Cyrus or Manalo:
a response to Iglesia ni Cristo
  According to Iglesia ni Cristo, Felix Manalo (1886-1963) was the "last messenger of God."  Was he a prophet?  Did he make predictions of the future?  Did they all come to pass?
   In an article in God's Message entitled "The Messenger's Legacy" by Brandon Rosquites the claim is made that Is. 46:11-13 refers to Manalo.  Let's examine the context.  Isaiah predicted that Cyrus, mentioning him by name, would conquer Babylon hundreds of years before he was born!  Isaiah is variously dated from 783 B.C. to 704 B.C.  While Cyrus of Persia defeated Babylon on Oct. 13, 539 B.C.! Isaiah ch. 44 is about Cyrus and so is 45, maybe the 46th is as well.  "It is I who says of Cyrus, 'He is My shepherd! And he will perform all My desire.' And he declares of Jerusalem, 'She will be built,' And of the temple, 'Your foundation will be laid'  Thus says the LORD to Cyrus His anointed, Whom I have taken by the right hand, To subdue nations before him, And to loose the loins of kings..."(Is. 44:28, 45:1 NASB).  "Bel has bowed down, Nebo [the gods of Babylon] stoops over; Their images are consigned to the beasts and the cattle..." Calling a bird of prey [the golden eagle was the standard of Cyrus] from the east, The man of My purpose from a far country..." (Is. 46:1,11).  Chapters 44 and 45 mention Cyrus by name, 46:1 mentions the gods on Babylon and 46:11 mentions the symbol for Cyrus.  Is. 46:11 refers to Cyrus, not Manalo. 
   Rosquites mentions the book of Philippians five times in his article yet this book clearly confutes the teachings of Iglesia ni Cristo.  "Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped" (Phil. 2:5,6).  Jesus Christ is God.  The Trinity is at least mentioned:  "Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ... For I know that this shall turn out for my deliverance through your prayers and the provision of the Spirit of Jesus Christ" (Phil. 1:2,19).  In this letter Paul gives testimony to salvation by grace through faith alone:  "Beware of the dogs, beware of the evil workers, beware of the false circumcision; for we are the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh, although I myself might have confidence even in the flesh. If anyone else has a mind to put confidence in the flesh, I far more:  circumcised the eighth day, of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the Law, a Pharisee; as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to the righteousness which is in the Law, found blameless.  But whatever things were gain to me, those things I have counted as loss for the sake of Christ.  More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish in order that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith" (Phil. 3:2-9).  All three of these doctrines Manalo denied.  The decision is yours!  Feedback is welcome.
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