Times Online (London) has an article on the banning of plastic bags because it has been discovered it kills 100,000 animals annually. The problem is that its not true. Here's what it says in part:
The central claim of campaigners is that the bags kill more than 100,000 marine mammals and one million seabirds every year. However, this figure is based on a misinterpretation of a 1987 Canadian study in Newfoundland, which found that, between 1981 and 1984, more than 100,000 marine mammals, including birds, were killed by discarded nets. The Canadian study did not mention plastic bags.
Fifteen years later in 2002, when the Australian Government commissioned a report into the effects of plastic bags, its authors misquoted the Newfoundland study, mistakenly attributing the deaths to “plastic bags”.
The figure was latched on to by conservationists as proof that the bags were killers. For four years the “typo” remained uncorrected. It was only in 2006 that the authors altered the report, replacing “plastic bags” with “plastic debris”. But they admitted: “The actual numbers of animals killed annually by plastic bag litter is nearly impossible to determine.” In a postscript to the correction they admitted that the original Canadian study had referred to fishing tackle, not plastic debris, as the threat to the marine environment. Regardless, the erroneous claim has become the keystone of a widening campaign to demonise plastic bags.
This is also the reason why people today think there's a "Gay Gene" --because an National Press Reporter misunderstood the study (couldn't read it properly). Now its thought to be so, even though the report never said such a thing.
Last year a disgraced South Korean scientist admitted to faking stem cell research.
Contrary to what the mainstream media wants you to believe, including ol' Al Gore, there is NOT a consensus on global warming and therefore there is a continuing need for the debate and getting clear facts. Taking a picture of a "stranded" polar bear on ice and use him for the symbol of the dire future of global warming, when in fact the picture was taken in the summer, is unethical and dishonest. Ice melts in the summer. Bears are dumb. But its not about global warming.
Besides the environmental issues (here in CA they also want to ban plastic bags), what struck me with the Times news article is how people get misled.
PEOPLE DO NOT CHECK SOURCES and just believe what someone "in authority" tells them, thus the lie continues and grows. In this case, its the Magisterium of Science that can do NO WRONG and ALWAYS have their facts straight. With the "Gay Gene" it was that a news report had all their facts right. In Christian circles its the Magisterium of seminary professors, pastors, and dead men, that can do no wrong, and thus are followed infallibly.
We must always test everything in light of Scripture. And when it comes the bandwagons of the world, we too must check sources and ask the right questions. If "everyone" is doing "it" or believing "it" does that make it right? Likely it could mean its not. Balance is good in a lot of things like environmental issues. I'd take an exception with "balance" in biblical truth though (that could be another blog entry idea).
Especially in regard to spiritual things, numbers do not determine truth; God's Word ALONE does.
Do you have a Magisterium?
Are there men or women you place in such high esteem that if they proclaim something you automatically believe it without testing them?
Do you consider counsel from the unbelievers?
Do you DELIGHT in Scripture, thinking on it constantly?
Or do you indulge in the thoughts of philosophers and psychologists--men without Truth, men who are enemies of God, men who deny the Sufficiency of Scripture?
Remember:
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.
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. 3 He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. 4 The wicked are not so, but are like chaff that the wind drives away. 5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous; 6 for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.
Saturday, March 08, 2008
Friday, March 07, 2008
Conversion Stories without the Gospel, Christ Jesus the Master, and no Baptism to follow
Examples of testimonies that are contrary to Scripture:
" Immediately, this little squirt named Orville looked right in my eyes and said, ‘Do you know Jesus?’ And I said no. And then he said, ‘Bow your head, we’re going to ask Jesus into your heart.’ And I said the sinner’s prayer after him. That happened without anyone explaining the Gospel to me. Everything suddenly clicked. God just grabbed me, reached in and burned in my heart. It was the most incredible power I have ever experienced in my life. It was a tremendous burning sensation of an inner witness. It was something of the awesomeness of God’s love. I can’t even express it.At that moment God delivered me from drugs." --Seve Mays, pastor of Calvary Chapel of Gardena
Another:
"This may seem unbelievable, but the only way I can explain it is that Jesus Himself manifested right there next to me. He had come to meet me on my knees. It wasn't as though I could see Him or touch Him. But, He was there. I was aware of His Holy awesome holy presence next to me. It was incredible. It was wonderful and I felt my heart enveloped and lifted by Him.
I knew He loved me. I basked in His presence. I was with Jesus. Then, while I was kneeling there, utterly absorbed and drifting in the experience of His presence, He moved. He moved toward me and gently entered my heart. Instantly, I physically felt my sin leave me. I felt the sudden and wonderful burst of forgiveness wash over my soul. I was instantly cleansed and born again and with it came the most profound and absolute sense of security of salvation I had ever known. My salvation was in Him. I was forgiven and safe for ever."
"Why did it take two years for me to learn of Christ's physical resurrection? It was because I was not attending a church before or after my salvation. " --Matt Slick of CARM
See also here and here (go to the bottom gray column to see what's up for grabs and still be "saved").
Folks, this is emotionalism, not conversion.
2 Thes. 2: 13 But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
James 1: 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all He created.
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
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.
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. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
There is but one way of justification and salvation: by faith in the person and work of Jesus Christ. Any other way is illegitimate and cannot save (John 10).
What is also astonishing me is what else Steve Mays went on to say at his website:
"Steve Mays got his church, and the board of senior pastors and I were the ones to recommend it. In 1980 he walked onto the premises of his new church. And Steve got more confirmation from the Lord. Suddenly in the sky he saw a Goodyear blimp. At that moment he heard the Lord speak to his heart, It's going to be a good year. Then Steve told the Lord that the entire board of elders would have to resign so he could start from scratch. That is exactly what happened. "
The blimp was God telling him of the future? And then Steve demanded from God to get rid of all the elders?
This is disturbing. Clearly Mays did get his church, but is it God's? Has Mays yet to have a credible testimony of repentance from sin and faith in the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ? Did he ever get baptized?
These are indeed very alarming issues.
Is There Salvation Apart From Hearing The Gospel?
Steve Macasil at Biblical Thoughts has a good question posted right now which I'd like to re-address here (as I have written on this in the past, but it continues to rear its ugly head):
Can someone get saved apart from the Gospel?
In an word: no.
Scripture is quite clear on what we are to place our faith in, in order to be Justified and saved:
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
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.
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?"
Rom 4:5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,
The resurrection proves Jesus to be God the Son. If He is not declared to be such, then people don't know of Him and aren't saved. They might be trusting a "good teacher" but its not the Jesus Christ of Scripture who is God over all.
Rom 1:3 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.
James 1: 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all He created.
2 Thes. 2: 13 But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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.5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
It still astounds me how many pastors, theologians, and apologists will proclaim a Broad Christianity when God says its NARROW. And I do believe Romans 10:9-10 demonstrates just how narrow the road truly is.
The problem is that people don't want a Lord/Master. They want a friend or someone who's got good suggestions. But clearly they rather do things their way, not HIS way. I believe most professing Christians don't understand the meaning of "Lord" and think of it as merely a title like "Mister" now. But Lord means master, boss, sovereign, owner of all, etc. Today, I think because of the Democracy-minded people, they believe God is a hired politician and we get to vote on His Word, His ways, and His means.
Jesus is Master. HE is a dictator in the purest, noblest sense.
DICTATOR, n. [L.]1. One who dictates; one who prescribes rules and maxims for the direction of others. 2. One invested with absolute authority.
Luk 6:46 "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you?
1Jo 2:4 Whoever says "I know Him" but does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,
Ps. 33: 8 Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him. 9 For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm. 10 The LORD foils the plans of the nations; He thwarts the purposes of the peoples. 11 But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.
Rev 4:11 "Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they existed and were created."
When God has told us how HE will save and not save, how He will have us live and not live, how He will justify, sanctify, glorify, how a church is structured, how to baptize, who are we to change HIS commands?
God's ways ARE narrow. Truth IS narrow. And when God says there is but ONE way of salvation and that is by hearing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ , then that is it. Anything short of HIS way is no way.
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Rom 10:14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? Rom 10:15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!" Rom 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?" Rom 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
No matter what famous Christians say (dead or alive), what matters is what GOD says. He has spoken. Will we believe HIM? Or will we believe the Serpent who questioned God's authority, word, and command by offering Eve "knowledge"?
Can someone get saved apart from the Gospel?
In an word: no.
Scripture is quite clear on what we are to place our faith in, in order to be Justified and saved:
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
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.
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?"
Rom 4:5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,
The resurrection proves Jesus to be God the Son. If He is not declared to be such, then people don't know of Him and aren't saved. They might be trusting a "good teacher" but its not the Jesus Christ of Scripture who is God over all.
Rom 1:3 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.
James 1: 18 He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all He created.
2 Thes. 2: 13 But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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.5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.
It still astounds me how many pastors, theologians, and apologists will proclaim a Broad Christianity when God says its NARROW. And I do believe Romans 10:9-10 demonstrates just how narrow the road truly is.
The problem is that people don't want a Lord/Master. They want a friend or someone who's got good suggestions. But clearly they rather do things their way, not HIS way. I believe most professing Christians don't understand the meaning of "Lord" and think of it as merely a title like "Mister" now. But Lord means master, boss, sovereign, owner of all, etc. Today, I think because of the Democracy-minded people, they believe God is a hired politician and we get to vote on His Word, His ways, and His means.
Jesus is Master. HE is a dictator in the purest, noblest sense.
DICTATOR, n. [L.]1. One who dictates; one who prescribes rules and maxims for the direction of others. 2. One invested with absolute authority.
Luk 6:46 "Why do you call me 'Lord, Lord,' and not do what I tell you?
1Jo 2:4 Whoever says "I know Him" but does not keep His commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,
Ps. 33: 8 Let all the earth fear the LORD; let all the people of the world revere him. 9 For He spoke, and it came to be; He commanded, and it stood firm. 10 The LORD foils the plans of the nations; He thwarts the purposes of the peoples. 11 But the plans of the LORD stand firm forever, the purposes of his heart through all generations.
Rev 4:11 "Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for You created all things, and by Your will they existed and were created."
When God has told us how HE will save and not save, how He will have us live and not live, how He will justify, sanctify, glorify, how a church is structured, how to baptize, who are we to change HIS commands?
God's ways ARE narrow. Truth IS narrow. And when God says there is but ONE way of salvation and that is by hearing of the Gospel of Jesus Christ , then that is it. Anything short of HIS way is no way.
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
Rom 10:14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? Rom 10:15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!" Rom 10:16 But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, "Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?" Rom 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.
No matter what famous Christians say (dead or alive), what matters is what GOD says. He has spoken. Will we believe HIM? Or will we believe the Serpent who questioned God's authority, word, and command by offering Eve "knowledge"?
Monday, March 03, 2008
"Touch not my seminary anointed and do my Reformed prophets no harm!"
Jer 6:10 To whom shall I speak and give warning, that they may hear? Behold, their ears are uncircumcised, they cannot listen; behold, the word of the LORD is to them an object of scorn; they take no pleasure in it.
Jer 7:2 "Stand in the gate of the LORD's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all you men of Judah who enter these gates to worship the LORD. Jer 7:3 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Amend your ways and your deeds, and I will let you dwell in this place. Jer 7:4 Do not trust in these deceptive words: 'This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.'
I am constantly astounded at the lengths "Christians" will go to be accepted and accepting of other professing Christians.
Clearly we live in a day where people are so undiscerning that when someone claims the name of Christ and/or Reformed, why, they must be our brother or sister in Christ! Except.... that they deny biblical doctrine or live lives that are contrary to Scripture (1John 1-2).
Its at the point now where I believe "Reformed" is the new "Evanglical". And neither mean anything other than "man-centeredness". Christianity at large has the Magisterium Mentality and the laziness of the Reformers and Romanists.
Ok, I've fired away and clearly someone's going to think I'm way out in left field. I understand that. I'll explain more of what I mean.
In talking to dozens and dozens of "Christians" and "Reformers" and reading their blogs and articles and such, I've noticed a growing trend in their thinking.
They continually run to a commentary, catechism or creed to know what to say or think or believe. Forget going straight to God and His Word. That's too hard! Just give 'em the Cliff Note version. After all, the Word is merely baby milk, but the theologians...well, now, THERE'S where the meat is!
The continuing list of what a Reformer can hold to as optional yet find "unity" by holding to the TULIP (well, sort of) and Creeds:
Feminism: women can be pastors and leaders over men in church (see the RTS Orlando pushing Synergy feminist conference). Reformed Theological Seminary (Orlando) and evangelical feminism…
Emergent Church Movement junk
Jesus' physical return
Our physical resurrection
Satan as our current enemy
Justification by faith alone
Adam is literal
Fruit of the Spirit
Creation in literal 6 days
Impeccability of Christ
Lordship of Christ
Not using freedoms in Christ to cover evil; causing a brother to stumble
Not Getting Drunk
Repentance
Gospel includes the resurrection of Jesus
Literal hell
Annihilationism
The Narrow Road excludes many people (the Broad Road) (aka no Universalism)
The Trinity
This leads me to ask, what makes anyone a Christian? Because they SAY they are?
This POMO age has created "Christians" that not only do not know biblical doctrine, they don't live by it nor do they think its clear. Instead it has trained "Christians" to think ignorance as a virtue rather than a vice. That riding the fence is GOOD rather than BAD. I'm sorry people, but when a PROFESSOR at a SEMINARY doesn't know that God created the universe in six LITERAL Days, its time for him to pack up, go home, study Scripture ALONE, and sit under biblical teaching in a biblical church.
Its not rocket science.
Truth IS knowable. Jesus said it is.
What I can't understand is that when a "Christian" teacher/preacher blathers on with grotesque language, contrary to Ephes. 4, that's lauded as relevant or passed off as "immaturity". However, when pointing out the gross error and unacceptable according to Scripture, people like me are written off as "judgmental" and "unloving". I see hypocrisy written all over this.
In criticizing Driscoll, one PCA pastor cussed me out and then said "now, I have to go finish my sermon for tomorrow".
Yeah, THAT'S honoring to the Lord.
People! Do you really think God in heaven winks at our sin? At our foul or course language? That He doesn't really see or count against us, our "acceptable sins"? That in God's view, the "good" outweighs the "bad"?
I hear in defense of Driscoll, "well at least he's trying to reach others" or "its just a different methodology or style difference."
God will NOT allow such nonsense.
Jas 3:1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.
Jas 3:9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. Jas 3:10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Jas 3:11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Jas 3:12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
Jas 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.
Jas 3:14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. Jas 3:15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
Jas 3:16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. Jas 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. Jas 3:18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
How did God deal with the shepherds of Israel? Did He wink at their sin and excused it as being merely "immature"?
Jer 6:13 "For from the least to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for unjust gain; and from prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely. Jer 6:14 They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, 'Peace, peace,' when there is no peace. Jer 6:15 Were they ashamed when they committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed; they did not know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time that I punish them, they shall be overthrown," says the LORD.
Jer 6:17 I set watchmen over you, saying, 'Pay attention to the sound of the trumpet!' But they said, 'We will not pay attention.' Jer 6:18 Therefore hear, O nations, and know, O congregation, what will happen to them.
Jer 6:19 Hear, O earth; behold, I am bringing disaster upon this people, the fruit of their devices, because they have not paid attention to my words; and as for my law, they have rejected it. Jer 6:20 What use to me is frankincense that comes from Sheba, or sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing to me. Jer 6:21 Therefore thus says the LORD: 'Behold, I will lay before this people stumbling blocks against which they shall stumble; fathers and sons together, neighbor and friend shall perish.'"
Jer 7:4 Do not trust in these deceptive words: 'This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.'
Jer 7:23 But this command I gave them: 'Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.' Jer 7:24 But they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and the stubbornness of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward.
When "Christians" want to "do Christianity" their own way, they will come under HIS rebuke, if not wrath. God is still the same today as He was in ancient times. HIS NAME WILL NOT BE MALIGNED by those who cuss, swear, joke, and trivialize about HIM, HIS Word, and His Son.
God will not look down upon someone and say "Well, they are sincere, its ok". I am not talking about an ignorant newborn Christian. However, even THEY can see how wrong a lot of this garbage is.
When a "pastor" heartily approves of doctrine and conduct contrary to Scripture, he has disqualified himself.
And I might say here that "methodology" reveals one's doctrine. If one is wrong, the other will be also.
How in the world can anyone who claims to be a study of Scripture put filthy language under the Romans 14 catagory?
Eph 5:3 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
Eph 5:6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Eph 5:7 Therefore do not associate with them;
Eph 5:11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.
Eph 5:15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.
God cares not just about HOW we live, but our doctrine as well. There is no such thing as optional biblical doctrine. All Truth is to be believed and obeyed. HE is our MASTER, DICTATOR, BOSS. HE dictates to us how we all are to live, not live, get saved, not get saved, minister, etc. He has told us in His Living Scriptures. Do you believe it? Or are you your own master? Do you relegate God's commands to something you'll get around to when you have the time? When it finally becomes important to you?
When "Christians" call heretics "brothers" they are violating Scripture and are leading others to follow suit.
Scripture is clear that we are to divide from heretics and expose their dark deeds, NOT CODDLE THEM. Such nonsense is what the Fluff N Stuff "Christians" do: luuuv everyone to Hell because they don't want to divide from those that claim Jesus.
"Touch not my seminary anointed and do my Reformed prophets no harm!"
We must test all people, songs, books, authors, pastors, teachers, Bible-study leaders, and of course ourselves by the Word of God. No one gets a free pass. I don't care if ALL the Seminaries agree on something, if they are contrary to Scripture, they must be exposed.
Knowing Greek or Hebrew never saved a soul. It doesn't matter if you never learned it. It doesn't help you know the deep Truths of Scripture. If you really think that, then you are in lock-step with the Gnostics and Charismatics who have similar notions. And you also neglect the Person and Work of the Holy Spirit and the sufficiency of Scripture.
Truth is knowable. Any doctrine that is harder to understand in Scripture is just that: harder, but not impossible to know.
It begins with the Gospel of Christ Jesus and how HE not just us eternally God the Son, but is Creator, and that took on the form of man, lived a sinless life, but was crucified, took the wrath of the Father against sinners, died, and was buried and that on the third day He rose again from the dead according to the Scriptures. It is His resurrection that declares Him to be God and is what justifies us. (Romans 1:3-4; 4:25)
As to embracing a person who holds to a works justification (Wright, even Martin Luther):
Rom 4:5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,
Gal 1:6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-- Gal 1:7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
Gal 1:8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. Gal 1:9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.
Gal 1:10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. Gal 1:11 For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel.
There is but one Gospel and there is but one way of Justification. Scripture tells of no other. His way IS narrow and few that find it. Romans 10:9-10 clearly make it VERY narrow indeed.
Jer 7:2 "Stand in the gate of the LORD's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all you men of Judah who enter these gates to worship the LORD. Jer 7:3 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Amend your ways and your deeds, and I will let you dwell in this place. Jer 7:4 Do not trust in these deceptive words: 'This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.'
I am constantly astounded at the lengths "Christians" will go to be accepted and accepting of other professing Christians.
Clearly we live in a day where people are so undiscerning that when someone claims the name of Christ and/or Reformed, why, they must be our brother or sister in Christ! Except.... that they deny biblical doctrine or live lives that are contrary to Scripture (1John 1-2).
Its at the point now where I believe "Reformed" is the new "Evanglical". And neither mean anything other than "man-centeredness". Christianity at large has the Magisterium Mentality and the laziness of the Reformers and Romanists.
Ok, I've fired away and clearly someone's going to think I'm way out in left field. I understand that. I'll explain more of what I mean.
In talking to dozens and dozens of "Christians" and "Reformers" and reading their blogs and articles and such, I've noticed a growing trend in their thinking.
They continually run to a commentary, catechism or creed to know what to say or think or believe. Forget going straight to God and His Word. That's too hard! Just give 'em the Cliff Note version. After all, the Word is merely baby milk, but the theologians...well, now, THERE'S where the meat is!
The continuing list of what a Reformer can hold to as optional yet find "unity" by holding to the TULIP (well, sort of) and Creeds:
Feminism: women can be pastors and leaders over men in church (see the RTS Orlando pushing Synergy feminist conference). Reformed Theological Seminary (Orlando) and evangelical feminism…
Emergent Church Movement junk
Jesus' physical return
Our physical resurrection
Satan as our current enemy
Justification by faith alone
Adam is literal
Fruit of the Spirit
Creation in literal 6 days
Impeccability of Christ
Lordship of Christ
Not using freedoms in Christ to cover evil; causing a brother to stumble
Not Getting Drunk
Repentance
Gospel includes the resurrection of Jesus
Literal hell
Annihilationism
The Narrow Road excludes many people (the Broad Road) (aka no Universalism)
The Trinity
This leads me to ask, what makes anyone a Christian? Because they SAY they are?
This POMO age has created "Christians" that not only do not know biblical doctrine, they don't live by it nor do they think its clear. Instead it has trained "Christians" to think ignorance as a virtue rather than a vice. That riding the fence is GOOD rather than BAD. I'm sorry people, but when a PROFESSOR at a SEMINARY doesn't know that God created the universe in six LITERAL Days, its time for him to pack up, go home, study Scripture ALONE, and sit under biblical teaching in a biblical church.
Its not rocket science.
Truth IS knowable. Jesus said it is.
What I can't understand is that when a "Christian" teacher/preacher blathers on with grotesque language, contrary to Ephes. 4, that's lauded as relevant or passed off as "immaturity". However, when pointing out the gross error and unacceptable according to Scripture, people like me are written off as "judgmental" and "unloving". I see hypocrisy written all over this.
In criticizing Driscoll, one PCA pastor cussed me out and then said "now, I have to go finish my sermon for tomorrow".
Yeah, THAT'S honoring to the Lord.
People! Do you really think God in heaven winks at our sin? At our foul or course language? That He doesn't really see or count against us, our "acceptable sins"? That in God's view, the "good" outweighs the "bad"?
I hear in defense of Driscoll, "well at least he's trying to reach others" or "its just a different methodology or style difference."
God will NOT allow such nonsense.
Jas 3:1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.
Jas 3:9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. Jas 3:10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Jas 3:11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Jas 3:12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.
Jas 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.
Jas 3:14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. Jas 3:15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.
Jas 3:16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. Jas 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. Jas 3:18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.
How did God deal with the shepherds of Israel? Did He wink at their sin and excused it as being merely "immature"?
Jer 6:13 "For from the least to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for unjust gain; and from prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely. Jer 6:14 They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, 'Peace, peace,' when there is no peace. Jer 6:15 Were they ashamed when they committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed; they did not know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time that I punish them, they shall be overthrown," says the LORD.
Jer 6:17 I set watchmen over you, saying, 'Pay attention to the sound of the trumpet!' But they said, 'We will not pay attention.' Jer 6:18 Therefore hear, O nations, and know, O congregation, what will happen to them.
Jer 6:19 Hear, O earth; behold, I am bringing disaster upon this people, the fruit of their devices, because they have not paid attention to my words; and as for my law, they have rejected it. Jer 6:20 What use to me is frankincense that comes from Sheba, or sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing to me. Jer 6:21 Therefore thus says the LORD: 'Behold, I will lay before this people stumbling blocks against which they shall stumble; fathers and sons together, neighbor and friend shall perish.'"
Jer 7:4 Do not trust in these deceptive words: 'This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.'
Jer 7:23 But this command I gave them: 'Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.' Jer 7:24 But they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and the stubbornness of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward.
When "Christians" want to "do Christianity" their own way, they will come under HIS rebuke, if not wrath. God is still the same today as He was in ancient times. HIS NAME WILL NOT BE MALIGNED by those who cuss, swear, joke, and trivialize about HIM, HIS Word, and His Son.
God will not look down upon someone and say "Well, they are sincere, its ok". I am not talking about an ignorant newborn Christian. However, even THEY can see how wrong a lot of this garbage is.
When a "pastor" heartily approves of doctrine and conduct contrary to Scripture, he has disqualified himself.
And I might say here that "methodology" reveals one's doctrine. If one is wrong, the other will be also.
How in the world can anyone who claims to be a study of Scripture put filthy language under the Romans 14 catagory?
Eph 5:3 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.
Eph 5:6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Eph 5:7 Therefore do not associate with them;
Eph 5:11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.
Eph 5:15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.
God cares not just about HOW we live, but our doctrine as well. There is no such thing as optional biblical doctrine. All Truth is to be believed and obeyed. HE is our MASTER, DICTATOR, BOSS. HE dictates to us how we all are to live, not live, get saved, not get saved, minister, etc. He has told us in His Living Scriptures. Do you believe it? Or are you your own master? Do you relegate God's commands to something you'll get around to when you have the time? When it finally becomes important to you?
When "Christians" call heretics "brothers" they are violating Scripture and are leading others to follow suit.
Scripture is clear that we are to divide from heretics and expose their dark deeds, NOT CODDLE THEM. Such nonsense is what the Fluff N Stuff "Christians" do: luuuv everyone to Hell because they don't want to divide from those that claim Jesus.
"Touch not my seminary anointed and do my Reformed prophets no harm!"
We must test all people, songs, books, authors, pastors, teachers, Bible-study leaders, and of course ourselves by the Word of God. No one gets a free pass. I don't care if ALL the Seminaries agree on something, if they are contrary to Scripture, they must be exposed.
Knowing Greek or Hebrew never saved a soul. It doesn't matter if you never learned it. It doesn't help you know the deep Truths of Scripture. If you really think that, then you are in lock-step with the Gnostics and Charismatics who have similar notions. And you also neglect the Person and Work of the Holy Spirit and the sufficiency of Scripture.
Truth is knowable. Any doctrine that is harder to understand in Scripture is just that: harder, but not impossible to know.
It begins with the Gospel of Christ Jesus and how HE not just us eternally God the Son, but is Creator, and that took on the form of man, lived a sinless life, but was crucified, took the wrath of the Father against sinners, died, and was buried and that on the third day He rose again from the dead according to the Scriptures. It is His resurrection that declares Him to be God and is what justifies us. (Romans 1:3-4; 4:25)
As to embracing a person who holds to a works justification (Wright, even Martin Luther):
Rom 4:5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,
Gal 1:6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-- Gal 1:7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.
Gal 1:8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. Gal 1:9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.
Gal 1:10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. Gal 1:11 For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel.
There is but one Gospel and there is but one way of Justification. Scripture tells of no other. His way IS narrow and few that find it. Romans 10:9-10 clearly make it VERY narrow indeed.
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
TTP Reclaiming the Mind Offers More Poison
TTP has yet again offered poison to Christians. While seeming to offer the "question" of the Emergent Church Movement and what its about, clues show they hardly neutral, but rather one sided.
Clue #1: Bradley Nassif, Eastern Orthodox "theologian". There is no common ground between the sister of Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodox, and biblical Christianity. They do not have a biblical ecclesiology as Patton seems to think. Patton says:"The greatest weakness of Evangelicalism is our ecclesiology and our “historical amnesia.” I agree."
Such an ecumenical view merely makes the point I've held to for a long time: true biblical Christianity does not share its history with Rome, her sisters, nor her daughters.
Patton goes on to encourage his readers: "Don’t forget to check out Dr. Nassif’s excellent podcast called Simply Orthodox."
Excellent? By what standard?
For a treatment of the Eastern Orthodox Church go here:
"The inclusion of pagan priests and the infiltration of Greek philosophers led the church to become seeker-friendly, or as Dr. Morey notes on pg. 20, “the first emerging church.”...With an extensive section on the Hellenization of Eastern Orthodoxy, Dr. Morey provides documented proof that is beyond refutation that from its beginning, Eastern Orthodox theology was molded and shaped by pagan doctrines and rituals. Dr. Morey describes how the worldview of Origen and those who followed him was thoroughly pagan. He illustrates how instead of Christianizing the dominant Hellenistic philosophies and religions around them, they succeeded in Hellenizing Christianity (pg. 41). "
I wonder if they will invite Dr. Robert Morey to discuss why the EOC isn't biblical--you know, to be fair and irenic?
Clue #2: Nassif pushes the Emergen Church Movement. On the same "Simply Orthodox" that Patton thinks is "excellent", Nassif teaches on the Desert Fathers of Rome. These Desert Fathers are making a comeback in ECM circles, fostering the use of Eastern Mysticism.
They were Roman Catholic monks living in the desert and were heavily into mysticism, using breath prayers, labyrinths, all of which we see in the ECM's "Contemplative prayers" and "Contemplative Spirituality" and all of which were borrowed from the pagans.
Clue #3: Nassif and McKnight are on the faculty of North Park University. This school calls itself "Christian" but it is proud to be called "ecumenical" and indeed it is: "We are a Christian university, committed to relating faith in Jesus Christ to the aims of higher education. Ours is not a conformist environment; acceptance of diversity and ecumenism is the spirit of our campus." Translation: tolerance is our middle name!
North Park University has women teaching and leading at the seminary level (this is anti-biblical and the very definitive example of feminism), as well as offering "Spiritual Formation" classes.
Clue #4 : Future Guests:
March 13 - Greg Koukl (this man denies the sufficiency of Scripture and says not all of Scripture is God-breathed) will be dialoguing with liberal C Michael Patton about the Emergent Church. Do they come from a neutral view point? No, as I already showed, their recent guest, Nassir, is part of the ECM thinking--he endorses Contemplative Prayer via his own push of the Mystic Catholic Desert Father.
But in case you still have doubts, TTP's line up cements their positive view of ECM:
March 10 Dan Kimbal - ECM leader - feminist, pro-RCC. He pushes the Easter Mystic practice of lectio divina as well as silent meditation (emptying your mind) and prayer labyrinths. More on Kimball here.
March 27 Mark Driscoll - ECM leader and one of the founders. Also known as the "Cussing Pastor". In January 2006 Driscoll distanced himself from the ECM he helped to create. It turns out he hosted the very emergent National Pastors Convention dubbed "emergence 2007" at his church.
This annual conference pushes the ECM agenda and is chock-full of ECM leaders. He's not distancing himself at all. He's still at it, joining hands with Doug Pagitt and other leaders of the ECM.Here's a list of speakers for the June conference in Seattle:Seattle: Mars Hill Church – June 1-2, 2007Host: Krista Tippett Krista's Journal Speakers: Mark Driscoll, Dan Kimball, Doug Pagitt, Karen Ward (woman "pastor")."
The 2007 NPC (of which there are women "pastors" who join) boasted: "Join us for a unique weekend conversation that will feature many of the key leaders in the emerging church movement. This event will provide you with a first-hand experience with people who are reimagining what the church can be for a post-Christian world. Come and interact with key leaders about the beliefs, practices and ways of engaging culture in the way of Jesus. "
John MacArthur also decries Driscoll's use of inappropriate language and felt. MacArthur states:"Some of the things Driscoll talks freely and frequently about involve words and subject matter I would prefer not even to mention in public, so I am not going to quote or describe the objectionable parts." Driscoll rebels against the commands in Eph. 5:3-7.
For the bridge between Driscoll and John Piper, go here.
April 3 Scot McKnight - Return guest. ECM friendly - feminist and also on faculty at North Park University with Nassif.
He’s “Friend of Emergent” – he’s got this graphic at the bottom of his homepage. This in itself should make all who read and listen to him to be cautious considering the heresy coming out of the Emergent Church Movement.
He’s got 12 links to sites on “Daily Prayers”, and most if not all, are Anglican (akin to Romanism), Eastern Orthodox (again, akin to Romanism), as well as a Celtic Prayer site (self-proclaimed “ecumenical” that is demonstrated in a “new monasticism'). One such link goes to a site about “Divine Hours": Divine hours book and suggestions. "The Divine Hours" by Phyllis Tickle. Marcus Borg (of the heretical and liberal "Jesus Seminar" group) is also on the ExploreFaith editorial board with Tickle.
Who is this author that McKnight suggests reading? “Tickle is a member of the Episcopal Church and served as a Lay Eucharistic Minister and Lay Reader as well as, from time to time, a vestry member and teacher...
There 37 links to Emergent websites on McKnight’s website.
McKnight is pro-women pastors/teachers. Of course this violates clear commands given in 1Cor. 14; Titus 2; 1Tim. 3.
McKnight perverts Mary into a feminist of his own imagination:
In a Christianity Today article, McKnight turns the Mary of Scripture into an activist for political and social justice. This is troublesome because this simply is not what Scripture declares of Mary or Jesus for that matter (Scripture commands believers to submit to their governments—Romans 13, Titus 3:1; 1Peter 2:11-18, except when they tell us to disobey God’s command).
What McKnight does is to take the Emergent Church Movement/RCC’s Liberation Theology , and twists Mary into it. Mary was neither “subversive” (Webster defines this as “a systematic attempt to overthrow or undermine a government or political system by persons working secretly from within”); rebellious, or concerned with Herod as McKnight tries to paint her. Quite the opposite: she submits to God, Joseph, and later to her son Jesus Christ at the wedding in Cana.
It is clear that TTP and Reclaiming the Mind is set out to offer deception for Truth, as if anything is optional. God demands purity in worship of HIM as well as in doctrine. This is precisly why Scripture ALONE is the sole authority for the biblical Christian, for His Word alone is pure, uncorrupted, infallible, sufficient, living and active, as well as life-giving.Jas 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.
2Co 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 2Co 6:15 What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 2Co 6:16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.17 Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you,
Mat 4:4 But he answered, "It is written, "'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.'"
Heb 4:12 For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Psa 138:2 I bow down toward Your holy temple and give thanks to Your name for Your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for You have exalted above all things Your name and Your word.
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.
2Ti 3:16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 17 that the man of God may be competent, equipped for every good work.
Joh 17:17 Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth.
Psychology's Demonic Origins
What are the origins of psychology?
They are humanistic and occultic. Here are a few samplings on Freud and Jung, the fathers of moder psychology.
The follow are exerpts from "The End of 'Christian Psychology" book available online:
Freud
Freud and Jung each turned his own experience into a new belief system called psychoanalysis. Freud denied the spirituality of man by identifying religion as an illusion and calling it a neurosis. Jung attempted to debase spirituality by presenting all religion as mythology and fantasy. Many contemporary psychotherapists have not moved very far from these two positions. They often present religion as an illness at worst and as a myth at best. " p. 104 -105
Freud believed that the unconscious portion of the mind, rather than the conscious, influences all of a person’s thoughts and actions. In fact, he believed that the unconscious not only influences, but determines everything an individual does. p. 126
Freud invented psychoanalysis as a method for treating mental-emotional disorders and particularly for investigating what he considered to be the unconscious.
The psychoanalytic method supposedly exposes the unconscious through the process of free association and dream analysis. In free association, the central activity in psychoanalysis, the patient reveals both his thought life and his dreams. p. 127
Carl Jung (Jung's quotes are taken from Jung's "Memories, Dreams, Reflections")
"After Jung repudiated Christianity he became involved in idolatry and the occult. He renamed and replaced everything having to do with biblical Christianity with his own mythology of archetypes. As he developed his theories, his archetypes took shape and served him as familiar spirits. One such personal familiar spirit that helped Jung develop his theories was Philemon.18 Jung, Memories, Dreams, Reflections, op. cit., pp. 170-199.
"Jung also participated in the occult practice of necromancy. Jung mythologized Scripture and reduced the basic doctrines of the Christian faith into esoteric gnosticism. Freud was also involved in idolatry and the occult. He collected a large number of ancient Greek, Roman, Oriental, and Egyptian artifacts, including rows of statuettes arranged on his desk and around his office. One person who knew the family said that for Freud, “The artifacts weren’t only decorative. He used some of them to help him to write.”19 One writer suggests: What Freud may have been practicing . . . was an ancient form of magic in which consecrated statues representing spirits or transpersonal powers would engage the magician in imaginal dialogues and supply him with invaluable knowledge. Such magical practices were well known in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome, and the very statuettes that Freud owned may have been used for such practices by their contemporaries.20
Many Christians have probably never heard of C. G. Jung, but his influence in the church is vast and affects sermons, books, and activities, such as the prolific use of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). A current, popular example of Jung’s legacy can be seen in Robert Hicks’s book The Masculine Journey, which was given to 50,000 men who attended a Promise Keepers conference. Christians need to learn enough about Jung and his teachings to be warned and wary. They may incorporate his notions regarding personality types, the personal unconscious, dream analysis, and various archetypes inp. 149
Other Christians have been influenced more indirectly as they have engaged in inner healing, followed 12-step programs, or taken the MBTI, which is based on Jung’s personality types and incorporates his theories of introversion and extroversion.
As a young child Jung had difficulty distinguishing between Jesus and a monstrous figure encountered in a nightmare, which he later identified as a huge phallus.2 Besides Jung’s father being a Lutheran minister, all eight of his uncles were pastors as well.4 p. 152-153
Because Jung turned psychoanalysis into a type of religion, he is also considered to be a transpersonal psychologist as well as an analytical theorist. He delved deeply into the occult, practiced necromancy, and had daily contact with disembodied spirits, which he called archetypes. Jung describes having his whole house “crammed full of spirits” crying out to him. He said that was the beginning of writing “The Seven Sermons to the Dead,” which he says flowed out of him.24 Just prior to that experience he wrote about a fantasy of his soul flying away. He said: This was a significant event: the soul, the anima, establishes the relationship to the unconscious. (footnote 24Jung, Memories, Dreams, Reflections, op. cit., pp. 190-191)
Much of what Jung wrote was inspired by such entities. Jung had his own familiar spirit whom he called Philemon. At first he thought Philemon was part of his own psyche, but later on he found that Philemon was more than an expression of his own inner self. Jung says: "Philemon and other figures of my fantasies brought home to me the crucial insight that there are things in the psyche which I do not produce, but which produce themselves and have their own life. Philemon represented a force which was not myself. In my fantasies I held conversations with him, and he said things which I had not consciously thought. For I observed clearly that it was he who spoke, not I. . . .Psychologically, Philemon represented superior insight. He was a mysterious figure to me. At times he seemed to me quite real, as if he were a living personality. I went walking up and down the garden with him, and to me he was what the Indians call a guru."27
Jung’s exploration into what he thought was his unconscious opened him up to demonic influence, which he at first thought emanated from his own unconscious but which existed quite independently from him. He even described himself as having demonic strength and as having a demon in him. He wrote: "But there was a demonic strength in me, and from the beginning there was no doubt in my mind that I must find the meaning of what I was experiencing in these fantasies. When I endured these assaults of the unconscious I had an unswerving conviction that I was obeying a higher will, and that feeling continued to uphold me until I had mastered the task.28 There was a daimon in me, and in the end its presence proved decisive. It overpowered me, and if I was at times ruthless it was because I was in the grip of the daimon.29" p. 156-158
Inner healing
"Inner healing beliefs and techniques continue to deceive many Christians. A central belief is that we are the way we are because of past hurts that need to be healed through reliving the past and bringing Jesus into past events. This is a deceptive combination of Freudian psychology and occult visualization. The inner healer is convinced that present problems are expressions of past wounds that must be healed before the person can overcome problems of living and get on with life." (PAL V8N2 * March-April 2000 from Psycho-Heresy Awareness)
Unholy Alliance : The dangers of mixing pop psychology with Christian Truth (by Dr. Lois Chan) book review:
"Chan describes channeling as "the act of receiving communication from the spirit worlds" and says, "As virtually all Christians understand, the Bible forbids us to communicate with the spirit world (Deut. 18:10-2; 2 Chr. 33:2-6; 2 Cor. 6:14-16)" (p. 19). She therefore warns:
'When we bring psychology into the church, we risk bringing in the New Age elements of psychology. If we bring in New Age psychology, we risk bringing in demonic (channeled) teachings. In that case, the integration of Bible and psychology will turn out to be the integration of biblical teachings and demonic teachings—an unholy alliance '(p. 19)."
Regarding early childhood influences, Chan quotes Dr. Paul Meier, James Dobson, Dr. Henry Cloud and other Christian psychologists, as well as channeled spirit guides. She also shows similarities between psychological and occult teachings regarding the unconscious, dream analysis, projection, human potential, and the self-concept. (PsychoHeresy Awareness Letter, July-August 2006, Vol. 14 No. 1)
2Co 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?
2Co 6:15 What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?
2Co 6:16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
2Co 6:17 Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you,
Jas 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.
1Jn 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.
It is an impossibility to think that we can name Christ Jesus as our Master and mix Him with demons, Truth with Error, Scripture with the occult, and be pleasing to Him in anyway. HE demands purity in doctrine and practice and He is a jealous God.
They are humanistic and occultic. Here are a few samplings on Freud and Jung, the fathers of moder psychology.
The follow are exerpts from "The End of 'Christian Psychology" book available online:
Freud
Freud and Jung each turned his own experience into a new belief system called psychoanalysis. Freud denied the spirituality of man by identifying religion as an illusion and calling it a neurosis. Jung attempted to debase spirituality by presenting all religion as mythology and fantasy. Many contemporary psychotherapists have not moved very far from these two positions. They often present religion as an illness at worst and as a myth at best. " p. 104 -105
Freud believed that the unconscious portion of the mind, rather than the conscious, influences all of a person’s thoughts and actions. In fact, he believed that the unconscious not only influences, but determines everything an individual does. p. 126
Freud invented psychoanalysis as a method for treating mental-emotional disorders and particularly for investigating what he considered to be the unconscious.
The psychoanalytic method supposedly exposes the unconscious through the process of free association and dream analysis. In free association, the central activity in psychoanalysis, the patient reveals both his thought life and his dreams. p. 127
Carl Jung (Jung's quotes are taken from Jung's "Memories, Dreams, Reflections")
"After Jung repudiated Christianity he became involved in idolatry and the occult. He renamed and replaced everything having to do with biblical Christianity with his own mythology of archetypes. As he developed his theories, his archetypes took shape and served him as familiar spirits. One such personal familiar spirit that helped Jung develop his theories was Philemon.18 Jung, Memories, Dreams, Reflections, op. cit., pp. 170-199.
"Jung also participated in the occult practice of necromancy. Jung mythologized Scripture and reduced the basic doctrines of the Christian faith into esoteric gnosticism. Freud was also involved in idolatry and the occult. He collected a large number of ancient Greek, Roman, Oriental, and Egyptian artifacts, including rows of statuettes arranged on his desk and around his office. One person who knew the family said that for Freud, “The artifacts weren’t only decorative. He used some of them to help him to write.”19 One writer suggests: What Freud may have been practicing . . . was an ancient form of magic in which consecrated statues representing spirits or transpersonal powers would engage the magician in imaginal dialogues and supply him with invaluable knowledge. Such magical practices were well known in ancient Egypt, Greece, and Rome, and the very statuettes that Freud owned may have been used for such practices by their contemporaries.20
Many Christians have probably never heard of C. G. Jung, but his influence in the church is vast and affects sermons, books, and activities, such as the prolific use of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI). A current, popular example of Jung’s legacy can be seen in Robert Hicks’s book The Masculine Journey, which was given to 50,000 men who attended a Promise Keepers conference. Christians need to learn enough about Jung and his teachings to be warned and wary. They may incorporate his notions regarding personality types, the personal unconscious, dream analysis, and various archetypes inp. 149
Other Christians have been influenced more indirectly as they have engaged in inner healing, followed 12-step programs, or taken the MBTI, which is based on Jung’s personality types and incorporates his theories of introversion and extroversion.
As a young child Jung had difficulty distinguishing between Jesus and a monstrous figure encountered in a nightmare, which he later identified as a huge phallus.2 Besides Jung’s father being a Lutheran minister, all eight of his uncles were pastors as well.4 p. 152-153
Because Jung turned psychoanalysis into a type of religion, he is also considered to be a transpersonal psychologist as well as an analytical theorist. He delved deeply into the occult, practiced necromancy, and had daily contact with disembodied spirits, which he called archetypes. Jung describes having his whole house “crammed full of spirits” crying out to him. He said that was the beginning of writing “The Seven Sermons to the Dead,” which he says flowed out of him.24 Just prior to that experience he wrote about a fantasy of his soul flying away. He said: This was a significant event: the soul, the anima, establishes the relationship to the unconscious. (footnote 24Jung, Memories, Dreams, Reflections, op. cit., pp. 190-191)
Much of what Jung wrote was inspired by such entities. Jung had his own familiar spirit whom he called Philemon. At first he thought Philemon was part of his own psyche, but later on he found that Philemon was more than an expression of his own inner self. Jung says: "Philemon and other figures of my fantasies brought home to me the crucial insight that there are things in the psyche which I do not produce, but which produce themselves and have their own life. Philemon represented a force which was not myself. In my fantasies I held conversations with him, and he said things which I had not consciously thought. For I observed clearly that it was he who spoke, not I. . . .Psychologically, Philemon represented superior insight. He was a mysterious figure to me. At times he seemed to me quite real, as if he were a living personality. I went walking up and down the garden with him, and to me he was what the Indians call a guru."27
Jung’s exploration into what he thought was his unconscious opened him up to demonic influence, which he at first thought emanated from his own unconscious but which existed quite independently from him. He even described himself as having demonic strength and as having a demon in him. He wrote: "But there was a demonic strength in me, and from the beginning there was no doubt in my mind that I must find the meaning of what I was experiencing in these fantasies. When I endured these assaults of the unconscious I had an unswerving conviction that I was obeying a higher will, and that feeling continued to uphold me until I had mastered the task.28 There was a daimon in me, and in the end its presence proved decisive. It overpowered me, and if I was at times ruthless it was because I was in the grip of the daimon.29" p. 156-158
Inner healing
"Inner healing beliefs and techniques continue to deceive many Christians. A central belief is that we are the way we are because of past hurts that need to be healed through reliving the past and bringing Jesus into past events. This is a deceptive combination of Freudian psychology and occult visualization. The inner healer is convinced that present problems are expressions of past wounds that must be healed before the person can overcome problems of living and get on with life." (PAL V8N2 * March-April 2000 from Psycho-Heresy Awareness)
Unholy Alliance : The dangers of mixing pop psychology with Christian Truth (by Dr. Lois Chan) book review:
"Chan describes channeling as "the act of receiving communication from the spirit worlds" and says, "As virtually all Christians understand, the Bible forbids us to communicate with the spirit world (Deut. 18:10-2; 2 Chr. 33:2-6; 2 Cor. 6:14-16)" (p. 19). She therefore warns:
'When we bring psychology into the church, we risk bringing in the New Age elements of psychology. If we bring in New Age psychology, we risk bringing in demonic (channeled) teachings. In that case, the integration of Bible and psychology will turn out to be the integration of biblical teachings and demonic teachings—an unholy alliance '(p. 19)."
Regarding early childhood influences, Chan quotes Dr. Paul Meier, James Dobson, Dr. Henry Cloud and other Christian psychologists, as well as channeled spirit guides. She also shows similarities between psychological and occult teachings regarding the unconscious, dream analysis, projection, human potential, and the self-concept. (PsychoHeresy Awareness Letter, July-August 2006, Vol. 14 No. 1)
2Co 6:14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness?
2Co 6:15 What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever?
2Co 6:16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.
2Co 6:17 Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you,
Jas 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere.
1Jn 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.
It is an impossibility to think that we can name Christ Jesus as our Master and mix Him with demons, Truth with Error, Scripture with the occult, and be pleasing to Him in anyway. HE demands purity in doctrine and practice and He is a jealous God.
The Failure of Prozac
I saw this breaking story first in the UK papers....It seems that the US newspapers were very late on this crucial news regarding psych drugs:
The UK Independant newspaper reported:
They are among the biggest-selling drugs of all time, the "happiness pills" that supposedly lift the moods of those who suffer depression and are taken by millions of people in the UK every year.
But one of the largest studies of modern antidepressant drugs has found that they have no clinically significant effect. In other words, they don't work.
The finding will send shock waves through the medical profession and patients and raises serious questions about the regulation of the multinational pharmaceutical industry, which was accused yesterday of withholding data on the drugs.
According to the UK Guardian:
Prozac, the bestselling antidepressant taken by 40 million people worldwide, does not work and nor do similar drugs in the same class, according to a major review released today.
The study examined all available data on the drugs, including results from clinical trials that the manufacturers chose not to publish at the time. The trials compared the effect on patients taking the drugs with those given a placebo or sugar pill.
When all the data was pulled together, it appeared that patients had improved - but those on placebo improved just as much as those on the drugs.
"Given these results, there seems little reason to prescribe antidepressant medication to any but the most severely depressed patients, unless alternative treatments have failed," says Kirsch. "This study raises serious issues that need to be addressed surrounding drug licensing and how drug trial data is reported."
Newspaper The Financial Times is also running a story on this.
For more information on the horrors of psychology, I suggest going to Psychology Debunked
and Psycho-heresy Aware.
The best thing for any person who is dealing with depression or stress is to turn to Christ Jesus and repent of their sin. Only the Creator knows our deepest issues and in His Word He tells us how we are to think and do:
Php 4:6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Php 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.
If you are not Born from Above, trusting in Christ Jesus alone for salvation from your sin and God's wrath, you need to do so now. It is ONLY in Christ and through Christ that a person can fully lay down his worries, anxieties, concerns, a pain, and trust in the Sovereign God to care for him in every way. The God of Scripture is an all-wise God, knowing our secret sins and our deepest pain, but there is only one way to deal with them: trust fully in HIM. He is the God of all comfort (2Cor. 1).
Psychology will fail every time because its starting point is doctrines of demons centered on sinful and rebellious man. Truth starts with Jesus Christ who is the only Truth (John 14:6), and His Scripture which is Truth (John 17:17). Better to know the Truth and deal with the sin and pain, then to live the lies of psychology which is demonic and poisonous.
The UK Independant newspaper reported:
They are among the biggest-selling drugs of all time, the "happiness pills" that supposedly lift the moods of those who suffer depression and are taken by millions of people in the UK every year.
But one of the largest studies of modern antidepressant drugs has found that they have no clinically significant effect. In other words, they don't work.
The finding will send shock waves through the medical profession and patients and raises serious questions about the regulation of the multinational pharmaceutical industry, which was accused yesterday of withholding data on the drugs.
According to the UK Guardian:
Prozac, the bestselling antidepressant taken by 40 million people worldwide, does not work and nor do similar drugs in the same class, according to a major review released today.
The study examined all available data on the drugs, including results from clinical trials that the manufacturers chose not to publish at the time. The trials compared the effect on patients taking the drugs with those given a placebo or sugar pill.
When all the data was pulled together, it appeared that patients had improved - but those on placebo improved just as much as those on the drugs.
"Given these results, there seems little reason to prescribe antidepressant medication to any but the most severely depressed patients, unless alternative treatments have failed," says Kirsch. "This study raises serious issues that need to be addressed surrounding drug licensing and how drug trial data is reported."
Newspaper The Financial Times is also running a story on this.
For more information on the horrors of psychology, I suggest going to Psychology Debunked
and Psycho-heresy Aware.
The best thing for any person who is dealing with depression or stress is to turn to Christ Jesus and repent of their sin. Only the Creator knows our deepest issues and in His Word He tells us how we are to think and do:
Php 4:6 do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Php 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.
If you are not Born from Above, trusting in Christ Jesus alone for salvation from your sin and God's wrath, you need to do so now. It is ONLY in Christ and through Christ that a person can fully lay down his worries, anxieties, concerns, a pain, and trust in the Sovereign God to care for him in every way. The God of Scripture is an all-wise God, knowing our secret sins and our deepest pain, but there is only one way to deal with them: trust fully in HIM. He is the God of all comfort (2Cor. 1).
Psychology will fail every time because its starting point is doctrines of demons centered on sinful and rebellious man. Truth starts with Jesus Christ who is the only Truth (John 14:6), and His Scripture which is Truth (John 17:17). Better to know the Truth and deal with the sin and pain, then to live the lies of psychology which is demonic and poisonous.
Friday, February 08, 2008
Bush Thinks the Conservatives Should Support McCain
They're at it again.
When will these guys GET IT? I'm NOT interested in their compromising politics. They can't win my vote, nor will the GOP get me back.
Today Bush said, according to Bloomberg:
``Soon we'll have a nominee who will carry a conservative banner in this election and beyond,'' Bush said at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington. ``This is an important election. Prosperity and peace are in the balance.''
Bush, in speech running almost 45 minutes, told the group that ``the American people support our points of view'' and ``share our philosophy.'' He outlined differences between Republicans and Democrats on issues such as taxes and judicial nominees."
1. McCain is not a Conservative and neither is Bush. Both are moderates and mere RINO's.
2. Saying you are Conservative and actually BEING Conservative are two different things. I'm not buying their song and dance routine. Their records, which ARE their actions, speaks for themselves. Collaborating with the Democrats means you are not Conservative. Quit lying to us and quit acting like we're a bunch of mindless moronic robots. Its because of leaders like you two that I left the GOP.
3. Money and peace isn't happening now and it won't with McCain. As long as the Moderates and Democrats claim Islam is a religion of peace, we're sunk. Nothing but white flag wavers, these guys are. When the government forces people to give up their homes for a hotel, that's no way to prosper. Bet the Founding Fathers would roll over in their graves if they saw that.
4. McCain and Bush don't share my views and I certainly don't share their philosophies of holding hands with the enemy, whether its the drunkard named Teddy Kennedy, or the head of the PLO terrorist gang. Big government, bloated budgest, big spending ---none of these are in line with the GOP platform nor with me. Then again, the GOP plateform is nothing but platitude and useless rhetoric--means nothing anymore.
When will these guys GET IT? I'm NOT interested in their compromising politics. They can't win my vote, nor will the GOP get me back.
Today Bush said, according to Bloomberg:
``Soon we'll have a nominee who will carry a conservative banner in this election and beyond,'' Bush said at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington. ``This is an important election. Prosperity and peace are in the balance.''
Bush, in speech running almost 45 minutes, told the group that ``the American people support our points of view'' and ``share our philosophy.'' He outlined differences between Republicans and Democrats on issues such as taxes and judicial nominees."
1. McCain is not a Conservative and neither is Bush. Both are moderates and mere RINO's.
2. Saying you are Conservative and actually BEING Conservative are two different things. I'm not buying their song and dance routine. Their records, which ARE their actions, speaks for themselves. Collaborating with the Democrats means you are not Conservative. Quit lying to us and quit acting like we're a bunch of mindless moronic robots. Its because of leaders like you two that I left the GOP.
3. Money and peace isn't happening now and it won't with McCain. As long as the Moderates and Democrats claim Islam is a religion of peace, we're sunk. Nothing but white flag wavers, these guys are. When the government forces people to give up their homes for a hotel, that's no way to prosper. Bet the Founding Fathers would roll over in their graves if they saw that.
4. McCain and Bush don't share my views and I certainly don't share their philosophies of holding hands with the enemy, whether its the drunkard named Teddy Kennedy, or the head of the PLO terrorist gang. Big government, bloated budgest, big spending ---none of these are in line with the GOP platform nor with me. Then again, the GOP plateform is nothing but platitude and useless rhetoric--means nothing anymore.
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
This No-Party Girl Ain't Going To Buy What McCain THINKS I Want
Sen. McCain said today that "The quote 'independent' voters and frankly the old [Ronald] Reagan Democrats will come our way because I think we will have a message that will appeal to all of them."
I'm a non-partisan voter now, fomerly a Republican, and always a conservative. The GOP left me in the dust some years back and I finally had enough and couldn't take it anymore.
It left me, I left it.
I won't stay in a party that is, in all practicle terms, no different than the Democrat party. Its a disaster. Better to have a Liberal party and Conservative party, I think.
I left the GOP precisely BECAUSE of men like McCain who are nothing but RINOS. So, nope McCain, not going to buy into your broad road blather. You have NOTHING to offer me but compromise and deceit. Trying to please all men, you ARE compromising. Period.
Have fun trying to persuade everyone else. But you won't persuade me. I must answer to Christ Jesus.
I'm a non-partisan voter now, fomerly a Republican, and always a conservative. The GOP left me in the dust some years back and I finally had enough and couldn't take it anymore.
It left me, I left it.
I won't stay in a party that is, in all practicle terms, no different than the Democrat party. Its a disaster. Better to have a Liberal party and Conservative party, I think.
I left the GOP precisely BECAUSE of men like McCain who are nothing but RINOS. So, nope McCain, not going to buy into your broad road blather. You have NOTHING to offer me but compromise and deceit. Trying to please all men, you ARE compromising. Period.
Have fun trying to persuade everyone else. But you won't persuade me. I must answer to Christ Jesus.
Saturday, February 02, 2008
Most Americans Don't Want A Biblical Leader As President, Contrary To Zogby
I read an article today that claimed “most Americans want a biblical leader as president” and I just refuse to believe that.
First, what the statistics claim: quote:
End quote.
Well, according to this, they’d be peachy-keen with a Mormon, since the above is so vague, a cultist could easily agree with it.
And that’s the problem.
What they really want is a religious guy, not a BIBLICAL leader. Why? Because a biblical leader tells people what they DON’T want to hear.
A biblical leader will not compromise on essentials of The faith such as (this is not an exhaustive list, mind you): the deity of Jesus Christ and His sinlessness and physical resurrection; the inerrancy and sufficiency of Scripture; the Trinity; a literal 6-Day Creation and Hell; biblical roles for men and women (and nope, they aren’t the same); church discipline; election; predestination; believer’s baptism; salvation by grace through faith alone in Christ Jesus alone; the true Gospel of Jesus which includes the wrath of God and the sinner under His wrath (not a warm and fuzzy feel-good gospel);and also the Lordship of the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember this isn’t an exhaustive list, but these are some major doctrines not held to by most Americans, let alone most proclaiming Christians. Go here for more on how ignorant "Christians" are.
A biblical leader won’t look to the majority to decide what he will do.
A biblical leader will not use Scripture as a mere guide book as if it’s a map or text about neat suggestions; rather he will see and use Scripture as the true and living Word of God---sufficient to give wisdom in dealing with all the issues of life and full of commands that are to be obeyed by those who claim HIS name.
A biblical leader will be willing to go it alone in the face of unbiblical obsticles, even when such obsticles are labeled “biblical” or “for God’s glory”, because quite frankly, they are neither. This calls for wisdom and discernment.
A biblical leader is truly Christ-centered, not man-centered. His view of God is high and view of man is low.
A biblical leader is not pragmatic, but Scriptural.
So if most professing Christians would not either know about some of these doctrines, or outright reject them, what makes Zogby or those polled, think they want a biblical leader as president? They don’t even want one as a pastor!
Think I’m broadbrushing? Ok, but it’s the truth. I’ll tell you why.
Scripture says that the way to eternal life is narrow. Secondly, many will be deceived by false teachers who creep into local churches, sounding pretty good, but truly are rotten and dead to the core.
Mat 7:13 "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
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.
Jud 1:3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
2Thes. 2: 10 and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
We live in a post-Modern society that has infiltrated most, if not all, churches today. This is reflected in professing Christians’ view that Truth is not knowable, absolute truth doesn’t exist, that each individual can determine what is right in their own minds; that Scripture is not clear and we can all have our own interpretation of it; that Scripture is a good book, but not absolute Truth nor is it living and active.
These same “Christians” are feminists, pragmatists, and man-pleasers. They are spineless and without discernment, thinking that tolerance of evil, sin, and deception, is truly love. They think calling a person to repent of specific unrepentant sin (Matt. 18; Gal. 6) is judgmental and unloving.
Why else do you suppose Rick Warren sells so many copies of his books and is on t.v. so much? He appeals to the masses.
Look at the best selling books in your local “Christian” bookstore. Authors who are humanists (psychologists), modalists, Roman Catholic, and New Age abound in them. And believe me, publishers and bookstores will not put on the shelf what won’t sell well, because it’s a money- making business.
Because Truth is by its nature, exclusive, it rejects everything that is false. It is not tolerant. That is why the road to eternal life is narrow: God is the God of Truth and HIS Word is Truth. Jesus is Truth. We are sanctified by Truth and saved in Truth. Truth defines what sin is.
Those doctrines I listed above are not tolerated by most people. They don’t rejoice in the Truth, which is how Scripture defines love : 1Co 13:6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.
When faced with the biblical doctrine of women staying home and not being leaders, is there rejoicing in that truth?
When told that God hates the wicked, do “Christians” agree or do they recoil at that truth?
When confronted with church discipline, do most professing Christians embrace that as biblical and for the welfare of the sinning “brother” and the local church, or do they find it offensive?
Where is the rejoicing in Truth when “Christians” are confronted with it?
Its missing.
So do people REALLY want a biblical leader as president?
Well, they don’t even want one as a church leader. So the answer is no, they don’t.
Besides, a biblical leader would never be able to appease the masses to garner the wider audience, precisely because they hold to Truth and Truth will not change for anyone.
Fear God
Vote Biblically
Don't Compromise ©
Most of all, yearn for God's clear Truth.
First, what the statistics claim: quote:
About six in 10 Americans likely to vote say they would be more likely to vote for a presidential candidate who speaks publicly about following the example of admirable leaders from the Bible and who uses the Bible for guidance in both public and personal matters, found a nationwide Zogby Poll conducted for the American Bible Society.
According to the survey, more than three-quarters (78 percent) of respondents – 86 percent of women and 68 percent of men – view candidates citing Scripture when explaining political positions as positive.
Out of the polled respondents aged 18-29, 84 percent said a candidate’s servant-leader attitude would impact their vote. Interestingly, only 62 percent of older respondents, 50-64 years old, said it would influence their decision. In addition to Biblical leadership qualities, many likely voters are affected by the simple question of whether the candidate believes in God.
Nearly half of likely voters indicated that they would not vote for a presidential candidate who did not believe in God, while 20 percent said they would vote for such a candidate. Another 20 percent said this factor would not affect their voteBut by far, truthfulness and integrity – characteristics often emphasized in the Bible – topped the list of qualities respondents feel are most important in a leader.
The poll was conducted Jan. 25-27 on 1,008 adult respondents from throughout the United States. Nearly all respondents (95 percent) said they have some interaction with the Bible, ranging from well aware to exploring the contents of the Bible. Close to a quarter of participants said they were born-again Christians.
End quote.
Well, according to this, they’d be peachy-keen with a Mormon, since the above is so vague, a cultist could easily agree with it.
And that’s the problem.
What they really want is a religious guy, not a BIBLICAL leader. Why? Because a biblical leader tells people what they DON’T want to hear.
A biblical leader will not compromise on essentials of The faith such as (this is not an exhaustive list, mind you): the deity of Jesus Christ and His sinlessness and physical resurrection; the inerrancy and sufficiency of Scripture; the Trinity; a literal 6-Day Creation and Hell; biblical roles for men and women (and nope, they aren’t the same); church discipline; election; predestination; believer’s baptism; salvation by grace through faith alone in Christ Jesus alone; the true Gospel of Jesus which includes the wrath of God and the sinner under His wrath (not a warm and fuzzy feel-good gospel);and also the Lordship of the Lord Jesus Christ. Remember this isn’t an exhaustive list, but these are some major doctrines not held to by most Americans, let alone most proclaiming Christians. Go here for more on how ignorant "Christians" are.
A biblical leader won’t look to the majority to decide what he will do.
A biblical leader will not use Scripture as a mere guide book as if it’s a map or text about neat suggestions; rather he will see and use Scripture as the true and living Word of God---sufficient to give wisdom in dealing with all the issues of life and full of commands that are to be obeyed by those who claim HIS name.
A biblical leader will be willing to go it alone in the face of unbiblical obsticles, even when such obsticles are labeled “biblical” or “for God’s glory”, because quite frankly, they are neither. This calls for wisdom and discernment.
A biblical leader is truly Christ-centered, not man-centered. His view of God is high and view of man is low.
A biblical leader is not pragmatic, but Scriptural.
So if most professing Christians would not either know about some of these doctrines, or outright reject them, what makes Zogby or those polled, think they want a biblical leader as president? They don’t even want one as a pastor!
Think I’m broadbrushing? Ok, but it’s the truth. I’ll tell you why.
Scripture says that the way to eternal life is narrow. Secondly, many will be deceived by false teachers who creep into local churches, sounding pretty good, but truly are rotten and dead to the core.
Mat 7:13 "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few.
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.
Jud 1:3 Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints. 4 For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ.
2Thes. 2: 10 and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.
We live in a post-Modern society that has infiltrated most, if not all, churches today. This is reflected in professing Christians’ view that Truth is not knowable, absolute truth doesn’t exist, that each individual can determine what is right in their own minds; that Scripture is not clear and we can all have our own interpretation of it; that Scripture is a good book, but not absolute Truth nor is it living and active.
These same “Christians” are feminists, pragmatists, and man-pleasers. They are spineless and without discernment, thinking that tolerance of evil, sin, and deception, is truly love. They think calling a person to repent of specific unrepentant sin (Matt. 18; Gal. 6) is judgmental and unloving.
Why else do you suppose Rick Warren sells so many copies of his books and is on t.v. so much? He appeals to the masses.
Look at the best selling books in your local “Christian” bookstore. Authors who are humanists (psychologists), modalists, Roman Catholic, and New Age abound in them. And believe me, publishers and bookstores will not put on the shelf what won’t sell well, because it’s a money- making business.
Because Truth is by its nature, exclusive, it rejects everything that is false. It is not tolerant. That is why the road to eternal life is narrow: God is the God of Truth and HIS Word is Truth. Jesus is Truth. We are sanctified by Truth and saved in Truth. Truth defines what sin is.
Those doctrines I listed above are not tolerated by most people. They don’t rejoice in the Truth, which is how Scripture defines love : 1Co 13:6 it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth.
When faced with the biblical doctrine of women staying home and not being leaders, is there rejoicing in that truth?
When told that God hates the wicked, do “Christians” agree or do they recoil at that truth?
When confronted with church discipline, do most professing Christians embrace that as biblical and for the welfare of the sinning “brother” and the local church, or do they find it offensive?
Where is the rejoicing in Truth when “Christians” are confronted with it?
Its missing.
So do people REALLY want a biblical leader as president?
Well, they don’t even want one as a church leader. So the answer is no, they don’t.
Besides, a biblical leader would never be able to appease the masses to garner the wider audience, precisely because they hold to Truth and Truth will not change for anyone.
Fear God
Vote Biblically
Don't Compromise ©
Most of all, yearn for God's clear Truth.
Friday, February 01, 2008
Public Schools Can Expose Children to Offensive Ideas--Let's Test that Theory By Bringing in Scripture Against Homosexuality
World Net Daily is reporting here about how the appellate court in Massachusetts has upheld a judge's immoral decision to expose kindergartners to homosexuality teaching despite the protest from parents. In part the articl says:
Ok, then, so the next time an Atheist or Muslim decry the teaching of Christmas, Easter, Creation, Jesus Christ, Hanukkah, or biblical marriage (one man wed to one wife), we can quote from Judge Lynch. Let's see how suddenly its not applicable for conservatives and/or Christians. Let's see what happens in Mass. when a teacher or a student, brings in the Bible and reads from it regarding how homosexuality is a sin. Will they also say that the school can allow it because "the school is not obliged to shield studentds from ideas which potentially are religiously offensive"?In a case that could wind up in the U.S. Supreme Court, an appeals panel upheld dismissal of a lawsuit by Massachusetts parents seeking to prevent discussion of homosexual families in their children's elementary school classrooms. The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals yesterday agreed with a judge's decision last year that a school can expose children to contrary ideas without violating their parents' rights to
exercise religious beliefs.
"Public schools," wrote Judge Sandra L. Lynch, "are not obliged to shield individual students from ideas which potentially are religiously offensive, particularly when the school imposes no requirement that the student agree with or affirm those ideas, or even participate in discussions about them."
Monday, January 28, 2008
Cedarville University Offers Religious Poison to Students
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.
I read this article from Ingrid over at Slice of Laodicea, but you can go directly to Lighthousetrails if you want. Both sites are excellent.
In part here's what it said:
One of emerging spirituality’s pied pipers, Shane Claiborne, is scheduled to speak at Cedarville University. The present leadership of that institution is apparently failing to hold the line on contemplative and emerging influences. Lighthouse Trails Research is reporting the following:
"On February 11th, Cedarville University will be hosting an evening with emerging church activist Shane Claiborne. The evening is titled after Claiborne’s book, The Irresistible Revolution. Lighthouse Trails spoke with John Purple (Cedarville’s Dean for Student Life), who said the event was open to both students and the public.
Lighthouse Trails told Purple that in the back of Claiborne’s book he lists a number of “Local Revolutionaries and Ordinary Radicals” to which proceeds of the book go. One of those is the church Brian McLaren founded - Cedar Ridge Community Church 1 Another is Rob Bell’s church, Mars Hill Bible Church2. Bell is a New Age sympathizer who tells readers in his book, Velvet Elvis that they should study the teachings of mysticism and tantric sex promoter Ken Wilber (p. 192) (see Wilber’s website with discretion). Bell also resonates with a Dominican sister (whom he invited to his church) who is from a spiritual center that promotes the occultic healing technique called Reiki (see March 29, 2006 teaching at Mars Hill).
Claiborne’s book has a foreword by liberal political activist, Jim Wallis. While Cedarville’s Dean of Student Life (Purple) told Lighthouse Trails that Cedarville is “very conservative,” pointing students to a book that is partially written by Wallis seems to give a different message. Wallis is the founder and director of Sojourners magazine, a widely read publication that gives a voice to mystics, emerging leaders, and New Age proponents. Sojourners would not represent the views of a “conservative” Christian college by any means, and it is a dichotomy for Cedarville to call itself conservative Christian then introduce students to a book written by Wallis and Claiborne in a favorable light, which CU is doing when it says that Claiborne is “rooted in the values of the Christian faith.” 'Source here.
In addition, Ingrid noted that Cedarville's President Book List also promotes ECM guru Leonard Sweet's book "Soul Tsunami". You can read about him at Lighthouse Trails as well.
This "Christian" university is falling down the Down grade fast, exposing its students to religious poison via the ECM. Its not surprising but pathetic that a "Christian" college would tout themselves to be conservative when in fact they are denying the Truth so they can be "open-minded".
Notice how in academia over 100 years ago, is like today: indulging in the ungodly notions, considering their worth, gleaning something from the putrid garbage of the world, and saying they are gaining wisdom. Utter nonsense. Its sitting in the seat of scoffers, asking "has God said?"
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.
The Down Grade SECOND ARTICLE April 1887 Sword and Trowel
http://www.spurgeon.org/s_and_t/dg02.htm Robert Shindler writes:
"He says:—"In my time the academy was in a state peculiarly favorable to the serious pursuit of truth, as the students were about equally divided upon every question of much importance, such as liberty, necessity, the sleep of the soul, and all the articles of theological orthodoxy and heresy; in consequence of which, all these topics were the subject of continual discussion. Our tutors, also, were of different opinions, Dr. Ashworth taking the orthodox side of every question, and Mr. Clark, the sub-tutor, that of heresy, though always with the greatest modesty. Both of our tutors being young, at least as tutors, and some of the senior students excelling more than they could pretend to do in several branches of study, they indulged us in the greatest freedoms. The general plan of our studies, which may be seen in Dr. Doddridge's published lectures, was exceedingly favorable to free enquiry, as we were referred to authors on both sides of every question. In this situation I saw reason to embrace what is generally called the heterodox side of every question."'
"But in too many cases sceptical daring seems to have taken the place of evangelical zeal, and the husks of theological speculations are preferred to the wholesome bread of gospel truth. With some the endeavor seems to be not how steadily and faithfully they can walk in the truth, but how far they can get from it. To them divine truth is like a lion or a tiger, and they give it "a wide berth." Our counsel is—Do not go too near the precipice; you may slip or fall over. Keep where the ground is firm; do not venture on the rotten ice. "
Shindler goes on to say:
Quote:
The first step astray is a want of adequate faith in the divine inspiration of the sacred Scriptures. All the while a man bows to the authority of God's Word, he will not entertain any sentiment contrary to its teaching. "To the law and to the testimony," is his appeal concerning every doctrine. He esteems that holy Book, concerning all things, to be right, and therefore he hates every false way. But let a man question, or entertain low views of the inspiration and authority of the Bible, and he is without chart to guide him, and without anchor to hold him.
But when, on the other hand, reason has been exalted above revelation, and made the exponent of revelation, all kinds of errors and mischiefs have been the result.
...Human reason is exalted to a higher office, and what is not comprehensible by its grasp, is not readily received. The mind of the Socinian feels still less veneration for the Word of God; for, according to his sentiments, some parts of it are not inspired; mistakes occur in the reasoning of the apostles; not a few passages are unauthentic, and what remains is interpreted with a latitude as to the expressions and language of Scripture, which would not be tolerated in expounding the sense of any other writer." ("History of Dissenters," by Bogue and Bennet.)They run in 'the course of this world,' follow every fashionable folly, and family and personal godliness seems in general to be lost among them. There is scarcely any appearance of life and zeal in the cause of religion, which demands and deserves the greatest.
End Quote.
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.
2Co 10:5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,
Pro 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
I read this article from Ingrid over at Slice of Laodicea, but you can go directly to Lighthousetrails if you want. Both sites are excellent.
In part here's what it said:
One of emerging spirituality’s pied pipers, Shane Claiborne, is scheduled to speak at Cedarville University. The present leadership of that institution is apparently failing to hold the line on contemplative and emerging influences. Lighthouse Trails Research is reporting the following:
"On February 11th, Cedarville University will be hosting an evening with emerging church activist Shane Claiborne. The evening is titled after Claiborne’s book, The Irresistible Revolution. Lighthouse Trails spoke with John Purple (Cedarville’s Dean for Student Life), who said the event was open to both students and the public.
Lighthouse Trails told Purple that in the back of Claiborne’s book he lists a number of “Local Revolutionaries and Ordinary Radicals” to which proceeds of the book go. One of those is the church Brian McLaren founded - Cedar Ridge Community Church 1 Another is Rob Bell’s church, Mars Hill Bible Church2. Bell is a New Age sympathizer who tells readers in his book, Velvet Elvis that they should study the teachings of mysticism and tantric sex promoter Ken Wilber (p. 192) (see Wilber’s website with discretion). Bell also resonates with a Dominican sister (whom he invited to his church) who is from a spiritual center that promotes the occultic healing technique called Reiki (see March 29, 2006 teaching at Mars Hill).
Claiborne’s book has a foreword by liberal political activist, Jim Wallis. While Cedarville’s Dean of Student Life (Purple) told Lighthouse Trails that Cedarville is “very conservative,” pointing students to a book that is partially written by Wallis seems to give a different message. Wallis is the founder and director of Sojourners magazine, a widely read publication that gives a voice to mystics, emerging leaders, and New Age proponents. Sojourners would not represent the views of a “conservative” Christian college by any means, and it is a dichotomy for Cedarville to call itself conservative Christian then introduce students to a book written by Wallis and Claiborne in a favorable light, which CU is doing when it says that Claiborne is “rooted in the values of the Christian faith.” 'Source here.
In addition, Ingrid noted that Cedarville's President Book List also promotes ECM guru Leonard Sweet's book "Soul Tsunami". You can read about him at Lighthouse Trails as well.
This "Christian" university is falling down the Down grade fast, exposing its students to religious poison via the ECM. Its not surprising but pathetic that a "Christian" college would tout themselves to be conservative when in fact they are denying the Truth so they can be "open-minded".
Notice how in academia over 100 years ago, is like today: indulging in the ungodly notions, considering their worth, gleaning something from the putrid garbage of the world, and saying they are gaining wisdom. Utter nonsense. Its sitting in the seat of scoffers, asking "has God said?"
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.
The Down Grade SECOND ARTICLE April 1887 Sword and Trowel
http://www.spurgeon.org/s_and_t/dg02.htm Robert Shindler writes:
"He says:—"In my time the academy was in a state peculiarly favorable to the serious pursuit of truth, as the students were about equally divided upon every question of much importance, such as liberty, necessity, the sleep of the soul, and all the articles of theological orthodoxy and heresy; in consequence of which, all these topics were the subject of continual discussion. Our tutors, also, were of different opinions, Dr. Ashworth taking the orthodox side of every question, and Mr. Clark, the sub-tutor, that of heresy, though always with the greatest modesty. Both of our tutors being young, at least as tutors, and some of the senior students excelling more than they could pretend to do in several branches of study, they indulged us in the greatest freedoms. The general plan of our studies, which may be seen in Dr. Doddridge's published lectures, was exceedingly favorable to free enquiry, as we were referred to authors on both sides of every question. In this situation I saw reason to embrace what is generally called the heterodox side of every question."'
"But in too many cases sceptical daring seems to have taken the place of evangelical zeal, and the husks of theological speculations are preferred to the wholesome bread of gospel truth. With some the endeavor seems to be not how steadily and faithfully they can walk in the truth, but how far they can get from it. To them divine truth is like a lion or a tiger, and they give it "a wide berth." Our counsel is—Do not go too near the precipice; you may slip or fall over. Keep where the ground is firm; do not venture on the rotten ice. "
Shindler goes on to say:
Quote:
The first step astray is a want of adequate faith in the divine inspiration of the sacred Scriptures. All the while a man bows to the authority of God's Word, he will not entertain any sentiment contrary to its teaching. "To the law and to the testimony," is his appeal concerning every doctrine. He esteems that holy Book, concerning all things, to be right, and therefore he hates every false way. But let a man question, or entertain low views of the inspiration and authority of the Bible, and he is without chart to guide him, and without anchor to hold him.
But when, on the other hand, reason has been exalted above revelation, and made the exponent of revelation, all kinds of errors and mischiefs have been the result.
...Human reason is exalted to a higher office, and what is not comprehensible by its grasp, is not readily received. The mind of the Socinian feels still less veneration for the Word of God; for, according to his sentiments, some parts of it are not inspired; mistakes occur in the reasoning of the apostles; not a few passages are unauthentic, and what remains is interpreted with a latitude as to the expressions and language of Scripture, which would not be tolerated in expounding the sense of any other writer." ("History of Dissenters," by Bogue and Bennet.)They run in 'the course of this world,' follow every fashionable folly, and family and personal godliness seems in general to be lost among them. There is scarcely any appearance of life and zeal in the cause of religion, which demands and deserves the greatest.
End Quote.
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.
2Co 10:5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,
Pro 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight.
Monday, January 21, 2008
Emergent Church Movement Leader Applauds Pro-Wiccan "Pastor"
A post-modern thinking (really, non-thinking) continues to rear its ugly head. This time it was in the form of a "reverend" named Phil Wyman. He's a pro-wiccan, pro-pagan (the actual religion), and supposedly a reader of dreams.
The article I read can be found here.
In part the article says:
A little over a year ago Wyman was excommunicated from his church, accused of getting too amicable with the city’s Wiccan community because of controversial missionary tactics that included operating a pagan-Christian discussion forum, offering Web site links to pagan sites and fostering personal friendships with witches.
Today the church continues to operate, although it no longer has a parent church, and has about 45 members. Wyman’s mission is to break stereotypes about Christians and Wiccans. He says many Christians don’t realize Wicca is a nature-based religion.
Since October 2006, when Wyman was cut off from his church, not much has changed. He hasn’t lost any members of his congregation and, if anything, his newfound freedom has allowed him to offer more experimental programs at his Essex Street church, The Gathering — things like Lectio Divina, a type of ancient meditation using the Bible, meant to build two-way communication between the reader and God.
And Wyman is still running the same program he began when he moved to Salem from California with his wife and son eight years ago, an e-mail discussion group between pagans and Christians called Circle and Cross Talk.
He’s continued to grow his church’s array of controversial street theater events, offered during the month of October, things like dream interpretation; psalm readings, where a costumed monk confesses the ancient sins of the church; and the Brimstone Chronicles, where participants “travel” through Dante’s heaven and hell and are forced to face their own mortality.
Instead of preaching about heaven and hell, Wyman chooses to explore wider topics and compare the spiritual basis of Wicca and Christianity. “Why should we as Christians be limited to talking about heaven and hell?” he asks. “Jesus didn’t say ‘follow me or go to hell,’ he had many other things to say. It’s not that it’s not a part of what we say, it’s just not everything.”
“If ever there was a person that could make me want to become a churchgoing Christian it would be Phil,” Day says. “Not because he’s tried to convince me that witchcraft was evil, or hell is fire and brimstone, but because he leads a life of honesty. He’s one of the most honest people I know … and I’m a psychic. I look at people and I see their dishonesty.”
Pagans, both biblically and literally, are comfortable with this guy, and he has no clue as to what and how Jesus and the apostles, not to mention the prophets, dealt with unbelievers.
1Jn 3:13 Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you.
Joh 15:18 "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
Jas 4:4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
Emergent Church Movement (ECM) leader John Armstrong embraces Wyman and his methods.
Here he says:
One such woman, who joined Phil’s congregation, says of him, “He lets people figure out their own spirituality.” Phil is careful to not approve the practices of these witches and does not join their rituals, saying, “It’s their worship, not mine.” But, and this is the important point here, he does not attack these people as the children of the devil.
It is amazing, but not surprising that Armstrong and Wyman both haven't a clue as to how Jesus and John the Baptist dealt with some folks. Indeed, both told unbelieving leaders they were of their Father the devil, for that IS what they were. Telling people the Truth is now called "attacking". How utterly pathetic and damning of them...even if they are oh-so-politically-correct.
Joh 8:42 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.
1Jn 3:9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. 10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
Armstrong goes on to say:
" I found both his spirit and his missional perspective refreshing and Christ-centered. There is every reason to conclude that Phil is both orthodox and evangelical."
Considering I've just listed Scripture that speaks against what Armstrong has said, I wonder what he means by "Christ-centered" and "evangelical"? Certainly the ECM is neither. And "orthodox" by who's definition? Rome's? Ok then, maybe Wyman is orthodox (al la "Lectio Divina" breath prayers of RCC, but that's also pagan and NOT evangelical).
The Gospel says that unless they repent of their sin and worship of idols they will go to Hell. Jesus is the only Way, Truth, and Life, and NO ONE goes to the Father but by HIM. Unless they put all their faith and trust in the Person and Work of Jesus Christ, who is God the Son, the Resurrected Master, they will die in their sins and go to Hell. This is the MOST loving thing a person can proclaim to anyone.
To not tell someone they are headed for hell is hate, not love. Love has the best interest of the other person in mind;more than that, they love God and His Word so much they proclaim it and stand clearly by and in It.
Wyman and the ECM are made for each other. But neither have the Truth and are emotionalizing (yes---I made up a word, because what they advocate isn't love) people straight to hell as they themselves go with them. To their own condemnation.
The article I read can be found here.
In part the article says:
A little over a year ago Wyman was excommunicated from his church, accused of getting too amicable with the city’s Wiccan community because of controversial missionary tactics that included operating a pagan-Christian discussion forum, offering Web site links to pagan sites and fostering personal friendships with witches.
Today the church continues to operate, although it no longer has a parent church, and has about 45 members. Wyman’s mission is to break stereotypes about Christians and Wiccans. He says many Christians don’t realize Wicca is a nature-based religion.
Since October 2006, when Wyman was cut off from his church, not much has changed. He hasn’t lost any members of his congregation and, if anything, his newfound freedom has allowed him to offer more experimental programs at his Essex Street church, The Gathering — things like Lectio Divina, a type of ancient meditation using the Bible, meant to build two-way communication between the reader and God.
And Wyman is still running the same program he began when he moved to Salem from California with his wife and son eight years ago, an e-mail discussion group between pagans and Christians called Circle and Cross Talk.
He’s continued to grow his church’s array of controversial street theater events, offered during the month of October, things like dream interpretation; psalm readings, where a costumed monk confesses the ancient sins of the church; and the Brimstone Chronicles, where participants “travel” through Dante’s heaven and hell and are forced to face their own mortality.
Instead of preaching about heaven and hell, Wyman chooses to explore wider topics and compare the spiritual basis of Wicca and Christianity. “Why should we as Christians be limited to talking about heaven and hell?” he asks. “Jesus didn’t say ‘follow me or go to hell,’ he had many other things to say. It’s not that it’s not a part of what we say, it’s just not everything.”
“If ever there was a person that could make me want to become a churchgoing Christian it would be Phil,” Day says. “Not because he’s tried to convince me that witchcraft was evil, or hell is fire and brimstone, but because he leads a life of honesty. He’s one of the most honest people I know … and I’m a psychic. I look at people and I see their dishonesty.”
Pagans, both biblically and literally, are comfortable with this guy, and he has no clue as to what and how Jesus and the apostles, not to mention the prophets, dealt with unbelievers.
1Jn 3:13 Do not be surprised, brothers, that the world hates you.
Joh 15:18 "If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. 20 Remember the word that I said to you: 'A servant is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
Jas 4:4 You adulterous people! Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.
Emergent Church Movement (ECM) leader John Armstrong embraces Wyman and his methods.
Here he says:
One such woman, who joined Phil’s congregation, says of him, “He lets people figure out their own spirituality.” Phil is careful to not approve the practices of these witches and does not join their rituals, saying, “It’s their worship, not mine.” But, and this is the important point here, he does not attack these people as the children of the devil.
It is amazing, but not surprising that Armstrong and Wyman both haven't a clue as to how Jesus and John the Baptist dealt with some folks. Indeed, both told unbelieving leaders they were of their Father the devil, for that IS what they were. Telling people the Truth is now called "attacking". How utterly pathetic and damning of them...even if they are oh-so-politically-correct.
Joh 8:42 Jesus said to them, "If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here. I came not of my own accord, but he sent me. 43 Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. 44 You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and has nothing to do with the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 But because I tell the truth, you do not believe me.
1Jn 3:9 No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God's seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God. 10 By this it is evident who are the children of God, and who are the children of the devil: whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother.
Armstrong goes on to say:
" I found both his spirit and his missional perspective refreshing and Christ-centered. There is every reason to conclude that Phil is both orthodox and evangelical."
Considering I've just listed Scripture that speaks against what Armstrong has said, I wonder what he means by "Christ-centered" and "evangelical"? Certainly the ECM is neither. And "orthodox" by who's definition? Rome's? Ok then, maybe Wyman is orthodox (al la "Lectio Divina" breath prayers of RCC, but that's also pagan and NOT evangelical).
The Gospel says that unless they repent of their sin and worship of idols they will go to Hell. Jesus is the only Way, Truth, and Life, and NO ONE goes to the Father but by HIM. Unless they put all their faith and trust in the Person and Work of Jesus Christ, who is God the Son, the Resurrected Master, they will die in their sins and go to Hell. This is the MOST loving thing a person can proclaim to anyone.
To not tell someone they are headed for hell is hate, not love. Love has the best interest of the other person in mind;more than that, they love God and His Word so much they proclaim it and stand clearly by and in It.
Wyman and the ECM are made for each other. But neither have the Truth and are emotionalizing (yes---I made up a word, because what they advocate isn't love) people straight to hell as they themselves go with them. To their own condemnation.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Believers Old and New Are Clueless about the Claims of Christ and Other Biblical Doctrine
From The Christian Post:
"The preaching to questions posed by young believers [in Q&A Emergent churches] comes at a time when Christians are increasingly addressing the failure of churches and seminaries to equip believers with the truth and how they can defend their faith. In a culture where truth is relative, more Americans are abandoning a traditional view of God and the Bible, according to The Barna Group, with only nine percent of the "born again" population holding a biblical worldview.
Focus on the Family launched The Truth Project last year to introduce believers to the Truth claims of Christ and tackle the pervasive problem ill-equipped Christians. Also, more Christian authors and leaders have published books answering some of the most common questions both believers and nonbelievers have about God and Christianity."
The Emergent Church Movement is HARDLY equipped to answer with sound biblical doctrine as their heart is one of rebellion against one VERY fundamental doctrine: the Lordship of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Barna's definition of a Christian isn't even biblical. How would he even know what is a "biblical worldview" when he can't even biblically define a follower of Christ (he assumes Roman Catholics can be Christians for one thing, not to mention how he defines "Born again Christians" at his site]?
There is no room for error on what we believe about Jesus Christ. What we believe about Jesus has eternal consequences.
Joh 8:24 I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins."John 8: 58 “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” See Ex. 3:14.
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Joh 1:3 All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made.
Col. 2: 9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,
2Jo 1:9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. [See Matt. 28:19-20 below--this is part of the Great Commission.]
Another problematic quote is FOF's goal through their Truth Project is to "introduce believers to the Truth claims of Christ and tackle the pervasive problem ill-equipped Christians"
What makes people think these are believers?
What gospel did they hear and trust in?
Could it be that the "ill-equipped Christians" aren't even Christians if they aren't saved in Truth and by Truth (John 8:24, Romans 10:9-10)?
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
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.
Why aren't the local churches teaching the truths of Christ?
Why are "Christian leaders" writing books instead of preaching to their flock?
How are these para-"church" organizations such as FOF and miriads authors (there's no unity of faith and knowledge of Christ even among them) being held accountable?
Why does FOF speak for Christians?
Where's the discipleship of new believers?
Mat 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
The role of the local church IS to equip each believer until we are unified in the faith (not a false unity, but one set upon Truth AND Knowledge of Christ), and are a MATURE MAN, no longer being children tossed around by every wind of doctrine that comes our way. The local church is where teaching and accountability meet. Not a seminary where there is little accountability and where the faculty has no clue who is coming or going.
Eph 4:11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 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, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
Easy believeism, mass alter calls, and a gospel without the proclaimation of Christ Jesus' deity, sinlessness, death on the cross for sinners, repentance of the sinner, the resurrection from the dead on the third day of Jesus, the wrath of God on sinners, is not gospel. Its no wonder that so many people think they are saved but have no clue about Jesus. The Lord, however, commanded us to declare HIS Gospel, make disciples by investing in their lives, baptizing them in the name of the Triune God, and teaching them all He has commanded us in Scripture.
"The preaching to questions posed by young believers [in Q&A Emergent churches] comes at a time when Christians are increasingly addressing the failure of churches and seminaries to equip believers with the truth and how they can defend their faith. In a culture where truth is relative, more Americans are abandoning a traditional view of God and the Bible, according to The Barna Group, with only nine percent of the "born again" population holding a biblical worldview.
Focus on the Family launched The Truth Project last year to introduce believers to the Truth claims of Christ and tackle the pervasive problem ill-equipped Christians. Also, more Christian authors and leaders have published books answering some of the most common questions both believers and nonbelievers have about God and Christianity."
The Emergent Church Movement is HARDLY equipped to answer with sound biblical doctrine as their heart is one of rebellion against one VERY fundamental doctrine: the Lordship of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Barna's definition of a Christian isn't even biblical. How would he even know what is a "biblical worldview" when he can't even biblically define a follower of Christ (he assumes Roman Catholics can be Christians for one thing, not to mention how he defines "Born again Christians" at his site]?
There is no room for error on what we believe about Jesus Christ. What we believe about Jesus has eternal consequences.
Joh 8:24 I told you that you would die in your sins, for unless you believe that I am he you will die in your sins."John 8: 58 “I tell you the truth,” Jesus answered, “before Abraham was born, I am!” See Ex. 3:14.
Joh 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. Joh 1:3 All things were made through Him, and without Him was not any thing made that was made.
Col. 2: 9 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form,
2Jo 1:9 Everyone who goes on ahead and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God. Whoever abides in the teaching has both the Father and the Son. [See Matt. 28:19-20 below--this is part of the Great Commission.]
Another problematic quote is FOF's goal through their Truth Project is to "introduce believers to the Truth claims of Christ and tackle the pervasive problem ill-equipped Christians"
What makes people think these are believers?
What gospel did they hear and trust in?
Could it be that the "ill-equipped Christians" aren't even Christians if they aren't saved in Truth and by Truth (John 8:24, Romans 10:9-10)?
Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
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.
Why aren't the local churches teaching the truths of Christ?
Why are "Christian leaders" writing books instead of preaching to their flock?
How are these para-"church" organizations such as FOF and miriads authors (there's no unity of faith and knowledge of Christ even among them) being held accountable?
Why does FOF speak for Christians?
Where's the discipleship of new believers?
Mat 28:19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."
The role of the local church IS to equip each believer until we are unified in the faith (not a false unity, but one set upon Truth AND Knowledge of Christ), and are a MATURE MAN, no longer being children tossed around by every wind of doctrine that comes our way. The local church is where teaching and accountability meet. Not a seminary where there is little accountability and where the faculty has no clue who is coming or going.
Eph 4:11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 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, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes.
Easy believeism, mass alter calls, and a gospel without the proclaimation of Christ Jesus' deity, sinlessness, death on the cross for sinners, repentance of the sinner, the resurrection from the dead on the third day of Jesus, the wrath of God on sinners, is not gospel. Its no wonder that so many people think they are saved but have no clue about Jesus. The Lord, however, commanded us to declare HIS Gospel, make disciples by investing in their lives, baptizing them in the name of the Triune God, and teaching them all He has commanded us in Scripture.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Taking God's Name in Vain and Postmodernism
I read today on Parchment and Pen a post that I found interesting.
Speaking of Ray Comfort and how he points out taking God's name in vain to those who are lost to show their sin is "Emphasizing on non-essentials. Making the focus of his evangelistic persuasion to convince people of their sin is not the problem. This is a necessary part of the Gospel. The problem is focusing on the trivial sin of saying G-D. Well, let me correct this. He is focusing on listening to someone say G-D, not actually saying it yourself! If that is not straining out a gnat while ignoring the camel, I don’t know what is. "
How does God see His name being misused in any fashion?
Exo 20:7 "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.
Vain: H7723 BDB Definition:
1) emptiness, vanity, falsehood
1a) emptiness, nothingness, vanity
1b) emptiness of speech, lying
1c) worthlessness (of conduct)
It can mean swearing to do something by His name. Ecclessiastes says this in chapter 5 I think it is, as does James. Roman Catholics (they are not Christians) blaspheme God when they call mere men "Holy Father" which is a title reserved ONLY for God the Father (John 17:11; Matt. 23:9). It would include mouthing "Jesus is Lord" and all other phrases "Christians" spout off all the time in a trivial manner. But it also includes swearing His name as an exclamation of unbelief or cursing....because its not from a humble heart crying out to God for mercy and in prayer, but rather rattled off from a pagan who hates the very Person and Name of God Father and God the Son.
God places HIS name and Word above all else:
Psa 138:2 I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to Your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for You have exalted above all things Your name and Your word.
Mat 6:9 Pray then like this: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.
God places great importance on His name, for His name carries His character. His name and character go hand in had. To take His name in vain, however the “manner”, is to trivialize not “just” His name (let’s not forget how many unbelievers take the name of the Lord Jesus Christ in vain, too) but the very Person of God.
Psa 115:1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to Your name give glory, for the sake of Your steadfast love and your faithfulness!
In fact we often see how God’s name, such as Jehovah Jireh, was born out of God’s very character and faithfulness. He is the God Who Sees; The God of Hosts; the God Who Provides, etc.
Exo 3:13 Then Moses said to God, "If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' what shall I say to them?" 14 God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And he said, "Say this to the people of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'"
Joh 8:58 Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am."
Mat 1:21 She will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."
Mat 1:23 "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel" (which means, God with us).
If it is wrong to God, then it is a sin and it should bother us as well. Even one sin earns a person death and Hell (which is why every person needs the only God and Savior, Jesus Christ). This is not a trivial matter. Its God’s character and our sin that is the issue.
With such a low view of Scripture ( denial the inerrancy of Scripture here and says the Cannon of Scripture is NOT closed here ), its no wonder taking God's name in vain in any capacity doesn't bother their conscienceThey oppose God's declaration in Ps. 138:2 where HE says He holds His NAME AND HIS WORD ABOVE ALL THINGS. Pretty hard to do when you think God's word isn't inerrant nor completed. I won't even link to the other post on taking God's name in vain, because its riddled with swearing and using God's name in vain (with the cute and sarcastic note that those who are offended are just too immature to handle it).
Even to remove taking God's name in vain and thus making it useless and trivial, even unbeliever's speech will be judged:
Mat 12:36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
Parchment and Pen goes on to say, "Our postmodern culture is smarter than this. Not only can they smell hypocrisy from a mile away, they are on the hunt for it. All this does is serve to confirm the postmodern suspicion that Christians live in a naive world that has no real depth or understanding."
The Postmodern culture wouldn’t know truth if it bite them on the nose. They are the epitome of hypocriscy, so really, they have no “moral authority” much less any absolute truth to make any distinction on anyone else’s behavior. They are the very ones who defy absolute truth. They ask along with their father Pontus Pilate, “What is truth?”, and abhor anyone who dogmatically claims to know truth. They are the group who clamours about being oh-so-tolerant, until you tell them they are wrong or are in sin. Suddenly they have an absolute! So really, without any foundation of the fact that Truth is knowable and God has revealed it to us in His Word and to some extent in our consciences (Romans 2 about simple right versus wrong issues), its not the Christians that have a lack of real depth or understanding, but rather the Postmodernists who claim there is no Truth or that Truth is unknowable.
Jude spoke of Postmodernists when he penned his letter:
Jud 1:10 But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively.
Jud 1:14 It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, "Behold, the Lord came with ten thousands of his holy ones, 15 to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against Him."
Jam 5:12 But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your "yes" be yes and your "no" be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.
Eph 4:29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
For more on Postmodernism's error and how to combat it go here.
"I admire him for doing what he is doing, but he really needs to understand what he is talking about before he hits the street....Forgive me for being simplistic with such satire, but that is what people are hearing when the focus of peoples rebellion becomes such things."
I thought they were supposed to be Irenic? This post was hardly peaceful, rather it comes out running with a kitchen knife at Ray Comfort who at least is out there proclaiming the Gospel. Where's the peaceful way of looking at opposing view points that Reclaiming the Mind prides itself on, here? Its missing.
Speaking of Ray Comfort and how he points out taking God's name in vain to those who are lost to show their sin is "Emphasizing on non-essentials. Making the focus of his evangelistic persuasion to convince people of their sin is not the problem. This is a necessary part of the Gospel. The problem is focusing on the trivial sin of saying G-D. Well, let me correct this. He is focusing on listening to someone say G-D, not actually saying it yourself! If that is not straining out a gnat while ignoring the camel, I don’t know what is. "
How does God see His name being misused in any fashion?
Exo 20:7 "You shall not take the name of the LORD your God in vain, for the LORD will not hold him guiltless who takes His name in vain.
Vain: H7723 BDB Definition:
1) emptiness, vanity, falsehood
1a) emptiness, nothingness, vanity
1b) emptiness of speech, lying
1c) worthlessness (of conduct)
It can mean swearing to do something by His name. Ecclessiastes says this in chapter 5 I think it is, as does James. Roman Catholics (they are not Christians) blaspheme God when they call mere men "Holy Father" which is a title reserved ONLY for God the Father (John 17:11; Matt. 23:9). It would include mouthing "Jesus is Lord" and all other phrases "Christians" spout off all the time in a trivial manner. But it also includes swearing His name as an exclamation of unbelief or cursing....because its not from a humble heart crying out to God for mercy and in prayer, but rather rattled off from a pagan who hates the very Person and Name of God Father and God the Son.
God places HIS name and Word above all else:
Psa 138:2 I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to Your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness, for You have exalted above all things Your name and Your word.
Mat 6:9 Pray then like this: "Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name.
God places great importance on His name, for His name carries His character. His name and character go hand in had. To take His name in vain, however the “manner”, is to trivialize not “just” His name (let’s not forget how many unbelievers take the name of the Lord Jesus Christ in vain, too) but the very Person of God.
Psa 115:1 Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to Your name give glory, for the sake of Your steadfast love and your faithfulness!
In fact we often see how God’s name, such as Jehovah Jireh, was born out of God’s very character and faithfulness. He is the God Who Sees; The God of Hosts; the God Who Provides, etc.
Exo 3:13 Then Moses said to God, "If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, 'The God of your fathers has sent me to you,' and they ask me, 'What is his name?' what shall I say to them?" 14 God said to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM." And he said, "Say this to the people of Israel, 'I AM has sent me to you.'"
Joh 8:58 Jesus said to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am."
Mat 1:21 She will bear a son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins."
Mat 1:23 "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call His name Immanuel" (which means, God with us).
If it is wrong to God, then it is a sin and it should bother us as well. Even one sin earns a person death and Hell (which is why every person needs the only God and Savior, Jesus Christ). This is not a trivial matter. Its God’s character and our sin that is the issue.
With such a low view of Scripture ( denial the inerrancy of Scripture here and says the Cannon of Scripture is NOT closed here ), its no wonder taking God's name in vain in any capacity doesn't bother their conscienceThey oppose God's declaration in Ps. 138:2 where HE says He holds His NAME AND HIS WORD ABOVE ALL THINGS. Pretty hard to do when you think God's word isn't inerrant nor completed. I won't even link to the other post on taking God's name in vain, because its riddled with swearing and using God's name in vain (with the cute and sarcastic note that those who are offended are just too immature to handle it).
Even to remove taking God's name in vain and thus making it useless and trivial, even unbeliever's speech will be judged:
Mat 12:36 I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, 37 for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned."
Parchment and Pen goes on to say, "Our postmodern culture is smarter than this. Not only can they smell hypocrisy from a mile away, they are on the hunt for it. All this does is serve to confirm the postmodern suspicion that Christians live in a naive world that has no real depth or understanding."
The Postmodern culture wouldn’t know truth if it bite them on the nose. They are the epitome of hypocriscy, so really, they have no “moral authority” much less any absolute truth to make any distinction on anyone else’s behavior. They are the very ones who defy absolute truth. They ask along with their father Pontus Pilate, “What is truth?”, and abhor anyone who dogmatically claims to know truth. They are the group who clamours about being oh-so-tolerant, until you tell them they are wrong or are in sin. Suddenly they have an absolute! So really, without any foundation of the fact that Truth is knowable and God has revealed it to us in His Word and to some extent in our consciences (Romans 2 about simple right versus wrong issues), its not the Christians that have a lack of real depth or understanding, but rather the Postmodernists who claim there is no Truth or that Truth is unknowable.
Jude spoke of Postmodernists when he penned his letter:
Jud 1:10 But these people blaspheme all that they do not understand, and they are destroyed by all that they, like unreasoning animals, understand instinctively.
Jud 1:14 It was also about these that Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied, saying, "Behold, the Lord came with ten thousands of his holy ones, 15 to execute judgment on all and to convict all the ungodly of all their deeds of ungodliness that they have committed in such an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things that ungodly sinners have spoken against Him."
Jam 5:12 But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your "yes" be yes and your "no" be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.
Eph 4:29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.
For more on Postmodernism's error and how to combat it go here.
"I admire him for doing what he is doing, but he really needs to understand what he is talking about before he hits the street....Forgive me for being simplistic with such satire, but that is what people are hearing when the focus of peoples rebellion becomes such things."
I thought they were supposed to be Irenic? This post was hardly peaceful, rather it comes out running with a kitchen knife at Ray Comfort who at least is out there proclaiming the Gospel. Where's the peaceful way of looking at opposing view points that Reclaiming the Mind prides itself on, here? Its missing.
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