The Baltimore Catechism defines confession as simply "...the telling of our sins to an authorized priest for the purpose of obtaining forgiveness." Another of Rome's Catechisms states that "Sins are forgiven by the power of God, which Jesus Christ has given to the priests of His Church." The French Catechism goes even further in its description of confession, claiming that "One must receive absolution in feelings of total humility, considering the confessor (the priest), as Jesus Christ Himself whose place he takes." It is taught that the confession of one's sins to a priest, one of 6 commandments decreed by the Roman Catholic Church, should be made at least once a year. "In the Roman system the priest constantly comes between the sinner and God. In...the New Catechism No. 1, with imprimatur by Cardinal Francis Spellman, of New York, we read: 'You must tell your sins to the priest to have them forgiven.' And again, 'Confession is telling your sins to the priest to obtain forgiveness.
Roman Catholicism teaches that, in the Mass, Jesus Christ repeatedly offers Himself for the salvation of the world. The Council of Trent has proclaimed this 'sacrifice' as "...identical with the sacrifice of the Cross, inasmuch as Jesus Christ is a priest and Victim both. The only difference lies in the manner of offering, which is bloody on the cross and bloodless on our altars." The Roman Catholic Catechism explains that the whole reason for attending Mass is "...to offer sacrifice to God." Cardinal Francis J. Spellman says: "The Sacrifice of the Mass forms a pivot on which all else turns. If it is what Catholics believe it is, then here is the greatest external manifestation of the love of God for man, and the most magnificent testimonial to the validity of Catholicism; but if it is false, it is the worst farce and blasphemy ever perpetrated upon God or man, and the catholic faith collapses into nothingness.
The greater majority of people who profess to be Christian have been taught and, what's worse, have accepted, three of the biggest lies ever perpetrated upon the human race. These doctrines form the basis of what is commonly referred to as Arminianism. They are not what God's Word teaches, for they are contrary to His Word, and stand defiantly opposed to the Word of God, the Sovereignty of God, the Grace of God and the Blood of Christ. There are several variations to these three Arminian doctrines but basically the claims are as follows: (1) Man is not spiritually dead to God; (2) Man can choose God by his own free will; and (3) Christ Jesus the Lord died for every individual ever born. On these three doctrines, which are the foundational teachings of Arminianism, does the Arminian gospel stand, or fall. Our purpose here is to expose the gross error of these three particular dogmas, and how they have formed to become the elemental teachings of the most popularly accepted, yet corrupt, gospels of our day.
For many people, the doctrine of election is one that just does not make sense, for it appears to contradict the teachings that God is Love and no respecter of persons. It is even seen as a doctrine which shuts many people out of heaven who desired entry. Thus, it is concluded that the doctrine of election is just not fair; that God would be unjust to select only some people to show His grace and mercy towards, in granting the gift of salvation, and simply leave the rest to themselves, or worse still, consign them to hell. The real reason behind such a conclusion is the flawed foundation upon which these notions are based-a foundation which says that man is not dead in sin as a result of the Fall but is merely a wounded soul, with the ability and desire to seek and choose God, intact. The concept of 'free will' stands in eternal opposition to the doctrine of free grace.
Those who are true believers in God's one and only Gospel are often confronted with the argument, 'Its just a doctrinal thing', when upholding the biblical standard that no one is saved who does not hold to the doctrine of Christ, which is His glorious Gospel. When it comes to the matter of Christ Jesus the Lord-Who He is and what He has done-doctrine is of immeasurable importance. It is a life and death issue that a person believes what GOD has testified of His Son, and not some man-made tradition, an imagination of man's mind concerning the Person and Work of Christ. This book will examine the statement, 'Its just a doctrinal thing' and explain why it is an assertion which is made in utter ignorance of the fact that when it comes to Who God is and which God/god one is believing and trusting in, doctrine can never be just a matter of opinion among equally saved people, or some irrelevant and inconsequential 'thing'.
Most people today are taught that Christ Jesus died for every single individual ever born. Sadly, this teaching may be found just as surely in a Protestant assembly as in a gathering of Roman Catholics. Teachings such as these, primarily show an incredible amount of ignorance of what the True Gospel is and show a distinct lack of understanding by those who profess to be believers in churches today which claim to be preaching salvation, about atonement-what it is and who it was made for. What people are being taught about Jesus Christ and His atoning death upon the cross is a lie. The gravity of the situation cannot be emphasized too highly. To deny or to be ignorant of what Christ has done, is to deny Christ Himself. The True Redemptive Character of God and the True Atoning work of Christ have been, and continue to be, grossly misrepresented in churches today. They are not preaching God's Gospel, but a counterfeit in which there is no salvation.
Jesus Christ is God is a treatise on the Deity of Jesus Christ, and the Trinity of God. Very few have a neutral response when they hear the name 'Jesus'. Billions upon billions have called on the name 'Jesus' for centuries, and yet few have ever known the true Person behind the name of the One Who would come and "...save His people from their sins" (Matt. 1:21). Many seek solace and refuge in the name 'Jesus', but few there be who know the Person and Work of the Man behind the name. Many derive great comfort and assurance in their lives simply because they call the one whom they worship, 'Jesus', and yet they will one day realise that to know His name and yet not know the Person behind the name, is to not know Him at all.
It is seldom taught otherwise, in what is perceived by most to be Christian institutions, that Jesus Christ went to the cross and laid down His precious life for every individual in all the world. It is also taught that the door to salvation has been swung open by Christ and it is now up to each individual to make the choice to enter in or not. Such teaching alleges that the saved are a generation of choosers, not "a chosen generation" as the Scriptures clearly teach! (1 Peter 2:9). What has your acceptance got to do with this transaction done on your behalf? Your acceptance is not that which validates (gives legal force to) the transaction, IT IS THE PAYMENT MADE WHICH CANCELS THE DEBT! The popular belief is that Christ did not actually save anyone on the cross, but that He merely made salvation possible for all. The following is a vitally important study of: Jesus Christ the Savior: a) Why He is the Savior b) Whom He has saved c) How He has accomplished salvation.
God has given to His Son, Jesus Christ, a people of His own choosing, not according to anything they have done, but solely according to the will and purpose of God. The purpose in them being given to the Son is salvation. Christ would die for these, and these alone, and give unto them eternal life. These are the only people Jesus Christ has made atonement for; The only ones He became a curse for upon the Tree; The only ones whose sins were imputed to Christ and Whose Righteousness was/will be imputed to them. These are the same people who will be presented to the Father in a blessed state. All others were not given to the Son; they are not among those to whom Christ will give eternal life and therefore could not have been among those for whom He died and become a curse for on the Tree. They are not among those blessed of the Father, for they are declared 'cursed' on Judgement Day.
Between 1238 and 1239, the notorious Jewish convert Nicholas Donin persuaded Pope Gregory IX to condemn the Talmud, prompting European kings to intervene. Only King Louis IX of France agreed to a public disputation in 1240, subjecting the Talmud to scrutiny. Prominent Jewish and Christian figures debated Jesus in the Talmud. The Talmud was condemned between 1241 and 1242, but the Church of Paris, responding to Jewish pleas, allowed an appeal. Scholars were commissioned to translate portions of the Talmud, resulting in two anthologies titled Extractiones de Talmud—the first translation of this work. Still, this did not save the Talmud from burning.
The tractate Keritot of the Babylonian Talmud belongs to the Order of Qodashim in the Mishnah. It discusses the Temple and its rituals, especially sacrifices, but deals mostly with laws of incest, sexual transgressions, childbirth, and miscarriages. In this commentary, Federico Dal Bo provides a historical, philological and philosophical investigation on these gender issues. He discusses almost the entire tractate, referring to many other sources, Jewish (the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Sifra, and other rabbinic texts) as well as non-Jewish (Akkadian, Hittite, and Ugaritic). The author also provides accurate philological observations both on the Mishnah and the Gemara. Finally, he addresses gender issues by combining a reductionistic approach to Talmudic study (the so called "Brisker method") with philosophical deconstruction. Dal Bo shows that in nearly the entire tractate Keritot the rabbis discuss human sexuality in a tendentious and restrictive way, claiming that heterosexuality is the only proper sexual contact and progressively stigmatizing any other kind of sexual behavior.
The title of this book is the question which was posed to a number of pastors who come under the banner 'Reformed'. The reason for this question being asked was to discover and then examine what exactly men of high renown who lead people every Sunday to worship and who are trusted by hundreds, perhaps thousands of people, actually say the Gospel is. What do they say must be believed in order for one to be saved, and what do they say it is that if one does not believe it, one evidences a lost state regardless or how religiously zealous and morally upright one may be? Are they true Gospel preachers leading their flocks on the narrow way, or are they in fact blind leaders who are themselves deluded by, and promote, a false gospel which does not save but rather draws its listeners and believers onto the broad way that leads to destruction?
For the time is come that judgement must begin at the House of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the Gospel of God? And if the Righteous scarcely be saved, where shall the ungodly and the sinner appear?" (1 Peter 4:17,18). Many view the word Gospel as an ambiguous term...these Scriptures not only refer to the judgement of the ungodly, they actually provide the reader with information as to exactly who the ungodly are, and that which qualifies a person as godly. What verse 17 reveals is rather confronting when one looks deeper into the significance of its words, for what these two Scriptures present is no less than an insight into the purpose of election, and the inextricable connection between the essentiality of believing the Gospel-a completely unambiguous term-and salvation. These verses reveal the conclusive and irrevocable evidence that only Gospel believers are Righteous in God's eyes, that it is only they who are of the House of God.
The illustrious Cardinal Secretary of State of Pope St. Pius X was a saintly man in his interior life with God and his daily life among men. Although revered and admired by all, only after his death was his immense charity and profound humility revealed in its fullness. Cardinal Merry del Val was an aristocrat by birth, a man of culture and great learning, yet his joy and happiness was to be among the poor and lowly. His great desire was to work for souls. "Give me souls; take away all else" was the constant plea he voiced to God throughout his life, and these were the only words he wished to have on his tomb besides his name. This book reveals the hidden depths of spirituality which strengthened him and perfected him in his quest for perfection and union with God. The testimonies of those who knew him, his letters of direction to souls, his diaries and personal notes are woven into a profoundly stirring revelation of a soul completely dedicated to God.
Salvation is the most vital issue in any person's life. What you believe about the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, which is the power of God unto salvation, will have eternal consequences. The Roman Catholic Church teaches that salvation is attainable by grace and good works; by obedience to the laws of God and to the laws of Roman Catholicism. Rome also teaches that there is no salvation outside of the Roman Catholic Church. Conversely, the Roman Catholic Bible states clearly that there is no salvation for those outside the Lord Jesus Christ, for those who do not abide in His Gospel. The Roman Catholic Church insists that, "If anyone shall say that justifying faith is nothing else than faith in the Divine compassion forgiving our sins for the sake of Christ, or that this faith alone is that by which we are justified, let him be anathema (accursed).
DOCTRINE!" It is one of the most despised words among many who consider themselves Christians. It is hated because it is considered to be that which divides Christians, causes strife and prevents unity among the brethren. "Doctrine divides," they say. 'We need unity' etc. This all sounds so nice and is readily accepted as the Christian thing to do, and that it pleases God so much to see people casting aside their differences, respecting each other's point of view and endeavouring to live in ecumenical bliss. Doctrine DOES divide; it does separate. It divides God's children from the children of wrath; it separates God's sheep from the cursed goats, and it differentiates between God's wheat, and the Devil's tares. It is by doctrine that one can know God-Who He is and what He has done. It is through doctrine that God reveals Himself.
Baptism, as taught by the Roman Catholic Church, is the Sacrament of spiritual rebirth by which one becomes 'born-again' and cleansed from all sins. This Roman Catholic teaching is in contradiction with the Roman Catholic Bible, which shows that Baptism was never administered to make a person a true believer, but was always something that was performed on those who were already born-again believers. The concept of baptismal regeneration, along with many other Roman Catholic teachings such as the Rosary and Purgatory, does not originate from within the Roman Catholic Church, but emanates from the bowels of Paganism.
The often hilarious and sometimes poignant story behind Dal LaMagna's rise in the beauty industry. By the time LaMagna graduated from the Harvard Business School, his entrepreneurial activities—including operating discotheques in drive-in theaters, working with the 1960s musical teen sensations the Cowsills, and opening an ice cream parlor on the Venice Beach boardwalk—had landed him $150,000 of debt. Raising Eyebrows tells the story of how he finally succeeded. After years of failures and living pennilessly, LaMagna founded Tweezerman, one of the world's most respected, innovative and successful beauty tool manufacturers with over 40 million customers. A leader for socially responsible companies, Tweezerman became a success by making helping communities and caring for the environment everyday practices, not publicity gimmicks. A responsible capitalist, LaMagna wrote this roller-coaster memoir for entrepreneurs who are struggling and disenchanted with the ever changing economic system Packed with business lessons, financial plans, and practical advice Raising Eyebrows is full of inspiration, conscience, and good ideas for entrepreneurs and would-be entrepreneurs everywhere.
Soon to be an AppleTV+ series, this is the definitive account of how Enzo Ferrari became the master of motor racing, and one of the most complex, important and imposing figures in the 20th century. The book draws upon years of original research, conducted in Italy and abroad, and unveils hidden aspects of Ferrari's career - from his early days as a racer, to how he founded the Ferrari company, and even his dealings with the Italian Fascist government and Communist leaders. Learn how Ferrari pushed his drivers to the brink of disaster, revolutionised the automobile industry and overcame family and company infighting on his rise to greatness.
This is Jane's autobiographical novel. John, a black American, rescued Jane, a wealthy Belgian (her mother was a Flander and her father a Wallon), at the last moment from a fatal auto accident in 1926. They marry later and have a daughter named Jennifer. Jennifer disappears without a trace when she is eleven years old at the beginning of WWII. At that point Jane begins her search for the meaning of human existence on this earth, its possible existence in other forms beyond this world, the world's great mysteries, happiness, compassion, soul, consciousness, reincarnation, eternal life, and peace of mind, etc., through Christianity and Buddhism through discussions with a senior Buddhist monk from Ceylon (Sri Lanka). The monk is well-versed in various main Christian Churches' doctrines and leading Buddhist schools' different concepts. The timespan covers between 1926 and 1975.
In Debating the Saints' Cults in the Age of Gregory the Great, Dal Santo argues that Pope Gregory the Great's Dialogues, which debated the nature and plausibility of the saints' miracles and the propriety of the saints' cult, should be considered from the perspective of a wide-ranging debate which took place in early Byzantine society.
The apostle Paul spoke about another spirit in 2 Corinthians 11. He also warned of another gospel in which there is no salvation, and which those led by another spirit would believe and promote. Significantly, Paul also spoke about another jesus in the same passage (see 2 Cor. 11:4). This false god will not go by the name of Buddha or the like, but will bear the name 'Jesus' and, just to add to the confusion, will be attributed with some of the characteristics of the real Jesus. Yet this Jesus, in whom millions have placed their faith, is not the Jesus of the Bible to Whom God gives testimony and Whom His glorious Gospel reveals. Of all the false gods in this world, the ones which go by the name 'Jesus' are the most deceptive. The reason why vast numbers are so deceived is the fact that this false god goes by the name 'Jesus', and has many familiar truths about the real Jesus attributed to him. A false jesus is the ultimate wolf in sheep's clothing.
Most people believe that there is only one Jesus, and insofar as there is only one True Jesus they are correct; but the Bible warns that men would come preaching other jesuses. False gospels and counterfeit christs abound in religion today like never before. Everyone from New Agers to the most conservative of 'christian' groups have 'a' jesus, but is it really THE Jesus of the Bible whom they worship? Do they believe God's Testimony about His Son or do they listen to what man says about Him? Jesus said of those who set aside the Word of God, preferring their own traditions and man-made commandments: "But in vain do they worship Me teaching for doctrines the commandments of men" (Matt. 15:9; Mk. 7:7-13). The sobering reality is that most who profess Christianity have embraced another jesus and do not have the True Jesus Who is God's ONLY Jesus.
Federico Dal Bo examines the design of early Hebrew books from the late fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, focusing not only on the words in these early books but also on how they were arranged on the page. He follows in the tradition of scholars such as Christopher de Hamel, Marvin J. Heller, and David Stern, who have explored the importance of these Hebrew books in influencing Jewish learning and attracting the interest of Christians. The author discusses important prints, such as the first Talmud and rabbinical bibles, which marked a shift from being for Jewish readers only to being for both Jews and Christians. The collaboration between Jewish editors and Christian printers changed the way these books looked and the audience for whom they were intended. At first, these early prints copied the style of handwritten Hebrew manuscripts. The simple layout could be difficult to read, especially for long books like the Bible or Talmud. But over time, influenced by the humanism of the Italian Renaissance, the layout became more complex. The book also looks at how the layout changed from full-page commentaries to a more complicated design in which the main text and commentaries shared the same page. This shift challenged the idea of who was the primary author and emphasized the role of editors. The layout, with the main text in the center and the commentaries on the sides, created a kind of unwritten rule for how to read religious texts. Dal Bo's study also includes new information about a 1553 trial in which the Talmud was burned. Overall, it explores how the layout of these early Hebrew books shaped cultural power and influenced how people read.
There are so many different 'gospels' today, each presenting significantly different views about the Messiah (Who He is and what He has done), that clearly the questions which should be asked by everyone who professes to be a Christian (that is, a follower of Jesus Christ) are, "How will I know a false minister from a true one?" and "How can I know whether or not I have believed a false gospel or God's Gospel?" How is a man saved? How can we know if we are true Christians believing in the only Gospel that saves? What is God's only Gospel? Jesus Himself asked the religious leaders of His day, "...What think ye of Christ?..." (Matt. 22:42). These are vital questions about which every professing believer should be concerned. With all the lies that abound in our day concerning the Gospel and true salvation the question should not be whether we have faith but are we in THE Faith: "Examine yourselves, whether ye be in THE Faith..." (2 Cor. 13:5).
Most people who are at all religious believe that invariably they are or will be saved. Most are under a fairly strong conviction that they know God and are known by Him, that God understands them and how much they have suffered on this earth and how much they have tried to be a good person by doing their best to lead a decent life, obey Him and attend church etc. They draw a certain comfort and security from their good intentions. They believe that God knows their heart and because of this they feel confident that He will not cast them into Hell. Just as most people never think they will end up a murder victim or die by shark attack so, too, most are convinced that they could never actually be one of those people who end up in hell. But people do get murdered, they do get taken by sharks and real people do go to Hell.
The Roman Catechism states that not only was Jesus free of sin but that Mary, too, was "...conceived and born free from original sin..." "(Roman) Catholic theology understands Mary's role in redemption to be directly related to her status as the mother of God. "(Pope) Pius IX stated: 'The most blessed Virgin, conceived without original sin, was chosen to be the Mother of God so that she might be made an associate in the Redemption of mankind.'" Pope Benedict XV also held that Mary "...herself may justly be said to have redeemed together with Christ the human race." Rather than go directly to the Lord Jesus, as the Roman Bible teaches, Roman Catholics are told to go to Mary, who will act as intercessor between them and the Lord Jesus Christ. From the Papal encyclical of 1897, we read the proclamation: "As no man goes to the Father except by the Son, so no man goes to the Son except by His Mother.
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