“His watchmen are blind, they are all without knowledge; they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; dreaming, lying down, loving to slumber. Yea, the dogs are greedy, they can never have enough; and these are shepherds that cannot understand: they have all turned to their own way, each one to his gain, from every quarter” (Isaiah 56:10-11).
In The True Marks of a Cult, we defined a cult as:
“An identifiable group, which, while professing Christianity or faith in Jesus Christ, is contrary, intentionally or otherwise, to true Christianity.”
By using the example and teachings of Jesus Christ and His apostles as recorded in Scripture, and as He has taught us, we identified 25 major marks of a cult, which together demonstrated that all religious denominations and offshoots are, in the sight of God, cults, contrary to His ways and works in Christ.
In our last series of issues, Spiritual Reality vs. Make-Believe, we responded to Bob, a staff member of Watchman Fellowship, which in Bob’s words goes “to churches all over the U.S. teaching the difference in basic Christianity and the alternative religions” (i.e. cults). Bob said that we were missing the boat by not having fellowship in “a church.”
Our correspondence continued and now concludes in this letter, with Victor’s reply to Bob’s final statement.
While Bob has decided to walk away, we will not, by the grace of God, walk away from the Truth. In this godless age where everybody does that which is right in his or her sight, He has made us to stand on His eternal Truth, the Lord Jesus Christ, Who is not a religion, or church group, or doctrine, but God in the flesh. Amen.
Letter from Bob:
Mr Paul and Mr Victor:
This will be my last communication with you! You don’t deserve any more of my time. You say I am not a “Born Again” Christian. When the Book of Life is opened and my name is there, we will know, won’t we. As for what I think of you and others who I have shown your statements to, good Godly men who know God and His Word, they all think you will be at the Great White Throne Judgment. Your works will not get you to heaven.
You judge even if you don’t know what the religion or faith or group teaches which is all churches or denominations. Have you ever been to one of our (Watchman Fellowship’s) crusades? I think not. I don’t hate you, I pity you. You condemn the Catholic church’s teachings and tell us where Pope John Paul is in the afterlife. [Love, Hate; And Where Is “John Paul II”?] Yes, he went along with works salvation, but so do you! But God is our judge, not me, and surely not you.
The meaning of “perfection” =Teleios (Greek) Of persons primarily of psysical development. “Fully grown, mature” God knows we can not be perfect. Study the Greek/Hebrew Interlinear Bible.
Hell: you said in section 12, the first paragraph, that eternal torment doctrine is of demons. [We insert that section for your reference:
“The doctrine of eternal torment is a prevalent one for most Christian cults. A more hideous character-assassinating teaching of the God of love cannot be invented or imagined. It is the worst of the worst. Cults believe it and preach it to gain power over souls and to experience, in imagination at least, some pleasure at the suffering of those who don’t see things as they do. It is a form of personal, private, imaginary revenge, a bloodthirsty vengeance that is bereft of mercy and conscience. Cults use fear to win converts to the God of love. How ironic! How demonic!
Many will take various passages and interpret them to say that Jesus and His disciples preached such demonic claptrap. They never did, and never would or could. It is contrary to all of creation and to the Creator. Here are three papers one can read on our site regarding this matter: The Good News, The Reconciliation of All Things, and Who Then Can Be Saved?!“] [Back to Bob] Jesus taught it and if you don’t believe his word you WILL find out it is eternal and not just something to frighten people. The end. Goodby. I pray that some day you will come to the knowledge of His Truth.
Bob
Remember that name!!!!!
Victor’s reply:
Bob,
Christ died for us when we did not deserve it. He gave us His LIFE when we were His enemies, but you say that you won’t even give us any more of your time because we “don’t deserve it.” And you presume to be His, walking in His Spirit? But we will yet give you more of our time, plenty of which we have already given. You have nothing to offer us, but we have plenty to offer you. Yes, Bob, we do say to you that you are not born again. As for your “good Godly men” to whom you refer, we say the same if they cannot tell that we are His. Who are you to judge if they are “good and Godly” or if they “know His Word”? And who are they to judge who we are? As it is written:
“But he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is judged by no one. For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he may instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:15-16 MKJV).
While we do not condemn you, we see no reason to believe that your name is written in the Book of Life. There is no evidence of that. With no evidence, what are we to do? Take your word for it? Did Jesus say, “Take their word for it” or did He say, “You shall know them by their fruits”?
Watchman Fellowship “crusades”? First of all, you are not watchmen. Secondly, to take the word “crusade,” which represents the horrible atrocities in the Middle Ages, perpetrated by the Catholic Church by vicious, wanton marauders who pillaged, raped and murdered, in the Name of God, tells us enough about the spirit and value of your meetings just in the label, no matter how much excitement or worship you think to generate. God forbid that we should have anything to do with your works! How evil and darkened you are, you and those who blaspheme the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Who laid down His life for you adulterers and adulteresses!
Salvation by works? Where do you get the silly notion that we believe in or preach such? Bob, you presume to walk in the light, yet how great is your darkness! If you had light (understanding) you would not be able to accuse us of the things you do. That is why we say that you are not born again. Those born again are children of light. You are in darkness, you and your fellows, so how then can you be born again? You are accusers of the saints, His children in light.
As for the Great White Throne Judgment, we are now there, and so are you and your “good, godly men.” They, along with you, are tried and found wanting. The Word by us has judged you perfectly.
We have written many things to you, for which you have only opinions and no Godly, spiritual or Scriptural substance. You people are liars and cowards, who hide behind religion and vain profession of God. Hypocrites! You pervert and distort all truth and goodness. Better to shut your mouths and go to the bars than to your brothels of Christian pretence! Drunkards and prostitutes don’t pretend; you do. Your whole organization is antiChrist. Serpents you are, with nice colors on your backs, crawling in your holes, but when one gets your full attention, you are quick to sit up defend yourselves, because you are afraid of damage or destruction.
The things you fear come on you, and you will not be able to walk away from us retaining a justified conscience any longer. You have nothing whatsoever to do with the Lord Jesus Christ as you pretend. You play games and think to gain reward for it from the One Whose Name you blaspheme all the day, as if He were an easily deceived fool.
Hypocrites, calling Jesus Christ a liar! He says, “Be therefore perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect,” but you say, “God knows we cannot be perfect.” He tells us to be something He knows we cannot be? Liars, calling God a liar just as the serpent called God a liar in the Garden of Eden! If you were of the Heavenly Father, you would know full well that though it is impossible by our own virtue or strength to be perfect, it is entirely possible for God to make it so, and make it so He does for those His sons who are made in His image, after the Perfect Pattern. It is His will and design to do so. But you know nothing of the reality, having no faith at all. You are liars, and seed of the serpent who called Him a liar (“Yea, has God said…?”).
So the word “perfect” means “fully grown, or mature” as the Heavenly Father? Tell me this: When did He grow or come to maturity, hypocrites? And if it were so, just try being fully grown or mature, as Him, without the perfection to accomplish such a thing! Bob Smith, you are a liar, of your father the devil, and your associates with you. And you are going to deliver others from the devil’s deceptions? Hah! You are the instruments of deception, because you yourselves are deceived, being children of darkness, knowing nothing, dead while you presume to speak in His Name! Liars and hypocrites you are, vile in all your ways.
Blessed be the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ, Lord of lords, and King of kings, the Savior of all men! Thank You, Lord Jesus, for the privilege of being able to discern between good and evil, to see the wicked for who they are, and to justly rebuke them with Your blessing and knowledge! You have hid these things from the wise and prudent, and from the hypocrite that chooses his own righteousness.
Go then, Bob, you and your brood, and do your evil works in His Name, but know that you will not prevail. Let the Lord reward you and yours abundantly according to your deeds and according to His will.
Contending earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints, doing judgment against all, and rebuking all the ungodly of them concerning all their ungodly works which they ungodly did, and concerning all the hard things ungodly sinners spoke against Him, even as Enoch said would be. (Jude 1:3, 15 MKJV)
Victor