April 3, 2013 
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The video below is a short introduction to a video series called “History of the modern Gospel.” Instead of watching sports tonight, or home improvement, military history or whatever, please let me encourage you to check out this series. It’s well researched, accurate and about something a whole lot more important than basketball. It is free to view online at their website – CLICK HERE to check it out.
February 11, 2013 5 Comments
Okay – Here’s the challenge… Turn off the cable TV, and watch this video tonight instead. It is a LOT more interesting than it might first appear, and it concerns you greatly. It will open your eyes to many truths about the modern church in America, and in Longview. I strongly encourage you to watch this with an open mind, prayerful heart, and (of course) a Bible so you can easily look up the references to see if these things are so.
If you are currently attending a church similar to the ones discussed here, one that has being “relevant” as its’ highest priority, I cannot stress enough the spiritual danger you might be embracing. Not because they are trying to reach people with the Gospel, but because there is a very high possibility they are reaching people (and you) with a changed gospel. Another gospel. Please take the time to pray and study the Scriptures so that you might know for certain as to whether or not you and your children are being fed God’s truth as opposed to a psychology based morality movement.
The one thing missing from this video is a plain proclamation of the true, biblical Gospel as proclaimed by Jesus, Paul, John and all of Scripture. But before I tell you of the rescue (which is the good news of the Gospel) you must know the bad news, and why all men are in need of rescue. All men have sinned and broken God’s laws (these are laid out in summary form in the Ten Commandments). We have all lied, hated, and lusted. Every one of us has indulged in gossip, wicked fantasies and idolatry. Because of our guilt, obeying the laws of God now will in no way absolve us of our existing guilt. Why? Because God is a just judge, and so a punishment must be handed down. If no punishment is given, justice would not be upheld. Because of this situation, we are all guilty and hopelessly headed for eternal torment. But here is the good news! God stepped in and sent His only Son to be tortured and killed on the Cross, paying our punishment. Repenting of our sins (repenting is a change of mind regarding sin, a turning from our own passions) and clinging to Christ alone, trusting that His work alone is what makes us right with God, we are then made in right-standing with in the courts of the almighty. Upon Him is our sin laid and we inherit the righteousness of Christ. We are saved through faith in Christ alone (not our own efforts… that is why it is called “good news”!!) Christ proved to all His true identity and that His sacrifice was acceptable by rising from the dead. That is the gospel! It is the good news that helpless and wicked men have a savior who has done the unimaginable in order to save His people!
February 6, 2013 0 Comments
I used to have sin in my life, but now…I’m not so sure. How did I come to be in this confused state? Well, recently I have been listening to a few sermons from some of today’s popular preachers and as I have, my thoughts & concerns regarding sin have slowly slipped away! The preachers don’t seem to use the word, and in fact, they don’t really address the issue at all. And so now after following my new teachers, all awareness of sin has slowly dissolved away. That’s okay, right? I can still acknowledge that I “don’t always make the best choices” and that sometimes I “mess up”, but sin? No. That seems to be a thing of the past. And good riddance!!
Obviously, I am trying to use a bit of sarcasm to make a point. In Scripture we see many teachings regarding sin. We learn that sin is actually a crime – a crime against God’s law. Each sin is a crime for which we will be judged (by a just judge who in no way pardons the guilty). We learn that every sin is an act of rebellion, and every rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft. We are taught that every act of sin is a refusal to accept the Lord as our Lord, and is considered to be idolatry. Each sin makes self and desire our god instead of Him. You see, every sin is not only a crime against God’s law, but also an insult and challenge to our God on a personal level.
In short, the act of sin, its’ consequences in the heavenly court, along with the immediate effects of sin here are all BIG deals in the eyes of God. Such a big deal that God sent His Son (the Living Word, God incarnate) to die in our place so that the just judge can remain just and offer forgiveness to His people. And not just forgiveness! With forgiveness comes a new birth, the “beginning of the end” in regards to sin in the life of a believer. For every believer is given a new heart that follows God and His laws willingly. They have a life trademarked by repentance and an ever-widening gap between the believer and sin.
Wait a minute…that’s another word missing in modern preaching these days, isn’t it? “Repentance.” But I guess that’s logical, now that I think about it. How can the word or concept of repentance (the changing of ones mind in regards to sin) be preached when the very concept of sin has been softened, avoided, re-worded (or re-defined) and all but removed? “Repentance” was included in the messages delivered by John the Baptist, Paul, John and Jesus Christ Himself, but it is completely missing from the modern preacher’s vocabulary (dear reader, do your teachers regularly discuss sin and repentance?)
Folks, the absence of sin and repentance from today’s preaching does much more than simply contextualize the gospel message for the modern man. It changes the call of the gospel (by eliminating repentance), softens the hard truths about sin, and it robs God of His glory. Does that last statement surprise you? It shouldn’t! Think of this:
January 14, 2013 0 Comments
You may think that the Grey god is a facet of modern theology that is found only in the liberal-leaning churches, but I submit to you that this view has crept into almost all modern-day American churches in some form or another, especially in the youth programs.
But I am getting ahead of myself. Let me first explain what I mean by the expression “a grey God.” This is the view that God isn’t entrenched and immovable in His views and tolerances. It is the idea that the Lord doesn’t always see things in black and white, but is tolerant, and embraces the in-between. The suggested notion that He is in-between black and white on most issues, thus He is “grey”. In these modern times, tolerance has become elevated not only to being a virtue, but to being the chief virtue above all others. In fact, our “enlightened” culture is now convinced that the only thing that shouldn’t be tolerated is intolerance! It’s ironic, but true.
For many, it is easy to fall into this trap when discussing Christianity and religion. For example, when a topic such as homosexuality, creation, or the exclusivity of salvation through Christ is brought up, many want to “round out the corners” a little. Instead of boldly proclaiming the true God of the Bible, they introduce a “softer” God. Why? Because they want to make the truths presented in God’s Word a little less offensive, a little less pointed. They feel as the archaic “black and white” God and His “this is right & that is wrong” teachings found in Scripture are just a little too offensive for an “enlightened” society such as Read more…
December 27, 2012 0 Comments
According to the Quran, is Allah a just judge? Please read the following excerpt (in green) from the Religion of Islam website before I offer my thoughts on this subject:
The Quran, the sacred scripture of Islam, considers justice to be a supreme virtue. It is a basic objective of Islam to the degree that it stands next in order of priority to belief in God’s exclusive right to worship (Tawheed) and the truth of Muhammad’s prophethood. God declares in the Quran:
“God commands justice and fair dealing…” (Quran 16:90)
And in another passage:
“O you who believe, be upright for God, and (be) bearers of witness with justice!…” (Quran 5:8)
Therefore, one may conclude that justice is an obligation of Islam and injustice is forbidden. The centrality of justice to the Quranic value system is displayed by the following verse:
“We sent Our Messengers with clear signs and sent down with them the Book and the Measure in order to establish justice among the people…” (Quran 57:25)
The phrase ‘Our Messengers’ shows that justice has been the goal of all revelation and scriptures sent to humanity. The verse also shows that justice must be measured and implemented by the standards and guidelines set by revelation. Islam’s approach to justice is comprehensive and all-embracing. Any path that leads to justice is deemed to be in harmony with Islamic Law. God has demanded justice and, although He has not prescribed a specific route, has provided general guidelines, on how to achieve it. He has neither prescribed a fixed means by which it can be obtained, nor has He declared invalid any particular means or methods that can lead to justice. Therefore, all means, procedures, and methods that facilitate, refine, and advance the cause of justice, and do not violate the Islamic Law are valid. (You can read this excerpt in its’ full context by visiting Religion of Islam – click HERE)
When you read through this teaching, it is clear that the Quran holds justice in very high esteem. In truth, there are many, many passages in the Quran that mention Allah as being a god of justice. But I see a really big problem here. If Allah is a just judge like the Quran says, how can he forgive sins and allow his people into paradise? Sins are crimes against his law, and crimes must be punished!
Here on Earth, what would happen if a judge simply let criminals go free because, after their crimes, they had started doing good deeds and had asked for forgiveness? I will tell you what would happen…the judge would be dismissed because he was not handing out justice! Payment must be made for crimes here on Earth, and yet the Quran presents Allah as being a judge who simply forgives without payment. The absence of ongoing evil deeds is not payment for past evil deeds, and good deeds do not undue guilt either. I suspect a Muslim reading this will be offended, and claim Allah can do whatever he pleases as he is all-powerful. While this claim may make the Muslim believer feel somewhat better, it in no way answers the charge of injustice. For the judge to be just, punishment must be handed down, plain and simple.
Folks, this is one of the foundational differences between Christianity and Islam. In fact, justice is the attribute that sets the God of the Bible apart from all other religions (including the cultural Christianity preached in so many modern evangelical churches). Rest assured, the Lord of All is indeed a just and holy judge. This is bad news for the Muslim! Past crimes are not pardoned by good deeds, time nor prayers. That is what Jesus Christ was doing on the Cross. He humbled Himself to human form so as to take the punishment for the sins of His people. Justice is maintained because the payment for crimes has been paid, and forgiveness is then possible.
What answer does the Muslim have for this dilemma? I have never heard an adequate answer. The conversation almost always gets diverted to other issues, or anger, or confused arguments in order to justify Muslim “justice”. If you are a Muslim, before dismissing this article or responding in anger, take a few minutes to think about it. Is the god of the Quran just? Myself, I don’t see how he possibly can be…
December 16, 2012 1 Comment
Questioning the unquestionable…
Is “Asking Jesus into our Hearts” Biblical?
We have all heard it taught. It is taught to children in Sunday schools, private Christian schools, and in Christian homes across the land. It is taught as being the Gospel message, the plan of salvation, and in modern times it is even presented to adults as such. What I am talking about is the message “You need to ask Jesus into your heart”. With so many preaching this message as the gospel, would it not be wise to verify that it’s truly biblical? I have found that very, very few in our modern Christian culture have ever dug into the Scriptures to verify this message. That is what this article will attempt to do, but many who read this will take offense that an article like this has even been written. “Why is someone questioning the gospel message?” they will ask, “My Church has taught this message for years. Surely this author is trying to spread doubt and false doctrine!! It isn’t even worth reading such negative and questionable articles!” But please read what Paul warned us Galatians:
But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed (Galatians 1:8)
This is a HUGE warning not only to beware of false Gospels, but also to be very diligent in biblically verifying the message we present to others. So won’t you please stay and read this article? This is not a topic to be dismissed casually or taken lightly!
There are two groups of people that hold to the “Ask Jesus into your heart” message (which from here forward I will refer to as the “Heart” message for the sake of brevity) as being the Gospel message. The first group of people consists of those that believe it truly is the Biblical message. The second group of people are those that acknowledge that the message isn’t taught anywhere in the Bible, but feel it is a good, modern way of delivering the more wordy and theological message that is found in Scripture. By now, many of you will have concluded Read more…
October 18, 2012 0 Comments
It’s election time, and this may be the most important (and divisive) election in U.S. history. Many are investing time, work and worry into the election because they feel that the next President might bring them hope… or ruin. But any hope, improvements or rescue the next President brings really won’t be the kind of rescue we all truly need! They are politicians, not saviors, and for all their differences they still have one thing in common – they are all guilty of sin! We can say this with certainty because we find it taught plainly in Scripture. In Romans 3 we learn that there is none righteous, not even one, we are all guilty of breaking God’s law (which is sin)…every one of us! In, we see that obeying God’s laws now will not make us right with Him – I will repeat that because it is a message contrary to what we hear from many pulpits these days – obeying God’s laws now will not make us right with Him (Romans 3:20). This makes sense since God is a just judge, and obedience now in no way pays for crimes in the past. So no matter how much we “shape up” or start attending church, it is too late! Living a moral Christian life isn’t the same as becoming a Christian. The sin we have already committed has condemned us, and behavior modification won’t help a bit ! If we read the entire chapter of Romans 3, we learn that all are completely lost and without any hope at all…except the hope of Christ on the Cross. That means that the politicians we are hoping will save us are completely unable to address any of the “big issues” that are facing us. Do you think the rising federal deficit is a time-bomb that will soon go off, destroying our economy? Well, that is indeed a serious thing. But the federal deficit pales in comparison with the sin deficit you and I have before a Holy God. The Judge will be just, and the penalty will be paid. What are we to do?
Hope in a politician is hope in a sinful man, but the hope that is in Jesus Christ is quite different. The modern preachers often tell us Jesus came so that we might live a fulfilled life, an exciting life, or even a prosperous life. But the Bible tells us that Jesus came to die on the Cross, and the reason He had to die was so that God would remain just, and punishment for sin would be paid. Do you see now how horrible sin really is? It is so wicked that nothing would satisfy justice except the blood and death of a sinless sacrifice. Jesus, Read more…
June 29, 2012 0 Comments
When John MacArthur teaches that repentance is mandatory for salvation, multitudes of people grow furious and quickly fire off the charge that if one must repent to be forgiven, than salvation is based on works, and so MacArthur’s teaching is heresy. These accusations aren’t reserved for MacArthur, either. I have been told on many occasions that when I preach repentance as a part of the Gospel that I am mandating the work of men into our Lords free message of grace. The word has become so unpopular, that very few modern-day pastors will dare to use it (never mind the prolific use the word got on the lips of Jesus, John the Baptist and the Apostles). I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer, so to speak, but think I have finally pinpointed the reason for all the debate around this simple little two-syllable word.
I have come to the conclusion that the word “repent” is almost always completely misunderstood. The definition of this word has been so blurred (if not completely butchered) by the legalistic, screamin’ style preaching of the past that the meaning has been lost. I will endeavor to carefully explain what the word means. The CARM online dictionary defines it this way:
Repent = To repent means to turn, to have a change of mind.
and the Westminster Theological dictionary has this to say:
The linguistic roots point to the theological meaning of “a change of mind”.
Folks, when Christ (or even a modern preacher) tells people to repent, he is telling them to change their mind. To recognize what sin really and truly is (that being wicked and self-centered rebellion against their creator who is patiently allowing them time to recognize the severity of their actions). True repentance is always followed by Read more…
June 1, 2012 0 Comments
I started seeing them years ago. T-shirts emblazoned with slogans like “Jesus is my Homeboy” or “Jesus Saves” complete with a picture of Jesus as a hockey goalie. It seems as though nowadays Jesus is looked at in a comfortable, informal and relaxed light. The message of God’s love has been delivered so many times without any other aspects of our Lord’s attributes being discussed that most professing Christians don’t have a clue who Jesus really is. Remember the disciple that leaned on Jesus at the Last Supper? The disciple who was one of Jesus’ inner circle and is often referred to as the “disciple of love”? Take a look at how he describes the first time he saw Jesus after the ascension:
“When I turned to see who was speaking to me, I saw seven gold lamp-stands. And standing in the middle of the lamp-stands was someone like the Son of Man. He was wearing a long robe with a gold sash across his chest. His head and his hair were white like wool, as white as snow. And his eyes were like flames of fire. His feet were like polished bronze refined in a furnace, and his voice thundered like mighty ocean waves. He held seven stars in his right hand, and a sharp two-edged sword came from his mouth. And his face was like the sun in all its brilliance. When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. But he laid his right hand on me and said, “Don’t be afraid! I am the First and the Last. I am the living one. I died, but look—I am alive forever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and the grave.” Rev 1:12-18
I have come to recognize that I am guilty of horrible sin, and sin is what is in my nature. To think of the God who humbled himself, allowed Himself to be tortured and killed to rescue me when I deserve Hell (not grace), and then run out and buy a “funny” t-shirt that portrays Him in some minimized or regular fashion is something beyond my comprehension. I’m sure some will read this and think of John 15:15 where Jesus calls His disciples His friends. And in a sense they (and we) are indeed friends of Christ. But let me remind you that it was one of these disciple-friends that fell to the ground as though dead at the mere sight of our savior. The concept of friends doesn’t equate to equality or informality. If you have one of these type shirts, may I encourage you to throw it out? Think about it!
May 12, 2012 0 Comments
We will be out and about handing out some Gospel tracts this weekend, and will no doubt have our actions called into question. For the street evangelist, it is common to be viewed as judgmental or arrogant as we share biblical truths with folks on the street. Is it possible these folks are right? Are we really being loving or are we pushy and unloving when we explain the guilt of sin and the atonement offered by Christ? What about those who don’t get involved in evangelism? Are they loving or unloving? What about you?? Before making up your mind, take this quick little quiz:
Question #1). You’re sitting in a coffee shop when a woman at another table gets up–leaving her coffee unattended–to get a napkin. As she does, a man walks by her table, pours a powdered substance into the woman’s coffee and quickly exits the shop. You immediately warn this woman of what just happened. Your reaction is… Continue to DefendingContending to read all six quiz questions. Click HERE
