Author Archives: Marsha West
Does God Love The Sinner And Hate Only His Sin?
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By Dr. John Gerstner
“Repent or Perish” forces people to ponder seriously the popular slogan, “God hates the sin and loves the sinner.” Is a necessary repentance consistent with “God loves the sinner?” If God loves the sinner while he is alive, it is strange that God sends him to hell as soon as he dies. God loves the sinner to death? Loves him to everlasting torment?
There is something wrong here. Either God loves the sinner and will not send him into the furnace of His eternal wrath; or He sends him into His eternal wrath and does not love him. Either “you are going to hell unless” because God hates you, as you are. Or, God loves you and “you are going to hell unless” is false.
What leads almost everyone to believe that God loves the sinner is that God does the sinner so much good. He bestows so many favors including letting him continue to live. How can God let the sinner live and give him so many blessings, unless He loves him? There is a kind of love between God and sinners. We call it the “love of benevolence.” That means the love of good will. Benevolens — willing well. Doing well. God can do well to the sinner without loving him with the other kind of love. “Complacent love,” a pleasure in, affection for, admiration of. It exists in perfection between the Father and the Son, “in whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17; Mark 1:11). Continue reading
Holy Saturday: Faithful to the End
(Rusty Rabon – The Fellowship of Ailbe) Is it nothing to you, all you who pass by? Look and see if there is any sorrow like my sorrow, which was brought upon me, which the Lord inflicted on the day of his fierce anger.
Merciful God, we confess that we have betrayed, denied, and forsaken You. We have failed to love as You have loved us. As we remember the cross, forgive us. Restore us. Strengthen us to follow in the way of Jesus, even to the foot of the cross. Amen.
Lamentations 3:1-9, 19-24 NRSV I am one who has seen affliction under the rod of God’s wrath; he has driven and brought me into darkness without any light; against me alone he turns his hand, again and again, all day long. He has made my flesh and my skin waste away, and broken my bones; he has besieged and enveloped me with bitterness and tribulation; he has made me sit in darkness like the dead of long ago. He has walled me about so that I cannot escape; he has put heavy chains on me; though I call and cry for help, he shuts out my prayer; he has blocked my ways with hewn stones, he has made my paths crooked. The thought of my affliction and my homelessness is wormwood and gall! My soul continually thinks of it and is bowed down within me. But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” Continue reading
Paula White-Cain likens Trump to Jesus during Easter lunch, stokes firestorm of backlash: ‘Insanity’
“God always had a plan. On the third day, He rose, He defeated evil, He conquered death, Hell and the grave. And because He rose, we all know that we can rise. And, sir, because of His resurrection, you rose up. Because He was victorious, you were victorious.”
(Christian Post) Televangelist Paula White-Cain stoked a firestorm of backlash for likening President Donald Trump to Jesus Christ during a private Easter lunch at the White House with other Christian leaders on Wednesday. Continue reading
President Trump Fires Pam Bondi, No AG Replacement Announced Yet
(Jeff Charles – Townhall) Attorney General Pam Bondi has reportedly been fired.
Two sources told Fox News Digital that Trump had already fired Bondi on Wednesday before he gave his speech on Iran.
President Donald Trump reportedly has already fired Attorney General Pam Bondi, according to two sources familiar with the matter who spoke with Fox News Digital.
Bondi met with Trump in the Oval Office Wednesday night ahead of his speech to the nation on the war in Iran, where she reportedly was informed of her ouster, according to two sources familiar with the meeting. Continue reading
Ecumenical vs. Evangelical
Mike Riccardi of The Cripplegate lays out some of the problems that can result from trying to mix oil with water, as you will see in the case of trying to mix liberalism and historic orthodox Christianity. The result is that the Person and work of Jesus Christ has been compromised for the sake of unity. And what we now have is a liberal/progressive “social justice gospel” that saves no one. Those pushing for ecumenicism may have started out with good intentions, but as the saying goes, “The road to hell is paved with good intentions.” Continue reading
The Resurrection Probability
(Don & Joy Veinot – Midwest Christian Outreach) The celebration of the resurrection of Jesus will take place for many this Sunday. For most people these days, it is more-or-less a cultural event. I don’t necessarily mean they deny that the resurrection happened, but that they believe it based on their family and church affiliations, rather than as a result of their own serious consideration of the issue. Sometimes those who do contemplate and ask the hard questions are simply told to accept the claims of the celebration “by faith.” Faith then becomes little more than a blind leap of faith or a wistful hope. But faith is not supposed to be a “blind leap.” It really is a step taken based on what we know from the past to be true. We have faith the “sun will rise” tomorrow, based on it having done so every day in the past…. Continue reading
No, The Ends Do Not Justify the Means
“The argument proceeds as follows: The greatest good is knowing God through Christ (John 17:3). In the forgiveness of the sinner, God reveals more of his gracious character. Therefore, we should sin more so that even more of God’s grace is revealed. Let us commit evil so that a greater good will come of it…”
(Justin Craft – With All Wisdom) There is a common sentiment that, “the ends justify the means.” We often hear it in movies or books where the hero or the villain is doing something that is morally wrong but justifies their actions by saying that their actions will bring about a greater good. Continue reading
Many worry Hollywood will soon resemble Detroit after the fall of the auto industry…
“The people at the top built a culture of non-stop political hate, creative slop, and audience disrespect, and now the people underneath are paying for all that. And the reality now is that we could be watching the end of Hollywood.”
(Revolver) Hollywood is in big trouble, and everybody can feel it now. The panic is real, and it’s setting in. Jobs are drying up, and the people inside the Tinsel Town machine are finally having to admit that something really big is going very wrong. Yes, some of this panic is about streaming, economics, COVID fallout, and production fleeing to other states and countries, thanks to Gavin Newsom. But let’s not play dumb here. Hollywood also did this to itself. Continue reading
I’d Rather Have Jesus Than A Chocolate Easter Egg
(Marsha West – Christian Research Network) Easter evokes images of decorative baskets filled with all sorts of goodies, cool new clothes, church services, the annual Easter egg hunt, families and friends gathering together to enjoy a sumptuous meal. Doesn’t it seem a bit odd that people will spend an entire day celebrating a make-believe rabbit?
Today when Easter Sunday rolls around a good many Christians spend more time participating in secular events than celebrating the Resurrection of their Savior. Before I move on, I should point out that “Easter” is now passé. Wanting to remove the Christian origins of our language, secularists managed to change Resurrection Sunday to Easter Sunday and Easter break to spring break – all in the name of tolerance. Fortunately a large number of believers have caught on to their shenanigans and have gone back to using Resurrection Sunday instead of Easter. Continue reading
Gospel-Centeredness: Where It’s Been and Where It Should Go
“Since many of my beloved churches and pastors failed to address politics and the worldviews that inherently lay underneath them, they were also unwilling to address and confront the many unbelieving worldviews and thought systems of their parishioners. This has led directly to where we’re at today, where many who bear the name of Christ now, often without even knowing it, have fully embraced secular ideologies of Marxism, Critical Theory, and are supportive of practices such as abortion or gender ideology, or at least are apathetic about these practices in favor of supporting the values of Leftism.”
(Brooks Waldron – TruthScript) I remember first being exposed to the writings of the late Tim Keller back during my sophomore year, in the college ministry of John Piper’s Bethlehem Baptist Church. At that time, Keller’s writings and sermons supplemented the ministry of John Piper wonderfully to help shape my understanding of God, the gospel, and the Christian life. From John Piper, I gained a “big-God theology,” coming to understand the centrality of the glory of God and the total sovereignty of God in the world and in salvation. From Tim Keller, I came to understand the centrality of the gospel. As Keller said, the gospel is not the A, B, Cs of the Christian life but rather the A to Z of the Christian life. This was revolutionary for me at the time. Continue reading
Bombshell: Bullet Used to Kill Charlie Kirk Might Not Match the Gun
UPDATE to the story that the bullet that killed Charlie Kirk may not have come from the Robinson rifle. Tyler Robinson is the man accused of murdering Charlie Kirk. He has admitted to killing him. Click on the link below to read Mary Dowling’s report. The new information seeks to debunk the claim that the bullet that killed Charlie Kirk doesn’t match the alleged murder weapon. The truth appears to be that the bullet was so fragmented it couldn’t be tested.
(Mary Dowling) The bullet that killed Charlie Kirk may not match the rifle used by the prime suspect, Tyler Robinson, according to a bombshell new court filing. We heard this from a number of people, but, without proof, I stayed away from it. However, now we have some evidence.
Robinson, 22, is facing capital murder charges and a potential death sentence for Kirk’s murder at Utah Valley University on September 10. Continue reading
BREAKING: SCOTUS Ends Ban on ‘Conversion Therapy’ Helping Gender Dysphoric Individuals
“When it comes to treating gender dysphoria, so-called conversion therapy simply means helping a person — particularly a child — accept the body that God gave him rather than attempting the impossible feat of altering biological sex.”
(Catherine Salgado – PJ Media) The U.S. Supreme Court just made a decision crucial for scientific and moral sanity, striking down a ban on “conversion therapy” for minors as unconstitutional. Continue reading
Defining what sin is
(John MacArthur – Sermon topic, What Is Sin) We alone…as Christians who understand the Bible and believe the Bible, we get it. We got all these people trying — all the politicians, and all the moralists, and all the educators and all the university people and all the sociologists and everybody — trying to fix society. And it can’t ever be done by these people, because they don’t ever deal with the reality of what is in the heart. All humanity, all humanity — nobody escapes — has a vile, rebellious, corrupt nature. The thought life is corrupt; the emotions are corrupt; the will is corrupt; and the behavior is corrupt. And Genesis 3 is crucial to understanding that…
Scripture clearly indicates this is where evil began. And it is the New Testament that is most definitive. And again, you have to know that verse, Romans 5:12. That’s the key verse. When Adam sinned, everybody sinned in Adam. And when Adam received the penalty of death, we were all then sentenced to die…
‘Huge Mistake’: Tim Burchett Blasts Senator Thune After 2 AM DHS Bill Leaves ICE Unfunded
“Republicans have consistently slammed Sen. Thune for failing to advance President Trump’s legislative priorities. That includes not only his inability to secure funding for immigration authorities, but also his failure to pass the SAVE Act, which proponents say is a necessary step to protect elections in the United States.”
(Dmitri Bolt – Townhall) Representative Tim Burchett (R-TN) called for the replacement of Senate Majority Leader John Thune (R-SD) after Senate Republicans passed a bill early Friday morning aimed at ending a more than 40-day partial government shutdown centered on funding for the Department of Homeland Security. Continue reading
What to Make of JD Vance’s Belief That UFOs and Space Aliens Are Demons?
“He then suggested that the concept of aliens was a human attempt to explain the unexplainable, saying that he believes it’s a different force behind the phenomena. “I don’t think they’re aliens, I think they’re demons anyway, but that’s a longer discussion,” Vance said, prompting Johnson to seek clarification.”
(Scott Pinsker – PJ Media) Arguing to death over what happens after we die is almost always a waste of time, because the God’s honest truth is, nobody knows the answer.
I don’t know. You don’t know. Shirley MacLaine, the Dalai Lama, and Bill Nye the Science Guy don’t know either. Continue reading
What Does ‘Faith Alone’ Mean?
(Jonathan Landry Cruse – Beautiful Christian Life) To understand the importance of the statement “faith alone,” we need to remember why the Reformers sought to recover the doctrine of God’s grace. They wanted to emphasize the fact that we are made right with God not through any merit of our own but rather through God’s own free grace. In Christ, we receive unmerited favor from God.
The Roman Catholics in the sixteenth century would have agreed with this to some extent. They indeed believed we needed God’s grace to get to heaven…. Continue reading
Is the Reformed Brand Falling apart with the trouble in Ligonier Ministries and the Death of Reformed Stalwarts?
“Even just in the last 10 yrs, I see ministries like Ligonier retreating into the background. In my own denominations we have a variety of ministries, like Theopolis and Canon Press, as well as a variety of podcasts. All these things can be a great supplement to local ministries. We need theological and cultural commentary, we need conversation between pastors.”
(Nathan Zekveld) While I respect and honor the work of the men at Ligonier, I have never seen them as the face of a Reformed Brand, or even JI Packer, RC Sproul, or John Mac Arthur (who have all gone to be with the Lord) as the face of a nebulous Reformed Brand. In part, because my religious life has not been grounded online, but in the life of the local church and in the life of the classis or presbytery. That said, I know that the scandals connected with Ligonier will be trying to the faith of some Reformed Christians. Continue reading
A Whole lotta ‘Christian’ bestsellers are unfit for Christian consumption
Repost from 2019.
(Marsha West – Christian Research Network) Sadly, “Christian” book sellers line their shelves with books that are clearly unbiblical. Books that put a positive spin on New Age spirituality, Eastern mysticism, LGBTQ+ issues and so forth are available through online Christian outlets as well as their brick and mortar stores. I think it’s safe to say that pseudo-Christian publishing houses has to be one of if not the largest suppliers of outright heresy that exists today. Oddly, these organizations and the outlets that distribute for them are responsible (or should I say irresponsible) for much of the apostasy we’re witnessing in the visible Church. This is principally because these money-making enterprises offer false teachers a platform for spreading really really bad theology. As an example, folks shopping for something as important as a Bible will find one in every color, shape and size. That in and of itself is fine. But they’ll also find Bibles offering translations that supposedly are “accurate” “up-to- date” and “easy to read.” I say supposedly because many Bible translations are highly unorthodox and unfit for Christian consumption. Tragically, it’s the unorthodox Bibles and other reading material that lead undiscerning souls into false teaching. Continue reading
Sean Feucht Accused Of Writing Fake Messages To Himself to Attack Other Christians
“On X, Feucht tagged Christian apologist Mike Winger and journalist Julie Roys, accusing them of being complicit in his being targeted by Hindu extremists and Muslim radicals because of their criticism of him.”
(Protestia) Prominent worship leader Sean Feucht keeps getting caught in lies and deception. His newest post on X has been widely mocked, with many in the community calling it a clear falsehood. Continue reading
The Harvest in the Hallways: A Plea for the Church to Engage Public Schools
“Blame secular humanism, blame feminism; whatever the cause, if we want to see our nation return to its Christian heritage, we need to address how we educate our future citizens….”
(Amy Simmons – TruthScript) Working in the Texas public school system for nearly two decades, I’ve seen multiple political administrations implement policies that have significantly shaped how schools operate. I witnessed the acceleration of high-stakes testing due to George W. Bush administration’s No Child Left Behind Act, which tied federal school funding to student performance. I saw the intensification of data-driven instruction during the Obama-era, necessitating digital tracking tools that educational technology companies were happy to provide. Continue reading
7 Things You Need to Know about the Silence of Jesus
(Beautiful Christian Life) “So he questioned him at some length, but he made no answer” (Luke 23:9).
Ecclesiastes tells us that there is time to speak and a time to keep silent. And this makes sense enough, but the issue is, when is the fitting time? When is it better to speak? And when is it necessary to stay quiet? This is the art of wisdom.
Yet, as a society, we have pretty unanimously voted in favor of speaking. Our world, filled with technology and social media, never stops speaking, be it with words, pictures, or videos…. Continue reading
The Modern American Soft ‘Jesus’ is an Idol
“Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels.” —Matthew 25:41
(The Dissenter) The modern American imagination is an idol factory, and it has manufactured a version of Jesus that never existed.
In this version, Jesus is soft-spoken, endlessly agreeable, and almost allergic to confrontation. He floats through the Gospels like a spiritual therapist, nodding gently while people talk about their feelings…. Continue reading
Auron MacIntyre Confronts Tucker Carlson On Islam
(Ray Fava – Evangelical Dark Web) Tucker Carlson is one of the most controversial men in America and also one of the most influential. Few individuals have driven as many news cycles and conversations as he has. But with all of these things established, there is a pressing concern that Tucker Carlson, in waking up to Jewish influence in American politics, has softened his opposition to Islam. There is an ongoing debate as to whether Christians and Muslims can or should form a political alliance, and Carlson has certainly interviewed people who believe its possible. But where does Tucker Carlson stand on the issue? Continue reading
Kevin O’Leary Shuts Down Everyone Panicking Over Operation Epic Fury
“You’ve got 250,000 people making 60 million miserable. That’s not a long-term solution either. That’s just in Iran. That’s why you’ve got to take the long view, and the long view here could be just 60 days.”
(Dmitri Bolt – Townhall) Kevin O’Leary blasted the panicans for claiming Operation Epic Fury is set to damage the U.S. economy, urging critics to “chillax” and arguing that key economic indicators aren’t anywhere near danger levels. He also pointed to the upside of a successful operation, saying that success in Iran could not only expand U.S. trade with regional allies but create broader gains for global trading partners, from the Middle East to Asia. Continue reading