Four Pastors - Four Churches - July 26, 2020

THE FOUR PASTORS AND FOUR CHURCHES ~ Who are faithful to the moving of God the Holy Spirit's admonition to "Go, Make Disciples, Baptize Them, TEACH Them.  .  . Be His Witnesses In All The World"  (Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 1:8, Mark 16:15). 

While I do not believe God caused the CoronaVirus, I am convinced that He is using it to cause His churches to move away from "preaching to the choir" in our local fellowships - and to start using the power of the internet and social media to take His Gospel of Salvation to the far corners of the earth.  Many churches and pastors who had never learned to use social media before to share the Gospel are now very effectively using it to share His Word. 

Matthew 24:14, "And this Gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come."

Another thing many of us have learned - is to streamline the message, realizing that we are reaching out to the unsaved of the world - not necessarily to folks who want to hear a long discussion of the Gospel, especially a long sermon.  That should motivate us to keep our Gospel messages short and to the point.

Short version:  * God created us in His image  * * Man sinned through disobedience * * * God have us a way to overcome our sin debt, by sending His Son to pay our "Full Pardon" on the cross * * * * We can have salvation "by grace though faith" in the atoning death of Christ on the cross.  We want our messages long enough to be effective - but not so long as to drive away those who should be listening.

Since the Covid-19 Panic has shut down our worship services ~ I have been sharing Gospel messages taught by these four pastors whom I trust to give you the true Biblical Gospel.  These four pastors, four churches - I personally know and I am proud to share their teachings with you.  I have chosen them because they are Conservative Theology pastors whom I have known for years - and in whose Worship Services, Sunday School Classes, and Bible Studies I have participated over the years. 

That is why I want to share their online messages of hope, assurance, and peace found only in God's Word with you on through my Friends Ministry eNewsletter, Bill & Dory Gray Christian Ministries blog site, and Facebook.  All four pastors and churches are Dispensational, i.e., they believe in and teach a PreTribulation Rapture of the Church and a PreMillennial Second Coming of Jesus Christ to establish His Millennial Kingdom on earth.

And most important, all four believe in and teach "Salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, alone" and Eternal Security of all believers.

What I am sharing is a YouTube Playlist for each of the four pastors/churches, and I will keep adding their latest message videos on top of the stacks each week.  That way you can view their latest videos, and you can also scan the playlists to find other videos which may address issues you want to study. 

I pray these video messages will help you during this time of isolation and trial, and even after we are back to fully having open church services again - with assurances that with God's help we will all get through the valleys and come out stronger on the other side.  

PASTOR SAM LACANIENTA - Talakag Church on the Solid Rock, Philippines
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-bWyc-V0z8&list=PL_YT3RttutrjP4_ws1dHh8bO_CvVYWkPi

PASTOR FREDDY CORTEZ - Church of Hope, Aliso Viejo, CA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddRmNczuuJI&list=PL_YT3RttutrjNG8vXg20iPm0FNhfwZImX

PASTOR SERGIO NOLASCO - International Bible Baptist Church, Riverside, CA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGAXboR8rN8&list=PL_YT3RttutrjJ0P_7W-3MKVGI9Rbwnekp

PASTOR ED DACIO - Corona International Christian Fellowship, Corona, CA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FErSgXgZ6-0&list=PL_YT3Rttutri2x3a9teQBvznVAO4IjUEt

 
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,

Bill 

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The Four Pastors And Four Churches - July 19, 2020

SINCE THE COVID-19 PANIC SHUT DOWN OUR WORSHIP SERVICES  ~  I have been sharing the Gospel as taught by four pastors whom I trust to give you the true Biblical Gospel.   For all four of these men believe in and teach "Salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ, alone" and Eternal Security of all believers.

For several weeks I have allowed myself to be bitten by the "busy bug" and have not posted current videos.  This post is to bring you up to date - but also to share a very important message.  On June 20, having recorded his message for the week, Pastor Sam Lacanienta, my spiritual father and initial mentor, had a heart attack and was taken to the hospital in the Philippines.  What did Pastor Sam do while in the hospital for his heart attack?  He shared the Gospel. 

During the week and a half he was there, Pastor Sam led 19 people, nurses, his doctor, etc., to the Lord.  He may have had a physical heart problem - but for sure he did not have a "spiritual" heart problem.  Praise God he is at home now, active, and well - and has continued to record short, but effective Gospel and teaching videos.

Even though he has recorded several videos since coming home, I have chosen to begin his playlist today with a video recorded from his hospital bed - sharing the Gospel to a nurse.

I believe you can see why God chose Pastor Sam Lacanienta as the person who could lead a lost Bill Gray to the Lord in 1987.  My wife, Dory, had been praying for me for ten years - and then one fateful Saturday evening we went to a social gathering at the home or our friend, Lolita Mueller.  That evening I met Pastor Sam and Ida Lacanienta for the first time, in a social meeting, not a Bible study.  But the Godly love I felt from them made me receptive.  So the next morning when Dory asked if I would like to go to their church, I was ready.

At their church, the Filipino-American Church of Irvine (CA) - it was as though I could feel the love of God coming down through Pastor Sam and permeating the entire congregation.  That day, for the first time, I knew what it was like to truly experience the Love of God.  And from that day I was eager to attend their Worship services, Bible studies, and Sunday School Classes - and six months later I received Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior.

So, am I surprised to see Pastor Sam sharing the Word of God with nurses and doctors from his hospital bed?  Absolutely not.  That is exactly what I would expect from him.

The four pastors and four churches I am sharing with you - I personally know and I am proud to share their Gospel teaching with you.  I have chosen them because they are Conservative Theology pastors whom I have known for years - and over the years, I have participated in their Worship Services, Sunday School Classes, and Bible Studies as I grew in my knowledge of God's Word. 

That is why I want to share their online messages of hope, assurance, and peace found only in God's Word with you on Facebook.  All four are Dispensational, i.e., they believe in and teach a PreTribulation Rapture of the Church and a PreMillennial Second Coming of Jesus Christ to establish His Millennial Kingdom on earth - and they all preach Eternal Security in Christ.

While I do not believe God caused the CoronaVirus, I am convinced that He is using it to bring His Gospel to all the world:  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus tells us, "And this Gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come"  (Matthew 24:14).   And in His Great Commission He instructs us, "Go, Make disciples, Baptize them, Teach them.  .  .  . Be My witnesses in all the world"  Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 1:8, Mark 16:15).

Since the Covid-19 Panic, many pastors and churches who were not using the internet and social media - have very quickly and effectively learned to use it to share the Gospel with the world.  No more just "preaching to the choir" in our local churches - now we are putting it out there for our local fellowship - and through the power of the internet, it is being heard by possibly millions more.  As Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount, "And this Gospel of the kingdom will be preached in all the world as a witness to all the nations, and then the end will come"  

Revelation 22:20 tells us, "He who testifies to these things says, 'Surely I am coming quickly.'  Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!"

I pray these video messages will help you during this time of isolation and trial, and even after we are back to having fully open church services again - that these video messages will continue to give you the assurance that with God's help we will all get through the valleys and come out stronger on the other side.
 

PASTOR SAM LACANIENTA
- Talakag Church on the Solid Rock, Philippines
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=APiwQoSb8Eo&list=PL_YT3RttutrjP4_ws1dHh8bO_CvVYWkPi

PASTOR FREDDY CORTEZ
- Church of Hope, Aliso Viejo, CA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZzfFxTEnznk&list=PL_YT3RttutrjNG8vXg20iPm0FNhfwZImX

PASTOR SERGIO NOLASCO
- International Bible Baptist Church, Riverside, CA  
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HWsjv5QZ0kc&list=PL_YT3RttutrjJ0P_7W-3MKVGI9Rbwnekp

PASTOR ED DACIO
- Corona International Christian Fellowship, Corona, CA
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FErSgXgZ6-0&list=PL_YT3Rttutri2x3a9teQBvznVAO4IjUEt

 
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,

Bill

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Was The Original Church Baptist? ~ NO!

WAS THE ORIGINAL CHURCH BAPTIST?  NO!   ~   Yesterday I shared a blog I had written in 2013 titled "What Is The True Church - Believers OR An Organization?"   And a Christian sister responded, "Baptist is the Church / body of Christian Believers from Christ Yeshua's first time on earth."

Over the years I have heard folks claiming that the Baptist church was the one formed on the Day of Pentecost 33 AD.  And we all know that the Roman Catholic Church claims to have begun with the apostle Peter, when in Matthew 16:13-20, especially verse 18, "And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it." 

From the Commentary/Study Guide for Matthew 16, written by Pastor David Guzik, we read: "On this rock I will build My church: The words 'this rock' have been the source of much controversy.  It is best to see them as referring to either Jesus Himself, or as referring to Peter's confession of who Jesus is."  

Although I was saved in a Baptist church in 1987 and have attended Baptist churches since then - I must remind you that the church which was formed in the Upper Room on the Day of Pentecost 33 AD was NOT Baptist.

On that day 120 disciples were sealed by the Holy Spirit and began to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The first day over 3000 came to faith in Him and a few days later that number swelled to over 5000 people.  That was the beginning of the church, the body of Christ.   At that time the believers were referred to as the "Way" (Acts 9:1–2).

Later in Antioch a group of detractors intending to give the believers a derogatory name, called them Christians, implying "Christ followers" or "Little Christs"  (Acts 11:26).   What the adversaries intended as a derogatory name, Christian, became our Crown of Glory.  And today, all believers in Christ are proud to wear the name Christian.

All other church names, i.e., Baptist, Lutheran, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, etc., are ALL man devised names and denominations.  God never intended His Church to become so divided.

This is why when folks ask me what I am, I tell them I am a "Baptist-Flavored Christian Believer."  Why do I define myself that way?   Glad you asked.  Shortly after I became a believer in 1987 I began to form, based upon corporate and personal Bible studies, my own Biblical beliefs.  Later a young pastor friend made a suggestion which has become a strong part of the way I do ministry.  He suggested that any time I encounter a new Christian ministry, church, group, or web site - the first thing I should look for is their Statement of Faith, the Biblical doctrines they believe and teach.  Shortly after that I put my own Statement of Faith in writing, supported by Scripture references. 

In 2009 when I first started the Bill & Dory Gray Christian Ministries blog site, the first thing I posted was our Statement of Faith, which you can read in the right panel of the blog site:   http://billdory-christian-ministries.blogspot.com/

Today when I encounter a new ministry site, the first thing I look for is their Statement of Faith - then I will read other writings on their web site.

About 15 years ago, I was referred to the web site of a church in the Midwest.  I could not find their Statement of Faith - so I sent an e-mail asking why.  Shortly I received an e-mail from someone at that church telling me, "We do not post our Statement of Faith - because we do not want to offend anyone."

Wow!  Can you believe that?  I responded, "Well, you most certainly have offended me.  And I have little doubt that you have also offended God."

But why the "Baptist-Flavored Christian" name?  Because my personal Statement of Faith aligns very well with the SOF of the Baptist church - so since we believe and share the same doctrinal message, I proudly carry the flavor of being a Baptist.  But always a Christian first. 

God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,

Bill 

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A Friend Responds To: "Mount Rushmore National Memorial - Why These Four Presidents?"

About twenty years ago, at a Bible study I met and became instant friends with a young Filipino professional, Jerome, who stopped in Southern California briefly to visit friends, before continuing on to his destination on the East Coast.  This Christian brother and I had an immediate bond - for we shared a common interest in world affairs as they relate to Scripture. 

Especially magazines published by the cult church, Worldwide Church of God.  We both recognized that, while their theology was far off base, their take on world affairs relating to Scripture which was taught by their Ambassador College and published in their magazine, Plain Truth, was worth reading.

Yesterday I published a new blog titled "Mount Rushmore National Memorial - Why These Four Presidents?"  And Jerome shared his thoughts on the issue, which I found very interesting.  He wrote to me: 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Belated Happy 4th, Bill!  Hope you and Dory are fine.  While I don't agree with this "cancel culture" thing in most cases, I can empathize with those who felt wronged all throughout America's history, including the Native Americans who consider the Black Hills as sacred.  Just try to imagine how they felt (and still feel) when White people carved those faces on their mountain (which) they considered as hallowed ground. 

Plus, the image of those four White men looking down on them tells a lot.  How much more insulting can you get?  Having said that, I must admit that this issue is a very complicated one with no simple and quick remedy to it.  So may the LORD help us!  GOD bless America, now more than ever!

Shalom in YESHUA's name, Jerome

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Hi Jerome,

First, thank you for reading and responding to my blog.  I truly appreciate that.  Now to address the issue you raised:

If it were the Native Americans of South Dakota who are demanding that the Mount Rushmore Memorial be destroyed - I could almost understand and in many ways relate to it.  How can I, a white Caucasian American, relate to the feelings of our Native American friends?   In 1838 and 1839, the Cherokee and other Native Americans of my home area of Alabama, under President Andrew Jackson's Indian Removal Policy, were forced to surrender their homes, farms, lands and were forced to march over 2,000 miles to an area in present-day Oklahoma.

The Cherokee people called this journey the "Trail of Tears," because of its devastating effect, thousand of lives lost due to the hardship of that forced march.  Thousands of Native Americans died on that horrible Trail of Tears.  These were civilized tribes working hard to fit into the American way of life, becoming productive neighbors and members of their local communities - not savage tribes.  Yet American settlers wanted the land - and the Native Americans were removed by the United States Army to make room for the settlers.

But it is "NOT" the Native Americans who are demanding that statues and other historical landmarks be destroyed.  It is the Antifa, Black Lives Matter, and other Far Left Millennials (who I personally believe just join the protests and riots for the fun of raising hell) doing the demanding, protesting, rioting, looting, and killing - and they do not even have enough common intelligence to pick the right objects of their destruction.  They claim to be protesting the injustices done to blacks and are demanding reparations because of the black slave trade of the 1700 and 1800s. 

Yet they have destroyed statues of Abe Lincoln, General Grant, and many others who fought to free the slaves.  They attack and kill Law Enforcement Officers - the vast majority who daily put themselves in harm's way to Serve & Protect ALL Americans, regardless of race, color, economic status, and religion.  No, it is not the Native Americans causing the nationwide destruction, but a darker evil.

Dory and I were talking about this recently - who is really behind and to blame for the protesting, rioting, looting, and killing happening in America today?  And I am convinced that the real evil behind these protests and riots have much deeper roots than BLM and Antifa.  It is my personal belief that the roots of this unrest goes all the way to the United Nations and to Communist China. 

The United Nations because I am convinced that their main goal in life is to establish themselves as the One World Government.  If you have a goal to conquer and destroy the sovereignty of all the nations of the world - where do you start?

The obvious answer is - you start with the strongest first, for once you have conquered the strongest - the weaker nations will fall in line and concede their sovereignty without any real fight.  But if you start with the weaker nations first - you will have to fight and conquer each nation individually - which will result in a long drawn out process of wars.  Kill the strongest first, and the weaker will capitulate - just as Italy did in World War 2.

Why China?  Starting back with President George H. W. Bush - American businesses and jobs were literally pushed into moving off-shore - many of them to China.  That process started by Bush, Sr. expanded rapidly under Clinton and Obama - until China literally owns a major portion of America today.  When President Trump took office - he began to reverse that process - bringing companies and jobs back into America. 

An example of China's plan of conquest:  At one time China was quietly moving to own literally ALL of the Sea Ports in America.  They made a big push to buy the Port of Los Angeles at San Pedro, one of the largest in America.  President Trump stopped that and began to push back against China's claim on American property.

What is so important about not allowing China to own our Sea Ports?  Imagine if you can, that you own your home - but I own the walkways and doors which give you access to your home.  Only through my good will are you allowed to enter through MY doors into your home.  At my discretion, I can make you a prisoner in your own home, controlling your life, since you will not be free to enter or leave without my permission.  If China owned the American Sea Ports - they would control everything which is shipped into and out of America.  In other words, they would control America.

You don't believe me?  I challenge you to go to Walmart and find ten items not "Made In China" on their shelves.  Actually Walmart should be renamed "Walmart China West."

Also, about 90% of all the pharmaceutical products in America, including YOUR medications or the medications of someone you love, are manufactured in China.  To destroy America - China just needs to ban exports of pharmaceutical products to America - and then what would we do?

George H. W. Bush, and to a great degree, George W. Bush, and Bill Clinton and Obama worked hard to build the Communist China economy - at the expense of the American economy and the American workers.   On the other hand, President Donald Trump has put a big hurt on the Communist Chinese economy in the past 3 1/2 years in office - and he will not slow down after he is reelected on November 3, 2020.  Do you have any doubt that China is spending billions and billions of Dollars in their campaign to see Sleep Joe Biden win?

And we do have a precedent for that accusation.   On April 12, 1945, Vice President Truman became president when President Roosevelt died in office.   President Truman remained in the White House until January 1953 - when Dwight Eisenhower became president.

During his time in office, Truman made several major decisions:  First to drop the bomb on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.  Next, he was on the verge of stopping all American military aide to Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek's government on Formosa (Taiwan).  Truman felt it was a waste of American tax dollars.  But when the Communist North Koreans invaded South Korea and the Korean War began in 1950 - President Truman realized that we needed Formosa as a military base in the Far East to support our troops in Korea.  So he held back on stopping military and financial aide to Formosa.

But during the period preceding the 1952 Presidential Election, with the possibility that the Korean War would soon end and President Truman would return to his original plan of defunding Formosa - or worse yet, another Democrat would be elected and replace Truman in the White House, continuing his anti-Generalissimo Chiang policy alive - Formosa would be in big trouble.  

Just to refresh your memory, in the 1950s, my 58th Fighter-Bomber Wing based in Osan, Korea, and other U.S. military units, were stationed on Formosa for years, our TDY tours keeping the American presence in Formosa - as the Big Hammer keeping Communist China from attacking Formosa.  Chiang Kai-shek knew that if a Democratic president was elected and America withdrew our troops - he was very vulnerable.

In the late 1940s/1950s, besides Military Aid, America was pouring millions of dollars, Financial Aid, into Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek's bank accounts.  While I was doing research for the 1/Lt. Robert Ford Memorial web site I created about 15 years ago - I found documents which showed that Chiang Kai-shek had spent over $500 Million Dollars of that Financial Aid money - on New York City Public Relations firms - to help Dwight Eisenhower win the 1952 election.  Collusion?  You betcha!  Eisenhower won and America continued our military presence on Formosa.
 
So, yes, there is a precedent to my claim that China will do ALL in its power to defeat President Trump - just as Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek did to defeat Adlai Stevenson and help Eisenhower win in 1952.  And the United Nations is literally the Godfather of the Globalist Government Crowd.  Both the UN and China are willing to pour unlimited funds into the BLM and Antifa protests, rioting, looting, and killing all across America - with one goal in mind:  DEFEAT PRESIDENT TRUMP.

Once again I want to thank my Christian brother, Jerome, for his response which initiated this blog.  I pray that all Americans will give serious thought to what I have written - and that if you have doubts, please do your own research.  But most importantly, I pray that YOU love America enough to VOTED CONSERVATIVE IN 2020.

God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
 
Bill

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Mount Rushmore National Memorial - Why These Four Presidents?

TO COINCIDE WITH PRESIDENT TRUMP'S RECENT VISIT TO MOUNT RUSHMORE NATIONAL MEMORIAL, SOUTH DAKOTA, for the 4th of July ~  I want to present this information about the presidents who have been enshrined on Mount Rushmore.  Why?  For two reasons:  First, because many Americans cannot name those four presidents.  And, second, to share with our Millennial Friends why those four presidents were chosen out of the thirty presidents to date in 1927, at the time construction was begun.

Mount Rushmore National Memorial is a massive sculpture carved into Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills region of South Dakota.  Begun on October 4, 1927, under President Calvin Coolidge (Republican, 30th President) and completed in 1941 under the direction of Gutzon Borglum, American sculptor, and his son Lincoln, the sculpture's roughly 60-ft.-high granite faces depict U.S. presidents George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Theodore Roosevelt and Abraham Lincoln. 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

WHY THESE FOUR PRESIDENTS?
National Park Service, U.S. Department of the Interior
https://www.nps.gov/moru/learn/historyculture/why-these-four-presidents.htm

Gutzon Borglum (American sculptor) selected these four presidents because from his perspective, they represented the most important events in the history of the United States.  Would another artist at that time, or perhaps a modern artist choose differently?  As you read more about Borglum's choices, think about what you might have done if the decision was up to you.

GEORGE WASHINGTON, First President of the United States  ~  Born 1732, died 1799.  Washington led the colonists in the American Revolutionary War to win independence from Great Britain.  He was the father of the new country and laid the foundation of American democracy.  Because of his importance, Borglum chose Washington to be the most prominent figure on the mountain and represent the birth of the United States.

"The preservation of the sacred fire of Liberty, and the destiny of the Republican model of Government, are justly considered as deeply, perhaps as finally staked, on the experiment entrusted to the hands of the American people."  George Washington

THOMAS JEFFERSON, Third President of the United States  ~  Born 1743, died 1826.  Jefferson was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence, a document which inspires democracies around the world.  He also purchased the Louisiana Territory from France in 1803 which doubled the size of our country, adding all or part of fifteen present-day states.  Gutzon Borglum chose Jefferson to represent the growth of the United States.

"We act not for ourselves but for the whole human race.  The event of our experiment is to show whether man can be trusted with self-government."  Thomas Jefferson

THEODORE ROOSEVELT, 26th President of the United States  ~  Born 1858, died 1919.  Roosevelt provided leadership when America experienced rapid economic growth as it entered the 20th Century.  He was instrumental in negotiating the construction of the Panama Canal, linking the east and the west.  He was known as the "trust buster" for his work to end large corporate monopolies and ensure the rights of the common working man.  Borglum chose Roosevelt to represent the development of the United States.

"The first requisite of a good citizen in this Republic of ours is that he shall be able and willing to pull his weight - that he shall not be a mere passenger."  Theodore Roosevelt

ABRAHAM LINCOLN, 16th President of the United States  ~  Born 1809, died 1865.  Lincoln held the nation together during its greatest trial, the Civil War.  Lincoln believed his most sacred duty was the preservation of the union.  It was his firm conviction that slavery must be abolished.  Gutzon Borglum chose Lincoln to represent the preservation of the United States.

"I leave you hoping that the lamp of liberty will burn in your bosoms until there shall no longer be a doubt that all men are created free and equal."  Abraham Lincoln

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The more we know about the history of our homeland, America, the more we can love her - and the more we can become involved in protecting our American heritage - By Voting Conservative on November 3, 2020, and in all subsequent elections.   Your VOTE is the most powerful weapon which is available to ALL Legal Americans - and the most powerful weapon in your arsenal with which YOU can assure that we leave a Free and Godly America for all our children and grandchildren.

God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,

Bill

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Do You Ever Get Frustrated?

DO YOU EVER GET FRUSTRATED With The Endless Theology Definitions And Arguments?  ~   Three of the most prominent theologies today are: Calvinism, Arminianism, and Free Grace.  Yet there is another theology which sits somewhere in the middle of all those, which is my theology - but there is no fancy name for it.  It is a very simple theology. 

Jesus Christ was born of a virgin, the sinless man ~ He was crucified and died on the cross to make salvation, i.e., eternal life in the presence of God, available to all people ~ He rose from the dead, i.e., He resurrected, so that all people will also resurrect - some to eternal life, others to eternal damnation ~ He ascended into heaven where He sits at the right hand of God the Father, where He is the only mediator, i.e., defense attorney, for all believers.  That is the Gospel, pure and simple.

Since He made eternal life available to all people (unlimited atonement), what do we have to do to receive that gift of life?

Ephesians 1:13-14, 4:30, "In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the Gospel of your salvation; in Whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, Who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory. . . . And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by Whom you were sealed for the day of redemption."

Ephesians 2:8-9, "For by grace you have been saved through faith (in Jesus Christ, alone), and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast."

John 3:16-17, "For God so loved the WORLD (all people) that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but HAVE everlasting life.  For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world (all people) through Him MIGHT be saved."

1 John 5:13, "These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God (faith in Jesus Christ, alone), that you may KNOW that you HAVE eternal life, and that you may continue to believe in the name of the Son of God."

Our Calvinist brethren will tell us that the WORLD in John 3:16 does not mean the world, it means only those chosen to be the Elect before the Creation.  If this happened BEFORE the Creation - how can anyone know if they were chosen to be among the Elect?  The only way anyone can know for sure is at death. 

Imagine this:  a Calvinist dies and finds himself standing before two doors.  The doors are labelled Eternal Life and Eternal Death.  The Calvinist walks toward the Eternal Life door, but is told, "No, that is the wrong door.  The Eternal Life door is only for those chosen to be among the Elect.  You were chosen among the Reprobates and must enter the Eternal Death door."  Oops!  But too late, for once we die, there is no second chance.

Our Arminian brethren will rightfully tell us that the WORLD in John 3:16 means all the world, but that a person must believe in Jesus Christ for eternal life to be saved.  However, these brethren hold a big "BUT" over their heads.  BUT, some sin, maybe one so small that you did not know it was a sin, or it could be a sin that you do not know that you have committed. 

BUT because of that insignificant little sin - you have LOST your salvation, you no longer have His promise of eternal life.  How would you like to walk through life with that hanging over your head, continually having to look over your shoulder in fear that you may have committed that hell-bound sin?

Those two are the two extremes of the Theology Spectrum.   Somewhere in between we find the relatively new Free Grace Movement.  And this is where the water starts to get muddy.

Today I receive an e-mail notice of an article in the Grace In Focus magazine, the bi-monthly magazine of Grace Evangelical Society.   The article is written by Dr. Bob Wilkin, Executive Director of GES.  

The article is titled "Did Jesus' Death On The Cross Actually Or Potentially Remove Sin As A Barrier Between God And Man?"

In the article Dr. Bob Wilkin tells us:

Several years ago, a friend of mine met with me and the entire GES board at our annual conference.  He wanted to discuss three issues, one of which was the atonement.  He had graduated from DTS shortly before I started.  He indicated that he had been taught at DTS that the death of Christ was sufficient for all, but only efficient for those who believe that He died on the cross for their sins.

While my friend calls that view unlimited atonement, I call that view limited atonement.  If Christ’s death did not take away the sin of the world, but only potentially did so, then many verses are incorrect (e.g., John 1:29; 3:16; 1 John 2:2).

Bill Gray Note:  This is really confusing, for it sounds like Bob Wilkin is promoting Universalism, that ALL people are saved.  And I know that is not what he believes.  To me, Wilkin seems to be arguing that an orange is an orange.  Hey, Bob, you are right.  And unlimited atonement does mean that the death of Jesus Christ opened the door to eternal life - but each of us, individually, must choose to walk through that door.

He seems to be arguing the point that Christ's death took away all sin, which is correct.  Christ's death was the "Paid In Full" full pardon which allows us to walk out of the Sin Prison and be free of the Adamic Sin Debt to God.  The problem is that many people, even when told they have a full pardon, will still refuse to leave their Sin prison.  Those people still live under the Adamic Sin Curse - and unless we can convince them to change, leave their Sin Prison, and turn to follow Christ - they will be lost eternally.  This is why we must keep our Gospel Message to them short and sweet, but with enough meat for them to be spiritually fed and nourished.

(The article continues) Notice as well how this changes the content of saving faith.  One need not believe in Jesus for everlasting life (John 3:14-18, 36; 5:24; 1 Tim 1:16).  He only needs to believe that Jesus died on the cross for his sins.  He does not need to believe in Jesus for anything.  He need not believe in the free gift of everlasting life.  He could believe in works salvation and be born again.  The only issue is believing that Christ died for you.

Bill Gray Note:  Once again, Wilkin seems to be arguing that an orange is an orange.  Hey, Bob, you are right.  And unlimited atonement does mean that the death of Jesus Christ opened the door to eternal life - but each of us, individually, must choose to walk through that door.

(The article continues) In this view, Roman Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and nearly all Protestants are born again.  Assurance of everlasting life becomes a sanctification issue. It is like a sunroof on a car. It makes your driving experience a bit better, but you do not need it. In the same way, a person never needs to believe that Jesus has saved him once and for all. That is nice information to have, but it is not essential.

Bill Gray Note: On this point it appears that Wilkin is being a wee bit facetious - or tunnel visioned.  Yes, people from all Christian churches, i.e., Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, and all Protestant churches - can be born-again.  I am not saying they are, but yes, it is possible for a person to be in the Roman Catholic church and be a born-again believer.  I will admit that after a while, if that were me - to see the worship of and praying to Mary and all the Saints - would begin to rub me the wrong way and I would have to leave that church.  I have always said that a person could stay in the Roman Catholic church about a year before his/her faith would force him to leave.

About 15 years ago, I went to the Church On The Solid Rock in Orange County because Dr. Anthony Pezzotta, who served as Roman Catholic Director of Schools and Seminaries and Rector of Local Salesian Communities in Manila, Philippines, for ten years - was speaking there that day.  After all those years, he could not teach what he did not believe and he left the Roman Catholic church and joined a Baptist church in Manila.

At his Q&A session, to get his personal view, I asked the question:  "How long can a person who has become born-again stay in the Roman Catholic church without it starting to bother him?"  His answer to me was short and sweet.  He told me, "I stayed about two hours."

So I have to disagree with Bob Wilkin, a person can be in those churches - and I have many Friends who are in Pentecostal churches, I have Friends who are in Legalistic churches, and I have Friends who are in Liberal Theology churches - and they are all just as born-again as me - and I have absolutely no doubt about my salvation and eternal life.

In the article excerpt above we read, "The death of Christ was sufficient for all, but only efficient for those who believe that He died on the cross for their sins."  The article continues with more of what could be confusing to the unbeliever:

What is it that we are seeking to persuade the person to whom we witness?  Is our ultimate goal to convince that person of substitutionary atonement? Or is our aim more than that?  Is our target to persuade him or her that because of the cross our sins are no longer the issue so that all we need to do to be saved is to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ for the everlasting life that He guarantees to the believer?

There is an old saying using the acronym KISS - "Keep It Simple, Stupid!"   Although I prefer to say, "Keep It Simple, Sam!"  For I hate to call anyone stupid.

While I love to dig deep into the different theologies - much of the material which I study would not be useful for witnessing.  Let me give you an example:  My wife, Dory, calls me her "computer man."  What the heck, I have been called worse.  Dory is with computers like I am with cooking.  I cannot boil water - and Dory has learned to turn her computer on and find what she needs.  But when a problem occurs, "Honey, help me!"

Now just imagine that Dory's computer will not turn on and I go to help.  I find that it was not getting power, i.e., no electricity, and resolve the problem.  Should I tell her, "Your computer is working fine now."  Or should I explain to her:

"Your computer was not getting any power, i.e., no electricity.  And you know electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter that has a property of electric charge.  Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as described by Maxwell's equations.  Electricity works by getting a bunch of conductor elements together and creating a flow of electron-stealing patterns through them. This flow is called a current.  Conductors need to be surrounded with insulators so the electrons can only go in one direction."

Can you picture Dory standing there with a glazed look in her eyes, then turning and walking out of the room, mumbling to herself?  I can, for at that moment I have lost her attention and totally confused her.  The same will likely happen when we witness to an unbeliever - and attempt to show our expansive Bible knowledge.

I am not writing this to knock Dr. Bob Wilkin.  He is a devout and dedicated evangelist who loves to share and teach the Word of God.  It is just that I disagree with some of his Free Grace Theology - and must say I believe his writings are all "Preaching to the choir!"   Yet, I respect Bob in the same way I respect Dr. John MacArthur, who is Calvinist - Dr. Ron Rhodes, Reasoning From The Scriptures Ministries, who is Reform, i.e., Calvinist - and the late Dr. R. C. Sproul, Ligonier Ministries, who was also Reform. 

I often visit several web sites to get ideas on issues I am studying or writing about - and they are CARM (Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry) which is headed by Matt Slick, Reform Theology - and Got Questions where S. Michael Houdmann is the Founder, President, and CEO of Got Questions Ministries.  He is also a follower of Reform Theology. 

Why am I telling you this?  My main reason is to emphasize that just because a person does not hold the same exact theological beliefs as me - does not mean that I cannot learn from that person.  I just keep in mind those differences and use them as filters when reading material from any of these outstanding sources.

That is also why I have been almost dogmatic in my belief that a Christian believer, early in their walk with the Lord - should go through the exercise of putting his/her Statement of Faith, what you believe theologically, in writing - supported by Scripture references.  That way you have a solid understanding of your beliefs which define your faith.  Over the years you may, most likely will, find that you have learned something new which has somewhat altered one or more of your beliefs.  That is not a problem.  Matter of fact, that is good - for it shows that you are maturing in your knowledge of God's Word.  And the more mature you are - the better witness for Christ you become. "Go, Make disciples, Teach them. . .  Be My witnesses in all the world"  (Matthew 28:19-20, Acts 1:8, Mark 16:15).

Yes, I left out "Baptize them" - for two reasons:  First, we are not saved through baptism, and second, I am a firm believer that baptism is such a personal step in your Christian walk, that you will want to share it with your new Christian family, your local church fellowship where you have begun to worship.

I pray you have found this blog to be useful and that it will help you as you go into "your world" to be His witness.

God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,

Bill 

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"Black Lives Matter" - OR - "Abortion" ~ Which Is More Important?

Are "BLACK LIVES MATTER" and "ABORTION" Strange Bedfellows? ~  Or is each the antithesis of the other?  How can a person say that "Black Lives Matter" - and then support the Abortion of Babies, especially Black Babies - the murder, infanticide, of hundreds of thousands of Black Babies?

Today we often see folks getting offended when someone says, "All Lives Matter!"  No, no they declare, it is "Black Lives Matter!"   In the Bible does God say "Black Lives Matter!" - OR - does He say, "ALL Lives Matter!"? 

When Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., in his Washington DC "I Have A Dream" speech, called for individuals to be judged by their character rather than their skin color - he was not calling for color blindness, but equality.  He wanted all people to have equal access to the same privileges, education, and power - based upon their abilities, not the color of their skin.  I believe that is what God is telling us in these Scripture verses:

Galatians 3:28, "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

2 Peter 3:9, "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that ANY should perish but that all should come to repentance."

Most folks interpret 2 Peter 3:9 to say that God is speaking only about salvation.  But I see it in a much broader sense.  I see the last phrase "not willing that ANY should perish but that all should come to repentance" - to more accurately be read as "not willing that ANY should be excluded from God's care and love." 

In the video link below, the "Candace Owens Show (PragerU)" - Hawk Newsome, Chairman of "Black Lives Matter NY" joins Candace Owens for an in-depth conversation discussing the issues of "Black Lives Matter" and "Abortion Rights."  He strongly calls for Blacks to protest and even riot - to protest what he says is Police Targeting And Killing Blacks. 

According to him, far too many blacks are killed by the police.  Isn't it true that a higher percentage of Blacks are committing crimes which end badly?  Shouldn't we be viewing this more as a Societal Problem, instead of a Police Problem, i.e., more Blacks born out of wedlock to young single mothers and being raised in a home without a father?

Yet, in the next breath, Hawk Newsome is a strong advocate for the right of Black Women to kill their Black Babies via Abortion, Infanticide.  It  would seem that, according to him:  Black Lives Matter - BUT - Black Babies Do NOT!

According to the Guttmacher Institute charts below - 37% of Abortions in America in 2004 (charts were made in 2008) are Black Babies.  In America today, on average there are 1,000,000 abortions each year.  At 37% of that, this means there are 370,000 Black Babies, i.e., Black Americans killed every year through Abortion. 

Compare that 370,000 Black Babies killed each year through Abortion ~ to the number of Blacks killed each year by (1) other Blacks - 7,550, and (2) by Law Enforcement Officers - 104.   Which should be viewed as the greater problem - Blacks killing Blacks, Police killing Blacks, or Abortionist killing Blacks?

Let's look at my sources for these facts:

Every Christian is concerned about justice.  When people break the law, they should be held accountable regardless of their race or color.  Christians cannot be consistent with the teachings of the Bible if they make decisions based on any form of prejudice.  Between 1976 and 2011:  There were 279,384 black murder victims - 262,621 were murdered by other blacks.  That is approximately 7,550 blacks killed every year by other blacks. .  .  .  . During that same period, approximately 104 blacks every year were killed by police in the United States.  This is not to infer that those killed by the police were killed unjustly. 

This is 7,550 blacks killed by other blacks - to 104 blacks killed by police each year.  Though blacks are 13 percent of the nation's population, they account for more than 50 percent of homicide victims.  Black-on-black murder is far and away more deadly than murder by white police officers.   (From "A Christian Response To The Riots In Ferguson, Missouri" - By Robert L. Dickie, All Grace Blog, Tuesday, August 19, 2014)

If Black Lives Really Matter to Hawk Newsome and all the protesters and rioters - then why are they NOT protesting against Abortion, against Planned Parenthood?

In a recent episode of Fox Nation’s “No Interruption” - Tomi Lahren sat down with Hawk Newsome, president of Black Lives Matter of Greater New York, who argued that his organization and others like it are justified in using destruction to call attention to their grievances with American society.  “The riot is the language of the unheard,” said Newsome, who compared modern-day protests to The Boston Tea Party.

Bill Gray Thought:  Why aren't Newsome's Black Lives Matter protesters and rioters raising their voices and burning Planned Parenthood Abortion Clinics?

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Abortion Rate Among Black Women Far Exceeds Rate For Other Groups  (Fox News)
 
Blacks do, indeed, have much higher rates of abortions than whites or other minority groups.  In 2000, while blacks made up 17 percent of live births, they made up more than twice that share of abortions (36 percent).  If those aborted children had been born, the number of blacks born would have been slightly over 50 percent greater than it was. .  .  .  In 1973, the year the Supreme Court rendered its Roe v. Wade decision, there were 11 abortions per 1000 women aged 15 to 44. 

Eight years later, that number doubled for the same group to 22.   In terms of the total number of abortions - 615,831 legal abortions took place in 1973 ~~ 1,300,760 in 1981 (doubled in only 8 years).  .  .  .  The Centers for Disease Control recorded detailed information on the race of those having abortions from 1970 to 1981.  It shows Roe’s impact on abortions by blacks in the years immediately before and after the decision.  The Supreme Court’s decision had the biggest impact on blacks, raising their share of abortions from 21 to 30 percent, while their share of live births only increased from 12 to 15 percent.

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Black Babies In The U.S. Killed By Abortion In Large Numbers (REALity - Real Women Of Canada - September 2018)

In the U.S., abortion has taken a terrible toll on the lives of black babies.  Nationally, black women terminate pregnancies at far higher rates than other women.  In 2014, 36% of all abortions were performed on black women - although they make up just 13% of the female population in the U.S.   Abortion deaths of black children far exceed deaths caused by cancer, violent crime, heart disease, AIDS, and accidents. .  .  .   It is shocking to think that more blacks have been killed by abortion than by the Klu Klux Klan. 

Between 1882 and 1968, 3,446 blacks were lynched by the Klu Klux Klan, but today abortion kills more black American babies in less than three days than the Klan killed in 86 years. .  .  It is well known that Planned Parenthood, founded by the racist and eugenicist Margaret Sanger, has established its abortion clinics in the vicinity of low-income black neighborhoods.  By doing so, its billion dollar industry keeps down the black population with death by abortion.

Bill Gray Thought:  Why aren't Newsome's Black Lives Matter protesters and rioters raising their voices and burning Planned Parenthood Abortion Clinics?

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Abortion And Women Of Color: The Bigger Picture (Guttmacher Institute, by Susan A. Cohen, Vice President, Guttmacher Institute)

This much is true: In the United States, the abortion rate for black women is almost five times that for white women.  Antiabortion activists, including some African-American pastors, have been waging a campaign around this fact, falsely asserting that the disparity is the result of aggressive marketing by abortion providers to minority communities.

The Issues4Life Foundation, a faith-based organization that targets and works with African-American leaders toward achieving the goal of "zero African-American lives lost to abortion or biotechnology" .  .  .  wrote to the Congressional Black Caucus to denounce "Planned Parenthood Federation of America" (PPFA) and its "racist and eugenic goals."  The group blamed PPFA and abortion providers in general for the high abortion rate in the African-American community - deeming the situation the "Darfur of America" - and called on Congress to withdraw federal family planning funds from all PPFA affiliates.

Bill Gray Thought:  Why aren't Newsome's Black Lives Matter protesters and rioters raising their voices and burning Planned Parenthood Abortion Clinics?

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Are all these sources wrong about Black Deaths for:  (1) Black-on-Black homicides, (2) Police on Black deaths, and (3) Black Babies killed by Abortion?

Or should we look deeper at the motives of Black Lives Matter leaders such as Hawk Newsome?  Is Newsome really concerned about Black Deaths?  If so why is he not advocating Protests against Planned Parenthood? 

Could it be that he wants to milk both sides of the cow:  (1) Protests/Riots against Police for the much smaller number of Black deaths from Police actions, overlooking the far greater number of black deaths cause by other blacks.  And then (2) he turns the cow around to Protest For The Right Of Black Women to kill their babies through Abortions?

Hawk Newsome, and all Black Lives Matter supporters, I have a serious question for you:  "At What AGE Do 'Black Lives Really Begin to Matter'?"

It is my personal belief that Hawk Newsome is in this game ONLY for the money and admiration he can get from it.  Much like Al Sharpton, Jesse Jackson, the Clintons, Maxine Waters, and so many others. 

I put them all in the same pot with the Prosperity Preachers who make millions selling the Gospel.  These folks such as Newsome make money selling their twisted logic to millions of brainwashed Millennials who don't seem to be able to tie their own shoes, much less think for themselves.

Watch this video debate between Candace Owens and Hawk Newsome.  Then decide for yourself who you believe:

Candace Owens' Debate With BLM Leader, Hawk Newsome (PragerU)
https://youtu.be/piQywbIOxtw

Consider all these facts, then decide how YOU will vote in November.  Will YOU vote to continue allowing people such as these to bleed America, to destroy our America?  OR will YOU vote to Make America Greater Still - by reelecting President Trump?

God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,

Bill 

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