Yesterday (Aug 22, 2020) I read this headline posted by World Net Daily on its website:
US bishop: If we’re living in end times, you’d better’ return to God…Just in case’ Bp. Thomas Tobin said natural disasters, political upheaval, and the global Pandemic are signs that the ‘end times’ could be near.
Cardinal Joseph Tobin of Newark, New Jersey, is known for his conservative and pro-life views, and for his seemingly controversial tweets the author of the article stated.
You can read the article here. https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/us-bishop-if-were-living-in-end-times-youd-better-return-to-god-just-in-case
In my view, there are so many things that are problematic with the Catholic religion, and this article illustrates my point very well. Not only the opinion put forth by Bishop Tobin but also with the comments about the piece by those (other Catholics) who responded to it.
The first and foremost thing that jumps off the page is the word “if” followed by the phrase “return to God,” and then the doubt bullet shot at the reader by the phrase, “just in case.” Wow! Talk about watered down, vapid, phraseology that does everything but exhort the reader to action. If there is one thing, Satan does better than anything else is he creates doubt about God and His Word. Time after time, we (born again Christians) see this kind of subliminal misdirection put forth by the leadership in the Catholic Church.
I’m going to piss off some of you Catholics right here and now by saying most Catholics are not Christians. If they were Christians, they would call themselves Christians and not Catholics. Having said that, I will acknowledge that many who call themselves Catholics are indeed believers in Christ and thus are Christians. However, their numbers are few. To make my point, most Catholics don’t read the Bible. They’re told what and how to believe by the Pope, Cardinals, Bishops, and Priest of the church. They do not even consider the simple fact that the Bible was written as a guide (and Law) by God for everyone to read. Indeed Moses says in Deuteronomy 6, and onward, by faith, God’s people are to read and teach the Law, Commandments, Ordinances, and Precepts to their children–daily.
If a person does not read and understand the Bible, how in Heaven’s name are they going to know when they’re being deceived or lied too? To further complicate the matter, the Bible teaches that the things of the Bible are spiritual and cannot be understood by the natural. An unbeliever is of the natural and, therefore, cannot understand the scriptures because understanding is given by the Holy Spirit. That is why so many need to check themselves to see if they understand scripture when they read it. If they don’t, the Holy Spirit is not dwelling in them. Satan knows this, and he is going to do everything he can to keep unbelievers unbelieving.
Now to illustrate the flaws in the Bishops warning, let’s consider that he said: “if” we’re in the “end times?” I can say, without a doubt, we are! That is why I wrote my book, “UNPREPARED.” Anyone who studies the Bible and prophecy knows that we are indeed living in the “end times.” Therefore, “if” is not to be considered. However, by using that word, it creates doubt, does it not?
Now, let’s deal with the phrase “…return to God.” First, the statement implies that the subject person belongs to God and has left Him. The Bible teaches only those who believe in Christ belong to God. Jesus said, John 3: 35 “The Father loves the Son, and has given all things into His hand”. 36 “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.” Did you catch the word “obey?” Jesus told the Pharisees that their father was the devil. He pointed out to them the many hypocritical things they did in disobedience to God for the sake of their tradition. He makes the same argument against the Catholic Church today. He is going to say to many of them: “Depart from Me ye workers of iniquity, I never knew you.”
In order to belong, one has to be accepted. You are not accepted by God if you reject the salvation purchased for you by Christ on the cross. Instead of using the word “return,” it would have been more appropriate to say, “unless you repent.” Both “return” and “repent” mean to change direction; that is, turn around; however, “repentance” has to do with the heart. You can go anywhere and return with an unchanged attitude. Without repentance, however, behavior does not change. When a person repents, they become obedient; there is an observable change in attitude and behavior.
Finally, the phrase “just in case.” What? Is “returning to God” an insurance policy? You must attend Mass just in case, You must give to the poor and do good deeds just in case. You must confess your sins just in case. You must pray to the Blessed Mother Mary just in case. And don’t forget to pay for your indulgences because you don’t know how long you’re going to spend in Purgatory, just in case. Etc., etc., etc. Excuse me while I throw up.
“Even Catholics themselves take issue with Tobin’s word choice. Tobin’s August 20 message received mixed reviews. While there was agreement that, in the words of Psalty Catholic, “it’s beginning to look a bit apocalyptic,” others found fault with the Bishop’s wording:
“With all due respect your excellency, but your ‘Just in case’ sounds like Pascal’s wager. We should return to God because there is Love, there is Purpose, there is Peace. We should always return to God because of the Love of God. And I agree, we should return now,” tweeted Lost Son.”
I got news for “Lost Son” Catholic. You can get Love, Purpose and Peace from a lot of places; however, you’re still lost. It will do you no good unless you also have the assurance of salvation.
Regarding natural disasters referred to in the article, yes, there are many climatic events taking place occurring as warnings from God, including the Pandemic, yet mankind interprets them to be from “Mother Nature.” What a blasphemous insult to the Creator to be called “Mother Nature.” If people understood the Bible they would know that this is the way God has always dealt with a man when he goes astray from Him. Because God is a Holy God, these are His weapons of indignation, and He uses them to get men to repent. Saddly, the Bible says that men will not repent; therefore, God has no choice but to annihilate sin from the earth in preparation for Christ’s Kingdom. After Christs’ sacrifice on the cross for the sins of the world, He was told by God the Father to: “sit at My right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”
The world and its leaders have not yet comprehended the implications of that statement.
We are in the end times. Christ is coming back to set up His Kingdom and soon. No one wants to believe that, especially the leaders of the world. Deception is now the rule and not the exception.
I will close this blog with the words of the article because they speak the truth.
“The Gospels record at least three occasions where Christ refers to the “signs of the end of the age”: Matthew 24: 3-29, Luke 17:22-37, and Luke 21: 5-28.
“And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains,” Our Lord says in Matthew 24:3-7.
“And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near,” he says in Luke 21:25-28.
The Apostle Peter foretold of “scoffers” in the last days and reminded his readers that God desires repentance:
Knowing this first, that in the last days there shall come deceitful scoffers, walking after their own lusts, saying: Where is his promise or his coming? for since the time that the fathers slept, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they are wilfully ignorant of, that the heavens were before, and the earth out of water, and through water, consisting by the word of God. Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished. But the heavens and the earth which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of the ungodly men.
But of this one thing be not ignorant, my beloved, that one day with the Lord is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord delayeth not his promise, as some imagine, but dealeth patiently for your sake, not willing that any should perish, but that all should return to penance. (2 Peter 3:3-9.)”
My book “UNPREPARED” is due to be available hopefully by Oct this year. In it I explain all the signs and warnings that are taking place plus those that are coming. Truly, men will be fainting with fear of the things that are coming on the world.
There is no “just in case.” You either believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God and that He died to give you eternal life or you do not.
If you believe you will understand this. If you don’t understand this, then you need to believe. It’s your choice.
UNPREPARED End Time Ministries 