-----1990-1999 --- MISGUIDED IDEAS INVADE CHURCHES

      When Willeta came home from a Women’s Service meeting Ed could tell immediately that something was wrong. He was afraid to ask but he did anyway, “What’s wrong?”

      “I can’t talk about it.  I don’t think I’ve been so angry in my life.” Willeta put some clothes in the washer, turned it on, picked up the broom and marched out to sweep off the sidewalk. She knew how to put emotions to work.

      Later when she came in she said, “I have to tell someone. I’ll tell you. I went to that meeting expecting to hear more faith building experiences but I was disappointed.  I thought we would hear some inspirational stories that women always have in their outreach work for others but instead we had a guest speaker give a tirade against the idea of service. The guest, a lady university professor, said it is time for women to start standing up for their rights, and then continued her lecture on how women have been mistreated down through the ages. She said that we no longer need to be tied down to the home burdens and that it’s time for us to fight for our place in the sun. The more she talked the angrier I became.”

      Ed sympathized, “I hope her ‘poor me’ attitude doesn’t spread to our people.”

      “That’s what angers me the most.  It already has! They have the wrong spirit. The women’s liberation movement and the women’s ordination debates have the spirit of antichrist, the exaltation of self.”

      “You know what?” Ed paused, “I just read in the Living Bible a description of how professed Christians in the last days would exalt themselves and follow their own “misguided ideas” instead of God’s plan. – (2 Timothy 3:1-2; 4:4).

      “But it is so sad to see those misguided ideas invade our churches when the Bible is plain that an ordained bishop, elder or church leader must be a qualified husband. (Titus 1:6 and 1Timothy 3:2).  Why do so-called Christians fight against God’s perfect order of service?”

      During the years 1990 to 1996, misguided ideas brought moral ruination to many people and churches.  Even Time magazine recognized it: --- “The mainstream churches have tried in various ways to adapt themselves to a secular age.  Churches not only permitted the ordination of women…but also are seriously debating the ordination of homosexuals and the sanctioning of homosexual marriages...

      “The New Age bliss has grown to extraordinary proportions, with…mass merchandising…  Some New Agers often affirm that all is God, hence all is good. As Chesterton said, ‘When men stop believing in God, they don’t believe in nothing; they believe in anything.’” [i]

      It seemed evident to Ed and Willeta that they lived in the “last days” as more “hateful birds” invaded the churches.[ii] “Despite Christianity’s centuries of opposition to paganism, some old-line churches are opening up to the Goddess. A witch teaches in an institute at the Roman Catholic Holy Names College in California. A book by two United Methodist pastors proposes experimental Bible readings about the crucifixion that replace Jesus with Sophia  (Wisdom), a name for the divine personality used by Goddess-minded Christians.” [iii]          

      “In permitting the ordination of women, the Church of England joined a transformation that has altered other Protestant denominations…Words to prayers and hymns they have cherished since childhood are gradually changing. Denominations that once would not tolerate divorced ministers now find themselves debating whether to accept avowed lesbian ones. Feminist theologians are searching for new ways of conceiving God himself--or herself--as Mother, Wisdom, Sophia, Goddess.”[iv] 

      God warns people to escape from Babylon, “‘Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.’ (Revelation 18:4)”  ---”In every apostate or world-conforming Church there are some of God’s invisible and true Church, who, if they would be safe, must come out. …False Christendom, divided into very many sects, is truly Babylon, i.e. confusion…Corrupt, lifeless Christendom is the harlot...” [v]   

      Ed says that the call to come out of Babylon is God’s invitation for people to come back home. Come back to the old paths of holy living. Come back to the peace of obedience. (“Great peace have they that love thy law.” –Psalms 119:165) Come back to the true faith that works by love.  Come back to the hope of eternal life through the Son by way of the resurrection and translation at His Second Coming.

Extraterrestrials?

      In 1992 an article appeared in Time magazine about a new search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI).  Radio antennas were scheduled to survey the heavens with 8 million radio channels for signs of life.  “By the end of the decade, if they get lucky, NASA’s radio astronomers may discover the signal that ends mankind’s loneliness. The detection of an extraterrestrial signal would be one of the greatest events of this or any other millennium. … It might also pose a challenge to the world’s religions…

      “And what if, after a millennium of listening and looking, there is only silence -- what if we still seem alone? …One answer to the dilemma, popular in SETI circles but not very flattering is called the zoo hypothesis: extraterrestrial ethics would bar other creatures from interfering with quaint, developing species. Somewhere out beyond the orbit of Pluto there may be a sign bearing the astronomical equivalent of DON’T FEED THE BEARS.” [vi]

      William D. Hamilton, evolutionary biologist of Oxford University, explained the “zoo hypothesis”: --- “Suppose our planet is a ‘zoo for extraterrestrial beings’; they planted the seeds of evolution on earth hoping to create interesting, intelligent creatures. And they watch their experiment, interfering hardly at all.  So that almost everything we do comes out according to the laws of nature. But every now and then they see something which doesn’t look quite right.’ For example: ‘This zoo is going to kill itself off if they let you do this or that. So they insert a finger and just change some little thing.  And maybe those are the miracles which the religious people like to so emphasize.’” [vii]

      “Not so,” Ed replies, “God has inserted more than a finger in the affairs of men. He came down in the form of a man called Jesus to talk to us in our language and tell of his plan. We have that message from outer space all written down in the Bible.  Another voice from space is not needed.”

Waco

      “The sun didn’t blacken, nor the moon turn red, but the world did come to an end, just as their prophet had promised. The End drove up to their doorstep in a tank, spitting gas... on the day the Branch Davidians died.” [i]  (This happened April 19, 1993 after a 51-day standoff.)

      “The pounding began a few minutes after 6 a.m., when an armored combat engineer vehicle with a long, insistent steel nose started prodding a corner of the building…pumping in tear gas.

      “Fleeing the gas, women and children clustered in the center of the second floor, from which there was no exit. … An explosion rocked the compound, then another and another.”[ii]  (The fiery conflagration claimed the lives of 85 people including 17 children.)

      “By the time the fire fighters went into the compound, only ashes and bones were left, and questions. ...Among the questions that remain is why ATF agents did not try to nab Koresh on the frequent occasions when he left the compound to jog, shop or eat in local restaurants. And with children in the buildings, why didn’t they treat the whole operation as a delicate hostage situation?”  [iii]

      When Ed watched the live TV pictures of the fiery explosion and billowing smoke he asked, “How could it explode throughout the whole building so quickly? Could concentrations of tear gas become explosive? Why didn’t the people come out? Did they think the FBI agents were the enemy and they were soldiers defending their lives like the Texans at the Alamo?  Why do people accept what others say about Bible prophecy without checking it out for themselves? 

      Finally, Ed asked the basic question people are afraid to deal with, “Where did the Waco victims go when they died?”  Then Ed gave us his answer, “One person might tell you that they go directly to heaven.  A priest might say that they go to purgatory.  Another might say some went to heaven but at least Koresh went to hell.  The Bible says that they, ‘All go unto one place; all are of the dust, and all turn to dust again.’  (Ecclesiastes 3:20).”

      Of course, Christians believe there will be a resurrection when Jesus returns.  Those “that sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake.” (Daniel 12:2)  In fact, Jesus said that everyone who sleeps in their grave will hear his voice and come out, some to the resurrection of life at his coming and some to the resurrection of condemnation 1000 years latter. (John 5:28-29: Revelation 20:5-9)

      Ed taught that the news of death as a sleep and the resurrection as an awakening should be comforting.  “Reason should tell us that this is more comforting than to imagine the dead going immediately to heaven.  How could any loving mother enjoy heaven knowing that her children are suffering, dying, starving, being mistreated or molested down here on earth?   No, that would be impossible.  Instead the loving mother who dies, sleeps unaware of the passage of time and the next moment for her Jesus returns in power and glory.  It will be the grand reunion of all the saved people. Angels will shuttle that resurrected mother along with her faithful children to that stupendous space ship transport ‘shining cloud’ to meet their Lord along with all the other redeemed and travel on a seven day flight to the mansions Jesus has prepared.  What a reunion and what a glorious trip that will be!  How much better is the hope the Bible brings than the misguided ideas of men.”

UFO Masters

      The members of the Heaven’s Gate cult trusted that Marshall Applewhite held the key to heaven’s gate.  Ed watched the news reports of their mass suicide. The final report stated that 39 men and women of various ages; all dressed alike in black, had committed suicide.  Dead people lying neatly groomed on beds and cots throughout the well-kept mansion seemed more like a Halloween prop than a real life situation.

      Those people had been brainwashed by their leader, Marshall Applewhite, to believe in him and the messages he claimed to receive from outer space.  He had been teaching that a UFO starship would come and take him with all of his followers to heaven.

      When years went by and no spaceship came some of their group left.  Then when a large UFO appeared in photographs of the new comet Hale-Bopp, Applewhite persuaded his followers that death was the leap of faith that would release their spirit to join the brothers on the large Hale-Bopp UFO. Then the brothers on the UFO would take them on to a higher level of heaven.

      Ed said, “We were sorry for what happened.  It was a great tragedy. They did not go to Heaven. They went to the grave. The Bible declares, ‘The living know that they shall die: but the dead know not anything.’ (Ecclesiastes 9:5)  ‘They die, and return to their dust.’ ‘In that very day his thoughts perish’ (Psalms 104:29; 146:4.) 

      Speaking of the 39 people who committed suicide William Proctor, a member of another UFO group, said, “They were tragically misguided, believing a spaceship…would take them to the ‘next level.’” [iv]  “Proctor fears there could be more suicides with the coming millennium.  That is why it is important to spread the truth.  And the truth, he says, is this: in 2001, a spacecraft will land…followed by others…In all, there will be 33 spacecraft, … each carrying 1,000 ‘space brothers,’ he says.  … They will speak from their experiences to end hatred and disease, and they will invite us to become a member of an interplanetary confederation.

      “Unarius… is not a cult, he says…It is a ‘new life science’ that …has nearly 5,000 members and that about 475,000 people have read its books or viewed its videos…” [v]

      Misguided ideas in the minds of talented leaders continue to lead hundreds of gullible people into the pit of death.  Speaking about the death of the Heaven’s Gate people the news media quoted relatives as saying, “They left their mortal body,” or “He went to a higher level” or “She left this earth on a beam of light” or “They husked their shell to meet their brothers.”  Notice how this compares with what one might hear at a funeral, “He has gone to glory” or “He has gone to a higher level.”  All these sayings stem from the devil’s original lie that he whispered to Eve in the Garden of Eden, “You will not die but you will become like gods.”

      Some funerals are turned into “celebration services”. They celebrate the “home going” of the dead person with songs and poetry most of which is not scriptural.  Ministers say of the deceased, “He has entered the great beyond”; “Angels have carried him through the pearly gates”; “We cannot think of him as dead - they have gone before”; and “entered within the veil”.   These vague expressions are not in harmony with the teachings of Jesus. These same ideas were used by Applewhite to deceive his converts. He added the idea of a spaceship to give it more reality.

Warm Glow

      “Ed, we have company.  It’s three Mormon boys!   You’ll have to go to the door.”  The dog was barking and Willeta was on her way to an appointment.  Ed admired the Mormons for their non-smoking health standards and their tithing practice but he disagreed on other things.  After some friendly conversation the leader explained, “We came here to bring you the truth.  All we are asking is that you read the Book of Mormon and ask God to tell you whether it is the truth and the way to heaven or not.”

      “Is that what you did?” Ed led them on. 

      “Yes, we did,” and they all agreed.

      “How did God tell you?” Ed kept prodding.

      “As I prayed for God to show me that it was the truth I felt this warm glow come into my chest.” The spokesman for the group testified, “It was the ‘inner voice’ of the Holy Spirit in my heart.  If you will only read the book and pray the prayer you will know.”

      “I don’t need to read it to know.” Ed wanted them to think. “God has already told me that it is not the truth!”   They were all shocked by Ed’s statement.  Even Ed surprised himself that he had spoken so boldly.  He had been trying to be courteous.  But he wanted them to know that a warm glow or a feeling is not necessarily the voice of God. 

      “The Bible” Ed continued, “declares that going by feelings, or conscience will lead to destruction, and it warns us against miracles as a sign of truth. The only true test of a prophet is the Bible.  If they speak contrary to it, they are false.  ‘To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them’.” (Isaiah 8:20)

      “We believe that.” One of the young men spoke up, “The Book of Mormon is written according to the true law, and it is the testimony we go by.”

      “Let me explain why I reject it,” Ed continued. “Your church teaches that the angel Moroni came back to tell Joseph Smith where he had hidden the golden plates.  Isn’t that right?”

      “Yes, he was God’s messenger.”

      “And this same Moroni, son of Mormon, lived and died here about 1500 years ago?”

      “That’s right. He hid the plates about 420 AD”   

      “Did Moroni return from the dead?” Ed posed the question and then answered it, “The Bible declares that the “dead know nothing”, that they all sleep in their graves until the resurrection when Jesus returns. The Bible says that dead people can not return.  If some apparition does seem to return it is one of Satan’s angels trying to deceive us.  God warned us against those who claim to receive messages from the dead.  So if anyone appeared to Joseph Smith claiming to be Moroni, a person who had died and returned as an angel, it should be clear that it was a lying spirit, one of Satan’s angels.  Perhaps a bright shining being did appear to Joseph Smith and deceived him.  But we don’t need to be deceived.   We know Moroni did not return from the dead!”

      The young men decided to leave.  Ed walked out to the gate with them.  They were still arguing in favor of following this inner voice or the warm glow experience that they felt.  Ed tried to warn them, “It’s not safe to go by feelings. [i]  God does not bypass the mind.  He wants you to study his word and not be influenced by mere emotions or feelings.”

Death a Doorway

      Many people say that all who die go straight to heaven.   Some even claim that it doesn’t matter what you do, Jesus will save everyone.  Ed remembers a trial of a young man for the murder of his live-in girl friend who had decided it was wrong to live together.  He told the judge how much he loved her and how he couldn’t stand to be separated from her.  He sobbed, “I didn’t really kill her. I loved her too much.  The shot helped her go to heaven and I was going to join her but the police stopped me.”  

      Maybe God’s Court in Heaven will condemn those as guilty who taught the young man that people go to heaven when they die.  Jesus taught that everyone goes to the grave, and will not wake out of sleep until the resurrection after his trial in Heaven’s Court is over.  Then according to Jesus there will be two different resurrections; one group classified as good by Heaven’s court to eternal life, and the other group classified as evil to the resurrection of their death sentencing. (John.5:28-29)

      Jesus also taught that the gateway to eternal life is narrow and few find it, while the highway to eternal death is a broad and has many travelers.  He said that many will claim to be Christians but will never enter heaven because they continue to disobey His Father’s Law. (Matthew 7:13-14, 21; Luke 13:23-27)  The devil and his angels were banished from heaven because of their sins, and Jesus will not re-infect heaven with sin or practicing sinners.

      Jesus promised to return with his rewards to give to everyone according to what he has done. (Cf. John 14:1-3 and Revelation 22:12)  Notice, people don’t go to their reward at death.  Jesus brings their rewards when He returns. People go to heaven only after it has been decided who will go and who will not.  That Heavenly Court decision process will close and everyone’s destiny will be determined just before Jesus comes. (Revelation 22:11-12)   The “home going” is when Jesus returns the second time. It is not at someone’s funeral.  The righteous dead have not “gone on before” the living.  The obedient people, dead or alive, will all go home together with Jesus.  (1 Thessalonians 4:16-18)

          ---------------------------Angel Worship

      Books and magazine articles about angels are filling the racks in the stores. . There is a regular TV show on angels and there is a bimonthly magazine on angels. Ed visited with artist Andy Lakey who took advantage of the angel popularity with his unique stylized angel paintings that sell for up to $80,000. each.  His relief touchable acrylics incorporate sand and mirrors.  Because of a near death experience with a vision of angels every painting has at least one angel.  He plans on completing his 2000th angel in the year 2000 and he said he had a lot of secret messages hidden in all of his paintings.  Ed asked him if he had ever read the messages of the three angels of Revelation 14.  He said no he hadn’t but his wife had her story of an angel rescue published and that a tabloid copy of it was currently on the news stands.[i]

      Ed felt like there was a danger in all the angel stories that might lead people to believe that all angels are good and that every encounter with something supernatural is a blessing from God.  He knew from his Bible studies that this was not so. Consider the following facts about angels: --

      1.  “Angel” means messenger and the Bible tells many stories of angels bringing different types of messages to people; messages of warning, deliverance, and instruction.  An Angel was sent to Mary the most unusual message. The angel that rolled away the stone at the Jesus’ tomb had the most wonderful message: - “He’s Alive!”   And the two angels that came when Jesus ascended into heaven had the most hopeful message: - “Jesus will return!” (See Acts 1:11)   But, beware, there were also angels with a lying message.

      2.  Angels are a higher form of life than human beings. (Psalms 8:5)  They have power and abilities that man does not have.  One angel destroyed 185,000 Assyrian soldiers in one night. (2 Kings 19:35)   Angels have opened prison doors, shut the mouths of lions, and built walls of protection around God’s people. (Acts 5:19; Daniel 6:22; 2 Kings 6:15-17; Psalms 34:6-7)  They are able to fly through space faster than the speed of light.  They can appear as ordinary men or as bright shining beings.  People have seen them and talked to them but did not recognize them.  The Bible says that by being kind to strangers some have entertained angels without realizing it. (Hebrew 13: 2)

      3.  Hebrews 1:14 declares that God sends his good angels to help those who want to receive salvation.

      4.  Bad angels also perform good miracles and good deeds, but they do them in order to deceive people into believing that God sent them. (Matthew 24:24; 2 Thessalonians 2:7-12)  Jesus warned us against that possibility. He said that evil angels would masquerade as good angels.  In the last days they would heal the sick, prevent accidents, and perform many other miracles. (Revelation 16:14; 13:13-14)   Then after having won the confidence of the unwary they would inject the poison of false doctrines.  Their hidden agenda is to separate Christians from Christ by creating doubts about the Word of God; about its promises, its history, its laws, and its reliability.

      5.  The real goal of Satan and his evil angels is to gain control of the minds of men.  To win man’s allegiance and to capture his loyalty is the devil’s aim. It is not a mere mind game.  It is a war between Christ and Satan for the minds of men.

      6.  God’s loyal angels are stronger than fallen angels. “Bless the Lord, ye his angels, that excel in strength, that do is commandments, hearkening unto the voice of his word.” (Psalms 103:20)  They will protect those who have the Seal of God engraved upon their minds.  Yet, no matter how wonderful the angels are, or how many mighty deeds they perform, they are not to receive worship.  Adoration and worship belongs to God alone.[ii]

One Key?

      Before we answer the big question as to who has the one and only key to the gate of Heaven, let us say thank you to Ed and Willeta for sharing some of their faith building experiences. They trust this book will bring courage and faith to every reader. They look forward to meeting you in heaven not because they feel worthy but only because they have reached out to accept the one and only key to Heaven’s gate and they trust that you will do the same.

      There is only one way, one road, one door or one key to the gate of Heaven. Jesus is that one gateway to Heaven and His testimony is the key. (John 10:9; 14:16) He walked the path of obedience even though it cost him his life. He mapped out the way as an example so that we should follow in his footsteps. He did not merely talk the talk, but he also walked the walk.  He also made it very plain that no other being in the universe other than Himself could satisfy the justice of Heaven. Jesus was God in the flesh.  He clothed his divinity with humanity.  He is the Great Creator of the universe, who willingly laid aside his glory and honor in order to become the Savior of mankind.

      The idea that the Creator of the millions of starry systems would come down to this lost planet and become a man in order to communicate with us is amazing.  (Psalms.8:1,3-4)   Not only did the Great Creator become a Man among men to mark out a life-style example for us, but also He became our Savior.  Not only did He come to communicate but also He came to die as a second Adam for the punishment that was due the human race.  Why was it necessary for Him to die?  Couldn’t God just forgive people their sins without having to suffer the second death separation experience?  The reason is that God’s character as expressed in the moral law is unchangeable.

      God’s character and The Law that describes his character does not change. (Luke 16:17) The devil especially hates those who “keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.” (Revelation 2:17)  He knows that they are the ones who will occupy the place that he and his angels once enjoyed.  The only way people can outwit Satan and keep God’s Holy Law is to daily study and accept the testimony of Jesus, which is the gift of prophecy and includes the entire Bible. (Revelation 19:10)