Newsletter: October 31st Happy Reformation Day

Happy Reformation Day
Greetings from HomeWorship 101™
Halloween’s Pagan Themes Fill West’s Faith Vacuum

“Seems like Americans just want it to be Halloween all year.
The holiday just keeps getting more popular.
Seven in 10 expect to celebrate it in some way this Oct. 31,
up from about six in 10 last year, according to a National Retail Federation report.”
- Amity Shlaes senior fellow in economic history at the Council on Foreign Relations
(Link to full story at the end of article)

Well it’s that time of year again, time for Halloween and all the related pagan celebrations. It seems Halloween is becoming bigger each year, the sad thing is even the churches are getting into the act – not to condemn it but to join in the festivities. Nearby where I live one of the major Protestant churches has set up a pumpkin patch to sell pumpkins for carving into jack-o-lanterns. What really makes my head spin is the sign out front advertising “The Pumpkin Patch,” the “T” in “the” they drew it like a cross. I guess they think they are being clever, but quite frankly it is an insult to the higher Divine powers. I can’t help but wonder, “what would Jesus do” if He happened to walk by and see it.

“I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot.
I could wish you were cold or hot.
So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot,
I will vomit you out of My mouth.”
- Revelation 3:15-16

It’s clear, the mainline Protestant churches have lost their way, and maybe they should take a few minutes to read Yahshua’s message to the churches in Revelation ch.2-3. Sadly, there is a long history of warning to the faithful about losing their way, "divided allegiance" is as wrong as open idolatry. "And Elijah came to all the people, and said, "How long will you falter between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow Him; but if Baal, follow him." But the people answered him not a word" (1Kgs.18:21).

"You cannot drink the cup of the LORD and the cup of demons;
you cannot partake of the LORD'S table
and of the table of demons."
- 1Corrinthins 10:21

All around this country, many “worldly” Protestant churches are setting up pumpkin patches and spend more time celebrating Halloween then giving recognition to what is really important on October 31^st. The above quote clearly warns the faithful not to dance with demons – so to speak. If Faithful are sanctified, set apart, for Holy use, what are they doing participating in a pagan event? What the above quote is saying is that you cannot drink of the Passover or communion cup and join in with pagan celebrations – it seems the Christian pastors haven’t got a clue (2Tim.3:5). I wonder do they even know what the word “sanctified” or “Protestant” means? Do they ever read their Bibles anymore? Have they ever studied the bloody history of simply trying to get the Bible into the common language and hands of Faithful around the world? If it weren’t for the many brave men and women 500 years ago the Protestant churches wouldn’t even have a Bible or be allowed to exist as a church – sadly, they have grown complacent and have forgotten their roots.

"You therefore, beloved, since you know this beforehand,
beware lest you also fall from your own steadfastness,
being led away with the error of the wicked;
but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
To Him be the glory both now and forever."
- 2Peter 3:17-18

The western world knows October 31 is Halloween, but what is seldom mentioned is that it is also the day the Protestant Reformation began. In the Protestant world this day should be a celebrated because the birth of all the Protestant/Sabbath keeping/Sacred Name/Messianic, etc. churches were made possible by the unfolding events beginning on this day in 1517.

"If the whole Church goes off into deception,
that will in no way excuse us for not following Christ."
- Leonard Ravenhill

Critical thinking is a lost art, think about it, what does the term “Protestant” Christian mean? Most do not even know that October 31, is their holiday. It’s really a shame because so much blood was spilt to break the chains of religious dictatorship, to give most of the world the Bible, and give most of the western world religious freedom. America was founded as a Protestant nation, but watch the news tomorrow; you will not hear anything regarding the great Reformation movement. At the very least it should be called Religious Freedom Day! Unfortunately, the only thing you will hear a lot about is Halloween, and that’s a pity, it adds new meaning to the term “wimpy faith”.

There is another reason why this day is hardly mentioned, it is because reformation - reform, or the idea of turning away from bad spiritual habits and adopting good new ones is probably one of the hardest Biblical mandates to accomplish – that is because Satan hates people getting closer to their CREATOR YHWH.

“The reasonable man adapts himself to the world,
the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself.
Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man.”
- George Bernard Shaw

The movement began when one “unreasonable” man called Martin Luther stood up against the most powerful force on earth, the Roman Catholic Pope, and challenged the church’s (mans) laws added on to GOD’s Laws. Jews, Lutherans, Baptist, Pentecostal, Sabbath Keeper, Messianic, Sacred Name, whatever, all of today’s – non catholic - churches owe Martin Luther a debt of thanks, or we would all still be Catholics. Unfortunately, most of the churches have forgotten their history. The term “Protestant” Christian means, “protesting” Christians. They protest against the dictatorial rule of a centralized religious authority. They protest against any human being placed between them and GOD. And they stand for the right of anyone to have a copy of the Holy Scriptures in their native language for personal study. The story goes something like this.

“Unless I am convicted by scripture and plain reason,
I do not accept the authority of the popes and councils,
for they have contradicted each other,
my conscience is captive to the Word of God.
I cannot and I will not recant anything
for to go against conscience is neither right nor safe.
God help me. Amen.”
- Martin Luther’s defense at his Catholic inquisition, April 1521

Martin Luther the lawyer/scholar turned Catholic monk, in 1517 C.E. sounded the call to religious change in an unchanging world by calling for a debate on his 95 theses of church reform. To make his theses public, he daringly posted them on the castle church door in Wittenburg, Germany, and by his act he unknowingly ignited a religious explosion called the Protestant Reformation. His 95 points of reform rebukes various traditions added on to YHWH’s Law by the feudalistic Roman Catholic Church. As always, challenging the Roman status quo was done at your own peril. Luther would have been branded a heretic and swept away to a dark jail cell like many before him, but paper making and moveable type were invented in his time, and his open letters of debate appearing in print for all to see helped fuel the protesting movement against the dogmatic Roman Catholic rule.

Martin Luther began the “Reformation” movement but many sacrificed their personal lives even before Luther, for example: John Wycliffe called "the morning star of the Reformation," caused a stir by preaching against the abuses and heresies of the Roman Catholic "church." He and his followers (called "Lollards") pointed people to the word of God, not the Roman Catholic hierarchy. In the 1380’s, Wycliffe published the entire Bible in English. The Roman Catholic "church" burned his Bibles and his books. Forty years after his death, in an act of contempt, the Roman Catholic "church" dug up his bones and burned them. They did not stop with Wycliffe, they also persecuted his followers like Bohemian priest John Huss who they delivered to the "secular authorities" to be burned at the stake. Sadly there are many such stories of non-violent Faithful men and women supporting the cause to bring the Bible into the hands of the common people and their reward is a horrible death. The stories of the Bible translators and Protestant reformers are heartbreaking, read through chapters 9-20 of Fox’s Book of Martyrs for the complete story.

“It is impossible to rightly govern the world
without GOD and the Bible”
— George Washington

Martin Luther ignited the Protestant revolution and America was founded as a Protestant nation, but few today even know what the word “Protestant” means or represents. Generally, the religious powers to be do not like any talk of a protesting laity, being lovers of their own words the religious scholars over time covered up and smothered the original meaning of the Reformation movement. As regular readers of my work know, I specialize in removing the layers of tradition and get down to the pure original truths. The pure Protestant beliefs or concepts are a philosophy not a religion, and the Protestant philosophy still causes some hand ringing amongst the traditional Jews, Catholics, and other religious leaders who want to control people via dogmatic purity and mute obedience.

If you think about it, it really doesn’t matter if the majority of a nation is Jewish, Christian, or Muslim, the Protestant concept that our CREATOR equally grants rights ‘directly to every human’ which no mere mortal can take away, and free people join together to form a representative republic government, can be applied to any nation – Israel, Iran, Iraq, etc. - regardless of their religious affiliations. Unfortunately today, as in ancient times, the majority of the political and religious leadership is reluctant to give up their control over the people, and therein lays their hypocrisy. They are in business for themselves, and not for the good of the people – or for our CREATOR & Messiah.

“But this you have,
that you hate the deeds of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.”
- Revelation 2:6

One major point of contention with the Catholics is that the Pope stands between GOD and the people. In other words, as they see it GOD empowers the pope and then the Pope empowers the Faithful. Make no mistake; this is not YHWH’s idea of a religious order. A major point that is not often explained by the Catholics is based on Acts ch.2. In that chapter, when the Holy Spirit came onto the Faithful, it wasn’t first sent to the Apostles and then distributed by them, the Holy Spirit was sent directly from Heaven to the Faithful. Based on this example, the Protestant Reformation leaders also believed the GOD directly empowers the people and they wanted to break the yoke of the Roman Catholics version of Nicolaitanism (Rev.2:6). The doctrine of Nicolaitanism has its roots in paganism where you paid a priest to send your prayers to the gods. It always puts a priest, (a pope, a rabbi, or some mere mortal), between you and GOD – and YHWH/GOD hates that because it leads to corruption, and Martin Luther recognized that. Yahshua/Jesus also chastised many rabbis of His time for having the same Nicolaitanism attitude (Mat.23:1-23). In the Catholic churches there is a bit of a schism as the traditional European Catholics still hold to their Nicolaitian attitude and criticize the American Catholics as being too Protestant. The traditional Catholics call their more liberal brethren the neo protestants. I could go on and on but you get the idea. For more info on the Sacred Assembly log on: http://www.homeworship101.com/sp-t7_sacred_assembly.htm

“I hate, I despise your feast days,
And I do not savor your sacred assemblies.
Though you offer Me burnt offerings and your grain offerings,
I will not accept them,
Nor will I regard your fattened peace offerings.
Take away from Me the noise of your songs,
For I will not hear the melody of your stringed instruments.
But let justice run down like water,
And righteousness like a mighty stream.”
- Amos 5:14-15, 21-24

Protesting against dictatorial religious leadership goes way back. Martin Luther’s is only one in a long line of religious leaders pleading with the Faithful and religious hierarchy to reform their pagan tainted spiritual habits and festivals. Reformation was a common topic preached by the Prophets YHWH sent to ancient Israel. Unfortunately, like today, the people didn’t want to hear it. They mostly ignored their Prophets, and sometimes they (ancient Israelites) even killed them for suggesting it. Yahshua was also a Prophet of His FATHER YHWH with a startling frank message of reform to His contemporaries. In my strange way of looking at the world I believe that Christ, His Apostles, and the very-first Christians, were Protestant-Jews! Most Christians forget that Christ and the Apostles also protested against the dictatorial rule of the rabbis. They believed in an educated laity, not a subjugated one. They believed in building a personal relationship with YHWH, as opposed to the rabbi’s demand for mute obedience to ritual purity.

“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!
...Serpents, brood of vipers!
How can you escape the condemnation of hell?”
- Matthew 23:29-33

One can’t help but wonder:
What would the church do
if they had Yahshua the Reformer in front of them?

As the reformer Yahshua challenged the orthodoxy. No one had ever before denounced the priests and Pharisees, or dared to question the doctrine of the elders. He expertly quoted the Prophets as He strongly rebuked Judaism’s stiff-necked religious hierarchy - the establishment religionists who never lived the righteous life. They were corrupt. They were blind guides. They were play-actors, and did not live according to the spirit of the Law (Mat.3:7, 5:20, 23:1-36; Luk.11:37-54, 18:9-14; Jno.8:44).

Yahshua challenged the doctrines of the scribes and rabbis, telling them bluntly that they did not know the Scriptures (Mat.22:29). At least eight times Yahshua scornfully denounced them for being legalistic and fourteen times for being hypocritical. They were excellent in reading and quoting Scripture, to keep the people on a tight leash, but in practice they themselves disobey by following their own ritualized customs.

Yahshua detested some of the Pharisees, the religious fundamentalists of the day, because they did not have a heart for the sinners, and were not sensitive to the needs and hurts of the individual. Yahshua taught of YHWH’s free salvation by grace, not by law - very revolutionary. And He taught in His Sermon on the Mount that He brought a Kingdom for the meek and for the poor in spirit (Mat.5:5-11), which clearly was just as opposite as you can get to what the Pharisees taught.

Yahshua strongly scolded the religious leaders because they were always bitter, constantly finding faults, and tearing everyone apart. This, the “holier than thou” crowd, by their own attitude, promoted bigotry, prejudice and hatred. He showed them that their religious worship was mere ritual, with emphasis on minor details, “while ignoring the weightier matters of the Law,” such as “justice, mercy and faith.” He taught that the motive of the heart was important, not just the outward action (Mat.23:1-23).

Yahshua chastised them for the many traditions they added to YHWH’s Law, making the Law a hardship on the people. The religious authorities pretend to love you, but in reality they just want to hold you hostage. The Pharisees slowly gained power over Jewish society by being the overseers of the many elaborate and intricate Jewish oral laws that they required the people to live by. These “traditions of men,” in an effort to micro manage the people, only burden the community, and has reduced righteousness to mere ceremonialism of outward splendor (Mar.7:6-13). YHWH calls HIS people to unity, not uniformity. The simple - common sense - Laws of YAHWEH do not enslave people, it sets them free!

Do not let your religion keep you from a truth!

As we all know the religious leadership that heard Yahshua didn’t like Him very much and they generally ran him out of town and wanted to silence Him. (I wonder would it be any different in today’s churches.) Discussing points of reform with religious leaders is like talking to a bulkhead – they just ain’t getting it. Today the mainline Protestant churches may have some slight variation on theology, but generally they still mirror the holidays and habits of the Catholic Church. For example, the Easter and Christmas holidays, Sunday worship and the design of the service, church buildings, special robes, pulpits, browbeating sermons, using fear of damnation, etc., are from the Roman church, not from Yahshua’s’ first-century church. Even the spirit of Roman-control still manifests itself in the Protestants bishops. The laity may elect them, but once elected many backslide into becoming protestant dictators over their followers. Surely in the past 500 years there has been enough time to study the Bible, learn from Biblical archeology, and find more points of reform, but their silence is deafening.

The early believers would say: When I pray, I talk to GOD; when I study, GOD talks to me. They would verify their teachers lessons, as it says in Acts 17:11 “. . . in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so;” only then would they share their new found truths with others. They would trust no one with their soul, except YHWH and Yahshua!

“… come let us reason together.”

– Isaiah 1:18

The spiritual goal is to return to Biblical Christianity, as modeled by Yahshua and the Apostles. I always enjoy reading some of the sermons of the preachers from the 1800’s, they are Biblical, from the heart, and never politically correct. Here is one I would like to share:

Devilanity!

(Charles Orr)

Christian character is the same whether it is in Christians--or in Christ. The character of the Savior--is also the character of those in whom He dwells. Their nature is the same, and henceforth their character and behavior are the same. This is what is meant when it is said: "We should walk--even as He walked."

"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man abides in Me and I in him--he will bear much fruit." John 15:5

Christ is the vine; Christians are the branches. The vine and the branches are of the same nature. The branches retain life by abiding in the vine. Those who abide in Christ--walk (or live) even as Christ walked (or lived). That is, the vine and the branches bear the same kind of fruit! This is the teaching of true Christianity.

Anything bearing fruit contrary to Gospel truth, or Christ's example--is not Christianity--but is devilanity! "You are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father will you do;" or sinful fruit you will bear.

Here are some Bible quotes that guide my work…
.
“Why do you call me Lord, Lord and do not do the things which I say?”
– Luke 6:46
.
“…Why do you also transgress the commandment of GOD by your tradition?”
- Matthew 15:3
.
Yahshua did not keep Easter or Christmas He kept His FATHER’s Holy Days
and tells us to follow His example…
.
“I have given you an example to follow…”
- John 13:15
.
“Do not go beyond that which is written…”
- 1 Corinthian 4:6

In my humble opinion, Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation had only accomplished half of their goals. Since the reformation, the Protestant churches have fallen asleep. Christians must realize the roots of Christianity lie in the Judean desert and the proof is written in the Dead Sea Scrolls - not in Rome and the dictates of an ancient pagan Roman Emperor. Some of the other religions must learn that no mere mortal should rewrite the wisdom of our CREATOR. It is time to nail the next 95 thesis of reform to the doors of the halls of worship. But which door should it be nailed to, and who will be the one to take up the task?

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.”
- IIIJohn 4

Enjoy the journey of learning…
Ø Belief in GOD is NOT a Religion: http://www.homeworship101.com/NL_2003_11.htm
Ø Ego Religion: http://www.homeworship101.com/wp_ego_religion.htm
Ø Thinking Persons Religion; http://www.homeworship101.com/NL_2005_01.htm
Ø Spiritual Warfare: http://www.homeworship101.com/bkspirtural_warfare.htm
Ø Halloween’s Pagan Themes Fill West’s Faith Vacuum: click here

Please remember to pray for the peace of Jerusalem, and for all those who stand with Israel (Ps.122).

Take care. Peace and blessings, Errol.
**********************************************
Errol Mueller, chronicler extraordinaire
e-mail: errol@homeworship101.com
website: www.homeworship101.com
**********************************************
WSC Newsletter 2011-10, posted 10/30/11.

Copyright © 2011 Errol Mueller. All rights reserved. Short quotations, page copying, or redistribution for personal or non-commercial group study is permitted and encouraged, provided they are copied in total with no alterations or deletions. Author’s name, website address, and copyright notice must be included. If any other use is desired, written permission is required.
For information, email or call (334) 678-0913. White Stone Communications (Rev.2:17), Dothan, AL.
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Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version of the Holy Bible.

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October 31st Happy Halloween Reformation Day