Rev. David Holwick ZH
First Baptist Church
Ledgewood, New Jersey
October 3, 1993
Acts 19:23-32
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I. Religious enthusiasm.
A. "Enthusiasm" literally means having God inside you.
1) Religion makes people different.
2) This is not always a good thing.
Ervil LeBaron was very religious.
He grew up Mormon and accepted many of their teachings.
In time he split with the Mormon church, gathered a polygamous
cult around him and declared himself God.
One Mormon teaching he accepted is called "blood atonement."
It means sinners should shed their blood to save their souls.
(Partial reason why Utah sometimes executes by firing squad.)
LeBaron added his own twist to blood atonement - traitors and
children who did not obey him would be killed.
Most victims were the leaders of rival polygamist sects.
He also executed 2 brothers, 3 wives and a daughter.
LeBaron ended up in prison and died in 1981, but his religious
influence did not end.
Six murders were ordered by him before he died.
He called the death list the "Book of New Covenants."
Since then, several of the murders have been carried out.
#49
(see note at end)
B. Dedication to what you believe in is important, but there has
to be more.
C. Without a firm grounding in the truth, religious enthusiasm
can be more destructive than helpful.
II. Genuine Christianity brings about change.
A. Jesus motivates people to turn their lives around.
1) Ephesians were into occult, but believers repented. 19:19
2) Thousands of dollars worth of material burned.
3) Idols shunned, probably due to Paul's preaching. 19:26
4) Even non-believers were stunned at the power of Jesus.
B. The mark of a spiritual church remains its impact on people.
1) Multitude of programs can mask spiritual emptiness.
2) Key questions:
a) Are people being saved?
b) Is there evidence of repentance?
c) Is selfishness being replaced by love and concern?
III. Change can be disturbing.
A. Those who don't change, react.
1) The Ephesians were worried about the potential loss of pride.
a) They worshipped a lumpy meteorite which reminded them
of their fertility goddess. 19:35
b) Her temple was one of the wonders of the ancient world.
2) But note that Paul was not attacking Artemis. (19:37)
a) He provided a positive alternative.
3) Change bothers those around you.
a) They are threatened because they want to stay the same.
b) Young Christians often face a dilemma - by moving closer
to Jesus, they will drift from their old friends.
c) If your old friends are an evil influence, start paddling.
B. An outside challenge can reveal our real motivations.
1) The Ephesians were more concerned about money than God. 19:25
a) Money is important in religious faith.
1> Paul was always appealing for it.
2> Money represents time and effort.
b) But money can become all-consuming.
1> Money is the real religion of the silversmiths. 19:25
2> It must be the means to an end, or it will corrupt.
2) Paul's challenge was countered with raw emotion.
a) When in doubt, shout.
IV. The place of emotions.
A. Emotions are God's gift to us.
1) They are part of what it means to be human.
2) To have no emotions is to be a machine. (psychopaths)
B. Emotions are an important part of faith.
1) When we become saved, our emotions are transformed just as
our mind is.
2) Emphasis in Bible on joy.
3) King David got so excited he danced before the Lord (nearly)
naked.
4) Jesus himself was zealous - and it did him in. John 2:17
C. It is a drawback to be too rational.
1) Baptists emphasize knowledge too much, to guard against
over-emotionalism.
2) Four-Spiritual-Laws error. #796
a) Emotions the caboose?
b) Better to see them as coal car, and "works" as caboose.
3) Spirituality is more than being good at Bible drills.
D. When God is at work, people get excited.
1) Early Christians were well-known for their joy.
2) They were happy even when persecuted.
3) Real faith is something you can feel.
In 1985 the Los Angeles Times ran a human-interest story.
It happened a few days after the disastrous earthquake in
Mexico City.
A little Japanese-American boy was going door-to-door in
Los Angeles selling picture postcards for 25› each.
He was giving the profits for earthquake relief.
One man bought some post cards from the little boy, and then
asked the boy how much he hoped to raise.
The youngster answered quickly, "One million dollars!"
The man smiled and said, "Do you mean to tell me that you
are trying to raise a million dollars to help the
earthquake victims all by yourself?"
"Oh no, sir," replied the boy, "my little brother is helping
me!"
#865
V. Ignorant zeal or excited faith?
A. Everyone wants to be a part of something bigger than themselves.
1) Mass Nazi rallies at Nuremburg.
B. Emotions can be manipulated.
1) Note that many in the rally weren't quite sure why they
were there. 19:32
2) Emotionalism is suspect. (fraud evangelists)
C. Be excited, but know what you believe.
*************************** Notes ***************************
Note on the LeBaron illustration -
On March 29, 2002 I received the following email:
I am a Lebaron and distantly related to the "Ervil LeBaron" I was looking up who he was when I came across your site. You gave an in accurate definition to "blood atonement" I didn't know if you were aware of that but I felt it my christian duty to help out a little. IAs a mormon I will explain to you what I have been taught about the blood atonement. Christ gave a blood atonement the last and ultimate. That is were a remision of my sins come from. His blood atonement not mine or any others man. It is true that in the old testemant they did blood sacrifices or atonements. But since Christ that has been done away with. An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth is taken away in Christ and his sacrifice. So I hope you will better portrait the teachings of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints now thta you have this information. Ervil LeBaron was an Evil man. His ideal and twisted beliefs were a choice and in no way reflects upon the true nature of the mormon faith. I have been on a mission and taught people my beliefs not once portraing this type of evil. I love my fellow men and believe the atonement of Christ to be free to all men. Mormon or not. I hope that you view the atonement of Christ with the same or even higher regard. THhankyou and I hope this has helped clear up any misunderstanding of what is taught about blood atonement and how it is taught and believed.
Sincerely
(name withheld)
I had first heard about individual "blood atonement" when Gary Gillmore was executed by a Utah firing squad many years ago. The doctrine derives from Numbers 25:5-13 where the priest Phinehas brings atonement on the Israelites by executing a sinner. In my research on the internet I found this material at http://www.watchman.org/lds/bldaton2.htm :
While Christians have long been concerned about cultic teachings which lead to spiritual death, some cultic teachings have posed danger to spiritual and physical life. One graphic example is the Mormon doctrine of individual Blood Atonement.
The biblical teaching on blood atonement is that the shedding of blood is required for forgiveness of sin. (Hebrews 9:22) The Bible teaches that the blood of Christ cleanses from "all sin." (1 John 1:7) Early Mormon theology, however, teaches that for certain sins the blood of Christ alone would not avail and the persons own blood must be shed for atonement.
Under the section, "Blood Atonement," of the book, Mormon Doctrine, LDS Apostle Bruce R. McConkie wrote, "...there are some serious sins for which the cleansing of Christ does not operate, and the law of God is that men must then have their own blood shed to atone for their sins," (2nd ed. 1979, p.92).
In the same article McConkie quoted his father-in-law, who was the tenth Mormon Prophet, Joseph Fielding Smith, as saying:
"Man may commit certain grievous sins... that will place him beyond the reach of the atoning blood of Christ.... If these offenses are committed, then the blood of Christ will not cleanse them from their sins even though they repent. Therefore their only hope is to have their own blood shed to atone... (Doctrine of Salvation, Vol. 1, pp. 133-138)" (Ibid).
McConkie went own to explain that the Mormon blood atonement, "...doctrine can only be practiced in its fullness in a day when the civil and ecclesiastical laws are administered in the same hands," in other words, when Church and State are one, an obvious reference to a future in which the government will be controlled by the LDS Church, a Mormon Theocracy.
Apostle McConkie laments that this doctrine cannot be practiced "in this dispensation" hinting that its only evidence outside of ancient Israel, is that, "...persons who understood its provisions could and did use their influence to get a form of capital punishment written into the laws of the various states of the union so that the blood of murderers could be shed," (Ibid).
He refers here to a little known law in Utah and Idaho which allows a condemned criminal to choose a firing squad for execution rather than the gas chamber or electric chair -- neither of which "shed blood." However one can find evidence of Mormonism's deadly blood atonement doctrine being practiced "in this dispensation."
In the 1800's the government and the church were for all practical purposes "administered in the same hands" and those hands were Brigham Young's, who was Prophet, Seer, and Revelator of the Mormon Church while at the same time was Governor of Utah. On the subject of "Blood Atonement", Brigham Young stated: "There are sins that men commit for which they cannot receive forgiveness... and if they had their eyes open to see their true condition, they would be perfectly willing to have their blood spilt upon the ground... as an offering for their sins; and the smoking incense would atone for their sins," (Journal of Discoursesœ, Vol 4, p. 53).
To carry out his blood atonement ministry, Brigham Young had at his disposal a secret band of men who were reported to have conducted a number of "blood atonements" at the orders of President Young and other LDS leaders. Brigham Young may have been referring to this secret group, known as the Danites when he said:
"And if the Gentiles wish to see a few tricks, we have `Mormons' that can perform them. We have the meanest devils on the earth in our midst, and we intend to keep them for we have use for them; and if the Devil does not look sharp, we will cheat him out of them at the last, for they will reform and go to heaven with us," (Ibid, Vol. 6: 176; emphasis added).
Because of the secretive nature of the group, little primary information is available but there is ample evidence that these "meanest devils" were responsible for a number of deaths apparently on Brigham Young's orders or with his knowledge.
Among those who have been named as Danites are William Hickman, Orrin Porter Rockwell, and John D. Lee. A partial list of murder victims in connection with these three men are Ike Hatch, the Aiken party, and an entire wagon train of men, women and children killed in what became called the Mountain Meadows massacre.
by James Walker
(For a more complete discussion see related chapters in Mormonism: Shadow or Reality, by Jerald and Sandra Tanner).
I sent this page to the writer and got the following response:
Thank you for sharing that with me. I am however dissapointed that you would go to a source that clearly is out to exploit the beliefs of others. Hence the title "the expositor." I know those writings I have myself read them. The articles you sent are meant to be vauge. There design after all is meant to detour people from investigating further into the mormon faith. The bottom line is that the only sin that the men of the church were refering to are one murder of innocent blood and the other the dening of the Holy Ghost or spirit of god. Like the example of Cain. Those are the only two sins. I know I have read all of those sources given. THe idea that one could possibly atone for his own sins is absured considering the fact that it could only be done by a sinless man. If one murders he is there for nomore sinless. As an example of the anguish a soul would be in for such a sin, a man would jump at the chance if it were possible that is what was meant. But I tell you it is not possible and that is the doctorine of Christ. The doctorine taught by the church of Jesus Christ of LDS. I don't believe in personal blood atonement and niether did the men that spoke of such a thing. You may believe anything you want. You will not believe a mormon who lives and breathes the faith but you will believe a group whos sole purpose is to darken the world and slander those whos right it i to worship how when or what they may. All religions that don't agree with them. What a waste of time. Let the good in the world remain good I say. I hope you believe me if not it doesn't matter. I know what I am taught and I understand it
Sincerely
[name withheld again]
P.S. If you really want to know what we believe ask God after all he knows all. And God won't lie as men do.
The postscript is a very common comeback by Mormons (I first heard it at the Hill Cumorah dramatization of the discovery of the "golden plates" in New York State). I am not sure how "expositor" indicates "exploit" - it means to explain or explicate. Blood atonement may not be a mainline Mormon doctrine anymore but I think it is historically attested and I stand by my statement in the sermon.
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Christianity should be enthusiastic.
A. Zeal for God's house tripped up Jesus. John 2:17
B. Paul zealous for God as a Pharisee. Acts 22:3, Gal 1:14
1) Zeal shown by persecution of church. Phil 3:6
C. Jews were zealous, but not based on knowledge. Rom 10:2
D. Never be lacking in zeal. Rom 12:11
E. Human-oriented zeal to convert. Gal 4:17
F. Zeal is good: if consistent, and for good reason. Gal 4:18
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