can also believe that Christ is truly present in His supper Body and Blood without all the other stuff thrown in.

But if we are followers of Christ...isn't He already there?

[BenLurkin]

[JesusIsLord]

What is THIS practice??

If I were to guess, I'd say it's an electric candle burning station where an offering is required to "light" a bulb - and by doing so, it buys you spiritual favors. Just a guess.

[JesusIsLord]

"One can also believe that Christ is truly present in His supper Body and Blood without all the other stuff thrown in...There is no worshiping the elements. There is only Grace"

I don't believe you can have it both ways. You can't say that Jesus is physically present in communion and at the same time "there is no worshiping of the elements" The fact is the Roman Catholics WORSHIP communion aka the Eucharist. The RC church teaches that Jesus is "physically" present in communion. Do you believe God calls us to be cannibals and that John 6 teaches that we are to participate in a cannibal ritual?

Grace is the result of Christ's life, death and resurrection, which from our perspective culminates in our being born-again, filled and led by His Holy Spirit and living Word. Ultimately, grace comes when we personally accept Christ's death (shedding of His blood) for the propitiation of our sins.

" For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast." Eph. 2:8-9

[Zionist Conspirator]

There is something to be said about a religion that follows a calendar

I agree. Too bad the original religion with a calendar was "replaced" by the original Protestants two thousand years ago.

[Zionist Conspirator]

If you know the Truth, what the evangelicals do is just pretend worship. Ask any of the True religions Orthodox included.

"Any" of the true religions? How many "true religions" are there? Everybody but the "Evangelicals?"

[Mom MD]

Christ lives in you. Do you worship yourself? I don’t know why it is so difficult for people to take Christ at His word. Do I understand how this all works? No But then I wouldn’t expect to

[Mom MD]

Christ is present with us always. If one of the ways He manifests that is in His Supper why is that a problem. God created the physical body. He knows we are physical creatures. I find it comforting that my Lord chooses to come to me in a physical way as well as a Spiritual way. Again communion is Grace that we can see touch taste and smell....

[ealgeone]

The problem with the Roman Catholic position is they advocate this is how one is saved.

That is not supported by the New Testament.

[Mom MD]

I’m not Roman Catholic and I do not agree with their position on this or a great many other things. Is what you believe about communion a salvation issue? Absolutely not. Does it add to the richness and fullness of the Christian life - absolutely. We are all progressing in our understanding and none of us will even begin to understand this side of eternity. If Paul saw through a glass darkly how should I expect to see any better?

[ealgeone]

I’m not Roman Catholic and I do not agree with their position on this or a great many other things. Is what you believe about communion a salvation issue?

No. We come to Christ through faith.

Communion is a remembrance of His one time sacrifice for our sins.

[Mom MD]

As the rest of my post said it is not a salvation issue....

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Yes, why actually talk to God through prayer when you can pretend he speaks through a deck of cards?

[ravenwolf]

Sola scripture any one?.

[af_vet_1981]

Lots of people call themselves things they are not. That statement was likely written a while ago. Too bad they have strayed from it

A while ago as in 2005 or even more recently ?

In November 2005, the membership of Bethel Church voted unanimously to to withdraw the church's affiliation with the Assemblies of God and become a non-denominational church. However, the Assemblies of God's bylaws required Bethel to invite the leadership of the Northern California-Nevada District to speak to the congregation. On January 15, 2006, Bethel's membership voted to rescind the withdrawal and invited the district leadership to Redding. The district leadership met with the congregation in January 17, but the result was a near-unanimous vote to withdraw. In a letter, Johnson points out that this action was "...not a reaction to conflict but a response to a call... we feel called to create a network that helps other networks thrive — to be one of many ongoing catalysts in this continuing revival. Our call feels unique enough theologically and practically from the call on the Assemblies of God that this change is appropriate."[5] Since that time, the church has grown to nearly 9,000 attendees a week.[1]

Bethel Church and Bill Johnson have been featured in video segments by Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN)[6][7] and Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN). The segments reviewed the church's approach to outreach.