In the past I have recommended The ESV Study Bible and The MacArthur Study Bible. To this list I will add one more, The Reformation Study Bible.
The Reformation Study Bible
-ESV Text
-General Editor, R.C. Sproul(One of the best modern theologians)
-Fine team of contributors
-Excellent study notes
-Solid theological notes
-Helpful topical articles
-Historic Creeds and Confessions
The Reformation Study Bible presents us with the teaching of the Protestant Reformation which was a recovery of Biblical Christianity. Modern evangelicals would do well to rediscover their Reformation heritage.
-Scripture alone
-Grace alone
-Faith alone
-Christ alone
-To the glory of God alone
Monday, October 15, 2018
Monday, October 8, 2018
Thoughts On Kavanaugh, Accusations, And Democrats
The confirmation process and Senate hearings for Judge Brett Kavanaugh to be approved to the U.S. Supreme Court have been a political circus and a disgrace. Christine Ford alleged that Kavanaugh had sexually assaulted her 36 years ago. Judge Kavanaugh emphatically denied these allegations. Claims of sexual assault should be taken seriously and women should never be mistreated or abused. At the same time a man should not be destroyed by mere allegations made against him. Even after an FBI investigation no corroborating evidence was found. So you had only the accusation made by Ford.
How then do we decide the right course of action? Should it be determined by our emotions, our human reason, or our political agenda? If we want truth and reality we should turn to the ultimate authority, God and his Word.
(Deuteronomy 19:15) "A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established." (ESV)
Lest anyone think that this is just something from the Old Testament that does not apply to us today, Jesus himself reaffirmed this principle in the New Testament when speaking about church discipline (yes there is such a thing as church discipline).
(Matthew 18:16) "But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses." (ESV)
A person must not be convicted or disqualified by a mere allegation. It should only be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If people are to be convicted or disqualified by an allegation then no one will be able to survive this standard (not even Democrat Senators). Going by a standard like this is absurd and foolish. The innocent must be protected, a person is innocent until proven guilty.
Even if in some cases a guilty person goes free it is not the end of the matter. Everyone will eventually face the judgement of God. When it is all said and done there will be true justice, no one ultimately gets away with anything.
Of course the real reason the Democrats opposed Judge Kavanaugh was because of their political agenda. They opposed Kavanaugh because he was presumed to be conservative. Liberals are horrified at the thought of abortion being made illegal. Roe VS Wade should be overturned but it is very unlikely that it will be. Much of what the Democrat Party promotes is a disgrace. It is simply the party of secularism and socialism. Democrats (and Republicans) need to repent of their sins and trust in Christ alone for salvation.
How then do we decide the right course of action? Should it be determined by our emotions, our human reason, or our political agenda? If we want truth and reality we should turn to the ultimate authority, God and his Word.
(Deuteronomy 19:15) "A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established." (ESV)
Lest anyone think that this is just something from the Old Testament that does not apply to us today, Jesus himself reaffirmed this principle in the New Testament when speaking about church discipline (yes there is such a thing as church discipline).
(Matthew 18:16) "But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses." (ESV)
A person must not be convicted or disqualified by a mere allegation. It should only be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. If people are to be convicted or disqualified by an allegation then no one will be able to survive this standard (not even Democrat Senators). Going by a standard like this is absurd and foolish. The innocent must be protected, a person is innocent until proven guilty.
Even if in some cases a guilty person goes free it is not the end of the matter. Everyone will eventually face the judgement of God. When it is all said and done there will be true justice, no one ultimately gets away with anything.
Of course the real reason the Democrats opposed Judge Kavanaugh was because of their political agenda. They opposed Kavanaugh because he was presumed to be conservative. Liberals are horrified at the thought of abortion being made illegal. Roe VS Wade should be overturned but it is very unlikely that it will be. Much of what the Democrat Party promotes is a disgrace. It is simply the party of secularism and socialism. Democrats (and Republicans) need to repent of their sins and trust in Christ alone for salvation.
Monday, September 24, 2018
Liberalism And The Bible
Theological liberalism is accepted by many professing Christians in the United States and around the world. It it the underlying theological system of many universities and seminaries as well as that of most of the leadership of the so called mainline Protestant denominations. The mainline denominations include: the Episcopalian Church, Presbyterian Church USA, Evangelical Lutheran Church, United Church of Christ, American Baptist Churches, and the United Methodist Church. Liberalism has even infiltrated evangelical churches to a certain degree.
The foundation of Liberalism is the rejection of Scripture alone as the ultimate authority. Liberals reject the authority, inspiration, and inerrancy of the Bible. In Liberalism the Bible is no longer God's revelation to us but merely the opinions of men and their experiences of God. This is where we see the elevation of personal experience over Scripture as the ultimate authority. The liberals used to proclaim that Christianity is life and not doctrine.
According to the liberals many of the Old Testament stories were just fiction and the New Testament miracles never happened. They denied that Adam and Eve were real people and the doctrine of original sin. The liberals also denied the virgin birth of Christ, the deity of Christ, his miracles, the substitutionary atonement, the historical/physical resurrection of Christ, and his second coming.
Liberals rejected the wrath of God, his judgement, and the existence of hell. Liberals tried to focus only on the love of God. They rejected the sinfulness of mankind and believed that man was basically good. Since a savior was no longer needed Jesus was not seen as a savior but merely as an example to follow. Since people no longer needed to be saved from their sins the social gospel replaced the Biblical gospel. Personal salvation was no longer needed so the focus was just on relieving suffering and the problems of this world.
As J. Gresham Machen once said, Liberalism is not Christianity at all. Liberalism is nothing more than unbelief. It is simply secularism with Christian language. Liberals adopted secular philosophies such as Darwinism and naturalism. They accepted Darwinism and rejected the creation account of the Bible. They accepted naturalism which denies that miracles can happen, and then concluded that the miracles of the Bible did not happen.
The liberals rejected the authority of God and his Word and were left with human reason, experience, and imagination as their authority. The liberals attempted to sit in judgement of God and his Word, when in reality God and his Word stand in judgement of them. Liberals need to repent of their unbelief and submit to the authority of God and his Word. They must renounce the teaching of mere men and embrace the Bible alone as the ultimate authority. Liberals must repent of their sin and trust Christ alone for salvation.
The foundation of Liberalism is the rejection of Scripture alone as the ultimate authority. Liberals reject the authority, inspiration, and inerrancy of the Bible. In Liberalism the Bible is no longer God's revelation to us but merely the opinions of men and their experiences of God. This is where we see the elevation of personal experience over Scripture as the ultimate authority. The liberals used to proclaim that Christianity is life and not doctrine.
According to the liberals many of the Old Testament stories were just fiction and the New Testament miracles never happened. They denied that Adam and Eve were real people and the doctrine of original sin. The liberals also denied the virgin birth of Christ, the deity of Christ, his miracles, the substitutionary atonement, the historical/physical resurrection of Christ, and his second coming.
Liberals rejected the wrath of God, his judgement, and the existence of hell. Liberals tried to focus only on the love of God. They rejected the sinfulness of mankind and believed that man was basically good. Since a savior was no longer needed Jesus was not seen as a savior but merely as an example to follow. Since people no longer needed to be saved from their sins the social gospel replaced the Biblical gospel. Personal salvation was no longer needed so the focus was just on relieving suffering and the problems of this world.
As J. Gresham Machen once said, Liberalism is not Christianity at all. Liberalism is nothing more than unbelief. It is simply secularism with Christian language. Liberals adopted secular philosophies such as Darwinism and naturalism. They accepted Darwinism and rejected the creation account of the Bible. They accepted naturalism which denies that miracles can happen, and then concluded that the miracles of the Bible did not happen.
The liberals rejected the authority of God and his Word and were left with human reason, experience, and imagination as their authority. The liberals attempted to sit in judgement of God and his Word, when in reality God and his Word stand in judgement of them. Liberals need to repent of their unbelief and submit to the authority of God and his Word. They must renounce the teaching of mere men and embrace the Bible alone as the ultimate authority. Liberals must repent of their sin and trust Christ alone for salvation.
Monday, September 10, 2018
Friedrich Schleiermacher, The Father Of Liberalism
Theological liberalism emerged in the 1800's heavily influenced by the Enlightenment which began in the 1700's. The Enlightenment elevated human reason as the ultimate authority and placed man at the center of all things. Liberalism has had a great influence on the church and society over the last few centuries.
German theologian Friedrich Schleiermacher (1768-1834) is known as the father of theological liberalism. Schleiermacher was strongly influenced by the German philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724-1804). Kant separated things into the noumenal realm (outside the mind) and the phenomenal realm (inside the mind). The noumenal realm referred to the thing in itself while the phenomenal realm referred to the thing as it appears. Kant believed things in the noumenal realm (what exists outside the mind) cannot be known about, we can only know that it exists. Kant believed we could only know things in the phenomenal realm, that is things as they appear.
Friedrich Schleiermacher took the philosophy of Immanuel Kant and applied it to theology. Schleiermacher located God in the noumenal realm where he could not be known. He believed God could only be known through the phenomenal realm, that is only as he appears to someone. Schleiermacher believed one could not actually know God, but could only know his experience of God.
So for Schleiermacher theology was not the study of God but the study of one's experience of God. It is not God revealing himself to humanity in the Bible but humanity experiencing "God consciousness." Scripture was no longer the ultimate authority, it was now replaced by human experience. For Schleiermacher the Bible was no longer the Word of God revealed to us because God could not be known. Instead the Bible was just men writing down their experiences of God.
The Bible was no longer the inspired, inerrant, authoritative Word of God. It was no longer considered truth from God, it was nothing more than the writing of mere men. The historical accounts and miracle claims of the Bible were now rejected. In Liberalism the Bible was no longer the ultimate authority. It was now replaced by human reason, experience, and imagination.
German theologian Friedrich Schleiermacher (1768-1834) is known as the father of theological liberalism. Schleiermacher was strongly influenced by the German philosopher Immanuel Kant (1724-1804). Kant separated things into the noumenal realm (outside the mind) and the phenomenal realm (inside the mind). The noumenal realm referred to the thing in itself while the phenomenal realm referred to the thing as it appears. Kant believed things in the noumenal realm (what exists outside the mind) cannot be known about, we can only know that it exists. Kant believed we could only know things in the phenomenal realm, that is things as they appear.
Friedrich Schleiermacher took the philosophy of Immanuel Kant and applied it to theology. Schleiermacher located God in the noumenal realm where he could not be known. He believed God could only be known through the phenomenal realm, that is only as he appears to someone. Schleiermacher believed one could not actually know God, but could only know his experience of God.
So for Schleiermacher theology was not the study of God but the study of one's experience of God. It is not God revealing himself to humanity in the Bible but humanity experiencing "God consciousness." Scripture was no longer the ultimate authority, it was now replaced by human experience. For Schleiermacher the Bible was no longer the Word of God revealed to us because God could not be known. Instead the Bible was just men writing down their experiences of God.
The Bible was no longer the inspired, inerrant, authoritative Word of God. It was no longer considered truth from God, it was nothing more than the writing of mere men. The historical accounts and miracle claims of the Bible were now rejected. In Liberalism the Bible was no longer the ultimate authority. It was now replaced by human reason, experience, and imagination.
Monday, August 13, 2018
The Problem Of Evil
The problem of evil can be stated in the following way.
(1) God is all powerful
(2) God is all good
(3) Yet evil exists
Unbelievers often say the existence of evil proves that Christianity is inconsistent and untrue. They state that if God was all powerful and all good then evil could not exist. But the Bible does teach that God is all powerful and all good while the existence of evil is a reality. If we add another statement we can remove the inconsistency found here.
(1) God is all powerful
(2) God is all good
(3) Evil Exists
(4) God has a morally sufficient reason for allowing evil
When we add statement 4 we now have the total picture of what the Bible actually teaches. The logical inconsistency is now removed. Christianity is consistent and true. We may not like this explanation but it is reality. We do not fully understand why evil exists because we do not see the entire picture as God does. We must trust God and realize that the existence of evil brings glory to God. There is a good reason for the existence of evil it has just not been fully revealed to us. The secret things belong to the LORD our God (Deuteronomy 29:29). A good example is the crucifixion of Christ. With the crucifixion a great evil was committed by men. But God brought about a greater good, namely the salvation of his people, which also brought him glory.
We must point out that the real problem of evil does not belong on Christians but on unbelievers. The unbeliever has no basis for anything even being good or evil in his worldview. He has no ultimate moral authority or standard by which to determine good and evil. The unbeliever could not be consistent with his worldview and even call murder or child abuse wrong. In order for the unbeliever to speak in terms of good and evil he must jump out of his own worldview and jump into the Christian worldview. He must borrow from Christianity in order to live his life and deal with reality.
The Christian has a basis for good and evil. The ultimate moral authority and standard is God and his Word. Good is that which is consistent with God's character and law. While evil is that which violates God's character and law. Unbelievers can offer no more than a mere opinion because they have no ultimate authority to which they can turn. If the unbeliever was consistent he could only say "so what?" to everything that happens.
Every time an unbeliever speaks of the problem of evil he actually proves the existence of God. He could not even talk about a problem of evil if God did not exist. When the unbeliever speaks of the logical inconsistency of Christianity he again proves the existence of God because there is no basis for logic without God. If God did not exist you would not be able to prove anything. You would be left with nothing more than absurdity.
The unbeliever cannot escape the fact that he is made in God's image and lives in God's world. In his heart of hearts he knows that the God of the Bible exists. The unbeliever simply suppresses the truth about God in unrighteousness. All unbelievers need to repent (have a change of mind) and trust in Christ alone for salvation. Then their minds will be renewed and they will be in line with reality.
Only Christianity provides the necessary preconditions for intelligibility. In other words only the Christian worldview makes sense of you world and fits reality. Christianity is true because of the impossibility of the contrary. All other worldviews are inconsistent, contradictory, and reduce to absurdity.
(1) God is all powerful
(2) God is all good
(3) Yet evil exists
Unbelievers often say the existence of evil proves that Christianity is inconsistent and untrue. They state that if God was all powerful and all good then evil could not exist. But the Bible does teach that God is all powerful and all good while the existence of evil is a reality. If we add another statement we can remove the inconsistency found here.
(1) God is all powerful
(2) God is all good
(3) Evil Exists
(4) God has a morally sufficient reason for allowing evil
When we add statement 4 we now have the total picture of what the Bible actually teaches. The logical inconsistency is now removed. Christianity is consistent and true. We may not like this explanation but it is reality. We do not fully understand why evil exists because we do not see the entire picture as God does. We must trust God and realize that the existence of evil brings glory to God. There is a good reason for the existence of evil it has just not been fully revealed to us. The secret things belong to the LORD our God (Deuteronomy 29:29). A good example is the crucifixion of Christ. With the crucifixion a great evil was committed by men. But God brought about a greater good, namely the salvation of his people, which also brought him glory.
We must point out that the real problem of evil does not belong on Christians but on unbelievers. The unbeliever has no basis for anything even being good or evil in his worldview. He has no ultimate moral authority or standard by which to determine good and evil. The unbeliever could not be consistent with his worldview and even call murder or child abuse wrong. In order for the unbeliever to speak in terms of good and evil he must jump out of his own worldview and jump into the Christian worldview. He must borrow from Christianity in order to live his life and deal with reality.
The Christian has a basis for good and evil. The ultimate moral authority and standard is God and his Word. Good is that which is consistent with God's character and law. While evil is that which violates God's character and law. Unbelievers can offer no more than a mere opinion because they have no ultimate authority to which they can turn. If the unbeliever was consistent he could only say "so what?" to everything that happens.
Every time an unbeliever speaks of the problem of evil he actually proves the existence of God. He could not even talk about a problem of evil if God did not exist. When the unbeliever speaks of the logical inconsistency of Christianity he again proves the existence of God because there is no basis for logic without God. If God did not exist you would not be able to prove anything. You would be left with nothing more than absurdity.
The unbeliever cannot escape the fact that he is made in God's image and lives in God's world. In his heart of hearts he knows that the God of the Bible exists. The unbeliever simply suppresses the truth about God in unrighteousness. All unbelievers need to repent (have a change of mind) and trust in Christ alone for salvation. Then their minds will be renewed and they will be in line with reality.
Only Christianity provides the necessary preconditions for intelligibility. In other words only the Christian worldview makes sense of you world and fits reality. Christianity is true because of the impossibility of the contrary. All other worldviews are inconsistent, contradictory, and reduce to absurdity.
Monday, July 23, 2018
Judge Not (Matthew 7:1 In Context)
Matthew 7:1 may be the most popular verse from the Bible in our time. It is often interpreted to mean that we are not to judge anyone's lifestyle or beliefs. But is this interpretation actually correct? Does never judging even make sense? We will look at Matthew 7:1 and see what the Bible actually says.
(Matthew 7:1)"Judge not, that you be not judged." (ESV)
We are to be careful and cautious in making judgments. In Matthew 7:2 we are told the judgment we use will also be the judgment used for us. In Matthew 7:3-5 Jesus warns us against judging in a hypocritical way. We should not worry about the speck in our brothers eye when there is a log in our own eye. Then at the end of verse 5 Jesus tells us that once we remove the log in our own eye we will see clearly to remove the speck from our brother's eye. This of course would require that we judge. In Matthew 7:6 Christ refers metaphorically to those who continually and persistently reject the gospel as dogs and pigs. We are told not to continue presenting the gospel to these people. In order to identify the dogs and pigs we must judge.
After Matthew 7:1 Jesus continually judges people throughout the rest of chapter 7. He refers to people as evil (7:11), says many will go to hell (7:13-14), calls some false prophets (7:15), refers to some as workers of lawlessness (7:23), and refers to a foolish man (7:26).
(John 7:24)"Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment." (ESV)
So we plainly see that all judging is not forbidden. Hypocritical, self righteous, arrogant judging is what is actually forbidden. We are to judge rightly with a humble spirit. In 1 Corinthians 5:12 Christians are even instructed to judge those inside the church, excommunicating them if necessary.
The concept of not judging people clearly does not come from the Bible. So where does it come from? It actually comes from what is known as postmodernism. At the heart of postmodernism is the denial of absolute truth. What underlies not judging is the rejection of truth. And what underlies the rejection of truth is the rejection of God. The idea of not judging does not come from Christianity but from unbelief.
We must also point out that the idea of not judging does not even make sense. When a person says that another person should not judge, he is judging the other person. When someone says you should not tell another person he is wrong, that person himself is telling someone else he is wrong. It is impossible not to judge. The whole idea of not judging falls apart and reduces to absurdity. It ends up refuting itself because it is opposed to God and his Word.
So we see that the concept of not judging is wrong and foolish. It comes from people who do not want to be told what they do or what they believe is wrong. They do not want to be confronted with the reality of their sin. They are suppressing the truth about God.
We should not judge in a self righteous, hypocritical, or arrogant way but we should judge carefully. We must judge in areas such as morality and doctrine. We must proclaim the truth with love. Our judging must be with a humble spirit. It is not wrong to judge, it is wrong not to judge.
(Matthew 7:1)"Judge not, that you be not judged." (ESV)
We are to be careful and cautious in making judgments. In Matthew 7:2 we are told the judgment we use will also be the judgment used for us. In Matthew 7:3-5 Jesus warns us against judging in a hypocritical way. We should not worry about the speck in our brothers eye when there is a log in our own eye. Then at the end of verse 5 Jesus tells us that once we remove the log in our own eye we will see clearly to remove the speck from our brother's eye. This of course would require that we judge. In Matthew 7:6 Christ refers metaphorically to those who continually and persistently reject the gospel as dogs and pigs. We are told not to continue presenting the gospel to these people. In order to identify the dogs and pigs we must judge.
After Matthew 7:1 Jesus continually judges people throughout the rest of chapter 7. He refers to people as evil (7:11), says many will go to hell (7:13-14), calls some false prophets (7:15), refers to some as workers of lawlessness (7:23), and refers to a foolish man (7:26).
(John 7:24)"Do not judge by appearances, but judge with right judgment." (ESV)
So we plainly see that all judging is not forbidden. Hypocritical, self righteous, arrogant judging is what is actually forbidden. We are to judge rightly with a humble spirit. In 1 Corinthians 5:12 Christians are even instructed to judge those inside the church, excommunicating them if necessary.
The concept of not judging people clearly does not come from the Bible. So where does it come from? It actually comes from what is known as postmodernism. At the heart of postmodernism is the denial of absolute truth. What underlies not judging is the rejection of truth. And what underlies the rejection of truth is the rejection of God. The idea of not judging does not come from Christianity but from unbelief.
We must also point out that the idea of not judging does not even make sense. When a person says that another person should not judge, he is judging the other person. When someone says you should not tell another person he is wrong, that person himself is telling someone else he is wrong. It is impossible not to judge. The whole idea of not judging falls apart and reduces to absurdity. It ends up refuting itself because it is opposed to God and his Word.
So we see that the concept of not judging is wrong and foolish. It comes from people who do not want to be told what they do or what they believe is wrong. They do not want to be confronted with the reality of their sin. They are suppressing the truth about God.
We should not judge in a self righteous, hypocritical, or arrogant way but we should judge carefully. We must judge in areas such as morality and doctrine. We must proclaim the truth with love. Our judging must be with a humble spirit. It is not wrong to judge, it is wrong not to judge.
Monday, July 16, 2018
Contend For The Faith
The main theme of the book of Jude is contending for the faith, rejecting false teachers, and standing for the truth. Jude was the brother of James and half brother of the Lord Jesus. He wrote this letter sometime around A.D. 66. The book of Jude contains only one chapter.
(Jude 1:3) "Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints." (ESV)
Although Jude had desired to write to his fellow Christians about salvation, he was compelled to urge them "to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to to the saints." The "faith" referred to the gospel and all Christian teaching. It was "once for all delivered to the saints." This shows that the Apostles teaching which would become the New Testament in the canon of Scripture was already established and fixed. Nothing more could be added to it. We must point out that "saints" refers to all Christians, not just some special class of Christians.
The Bible alone is the ultimate authority. This stands in opposition to groups like the Mormons, the Roman Catholics, and many charismatics. The Mormons insist the Bible is in error and add their own scriptures. Roman Catholics insist that the Catholic Church tradition is an equal authority to the Bible. Many charismatics insist that they receive direct revelation from God, making it equal to the Bible. These groups and many others have rejected Scripture alone and have ended up in serious error.
It is popular in our day for Christians to insist that we just need to love everyone. After all it might not seem nice to contend for the faith, and it might not make people feel good. But the Word of God disagrees, we are told to contend for the faith. It means to contend for a thing combatantly. In other words we are to battle for the truth and against error. Truth should always be accompanied by love, and love must never be divorced from truth.
Sound doctrine is of the utmost importance and Christians must contend for it. Whenever false teachers arise they must be dealt with and refuted as we stand on the authority of the Bible alone. It is not loving to allow error and false teaching to continue.
(Jude 1:3) "Beloved, although I was very eager to write to you about our common salvation, I found it necessary to write appealing to you to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to the saints." (ESV)
Although Jude had desired to write to his fellow Christians about salvation, he was compelled to urge them "to contend for the faith that was once for all delivered to to the saints." The "faith" referred to the gospel and all Christian teaching. It was "once for all delivered to the saints." This shows that the Apostles teaching which would become the New Testament in the canon of Scripture was already established and fixed. Nothing more could be added to it. We must point out that "saints" refers to all Christians, not just some special class of Christians.
The Bible alone is the ultimate authority. This stands in opposition to groups like the Mormons, the Roman Catholics, and many charismatics. The Mormons insist the Bible is in error and add their own scriptures. Roman Catholics insist that the Catholic Church tradition is an equal authority to the Bible. Many charismatics insist that they receive direct revelation from God, making it equal to the Bible. These groups and many others have rejected Scripture alone and have ended up in serious error.
It is popular in our day for Christians to insist that we just need to love everyone. After all it might not seem nice to contend for the faith, and it might not make people feel good. But the Word of God disagrees, we are told to contend for the faith. It means to contend for a thing combatantly. In other words we are to battle for the truth and against error. Truth should always be accompanied by love, and love must never be divorced from truth.
Sound doctrine is of the utmost importance and Christians must contend for it. Whenever false teachers arise they must be dealt with and refuted as we stand on the authority of the Bible alone. It is not loving to allow error and false teaching to continue.
Monday, June 25, 2018
Three Books On Christian Missions And Evangelism
Here are three excellent books on missions and evangelism. Other books by these authors would also be worthwhile.
Let The Nations Be Glad by John Piper
Radical by David Platt
Evangelism And The Sovereignty Of God by J.I.Packer
Let The Nations Be Glad by John Piper
Radical by David Platt
Evangelism And The Sovereignty Of God by J.I.Packer
Monday, May 28, 2018
Christian Books You Should Read
Here are some books that all Christians (and non Christians) should read. They are books of substance and they are actually Biblical. Also, other books by these authors would be well worth reading.
The Gospel According To Jesus by John MacArthur
Chosen By God by R.C. Sproul
Desiring God by John Piper
God In The Whirlwind by David F. Wells
How Should We Then Live? by Francis Schaeffer
The Gospel According To Jesus by John MacArthur
Chosen By God by R.C. Sproul
Desiring God by John Piper
God In The Whirlwind by David F. Wells
How Should We Then Live? by Francis Schaeffer
Monday, May 14, 2018
Nietzsche Says God Is Dead
Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900) was a German philosopher who proclaimed, "God is dead and we have killed him." Of course he did not really believe that God had been alive and had died. He simply meant that the concept of God was no longer needed. Other famous Nietzsche phrases include, "What does not destroy me will make me stronger", and "Live dangerously." The idea that you only live once has roots in Nietzsche. Friedrich Nietzsche also had an intense hatred for Christianity.
Friedrich Nietzsche has been very influential even down to our own time. He could be considered the father of nihilism which holds that there is no morality, no virtue, no purpose, and no meaning. At least Nietzsche tried to be consistent with his atheism. Because without God, nihilism is all that is left. He could also be considered a leading figure in postmodernism which holds that there is no absolute truth and no ultimate standard of morality.
Some key concepts from Nietzsche include the will to power, the herd morality, and the superman. Nietzsche considered the will to power to be the fundamental force of life. It was basically looking out for number one and not caring about those who are weak. It was really the will to overpower. He believed the herd morality was created by the weaker people out of fear in order to hold down the stronger, superior people. Nietzsche blamed Christianity for creating this herd morality. Finally the superman speaks of superior individuals who are courageous, throw off the herd morality and create their own values. The supermen would be something like the next step in the evolution of man. Nietzsche believed that Christianity was holding back humanity.
Of course one might ask how the supermen could create their own values if there are no values? If there is no meaning or purpose, how can the philosophy of Nietzsche have any meaning or purpose? If all is meaningless, then everything Nietzsche said is also meaningless! There would be no reason to listen to Nietzsche or to follow his teaching. Nietzsche ends up in total absurdity, which is what always happens when you reject God. Without the triune God of Scripture you have no basis for rationality, knowledge, meaning, or morality.
Interestingly Friedrich Nietzsche spent the last decade of his life insane. Then in 1900 God said, Nietzsche is dead.
Friedrich Nietzsche has been very influential even down to our own time. He could be considered the father of nihilism which holds that there is no morality, no virtue, no purpose, and no meaning. At least Nietzsche tried to be consistent with his atheism. Because without God, nihilism is all that is left. He could also be considered a leading figure in postmodernism which holds that there is no absolute truth and no ultimate standard of morality.
Some key concepts from Nietzsche include the will to power, the herd morality, and the superman. Nietzsche considered the will to power to be the fundamental force of life. It was basically looking out for number one and not caring about those who are weak. It was really the will to overpower. He believed the herd morality was created by the weaker people out of fear in order to hold down the stronger, superior people. Nietzsche blamed Christianity for creating this herd morality. Finally the superman speaks of superior individuals who are courageous, throw off the herd morality and create their own values. The supermen would be something like the next step in the evolution of man. Nietzsche believed that Christianity was holding back humanity.
Of course one might ask how the supermen could create their own values if there are no values? If there is no meaning or purpose, how can the philosophy of Nietzsche have any meaning or purpose? If all is meaningless, then everything Nietzsche said is also meaningless! There would be no reason to listen to Nietzsche or to follow his teaching. Nietzsche ends up in total absurdity, which is what always happens when you reject God. Without the triune God of Scripture you have no basis for rationality, knowledge, meaning, or morality.
Interestingly Friedrich Nietzsche spent the last decade of his life insane. Then in 1900 God said, Nietzsche is dead.
Monday, April 23, 2018
Did Jacob Actually Wrestle With God?
In Genesis 32 we encounter an unusual passage where Jacob is said to have wrestled with God. What are we to make of this passage? Did Jacob actually wrestle with God himself?
(Genesis 32:24)"And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day." (ESV)
(Genesis 32:28)"Then he said, Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed." (ESV)
(Genesis 32:30)"So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered." (ESV)
An important principle in Biblical interpretation is that Scripture interprets Scripture. So we will also look at a passage in Hosea.
(Hosea 12:3-4a)"In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and in his manhood he strove with God. He strove with the angel and prevailed; he wept and sought his favor." (ESV)
From the Hosea passage we see that Jacob strove with the angel. But it also says that he strove with God, as does the passage from Genesis 32. Jacob even named the place Peniel which means the face of God, because he had seen God face to face. We might say that Jacob wrestled with God through the angel. In a sense Jacob did wrestle with God, but it seems that the actual figure he wrestled with was the angel.
Jacob was transformed by this encounter. The God of Abraham and Isaac had now become the God of Jacob as well. His name was changed from Jacob to Israel. Jacob means he cheats or he deceives, while Israel means he strives with God.
(Genesis 32:24)"And Jacob was left alone. And a man wrestled with him until the breaking of the day." (ESV)
(Genesis 32:28)"Then he said, Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed." (ESV)
(Genesis 32:30)"So Jacob called the name of the place Peniel, saying, For I have seen God face to face, and yet my life has been delivered." (ESV)
An important principle in Biblical interpretation is that Scripture interprets Scripture. So we will also look at a passage in Hosea.
(Hosea 12:3-4a)"In the womb he took his brother by the heel, and in his manhood he strove with God. He strove with the angel and prevailed; he wept and sought his favor." (ESV)
From the Hosea passage we see that Jacob strove with the angel. But it also says that he strove with God, as does the passage from Genesis 32. Jacob even named the place Peniel which means the face of God, because he had seen God face to face. We might say that Jacob wrestled with God through the angel. In a sense Jacob did wrestle with God, but it seems that the actual figure he wrestled with was the angel.
Jacob was transformed by this encounter. The God of Abraham and Isaac had now become the God of Jacob as well. His name was changed from Jacob to Israel. Jacob means he cheats or he deceives, while Israel means he strives with God.
Monday, April 2, 2018
Was The Resurrection Of Christ Bodily Or Just Spiritual?
So what was the nature of the resurrection of Christ? When the New Testament was written the idea of a bodily resurrection was absurd to the surrounding Greek culture. The Greeks spoke of the immortality of the soul and viewed matter as evil. They thought that salvation was found by the soul escaping from the body. In our time the idea that Christ's resurrection was just as a spirit has been held by groups from the Jehovah's Witnesses to the liberals.
(Luke 24:39) "See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." (ESV)
Jesus had appeared to his disciples and they thought they had seen a spirit. Jesus showed that his body was physical, "flesh and bones" and not a spirit. In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul stressed that the resurrection of Jesus was not just his spirit going to heaven but that his body was raised from the dead.
Paul also pointed out that over 500 people witnessed his bodily resurrection. Also in 1 Corinthians 15:12-13 the phrase "resurrection of the dead" literally means "the standing up of dead ones." The Apostle Paul proclaimed that if Christ is not raised bodily from the dead then your faith is futile, you have no hope, and there is no Christianity.
The Bible plainly teaches that the resurrection of Christ was bodily and not just spiritual. Jesus was victorious over sin, death, and the devil, accomplishing salvation for his people.
(Luke 24:39) "See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself. Touch me, and see. For a spirit does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have." (ESV)
Jesus had appeared to his disciples and they thought they had seen a spirit. Jesus showed that his body was physical, "flesh and bones" and not a spirit. In 1 Corinthians 15 Paul stressed that the resurrection of Jesus was not just his spirit going to heaven but that his body was raised from the dead.
Paul also pointed out that over 500 people witnessed his bodily resurrection. Also in 1 Corinthians 15:12-13 the phrase "resurrection of the dead" literally means "the standing up of dead ones." The Apostle Paul proclaimed that if Christ is not raised bodily from the dead then your faith is futile, you have no hope, and there is no Christianity.
The Bible plainly teaches that the resurrection of Christ was bodily and not just spiritual. Jesus was victorious over sin, death, and the devil, accomplishing salvation for his people.
Friday, March 30, 2018
Focusing On The Resurrection Of Christ On Easter
Focusing on Jesus on Easter may seem strange to some people. But he should be our focus instead of bunnies, egg hunts, and candy. Jesus is even far more important than kids and family time. We would all do well to get more serious and focus on what really matters.
(Matthew 28:6a) "He is not here, for he has risen, as he said." (ESV)
(1 Corinthians 15:3-4) "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures," (ESV)
We are all born sinners. We inherited our sinful or fallen nature from Adam when he rebelled against God. God is holy, righteous, and just, so we incur his wrath because of our sin. None of us are righteous, not even one. We all deserve to go to hell. But God by his love and grace sent his Son, Jesus to save his people from their sins. Jesus died on the cross to pay for the sins of all believers. Christ takes our sin on himself and his perfect righteousness is credited to us.
Jesus was raised from the dead victorious over sin, death, and the devil. The resurrection proves that Jesus is God and that his atoning sacrifice was accepted by God the Father. All who repent of their sins and trust in Christ alone for salvation will spend eternity in heaven.
(Matthew 28:6a) "He is not here, for he has risen, as he said." (ESV)
(1 Corinthians 15:3-4) "For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures," (ESV)
We are all born sinners. We inherited our sinful or fallen nature from Adam when he rebelled against God. God is holy, righteous, and just, so we incur his wrath because of our sin. None of us are righteous, not even one. We all deserve to go to hell. But God by his love and grace sent his Son, Jesus to save his people from their sins. Jesus died on the cross to pay for the sins of all believers. Christ takes our sin on himself and his perfect righteousness is credited to us.
Jesus was raised from the dead victorious over sin, death, and the devil. The resurrection proves that Jesus is God and that his atoning sacrifice was accepted by God the Father. All who repent of their sins and trust in Christ alone for salvation will spend eternity in heaven.
Monday, March 12, 2018
Does The Bible Teach That The Earth Is Flat?
Some make the assertion that the Bible teaches that the earth is flat and it is therefore proven to be in error. I assume many of these people have never read the Bible because nowhere does it say that the earth is flat. In fact it teaches the very opposite.
(Isaiah 40:22a) "It is he who sits above the circle of the earth," (ESV)
While Isaiah the prophet was not primarily concerned about the shape of the earth in this passage, it clearly presents the earth as a circle, a globe.
Once again the criticisms hurled against the Bible prove to be false. The Bible is true and all true science is in line with it. In fact without the Biblical worldview it would be impossible to even conduct science.
(Isaiah 40:22a) "It is he who sits above the circle of the earth," (ESV)
While Isaiah the prophet was not primarily concerned about the shape of the earth in this passage, it clearly presents the earth as a circle, a globe.
Once again the criticisms hurled against the Bible prove to be false. The Bible is true and all true science is in line with it. In fact without the Biblical worldview it would be impossible to even conduct science.
Monday, March 5, 2018
What Is A Worldview?
Everyone has a worldview whether they realize it or not. Our worldview comes from how we answer the most important questions in life. A worldview is composed of three basic elements. They are metaphysics, epistemology, and ethics. This is not as hard to understand as it may seem. We must learn to think in terms of worldview, and of course having the right one is of the utmost importance.
First of all metaphysics or ontology deals with ultimate reality, our view of God, and the nature of man. Epistemology deals with knowledge, that is how do we know what we know. Ethics deals with morality, what is right and wrong, what is good or evil. How we answer these basic questions then determines our worldview. Our worldview shapes our life and thought. We interpret all our experiences through our worldview.
Christians must learn to think in terms of worldview instead of just in bits and pieces. We must see Christianity as an entire thought and life system that gives us true answers and reality. People reject Christianity and hold different views on issues because they have a non Christian worldview. They operate on different assumptions that they have made regarding ultimate reality, knowledge, and ethics.
The Christian worldview is the only worldview that provides the necessary preconditions for intelligibility. In other words only the Christian worldview makes sense of your world. All other worldviews ultimately collapse because they do not fit reality. They cannot be lived out consistently. Christians need not fear those holding other worldviews because all non Christian worldviews are false and the Christian worldview is true.
First of all metaphysics or ontology deals with ultimate reality, our view of God, and the nature of man. Epistemology deals with knowledge, that is how do we know what we know. Ethics deals with morality, what is right and wrong, what is good or evil. How we answer these basic questions then determines our worldview. Our worldview shapes our life and thought. We interpret all our experiences through our worldview.
Christians must learn to think in terms of worldview instead of just in bits and pieces. We must see Christianity as an entire thought and life system that gives us true answers and reality. People reject Christianity and hold different views on issues because they have a non Christian worldview. They operate on different assumptions that they have made regarding ultimate reality, knowledge, and ethics.
The Christian worldview is the only worldview that provides the necessary preconditions for intelligibility. In other words only the Christian worldview makes sense of your world. All other worldviews ultimately collapse because they do not fit reality. They cannot be lived out consistently. Christians need not fear those holding other worldviews because all non Christian worldviews are false and the Christian worldview is true.
Monday, February 19, 2018
Jesus Is The Only Way To Heaven
Jesus is the only way to heaven, yes the only way. Exclusive truth claims like this are not popular in our modern culture. In fact claiming that there is only one way to heaven is down right offensive. But we cannot go by our own opinions or by what makes us feel good. Since God is God he is the ultimate authority. So we must look to him for the answers. God has revealed himself to us in the Bible. So we look to the Word of God to find the truth.
(John 14:6) "Jesus said to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (ESV)
We must notice that Jesus says I am the way, not a way. We can only come to the Father through Jesus, all other ways lead to hell. All roads do not lead to heaven.
(Acts 4:12) "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (ESV)
Salvation is found in Christ alone. All other names such as Muhammad, Buddha, and Joseph Smith lead to hell. Christianity is true therefore all other religions are false.
(Romans 3:10) "as it is written: None is righteous, no, not one;" (ESV)
(Romans 3:23) "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (ESV)
Many think that they will go to heaven because they are good people but this is not true. As we can see there is no one who is righteous. We are all sinners and even when we do good things they are not done for the glory of God.
(Hebrews 9:27) "And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment," (ESV)
We die and then comes judgment. It is final, we will either go to heaven or hell for eternity. All people will not eventually go to heaven.
(Matthew 7:13-14) "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few." (ESV)
The majority of people are not going to heaven. Salvation is found only in Jesus and this is the narrow way. The wide gate includes all the other paths that people choose.
(John 3:16) "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." (ESV)
We can go to heaven, this is the good news. God sent Jesus his only, unique Son to save his people from their sins. All who repent of theirs sins and believe in Christ alone for salvation have eternal life.
(John 14:6) "Jesus said to him, I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me." (ESV)
We must notice that Jesus says I am the way, not a way. We can only come to the Father through Jesus, all other ways lead to hell. All roads do not lead to heaven.
(Acts 4:12) "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (ESV)
Salvation is found in Christ alone. All other names such as Muhammad, Buddha, and Joseph Smith lead to hell. Christianity is true therefore all other religions are false.
(Romans 3:10) "as it is written: None is righteous, no, not one;" (ESV)
(Romans 3:23) "for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." (ESV)
Many think that they will go to heaven because they are good people but this is not true. As we can see there is no one who is righteous. We are all sinners and even when we do good things they are not done for the glory of God.
(Hebrews 9:27) "And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment," (ESV)
We die and then comes judgment. It is final, we will either go to heaven or hell for eternity. All people will not eventually go to heaven.
(Matthew 7:13-14) "Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few." (ESV)
The majority of people are not going to heaven. Salvation is found only in Jesus and this is the narrow way. The wide gate includes all the other paths that people choose.
(John 3:16) "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life." (ESV)
We can go to heaven, this is the good news. God sent Jesus his only, unique Son to save his people from their sins. All who repent of theirs sins and believe in Christ alone for salvation have eternal life.
Monday, February 12, 2018
How Do You Answer A Fool?
(Proverbs 26:4-5) "Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes." (ESV)
First we must define what is meant by the term fool. It is not name calling or a personal attack. It speaks to a person's moral orientation and not to his intellectual orientation. A fool is anyone who denies the existence of God and does not honor him. We do not just mean someone who denies the existence of a god but anyone who denies the existence of the God of the Bible. In other words all unbelievers are fools because they reject the truth of the Bible. The God of the Bible is Trinity, he is the infinite, personal Creator.
You should not answer a fool according to his folly or you will also be foolish. You should not accept his presuppositions or basic assumptions about God, man, knowledge, and ethics. Instead you must expose his worldview as false showing him his foolishness.
The Christian must not compromise on the authority and truthfulness of Scripture. He must presuppose the Bible as truth whenever he deals with the unbeliever. The Bible defends itself, it is self attesting. There is no neutral ground between the believer and the unbeliever. The unbeliever rejects the authority of the Bible from the outset and instead assumes his own human reason or sense perception as authoritative. He is worshiping false gods.
We should not set aside the Bible and try to provide evidence and make arguments for the existence of a god. The unbeliever already has the evidence that God is there. Creation itself and man's own constitution testify to the existence of God. They testify not to the existence of a god but to the existence of the Christian God. In their heart of hearts all people know that God exists, unbelievers are simply suppressing the truth in unrighteousness. They refuse to honor God as God, exchanging the truth for a lie. Claiming to be wise they have become fools (See Romans 1:18-25).
The Bible must be accepted as authoritative and true at our starting point. Only the Christian worldview provides the necessary preconditions for intelligibility. It is the only worldview that makes sense of your world. Only the Christian worldview is livable and fits reality. All other worldviews reduce down to absurdity. Unbelievers cannot live out their worldview consistently. They must borrow from the Christian worldview in order to live their lives.
The unbeliever must be pressed to admit to what he already knows, namely that the God of the Bible exists. The unbeliever needs to repent (have a change of mind) and place his faith in Christ alone for salvation. Ultimately this can only be brought about by the work of the Holy Spirit.
First we must define what is meant by the term fool. It is not name calling or a personal attack. It speaks to a person's moral orientation and not to his intellectual orientation. A fool is anyone who denies the existence of God and does not honor him. We do not just mean someone who denies the existence of a god but anyone who denies the existence of the God of the Bible. In other words all unbelievers are fools because they reject the truth of the Bible. The God of the Bible is Trinity, he is the infinite, personal Creator.
You should not answer a fool according to his folly or you will also be foolish. You should not accept his presuppositions or basic assumptions about God, man, knowledge, and ethics. Instead you must expose his worldview as false showing him his foolishness.
The Christian must not compromise on the authority and truthfulness of Scripture. He must presuppose the Bible as truth whenever he deals with the unbeliever. The Bible defends itself, it is self attesting. There is no neutral ground between the believer and the unbeliever. The unbeliever rejects the authority of the Bible from the outset and instead assumes his own human reason or sense perception as authoritative. He is worshiping false gods.
We should not set aside the Bible and try to provide evidence and make arguments for the existence of a god. The unbeliever already has the evidence that God is there. Creation itself and man's own constitution testify to the existence of God. They testify not to the existence of a god but to the existence of the Christian God. In their heart of hearts all people know that God exists, unbelievers are simply suppressing the truth in unrighteousness. They refuse to honor God as God, exchanging the truth for a lie. Claiming to be wise they have become fools (See Romans 1:18-25).
The Bible must be accepted as authoritative and true at our starting point. Only the Christian worldview provides the necessary preconditions for intelligibility. It is the only worldview that makes sense of your world. Only the Christian worldview is livable and fits reality. All other worldviews reduce down to absurdity. Unbelievers cannot live out their worldview consistently. They must borrow from the Christian worldview in order to live their lives.
The unbeliever must be pressed to admit to what he already knows, namely that the God of the Bible exists. The unbeliever needs to repent (have a change of mind) and place his faith in Christ alone for salvation. Ultimately this can only be brought about by the work of the Holy Spirit.
Friday, January 19, 2018
National Tulip Day
Did you know that January 20 is National Tulip Day? Mars Hill Examiner is celebrating it and I hope that you will too. In honor of National Tulip Day we will take a brief look at the tulip.
Of course TULIP is an acrostic representing profound Biblical truth known as the Doctrines of Grace.
T-Total Depravity
This does not mean that man is as bad as he can possible be, but that he is sinful in his entire being. We are born sinners and our very nature is therefore sinful. Man is dead in his sins and unable to choose God. He will freely choose to reject God because his will is in bondage to sin. Because of our sin we are under God's wrath and on the road to hell. (Psalm 51:5, Romans 3:9-12, Ephesians 2:1-3)
U-Unconditional Election
Since we are not capable of choosing God because we are dead in our sins, by his grace God has chosen to save a people for himself, the elect. God chooses to save people based on his will and purpose. It is not based on anything the human being does or will do. God chooses his elect solely by his grace. God freely chooses whom he will save. (Acts 13:48, Romans 9:11-16, Ephesians 1:4-5,11-12)
L-Limited Atonement
This could also be called definite atonement. Jesus came to save his people from their sins. Christ died to pay for the sins of believers only, he did not pay for the sins of all people. If he paid for the sins of all people then no one would still have to pay for their sins. All people would then be saved, that is universalism. Christ actually accomplished salvation for his people, he did not just make it possible for all people. (Matthew 1:21, John 10:11,14-15,24-26, Ephesians 5:25-27)
I-Irresistible Grace
Since we are dead in our sins and unable to choose God we can only come to him by his grace. He must make us alive or regenerate us. God must draw us to himself. After God causes us to be born again we will respond in faith and repentance. Once we have gone from being spiritually dead to being spiritually alive we will freely choose God. All people God chooses to save will respond to him with saving faith because he always accomplishes his purpose. (John 6:37,44,63-66, Acts 11:18, Ephesians 2:1-9)
P-Perseverance Of The Saints
God preserves his people and none of them will fall away. True Christians will not fall away because salvation is the work of God from beginning to end. This does not mean that anyone who makes a decision for Christ is once saved always saved. Only true Christians are eternally secure and they will persevere to the end. Anyone who falls away was never a true Christian to begin with. (John 6;37,39, John 10:27-29, Romans 8:29-39)
Salvation is totally the work of God from beginning to end. It is by his grace alone. If salvation was dependent upon the human being at any point it would no longer be by grace. It is not God and man working together to accomplish salvation but the work of God alone. Therefore the glory belongs to God alone. God does not try to save all people and fail to do so. He saves all he has chosen and always accomplishes his purpose.
Who would have thought that there would be a national day celebrating the Doctrines of Grace?
Of course TULIP is an acrostic representing profound Biblical truth known as the Doctrines of Grace.
T-Total Depravity
This does not mean that man is as bad as he can possible be, but that he is sinful in his entire being. We are born sinners and our very nature is therefore sinful. Man is dead in his sins and unable to choose God. He will freely choose to reject God because his will is in bondage to sin. Because of our sin we are under God's wrath and on the road to hell. (Psalm 51:5, Romans 3:9-12, Ephesians 2:1-3)
U-Unconditional Election
Since we are not capable of choosing God because we are dead in our sins, by his grace God has chosen to save a people for himself, the elect. God chooses to save people based on his will and purpose. It is not based on anything the human being does or will do. God chooses his elect solely by his grace. God freely chooses whom he will save. (Acts 13:48, Romans 9:11-16, Ephesians 1:4-5,11-12)
L-Limited Atonement
This could also be called definite atonement. Jesus came to save his people from their sins. Christ died to pay for the sins of believers only, he did not pay for the sins of all people. If he paid for the sins of all people then no one would still have to pay for their sins. All people would then be saved, that is universalism. Christ actually accomplished salvation for his people, he did not just make it possible for all people. (Matthew 1:21, John 10:11,14-15,24-26, Ephesians 5:25-27)
I-Irresistible Grace
Since we are dead in our sins and unable to choose God we can only come to him by his grace. He must make us alive or regenerate us. God must draw us to himself. After God causes us to be born again we will respond in faith and repentance. Once we have gone from being spiritually dead to being spiritually alive we will freely choose God. All people God chooses to save will respond to him with saving faith because he always accomplishes his purpose. (John 6:37,44,63-66, Acts 11:18, Ephesians 2:1-9)
P-Perseverance Of The Saints
God preserves his people and none of them will fall away. True Christians will not fall away because salvation is the work of God from beginning to end. This does not mean that anyone who makes a decision for Christ is once saved always saved. Only true Christians are eternally secure and they will persevere to the end. Anyone who falls away was never a true Christian to begin with. (John 6;37,39, John 10:27-29, Romans 8:29-39)
Salvation is totally the work of God from beginning to end. It is by his grace alone. If salvation was dependent upon the human being at any point it would no longer be by grace. It is not God and man working together to accomplish salvation but the work of God alone. Therefore the glory belongs to God alone. God does not try to save all people and fail to do so. He saves all he has chosen and always accomplishes his purpose.
Who would have thought that there would be a national day celebrating the Doctrines of Grace?
Monday, January 15, 2018
When Christians Disagree
How should we react when professing Christians disagree on an issue? Should we consider each other fellow Christians? Should we worship separately? Or is it an issue that is really not that significant? Placing the issues into three different categories can be helpful.
Tier 1
Disagreements on issues in this category will require that we not worship together. Also disagreements on issues in this category will not allow us to consider those who disagree to be fellow Christians. An example of a Tier 1 issue is the deity of Christ. If one does not believe that Jesus is the only, unique Son of God he cannot be considered a true Christian. Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses cannot be viewed as fellow Christians.
Tier 2
Disagreements on issues in this category may require that we worship separately but we can still consider each other fellow Christians. An example of a Tier 2 issue is baptism. Some hold to infant baptism and others hold to believers baptism. Baptists and Presbyterians may worship at different churches but they can still consider each other fellow Christians.
Tier 3
Disagreements on issues in this category do not require us to worship separately. Also we can consider each other fellow Christians. An example of a Tier 3 issue is whether one holds to a pretribulation rapture or not. Disagreements over details of the end times does not require us to worship separately and we can most definitely consider each other fellow Christians.
I must thank Albert Mohler, President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary for this basic layout.
Tier 1
Disagreements on issues in this category will require that we not worship together. Also disagreements on issues in this category will not allow us to consider those who disagree to be fellow Christians. An example of a Tier 1 issue is the deity of Christ. If one does not believe that Jesus is the only, unique Son of God he cannot be considered a true Christian. Mormons and Jehovah's Witnesses cannot be viewed as fellow Christians.
Tier 2
Disagreements on issues in this category may require that we worship separately but we can still consider each other fellow Christians. An example of a Tier 2 issue is baptism. Some hold to infant baptism and others hold to believers baptism. Baptists and Presbyterians may worship at different churches but they can still consider each other fellow Christians.
Tier 3
Disagreements on issues in this category do not require us to worship separately. Also we can consider each other fellow Christians. An example of a Tier 3 issue is whether one holds to a pretribulation rapture or not. Disagreements over details of the end times does not require us to worship separately and we can most definitely consider each other fellow Christians.
I must thank Albert Mohler, President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary for this basic layout.
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