October 2020 THE CROSS
Inthis issue of Concerned Christians newsletter it is my pleasure to introduce a guest writer. Ron Highfield is a Christian friend. Ron has a PhD from Rice University. He is Professor of Religion at Pepperdine University, Malibu, California. He is a friend who is concerned about Christians. Hence, when I read this article I felt compelled to share it with you.
I plan to entertain guest article-writers in the future. I will be looking for appropriate Biblical messages which edify all believers and adhere to the Scripture.
At Concerned Christians we see our task as two-fold. First, we are providing help and support for those wishing to leave the LDS Corporation and subsidiaries. Second, in as much as approximately 80% of LDS converts are unknowledgeable, untrained Christians, we are going to spend more effort in equipping and instructing according to Ephesians 4:7 – 16. In the previous two months my articles were primarily encouraging Christians. Ron Highfield’s article is also encouraging Christians. I hope you find his writing helpful.
Gary Keating
General Manager
 An Open Letter to a Forgetful Church by ifaqtheologyDear Church:I’d like to remind you of something. I have no authority to made demands, and I offer no new revelation from on high. I cannot read minds or infallibly discern hearts. My message is more an expression of longing than of prophetic denunciation: I want you to live up to your better self. I want you to remember who you are and why you are in this world. I want you to be free, fearless, and determined. I want you to be clear and confident.You are God’s People You are not like other people. You are different. You were chosen by God, assigned a mission, and empowered for a task. You know something other people do not know. Your sense of identity stretches backward before the world began and forward into eternity. The meaning of what you do daily is determined not merely by its immediate causes and effects but by its relationship to God.When you think of yourself you must not think first of your national, social, or ethnic identity. You are not first male or female, black or white, rich or poor, or educated or uneducated. Like Paul, we must consider all these marks of identity and distinction “garbage” compared to knowing Jesus Christ (Phil 3:8). We are the person God chose us to be in Christ.Church, please rise above these distinctions. Do not fall into the pattern of contemporary society and politics by giving these distinctions the importance nonbelievers give them and allowing them to cause divisions within God’s people. Nonbelievers, of course, have their identity in the world. That is all they know. But we know of another homeland and another family. I am not speaking here of mere politeness while you are at a church assembly. I am talking about what goes on in the deep recesses of your hearts. Know with the clarity and in depth of your soul that you are a child of God. Let that knowledge free you from the bonds of other identifiers.Bear Witness to Jesus Why did God choose, call, and empower you? You have one task, that is, to bear witness to the crucified and risen Lord Jesus Christ. You are obligated to point people to him as Lord and Savior. You are supposed to manifest to everyone the power and quality of life that Jesus lived. Jesus must live in your entire life, in every dimension, in every relationship, for every moment, and into and throughout your soul. Paul again speaks the word we need to hear:“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Gal 2:20).Bear witness to Jesus in the way you speak. Bless and never curse. It must begin in your heart. Turn away from anger and offense. Do not retaliate for evil done or insults given. Don’t do it on social media, in your car on the freeway, or in your heart of hearts. When nothing good can be said or done, keep silent. Bear witness to Jesus in how you act toward others. Never act unlovingly or unjustly toward anyone. Help those in need. Be faithful, loyal, and truthful. And when someone asks you why you live as you do, tell them how Jesus changed you.Church, I am worried about you. Please keep your divinely given mission close to your heart: your charge is to witness to Jesus by living as he lived. Do not import worldly agendas into your life. Oh, how tempting it is to adopt contemporary social causes as if they were divine obligations. After all, these causes seem to be working for good ends. Should not the church stand against, injustice, poverty, oppression, abuse of the environment, inequity, and racism? Should not the church call out immorality, irresponsible behavior, and envy? Many contemporary believers find this an unanswerable argument. For the church also considers these things to be sinful and would happily see them removed. Indeed, it would. But not by the world’s methods.Church, you must never let a part of your moral vision be disengaged from the complete vision of life in Christ and from the call to repent and believe in Jesus. That is what politicians and social activists want you to do. They want to coopt the energy of the church for secular political causes, but they care nothing for the gospel and the life of discipleship to Jesus. Don’t be fooled. Do not join their causes—right, left, or center—no matter what evil it fights or what good it proposes. Their solutions to evil are intimidation, law, violence, rudeness, slander, obscenity, persecution, protest, coercion, and police action. Such activities cause strife and division among believers and between believers and nonbelievers. You must follow a different path. You must preach the gospel, do good works in the name of Jesus, and set an example of a comprehensively good life, individually and communally. With affection and concern, Ron Highfield This article is printed with the permission of Ron Highfield |
| NO COMPARISON |
| The differences between Mormonism and Christianity |
| by Judy Robertson |
| Mormonism GOD is: |
| 4. A BEING WITH A BODY OF FLESH AND BONES |
| “The Father has a body of flesh and bones as tangible as man’s; the Son also; but the Holy Ghost has not a body of flesh and bones, but is a personage of Spirit. Were it not so, the Holy Ghost could not dwell in us.” (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22) “His powers of transferring himself from place to place are infinite; plainly, however, His person cannot be in more than one place at any one time. Admitting the personality of God, we are compelled to accept the fact of His materiality; indeed , an ‘immaterial being’, under which meaningless name some have sought to designate the condition of God, cannot exist, for the very expression is a contradiction in terms. If God possesses a form, that form is of necessity of definite proportions in and therefore of limited extension in space. It is impossible for him to occupy at one time more than one space of such limits; and it is not surprising, therefore, to learn from the scriptures that he moves from place to place.” (Articles of Faith by James Talmage, p. 43) see also: Mormon Doctrine by Bruce R. McConkie, p, 589 |
| Christianity GOD is: |
| 4. A SPIRIT |
| God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24) “Can any hide himself in secret places that I shall not see him? saith the Lord. Do not I fill heaven and earth? saith the Lord.” (Jeremiah 23:24) “Whither shall I go from thy spirit? or whither shall I flee from thy presence? If I ascend up into heaven, thou art there.. If I make my bed in hell, behold thou art there; If I take the wings of the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea; Even there shall thy hand lead me, and thy right hand shall hold me.” (Psalms 139:7-10) |
All Born Again Christians ATTENTION
Let us all be praying for Effective Evangelism for 435,000 Arizona LDS population. At the present time, there is little to no effort taking place. It has been almost 1 year since Lynn & Michael Wilder were here. What an opportunity before us right now.
CALL. – Email – CONTACT
Concerned Christians, 480-833-2537 [email protected] and get started with your training today. These people need us.
Talk soon Jason Bourne-Again
| Adam’s Road Band is touring again!!!! “We know that many of you have been integrally involved in helping us continue to reach more and more parts of the Body of Christ through recommendations, referrals, and endorsements. For that, we thank God. If you know of a church or venue that might be interested in hosting Adam’s Road for a ministry event next year, and have yet to reach out to our booking team, please send your request or information to [email protected], and we will be in touch.”To learn more about what we do when we come to a church, see the link below:”  https://www.adamsroadministry.com/booking |
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| We at Concerned Christians meet every Monday evening for an hour of prayer at 6:30 p.m. If you are not local, please set that time aside to voice your concerns from your prayer space. If you are local and would like to attend, we ask you to call 480-833-2537 for directions. We truly look forward to meeting and praying with you in the War Room. We ask that you add Concerned Christians to your prayer list along with any other Mormon witnessing group you are familiar. The importance of intercessory prayer cannot be stressed enough. We have seen God grant many blessings to us over the years. If you have a ministry related request please send us a short email. [email protected]“We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers.” I Thessalonians 1:2 |
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