Home page: www.peacebyjesus.com

Revealing Statistics:

America in Decline

Subtitle:

Present Costs of the War against God

As this page helps to show, an undeclared war is being waged against God which has and is costing America mightily in souls, lives and money. While these statistics help to quantify the earthly expenses of such, those who war against the Almighty will also realize a cost that is far, far worse and eternal, as souls that reject the Lord Jesus Christ cannot be allowed into Heaven, rather "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God" (Ps. 9:17)!

Statistics which help reveal the spiritual, moral, physical, and economic condition of America

The LORD does not need statistics, for “the eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding the evil and the good” (Prv. 15:3), and all of our works are recorded, from the first to the last, by the Lord who shall judge both men and nations (2Chr. 26:11; Mt, 25:31-46; 2Cor. 5:10; Rev. 20:11-15). But it is my prayer that this study may help awaken us to “seek the Lord while He may be found,” that we may be holy and that we may intercede for this nation, as well as others.

If My people, which are called by My name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land (2Chr. 7:14).

Please read first:

Statistical Compilation

This compilation of statistics (stats), began around 1999 as an informal collection of statistics for my household, by an unexperienced researcher – me! So this is not a professional or wholly authoritative compilation, nor is it entirely up to date. It covers statistics primarily from 1995 to 2006, though in a few studies it goes back further. As i take source attribution seriously, I have tried to list the most original statistical source i found directly after them the stats, as well as through a numbered bibliography at the end of each section for certain sources with multiple stats. For these there is a master list at the end of the entire statistical section. For consecutive multiple stats from the same source, i usually give the source directly, then place an up arrow (^) for additional same – source stats, along with the number denoting the source which corresponds to the bibliography (^1 ) at the end. In the case of Barna research (which, along with the US Government, is the largest single source for these stats), the main source information is given before the statistics in the 1st section, with the actual web pages listed afterwards according to the aforementioned manner.

All statistics, unless otherwise noted, are for the United States and should allow for at least a small degree of error (i think pollsters usually allow for up to 5% error margin). You might want to do your own research, such as through an online search engine like Google for more information. Links are mostly not “hot linked,” because some sources do not want you to so link to them, due to bandwidth concerns.

All statistics here, outside those from the Government, are copyrighted, and (without permission) can only be used in "Fair Use" applications. That is, the best i understand it (feel free to correct me), for educational or commentary works, or critical reviews, and wherein only a small percentage of the entire work is quoted. I believe statistics themselves are not necessarily copyrighted, but their compilation is, and permission may need to be granted when using many quotes from one source (such as Barna Research, which i did). This work itself is not to be used for commercial enterprise, and any republishing of any statistics should be credited to their most original source, if available.

Commentary

This collection is commented on from a Christian perspective, helping to reveal the spiritual condition of America, and the cost of spurning the right ways of the Lord to follow our own lusts. Overall, it indicates how the “mighty are fallen,” and warns of where America is surely heading, with the intent that we “search and try our ways and turn again to the Lord” (Lam. 3:40). It is my prayer than all souls will give their sins and their life to the LORD Jesus, the Son of the living God, who gave Himself for our sins and rose again. For more on that most important decision, click HERE

Disclaimer: I DO APPRECIATE BEING ABLE TO FIND AS WELL AS PROVIDE THESE STATISTICS, BUT I NEED TO SAY THAT LINKS TO OTHER SITES DO NOT IMPLY THAT I RECOMMEND ALL OF THE CONTENT THEY OFFER, OR THE CONCLUSIONS OF THAT SOURCE. All advice or moral positions are to be examined in the light of the Word of God, the Bible (1 Thessalonians 5:21), by faith in which we find true liberty, with it's necessary and beneficial limits. Praise the Lord!

Press F11 to view in full screen in most browsers. To adjust font size for viewing, in Internet Explorer, go to View >Text Size and choose size; in Firefox hold down the Ctrl key and tap the + or – key; in Opera, tap 0 or 9. For printing, this study runs about 32 or more legal size pages in it's original format. To download an older version web page as a MS. Word document, right click here for black and white, or here for color, and choose “Save target as.”

TABLE OF CONTENTS

(click TOC to return; Last update: 7-17-07).

Sections:

click

Drinking

10

U.S. Teens Spiritual Statistics

1

Drugs and Mental Health

11

General National Spiritual Stats

2

General Health

12

US Faith Beliefs

3

Crime and Punishment

13

Differences Between Denominations

4

Education

14

Marriage versus Divorce

5

Finances

15

Adultery, Fornication, and Sodomy

6

Population

16

Sexually Transmitted Diseases

7

Special Compilation: 1960 + Beyond

17

Deleterious Effects of Sodomy

8

Application

18

Abortion

9

 Home Page

 


General Church and spiritual Statistics

Most statistics in this next section are copyrighted from BARNA RESEARCH ARE FROM THE BARNA GROUP, LTD.1957 EASTMAN AVE. SUITE B VENTURA, CALIFORNIA 93003 UNITED STATES VOICE: (805) 639-0000 FAX: (805) 658-7298 They are recognized by an URL beginning with http://www.barna.org .

For clarification within Barna surveys, the term “Christian” is applied to those whom Barna (in italics) says

consider themselves to be Christian but either do not have a 'personal commitment to Jesus Christ' or do not believe that they will experience eternal favor with God based solely on His grace and mercy.

Born again” Christians are those who say they “have made a personal commitment to Christ that is important in their life today and also say that when they die they know they will go to Heaven solely because they have confessed their sins and accepted Jesus Christ as their savior.”

'Evangelicals' are a subset of born again Christians in Barna surveys. In addition to meeting the born again criteria, evangelicals also meet seven other conditions. Those include saying the Bible is totally accurate in all that it teaches; their faith is very important in their life today; believing they have a personal responsibility to share their religious beliefs about Christ with non-Christians; believing that Satan exists; believing that eternal salvation is possible only through grace, not works; believing that Jesus Christ lived a sinless life on earth; and describing God as the all-knowing, all-powerful, perfect deity who created the universe and still rules it today. Being classified as an evangelical has no relationship to church attendance or the denominational affiliation of the church they attend. Respondents were not asked to describe themselves as “evangelical.” www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdate&BarnaUpdateID=119

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U.S. Teens Spiritual Statistics

Conclusion: this generation largely has been, and is being, brought up in a way they should not go. A much smaller percentage of teens in born again churches are saved and going to Heaven than is often presumed.

1http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=Topic&TopicID=37. See also http://www.josh.org/notes/file/Internet13-Religion.pdf

2http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdateNarrow&BarnaUpdateID=216

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General national spiritual stats.

3© The Barna Group, Ltd. 2007,. http://www.barna.org; http://www.christianpost.com/article/20070320/26418_Study%3A_U.S._Unchurched_Population_Nears_100_Million.htm

^3.5Glenmary Research Center s http://www.glenmary.org/grc/RCMS_2000/Catholic_findings.htm

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Faith Beliefs

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Differences among Denominations

7http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdate&BarnaUpdateID=92

8Barna Research 2001 http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=BarnaUpdate&BarnaUpdateID=93

See also http://www.barna.org/FlexPage.aspx?Page=Topic&TopicID=15

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MARRIAGE versus DIVORCE

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Pornography, Adultery, Fornication, Sodomy - Practices

(extra martital, pre martial, and homo - sexual relations)

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Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD or STI);

Physical effects of sin

Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God” (1Cor. 6:9, 10).

But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.” (Rev. 21:8).

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The Deleterious Physical Effects of the Sin of Sodomy

"Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination" (Lv. 18:22).

And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly [perverse and unnatural], and receiving in themselves [in their own bodies] that recompense [punishment] of their error which was meet [fitting]" (Rm 1:27).

"Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination" (Lv. 18:22).

And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly [perverse and unnatural], and receiving in themselves [in their own bodies] that recompense [justice] of their error which was meet [fitting]" (Rm 1:27).

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ABORTION

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    Drinking

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Drugs, and Mental Health

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GENERAL HEALTH

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CRIME + PUNISHMENT

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Education

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Finances

(some are repetitions of data from other categories, and most figure are approximate.)

CONSUMER HEALTH CARE

SEXUAL SINS

CRIME, DRUGS and ALCOHOL

PERSONAL + HOUSEHOLD INCOME, SPENDING AND DEBT

TAXES

CULINARY INDULGENCE

VEHICLES

MISCL.

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Population and Resources

IMMIGRATION

Miscl.

Master table of numbered references:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Special compilation: 1960-62 to 1980 and beyond.

The trend toward spiritual and moral degradation had already begun before long before this period, with secular humanism being introduced into schools as the State religion around 1930, through John Dewey (see more Here) Up until about that time, the McGuffey’s Reader and the New England Primer were America's principal school text books. “McGuffey’s Reader, the mainstay of public education from 1836 to 1920, primarily consisted of prayers to God, Scriptural references, and religious instruction to abstain from sin. Before 1962, prayers were prayed and the Bible regularly read in public schools. Congress approved the first publishing of Bibles in the U.S. in 1782, “a neat edition of the Holy Scriptures for the use of schools.” (http://www.stopschoollevies.org/defense.htm). The next major step was in 1962, when official prayer, and the next year, official devotional reading of the Word of God, was essentially expelled from public schools in America. Rather than the Bible being the general ultimate authority, with it's transcendent moral absolutes, a form of Christ-less humanism gradually has supplanted it, with the secularly seduced State becoming the final authority of right and wrong. Though for a while a momentum of righteous did enable some just laws to be implemented, having increasingly cast off the Biblical anchor of righteousness America has drifted into the waters of an ever morphing morality that gives liberty to unholy lusts. Such hedonistic philosophy wars against the teaching of the immutable Law of God, which alone supremely enjoins and enables true love for God and one another, and holy liberty with it's necessary limits. And as souls are less God controlled then must be more government (gun) controlled. And as the people and government itself becomes corrupt, unnecessary suffering results. In contrast to the positive promise, "Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD" (Psa 144:15), is the negative reality,“The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God." (Ps. 9:17). "Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel [applicable to all], every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin" (Ezek 18:30).

Television reached 9 percent of homes in 1950 and almost 90 percent in 1960. United States (History)," Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia 2004 http://encarta.msn.com © 1997-2004 Microsoft Corporation. All Rights Reserved.

62% more students are going to college than did in the 1960s". Bill Fitzsimmons, dean of admissions at Harvard.

Between 1960 and 1990, there was a 41% decline in marriage. Larry L. Bumpass, "What's Happening to the Family? Interactions Between Demographic and Institutional Change,"

Divorce is up 350%.in which children under 18 are involved. U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, and Statistical Abstract of the United States.

Between 1960 and 1990, the percentage of children living apart from their biological fathers more than doubled, from 17 percent to 36 percent. http://mensightmagazine.com/Articles/Popenoe/nofathers.htm

While in 1960 only 9 percent of all children lived in single-parent families (a figure that had changed little over the course of the 20th century), by 2003 the percentage had jumped to 27 percent.9The State of our unions 2004 marriage. http://marriage.rutgers.edu/publications/soou/textsoou2004.htm .

Between 1960 AND 2002, the number of unmarried couples in America – couples who are sexual partners, not married to each other, and sharing a household [otherwise known as fornicators, living in sin] – increased by over 1100 percent. ^9

Child abuse up 2,300%. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and Child Maltreatment: Reports from the States to the National Child Abuse and Neglect Data System.

Premarital sexual activity for girls increased over 500 percent; http://www.christianaction.org.za/media_egroups/uca_2003-04-30.htm

Gonorrhonea (a Sexually Transmitted Disease) went up over 200 percent; http://www.christianaction.org.za/media_egroups/uca_2003-04-30.htm

Births to unmarried girls from 15-19 years of age is up 500% U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Historical Statistics of the United States http://www.angelfire.com/music2/fullcircle/

Since 1960 the percentage of babies born to unwed mothers (any age) has increased more than sixfold.9The State of our unions 2004 marriage. http://marriage.rutgers.edu/publications/soou/textsoou2004.htm .

1960 there were 2 known Sexually Transmitted Diseases (syphilis and gonorrhea); today there are more than 25. Family Research Council: The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) Epidemic: www.ccv.org/downloads/pdf/HPV-Epidemic.pdf

Illegal drug usage is up 6,000% since 1960. The percent of youth who have used illegal drugs has gone from 5 to 75%. National Institute on Drug Abuse.

Less than 1% of all Americans had used illegal drugs before 1960. The Honorable Judge Robert Ulrich Chief Justice, Missouri Court Of Appeals, Western District; http://www.shalomjerusalem.com/heritage/heritage19.html

Between 1960 and the early 1980s.smoking among 8th-grade girls increased 50 percent over this period, and the percentage of black 8th- and 10th-graders who smoked doubled. U.S. Health and Human Srevices; http://mchb.hrsa.gov/mchirc/_pubs/chusa_99.pdf.

Suicides rose for all youth 15 – 24 from 5.2 deaths per 100,00 in 1960 to 13.2 in 1988. National Center For Health Statistics. http://wonder.cdc.gov/wonder/prevguid/p0000024/p0000024.asp#Table_1

From 1960 to 1980 the suicide rate among teens has risen more than 200% (1 suicide every 17 minutes). National Center for Health Statistics. Quantifying America's Decline by William J. Bennett; http://www.columbia.edu/cu/augustine/arch/usadecline.html

From 1960 to 1990 violent crime rose 560%. F.B.I. Quantifying America's Decline by William J. Bennett http://www.columbia.edu/cu/augustine/arch/usadecline.html

Criminal Arrests of Teens from age 14-17 per 100,000 is up 150%. U.S. Department Bureau of the Census, Historical Statistics of the United States.

From 1960 to the 1990's immigration into the U.S. has increased from 300,000 to over 1 million annually. http://www.insightmag.com/news/2002/03/11/Symposium/Yes-Immigration.Will.Double.The.Population.Of.The.United.States.Within.The.Next-185221.shtml. http://www.kidscouncil.org/cgi-bin/display.pl?article_id=18&action=newsArticle

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 APPLICATION

The story has often been told that the way to boil a frog is not to place the poor creature in a pot of boiling water, but in a pot of mild temperature and then incrementally raise the temperature, till before he realizes it he is cooked! May these statistics help us to see how slowly yet surely this country, which has and is greatly blessed of God, has fallen from grace into destructive degradation. Not suddenly, for had most any one of these statistics been realized some years ago they would have shocked God – fearing souls into action, but incrementally the foundations have been are being destroyed, awaiting the day when sufficient stress causes the whole structure to fall. Having increasingly "put off" the Lord Jesus Christ to make "provision for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof" (Romans 13:14), we are presently reaping the corruption thereof, which this study helps to quantify .

Whose fault is this? While the lost are guilty of rejecting the truth of the gospel and it's morality which they do know (obedience to which brings more light), the more accountable are those who know the Lord but who have not preached of sin, righteousness and judgment (Jn. 16:8), but rather have made their home in this world rather than being grieved at it's – and our own – sins.

The true Christian response to iniquity is not ambivalence, nor a reaction out of of self righteousness, rather it is one of both grief because it offends God, and a passion to turn many to righteousness for His sake, and for theirs.

Psa 119:53 Horror hath taken hold upon me because of the wicked that forsake thy law.

Psa 119:158 I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; because they kept not thy word.

Ezek. 9:4 And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.

Dan 12:3 And they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever.

Acts 26:20 that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

Jude 20-23 But ye, beloved, building up yourselves on your most holy faith, praying in the Holy Ghost Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life.  And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh.

We ought to have the zeal of a Nehemiah for holiness in the congregation, except instead of smiting certain of them with our fists (see 13:21-25), we are to do so work conversion and holiness "By the word of truth, by the power of God, by the armour of righteousness on the right hand and on the left" (2 Cor 6:7 ).

The work of a Christian is not to bring back some some sort of a Mayberry RFD society, as many (of the few activists) seem the more motivated to do, but to see Christ reign in every heart, to see God's will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. "For he must reign, till he hath put all enemies under his feet" ( Cor 15:25).

This must start in one's own heart through the Gospel, which is "the power of God unto salvation" (Rm. 1:16). God is glorified when men repent (cf. Rev. 16:9), therefore the commission of Christ to His followers in this lost world is to "turn to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in Me" (Acts 26:18). "Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature" (Mk. 16:16). "Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen." (Mt. 28:19, 20). Praise the Lord!

We who have believed are (and will) to do this as yielded vessels to God, through the power of the Holy Ghost. By Him let us work to convict souls of their utter inability to either merit God and His Heaven nor escape their just and eternal punishment in Hell, and point them directly to the only Begotten Son of God, the Lord Jesus Christ. It is He Whom the Father sent from Heaven "to be the propitiation [perfect and final sacrifice] for our sins," and "the Savior of the world" (1Jn. 4:10, 14). This is a decision every human soul who can make such a decision must make if they will be saved: "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved “ (Acts 4:12).

This work of salvation and sanctification is neither the work nor the ability of the institutionalized church: we have seen (such as in R. Catholic areas) what little power dead religion has to truly effect such, "Having a form of godliness, but denying the power thereof: from such turn away" (2 Tim 3:5). Rather, the commission of Christ is only to those who have been truly "born of the Spirit" and so follow Him, through effectual faith in and surrender to "the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ" (Titus 2:13).

Let us therefore, as many as be truly graciously born of God's Holy Spirit (Jn. 3:3-7), obey His word to “put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand" (Eph. 6:11). Let us resist the devil thereby, and exalt the Lord Jesus Christ in our hearts and lives!

"Keep yourselves in the love of God, looking for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ unto eternal life. And of some have compassion, making a difference: And others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire; hating even the garment spotted by the flesh. Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, To the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and for ever. Amen!

Also, see the the commentary relating to the Bible, Education and the present Conditions HERE.

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Email: [email protected]



O give thanks unto the Lord for He is good; for His mercy for ever” (Ps. 107:1)!



*Brief summary R. Catholicism:

The following summary can be well substantiated, and is not given not of any personal animosity towards Catholicism but as one who was a devout R. Catholic, and who sought to serve the Lord there after becoming born again, i write as one who has seen both sides, and initially and increasingly realized the tremendous contrast between Rome and Biblical regeneration (becoming born again). And having a heart for sound doctrine and a burden for souls, i wrote the following to help explain the Catholicism behind the statistics this is linked to, and to illustrate the basic difference between the gospel of such a system and that of Holy Scripture, with the prayer that souls will choose the latter to their salvation and to the glory of God. Amen!

Unlike typical cults or cultic systems, the Roman religious system does not require strict doctrinal conformity to all it's teachings, but typical of all such systems, she fosters implicit trust/dependence upon something less than Christ alone, that of the Roman Catholic System. Catholics typically therefore believe in a Jesus that will save them partly upon their own merit and that of the Catholic institution, which autocratically declares itself to be the one true church, to whom all are to submit. Her autocratic Caesario-Papacy and vast hierarchical system is much patterned after the Romans Empire in which the church found itself, and lacks the necessary Biblical warrant. While Peter's brethren – type leadership among the apostles is manifested, he is not seen ruling over the other apostles or church as an elevated supreme demi – god after the manner of Rome. Nowhere do we see even one command given to the church to submit to Peter as it's supreme Head, nor one example of him doing so as Rome examples. Not once does Peter refer to himself as the supreme head of the church, but as “an apostle” and “an elder” (1Pet. 1:1; 5:1). In addition, while the Holy Spirit in Scripture clearly gives us instructions for ordaining Bishop/Elders (not priests) as overseers of the church (1Tim. 3:1-7), nowhere is their any provision given for a successor to Peter. All told Rome's interpretation of her foundational text, Matthew 16:13-19, is unsubstantiated by the rest of Scripture. And without the papacy, all of Rome's pretensions to supreme power, and all Her spurious doctrines – which depend upon a presumed apostolic power to effectively add to the Bible – fall.

In addition to resting her case for the papacy essentially upon circular reasoning – namely, that according to her interpretation of Mt. 16:13-19) only her interpretations can be correct in any conflict – Rome also seeks to validate her presumed preeminence via a supposed historical linkage back to the apostles. Yet the authenticity of the, or a, true church does not rest upon any real or supposed historical linkage back to the apostles, any more than the authenticity of a true Jew rests upon physical linkage back to Abraham, as Rm. 2:28, 29 declares. Rather in both cases, authenticity is based upon Abrahamic type faith in the apostolic gospel, which knows nothing of salvation by proxy, or justification that depends on Romish rituals, but which justifies the destitute sinner with the imputed righteousness of Christ the moment they cast all their faith upon the risen Lord Jesus (and thus follow Him:. Acts 10:34-47). Praise ye the Lord!

In contrast, the average Catholic hears no convicting preaching that brings him to realize that he is a guilty and needy sinner who has nothing to offer God that he may gain Heaven nor escape Hell, and thus look directly to God in Christ for mercy, trusting in Him and His sinless shed blood and righteousness for salvation. Instead, the main, modern conveyance of Rome is that souls, not matter how nominal a practitioner they be, will be taken care if they die in Her hands. Though she makes many authoritative pronouncements which give her a form of Godliness, punishments for deviation are seldom enforced, and unholy liberalism and anti - Biblical practices (abortion, homosexuality, etc.) typically reign more where she reigns, as compared with areas where the evangelical Christian faith is believed. At the end, Catholics, from abortion and homosexual – promoting politicians to saloon owners to pious widows, are daily sent off to Heaven in Catholic funerals by way of purgatory. The latter is a Biblically non-existent place which the Roman system provides as a way out of through gifts and performances given by the Catholics on earth. The extreme form of this was the sale of indulgences in the Middle Ages. The extravagant Papal palace in Rome was built partly by the income provided by that manner of extortion! Meanwhile the overall effect of such faith in a system has been generations and a present populace of Catholic souls who are largely Biblically ignorant, and have little to no zeal for God's word, heart-felt Biblical worship or evangelism, and are usually either indifferent or antagonistic toward those who preach Jesus and His gospel of grace (Gal. 4:29). This is also much the case with any “institutionalized” church (Anglican, etc.), which becomes more form than substance In contrast, when Catholics or such like become truly born again (many do, thank God), the opposite becomes manifest, but they must leave such spiritually dead systems of bondage and blindness if they will continue in God's Word (versus the traditions of men), and know true and holy spiritual liberty. Praise ye the Lord!

It is the the Lord Jesus Himself who said, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” And that “God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth” (Jn. 3:3; 4:24). This can only happen when a soul is convicted of his sins, and realizes his utter inability to either gain Heaven nor escape Hell on any of his own merits or that of a church, and casts all his faith upon the Risen Lord Jesus for salvation, turning from sin to Him (cf. Acts 10:34-47). This decision is shown in baptism (by immersion) in identification with the Lord Jesus, and then in following Him in fellowship with a Bible believing/preaching church. If we rest in the Biblical Jesus as our Savior, we will overall follow Him as our Lord. May all lost souls who read this, by the grace of God, make that decision and know the “grace of God in truth” (Col. 1:6). To the glory of God. Amen!



The LORD is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and He knoweth them that trust in Him.” (Nahum 1:7).

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