Reformers Heading Right Into Rome

Today, even the doctrine of Justification is considered to be an opinion, on a sliding scale. Precision is not demanded on this doctrine any more, even by Calvinists. No, many people give room for justification by works. When it comes to the doctrines of salvation including justification, God says it is a matter of eternal consequence (entire chapters are dedicated to this very doctrine!). There is no wiggle room on justification. At all. None. Nada. Zip.To be wrong on justification IS to have a false gospel which condemns a person to Hell. And to reject being dogmatic to precision on this is to hate the Word of Truth, It's Author ("Hath God really said?"), and the souls of a multitude of men.



Notes Brian McClung:

There is at best a most unfortunate mistake in the Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible concerning the vital doctrine of Justification. At worse, it is the incorporation of false teaching, even Roman Catholic teaching, into this Study Bible regarding the important truth of Justification.

Either way it surely needs, and deserves, an immediate, public clarification and correction!









The footnote in question is found on page 1,623, in connection with Romans 6:1-4. The footnote [pictured above], as it presently exists, reads: Justification is the change of man's moral nature; every justified man is a changed man (Titus 3:4-7).

This statement is doctrinally incorrect. It confuses Justification with Sanctification. Amazingly, not only is it incorrect, it has actually been turned into a statement containing grievous false teaching. In fact, it is Romish teaching to say that justification brings about a change of man's moral character. This very issue, of whether Justification brought about a change in man's moral nature, was a point of contention for the Reformers and Puritans, when opposing the errors of Romanism.

Justification has to do with the acquittal from guilt of those who stand accused of sin. It is a legal, forensic term. The Justification of a sinner is a legal change of position, a legal vindication, before God, the Judge of all men, and not in any way the change of any man's moral nature.

End quote.
More Romanism in the  Reformation Heritage Study Bible:

Excerpts from Brian McClung:

Strange to observe that the "Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible" teaches in its footnotes that Peter is the Rock upon which the church is built, in Matthew 16:18: And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.

The "Reformation Heritage KJV Study Bible" notes at the foot of the page against this verse read:

Peter. Jesus makes a play on Peter's name, which literally means "rock." The rock that Jesus builds His Church upon is most naturally understood as Peter, together with the other apostles in their Spirit-given testimony of Him (Eph. 2:20; Rev 21:14).

This cannot be true on two grounds and it is certainly not the normal position that Protestants have taken over the years. It is wrong, firstly, in that Peter's name does not mean 'rock' but 'stone' [pebble]. Secondly, it is wrong in that the Scriptures clearly teach that Christ is the rock upon which the Church is built. 

This is Romish teaching. The Roman Catholic church teaches that Peter is the rock upon which the church is built and bases her doctrine of the papacy upon this teaching.The Roman Catholic Catechism reads: 

552 Simon Peter holds the first place in the college of the Twelve; Jesus entrusted a unique mission to him. Through a revelation from the Father, Peter had confessed: “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Our Lord then declared to him: “You are Peter, and on this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it.” Christ, the “living stone,” thus assures his Church, built on Peter, of victory over the powers of death. Because of the faith he confessed Peter will remain the unshakeable rock of the Church.His mission will be to keep this faith from every lapse and to strengthen his brothers in it.

End quote.

A God Too Wise To Err And Too Loving To Be Unkind To His True Children

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"I delight to do Your will, O my God!" Psalm 40:8

Faith endures the disappointments, the hardships, and the heart-aches of life--by recognizing that all comes from the hand of Him who is too wise to err--and too loving to be unkind. 

There is no higher aspect of faith, than that which brings the heart to patiently submit unto whatever God sends us, to meekly acquiesce unto His sovereign will, to say, "Shall I not drink the cup of suffering which my Father has given me?" Faith when it reaches the pinnacle of attainment declares, "though He slays me, yet will I trust in Him!"

When we receive all that enters our lives as from God's hand, then, no matter what may be our circumstances or surroundings--whether in a hovel, a prison-dungeon, or a martyr's stake--we shall be enabled to say, "The lines have fallen unto me in pleasant place!" But that is the language of faith, not of sight or sense.

"Father, if You are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from Me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not Mine!" Luke 22:42   

"It is not enough to bear the cross, but we must take it up, we must accommodate ourselves to it, and acquiesce in the will of God in it. Not, "this is an evil, and I mustbear it, because I cannot help it;" but "this is an evil, and I will bear it, because it is the will of God." Matthew Henry 

"Christian contentment is that sweet, inward, quiet, gracious frame of spirit, which freely submits to and delights in God's wise and fatherly disposal in every condition." Jeremy Burroughs 

The Bible Is No Lazy Man's Book!

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"If you seek it like silver and search for it like hidden treasure--then you will understand the fear of the LORD and discover the knowledge of God!" Proverbs 2:4-5


"The Bible is no lazy man's book! Much of its treasure, like the valuable minerals stored in the bowels of the earth, only yield up themselves to the diligent seeker." (Arthur Pink)


"Do not be satisfied with a superficial survey of Scripture, as many Christians are. These are not the days of contemplation as the old Puritan times were, we are too apt to be superficial; but do remember that while there are nuggets of gold upon the very surface of Scripture, yet the most valuable mines of gold are far down!" (Charles Spurgeon)


"Truth lies deep, and must be dug for." (William Gurnall)


"Strive to penetrate to the bottom of Divine truths, and never be content with a superficial knowledge." (David Brainerd)

"Wisdom is supreme; therefore get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding!" Proverbs 4:7 

End quote.

Short cuts don't cut it. Skip the middle man like creeds, confessions, and catechisms, along with much of today's superficial treatment of Scripture, and go directly to the very Words of God. Know them, love them, live them. We are required to handle the Word of God personally

The Church That Jesus Builds

"Unless you have a company of regenerated and believing people, scripturally baptized, organized on N. T. lines, worshipping God in the ways of his appointing-particularly in having fellowship with the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, maintaining the ordinances, preserving strict discipline, active in evangelistic endeavor—it is not a "New Testament church," whatever it may or may not call itself. But a church possessing these characteristics is the only institution on this earth ordained, built, and approved of by the Lord Jesus Christ..." 

- A. W. Pink 

True Unity

The closer a company of Christians are drawn to their Lord, the closer they are drawn to one another.

~AW Pink

Yahoo "Journalist" Says God-given Rights "Bizarre"? Clearly This Educated Woman Is An Ignoramus of the Declaration of Independence and US History

 

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It is an acknowledgement by the founders of our country, declaring independence from Britain, that human rights are bestowed by God via creation, that the natural state of the human being contains God-given rights. It is the basis, forms the foundation of the founding of our country. And here is more living proof and testimony that this hasn't been taught, nor has history been taught in American education, particularly journalism schools, in way too long...

She tweeted yesterday, Meredith Shiner did, that Ted Cruz talking about God-given rights was bizarre. She said, she tweeted, "Bizarre to talk about how rights are God-made and not man-made in your speech announcing a POTUS bid? When Constitution was man-made?"

We have a glittering jewel of colossal ignorance on full and proud display here. This woman, the political reporter for Yahoo, has no clue about the preamble of the Declaration of Independence. She probably has scant knowledge of the American Revolution, the Declaration of Independence, the people involved. I wonder what she would do if she heard about the Founders pledging their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor, would she call them extremists? Nothing could be worth all of that?

Meredith Shiner is a Yahoo News political reporter, and before Yahoo she spent three years at Roll Call, where she was considered a leader in the newsroom, and then she worked at Politico for two years. She is a graduate of Duke University. She grew up in Chicago. That background I provide on purpose so you can have a great idea of just how ill-educated people coming out of higher education today are and where they end up working: Roll Call, Politico, and now Yahoo News. A graduate of Duke University. She has no idea....

She is totally clueless. The concept -- and this, folks, this is classic. This tells you everything you need to know about modern education, religion, and the way little liberals and journalists have grown to believe that the center of the universe is Washington, DC, and government, and everything comes from there....

But, folks, it's so indicative, it's so illustrative of how education is performing one of the greatest disservices to people whose parents are paying 20 grand a semester, or a year, to have their minds, their skulls full of mush filled up with this kind of drivel.  Meredith Shiner, Duke University graduate, Yahoo News political reporter, Roll Call three years, Politico for two years, has no idea, literally no idea about the founding of this country.  And without that, her work as a journalist is worthless because she doesn't know history.  She hasn't been taught history.  To add insult to injury, this woman thinks she's the one that knows everything, and somebody like Ted Cruz is the dangerous idiot that we have to stop.

~Rush Limbaugh

The Truth of God's Word

Authentic Christianity has always held that the Scripture is absolute, objective truth.  It is as true for one person as it is for another regardless of anyone’s opinion about it.  It has one true meaning that applies to everyone.  Every passage has one true interpretation.  Every passage has one true interpretation that applies to everyone in every age. 

The meaning is determined by God; it is not determined by you, or me, or anyone else.  It isn’t determined by you because you feel this is what it might mean.  It isn’t determined by me because I’m some kind of a scholar.  The meaning is determined by God.  It’s like any other truth; it’s like any other reality.  It is reality; it is truth.  What is true is true. 

In no way is any truth in Scripture decided by your experience.  Whether it affects you or doesn’t affect you subjectively has nothing to do with its truthfulness.  Now this deals a very heavy blow to vast numbers of people in professing Christianity who look at the Bible like some kind of a verbal Ouija board and run their fingers in their minds through it waiting for some kind of esoteric impulse.  And you hear people get together in a Bible study and say, “What does this mean to you?” 

Who cares.  Who are you?  What does this mean to God?  What did He say and what did He mean by what He said?  Biblical truth is objective; it is true in and of itself.  Psalm 119:160 says this:  “The entirety of Your Word is truth.” 

Now, friends, the very starting point and necessary foundation for a truly Christian world view is right there.  The Bible is all true, absolutely true.  It is God-breathed.  Every word has come from God.  It is objective truth in and of itself.  It is external to you, and your experience, and your mystical feelings.  If you give that up, you have wondered into non-Christian paganism.  You give up the ground of biblical truth that is objective, and whatever belief system you have left isn’t worthy to be called Christian, even if it has some vestiges of Christian symbolism. 

You see this all the time.  You listen to people talking about the fact that they’re Christians and they advocate Christianity.  Sometimes they say they’re Roman Catholics.  But they’re for homosexual marriage.  You have just eliminated the foundation of Christianity. 

That’s not Christianity.  You have literally taken the Bible, set it aside, and made yourself God.  You can’t pick and choose.  True Christianity begins with objective truth revealed by God.  That’s the first word, “objectivity.”

Second word, “rationality,” rationality.  What does that mean?  That the objective revelation of God breathed into the Scripture can be understood by normal reasoning.  It can be understood by normal reasoning.  Scripture is logical, non-contradictory, clear, subject to mental assessment. 

Listen, there are no errors; there are no discrepancies; there are no contradictions; there are no lies; there are not unsound principles.  I’ll go step further; anything that contradicts the Scripture is untrue.  There are no fantasies; there are no absurdities; there are no avatars; there are no inconsistencies; there are no weird things; there are no myths; there are no allegories.  It is absolutely true, and it is reasonability true and understood by reason in a normal process of using the mind....

The context informs the reason.  The flow of the argument, every passage of Scripture is making a case, presenting truth, and it is reasonable truth.  There are no secret meanings....

If you’re an engineer, or you’re a mechanic, or you’re an architect, use your reason to do your work and come to the right conclusion.  That’s essentially what a student of the Bible does.  I use my mind.  I don’t sit and wait for some special delivery from heaven.  The meaning of the Scripture is the Scripture, and the meaning is there, clear to be understood by the normal process of reason. 

What do I mean by rationality?  I mean that the Bible is to be understood in normal ways.  It is regular language, real people, actual history; and you learn to interpret it that way...

It’s all true and it’s all necessary for life and godliness.  It’s the truth by which all other truth claims are measured.  It’s the truth which exposes all error.  And you only have the truth if you have the meaning right, and that takes a refined mind and a trained mind.  The Bible is not about inducing feelings or emotions, it’s about divine truth....

We are then committed to the truth.  We have to be committed to the truth.  So when we get into dialog with the sinners of the world, whether they’re our friends, or our family or, classmates, or the guys we work with, ladies we work with, or whether or not we’re in the media or wherever we are, we don’t have dialog.  We don’t have dialog.  Why?  Because there’s really nothing to dialog about.  I’m always happy to show up and say, “I’m glad I’m here because I’m telling you the truth.  I’m just telling you the truth.”

Contemporary evangelicals like the idea of dialog because, again, remember now, if you’re going to make the Bible an issue, hostility toward the Bible is natural to sinners.  So modern evangelicals prefer dialog.  They don’t want to clash with every-other idea, every-other world view.  We want dialog.

So what do we do to get dialog?  We minimize biblical authority; we minimize biblical clarity; we minimize judgment.  I mean we do that all the time anyway....

Do we make enemies?  We already have enemies.  God has enemies; Christ has enemies; the Bible has enemies.  Jesus told His disciples, “If they persecuted Me, they’re going to persecute you.  If they hated me, they’re going to hate you.”  But if you know the truth, then you can only speak with authority; you can only speak with author. 

But it’s not really stylist to speak with authority like that; not really popular, not in this particular age.  People like soft words, words that don’t trouble the mind, don’t trouble the heart and leave room for everybody’s opinion.  They see this as some kind of tenderness, some kind of acceptance, some kind of tolerance.  But it’s really the opposite....

One writer put it this way:  “The one who really wanted a tender heart would be calling for a jackhammer.”  Hard words, hard teaching, hard truth is the jackhammer of God and it takes a great deal to break up hard hearts.  And the God of all mercy is willing to do it, but He always does it according to His Word, and His Word is not easy on us.  

Jeremiah 23:  “Is not My Word like a fire?” said the Lord, “and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces.”

When people call for smooth words, easy words, the result is hard people.  When we submit to hard words, we become the tenderhearted of God.  Well, I hate to tell you folks, but we can say it with love, but we’re the jackhammers in the world, to break up the hard-hearted, buried under lies....

We started with objectivity and then we went to rationality.  We understood that that yields veracity, truth, divine truth. That gives us literally delegated authority from God to speak.  And now the noose tightens right around the neck to the point where you begin to feel the rope burn.  Here is comes: truth is absolutely incompatible with error.

To put it in the language of 1 John 2:21, “No lie is of the truth.”  What a great statement:  “No lie is of the truth.”  Truth is in the end – listen – absolutely and finally intolerant.  It doesn’t mean you have to be mean or unloving, just the opposite.  But the truth itself is intolerant.  It is intolerant.

1 Corinthians 16:22, “If you love not the Lord Jesus Christ, you’re condemned.”  Listen, tolerance toward people is good, biblical.  Tolerance toward error is bad; that’s a sin.

God hates lies, doesn’t He?  The Old Testament says God hates lies.  He hates lying tongues and he hates the liars who waggle them.

Isaiah 8:20, “To the law, to the testimony Scripture: if they do not speak according to this word, it is because no light is in them.”  It’s incompatible with error.  So here we are in the world.  They, by nature, like we were once, hate the Word of God.  And we have the truth, and we have to proclaim it with authority and let them know it is incompatible with all error. 

~ Excerpts from John MacArthur, "The Essentials of Handling the Word of God Part 2"  

I recently shocked and dismayed a Christian by saying that not only does Scripture clearly teach a literal six day Creation week in Genesis 1-2, but that it is sin to believe in the theory of evolution. Before that I had told a young seminary student that John Piper indeed is not faithful to Scripture because he denies Genesis 1-2 as it states (he holds to the fantasy of theistic evolution --old age earth--and denies God is creating on days 2-6). 

Listen, if people reject the Beginning which is so clearly and emphatically stated, then they will reject other portions of Scripture and it's doctrines as well, since they have already sat in judgment against it and denied the foundational truth of Creation. They have committed treason against God and have waged war on the Word. They are in fact, traitors to the Creator Himself and side with Satan who said in the Garden, "Hath God said?" They allow foolish, God-hating, irrational, and hostile men and women of so-called science to interpret the Holy, living, inerrant, and clear Word of God in order to dethrown His lordship, His kingship, and His judgment. They no longer have a Christian worldview. They have borrowed from the atheists and have a worldly worldview, antagonistic and hostile to God's absolute authority  and pronouncements over all Creation and all people everywhere.

Whatever sets itself up against the knowledge of Christ--anything that is not of the pure, pristine, divine truth, is a lie---is to be rejected wholly as treasonous and from God's enemy, not of the Spirit of God in any way. 

2Co 10:4  For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5  We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 

Ideas have consequences. Biblical truth leads to biblical thinking and biblical living. It leads to living by faith and not by sight. It leads to glorifying God in all things beginning with our thoughts. It causes us to stand back and not walk into temptation and sin. It causes us to be wholly loyal to Christ alone. It protects us from spiritual harlotry, as well as physical adultery. It causes us to love God more and to walk in that love. Lies cannot do that because lies are from Satan, the father of lies.

If we claim to be mature, faithful Christians, or if we strive to be so, we must submit ourselves to the Scriptures and stop arguing against it with ungodly hostility and using the world's arguments as  a way to not only not submit to its teaching, but to disobey it's commands.

Hostility Toward God's Word

Authentic Christianity understands that Scripture and the Bible is objective, absolute, external, divine truth.  No person has ever had in himself any idea or any experience that determine divine truth, it comes from God.  No human being has ever been a source for divine truth.  No human being has ever been the one who established divine truth.

“Not an angel,” Galatians 1.  In fact, if anybody, even an angel, comes along with another gospel, he’s cursed.  What someone thinks is true doesn’t make it true.  There is no individual truth.  You don’t have your truth and somebody else has his truth. 

Any faithful, diligent study of this book will yield internal evidence that that claim is absolutely true.  You have sat here long enough under enough preaching and teaching, you have been exposed to verse by verse by verse by verse, examination of the Word of God, and you have seen the test; and the longer you’ve been there listening, the more confidence you have in the Word of God.  It stands every test.

So here’s my question.  Since the Word of God is all this, since the Bible is all this, why is the Bible so intolerable in an age of tolerance?  Since it has no parallel; it has no equal.  Why is it so despised?  Simple answer: hostility toward Scripture resides in the heart of all sinners.  Hostility toward Scripture resides in the heart of all sinners.  Not some sinners, all sinners; all of them.  Now the degree may vary, but the hostility is there.

I was fascinated to see on the news that the pope said it’s okay to spank your children, and now he’s being blasted across the globe for making such an outrageous statement.  And one of the people condemning the pope for that statement said, “Jesus would never do that.”  I would like to find all those people, line them up and say, “The Bible not only suggests spanking, it commands it.”  They hate that.  That’s the least of the things they hate about the Bible.  Hostility toward God’s Word resides in the heart of every sinner. 

Jesus summed it up in that familiar eighth chapter of John when he says, “Why do you not understand what I’m saying?  It’s because you cannot hear My Word.  You’re of your father, the Devil, and you want to do the desires of your father.  He was a murderer from the beginning, doesn’t stand in the truth because there’s no truth in him.  Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature, for he’s a liar and the father of Lies.  But because I speak the truth, you do not believe Me.  He who is of God hears the words of God; for this reason, you do not hear them, you’re not of God.” 

That is Jesus saying hostility toward His Word resides in the heart of every sinner.  It’s not just that they can’t understand it – that true, 1 Corinthians 2:14 – it’s that they resent it.  There always will be, always has been a fundamental, irreconcilable, incompatibility between the revealed truth of God in Scripture and the world; always, always.

Jesus – and I’ve been quoting this recently – summed it up by saying this:  “The world hates Me because I testified to it that its deeds are evil,” that there’s too much sin and too much judgment in the Bible for the sinner to embrace it.  Why?  “Because men love,” John 3:19, “darkness rather than,” what?  “Light, because their deeds are evil.”

Still, understanding the truth of Scripture, understanding its antipathy to everything in the world, understand that sinners are hostile toward it; that’s natural, that’s the default position of every sinner. 

That’s hard to sell in a post-modern world that doesn’t believe in absolute truth.  What you think is true is not necessarily true.  What is true is true; and Scripture is true.  It is not only true, it is perspicuous, it is clear, clearly true.  The meaning is evident on the face of it.  It’s not puzzles hidden; it’s not mysteries; it’s not conundrums; it’s not hopeless allegories.  Yeah, there are some things hard to understand, but the main message of Scripture is clear and unambiguous.  It is not existential; it doesn’t rise from you.  The Bible isn’t inspired because it hits you in certain ways that make you feel something. 

~John MacArthur, "The Essentials Of Handling God's Word Part 2"


I have to add, sadly, hostility toward the Scripture resides in most professing Christians, too.

Jas 1:19  Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger;

Critiquing the "Critics" of Tim Keller

The best critique of Keller yet, especially on the book by New Calvinists that claim to be critiquing him, yet start  and end with hailing PCA pastor and author Tim Keller as an orthodox Reformed brother. The twisted thinking blows the mind: apparently you can teach falsely about the nature of God, sin, Hell, the Trinity, etc. and still be called a "brother" who is faithful to the Reformed traditions and Scripture. Neither is true. The book reveals not only what is wrong with Keller (it doesn't even mention his view on Roman Catholicism and mysticism for example), but also what is wrong with these expert Calvinists who contradict clear thinking and proclaiming when at once they say he's orthodox and reliable, then turn around and prove he is neither orthodox nor reliable. The free pass to a false teacher is damning for the "critics" in this book, because honestly, they are actually promoting him. 2 John 9-11 clearly states that anyone who welcomes or even greets a false teacher is guilty of the false teacher's wickedness. So far, these men who give lip service to "criticizing" Keller yet hold him up as a brother in Christ whom we can learn from, are then guilty before God of Keller's war on the Truth.

I highly suggest reading the entire article because Williams goes into some of the areas the book touches on. Then Williams goes further (because this book did not) and deals with MORE of Keller's heretical teachings like mysticism and promotion of Roman Catholicism as Christian (after all "Christian" is defined by him as adhering to the "Creeds" (not Scripture, and certainly not Scripture alone--which proves the hypocrisy of Reformers who use creeds as authoritative instead of Scripture ONLY which alone is inspired, living,inerrant, and solely authoritative).

To merely summarize the gist of the article (there were way too many good quotes to narrow down to a few, so please read the article) here's part of the conclusion by ES Williams:

Is Tim Keller a False Teacher? 

Engaging with Keller has dealt with six important areas of Christian doctrine and found Keller to be wanting. While much of the critique of Keller’s theology is well-argued and convincing, as far as it goes, the editors made it clear, even before presenting evidence of deep flaws in Keller’s theology, that he is a good man who supports and teaches orthodox Reformed theology. They reassure their readers that Keller is a sound teacher of the truth, and there is not the slightest suggestion that Keller could be a false teacher. So having rightly identified numerous serious errors in Keller’s theology, errors that truncate the gospel, their readers are exhorted to accept Keller as an orthodox brother in Christ.

Keller’s Flawed Methods of Bible Interpretation

A major finding of Engaging with Keller, which has emerged from all the essays, is that Tim Keller uses flawed methods of Bible interpretation. He consistently distorts Scripture to make it appear to support his agenda. In much of his writings on theological issues, he pays little attention to the teachings of Scripture. In his chapter on the problem of sin, as we have seen, he spends ten pages discussing the ideas of men like Kierkegaard, C.S. Lewis and others, before he even mentions Scripture. And when he does finally mention Scripture, the references are spurious. Keller’s teaching on hell comes not from Scripture, but from the theology of C.S. Lewis. He misuses Lazarus and the rich man, to make the ridiculous claim that no one has ever asked to leave hell. He selects Scripture to teach that the essential attribute of God is love, while ignoring the weight of Scripture that elevates God’s holiness. He wrongly uses the parable of the prodigal son in order to get to the heart of the Christian faith. Richard Holst’s critique is devastating: “One could hardly conceive of a concept more contrary to good hermeneutical procedure than to use a parable to define the Christian faith.”

Dr. Bidwell in his analysis of Keller’s “divine dance” is firm in declaring that there is no scriptural evidence for a movement of dance within the inner life of the Trinity. “We have summarized that the ‘divine dance’ explanation of the Trinity has no biblical warrant.”

Another disturbing example of Keller’s misuse of Scripture, not mentioned in Engaging, is his interpretation of the elder brother in The Prodigal God. Keller claims the Pharisees, whom he says were represented in the parable by the elder brother, “held to the traditional morality of their upbringing. They studied and obeyed the Scripture. They worshipped faithfully and constantly.” Keller infers that the Pharisees are the religious people “who do everything the Bible requires.” But the Pharisees were not people who believed and obeyed the Bible, as Keller asserts. On the contrary, the Pharisees held to the tradition of men. Our Lord said to the Pharisees, “For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do” (Mark 7:8). The Pharisees feigned obedience to God’s Word, but they did not really obey it — they were hypocrites who did not obey God’s moral law, they only kept the ceremonial rites, like hand washing. Jesus called them hypocrites seven times in Matthew 23. So Keller’s statement that the Pharisees obeyed the Scriptures is false and misleading. He draws this false conclusion: “Careful obedience to God’s law may serve as a strategy for rebelling against God.” Our Lord said: “If ye love me, keep my commandments” (John 14:15).

End quote.

~ES Williams, "Keller And  His Critics"
(Bold, red, italics, my emphasis)

God's Word Is Not To Be Dissected

"God’s blessed Word is not for dissection by the knife of cold intellectuality, but is to be laid to heart. It is not given for us to display our cleverness and “brilliance” upon, but to be bowed before in true humility. It is not designed for mental entertainment, but for the regulation of our daily lives."

~ A.W. Pink

A Whole Bible Makes A Whole Christian

"It takes a whole Bible to make a whole Christian."

~ Alistair Begg

Indeed, starting with Genesis 1-3 as it is written. 

Mat 4:4  But he answered, "It is written, "'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"

The Ends Do Not Justify the Means

2Co 4:2  But we have renounced disgraceful, underhanded ways. We refuse to practice cunning or to tamper with God's word, but by the open statement of the truth we would commend ourselves to everyone's conscience in the sight of God.

Renounced = reject, disown. This verse clearly teaches against "the ends justify the means".  Trying to lure people in to hear preaching, telling half truths, softening the blow of the bad news--these are things that are to be renounced as sinfully disgraceful and unfit for the churches and the saints in proclaiming the Truth.

The Homofascism of Elton John

So this is very interesting. Sodomites against each other (for now). The controversy is about IVF.

 Apparently Elton John doesn't want people to have a different view point from his own (this was the second time he's done this: last week he wrote an opinion piece slamming Georgia's Religious Freedom Restoration Act which would allow businesses to not be compelled to serve people like sodomites b/c of religious views). He is proclaiming homofacisim. He's a liar when he claims to be all for freedom. No he isn't. He wants freedom ONLY for those who agree with him. That's intolerance of the "tolerant". It's hypocrisy.

Anyway all the Italian sodomite (and likely Catholic I suspect) designer Dolce (of Dolce & Gabbana) said was, according to the Daily Mail:

'You are born and you have a father and mother. At least it should be like that. That's why I'm not convinced by what I call chemical children, synthetic babies.'

That got Elton John IRATE and lashed out and called for a boycott (except yesterday he was seen carrying an D&G shopping bag--the hypocrite).  This goes straight to the heart of one reason why sodomy is so contrary to God's created order: sodomites can't bear children, they cannot procreate. 

The wrath of Elton was seen as wholly (and correctly) intolerant, so this has pit liberals against each other:

But the designers hit back - Stefano Gabbana told an Italian newspaper: 'It's useless, this is just an authoritarian way of seeing things: if you agree with me, good, otherwise I'll attack. And I wrote to him, in the comments on Instagram: fascist.'

Italian senator Roberto Formigoni even likened Sir Elton to the Islamic fanatics who murdered staff at the political magazine Charlie Hebdo. 

In an extraordinary rant, he said: 'The campaign launched against the two stylists by Elton John is shameful and intolerable. 

'Elton John is a Taliban, he is using against Dolce ad Gabbana the same methods used by Taliban against Charlie Hebdo.'

~Daily Mail, UK

I suspect Dolce will come out with a backpedaling statement of some sort, but for now, it is a good example of how rabidly fascism the sodomites really can be. 

It Is Not Ok To Be Angry With God

I have heard Christians say it's ok to be angry with God, but that is a sinful thing to state. It is not a matter if "He can handle it". Such utter foolishness! Of course HE can handle mere man's fury. But Scripture states that anger at God IS SIN.

An example is: Rev 16:9 They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. They did not repent and give him glory.... 11 and cursed the God of heaven for their pain and sores. They did not repent of their deeds.

It is prideful and hateful toward God Himself; it is being blind to the fact that they are the ones under a curse and deserving of no mercy and grace, not the Holy One of Israel; they are impugning His character and Word; they are self centered and sit in judgment of God who alone is the righteous Jude of all. It is to have no fear of God before their blind eyes.

Job 40:1 And the LORD said to Job:
Job 40:2 "Shall a faultfinder contend with the Almighty? He who argues with God, let him answer it."
Job 40:3 Then Job answered the LORD and said:
Job 40:4 "Behold, I am of small account; what shall I answer you? I lay my hand on my mouth.
Job 40:5 I have spoken once, and I will not answer; twice, but I will proceed no further."
Job 40:6 Then the LORD answered Job out of the whirlwind and said:
Job 40:7 "Dress for action like a man; I will question you, and you make it known to me.

Christians, please do not malign God's character and word, and help the one in sin to continue to sin and justify it with human nature, because that's helping them in their sin and giving false comfort.

Rom 6:1  What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? 

Rom 6:2  By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? 

Even in election, we cannot dare question God, how much more the one who claims to be in Christ when given trials?

Rom 9:13  As it is written, "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated." 

Rom 9:14  What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! 

Rom 9:15  For he says to Moses, "I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion." 

Rom 9:16  So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. 

Rom 9:19  You will say to me then, "Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?" 

Rom 9:20  But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, "Why have you made me like this?" 

Rom 9:21  Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? 

Discernment

First Thessalonians 5:21-22 teaches that it is the responsibility of every Christian to be discerning: "But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; abstain from every form of evil." The apostle John issues a similar warning when he says, "Do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world" (1 John 4:1). According to the New Testament, discernment is not optional for the believer-it is required.

The key to living an uncompromising life lies in one's ability to exercise discernment in every area of his or her life. For example, failure to distinguish between truth and error leaves the Christian subject to all manner of false teaching. False teaching then leads to an unbiblical mindset, which results in unfruitful and disobedient living-a certain recipe for compromise.

Unfortunately, discernment is an area where most Christians stumble. They exhibit little ability to measure the things they are taught against the infallible standard of God's Word, and they unwittingly engage in all kinds of unbiblical decision-making and behavior. In short, they are not armed to take a decidedly biblical stand against the onslaught of unbiblical thinking and attitudes that face them throughout their day.

Discernment intersects the Christian life at every point. And God's Word provides us with the needed discernment about every issue of life. According to Peter, God "has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence" (2 Peter 1:3). You see, it is through the "true knowledge of Him," that we have been given everything we need to live a Christian life in this fallen world. And how else do we have true knowledge of God but through the pages of His Word, the Bible? In fact, Peter goes on to say that such knowledge comes through God's granting "to us His precious and magnificent promises" (2 Peter 1:4).

Discernment -- the ability to think biblically about all areas of life -- is indispensable to an uncompromising life. It is incumbent upon the Christian to seize upon the discernment that God has provided for in His precious truth! Without it, Christians are at risk of being "tossed here and there by waves, and carried about by every wind of doctrine" (Ephesians 4:14).

~John MacArthur on what is discernment and why it is important

Heavenly Minded

photo source

Col 3:1  If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 
Col 3:2  Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 
Col 3:3  For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
Col 3:4  When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Adoption

The Chen's first time meeting their new son, and realizing the amazing adoption story of Christians with God, as they adopt this new baby.

Another Church, This Time A Reformed Church Reverses Itself On Sodomy

And so goes another "church". This one is in San Francisco, modeled after Tim Keller's "church". They outright state that demanding "celibacy" for sodomites is unfair and harmful and that it is wrong counsel.

 As a church within the Reformed Tradition we go directly to Scripture to find counsel and to reengage the verses that talk about same sex activity. 
For so long this has been a “case closed” kind of issue for evangelicals. But in recent years, multiple respected evangelical scholars and theologians have begun to wrestle with this and a healthy debate is underway. Asking questions about what the Scriptures say on this issue must always be coupled with asking why the Scriptures say what they do and what kind of same-sex activity is being addressed. Scholars and leaders who have previously been united in their interpretations are coming to different conclusions. This does not mean that your view must change, but it does counsel humility with how we each hold our views. Given the status and variety of these opinions, what has become clear to us is that there is no longer clear consensus on this issue within the evangelical community.

They are deliberately arguing against Scripture, rejecting it and instead listening to some pro-sodomite book that tries to turn the issue of sodomy into a question. In Scripture there is no question; it dogmatically damns sodomy.

Jas 1:19  Know this, my beloved brothers: let every person be quick to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger; 20  for the anger of man does not produce the righteousness of God. 

1Co 6:9  Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, 10  nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God.

1Ti 1:10  the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers,and

whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, 

Jude 1:7  just as Sodom and Gomorrah and the surrounding cities, which likewise indulged in sexual immorality and pursued unnatural desire, serve as an example by undergoing a punishment of eternal fire.

Rom 1:23  and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.Rom 1:24  Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves,25  because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. 

They admit what I said liberals do: take biblical doctrine and put into the Romans 14 category and say its personal preference and therefore cannot be judged as wrong.

"Our challenge is to hold our views with humility and do as Paul says inRomans 14 when speaking to Christians who could not come to consensus in their interpretation of the 1^stand 4^th commandments.  This was no small disagreement as it concerned Mosaic legislation. In the face of this major disagreement, Paul exhorted them to stay united saying, “Let us therefore no longer pass judgment on one another” and “Why do you pass judgment on your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we all stand before the judgment seat of God.” "


Rom 14:1  As for the one who is weak in faith, welcome him, but not to quarrel over opinions. 

Romans 1-13 are doctrinal truths and commands that must be accepted. Romans 14 is regarding matters of opinion that are NOT addressed as doctrinal truths or commands. Matters of days observed or food eaten is a matter of opinion in the New Covenant, not sexual immorality like the heinous sin of sodomy! Romans 1, the BEGINNING of that book, shows sodomy IS SIN.

I will note:

"One sad piece of news: two of our Elders, Tyler Dann and Bruce Gregory, resigned from the board. We received these resignations with sadness and understanding. These are fine members of our church who love Jesus deeply."  

At least these two men did not continue in the blasphemy.