By Trevor
To those who know me as Trevor from Walid Shoebat’s site, you know
who I am, and to those who do not, I am a Protestant who loves my Catholic
and Orthodox brethren. I also hold to the belief and confession that Jesus
Christ is the Son of God, being of two nature where He is fully man and fully
God in one perfect, harmonious union; born of a virgin, indwelt and
empowered by the Holy Spirit, who was crucified under Pontius Piltate, died
and was buried, descended to hell, and on the third day, He rose from the
dead by the power of God (Romans 10:9); and ascended to heaven and
seated by the right hand of the Father.
I write in response to the Supreme Court ruling in the sodomites so-
called equality marriage and to compose my thoughts on the decision. It is
indeed a sad day for Christendom when a Court decides to override the just
lawful proceeding by an overwhelming majority who opposed the right for
sodomities to marry. David once pondered, “Lord, how long will the wicked,
How long will the wicked triumph?” Psalms 94:3, NKJV. He goes on to say:
They utter speech, and speak insolent things; all the
workers of iniquity boast in themselves. They break
in pieces Your people, O LORD, and afflict Your
heritage. They slay the widow and the stranger, and
murder the fatherless. Yet they say, ‘The LORD does
not see. Nor does the God of Jacob understand.
(Psalms 94:4-7)
In this way, we can see the sodomities and their advocates celebrating
today their vile passion on full display, with no shame in their shameful
conduct. For we know from the beginning of the Church, the sodomities
have been in full force, and were explicitly condemned in the Epistle of the
Romans, and to see this happening as validation of the Scriptures. They
boast that the Scriptures are arcane and therefore not for the so called
“modern times.” As if they wish to cast off the yoke of Scriptures, not
knowing that the Law is good.
For David wrote, “ Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous
things out of thy law,” Psalms 119:18. How can the Law be wonderful? For
we know the penalty of breaking the law is instantaneous death, as it is
written, “Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on
the testimony of two or three witnesses,” (Hebrews 10:28, NASB) Thus, the
Law was written in such a way it required absolute perfection.
We know that we cannot hope to achieve perfection by the flesh, which again was
condemned by the Epistle of Galatians, and by several early Church councils
in their wrestling against heretical sects. If we dared to achieved perfection
through the so-called “enlightenment” as advocated today by atheists and
those who clairvoyants passing off as Christians, then we have made Christ’s
death at the cross of void. We know of certain leaders within the Church (in
this case, I speak of an universal Church without regards for denomination
affiliations) who now says that sodomities can marry without impurity. We
know of a certain Jewish rabbi, a woman no less, who said in the Old
Testament that the law against homosexual was not about sexual attraction,
but of food! By use of sophistry, those leaders who were either appointed
by short-sighted board of directors or self-appointed, have led astray many
to deception.
The Law is good because it requires absolute perfection and absolute
obedience. Thus, we know that the requirement of the Law demands perfect
sacrifices without blemish of any kind. Space does not permit to
exhaustively list every single requirement God ordained in the Law, but we
can agree that the Law must be satisfied. For God, through the prophet
Jeremiah, declared:
But let him who glories glory in this, that he
understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD,
exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and
righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight,
says the LORD. (Jeremiah 9:24)
We know that through God’s love, He has established His ordinances
to govern the nation of Israel in its relations to God and themselves, and to
their neighbor, and strangers within their border. Violation of God’s
ordinances demands swift judgment, and there are specific regulations for
specific violations of His ordinances.
Then when all conditions are met, His righteousness are extended and met. It is an unbroken circle of God. It is no wonder then, that through the prophet Malachi, God reveals
the secret thoughts of the priests who grew weary of sacrifices. They began
to mock it openly. They began to cheapen it. Even then, God said that His
soul hated those sacrifices. The book of Hebrews says that the animal
sacrifices were not sufficient, for the sins were covered but not blot out.
It was for this reason that Christ came. For as I postulated, the Law
demanded absolute perfection, and as previously stated, we cannot hope to
fulfill God’s Law through the work of the flesh.
By being born of a virgin, Christ whose noble and pure blood was from the Father, that is God, Christ was without sin, for it is written that God would visit the sins of the father to
the third, even to the fourth generation. With God being the Father of our
Lord and Savior, Jesus, He was without sin, therefore, Jesus was born
without sin. Through the work of the Law, the Pharisees incited the crowd to
cry out, “Crucify Him!” and raising their hands toward Christ, unknowingly
that God was transferring the sins of the nation of Jews, and by extension
the whole world (for the Nicene Creed states that Pontius Pilate had Christ
crucified as a representative of Rome) unto Christ. This satisfied the Law of
Atonement.
Had Pontius Pilate understood this proverb, “The lot is cast into the
lap, but its every decision is from the LORD,” Proverbs 18:33, NASB, he
would have seen that his gamble to have Christ released instead of the
notorious murderer would have failed miserably. Pilate knew that Christ was
handed over to him out of envy.
Therefore, with Christ now as the sacrificial Lamb, the perfect One who
was spotless and without blame, for Pilate could not find fault in Christ, He
was condemned to die on the cross.
As Paul said:
[…]having wiped out the handwriting of requirements
that was against us, which was contrary to us. And
He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to
the cross. Having disarmed principalities and
powers, He made a public spectacle of them,
triumphing over them in it. (Colossians 2:14-15)
We know that Christ gave us a much better covenant and a much
better way to please God. As it is written, “But without faith it is impossible
to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He
is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him,” (Hebrews 11:6, NKJV).
So why, then, do the leaders of the Church today says that sodomites
are excused to pursuit their passion? Do they not know what the Scriptures
have said? Again, Paul says:
If then you were raised with Christ, seek those
things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at
the right hand of God. Set your mind on things
above, not things on the earth. For you died, and
your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ
who is our life appears, then you also will appear
with Him in glory. Therefore put to death your
members which are on the earth: fornication,
uncleanness, passion, evil desire, and covetousness,
which is idolatry. Because of these things the wrath
of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience, in
which you yourselves once walked when you live in
them. Colossians 3:1-7, NKJV.
And else where in the Scriptures:
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against
all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who
suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what
may be known of God is manifest in them, for God
has shown it to them. For since the creation of the
world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being
understood by the things that are made, even His
eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without
excuse, because, although they knew God, they did
not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but
became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish
hearts were darkened. Romans 1:18-21
The sad part is the church leaders who endorse the so-called same-sex
marriage equality have conveniently chosen to ignore this passage dealing
with God’s revelation of His wrath upon those who, as the passages shown,
knew God and chose to disobey His divine order. We know the fruit of the
leaders’ works are evident:
For this reason God gave them up to vile passions.
For even their women exchange the natural use for
what is against nature. Likewise also the men,
leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in
their lust for one another, men with men committing
what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the
penalty of their error which was due. And even as
they did not like to retain God in their knowledge,
God gave them over to a debased mind, to do those
things which are not fitting; being filled with all
unrighteousness, sexual immorality, wickedness,
covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder,
strife, deceit, evil-mindedness; they are whisperers,
backbiters, haters of God, violent, proud, boasters,
inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
undiscerning, untrustworthy, unloving, unforgiving,
unmerciful; who, knowing the righteous judgment of
God, that whose who practice such things are
deserving of death, not only do the same but also
approve of those who practice them. Romans 1:26-
32
We have already seen the fruits of such work of darkness and of minds
being defiled in which Christian owned business were forced to shut down, of
Christian pastors forced to violate their office, and of school system now
being told to teach about the so-called gender neutrality, equality, and such
things does not reflect the teachings of Christ. We have now seen the
highest court of the land ordering that all fifty states of the United States of
America are now to accept same-sex marriage as equal rights.
Thank be to God that there are godly men and women, leaders within
the Church, who having anticipated the decision in advanced by the
Supreme Court, made the declaration as inspired by the Holy Scriptures by
the First Apostles who said, “We ought to obey God rather than men,” (Acts
5:29).
For we have before us examples of giants of the Faith handed down
to us by the Patriarch of Scriptures, Abraham to David, from Prophets such
as Daniel to Jeremiah, and from Jesus Christ to the First Apostles, Peter and
John, to the Doctors of the Church and Fathers who chose rather than to
please the world, they chose to obey God. The penalty of choosing to obey
God and proclaim Jesus Christ the Lord was arresting, trials, persecutions,
being stoned, being shipwrecked, being beaten, robbed, starvation,
nakedness, without a home, wandering through desert and mountains for
the world was not worthy of them; they chose to say the name of Jesus on
their pure lips, knowing that such declaration brings swift retribution and
sometime slow, torturous death, they have received the joy of martyrdom.
Let us not despair in the face of success by the sodomities and their allies.
For they believe they have won the battle, but be assured that they have not
won the war.
The battle line have now been drawn in the sands, as it were, with the
leaders of the Church who declared as Peter and John boldly did, “We ought
to obey God rather than men,” and making known to the world of their
declaration through the Manhattan Declaration which reads:
We, as Orthodox, Catholic, and Evangelical Christians,
have gathered, beginning in New York on September 28, 2009, to
make the following declaration, which we sign as individuals, not on
behalf of our organizations, but speaking to and from our
communities. We act together in obedience to the one true God, the
triune God of holiness and love, who has laid total claim on our lives
and by that claim calls us with believers in all ages and all nations to
seek and defend the good of all who bear his image. We set forth this
declaration in light of the truth that is grounded in Holy Scripture, in
natural human reason (which is itself, in our view, the gift of a
beneficent God), and in the very nature of the human person. We call
upon all people of goodwill, believers and non-believers alike, to
consider carefully and reflect critically on the issues we here address
as we, with St. Paul, commend this appeal to everyone’s conscience in
the sight of God.
For we now know that the Holy Spirit does work in great wonder,
bringing together three major sects of Christendom in defense of life,
marriage, and religious liberty after centuries of strife and accusations
against one another. With Holy Matrimony now under assault by sodomities
and their allies, may God use this to speedily put an end to schism that
divides us, and bring us together as one unified force! Amen. For Christ
prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane before His arrest for all of us to be
united, for Christ prayed thusly:
I have manifested Your name to the men
whom You have given Me out of the world. They
were Yours, You gave them to Me, and they have
kept Your word. Now they have known that all
things which You have given Me are from You. For I
have given to them the words which You have given
Me; and they have received them, and have known
surely that I came forth from You; and they have
believed that You sent Me. I pray for them. I do not
pray for the world but for those whom You have
given Me, for they are Yours. And all Mine are
Yours, and Yours are Mine, and I am glorified in
them. Now I am no longer in the world, but these
are in the world, and I come to You. Holy Father,
keep through Your name those whom You have
given Me, that may be one as We are. While I was
with them in the world, I kept them in Your name.
Those whom You gave Me I have kept; and none of
them is lost except the son of perdition, that the
Scripture might be fulfilled. But now I come to You,
and these things I speak in the world, that they may
have My joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given
them Your word; and the world has hated them
because they are not of the world, just as I am not
of the world. I do not pray that You should take
them out of the world, but that You should keep
them from the evil one. They are not of the world,
just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by Your
truth. Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the
world, I also have sent them into the world. And for
their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also may be
sanctified by the truth. I do not pray for these
alone, but also for those who will believe in Me
through their word; that they all may be one, as
You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also
may be one in Us, that the world may believe that
You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I
have given them, that they may be one just as We
are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be
made perfect in one, and that the world may know
that You have sent Me, and loved them as You have
loved Me. Father, I desire that they also whom You
gave Me may be with Me where I am, that they may
behold My glory which You have given Me; for You
loved Me before the foundation of the world. O
righteous Father! The world has not known You, but
I have known You; and those have that You sent Me.
And I have declared to them Your name, and will
declare it, that the love with which You loved Me
may be in them, and I in them. John 17:6-26.
As we see that Christ wanted and prayed for all of us to be one, for
together, we are strong, and divided we lose. It is through this schism that
the gates of hell have taken advantage and wreak havoc in our Church and
in our walk with God! Heal us, O Lord, heal the divide! Close the breech, I
pray, Father, so that Your Church which was built on the Rock that is Christ
may withstand the assault of the force of hell, and prevail! May Christ be
glorified in the day ahead as the Church stand together as light against
darkness so that His prayer may speedily be answered, Father. In Christ’s
name, amen.
There is much anxiety in the Church. We must be of one mind, sober
and vigilant, for our adversary is now working to destroy the Church from
within. We have seen the enemy of our Faith winning decisive battle
because of schism, of envy, and of conceit. We have seen many leaders of
Faith fall from grace because of sexual immorality, misconduct, cheat,
stealing, embezzling, turning the grace of our Lord Jesus into license to
commit sins and throwing it underfoot! The fruits of their work have thrown
many Christians into confusion and despair, of which I have experienced for
a while. Thank be to God for writings of Christian philosophers, Dr. William
Lane Craig, who helped me bring back to the source of my faith which is in
Christ our Redeemer. We know that the devil hates the cross for it was at
the cross Christ destroyed the work of the devil. We know that the devil
hates marriage, for God said to the serpent, “And I will put enmity between
you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise
your head, and you shall bruise His heel,” Genesis 3:15. God proclaim a
rivalry that would continue to this day, and we know that Christ have
crushed the head of the serpent while all the serpent could do is bruise His
heel, by infesting the church with seeds of heresy which countless Church
council battled and condemned, by seducing weak minded Christians with
appeal of the flesh through the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the
pride of life, and bringing the Church to their knees, in a sense.
Yet we are not to be conquered, for Christ said He would build His
church upon the Rock, which is Christ, for Peter said, “Behold, I lay in Zion a
chief cornerstone, elect, precious, and he who believes on Him will by no
means be put to shame,” 1 Peter 2:6. We are, as Peter says, “A chosen
generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that
you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His
marvelous light; who once were not a people but are now the people of God,
who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy,” 1 Peter 2:9-10.
Another anxiety in the Church is the fate of the west, that is America,
and the worry is that God may remove His hand of protection from America
because of the disobedience of some Church leaders. May I take this time to
remind the brethren of how Abraham interceded for Sodom and Gomorrah
when the Lord revealed His intention to destroy the cities? While it is a
shadow of Christ who intercedes on our behalf against the adversary in the
heavenly places along with the saints who are around the throne of God, let
us remember that Abraham was able to negotiate with God to spare the
cities even if there were only ten righteous people (see Genesis 18:16-33).
Sadly, only Lot was found favorable, but even then, the angels took Lot by
hand and told him to flee for his life.
Or may we consider another city, which was condemned to be destroy,
Nineveh. Jonah being a Hebrew who hated the people of Nineveh, as they
were Israel’s sworn enemy, tried to resist God’s calling by fleeing. As we
know from the story of how Jonah spent three days and nights in the belly of
the whale, which is a shadow of Christ’s burial and descend into hell, and
after his prayer of repentance, he was vomited out of the mouth of the
whale and began to preach. The respond of Nineveh was so great, even the
king of Nineveh was moved:
When the word reached the king of Nineveh, he
arose from his throne, laid aside his robe from him,
covered himself with sackcloth and sat on the ashes.
He issued a proclamation and it said, “In Nineveh by
the decree of the king and his nobles: Do not let
man, beast, herd, or flock taste a thing. Do not let
them eat or drink water. But both man and beast
must be covered with sackcloth; and let men call on
God earnestly that each may turn from his wicked
way and from the violence which is in his hands.
Who knows, God may turn and relent and withdraw
His burning anger so that we will not perish.” When
God saw their deeds, that they turned from their
wicked way, then God relented concerning the
calamity which He had declared He would bring upon
them. And He did not do it. Jonah 3:6-10, NASB.
If a king of a pagan nation was able to repent, how much more would
America be spared if Christian leaders through act of civil disobedience and
continuing to preach Christ may turn the heart of America back to God!?
Christians will pay the price for refusing to the law of the land concerning
sodomities’ right to be married, for in the beginning God established
marriage between a man and his wife, saying, “For this reason a man shall
leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall
become one flesh,” (Genesis 2:24), and Christ confirmed this in the Gospels.
With the Law of First Mention, marriage have always been established by
God’s ordinance to be limited to one man and his wife. The Church may lose
its 503(c) non-profit tax status for its disobedience, and I say this may not
be a bad thing.
Too long, the Church have hidden behind the status as a shield to not
be harmed, puffing itself up thinking itself being wiser than the government,
not knowing the adversary have already been working to overthrow the
Church. The adversary has won this round because of the Church’s
arrogance. I say this not to shame the Church but to call the Church first to
repentance and to bring Christ back as the Center of worship. Thank God,
though, that there is resistance. As was said before, the Church leaders who
chose to obey God, have made declaration known to the Supreme Court and
to those who read and hear, that they will not obey and comply with the new
order.
With resistance come consequences. It will be as in the days of Daniel
when he learned of a new law passed that no one may worship God and turn
worship to the king, Daniel chose to worship the One True God who is above
all gods, who alone belongs worship, honor, praises, and sent His only
begotten Son because of His love for the world is so great! Amen. Daniel
was found out and was thrown into the lion’s den to be destroyed. God
spared the prophet for there was no fault to be found in Daniel because of
his faithfulness and devotion to the heart of God, therefore, if it pleases God,
may the Church leaders who are found and thrown into prison for
disobedience in refusal to marry sodomites have the same courage to face
trails in prison! May God use those preachers, lay leaders, and prison
ministry to win captive souls to the Cross of Jesus Christ. Yes, there may be
betrayal by the members of the Church to save their own skins. For Christ
predicted that the First Apostles would endure persecutions by their
brethren, the Jews, and then by Romans; later by heretical, by Muslims, and
now by sodomities and their allies, we must stand strong together and
united. In the words of Christ, we are to occupy until His coming, that is the
Second Coming, therefore, let us seek God with all humility, standing fast in
the face of coming persecution that the Church may be refined, purified, be
made white, and found worthy to receive rewards that Christ is bringing with
Him at His Second Coming.
May God bless each one of you, my Catholic, Orthodox, and Protestant
brethren in Christ, for we all must run the race with all endurance, and
seeking daily the Face of God through prayers, hymns, and praise. Let us
move past schism and bring Christ back in the center of our worship, and
boldly like lion declare Christ with wisdom of a serpent, and gentleness of a
dove. In Christ’s name, amen.