Killing God - Part 31 Protestantism

The Protestants:

                With the Reformation, Luther advised improvements in the Roman Catholic Church, although much of what he retained was still Catholic in doctrine. His Ninety-five Theses should have went much further! We do owe the Catholic Church the Nicene Creed which protected the faith from the heretics. It was from there the withering accelerated. Let us look at that creed again on page ____. It is essential doctrine and delineated between the true faith and the early heretics. 

·         It is essential to believe in One Creator God. As has been previously discussed, existence with its beauty and complexity is evidence that there is an Intelligent Designer. Even the Hindu religion understands that with their cosmic consciousness. Of course, Yahweh, who Is the God being stalked by Satan, is much more than Mind! Indeed, he did Think it, the Word spoke it, and the Spirit empowered it – it being the creation. The Nicene Creed rightly defends the Creator God of both the natural and the supernatural. To believe in evolution is heretical!

·         That Jesus Christ is Lord, and the Word spoken of by John, is essential for salvation. One must believe in Jesus but also that Jesus is God in the flesh. In this book, I have used killing God quite often because it was God who died on the cross. However, God is more than Flesh. He is Mind and Spirit. Thus, God’s Spirit experienced death but did not die. God planned His own death but His Mind lived on as He looked down at His own physical death. If one does not believe that God Himself died on the cross, that is heretical.

·         That God Himself begot Himself when His Holy Spirit, without iniquity, grew in Mary’s womb. Although God did not recreate Himself, he manifested Himself to mankind. Hid purpose was to experience temptation, overcome sin, die in mankind’s place, and to be resurrected as a demonstration that mankind can be as well.

·         That God died for mankind, was resurrected on the third day, ascended into Heaven and is yet alive. A dead God, an imposter God, nor a phantasm God has efficacy. To not believe that God died for mankind is heretical. To believe God is dead is heresy! To believe that God Is not and never was is atheism – the utmost heresy.

·         That God does not judge is heresy. That’s what the “threshing floor” is all about. Church is all about separating the good grain from the tares and chaff. Regardless how “good” anyone seems to be, without trusting God that person is depraved, and undeserving of salvation. To believe one is good and deserving of salvation is heretical.

·         That God still reigns in His Kingdom, and that is where He is preparing for Christians a place. The path to His Kingdom is the Way of Jesus. His sacrifice on the cross is the straight gate and being Christlike is the narrow path. God’s Kingdom is timeless and eternity is without end. To think not is heretical!

·         That the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, is in Jesus. And because God’s Spirit experienced death on the cross but did not die, the experience Spirit is Jesus’ Holy Ghost. To blaspheme against God by insulting the Holy Ghost is damning. To think not is heretical.

·         There is one Church. It is not a building nor a denomination but universal belief and trust in Jesus blood as a means to salvation. Salvation implies there is something from which mankind is saved. Jesus saves sinners from Hell. To disbelieve in Hell or sin is heresy, for salvation to exist, Hell and sin must exist. To present only the reward part of the gospel is heretical.

Heresy is the denial of the Doctrines of Christ. Heresy diminishes the truth, and as God is Truth, heresy kills the very Word of God. Without the Body of Christ, his followers still have his Word. When mankind is comforted and protected from harm and sin, it is the Word which silently convicts. Without the Holy Ghost speaking, God’s Mind issues forth silent thoughts. Just as the proverbial tree which falls in the forest, and it’s sound, if God speaks and no one hears, is the Word there? Yes He Is! 

                Protestants have much in common wit Catholics. Like Catholics, God ahs grace on their deficiencies.  Protestants are known as the alive Church but are dead. They are akin to the Church at Sardis. The reformation was intended to revive the Church to its original condition – the Church born-again. As Catholicism withered the reformed Church was the strengthen what remained. Whether it has or not is debatable. Catholics may look at Protestants and see chaos even beyond that of their own! Roman Catholicism has historically been conservative but that needs defining. Maintaining the status quo is conservatism. The state consisted in many monarchial countries as the first estate – the church. The second estate – the nobility, and the third estate – the commoner. Those estates were the way the Catholic Church preferred to remain.

                Conservatism attempted to keep the state in that order of priority. Not to say, there were no conflicts because all three vied to be first. Socialism arose because of those contests between the Church, the elite – bourgeoise – and the commoner – proletariat. Obviously, the Church and State most often joined forces against the masses – serfs, servants, slaves, petty workers, and the indentured.  With the advent of the Estates General in France, those officials more inclined toward the church and state sat on the right side, while those who favored the worker sat on the left. Thus, from there on out, religion and nationalism were right wing, and those who pretended to seek justice for the commoner were left wing. The use of the word “pretended” is intended because ultimately as in Animal Farm, ⁵⁴⁸ the final goal of the animals was to be the masters! 

                On the other side of the aisle in the First French Republic were the liberals on the left wing. Liberalism is a noble cause because it seeks to improve the status quo. Improvement is almost impossible to operationalize because it is detrimental to some. Suffering the most were the Church and State. The State or government could be changed by revolution or popular arising but the Church had to be changed from within. Over the years liberal theologians have watered down the Doctrines of Christ more suitable to the populace who seem to favor the law of sin, which is more aptly described as the desire to be appeased. The reformation threw off the Church government because the Church was allied with the monarchs. They also threw off much heretical church doctrine that had accumulated with papal bulls – a very descriptive name.

                Protestantism did good in that it provided translations in other than the Latin for the common man to understand. Once readers read first hand what God inspired, they rejected what the Pope and the Vatican imposed. This freedom was liberalism. It took the Church away from institutionalized religion and endeavored to return to orthodoxy. It was a feeble attempt! Once liberalism opened the box, orthodoxy was hard to maintain. Overly enthusiastic liberalism has withered the Protestant Church, and in this age of ecumenicalism has rejoined the newly formed liberal Roman Catholics both heading toward the Laodicean-type like-warmness if not totally inclimateness. 

                Protestantism now is part of the withering Church and as it gets closer to the condition of the Laodicean Church, the Doctrine of Christ gets nearer non-essentiality.  Liberalism in the Churches kills God in the sense of divine truth. All of those who are free to adjust doctrine for personal convenience are killing God. God’s will is well on the path to be supplanted by our will. To be honest, the Roman Catholic Church has been more orthodox than the liberalized Protestant denominations!

                Of course, the Roman Catholic Church had their “Inquisition”. The Church threshed out on its own at perceived heretics, and cruelly so! The Church assumed God’s role as judge, and even punished the condemned. Although, Christians are to “judge not” ⁵⁴⁹ that is exactly what they did! The Catholic Church baptized many in blood, and as soon as the Protestants reformed, they did the same thing! The reformed Church had similar hatred in it as did the Roman Church. We should thank God for His mercy!

                The Church in both cases during these dire times were conveniently using the law of sin to institute their versions of the Law of God. Truth has no versions but only perversions. Many have perverted the truth for God’s sake, mistakenly believing that God needs their help in controlling the flock. As Christians kill each other, one stone at a time is removed from the Church. Of course, God cannot be killed but the Church can wither with a cancer called sin.

                Liberalism is like chocolate candy… a little is good but more can be sickening! Early Church liberalism was a great improvement. However, with doctrinal differences comes dissension. It wasn’t long until the reformation spread. The Reformed Church was meant to be more personal and pure in comparison to the Catholic faith. Soon after, many played a new instrument; only available after liberalism orchestrated it.  

Denominations evolved as theologians began to see God with clear lenses! Before, the Catholic Church had hidden God behind the priests but liberalism enabled everyone to be their own priest. ⁵⁵⁰ The reformation was helped along by the Gutenberg Press with the first Latin Bible – the Vulgate- was printed in 1455. ⁵⁵¹ That helped little because Latin by that time had become a dead language. Theologians understood it, but the common man did not. In 1526, the Tyndale New Testament was published but Miles Coverdale finished the first complete English translation in 1535. ⁵⁵²  God had been concealed behind the Latin but brought alive in the English Version as well as Luther’s German translation. 

When people began to understand scripture without guidance and biasness, the door was open. The entire world with the exception of the Catholics, received a liberal theological education. Liberalism was at its peak, and that was a good thing; Jehovah became real to the masses! From there, things began to erode. Protestantism began to wither as theologians expressed truths which had been hidden for hundreds of years. Many had their own perversions of the truth. Denominations began to develop, not because Holy Scripture had changed, but because people were inspired with insights before concealed. Much of the developing doctrine were written down as confessions of faith. Likewise, many had written their own commentary. 

Jacobus Arminius challenged the reformed standard which was by sola gratia – grace alone – and election. He was accused of Pelagianism by many, but his doctrine was somewhat different. At the Synod of Dort in 1585 the reformers challenged Arminian doctrine with the five points of Calvinism, from the doctrine of John Calvin, an early reformer. ⁵⁵³ To this day within the Protestant branch of the Church, this divide yet exists! 

Because works according to Calvinism is not efficacious for salvation, doing good and righteousness doesn’t seem to be paramount in the eyes of the Arminians who accuse them of the early heresy of antinomianism. ⁵⁵⁴ In that viewpoint since salvation is by faith, and is a gift from God, that is all that is efficacious for salvation even for a duration of one moment. With that doctrine, Mosaic Law is not only unnecessary but a burden. ⁵⁵⁵ More in line with Arminianism is that faith is a gift which must be worked. ⁵⁵⁶ Hence, steadfast faith must exist until death. ⁵⁵⁶ Calvinists see the Arminian view as salvation by works – the work of exercising the human will. Work, in Calvinism, since mankind is totally depraved, is because men can never do anything to save themselves. As Bill Clinton debated on what the meaning of the word “is”, is there is a theological debate on what the word “work” means.

Even more contentious is election – that those chosen were elected in the beginning and can neither accept nor resist God’s grace -or even withholding grace. ⁵⁵⁸ On the other side, Arminians believe in free will, and thus have a part in their own salvation. Of course, either doctrine accepts the idea that God sacrificed Himself without future people helping. Both submit that only God shed His blood. The main difference being the decision. In Calvinism God does the deciding. In Arminianism God calls but the individual decides. (Likewise, part of the previous verse). Hence, in one case, salvation is only by God’s will. In the other case, salvation is God’s will but the person must will it too. 

The question is whether exercising the will is work. Calvinists believe it is, and the Arminians, that it is not! 

I’ll be honest. I believe the normative is Arminianism. However, Paul himself is a likely case of divine election. ⁵⁵⁹ On the other hand, Jesus himself told Nicodemus how to be born again by lowering the self and lifting up God. ⁵⁶⁰ Since God doesn’t contradict Himself (no need for a reference), it must be His way and His will. It seems that both Arminians and Calvinists have put God in each of their boxes. It seems Truth is being smothered and both factions are killing God! God is God; He can have it both ways. He is a personal God and does with each according to His purpose! ⁵⁶¹  God does not do Jacob’s will nor John’s. He does His will!

Those with dogmatism, as each of those doctrines are, are Simonists. Of course, it’s not for money but pride. Mankind has an inborn nature to be right. Ironically, the one with the greatest inclination to be right is the most wrong. God can be dogmatic but others must have discernment. The foolish person will insist that they are right without regard to truth. Rather than the Doctrines of Christ, people have the doctrines of selves. People create their own God to suit their purposes. Liberalism was allowing God’s purposes to be revealed. That was spiritually healthy but was death to the institution of the church. 

In this age, Girls Gone Wild seems to be in vogue. From a spiritual standpoint, it should be Theologians Gone Wild! It’s not necessary to discuss all the heresy in the modern Church, and I still use a capital “C” because there is still hope but rather than the Law of God, mainstream Churches follow the law of sin. Twisting God’s Doctrine just as Satan did in the beginning, those who love God and walk His Way are referred to as “haters”. Rather than the episcopate defending the faith, they relinquish what little faith they have so as not to hurt the feelings of sinners!

If the reader recalls the milieu before the flood, it describes the current Church quite well. What is meant by that is rather than the Church changing the world, the world has changed the Church. Picture, if you will, Christians standing on the mountain looking down at the world. On the mountain is peace and tranquility. On the plain is pleasure and lasciviousness of all sorts. Rather than Christians coming off the Holy Mountain into the wilderness of the world, they bring the world back to the Holy Mountain. It seems that Church is no longer to magnify God and thresh out the sin, but to entertain the Christian sinner. That is Liberalism Gone Wild. Liberalism has killed off God, and even the bishops assist in killing Him.

Catholics have their papal infallibility; Liberal Protestantism denial of scripture inerrancy and that Scripture is not divinely inspired. Although that is not usually in their doctrine, it is in their theology and practice. One should raise the question, if it is not God’s Word why even read it? Papal infallibility allowed much schism to come into the Catholic Church. Likewise, scripture errancy and the words of men doctrine allows anything to come into the Protestant. On top of that is intentional deception because liberal theologians propagate their ideas above God’s will.

Although the Protestant as well as the Catholic Churches are headed toward Laodicean typology, at the present time, the Protestants are more akin to the Church at Smyrna. Both are headed toward death with the exception of the some of the evangelical Churches. That body of believers and the theology of their church denominations have as a focal point, the born-again experience with salvation by grace and the atonement of Christ. ⁵⁶² (As an evangelical I admit a bias. One should work out their own salvation and decide for themselves). ⁵⁶³

Keeping in mind that the Church is the threshing floor for God’s judgment, the Churches will certainly be judged. The first three chapters of the Book of Revelation threshed the Churches quite well! Just as Christians can sin, Churches can as well. Just as Christians can doublethink, Churches can doubletalk. Everything written and said from the pulpits of the churches should be tested with Scripture. Many mainline Protestant denominations don’t do that because opinion is paramount to Scripture. In other words, the word of man excels the Word of God. That is the withered Church.

At one time, liberalism had a positive connotation because it sought truth, freedom, and the preservation of life. The United States Constitution is the bulwark of liberalism. Indeed, the entire concept of a democratic-republic gives guaranteed freedoms to the citizens. Liberalism fought imperialism and won out all over the world. America was among the first. 

Sometime in the 19^th Century liberalism took a turn. Rather than being noble, it became ignoble. Perhaps the French Revolution was that turning point. Perhaps it was the American Civil War. Regardless, by the time Teddy Roosevelt ran on the Bull Moose Party, liberalism was losing its identity. Shortly, with the presidential run of Robert LaFollette, progressivism replaced liberalism. The Progressive Era commenced around 1890 ⁵⁶⁴ and has grown by leaps and bounds. Progressivism depends on mankind for prosperity, circumventing the Abrahamic Covenant which depends on God. Thus, progressivism’s God became the government. Because its intention is to do “good” things, the word “progressive” implies that hope if forthcoming. However, progressive ideology is a ruse with Satan up to his old tricks. Progressivism is the ultimate Simonism. It’s the attitude, what’s in it for me?

Liberalism came about through the quest for freedom, both in personal pursuits and religion. Progressivism negated ambition and freedom of religion where they perceive that both religion and capitalism is an impediment to progressivity which they conclude is fairness. Of course, the masses who are bought off with crumbs are appeased but those who bake the bread are displeased. Because of the displeasure of the successful, force is required to implement social justice causes. 

Social justice is leveling the playing field by eliminating the first and second estate in favor of the third. Given the injustice of the established church and autocratic governments, eliminating the power of the Church, and the abusive nobility was, well, noble. The withering Church in league with abusers of power led to liberality which led to progressivism. 

Humanists in the turn of the 19^th century gave birth to socialism. It commenced with the French Revolution of 1789 ⁵⁶⁵ when King Louis XVI being beheaded in 1793. ⁵⁶⁶ One could learn much about socialism by reading the history of the French Revolution. With good intentions barbarism quickly ensued. Not only were the despots and their families, deserving of punishment, decapitated but eventually all the Jacobins – the left-wing revolutionaries began to decapitate their leaders! In practice, their experience in socialism quickly led to communism. The gap between the two are the type of violence. 

Socialism uses demagoguery and emotion to deceive the people whereas communism uses force and even death. The former is emotional abuse and the second physical. (I will not mince words on how evil socialism can be because in the apocalypse it will be commanded. More on that later).

Karl Marx organized socialistic thought in his book, the Communist Maniifesto, ⁵⁶⁷ explaining that there is no difference. Of course, the amount and type of violence is the difference. For a complete synopsis, I refer to my own blog. ⁵⁶⁸ By destroying extant institutions Marxism is a liberal endeavor. Ironically, liberalism expresses progressivism by the destruction of the status quo! Marx’s revolutionary ideas were several:

·         Confiscation of private property.

·         Elimination of the first two estates in favor of the third.

·         Use of capitalism to fuel anti-capitalism.

·         Discourage “the opiate of the people” – religion – specifically Christianity.

·         Control the education of the children from the cradle.

·         Eliminate gender disparity and differences – promote androgyny (my words).

·         Elimination of the institution of the family.

·         Even lessen the use of automation for it eliminates the worker!

If a person is honest liberalism can be easily seen as Marxism. In practice, modern-day liberalism/progressivism is the enemy of the Church, and progressives even propose that Jesus was a socialist!  In the contemporary world Marxism disguised as progressivism is Church enemy number one. Mainstream and Catholic denominations have adopted the doctrine of social justice displacing the Doctrine of Christ.  Social justice is essentially the old religion of “salvation by works”. If the focus was on the blood of Christ, that would be a different thing. However, liberal churches take the focus off God and place it on the government. Whereas, Christianity teaches charity in places too numerous to mention, it’s individual charity, not the governments! Social justice is humanism in the Church. That is of the Laodicean-typology. 

Social justice doctrine in the Church is called the “social gospel”. Rather than a gospel of God’s grace as provider, the emphasis is placed o the government to provide. It is noble to have charity but love cannot be demanded or regulated. God can command “love thy neighbor” and enforce it but the church nor the government can.  The social gospel revolutionaries are of the theological persuasion called liberation theology: “a synthesis of Christian theology and Marxist socio-economic analyses that emphasizes social concern for the poor and the political liberation for oppressed peoples.” ⁵⁶⁹ Liberation theology is a mixture of the gospel and Marxism and is cognitive dissonance within the Church. The Church of the Apocalypse in Revelation is liberation theology but unfortunately uses violent socialist tactics to liberate! ⁵⁷⁰ The modern Church and the Doctrine of liberation from unfair treatment is the new gospel. That doctrine comes from the mouth of the dead Church. Many modern theologians are already to that point. Whether he denies it or not, Pope Francis has a synthesis of the gospel and social justice. He has quickly introduced liberation theology to his denomination, and most are unaware of that!

Since this book is not a writing on Marxism, enough evidence has been presented to know that progressivism is killing the Church! With the Word obliterated, God is silenced – a sort of death.

⁵⁴⁹ Holy Bible; Mat 7:1.

⁵⁵⁰ ibid; 1 Pet 2:9.

⁵⁵¹ Luxist.com: The World of Rare Books: The Gutenberg Bible, First and Most Valuable.

⁵⁵² Wikipedia; “Modern Translations in English: Modern English”.

⁵⁵³ Acta et Documenta Synodi Nationalis Dordrechtanae (1618–1619) Donald Sinnema, Christian Moser, Herman Selderhuis (eds.) Vol. I, CVII, 539 pag.; Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, Göttingen.

⁵⁵⁴ Merriam-Webster Dictionary, "antinomianism"

⁵⁵⁵ Holy Bible; Rom 6:23.

⁵⁵⁶ ibid; 2 Cor 3:11.

⁵⁵⁷ ibid; 1 Pet 5:8-9.

⁵⁵⁸ ibid; Rom 9:11.

⁵⁵⁹ ibid; Acts 9.

⁵⁶⁰ ibid; John 3.

⁵⁶¹ ibid; Rom 8:28.

⁵⁶² The Concise Oxford Dictionary. Oxford University Press. 1978.

⁵⁶³ Holy Bible; Phil 3:12.

⁵⁶⁴ Wikipedia; “Progressive Era”.

⁵⁶⁵ Wikipedia; “History of Socialism”.

⁵⁶⁶ ibid; “French Revolution”

⁵⁶⁷ The Communist Manifesto; Marx, Karl and Engels, Freidrich; Communist League; London; 1848.

⁵⁶⁸ http://kentuckyherrin.blogspot.com/2011/11/socialism-is-it-compatible-with.html.

⁵⁶⁹ Dictionary of Historical Terms (1998), Second Edition, Chris Cook, Ed., p. 203.