When Should We Be Baptized?
Baptism is the first step toward receiving God's favor, through which we receive the forgiveness of sins. It has been likened to the birth of a baby coming out of the womb. As our body is born from the womb and then learns about the world one by one, our spirit removes its sins and transgressions through baptism, being born again as a child of God. Then, after baptism, we learn about God's providence and the secrets of the kingdom of heaven.
Eph. 1:7-9 『In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding...』
Without receiving the forgiveness of sins, we cannot be given the wisdom to recognize God. Therefore it is against God's will to insist that baptism should be given after six or twelve months of studying. If we want to believe in God, we should be baptized first. After, we are given the opportunity to participate in God's divine nature through our life of faith.
Here are some examples of those who, upon hearing the good news of Jesus, participated in God's righteousness by being baptized.
A eunuch who was in charge of the treasury of Candace [queen of the Ethiopians] was baptized while traveling along the road, immediately after Philip had testified to him about the Christ (Acts 16:13-15). A woman named Lydia, a purple cloth dealer, received Paul's message and believed in Jesus; she, and her household, was baptized immediately (Acts 16:13-15). And a jailer, who patrolled the gate of the prison where Paul and Silas were confined, heard about Jesus. Immediately he—and his family—came to believe in Jesus, and were baptized (Acts 16:25-33). Baptism means the rebirth of our spirit and it is the starting point of our faith in God.
Through baptism, we promise God that we will repent of our past sins and that we will follow the will of God. In return, God promises that he will remember us in the time of Judgment.
Suppose there is a church that insists that someone should be baptized after six months or one year, after his faith has grown. If he dies while learning the doctrines of this particular denomination—without having the promise of God's salvation—who will be responsible for his soul?
Baptism and Rebirth
All men are destined to die because of their sin. The kingdom of heaven is a place where our physical bodies can never step foot. Even though our bodies are slaves to sin and destined to die, God allows us the opportunity to return to heaven. To enter the eternal kingdom, our spirit should be born again.
John 3:3-5 『In reply Jesus declared, "I tell you the truth, no one can see the kingdom of God unless he is born again." "How can a man be born when he is old?" Nicodemus asked. "Surely he cannot enter a second time into his mother's womb to be born!" Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit."』
To be born again, our body must first die to pay for our sins. To make us realize this principle (of the forgiveness of sins and rebirth), Jesus made atonement for our sins by shedding His blood on the cross and then resurrecting. As Jesus died on the cross, our body should be buried through baptism. And as Jesus rose from death, we are to be born again as the righteous, only after our sins are forgiven through the grace of Christ.
1 Pet. 3:21 『...and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also─not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God.』
Rom. 6:3-11 『Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life...Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him...In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.』
The purpose of the law of baptism is not to wash the dirt off of our body, but to wash the sin off of our soul, so that we may be revived.
===================
World Mission Society
CHURCH OF GOD
http://text.watv.org
http://usa.watv.org
http://www.uccspace.net
Christ Ahnsahnghong
Heavenly Mohter
===================
2009년 9월 8일 화요일
Baptizm(1) [church of God,ahnsahnghong&heavenly mother]
Baptizem
Man is motal. Why has man become a salave to death? The Bible tells us that all men come to die on account of their sin.
We cannot have life when we are still filled with sin. In order to receive eternal life, our sins must be disposed of. Baptism is the first step we can take toward salvation. Through this gracious regulation of God, our sins are cleansed and we are atoned.
Therefore, the Church of God performs baptism, according to the teaching of the Second Coming Christ Ahnsahnghong.
The Origin of Baptizm
God promised His people that He would send the prophet Elijah to prepare the way for Him; Elijah would appear before God came to the earth as the Messiah. The purpose of Elijah's coming was to testify about the Messiah, and to "make straight" the way for Him.
Isa. 40:3 『A voice of one calling: "In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God."』
John the Baptist was sent to fulfill the mission of Elijah. He preached the news of repentance to the Israelites who did not obey the words of God, being confined within their hypocritical faith.
Matt. 3:7-9 『But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.'" 』
Mark 1:4-5 『And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.』
John did not baptize people by his own will, but according to the orders he had received from God, who had sent him.
God established the principle of the forgiveness of sins through baptism, so that we could realize that baptism is one of God's righteous laws, given to us for our salvation (1 John 1:33).
Therefore, Jesus set the example of being baptized, by John the Baptist, to institute baptism as a sacred law.
Matt. 3:14-15 『But John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness."』
Matt. 21:32 『For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him..." 』
Baptism, the truth of righteousness, was not only an ordinance to testify about Jesus, but it was also a law of the new covenant, for Jesus himself baptized people and set the example of being baptized with water (Matt. 3:16).
John 3:22-23 『After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were constantly coming to be baptized.』
===================
World Mission Society
CHURCH OF GOD
http://text.watv.org/
http://usa.watv.org/
http://www.uccspace.net/
Christ Ahnsahnghong
Heavenly Mother
===================
Man is motal. Why has man become a salave to death? The Bible tells us that all men come to die on account of their sin.
We cannot have life when we are still filled with sin. In order to receive eternal life, our sins must be disposed of. Baptism is the first step we can take toward salvation. Through this gracious regulation of God, our sins are cleansed and we are atoned.
Therefore, the Church of God performs baptism, according to the teaching of the Second Coming Christ Ahnsahnghong.
The Origin of Baptizm
God promised His people that He would send the prophet Elijah to prepare the way for Him; Elijah would appear before God came to the earth as the Messiah. The purpose of Elijah's coming was to testify about the Messiah, and to "make straight" the way for Him.
Isa. 40:3 『A voice of one calling: "In the desert prepare the way for the LORD; make straight in the wilderness a highway for our God."』
John the Baptist was sent to fulfill the mission of Elijah. He preached the news of repentance to the Israelites who did not obey the words of God, being confined within their hypocritical faith.
Matt. 3:7-9 『But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not think you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.'" 』
Mark 1:4-5 『And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. The whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem went out to him. Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.』
John did not baptize people by his own will, but according to the orders he had received from God, who had sent him.
God established the principle of the forgiveness of sins through baptism, so that we could realize that baptism is one of God's righteous laws, given to us for our salvation (1 John 1:33).
Therefore, Jesus set the example of being baptized, by John the Baptist, to institute baptism as a sacred law.
Matt. 3:14-15 『But John tried to deter him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" Jesus replied, "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness."』
Matt. 21:32 『For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him..." 』
Baptism, the truth of righteousness, was not only an ordinance to testify about Jesus, but it was also a law of the new covenant, for Jesus himself baptized people and set the example of being baptized with water (Matt. 3:16).
John 3:22-23 『After this, Jesus and his disciples went out into the Judean countryside, where he spent some time with them, and baptized. Now John also was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water, and people were constantly coming to be baptized.』
===================
World Mission Society
CHURCH OF GOD
http://text.watv.org/
http://usa.watv.org/
http://www.uccspace.net/
Christ Ahnsahnghong
Heavenly Mother
===================
2009년 9월 5일 토요일
The Biblical View of the Cross
The Biblical View of the Cross
It was already prophesied in the Book of Law that, after the crucifixion, the cross would be publicly used within churches. Long ago, the Israelites went through the desert and bypassed the land of Edom. The people grew impatient along the way and spoke against God and against Moses. Then God’s wrath came upon them; He sent venomous snakes to bite the people of Israel, and many died. After hearing Moses’ prayer, however, God ordered him to make a bronze snake to deliver the Israelites.
Num. 21:8-9 『The LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live." So Moses made bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.』
The bronze snake itself had no power; it could not make the Israelites live. It was only God’s word that allowed the Israelites to live: "Anyone who is bitten can look at it [the bronze snake] and live." The Israelites burned incense to the bronze snake up to the time of King Hezekiah, falsely believing that the bronze snake had saved them.
2 Kings 18:4 『He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. (It was called Nehushtan.)』
※"Nehushtan" means "a piece of bronze."The Israelites, who had been bitten by a snake, could live by looking at the bronze snake. This history is a shadow and reveals that mortal spirits, who were deceived by Satan, can live by looking at Jesus Christ—by His precious blood of sacrifice.
John 3:14 『"Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life."』Just as the bronze snake had no power to give life, the cross itself, on which Jesus died, has no power to give us life. We can be saved only by the words of God—"The precious blood of Christ is the only thing that can give you life." The Israelites burned incense to the bronze snake for almost a thousand years after Moses. This abominable act is a shadow, the reality of which is seen in all of the people who worship the cross—a mere instrument of capital punishment—forgetting the power of Jesus’ precious blood, the power of the Passover. We must not set up any image to worship God, because God is spirit. The sacred law of the new covenant is the only way to worship God, and it is the true symbol of salvation.
Deut. 27:15 『Cursed is the man who carves an image or casts an idol—a thing detestable to the LORD, the work of the craftsman’s hands—and sets it up in secret.』
Jer. 10:3-5 『For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel. They adorn it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so it will not totter. Like a scarecrow in a melon patch, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk.』
The cross is mere an idol and cannot give us salvation. It is a tree that is cut out of the forest and shaped by a craftsman’s chisel.
Worship of the Statue of Mary
The Catholic Church honors Mary as the Mother of Jesus, as "the Mother of God," praying in front of statues of Mary. On the surface, such a practice appears to be a good way to teach filial piety, but within such worship is hidden the scheme of the devil, who takes advantage of the human mentality.
Matt. 12:46-50 『While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, "Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you." He replied to him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" Pointing to his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."』
Out of all of the creatures that He had created, Jesus chose a woman, Mary, to make Himself flesh, so that He might come to this earth. It is not Biblical to revere a mere woman, one of God’s creatures, claiming that she is the Mother of God—the Creator—simply because she bore Him. Actually, the practice of worshipping the image of Mary—followed by the Catholic Church—originated in the ancient Babylonian religion, not in the Early Church. In Babylon, there was a powerful king named Nimrod (Gen. 10:8) whose wife was named Semiramis. Because of her husband’s high position, Semiramis wielded great power. She claimed that when Nimrod died, he became the sun god. She named her son Tammuz and proclaimed him to be the reincarnation of Nimrod. Semiramis, the mother, was worshipped along with her child. Babylonian monuments depict the goddess Semiramis, holding her son, Tammuz, in her arms. This worship of "mother and child" spread to many other ancient countries who were under the influence of Babylon. In Germany, the goddess Hertha was depicted with her child in her arms, and Indian relics show the goddess Indrani carrying her child in her arms. In Egypt, the mother figure was referred to as Isis and her child as Horus. There are many statues and images of Isis, holding the infant Horus on her knee. This ancient, pagan religion spread to Rome, where it widely prevailed. These pagan customs infiltrated early Christianity, and the worship of the pagan goddess was reinterpreted as Mary holding the Baby Jesus. Thus, the Catholic Church’s worship of Mary originated in pagan idolatry, not from the Bible.
Cursed Is the Man Who Bows Down Before Idols
Lev. 26:1 『Do not make idols or set up an image or a sacred stone for yourselves, and do not place a carved stone in your land to bow down before it.』Deut. 27:15 『Cursed is the man who carves an image or casts an idol─a thing detestable to the Lord, the work of the craftsman’s hands─and sets it up in secret.』
From the Biblical point of view, sculpted images of Mary are idols. Whoever erects them, so that they may be worshipped, will be eternally cursed by God and will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
It was already prophesied in the Book of Law that, after the crucifixion, the cross would be publicly used within churches. Long ago, the Israelites went through the desert and bypassed the land of Edom. The people grew impatient along the way and spoke against God and against Moses. Then God’s wrath came upon them; He sent venomous snakes to bite the people of Israel, and many died. After hearing Moses’ prayer, however, God ordered him to make a bronze snake to deliver the Israelites.
Num. 21:8-9 『The LORD said to Moses, "Make a snake and put it up on a pole; anyone who is bitten can look at it and live." So Moses made bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, he lived.』
The bronze snake itself had no power; it could not make the Israelites live. It was only God’s word that allowed the Israelites to live: "Anyone who is bitten can look at it [the bronze snake] and live." The Israelites burned incense to the bronze snake up to the time of King Hezekiah, falsely believing that the bronze snake had saved them.
2 Kings 18:4 『He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. (It was called Nehushtan.)』
※"Nehushtan" means "a piece of bronze."The Israelites, who had been bitten by a snake, could live by looking at the bronze snake. This history is a shadow and reveals that mortal spirits, who were deceived by Satan, can live by looking at Jesus Christ—by His precious blood of sacrifice.
John 3:14 『"Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up, that everyone who believes in him may have eternal life."』Just as the bronze snake had no power to give life, the cross itself, on which Jesus died, has no power to give us life. We can be saved only by the words of God—"The precious blood of Christ is the only thing that can give you life." The Israelites burned incense to the bronze snake for almost a thousand years after Moses. This abominable act is a shadow, the reality of which is seen in all of the people who worship the cross—a mere instrument of capital punishment—forgetting the power of Jesus’ precious blood, the power of the Passover. We must not set up any image to worship God, because God is spirit. The sacred law of the new covenant is the only way to worship God, and it is the true symbol of salvation.
Deut. 27:15 『Cursed is the man who carves an image or casts an idol—a thing detestable to the LORD, the work of the craftsman’s hands—and sets it up in secret.』
Jer. 10:3-5 『For the customs of the peoples are worthless; they cut a tree out of the forest, and a craftsman shapes it with his chisel. They adorn it with silver and gold; they fasten it with hammer and nails so it will not totter. Like a scarecrow in a melon patch, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk.』
The cross is mere an idol and cannot give us salvation. It is a tree that is cut out of the forest and shaped by a craftsman’s chisel.
Worship of the Statue of Mary
The Catholic Church honors Mary as the Mother of Jesus, as "the Mother of God," praying in front of statues of Mary. On the surface, such a practice appears to be a good way to teach filial piety, but within such worship is hidden the scheme of the devil, who takes advantage of the human mentality.
Matt. 12:46-50 『While Jesus was still talking to the crowd, his mother and brothers stood outside, wanting to speak to him. Someone told him, "Your mother and brothers are standing outside, wanting to speak to you." He replied to him, "Who is my mother, and who are my brothers?" Pointing to his disciples, he said, "Here are my mother and my brothers. For whoever does the will of my Father in heaven is my brother and sister and mother."』
Out of all of the creatures that He had created, Jesus chose a woman, Mary, to make Himself flesh, so that He might come to this earth. It is not Biblical to revere a mere woman, one of God’s creatures, claiming that she is the Mother of God—the Creator—simply because she bore Him. Actually, the practice of worshipping the image of Mary—followed by the Catholic Church—originated in the ancient Babylonian religion, not in the Early Church. In Babylon, there was a powerful king named Nimrod (Gen. 10:8) whose wife was named Semiramis. Because of her husband’s high position, Semiramis wielded great power. She claimed that when Nimrod died, he became the sun god. She named her son Tammuz and proclaimed him to be the reincarnation of Nimrod. Semiramis, the mother, was worshipped along with her child. Babylonian monuments depict the goddess Semiramis, holding her son, Tammuz, in her arms. This worship of "mother and child" spread to many other ancient countries who were under the influence of Babylon. In Germany, the goddess Hertha was depicted with her child in her arms, and Indian relics show the goddess Indrani carrying her child in her arms. In Egypt, the mother figure was referred to as Isis and her child as Horus. There are many statues and images of Isis, holding the infant Horus on her knee. This ancient, pagan religion spread to Rome, where it widely prevailed. These pagan customs infiltrated early Christianity, and the worship of the pagan goddess was reinterpreted as Mary holding the Baby Jesus. Thus, the Catholic Church’s worship of Mary originated in pagan idolatry, not from the Bible.
Cursed Is the Man Who Bows Down Before Idols
Lev. 26:1 『Do not make idols or set up an image or a sacred stone for yourselves, and do not place a carved stone in your land to bow down before it.』Deut. 27:15 『Cursed is the man who carves an image or casts an idol─a thing detestable to the Lord, the work of the craftsman’s hands─and sets it up in secret.』
From the Biblical point of view, sculpted images of Mary are idols. Whoever erects them, so that they may be worshipped, will be eternally cursed by God and will never enter the kingdom of heaven.
Cross is an idol [church of God,ahnsahnghong]
The Church of God does not erect crosses inside the church or on top of it, in accordance with the teachings of the Second Coming Christ, Ahnsahnghong.
The cross is an idol, and God’s people must never adore the cross, or bow down to it.
Nowadays, nearly every church uses the cross to symbolize Christ; however, the cross had been utilized as a pagan religious symbol long before Christ’s crucifixion.
The Bible never condones the use of the cross, and not a single verse reads, "The cross is to be the symbol of the church," or, "The cross should be erected on top of the church," or even, "The cross should be treated as a sacred symbol because it represents the precious blood of Christ."
Historically, the cross was only used as an executioner’s tool. The apostles never believed or testified that the cross should be erected within the church and revered by God’s people.
The truth of the Early Church did not include any teachings about the cross. The Early Church did not use the cross to symbolize Christianity and they did not believe that the cross held any power to drive out evil spirits. The saints of the Early Church did, however, repeatedly stress that idol worshipers would never be able to enter the kingdom of heaven. We need to judge for ourselves whether it is right to set up the cross—following the customs of men—or whether we should refrain from using the cross, in accordance with God’s teachings. God commanded His people not to use or make idols, of any form.
Origin of the Use of Cross
History discloses that the ancient Babylonians were the first people to use the cross for the purpose of worship; the symbol was used to worship Tammuz, the Babylonian god.
The first letter of his name ("T") was inscribed on the official garments of the priests, and their amulets were molded into the same shape. Thus, the cross was a pagan religious symbol.
As the Babylonian culture spread to Egypt, the cross—the symbol of the Babylonian god—was also introduced into Egyptian religion.
The wall paintings within the ancient Egyptian temples, as well as their monuments, depict Egyptian kings and gods holding crosses in their hands. The relics of Amenophis IV are covered with crosses, hanging around the sun. Assyrian sculpted monuments show soldiers with crosses around their necks as they battle against Egypt, and the symbol adorned the necks of the Assyrian kings. Thus, the cross had been used as an ornament to decorate garments, beginning around 1400 B.C. The Romans also worshiped the cross before their culture had fully developed, placing it over their tombs as a charm. Cross-idolatry continued even after the Roman Empire was established. Roman coins, crafted in 46 B.C., hold Jupiter’s portrait, along with a scepter where a cross hangs. The cross, popularly known as the "Calvary Cross," is also found on the ancient gravestones in Thessaly, Greece. Considering such historical evidence, it is clear that the cross had been worshiped by pagans long before the Christian era. It had been widely used to inflict capital punishment after being chosen, in the age of the Roman Empire, as a tool of execution. In those days, the cross was an instrument used to crucify vicious criminals. Since Jesus was hung on the cross, we can guess how much the people had hated Him.Nowadays, most churches use the cross. We can clearly see how corrupted Christianity became after adopting pagan customs. To use the cross as a symbol of the church is an abominable thing, and the churches who erect the cross inadvertently participate in the scheme of the devil—who put Jesus to death.
The Use of Cross
Many Catholics—who consider the cross to be an object of worship, and Protestants—who use the cross as a symbol of Christ, believe that the cross has been used since the days of the Early Church. However, there is no record of the cross being erected on the Early Church, or of such a pattern being made into an ornament.
Historically, the cross first appeared in a church or chamber in 431 A.D., and it was first erected on the top of a steeple in 586 A.D. Thus, veneration of the cross was only a religious custom that appeared after Christianity had begun to absorb paganism. We have to understand the true meaning of the cross, as it was written in the New Testament. The Bible does not boast of the cross itself on which Christ was crucified, but instead, the Bible boasts of Christ, who was sacrificed on the cross, shedding His blood for our sins.
Gal. 6:14 『May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.』
1 Cor. 1:17-23 『...lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God....but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles...』
The cross itself has no power and it cannot grant us salvation. The instrument itself, on which Jesus was sacrificed, is not important. It is only through the precious blood of Jesus that we can receive the forgiveness of our sins.
Eph. 1:7 『In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace...』
Some who boast of the cross say, "If there had not been a cross, there would have been no blood-shedding, no atonement for our salvation, and the prophecy that Jesus would be sacrificed as the Passover lamb, shedding His blood, would not have been fulfilled. Therefore, the cross—on which Jesus shed His precious blood—is the boast of Christians, and a symbol of faith." If this argument were true, they would accept the following false logic as well: "If there had not been no Jews and no Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus and instigated His crucifixion, the prophecy about Jesus shedding His precious blood would not have been fulfilled. Therefore, even Pilate—who executed Jesus—should be respected because he was the person who fulfilled God’s prophecy. He should be venerated as a symbol of salvation in addition to the cross." However, Jesus spoke of Judas Iscariot as follows:
Mark 14:21 『"The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born."』
The cross is merely a cursed tree (Gal. 3:13), used by the Romans as a tool of execution. Those who hung Jesus on that tree will be tortured in everlasting hell.
http://text.watv.org
http://usa.watv.org
http://www.uccspace.net
The cross is an idol, and God’s people must never adore the cross, or bow down to it.
Nowadays, nearly every church uses the cross to symbolize Christ; however, the cross had been utilized as a pagan religious symbol long before Christ’s crucifixion.
The Bible never condones the use of the cross, and not a single verse reads, "The cross is to be the symbol of the church," or, "The cross should be erected on top of the church," or even, "The cross should be treated as a sacred symbol because it represents the precious blood of Christ."
Historically, the cross was only used as an executioner’s tool. The apostles never believed or testified that the cross should be erected within the church and revered by God’s people.
The truth of the Early Church did not include any teachings about the cross. The Early Church did not use the cross to symbolize Christianity and they did not believe that the cross held any power to drive out evil spirits. The saints of the Early Church did, however, repeatedly stress that idol worshipers would never be able to enter the kingdom of heaven. We need to judge for ourselves whether it is right to set up the cross—following the customs of men—or whether we should refrain from using the cross, in accordance with God’s teachings. God commanded His people not to use or make idols, of any form.
Origin of the Use of Cross
History discloses that the ancient Babylonians were the first people to use the cross for the purpose of worship; the symbol was used to worship Tammuz, the Babylonian god.
The first letter of his name ("T") was inscribed on the official garments of the priests, and their amulets were molded into the same shape. Thus, the cross was a pagan religious symbol.
As the Babylonian culture spread to Egypt, the cross—the symbol of the Babylonian god—was also introduced into Egyptian religion.
The wall paintings within the ancient Egyptian temples, as well as their monuments, depict Egyptian kings and gods holding crosses in their hands. The relics of Amenophis IV are covered with crosses, hanging around the sun. Assyrian sculpted monuments show soldiers with crosses around their necks as they battle against Egypt, and the symbol adorned the necks of the Assyrian kings. Thus, the cross had been used as an ornament to decorate garments, beginning around 1400 B.C. The Romans also worshiped the cross before their culture had fully developed, placing it over their tombs as a charm. Cross-idolatry continued even after the Roman Empire was established. Roman coins, crafted in 46 B.C., hold Jupiter’s portrait, along with a scepter where a cross hangs. The cross, popularly known as the "Calvary Cross," is also found on the ancient gravestones in Thessaly, Greece. Considering such historical evidence, it is clear that the cross had been worshiped by pagans long before the Christian era. It had been widely used to inflict capital punishment after being chosen, in the age of the Roman Empire, as a tool of execution. In those days, the cross was an instrument used to crucify vicious criminals. Since Jesus was hung on the cross, we can guess how much the people had hated Him.Nowadays, most churches use the cross. We can clearly see how corrupted Christianity became after adopting pagan customs. To use the cross as a symbol of the church is an abominable thing, and the churches who erect the cross inadvertently participate in the scheme of the devil—who put Jesus to death.
The Use of Cross
Many Catholics—who consider the cross to be an object of worship, and Protestants—who use the cross as a symbol of Christ, believe that the cross has been used since the days of the Early Church. However, there is no record of the cross being erected on the Early Church, or of such a pattern being made into an ornament.
Historically, the cross first appeared in a church or chamber in 431 A.D., and it was first erected on the top of a steeple in 586 A.D. Thus, veneration of the cross was only a religious custom that appeared after Christianity had begun to absorb paganism. We have to understand the true meaning of the cross, as it was written in the New Testament. The Bible does not boast of the cross itself on which Christ was crucified, but instead, the Bible boasts of Christ, who was sacrificed on the cross, shedding His blood for our sins.
Gal. 6:14 『May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.』
1 Cor. 1:17-23 『...lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power. For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God....but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles...』
The cross itself has no power and it cannot grant us salvation. The instrument itself, on which Jesus was sacrificed, is not important. It is only through the precious blood of Jesus that we can receive the forgiveness of our sins.
Eph. 1:7 『In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace...』
Some who boast of the cross say, "If there had not been a cross, there would have been no blood-shedding, no atonement for our salvation, and the prophecy that Jesus would be sacrificed as the Passover lamb, shedding His blood, would not have been fulfilled. Therefore, the cross—on which Jesus shed His precious blood—is the boast of Christians, and a symbol of faith." If this argument were true, they would accept the following false logic as well: "If there had not been no Jews and no Judas Iscariot, who betrayed Jesus and instigated His crucifixion, the prophecy about Jesus shedding His precious blood would not have been fulfilled. Therefore, even Pilate—who executed Jesus—should be respected because he was the person who fulfilled God’s prophecy. He should be venerated as a symbol of salvation in addition to the cross." However, Jesus spoke of Judas Iscariot as follows:
Mark 14:21 『"The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born."』
The cross is merely a cursed tree (Gal. 3:13), used by the Romans as a tool of execution. Those who hung Jesus on that tree will be tortured in everlasting hell.
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2009년 9월 3일 목요일
Second coming Christ [Ahnsahnghong]
when Jesus' first coming, he appeared in the flesh. Just like that time he will appear a 2nd time as human being.then, when will he come again ? he gave us a signs.
★Signs of the End of the Age When the disciples asked about the signs of Jesus’ second coming and of the end of the age, Jesus said:
Matt. 24:3-33 『"...At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, And all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as itstwigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door."』
Since it is written, "As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that it is near," we must come to know the timing of the fig tree and we must receive Jesus when He comes a second time.
★First, we must understand what the fig tree represents. As it is written,
Luke 13:6-7 『Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?'"』
What does Jesus’ looking for fruit on a fig tree planted in a vineyard, for three years, mean? It means that Jesus preached the gospel to the Israelites for three years, searching for the fruit of the gospel. Therefore, the fig tree stands for Israel. Through many other Bible verses, let’s confirm that the fig tree in the vineyard represents Israel.
Isa. 5:7, KJV 『For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant.』
In the above verse also, the vineyard represents the country Israel, and the plant [the tree] stands for the people of Israel. Let’s look at another verse concerning this.
Jer. 24:5 『"This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Like these good figs, I regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I sent away from this place to the land of the Babylonians.’"』
★The Fall of Israel In Luke 13:7, Jesus told His disciples to cut down a fig tree that had not borne any fruit. Just as He had told them, Israel—which rejected the gospel that Jesus had preached for three years—was completely destroyed by Roman soldiers in A.D. 70. Following its collapse, the people of Israel were scattered all over the world, as a stateless people, for about 1,900 years.
★The Revival of the Fig Tree: Israel After much time had passed, the fig tree—that had been cut and dried up—began to revive. Its twigs got tender and its leaves came out. When did all of this happen? The revival of the fig tree occurred in 1948. On May 14, 1948, Israel proclaimed her independence and recovered her sovereignty. The fig tree, which seemed to have completely died, revived. At that time, Jesus came for a second time, as was prophesied. He was Christ Ahnsahnghong, whom every Christian had been waiting for. The Church of God received Ahnsahnghong, the Second Coming Jesus, as Savior.
Rom. 11:26 『And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob."』
Ahnsahnghong, the Second Coming Jesus, came from Zion in 1948, as had been prophesied in the parable of the fig tree. Now He is calling you. Will you let Him stand at your door, or will you open the door and receive Him? We earnestly hope that you will open your door and receive Ahnsahnghong—the Second Coming Jesus—and be given the promise of salvation.
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★Signs of the End of the Age When the disciples asked about the signs of Jesus’ second coming and of the end of the age, Jesus said:
Matt. 24:3-33 『"...At that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, And all the nations of the earth will mourn. They will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky, with power and great glory. And he will send his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of the heavens to the other. Now learn this lesson from the fig tree: As soon as itstwigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Even so, when you see all these things, you know that it is near, right at the door."』
Since it is written, "As soon as its twigs get tender and its leaves come out, you know that it is near," we must come to know the timing of the fig tree and we must receive Jesus when He comes a second time.
★First, we must understand what the fig tree represents. As it is written,
Luke 13:6-7 『Then he told this parable: "A man had a fig tree, planted in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it, but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, 'For three years now I've been coming to look for fruit on this fig tree and haven't found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?'"』
What does Jesus’ looking for fruit on a fig tree planted in a vineyard, for three years, mean? It means that Jesus preached the gospel to the Israelites for three years, searching for the fruit of the gospel. Therefore, the fig tree stands for Israel. Through many other Bible verses, let’s confirm that the fig tree in the vineyard represents Israel.
Isa. 5:7, KJV 『For the vineyard of the LORD of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah his pleasant plant.』
In the above verse also, the vineyard represents the country Israel, and the plant [the tree] stands for the people of Israel. Let’s look at another verse concerning this.
Jer. 24:5 『"This is what the LORD, the God of Israel, says: 'Like these good figs, I regard as good the exiles from Judah, whom I sent away from this place to the land of the Babylonians.’"』
★The Fall of Israel In Luke 13:7, Jesus told His disciples to cut down a fig tree that had not borne any fruit. Just as He had told them, Israel—which rejected the gospel that Jesus had preached for three years—was completely destroyed by Roman soldiers in A.D. 70. Following its collapse, the people of Israel were scattered all over the world, as a stateless people, for about 1,900 years.
★The Revival of the Fig Tree: Israel After much time had passed, the fig tree—that had been cut and dried up—began to revive. Its twigs got tender and its leaves came out. When did all of this happen? The revival of the fig tree occurred in 1948. On May 14, 1948, Israel proclaimed her independence and recovered her sovereignty. The fig tree, which seemed to have completely died, revived. At that time, Jesus came for a second time, as was prophesied. He was Christ Ahnsahnghong, whom every Christian had been waiting for. The Church of God received Ahnsahnghong, the Second Coming Jesus, as Savior.
Rom. 11:26 『And so all Israel will be saved, as it is written: "The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob."』
Ahnsahnghong, the Second Coming Jesus, came from Zion in 1948, as had been prophesied in the parable of the fig tree. Now He is calling you. Will you let Him stand at your door, or will you open the door and receive Him? We earnestly hope that you will open your door and receive Ahnsahnghong—the Second Coming Jesus—and be given the promise of salvation.
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About the Passover..
The Bible has many prophecies about the disaster in the last day.
●1Thess. 5:1 [Now, brother, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying ,"PEACE and SAFETY" destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.]
●2Pet. 3:6 [By these waters also the world of that time was deluged and destroyed. By the same word the present heavens and earth are reserved for FIRE, being kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.]
Apostles described the scene when the last disaster will be poured out. However, when the alarming news comes, the good news of salvation also comes.
●Jer.4:5 ["Announce in Judah and proclaim in Jerusalem and say:"Sound the trumpet throughout the land!" Cry aloud and say: 'Gather together! Let us flee to the fortified cities!' Raise the signal to go to ZION! Flee for safety without delay! For I am bringing disaster frome the north, even terrible comes."]
The most urgent thing to do now is to listen to the news of salvation. Whoever absolutely believes and follows the prophecies will be saved.we can protect such a great disaster with our own way..
●Amos 9:2 ["Though they dig down to the depths of the greave, frome there my hand will take them. Though they climb up to the heavens, from there Iwill bring them down. Though they hide themselves on the top of Carmel, there I will hunt them down adn seize them. ..]
Now, the time has come to study and follow the way of salvation under the guidance of God, according to the prophecies of the Bible, instead of seeking man's ways.
●Ex12:12 ["On that same night I will pass through Egypt and strike down every first born-both men and animals-and I will bring judgment on all the gods of Egypt. I amd the LORD.
The blood will be a sign for you on the houses were you are; and when I see the blood, I will pass over you. No destructive plague will touch you when I strike Egypt. This is a day you are to commemorate; for the generations to come you shall celebrate it as a festival to the LORD - a lasting ordinance."Some think of the PASSOVER only as the sacrifice of a lamb.
Such people are those who don't fully understand the PASSOVER. Passover means"something passes over." What is tit that passes over? IT"S A PLAGUE. The plagues brought upon Egypt are a shadow, through which we can find the way to escape the plagues in the last days.So, Jesus established New covenant of the PASSOVER that we can be saved in the lastdays.
●Luke 22:19 [he took bread, gave tahnks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying,"Thisi is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me." In the same way, after the supper he took the cup,saying "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is pourd out for you."Whoever keeps this passover, can be saved from great disaster.
Church of God celebrate this Passover, God's feast at the appointed time.
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