38 Pilate *said to Him, “What is truth?” And when he had said this, he went out again to the Jews and *said to them, “I find no guilt in Him. John 18:38 (LSB) 

I just did a quick inventory of the number of books in my personal library that were from Dr. John MacArthur. I counted 13 books which included two John MacArthur NASB Study Bibles. One is much older than the other. A few of these books were gifts, but most were ones I bought myself. One of those was his book The Truth War. Al Mohler wrote a short review of this book that is on the back cover, which I have transcribed below. Continue reading →

There is a myth in our time that has deceived untold numbers of professing Christians. The deceived have believed the lie that Christians are not to confront and rebuke false teachers nor preach or teach anything that has the potential to cause division within the visible Church. The visible Church contains the churches we see all across this globe. This would include denominations and local churches and ministries that we can see visually and of which we can partake. The invisible Church is made up of the elect. This is the true Church of genuine believers. It is within the visible Church. Therefore, the visible Church contains both genuine believers and professing believers who are not genuine. Continue reading →

18 And do not become drunk with wine in which is dissipation, but be filled by the Spirit, (Ephesians 5:18 translated from the NA28 Greek text to English)

What does it mean for a Christian to be “filled” by the Holy Spirit? In my translation above the preposition “by” renders the Greek word ἐν (en), “in, with, by, among, at, on, when, to, as, for, through, while, within, of, about, into, because, during, throughout, before, under.” Why did I render it as “by” instead of “with?” As Louis Sperry Chafer said, “It is not a matter of acquiring more of the Spirit, but rather of the Spirit of God acquiring all of the individual.”… Continue reading →

14 I am that good shepherd, and know mine, and am known of mine. 15 As the Father knoweth me, so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for my sheep.16 Other sheep I have also, which are not of this fold: them also must I bring, and they shall hear my voice: and there shall be one sheepfold, and one shepherd. John 10:14-16 (1599 Geneva Bible)

When those of us who came from an Arminian or Free Will background come to grips with the reality of God’s Sovereignty, it is amazing how we struggle with letting go of the responsibility to “earn” our salvation. Of course, part of that struggle is rooted in the misconception that “election” happens at salvation. Ephesians 1 makes it clear, however, that God chose His elect before the foundation of the world. An honest reading of that wonderful letter by the Apostle Paul shows us that God’s people are His in completion even though many of them have not yet believed and repented. They are our Lord’s sheep. Continue reading →

35 But someone will say, “How are the dead raised? And with what kind of body do they come?” 1 Corinthians 15:35 (LSB) 

I am posting this in light of two things. Today we celebrated Memorial Day and my family and I went to Purcell, Oklahoma Hillside Cemetery to decorate the graves of my grandparents on both sides of my family and the graves of my mother and father. My grandfather Ratliff was born in 1877 and was a settler in Oklahoma as it was opened up during the land runs in the 1880’s. Of course it was his father, Robert Ratliff, who was in charge of that, but I was born in 1951 long after all of those events and so the man I knew as my grandfather was a very old man highly revered by everyone and I was a bit intimidated by him. He was a Baptist minister and evangelist. My grandmother Ratliff was a Choctaw…. Continue reading →

6 In this you greatly rejoice, for a little while now, if it is necessary, having been grieved by various trials, 7 that the tested genuineness of you faith—infinitely more valuable than gold that perishes even though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 1 Peter 1:6.7 (translated from the NA28 Greek text to English)

There are some who insist that the doctrine of imputation will create antinomianism because we will not “work out our salvation,” since we have been declared righteous, we can live any way we want. However, that “charge” is unbiblical for another very large and important doctrine, the doctrine of regeneration…. Continue reading →

¹⁹ “Do not store up for yourselves treasures upon the earth where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal.  ²⁰ But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in nor steal;  ²¹ for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” ²² “The eye of the body is the eye. If, therefore, your eye is healthy, your whole body will be enlightened.  ²³ But if your eye is evil, your whole body will be full of darkness. If, therefore, the light in you is darkness, how great is the darkness!” ²⁴ “No one is able to serve two masters; for either the one he will hate and the other he will love, or one he will hold to and the other he will despise. You are not able to serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:19-24 translated from the NA28 Greek text)

Our Lord Jesus was the most powerful and best expositor of God’s Word that believers have ever had. He spoke only the truth and he never taught anything from any motive other than that which is the will of God. We are to follow his example in every part of our lives…. Continue reading →

14 But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. 15 But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. 16 For who has known the mind of the Lord, that he will instruct Him? But we have the mind of Christ. 1 Corinthians 2:14-16 (NASB) 

In our continued look at the growing apostasy within evangelicalism, the more we dig, the more we are finding that those whom we have been suspecting of compromise for some time now, actually have been on that path longer than we suspected…. Continue reading →

7 Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap. 8 For the one who sows to his own flesh will from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit will from the Spirit reap eternal life. 9 Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we will reap if we do not grow weary. 10 So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith. Galatians 6:7-10 (NASB) 

Repentance is not a large part of the paradigm that is the 21^st Century version of the visible Church. The current trend to build Mega-Churches has as one of its main tenets that the prevailing culture within which the church resides must determine the content of the Gospel…. Continue reading →

12 Now therefore as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on the bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering: 13 Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel to another: even as Christ forgave, even so do ye. 14 And above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfectness. 15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which ye are called in one body, and be ye thankful:  Colossians 3:12-17 (1599 Geneva Bible) Read verses 16-17 on the site.

The number one accusation thrown at those who take up the armor of God and use it in the battle as they are called to do, is that they are full of pride. Those who use this fiery dart are equating certainty with pride. Extra-biblical revelation should not be used in the battle by God’s warriors. Instead, the source of truth that is used is the sword of the Spirit itself, the Word of God. Experience is extra-biblical…. Continue reading →