(“When there is spirit of the Lord, there is liberty” as the description of a certain group say)
Actually this is from the Word of God saying:
Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord [is], there [is] liberty. 2 Cor.3:17
So since this is the “slogan” for a group at FB in the Philippines I will take the opportunity to open my heart for what has been my concern for a long time. It is also brought into more attention now because of our ministry in BJMP (Jail) in Southern Mindanao.
As I understand from laws and certain government related websites this is more or less the rules:
“The Constitution provides for freedom of religion, and the Government generally respects this right in practice, although there were a few exceptions. Although Christianity, particularly Roman Catholicism, is the dominant religion, there is no state religion. The Government generally does not restrict adherents of other religions from practicing their faith”
http://www.seasite.niu.edu/Tagalog/Modules/Modules/PhilippineReligions/article_religious_freedom.htm
I believe and experience that this is that case even in some places it is ruled as there is a state religion in the Philippines and that is the Roman Catholic Religion. Further more I found this in another website:
The right of a man to worship God in his own view is guaranteed by the Bill of Rights under Article III, Section 5 of the 1987 Constitution of the Philippines which states that:
No law shall be made respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. The free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference, shall forever be allowed. No religious test shall be requires for the exercise of civil or political rights.”
Restriction by any law in exercising this right is prohibited by the Constitution itself.
http://legalnotes.wordpress.com/2007/03/01/article-iii-section-5-freedom-of-religion/
Also Wikipedia confirm this:
“Constitution
The 1987 Constitution of the Philippines declares: The separation of Church and State shall be inviolable. (Article II, Section 6), and, No law shall be made respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof. The free exercise and enjoyment of religious profession and worship, without discrimination or preference, shall forever be allowed. No religious test shall be required for the exercise of civil or political rights. (Article III, Section 5)…..”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedom_of_religion_in_the_Philippines
So here is my point:
I have over a long time being accused wrongly or rightly to be a critic of the Roman Catholic Institution (RCI). That I (right or wrong) go against certain dogmas and teaching which we will find in the RCI.
Since I have a group in Norwegian at FB called “La oss rydde” – “let’s clean up” which is focused on confronting my church in Norway, which is Pentecostal, for cooperating with the RCI. Since they openly do it, but deny it.
It is also a fact that I do, as many, many other, understand the scripture in the way that the Babylon harlot mention in Revelation 17 and 18 is the RCI. As it is perfectly clear that as much as 8-10 description perfectly fits the RCI. And further more the RCI itself refer to Peter addressing the first church is Rome as Babylon. (1 Peter 5:13)
It is also true that I have published what I called “The 50 first false teachings in the Roman Catholic Institution and their false claims”
This is how I see this according to the Scripture and I feel it is my duty to bring if forward since it is of utmost importance to do so if this teachings mention is contradicting the Word of God since the RCI claim to be the Church of God. If I didn’t do so, confronting these false teachings, I will be sinning according to the Scripture.
I’m not only going against the false teaching of the RCI, BUT EVERYWHERE I FIND IT I WILL GO AGAINST IT AS ALSO MY LORD AND SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST DOES.
But here is my point. Am I really against RCI and other false teaching or am I simply FOR Christ Jesus. You can fight against oppression and give no grace. But you can also fight for freedom and give only grace.
I like to think I’m in a war for the truth. It is not so that there is One God, One Son and One Holy Spirit? Is there not so that it is only One Truth? I urge you to read our booklet which you can find free to download or support us by buying it at Amazon.
http://letusreason.norway.com.ph/
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=kjell+s%C3%B8rsdal
Jesus say:
16 “For this is how God loved the world: He gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. 17 God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him.
18 “There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. 19 And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. 20 All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. 21 But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.”
He also say:
Matt 5
The Beatitudes
3 “God blesses those who are poor and realize their need for him,[a]
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
4 God blesses those who mourn,
for they will be comforted.
5 God blesses those who are humble,
for they will inherit the whole earth.
6 God blesses those who hunger and thirst for justice,[b]
for they will be satisfied.
7 God blesses those who are merciful,
for they will be shown mercy.
8 God blesses those whose hearts are pure,
for they will see God.
9 God blesses those who work for peace,
for they will be called the children of God.
10 God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right,
for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.
11 “God blesses you when people mock you and persecute you and lie about you and say all sorts of evil things against you because you are my followers. 12 Be happy about it! Be very glad! For a great reward awaits you in heaven. And remember, the ancient prophets were persecuted in the same way.
This is the eight Beatitudes or blessing or happy saying if you like.
So it is up to you to decide who is in the darkness and who really don’t want their sayings and deeds to be exposed. And who are in the Light and very much put their sayings and deeds openly for all to see. Who are really speaking the Word of God and are persecuted for it.
I want you to take this into consideration:
This is from a website I can’t remember the name.
“[John] Wycliffe, [William] Tyndale, [Martin] Luther, [John] Calvin, [Thomas] Cranmer; in the seventeenth century, [John] Bunyan, the translators of the King James Bible and the men who published the Westminster and Baptist confessions of Faith; Sir Isaac Newton, [John] Wesley, Whitfield, Jonathan Edwards; and more recently [Charles] Spurgeon, Bishop J.C. Ryle and Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones; these men, among countless others, all saw the office of the Papacy as the antichrist.” – Michael De Semlyen (Author of the book All Roads Lead to Rome?: The Ecumenical Movement)
I ask the question once again: Were all these famous men wrong? Were most of them smoking hemp or marijuana? Did all or most of them have overly active imaginations? Were they all very poor analysts? Were they not very well read? Were such men as President John Adams, President Lincoln, Dostoyevsky, LaFayette, Gladstone, Morse, Napoleon, etc., all wrong in their assessment of the Vatican and/or her Jesuits – and the threat they pose to liberty?
You see I’m not alone to make this claims. The whole world is full of people who make these claims. Some of them might be right in some of the claims, don’t you think?
And again; do we mention this because we love our neighbor or we hate him? That we want the truth or we want the lies? That we preach the pure Gospel or some own false doctrine? Are we doing what Jesus tells us to do or it is pure flesh and ego to satisfy our own agendas? Do we want to be rich? No, no, no. We are fighting for the truth with grace so that our neighbors can be set in freedom.
We are:
Acts 26:18
To open their eyes, so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God. Then they will receive forgiveness for their sins and be given a place among God’s people, who are set apart by faith in Me.
Jesus blesses you and your family.
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