“Are we as a church clearly communicating to one another and the watching world what sin really is?”
(Aimee Byrd – Mortification of Spin) A couple days ago, I wrote about how even the world of Reformedish evangelicalism is contributing to the sad “State of Theology” that is evidenced in the Ligonier Ministries’ survey. Bad theology is perpetuated in our own circles when ethics is prioritized over our theology of God, his Word, man, and the gospel. Continue reading
“On Friday, November 9, a Planned Parenthood clinic on the east side of Columbus, Ohio will hold an interfaith “blessing” on their facility, a place where the lives of unborn children up to 19 weeks’ gestation end.”
(Linda Harvey – Mission: America) It’s not a Halloween horror flick, and it’s not some gruesome, colossal joke.
Child mutilation and sacrifice are becoming so widespread in America that they are now considered sound health care and even “blessings” from God. Continue reading
“Jesus, the Creator, makes it clear that the first marriage between man and woman (Adam and Eve) came at the beginning of creation. From the chronological information given in Genesis 5 and 11 and in other biblical passages, Jesus was speaking about 4,000 years after this creation,” [Ken Ham] said, noting that the genealogy from Adam to Jesus is 4,000 years.
(Heather Clark – Christian News) Apologist Ken Ham of Answers in Genesis is pushing back after conservative commentator Matt Walsh recently released a lengthy video explaining why he is not a young earth creationist, but rather believes that the text of the Book of Genesis leaves room for interpretation as to how long a day was at the time that God created the heavens and the earth. Walsh also asserted that advocating for a young earth can “put obstacles in the way” from people coming to Christ because it pits faith against science. Continue reading
Is it appropriate for evangelicals to celebrate Halloween? Some say “absolutely not” while others say “what’s the big deal anyway?” Bible study author, speaker and podcaster Michelle Lesley goes right to the scriptures to help Bible believing Christians make their decision. She writes:
Since there is no specific Bible verse that says, “Thou shalt/shalt not participate in Halloween and its related activities,” this is an area of Christian liberty that must be decided by each individual or couple on the basis of scriptural principles and prayer. If there are Halloween activities available to you that do not violate scriptural principles or your conscience or cause you to become a stumbling block to someone weaker in the faith (which may even be your spouse or child), you are free to participate in those aspects of Halloween.
Here are some Scriptures and principles that may be of help as you make your decision:
1 Corinthians 10:23: “All things are lawful,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful,” but not all things build up.”
Is it helpful? Does it build you/your family up?
1 Corinthians 10:24-30: Let no one seek his own good, but the good of his neighbor. 25 Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 26 For “the earth is the Lord’s, and the fullness thereof.” 27 If one of the unbelievers invites you to dinner and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. 28 But if someone says to you, “This has been offered in sacrifice,” then do not eat it, for the sake of the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— 29 I do not mean your conscience, but his. For why should my liberty be determined by someone else’s conscience? 30 If I partake with thankfulness, why am I denounced because of that for which I give thanks?
Who is watching what your family does? Are you serving your neighbor and drawing him closer to Christ by the activities you participate in?
Research:
‘Lest the significance goes unrecognized: The Sojourners is a far-left group that masquerades as a Christian outlet, bent on doing God’s work, but that far more often seems to do nothing but Democrats’ will.
(Cheryl K. Chumley – Washington Times) A new video from the American Association of Evangelicals reveals how George Soros, through his many funding ventures, has been busily infiltrating the Christian base in America to divide, and ultimately conquer, the religious minded within the Republican Party. Continue reading
“Do you long to give glory to God with your life?”
(Jordan Standridge – The Cripplegate) You hear it said often, don’t you. You need to glorify God! But what does it mean exactly? How can someone glorify God?
Perhaps one of the best pictures of glorifying God in the Bible is found in Luke 9:9. Herod says, “I beheaded John. Who, then, is this I hear such things about?” Continue reading
“Most people—past and present—think that God can be approached by anyone, in any way. They believe that God is always loving and embracing, never wrathful and judging. But that isn’t true. God appears this way—and Hebrews highlights it for us—to demonstrate that God is a lethal threat to anyone who dares approach Him through the law.”
(Tim Barnett – Stand To Reason) We are all prone to imagine a god that is more like our culture than who God truly is. If we’re not careful, the culture will shape our view of God. Continue reading
“And when we come to die they will be there to receive our spirit and take us to Paradise…Never again, Christian people, imagine that when you come to die you will be going into some awful loneliness…the angels of God will be there to receive you.
(James Williams – Servants of Grace) We continue our study of Great Doctrines of the Bible by Martyn Lloyd-Jones (MLJ) by examining chapter 10 entitled, “Good Angels.”
The term ‘angel’ means ‘messenger.’ There’s a mysterious element to angels that often leads to either overemphasizing or ignoring them altogether. Scripture often mentions angels, and while we can’t satisfy all our curiosity about them, there are certain truths we can know. MLJ begins with 10 general points: Continue reading
Here in the US, this demented movement exploded with Obama’s full support during his presidency. As with militant homosexual activism, I have also warned that “transgenderism” would be used to further crush our freedoms. This has proven true, as people in places all across the nation are being forced, under penalty of law in some cases, to play along with the charade that a man is a “woman.”
(Gina Miller – RenewAmerica) More than fifty scholars who work at universities in the UK, US, Australia and elsewhere, and are part of a group of over a hundred, have signed a letter that was published last week in the U.K. Guardian. They expressed their concern about the detrimental effects of political correctness and the “trans” lobby on their ability to research and report their findings regarding so-called “transgenderism.” Continue reading
“Not surprisingly, the black magic occult ritual aimed at Justice Kavanaugh was also a fundraiser. Organizers said money raised is going to charity, to an LGBTQ youth center, and to Planned Parenthood, America’s richest abortion provider, receiving $545 million in taxpayer funding each year.”
(David Fiorazo) Last weekend, organizers in New York hosted an event for actual witches to put a hex on Supreme Court Justice, Brett Kavanaugh; the latest in the Halloween movie series made a killing at theaters, and Americans will spend $9 billion this year on the controversial holiday. Continue reading
“Father Fumery was the second French priest in a month to take his own life.”
A French priest has taken his own life in his church after being accused of sexual misconduct, officials say.
Pierre-Yves Fumery hanged himself in his presbytery in the central town of Gien, Catholic authorities said.
Last week he was questioned by police, but not charged, following allegations of sexual assault involving a child under 15, news agency AFP said. Continue reading
The videos have triggered massive reactions right across the spectrum—especially because Klassen has a knack for at poking the pro-choice activist arguments in a way that drives them crazy.
(Jonathon Van Maren – LifeSiteNews) It is rare that a new pro-life organization emerges that does something utterly unique, but that is precisely what Laura Klassen and Choice42 have done. In the past several months, they have released a series of viral videos that have taken the Internet by storm, with Klassen and her now signature pink wig playfully poking fun at popular pro-choice arguments—and racking up millions of views and copycat videos in a wide range of different languages. Continue reading
To be fair, some heretics are probably not even aware that they are peddling recycled heresy because they are usually as ignorant of Church history as they are of Christian doctrine. So when they burst on the scene and breathlessly announce (for the gazillionth time) that at some point in the past “all of the church was corrupted and apostatized,” and they are “restoring true Christianity after centuries of spiritual darkness,” it may be that they just don’t know how many cults have already recovered true Christianity.
(Joy Venoit – Midwest Christian Outreach) When books or articles feature questions such as, “When Did Jesus Become the Christ?” or “When Did Jesus Become the Son of God?” it usually indicates that we are about to be introduced to a heretical view about the identity of Jesus. … Continue reading
The open-mindedness and optimism of the ‘60s have given way to a progressive establishment equally as authoritarian, perhaps even more so, than the system the decade attempted to overthrow.
(Greg Jones – The Federalist) “For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction,” states Sir Isaac Newton’s third law. While Newton intended the law to describe physical processes, it can apply to culture as well.
Just as hyper-conservative post-war America produced the rebelliousness that defined the 1960s (and much of American society since), today’s breed of authoritarian liberalism is laying the groundwork for a cultural coup d’etat. … Continue reading
“When we start making concessions on the music, or using apathy to avoid facing hard truths, we’re cowering from the Great Commission. Be different. Don’t sing the music. Don’t muddy the waters. Reach these people.”
(Costi Hinn – For The Gospel) One of the top questions I receive is about Jesus Culture and Bethel Music. Inquiring minds ask, “What do you think about listening to the music, or using only the songs that are sound?” Continue reading
“The conference wound down to less than a one third occupied room at the Dallas facility. Perhaps ticket sales were lower than expected or some attendees did not stay to hear a gay, unmarried, celibate Priest – who created no small controversy over ten demands in his “Living Out Church Audit” – discuss his ideas or those of Russell Moore on the new inclusive church as family.”
(Thomas Littleton – Thirty Pieces Of Silver) ERLC just completed its 2018 “Cross Shaped Family Conference” in Dallas, which was the second of an annual event. This year’s conference was a platform for ERLC President, Russell Moore, to feature his new book “The Storm-Tossed Family,” which was also title of his opening key note address. Shameless and opportunistic perhaps but, nonetheless, not the real theme of the SBC entity conference. … Continue reading
“If late night hosts and SNL skits were regularly savaging this PC lunacy, rather than delivering tearful soliloquies about Trump’s latest infraction, there would be hardly any Leftists remaining in this country.”
(Matt Walsh – Daily Wire) The week began with news that a large majority of Americans despise political correctness. Succeeding events demonstrated why they hate it so much. Continue reading
This article by CRN managing editor Marsha West was first published August 28, 2015
A recent report indicates that 70% of Americans are Christians. If this is true, what it says to this writer is that a whole host of people who profess faith in Jesus Christ neglect to read the instruction manual that reveals everything we need to know about the object of our faith. I’m referring to the Bible. Anyone who takes the time to read it knows what Jesus taught and how those who claim to believe in Him must live their lives. Clearly Christians are not reading the Book.
So, isn’t it a bit odd that people who say they believe Christ died for their sins aren’t the least bit curious about who He is and what He taught while He was here? Jesus spent the better part of three years teaching his disciples all sorts of things such as what His mission was (John 1:14-18) and how they were to conduct themselves.
The Lord gave commands, not suggestions. He never said: “It’s not a good idea to murder someone…lie…cheat…steal…sleep around…commit adultery…practice homosexual sex…get drunk…use drugs…have a slew of idols, or anything like that.” Nor did He say: “It would be nice if you’d consider forgiving those who do you wrong.” He never tossed them the “Good job!” compliment when they exercised discernment. Neither was Jesus into high-fiving and “atta boys.” Whenever these sorts of things came up in conversation, He said unequivocally, “Do not”…”You must!” Moreover, He was clear that in order to be saved people must repent of their sins and turn away from the sinful life. “If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us” (1 John 1:10).
And trust me when I say that there’s no way He would have said to one of His followers: “God smiles when you be you.”
Keeping Jesus’ commands begins with knowing what they are and then, of course, obeying them. The Lord said, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15).
If you love me…
Basic Training
So, could a person become a member of the armed forces without ever having gone through some form of basic training? No! The expressed purpose for a soldier to go through boot camp is to learn to become a lean mean fighting machine. Soldiers leave boot camp with the general knowledge they need to go into combat and fight a brutal enemy, with their goal being to win! Men and women who don’t understand the rules of engagement, what weapons to use in battle and how to use them effectively, will end up on the losing end.
During the 1960s when the battle for the hearts and minds of Americans first began, what if professing evangelicals had understood that we were in the beginning stages of the “culture war”? What if evangelicals had gone all out to stop the small number of progressives from taking control of public schools…higher education…entertainment industry…media… politics…courts…the scientific community and so on?
What if…???
Hind sight is 20/20 so we now see the fruit of a minuscule amount of determined activists. In a few decades “progressives” along with a small number of gay people have taken control of the 3 areas that most impact people’s lives — education, entertainment and the media. This matters, brethren, because liberals use these 3 areas to manipulate the public into making decisions based on their feelings rather than rational thought. Not surprisingly, the visible Church is steeped in emotionalism, so much so that when it comes to making important life decisions, instead of looking to the Bible as we should, we allow our feelings to guide us.
But I’m drifting from my point…
Currently somewhere around 3% of Americans identify as homosexuals and a small percentage say they’re Christians. Why do I bring this up? For the reason that if Bible believing Christians weren’t so worried about being marginalized by liberals, if they weren’t so concerned about being perceived as intolerant, hateful and bigoted for believing what the Bible teaches about sodomy–that it’s a sexual perversion—America wouldn’t have same-sex “marriage” and special rights for gay people as the law of the land.
The Bible isn’t the only book that refers to sodomy as a sexual perversion. Dictionary.com (DC) defines sodomy as: Any of various forms of sexual intercourse held to be unnatural or abnormal, especially anal intercourse or bestiality.
DC on perversion: A practice or act, especially one that is sexual in nature, considered abnormal or deviant.
DC on unnatural: Contrary to the laws or course of nature.
What is natural? According to DC: Natural is in conformity with the ordinary course of nature; not unusual or exceptional. (emphasis added)
As you can see, DC is in agreement with what the Bible says about sodomy, that it’s unnatural.
The Lord Says…
One man, one woman…for life.
The Designer of the human body told us His view of same-sex sex in His written Word – He’s against it. He has never been for it. For clarification read Leviticus 18:22, Leviticus 20:13, Romans 1:18-28, 1 Corinthians 6:9 Bible believing Christians have no choice but to accept the very words of God on this contentious issue. “Homosexuality is clearly condemned in the Bible,” says apologist Matt Slick. “It undermines God’s created order when He made Adam and Eve, a man and a woman, to carry out His command to fill and subdue the earth (Genesis 1:28). Homosexuality cannot carry out that mandate. In addition, homosexuality undermines the basic family unit of husband and wife which is the God-ordained means of procreation. Again, homosexuality cannot do that. And, believe it or not, it is also dangerous to society.” (Source)
Make no mistake. Sexual relations outside the marriage bed—no matter how much you “love” the person–is an egregious sin. Keep in mind that any professing Christian who lives in habitual sin could very well be a false convert. Again, Jesus said “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (John 14:15). Anyone who rejects Jesus’ words will not inherit the Kingdom of God. When people like Oprah Winfrey and apostate Rob Bell proclaim that there is no hell and that there’s many ways to heaven it’s best to tune them out. “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death” (Prov 14:12).
As an aside, it’s not just people of faith who believe same-sex sex is bad for society. Even some secularists oppose this behavior because they believe sodomy goes against nature, therefore they deem it unnatural, unhealthy and destructive to the human body. For them going against nature is no minor matter. When we’re dealing with a person’s settled beliefs it becomes a matter of right and wrong.
Speaking of right and wrong, those who don’t care what others do “behind closed doors” should peruse the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) website. There you will learn that people who practice sodomy—gay, bi or straight—have a far greater risk of contracting life threatening diseases. According to the CDC:
The incidence of HIV in gay and bisexual men is 44 times that of heterosexual men.
What’s hard to believe is that anyone who opposes this destructive behavior gets severely castigated. These days those who oppose the homosexual agenda live in fear of being labeled a bigot. Sadly, many Christians fear the wrath of the homosexual lobby more than they fear God’s wrath. They seem to forget:
In God I trust; I shall not be afraid. What can man do to me? (Psalm 56:11)
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction (Prov 1:7).
The 3%
Now to the point of this piece. In a blog post on Fire Breathing Christian, Scott Alan Buss asks: What if America had as many Christians as it does gay activists? As I stated above, 70% of Americans say they’re Christians. Even with that huge number, we lost the culture war. We lost because our Christian leaders are inept. Even so, Buss believes we can stop the mass insanity — if…
3%.
That’s what it took to move America to where it is now.
3%.
That’s all that was required to transition us from a people who at least loosely based their morality on some vaguely understood and appreciated Christian foundation into one that is openly and proudly based on self-centered, self-referential, and self-serving lust.
3%.
That’s how much commitment on the ground was needed to shift us from cheering Wheaties-box Bruce Jenner as an example of All-American masculinity into a people that applauds Vanity Fair cover “Caitlyn” Jenner as the embodiment of “bravery” and “courage”.
3%….3%…3%…
Of all the many great and terrible lessons being taught to us now through the committed, believing, active 3% who have successfully stormed and pillaged the culture, one of the greatest and most important is this: 3% is enough.
With persistence, 3% is enough to move the culture from one extreme to another.
With belief in practice, the dedicated actions of 3% can accomplish what seemed impossible only 10 or 20 years earlier.
With faith in action, 3% can fundamentally change the world.
Let that soak in.
Let it sink in.
As much as it hurts, let it take root.
As much as it stings, let it linger.
As much as it exposes about our laughably non-Christian professing Christian culture in America over (at least) the past 100 years, let it take hold.
Let it speak.
Then ask the question: What if just 3% of Americans were as committed to Christ in action as the 3% who are at this moment dancing on the grave of our dead culture?
What if only 3% of Americans took seriously the comprehensive life- and culture-defining reality of the Gospel-fueled Great Commission?
What if a mere 3% of Americans were consecrated by the grace of God to the propagation of His Kingdom through loving obedience to His crystal clear command to take every thought captive and make obedient disciples of all nations (including – and starting with – our own)? (See: Matthew 28:18-20)
What would our law, politics, economics, art, and culture begin to look like then?
Put another way: What if just 3% of those living in “the Christian nation” of America were actually Christians?
We know now firsthand what a dedicated 3% of actual believers can do to a culture.
Isn’t the power of 3% amazing?
Isn’t the faith in action of 3% awe-inspiring?
Isn’t the amount and depth of profound change made possible by a believing 3% incredible?
Yes, yes, and yes.
3% can do otherwise unimaginable, unbelievable things through the persistent application of their faith in the real world. (Continue reading)
I have nothing to add to Buss’s stinging rebuke, except that reading his piece made the hair on my arms stand up. So – I’ll conclude with the wise words of The Cripplegate blogger, Mike Riccardi, as he passes on what the Church’s mission should be — with no hint that he has a fear of man:
That means that our mission, my fellow followers of Jesus, is not to retreat from this depraved culture, but to go into this depraved culture and herald the message of the Lordship of Jesus Christ. To tell a world drunk on its own arrogance that God is God, and they are not. That He makes authoritative declarations and pronouncements and judgments, and they do not. It is to tell this lost world that their sovereign Creator has made a declaration, and it is this: that all people everywhere must repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead. And that on that day, at the name of His Son, the Lord of all the earth, Jesus Christ, every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ—not themselves—is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (Source)
Recommended Resources:
What is the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah?
If You Love Me You Will Keep My Commandments
Copyright by Marsha West, 2015.
The most recent edition of The State of Theology survey from Ligonier shows that the majority of evangelicals believe Jesus is the first being created by God (more than 80%), that even the smallest sins don’t make a person worthy of hell (about 70%), and that God accepts the worship of all religions (more than 50%). So according to the results of this survey, most American evangelicals believe heresy. And Chandler thinks the problem with evangelicals leaving the church is we don’t address enough culturally relevant topics?*
(Gabriel Hughes – Junction City) I originally wrote this piece on September 12 but never published it. The discussion has resurfaced, and I’ve decided to share. I’ll explain more at the very end.
On Sunday, September 9, Vice News (think Dateline for millennials on HBO) interviewed Matt Chandler about the changes that are happening in evangelicalism. Nothing of the interview was informative to me, mostly because the intended audience was unchurched millennials. I already know what’s going on in the church. They don’t. Continue reading
Eric Davis addresses Christians who choose not to go to church for one reason or another. “Is it inconsequential for the professing believer to remain a flockless sheep?” he asks.
So, what’s to become of flockless sheep? Does the Bible give any outlook for them? Actually, it does. And according to Davis the outlook is bad. Not surprisingly, there are some consequences for those who insist on remaining churchless Christians, which he shares in his piece over at The Cripplegate. He writes:
Sadly, it’s become a norm within American Christianity. Incredibly, it’s a regular thing amid evangelicalism. Embarrassingly, it’s widely accepted among many professing Christians. “I’m a Christian, but I don’t really go to church.”
Churchless Christians. Flockless sheep. Bodyless body-parts. Continue reading
“I can still remember the day it all hit me like a ton of bricks. These elders were saying they had access to insight that I could not have or had not been given. They had a special lens for seeing and I did not. And that I knew was an evil error. Unaccountable knowledge based on special intuition placed my leaders above the Scriptures not under them. They denied it in theory, but it was clearly what they practiced.”
Posted over at R. Scott Clark’s The Heidelblog:
Dr. Clark,
A few weeks ago you posted a warning against the desire for ongoing prophecy. [See also this—Ed.] In it you told a story of what happens when people look to words from God beyond Scripture. I wanted to stand as a witness to the dangers you highlighted. Continue reading
“Keller referenced the Speech Act Theory as his basis for his view that words can’t just be analyzed for what they say but also for what they do.”
David Wheaton, host of The Christian Worldview, and Cameron Buettel of Grace To You discuss Buettel’s recent column on the ramifications of the Speech Act Theory on interpreting words. From TCW:
The reason the framers of The Statement on Social Justice and the Gospel wrote the document is spelled out in its Introduction: “We are deeply concerned that values borrowed from secular culture are currently undermining Scripture in the areas of race and ethnicity, manhood and womanhood, and human sexuality. The Bible’s teaching on each of these subjects is being challenged under the broad and somewhat nebulous rubric of concern for “social justice.” Continue reading
“For her article, Belz spoke with publishing industry insiders. She reported that one answer was better plagiarism detection software. My answer is to hold authors to a high standard. They should do their own work.”
(Warren Throckmorton) Judging by reaction to recent plagiarism cases, I don’t think plagiarism matters much to most Christians.
Of late, professor Aaron New has brought forward multiple clear examples of plagiarism involving Tim Clinton and the American Association of Christian Counseling. I have published most of them on this blog. The response has been interest from the Christian Post but other than that, a resounding yawn. … Continue reading
“When listening to Johnson’s sermon, one may get the impression that, for him, the bottom line isn’t orthodoxy vs. heresy. The line is not godliness vs. immorality. The issue for Johnson appears to boil down to one word: power.”
(Holly Pivec – Spirit of Error) “Eat the meat and spit out the bones” is a common refrain in NAR. Typically, it means that if you hear a teacher give a questionable teaching — something that you don’t understand or that seems off somehow — ignore that particular teaching. But don’t stop listening to his other teachings. Continue reading
Once again Ligonier Ministries has commissioned a survey to assess Americans’ theological understanding. The survey contains charts and some must-read information. One thing we learn from the survey is that most evangelicals strongly believe in justification by faith alone; however, “they are confused about the person of Jesus Christ. On one hand, virtually all evangelicals express support for Trinitarian doctrine. Yet at the same time, most agree that Jesus is the first and greatest being created by God, which was a view espoused by the ancient heretic Arius.”
Now to Ligonier’s survey: Continue reading