Exposing The Truth

Hoppers Crossing Christian Church is a small home based church in the Western Suburbs of Melbourne. Over the past two to three years since inception, we have become concerned about the state of the Christian Church in western society and have therefore embarked on a mission to spread the truth about what we are seeing.

Please visit our blogg and weekly sermon pages to view some hard hitting truth about what Christianity is and what the Bible says about living as a Christian.

100% Bible Based Teaching

100% Bible Based Teaching

Provides in Depth teaching from the Word of God

Latest Sermons

Latest Blog

Everyone resembles the God he worships

Everyone resembles the God he worships

You can tell what a person’s God is like by observing the person himself.

There is only one true God of the Bible. God has said that he is God and that there is no God other than him. I [am] the Lord, and [there is] none else, [there is] no God beside me (Isaiah 45:5) There can not be two true gods in this world because there is only one. true God.  Therefore, if you do not worship the true God of the Bible, then you are worshipping a false god.

Some false gods are merely lumps of wood, tin, silver or gold that cannot answer nor save them from trouble for they are merely inanimate carvings or mouldings.
Isaiah 45:20….. they have no knowledge that set up the wood of their graven image, and pray unto a god [that] cannot save.
Isaiah 46:6-7, 96They lavish gold out of the bag, and weigh silver in the balance, [and] hire a goldsmith; and he maketh it a god: they fall down, yea, they worship. 7They bear him upon the shoulder, they carry him, and set him in his place, and he standeth; from his place shall he not remove: yea, [one] shall cry unto him, yet can he not answer, nor save him out of his trouble. …. 9…. for I [am] God, and [there is] none else; [I am] God, and [there is] none like me
You might as well be praying to a lump of rock, the sun or maybe the crescent moon for they cannot do anything at all for you. But note that worshipping even inanimate false gods is ultimately serving satan and his demons.

But some false gods are beings who were created by the true God against whom they rebelled, and the name of those false gods are of the many names of satan and his demons. While satan and his demons do have powers to do things to and for the people of earth, their authority is limited by their creator, the true God who will one day confine them to an “everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels“. (Matthew 25:41) And those who serve them are destined for that same everlasting fire, unless they repent and call upon the name of the Lord, the true God, to be saved (Romans 10:13).

All who worship any “god”, either the true God or any false god, will be ambassadors for that “god”. They will walk and talk and behave like their “god” whom they worship. In particular, Christians are admonished to be ambassadors for the one they worship. Paul told the Christians at Corinth that they (God’s people, currently the Church but soon to be Israel again) were ambassadors for Christ. He wrote “Now then we are ambassadors for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20) That means we are to demonstrate to others the one we worship.

It is very true that we will show forth the praises of the one we worship, particularly in living our lives in imitation of that one.
1 Peter 2:9-109But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 10Which in time past [were] not a people, but [are] now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.

There are many false gods in the world but only one true God. And every one will demonstrate what their “god’ is like by the behaviour they portray to others around them. So whether you worship the one true God of the Bible, or instead one of the countless false gods, you will imitate the behaviour and attributes of the “god’ you serve.

Everyone serves a “god” of some sort, whether it be your house, car, success in your job, riches in the bank, or the god of a false religion (one that denies the authority of the one true God of the Bible). Everyone worships someone or something. That which is most important in your life is your “god”, your “religion”. For many, the most important thing in their lives is themselves!

Many serve a religion that claims to worship a “god”. This includes those religions that do not specifically lay claim to a “god”; they will still worship a mode of living that is basically their religion and their “god”.
This includes all world religions other than the worship of the one true God of the Bible.

The “god” that you worship will inevitably influence your mode of living, your behaviour. If you worship a musician or actor, you may seek to dress like that person, or wear the same hair style etc. You may put up posters depicting that person. You may also walk and talk like that person and you may like what they like and disapprove of the things they disprove of. In short, you will to some extent represent the style and behaviour of the one you seek to emulate. By your observed behaviour, others around you may gain some idea of the character of the one you “worship”.

In particular, if you worship a “god’ of a religion, you will seek to emulate that “god”. This must include obedience to the teachings of that “god’ or religion.
By your observed behaviour, others around you may gain some idea of the character of the “god” of your religion. You are an ambassador for that “god” you worship.

If you hate all others except those of your religion, then the “god” of that religion whom you worship likewise hates all others except those who worship him. If you seek to destroy all others except those who live according to your beliefs, then your “god” does likewise. If your religion is a religion of hate and intolerance, then you will act accordingly and be a person of hate and intolerance. A religion that wants a monopoly of worship for its “god” alone lacks love for all others. There is no freedom of choice; you worship that “god’ or be destroyed. You cannot love anyone outside your beliefs because your “god” won’t permit it; he hates all others, and so should you!

So, you can always tell what a person’s “god” is like by observing that person. Everyone who worships a “god” will define their “god” by their behaviour, the way they live. The God of the Bible portrays himself as the one true God and there is none other. Therefore, to worship the God of the Bible you must act according to his nature. God is love; therefore so should we be portraying this love. God is just; therefore we should be portraying this justice to others. God loves all people and forgives and saves to the uttermost all those who call upon his name to be saved. God commands us to love our enemies; Jesus displayed this on the cross when he prayed to forgive them for they know not what they do. God commands us to forgive others who repent just as He forgave His people when they repented.

God is love, joy, peace, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness and self-control (the fruit of the Spirit as per Galatians 5:22-23). This must be abundantly evident in the lives of the followers of the God of the Bible. If his alleged followers do not evidence this in their lives, then one can logically draw the conclusion that some people might claim to worship him, but by their behaviour they do not worship him.
Isaiah 29:13Wherefore the Lord said, Forasmuch as this people draw near [me] with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men.

There is only one widespread religion that actually worships the God of the Bible: genuine Christians who have called upon the name of the Lord to be saved (Romans 10:13). The Old Testament law also specified a religion that enjoined Israel to worship the God of the Bible, but as yet most who claim to be Israel today are not actually worshipping him. Although they may claim to worship him, they do not generally worship him at the moment. However, one day (probably very soon), when the Church is taken home (the Rapture), Israel will return to being God’s people once again. The end times are either already here or close at hand. The war that involves Russia and islamic nations around Israel (Ezekiel 38) does seem just around the corner. In the end times, Israel has just 7 years remaining on God’s timeline before their Messiah returns to save them at the battle of Armageddon. Soon Ezekiel’s prophecy will happen (Ezekiel 37:27My tabernacle also shall be with them: yea, I will be their God, and they shall be my people.) Israel will also once more worship the one true God of the Bible.

There are many religions that claim to worship the God of the Bible but by both their statements and behaviour they prove otherwise. Only those who call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved, for the Christian (Romans 10:13) and Israel (Joel 2:32). Many claim that their “god’ will give them paradise (or other equivalent terms) yet unless it is promised by the God of the Bible, then such a paradise will be more like hell! And if they do not act like the God of the Bible, then they certainly cannot be worshipping him.

Many false gods are worshipped allegedly in the name of the God of the Bible, but if they do not truly worship him, then they are worshipping a lie of satan.
Matthew 7:21-2321Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. 22Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? 23And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Many false religions will make claims that are self-serving for those who worship their “god”. For example, the mormons originally taught that polygamy was essential for salvation, and even today still teach that a woman can only be assured of salvation if she is married to a man who holds a “priesthood”. This was apparently a self-serving rule of men who desired to have multiple wives. So they made their “god’ ordain it!
Matthew 15:9But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
However, the God of the Bible never taught this; thus to do so is to twist and distort the image of the God of the Bible.

The islamic religion also worships a “god” other than the God of the Bible. Their “god” allegedly promises paradise with 70 virgins (houris) to all who are allegedly martyred for their “faith”.  However, once they get to “paradise”, it’s too late to change if they happen to get it wrong. Certainly, though, the God of the Bible never anywhere promises to grant such a “paradise” to anyone who maims and kills others in the name of their religion, allegedly because the “infidels” (the unfaithful) will not believe in it. If hell is such an evil place, why should anyone delight in sending others there?

Even so-called Christian religions that use their self-serving rules to gain an advantage over others who may believe differently are at fault here. To torture people (often to death) for the crime of not believing everything the catholic church said (as happened in the inquisitions) is not portraying the God of the Bible. And Calvin, who claimed to be reforming the catholic church from such heresy, murdered Anabaptists for the crime of being baptised again as believers. Clearly his “god” also was not the God of the Bible. To murder and pillage in the name of God is to deny that they have any part to play in worshipping the true God of the Bible.

If you hate outsiders, then it’s because your “god” hates outsiders. If you seek to kill outsiders for not believing as you do, then it’s because your “god” seeks to kill all others who do not believe in him. What you are is a reflection of the “god” you worship. And, if it is not the God of the Bible, then it will be those false “gods”, satan and his demons, that you truly worship. You are effectively the image of your “god”.

************************************

If you have any questions or comments about this information, please feel free to say it or give advice, by using the Contact page. Genuine comments may be recorded on the Comments page. However, I may choose to reply to reasonable comments via email.

List of all my posts on this site.

If you wish to read other documents on the heresies of calvinism, please use this link.

Sermons and Messages

Calvinist heretics & heresies

Please feel free to comment on the Comments and contact page
Reasonable comments and replies may be recorded on the Comments page.

However, due to the lack of logical comments, most comments will not be recorded.

Some facts about Israel in the end-times

Some facts about Israel in the end-times

The temple will be rebuilt before or during the tribulation

While it doesn’t state clearly anywhere that the temple will be rebuilt for these end-times, there are end-times prophecies that require a rebuilt temple.

(a) Jesus told the disciples that when they (Israel) saw the abomination (as prophesied by Daniel) stand (or be established) in the holy place, they were to flee for their very lives. The holy place could only refer to the temple in Jerusalem.
Matthew 24:15-1615When ye therefore shall see the abomination of desolation, spoken of by Daniel the prophet, stand in the holy place, (whoso readeth, let him understand:) 16Then let them which be in Judaea flee into the mountains:
The abomination (antichrist) needs the temple established for this event to take place.

(b) In 2 Thessalonians, Paul stated that the man of sin, the son of perdition (= the antichrist) would sit himself in the temple requiring that he be worshipped as God by God’s people.
2 Thessalonians 2:3-43Let no man deceive you by any means: for [that day shall not come], except there come a falling away first, and that man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition; 4Who opposeth and exalteth himself above all that is called God, or that is worshipped; so that he as God sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself that he is God.
Once again, this event requires that the temple be established before this event.

(c) Daniel also prophesied that the antichrist will make a covenant with Israel for their final 7-year period, in the middle of which the antichrist will cause their temple worship according to the Law to cease. He will then reveal himself to be the abomination that Jesus warned the disciples about.
Daniel 9:27And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make [it] desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate. (Or that judgment which has been decreed by God shall be poured out upon the desolator (the antichrist), noting that the term for “desolate” is actually a verb.)
This would occur at the mid-point of the tribulation 7-year period. The antichrist would sit himself in the temple to be worshipped half-way through that 7-year period.

Therefore Israel was warned to flee for their lives when they saw this abomination at the midpoint of those 7 years.

All this must assume the existence of the temple before the mid-point of the tribulation, in existence long enough to permit Israel to have established sacrifices by the Law before the midpoint of the tribulation. It is believed that the muslim Dome of the Rock is currently sitting on the very place where the temple used to be. It would have to be removed before construction of the temple could begin. Ezekiel 38 prophesies a war that will draw many countries (including Russia, Turkey, plus many muslim nations from the Middle East and northern Africa) against Israel, a conflict leading to the antichrist signing this covenant with Israel. The armies coming against Israel in Ezekiel 38 will be more or less exterminated (Ezekiel 39:1-7).

It may be assumed that the Dome of the Rock will be destroyed either during this conflict or soon after. Most muslim nations will be largely wiped out in this war and would not be likely to prevent their Dome from being destroyed. While the antichrist is in reality the enemy of Israel, he wants to be seen as their saviour, to be acknowledged as their Christ the Messiah. He’ll fight their enemies, he’ll grant them some relative stability for a few years, and he hopes that this may be sufficient to earn their respect and even their worship. He would like Israel to see that while their God couldn’t save them, he (antichrist) could! But it won’t be enough, for when he sits in the temple to be worshipped as their god, half-way through the tribulation, Israel disappears and remains hidden from the antichrist for 3½ years.

It can also be assumed that the rebuilt temple remains until Christ the Messiah returns. The antichrist allegedly sits in the temple for 3½ years waiting for that worship that never happens. Then with Israel back in Jerusalem, he gathers the greatest ever army and seeks to overcome Jerusalem at Armageddon. He manages to take half the city captive before Christ returns; he probably is planning on forcing them to worship him once he takes the temple. However, even that fails, for Christ returns and destroys his armies and disposes of him before he manages to capture the temple, it seems.

The Church must go first before Israel can come back to being God’s people once more

The Church owes its existence to Israel’s great failure to obey God. Israel was called to be God’s priesthood to the nations.
Exodus 19:5-65Now therefore, if ye (Israel) will obey my voice indeed, and keep my covenant, then ye shall be a peculiar treasure unto me above all people: for all the earth [is] mine: 6And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These [are] the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel.
God gave them the Law and basically required Israel to evangelise the other nations. But instead of teaching and preaching God to the other nations, they were tempted to worship the gods of the other nations, something that God had specifically told them not to do, many times! Time after time God patiently judged them and restored them, finally sending them into captivity to other nations; only Judah and Benjamin were to return to their lands; the 10 northern tribes of Israel were scattered from their lands for almost 3000 years.

When Jesus came, they could have received Him as their Messiah but they rejected Him instead. So the Gentile Church (the other non-Israel nations!) now became responsible for Israel’s tasks and to receive their promises for a season.
1 Peter 2:5Ye (the Church) also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.
Israel had been effectively sidelined (but not cast away though). Romans 11 says that Israel (the natural olive branches) was pruned off its own olive tree and the Church (the wild olive branches) was grafted in in place of Israel.
Romans 11:17And if some of the branches (Israel) be broken off, and thou (the Church), being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree ….
Romans 11:24For if thou (the Church) wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural [branches] (Israel), be graffed into their own olive tree?

When the Church age has been completed ….
Romans 11:25For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in.
… Israel’s blindness will come to an end. That word “fulness” is pleroma (= that which has been filled). pleroma derives from a nautical term meaning “a ship inasmuch as it is filled (i.e. manned) with sailors, rowers, and soldiers“, “of those things which a ship is filled, freight and merchandise, sailors, oarsmen, soldiers“. (Online Bible)
That is, the ship has been rendered full; the ship’s manifest has everything ticked off as being on board; it is ready to sail. When the Church is rendered complete with all on board, then it will sail. This is the Rapture or the snatching away of the Church.

Once the Church has set sail, Israel will be brought back onto God’s timeline. The wild olive branches (the Church) will have been pruned off again, making room for the natural olive branches to be grafted back onto their olive tree. Israel being grafted back on will trigger their salvation process. The Deliverer (Christ their Messiah) will come out of Zion (God’s holy city – Psalm 48:1-2) and shall put them through the furnace of affliction for 7 years after which they shall come forth purified as gold and silver in the furnace.
Romans 11:26-2726And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: 27For this [is] my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.
This could happen soon if the current war that Israel is fighting leads into the war of Ezekiel 38. (And all current events strongly suggest this to be so.)

Malachi 3:2-62But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he [is] like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: 3And he shall sit [as] a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness. 4Then shall the offering of Judah and Jerusalem be pleasant unto the Lord, as in the days of old, and as in former years. 5And I will come near to you to judgment; and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers, and against those that oppress the hireling in [his] wages, the widow, and the fatherless, and that turn aside the stranger [from his right], and fear not me, saith the Lord of hosts. 6For I [am] the Lord, I change not; therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

Can people still get saved during the tribulation?

Currently people can get saved via Romans 10:13 (For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.). When saved, they become part of the Church, the body of Christ. This is mainly focused upon the Gentiles (non-Israel) because most of Israel has been blinded as a result of rejecting their Messiah when He came.
Romans 11:7-87What then? Israel hath not obtained that which he seeketh for; but the election hath obtained it, and the rest were blinded 8(According as it is written, God hath given them the spirit of slumber, eyes that they should not see, and ears that they should not hear;) unto this day.

This blindness was imposed as a consequence of rejecting their Messiah when He came.
John 1:11He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
Even then, the gospel was first preached to the Jews. (Paul and Barnabas …. said, “It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you [the Jews]” – Acts 13:46). However, those Jews of Antioch rejected the gospel preached to them; accordingly, Paul and Barnabas turned to the Gentiles and preached the gospel to them instead.

And in this way the Church took over the tasks and promises once promised to Israel.
Acts 13:44-4744And the next sabbath day came almost the whole city together to hear the word of God. 45But when the Jews saw the multitudes, they were filled with envy, and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul, contradicting and blaspheming. 46Then Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and said, It was necessary that the word of God should first have been spoken to you: but seeing ye put it from you, and judge yourselves unworthy of everlasting life, lo, we turn to the Gentiles. 47For so hath the Lord commanded us, [saying], I have set thee to be a light of the Gentiles, that thou shouldest be for salvation unto the ends of the earth.

The rejection of the gospel by the Jews of Antioch and the consequent preaching of the gospel to the Gentiles is a watershed event. Israel has now been rejected and the Church accepted instead. The Church has now become the source of the preached gospel, with only a remnant of the Jews hearing and believing, saved by grace into the Church, the body of Christ.
Romans 11:5-65Even so then at this present time also there is a remnant according to the election of grace. 6And if by grace, then [is it] no more of works: otherwise grace is no more grace. But if [it be] of works, then is it no more grace: otherwise work is no more work.
“remnant” represents only a small portion of the whole here.

While it was God who blinded Israel so that they couldn’t see the truth of the gospel, it is satan who continues to blind many of the Gentile world from seeing the light of the gospel. Satan, who is known as “the god of this world”, uses the love of this world to ensnare those who have been tempted to look at the world rather than the gospel.
2 Corinthians 4:3-43But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4In 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.
As Jesus said to His disciples, “For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” (Matthew 16:26) Those who seek the world will lose their souls!

Currently Jews can be saved and be added to the Church, but one day soon the Church will be taken away (snatched away; raptured) from this world, and from then on it will be Israel who will once again have the gospel. Revelation 7:3-8 states that there will be 144,000 of Israel (12,000 from each tribe) sealed for God’s work. These will be “instant” evangelists, those who will preach the gospel now of Israel. The gospel they preach will be the same as the gospel of the Church. Joel 2:32 (And it shall come to pass, [that] whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the Lord hath said, and in the remnant whom the Lord shall call.) is a statement of that gospel preached by the 144,000 evangelists of Israel.

All who are saved will then become part of Israel, just as currently all who are saved become part of the Gentile Church. And just as most who are saved now are Gentiles, most of the saved in the coming tribulation will be of Israel. Just as most of Israel is currently blinded from hearing the gospel, then it will be most of the Gentiles who will be blinded from hearing the gospel during the tribulation period.

Therefore, if you are a Gentile (non-Israel) in the tribulation, you will probably have missed the boat. You had your opportunity while the Church still existed on earth. But Paul makes it clear that missed opportunities don’t necessarily come again.
2 Corinthians 6:1-21We then, [as] workers together [with him], beseech [you] also that ye receive not the grace of God in vain. 2(For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now [is] the accepted time; behold, now [is] the day of salvation.)
Now is the day of salvation; there may not be a further day left to you; today may be all the opportunity you have remaining. The tribulation gospel will be primarily for Israel!

************************************

If you have any questions or comments about this information, please feel free to say it or give advice, by using the Contact page. Genuine comments may be recorded on the Comments page. However, I may choose to reply to reasonable comments via email.

List of all my posts on this site.

If you wish to read other documents on the heresies of calvinism, please use this link.

Sermons and Messages

Calvinist heretics & heresies

Please feel free to comment on the Contact page
Reasonable comments and replies may be recorded on the Comments page.

However, due to the lack of logical comments, most comments will not be recorded.

© Copyright - Hopper's Crossing Christian Church