StreetFishing

Does Jesus Hate Religion? Kinda, Sorta, Not Really

2012-01-19T19:47:00.001-07:00

By Kevin Deyoung

UPDATE: Since I posted this article, Jefferson Bethke and I have had a chance to talk by email and over the phone. I included some of our conversation in a follow up post. I hope you will be as encouraged by the exchange as I was.

******

There’s a new You Tube video going viral and it’s about Jesus and religion.

Specifically how Jesus hates religion.

The video—which in a few days has gone from hundreds of views to thousands to millions—shows Jefferson Bethke, who lives in the Seattle area, delivering a well-crafted, sharply produced, spoken word poem. The point, according to Bethke, is “to highlight the difference between Jesus and false religion.” In the past few days I’ve seen this video pop up all over Facebook. I’ve had people from my church say they like it. Some has asked me what I think. Others have told me there’s something off about the poem, but they can’t quite articulate what it is. I’ll try to explain what that is in a moment. But first watch the video for yourself.

Continue reading...

Greg Koukl: Question on Calvinism and Choice

2012-01-04T10:26:00.000-07:00

He's Here!

2011-12-25T00:00:00.001-07:00

The Spirit of Christmas

2011-12-24T04:48:00.001-07:00

By Greg Koukl

Although the biblical meaning of Christmas is more in place for Greg than ever, he misses the emotional experience it no longer holds for him--a poignant reminiscence from his past.

I have a confession to make.

In the past few years I've had some difficulty getting into the spirit of Christmas. Now that I think about it, when I say the past few years I guess I mean the past 20 years or so. I guess my whole adult life I've struggled with this and I've wondered why. Maybe you have the same difficulty. Even mentioning the phrase "the spirit of Christmas" raises a few issues for me. It's usually uttered in the context of criticizing the excesses of the holiday season. Christmas season used to start just after Thanksgiving in the good old days. Now it seems like Thanksgiving itself has been lost all together, swallowed up by an ever expanding Christmas commercial season that devours now almost a quarter of our calendar year. That's pretty pathetic, in a way. People observe that and say, gee whatever happened to the true spirit of Christmas. Or they mourn the loss of the true meaning of Christmas.

To talk about the true meaning of Christmas and not focus on Jesus... is to admire the aroma and ignore the meal.

What's kind of ironic is that what's offered as the true meaning or the spirit of Christmas is almost as pathetic as what it replaces. People say, What happened to the true meaning of Christmas? It's not commercialism. Okay. What is it? They say the true meaning of Christmas is giving. That's what it's all about. It's love, it's joy, it's peace, it's goodwill to men--that kind of thing. In fact, if you look at virtually every single Christmas card, that's what you are going to find. Love and giving and gifts and peace. Ones that are a little more profound or deeper will talk about good will to mankind, and that kind of thing. And you know what? I actually think that is a little pathetic. Not that those things are pathetic in themselves, but when you think of what it actually replaces it is.

On this view of the season one could almost imagine God saying, "Well, it's that time of year again. Christmas, the season of giving, the season of joy and peace and good will towards men. Okay, let's see how am I going to celebrate this year. I've got it. I think I'll become a man. I'll sacrifice myself as a gift. There we go. It's a time for giving. That will be my gift during this time of good will on earth and peace towards men. That would be a fitting statement for the season." So He gave His gift, which incidentally happened to be Himself in the form of a man.

None of these things that I mentioned--peace, good will towards men, giving--are pathetic in themselves. But it seems to me that they pale in significance to the advent which authored Christmas 2,000 years ago. The point is that it's God's miraculous incarnation that is the very foundation of those particular things that you read on Christmas cards as characteristic of Christmas. God's act authored it. It gave it substance. It gave it meaning. It gave it context.

To talk about the true meaning of Christmas and not focus on Jesus, to talk about giving without talking about Jesus, to talk about loving without talking about Jesus, to talk about good will towards men and not talk about Jesus is to admire the aroma and ignore the meal. If I can turn a literary reference on it's side a bit, it's the clothes without the Emperor. In many ways even the more exalted ways of understanding Christmas as peace and goodwill and kindness and charity and love and giving and all of that are merely the clothes without the Emperor. What that does is reduce Christmas to packages. Beautifully wrapped packages, beautifully ribboned, but with nothing inside them. And that is pathetic because of what is lost. It's a pathetic trade-off.
I want to turn this around and look from just a little different angle for just a moment. I want to return to my earlier comment about the difficulty in getting into the spirit of Christmas lately, even though now I have a deeper understanding of it's true substance. You see, prior to my twenty-third birthday I didn't really understand Christmas. Yes, I was raised in a quasi-religious environment, and we went to church on Christmas morning and the like, but I didn't think of Christmas principally as the advent of the Messiah. And when I became a Christian even Christmas carols took on a new significance and meaning to me. But even though I had this deeper understanding of the true meaning of Christmas there was still something missing for me. And as it turns out, to be quite honest with you, when I think about Christmas--especially about the emotional significance it has for me--even now 20 years a Christian, I still think very little about Jesus. I think there is a reason for that. I think at least in my parlance it's the difference between the true meaning of Christmas and the spirit of Christmas, in other words, the emotional impact of Christmas. And I'd like to tell you about that distinction.

When I think of Christmas, what I think of is nearly 20 Christmases that I spent--basically the first 20 years of my life--with a dozen or so people that deeply defined what the Christmas spirit is for me, and in this sense I am not speaking of Christmas in a theological way but in an emotional way. This is what made Christmas feel a certain way. It's a way it doesn't feel anymore. I had a feeling for 20 years about Christmas. It's what Christmas was for me and it doesn't feel that way anymore, and that's been the source of some consternation for me.

Ultimately though, with every good and perfect thing that sweetness comes down from above from the Father of lights during this season of lights. And like Scrooge's second ghost, he merely dispenses a special grace on us unsuspecting recipients, good and evil alike, during this time of year.

I suspect there are quite a number of you out there that feel the same thing. As a matter of fact, my sister up in Washington read my reflections that I mailed to her recently on this very issue and I got a message from her the other day, it was really sweet. She was a little bit broken up. I could tell she had been crying and she said, "You know, I am putting this reflection in my scrapbook partly because it reflected things about our family," but partly because her own feelings are much like mine. Why don't I feel the same way about Christmas as I used to, especially now when I have a deeper sense of the significance of it. And if I don't feel that way, then maybe something is wrong with me. Maybe I'm missing it. Maybe I'm unspiritual. Maybe I'm un-Christian. Maybe I'm just not being the kind of parent or adult Christian that I ought to be at this time of year because, now knowing the true theological significance, I ought to be having a more profound emotional experience with Christmas and I'm not.

I am convinced that the thing that makes Christmas an emotional experience for us is what Christmas was for each of us for the first 15 or so years. That's what gave it it's emotional content and, by the way, for everyone that emotional content has not been good. Christmas is hard for a lot of people because their sense of the spirit of Christmas, in other words the emotional feeling of Christmas, is not pleasure, it's pain. When they get in the spirit of Christmas it's painful because they associate their Christmases with fights and unpleasantness.
It wasn't like that for me, frankly. My Christmases were wonderful. The beautiful thing about Christmas for me was that it was always the same. It was kind of a still point in a changing world. With Christmas I always knew what to expect, and the sameness and consistency of that holiday created a deep sense of safety and a delicious sense of anticipation for me. In fact, as the years passed, the sequence became almost magical. Do you know what I am talking about? Papa--we called my grandfather Papa--and my grandmother would always arrive early Christmas Eve, and with mom and dad and the five kids and the rag tag assembly of visitors and relatives and friends, and as we all grew older our sweethearts, the house was chaos. But it was kind of a warm pleasant kind of chaos--the kind of chaos the Koukl's are used to, frankly. Mom was very clever with decorations. She is still doing it. There was a homespun warmth about the house mixed with the scent of candle and pine cones. Presents were strewn in a happy disarray on the floor beneath the tree. There were festive drinks, hot cocoa, egg nog, lots of tasty things to nibble. I remember my dad used to always put together these hors d'oeuvres trays by using a grapefruit as a holder stuck with a bunch of toothpicks and pieces of cheese and sausage on the ends of them--kind of like an edible porcupine. There were always a few Christmas carols, dad's baritone on course, mom singing harmony and the kids off key. And though I know better now, nothing seemed really planned. It just kind of all magically happened.

Christmas morning dawned early, well, the kids were up early. Sometimes my folks had to wire us into our rooms until they were ready to get up. But dawn initiated a ritual that we repeated every year until all the kids left the house. All nine of us would station ourselves in a kind of semi-circle around the mountain of gifts that had apparently erupted during the enchanted twilight between barely falling asleep and waking up. My grandfather, Papa, played Santa. He'd creak around the tree like an old squirrel looking for nuts and picked up each little parcel, examined it closely, did his ho ho ho's and then extended his arms squinting through his glasses, announced the fortunate recipient and then deposited the bundle in our arms.

We were poor. I know that now, but somehow as the dawn gave way to morning the pile of goodies at our feet grew. Now there was a very particular way that we opened our presents. Once Papa had whittled the mountain down box by box we would open one present a piece in turn, sharing each other's discovery, going around and around the circle until the last gift was gone. I'll tell you it seemed to take all day. Sometimes it did and it was wonderful.

That's what the spirit of Christmas is, frankly, or was for me. And it won't quite be the same, I suspect, until I take my place at the other end of the stage making memories for my own children when that time comes. And you know what? Even then it will be different. Then I was a child, now I am a man. Remember, Paul said that in 1 Corinthians 15. It's a different application but it fits here because the world looks very different from this end of life. I don't think we could ever capture again what it was--that magic, that mystery, that sense of safety, that sense of excitement that many of us associate with Christmas. In the meantime, I can only catch snatches of the Christmas feeling.

Becoming a Christian has changed my life deeply and my friends, but it really hasn't changed Christmas for me. For me becoming a Christian didn't add as much of a new dimension to Christmas as it did a new dimension to life, which included every day on the calendar. I comprehend the substance of Christmas as I never have before, as I mentioned. It's tragic when that substance is lost, but Jesus has never been the spirit of Christmas for me, that is the emotional pleasure of the season. He is the meaning of the season, but He is not the feeling of the season for me. I suspect that for many of us the feeling of the season has to do with the traditions we were raised with, and if you take the traditions away--those warm and meaningful events, songs, smells, sounds, movies, people, decorations--for many of us you would essentially be taking Christmas away, too. It just wouldn't be the same. There is sweetness to the holiday that just can't be captured in religious terms.

Ultimately though, with every good and perfect thing that sweetness comes down from above from the Father of lights during this season of lights. And like Scrooge's second ghost, he merely dispenses a special grace on us unsuspecting recipients, good and evil alike, during this time of year.

I guess I'm saying Christmas can be experienced on a couple of different levels, and each has a distinct value in it's own right. It has a substance, a meaning, and that substance is God's gift in Christ. But it also has a feeling, a spirit, an emotional sweetness that even those who know nothing of Christ can enjoy. And that universal sweetness, that holiday joy turned out to be God's gift, as well.

HT: str.org

Merry Tossmas!

2011-12-22T18:15:00.000-07:00

Something I've posted for the last couple of years.

The Death of Christopher Hitchens

2011-12-16T17:26:00.001-07:00

Christopher Hitchens' was strident in his outspoken hatred for God . He was good with words both in print and in public speaking settings, and his supporters loved him for it. He was flippant in his treatment of Christ and Christians alike. He found Christians praying for his salvation distasteful and urged them that it was as socially insensitive as offering atheism to a dying Catholic.

Apparently, he held this unwavering position shaking his fist at God until his dying day. While God only knows what took place in the last moments of Hitchens’ life, (see Luke 23:39-43) one thing is for sure, if he could send a message now, it would be on bended knee urging everyone he knows to repent and believe the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

“My chief consolation in this year of living dyingly has been the presence of friends,”

-Christopher Hitchens 1949-2011

“For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?”

Mark 8:36

The Ultimate Question

What shall I do to inherit eternal life? You know the commandments, “Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.” If we say we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins. The wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus. God demonstrates His own love towards us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. He who knew no sin became sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. All who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. Repent therefore and be converted, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. Eternal life is found in knowing the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.

A History, The Kettle and The Gospel

2011-12-02T19:54:00.000-07:00

Each year, as part of our normal evangelistic efforts, we approach the familiar red kettles and bell ringers of the Salvation Army with the message of the Gospel. In past years, I have engaged them verbally with a brief history of the organization they are serving as an ice breaker. Then I have made my way into sharing the Gospel with them. Most were gracious and even thankful that I spent some time talking to them.

This year I got to volunteer along with other co-workers in ringing the bell. Believe me, these folks have nothing but time on their hands while minding the red kettle. Your time spent with them will be welcomed.

This year, I'm doing things a little differently. I'm still talking to people, but I'm leaving them with a brief history/gospel tract page. Maybe we'll also tape candy canes to them for a festive touch.

Click Here to view a printable version of our Brief History/Gospel page.

What Is Atheism

2011-12-01T03:00:00.000-07:00

From the Blog and brain of Chad Williams.

All too often on the street I run into people that are self-proclaimed Atheists but, when pressed to give a response as to why they believe that “God does not exist” they recant: “I never said I believe that ‘God does not exist’ I simply lack a belief in God’s existence.”

Is a lack of belief in God’s existence really Atheism though? Certainly not, and when pressed to give an explanation as to what they believe; more times than not they wind up giving a description of Agnosticism.

A true Atheist however is not someone that is open to the possibility of God’s existence. A real atheist is not one that merely lacks a belief in God. A genuine atheist is one that affirms there is no God.

The term Atheist comes from the Greek ἄθεος (atheos). In English this comes out as two words:

ἄ represents the “negative” or “no”

θεος represents “God”

Atheism is the negative (ἄ) contrasted form of God (θεος), which is to say that there is “no God.”

Claiming oneself to be an Atheist -in it’s truest form- comes with a burdensome task as it asserts anegative, that is to say, it affirms that God does not exist which comes with shouldering quite a burden of proof. Of course they are not up to the task and therefore they pour a different meaning into the word “Atheist” and so the word games and redefinitions begin.

They want that provocative title “Atheist” but when their feet are put to the fire on it, they describe themselves to be more Agnostic; or as the Latin form puts it Ignoramus. I guess identifying oneself as anIgnoramus just doesn’t have the same rousing ring to it.

2011-11-18T03:30:00.000-07:00

I made this video last year. With Romney back in the news the views have picked up. Over 4,000 in the past few weeks.

Rob-roy

How to Call for a Gospel Response Like a Calvinist

2011-11-17T03:30:00.000-07:00

"Think like a Calvinist. Preach like an Arminian."

That is how one preaching professor taught his students to call people to faith in a sermon. He couldn't reconcile a theological system that embraces God's sovereignty in salvation with a plea for sinful people to change. Ultimately, this prof thought Calvinism makes sense biblically and logically, but not practically.

Perhaps you have struggled with this, too. I know I have.

There was a season of my ministry where I didn't call people to believe the gospel. I preached the gospel, of course, but only with the hope that the Spirit would use his word to regenerate spiritually dead teenagers against their will. I merely implied that they must believe the gospel.

But I have turned from this mindset. This is not because my pendulum has swung to a more balanced position between Calvinism and Arminianism---I don't believe there is such a thing. It's because I've grown to understand what Calvinism is and, perhaps more importantly, what it isn't.

And His Name is Jesus

2011-11-15T13:40:00.001-07:00

“He was born in an obscure village the child of a poorpeasant. He grew up in another villagewhere he worked in a carpenter shop until he was 30. Then for three years he was an itinerant preacher. He never wrote a book, he never held anoffice, he never had a family or owned a home. He never led an army or traveled200 miles from where he was born. He did none of the things that usually accomplishgreatness. He had no credentials but himself and was 33 when the tide of public opinion turnedagainst him. His friends ran away, oneeven denied him and he was turned over to his enemies and went through themockery of a trial. He was nailed to a cross between two thieves and while hewas dying, his executioners gambled for his garments, the only property he hadon earth. When he was dead, he was laidin a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend . Twenty centuries have come and gone, andtoday he is the central figure of the human race. All the armies that ever marched, all thenavies that ever sailed, all the parliamentsthat ever sat, all the kings that ever reigned put together have not effected humanity on this earth asmuch as that one solitary life.”

--Frank Turek duringa debate with atheist author Christopher Hitchens

Great Quotes

2011-10-12T21:04:00.000-07:00

"The major ideas underlying the doctrines of grace......that God is sovereign, that Christ died for me, that God loved me before I loved Him, that He sought me and drew me and initiated my reconciliation while I was still His enemy, those are truths I believed when I was a rank Arminian. You know what, any true Arminian believes those truths. If you believe those things, you have affirmed the heart of Calvinism and you are functioning with Calvinistic presuppositions." --Phil Johnson

The Ultimate Question

2011-10-03T00:58:00.000-07:00

The following message is the sole purpose this blog exists.

What shall I do to inherit eternal life? You know the commandments, “Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not bear false witness, do not defraud, honor your father and mother.” If we say we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins. The wages of sin is death but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus. God demonstrates His own love towards us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. He who knew no sin became sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in Christ Jesus. If you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. All who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. Repent therefore and be converted, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. Turn to Me and be saved, all the ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other. Eternal life is found in knowing the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent. Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your heart. For what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.

HT: Scripture Tracts

180 Movie

2011-09-25T20:22:00.000-07:00

One of the most important films you will ever see.

Refuting Islam In 3 Minutes

2011-09-21T03:30:00.000-07:00

This short video was produced by my friend Andrew Rappaport. Please check out his web site at www.strivingforeternity.org.

What Do Jehovah's Witnesses Teach?

2011-09-20T03:30:00.000-07:00

Matt Slick of www.carm.org explains the main teachings of the Jehovah's Witnesses and some of their basic theological errors.

Is Mormonism Christian?

2011-09-19T03:30:00.000-07:00

Matt Slick of www.carm.org explains why Mormonism is not Christian due to its rejection of the essential doctrines of the Christian faith and the authority of the Bible. For more documentation see: http://www.carm.org/religious-movements/mormonism/mormonism-christian.

Are Roman Catholics saved?

2011-09-18T07:48:00.001-07:00

No one can judge a Roman Catholic's heart, but God. However, if the Roman Catholic follows the official position of the Roman Catholic Church which teaches that justification is by works, then such a person is lost. The Bible teaches that justification is by faith alone (Rom. 4:5; Eph. 2:8-9). --C.A.R.M.

Monday Dose of Spurgeon

2011-08-22T04:57:00.000-07:00

"If you ask God to convert souls, but you will not do anything for those souls; if you ask God to save your children, but you will not talk to them about their salvation; if you ask God to save your neighbors, and you do not distribute tracts among them, nor do anything else for them, are you not truly a hypocrite? You pray, but you refuse to do anything to affect an answer."

- Charles Spurgeon

For Meditation

2011-08-18T23:01:00.000-07:00

The believer has the promise that sin will not be master over them for they are not under law but grace (Romans 6:14).

That would mean the unbeliever is without the promise and remains a slave to sin and is not under grace but instead the judgment of the law. Share the gospel today. There is only certain amount of time left...

Pyromaniacs: Pornagraphic Divination

2011-08-15T16:06:00.000-07:00

StreetFishing publisher's note: Up until this point, I've been a pretty consistent supporter of Mark Driscoll. I've always thought his teaching was a bit edgy and perhaps at times unnecessarily graphic, but not weird. This particular message puts him into the category of just plain bad teaching. I'm not calling him a heretic or labeling him in any particular manner, but I have read the article posted below by Phil Johnson and think he makes a compelling argument for being careful with what comes out of Mars Hill Church and the ministry of Mark Driscoll.

by Phil Johnson

In a post last week, I pointed out that the preposterous claims, unhinged behavior, and spiritual quackery that are so prominent at the charismatic movement's lunatic fringe are by no means limited to the outer edges. Goofiness and gullibility are necessary byproducts of a belief system that fails to take seriously the principle of sola Scriptura and its ramifications (i.e., the authority and sufficiency of Scripture).

Here's a sample of the kind of thing I was referring to: The video below features Mark Driscoll, claiming the Holy Spirit regularly gives him graphic visions showing acts of rape, fornicators in flagrante delicto, and sexual child molesters in the very act. WARNING: This is an extremely disturbing video, for multiple reasons:

Continue reading...

Unbelieveable Unbelief

2011-08-04T04:02:00.000-07:00

The benefits of not ignoring election in your Bible

2011-08-03T19:33:00.000-07:00

Quoting James Boice

So many people think that election is useless and perhaps even pernicious. It is nothing of the sort. It is part of the Bible's inspired teaching and is therefore "useful," as Paul insisted all Scripture is (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Here's a look at ways election impacts things like evangelism and worship:

1. Election is humbling. Those who do not understand election often suppose the opposite, and it is true that those who believe in election sometimes appear prideful or smug. But this is an aberration. God tells us that he has chosen some by grace entirely apart from merit or even an ability to receive grace, precisely so that pride will be eliminated: "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast"(Eph. 2:8-9).

2. Election encourages our love for God. If we have a part in salvation, however small, then our love for God is diminished by just that amount. If it is all of God, then our love for him must be boundless. Sadly, today's church frequently takes the love of God for granted. "Of course, God loves me," we say. "I love myself; why shouldn't God love me too?" Consider the little girl who loved the Barney theme song from television ("I love you, you love me; we're a happy family"). But she sang it this way: "I love me, you love me; we're a happy family." That is how we tend to think of God's love. We think we deserve it. Understanding that we are elected by grace alone undermines our self-centered, self-satisfied way of thinking.

3. Election will enrich our worship. Who can admire a God who is frustrated by the rebellious will of human beings? Martin Luther wrote, "It is not irreligious, idle, or superfluous, but in the highest degree wholesome and necessary, for a Christian to know whether or not his will has anything to do in matters pertaining to salvation.... For if I am ignorant of the nature, extent and limits of what I can and must do with reference to God, I shall be equally ignorant and uncertain of the nature, extent and limits of what God can and will do in me--though God, in fact, works all in all. Now, if I am ignorant of God's works and power, I am ignorant of God himself; and if I do not know God, I cannot worship, praise, give thanks, or serve Him, for I do not know how much I should attribute to myself and how much to Him. We need, therefore, to have in mind a clear-cut distinction between God's power and ours, and God's work and ours, if we would live a godly life."

4. Election encourages us in our evangelism. People suppose that if God is going to save certain individuals, then he will save them, and there is no point in our having anything to do with it. But it does not work that way. Election does not exclude the use of the means by which God works, and the proclamation of the gospel is one of those means (1 Cor. 1:21).

Moreover, it is only the truth of election that gives us any hope of success as we proclaim the gospel to unsaved men and women. If the heart of a sinner is as opposed to God as the Bible declares it to be, and if God does not elect people to salvation, then what hope of success could we possibly have in witnessing? If God does not call sinners to Christ effectively, it is certain that we cannot do so either. Even more, if the effective agent in salvation is not God's choice and call--if the choice is up to the individual or to us, because of our powers to persuade others to accept Christ--how could we even dare to witness? For what if we make a mistake? What if we give a wrong answer? What if we are insensitive to the person's real questions? In that case, people will fail to believe. They may eventually go to hell, and their eternal destiny will be partly our fault, and how could any thinking, feeling Christian live with that?

But on the other hand, if God has elected some to salvation and if he is calling those elected individuals to Christ, then we can go forth boldly, knowing that our witness does not have to be perfect, that God uses even weak and stuttering testimonies to his grace and, best of all, that all whom God has chosen for salvation will be saved. We can be fearless, knowing that all who are called by God will come to him.

From:

The Doctrines of Grace: Rediscovering the Essentials of Evangelicalism

HT: Oldtruth.com

Manipulated 'Decisions' Lead To Gospel-Hardening

2011-07-14T04:25:00.000-07:00

Quoting Joel Beeke . . .

The Puritans showed a profound dependence upon the Holy Spirit in everything they said and did. They felt keenly their inability to bring anyone to Christ as well as the magnitude of conversion. "God never laid it upon thee to convert those he sends thee to. No; to publish the gospel is thy duty," William Gurnall said to ministers.
. . .
The Puritans were convinced that both preacher and listener are totally dependent on the work of the Spirit to effect regeneration and conversion when, how, and in whom He will. The Spirit brings God's presence into human hearts. He persuades sinners to seek salvation, renews corrupt wills, and makes scriptural truths take root in stony hearts. As Thomas Watson wrote, "Ministers knock at the door of men's hearts, the Spirit comes with a key and opens the door." And Joseph Alleine said: "Never think you can convert yourself. If ever you would be savingly converted, you must despair of doing it in your own strength. It is a resurrection from the dead (Eph 2:1), a new creation (Gal 6:15; Eph 2:10), a work of absolute omnipotence (Eph 1:19)."

Modern evangelists need to be persuaded that the Spirit's regenerating action, as John Owen wrote, is "infallible, victorious, irresistible, and always efficacious"; it "removeth all obstacles, overcomes all oppositions, and infallibly produces the effect intended." All modes of action which imply another doctrine are unbiblical. As JI Packer writes in his book A Quest for Godliness:
"All devices for exerting psychological pressure in order to precipitate 'decisions' must be eschewed, as being in truth presumptuous attempts to intrude into the province of the Holy Ghost." Such pressures may even be harmful, he goes on to say, for while they "may produce the outward form of 'decision,' they cannot bring about regeneration and a change of heart, and when the 'decisions' wear off those who registered them will be found 'gospel-hardened' and antagonistic."
Packer concludes in a Puritan vein: "Evangelism must rather be conceived as a long-term enterprise of patient teaching and instruction, in which God's servants seek simply to be faithful in delivering the gospel message and applying it to human lives, and leave it to God's Spirit to draw men to faith through this message in his own way and at his own speed."

From: Puritan Evangelism: A Biblical Approach

HT: oldtruth.com

Only The Gospel Fills Our Sails

2011-06-28T11:23:00.000-07:00

Michael Horton rightly warns against depending on “guidance technology” to put wind in our sails:

Like a sailboat equipped with the most sophisticated guidance technology, our Christian lives are often decked out with the latest principles for living, with spiritual guidance counselors telling us what will make life really work for us and our families. Oftentimes, brand new Christians sail out of the harbor under full sail, eager to follow the guidance system, making use of all the gadgets, enthusiastically listening to every fellow boater who has some advice to offer. Yet as many long-time believers know, eventually the winds die down and we find ourselves dead in the water. Then when storm clouds gather on the horizon, we discover that all of the guidance technology and good advice in the world cannot fill our sails so that we can return safely to the harbor. The equipment can plot our course, tell us that a storm is coming, and indicate our present location, but it cannot move us one inch toward the safety of the harbor. In other words, if we are looking for motivation in the Christian life, it cannot come from motivational principles; only the gospel fills our sails…While God’s wise directions are necessary, apart from the ever present word of promise that despite our failures at sea, God is at the helm piloting us to safety, we will eventually give up on sailing altogether. Purposes, laws, principles, suggestions, and good advice can set our course, but only the gospel promise can fill our sails and restore to us the joy of our salvation.

The Gospel Driven Life, pg. 143-144

HT: The Gospel Coalition blog: Tullian Tchividjian

Harold Camping: Unrepentant False Prophet Refuses to Stop Dragging Christ's Name Through the Mud

2011-05-24T20:18:00.000-07:00

by James White

When someone has been given over for decades to false teaching and arrogant spiritual dictatorship over others, well...we shouldn't be surprised at what is happening as I type these words. I am listening live to Camping's rambling press conference. I cannot possibly express my deep disgust at this man's willingness to continue to drag the Christian faith and the Holy Bible through the mud. He is utterly unrepentant, and now is adding to his condemnation blatant lies. He just told the gathered press that no church today believes that every word of the Bible comes from God. Of course, it is Camping who thinks the words of the Bible are theological play-dough, all there to serve his whims and his next false prophecy. But, will the press differentiate? Will they speak to responsible Christian scholars, believing scholars? No, Camping is truly a plague upon us, not only here in the United States, but all around the world. God have mercy upon us.

"We had all of our dates correct. We had all our proofs correct." "May 21 was a spiritual coming...He has come, in the sense that He now has the world under judgment." Well, I pretty well called that one, sadly. I had a feeling we would be stuck with this foolishness until October 21, 2011. What an amazingly foolish thing: "Well, folks, we only have 153 days to go, but, hey, we aren't going to put up billboards and stuff, we are going to play music and do teaching about how to live as a good Christian." Brilliant. I can't wait to see the video of this.

Now Camping is lying about Greek verbs. I cannot possibly imagine what the press is going to do with this.

Well, folks, I don't know what else to say. The man is an inveterate heretic, unrepentant, and we call all of his followers to repent and abandon this man's wild delusions.

HT: aomin.org

The End is Near? The False Teaching of Harold Camping

2011-05-20T12:18:00.000-07:00

By Albert Mohler

The church is not to be arrogantly setting dates, but instead to be eagerly waiting for him. Of that we can be truly certain.

Monday, May 16, 2011

Harold Camping is now warning the world that the Day of Judgment will begin at about 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 21, 2011. The 89-year-old founder of Family Radio has made such pronouncements before, most recently in 1994. He now says that he simply miscalculated then, but he is absolutely certain that he has the right calculation now. You have been warned.

continue reading......

Ambassador Model-Knowledge

2011-05-11T10:08:00.000-07:00

Since I'll be heading back out to the Ambassadors' Academy this summer, I thought this message from Greg Koukl was timely. He's got some good basic tips of being and effective ambassador for Christ.

Grieving, Rejoicing that Osama bin Laden Is Dead

2011-05-02T08:08:00.000-07:00

by Christopher Morgan

Osama bin Laden is dead.

How do we as Christians respond?

As I watched the news reports, various passages came to mind–everything from Jesus’ teaching on loving and praying for enemies, to James’ forceful picture of a future slaughterhouse coming upon oppressors of God’s people. The more I reflect on it, the more I realize that my internal tension is similar to another one I have felt many times before–a tension related to the biblical doctrine of hell.
As strange as it seems, hell is depicted in the Bible both as tragedy and victory. Hell is tragic, as it is awful that people rebel against God and persistently spurn the Savior. God is “slow to anger,” “abounding in love and faithfulness” (Exod. 34:6-7), and does not take pleasure in the punishment of the wicked, just as he does not find pleasure in the existence of sin (Ezek. 18:23). Jesus likewise grieved and wept over human lostness, sin, and the impending judgment (Matt. 23:37; Luke 19:41; 23:34). The apostle Paul also shared this perspective, earnestly longing and praying for the conversion of his lost fellow-Jews, even to the point of being willing to undergo God’s wrath for them (Rom. 9:1-6; 10:1). That sinners go to hell is tragic and should break our hearts.

Continue reading....

Pistol Whipped

2011-04-23T07:36:00.000-07:00

This was newsletter note from Todd Friel of Wretched Radio. Good stuff I want to share with my Christian brothers and sisters. Happy Easter!

See if you can relate to any of these sentiments.

>There’s nothing like reading a really good parenting book to make me feel like a complete failure as a father.

>Spending a few minutes with an overly enthusiastic home school parent sure can make me feel like a loser as a mother.

>Watching the worship team makes my praises feel inferior.

>Listening to Paul Washer pray makes me want to crawl under a rock for my lukewarm petitions.

>When I see a skinny celebrity I feel guilty for eating that bag of Cool Ranch Doritos.

>Ray Comfort must love the Lord more than me because he witnesses to so many people.

Perhaps you noticed a theme throughout those statements: feeling like a failure for your lack of performance. If you ever feel lousy because of your failures, you need to know that your lack of joy is not due to the fact that you are a lousy parent, prayer, dieter or evangelizer. Your lack of joy comes from your failure to remember the Gospel!

Here is the hard truth of the matter:

>You and I fail constantly to lead our children to the cross as we parent.

>You and I never have enough intensity in our praise and prayers.

>Even on a good Jenny Craig day, you and I love things too much.

>If we witness to ten people a day, you and I don’t witness to as many people as we should.

Here is the great news, you and I are still enthusiastically accepted and loved by the Father! This is not due to your performance, but it is exclusively due to the performance of the Son on your behalf!

>Dad, you blow it as a father. Jesus died for bad dads.

>Mom, you sin when you home school your children in anger. Jesus died for angry moms.

>Christian, on your best Sunday, your praise and prayers are weak and distracted. Jesus died for you, a blasphemer.

>Overweight person, you have made a bag of chips an idol. Jesus died for you, an idolater.

>Your lack of love for the Lord and for the lost is an abomination to God. Jesus died for your apathy.

Dear Pistol Whipped Christian, you must stop trying to find joy and acceptance in your performance. On your very best day, your performance, like mine, is pathetic! But Jesus performance was perfect! Because of the doctrine of justification, His performance is now your performance!

Your ability to parent marvelously, praise intensely, pray fervently, eat wisely or evangelize perpetually should not be your source of peace, joy or satisfaction. Your source of joy should be found in Jesus, who died for your sins and failures.

The daily reminder that God sees you as perfect because of Jesus will lead you to more joy and to more loving parenting, intense praising, fervent praying, self-control and love for the Lord and for the lost.

Now, aren’t you glad for Easter!

Meet Esly!

2011-04-15T11:05:00.002-07:00

From time to time I introduce a new blogger or friend who has a great web site with an important overall message, and I frequently pass along the great articles they write. It is a privilege to encourage other brothers and sisters in Christ and make new connections for the purpose of growing us in maturity and reaching the lost ultimately to the glory of God alone. All of my connections here have been Gospel centered and usually evangelism centered. Some are apologetic ministries or creation science ministries, but even those are ultimately centered on the truth of the Gospel.
This will be the first time I have promoted anything other than a ministry, but I still think it's in order.

Recently I had the pleasure of working on a small project with Esly Carrero Stampek of Esly.net Actually, Esly has all the talent and did all the work! She has a great web site and business...And, it's Gospel centered! Although that's not the primary subject of her work, she makes not secret about where she gets her talent and inspiration. Please visit her site often. There's lots to see.

Use Logic, Mock Christians

2011-03-29T14:29:00.000-07:00

New Evangelical Virtues

2011-03-22T10:54:00.001-07:00

This is a really good post from Time Challies. He is always balanced and seeks to discern truth and trends. Read on for a great observation concerning Rob Bell's new controversial book and current growing views on the doctrine of Hell.

I don’t want to keep talking about Rob Bell. Honest. And in this post I am only going to touch on him on the way to something else. I think the uproar about his view on hell has helpfully illustrated what passes as virtue in the evangelical world today. As I have read some of the controversy, reading particularly from those who have taken his side, I have seen evidence of three characteristics that seem to pass as virtues today. In some parts of the Christian world, these are now embraced as Christian virtue: doubt, opaqueness, and an emphasis on asking rather than answering questions.

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Have You Experienced Repentance?

2011-03-10T21:45:00.000-07:00

Have we ourselves repented? This, after all, is the question that concerns us most. It is well to know what the apostles taught. It is well to be familiar with the whole system of Christian doctrine. But it is far better to know repentance by experience and to feel it inwardly in our own hearts. May we never rest until we know and feel that we have repented! There are no unrepentant people in the kingdom of heaven. All who enter in there have felt, mourned over, forsaken, and sought pardon for sin. This must be our experience, if we hope to be saved.

~ J.C. Ryle

Expository Thoughts on the Gospels: Mark, [Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1985], 116.

Take Action

2011-03-03T20:51:00.001-07:00

Please take a moment to read this article and then voice your concerns to the various authorities in Athens, Georgia. It is an occurrence that is becoming all to familiar in our nation today. Marcus is not only a friend of this ministry, but a bold proclaimer of the Gospel of Christ.

http://www.repentamerica.com/news/pittman-arrested.html

I Believe In Unicorns!

2011-02-23T14:25:00.000-07:00

John MacArthur Rebukes Joel Osteen

2011-02-18T21:05:00.000-07:00

Unholy Trinity

2011-02-14T19:33:00.000-07:00

John MacArthur

I don't watch much television, and when I do I generally avoid the Trinity Broadcasting Network (TBN). For many years TBN has been dominated by faith-healers, full-time fund-raisers, and self-proclaimed prophets spewing heresy. I wrote about the false gospel they proclaim and the phony miracles they pretend to do almost two decades ago in Charismatic Chaos (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1992. See especially chapter 12). I had my fill of charismatic televangelism while researching that book, and I can hardly bear to watch it any more.

Recently, however, while recovering from knee-replacement surgery, I decided to sample some of the current fare on TBN. From a therapeutic point of view it seemed a good choice: something more excruciating than the pain in my leg might distract me from the physical suffering of post-surgical trauma. And I suppose on that basis the strategy was effective.

But it left me outraged and frustrated—and eager to challenge the misperceptions in the minds of millions of unbelievers who see these false teachers masquerading as ministers of Christ on TBN.

I'm outraged at the brazen way so many false teachers twist the message of Scripture in Jesus' name. And I'm frustrated because I'm certain that if these charlatans were not receiving a large proportion of their financial support from sincere believers (and silent acquiescence from Christian leaders who surely know better), they would have no platform for their shenanigans. They would soon lose their core constituency and fade from the scene.

Continue reading....

11 Year-Old Reveals Jesus Throughout the Entire Bible

2011-02-03T10:35:00.000-07:00

For your enjoyment

2011-01-28T13:43:00.000-07:00

I tried to find a good reason to post this video here that relates to this blog. I'm not sure what that is, except that God has given us animals to subdue and rule over (Genesis 1:28.) I suppose that would include enjoying and caring for our domestic pals. This pup is surely a joy to his owner, but the glory is God's alone for giving us animals to appreciate.

'Man Saves Man' and Decisions Are The Plan

2011-01-24T11:24:00.000-07:00

Where did we ever get the idea that people can save other people, and even save themselves? Sure, nobody comes right out and says that, but you can tell that they think it. It's amazing how this one theological error upstream ends up causing an entire evangelism epidemic downstream. No, theology is not useless "head knowledge", it impacts our actions. And in this case, bad theology has produced an entire errant evangelistic system.

The problem that we are seeing today, is that church leaders believe that people can control when and if the New Birth occurs. Here's one example with scenes from an actual church service:

We are warned of the problem in Evangelism and the Sovereignty of God:

"If we forget that it is God's prerogative to give results when the Gospel is preached, we shall start to think that it is our responsibility to secure them. And if we forget that only God can give faith, we shall start to think that the making of converts depends, in the last analysis, not on God, but on us, and that the decisive factor is the way in which we evangelize. And this line of thought, consistently followed through, will lead us [into error]. If we regarded it as our job, not simply to present Christ, but actually to produce converts, to evangelize not only faithfully, but also successfully, our approach to evangelism would become pragmatic and calculating."

That's exactly the kind of thinking that is represented in links like these:
Megachurch pastor Steven Furtick says he's setting "strategic goals in the areas of attendance, salvation decisions, (and) baptisms". Now if you really believe that it's up to God to save people, how can you make a specific goal for salvations? How can you predict how many God will save? Maybe He'll save none. I suppose one way is if God tells you ahead of time how many he's going to save. That's what Steven reports on another post in which he shares how God told him that "100 people would give their lives to Jesus", and before he preached a sex sermon God told him that "50 people would be saved". Curiously, these numeric prophetic messages are never mentioned ahead of time, and are only spoken of in specific terms AFTER they appear to come true.
A staffer at one church talks about their goal of saving "hundreds" over the upcoming year, but I wonder if they've considered the possibility that the Holy Spirit might save 10 times that many, or maybe nobody at all. After all, John 3:8 reminds us, who can predict what the Spirit will do? He's like the wind that blows where it wishes.

The Cool Church missions blog points out that 300 made decisions when "Pastor George spoke". Elsewhere, Pastor Greg talks about 1600 people who got saved in jail, and makes a special point of mentioning that "I led over 130 to the Lord myself". A nursing home evangelist says that he resists boasting about 'decisions' but, you guessed it, he ends up doing it anyway. Not only that but, he let's you know that the decisions occurred "due to our ministry".

As for the video clip above, it's worth noting that repentance was never discussed by the pastor in that church service. Leaving out key aspects of an evangelism message like that is one of the common traits of the modern error of Decisional Regeneration. That's the focus of this informative video clip which outlines the problem with today's "man saves man" church methodology, which is based on no less than faulty theology.

HT: Oldtruth.com

Theology Questions

2011-01-18T05:10:00.001-07:00

Mars Hill Church has some good resources concerning the most asked questions about theology. Here is one on assurance of salvation.

This is a question that comes up frequently, particularly among fairly new Christians who are still working on understanding the Scriptures. First, the very fact that this situation is bothering you is evidence that you are part of God’s family and need not fear loss of your salvation. You cannot lose your salvation. Look up Romans 11:29 and memorize it.

If you’re concerned about the “unforgiveable sin,” be sure to see Pastor Mark’s explanation on the topic.
As for your referring to Hebrews 6:4-6 and Hebrews 10:26-31, let me say that these are two of the most hotly debated portions of Scripture among theologians more astute and experienced than most all of us. Our suggestion would be to try to acquire or borrow a copy of the ESV Study Bible and read the commentaries that it gives on those two portions of Scripture.

The Mars Hill position on those passages would be that they describe persons who fall into one of the first three soils that Jesus describes in Luke 8:4-15. When you read that parable and the meaning that Jesus himself provides, you will understand that many people can “taste” the blessings of God and sometimes even appear to be “born again,” but in time it is revealed that they never were the “good soil.” The Apostle John in 1 John 2:19 explains those of the first three soils by saying, “They went out from us, but they were not really of us, for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out, so that it would be shown that they are not of us.”

The very fact that being one who does not remain is bothersome to you, reveals that you are saved. You want to remain in the body. Therefore, be assured and secure in your salvation. Check out the document, Assurance Scriptures, and rest in your own assurance. When you have time, turn in your Bible to 1 John 5 and then download and print this document. You will see that you can already identify with at least some of the evidences of your being a part of God’s family. As you mature in your faith, more and more of those evidences will become part of your life. We call that process “sanctification.”

Instead of worrying about your salvation, you need to move on to why God saved you. Read Ephesians 2:8-10. Verse 10 will indicate to you that he saved you for a purpose. As a new believer, you need to figure out what your Spiritual Gifting is and how you can fulfill Ephesians 2:10. When you have time, go to the Mars Hill website for the six sermons that Pastor Mark preached on spiritual gifts. As you listen, you most likely will discover which gift or gifts that God has blessed you with. When you begin to minister to others with that or those gifts, you will experience the joy and assurance that our Lord Jesus wants you to have.

Satan would want to put doubt in your mind. Tell him to get lost in Jesus’ name, because he has no right to your life. He is the father of lies and he or his demons are lying to you to weaken your faith. Flee from him and serve the Lord Jesus because he is your head pastor and top authority.

Resources

Am I Saved – Examine 1 John 5.rtf
Assurance Scriptures.txt

What is Reformed Theology (In a nutshell)

2011-01-07T19:22:00.000-07:00

I thought it was time for something pithy...

Reformed theology...

...presupposes God's Word alone as our ultimate authority.
...stresses the sovereignty of God, that is, His reign over all things, meticulously determining (Eph 1:11)
   all that comes to pass (i.e. God is never taken by surprise).
...ephasizes a Christ-Centered proclamation of the gospel, that salvation is wholly of God, by grace alone
   through faith alone in Christ alone as revealed in the Scripture alone to the Glory of God alone.
...views the Bible as a redemptive-historical organic unfolding of revelation which is structured by three
   covenants (redemption, works and grace).

It goes without saying that those in the Reformed Tradition hold to the doctrines of grace (the five points of Calvinism), man's helpless condition apart from Christ, the necessity of evangelism and the work of the Holy Spirit who (monergistically) quickens the dead to life through the preaching of the word as God turning their heart of stone to flesh, and opening their eyes to the excellencies of the gospel (uniting them to Christ). In other words, RT stresses the way the objective, written Word together with the inner, supernatural ministry of the Holy Spirit work together. For the Word without the illumination of the Holy Spirit remains a closed book. We (the church) cast forth the seed of the gospel and the Holy Spirit germinates it, so to speak, with the blood of Christ bringing forth life in people from every nation, tribe, language, and people (Rev 14:6). RT traces its historical and theological lineage back to the theology of Christ, Paul, Augustine and to the Protestant Reformation of the 16th Century.

HT: Monergism.com

Weird and Holy

2010-12-31T03:30:00.002-07:00

Mary and the Grace of God

2010-12-24T09:15:00.000-07:00

December 24, 2010

"And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God." (Luke 1:30)

This announcement by the angel Gabriel to the virgin Mary, that she had been chosen as the mother of the coming Savior, contains the first mention in the New Testament of the Greek word for grace (charis). Mary was chosen, not for anything she had done, but because she had "found grace."

In a remarkable parallel, certainly implying divine inspiration, the first mention of "grace" in the Old Testament is also associated with the coming of a new dispensation in God's dealings with men. "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD" (Genesis 6:8).

Just as Mary found grace, so Noah had found grace. Grace is not something one earns or purchases; grace is a treasure that is found! When a person--whether Noah or Mary or someone today--finally realizes that salvation is only by the grace of God, received through faith in the saving work of Christ, he or she has made the greatest discovery that could ever be made, for it brings eternal life.

But there is an even greater dimension to the grace of God. When we do "find" grace, it is actually because God in His infinitely precious grace has found us and revealed to us the Savior of our souls. Just as God found Moses in the desert and found Paul on the road to Damascus, then saved and called them to His service, so He finds us, and then we also find His saving grace.

Mary's discovery of God's grace in salvation, through the coming of the "seed of the woman" into the world, is revealed in her Magnificat: "My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour" (Luke 1:46-47). This could well have also been the testimony of Noah long ago, and it surely should be the testimony of each of us who has found grace today.

HT: icr.org

Author: Most Evangelicals Believe Good People are Heaven-Bound

2010-12-21T03:30:00.002-07:00

The majority of Protestants and evangelicals believe that good people and people of other religions can go to heaven, according to author David Campbell.

Campbell, who co-wrote American Grace, How Religion Divides and Unites Us, contends that surveys of 3,000 Americans, used to write the book, show that American people of faith, though devout, are very tolerant. So much so that most believers also believe that good people, despite their religious affiliation, can go to heaven.

Among the faiths, 83 percent of evangelical Protestants agreed that good people of other religions can go to heaven. Ninety percent of black Protestants also believe good people can go to heaven.

When prodded further, more than half – 54 percent – of evangelical Protestants said yes, people of religions other than Christianity can go to heaven. Sixty-two percent of black Protestants agreed with the statement.
Notably, the author mentioned that there may be some in the evangelical category that don't belong.

Campbell, an expert of religion, politics and public policy, explained at a Thursday discussion of his book that the numbers can be explained with the “Aunt Susan” theory. Aunt Susan, he said, is the nice family member who is well-loved and is an all around do-gooder.

“You know that if anyone is destined to go to heaven, it’s Aunt Susan,” described Campbell.
However, Aunt Susan is of another religion. Rather than condemn that person to a lost eternity, Campbell said, most American believers choose instead to believe that that person is heaven-bound.

He also shared that knowing an Aunt Susan opens believers up to other faiths.

“You become warmer not only to people of that group, but to people of other groups,” Campbell contended.
Simply put, interlocking social networks allows believers to accept tenants of other faiths.

Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, works with leaders of many faiths on issues such as stopping pornography, abortion and religious persecution.
“That doesn’t mean that I’m going to abandon the New Testament teaching,” he stated.

Those who do so to accommodate other beliefs “aren’t very good evangelicals,” in his view.

Land lamented that more evangelicals are being taught the doctrine of universalism. “It’s emphasized from the pulpit; it’s emphasized in the seminaries,” he decried.

Universalism is the theological doctrine that all people will eventually be saved despite a relationship with Christ.

He said this is especially true of youths because the messages from the pulpit have changed.
“I think the doctrine ‘In Christ alone’ … was emphasized more 25 years ago than it is today so young [people] are hearing about it less,” he revealed.

While Land said it is possible for Methodists, Baptists, Lutherans and even Catholics to follow the tenants of their faiths and have salvation in Jesus Christ, he stated that the same is not true for Buddhists, Muslims and Mormons.

“It is impossible to believe what Mormons believe and be a Christian. It is impossible to believe what Muslims believe and be a Christian,” he said.

Likewise, he acknowledged that there may be unsaved believers among Methodists, Baptists, Lutherans and Catholics. Salvation, the biblical requirement for heaven, is an individual and personal choice, he told The Christian Post.

Land said he quotes the Bible’s New Testament which states that there is one mediator between God and men and that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life to all those who ask about heaven. If missionary work and evangelism is to continue on into the future, other Protestants must do the same, he asserted.

“If the price of respecting your faith is to deny mine, then that price is too high,” declared Land.

Campbell’s discussion was held at the Pew Forum in Washington, D.C.

HT: The Christian Post

Theology Matters

2010-12-20T03:00:00.000-07:00

Is Faith the Gift of God? What Does Jesus Say?

2010-12-19T00:14:00.000-07:00

I found this article and thought it would be a good response to a post by Jeremy Jernigan at his blog. Too much talk over there about how much our personalities determine our faith in God. It's concerning that the subject of God's will and sovereignty never came up. This question has always been a controversial one, yet this is puzzling considering how plainly the answer to this question is granted to us in the Holy Scriptures. Some modern Evangelicals seem to think that faith is something that arises out of the fallen natures of some persons but not others ... and that this difference in response is not due to grace (for all had grace), but rather, some inherent difference in the persons themselves. But Jesus puts this kind of speculation to rest:

Jesus declares "no one can come to Me unless it is granted him by the Father." (John 6:65) In the same passage Jesus declares: " all that the Father gives to Me will come to Me." (John 6:37) In both verses the phrase "come to Me" simply means "believe in Me" and so taken together Jesus is stating that no one can believe in Him unless God grants it, and all to whom God grants it will believe". According to this passage, then, God grants faith, a faith that will infallibly arise in the heart of those He has given His Son...

Faith is not the product of an unregenerated human nature. If a person becomes humble enough to submit to God it is because the Holy Spirit has given that person a new, humble nature ... not because some men are more humble than others. It was not by chance that one person believed the gospel and not the other, nor was it because one had some innate virtue that the other lacked. It is grace and grace ALONE that makes men to differ, not the exertion of men's wills. While God requires faith of all men He promises to give unto all those that are ordained unto eternal life his Holy Spirit (John 6:63-65), which quickens and disarms hostility so they are willing, and able to believe.

(Also see 2 Chronicles 30:11-12; Phil 1:29, 2 Tim 2:25, Acts 13:48, Rom 9:15-18; John 1:13; 1 John 5:1)

HT: Reformation Theology

Churches Using Canal Means To Attract Carnal People

2010-12-16T19:56:00.000-07:00

Do the sons bare the sins of the father or not?

2010-12-11T17:48:00.000-07:00

It would seem that this story is what bible epics are made of. The extreme in life being used as an example of biblical truth. How much more does this happen to in the families of Christians concerning the less sensational circumstances of life? What price do we pay for weak parenting, compromised ethics and nominal Christian living?

(Dec. 11) – Exactly two years after his father's arrest, the eldest son of convicted Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff was found dead this morning, his body hanging from a dog leash in his living room as his own young son slept in the next room, according to reports.

Read the rest of the article here.

Then read this from CARM.

Direct Access

2010-12-08T04:28:00.000-07:00

"For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." (1 Timothy 2:5)

This is one of the key verses of Scripture for several reasons. In the first place, in the midst of a pantheistic and polytheistic society governed by the kings and rulers for whom Paul had just exhorted believers to pray, it was important to reemphasize that there was only one Creator God--the One to whom even kings must give account and the only One to whom we can rightfully pray.

Secondly, Christ Jesus, who was Himself "God . . . manifest in the flesh" and then "received up into glory" (1 Timothy 3:16), was nevertheless still "the man Christ Jesus." He is still a man, even though His human body has been resurrected and glorified. Therefore He can, indeed, "be touched with the feeling of our infirmities;" and we can "come boldly" to His "throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:15-16).

Then, because He is both omnipotent God and perfect man, "in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin" (v. 15), He is uniquely able to serve as the one and only "mediator between God and men." Furthermore, as the only God-man, fully and eternally both God and man, He is the only one through whom we can reach God’s throne in prayer. "I am the way, the truth, and the life," He said, "no man cometh unto the Father, but by me" (John 14:6).

No one else--man or woman, saint or priest, angel or demon--has direct access to God, for the Son is the one mediator between God and man. We can come to God, however, for "we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous" (1 John 2:1). "Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them" (Hebrews 7:25).

HT: Days of Praise

2010-11-29T03:30:00.005-07:00

I lifted this video from Tony Miano's Facebook page. Good stuff!

Here's a good example of something Chad Williams and I have been working on for about a week or so. Chad does an excellent job, here. I find it fascinating that almost every time we have used this approach, the unbeliever immediately identifies Jesus as the subject of Isaiah 53:3-5; but then quickly tries to refute t...heir own belief. People hate Jesus and love their sin.

For the Children

2010-11-12T06:29:00.000-07:00

May we never dumb down this message to our children.

Consider this....

2010-11-09T03:30:00.002-07:00

"Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word." (Acts 8:4)

Every believer has been called to preach God's Word, not just pastors of churches. When Christ gave the Great Commission to "preach the gospel to every creature" (Mark 16:15), it was clear that this could be accomplished only if every Christian would actually preach the gospel!

This was practiced first by the members of the church at Jerusalem. Then, when the believers were "all scattered abroad . . . except the apostles" (Acts 8:1), these "laymen" went everywhere preaching the Word. One of the "deacons" selected to relieve the apostles of the "business" affairs of the church was Philip, and he "went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them" (Acts 8:5), speaking to great crowds and winning many to Christ. Then shortly afterward, the Lord called him down to Gaza where he met an Ethiopian eunuch, and he "preached unto him Jesus" (Acts 8:35). This teaches plainly that one can preach to a large congregation, but he or she can also preach to one person. It is not the size of the congregation but the theme of the message that makes one a preacher of the Word!

Furthermore, it is not only by word of mouth that Christ is preached; Paul says that "the gospel . . . was preached to every creature |literally, 'in every creation'| which is under heaven" (Colossians 1:23). "And how shall they hear without a preacher? . . . But I say, Have they not heard? Yes verily, their sound went into all the earth, and their words unto the ends of the world" (Romans 10:14, 18). One can preach verbally to a congregation or to an unseen audience through radio or in writing to a reader, and even a godly lifestyle can "preach" effectively (although not specifically) of the saving work of Christ. Even the heavens declare His glory, and every believer must preach the Word!

HT: icr.org

Make War

2010-11-08T14:35:00.000-07:00

phpBible.org

2010-11-08T03:30:00.006-07:00

phpBible.org phpbible.org, a searcheable online study Bible that you can download and install on your own web site or use right from their page! Features include: text keyed to Strong's numbers as well as italicized words and paragraphs marked.

Christian Research and Counsel

2010-11-05T03:30:00.001-07:00

Here's an interesting site called Christian Research and Counsel that I happened across. It's worth some investigation.

A Rebuke from John MacArthur

2010-11-04T14:26:00.000-07:00

The Gospel Everyday

2010-11-01T03:31:00.007-07:00

by Tullian Tchividjian

I once assumed the gospel was simply what non-Christians must believe in order to be saved, while afterward we advance to deeper theological waters. But I’ve come to realize that ” the gospel isn’t the first step in a stairway of truths, but more like the hub in a wheel of truth.” In other words, once God rescues sinners, his plan isn’t to steer them beyond the gospel, but to move them more deeply into it. All good theology, in fact, is an exposition of the gospel.

In his letter to the Christians of Colossae, the apostle Paul portrays the gospel as the instrument of all continued growth and spiritual progress, even after a believer’s conversion.

“All over the world,” he writes, “this gospel is bearing fruit and growing, just as it has been doing among you since the day you heard it and understood God’s grace in all its truth” (Col. 1:6). He means that the gospel is not only growing wider in the world but it’s also growing deeper in Christians.
After meditating on Paul’s words, a friend told me that all our problems in life stem from our failure to apply the gospel. This means I can’t really move forward unless I learn more thoroughly the gospel’s content and how to apply it to all of life. Real change does not and cannot come independently of the gospel. God intends his Good News in Christ to mold and shape us at every point and in every way. It increasingly defines the way we think, feel, and live.

Martin Luther often employed the phrase simul justus et peccator—”simultaneously justified and sinful.” He understood that while he’d already been saved from sin’s penalty, he was in daily need of salvation from sin’s power. And since the gospel is the “power of God for salvation,” he knew that even for the most saintly of saints, the gospel is wholly relevant and vitally necessary. This means heralded preachers need the gospel just as much as hardened pagans.

Continue reading.......

Lincoln Trillion

2010-10-31T03:30:00.002-07:00

Little Hands

2010-10-30T13:02:00.001-07:00

2010 Phoenix Arab Festival

2010-10-28T03:14:00.000-07:00

I was blessed this past weekend to have served with Samy Tenagho of Glad News for Muslims at the Phoenix Arab Festival. We handed out materials in both English and Arabic to Muslims of all nationalities.We also had many opportunities to share the Gospel with visitors and vendors alike.

Reaching the Lost in Salt Lake City

2010-10-27T11:41:00.000-07:00

Many are caught in the deception of Mormonism. We went to the very center of where those who are lost in this lie come to gather that we may seek and save the lost. Reaching the Lost wherever they are. Even in Salt Lake City.

Answering Objections to Open Air Preaching

2010-10-26T03:30:00.002-07:00

2010-10-25T04:21:00.000-07:00

Halloween Outreach - Light in the Night

2010-10-19T23:21:00.008-07:00

Friends,

Each year I like to share a reminder of what we have done the past few years on Halloween to reach out to our neighborhood with the purpose being that the Holy Spirit may lead you according to God’s word in reaching out in some way to your neighborhood. Maybe these ideas will lead to something you might try or consider in prayer and testing with scripture.

First I should note that I have studied the disturbing origins of Halloween and have made the decision to have nothing at all to do with "celebrating" it. In fact the history of it unsettles me greatly. That however is another topic I will not get into at this time.

What we have done instead the past few years on October 31 is to intentionally be a Light in the Night. We intentionally celebrate Christ and celebrate Him by reaching out to our neighborhood through the sharing of the gospel and free gifts on that night. In the past years we have a had great conversations with the adults and kids in our neighborhood. Our kids like to help out and usually we have some friends in Christ come over to help out. Now on to the details...

Here is what we do:

1. Be Praying

Always pray and pray always. October 31 can be a darker night than most for spiritual warfare. But remember it is God who is the Light and the owner of the Night. Only He can reach the lost. We are to surrender and be willing to be used by God as He reaches them. Put all trust in God. The battle is His and it has been won.

2. Be Out. (Be in the midst)

Instead of handing out candy at the door we go outside and in front of our house in the front yard. We set up chairs and a table. There are extra chairs for neighbors to sit as they choose. We run an extension cord to provide lights for the front yard so that it is the brightest area of the neighborhood. We have coolers that have gifts in them ready to hand out. We have the whole family out to talk with people and help do the handing out. It creates an environment where it is ok to stop, sit and chat for awhile. Especially if some others are already doing it. It becomes contagious.

3. Be About. (Be Friendly, Be Loving)

As kids and people come near we invite them over for a free gift before they can say Trick or Treat. On a personal note the Trick or Treat terminology and history bothers me so we have fun intercepting that by saying "come on over we have something special for you and we are glad you are here." Engage your neighbors before they engage you. Go to them. Make it about you genuinely reaching them for Christ instead of them reaching you for Halloween. Be about honoring God by loving the lost and by directing the focus from the darkness of Halloween night to the Light of the one true Savior.

4. Be Ready. (Be Prepared)

Know when October 31 traffic starts. In our neighborhood it gets dark just before 6:00. We set up around 5:15 and are ready by 5:30. Usually the first traffic starts at about 5:45 or 5:50.

5. Be Giving. (Be Generous)

We want to make a big impact in every way for God’s glory. We desire to do that by handing out the biggest candy bars available, the king size ones that are sold at Walgreen's or Costco (Sam's). We look for the biggest bars we can find and then invest in them. These are great for a couple of reasons. Kids really notice them because they are not the bite size candies. They are huge and the bigger kids 11-14 take notice of the generosity. So do the parents of the 7-10 year olds. Almost every parent will come over when I wave the "Mom and Dad" size bars and tell them that they are not left out. With a sheepish grin they are drawn over, especially the Dads!

Also, the big bars have a lot of room for adding a gospel message or tract. We use our printer to crank out labels with a gospel message on them that we "stick" to the king size bars. If you would like a copy of the text we use it is provided at the end of this message. Yes the candy is expensive but is nothing compared to the price of souls. We average about 150 pieces a year and that is what we plan for. About half the pieces are the big bars and the other half regular bars (for the little kids) but still all are bigger than the "bite size" bags. There are many ways to share the gospel and be generous so be led by the Holy Spirit according to God’s word and be obedient. You will not regret it.

6. Be Light. (Shine Bright)

In addition to the candy we also have tracts ready. They are tracts that most people "ask for" and enjoy looking at. Not the ones that people cringe at. We use Million Dollar bill tracts and Pink/Blue curved illusion tracts the most (shown below). People love these and ask for extras.

Some people hang out because we have prepared a place for them to do that. We have a chance to talk and the tracts break the ice with a good laugh. We are able to make a connection. Since we are outside there is no bottle neck at the front door. It creates an environment where there is time to talk.

If we were in the house then when parents let the kids walk up to the front door and stay on the street we would not be able to talk with them. Since we are outside we actually get to talk to these parents and they are more open to coming up to us to talk. There is no door or narrow walkway creating a barrier. Plus it is face to face time for the whole family so it is easier to remember each other in the future. And when our kids talk to their kids then next thing you know people are hanging out.

A lot of kids really comment about the candy. They are like WOW! We let them know that the big candy is a free gift from an even bigger God who created them and to read the important message on the wrapper. That can lead into conversations about the gospel.

Some big kids want more than one bar. Even with a huge candy bar one is not enough? Funny how that works. Is enough ever enough? For the bigger kids that want more I let them know they can have another bar if they pass "the test". I ask if they would consider themselves to be a good person? And then that leads into gospel! Trust God and step out and connect with people.

Also we provide a cooler full of water bottles for people to take for free. The bottles have a “Got Thirst?” gospel label on them. We put up a Free Stuff table that has DVD’s, Gospel of John’s, etc., which also attracts attention, questions and conversations.

7. Be Humble (Be Genuine)

Look on everyone that you come in contact with as those that God loves dearly because He does. He is not willing that any should perish. Ask God that you would have His heart and compassion. Then humbly through the power of the Holy Spirit generously share His love and the truth of the gospel to those who are lost. Share the words of life either in writing stuck (to a big piece of candy) or verbally with those who hang around. It is a privilege to serve God and meet people. Be humble and loving when sharing the gospel but do not compromise the truth. God’s judgment, wrath and Hell are just as real as His mercy, grace and forgiveness offered in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Proclaim the whole gospel earnestly. Be genuine. Be real. Be a servant.

8. Be Thankful

All Glory is God's. Not every night honors Him but every night is His and belongs to no other. Give thanks for His goodness. Give thanks through honoring Him on October 31 by being His Light in the Night. Thank Him for casting aside the darkness of night that all that come may see the light. Thank Him for using a night meant for darkness to instead impact eternity through the sharing of gospel tracts in love to reach the lost. Give all Glory to God for all Glory is His and He is worthy. As a family pray asking God that seeds would be planted, that people would read the gospel message, that people would be saved and He glorified.

Summary

In prayer and study seek after God. Allow God to use you to reach others every day, not just on October 31. May the Holy Spirit lead you to be light in the middle of darkness. Show compassion instead of apathy towards those who are lost. Ask God what He would have you do this October 31 and then ask for the strength to do it. I pray that in the sharing of this it helps you in some way to serve our King.

In Jesus name,

Rob-roy

"I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life." - John 8:12

*************SAMPLE TEXT******************

Are You Ready?

Nobody is guaranteed another day or minute. On Judgment Day every thought, word, and deed will be exposed. All will be guilty of lying, stealing and more. Nothing will be hidden from God. The penalty for sin is punishment in Hell. The good news is God so loved the world that He gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him will not die but have Eternal Life.

Jesus took the punishment for sins upon Himself dying on the cross and rising from the dead. God commands you to repent and put all your faith and trust in Jesus alone to save you. There is no other way. No amount of good works will get you to heaven. Repent and trust in Him alone today. You may not have tomorrow. Read the Bible daily and obey what you read.

God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:8

For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God-- not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8

juststopandthink.com got-thirst.blogspot.com

2010-10-18T03:30:00.007-07:00

Not everyone is willing to talk to us. This student though polite, declined to talk to Shon. It happens pretty often. But even the reluctant will many times end up having a discussion with us.

Muhammed and his friends (not pictured here) were also reluctant but after some coaxing, were willing to discuss eternal matters with me. Notice how flip they are at first. As the conversation went on, Muhammed began handling his cigarette a lot and looking kind of nervous. He ended up stopping the conversation pretty abruptly, but not before I got to share most of the Gospel with him. Hopefuly he was being convicted. Ultimately only God knows. I'm sure we gave him something to think about. Chances are we will run into him again since we're planning to spend some more time on campus when classes start up again. Listen here as I share the Gospel with Muhammed and his friends.

Soli Deo Gloria

Ego eimi: The "I AM" Statements of Jesus

2010-10-12T03:00:00.006-07:00

Here's a great clip from Wretched Radio with Todd Friel. This was broadcast on September 30, 2010. It's a quick but powerful explanation of the statements Jesus made about His deity...And a nifty lesson in Greek!

Click here to listen

Pelagian Rick Warren Teaches Pelagianism at John Piper's Desiring God

2010-10-11T03:30:00.001-07:00

By Justin Edwards

From Apprising Ministrie

This year's controversial Desiring God Conference came to a close Sunday evening with a keynote lecture from Purpose Driven Pope Rick Warren. Earlier this year, John Piper's invitation to Rick Warren sparked a firestorm among fundamental and reformed evangelicals as Warren is known for his pragmatic pulpit, Scripture twisting, and man-centered gospel that has served to do more harm to the Body of Christ than perhaps any other modern church movement. While Warren makes no apologies for his unbiblical methods and even heretical teachings, the fact that John Piper believes he is biblical "at root" left many scratching their heads this past spring. Following the public announcement of Rick Warren's invitation, Piper said,

At root I think he is theological and doctrinal and sound. (Source)

Continue reading.....

Yahoo, Yoga, and Yours Truly

2010-10-08T03:30:00.002-07:00

by Albert Mohler
Thursday, October 7, 2010

Well, you never know what a day holds. This morning, Yahoo put the Associated Press story about my article on yoga on its front page. The rest, as they say, is history. My mail servers are exhausted. Messages have been coming in at a rate of about a hundred an hour. The first lesson — count the cost when you talk about yoga. These people get bent out of shape fast.

Today, Dylan Lovan of the Associated Press titled his story, “Southern Baptist Leader on Yoga: Not Christianity.” Well here is the appropriate next headline: “Christian Concerns About Yoga: Not News.” You would think that Christians had never asked the question before. To Lovan’s credit, he framed his story on the controversy that followed my original article, published back on September 20, “The Subtle Body — Should Christians Practice Yoga?.”

Lovan documents the controversy and quotes me as saying: “I’m really surprised by the depth of the commitment to yoga found on the part of many who identify as Christians.” Well, double or triple that now.

Here are the lessons I have learned thus far from the controversy:

Continue reading......

Book Giveaway Drawing

2010-10-07T11:18:00.000-07:00

The drawing for the free book will be on Friday, October 14th.

Note: This offer available in the Continental U.S. only.

2010-10-07T03:30:00.001-07:00

Treasuring Christ

2010-10-06T14:01:00.001-07:00

Lovers of Self

2010-10-04T03:30:00.008-07:00

by Henry Morris, Ph.D.

"For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy." (2 Timothy 3:2)

One of the dangerous teachings of the "New Age" movement which has spilled over into modern evangelicalism is the notion of "self-love." Many psychologists--even Christian professional counselors--are attributing society's ills, especially among young people, to the supposed lack of a "positive self-image" or "self-esteem" on the part of those exhibiting anti-social behavior. What they need, we are told, is to learn to love themselves more, to appreciate their own self-worth. The problem with this idea is that it is both unscriptural and unrealistic. People do not hate themselves. The Bible says that "no man ever yet hated his own flesh" (Ephesians 5:29).

Instead of learning to esteem ourselves, the Scripture commands us each to "esteem other better than themselves" (Philippians 2:3). Even the apostle Paul, near the end of his life, considered himself so unworthy that he called himself the chief of sinners (see 1 Timothy 1:15).

We are told by some Christian leaders that the measure of our great value in the sight of God is the fact that Christ paid such a high price--His own death--to redeem us. The fact is, however, that His death is not the measure of our great value, but of our terrible sinfulness. "Christ died for the ungodly" (Romans 5:6).
In fact, as in our text, the rise of this self-love idea is itself a sign of the last days, when men shall be "lovers of their own selves." It is the main characteristic of "New Age" humanism which is based squarely upon evolutionary pantheism.

Christ died for our sins because He loved us, not because He needed us. We should live for Him in thanksgiving for the "amazing grace, that saved a wretch like me!"

HT: icr.org

Thinking of Joining the Mormon Church?

2010-10-01T03:30:00.002-07:00

Why we still need to learn from Francis Schaeffer

2010-09-27T03:30:00.001-07:00

As an undergraduate I read almost everything written by J. I. Packer, John Stott, Martyn Lloyd-Jones and Francis Schaeffer. For all their discernible faults, these four men rank among the foremost spiritual giants of the twentieth century and the great moulders of classical evangelical theology, ministry and evangelism in the last sixty years.

If you know anything of their lives and ministries they also appear to be conspicuously out of step with the glitzy celebratory culture that pervades twenty first century evangelicalism.

Colin Duriez has done a remarkable job of recording the life of Schaeffer. His biography Francis Schaeffer: An Authentic Life has the virtues of being interesting, honest and accessible.

Francis Schaeffer was a fascinating human being; born in 1912, he was an only child and grew up in a working class home in Pennsylvania. The story of how he was brought to faith, his call to pastoral ministry, his early encounters with and love of music, art and philosophy, make for fascinating reading. I will in due course write more about the man, how he was moulded by God (including the secondary causes and relationships that shaped him), and his thought and influence.

Francis Schaeffer has a lot to teach us about true authenticity in ministry today. We have temptations that he can help us with, sub-cultural maladies that he can help us identify and avoid. There is an ugly superficiality in evangelical ministry, a grubby clamouring for recognition, a lip service paid to our usefulness to God outside of the spotlight.

Here are some of the themes that I want to explore in future posts:

Continue reading.....

Huh?

2010-09-23T14:18:00.000-07:00

What Is Truth?

2010-09-21T03:30:00.001-07:00

by John MacArthur

One of the most profound and eternally significant questions in the Bible was posed by an unbeliever. Pilate - the man who handed Jesus over to be crucified - turned to Jesus in His final hour, and asked, "What is truth?" It was a rhetorical question, a cynical response to what Jesus had just revealed: "I have come into the world, to testify to the truth."
Two thousand years later, the whole world breathes Pilate's cynicism. Some say truth is a power play, a metanarrative constructed by the elite for the purpose of controlling the ignorant masses. To some, truth is subjective, the individual world of preference and opinion. Others believe truth is a collective judgment, the product of cultural consensus, and still others flatly deny the concept of truth altogether.
So, what is truth?
Here's a simple definition drawn from what the Bible teaches: Truth is that which is consistent with the mind, will, character, glory, and being of God. Even more to the point: Truth is the self-expression of God. That is the biblical meaning of truth. Because the definition of truth flows from God, truth is theological.
Truth is also ontological - which is a fancy way of saying it is the way things really are. Reality is what it is because God declared it so and made it so. Therefore God is the author, source, determiner, governor, arbiter, ultimate standard, and final judge of all truth.
The Old Testament refers to the Almighty as the "God of truth" (Deut. 32:4; Ps. 31:5; Is. 65:16). When Jesus said of Himself, "I am...the truth" (John 14:6, emphasis added), He was thereby making a profound claim about His own deity. He was also making it clear that all truth must ultimately be defined in terms of God and His eternal glory. After all, Jesus is "the brightness of [God's] glory and the express image of His person" (Heb. 1:3). He is truth incarnate - the perfect expression of God and therefore the absolute embodiment of all that is true.

Continue reading....

The War Between Spirituality and Science Is Over

2010-09-20T03:00:00.001-07:00

The real question posed by Mooney’s USA Today column is whether Christians possess the discernment to recognize this postmodern mode of spirituality for what it is — unbelief wearing the language of a bland faith.

There are many arenas of cultural and intellectual conflict in the world today, but one of the most controversial of these arenas has disappeared. There is now no conflict between spirituality and science. The war is over, the combatants have gone home, and lilies of peace now decorate the landscape where conflict once raged. Science and spirituality are now at total unperturbed peace.
That paragraph is meaningless, of course, which is entirely the point. Monday’s edition of USA Today features an opinion column by Chris Mooney, author of Unscientific America: How Scientific Illiteracy Threatens Our Future. Mooney sets out to argue that spirituality can serve as a bridge across the science-religion divide.

countinue reading...

Good Thing He is Good

2010-09-17T10:07:00.000-07:00

John MacArthur on Arminian theology

2010-09-16T03:30:00.001-07:00

Can you talk a little bit about Arminian theology? Is it biblical? And, if a church embraces that theology, are they saved? [Can somebody who holds an Arminian view be a Christian?”]

Answer

Yes, if you’re talking about Arminian theology. We always want to make the distinction between Armenians and Arminians. Armenians [are] a people; Arminian is a theology from Arminius. Let me just say this. This debate comes up all the time, and I like to answer the thing by saying I really don’t land, necessarily, with labels very comfortably. You know, you can be called a Calvinist or a Hyper-Calvinist or a Four-point Calvinist or…I’ve been called a Four-and-a-half-point Calvinist… One guy called me a One-point Calvinist--I don’t know how he came up with that. And people can be labeled Arminian.

I understand what they mean by that, but I, personally, try to resist those labels because those labels are loaded with different content for different people. And people love to slap a label on you and then everybody defines that label in a different way. So, I really run from those labels.

At the same time, to put it simply, the debate of Calvinism and Arminianism falls along five simple lines that we all know about called T.U.L.I.P.: Total depravity, Unconditional election, Limited atonement, Irresistible grace, and the Perseverance of the saints--T.U.L.I.P.

John Calvin rightly interpreted the Bible to teach that man is totally depraved. What that means, is that, not every human being is as sinful as he could be or she could be, but that every human being is sinful to the point that they’re incapable of altering their condition. That is to say, total depravity means you can’t do anything to save yourself. You can’t even make a right choice. You can’t awaken your spiritual deadness. You can’t give life where there is death. You can’t come to a right conclusion on your own. Total depravity means that everyone, is by virtue of their own will and their own power and their own choices, incapable of redemption. That’s total depravity.

Arminius would say--Arminian theology, Palagian theology, as it’s also called--would say “man is capable.” That while man is, in the general sense, a sinner, he has capacities within himself to choose to be saved. That is the debate. I don’t think that’s biblical. I think we are dead in trespasses and sin, and dead people don’t make choices. Dead people can’t make themselves alive. So, I think there is a clear distinction there.

Continue reading........

2010-09-15T18:04:00.000-07:00

A Quiz For Your Arminian Friends,

2010-09-13T03:30:00.002-07:00

Here's an interesting quiz I came across on a friend's Facebook profile.

by Jay Banks

Eph. 1:11 ...[W]ho [God] worketh all things after the counsel of His will.

Q. If God works all things after the counsel of His will, how much
does He work to the will of you, me, Satan, etc.?
A. None.
B. 20%
C. 50%
D. 85%

Is. 14:24 Jehovah of hosts hath sworn, saying , Surely, as I have thought, so shall it come to pass; and as I have purposed, so shall it stand.
Q. How much of what He wants to come to pass, doesn’t?
A. All of His thoughts will come to pass
B. Some of His thoughts will not come to pass
C. A few of His thoughts will not come to pass
D. A lot of His thoughts will not come to pass

Rom. 8:29 For whom He foreknew, He also foreordained to be conformed to to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many bretheren: and whom He foreordained, them He also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom He justified, them He also glorified.
Q. How many do you think have been called, justified, or glorified that He did not first foreknow or foreordain?
A. Write in your answer: ___________________

John 10:14 I am the good shepherd; and I know my own, and mine own know me, even as the Father knoweth me, and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.

Q. Where does this scripture say that Jesus laid down his life for the sheep and the goats
A. It doesn’t
B. It doesn’t, but I just know He meant the goats, too
John 6:65 No man can come unto me, except it be given unto him of the Father.
Q. How many come to Jesus that were not first given to him by the Father?
A. 0
B. 5,000
C. 5,000,000
D. 10,000,000

John 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come unto me
Q. How many that the Father gave Him will not come to Him?
A. Two
B. A couple of thousand
C. A couple of million
D. Trick question, it says they will all come unto him

John 10:28 I [Jesus] give unto them the (true followers, or ‘sheep’) eternal life; and they shall never perish, and no one shall snatch them out of my hand. My Father, who hath given them unto me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.
Q. How many sheep do you think have been snatched from either God’s or Jesus’ hands?
A. None
B. 50,000
C. 500,000
D. 1,000,000

Rev. 13:8 And all that dwell upon the earth shall worship him, whose names are not written in the book of life of the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. Rev. 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.
Q. Considering this, and other related scripture, God having to blot out a name from the book of life would mean:
A. God makes mistakes.
B. Some have been snatched from Jesus’ hands?
C. God didn’t know that some of His sheep were really goats.
D. None of the above.
Q. Could a person whose name was written in the book of life from the foundation of the world not have become a Christian (or have saving faith in God if born before Jesus)?
A. No
B. Yes
C. This confuses me, but I’m going to believe the Bible.
D. This confuses me, and I’m going to pretend this isn’t in the Bible (be honest).

Matt. 13 10 And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables? 11 He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.
Q. Jesus himself declared that one of the reasons why He spoke in parables was that the truth might be concealed from whom it was not intended. Is this fair?
A. No.
B. Yes.
C. Who are we to question God?
D. I’m going to pretend I didn’t see that verse.

Rom. 8:28 To them that love God all things work together for good, even to them that are called according to His purpose.
Q. How many things do not work for the good of those who love God?
A. 10% of all things
B. 40% of all things
C. 85% of all things
D. Trick question, the Bible says all things work for the good of those who love Him

Mark 14:30 And Jesus said unto him (Peter), Verily I say unto thee, that thou, today, even this night before the cock crow twice shall deny me thrice.
Questions:
A. Could Peter not have denied Jesus three times before the cock crowed twice?
Answer here: ____________________________
B. Did Jesus make Peter deny him, or did Peter do it of his own free will?
Answer here: ____________________________

Exodus 4:11 [God Himself asks the rhetorical question] Who gave man his mouth? Who makes him deaf or dumb? Who gives him his sight or makes him blind? Is it not I the Lord?
Q. Is this fair?
A. Yes.
B. No.
C. Who are we to question God?
D. I’m going to pretend this isn’t in the Bible.

Church Building in Bogor, Indonesia Re-opens – for a Day

2010-09-12T05:00:00.000-07:00

City officials order security police to close church under cover of darkness.

JAKARTA, Indonesia, September 8 (CDN) — The Bogor city government in West Java re-sealed the Gereja Kristen Indonesia (GKI) Yasmin Church on Aug. 28, one day after security police had removed the seal and lock.

Under cover of darkness, Bogor security police were ordered to secretly re-seal the church building at 11 p.m. the night before it was to be used for worship services.

Jayadi Damanik, a member of the GKI Yasmin legal team, said security police had removed the lock and seal after church talks with the district officer, the Bogor police chief, the head of the security police and citizens who live near the church. In those talks all parties agreed that there was no reason to question the construction and presence of the GKI Yasmin Church, he said.

The district officer and the Bogor police chief told church leaders that the original sealing of the church on April 11 was the unwarranted result of political pressure, he said.

After re-opening the church on Aug. 27, authorities placed a notice that read, “Because this Gereja Kristen Indonesia building has satisfied all of the requirements, it has a building permit, No. 645.8-372 Year 2006, and has been strengthened by the force of law according to the decision handed down by the Bandung State Court Number 41/G/2008/PTUN-BDG, which rescinded the Bogor City Government decree Number 503/208-DKTP dated Feb. 14 freezing the permit.”

But on Aug. 28 at about 4 a.m., unknown persons locked the gate of the GKI Yasmin fence and placed a banner on it that read, “Because this building is continuing to be processed under the law, it cannot be used.”

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Court in India Convicts Legislator in Second Murder Case

2010-09-11T04:08:00.000-07:00

Manoj Pradhan arrested; three more cases pending against Hindu nationalist.

NEW DELHI, September 10 (CDN) — A Hindu nationalist legislator was arrested yesterday after a court pronounced him guilty of playing a major role in the murder of a Christian during anti-Christian carnage in Orissa state’s Kandhamal district in August 2008.

The Fast Track Court II in Kandhamal convicted Manoj Pradhan of the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the murder of a 30-year-old Christian, Bikram Nayak, who succumbed to head injuries two days after an attack by a mob in the Raikia area of Budedi village on Aug. 25, 2008.

Judge Chitta Ranjan Das sentenced Pradhan to six years of rigorous imprisonment for “culpable homicide not amounting to murder” under Section 304 of the Indian Penal Code and imposed a fine of 15,500 rupees (US$335) for setting houses ablaze.

Pradhan, who contested and won the April 2009 state assembly election from jail representing Kandhamal’s G. Udayagiri constituency, was not initially accused in the police complaint in Nayak’s murder, but his role emerged during the investigation, according to The Hindu.

One of the primary suspects in violence that followed the assassination of Hindu nationalist leader Swami Laxmanananda Saraswati on Aug. 23, 2008, Pradhan was initially arrested in Berhampur city in neighboring Ganjam district in December 2008. The violence began a day after Saraswati’s killing when Hindu nationalist groups blamed Christians for his murder, although Maoists (extreme Marxists) claimed responsibility for it.

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The Five Solas of the Reformation by James Montgomery Boice

2010-09-10T03:30:00.002-07:00

1. Scripture alone. When the Reformers used the words sola Scriptura they were expressing their concern for the Bible’s authority, and what they meant is that the Bible alone is our ultimate authority—not the pope, not the church, not the traditions of the church or church councils, still less personal intimations or subjective feelings, but Scripture only. Other sources of authority may have an important role to play. Some are even established by God—such as the authority of church elders, the authority of the state, or the authority of parents over children. But Scripture alone is truly ultimate. Therefore, if any of these other authorities depart from Bible teaching, they are to be judged by the Bible and rejected.

2. Christ alone. The church of the Middle Ages spoke about Christ. A church that failed to do that could hardly claim to be Christian. But the medieval church had added many human achievements to Christ’s work, so that it was no longer possible to say that salvation was entirely by Christ and his atonement. This was the most basic of all heresies, as the Reformers rightly perceived. It was the work of God plus our own righteousness. The Reformation motto solus Christus was formed to repudiate this error. It affirmed that salvation has been accomplished once for all by the mediatorial work of the historical Jesus Christ alone. His sinless life and substitutionary atonement alone are sufficient for our justification, and any ‘gospel’ that fails to acknowledge that or denies it is a false gospel that will save no one.

3. Grace alone. The words sola gratia mean that human beings have no claim upon God. That is, God owes us nothing except just punishment for our many and very willful sins. Therefore, if he does save sinners, which he does in the case of some but not all, it is only because it pleases him to do it. Indeed, apart from this grace and the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit that flows from it, no one would be saved, since in our lost condition, human beings are not capable of winning, seeking out, or even cooperating with God’s grace. By insisting on ‘grace alone’ the Reformers were denying that human methods, techniques, or strategies in themselves could ever bring anyone to faith. It is grace alone expressed through the supernatural work of the Holy Spirit that brings us to Christ, releasing us from our bondage to sin and raising us from death to spiritual life.

4. Faith alone. The Reformers never tired of saying that ‘justification is by grace alone through faith alone because of Christ alone.’ When put into theological shorthand the doctrine was expressed as “justification by faith alone,” the article by which the church stands or falls, according to Martin Luther. The Reformers called justification by faith Christianity’s “material principle,” because it involves the very matter or substance of what a person must understand and believe to be saved. Justification is a declaration of God based on the work of Christ. It flows from God’s grace and it comes to the individual not by anything he or she might do but by ‘faith alone’ (sola fide). We may state the full doctrine as: Justification is the act of God by which he declares sinners to be righteous because of Christ alone, by grace alone, through faith alone.

5. Glory to God alone. Each of the great solas is summed up in the fifth Reformation motto: soli Deo gloria, meaning ‘to God alone be the glory.’ It is what the apostle Paul expressed in Romans 11:36 when he wrote, ‘to Him be the glory forever! Amen.’ These words follow naturally from the preceding words, “For from him and through him and to him are all things” (v. 36), since it is because all things really are from God, and to God, that we say, ‘to God alone be the glory.’”

–James Montgomery Boice, Whatever Happened to the Gospel of Grace? (Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway, 2001), pp. 65-149.

HT: Reformation Theology

Define "Best"

2010-09-09T15:50:00.000-07:00

What Hollywood Believes Promo.

2010-09-08T14:30:00.002-07:00

Fla. minister: Sept. 11 Quran burn still planned

2010-09-08T09:23:00.001-07:00

GAIVILLE, Fla. – The leader of a small Florida church that espouses anti-Islam philosophy said Wednesday he was determined to go through with his plan to burn copies of the Quran on Sept. 11, despite pressure from the White House, religious leaders and others to call it off.

"We are still determined to do it, yes," the Rev. Terry Jones told the CBS Early Show.
Jones said he has received more than 100 death threats and has started wearing a .40-caliber pistol strapped to his hip since announcing his plan to burn the book Muslims consider the word of God and insist be treated with the utmost respect. The 58-year-old minister proclaimed in July that he would stage "International Burn-a-Quran Day."

Supporters have been mailing copies of the holy text to his Gainesville church of about 50 followers to be incinerated in a bonfire Saturday to mark the ninth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks.

Gen. David Petraeus, the top U.S. and NATO commander in Kabul, took the rare step of a military leader taking a position on a domestic matter when he warned in an e-mail to The Associated Press that "images of the burning of a Quran would undoubtedly be used by extremists in Afghanistan — and around the world — to inflame public opinion and incite violence."

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The Loving Husband: A Portrait of Christ

2010-09-06T03:30:00.002-07:00

Jodi is fed up with her husband. She refuses to cater his every need and put up with his abusive treatment any longer.“My husband has been a dominating spouse since the day I met him,” Jodi says. “Frank treats me like a slave.”
Frank complains,“I don’t understand why my wife just won’t obey me like she said in her wedding vows. I’m the man. She’s the woman. It’s her job to serve me, and I’ve got the Scripture to back it up.”
Sadly, stories like Frank’s and Jodi’s are common in our day. A controlling husband drags his wife to the Bible and rubs her nose in his favorite passage—“Wives, submit to your own husbands.” But if Frank had continued reading, the Scripture would have dealt a death-blow to his sinful attitude—“Husbands, love your wives just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her” (Eph. 5:22).
Frank’s domineering, chauvinistic attitude is the experience of many women who feel more like their husband’s doormat than the beloved, cherished bride of Christ. Even worse—beyond the damage to husband, wife, and children—a bad marriage is a poor testimony about Christ and the church.
By God’s design, marriage presents to the world a picture of Christ’s relationship to His bride, the church. But marriages like Frank’s and Jodi’s sinfully distort that portrait into a gross misrepresentation. Is Christ a petty tyrant like Frank? Does His abuse turn the church into an embittered spouse like Jodi?
Wives, maybe you’ve never viewed your marriage from that perspective. God intends your submission to your husband as a living illustration of the church’s submission to her Lord. That is precisely the reason Paul commanded wives to submit: “For the husband is head of the wife, as also Christ is head of the church; and He is the Savior of the body. Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything” (Eph. 5:23-24). So, here’s a probing question: Wives, what message are you sending to the world? What does your submission to your husband say about the church’s submission to Christ?
Husbands, your turn.
Husbands, are supposed to be a living illustration of Christ, who “loved the church and gave Himself for her” (v. 25, italics added). Notice that the stress is entirely on Christ’s sacrifice and service for the good of the church. Take a look at the passage again:

That He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish. So husbands ought to love their own wives as their own bodies; he who loves his wife loves himself.
For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as the Lord does the church. For we are members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones. “For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” This is a great mystery, but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. (vv. 26-33)

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Muslims Resume Building on Christian Graveyard in Pakistan

2010-09-05T03:30:00.006-07:00

Hard-line cleric defies local officials’ order to stop construction.

SARGODHA, Pakistan, September 1 (CDN) — Muslims led by a hard-line cleric on Friday (Aug. 27) resumed building on a Christian cemetery in Mandi Bhawaldin, desecrating more graves in spite of a local government order to halt construction, according to the All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA).

Radical Muslim cleric Mirza Abdul Ghani had built a mosque on the Christian graveyard off New Rasool Road in Mandi Bhawaldin after allegedly occupying the land 16 years ago, when area Christians were too intimidated to object, said Salamat Zia of APMA.

“No one could object to the construction of the mosque, as it is in the constitution of Pakistan that no religious worship place could be demolished,” said Zia. “Therefore all the Christians remained silent then.”

The cleric’s alleged desecration of more of the graveyard land around the Masjid Ahle-Sunnat-Wal-Jamaat mosque began three months ago, Zia said.

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Alleged Bomber of Christian Boy in Israel to Stand Trial

2010-09-04T15:03:00.000-07:00

Hearing could determine whether Jack Teitel is transferred from mental hospital.

ISTANBUL, September 3 (CDN) — An Israeli man accused of planting a homemade bomb that almost killed the son of a Messianic Jewish pastor in Ariel, Israel has been declared competent to stand trial.

Jack Teitel, 37, who in November was indicted on two charges of pre-meditated murder, three charges of attempted murder and numerous weapons charges, is expected to enter a plea on Sunday (Sept. 5).

David and Leah Ortiz, parents of the teenage victim, said that the 10 months since the indictment have been difficult but their stance toward Teitel remains the same; they have forgiven him for the attack but want him to face justice before a judge and seek salvation from God.

If nothing else, they said, they want him incarcerated to keep other Messianic Jews from being attacked either by Teitel or those following his lead.

“He’s dangerous,” Leah Ortiz said. “He’s an extremely dangerous person. He’s totally unrepentant.”

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This Is The Way It Ought To Be

2010-09-03T03:30:00.002-07:00

I was impressed and glad to read the "why" of Coral Ridge's decision to change the music format at their church. To quote Pastor Tchividjian, "It was a gospel decision."

Given the amount of attention and feedback we’ve received this week with regard to removing the “traditional/contemporary” split in worship at Coral Ridge in favor of a blended format (you can read about it here), I thought it would be a good idea to do a follow-up post going into even more detail regarding why we made the decision we made. Later this week I’ll do a post answering some of the questions we’ve been asked.

First of all, this was not first and foremost a music decision. It was a gospel decision. In other words, while I certainly don’t claim to know each and every situation in each and every local church, I don’t think a local church can experience the degree of deep, rich unity that Jesus prayed for the night before he went to the cross by having a “traditional/contemporary” split in worship. I think by segregating ourselves this way we miss out on some choice blessings that Jesus intends for his one body to enjoy.

Let me tell you a story.

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"How Do I Know If I'm One of God's Elect?" (Mark Kielar)

2010-09-01T09:24:00.000-07:00

Author: More teens becoming 'fake' Christians

2010-08-31T03:30:00.013-07:00

By John Blake, CNN

(CNN) -- If you're the parent of a Christian teenager, Kenda Creasy Dean has this warning:

Your child is following a "mutant" form of Christianity, and you may be responsible.

Dean says more American teenagers are embracing what she calls "moralistic therapeutic deism." Translation: It's a watered-down faith that portrays God as a "divine therapist" whose chief goal is to boost people's self-esteem.

Dean is a minister, a professor at Princeton Theological Seminary and the author of "Almost Christian," a new book that argues that many parents and pastors are unwittingly passing on this self-serving strain of Christianity.

She says this "imposter'' faith is one reason teenagers abandon churches.

"If this is the God they're seeing in church, they are right to leave us in the dust," Dean says. "Churches don't give them enough to be passionate about."

What traits passionate teens share

Dean drew her conclusions from what she calls one of the most depressing summers of her life. She interviewed teens about their faith after helping conduct research for a controversial study called the National Study of Youth and Religion.

The study, which included in-depth interviews with at least 3,300 American teenagers between 13 and 17, found that most American teens who called themselves Christian were indifferent and inarticulate about their faith.

The study included Christians of all stripes -- from Catholics to Protestants of both conservative and liberal denominations. Though three out of four American teenagers claim to be Christian, fewer than half practice their faith, only half deem it important, and most can't talk coherently about their beliefs, the study found.

Many teenagers thought that God simply wanted them to feel good and do good -- what the study's researchers called "moralistic therapeutic deism."

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Evangelical Megachurch Pastor Defends Support for Glenn Beck

2010-08-30T03:30:00.002-07:00

Having posted this past Friday, this event has already taken place.

Around 2,000 ministers and religious leaders are expected to attend Glenn Beck’s “Divine Destiny” event Friday night ahead of the television and radio personality's more publicized “Restoring Honor” rally on Saturday.

Beck will hold Friday’s faith-based event at the John F. Kennedy Center in Washington to rally conservatives of different faiths around their shared values, principles and strong belief that faith can play an essential role in reuniting the country.

“Whether we care to believe it or not, our country is in our danger’s hour,” says Beck. ”And there’s only one answer.”

For the event, Beck spent the past year trying to reach out to some of the biggest names in faith – an effort he says “has been extraordinarily difficult because of my faith and because of who I am.”

Beck, a Mormon who had been raised in a Catholic home, has become increasingly popular among social conservatives for his political commentaries but has not been so easily embraced by Christian theological conservatives who regard Mormonism as heresy or, at best, non-Christian.

Before deciding to stand by Beck, evangelical megachurch pastor Jim Garlow said he had to do a lot sorting and watched Beck as closely as he could.

“I have listened and watched very carefully regarding clues to Glenn’s spiritual condition,” said the lead pastor of Skyline Wesleyan Church in La Mesa, Calif.

“I have interviewed several people who have been with him and have talked very specifically with him regarding his own personal salvation,” he added.

And according to Garlow, Beck has said “unequivocally” that that he relies on the atonement of Jesus on the cross for forgiveness for his sins.

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Victim of Orissa, India Violence Rescued from Trafficking Ring

2010-08-29T11:11:00.000-07:00

Christians displaced by Kandhamal violence in 2008 sold for coerced labor or sex.

NEW DELHI, August 25 (CDN) — Nearly two years after large-scale anti-Christian violence broke out in India’s Kandhamal district, Orissa state, a team working against human trafficking on Aug. 9 rescued a 16-year-old Christian girl – one of at least 60 people sold into slavery after being displaced by the 2008 attacks.

The recovery in Delhi of the girl represented the cracking of a network that has trafficked Christian girls and women from Orissa to the national capital, sources said.

“Human trafficking agents operating in the tribal belt of Orissa have targeted the Christian girls who are displaced by the Kandhamal communal violence – we have been receiving complaints of missing girls from Kandhamal after the violence broke out in 2008,” said attorney Lansinglu Rongmei, one of the rescue team members. “Roughly 60 girls are estimated missing and have been trafficked to different states.”

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Pakistani Taliban Kills Three Foreign Christian Aid Workers

2010-08-28T16:56:00.000-07:00

Kidnapped relief workers had come to provide aid to victims of massive flooding.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan, August 27 (CDN) — Authorities on Wednesday (Aug. 25) recovered the bodies of three Christian relief workers who had been kidnapped and killed by members of the Pakistani Taliban in the flood-ravaged country, area officials said.

Swat District Coordination Officer Atif-ur-Rehman told Compass that the Pakistan Army recovered the bodies of the three foreign flood-relief workers at about 7 a.m. on Wednesday. An official at the international humanitarian organization that employed the workers withheld their names and requested that the agency remain unnamed for security reasons. Military sources who withheld news of the deaths from electronic and print media to avoid panicking other relief workers granted permission to Compass to publish it in limited form.

“The foreign aid workers have been working in Mingora and the surrounding areas,” Rehman said. “On Aug. 23 they were returning to their base at around 5:35 p.m. when a group of Taliban attacked their vehicle. They injured around five-six people and kidnapped three foreign humanitarian workers.”

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False Doctrine Worse Than Division

2010-08-26T06:58:00.000-07:00

"Always remember, when somebody comes up with something new,
it's usually wrong. We are to be plagiarists of the same information that
God gave the first Christians." -- Dr. Matthew McMahon, aPuritansMind.com

Quoting Iain Murray . . .

Divisions and separations are most objectionable in religion. They weaken the cause of true Christianity.- But before we blame people for them, we must be careful that we lay the blame where it is deserved. False doctrine and heresy are even worse than schism. If people separate themselves from teaching which is positively false and unscriptural, they ought to be praised rather than reproved. In such cases separation is a virtue and not a sin. The old saying must never be forgotten, "He is the schismatic who causes the schism"... Controversy in religion is a hateful thing... But there is one thing which is even worse than controversy, and that is false doctrine, allowed, and permitted without protest or molestation. ...

HT: Oldtruth.com

Augustine on Evil

2010-08-25T13:49:00.000-07:00

by Greg Koukl

Is God the author of evil or its helpless victim? St. Augustine's answer has been the most intellectually credible and emotionally satisfying solution to this vexing problem.

One doesn't need a Ph.D. in theology to look around the world and realize something is desperately wrong. The existence of evil is one of the most vexing challenges a Christian--or any person, for that matter-- must grapple with. It's occupied the minds of great Christian thinkers since the beginning, including St. Augustine (354-430). For much of his life he worked hard at a solution.

Augustine's approach was not just brilliant; it was practical. His insight is intellectually credible and emotionally satisfying in that it gives hope and offers meaning to the Christian trying to make sense out of life in a fallen world.

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	The Puritans showed a profound dependence upon the Holy Spirit in everything they said and did. They felt keenly their inability to bring anyone to Christ as well as the magnitude of conversion. "God never laid it upon thee to convert those he sends thee to. No; to publish the gospel is thy duty," William Gurnall said to ministers. . . . The Puritans were convinced that both preacher and listener are totally dependent on the work of the Spirit to effect regeneration and conversion when, how, and in whom He will. The Spirit brings God's presence into human hearts. He persuades sinners to seek salvation, renews corrupt wills, and makes scriptural truths take root in stony hearts. As Thomas Watson wrote, "Ministers knock at the door of men's hearts, the Spirit comes with a key and opens the door." And Joseph Alleine said: "Never think you can convert yourself. If ever you would be savingly converted, you must despair of doing it in your own strength. It is a resurrection from the dead (Eph 2:1), a new creation (Gal 6:15; Eph 2:10), a work of absolute omnipotence (Eph 1:19)." Modern evangelists need to be persuaded that the Spirit's regenerating action, as John Owen wrote, is "infallible, victorious, irresistible, and always efficacious"; it "removeth all obstacles, overcomes all oppositions, and infallibly produces the effect intended." All modes of action which imply another doctrine are unbiblical. As JI Packer writes in his book A Quest for Godliness: "All devices for exerting psychological pressure in order to precipitate 'decisions' must be eschewed, as being in truth presumptuous attempts to intrude into the province of the Holy Ghost." Such pressures may even be harmful, he goes on to say, for while they "may produce the outward form of 'decision,' they cannot bring about regeneration and a change of heart, and when the 'decisions' wear off those who registered them will be found 'gospel-hardened' and antagonistic." Packer concludes in a Puritan vein: "Evangelism must rather be conceived as a long-term enterprise of patient teaching and instruction, in which God's servants seek simply to be faithful in delivering the gospel message and applying it to human lives, and leave it to God's Spirit to draw men to faith through this message in his own way and at his own speed."
From:	*Puritan Evangelism: A Biblical Approach* HT: oldtruth.com