FIVE-STAR ~ ✰✰✰✰✰ ~ CHRISTIANS! Jesus called them together and said, You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their high officials exercise authority over them. NOT SO WITH YOU. Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave — just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:25-28) Back in the good old days (aka the Dark Ages) of the Roman Catholic Church, the priests had a monopoly on the Bible. They were allowed the privilege of studying Latin, and their masses were ALL conducted in Latin. The local yokels, who had not even been schooled in proper English, came to the cathedral to be awed at the secret knowledge which the priests clearly possessed and to bring their financial tribute, naturally. In that Bible monopoly era (error), the priests were free to tell the parishioners ANYTHING they desired — about the mythical purgatory and indulgences and calling them Father and required confessions in the confessional and bowing down to pray to graven images of Mary and the saints, etc., etc., etc. Jesus condemnation of the Pharisees applied equally to the Catholic priests of that day. Everything they do is done for people to see: They make their phylacteries wide and the tassels on their garments long; they love the place of honor at banquets and the most important seats in the synagogues; they love to be greeted with respect in the marketplaces and to be called ‘Rabbi’ by others. BUT YOU are not to be called ‘Rabbi,’ for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers. And do not call anyone on earth ‘father,’ for you have one Father, and he is in heaven. Nor are you to be called instructors, for you have one Instructor, the Messiah. The greatest among you will be your servant. For those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted. (Matthew 23:5-12) ☛ Enter the Reformation with the sound of Martin Luther hammering the Ninety-Five Theses to the door... Ah, but the Catholic church, with its Holy Father Pope and its own city-state, had one other power that the Pharisees would have literally killed to have had — the use of capital punishment — and the Catholic church wielded its sword fiercely to stamp out anyone it viewed as a heretic. Naturally, those who dared to translate the Bible into the languages of the common rabble were treated most harshly; for if the rubes in the pews could ever read the Bible for themselves, well... So much has changed since those days, but some things have not. Pastors go to seminaries to study the Bible in depth, and they learn Hebrew and Greek in the process. Most of the students do so with the best of intentions, and that study can obviously be a very good thing. Too many of the professors, however, desirous of exhibiting their special knowledge not available to the unwashed masses, espouse theories that are contrary to the clear teaching of the Bible. Where the Bible says white, they correct to black. Where the Bible says up, they edit to down. When any student questions them, the professors pull rank, puff up their chests, and lord it over the pupils to keep down such rebellious thoughts. Far too many of the graduates then go back out into the world with a FIVE-STAR CHRISTIAN attitude. Eager to impress others with their newly acquired secret knowledge, they roll their eyes and say, Youd really like to believe that, wouldnt you? Of course, YOU couldnt POSSIBLY know this, but IN THE ORIGINAL GREEK... Now, if that shoe doesnt fit you, dont hobble around complaining that I hurt your foot. Take the shoe off. If theres the slightest possibility, though, that youre reacting like one of those 5-star Bible-bubble-poppers, just know that JESUS IS NOT AMUSED. Martyrs suffered horrible deaths so that we could read the Bible for ourselves. The Holy Spirit + the Holy Bible + a humble believer = Truth, plainly revealed. ▶ Were all soldiers in the army of the Lord, and the ONLY general we have is King Jesus. © Jimmie Douglas [Please feel free to share.]
Posted on: Thu, 21 Aug 2014 21:06:39 +0000
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