For the record, I hate bullies. All kinds. Whether they are school yard, high school, workplace, cyber (internet) and yes, I have a special place for hell for those religious bullies. There are some people who have developed physically into adulthood still have not left their need for control of others by coercion when they were kids.What is even more dangerous, that they found a religious way of doing it. I remember very well being taken to task by Gavin Rumney of Otagosh of clipping Robert Morey on this blog. Robert Morey is a big fat kind pussycat compared to this “preacher” by the name of Nate Pfeil. I have been trying to find out who is he is and what exactly is his theology. For some reason wikipedia or anybody elese has not provided any information about this man. At the same time this video clip and several related other clips from Mr.Pfeil have appeared on other blogs and other internet media. What is equally disturbing is that many (probably with a high concentration in the U.S. Bible Belt) think he’s a godsend. I am glad that many on The Free Believers facebook site took courage to play the role of His Majesty’s Loyal Oppositon.
This man will argue that he is not preaching salvation by works. He is only arguing that works is the evidence of salvation. No argument here. The argument begins about which approach is the best. Read the Book of James.The Apostle James is strident, stern and no-nonsense but at same time the Apostle in the genius of ways is co-equally compassionate, concerned, hopeful and importantly show the way forward of resolution. I find only condemnation, condescending crockadile tears of sorrow and no resolution of a way forward in Mr.Pfeil’s video clip—only manipulation.
Make no mistake Jesus Christ in Matthew 7:23 said a scary thing—far more scarier than a Freddy Krugger movie of olympic propotions: “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’ Mr.Pfeil wants to explain that reality of those he claims who thought of themselves as Christians, finding out they are in hell. I will not argue against the concept of Christians who have merely a “said faith” and those who have an “active faith”. God will sift the sheep and the goats: that’s a biblical fact. What gets me mad is when one wants to tamper the idea of the assurance of salvation, that God has promised, is by no means Khafkaesque (as some would perversely love him to be) and has NOT played games with the sincere believer. The Believer as he lives in this flesh and on this side of heaven, will make mistakes, make bad judgements and committ sins until he sheds this flesh and is glorified by the Lord in the afterlife. To accuse him worldiness and expecting a form of “sinless perfectionism” is something I will not stand for. I had this rubbish in the historic WCG and believe you me, I will NOT stand for it elsewhere.
This man, in a tantrum like a Christian Ayatollah in an olympic-like competition to make Alice In Wonderland’s Queen of Hearts look rational and logical and to make the Radical Islamic Ayatollah Rullah Khomeni look a humane and compassionate individual, has fatwahs against swearing (but I will definately agree that a believer should revere God and His Savior’s name and to use their names a curse words is just simple and casual disrespect) and even seeing Leo DiCaprio in a love scene which can have you as a so-called professing Christian burning in hell for trillions of years under an angry God. All in the name of holiness and purity. What about the real sins that ” so called professing” Christians committed, the rape of land and the maltreatment of it’s first inhabitants, the financial exploitation of people in the name of laissez-faire economics (God’s ONE and ONLY way of capitalism, for those who don’t get it I jest), justification of slavery and the beatings, the lynchings and rapings that followed (which continued under Jim Crow), the Southern Baptists being clingy to the KKK (which is a form of paganism), the promotion of segregation of the races, the closet racism in some churches in the 21st century (whether black or white), the destruction of the environment (with the most silliest,utmost selfish and narcissistic excuse in human history that it doesn’t matter, God will destroy the earth anyway so what’s the use of being good stewards of the earth? Mental nonsense of the highest degree!), justifications of certain wars (not wars of necessity but of choice–bad choice to be more specific) or how about something a bit more local, the lying, the hypocrisy, the gossip, the backbiting and the judging—YES I SAID the judging whereas people seem to have a need to kick God off His Throne and categorize people whether if they are really belong to The Body of Christ just because they may believe in a Hugh Ross type Progressive Creationism/Francis Collins type Theistic Evolution as opposed to their infallible and holy understanding of 6000 year old earth traditional creationism? Or judging a believer who has seen the sickness and abuse in organized religion and does not go to church because he’s had enough of it? What about the materialistic attitudes that have effected fundamentalist and evangelical Christianity? Isn’t this worldiness? Apostle James would agree (see James 2). Isn’t God inflexible just as inflexibly just against the sins I spelled out? Or is he not? To have it both ways is manipulative to say the least. Or is it merely the sexual issues that are more greater of importance and the rest of what I said, “Who gives a crap!” If this is so, it is all about the need for control. Nothing more. Anyone who wants to childish react that I want to promote sexual libertinism has simple with their hyperactive imagination has gotten it all wrong. Also stubborn defence mechanisms like, “Not all Evangelicals are this way” or “These are only a small fraction” or “Becareful of stereotyping” is simply tactics to shut down any debate and to ignore the elephant in the room. Some use these tactics to shut down debate for the “unity of the Church” at all costs is dangerous in the long term. It is time to stand up to a bully, face him, expose him without mercy and call him a bully. Only a bully thrives on the tyranny of niceness so he can control some more. For those who want to be inspired after watching this clip of perverse joy of damnation, I urge you to read the Epistle of James online and discover the pleasurable difference and joy that the Apostle James took. It’s nearly 2,000 years old and I believe it is still the best approach.
Life After The WCG: A Spirital Pilgrimage of an Independent Believer 
I cannot say how much I appreciate your hat-tip to the “Free Believers” site. I’ve been listening to the podcasts and it’s been an amazing how healing I find them.
Thanks Mickey and glad you found healing from that site. I might not agree with everything they’re saying but I respect them for thinking outside the box.
I just wanted to encourage you and thankyou for writing what you did about that video. I sought the Lord last night and this morning about how I was feeling, and He gave me the answers I needed, so I praise Him. But I also wanted to thank you because while looking to find out who this guy was, I found your blog about the video, and I am so glad people like you have the courage of their convictions to be able to share the way you did. I hate abuse of Christians, but if you say that in response to the video, the video itself condemns you, that is why I remained silent. Thankyou for not being silent.
God Bless
It has been amazing to me that, as I look back into my own life, half of the oppressions I have witnessed in my life, and any oppression all of it tends to be an unacceptable human rights abuse now too, all oppressions are still unacceptable , these oppressions now came from the least expected places, from the Bullies within the church , even from bad pastors, bad elders, bad deacons, and also within my related control freaked or despotic family members, all now proving to me that many of these professing Christians persons were still not real Christians in fact. The other half of the oppressions, and all of it too was unacceptable, came from fellow employees, bad contacts, acquaintances, neighbour, civil and public servants, cops, RCMP.
http://postedat.wordpress.com/2010/12/03/oppressors-or-bullies-are-always-unacceptable/
For the record, I hate bullies. All kinds. Whether they are school yard, high school, workplace, cyber (internet) and yes, I have a special place for hell for those religious bullies.
https://lifeafterwcg2.wordpress.com/2010/08/11/this-man-is-a-bully-and-needs-to-be-treated-as-such/
For the record both religious and non religious bullies have the same source of inspiration, the devil.. Bully Cain Killed Abel because he was of the evil one.
Cain did not kill Abel because “he was of the evil one”, Cain killed Abel because he suffered the same depravity as you and I and he acted on it. And think, God could have killed him, but He didn’t – WHY?
The blogger says – “I have been trying to find out who is he is and what exactly is his theology. For some reason wikipedia or anybody elese has not provided any information about this man. ”
Funny how it took me only a few minutes to find the info on Nate Pfiel the blogger says he can’t find.
Okay troll, you proved your point. Move on.
To ftloveblog70:
I know many wrongs were committed in history of the Church; I sincerely apologize to you for the wrongs committed against you by the Church. If we invoke any source here it should be the Word of God. You say Nate Pfeil is ‘tampering’ with the assurance of salvation and is preaching a doctrine of works like a bully- lets hone in on these.
Titus 2:11-15 “For the grace of God has been revealed, bringing salvation to all people. And we are instructed to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures. We should live in this evil world with wisdom, righteousness, and devotion to God, while we look forward with hope to that wonderful day when the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, will be revealed. He gave his life to free us from every kind of sin, to cleanse us, and to make us his very own people, totally committed to doing good deeds. You must teach these things and encourage the believers to do them. You have the authority to correct them when necessary, so don’t let anyone disregard what you say. ”
James 4:4 “You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship [Greek: acquaintance] with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.”
Luke 9:23-24, Luke 14:26-27, and Matthew 10:38-39 hold the premise of the video. This does not mean being sinless! What Mr. Pfeil is saying is spot on. Following Christ means dying to your own self daily and bringing yourself under the lordship of Jesus Christ.
Luke 9:23-24 “Then he said to them all: “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. ”
This is the DAILY Christian life – a radical departure from worldliness and sin. When John 15:4-6 speaks of abiding/remaining in Christ-this is where we dwell, repentance is the normal place of being. We WILL sin but we then repent from that sin (1John 1:8).
1John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
Matthew 7:18-19 “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.” This is closely tied to John 15:4-6 and Matthew 3:8-10. What is this fruit? Matthew 13 shows eternal spiritual fruit empowered by the Holy Spirit is the evidence of a real transformation through Godly character, evangelization, and discipleship:
Matthew 13:23 “But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”
Do Christians judge one another? Yes, but only for other Christians!
1Corinthians 5:9-13 “I have written you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people– not at all meaning the people of this world who are immoral, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters. In that case you would have to leave this world. But now I am writing you that you must not associate with anyone who calls himself a brother but is sexually immoral or greedy, an idolater or a slanderer, a drunkard or a swindler. With such a man do not even eat. What business is it of mine to judge those outside the church? Are you not to judge those inside? God will judge those outside. “Expel the wicked man from among you.”
Is there a process for this? Yes! Sound extreme? It is. Read Matthew 18:15-17, it walks through the process what should happen when one brother sins against another brother. In truth, the church needs to heed the Word of God and honor the purity Jesus expects of His Bride – the Church!
@Chris Campbell – Thank you. I sometimes gets my emotions stirred to hear someone argue against the “harsh” realities of the Gospel. Our own fleshly pride desires to feel good and tries to insist on watering down God’s truth and thus make it easy to forget the very scriptures you share. I applaud Nate for calling the Christian to truly ponder and reconcile their beliefs and relationship with Christ. It sometimes takes a blunt force to do so because of our selfishness.
@ftloveblog – A sincere thank you for sharing your opinion. Since I don’t personally know you or about your relationship with Christ, I only share one aspect of the bible in hopes that it can serve as a reminder that we all don’t operate/function the same and it’s those varied functions that allow us to actually operate as one: 1 Corinthians 12:17-18 “If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as He wanted them to be.”
YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT, THANK YOU FOR WRITING THIS. It’s funny how the Bible never promises everlasting life to those who repent (Luke 13:5, 13:5, Acts 20:21, 17:30) or follow Jesus, (they use Matthew 6:25, 16:21-26, 10:39, Luke 9:23-24, Mark 8:34-8:35, to justify this false teaching
Works are not the “evidence of salvation”, works are the result of repentance – BIG difference. An unbeliever can do good works, a “Believer” can do bad works – it’s about the tree and its fruits 😉