Carnal Christianity‏

Hello Friends!

False teaching, crude ideas and apostasy is at an all-time high in today's church, causing many to live carnal lives or fall away from the Lord all together. Therefore, I would like to share the following thoughts on this subject.  The Scriptures contend that the Lord cares deeply about how we choose to live our lives and with what we decide to fill our hearts and minds...

Carnal Christianity

Today we are experiencing a crisis of carnality in Christianity. Carnality is that spiritual state where a born-again Christian knowingly and persistently lives to please and serve self rather than to please and serve Christ. I believe much of what is wrong in our lives is attributable to our carnality. I'm not saying every time Christians have a problem it is because they are living in a carnal way, but I am suggesting that too many of us are experiencing failure because we are carnal - only halfway living out the Gospel. We must not take God's Grace for granted.

A Genuine Christian

First, it is important to recognize that a carnal Christian is a genuine Christian. It is entirely possible to be on your way to heaven but to be no good to God on earth. Carnal Christians have accepted Jesus Christ as Savior, but they refuse to submit to Christ as their Lord in all areas of life. When I speak of carnality, I'm not referring to non-Christians. Also, we sometimes see people who say they have been born again but are not living the Christian life - baring no spiritual fruit (see Galatians 5:22-23). We may be tempted to say that person was never a Christian to begin with. But it's entirely possible that person is a Christian who has become lukewarm and failed in their faith. In 1 Corinthians 3:1 Paul says:

"I, brethren, could not speak to you as to spiritual men, but as to men of flesh, as to infants in Christ".

Notice that Paul addresses the Corinthians as "brethren," which means they are part of the family of God. If we look back to 1 Corinthians 1:2, Paul says he is writing:

"to the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who have been sanctified in Christ Jesus."

These are saints and members of the church; they are set apart for God's purposes. Yet Paul proceeds to teach these Christians about their wrongs and to tell them they are carnal.

There are many biblical illustrations of individuals who committed themselves to God, yet experienced abysmal failures. For example, King Solomon was a wise and committed king. But 1 Kings 11 says Solomon loved many women. He entered into a life of carnality reflected in the book of Ecclesiastes, which he wrote to convey the meaninglessness of life outside of a relationship with God.

My point? Getting "saved" many years ago doesn't fix us spiritually today. God gave you new life but you must live the new life He gave you for that life to be meaningful. Unless we live this Christian life day by day in a dynamic walk with God, it is possible for us to be spiritual failures.

A Stagnant Christian

The carnal Christian is a stagnant Christian. First Corinthians 3:2-3 says:

"I gave you milk to drink, not solid food; for you were not yet able to receive it. Indeed, even now you are not yet able, for you are still fleshly."

One notable feature of carnal Christians is that even though they have been saved for a period of time, they've had little to no spiritual development during that time. They still commit the same sins; they still refuse to think biblically; they still refuse to relate to God as God demands, but they are in the same seat every Sunday morning (this was true of my walk with the Lord for the first several years of my Christian life until I learned of true Biblical repentance). Paul says these carnal Christians subsist on milk; they haven't graduated to solid food yet. Carnal Christians are spiritual babies because they don't have the capacity to feed themselves spiritual food; they have to be spoon-fed by someone else. Hebrews 5:11 says they:

"...have become dull of hearing"

The word "dull" is translated as hard-headed, like a mule. They are stubborn, refusing to learn and apply the truth of God to their lives.

Further Discussions

 

Rob Pue, the editor of Wisconsin Christian News recently documented an experience he had with a Facebook “friend” who describes herself as a Christian while at the same time listing a song by singer Lady Gaga as her favorite new song.  Mr Pue then cited another example of a pastor’s Facebook page that presents the pastor’s favorite secular TV shows and movies; selections that promote a myriad of behaviors and viewpoints that are totally antithetical to Christianity.  Rob respectfully and biblically examined the entertainment choices selected by these individuals and challenged them to ponder why anyone who claims to be one of God’s sanctified people would embrace these clear demonstrations of carnality.  He also warns us to watch out for pastors who preach a gospel that embraces such carnality by proclaiming a message that we can be both worldly and Christian.  Instead, Rob properly warns that we should put off the old man and put on the new so that we can bear fruit for Christ.  

Many pastors today are feeding carnal Christians in the church at the expense of the spiritual health of the true believers in their congregations. This is the foundation of the seeker-friendly church movement that has been plaguing congregations in America and throughout the world. Chapters 2 & 3 of the New Testament book of Revelation describes Jesus Christ as He speaks to the 7 literal churches. Only the church of Philadelphia was commended for being "alive" and fruitful, receiving a promise from the Lord to be kept from the great time to tribulation that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world (see Revelation 3:10). Is that promise true for you?

Time is running short and Jesus is coming soon to Rapture His true church. Are you ready? Repent and receive Him before it's too late! It could happen at any moment...

Blessings on your studies and involvement in understanding and sharing the Truth!

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com

I love hearing from you.  Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

 

Encouraging Concepts

Truth for Today

"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"

Lighthouse Publications <>< 
"Dedicated to the Never Ending Search for the Creator's calling within You" (TM)

A Festival of Bible Prophecy: The Seven Jewish Feasts‏

Hello Friends!

Leviticus 23 provides a detailed description of the Festivals of the Lord which were appointed times established as yearly rehearsals, teaching both historically and prophetically the whole plan of God concerning the coming of the Messiah and the redemption of man...

A Festival of Bible Prophecy: The Seven Jewish Feasts
 

The first four feasts have been fulfilled and the Jewish community celebrates them historically. They are Passover, Unleavened Bread, First Fruits and the Feast of Weeks (Pentecost). These four Spring Feasts are considered to be an interrelated whole where Pentecost is the completion of the process begun at Passover:

• Passover – pictures the Death of Jesus Christ
• Feast of Unleavened Bread – pictures the Burial of Jesus Christ
• Feast of First Fruits – pictures the Resurrection of Christ
• Feast of Weeks – pictures the Descent of Holy Spirit & the birth of the Christian Church

While the first four Festivals occur in close proximity, an entire season passes before the Fall Feasts begin. This long period represents the dispensation of grace - represented by the Christian Church - in which we now live. The last three feasts - Trumpets, Atonement and Tabernacles - are celebrated in the Fall season and are yet to be fulfilled; therefore, they remain prophetic in nature:

• Feast of the Trumpets – pictures the Rapture of the Church
• Feast of Atonement – pictures the Second Coming of Jesus Christ
• Feast of Tabernacles – pictures the Millennial Reign of Jesus Christ

Since Jesus Christ has fulfilled the first three Jewish feast days in the proper day sequence, we can be assured that He will also fulfill the last three Jewish feast days in the proper day sequence.
The Feast of Trumpets may soon find its prophetic fulfillment.

Here are some references as to why the Rapture of the Christian church may occur during this next Festival:

• All the Spring Feasts were fulfilled at Christ's first coming, and on the exact day of the feast. All the Fall Feasts picture the Second Advent, and the Feast of Trumpets is the first of the fall feasts - picturing the Rapture of the Christian church.
• The Feast of Trumpets is when the "last trump" of the Rapture spoken of in 1st Corinthians, chapter 15 is blown.
• The Feast of Trumpets is known as the Wedding of the Messiah, and the Christian Church is the Bride of Christ. The Rapture is when the Christian Church is caught up to heaven to be wed with Christ.
• The Feast of Trumpets happens on the "new moon", which is 29.5 days after the last one, meaning it might occur on the 29th or 30th day - nobody knows for sure. "Of that day or hour no man knows" is an expression referring to this Feast, and thus, the Rapture.
• "Of that day or hour no man knows, but my Father only" is an expression used by a groom when asked when his wedding will be. He says this because it is his Father that will tell him when his preparations on the bridal chamber are completed and it is time.

Again, the wedding pictures the coming Rapture:

• The "Open Door" of the Rapture in Matthew 25, and Revelation 3, & Revelation 4:1 is a symbol of the Feast of Trumpets. "Thus says the Lord GOD: The gate of the inner court that faces east shall be shut on the six working days; but on the Sabbath day it shall be opened and on the day of the new moon it shall be opened” - Ezekiel 46:1
• In Colossians 2:16-17 we are told that the new moon and the Feasts of the Lord are a shadow of things to come. Since the Feast of Trumpets is the only Feast of the Lord that falls on a new moon, we should take particular note.
• There are seven days of awe in between the Feast of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement. These seven days picture the seven years of Tribulation. Atonement pictures Satan being defeated and cast away at the end of the Tribulation. Interesting note: If we add the two-day Trumpets feast and the Day of Atonement, the seven days of awe may represent the "ten days of tribulation" (2 + 1 + 7 = 10) spoken of in Revelation 2:10.
• In the Jewish Wedding, the groom comes for his bride "like a thief in the night" to take (seize/Rapture) her away and into the bridal chamber for the bridal week at his father's house.
• The Feast of Trumpets is also known as the coronation of the Messiah, when He will start reigning as King, thus the beginning of the "Day of the Lord", which includes the Tribulation.

In Conclusion:

God’s plan for humanity is clearly found in Leviticus 23 through the establishment of the Seven Feasts. The number seven throughout the Bible represents completeness. Just as seven days finish a weekly cycle, so could seven festival occasions complete the work of God on Earth, as reveled in His supernatural Word!

Blessings on your studies and involvement in understanding and sharing the Truth!

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com

I love hearing from you.  Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

 

Encouraging Concepts

Truth for Today

"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"

Lighthouse Publications <>< 
"Dedicated to the Never Ending Search for the Creator's calling within You" (TM)

The Titanic: A Modern Day Tower of Babel?‏

Hello Friends!

Early in the history of the earth, there was a group of people who were traveling from west to east through what is now Iran and Iraq. They apparently had enough resources that they were able to retire from gainful employment to pursue their own ideas. One of their ideas was to make a name for themselves. They decided to build a spectacular city and at the center of this project would be a tower that reached the heavens - they would bridge heaven and earth...

The Titanic: A Modern Day Tower of Babel?

To successfully build this project, particularly the tall tower, would require knowledge and wisdom about the universe. For example, what materials and methods should be used and how to organize and manage the labor force. The project leaders apparently were taught a number of these principles either by their heirs or they learned them heuristically. In any case, they practiced many sound principles that would enable them to build this project, which is why they enjoyed success - at least initially.
 

Then something unexpected happened. There was a flaw in their worldview. Apparently, they believed that the Creator of the universe would not mind if they engaged in self-glorification and would therefore not interfere. But they were wrong. The Creator of the universe does not support human self-glory. So before the project was completed, the Creator stopped the project. His means were simple; he disrupted the communications.
 

You probably recognize this as the story of the Tower of Babel recorded in Genesis 11. The Tower of Babel illustrates that men in rebellion against God can have a modicum of success for a time when they practice godly principles. It reveals that God is engaged with his creation and can use natural means to project his will on those who operate in rebellion against him. We also see that God mercifully forbears with man’s rebellion, that is, he delays his judgment giving man opportunity to repent. But ultimately man’s will that is at odds with God’s will is thwarted.
 

The Tower of Babel is a story from biblical history. When the Bible records something, there is always a reason. The apostle Paul notes in 1 Corinthians 10:11 that the stories in the Old Testament are given to us as examples and warnings. It seems prudent, therefore, that we learn to recognize projects that are modern-day “Towers of Babel.” Sadly few people seem to recognize modern-day examples. What if there are a plethora of examples throughout history, but we have failed to see them? Then we have failed to heed God’s warnings - a very scary thought indeed.
 

Consider, for example, a possible example of a modern-day Tower of Babel - the famous ship the Titanic. When launched in 1912, the Titanic was the largest ship in the world at the time and was dubbed unsinkable by the media. The ship was a marvel and viewed as a monument to human ingenuity.
 

April, 2012 marked the one-hundred-year anniversary of the sinking of the touted vessel, which occurred on its maiden voyage. Many commemorative events and documentaries recalled the event. A National Geographic documentary was perhaps the most exhaustive effort to find an explanation for the tragedy. The presupposition of the researchers was that the event could be fully explained by natural causes. Given this as an assumption, any explanation outside of natural causes would be automatically dismissed. I find this puzzling since scientists consider themselves to be objective, which means that all possibilities are examined. Nevertheless, the presupposition of naturalism, which excludes non-natural causality, seems to be the norm for “science” today. Naturalism assumes that either God does not exist or, if he exists, that he is not engaged in the physical world.
 

Naturalism appears to have been the assumption of the National Geographic documentary. In this documentary, the researchers claimed to have examined all available evidence associated with the sinking of the Titanic. For example, they considered the iceberg reports that were ignored by the wireless operator. Shortly before the collision with the iceberg, the Titanic received a warning from the nearby SS Californian. But the warning was not sent to Titanic's bridge because it was not properly coded.
 

The ship was moving at 21 knots - nearly top speed. Why? This was common protocol based on the theory that ships should move through ice fields as quickly as possible, even though the winter of 1912 was the warmest in years and therefore the iceberg field was unusually large. The evening of the Titanic's sinking was a calm, cold, dark, and moonless night making it difficult for the lookouts to see icebergs ahead. In normal conditions, lookouts should be able to spot an iceberg at least ten miles away at night. But on this night, the weather conditions, though very peaceful, were not conducive for sighting icebergs.
 

When the iceberg was sighted, the ship had ~37 seconds to react. The ship’s crew responded quickly and instead of a head-on collision, the ship suffered a glancing blow. One might assume that a glancing blow would do little damage, after all, most on board did not notice anything. But this assumption would be wrong. The actual damage was not a long gash, as many assumed, but many small holes. The National Geographic investigation concluded that the pressure on the side of the ship from the collision caused rivets to fail. Tests revealed that the rivets were weakened because of too much slag in their construction. National Geographic concluded, as most naturalists would, that rivet failure caused the sinking of the Titanic. Based on this, most would call it an unfortunate accident, which suggests only natural causes were involved.
 

According to Proverbs 16:33, there are no accidents. God is sovereign over his universe so even what appears to be random to us is not random to God. Ephesians 1:11 informs us that God works everything in conformity to his will. What therefore would be a biblical view of the sinking of the Titanic? Those with a biblical worldview recognize that there is a reality greater than the natural - that is, spiritual reality. Spiritual reality drives physical reality. Spiritual reality that is contrary to the will and ways of God leads ultimately to judgment, though there may be apparent short-term success (see Psalms 73).
 

Short-term success can be deceiving. In the Tower of Babel project, the organizers had what appeared to be success for a time, but their motive of self-glorification was wrong. Hence, they were judged by God using natural means - their communications were disrupted. So also with the Titanic, there was short-term success - the ship was built and started on its maiden journey with grant grandeur. And like the Tower of Babel, natural events led to her demise. In the case of the Tower of Babel, we know that the disrupted communications originated with God in response to the wrong motives of the project organizers. Could that be true of the sinking of the Titanic?
 

Interestingly, as with the Tower of Babel, communications were a factor in the sinking of the Titanic. Not only did the Titanic receive and ignore wireless warnings of the danger of icebergs, but, after the collision, a nearby ship did not respond to the Titanic's distress signals, which were transmitted both via wireless and visual.
 

Was the Titanic about human glorification, as was the Tower of Babel? Was hubris associated with building the Titanic? If so, was the sinking of the Titanic a sign of the spiritual reality at work in the hearts of the owners and builders of the ship? Could the Titanic have represented the hubris of a world mesmerized by the cleverness of people who were rapidly developing technology during the industrial age?
 

In this life, we will probably not know the answers to these questions for certain, but we must ask the questions. For those who want to walk in a biblical worldview, we must be open to the possibilities that some projects are modern-day Towers of Babel and therefore will be judged. For example, how do you explain the demise of once venerable “corporate projects” such as Arthur Andersen, Lehman Brothers, Pacific Gas & Electric, Global Crossing, and Enron?
 

Events like the sinking of the Titanic are intended, as the Apostle Paul noted, as illustrations and warnings. The warning is that if we do the will of man according to the ways of man, it will only lead to judgment. But doing the will of God according to the ways of God will lead to blessings.
 

May the Lord grant us grace to believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior and to live in obedience to Him. This is the only way to lasting blessings. Any other way of life will end as did the Tower of Babel.

Blessings on your studies and involvement in understanding and sharing the Truth!

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com

I love hearing from you.  Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

 

Encouraging Concepts

Truth for Today

"Living Life From a Biblical Worldview"

Lighthouse Publications <>< 
"Dedicated to the Never Ending Search for the Creator's calling within You" (TM)

Living the First Lie: Man as God‏

Hello Friends!

According to Genesis 3, Mankind's Fall revolved around the eating of the forbidden fruit. Satan, after approaching Eve, subtly questions God's authority and places a positive spin on what would be an act of overt disloyalty to the Creator. Satan's tactic wasn't about denying God; rather it was a strategy of deception, doubt, and disobedience...

   "Now the serpent [identified as Satan] was more cunning than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Has God indeed said, 'You shall not eat of every tree of the garden?'"

   And the woman said to the serpent, "We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden; but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die'."

   Then the serpent said to the woman, 'You will not surely die. For God knows that in the day you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.'

   So when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree desirable to make one wise, she took of its fruit and ate. She also gave to her husband with her, and he ate." 

~ Genesis 3:1-6

Living the First Lie: Man as God

Satan's insinuating message focused on doubt, and the illusionary promise of self-deification through new knowledge – "you will be like God, knowing good and evil." The focal point seems intellectual, as Eve is desirous of knowledge; however, the act demonstrated rebellion. It was a direct challenge to the Creator's authority by the creation. God is restrictive and holding back on you, so hinted the message, and now it's time to chart your own course. You too can be "as God." Hence, the human race believed the spin and took the plunge, only to discover that pain, sorrow and death resulted – and a separation from the Creator. The "knowledge" gained could never offset the relationship that was now lost, or the distress of living to die.

Yet, from that time onward we've repackaged the Big Lie in a myriad of ways. After all, "we know best." Thus the proclamation of self-mastery, Man as God, is a repeated theme. Remember Out on a Limb – Shirley MacLaine's 1987 TV mini-series? At one point Shirley and a friend stand on a beach with arms outstretched and boldly announce, "I am God." Theosophy, a religious development from the 1880s that birthed the modern New Age Movement proclaims this self-mastery concept. The esoteric philosophy of Freemasonry is strikingly similar.

Theosophy:

            "Man is not to be compelled; he is to be free. He is not a slave, but a God in the making." – Annie Besant, Esoteric Christianity, p.220.

"To be perfect as the Father we must be equal with him, and hence here we have the ancient doctrine taught of old by the Brahmans that each man is God and a part of God. This supports the unity of humanity as a spiritual whole…" – William Q. Judge, "Points of Agreement in All Religions." Address to the Parliament of Religions, April 17, 1894.

Freemasonry:

"Here lies the great secret of Masonry – that it makes a man aware of that divinity within him." – Joseph Fort Newton, The Builders, p.293.

"Man is a god in the making, and as in the mystic myths of Egypt, on the potter's wheel he is being molded. When his light shines out to lift and preserve all things, he receives the triple crown of godhood…" – Manly P. Hall, The Lost Keys of Freemasonry, p.92.

All of this resonates with the New Age Movement. John Randolph Price, a New Age advocate and author, boasts of self-mastery and personal divinity.

"Nothing can touch me but the direct action of God and God is my Omnipotent Self. I can all things through the Strength of the Christ I AM. I AM STRENGTH!"

Today, media powerhouse Oprah Winfrey uses her immense television, radio, and internet presence to advance this same belief system. If Oprah was a small-time player with only a localized television show, her endorsement of New Age/esoteric philosophy could be easily overlooked. But Oprah is Oprah, and her name is a recognized brand around the world. In 2001, Time/CNN said, "she is one of a handful of people whose first name alone guarantees recognition… with a fan base whose loyalty and buying power are unrivaled." This is why Oprah matters: What she peddles sells, what she promotes is believed.

And she promotes A Course in Miracles on Oprah Radio and through her website. If you haven't checked it out, A Course in Miracles is a New Age program meant to assist you in discovering your higher self. Here are a few of the "truths" you learn in the lessons:

Lesson 29: "God is in everything I see."

Lesson 61: "I am the light of the world."

Lesson 70: "My salvation comes from me."

Oprah also endorses Eckhart Tolle, an author who teaches higher-consciousness evolution (New Age beliefs).    

"You can substitute 'Christ' for presence, if that is more meaningful to you. Christ is your God-essence or the Self, as it is sometimes called in the East. The only difference between Christ and presence is that Christ refers to your indwelling divinity." – Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now, p.104.

Really? I have to look within to find my "indwelling divinity"? And "my salvation comes from me"? If I am honest with myself, I'm compelled to recognize that there's nothing within my nature that's pure or divine. Instead, my heart is dark. My inner nature is the same as all of humanity: plagued by sin, deceit, and pride. Not only is this evident in my fallen ways, it's a fact borne out in the Bible.

            "…for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." – Romans 3:22

"All of us have become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous acts are like filthy rags; we all shrivel up like a leaf, and like the wind our sins sweep us away." – Isaiah 64:6

I can't "save myself" – it's a logical and spiritual impossibility. I need someone who isn't tainted to be "my salvation," hence the saving gift of Jesus Christ, the perfect Lamb of God (John 1:29). Yet to accept this gift requires the recognition of my sin-state and the acknowledgement of Jesus Christ as the Son of God. This doesn't come natural or easy for fallen Man, especially as we're prone to mimic the lyrics of Sinatra & Elvis; "I did it my way." After all, to admit I am a lawbreaker in God's eyes, without excuse and without the ability to remedy this position on my terms, is very humbling indeed. What part of "Thou shalt not" don't I understand?!

Opinions, Politics, People...

Opinion:

According to Christian Smith and Melinda Denton, researchers and authors of Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers, 60% of American teens hold to some notion of religious universalism, agreeing with the idea that "All religions share the same version of truth underneath."

And multitudes of Christians are buying this line. Posted on a September, 2007 MotherJones blog site, one contributor to an online discussion wrote,

"I am a Christian, but I believe that there are many paths to God. I get tired of other people of my faith telling me that it is the 'only way'…"

What the writer failed to comprehend is that Jesus Christ is the one who made the statement: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (John 14:6) When a Christian asserts the exclusivity of salvation in Jesus Christ, it's a reflection of a Scriptural standard. How the Christian expresses this truth may be another matter (example: arrogance verses love).  

Today, many individuals flirt with the interfaith approach. For example, the "COEXIST" bumper stickers are now a popular way to express spiritual unity, with each letter represented by a different religious or philosophical symbol. But this isn't really about "coexisting" – we already do this as a pluralist, democratic society. Rather, it's about proclaiming "truth equality" among the religions: the cultural mainstreaming of the interfaith agenda. The very successful rock group U2 has supported this approach by causing their audiences to chant the phrase "Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed - all the same" which is an obvious lie of the enemy.

And here we come face-to-face once again with Genesis 3. For to say that all religions are valid faith expressions is to assert that God's position on this issue, which can be found throughout the Old and New Testaments, is grievously mistaken. In other words, our interfaith opinion supersedes God's exclusive claim: "…there is no God apart from me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is none but me. Turn to me and be saved, all you ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other." (Isaiah 45:21-22). The interfaith position demands that our collective religious viewpoints are right, and that God's exclusivity is wrong. It harkens back to the Big Lie, for to state that all religions are valid paths to God, when God says otherwise, is to elevate our opinion above the words of the Creator. Opinion trumps God.

Politics:

Another form of "Man as God" can be found in the political arena. For much of the twentieth century the idea of a world government has been upheld as the globe's political savior. To this end, the United Nations has been viewed by many as the most relevant, international master.

Sri Chinmoy, leader of the UN Meditation Group for 37 years, was keen for this global political/spiritual edifice.

"…there is every possibility that the United Nations will be the last word in human perfection. And then the United Nations can easily bloom in excellence and stand as the pinnacle of divine enlightenment."

Robert Muller too envisioned a spiritual/political entity along global lines: "…someday our planet will be a world spiritual democracy." Consider what this former UN Under-Secretary-General said in his book, New Genesis: Shaping a Global Spirituality.

"What the world needs today is a convergence of the different religions... There is a famous painting and poster which shows Christ knocking at the tall United Nations building, wanting to enter it. I often visualize in my mind another even more accurate painting: that of a United Nations which would be the body of Christ."

There's even a specific religion that looks to the coming of a world government as the savior of humanity, the Bahá'í faith. You see, for those who are true internationalists, government at the global level will be viewed as a God-type – the ultimate management system, where an enlightened Group directs the action of a world citizenship.

People:

But what happens if this world government becomes tyrannical? How can the world be assured that this political structure would act as a benevolent savor? An elevated personality is what we need: a special individual – a transcendent figure – to chart a course for world peace. Are the peoples of the world that gullible? Yes.

Notice the personality cults of the past and present, where mass groups within nations and around the globe have viewed one politically empowered individual as savior-like. (NOTE: this name list does not imply that these individuals are necessarily alike, just that they commanded a special public attraction that went way beyond the normal).

- Joseph Stalin: Leader of the USSR from 1924 to 1953. Stalin is often (and correctly) used as an example of a personality cult, masterfully using propaganda, political maneuvering, and spin to create the image of a public hero.

- Adolf Hitler: The charismatic leader of National Socialist Germany, Hitler's magnetism and dynamism swept the nation. He embodied the concept of a Germanic messiah.

- Mao Zedong: Leader of Chinese communism and considered the "great helmsman" who would lead China forward. Although Mao is long gone, his picture and political personality is still dominant China.

- Mikhail Gorbachev: With the advent of a new Russian/Western relationship following the breakup of the Soviet Union, people around the globe looked to Gorbachev as an international hero. Washington's political elite fawned him – he could do no wrong, and one peace activist exclaimed, "Gorbachev is like Jesus. He just keeps giving out good things like arms control proposals and getting nothing but rejections."

- Pope John Paul II: Adorned by hundreds of millions of individuals around the world, John Paul II was both an international religious leader and political figure. Kings and commoners loved him; this "Pope of the People" captured the world's attention. Close to two million visited Rome to mourn his death, and CNN reported that "Four kings, five queens, [and] at least 70 presidents and prime ministers" attended the funeral.  

- President Barack Obama: No other US President has been the focus of so much frenzy. Mr. Obama, especially during the early days of his campaign, had a personality cult following. Consider the following statements:

           

"…we're here to evolve to a higher plane… The reason I love Barack Obama is because he is an evolved leader who can bring evolved leadership to our country…" – Oprah Winfrey, 12/09/2007 

"Obama, to me, must be not just an ordinary human being but indeed an Advanced Soul, come to lead America out of this mess…" – Chicago Sun-Times commentator, March 21, 2008. 

"I see Barack Obama as a leader for this transcendent moment, the agent of transformation in an age of revolution, as a figure uniquely qualified to open the door to the 21st century and to convert threat to great new opportunity." – Gary Hart, "Politics as Transcendence," Huffington Post, Feb. 13, 2008.

Also, a very interesting (and disturbing) collection of Obama personality-cult stories and pictures can be found at http://obamamessiah.blogspot.com.

What does this cult of personality demonstrate? That humanity greatly desires not the true God, but a political messiah who will lead the world to peace and prosperity. Is this illusionary? Yes, but the world is willing to trade truth for the fiction of personal and global security.

Taking this one-step further is a little document titled Transformation of the World. Passed around by a non-government organization (NGO) during the UN Millennium Forum, this short booklet explains that what is needed is a humanist form of world government, complete with a "World King." 

"…the world does need a civilized coordinator in international relations and in settling global problems. More than that, this coordinator must be a stabilizing factor, actually, the last ditch authority on the Earth. He must win confidence of each man and each nation. People must be stark sure that this coordinator would solve any problem in a just and humane way. And one should be sure that in him he would find understanding and sympathy, that he would treat any nation as his own son… can the world community do without a coordinator? Definitely not."

Give us a god, any god – be it based on our opinions, politics, or personalities. We want to bend our knees to the images of our own pride, but not the true God. As Maurice Strong, former Special Advisor to the United Nations wrote:

          "…we are gods now, gods in charge of our own destiny."

As mentioned earlier, doesn't all of this remind you of that well-known Frank Sinatra/Elvis Presley tune?

For what is a man? What has he got?

If not himself - Then he has naught.

To say the things he truly feels

And not the words of one who kneels.

The record shows I took the blows

And did it my way.

Yes, it was my way.

"My Way" proclaims self-mastery and intones that God isn't necessary. Why should He be if you are the master of your own world? You are in complete control of your destiny, are you not? You hold the power of life and death in your own hands, right? Maybe you've simply forgotten the New Age teaching of personal deification. But then again, what kind of a god are you that you have to be told you're god? We are fools – every one of us – to think that "self" can be its own savior, that human opinion supersedes the laws of the Creator, that a global political machine will rescue us from ourselves, and that a human World King will lead his "loyal subjects" with benevolence.

Man as God? All we do is keep repackaging the Big Lie - again and again and again...

   

"How long will you love delusions and seek false gods?" – Psalm 4:2

  

Blessings on your studies and involvement in understanding and sharing the Truth!

If you have been blessed by this message or have a specific question, prayer request or testimony, please send me a note to: encouragingconcepts@live.com

I love hearing from you.  Keep reading Encouraging Concepts!

Blessings!
Shane K. Morin <><

 

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