From: Angela
Sent: Monday, February 20, 2017 11:45 AM
To: The Path of Truth
Subject: Luther
Dear Sirs,
I have been touring your site for the last hour.
I also am unattached to organized religion. I agree with you on much; I’ve only been reading for an hour so to claim more would be speculation.
I was raised Lutheran, Wi synod (the strict ones). My grandfather being a pastor & church planter, my mother was a teacher, other grandparents were members of church board.
The catechism you speak of is my main area of concern on your Lutheran section.
I wonder if you realize that the Lutheran religion of today, any synod, has murdered Luthers writings.
That catechism they give students is a cut up remnant of what Luther taught and wrote.
I collect the catechisms and show my family how what they believe is false. For the very one my great aunts and uncles used is completely different from the one I & my generation used.
I’ve found most pastors in this religion know little of what Luther taught or why.
I suggest to have separate sections on Lutherans and Luther himself.
I do not support the Lutheran religion in any way. It is a cult. Or at least where I was raised it is.
However Luther’s original writings are not what the average Lutherans of today teach or follow.
I also am wondering if you have a section on how the church in acts actually operated? I’m under the impression as of now that you believe there are no correct forms of organized religion. What do you refer to the early churches as?
What is your explanation of one accord?
Do you deny God hates people?
Thank you for your time. I hope to receive answers or directions to find the answers on your site.
Sincerely,
Angela
From: Paul Cohen
Sent: Monday, February 27, 2017 7:15 AM
To: Angela
Cc: Victor Hafichuk
Subject: Re: Luther
Hi Angela,
Welcome to our website and thank you for writing to us with your observations about Martin Luther and the religion practiced in his name. Would you be willing to show us the places where Luther’s teachings and doctrine are different than what is in the Lutheran Church catechism (Luther’s Small Catechism) as related in our writing? We will certainly take a careful look at what you have to say in order to amend/supplement the paper and make separation where such is due.
Do you agree, by and large, that Luther was a false teacher with regards to the pure and undefiled Gospel of Christ preached by His apostles in the Scriptures?
You ask us:
“I also am wondering if you have a section on how the church in acts actually operated? I’m under the impression as of now that you believe there are no correct forms of organized religion.”
“Pure religion and undefiled before our God and Father is this: to visit the fatherless and widows in their affliction, and to keep oneself unstained by the world” (James 1:27 WEB).
The Church is the Body of Christ, and operates as He directs His people who have His Spirit. It isn’t a physical organization, and never has been.
“The wind blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don’t know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit” (John 3:8 WEB).
That’s not to say there isn’t order. There is, only it comes from above and not from men of this world who claim the Lord’s Name but who don’t have His Spirit.
“Let all things be done decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40 MKJV).
“What do you refer to the early churches as?”
The word “churches,” as translated from the Greek in the New Testament, speaks of local assemblies of believers in different locations. That’s all.
“What is your explanation of one accord?”
“Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity” (Psalms 133:1 MKJV).
Ephesians 4:1-6 WEB
(1) I therefore, the prisoner in the Lord, beg you to walk worthily of the calling with which you were called,
(2) with all lowliness and humility, with patience, bearing with one another in love;
(3) being eager to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.
(4) There is one body, and one Spirit, even as you also were called in one hope of your calling;
(5) one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
(6) one God and Father of all, Who is over all, and through all, and in us all.
“Do you deny God hates people?”
This question can be taken two ways. Are you asking if we deny that God hates some people? Or are you asking if we say that God hates no one?
Both are true, depending on where one is coming from. It’s true God so loved the world that He gave His Only-Begotten Son for all. It’s also written, “Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated” (Romans 9:13 MKJV). How do you answer this question?
Paul Cohen & Victor Hafichuk
www.ThePathofTruth.com
From: Angela
Sent: Thursday, March 02, 2017 1:27 PM
To: Paul Cohen
Subject: Re: Luther
Dear Paul,
Thank you for your response. I love discussing God and your msg is refreshing.
Yes indeed I will send you information I gathered from the catechisms I own and from my experience in these classes.
It will take a few days. Be patient I ask.
I’d like to address the question of hate. This is a very sensitive subject I’ve found. Many believe if God hates that He cannot be a God of love. I disagree with all I’ve ever talked with or have read their writings.
I believe that this great love of God is why He hates. I don’t believe one is capable of righteous hate until they’ve loved.
In the culture of today we automatically say we hate things and people as commonly as we say we love them. I use to do this. I’d see a movie or a shirt and say I loved it. I’d eat a cookie and go, OMG it’s to die for.
Would I actually die for it though? No. Perhaps from but not for. This commonality that people put on words deceives us. It messes up our thinking and pretty soon a concept seems impossible or wrong because we don’t even know what it is because the wrong words are being used. Like gay. It once meant pleasant and happy. Now we all know the dangers of that word these days. Yet no one knows what it means. Why?
Depending on what year you’re born the word means different things. For my mom it was happy but people didn’t use it anymore, for me it meant stupid, for my lil brother it means homosexual of any gender, for my kids it means a male homosexual.
My point here has nothing to do with homosexuality but the deception of words.
So now let’s take the word hate. All over the bible God says He hates. Esau is one example.
Psalm 5:5,6 11:5 36:2 45:7 97:10
Proverbs 8:13 10:18
Romans12:9
These are all examples.
Now we know God cannot tempt us or lie. So we know that hate in itself is not a sin. The direction of our hate is what’s important. Where it came from and where is it directed.
For God Himself hates and cannot sin. Yet we are told to love our enemies. So how do we do all this and how do we love our enemies while still hating evil?
We go back to the beginning. We start with love. That love we are commanded to have for our enemies is not that warm feeling one generally thinks of in today’s culture. However this is the first reception in misunderstanding hate. Love is an action, not a feeling. We are to act selflessly as God did. He showed us kindness when we were His enemy. We must do the same. (That warm feeling in our culture we call love is lust)
Now if we love God you cannot help but hate evil. It is proof that we live God. So hate is righteous when directed correctly. However to act on hate and cause harm is sin. No where are we told to do cause harm. We are to show love to all. That is the one true religion you referenced in James.
This brings us to the churches. I think you should stop using religion and church as synonyms. They are not.
A church may gather to practice a religion, however no church is a religion. (Notice the deception from words again)
The early churches I’m referring to are the ones mentioned in the bible.
I’ve found nothing on your opinion on those churches. For instance The church first spoke about in Acts.
One accord means “all the same”. No divisions.
I think I answered your questions. I hope you’ll write back more on hate and now answer my original question on hate.
I don’t think I ever actually finished my thoughts on hate. I think God hates all workers of iniquity (not just their sin) because the bible very clearly states it.
I believe God can only hate after love.
In our culture we relate hate to really bad feelings and often with harming others. Well since God can’t sin we must have it wrong.
So I thought about my own hate. I should have a lot. Ive been a victim of many crimes and have many reasons to hate. For instance my dad molested me. I don’t hate him though. I feel sorry for him. I pray for him. I don’t trust him though and would never leave children alone with him.
I think about my ex-husband who raped me many times and killed me once. Years of torture. Yet I don’t hate him. I thought I did once. But I feel sorry for him too. Then I noticed in almost every survivor from holocaust situations to sex crimes in our present day, the survivors who find God never hate. They speak of love. And there is often talk of just being thankful they weren’t one of the evil ones, instead they were blessed with the opportunity to endure great trials, and pray for the evil.
So I’m not sure exactly what hate is. I do know our basic understanding of it is wrong. I do know God hates. I don know God hates people not just actions. I do know we are to hate.
Is it that terrible feeling I get when I see another child being abused? Is it that feeling when I see a parent keep the Word of God from their children? Is it that action I take of falling to my knees in prayer for comfort for the hurt children being raped endlessly and that the oppressors and persecutors be saved and stop?
I don not know exactly what hate is. I am learning what it is not though. I’m also learning that the more I love God, the less anger I have even within my hate. Perhaps anger and hate are completely separate.
Thoughts are appreciated!
Have a great day!
Angela
From: Angela
Sent: March-07-17 12:48 PM
To: Victor
Subject: Testimony
Dear Victor-
I’ve read your testimony, & Pauls. I find them to be interesting.
I’m curious as to why the emphasis on your and Pauls walk together? I may have misunderstood. You are married right? Paul was married I think.
Why no emphasis on your wife?
Also I’ve lightly read your site. There’s a lot of information on there and quite frankly you only get my “I’m bored” time. I agree with what I’ve read so far for the most part. I emailed about Luther and Lutherans. Paul replied. I noticed your schooling probably included studying Luther’s teachings. Is Paul also educated in such manners as you assumably are?
I was raised Lutheran, I was officially informed that my membership had ended decades ago. That same church bldg has now asked me to clean it. I find that funny. I must say its turned into one of the most enjoyable jobs I’ve ever held. I love cleaning. I also do agree that the religion is a cult and that all organized religions in this country that I’ve knowledge of are also cults. I don’t know that I agree that all teachers/preachers of these religions have been false though. I’ll have to keep reading, this is a concept that’s been rattling my brain for years though.
I thank you for your time. I hope to hear from you soon.
Sincerely,
Angela
From: Victor Hafichuk
Sent: Sunday, March 12, 2017 8:42 AM
To: Angela
Cc: Paul Cohen
Subject: Re: Testimony
Hi Angela,
If you find an emphasis on Paul’s and my relationship, it’s a matter of saying the Lord has brought us together to serve Him as a team.
Paul isn’t married but I am and have been for over 42 years.
You ask a strange question. Why no emphasis on my wife? Should there be one? Why an “emphasis”? Was there one on Zipporah, or Peter’s wife? What about wives of many presidents of countries or other leaders? What about Clementine Churchill? What about Mrs. Abraham Lincoln? And when Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister of Great Britain, we didn’t often hear from or about her husband.
My job is mine – that’s what The Path of Truth is all about, and Marilyn’s job is hers. You’ve been introduced to my work.
Yet, my wife is here with me and helps me immensely. If she remains in the background, it has been largely her choice to do so. That said, God has called me to minister directly under Him as He does all ministers in the Body of Christ; they are all men, as you can readily see in Scripture.
When God says, “Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated,” it simply means He has chosen one of the two to receive His blessing and birthright, not that He had anything personally against the other.
When He calls on us to hate our family to be His disciples, He’s talking about letting go of that which is more precious to us than He has been.
Of course, there’s another hate, as well:
Proverbs 6:16-19 MKJV
(16) These six the LORD hates; yea, seven are hateful to his soul:
(17) a proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood,
(18) a heart that plots wicked plans, feet hurrying to run to evil,
(19) a false witness who speaks lies, and he who causes fighting among brothers.
And yes, the Lord does hate sinners as well as sin, but His hate is righteous, unlike that of carnal man who doesn’t understand. We hate without understanding but the Lord hates with perfect understanding. When we receive His Mind, we come to love and hate the way He does.
The love and hate we’re talking about is not about feelings or emotion but a matter of the will, of choice.
Angela, the Lord has all the answers. He IS the Answer to all things. I mean that quite literally; nothing cheesy about that statement. I hope you’ll avail yourself of what He has given us to give others. Many will come, few will receive and even fewer will put to practice what they’ve been given. God has it all ordered according to His wisdom for His glory.
Victor