Summer, Year of Our Lord, 2000
Number 002
Dear Friends,
Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
John 8:32
Years ago, I stood before a black-robed priest who was berating me for bringing up Jesus Christ in a secular court. "Look here, young man, you keep your religion out of this. If you want to preach, you can go to church on Sunday morning. But right now you're in a secular court and you have certain secular duties which you have failed to perform."
Was he right? As Christians, do we wear different hats? Do we wear the "secular hat" when it comes to driving, or shopping, or working? But then when it comes to worshiping God, we put on our "religious hat" and "go to church?"
How
much of our lives are we obligated to perform as secular creatures? How
much is left over for serving Christ? Can we be both Secular and Christian?
Let's look at the words. "Secular" is one idea. "Christian" is another. When you put them together, you are combining opposites. It is an impossibility. It is like "hot ice." "Hot ice" is an oxymoron. "Secular Christian" is an oxymoron. You cannot be both secular and Christian.
Before we go any further, let's look at the meaning of some words and phrases. Think about the phrase, "Let's go to church." Everybody uses it. "Are you ready to go to Church?" "Put on your best clothes and let's go to Church."
People use the word "church" as if it were some kind of place or location where God is worshiped. They forget that we are the temple of the living God (2 Corinthians 6:16) and that the Most High does not dwell in temples made with hands (Acts 7:48).
Let's see a definition of the true Church:
The Church is Christ's Body with Jesus Christ as the Head. However, without any members, Jesus remains in the heavens. When the members come together for His purpose, they form His Body known as the Church.
See what nonsense it is to say, "Let's go to church?" We are the Church. We are that body. We are already there. For the Church is within us.
The definition goes on. The building is not necessarily the Church. The building may be property of the Church but it is not the Church. The Body is made up of individuals, the `called out' members.
Can you imagine how ridiculous it would be to say, "Let's go to State?" Why don't we say that? Why don't we think of the State as a special building with echo chambers where the State gods are worshiped?
The reason is that people have not been deceived into thinking of the State as a building. They have been told that the State is made up of the body politic. It is a body of people who have come together for common purpose. The State's head is the governor, not Jesus Christ. That is what makes the state secular. Secular is without Christ.
Paul Revere, Pastor
Let's look up the number one definition of secular. It's very important. Secular - "of or relating to worldly things as distinguished from things relating to church and religion; not sacred or religious; temporal, worldly." (Webster's New World Dictionary, copyright 1970)
Jesus warned us not to be of the world. The "world" is in opposition to Christ and Christ is in opposition to the world. Those who become friends with the world become enemies of God (James 4:4).
By its very definition, the U.S. is secular. All the taxing programs, courts, and schools are all secular. They are all of and for the world. How can anyone think the U.S. is a Christian nation? They do nothing in Christ's name.
Secularism is defined as "worldly spirit, views, or the like; especially a system of doctrines and practices that disregards or rejects any form of religious faith and worship." "Worldly spirit" is certainly not Christ's spirit. The secular spirit has even infiltrated your "church." Wolves have overtaken the Body of Christ and secularized it. They've made it part of the world through State incorporation. If you think you are a Christian and your church is incorporated under the State, you're a "Secular Christian." That's an oxymoron. You stand for two opposite doctrines. You are trying to go in two directions at the same time. It is tearing you apart!
What is the definition of secularize? "To change from religious to civil ownership or use." Whoa! This should be shaking you up. I know it's upsetting me. That's what they did to the church. That is what they have done to the Christians. They have changed them over to secular use. Why? Because "Secularism" and "Christianity" are completely opposite ends of the spectrum. They cannot walk together. The Church and the State must be separate.
The second definition of "secularize" is "to change to status of secular clergyman." When you think of a "clergyman," what do you imagine? I think of someone who wears the ecclesiastical cloth, maybe a minister or priest.
Who
would you think of as "secular clergymen"? There are lots of them. Go
visit your local jail. Ask for the "secular clergyman." They will
probably understand you. He is known as the "chaplain." He represents
Jesus Christ on the "outside of the cup," but the jail is the "inside of
the cup." Inside the cup are "dead men's bones." (Matthew 23:25-28) What
do the "dead men's bones" do? They put on the office of "secular
clergyman" and by outward appearances they look like their acts are
Christian.
Where else can you find "secular clergymen"? How about the chaplain in the army? I remember being very confused about this office when I was on the army base. Here was a man of the cloth who wasn't really a Catholic. He wasn't really Protestant. He wasn't any particular denomination. He was just a "secular clergyman."
On
the outside of the cup he makes mention of Jesus Christ and the Bible.
He makes the army smell good and appear to be righteous. But if you look
inside the cup, there are dead men's bones. The army is training men to
kill, not love one another. When the poor recruit's conscience is
aroused, he goes to the chaplain. And the chaplain's job is to reassure
him that it is okay with God if you kill one another.
There is another group of "secular clergymen" which are far more numerous. Your town is probably loaded with them. Let's "go to church" and find one. He may go by the title of "minister," "pastor," "priest," or "father." But by definition, he is a secular clergyman. He is part of the secularized church. His congregation is made up of secular Christians who no longer have Jesus Christ as their head. Their right-hand man isn't Jesus Christ, it's a secular attorney.
Let's look at 2 Corinthians 11:13-15. This refers to the false clergymen:
For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works.
Think about it. If you were Satan and you wanted to deceive the entire world and take over the Kingdom of Heaven, how would you do it? You would put forth your "false apostles and deceitful workers, who transform themselves into the apostles of Christ." And that's what has happened.
The devil's own men are holding the offices of deacon, elder and pastor and they have infiltrated the inner circle of the "church." We should not marvel at this. Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light and will deceive even the very elect, if that be possible.
How can you find out if your church has had a secular takeover? Ask about the paperwork that has been filed. Is the Church incorporated with the State? Does the church have a 501(c)(3) relationship with the IRS? If the answer is "yes," then Jesus Christ has been overthrown as the head of that "church." By law, the State attorney general is its head.
There are offices inside that secularized church. They may go by the name of "elder" "senior pastor" or "deacon," but in reality they are State offices. They are created to fulfill the requirements of the State corporation.
Somebody created those offices, and it was not Jesus Christ. Some unbelieving, unregenerated person created those secular offices. Then, through deceitful methods, men were persuaded to fill the offices. Some of these men might be outstanding, moral individuals. But it does not matter if they have a godly character. They must act in compliance with the duties of the office. The office controls the man.
The office has already been created by some pervert who has gotten into the church and secularized it. Now these offices do the State's business.
You don't believe me? Take a look at the wedding ceremony. Marriage is God's institution. But does the secular preacher act in the name of Jesus Christ? Absolutely not. He marries people by the authority vested in him by the State. He is conducting State business in a secular "church." Then he makes sure all the paperwork is properly signed, witnessed and filed with the county. This procedure is not done in obedience to Christ. It is done in compliance with the demands of the State god.
Why has the church sold out to the State? Mostly for financial gain. The State made them an offer they couldn't refuse.
The church has been shown special favor. It is allowed "tax exempt" status. And members can deduct contributions from their tax bill.
The State is such a benevolent god. If all the proper paperwork is approved, the "church" is allowed a teeny, tiny spot where they can put up a building and "go to church." Inside, they can make a pretense of worshiping their God and talking in tidbits about Jesus Christ. The State doesn't care. They are the conquerors. They control the entire secular church. Not just the buildings, but the entire body. All the members have been secularized and do the State's bidding.
In fact, when a secular Christian says he is "going to church," what he actually means is that he is "going to State." His "church" is just another branch of the State.
One day I was having an intense discussion with a secular pastor. I saw a Bible tucked in his shirt pocket and I instinctively grabbed it to read a passage to him. Whoa, was I surprised. The book was an IRS Record Keeping manual.
"I'm sorry," I said. "I just assumed that was a Bible sticking out of your pocket."
The preacher blushed because we had just been talking about how the IRS controls the church.
Let
me just throw it away for you," I teased. But he grabbed it back. "I
don't want any trouble from the IRS. I need to keep these time logs."
"Why are you reporting to them? What is your relationship to the IRS? Is the IRS part of the church? Who does your church belong to, anyway? Is it part of the body of Christ or is it something that Jesus would take a whip to because you have turned His Father's house into a house of merchandise?"
If my friend digs a little deeper, he will find that the paperwork shows that his church, his buildings, and his congregation belong to the State. It was created by the State to promote the State's agenda.
The U.S. Supreme Court said in the case of Bob Jones University in 1981, "The primary function of a tax-exempt organization is to act on behalf of the Government in carrying out governmentally approved policies." "Let's go to church." Throw that phrase out of your vocabulary. It makes the True Church something less than what it is. The Church is not a location. It is not a place. It is everywhere and it fills all and is in all.
Let's take a look at Ephesians 1:19-23:
And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power, Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality, and power, and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church, which is his body, the fulness of him that filleth all in all.
If you study these verses, you will know that we as Christians have no secular life at all. We, as reborn, baptized Christians are dead to the world.
Remember the definition of secular? "Of, or relating to worldly things as distinguished from things relating to Church or religion. Not sacred or religious. Temporal. Worldly."
As a Christian, you are not part of the world anymore. You have died and been set free from the world. You are no longer under its rules and regulations (Colossians 2:20-22). You cannot serve two masters (Matthew 6:24). You are now in Christ and Christ is your all and all.
Giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son: . . . And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. (Colossians 1:12, 13, 18)
Let's face it. We've been programmed from birth to be a secular Christian. If you ever responded to the Christian faith, you were deceived. The elders drew you away from Christ and under the secular forces. It's awful, isn't it?
Do you remember the last time you went to your preacher and said, "I'm having some trouble and I need some counsel." Did that preacher really give you Godly counsel, or did he send you down to the State "shrink?" Or did he recommend a lawyer? Did he recognize the State's granting of divorce and counsel you that you were free to marry? Did he urge you to pay your taxes and get right with the State? Wherever he sends you, it is always to the secular forces, isn't it? Why isn't the Church providing people and resources to meet these needs? Because the church has been bought off.
Secular clergymen are all over the place. They are not just chaplains for the jail or military. They hold office in all the denominations. And what do they represent? They are Satan's agents in the cloth of Christ. Their function and purpose are to be the outside of the cup. You find them in their echo chambers on Saturday or Sunday leading their congregation through the motions of praying to this awesome God. Everyone is looking toward the heavens waiting for that sweet by and by. And all the time, the Kingdom of Heaven is within.
What have these deceivers done? They have taken you from Christ. The beautiful outside of the cup is just for a show of men. They say, "Come to Jesus." But it ain't Jesus. And what's inside the cup? Literally dead men's bones. Attorneys. Black robed priests. Judges. Bailiffs. Guards. Police. Legislators. Presidents. Governors. They are wicked to the core. They are the power of darkness. Yet many of them put on an outside covering of Christ.
They make you believe there is a little teeny, itsy-bitsy place for you as a Christian. And if you get outside this little teeny, itsy-bitsy place, you are in trouble! Get back inside!
I'm not talking about individuals. I'm talking about the offices and jobs these people are required to do.
One
day a sympathetic man who held the office of attorney tried to explain
to me the relationship of the church in the world. He drew a big circle
on a piece of paper. "This circle represents the secular forces - the
United States, the State of Oregon and its political subdivisions," he
explained.
Then he drew a tiny circle inside the large circle. "This little spot represents the church. While you are in the world, your Jesus has got to stay inside this teeny circle. If He gets out of there, you're going to be in for trouble."
And he was absolutely right. As soon as I started acting outside that tiny circle, I began to feel the persecution. Jail, harassment, loss of property. And there are many others who are stepping outside that circle and suffering persecution. I am praying that you also wake up and venture outside.
Do you know why you are not being persecuted? It is because you are a secular Christian. You are under the covering of the State. They are protecting you as long as you continue to obey them. They are your master, not Jesus Christ.
We were talking to our dentist about this and he said. "Sure there is freedom of religion in America, as long as it is their religion." He understands.
The scripture calls secular Christianity "harlotry." It is the church going to bed with false gods. Today in America the Bride of Christ has turned to the dark side and is sleeping with the Beast.
The State understands what the Church is all about and they have made a counterfeit model with the attorney general as its head. As soon as you remove Jesus Christ from the Head, you don't have the Church. You have secularism. You have the World. That is what you find today masquerading as the Church.
Their "church" is at specific locations. They want you to go hunt for it. But Jesus warns us not to go looking for Him in the desert. If you've got to "go somewhere" to see the Kingdom of Heaven, you won't find it. For the kingdom of heaven is within.
Most people, unless they are born again, can't see the Kingdom of Heaven. To them it is foolishness. When they hear about these things they say, "Oh, he's a bunch of hot air!" That is the only thing they can say. They can't see the Kingdom of Heaven. They have not been born again. They haven't been given the gift.
If you truly are born again, then you must leave the secular forces and their counterfeit church. You must enter Christ. Enter the Church, the "nation of God." (1 Peter 2:9)
Start thinking about getting out. Get out of the secular forces and into Jesus Christ. "And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him." (Colossians 3:17)
Listen to the 45-minute sermon, "The Secular Christian."
Herman
Jost has traveled with Kingdom of Heaven license plates for seven years.
He recently had a hip operation and was sent to a care home to recover.
A neighbor spied his heaven plates and called the police.
Sheriff's squad cars, too numerous to count, converged on the care home. Putting on a big show, deputies dragged Herman out in handcuffs and hauled him to jail.
The jailers kept telling Herman, "You're entitled to one phone call, but we are too busy to give it to you now."
Many hours went by and finally they told Herman he could make a phone call.
Herman replied, "You're too late. I've already been calling on Jesus all day."
The next morning Herman went before their black robed priest and was released. But they have stolen his car and won't give it back.
We praise God for the courage and persistence Herman shows. His faith is inspiring.
Ed Knittel writes: On Memorial Day, I was stopped in a road block in West Tennessee. After the officer looked at my Heaven license plate and driver license, he handed the license back to me and said, "Have a nice day!" I drove on. I can only speculate as to why I did not get a ticket. Thank God for his Grace and faithfulness.
Dear Embassy of Heaven,
A friend of mine gave me your web site concerning the act of congress that states that we are not a Christian nation (Treaty of Tripoli, Article 11). I thought that you might be interested in a most important case concerning the military oath and Christianity.
I
am in the U.S. Military and I swore an oath over three years ago to
enter into the military. Looking back now, I realize that I did not
fully understand all the implications of that oath.
In short, I petitioned the U.S. Army for clarification of the oath and asked if the oath was requiring us to "support, champion, shield and protect": abortion, atheism, pornography, Satanism, homosexuality, hate group rights, etc.
The answer to my inquiry was "Yes, you are required to support and defend these things."
Now I realize that when we swear our oath to God, we are swearing to Him that we will support and defend the very sins that I have mentioned.
Upon hearing the Army's response, I told them that there was no way that I would continue owning an oath that required such blasphemy.
After making this statement, they declared me a conscientious objector because I would not agree to support and defend the very sins that I just mentioned.
If anyone wants to enter into the military, they must agree and swear an oath to "support, defend, champion, and protect": abortion, atheism, satanism, pornography and other sins condemned by the Lord our God.
The case is still ongoing and I am hoping that the public, especially the Church of God, will be able to see what they are really swearing to when they take the military oath and other government oaths as well.
Thank you.
<Name withheld by request>
Heart Attack Disguised as Heartburn
Our friend Ethel didn't worry about heart attacks or strokes, even though she was 30 pounds overweight. She had found the silver bullet - oat bran. She figured that if she ate oat bran muffins or cereal every day, she could dislodge the daily accumulation of sludge that was clogging up her arteries.
So
Ethel continued to bathe her food in butter or cream sauces. Her chief
vegetable was french fries and her favorite health food was ice cream
(because of the calcium.) She ate apples - in strudel, bananas - in
splits, and oranges - in cakes.
Ethel feared breast cancer and had regular checkups. But she didn't even think about dying from a heart attack. When she started getting chest pains, she thought it was heartburn. Her doctor agreed and sent her off to buy more Maalox.
Finally the fat and grease and gristle built up to a point where she had a heart attack. Thankfully, she recovered and has totally changed her diet and started walking regularly. Her refrigerator, which was once full of such widow-makers as bacon, sausage, cream sauces, fried chicken and full-fat cheeses is now well stocked with fresh fruits and vegetables.
Ethel has learned to prepare food that tastes good in a way that won't kill you. Her meals are low in fat and high in taste. Ethel likes to make lists. We like the list she has on her refrigerator - 10 Ways to Avoid Intensive Care.
10 Ways to Avoid Intensive Care
Avoid hydrogenated fats, refined vegetable oils and saturated fats like butter and margarine. Use small amounts of olive oil.
Stay away from processed meats - sausage, bologna, salami and hot dogs. Seventy to 80 percent of their total calories comes from fat. Even a "low-fat" sausage gets 60 percent of its calories from fat.
Cut back or eliminate meat. Design meals around starches -
potatoes, rice, pasta, corn, beans and whole grain breads. Unrefined
starches provide vegetable protein and fiber. They are low in fat and
contain no cholesterol.
Go easy on cheeses, which are often fattier than meat.
Quit drinking milk. Whole milk products are usually homogenized, which clogs up the arteries. Try rice milk instead of dairy milk on cereal. Rice Dream brand looks and tastes similar to cow's milk and is available at many supermarkets.
Stay away from mayonnaise. It is 99 percent fat with a little egg yoke, which is 99 percent cholesterol.
Eat green vegetables to reduce your cholesterol level including
cabbage, broccoli, kale, collards and bok choy.
Avoid deep-fried foods. Try stir-frying with vegetable broth or water.
Eat one or two servings of fresh fruit each day.
Take a daily dose of 1 Tablespoon of Whole Psyllium Husks dissolved in water or diluted fruit juice. Follow with a glass of water. The psyllium helps lower cholesterol levels and promote regularity. By keeping wastes moving out, a host of diseases is avoided. Click here for more information on whole psyllium husks.
Black Robed Priest admits, "My church is down at the Temple of Justice."
Excerpt from radio interview with Washington Supreme Court Justice, Richard D. Sanders on Republican Radio, April 22, 2000. Hosted by Janet Spangler and Jerry Miller.
| Spangler | Earlier, you said you want to avoid churches needing licenses. Are churches registered by the State now in any way? |
| Sanders | No. |
| Spangler | Not in any way? There is not a registration? They do not have to go to the State to get any kind of requirements or seek any kind of permission? |
| Sanders | Well, if they establish a corporation or a nonprofit corporation, then I suppose there is a registration requirement for that, but for the most part, churches are certainly not required to have a license to practice their faith. |
| Spangler | What about the ministers? Do they need authorization from the State to perform State-authorized marriages? |
| Sanders | (Pause) Well, they (clears throat) have that authorization. |
| Spangler | The State doesn't give them the authorization in any way? |
| Sanders | I'm not absolutely clear on that. I think that not anybody can just go out and perform a marriage and have it legally binding. I think that it has to be a legitimate religion and what the requirements are to establish that you are in fact a pastor or a priest. |
| Spangler | I've been curious about that legitimization. Is it the State that makes it legitimate or is the Church in and of itself legitimate? |
| Miller | I'm concerned because Richard (the supreme court justice being interviewed) married Judy and me and I don't even know what church he belongs to. (Laughter) |
| Spangler | Oh, he's the one that married you? |
| Sanders | Well, my church is down at the Temple of Justice, Jerry. So I think you are safe there. |
| Miller | You think we are legitimate? |
| Sanders | (Laughter) Right. |
| Miller | And Judy says "Hello" by the way. And she is still saying "thank you." |
| Spangler | I was just curious if there is some way that a church can be a church without being involved with the State in any way, shape, or form so that they don't have to worry about additional laws being imposed on them by the State. |
| Sanders | Well, I think that was the original idea. |
| Spangler | Uh-huh |
| Sanders | I know that in some communities I've read about -- it kind of depends upon what you mean by a church. But individuals would sponsor prayer meetings in their home and it would cause increased traffic in the neighborhood and the neighbors would object under zoning laws and then try to stop that. I think when the Constitution says absolute freedom of worship, it means what it says and that this-- |
| Spangler | I agree. |
| Sanders | -- is Constitutionally privileged activity and that the government always goes, always pushes the envelope and that's what the courts are for, to say no. |
| Spangler | Okay, thank you. |
| Miller | Justice Sanders, thank you so very much for being with us on the air today and we'll have you back as soon as we possibly can. You're listening to Republican radio on the air sponsored by the Snohomish County Republican Party on KRKO AM 1380 Talk Radio with a Bite. I'm your host Jerry Miller. My co-hosts are Tim Suitor and Janet Spangler and our very special guest has been Washington Supreme Court Justice Richard D. Sanders. |
Listen to actual interview with Janet Spangler and Richard D Sanders.
You've
been "naughty."
Now you've been summoned to court where:
The Plaintiff is the State
The Judge Represents the State
The Prosecutor Speaks for the State
The Public Defender is Compensated by the State
The "Witness" is a Policeman Paid to Accuse you by the State
The Jury is Sworn on Oath Not to Question the Statutes of the State
Q. Can you get a fair and impartial trial in a court where everyone represents the plaintiff?
A. No.
So what are you doing there?
Hi Pastor Paul!
I loved your article on the Census. They came by twice.
The first time I said, "There are no residents in this house." I told the man it would be against the law to answer his questions while showing him my Holy Bible.
Two days later, a woman from the census started walking to my door. She asked, "Do you live here?" I told her, "God's People are not to be counted among your 'residents.'" (Numbers 23:9) She turned away, got in her car and left. That was back in April.
Praise God! Choose ye this day whom you will serve. I choose the Living God.
James
Heavenly Humor
A lawyer's dog, running about unleashed, beelines for a butcher shop and steals a pot roast. The butcher goes to the lawyer's office and asks, "If a dog running unleashed steals a piece of meat from my store, do I have a right to demand payment for the meat from the dog's owner?"
The lawyer answers, "Absolutely."
"Then you owe me $8.50. Your dog was loose and stole a roast from me today."
The lawyer, without a word, writes a check for $8.50.
Several days later, the butcher opens the mail and finds an envelope from the lawyer: $50 due for consultation.
