The Fearless among the Cowardly

By Andrei Nicholas S. Bonete

There are 4,200 religious groups in the world today, according to Dr. Michael J. Vlach of the Southeast Community College in Nebraska, United States of America. According to him, it is difficult to state the exact number of groups since there are religious organizations not registered within their governments. Within this figure, there are groups whose beliefs and doctrines are supposedly based on the Holy Scriptures. However, digging deeper reveals that there is only one which God guides, protects, gives a daily dose of bread to feed – His own church.

The Bible teaches man to be cautious with religious organizations since their leaders have different reasons for preaching. There are preachers today that teach because of physical, emotional, and security benefits, which pronouncements are obviously true. One way of determining whether the organization that he is in is erroneous is through comparing the leaders

How should a person concerned of salvation know which leader speaks the truth? Which leader is fearless enough to stand up and defend his beliefs? Which one is a cowardly leader?

Not one leader of any biblically-based group will dare announce in public that they are the false prophets or false Christs that is forewarned by the Holy Scriptures. Each of them will claim that they are God’s messenger and that they preach the truth, like what fish vendors do when they say that their products are fresh from the sea. One way of distinguishing the real one from another is to test it. Observe the group, compare different doctrines taught by these groups, listen to their religious programs and public debates, and ultimately, asking questions to the leader of the organization.

Unfortunately, there are leaders who refuse to be asked of faith-related questions. The so-called Reverend Apollo C. Quiboloy of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ: The Name Above Every Name refuses to be asked. He said that those who question him are “truly a child of the devil”. This statement is directly in contravention with the duty of the leader to answer the questions that are asked of him.

The Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) or Church of Christ, headed by Mr. Eraño Manalo also couldn’t be asked. He doesn’t show himself to his members. His ministers do the responsibilities that a religious leader should carry out in defense. The Church of God International offered a public debate with the INC but answered that the former debate first with the Pope in Rome who was physically ill at that time. One of their doctrines teaches that those outside of their religion are already “sentenced to the fire.”

The Bible has forewarned humanity to beware of false Christs because they will mislead many. Again, Rev. Quiboloy claims that he is the Son of God. Another example is Dr. Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda of Creciendo en Gracia or Growing in Grace who also claims that he is the Lord Jesus Christ. So now there are two who claim that they are Christ. It is possible that more claim the same. They bring along with them erroneous doctrines that unfortunately have mislead many. Dr. Jose Miranda teaches that there is no such thing as sin and that prayer is only a waste of time which are also against the Bible’s teachings.

Religious leaders who don’t engage in question and answer activities are considered as cowards since they could not defend their beliefs. A coward is defined as one who lacks courage, or has behavior that is cowardly. He doesn’t have the guts to defend his beliefs especially if that leader knows that much is at stake. He either feels threatened or is worried of something that will happen if he loses, or that something underneath might be discovered in the process of inquiry. Many church leaders are like this.

Fearless leaders on the other hand are not afraid of performing their duties as preachers. They don’t fear physical death. Oral defamations, character assassinations, cases filed against them won’t be enough to hinder them from preaching. They preach not because of the material benefits that are to be gained unlike others who live a comfortable life while their members suffer from hunger or poverty. They preach because they have a mission to spread the word of God, just as what the early Christians did, just as what the apostles did, just like what Apostle Paul did.

Among the Bible-based organizations, there is one who stands up to the challenge and goes through many things for the sake of salvation. And the leader is one for whom many cases had been filed against – with malice that is. He is being hounded so that his mouth may be stopped at all costs. He is the fearless one – the one who can answer all questions related to salvation. In the entire world, he alone has a program where questions regarding biblical matters could be fired. Tried and tested, no one can equal his understanding. That program is titled Ask Bro. Eli.