Unity

Unity has been an ongoing issue at my church in recent months. There’s been a plea for unity on the current church building project. My pastor even switched from his current series of going through the Gospel of Mark, to jumping into Eph. 4:1-3, as his call to unify and not divide, on the church's building fund (first they showed a DVD, then had a pep talk by some guy to rally around this project, then this topical message).

I noticed C. Michael Patton also wrote about unity at his blog.

Something is missing from both men, and its this: unity, true biblical unity is always based on Truth.

What my pastor failed to do that Sunday, was to start with the doctrines proclaimed in Eph. 1-3, which is Paul’s basis for going on to discuss how to live out the truth and thus have unity. I know for a fact, had he done that, it would have caused DISunity, simply because even our elder board, let alone many people at church, do not believe in Sovereign Predestination as Eph. 1 clearly proclaims. Its easier to get on the bandwagon for a building I guess.

Patton goes beyond that and says in his post:

I believe that it is a real possibility—even likely—that God does not want absolute doctrinal unity. In fact, practically speaking, I think it would do more harm than good.

What I am saying is this: it may actually be God’s sovereignty that brings about division over the doctrine of God’s sovereignty!

[If this is true, why does God declare His sovereignty on every page of Scripture--and clearly in entire CHAPTERS of Scripture? Genesis 1:1 makes it clear HE IS SOVEREIGN and between that verse and Romans 1:18-21, for example, HE says HE has made HIS sovereignty known to all men by virtue of His creation. Psalms 33 also screams out HIS Sovereignty over creation and all men and their plans as does Is. 40, etc. The list is HUGE.]

He also says:

I believe that doctrinal disagreements are healthy for the church. When there is conflict between opposing options, the issue at hand is understood at a more profound level than is possible in the absence of the conflict. Conflict, in the end, can bring about a deeper conviction of the truth. When there is no conflict, there is no iron sharpening iron.

It is often said that heresy is God’s gift to the church. Why? Because when a false option is presented the truth becomes much clearer. In contrast there is clarity. In clarity there is conviction.

It is for this reason that we must be continually engaged with alternative options. As hard as it is to engage in beliefs that go against our present convictions, we need to recognize the value of the struggle.

Here’s the problem with that post-modern thinking.

There was no Scripture to support his view. Knowing Patton has a very low regard for Scripture: he denies the inerrancy of Scripture here and says the Cannon of Scripture is NOT closed here. Its no surprise he didn’t include it.

Unity is imperative according to Scripture.

Scripture says God wants believers unified based on Truth and is reflective of the Godhead:

Joh 17:21 that they may ALL BE ONE, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that THEY MAY BE ONE even AS WE ARE ONE,

Is there disunity among the Persons in the Godhead? No.

1Co 1:10 I appeal to you, brothers, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ALL of you AGREE and that there be NO DIVISION among you, but that you be UNITED in the SAME mind and the SAME judgment….IS CHRIST DIVIDED? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were you baptized in the name of Paul?

This seems clear to me. There is to be some division? NO! There is to be NO DIVISION among you, BUT (in contrast to division) be UNITED in the SAME MIND. This could not be CLEARER.
But wait, there's more...

Eph 4:3 EAGER to maintain the UNITY of the Spirit in the bond of peace. 4 There is ONE body and ONE Spirit–just as you were called to the ONE hope that belongs to your call– 5 one Lord, ONE faith, ONE baptism, 6 ONE God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

Eph 4: 13 until we all attain to the UNITY of the faith and of the KNOWLEDGE of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ,

1Pe 3:8 Finally, all of you, have UNITY of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.

This isn't a suggestion. God is commanding us to have unity of MIND.

Phi 1:27 Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ, so that whether I come and see you or am absent, I may hear of you that you are standing firm in ONE spirit, with ONE mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel,

Phi 2:2 complete my joy by being of the SAME mind, having the SAME love, being in FULL ACCORD and of ONE mind.

This is just as clear. Unity is commanded. Same mind, one mind, FULL ACCORD.

Oh, you thought I was finished? Not yet.

To say that disunity is pleasing to God is to reject clear Scripture.

Joh 8:31 So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed in him, “If you ABIDE in my WORD, you are truly my disciples, 32 and you WILL KNOW the truth, and THE TRUTH WILL set you free.”

1Jo 2:21 I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but BECAUSE YOU KNOW IT, and because NO LIE IS OF THE TRUTH.

Unity is to be based on the Word of God and God Himself. Not some man-made notions of philosophy or a church building scheme. And not about whether someone agrees with ME. I am not the issue. Scripture is. We need to be unified on Truth for then we will be like-minded and of one spirit in one faith.

Patton and other philosophers say that through considering error we come to know truth clearer. Is that biblical? I find Scripture saying we come to know the Truth by the Spirit of Truth and Scripture; we know Truth and what is right and what is wrong by going to Scripture and thus going to the Lord as we dwell on His Word.

Isa 45:19 …I the LORD speak the truth; I declare what is right.

Joh 8:32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.

Joh 14:6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

1Jo 2:21 I write to you, not because you do not know the truth, but because you know it, and because no lie is of the truth.

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

2Ti 2:7 Think over what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.

Luk 24:45 Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures,

Is. 8: 20 To the law and to the testimony! If they do not speak according to this word, they have no light of dawn.

Psa 1:1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.

Psa 119:104 Through your precepts I get understanding; therefore I hate every false way.

Not done yet. There's more Scripture on how to know Truth.

1Ti 6:3 If anyone teaches a different doctrine and does not agree with the sound words of our Lord Jesus Christ and the teaching that accords with godliness, 4 he is puffed up with conceit and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy craving for controversy and for quarrels about words, which produce envy, dissension, slander, evil suspicions, 1Ti 6:5 and constant friction among people who are depraved in mind and deprived of the truth, imagining that godliness is a means of gain.

2 Cor. 10: 5 We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.

Phi 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

Eph 5:17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.

Heb 5:13 for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. 14 But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.

Psa 19:9 the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether. 11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

Psa 119:99 I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation.

Psa 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;

1Co 2:1 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.

1Ti 6:20 O Timothy, guard the deposit entrusted to you. Avoid the irreverent babble and contradictions of what is falsely called "knowledge," 21 for by professing it some have swerved from the faith. Grace be with you.

2Ti 2:23 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels.

2 Tim. 2: 16 Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. 17 Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some.

Act 17:11 Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.

Truth IS knowable, and Scripture has clearly stated what unity is and how it is achieved. Its only those who have a low view of Scripture and a man-centered mentality that are the dividers from Truth and seek to infest His Body with error, while calling us who stand for Scriptural Truth “divisive” “judgmental” and “hyper-critical”. Yet its not US who bring in the error and man-centered philosophies. Its them. To their shame. God still is in control, but such division FROM Truth, calling that which is evil, “good” and demanding unity on materialistic things instead of Truth is DISOBEDIENCE and SIN. God will not be glorified in that.

"Evangelical Leaders" Fear A Woman Rather Than God

Pro 29:25 The fear of man lays a snare, but whoever trusts in the LORD is safe.

Fear God
Vote Biblically
Don't Compromise ©

This is the window sticker I created for my car and it is a good guide for how I need to vote in elections. It was born out of a need to voice the true issues in voting in our country.

Its something that "evangelical leaders" would learn from. Instead these guys, along with their followers, are man-centered pragmatists, and have sold their "principles" for a Republican victory.

Allow me to explain.

Arnold Schwarzenegger

When Arnold Schwarzenegger ran for governor of California, I look on his website and found he was pro-abortion and pro-homosexual rights. I warned as many Christians as I could, especially at my church, about his positions and challenged them with this:

"Are you a conservative because you say you are or because you really are by voting accordingly?"

The resounding fear was that the leading Democrat, Carlos Bustamonte, would beat the Republicans and the "only one who could win" was Arnold Schwarzenegger .

It wasn't a matter of weeks before I got the first email of how the GOP would have to deal with Arnold's abortion stand. Hello? YOU voted him in! Now you want to deal with his position that you KNEW was adamently opposed to the GOP's platform?

Now the Republican Conservatives / so-called-Christians are whining about the laws he's passing that allow boys to use the girls' restrooms, as well as banning the use of "mom and dad" and "husband and wife" from California school textbooks because its discriminatory against sodomite couples.

This was the fear of man. They feared a Democrat and gave up on the very principles (not even truly principles, since they are cast aside as optional) that defined them as Republican, Conservative, and Christian. They voted pragmatically, not biblically. They compromised.

I have said for three years now, that what happened in California would go national.

It has.

Pat Robertson

Pat Robertson, the face of "conservative Evangelical Christianity" has now endorsed Rudy Giuliani. Why? Because Giuliani is "fiscally conservative" and also is good on the war.

How about morals, Pat? Is Rudy conservative morally?

Rudy Giuliani is an adulterer, home-wrecker, liar, pro-abortionist. He's been married repeatedly and his current wife was his mistress. He lied to his wife, to his children, and to the public as he kept this dirty secret, until it came out in the open and he had to admit it. Adulterers are good liars usually. So are politicians.

Giuliani is also pro-abortion and pro-sodomite rights. His record and his own words prove this. The Christian Coalition is against abortion and sodomite rights.

"Ultimately, a woman should make that with her conscience and ultimately with her doctor. "
Source: 2007 GOP Iowa Straw Poll debate Aug 5, 2007

Federal tax returns show that he and his then-wife, Donna Hanover, made personal donations to national, state and city chapters of Planned Parenthood totaling $900 in 1993, 1994, 1998 and 1999. The returns have been on the public record for years, but the detail about Giuliani's support for Planned Parenthood was provided to The Politico by aides to a rival campaign, who insisted on not being identified. -Source: Jonathan Martin on Politico.com May 7, 2007

To the question:

Q: Would the day that Roe v. Wade is repealed be a good day for America?

ROMNEY: Absolutely.
BROWNBACK: It would be a glorious day of human liberty and freedom.
GILMORE: Yes, it was wrongly decided.
HUCKABEE: Most certainly.
HUNTER: Yes.
THOMPSON: Yes.
McCAIN: A repeal.
GIULIANI: It would be OK to repeal. It would be OK also if a strict constructionist judge viewed it as precedent and I think a judge has to make that decision.

Q: So it would be OK if they didn't repeal it?

GIULIANI: I think the court has to make that decision and then the country can deal with it. We're a federalist system of government and states can make their own decisions.
TANCREDO: After 40 million dead because we have aborted them in this country, I would say that that would be the greatest day in this country's history when that, in fact, is overturned.

Pat Robertson of the Christian Coaltion wants that kind of man to be president?

“I’m pro-choice. I’m pro-gay rights,” Giuliani said. He was then asked whether he supports a ban on what critics call partial-birth abortions. “No, I have not supported that, and I don’t see my position on that changing,” he responded. Source: CNN.com, “Inside Politics” Dec 2, 1999

GIULIANI: The reality is that I support the Second Amendment. I clearly believe that marriage should be between a man and a woman, although I did support domestic partnerships and still do, a contractual relationship. And [we should] put our emphasis on reducing abortions & increasing the number of adoptions. - Source: 2007 GOP Iowa Straw Poll debate Aug 5, 2007

National Republicans can lump it if they don't like his new domestic-partners bill, Mayor Giuliani said yesterday. "I really haven't thought about what the impact is on Republican politics or national politics or Democratic politics," Giuliani said. The bill he submitted to the City Council would extend the benefits city agencies must grant to gay and lesbian couples. "I'm proud of it," Giuliani said of the bill. "I think it puts New York City ahead of other places in the country." Source: New York Daily News, reprinted in 3/25/05 NY Observer May 13, 1998

So why is Roberston such a hypocrit? Because he fears man (or in this case a woman) rather that God.

A false teacher and prophet, such as Pat Robertson is, wouldn't fear God anyway. He's a mere pragmatist who thinks he's something when he's nothing. He doesn't know God, His Word, and certainly has no biblical values. Values are what we hold to in the MIDST of conflict and trials and hazy situations. For the Christian, our values better be directly from Scripture or they're just mere opinion and will change at any time. Like Robertson. Seems to me his views are mere opinion because he dumped them when he feared a woman rather than the One who can destroy both his body and soul in hell.

Bob Jones III

According to Greenville Online (and AP):

Dr. Bob Jones III, chancellor of the fundamentalist Christian university that bears his name, is looking past his religious differences with Gov. Mitt Romney and endorsing the Mormon for the Republican nomination for president, he told The Greenville News today.

"This is all about beating Hillary," Jones said. "And I just believe that this man has the credentials both personally and ideologically in terms of his view about what American government should be to best represent the rank and file of conservative Americans.
"If it turns out to be Guiliani and Hillary, we�ve got two pro- choice candidates, and that would be a disaster."

Wow. A "conservative Christian" is supporting (pushing) for a future Mormon god to be presiden! Why? Well, he says why: he fears a woman.

So what makes Jones conservative or Christian? You got me.

But he's fearing man, not voting biblically (see Romney's record here on abortion and sodomite rights here), and compromising what defines a person as Republican, Conservative, and Christian.

John Hagee

John Hagee proclaimed recently on Glen Beck's CNN show that he too, along with 11 other men in leadership at his church, would vote for a future Mormon god if it was between Romney and Hillary:

BECK: We`re back with Pastor John Hagee, author of "In Defense of Israel." When we went to the break, I gave you a second to think about it. Would you vote for a Mormon?

HAGEE: I asked that exact question to the 12 leaders of my church at the Christmas banquet last year. I said, if it comes down to a Mormon presidential candidate, would you vote for that one, or would you not vote for him because it was Hillary Clinton or someone else? Eleven out of 12 said, "We`ll vote for the Mormon."

BECK: Were you the one?

HAGEE: No, it was not me. I said, I would vote for him, because I know him to be moral, I know him to have high principles, I know him to believe in a work ethic, I know that he has a family orientation that`s very devout, and very pure, and that is basically the social problem that`s destroying the fabric of this country right now. The family is coming unraveled.

End quote.

Clearly Hagee's looking at moral issues here (Pat Robertson does not). However the problem is that Romney isn't that morally upstanding: he's a cult member (of LDS) that lies about Jesus Christ and God's Word, he's protected abortion while in office and he's for benefits of sodomite couples.

"As governor, I indicated that I would not change the law as it related to abortion. I would keep it the same."

"I've always been personally pro-life, but for me, it was a great question about whether or not government should intrude in that decision. And when I ran for office, I said I'd protect the law as it was, which is effectively a pro-choice position." -Source: 2007 GOP primary debate, at Reagan library, hosted by MSNBC May 3, 2007

"In New Hampshire on Thursday, he deflected conservative concerns about his record on gay marriage and abortion. He said he now describes himself as "firmly pro-life," despite citing his tolerance for abortion rights during his 2002 gubernatorial campaign, after researching the embryonic stem cell issue." --Source: CNN.com, "Inside Politics" Dec 22, 2006

Romney endorsed legalization of RU-486, the abortion-inducing drug.--Source: Boston Globe review of 1994 canpaign issues Mar 21, 2002

"When I ran for the first time, I said I was personally pro-life but that I would protect a woman's right to choose as the law existed. Two years ago, as a result of the debate we had, the conclusion I reached was that cloning and creating new embryos was wrong, and that we should, therefore, allow our state to become a pro-life state. I believe states should have the right to make this decision, and that's a position I indicated in an op-ed in the Boston Globe 2 years ago." --Source: 2007 GOP primary debate, at Reagan library, hosted by MSNBC May 3, 2007

So as a Mormon purportedly high up in his church, he was pro-abortion until he saw where the opinion polls were going in 2005 and suddenly switched? This was not part of his "values" at all. He was against pro-live before he was for it? Man, where have I heard that before? Voting pro-abortion but being pro-life. What makes a person pro-life if they vote against it? Because they say they are?

Do you see the problem here?

Three "conservative Christians" are not truly conservative and only one who I consider might be a believer is Bob Jones, but I'll wait and see. The other two are heretics and false prophets/teachers (Hagee has recently said that Jesus did not come to be Messiah; he also doesn't believe the Jews need the Gospel of Jesus Christ; and also promotes heretical teachers of the Word of Faith movement). But certainly these men are NOT conservative. They are pragmatists who fear man (a woman this time) rather than God.

I saw this coming when Arnold Schwarzenegger ran for governor. Its now gone national, this compromising and fear.

Fear God, not man.
Vote biblically, not pragmatically.
Don't compromise.

I'll stand by this. We MUST be like Daniel who did not fear man (the kings) and live pragmatically. He could've bowed to the statue in order to keep his job so he could "have more influence over the nation", but he didn't. He served and feared God, trusting Him to take care of whatever happened to his life or job. And it was his very life at stake...not just a mere job. He stood prepared to loose his life for not obeying the king's order to bow to the golden statue. Because Daniel was faithful to the Lord openly and in secret (he kept praying three times a day with his window open), God blessed him in many great ways.

Let us be like Daniel.

Fear God.
Vote biblically.
Don't compromise. ©


Jer 17:5 Thus says the LORD: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes flesh his strength, whose heart turns away from the LORD.

UPDATE: Now Mitt Romney has found support with Moral Majority co-founder Paul Weyrich. Wow, holding hands with cultists....just absolutely amazes me. Next thing we'll see are "Christians" holding hands with Muslim candidates. Oh wait, that's already happening.

VCY Radio Network Cancels Swindoll for Inappropiate Language (Appropriate for the EMC however)

VCY America, home of Slice of Laodicea, has apparently dropped Insight For Living's Chuck Swindoll from its radio broadcasts. If the below is an accurate report of the press release, I can understand why. Swindoll has been increasingly courting liberalism.

In part it says:

“Since 1979 VCY America has aired Insight For Living. Increasingly over recent years, VCY has been concerned about the content and direction of the IFL broadcasts with Chuck Swindoll. Through the years we have had multiple conversations with IFL regarding objections to content in their broadcasts. It is VCY’s position that certain language and illustrations used have been crude, vulgar, and from the gutter and have no place on Christian radio.

While the listing below is not exhaustive, it does give a representation of VCY’s objections that have resulted in the termination of the broadcast.

The decision to bring termination to the IFL program arrived on March 5, 2007. VCY and listeners were highly offended by Chuck Swindoll’s use of crude and uncalled for language. His message was entitled, “Male Leadership 101” which was a presentation given to men at his church. Although a disclaimer was given at the beginning of the program, Swindoll had a sustained laugh as he stated had he known this would be on radio at the time of speaking he probably would have changed things around because he tends to be “a little loose and a little free.” But he says he found “people appreciate that”. The specific area of offense came when Chuck stated:

“The sons of Issachar understood their times, they were men who had discernment and the sons of Issachar were men who had direction. They could make decisions. They saw through all the fluff of that culture. They stood strong when others were fading in the shadows. Patton would say they had guts. You’d say at work, they had balls. Or maybe that’s a Greek rendering of another verse.” (Laughter)

It is VCY’s position that this language is gutter talk, is crude, and vulgar. VCY stated to IFL that such language is uncalled for, is unbecoming a pastor, and is inappropriate for our listeners.
Within moments of this broadcast, a businessman contacted VCY who uses this station as a witnessing tool. He keeps VCY playing in his office so those who visit him will hear. He told VCY he was very upset by this IFL program and if he wanted vulgar language he would put on secular talk radio. VCY can only agree with this anger and frustration.
Knowing this was Part 1 of a message, VCY pre-listened to the March 6, 2007 broadcast. In this message Chuck Swindoll addressed accountability, sensitivity, purity and integrity.

These virtues were compromised when he spoke the following:

“The battle still goes on. It will never end. In fact I had my physical the other day and Cooper who has a finger that long (pause and lots of laughter), that long (continued laughter). And while he was up in there said, ‘Now that’s your prostate.’ I said (Swindoll yells) ‘I know that’. Was this anatomy class? (Laughter). He’s a very sick man. (Laughter). Got through prostate, checked out great. I bragged about that to Cynthia about three hours. ‘I’ve got a great prostate.’ She said, ‘get a life, honey.’” (Laughter)

VCY finds it unacceptable to broadcast Chuck Swindoll’s re-counting of the length of the finger of his doctor and describing it in his body while checking his prostate. This is both crude and offensive.

While the issues presented on the March 5th and 6th broadcast brought the ultimate decision to terminate the program, these were not the only concerns VCY has expressed to IFL. Beginning in the year 2000, there was a national boycott of Disney led by the American Family Association, Focus on the Family, Southern Baptist Convention, etc. Christian broadcasters all over the country were giving warnings regarding the homosexual promotion such as gay days, gay-friendly issues and other depraved issues being promoted by Disney. While this boycott was going on, Insight For Living took another position. The November 20, 2000 IFL program promoted “The Lion King” (produced by Disney) using it as an illustration. Chuck Swindoll stated on this broadcast,

“Now I could ruin the rest of the story for you, but rather than doing that, I’ll urge you to go down to your local video store and rent for yourself, ‘The Lion King’”.

At that time VCY addressed concern to IFL pointing out that researchers who reviewed this movie stated that the one who anoints Simba as king, was Rafiki, who happens to be a witch doctor. Rafiki carries his magical pack on the top of his staff. Viewers are taught throughout the movie that you can align yourself with witchcraft to overcome evil. It is also pointed out that the movie promotes talking to the dead (necromancy). VCY questioned IFL why they would be promoting Disney when so many Christian ministries were warning against it and were participating in a national boycott. No official response came to VCY’s inquiry, only that “the comment would be passed on.”

On the January 3, 2001 edition of IFL Chuck Swindoll used an illustration of Art Linkletter talking to a boy whose father is a police officer. Art asked if the boy’s mother was bothered by this, the boy responded and Chuck emphasized, “Heck, No!”. A couple moments later Chuck again made great emphasis, “Heck, No!”. VCY contacted IFL stating “heck” is slang for “hell” and that listeners were offended by this. The IFL representative assured VCY they’d pass our comment on.

Again VCY contacted IFL on February 5, 2001 regarding that day’s program. Chuck used an illustration from a regular column he reads from “Sports Illustrated” magazine written by Rick Riley. This particular issue’s column was entitled, “Speaking of Class to the Class of ‘98”. Chuck’s illustration dealt with the topic of “perspective”. Before he read the quote he said, “I won’t read it all, but it’s really worth these excerpts.” The offense came when Chuck quoted this portion of the magazine,

“Be careful with your money, write your own checks, none of this power of attorney crap. Get an agent and a lawyer and tell each, the other is a crook. (Laughter) That’s perspective.”
VCY alerted IFL that day that the word, “crap” is crude, uncalled for and offensive and should not to be used in a Christian’s vocabulary, let alone come from a pulpit and broadcast all over the country. VCY stated to IFL that this term Chuck used did not pass the test of Ephesians 4:29.

On February 11, 2001 a personal meeting was held between members of VCY and those which represent IFL to review the various concerns raised. This was followed up by a personal visit of an IFL representative to VCY in late February of 2001.

On August 23, 2001 again VCY brought to the attention of IFL an offending illustration. On that program, Chuck told of the fun they were having on Ben Yahuda Street in Israel and said,
“One of our men said the funniest things that I heard on the trip. He said, ‘I don’t know what the big deal is about all the clothes people bring with them on a trip.’ He said, ‘I’ve solved the underwear problem. In fact, I now carry 1/4th the underwear I used to carry.’ He was telling us things we really didn’t need to know… He said, ‘Actually you can get four times the wear out of every pair of underwear. So simple.’ And, we of course were hanging on these words wondering what he had in mind. He said, ‘Look, it’s simple: right side out, wrong side out, frontward and backwards. You can just wear the same one for’-I noticed toward the end of the second week, no one was sitting next to this guy. (Laughter) There’s just something about it that turns you off.”
Chuck continued with his clothing illustration to bring the point that “clothing polishes the image, but it doesn’t polish the character.” It is VCY’s position that this illustration had no business being on this national Bible teaching program.

On September 5, 2001 VCY again contacted IFL regarding that day’s program on which Chuck Swindoll calls into question a literal interpretation of Genesis for a six day, 24-hour day creation. On that program he stated,

“On what day did He make the sun? It was the fourth day. So for three full creative days or eras of days, however you might handle that. For three solid periods of time there was light, but there was no sun…But what’s interesting to me is that the light that came upon this earth, for a period of who knows how long, did not come from the sun. Where did it come from?”

In this message IFL called into question a literal six-day, 24-hour day creation. IFL responded that he wasn’t teaching on creation at this point and that his “brief comments are to be taken in the context of an illustration rather than a doctrinal teaching.”

End.

Considering what Swindoll's been up to, all of this is no surprise. According to Lighthouse Research Swindoll's bought into the Contemplative Prayer Eastery Mysticism, reading and quoting and offering its pagan leaders to Swindoll's own sheep:

Swindoll favorably quotes and describes the spirituality of Richard Foster, who is a disciple of Thomas Merton. Another Christian leader who has succumbed to the new spirituality that is permeating the church.

Quotes the following:Richard FosterHenri NouwenDallas WillardEugene Peterson (the Message)Philip Yancey

Henri Nouwen ... longed to get away from all those words ... So how do we pull it off? How, in a world bent on distracting us from growing deeper? ... How do you and I become more godly? ... The word is discipline. The secret lies in our returning to the spiritual disciplines." p. 9, 10.

"I have sensed a genuine need—in my own life —for the cultivation of intimacy with the Almighty.... God requires spiritual disciplines ... essential in our pursuit of godliness. ... I came across Dallas Willard's excellent work The Spirit of the Disciplines." p. 12

"Richard Foster's meaningful work Celebration of Discipline ..." p. 15

It is Swindoll's church, Stonebriar Community Church, along with Dallas Theological Seminary, that puts out "The Theology Program" through "Reclaiming Your Mind" ministry, headed up by Michael Patton. More here on the problems with their ministry "Conversing with Scholars".

Reclaiming The Mind Update: Ruth Tucker preaches at woman's ordination

*The Theological Program and Reclaiming the Mind ministry Update*

***Update****

Ruth Tucker's recent article "Defending the Closet Atheist" and also her other articles at Parchment and Pen, the blog of Patton/TTP/RTM are here. In one article "The Failed Leadership of Jesus" she says,

"As for the leader, Jesus is executed in his early thirties. Not exactly a demonstration of leadership success.This model of leader/followers is hardly one that would serve today’s leadership seminars. Something is dramatically wrong with the picture. Plain and simple, Jesus was a failed leader though it’s critical to point out that Jesus did not aspire to leadership."


The Dallas Theological Seminary/Chuck Swindoll's Stonebriar Church's ministry called "Reclaiming The Mind" has offered Ruth Tucker as a fine Christian scholar, both as a contributor to the blog site of RTM, as well as "Conversing With Scholars".

By offering her as such, RTM denies clear Scripture that says women are not to be leaders over men in church and in marriage,nor are they to have authority of them. Yet RTM continues to say its "biblical". Here is RTM's profile of this contributor.

Ruth Tucker's own blog says the following on October 13, 2007:

"Last Sunday offered me the wonderful privilege of preaching for the ordination service of Jennifer Dockum, a former student of mine at Trinity Evangelical Divinity school. She has been involved in ministry for several years, but had waited until now for her ordination. She's now officially a Southern Baptist minister. The service was at her home church, Concord Baptist some twenty miles north of Richmond, Virginia. It was witnessed by her husband and four children, her parents and brother, her mother-in-law, and many friends and fellow ministers. Jennifer's husband J.R. is also ordained, though at the present time his full-time job is that of a school teacher. Here we are together, friends on the journey of life."

1Tim2: 12 I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. 13 For Adam was formed first, then Eve.

Titus 1 6 An elder must be blameless, the husband of but one wife, a man whose children believe and are not open to the charge of being wild and disobedient.

1Cor. 14: 33 For God is not a God of disorder but of peace. As in all the congregations of the saints, 34 women should remain silent in the churches. They are not allowed to speak, but must be in submission, as the Law says.

In additioin to her blatant pagan feministic rebellion, one of Tucker's blogs * (she has 13 blogs), she has several different images of a VERY naked Eve. We're not talking about white statues where you can't see much of anything. Oh no, this is designed to cause one to consider her in fleshly ways.

*Pornographic Caution* If you're a man, I wouldn't recommend you see this site because its full of nothing but naked women, supposedly posing as Eve. Hardly fitting for Scripture's call to modesty and thinking on whatever is Christ-honoring.

Job 31:1 "I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin?

1Ti 2:9 likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, 10 but with what is proper for women who profess godliness--with good works.

Mat 5:27 "You have heard that it was said, 'You shall not commit adultery.' 28 But I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lustful intent has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29 If your right eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be thrown into hell.

1Jo 2:15 Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. 16 For all that is in the world--the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions--is not from the Father but is from the world.

See also Lev. 18 & 20 and Genesis 3 (after the Fall).

Gen 9:23 Then Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and walked backward and covered the nakedness of their father. Their faces were turned backward, and they did not see their father's nakedness.

So the liberal Reclaiming The Mind continues to cloak itself as biblical, when in fact, they are hardly that at all. Beware of them. For other information go to Historici Baptist Forum. At HBF you will also find the following:

TTP's own webpage says:

History

In 2001 The Theology Program (TTP) began as a Frisco extension of Dallas Theological Seminary’s Center for Biblical Studies at Stonebriar Community Church (SCC), home of senior pastor Chuck Swindoll. Thirty students took part in the first TTP course. Our goal was to give lay-people an opportunity to experience the type of theological education that was typically only available to seminary students. Part of the vision of the ministry staff at SCC is to create all of their ministry material in such a way that other churches could use this material for the benefit of their ministries. TTP was created with this goal in mind. We joined hands with bible.org for a short time, but it soon became apparent that God was moving faster than we had anticipated. We decided to encorperate as Reclaiming the Mind Ministries in Jan. 2005, a not-for-profit 501(c)3. Our homebase is still Stonebriar Community Church and will continue to be.

Update: As of 10-31-07 10:31 a.m.: TTP's history page Still has the above quote posted on their site.

Bush Says Islam Is A Religion of Peace: News Reports and Quran Prove Otherwise

*Below I have juxtaposed news articles of Islamic terror on various people throughout the world, with George Bush's and Condoleeza Rice's claim of Islam being a "peaceful religion". Their quotes, dispersed throughout, are in italics, even when I am otherwise quoting from news sources. I do this as stark reminder that while Islam is slaughtering non-Muslims, Bush tries to sell his propaganda that Islam isn't the issue. It is exactly the issue. I've included quotes from the Quran and Hadith as well.*

America's two main diplomats at the time were John Adams in London and Jefferson in Paris. Together they called upon Ambassador Abdrahaman, the envoy of Tripoli in London, in March 1786. This dignitary mentioned a tariff of three payments — for the ransom of slaves and hostages, for cheap terms of temporary peace and for more costly terms of "perpetual peace." He did not forget to add his own commission as a percentage. Adams and Jefferson asked to know by what right he was exacting these levies. The U.S. had never menaced or quarreled with any of the Muslim powers. As Jefferson later reported to the State Department and Congress, "The Ambassador answered us that it was founded on the Laws of their Prophet, that it was written in their Koran, that all nations who should not have acknowledged their authority were sinners, that it was their right and duty to make war upon them wherever they could be found, and to make slaves of all they could take as Prisoners." Hitchens article "To the Shores of Tripoli"

I believe that Islam is a great religion that preaches peace. -President Bush, October 8,2007

Surah 4:74: Let those who fight in the cause of Allah, who sell the life of this world for the Hereafter, to him who fighteh in the cause of Allah...Soon shall We give him a reward of great value.

"But the United States has enormous respect for Muslims and for Islam. It's a respect that would never equate Islam and the Islamic faith with the kind of terrorists that we see." - Condoleeza Rice




NEW! Update: October 5, 2007 [Religion in Azerbaijan:According to official figures approximately 93.4% to 96% of the population is Muslim, of which 70% are Shia and 30% Sunni]

An appeals court has spent two minutes affirming a two-year work camp sentence for a Baptist pastor who was holding Christian church services, a case on which Voice of the Martyrs, the worldwide ministry to persecuted Christians, has reported.

The pastor had been targeted for his activities, along with his congregation, in his village of Aliabad near Zakatala. Other Baptists in the village also have been targeted by authorities, who in Azerbaijan require that church groups be licensed by the state in order to operate. They then can control church activities by denying licensing to groups they don't like.

Balaev, 44, had been leading his Baptist congregation in the northwest corner of Azerbaijan near Georgia, but repeatedly was refused in his applications for legal status, a situation that led to harassment from local authorities for not having that permission, supporters told Forum 18.
He had been arrested May 20 during what police said was an "illegal" worship service. He then was accused of attacking five police officers.

With Balaev in prison, police in Aliabad have been harassing the leader of another Baptist congregation, led by Nvoruz Eyvazov, according to Forum 18. Homes of several members have been searched by police, and religious literature was confiscated.

Yet: "And finally, the President will talk about his respect for Islam, this great faith of peace and our desire to work together so that all religions can live in peace." - Condoleeza Rice

News: June 11, 2005

"More than 10,000 Christians have been killed since 1999, the year Islamic "Sharia law" was introduced in Nigeria, according to Voice of the Martyrs, a group that aids the persecuted church around the world."

Yet: "These acts of violence [9-11-01] against innocents violate the fundamental tenets of the Islamic faith. The face of terror is not the true faith of Islam. " - Bush: September 17,2001

Surah 2:244: Fight in the cause of Allah

Surah 5:33: The punishment of those who wage war against Allah and his apostle...they shall be slaughtered, or crucified , or their hands and feet shall be struck off alternately, or they shall be banished from the land.

News: October 8, 2007

Rampaging Muslims have:

...killed 10 Christians, injured 61 others, destroyed nine churches and displaced more than 500 people in northern Nigeria…

…vandalized Christian property and murdered innocents....

….Even Christian policemen were not immune, with about 30 officers and their families being attacked and their homes looted and set on fire. "

Yet: "I have a hope for the people of Muslim countries. Your commitments to morality, and learning, and tolerance led to great historical achievements. And those values are alive in the Islamic world today. You have a rich culture, and you share the aspirations of men and women in every culture..."-Bush, June 25, 2002

Hadith: Burkhari vol V, no. 236: The Prophet...married Aisha when she was a girl of six years of age and consummated that marriage when she was nine years old.

News: September 19, 2006

"Three Christian men in Indonesia who claim they were falsely accused of murder during attacks by radical Muslims are scheduled to be executed as early as Thursday."

Yet:Islam as "a faith based upon peace and love and compassion" and a religion committed to "morality and learning and tolerance." Bush, November 30, 2002

News: February 24, 2006

"Muslim rioters, incensed over the cartoons of Muhammad published in Denmark, were responsible for killing at least 130 Christians on the streets of Maiduguri and Onitsha in Nigeria, according to reports filtering out of the country from Voice of the Martyrs.

At least 51 Christians are confirmed dead in the Maiduguri attacks that took place Saturday. In the rampage, more than 150 homes and 32 churches were burned, and 85 shops were destroyed. "


Yet: "The face of terror is not the true faith of Islam. " - Bush

News continued: "Amidst the violence, six children were burned to ashes in front of their father, Joseph Tukwa, who was unable to rescue them."

Six Christian leaders, including the Rev. Joshua Adamu, were injured and are now in hiding….

In total, at least 123 people have been killed in the last four days of violence across Nigeria.

At least 80 people, mostly Christians, were slaughtered during two days of violence in Onitsha, leading Nigerian human rights group Civil Liberties Organization, said yesterday."

Yet:"I have a hope for the people of Muslim countries. Your commitments to morality, and learning, and tolerance led to great historical achievements." - Bush

News: March 24, 2006:

Under the interpretation of Islamic Sharia law on which Afghanistan's constitution is based, Mr Rahman faces the death penalty unless he reconverts to Islam.

"The Prophet Muhammad has said several times that those who convert from Islam should be killed if they refuse to come back," says Ansarullah Mawlafizada, the trial judge.

"Islam is a religion of peace, tolerance, kindness and integrity. That is why we have told him if he regrets what he did, then we will forgive him," he told the BBC News website.

"According to Islamic law he should be sentenced to death because God has clearly stated that Christianity is forbidden in our land," says Mohammed Qadir, another worshipper.

"This is a Muslim country. The state is Muslim, people are Muslim 99%," says Judge Ansarullah."

Surah 4:89: If they turn apostates, seize them and kill them wherever you find them.

Yet:"I believe that Islam is a great religion that preaches peace."--George Bush

Bringing Islam to America:

Husham Al-Husainy, imam of the Karbalaa Islamic Education Center, a shiite mosque in Dearborn, Michigan, opened up the Democratic National Convention Winter Meeting in February 2007 by praying:

In the name of God the most merciful, the most compassionate. We thank you, God, to bless us among your creations. We thank you, God, to make us as a great nation. We thank you God, to send us your messages through our father Abraham and Moses and Jesus and Muhammad. Through you, God, we unite. So guide us to the right path. The path of the people you bless, not the path of the people you doom. Help us God to liberate and fill this earth with justice and peace and love and equality. And help us to stop the war and violence, and oppression and occupation. Ameen.

Spencer, in a post on his Jihad Watch website, said he found it interesting to see the Muslim leader praying, "in veiled terms to be sure, for their conversion to Islam, and, oh yes, for the destruction of Israel ("And help us to stop the war and violence, and oppression and occupation").

He explained the imam was echoing the Fatiha, the first sura, or chapter, of the Quran and the most common prayer of Islam.

It asks Allah: "Show us the straight path, the path of those whom Thou hast favored; not the (path) of those who earn Thine anger nor of those who go astray."

The traditional Islamic understanding is that the "straight path" is Islam, Spencer points out. On the other hand, he continued, the path of those who have earned Allah's anger are the Jews, and those who have gone astray are the Christians.

End quote.

Surah 5:51: O ye who believe! Take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends.

"I believe that Islam is a great religion that preaches peace." -President Bush

Surah 2:190-194: Fight in the cause of Allah against those who fight you...and kill them wherever you catch them...if they fight you, kill them. Such is the reward of those who suppress the Faith...And fight them on until there is no more tumult or oppression, and there prevail justice and faith in Allah.

"So we cannot believe that Islam would countenance the kind of destruction of innocence that we saw on September 11th." - Condoleeza Rice

"Islam is a peaceful religion. Islam is a religion that respects innocent human life. "--Condoleeza Rice

Surah 4:34: Men are the managers of the affairs of women...those you fear may be rebellious admoinsh; banish them to their couches, and beat them.

Hadith - Burkhari vol. I, no. 301: Allah's Apostle...said, "O women! Give alms, as I have seen that the majority of the dwellers of Hell-fire were you women...I have not seen anyone more deficient in intelligence and religion than you."

"I have a hope for the people of Muslim countries. Your commitments to morality, and learning, and tolerance led to great historical achievements. And those values are alive in the Islamic world today. You have a rich culture, and you share the aspirations of men and women in every culture." --Bush

Hadith: Burkhari vol V, no. 236: The Prophet...married Aisha when she was a girl of six years of age and consummated that marriage when she was nine years old.

"Christian" Academia: A Den of Unbelief

I read this article today: “Darwin challenged, research censoredChristian university removes professor's website, data from public view” found at Worldnetdaily.

It is no real shock to me, frankly. A “Baptist” university sitting in the seat of scoffers, fearing man rather than God, that's pretty common place for most "Christian" colleges and universities it seems.

Its what Academia does. We’ve seen this before; its why Machen left Princeton. University of Southern California is supposed to be a “Methodist” school. Harvard used to be a Christian school as well. Look at Wheaton College** (see this example of distancing from Creationism to the more popular, less offensive "Intellegent Design" & this for philosphy and feminism), Azusa Pacific University, and Fuller Theological Seminary (Cemetary --let's not forget Richard Mouw's apology and unity with the Mormons a few years back, not to mention Fuller's feminism). Check out Bethel, Biola, Calvin colleges. And while most, if not all these schools have a passable Statement of Faith, those statements don't mean a hill of beans when they practice and teach against clear Scripture. For this issue go here to read a good article on "But they have a Doctrinal Statement!"

Consider this, as well: many, if not most, seminary and college professors have a degree in Religion and/or Philosophy. Indulging in anti-biblical thinking will color their view of God and His Word and will indeed lower its authority and value.

Ken Silva quotes Walter Martin in his article here:

Mr. Pugh gave me a job and said, “I want you to do something that is very important. Princeton Theological Seminary is about to go down the tubes on Scripture. The Presbyterian Church is getting ready for a new confessional and they will use that confessional as a means of denying foundational truths of Presbyterian theology.” I said, “Are you sure?” He said, “I know it!” And so they did, he knew it from the inside. He said, “I want you to make a study of every major theological seminary in the United States; I don’t care what it costs. And I want you to document for me what happened to them. Are they orthodox, neo-orthodox, or liberal; and then I want you to tell me how they got that way.”

So I did, and it was amazing what emerged. Point number one; every major theological seminary that has turned from orthodox Christianity began with disbelief of Biblical doctrine. There wasn’t a single exception. This corrupt Bibliology then lead them to the next step. Their Theology began to be touched by it, their view of the Cross, the Virgin Birth were both immediately questioned; then came the miracles of Christ. And finally they had emptied the Gospel of all its content; they were simply using the outward shell so that they go on collecting money from the people and the churches; because they knew that if the people in the pew knew that they were apostate, they’d throw them out. So the strategy was hang on to the trust funds; hang on to the money we’ve got; hang on the properties we control, and we will gradually educate the laymen into this new approach to theology.

And then finally we will take control of everything. The gradual process of feeding you theological poison until you become immunized enough so that you don’t know what’s happening to you. And when you wake up to what’s happening to you, it’s too late they’ve got everything. That is not a baseless charge, I stand prepared to prove that the Cult of Liberal Theology in the United States has deliberately and consistently followed this methodology to entrap, control and dominate the denominations and the churches of the United States and our educational institutions. The study with Mr. Pugh confirmed the fact that once the Theology became corrupt, gradually then the view of Christ Himself underwent change. (The Cult of Liberalism, audio tape, side 1)

Rare is the “Christian” college that teaches the biblical Literal Six-Day Creation. Refusal to do so is really an attack on God and thus HIS authority. And once you attack the Beginning, you end up denying an actual Fall of mankind into sin in which we are all now born. You can see where that ends up.

When the Evangelical Theological Society can’t get enough votes to boot out three Open Theist “scholars”, that pretty much sums up the state of our “Christian” academia.

Another example of "Christian" academia is The Theological Program and C. Michael Patton. He said, that as a member of ETS, had he the opportunity to vote again to eject the Open Theists, he would change it to a "no" vote, because he thought that academia, and ETS in particular, needs to be "more open minded". This "scholar" believes that the Judaizers Paul discusses in Galatians were "saved", that there are "Polythestic Christians" in Scripture, and that one can be saved without the Gospel (by the gospel of works that RCC teaches). He believes that Truth isn't so black and white, that the Gospel was "hidden" for centuries by "the church" and only the Reformers had "rediscovered it";he offers as "Christian" scholars whose views he things the average Christian should consider on whatever issues. His list includes feminists, Open Theists, pro-Roman Catholics.

To quote Patton (remember, he's a member of the Evangelical Theological Society and also director of Reclaiming the Mind (minstry of Chuch Swindoll's church and Dallas Theological Seminary):

“The presupposition is this: All writers of Scripture, by virtue of
divine inspiration and inerrancy, must have recorded everything in a technically precise way. I take issue with this presupposition. I do not believe that inspiration and inerrancy require technical precision."

“The Gospel writers were simply telling the story of Christ as
enthusiastic reporters of good news who were emotionally committed to the truths upon which they were reporting. This happens every day in our
own news reporting system and we don’t hold their feet to the fire of
technical precision.”

“Did the writers record the very words of Christ or the spirit of
truth that his words represent? I would say any inductive approach to arriving at a hermeneutical method demands the latter.”

But Scripture rejects Patton's notion: Mat 5:18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

"Jot and tittle" indicate quite a technicality, contrary to Patton's view. Also John 8:58 Jesus declares to be "I AM" --not I was, or will be. Titus 2:13 which declars Jesus to be "God and Savior" (grammar rules prove the intent in this verse is to proclaim Jesus is God). Technicalities? Very important.

Patton denies the inspiration of Scripture in that statement above, although if asked no doubt he would deny it. How can he deny the inspiriation of Scripture (2Tim. 3:16)? Because what he is saying for all intents and purposes, is that Scripture is a mere book, on par with a newspaper, and that the men fumbled around with the writing. However, if GOD is the author of Scripture, as we know He is, and HE is perfect in EVERY WAY, and the writers were instructed by the Holy Spirit of what to write and how to write it, then we can be sure that Scripture is accurate. Every dot and tittle.


When Creation is doubted and Evolution (veiled in religious terms such as “Theistic Evolution”) is considered as a plausible option; when Christians cower to the God-hating World and try to sneak in their quasi-Creation view via “Intellegent Design” (even the Muslims would agree with THAT term as would Mormons), you KNOW we’re in trouble.

J Campbell Morgan entered into doubt of God's Word as trustworthy and inerrant when he read too many of man's opinions:

For three years this young man, seriously contemplating a future of
teaching and ultimately of preaching, felt the troubled waters of the stream of
religious controversy carrying him beyond his depth. He read the new books which debated such questions as, “Is God Knowable?” and found that the authors’ concerted decision was, “He is not knowable. He became confused and perplexed. No longer was he sure of that which his father proclaimed in public, and had taught him in the home.

Other books appeared, seeking to defend the Bible from the attacks which
were being made upon it. The more he read the more unanswerable became the questions which filled his mind. One who had never suffered it cannot appreciate the anguish of spirit young Campbell Morgan endured during this crucial period of his life. Through all the after years it gave him the greatest sympathy with
young people passing through similar experiences at college—experiences which he likened to “passing through a trackless desert.” At last the crisis came when he admitted to himself his total lack of assurance that the Bible was the authoritative Word of God to man. He immediately cancelled all preaching engagements. Then, taking all his books, both those attacking and those defending the Bible, he put them all in a corner cupboard. Relating this afterwards, as he did many times in preaching, he told of turning the key in the lock of the door. “I can hear the click of that lock now,” he used to say. He went out of the house, and down the street to a bookshop. He bought a new Bible and, returning to his room with it, he said to himself: “I am no longer sure that this is what my father claims it to be—the Word of God. But of this I am sure. If it be the Word of God, and if I come to it with an unprejudiced and open mind, it will bring assurance to my soul of itself.” “That Bible found me,” he said, “I began to read and study it then, in 1883. I have been a student ever since, and I still am (in 1938).”

At the end of two years Campbell Morgan emerged from that eclipse of
faith absolutely sure that the Bible was, in very deed and truth, none other than the Word of the living God. Quoting again from his account of the incident: “…This experience is what, at last, took me back into the work of preaching, and into the work of the ministry. I soon found foothold enough to begin to preach,
and from that time I went on.”

With this crisis behind him and this new certainty thrilling his soul,
there came a compelling conviction. This Book, being what it was, merited all
that a man could give to its study, not merely for the sake of the personal joy of delving deeply into the heart and mind and will of God, but also in order that those truths discovered by such searching of the Scriptures should be made known to a world of men groping for light, and perishing in the darkness with no clear knowledge of that Will. (Jill Morgan, A Man of the Word: Life of G. Campbell Morgan, 94)

2Co 11:3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ.

Doubting God's Word as reliable and true is nothing but the lie Satan brought to Eve in Eden. Why in the world would a Christian who loves God sit in the seat of scoffers and fill their minds with doubt of HIS Word which is inerrent and truthful and God-breathed?

Scripture says:

Ecc 12:12 My son, beware of anything beyond these. Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

Psa 1:1 Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; 2 but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.

Col 2:8 See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

2Ti 2:23 Have nothing to do with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels.

1Co 2:1 And I, when I came to you, brothers, did not come proclaiming to you the testimony of God with lofty speech or wisdom. 2 For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified.


1Co 1:17 For Christ did not send me to baptize but to preach the gospel, and not with words of eloquent wisdom, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power.

Eph 4:17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do, in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart. ...19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!


1Co 1:22 For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, 24 but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

1Co 1:25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men. …27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong;

2 Tim. 2: 16 Avoid godless chatter, because those who indulge in it will become more and more ungodly. 17 Their teaching will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, 18 who have wandered away from the truth. They say that the resurrection has already taken place, and they destroy the faith of some.

Here are a few truths and challenges:

Spiritual truth (and godliness) is not academically taught. It is revealed by God through the Scriptures.

There is never enough evidence for a skeptic.

Scripture is never enough for a scholar.

Logic and Rationale = man-determined means of accepting or denying truth. Its really nothing short of “practicle atheism.

Many well-educated "Christians" have studied themselves away from Truth.

Scripture says:

Psa 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;

Psa 119:98 Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me.

Psa 119:100 I understand more than the aged, for I keep your precepts.

Psa 119:99 I have more understanding than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation.


Psa 111:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all those who practice it have a good understanding. His praise endures forever!

Pro 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.

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.

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, 6 being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.

We are not to wallow in notions that set themselves up against God and His Word. Rather we destroy them and don't think and ponder and handle them as "interesting" or "possible". Hypotheticals don't make for biblical thinking. Truth is knowable. Its not an option to think on what is true:

Phi 4:8 Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

**Update**

The link provided for Wheaton College, as noted by a reader, went to the wrong school website. I have provided other links to Wheaton College in Illinois.

Beer, Homosexuality, and Ecumenicism

Excerpts from the article on the call for boycotting Miller by Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights are from here.

First I'd like to make a few comments. What's interesting is the call for ecumenical fighting against homosexuality and a beer company (let's not mention the sexual molestations of thousands of boys by RC priests and covered up by archbishops and the head of Rome or the issue of drunkenness.) I mean, really...a call for all these religions to boycott a BEER company? How many Buddhists and Jews and Muslims and Hindus actually drink beer? Boycotting a beer company is their solution to dealing with vile homosexual conduct? Here are some excerpts (in italics) I found interesting: "We are calling on more than 200 Catholic, Protestant, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu organizations to join with us in a nationwide boycott of Miller beer," he said.

Catholics, Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus (and most Protestants) need the Gospel of Jesus Christ too. They have a false religion that can’t save and that rejects the ONLY God and Savior Jesus Christ who alone paid the ONLY payment for sin that appeased the wrath of God the Father.

“Donohue says the Catholic League feels "confident that once our religious allies kick in, and once the public sees the photos of an event Miller is proudly supporting, the Milwaukee brewery will come to its senses and pull its sponsorship altogether."

Religious allies? RCC (Roman Catholic Church) finds RELIGIOUS ALLIES with Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus and Protestants? How exactly can this be when the RCC has condemned ALL who are outside of her?

Let’s recall Rome’s first crusade: There were seven crusades total, and there was such bloodshed particularly in the first one of 1099 in Jerusalem, that it is said Heads were cut off, body parts of men and horses were so numerous that one had to literally pick his way through them to get anywhere and “that in the temple and portico of Solomon, men rode in blood up to their knees and bridle reins.”

But today, it may be fair of the RCC to claim her once arch enemy to be an ally (well on her end anyway—Muslims will tell you they reject RCC out of hand):

RCC Cat. # 841 The Church's relationship with the Muslims. "The plan of salvation also includes those who acknowledge the Creator, in the first place amongst whom are the Muslims; these profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, mankind's judge on the last day."

Rome’s Nostra Aetate given in Oct. 1965 by “Pope” Paul 6th : The Catholic Church rejects nothing that is true and holy in these religions [Hinduism, Buddism]… The Church regards with esteem also the Moslems. They adore the one God, living and subsisting in Himself, merciful and all-powerful, the Creator of heaven and earth,-- Rome’s Nostra Aetate given in Oct. 1965 by “Pope” Paul 6th

Catholic churches in the Netherlands should use the name Allah for God to ease tensions between Muslims and Christians, says a Dutch bishop.

A problem however still exists with such "allies" because according to the RCC:

"Outside the Church there is no salvation" RCC Cat. #845

RCC 846 “…the Council teaches that the Church, a pilgrim now on earth, is necessary for salvation... 846 RCC Hence they could not be saved who, knowing that the Catholic Church was founded as necessary by God through Christ, would refuse either to enter it or to remain in it.”

Trent CANON XIII.-“If any one saith, that little children, for that they have not actual faith, are not, after having received baptism, to be reckoned amongst the faithful; and that, for this cause, they are to be rebaptized when they have attained to years of discretion; or, that it is better that the baptism of such be omitted, than that, while not believing by their own act, they should be baptized in the faith alone of the Church; let him be anathema.”

The RCC adds Mary to Christ Jesus; the pope to the authority of Scripture; works to grace; purgatory to the Cross. It has a different bible, it worships statues and dead people, it has indulgences, it has pagan practice of calling forth their deity into a cracker and wine, and it has prayer beads like other pagan religions around the world (Buddhism and Islam for example). RCC has no ally in those she continues to consider an Anathema.

Back to the article's excerpts....

"If it doesn't, the only winners will be Anheuser Busch and Coors," he said.

If Miller doesn’t pull out completely from this Soddomy Fair these are the winners? Is that what this is about? Money? Other beer companies? I thought this was an issue regarding homosexuality and their flagrant vile attack on Christianity (of course the painting of The Lord’s Table can hardly be on par with the Truth of Scriptures—the painting is just that: a painting Rome holds dear. It has nothing to do with Biblical Truth and the real Person of Christ…we don’t even know what Jesus and His disciples looked like). I suppose alcoholism and drunkenness isn’t a “moral” issue for RCC. From now on Catholics, Buddhists, Jews, Hindus, Protestants, get drunk on only Busch or Coors’ beer (if you buy Coors you will not only be pulling that huge amount of money from Miller (just how many beer drinkers are there in Buddhism and Hinduism??) but you will be supporting a "Christian" family!

1Co 6:9 Do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.


Concerned Women for America first drew attention to the Last Supper poster Tuesday. The group wants California's elected officials – including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer – to "publicly condemn this unprovoked attack against Christ and His followers."

Well Women Who are Concerned for Some Issues of America, the problem is that this isn’t a war of the flesh nor of politics. To call on God-hating liberal politians to "publicly condemn this unprovoked attack against Christ and His followers" is silly. Why? Because by their actions and words they have proven ALREADY to hate Christ Jesus and His people (Rom. 8:7; Col. 1:21; John 7:7; John 15:18-20; Rom. 3:18) . There is no neutrality toward God and sin ever, for anyone. Romans 3 shows this as does Eph. 2:1-4. Why would the World want to defend Christ Jesus? They don't. They won't. They can't. They too, are enemies of God and need salvation. And again, where’s the “concern” for drunkenness which Scripture talks about as an issue of sin?

First, consider God's perspective on homosexuality (among other sins):

Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

Rom 1:20 For His invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
Rom 1:21 For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.
Rom 1:22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools,
Rom 1:24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves,
Rom 1:25 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.
Rom 1:26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature;
Rom 1:27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.
Rom 1:28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.
Rom 1:29 They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, 30 slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31 foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. 32 Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.


Because the deviant sin of homosexuality is so grievous, it shows the absolute hardness of a person's heart and how God has allowed that person to go the full way of their sin nature. If anything is clear from Scripture (see also 1Cor. 6:9; 1Tim. 1:10 also), is that homosexuality is a spiritual issue, not just a moral one. Put another way, its a moral issue BECAUSE its a spiritual issue.

So, understanding this, why does anyone think boycotting a beer company will do anything? I think this is misplaced focus.Or at least boycotting a beer company for the wrong reasons is wrong. The issue of drunkeness is ignored with these folks.

It should revile us who claim His name for HE is being reviled.

The ONLY thing that can bring hope to anyone at that street fair is salvation in Christ alone.

To think that Miller Brewing Company, an alcoholic company, a secular company, to behave any differently other than to make money and help those who want to party harty, is wrong thinking. Who was expecting high moral principles from a BEER company? And what about all the other sponsors? Are they less culpable?

Now, to the issue of this ecumenical call: there is NOTHING that Christians have in common with Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Buddhist and Hindu religions. Nothing.

They reject the ONLY God and Savior Jesus Christ the Master. They reject salvation by faith alone in Christ Jesus alone apart from any and all works. They refuse to give the Lord Jesus Christ SOLE honor, SOLE praise, SOLE glorifcation, SOLE credit for all parts of one's salvation.

All these religions including those calling for the boycott, need Christ Jesus the Lord AS MUCH AS the homosexuals they are fighting.

Our war is not with a beer company. Our war is a spiritual war that demands spiritual weaponry:

Eph 6:10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Eph 6:11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. Eph 6:12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. Eph 6:13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm.

Eph 6:14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, Eph 6:15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. Eph 6:16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; Eph 6:17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, Eph 6:18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication.

Let’s remember when trying to include "Christians" in this war on Miller:

Eph 5:17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.
18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit,

Its up to a person to boycott a particular company. I do that myself. But I do it not to change a company's mind, but rather to refuse to knowlingly give them my money to help them support an agenda that goes against biblical principles. I have to choose if and what companies I will refuse to use, because frankly, most companies are owned and operated by unbelievers. But this won't change their hearts. Only God can do that.

May I leave you with this passage:

1Pe 4:3 The time that is past suffices for doing what the Gentiles want to do, living in sensuality, passions, drunkenness, orgies, drinking parties, and lawless idolatry. 4 With respect to this they are surprised when you do not join them in the same flood of debauchery, and they malign you; 5 but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead. 6 For this is why the gospel was preached even to those who are dead, that though judged in the flesh the way people are, they might live in the spirit the way God does.

A Little Test of Truth

Do you agree or disagree with the following quotes by famous "Christians"? Do you have any ideo who said these? Take the test:

1.“I happen to know people who are followers of Christ in other religions.”



2. One day you will stand before God, and he will do an audit of your life, a final exam, before you enter eternity.… God won’t ask about your religious background or doctrinal views.”

3.I have known many people who believe in the Messiah of Jesus, regardless of what religion they are, because they believe in him. It’s about a relationship, not a religion. You’ve heard this many times.

4. I think it’s possible for a regenerate person to have no conscious beliefs at all.

5. Is it possible to be saved without knowing about the Resurrection of Christ? Sure.

6. Well, Christianity and being a true believer--you know, I think there's the Body of Christ. This comes from all the Christian groups around the world, outside the Christian groups. I think everybody that loves Christ, or knows Christ, whether they're conscious of it or not, they're members of the Body of Christ.

7. They may not even know the name of Jesus but they know in their hearts that they need something that they don't have, and they turn to the only light that they have, and I think that they are saved, and that they're going to be with us in heaven.

8. I've met people in various parts of the world in tribal situations, that they have never seen a Bible or heard about a Bible, and never heard of Jesus, but they've believed in their hearts that there was a God, and they've tried to live a life that was quite apart from the surrounding community in which they lived –Billy Graham to Robert Schuller

9. “Can a person be saved without knowledge of the resurrection of Christ?” “Don’t be shocked by my answer, but yes…to this reason: IF the work of Christ has been explained to someone and they put their faith in Him based upon their faith and trust in that work for his salvation, but is not aware of the resurrection…then, yes. I believe that person can be in a state of grace. Now, can a person know about the resurrection, reject it and be saved? NO! But a person doesn’t have to have a perfect knowledge of the work of Christ to be justified.”

10. Therefore state it most simply thus, that the power, work, profit, fruit, and end of Baptism is this, namely, to save. For no one is baptized in order that he may become a prince, but, as the words declare, that he be saved. But to be saved, we know, is nothing else than to be delivered from sin, death, and the devil, and to enter into the kingdom of Christ, and to live with Him forever.

11. Thus it appears what a great, excellent thing Baptism is, which delivers us from the jaws of the devil and makes us God's own, suppresses and takes away sin, and then daily strengthens the new man; and is and remains ever efficacious until we pass from this estate of misery to eternal glory.

12.Through Baptism we are freed from sin and reborn as sons of God; we become members of Christ, are incorporated into the Church and made sharers in her mission: "Baptism is the sacrament of regeneration through water in the word."

________

The first three are from Rick Warren.
4 &5 are from Dr. John Frame
6-8 are from Billy Graham
#9 is R.C. Sproul's
10-11 are Martin Luther's Larger Catechism
12 is from the Roman Catholic Catechism

Now, are any of these optional to the Truth? Would you be willing to give up any of these men for the sake of God's True? Or will you defend your favorite Christian instead of Truth?

RC Sproul Apparently Thinks Salvation Without the Resurrection Proclaimed is Possible

2Co 11:3 But I am afraid that as the serpent deceived Eve by his cunning, your thoughts will be led astray from a sincere and pure devotion to Christ. Rom 10:9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. A few years ago, I had occassion to confront Matt Slick with his view of a Universalist being saved as a Universalist. What was the foundation for his view basically, was that he himself had no idea that Jesus Christ the Resurrected Lord rose from the dead until two full years after he was "saved". So if he could be saved not knowing Jesus was resurrected, then certainly a Universalist could. To support his view he went to man--the Westminister Confession of Faith as well as quoting Dr. John Frame. In an email exchange posted at Reflections, Frame reiterrated that he holds to that view as well. After all, he reasons, Abraham nor any of the O.T. prophets knew that the Christ would be called Jesus and would be resurrected. Therefore its possible and maybe even probably today. Except the little fact that Jesus not only has already come, but indeed died and rose from the dead "according to the Scriptures" as well as the fact we have the completed revelation of the Gospel and salvation and Scripture. All this to say, that Slick and Frame are not the only ones on this horrid, resurrectionless gospel bandwagon. Now it seems RC Sproul's holding to it. Yes, Sproul, the "theologian" Reformers (and some non-Reformers) love to read and quote has decided that a person can be saved not believing in the Resurrected Lord. The article is here. In part it says:

As Pam and I were sitting through the Ministry Partner Q&A session at the Ligonier National Conference last week, listening to various people pose their questions to R.C. Sproul, a gentleman stepped up to one of the microphones and asked the following question:

“Can a person be saved without knowledge of the resurrection of Christ?” To which Dr. Sproul made the following reply: “Don’t be shocked by my answer, but yes…to this reason: IF the work of Christ has been explained to someone and they put their faith in Him based upon their faith and trust in that work for his salvation, but is not aware of the resurrection…then, yes. I believe that person can be in a state of grace. Now, can a person know about the resurrection, reject it and be saved? NO! But a person doesn’t have to have a perfect knowledge of the work of Christ to be justified.”

What?! What work of Jesus is ever explained APART from the Resurrection? Rom 4:22 That is why his faith was "counted to him as righteousness." 23 But the words "it was counted to him" were not written for his sake alone, 24 but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, 25 who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. Jesus clearly taught about His death and resurrection and even used O.T. Scripture to demonstrat He is the fulfillment of them. Paul and Peter did this as well (see verses below). Scripture says there is only ONE (count 'em, ONE) gospel: Rom 10:9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. 2Ti 2:8 Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel, 9 for which I am suffering, bound with chains as a criminal. But the word of God is not bound! 1Co 15:1 Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, 1Co 15:2 and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you--unless you believed in vain. 1Co 15:3 For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, 1Co 15:4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, 1Co 15:5 and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 1Co 15:6 Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. 1Co 15:7 Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 1Co 15:8 Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. 1Co 15:12 Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? 1Co 15:13 But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. 1Co 15:14 And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. 1Co 15:15 We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. 1Co 15:16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. 1Co 15:17 And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. The ONLY Gospel that saves is one which proclaims Christ Jesus as Lord (Master,Owner, Sovereign) and RESURRECTED. Without the resurrection of Christ, He is merely a nice guy who died on a cross, but certainly isn't God nor Lord. One cannot have a Lord without Him being the RESURRECTED Lord. His deity demands BOTH. Jesus continually taught of Himself from the O.T., including His resurrection. See Matt. 22:29-32; John 5:28-29 (about all are resurrected);both Jesus and Moses taught of the resurrection (Luke 20:34-38). In case that wasn't enough to show that its not optional to NOT believe about Jesus Christ as HE taught (and Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms), here's an exchange Jesus had with a dear saint who truly recognized Jesus' Lordship and loved Him dearly (I think she gets way too much of a bad rap): Joh 11:23 Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." Joh 11:24 Martha said to him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day." Joh 11:25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" So this is the question to all you Reformers out there: Do you? Do you REALLY believe Rom. 10:9-10? Or is that just a mere intellectual philosophical football to throw around as an optional belief? Is Jesus Christ Kurios or NOT? Is what Scripture taught re: salvation OPTIONAL? Act 4:1 And as they were speaking to the people, the priests and the captain of the temple and the Sadducees came upon them, 2greatly annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. Act 4:33 And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. Act 17:30 The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent,31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead." It was because of proclaiming the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ, that Paul was put on trial (Acts 23:6;24:14-15).The resurrection proves Jesus to be God the Son. If He is not declared to be such, then people don't know and aren't saved. They might be trusting a "good teacher" but its not the Son of God--God the Son: Rom 1:1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3 concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, Even in our baptism we proclaim His resurrection, and look to the future of being like the resurrected Lord: Rom 6:4 We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. Scripturally, all new believers are baptized. So not only was the gospel they believed in one about the Risen Lord, but their baptize also portrayed Him as Resurrected. There is no way a new believer would not know for 6 months or two years after "being saved" that HE is not Risen from the Dead just as HE said. Again, to have a gospel void of the Resurrection of Christ Jesus, is to have NO gospel at all. That means no salvation. I'll end with this: Any Reformer who slams Billy Graham or Rick Warren has no right to do so if they too, hold to this false gospel Frame and Sproul proclaim. The damnable error is in their own camp. It is IMPOSSIBLE to have a gospel nor be saved without hearing of the RESURRECTED LORD Jesus Christ. Period.

AWANA Continues On the Road to Spiritual Disaster

Typical of any movement, the Ecumenical/Emergent Church/New Age Movement is continuing to zero in our children. AWANA is one such avenue.

I reported over a year ago AWANA's loss of biblical theology---now it continues to get worse.

Here is a snippet of the latest report from Lighthousetrailsresearch group on AWANA. TAKE HEED! Do NOT compromise Truth for the sake of keeping little children busy for a couple of hours each week. WE CAN DO BETTER THAN OFFER AWANA TO OUR CHILDREN. God demands purity of doctrine as well as lives, folks!

Deu 12:3 You shall tear down their altars and dash in pieces their pillars and burn their Asherim with fire. You shall chop down the carved images of their gods and destroy their name out of that place. 4 You shall not worship the LORD your God in that way.

Exo 34:13 You shall tear down their altars and break their pillars and cut down their Asherim14 (for you shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God),

The report says in part:

For Awana to include Ken Blanchard's teachings into its organization, shows that the situation is quite serious. Blanchard has been promoting eastern-style meditators for over twenty years, and to this day is still doing so. In addition, he is a board member for the occultic Hoffman [Quadrinity] Institute. Blanchard participated in the Hoffman Process and said it made his spirituality come alive. We believe this experience he had through Hoffman is similar to what Blanchard refers to in his Lead Like Jesus book, when he says people who "quiet their mind[s]" during the Lead Like Jesus Encounter have "powerful experience[s]." This means that now children and families in Awana could possibly wind up with the same experience.

Blanchard, who has been a professing Christian since the 1980s, wrote the foreword for a 2001 book titled What Would Buddha Do at Work?. In the book, Blanchard said:
"Buddha points to the path and invites us to begin our journey to enlightenment. I ... invite you to begin your journey to enlightened work."

Some people may not understand why we write this report about Awana. After all, they have done some wonderful things for children. But that is the very reason we do issue this report - we do not want to see Awana sell out to the fast growing apostasy of contemplative spirituality and the New Age; and because we care about children, we speak up. With more and more public schools teaching kids to meditate and do yoga, and with more and more Christian schools bringing in emerging leaders like Rob Bell (through his Noomas and his book Velvet Elvis), millions of children are now placed in harm's way by learning meditative techniques that will possibly take them into altered states and demonic realms. We hope Awana leadership will reconsider their position on contemplative/spiritual formation for the sake of children and their parents. And if you have children in the program, please use extreme caution in light of these new developments.

Let us leave you with this sobering thought: Sue Monk Kidd was at one time a conservative Southern Baptist Sunday school teacher. She was led down the road to apostasy (i.e., worshiping the goddess Sophia) through the practice of contemplative prayer after someone handed her a book by Thomas Merton, the same Thomas Merton who is endorsed and quoted in the Awana book, Perspectives on Children's Spiritual Formation.

Full article here.