I believe that attacking any true minister of God personally and especially attacking their ministry is very dangerous ground for anyone to tread. Like Paul, I magnify my office (Romans 11:13). I refuse to criticize this brother's person in this post, or his ministry. I post this in response to discovering that I have been maligned and personally attacked by this man, though. I only wish to clarify what I truly believe. God will deal with this man, Himself. I leave him in Jesus' hands to deal with. I pray for this brother, but I wish to note what he has said about my beliefs and ministry that are completely false. Here are some excerpts with his words italicized and tabulated to the right in separation from my text and comments:
"Posted ...on April 23, 2000 at 21:01:48:"This man has accused me of believing the following regarding Christmas:
"His whole philosophy, and that is what his theory is: is based upon the premise that God does not view paganism with a critical eye, if paganism and idols can be used to somehow bring glory to him, then paganism and converted idols have virtue (holiness), worth (righteousness), and they are a premium (God will honor them)."There is absolutely no way that I endorse or encourage the thought that idols can be converted for God's glory nor that idols from paganism can bring glory to God. God will never honour such audacity. Idols are never sanctioned by God no matter what the intention is. I posted thoughts saying so in response to Roman Catholics who debated me about their sanctification of pagan idols into their belief system. You can read those thoughts by clicking here:
I was also accused falsely as follows:
"He spiritualizes to the extent that he can manipulate a verse of Scripture to make it say anything he wants it to say, even if it was not the intent of the writer or an Apostles' Doctrine. Suffice it to say, that his gnostic spiritualizing (a form of Jewish mysticism) and his theory of eating meats and using this to support pagan holidays, gives we true Apostolics an evil name."The alleged "Spiritualizing" of the Biblical texts this brother is referring to are the sort of thoughts I had about Ezekiel speaking about the CHURCH when he saw a vision of the temple of God. He particularly saw this and said I was spiritualizing the Bible out of reason. I pointed out that the only temple God is concerned with is the temple of the church. And that this prophecy of Ezekiel concerned the Church.
"Paganism and idolatry are evil and anyone who observes or celebrates them is lost even if they speak in tongues or are baptized in Jesus name. The latter are no proof a man's doctrine is correct. If so the so-called Apostolic homosexuals and lesbians who speak in tongues and baptize in Jesus name are also correct by this alleged validation."To imply I teach anybody is acceptable to God so long as they speak in tongues and are baptized in Jesus' name is simply a lie. Homosexuals and Lesbians are lost in their sins and are not saved no matter how much they speak in tongues or claim Jesus' name baptism.
"If Brother Blume does not repent for leading multitudes to practice paganism, then he will be lost. If he does not repent for teaching that elements of idolatry are acceptable, then he will be lost. It may take some time before God judges his heresy, but he will be judged. It may be sometime before his liberalism comes to full "Blume" but when it does, his false doctrines will not be hidden."He claims that I encourage idolatry simply because I state that a person can enjoy Christmas with no intention of worshiping God with it, or no intention of bowing to any idol, but just to give gifts to one's families. I would never encourage a soul to commit idolatry. I called it "extreme legalism" to say that bending down to pick up a gift, regardless of the heart's intentions to worship NOTHING, is bowing to an idol. It is extreme legalism to not be concerned as to the reason a person is doing something, and to say it is idolatry simply because a person does the same action as bow down to an idol when they pick a gift up from beneath a christmas tree. That would mean that bending down to tie my shoes in front of a statue is idol worship!! That is nonsense.
"And he sees no sin in kids getting presents out from under this idol tree, all because in his false doctrine it is not an idol, his amnesia has blocked that out and now it is just a Christmas tree, a holy tree, a righteous tree, and God is well pleased his Saints all have this wonderful pagan element now and have converted it to his glory. If you can swallow that, I own a bridge in New York to sell you!"He accuses me of calling the Christmas tree a "holy tree, a righteous tree," which is absolutely false. I see nothing "holy" about a christmas tree. In fact that was my whole point when he chatted with me about a Christmas tree. I stated that it is simply a decoration. It is not an idol, nor a holy thing to God. It is simply a decoration. He claims the origins of Christmas trees are idols. I disagree. And even if they were idols, Paul said that meat that was offered to an idol meant nothing to Paul. It was plain old meat, and Paul would eat it. This brother would propose that Paul was wrong and that Paul should NEVER eat meat offered to idols. Why did Paul do so? He certainly gave the idol no credit nor honour. It was simply food to Paul. But to those who have conscience of the idol, Paul would not dare eat the meat because it would offend those people. Paul said that there is only one God, and that idols are not gods at all. So Paul knew that the meat offered to those idols was the same as any other meat. So he ate it! he certainly did not honour those idols by eating it, though. God forbid!
1 Corinthians 8:4-8 As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him. Howbeit there is not in every man that knowledge: for some with conscience of the idol unto this hour eat it as a thing offered unto an idol; and their conscience being weak is defiled. But meat commendeth us not to God: for neither, if we eat, are we the better; neither, if we eat not, are we the worse.This brother simply does not understand this portion of scripture. If a person wants to refrain from giving gifts at Christmas time, and refrain from having Christmas Trees, then that is fine. But it is extremely legalistic to accuse people of idolatry simply because they use Christmas Trees as decorations and intend no worship of any idol whatsoever in doing so.