The Catechism of The Church of Philadelphia :: By The Gospelist
As the church of Philadelphia represents the last faithful church before the rapture, it would be a good idea to get hold of its catechism. We need to understand their doctrines so we can learn how they received such wonderful promises from the Lord.
Since their catechism cannot be found on Google, and its codex is lost to history, it would seem to be a good idea to get started on recreating it.
So here goes.
First Edition
Prologue
The details about the Church of Philadelphia can be found in Revelation 3:7-13. It is the true church that exists when the ministry of the Holy Spirit is nearing its end.
A member of this church, known as a ‘Christian,’ is defined as one who confesses that Christ died for our sins. This confession demonstrates one’s faith in the Gospel, which leads to eternal life (I Corinthians 15:3).
If a man (generic term for men and women) testifies about Christ (his death and resurrection) before men, Christ will acknowledge him before his Father in Heaven. Whoever disowns Christ before men, Christ will disown him before his Father in heaven.
The confession of a Christian is not a private matter. We are to allow our light to shine before men, through our confession, that they may see our good deeds and praise our Father in heaven.
Part I
The Trinity
God (the Father) is Love, Truth and Righteousness.
In love, God created the universe, his Holy Spirit brought life and order to the world, and Christ was the Word through which everything was formed.
In love, God sent his only Son to die for our sins. His Son, Jesus, is the Word of God or God’s truth. After his sacrifice on the cross, the Son sent the Holy Spirit, who is the righteousness of God, to convict the world of guilt regarding sin (lack of faith in Christ) and righteousness (ascribed to those who testify about the death of Christ on the cross and his resurrection) and judgment (for those who reject the gift of faith in Christ).
God is One. The decapitation of any member of the Godhead results in the worship of a different god.
Part II
Salvation
A. Every man clearly understands that God exists because God has made this known to them through his eternal power and divine nature. As creatures created in the image of God, we know that life does not come from lifelessness, and order does not arise capriciously out of chaos.
B. Regarding the human condition, we can ask every human being on the planet if he is holy and perfect, and each will understand what is being asked and respond ‘no.’ Many of those who lament their fallen condition are led to call on the name of the Lord. Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. Those who do not cry out to the Lord are not drawn in to receive the gift of faith.
C. God draws us in with the ‘hook’ of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for our sins, which is the message that his disciples are called to preach. This was an actual occurrence in world history, so there is no question that a man named Jesus, who claimed to be God in human flesh (and no one could dispute him or his miracles), was actually crucified on a cross despite the fact that he never sinned. And this was predicted by the Old Testament prophets years before Jesus was born.
Finally, he rose again on the third day, appeared to over 500 people, and God lifted him back to heaven until his appointed time to return. The authenticity of this occurrence is manifested by the fact that his disciples were willing to die horrible deaths to proclaim this truth, the enemies of Christ were unable to dispute it, and so many received the gift of faith that the Roman Empire, the most powerful empire ever known at the time, was forced to ruthlessly slaughter many of their number in their futile effort to stamp it out.
D. When we hear the Good News that Christ died for our sins, we believe of our own free will.
E. If we believe, God is faithful and gives us the gift of faith, and by his grace, we are saved. This gift of faith is the source of our understanding of the love, truth and righteousness that we manifest daily as a witness to others. It is the source of our salvation.
F. We repent of our sins of our own free will, and God is faithful and grants us repentance.
G. We are baptized in water in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Baptism is our appeal to God for a good conscience, which God faithfully provides to help ensure that we persevere in the faith.
H. God is faithful, and he fills us with his Holy Spirit, and we are born again.
I. We partake of the Lord’s supper regularly, as whoever partakes of the flesh and blood of Christ, as a ceremony of remembrance of his sacrifice, remains in him, and he in us. These words are spirit, and they are life.
J. We are to remain in the faith by maintaining our confession of Christ and his sacrifice until we die. If we confess our sins in prayer, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we abandon our confession of faith in favor of the fruits of the world, which is manifested by claiming that sin is justified, we cannot be brought back to repentance. Those who do so crucify Christ all over again, are subjecting him to public disgrace, and are lost for eternity.
K. God bears in us the fruits of the Spirit because faith without works is dead.
PART III
Prayer
Jesus explained the manner of our prayers to our Father in heaven. We are to (1) revere the Holy name of the Lord, (2) hope for the immediate coming of his kingdom, (3) pray that his will be done rather than our own, (4) request that we be provided our daily bread, (5) ask God to forgive our sins as we forgive those who sin against us, (6) examine our faith often to ensure it does not wane to the point that God allows us to wander into temptation, and finally (7) ask our Father to deliver us from the evil that comes upon us when we look to the world rather than our faith for guidance.
Prayer brings us peace with God and assists us in remaining in the faith.
“Be anxious about nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let our requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).
In prayer, we rely on the Holy Spirit who helps us in our weakness. “For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God” (Romans 8:26b-27).
Our prayers are to be directed to God, our Father. There is no intermediary for prayer or confession of sins.
PART IV
The Law of God
Jesus did not come to abolish the Mosaic law but to fulfill it. When we receive the gift of faith after our confession of the Gospel, the wrath of God is satisfied, and we are cleansed of all lawlessness and unrighteousness.
God’s moral law is encapsulated within the Gospel. The law does not save us, but it is written on our consciences to warn us of our faithlessness. We do not know what our sins are or what to repent of without the knowledge of God’s moral law.
The Ten Commandments are a summary of the moral laws of God. We are to:
1. love the Lord our God with all our heart, mind, soul and strength;
2. refrain from idolatry which is putting one’s faith, or finding spiritual and emotional comfort, in something other than God;
3. refrain from taking the Lord’s name in vain which is failing to revere his name and claiming God said something he did not say;
4. honor the Sabbath as a holy day of prayer, rest and worship (church);
5. honor our mother and father by living a life worthy of praise;
6. love and forgive others to tame our hateful, murderous, sinful nature;
7. refrain from all forms of fornication and sexual perversion (sex outside of marriage, adultery, rape, homosexuality, child molestation, etc.);
8. refrain from taking possession of what does not belong to us;
9. refrain from hurting the reputation of others by bearing false witness against them;
10. refrain from coveting by learning to be satisfied with what one has.
All who are unrepentant and sin apart from God’s moral law will also perish apart from the law. The requirements of the law are written on the hearts of every man, so each person is without excuse for violating it as well as refusing to repent.
All who sin under the law, without faith, will be judged by the law and perish as well.
When we follow God’s moral law, our lives are orderly and righteous. When we disobey God’s law, our lives become chaotic and wicked. Those who follow God’s moral law are deemed ‘wise’ by the God who created us.
We are called to repent of:
- Our lack or loss of faith in the Lord.
- Our violations of God’s moral law.
We are to turn away from all our offenses (our lack of faith and violation of God’s law) so that sin will not be our downfall. We are called to rid ourselves of all our offenses and receive a new heart and spirit that is by faith in Christ.
In this present dispensation, the church age, the ceremonial and dietary laws of the Mosaic law are no longer in effect. Currently, these laws only apply to the ancient theocracy of Israel.
The Mosaic law will return to modern Israel once the church is removed from the earth.
PART VI
Marriage
God created man in his own image, making them male and female, and issued his first law to his creations. We are to be fruitful, increase in number, and subdue and rule over the earth. Any ideology that conflicts with this mandate is from the devil.
When Eve was deceived into believing that God was a liar and Satan was a source of truth, both she and Adam were judged. Adam, who was not deceived by Satan but chose to share Eve’s fate, would provide security for his family on the newly cursed planet and serve as its spiritual head. Eve would endure pain in childbearing and be subordinate to her husband.
Due to our sinful nature, wives are to submit to their husbands, and husbands are to love their wives as Christ loves the church. The husband is called to be a man of faith who loves his wife so much that he is willing to lay down his life for her.
In return, the wife is called by God to submit to her husband in everything.
Marriage is a profound mystery because it represents Christ and his church. Just as Christ is the head of the church, the husband is the head of the wife.
The husband and wife sanctify one another in marriage so they can be presented to Christ without stain or wrinkle, or any blemish, but holy and blameless.
PART VII
Witnessing
We are God’s witnesses; servants whom God has chosen from the foundation of the world. The Christian is to be salt and light to the world through our behavior and our testimony of the wonderful deeds of Christ.
Step One: Examine Ourselves
Jesus and his apostles have instructed us on how we ought to walk and to please God. We are to get the plank out of our own eye before we point out the speck in our brother’s eye. Our sanctification is the will of God and must precede witnessing about the wonders of Christ.
We are to abstain from sexual immorality; that each one of us knows how to control our own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like those who do not know God. For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness.
Whoever disregards this disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
We are to aspire to live quietly and to mind our own affairs so that we may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one.
Step Two: Share the Gospel
When asked about the hope that is in us, we are to share the Gospel with gentleness and respect. The proclamation that Christ died for our sins is of first importance, as it is the foundation of our faith.
There is no such thing as a Christian who is ashamed of the Gospel because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes. The Gospel is the righteousness of God revealed; a righteousness that is by faith.
If anyone should start a religious conversation with a Christian, the man of God should always redirect the dialogue to “Do you believe that Christ died for our sins?” That will be the foundation from which the Christian will witness. It is the rock upon which we reason.
Step Three: Defend the Gospel
We must always be prepared to defend the Gospel. That is not very difficult since it is an actual historical event; it was predicted by God’s prophets before it occurred, and the most powerful people in the world, including their father, Satan, have unsuccessfully attempted to stamp it out. And their failure is not from lack of trying.
Step Four: Keep It Simple
Do not inundate the person to whom you are witnessing with too much Scripture. You can expand on the Gospel as the new convert grows in faith.
Strive to answer only the questions that are asked of you, and do so as simply as possible. Lay the foundation of the Gospel, and keep referring to it as the dialogue progresses.
PART VIII
How to identify a preacher of God’s Word in the church
The job of the pastor is to preach to his church:
- Sin and Grace
- Law and Gospel
- Repentance and (or for) the forgiveness of sins in the name of Jesus.
Every man who claims to be a pastor must demonstrate that Jesus has opened his mind to understand the Scripture. The primary theme of every sermon is:
The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance for the forgiveness of sins will be preached in the name of Jesus to all nations (Luke 24:45-47). Those who fail to proclaim this message demonstrate that their minds have not been opened by the Holy Spirit to understand the Scriptures.
It is by this message, and through baptism, that the pastor makes disciples of all nations in fulfillment of the Great Commission.
Every sermon must be Christ-focused, not self-focused. The Bible is a book of faith, not a self-help book.
If a false teacher or hireling is preaching a different gospel and a different Jesus than the one the apostle Paul preached, the Christian must remove himself and his family from this abomination.
There is no such thing as a ‘female pastor’ in Christ’s church. Those who ignore this mandate will be ignored by God.
PART IX
The Last Days of the Church Age
It is not possible to understand Biblical eschatology without understanding the distinction between the church and the nation of Israel. Paul has instructed his church not to be arrogant toward the lesser branch because he intends to graft Israel/the Jews back into their own olive tree.
God will accomplish this through the recorded dispensations, which are:
The law and the Prophets (Israel)>The Church Age, which concludes with The Rapture>The Law and the Prophets/the Tribulation (Israel)>The Millennium>Eternity
The hearts of Israel/the Jews are partially hardened against the Lord until the full number of Gentiles come in at the rapture. When Pilate washed his hands in front of the crowd that was calling for the death of Christ, he claimed that he was innocent of his blood and that his death was Israel’s responsibility.
In response, the people of Israel answered, “Let his blood be on us and our children!” The people rallied to their religious leaders rather than Christ and brought judgment upon themselves.
This proclamation was prophetic, and the nation of Israel temporarily lost its place as the true congregation of God.
Near the conclusion of the church age, there will be a great falling away from the faith. Most churches will be either dead or of the Laodicean variety.
The true church of Christ will have an open door that no one can shut. It will have little strength, but it will keep Christ’s word (the Gospel that Paul preached) and not deny his name (it will preach the same Jesus Paul preached).
Christ has promised that the church, if it endures patiently, will be kept from the hour of trial that is coming upon the whole earth to test those who remain.
The Day of the Lord begins with the rapture of the church. After the rapture, the nations of the earth move to destroy the nation of Israel. The Ezekiel invasion is the first attempt at Israel’s destruction, and the final attempt is called the Battle of Armageddon.
After seven years of tribulation, in which Jerusalem is a cup of trembling for the whole world, the rider on the white horse (Jesus) destroys the nations that come against Israel.
During the Millennium, those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews but are not, as they are liars, will be made to fall at the feet of the church that is the true love of Christ.
The church will rule with Christ during the Millennium. The nation of Israel will be the shining city on a hill for the rest of the nations during this dispensation. The church will rule with Christ during this age.
The Book of Revelation, after chapter three, is summarized by the prophet Daniel in his prophecy of the seventy ‘sevens.’ God has decreed the final ‘seven’ (of seven years) of the nation of Israel and its holy city, and is yet to be fulfilled, will conclude his dealing with his people Israel during the Millennium:
- To finish transgression (Israel will be zealous for God’s law).
- To put an end to sin (Israel will live by faith).
- To atone for wickedness (Israel will be cleansed).
- To bring in everlasting righteousness (Christ’s kingdom).
- To seal up vision and prophecy (all prophecies fulfilled).
- The anoint the most holy temple (Ezekiel Chapter 40-48).
When Christ returns, he will pour out on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem a spirit of grace and supplication. They will look upon Jesus, the one they pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.
In the last days after the rapture, the mountain of the Lord’s temple in Israel (Ezekiel 40-48) will be established as chief among the mountains. It will be raised above the hills, and all nations will stream to it to worship the Lord.
The people of the Millennial kingdom will say, “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways that we may walk in his paths” (Isaiah 2:3).
Christ will judge between nations and settle disputes for many peoples, and his church will rule with him. The nations will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation will not take up sword against nation, nor will they train for war anymore (Isaiah 2:4). Never again will there be in it an infant that lives but a few days, or an old man who does not live out his years; he who dies at a hundred will be thought a mere youth; he who fails to reach a hundred will be considered accursed (Isaiah 65:20).
“The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together; and a little child will lead them” (Isaiah 11:6).
This dispensation will last 1,000 years.
After the thousand-year Millennial reign, all who have faith in Christ will enter eternity. Satan, who briefly rises to deceive the nations, is consigned into the Lake of Fire along with his followers. When he is disposed of, there will be no more deception and judgment.
Then we will see a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth will have passed away, and the sea will be no more. And we will see the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And we will hear a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:1-4).
“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what God has prepared for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).
Christ has called us to keep watch for these events and to alert the world when events are lining up for his return.
PART X
Deception
“Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12).
These powers have two objectives:
- To stop the Gospel from being preached.
- To shipwreck the faith of those who believe so they abandon their faith.
These powers enlist the aid of false teachers or hirelings who have two objectives:
- To preach a different Gospel than Paul preached (so we don’t keep his word).
- To preach a different Jesus than Paul preached (So that we deny his name).
The Gospel is simple, and it is the light of the world. All one needs to do to avoid deception is remember, confess, and adhere to five words: Christ died for our sins.
These are the words of eternal life. Satan himself is unable to deceive those who cling to these words.
Armed with these five words, all that is necessary is to apply them to pastors or anyone who would attempt to assert religious influence. If a Christian cannot link what a teacher is saying to these five words, that person is a false teacher.
Have nothing to do with them.
Doxology
“And I [Paul], when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. And I was with you in weakness and in fear and much trembling, and my speech and my message were not in plausible words of wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, so that your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God” (I Corinthians 2:1-5).
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