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Passion for Truth and Hatred for Lies
Religious institutions that deceive people about their eternal destiny are to be exposed as enemies of God and agents of the devil. The Bible reveals there is only one answer to the question: "What must I do to be saved from the wrath of a Holy and Righteous God who must punish sin?" To give the wrong answer to this sobering question is to propagate the most lethal and deadly lie anyone could ever speak. To point people to the wide road that leads to destruction is the most despicable departure from the truth and a devilish abomination to God (Prov. 12:22). Those who twist the Word of God are doing it to their own destruction (2 Pet. 3:16). God will destroy those who speak falsehood because He abhors the man of deceit (Psalm 5:6).
There is an important distinction between the institution that deceives people and the misguided souls who are victims of its deceit. As Christians, we are to love those who are victims of deception but hate the evil institutions that deceive them. Some may ask if our hatred is justified. According to God's inspired Word, it is. The Psalmist wrote: "Hate evil, you who love the Lord" (Psalm 97:10). We are to hate every false way and despise falsehood (119:128,163). Therefore, let us all love the Catholic people, but hate the religion that deceives them with a false and fatal gospel. It is not love if we allow them to march proudly towards hell's gate without warning them with God's Word. Those who have been deceived will never know it until they are lovingly confronted with the truth. We must use the truth of God's Word to expose and destroy
the lies of the devil. May our passion for the truth cause us to have a greater compassion for those who are perishing! And may our hatred for lies cause us to contend more earnestly for the faith (Jude 3).
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Who Crushes the Serpent's Head?
by John Fallahee
In Genesis 3:15, the Douay-Rheims translation, used by Roman Catholics, reads as follows, "I will put enmities between thee and the woman, and thy seed and her seed: she shall crush thy head, and thou shalt lie in wait for her heel." Other English translations say, "it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel" or "He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel."
To complicate matters further, Pope Pius X
wrote the following, "Adam, the father of mankind, looked to Mary crushing the serpent's head, and he dried the tears that the malediction had brought into his eyes." Pope John Paul II later
writes, "And so, there comes into the world a Son, "the seed of the woman," who will crush the evil of sin in its very origins: "he will crush the head of the serpent...Mary, Mother of the Incarnate Word, is placed at the very center of that enmity, that struggle which accompanies the history of humanity on earth and the history of humanity itself." One priest, Father Echert from www.ewtn.com, attempts to explain this clear contradiction as follows, "So in these two writings of two great popes, we see the fact that it is Offspring which is Christ by which the Mother of God crushes the serpent. As with all that may be said of Mary, she and her Son are intimately bound in the work of Redemption." So what is the correct understanding of Genesis 3:15? Who will crush the serpent's head? Christ, or Mary, or both?
Read my article to see how the verse is translated correctly using the original Hebrew text.
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Will Mary Be Elevated to Co-Redeemer?
The Marian Association has requested Pope Francis to grant public recognition and honor to the Blessed Virgin Mary as "co-redemptrix" with Jesus. The association believes that "a public acknowledgement of Mary's true and continuous role with Jesus in the saving work of redemption would justly celebrate the role of humanity in God's saving plan; foster greater devotion to the mother of God; and lead to the release of historic graces through an even more powerful exercise of our lady's maternal roles of intercession for the Church and for all humanity today."
Mike Gendron told Christian News Network that the Roman Catholic religion often attributes many of Christ's characteristics to Mary. They teach that both are our advocates, and both were conceived without sin and lived sinless lives. Catholicism teaches that Jesus is the source of grace while Mary is the channel of all grace; Jesus is the Mediator while Mary is the Mediatrix; Jesus ascended into glory and Mary's body was assumed into glory; Jesus is the King of Heaven and Mary is the Queen of Heaven; Jesus is the Prince of Peace, and Mary is the Queen of peace. Nowhere in Scripture is Mary referred to as co-redeemer or co-mediatrix. It was the Lord Jesus, not Mary, who gave His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45). It was Jesus, not Mary, who redeemed those who were once slaves to sin and Jesus who purchased their freedom. Jesus gave Himself to redeem us from all wickedness and to purify for Himself a people that are his very own (Titus 2:14). Mary never gave her life, or shed her blood, or became a curse to ransom anyone. Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us (Gal. 3:13). Jesus bought us with His own blood (Acts 20:28). Christians are redeemed with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect (1 Pet. 1:18-19).
Gendron concluded the interview by saying, "For anyone to refer to Mary as co-redemptrix not only violates the truth of God's Word, it also dishonors the Lord Jesus Christ and robs Him of the glory, honor, and praise that He alone deserves."
Read interview here.
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Fighting Temptation God's Way
by John Fallahee
One of the great truths of the Bible is that through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone we have complete forgiveness of sin. Paul declares it this way: "He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,
in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins"
(Col. 1:13-14). However, being entirely justified, forgiven, and reconciled with God does not mean that our struggle with sin is over for the remainder of our earthly journey. Only with the help of the Holy Spirit can we be victorious in the battle against sin and temptation.
One passage, among many, that I have found helpful in defeating sin and temptation is Proverbs 5. The author is most likely Solomon, and he is giving godly advice to his son. But Solomon approaches the problem not with rules, regulations, and Bible cross references, but a story. At first, you may see this simply as a warning against adultery, and you would be right to think so, for that is the primary point. However, as you study the Biblical text more in-depth, you will discover several principles to fight against any temptation. A friend shared these principles with me. I recommend reading Proverbs 5 alongside these truths.
1) Receive The Word Of God (Proverbs 5:1-2)
2) Recognize Sin's Deceptive Nature (Proverbs 5:3-6)
3) Remain Loyal To The Word Of God (Proverbs 5:7)
4) Remove Yourself From Sources Of Temptation (Proverbs 5:8)
5) Realize Sin Produces Deep-Rooted Regret (Proverbs 5:9-14)
6) Rejoice In Godly Pursuits (Proverbs 5:15-20)
7) Remember God Is All-Knowing & Seeing (Proverbs 5:21)
8) Recall How God Judges Sin (Proverbs 5:22-23)
I have provided a link to a PDF document so that you can print these principles and put them in your pocket, purse, or wallet, as well as give to fellow believers.
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Letters from Around the World
Mike, If the Holy Spirit has sealed every believer at moment of belief,
how can people of different denominations read the same Bible but interpret it so differently? Since we have the same Spirit, should we not arrive at the same conclusion?
C. H., Internet
Dear C. H., Jesus founded one church, not many denominations. In fact, He prayed for His people to be united in the truth of His Word (John 17). Paul urged believers to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace because there is one body and one Spirit (Eph. 4:3-4). He rebuked the division that was forming in the Corinthian church when some were following Paul and others following Apollos (1 Cor. 3:4). It was not until the Protestant Reformation that four major denominations emerged. The Lutheran, Reformed, Anabaptist, and Anglican denominations all shared a common faith in the Gospel of Jesus Christ but held to different teachings on baptism, the Lord's Supper, the sovereignty of God in salvation; the future of Israel, eschatology, and gifts of the Spirit. These doctrinal differences were based on flawed understandings of the whole counsel of God's Word. Every born again Christian is sealed with the Spirit of Truth. However, there are several factors that may prevent us from gaining a clear understanding of God's Word such as a failure to study diligently. Jesus said, "You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God" (Matthew 22:29). Others can be misled when they embrace teachers who are blinded by traditions of men. Jesus said, "In vain they worship me,
teaching as doctrines the commandments of men" (Matthew 15:9). Still others will twist the meaning of Scripture for their own personal agendas due to religious pride, or the power and presence of sin.
Tragically, the lack of unity can destroy the witness of the Lord's church. The
unbelieving world sees denominational differences as a reason to reject Christ because Christians cannot agree on what the Bible teaches.
Some denominations have been drifting into apostasy because they no longer submit to the supreme authority of God's Word. The good news is that all born-again Christians will agree on the essentials of the Gospel, no matter what their denomination might be.
Hi Mike. I enjoy listening to you on different radio programs. I was going to leave the Catholic church, but then I went back and I need your help. In Revelation 12 Catholics say the woman is Mary, but Protestants say it is Israel. I am very confused so please explain so I can understand. E. H., West Bend, WI
Dear E.H., You are right saying the traditional Catholic interpretation for the woman is Mary. That is why Mary is sometimes depicted in Catholic art as clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and on her head 12 stars. However, John's reference to the sun, moon, and stars in his description of the woman is similar to the descriptions of Israel in Genesis 37. The 11 stars refer to the sons of Jacob, and the 12th star to whom the 11 bow is Joseph. This is a clear reference to the twelve tribes of Israel in Joseph's dream (Gen. 37:9-10). Israel is often represented as a woman (Isa. 26:18; 47:7-9; Jer. 4:31; 31:32; Ezek. 16:32; Hosea 2:16; Micah 4:9- 10). Therefore this is consistent with the woman as being Israel in Rev. 12. It is Israel, not the church that brings forth the male child who is the long awaited Messiah (verse 5) who will rule the nations with a rod of iron (Ps. 2:9). In Hosea, Micah, and Jeremiah, Israel is depicted as a woman in birth pains trying to bring forth a child. For centuries Israel has suffered these terrible pains awaiting the promises of the coming of Messiah, all the promises of God, way back to Genesis chapter 3 about a seed of a woman who would bless, not only the nation Israel, but all the nations. In Revelation 12, we see a woman being persecuted by Satan. Clearly, the woman cannot be Mary, because the woman lees into the wilderness for 3 1/2 years. The woman is the symbol of God's purpose for Israel.
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NEW! 2 More Video Messages Available to Stream
You can now stream PTG video messages by ordering them on our website. This will save you money as each message is only $6. You can have instant access from any device. We'll be rolling out more videos in the months to come. These messages are only to be streamed and are not downloadable. The following messages are n
ow available for streaming:
New this month! Catholicism's Drift into Apostasy (82 Minutes). Order Here
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New this month! The Controversial Bread of Life (47 Minutes). Order Here for only $6.
Released last month. Why Are Evangelicals Reversing the Reformation? (65 Minutes). Order Here for only $6
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