THE FOLLY OF FOLLOWING MEN

I read two articles this past week, one entitled Bishop: Christians don’t go to heaven and the other ‘Resign,’ clergy tell archbishop of Canterbury. Both of these articles were from the website World Net Daily. The article about Christians not going to Heaven was titled wrong because it should have said “Christians don’t go to heaven immediately upon dying” that is what the article was about. The other article was about the archbishop of Canterbury “promoting Islamic sharia law in Britain.” The bishop N.T. Wright was fairly close to the accuracy and truth of God’s Word (the Bible) while the archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan William’s, was way off base


I read two articles this past week, one entitled Bishop: Christians don’t go to heaven and the other ‘Resign,’ clergy tell archbishop of Canterbury. Both of these articles were from the website World Net Daily. The article about Christians not going to Heaven was titled wrong because it should have said “Christians don’t go to heaven immediately upon dying” that is what the article was about. The other article was about the archbishop of Canterbury “promoting Islamic sharia law in Britain.” The bishop N.T. Wright was fairly close to the accuracy and truth of God’s Word (the Bible) while the archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan William’s, was way off base. What was more astounding to me is that both men are clergy in the same church, the Church of England or if you would rather, the Anglican Church. This is the same church that is being ripped apart from the inside by the American branch adopting “a pro-homosexual agenda.” Some U.S. congregations, according to this article, are seeking leadership from leaders in Africa. Bishop Wright’s proclamation is a nugget of truth in a hodge-podge of error and insanity.
Bishop Wright challenges the long held belief by many Christians that people go directly to Heaven when they die by saying that when people die they are asleep until Christ return’s and do you know what he uses for authority to teach such astounding doctrine? Hhmmm??? The Bible! Well, who would have ever thunk it?? How revolutionary, how profound! And not only did he use the Bible but guess what. He is right. People don’t go to Heaven directly after they die, if they did the Bible would fall to pieces! If you doubt him and me all you have to do is read I Thessalonians 4:13-18 and change the word “prevent” to the word precede for better understanding and you’ll see what I am talking about.
Bishop Wright credits much of the confusion to “pagan philosophies “ such as Dante’s great poetry and Michelangelo’s ‘Last Judgment’ in the Sistine chapel. Again, he is right. There are some points where he is still incorrect in his explanation but that is not what this article is about. I think it is great that he has made that leap beyond the bounds of “ Traditional Christianity” and actually used the Bible as his reference for Truth and practice. Wow, good for him. But that is where all of the back slapping ends.
The Church of England is in turmoil the archbishop is rolling over to Islam and Sharia law, the Americans are going to Africa for leadership since the leadership in America is on actually promoting homosexuality (you can’t find that in the Bible and don’t try playing the “its in their genes” card because anybody that is a homosexual can be delivered from it if they want to be!) and, if Bishop Wright is right about the dead being dead until Christ’s return and they are, then the Christian Church has believed lies about life after death for centuries! This one fact has lead to the promulgation of spiritualism, necromancy, witchcraft, and all sorts of wrong teaching.
Not only is the Anglican Church screwed up royally but all, yes I said “all”, Christiandom is in the same boat! It didn’t have to be this way! Christianity could have been right on with God and not fallen into these traps if they had only done the one thing that the good bishop did; use the Bible for, not only A source of truth but THE only source for truth. Until Christians come back to the Bible and study IT and apply IT in their lives they will be down hearted and defeated. They will constantly be frustrated in their endeavors. Just as it says in Jeremiah 2:13
Jeremiah 2:13 For my people have committed two evils; they have forsaken me the fountain of living waters, and hewed them out cisterns, broken cisterns, that can hold no water.
That verse rings as true today as it did when it was written. No matter how many years and how many men say something, if it doesn’t line up with the Bible it is wrong! Wrong, wrong, wrong, wrong , wrong.
Do you know what a cistern does? It holds water until you need it and then when you need water, when you are thirsty and hot and tired and you need life giving water the cistern has it ready for you. When people walk away from God by walking away from His Word and Hewing out their own doctrines, their own way of thinking, their own system of faith and practice then they are hewing out cisterns broken cisterns that can hold no water. Just the time you need an answer or deliverance it won’t be there because you have hewn out a broken cistern that can hold no water.
Come back to the One that can deliver you and get you back into a life that is more than abundant, Come back to God (the fountain of living water) and His Wonderful Matchless Word.
Psalm 40:2 He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.
3 And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the LORD.
4 Blessed is that man that maketh the LORD his trust.
Proverbs 3: 5 Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding.
6 In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.
Proverbs 29: 25 The fear of man bringeth a snare: but whoso putteth his trust in the LORD shall be safe. 26 Many seek the ruler’s favour; but every man’s judgment cometh from the LORD.
Psalm 119: 11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
II Timothy 2: 15 Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.
Psalm 33: 4 For the word of the LORD is right; and all his works are done in truth.