A recent Pew Research Center Poll shows that the percentage of Americans identifying themselves as Christians has dropped from 79% to 71% over seven years. Evangelical Protestants have dropped 1% while those with no religious affiliation has increased. Should this be a cause for concern?
Does anyone really believe that 71% of Americans are Christians? It is simply the number of people who profess to be Christians. I would say the real percentage of Christians in America is less than 10%. Most professing Christians do not think or live Biblically. The name Christian has almost lost it's meaning. It is important to define the term when dealing with people in order to understand what they mean when they use the label Christian.
The United States is most definitely not a Christian nation. You would not have television, movies, internet, and music full of immorality, profanity, and blasphemy. A 71% Christian nation would not approve of homosexuality, abortion, or living together outside of marriage. A 71% Christian nation would honor God and his design for things.
So why are there so many false Christians? Much of the blame belongs to the leadership of the modern church. They have taught cheap grace as Dietrich Bonhoeffer called it or easy believism as John MacArthur has referred to it. A person simply makes the decision and then there is nothing to worry about. Salvation is presented as the work of man instead of the work of God.
In this pseudo-Christianity you have Christianity without the cross. There is no sacrifice, no self denial, and there is no cost of discipleship. There is no repentance, no required obedience, no church discipline, and no hell. You are presented a God with no wrath or judgment. There is no sense of the holiness of God and his sovereignty is denied.
So the decline of people identifying as Christians may actually be a good thing. The decline is occurring mainly because of the disappearance of the cultural expectation to identify as Christian. As the culture becomes more secular and hostile to Biblical Christianity the numbers will continue to decline.
Many professing Christians have a false assurance and are on the road to hell. The church needs to stop leading people astray and proclaim the truth. The modern American church is in bad need of reform. Unfortunately I think the only way we may see reform is if persecution comes to the American church. Then identifying as a Christian will be taken much more seriously.
Monday, May 18, 2015
Monday, May 11, 2015
A Look At The Gospels
So when were the gospels written? Who wrote them, aren't they anonymous? Do we need to look elsewhere for the historical Jesus? Questions are being raised about the trustworthiness of the four gospels in the Bible from The History Channel to CNN to Comedy Central.
The genre of the gospels is known as bios. This was ancient biography which focused on the key events and teachings of a person. It is actually not surprising that the four gospels are anonymous (the names of the authors are not included in them) because they were probably originally written to their own churches where the people already knew them.
Matthew
-Early church tradition is unanimous for the Apostle Matthew as the author.
-Both Papias (A.D. 135) and Irenaeus (A.D. 175) testify that it was written by Matthew.
-Irenaeus says that this gospel was written while Peter and Paul were still living.
-It was probably written around A.D. 60.
-Matthew was a tax collector who became an Apostle.
Mark
-Papias (A.D. 120) states that Mark wrote down the words of Peter.
-Papias received this tradition from the Apostle John.
-Church tradition says that Peter was in Rome in the early to mid 50's.
-This gospel was probably written from Rome around A.D. 55.
-The shortest gospel, it was also probably the first gospel written.
Luke
-Church tradition is unanimous for Luke as the author.
-Luke was a companion of Paul.
-Eusebius (A.D. 325) says Paul quoted from Luke saying "According to my gospel".
-It was probably written around A.D. 61.
-It is the longest gospel containing the most parables.
-Luke was a physician, an excellent historian, and also wrote Acts.
John
-Church tradition supports John as the author.
-Irenaeus (A.D. 175) states that Polycarp, a disciple of the Apostle John testified that John was the author of this gospel.
-Clement of Alexandria (A.D. 200) said that John wrote last of all the canonical gospels when he was old in age.
-John probably wrote from Ephesus.
-Probably written around A.D. 85.
All four of the gospels included in the New Testament canon were written in the first century. They were written by an Apostle or by an associate of an Apostle. The Apostles were given special authority from Jesus. Other so called gospels were written after the first century, not by the Apostles or an associate of the Apostles, were Gnostic (an ancient Christian heresy), and were often just plain strange.
The Biblical gospels are trustworthy
and reliable. They along with the rest of the Bible are the Word of God. Do not listen to Bart Ehrman, Elaine Pagels, or Marcus Borg. Anyone wishing to find the historical Jesus needs only to look to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
The genre of the gospels is known as bios. This was ancient biography which focused on the key events and teachings of a person. It is actually not surprising that the four gospels are anonymous (the names of the authors are not included in them) because they were probably originally written to their own churches where the people already knew them.
Matthew
-Early church tradition is unanimous for the Apostle Matthew as the author.
-Both Papias (A.D. 135) and Irenaeus (A.D. 175) testify that it was written by Matthew.
-Irenaeus says that this gospel was written while Peter and Paul were still living.
-It was probably written around A.D. 60.
-Matthew was a tax collector who became an Apostle.
Mark
-Papias (A.D. 120) states that Mark wrote down the words of Peter.
-Papias received this tradition from the Apostle John.
-Church tradition says that Peter was in Rome in the early to mid 50's.
-This gospel was probably written from Rome around A.D. 55.
-The shortest gospel, it was also probably the first gospel written.
Luke
-Church tradition is unanimous for Luke as the author.
-Luke was a companion of Paul.
-Eusebius (A.D. 325) says Paul quoted from Luke saying "According to my gospel".
-It was probably written around A.D. 61.
-It is the longest gospel containing the most parables.
-Luke was a physician, an excellent historian, and also wrote Acts.
John
-Church tradition supports John as the author.
-Irenaeus (A.D. 175) states that Polycarp, a disciple of the Apostle John testified that John was the author of this gospel.
-Clement of Alexandria (A.D. 200) said that John wrote last of all the canonical gospels when he was old in age.
-John probably wrote from Ephesus.
-Probably written around A.D. 85.
All four of the gospels included in the New Testament canon were written in the first century. They were written by an Apostle or by an associate of an Apostle. The Apostles were given special authority from Jesus. Other so called gospels were written after the first century, not by the Apostles or an associate of the Apostles, were Gnostic (an ancient Christian heresy), and were often just plain strange.
The Biblical gospels are trustworthy
and reliable. They along with the rest of the Bible are the Word of God. Do not listen to Bart Ehrman, Elaine Pagels, or Marcus Borg. Anyone wishing to find the historical Jesus needs only to look to Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
The World's Smallest Political Quiz
Take the quiz and see where you fit on the political map.
*Just 10 Questions
www.theadvocates.org/quiz
*Just 10 Questions
www.theadvocates.org/quiz
Monday, May 4, 2015
How Will The Supreme Court Rule On Same Sex Marriage?
The U.S. Supreme Court is currently hearing arguments for and against same sex marriage. There will likely be 4 in favor, 3 against, and 2 others who could go either way. It will most likely be 5-4 or 6-3 in favor of homosexual marriage being the law of the land. I would be shocked if they ruled against it.
So how did we get here? In recent decades we have seen the rise of secularism and the decline of the church. In the 1990's television began to make homosexuality appear normal especially with Ellen Degeneres. Today homosexuality is a common thing on television. Of course it is always presented as a good and positive thing.
Many of the young people approve of it seeing it as perfectly normal. Activists have succeeded in presenting it as a civil right as if the right to homosexual marriage is in the Constitution. Of course the Constitution says nothing about the right of same sex marriage. Activists have made a faulty argument in favor of it. They have equated sinful behavior with a person's skin color. This argument is absurd because the two things are not the same at all.
So what about religious liberty? Indiana recently enacted a law to protect the religious liberty of citizens so they would not have to violate their convictions. But the homosexual rights crowd went crazy and forced the state to basically scrape the law. Governor Pence and the Indiana legislators quickly caved under all the pressure. Will people eventually be fined or imprisoned for standing against homosexuality? Will calling it a sin be classified as hate speech? Christians could be persecuted for simply holding Biblical beliefs.
We have become an absurd and foolish people. We have embraced everything from homosexuals to transgenders. We have rejected and rebelled against God. It is like our nation is under a delusional spirit. Dare I say our nation is following the devil himself?
So how did we get here? In recent decades we have seen the rise of secularism and the decline of the church. In the 1990's television began to make homosexuality appear normal especially with Ellen Degeneres. Today homosexuality is a common thing on television. Of course it is always presented as a good and positive thing.
Many of the young people approve of it seeing it as perfectly normal. Activists have succeeded in presenting it as a civil right as if the right to homosexual marriage is in the Constitution. Of course the Constitution says nothing about the right of same sex marriage. Activists have made a faulty argument in favor of it. They have equated sinful behavior with a person's skin color. This argument is absurd because the two things are not the same at all.
So what about religious liberty? Indiana recently enacted a law to protect the religious liberty of citizens so they would not have to violate their convictions. But the homosexual rights crowd went crazy and forced the state to basically scrape the law. Governor Pence and the Indiana legislators quickly caved under all the pressure. Will people eventually be fined or imprisoned for standing against homosexuality? Will calling it a sin be classified as hate speech? Christians could be persecuted for simply holding Biblical beliefs.
We have become an absurd and foolish people. We have embraced everything from homosexuals to transgenders. We have rejected and rebelled against God. It is like our nation is under a delusional spirit. Dare I say our nation is following the devil himself?
Monday, April 20, 2015
A Call For Protestant Separatism
This is not a call for an extremist separatism or a return to Fundamentalism. In case you have not noticed America is not exactly Christian and Evangelicalism is not exactly transforming the culture. We need something between Fundamentalism and Evangelicalism. It needs to be distinctly Protestant in the line of the Reformers and the Puritans. We need a return to classic Protestantism, which is Biblical Christianity.
Fundamentalism became extremely separatist and legalistic. It became anti intellectual and withdrew from the world. While Fundamentalism was not of the world, it was also not in the world. Evangelicalism set out to reform Fundamentalism. But it became too accommodationist and lacked doctrinal distinctiveness. Without the theological distinctiveness it could not sustain itself. Evangelicalism has been said to be a mile wide and an inch deep, it has become shallow. Evangelicals seem to think that they need to become like the world in order to reach the world (a distortion of Biblical teaching). Some have even commented that Evangelicalism has managed to be of the world but not in the world.
The call for Protestant separatism is needed. It may just be the case that we must get smaller in order to become more effective in the long run. It must be distinctively Protestant and separate from other groups that are not.
Mainline or liberal Protestants should be separated from. As Machen said liberalism is not Christianity at all. The liberal Protestants have no right to use the name Protestant either. Evangelicals and Catholics together sounds nice but the divide is too wide. The Roman Catholic Church does not even get the gospel right. Some seem to think we can unite with the Mormons. But Mormonism is a Christian heresy with its many gods. The emergent church, the seeker sensitive movement, and the prosperity gospel should all be avoided too.
We need to stop trying to be like the world and start being the church. Protestants must separate from the world. I mean to be in the world but not of the world. We must also separate from false and erroneous teaching which pervades the modern church. We need a distinct Protestantism to proclaim truth to the world and to be an example to it. We must not water down our doctrine in order to partner with other groups.
We must recover our confidence in the authority and sufficiency of the Bible. We must hold to the gospel of grace, salvation is the work of God and not the work of man. We must also recover our sense of the greatness of God. We must focus on the holiness, majesty, and transcendence of God.
We must hold to Biblical Christianity and not compromise it. Classic Protestantism represents true Christianity. We must hold to Protestant distinctives to reach and influence the world. We must have intellectual vigor along with heart felt devotion. We must love God with our minds and our hearts.
Fundamentalism became extremely separatist and legalistic. It became anti intellectual and withdrew from the world. While Fundamentalism was not of the world, it was also not in the world. Evangelicalism set out to reform Fundamentalism. But it became too accommodationist and lacked doctrinal distinctiveness. Without the theological distinctiveness it could not sustain itself. Evangelicalism has been said to be a mile wide and an inch deep, it has become shallow. Evangelicals seem to think that they need to become like the world in order to reach the world (a distortion of Biblical teaching). Some have even commented that Evangelicalism has managed to be of the world but not in the world.
The call for Protestant separatism is needed. It may just be the case that we must get smaller in order to become more effective in the long run. It must be distinctively Protestant and separate from other groups that are not.
Mainline or liberal Protestants should be separated from. As Machen said liberalism is not Christianity at all. The liberal Protestants have no right to use the name Protestant either. Evangelicals and Catholics together sounds nice but the divide is too wide. The Roman Catholic Church does not even get the gospel right. Some seem to think we can unite with the Mormons. But Mormonism is a Christian heresy with its many gods. The emergent church, the seeker sensitive movement, and the prosperity gospel should all be avoided too.
We need to stop trying to be like the world and start being the church. Protestants must separate from the world. I mean to be in the world but not of the world. We must also separate from false and erroneous teaching which pervades the modern church. We need a distinct Protestantism to proclaim truth to the world and to be an example to it. We must not water down our doctrine in order to partner with other groups.
We must recover our confidence in the authority and sufficiency of the Bible. We must hold to the gospel of grace, salvation is the work of God and not the work of man. We must also recover our sense of the greatness of God. We must focus on the holiness, majesty, and transcendence of God.
We must hold to Biblical Christianity and not compromise it. Classic Protestantism represents true Christianity. We must hold to Protestant distinctives to reach and influence the world. We must have intellectual vigor along with heart felt devotion. We must love God with our minds and our hearts.
Monday, April 13, 2015
The Righteousness Of God
(Romans 1:16-17) "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, The righteous shall live by faith." (ESV)
Paul emphatically states that he is not ashamed of the gospel. Unfortunately many Christians today seem to be ashamed of the gospel. They are intimidated by the secular culture often being called intolerant or narrow minded. But the gospel is the truth even in our postmodern culture that says there is no truth.
The gospel is the power of God for salvation. People are saved when they hear and believe the gospel. Salvation does not come through hearing someone's testimony or by persuasive speech or by any other means. It is through the gospel, the Word of God that people receive salvation.
In this gospel the righteousness of God is revealed. The primary meaning of the phrase is in the sense of the righteousness from God. It is the basis for our justification. Christians are declared righteous and not guilty. The perfect righteousness of Christ is imputed or credited to believers. We must have the righteousness of Christ because none of us are truly righteous. When God looks upon the believer he sees Christ and his perfect righteousness. The righteousness of God also refers to his holiness and justice. But it primarily refers to the righteousness of Christ (Philippians 3:9, 2 Corinthians 5:21).
The righteous shall live by faith. The righteous are those who have the righteousness of Christ. Salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone. Those who place their faith in Jesus receive eternal life.
Paul emphatically states that he is not ashamed of the gospel. Unfortunately many Christians today seem to be ashamed of the gospel. They are intimidated by the secular culture often being called intolerant or narrow minded. But the gospel is the truth even in our postmodern culture that says there is no truth.
The gospel is the power of God for salvation. People are saved when they hear and believe the gospel. Salvation does not come through hearing someone's testimony or by persuasive speech or by any other means. It is through the gospel, the Word of God that people receive salvation.
In this gospel the righteousness of God is revealed. The primary meaning of the phrase is in the sense of the righteousness from God. It is the basis for our justification. Christians are declared righteous and not guilty. The perfect righteousness of Christ is imputed or credited to believers. We must have the righteousness of Christ because none of us are truly righteous. When God looks upon the believer he sees Christ and his perfect righteousness. The righteousness of God also refers to his holiness and justice. But it primarily refers to the righteousness of Christ (Philippians 3:9, 2 Corinthians 5:21).
The righteous shall live by faith. The righteous are those who have the righteousness of Christ. Salvation is by faith alone in Christ alone. Those who place their faith in Jesus receive eternal life.
Monday, April 6, 2015
Peace With God
(Romans 5:1) "Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ." (ESV)
Because of sin people are not at peace with God. Sin breaks our relationship with God and makes us enemies of him. Because of sin we face the wrath of God. God's holiness and justice requires that he punish sin. All people are sinners, in fact we are all born sinners. We have all fallen short of God's perfect standard of righteousness. No person is righteous, not even one. We have all rebelled against God and turned away from him. The result of sin is death, both physical and spiritual. We all deserve to face God's punishment and spend eternity in hell.
So how can we be made right with God? Our good works and religious rituals will not accomplish it. God requires perfect righteousness and none of us are capable of that. We are justified (that means to be declared righteous, not guilty) by faith alone in Christ alone. Jesus lived a perfect life without sin allowing him to be our perfect substitute. Jesus died on the cross to pay for the sins of his people. On the cross God's wrath was poured out on Jesus instead of on us who deserved it. Jesus was then raised from the dead bodily victorious over sin, death, and the devil. The resurrection proves that Jesus is God and that his sacrifice for sin was accepted by God the Father.
Because of God's love and grace we can be saved from our sins and have peace with God. All people must repent of their sins and place their trust in Christ alone for salvation. Repent means to have a change of mind. After true repentance a person desires to live for God and no longer live against God. The person's desire is to obey God. True Christians still commit sins but they agree with God that their sin is sin and confess it to him.
Our salvation is because of Christ alone. He takes our sins on himself and his righteousness is credited to us. This is true for all who truly believe in him. If we could be saved by our own works or efforts then Christ died for no purpose. Because we could not save our selves, Christ accomplished salvation for us. Because of Jesus and his work on the cross we no longer face the wrath and judgment of God. Believers have peace with God. This is both and internal and external peace. This is all because of God's grace (that is his undeserved favor toward us). Even though we deserved to go to hell we can now go to heaven if we repent and believe in Jesus. To God alone be the glory.
Because of sin people are not at peace with God. Sin breaks our relationship with God and makes us enemies of him. Because of sin we face the wrath of God. God's holiness and justice requires that he punish sin. All people are sinners, in fact we are all born sinners. We have all fallen short of God's perfect standard of righteousness. No person is righteous, not even one. We have all rebelled against God and turned away from him. The result of sin is death, both physical and spiritual. We all deserve to face God's punishment and spend eternity in hell.
So how can we be made right with God? Our good works and religious rituals will not accomplish it. God requires perfect righteousness and none of us are capable of that. We are justified (that means to be declared righteous, not guilty) by faith alone in Christ alone. Jesus lived a perfect life without sin allowing him to be our perfect substitute. Jesus died on the cross to pay for the sins of his people. On the cross God's wrath was poured out on Jesus instead of on us who deserved it. Jesus was then raised from the dead bodily victorious over sin, death, and the devil. The resurrection proves that Jesus is God and that his sacrifice for sin was accepted by God the Father.
Because of God's love and grace we can be saved from our sins and have peace with God. All people must repent of their sins and place their trust in Christ alone for salvation. Repent means to have a change of mind. After true repentance a person desires to live for God and no longer live against God. The person's desire is to obey God. True Christians still commit sins but they agree with God that their sin is sin and confess it to him.
Our salvation is because of Christ alone. He takes our sins on himself and his righteousness is credited to us. This is true for all who truly believe in him. If we could be saved by our own works or efforts then Christ died for no purpose. Because we could not save our selves, Christ accomplished salvation for us. Because of Jesus and his work on the cross we no longer face the wrath and judgment of God. Believers have peace with God. This is both and internal and external peace. This is all because of God's grace (that is his undeserved favor toward us). Even though we deserved to go to hell we can now go to heaven if we repent and believe in Jesus. To God alone be the glory.
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