This morning we were on the 5th of the Seven Churches of Revelation, Sardis. Steve Reeves, our Senior Minister, made an observation which seemed quite poignant to a number of discussions we’ve had the past few months.

While we believe 100% that the message does not change, it is so, so important that we do not fall in love with the methods used to convey it. For the church, death in the future comes from living in the past.

How true!

In light some recent ideas that have come up in recent posts, I found these following quotes quite good.  Here’s what some great men of God had to say about Christian unity:

“I ask that men make no reference to my name, and call themselves not Lutherans, but Christians.  What is Luther?  My doctrine, I am sure, is not mine, nor have I been crucified for anyone.  St. Paul in 1 Corinthians 3, would not allow Christians to call themselves Pauline or Petrine, but Christian.  How then should I, poor, foul carcass that I am, come to have men give to the children of Christ a name derived from my worthless name?  No, no, my dear friends, let us abolish all party names, and call ourselves Christians after him whose doctrine we have.”

- Martin Luther

“I should rejoice (so little ambitious am I to be at the head of any sect or party) if the very name [Methodist] might never be mentioned more, but be buried in eternal oblivion.”

-John Wesley

“I say of the Baptist name, let it perish, but let Christ’s name last for ever.  I look forward with pleasure to the day when there will not be a Baptist living.”

-Charles Haddon Spurgeon

Congratulations probably aren’t in order, but it looks like we’ve made Ingrid’s own personal enemies list.

Our greatest opponents will not be atheists, humanists, agnostics, homosexuals, abortion supporters, evolutionists and the like. The greatest enemies of those who truly follow Jesus will be those from the religious community who will despise your single-minded dedication, your commitment and your refusal to compromise.

From time to time, a stray watchdoggie wanders over here and justifies their own action by accusing us of acting just like them. There’s several reasons why we believe this site does not sink to the level of the watchdoggies. One of the primary reasons is that we don’t consider the watchdoggies to be an enemy to be defeated. We are not attacking the people, we are confronting their tactics and ideas. While sometimes we don’t live up to that ideal, it is what we strive for.

Because the second we consider atheists, humanists, agnostics, homosexuals, abortion supporters, evolutions and watchdoggies to be our enemies is the second that we stop being like Christ, and start acting like the world. Let us always remember that our battle isn’t against flesh and blood, even when those who view us as opponents go to war against our flesh and blood.

This post from Ingrid Schlueter is again as baffling as it gets. To start with she implies some prophetic anointing.

“I would like to share from the heart today about what I really believe the Lord is saying to remnant believers in the West.”

Notice that the prophetic communication is to the remnant and not the wayward. And there is a reason for that.

“We can’t stop the blasphemers, the wicked men claiming to represent Christ, the false pastors and shepherds who are misleading souls.”

The prophetic instruction from God assures us that we cannot stop these things so God must be through with all of them. God is done going after the one, the ninety-nine will do now. But wait, here is the reason, and a good reason at that, why we cannot stop the backsliding of God’s church.

“I believe the great delusion is here, and it is being sent by God.”

See, it’s God who is deceiving all these men, not the devil or their own flesh. And when God is deceiving what can you do, you don’t want to be found working against God, right? How thankful we should be that we weren’t elected to be decieved by God.

But the baffling prophetic annunciation continues.

“We can continue to cry out and warn.”

What? Warn? Why? Get out of the way, God is sending a GREAT delusion so His will is not warning them, they are deceived by God’s own will. You might warn people who are in the “snare of the devil” (II Tim.2:26), but what can you do to people who are deceived by God? Leave them alone, God wants it that way. And can God’s Holy Spirit work against Himself? Can we pray that God will deliver them from the deception He Himself has sent?

This type of utter doctrinal misrepresentation answers many questions about why people feel like they do about other brothers and sisters in Christ, and in fact, people in general. God Himself deceives people then anoints others to warn them. The journey has many strange sights.

This message has been brought to you by people who love deceived brethren and believe God wants them restored. Or as we are otherwise known, “The Hate Site”.

*Update* The obligatory matyr’s complex post.