We have been discussing Yahweh's purifications. Not surprisingly, Satan has copied Yahweh's purifications and made counterfeit, pagan purification rites. Without at least being aware of the falsehoods, they can pop up, imitate the real and fool the unwary or even the elect.
On the other hand, there is the danger of avoiding the counterfeit so intensely, that some of the true is missed or discarded.
We must "Prove all things; hold fast that which is good." 1 Thessalonians 5:21, "Rightly dividing the word of truth" 2 Timothy 2:15. Understand that purifications are offered by BOTH Yahweh and Satan. Rightly dividing the difference is the purpose of this study.
This entire study, except for this one page, has been a study of true purification. This page is a study of the counterfeit and false, contrasting it with the good. Some of Satan's rites are counterfeit (copies of true) and some are completely fictional (with no true counterpart).
Satan advocates physical "purification" for the removal of spiritual impurity. This will NOT work and is a dead giveaway of the falsity. A spiritual problem requires a spiritual solution. Satan and his agents and minions can use and manipulate only the physical elements at hand. They can only mimic or counterfeit Yahweh's spiritual purification. They don't have access to Yahweh's cleansing fire that doesn't destroy. They don't have access to Yahweh's water that permanently alleviates thirst. They don't have Yahweh's Holy Spirit that convicts and leads. They can't (legally) forgive sin, even though they make that promise.
The other major difference is that Yahweh's purifications cleanse, heal, restore, redeem and unite.
In contrast, Satan's "purifications" destroy, injure, pollute, divide and are abominations.
PAGANISM
All denominations, religions and practices on the earth today (EXCEPT true worship in the name of "Yahweh", the ONLY SACRED name) are false god pagan cults and can be traced generally to their father, Satan, and more specifically to Nimrod, the son of Cush, the son of Ham, the son of Noah, and finally, to some man (or group of men) who's father is Satan.
Nimrod was "deified" by his wife's cunning. She claimed the baby she bore after his death was her dead husband, Nimrod, reincarnated as the sun-god.
Nimrod the father, his wife Semiramis, and her baby Tammuz became the original "trinity", Father, mother and son. (sometimes "Father, mother and child", or "father, madonna or virgin or "Queen of Heaven", and child", or "Jesus, Mary and Joseph", or "father, son and holy ghost"). Almost all cultures have a pagan "Mother and child" that they worship (see "The Two Babylons" by Alexander Hislop"). How can one tell they are pagan? All worship other than true worship of the one Sacred name of Yahweh is pagan (see Yahweh is My Name).
Another mark of paganism is the use of "mysteries". Yahweh sent His Son to reveal or make known all mysteries (Matthew 13:11, Mark 4:11, Luke 8:10, Romans 11:25, 16:25,26, Ephesians 1:9, 3:3,4, 6:19). Remaining mysteries are hidden (occult, spiritualism, Satanic). Paul even calls Satan and his work the "mystery of iniquity". (Note, Yahweh has many mysteries to unbelievers, but not to us who believe and know Him)
For the mystery of iniquity doth already work: only he who now letteth will let, until he be taken out of the way. 2 Thessalonians 2:7 (see also Revelation 17:5-7)
Another mark of paganism is purification or salvation by personal works or effort (physical means) or merit.
FALSE PURIFICATION BY WATER
Almost all cultures celebrate a false purification rite of baptism by water, in the name of some trinity. This "purification" rite is claimed to rid the initiate of sin (spiritually purify them). This rite was practiced as pagan initiation rites long before John the Baptist.
How it's performed (sprinkling, dipping, immersion) isn't nearly as important as what it claims to do. Any claim of purging sin with physical water, is pagan. Even more important, under authority of what name is it performed? Any name other than the one Sacred name of Yahweh is a false (pagan) god.
There are two proofs that this is a false pagan belief:
1) The Bible is adamant that salvation and spiritual purification is ONLY by ONE SACRED NAME (see The NAME of Yahweh and below).
Lev 22:2, 22:32, 1 Sam 12:22, Psalms 13:5-6, 18:1-6, 25:11, 33:21, 69:29-36, 72:18-19, 79:9, 80:18, 91:14-16, 99:3,6, 103:1, 105:1-3, 106:47, 111:9, 116:4, 124:8, 145:21, 146:2-10, Proverbs 18:10, Isaiah 12:2-5, 26:13, 45:21-25, 49:8-10, 57:15, Ezekiel 20:39, 36:21-22, 39:7, 39:25, 43:7-8, Jeremiah 10:6, 33:2,3, Joel 2:32, Amos 2:7, Zephaniah 3:8-13, Zechariah 13:1,2, Matt 6:9, Luke 1:49, 11:2, John 17:11,12, 20:31
2) Spiritual purity cannot result from a physical rite (literal water).
Yahushua was baptized, but it was not a false purification. It wasn't a purification at all. He didn't get "saved" by His baptism (He wasn't even in need of salvation). AND He wasn't baptized in the name of some "trinity". The Messiah did direct His disciples to baptize in the NAME (singular "name", not "names", plural) of the Father (Yahweh), and of the Son (Yahweh, His heavenly name), and their Spirit (the spirits of Yahweh). One name not three. (otherwise, what is the name of their Spirit in who's name they should be baptized)
Cyril of Jerusalem wrote "On the Mysteries of Baptism" in the 4th century (c. 350 AD). If any mystery remains, it is occult (pagan) and points to the pagan initiation rites, where the initiates were drugged and naked and baptized and made to pass through the fire.
Another claimed use of physical water for spiritual means is the use of "Holy water". Nowhere in scriptures is physical water said to be holy, so this is a fiction, not a counterfeit.
FALSE PURIFICATION BY FIRE
There is spiritual fire (Yahweh's word) that is an agent leading to spiritual purification and there is physical fire that is able to physically purify some items, but destroy others (metal vs clothing and people). There is NO physical fire that can purify spiritually. This is a pagan belief. Physical fire can only destroy man.
Most of the world, including so-called Christians, accuse God of sending destructive physical fire, if not in the story of Elijah (Luke 9:54-56), at least at the very end in some "strange act" to spiritually purify. In light of Christ's direct word on the subject, I don't know how this mistake can be made. This is a pagan belief (spiritual purification by physical means).
Destructive physical fire destroys men, purifying spiritual fire destroys sin.
Yahweh's fire purifies (restores). Satan's fire destroys.
Yahweh creates, redeems and restores, Satan destroys.
And when his disciples James and John saw this, they said, Sir, wilt thou that we command fire to come down from heaven, and consume them, even as Elias did? But he turned, and rebuked them, and said, Ye know not what manner of spirit ye are of. For the Son of man is not come to destroy men's lives, but to save them. Luke 9:54-56
It is obvious that James and John believed that Yahweh destroyed men with physical fire. It is just as obvious by Yahushua's response, that He doesn't. In fact, that is of a different spirit. If not of Yahweh, than they had to be manifesting the spirit of Satan, the destroyer.
Do you accuse Yahweh of this pagan, destructive doctrine? If so, it is time to reconsider which god you serve.
Spiritual purification by physical fire, was the great sin and abomination of fire worship required by the god Molech/Baal
And they built the high places of Baal, which are in the valley of the son of Hinnom, to cause their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire unto Molech; which I commanded them not, neither came it into my mind, that they should do this abomination, to cause Judah to sin. Jeremiah 32:35
FALSE PURIFICATION BY BLOOD
Pagans use blood sacrifices, self-flagellation and body cuttings to (attempt to) appease and purify themselves before their gods (see 1 Kings 18:28). Again, this is a false physical method of achieving spiritual purity. It is still practiced today in pagan lands and within the Roman "church". One cannot work or earn salvation or purity. It is ONLY a gift granted in the name of Yahweh.
The children of Israel all too often followed the practices of the heathen around them. They sacrificed their own children on alters and in the fires of Molech on the hills and in the groves, shedding the blood of their own innocent children.
So, how about the sacrificial system of Israel given in the Bible? Those sacrifices did NOT purify anybody. Remember the rule - a physical practice can NOT cause spiritual purification. If they had, then the Better Sacrifice would be unnecessary. They may have been given by Yahweh, but I'm not convinced they were, or that they were His perfect will. They may have been His permissive will. Frequently we find Yahweh instructing or leading the rebellious people to make the best of what they planned on doing anyway.
Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. Psalms 40:6
For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of Elohim are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O Elohim, thou wilt not despise. Psalms 51:16-17
Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices [not physical blood], acceptable to Yahweh by Yahushua the Messiah. 1 Peter 2:5
I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of Yahweh, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice [spiritual, not a physical blood sacrifice], holy, acceptable unto Yahweh, which is your reasonable service. Romans 12:1
And to love him with all the heart, and with all the understanding, and with all the soul, and with all the strength, and to love his neighbour as himself, [spiritual acts] is more than all whole burnt offerings and sacrifices. Mark 12:33
For the law having a shadow of good things to come, and not the very image of the things, can never with those sacrifices which they offered year by year continually make the comers thereunto perfect. Hebrews 10:1
By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise [a spiritual act] to Yahweh continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. But to do good and to communicate forget not: for with such sacrifices Yahweh is well pleased. Hebrews 13:15-16
The symbol of the cross accentuates and implies a blood sacrifice and its instrument of torture and death, all these are pagan.
The cross is a pagan symbol adopted by the Christian (Roman) church around the 3rd to 4th century A.D., after the "mystery of iniquity" had already begun to work (2 Thessalonians 2:7). Unfortunately it has not yet been expelled by protestants. It stands for the modern letter "T", anciently "tau" the Egyptian symbol of life and resurrection. This came to symbolize Tammuz, the ancient false god and false messiah, Nimrod, who was killed and (supposedly) resurrected; the false messiah who was referred to as the "seed", "branch", the "shepherd", the "lamb", "son of god", and "lord". It was also displayed as a "T" on hot "cross" buns, baked in his memory.
The symbols the Saviour gave us was NOT the cross, but bread and wine, symbolizing His body and blood. These symbols accentuate and imply the Son of man, the Son of Yahweh, His perfect life and His resurrection.