It is interesting to note the following fact, which is mentioned in the third source below:
It [the term, oblivion] has lost its original sense of "no longer aware or mindful," however, and now means simply "unaware" (1862). Properly should be used with to, not of.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Sin and reprobation of the mind can lead to a state of spiritual oblivion that knows no bounds. This was my thought after reading about the absolute depravity of a person named Robert Goss who masquerades as a reverend. The idolatry, brokenness and demonic strongholds in this man's life are most evident in Pastor DL Foster's post called, MCC Clerics Demonize Jesus.
I could not even believe what I was reading!
This is so blasphemous and ugly, it is one post that I have found very difficult to comment on. As disparaging as it is against our Lord, Jesus Christ, I decided that I must comment on it because it shows the awful direction that the gay christian movement is headed. Even worse are the homosexual "reverends" who claim that the cross of Christ isn't necessary. [When I locate that article I will include it here.]
Reading about Mr. Goss did bring back to memory a post that I had done a while back at my blog called The Ugliness of Celebrating Sin. The actual post isn't directly related to the Mr. Goss' reprobate demonization of Christ. However, when I went back and read through the comments, I found that many of the individual reactions there gave much evidence for the danger inherent in the spiritual oblivion of the reprobate mind...in some cases...even for those who claim to be Christian.
My next thought was pity for this depraved person's mind. To have such ugly, sinful and blasphemous thoughts towards Christ indicates to me that he might even be demon possessed. Some may think that my opinion about this is wrong, or even unbiblical. But the following verses (below) tell us that the peace of God will guard our hearts and minds through Jesus Christ. Obviously, Mr. Goss' mind is filled with depraved, sinful thoughts of deception about what it means to truly love the Lord. And, to equate a sinful human sexual act (using eros kind of love as an excuse) with a true, loving (agape kind) relationship with Jesus Christ is just evil, naive, and, quite frankly, absolutely stupid!
The following excerpt from an article entitled What is God's Response to the Gay Agenda? can be applied towards the gay christian movement, as well:
With all due respect to the APA, Corporate America, the judiciary, and politicians, the real question is not what each of these groups thinks, but what God thinks, specifically the God of the Bible. If the God of the Bible created the universe, He created the rules that govern the universe. This means that He defines reality and surely has a perspective on the gay agenda. So, what is God’s perspective as revealed both in nature, which He created, and in the Bible, which He inspired? Beginning with general revelation, God’s revelation in nature, note that the homosexual lifestyle is single generational. A homosexual couple cannot naturally reproduce. This means that if everyone were homosexual, the human race would be extinct in a few decades. This logic may seem a bit extreme, but the reality is undeniable. Gay men have no way to reproduce. Lesbians can only reproduce by artificial insemination. Therefore, nature reveals that a gay lifestyle is cursed with extinction. Hence, anyone adopting a gay lifestyle shows no regard for future generations. The gay lifestyle is inherently self-centered and is inconsistent with God, who created the reproduction capability of species, including the human race. Turning to the Bible, God’s special revelation, the Apostle Paul described homosexuality as unnatural and an indication of the judgment of God on people who have rejected God’s revelation of Himself in nature (see Romans 1). This truth is a bitter pill for the gay agenda. Some gay advocates argue that the Bible is ambivalent on homosexuality, but I have yet to see a credible exegesis of Romans 1 that supports a position of ambivalence. In fact, Paul reinforced his position stating that homosexuals will not inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9). Both natural and special revelation compel me to believe that God will not bless homosexuality. He values human reproduction, which is one of the primary reasons He created man (see Genesis 1:26–28). He does not bless self-centered living, nor does He bless those who reject His revelation. Hence, it seems clear and logical to assume that He will not bless homosexuals.
I would only add that God will not bless unrepentant homosexuals.
Back to Mr. Goss and his statements. My next thought was since this person's thoughtlife about Jesus is evil, naive, and stupid, it doesn't even deserve to be addressed. Don't get me wrong. It's a serious situation because the soul of this individual is obviously in dire straits and will experience the consequences of hellfire because of his unrepentant, reprobate, sin-filled, Jesus-mocking mind.
Some verses in Jeremiah come to mind:
Jer 25:4 "And the LORD has sent to you all His servants the prophets, rising early and sending them, but you have not listened nor inclined your ear to hear.
Jer 25:5 "They said, 'Repent now everyone of his evil way and his evil doings, and dwell in the land that the LORD has given to you and your fathers forever and ever.
Jer 25:6 'Do not go after other gods to serve them and worship them, and do not provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands; and I will not harm you.'
Jer 25:7 "Yet you have not listened to Me," says the LORD, "that you might provoke Me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt.
Jer 25:8 "Therefore thus says the LORD of hosts: 'Because you have not heard My words,
Jer 25:9 'behold, I will send and take all the families of the north,' says the LORD, 'and Nebuchadnezzar the king of Babylon, My servant, and will bring them against this land, against its inhabitants, and against these nations all around, and will utterly destroy them, and make them an astonishment, a hissing, and perpetual desolations.
Jer 25:10 'Moreover I will take from them the voice of mirth and the voice of gladness, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride, the sound of the millstones and the light of the lamp.
If Mr. Goss remains in his state of reprobation, he will miss everything that is listed in verse 10 as well as the salvation of his soul.
Look at the NLT version of verse Jeremiah 25:7
"But you would not listen to me," says the Lord. "You made me furious by worshiping your idols, bringing on yourselves all the disasters you now suffer.
We know what this man's idol is. This man's thought life is so far from God it's astounding.
The Proverb verses tell us how important it is to keep God's commandments. The two brilliant statements from our Lord (in bold) can be attributed towards identifing Mr. Goss as a false convert. At the same time, the words absolutely destroy his reprobate-thinking theology:
Pro 3:1 My son, forget not my law; but let thine heart keep my commandments:
Pro 4:4 He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my commandments, and live.
Pro 7:2 Keep my commandments, and live; and my law as the apple of thine eye.
Jhn 14:15 If ye love me, keep my commandments.
Jhn 15:10 If ye keep my commandments, ye shall abide in my love; even as I have kept my Father's commandments, and abide in his love.
What does God's Word tell us about our thought life?
Phl 4:4 Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!
Phl 4:5 Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand.
Phl 4:6 Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;
Phl 4:7 and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.
Phl 4:8 Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy--meditate on these things.
Philippians 4:4-8 NKJV
In conclusion, this illustrates just one reason why Jesus told us that he did not come to abolish the law, but to fulfill it. If Jesus came to abolish the law, then we could live in any morally relativistic (or morally reprehensible way as the corruption of Mr. Goss shows us) way we so choose.
But we steadfastly know that Jesus came to fulfill the law, not abolish it. Therefore, His statement, "If you love me, keep my commandments" flys in the face of the gay christian reprobate theologians who choose to be "no longer aware or mindful" of what God's Word teaches. Scripture will always condemn and expose false prophets, teachers, and theologians like Mr. Goss. And the depravity of their minds will continue to expose the spiritual oblivion that they choose to reside in.
*******
Footnotes:
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1) - Cite This Source - Share This
ob·liv·i·on /əˈblɪviən/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[uh-bliv-ee-uhn] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun
1.
the state of being completely forgotten or unknown: a former movie star now in oblivion.
2.
the state of forgetting or of being oblivious: the oblivion of sleep.
3.
official disregard or overlooking of offenses; pardon; amnesty.
[Origin: 1350–1400; ME style="FONT-VARIANT: small-caps" href="http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=-ion">-ion; see ob-]
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.
American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
o·bliv·i·on (ə-blĭv'ē-ən) Pronunciation Key n.
The condition or quality of being completely forgotten: "He knows that everything he writes is consigned to posterity (oblivion's other, seemingly more benign, face)" (Joyce Carol Oates).
The act or an instance of forgetting; total forgetfulness: sought the great oblivion of sleep.
Official overlooking of offenses; amnesty. [Middle English, from Old French, from Latin oblīviō, oblīviōn-, from oblīvīscī, to forget; see lei- in Indo-European roots.] (Download Now or Buy the Book)
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth EditionCopyright © 2006 by Houghton Mifflin Company.Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This oblivion
1390, "state or fact of forgetting," from L. oblivionem (nom. oblivio) "forgetfulness," from oblivisci (pp. oblitus) "forget," originally "even out, smooth over," from ob "over" + root of levis "smooth." Oblivious is c.1450, from L. obliviosus "forgetful," from oblivio. It has lost its original sense of "no longer aware or mindful," however, and now means simply "unaware" (1862). Properly should be used with to, not of.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Posts
5 comments:
A portion of Scripture that also speaks towards this issue:
1Ti 4:1 NOW the Spirit expressly says that in latter times some will depart from the faith, giving heed to deceiving spirits and doctrines of demons,
1Ti 4:2 speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron,
1Ti 4:3 forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from foods which God created to be received with thanksgiving by those who believe and know the truth.
1Ti 4:4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing is to be refused if it is received with thanksgiving;
1Ti 4:5 for it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.
1Ti 4:6 If you instruct the brethren in these things, you will be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished in the words of faith and of the good doctrine which you have carefully followed.
1Ti 4:7 But reject profane and old wives' fables, and exercise yourself toward godliness.
1Ti 4:8 For bodily exercise profits a little, but godliness is profitable for all things, having promise of the life that now is and of that which is to come.
1Ti 4:9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance.
1Ti 4:10 For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach,[fn1] because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.
1Ti 4:11 These things command and teach.
Christine, thanks for your comments. This is deeply grevious. It is actually public knowledge, but it needed to be shown in this context.
I concur with all you have written.
My only hope is that someone reading will be warned, strengthened and become aware of the pernicious movement and thus save themselves and others.
gcmwatch,
Is this entirely unique to the MCC churches?
I'd be curious to see what many of the gay/lesbian/bisexual commenters (who also called themselves Christians)from the past who used to post at Talk Wisdom [like Deb, Mamalicious, Boo, Stephen W.(not Bennett), etc.] would think about this Goss character who masquerades as a "reverend."
I wonder if I would be correct in assuming that they simply (and conveniently) would refuse to comment here anymore. Thus, they will escape any need to disapprove of a fellow gay christian.
You stated, "My only hope is that someone reading will be warned, strengthened and become aware of the pernicious movement and thus save themselves and others."
Amen!
There are some, hopefully, that will wake up and realize their need to be "pulled from out of the fire" as it says in the book of Jude.
Jud 1:23 And others save with fear, pulling [them] out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.
Jamieson, Faucett and Brown have a great commentary on Jude 1:23
[It's also interesting to note Jude 1:21,22 within the context of verse 23:
Jud 1:21 Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.
Jud 1:22 And of some have compassion, making a difference:]
22, 23. None but those who "keep themselves" are likely to "save" others.
have compassion--So one oldest manuscript reads. But two oldest manuscripts, Vulgate, &c., read, "convict"; "reprove to their conviction"; "confute, so as to convince." (bold mine)
making a difference--The oldest manuscripts and versions read the accusative for the nominative, "when separating themselves" [WAHL], referring to Jud 1:19 ; or "when contending with you," as the Greek is translated, Jud 1:9 .
23. save with fear--The oldest manuscripts do not read "with fear" in this position: but after "snatching them out of the fire" (with which, compare Amo 4:11 1Cr 3:15 Zec 3:2 , said of a most narrow escape), they add the following words, forming a THIRD class, "and others compassionate with (IN) fear." Three kinds of patients require three kinds of medical treatment. Ministers and Christians are said to "save" those whom they are made the instruments of saving; the Greek for "save" is present, therefore meaning "try to save." Jude already ( Jud 1:9 ) had reference to the same passage ( Zec 3:1-3 ). The three classes are: (1) those who contend with you (accusative case in oldest manuscripts), whom you should convict; (2) those who are as brands already in the fire, of which hell-fire is the consummation: these you should try to save by snatching them out; (3) those who are objects of compassion, whom accordingly you should compassionate (and help if occasion should offer), but at the same time not let pity degenerate into connivance at their error. Your compassion is to be accompanied "with fear" of being at all defiled by them.
hating--Even hatred has its legitimate field of exercise. Sin is the only thing which God hates: so ought we.
even the garment--a proverbial phrase: avoiding the most remote contact with sin, and hating that which borders on it. As garments of the apostles wrought miracles of good in healing, so the very garment of sinners metaphorically, that is, anything brought into contact with their pollution, is to be avoided. Compare as to lepers and other persons defiled, Lev 13:52-57 15:4-17 : the garments were held polluted; and anyone touching them was excluded, until purified, from religious and civil communion with the sanctified people of Israel. Christians who received at baptism the white garment in token of purity, are not to defile it by any approach to what is defiled.
I shudder to think what some may do in their private lives. But thats not what Im interested in, only what they proclaim publicly.
From what I have seen and read by far the MCC clergy lead the pack. The Unity Fellowship Church is rather strange as well.
I think that anytime a church allows its members to opt out of belief in Jesus, anything goes. That a person is a minister doesnt seem to matter.
As I pointed out the MCC was started by a man with sin riding his back so if there's snake in the roots, it will only grow larger.
There can be no discipline of MCC clergy because they subscribe to relative Christianity. There have been a couple of other cases.
Post a Comment