Recognizing Cults or False Church

        It is always been heartbreaking for me when a so called  Christian cannot distinguish a cult or false church from a genuine one.  I am by no means a theologian.             God has just been very gracious to me to reveal His truth; to lead me in the right path - the mere Christianity.   

        Satanic ritual alone cannot be the determinative factor in identifying cults. It is mostly the DEVIATION from Biblical Truth. Some cults are:

1. A cultic/false church that is still under the LAW.

- Even though its doctrine is very close to the real Christian doctrine, its members are brewed in strict conformity to the Law of Moses/Mosaic Law (from Exodus to Deuterenomy) e.g. health laws that define clean and unclean meats, etc.

BIBLICAL TRUTH:

- Christians are under the Grace of God.

Romans 6:14

¹⁴For sin shall not be your master, 

because you are not under law, but under grace.

Galatians 5:18

¹⁸But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

Romans 10:4

⁴Christ is the end of the law 

so that there may be righteousness 

for everyone who believes.

2. The Cults on Salvation by WORKS.

- Cults attach something to the doctrine of salvation which is: “by Grace of God through FAITH in Jesus Christ”.

    To illustrate the cults’ false doctrine:

    FAITH + baptism or good works or obedience to laws = SALVATION

BIBLICAL TRUTH:

    - Faith is the only key to salvation.

Ephesians 10:4

⁸For it is by grace you have been saved, 

through faith—and this not from yourselves,

it is the gift of God— ⁹not by works, 

so that no one can boast.

3. A cult that does NOT recognize Jesus as God.

- A Cult believes Jesus as human or prophet only.

BIBLICAL TRUTH:

- Jesus is Lord and Savior.

Isaiah 9:6

⁶ For to us a child is born, to us a son is given,
and the government will be on his shoulders.
And he will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

4. The Cults on Heaven and Hell
-  

- Heaven is just a state of mind in cults and hell is nonliteral.

BIBLICAL TRUTH:

-    mere Christianity teaches the glory of Heaven as the reward for Christians (John 6:47) and the hell as the eternal damnation and punishment for the non-believers. (Revelations 21:8)

5. Oneness Cult
-  

    - Cult does not believe in the Trinitarian concept of God instead it holds to a oneness view of God.

    

    BIBLICAL TRUTH:

- Christians believe in the Doctrine of Trinity.  God is eternally existing in three distinct persons - Father, Son and Holy Spirit, yet they are all the one God; co-eternal in being; co-equal in power and glory (Matthew 28:19-20).

2 Corinthians 13:14

¹⁴May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, 

and the love of God, 

and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

        I also get so concerned when a believer, either man or woman, is engaged in what some call:

evange-LIGAW;
DATE-cipleship;
bible stEdy;
disciple-CHICKS;

        It is the practice of sharing the gospel to his/her “special” non-christian boy/girl for personal gain; trying to fix the non-believer and hoping that his/her mind will let go the false doctrines in order to conform to the “do not be yoked together with unbelievers”.

            We should realize that we do not become Christian with the mind but with the SOUL.   Salvation depends on the grace of God alone and not on our human efforts.  As the song goes:

“Only by grace can we enter.
Only by grace can we stand.
Not by our human endeavor.
But by the blood of the Lamb.”

      

2009 Bar Passers of Advocates Philippines

    Last Saturday, the day after the 2009 Bar Exams result was released, Advocates Philippines dedicated to God its new layers; encouraging them to continually bear authentic witness of Jesus Christ in the Legal Profession.

To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”–
Micah 6:8

    Only 4 were able to attend out of 11 bar passers who attended the 2009 Bar Exams send-off service that we have hosted last September.  Probably, the absentees have had sleepless nights of waiting for the bar result.

Atty. Lars Sandiego (Arellano University)  Lorybeth R. Baldrias-Serrano (U.P. Law), Atty. Kate Soto (U.P. Law) & Atty. Bj delos Santos (U.P. Law)

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Bar Send-Off Service

Advocates Philippines' General Assembly

Advocates Philippines' General Assembly

Theme: Responding to God's Call for Christians in the Legal Profession

Time: Sat Mar 27 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Venue: Room 401 Christ Commission Fellowship(CCF) - St. Francis Square, Ortigas

Guest Speaker: Atty. Raineer Chu (lawyer/Pastor) - founding President of U.P. Law Christian Fellowship

Lawyers & future lawyers who love JESUS
(regardless of religious affiliation)
are welcome to join us!

Do you fear imprisonment for non-payment of Credit Card?

Thank God I have never had a credit card. Spending with cash motivates me strongly to budget my money wisely and to abide by “No Debt” rule (well of course every rule has an exception).

Two persons asked me this morning if they can be imprisoned for non-payment of their balance in the credit card.

It depends.

The outstanding balance on credit cards is considered debt since the relationship between a credit card provider and its card holders is that of creditor-debtor, with the card company as the creditor extending loans and credit to the card holder, who as debtor is obliged to repay the creditor (Polo S. Pantaleon vs. American Express International, Inc.; G.R. No. 174269). In case of non-payment, the debtor generally incurs only civil liability. Further, every credit card holder is entitled to the provision of Bill of rights that “No person shall be imprisoned for debt or non-payment of a poll tax.”

The non-payment however would give rise to criminal liability if there is “deceit with intent to defraud” on the part of the delinquent credit card holder. Consequently, he can be held liable for estafa which carries the penalty of imprisonment. It is stemmed from the provisions of R.A NO. 8484 – Access Devices Regulation Act of 1998 (Sec. 14 (f ) par. 2) that:

“A cardholder who abandons or surreptitiously leaves the place of employment, business or residence stated in his application or credit card, without informing the credit card company of the place where he could actually be found, if at the time of such abandonment or surreptitious leaving, the outstanding and unpaid balance is past due for at least ninety (90) days and is more than Ten thousand pesos (P10,000.00), shall be prima facie presumed to have used his credit card with intent to defraud.”

Non-payment of debt will also establish a bad credit reputation. Chances are, you may find it difficult to acquire a loan that is an absolute necessity such as car loan, housing loan, etc.

So you better pay off your debts to save you from anxieties, harassing phone calls, court litigation and unnecessary inconvenience, stress and expenses.

The way of the superior person is threefold;
VIRTUOUS, they are free from anxieties;
WISE, they are free from perplexities; and
BOLD, they are free from fear’

- Confucius -

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Warren Buffet's (and Lorille’s) Advice to Young People

Bouncing Checks Law (B.P. 22)

Is Money-Saving tantamount to the love of money?

Excise Tax/"Sin Tax"

Excise Tax is the tax being imposed on tobacco and alcohol products. It is similar to VAT which partakes the nature of an indirect tax since the burden of payment is ultimately shifted to the consumer.

It is also called “Sin Tax” because the goods being taxed are considered vices. Usually, the tax rate is extremely high to discourage the production and consumption of liquor or cigarettes.

Obviously, the society agrees with the Bible. It is clearly stated in some passages that getting drunk is a sin.

Ephesians 5:18
Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

Proverbs 23:21

²¹ for drunkards and gluttons become poor,
and drowsiness clothes them in rags.

And so is smoking. It is toxic and detrimental to our body. (I cannot even stand the smell of it.) Honoring God with our body includes achieving good physical health in order to be an efficient servant of God. A sick person normally has a very limited capacity.

1 Corinthians 6:19
Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have received from God? You are not your own; ²⁰you were bought at a price. Therefore honor God with your body.

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GOOD NEWS TO ALL SMOKERS!!!

Harmful Effects of Fast Food

How To Control Emotions

I got this funny e-mail a couple of years ago and this is so true!

HOW TO CONTROL EMOTIONS

This would give you guides on how to control your emotions towards your better-half, friends, officemates and all the people around you, especially your "boss". The rules of practicing "ugaling langit, ugaling kaaya-aya" :

#1 Ang naunang magalit ang may karapatang magalit. Pag naunahan ka na ng galit niya, tumahimik ka na lang muna.

#2 Walang taong nag-aaway mag-isa. Pag hindi kayo sumagot o pumatol, titigil din daw ang taong nakikipag- away sa inyo.

#3 Ang taong galit, 'bingi.' If someone is angry, wala raw pinakikinggan, so, don't try to explain and fight back. Hindi ka niya iintindihin dahil wala siyang naririnig kundi ang sarili nya.

#4 Ang taong galit, 'abnoy.' Ayon sa pastor, Biblical daw ito? because the Lord said when He was crucified, "Father, patawarin mo sila dahil hindi nila alam ang kanilang ginagawa." Modern term for these kinds of people are abnoys, so you better not get angry para huwag kang matawag na abnoy.

You should also know and realize that the persons who make your day bad are jewels, because you need them for you to mature. Hangga't andyan daw sila at kinaiinisan mo, ibig sabihin, immature ka pa. God will not take away those people; it's for you to take away your bad feelings towards them. You'll know na mature ka na pag dumating 'yung time na hindi ka na naiinis sa mga taong ito because you have learned to accept them and to have patience with them.

#5 Finally, the best part of this is to tell yourself na, because of this person, "I will grow mature," and that DAHIL SA CONTRIBUTION NIYA SA MATURITY MO, KUKUNIN DIN SYA NI LORD. Hahaha! joke joke joke! wag naman baka mawalan ka ng trabaho!