National Repentance or National Judgment which will it be?

In a previous post I mentioned that I consider Obama to be an enemy of the Cross of Christ. I consider him this for several reasons, but at the top of the list is his inability to take a clear stand as a Christian. What I mean is he says he is a Christian, but when interviewed about what that means he can not point to a clear point of faith. In fact what he does is say he is a Christian, Muslim, Jew, Hindu and Buddhist. Being a Christian is not a pot luck, but a feast celebrating the completed work of Christ on our behalf. A Christian can only be a Christian and nothing else. This post here explains a lot of the reasons why I feel that pointing out Obama’s lack of a true Christian faith makes him an enemy of Christ. Included in this is also his stand on and support of abortion on demand. This is a big issue with Christians and is not going to go away ever.

And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.  (1Ki 16:33)

Apparently it is possible to provoke God to anger, just what does one have to do to make God angry? Especially considering what the Psalmist King David had to say about God’s anger. The purpose I have here is in the form of a warning for America starting from the top to the least of our citizens. We are provoking the Lord to anger by our willful sinning.

The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.  (Psa 103:8)

David tells us that God is slow to anger, not that the Lord does not get angry. The Lord is merciful, gracious and loving, even willing to show mercy, but He can be provoked to anger. Ahab was a descendent of kings of Israel and hence a descendent of King David, but Ahab provoked the Lord God to anger. Ahab was the bad guy king of the nation of Israel in the Old Testament. What kinds of things did Ahab do to provoke the Lord to anger. First we are told that Ahab did evil in the sight of God, but much worst then that he did so more then all of those before him. It could be said that Ahab had so angered the Lord that judgement had become not a remote possibility, but a very urgent possibility.

And Ahab the son of Omri did evil in the sight of the LORD above all that were before him.  (1Ki 16:30)

Ahab, just as if it was not anything at all took to himself the daughter of one of the enemies of Israel. To top his sin off, he joined here church and worshipped her god.

And it came to pass, as if it had been a light thing for him to walk in the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, that he took to wife Jezebel the daughter of Ethbaal king of the Zidonians, and went and served Baal, and worshipped him.  (1Ki 16:31)

However, Ahab was not even content enough to be just a member of his wife’s church and religion, he became a contributor to their building plans.

And he reared up an altar for Baal in the house of Baal, which he had built in Samaria.  (1Ki 16:32)

Then he set to installing all of the idols into the place, the groves here were kind of like a sacred forest. More, like a place to go for pagan orgies and the sacrifice of children to this pagan church. He had finally provoked the Lord God of Israel in a way that none of the kings before him had been able to do.

And Ahab made a grove; and Ahab did more to provoke the LORD God of Israel to anger than all the kings of Israel that were before him.  (1Ki 16:33)

What was  completely wrong here was that Israel had come to a place that they no longer served and worshipped the Lord God alone. They had forsaken Him all together and turned to serving idols. America has been traveling a well worn path for the last 100 years or so. It has come to the place that now they have completely forsaken even the rudiments of the Christian faith and turned to worshipping at the altar of the modern form of Baal and Molech. America has chosen to sacrifice it’s unborn children to Molech and we do not even seem to care what is going to happen to us. Abortion is murder, but it is really much more then that it is human sacrifice on the altar of what is convenient. Humanism has led us down a trail from which the only salvation is for the Lord to judge America.

And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD.  (Lev 18:21)

There are going to be those who make the accusation that the Lord is loving and won’t judge America. You would be very wrong in that, because the Lord not only will judge America, but is doing it even as you read these words. Not only is God judging America because of the murder of the unborn children, but he is also doing it because of the mistaken idea that we should allow people to do anything they like, including homosexuality. Note these are the Lord’s Words and hence the Word of God and not mine. Any argument against what is said here is against what God says.

Thou shalt not lie with mankind, as with womankind: it is abomination.  (Lev 18:22)

We as a nation have lifted sex up to a place of worship. We as a nation worship at the altar of man’s sinful defiled nature. We worship sexual fornication of all types as a nation and have absolutely no remorse for our actions. How can we dare say that we as a people believe in God, when we won’t even obey Him. Maybe because Americans who claim to believe in God are not actually believers in the first place, but are worshippers of Baal and Molech.

Neither shalt thou lie with any beast to defile thyself therewith: neither shall any woman stand before a beast to lie down thereto: it is confusion.  (Lev 18:23)

The Lord’s promise is to cast out the nations who have defiled themselves after the manner of the pagan nations. This means America if we will not come to a place of national repentance. This means tearing down Roe vs Wade and abandoning the defense of gay rights at the highest levels. This means supporting the nation of Israel fully. This means listening to our national prophets instead of taping their mouths shut.

Defile not ye yourselves in any of these things: for in all these the nations are defiled which I cast out before you:  (Lev 18:24)

The Lord’s promise is to bring judgement on the nations. In fact, one only need to read through the book of Revelation to come to the conclusion that God is not only a God of love and always has been, but He is also Holy and a God of judgement on the nations. The land here was ancient Israel, but it can just as easily be America, our land has become defiled, it is no longer the great nation it was, but is now moving under the mighty hand of God as judge. Which will it be to take God as savior and Lord or remain in an unrepentant state and experience His wrath?

And the land is defiled: therefore I do visit the iniquity thereof upon it, and the land itself vomiteth out her inhabitants.  (Lev 18:25)

The rest of the context of Lev 18 is following this post. However, as a last part to this we need to take a further look at national repentance. This passage is often quoted by those who want to call America to prayer, but actually what this passage is saying is more about a change of direction, change of mind and change of attitude towards the Lord and the things of God.

If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land. (2Ch 7:14)

(1) called by the Lord’s name. In the Old Testament way of looking at this it was Israel, because that was who represented God in this world. Today, the Lord works through those who are real Christians and not just those who make a show at calling themselves Christian. What is meant here is those who God says are believers, not those who say or claim to be something they are not.

(2) true humility. Wow! We are probably the most unhumble people in history, we are “a cold, cruel, and hard hearted” people being led by a man who is a “a cold, cruel, and hard hearted man, a wolf in sheep’s clothing”. If ever a nation needed true humility we do

(3) real prayer, not what actually pass’s for prayer today. We have come to a place that we have national prayer meetings, which are just a farce. These are definitely not true prayer meetings, because true prayer meetings are those who are between true believers and their Holy God. Prayer can be a life changing experience or a fruitless effort from fruitless people.

(4) seeking God. Seeking out the Lord in prayer can only be done by one who really, really believes in the Lord in the first place. It is a lie that says God listens to the prayers of those who do not mean a single word they say. If you really do want to seek God out in prayer, then He has open arms to receive you. If you really want the Lord to change America, then you must seek Him out in faith and repentance.

(5) turn (repent) from wicked ways, which become recognized as the sin it is. This means to understand that our wicked ways are indeed rebellion against the Lord God. Out of repentance for our wicked ways as a people comes true Godly repentance. This is the sack cloth and ash’s of the old testament a true disdain for our actions and beliefs.

(6) receive forgiveness. The Lord will not forgive if there is no repentance, these two things are always connected in scripture, repentance and forgiveness.

(7) finally after all of this, then the Lord will heal our great land, but until this occurs America is still in the line to receive judgment. At this point in time it is obvious to me that we are not going to repent as a people. There are several things that are against us in this respect. Probably the most important problem lies in the White House. I am not suggesting that Obama is an adulterer, but his support for abortion is causing America to sin. Just substitute abortion for adultery and see what it sounds like.

When David committed adultery with Bathsheba, he thought that being the King could insulate him from the Lord’s judgment. The problem for David was that the Lord saw what the King did and then revealed it to a prophet of God. One of the most interesting encounters in the Old Testament was between David and the prophet Nathan. David had taken another mans wife and then had her husband murdered. For this sin, even with David’s repentance, the Lord judged the nation. This judgement was no light thing, but caused the death of many in Israel be fore God’s wrath was vented. Notice this judgement started at the top. For the full story go to 2 Samuel 12.

The true believer in Christ is found perfect in Christ positionaly, because Christ fulfilled the demands of the old testament ceremonial law. This are the statues having to do with offerings and sacrifices. The moral law or Decalogue also known as the ten commandments are just as applicable today as they are in the day into which they were written. They were not meant to be a means of salvation, but to point out the necessity of salvation. Christ paid for the penalty that goes with transgressing the moral law. Mankind needs to be saved by personal faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross, salvation is not offered in any other way to man, no other religion or philosophy can do this. So when the Lord God says we are to keep His statutes and judgements He meant that the abominations were wrong no mater what age in which they are committed.

Ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments, and shall not commit any of these abominations; neither any of your own nation, nor any stranger that sojourneth among you:  (Lev 18:26)

I think in a certain respect that the land we know as America has been damned simply because we have chosen to ignore the commandments of God. We have looked to find out ways to explain away our responsibility to live like God commands. In other words we have found ways around the thou shalt’s and the thou shalt not’s of the bible and some of them will not keep you away from the judgement to come. We are seeing all kinds of abominations happening all around us and do not seem to even bat an eye lash over it. The real big problem here is that we as believers have not made our final stand and until we do really stand up these are left to their devices. Do not get me wrong this does not mean that we should do anything at all to those who are in disobedience, but we can not tolerate silence on the part of the pulpits of America

(For all these abominations have the men of the land done, which were before you, and the land is defiled;)  (Lev 18:27)

Sin never goes un punished by the Lord ever, even if we think it does. A person can either have forgiveness through the gospel of Christ or stand before the judgement seat of God (also known as the great white throne). We use nice words to describe sin, but the Lord calls it an abomination, how dare we try to trump God.

That the land spue not you out also, when ye defile it, as it spued out the nations that were before you.  (Lev 18:28)

Ultimately the fact is that the Lord holds us accountable for our acts. It maters not what nation we are talking about the abominations mentioned in Lev. 18:27 are in violation of the Word of God. When a nation that was or is after the Judeo Christian ethos, does these abominable things today it really makes one want to ponder the following two verses. Especially when the Lord says that they are not to commit “any one of these abominable customs”, if this was written today certainly the author would have abortion in mind. Certainly God holds us responsible for what happens in our land and to our land.

For whosoever shall commit any of these abominations, even the souls that commit them shall be cut off from among their people.  (Lev 18:29)

Therefore shall ye keep mine ordinance, that ye commit not any one of these abominable customs, which were committed before you, and that ye defile not yourselves therein: I am the LORD your God.  (Lev 18:30)

Obey God and not man

“No totalitarian authority or authoritarian state can tolerate those who have an absolute by which to judge that state and its actions (Schaeffer, 26).”

The net result of a government that decides to dictate what it’s people are to say or believe is intolerance of those peoples words, values and faith. Real Christians have always had an absolute in God’s revelation. The scriptures are an absolute authority for all maters of faith and practice. So today when we judge our society for its actions and words we can do so on the basis of the inerrant Word of God. Mans word and our societies traditions are not on the same level as God’s Word. Further, when a government says that some people can have freedom to speak and have actions they desire, but other people are not allowed to speak in opposition to those, then that itself becomes intolerant. Faith in God’s word and translating into actions in our lives is not intolerant. If I have a choice between believing in the sovereign God of scripture or obedience to the constituted authority I will obey God every time.

Real freedom always has limitations, but those limitations need to be based on what God says in the Bible and not what we want to be able to do.

Is what the Bible says is true really true?

Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, ‘You shall not eat from any tree of the garden’?” (Genesis 3:1)

I Don’t Know What It Means, I Just Know You’re Wrong!

But in his book Velvet Elvis: Repainting The Christian Faith (VE) this is exactly what is being expressed in this quote below:

I was in an intense meeting with our church leaders in which we were discussing several passages in the Bible. One of the leaders was sharing her journey in trying to understand what the Bible teaches about the issue at hand and she said something like this: “I’ve spent a great deal of time recently studying this issue. I’ve read what the people on the one side of the issue say, and I’ve read what the people on the other side say. I’ve read the scholars and the theologians and all sorts of others on this subject. But then, in the end, I decided to get back to the Bible and just take it for what it really says.”

Now please understand that this way of thinking is prevalent in a lot of Christian churches,…but this view of the Bible is warped and toxic, to say the least… The assumption is that there is a way to read the Bible that is agenda—and perspective—free…This perspective is claiming that a person can simply read the Bible and do what it says—unaffected by any outside influences… When you hear people say they are just going to tell you what the Bible means, it is not true. They are telling you what they think it means.
(053, 054, emphasis his)

Let me bring to your attention that Emergent Church leader Rob Bell has actually introduced a key non-issue (aka red herring) into his attempt above to cloud what the historic orthodox Christian Church means by one of the Five Solas of the Protestant Reformation, namely sola Scriptura—“Scripture alone.” Note he says, “The assumption is that there is a way to read the Bible that is agenda—and perspective—free.” Yet no one is actually saying this at all. Everyone recognizes that as human beings we all have a level of “outside influences”. However, it’s critical to recognize here that Bell is now making a self-defeating statement because not being ”agenda—and perspective—free” would also include the very postmodern “perspective” of Rob Bell himself. So as he goes on and teaches using Scripture then Bell himself is only telling you what it is that he personally thinks the Bible means.

Rob Bell Clearly Denies The Doctrine Of Sola Scriptura

And that Bell is firmly against the Biblical truth expressed by the Reformers as sola Scriptura, which he is attacking in his VE, becomes crystal clear as Rob Bell goes on to tell us:

This [canon of the Bible was not settled until the 4th century] is part of the problem with continually insisting that one of the absolutes of the Christian faith must be a belief that “Scripture alone” is our guide. It sounds nice, but it is not true. In reaction to abuses by the church, a group of believers during a time called the Reformation claimed that we only need the authority of the Bible. But the problem is that we got the Bible from the church voting on what the Bible even is. (67, 68)

The following from Bob DeWaay in his Rob Bell’s Abstract “Elvis” A Critique of Velvet Elvis, which is a fine critique of this uber popular Emerging Church book at Critical Issues Commentary, clearly shows beyond a shadow of a doubt that Bell does deny sola Scriptura:

Bell claims that people in church history (he gives Luther as an example ) were involved in “rethinking.” I don’t deny that. But when he says that we have no objective means to determine whether Luther’s teachings or those of the Council of Trent are in closer agreement with the teachings revealed once for all in the Bible—there I strongly disagree. In fact Bell rejects “Scripture alone” on principle…

He thereby takes the same position that the Roman Catholic Church took against the Reformers: That since the Church (guided by the Holy Spirit) gave us the Bible, the Church (guided by the Holy Spirit) is authoritative over the Bible. Bell’s version simply expands that idea beyond Rome to any Christian group anywhere struggling with the meaning of the Bible. Rather than to rely on a grammatical/historical approach to determine the author’s meaning, he trusts that in some manner the Holy Spirit is “enlightening us.”

I believe that inspired, authoritative revelation was given once for all and is contained in the Scriptures. The Holy Spirit gave us the Bible by inspiring the Biblical authors, not by inspiring 4th century clerics. They merely recognized the evidence that pointed to the true apostolic source of writings Christians had cited as authoritative since the death of the apostles. Therefore revelation is not an ongoing process.

Bell, on the other hand, likens his view to the fluidity of jumping on a trampoline and calls the views of theologians like me, “brickianity.” This [brickianity] he claims is not good news but bad news about walls that keep people out. Incidentally, this brick wall metaphor is Bell’s way of repudiating systematic theology—a practice he shares with every Emergent/postmodern writer I have studied (which are many). (Online source)

Now we can return to what Bell has told us above in that no one can really know “what the Bible means”; and further, that people like me who would say that we can are only telling you what we “think it means.” Here a fundamental flaw in the false philosophy of postmodernism comes *ahem* emerging. Rob Bell is actually making a statement which he expects us to believe is true. But, in addition to simply telling us what he thinks, Bell’s problem is that if we can’t know for certain what is true in the Bible to begin with, then it also follows that we can’t really even know if his own view about Holy Scripture itself is true.

And so off we go through the Looking Glass along with good ol’ Alice into Wonderland where we’ll end up chasing rabbits down their holes. In truth Bell’s denial of sola Scriptura is really a very childish way to look at the Bible that God inspired. As Dr. John MacArthur has said of the Emerging Church, it’s not that the Bible isn’t clear; no, rather it’s that they don’t like what it clearly says. At Apprising Ministries we agree that this is precisely what we are dealing with false teachers like Rob Bell, who are now corrupting an entire generation with their counterfeit Christianity.

From where I stand they don’t like what the Creator has told us about our true human nature in the Bible, so they just attempt to deny the concept of an absolute meaning, period. And if you’d like to see this foolishness for what it really is then just imagine a “know-it-all” thirteen-year-old being told that they are not going to get their way. As soon as this fact finally cuts through all of their pouting then off they go storming away loudly stomping up the stairs to their room. There they slam shut the door and turn up the CD player in a vain attempt to drown out the mean old icky world. So recognize this tactic by Emergent Church teachers like Rob Bell when you see it: Yea, hath God said?

The Commandments to be a preacher?

The responsibilities that come with being a pastor are specifically spelled out in I Timothy 4:1–5. Today we see none of this in the purpose driven and seeker movement churches. It has all but completely disappeared. The result of this is that these are no longer churches, in fact these are really just social halls with a unique name, but they are not true churches.

I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom;
(2Ti 4:1)

First, the “charge” to a pastor/elder (bishop–this word is actually a phonetic rendering of the greek word, which really means elder) is to a spiritually mature male believer. This charge encompasses our relationship to God and to the Lord Jesus Christ. As an elder I am responsible before God and before my savior and will be held answerable before Him at the judgment. This being an elder is not to be taken lightly in any way. When a man who calls himself a pastor chooses to sell himself on EBAY I get really concerned about the message this is sending to real Christians.

Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.
(2Ti 4:2)

Preaching the Word of God is the pastors most visible irresponsibility, but that does not mean it is the only responsibility for the man of God. However, it is one that has been abandoned by many today who have set themselves behind the pulpit. These men have missed somewhere what it means to preach God’s word and instead have substituted there own ideas and methods.

They are to never drift away from the calling that God has given them and they should remain always at a heightened awareness of the work to which God has called him. He should be constantly wrapped up in the ministry of caring for his flock. Wholly involved with the care for his flock.

The pastor needs to be ministering to his flock, by pointing out errors, both those doctrinally as well as those spiritually. However, there is really a close relationship between doctrinal errors and spiritual errors, one flows naturally (sin) out of the other. Following close behind reproving (proving his flock again and then again) his flock is to be rebuking them and exhorting them to be more faithful to God’s word and the purity of life that it requires. Where has purity and holy living gone to in these wicked last days. The man of God needs to be patiently exhibiting constance in his life and to the lives of his congregation (flock). Notice that doctrine is mentioned here, it is the most important element of a pastor’s preaching if doctrine is missing, then the truth is also missing. The Word of God is our only source in matters of faith (doctrine) and practice (doctrine again). Not only is the bible authoritative in all matters of life it is also accurate as a history book as well.

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;
(2Ti 4:3)

We have finally reached a point of time in history where this part of a pastor’s calling is as important as it has ever been. This calling a pastor on how good he can talk or how entertaining he can be is completely un-scriptural and un-biblical. A pastor is not who we are going to church to listen to, but he is one who should be calling us to faith, worship, purity and holy living. Many out there in these days who call themselves Christians are not really Christians and never have been. They want a preacher to tell them it is “OK to be immoral”, “it is OK to be a homosexual”, but God does not call a pastor to preach about what is OK for us. He calls a pastor to tell us what is not OK for us, this is what reproving and rebuking is all about.

And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.
(2Ti 4:4)

The big problem today is that men do not want to hear the truth, but if some scientist somewhere seemingly proves that life began on the moon, then men will flock to that truth. However, the real truths of God’s Word have been turned into fairy tales (fables) and  these “fairy tales” make a mockery of God’s Word.

But watch thou in all things, endure afflictions, do the work of an evangelist, make full proof of thy ministry.
(2Ti 4:5)

A pastor is a man of God who has been called to watch over God’s flock which is a particular local church. If this means that he is to have afflictions and we do then he is to endure them with patience. A pastor is to be a soul winner and in so doing he is to put on trial his ministry and prove its worth.

None of these charges says a thing about innovations or selling your family on EBAY or having entertaining episodes in church. None of this validates a purpose driven church. None of this validates the seeker church. None of this validates most churches practices today. This includes most protestants and catholics there is none that are left out of this charge. A pastor must have a wife and family so that he can show others how to live. He is an example to the flock and he cannot be so if his life is messed up in anyway.

Bishop Eddie Long and Homosexuality?

from I am speaking the truth

It appears as though Eddie Long is doing what many (including his detractors) thought would NEVER happen…bend to the will of the homosexual lobby.

I must admit that I’m saddened by this apparent revelation. Sure, I have theological disagreements with Eddie Long because of his allegiance to the false prosperity gospel, his daft ability to twist scripture like an old pro, and his spawning of clones across the country.

Despite all of this, Eddie still stood firmly on the Word of God in reiterating that homosexuality is a sin that God will not ignore. He even led a march through downtown Atlanta in 2004 in support of heterosexual marriage.

Now, it appears that Eddie is bowing to pressure from the pro-gay lobby, has met the group Soulforce (a “gay christian” organization), and told Soulforce that there are “things about homosexuality that he needs to learn”.

So what is it that Eddie doesn’t “understand” about homosexuality? He’s been preaching against it all of his pastoral life, and he’s questioning scripture’s position regarding the subject now?

Our brother Pastor Foster over at Gay Christian Movement Watch first alerted us of this impending attempt of Soulforce to “dialogue” with Eddie last week (i.e. get him to see their point of view) (click here, here, here, and here for more details), and our brother Independent Conservative posted about it earlier this week as well.

You can see pictures of Soulforce’s visit with Eddie and his staff here, and you can read the article in a pro-gay newspaper that details the visit. Here’s an interesting quote from the article:

The meeting ended with Soulforce members offering to lead workshops at New Birth on human sexuality. Renee said the church is considering its options.

Homosexuality is a sin, and no “workshop on human sexuality” will change that fact. The Soulforce coalition seemed pretty happy to be at Club New Birth, but the CNB staff seemed elated for the opportunity to meet with them.

Unless this meeting was called to preach salvation and repentance from homosexual sin, it should’ve never been held (1 Corinthians 5). These Soulforce members have heard the truth, REJECTED IT, and “tweaked it” to fit THEIR AGENDA.

Let me be CRYSTAL CLEAR – God loves us even in our mess – and in turn, our love for Him and His truth means we must leave our mess behind. We are filthy rags, deserving eternal damnation apart from the redeeming Blood of Jesus Christ and the turning away from our flesh. This is an uncompromisable point. We can’t honestly serve a sinless Savior while holding onto the things that He hates!

I am not a “gay basher”, a homophobe, a “hater” or any other pejorative that will probably be hurled my way. I’m not perfect, nor will I try to reason the varying degrees of “sin”. I understand that many have been hurt through sexual molestation, and confused regarding same-sex attraction, etc. Homosexuality is a sin – and like every other unrepentant sin, it’s consequence is eternal separation from the Father. I stand on the Word of God, specifically:

• Genesis 19:1-13
• Leviticus 18:22
• Romans 1:24-27
• 1 Corinthians 6:9
• And much more…

Is there deliverance from homosexuality? ABSOLUTELY – 1 Corinthians 6:11 and 2 Corinthians 5:17 specifically speaks of deliverance over ANY SIN through salvation and faith in Jesus Christ.

Further, EVERY CHRISTIAN will struggle against sin – including sins of the flesh (Galatians 5:19-21). What separates us from the world, however, is that we always repent and turn back to God. You can’t be “gay” and call yourself a true Christian if you continue in homosexual sin – remember, 1 Corinthians 6:11 Paul said “you were (fill in the blank)”…meaning before sanctification through the Blood of Jesus.

You’re either “ex-gay” or an “ex-Christian”.

The truth hurts, and it could be considered “offensive” to anyone that it speaks against – BUT THAT DOES NOT NEGATE IT’S MERIT.

The bottom line is this – Eddie Long has just (apparently) lost the firm footing he had on scripture as it relates to this particular sin.

Should he have attempted to evangelize the Gospel truth to sinners? YES! Should he have entertained an audience of unrepentant sinners (and their partners) in an attempt to assuage scripture for their comfort? ABSOLUTELY NOT!

To all of the Eddie Long sympathizers that ignore EVERYTHING else he’s ever done, can you overlook this too?

In accordance to 2 John 1:10-11, I WILL NOTentertain comments from Soulforce sympathizers, anyone who wishes to argue about being “born gay”, or anyone attempting to defend this meeting.

It is what it is – if you disagree, then visit a blog that supports your assertions – I will stand on the uncompromised, immutable, irrefutable Word of God.

Just a nagging question?

What did evolutionists think was going to happen to society when they took the Bible and God out of it. Did they honestly think they were going to create a better society? Did they really think that this brave new world they envisioned would be a morally pure one? Did they even take into consideration the empact of leaving the Ten Commandments out would make men good?

The end of the road is now clearly in site of where we stand. Certainly God does have much to say about what we are doing today, but the real question is do we really care?

If you do not want to believe in God and be a through going athiest, then evolution is exactly what you want. It takes God completely out of the equation the net result is a Godless society with no real meaningful rules. No one to tell us we should not be acting this way or not. I am not alone in saying that you asked for a society with no moral rules, except those you like, this is exactly what you earned. No rules mean school shootings, skyrocketing crime rates, divorce at an all time high rate and of course then there is always the question of the moral morase brought to us by excepting homosexuals as just a different life style as opposed to being an abomination to God. These things have brought us to a cross roads of sorts, will we keep going down this road or can we change directions before it is eternally to late. You should have listened to one of your own prophets and taken a moment to meditate before you took this step.

PROFESSOR ADUOUS HUXLEY
“I have always been strongly in favor of secular education without theology, but I must confess that I have been no less seriously perplexed to know by what practical measures the religious feeling, which is the essential basis of moral conduct, is to be kept up in the present utterly chaotic state of opinion on these matters without the use of the Bible.”

There is Only One Faith and Doctrine

There is this persistent teaching today, that says Christians ought to open armed and acceptible to other religions. After all they say we really worship the same God and are brothers. Is this really true? There is also a practice of religion without Biblical authority. What this means is we no longer have to resort to scripture to tell us what to believe and how to live, just have faith in something and that is enough. Many seem to have little or no knowledge of the Bible the infallible book by which Christians in times long past have resorted to for a rule of life. Does the bible say that we can believe anything we want to and that God will accept it? Or is God a little bit more specific then that:

“Mat 10:35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. “

Our Lord said, that those who follow Him will find himself in disagreement with their own family. This is the beginning point of division becoming a believer a real believer in Christ it makes you a member of God’s family and sets you at variance not only with your own family, but humanity as a whole. The Bible is very specific as opposed to being very open minded about who has the right belief.

“(Mat 7:14) Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.”

The way to heaven is actually very narrow anything that suggests another way of making it to heaven is completely absent. If there had been more then one way to make it to heaven then the bible would have said something about it.

(Act 4:10) Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole.

(Act 4:11) This is the stone which was set at nought of you builders, which is become the head of the corner.

(Act 4:12) Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

(Act 4:13) Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were unlearned and ignorant men, they marvelled; and they took knowledge of them, that they had been with Jesus.”

In the scriptures instead of finding a very subjective man made faith we find just the opposite a very objective faith, based on a very select set of doctrine. The religious authorities of the Lord Jesus day put Him to death, because he preached a doctrine that was not the one they wanted to hear. That teaching was that men must believe in Jesus Christ or face judgement in front of God’s judgement seat in the future. There is no salvation and, that is what’s important, anywhere else but at the foot of the cross and the open tomb. Christianity is a propositional faith, based on the doctrine of scripture. The road that leaves from the cross is a very narrow one, with a very set faith in God’s inspired Word.

The testimony of the New Testament was that believers were marked as having been with Jesus. Once you have confessed Christ there is nothing else you need and you find that you must tell others about Him.

If this is devisive then so be it. If it is dangerous, then so be it. If it leads to martyrdom then so be it. I have known Him for better then 49 years and have never known Him to desert me. I will not back down on this.

What has brought me to this is the so called interfaith movement of Tony Blair. He has in effect called all true believers in Jesus Christ as being dangerous. That makes me dangerous, watch out maybe God will make you a believer, then you will also be dangerous. This is not the first time that it was dangerous to become a Christian, in fact it has always been dangerous, it demands a changed life and atitude.

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Psychology is Evolutions answer to confessing to God

“…..The Church needs to wake up too and stop integrating
and mixing the Gospel with the Religion of Psychology in its programs too!
You can not serve two masters! Choose today whom you will follow — the
Mighty Counselor and Intercessor, or your flawed psychotherapist as your
counselor! Psychology is based on myths while Paul in his Second Epistle to
Timothy said to turn aside from myths!” True Discernment

The psychologist has nothing to offer man, but the same old dead theories. It is still basically the humanists answer to church. The evolutionist theory is that man evolved from chemicals to higher life forms over eons of time. Since all man is is a bag of genes, then something must be done to keep the bag of genes from killing itself. They have no concept of sin and no concept of confessing your sins to God. In fact, they have no God, unless you call Darwin a god? Problem is that Darwin is answering to God for his own sin problem. Until man stops long enough to face God and admit that he is a sinner there is no hope. All hope is found in the person of Jesus Christ. What about you have you found hope? All you need to do is come to Christ He not only offers hope He is Hope.

Man’s basic problem is a sin problem. The answer to the sin question lies in the shed blood of Christ for the forgiveness of sin. When a person comes to Christ he or she is given a clean forgiven position in front of God, I should add that it is also permanent, that is it can not be lost. God’s answer in other words to mans sin problem is to offer salvation based on Christs, death, burial and resurrection. Have you believed in the Gospel of Christ and received Him as your personal Savior? This is where the confession comes into it:

“(Rom 10:9) That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
(Rom 10:10) For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.

Faith has to come both from the heart and the intellect. Confession, means to agree or to say the same thing. In this case confess means to agree with God’s estimate in Christ dying for your sins. The mouth is the vocal part of salvation, it is the part that echoes agreement with God. Faith has to come from the heart, which is in agreement with the Resurrection of Christ. The righteousness spoken of here is Christ’s righteousness which has been credited to your account before a Just and Holy God. What will it be, will you now acknowledge Him as your only Savior? Or do you want to keep going the way you are going? The broad road leads to death and judgement, then an eternity in hell. Remember Psychology does not have the answer, it only creates more questions and an empty heart, which is in rebellion against God.

Filled seats, but empty hearts and souls

Church is not about how many seats are full on any given Sunday morning. It is not how many you can claim filled the seats. Numbers are not the ultimate test, by which we test our ministries. In fact empty hearts and souls is a far more important concern. A congregation of 1,000, but 200 saved is not as good as a congregation of 200 with 175 saved.  Notice I have not said 200 with 200 saved, because not every one who is a member of our churches is really saved. There are those out there who do not realize they are not saved, but belong to Bible believing churches. There are also those out there who know they are not believers, but lie in wait to snatch up new believers.  Not just how many are saved, but how is their walk with Christ.

Is your pastor preparing you in a biblical and scriptural manner to face the world week by week? Is he faithfully preaching the text of scripture? We call this the exposition of scripture, not reading into it what you want it to say, but preaching what it says even if you do not like what it says. We use to say is the preacher stepping on your toes? If he is not doing this then he is not doing what he is supposed to do. Or are you going to church for the entertainment value, but if it is entertainment you want there are better places to go.

Church is for believers and the building them up in spiritual faith and practice. A pastor is in away kind of working himself out of a job, because he is an example to his flock, both in word and deed. This example should be creating a strong, sufficient and sustaining walk with God. Much like a parent does with a child you teach them to crawl, walk, stand and then run, plus somewhere in there you give them tools that make them better able to discern danger.

However, before you can be built up as a believer, first you must be a believer in Christ. Not just that he existed, but that He died for you, was buried in a tomb and was resurrected on the third day. If you believe this then right now as you read this tell God that you now believe that Jesus died for you and that you accept Him as your savior. Then go and find a church that will help you grow as a believer. If you need help in finding a church, please post a comment and I will help you.

Active Obedience

The Lord Jesus confronted the Pharisee’s and when He did they had this question to ask Him, in hopes that they could trip him.

“Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.” (Matt 22:36–40)

First where did Jesus get this from: ” And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might.”Deuteronomy 6:4-6

“Love ye therefore the stranger: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.”
Deuteronomy 10:18-20
What has gotten my attention is how simple this is and yet so profound. How easy it is, yet how so very hard it is. It is easy to love God, but is it? I don’t know about you, but with me the harder I try the more illusive it becomes. This is not to say that the Holy Spirit can’t bring this about in our lives, but that it is a daily exercise. To me the hard part is not the first of these, even as difficult as that can some times be knowing that we are prone to wander. The hard part is the second commandment. How do I love my neighbor when I do not even know my neighbor? How do I love my neighbor on the other side of the world, who I might even say I hate? There are those in this world who are almost impossible to love. Impossible or not we are still commanded to love our neighbor even if our neighbor happens to be an enemy. The commandment in Galatians 6:10 “As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith.” This is what got to me how do I love my enemies when they are not very lovely? How do I love the Muslim, when they say and do so many terrible things? I found that our Lord was very specific with the Pharisee in that he corrected their error. They said to love their neighbor, but hate their enemy. Jesus said yes love your neighbor, but also love your enemy. Jesus took time to answer the serious, real questions of a Pharisee by the name of Nicodemus. You know this can actually be life changing. This is called active obedience to Christ and cannot be accomplished without the work of the Holy Spirit.