Hell is a Christian Hoax 51

Whatever possessed (pun intended) theologians and pastors to ever think that the "angels of the Devil," are anything other than moral men? Are demons "ministers of RIGHTEOUSNESS?" Could anything ever believe that the demons of Christendom (pictured on page 126) could ever pass for "ministers of RIGHTEOUSNESS?" Give me a break. Show those hideous pictures of supposed demons to any child and then ask them if they think they look like "ministers of righteousness?" - "Morally upright; without guilt of sin; virtuous."

God has several categories of officials and representatives who act as His agents and messengers in dealing with Israel and the Church. These include Messengers, Pastors, Ministers, Teachers, Preachers, Prophets, and Priests.

What was Christ's attitude toward the Scribes & Pharisees - the religious leaders of His day? This is shocking, but then again, "Who will believe our report?"

The dominant authority in the Church beside the Priests, were the Pharisees. In John 8:3 Jesus begins dealing with the Scribes and Pharisees along with many Jews from the city. Who were these leaders called "the Scribes and Pharisees?"

The Pharisees were not the priests, but rather people from all walks of life who were very pious and strict keepers of the Law of Moses. They constantly adjusted the Law to fit the changing world according to their traditions and own desires. The more educated of the Pharisees were the Scribes and the rulers of the Jews. Here's a brief historical description of the Scribes and Pharisees:

"In the modern sense they ( the Scribes) were the religious scholars or theologians ... sometimes called lawyers ... or teachers of the law ...could make judicial decisions based on Scriptural exegesis, occupied important positions in the Sanhedrin ... played a major role in bringing on the crucifixion of Jesus" and they "mainly belonged to the party of the Pharisees" (Wycliffe's Bible Dictionary, p. 1536).

So the "party of the Pharisees" consisted of: Religious scholars, theologians, teachers of the law, and crucifiers of Jesus.

Jesus called the Scribes and Pharisees, "fools, hypocrites, blind guides, whited sepulchers, murderers, a generation of snakes," and many such epithets. Jesus called them "hypocrites" seven times in one chapter. He spoke with scathing derision to the Scribes and Pharisees throughout His ministry; very few of them received a kind word from Him.

Jesus said that the religious leaders in Israel (the Scribes and Pharisees), were of the Devil:

"Ye ( all of you) are of your FATHER THE DEVIL, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. And because I tell you the truth, ye believe Me not" (John 8:44-45).

Who are the "Ye" whom Jesus said are of your father the Devil?" The answer is found in Verse John 8:13, "the Pharisees," the religious leaders of God's Church. These were mortal men, not spirit demons.

"And said, O full of all subtilty ( dishonest, trickery) and all mischief, you CHILD of the Devil, you ENEMY of all righteousness, wilt thou not cease to pervert the right ways of the Lord?" (Acts 13:10)

Paul identifies this "child of the Devil" as a Jewish false prophet, a mortal man, not a demon (See Acts 13:6).

On another occasion Jesus called those whom were likened to tares ( darnels) , "the children of the Wicked ( or 'Evil') one" (Matt. 13:38). And the Wicked one is none other than "the enemy that sows them is the Devil" (See Verse 39).

Are these "children of the Wicked one," mortal men, or spirit demons? There are two categories of people in this parable:

"The field is the world; the good seed are ( 1) the children of the kingdom; but the tares are ( 2) the children of the wicked one" (Matt. 13:38)

The "children" of the kingdom and "children" of the wicked one, are both mortal men, not spirit demons. Demons are not mortal and demons are not visible.

All throughout the Bible we find God condemning the spiritual leaders of his people for their sins and unwillingness to show God's people the right way to live and worship God. Below I give just one example of God's disdain for numerous categories of spiritual leaders:

FALSE APOSTLES:

"For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ" (II Cor. 11:13)

FALSE PASTORS:

"Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep" (Jer. 23:1)

FALSE PROPHETS:

"Thus says the LORD concerning the prophets that make my people err, that bite with their teeth, and cry, Peace; and he that puts not into their mouths, they even prepare war against him" (Micah 3:5)

FALSE WATCHMEN:

"His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber" (Isaiah 56:10)

FALSE SHEPHERDS:

"My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray..." (Jer. 50:6)

FALSE PRIESTS:

"Her priests have violated my law, and have profaned mine holy things: they have put no difference between the holy and profane, neither have they showed difference between the unclean and the clean, and have hid their eyes from my sabbaths, and I am profaned among them" (Ezek. 22:26). Just witness the countless thousands of children (most little boys) who have been sexually molested by the very priests they have been taught to look up to and honor!

FALSE MINISTERS:

"Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works" (II Cor. 11:15)

FALSE TEACHERS:

"For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables" (II Tim. 4:3-4)