CHURCH

By Rick Mathes

The corporate church is the Body of Christ which is composed of all its elect. We don’t “go to church” we “are church.” The ground I’m standing on is church property because I am the visible temple of the Holy Spirit: He lives through me.

We come together to worship because like metal to magnet we cannot do otherwise. Our spiritual comfort zone is to be in “one accord” worshipping and enjoying our Lord in His glory.

So far we are in agreement with the Roman Catholics. Where we depart is when it becomes a “Mass” that features a ritualistic re-crucifixion of our Savior: another unnecessary atonement, one done on a weekly basis: over and over and over as the slaughtering of lambs in the Old Testament.

When Jesus said, “It is finished,” He meant it. He died once to free us form the punishment of sins, the power of present sinfulness and the presence of future sinful consequences. This was done once never to be repeated ever again. There has never been any need for a sacrifice since His and there never will be. The Roman Catholic Mass is blasphemy!

This “mass” of atonement for our sins in another gospel and is a direct reflection of ancient temple offerings. The need for these useless rituals is forever dispelled in the Book of Hebrews. There is not even a hint of the mass being held by a priest anywhere in the New Testament or any history of Christianity until it was invented by Rome in the fourth century.

A typical gathering of the Saints was usually held outdoors by a river, stream or lake or in the home of some wealthy Christian. It was a simple service that included prayer and singing. They would all take oaths of the 10 commandments and someone would bring a Word from the Lord. They would have a communal breaking of bread, drinking of wine in memory of the Lord and when applicable conclude with baptism of newly born-again children of he promise,.

The marks of the true Church are:

The true preaching of the Word

The right administration of the Word

The faithful exercise of discipline

After the so-called conversion of Emperor Constantine (310AD), Christianity was declared the state religion and multitudes of pagans were admitted to the Church by baptism alone without conversion. They brought with them pagan rites, statures, ceremonies and practices which eventually found themselves incorporated into the Roman Catholic mass which is practiced to this very day.

Over 50% of this mass is of mythology and heathenism. And most of the balance is an invention of the strangest kind. Oh, how the saints that have passed must cringe as they watch the pompous display of worldly idolatry and self-gratification being displayed by men with questionable gender-orientation, parading around in gowns of mourning or celebration depending on the invention of the cause. The genuflect, bow and kiss of holy relics before a crucifix of worship as the saints look on from their statues in approval is straight from the altar of Satan.

“Oh mother of God we worship you” is the theme to the Matrix of glory. The fourth of their declared Godhead; and the faithful actually believe this! Amazing.