Unitarians - A Religion for the Wicked Masses
Very Unitarianistic!
And So It Begins
I was fully intending to be writing an article concerning the tenet of Calvinism signified by the letter "T" in TULIP but and an interesting thing happened on the way to the forum. My previous article seemed to draw out some very well versed and educated Unitarians that wanted to take me to task concerning my doctrine of the Trinity; that Jesus is fully God and man. I have known their tactics for many years and as the JWs have their favorite passages with which to argue their cultic doctrine, the Unitarians are a whole lot better educated and well-versed (not indoctrinated as they accuse me being) and come very prepared.to support their position. Herein lies the problem; Christians as a whole in this country are very weak in doctrine and it seems the "church" system intends to keep it that way. They kept asking me to produce a "single" verse that would declare that Jesus was God; I provided well over a hundred but I knew full well this is NOT what they wanted for they can only handle a verse or a passage at a time. I acquiesced and gave them Isaiah 9:6 and they did not disappoint. They came back with time tested Unitarian dogma, very well presented; thoroughly bad doctrine but who would know the difference among the average non-Unitarian church goer? They did not want to comment or to discuss; they wanted to aggrandize themselves, shore up their own position and to bring myself and anyone else down who might peruse their writing. To sum it up, I did a little more research and I am going to address 9 (nine) major points of Unitarianism versus Christianity, that some may be better equipped in these perilous last days.
the coexist symbol is truly the heart of Unitarianism.
Unitarians & the Pharisees Have A Common Ground.
What Did the Pharisees Know, Unitarians Don't?
Here lies an interesting question; who was the Messiah or better, what was HE supposed to be? Every Pharisee knew that He would be God incarnate and the term "Son of God" was not a term of family but of the Father's relationship to man; the tangible, touchable character of Almighty God. Their problem with Jesus was that He did not meet their predisposed criteria, as they leaned heavily on the writings of the Rabbi's as opposed to the actual Torah. Sounds a lot like the church today; give us an easy book to read, a light devotional and we will be equipped to face all challenges that come our way, until they actually come. Pharisees - "Why wasn't He born a king? He wasn't educated by the Rabbinical system if educated at all, He doesn't even quote the Rabbis and He is not very kind when He addresses our "holiness", of which we are sure far exceeds that of a common carpenter. The people are beginning to listen to Him more than the professional religious holy men. He challenges us and we cannot find an answer and should anyone of our cadre follow or support this one of a rebellious spirit, he shall be expelled from our illustrious body - permanently."
What did the Pharisees have in common with today's Unitarians? Their theology and lifestyles would not and cannot tolerate this "man" being God. The Pharisees' wanted Him dead whereas the Unitarians know that cannot be the case currently but He must be relegated to being a man and no more. The Pharisees had a deep abiding need of the Law being at their very core, though manipulated to set them apart from the sheep of Israel.
On the other hand, Unitarians which came into existence in the late 1600s in Poland and Transylvania and eventually morphed into what we see today by the 1800s, being considered a legitimate alternative to traditional Christianity. With seminaries affording them a very sophisticated education in several disciplines and community acceptance, they maintain a dedicated and passionate following. Most of the "Christian" community has no idea what they truly stand for and it is not for the Gospel of Christ.
Interest Assessment of Unitarian Thinking.
A Lot of Famous Unitarians.
Interesting Quote From Taft.
What Else Do They Hold To Be The Truth?
After the main tenet of the non-deity of Christ the following 8 points will give you a better idea of who they are and why they will be so popular in these last days.
point 1: one god and the oneness or unity of god.
James 2:19 - "Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble."
Point 2: the teachings of Jesus have set an example of a good and moral life.
1 Thessalonians2:13 - "For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the Word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in Truth, the Word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe." Jesus did not just set a good example which is only a fraction of the truth for He made us a new creation in Him that we should live out His life in obedience. As per John 14:15, obedience is the sincerest form of love for the Savor.
point 3: reason, rational thought, science & philosophy "coexist" with faith in the "one" god.
2 Corinthians 6:14-17 "Be ye not equally yoked together with unbelievers...what part hath He that believeth with an infidel....come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord .." and Romans 12:2 "And be not conformed to this world...." The believer is never asked to coexist which carries with it the hidden meaning of acceptance but to live a life that eithers draws another to Christ, or as in this present culture we now reside, you become an offense. As Jesus said, they hated ME they shall hate you.
point 4: humans must use their free will in a responsible, constructive and ethical manner and any religion will be useful to assist them.
John 8:43-47 "Why do ye not understand My speech? Because ye cannot hear My Word. Ye are of your father the devil and the lusts of your father ye WILL do:...And because I tell ye the Truth, ye believe Me not...He that is of God hearth God's words: ye therefore hear them not, because ye are not of God." Man has NO free will outside of Christ for they are totally subject to their father the Devil. It is only when a person comes to the saving knowledge of the Savior, that free will comes into play in the form to obey or not to obey. The lost of this world go about life thinking they are doing everything of their own free choice, but in reality they are just extendible pawns as far as the Devil is concerned in his war with righteousness.
Point 5: no religion can have the absolute monopoly on the holy spirit or with theological Truth.
It is John 14:6 that the world detests, for Jesus claims He is the ONLY way.
Point 6: human nature in its present condition is neither inherently corrupt nor depraved but is capable of both good & evil as god intended from the beginning.
Boy, Romans 3:23 is not a key verse in their repertoire. Do you notice that as the points progress how their doctrine strays further and further from the Word of God?
point 7: the writers of the bible were inspired by god but being human they were capable of human error.
2 Peter 1:21 begs to differ with this tenet: the writers did not write anything of their own will but wrote as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. They were the pens in the hand of God as they wrote what we have before us this day. The word moved in this verse is also found in Acts 27 verse 17 where the ship that Paul was on was "driven" before the storm. They were not sailing the vessel; it was going wherever the storm was going to take them; likewise the men wrote as they were driven before the Holy Spirit wherever He desired them to go. There was no human error in the original manuscripts and as I have written before, our Bible is made from copies of the originals by fallible men but perfected in the lives of His Saints.
point 8: Predestination, eternal damnation, the vicarious sacrifice and the many theories of the atonement are completely invalid: they malign god's character and veil the true nature and mission of Jesus.
Pray there is no heaven and hope there is no hell. How could a loving god ever condemn another poor human being for following his own conscience. Proverbs 14:12 "There is a way which seemeth right unto a man; but the end thereof are the ways of DEATH."
The moral of this exercise is this: not all that appears benign and of little consequence is to be taken lightly, for the souls of mankind hang in the balance. The next time you see one of those coexist bumper stickers, remind yourself that you are at war with an enemy that hates your very existence.
Comments
AUTHORRemember this: when the end comes for you and peace turns into a nightmare, it will not be too late to cry out as the thief on the cross.
I will leave you to the very real hell you created for yourself. All negative thoughts are a projection of self and Not of God. Live in Peace and Love.
The End
- AUTHOR
You speak of being spiritual, but you read into the Word what you want to believe not what the "sola scriptura" teaches. God's wrath abides on those who have not made their peace with Him for they are DEAD in their sins and trespasses. You may believe that enmity with God is only the materialistic but when Jesus comes with His rod of iron to destroy the enemies of the cross, be sure to remind Him of this. The future Lake of Fire is literal and the many of the broad-way (the co-existers) will find that it is all too real - forever! You have displayed your hand, but it is never too late and who knows (God knows) He just might help you one day to know the Truth and then and only then will you be set free. Remember, the coming judgment is either real or it is a figment of one's imagination: your choice - don't be wrong.
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear.
1 John 4:18 God is love.
My intent is to follow the teachings of Jesus as best I understand them.
Jesus never condemned any individual. Even to His death He said, Father forgive them for they know not what they do. Jesus would not even condemn his killers!
In Matt. 23:14 Jesus is condemning the TEACHINGS of the scribes and Pharisees..... Not the people themselves. "All who exalt themselves will be humbled."
"Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get." Matt. 7:1-2. It is Man who does the condemning, Not God/Jesus.
Who wrote John 3:36? It is not God who is wrathful, jealous or vengeful as taught by the Rabbis. This is the teaching Jesus is trying to overcome. God is Not wrathful, jealous or vengeful because He has no need to be. God is good and does not have such negative human emotions. All the wrathfulness is a projection of Man and Not of God. Now do you understand?
Who wrote James 4:4? "...friendship with the world is enmity with God...." In other words do not become too materialistic. Look to the spiritual. Whoever wrote this is trying to avoid a purely materialistic nature. Turn to the spiritual.
All Mankind is one, one species, one of a great spiritual body. No one can be excluded. Coexistence is about loving one another, not damning them. No Man has the wisdom or the authority to damn another. One man should not harm or kill another man especially based on religion. That is Coexistence.
- AUTHOR
There has always been a hatred for those of us who believe and teach that Jesus in the only way, but as the end nears they are becoming much more vocal and outwardly confrontational. The Word tells that in the last days people will heap up to themselves teachers that tickle their ears and tell them what the want to hear NOT what they need to hear. God bless you and your stand for Jesus.
Thank you Mr. Campbell. I love that you share your knowledge wuth us. I truly believe with my whole heart that Jesus is the only way to Heaven. And it is so true, that in this world, the mention of His name to some unbelievers brings hatred to the surface. Maybe it is much easier for them to continue their lives the way they want instead of bowing down to God's laws. Thanks again for your writings.
- AUTHOR
It is difficult to read your intentions; whether you really desire an answer for any of your questions at all. Are you looking for someone to give you an excuse to believe as you wish because their "sound bite" answers are not complete enough to suit yourself; are you just trolling to see if you can a rise out of another or do you really want an answer to your questions? These questions do not come with short answers that will satisfy one who is not truly interested. I will cite Jesus condemning someone this side of heaven.
Matt 23:14 - "Woe to you scribes....therefore you will receive the greater damnation." 23:15 -"...ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves." verse 33 "Ye serpents, ye generation of vipers, how can you escape the damnation of hell?" Matt 10:26 - "...rather be afraid of the One who can destroy both your soul and body in hell."
Remember John 3:36 "..whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath abides on him."
James 4:4 whoever is a friend of the world is the ENEMY of God. I would tread very lightly if I were you.
P.S. Obviously Jesus was not advocating the use of a sword but words and unkindness can kill and often leave deeper and more troubling scars that any man made weapon can inflict.
Refer to the teachings of Jesus in the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32) and the Adulteress (John 8:4-11). In neither story did the father (or Jesus) condemn the person. He did Not judge.
Jesus said, "You judge by human standards; I judge no one." John 8:15
"Do not judge, so that you may not be judged. For with the judgment you make you will be judged, and the measure you give will be the measure you get." Matt. 7:1-2.
Are these contrary messages?
Jesus condemned the Teachings of the Pharisees (one of condemnation) not the Pharisees themselves.
Jesus predicted inter-family disputes from his teachings, but He was Not advocating the use of a sword.
"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you," means to help one another whoever they are, sinner or not. Jesus lived among "sinners." Cite where Jesus condemned someone.
- AUTHOR
Yes, He did condemn people, i.e. the Pharisees , those who choose NOT to believe in Him alone are to be damned and as He said - He did not come to bring peace but a sword to set mother against daughter, father against son, etc. If you love the world the love of the Father is not in you and in this world those who love Jesus will be hated because the world hates Him. The problem is the word love which you think means to really get along with whereas He gave the instructions on how to love your enemy - hungry, feed them; thirsty give them water; etc. We are to come out from among those who hate Him and have no part in the world and its values. We are to judge our "brethren" only after we have looked closely at ourselves; those outside of Christ are already judged - sinners do what sinners do best - SIN. Forgiveness is a requirement among the brethren, it is what marks us as separate from all others. Finally, what has Christ to do with Belial (the worldly religions which are ALL antichrist) NOTHING. We CANNOT serve two masters so choose this day whom you will follow. As for me and my house, we choose to follow Jesus.
Sadly, the world loves to mask what Jesus actually taught because if they really looked deeply into the Word of God they see without a doubt that love of this world and its religions is the supreme hatred of God Almighty. These are the last days and judgment is coming very soon, don't wait too long because no decision is a decision for hell.
Consider Jesus never condemned anyone during his ministry (even to the cross) and He is what God is like.
He taught:
Love one another
Love (not kill) your enemy
Condemn not, Judge not
Forgive to be forgiven
Can't we all agree to the above points and Coexist Peacefully? Violence by Man against Man should not be part of religion. Agreed?
- AUTHOR
Jesus is the Author and Finisher of my faith, to love Him is to be obedient to the Word and there is NO other name given among men whereby we MUST be saved. When the end comes and Jesus judges all men, every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that Jesus is Lord. I follow Him and NO ONE else. I weigh every teaching and idea proffered against His Word and with the grace of God I will continue to live a life of learning and living for Him alone.
I do not understand. Do you follow what Jesus taught or someone else?
- AUTHOR
I was wondering where you were coming from. Their point will lead them to straight to hell, a place they refuse to believe in.
Thank you. I am no Biblical scholar. There are just too many different versions with too many sects. If the Bible were the word of God, why are there so many different versions?
Jesus never wrote a book. Why? Was his teaching so simple?
Love (do no harm, theft, adultery, etc.) one another
Love (not kill) your enemy
Condemn not, Judge not
Forgive to heal
Can't we all agree to the above points and Coexist? Perhaps the Unitarians have a point.
- AUTHOR
Q1 - The first English translation was the Wycliffe bible about 1380 AD but the manuscripts for the Old Testament began around 1400 BC and progressed until around 400 BC. The Guttenberg bible of the 1500s, the Geneva then the KJV of 1611. A side note; the Septuagint or the LXX was an Old Testament translated into Greek for the Jews disbursed around during Greek and Roman cultures. The Latin Vulgate attempt at a translation of the New Testament was around 300 AD and is the basis of the Nestle Text used in the NASB/NIV etc.
Q2 - The RC bible contains a section of several books called the Apocrypha placed between Malachi of the O.T. & Matthew of the N.T. When the bible was first assembled around 200 AD, these books where not considered worthy to be included for their lack of displaying inspiration, but are seemingly good extra-biblical historical references and should not be considered along the 66 books which make up the bibles we now use.
I hope this helps.
Thank you for your time and patience.
Q1. Which was the first Bible?
Q2. How does the Roman Catholic (RC) Bible differ from the Protestant Bible?
- AUTHOR
Sorry about that, I may have assumed too much, so here goes:
Q1 - That is the name given the Greek text used by the King James Version translators; sometimes it is referred to as the Majority Text because they used every Greek & Hebrew text they had available, several hundred or more. They used a test for every scripture verse and/or passage: 1) contained in the majority of texts; 2) context; 3) consistency of verb and adverb forms among the texts and 4) consistency with other passages as to usage. I know that is simplified. The work done on the Geneva Bible which predates the KJV was the basis for about 70% of its structure.
Q2 - New American Standard Bible - based on only 2 known Greek texts; the Sinaticus & the Alexandrius (hope spelling is okay). Some claim as better texts because they predate most other texts but between themselves there are some serious contradictions, most graphic in the book of Revelation.
Q3- The Bible contains 66 separate books and I use every one when applicable.
Q4- I love my KJV - The language is powerful, poetic at times, faithful to the original manuscripts and has proven its worth for over 400 years. A good example of what I mean by being powerful is Mark 16:16: KJV "..believe not and be damned". NO doubt as to the intention of the verse whereas most other version use "...believe not and be judged." Judged could mean a wrist slap, you are OK or what ever; doubt enters the equation. The KJV pulls no punches whereas the "modern" versions like to soften the impact so as to not offend. The Word of God is to be offensive to the sinner and the Christian living in sin.
Thanks for your inquiry, I will be more succinct in the future and less assuming.
" I am a Textus Receptus guy mainly for two reasons: 1) the bios of the men who translated and came out with 1611 KJV is a who's who of Hebrew & Greek scholarship and their personal testimonies are incredible and 2) God chose the KJV to reach the English speaking world...."
Q1. What is "Textus Receptus?" I do not speak Latin so please define your terms.
Q2. What is NASB?
Q3. How many books in the Bible you use?
Q4. Do you use the KJV?
- AUTHOR
They would declare themselves to be atheists but in practice it is much the same thing. I would actually classify them more as polytheists because all Gods except Jesus are acceptable. My guess as far as a preferred bible they try to stay mainline i.e. KJV, NIV, NASB, ESV and such.
Your last question has two aspects: 1) who knows how many for there seems to be limitless paraphrases (non-translations) of which I include the NIV as they claim it is a thought for thought translation but just a fancy cover-up for a paraphrase as Isa 55 states - God's thoughts are not our thoughts; a dangerous position to assume you know the thoughts of God perfectly. The KJV & NASB are two very good translations of their associated Greek texts. Both bibles use the same Hebrew source text and the NASB has translated it very well. The real difference is in the Greek texts: KJV - Textus Receptus: NASB - Nestle Text. There are some major differences between the texts and hundreds of smaller difference and omissions. I am a Textus Receptus guy mainly for two reasons: 1) the bios of the men who translated and came out with 1611 KJV is a who's who of Hebrew & Greek scholarship and their personal testimonies are incredible and 2) God chose the KJV to reach the English speaking world and to arm the bible translators for mission work in other languages and for over 400 years the impact worldwide is a testimony unto itself. I am basically not a pragmatist but in the face of hundreds of years of massive success an argument against it is mute in my case. I have some other what I call serious theological differences with most of the "translations" and I have never seen a paraphrase that was worth the time to read and impossible to study with any depth.
It is my understanding that Unitarians are actually atheists. Which Bible do you use? How many editions of the Bible are there?
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