Conversation with a young Rastafarian

On Monday March 9, 2015 I decided to go to the Road Traffic Inspectorate (RTI) Testing Facility, Mkondeni, Pietermaritzburg to pick up some PDP (Professional Driver’s Permit) forms. Whilst there I handed out some Gospel literature to the long queue of people from all walks of life who were filling out forms, waiting for licences, tests, etc. Some gladly received the free literature whilst others refused, which is not unexpected.

I then saw an elderly African man standing by himself so I approached him to have a conversation with him. It turned out that he is a Zionist who does the customary “praying to ancestors” which is forbidden by YEHOVAH (YHVH) in Deuteronomy 18:11 where it makes reference to a necromancer who partakes in necromancy – which is consulting with the dead! The normal response, even though shown in God’s Word, by religious people is, “It’s our culture,” or “We practice the traditions of our parents.” But this man, being an older man, listened and started agreeing with what was being said and he was shaking his head in affirmation of what he was being taught. Only God knows what was happening in this man’s heart – unfortunately I failed to get his name, but God knows him as his Creator! He undertook to read the Gospel material I presented him, when his son Muzi arrived. I estimate Muzi to be about 18-20 years of age and by his clothing that he was wearing it was clear he was a Rastafarian. It always helps when heathens wear “tell-tale” signs of what they believe or who they are!

I immediately addressed him about what he believes, and being arrogant he told me that Haile Selassie is the incarnation of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. Well, we taught him from the Holy Bible that he is deceived and by the leading of the Holy Spirit showed him from many portions of Scripture that the Lord Jesus Christ is God manifest in flesh using Hebrews 1; John 1:1,2,14; 1 Timothy 3:16; Isaiah 9:6; doubting Thomas’ account in John 20:26-29, etc. Whilst addressing him I was reading aloud the Scriptures which got all those waiting and walking past on this narrow walkway an opportunity to hear our Lord Jesus Christ’s name being proclaimed openly. Our Lord had opened a door for His Word. Please pray that God will save some of the hearers. A young Indian girl also came and leaned on the wall next to us and it was obvious she was listening. Muzi then said he needed to leave and join the queue and so I left him with literature of the “Good News” of our Lord Jesus Christ being the Redeemer and also encouraged Muzi to contact me on WhatsApp. On my way out I saw the young Indian girl reading a “How to Live Forever Without Being Religious” tract. Later the morning when I was at home, I received a WhatsApp message from Muzi, and this is the conversation that followed:  

Monday March 9, 2015

10:20 Muzi: Good morning sir

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10:31 GSC: Hi – how do you spell your name. Mouzie ??

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10:32 Muzi: It muzi sir.wow u still remember me

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10:34 GSC: Thanks. I try to remember people I speak to, but often I forget names but hardly a face.

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10:35 Muzi: True sir.cant forget a face.We were made in the same image of 1 god. So u a priest?

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10:37 GSC: No – not a priest, an evangelist – a minister of the Word of God. And you?

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10:38 Muzi: A servant of the almighty creator.i reali wish we can meet again and reason

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10:39 GSC: We can. Are you resident in Pietermaritzburg?

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10:40 Muzi: True and u

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10:42 GSC: Yes. In which are do you live? And are you studying (Tech/Varsity) at the moment?

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Area not are – sorry.

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10:44 Muzi: I live at imbali stage2 not studying at moment through financial issues.and where du u live sir?

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10:48 GSC: I live in Pelham. I have a Brother in Christ Lungisa Joctrey (Zondi) who lives in Imbali Unit J.

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11:18 Muzi: Wow dat great.mayb i will link up with him.because i love reading bible

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11:24 GSC: The only problem with that statement you make is that he will tell you exactly the same things I have told you. If you are reading the Holy Bible you would see that Jesus Christ is YHVH (God). Only God can forgive sins, and Jesus Christ forgives sins by His death, burial, resurrection and ascension to heaven.

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11:31 Muzi: True.but ddnt jesus say he will return again in a new name?

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And he will restore the throne of david.for he is da direct descended of king david father of solomon.so jesus came again in the manifestation of haile sellassie I

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11:35 GSC: What chapter and verse? Jesus says in Matthew 24:3-5 ~ 3 And as he sat upon the mount of Olives, the disciples came unto him privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world? 4 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. 5 For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.

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Scripture tells us no man knows the day or the hour He will return. We also read in Matthew 24:42-44 ~ 42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. 43 But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. 44 Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.

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11:37 Muzi: Ok so jesus is the root of david right.Same in this time with haile sellassie I.He is the 225th rebirth of king.and he came to fullfill da scripture dat jesus shall return again in the new name

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Rebirth of king solomon

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The bright morning star

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11:44 GSC: We also read that every eye will see Jesus Christ returning on the clouds with great glory after the great tribulation. This hasn’t happened yet. No, Haile Selassie is not Christ. He is a man deceiving multitudes just like Christ said!

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Haile Selassie is a deceiver like Shembe, like Mohammed, like Buddah, like Ganesh, like Sai Babba, like the Pope, like Ellen G. White, and so on and on . . .

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They all came with a story that they are "Christ". Yes the anti-christ!

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11:46 Muzi: Lol.ok even when jesus was on earth many people denied him saying u just carpenter.how can you call yourself son of god.

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11:50 GSC: They all professed to be a "Messiah" for their people. The devil wants to keep people believing a lie so they will go to hell with him. The LORD of lords, KING of kings JESUS CHRIST can set people free from bondage and death.

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That is right Jesus came unto His own and they rejected Him.

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11:51 Muzi: Same in this time with haile sellassie.as it was in the beggining so shall it be even dis tym

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11:56 GSC: Stop looking to a man. It is like men who pray to their ancestors. They are dead. God warns in His Word that you are not to speak / consult with dead people. Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God and men! (See 1 Timothy 2:3-5)

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11:57 Muzi: Lol in other words jesus is not an ancestor?

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12:03 GSC: Jesus is God. I proved it to you this morning. People only bow the knee and worship God. In Philippians 2:9-11 ~ 9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: 10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

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You say you love reading the Bible, but you haven’t proved from Scripture anything!

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12:06 Muzi: Lol my friend if any1 who live in earth becomes flesh and when flesh dies he becomes a spirit which is an ancestor…an ancestor is not some1 u pray to the word ancestor means dat person once lived on earth but now dat person is spirit u understand?

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12:18 GSC: Definition – Ancestor, noun – a person whom one is descended; forebear; progenitor. — Jesus Christ is God manifest in flesh. He has no beginning or end. He is eternal.

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When one dies you don’t then become spirit. A person is made up of three parts: body, soul and spirit!

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12:26 Muzi: Ok sir.wat da difference between soul and spirit?

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14:23 GSC: Sorry Muzi, I had some work to attend to. The soul is the inner man with all its emotions, character and it is what makes each person so unique, and the spirit is what gives us the ability to communicate / fellowship with God if you are born-again (John 3:3). You can only be born-again and receive the Holy Spirit of God by His grace through faith (see Ephesians 2:8,9) in Jesus Christ. No Jesus living in you then you are spiritually dead headed for Hell.

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If you have not repented of your sins (penduka) and having your repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ you will remain lost and dead in your sins come your death or Judgment Day which ever will come first.

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16:03 GSC: Jesus Christ can save you if you will acknowledge Him by calling upon His name and receive Him by faith.

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16:45 Muzi: Amen i hear you

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17:09 GSC: No one else, including Haile Selassie. Jesus Christ and Him alone. You must renounce all the false prophets, false teachers and all the anti-christs those who want to give you another way to "god", not the true God. Religions cannot save you, only a born-again relationship with Jesus Christ can.

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Read John 17:1-26 ~

1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee: 2 As thou hast given him power over all flesh, that he should give eternal life to as many as thou hast given him. 3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. 5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was. 6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word. 7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast given me are of thee. 8 For I have given unto them the words which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from thee, and they have believed that thou didst send me. 9 I pray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which thou hast given me; for they are thine. 10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. 11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the world, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one, as we are. 12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and none of them is lost, but the son of perdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled. 13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil. 16 They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. 18 As thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. 19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. 20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me. 22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: 23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me. 24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world. 25 O righteous Father, the world hath not known thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me. 26 And I have declared unto them thy name, and will declare it: that the love wherewith thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them.

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17:13 Muzi: Thanks sir.amen

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Tuesday March 10, 2015

Muzi last seen at 08:33

15:43 GSC: Afternoon Muzi. Have you read the Gospel literature I gave you yesterday and considered the predicament you are in? When are you going to call upon the One True God Jesus Christ to save you from His wrath and make you at peace with Him. For: "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." ~ Hebrews 10:31. "For our God is a consuming fire." ~ Hebrews 12:29.

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Muzi has since blocked me on WhatsApp, from Tuesday March 10, 2015 to present date, as his profile picture above does not appear on his messages and no “last seen at …” appears either. I guess when one is caught in one’s sin the only place for the lost is to run from the Light and stay in their darkness.  We leave him in God’s Hands, yet we do pray for his soul and that if God wills this conversation will resume again for God’s glory alone.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Death of Senzo Meyiwa

Senzo Robert Meyiwa (24 September 1987 – 26 October 2014), aged 27 years was gunned down in what appears to be a botched robbery at the home of his girlfriend Kelly Khumalo in Vosloorus, South Africa. He was a professional footballer with the Premier Soccer League Soweto giants Orlando Pirates and was the Bafana Bafana South African goalkeeper and recent captain, representing the national team on six occasions between 2013-2014 and keeping clean sheets in his last four CAF AFCON international appearances.

Writer came to hear of Senzo’s death this morning whilst at the petrol garage and speaking to the attendant named Sphelele – who said his name means “The Last One.” I had queried Sphelele whether he was born-again and he said that there were no others that were born after him, that is why he is “The Last One.” In his “innocence” of not quite understanding where the conversation was headed, I asked him what would happen to him if he had to die? As the conversation unfolded, it was then that Sphelele informed me that Senzo Meyiwa was tragically killed last night (on Sunday evening October 26, 2014). On Saturday the 25th instant Senzo had just played for Orlando Pirates in a 4-1 win over Ajax Cape Town in the quarterfinals of the Telkom Cup. This opened up the conversation even further with the Day of Judgment and the conversation leading to: What if Sphelele found himself in Senzo’s position? Well he had work to attend to, so I left him with a booklet titled: “Your Life ~ God’s Solution to Your Religion” and a “WARNING ~ The Back of This Card May Offend You.”

During the course of this morning and into the early evening I attempted at various times to glean as much information as possible from various news sites and social media without speculating as to what took place and the parties concerned. What was evident upfront that caught my attention and was a concern was that the relationship that existed between Senzo Meyiwa and Kelly Khumalo has been termed as “lovers”, “girlfriend” and “companions.” The first thing that came to mind was that these two parties were involved in a fornicating relationship. I did pray and ask Almighty God to protect my heart as I thought upon this situation. As the reports were scanned further, it has now become quite evident that they were not only in a fornication relationship where they have a child out of wedlock, but it has surfaced that he is a married man that in April 2014 it was reported that he had left his wife Mandisa Meyiwa (nee Mhkize) for Kelly Khumalo.

What is sad and shows the ignorance of the South African and international public at large, even including political ministers, is that their heartfelt messages are holding the deceased Senzo as an icon, an idol, someone to be hero worshipped and that he could do no wrong. However there are a small minority of comments made in the social media circulating in cyberspace where the spiritual application of the souls in question need to be addressed. Whilst many have commented “Senzo RIP” or “Our prayers for you, RIP” or something along those lines of thought, the question is: Is Senzo’s soul resting in peace?

The Holy Word of the One and Only True and Living GOD ~ YHVH says the following:

Exodus 20:14  Thou shalt not commit adultery.

Matthew 5:27  Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:
Matthew 5:28  But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.
Matthew 5:29  And if thy right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.
Matthew 5:30  And if thy right hand offend thee, cut it off, and cast it from thee: for it is profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, and not that thy whole body should be cast into hell.

Galatians 5:19  Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness,
Galatians 5:20  Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies,
Galatians 5:21  Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like: of the which I tell you before, as I have also told you in time past, that they which do such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God.

This blog post is not just about Senzo Meyiwa and where he will spend all of eternity, for the Holy Scripture warns:

Hebrews 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

This blog is about Kelly Khumalo, his estranged wife Mandisa Meyiwa, his children, the three murderers, politicians, police officers, professional footballers and athletes, YOU – in short every person living and dead. We all have an appointment with the Judge of the Universe, the Lord Jesus Christ the Righteous. All will have their day in court. There are no exceptions!

Look at the stern warning given in Holy Scripture, the very Word of God that this evil, wicked and reprobate world does not want to adhere to; it reads for it is written:

Proverb 5:1  My son, attend unto my wisdom, and bow thine ear to my understanding:
Proverb 5:2  That thou mayest regard discretion, and that thy lips may keep knowledge.
Proverb 5:3  For the lips of a strange woman drop as an honeycomb, and her mouth is smoother than oil:
Proverb 5:4  But her end is bitter as wormwood, sharp as a twoedged sword.
Proverb 5:5  Her feet go down to death; her steps take hold on hell.
Proverb 5:6  Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life, her ways are moveable, that thou canst not know them.
Proverb 5:7  Hear me now therefore, O ye children, and depart not from the words of my mouth.
Proverb 5:8  Remove thy way far from her, and come not nigh the door of her house:
Proverb 5:9  Lest thou give thine honour unto others, and thy years unto the cruel:
Proverb 5:10  Lest strangers be filled with thy wealth; and thy labours be in the house of a stranger;
Proverb 5:11  And thou mourn at the last, when thy flesh and thy body are consumed,
Proverb 5:12  And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;
Proverb 5:13  And have not obeyed the voice of my teachers, nor inclined mine ear to them that instructed me!
Proverb 5:14  I was almost in all evil in the midst of the congregation and assembly.
Proverb 5:15  Drink waters out of thine own cistern, and running waters out of thine own well.
Proverb 5:16  Let thy fountains be dispersed abroad, and rivers of waters in the streets.
Proverb 5:17  Let them be only thine own, and not strangers’ with thee.
Proverb 5:18  Let thy fountain be blessed: and rejoice with the wife of thy youth.
Proverb 5:19  Let her be as the loving hind and pleasant roe; let her breasts satisfy thee at all times; and be thou ravished always with her love.
Proverb 5:20  And why wilt thou, my son, be ravished with a strange woman, and embrace the bosom of a stranger?
Proverb 5:21  For the ways of man are before the eyes of the LORD, and he pondereth all his goings.
Proverb 5:22  His own iniquities shall take the wicked himself, and he shall be holden with the cords of his sins.
Proverb 5:23  He shall die without instruction; and in the greatness of his folly he shall go astray.

Adultery is not the only concern, neither fornication, be it heterosexual or homosexual sex. You might judge this wicked love-triangle, but consider your own sin. Have you committed adultery? Looked with lust? Are you a fornicator? Or maybe you have broken God’s ninth commandment by lying? Do you tell lies and think that the Creator God will not send liars to Hell? Or maybe you never pulled the trigger, but have you committed murder of the heart by despising and hating someone? Or do you break the second commandment which is part of God’s perfect Law:

Exodus 20:4  Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:
Exodus 20:5  Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;
Exodus 20:6  And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.

It’s not only in a religious sense as with Hinduism and Buddhism, but this also applies to idol worshipping soccer players and singers / actors, or maybe it is money and possessions, fame and fortune.

We are warned by God:

Matthew 16:26  For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?

We are further warned:

Hebrews 10:31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Hebrews 12:29  For our God is a consuming fire.

Judgment Day is approaching. We see the world’s communities are becoming more and more evil and wicked, for it reveals the depraved humanity that are living for their father the devil. Things are not going to get any better – look at the Middle East which is a cesspool of iniquity and lawlessness. In fact the world over reveals the lawlessness of men and their depraved hearts! And many think they are “good” – far from it; reprobate yes, but not good!

This is the Revelation of the Day of Judgment:

Rev 20:10  And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever.
Rev 20:11  And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev 20:12  And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:13  And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14  And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Rev 20:15  And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

If you are honest before God and listening to your conscience, you would be guilty before the Judge of the Universe and guilty persons will be sent to Hell for eternity. The only way to receive peace with God is to be reconciled back to God through His only begotten Son, the Saviour who gave Himself as the perfect sacrifice who took the sins of the world into His body and condemned the sin in His flesh. We read of His Divinity and Humanity in being the Saviour for reprobate sinners who will call on Him to be saved:

Philippians 2:5  Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
Philippians 2:6  Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
Philippians 2:7  But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Philippians 2:8  And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.
Philippians 2:9  Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
Philippians 2:10  That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
Philippians 2:11  And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Repent today – Ukupenduka – for today is the day of salvation. You are not guaranteed another day on this earth. Ask Senzo or any other approximately 150 000 people who have died in the last 24 hours and been ushered into eternity.

Our Lord Jesus Christ said:

Luke 13:3  I tell you, Nay: but, except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish.

John 3:3  Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.

Luke 9:23  And he said to them all, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me.
Luke 9:24  For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it.
Luke 9:25  For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?

SOLI DEO GLORIA!

South Africans Deceived

In accordance with the latest statistics on religious denominations in South Africa, one must go as far back as the Census 2001 to find out what you are looking for. The Census 2011 questionnaire did not even include any questions about religion due to what is perceived as low priority [a]. A 2012 poll indicated that the number of South Africans who considered themselves religious decreased from 83% of the population in 2005 to 64% of the population in 2012 [b]. It is estimated that in the world there are approximately 41 000 “Christian denominations” alone. This blog posting will show that this nation is NOT Christian as the vast majority of the South African population would like to think and believe they are. There is only a remnant of truly born-again disciples of the one and only True and Living GOD Yeshua Messiah, our Lord Jesus Christ, in South Africa.

Census 2001

Hereunder are the statistics of the vast denominations and religions within the South African demographics. It makes for some interesting reading of how the people groups classify themselves within the religious framework in South Africa.

Denomination	Adherents
Dutch Reformed churches	3,005,697
Zion Christian churches	4,971,931
Catholic churches	3,181,332
Methodist churches	3,035,719
Pentecostal/Charismatic churches	3,695,211
Anglican churches	1,722,076
Apostolic Faith Mission	246,193
Lutheran churches	1,130,983
Presbyterian churches	832,497
Bandla Lama Nazaretha	248,825
Baptist churches	691,235
Congregational churches	508,826
Orthodox churches	42,253
Other Apostolic churches	5,627,320
Other Zionist churches	1,887,147
Ethiopian type churches	1,150,102
Other Reformed churches	226,499
Other African independent churches	656,644
Other Christian churches	2,890,151
African Traditional Religion	125,898
Judaism	75,549
Hinduism	551,668
Islam	654,064
Other beliefs	283,815
No religion	6,767,165
Undetermined	610,974

Religion	Adherents 2001	%	Adherents 2007	%
Christianity	35,750,641	79.77	29,684,861	73.52
Non-religious	6,767,165	15.10	3,262,428	8.08
Other	283,815	0.63
Buddhism/Chinese folk			12,113	0.03
Islam	654,064	1.46	985,460	1.45
Undetermined	610,974	1.36
Hinduism	551,668	1.23	504,707	1.25
African Traditional Religion	125,898	0.28	6,056,487	15.00
Judaism	75,549	0.17	68,640	0.17

Kindly bear in mind that from the aforementioned statistics which appear at Wikipedia the grouping of all “denominations” that include the Roman Catholics, Zionist churches, Orthodox churches and other churches (that include the Jehovah Witnesses, Mormons, Seventh-day Adventists, and other cultic churches) are misrepresented as being ALL Christianity! They ALL certainly are NOT Christians holding to the Judeo-Christian doctrine of the Lord Jesus Christ as contained in the Holy Bible’s Old and New Testaments which also exclude the Apocryphal books of the Roman Catholic church. This shows the deception that South Africans believe when they “agree that all who name the name of Christ are Christian”. This is not so! [*]

Overall, there has been a general decline in the religiosity of South Africans and it shows that even in the latest Census 2011 no questions were asked about religion. The South African Constitution still has in its preamble “God bless South Africa”, but since the democratically elected South African government of 1994, the ANC government has NOT governed this nation in accordance with Romans 13. We are told that the ‘rulers,’ which is the government, are not there to be “policing” good works, but to those that do evil. The Scriptures read as follows:

Romans 13:3 For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same:
Romans 13:4 For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil.

From what will follow, we will see that the ruling government has not ministered for God and eradicated evil from our society. In fact they are not the solution to godly rule, but has become the problem in not executing proper justice and by their promulgating ungodly legislation that pampers to the depravity of evil and wicked men. The latter part of the following Proverb is a true reflection of life in South Africa:

Pro 29:2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.

The tyranny of the Marxist socialist government is using the term “democracy” as a front in an otherwise communist state. The laws are ungodly and corruption, fraud, and lawlessness is the order of the day, so how can the government rule with justice? South Africa has the highest rates of murder and rape in the world. According to a factsheet compiled by Africa Check for the South African Police Service (SAPS) for the period 1 April 2012 to 31 March 2013, quote: “the violent crimes that cause the most fear and trauma amongst the public has increased. For the first time in six years there is an increase in both the number and rate of murders and attempted murders. Murder is an important indicator both because it is the most accurate of all crime categories and because it is internationally seen to be an indicator of a country’s stability. There was also a small increase in the number of sexual offences recorded by the police.

“The facts about the increases in inter-personal violence are as follows:

• Incidents of murder increased from 15 609 murders in 2011/12 to 16 259 murders in 2012/13.
• This means that there was an increase of 650 murder cases or a 4,2% increase when comparing the total numbers of murders with the previous year.
• This works out to almost two additional murders per day on average during the 2012/13 financial year.
• Consequently our murder rate increased from a total average of 43 murders per day to 45 murders per day.
• Using the correct census data for 2011, the murder rate in 2011/12 was 30,3 per 100 000 population and not 30,9 as reported by SAPS in the last reporting period.
• The murder rate for 2012/13 stood at 31,3 per 100 000 population which reflects an increase of 2,8% in the rate of murders (not 0,6% as presented officially).
• South Africa’s murder rate is therefore about four and a half times higher than the global average of 6,9 murders per 100 000. [writer’s emphasis]
• Attempted murder cases increased from 14 859 to 16 363, an increase of 10,1%.
• Attempted murder rates increased by 8,7% in the past year.
• Sexual offence cases increased from 64 514 to 66 387, an increase of 2,9%.
• Sexual offence rates increased from 125,1 per 100 000 to 127,0 per 100 000 population, an increase of 1,5%.

“The crimes above are not easy to reduce through policing alone. This is because most (around 60% to 70%) of murders, attempted murders and rapes, occur between people who know each other and occur as a result of a mix of particular social and economic factors. These crimes are often referred to by the police as inter-personal violent crimes. Only between 15% and 20% of murders and attempted murders are the result of aggravated robbery while inter-group conflicts and vigilantism make up the rest. …”, unquote. The remaining crime statistical data can be read at this link: FACTSHEET South Africa: Official crime statistics for 2012/13. [c]

The South African nation shows the depravity of man in this evil and wicked society. And whilst this nation is ecumenical in faith and belief systems worshipping all manner of gods, the blood of the murdered cries out from the soaked earth for revenge, and as a Christian I am comforted knowing that Almighty God will execute perfect justice come the Day of Judgment. Whilst the majority of the population are GOD-hating atheists, agnostics, environmentalists (a.k.a. evolutionists), custom and tradition ancestral worshippers, cultists, and false “christians” – those that are secular humanists, new agers and lukewarm compromising believers involved in a false-gospel, prosperity-teaching, easy-believism religion; the real believers at times seem to be asleep in the pews while this generation spirals out of control walking on the broad way to Hell (see Matthew 7:13,14). Christian soldier, forget about all the dainties of this life and the various church programs that make you feel good – Stop it and report for duty!! If necessary, Repent and seek God’s forgiveness.

Statistical data gives a reflection of what is taking place in any society. Given that in 2007 73,52% of the population were following the “Christianity” faith, it would therefore be expected that at least two-thirds of the population would vote for a Christian party in the 2014 General Elections that took place in South Africa on May 7, 2014. Well, let the truth be known – as with all denominations, there is no unity; and besides, the voters’ true hearts were revealed – they would rather vote for an ungodly communist government dictated by their Marxist ideology, a totalitarianism government that enforces their ungodly agendas that violate every command of YHVH (Yehovah God), as those professing christians agree in principal and by their conscience they have exercised their free speech that they accept the practices of abortions, homosexuality, same-sex marriages, co-habiting partner relationships (fornication), idolatry, alcohol and substance abuse, pornography, prostitution, human-trafficking, the destroying of Biblical family-life, the decline in education and moral values, as well as witchcraft! [d]. In fact as a Christian we are commanded by our Master and King Jesus Christ from His Word,

1 Thessalonians 5:21 Prove all things; hold fast that which is good.
1 Thessalonians 5:22 Abstain from all appearance of evil.

In fact, the government and majority of the population hold to the other extreme and call evil good and good evil, but hear the rebuke to such wickedness through the prophet Isaiah:

Isa 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!
Isa 5:21 Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!
Isa 5:22 Woe unto them that are mighty to drink wine, and men of strength to mingle strong drink:
Isa 5:23 Which justify the wicked for reward, and take away the righteousness of the righteous from him!
Isa 5:24 Therefore as the fire devoureth the stubble, and the flame consumeth the chaff, so their root shall be as rottenness, and their blossom shall go up as dust: because they have cast away the law of the LORD of hosts, and despised the word of the Holy One of Israel.

From a Christian worldview perspective, the political results below show a sinful outcome that is certainly not God honouring. As a follower of The Way – a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ, my conscience would not allow me to vote for any political party due to their many corruptions that are the work of darkness and the Devil! Even the two “Christian” parties have difficulty in finding unity! They might be Christian-based and Bible-believing, but I would truly love to see them preach the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ from the political platform from which they have an opportunity to do so. Sadly, most of the opportunities are lost. As Christians we are called to “earnestly contend for the faith” as we read:

Jude 1:3 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

Results of the 2014 General Elections

Party	Votes	%	+/−	Seats	+/−
African National Congress	11,436,921	62.15	-3.75	249	-15
Democratic Alliance	4,091,584	22.23	+4.65	89	+18
Economic Freedom Fighters	1,169,259	6.35	New	25	New
Inkatha Freedom Party	441,854	2.40	-2.15	10	-8
National Freedom Party	288,742	1.57	New	6	New
United Democratic Movement	184,636	1.00	+0.16	4	0
Freedom Front Plus	165,715	0.90	+0.07	4	0
Congress of the People	123,235	0.67	-6.75	3	-27
African Christian Democratic Party	104,039	0.57	-0.24	3	0
African Independent Congress	97,642	0.53	New	3	New
Agang SA	52,350	0.28	New	2	New
Pan Africanist Congress	37,784	0.21	-0.07	1	0
African People’s Convention	30,676	0.17	-0.04	1	0
Al Jama-ah	25,976	0.14	-0.01	0	0
Minority Front	22,589	0.12	-0.12	0	-1
United Christian Democratic Party	21,744	0.12	-0.26	0	-2
Azanian People’s Organisation	20,421	0.11	-0.11	0	-1
Bushbuckridge Residents Association	15,271	0.08	New	0	New
Independent Civic Organisation	14,472	0.08	New	0	New
Patriotic Alliance	13,263	0.07	New	0	New
Workers and Socialist Party	8,331	0.05	New	0	New
Ubuntu Party	8,234	0.04	New	0	New
Kingdom Governance Movement	6,408	0.03	New	0	New
Front National	5,138	0.03	New	0	New
Keep It Straight and Simple	4,294	0.02	-0.01	0	0
Pan Africanist Movement	3,815	0.02	-0.01	0	0
First Nation Liberation Alliance	3,297	0.02	New	0	New
United Congress	3,136	0.02	New	0	New
Peoples Alliance	1,671	0.01	New	0	New
Total	18,402,497	100.00		400
Valid votes	18,402,497	98.65
Spoilt votes	251,960	1.35
Total votes cast	18,654,457	100.00
Registered voters/turnout	25,381,293	73.50
Source: IEC

Combined, the African Christian Democratic Party (ACDP) (0.57%) and the United Christian Democratic Party (UCDP) (0.12%) achieved less than 1% (0.69%) of the General Election population’s vote. So in reality, the census figures are skewed, for there is only a remnant of believers. Kindly also bear in mind that from these statistics we are not guaranteed that all who voted for the ACDP and the UCDP are truly born-again believers who hold to the Judeo-Christian doctrine of the Holy Bible. [**] We are reminded in Scripture how we are to conduct our lives for the sole glory of God alone as we read in Second Corinthians:

2 Cor 4:1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not;
2 Cor 4:2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man’s conscience in the sight of God.
2 Cor 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost:
2 Cor 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them.
2 Cor 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus’ sake.
2 Cor 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2 Cor 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.

As we read from Matthew Henry’s commentary on the preceding verses, quote:

“The best of men would faint, if they did not receive mercy from God. And that mercy which has helped us out, and helped us on, hitherto, we may rely upon to help us even to the end. The apostles had no base and wicked designs, covered with fair and specious pretences. They did not try to make their ministry serve a turn. Sincerity or uprightness will keep the favourable opinion of wise and good men. Christ by his gospel makes a glorious discovery to the minds of men. But the design of the devil is, to keep men in ignorance; and when he cannot keep the light of the gospel of Christ out of the world, he spares no pains to keep men from the gospel, or to set them against it. The rejection of the gospel is here traced to the wilful blindness and wickedness of the human heart. Self was not the matter or the end of the apostles’ preaching; they preached Christ as Jesus, the Saviour and Deliverer, who saves to the uttermost all that come to God through him. Ministers are servants to the souls of men; they must avoid becoming servants to the humours or the lusts of men. It is pleasant to behold the sun in the firmament; but it is more pleasant and profitable for the gospel to shine in the heart. As light was the beginning of the first creation; so, in the new creation, the light of the Spirit is his first work upon the soul. The treasure of gospel light and grace is put into earthen vessels. The ministers of the gospel are subject to the same passions and weaknesses as other men. God could have sent angels to make known the glorious doctrine of the gospel, or could have sent the most admired sons of men to teach the nations, but he chose humbler, weaker vessels, that his power might be more glorified in upholding them, and in the blessed change wrought by their ministry.” [e]

To GOD be the glory alone!

Act 5:20 Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life.

____________________

Resources:

[a] “Census 2011 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)” statssa.gov.za. Retrieved 22 October 2012. ~ Wikipedia

[b] “Fewer religious people in SA – survey”. news24.com. 10 August 2012. Retrieved 2 November 2012. ~ Wikipedia

[c] Africa Check a non-partisan organisation which promotes accuracy in public debate and the media. www.africacheck.org

[d] It would have been prudent for Christians to have consulted “A Voter’s Guide for 2014” before going to the polls.

[e] Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary, e-Sword.

[*] and [**] represent amendments included on July 25, 2014 to clarify the position surrounding true “Christianity” in accordance with the Judeo-Christian faith as contained in the doctrine of the Holy Bible.

Nelson Mandela and the Iconic man

It is with a grieved heart that we pen this article. It is day seventeen (17) since June 8, 2013, when ex-president of the Republic of South Africa Mr. Nelson Mandela was admitted to Mediclinic Heart Hospital in Pretoria for a recurring lung infection. The medical prognosis does not look good at all, in fact it looks very bleak even with all the professional medical practitioners at hand, whilst the presidential administration has also given us news that ‘Madiba’ now finds himself in a critical condition. An article that appeared in The Witness newspaper today reads: “Zuma: Madiba’s condition is critical”. Other press reports: “Zuma: Mandela remains in a critical condition” and “Presidency: Mandela in critical condition“.

Whilst the South African President Mr Jacob Zuma has called on the local and international communities to pray for Mandela, which we would understand that in this request it is for a “healthy recovery,” the question arises: How is that going to help? We need to see what God says about this!

Firstly, the tens of thousands upon thousands of religious groups, sects, cults, organisations, et al, do not all pray to the same God – NO! Not at all! This is confirmed and reflected in each of their religious practices, belief systems, ideologies and faiths that the gods of religion, to which the world over are requested to pray to, are not the One True God of Creation. ALMIGHTY GOD, YHVH, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob (Israel) is not the One True God that all will be praying to!

We also read of the One True God in Exodus 3:6; 6:2,3; as follows:

Exodus 3:6 Moreover he said, I am the God of thy father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. And Moses hid his face; for he was afraid to look upon God.

Exodus 6:2 And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the LORD:

Exodus 6:3 And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.

This is where the problem lies. God gave commandment that His creation should have no other gods before Him and that they are not to make any graven image in the likeness of things in the heaven, of things on the earth and of things under the earth, and they are not to worship and bow down to them – that would be gods in deity and idol form and image. This is the case throughout the world today with all these religious practices – idolatry prevails. It is also an abomination that not only will wicked and evil mankind adopt praying to these false gods thinking they are praying to the ecumenical ‘God’ – the TRUE God of Creation will not hear these blasphemous prayers, and in fact He will turn His ear from the babbling of the masses. Here is a clear indictment that God brings against His people when Israel did not want Him to rule them, but they wanted a king to rule them. In 1 Samuel 8:18 we read, as it is written in the Holy Scriptures which is God’s Word:

1 Samuel 8:18 And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the LORD will not hear you in that day.

This is sadly the case what we have today where governments rule through presidents, prime ministers, monarchs, emissaries and the like, governed by man made customs, traditions, commandments, laws, statutes, edicts, acts and decrees, instead of living and abiding in the Commandments and the Way of GOD ALMIGHTY! You see, be it an individual or a people group, hear the Word of God you stiff-necked generation:

Jeremiah 7:16 Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up cry nor prayer for them, neither make intercession to me: for I will not hear thee.

Jeremiah 11:14 Therefore pray not thou for this people, neither lift up a cry or prayer for them: for I will not hear them in the time that they cry unto me for their trouble.

Do not be blaspheming GOD ALMIGHTY with your ecumenical debauchery, for HE will not hear your pleas in prayer. You have been warned! You have done ill in your doings in the sight of God. You think by your much speaking you will be heard. Oh foolish generation of vipers. Let HIM speak:

Micah 3:4 Then shall they cry unto the LORD, but he will not hear them: he will even hide his face from them at that time, as they have behaved themselves ill in their doings.

Secondly, you the worldly enemies of God have made Nelson Mandela an idol, an icon that has been worshipped and raised upon a pedestal, you have bowed to him and worshipped and revered him as a god. GOD ALMIGHTY has this to say to your idolatrise behaviour that not only includes the person of Nelson Mandela, but the graven images made by men’s hands fashioned out of gold, silver, stone, wood, plastic and many other materials:

2 Kings 17:8 And walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made.

2 Kings 17:9 And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the LORD their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city.

2 Kings 17:10 And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree:

2 Kings 17:11 And there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the heathen whom the LORD carried away before them; and wrought wicked things to provoke the LORD to anger:

2 Kings 17:12 For they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing.

2 Kings 17:13 Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets.

2 Kings 17:14 Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD their God.

Thirdly, whilst prayer can be made to the One True God in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ for physical healing, this can only be done through the One mediator who makes intercession between God and men by the man Christ Jesus, as we read:

1 Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

If one does not believe in Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the Son of God and God in human form, then you are condemned already as we read, as it is written in the Holy Scriptures:

John 3:18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:2 The same was in the beginning with God.

John 1:3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.

John 1:4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.

John 1:5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.

John 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

1 Timothy 3:16 And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.

1 John 5:7 For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.

Our prayers are to be first and foremost for the saving of the soul of a person. If God so wishes to heal a person physically according to HIS will and purpose, so be it! All Glory belongs to GOD ALMIGHTY and physical healings is not something mere mortals can demand of God. Whilst God can heal as HE pleases, we should be praying for God to grant HIS grace and save a soul. That is the greatest miracle any person can receive is receiving eternal life. As the Apostle Paul was speaking about true believers in God, we read in Romans 14:7-9 the following:

Romans 14:7 For none of us liveth to himself, and no man dieth to himself.

Romans 14:8 For whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord’s.

Romans 14:9 For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.

Fourthly, if all religions, differ in their theology, customs, traditions and commandments, and have rejected GOD ALMIGHTY’s way which is bringing glory to and through HIS Son Jesus the Christ, be assured GOD ALMIGHTY does not hear your feeble attempts of trying to be heard with your much speech. In the end times, which we are clearly in, the ecumenism that prevails where all the man-made religious systems of the world that are controlled by the

MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. (Revelation 17:5)

the whore of Babylon the Roman Catholic ‘mother church’ can not reach God as it is idolatrise before GOD ALMIGHTY and HE will not hear you. This is what we see continually on the SABC news that the popish men of the cloth are pushing their agenda to no avail on their part. God will be glorified even in the destruction of wicked men, women and children for every knee should bow and every tongue should confess Jesus Christ as Lord to the glory of God the Father:

Philippians 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Philippians 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

Philippians 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

Philippians 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Philippians 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

Philippians 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

Philippians 2:11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

We, my brother Lungisa Zondi and myself (Eastern Cape Mission and South Africa: Hilary Clinton pops in for lunch), have on a few occasions tried to have an audience with Nelson Mandela to make sure he understands the true Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ and to call him to repentance towards God and his faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ, as we are still aware that he needs to repent for the ungodly laws that he promulgated as the then President of South Africa, which includes acts that allow abortion, homosexuality (same-sex marriages – The Constitution of the Republic of South Africa guarantees equal protection before the law to all citizens regardless of sexual orientation) and idolatry (religious freedom). Mr Mandela, true repentance will show a brokenness over one’s sins and a recanting of past abominations. These are three abominations that are leading citizens of South Africa straight to hell should they die before Judgment Day and ultimately into the lake of fire. You have been forewarned. Here is a further indictment against South Africa and the world community at large:

Isaiah 66:4 I also will choose their delusions, and will bring their fears upon them; because when I called, none did answer; when I spake, they did not hear: but they did evil before mine eyes, and chose that in which I delighted not.

South Africa, Repent and Believe upon our Lord Jesus Christ – it is your only hope! Penduka!!

The Face of Evil and Wicked South Africa

This is the sad face of evil and wicked South Africa. When a nation is sold out to the devil and serves no longer the Creator God exclusively, this is what you get – interfaith debauchery. On 28th November 2012 the President of South Africa met with the National Interfaith Council of South Africa (NICSA) which has been dissolved and is now known as the National Religious Leaders’ Council (NRLC). Here are two news articles for the NRLC meeting [(1) and (2)] that took place. They want to resolve “poverty and general social upliftment” together with other issues through an ecumenical system by bringing all faiths together – it will never work! God will not be mocked by having His Son Jesus Christ riduculed with such blasphemy! This is the type of debauchery that we are talking about. Look at some of the other websites here in South Africa that make a mockery of the One True Creator:

• Church Supports Interfaith Memorial Service for Marikana Deaths (24 August 2012)
• Cape Town Interfaith Initiative

I wonder if the “reverend” Ray McCauley seazed the opportunity at the Union Buildings in Pretoria and actually preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the unbelievers who were present at that meeting – or is that possibly asking too much? This is what our Lord Jesus Christ said:

John 8:24 I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.

It is an abomination in the sight of a Holy God that man can blaspheme the One True God who revealed Himself as the Lord Jesus Christ who is LORD of all:

Act 10:34 Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons:

Act 10:35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.

Act 10:36 The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:)

Act 10:37 That word, I say, ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached;

Act 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

Act 10:39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:

Act 10:40 Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;

Act 10:41 Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.

Act 10:42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.

Act 10:43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.

Here are the other blogposts (and a few historical posts) that have called on our President and peoples of South Africa to Repent and Believe the one and only Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ – the ONLY WAY God our Creator has given us:

• Mandela Day – 67 minutes (July 23, 2009)
• Open Letter to the South African President: Mr Jacob Zuma (February 26, 2010)
• Doctrines of Devils (September 1, 2010)
• The Ancestors Will Get You ~ Satan’s Lie (May 17, 2011)
• Serving Ancestral Spirits (June 6, 2011)
• Youth Day ~ June 16 (June 16, 2011)
• Nelson Mandela Day 2011 (July 16, 2011)
• 16th December The Day of The Vow (December 16, 2011)
• Are You Ready? (May 25, 2012)
• “Christian bias on calendar” – The Witness (June 13, 2012)
• Eastern Cape Mission (July 24, 2012)
• A Gospel Tract for Catholics (August 2, 2012)
• South Africa: Hillary Clinton pops in on Nelson Mandela for lunch (August 9, 2012)
• Ingabe Wena Usukulungele? (August 9, 2012)
• The Twelve Apostles’ Church in Christ Heresies (August 15, 2012)
• South Africa Oppressed (October 7, 2012)
• Anarchy (October 17, 2012)

Scripture warns us:

Proverb 29:2 When the righteous are in authority, the people rejoice: but when the wicked beareth rule, the people mourn.

And South Africa can learn from the Ugandan President who Publicly Repented! He did not just say he is sorry to the people – his prayer was directed to GOD!

Another Response Received

Here is another response received to the post titled Doctrines of Demons, and whilst every effort is made to address each point raised, failure to deal specifically with a portion or body of text must not be construed that the writer, Gary Crous, agrees with in part or in entirety with what has been commented by one Zandile, in that part or entirety of text.

Due to the lengthy response to the initial posting, we have decided to address the issues put forward in a posting of its own to canvass the points made. The format will be as follows:

• Ø  The comment text by Zandile will be in the ordinary form of text; and
• Ø  The Repent and Believe South Africa ministry’s responses will be in the shaded boxes to differentiate between the two parties.

Here is the response:

Zandile commented on Doctrines of Demons

Gary

This information might help you in understanding Shembe’s gospel.

The word ubuNazaretha derives from the word Nazarite, which comes from Hebrew language, Nazir. Nazir is a person whose whole life is dedicated to God and separates him or herself for a holy lifestyle.

In the olden days Nazaritism was not accepted as a religion, but was rather a particular lifestyle under Moses’ religion. It was not expected for everyone to be the Nazarite, reason being that, it was a vow between God and a person for a specific period of time. This vow together with other certain laws formed integral part to Mosaic law. People who took a vow of being the Nazarite were not governed by peculiar laws from those of the children of Israel, but it was merely an additional Mosaic law.

These laws were given to Moses by God, read Numbers 6:1-20. As time goes on, there born people who were the Nazarites from womb, their whole life was dedicated to God and their tenacious grip on this vow meant that they were going to separate themselves for God.

Jesus Christ the Nazarite

In the Bible we are being told of four people who were the Nazarites: In the Old Testament is Samson (Judges 13:5), Samuel (1 Samuel 1:9-10). The New Testament has the following people: John (Luke 1:15), Jesus Christ (Matthew 2:23, Jesus’ disciples were called Nazarites (Acts 24:5). Now it’s evident that the very first congregation of the Nazarites was that of Jesus Christ (Acts 24:5).

Dear Zandile

In accordance with the Holy Scriptures, it does not appear that John the Baptist is mentioned as a “Nazarite” in Luke1:15, however there does appear to be a cross reference to Numbers 6:3 in respect of “… and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; …”. What we do know is that John the Baptist was born into the Levitical family as we read in Luke 1:5: “There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.“ However it is not true that the disciples – the very first congregation were called Nazarites in Acts 24:5, but a first mention principle appears in Acts 11:26 where it says “… And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.” To understand what was meant by calling Paul “… a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes: …” one must understand in context the accusations brought against the apostle Paul in a derogatory fashion. To base your religion on this premise is dangerous ground as the orator Tertullus had nothing good to say about Paul as he began to accuse him. Matthew Henry does justice in explaining “the sect of the Nazarenes” more concisely as we read from his Commentary at page 308, Volume 6 by Marshall, Morgan & Scott (1959 Edition), starting at:

“[2.] Paul was a peace-maker, was a preacher of that gospel which has a direct tendency to slay all enmities, and to establish true and lasting peace; he lived peaceably and quietly himself, and taught others to do so too, and yet is here represented as a mover of sedition among all the Jews throughout all the world. The Jews were disaffected to the Roman government; those of them that were most bigoted were most so. This Felix knew, and had therefore a watchful eye upon them. Now they would fain make him believe that this Paul was the man that made them so, whereas they themselves were the men that sowed the seeds of faction and sedition among them: and they knew it; and the reason why they hated Christ and his religion was because he did not go about to head them in an opposition to the Romans. The Jews were every where much set against Paul, and stirred up the people to clamour against him; they moved sedition in all places where he came, and then cast the blame unjustly upon him, as if he had been the mover of sedition; as Nero not long after set Rome on fire, and then said the Christians did it.

“[3.] Paul was a man of catholic charity, who did not affect to be singular, but made himself the servant of all for their good; and yet he is here charged as being a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes, a standard-bearer of that sect, so the word signifies. When Cyprian was condemned to die for being a Christian, this was inserted in his sentence, that he was auctor iniqui nominis et signifier – The author and standard-bearer of a wicked cause. Now it was true that Paul was an active leading man in propagating Christianity. But, First, It was utterly false that this was a sect; he did not draw people to a party or private opinion, nor did he make his own opinions their rule. True Christianity establishes that which is of common concern to all mankind, publishes good-will to men, and shows us God in Christ reconciling the world to himself, and therefore cannot be thought to take its rise from such narrow opinions and private interests as sects owe their origin to. True Christianity has a direct tendency to the uniting of the children of men, and the gathering of them together in one; and, as far as it obtains its just power and influence upon the minds of men, will make them meek and quiet, and peaceable and loving, and every way easy, acceptable, and profitable one to another, and therefore is far from being a sect, which is supposed to lead to division and to sow discord. True Christianity aims at no worldly benefit or advantage, and therefore must by no means be called a sect. those that espouse a sect are governed in it by their secular interest, they aim at wealth and honour; but the professors of Christianity are so far from this that they expose themselves thereby to the loss and ruin of all that is dear to them in this world. Secondly, It is invidiously called the sect of the Nazarenes, by which Christ was represented as of Nazareth, whence no good thing was expected to arise; whereas he was of Bethlehem, where the Messiah was to be born. Yet he was pleased to call himself, Jesus of Nazareth, ch. xxii. 8. And the scripture has put an honour on the name, Matt. ii. 23. And therefore, though intended for a reproach, the Christians had no reason to be ashamed of sharing with their Master in it. Thirdly, It was false that Paul was the author or standard-bearer of this sect; for he did not draw people to himself, but to Christ – did not preach himself, but Christ Jesus.”

Now let’s move to Shembe’s story. When God sent Shembe to establish the church of Nazareth, it was not a new religion, but a revival of the old church by Jesus Christ. Shembe reinstated laws of God by initiating the Nazarites congregation as we read in Acts 24:5. It might sound odd to people when we talk of the Nazarite, but these people existed even during the time of Jesus Christ, read Numbers 6:1-20. The Nazarites congregation has no black society background whatsoever, but has a biblical history. The laws of ubuNazaretha are merely based on Moses’ law. When Shembe first established the congregation of the Nazarites, he attached all his teachings to Moses’ law, and he wrote it clearly on verse 3-4 of the Sabbath liturgy which reads as follows:

3 “Fear Jehovah generations to generations, keep his commandments that He wrote through his Servant Moses, so that your worship will gladly be acceptable by the Lord of Hosts. 4. Failure to keep his commandments, He will never answers your prayers. He will not give you the blessings if ye disobey his commandments and do not keep them.”

It becomes very clear by now that the Nazarites congregation is the reinstatement of the old church by Jesus Christ as we read in Acts 24:5. In addition to that, the church of Nazarites practices the laws of Jehovah as are precisely spelt out in the book of Numbers 6:1-6. This simply means that, even though Shembe, first established the church of the Nazarites in KwaZulu-Natal, ubuNazaretha is firmly based upon Moses’ law. It is crucial for anyone who intends to study ubuNazaretha, to forage further gathering factual theology of our religion (ubuNazaretha).

The water is still muddy and it is by no ways “clear that the Nazarites congregation is the reinstatement of the old church by Jesus Christ as we read in Acts 24:5.” No command is given by the Lord Jesus Christ to reinstate His Church. He is the Head of His Church (see Ephesians 5:23; Colossians 1:18, 2:19; 1 Peter 2:7).

In that case, ubuNazaretha is not attached into any ethnic religions, because it is far beyond that, and it’s merely a continuation of Moses’ religion that was later recommenced by Jesus. Shembe then resumed it here in KwaZulu-Natal, read Hymn 208 of the Nazarites.

1.Thabani, thabani
Bufikile ubuNazaretha.

Historic roots of ubuNazaretha

There are three historic roots of ubuNazaretha. Firstly, Mosaic law. UbuNazaretha is governed by Moses’ laws as Shembe explained in verse 3-4 of the Sabbath liturgy. This serves as our scriptural evidence showing that ubuNazaretha is also based upon the teachings of the Old Testament.

Secondly, ubuNazaretha is based upon Jesus’ teachings and his Apostles. In most cases when Shembe delivers his speech at the congregation he would quote so often from the teachings of Jesus and his Apostles. Hymns of the Nazarites show that particular significance to Jesus Christ, this is our further evidence showing that ubuNazaretha is also attached into the teachings of the New Testament.

If this is truly the case that the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ are taught, why then is Isaiah Shembe known as the messiah of the black man? This is contradictory to what you have said and amounts to blasphemy. There are many motor vehicles and taxis that drive around KwaZulu-Natal that have “Shembe is the way” stickers on them, when the Lord Jesus Christ says in His Scriptures, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6).

Shembe built the Nazarites congregation in accordance with the Zulu nation customs, which are not contrary to the laws of God. As we have mentioned early on, ubuNazaretha is built under the rigid laws of Jehovah that He wrote through his Servant Moses. Shembe stated very clearly in his teachings that when a person practices ubuNazaretha in contrary to Mosaic Law, God will never answers his or her prayer, and God will not pour blessings upon them. Look, when your prayers are not being answered and acceptably to God, what is the use of your faith then?

It is confusing at this point as it is unclear on a few points that you quote:

1. “When God sent Shembe to establish the church of Nazareth, it was not a new religion, but a revival of the old church by Jesus Christ.”?
2. “the Nazarites congregation is the reinstatement of the old church by Jesus Christ as we read in Acts 24:5.”?
3. “Firstly, Mosaic law. UbuNazaretha is governed by Moses’ laws”?
4. “Secondly, ubuNazaretha is based upon Jesus’ teachings and his Apostles.”?
5. “Shembe built the Nazarites congregation in accordance with the Zulu nation customs,”?

So which of the items 1-5 above are applicable? For if they are “all applicable” then it is contradictory to what God’s Holy Word teaches. You cannot also say that “the Zulu nation customs, which are not contrary to the laws of God.” This is falsehood. In Zulu nation customs there is consulting with witchdoctors, sorcerers, diviners and even necromancers (those that speak to the dead) are prevalent. See what Deuteronomy 18:10-13 says on the matter:

¹⁰There shall not be found among you any one that maketh his son or his daughter to pass through the fire, or that useth divination, or an observer of times, or an enchanter, or a witch, ¹¹Or a charmer, or a consulter with familiar spirits, or a wizard, or a necromancer. ¹²For all that do these things are an abomination unto the LORD: and because of these abominations the LORD thy God doth drive them out from before thee. ¹³Thou shalt be perfect with the LORD thy God.

There are many Shembe followers that we address on the streets and in public and government places that clearly mix God’s Word with man’s traditions!

Thirdly, even though we are allowed to preserve and practice our customs, however we are warned not to practice those which are contrary to the laws of Jehovah. When it’s come to the laws of Jehovah, one should not for whatsoever reason compromise these laws with peoples’ customs or the teachings of any ethnic religion. People deliberately impose their customs into the Nazarine religion, which is unacceptable.

Scripture specifically tells us that we cannot speak to the dead which includes the Zulu tradition of consulting with the ancestors. For we read:

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; ~ 1 Timothy 2:5

Nowhere in Scripture does it say you can speak to one’s ancestors! The Lord Jesus Christ is your only mediator and He speaks to God on your behalf! We also see in Scripture that God warns that by man’s traditions and commandments you make the Word of God of no effect. Let us look at the Word of God as it is written:

⁶He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. ⁷Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. ⁸For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do. ⁹And he said unto them, Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition. ¹⁰For Moses said, Honour thy father and thy mother; and, Whoso curseth father or mother, let him die the death: ¹¹But ye say, If a man shall say to his father or mother, It is Corban, that is to say, a gift, by whatsoever thou mightest be profited by me; he shall be free. ¹²And ye suffer him no more to do ought for his father or his mother; ¹³Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye. ~ Mark 7:6-13; and see Matthew 15:3-9

Ethnic religion enforces what is moral acceptably to those people of that particular culture and this kind of religion is built specifically on peoples’ practices which are mainly dominated by their believes, and has no instruction from God. When the time goes on, religions of this nature become a religion of the universe, because people adapt to it as their lifestyle.

The distinction between Nazaritism and any other religion is that, Nazaretism is built through the command of God, instructions from the Word of Heaven (Izwi leZulu). So the founder of Nazaritism is Isaiah Shembe who personally met with God, and God gave him laws which govern the church of Nazareth. Therefore, the will of God can’t be hindered by peoples’ beliefs, because ubuNazaretha just remains as God wants it to be, and should never be integrated to any cultural religion!

Isaiah Shembe could not have met personally with God to receive another set of laws which govern the church of Nazareth – which incidentally is the same church whose “founder of Nazaritism is Isaiah Shembe” (your quote) – as Scripture says that no man is to add to or take away from the words of the book of this prophecy (see Revelation 22:18,19). Therefore, if God gave a new revelation to the Shembe church then God cannot hold any person outside of the Shembe church accountable for their transgression of sins prior to the meeting Isaiah Shembe professes to have had with God. Even the Muslim prophet Mohammad says he received a new revelation, and so does the Mormons, and so does the Seventh-Day Adventists, and so on and so on…. This is how cults cover their tracks to make out that God has given them a “new revelation, a new book, new commands, new stories, new prophesies”, or He “is doing something new in the world”. This is a lie, because even in the Shembe church there are divisions as to who is right and who the rightful benefactor of the organisation is. It is all about money and power in man-centred religions. Another point is your e-mail address which is for a “new Nazareth baptist church”.

God said no person can see Him face to face and live. We read in Exodus 33:18-23 of the account of Moses requesting to see God’s Glory. No mere mortal can see God or meet with Him personally and live; that is why our Lord Jesus Christ said a man must be born again and receive the Holy Spirit to speak to the Father through our mediator Jesus Christ. We read the Moses account:

¹⁸And he said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. ¹⁹And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. ²⁰And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live. ²¹And the LORD said, Behold, there is a place by me, and thou shalt stand upon a rock: ²²And it shall come to pass, while my glory passeth by, that I will put thee in a clift of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass by: ²³And I will take away mine hand, and thou shalt see my back parts: but my face shall not be seen. ~ Exodus 33:18-23

Humanistic approach

Cultural religion delves on preaching things that are totally incongruent to the teachings of Nazaritism , such as izulu lomndeni (Kinship Heaven). This means that after death, a person goes to a certain place where people are assembled in kinship groups. However, the church of Nazareth that is built through the teachings of the Bible does not teach anything of this kind, but it embraces one thing, Jehovah’s Heaven. Hymn number 10 of the Nazarites says:

1.The home of the Nazarites
Where we are going
Shines more brilliantly
Than the sun or the moon.

2. The Receiver of dues who is there
Is one alone,
It is Jehovah alone
The powerful King

Now, this hymn poses a challenge to anyone to take the Hymns of the Nazarites where we find Shembe’s teachings about one Heaven. Cultural religion says nothing about repenting from our sins and being judged by God. According to the cultural religion when people die, they go to a certain place whereby they will be grouped according to their clans and that place turns to be their heaven, where their forefathers judge them. According to God’s word, after death people get judged according to their wickedness. In Heaven the Nazarites stay with one another, wizards with one another, drunkard by drunkard etc.

Failure to draw a distinction between ethnic religion and ubuNazaretha and make the pair look the same impairs the true feathers of Nazaritism.

In Levi 19:31 Jehovah says: “Do not defile yourselves by turning to mediums or to those who consult the spirits of the dead..” Therefore any person whose whole life is dedicated to God must not practice anything related to wizards and mediums. One cannot integrate Nazaritism with ethnic religion because the two are not the same. The ethnic religion is governed by its laws, so as ubuNazaretha is strictly governed by the laws of Jehovah.

Having said that the Nazarite should be someone who leaves holy lifestyle. The Nazaritism is for Jehovah as Shembe says in Hymn 73 of the Nazarites:

3.The beautiful rock
For the Nazarites,
That Jehovah elected for himself,
Because he loved it

4. He even adorned himself three times in a year
In this Nazarites,
Before all the Heavens
In One year.

In figurative terms the Nazarite can be described as the lovely and lavish apparel that Jehovah adorns himself in Heaven. Nazarite is one who is holy, and is very special before Jehovah and is expected to remain holy, and must not practice things that are totally against the teachings of Jehovah. These words are spelt out in Levi 20:26 “And you shall be holy to Me, for I the Lord am holy, and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be Mine.” These words should always ring a bell to all the Nazarites, because they are the cornerstone of our faith.
God bless you. Amen

Email: newnazarethbaptistchurch@gmail.com

Fax: 086 528 1956. Find us on Facebook- New Nazareth Baptist Church

In closing kindly note that God has not commanded any body of believers to still continue under the old covenant of “running a church” according to the Mosaic Law. What you need to do is examine Hebrews 8 and 9 that sets out the new covenant that is through the Lord Jesus Christ who is our only High Priest after the order of but superior to Melchisedec (see Hebrews 7:1-10) and our Lord Jesus Christ is also superior to the imperfection of the Aaronic Priesthood that fell under the Mosaic Law (see Hebrews 7:11-28). Please read this body of Scripture text:

Heb 8:1  Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;

Heb 8:2  A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

Heb 8:3  For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.

Heb 8:4  For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:

Heb 8:5  Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.

Heb 8:6  But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

Heb 8:7  For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.

Heb 8:8  For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:

Heb 8:9  Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

Heb 8:10  For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

Heb 8:11  And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

Heb 8:12  For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

Heb 8:13  In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away.

Heb 9:1  Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.

Heb 9:2  For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary.

Heb 9:3  And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;

Heb 9:4  Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;

Heb 9:5  And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.

Heb 9:6  Now when these things were thus ordained, the priests went always into the first tabernacle, accomplishing the service of God.

Heb 9:7  But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:

Heb 9:8  The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:

Heb 9:9  Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;

Heb 9:10  Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.

Heb 9:11  But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;

Heb 9:12  Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

Heb 9:13  For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:

Heb 9:14  How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

Heb 9:15  And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

Heb 9:16  For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.

Heb 9:17  For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.

Heb 9:18  Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.

Heb 9:19  For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,

Heb 9:20  Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.

Heb 9:21  Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.

Heb 9:22  And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

Heb 9:23  It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

Heb 9:24  For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

Heb 9:25  Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;

Heb 9:26  For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

Heb 9:27  And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

Heb 9:28  So Christ was once offered to bear the sins of many; and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.

Doctrines of Devils

This past weekend I noticed that the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) for television have a programme that they screen on their SABC1 channel titled Religions of South Africa – on the Lord’s Day. This is something that I have noticed in the past, but it has given me a righteous anger that wicked people are broadcasting religion that teaches falsehood and lies to a wide audience of people that blatantly blasphemes the nature of Almighty God. This is the first of a new series of blog posts that will be posted from time to time bringing to light the unfruitful works of darkness. As true believers in Christ we are to expose the unfruitful works of darkness and the false religions, churches, and teachers that blaspheme the Holy name of the only true God – Jesus Christ. The three Scriptures for these posts are:

1 Timothy 4:1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;

Ephesians 5:11 And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.

Colossians 1:28 Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus:

In South Africa there are thousands of ‘churches’ that profess to be christian, which are in fact schisms from missionary churches planted by foreign clergy who came to these southern african shores, and there are also splinter churches that have been established due to power-struggles within them. The evil and wickedness of man is seen by the many doctrines that permeate the churchianity that exists and the degradation of  Christianity by mixing it with African traditions (culture). This would clearly bring about another gospel as these ‘churches’ have deviated away from the Truth – or in fact never knew the Truth – and therefore we should look to God’s Word to see His warning in this regard as recorded in Galatians 1:6-10 (my emphasis added, and throughout):

Galatians 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

Galatians 1:7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.

Galatians 1:8 But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.

Galatians 1:9 As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

Galatians 1:10 For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.

The first episode of “Doctrines of Devils” will commence with exposing the false teachings of the Nazareth Baptist Church, also known as the Shembe Church. We will start off with some history and background from Wikipedia and the eThekwini Online site, thereafter followed by a video interview that appears at Vimeo.

— ooo —

Isaiah Shembe (1870– 2 May 1935), was the founder of the Zulu Nazareth Baptist Church and a figure in the African independent church movement in South Africa.

According to Shembe biographer Irving Hexham, not much is known about Shembe’s youth, except that he was born into a Zulu family near Estcourt, South Africa. After his baptism in 1906, he worked as an itinerant evangelist. In 1910, he began a ministry focused on healing and prophecy, and sometime between 1910 and 1912, he began the Nazareth Baptist Church or iBandla amaNazaretha, an indigenous church for the Zulu people. Later, he established a holy city at ekuPhakameni and a yearly pilgrimage to the Holy Mountain of Nhlangakazi. In addition to his preaching and healing, he was known for composing Zulu hymns and sacred dances, for creating sacred costumes that combined Zulu and European clothing styles, for developing a new liturgical calendar (that omitted Christmas), and for dietary laws that included a restriction against eating chicken.^[1]

Shembe’s legacy has created some controversy. In a 1967 book, G.C. Oosthuizen argued that the movement was “a new religion that sees Isaiah Shembe as ‘the manifestation of God.'” Oosthuizen was attacked by Bengt Sundkler and Absolom Vilakazi as being too Westernized to understand Zulu culture, and claimed that the movement remained Christian. However, Oosthuizen’s view has been embraced by two of Shembe’s successors, his nephew son Amos Shembe and his grandson Londa Shembe, who (although they fought with each other over who was the legitimate successor and eventually formed two separate branches of the church), both of whom believe that Shembe did indeed create something new.^[1]

Nazareth Baptist Church

The Nazareth Baptist Church, often called Shembe, is associated with a small group of churches, often referred to as African “messianic” churches, where the leader or founder is ascribed by his followers with supernatural powers.

The large majority of the three thousand African independent churches are either “Ethiopian” or “Zionist“. The Zionist churches, whose name implies an identification with the holy mountain of Zion in the Old Testament, are largely charismatic prophet-led healing groups. Worship in the Zionist churches is an African variant of Pentecostal spirituality.

_______________________

Reference: 1.  Irving Hexham, “The amaNazaretha”, in Encyclopedia of African and African-American Religions, ed. Stephen D. Glazier. Accessed via Google Books on 7 July 2010.

Shembe’s Rise to the Lord

By Themba Nyathikazi

Near Inanda, north of Durban, is a sacred site called Ekuphakameni, the ‘Place of Spiritual Upliftment.’ It was named by Isaiah Shembe, prophet and founder of the Shembe Church. A major festival is held in mid-January at an equally sacred location, the mountain dubbed Nhlangakazi, some 30 kilometres north of Ekuphakameni.

“Our pilgrimage to the mountain is based on the third book of Moses,” says a preacher from the area, Reverend Nxumalo. “It dates back to a revelation Shembe experienced in 1916, in which he was told that the Lord would speak to him on the holy mountain, Nhlangakazi, just as He had spoken to Moses on Mount Sinai.”

Ekuphakameni is the place where the Shembe’s holiest shrines are to be found. Most of them were erected by Shembe himself. Egumbini, the ‘House of the Tabernacle,’ one of the holiest of holies, lies to the east of the Inanda Road. It adjoins a tree-lined open area termed ‘Paradise.’ As a token of respect, visitors must remove their shoes before crossing this terrain.

Shembe Footwashing

It is said that the late founder of the Shembe movement was alone on a hillside when struck down by lightning. The Voice of the Lord thundered the command: “Go south!”. Isaiah Shembe was carried, unconscious, to his hut. He was paralysed, and taken for dead. The women of his village wailed and ululated in hysterical fear.

Sangomas and witchdoctors were summoned, and rituals performed to revive Shembe. When he came to, he told his followers that he was among spirits who had instructed him to go south. He duly left on his pilgrimage, carrying his Bible, blanket, stick and precious gifts from his followers.

Among the sacraments stored in the Tabernacle at Ekuphakameni is a supply of holy water used for purification ceremonies. The Shembe village is divided into five distinct living areas. Young women live in specially set aside stone dwellings. They are carefully brought up in age differentiated groups by the elders, and subjected to rigid discipline.

Within the temple area, the Shembe leader resides in ‘eGumbini langaphakathi,’ near the Tabernacle. The married quarters for men and women are known as ‘ekamu,’ and the older men’s quarters as ‘Inhlalisuthi,’ whereas women live on the eastern side of the main church in an area referred to as ‘Kwa Fourteen’ or ‘Jamengweni.’

In future, boys living within the village will be divided into two age groupings, and once they are older they will move to the ‘Inhlalisuthi’ – quarters reserved for older males. Female children are divided into three groupings, known as ‘Amasheshakungena’ (up to 11 years), ‘Amatubhane’ (teenagers, not yet of marriageable age) and the ‘Twenty Fives’ or ‘amakhosazane’ (those who are ready to marry).

The Shembe Church is well known for its spectacular dance festivals and the church’s structure is a fascinating mixture of Christian dogma and the tenets of Zulu culture. The founder of the church inculcated in his followers a belief that closely mirrors the traditional norms of social and moral behaviour among the Zulu people.

“Our rituals include baptism by immersion, the keeping of the Sabbath, observance of a seven day fast before Holy Communion, and the celebration of Holy Communion at night, preceded by feet washing ceremonies,” says Enoch Mthembu, spokesman for the Shembe Church. “Holy Communion is celebrated twice a year, during the January and July festivals.”

The January festivals, particularly the one held in mid-January, see Shembe followers, clad in traditional white garments, flock to the holy mountain of Nhlangakazi.

Some worshippers travel very long distances to reach the holy mountain, where they participate in ritualistic song and dance. During the exodus to the mountain, the Shembe take part in a hypnotic, trance-like dance, with the men leading the way. The married women follow, carrying furled umbrellas and tiny ceremonial shields in the same colours as their church clothing. They are, in turn, followed by young maidens in full traditional regalia. A constant stream of vehicles and barefooted worshippers snakes along the dusty road to the holy site.

Praising the Almighty on top of the mountain, and executing traditional Zulu dances, the Shembe reflect an alternative version of Christianity, which has evolved based on the Old, rather than the New Testament. The festival has evolved into one of the most colourful spectacles in Southern Africa, and it attracts increasing numbers of tourists each year.

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Vimeo Video

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Mwelela Cele interviews Mr Ximba as part of the Memories of Inanda documentary, produced for the eThekwini Municipality’s Ulwazi Programme. Mr Ximba discusses the Shembe Church.

Nazareth Baptist Church (Alternatively called “The Nazarite Church” “iBandla lamaNazaretha”, or the “Shembe Church”) is an African Initiated Church founded by Isaiah Shembe in 1910.

It has approximately 4 million members. The religion bans smoking, drinking, and fornicating. It is seen as a mixture of Zulu tradition and Christianity. It reveres Isaiah Shembe as an African Messiah and emphasizes the Ten Commandments.

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Here is an extract from a book titled The theology of a South African Messiah by Gerhardus Cornelis Oosthuizen at page 38 which shows the doctrine of demons, quote:

The exclusion of Jesus is also due to Shembe’s emphasis on the law which is the very source of their redemption – the Sabbath is according to Shembe, the very core of the law. cf. Isl. 21⁸. …

Shembe restored the Sabbath so that “the road which goes home to Jehova our iNkosi” (“indlela yokuya ekhaya Inkosi yethu“, Isl. 57¹; see also 57⁸). It is no longer the way of Christ but of the messianic Shembe and his Jehova. In Isl. 60⁴ Jehova has to be praised for sending “Isaiah his Servant”. It is natural development that Shembe should be on the side of the lawgiver. The worshippers of Jesus are the breakers of the law; they worship the Sunday-God not Jehova.

Other reasons could be mentioned for pushing Jesus into the background. Jesus’ emphasis on His being “the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14⁶) has excluded the possibility of accepting the saints of the pre-christian Zulu world into the fold of the Biblical God. This is unacceptable to a society in which the emphasis is so strong on the communion of the saints – and to them all those who were of significance are holy ones. At the gate is no more Jesus and the Cross but Jehova, Shembe and the law.

After his confession of faith in Isl. 73 the emphasis is on the Supreme Being and in the last approximately hundred Izl. the name of Jesus is totally omitted and iNkosi either refers here to Shembe himself or to Jehova, Thixo, uNkulunkulu, Simakade or Baba. It is easier to bring Jehova and Baba together than Jesus Christ and Baba with whom the whole Zulu history is associated.

The aspects of the Shembe doctrine of demons and the Zulu traditions that are contrary to God’s commands need to be exposed. Some of their evil and wicked beliefs and practices are listed here under:

• They Worship God through ancestors
• They offer up sacrifices of cows or goats to their ancestors who then speak to God on their behalf
• They hold to the Old Testament (Shrines, Holy of Holies, The Ark and other Holy vessels belonging to the prophet, sabbath-keeping)
• Shembe is the prophet of God to the African (black) man. They also see him as their ‘messiah.’
• They don’t pray in the name of Jesus – they pray to the god of ekuPhakameni
• They practice polygamy. It is believed that Amos Johannes Galilee “J.G.” Shembe (1907 – 1986 died 1976) had 62 wives.
• Sangomas and witchdoctors play a significant role in Zulu tradition.

We will now let God’s Word, the Holy Bible speak from hereon:

Only One Blood of Jesus Christ

Act 17:24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands;

Act 17:25 Neither is worshipped with men’s hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things;

Act 17:26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation;

Act 17:27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us:

Act 17:28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

Act 17:29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man’s device.

Act 17:30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

Act 17:31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. ~ Acts 17:24-31

Act 20:28 Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Act 20:29 For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock.

Act 20:30 Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them. ~ Acts 20:28-30

Romans 3:25 Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God;

1 Corinthians 10:16 The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ?

Heb 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

Heb 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission. ~ Hebrews 9:12,22

Heb 10:4 For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins.

Heb 10:5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:

Heb 10:6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.

Heb 10:7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.

Heb 10:8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;

Heb 10:9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

Heb 10:10 By the which will we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

Heb 10:11 And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:

Heb 10:12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;

Heb 10:13 From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool.

Heb 10:14 For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified.

Heb 10:15 Whereof the Holy Ghost also is a witness to us: for after that he had said before,

Heb 10:16 This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, saith the Lord, I will put my laws into their hearts, and in their minds will I write them;

Heb 10:17 And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.

Heb 10:18 Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin.

Heb 10:19 Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus,

Heb 10:20 By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh;

Heb 10:21 And having an high priest over the house of God;

Heb 10:22 Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. ~ Hebrews 10:4-22

Heb 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant,

Heb 13:21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen. ~ Hebrews 13:20,21

Jesus Christ is the Only Mediator

Gal 3:19 Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator.

Gal 3:20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.

Gal 3:21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law.

Gal 3:22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. ~ Galatians 3:19-22

1Ti 2:3 For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour;

1Ti 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

1Ti 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

1Ti 2:6 Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time. ~ 1 Timothy 2:3-6

Heb 8:1 Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such an high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens;

Heb 8:2 A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man.

Heb 8:3 For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer.

Heb 8:4 For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:

Heb 8:5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.

Heb 8:6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.

Heb 8:7 For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second.

Heb 8:8 For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:

Heb 8:9 Not according to the covenant that I made with their fathers in the day when I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt; because they continued not in my covenant, and I regarded them not, saith the Lord.

Heb 8:10 For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they shall be to me a people:

Heb 8:11 And they shall not teach every man his neighbour, and every man his brother, saying, Know the Lord: for all shall know me, from the least to the greatest.

Heb 8:12 For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

Heb 8:13 In that he saith, A new covenant, he hath made the first old. Now that which decayeth and waxeth old is ready to vanish away. ~ Hebrews 8:1-13

Heb 9:15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

Heb 9:16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.

Heb 9:17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.

Heb 9:18 Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.

Heb 9:19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,

Heb 9:20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.

Heb 9:21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.

Heb 9:22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

Heb 9:23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

Heb 9:24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: ~ Hebrews 9:15-24

Heb 12:24 And to Jesus the mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling, that speaketh better things than that of Abel.

Heb 12:25 See that ye refuse not him that speaketh. For if they escaped not who refused him that spake on earth, much more shall not we escape, if we turn away from him that speaketh from heaven:

Heb 12:26 Whose voice then shook the earth: but now he hath promised, saying, Yet once more I shake not the earth only, but also heaven.

Heb 12:27 And this word, Yet once more, signifieth the removing of those things that are shaken, as of things that are made, that those things which cannot be shaken may remain.

Heb 12:28 Wherefore we receiving a kingdom which cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear:

Heb 12:29 For our God is a consuming fire. ~ Hebrews 12:24-29

Only in the Name of Jesus Christ

Act 4:11 This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

Act 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. ~ Acts 4:11,12

Act 10:39 And we are witnesses of all things which he did both in the land of the Jews, and in Jerusalem; whom they slew and hanged on a tree:

Act 10:40 Him God raised up the third day, and shewed him openly;

Act 10:41 Not to all the people, but unto witnesses chosen before of God, even to us, who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead.

Act 10:42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead.

Act 10:43 To him give all the prophets witness, that through his name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins. ~ Acts 10:39-43

Php 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

Php 2:6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

Php 2:7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

Php 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Php 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

Php 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

Php 2:11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. ~ Philippians 2:5-11

1 John 5:13 These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God.

Rev 19:11 And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

Rev 19:12 His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself.

Rev 19:13 And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.

Rev 19:14 And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean.

Rev 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.

Rev 19:16 And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS. ~ Revelation 19:11-16

Mat 28:19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

Mat 28:20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen. ~ Matthew 28:19,20

Joh 5:43 I am come in my Father’s name, and ye receive me not: if another shall come in his own name, him ye will receive.

Joh 5:44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?

Joh 5:45 Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father: there is one that accuseth you, even Moses, in whom ye trust. ~ John 5:43-45

Joh 14:12 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

Joh 14:13 And whatsoever ye shall ask in my name, that will I do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.

Joh 14:14 If ye shall ask any thing in my name, I will do it. ~ John 14:12-14

John 15:16 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.

Man’s Traditions

Galatians 1:14 And profited in the Jews’ religion above many my equals in mine own nation, being more exceedingly zealous of the traditions of my fathers. [The apostle Paul who became a doulos (bondslave) of Jesus Christ]

Colossians 2:8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

1 Peter 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

Matthew 15:6 And honour not his father or his mother, he shall be free. Thus have ye made the commandment of God of none effect by your tradition.

To conclude this doctrine of demons post hear the Word of God:

1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.

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Footnote: Here is a quote from the Sunday World Newspaper reflecting some of the ‘high profile’ members who belong to the Shembe Church.

Pilane is the latest celebrity to join the church . Others include the slain reggae star Lucky Dube, Prosper Mkwaiwa, Brenda Fassie, former President Nelson Mandela, President Jacob Zuma and Mbongeni Ngema.

Read the full article HERE.

One often see on Shembe followers’ vehicles “bumper-stickers” that declare “Shembe is the way”. This is true, “Shembe is the way … to Hell”. For God’s Son:

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Mark 1:15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

BLOG AMENDED ON JUNE 18, 2013 CHANGING ALL SCRIPTURE PORTIONS FROM NASB AND NKJV INTO KING JAMES BIBLE SCRIPTURES.

THE TITLE HAS BEEN CHANGED ON SEPTEMBER 4, 2014 FROM “DOCTRINE OF DEMONS” TO “DOCTRINE OF DEVILS”.