Casey -- a swing and a miss

 Superior General of the Congregation of the Fathers of Mercy, the priest William Casey (on a promo that runs on EWTN for his show "Mission of Hope"):

“You better learn your faith because, sooner or later, someone could put one over on you, and you could lose your soul!”

Really priest Casey? Really? What did Jesus promise those who believe? Did he warn them that "someone could put it over on them, and they could lose their soul, without your fine warnings? No. Quite the contrary. Here's what Jesus promised to those who put their trust in him:

John 10:28-30 I give them eternal life and they shall never perish; no one can snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand. I and the Father are one.

and what warning does the apostle Paul have for people like the priest William Casey?

 Galatians 1:8-9 "But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let him be eternally condemned! As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than that which you have accepted, let him be eternally condemned!"

In other words, repent William, repent now of your false freewill gospel, believe that Christ alone has saved you.

Pope again gives false gospel

In an address during a visit with the Anglican Archbishop of Canterbury at Lambeth Palace on Friday, Sept. 17, 2010, the pope again hauled out his false gospel. See if you can catch the total contradiction he himself expressed in the following sentence (which can be found at the Vatican website):

“At the same time, we Christians must never hesitate to proclaim our faith in the uniqueness of the salvation won for us by Christ, and to explore together a deeper understanding of the means he has placed at our disposal for attaining that salvation.” --Benedict XVI

First, the pope insists that Christ “won” salvation for us. And the very next phrase, he insists Christ has “placed at our disposal” “means” for “attaining that salvation.”

Which is it great pope? Has Christ indeed won our salvation? If so, why would we then need to “attain” it?

Obviously, you preach a gospel that insists Christ didn’t actually win anyone’s salvation, instead, he actually won for us no more than the “possibility” of our salvation. This is the so-called “gospel,” according to the Roman Catholic Church. Rarely stated so plainly.

That’s why the pope also mentions “means” for attaining that salvation. Of course, the chief means, according to the pope, is the Church and its baptism and Holy Communion. But how can a church that has lost the true gospel, still claim that its baptism and Holy Communion properly reflect the work of Christ on the cross? If they have not the gospel, their sacraments cannot properly reflect the true gospel, which is “Christ alone has saved us.”

Christ alone has saved us dear pope. His one work on the cross did indeed win salvation for all who believe in him as Christ himself has promised us: “He who believes in me has everlasting life.” (John 6:47) You cannot call individuals to believe anything less than what Christ promises us, O pope.

Christ promises us that those who believe have passed from judgment and condemnation, (John 5:24). He promises us that he gives us eternal life and he will let no one snatch us from his hands (John 10:27-30). He promises that though we die, we shall live (John 11:26). Jesus promises that he goes to prepare a place for us to be with him forever (John 14:3).

This O pope, is the true good news of Jesus Christ. Return to him in repentance and he will save you too from the condemnation promised all those who preach a false gospel (Galatians 1:8-9).

More puff from pope

You should have seen that unrepentant guy who calls himself the pope tonight. He told all those gathered for an outstanding Evensong at Westminster Abbey that he was da' man. Boy was he "nice" about it. And the Archbishop of Westminster Abbey just let the pope know that they still love him.

Of course, nobody talks about the gospel unless they need to use it in a throwaway sentence. Did Jesus die for the "possibility" of everyone's salvation or did he die to save his chosen ones? Do these guys care? If so, it's interesting that they don't mention it.

The commentators on EWTN said it was all about the pope telling Rowen Williams that he had really screwed up by ordaining women and homosexuals. Bid deal. That's where I'd start too, if I didn't know that Christ had died to secure the salvation of those who believe in him.

Pope arrives, what divides?

The pope started his visit to the UK today in Scotland. So far the theme is unity, according to both the pope and queen.

Here is what the Roman Catholic Encyclopedia of the early 1900s identifies as the chief doctrines which are essentially and specifically characteristic of the Protestant Reformation as a whole are the following nine:


• rejection of the Papacy,

• denial of the Church Infallibility;

• Justification by Faith only;

• supremacy and sufficiency of Scripture as Rule of Faith;

• the triple Eucharistic tenet [viz. (a) that the Eucharist is a Communion or Sacrament, and not a Mass or Sacrifice, save in the sense of praise or commemoration; (b) the denial of Transubstantiation and worship of the Host; (c) the denial of the sacrificial office of the priesthood and the propitiatory character of the Mass];

• the non-necessity of auricular Confession;

• the rejection of the invocation of the Blessed Virgin and the Saints;

• the rejection of Purgatory and omission of prayers for the dead;

• the rejection of the doctrine of Indulgences.

To these may be added three disciplinary characteristics which are founded on doctrine:

• the giving of Communion in both kinds;

• the substitution of tables for altars; and

• the abolition of monastic vows and the celibacy of the clergy.

These twelve doctrines and practices of the continental Reformation have undoubtedly, though not always in the same measure, entered into the fibre of the English Reformation, and have all found expression, more or less emphatic, in the Anglican formularies. Hence, while the name "Protestant" is not found in the Prayer Book, it is used in the Coronation Service when the King promises to maintain "the Protestant religion as by law established". It was from the beginning popularly applied to the Anglican beliefs and services. In the Act of Union the Churches of England and Ireland are styled "the Protestant Episcopal Church", a name still retained by the Anglican Church in America.

Weakened Anglicans to face the pope

Benedict XVI will soon visit Great Britain and evangelicals are mobilizing in hopes of limiting the damage.

So why is the Anglican world so susceptible to the Pope and his Roman Catholic Church? The answer is: The Gospel and the Eucharist.

Despite the Anglican’s 39 Articles, which clearly outline the Gospel of Christ dying for those who believe in him—the elect—Anglicans have always been at odds among themselves as to whether Christ died for all or for the elect alone.

No agreement on the true Gospel means Anglicans are weak and susceptible to receiving the pope’s gospel of Christ dying for only the “possibility” of salvation for all—which is the gospel the pope preaches. Therefore, the pope convinces people that they need him and his church’s sacraments to help Jesus in his mediatorial work if they are to ever enjoy the possibility of getting to heaven.

You can know when a church believes and preaches such a false gospel because they will tell you there is no assurance of salvation or heaven for anyone, and that a person can lose their salvation at anytime. All of these contradict Jesus’ own promises, found throughout the Gospel of John, especially see John 5:24, 6:44, 6:47 and 10:28-30.

Many Anglican priests continue to preach a similar false gospel about Christ dying for the “possible salvation” of all people and are thus condemned in Gal. 1:8-9 unless they repent. They mislead many.

Similarly, when it comes to the Eucharist or Holy Communion, again—few Protestants (mainly, only Lutherans) believe that they truly receive Jesus’ body and blood as he promised at the Lord’s Supper—though they too are mislead in believing that Christ died only for the “possible salvation” of all—for Lutherans believe you can lose your salvation.

As for the Anglicans, this is a case where the wording of the article (Article 28) on the Lord’s Supper has proven to cause further division. Instead of being urged to simply believe Christ’s promise that we receive his body and blood, the article goes on to insist it is taken and eaten in a “heavenly and spiritual manner.”

In any case, the Protestant Truth Society has issued the following “Joint Protest agaistn the 2010 Papal Visit,” which will be published in The Times of London and presented to the Queen and the Government:

Joint Protest Against the 2010 Papal Visit to the United Kingdom

Remembering Martin Luther’s historic protest in 1517 against the errors of the Church of Rome, we the undersigned protest against the state visit of the Pope to the United Kingdom.

The Pope claims to be the supreme head of the universal church and that all governments should be subject to him. There is only one head of the universal church and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. No man can claim that title. In the United Kingdom, the Queen is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England and is pledged to uphold the Church of Scotland. She is the head of state and, together with the British Parliament; we accept no other temporal authority.

We reject the Pope’s absurd pretensions to power over governments and churches. In particular, we reject his blasphemous claim to infallibility. God alone is infallible. We affirm that there is only one mediator between God and men – the man Christ Jesus. At Calvary, Jesus Christ died for the sins of His people. That sacrifice was made once for all and can never be repeated. Repentant sinners find forgiveness by grace alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone.

The Bible, the inspired Word of God, is our supreme rule and contains no shred of evidence for the false and idolatrous doctrines of the Roman Church. Thanking God for the great outburst of spiritual light that shone during the Protestant Reformation of the sixteenth century we declare: The Pope cannot mediate between man and God. Neither Mary nor the ‘Saints’ can make intersession for us. Jesus Christ is our only advocate with God the Father.

The so-called sacrifice of the mass is, as the Articles of the Church of England make plain, a ‘blasphemous fable’ and a ‘dangerous deceit’. God alone can absolve our sins and the confessional is a fraud. There is no biblical authority for the Roman doctrine of purgatory. There are only two possible destinations for men and women after death – heaven or hell.

The papal visit is a betrayal of our Protestant Constitution and of the Gospel that sustains it. Christ promised, ‘He that believeth on me hath everlasting life.’ He alone is King of kings.

For more on this, read Richard Bennett’s article, “Biblical Protest and Witness Await Pope’s UK Visit,” at his website http://www.bereanbeacon.org/.

Jesus's take on freewill

Roman Catholics, like many of their Protestant coutnerparts, claim Jesus died for all and all have the freewill to choose or reject him. That's not what Jesus says in John 6...
Jesus on freewill

43"Stop grumbling among yourselves," Jesus answered. 44"No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day. 45It is written in the Prophets: 'They will all be taught by God.'[d] Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. 46No one has seen the Father except the one who is from God; only he has seen the Father. 47I tell you the truth, he who believes has everlasting life. 48I am the bread of life. 49Your forefathers ate the manna in the desert, yet they died. 50But here is the bread that comes down from heaven, which a man may eat and not die. 51I am the living bread that came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. This bread is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world."

52Then the Jews began to argue sharply among themselves, "How can this man give us his flesh to eat?"

53Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. 54Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. 55For my flesh is real food and my blood is real drink. 56Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 57Just as the living Father sent me and I live because of the Father, so the one who feeds on me will live because of me. 58This is the bread that came down from heaven. Your forefathers ate manna and died, but he who feeds on this bread will live forever." 59He said this while teaching in the synagogue in Capernaum.

Many Disciples Desert Jesus

60On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?"

61Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you? 62What if you see the Son of Man ascend to where he was before! 63The Spirit gives life; the flesh counts for nothing. The words I have spoken to you are spirit[e] and they are life. 64Yet there are some of you who do not believe." For Jesus had known from the beginning which of them did not believe and who would betray him. 65He went on to say, "This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless the Father has enabled him."

Jesus refuses to pray for the world--much less die for it
 
In addition, just before Jesus, God the Son, goes to his death on the cross, he prays to God the Father for those the Father has given him--he flatly refuses to pray for everyone in the world...
 
"I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them." John 17:10
 
Jesus refuses to even pray for the world--much less die for it.
 
Freewill is simply a false teaching that comes with the false gospel, which claims Christ died for all.  

Our name is Mephibosheth

By Bill Parker

Mephibosheth is a great picture of how God saves His covenant children for Christ’s sake. Mephibosheth was the grandson of a fallen king, i.e. Saul, and so are we as we are by nature the fallen sons of Adam. (Romans 5:12)

Mephibosheth “was lame on both his feet” (II Samuel 9:13), because of a fall, and so are we. We were all born dead in sin with no ability or desire to seek God (John 6:44; Ephesians 2:1-3).

Mephibosheth was the object of a covenant made between David and Jonathan (I Samuel 20:11-17, II Samuel 9:1,7). WE who are saved by God’s grace in Christ were and are the objects of an everlasting covenant made between the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (Ephesians 1:1-13; Hebrews 13:20)

Mephibosheth did not come to the king’s house of his own free will. He was “fetched.” (II Samuel 9:5) – “taken, laid hold of, seized, bought, and brought.” (John 6:37; 12:32)

King David did not ask Mephibosheth to come to him. He sent his servant to bring him to the palace. Christ saved us and brings us to Himself by the work of the Holy Spirit in the new birth. (John 1:12-13)

Mephibosheth feared the king’s wrath until he heard the king’s word. (II Samuel 9:6-7) We by nature fear God’s wrath and seek to hide behind false refuges, but Christ speaks words of mercy and love in the Gospel. He draws us to Himself as He tells us of His great sacrifice for our sins, the satisfaction and righteousness he established for us. (Romans 3:21-26; I John 4:10)

Mephibosheth expressed his own unworthiness – “And he bowed himself, and said, What is thy servant, that thou shouldest look upon such a dead dog as I am?” (II Samuel 9:8)

When the Holy Spirit shows us our sin and brings us by faith to Christ, we, like Mephibosheth, whose name means “utterance of shame,” express our unworthiness and proclaim Christ alone as worthy. (Revelations 5)

Mephibosheth ate CONTINUALLY at the king’s table as one of the king’s sons. We who are saved by the blood of Christ are children of God, and we feast at His table forever even thought we are still lame on our feet. Even as saved sinners, born again by the Holy Spirit, we still have no power or ability of our own – “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)

We are already complete and perfect IN CHRIST, but not yet in ourselves. We will one day be perfect within ourselves when we are glorified together with Christ. (Titus 2:13; I John 3:2)
http://testallthings.com/2009/11/15/bill-parker-our-name-is-mephibosheth/