The Biblical Examiner
An Examination of Biblical Precepts Involved in Issues at Hand

October 1995

                                                                     
  • Contents

    • 1) Sexual Discrimination
    2) Promise Keepers and Phallicism
    3) "IRENAEUS AGAINST HERESIES"

                                                                         
  • Sexual Discrimination

    • "Women are equal to men in the work-place; therefore, they should receive equal pay."

    Are they? Should they? What does God say? Could God be right and man be wrong?

  • And the Lord spake

    Hidden in commonly overlooked passages are Godly precepts given to answer the many difficult questions and situations of all ages. Though Leviticus 27 is usually skimmed over quickly, it clearly spells out God's discrimination between the sexes. As we look at a couple points from this section, we must remember that we are considering God's thoughts about the matter, not man's. Moreover, it is not uncommon for God's thoughts to be quite contrary to the way that seems right to man, and to even "rub man the wrong way."

    Normally, because of the ungodly age in which we live, we can assume that whatever is "Politically Correct" is the spirit of antichrist at work. There are very few, if any, exceptions to this assumption, and the "Politically Correct" assumption that women are equal to men in the work-place is no exception.

    John Gill [1696-1771] comments on Lev 27:2 thusly:

    when a man shall make a singular vow; an unusual, an uncommon one, a very distinguished one, and even what is wonderful, as the word signifies; as when a man, through uncommon zeal for God and his service, devotes himself, or his children, or his cattle, or his houses or fields, to the Lord: the word "man", the Jewish writers say {i}, includes every male, and even a Gentile; yea, it is said all estimate and are estimated, vow and are vowed, priests, and Levites, and Israelites, women and servants {k}: the persons shall be for the Lord by thy estimation: as when a man devoted himself or any that belonged to him to the service of the sanctuary, out of his great zeal for it, as to assist the priests and Levites in the meaner sort of work, as to carry wood and draw water, and sweep the tabernacle, and the like; they were not allowed to do these things, partly because it was not the will of God that any or every Israelite should be employed in such menial service, and partly because there were men appointed for such work, as well as to prevent too great a number of persons in the sanctuary, which would be troublesome, and only stand in one another's way; wherefore, on every devoted person to such service a value or price was set, according to the rules after given, which were to be paid in to the priests for the service of the sanctuary, the repair of the house, &c. see 2 Ki 12:4, 5; the word may be rendered, agreeably to the accents, "according to thy estimation of souls (or persons) the vow shall be to the Lord" {l}; that is, the price of the person devoted, according to the estimation of the priest, or as settled by the Lord in some following verses, shall be given to him: the word "souls" being used, the Jewish doctors understand it of estimation or value of that on which the soul or life depends; thus, for instance, if a man says, the value of my hand or of my feet be upon me, he says nothing; but if he says, the value of my head or of my liver be upon me, he gives the whole value, i.e. of himself; if he says, the half of my value be upon me, he gives the half of it; but if he says, the value of half of me, he gives the whole value: this is the general rule, that on which the soul or life depends pays the whole value {m}; for a man cannot live without his head, or without his liver, or when half of himself is taken away. [{h} Maimon. & Bartenora in Misn. Eracin, c. 1. sect. 2. {i} Ibid. {k} Misn. Eracin, sect. 1.{l} "pro tua aestimatione animarum, votum erit" Domino, Reinbeck de Accent. Heb. p. 320; {m} Misn. Eracin, c. 5. sect. 2, 3. John Gill. Online Bible, CDROM, Mar 95. This writer must admit that for him Gill is one of the easiest authors to check with, for he is on the same CD as is the Bible used. Moreover, this writer is partial to older authors, and has found very little to disagrees with in Gill's writings.]

    The individual loved God, and freely desired to dedicate his or her self to the Lord over and above what was required of him or her. The service consisted of physical labour in the house of the Lord. But because the tribe of Levi had been set aside for that labour, the individual who offered him or her self was assessed a sum of money which was given in his or her stead.

    We should mention that our modern "Post-Christian" culture has lost sight of the value of "vows" - that is, giving one's word, nor do we grasp the value and use of "vows" in Eastern cultures. By the way, when the priests misused the funds that came in for the maintenance on the temple, King Jehoash became upset, and took corrective measures, 2 Ki 12:6.

    Vv. 3-8, the Lord establishes the value of the individual who gave him or her self to the Lord. The valuing was not left up to individual, so one could not say, "What is the matter? Don't you think I am as valuable as that other person?"

    Obviously, under the law, all are guilty of sin, and, as such, all are condemned equally to the same payment for sin (eternal death) unless they have trusted in the Redeemer. But in this chapter, we are plainly told that all persons are not equal in value before the Lord here on this earth.

    V. 3, the Lord values the person who made the vow. Neither the priest before whom the person appeared nor the individual could establish the value of the one who vowed: God Himself established the value.

    The labour discussed in Leviticus 27, is labour in the house of the Lord, not in the "secular work-place." The value of one's labour, however, established by the Lord God (male's and female's) in His house applies to labour in any and every location. In other words, Leviticus 27 does not justify women seeking a "career" outside the home. Note that we said, "seeking a career," not "forced into a career." Rampant sin today has forced many women to seek a career outside the home: sin in the men causes them to abandon their responsibilities to God and their families, and sin in the churches causes them (and at time, forces them) to abandon their responsibilities to the helpless.

    First, of the male from twenty years old even unto sixty years old:

    [T]he account begins with these, because men of an age from the one to the other are fittest for labour, and therefore to be set at the highest price, as they are in the next clause: [Gill]

    [S]hekel of the sanctuary... Exo 30:12, the Lord established the value of the money, and the priests (the religious leaders) were responsible to keep it at its proper value. The value of money, accordingly, is a Godly, religious function, explaining why the wicked are so determined to keep the value under their control. It was not a function of the king, even under David, nor of individuals, nor of banks. Rather, it was and is a function of God, and, basically, it should probably be established by a free market-the law of supply and demand where God controls the supply. Honest money results from civil authority enforcing honesty and truthfulness in society, Rom 13. But when civil authority is a leader in lies, a corrupt monetary system will develop.

    Twenty years old and upward was also the age a man could go to war, Num 1:3.

    Second, a female, then thy estimation shall be thirty shekels:

    [A]bout three pounds ten shillings of our money, the price of a servant, Ex 21:32; the reason of this difference of estimation between a man and a woman is, because the woman is the weaker vessel, and her labour and service of less importance and worth, such as spinning, washing, &c. [Gill]

    The Lord valued her at 60% of the male's. The Lord Jesus was valued at thirty pieces of silver, Mat 26:15.

    And the Lord spake unto Moses, establishing the value of the male and female; He establishes their values according to their sexes and ages, and He did not value them equally. Is it any wonder that the ungodly have such hatred against God, the Lord Jesus and the Word of God? God valued the female less than the male, for she is not as productive as a male.

    Third, ages 5-20 years- the female's value is only 50% of the male's. The one under 20 is not making the vow, but his/her authority is saying, "Let the value of such a one be upon me. I will pay it." The person making the vow pays as determined by the Lord. Younger persons were incapable of the work that those over 20 were capable of, so their values were less. Moreover, the value of females under 20 was a smaller percentage of the male's than it was over 20 because the younger female was capable of less work in proportion to the male.

    Fourth, ages one month to 5 years - her value was again 60% of the male's. The Lord established the value of the devoted child within this age group. Samuel was an example, but rather than being redeemed with money, he was actually received into the Lord's temple-service.

    Though neither the male nor female of this age group was capable of any service of value, the female was still valued at only 60% of the male's. The Lord clearly, by fixing the value of each, tells us that the male was/is worth more than the female. God created man first, then the woman; God primarily revealed and reveals Himself to men; God chose men to be the priests to Himself. In the family, community, society and in the church, God chose men then and chooses men now to work and speak through. We will note, though, that when men refuse to listen to the Lord's call, God will work through women (though not as effectively) as a reproach to men.

    Fifth, ages 60 and above - she is worth 66.6% of the male's value, the highest point of any age of her life. Though both the male's and female's value drop at age 60, she retained a greater proportion of her value. Gill observes:

    ... so Jarchi observes, when persons come to old age, a woman is nearly to be reckoned as a man, and quotes a proverb of theirs, an old man in a house is a broken potsherd in the house (some interpret the word, a snare or stumbling block, that is in the way); an old woman in a house is a treasure in a house, a good sign in a house {p}, of great use in the management of the affairs of the family. [{p} T. Bab. Eracin, fol. 19. 1. vid. Yalkut, par. 1. fol. 198. 1.]

    Sixth, the Lord did not exclude the poor from expressing gratitude to Him by making the free-will vow beyond his ability to pay: The poor man appeared before the priest with his desire, and made his inability known, v. 8. The priest then valued the man as he kept in mind the general rules just given in vv. 3-7, according to his ability to pay the vow.

    There are a couple short points from this section:

    1) "Women are equal to men in the work-place; therefore, they should receive equal pay." Such an idea is a lie of the devil, which is why it is being promoted so heavily in our modern, post-Christian era. The Lord places the value of a woman at 60% of a man's at the height of the "work career." Though fallen man hates the idea, the fact remains that the Lord establishes the values, not man. Thus clearly the Lord establishes the woman's value in the work force as 60% of a man's. Of course, this law assumes the man is working and not just on the job to collect his pay, but some women do the same evil.

  • Her real value

    Did not Paul say that the proper place for the woman is, To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed, Titus 2:5?

    The Wise Man said that as her husband's help-meet, the woman's value is far above rubies, Pro 31:10. [Remember, Pro 31 is a mother's instruction to her son who will one day be king.] In the home, the woman's value is so great it cannot be measured, but in the work place, she is only 60% of the man's value, e.g. the man gets $10.00 per hour while the woman gets $6.00 for the same job. Obviously, the woman of Pro 31 was extremely active in every area, working as her husband's help meet. Thus as the help meet for her husband - in the home and/or in the family's business, e.g. farming, publishing, schooling, sales, remodeling, the "ministry," &c."she is more valuable than any person who could be hired at any price.

    If the career woman (presented in such glowing terms by the world) wants to be paid what she is worth, let the Lord value her worth and she be content, i.e. 60% of the man's. But if she wants to be "valued" to her greatest extent, let her flee to the place where her worth is beyond measure, her husband's help meet.

    We might note that in the home, she not only retains her value, but, many times, she also retains her family. We cannot count the homes we have personally seen devastated after the woman entered into the "secular" work force to help the family financially. God made Eve to be her husband's help meet in his calling before God, whether in the home or with him in his (the family's) occupation. God did not make Eve to compete with Adam in the work place. When she does, everything built upon the foundation of the family is undermined, and everything is built upon the family.

    By the way, husbands, when was the last time we let our wives know their exceeding great value as our help meets?

    2) Jephthah's vow, Judges 11:30., should have been redeemed according to the value given by the Lord in Lev 27. Jephthah's failure shows us the depths to which Israel had fallen away from God. He, like so many since, knew the law concerning vows, but he forgot, overlooked, ignored, and/or was ignorant of the fact that the spirit of the law was/is to preserve life, not take it. There are those today who become so concerned that every point is upheld they forget the Lord give law for man's benefit. They kill, as Jephthah did, rather than make alive. Many see God's law as repressive to life and liberty rather than the law of life and liberty, Proverbs 6:23, James 1:25.

    God's laws concerning the sexes and their proper places in society will result in strong, vibrant families. Man cannot violate God's order without bringing disaster to his social order.

    1 = Hosea 13:9-16 O Israel, thou hast destroyed thyself; but in me [is] thine help. I will be thy king: where [is any other] that may save thee in all thy cities? and thy judges of whom thou saidst, Give me a king and princes? I gave thee a king in mine anger, and took [him] away in my wrath. The iniquity of Ephraim [is] bound up; his sin [is] hid. The sorrows of a travailing woman shall come upon him: he [is] an unwise son; for he should not stay long in [the place of] the breaking forth of children. I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death: O death, I will be thy plagues; O grave, I will be thy destruction: repentance shall be hid from mine eyes. Though he be fruitful among [his] brethren, an east wind shall come, the wind of the LORD shall come up from the wilderness, and his spring shall become dry, and his fountain shall be dried up: he shall spoil the treasure of all pleasant vessels. Samaria shall become desolate; for she hath rebelled against her God: they shall fall by the sword: their infants shall be dashed in pieces, and their women with child shall be ripped up.

    There may be apparent prosperity as we serve the gods around us, letting them establish our standards, but the houses built upon the sand must collapse, and no one can blame anyone except him or her self for serving other "kings," viz. letting the fallen world establish one's values for life.

    But in me is thine help, saith the Lord. Return to serving Him as King, the "establisher" of life's values through His Word, Ps 2.

    My, how much we have to retrain our thinking according to the Word of God. We either accept the precepts established by God's law-word, or we are pagan, antichrist, humanists, working for our own destruction and the destruction of our society.

  • Antichrist

    Speculations abound concerning the antichrist and his identity. The following is to call attention to some facts the Spirit of God reveals in His Word concerning the antichrist.

    The Apostle John made some points about the antichrist that apparently are overlooked and/or ignored today. Looking at John's epistles, we find light from God's Word upon the subject:

    1 Jo 2:18 Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. V. 22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. 1 Jo 4:3 And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that [spirit] of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. 2 Jo 1:7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

    The word antichrist(the adversary of the Messiah) is only used in the above four Sculpture passages. There is no reference to the antichrist in 2 Thes 2:3, man of sin, nor in Rev 13. Rev 13:18, beast - brutal, savage, ferocious man - obviously stands against Christ, but the same John who wrote First, Second and Third John and the Revelation did not identify the man in Rev 13 as the antichrist mentioned in the "Little Johns," and John should know. Check for yourself.

  • Observe:

    First, the intent of the apostle's writings was to protect the new church against the flood of false teachers and teachings that would inundate the church after the last apostle, Saint John, passed from the scene- in the last times. In fact, the superabundance of false teachers and teachings, i.e. antichrists and their false doctrines, would be proof that the church was in the last time, 2:18.

    Second, those John wrote to were already expecting the appearance of an antichrist, 1 John 2:18. Thus the "Little Johns" could well have been written after the Revelation: "We shall probably not be far wrong if we suppose that the Gospel and all three Epistles were written between A.D. 80 and A.D. 95." [Pulpit Commentary, Introduction to the Epistles of St. John, v. 22, p vii.] Matthew Henry dates the books as A.D. 80. John Gill dates it "some years after the destruction of Jerusalem...," and thus the last time spoken of by John referred to the end of the Apostolic Age.

    Third, speaking of a personal antichrist appearing in history, John clearly tells the church that the idea of an antichrist cannot be restricted to one person: There are, said the inspired Apostle, many antichrists, v. 18.

    Fourth, the Apostle points out that many antichrists would appear from within the church, i.e. They (the many antichrists of v. 18) went out from us, v. 19. Moreover, John explains why they departed: that they might be manifest that they were not all of us. Actually, the church is to cast out those who refuse to depart from false doctrine after proper warnings, Titus 3:10.

    Fifth, The Spirit, through John, clearly describes the characteristic of the many antichrists, v. 22. He leaves no doubt as to who they are. They were/are easily recognized by anyone who knew/knows the truth of God's Word, vv. 20, 21.

    Who were and who are the many antichrists? They all have a common point: They all denieth that Jesus is the Christ. He is antichrist, v. 22. Hence, the antichrist is not just one man, but consists of men with a common theology. Obviously, the common theology might deny the virgin birth, for they (the many antichrists) cannot be recognized by their denial of the virgin birth. The many antichrists would be very ineffective deceivers if they denied the virgin birth.

    John Gill's [1696-1771] comments about the Apostle John's remarks concerning the antichrist should be considered:

    1 Jo 2:22 Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son.

    This may have regard not only to the Jews, the Jew's that deny Jesus to be the Messiah, but chiefly to such who went by the name of Christians; who denied either his proper deity, or real humanity, as Ebion and Cerinthus, which was denying him to be the God-man, the Mediator, and Messiah; and is true of all such that deny him in any of his offices, or in things relating to them, as his Gospel, and any of the peculiar doctrines of it, delivered by him, and so deny his prophetic office; or any of his ordinances, institutions, and appointments, as lawgiver in his house, and King of saints, and so deny him in his kingly office; or reject him as the alone Saviour, joining their own works with him, in the business of salvation, and oppose his sacrifice and satisfaction, and despise his imputed righteousness, and so deny him in his priestly office.

    Thus the many antichrists are easily recognized. Not only are they the followers of modern Judaism, [multitudes of "Christians" encourage foreign aid to support an openly antichrist state, i.e. Israel] but the many antichrists will be found operating under the name of Christianity. Understandably, because they operate under the name of Christianity and derive their primary income from Christians to continue their war against Biblical Christianity, they will not deny the virgin birth. The modern antichrists of whom John warned basically deny that the Lord Jesus fulfills totally the office of both Lord and Christ (Acts 2:36) as prophesied in the Old Testament concerning the Messiah, e.g. Zech 9:9, 10.

    [One should not overlook the term, both Lord and Christ. We find the term where Peter obviously quotes Ps 2. Ps 2 is not placed off somewhere in the by and by, but Peter quotes it in the context of Acts 4:1-24; he applies Ps 2 to the religious rulers of his day who threatened him for proclaiming the Lordship of Christ over all the earth. V. 27, he goes on to include the civil authorities in antichrist activity, but he lays the primary blame for antichrist activity upon the heads of the religious rulers, v. 10. Yes, the civil authorities exhibited the spirit of antichrist as they moved against Christ and His followers, but the primary spirit of antichrist came from the religious leaders whose power and influence were threatened as people submitted to the Lord Jesus Christ, Acts 17:1-7.]

    Moreover, these antichrists deny that Christ's laws (the Ten Commandments, 1 Jn 3:4) are for His people during the "church age;" they deny Christ His kingly office over the whole earth; they deny His sufficiency for the imputed righteousness of His people, i.e. they add to or take from His finished work; they deny Him His priestly office, His sacrifice and intersession for His people; they corrupt the gospel message, departing from converting faith alone in His finished work to such heresies as "Ask jesus into your heart" for salvation. Modern antichrists deny that Christ is the all-sufficient Counsellor, mighty God, everlasting Father, Prince of Peace, and that the government is presently upon his shoulder, Isa 9:6.

    God's people, probably because of their lack of instruction in God's Word, have gladly accepted many antichrists and their doctrines of psychology and psychiatry to solve their problems rather than the practical applications of God's Word. Fallen man loves any doctrine of the antichrist that will make others responsible for his sin. Though the list of excuses one hears for accepting the many antichrists goes on and on, we will not.

    2 Jo 1:7 For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.

    For many deceivers are entered into the world, &c. By whom are meant false teachers, who are described by their quality, "deceivers", deceitful workers, pretending to be ministers of Christ, to have a: value for truth, a love for souls, and a view to the glory of God, but lie in wait to deceive, and handle the word of God deceitfully; and by their quantity or number, "many", and so likely to do much mischief; and by the place where they were, they were "entered into the world"; or "gone out into the world", as the Alexandrian copy and some others, and the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions read... [Gill]

    Thus the many antichrists profess they are ministers of Christ; they falsely profess their love for the truth and their love for souls; they profess that they anxiously await the future glory of God in Christ Jesus, but, in reality, they are deceitful, doing much mischief. They present other methods of salvation, conversion, i.e. baptisms, law-keeping, prayers, rituals, &c.; they present another law to live by other than the Divine Word of God, e.g. "We are under the law of grace, the inwrought, Divine Spirit now directs us, so we are not responsible to God's moral law as revealed in His commandments. We are thus not to influence civil law with divine law."

  • Their Doctrines

    The Spirit clearly shines His light upon the antichrists who were expected by his readers. John warned them that the antichrists' appearance would not be restricted to one specific individual, but many antichrists would appear, recognizable by their common spiritual characteristic, viz, their common message contrary to God's truth, 1 Jn 2:22 [antichrists, "opposers of Christ," Gill]. Who is a liar...,

    He shows now plainly the false doctrine of the antichrist's, that is, that either they fight against the person of Christ, or his office, or both together and at once. They who do so, boast and brag of God in vain, for in denying the Son, the Father also is denied. [Geneva, emp added.]

    John warns that the antichrists are false prophets raised up from among professed believers, who, among other things, deny the office assigned to Christ by the Father, e.g. King and legitimate lawgiver over the whole earth, Isa 33:22, Jas 4:12. It is, therefore, not unprofitable at this point to consider some things presented by John that identify the many antichrists. We will look at points denied (or taught against) by false teachers though clearly presented in God's Word:

    1) [I Jn] 1:5, 6, gives a theme that is repeated several times by the Apostle, viz. if one is a Christian, he will love and do the truth as defined by God's law, 2:26, 3:4, 5:17, &c. The spirit of antichrist resists the truth.

    2) 1:8, John clearly holds believers responsible to live "sinless" to the fullest extent of the grace given to them through Jesus Christ, but if they say they have reached a sinless state, they represent the spirit of antichrist.

    3) 2:2, Christ paid the total price for man's rebellion against the heavenly Father, so there is no further work needed on man's part. A result of man's faith in Christ's payment is that he loves to keep his commandments, 2:3, 4. Furthermore, John points out that he presents no new doctrine in this matter, for it was well established in the law, the psalms and the prophets, v. 7.

    2:8., John emphasizes love for one's neighbour, a doctrine well established in the Old Testament law, Lev 19:18. But there is a new aspect to the law: It is written in the fleshy tables of the heart, 2 Cor 3:3. His commandments are thus not grievous. The spirit of antichrist makes his commandments grievous, 5:3.

    4) 2:13, 14, through Christ, the believer has overcome the wicked one: The believer is the victor not the victim, Rom 8:37.

    3:6., through Christ, the believer is free from the power of sin, viz. the desire to sin no longer controls him. The power of the devil (as well as his works) has been destroyed. The devil, consequently, does not control the world. 5:4, 5, the believer is to control the world through and for Christ; the spirit of antichrist makes him a victim of the enemy instead of more than conquer through Christ.

    5) 2:15, 16, the believer is not bound by desires for worldly acclaim, riches nor love and esteem for self. There are certainly many antichrists walking to and fro seeking whom they may devour with the enemy's gospel of "self-love" and "self-esteem," Job 2:2, 1 Pet 5:8.

    6) 2:22, 23, the Father and the Son are One, and Christ is the Old Testament promised Messiah. Every description and attribute of the Old Testament Messiah is found in the Lord Jesus Christ. He is, accordingly, the present, reigning King of the Whole Earth. The spirit of antichrist places the King of kings' reign somewhere off in the unknown future though the world has always been, is presently and will always belong only to the Lord Jesus Christ, 1 Cor 10:26.

    7) 2:27, 28, each believer must find for himself what God says from His Word. John certainly is not condemning teachers, for the pastor/teacher is given by the Lord for the church's well-being. See Jer 31:33. and Eph 4:11. The spirit of antichrist says that the public assembly and public teaching of God' Word are unnecessary.

    8) 3:16, 17, works of charity are required of the believer. The spirit of antichrist is concerned with "me and my four, and no more." That spirit also turns works of charity over to the state.

    9) 3:22., answered prayer is conditioned upon saving faith in Christ and obedience to His commands, 5:14, St. John 9:31, 15:10, &c. The spirit of antichrist makes little, if any, connection between faithfulness to the Word of God and prayer.

    10) 4:1, not every spirit is of God. The spirit of antichrist identifies every "moving of the spirit" with the Holy Spirit as the wicked spirit persuades believers ignore the Word of God when the "spirit" moves.

    11) 4:17, the child of God is fearless. The spirit of antichrist brings a spirit of fear.

    The points listed above are easily seen as one quickly skims through John's letters, and most of them are listed and developed several times. The warnings were against the deceptions of the many antichrists who had already appeared among the believers, 2:18. John presented God's Truth in the many matters, so the believer would not be deceived by their smooth words and apparent righteous deeds.

  • Effects

    The modern, general thinking concerning the antichrist is that he is a person who must yet appear somewhere in the future. There are at least four dangerous results of that modern, general idea of a future, personal antichrist:

    First, by placing a personal antichrist off in the future, the above warnings of the Word of God can be ignored by sincere people. Christians believe antichrist is yet to come as a person, so they make no connection and feel no alarm when the antichrist seducers identified by the Spirit appear with their many false doctrines, 2:26.

    Second, the Apostle pointed out that many antichrists would flood into the church after he, John, was gone, teaching that not Christ, but the devil now rules and reigns in the world, 3:8. The logical result of their teachings is that because the world is supposedly totally under Satan's control, the Christian is not to have any part in influencing the world for Christ. The many antichrists effectively convince believers that they are VICTIMS of the works of the devil in this world, rather than the VICTORS over the works of the devil through Jesus Christ the Lord, Rom 8:37. Christ, they say, is not now Lord over the whole earth.

    Hence, even if believers might desire to influence their surrounding societies for Christ, many are left with an utterly hopeless, powerless "faith." They are convinced that they are appointed by God as victims of the antichrist, and thus lose any hope for the future. Their "hope" is reduced to a hope of some kind of escape, or, at the best, a political hope.

    Those of us who know Dr. Paul Cates have been amazed at the power of God. Entering Federal prison, his faithful testimony for Christ (consistently living what he professed) was used by the Lord to literally turn his resident camp upside down for Christ. His influence for Christ in the Federal Prison System reached all the way to the top. The Lord opened amazing doors for him at every level, and he never one time had to protest for "his rights."

    We hope to soon print Dr. Cates' account of what the Lord did through him in the very worse of situations, Federal Prison. Christians are ignorant of or are ignoring the power of God to change society through their individual lives. They are ignorant not only to their own destruction, but to the destruction of their societies in general. The disintegration of society into lawlessness is God's judgment against the Christians' failure to be both light and salt in the midst of wickedness.

    Ignorance of John's clear instructions concerning the spirit of antichrist has robed Christians of any and all hope that the faithful proclamation of the gospel (both in word and deed) can change the world for Godliness.

    Third, in spite of the Apostle's clear statements, Satan has convinced the average Christian that the major concern about an antichrist is a person somewhere off in the future. The result of the deception is that the spirit of antichrist now has free access to the minds and hearts of believers: "Don't worry. Be happy," says the enemy, "There is no need to worry about the antichrist. His appearance is yet to come. In fact, you will probably be gone before he appears on the stage of world history."

    For those who might like to know how, when and where our modern basic idea of a future, personal antichrist developed, contact this writer. The documentation may be reproduced at a latter date in a mailing, but it may not.

    Fourth, the Apostle was extremely clear: As the only author to identify the many antichrist, John did not even hint a connection of their identities with civil authority, i.e. an oppressive, persecuting state. Rather, the antichrist is identified with religious authority.

    John's warning in these three epistles concerning the antichrist was not that ungodly civil rulers would arise to oppress the church; rather, he warned that ungodly teachers would arise from within the church to lead believers away from the Christ the Messiah as revealed in the law, psalms and prophets, Luke 24:44-47, &c. The attack against Christianity by the many antichrists, John warned, would be from within: "deceitful workers, pretending to be ministers of Christ, to have a: value for truth, a love for souls, and a view to the glory of God, but lie in wait to deceive, and handle the word of God deceitfully; and by their quantity or number, `many', and so likely to do much mischief..." [Q.v.]

  • Religious Authority

    There are Godly men today in America who have faced the wrath of civil authority (even to the point of imprisonment) who are firmly convinced that the enemy is within the religious community: When and if "push comes to shove," they are convinced that the most dangerous enemy will be from among those who professes to love God, love souls, and to love and believe the KJV. They will turn on faithful Believers (in Jesus' name) who violate "Public Policy."

    John's clear warning was that there were already many antichrists present by the end of his life time. He knew that their influence would become a dangerous force against the church after his departure. Hence, the many antichrists have been around since before the last apostle departed, but they were kept in check by the sound preaching and teaching of God's Word. The many antichrists are easily recognized by their corruption of the many doctrines of Scripture, e.g. the finished work of Christ, the kingship (final authority) of Christ over all the earth, the authority of God's total Word, &c., &c.

    The many antichrists are having a field day because God's people will not accept the clear teaching of God's Word, and thus they are unaware of the fact that the many antichrists are presently busy burying them in the graves they have bought and paid for with God's money. The people have dug their own graves, and the enemy of their souls is covering them alive.

    In the situation before us, the "victims" refuse to believe the Holy Spirit's clearly spoken words, viz. the antichrist has been and is currently actively subverting the truth of God's Word among those who are called by His name, and, accordingly, leaving the whole world in the hands of wickedness, 1 John 1:5-10, 5:19. [See also Mt 13:38.]

  • A Closing Thought

    Who, may we ask, were the enemies of Christ while He walked on this earth? Who, may we ask, cried for His death? What makes us think the enemy of Christ has changed his method when it worked so well against Christ while He walked among men? The most effective and destructive modern warfare against God and the Word of God is not being led by civil authority; rather, it is being led by religious authorities, even those who profess to love God and His Word.

    Believers who love God and His Word must boldly stand against the enemy, but first, the enemy must be identified: He is not a political enemy, but a spiritual, religious enemy.

    My, how few believe that our warfare is not with flesh and blood, but against spiritual wickedness, 2 Cor. 10:1-6. As folks watch with anxious anticipation for a personal antichrist to appear, the many antichrist warned about by the Spirit, at their will, carry away captive multitudes of people, 2 Tim 2:26.

                                                                         
  • Promise Keepers

    • From PsychoHeresy Awareness Letter

    PROMISE KEEPERS & PHALLICISM

    To date the Promise Keepers organization continues to support Robert Hicks's book The Masculine Journey. As we have reported previously, Hicks's book is not based fully on the Bible, but rather on his own personal experiences of what it means to be a man. Hicks forms arbitrary stages in which to place his own personal experiences and subjective psychological notions. By giving biblical labels to these stages and mixing in some biblical truth, he makes it appear that the Bible validates everything he says about manhood.

    Hicks contends that "this word [zakar] reflects the phallic male in his distinct sexual aspect." He says:

    We are sexual beings at our most primary (primal) level. The Bible never pretends or expects us to be otherwise. It meets us and describes us where we are, where we live and have our being. To be male is to be a phallic kind of guy, and as men we should never apologize for it, or allow it to be denigrated by women (or crass men either) (p.24).

    Hicks reduces the biblical definition of manhood to one body part. He says, "The Bible simply defines manhood by the phallus" (p. 49). Needless to say, Hicks is attempting to squeeze biblical manhood into his categories. He says:

    Possessing a penis places unique requirements upon men before God in how they are to worship Him. We are called to worship God as phallic kinds of guys, not as some sort of androgynous, neutered non–males, or the feminized males so popular in many feminist–enlightened churches. We are told by God to worship him in accordance with what we are, phallic men (p. 51).

    One book on which Hicks relies is Daniel Levinson's The Seasons of a Man's Life. Hicks says the book is true on the basis of his own experience and on the basis of what he considers "excellent research." Levinson investigated the lives of forty men and came up with what Hicks calls "certain predictable eras in the male life cycle" (p. 19).

    Levinson admits that the study was influenced by Freud, Jug, and Erickson, but also included others, such as Wilhelm Reich (p. 5, Levinson et al). In reviewing one of Reich's books, Alan Morrison says:

    In his book, `The Murder of Christ', he [Reich] claimed that the Fall expounded in the third chapter of Genesis was an allegorical tale depicting the beginnings of sexual repression in human society, while Christ (who he claimed was the ultimate `Genital Man') came to give humanity an example of perfect sexual and energetic health. The reason that the Lord Jesus Christ was killed by the people, according to Reich, was because the sexually (maladjusted world could not take His dynamically) healthy sexual energy. (Morrison, The Serpent and the Cross, p. 254).

    There have been various phallic cults throughout history, such as the Celts and Druids. Barry Fell, in his book America B.C., has a chapter on "The Ritual Phallic Monuments."

    Hicks's book The Masculine Journey and the Promise Keepers' continued support of it are one fatal flaw in the movement. And, speaking of phallicism, is it mere coincidence that the Promise Keepers hope to assemble one million men around the Washington Monument in Washington, DC in 1977?

    [PsychoHeresy Awareness Letter, July/August, 1995, 4137 Primarvera Road, Santa Barbara, CA 93110. Used by permission. We would urge all who desire to keep up with the tremendous outpouring of "PsychoHeresy" and its influence in Christianity contact the Bobgans.]

                                                                         
  • "IRENAEUS AGAINST HERESIES"

    • [A.D. 120-202. He was Policarp's student, who was St. John's student.]

    CHAP. XXIV.--OF THE CONSTANT FALSEHOOD OF THE DEVIL, AND OF THE POWERS AND GOVERNMENTS OF THE WORLD, WHICH WE OUGHT TO OBEY, INASMUCH AS THEY ARE APPOINTED OF GOD, NOT OF THE DEVIL.
    4. Just as if any one, being an apostle, and seizing in a hostile manner another man's territory, should harass the inhabitants of it, in order that he might claim for himself the glory of a king among those ignorant of his apostasy and robbery; so likewise also the devil, being one among those angels who are placed over the spirit of the air, as the Apostle Paul has declared in his Epistle to the Ephesians, [FN, Eph ii. 2.] becoming envious of man, was rendered an apostate from the divine law: for envy is a thing foreign to God. And as his apostasy was exposed by man, and man became the [means of] searching out his thoughts (et examinatio sententice ejus, homo factus est), he has set himself to this with greater and greater determination, in opposition to man, envying his life, and wishing to involve him in his own apostate power. The Word of God, however, the Maker of all things, conquering him by means of human nature, and showing him to be an apostate, has, on the contrary, put him under the power of man. For He says, "Behold, I confer upon you the power of treading upon serpents and scorpions, and upon all the power of the enemy," in order that, as he obtained dominion over man by apostasy, so again his apostasy might be deprived of power by means of man turning back again to God." [The Anti-Nicene Fathers, The Writings of the Fathers down to A.D. 325, Vol. I, WM. B. EERDMANS PUBLISHING COMPANY, Grand Rapids, Michigan, pp 552-553.]

  • Luck or Providence?

    Exo 32:35, the Lord plagued the people. Plagued is a general term, e.g., the Lord smote or plagued Egypt with the frogs and death. Plagued does not necessarily mean death, but can refer to any kind of "bad luck," viz. Divine Providence is against the one(s) plagued by God. Plagued means that things just do not work out: The enemy has superiority, children are lost at birth, crops do not grow properly, money just doesn't stretch far enough, &c. Thus, even though the god of gold (v. 31) did not bring death to the whole nation, it brought the hand of Divine Providence against Israel.

    Many times we feel that if we do not lose our lives, lose our children, or perhaps our houses burn down, that the Lord hasn't really noticed the other gods which we serve. But we see here that such service does not necessarily result in obvious devastation. Mal 3:11 best describes the situation! No matter how hard one tries, it is not enough, for the devourer is permitted to devour the increase that one would have otherwise. Divine Providence is against him.

    The gods of gold, the other gods bring with them plagues.

    Pastor Need

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