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Contra Stavrinides
by Frank Nelte
PART XXII: THE CONCLUSION OF THE MATTER
We've gone through many of the false premises and errors in Dr. Stavrinides' video-taped presentation. The question that arises is:
HOW COULD THAT HAPPEN? AFTER ALL, THIS IS GOD'S CHURCH, ISN'T IT?
Yes, it's God's Church, and, yes ... false doctrines are being taught.
Let's understand ...
Jude told the Church that false teachers would try to teach against the faith that had been delivered to the Church.
Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort [you] that ye should EARNESTLY CONTEND FOR THE FAITH WHICH WAS ONCE DELIVERED unto the saints. (Jude 1:3)
There is no question that the Worldwide Church of God today is a totally different Church from the one that existed at the death of Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong. Sending out sermons like the one by Mr. Ron Kelly, entitled "What do you mean ... ALL THESE CHANGES?", are no longer able to avoid recognition of the fact that many, many things have indeed been changed since Mr. Armstrong's death.
Mr. Armstrong was a servant of God and God used him to put His truth into God's Church. The faith that was once delivered to Mr. Armstrong is very evidently being removed from God's Church today ... and these false ideas from Dr. Stavrinides are a major thrust in putting out some of the remaining vestiges of Mr. Armstrong's teachings.
There is a dire NEED to earnestly contend for what is left of the faith that was delivered during Mr. Armstrong's lifetime. And this exposition "CONTRA STAVRINIDES" is one effort in that direction.
The Apostle Peter wrote ...
But there were false prophets also among the people, even as THERE SHALL BE FALSE TEACHERS AMONG YOU, who PRIVILY shall bring in DAMNABLE HERESIES, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. (IIPeter 2:1)
Peter pictures these as in the future. "Shall be" is in Greek "esontai", which is the future indicative, clearly picturing these false teachers as STILL IN THE FUTURE from his own time.
The expression "privily shall bring in" is "pareisaxousin", the future active of "pareisagô", and it means: TO BRING IN BY THE SIDE, i.e. secretly, in a sneaky way.
"Damnable heresies" is "haireseis apôleias", literally "heresies of destruction". The word for "heresies" is the same word as "sect" and it literally mean "a choosing".
Peter is telling us that in the future there would be false teachers who would choose to secretly bring destructive teachings into God's Church. These teachers would bring SWIFT DESTRUCTION upon themselves.
What Dr. Stavrinides has done with his presentation is perfectly described by Peter in this verse! The whole hypostasis-theory is "a destructive heresy!
Would these heretical teachings find acceptance in God's Church? The next verse gives us the answer.
And MANY SHALL FOLLOW THEIR PERNICIOUS WAYS; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of. (IIPeter 2:2)
For "pernicious ways" the Byzantine Text and the Alexandrian (N26) Text read "aselgeiais" (lascivious doings), which is also noted in the margin of the KJV. Either way, the ways they teach are BAD WAYS! And, regrettably many people follow them.
The things Dr. Stavrinides teaches in these video-tapes about God are nothing less than AN INSULT TO THE ALMIGHTY GOD! And God will surely punish him for that. Peter stated that they bring "swift destruction" upon themselves. And that destruction is surely coming.
Here is another scripture that applies to this situation. It is Zechariah 11:8.
THREE SHEPHERDS ALSO I CUT OFF IN ONE MONTH; and my soul lothed them, and their soul also abhorred me. (Zechariah 11:8)
This is talking about three ministers in the Worldwide Church of God! Let's look at it more closely:
God is telling us that He is getting impatient with these three ministers and therefore He will "reap" them ... they will die!127.
God is telling us that these three ministers have completed revealing their loathing and abhorrence of God Himself (the "Me" refers to God speaking).
That loathing and abhorrence has been abundantly made clear ... for 26 long hours ... and anyone who has viewed these tapes should know that! The insults to God come through in an endless stream ...
No wonder God says He is getting impatient and fed up with these three men and their destruction will come swiftly. They will all die within one month from the time that the first one dies.
AND KYRIACOS STAVRINIDES IS THE FIRST OF THESE THREE MINISTERS REFERRED TO IN ZECHARIAH 11:8 ! GOD WILL SURELY TAKE HIS LIFE!
And when God brings this to pass, as He surely will, then it will be a matter of "ONE DOWN, AND TWO TO GO"!
And that is the real reason God is allowing these destructive heresies to be spread in the Church through these tapes ... to IDENTIFY the man whose life He, Almighty God, is going to take in a supernatural way ... and WHY He is going to do so.
And "that's it".