The colors green, white and red may spell spiritual death, and more so if put together. Green as in greed for the material actually comes first. Then, white for false religion as a means for green to come by. Finally, red as in sin to keep the whole thing going. As in false churches, these three support and fortify each another in a cyclic manner to be able to thrive. But whatever the arrangement, the end is still the same: spiritual death.
GREEN is for the Love of Money . . . . . and Lust.
Money, money, money – all for the love of money.
Green is the color of a stable currency, and thus carries a strong connotation to money, wealth, and materialism. The love for green bucks comes from inordinate desires to have, no matter by what means. It may come from covetousness, from the drive to acquire to have an easy life – but not at the expense of one’s labor. Given the chance, one gets to accumulate possessions: flashy cars of the latest models of not just one or two, palace houses here and abroad, yachts in the ocean for a month-long song, wine in the glittering night life, jewelries bedecking the body, women escorts in plushy hotels, fat bank accounts in several banks. The love of money can supplant everything including God. But this is exactly what happens with false preachers. And the shortest way is – start a religion. The list of luck is long and still can grow, as long as there are people to give. Mark 8:36 however warns -
For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?
Filthy lucre. Behind sowing fear among their members that no one outside their church is to going to be saved, false preachers have their own filthy take. Ezekiel 22: 27 says -
“Her princes in the mist thereof are like wolves ravening the prey, to shed blood, and to destroy souls, to get dishonest gain.”
Instead of teaching their members of the teachings of Christ, in their church services they resort to rituals, singing ready-made texts that have been their fill of centuries. These are contained in printed books or handout types. There is kneeling and bell ringing and the members are taught choral responses that have been memorized for generations without thinking of their meaning.
There are collections for the day – an important part for the minister – be they allowed in the Bible or not. They collect all the time even in thanksgiving, even during prayer meetings. These had been foretold in the Bible. II Pet 2:3 says -
“And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not.”
For their “sermons,” the preacher more than tells stories without as much referring to the Bible. Some reader is asked to read the Bible for a time, he or she who is tasked just to read without giving any understanding. Each one is implicitly expected to understand. The congregation rises up to sing and go the run of things as every Sunday goes. Then the whole thing is over – the Word of God made business of by false preachers. They are discussed in Titus 1:11 as -
“Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things they ought not, for filthy lucre’s sake.”
A hundredfold. Religion has become business in these modern times. This is an open secret of false teachers who have enriched themselves unabashedly to the detriment of their members, with nary a care for their salvation.
To lead sincere Christians to expect an automatic financial return of a hundredfold simply because they gave their money is to corrupt the very purpose and nature of giving. It leads to selfishness, not godliness. This suggests the practice of the upside-down umbrella of a group in the country who counted on their gives to multiply a hundred times.
In the Bible, money is not singled out, in fact not even mentioned. The scriptures also say …mothers, fathers, children, houses, speaking of our relationship with others in the church.
The interpretation indicates a preoccupation with the luxuries of this life, focusing attention on material possessions. Meanwhile, the abundant life Jesus spoke about is said to be the blessings of the kingdom - one characterized by justice, truth, righteousness, not a kingdom characterized by wealth, glory and power.
Sexuality. One symbolism of green in Western culture started with the Celtic myths where the green man was the god of fertility. Later in the millennium, early Christians banned green because it had been used in pagan ceremonies. But the symbolism attached to the color continued up to the latter part of this century. Anyone who chooses a green M & M (an American candy which contains an assortment of different colored chocolate sweets) is sending a somewhat sexual message. Green has been reinterpreted by late 20th century American culture to signify a state of heightened sexuality. Fertility and with its color green became suspicious as possible effects of unrestrained sexuality.
One would expect church leaders to be harmless, but the opposite is true for some. They take advantage of the trust given them by the members. Stories have been told of church leaders having multi-families, either legal or not.
Fish Rot from the Head. There’s an old Russian proverb that states that “The fish will rot from the head.” This adage was used to describe the belief that real corruption begins at the highest levels. As the corruption spreads throughout the entire system it will become apparent that the rotting at the head begins to smell.
A leader or preacher who is a rapist or polygamist cannot effectively lead God’s church, much less be a member of God’s nation. If a leader is such, it cannot be kept secret and there’s a way the smell will let out. Raped victims will talk; the children borne will talk – no matter how many years the secret laid still. Worse yet, the congregation will not be disciplined, because what moral ascendancy will he have then? If the leader is such, it strongly suggests that it is all right for the members to follow.1 John 2:26 says –
“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world.”
WHITE is for living in the world of lies
Among these three colors, it is the white that plays it big, the white horse symbol in Revelations. White is for living in the world of lies, made possible by false religions through their teachers. False teachers have crept into the fold and drawn followers to themselves, since Christ founded the Christian Church. This is evidenced by what is observed as fruits – the supposed “Christians” that have been formed out of their teachings for ages. This has continued until today, as heresy after heresy infiltrated the doctrines of the church – with so many “Christian” churches warring at each other for differences of doctrines. With these many differences, one can tell there is lying, there are lies, and there are liars.
Apostle Paul warned of false spiritual leaders as "speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their conscience seared with a hot iron.” These are preachers with consciences that have become so calloused, they are no longer sensitive to the hypocritical nature of their existence. Having lied so long, they are desensitized to lying.
There are those who parade themselves as representing God, when in fact, void of the knowledge of God and the salvation they say they proclaim. Starving, they supposedly offer true bread, and warn other men of a hell that they themselves will populate. Many appear to feed and cloth the flock of God while in reality they ravage them, and for a pretense they make long their prayers.
False teaching is a mixture of truth and error. Thus, people may at the same time be encouraged and nourished by some things that are true but unknowingly accept error along with it. But even a small amount of error may be dangerous.
A lot of these false preachers are said to be on television networks. Their sermons are so strong, with seemingly interesting topics, deceiving even the very elect, if possible. Some are said to falsely mistake smiles, handshakes, fine clothes and money, discipline, attendance records, and smooth talk for love, spirituality, holiness, blessings and Biblical preaching. Education is so important to them, not as much wisdom; and church promotions have taken over seeing to others’ burdens. Hard, straight Bible preaching and teaching is unheard of.
One described television Christianity as producing a theatrical church whose job is to entertain, excite, please and gain - a characteristic of a false church - instead of to enlighten, rebuke, correct, and produce Bible believers. In fact, all false churches can be said to teach liberal theology that almost rejects the bible as being the divine Word of God. Although they use Christian jargon, and at times share principles with true Christianity, these groups severely twist and contort the message of the Gospel. Basically, their ministers make it easy for their members to stay on. In summary, false churches have the following habits -
1) Adding to and subtracting from the word of God
2) Subtracting from the Person of Christ usually by denying the fact that He is God.
3) Putting trust in the Organization instead of God.
Tons of Lies. One church claims to be 'the only true church’ which Christ Himself started. This church was named after Christ, by Christ Himself, they say. If you do not belong to this particular church, you cannot be saved, since this church alone is the sheepfold of Christ.
In this church they teach what they believe in, taking Scripture passages to make it fit their beliefs. Hence, instead of the biblical emphasis of end times, their emphasis is on an end prophet. Instead of Jesus being God, he is mere man. There are yet many other distortions as in the reckoning of time for holy supper, the equation of anything or anyone sent as angel. Protestant churches have been dismissed by them as false religions, yet their services were made use of, most remarkably in the baptism of their own leader and founder. The members are not encouraged to read the Bible but depend on their ministers to tell them what it says.
One church also claims to have recordings of God’s voice in Chinese, and each year packs an average of 300 tons of books and tapes that are distributed throughout the world. And yet, all of these - as God’s voices - are not true.
There are many yet examples of claims and lies of all kinds. An anatomy of lying was recorded as saying that, to a liar, falsehoods roll effortlessly from the tongue, and yet it never bothers one to differentiate fact from fallacy. It is a habit as habit can be.
Abuse of Communication Media. The problem with false preachers is that they have underestimated print media and its role in propagating truth. With broadcast media and its loose medium, one can splice tapes of different settings and make it appear as one. The result is a pack of lies. False preachers can do this with their enemies and deceive listeners.
But with print media, it’s different. Once you print your message, it is there for the entire world to see, as long as there are tenable hard copies to show. Therefore, musings of one pretending to be a messenger can be examined from all angles for truth.
It is said understanding is added from time to time as revelations come, which revelations are not done in a flash flood. They come at proper times when God allows. A pretender, therefore, can be cornered in his false teachings when one sent by God comes to the fore and examines his propositions.
One sent by God is expectedly taught by God, and this explains why his teachings have stood the test of time. Bro. Eli Soriano has been correcting the false teachings of false teachers over time – without letup, without fear, but with tireless efforts. In the arena of debates where reasoning is tested, his knowledge of the Bible has not been surpassed by anyone. And time has shown him to be incomparable as a teacher of God’s word. His stamina may be found in his fear of God, his faithfulness in handling the Word of God, and his acumen in his stewardship of his congregation as God’s nation.
One can say the print media is God’s ally in spreading the Word of God. The existence of the Bible and its power in reaching great populations over time is proof enough. To think of using print, therefore, to propagate false stories will not hold water, because apparently that is not God’s purpose for this medium. The readers are not that stupid that they cannot tell a lie from truth.
To be able to prop up false stories in print media, one needs to build lie after lie after lie. But readers have grown fast since the internet technology has made its impact on their lives. Despite, for example, the various expertly-drawn emails about treasures and wealth left behind by so-called philanthropists and that the receiver is the recipient of such, SPAM or delete is all the receiver does. No one is that gullible anymore to be swallowing information hook, line, and sinker. Gone are those days.
So, if you produce comics illustrated of some celebrity’s supposed life like that of Bro. Eli Soriano, those comics remain mere comics – something to entertain and feed the lewd mind. That is only as far as it goes – for people who really know him.
Actually, these comics - with no sources or writers to boot - can be said to be the direct cousins of those “god messages” printed decades ago by a so-called true church. They go together by type and they re-enforce each other, if motives are to be reckoned with. In fact, this group endorsed these comics in their TV program and invited the Ang Dating Daan members to read them and widely distribute them to their relatives. This is because the obvious objective is to destroy the person of Bro. Eli Soriano.
That is the nature of lies. They form links and depend on each other in order to thrive, as long as they want to remain lies and no one among the liars stands up to say – “It’s time we correct ourselves.”
Nature of Comics as Medium. Anyone wanting to ally with God may fairly use the print media. In dealing with truth, there is nothing to hide, nothing to be ashamed of, and from all angles may be examined. This is the reason false preachers cannot use the print media squarely. It is not safe from the scrutiny of the true preacher who comes armed with the full knowledge of God’s Word. But even by now, false preachers do not realize this – imagining that by producing more comics, they can be believed.
First of all, comics are comics – illustrations of images one wants to depict. They lack the argumentative flow of text where reasoning can be examined, where one truth could be linked to another and probed for validity, soundness, and truth. This is the reason liars prefer the medium of comics over full text – depending on what illustrations could do to emotions– because they lack the rock-steadfastness of text for the mind.
Gathering all the text of one issue of those comics on the supposed life story of Bro. Eli Soriano may not even fill up half page of an 8” x 11” bond paper, if encoded single space in Times New Roman, 10 points. Granted that one can gather one whole page, is that enough length to effectively build a case on just one contention of those alleged anomalies? How much really is in there worth examining for truth when you distill the comics to mere text? Can you place arguments on simply comics? Can the mind fairly examine material simply meant to play on emotions? There is not even one writer named to claim responsibility for the contents, if they really are true as eagerly advertised by so-called ministers. The playing field is not even when you make pot shots at someone and hide your identity. When you disown printing it, but readily advertise it - contrary to your supposed beliefs against sexuality - it could only mean you had a hand in it.
Liars want to do things short cut. They hide through artwork for want of something tenable to say. Their eyes are only on their objectives, but along the way they stumble from their tunnel vision. People were not born just yesterday; they can see through those piles of negative adjectives without premises for support. Applying “seaman” on Bro. Soriano, and naming all sorts of mischief, for example, is overkill and spells of desperate moves.
And liars can only come halfway - splicing tapes, employing comics for lack of argument buildup, but can never use print media fair and square. And that maybe the reason they cannot employ the Bible properly.
RED is for sin
Red is the color of power. History has it that strict clothing regulations were enforced in Europe up to the times of the French Revolution. Pure colors were reserved exclusively for the rich nobility. Wearing red coats was the exclusive right of the nobility in medieval times and the red robes of kings, cardinals, judges and executioners announced their power over life and death. In Christianity, the red rose is associated with the cross and the bloodshed.
The beauty of being with God’s nation is that one’s past life of sin is forgotten, having been washed and forgiven at baptism. As written in Isaiah 1: 18 –
“Come now, let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be scarlet, they shall be elite as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”
There have been testimonies of worldly lives from all corners in the Church of God International, given the lack of knowledge that God’s doctrines could provide. But after having been taught the doctrines and the supposed life of a Christian, one is expected to behave properly. Adultery, immorality, all forms of carnality when found in a child of God gives enough reason for the Presiding Minister, Bro. Eli Soriano, to expel him. With God’s mercy yet, the putting away is not arbitrary but with the purpose of teaching God’s children not to blaspheme. In the Church history, there have been some expelled.
But where have they gone to? For being put out because of immorality or adultery and being accepted somewhere says a lot of their new-found group. The Ang Dating Daan does not tolerate immorality. God’s nation does not, and God warns in Rev 2: 19-21 –
“I know thy works, and charity…. Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and seduce my servants to commit fornication…and I gave her space to repent of her fornication; and she repented not.”
By this world’s standards, it is not surprising that those being expelled would group together where they are tolerated. As bonus for them, they get the chance to tell the world in their own terms that they are innocent, in effect making their excommunication appear an injustice. From their appearances alone on television one could tell, they have gone back to the ways of this world – cutting their hair, using make up, dressing immodestly, and from their mouths speak out lies about those they said they believed in before. Rather than engaging in self-introspection to see where they have gone wrong and in humility ask pardon from God, they have preferred to attend to what this world would think about them, never mind God. Now come the cosmetics to supposedly blot out or suffocate the reasons why they were expelled. In so doing, they resort to all sorts of shenanigans.
The first target would be the preacher – that he is this, that he is that. He is fair game to those paid to destroy him, and like actors sent to deliver a part, the players play their game, after which they collect. They are media men now, of the AC-DC type. This is referred to in journalism as attack-collect, defend-collect, but of the employment type. They attack Bro. Soriano for a pay, and they defend their new-found group for a pay. In effect, although they feel like heroes on television, licking their wounds to the world with worldly sorrow, they have become basket cases in terms of salvation.
Not content with that, they share inside information that they twist to be able to earn. They become point men to recruiters, making a list of those who could take a bite of their moneyed fate. They join the activities of those tearing apart the organization they once belonged to – including those bloody plots and plans.
But at the end of the day, if conscience is still there, there may be that gnawing, unknown sadness they alone could feel. They have sold their souls. They have gone back to where they came from.
Taste for blood. The first ones to be defensive about their false religion are those trained ready to kill for their leader. The taste for blood is part and parcel of the package of salvation. It is the mindset of those wanting to be martyrs, no different from the suicide bombers. But this is easier done by those earning their keep as paid ministers. Should their religion go kaput, there go their salaries down the drain, their houses, and their properties. And so defend to the max their leader they go.
In so doing, they also put out teachings of their own, subverting in the process what set of teachings they should have – to pitch in for a leader who keeps away from the eye of the public. To defend what teachings they had through the years, they resort to going beyond what is necessary to do – like fraternities bonding for unity, and not for truth.
Cowardice. But where is the leader in the first place so that there is no need to defend one’s teachings with a physical punch? Why do the lieutenants have to do it themselves? Despite the power, the influence, and the glory of the chapels, teachings can only be so much if the mind cannot even speak for them. If one’s teachings cannot even stand the test of debates, where challenge after challenge comes but no leader comes forward to defend, then whoever is his god would be ashamed.
It is public knowledge that Bro. Soriano has published a challenge to the leadership of a church with a history of trying to pit other religious groups against the ADD. In public, they would be announcing in their TV programs where Bro. Soriano would be passing by, what places he frequents, what his address is. But up to now, there are no takers to that challenge.
Red supports white to thrive. In fact, red is the army of white.
AT THE END OF THE AGE: Rise of a Jeremiah
At the end of the age, the kingdom is to be purged of the false and of the hypocritical. And there has to be work done here to uproot and overthrow.
People and preachers who confront false religionists, unbelievers, and the "god of this world", are usually branded as judgmental, unloving, or divisive. Thus a lot of believers have cultivated a tolerance for false and careless teaching, giving the "word of faith" extremist the freedom to propound fantastic views. The faith movement believes in simply having faith and then one is saved, which is not biblical.
But one must break the code of silence of believers. There is a need for a fearless one to speak against the powers, the principalities of this world, not only for the silence of believers and the attendant acts to allow such to thrive, but for the consequences of false preaching.
There are eternal consequences involved in teaching a false gospel. Therefore, there will be a need to jeremiad: to rebuke, to reprove, and to reproach. False spiritual leadership must be understood not so much in terms of behavior, but in terms of values, which motivate and move the individual. It is high time to expose these false ministers who make money out of their supposed flock. It is high time to stop their lies from spreading, and to right the wrongs they are preaching. It is high time to uproot and overthrow.
The Christian fight is not of the flesh but of principalities. The fight of churches therefore is not of blood. The run for green, white and red cannot really save one and actually spells spiritual death.
Need to Follow Appointed Preacher. A fool would easily attach oneself to a religion that fits his time, his preferences, and an organizational culture that doesn’t cramp his lifestyle – just like changing clothes anytime. On the other hand, anyone sincerely wanting to know the truth would be discriminating - testing the waters first - observing the preacher, and constantly examining his words.
What kind of preacher are you following? Is he knowledgeable of the truth, or is there anyone better than he, who can answer all your questions? Where does he base his answers? The Bible says there are really things hard to understand. Firstly, parables, as parables, were not meant to be understood by most people –
“And the disciples came and said unto him, why speakest thou unto them in parables? He answered and said unto them, because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given. For whosever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance; but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath. Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which says, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive. For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at anytime they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear. For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.” (Matthew 13:10-17)
Secondly, Jesus used minute details which were intended to hide the truth of the text from the non-spiritual, but to reveal truth to God's people.
“But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Cor. 2:14)
Thirdly, symbols (such as the woman, merchant man, wind, angel, dove, water, fire, and others) frequently appear in texts of the Bible.
All of these show the need for a teacher who has the Spirit of God so that one may understand the Word of God. Nothing less would be able to lead one to truth and guide one until the end.
And God is faithful that he would not leave his people alone without one. Fortunate, indeed, is one who has found that true preacher.
As attested to by many, God is really with Bro. Eli Soriano. He is remarkably an extraordinary individual – unschooled by the world’s standards but unbeatable in biblical matters. He can see what others do not and has the understanding of the Word of God not found in anyone even among sages. And for that, how blessed is the Philippines!
One would imagine Bro. Eli as an epitome of proper calibration for he is quite sensitive to discrepancies from what is right. He can frown and smile in the fleet of a second as he observes sin and the reversal from it – an apparent fruit of fearing God and having Him in mind all his waking hours. It is then no surprise that he claims he is being taught by God which explains his deep understanding of God’s Word and the revelations given to him.
From such sensitivity to what is right, and the sacrificial life he leads to carry on God’s work, it is a bulldoze to the senses when anyone would simply impute on Bro. Eli some mischief, as those talking birds in a net program would do. If you only knew him!
Like a Spring. So, if you’re involved in some way with green, white and red, the longer you immerse yourself with these colors, the harder to get out. But as Filipino professors would say, use your coconut! The longer you drink of false teachings, the more the destruction wrought in you. Anyone thirsting for the knowledge of God would make sure he is in the right path – the Old Path. And if you truly care for truth, you must make sure you are being led by someone with an understanding given by God, and teaching things of God – like a spring that never runs dry.
For a start, there is an ADD program called “Itanong mo kay Soriano, Biblia ang Sasagot” (Ask Soriano, the Bible will Answer). This for one is God’s answer to the syndrome of the green, white, and red.
Me... I'm just a normal individual with a little sense of humor, with a keen observation anything under the sun. Quiet(but not most of the time). Welcomes new friend who can share same interest.
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