Luther on Justification

Martin Luther wrote,

At last, by the mercy of God, meditating day and night, I gave heed to the context of the words, namely, “In it the righteousness of God is revealed, as it is written, ‘He who through faith is righteous shall live.’” There I began to understand that the righteousness of God is that by which the righteous lives by a gift of God, namely by faith. And this is the meaning: the righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel, namely, the passive righteousness with which merciful God justifies us by faith, as it is written, “He who through faith is righteous shall live.” Here I felt that I was altogether born again and had entered paradise itself through open gates.

He again says,

When the article of justification has fallen, everything has fallen… This is the chief article from which all other doctrines have flowed… It alone begets, nourishes, builds, preserves, and defends the church of God; and without it the church of God cannot exist for one hour.  [It is] the master and prince, the lord and ruler, and the judge over all kinds of doctrines.

In Freemasonry is the Bible divine in origin?

The Bible in Freemasonry is not to be literal and it is not considered divine.  However, the Bible reveals itself to be the divine truth of God and not merely a symbol of truth (John 17:17).

"The prevailing Masonic opinion is that the Bible is only a symbol of Divine Will, Law, or Revelation, and not that its contents are Divine Law, inspired, or revealed.  So far, no responsible authority has held that a Freemason must believe the Bible or any part of it" (Henry Wilson Coil, Coil's Masonic Encyclopedia, p. 520).

In Freemasonry, is the Bible infallible and inerrant?

The Bible is revered by Freemasons; however, it is not considered infallible or inerrant.  The Bible is nothing more than a symbol of the divine and sacred will of God.  The Bible, however, is no more divine than any other book in ancient religion. 

"...Bible, so rich in symbolism, is itself a symbol...It is a sovereign symbol of the Book of Faith, the Will of God as man has learned it in midst of the years...Thus, by the very honor which Masonry pays to the Bible, it teaches us to revere every book of faith...joining hands with the man of Islam as he takes oath on the Koran, and with the Hindu as he makes covenant with God upon the book that he loves best" (Joseph Fort Newton, The Bible in Masonry, p. 5). 

The Bible calls itself "God-Breathed" in the writings of St. Paul.  It means it is inspired, inerrant and infallible.  It is the very essence of divine truth. It is not merely a symbol of God's will but to train men and women in faith and knowledge and practical righteousness and good works (2 Timothy 3:15-16).

Is Freemasonry True Religion?

According to Freemasonry, divine light is only obtained through Freemasonry because it is divine in origin and true religion.  Here is a quote from Masonic literature:

"Masonry is of divine origin" (J. Blanchard, Scottish Rite Masonry Illustrated [The Complete Ritual of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite], 1:453).

Here is another quote,

[E]very Masonic Lodge is a temple of religion, and its teachings are instructions in religion....reward is the knowledge of the True God....Masonry is a worship....It is the universal, eternal immutable religion, such as God planted it in the heart of universal humanity" (Liturgy of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States, Part Two, pp. 167, 1980-99).

The Bible teaches that our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is the true Light of the World.  Masonry denies the true light that gives light to every man and until they process Jesus Christ as the only true Light they will always be a lost and counterfeit religion.

Spiritual Resolutions

Daryl Wingerd wrote,

For the Christian to be driven or motivated toward personal resolution by a change of the calendar frankly seems a little superstitious… To say that January 1st is somehow the best day to make personal resolutions is to pattern ourselves after two societies that were completely steeped in paganism… For us to then say that we are most significantly convicted of the need for change in the days or weeks leading up to January 1st is to say that the Holy Spirit is somehow constrained or motivated by the same pagan system of days that motivated the Romans and the Babylonians… As Christians we know that we are to live in a continual state of repentance, always being sensitive to the necessity for change, always pursuing holiness, and always seeking to obey Christ. To wait until January 1st, viewing it as the one time each year when we make what we hope will be the most significant of these changes is to say that they were not just as necessary on May 7th, or August 19th, or any other day of the year.

Trust the Lord

We ought to trust the Lord in all things; that is, we ought to trust Him in trails and tribulations and in everything.  There is never a reason to not trust Him.  Let us go over some Scriptures on trusting God.

Proverbs 3:5-6 KJV
Trust intheLord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. 
2 Samuel 22:31 KJV

As for God, his way is perfect; the word of the Lord is tried: he is a buckler to all them that trust in him.

2 Kings 18:5 KJV

He trusted in the Lord God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.

Psalm 7:1 KJV

O Lord my God, in thee do I put my trust: save me from all them that persecute me, and deliver me:

 

May God give us the grace to trust Him and deliver us from our enemies.  Amen.

Christian and Spiritual Freedom

John Piper wrote,

Full freedom is what you have when no lack of opportunity, no lack of ability, and no lack of desire prevents you from doing what will make you happiest in a thousand years. In order to be free in the fullest sense you have to have opportunity, ability, and desire to do what will make you happy in a thousand years. Another way to say it would be that there are four kinds of freedom, or better, four stages of freedom on the way to the full freedom all of us long for: The freedom of opportunity to do what we can, the freedom of ability to do what we desire, and the freedom of desire to do what will bring us unending joy... Therefore, true Christians are the freest people in the world.

John MacArthur wrote,

Full freedom is what you have when no lack of opportunity, no lack of ability, and no lack of desire prevents you from doing what will make you happiest in a thousand years. In order to be free in the fullest sense you have to have opportunity, ability, and desire to do what will make you happy in a thousand years. Another way to say it would be that there are four kinds of freedom, or better, four stages of freedom on the way to the full freedom all of us long for: The freedom of opportunity to do what we can, the freedom of ability to do what we desire, and the freedom of desire to do what will bring us unending joy... Therefore, true Christians are the freest people in the world.

Augustine on Repentance

Augustine wrote on the example of repentance,

I was weeping in the most bitter contrition of my heart, when I heard the voice of children from a neighboring house chanting, “Take up and read; take up and read.” I could not remember ever having heard the like, so checking the torrent of my tears, I arose, interpreting it to be no other than a command from God to open the book and read the first chapter I should find. Eagerly then I returned to the place where I had laid the volume of the apostle. I seized, opened, and in silence read that section on which my eyes first fell: “Not in revelry and drunkenness, not in licentiousness and lewdness, not is strife and envy; but put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” No further would I read, nor did I need to. For instantly at the end of this sentence, it seemed as if a light of serenity infused into my heart and all the darkness of doubt vanished away.

Do Not Reject God's Son

The Bible teaches us that if we reject God's only Son, Jesus Christ, we also reject God the Father.  Let us look carefully at what the divine Word teaches to get a better understanding.

1 John 1:3 KJV
³ That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.
1 John 2:20 KJV
²⁰ But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.
1 John 2:23-25 KJV
²³ Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also.
²⁴ Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.
²⁵ And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.
1 John 4:6
 ⁶ We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.

The Bible is clear that Jewish people who pray to Jehovah as God the Father need to acknowledge God the Son in order to accept God's divine and written revelation.  We have a special and divine understanding of God's Word because He has blessed us to clearly see what it means as believers in Christ.  They must also accept the Holy Spirit, but He is not an impersonal force but the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity.  Many Jewish people say the God of Christianity is a three-headed God, but it is simply not the case.  The God of the Bible is one in being or essence or unity, but He is also three in person.  There are not three manifestations of God but three persons that are the one true God.  

Jesus is our Savior and God

The book of Titus in the New Testament speaks of the Jesus our Savior as God.  We see in the Old Testament that there is one God who is the Savior.

Isaiah 43:11

I, I am the Lord, and besides me there is no savior.

Isaiah 45:21

Declare and present your case; let them take counsel together! Who told this long ago? Who declared it of old? Was it not I, the Lord? There is no other god besides me, a righteous God and a Savior; there is no one besides me.

Hosea 13:4

Yet I have been the Lord your God ever since the land of Egypt; you know no God but me, and besides me there is no savior.

 

The OT verses point out that God alone is Savior.  That is, there is no god besides the true and living God.   The New Testament recognizes that there is one God in essence and three in person; that is, the Father is the true God, the Son is the true God and the Holy Spirit is the true God; however, there is not three gods or three lords but one true Lord and this is how we understanding the sound teaching of the Blessed and Holy Trinity in the Bible.  We do not deny the distinctions within the Godhead, but realize the oneness in His essence, unity or nature.  Let us look now at the Book of Titus in the NT:

  

Titus 1:3

in due time he revealed his word through the proclamation with which I have been entrusted by the command of God our Savior,

Titus 1:4

To Titus, my loyal child in the faith we share: Grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior.

Titus 2:10

not to pilfer, but to show complete and perfect fidelity, so that in everything they may be an ornament to the doctrine of God our Savior.

Titus 2:13

while we wait for the blessed hope and the manifestation of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.

Titus 3:4

But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,

Titus 3:6

This Spirit he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior,

 

This book speaks of God as Savior and He is none other than our Lord and Redeemer Jesus Christ.  He alone is the Savior for every tribe, tongue, people and nation.  There is no Savior like Jesus Christ.

 

We praise thee, O God, our Redeemer, Creator,
In grateful devotion our tribute we bring.
We lay it before thee, we kneel and adore thee,
We bless thy holy name, glad praises we sing.
We worship thee, God of our fathers, we bless thee;
Through life's storm and tempest our guide hast thou been.
When perils o'ertake us, escape thou wilt make us,
And with thy help, O Lord, our battles we win.
With voices united our praises we offer,
To thee, great Jehovah, glad anthems we raise.
Thy strong arm will guide us, our God is beside us,
To thee, our great Redeemer, for ever be praise.

Forgiveness of Others: A Christ-like Good Deed

James Dunn wrote,

It is the experience of having been forgiven (by Christ) which releases the generous impulses to forgive others (Matt. 18:23-35), just as it is the refusal to forgive which betrays the reality that forgiveness has not been received, that the individual has not even recognized the need for forgiveness (Matt. 6:14-15). A community has hope of holding together and growing together only when the need for forgiveness is recognized on each side where fault has been committed and only when forgiveness is both offered and received.

Philip Graham Ryken wrote,

Forgiveness brings great joy, not only to the forgiven, but especially to the forgiver. The Greek term for “forgiveness” (aphiemi) comes from a word that means “to let go.” Forgiveness is a release, a letting go of self-destructive feelings such as anger, bitterness and revenge. Those attitudes poison intimacy with God and harmony with human beings.

Sam Storms wrote,

Often we refuse to forgive others because we mistakenly think that to do so is to minimize their sin. “And that’s not fair! He really hurt me. If I forgive, who’s going to care for me and take up my cause and nurse my wounds?” God is. We must never buy into the lie that to forgive means that sin is being whitewashed or ignored or that the perpetrator is not being held accountable for his/her actions. It simply means we consciously choose to let God be the one who determines the appropriate course of action in dealing justly with the offending person… To long for justice is entirely legitimate, but to seek it for yourself is not. Let God deal with the offender in his own way at the appropriate time. He’s much better at it than your or I.

Jesus' Blood and Righteousness

Let us mediate on the blood and righteousness of Christ alone.  There is no Savior like Jesus Christ; that is, He is strong to save to the uttermost.  He can save the vilest wretch ever and the person who is most deceived.  Will you come to Him today?  Will you bow the knees to the Incarnate King Eternal?   Jesus proclaims the gospel of free mercy, grace, love and forgiveness through Himself to the Father.  Jesus proclaims His awesome blood and righteousness.  We ought to worship and praise Him this day!  No one is greater than Jesus Christ and no one is a Friend like Jesus Christ.  We must come to Him with contrite hearts and surrender all to Him because He is the Master of our souls.  Amen.

Jesus, thy blood and righteousness
My beauty are, my glorious dress;
'Midst flaming worlds, in these arrayed,
With joy shall I lift up my head.
Bold shall I stand in thy great day;
For who aught to my charge shall lay?
Fully absolved through these I am
From sin and fear, from guilt and shame.
When from the dust of death I rise
To claim my mansion in the skies,
Ev'n then this shall be all my plea,
Jesus hath lived, hath died, for me.
Jesus, be endless praise to thee,
Whose boundless mercy hath for me—
For me a full atonement made,
An everlasting ransom paid.
O let the dead now hear thy voice;
Now bid thy banished ones rejoice;
Their beauty this, their glorious dress,
Jesus, thy blood and righteousness.

The Purity of the Cross of Jesus Christ

There is far exceeding purity in the Cross of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.   It is where our sins are purged away and it is through His sacrifice alone.  No one can get pure save through the bloody atonement 2, 000 years ago at the tree of Calvary in the crucifixion of the God-man, Jesus Christ our Lord and Redeemer.  Some say we can atone for sin by doing good deeds.  This is wrong theology because only the Cross of Jesus can forgive and wash away all remaining wretchedness, corruption, vileness, trash and fifth that puts shadows over our very souls because it is nothing but sin.  

John Fawcett wrote on atonement,

The complete atonement which Jesus Christ has made for our sins, by the sacrifice of Himself, is the life and center of the evangelical system, and that which endears it so much to the hearts of those who believe. Here we see pardon procured, and the sinner saved, while sin is condemned and punished. Here we see the most solemn display of justice and holiness, in conjunction with the freest exercise of mercy. Here we see sinful rebels delivered from deserved punishment, and advanced to a state of dignity and honor; and at the same time, the rights of that divine government against which they had rebelled inviolably preserved and maintained. Through what Jesus Christ has done and suffered for us – we behold the righteous law of God magnified, in justifying those who had violated its precepts, and brought themselves under its curse. In the death of that Lamb of God, we perceive at once – the Almighty’s eternal abhorrence of that which is evil and His infinite love to His offending creatures.

CH Spurgeon wrote on atonement,

To think that my Savior died for men who were or are in hell, seems a supposition too horrible for me to entertain. To imagine for a moment that He was the Substitute for all the sons of men, and that God, having first punished the Substitute, afterwards punished the sinners themselves, seems to conflict with all my ideas of Divine justice. That Christ should offer an atonement and satisfaction for the sins of all men, and that afterwards some of those very men should be punished for the sins for which Christ had already atoned, appears to me to be the most monstrous inequity… God forbid that we should ever think thus of Jehovah, the just and wise and good!

False Teachers of the Christian faith

JC Ryle wrote,

What is the best safe-guard against false teaching? Beyond all doubt the regular study of the word of God, with prayer for the teaching of the Holy Spirit. The Bible was given to be a lamp to our feet and a light to our path (Psalm. 119:105). The man who reads it aright will never be allowed greatly to err. It is neglect of the Bible which makes so many a prey to the first false teacher whom they hear. They would have us believe that "they are not learned, and do not pretend to have decided opinions." The plain truth is that they are lazy and idle about reading the Bible, and do not like the trouble of thinking for themselves. Nothing supplies false prophets with followers so much as spiritual sloth under a cloak of humility.

Are All Non-Freemasons In Spiritual Darkness?

Here is a quote from Masonic literature,

"[The Masonic initiate] has long been in darkness, and now seeks to be brought to light" (Malcom C. Duncan, Masonic Ritual and Monitor, n.d., p. 29).

We ought to understand that the Christian has been delivered from spiritual darkness and doom by placing his or her trust in our Lord and Redeemer and Deliverer Jesus Christ.  The only reason why we place our trust in Jesus Christ is because of the Spirit of God and the Word of God.  The Christian has been brought and purchased from Satan to God, from doom and life, from hell to heaven, and from no pardon to forgiveness.  No true Christian is in spiritual darkness.  Let us live freely in Christ and in full liberty.  The Masons are in spiritual blindness and darkness, but the true Christian has been freed from this.  Amen.

The Holy Spirit's Personality

Jehovah's Witnesses say that the Holy Spirit is an impersonal force; however, can an impersonal force do the below things mentioned in the divine and written Scriptures?

The Holy Spirit Speaks 
Acts 28:25 KJV
And when they agreed not among themselves, they departed, after that Paul had spoken one word, Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers,

The Holy Spirit Teaches
John 14:26

²⁶ But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.

The Holy Spirit Strives With Sinners
Genesis 6:3 KJV

³ And the Lord said, My spirit shall not always strive with man, for that he also is flesh: yet his days shall be an hundred and twenty years.

The Holy Spirit Comforts 
Acts 9:31 KJV

³¹ Then had the churches rest throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria, and were edified; and walking in the fear of the Lord, and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost, were multiplied.

The Holy Spirit Helps Our Weaknesses
Romans 8:26 KJV

²⁶ Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.

The Holy Spirit Grieved
Ephesians 4:30 KJV

³⁰ And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

The Holy Spirit Resisted
Acts 7:51 KJV

⁵¹ Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye.

We Must Be Faithful to God and His Matchless Word

C.H. Spurgeon wrote,

I know of nothing which I would choose to have as the subject of my ambition for life than to be kept faithful to my God till death, still to be a soul winner, still to be a true herald of the cross, and testify the name of Jesus to the last hour. It is only such who in the ministry shall be saved.

Oswald Chambers wrote,

The goal of faithfulness is not that we will do work for God, but that He will be free to do His work through us. God calls us to His service and places tremendous responsibilities on us. He expects no complaining on our part and offers no explanation on His part. God wants to use us as He used His own Son.
  
J. Hampton Keathley III wrote,

The Scripture promises rewards for our service as a motivation for faithful ministry. And for the Christian, at least, this promise is true and guaranteed regardless of the apparent success or rewards received here in time. Sometimes it appears that doing what is right goes without obvious blessing or reward. Faithful service may not lead to recognition, a promotion, or the raise one counted on – maybe not even a thank you. And often, faithfulness, especially when it is to Christ and biblical principles, can lead to persecution. But as Christians we must never allow the absence of immediate reward or blessing to deter us from steadfast faithfulness… The promise of Scripture is that if we continue to be faithful to the Lord, we will eventually receive rewards for our efforts. If not in this life, definitely in the life to come (1 Cor. 15:58).

6-Disputations on the New Age Movement, Pt 1

1.  The New Age Movement adheres to Monism, according to one Christian theologian, that says all things are made of essentially the same spiritual substance and at a certain level are merged into the oneness of all.

2.  The New Age Movement teaches pantheism; that is, that all is God.

3.  The New Age Movement teaches reincarnation; that is, that the soul returns to physical existence repeatedly until it achieves the oneness of the universe.

4.  The New Age Movement teaches the enlightenment that we are gods and have secret and esoteric knowledge.

5.  The New Age Movement teaches spiritism; that is, that we can contact the dead and extraterrestrial life and gain insight into how to live on earth.

6.  The Bible forbids spiritism of any kind; that is, we cannot directly contact the dead through Satan.

Quotations on the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ

AW Pink wrote,

The supreme example of controlling, directing influence which God exerts upon the wicked is the Cross of Christ with all its attendant circumstances.  If ever the superintending providence of God was witnessed, it was there. From all eternity God had predestined every detail of that event of all events. Nothing was left to chance or the caprice of man. God had decreed when and where and how His blessed Son was to die… Not a thing occurred except as God had ordained, and all that He had ordained took place exactly as He purposed. 

DA Carson wrote,

In the darkest night of the soul, Christians have something to hold onto that Job never knew – we know Christ crucified. Christians have learned that when there seems to be no other evidence of God’s love, they cannot escape the cross. “He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us all – how will He not also, along with Him, graciously give us all things?” (Rom. 8:32)… When we suffer there will sometimes be mystery. Will there also be faith? Yes. If our attention is focused more on the cross and on the God of the cross than on the suffering itself.

Sinclair Ferguson wrote,

How does Christ’s death on the Cross demonstrate God’s wisdom? In this way: Through the Cross, our sin is judged, yet sinful men and women are forgiven precisely because God has judged that sin in Jesus Christ instead of in us. God has done what seemed morally impossible in a way that demonstrates rather than denies His holiness and justice. That is why the Cross is the “trysting place, where Heaven’s love and Heaven’s justice meet.”  The Cross is the expression of God’s loving genius.

We Must Trust the Lord and be Upright

Let us trust and be upright in the Lord:

My trust is in the Lord:
How say ye then to me,
"Now like a bird from peril haste,
And to your mountain flee?"
Lo, sinners bend the bow
With arrow fixed for flight;
And stealthily in darkness go
The true in heart to smite.
What can the righteous do,
What can for them avail,
When all foundations are destroyed,
And all the pillars fail?
The Lord in Zion dwells,
The Lord is throned on high;
His eyes behold the sons of men
Their hearts and ways to try.
The Lord the righteous proves;
But those who scorn the right,
Who love deceit and violence
Are hateful in his sight.
For righteous is the Lord,
He loveth righteousness,
And with a gracious countenance
The upright he will bless.

Disputations on the Christian Identity Movement, Pt 1

1.  According to the CIM, they say that being white is a necessary requirement for spiritual salvation; however, they may allow some exceptions.

2.  According to the CIM, Adam's race is the white race and not all races descended from him.

3.  According to the CIM, the Jew is the enemy of God; however, they fail to see that Jesus was a Jew and that all Christians are spiritual Jews.

4.  According to the CIM, they say that Israel is the church of God; however, the Bible does not say that Israel is the Church but only the spiritual Israel.

5.  According to the CIM, only the race of Abraham, Issac and Jacob will be in heaven; however, the Bible says that God chooses from every tribe, people, tongue and nation.

6.  According to the CIM, only the white race from Abraham is the spiritual elect of God.

7.  The Bible teaches that we are not under the law but under grace.

8.  Races should not marry according to CIM; however, the Bible does not call for its separation but only from pagan practices.

9.  They believe that the Jews are Satan's people; however, only the white race shall be saved.

10.  The God of the Bible chooses from every tribe, tongue, people and nation; that is, He does not choose only from the white race unto eternal life and spiritual redemption.

11.  According to the CIM, the Jews and Israelites are two different groups but the Bible does not say this.

12.  The promised land is not the USA but it is in the Middle East.

13.   According to CIM, someone must be a descendant from Adam to achieve spirituality.

Disputations on Eckankar, Pt 2

16.  Eckankar is taught by Eck Masters; however, this denies sola scriptura and the secret things belong to the good Lord.

17.  Eckankar teaches that revelation can come through dreams; that is, it denies that the Bible as the sole supreme authority for faith and morals.

18.  Eckankar teaches that God is an impersonal "IT."  It is similar to Jehovah's Witnesses in that they teach that the Holy Spirit is an impersonal force.

19.  They teach that God is SUGMAD and everything is apart of it.  Pantheism is in error but the Bible teaches God's essential holiness.

20.  God has very little with what happens in the earthly affair of things; however, the Bible teaches that God is actively involved in all that we do through His pre-determined work.

21. Eckankar teaches that each individual is truth itself; however, this denies that man is totally depraved and radically corrupt.

22.  Eckankar does not have a biblical concept of the Trinity.

23.   Eckankar teaches that Jesus Christ is merely one of the great religious teachers; that is, according to this religion Jesus Christ is not God in human flesh.

24.  They teach that there is no one correct religion or Redeemer of mankind; however, the Bible teaches that biblical Christianity is true religion and Jesus is our sole Redeemer.

25.   Jesus in this religion is not Jehovah in human flesh but the Word is the Sound of God.

26.  They teach that Jesus was the follower of Eckankar and He was like many religious teachers.

27.   They teach that Jesus cannot give us understanding of truth.

28.   The Holy Spirit is not Light and Sound but He is the Third Person of the Trinity.

29.  Eckankar teaches that we are all sparks of God but the Bible teaches that we are made in His image.

30.  Eckankar teaches that man is made up of five essential parts but the Bible teaches that man is made up of soul (his immaterial spirit) and body (his material body).

Sound the Battle Cry

Here is a Christian hymn from the Trinity Hymnal on conflict,

Sound the battle cry!
See! the foe is nigh!
Raise the standard high
For the Lord:
Gird your armor on,
Stand firm ev'ry one;
Rest your cause upon his holy Word.
Rouse, then, soldiers!
Rally round the banner!
Ready, steady, pass the word along;
Onward, forward,
Shout aloud, hosanna!
Christ is captain of the mighty throng!
Strong to meet the foe,
Marching on we go,
While our cause we know,
Must prevail;
Shield and banner bright,
Gleaming in the light,
Battling for the right
We ne'er can fail.
O thou God of all,
Hear us when we call,
Help us one and all
By thy grace;
When the battle's done,
And the victory won,
May we wear the crown
Before thy face.

Perfect Peace, In This Dark World of Sin

Peace from Jesus Christ within our hearts:

Peace, perfect peace, in this dark world of sin?
The blood of Jesus whispers peace within.
Peace, perfect peace, by thronging duties pressed?
To do the will of Jesus, this is rest.
Peace, perfect peace, with sorrows surging round?
On Jesus' bosom naught but calm is found.
Peace, perfect peace, with loved ones far away?
In Jesus' keeping we are safe and they.
Peace, perfect peace, our future all unknown?
Jesus we know, and he is on the throne.
Peace, perfect peace, death shad'wing us and ours?
Jesus has vanquished death and all its powers.
It is enough: earth's struggles soon shall cease,
And Jesus call us to heav'n's perfect peace.

Jesus is the King of peace:

O God of love, O King of peace,
Make wars throughout the world to cease;
The wrath of sinful man restrain;
Give peace, O God, give peace again.
Remember, Lord, thy works of old,
The wonders that our fathers told;
Remember not our sin's dark stain;
Give peace, O God, give peace again.
Whom shall we trust but thee, O Lord?
Where rest but on thy faithful Word?
None ever called on thee in vain;
Give peace, O God, give peace again.
Where saints and angels dwell above
All hearts are knit in holy love;
O bind us in that heav'nly chain;
Give peace, O God, give peace again.

We will have peace in heaven that is unknown to us now:

Lord of our life, and God of our salvation,
Star of our night, and hope of ev'ry nation,
Hear and receive thy church's supplication,
Lord God Almighty.
See round thine ark the hungry billows curling,
See how thy foes their banners are unfurling;
Lord, while their darts envenomed they are hurling,
Thou canst preserve us.
Lord, thou canst help when earthly armor faileth;
Lord, thou canst save when sin itself assaileth;
Christ, o'er thy Rock nor death nor hell prevaileth:
Grant us thy peace, Lord:
Peace in our hearts, our evil thoughts assuaging,
Peace in thy church, where brothers are engaging,
Peace, when the world its busy war is waging:
Calm thy foes' raging.
Grant us thy help till backward they are driven;
Grant them thy truth, that they may be forgiven;
Grant peace on earth, or, after we have striven,
Peace in thy heaven.

The Bible speaks of The Peace of God.  This little article is written by Archibald Alexander.  May we understand His awesome peace:

There are three words, pregnant with precious and important meaning, commonly used by the apostles in their salutations and benedictions, GRACE, MERCY, and PEACE. These words include everything which man needs or can desire.  

Peace is the legacy which Christ gave to his disciples: "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you." And after his resurrection, the first time he met with his disciples when assembled together, he said, "Peace be unto you." He gives peace not as the world gives. He is the PRINCE OF PEACE, and his gospel is the "gospel of peace." It is called "the peace of God," because he is its author. It is a sweet and gentle stream which flows from the fountain of life beneath his throne. Happy is he who has received this heavenly gift; it will, in the midst of external storms and troubles, preserve his mind in a tranquil state. It is independent of external circumstances. It is most exquisitely enjoyed in times of affliction and persecution. "In the world you shall have tribulation; but these things have I spoken unto you, that in me you might have peace." It is a fruit of the Spirit: "love, joy, peace." It includes reconciliation with God. "Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." 

Peace of conscience is a fruit of reconciliation with God. The blood which reconciles, when sprinkled on the conscience, produces a sweet peace which can be obtained in no other way. If the atonement of Christ satisfies the law which condemned us, and we are assured that this atonement is accepted for us, conscience, which before condemned, as being the echo of the law, is now pacified. 

The peace of God also includes freedom from jarring, discordant passions of the mind. The wicked, however prosperous externally, can have no true peace within. Their ambition and pride and avarice, and love of ease and carnal indulgence, can never be harmonized. One may be the master-passion, but the others will arise and create disturbance and turmoil within. 

The only passion which effectually harmonizes the discordant passions of human nature, is the love of God. Wherever this is introduced, it will not only be predominant, but bring all other desires into willing subjection. The peace of God is not a mere negative blessing, consisting in exemption from the misery of discord; it is a positive enjoyment of the purest, sweetest kind. It is a foretaste of the bliss of heaven. Nothing on earth is so delightful. It is therefore said to "pass understanding." No one could have thought man's miserable soul could possess such enjoyment in this world. But why is so little known of the peace of God--in the experience of professing Christians? I leave everyone to answer for himself.

Diputations on the Unification Church, Pt 2

21.  Jesus Christ is not co-equal with God the Father.

22.  Jesus Christ was not God in human flesh.

23.  They believe that the Christian faith has made Jesus Christ God in error.

24.  Jesus was not born of a virgin.

25.  Jesus Christ did not rise bodily from the dead.

26.  The Holy Spirit is the Second Eve and True Mother.

27. Evil forces cause men to do wrong things.

28.  The Bible teaches that men do wrong because of their evil and corrupt hearts.

29.  They claim Satan had sexual intercourse with Eve and afterwards Adam as well.

30.   The death of Jesus prevented Him from accomplishing His ultimate mission.

31.  Spiritual salvation is based on good works that leads to our future resurrection.

32.  Spiritual salvation is only possible through Moon and Moon and his wife are the "True parents" of mankind.

33.  Natural death is not a consequence of sin.

34.  No one will go to hell but everyone will be saved.

35.  The Bible teaches that some will go to heaven and others will go to hell.

36.  Jesus failed in His cosmic mission but Moon is suppose to be greater than Jesus.   The Mormons make the same claim that Joseph Smith was greater than Jesus.

37. Koreans will be the Third Israel some time in the future.

38.  Moon believes in the liberation of God.

39.  The followers of Moon use Holy Salt to sanctify their belongings.

40.  Moon can match couples to be married.

41.  Moon taught that Korean will be the language of heaven.

42.  Moon uses the occultic practice of channeling and he claimed to speak to Jesus through it.

When We Face Trouble

We ought to go to the Lord when we are troubled by our sin:

In thy wrath and hot displeasure,
Chasten not thy servant, Lord;
Let thy mercy, without measure,
Help and peace to me afford.
Heavy is my tribulation,
Sore my punishment has been;
Broken by thine indignation,
I am troubled by my sin.
With my burden of transgression
Heavy laden, overborne,
Humbled low I make confession,
For my folly now I mourn.
Weak and wounded, I implore thee;
Lord, to me thy mercy show;
All my pray'r is now before thee,
All my trouble thou dost know.
Darkness gathers, foes assail me,
But I answer not a word;
All my friends desert and fail me,
Only thou my cry hast heard.
Lord, in thee am I confiding;
Thou wilt answer when I call,
Lest my foes, the good deriding,
Triumph in thy servant's fall.
Lord, my God, do not forsake me,
Let me know that thou art near,
Under thy protection take me,
As my Saviour now appear.

We ought to trust the Lord when trouble is near,

Under the care of my God, the Almighty,
Safe in the secret place of the Most High!
He is my Refuge, the Lord is my Fortress,
Him I am trusting when trouble is nigh.

Under his wings, under his wings,
Safe in the refuge hide thee;
Trusting his truth and faithfulness,
No evil can betide thee.

Be not afraid for the terror of midnight,
Nor for the arrow that hasteth to slay;
Fear not the pestilence walking in darkness,
Nor the destroyer that wasteth by day.

Seek the Most High for thy sure habitation,
Unto Jehovah for refuge now fly;
There shall no evil befall thee nor harm thee,
Unto thy dwelling no plague shall come nigh.

Love thou the Lord, surely he will deliver;
He will exalt thee and answer thy prayer;
He will be with thee to honor and give thee
Life without end, his salvation to share.

Godly Contentment

Here is a prayer on holy contentment,

Heavenly Father, if I should suffer need, and go unclothed, and be in poverty, make my heart prize Thy love, know it, be constrained by it, though I be denied all blessings. It is Thy mercy to afflict and try me with wants, for by these trials I see my sins, and desire severance from them. Let me willingly accept misery, sorrows, temptations, if I can thereby feel sin as the greatest evil, and be delivered from it with gratitude to Thee, acknowledging this as the highest testimony of Thy love.

When thy Son, Jesus, came into my soul instead of sin He became more dear to me than sin had formerly been; His kindly rule replaced sin's tyranny. Teach me to believe that if ever I would have any sin subdued I must not only labour to overcome it, but must invite Christ to abide in the place of it, and He must become to me more than vile lust had been; that His sweetness, power, life may be there. Thus I must seek a grace from Him contrary to sin, but must not claim it apart from Himself.  

When I am afraid of evils to come, comfort me by showing me that in myself I am a dying, condemned wretch, but in Christ I am reconciled and live; that in myself I find insufficiency and no rest, but in Christ there is satisfaction and peace; that in myself I am feeble and unable to do good, but in Christ I have ability to do all things. Though now I have His graces in part, I shall shortly have them perfectly in that state where Thou wilt show Thyself fully reconciled, and alone sufficient, efficient, loving me completely, with sin abolished. O Lord, hasten that day.

He leads us in all things because He is all-powerful,

He leadeth me: O blessed thought!
O words with heav'nly comfort fraught!
Whate'er I do, where'er I be,
Still 'tis God's hand that leadeth me.

He leadeth me, he leadeth me;
By his own hand he leadeth me:
His faithful foll'wer I would be,
For by his hand he leadeth me.

Sometimes 'mid scenes of deepest gloom,
Sometimes where Eden's bowers bloom,
By waters calm, o'er troubled sea,
Still 'tis his hand that leadeth me.

Lord, I would clasp thy hand in mine,
Nor ever murmur nor repine;
Content, whatever lot I see,
Since 'tis my God that leadeth me.

And when my task on earth is done,
When, by thy grace, the vict'ry's won,
E'en death's cold wave I will not flee,
Since God through Jordan leadeth me.