And I ll never forget the advice he gave me.
At the time I thought it was rather inconclusive and not too helpful.
But I listened carefully. He said, My son, when you get to college you're going to find
that all of the boys will be gathered in a room discussing and arguing over
Arminianism and Calvinism night after night after night. I ll tell you what to do, Cliff.
Go to your room and meet God.
At the end of four years you ll be way down the line and they'll still be where they started,
because greater minds than yours have wrestled with this problem
and have not come up with satisfactory conclusions.
Instead, learn to know God.

"

I think the current sodomite flood is a lot like the demonic invasion that Mather fought:
here is start of series by Mather on his experience fighting devils in early America

Brother Saint Elected Elmer I wrote:
is guilty... Ask his buddy.. .

Reminds me of Hamlet:
Act IV Scene 3

"In heaven: send thither to see: if your messenger find him not there, seek him i' the other place yourself"

some good quotes from the more prominent Cotton Mather

at:

http://www.spurgeon.org/~phil/mather/resolvd.htm

Judy wrote:
The AMISH have some things right - SEPARATION.

Do they vote
??

Only a small number of Amish cast ballots in presidential elections, perhaps 10-15%. Amish may be more likely to get involved when voting involves issues which directly affect them, such as zoning. Amish generally do not vote for a few reasons.

Why don’t most Amish participate in political elections?

For one, Amish follow a “Two Kingdoms” theology, which holds that there exist both a material and a spiritual kingdom. While respecting worldly governments, Amish feel that Christians should adhere to the laws of the spiritual kingdom above all.

Unprofitable Servant wrote:
I have never seen a quote from a church saying they are going to compromise to keep their treasured 5013c status.

2.your personal experience differs from mine in that I have heard a number of pastors say aloud that they didn't want to risk their tax status by saying thus or so.
Though you may mean that they didn't put their cowardice into print-that I have not seen as often.
If that is what you mean, we have a similar dearth of published treason.

pennnelope wrote:
church, corporation.

in support of what you said

This sermon, preached at Freedom Baptist Church in Belleview before Bro. Adams was called to pastor the church, explains why converting the Body of Christ, the Church, into a tax-exempt, state-created and state-controlled corporation involves the exact same idolatrous sin as in taking the Mark of the Beast of Rev. 13 upon the churches.

Frank wrote:
Christ was the most exclusive

Generations with Kevin Swanson is apropos this topic today.

Aldeburgh wrote:
Jesus also says;
Mark 4:11 And he said unto them, Unto you it is given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God: but unto them that are without, all these things are done in parables:
12 That seeing they may see, and not perceive; and hearing they may hear, and not understand; lest at any time they should be converted, and their sins should be forgiven them.

Good balance:
two wings to truth

Asa wrote:
MATTHEW 12:30
He that is not with me is against me; and he that gathereth not with me scattereth abroad.

Mark 9:38 And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us. 9:39 But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me. 9:40 For he that is not against us is on our part

question wrote:
CM
I assume

you would never assume that

a charitable take would be to assume that one could unintentionally take His words out of context and apply them past the context into people who do not fit the context :I don't think you meant to.

"And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea. " Mk 9:42

I'd say the context for what Jesus was talking about is those who believe on Him.

“That there is a Devil, is a thing doubted by none but such as are under the influences of the Devil.”
? Cotton Mather, On Witchcraft

2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,