Sheep and Goats and Seeds and Weeds

That same day Jesus went out of the house and sat by the lake.  Such large crowds gathered around him that he got into a boat and sat in it, while all the people stood on the shore.  Then he told them many things in parables, saying:  

“A farmer went out to sow his seed.  As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow.  But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants. Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.”

The  premise is simple. All of the seed was good, some of the ground was not. The rest of the story is about crop yield. In the days before supermarkets, with their ability to import fresh food from around the world, local yield was a very big deal. If crops did not properly yield locally, people could starve and potentially die.

There is more to this story however. The sower parable was just the introduction and must be read along with the following parable to be fully understood. 

In the sower parable Jesus focused on the entire world as one huge field in which seed has been scattered. In the next parable, often called “the parable of the weeds”, Jesus now speaks only about the "kingdom of heaven (or God) or "the good ground". This is the ground that will actually produce an increase or crop yield. On the rest of the ground that was not "good", everything died or was eaten. 

In the first parable Jesus speaks of a physical territory, the world, but in the second he speaks of an invisible kingdom without natural walls or borders.

 Jesus told them another parable: “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field.  But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away. When the wheat sprouted and formed heads, then the weeds also appeared. “The owner’s servants came to him and said, ‘Sir, didn’t you sow good seed in your field? Where then did the weeds come from?’

“‘An enemy did this,’ he replied.

“The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’

 “‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you are pulling the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them.  Let both grow together until the harvest. At that time, I will tell the harvesters: First collect the weeds and tie them in bundles to be burned; then gather the wheat and bring it into my barn.’”

In the "parable of the weeds" all of the plants are growing in good soil. We know from the parable of the sower these plants are thriving to varying degrees, thirty, sixty or a hundredfold, yet, in the kingdom of God or heaven, an  enemy has  crept in unawares and cast weed seed into this field of good soil. This is not the path, this not the rocky place and this not the place of thorns. This is not "out there somewhere". This is the good ground, inside the kingdom of God. Weeds are growing right next to the wheat, right up until the day of harvest. The ground is good, but not all of the crop has value. The disciples, in their fervor, wanted to go pull these weeds but Jesus told them, no, just let them all grow together on that same good ground. He cautioned if they tried to uproot them, they would, for certain, uproot good seed as well.

I divert now away from this field to a pasture full of sheep and goats. 

Matthew wrote:

When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats:

Here is a quick test. Below are pictures of two animals. Which one is a sheep, and which one is a goat? 

 

The sheep we see roaming fields today (below) have been hybridized and domesticated for maximum wool production and bear little resemblance to the sheep of Jesus day. 

 

The sheep and goats of Jesus day, as shown in the A/B illustration above, looked remarkably similar. These similar looking animals would be placed together in the same pasture where the sheep would graze on the low grass and the goats would forage through the taller stuff. Combining sheep and goats in one field allowed all of the available food in a pasture to be picked clean. 

 

Goats can be useful when pastured with sheep, but there are over one thousand breeds of sheep and goats and it can sometimes take an expert to determine whether an animal is a sheep or a goat. Especially if the sheep has recently been shorn. Sometimes that determination can only be made by smell. Goats have a definite smell, most have hair, rather than wool but, when passing large herds through a gate,  identification must be made quickly and the goats must be diverted from the sheepfold on the spot. That takes a good eye, an expert and a specialist, a Chief Shepherd trained to know the difference. Hirelings were not trained to know the difference.

 

When Matthew wrote this he was speaking to people who  understood this fact, but this is lost to us in our modern supermarket world. Some confuse this statement to mean some are meek, like sheep, and some are stubborn, like goats, but that is not the point. The point of the statement was not even that sheep are good and goats are bad. Goats are just as useful as sheep. The statement is illustrating there is one who stands at the gate making the decision on who can enter as a sheep and that person is the Chief Shepherd.

We are, none of us, professionals, none of us Chief Shepherds. None of us "stand at the gate" to separate sheep and goats at the last day and we certainly don't have that job today. In fact, as I will show, there is one who stands guard at the gate, but not even this person is allowed to determine if an animal is a sheep or a goat. It is not our responsibility to separate sheep and goats, not now, not ever, because we too are just sheep...or perhaps a goat. A few may be present as hirelings, but there is only one true Chief Shepherd. All others portraying themselves as Chief Shepherds are fakes, thieves and robbers.

“Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber.  But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.  To him the gatekeeper opens.

We often read these words in the gospel of John, as a "salvation" message. It is often stated Jesus is the narrow door to salvation we must enter and not try to enter by another way,  but read it again carefully here.

"he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep.  To him the gatekeeper opens.

The sheep are already in the sheepfold. It is the Chief Shepherd who stands at the door waiting for the gatekeeper to open.  This is not about sheep waiting to get in. The sheep are already there, waiting for the true shepherd and the  gatekeeper will only open the door to the true shepherd. Anyone else pretending to be a Chief Shepherd  will be denied entrance and if they do choose to enter, they will need to find an illegitimate way in. Undoubtedly their motive is to steal, kill and maim. 

Some think exceeding their authority is a way to protect the sheep and they are doing God service. The truth is they are actually thieves, robbers, and potentially even murderers. When the scriptures reference "false Christs" in the last days, it is speaking of these false shepherds, these inward ravening wolves who put on sheep's clothing to appear righteous, then enter the sheepfold by way of deceit and subterfuge to steal, maim and kill sheep.

We are not to weed out that which we think is bad seed because we will destroy the good in the process. We are not harvesters and have no authority to bundle and burn what we think are weeds. We are not the Chief Shepherd with the authority to determine who is a sheep and who is a goat. At our very best, we can be a hireling, but a hireling merely stands watch over the sheep and waits for the return of the chief shepherd. The hireling may even run the other way, and abandon the sheep, should wolves appear. The hireling has no stake in the life of the sheep. When danger appears they may respect their own life over that of the sheep. A hireling is hired to assure the safety of the sheep. They will be held accountable for any loss.

Some leaders in the ABC, and similar churches, believe they have the power to separate sheep and goats present day. They believe they have the power to remove weeds from the wheat before the harvest in the present day. They believe they have the power to pass "eternal judgments" on anyone they choose at any time.  We have been warned against this. 

“Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things.”  

We are not to pass a judgment, and especially not an eternal judgement, on anyone. Peter wrote to those who were hirelings to tell them the best we can accomplish is to shepherd the sheep by example and never by lording over the sheep. One could add here, we should not be beating sheep with the rod or the staff. David got it right in the twenty-third Psalm. "...thy rod and staff comfort me." The rod and the staff are for comfort, not punishment. If we wish to be fervent in a belief, we should have fervent charity...for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. If we are going to provoke one another we should provoke one another to love and good works.

In the universal sense, we are all simply nobodies. All of us. None is elevated above another. Salvation is without effort. If we seek a reward, that comes from our labors but, if we do not labor, salvation is assured but with no reward. More on that later.

Therefore, I exhort the elders among you, as your fellow elder and witness of the sufferings of Christ, and a partaker also of the glory that is to be revealed, shepherd the flock of God among you, exercising oversight not under compulsion, but voluntarily, according to the will of God; and not for sordid gain, but with eagerness;nor yet as lording it over those allotted to your charge, but proving to be examples to the flock. And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the unfading crown of glory. For ye are yet carnal: for whereas there is among you envying, and strife, and divisions, are ye not carnal, and walk as men? For while one saith, I am of Paul; and another, I am of Apollos; are ye not carnal? Who then is Paul, and who is Apollos, but ministers by whom ye believed, even as the Lord gave to every man? I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. So then neither is he that planteth any thing, neither he that watereth; but God that giveth the increase. Now he that planteth and he that watereth are one: and every man shall receive his own reward according to his own labour. For we are labourers together with God: ye are God's husbandry, ye are God's building.

 

I have already written about "God's building" many times so I won't belabor that point here again except to say God's fields, God's sheep and God's building are  all equivalents. Just different metaphors for the same idea.

According to the grace of God which is given unto me, as a wise masterbuilder, I have laid the foundation, and another buildeth thereon. But let every man take heed how he buildeth thereupon. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. If any man's work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.

 

All the ways of the Lord are mercy and truth. Miss that point and you miss it all. All those weeds the disciples wanted to pluck up and burn, who is to say they were not just a stalk of wheat producing at thirty-fold instead of one-hundred fold? It still has value and the loss is still  great.

We must never forget the foundation of God has this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His... We don't know who are his. Only the Lord knows who are his. If we decide, we may be wrong because we are not experts.

If we take on the role of removing bad seed we run the risk of destroying wheat. For that, we will incur a debt to God, the landholder. The earth is the Lord's and everything in it. It does not belong to us. We are only residents for a time. If we attempt  to enter the sheepfold, as a false shepherd, and cull or beat the sheep, we are thieves and robbers, potentially murderers. None of us has the authority to stand at the gate and decide who is a sheep and who is a goat. It is not our job now and it never will be since we are not qualified. If we take on this role, we are a false Christ, a false Chief Shepherd and we are working in the spirit of the antichrist.

  

"B" is a Jacob sheep. An ancient breed.

 

"A" is a Cashmere Goat which has a wool coat,

 rather than hair, but is still a goat. 

Did you get it right? 

 

When Jesus repeated this parable a second time, he now began to call himself "the door". All that ever came before me are thieves and robbers: but the sheep did not hear them. I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be kept safe and will go in and out and find pasture.  

  

The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runneth into it and is safe. Pr. 18

 

While they are not specifically mentioned here, Jesus is referring to the Scribes and the Pharisee, the religious leaders of his day, as the ones who are thieves and robbers. These are those who steal, kill and maim. 

 

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. 

 

A wolf in sheep's clothing, is not referring to a canine wolf that has somehow skinned a sheep and cloaked itself in the skin. Wolves in nature do not do this, ever. Jesus is referring to those who dressed themselves in the expensive finery of wool clothing then attempted to appear pious when really they were preying upon people's curiosities and fears. These were the religious leaders of Jesus day. These were the ones who through pride and ego, or by pursuit of sordid gain, enticed sheep away from the  safety of the sheepfold then captured them in their own enclosure. Here the sheep are held captive, unable to leave and find green pasture. Unable to enjoy the freedom in Christ Jesus. 

 

The freedom we have allows us to enter and exit the sheepfold and go out into green pastures. The sheepfold of the Pharisees is an enclosure with a locked door where sheep are held captive while heavy burdens are inflicted. The Pharisees had one standard for themselves and another standard for "the laity" they captured. One only need read all of Matthew 23 to get a good picture of who the Pharisees were.

 ^"For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers."

 

“But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut up the kingdom of heaven against men; for you neither go in yourselves, nor do you allow those who are entering to go in. 

 

So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep.  All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them.  I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. He who is a hired hand and not a shepherd, who does not own the sheep, sees the wolf coming and leaves the sheep and flees, and the wolf snatches them and scatters them. He flees because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.  I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me,  just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep. And I have other sheep that are not of this fold. I must bring them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will be one flock, one shepherd.  For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life that I may take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This charge I have received from my Father.”

 

Persons acting like these Pharisees have ambushed members of the ABC for decades. I write these words here on my site today, but I am not saying anything different than I did nearly fifty years ago. I had many conversations with Ramon A Haas, the founder of the ABC, and my father, about this subject. When I was asked to the IHOP by the "evangelist" Andy Atwell under the premise they planned to "talk" to a man named Wayne and accuse him of "blasphemy", I made it clear then I had seen a lot of damage done to many people, over many decades, by these unjust judgments followed by disciplines based on the "shepherding movement" precedents and I would not support the discipline, I would only support the truth. I have had this conversation with numerous "leaders" in the ABC over many years.  The "shepherding movement" has been proven false by many all across the globe. Yet this scenario will still play itself out in the ABC, and in many other religious organizations across the globe. It is wrong.

 

When I was personally ambushed, by men acting  like Pharisees, it was over one simple sentence in reply to a question. For this I was then burdened eternally with the label of "blasphemer" and everyone I knew in my life was told I was evil and to never speak to me again. There have been others before me that have been labeled in the same manner. As you will see, these men, having taken undue power and control, feel their enclosure is the kingdom of God. It is not. These men do not inflict themselves with this same burden, just like the Pharisees did not.

 

The chief person at this ambush told me I had "nearly blasphemed the Holy Spirit, thus, there was a justification for passing an "eternal judgement" on my soul. It was "part of our foundation", he stated, therefore every judgment he made was "eternal". I assume this justification was based on this piece of Hebrews, just after listing the foundation blocks. I can't account for this man's thinking other than to say it is falsehood.

For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit, and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come, if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.

The person making this accusation had previously given a teaching, not once, but many times, that God's forgiveness, the blood of Christ, was of no effect unless a "brother" first acted as intermediary to pray and request God to give us forgiveness for a sin. This would be equivalent to shoving aside our mediator, Jesus, and would make  his death and resurrection of no value.  In effect, this was a "trampling" of the blood of Christ, a disavowing of the propitiation available to us by our High Priest after the order of Melchizedek. It was an untruth that tore at the very heart of Jesus purpose on earth.

I went to this person privately, in an attempt to show him the error of his words, but was angrily shut down. The response I got back fell just short of being called a fool. I was told I could not possibly know and understand so, I just let it go and waited. 

Weeks later, this same person was confronted in a meeting by a number of people when trying to teach this same doctrine again. This time it was more than one voice speaking and he was willing to repent of his wrong position. No one ever once accused this man of blasphemy, or called him to an ambush to accuse. No one made phone calls to separate him from his friends. No one condemned his soul for all of eternity.  Even though, in essence, this was a "trampling" of the blood of Christ and was indeed "blasphemy" if one wants to attach a label to it.

After the ambush I sent a letter to this person to remind him of the grace he had once been given when he had essentially nullified the propitiation of Christ with this piece of false doctrine. (Part of my letter is shown below.)  I felt it my duty to remind him of how effective the grace of God can be since grace, meekness, mercy and truth had obviously escaped him. 

Click to Enlarge

We know, from later in the letter to the Hebrews, this could be a serious offense.

Anyone who has rejected Moses’ law dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses.  Of how much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, counted the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified a common thing, and insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said, “Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,” says the Lord. And again, “The Lord will judge His people.”

It was stated at the ambush, I had, by one single sentence, almost blasphemed the Holy Spirit. Even though, when truly evaluating my statement in context, it was fully true. It is those who deny Christ came in the flesh who are of the spirit of the antichrist, not those who state he needed to learn obedience as a child, just like any other child. 

So, if one were to get literal, and very technical, this man's teaching could be considered to be a trampling of the Son of God underfoot, counting the blood of the covenant to be common and the propitiation and priesthood of Jesus to be of no effect. This entire teaching could have been considered blasphemy. But this man was not treated in the same manner as me because in the Pharisaical system his "ministry" exists in a double standard. This man had an elevated and favored position by the apostle, Gilbert Larson, so he was not ever challenged. The Corinthians found themselves in a similar state where they had become divided into the "approved" and the "disapproved".  

What happens to this man's soul is not my decision to make. I am not the one who judges this man's soul for the eternal. I cannot bundle this person up as refuse then cast him into the fire. I am not a Chief Shepherd that can decide if this man is a sheep or a goat. I am a nobody and, in that, I find a great deal of peace.“The Lord will judge His people.” 

I do however warn people to stay away from this, and any other, system that allows men such power and privilege that they can kill, maim, destroy and establish a double standard through abusive Pharisaical behavior. This double standard exists in many church organizations and movements throughout the world. 

The ABC has developed it's virtual sheepfold. They have no brick and mortar, but they demand membership inside their virtual walls. They stand along the way calling the unwary in, giving the sense  salvation can only be found through them alone. Once captured they will then bind many burdens on that person and not allow those who have entered to leave and find green pastures. The writer of Acts spoke of this very thing. 

“And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more.  Therefore I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all men.  For I have not shunned to declare to you the whole counsel of God. Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. For I know this, that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.  Also from among yourselves men will rise up, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after themselves.  Therefore watch, and remember that for three years I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears.

____

 

^"For they bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on men’s shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers."

 

____

 

Now when He was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation;  nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.”

 

TO MAIN SITE

Haímatos (αἷμα / αἵματος ), hīdrṓs (ἱδρώς) and the Fox

 In the letter to the Ephesians, Paul wrote:

For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

We have little direct knowledge of life in Ephesus but can make some inference from reading in Revelation what things Ephesus had against it. The greatest of these was that they had lost their first love. 

First love is the love that looks to the heart of a person, rather than on the surface blemishes. The problem in Ephesus was not people that caused this failure of first love, it was instead principles and powers that allowed for the elevation of “false apostles” in their city.  This created a doctrine of power that stole back their first love, and let it die. There is some indication the people of Ephesus began to see this issue, and were in the process of banishing these men calling themselves "apostles". Paul was telling them, in his letter to the Ephesians, the only defense they  had going forward was the armor of God. He cautioned this war was not against any person directly, the war was instead against the principalities that empowered these false apostles and allowed these persons to elevate themselves to a false position and strangle their first love. 

The armor that protects our core, the foundation of our being, is the Breastplate of Faith and Love. Righteousness. These two pieces are bound together by hope which then protects the heart of a man. Hope also protects the mind. But let us who are of the day be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love, and as a helmet the hope of salvation.

Throughout all of history individuals have been declared to be “blasphemers”, or “rebellious”, then unjustly condemned simply because  their words ran headlong into the beliefs of those in power. We can infer from those words in Revelation, Ephesus had an issue with false apostles who sowed discord among them and  destroyed their first love. There is more that could be said on this subject but that’s for another time.

The example I give on this site, of being accused of blasphemy, then “eternally judged”, is not an anomaly globally. It has happened many times in the ABC and it has happened many times to others around the globe. This is a principality we must protect ourselves from. This is a principality that gives mere men power over other people then strangles this first love to death. I believe this is the state the church in Ephesus found themselves in and they needed to work to pull themselves out of it.

When one is allowed to instate themselves in a position of power over other men’s souls, assume a title, then have control over others; as what seems to have happened at Ephesus with these false apostles; and are then able to establish followers who will blindly follow, without questioning, that person will, by the course of human nature, acquire an inflated ego. This “leader” will feel they have the right to squash any dissent, or variation of perspective other than their own. These types of scenarios have played out throughout all of human history and will until time ends. This is why the scriptures tell us we must guard ourselves against these principalities that give power to these “leaders”, and cause them to be lifted up with pride. In reality, our fight, our war, is not with any man (or woman) directly, it is with the power structure behind these men (or women) that allow them free license to maim and destroy.

One of the books my father had on his bookshelf, and read often, was called  “Fox’s Book of Martyrs”. This book is a retelling of stories of those who had been beaten, beheaded, and even burned alive because they made statements that ran counter to the established religious views of the leaders of their day. My story would not be found in that book, and I have not personally witnessed any beheading or individuals burned alive by the ABC, or any other religious organization for that matter, but what I have witnessed is people who have been spiritually, and emotionally, battered with words of intimidation and false accusation. This has always been initiated by men with inflated egos who were given their power through this principality, or doctrine, of superiority. This is not in line with a doctrine of first love.   

What I have learned is this sort of thing happens all across the globe when hate begins to replace first love. If it is not love, it is hate to a varying degree. These egos strike at the hearts and minds of others. And, while people did not lose years off their longevity like those beheaded or burned, this type of spiritual abuse has left a great many scars on a great many people that will never completely heal. This is the state of the ABC today, and it has been caused by the embracing of an erroneous doctrine traceable back to a meeting my father attended when Bob Mumford was introducing the doctrine of shepherding and discipleship to Seattle. (The Charismatic Movement, which predated the Shepherding Movement by about a decade, actually began in Seattle with a defrocked Episcopal priest named Dennis Bennett and Mumford was actually just adding another layer to this movement.)

This has proven to be an erroneous, very harmful doctrine. All those involved in its birth have publicly stated it was a false doctrine that destroys lives, steals love. This doctrine is still embraced by the ABC and by many other denominations.

"...Mumford decided that he needed to publicly ‘repent’ of his responsibility in setting up a system where so many people were hurt by misuses of authority. “Some families were split up and lives turned upside down,” says Mumford. “Some of these families are still not back together.” Bob Mumford at the Christian Believers United Meeting, as reported in Charisma & Christian Life, February 1990 edition.

Years ago, I heard the ABC, the church my father started in our living room in the 1960's, had started a radio program called “Come Let Us Reason Together with Gilbert and Friends”, hosted by Gilbert Larson, from Gilbert Arizona then, Red Bluff California now. The title is in total opposition to the reality of the ABC. My final encounter with the “leaders” of the ABC, was when they, following the absolute guidance of Gilbert Larson, the named “apostle” of the ABC, enticed me to an ambush through lies and deceit. At this ambush I was declared to be a “blasphemer” forever and ever, for all of eternity, and the demeanor of all present was hostility without examination. All in the room were acting blindly and following the orders of "the apostle".  I was told, at this ambush, per “apostle” Gilbert Larson’s instructions, I would not be allowed to speak or defend my alleged “blasphemous words”. I was told I had already been “eternally judged”, before I ever arrived at the ambush, so there was no reason for me to speak in my own defense or offer any clarification of my words. In essence, my hands were tied, my mouth was gagged, and the intent was to then beat and flog me with words of accusation for an hour or three. This is not love, this is hate. Hate is a work of the flesh.  

I refer to a few words from the Proverbs,

He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him. Proverbs 18:13

This sort of hostile technique, which I witnessed, as well as experienced, many times over many decades in the ABC is plainly wrong. It is a doctrine of demons as Satan is the accuser, not God. If one takes it on themselves to accuse and condemn a man for all of eternity, without investigation, it is they who are flinging the fiery darts that destroy, just as was written to the Ephesians.

And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God Day and night.

This was the first time I had seen this “discipline” being taken to the level of  “eternal” and this is quite far from “Come Let Us Reason Together”. The ABC purports to be open to reasoning, but this is a lie and a ruse to draw in the unwary. The ABC is not about “reasoning together”. It has not been about "reasoning together" since very early on. All the way back to just beyond those Wilcrest Apartment days in the early seventies. This is when the ambushes began. This is when others had begun to be attacked in the same manner, just not into the eternal. Eternal is a long time.

The ABC is about being given specific instructions, and being expected to follow those instructions without deviating. It is about saying nothing if those instructions seem cruel and wrong, out of fear that same wrath may fall back on you. That is domination and control, and this is what the ABC is truly about. Domination and control of men’s souls, not freedom. 

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. 

I had been warned, by a reputable source, Gilbert Larson’s (the “apostle’s”) goal was to sideline me in some way since he felt I “knew too much about the history of the church” and “might begin to talk to the new babes”. I am quoting the words as they were directly spoken to me. I actually had no intent to speak about those past things and, while this site may not seem it, there is actually very much more that will remain untold. This person also told me Bruce Leonard, who called himself the “ruling elder”, had a big target on my back, and I needed to bow to his authority and follow his instructions, or I would eventually pay a heavy price. This is not “reasoning together”. This is not righteousness (faith, love) peace or joy, and it is not Godly.  It is submission and bondage and those are not found in the Kingdom of God. I passed off these comments because I did not truly understand how intense and brutal the ambush would be that would soon follow.  

Not long before I was determined to have eternally “blasphemed”, Gilbert Larson (the “apostle”) had come to Vancouver, set up a special meeting at one of the grange halls, then informed us all who were teachers we were only allowed to teach my dad’s teachings, and nothing else. Period. He had in hand a book of the “accepted teachings” of Ramon A Haas, the founder of the ABC. If it wasn’t in this book, he stated, it could not be taught in the ABC.  I was one of a small chorus of voices that protested this rule set down by Gilbert, the “apostle”. I had no intention of following that order and know for certain this put me high on his “bad list”. I am sure this was one of the “demerits” that led to my eventually being declared a “blasphemer for all of eternity”.  Another reason being that I had notes in my possession for the Creation teaching, which, according to Bruce Leonard, the “ruling elder”, was off limits to anyone except the “apostle”. Never mind these were notes I had personally prepared for my dad during those many hours of research at the library when I was avoiding being locked in my room at home, for some unknown “rebellion” on my part. The expectation was that I would hand over these notes so they could be sent to “the apostle”. I refused to hand over the notes and was told by this “ruling elder” I was being “rebellious”. These were my personal notes I had had since I was a teen, and this was total nonsense.

We are to be led by the Spirit, not by Ramon A Haas, Gilbert Larson, or any other man. If I teach, it is open to “reasoning together” in peace and safety, not the expectation of a delayed hostility should we not see eye to eye on a matter. Teaching is intended for building up, not tearing down. There is no man who has it all “nailed down”. It's an unachievable goal. 

Prior to the ambush, I had already been labeled as a “blasphemer” several times, yet I still got calls from the local “elders” asking I teach at their house.  In hindsight I realize this was likely a way to lay a trap, so I could be taken by my words. When I taught, there always seemed to be an excess of questions from certain persons trying to determine if I had properly researched the Greek. One person in particular was very contentious each time I taught at their house. That final night, after which I am reported to have “blasphemed for all of eternity”, the questions and contentions over Greek words had become so intense I could barely get out a sentence or two before I found myself challenged and quizzed. I eventually stopped my teaching, leaned forward, and stated we needed to admire the beauty of God instead of contending over words so much. It is clear, in hindsight, there were persons who had been instructed by Bruce Leonard, the “ruling elder” to keep a record of what I taught, then report it back to him each time. I cannot prove this definitively, but know it is likely true since, prior to the ambush, I had repeatedly been “called on the carpet” by this man who had given himself the title of “ruling elder”. I found myself often severely misquoted, with my words taken in isolation, rather than put into context, and there was no “reasoning together”. As one example, I had given a teaching and used the verse Re, 12:12 which reads; Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time.” I made mention that beings in the heavens rejoiced, but the earth would see woe. This was then fed back to me later by the "ruling elder", who was not present for the teaching, that I had created a teaching on UFO's and "space aliens" and he wanted to know why.  I had said nothing of the sort but, apparently, one person in the room took my one sentence to mean "space aliens". This same "ruling elder", just weeks later, gave a teaching and, in his teaching, referred to angels, seraphim, etc. No one blinked an eye or reported this man for speaking of "space aliens". This is not the ways of God, which are peaceable.

At the ambush, Bruce Leonard, the “ruling elder” and friends, had a full notebook delineating the many accusations of the alleged “blasphemies” I had committed.  My underlying message for years has always been this. There is a simplicity, not a complexity, in Christ (2. Corinthians 11) and serving God and keeping his commandments is the whole duty of man (Ec. 12:13). This never sat well with those who wanted to bind others with burdens hard to bear. When I learned, at the ambush, I was to be gagged, then condemned as a blasphemer for all of eternity, I stood, gave all a genuine hug, but did not stay for the reading of the pages and pages and pages of accusations against me. I have no idea what those remaining points were and do not care. I will let Satan do this for them. This is not the mind of Christ, our propitiation, and is likely the same devilish doctrine that destroyed the first love of those in Ephesus. The existence of this doctrine can be proven by the acceptance of most to simply no longer be a friend or even speak with me in peace, because the “apostle” and the “ruling elder” had commanded it. Some even turned and ran when they saw me in a store. Is this love, or is it hate?  “Reasoning Together” or disobeying an order, no matter how cruel, are not tolerated in the ABC. If one disagrees, or has a differing perspective, they can assume, at some future point, they too will be treated very harshly, deceptively and be condemned for all of eternity. I assure you; no one is spared this potential wrath.

One of the previous instances where I am said to have blasphemed was at one of my Saturday teachings. This time I was alleged to have blasphemed against Christ so, this time it wasn’t for all of eternity, just a short raking over the coals. One must bear in mind the ABC goal is to “nail everything down to its most precise exact definition in the Greek”. Going counter to any accepted doctrine, by even the most minor variation, can bring about swift, and sometimes brutal, reprimand. This was the case this time.

In this teaching I am considered to have “blasphemed” Christ when I related the story of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane, when he knew he was soon to die.  Luke described this moment as, “And being in agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground.”

I mentioned in my teaching Jesus, at that moment, when he was in great agony, suffered a human medical condition called hematidrosis. This is a condition in which blood enters the sweat glands, causes them to rupture and swell and the sweat becomes enlarged and bloody. This condition is only brought about by a person in extreme anguish and is exactly, precisely, what is described in Luke’s account of Jesus in the garden. We must not forget; Luke was a physician and he spoke as one who was a physician.

The backlash was immediate. It was declared to me, Jesus was God, was therefore perfect, and could not possibly have suffered such a human condition. My words were considered blasphemy against Jesus.   

This is not reality. Luke states Jesus was in extreme anguish. Anguish is extreme pain, distress, or anxiety and is exactly the condition that brings about hematidrosis. He describes his sweat as falling as blood. To attach a label to exactly what Luke (a physician!) described is not blasphemy. To quote from a medical dictionary:

An extremely rare condition characterized by the sweating of blood, which is said to occur when a person is facing death…  It has been seen in prisoners before execution…

There are many other examples of Jesus being in anguish or showing human emotion. I sincerely doubt he was “Spock-like” and exhibited no emotion. Emotion is not sin! We know Jesus had human emotions because even his own family did not recognize he was different. He was emotional when he drove out the moneychangers. Jesus is able to sympathize with our human condition in ALL things because he suffered the human condition just like us. Jesus, per the scripture, set aside the Godhead and became a man fully. Was he not then capable of suffering this human condition?  Of course, he was. We know this is true because he is described as having suffered this exact medical condition in Luke! To report, in a teaching, exactly what was written in Luke and add a medical name to what is described, is not “blasphemy. The term is from Ancient Greek, not Hellenist Greek; haîma/haímatos (αἷμα / αἵματος ), meaning blood, and hīdrṓs (ἱδρώς ), meaning sweat. Blood sweat.

It was described to me, after I taught, that Jesus did not actually shed sweat with blood. This was supposedly some sort of spiritual condition instead that made him seem to shed blood, but he actually didn’t sweat any blood as Luke had stated. It was stated to me Luke was just using this statement to show Jesus was giving more power to his prayer, or something like that. I really did not understand the explanation I was being given and it seemed quite nonsensical. And not to hammer a point home but, those who deny Jesus came in the flesh are deceivers and are of the spirit of the antichrist.  2 John 7.

I speak personally here. I would not want the “Son of God”, who suffered through our human condition, to be something more than human. Otherwise, what’s the point? Would he not then be like all the other “gods” that are elevated above the human condition and lack empathy or care? Think of the Greek and Roman mythologies about the “gods” who sat in the heavens and cast down lightning bolts, or entrapped men in terrors, without any empathy or remorse. Is this really what we want of the true Son of God?  Jesus was born less than the angels and angels are less than mankind. He was rebirthed into being God again when he died and was resurrected. But much of this is actually a mystery to us. Can we really explain all this? Not really. All we can do is accept it for the limited knowledge we have. Isn’t that faith? The substance of things not seen. There was no reasoning together on this point that night and I was declared to have blasphemed Jesus. I stand by my statements though and if that makes me a rebel…so be it. Jesus was a bit of a rebel too. Or is it blasphemy to acknowledge this as well?

The condition I see in the ABC, and other aberrant churches just like it, is many persons have become so “heavenly minded” they are no longer any “earthly good”.  They have leaders among them who have become puffed up with ego and assume they have a better knowledge than all others. These are leaders who think they alone guard secrets only they can reveal.  They then seek to destroy when their egos are inflamed by small disagreements. The ABC is inhabited by people who have shifted their focus from God to a man. This is evidenced by those who wrote to tell me I should not speak against the “apostle”, Gilbert Larson, but then excused this man who calls himself an “apostle” when he commanded lies and deceits be used to entice me to an ambush. The goal of the ambush being to pass on me an eternal judgement, forever and ever, while I was gagged and not allowed to speak. Despite the glaring problems, this was considered to be a “godly act” because it had been commanded by the “apostle”.  Good for the goose, good for the gander? Guess not.

As I have said many times on this site, I focus on the ABC because that is my life experience, but I am calling out all leaders who perpetuate these doctrines. My true contention is with the principalities that have empowered these persons to have undue power over others’ lives.  This information I relate can translate to numerous other church environments, not just the ABC.  I know this as fact because I have conversed with, and read the stories of, many others who have been subjected to similar spiritual abuses at the hands of egotistical men  who have assumed a false title for themselves. There is no hierarchy in Christ Jesus, despite whatever earthly title someone claims for themself. We must look to God, follow the Spirit, and not trust in any man. Even if they falsely claim a title of apostle, prophet, evangelist, ruling elder, etc. Many use these titles to destroy others. Ephesus struggled with false apostles as well.

 

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Fear vs. Afraid

One of the teachings of mine that got me a “chew out” session in Vancouver, and probably even led to my later being labeled a “blasphemer”, was one I called “Fear vs. Afraid”. The premise of the teaching was that we must fear God, but we need not be afraid of God since we are "friends of God". 

Merriam Webster gives one definition of fear as “profound reverence and awe especially toward God.” Afraid is defined as “filled with fear or apprehension.” The "fear" in this second definition being defined as, “an unpleasant often strong emotion caused by anticipation or awareness of danger.”  

Language is imperfect so our word "fear" in English can have somewhat opposite meanings. After giving this teaching, and apparently after someone misunderstood the concept, they then "reported me"  for teaching falsely and I was "called on the carpet". I attempted to explain this teaching to Bruce Leonard, who considered himself the "ruling elder" of Vancouver and Portland, but it fell on deaf ears. I found myself accused of being a false teacher. The push back I got on my statements; as the pendulum swung to the maximum possible position away from what I had actually said in the teaching; is  I was telling people they should not respect God. I actually said quite the opposite in my teaching. 

What I did say was to give the example of Abraham being a friend of God and not one who cowered in his presence, afraid he would be killed by God. I used part of  the letter James wrote to the twelve tribes when he states,

“And the Scripture was fulfilled which says, “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” And he was called the friend of God.”

Moses too was able to speak to God "face to face". Since God is invisible this could only be presumed it was a representation of God, but who can really say. It is clear Moses held  favor with God as a friend allowing him to speak to face to face this way, without being afraid. When Moses returned from the mountain, with the ten commandments in hand, the people began to cower at the presence of God and were afraid of God. Moses immediately tells them not to be afraid of God so they can learn to respect his ways and not sin. Fear and afraid are polar opposites. Respectful fear causes one to embrace and respect God. Being afraid, on the other hand, drives one away from God.

In the letter Paul wrote to the Romans he stated

“What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.” Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt.”

Abraham had faith and it counted as righteousness. If we have faith, just like Abraham, it also counts to us as the same righteousness. Should we expect any less from God?

We are saved by grace, through faith, and not by anything we can possibly do for ourselves, same as Abraham. It is strictly having a complete trust in God. To trust in God is to fear (respect, revere) God. Being afraid and cowering indicates there is no trust in God and we must then turn and run away from God. Abraham, through his faith, not born out of his own works, became a “friend” of God.

In a letter to the Twelve Tribes, the Hebrew people, Paul wrote, 

“Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

Paul understood the concept of fear vs. afraid. Fear, or respect, causes one to draw near to God out of reverence and trust. The one who is afraid of God, runs away from God instead and has no faith that God can save him. If Noah had cowered, and been afraid of God, he would not have built an ark and displayed his faith. He would have been  afraid the ark would not float, or the flood would overwhelm him. He revered the word of God and followed God's instructions.

David wrote in the Psalms,

But I am like a green olive tree in the house of God;
I trust in the mercy of God forever and ever. 

God is a God of mercy. We need not cower and be afraid of God. We can come boldly to the throne of grace and ask for mercy at any time since we have a propitiation, a perpetual sacrifice. If we have proper faith, like those in the list in Hebrews; Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, and many more, we too can boldly come to God, without being afraid, knowing there is no condemnation placed on us. Knowing this, we can have an even greater reverence, or fear of God, without being afraid of God's wrath.

One of the teachings the ABC has is if one has a “soul sin” the only manner of forgiveness by God is to go to an elder and ask for anointing with oil. Having been an elder in the ABC, I found there were individuals that week after week after week had a “soul sin” and needed anointing over and over and over again. Really? That's just not possible. It was almost feeling, at times, like the next step beyond this would be to open a “confessional booth”. 

And what exactly is a “soul sin”? The only reference to this is Old Testament, primarily in Ezekiel, where it states the soul that sins will die. The old covenant was destroyed when we received the propitiation. Those who teach the propitiation is of no effect without human intervention are like the foolish Galatians who returned to following the law again and began arguing over circumcision. Paul wrote to them and said,

 "Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace.”

The ABC will quote the scripture in James that says,

 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.

The ABC loves Greek words, so this word “sick” is the Greek word astheneo. This is no common sickness, and certainly does not refer to a "soul sin". It does not even directly refer to any sort of sin at all since it says, almost as an afterthought, "and if he have committed sin". IF! That's a big two letter word. 

I can give one prime example for the use of this type of anointing. In the ABC there was once a man named Horace who was a brilliant mathematician. When I first met him he was in his late eighties and had just finished contract work with NASA helping design the lunar rover. In a way, he was instrumental in helping put a man on the moon. A little later in life this man succumbed to some form of dementia after a stroke. He became, in this demented state, an "atheist" and recanted any belief in God. A meeting was  held to determine if this man was now a “blasphemer” and whether he had “lost his salvation”. There was no definitive outcome from the meeting but privately my father felt he had lost his salvation. Personally I felt this man was just weak, feeble, astheneo and worthy of God's grace and mercy. This is a time when the elders should have gone, anointed this person with oil, and IF this person had “sinned”, it would  be forgiven. This piece of scripture in James is not talking about a “soul sin”. No one need ask an elder to act as their high priest for forgiveness, counting the propitiation for sins of no effect.  This, in itself, Paul said, is tantamount to falling from grace. 

This doctrine is in place as a dependency measure. If one cannot find forgiveness without the services of an elder of the ABC, they are then captive and dependent on the ABC for mercy and grace, rather than be devoted to God and His mercy. 

Though some will disagree with me, we can be a friend of God just like Abraham. We don’t have to cower and be afraid of God like the Israelite people at Mt. Sinai. If we are less than perfect, there is no condemnation on us. We can boldly step up to the throne of grace at any time, without an elder, and, as a friend of God, ask for mercy and it will be granted. We have Jesus as our high priest now, not any man. 

If someone feels only Abraham had something special, it was written to the Galatians, 

 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

And if that is not defined enough, the gospel of John reads;

This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you. Henceforth I call you not servants; for the servant knoweth not what his lord doeth: but I have called you friends; for all things that I have heard of my Father I have made known unto you. Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.

                                                         Jesus at the Last Supper

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