How to tell the cult group from the Church? Know the truth!

Christian Messenger (India's Evangelical Newspaper) ^ | Sept. 12, 2009 | Sheba Devaraj

[mkjessup]

But go on believing they understand that only Jesus saves them. Make sure you never "offend" them by telling them that their ordinances can add nothing to the gift of salvation. It might disturb their sensibilities. Never mind that your testimony could possibly set them free of the bondage of their self-reliance for their own exaltation.

I think you misunderstand me here. I pull no punches when it comes to my advocacy of the Essentials of Salvation which I've already stated in prior posts. It is Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, and the Blood, the Blood and nothing but the Blood, that saves us from eternal damnation and separation from God.

Truth be told, there are many denominations, cults and groups that insist that they and they alone hold the franchise on 'how to get to heaven' and all they're doing is trying to re-invent the wheel, when the Big Wheel is Jesus, and He doesn't need to be re-invented, re-packaged, re-painted or any of that, He only needs for us to RE-PEAT what He has said, and I try to do that at every opportunity that I have, if my words (which are merely quotations of His Words) are well received, wonderful and Praise God. If they offend anyone, to put it as my earthly (and earthy) personality does so often, "too damn bad".

Every day, I just try to do my best, and trust Jesus for the rest. That's all I can do.

[Tennessee Nana]

Yes, the idea of 2 or more MIL should be a deterant for bigamy...

But since there are no real legal 2nd etc marriages but just shack ups...

There are no legit MIL...

:)

[Tennessee Nana]

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

Samson lost his pretty hair over that deal...

[Colofornian]

I'll cut to the chase FRiend, and get down to the least common denominator:
"For whosoever shall calleth upon the Name of the Lord SHALL BE SAVED." - Romans 10:13
Simple and straightforward, and no complicated doctrines, rituals, dogmas, catmas, or any other kind o' 'mas' ;)

Well, Martin Luther said the gospel is so simple a child can understand it; yet so deep it can take a lifetime or eternity to fully comprehend.

You put the caps on "SHALL BE SAVED" -- "NAME OF THE LORD" is as cap-worthy -- IOW, "Name" in the Bible is always an identity identifier, and "Lord" is a specific title of that specific Being.

Why is that relevant? Well the false prophets who opposed Elijah called upon the name of their gods, too.

So, if you have an address book, hard copy or e-version, and you have more than one entry under "G" for "God" -- that's a problem. It can make the difference between calling upon Elijah's God -- the God of Rom. 10:13 -- and the false gods who opposed Elijah.

[mkjessup]

I know who I’m calling on, it’s 1-800-JESUS-SAVED-ME.

[colorcountry]

It is Jesus, Jesus, Jesus, and the Blood, the Blood and nothing but the Blood, that saves us from eternal damnation and separation from God.

Thank you. That is a wonderful message....it is THE only message that IS wonderful!

[greyfoxx39]

You haven't heard of the Mormon-only mansions is heaven? They call it the Celestial Kingdom - and if you're not Mormon, you're not going there, period.

Not only THAT! You have to be judged by a bishop to be a "temple worthy mormon"....only a select few are chosen via certain rules and regulations as seen below....

 Temple Recommend questions.

1 Do you have faith in and a testimony of God the Eternal Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost?

2 Do you have a testimony of the Atonement of Christ and of His role as Savior and Redeemer?

3 Do you have a testimony of the restoration of the gospel in these the latter days?

4 Do you sustain the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints as the Prophet, Seer, and Revelator and as the only person on the earth who possesses and is authorized to exercise all priesthood keys? Do you sustain members of the First Presidency and the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles as prophets, seers, and revelators? Do you sustain the other General Authorities and local authorities of the Church?

5 Do you live the law of chastity?

6 Is there anything in your conduct relating to members of your family that is not in harmony with the teachings of the Church?

7 Do you support, affiliate with, or agree with any group or individual whose teachings or practices are contrary to or oppose those accepted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints?

8 Do you strive to keep the covenants you have made, to attend your sacrament and other meetings, and to keep your life in harmony with the laws and commandments of the gospel?

9 Are you honest in your dealings with your fellowmen?

10 Are you a full-tithe payer?

11 Do your keep the Word of Wisdom?

12 Do you have financial or other obligations to a former spouse or children? If yes, are you current in meeting those obligations?

13 If you have previously received your temple endowment:

Do you keep the covenants that you made in the temple?
Do you wear the garment both night and day as instructed in the endowment and in accordance with the covenant you made in the temple?

14 Have there been any sins or misdeeds in your life that should have been resolved with priesthood authorities but have not been?

15 Do you consider yourself worthy to enter the Lord's house and participate in temple ordinances?

 

[Colofornian]

You will be expected to donate at least ten percent of your income to the church as tithing. Other donations will be expected as the need arises. You will never see an accounting of how this money is spent, or how much the church receives, or anything at all about its financial condition; the church keeps its finances secret, even from its members.

Secret, secret, secret
Fulness of the gospel NOT in the Book of Mormon. Secret to prospects - they'd look in vain for the primary Mormon teachings to be taught there.
Original "old plates" Joseph supposedly found. Secreted away.
Joseph not telling Emma about women he had affairs with (Fanny & others) 1831 & beyond. Secret.
Mormons not putting the polygamy doctrine in writing until the 1850s. Secret.
Bloody victims' clothes & orphans from Mountain Meadows Massacre, 1857. Secret for two years.
Mountain Meadows Massacre culprits. Conspired amongst each other to never tell. Secret.
Mormonism openly false 19th century teachings like Adam-is-god and blood atonement. Unacknowledged as former teachings. They wish these were a secret.
Mormon polygamists hiding out from the feds in 1880s. Secret hideaways.
Lds Plural marriages 1890-1910. Secret.

Still today:
Lds temple ceremonies. Secret.
Lds weddings in temples. Secret.
Secret underwear power. Very secret.
Mormons believe thousands of deceased Mormons practicing polygamy in another realm. "Open" Secret.
History not "faith promoting" to Lds church and former leaders. Tendency to tuck away. Secreted away.
fLDS families -- the "living daguerreotype" of what 19th century Mainstream Mormon families were often like -- tucked away in out-of-the-way communities. Treated like the crazy aunt to lock away in the basement closet.

No wonder a BYU history prof wrote a book, "Early Mormonism and the Magic World View." "Magic" is a sub-category of the occult. And what does the word "occult" mean? (Yup, Latin for "hidden" -- as in secret).

Lds lurker. You have a high position in the Lds church. You know of "secret" documents tucked away "in the vault" -- one of the most secret hard to reach places in Mormondom. Consider Jesus' call to let light shine on dark places -- and then act:

For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad. (Luke 8:17)

Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. (Luke 12:3)

[Saundra Duffy]

The FLDS are NOT Mormons and you know it. They broke w/LDS a hundred years ago. Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints would be excommunicated for such an offense.

[paulist]

Where do you find the “sinners prayer” in the Word of God?

“If any unsaved soul prays that prayer, then according to the Word of God — THEY ARE SAVED! AMEN!”

According to who?

[Tennessee Nana]

The FLDS are NOT Mormons and you know it. They broke w/LDS a hundred years ago
___________________________________________

Only thing I know is that those there so called “LDS” you speak of apostacized in 1890...

And broke with the real mormons who kept on going practicing the principal that Joey had taught them...

And the rest apostacized in dribs and drabs along the way..

Unless a member is following the “prophet” and what he taught, that member is not a true mormon...

The principal of polygamy was the true and everlasting covenant for the mormons...the only way for a mormon male to get into the mormon after life..

Not for the Christians or mormon females... for the mormon males...

(Mormon women are abused 2nd class sex slaves for the mormon males in the mormon after life)

The Christian men AND WOMEN have always had ...

Jesus saying, “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. NO man or woman comes to the Father except by ME.” John 14:6

[Colofornian]

The FLDS are NOT Mormons and you know it. They broke w/LDS a hundred years ago

More historical exaggeration. (Can't you be on the money any time?)

A rift occurred in the 1930s during the Grant presidency of the Mormon church. The fLDSdid not formally break with the Mormon church until the 1940s. (That means less than 70 years ago -- which means a number of fLDS were born mainstream Mormon -- and have never been ex-communicated by the LDS!!!)

[Colofornian]

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints would be excommunicated for such an offense.

Since the true church is NOT an earthly organization, but an earthly and heavenly organism of the Body of Christ. Does this pronouncement of yours mean that if Brigham & Joseph & other Lds polygamists are in the celestial kingdom, that they've also been "excommunicated" from that realm?

If not, why not?
If polygamy is so Mormon-glorious in the celestial kingdom, why is it so excommunicable" here on earth?
If it's so morally pure up there, what makes it so "damnable" for current Mormons?

[Tennessee Nana]

Members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints would be excommunicated for such an offense.
____________________________________________

Say what ???

Joey Smith and Brigham Young are rolling stones roughly rolling over in their graves are your words...

OUCH OUCH OUCH OUCH OUCH OUCH OUCH OUCH OUCH OUCH

I’m shocked Saundra, Shocked I say...

What would your bish think if he could read your words ???

Temple Recommend questions.

3 Do you have a testimony of the restoration of the gospel in these the latter days? (this would include the restoration of polygamy because Josy Smith did what the old prophets did blah blah blah)

5 Do you live the law of chastity? (Joey Smith and BY et al said that Christianity was an abomination and monogamy was not a vrtue... Only polygamy was of the mormon god and could save ..males...)

7 Do you support, affiliate with, or agree with any group or individual whose teachings or practices are contrary to or oppose those accepted by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? (Like Christians who have always been monogamous)

14 Have there been any sins or misdeeds in your life that should have been resolved with priesthood authorities but have not been? (Again Joey Smith and BY et al said that monogamy was a sin)

[aMorePerfectUnion]

polygamy placemarker

[mkjessup]

There are many variations of that prayer, and it sounds like you've got a chip on your shoulder in asking your question. The fact is, Jesus died upon the Cross in order to pay the penalty for our sins, individually and collectively. Because we are sinners, ALL of us without exception, it is impossible for us to be reconciled to Almighty God except for the redemptive death of Jesus Christ, in that His Blood was shed in place of our own.

Because Jesus never sinned, by the Law, He could have chosen to literally live forever in the earthly body that He had, but He chose instead to lay down His life for US, He became that sinless sacrifice in our place, 'The Lamb of God' which took away the sin of the world.

The wages of sin is death, and because all of us have sinned, all of us must die. But when we place our souls into the Hands of Christ, we are assured that we will not die *spiritually*, that instead of an eternity separated from God, we are reconciled to the Almighty and we can be certain of an eternity in His Presence.

When the thief on the Cross next to Jesus asked Him "remember me when thou comest in thy Kingdom." And Jesus responded "Verily I say unto thee, today shalt thou be with Me in Paradise."

The thief on the Cross committed an act of Faith, he did no good works, he joined no church or synagogue, he had no time to make up for a life of crime, he simply recognized the Divinity of Christ in the dwindling moments of his life, and his faith was not misplaced.

"According to who?" you ask?

ACCORDING TO JESUS CHRIST.

[Elsie]

I am Catholic, which is why I am aware that writing articles that use innuendo and exaggeration is sinful.

I know JUST what you mean!

Why, if we let this kind of Free Speech go on, FreeRepublic will be nothing but a white-washed tomb, filled with vipers and hypocrits!

Why... others might go as far as to suggest physical violence in the manner of cutting ones own gonads off!

[Elsie]

Pinging the mighty Inmans.

Mighty?

MIGHTY!!

I think I LIKE that!

(Tain't necessarily TRUE; but I STILL like it...)

[Elsie]

Pinging the mighty Inmans.

Mighty?

MIGHTY!!

I think I LIKE that!

(Tain't necessarily TRUE; but I STILL like it...)

[Elsie]

Pinging the mighty Inmans.

Mighty?

MIGHTY!!

I think I LIKE that!

(Tain't necessarily TRUE; but I STILL like it...)