Pietism

Pastor Bob DeWaay over at Critical Issues Commentary has written a great article on the dangers of Pietism and how Christians are deceived by it's various forms. This is a must read for every Christian and especially new believers in Christ.

Paul calls this approach “self-made religion” which is exactly what all forms of pietism are. They all suggest that having been converted by the Lord through the cross and practicing His ordained means of grace by faith are inadequate. They have discovered a better way that leads to a higher order experience. Paul says they have “the appearance of wisdom.”

Religion of Monsters

From the year 500 to 1500 roughly, is the period known as the Dark Ages during that period guess who ruled the western world? The Church, the Holy Roman Catholic Church ruled the world yet it is called the Dark Ages. It is estimated that millions of Christians died for their faith during the Dark Ages at the hands of the Papacy. Here are just a few quotes from historical Christians on the subject of the Pope and the Papacy.

"We here are of the conviction that the Papacy is the seat of the true and real Antichrist. I owe the Pope no other obedience than that I owe to Antichrist." —Martin Luther (1483-1546)

"The Papacy is the very Antichrist, the Pope being the son of perdition of whom Paul speaks." —John Knox (1505-1572)

"The oracles of God foretold the rising of an Antichrist in the Christian church. And in the Pope of Rome, all the characteristics of that Antichrist are so marvelously answered that if any who read the scriptures do not see it, there is a marvelous blindness on them." —Cotton Mather (1663–1728)

"It is the bound and duty of every Christian to pray against this Antichrist and as to what Antichrist is no sane man ought to raise a question. If it be not the popery in the church of Rome, there’s nothing in the world that can be called by that name." —Charles Spurgeon (1834-1892)

"As a nation, what have we done? We have cherished in our bosoms the serpent Popery; and it is at the present moment endeavouring to sting us to death." —William Howels (1778-1832)

"Wherefore, my beloved, flee from Idolatry, flee from Popery; take heed of that Religion that brings forth so many Monsters." —Thomas Watson (1515-1584)

"The church of England is the creature of the bishops, the bishops derive their authority from the pope, and the authority of the pope has come from the devil." —John Lilburne (1614-1657)

"Some persons think us too severe and censorious when we call the Pontiff Antichrist, but those who are of this opinion do not consider that they bring the same charge of presumption against Paul himself after whom we speak and whose language we adopt. I shall briefly show that Paul’s words in 2 Thessalonians 2 are not capable of any other interpretation than that which implies them to the Papacy." —John Calvin (1509-1564)

"There is no other head of the church but the Lord Jesus Christ, nor can the Pope of Rome in any sense be head thereof, but is that Antichrist, that man of sin and son of perdition that exalted himself in the church against Christ and all that is called God." —The Westminster Confession, 1647

"Dost thou hear me, pope of Rome? Thou art the greatest sinner of all: thy throne is not suspended from heaven, but fixed to the gate of hell. Who gave thee power to set thyself above thy God, and trample under feet His precepts and commandments?" —Martin Luther (1483-1546)

The Doctrine of Grace

The Bible clearly teaches that Christians are saved by grace. But what does this mean? What is the Doctrine of Grace and does the five points of Calvinism actually teach the Bibilcal Doctrine of Grace? I would like to let Dr. Arturo Azurdia III present the Doctrine of Grace in his T.U.L.I.P. series.

Total Depravity - Download MP3
Unconditional Election - Download MP3
Limited Atonement - Download MP3
Irresistible Grace - Download MP3
Perseverance of the Saints - Download MP3

Quote of the Day

"Neither the acts of love, or zeal, or repentance, or fear, or worship, or any other acts of obedience, are appointed as the means of our justification, because these actions carry in them an appearance of our doing something for God, our answering the demands of some law; and this would make our justification by a law of works: but faith is that act of soul whereby we renounce our own works as the ground of our acceptance; acknowledging our own unworthiness, and giving the entire honour to Divine grace. We are saved by grace, that God may have the glory of all." —Isaac Watts (1674-1746)

What Is Biblical Repentance

In a recent conversation the subject of what is Biblical Repentance came up and so I embarked to learn just what is true Repentance from a Biblical perspective and was lead to an article by John MacArthur titled "What Is Biblical Repentance?" you can follow the link to read the whole article.

Repentance is not just a change of mind; it is a change of heart. It is a spiritual turning, a total about-face. Repentance in the context of the new birth means turning from sin to the Savior. It is an inward response, not external activity, but its fruit will be evident in the true believer’s behavior ( Luke 3:8 ).

Law and Gospel

The law saith, "Thou art a sinner, and therefore thou shalt be damned," Rom. 7:2. 2 Thess. 2:12.

But the gospel saith, No, "Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners;" and therefore "believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved," 1 Tim. 1:15. Acts 16:31.

Again the law saith, "Knowest thou not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God: be not deceived," 1 Cor. 6:9. And therefore thou being a sinner, and not righteous, shalt not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the gospel saith, "God hath made Christ to be sin for thee, who knew no sin; that thou mightest be made the righteousness of God in him who is THE LORD THY RIGHTEOUSNESS, Jer. 23:6.

Again the law saith, "Pay me that which thou owest me, or else I will cast thee into prison," Matt. 18:28, 30.

But the gospel saith, "Christ gave himself a ransom for thee," 1 Tim. 2:6. "And so is made redemption unto thee," 1 Cor. 1:30.

Again the law saith, "Thou hast not continued in all that I require of thee, and therefore art accursed," Deut. 27:6.

But the gospel saith, "Christ hath redeemed thee from the curse of the law, being made a curse for thee," Gal. 3:13.

Again the law saith, "Thou art become guilty before God, and therefore thou shalt not escape the judgment of God, Rom. 3:19. and 2:3.

But the gospel saith, "The Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment to the Son," John 5:12.

Excerpted from "The Marrow of Modern Divinity",. By Edward Fisher published 1830

Election and Evangelism

Less-Than Prime!!!

This is an excerpt from an actual e-mail I received from a seeker-sensitive church. (Names have been changed).

Hello Church Family and Friends
On Easter Sunday, we'll have services at our normal times: 8:00, 9:30, and 11:00 am with preschool activities during each service. Services will be held in our brand new 900 seat auditorium with an overflow option at the 9:30 service in "the Chapel (our former worship center)." Worship service will be led by the "Worship Band" with a special guest. While our new worship center will provide room for many more people, we still invite our regular attendees to arrive early for a bad parking spot and a less-than-prime seat. We're praying for a very large crowd on Easter with many guests. Since we "exist for non-members", please consider saving the best parking spot and seats for our guests (non-members) by parking in the more distant spaces and making sure guests don't have to sit in the overflow area. We are also providing a new opportunity for those not already involved in a small group to meet new people and find community in an exciting new environment. At 11:00 am in the Chapel, Dr. Smith will facilitate a discussion about Sunday morning's message.

What is Faith?

On this weeks broadcast of the White Horse Inn, the hosts discuss the crucial question of "What is Faith" as they continue their series "A Time for Truth". I found this to be such a refreshing look at what a biblicial deffinition of faith truly is. You can download this show here-->( Download )

One must not imagine that the Christian faith is a bare and mere knowledge of God or an understanding of the Scripture which flutters in the brain without touching the heart, as it is usually the case with the opinion about things which are confirmed by some probable reason. But faith is a firm and solid confidence of the heart, by means of which we rest surely in the mercy of God which is promised to us through the Gospel. For thus the definition of faith must be taken from the substance of the promise. Faith rests so much on this foundation that, if the latter be taken away, faith would collapse at once, or, rather, vanish away. Hence, when the Lord presents to us his mercy through the promise of the Gospel, if we certainly and without hesitation trust him who made the promise, we are said to apprehend His Word through faith. And this definition is not different from that of the apostle (Heb. 11:1) in which he teaches that faith is the certainty of the things not apparent; for he means a sure and secure possession of the things that God promises, and an evidence of the things that are not apparent, that is to say, the life eternal. And this we conceive through confidence in the divine goodness which is offered to us through the Gospel. Now, since all the promises of God are gathered together and confirmed in Christ, and are, so to speak, kept and accomplished in Him, it appears without doubt that Christ is the perpetual object of faith. And that object, faith contemplates all the riches of the divine mercy. —John Calvin (1509-1564)

Excerpt taken from the "Instruction in Faith" (1537) by John Calvin

Tithe or Give?

I know there are many, many preachers that advocate the tithe as a required duty of a Christian and in doing so I believe they bring undue guilt, burden, and grief upon their congregations. I know there are many who will disagree with me and some Christians that would even go so far as to say that those who do not give the ten percent as commanded by God in the Old Testament, but rather, give as they feel led to give by the Spirit, are not of Christ or are at best disobedient Christians.

But the questions I put before you is, since the tithe was instituted under the Old Mosaic Law which was given to God's people, is it to be kept, while all the other Laws are not? If the Law of Moses is a commandment to be kept for tithing, then are we not still required to keep the whole Law according to the Word of God? That would include the food Laws, clothing Laws, circumcision on the eighth day, the stoning of sinners caught in the act, the fasting Laws and animal sacrifices for the sins of the people. Well, how you doing so far? Hello!

Do you truly believe that ten percent is enough to give God after all he has given you? Do you really think that ten percent of all you have is enough to thank God for given His Son for you on the Cross? Shouldn't we truly lay face down on the alter every week with 100% of what God has given us as an attitude of thankfulness? If giving ten percent is a requirement for Christians to keep, then it is nothing short of another punch in their ticket of salvation by works, and the danger of becoming a cold heartless Pharisee is ever so near. Give abundantly, give cheerfully, give as it has been given unto you, give as you are lead to give and let God be the judge of the heart, for to tithe is lawful but to give is graceful.

Galatians 3:10 "For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them."

Galatians 3:23 "But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed."

Galatians 4:4-5 "But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons."

Galatians 5:18 'But if ye be led of the Spirit, ye are not under the law."

Recommended reading "A Biblical Model for Giving, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4 and The Truth about Tithing.

Quote of the Day

"Unless we refer everything to Christ, we shall never be able to understand the true sense of the Bible, and we shall make idols of ourselves, ascribing to our own strength and merit that which is to be sought in Jesus Christ alone." —Rodolphus Gualter (1519-1586)

Pilgrim Radio

I wanted to introduce you to a great source of spiritual growth, and Christian learning. It's Pilgrim Radio out of Carson City, Nevada and it is proven to be an invaluable resource to many believers with sound Biblical teachings and Godly music that is Christ-centered. If your sick of the seeker-driven "christian" radio stations that flood the airwaves, then try this station.

American Christianity

"There are only two things that can save American Christianity. One of two things. A complete reformation in how we teach, how we preach, and how we study the Word of God. Or horrible, intense persecution." - Paul Washer

Error in the Pulpit

"If you have someone in your church who is teaching error, you cannot have unity with that individual." —John MacArthur

The quote above by Dr. John MacArthur is such a refreshing statement which I believe many church's today really need to hear, my question is what does one do when the individual teaching error stands in the pulpit every Sunday?

Playground or Battleground?

I don't remember where I first saw this quote but I just had to place it here. It is a quote by A. W. Tozer and it is probably more true of today than it was in Tozer's day.

"The idea that this world is a playground instead of a battleground has now been accepted in practice by the vast majority of fundamentalist Christians. They might hedge around the question if they were asked bluntly to declare their positions, but their conduct gives them away. They are facing both ways, enjoying Christ and the world, gleefully telling everyone that accepting Jesus does not require them to give up their fun—Christianity is just the jolliest thing imaginable. The ‘worship’ growing out of such a view of life is as far off center as the view itself—a sort of sanctified nightclub without the champagne and the dressed-up drunks.

I cannot accept with sympathy the idea that we go to church to soothe ourselves and calm our spirits. We do calm our spirits and there is a soothing effect in worship, but the primary object of church attendance is not to relax—it is to offer worship, which belongs to God.

The low view of God entertained almost universally among Christians is the cause of a hundred lesser evils everywhere among us. A whole new philosophy of the Christian life has resulted from this one basic error in our religious thinking.

The loss of the concept of majesty has come just when the forces of religion are making dramatic gains and the churches are more prosperous than at any time within the past several hundred years. But the alarming thing is that our gains are mostly external and our losses wholly internal; and since it is the quality of our religion that is affected by internal conditions, it may be that our supposed gains are but losses spread over a wider field.

What the Church needs today is a restoration of the vision of the Most High God…The honor of God has been lost to men and the God of today’s Christianity is a weakling—a little cheap, palsy God that you can run and pal around with. He’s ‘the man upstairs.’ He’s the fellow that can help you when you’re in difficulty and not bother you too much when you’re not.

For centuries the Church stood solidly against every form of worldly entertainment, recognizing it for what it was—a device for wasting time, a refuge from the disturbing voice of conscience, a scheme to divert attention from moral accountability. For this she got herself abused roundly by the sons of this world. But of late she has become tired of the abuse and has given over the struggle. She appears to have decided that if she cannot conquer the great god Entertainment she may as well join forces with him and make whatever use she can of his powers. So today we have the astonishing spectacle of millions of dollars being poured into the unholy job of providing earthly entertainment for the so-called sons of heaven. Religious entertainment is in many places rapidly crowding out the serious things of God. Many churches these days have become little more than poor theaters where fifth-rate ‘producers’ peddle shoddy wares with the full approval of evangelical leaders who can even quote a holy text in defense of their delinquency. And hardly a man dares raise his voice against it." —A.W. Tozer (1897-1963)