[continued from previous message]   
      
   Cross = staurus, an upright pole. Paul said to stay away from unclean   
   things. Go to the light, not darkness.   
      
   >   
   >“He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by   
   >triumphing over them in him.” (Colossians 2:15, ESV)   
   >   
   >Christ did not leave the world demon-owned and believer-forbidden. He   
   >redeemed people, restored conscience, and reclaimed creation for   
   >grateful use.   
   >   
   >“For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if   
   >it is received with thanksgiving.” (1 Timothy 4:4, ESV)   
      
   OK   
      
   >   
   >This teaching settles the issue. God does not command believers to trace   
   >pagan shadows. He commands believers to walk in faith, truth, and   
   >gratitude centered on Christ.   
      
   But God doesn't expect us to walk in darkness, while at the same time   
   centering on Christ:   
      
   2 Co 6:14,   
      
   "Do not be yoked together with unbelievers. For what do righteousness   
   and   
    wickedness have in common? Or what fellowship can light have with   
   darkness?" (NIV)   
      
      
   >   
   >The attempt to poison minds against everything Christians do by invoking   
   >pagan associations contradicts Scripture, undermines Christian freedom,   
   >and replaces the gospel with fear. It is not zeal for holiness. It is a   
   >denial of the lordship of Christ over His world.   
      
   OK. What contradictions?   
      
   >   
   >Demonic wisdom is evidenced by envy and selfish ambition (James   
   >3:14-15). Envy and selfish ambition seek to poison people's minds   
   >against the brethren (Acts 14:2).   
      
   OK   
      
   >   
   >“But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their   
   >minds against the brothers.” (Acts 14:2, ESV)   
      
   OK   
      
   >   
   >Next thing you'll be telling us is that rainbows are now pagan, because   
   >pagans use them to promote homosexuality.   
      
   Illogical.   
      
   >   
   >Here is another list showing the absurdity of the “pagan by association”   
   >rule, grounded directly in Scripture.   
   >   
   >The word “theos”   
   >   
   >The inspired Bible calls false gods “theos” (Acts 14:11–12, ESV).   
   >The same inspired Bible calls the Father “theos” (John 17:3, ESV).   
   >The word does not become pagan because pagans misuse it. Meaning comes   
   >from the object referenced.   
      
   Actually also from the context. And as you know, the Bible Greek   
   language has no capitol letters. Thus all words like "theos" are   
   "god", not "God". The translators stick in the capitols where they   
   want.   
      
   >   
   >Sacrifices   
   >   
   >Pagans offered sacrifices to idols (1 Kings 18:26, ESV).   
   >God commanded sacrifices to Himself (Leviticus 1:3–4, ESV).   
   >The act does not define paganism. The recipient does.   
      
   The pagans also ate meat. So did the Israelites. But the Israelites   
   were not pagan.   
      
   >   
   >Altars   
   >   
   >Pagans built altars to false gods (Acts 17:23, ESV).   
   >God commanded altars for His worship (Exodus 20:24, ESV).   
   >Stone does not carry spiritual corruption. Worship does.   
      
   OK   
      
   >   
   >Incense   
   >   
   >Pagans burned incense to idols (Jeremiah 44:8, ESV).   
   >God commanded incense for His worship (Exodus 30:7–8, ESV).   
   >The practice remains holy when God defines its use.   
      
   OK   
      
   >   
   >Singing   
   >   
   >Pagans sang to false gods (Daniel 3:7, ESV).   
   >Believers sing to the Lord (Psalm 95:1–2, ESV).   
      
   Your translation is defective here in verse 1. Here is what it really   
   says:   
      
   - American Standard   
   Psalms 95:1  Oh come, let us sing unto Jehovah; Let us make a joyful   
   noise to the rock of our salvation.   
      
   >Music does not belong to demons. God created sound.   
      
   God gave music to whoever wants to use it. Homosexuals, fornicators,   
   adulterers, murderers, anyone. There is no Scripture forbidding music   
   for general people.   
      
   God also created food. Should that also be denied to sinners?   
      
      
   >   
   >Temples   
   >   
   >Pagans worshiped in temples (Acts 19:24, ESV).   
   >God appointed the temple for His name (1 Kings 8:29, ESV).   
   >A building does not sanctify worship. God does.   
      
   OK.   
      
   >   
   >Feasts   
   >   
   >Pagans held religious feasts (Exodus 32:6, ESV).   
   >God commanded feasts unto Himself (Leviticus 23:2, ESV).   
   >Eating together does not become pagan by imitation.   
      
   OK   
      
   >   
   >Fire   
   >   
   >Pagans used fire in worship (1 Kings 18:28, ESV).   
   >God revealed Himself in fire (Exodus 3:2, ESV).   
   >Fire serves God when God sends it.   
      
   Not God, but an angel of His:   
      
   -- American Standard   
   Exodus 3:2  And the angel of Jehovah appeared unto him in a flame of   
   fire out of the midst of a bush: and he looked, and, behold, the bush   
   burned with fire, and the bush was not consumed.   
      
   >   
   >Crowns   
   >   
   >Pagans wore crowns in worship (Revelation 9:7, ESV).   
   >The redeemed receive crowns from Christ (2 Timothy 4:8, ESV).   
   >Authority symbols do not belong to darkness.   
      
   What about the many evil Kings in the Bible?   
      
   >   
   >Kneeling and bowing   
   >   
   >Pagans bowed to idols (Daniel 3:5, ESV).   
   >God commands kneeling before Him (Psalm 95:6, ESV).   
   >Posture does not determine truth. Allegiance does.   
      
   Yes, look at the Koran believers.   
      
   >   
   >Here is a clear, Scripture-driven refutation that addresses the root lie   
   >and exposes it by the light of God’s word.   
   >   
   >The tactic of poisoning people’s minds against everything Christians do   
   >by associating it with paganism does not come from Scripture. It comes   
   >from a false standard of holiness that God never gave. Scripture exposes   
   >both the error and its source.   
      
   Not everything alleged Christians do is approved by Jesus. Notice:   
      
   "22.  "Many will say to Me in that day, `Lord, Lord, have we not   
   prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many   
   wonders in Your name?'   
    23.  "And then I will declare to them, `I never knew you; depart from   
   Me, you who practice lawlessness!'"   
      
   You have to go by Scripture, not by the doctrines of Devils. (1 Tim   
   4:1) like the 4th century Trinity, souls are immortal, God created a   
   hellfire place to torture His disobedient children. (see Jer 7:31)   
      
   >   
   >First, God judges worship by truth and allegiance, not by superficial   
   >resemblance.   
      
   John 4:23,24.   
      
   >   
   >Scripture never teaches that an action becomes sinful because pagans   
   >once practiced something that looks similar. God repeatedly commands His   
   >people to worship Him in the midst of a pagan world without withdrawing   
   >from created things.   
      
   OK   
      
   >   
   >“The earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof, the world and those   
   >who dwell therein.” (Psalm 24:1, ESV)   
   >   
   >Creation belongs to God, not to idolaters. Pagans do not gain ownership   
   >of days, trees, food, music, or gifts by misusing them. When Scripture   
   >forbids idolatry, it forbids the worship of false gods, not the use of   
   >created things.   
      
   OK, I guess.   
      
   >   
   >“You shall have no other gods before me.” (Exodus 20:3, ESV)   
   >   
   >The command targets allegiance, not objects.   
      
   OK.   
      
   >   
   >Second, Scripture explicitly rejects guilt by association.   
      
   Well, kind of:   
      
   -- Revised Standard   
   1 Corinthians 15:33  Do not be deceived: "Bad company ruins good   
   morals."   
      
   >   
   >Paul directly confronts the exact argument used by pagan-association   
   >accusers. He teaches that created things do not become defiled by who   
   >once used them.   
   >   
   >“Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on   
   >the ground of conscience. For ‘the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness   
   >thereof.’” (1 Corinthians 10:25–26, ESV)   
   >   
   >Meat once sacrificed to idols did not become pagan meat forever. If   
   >pagan sacrifice does not permanently corrupt food, then pagan misuse   
   >cannot permanently corrupt any created thing.   
      
   Sounds about right.   
      
   >   
   >Paul exposes the false reasoning that treats demons as if they have   
   >creative power.   
      
   What kind of creative power? They have been observed to move matter   
   around, which is atoms with much space between them. If they can   
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)