Tim Keller Steps Down

Following in the footsteps of John Piper, Voddie Baucham, and Steve Lawson, Tim Keller has joined the new fad to leave the pulpit for a more influential ministry outside of the local church.

Keller responded, "I'm not retiring. Moving into a strategic role of raising up leaders and training the next generation."
Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/timothy-keller-to-step-down-as-senior-pastor-at-redeemer-presbyterian-church-176061/#vJhK8TkIzACGRm91.99

Keller responded, "I'm not retiring. Moving into a strategic role of raising up leaders and training the next generation."
Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/timothy-keller-to-step-down-as-senior-pastor-at-redeemer-presbyterian-church-176061/#vJhK8TkIzACGRm91.99

"Keller responded, "I'm not retiring. Moving into a strategic role of raising up leaders and training the next generation."

"Christianity Today" reported:

"This move does not mean retirement for Manhattan’s most popular evangelical pastor and apologist; instead, Keller will work full-time teaching in a partner program with Reformed Theological Seminary and working with Redeemer’s City to City church planting network."

CT went on to report:

She said that her husband has been “so wired” to teach seminary courses already, and is excited to dedicate himself to teaching the next generation of pastors.

Because he won’t be preaching anymore, he’ll be involved with more mid-week events, including speaking at Redeemer’s “Questioning Christianity” series and this year’s fall retreats.

“He will probably be speaking the same volume of words as he does now,” Kathy Keller said.

"He noted that he drove around to all the services on Sunday."  - "The Christian Post"

Well, that's nice. I wonder when was the last time he did that?

The continuing goal of Keller's corrupt churches:

"Among the things the church hopes to achieve with this move are: Long-term community development in NYC that transforms poor communities into prospering mixed income neighborhoods; new university graduates who receive training and mentoring in integrating their faith and work; affordable high quality day care and after school programs encouraging families to stay in the city long term; neighborhoods across the city openly welcoming and embracing the presence of Christian churches; churches that are resourced by world-class experts from agencies in faith and work, social justice, evangelism and community building and churches that are using gospel-based resources designed to change hearts and form new communities of believing individuals united in serving their cities with the love and hope of Christ."

Keller, like Rick Warren, designed his church specifically around God-haters after asking them what would it take to get them to come to church; in other words Keller is just a Reformed version of Rick Warren.

Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/timothy-keller-to-step-down-as-senior-pastor-at-redeemer-presbyterian-church-176061/#vJhK8TkIzACGRm91.99

Of course when a "pastor" of 27 years leaves a church, one must wonder why? Why now? Claims of "this has been in the works for years" 

Read more at http://www.christianpost.com/news/timothy-keller-to-step-down-as-senior-pastor-at-redeemer-presbyterian-church-176061/#vJhK8TkIzACGRm91.

The Sound Doctrine of Creation Is Inseparable To A Myriad of Other Doctrines and Practices.

1Ti 2:12 But I do not allow a woman to teach or exercise authority over a man, but to remain quiet.
1Ti 2:13 For it was Adam who was first created, and then Eve.
1Ti 2:14 And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.

The sound doctrine of the Creation as taught in Scripture is bound to:

ecclesiology
godliness
marriage
modest dressing
good works
fruit of the Spirit
holiness
waging the good warfare
apostolic authority of the apostles
sound doctrinal truth
Christology
the Gospel
the absolute sovereign rule and majesty of God

Deny one, you deny them all because they are inseparable in Scripture. Is it any wonder then, those who deny the absolute dogmatic truth of Creation also deny the absolute truth of the structure of the local church, modest dressing, submission of women, homosexuality as sin, etc?

Ordination and Titles

Confining ourselves to one branch of the subject, namely, matters concerning ministers, we shall, at the risk of fresh flagellation, pursue the same course in the same unambitious style, by asking a few questions. Whence comes the whole paraphernalia of ordination as observed among some Dissenters? Since there is no special gift to bestow, why in any case the laying on of empty hands? Since we cannot pretend that mystic succession so vaunted by Ritualists, why are men styled “regularly ordained ministers”? A man who has preached for years is Mr. Brown, but after his ordination or recognition he develops into the Rev. Mr. Brown; what important change has he undergone?

The Reverend Titus has met with a church which will insist upon an ordination, and he is ordained; but the President of his College, having never undergone such a process, nor even that imitation of it called a recognition, remains an unordained, unrecognized person to this day, and has not yet discovered the peculiar loss which he has sustained. We do not object to a recognition of the choice of the church by its neighbors and their ministers, on the contrary, we believe it to be a fraternal act, sanctioned by the very spirit of Christianity; but where it is supposed to be essential, is regarded as a ceremony, and is thought to be the crowning feature of the settlement, we demur. “The Reverend Theophilus Robinson offered up the ordination prayer” has a Babylonish sound in our ears, and it is not much improved when it takes the form of “the recognition prayer.” Is there, then, a ritual?

Are we as much bound by an unwritten extempore liturgy as others by the Common Prayer? Must there always be “usual questions”? And why “usual”? Is there some legendary rule for the address to the church and the address to the pastor? Mark well, that we do not object to any one of these things, but we do question the propriety of stereotyping them, and speaking of the whole affair as if it were a matter to be gone about according to a certain pattern seen in the holy mount, or an order given forth in trust to the saints. We see germs of evil in the usual parlance, and therefore meet it with a Quo Warranto? Is not the divine call the real ordination to preach, and the call of the church the only ordination to the pastorate?` The church is competent under the guidance or the Holy Spirit her own work, and if she calls in her sister churches, let her tell them what she has done, in such terms that they will never infer that they are called upon to complete the work. The ordination prayer should be prayed in the church meeting, and there and then the work should be done; for other churches to recognize the act is well and fitting, but not if it be viewed as needful to the completion of the act itself. We have noticed many signs of an error in this direction.

These few remarks touch only upon ministers, and leave other matters for another equally brief chapter; but we cannot lay down the pen without asking why so many brethren still retain the title of Reverend? We are willing to reverence the aged pastor, and we did not hesitate to give that title to our beloved friend George Rogers, just in the same way as we use the term “the venerable Bede,” or “the judicious Hooker,” but we are not prepared to reverence every stripling who ascends the pulpit; and, moreover, if we thought it due to others to call them reverend, we should still want some reason for their calling themselves so. It seems rather odd to us that a man should print upon his visiting card the fact that he is a reverend person. Why does he not occasionally vary the term, and call himself estimable, amiable, talented, or beloved? Would this seem odd? Is there any valid objection to such a use of adjectives after the fashion is once set by employing the word reverend? If a man were to assume the title of reverend for the first time in history it would look ridiculous, if not presumptuous or profane. Why does not the Sunday-school teacher call himself “the Respectable John Jones,” or the City Missionary dub himself “the Hard-working William Evans”? Why do we not, like members of secret orders and others, go in for Worthy Masterships and Past Grands, and the like? I hope that we can reply that we do not care for such honors, and are content to leave them to men of the world, or to the use of those who think they can do some good thereby. It may be said that the title of reverend is only one of courtesy, but then so was the title of Rabbi among the Jews, yet the disciples were not to be called Rabbi. It is, at any rate, a suspicious circumstance that among mankind no class of persons should so commonly describe themselves by a pretentious title as the professed ministers of the lowly Jesus. Peter and Paul were right reverend men, but they would have been the last to have called themselves so. No sensible person does reverence us one jot the more because we assume the title. It certainly is in some cases a flagrant misnomer, and its main use seems to be the pestilent one of keeping up the unscriptural distinction of clergy and laity. A lad fresh from college, who has just been placed in a pulpit, is the Reverend Smith, while his eminently godly grandfather, who has for fifty years walked with God, and is now ripe for heaven, has no such claim to reverence. A gentleman of ability, education, and eminent piety preaches in various places with much zeal and abundant success, but he is no reverend; while a man of meager gifts, whose principal success seems to lie in scattering the flock, wears the priestly prefix, having a name to be reverenced when he commands no esteem whatever. This may be a trifle, many no doubt so regard it; why, then, are they not prepared to abstain from it? The less the value of the epithet the less reason for continuing the use of it. It would be hard to say who has a right to it, for many use it who have not been pastors for years, and have not preached a sermon for many a day; what on earth are they to be reverenced for? Other men are always preaching, and yet no one calls them reverend, but why not ? The distribution of this wonderful honor is not fairly arranged. We suggest that, as the wife is to see that she reverence her husband, every married man has a degree of claim to the title of Rev., and the sooner all benedicts exercise the privilege, the sooner will the present clerical use of it pass out of fashion. We wonder when men first sought out this invention, and from whose original mind did the original sin emanate. We suspect that he lived in the Roman Row of Vanity Fair, although the Rev. John Bunyan does not mention him. One thing is pretty certain, he did not flourish in the days of the Rev. Paul, or the Rev. Apollos, or the Rev. Cephas.

~The Sword and The Trowel, 1874

The "Gospel" Coalition Now Embraces Tony Robbins For Truth and Wisdom

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2Co 10:5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ,

Jas 4:4 You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

I have often said that today's Evangelicals (of all stripes) believe in the Post-Modern thought of "truth is in everything". The most recent and glaring example of this is The "Gospel" Coalition.

If you can handle the language, Date With Destiny is worth watching. There’s something compelling about the message that you can change your life for the better. And it’s a message from which Christians can learn a thing or two.

I’ve found, especially amongst the YRR crowd—are we still Y, by the way? Someone ask Collin Hansen—that there’s a casual dismissiveness of anything self-help related. We have our own brand of stoicism based on the sovereignty and providence of God, and it’s mostly applied as a brace for suffering. It’s suspicious of good things, and can take on a Debbie Downer quality: Pursue pleasure if you must, but know suffering and death lie right around the corner...

The Bible is not against living boldly, embracing dreams, and making a Vision Board. It is against holding those things out as the end-all-be-all of human existence because it is against idolatry in general. Just as we don’t abandon sex because it can be an idol, we shouldn’t abandon hopes of meaningful living...

Sometimes, Christians want to pooh-pooh this stuff, citing total depravity and the general idea that non-Christians are all secretly miserable. But I don’t think that’s intellectually honest. There is goodness to be found in creation, in love and work and the pursuit of healing, even if you don’t realize that all of the goodness is a divine gift. We can affirm this while also believing there is a restlessness in the heart that can’t be satisfied apart from God. Both of these are true.

Ultimately, if we’re only dismissive of the Tony Robbinses of the world and of the satisfaction his way of life provides, we hurt our own witness. We sound miserly, shouting, “You’re secretly unhappy!” to many people who are, generally speaking, quite happy.

~The "Gospel" Coalition

Where to start?

Tony Robbins is a fraud. He's a phony. The twice married self-help guru is out to promote himself and get rich and people's expense--financially, physically, and spiritually.TGC's "wisdom" of offering a Christ-hating, anti-biblical sage goes entirely against Scripture without qualification. Allow me to demonstrate. God says total depravity necessarily means the unbelievers have no wisdom and that their thinking is utter futility; moreover God says to stay away from their "wisdom".

Rom 3:10 as it is written, "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; Rom 3:11 THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; Rom 3:12 ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE." Rom 3:13 "THEIR THROAT IS AN OPEN GRAVE, WITH THEIR TONGUES THEY KEEP DECEIVING," "THE POISON OF ASPS IS UNDER THEIR LIPS"; Rom 3:14 "WHOSE MOUTH IS FULL OF CURSING AND BITTERNESS"; Rom 3:15 "THEIR FEET ARE SWIFT TO SHED BLOOD, Rom 3:16 DESTRUCTION AND MISERY ARE IN THEIR PATHS, Rom 3:17 AND THE PATH OF PEACE THEY HAVE NOT KNOWN." Rom 3:18 "THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES."

Eph 4:17 So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind,

Eph 4:18 being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart;

Eph 4:19 and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness.

Eph 4:20 But you did not learn Christ in this way,

Eph 4:21 if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus,

Eph 4:22 that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit,

Eph 4:23 and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind,

Eph 4:24 and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth.

Eph 4:29 Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.

Eph 4:30 Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Eph 5:3 But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; 4 and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks.

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.

1Co 1:21 For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe.

Col 2:2 that their hearts may be encouraged, having been knit together in love, and attaining to all the wealth that comes from the full assurance of understanding, resulting in a true knowledge of God's mystery, that is, Christ Himself, 3 in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. 4 I say this so that no one will delude you with persuasive argument.

1Co 1:18 For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written, "I WILL DESTROY THE WISDOM OF THE WISE, AND THE CLEVERNESS OF THE CLEVER I WILL SET ASIDE." 20 Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?

God entirely prohibits all the world's "wisdom" and "knowledge", saying it is futile, useless, and harmful. The Christian cannot grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ EXCEPT by way of the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures. Any other way sows seeds of filth, not that which is of the Spirit, giving life and growth to those IN Christ Jesus.

By nature "self help" gurus are blind guides full of foolishness and help no one. They merely perpetuate the sin of the sin nature, feeding the monster, as it were. They also make a whole lot of money pawning this junk to millions of people who will never get true answers because the sole answer is in Christ alone and Scripture.

Be sure of this: sure, people think that they are happy outside of Christ, but the writer isn't looking at things biblical (and that's the entire problem with him). His article is riffled with straw man arguments. Do the unregenerate have times of happiness? Sure. No one disputes that. But happiness is based on happen stance; that is, on circumstances. So when circumstances don't go according to one's desire, one becomes unhappy. The Christian has joy regardless of circumstance because the Holy Spirit indwells him and his mind is renewed daily by the Scriptures and as he grows his joy grows too, as he looks to Christ. But also, looking at what is "good", we must define it as God does. Romans 1 clearly states that no man, no human being does good. What man calls good, is according to Scripture, when done outside of Christ, when done for any other reason other than for Christ and in obedience to His Word, is NOT good. No one outside of man has good in him, for what is good comes from the Good God, the Good Shepherd. Goodness is not inherent in man. It is inherent in God and is described in Scripture (that is, what man might call "negative" --judging, wrath, eternal torment, Hell, curses, discipline, are in fact GOOD when they are from the Holy One of Israel).

Cosper also states, "And wisdom might be the best category in which to place some of Tony’s teaching. The Bible’s wisdom literature isn’t law, and it isn’t primarily about moral lessons. Rather, it’s about the way the world works, and it offers pathways by which we can navigate relationships, money, business, and pleasure. Much of Tony’s work seems to fit into this world."

Again, this guy is just looking to the flesh. He has no sense whatsoever of a biblical view at all. I mean, this is utter foolishness. Wisdom? I posted several verses that entirely destroy this guy's claim of Robbins' "wisdom".

Psa 111:10  The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments; His praise endures forever. 

Pro 8:13 "The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverted mouth, I hate. 14 "Counsel is mine and sound wisdom; I am understanding, power is mine.

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

Jas 3:13 Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. Jas 3:14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. Jas 3:15 This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. Jas 3:16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. Jas 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. Jas 3:18 And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

This is so elementary, I'm left wondering if Cosper has ever read his Bible. He definitely doesn't believe it, that's for sure. He doesn't speak in line with the sound doctrine of Scripture.

"The Bible’s wisdom literature isn’t law, and it isn’t primarily about moral lessons," Cosper says. This seems like an attack on Scripture. The wisdom literature is indeed full of commands as well as descriptive and prescriptive declarations. The whole point of "wisdom" is to direct a believer away from sin and to Christ, so it necessitates declarations of what is right and wrong but also of what is blessed and what is cursed by God. The wisdom passages are not mere observations, something we don't have to hold to; they are absolute Truth and the wisdom is to be heeded:

Psa 1:1  How blessed is the man who does not walk in the counsel of the wicked, Nor stand in the path of sinners, Nor sit in the seat of scoffers! 
Psa 1:2  But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. 
Psa 1:3  He will be like a tree firmly planted by streams of water, Which yields its fruit in its season And its leaf does not wither; And in whatever he does, he prospers.

Psa 1:4  The wicked are not so, But they are like chaff which the wind drives away.

Pro 1:2 To know wisdom and instruction, To discern the sayings of understanding, Pro 1:3 To receive instruction in wise behavior, Righteousness, justice and equity; Pro 1:4 To give prudence to the naive, To the youth knowledge and discretion, Pro 1:5 A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel, Pro 1:6 To understand a proverb and a figure, The words of the wise and their riddles. Pro 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction.

Ecc 12:9  In addition to being a wise man, the Preacher also taught the people knowledge; and he pondered, searched out and arranged many proverbs. 

Ecc 12:10  The Preacher sought to find delightful words and to write words of truth correctly.

Ecc 12:13  The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. 

Ecc 12:14  For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil. 

A lesser issue, but one that needs addressing is that Cosper says: "The Bible is not against living boldly, embracing dreams, and making a Vision Board." Well, what does he mean by "living boldly"? Living selfishly? Not saying "if the Lord wills, we will do such and such"? Crossing the line of what is holy to that which is unholy? 

Jas 4:13 Come now, you who say, "Today or tomorrow we will go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit." Jas 4:14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away. Jas 4:15 Instead, you ought to say, "If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that." Jas 4:16 But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.

What about "embracing dreams"? What dreams? Are they biblical? Do they meet the Bible's standard of holiness or are they for our own pleasurable pursuits to promote OUR dreams, OUR goals, OUR plans, OUR money, OUR name? Are we submitting to the Master's will when we pray about something we desire? Is that desire even biblical?

What is a "Vision Board"? Is that like "vision casting"? How is that biblical? There's no such thing in the Scriptures. Sounds more like a Post-modern manipulation technique. We know God's will because it's in Scripture. 

I don't hear the voice of the Good Shepherd in their writings. I hear the hiss of the ancient Serpent who deceived Eve.

2Co 11:3  But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. 4  For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully. 

Hypocrisy

This age is full of shams. Pretence never stood in so eminent a position as it does at the present hour. There by few, I fear, who love the naked truth: we can scarce endure it in our houses; you would scarcely trade with a man who absolutely stated it.

There was once an age of intolerant bigotry, when every man was weighed in the balance; and if he was not precisely up to the orthodox standard of the day, the fire devoured him. But in this age of charity and of most proper charity, we are very apt to allow the counterfeit to pass current and to imagine that outward show is really as beneficial as inward reality.

He who is true will sometimes suspect himself of falsehood, and he who is false will wrap himself up in a constant confidence of his own sincerity.

With a blush, each one of us must confess that to some extent, our life is contradictory to our profession. We blush and we mourn over this . . .

Can we say, that if every man were struck stone blind and deaf and dumb, we would not alter our conduct the least? Can we declare that the opinion of our fellows is not our guiding law, but that we stand servants to our God and to our conscience, and are not to be made do a wrong thing from flattery, nor are we urged to do a right thing from fear of censure? Mark: the man who does not act rightly from a higher motive than that of being praised gives sore suspicion that he is a hypocrite.

There are many books, which are excellently bound; but there is nothing within them. And there are many persons that have a very spiritual exterior, but there is nothing whatever in the heart.

Some people I know are like inns, which have an angel hanging outside for a sign, but they have a devil within for a landlord. There are many men of that kind. They take good care to have an excellent sign hanging out; they must be known by all men to be strictly religious. But within, which is the all-important matter, they are full of wickedness.

Fine clothes make fine gentlemen, and fine places make fine hypocrites. But the man who is true to his God and to his conscience is a Christian all day and all night long and a Christian everywhere.

He is no Christian, who cannot walk with Christ come rags, come poverty, come contumely (insults or ill treatment) or shame. He is the hypocrite who can walk with Christ in silver slippers and leave Him when it becomes necessary for him to go barefoot . . .

~ Excerpts from Charles Haddon Spurgeon, “The Hypocrites Character.” 

Family "Christian" Bookstores To Close

Good. One down, two to go. They should close. Such things are a disgrace because they are spiritual whores. Plus, they didn't pay back their millions in debts.  How is that biblical? Then again 99% of their junk is worth the dung heap anyway.

"Christianity" Today reports:

More than two years ago, suppliers forgave Family Christian Stores $127 million in debt so that it could remain open. Today, the chain—which bills itself as “the world’s largest retailer of Christian-themed merchandise”—announced it is closing all of its stores after 85 years in business....

Family Christian’s financial problems weren’t new. In 2012, the chain bought itself back from private equity owners, and in 2013 promised to donate all profits to serving widows and orphans around the world. But only $300,000 was contributed to charities over the following two years, exhibiting how slim the margins were on the $450 million in gross sales the chain generated over the same period.

In 2015, Family Christian filed for bankruptcy. Despite $230 million in gross revenues in 2014, the retailer owed more than $90 million. Sales of $305 million in 2008 had steadily shrunk to a projected $216 million in 2015.

But 27 Christian publishers, including InterVarsity Press, Baker, Charisma Media, David C. Cook, and Abingdon Press, objected to the retailer’s restructuring plan, under which the chain would get to own $20 million worth of items bought on consignment “free and clear,” without paying the suppliers.

My politics!

(Letters of John Newton, 1778)

The whole system of my politics is summed up in this one verse, "The Lord reigns! Let the nations tremble!" Psalm 99:1

The times look awfully dark indeed; and as the clouds grow thicker — the stupidity of the nation seems proportionally to increase. If the Lord had not a remnant here, I would have very formidable apprehensions. But He loves His redeemed children; some are sighing and mourning before Him, and I am sure He hears their sighs, and sees their tears. I trust there is mercy in store for us at the bottom; but I expect a shaking time before things get into a right channel — before we are humbled, and are taught to give Him the glory.

The state of the nation, the state of the churches — both are deplorable! Those who should be praying — are disputing and fighting among themselves! Alas! how many professors are more concerned for the mistakes of government — than for their own sins!

"Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns!" Revelation 19:6

David Platt: apology but no repentance

The "Christian Post" reports:

David Platt, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's International Mission Board, apologized Wednesday for the division caused by the organization's decision to join an amicus curiae (friend of the court) brief to support a New Jersey Islamic society's right to build a mosque.
"I can say with full confidence that in the days ahead, IMB will have a process in place to keep us focused on our primary mission: partnering with churches to empower limitless missionary teams for evangelizing, discipling, planting and multiplying healthy churches, and training leaders among unreached peoples and places for the glory of God," he added.

According to the same article, Dean Haun, a trustee of the IMB said, "As a trustee for the International Mission Board, I was getting call after call from pastors asking me why we did this as the International Mission Board. I had no idea because we were not informed of any of this in our trustee meetings," he said. "If you put our International Mission Board mission and purpose statements on one side and put this action on the other side, it just doesn't fit."

Haun resigned.

So it seems there was no repentance, just an apology. Those two things are different. One is just words, the other is a heart conviction in the opposite action of what previously had been taken. Platt isn't sorry for endorsing an anti-Christ, anti-woman, pro-lying, pro-violent religious government.The repentance should be regarding endorsing the building of a filthy pagan mosque that sets it's sights against Christ Jesus, the Bible, and literally the lives of all non-Muslims. I dare say, if any terrorists are found connected to this mosque, Platt will be guilty before God. So, repentance? No. He's just sorry that it caused a division from his quorum. The guy has to keep his job, you know**.

This merely proves yet again with the problem when a ministry is not part of a church--there is no true accountability and your organization usurps that which according to Scripture is the local church's function.

** So looking up another article related to this issue, from January, it seems this was likely the case. Haun's church of 2,000 people withheld their money until things changed. Platt seemed fine with Haun leaving, but with this new apology, I suspect money was drying up.

So True

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Is It Easy To Become A Christian?

"So dense is the darkness which has now fallen upon the people (Isa. 60:2), that the vast majority of those even in the "churches" deem it by no means a hard thing to become a Christian. They seem to think it is almost as easy to purify a man’s heart (James 4:8) as it is to wash his hands; that it is as simple a matter to admit the light of Divine Truth into the soul as it is the morning sun into our chambers by opening the shutters; that it is no more difficult to turn the heart from evil to good, from the world to God, from sin to Christ, than to turn a ship round by the help of the helm. And this in the face of Christ’s emphatic statement, "With men this is impossible" (Matt. 19:26)."

~ Arthur Pink, "Practical Christianity"

20 Questions for Muslim Supporters

Personal Works Of Service or Diligent Study of God's Word?

"The tragic thing is that instead of the average young Christian studying diligently God’s Word so as to discover all the details of the divine will for him, he does almost anything and everything else. Many a one engages in “personal work” or some form of Christian “service” while his own life remains full of things displeasing to God! The presence of those displeasing things in his life hinders God’s blessings upon his soul, body, and temporal affairs; and to him it has to be said: “Your sins have withholden good things from you” (Jeremiah 5:25).

God’s Word to His people is: “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12).

But O how little of this “fear and trembling” is to be found anywhere today! Instead, there is self-esteem, self-confidence, boasting and carnal security."

~ Arthur Pink, "Practical Godliness"

The Sound Doctrine of Justification Is Inseparably Bound To Several Other Sound Doctrines

The doctrine of Justification is bound to over a dozen other doctrines, but here's a few:

Imputation, the resurrection of Christ, predestination, election, glorification, sanctification, propitiation, total depravity, the nature of God. 

These can't be divorced from each other.

Rom 4:22 Therefore IT WAS ALSO CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS. 
Rom 4:23 Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him,
Rom 4:24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,
Rom 4:25 He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.
Rom 3:26 for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.

Rom 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Rom 3:24 being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus;
Rom 3:25 whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed;

Rom 8:28 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.
Rom 8:29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;
Rom 8:30 and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

Sound Doctrine Is Bound Together And To The Trinity

Doctrines bound together and to the Trinity & therefore can't be divided:

1Co 6:11 Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

1Pe 1:1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who reside as aliens, scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, who are chosen 
1Pe 1:2 according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, by the sanctifying work of the Spirit, to obey Jesus Christ and be sprinkled with His blood: May grace and peace be yours in the fullest measure.
1Pe 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

The law is a unit and can't be divided; doctrine can't be divided from each other:

Mat 22:36 "Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?"
Mat 22:37 And He said to him, " 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.'
Mat 22:38 "This is the great and foremost commandment. 
Mat 22:39 "The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.'
Mat 22:40 "On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets."

Joh 10:35 "If he called them gods, to whom the word of God came (and the Scripture cannot be broken),

The sound doctrine of the resurrection isn't a non-essential. It is married to the doctrine of justification, imputation,eternal life, Scripture, and God's omnipotence:

Mat 22:29 But Jesus answered and said to them, "You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God.
Mat 22:30 "For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.
Mat 22:31 "But regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God:
Mat 22:32 'I AM THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, AND THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB'? He is not the God of the dead but of the living."

Rom 4:22 Therefore IT WAS ALSO CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.
Rom 4:23 Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him,
Rom 4:24 but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead,
Rom 4:25 He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.

Compromise Twice In Less Than 24 Hours

Mike Pence, the "solid Christian" participated in the inter-faith religious service. Already not 24 hours into the first term and the "Solid Christian" is compromising. See? It can't be done. You just can't be a true solid Christian and be in politics.



"Multifaith prayers include Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Hindu invocations asking for aid for new president." - The Daily Mail

Photo source: the Daily Mail


There was also the inter-faith false teachers with their false gospels at the Inauguration yesterday. So really, twice within 24 hours fidelity to Christ has been rejected. And people say politics have nothing to do with religion?

So now it seems that strange fire (inter-faith religious services), along with women teaching men and abortion are acceptable even for Reformers/Evangelicals.

Isa 30:1  "Ah, stubborn children," declares the LORD, "who carry out a plan, but not mine, and who make an alliance, but not of my Spirit, that they may add sin to sin;

Isa 30:2  who set out to go down to Egypt, without asking for my direction, to take refuge in the protection of Pharaoh and to seek shelter in the shadow of Egypt!

Isa 30:3  Therefore shall the protection of Pharaoh turn to your shame, and the shelter in the shadow of Egypt to your humiliation. 

Eph 5:11  Do not participate in the unfruitful deeds of darkness, but instead even expose them; 

Rom 3:8 And why not say (as we are slanderously reported and as some claim that we say), "Let us do evil that good may come"? Their condemnation is just. 

1Th 5:22  Abstain from every form of evil. 

2Co 6:15  Or what harmony has Christ with Belial, or what has a believer in common with an unbeliever? 

2Co 6:16  Or what agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; just as God said, "I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM; AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. 

2Co 6:17  "Therefore, COME OUT FROM THEIR MIDST AND BE SEPARATE," says the Lord. "AND DO NOT TOUCH WHAT IS UNCLEAN; And I will welcome you. 

2Co 6:18  "And I will be a father to you, And you shall be sons and daughters to Me," Says the Lord Almighty.

Ezek 16 blasts both actual and spiritual harlotry.

Doctrine

To tamper with doctrine is to tamper with God. He is married to His doctrine, for it comes from His heart and bears His nature.

The sound doctrine of Scripture can no more be divorced from each other ("non-essentials") than one can divorce the Persons in the Trinity from each other.

Eph 4:4  There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling;
Eph 4:5  one Lord, one faith, one baptism,
Eph 4:6  one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all.

As a brother has rightly said, if you tamper with justification, you tamper with the Justifier; if you tamper with sanctification, you tamper with the Sanctifier.

Contending For the Hopeless Carrot On A Stick: seeking miracles as a quick fix

Jeff Maples from Pulpit and Pen writes:

A popular worship song by Chris Tomlin summarizes the miracle seeker’s sentiments thus: 

Water You turned into wineOpened the eyes of the blindThere’s no one like youNone like you. . . .Our God is greater, our God is strongerGod You are higher than any otherOur God is Healer, awesome in powerOur God, Our God

These lyrics, while true, actually embellish the work of the Holy Spirit by distorting the purpose of miracles. There is a serious error penetrating the walls of Christ’s church that is leading people away from the true gospel into a false gospel of hopelessness. There are preachers and teachers who suggest that divine miracles are the primary purpose of the Christian faith and that contending for them should be our mission. This view is prevalent in the Word of Faith (WoF) and Prosperity Gospel camps. The carrot of hope in temporal miracles sells–it sells books, music, and speaking engagements. Notable proponents of this theology include Steven Furtick, Joyce Meyer, T.D. Jakes, Joel Osteen, and many others. Biblical passages that are descriptive of a historical event are regularly twisted into a prescription for all people who will “activate” their faith in some way. Miracles, as opposed to Christ, then become the quintessential element of faith....

End quote.

Read the whole article here. He goes into what should be our focus.

Miracles are not a secondary issue to the deceived--why is it to most Evangelicals?

Matt Chandler is also in this group (he was extra special--he was given a prophecy that he'd pull through his brain tumor).

Expecting miracles, even demanding them from God, is just a way to skirt around the trials of life that He brings our way (trials will prove our faith or prove our illegitimacy). Sound doctrine is to be held on to especially in times of trials so that by His grace through the empowering of the Holy Spirit, we grow into a mature man in Christ. Skirting around difficulties at best is asking to retard growth and forever be immature which will lead to divisions, arguing, etc. 1Ti 6:3 If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, 1Ti 6:4 he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, 1Ti 6:5 and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain.

Jas 3:13  Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. 
Jas 3:14  But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. 
Jas 3:15  This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 
Jas 3:16  For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. 
Jas 3:17  But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. 

Jas 3:18  And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace. 

Warning: The 2017 Reformation 500 Together for the Gospel Conference

The 2017 Reformation 500 Together for the Gospel Conference will be held in Hamburg, Germany, on April 27-29. The Conference will feature notable speakers from the U.S. as Albert Mohler, Ligon Duncan, Mark Dever and David Platt. The event is sponsored by Evangelium21, an organization that dubs itself  “a network of Christians who base their faith firmly on Jesus Christ and His grace.” 

Evangelium21 is directed by two other notable speakers at the Conference, Matthias Lohmann, and Ron Kubsch. Now here is where I have concerns. Lohmann and Kubsch are both under the academic leadership of a man named Thomas Schirrmacher at Martin Bucer Seminary. Most of you have probably never heard of this Schirrmacher. But to say the least, this is a dangerous man who has made ecumenism and kissing the feet of the pope his mission in life...

In 2014, Schirrmacher, along with well-known Word of Faith charlatans Kenneth Copeland and James Robison and several others met with the pope of Rome for a three-hour luncheon...

Men such as Mohler, Platt, Dever, and Duncan, and others such as John MacArthur and Paul Washer who have had various dealings with him shall be compelled to do their due diligence before partnering with this worker of lawlessness or anyone under his academic leadership. This man does not have the best interest of the church at heart.

End quote.

~Pulpit and Pen

Please read the whole article as it has more specifics.

Psa 26:1  A Psalm of David. Vindicate me, O LORD, for I have walked in my integrity, And I have trusted in the LORD without wavering. 
Psa 26:2  Examine me, O LORD, and try me; Test my mind and my heart. 
Psa 26:3  For Your lovingkindness is before my eyes, And I have walked in Your truth. 
Psa 26:4  I do not sit with deceitful men, Nor will I go with pretenders. 

Psa 26:5  I hate the assembly of evildoers, And I will not sit with the wicked. 

2Co 11:3  But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ. 

2Co 11:4  For if one comes and preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached, or you receive a different spirit which you have not received, or a different gospel which you have not accepted, you bear this beautifully.