Salvation, Part 3

Spiritual Independence

"All great truths begin as blasphemies."
George Bernard Shaw

"For the great majority of mankind are satisfied with appearances, as though they were realities, and are often more influenced by the things that seem than by those that are."
Niccolo Machiavelli

Show 21 396 – Part III
May 20th 2014

“Live from the Mecca of Mormonism – Salt Lake City Utah – This is Heart of the MatterTGNN’s original show where Shawn McCraney deconstructed religion and developed fulfilled theology. – Where Mormonism Meets Biblical Christianity . . . Face to Face”

Hey, listen really closely –

This ministry wants you to know something very important – actually we want to reiterate something we have been saying over the air for years: “There is a direct personal relationship with God available to all people that is completely separate from, and totally free of all organized religious input. You do NOT need a church to know God and you do not need the directions of religious men and women to please Him. What pleases Him is faith.” But don’t take my word for it. Go to Him with an open unfiltered heart and talk. Seek Him, pursue Him, wait on Him – He will make Himself known, and once He does, you will never, ever be without Him again.

Personal faith journey

Got an email from Michelle E. It says:

Shawn,

I have been a devoted Mormon for 12 yrs. Three months ago I read the New Testament and realized the Mormon church was not Christ’s church. I have been spending most of my time reading the Bible and trying to know my God. I am considering going to a Christian church. I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR YOU TAKING A STAND ABOUT GOD AND YOUR VIEW ON THE TRINITY. I made sense of the trinity the exact way that you are explaining Him. I am grateful for your stand that they are not persons. It possibly has saved me from becoming confused once I start attending another church. Also, I have always had this war against rules (others call me stubborn) that I can explain now with your explanation of culture. Love and thanks for your strength to be able to go against the culture! I know that has got to be hard. God Be with you!!

I want to use Michelle’s email to point a couple of things out. First, notice she ended her email with: “God be with you!” What a nice thing to say to another person. She took the time to write me, she has read the Bible, she sees and understands God as single who spoke, and His word became flesh, and is spirit and is holy, and sends us His holy Spirit. She believes there is one God who, like an all-consuming fire, manifested Himself in flesh, and in Spirit on the day of Pentecost. I’m sure many of her assumptions are off (as many of mine are off) – we are only human. But she seeks Him, and believes in Him, and blesses me in His name.

Challenges of leaving organized faith

There are actually people who have made themselves the police of the faith, who would read that email and tear it down, line by line, even to the point of assassinating her biblically based faith. Isn’t that amazing?

Secondly, Michelle came out from Mormonism. Mormonism is not a biblically based faith. I understand the error of it and the bondage it put people in through its counterfeit gospel. This woman came OUT of that – praise God. That is so important because she has transferred a focus on all sorts of man-made things to a focus on a biblically based faith.

What is sad is what awaits her – being the truth seeker she is. See, when people come out of Mormonism and into Jesus they are different than people raised Christian. They have a heightened sense of religious chicanery. And if she is the truth-seeker I suspect she is a difficult road lies ahead if she is not careful. See what is lurking out there, in a different style and fashion, is another form of Mormonism if she is not willing to embrace their ways.

It’s those damn faith police again, Michelle, those, those doctrinal gestapo people who spend the majority of their lives making certain that everyone they come in contact with is compliant to how THEY read and understand the Bible . . . to ensure that religious traditions are upheld. By the way they behave (and relate to truth seekers) you would think that doctrinal

Encouragement in Faith

Positions and theological beliefs save us!

So, Michelle, my brave sister, let me say this: Keep going. Read that Bible and let the Holy Spirit guide. Study it but more importantly live it. Be a woman of faith, a woman who loves as Jesus loves. Oh, they are out there Michelle – people who will sidle up to you and call you sister, until you differ with them – then they will turn on you and you will never hear from them again. But the Lord you know and love hears you Michelle. And he knows and loves you. Trust in that. And keep seeking, keep searching for a deeper and deeper relationship with Him based on complete faith and reliance on Him alone.

Don’t worry all too much about total understanding in disputable matters . . . people will try and make it seem like the age of the earth, and eschatological positions, and having a perfect grasp on the ontology of God are what makes you a Christian. They will argue over Bible translations, over which apostle was the twelfth, over gifts of the Spirit. They will actually break fellowship with you Michelle because you don’t believe, in your kind, regenerated, soft heart, that the Holy Spirit is a separate person or being from God. And they will feel justified in their unloving, unkind, cynical words about your person and faith, thinking they do God’s work.

(beat)

Forgiveness and Focus

Forgive them, turn the other cheek, and like Peter, when the storms start rising under your feet, keep your eyes on the King. And when the others let you down and leave you, because you are a seeker, He won’t – on this you can completely rely.

And with that, how about a moment from the word?

Personal Testimony

From: Michelle Eardley

Subject: appreciation

Message Body:

Shawn, I have been a devoted mormon for 12 yrs. 3 months ago I read the New Testament and realized the mormon church was not Christ's church. I have been spending most of my time reading the bible and trying to know my God. I am considering going to a christian church.

I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR YOU TAKING A STAND ABOUT GOD AND YOUR VIEW ON THE TRINITY. I made sence of the trinity the exact way that you are explaining Him. I am grateful for your stand that that they are not persons. It possibly has saved me from becoming confused once I start attending another church. Also, I have always had this war against rules (others call me stubborn) that I can explain now with your explanation of culture. Love and thanks for your strength to be able to go against the culture! I know that has got to be hard.

God Be with you!!

From: Michelle Eardley

Subject: appreciation

Message Body:

Shawn, I have been a devoted mormon for 12 yrs. 3 months ago I read the New Testament and realized the mormon church was not Christ's church. I have been spending most of my time reading the bible and trying to know my God. I am considering going to a christian church.

I AM SO GRATEFUL FOR YOU TAKING A STAND ABOUT GOD AND YOUR VIEW ON THE TRINITY. I made sence of the trinity the exact way that you are explaining Him. I am grateful for your stand that that they are not persons. It possibly has saved me from becoming confused once I start attending another church. Also, I have always had this war against rules (others call me stubborn) that I can explain now with your explanation of culture. Love and thanks for your strength to be able to go against the culture! I know that has got to be hard.

God Be with you!!

A Moment from the Word

Jesus said something really, really interesting in Matthew 7. He said:

“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”

Why did He say that? Is it true? Perhaps of more import or applicable to life than “why He said this” would be the question of “What is it about those few who actually find the “narrow way?”

I mean, how many people have lived and died Muslim who never stepped outside of the teachings of Islam? Billions, right? But again, what is it about those few who did see the light, did hear the call, and did ultimately come to worship God in spirit?

Path to the Narrow Way

and in truth?

We could ask the same thing about Hindu’s, Buddhists, Jews, pagans, Sihks, and the Bahai? And then within the broad base of Christianity, what makes a confirmed, life-long Catholic, or Baptist, or Methodist, or Mormon, or Jehovah’s Witness leave the faith of their youth (as it were) and find the narrow way?

We cannot say that all find it in their own way – this would conflict with the Words of the Lord. So what gives?

Let’s be honest, I think we can generally agree that most people continue forward with the religious faith they were raised in, right? They have the lens of their faith strapped tightly to their head and rarely can see the world in any other way. We see it all the time.

So again, while the vast majority of the congregates of all the world religions remain clinging to the faith of their youth what is that causes some (the few) to enter into the narrow way?

The Role of Relentless Truth Seeking

I have a body of responses that I think are supported by the New Testament. You ready? They might sting some of you a bit.

Those who find the narrow way are those who seek the truth – relentlessly.

We’ve seen this evidenced time and time again by people who leave the confines of Islam (or Mormonism) for a relationship with the true and living God – and with awe we note their courage to walk when remaining would benefit them to no end (and when walking literally means an end of their life as they know it).

And while the instances of Muslims converting to the Lord are extreme and fairly rare the same bravery is manifested when a person who was raised Catholic, or in Charismatic faith healing, or as a Five Point Calvinist who is willing to shrug off all the indoctrination and say, “No more,” because the facts, and logic, and reason and Spirit of the Living God trumps man-made dogma and tradition.

Listen – these are some really fine lines in the sand, folks. It is so easy to believe that we are seeking God and His truth when in reality all we are doing is seeking to validate and justify our pet beliefs so we can continue to uphold them. But legitimate truth seekers diligently seek Him (and Him alone) and could honestly give a rat’s tail what everyone else is saying and doing – because what everyone else is saying and doing, in my opinion, describes the broad way, not the narrow.

The Cost of Seeking Truth

The writer of Hebrews tells us how God feels about such people, saying in Hebrews 11:6 –

“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” Hebrews 11:6

Seekers of truth seek at all costs. They seek it to the cost of life, limb and property. They pursue and receive the truth no matter what their religious leaders say, no matter what the law says, no matter what threats or alienation they receive in return.

They literally understand (first hand) what Jesus meant when He said:

Luke 17:33 Whosoever shall seek to save his life shall lose it; and whosoever shall lose his life shall preserve it.

When we think about it, this is truly the price of being a Christian – back in the Apostolic age all the way through to right now. Constantine established Christianity as a jolly old state faith and people flocked to its benefits – but the seekers didn’t.

No, true Jesus freaks, true sold-out for the Lord Christians will not listen nor seek to placate men and their ideas. They would never try to please the world, pimping for popularity or join attempts at building a religious empire. Their searches are selfless, without guile, and are rarely rewarded by the masses because their search is for more of Him. The narrow way is not appealing to the masses – even the most dedicated religious masses – because the narrow way does not allow men to enter into it walking abreast or in large groups – the narrow way is lonely – as lonely as Christ on the cross – and respected as much.

Such seekers take to heart Galatians 1:10 where Paul writes:

“For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.”

Truth Seekers and Unconditional Love

Truth Seekers do not settle on what has been given but continually search for more. Martin Luther looked around and said, in effect, I will take what is acceptable in this faith of my youth and keep them but some things have gotta change – and standing on the shoulders of the forefathers of his faith bravely nailed his ninety five thesis to the door in Vittenburg. Unfortunately, those who follow Luther – masses of Lutherans and others – gather under Luther’s shadow instead of standing on his shoulders to reach for more.

I’m not talking about making doctrines up outside of the authority of scripture, but I am talking about dropping tradition, and seeking the Single, Living, True God IN spirit and in truth. I do not believe for a second that God has ever wanted people to step under the shadows of men for their faith and relationship with Him. He wants YOU to come out from under the shadows of men and their insights, and their teachings, and their power and politicking, and into the light of His will and truth. This . . . truth seekers do . . . relentlessly, with suffering, and in a dynamic cycle of spiritual growth.

15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

The world is full of men and their ideas of what we need to be saved, to be Christian, to really do the will of the Lord. Not one of them have any say in how you think, or feel, or believe – your relationship with God is completely and totally outside of their control and purview – and between you and the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Essential Role of Unconditional Love

I’ve noticed that the last thing Christian truth seekers always possess is unconditional, selfless love and longsuffering with those who do not see the world the way they see things. They allow (for lack of a better word) their sisters and brothers to grow and believe as they are led on the non-essentials. There’s a humility and an admittance that we don’t have all the answers – and even when we do, they are longsuffering with those who disagree. They continue to love and engage and support. They are internally as loving as the phonies are externally.

It is very, very interesting that right after saying in Matthew 7: 13-14 that straight is the gate and narrow is the way and few be there that find it, the very next thing the Lord says is:

15 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Relentless Search for Truth

Be a relentless seeker of truth, my friends. There is no subject not worthy of investigation. But to truly seek does not mean to discover proof for your beliefs – on the contrary, I would suggest that true seekers are willing to entertain those things that challenge their long-held notions.

So last week we covered what I will call the first stage of Mormon soteriology – which we said was getting baptized, confirmed and receiving what the LDS call the Gift of the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hand by a worthy male holding the LDS priesthood. We said that all of this qualifies the member to enter into their Celestial Kingdom.

As an FYI according to the LDS there are three basic kingdoms waiting almost all of humankind – the telestial, where real sinners go (liars, adulterers, murderers etc) the Terrestrial, where good men and women go who had faith in Jesus but did not receive (or better put rejected) the LDS faith, and the celestial, which is where faithful members of the LDS church go.

And when I say faithful I mean they received the basic principles and ordinances of the LDS Gospel we described last week. Take note of a couple things here: First, ONLY people who received the LDS baptism and Holy Ghost get to even enter the highest Celestial Kingdom. Everyone else in the world who rejects the LDS way will go to one of the lower kingdoms. Period. But there’s more.

Being baptized LDS and receiving the Holy ghost by the laying on of hands will get a person into the Magic Kingdom, but they will be restricted to the things they can participate in. Back when Disneyland first opened there was a price for admission but you also had to

Understanding LDS Soteriology

Some rides we deemed A rides and required an A ticket, others were B rides, and C, etc. but the best rides and attractions in the park were E rides and they required the ever coveted E Ticket. We’ll, we might liken the price of admission for just entering the LDS Celestial Kingdom water baptism and the Gift of their Holy Ghost. That will get you in, but there are all sorts of attractions/activities awaiting those who have earned the proper tickets – with obtaining the E ticket the ultimate because that gets you admittance to the highest degree of the Celestial Kingdom where people continue on as God’s and get to procreate spirit children forever.

Now remember, for active Latter-day Saint’s the highest degree of their Celestial Kingdom is all that really matters. It’s at this point in LDS Soteriology that Mormonism really becomes a different Gospel and it is at this point that the hammer falls. See, water baptism and receiving the Holy Ghost by the laying on of hand – the price of admittance into the Celestial Kingdom – is really child’s play to the LDS – that’s why they do these ordinances on eight year olds.

LDS Priesthood and Progression

Once their done the church begins to process their members through a series of transitions that continue to increase in complexity as the member ages. For boys, they receive the LDS Aaronic priesthood at twelve, and advance up through it (and the scouting program) until the reach 18 – where they are given the LDS Melchizedek priesthood and become Elders. Around this time LDS young men get ready to serve full time missions and in order to serve a mission a person has to go through the LDS temple and receive their endowments, which is a series of masonic based rituals that are all aimed at perfecting the flesh and progressing the recipient on an upward path of existence.

After serving missions, Elder and sisters (who too, go through the temple and receive their ritualistic endowment) are expected to find a worthy mate to take to the temple to be sealed. Nobody can advance to the highest degree of the Celestial Kingdom unless they have been endowed and sealed to a spouse in the temple. Once sealed, the LDS couple continue to renew their temple covenants by attending the temple to do vicarious temple work for the dead. In the endowment the covenant a number of things, and one of them includes giving all that they have been blessed with AND all that they may be blessed with, to the building up of the Mormon church. This includes their time, their talents, their money, their everything – to building up the LDS church.

Temple Covenants and Obedience

Because this is undertaken by temple oath and covenant, obedience to this and the other covenants take in the temple is required for the member to reach the highest degree of the celestial Kingdom. So you find the LDS faithful attending all their meetings, obeying their church leaders, paying a full tithe, donating other financial offerings monthly and when called upon, doing their home and visiting teaching, fulfilling their callings diligently, cleaning the church house, bringing meals to the sick and suffering of the ward, having family home evening every week, obeying the word of wisdom (the LDS health code) keeping the Sabbath day holy (which means in many cases spending it almost entirely on church business) and the list goes on and on and on.

People often wonder why we care about the LDS people. First of all, we’ve been there, we know what burdens they are under (even if they don’t). Secondly, we also know what it means to be free in Christ, who came to set the captives free, and loose the chains of those who are held captive. And finally, we feel more than obligated to help these well-meaning people understand that salvation cannot be earned, it cannot be merited – that is why Jesus came. That there is no priesthood operating through worthy males any longer – the priesthood is held by all believers – male and female alike with Jesus as our only High Priest.

Do the LDS believe Jesus suffered for the sins of the world? They do. And that is a great start. But after that the whole thing really becomes horrible, and burdensome, and deceptive. We hope to free more from it’s dripping jaws in the days and years to come.

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Jesus and Sin

To get you thinking about something. We talked about it at our CAMPUS Gathering last week. I’ll get around to it by asking you some questions. Here we go:

“Did Jesus pay for the sins of the world? The whole world? All sinMissing the mark of faith and love—no punishment, just lost growth or peace. – sins from the past, from the present, and from the future? Do you believe He did? If you don’t then this thought will not mean the same to you as it does to others.

Secondly, since He paid for sin, wiped the slate clean by and through His shed blood does sin remain? I would suggest strongly that no, sin does not remain. Sin has been paid for and the stain of it removed, and reconciliation has occurred between God and the fallen world.

Does ANY sin remain? Yes – faithlessness, or refusing to believe on and receive the call God extends to all by and through the shed blood of His Son. That is why people go to hell and the lake of fire – faithlessness – no all the “carnal sins” religious people think separates them from God still.

Believers' Purpose

My point in all this is to say the following: The world can be broken down into two groups of people in my opinion – those who have saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and those who don’t. When believers are congregated together, the purpose is to encourage faith through the sharing of the word, to enhance faith in their lives, to instruct them on what living lives of faith looks like – and what it doesn’t. But it’s certainly NOT so believers can be convicted of sin.

Identity in Christ

Believers CAN’T sin – they have a new identity in Christ and simply need to become as familiar with it as they once were with their flesh. Then our objective with those who have not faith is to help them receive and believe. Everything else is playing church, folks. Something to consider.

EMAILS

From Sedgwick K.

What are the core essentials to Christianity Shawn?