Difficult Truths You Need to Submit To

Dear Reader,

Here are some truths that you need to wrestle with and then submit yourself to (especially if you are of the Armenian persuasion):

1. Every single individual person is not a child of God. Every single individual person is made in the image of God, but only those who have been adopted as sons and daughters through faith in Christ Jesus are children of God. To claim that we are all children of God is rank heresy. You are the child of the one whose will you seek to fulfill. As Jesus said to certain Jews, "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father" (John 8:44). The lost and unbelieving are not children of God; they are children of the devil.
    
   
2. God does not love every single individual person, or even love every single individual person equally. It was stated very clearly with regard to Jacob and Esau: "Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated" (Mal. 1:2-3; Rom. 9:13). You can even see this among the disciples, such as Peter and John. God loves His own. He does not love the children of the devil. God is love, but love is not God. Stop creating a false god by trying to turn the concept or essence of love into a god and place it in the position of God. You quite obviously misunderstand what that verse means and are trying to force your false understandings upon it.
    
   
3. God does not desire that each and every single individual person who has ever lived come to repentance and faith. Think about that! "My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure" (Isaiah 46:10). If God desired each and every single individual person to come to repentance and faith, obtaining salvation, and seeing as how His purposes and plans, His will, are always accomplished, you have an argument for the heresy of Universalism. God desires that His elect come to repentance and faith, and they will because He has purposed it, and His will is always accomplished.
    
   
4. You do not possess a "free will." If Judas was foreordained, or predestined, to betray Jesus, he was unable to do anything but betray Jesus. Ergo, where was his supposed "free will"? Where was Nebuchadnezzar's supposed "free will" when God made him eat grass and act crazy for seven years? Where was Jonah's supposed "free will"? "Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?" (Rom. 6:16). Without Christ, your will is slave to sin. A corpse cannot obey commands. Unless God makes you alive, you will not accept the Gospel; once He has made you alive, you can do nothing but accept the Gospel.
   

In other blog entries, I have greatly expanded upon these truths. These are just brief dealings with them. If you profess to be a Christian, but war against these truths in your heart and mind, then you might want to examine yourself more closely to see just how much of a Christian you truly are. You obviously have a desperate desire to reject the truths that Scripture makes plain, which comes from a heart of rebellion. Whenever Scripture says something and makes it clear, and you do not want to accept it or conform yourself to it, that comes from a rebellious and disobedient heart, which may indicate being merely religious and not a genuine follower of Christ.

Why I Didn't Sing When I Visited Your Church

by Tim Challies

It was a joy to finally visit your church a couple of Sundays ago, and to worship with the believers there. You know I’ve been looking forward to it for a long time. Just as you promised, the pastor is an excellent communicator and a man who loves God’s Word. His sermon was deeply challenging and led to some great conversations with my children.

Now, you asked me why it looked like I wasn’t singing. I know that was probably a little awkward, so thought I’d send along a brief explanation. Primarily, it’s because…

…I was not familiar with the songs. Your church has a tremendously skilled group of musicians leading them and it was a true joy to hear them play and sing. They sound as good live as they do on their album! But, unless I missed something, all of the songs on that Sunday were drawn from their own music. There weren’t any hymns in the service or even any familiar worship songs. So it’s not that I didn’t want to sing; it’s just that I didn’t know the songs. I want to be fair—every church has some of its own songs, and there is nothing wrong with that. I tried to follow along the best I could so I could learn some of yours, but even then…

…the songs weren’t congregational. Most of them seemed to have been written with the band in mind more than the congregation. What I mean is that they were unpredictable and often went beyond my vocal range and ability. This made them tough to learn and difficult to sing. Sometimes I would just begin to think I had it, but then…

Continue reading...

One World Government?

Most probable, there is not going to be a “one world government.” Even if there were, it is not in fulfillment to any prophecy. The Bible teaches no such thing; not in Daniel, not in Thessalonians, and not in Revelation. Daniel makes it clear that “in the days of those kings” Jesus would set up His kingdom, of which there would be no end. That was prophecy. That was inevitable. Jesus did exactly that; His kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36), and was not coming in a way that could be observed (Luke 17:20-21). Believers have been transferred from the kingdom of darkness into Jesus’ kingdom (Col 1:13). Men have been trying to create a one world government ever since Jesus established His kingdom and have been unsuccessful (Charlemagne, Napoleon, etc.). It most likely will never happen! The world can do its darnedest to try and make it happen, but God will thwart their efforts. People who believe this fictional fairy tale are out of touch with the Bible, believing a theology that is about 200 years old. This theology selects randomly isolated verses of Scripture, rips them out of their immediate contexts, and ties them together with other randomly isolated verses of Scripture that sound like they are saying the same thing, forcing them to create a doctrine that is foreign to the Word of God. This is not prophecy. This is not inevitable. This is eisegesis and sensationalism.

Every aspect of this theology crumbles when one pays attention to what the New Testament has to say—in context. Hebrews destroys much of it, but other epistles destroy these false beliefs, too. Hebrews makes it clear there will not be a return to the old; not even God Himself can return to former things. Most probable, there will not be a rebuilt temple. Even if there were, it is not in fulfillment of any prophecy, and would not change anything. The New Testament makes it clear that we are that Temple and that God does not dwell in buildings built by hands, but that He dwells in us. Revelation goes so far as to tell us that in the new heavens and earth Jesus and God are the Temple (21:22). There will not be a return to sacrifices. Jesus was the sacrifice to end all others, which were types and shadows of Jesus’ sacrifice. These things are extremely simple to understand if people would just pay attention to what the New Testament says—in context—instead of looking for what they want it to say and ripping individual verses apart just to make it say what they want. You may have been taught this theology, but this theology is false. It is not biblical!!!

I wrote a book on this very subject, exposing the false beliefs of this aberrant theology and quoting large portions of Scripture so that people could see precisely what the Bible has to say for itself. If you follow this theology, know that it is bankrupt; it holds no value. It is the imagination of godless men—not the Word of God, nor the teachings of the Holy Spirit. Learn the truth and let the truth set you free.

http://getbook.at/TheEndTimesExpanded

https://payhip.com/b/6wDN

Confronting Pagan Christianity

Jesus never soft-peddled truth in order to keep from offending men who were offended by the God of truth. In fact, He confronted God's enemies head-on. (Those enemies can even be found within the walls of your religious institution. Peter at one point was one such enemy that Christ had to rebuke him: "Get behind me, Satan.") The way you deal with God's enemies is to confront them head-on with God's truth. You do not coddle them or try to get them to somehow agree with you. You confront them and demand that they bow to God's revelation.

A person will be saved when they bow to God—and not before. You can become a Catholic, an Anglican, a Lutheran, a Calvinist, a Presbyterian, a Baptist, a Pentecostal, a Methodist, a "Calvinist," an "Armenian," etc., by argument and persuasion. You will only come to know God when you bow to His revelation in His Word. Period!

You want to discuss theology? You want to discuss doctrine? You want to discuss the truth of Scripture? Let's have at it! Let's look at what the Bible has to say, and let's expose the false beliefs and man-made traditions you have been taught and have clung to desperately. If it cannot be found in, or substantiated by, Scripture, then you need to let it go!

"Ecclesia, semper reformanda secundum verbi Dei."
("The church, always reforming according to the Word of God.")

God's true Church, the people, should always be reforming in order to be in accordance with the Word of God. If the holy Scriptures teach one thing, and you refuse to accept it and instead cling to the traditions that have been handed down to you, then Anathema upon your head! You are not a faithful follower of Christ Jesus. Are you afraid to reform? Why? Providing you do not quench the Holy Spirit, Jesus promised that the coming Comforter would guide us into all truth. Yet when He desires to do precisely that, because it goes against the status quo of the traditions you have been handed, you ignore Him and stifle Him. To top it all off, you claim to be lead by the Spirit, and that He taught you such-and-such, despite the fact that what you claim "He" taught you contradicts and opposes what you find in the holy Scriptures. Your thoughts, your desires, are not the Holy Spirit speaking to you! Stop attributing you to the Holy Spirit!

As I have said before, Gospel preaching is always confrontational. Why? Because you are challenging world views and systems of belief. Do you find my writing to be challenging? Do you find my writing to be abrupt? Do you find my writing to be abrasive? Do you find my writing to be confrontational? Good! More than likely it is you who need to be confronted and challenged. Perhaps you are a little too pompous and puffed up, thinking more highly of yourself than you ought. Perhaps you are jealous of the way God has gifted me. I do not know, nor do I care. God knows, and God will be your judge.

"You should be more gentle and loving with your brothers and sisters in Christ." Oh, for sure! Except for those who are merely religious, whose Christianity is nothing more than religion. Then a firm hand, a harsher tone, is required. Jesus was gentle and loving toward the lowly, but He was harsh and loving toward the proud and religious. You want to claim that I am abrasive? Fine! I do not care about your feelings! I care about your soul, and I care about what it is you believe and practice! If your feelings get hurt in the process of making sure you are on the straight and narrow and conforming yourself and your beliefs according to everything in the New Testament, then so be it. Better for you to be offended and aligned with Scripture than for me to cater to your feelings and make you comfortable as you slide down a greased pole into Hell for eternity!

You sit and wonder how my writing will make you look; how people will associate my writing with you. Have you ever stopped to think about how Jesus wonders how you make Him look; how people will associate you with Him? How ashamed Jesus must be of you. Jesus was extremely confrontational, especially with the religious. Yet you have an attitude of passivity. You are afraid and ashamed to be confrontational, touting a false "love" as your methodology. Yet how many people have you brought to Christ? You major on the minors and minor on the majors.

Every member of Christ's church has been given at least one gift to use for the edification of the body of Christ. No one needs a special education or a special degree or a special title in order to use their gifts. The ones possessing these special educations, degrees, and titles are usually the least qualified to be attempting to lead God's people. Why? Do you know what "homiletics" is? Homiletics is a "science, applying rules of rhetoric, which go back to Greece and Rome." Rhetoric (the art of persuasive speaking) came from the Sophists. From Constantine onward, the speaker had to take special classes to learn how to use this rhetoric. If you did not possess this education, you were not allowed to speak and address the assembly. This same pagan mindset infects the modern church today: Catholic, Anglican, Lutheran, Calvinist, Presbyterian, Baptist, Pentecostal, etc. If any of the Apostles came to your church today and desired to preach, you would cast them out on the street because of your ignorance and long-held pagan traditions and beliefs.

You know what else is of pagan origin? Paying the speaker for speaking to you! Sophists made their living this way. They were paid to speak using their rhetoric. Aristotle provided the three-point speech to their rhetoric, which is still used by most speakers in religious institutions today. Contrast this with the Jewish rabbis who took up a trade so as not to charge a fee for their teaching/speaking. Tell your priest/pastor that you will not be paying him a salary any more and see what happens. How concerned is he with the flock? Most Christians are addicted to the "Christian" sermon in the same way that the Greeks and Romans were addicted to the pagan sermon. The structure of modern churches encourages passive spectatorship rather than communal participation, and it hinders and stunts spiritual growth. The Spirit-inspired dialogue between speaker and listener was replaced by the monologue. A single speaker with their knowledge, gifting, and experience addressing the congregation rather than group participation. How does this benefit the whole body of Christ? How is each member doing their part when they are encouraged to sit and listen like a spectator being entertained?

Whether your denomination wants to admit it or not, it still retains elements of the Catholic Church in the way it does things, which were taken directly from pagan religions and the Greco-Roman culture. I hate to break it to you, but your "Christianity" is more pagan than it is Christian. And I will bet that you are too arrogant and proud to admit it. How Christian is your Christianity when you go through the motions of pagan rituals and practices every worship day? You have more in common with the Devil than you do with Christ!

How's that for abrasive and confrontational? ;o)

A Dangerous Statement

God never changes! Remember that.

The next time you are confronted with something from the Bible and these words cross your lips—"That was for back then; that isn't for us today," be very afraid, because you are treading on thin ice.

What you are saying is that you do not agree with what the Scriptures have said, what Jesus has said, and are thus trying to find a way to loose yourself from having to obey it. In this case, you are no better than an infidel.

Unless God Himself has changed something, unless it has been fulfilled in and by the person and work of Christ on the cross, unless there is an explicit "Thus says the Lord" command to alter or cancel something, then it still remains intact for you today.

You do not get to pick and choose what parts of Scripture you will obey. God is not interested in your opinions. Because our cultures are so vastly different, you need to understand biblical culture in order to understand a great deal of what was being said and what was meant by it. However, that does not make it relative only to biblical culture. You are under the same obligation to obey what the Scriptures command, whether your culture is identical or not with that of the biblical culture.

When the authors spoke or wrote, they did so under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Therefore, what has been written down comes directly from the heart and mouth of God Himself. God does not change. Therefore, what you desire to be only for a past culture is still incumbent upon you to practice and obey. If you do not understand something, seek to understand it. Do not simply sweep it under the rug in hopes you can ignore it and then claim ignorance when standing before the throne of judgment.

What Christ Jesus said in Scripture of His followers, He demands they obey. It was not said to the culture of that time with no application for our culture today. What He commanded and demanded of them back then, He still commands and demands from us today.

When it comes to God's Word and His instructions for us, never mouth the words, "That was for back then; that isn't for us today"!

Pagan Influenced Christianity

From the time of Emperor Constantine onward, church buildings have been designed to separate clergy from laity. Clergy have been elevated higher than laity, as if they are somehow more special or more important. Church buildings have been designed to make the pew-sitters passive listeners and spectators rather than active participants, as the early Christians functioned. Their design has done away with face-to-face fellowship and interaction.

Look at your own sacred building and exegete it. After all, "form follows function." What is the function of your building? What is it conveying? What objects are higher, and what objects are lower in your building? What objects are at the front, and what objects are at the back in your building? Your sacred building follows the design of the Roman basilicas. Your building layout and the elements of your worship are patterned after pagan temples and rituals.

Why is the pastor positioned at the front? Why is he elevated above the rest of the congregants? (Do not buy the modern explanation, "So we can see him better.") Why is his chair usually larger than any other chairs that may be present? Why is there a rail that separates him from the rest of the congregation? Do your homework, Christians! This all stems from pagan rituals and practices, as well as from the Catholic Church.

None of it is Christian in the least. None of it can be found, substantiated, or defended from the New Testament. And do not even attempt to try and do so from the Old Testament because you would be dead wrong! Ever bothered reading or paying attention to what the book of Hebrews has to say? The sacred temple, sacred objects, and sacred priestly caste of the Old Testament was fulfilled and abrogated in and by Christ Jesus.

Institutional churches are not biblical. Period. You can argue until you are blue in the face all you want. You know it, and I know it. Your arrogant, stubborn pride just wants to argue in attempt to defend what you have known and been taught your entire life, rather than open your eyes, exercise that brain, and see the problem. 

Up until Emperor Constantine, no such "church" buildings ever existed. With every "church" building he erected, he named them after saints the way pagans named their temples after gods. He also built them over burial sites of martyrs, as if it was some sort of "holy" ground, and that in death they possessed some kind of power. The tall spires or steeples that came later imitated the Egyptians and Babylonians, such as the tower of Babel, man aspiring to reach heaven. Even stained-glass windows draw from paganism. Every single element pertaining to your "church" building and the way your sacred building conducts "worship" is built upon pagan rituals and practices. Most of it stemming from the Greco-Roman culture.

Your sacred building also informs people that the holy and the everyday are separate and unconnected. And yet you wonder why in every denomination most their members live differently from the day after service to the day before service than they do the day of service. They have two lives, essentially. They are somber on worship day, but casual, relaxed, and free the other six days of the week. Unless of course they are legalistic, and then they are wound tighter than a coiled spring every day of the week.

Christianity is not Christianity to most adherents. They have no idea what Christianity is because they have been told what to do and what to believe their entire life that they have never bothered to remove the lens that was given to them by their leaders and their denomination and pay attention to what Jesus and the Scriptures have to say. Many Christians are nothing more than mindless parrots, and if you ever talk to them you can see how true that statement is. Whatever the pastor has to say, they are content in believing whether there is an ounce of truth to it or not. They never question him. In their eyes, he can do no wrong. This mentality is dangerous!

The pastor is not above the rest of the congregation. It does not matter what kind of education he has had or the number of degrees he might possess, he is not wiser or more intelligent than any other member of the congregation, nor are his opinions more valued. If he is wrong about something, it needs to be brought to his attention. A degree does not a holy man make you! Unfortunately, the ignorant have bought into this societal lie for hundreds of years. "He's a doctor, so he ought to know what he is talking about." Oh, really? And doctors have never been wrong in the past? Or even presently?

Education serves to teach you how to think and believe the way your professors think and believe. As long as you can retain whatever they have to tell you, whether it is true or not, and be able to repeat it back on a test or exam, you get the marks. Having the marks does not mean you actually know anything, or that you remotely have a clue what you are talking about. But many ignorant individuals today think that education and degrees somehow "make the man." Sorry, but you are WRONG! I have known kids who grew up with computers who could program and hack circles around adults who went to university for the same. Education and experience can be good in their own right, but neither is the be-all and end-all of professionalism. It is sheer prideful arrogance that thinks that someone without degrees and titles could not possibly be wiser and more intelligent than someone with several.

If you are brave enough to allow your Christianity to be examined in light of Scripture and history, and if you are willing to admit that most of what you know to be "church" is built upon paganism, the real question becomes, What next? Without taking that knowledge and becoming proud and arrogant, what do we do next? It is clear that the institutional church is failing (in fact, it never succeeded). Millions of people are leaving the institutional church and returning to the roots of biblical Christianity, seeking to become the church as they were meant to be. The answer is not necessarily returning to house "church" models, but it does demand an overhaul of what we presently practice and call "church."

Emperor Constantine modeled his "church" buildings after the pagan temples and Roman state buildings. Christianity was effectively married to the Roman culture under Constantine, and it has stuck ever since. More and more people are realizing that the current way they do "church" is empty; that there is something more they have been missing. The way your sacred building is laid out, the way your service is conducted, the use and placement of objects in your building and service, are all derived from the Catholic Church, which in turn are derived from the pagan religions and their rituals and practices. You sit in the pew calling yourself a Christian, but you have more in common with the Greco-Roman pagans than you ever have with the early Christians or Christ!

I do not know what this means for me and my family, but as I discover the truth of history and how much our modern "churches" have strayed from that truth, I know that I want nothing to do with it. I want the face-to-face communal fellowship that the Apostles and early Christians enjoyed. I do not want to emulate and mimic the religious worship of the pagans. As I pray that God would remove the scales from your eyes and lead you into the truth by searching the Scriptures (like a good Berean), pray that God would help me to know what I should do and how I should lead my family in the light of this knowledge.

Remember, those who came out of the Catholic Church had been heavily influenced by it. It is only natural that in trying to reform it that they would retain some of that influence. You can see it in every denomination: Anglican, Lutheran, Calvinist, Presbyterian, Baptist, Pentecostal, etc. None is without taint. None is without the elements of paganism in the way they practice "church." Yet all will try to defend their concept and idea of "church," even imitating the Pharisees and Sadducees by attacking those God has opened the eyes of for even questioning their sacred cow. Protestant "churches" have placed the pastor between God and the congregation, as if the only way to Him is through the pastor.

It is time for God's children to wake from their slumber and become the church. The church is not some place you go, but something you are. Anyone who tries to tell you differently is speaking on behalf of their father, the Devil. Do not listen to them. Search the Scriptures. Learn your history. Stay the straight and narrow path. God wants to free you even from this enslavement. Do not quench the Spirit because of your pride and arrogance. Remember, God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. The reason God resists everything your hand attempts to do is because of your pride. Pray for humility. May God bless you as you truly seek after Him.

Gospel Preaching is ALWAYS Confrontational!

Gospel preaching is always confrontational! Any Christian who does not think so, does not understand the Gospel.

These Christians will say, "You can catch more flies with honey than you can with vinegar."

True, but you can catch even more flies with dung than you can with honey! However, I am not in the business of catching flies. My business is the glory of God, the Gospel of God, and the souls of men. Whether of the unsaved who believe false things, or of the saved who believe false things, my business is to challenge what they have been taught and expose them to the truth. As Matthew Henry said,

Truth [is] not to [certain individual’s] taste. We all know how soon a man will contrive, against the strongest evidence, to reason himself out of the belief of what he dislikes.

The religious are just as guilty as the deceived on this point. Their stubborn pride and arrogance takes front-row seat to how they were raised, what they were taught, and what they presently believe. Precious few have the gift to examine these things and check them against Scripture. Some who do, when the church rejects their findings, and attempts to threaten them, ignore what has been revealed to them and submit to the errors of the church, falling in line like Yes-men.

Religious institutions, by and large, are a cancer. They have fallen so far from what it actually means, and looks like, to be the church. Of the 115 occurrences of the Greek word ekklesia in the New Testament, every single one refers to a gathering together, to an assembly, to a congregation. Not one single time does the word refer to a physical building.

You, Christian, are the church. Not some building. You cannot go to something you are.

Emperor Constantine was the first person to erect a building in order for saints to meet in. The construction of such a building gave legitimacy to the Christian religion, which was the only religion not to have a sacred temple, sacred objects, or a sacred priestly caste, as did every other religion including Judaism. Today, every single denomination has their sacred temple, their sacred objects, and their sacred priestly caste.

From Constantine through the Catholic Church, every denomination since then has retained elements of the Catholic system while ignoring the New Testament and the early Christians. Today, the ignorance of each of these denominations will attempt to argue in defense of their religious system and man-made practices. They will even attempt to pervert the Word of God by ripping random isolated verses out of context and forcing them to fit their agenda. Anathema upon such "Christians"!

Think about it! How much money went into building the sacred temple you meet in every worship day? Or, how much money did it require for you to purchase your sacred temple? How much money does your sacred temple require in order to manage it? You use it at least twice a week! How much money does it require for land taxes? How much money does it require for electricity? How much money does it require for water? How much money does it require for heating? How much money does it require for upkeep? Does all of that sound like good stewardship of your tithes? Not to mention, how much are you paying the priest or pastor?

Why does the priest or pastor of every denomination act like the MC or CEO while the rest of the congregation sits idly by, listening, taught to value lesser things? Every early Christian understood that he/she was a priest unto God. Go ahead, read your New Testament. The picture it paints is drastically different from the one you have been living and brainwashed to accept as part of your Christianity.

Guess what? If you challenge this sacred priestly caste, of any denomination, watch how quickly they turn on you. The religious did the same thing to Jesus the Messiah! When Jesus was on Earth, He, and Stephen after Him, made some negatively challenging statements concerning the Jewish temple. Both were charged with the same crime. The religious in your denomination will do the same to you as they did to your Master. Make no mistake about it!

Gospel preaching is always confrontational because you are challenging world views. Very few people want to admit that their world view is flawed and in error, thereby having to correct it. The path of least resistance is to simply continue believing how you were raised, what you were taught, and what you presently believe. God forbid you humble yourself and admit you have been wrong and then submit to the truth and conform yourself to it.

You jellyfish "Christians" with your cotton-candy theology and gospel can keep it. Genuine sons and daughters of the kingdom want the biblical Gospel; the one Paul told us was scandalous and foolish. The same Gospel, who anyone with intelligence when reading the New Testament can see, that was constantly confrontational. It confronted men—religious or non-religious—with their sin.

The biblical church, when men and women came together, communed together. One person did not have the floor while everyone else sat there listening, just to go home afterward. This stems from pagan rituals and practices, which the Catholic Church absorbed, and which other denominations still retain certain elements thereof today—including the Reformed churches and the Baptist churches.

God's church is starting to wake up. More and more Christians are leaving the institutional church to become the church as God had originally intended. Are you brave enough to confront your "Christianity" and challenge your idea of "church"? If it does not align with the New Testament and the early Christians, then what you have and follow is a counterfeit. You are just as religious as the Pharisees and Sadducees, and have just enough faith to condemn you. It is high time you lose your religion and that you win Christ. If you would rather have your religion than Christ, I wish you the best of luck. "As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."

Humble Listening

Just because something is said with the wrong attitude doesn't mean it's wrong information. A mistake I have made too often is to respond to pride with pride. There have been too many times when my goal was to bite my tongue and remain calm. Listening to find truth in their statements required another level of humility I didn't have.

I'm always amused and impressed when I read this story about David:

Then Abishai the son of Zeruiah said to the king, “Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? Let me go over and take off his head.” But the king said, “What have I to do with you, you sons of Zeruiah? If he is cursing because the Lord has said to him, ‘Curse David,’ who then shall say, ‘Why have you done so?’” And David said to Abishai and to all his servants, “Behold, my own son seeks my life; how much more now may this Benjaminite! Leave him alone, and let him curse, for the Lord has told him to. It may be that the Lord will look on the wrong done to me, and that the Lord will repay me with good for his cursing today.” So David and his men went on the road, while Shimei went along on the hillside opposite him and cursed as he went and threw stones at him and flung dust.

2 Samuel 16:9-13

Picture King David marching with his army. A fool comes along, throwing rocks at him and cursing him. When David's soldier asks if he can chop off the guy's head, David says to leave him alone. His reasoning? David was open to the possibility this man was sent from God! So he patiently endured the cursing, just in case it really was a message from God.

To be honest, I am rarely able to listen to proud people. I typically get defensive, combative, or sarcastic. However, there have been a few times recently, when by the grace of God, I have been able to listen for truth while being disrespected. There have even been a couple times when I have thanked an unreasonable critic for showing me my sin. It's amazing how quickly humility can diffuse a tense situation. This is not to say that we should condone angry criticism. But as leaders, we need to set an example of humility and avoid the trap of becoming hypocritical. That will only add fuel to their fire.

The above comes from Francis Chan's book, Letters to the Church. I share it because it reflects my own sentiments. Sometimes people are critical of us because they are jealous of us (for whatever reasons). Maybe they are jealous of the gifts and abilities God has given us while they appear to have been left empty vessels by God. Trust me when I say that it is difficult to listen to critics, especially when they do not have a clue what in the world they are talking about. I have experienced more than my fair share of these types of people both with regard to my art work as well as my faith. Imagine someone who can only draw stick people criticizing the work of Michaelangelo or Da Vinci (and I am not comparing myself to either of these great painters, or even attempting to put myself in league with them). Criticism is much easier to receive and digest coming from someone who knows what they are talking about. Not to mention, constructive criticism is much more easier to accept than deconstructive criticism.

Let's be honest. We all struggle with an element of pride. It is part of our fallen human nature. There is nothing wrong with being proud of our accomplishments, but it needs to be a humble pride. For example, if I published a single book and then thought so highly of myself to be of Stephen King fame. That is arrogant pride. Humble pride is being proud of your accomplishment without thinking higher of yourself than you ought. I have published 20+ books and still do not feel any more special than when I published my first book. Even if I published 100 books, it would not mean a thing. I am not after quantity, but quality. The quality of my work is what I care about. With every book I published, my goal is to expose lies and errors and reveal the truth, even if it is not to most people's liking. The truth is the truth whether people like it or not.

We all desire more humility, to be able to listen to those know-nothing critics and be able to search for a nugget of truth within their ramblings that we can apply to our lives in order to make us more like Christ. Trust me, I know how difficult it can be at times. God willing, even the irrational criticisms might make us better Christians.

Are You Serious About Your Christianity?

"As Christians, we are taught by our leaders to believe certain ideas and behave in certain ways. We are also encouraged to read our Bibles. But we are conditioned to read the Bible with the lens handed to us by the Christian tradition to which we belong. We are taught to obey our denomination (or movement) and never to challenge what it teaches."

This is called blind faith or stubborn ignorance. The Calvinist church is guilty of this as much as the Catholic church, the Anglican church, the Lutheran church, the Presbyterian church, the Baptist church, the Pentecostal church, etc. Where how you were raised, what you were taught, and what you presently believe trump the evidence and truth of reality. Where you will blindly fight tooth and claw to retain and defend your concept of church and your man-made traditions rather than submitting and conforming to the New Testament Scriptures.

"Warning: If you are unwilling to have your Christianity seriously examined, do not read beyond this page. Give this book to Goodwill immediately! Spare yourself the trouble of having your Christian life turned upside down.
However, if you choose to 'take the red pill' and be shown 'how deep the rabbit hole goes' . . . if you want to learn the true story of where your Christian practices came from . . . if you are willing to have the curtain pulled back on the contemporary church and its traditional presuppositions fiercely challenged . . . then you will find this work to be disturbing, enlightening, and possibly life changing.
Put another way, if you are a Christian in the institutional church who takes the New Testament seriously, what you are about to read may lead to a crisis of conscience. For you will be confronted by unmovable historical fact."

Cowardly Christians do not want their Christianity examined, let alone their belief systems, lest at any time it prove they have believed wrongly. God forbid that in humility they should have to admit it and conform to Scripture. It is much more comfortable to tread the path well worn rather than to pull out a map and compass and see if the road is straight or not. Stubborn blindness, or blind stubbornness, chooses the path of least resistance. God forbid we should be corrected and have to adjust the course of our faith.

Serious Christians serious about their faith, and serious about Christ Jesus and their walk with Him, have no problem with taking the red pill. We want to know the truth, and we want to conform our lives to it. However, a great many in the church would rather take the blue pill and be blissfully ignorant as to truth and reality. Their walk and their faith, like their character, is shallow.

The above two quotes in blue come from the book Pagan Christianity? by Frank Viola and George Barna. This book, as well as its companion books, Reimagining Church, From Eternity to Here, and Finding Organic Church, need to be read by every serious Christian who loves God. Pagan Christianity? deconstructs, while Reimagining Church constructs. Those content to stick their head in the sand and keep it there, like the three monkeys covering their eyes, ears, and mouth, need not concern themselves with matters for the spiritually mature and faithful. Mature Christians, serious about their faith, wanting to conform to the image of Christ and to walk as His Apostles walked, welcome the challenges of these two books  because they seek after righteousness and His kingdom. Their eyes are ever on Christ and to learn His will. The cowardly, while they pay lip service to Christ, have no love for Him and do not want their Christianity or their faith challenged. They want to remain comfortable and blissfully ignorant of the truth.

"You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free."

My Writing Style...

I recently added a new paragraph to my Confession page.  I have acknowledged that I am not always the most gracious with my words. It is something I struggle with. However, a few times now I have been accused of being "abrasive," or that my writings have an "abrasive" undertone, by what I am going to assume are well-meaning Christians. I suppose it is understandable, coming from those who do not know me and have never taken the time to try and get to know me. However, their accusations are far from the truth. My writing style is intended to challenge. Many readers are not accustomed to this style of writing and therefore will misrepresent my tone. My writings are always motivated by love for Christ's church and my brothers and sisters in the faith. It is because of my love for Christ's church that I challenge many of the ridiculous and asinine opinions and traditions held by certain individuals. These individuals do not listen, and quite often will not listen, without a certain element of a firm hand. Anyone who has ever engaged in Apologetics understands this. Jesus was abrupt on many occasions, as were the Prophets and Apostles, and many other faithful believers down through the centuries. If being abrupt, or "abrasive," saves them from their man made traditions and the like, drawing them into a closer relationship with Christ, then to God be the glory. As Charles Spurgeon once said, "I am perhaps vulgar, but it is not intentional, save that I must and will make people listen. My firm conviction is that we have had enough polite preachers."

There are many in Christ's church (whichever denomination you want to look at) who transgress the Word of God and are persuaded by man-made traditions and doctrines of demons. Anyone calling themselves a Christian who would sit idly by and allow this, even in their own church, needs to examine their own heart and question the so-called "love" they advocate. Jude even teaches us to "have mercy on some" while saving others by "snatching them out of the fire." What this means, both to those inside and outside of the church, is that there are two types of people. Each should be dealt with in different ways, suitable to their respective conditions and circumstances. The idea that a Christian must always be "nice" and never "harsh" is a lie straight from the pit of Hell! Woe be to those Christians who lack the wisdom, understanding, and discernment to realize this, and who unrighteously judge and attack those of us who do.

He Is the Propitiation For the Whole World?

"My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world." 1 John 2:1-2

Some men want to try and tell us that this verse means that Jesus is the propitiation, or reconciliation, for the sins of the whole world, meaning each and every single person that has or ever will live. But that is not what this verse is saying. This false conclusion, derived from the practice of eisegesis, a reading into the Scripture what one wants to find there, is the result of using and relying heavily upon a Reference Bible and having the false assumption that each verse is the Word of God in and of itself.

Imagine you wrote several therapeutic letters throughout your life to various groups and individuals. After you had died, people could only find thirteen of your letters; nine to groups and four to individuals. Because none of your letters were dated, they organized them by groups and individuals according to length. Years later, someone decided to add verses to your letters for easy reference. From that point on, people would use the same verses to try and prove different things.

This is what has happened with the Bible.

Individual verses in and of themselves are not the Word of God. It is the Word of God as a whole, in its appropriate context. A verse does not, and cannot, stand alone. With the exception of Proverbs. You cannot rip individual randomly isolated verses of Scripture out of their context and try to tie them together with other individual randomly isolated verses of Scripture (like the two verses we looked at yesterday) to try and create your own man made doctrine.

The authors of the Bible did not write their books and letters with chapters and verses. In order to appreciate the Bible better, it is important that you read from a Reader's Bible. This way you can see the original structures each author implemented within their books and letters, as well as the various themes. Once you see what each book and letter actually has to say, you will be unable to pervert the Scriptures the way you have been ever again. Unless you do so willfully, which will heap condemnation upon condemnation upon your own head.

Who was John writing to? He was writing to believers, but more specifically he was writing to those who were the recipient of his letter. When he says "not for ours only," he is speaking of himself and those who he has written to. When he writes, "but also for those of the whole world," he is speaking of those who have embraced the Gospel by faith in all places and in all ages.

The definitions for the word kosmos (κοσμος), translated as "world" in our Bibles, are as follows:

1. an apt and harmonious arrangement or constitution, order, government.
2. ornament, decoration, adornment, i.e. the arrangement of the stars, 'the heavenly hosts', as the ornament of the heavens.
3. the world, the universe.
4. the circle of the earth, the earth.
5. the inhabitants of the earth, men, the human family.
6. the ungodly multitude; the whole mass of men alienated from God, and therefore hostile to the cause of Christ.
7. world affairs, the aggregate of things earthly.
1. the whole circle of earthly goods, endowments, riches, advantages, pleasures, etc, which although hollow and frail and fleeting, stir desire, seduce from God and are obstacles to the cause of Christ.
8. any aggregate or general collection of particulars of any sort.
1. the Gentiles as contrasted to the Jews (Rom. 11:12 etc).
2. of believers only, John 1:29; 3:16; 3:17; 6:33; 12:47; 1 Cor. 4:9; 2 Cor. 5:19.

Here are some passages of Scripture that demonstrate how the word "world" is used throughout Scripture. It is definitively conclusive that "world" cannot be argued to mean "all men without exception." Such is a false, unbiblical teaching.

Nahum 1:5 (Septuagint) - all of creation
Matthew 13:38 - all men; some who are children of God, and some who are children of Satan
Matthew 24:14 - all nations
John 7:7 - unbelievers
John 12:19 - many men...though not all men...of a certain region
John 14:15 - hardened unbelievers
John 15:19 - everyone besides believers
Acts 17:6 - the civilized world
Romans 10:18 - all parts of the earth, but not every single individual
1 Corinthians 4:9 - everyone who saw the disciples
Galatians 6:14 - the earthly, sensual pleasures of life
James 3:6 - a variety of all kinds
1 Peter 5:9 - the general population
2 Peter 2:5 - the ungodly
1 John 3:1 - unbelievers
Revelation 13:3 - some from every nation (but not any believers)

To try and argue that 1 John 2:2 means "each and every single person on the face of the planet" is to believe in and teach Universalism. Again, try following your beliefs to their ultimate conclusion. Whether you think it is "fair" or not for God to not offer salvation to all people is not for you to decide. You should be thankful that God allowed you to even receive it. The truth of the matter is that none of us deserve it. If God decided to send each and every single one of us to Hell, and allow Jesus to retain His sacrifice unto Himself, God would be just in so doing. God is not obligated to save any one of us. He does so for His good pleasure and for His glory. He will receive glory, likewise, for every person in Hell because justice has been met. If you do not like that, then perhaps you should seriously question whether you are a genuine Christian or not. God is sovereign over His creation and can do whatever He chooses with it, and He answers to no one for what He does, nor does He commit sin by so doing. He is the potter, we are the clay. He can do with each one of us whatever He so desires. If this is not your God, the God of the Bible, then you worship a different god, one of your making after your image. Beware!

He Desires All Men To Be Saved?

"First of all, then, I urge that entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings, be made on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave Himself as a ransom for all, the testimony given at the proper time." 1 Timothy 2:1-6

What does verse 4 mean? Does it mean that God desires each and every single person to be saved, as some men tell us? No, it does not.

In Isaiah 46:10, God says, "My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure." In Isaiah 55:11, God says, "So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it." There are several other passages of Scripture that inform us that whatever God has purposed, He will accomplish His will. Therefore, 2 Peter 3:9 cannot be teaching what some men try to tell us: "The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." The correct interpretation of 2 Peter 3:9 can be found here.

Scripture informs us that God will accomplish His will perfectly. Whatever He wills, it will come to pass. Therefore, if 1 Timothy 2:4 means what some men try to tell us, then that means Universalism is true. If God desires all men to be saved, and His purpose and will is always accomplished, then all men will be saved. That is Universalism. Try following your beliefs to their ultimate conclusion and you will see the problem with believing things according to your feelings and/or opinions.

Given the number of other passages that contradict the imposed interpretation upon 1 Timothy 2:4, such as John 6:37, 44, and 65, to name a few, what could 1 Timothy 2:4 actually be saying? Well, if you pay attention to the rest of Scripture, the answer is obvious. Scripture repeatedly makes it known that salvation is not limited to a particular group of people. It is available to people from all walks of life. Therefore, the "all men" in 1 Timothy 2:4 means "Jew and Gentile, rich and poor, slave and free, male and female," etc.

The word "all" is the Greek word pas (πας) and means:

1. individually
1. each, every, any, all, the whole, everyone, all things, everything
2. collectively
1. some of all types

In other words, "God desires some men of all types to be saved." To argue that the word "all" must mean "each and every" is a sign of ignorance (willful or otherwise). Rarely in Scripture is it used in such a manner. We do not even use it in such a manner. The second definition is the one most used in Scripture and by us when we speak.

When you say things like, "Look at all the geese," are you saying that every goose in the world is in your view? No, you are not. Are you saying, "Look at each and every one of them"? No, you are not. You are saying, "Look at them collectively; look at the ones gathered here." When a concert says, "It's good to see all of Toronto out tonight," is each and every individual in Toronto at that concert? No, they are not. The way we use the word all is rarely in the case of "each and every single one," so why would you attempt to impose such upon Scripture in contradiction to the majority of verses that say otherwise?

"For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers." 1 Timothy 4:10

Verse 10 falls under the same issue as the previous verse above. Quite obviously He cannot be the Saviour of men presently residing in Hell, or of others who will inhabit Hell. He cannot be the Saviour of men not saved. You cannot even attempt to argue that it means that He provides salvation for all men, because Matthew 1:21 says He came to save "His people from their sins." Elsewhere Scripture states that He gave Himself for "the sheep" and "the church." Clearly not "each and every single person." To say He is the Saviour of "all men," when Jesus says that "few" will be on the narrow road, is a contradiction of colossal proportions. Not to mention that this verse is not speaking of salvation, but rather of the goodness of God; that God is the preserver of all men, but especially the believer. To argue He is the Saviour of all men, especially believers, is ridiculous nonsense. He cannot be the Saviour of men residing in Hell for eternity! That is illogical!

Here are some truths you need to wrestle with and then submit yourself to. (1) Everyone is not a child of God. Everyone is made in the image of God, but only those adopted through faith in Christ are children of God. (2) God does not love everybody, or even love everyone equally. (3) God does not want to save each and every single person who has ever lived. Think about that. If Judas was foreordained, or predestined, to betray Jesus, he could do nothing else. Therefore, where was his "free will"?

Get yourself a Reader's Bible and put your Reference Bible on the shelf where it belongs. Read the Bible the way it was meant to be read, in context, and start believing what the Bible says. Stop using a Reference Bible to rip random, isolated, individual verses of Scripture out of their immediate contexts and given a forced interpretation. Chapters and verses has helped men destroy the church and God's Word. A Reader's Bible helps you to read the Bible as it was originally intended to be read, and helps you to see the natural structures the authors implemented in their writings. Knowing where each book fits in history and what they were writing against helps you to not commit eisegesis by reading things into Scripture that do not belong there.

May God bless you as you endeavor to read His Word without bias and to submit and conform yourself to what He reveals through His Spirit.

Heart's Motive

"Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you keep away from every brother who leads an unruly life and not according to the tradition which you received from us. For you yourselves know how you ought to follow our example, because we did not act in an undisciplined manner among you, nor did we eat anyone's bread without paying for it, but with labor and hardship we kept working night and day so that we would not be a burden to any of you; not because we do not have the right to this, but in order to offer ourselves as a model for you, so that you would follow our example. For even when we were with you, we used to give you this order: if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either. For we hear that some among you are leading an undisciplined life, doing no work at all, but acting like busybodies. Now such persons we command and exhort in the Lord Jesus Christ to work in quiet fashion and eat their own bread. But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good. If anyone does not obey our instruction in this letter, take special note of that person and do not associate with him, so that he will be put to shame. Yet do not regard him as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother." 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15

What does it mean to lead an unruly life?

Scratch that.

Better question.

Why do so many Christians in the church, when they are hurting or struggling, refuse to say anything to the rest of the church and try to "go it alone"? Why, when they keep their mouth shut concerning their problems, and try to "go it alone," are they accused of being proud and not asking the rest of the church for help?

Two reasons.

First reason. They have tried to do so in the past and, when they made their hurts and struggles known, nobody lifted a finger to help them. Can you imagine the "love" they felt? Must have made them feel wonderful to be part of that church, huh?

Second reason. Because of Christians in the church who abuse the above passage of Scripture. How many other passages of Scripture can you think of that can be lumped together with this passage, yet are speaking of how we are to be doing good to those who hurt, struggle, and ask for it? I can think of half a dozen off the top of my head.

Pretty much everyone likes to be self-made; they want to make it on their own so that they cannot be accused of receiving handouts. No one likes to feel like they are a charity case. Yes, this all stems from pride. Yet, we are commanded to be humble and to seek help when we are in need, and to help others in need. But if you have been on the receiving end of either of the above two reasons, you know what it is like to give up trying to ask for help and to always decide that it is better if you just "go it alone." Unless, of course, if you are blessed enough for God to answer your prayers in such a way as with people like George Muller, without having to ever tell another soul.

Yet, certain Christians like to make those people they help feel like they are charity cases by rubbing their "generosity" in their face, reminding them that they needed the help of others. (The reason I say "generosity" is because, is it really generosity if your heart is not void of any and all types of ulterior motives, doing so for the pure joy of doing so for the glory and cause of Christ?) That does not sound very "Christian" to me, considering the Bible says that if someone asks for your coat you should give him your shirt, too, illustrating an important principle.

Verse 10 is the important verse in this passage: "if anyone is not willing to work, then he is not to eat, either." It is addressing willingness, not circumstance. This is talking about those people who do not want to work, such as those who sit on Welfare year after year despite being perfectly capable of working. Verse 13 is pretty key, too: "But as for you, brethren, do not grow weary of doing good." How many passages in Scripture command us to do good unto others? Again, I can think of half a dozen off the top of my head.

In the story of the good Samaritan, when the Samaritan helped the man who had been beaten and left for dead, did the Samaritan come back and treat the wounded man as if now his life belonged to him? Did the Samaritan do anything other than perform a kindness to this man, followed by a, "Have a nice day"? No, he did not.

When you perform a good deed, when you do something kind for someone else, are there supposed to be stipulations attached to it? Are there supposed to be conditions placed upon it? Are those in receipt of your kindness now indebted to you? Are they somehow under your absolute control? Do their lives now belong to you?

With cults and cult-like Christians sects, this is precisely the case.

Whether it is tithing to the church or kindness performed to others, there is to be nothing attached to it. Just because you tithe the most to the church does not mean you have any clout in the church or any kind of say pertaining to anything about the church. Just because your family is the oldest family in the church does not earn you any favours. It does not gain you power, position, prominence, or prestige. You are no more special and no more important that the newest member to sit under that roof!

If one pastor retires and another takes over, if a member of the church says something like, "Old Pastor will always be my pastor," that member needs to be dealt with immediately because they are going to be a problem. I now understand why in certain churches when a pastor steps down, he starts attending a different church or is required to attend a different church. If he remains behind, he might cause problems for the new pastor and create a power struggle. Or members of the church loyal to the first pastor could create problems for the new pastor. People who want power and control over others always create problems for other people. People in the church are no different than those outside the church—although they should be.

Sadly, the ruling government of many Christian churches today resemble the Catholic church during the time when they were trying to stifle the Bible from being translated into English; unless they have approved what you do or you have their mark upon you, they do not want you doing anything of your own lest it goes against them, which is pride and arrogance, thinking they are the only ones with knowledge, or that you could not possibly be wiser and more intelligent than they are because you do not have any letters or degrees behind your name.

These ruling governments also resemble the Pharisees when confronting the formerly blind man; they do not like to be criticized, and they do not want to hear your explanations of anything lest it make them look bad for having a poor and perverse understanding of the Bible. And so they will put you out. Just like cults, they will twist randomly, isolated verses of scripture they have ripped out of context and perverted in order to try and justify their anti-Christ attitudes and behaviours. “We kicked them out for this bogus reason we created in our unChrist-like and anti-Christ behaviour, and therefore we don’t want any of you to have anything to do with them so that we can enforce our authority and agenda.” Their idea of "love" is control, and their daily lives are very much rooted in hypocrisy, the number one sin Jesus hated!

If your church thinks or acts as if they, or their denomination, are the only ones with light, then that is a good indicator that God has already removed His light from them and they are merely going through their mechanical pagan motions. Avoid these churches as they are dead inside and will only make you the same. Pray that Christ would lead you to a vibrant, relational, Christ-centered church. You do not want a church that resembles the stiff-necked Jews with their legalism and control.

Remember, the church is filled with sinners. Every single member still struggles with a variety of sins. Each one of them needs understanding and love.

It is one thing for the church to care for the flock out of sincere love, but it is quite another thing for the church to "care" for the flock with interests to control them and their lives. If you are going to care for someone, then do so; but do not make a pretense of caring for them with an agenda to actually control them. Whether by legalism or some other means, control is not a Christian trait. Often, certain churches confuse care with control.

When I have helped people in the past, I did so without expecting even gratitude in return. It was my joy to help them and be able to help them. Scripture talks about not letting your left hand know what your right hand is doing, and that God will reward you in His time. Do I require anything from the person I just blessed? Not in the least. God will provide that. Whatever we do for the least individual, we have done for Jesus. Is that not reward enough?

Certain Christians talk about being soft, polite, calm, and gentle, and yet in their soft, polite, calm, gentleness deliberately hurt other Christians in their church. Christians have changed churches or stopped going altogether because of this. Even unbelievers stepping into a church seeking something have been made to flee because of the attitudes and behaviours of these Christians, in spite of all the soft, polite, calm, gentleness they use. Newsflash!  You can convey just as much hatred through the soft, polite, calm, gentle approach as you can being abrupt or abrasive! Likewise, you can convey just as much love being abrupt or abrasive as you can by being soft, polite, calm and gentle. It is not an either or situation. What matters is the heart behind it.

Remember the old cliché, "Actions speak louder than words"? You can be as soft, polite, calm, and gentle as you want, but if your attitude and behaviour are conveying pride, arrogance, self-righteousness, and hatred, guess which one is going to speak volumes to me?

I would sooner be spoken to in an abrasive manner by someone who loves me, than to be spoken to in a soft, gentle manner by someone who thinks they are better than I am and does not really care about me one way or the other. If you are going to say that you love someone, whether another Christian or the unsaved, then show it; do not just talk about it. Jesus' number one pet peeve He addressed the most was hypocrisy. Are you being a hypocrite? In everything you do, ask yourself why you are doing it. Examine yourself. What is your heart's motive?

People's Confusion Over What Loves Looks Like

Let's get something straight. I never asked to do what I do. I liken my situation to David and the Israelites when facing Goliath. The Israelites did nothing. They were not willing to lift a finger. David felt compelled to answer. Likewise, the Christians around me would not raise a finger to defend the truth (or perhaps could not defend it because they were not equipped to do so). I kept feeling this pressure inside me to answer, but I tried to suppress it over and over and over again. I am shy, introverted, and do not like confrontation (but if it comes knocking on my door, I will answer it, because I also do not put up with bullies). Finally, I let it have its way. I felt a release like a weight being lifted from my shoulders. I have been doing it ever since, for the past 20 years! You Christians who snub me and make all sorts of accusations against me, what have you ever done? Or are you content to go to church on Sunday and then for the rest of the week keep your mouth shut and not say anything to anybody (effectively telling others to "Go to Hell!")?

I am not perfect, nor do I profess to be. As I previously stated in Confession, found to the right in the Site Navigation, I am not always the most gracious when I write the truth. It is something I struggle with. But that is not always a bad thing. And it certainly is not a condition of being "unloving" or "hateful," as I have been accused. Christians today have this ridiculous notion that you always have to be soft, polite, calm, and gentle when speaking to others, and that simply is not true. These Christians either have not read, or do not know, their Bibles. Elijah mocked the prophets of Baal. Paul was vulgar when he suggested those bothering the Galatians castrate themselves. Jesus was abrupt . . . a lot. [If you'd like, you can even substitute the word "abrasive" for "abrupt" throughout, because do you honestly believe Jesus was concerned with the feelings of the Pharisees, Sadducees, and scribes when He spoke to them and called them such things as "brood of vipers" and "whitewashed tombs"? Jesus was harsh with these people and those who required it. Sometimes it is necessary for a Christian to be harsh.]

People are marching into Hell like they are walking over the edge of a cliff. If you truly loved an individual, and you saw him blindly walking toward the edge of a cliff, would you politely and calmly say, "Uh, sir. If you keep going that direction you are going to fall off a cliff," or would you try to grab his attention by yelling, "Stop! You're going to die!" and even tackling him to the ground? Being a little more forceful is not a sign of "hatred" or being "unloving." That is a ridiculous notion! That is the thinking of a post-modern effeminate culture. Would you care for me to share some sermons from Charles Spurgeon, Leonard Ravenhill, Paris Reedhead, A. W. Tozer, Paul Washer, etc., where they deliberately offend people? Are they being unloving when they do this, or is it because of love that they do it? You think they are allowed to do this because of their calling, but nobody else is allowed to do this? Really?!?

Let me ask you a question. What was the single most thing that Christ hated and repeatedly confronted head-on? Hypocrisy! We are commanded to be imitators of Christ. Paul tells us that what we see and hear in him, to do. If Christ and the Prophets and Apostles were allowed to be snarky and use satire and sarcasm and be abrupt because of their office, and preachers are allowed to be snarky and use satire and sarcasm and be abrupt because of their calling, but the rest of us are not allowed to do so because we are supposed to be soft, polite, calm, and gentle, do you know what that is? That is hypocrisy! Christians who hold to this false notion of "love" turn Jesus and the Apostles into hypocrites. How? Because they are telling us that Jesus and the Apostles were saying, "Do as I say, and not as I do." Guess what? That is precisely what the Pharisees were doing with Israel, and it torqued Jesus! These Christians make Jesus guilty of the very thing He condemned, which means they make Him to be sinful and not sinless. Do you honestly believe that Jesus confronted false religion the way He did, but that He expects us to do so differently? Seriously?!? Have you ever read any of the works of the Reformers or the Puritans, or even the early church fathers? Were they "hateful" or "unloving" in some of the things they wrote? You are unquestionably outnumbered in your thinking.

"In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets." "You shall love your neighbour as yourself." Think about those for a moment. If you were immersed in some cult and/or following some false teaching, would you not want someone to do anything and everything in their power to wake you from your stupor? Which would be more loving, for them to pat you on the head or for them to slap you in the face? Which is going to get your attention? Every single Christian reading this is now in silence because they realized that they have just contradicted themselves. The idea that "no one ever brought anyone to Jesus by being abrupt" and that "being abrupt has driven people away from Christianity" is false! I have heard plenty of testimonies over the years of people who were saved because of the "tough love" that a saint showed them. You Christians who think the only approach to witnessing and winning souls is the soft, polite, gentle approach, how many people have you ever brought to Christ? I have had more than a few e-mails over the years from people thanking me for having said what I said in the manner I said it.

Certain cultures, if you try to discuss certain things with them in a soft, calm, gentle manner, think you are not taking them seriously and that you are mocking them. When people are passionate about something, they expect a certain kind of response. Soft, calm, and gentle is not an indication of passion. This soft, calm, gentle nonsense is a result of our effeminate culture; always concerned about offending someone or other. Do you think Jesus was worried about offending people? Read your Bible! Jesus offended people all the time! And He did so on purpose. Especially the religious! Again, would you care for me to share some sermons from Charles Spurgeon, Leonard Ravenhill, Paris Reedhead, A. W. Tozer, Paul Washer, etc.?

The truth is, there is a time to be gentle, and there is a time to be abrupt. Guaranteed that Solomon would agree with me. Christians cannot always be "nice." Sometimes people do not listen and mentally check out when you are being soft, calm, and gentle, and you need to be abrupt in order to grab their attention and shake them out of their stupor. The soft, calm, and gentle concept is a result of failure to know and study humans and human behaviour, and why they act the way they do and how to deal with that.

Charles Haddon Spurgeon once said, "I am perhaps vulgar, but it is not intentional, save that I must and will make people listen. My firm conviction is that we have had enough polite preachers." He was not vulgar in the sense of using foul language. He was vulgar in the sense of being common, rustic, rude, or unrefined. And he did not apologize for it! Do you not think people were offended by Spurgeon when he spoke? In addressing the core foundation of Dispensationalism, seeing a distinction between Israel and the Church and separating Old Testament saints from New Testament saints, Spurgeon referred to this doctrine as "stupid" (Jesus Christ Immutable, January 3, 1869,). Yet Christians today find this word to be "unacceptable" or "offensive." I do not agree with calling a person stupid, but calling their behaviour or false system of beliefs stupid is quite a different thing. The two are not equally related. You could be the most intelligent person on the face of the planet and still do stupid things. The one is not a commentary on the other.

I do not have a respect for what J. C. Ryle termed as "Jellyfish Christianity"; that "Christianity" that is spineless and afraid to be abrupt when the time calls for it. The misconception here is the idea that you somehow cannot be loving when you are abrupt. If that were true, are you being unloving when you discipline your child? Is God unloving when He disciplines you? No, it is because you are loving that you discipline. To not do so would be unloving. Likewise, to not be abrupt when it is required is also being unloving. You profess to love people, but then are not loving enough to startle them and shake them from their slumber while they descend into Hell on a greased pole. Oh yeah, I can feel that love. I do not know about you, but if I was about to walk into heavy traffic, I would want someone to grab the back of my shirt and yank me back onto the sidewalk. Oh, but I suppose that would be "unloving."

I have a passion for the Word of God and for the truth. Does that mean that I should just sit idly by and allow false teachers and destructive teachings to run rampant and unchecked? Should I not try to wake up those who are being seduced and sucked into these things by whatever means necessary? Guess what? You are not going to do so with a soft, polite, calm, gentle attitude. I have debated hundreds of individuals from numerous walks of life and belief systems, both in person and online. Most of these individuals are highly forceful to the point of being deliberately offensive. I do not let this aspect bother me because it is God they are at war with. If they are soft, polite, and gentle with you, then you should be the same with them. That is respect. However, as my experience has informed me, the only way to grasp these people's attention and have them seriously listen to what you are saying is to meet them with a forcefulness that is equal to the one they are showing you.

Ripping verses out of their immediate context and forcing them to try and back your narrative of "love and gentleness" is not godly in the least; it is a pretense of godliness. Christians who snub their noses at me and accuse me of being "hateful" or "unloving" have quite obviously never engaged in the type of work I do. I would question if they have ever done any kind of witnessing, or if they just hide behind the church walls and sing Kumbaya as if everything in the world is okay. I have been doing this for the past 20 years! What have you been doing?

But I digress. It has been my desire for quite some time to read through my previous blog articles to see if there are any rough edges that I can smooth out in order to be a little more gracious. There is always room to grow. But it seems that perhaps I might need to be a little more abrupt with the religious, the way Jesus was in confronting their hypocrisy and false notions. The church does not determine who is called to a particular position. God calls individuals to these positions, which is why He says they are "holy callings." Like I said, I never asked for this. I am doing what most Christians do not want to do or refuse to do (and often times are unable to do because the church has failed to equip them to answer such things). How many times have I listened to Christians in church talk about their work place and some co-worker saying such-and-such that they had no idea how to answer. I answer these kinds of things all the time! The church's responsibility is to recognize these callings; not to try and control them. The church is not a dictatorship. That is what cults do. Christ's church is organic and relational; not mechanical. At least it should be if it is a biblical church.

I apologize if any of this has come across as prideful on my part. That was not and is not my intention. It is not easy to strive to be humble when people anger you with their accusations and false concepts of what it means to show love to others. As the Apostle Paul felt the need to defend himself, so I felt the need to defend myself. Sometimes the religious need to hear what they do not want to hear. They are not "above the law," as it were.

If There Was One Specific Word of God In English

God's prescription seems to be that wherever He is, there is extreme persecution. When the prophets prophesied, they were persecuted by their hearers. The church flourishes under persecution. According to this prescription, English Bibles translated prior to the King James Version are more the Word of God than the King James Bible is. The Tyndale New Testament and the Geneva Bible were produced under extreme persecution. The King James Bible was not. In fact, the King James Bible was produced in accordance with the government. Could you imagine United States President Barack Obama commissioning a translation of the Bible? Could you imagine Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau commissioning a translation of the Bible? Could you imagine Nebuchadnezzar commissioning a translation of the Bible? Could you imagine Constantine commissioning a translation of the Bible?

King James Only people want to argue that "Every word of God is pure" (Prov. 30:5a). If this is so, then the changes the King James Bible made to earlier translations is in the wrong. God chose the words He wanted in the earlier versions. The prescription seems to be that wherever the work of God is, there is persecution. So seeing that earlier English translations endured great persecution, they are more likely to be the Word of God than the King James Bible will ever be. The Geneva Bible is book-ended by two religious persecutions. It first faced the religious persecution of Queen "Bloody" Mary Tudor and the Catholic Church. It later faced the religious persecution of King James, the Anglican Church/Church of England, and the King James Bible, being forced upon the people as the only Bible they should ever use.

All the opposition against the Geneva Bible would make it a more likely candidate for being the inspired, preserved Word of God in the English language than the King James Version ever will. If there was one specific Word of God in the English language, it would be the Geneva Bible; not the King James Bible.

KJV-Onlyism vs. Its Translators

ATTENTION: King James Only People

Eternal Justification: True or False?

It is claimed that "The doctrine of eternal justification is dealt a crushing blow by the Puritan John Flavel." This is far from the truth. Either Flavel failed to understand the doctrine of justification, or else he was responding to an aberrant view of it. But he in no way, shape, or form "dealt a crushing blow" to it. Flavel argues that it is irrational to image that men can be justified before they exist. Apply that argument to every Old Testament saint. How can Abraham be justified by faith before the object of that faith existed and before the act that would justify him had been completed? Flavel's six "errors" reveal his ignorance and complete misunderstanding on these issues. Hyper-Calvinists take these biblical truths to ridiculous extremes, such as claiming that Christians do not need to confess sin or pray for its forgiveness. It is one thing to respond to such extremes as this, but it is quite another to deny biblical truths and realities in so doing. 

Having only recently encountered the term, and having sat down and thought of it from a biblical standpoint, I will present my understanding thereof in connection with biblical teachings.

There are two ways in which to view this, both of which are absolutely true. Let us start with the second one first. When a Christian is justified, he/she is eternally justified. In other words, he/she cannot lose or forfeit their salvation. They are forgiven their sins and their sins are removed from them as far as the east is from the west, and for all eternity. Ergo, eternal justification. But what about the second way to view this?

"He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world" Ephesians 1:4

"All that the Father gives Me will come to Me" John 6:37a

Before God embarked upon creation, He had already given a people to Jesus as an inheritance. The giving precedes the coming, and those given will come to Christ in their appointed time. Time had to catch up with each person and reveal God's gift in its perfect time.

"All who dwell upon the earth will worship him, whose names have not been written in the book of life of the Lamb having been slain from the foundation of the world." Revelation 13:8

The "from the foundation of the world" does not belong to "whose names have not been written," as the NASB and ESV render it, but to "the Lamb having been slain." This is not teaching that Jesus was literally and physically crucified before God embarked upon creation, but that it was already considered a done deed. Take a moment to think about it. Jesus was crucified in A.D. 30. How could Jesus redeem His people with His blood if He had not shed it yet? How do you deal with all those believers from the Old Testament? You will answer, "They were looking forward in time to the day Christ would atone for them with His blood." Correct! If you have an answer for this, why do you not have an answer for His having been slain from the foundation of the world? The same principle applies. Before the foundations of creation were laid, Jesus had redeemed with His blood those whom the Father had given Him. Time had to catch up to this event and reveal it. But those under the Old Testament were already covered by His blood.

"For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified." Romans 8:29-30

This verse applies to before the foundations of creation were laid. Those whom God the Father chose in Christ and gave to Him as an inheritance, He predestined that they would be conformed to the likeness of His Son. Because He predestined them, He also called them. Because He called them, He also justified them. Because He justified them, He also glorified them. All of this is already a done deal for the Christian. It does not happen in steps! Time had to wait to reveal my calling, but I was called in Christ before God had ever laid the foundations of creation. While glorification will not be revealed until the Second Coming, nevertheless I am already glorified. All these things happened at the same time! You cannot be called and not also be justified and glorified. If you were called, you were also justified, sanctified, and glorified. Whichever point in time you want to view it (my conversion, Christ's sacrifice on the cross, or eternity past), I was also justified. Ergo, from before the foundations of creation, I was eternally justified.

This is the biblical view of eternal justification. If individuals are teaching that eternal justification means that my sin is no longer sin and therefore I have never committed sin because I was forgiven from the past, then their teaching is an aberrant and heretical teaching. Yes, from the moment God the Father gave me to Christ as an inheritance, I was already forgiven having been purchased by His blood. But time had to reveal Christ's shedding of His blood and it had to reveal my sin for which I required forgiveness, and it had to reveal my coming to Christ and being converted.

We need to remember that there are two vantage points with which we are looking at things. There is God's vantage point, and our vantage point. You cannot confuse the two! From God's vantage point, everything is already an accomplished reality. Being outside of time, He sees my being given to Christ, Christ's sacrifice on the cross, and my coming to Christ simultaneously. But from the vantage point of time, it took thousands of years for Christ to shed His blood and then another 2,000 years for me to come to Christ and be born again. You cannot confuse vantage points, nor can you ignore clear realities and truths of Scripture. Scripture says that all men are sinners and that all men commit sin. Ergo, you are a sinner, whether you like it or not, and whether you want to admit it or not. Having been chosen in Christ before the foundation of the world, having been given to Christ by God the Father, and having been called, justified, sanctified, and glorified from eternity past does not eliminate the events of time. It is just like Abraham looking forward in time to when Christ would pay for his sins.

I realize that thinking from the view of eternity is difficult for many. I mean, they have enough trouble already trying to think from the view of the present, let alone getting theologically deep on them. Most people cannot handle thinking of the meat because they are still trying to digest the pablum.

Whether you want to start from creation, the cross, or your conversion, the moment you were justified, you were eternally justified. It is imperative that you learn how to understand vantage points in order to avoid aberrant theology. No doubt you look at your conversion as the point of your being redeemed and justified. But Christ Jesus redeemed you at the cross. He is not slain again each time a new believer comes to Christ. He was slain once for all and once for all time. If you can understand this, then you merely need to take it a step further. This was all decided and put into place in eternity past before the foundations of the world were laid. Most people seem to be like robots in movies who try to compute something only to end up frying their own circuits. It is a simple thing to understand, but most people cannot seem to process it.

You who think that those who hold to eternal justification have an error, I suggest you make sure you understand what they mean by the term before trying to attack it, and then realize that it is you who have the greater error by denying the biblical truth of it. If you wish to discuss this further, feel free to contact me.