Free Republic

The Ravenous Wolves of FreeRepublicHow do we deal with the insults and pain of those whom Christ called "ravenous wolves"? Many aren't aware of it but the phrase "A wolf in sheep’s clothing" has biblical origins. Mat 7:15 "Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. The word translated "false prophet" here is not referring to a Godly person who has a prophecy that fails. Instead it's referring to a person who pretends to be a Christian but in reality is not. They are compared to "ravenous wolves" among the flock....

Mark Biltz is the founder of El Shaddai Ministries, a Hebrew roots resource and teaching ministry located near Tacoma, Washington. Recently Biltz has attracted attention in presentations and YouTube videos about end-time prophecy and the Lord’s return. He discusses the significance of four total lunar eclipses that will fall on the dates of Passover and Sukkot in 2014 and 2015. The Crucifixion of Jesus was at the time of Passover, and Biltz believes that the Second Coming of Christ must happen at Sukkot, so he argues that this relatively unusual event of four lunar eclipses on these four dates has...

Delta (DAL, Fortune 500) acknowledged a glitch caused steeply-discounted tickets to be offered online Thursday -- some for as low as $27, according to customers. They celebrated their finds on social media, including cross-country flights for $40 and Boston to Honolulu lifts for $68. One customer said she bought tickets between Tallahassee and Los Angeles for $27 each way. Those routes normally cost between several hundred and several thousand dollars. Related: United and Delta raise bar on frequent flier miles Delta spokesman Trebor Banstetter said the airline would honor the incorrectly priced fares, which were offered on the airline's website...

Christianity 101: The Laying on of Hands For Christians the book of Hebrews is essential for analyzing what the early church believed and taught as doctrine. In instructing the church Paul (the likely author) chastised them for now growing in the faith. In Hebrews 6:1 Paul reminded them of the "principles of the doctrine of Christ". In other words, those things which Christ said should be taught to Christians. These are foundational principles: Hbr 6:1 Therefore leaving the principles of the doctrine of Christ, let us go on unto perfection; not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works,...

In 2011 Christmas fell on a Sunday, and several churches canceled their church services because they didn’t want to interrupt Christmas. What a bizarre idea—not wanting to impose the worship of Jesus Christ on the day we celebrate His birth! It is, however, an even greater paradox that another figure has been allowed to intrude on many Christmas celebrations every year. He is everywhere at this time of the year, and far more prevalent than any representation of Jesus Christ. There is even a “hymn” dedicated to this intruder—one that explains his “theology.” And we all know the lyrics, as...

“The Christian faith has not been tried and found wanting. It has rather been found difficult and left untried.” —Chesterton I am the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending.The story of Jesus is either the greatest event in history or the cruelest hoax. If it is a hoax, then the whole of the Christian message crumbles together with the hopes of those multitudes of lives built on his name. The apostle Paul said: “And if Christ is not risen, then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty. Yes, and we are found false witnesses of...

What do times of disaster teach us about ourselves and society? Is our moral center what it ought to be? In 2005 I worked as a volunteer at a shelter for people displaced by Hurricane Katrina. We tried to console confused, hungry, frightened people who had been picked off the roofs of their houses in New Orleans and transported to San Antonio, Texas. One young woman sat on a cot staring aimlessly. In obvious shock, she ignored the activity swirling around her. I stopped, leaned down and asked her if I could help. She looked up with eyes filled with...

Most have taken for granted Jesus' nativity story as commonly related - that when Joseph and Mary arrived in Bethlehem there was no room in an inn so Mary ended up giving birth to Jesus in a stable. But is this the true account in Scripture? See for yourself! A typical translation of Luke 2:7 says about Mary giving birth to Jesus, "And she brought forth her firstborn Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn" (New King James Version). We've grown up hearing the...

The controversy over Phil Robertson’s comments about homosexuality remind us of the consequences of a public figure speaking their true thoughts about modern morality. It also shows us the selective nature of censorship. Here’s how. Robertson is the CEO of Duck Commander company and one of the family stars of the popular television series Duck Dynasty. He is a Christian and like many of his Southern neighbors is not ashamed or afraid to state his beliefs in clear language. While giving an interview to GQ magazine he quoted from 1 Corinthians 6:9-10 where the apostle Paul clearly showed the consequences...

How do you know you're saved? Imagine you arrive at a most important banquet that's hosted by Christ Himself. After all--you're a Christian. Picture coming to His home and walking right up to the door. Perhaps you're a little surprised that the door is closed and you're shut outside. But not to be deterred, you knock and knock. No response, no reaction. So you call out, "Jesus open the door, Lord it's me." Still, no response, no reaction. At long last, you hear Jesus' voice and He says, "I never knew you!" What a devastating and shocking situation in which...

Marvel is creating four live-action superhero series and an Avengers-style special event that will all air exclusively on Netflix, beginning in 2015. The first of the TV series will focus on Daredevil, while the following series will star Jessica Jones, Iron Fist, and Luke Cage. At least 13 episodes of each series will be produced, and — like all good Marvel series — they'll eventually come together for a special event. For Netflix, that event will be a mini-series called The Defenders, though there's no word on just how long it'll run. "This serialized epic expands the narrative possibilities of...

The Truth about Tattoos I had written a hub earlier on 'The Dangers of Tattoos' - which was from purely a medical point of view. The present article is more comprehensive, and should enlighten the open-minded reader about the 'dark truths' behind tattoos. Historical Aspect History shows that tattoos have always been associated with paganism, shamanism, heathen (Baal worship), occult mysticism and demonism. The tattoo has never been associated with Christians, until the present decadent religious times. Wherever the Christian faith made its entrance, the tattoo made its exit. Tattoos where associated with shamans or magic-men (witch-doctors). A shaman is...

There are a lot of good comments on various news stories around the web blaming Obama for the issues of National Parks and monuments denying access to citizens. That's all well and good but the public must be educated as to WHY Obama is at fault. If they're not educated many will dismiss the Obama blame as just more politics. A simple statement on the comments of news stores can do wonders. For example: "The National Park system is under control of the Secretary of Interior. The Secretary of the Interior is part of Obama's cabinet. These types of orders...

This link is to the: US Debt Clock It's a real time representation of, among other things, federal spending. What's cool is that during the shutdown federal spending is actually LESS then revenue...so the DEFICIT is decreasing by about $170,000,000 a day. Why this is deadly to the libs is that the longer the shutdown goes, the more people will see how bloated the government is. The slimdown is just cutting the fat and it's already making a huge difference. The longer it lasts the more people will see that, hey, it's no skin off our teeth AND we're getting...

We know that most of the voters in the country are of the low information type...they believe the headlines. Let's use this to our advantage. Use Facebook, Twitter, etc. to put out little "blurbs" mocking the government shut down and government in general. For example, my Facebook status today is "If the government is shutdown then why is the IRS still taking taxes out of my paycheck??" Everyone can identify with that. It makes people think...hey yeah....why ARE they doing that if it's shutdown? And that gets them thinking. Come up with your own ideas. One or two sentences but...

Growing to Spiritual Maturity Many people believe God will accept them just as they are. But Scripture nowhere supports this idea. God expects His true followers to grow, mature and bear fruit. What kind of fruit does God expect? And how do we produce it? "Therefore, leaving the discussion of the elementary principles of Christ, let us go on to perfection" (Hebrews 6:1). Correctly understanding the scriptural truth that the Holy Spirit is God's power that can transform our lives helps us better understand His purpose and will for us. Paul wrote that "we must grow up in every way...

Are the Biblical Holy Days Christian Festivals? Why do most people keep holidays that are different from the festivals listed and described in the pages of the Bible? Why do most people keep holidays that are different from the festivals listed and described in the pages of the Bible? When were the biblical feasts abandoned, and why? How can we be sure which sacred days Christians should observe? Here are the answers! Jesus Himself set an example for us (1 John 2:6) in observing the sacred festivals commanded in the Holy Scriptures (Matthew 26:17; Mark 1:21; Luke 4:16, 31; John...

'Many False Prophets Will Arise and Deceive Many' article by Tom RobinsonWhen Jesus Christ foretold the major trends that would precede His return to earth, the first sign He mentioned was religious impostors who would come in His name. Do you take that warning seriously? When Jesus Christ's disciples asked Him what would herald His coming to rule all nations, He answered by first relaying a series of developments that would lead up to the grand climax of the present age: religious deception, wars, famines, pestilences and earthquakes (Matthew 24:3-8; Mark 13:3-8; Luke 21:7-11). Jesus said that these were just...

Greek Philosophy's Influence on the Trinity Doctrine Many historians and religious scholars, some quoted in this publication, attest to the influence of Greek or Platonic philosophy in the development and acceptance of the Trinity doctrine in the fourth century. But what did such philosophy entail, and how did it come to affect the doctrine of the Trinity? To briefly summarize what was pertinent, we start with mention of the famous Greek philosopher Plato (ca. 429-347 B.C.). He believed in a divine triad of "God, the ideas, [and] the World-Spirit," though he "nowhere explained or harmonized this triad" (Charles Bigg, Christian...

The Surprising Origins of the Trinity Doctrine Few understand how the Trinity doctrine came to be accepted - several centuries after the Bible was completed! Yet its roots go back much farther in history. "And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (John 8:32). Most people assume that everything that bears the label "Christian" must have originated with Jesus Christ and His early followers. But this is definitely not the case. All we have to do is look at the words of Jesus Christ and His apostles to see that this is clearly not true....