This is Search the Scriptures Daily, a radio ministry of The Berean Call. Still ahead, answers to your questions in Contending for the Faith, and in Understanding the Scriptures, Dave and Tom will resume their conversation on God’s salvation. In addition to this radio program we publish a monthly Newsletter which we make available free of charge. We also produce and distribute a wide variety of teaching materials, including books in print, e-book and audio book formats, CD’s, DVD’s, and other items to encourage the serious study of God’s Word. For a complete list of materials, or to get a copy of today’s broadcast, write to us at PO Box 7019. Bend, Oregon 97708, call our toll free order number 877-882-4253, that’s 877-88Bible, or visit our website at www.thebereancall.org . If you would like a copy of this broadcast on compact disk, ask for Program #1207, and be sure to mention the call letters of this station. 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RELIGION IN THE NEWS Now, Religion in the News, a report and comment on religious trends and events being covered by the media. This week’s item is from The Associated Press, February 26, 2007, with a headline: Followers of Self Proclaimed Antichrist, Dawn 666 Tattoos. The following are excerpts: “surrounded by a mob of news cameras a group of smiling well-dressed church members crowded into a South beach store front parlor on a recent muggy evening, and got matching tattoos of their prophet’s symbol 666. Members of Growing in Grace, a controversial religious sect headquartered just Northwest of Miami in Doral, said they were following the example of their leader Jose Luista DeJesus Miranda, who had claimed to be Jesus, and recently declared himself the Antichrist. DeJesus, who preaches that sin and the devil were destroyed when Jesus died on the cross, and that God’s chosen already have been saved, has built a massive movement around his claim to divinity. In his sermons, DeJesus emphasizes wealth and success as a sign of God’s favor. Many of his members are business owners who give a percentage of their corporate profits to DeJesus, said Alvira Oboroseen, who oversees corporate donations to the church. DeJesus had just a few hundred followers when he launched his church in a Hialeah warehouse about 20 years go. Today he commands a global movement from his Doral headquarters that boast 335 education centers, 200 pastors, 287 radio programs, and a 24-hour Spanish language TV Network that’s available to 2 million homes. In 1988, DeJesus announced he was the reincarnation of the apostle Paul. In 1999, he dubbed himself, “The Other”, a spiritual super being who would pave the way for Christ’s second coming. In 2004, he proclaimed himself to be Jesus Christ. That claim caused defection from the movement including DeJesus’ first wife Nidia, and his son Jose Luis Jr. In January, during a worship service at the church, DeJesus took off his coat and revealed the numbers 666 on his forearm. Tom: Dave, what do we say about this? First of all, here’s a man, he starts out as the apostle Paul, gets a following--- Dave: That incarnation is at fault. Tom: That slows down for a bit, then he becomes Jesus Christ, and obviously increases his numbers, but looking for something new, something to move him up to the next level, then he declares himself to be the Antichrist. P. T. Barnum, he’s got to be the patron saint of all this stuff. You know, you can dupe people no matter what, the people are gullible to the max. Dave: Well, but thankfully, as he said, you can fool all the people some of the time, some of the people all of the time, but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time, so the people left, and maybe finally their eyes were opened. And yet they have been deceived all along by this guy. Now, they are not Christians, of course, they never were, to imagine that Jesus is walking around there, or to imagine that sin and the devil were destroyed when Jesus died on the cross. Well, but Paul was writing considerable after the death of Jesus on the cross. James and John were writing, and they say “Your adversary the devil goes about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour; whom resist steadfast in the faith.” So, it’s simply not biblical, we go by the Bible, Tom, because the Bible knows what it’s talking about, it’s been proven, and we don’t follow men. Well, but it also sounds a bit like, you know, some of those positive confession teachers. He emphasizes wealth and success as a sign of God’s favor. Tom: He’s covering all his bases, Dave. Dave: Yeah, and so he’s got a lot of business owners, they are giving a percentage of their corporate profits—wow! Tom: And young people, there’s an item, let’s show everybody our 666. That’s “in your face” kinds of religion, isn’t it? Dave: Tom, this is really a fulfillment of prophecy. Jesus said there would be false prophets, false Christs, who would claim to be Christ, and they would have large followings. “Now this man is not the only Jesus Christ” walking around the world, I’ve met a few others. Tom: Well, Dave, we see images of Christ through movies, all kinds of films, even those that profess to be just according to the Scriptures. Dave: Yeah, it’s another false Christ. So, this man, obviously Tom, he’s a bit confused, more than a bit confused because he keeps going from one thing to another, he doesn’t even know who he is. Tom: Well, Dave, I know, and this has happened before when we address the issue of the Antichrist, people get worried, they get concerned: Is it possible that I am going to be tripped up, that I’m going to take the mark of the beast? Can you address that for a second? Dave: Well, if you are a real Christian you will not. Furthermore, if you’re a real Christian you won’t be here when the Antichrist appears. Tom: Yeah, so obviously this guy can’t even be the Antichrist even though he has an antichrist spirit. Dave: Right. II Thessalonians Chapter 2, makes that very clear, it says, You know what prevents him from being revealed in his time. The man of sin can only be revealed in his time, and what prevents him—the presence upon this earth of the church, the Restrainer, that is the Holy Spirit indwelling Christians. So, Christians, first of all, any Christians out there, don’t get concerned that you might be taking the side of the antichrist if you use a credit card. Tom: Or you find a bar code on your can of soup, that says 666. Dave: But Tom, amazing that his following keeps going, and let me look at this again: 335 education centers, 200 pastors, 287 radio programs, 24-hour Spanish language TV network available into many homes. You see, when Jesus, in Matthew 24, said: Many will come in my name saying that I am Christ, and shall deceive many. We’re not talking about just a handful of followers, it sounds to me like this man has deceived many. That is a tragedy, Tom, and it’s just another confirmation of what Christ said, we are in the last days. Tom: Dave, as you mentioned in our first segment when you’re talking about Dawkins, and these men, these atheists, anti-God, and now we have the other side of it under the guise of spirituality religion we have an antichrist spirit, but they are both the same. Dave: But in the name of Christ, that’s amazing! That’s what Christ said it would be.
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