The Conartistry of the Graham Crusade Exposed

[Senecharnix]

Enow, yes, faith is very important. But why do you think Yeshau bothered to rebuke the arrogant Pharisees and adjure his followers to adopt humility? It seems to me that one of the greatest messages in the Scriptures is to resist being arrogant and embrace being humble. Jesus also preached a great deal about love, compassion, charity, and other virtues of righteouness. That is because they are just as important to the equaton of salvation as is faith....

Maybe I am misunderstanding you. But you seem to equate being righteous as being arrogant and taking one's destiny in one's own hands. You keep writing about it being all about religion when it is about spirituality. Forget religion! Think spirituality. Righteousness consists of faith in God, love for others, compassion, charity, humility, honesty, etc. It rejects pride, vanity, greed, selfishness, materialism, hedonism, etc....

You seem determined to focus on one little slice of what Yeshua was about and ignore everything else. He came to offer a way to God as well as to inspire those who might follow him to do their best to embrace a better way of living than any worldly manner of living, and thereby, inspire others to adopt better ways....

So-called christianity has utterly failed to live up to what it should. Sure, it has imporved things some. Meanwhile, it has become a worldly institution married to Western ideals in nearly all cases and also Americanism in many. So, whatever good it has accomplished is small compared to its wickedness in helping promote ways that celebrate pride, vanity, greed, selfishness, materialism, hedonism, hostile ambivalence toward nature and our fellow creatures, and not least of all, wanton idolatry--the worship of nation, flag, fad gadgets, wealth, luxury, big houses, lovely lawns, pretty automobles, ambitions, etc. [Big faith or not, most so-called Christians love the ways of death that I have pointed out--and they will pay dearly for their folly.] The result is that God has decided to pull the plug on the nonsense that so-called Christianity has helped promote. Days of big-time reckoning lurk just ahead of us. The churches and most of their adherents shall not escape God's wrath either in this life or the next regardless of how much they might believe they are saved. That, my brother, is the bottom line....

Hooray for Billy Graham! He has improved immensly with age. I shall weep when he passes. God rest his lovely soul....

 

[Enow]

Enow, yes, faith is very important. But why do you think Yeshau bothered to rebuke the arrogant Pharisees and adjure his followers to adopt humility? It seems to me that one of the greatest messages in the Scriptures is to resist being arrogant and embrace being humble.....

.....Jesus also preached a great deal about love, compassion, charity, and other virtues of righteouness. That is because they are just as important to the equaton of salvation as is faith....

Is failure to recognize what God has done on the cross and looking to obtain those righteousness by one's own merits in order to achieve salvation is the meaning of arrogance?

Maybe I am misunderstanding you. But you seem to equate being righteous as being arrogant and taking one's destiny in one's own hands. You keep writing about it being all about religion ....

Colossians 1:20And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. 21And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 22In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: 23If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

Romans 3: 26To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. 27Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. 28Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.


Micah 6: 8He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God?

1 Corinthians 1: 18For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. KJB

I reckon if you are using another translation other than the King James Bible: I can understand why you would think you are in the process of salvation.

NEW KING JAMES BIBLE (errant translation)

1 Corinthians 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.

That is why I rely on the King James Bible for the meat of God's words in holding to the true meaning in reproving the works of darkness by the light of the actual scriptures.

Hooray for Billy Graham! He has improved immensly with age. I shall weep when he passes. God rest his lovely soul....

No. He has not. Even he has testified that he doubts Jesus would receive him because he has not always been a "good" christian". This is proof that the commitment to follow Christ is a means for the assurance of salvation and thus as Jesus said: it is a robber and a thief.

The fact that this altar call is ecumenical in nature as it is gathering grapes of thorns and figs of thistles proves it is not of Him for that is the fruit of the false prophets.

Matthew 7:15Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

Promise Keepers: a movement of men for Jesus Christ and the movements of the "Spirit" like the "holy laughter" movement: are all ecumenical in nature and thus not of Him.

Promise Keepers gets its strength from such religious calling like the commitment to follow Christ just as the "holy laughter" movement gets its strength when the Nicene creed and unscriptural hymnals place the Holy Spirit to be worshipped with the Father and the Son.

Even the Nicene creed was done in ecumenical format as a means to unify the churches, including heretical ones and thus considered by the scriptures as making an agreement where no agreement should be made.

2 Corinthians 6: 14Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? 16And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you. 18And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

So if this altar calls appeals to the RCC as a means to get believers back to going to church again: how then can Billy Graham claim that he is fully preaching the Gospel? He cannot. Neither can Franklin Graham.

The commitment to follow Christ for the assurance of salvation has nothing to do with the faith in Jesus Christ nor the Gospel of grace. This is why many mighty men and nobles would respond to this altar call because it speaks to their efforts and their merits and their willpower in keeping that commitment in following Jesus for salvation.

I can show no partiality with that which is wicked.

Believers need Jesus to be set free to rest in Him for their salvation as they live by faith in Him that He will help them to live the christian life.

 

[Senecharnix]

Matthew 9:9 And as Jesus passed forth from there, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said to him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him. 10 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to his disciples, Why eats your Master with publicans and sinners? 12 But when Jesus heard that, he said to them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. 13 But go you and learn what that means, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance....

Enow, what is your idea of the Christian life?

 

[Enow]

Matthew 9:9 And as Jesus passed forth from there, he saw a man, named Matthew, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said to him, Follow me. And he arose, and followed him. 10 And it came to pass, as Jesus sat at meat in the house, behold, many publicans and sinners came and sat down with him and his disciples. 11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to his disciples, Why eats your Master with publicans and sinners? 12 But when Jesus heard that, he said to them, They that be whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. 13 But go you and learn what that means, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice: for I am not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance....

Enow, what is your idea of the Christian life?

Trusting Jesus as My Good Shepherd to enable me to live the christian life as I trust Him as My Saviour that I am saved and have eternal life for believing in Him: as in taking Him at His Word.

He helps me to love others and even my enemies.

He leads me away from temptations: He delivers me from the evil one.

I put my trust in Him that He has saved me and He is keeping me from falling.

Psalm 121: 1I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. 2My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth. 3He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber. 4Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. 5The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand. 6The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night. 7The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul. 8The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

Jesus gives this invitation to the religious of the world.

Matthew 11:25At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. 26Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. 27All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him. 28Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

Man had their chance by the Old Covenant.

The New Covenant is God's way of saying, "Now it is My turn."

Since little children are free to come to the Lord: what can they do but trust the Lord?

Mark 10: 13And they brought young children to him, that he should touch them: and his disciples rebuked those that brought them. 14But when Jesus saw it, he was much displeased, and said unto them, Suffer the little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. 15Verily I say unto you, Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child, he shall not enter therein.

Until mighty men and the nobles of the world cease from their religious strivings in trying to do the works of God in them: to obtain righteousness, they will not enter into that rest, but come short of it.

Romans 11: 5Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

We follow Jesus by faith: not by keeping a religious commitment as if that is the means and the power by which we follow Him.


We are either in a relationship based on trust or we are still telling God that we will do it: but yet we are called to be witnesses of the Son that He will do it.

John 6:28Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

That is how we get to know Him and the power of His resurrection when we see ourselves living the christian life what we could not obtain by "doing the best we can".

Your eyes are either on Him to trust Him to help you follow Him by grace:

or...

Your eyes are looking to yourself in doing the best you can and failing.

One is a relationship:

The other is a religion wherein men can boast.

So let us cast off the former works of darkness and put our trust in the Lord that He will help us to follow Him because He is the Good Shepherd.

Can you believe the words of Psalm 121 declares the will of God in that God is committed to us in according to the New Covenent? And that relationship can only exist when believers put their trust in the Lord.

Again: that is how you get to know Him and that is what I consider as living the christian life.

 

[Senecharnix]

All of that goes without saying. What about the practical aspects of your "Christian" life? The real life, day-to-day, year-to-year aspects of living as a good Christian. What are the parameters? How deeply should a good Christian participate in society? What sort of life style would they adopt?

 

[Enow]

All of that goes without saying. What about the practical aspects of your "Christian" life? The real life, day-to-day, year-to-year aspects of living as a good Christian. What are the parameters? How deeply should a good Christian participate in society? What sort of life style would they adopt?

The parameters are His words but we do not look at them like they are some kind of religious guantlet to hurdle over by doing our best effort, but rather, we are looking to Him and trusting Him to help us to follow Him, especially in areas when anyone happens to be doubting how and when to apply them.

Psalm 17:5Hold up my goings in thy paths, that my footsteps slip not.

How deeply should a Christian participate in society depends on trusting Him to direct his footsteps. He may be led to withdraw.

The lifestyle believers would adopt is living by faith in Him and all His promises to us, thereby being a living witness to that faith that "He will" do it.

But too many believers have been led astray into saying "I will" do it by keeping that commitment to follow Him as if they can finish His workmanship by the religious flesh.

Behold: if this be evil communications:

James 4:13Go to now, ye that say, To day or to morrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: 14Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. 15For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that. 16But now ye rejoice in your boastings: all such rejoicing is evil. 17Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.

Remember Peter? Was he lying to Jesus that he would not deny Him three times? He was not lying. He believed he had meant it sincerely, but that is what Jesus had meant: no matter how much the spirit is willing, the flesh is weak. Peter had to come to the end of himself when he had done that which he had thought he would never do. He became broken and contrite, hence a poor in spirit: having nowhere to look now in himself to do the right thing or to do the best he can: his focus was no longer divided with a double mind of religious striving versus his belief in Him: his focus was weaned by looking to God not only for mercy, but for help.

This constant reliance on the Lord is why those that believe lives by faith.

The commitments of men declares the false witness of "I will" follow Him.

Faith declares the witness of believers that "He will" help us to follow Him.

Either we deny ourselves of being able to keep that commitment to follow Jesus or we are voiding the faith in Him as if He is not enough to help us to follow Him.

Which witness do you believe brings more glory to God? The witness of men by their keeping their commitments to follow Christ or the witness of the faith of the believers in Him that He will help them to live the christian life by the grace of God? Thanks to Him: He has set me free from the former to rest in Him of the latter. I testify that He is indeed, My Good Shepherd as well as My Saviour: He has made me His friend and is keeping me as His friend. I thank Him for His workmanship in me that enabled me to trust Him and rest in all His promises to me.

 

[Senecharnix]

When you are ready to participate in a serious discussion, let me know....

 

[wayseer]

I don't think discussion, serious or otherwise, is part Enow's agenda here ...

 

[interpreter]

In the final judgment we are judged according to our works. (Rev. 20:12)
Faith without works is dead. (James 2:26)
Like Paul advised, I work out my salvation with fear and trembling. (Phil. 2:12)

 

[Enow]

When you are ready to participate in a serious discussion, let me know....

Give an example of how a believer can be doubleminded:

Then explain how that is not what Billy Graham is doing when he gave that altar call which is not the same as the Gospel he had preached just before that altar call.

 

[Enow]

I don't think discussion, serious or otherwise, is part Enow's agenda here ...

Please stick to the topic.

The Graham crusade has made a promise that they would not proselytize believers into leaving their churches which is why the Catholic churches do not have any objections to Catholics going to his crusades.

So the questions posed to you is this:

#1. Is the believer keeping his commitment to follow Christ by returning to the Catholic church and re-engaging himself into the works of catholicism?

#2. If the fruit of a false prophet is being ecumenical in nature as serving across all the denomenations, how then can the altar call of the Billy Graham crusade not be seen as such?

Matthew 7: 15Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 16Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

 

[Enow]

In the final judgment we are judged according to our works. (Rev. 20:12)

That is referring to the great white throne judgment in regards to the dead which takes place at the end of the milleniel reign of Christ after the defeat of Satan for the last time.

Revelation 20:11And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

I do not see believers being of the dead in hell to be judged by their works.

Faith without works is dead. (James 2:26)

You mean faith in God's Providence without works is dead. That is what James was talking about.

James began the topic in chapter 2 about how the church were being evil in respecting the rich and disrespecting the poor. Then he dives into that evil they were doing in getting out of helping the poor that were naked and starving by the way they give a benediction, declaring their faith in God's Providence to the poor to be warm and to be filled as if imparting that faith to them to have when they depart from the assembly.

That kind of faith in God's Providence is not profitable to the poor and neither will it save the poor. James was not talking about the saving faith in Jesus Christ. James was denouncing the church for displaying faith in God's Providence to the poor that were perishing and yet the church was not showing that faith in God's Providence in meeting the needs of the church for tomorrow by meeting the needs of the poor from the bounty that was collected in the church that day.

In the eyes of the poor, the church's faith in God's Providence was dead.

James 2:14What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?

This is the precedent for which the basis of this topic is on. How can a faith be profitable and save? As you read on: it is in regards to the poor.

James 2: 15If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, 16And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? 17Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

This is not some doctrine about salvation by works: this is about how the church was mistreating the poor by hiding behind the declaration of that faith in God's Providence and yet it does not profit the poor at all when the church fails to show that faith in God's Providence in sharing from the bounty collected in meeting their immediate needs today of what the church did not need immediately.

James 2:18Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works. 19Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble. 20But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?[/quote]

So the vanity of declaring faith in God's Providence and not showing that faith is how it can be dead.

Below is James giving a reference that is significant for one aspect of God: His Providence in meeting the needs of his servants.

James 2:21Was not Abraham our father justified by works, when he had offered Isaac his son upon the altar? 22Seest thou how faith wrought with his works, and by works was faith made perfect? 23And the scripture was fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: and he was called the Friend of God. 24Ye see then how that by works a man is justified, and not by faith only.

That reference to Abraham's faith in God's Providence is below:

Genesis 22: 7And Isaac spake unto Abraham his father, and said, My father: and he said, Here am I, my son. And he said, Behold the fire and the wood: but where is the lamb for a burnt offering? 8And Abraham said, My son, God will provide himself a lamb for a burnt offering: so they went both of them together.....

Genesis 22:14And Abraham called the name of that place Jehovahjireh: as it is said to this day, In the mount of the LORD it shall be seen.

From this link below: is the definition:

jehovah-jireh in the Bible Encyclopedia - ISBE (Bible History Online)

The meaning plainly is that the Lord sees and provides for the necessities of His servants.

So James was talking about the faith in God's Providence and if a believer or a church declares that faith to the poor: they should also show it.

Saving faith in Jesus Christ cannot be obtained with works.

Romans 11: 5Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6And if by grace, then is it no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if it be of works, then it is no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.

It is because we are saved that we follow Him by faith to do good works.

Titus 3: 4But after that the kindness and love of God our Saviour toward man appeared, 5Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; 6Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; 7That being justified by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. 8This is a faithful saying, and these things I will that thou affirm constantly, that they which have believed in God might be careful to maintain good works. These things are good and profitable unto men.

Ephesians 2: 8For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. 10For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.

So we are saved now to be witnesses of the Good News now in Jesus Christ that He is indeed, the Saviour for all those that believe in Him.

John 3:16For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Those that believe not and are condemned in hell shall be judged in according to their works.

Keeping the faith is the good fight and loving one another is how others will know we are His disciples.

This is the righteousness that will bring us Home:

Colossians 1: 20And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven. 21And you, that were sometime alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now hath he reconciled 22In the body of his flesh through death, to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in his sight: 23If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;

Romans 3:26To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. 27Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. 28Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.

Those that believe mixed with faith in Him have entered into that rest. Those that are still working for that salvation are labouring in unbelief.

Hebrews 4: 1Let us therefore fear, lest, a promise being left us of entering into his rest, any of you should seem to come short of it. 2For unto us was the gospel preached, as well as unto them: but the word preached did not profit them, not being mixed with faith in them that heard it. 3For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world..... 9There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God. 10For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his. 11Let us labour therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

Like Paul advised, I work out my salvation with fear and trembling. (Phil. 2:12)

With fear and trembling: that does not depict a striving religious man. That depicts rather a humble believer recognizing what God has done in purchasing him and walking humbly before God with Christ Jesus, leaning on Him to help them live the christian life as he rests in Him for eternal life.

 

[Senecharnix]

Mathew 10:37 He that loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. 38 And he that takes not his cross, and follows after me, is not worthy of me. 39 He that finds his life shall lose it: and he that loses his life for my sake shall find it.

 

[Nudge]

Anyone who read "Unbroken" will have a new-found appreciation for what Billy Graham has done in this world. I don't want to spoil the book, but Louie, a released prisoner-of-war from WWII, is in a downward spiral when his entire life is changed for the better by Billy Graham's evangelism. Very powerful.