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LETTERS AND QUESTIONS FROM PASTORS AND OTHERS ANSWERED

Letter received January 8, 2019:

Bro Finney,

Do you think going to talk to Pastors would make a difference? (I could take them your book) or are they all not willing to listen because they have to report numbers to their denominations?

I had met a very old Pastor outside of San Marcos that had to close down his church under the pressure about 10 years ago. He was in his late 80’s and it was just too much for him.  He would not go 501c3.

I have to tell you, i stopped going to the little Hispanic church – after my conversation with the pastor and the two elders .. I kinda go the cold shoulder. It made me sad and I did have one more conversation with the pastor and he hem hogged and said that it wasn’t his decision alone .. excuses excuses.  To tell you the truth –  I lost respect for him.

That church was not New Testament.. It was like a Hebraic root church, they sang so pretty and they study Hebrew and they meet on Friday nights for 2 hours and Saturdays all day almost from 11am to about 6pm. it was very nice and the music was great but to me it seemed like they were saying two things at once.

• they want to only celebrate Biblical Holidays …
• they only use Yeshua or Hashem – they do not say Jesus …
• they keep Sabbath day …

I know they love Him but at the same time they wanted to be a 501c3.. .. to me it seemed like double talk – they are not in obedience – they are just going through the motions.

Thank you for all the work you do for Him.

____________________

My Reply

Dear _____________________,

They are off on a lot of Bible doctrines. Let me first deal with the church corporate 501(c)(3) status, then briefly mention the other matters you spoke of.

There are false theologies which teach union of church and state. Some branches of the universal church doctrine have no problem with combination of church and state because they believe the “true church” is in heaven and that they can do what they want since God has given no commandments or principles for the organization, conduct, etc. of the local assemblies on earth. Certain Christian Revisionists have adopted theologies such as replacement theology, reconstructionism, dominionism, and theonomy  nd other “Christian” revisionists believe that the principles that applied to Israel (union of religion and state under the theocracy) are to be applied to church and state in Gentile nations. Impossible! God was over Israel – both the religion and the civil government – and both worked together under Him.

Such heresies adopt an unbiblical definition of “theocracy.” The Bible truth is that since God has not ordained theocracy for Gentile nations (and Israel rejected her theocracy), there can be no Bible theocracy today. So religion (Catholicism first, then Protestantism) invented a “theocracy” which combines church and state and which would put religion over state if implemented as they desire. They work toward that end in America on a gradual basis – first to combine church and state, then to establish one religion. This is a worldwide effort by false religions (an ecumenical movement) which will ultimately bring in the one world religion headed by the religious whore of whores, the Catholic Church.

So the church you left may be the product of one of those heresies, or they may never have really studied the matter out.. I suggest that you get and read The Trail of Blood of the Martyrs of Jesus which explains this. Also, read the first three sections of God Betrayed (free online).

Be encouraged. The Bible tells us of the apostasy of the church. These things are to be expected. He will always have a remnant until His earthly kingdom is established. We, His remnant, will be rewarded as we stand for Him. We serve Him because we love Him. All we can do is give out God’s truths. Of course, God’s ideal is for His children to also be a member of a local church under Christ. As you know, churches (assemblies of people, ekklesias) are everywhere in America, but local churches of Christ are few and far between. See, The New Testament of Jesus Christ:  His Executor Named and Empowered.

As to the other matters you brought up:

• They probably celebrate the Jewish “holidays” which are not for God’s New Testament Churches.
• New Testament churches are to worship on Sunday, not on the Sabbath.
• The Lord’s name in English is Jesus, not Yeshua or Hashem. On the day of Pentecost, God used his preacher to speak to them all in their language at the same time. He did not speak to them in Hebrew or Greek, but in their individual languages.
• We have the Word of God in English—the King James Bible. So why learn a foreign language?

They are off base on a lot of matters. They do not rightly divide the Word of truth. 2 Corinthians 11:14: “And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.” John 15:10: “If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father’s commandments, and abide in his love.”

God bless as you seek the Lord’s will.

Brother Jerald Finney