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God Hates Phelps
(The "God Hates Fags" Preacher)
[Fred Phelps] Has served as Pastor of Westboro Baptist Church in Topeka, Kansas, since Nov. 1955. WBC has conducted more than 22,000 picketing demonstrations across America and some foreign countries during the past 12 years -- aimed at showing Americans their transgression (Isa. 58:1) and causing America to know her abominations. Ezek. 16:2.
Fred Phelps is a Five-Point Calvinist who urges all people to carefully study and discern what are the signs of the times (Mat. 16:3) in the light of the Scriptures rightly divided (2 Tim. 2:15) and church history from Adam to now. (www.godhatesfags.com/main/phelpsbio.html, hard copy on file of all documentation)
God indeed hates homosexuals (i.e. fags, Psalm 5:5). Homosexuality indeed ought to be outlawed (e.g. Leviticus 18:22; 20:13), and America is truly under the wrath of God for its wicked tolerance of this vile sin. As it is written,
You shall not lie with a male as with a woman. It is an abomination. (Levitucus 18:22)
Do not defile yourselves with any of these things; for by all these the nations are defiled, which I am casting out before you. For the land is defiled; therefore I visit the punishment of its iniquity upon it, and the land vomits out its inhabitants. You shall therefore keep My statutes and My judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations, either any of your own nation or any stranger who dwells among you (for all these abominations the men of the land have done, who were before you, and thus the land is defiled), lest the land vomit you out also when you defile it, as it vomited out the nations that were before you. For whoever commits any of these abominations, the persons who commit them shall be cut off from among their people. Therefore you shall keep My ordinance, so that you do not commit any of these abominable customs which were committed before you, and that you do not defile yourselves by them: I am the LORD your God. (Leviticus 18:24-30)
Homosexuals who stay homosexuals will surely spend forever in hell (1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Revelation 21:8), but so will Fred Phelps, and all who follow him (if they don't repent, 2 Peter 2:1-3).
Sadly, if homosexuals heeded WBC's message, they would still be lost in their sins and headed for eternal torment, because WBC (Westboro Baptist Church) preaches,
I. A False Gospel
In Phelps' FAQ, under the question, "How can you call yourself a Christian?" it says,
Because Christ died for our sins, and we faithfully uphold His Word. (www.godhatesfags.com/main/faq.html)
Phelps is not faithful to uphold God's word, but rather, he is "faithful" to uphold the traditions of men (Colossians 2:8) via his Calvinism. In the Manifesto of Westboro Baptist Church it says,
We are a TULIP Baptist Church!
We believe -- and vigorously preach -- the 5 Points of Calvinism!Anyone preaching otherwise is a Hell-bound false prophet, a messenger of Satan, to whom we say, Anathema Maranatha! and, Let him be accursed of God! (www.godhatesfags.com/main/manifesto.html)
Actually, it is Phelps and his church that are accursed of God (Galatians 1:8-9). Besides Phelps' recommendation of the ecumenical false teacher and Calvinist Charles Spurgeon (www.godhatesfags.com/sermons/text.html), Phelps clearly teaches the false Calvinistic gospel of a limited atonement.
A. Limited Atonement
In his FAQ, under "Didn't Jesus die for everyone?" it says,
No. Jesus died only for His sheep (John 10). His church (Ephesians 5:25). His elect (I Peter 1:2). If He died for everyone, everyone would go to heaven. All sins of all people would be forgiven. But obviously, all sins aren't forgiven, because people are burning in hell. (www.godhatesfags.com/main/faq.html)
Phelps' misrepresents Scripture and denies the truth of the word of God. John 10 does not say "Jesus died only for His sheep." Jesus clearly says, "I lay down my life for the sheep" (John 10:15), but He does not say "only" or anything about for whom He did not die. Phelps adds to John 10 (Proverbs 30:5-6). Likewise, Ephesians 5:25 and 1 Peter 1:2 say nothing about Jesus dying only for His church or His elect.
Furthermore, Phelps' relies on an unbiblical argument to substantiate his false claim that Jesus didn't die for everyone. Scripture never teaches that "everyone would go to heaven" if Jesus died for everyone. This is simply a Calvinist (Colossians 2:8) argument found nowhere in the pages of holy writ. The reason people are burning in hell is because they did not access this grace by faith (Romans 5:2).
Moreover, Scripture explicitly speaks of people going to hell for whom Christ died (Romans 14:15; 1 Corinthians 8:10-13/Mark 9:42-44). Phelps' claim that "All sins of all people would be forgiven" is a lie and the exact opposite of the teaching of the word of God. Scripture clearly addresses people who are not forgiven, who are beyond hope of eternal life, yet Christ's blood was shed for them (Hebrew 6:6; 10:26-29; 2 Peter 2:1, 12, 17).
Also, Scripture clearly teaches Christ was a ransom for all (1 Timothy 2:6). He tasted death for all (Hebrews 2:9). He is the propitiation for believer's sins (1 John 5:13) and the sins of the whole world (1 John 2:2; 5:19). Yet, Phelp's calls this heresy.
The Gospel is NOT that "Jesus loves everyone and died for everyone." That is heresy. (www.godhatesfags.com/writings/gospel.html)
So, the basic gospel (John 3:16) is heresy according to Fred Phelps.
B. No Love
It is true that God hates the wicked (Psalm 5:5-6), and even hates people before they are ever born completely apart from anything they might do (Romans 9:11-13). Nevertheless, God still loves them as well (John 3:16). Yet, Phelps preaches otherwise. In their FAQ, under "Doesn't the Bible say that God loves everyone?" it reads,
No. You are probably thinking of John 3:16, which says no such thing. The word translated "world" in that verse (kosmos) NEVER means every individual of mankind who has ever lived (see, e.g., John 17:9). Romans 9:13 says that God hated Esau, and Psalm 5:5 says that God hates all WORKERS of iniquity (e.g., fags). Other examples are Proverbs 6:16-19, Psalm 11:5, and Malachi 1:3. Given these verses, how can you say God loves everyone? Can you really say "God loves everyone" when God says "I hated Esau?" Does God love the people in hell? (www.godhatesfags.com/main/faq.html)
Phelps claims, "The word translated 'world' in that verse (kosmos) NEVER means every individual of mankind who has ever lived." This is a lie. Romans 3:6 uses this same term, and it speaks of God judging the world in the future. It is undeniably clear God is going to judge "every individual of mankind who has ever lived" (Psalm 9:8; 96:13; 98:9; Ecclesiastes 12:13-14; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Peter 4:17).
Also, John 4:42 and 1 John 4:14 use this same word in which both declare that Christ is the Savior of the world. 1 Timothy 4:9-10 makes it clear that the "world" being spoken of in those passages "means every individual of mankind who has ever lived," because 1 Timothy 4:9-10 says,
This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance. For to this end we both labor and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of those who believe.
Phelps asks, "Does God love the people in hell?" First, Scripture reveals God's love for those doomed to hell. His weeping for the lost (Jeremiah 8:18-9:3; Luke 19:41), His wailing and howling and mourning and stripping Himself naked (Micah 1:8-9) all reveals His love for the damned. His declaration that He has no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Ezekiel 18:23; 33:11) also shows God's perspective of those He sends to hell.
Second, God's love for mankind is put in the present tense in 1 John 4:10.
In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
This propitiation is declared to be "not for ours only but also for the whole world" (1 John 2:2). The "whole world" includes all of the lost (see 1 John 5:19). So, 1 John 4:10 declares present love for all mankind based on God's past action, the giving of His Son (John 3:16).
Yet, at the same time, the Bible reveals God mocks the wicked as well (Psalm 2:4-5; 37:12-13; 59:8; Proverbs 1:25-26), and even rejoices at their destruction (Deuteronomy 28:63), and calls others to rejoice (Deuteronomy 32:43; 1 Chronicles 16:30-33). God loves justice (Psalm 37:8; Isaiah 61:8), and rejoices in the truth (1 Corinthians 13:6), and that truth includes the truth of the eternal torment of the wicked (e.g. Revelation 19:1-3; 21:8).
Certainly, from the foundation of the world, God has hated them (Proverbs 16:4; Romans 9:11-23), but He has also loved them (Isaiah 46:10; Matthew 5:43-48; Luke 6:35). Israel is a perfect example of this. In Deuteronomy 7:7-8 Moses declares,
The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples; but because the Lord loves you, and because He would keep the oath which He swore to your fathers, the Lord has brought you out with a mighty hand, and redeemed you from the house of bondage, from the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt.
Moses says to these Israelites that God loves them. These are the same people God longed that they would have a heart in them to fear Him (Deuteronomy 5:29), but He choose not to give them such a heart (Deuteronomy 29:4), even though He loved them and longed they had one. And, these are the same people God said,
So I swore in My wrath, "They shall not enter My rest." (Psalm 95:11)
In other words, God swore, while they were still living, they would not inherit eternal life, but rather eternal wrath (i.e. hell, see also Numbers 14:26-35; Hebrews 3:7-4:3). Yet, He loved them.
Another example of God loving the wicked is found in Mark 10:21. There it says Christ (God in the flesh) loved the rich man, but the rich man did not take heed (Mark 10:22).
Immediately following the above paragraph in their FAQ, Phelps adds,
Or, you are thinking of "God is love." God certainly is love, toward His elect (His children). But He certainly is not love toward the reprobate (children of the devil). (www.godhatesfags.com/main/faq.html)
Scripture never says or teaches any such thing. God is love, period (1 John 4:8, 16). This is a statement of who He is to the very core of His character, and this core shines forth even upon the wicked.
God is extremely patient with the reprobate (e.g. Romans 2:4). This is love (1 Corinthians 13:4). He is kind to the wicked (Nehemiah 9:15/1 Corinthians 10:5; Psalm 104:14-15, 27-28; 145:9, 15-17; Ecclesiastes 3:12-13; Acts 14:17). This is love (1 Corinthians 13:4). The Lord bore long with the evil Israelites (2 Chronicles 36:15-16). This was love (1 Corinthians 13:7). And finally, the Lord hopes for reprobate man's salvation (Psalm 81:13; Isaiah 48:18; Acts 17:24-27; Romans 11:32) and desires that they be saved (1 Timothy 2:4). This too is love (1 Corinthians 13:7).
Indeed, God has hated and thus predestined the majority of mankind to hell and loved the minority to heaven (Matthew 7:13-14; Romans 9:11-23), but even in this, love is enacted. Because, He endures with much long suffering vessels of wrath, that He might make known the riches of His glory on vessels of mercy (Romans 9:22-23). In other words, love (endurance, 1 Corinthians 13:7) is shown toward the wicked, so that love may be shown toward the elect.
Phelp's claim that "God certainly is love, toward His elect (His children). But He certainly is not love toward the reprobate (children of the devil)" denies the very foundation of God's eternal purpose with mankind. Love is shown toward the children of the devil, so that love may be shown toward the children of God (Psalm 92:5-7; Romans 9:22-23). [For more on this, see "How Can A God of Love Send People To Hell?"]
II. More Error
A. Sodom
In Westboro Baptist Church's monograph to the Quintessential Magazine they reveal their view of Sodom is quite twisted. In there they write,
All Sodom citizens were not gays and lesbians. Most were not. But they were enablers! Sodomite society had reached a stage of decadence and debauchery whereby homosexuals were accepted with respect and dignity as merely innocent practitioners of a morally neuteral lifestyle. (www.godhatesfags.com/fliers/feb2004/Monograph_2-14-2004.pdf, bold added)
This is the exact opposite of the word of God. Please note Genesis 19.
Now before they lay down, the men of the city, the men of Sodom, both old and young, all the people from every quarter, surrounded the house. And they called to Lot and said to him, "Where are the men who came to you tonight? Bring them out to us that we may know them carnally." (Genesis 19:4-5)
"All the people from every quarter" came to "know them carnally." There is nothing about any "enablers." These people, all of them, were perverts. For some context, note what the Lord says about Sodom earlier in Genesis.
The men of Sodom were exceedingly wicked and sinful against the Lord. (Genesis 13:13)
Phelps' claims "Most were not" gay. Scripture indicates all the men were.
B. Are they in hell or not?
On the "God Hates Fags" web site they dogmatically proclaim that certain individuals are presently in hell. Yet, in their FAQ, under "If God hates homosexuals as a group, why do you sometimes aim signs at individual people, not at the group? How can you say that an individual is in hell?" they write,
We cannot know for certain that an individual person is in hell (or heaven). Only God knows that. However, we can and should look at all of the available evidence that we have, and make a reasonable assumption. We are under an obligation to discern the signs of the times, and discern between good and evil (Hebrews 5:14). For example, the evidence that Matthew Shepard is in hell is the fact that he was a practicing homosexual, who was trolling for anonymous perverted sex when he was killed. There is absolutely not one shred of evidence that he ever repented. We hope he did, as we hope everyone does, but there is no evidence. To the person who would suggest that Matthew Shepard is anywhere but hell, where is your evidence that he repented? (www.godhatesfags.com/main/faq.html, bold added)
To dogmatically proclaim that someone is in hell (e.g. google site:godhatesfags.com + "is in hell"), yet then say "We cannot know for certain that an individual person is in hell" is downright foolish. It is a most serious statement to pronounce a person to be in the fires of hell, and if it cannot be made with certainty, it should not be proclaimed as certain (Matthew 7:1-2; 12:36-37).
Yet, if it is known for sure that a homosexual (or any other wicked person) died in their sins, anyone who believes the Bible can know for certain that such a person is in hell, because God does not lie (Luke 16:19-31; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10; Revelation 21:8). For example, WBC states that Jim Wheeler was a homosexual who committed suicide (www.godhatesfags.com/main/wheeler_monument.html). If this is true, it is quite certain that he is presently in hell. By killing himself he sealed his fate, because someone who dies as a homosexual certainly goes to hell. Also, no one who knows God would ever commit suicide (for more info, see our last point on the MacArthur report).
C. Love For A False Teacher
In his debate with John Rankin, Phelps says,
I love Brother Martin Luther, . . . I love Brother Luther. (www.mars-hill-forum.com/forumdoc/m070quest.html)
If the present works of Luther properly represent Martin Luther, then he was a false teacher who, according to Luther's Works, rejected the book of James (Volume 54, p. 176; 424-425), called Moses an enemy of Christ (ibid., p.128), and believed in chasing away the devil with a fart (ibid., p. 16, 78, 280). He was not a man of God, and neither is Phelps.
IV. Conclusion
These are just a few things we found on Phelps' web sites. No doubt, there is more error than this (2 Peter 3:16, e.g. Amillennialism), but these have been listed that you might know Fred Phelps and those at Westboro Baptist Church do not have God (2 John 9).
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