Comments by Joan Boney:
On a Wednesday night, I went to a small non-denominational church of about 200 people. (I was looking for a church to attend.)
Pastor was speaking about the woman who was caught in adultery and taken before Jesus.
John 8
1 Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.
2 And early in the morning HE came again into the temple, and all the people came unto HIM; and HE sat down, and taught them.
3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
2 And early in the morning HE came again into the temple, and all the people came unto HIM; and HE sat down, and taught them.
3 And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst,
4 They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act.
5 Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou?
6 This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
7 So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her.
8 And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
9 And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee?
11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
***
Pastor did not read these scriptures aloud to the congregation he just paraphrased.
Then pastor said: "And when she was brought before Jesus she was naked from the waist up."
I was shocked. I had never read this in the Bible.
I looked at the people in the congregation. Many of the men had lustful grins on their faces. I knew they were picturing this 1/2 naked woman in their minds, lusting after her.
I did not see any person with a Bible trying to see what the Bible said. I reread this passage of scripture in the Bible. There was no statement in the Bible, in John 8, of this woman brought before Jesus while being naked from this waist up. This that pastor spoke to the congregation was a lie out of his imagination.
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The next day, I called the church office and asked to speak to the pastor.
He came on the phone immediately.
I said, "Last night I attended your church service where you told about the woman taken in adultery and brought before Jesus and she was "naked from the waist up."
"I've never before heard anyone speak this ... I couldn't find it in the Bible. Could you tell me where that is in the Bible?"
Pastor paused ... then he said: "I can't remember where that is in the Bible." (Pastor lies again.)
I said: "This is really important to me. Would you please find it in Bible and tell your secretary where this is and have her call me and tell me?"
Pastor grew very silent.
Then he showed great anger toward me and screamed at me on the phone: "All right ... it's not in the Bible ... Where do you go to church?"
I told pastor, "I was looking for a church to attend but I'm not going to a church where the pastor lies about the Bible and then lies when questioned about his lie."
***
At the church that night, I saw a brick layer who had done some work for me. I told him what had happened. He said he was an elder at that church and would look into the matter. (I told him where to find the passage of scripture in the Bible. I didn't see anyone with a Bible that night at church.)
Later I was visiting an Assembly of God church and saw that man I knew sitting in the congregation at that church.
He told me he left that other church. The pastor hired a homosexual as choir director.
He said he did ask pastor why he said that about the woman being brought before Jesus naked from the waist up and it was not in the Bible.
Pastor said, "Oh I don't know ... it just came into my mind and I spoke it."
James 1:26 If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.
The brick layer said he was an "elder" but I knew one of his sons was a drunkard.
Here is what Bible says are qualifications to be an elder (bishop) in the church.
I Timothy 3
1 This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work.
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
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Bible shows elder and bishop are same office in the church.
Titus 1
4 To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.
5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:
6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:
5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:
6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:
1 Timothy 3
2 A bishop then must be blameless, the husband of one wife, vigilant, sober, of good behaviour, given to hospitality, apt to teach;
3 Not given to wine, no striker, not greedy of filthy lucre; but patient, not a brawler, not covetous;
4 One that ruleth well his own house, having his children in subjection with all gravity;
(multiple children)
5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
6 Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
7 Moreover he must have a good report of them which are without; lest he fall into reproach and the snare of the devil.
***
Peter was an elder, showing he was married with children, for Bible says elder/bishop must be married and have multiple children, ruling his own house well.
I Peter 5:11 The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:
Bible shows Peter had a mother-in-law:
Matthew 8:14 And when Jesus was come into Peter's house, he saw his wife's mother laid, and sick of a fever.
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When I was hunting a church to attend, I saw a small "Church of Christ" building near my house. I visited that church one Sunday morning. The pastor was teaching a small group of people in a Bible class. He would ask questions and the people in the class were free to speak.
Pastor quoted this scripture about Noah.
Hebrews 11:7 By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith.
Then pastor said: "Did Noah really condemn the world?"
I said: "Yes ... because Noah built the ark showing faith in God and the others did not show faith in God, thereby by doing something God showed Noah to do, by his works, Noah "condemned the world" that didn't have faith in God."
Pastor and the 8 or 9 people were speechless ... It was obvious that no one wanted anything to do with me after I spoke this.
***
The pastor corrected me by saying, "I'm not called pastor."
I said, "Well, what are you called?"
He said, "I'm called minister."
Then I remembered. Church of Christ teaches it is wrong for churches to call their minister "pastor". I had no idea this was incorrect teaching by Eph. 4.
My first college, ACC, was a Church of Christ school. I was not born again until 1975. I was at Church of Christ school from 1954 through 1957. I didn't check any thing they taught, for I had no idea there was anything taught was not according to Bible. (much like Catholics)
Church of Christ taught they were the "only" church ... like Catholics taught. I never compared scripture with scripture until after I was born again and God taught me by HIS Holy Spirit.
I believe this is like most people who go to a church group. They assume everything taught at that church group is correct and by the Bible. They never check the doctrine being taught to see if it fits what the Bible says!
I remember one of our cellists in our orchestra went to SMU (Southern Methodist University). I was terrified for her! I later received one degree from SMU (still not born again) in 1963. After I graduated with a doctorate from North Texas, I taught 6 years at SMU. (still not born again until December, 1975)
I don't know why they teach this.
Ephesians 4:8 Wherefore HE saith, When HE ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men. 11 And HE (Jesus) gave some, apostles; and some, prophets; and some, evangelists; and some, pastors and teachers; 12 For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ: 13 Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ: 14 That we henceforth be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive; 15 But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into HIM in all things, which is the head, even Christ:
I have found that many churches have very strange doctrines which are set up by man for their denomination and not set up by the Bible. And the masses of people who call themselves "Christians" think the church they attend teaches Bible and nothing but truth.
A woman in our church group was divorced and remarried, raised Baptist. Before she remarried she and her new fiance went to a pastor to see if she could remarry as a divorced woman. The pastor said, "Of course you can remarry. My sister is divorced and remarried."
After she remarried and then God caused her to be born again, she wanted to read the Bible. By the scriptures she saw that when she remarried as a divorced woman both she and her husband committed adultery. Mt. 5:32 Jesus says: But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.
She was so angry with this pastor who told her she could remarry!
God said to me: "Didn't she have sex with her new husband before they went to that pastor to see if they could marry?" So I asked her this. (The question of adultery sort of faded away after I asked this and I suspect she is no longer angry with the pastor ... it becomes a moot point if you are committing fornication.)
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In the 1990's I was still looking for a church I could attend. I attended another non-denominational church on a Sunday morning. Pastor was teaching the Sunday school class. He was teaching about Abraham and Sarah and Hagar.
He said: "Sarah and Hagar were 1/2 sisters."
I was shocked. I'd never heard anyone say that before. I had not read that anywhere in Bible. I went back to Bible after I returned home and reread all scriptures in the Bible concerning Sarah and Hagar. I couldn't find this statement of that pastor anywhere in the Bible. (Do you really care? I did.)
So the next morning, I called the church office and asked to speak to the pastor. I told him I was in his class when he taught that Sarah and Hagar were 1/2 sisters. I had never heard anyone teach that before and had not read that in the Bible and couldn't find that when I reread the Bible after he stated that to his Bible class which I visited the previous morning. I asked him where that is in the Bible.
After a few minutes of silence on the phone, he said, "I can't remember where it is in the Bible."
I told him this really was important for me to know, and I asked him to please look it up and tell his secretary where it is in the Bible, and ask her to call me and tell me where it is in the Bible.
After several moments of silence on the phone, he said: "All right. It's not in the Bible."
(Like the other pastor, he lied to his congregation and then lied to me trying to make me believe he just couldn't remember where it was in the Bible when he knew it wasn't in the Bible.)
Of course I never returned to any of these churches.
Years later, God showed me this is the end time and antichrist in the churches.
Then I understood what was going on in these churches today.
If we don't have a love of the truth of the Bible we can be swept away in the end times with the lying pastors and the congregations that love not the truth.
2 Thessalonians 2
3 Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day (of the Lord) shall not come, except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition;
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
4 Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
***
(The falling away are not people leaving the churches. The falling away are the churches leaving the scripture, said God to me.)
7 For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way.
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of HIS mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of HIS coming:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
8 And then shall that Wicked be revealed, whom the Lord shall consume with the spirit of HIS mouth, and shall destroy with the brightness of HIS coming:
9 Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders,
10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.
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