Church Bodies

Where did our belief come from?

Within this article is a VERY simple line chart of where the basic faiths came from. There are 1500 different bodies that call themselves Christian and many more splinters, but the basics are contained in this article. If you do not find yours, let me know and I will expand my chart to add it. I pray you seek a theology that is right before you find a Pastor and church you like. Friendly people are in all religions. Just because a million people believe in a bad idea, doesn’t make it a good idea! Click on images to enlarge.

Baptism

Baptize () bap-tee-zo: To wash, pour, to make wet, immerse.

Mark 7:4…washed the pots

Acts 22:16…Arise and be baptized. They were in a city, not a river.

Matthew 3:11…Baptized with the Holy Spirit

Why Baptize? God commanded it.

Matthew 28:18-20 Then Jesus came to them and said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age."

Who is to be baptized? ...Everyone

Matthew 28:18-20…All nations

Mark 10:15

I tell you the truth, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it."

Received (dexhtai, dek-a-tai, root dek-o-mai,) middle= I receive myself

Child (paidia, pedia = specifically “infant”) An infant, according to Jesus, is able to receive unto himself the kingdom of God.

Acts 2:41

Those who received his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.

Why didn’t Jesus baptize the child? It was because Baptism is uniting a person with Christ’s death and resurrection, and Jesus had not done either yet.

Romans 6:1-5

What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? 2By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? 3Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. 5If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection.

Refutation of the reformed theology of Baptism:

Hebrews 6:1-2 (NIV)
¹ Therefore let us leave the elementary teachings about Christ and go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from acts that lead to death, and of faith in God, ² instruction about baptisms, the laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.

Instruction: A Greek Genitive/singular meaning” instruction of” or “doctrine of.” It is not “teaching” but closely related.

Baptims: It is a Greek plural/Genitive meaning to wash, pour, to make wet, immerse. The plural means many or more than one. There was John’s baptism and the Baptism into the trinity. There were some incomplete baptisms (Acts 8:16) and therefore reasonable to think that the author had to deal with more than one baptism. This in no way validates more than one creditable baptism, it just leaves the door open, which Paul closes (Eph 4:5).

Elementary teachings: The Greek reveals the phrase as “Beginning of Christ Word or discourse (Logus not raima), on to full growth let us be borne not again a foundation…” Baptism is a foundational concept, has a doctrine and is separate from faith. If baptism is an “outward sign of an inward faith” as the reforms say, then why was it listed in such company? It can’t be a symbol of faith if it is listed as a doctrine, nor can it be a symbol of one of the other attributes listed.

Ephesians 4:3-6 (NIV)
³ Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. ⁴ There is one body and one Spirit-- just as you were called to one hope when you were called-- ⁵ one Lord, one faith, one baptism; ⁶ one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

One: This is the number one ie. Only one baptism. Now some has said that it is one type of baptism and other try to make one to mean best (#1), but only one works because of the way it is used with the other aspects of the sentence. Note once again the company of the word. Paul puts baptism in an order with the Lord, faith, God and the Father. Why would he stick a “symbol” in the middle of this highest of characters that could be mentioned? In my opinion, if baptism is symbolic then Paul has a very strange pattern of speech. Paul has obviously shown us here the importance of baptism, which if it is a “salvation” issue, makes much more sense of being clumped together with faith and various titles of God!

Examples of what the reforms called “Spirit Baptism:”

The idea that there is a “spirit” baptism is in complete agreement with Lutheran Theology. At Baptisms we are united with Christ death and resurrection and receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. To imply because different attributes are discussed at different times that there is more than one baptism goes against the totality of scripture as I have already proven. Eph. Cannot be ignored and must work with the rest of scripture. Based on Eph. We must adhere to one baptism, although there was John’s Baptism which is really no baptism at all. This principle has been clearly shown in scripture. There is only one Baptism and tat is the Baptism into the Trinity. If you have 1/3 a baptism, you receive 1/3 the gift.

Acts 8:15-18 (NIV)
¹⁵ When they arrived, they prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit, ¹⁶ because the Holy Spirit had not yet come upon any of them; they had simply been baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. ¹⁷ Then Peter and John placed their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. ¹⁸ When Simon saw that the Spirit was given at the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money

This is not an example of “Spirit Baptism.” It clearly says that it is the reception of the Holy Spirit through the laying on of hands (Note 18). So what is the issue here? Note the comparison of Acts 2 to Acts 8, remembering the order of scripture.

Acts 2:38-39 (NIV)
³⁸ Peter replied, "Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. ³⁹ The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off--for all whom the Lord our God will call."

So why in Acts 8 did they not receive the Holy Spirit? One of the attributes of Lutheran Theology is to place equal emphasis on the historical grammatical as well as various other forms. This is a case in point! In Acts 2 it says they were suppose to be baptized into “Jesus Christ.” You will note that in Acts 8 that they Baptized into Lord Jesus. In Nazareth there were over twenty “Jesus’” in his day. The word “Lord” today means Jesus, but in that d ay, Lord was a connotation that could be attributed to leaders and those superior. Jesus Christ was a unique name and names mean something! That is why we put so much attention on doing those things which God commands, just as he tells us to!

Acts 10:44-48 (NIV)
⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. ⁴⁵ The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles. ⁴⁶ For they heard them speaking in tongues and praising God. Then Peter said, ⁴⁷ "Can anyone keep these people from being baptized with water? They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have." ⁴⁸ So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

Once again this is a grammatical issue. This is the reverse of Acts 2 & 8. They were not baptized in the name of “Jesus Christ” as the NIV suggests but rather baptized into the Lord. There was no need to baptized into Jesus Christ because the Spirit had already come on them. Water Baptism is not the only way Christ can bring His Spirit on us. Baptism is our assurance as all these passage in Acts prove.

Acts 19:1-7 (NIV)
¹ While Apollos was at Corinth, Paul took the road through the interior and arrived at Ephesus. There he found some disciples ² and asked them, "Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?" They answered, "No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit." ³ So Paul asked, "Then what baptism did you receive?" "John's baptism," they replied. ⁴ Paul said, "John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. He told the people to believe in the one coming after him, that is, in Jesus." ⁵ On hearing this, they were baptized into the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶ When Paul placed his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied. ⁷ There were about twelve men in all.

This is an excellent verse to prove Lutheran Theology. They asked, did you receive the Holy spirit when you believed and they said no. Then the next question is the assumption of how they came to faith and received the Hoy Spirit. This also clarifies that there was more than one Baptism as discussed earlier (John’s and Jesus). The assumption that faith comes through baptism from Holy Spirit is clearly reflected here.

Symbolic: The premise that scripture is symbolic is the easy way to say we don’t have to adhere to scripture and therefore can make it say anything we want. There are things that are symbolic and things that are literal. Scripture is literal, grammatical, historical, metaphorical, prophetic and revelation. To say that it is one or the other must be taught. That is not a natural reasoning. Further more parables and metaphors have a truth not just a symbol.

1 Peter 3:18-21 (NIV)
¹⁸ For Christ died for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive by the Spirit, ¹⁹ through whom also he went and preached to the spirits in prison ²⁰ who disobeyed long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water, ²¹ and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also--not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge of a good conscience toward God. It saves you by the resurrection of Jesus Christ,

Scripture is clearly stating that it is through baptism that we are saved. If Christ meant something else, he should have told us. Further more to assume that Baptism means the spirit would be to take the phrase out of context and it’s natural flow. He already spoke about the spirit and was in no need of changing things for confusion. God is not a God of confusion but of truth. If he meant Spirit it would have been natural to say Spirit. He had no reason to say anything else. This wasn’t a word play or challenge against the Pharisees, it was a simple straight forward statement.

1 Peter says exactly what it says and needs no application of metaphoric jostling!!!

Colossians 2:9-12 (NIV)
⁹ For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, ¹⁰ and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. ¹¹ In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, ¹² having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead.

How can anyone ignore or trivialize this passage. It aligns perfectly with Romans 6. Who unites us? The power of the Holy Spirit which we receive at our baptism. Is it the only method upon which God can bring faith? NO, but it is his preferred and commanded method.

Romans 6:1-14 (NIV)
¹ What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? ² By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? ³ Or don't you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death?
⁴ We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. ⁵ If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. ⁶ For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin-- ⁷ because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. ⁸ Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. ⁹ For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. ¹⁰ The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. ¹¹ In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus.
¹² Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. ¹³ Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. ¹⁴ For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.

How can anyone igonore, trivialize or even want to add metaphoric impactions to this text. It stands on it’s own and tells us exactly what Baptism is.

FAITH

Ephesians 2:8-10 (NIV)
⁸ For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--
⁹ not by works, so that no one can boast. ¹⁰ For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.

It is God who gives us this grace through faith. He plants it in our heart as prophesied through Jeremiah 31:31-34, not in us! Christ also supports this in 1 Cor. 12 below. Scripture says what it says no matter how much “our itching ears” wants to hear we do something.

1 Corinthians 12:3 (NIV)
³ Therefore I tell you that no one who is speaking by the Spirit of God says, "Jesus be cursed," and no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.

James 1:21 (NIV)
²¹ Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you.

Note that we accept the word “planted” in us. God places his word in us and we let it be. We accept it, stop fighting in disbelief. Let God’s faith to blossom. Now I’ve put a lot of weight on this passage that is not there to embellish this great gift and how beautiful it is to be Lutheran. We can speak about our faith and God’s work in us, without boasting or pride. The reforms can’t and never do. It is all about when “they” accepted jesus Christ. I thin m more importantly to live for the day Jesus accepted me!

John 15:16 (NIV)
¹⁶ You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit--fruit that will last. Then the Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.

AGE OF REASONING

Now turning the tables to the ridiculous and the cruelty of the reformed theology. The age of reasoning suggests that a child is in God’s grace until the age of reasoning. This silly notion leaves the believer in limbo for years and ignores scripture.

Romans 3:22-24 (NIV)
²² This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference,
²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

Genesis 8:21 (NIV)
²¹ The LORD smelled the pleasing aroma and said in his heart: "Never again will I curse the ground because of man, even though every inclination of his heart is evil from childhood. And never again will I destroy all living creatures, as I have done.

Psalms 51:5 (NIV)
⁵ Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.

John 3:6 (NIV)
⁶ Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit.

Ephesians 2:1-5 (NIV)
¹ As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, ² in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient. ³ All of us also lived among them at one time, gratifying the cravings of our sinful nature and following its desires and thoughts. Like the rest, we were by nature objects of wrath. ⁴ But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, ⁵ made us alive with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions--it is by grace you have been saved.

1 John 1:8-10 (NIV)
⁸ If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives.

John 5:41 (NIV)
⁴¹ "I do not accept praise from men,

From a human perspective, what child by age 6 months is not already manipulating their parents, crying to get what they want. By five almost every child knows right from wrong. But the real sham is what about 9-12+? By age 9 a child can reason, but they don’t go to a rock concert, stadium event or church to make an altar call and they die at age 10. What hope do they have? Or even worse, statistics tell us that adults way into their 30’s are still concrete operational. Are they “really” able to “choose” Jesus? To accept something, or have faith is to believe which in Greek means to trust…have faith. Who can have faith in something they don’t know or understand? Our feeble attempts at believing is not true faith, and if it is not true faith, then we are not “born again.” If we are not born again then we are not saved. Therefore, according to the non-denominational theology/Baptist theology, most of them are not saved because of their own definition of salvation! This is a lie and abomination of scripture in which our society now resonates because everyone tries not to be Catholic. Our society does not want to be in the staunch old church body, so when someone perks their hearing with rebellion, the nation flocks. They create a religion around the pharisaic law. If you do, you will get. As one person put it, “It’s dog crap in Christmas wrapping paper.” It leaves us without certainty or hope and obligates us to the law and our owns works. Not works that bear fruit for others, but fruits for ourselves. Consider the reformed movement and how many times you hear or works for others and how often do you hear, “I ACCEPTED JESUS ON…” Who cares?

I find it ironic that a church can believe that I can lay my hands on you, call on the name of Christ and you will be healed, which is a display of power, but I can’t place water that is not of me and use words that are not of me and be united with Christ’s death and resurrection. Which is easier to say, “get up you are healed or today Christ has united you to himself?”

HISTORY & CATHOLICISM

It is never our intent to hang doctrine on history. Even in the Apostolic age the church had problems and heresies, so when we look at theology further out, it should be questioned even more. The point of referencing the past, is if history has no reference point of a certain doctrine it should call us into question. It’s not a fact or dogma, but a “Red Flag” or an “affirmation.” Infant Baptism’s have been going on since Christ. We have a bulletin with an infant baptism. Nowhere in the history of the world are there multiple baptisms in the Trinity until Ulrich Zwingli. Why fan into flames such nonsense? History does speak of it. Did God allow billions of people to be damned from 33A.D. until 1580 and beyond seeing how that doctrine did not do well until the enlightenment?

The Catholic church has had it’s time of corruption and its time of reliability. Every church body has it’s sinners that the media exploits, but to ignore history is to ignore how those closest to the day believed. Again, NOT as fact but as indicators to the truth. To have absolutely no record of the Baptist theology is not a hidden truth, it is a false doctrine much like the Da Vinci Code. We learn from history and respect history. We see it for what it is and by the power of the Spirit we try to discern the truth. Remember, the spirit is to be tested, the Bible is trusted.

The word, history and common sense all scream Gods wants us to basptize children. The problem is that no one is asking the right questions of those who say otherwise and they ar getting away with herecy.

Only Jesus! Only Scripture! Only Faith!

Haiti

Where Is God In Natural Disaster?

The beginning of a faith conversation…won’t you join me?

-Pastor Chris Deknatel 2010

When devastation hits people clamor to churches and web sites seeking the answer to why these things happen. Who is responsible? Many make up stories that suit their own interests or desires. They interpret God’s actions from ignorance, opinion and utilizing pieces of scripture while ignoring others. Their conclusions turn to emotion and endearment. They do not want to believe God could hurt a child so they resolve to say, “I don’t care what the scriptures say, all I know is…” When in crisis is not the time to get to know God, but it sure seems to open the door for dialogue.

God is revealed to us by no other means than the word of God. Yes we have revelation and visible signs, but we would not know them unless God had told us they are Him by His word. It is the foundation by which all things exist. God “Spoke” and it came into being. God is bound up in 66 books and millions of lives. To expect to understand God by this study on why an earthquake hit Haiti is futile and lazy. What it does do is call all readers to seek study until they see Jesus face to face.

As the Theologian Martin Chemnitz said, “God is accountable to no one and therefore we should be careful in demanding an explanation from Him.” That said, I am likewise tired of being fed a few Bible verses in an effort to appease the ignorant as if we need to be satisfied with that alone. God is unsearchable, but not so obscure that man cannot learn of Him and from Him on a greater level than, “it’s a mystery.”

When we explore an issue like an earthquake and devastation, it is not just the question of why, but all the theologies and appending questions that must be answered as well. For example, many of you are aware of Pat Roberts’s remarks. His is a belief held by many, even Haitian Christians. Therefore, we must explore, false prophets, prophecy, God, nature of God, man, nature of man, sin causes of sin, foreknowledge, predestination, wrath, punishment, discipline, free will, faith, creation, omnipresence, omnipotence, local presence, nature of the word, interpretation and ultimately whether God is a loving God or not. There are many more questions that then spring up from these and the list goes on. It’s easy for someone like Pat Roberts to splash on the air a comment during a tragedy of mass proportion. But, if God is “cursing” Haiti, does it not beg the question, “is God cursing every person that receives an injury or pain?” Just because it is a mass incident, is it any less significant then when a child gets cancer? Under the theology of Roberts and those who share his view every sin is a direct result of God’s punishment and wrath. That leaves us asking as did the disciples, “who sinned, this man or his parents?” Neither, the Lord said. It was for God’s glory that this man was born blind. Just as the disciples did not understand, many false teachers come and distort the truth for their own gain. I hope to honestly handle the hard questions and provide answers. If this does not suffice feel free to ask me for more.

As I address this issue know that it is not just my ideas, nor my “Interpretation” but the blending of scholars such as, Martin Chemnitz and Francis Pieper, who through scripture have addressed these questions years ago. This is nothing new!

Therefore, in a way to bring understanding as best I can, I have written a synopsis of the answer in my own words, followed by the Biblical precedence from which this conclusion came.

Scripture reveals that God made and continues to sustain and work in all of creation. Nothing happens outside of God, yet God does not produce nor condones sin. Therefore, people sin against God; God works with the outcome of their behavior and fulfills his ultimate will regardless of people’s disobedience. In the area of creation and nature order of things, God does not abstain from work, but sustains all that is needed for the earth to function. In that it is the natural function of life that movement must occur. The earth is spinning and therefore clouds, wind etc. must move. We call this the “general action of God”. The earth must expand and therefore the plates which move to accommodate this action must also move, consequently causing earthquakes. The earth is in this condition because of sin. What that means is that nothing is perfect anymore. Everything is flawed. Everything is in decay and dying. It is not meant to be a fatalistic perspective, but the reality of all life is that it is expiring. Birth and death for all things in creation has a time and that time is set by God. Concluding that God cares for the earth and in doing so, the earth moves and produces causation which can be at times negative. People never want anything negative to happen; therefore if God listens to the whims of the people they would destroy themselves. If God does not do what is needed, the plates build up pressure and ultimately destroy the earth. IF climates didn’t change, cold and warm fronts didn’t collide then rain, snow and other necessary elements would not occur. In these changes that are necessary are also the negative outcomes of, hurricanes, tornados, sleet and hail storms, rain and other affects we call natural disasters. The reality is that these things MUST happen to sustain our world or we will all die. The condition of sin is a reality whether we believe in God or not. That is what frustrates the world! Likewise to change that would bring instantaneous death to everyone, because it would usher in the end time. We can’t have what we all want and that is a perfect world!

In contrast to the general action of God we have the “special action of God” in which God intentionally acts to bring about certain things. He has in the past made earthquakes to bring about a desired outcome. He at one time flooded the earth and yet promises not to flood the entire earth again! This “special action of God” is what Pat Roberts is attaching to God. But this action has principles as to when and how God uses it. If punishment of doing bad things was the reason for the earthquake then God missed the target. There are much worse societies and countries than Haiti. God’s special action is to restore and reveal his glory. God’s wrath has come on all creation because of man’s sin not God’s desire. All the world is held over to disobedience, not just Haiti. This was not an act of God’s special action, but rather his general action on all creation.

So we must begin by asking “is Pat Roberts a reliable source and or prophet?” The answer is no. Prophecy builds up the church. God’s condemnation has been placed on Jesus. God comes not to condemn the world but to save it. God’s wrath has poured out on all creation not just Haiti. There were many Christians who died in Haiti, Indonesia, New Orleans and everyday in every country. John Hagee a man of like mind with Roberts said the same thing about Hurricane Katrina, when in reality the decadent areas received the least damage. Some of the people of New Orleans say that God spared them because the levees held until after the worst part of the surge.

The next aspect is to ask if the pack made by Voodoo Priest, Dutty Boukman in 1791 is real and secondly would it contribute to an entire society’s condemnation? God does not punish the masses for one person. Actually the opposite is true in that he showed that he saves whole cultures because of one person. If Boukman actually made the pack it end with his capture and death so it wasn’t a very good pack. Besides what benefit would their liberation be to Satan. HE has no foreknowledge, so the torture that they were under would be desired by Satan. On top of that Voodoo existed without freedom so why would Satan free them?

Let us also be clear as to what happened in Haiti. The French Haitians were under cruel punishment as stated below. I’d rather a building fall on me than the French, so the earthquake is hardly a punishment considering what it was like. Dutty Boukam a Voodoo priest supposedly may a pack with the devil. The pagan ritual inspired the people and they felt invincible. The French captured and killed Boukman to show they were not. Satan did nothing, the people were led astray and are under the same condemnation as the world. Their curses come from sin and greed from many and mostly those outside their country. Haitians have responded as best they can to the persecution and avoidance of France and America. They have chosen a wrong solution in Voodoo, but we (US) share a bigger blame if Pat is looking to blame someone! Satan would not have freed the people nor would he have responded audibly to Boukman. Pat Roberts has no idea what happened and is using sensationalism to prosper his organization. He is filling peoples head with false prophecy and the ignorant listen. This is what God is saying will happen when we don’t know God. We will be blown back and forth by any doctrine.

History of Haiti http://en.wikipedia.org: In his desperation, he turned to increasingly wanton acts of brutality; the French burned alive, hanged, drowned, and tortured black prisoners, reviving such practices as burying blacks in piles of insects and boiling them in cauldrons of molasses. One night, at Port-Républican, he held a ball to which he invited the most prominent mulatto ladies and, at midnight, announced the death of their husbands. However, each act of brutality was repaid by the Haitian rebels.

Ceremony at the Bois Caïman: In August 1791, Boukman presided in the role of houngan (priest) together with an African-born priestess and conducted a freedom ceremony at the Bois Caïman and prophesied that the slaves Jean François, Biassou, and Jeannot would be leaders of a resistance movement and revolt that would free the slaves of Saint-Domingue. A pig, which symbolized the wild, free, and untameable spiritual power of the forest and the ancestors, was sacrificed, an oath was taken, and Boukman and the priestess exhorted the listeners to take revenge against their French oppressors and "[c]ast aside the image of the God of the whites." [4] According to the Encyclopedia of African Religion, "Blood from the animal, and some say from humans as well, was given in a drink to the attendees to seal their fates in loyalty to the cause of liberation of Sainte-Domingue."[5] A week later, 1800 plantations had been destroyed and 1000 slaveholders killed.[6][7] Boukman was not the first to attempt a slave uprising in Saint-Domingue, as he was preceded by others, such as Padrejean in 1676, and François Mackandal in 1757. However, his large size, warrior-like appearance, and fearsome temper made him an effective leader and helped spark the Haitian Revolution.[8]

This pagan ceremony has long been referenced by various Christian sources as the "pact with the devil" that began the Haitian revolution. According to Gothenburg University researcher Markel Thylefors, "The event of the Bwa Kayiman ceremony forms an important part of Haitian national identity as it relates to the very genesis of Haiti."[9] Really Long Link

The final question I think is that we want to know why God “allows” this to happen. I have alluded to it already. God acts for the benefit of his creation in its totality. The evidence that no matter how sophisticated we get, no matter how much knowledge and money we have, people still choose to do the wrong instead of the right. Man still dies no matter how good the health care and sickness comes even when we eat all the right foods. Sin is in the world and we hate that. We want God to undo the affects without us even recognizing HE is God. We will sue people to hold accountable for every mistake, as if we sue enough and create enough rules that in some way we will prevent sin. IT JUST DOESN’T HAPPEN THAT WAY!

What therefore is Gods’ response? Instead of a proclamation of condemnation God wants us to send love. He has made the world aware of the suffering of Haiti. For years Haiti has fallen on deaf ears and now the world knows. This quake may have killed some, but saved lifetimes of people, “IF” we respond to what we now know. What will Pat do to help them? God can use this act of sin in a variety of ways. On one hand he makes the world aware. On another he brings aid and relief. On another he calls us as Christians, and possibly even is testing us to see what we will do now that we know. The burden falls on us and people like Pat.

In summary, God does place into motion needed changes in the world’s environment and sometimes that causes tragedy. It is not by God’s desire or curse. God did not use his special action to curse Haiti! God can act that way, but it would be for prosperity and salvation not condemnation. Condemnation is our own work upon us as sinful people. God calls to us to help and love our fellow man and in doing so have the opportunity to share the good news of Jesus Christ. We live in a fallen, but redeemed world! People died not because of an earthquake but because of poor construction. The poor construction is a result of poverty which the U.S. French and they themselves created. God is a loving God who comes to save and once again we are a people reaping the benefits of our own behavior and trying to blame God for it.

The following is a systematic biblical response to what I have stated and more. It is not all the verse that support it, merely a few to prove my point. For that it would be easier if we all just read the bible!

God is the author, perfector and sustainer of all things:

Romans 11:36 For from him and through him and to him are all things…

Colossians 1:15-17 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

Matthew 10:29 Are not two sparrows sold for a penny? Yet not one of them will fall to the ground apart from the will of your Father.

Acts 17:23-31 For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: TO AN UNKNOWN GOD. Now what you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you. 4 "The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything, because he himself gives all men life and breath and everything else. From one man he made every nation of men, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he determined the times set for them and the exact places where they should live.

27 God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 'For in him we live and move and have our being.' As some of your own poets have said, 'We are his offspring.' "Therefore since we are God's offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone--an image made by man's design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead."

God does not produce sin

Isaiah 65:12 …You did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me."

Psalms 90:7 We are consumed by your anger and terrified by your indignation.

Psalms 90:7-8 We are consumed by your anger and terrified by your indignation. You have set our iniquities before you, our secret sins in the light of your presence.

Jeremiah 2:19 Your wickedness will punish you; your backsliding will rebuke you. Consider then and realize how evil and bitter it is for you when you forsake the LORD your God and have no awe of me," declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty.

Psalms 92:15 proclaiming, "The LORD is upright; he is my Rock, and there is no wickedness in him."

Deuteronomy 32:4 He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he.

God does give us faith:

Romans 12:3 …Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought…measure of faith God has given you.

1 Corinthians 12:3 …no one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 2:8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—

God desires all people to be saved and waits for us:

John 3:17-18 7 For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.

1 Peter 3:20 …when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water,

2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

Exodus 34:6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,

We can reject God’s will:

Matthew 23:37 "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing.

Hebrews 6:4-6 It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace.

But we cannot alter God’s will:

Malachi 3:6 "I the Lord do not change. So you, O descendants of Jacob, are not destroyed.

1 Samuel 15:29 He who is the Glory of Israel does not lie or change his mind; for he is not a man, that he should change his mind."

We cannot always understand what God is doing:

1 Corinthians 2:12-16 …The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned… "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ.

Romans 3:22-24 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.

God is a merciful God sent to save the lost:

Romans 9:15-17 For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." It does not, therefore, depend on man's desire or effort, but on God's mercy. For the Scripture says to Pharaoh: "I raised you up for this very purpose, that I might display my power in you and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth."

Romans 11:32 For God has bound all men over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all.

Romans 12:3 For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the measure of faith God has given you.

John 3:16-17 "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. [17] For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.

Judgment and condemnation is God’s alone not Pat Roberts. We have brought it on ourselves not God. There will come a time when God judges us. Then Haiti and we will come under judgment:

1 Corinthians 4:5 (NIV)

5 Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait till the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men's hearts. At that time each will receive his praise from God.

John 3:18 Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son.

God is not always making a statement in the general action of things:

1 Kings 19:11-12 The LORD said, "Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by." Then a great and powerful wind tore the mountains apart and shattered the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. After the wind there was an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake.

12 After the earthquake came a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire came a gentle whisper.

Yet God can appear in the Special action of things:

Isaiah 29:6 the LORD Almighty will come with thunder and earthquake and great noise, with windstorm and tempest and flames of a devouring fire.

Ezekiel 38:19 In my zeal and fiery wrath I declare that at that time there shall be a great earthquake in the land of Israel.

Matthew 27:54 When the centurion and those with him who were guarding Jesus saw the earthquake and all that had happened, they were terrified, and exclaimed, "Surely he was the Son of God!"

For God to know something is not to preordain it. God does not produce sin.

Psalms 5:6-7 6 You destroy those who tell lies; bloodthirsty and deceitful men the LORD abhors.

Psalms 81:12 So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts to follow their own devices.

2 Thessalonians 2:11-12 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness.

Matthew 5:44 4 But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

Prophecy and end times:

Matthew 24:4-14 4 Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains. "Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

2 Peter 1:16-21 We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 7 For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with him on the sacred mountain. And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts. Above all, you must understand that no prophecy of Scripture came about by the prophet's own interpretation. For prophecy never had its origin in the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.

1 Corinthians 14:3-4 But everyone who prophesies speaks to men for their strengthening, encouragement and comfort.

4 He who speaks in a tongue edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the church.

1 Corinthians 14:12 2 So it is with you. Since you are eager to have spiritual gifts, try to excel in gifts that build up the church.

It is inside the church we are called to judge!

1 Corinthians 5:9-11 I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people-- not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat.

MISSION TRIP 2010

Therefore, Promise is seeking grants and will be sending a mission team to Haiti next fall to rebuild, work, serve and take the Gospel to Haiti. We will restore our Lutheran church and school there! Make ready your hearts to give and to go!

When we return we will pick another place in our country or world to serve as we live the mission of Promise for God to all people!