OPPOSING PAUL’S TEACHING:
HERETICAL MOVEMENTS IN HISTORY
GATHERED FOLLOWERS IN SPITE
OF THEM OPPOSING PAUL!
OPPOSING PAUL’S TEACHING:
HERETICAL MOVEMENTS IN HISTORY
GATHERED FOLLOWERS IN SPITE
OF THEM OPPOSING PAUL!
JAN LILLEBY
All the movements inside Christianity (as well as those which are not considered Christians) seem to have been constantly opposing Paul’s Gospel revelation, which we find in Ephesians and Colossians. It is a scandal so huge that it is incomprehensible to this day.
How can one have gotten things as askew and out of order as what we can see in our time?
Let us take a short glimpse into this mess, as I go through the most notable movements – those which really have been opposing Paul with the heresies connected to them.
Clip from Wikipedia on the Seventh-day Adventist Church
“The Seventh-day Adventist Church had its roots in the Millerite movement of the 1830s to the 1840s, during the period of the Second Great Awakening, and was officially founded in 1863. Prominent figures in the early church included Hiram Edson, Ellen G. White, her husband James Springer White, Joseph Bates, and J. N. Andrews. Over the ensuing decades the church expanded from its original base in New England to become an international organization. Significant developments such the reviews initiated by evangelicals Donald Barnhouse and Walter Martin, in the 20th century led to its recognition as a Christian denomination.”
The Adventists originated from out of the Millerite movement. And in around 1844 the Sabbath-ordinance was started and it was soon adopted into the Adventist movement as a doctrine of faith.
Clip from Wikipedia in the matter,
“A young Seventh Day Baptist layperson named Rachel Oakes Preston living in New Hampshire was responsible for introducing Sabbath to the Millerite Adventists. Due to her influence, Frederick Wheeler, a local Methodist-Adventist preacher, began keeping the seventh day as Sabbath, probably in the early spring of 1844. Several members of the Washington, New Hampshire church he occasionally ministered to also followed his decision. These included William and Cyrus Farnsworth. T. M. Preble soon accepted it either from Wheeler or directly from Oakes. These events were shortly followed by the Great Disappointment.»
My emphasize above, on the founding date 1863, held up against Paul’s writing the Ephesians in 63 CE from a Roman prison, tells us that the Adventists got organized exactly 1800 years after Paul wrote his Church epistle.
And the clear word of God in Col. 2:13-17 regarding the abolishment of the Law of Moses and its ordinances (Sabbath and Holy Feast days, New Moon calendar adjustments, food regulations) also stems from 63 CE.
The entire doctrinal foundation of the Adventist movement is a total rebellion and opposition against Paul’s Church epistles, Ephesians and Colossians.
When the believers in Paul’s time, those in Ephesus, Colossae, Hierapolis, Laodicea and other towns in this area – read the teachings of the apostle to the Gentiles, Paul, they were all addressed as saints, - they were saved by faith alone, no works, no ordinances. And we notice very easily that in none of his two epistles, is there any mention of the Second Advent. This means that it is not of concern to the Church! This is only for the future Israel (Rev. 19-20).
The Adventist Church, in the early days as well as in our time, is in opposition to the Bible. They say otherwise than Paul! Paul said ‘No more Law of Moses’, and he specified it, saying: No more ordinances, Col. 2:13-17, NASB,
«13 When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions,
14 having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.
15 When He had disarmed the rulers and authorities, He made a public display of them, having triumphed over them through Him.
16 Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day-
17 things which are a mere shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.” (Editor’s emphasize)
Those ‘Besser Wissers’ of 1863 and on, saying against Paul’s teachings, never repented of it. There is no record from the early times of this confused movement testifying of repentance. They have kept up their false doctrine to this very day.
Luckily, in our time we have thousands of ‘Ex-Adventists’ going against their false doctrines. The internet is full of such websites, refuting the movement.
People in the time of Paul, as he sat in jail in Carcere Mamertino in Rome, were saved through his faith doctrine to the Gentiles. They were saved WITHOUT ANY ADVENTISTS TRYING TO PERVERT PAUL’S TEACHINGS.
They were saved, without Paul mentioning as much as a word on the Second Advent. Not a word on Sabbath to be kept, or any other ordinances. Not a word from Paul that the saints should keep away from pork or duck or such food found in the Law of Moses as forbidden. He went the other way:
Verse 16:
“Therefore no one is to act as your judge in regard to food or drink or in respect to a festival or a new moon or a Sabbath day-“
Paul’s exhortation was in favor of those who DID NOT kept any ordinances laid down in the Law of Moses. Paul telling them that people who tried to judge them for not following the Law, they acted against his revealed faith doctrine, and should therefore be rejected. Such things (v. 17) were only a …mere shadow of what is to come…
Eph. 2:14, 15 cannot be altered or twisted in any way. It spells out clearly that the Law of Moses was abolished as Jesus let it be crucified with Him at the cross, NASB,
«14 For He Himself is our peace, who made both groups into one and broke down the barrier of the dividing wall,
15 by abolishing in His flesh the enmity, which is the Law of commandments contained in ordinances, so that in Himself He might make the two into one new man, thus establishing peace,” (Editor’s emphasize)
Still, it is in need of a remark: This Bible truth of the Law abolished at the cross, was evidently kept hidden from the servants of Christ during the time of Acts. It was a secret. Because in Acts God was testing Israel to see if they would repent and follow Christ. Thus they kept the Law in those times. The New Covenant was added on top of the Law of Moses. But in 63 CE Paul was told by Christ that the Law actually was abolished at the cross!
OTHER GUILTY ANTI-PAUL MOVEMENTS
Liars and cheaters in Christendom over the centuries are many.
They all have this in common, as they have lied and thus opposed Paul and the Word of God given to the Church dispensation, and twisted and perverted the Grace Gospel – that of the free unmerited Grace of God.
Before the Adventists, we saw the forthcoming cult, ‘The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints’, often just called ‘Mormons’, started by a rebel and thief and violent drunk, Joseph Smith, lying of having found a mystical book made of gold, the book of Moroni, given by an angel. This ‘book’ has never been presented and shown to the world. Smith waved it off by saying that it had been taken away by that angel. And gullible naïve believers went on following this lie.
Shortly after the Adventist Church started, a young member among them, Charles Taze Russel, went about with his organization ‘Watch Tower Society’.
Russel was expelled from the Adventist Church when he was 17-18 of age.
He managed to get gullible followers…a lot of them, people who did not have much knowledge in the Bible. He was financially supported by certain members of the local Free Mason group early on. His grave site is decorated by a Free Mason symbol, a pyramid in mini format! It can be seen at Rosemont Cemetery, Pittsburg, PA. See image here.
Like the Adventists, also this ‘Jehovah’s Witnesses’ movement has gotten thousands of ex-witnesses over time. You find innumerous videos on YouTube refuting this cult and exposing their heresies and their harsh merciless persecution of such ex-witnesses. They portray themselves as a movement called by God, but like all other movements saying such a lie, these are also liars and heretics. Both Mormons and JW-Org, along with others, are considered being NOT Christian movements. In other words, they are all in loss of salvation, and will not be taken into the heaven up above.
Paul was called by God and Christ, and he alone was given the revelation of the Mystery, mentioned in Eph. 3:1-9. Nobody at all, after the time of Paul, has ever been called by God to do any particular ministry. Paul was the ONLY apostle sent to us Gentiles. God did not send Ellen G. White (Adventists), neither Charles Taze Russel, for not to mention the total hoax Joseph Smith. They all were liars as they told the public that God had called them.
The world has gotten millions of Christ-believers over the centuries, which were saved without any interference from Adventists, Mormons, or Jehovah’s Witnesses. If God could save multitudes of believers in Asia-Minor in the time of Paul, He certainly can save people likewise in times following, without any ‘help’ from self-appointed prophets and apostles and what not!
Neither has Christianity had any need for the false ‘Azusa Street Revival’ in Los Angeles 1906-1913. The beginning of the Pentecostal movements. Charismatics and Pentecostals are just as false when it comes to the detail doctrine, as that of the older movements. They twisted and perverted the Word of God, in that they said God had sent them a second ‘Pentecost’ á la that of Acts 2 and the coming of the Holy Spirit with tongues and signs following. The infamous heretics of Word of Faith (Kenneth Hagin Sr.), and following movements based on that same heresy first introduced by the Pentecostals, up to the modern day NAR movement (New Apostolic Reformation) instigated by Peter C. Wagner, all suggested that God had called them especially. We know that this is a blatant lie. Gullible naïve believers follow them…but also these movements have ex-followers. They have turned against that heretical ‘Prosperity Gospel’ – ‘Name-it-And-Claim it’ confessional obsession, and things like that. TV-Healers and folk like that, portray themselves as if they are God’s own favorites and possessing power to heal people of their illnesses. But healings cannot be seen anywhere. It is all a fake and a bitter illusion. This contributes to people exiting these movements.
Just as Paul did not mention the Second Advent, or keeping of ordinances found in the Law, and no holy feast days – in the same manner he did not teach that the Church dispensation was given sign-gifts of miracles and healings. Ephesians and Colossians have nothing of the sort. One cannot read Mark 16 into the Church epistles, Ephesians and Colossians. Signs were only given for Israel, so they should believe on Jesus as their Messiah. Paul clearly taught this, 1 Cor. 14:21, 22. Notice also, that this passage is referring to the Law of Moses!
Tongues was a sign (together with the eight other signs mentioned) prophesied in the Law to Israel. In segregated order, and not freely to all people in the world.
And lo and behold! – yet all believers in Paul’s time were saved by Grace, without any merits or works, - neither any signs or healings… Eph. 2:8, 9, NASB,
«8 For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;
9 not as a result of works, so that no one may boast.”
I re-write verse 9 here, to be more specific and shouting into our time:
“Not as a result of all these heretical movements made up by man, so that no one may boast”.
Gracepano.com
