Soli Deo Gloria

“For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds.”

Titus 2:11-14

Scripture

In the reformed circles it is not uncommon to be talking with friends and have a focus on great men of the word such as Piper, MacArthur, Washer, etc. While there is absolutely nothing wrong with this admiration there is a great danger in allowing these men to become as Dan Phillips writes, “paper pastors”. Dan, over at Team Pyro, has written an outstanding article on the importance of understanding the importance of our local church pastor and to have a healthy understanding of the impact that pastors of other churches who write great books and are in the public spotlight can have on Christians – especially new ones. When it comes to the reality of life, sin and church discipline there is no replacement for your home church pastor! Kudos to Dan for writing a timely and important article.

“Their real pastor isn’t you. It’s Dave Hunt. Or it’s John Piper. Or it’s John MacArthur, or Ligon Duncan, or Mark Dever, or David Cloud, or Joel Osteen. Or it’s Charles Spurgeon, or D. M. Lloyd-Jones, or J. C. Ryle. Or Calvin, or Luther, or Bahnsen, or de Mar, or R. B. Thieme, or J. Vernon McGee.” – Dan Phillips

Please take a moment to read Dan’s article over at Team Pyro…

Rants, The Church

Dr. John MacArthur provides a much needed and powerful article on the trend in American evangelicalism to lower ourselves to the standards of the world when it comes to an obsession with sex.

Head over to Shepherd’s Fellowship to read it …

Culture, The Church

Understanding “Once Saved Always Saved”

This term has been misused by folks in thinking that once you pray a prayer or walk an isle you are “in the club” and you quite simply cannot lose your salvation.  The key to understanding this statement is to understand where the term came from.  The early reformers had a series of statements about the doctrines of grace and one of those statements was called “perseverance of the saints”.  This statement affirmed the Biblical truths that someone who is truly saved cannot lose their salvation.  The reason?  The reformers rightly understood that before we are saved we are dead in our sins (Ephesians 2:1) and a dead person can no more respond to the gospel than a corpse can talk.  It takes a supernatural work of God to cause a sinner to be born again, or “born from above” in order for that dead person to be able to respond to the gospel call. The Westminster Confession of Faith rightly states, “They, whom God hath accepted in his Beloved, effectually called, and sanctified by his Spirit, can neither totally nor finally fall away from the state of grace, but shall certainly persevere therein to the end, and be eternally saved.”   Jesus clearly taught that one must be born again before they can enter the kingdom of heaven.  God causes spiritual rebirth as a gracious, sovereign choice. So the reformers understanding was very Biblical in that they taught that a true believer is kept by God and that believer will persevere because the Holy Spirit will cause that person to continue in the faith even amongst the strongest persecution and temptation.

Read more…

Bible Studies, The Gospel, Theology

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes.” Romans 1:16

How you read Romans 1:16 tells a lot about you. Which of the following best resembles how you interpret the text?

1. Christian
For I am not ashamed of the gospel (the death burial and resurrection of our Lord and Savior), for it (the preaching of that gospel and absolutely nothing else) is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes (not a superficial shallow mental ascent, but a complete dependence and trust upon Christ)

2. Charismaniac
For I am not ashamed of the gifts of the spirit, for they are proof of the power of God and proof of your salvation to everyone who believes…

3. Word of Faith Charismaniac
For I am not ashamed of pleading for money, for sowing your faith seed offering is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes…

4. Roman Catholic
For I am not ashamed of Mary, the Pope, and the Mother Church, for they are the power of God and the only way to salvation to everyone who believes and receives the sacraments, attends meritorious masses, is baptized, keeps the law, does good works, purchases indulgences, endures purgatory, etc…

5. Jehovah’s Witness
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of the New Earth that we peddle door to door, for the Watchtower is the only ones who speak for God and is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes and exhaustively works their tails off for the Watchtower almost every waking hour of the day for their entire life to obtain Jehovah’s favor, which is not guaranteed…

6. Mormon
For I am not ashamed of the restored gospel, even though I am ashamed and embarrassed about our church history and the things our church prophets have said (that was just their opinion and they were not speaking for God when they said all those awful things) for the Melchizadek Priesthood which only we have is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes and follows the following conditions as outlined in Gospel Principles pages 303-304 (1997 edition): 1.) We must be baptized and confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ. 2.) We must receive the laying on of hands for the gift of the Holy Ghost. 3.) We must receive the temple endowment. 4.) We must be married for time and eternity.In addition to receiving the required ordinances, the Lord commands all of us to– 1. Love and worship God. 2. Love our neighbor. 3. Repent of our wrongdoings. 4. Live the law of chastity. 5. Pay honest tithes and offerings. 6. Be honest in our dealings with others and with the Lord. 7. Speak the truth always. 8. Obey the Word of Wisdom. 9. Search out our kindred dead and perform the saving ordinances of the gospel for them. 10. Keep the Sabbath day holy. 11. Attend our Church meetings as regularly as possible so we can renew our baptismal covenants by partaking of the sacrament. 12. Love our family members and strengthen them in the ways of the Lord. 13. Have family and individual prayers every day. 14. Honor our parents. 15. Teach the gospel to others by word and example. 16. Study the scriptures. 17. Listen to and obey the inspired words of the prophets of the Lord. Finally, each of us needs to receive the Holy Ghost and learn to follow his direction in our individual lives.

7. Universalist Unitarian
For I am not ashamed of the value found in all religions regardless of whether or not they conflict with one another on core issues , for whatever truth is for you, it is the power of God, gods, goddess, no god, or whatever you believe for a better world to everyone who believes or chooses not to believe.

8. Seeker-Friendly
For I am not ashamed of shameless church marketing, for the end justifies the means and pragmatism is the power of God for filling seats on Sundays to watch our awesome worship rock band followed by our hip and and oh, so cool pastor and we’re also giving away free gas cards to everyone who attends our local campus.

9. Liberal
For I am not ashamed of supporting any socialist cause or liberal issue, for a woman’s right to choose and a homosexual’s right to marry is the power of self-empowerment for salvation from the oppressive chains that the white, Anglo-Saxon, Capitalist, fascists have placed on the backs of everyone in this nation.

10. Emergent / Emerging
Romans? Is that in the Bible?

HT: Defending Contending

Apostasy & Heresy, Culture, The Church, The Gospel

Every Christian, especially evangelical pastors, should listen carefully to this sermon. Brother Washer speaks the truth in this passionate call for the American church to wake up.  What a wonderful sermon to take the time to watch on this Reformation Day.

I’ve heard people complain that this sermon is too long. Tally up the time we spend in front of a movie screen or television set and then compare that to the time we give to God in hearing the preaching of His living Word.

Apostasy & Heresy, Evangelism, Preaching, The Church, The Gospel

Do you see the lack of morality in people who call themselves Christians?  Do you see open and unrepentant sin among many people who are members of your church?  Why do we see people join a church but they soon stop attending any services? What are we to do, and is there anything we can do?  Have you always been told that the Bible says for you not to judge?  If the Bible says not to judge, then what is all the talk lately about church discipline?

Holly Ridge Baptist Church will have Jeff Noblit speak on church discipline.  This is a must hear.  Visit Holly Ridge Baptist Church’s site to learn more about this conference and to register online.

For more information on Jeff Noblit, visit Anchored in Truth.

Bible Studies, Preaching, The Church, Web Resources

Today’s presentation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ is so watered down, so un-biblical that it is absolutely no wonder that the majority of the American church is filled with unregenerate membership.  I am appalled at the “gospel” presentations I hear in churches today.  In fact, many don’t even preach the gospel and those that do have turned the true Biblical gospel into a feel good, ask Jesus into your heart, make a quick decision false gospel that is giving false assurance and hope to people who make a profession of faith and have absolute no changed life.  Repentance has all but been banned from most gospel presentations.

Here, we have a short but very powerful audio presentation by Paul Washer on the error of the modern gospel call…

Preaching, The Church, The Gospel

From Gospel for Asia:

“India is in a scary situation,” says Gospel for Asia President K.P. Yohannan. “While violence continues in Orissa, on India’s east coast, anti-Christian extremists have unleashed another wave of attacks on Christians in Karnataka, a state on India’s west coast.

“At the same time, churches are under attack in Jharkand and other states, and Muslim extremists have set off bombs in Delhi.

“But we know that, in the end, the future is bright, because Jesus is with His church.”

On Sunday, Hindu mobs rushed into churches and prayer centers of many different denominations in Karnataka, attacking Christians during their times of worship. The extremists then destroyed the church buildings and their properties. At least 11 churches were destroyed, including at least one led by Gospel for Asia missionaries.

Christians responded with protest rallies, and more than 60 extremists have been detained by authorities as a result of Sunday’s attacks.

“What we saw in Orissa was a well thought-out and detailed agenda to eradicate Christians from the state,” said Dr. Yohannan. “As you can see, the same pattern is being followed in Karnataka. It is well planned and orchestrated by Hindu radicals.”

Read the rest of this article over at Gospel for Asia and remember to keep those who are dying for their faith in Jesus Christ in your prayers.

Evangelism, Prayer Requests, The Church, The Gospel

Today I was talking on the phone with a friend of mine about something we both desire to see in those we teach and preach to – a passion for God’s Word.  We were talking about how some Christians seem to have no desire to read the Bible.  Beyond the possibility that true regeneration may be the issue, it got me thinking about how God’s Word is approached in most of the American church today.

The Word of God well understood and religiously obeyed is the shortest route to spiritual perfection. And we must not select a few favorite passages to the exclusion of others. Nothing less than a whole Bible can make a whole Christian. –AW. Tozer

I believe there is a two fold problem within the church visible today – almost exclusively in America.  First and foremost is a departure from good, solid Biblical preaching and teaching.  Think about it.  If congregations rarely see the church proclaiming God’s Word with boldness and fire then why should they read it?  Most churches today are comprised of a few entertaining “worship” songs and a twenty minute sermon on your best life now where if any Scripture is used it is often twisted beyond recognition.  The issue at hand is that while most churches herald their belief that Scripture is inerrant and infallible they deny the functional authority of Scripture by their actions.  Many in the church today sit through nothing more than a pep talk on Sunday morning then they go off to a Sunday school class that focuses more on a curriculum than God’s Word.  Those two factors alone demonstrate a lack of trust in the functional authority of Scripture.  Expositional preaching and teaching is what we need to begin the process of instilling a passion for God’s Word in the lives of people.  Of course, without regeneration the desire to read God’s Word, obey it and desire to be conformed into the image of Christ is lacking.  But maybe that is the problem – without the preaching and teaching of the full counsel of God’s Word we’re packing the pews of many churches with unregenerate people who are being told they are saved all-the-while without a passion for holiness, a passion to know God and obey Him through His Word and without a passion for conformity to Christ-likeness.  So, here is definitely one reason there is a lack of passion for God’s Word in the church today – namely the church is not heralding the functional authority of Scripture as evidenced by the actions and dependency on “method” and “curriculum”.

Secondly, I believe that without holiness and a genuine regeneration by the Holy Spirit (which happens through hearing the full counsel of God’s Word – the Gospel of Jesus Christ) the majority of people who line church pews today hear one thing coming out of the mouths of preachers, teachers and other Christians and then see with their eyes lives that are lived in contradiction to the Word of God.  For example, look at the rows and rows of “self help” and psycho-pop books that line the shelves of “Christian” bookstores today.  It’s as if we’re telling everyone the Bible’s either not good enough or cannot be used for today’s situations in our lives.  Right there we have a clear indication of the lack of dependancy on the functional authority of Scripture even while proclaiming inerrancy and infallibility.

Bottom line, a passion for God’s Word first and foremost comes from our Almight God taking a heart of stone and turning it into a heart of flesh, opening the eyes of a sinner to their depravity and granting them saving repentance and faith.  Through that miracle transformation comes a new creature.  This new man, indwelt by the Spirit of Christ, yearns and longs for the solid food of God’s Word.  He yearns and longs to obey God – to not just be a hearer of the Word but a doer.  Yes, we fall.  Yes, we have seasons of spiritual dryness but the Holy Spirit convicts us and brings us through a continual state of synergistic sanctification conforming us more and more into the image of Jesus Christ.  So we must start with true regeneration and that happens when the glorious gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is proclaimed with power and boldness to soil prepared by God.  It all gets back to the church needing desperately to return to the Bible – to the Christ exalting Words of Holy Writ.  When true regenerated Christians get together they yearn to talk about the things of God.  This passion alone can be seen by others and the trust, dependancy and obedience to God’s written Word becomes a living example to light the fire of passion for others.  We need leaders in the church today to boldly proclaim the Word of God – all of it!

Bible Studies, Culture, The Church

“If you are a lost unregenerate Hell bound church member, then you will need all sorts of things to motivate you for the Christian life, you’ll need to go to a church where it’s like a six-flags over Jesus, they have every sort of thing you can imagine to keep you entertained. They have program after program after program because they got to keep the machine going because the building cost a lot of money. And they gotta introduce and embrace every fad that comes down the pike, church growth this, church growth that, my goodness how did the apostle Paul ever start a church? You have to be sensitive to culture, this generation, that generation, the x-y-z generation, every generation and you have to know everything, NO! It’s all a bunch of little boys trying to play men of God without the scripture is what it is and they’ve got to build something on something other than scripture because they don’t have scripture nor the power of God.”
- Paul Washer

The Church