13/09/10

Putting bonds on those whom the Lord has set free

Jeremiah 34:16 - But ye turned and polluted my name, and caused every man his servant, and every man his handmaid, whom ye had set at liberty at their pleasure, to return, and brought them into subjection, to be unto you for servants and for handmaids.


In one of my session on the topic why the Church became Babylon the Great or the Whore that sits many waters or the Roman Catholic Church, the Lord had given 3 main reason and these are the same reasons why Israel was driven unto Babylon during the times of Jeremiah. Jeremiah warned them again and again but they did not listen to him.

One of those 3 main reasons is the one which is given to us today in our message which is putting bonds on those whom the Lord has set free.

You may ask how did this happen? The Church was not into slavery, to some extend it was in the start it was but due to the Church slavery was removed in many countries.

Here we are not talking of physical slavery but of spiritual slavery.

When we come to Jesus Christ and by believing in Him and His sacrifice we are set free from our bondages. What this church did was to put these free people into bonds of traditions, idol worship, worldly understanding, human (including woman) as kings etc...

To be baptized in Christ we reject this world and worldly understanding. What we see on the crucifix is a rejected man punished and hung, but by faith we see a person who paid a price for us and became victorious. We reject worldly understanding and standing on faith alone are baptized in Jesus Christ.

This church brought back this worldly understanding and killed faith in people by the various traditions and believes it induced in the system. If any person from the church refused / refuses to follow its traditions / believes it uses strong arm tactics to bring this person back into its bonds else tries to make an example of that person so that the others within its folds will fear to try the same. This is the same pressure tactics which the Israelites used during the time of Jeremiah to bring back the free slaves to be their slaves once again.

Statutes which later became traditions were made by the Lord to help build faith for they were things which the Lord asked to do for those who had no understanding - the children of Israel. For example a basin was kept at the entrance of the Tabernacle for people to wash their hands and feet before they entered the Holy place.

Firstly understand God is everywhere and not inside four walls of a church or a hall. What is different is when a congregation meets in the Name of the Lord His glory is manifested and we come into the presence of His glory. Heaven is called the seat of God not because He is there. God is even in Hell for not place is there where God is not there, He is omnipresent. No darkness is dark enough to keep God away. Heaven is called the seat of God for His glory is manifested greatly there and therefore His presence is felt there more.

The basin was kept outside as a symbol to tell people to wash their souls from their sins, their evil doings [hands] and evil ways of life [feet] before coming in the presence of the Lord.

The Catholic Church set a bond on its people by putting a basin at the entrance of its prayer hall (church) and called it holy water. In scriptures the word holy is used mainly not to objects but to beings. There were some objects in the Holy place called holy but they were symbolic to what / Who they represented. When people were in the Lord there was power in these objects, but when the Lord was not among his people these objects were among the unbelievers and had not powers. The unbelievers abused these objects and nothing happened to them i.e. the wives of the King of Babylon drank strong wine in the holy vessels.

One can see the result of the bonds put on the people by their believing in things like holy water and holy oil. This is what is called spiritual slavery towards evil; getting Satan back into the lives of the people of God via the back door.

This issue is not limited wholly to the Catholic Church but even the believer Churches, since they have come out from this Church and are still holding on to some believes of this Church unknowingly doing the same to some extent.


[ Prayer Starter ]
Lord God, we pray that this institute which is the front of the works of the beast be exposed. That the eyes of your sheep which are there in its folds open and they see its nakedness. By your grace and by your Spirit bring them out and back into You. You are Holy and your Name is Holy, your people who stand by your Name are holy. Let not this institute pollute the holiness of your Name...

This prayer we make in your mighty Name, Amen.


[ Reference Scripture ]
2 Thessalonians2:13-15
13 But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:
14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
15 Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word [message/account], or our epistle [letter/teaching].

Leviticus 10:9-11
9 Do not drink wine nor strong drink, thou, nor thy sons with thee, when ye go into the tabernacle of the congregation, lest ye die: it shall be a statute for ever throughout your generations:
10 And that ye may put difference between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean;
11 And that ye may teach the children of Israel all the statutes which the LORD hath spoken unto them by the hand of Moses.

Exodus 30: 18-21
18 Thou shalt also make a laver of brass, and his foot also of brass, to wash withal: and thou shalt put it between the tabernacle of the congregation and the altar, and thou shalt put water therein.
19 For Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet thereat:
20 When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the LORD:
21 So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations.

John 13:5-10,14-15
5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.
6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head.
10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all.
14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet.
15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.

Matthew 18:35
35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

The Word of God was given free to us, therefore we should also share it freely with others. (All rights are with God)