Condemnation

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not condemned; he who does not believe has been condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.
This is the condemnation: that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For every one who practices evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God" (John 3:16-21, emphasis mine).

"Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the spirit.
For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace, because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so, and those who are in the flesh cannot please God. However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him. ... For if you are living according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For all who are being led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God" (Romans 8:1, 5-9, 13, emphasis mine).

Those who have not and will never believe in Christ Jesus have already been condemned. Past tense. It is not something that will happen in the future if they do not receive Jesus as Lord today; they are condemned where they stand—now. We are told precisely what their condemnation is and why they are condemned. They were condemned from the foundations of the world.

However, the same is not true of those who believe or will believe in Christ Jesus. We are told that there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. Since they were chosen in Jesus from the foundation of the world, they were already not condemned because they belonged to Him.

The unbeliever is condemned at this very moment while the believer is not condemned at this very moment. The future judgment will only reveal the position they already find themselves in.


THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CONDEMNATION AND CONVICTION
by Stephen Altrogge

Romans 8:1 says, “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” This scripture is a wonderful, freeing, life-giving promise for all Christians. But it raises the question: What is the difference between condemnation, which is wrong, and conviction of sin, which is good? Here are a few differences that I hope you find helpful:

• Condemnation is either from Satan or our sinful hearts. Conviction is a gift from the Holy Spirit.
• Condemnation causes us to turn away from God in fear, dread, and shame. Conviction causes us to come to God and freshly place our faith in the perfect life and death of Christ.
• Condemnation causes us to wallow in despair and self-pity. Conviction leads to God-centered hope.
• Condemnation leads us to believe that we’ll never change. Conviction gives us hope that, even though we sinned, God is still at work in us. (Condemnation paralyzes faith for change. Conviction bears the fruit of faith for change.)
• Condemnation is inward, self-focused, and always dwelling on the fact that I have sinned. Conviction is outward, God-focused, and always dwelling on the fact that I have sinned against God.
• Condemnation sees God as an angry judge who could strike at any moment. Conviction sees God as a loving Father who disciplines his children.
• Condemnation can actually cause us to forget repentance because we are so inwardly focused. Conviction leads to quick (but not hasty) repentance.
• Condemnation feels like a black, oppressive cloud. Conviction feels like a sweet, though often very painful, interaction with the Lord.
• Condemnation is useless and sinful. Conviction is fruitful and pleasing to the Lord.

The Christian's Motto

"Because lawlessness is increased, most people's love will grow cold." Matthew 24:12

In a song by the Sidewalk Prophets, they pose these questions: "When did love become unmoving? When did love become unconsuming?" Who would have known that Tina Turner could have summed it up so perfectly? Today's Christians live by this motto, not only amongst the world but especially amongst themselves: "What's love got to do with it?"

Ahh... Words to live by.

Not in the least! In case you have not read it yet, might I suggest my blog entry Love Is the Law of the Christian Life? DC Talk said it plain and clear: "Love is a verb." Love is a verb. It is an action verb. It must be put into action. Love must be seen in our actions. It does not matter how much love you flavour your speech with if your actions contain not a drop of love. Remember the cliché? "Actions speak louder than words." It is true.

You see, your actions dictate what it is that you truly believe. If you say that you believe that we should be helping out the poor and needy, and yet you never lift a finger to do so when you are more than positionally capable of doing, your actions reveal the truth about you—that you could give a damn about the poor and needy. Your beliefs about God are the same. You can say you believe this and that about God all you want, but if your actions do not demonstrate that that is indeed what you believe, then you are a liar because you do not truly believe what you claim you believe. The truth about you will always be revealed in and by your actions—not your words.

It is bad enough that when unbelievers find themselves wandering into most churches in North America that their experiences are less than pleasant and they are left with a bitter taste of what Christianity is supposed to be. It is even worse when our Christian brothers and sisters experience this same unpleasantness and lack of Christian love. There is no excuse for our brothers and sisters in Christ who are suffering to be largely ignored by us. When they are struggling to find work and pay their bills and put food on their table, why are we so stubborn, hard-hearted, and proud to even lift a finger to offer them aid? When they are suffering with things beyond this, why do we keep our distance from them?

I have read and heard many testimonies from Christian brothers and sisters who have had just such experiences inside the church. Uncompassionate and unloving. Is that the Jesus we follow? Much of what these Christians have experienced I can personally attest to from my own experiences during my struggles. The uncaring and unloving attitude of most Christians inside most churches in North America drives an individual to be proud and self-reliant in their struggles. Why should they share the struggles they are going through when their fellow Christians silently but loudly tell them with their actions, "We do not care about your problems"?

Why is it that the Christians who have the least and are struggling to get by are the most open, most sharing, and most giving? Why is it that those who have plenty refuse to lift a finger to help their struggling brothers and sisters? Their actions scream loudly, "It is not my problem," and they assume their favourite position aloft and judge the struggling brother or sister and their plight. Less than 1% of Christians in North America, especially those who are well-off, will lift a finger to help a struggling brother or sister in Christ. You know that we are indeed in the last days because our love has indeed gone cold.

In another song by the Sidewalk Prophets, they have this to say:

Passed by you today
Why is there a war between us?
Are you not my brother?
Are you not my sister?
Something’s got to change
Stood by you today
Why is there a wall between us?
Are you not my sister?
Are you not my brother?
Well something’s got to change
I confess that I’ve been blind
Open up this heart of mine
Show me how to love
Farther than this world I know
Take me where You want me to go
Show me how to love

A Boy Is the Only Thing God Can Use To Make a Man

It is my desire to present myself before God as a boy with child-like faith so that He can make me into the man He wants me to be, the husband my wife will need, and the father my children will need.

What is the significance of a boy?

As a boy, he wants to learn from his father and to become like his father. He trusts his father and looks to him for all fulfillment in life—protection, nourishment, love, strength, provision, etc. If something is too great for him to do, he knows his father is able to do it. A boy is willing to learn; not set in his ways. A boy likes to enjoy life, even amidst all the chaos. A boy is able to be humble and content. A boy believes.

These are the things that God desires in and of us. He desires implicit trust, a child-like faith that is utterly reliant in and upon Himself. God provides all our fulfillment in life. If something is too great for us, it is never too great for God. Those things which are not too great for us, God still desires us to look to Him and rely on Him. God wants us to learn from Him; He has much to teach us if we will listen. While God does not promise us an easy or comfortable life, He still desires that we enjoy life, especially with the ones we love. God wants us to be humble, and content with the things we have and where we are at in life; God has us here for a reason. God wants us to believe, just as Abraham believed and it was counted to him for righteousness.

Apostasy In Galatians

Galatians 5:1-5 is another passage that many individuals believe teaches that we can lose our salvation. Here is what it says:

"It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Behold I, Paul, say to you that if you receive circumcision, Christ will be of no benefit to you. And I testify again to every man who receives circumcision, that he is under obligation to keep the whole Law. You have been severed from Christ, you who are seeking to be justified by law; you have fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit, by faith, are waiting for the hope of righteousness." Galatians 5:1-5

In order for someone to "fall from grace" you need a standard of measurement. The Bible repeatedly and clearly informs us of what we must do to be saved (Acts 16:30; John 3:16; John 1:12; Ephesians 2:8, etc.). However, the Bible never tells us what we can do in order to lose that salvation. Any standard for the loss of salvation has to be based on works:

"You foolish Galatians, who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed [as] crucified? This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? Did you suffer so many things in vain--if indeed it was in vain? Does He then, who provides you with the Spirit and works miracles among you, do it by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith?" Galatians 3:1-5

The view that says we can lose our salvation also says, inadvertantly, that we must work to maintain our salvation. Paul calls this view "foolish"!

"Now that no one is justified by the Law before God is evident; for, 'THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH.'" Galatians 3:11

If no one is justified (saved) by keeping the law (being good enough), then no one will stay justified (saved) by keeping the law (being good enough). Being saved happens at one point in time and is an identifiable "crossing the line." If you can lose your salvation, how do you determine when you cross back over that line?

"For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one [point,] he has become guilty of all." James 2:10

If failing to be "good enough" could determine that loss, then, according to James, we would lose it as quickly as we gained it. There is not a single minute of any given day where you and I are without sin, whether in word, deed, or thought (and the intentions of the heart). How do we know when we have "crossed the line" from saved to unsaved? The bottom line is: you cannot know. Scripture does not tell us, because it is not possible! If you can lose your salvation, and the Bible gives us no clear criteria for what constitutes that loss, how can you ever know that you have eternal life?

"These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life." 1 John 5:13

"For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end" Hebrews 3:14 (cf. 3:6)

Our perseverance in the faith shows our faith was genuine, or conversely, when one fails to persevere, it shows that their faith was not genuine:

"They went out from us, but they were not [really] of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but [they went out,] in order that it might be shown that they all are not of us." 1 John 2:19

"The faith that fizzles at the finish had a flaw at the first."

These verses clearly indicate that everyone who says at one time that they are saved, may indeed not be.

"Test yourselves [to see] if you are in the faith; examine yourselves! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you--unless indeed you fail the test?" 2 Corinthians 13:5

Look at Esther. It says "These were written in the name of King Xerxes himself and sealed with his own ring" and "seal it with the king's signet ring--for no document written in the king's name and sealed with his ring can be revoked." God is much higher and much greater than any king. If He has sealed something, it is a done fact. The Holy Spirit serves as God's signet ring. Read Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22; and 5:5.

Christians (genuine born-again regenerated converts) are triple-sealed. The Father, as explained in John 10:29; the Son, as explained in John 10:28; and the Holy Spirit, as explained in Ephesians 4:30. No one can break that triple seal of protection. If God has sealed us, you can be sure that we are indeed sealed and that there is nothing we can do to unseal ourselves, as these passages demonstrate and prove: When the Bible says "it is God who makes both us and you stand firm in Christ" (2 Cor. 1:21), what does that mean? What does the Bible mean when it says "he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus" (Phil. 1:6)? How about when it states "The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it" (1 Thess. 5:23-24)? How about "I know whom I have believed, and am convinced that he is able to guard what I have entrusted to him for that day" (2 Tim. 1:12)? Also, "To him who is able to keep you from falling..." (Jude 1:24).

God is responsible for our salvation, not us. God is responsible for the security of our salvation, not us. Our salvation is a completed event. "I tell you the truth, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned; he has crossed over from death to life" (John 5:24 - past tense, it's already a completed action). "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--not by works, so that no one can boast" (Eph. 2:8-9 - "have been saved" is the perfect tense, which means it is a completed work). Romans 5:11 says we have "now received reconciliation." Now! Not "one day" or "eventually." "Received" is a verb that indicates a completed, past action. It is done. We are reconciled to God. We cannot be unreconciled from Him. Hebrews 10:14: "For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are [being] sanctified."

If you examine the four soils Jesus spoke about, this truth is made evident and perfectly clear. Only one of these soils is a genuine convert. Two are pretenders for a time until they fall away. Jesus' parables tell us that the kingdom will be filled with genuine converts and false converts. A profession of faith does not equate genuine faith. The loss of salvation group buys into the same lie that just because someone prays a prayer they must be saved. Praying a prayer does not save anybody. It tends to create a large number of false converts. That's what you need to realize and come to terms with. 1 John 2:19. They left because they never belonged; i.e., they were never saved. Justification is a past act. Sanctification is an on-going act. Don't confuse the two.

You see what genuine exegetical Bible study results in? Comparing Scripture with Scripture. Not isolating random verses or passages and twisting them to mean something they clearly do not teach. The nature of genuine faith is that it cannot become unfaithful. The faith that does so was never true saving faith to begin with. The reason the loss of salvation group interprets the Bible incorrectly is because they believe incorrectly. They believe that everyone who makes a profession, whether by praying a prayer or otherwise, is genuinely saved at that moment; and when those people do not bear fruit that evidences that salvation, rather than admit the truth that those people were false converts and never saved to begin with, they claim that those people were saved but that those people lost their salvation. When you err in one place, as the loss of salvation group has done with their understanding of salvation, it is inevitable that you will err in another place in relation to the first. Get your gospel straight and correct, and your understanding of salvation straight and correct, and your erroneous interpretations of loss of salvation will quickly disappear.

To say that we can lose our salvation says that we must work to maintain it, which has turned the grace of God into a works-based salvation. If you have to work to maintain your salvation, or even to effect it, you will never be good enough to earn that salvation and will find yourself in hell for all eternity, no matter how earnestly you believe the truths of Christ Jesus with your head. Love is the law of the Christian life, and this love fulfills the law. Drop all your spoon-fed spirituality and start studying the Bible for what it actually says and teaches—not for what you were told it says and teaches. Let the Holy Spirit be your guide—not men who have interpreted it in error.

Allowance of Sin

"It is equally important to know if the doctrinal debate either exalts Christ or belittles Him. The Holy Scriptures always seek to exalt Christ. Never do we see the Scriptures exalt man. Man is sinful by nature, and because of this fact, his best arguments will always fall short of its mark, if it is not marked by the righteous standard of God's truth. Therefore, no matter what worldview, religion, science, or philosophy he may hold to, if it comes short of the standard of God's Word, it is false; even if there is a lot of truth to it, if there is error to be found in it that causes us to depart from God's truth, even in the slightest degree, we must immediately reject it as false. Remember, the Devil loves to wrap up his lies in God's truth! (See John 17: 17; Acts 17: 11; 2 Tim. 2: 15; 3: 16-17; Phil. 1: 7, 17; Jude 3)." —Jerry Sheppard

"Whatever religion or doctrine condones or makes allowances for sin is not of Christ. The Doctrine of Christ everywhere teaches self-denial and mortification of worldliness and sin. The whole stream of the gospel runs against those things. Scripture emphasizes the "holy" and the "heavenly" (not the sinful and the worldly). The true gospel has not even the slightest tendency to extol corrupt nature, or feed its pride by magnifying its freedom and power. And it rejects everything that undermines and obscures the merit of Christ, or tries to give any credit to man, in any way. And it certainly never makes the death of Christ a cloak to cover sin, but rather it always speaks of it as an instrument that destroys it!" —John Flavel

"Stamp this statement upon any doctrinal debate you come across, and you will know which teaching is true and genuine, and which one is false and superficial. The one that is least condoning of sin, and most in favor of self-denial and mortification of the flesh; and least interested in promoting worldly pleasures and carnal pursuits, and the one that gives the most glory and credit to God over man—that will be the doctrine closest to the true doctrine of Jesus Christ" —Mark Kielar

"If the faith we profess is a faith that allows us to walk in the ways of this present evil world, in the lusts of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, in the fellowship and works of darkness, then our faith is mockery and deception. Repentance results in constant contrition. The broken spirit and contrite heart are abiding marks in the believing soul. Not one that we progressively get, but abiding. They are there from the beginning and they're ongoing. A new attitude. Not just about Jesus and who He is, but about our sin, who we are, what we deserve, and the hating of the things we used to love. Without it there is no salvation." —John Murray

"Meditate [be diligent] on these things; give yourself wholly to them, so that your progress may appear to all. Take heed [pay close attention] to yourself and them that hear you" (1 Tim. 4: 15-16) —The Apostle Paul

How Could I Sin?

by Julian Freeman

A prayer for growth in holiness:

Father, how could I sin?

Having seen your hatred for sin and your love for righteousness, how could I sin?

I have seen the fullness of your just anger borne by Christ for me. How could I be speak angrily to others?

I have seen your patience with me through decades of rebellion. How could I be impatient with others?

I have seen how you work the evil of others for good. How could I be bitter?

I have seen your seeking, adopting, pursuing, and wooing love. How could I turn a blind eye to those seeking love from me?

I have seen your mercy, compassion, and willingness to condescend to help me. How could I stand over others and judge?

I have seen Jesus, the King of Creation, receiving insults and mocking. How could I live for the approval of other people?

I have seen Jesus drinking a cup of wrath from your hand when all he deserved was worship from our mouths. How could I covet something better than what I’ve been given?

I have seen my dying Saviour, and in that moment, I saw what I deserved. How could I complain against your providence in my life?

I have seen the agony of your Son. How could I delight in what caused it?

I have seen in Christ that there is joy at your right hand that is worth dying to attain. How could I be so easily infatuated with the world’s trinkets?

I have seen how Jesus loved his bride to the end. How could I be frustrated with my wife?

I have seen your costly and lavish love in the giving of your Son and your Spirit. How then could I withhold generosity from those around me?

I have seen the empty tomb and I know that because he lives, I live to you, Father. How could I do the will of your enemy?

I have seen the grace of your Spirit changing my heart’s desires. How could I condemn others for not changing themselves?

Father, grant that the eyes of my heart would see and that I would be strengthened by the working of your Spirit to behold the immensity of your love for me in the death and resurrection of your Son, so that in beholding more of your love, I might love you more. Grant me such a view of Jesus — the crucified and coming King — that I might not sin against you.

Please fill my mind with thoughts of your love that sin becomes unthinkable.

7 Questions To Ask A Friend

by Stephen Altrogge

1. Have you been consistently pursuing the Lord through Scripture reading and prayer?
2. Have you diligently pursued your wife/husband this week?
3. Have you seen any persistent patterns of sin in your life recently?
4. Last week you confessed struggling with [insert sin]. Have you taken steps to fight it this week?
5. When you gave into [insert sin], what were you believing about God in that moment? What were you believing about yourself?
6. What is the truth that you need to believe in this situation?
7. When you had the conflict with [insert person], what were you craving at that moment?

14 Questions To Ask Your Bible

by Stephen Altrogge

1. Who is the author of the passage?
2. Who were the recipients?
3. What is the historical background of the passage?
4. What is the outline/structure of the passage?
5. Are any words repeated? Any significance to repetition?
6. Are there any unusual words in the passage that call for more exploration?
7. How does the passage fit into the surrounding paragraph? chapter? book?
8. Why did the author place the passage here and not somewhere else?
9. In one sentence, what is the main point of the passage?
10. How would the original audience have been affected by the passage?
11. How does this passage connect to the overall storyline of the Bible?
12. How does this passage reveal Jesus as Saviour?
13. How does God want this passage to function in my life?
14. What kind of response does this passage call for?

Are You A Christian Band/Artist?

To Whom It May Concern,

What is the purpose of Christian music? In case you are not aware, the purpose of Christian music (music that is Christian in content and theme) is three-fold:

1. to exalt (glorify) God,
2. to edify (build up) the believers, and
3. to evangelize the lost.

Romans 10:14 says, "How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed? How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard? And how will they hear without a preacher?" Your music might be the only "Bible" that a lost person ever "reads" or listens to. You might be the only "preacher" they ever hear. Your music is your ministry, with which your first objective goal should be to glorify God. If your lyrics never speak of Christ Jesus and Him crucified, how can you call your music "Christian"? If I take your music and play it in a downtown club and nobody recognizes it as being "Christian," demanding that it be turned off, how can you call your music "Christian"? The world hates Christians. Christians will never be accepted by the world (John 15:18-19). There is a vast difference between being an artist who is Christian or a band of Christians doing music and being a Christian artist or Christian band. The latter seeks to glorify God while the former seeks acceptance and popularity with the world; and we all know what the Bible has to say about the former (1 John 2:15-17). To be an artist who is Christian or a band of Christians means that you may or may not be Christian, but whether or not you are, your music is not. To be a Christian artist or Christian band means that you are a Christian and your music reflects and reveals it. The term "Christian" characterizes both you and your music.

We can all agree that just because someone says that they are a “Christian” does not make it so. Likewise, just because something is labelled as “Christian” does not make it so. So how can we determine what is and what is not “Christian” music? For anything to be called “Christian”, it must follow these principles as set forth in God’s Word:

1. Music must bring praise, honour and glory to God’s name (Ps. 9:2; 61:8; Heb. 2:12).
2. Music must direct the listener toward God (Col. 1:18), both saved and unsaved.
3. Music must be edifying to the listener and build the listener up (1 Cor. 14:26; Eph. 5:19-20; Col. 3:16) by drawing the listener closer to God.
4. Music requires understanding (1 Cor. 14:15; Ps. 47:7) and must not be confusion (1 Cor. 14:33). In other words, its message must be clear and precise.

Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 do not define the style or mood of Christian music; they speak of the purpose and content of Christian music. Christian songs should help us focus our thoughts on God and God’s truth (scripture and scriptural principles). In other words, the content of Christian songs will speak about God, Christ Jesus, salvation, the Bible, Christian doctrine, our personal testimonies of how God saved us, and Christianity in general. For example, if a song says "I love my wife, I'll do anything for my family, we can make it...", you can easily identify it with biblical principles. Examine the hymns we sing and you will see that they follow these principles. The reason Petra was a great band, and the reason why rappers such as Cross Movement, Flame, Lecrae, Shai Linne, Timothy Brindle, Trip Lee, and Voice (to name a few) are great, is because their music follows these principles and they are not ashamed of Christ Jesus. Their music, while put to different tunes, resembles what we witness in our hymns. They proclaim Jesus and His truths boldly and clearly. To call yourself a Christian artist or Christian band and have obscure lyrics, desiring to be "main stream" by being acceptable to and popular with the world, reveals that you are ashamed of Christ Jesus (Mark 8:38).

If you are truly a Christian artist or a Christian band (as opposed to an artist who is Christian or a band of Christians), you should be putting the Word of God to music in order to edify the believer and evangelize the lost. Martin Luther once said, “Next to the Word of God, music deserves the highest praise. The gift of language combined with the gift of song was given to man that he should proclaim the Word of God through music.” That this is true is evident from Psalm 119:54: "Thy statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage." We evidence this in our hymns, we evidence this in the music of Petra, and we evidence this in the music of such rappers as Cross Movement, Flame, Lecrae, Shai Linne, Timothy Brindle, Trip Lee, and Voice (to name a few). The Great Commission says to "Go and make disciples" (Matt. 28:19). How can you do this if your lyrics never mention Christ Jesus or speak of biblical principles?

When looking for genuine Christian artists or Christian bands, one should ask: Do they have a “look at me” or a “look at God” attitude? Do they appear to be seeking fame, money and self-glorification or do they glorify God and His Kingdom? Do they portray pride and arrogance or meekness and humbleness? Do they claim to know God but never sing about Him, His Kingdom and values? Is the artist pointing their life, ministry and performance to Christ? Anyone can say they are a Christian, know God and sing Christian songs, but does their life reflect Christ (1 John 2:6)? Hell will be full of people who honoured God with their lips, but their hearts were far from Him (Matt. 7:15-23; 15:8). If your life is not in step with the Holy Spirit and characteristic of what the Bible declares a Christian to be, then you are not a Christian artist or Christian band.

When listening to artists who are labelled as “Christian”, one should ask: What does the song say? Is the message clear? Can I understand it? Can I tell the group is singing about God and God’s truth (scripture and scriptural principles—God, Christ Jesus, salvation, the Bible, Christian doctrine, our personal testimonies of how God saved us, and Christianity in general)? Does it draw me into a closer relationship with God and provide a desire to know more of Him? If it is lacking in all of this, it clearly is not Christian music. If people cannot identify you as being Christian from your music, you are not a Christian artist or Christian band, although you may be an artist who is Christian or a band of Christians.

If you claim to be a Christian artist or a Christian band, then step up and man up. Preach Christ with boldness, conviction, and clarity, being unashamed. If you truly love Christ Jesus, then demonstrate it for all to see. Salvation is the greatest gift that you could have ever received, yet you feel the need to obscure this from the world. Quit straddling both sides of the fence and pick a side. If you want to be "main stream" and be accepted by and popular with the world, then put both feet in. Quit pretending to be a Christian while being in love with the world and the things the world has to offer. If you want to glorify Christ Jesus, then put both feet in. Let Him be proclaimed in your music so that both the saved and unsaved are directed toward Him. If I purchase a CD from an artist who labels themselves as "Christian", I expect to be hearing about Christ somewhere in the lyrics. If Christ and His truths are not present, it simply is not Christian music.

 To hear a song that has the same concerns I have, you can listen to it here.

The Land Promise

"And the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your descendants I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD who had appeared to him." (Genesis 12:7)

"And the LORD said to Abram, after Lot had separated from him, "Now lift up your eyes and look from the place where you are, northward and southward and eastward and westward; for all the land which you see, I will give it to you and to your descendants forever." (Genesis 13:14-15)

"On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, "To your descendants I have given this land, From the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates" (Genesis 15:18)

Dispensationalists/Christian Zionists frequently tell us that these promises were made to the nation of Israel forever, but this is false. The nation of Israel was not in existence at this point, nor are they referenced anywhere in these passages. Eisegetical inference inserts Israel here. The land was promised to Abraham and his seed forever (the word translated "descendants" literally means "seed"). Remember what Galatians 3:16 teaches us?

"Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, "And to seeds," as referring to many, but rather to one, "And to your seed," that is, Christ."

The seed is Christ Jesus—not the physical descendants of Abraham (which would include the Arabs). Now, if you want to read the promise literally, it says "to your descendants forever." Abraham's descendants consist of both Israelites (Jews) and Ishmaelites (Arabs). After the Jews were scattered from the land yet again, the Arabs moved in. So the promise was still being fulfilled by Abraham's descendants. However, the land that Abraham looked forward to was not a patch of earth located in the Middle East—it was heaven.

"By faith Abraham, when he was called, obeyed by going out to a place which he was to receive for an inheritance; and he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, fellow heirs of the same promise; for he was looking for the city which has foundations, whose architect and builder is God. ... All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance, and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them." (Hebrews 11:8-10, 13-16)

We are also often told that the nation of Israel never received the land God promised, but this, too, is false. Joshua, Solomon, and Nehemiah all confess that Israel received the land that God promised to give.

"So Joshua took the whole land, according to all that the LORD had spoken to Moses, and Joshua gave it for an inheritance to Israel according to their divisions by their tribes. Thus the land had rest from war." (Joshua 11:23)

"All the cities of the Levites in the midst of the possession of the sons of Israel were forty-eight cities with their pasture lands. These cities each had its surrounding pasture lands; thus it was with all these cities. So the LORD gave Israel all the land which He had sworn to give to their fathers, and they possessed it and lived in it. And the LORD gave them rest on every side, according to all that He had sworn to their fathers, and no one of all their enemies stood before them; the LORD gave all their enemies into their hand. Not one of the good promises which the LORD had made to the house of Israel failed; all came to pass." (Joshua 21:41-45)

"Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand that is on the seashore in abundance; they were eating and drinking and rejoicing. Now Solomon ruled over all the kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines and to the border of Egypt; they brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life." (1 Kings 4:20-21)

"Indeed, forty years Thou didst provide for them in the wilderness and they were not in want; Their clothes did not wear out, nor did their feet swell. Thou didst also give them kingdoms and peoples, And Thou didst allot them to them as a boundary. And they took possession of the land of Sihon the king of Heshbon, And the land of Og the king of Bashan. And Thou didst make their sons numerous as the stars of heaven, And Thou didst bring them into the land Which Thou hadst told their fathers to enter and possess. So their sons entered and possessed the land. And Thou didst subdue before them the inhabitants of the land, the Canaanites, And Thou didst give them into their hand, with their kings, and the peoples of the land, To do with them as they desired. And they captured fortified cities and a fertile land. They took possession of houses full of every good thing, Hewn cisterns, vineyards, olive groves, Fruit trees in abundance. So they ate, were filled, and grew fat, And reveled in Thy great goodness." (Nehemiah 9:21-25)

So who is right? Are the Dispensationalists/Christian Zionists? Or is the Bible? That is right. The Bible is correct—100% of the time. Sometimes finding an answer requires of us to do a little leg work and apply some elbow grease. The promises were spoken to Abraham and his seed; Christ Jesus and all those who would belong to Him by faith—Christians.

"Therefore, be sure that it is those who are of faith who are sons of Abraham." (Galatians 3:7)

"And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise." (Galatians 3:29)