"Religion" In The News

 

Pope Resigns

 

Major news broke Monday when the highest ranking officer of the Roman Catholic Church resigned. “Pope” Benedict announced his resignation due to failing health. Apparently his resignation is historic as it is the first resignation of a sitting “Pope” in over six hundred years. The Catholic Church is now “scrambling” to choose his successor by “Easter.” The hope is to have a new “Pope” selected to lead the approximate 1.2 billion worldwide Catholic organization by Palm Sunday. 

How deceptive darkness truly is! My prayer is that the Catholic Church would be scrambling to replace the "Pope" because God removed the darkness from his "eyes" and he truly and solely trusted in the finished work of Christ! Salvation is not in the church, salvation is in the atoning work of Christ.

Obama Nominates Homosexual Judge 

President Obama nominated Justice Department attorney Todd M Hughes to sit on the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. Hughes if approved by the US Senate Judiciary Committee would be the first openly homosexually oriented Federal Appeals court judge, according to the Christian Post. 

This may be a mile stone for Obama and the homosexual movement, but it is further decline and break down of the morals of our country. However, the greater reality is the continued rejection of God's plan of human relations.

England Endorses “Marriage Equality” 

British lawmakers voted on February 5, 2013 a bill that would “legalize” same-sex (homosexual) marriages. This bill was sponsored by Prime Minister David Cameron. The bill has to pass through parliamentary debates and procedures and approval by the House of Lords before it would become law. Various church leaders and conservative groups have gone on record stating that if the bill becomes law it would bring about  “serious social and cultural ramifications.” The bill, if passed, would become effective in 2015. 

The push for "normalcy" and societal acceptance marches on.

Drive through Ash Wednesday Services 

Northminster Presbyterian Church  (Indianapolis) on Ash Wednesday, February 13 is offering a service to those who are “on the go.” This service is being called “Ashes to Go.” If you drive in their parking lot between 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM a “clergyman” will say a brief prayer for you and apply the “ash cross” to your forehead. 

Senior Pastor Teri Thomas was quoted as saying, “Our hope with Ashes to Go is to bring spirit, faith and belonging out to people as a reminder that the need for healing isn’t confined to a church building. It’s a simple event with deep meaning, to place a small blessing of ashes, and we want to make it available to everyone on a busy Wednesday afternoon and evening.” 

This sacramental (not sacrament) activity has no biblical basis. One does not need to be an active or faithful member in order to receive the "sign of the cross" applied to one's forehead in ashes. This symbolic ritual is based on the eastern tradition of throwing ashes over one's head to demonstrate repentance before God. The officiating representative places the ashes on an individuals forehead and says one or both pronouncemnts -

Remember that thou art dust, and to dust thou shalt return.

—Genesis 3:19

Repent, and believe the Gospel.

—Mark 1:15

 

It is my prayer that those who receive this ritual would truly become mindful of their temporary and transient life and would repent of their sins, turn to the living God, and believe the gospel of the bible. 

3,300 Accept NJ Church’s Offer to Read the Bible in the Next 40 Days 

Apparently more than 3,300 people are going to read the bible over a period of 40 days as a result issued by Tim Lucas, lead pastor of Liquid Church in New Jersey. Apparently “Pastor” Lucas was surprised by how many people who wanted to participate in his challenge. 

Lucas stated, “"Although the media often highlights how irrelevant the Bible seems to modern culture, there is a growing hunger among the next generation to open the Scriptures and see what God's Word says for themselves,"  

Liquid Church has given away some 4,800 copies of a customized New Testament published by Biblica.

I applaud various efforts which are expened in order to encourage the people of God to read the Word of God. However, those who do not know God, AKA the "natural man" will not "welcome" or "receive as welcome" the words of God. They are spiritually discerned by those who possess the Holy Spirit. Those who do possess the Holy Spirit need to be encouraged to not only read the Word, but to also "keep" or obey the Word.