Do The Days of Noah Speak About Fallen Angels or Salvation?

     The Internet's blogosphere (and much of television as well) is currently rife with the subject of fallen angels, UFO's, Crop Circles, Transgenic projects, the Nephilim, and other dark and paranormal topics. The literary world is also playing a big role with books written by devotees on this subject matter, which are flooding the Internet as well. All you have to do is mention the phrase "The Days of Noah" and the greater percentage will instantly recognize the subject matter.

     Many of these researcher and writers of these topics who primarily refer to the Days of Noah make reference to study of the Nephilim mentioned in Genesis 6:4 and Numbers13:33. In essence, they believe that the Days of Noah speaks about what many of these folks believe is describing fallen angels who had sex with human woman and subsequently gave birth to diabolical hybrid children, who, after they died, their spirits were doomed to remain on earth (as demons) and have been tormenting humanity ever since those early Old Testament times.

     Many astute researchers have provided strong theories that actually make a connection between these demonic spirits and the extraterrestrial phenomenon we instantly recognize as UFO (Unknown Flying Objects), many believing they are one and the same. Frankly, I'm one of those people who believes these theories could very well be true and they actually explain away much of the curiosities I had throughout my lifetime concerning ghost, vampires, pyramids, dinosaurs, centaurs and other unexplainable phenomenon.

     For that matter, my curiosity's attention was captured by this topic many years ago (before I accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and savior on January 5, 1975) when I first read Erich von Däniken great book, "Chariots of the Gods" back in the early 70's. Von Daniken's basic theory is that extraterrestrials from outer space (Mars, Venus, Pluto, et al) actually visited earth 100 millennia ago and transplanted a seed that we know as human beings, and that they visit earth often to see how their crop is growing. He and others believe they (ET) actually formulated the Bible as the manual to govern humanity's affairs. In essence, there is no God as we have been taught but rather there is an entity (or entities) that control the universe, thereby removing the need for Jesus Christ. I interviewed Erich von Däniken in 1976 while working as the Chief News Reporter for KPFK-FM Radio, the Los Angeles branch of syndicated Pacific Radio Network. While I don't recall the entire interview, I remember asking him about his theory about the supposed human transplantation, and he said that He does believe in God but the evidence he has uncovered does pose a dilemma for many religionists. After lo these many years, Von Daniken can still be seen promoting his theory to this day, as this topic has resurfaced with a bigger bang than it had back in the early 70's.

     Now mind you, I don't chide these theorists for their updating the initial premise. In fact, their newfound knowledge of the Nephilim actually negates Von Daniken's theory. Many of these gifted researchers and writers make a strong case for the demonic origins of the Nephilim, and they even go further than we can imagine. One of the amazing elements to these theories are those who make claim that an early group of people predating Abraham cut a deal with Satan to receive unbelievable knowledge concerning the secrets of the universe heretofore known only by God and the former one third of the angelic beings that defected His camp to join Lucifer on his quest to become greater than his creator. This wisdom was supposedly shared with an antichristian body who many of these theorists believe are the forefathers of elitist groups such as the Freemason, Illuminati, Bielderbergs, Rothschild's and all the other known cabbalists who have controlled (and still do) the major governments and powers of the world, who seek to establish the new One World Order.

     One can readily see that Satan and his angelic minions have great powers and have been boastfully trying to outshine God since their banishment from Heaven, while at the same time confusing mankind with his clever ploys that includes altering the DNA of God's original creation.

     Personally, I am grateful for these marvelous researchers and writers of this subject matter for shedding newer light to my old age curiosities. It is also comforting to know that many of these folks preach Christ and also claim they believe they have been called to this esoteric aspect of Christian ministry. Praise God!

     However, Von Daniken and still many others view this subject from a scientific perspective, which sometimes leads me to believe that he (and those who produce programs like the current "Ancient Aliens" and other similar series running on the History Channel) are actually apologist projects for that very cabal that rules the airwaves.

     Nevertheless, whereas these researchers and writers (be they Christian or secular) answer many questions I had about these anomalies, I have always believed (quite simply) that any and all unknown phenomenon existing today, if Jesus Christ isn't the focus of that subject, it is obviously demonic. The only arbiter I have to discern as to the importance of this subject matter is the Holy Spirit, which the scientific community does not appear to have at its disposal to confirm the data it presents to the public.

     More importantly, while this subject matter makes for great media copy, a small part of this revelation sparks my concern. I speak about the motivation behind the plethora of paranormal material we see emerging as never before. Is it done to sell television ads, books, life-saving equipment and other profit-generating ventures? If that be true, then this information is not really consistent with the message that Christ intended when He said that at His coming, people would be conducting business as usual as it was in the Days of Noah:

     As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. ³⁸ For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; (Matthew 24:37-38 NIV).

     Was Jesus telling us that just as it was in the Days of Noah we are to be on the lookout for Nephilim-like characters in our midst? Was He telling us in that verse that our salvation is incumbent on us being on the alert for the signs of the new anomalous revelations we are witnessing today, such as crop circles, an increase of UFO sightings and the clandestine machinations between certain government leaders and their cabbalistic bosses who are conducting secret transhumant experiments?

     No!

     The greatest prophet ever was telling us that it's time to repent and pick up our crosses and serve Him, plain and simple. What he was actually telling us is that since the Days of Noah, people have been more concerned about meat and drink, the interactivities of life, love and the pursuit of happiness, paying no attention whatsoever to the reality that He is at the door, and that many will be caught off guard rather than caught up to heaven, because they don't really know Christ as well as they should nor understand His messages. Jesus was telling those apostles the grave importance of salvation, and how many will miss it due to their preoccupation with self indulgence and minutia not necessarily pertinent to God's mission for His Children of Promise . While the apostle Peter alludes to the fallen angels in 1 Peter 3:18-20, when he mentions the Days of Noah, his main message was about God's dwindling patience in hopes man will reach out to Him before it's too late:

     …to those who were disobedient long ago when God waited patiently in the days of Noah while the ark was being built. In it only a few people, eight in all, were saved through water,(1 Peter 3:20). Isn't it interesting that in this verse Peter points out the fact that only a few people were saved!

     Throughout the Bible in both the Old and the New Testament, one point is made very clear. God used prophets like Noah (a man of righteousness) to preach the Gospel of salvation immediately before the ominous but yet cataclysmic chaos that looms in the horizon. He did this to the Israelites as we read in precise detail and great biblical abundance in both the two books of Kings and two books of Chronicles, Isaiah, Ezekiel, Jeremiah, et al. We see the clarion being sounded in almost every page of the Bible, but, like in the Days of Noah, we have not been paying attention to the more important message of salvation and serving Christ. Instead of seeing and hearing mighty men of God blaring the gospel of salvation from the mountain tops, we see many consumed more so with identifying the enemy and his attributes, as if this knowledge will bring anyone closer to Christ than they are today. If anything, those who claim to be close to Christ now are diverting their attention from either preaching the Gospel or going about God's business of tending to the poor, the infirm, the downtrodden, the hungry, homeless and those who are weak in both faith and hope.

     Yes, great tribulation is coming down the pipeline (much of it already exists everywhere in the world but not so in the U.S., yet!) and many are not prepared to deal with this phenomenon. If they can't even deal with the issues of doctrine and faith, how will they deal with the horrors of Nephilim on the loose?
     The answer is clearly obvious: Trust in Jesus Christ and He alone in everything! Mankind has not invented anything more secure than faith in Christ! No political administration or party nor scientific or medical invention nor philosophy or religion has ever solved the issue of salvation or His protection in all things.

     Think about it. Did Daniel, while being cast into the lion's den, pray for God to send him body armor, or even a Las Vegas lion tamer to protect him? No! Did he initiate a petition for reconsideration? No! Did Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego plead their case based on a conservative or liberal or Republican or Democrat principle to escape the fiery furnace? No! Did they kneel and pray and ask God to send them a man with an asbestos suit to pull them out of the blazing fire? No! First of all, they told the King that they know God is able to rescue them; but, even if He didn't, they would still not bow before him and his false Gods. Yet, in every case we see throughout the Bible, we see God rescuing and protecting His children from their enemies and danger, without pulling them out of any fiery furnace or lion-filled den. He was right there with them!

     Many scientists, especially, are telling us now that when God parted the Egyptian Red Sea for the escaping Israelites, it was actually caused by great winds from the north, based on weather data existent 10,000 years ago that they were able to reconfigure through their newly developed solar data revolutions' programs they designed with their computers. They are telling us that the walls of Jericho actually fell due to ancient sound projection machines that were used (and invented) by extraterrestrials who provided the ancients with such military arsenals, rather than believing what the word of God clearly states. Many are trying to explain away God's miracles by proffering these types of theories. But most assuredly, the incidents of Daniel and Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego have no scientific foundations whatsoever. In the latter, we actually see the how this miracle was accomplished and its true purpose:

     Then Nebuchadnezzar said, "Praise be to the God of Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego, who has sent his angel and rescued his servants! They trusted in him and defied the king's command and were willing to give up their lives rather than serve or worship any god except their own God, (Daniel 3:28). The purposes of God's miracles are solely to show humanity that it cannot steal the glory from God, who needs be praised for not only what He does as He protects His Children of Promise, but for who He is!

     Even more disconcerting, many good, some even brilliant and highly educated and even dedicated researchers and writers, pay little attention for the great need to proclaim first and foremost the inherent cry, that it is in God, and He alone, that we need to trust. Instead, they offer the sheep their own solutions as to how they can protect themselves from the impending horrors they cite. They provide great information about who and why these diabolical forces are upon us, which is great information to have. However, this information requires the ultimate disclaimer that their audience needs to trust solely on God through prayer and service.

     After providing us with all of this esoteric information of the underworld's machinations, what advice follows? What can mere, mortals do to protect themselves from the onslaught of such horrors?. What can Johnny Jones in Dubuque, Iowa do about all of this? What Can Juanita Ramirez in Tuscon, Arizona do about these clandestine cabals that are devising half-human, half-robotic androids never known to mankind before? Do they join a Tea Party? Do they petition their senator for help (one who could very well be under the direct control of these cabbalistic forces) himself? Many suggest they stock up with redeemable materials such as gold, seeds for growing food and life-saving equipment, which should provide them the safety they now need after being scared into seeking help, but they seldom (if ever) encourage them to turn to God in all things!
     Sadly, some of these folks who suggest we need this life-saving paraphernalia are the same ones who preach a Pre-Tribulation Rapture, an unbiblical doctrine they believe will protect them from the very same evils they preach! Which is it? Buy my life-saving equipment or kick back and wait for the Rapture? It can't be both, can it? Many actually preach these double standards of faith in order to justify their missions.

     On the other hand, some of these good folks use scripture to assure us that everything is going to be OK; that God would never let His children suffer wrath. True! We are not destined to suffer wrath but we are told that we must suffer much tribulation to enter the kingdom of God, (Acts14:22). There is a great difference between the tribulation we will experience; knowing that in the end God is able to save us from the wrath He himself will pour out on unbelievers (1Thessalonians1:10;1 Thessalonians 5:9; Psalm 91). Sadly, like many prophets of old, who preached the soothing gospel to the Israelites to their own disappointment, they witnessed a God who did not relent concerning His response to disobedience. Many prophets today do the same thing. They use certain OT promises to convince the sheep not to worry, but fail to point out the repercussions of disobedience. Isaiah 54 is one such promise, which also alludes to the Days of Noah.

     In the book of Isaiah 54 (please click and read the entire chapter), a special reference is made to all unrepentant peoples where God reiterates His commitment to save all of those who agree to serve Him. Isaiah mentions the Days of Noah as He informs the former followers of another covenant that God will fulfill His promises to those who do repent and serve Him rather than serve themselves and their world:
     To me this is like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth. So now I have sworn not to be angry with you, never to rebuke you again, (Isaiah 54:9). Many folks cite and cling to this group of scripture as proof positive that their nation will be redeemed, regardless of their behavior, because they believe they are the chosen race and God never goes back on His promises. However, they (and their prophets) ignore the final verse in this group, which clearly states their vindication has a conditional requirement, which is not only to believe His promise and wait for its fulfillment, but that they need to serve Him:

     This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and this is their vindication from me," declares the LORD, (Isaiah 54:17)

      In conclusion. I take my hat off and marvel at the brilliant research that has been conducted and written about by these gifted authors. Their time, effort and devotion to this aspect of ministry is to be commended. Albeit that subject of fallen angels, Nephilim and other paranormal topics may be more fascinating and titillating to the theological palate of today's Christian rather than the Gospel (and media know well how to exploit this subject matter), the fact remains that the deeper message Jesus was providing us in that provocative phrase (The Days of Noah) was not about the diabolical origins and current activities of demonic forces that were prevalent right before the Great Flood, but that time is running out and people need to be about the business of serving the Lord today and up to the time when He returns to finish the rest of His conquering works, which includes the total eradication of all evil, in whatever form it presents itself.

     It is a good thing to learn, attain and disseminate knowledge of the demonic forces at play; however, I encourage this special group of ministers that they need to also convey to their audiences that we cannot fail to recognize and always remember that there is the greater principle of love and salvation that needs be considered and shared with a greater degree of importance in our respective ministries (1 Timothy 6:20, 1 Corinthians 8:1, 2 Timothy 3:7). We have been given that mandate in 2 Timothy 3:10-17:

    You, however, know all about my teaching, my way of life, my purpose, faith, patience, love, endurance, ¹¹ persecutions, sufferings—what kinds of things happened to me in Antioch, Iconium and Lystra, the persecutions I endured. Yet the Lord rescued me from all of them. ¹² In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, ¹³ while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. ¹⁴ But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have become convinced of, because you know those from whom you learned it, ¹⁵ and how from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. ¹⁶ All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, ¹⁷ so that the servant of God^[a] may be thoroughly equipped for every good work, (2 Timothy 3:10-17).

     And what will you be doing during the Days of Noah?

     Waiting for the "Great Escape?"

     Wondering how to win the fight against the Nephilim?

     Or doing God's work?

~

For more information about the author's two books, The End Times Passover and Why Christians Will Suffer Great Tribulation, please click on Joe Ortiz

What is the true Gospel of Jesus Christ?

The Gospel of Jesus Christ has become many things to many people. Most Christians use the word to explain to others that the Gospel of Jesus Christ represents what Jesus did by dying on the cross and freed us all from paying the price for our own sins (and the sins of the world), and now we have a status that will guarantee us an eternity in Heaven with Him at the end of the world. Many others believe the Gospel also represents an escape from Tribulation through a future experience called the Rapture. Let’s examine the word Gospel.

The word Gospel, according to renown Greek scholar W.E. Vine is a noun, which in the Greek (euangelion) originally denoted a reward for good tidings; later, the idea of reward dropped, and the word stood for "the good news" itself. The English word "gospel," i.e. "good message," is the equivalent of euangelion (English, "evangel"). In the New Testament it denotes the "good tidings" of the Kingdom of God and of salvation through Christ, to be received by faith, on the basis of His expiatory death, His burial, resurrection, and ascension, e.g., Acts 15:7; 20:24; 1 Pet. 4:17. Apart from those references and those in the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, and Rev. 14:6, the noun is confined to Paul's Epistles. The Apostle uses it of two associated yet distinct things, (a) of the basic facts of the death, burial and resurrection of Christ, e.g., 1 Cor. 15:1-3; (b) of the interpretation of these facts, e.g., Rom. 2:16; Gal. 1:7,11; 2:2; in (a) the "Gospel" is viewed historically, in (b) doctrinally, with reference to the interpretation of the facts, as is sometimes indicated by the context (Greek Definition of the word Gospel, W.E. Vine)

In Galatians 2:14, "the truth of the gospel" denotes, not the true "gospel," but the true teaching of it, in contrast to perversions of it. Perversions? Yes! Perversions of the Gospel to the degree that many have been “caught up” by the distortions of the Gospel to the point they are teaching unscriptural messages to the church and it is leading many Christians astray. The Apostle Paul tried to warn us about this, but yet, we pay no heed to his words, such as he eloquently tries in the Book of Galatians 1:1-24:

24Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the Mount Sinai, which gendereth to bondage, which is Agar.

25For this Agar is mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

26But Jerusalem which is above is free, which is the mother(land) of us all.

27For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband.

28Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise.

29But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit, even so it is now.

30Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.

31So then, brethren, we are not children of the bondwoman, but of the free.

Paul tells us in Ephesians 3:1-13 how this Gospel has been a mystery to many, but in reality it is a mystery that has already been revealed to the church (God's ecclesia, a people called out) to share with the entire world. Sadly, many believers themselves have no idea what is the true Gospel and unwittingly find them preaching one other than the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. In what follows, one gets the feeling that Paul has the disciples by the nape of their necks, shaking them back and forth as he explicitly tells them what the true Gospel is!

1 For this reason I, Paul, the prisoner of Christ Jesus for the sake of you Gentiles-- 2 Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you, 3 that is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. 4 In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ, 5 which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been revealed by the Spirit to God's holy apostles and prophets. 6This mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel, members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in Christ Jesus.

Now while Paul tells us that the Gospel was a mystery and was not made known to men in other generations, he tells us that the Gospel of Jesus Christ was actually revealed to Abraham many centuries before. Was the Gospel speaking about faith or the observance of the Law?

1 You foolish Galatians! Who has bewitched you? Before your very eyes Jesus Christ was clearly portrayed as crucified. 2 I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by observing the law, or by believing what you heard? 3 Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? 4 Have you suffered so much for nothing--if it really was for nothing? 5 Does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you because you observe the law, or because you believe what you heard? 6 Consider Abraham: "He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness." 7 Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham. 8The Scripture foresaw that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, and announced the gospel in advance to Abraham: "All nations will be blessed through you." 9 So those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham, the man of faith. 10 All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who does not continue to do everything written in the Book of the Law." 11 Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, "The righteous will live by faith." 12 The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, "The man who does these things will live by them." 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree." 14 He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit, (Galatians 3:1-14)

Throughout history (from the time of Abraham to this day), theorists interpret that one phrase above "All nations will be blessed through you" as an affirmation that the genetic descendants (Jews, the occupants of the current state of Israel) are the only ones who are to receive this blessing, but other scripture contradicts this theology in a bold and easy to discern fashion. It reveals that the blessing to all nations meant that the promise made to Abraham (before Israel was even born) was that all nations would have access to salvation. Ephesians 2:11-16 clearly states how the Gospel was fulfilled:

11 Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands;

12 That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world:

13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.

14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us;

15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace;

16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby, (Ephesians 2:11-16).

Therefore, to function under the belief that God has additional promise to fulfill to any one people, any one specific tribe or ethno/religious nation, other than His children of Promise, is idle speculation which cannot be confirmed through scripture. On the contrary, we are told in the Book of 1 Corinthians the exact opposite:

13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.(1 Corinthians 12:13)

But yet, theorists, proponents of premillennial, dispensationalism, will try to bring up scripture such as Genesis 12:3 (that those who bless Israel shall be blessed and those who curse Israel shall be cursed) to intimidate Christians into believing they have to support the political state of Israel in the Middle East above the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. In reality that verse applies to God's "Children of Promise," and not a genetic nation that was yet to be born when that blessing was given to Abraham, the Father of Faith!

In addition to this erroneous reading of the Bible, is the myth that the Jews (Israel) have to be restored to a land that was promised to Abraham way back when. That physical, geographical promise has already been fulfilled as the following scripture ever succinctly prove (see Nehemiah 9:7-8, Nehemiah 9:22-24, Joshua11:23, Joshua 21:43-45).

What many fail to realize is that the so-called Promised Land God has always intended for His people is not an earthen parcel of land in the Middle East, but rather, it is a "heavenly city" built by God, one which is to descend to earth from where Jesus Christ and His ecclesia will rule and reign forever, right here on this green planet. The old city of Jerusalem is not going to be the 'Promised Land' but rather New Jerusalem, the Holy City of God is the land, the country and the great city He promised, and the one they were looking forward to. The Israelites (actually the faith believing remnant of Israel, those who trust and have faith in the Messiah), we are told in Hebrews 11, knew exactly what they were truly looking forward to, and it was not a return to the country (or the Middle East region) they pitched their temporary tents on their eternal journey to rest with their Messiah:

8By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

9By faith he sojourned in the land of promise, as in a strange country, dwelling in tabernacles with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise.

And what was that promise?

10For he looked for a city which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God.

11 Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.

12 Therefore sprang there even of one, and him as good as dead, so many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as the sand which is by the sea shore innumerable.

13 These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, and embraced them, and confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth.

14 For they that say such things declare plainly that they seek a country.

15 And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned.

16 But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city, (Hebrews 11:8-16)

Is that city (or better country) which is spoken of in Hebrews 11 to be found in what we today call Jerusalem, in the Middle East? Is that city, currently occupied by Jewish citizens, the city that is spoken of in these verses? Is this the city that Jesus Christ returns to, as many theorists contend?

No!

The city that God has prepared for the faith-believing remnant of Israel (which includes faith-believing Gentiles who are now recipients of the promises God made to Abraham), is not here yet, but it is a city that is to come, as is clearly stated in Hebrews 13:14:

For here we do not have an enduring city, but we are looking for the city that is to come, (Hebrews 13:14).

As much and as many would like to believe, the true Gospel of Jesus Christ clearly tells us that the children of promise are not any specific earthly tribe, nation or a formerly favored people. The true children of promise are those who believe in Jesus Christ and He alone; those who pick up their cross and follow Him. Those who know (by virtue of the Holy Spirit) that they will rule and reign with Him inside the new city that is to come, New Jerusalem:

1 Then I saw "a new heaven and a new earth," for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. 2 I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Look! God's dwelling place is now among the people, and he will dwell with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.4 'He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death' or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away, Revelation 21:1-4."

In essence, saints do not go to Heaven, but rather Heaven comes down to earth, which automatically removes the expectations that God's children will be Raptured to Heaven.

Yet, many will continue to believe that God has a special plan and (an unconditional) commitment to a people who believe they still have rights to a region that has been contested since 70 AD, after the Roman army annihilated the nation of Israel for turning its back on its Messiah. Obviously, upset at the turn of events in its historical existence, the Pharisaical leadership (who did not have faith in Messiah but were more interested in their ruling powers) continue to make claim that the parcel of land in the Middle East is their "promised land" when the scriptures make clear that God is fulfilling His initial promise to Abraham, that those who believe will be rewarded with a city of their own in the person of New Jerusalem. Scripture, when placed in the context the Holy Spirit intended, validates itself and this truth without exception.

You will notice carefully that all of the above information is not presented with conjecture, assumption nor has there been any theory proffered by this author to explain the true Gospel of Jesus Christ. Scripture speaks for itself.

Which Gospel are you preaching to your flock? The Gospel which you have just read from God's word? Or that gospel that is, sadly, titillating the itching ears of Christians who fear to pick up their crosses and follow Him, regardless of the cost?

How do you plan to respond when a person asks you if you know the true Gospel of Jesus Christ?

~

For more information about the author, this blog and his two books, The End Times Passover and Why Christians Will Suffer Great Tribulation, please click on Joe Ortiz

Favoritism Is Forbidden by God!

1 My brothers, as believers in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ, don't show favoritism. 2 Suppose a man comes into your meeting wearing a gold ring and fine clothes, and a poor man in shabby clothes also comes in. 3 If you show special attention to the man wearing fine clothes and say, "Here's a good seat for you," but say to the poor man, "You stand there" or "Sit on the floor by my feet," 4 have you not discriminated among yourselves and become judges with evil thoughts? 5 Listen, my dear brothers: Has not God chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him? 6 But you have insulted the poor. Is it not the rich who are exploiting you? Are they not the ones who are dragging you into court? 7 Are they not the ones who are slandering the noble name of him to whom you belong? 8 If you really keep the royal law found in Scripture, "Love your neighbor as yourself," you are doing right. 9
But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers. 10 For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. 11 For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker. 12 Speak and act as those who are going to be judged by the law that gives freedom, 13 because judgment without mercy will be shown to anyone who has not been merciful. Mercy triumphs over judgment!, (James 2:1-13).


This seems pretty self-explanatory!

I Refuse to Compete

     One of the most interesting aspects about those of us who have chosen a ‘public’ ministry is the constant attacks and criticism we expose ourselves to. Obviously, we all would like to believe that our ministry is more unique and special than others, that we are contributing in greater measure than the next person.
     Unfortunately, due to our own human frailness and weaknesses, the enemy (Satan) knows one of our biggest Achilles heels is our own ego and pride. This aspect of our personality has been extant from inception, especially for those who have been raised in a society that values competition more so than service. We are surrounded by competition at all levels, having been exposed to this first in school and later in the marketplace, where greater value is placed on those who excel and obviously achieve more results than the other person in the same arena.
     I have seen this failing in the church more than I expected when I first came to Christ. Most church members fall all over and swoon at the charismatic preachers and evangelists who have been blessed with great oratory skills, and even those who so easily can spout scripture at a more rapid pace than a slot machine spewing quarters as it hits the jackpot. Many of those evangelists and preachers I worked with in the past surprised me when we gathered together after a giant crusade and or service. Such comments like, “I bet over a hundred people accepted Christ today,” or “how much money do you think we raised during the service.” This was the main reason why I left the traditional ministry and have devoted my time solely to writing and blogging on the Internet.

     For those who know me well, they see that I never ask for any funds, nor have I posted any credit card section on my blogs or web sites where people can donate. Like Paul, I choose not to compromise the Gospel by charging any money. I used  my own funds from my social security retirement benefits to pay for my books' printing and shipment costs. Some godly saints have sent unsolicited contributions which I used solely to get more books from my publisher and send them to those who could not afford to buy them. Trust me; I do not make a living from selling books. For the most part, whatever little royalty funds I receive I turn around and purchase books and send them to people who can’t afford to buy them. God provides all my needs!

     Yet, a heavy competitive attitude confronts me at every turn in whatever path I take on various threads and postings, that sadden me to no end. I believe that each and every one of us who feel compelled to preach the gospel has been given a unique gift from God, energized and powered by the Holy Spirit. Like most of the beautiful brothers and sisters I have met online, I marvel at their specialness and find myself praying that God will continue to use their respective ministries for the kingdom and glory of our precious savior. Sadly, I find myself being challenged on all turns as if others feel they have to call me onto the dusty road of town and place my hands close to my holster, cajoled into drawing my scriptural six-shooter at their command.

     The many years I spent researching and writing my two books were at the behest of the Holy Spirit. I was not seeking to become a successful Christian super star, earning millions of dollars nor becoming a renowned evangelist/preacher/author. I was compelled to write the things I discovered for one sole purpose: alert my fellow Christians that tribulation will increase as never expected, that there will be no Pre-Tribulation escape to Heaven, and many will suffer because they will buckle under an anti-Christian crusade that looms in the immediate horizon, because they fail to draw near to God. For the most part, the majority of people who are becoming aware of my book's premise do not agree with the doctrinal precepts included in my books. So be it. Only the Holy Spirit and time will prove their veracity. One thing is certain, tribulation is increasing as never before, and many Chrisitans (especially in America) are not prepared to deal with it!

     Those who not only embrace Jesus Christ, but pick up their cross and follow Him in service, who walk in the spirit with Him throughout the day, will more than likely be one of those who will experience God’s End Times Passover (Revelations 3:10). Many of these faithful servants, however, will suffer great tribulation and some will be martyrd for Christ. But, sadly, many will buckle under the mounting pressures and will deny Christ in order to survive and provide for their family.

     Nevertheless, and most often, I constrain myself from entering into most of these heated debates, and I merely walk away; but yet can hear behind me chuckles and retorts claiming victory. So be it.
     However, I recognize my role amongst the thousands of servants the Lord has called out to serve him in the best manner I can. If anything, I give praise daily to God for even using a sinner like me to carry forth any portion of His wisdom to reach others for Christ. My life’s slogan, for many years of service is, “I did the best I could with the tools I’ve been given.”
     Once again, A.W. Tozer, a theologian I have always admired and trust his wisdom from his many years in the ministry, sums it up best:

     So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor, (1 Corinthians 3:7-8)
     "Dear Lord, I refuse henceforth to compete with any of Thy servants. They have congregations larger than mine. So be it. I rejoice in their success. They have greater gifts. Very well. That is neither in their power nor in mine. I am humbly grateful for their greater gifts and my smaller ones. I only pray that I may use to Thy glory such modest gifts as I possess. I will not compare myself with any, nor try to build up my self-esteem by noting where I may excel one or another in Thy holy work. I herewith make a blanket disavowal of all intrinsic worth. I am but an unprofitable servant. I gladly go to the foot of the class and own myself the least of Thy people. If I err in my self-judgment and actually underestimate myself, I do not want to know it. I purpose to pray for others and to rejoice in their prosperity as if it were my own. And indeed it is my own if it is Thine own, for what is Thine is mine, and while one plants and another waters it is Thou alone that giveth the increase." The Price of Neglect, pp 104-105, by A.W. Tozer.

     In conclusion, hopefully those of us, who have chosen to be servants of Christ, will acknowledge and recogniz the wisdom found in what Paul stated in the book of Philippians when he said:


     It is true that some preach Christ out of envy and rivalry, but others out of goodwill. 16 The latter do so in love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. 17 The former preach Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely, supposing that they can stir up trouble for me while I am in chains. 18 But what does it matter? The important thing is that in every way, whether from false motives or true, Christ is preached. And because of this I rejoice, (Philippians 1:15-18).


For information concerning the books written by the author, please click on Joe Ortiz

The Scramble for Popularity

    The most unfortunate aspect of at-large-ministry (especially on the Internet) is the scramble to gain popularity and approval from as many people as possible. The hope is that these ministers will be seen as unique in their own rights but also as popular as the major mega-star celebrities that can be found in the vast populace known as the elctronic church. The new church hero?

     Those ministers are well-known by members of local churches throughout the country, such theo-giants as Joel Osteen, John Hagee, Benny Hinn, Jack Van Impe, Hal Lindsey, T.J.Jakes, and of course the perrennial electronic church icon, the affable Pat Robertson. These theological shooting stars have been with us from eternity! Highly visible on impact, but effective as dust in the long haul!

     As the Internet morphs from a once known "geek" play toy, it is now becoming the arena where no one can afford not to participate in that hawk your ware's venue of any significance. This is a good thing for those innovative entrepreneurs who never had the financing or know how to compete with the "big boys!"

     However, it's also becoming the unofficially free "pulpit" for thousands of "wannabee" super star preachers and teachers of things religious. This can be good or bad when you consider that God can use whomever He chooses to deliver His message to the masses. Some would say that these "instant prophets" really don't have the education that most accredited theologians have acquired through many years of Bible college and seminary training. Novice theologians counter that God can use the foolish things of the world to confound the wise, which carries much scruptural validation,(1Corinthians 1:27).
     Nevertheless, whether educated or not, many of these unknown prophets competing in this arena from amongst the lowly ranks of religious society are scrambling for the publicity they need to reach their audience. One thing is certain, many of those who scramble for popularity are becoming obvious to those who hunger for God's truth. But, have they really been chosen and do they really represent God's will? Once again, my favorite theologian of days gone by, A.W Tozer, puts nails to the coffin as to whether how popular a preacher or teacher or broadcaster may be, is that person truly qualified or even sufficient to carry God's message, without Holy Spirit power?

Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you, (Matthew 5:11-12)

     Popular Judaism slew the prophets and crucified Christ. Popular Christianity killed the Reformers, jailed the Quakers and drove John Wesley into the streets. When it comes to religion, the crowds are always wrong. At any time there are a few who see, and the rest are blinded. To stand by the truth of God against the current religious vogue is always unpopular and may be downright dangerous....

     Christianity's scramble for popularity today is an unconscious acknowledgment of spiritual decline. Her eager fawning at the feet of the world's great is a grief to the Holy Spirit and an embarrassment to the sons of God. The lick-spittle attitude of popular Christian leaders toward the world's celebrities would make such men as Elijah or George Fox sick to the stomach....

     Lot was a popular believer. He sat in the gates of Sodom. But when trouble struck, he had to send quickly for Abraham to get him out of the jam. And where did they find Abraham? He was out on the hillside, far away from the fashionable crowds. It has always been so. For every Elijah there have always been 400 popular prophets of Baal. For every Noah there is always a vast multitude who will not believe it is going to rain.

     We are sent to bless the world, but never are we told to compromise with it. The Next Chapter After the Last, pp 20-21, by A.W. Tozer."

     Those who are involved in this new arena, who genuinely want to do God's work, can only do their best. And only time will tell if they passed the test. Then they will know if they were truly sent by God. Myself included!

For more information about this blog and the author's two books The End Times Passover and Why Christians Will Suffer Great Tribulation please click on Joe Ortiz

The Passion for Publicity

The Message or the Messenger?

     One of the main ingredients to any successful endeavor is a well-thought out, practical designed marketing plan that requires strategic advertisement and publicizing of one’s product and or services. If folks don’t know what you are selling, then how can they know if they even want what you are offering? This is all well and good.

     However, when it comes to preaching and or teaching the public about the things of Christ (obviously we are promoting salvation and its redeeming value to those around us) there is a tendency to confuse the product from the vendor. In the religious marketplace, it appears that much adoration has resulted in the messenger becoming more important than the message. Unfortunately, many of the messengers themselves have come to believe they are just as important as the message due to the response from the audience. If neither the messengers nor their audience can distinguish the greater importance between them and Christ, then we truly have a problem. Yet, many can see that the way we market the message to the audience can create the very entities that become more idolized than the message itself. Are you getting the message, here?

     This outreach problem is an historical one, but getting worse daily. Times have changed from the days of walking up and down the streets of Rome and Bethlehem, preaching the Gospel at great expense. Nowadays, the marketplace includes giant stadiums and arenas, mega churches, radio and television broadcasts and now the new 800 pound gorilla, the Internet. To gain exposure in this international stage requires the development of unique and imaginative approaches that stand above the others to capture even a small portion of that highly competitive niche market. It forces (and, actually, due to lack of faith), the messengers begin to trust in themselves and their creative marketing strategies to draw attention to the proverbial message, which is Jesus Christ. Today’s church is inundated with an aura of competition that is driving a bigger wedge amongst its members than ever before. Its historical parochial nature (which is probably its biggest shortcoming) has the numerous and varying doctrines being pitted against each other, rather than in delivering the truest message of all: Jesus Christ, and Him crucified!

     Coming from a strong marketing and public relations background, I realize how powerful these tools can be; unique techniques to sway others to choose your message above others. The secular world has mastered this art of influence, and, unfortunately the church is not too far behind with its own techniques.
     Yet, I am fully aware that the power of the Holy Spirit is much, much stronger than Madison Avenue and the societal and psychological ploys it uses to motivate the masses. If church entities would seek the authorization for Holy Spirit power to effectuate their spiritual endeavors to obtain positive results, it could eliminate the majority of not only its financial concerns, but its need to feel their mission is more important than the message. This is also the only way we can really know if that messenger has been blessed by God and whether His message is being revealed to those who need it most. Sadly, way too many are responding to the wrong (but very effective marketing strategies) that the messengers (and their trinkets) are more important than the message. Once again, a great theologian, A.W. Tozer puts this problem in perspective:

For neither at any time did we use flattering words, as you know, nor a cloak for covetousness-God is witness. Nor did we seek glory from men, either from you or from others, when we might have made demands as apostles of Christ, (1 Thessalonians 2:5-6)

     If this is a fairly accurate view of things, what can we say then when Christian men vie with one another for place and position? What can we answer when we see them hungrily seeking for praise and honor?
     How can we excuse that passion for publicity which is so glaringly evident among Christian leaders? What about political ambition in Church circles? What about the fevered palm that is stretched out for more and bigger "love offerings"?
     What about the shameless egotism among Christians? How can we explain the gross man-worship that habitually blows up one and another popular leader to the size of a colossus? What about the obsequious hand kissing of moneyed men by those purporting to be sound preachers of the gospel?

     There is only one answer to these questions; it is simply that in these manifestations we see the world and nothing but the world. No passionate profession of love for 'souls' can change evil into good. These are the very sins that crucified Jesus. The Pursuit of Man, pp126, by A.W. Tozer.


For more information about the author and his two books The End Times Passover and Why Christians Will Suffer Great Tribulation, please click on Joe Ortiz.

American Evangelicals on Immigration: The Culture or The Cross?

The following article was written and posted on the Internet on January 29, 2007, by Alexander Zaitchik, a freelance writer in Washington, D.C.. Photos and slug line added by Joe Ortiz.

     [Focus on the Family, which maintains a Spanish-language website and has been cautious on the issue (of how much the role of American culture plays in the Immigration debate). Last summer, the group's website chose to run a shining review of Victor Davis Hanson's Mexifornia, a lament for the defunct white-majority California of Hanson's youth. "Jobs do indeed have a lot to do with the issue (of immigration)," the Focus reviewer wrote. "But not as much as culture -- and that's what should really concern Americans most."]

     A grassroots movement is forming in which anti-immigrant rhetoric dovetails with the odes to God and country that have long constituted conservative evangelical boilerplate.
     When Joan Maruskin took the podium last April at a Family Research Council (FRC) immigration conference in Washington, D.C., it was hard not to think of Daniel in the lion's den: The liberal director of the Church World Service Immigration Program was addressing an audience convened by a major force on the Christian religious right. It was not her crowd.

     It turned out that the Book of Daniel was among the few books of the Bible that Maruskin didn't quote. While making the Christian case for amnesty, she demonstrated that the Old and New Testaments are chock-full of sound byte-ready advocacy for the "stranger." All told, she counts more than 300 scriptural admonishments to mercy toward immigrants.
     "The Bible is an immigration handbook," Maruskin told the FRC audience. "'Cursed be the person who oppresses the alien.' Can we forget that Christ himself was a migrant and a refugee, born in a stable? Under our laws, Mary, Joseph and Jesus would be sent to three different prisons."

     A powerful image, but Maruskin's position is far from dominant on the religious right. In a FRC member poll conducted last spring, 90% of respondents chose forced deportation as the appropriate fate for America's estimated 11 million-12 million undocumented immigrants. This response aligns the FRC base with fire-breathing hard-liners like U.S. Rep. Tom Tancredo (R-Colo.), the evangelical co-sponsor of an immigration reform bill notable for its criminalization of those who "aid and abet" illegal immigrants, something many religious leaders and laymen see as a Christian duty.

     So it wasn't surprising that Maruskin's social-gospel message received a tepid response from the FRC audience. Heartier applause greeted the conservative Catholic journalist John O'Sullivan, who followed Maruskin to the podium and scoffed at her liberal "proof-texting" of Scripture. Arguing that such selective quotation did not "contribute to the debate," he tried to debunk the argument for amnesty and dismissed Maruskin and her ilk as "moral bullies."

     "The fact is," said O'Sullivan, "most Christians are more hard-line when it comes to immigration than their Church leaders. Are all of these people going to hell?"

     A better question might be: When did immigration assume a place next to abortion and traditional marriage as a "family" issue for the religious right? And is this new and highly charged issue a threat to that movement's much-vaunted "culture war"? Or is it a legitimate part of it?

The 'definitive divide'?

     The ascendance of immigration as a burning issue on the religious right has been swift. Conservative commentators and politicians have both fueled and responded to a grassroots movement in which anti-immigrant rhetoric dovetails with the odes to God and country that have long constituted conservative evangelical boilerplate. Hard-right evangelical politicians like Tancredo have built national constituencies by blending anti-immigrant rhetoric into broadsides against secular liberals and Islamist radicals.

     After languishing for years in smaller Christian nationalist groups like Phyllis Schlafly's Eagle Forum, the immigration issue has now landed squarely on the agenda of larger religious right groups with political clout. Tony Perkins, president of the influential FRC, signaled this shift while opening last April's immigration conference. "At question today is, do we have an immigration policy that is serving to strengthen the cultural fabric of our nation, which has a great influence on the family?" he asked. "The answer is no. We must get this right."

     Getting it right will not and has not been easy for the religious right, any more than it has been for the country as a whole. Unlike abortion, the immigration issue has sharply divided the movement's leaders and political allies. Fierce "pro-family" culture warriors stand on both sides of the debate, with religious right advocates in Washington backing two radically different visions of immigration reform as symbolized by the House and Senate immigration bills unveiled last winter.

     A unified evangelical position could do much to determine the shape of immigration reform, which was to be taken up again by Congress after the midterm elections in November. How the religious right tilts or fractures over the issue also holds stakes for the movement itself. A deep rift or further right turns could jeopardize the religious right's political coherence as well as its potentially natural alliance with America's growing and culturally conservative Latino and predominantly Catholic population.

     Already, there are signs of a split. According to the Pew Research Center, 63% of white evangelicals view immigrants as a "threat to U.S. customs and values," compared to 48% of the population as a whole. (Only 39% of secular respondents held negative views of immigrants.) Though the two most influential Christian Right groups -- James Dobson's Focus on the Family and its spawn the Family Research Council -- have avoided taking an official position on the issue, their mostly white flock has already tacked hard right.

     Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, says the Latino community is aware of rising anti-immigrant sentiment on the religious right and is "very concerned" about attitudes such as those reflected in the FRC poll.
     "Before immigration came along, we were building an alliance," says Rodriguez. "We had agreement on traditional marriage, partial birth abortion -- so many threads were being woven together. Immigration threatens to become the definitive divide."

     The Secure Borders Coalition is where the religious right meets and meshes with the extreme end of anti-immigrant politics. An alliance of Christian Right groups, hard-right organizations like Accuracy in Media and the Swift Boat Veterans, and strident but secular anti-immigration outfits such as the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, the coalition in June issued a strong statement opposing all amnesty and guest worker proposals. It vowed to oppose any candidate, regardless of his or her stance on other issues, who does not toe the line on immigration. Remarkably, it also calls for a near-freeze in legal immigration.

     "We favor a policy of attrition of the illegal population through strong enforcement of our nation's immigration laws, which includes, first and foremost, the securing of our borders," reads the coalition statement. "[W]e dedicate ourselves to defeating any 2008 presidential candidate who [disagrees]... . We pledge to do so regardless of political party and in both the primaries and the general election."

     The list of religious-right figures signing the coalition statement is long and varied. It includes Phyllis Schlafly's Eagle Forum, Lou Sheldon's Traditional Values Coalition, Howard Phillips' Conservative Caucus and Bishop Harry R. Jackson of Hope Christian Ministries. The signatories concerned primarily with immigration include English First, the American Council for Immigration Reform, the Center for Immigration Studies, Pro-English, and the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps.

     One possible future for this nexus can be glimpsed in the budding relationship between two Secure Border Coalition members -- a relationship that links religious-right political muscle to the literal muscle of the vigilante border-patrol movement. Last spring, Chris Simcox put his Minuteman Civil Defense Corps (MCDC) under the wing of Alan Keyes' Declaration Alliance, a group dedicated to overturning Roe v. Wade that also believes in a "founding mandate to freely and publicly acknowledge the authority of the Creator God." Along with imbuing the Simcox group with a touch of the divine, the MCDC/Keyes arrangement saw Simcox's mailing lists handed over to Response Unlimited, a Keyes-connected Christian mailing and telemarketing firm that now sells lists of MCDC donors for $120 per thousand names.

     Another, similar relationship is developing between the Eagle Forum (founded in 1972 and one of the oldest religious right groups) and the Minuteman Project of Jim Gilchrist, Simcox's former organizational partner (Gilchrist did not join the Secure Borders Coalition). The Eagle Forum's Schlafly, a long-time gay-basher, believes that guest-worker programs and amnesty are "immoral." The Christian thing to do, argued Schlafly in her newsletter last January, is to "erect a fence and double our border agents in order to stop the drugs, the smuggling racket, the diseases, and the crimes." Gilchrist, who holds a similar view, was a featured guest at the 35th annual Eagle Forum Conference in September.
     Other religious right groups may not be officially aligned with the border-vigilante movement, but hold views indicating sympathy or approval.

     "As the United States Senate continues debate on an immigration reform bill, the American people are backed up by the Bible in their demands that America's national boundaries are to be respected," writes Roberta Combs, national president of the Christian Coalition. "The left wing in this nation is thoroughly wrong when they argue that 'because Christ showed compassion to all of God's children, Christians should ignore violations of the law by aliens.'"

'Culture,' Christianity and Race'

     The kind of first-principle absolutism found in the Secure Borders Coalition statement, once reserved for the so-called culture war, indicates that immigration has touched a central nerve on the religious right. But it is not simply a national-security or law-and-order nerve, as no other national security issue generates so much heat within the movement.

     So what's going on? In the words of FRC's Tony Perkins, what's at stake is not so much guarding America's security as protecting its "cultural fabric."

     Gary Bauer, president of American Values and an icon of the religious right, has said as much. In June, Bauer wrote an op-ed for USA Today that decried the failure of Latino immigrants to integrate into American society. "Hyphenated Americans put other countries and affiliations first, and they drive a wedge into the heart of 'one nation'," he wrote.

     In choosing to highlight the "cultural" dimension of Latino immigration, Bauer echoed the nativist argument offered by Patrick Buchanan in his bestselling anti-immigrant screed, State of Emergency. Bauer also lifted a lid on the motivations of many anti-immigration voices on the Christian Right -- motivations more commonly cloaked in the rhetoric of law and order. Bauer admits as much, calling culture the "unmentioned undercurrent" in the immigration debate.

     Some, farther out on the intellectual fringes of the movement, are more blunt. Thomas Fleming, president of the Christian-flavored Rockford Institute and, like Buchanan, a Catholic, says "culture" sits at the heart of his anti-immigration position. At a September institute-sponsored conference in Washington where Sen. John Cornyn (R-Texas) delivered the keynote address, Fleming said that "the cultural ambience aspect of [the immigration debate] is the only one that interests me." Writing in the Rockford Institute magazine Chronicles: A Magazine of American Culture, Fleming was plainer about what he means when he says "culture," admitting, "Whatever we may say in public, most of us do not much like Mexicans, whom we regard as too irrational, too violent, too passionate."

     "Some American Catholics think we should welcome the hordes of pro-life Catholics swarming across our southern border," continued Fleming. "But this is a mistake. Mexicans quickly become acclimated to America's culture of consumerism and infanticide. What they do not appear to relinquish is their own traditional style of violence."

     Nor has the contentious question of culture completely escaped the notice of James Dobson's much larger and more mainstream Focus on the Family, which maintains a Spanish-language website and has been cautious on the issue. Last summer, the group's website chose to run a shining review of Victor Davis Hanson's Mexifornia, a lament for the defunct white-majority California of Hanson's youth. "Jobs do indeed have a lot to do with the issue [of immigration]," the Focus reviewer wrote. "But not as much as culture -- and that's what should really concern Americans most."
     The issue of immigration, it seems, not only threatens the success of the religious right's larger culture war by alienating conservative Latinos. Immigration is also a growing component of that culture war.

     Nativism has been a recurring obsession among religious Americans since the colonial era. As they assume battle positions in the 21st-century immigration debate, today's hard-line crusaders echo mid-19th century Know-Nothings who decried "ignorant and depraved foreigners" from Italy and Ireland. Ditto 20th-century nativists like FDR's Assistant Secretary of State, Breckinridge Long, who thought Jewish and Slavic immigrants were "entirely unfit to become citizens of this country. ... They are lawless, scheming, [and] defiant."

     Such bald sentiments are not often heard in the larger religious-right groups, many of whose positions are informed by Biblical injunctions to mercy toward the "stranger," the groups' connections to the business wing of the Republican Party, and a desire to cultivate Latinos as religious and political allies in the culture war. But there is a clear trend-line running right among a segment of culturally conservative Christians, one that worries moderate evangelicals and Latinos alike. What remains to be seen is whether the larger Christian Right will drift into the arms of the hard-line anti-immigration camp, and how this will affect the movement.

     "I don't think white evangelicals are racist," says Rev. Samuel Rodriguez of the Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference. "But the Latino community is starting to have some concerns that need to be addressed. We must start changing hearts and minds through dialogue. The risk of polarization is real."

[Alexander Zaitchik is a freelance writer in Washington, DC.]

Is our race and culture more important than God and performing His will, to love and care for our neighbors, regardless of their difference to ours? Do we allow our own personal feelings about race and culture to come between us and God's written word? To view specific scripture concerning God's will and His advocacy for the poor and the alien? Click here to see How God Supports the Alien and what Happens to Those Who Don't.

Joe Ortiz is the author of two books that refute the Rapture to Heaven theory, The End Times Passover and Why Christians Will Suffer Great Tribulation.