Truth in Advertising

"So when you look at me

you better look hard and look twice

Is that me baby

or just a brilliant disguise"

The above quote, may look like it comes from the Book Of Mormon, lol, but it is actually lyrics to a Bruce Springsteen song, titled: Brilliant Disguise". I grew up in the home state of Bruce, New Jersey. I also grew up listening to his music, and love the stories he relates in his songs. If it wasn't for his politics, I would probably still be a huge fan.

So why am I bringing up lyrics from a secular song? Well, that's a good question. The idea actually came to me based on a Sunday School discussion, in which our teacher brought up the lyrics, so I am taking the ball and running with it!

As Christians, we live day to day, battling personal and spiritual struggles. Like any animal in creation, when we aren't well, we try to disguise what is going on. Whether it is medical, physical or spiritual, we tend to try and disguise our hurt, and mask our weakness.

What about our everyday lives though? What about our testimony, our walk with God? Is it us, or a "brilliant disguise"?

A discussion was brought up about "labels". Not sticky notes, or address labels, but labels we place on ourselves, and labels we place on others.

I think the most significant labels we place, are on ourselves. We may think of ourselves as too short, too tall, too fat, too skinny. We may look at a different angle, and say we are too poor, or unloved or lonely. I remember a group of kids from high school, who labeled themselves as the "undesirables".

When it comes down to judging, we are always so critical of ourselves. Such harshness on our lives leads to health issues, chemical dependency, or any other way to cope with.

In our class, we did a semi-round table of how we labeled ourselves, and how we found out from others that that was not the perception they had of us. It is a trick the devil likes to play with us, by putting thoughts in our heads.

In this discussion, we discussed two of the three labels. The labels we place on ourselves, and the labels of how people see us.

Now don't think this is a non-Christian dilemma, it is ever bodies dilemma.

For this entry, I would like to focus on the Christian life, and the third label, how God sees us.

When it comes to being a Christian, our lives are put under a microscope, scrutinized by secular society and even attacked.

Now, after my long monologue, lets get to some scripture:

Mat 7:16 Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?
Mat 7:17 Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.
Mat 7:18 A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.
Mat 7:19 Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Mat 7:20 Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

In Matthew chapter 7, Jesus is speaking a parable of the fruit tree, as it relates to identifying true and false Christians.

This scripture should be a mirror of our entire lifestyle as it relates to being a Christian.

One of the biggest objections for a non-Christian going to church is, the hypocrites!

It may sound like a bad slam against the Christian community, but it is a wake up call as well as biblical.

Lets look at the above passage again.

There are two trees. The both look alike on the outside, but both produce different fruit.

The good tree produces good fruit, and the bad tree produces bad fruit.

This is a picture of Christians.

There is also a warning that good trees, obviously can't produce bad fruit, and bad trees can't produce good fruit.

In fact, Jesus says that the bad trees will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

We can look at the warning:

Mat 13:24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:
Mat 13:25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.
Mat 13:26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.
Mat 13:27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?
Mat 13:28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?
Mat 13:29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.
Mat 13:30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

The enemy, the devil, has come into the church and planted non-Christians among the Christians. (tares among the wheat)

Jesus says they will grow together until the harvest, in which at that time, they will be separated. The wheat to the barn and the tares:

Mat 13:40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

God knows our hearts, but you know what? Our testimony, and the fruit we produce as Christians reflects on our relationship with God, and how people label us.

As Christians we need to make sure that our "Sunday best", spills over into a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday Saturday best, as well!

When we come to church and give our best, our lifestyle should match.

After awhile, people connect the dots.

One of my personal struggles is the world, and relating to it, as a Christian, living a Christian lifestyle, 24/7.

Everyday we walk the line with the just and unjust. We intermingle with all walks of life.

We are told:

Mat 5:14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid.

With our society, we tend to want to fit the socially acceptable label instead of the Godly discipleship label.

My personal experience has been, and maybe you can relate, is that when I am not feeding on the Word, my light dims.

We live in such a dark world, that my faith sometimes feels like a solar powered flashlight. I can charge the light, but after awhile it will grow dimmer and dimmer until it shuts off completely.

A guy, in the dark, with no flashlight, is no different from everyone around him.

However, if we walk (1Jn 1:7) "....in the light, as he is in the light,...", we can have more confidence walking in the dark.

It is our duty to obey God, and feed on the Word, and be the light and salt of the earth. This is the label of how God wants us to be, a label of how God should see us, and a label of how we should want to be and of how people should see us.

It is not how we want to be labeled or how we want to be labeled, that should matter. When it comes down to it, the only label that should matter, is that relating to God.

Our Christian lifestyle should be transparent, glorifying God through our testimony.

In short, we should be a living example of, "truth in advertising".

-Jon

Home Is Where The Heart Is.

Mar 12:30 And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with
all thy soul, and with all thy mind, and with all thy strength: this is the
first commandment.

Not to long ago, I was battling with bronchitis and walking pneumonia. While I was in the doctors office, they had taken my blood pressure. Now my blood pressure goes up and down, like a roller coaster, throughout the day. It just so happens that at the time of my doctors visit, it was high. So much so, the doctor was talking about blood pressure medicine and a stress test. She had told me that she would give me a free pass on all of that this time, due to my illness. She did, however, tell me to keep an eye on my blood pressure, and consider coming back to have it checked again.



The heart is such a vital organ, to keep us healthy and alive. It continually beats throughout the day, pushing blood through our entire body to keep us functioning. The heart just beats and beats without us even thinking about it. In fact the only time I really thought about it is when attention was brought to my blood pressure, and how I now had to purposely pay attention to it.



Throughout scripture, our Great Physician, Almighty God, also tells us to watch for warning signs, and tells us where our hearts should be. Who better to know our heart, than the One who created us.



Well, some may say, "my heart is just fine", or "I know in my heart...". God, on the other hand, tells us about our own hearts.

Psa 44:21 Shall not God search this out? for he knoweth the secrets of the
heart.

Pro 14:10 The heart knoweth his own bitterness; and a stranger doth not
intermeddle with his joy.

Pro 21:2 Every way of a man is right in his own eyes: but the LORD pondereth
the hearts.

Jer 17:9 The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately
wicked: who can know it?

If we ponder on the thought of God's absolute knowledge, our very own hearts condemn us!

How can we have a better understanding of our own hearts? Well, an easy sure fire way, is by our lips. Scripture teaches that our lips have a direct correlation to our heart condition.

Psa 12:2 They speak vanity every one with his neighbour: with flattering lips and with a double heart do they speak.

In this passage, the Psalmist refers to a double hearted person. One who has a heart to speak nice things, and one to create trouble.

Isa 32:6 For the vile person will speak villany, and his heart will work iniquity, to
practise hypocrisy, and to utter error against the LORD, to make empty the soul
of the hungry, and he will cause the drink of the thirsty to fail.

Here Isaiah talks of how people will be known by what they speak. When the speach is evil, we see the "heart will work iniquity", or lawlessness.

Mat 12:34 O generation of vipers, how can ye, being evil, speak good things?
for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.

Here, in Matthew, we see the condition of our hearts by how we speak.



Sometimes it so much easier to see the conditions of other peoples hearts, just by talking to them, then it is to see the condition of our own hearts. We must be diligent in paying attention to our hearts, through our speech. I will be the first to say, that this is an on going battle for me.

I took me awhile to realize how blaspheming our speech can be. Sometimes we will say things like, "Oh my (goodness, gosh, word)", instead of using the name of God. The tense is still the same though. We make the conscience effort to replace the name of God with another word, but it is still a verbal attack on God. The same goes for, "Holy (cow, macaroni, moly)". This tense, we attack the Holy Spirit. Our speech is not only offensive to God, it is offensive to our neighbor and ultimately destroys our witness. Do I need to mention the Holy name of Jesus, and how many times we blatantly use His name with out giving it its due reverence?



Lets look at an encounter with Jesus.

Mar 10:17 And when he was gone forth into the way, there came one running,
and kneeled to him, and asked him, Good Master, what shall I do that I may
inherit eternal life?
Mar 10:18 And Jesus said unto him, Why callest thou me good? there is none good but one, that is, God.
Mar 10:19 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not commit adultery, Do not kill, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Defraud not, Honour thy father and mother. Mar 10:20 And he answered and said unto him, Master, all these have I observed from my youth.
Mar 10:21 Then Jesus beholding him loved him, and said unto him, One thing
thou lackest: go thy way, sell whatsoever thou hast, and give to the poor, and
thou shalt have treasure in heaven: and come, take up the cross, and follow me.
Mar 10:22 And he was sad at that saying, and went away grieved: for he had
great possessions.
Mar 10:23 And Jesus looked round about, and saith unto his disciples, How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the kingdom of God!

Wow, what an opportunity to witness. Imagine someone running up to you asking about eternal life. (On a side note, notice how Jesus didn't use the man center Gospel message, "Jesus loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life".) This man wanted eternal life, and said he kept the entire law, but God knew his heart, and knew he offended in one part. It was this mans money that will keep him from Heaven. His heart belonged to the love of money, and could never belong to God.

Like Jesus said:

Luk 16:13 No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the
one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the
other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

God want our heart. He did, after all, save us from Eternal damnation, through the blood of Jesus on the cross of Calvary!

Lets go to Matthew and take a peek at this scripture:

Mat 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth
me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.

Mat 15:17 Do not ye yet understand, that whatsoever entereth in at
the mouth goeth into the belly, and is cast out into the draught?
Mat 15:18 But those things which proceed out of the mouth come forth from the heart; and they defile the man.
Mat 15:19 For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts,
murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, blasphemies:
Mat 15:20 These are the things which defile a man: but to eat with unwashen hands defileth not a man.

Scripture goes on and on about our sinful, wicked thoughts, speech and heart. This is a condition we are unfortunately born with.

It is great and powerful thing to know that God, knows our hearts, and as the Great Physician He is, He works on repairing our heart. He works on our heart through the Holy Spirit. Our conscience is a God given pace maker to remind us of what is right and wrong, and where our hearts should and shouldn't be.

In Acts 2, Peter was preaching, and the scripture says:

Act 2:37 Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and
said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we
do?

The people were "pricked" in the heart. That is nothing but an awesome God thing right there. Scripture continues:

Act 2:38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in
the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.

The people were pricked in their heart, and Peter told them to repent. Repent is a small word that means so much. Repentance means, admitting your wrong, confessing your sins, turning away from your sins, and continue in a new direction until you reach your destination. Our destination goal, is Heaven.

Through repentance, God will give us a clean, new heart, with new desires. Our eyes need to be focused on God. Our heart needs to be given over to Him. We need to lay our burdens down before Almighty God, so the Great Physician can heal us.

When someone has a heart attack, and the damage is repaired, and medication is given, there are changes as well. A change in lifestyle, diet, activity, etc. The very same goes when we give our life, and our heart over to God. God will give us new wants and desires.

When God gives us a new heart, He purges out the bad stuff and gives us blessings for keeping our heart right.

Mat 5:8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.

The word "pure", literally means clean or pure. Something we can not have or do, if it wasn't for the Grace of God!

2Ti 2:22 Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity,
peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart.

Here, Paul tells Timothy to FLEE, meaning runaway or shun, youthful lusts. Those youthful lust belong to the old body. Paul gives us guidance in the rest of the verse.

Our heart has a constant drum beat. We need to look deep within ourselves to see if we need to march to the beat of a different drummer. We need to get right with God about our troubled hearts, and hand it over to Him.

If we live with a pure heart, focused on God, our home will truly, someday, be where our heart is. With God, in Heaven!

-Jon

Rick Warren Twisting Scripture

Here is a two part audio, from The Way Of The Master Radio program, hosted by Todd Friel. This is audio is from Rick Warren doing an interview, with commentary done by Todd. Like Fox News says, "we report, you decide". Lets go better than Fox News, "Test all things and hold fast to that which is good"
1 Thessalonians 5:21

part 1:
approx. 9 minutes




part 2:
approx. 5 minutes





-Jon

Good News! Everyone Goes To Heaven!

Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat
on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them.
Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before
God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.
Rev 20:13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works.
Rev 20:14 And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is
the second death.
Rev 20:15 And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

Here, we are looking at a passage from the book of Revelation, from the Greek
word, "apokalupsis", meaning unveiling or disclosure. This book is said to be
written in A.D. 96, by the Apostle John. While there is a lot of discussion and arguments over particular scriptures, right now I'd like to focus on the passage above, as it relates to the title of this blog.

This chapter is broken down in to several parts.

• 1. the binding of Satan (vs 1-3).
• 2. the reign of the saints with Christ (vs. 4-6).
• 3. the loosing of Satan, the conflict of the church Gog (a Hebrew symbolic name for some future antichrist) and Magog (an antichristian nation), (vs. 7-10).
• 4. the day of judgement (20:11-15)
  

As the text I shared at the top reveals, we will be looking at the fourth part, the day of judgement.

We have all heard the adage, "I got good news, and I got bad news", well lets start on a lighter note, the good news. Despite what is preached out of the pulpit about going to Heaven and Hell, the good news is, everyone, on the day of judgement, will go to Heaven. As the Apostle John reveals, in his vision given by God:

"Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God;"

The word small, comes from the Greek word mikros, meaning small. This just doesn't refer to the size of ones stature, but it is a comparative in size, quantity and dignity.

The word great, comes from the Greek word megas, meaning large, loud, strong, high, and mighty.

So it seems, in this verse, the Apostle John isn't limiting the dead to a body count, but also a economic, social, age and spiritual contrast. To be honest, the population comparison are limitless. Even the best worldly attorney, the best worldly judge will be in front of Gods great court.

In all his Majesty & Righteousness, God sits on the throne ready to cast his judgement on the dead.

The Apostle John continues with his vision from God:

Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works.

Here, the Apostle John's vision describes a book that is opened. This is referred to as the book of life, and later on in Revelation 21:27, as the Lamb's book of life.

Now the term, "book of life", is a Jewish phrase that refers to a record of names. The term "life" here, refers to "eternal life." In Philippians 4:3, the Apostle Paul refers to Christians, when he mentions, " whose names are in the book of life. So there you have it, the book of life, relates to saved, born again Christians, who God has recorded in this book. It is by this book, God will judge Christians by their works. It is a good and Godly thing to stay busy in His works, to get rewarded in Heaven, and for God to say, "well done good and faithful servant." On another note, if God writes your name in the book of life, nobody can remove it. That there is a little nugget of eternal security for you.

Now, in verse 13, John talks about the sea giving up the dead, and death and hell delivering up the dead. The sea giving up the dead, refers to those that have drowned and have died in the water. Then you have death, referring to the grave and hell referring to the separated spirits. The sea and grave have the bodies, and hell has their spirits. These too will appear before the throne of God for judgement. Unfortunately, they will be judged by their works as well. God standard for goodness is so high an unattainable, that it calls for perfect sinless life. That my friend has been accomplished by one man, Christ Jesus.

The last to verses of chapter 20 covers everyone not found in the book of life. As we can see, everyone not found in the book of life will be cast into the lake of fire.

So the good news.... Everyone goes to Heaven.

The bad news... Not everyone will stay.

Is your name in the book of life?

Will you stay or go?

I know my eternal security is sealed by the blood of Christ. It is because of Gods grace, that I will not be judged by the law, because I am not under the law. It is by faith I am saved. It is Christ Jesus who paid the fine for me in the eternal court room of our mighty God. Praise Jesus!

-Jon

Deadlines Are A Nightmare!

Pro 29:1 He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck,

shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

There is a song out, by a country group Rascal Flatts, called "Mayberry". You guessed it, named after the fictional North Carolina town made famous by Sheriff Andy Taylor, Opie and Aunt Bee.

More importantly, the first two verses of the song go like this:

Sometimes it feels like this world is spinning faster

Than it did in the old days

So naturally we have more natural disasters

From the strain of a fast pace

Sunday was the day of rest

Now its one more day for progress

And we can't slow down

Cause more is best

It's all an endless process

It is sad, but true. Our lives have gotten so hectic, chasing after this and that and meeting deadline after deadline.

I have been a truck driver going on 12 years now, and the trucking industry is nothing but deadlines. Everyone needs it yesterday because they put off getting until the last minute.

Now, I am no super trucker, hence to say, I have not met all of my deadlines. As with many occupations, things come up here or there and you just can't make it.

Now why am I talking about all this in relationship to the text above? One word:

DEADLINES!

Now the big wig, corporate figure heads run multi-billion dollar businesses on deadlines.

Did you ever think that God also runs on a deadline?

Lets read this verse again:

Pro 29:1 He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck,

shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.

It sounds to me like God does have a deadline for every one of us!

The text says, "He, that being often" (more than once) "reproved" (or corrected) "hardeneth his neck.."

God says, in His scripture, there will come a day, after He has tried to correct us for the last time, we "shall suddenly be destroyed, and without remedy" (or, without deliverance).

Lets look at the first part of the text. How does God reprove us? Several ways.

One is through, Spiritual Conviction.

1. Through the Holy Spirit we can be Spiritually Convicted.

2. Through Sickness we can be Spiritually Convicted.
Psa 119:67 Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word.

3. Through Sorrows we can be Spiritually Convicted.

4. Through Sweetness we can be Spiritually Convicted.

Psa 52:1 Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually.

5. Through Servants we can be Spiritually Convicted.

A Second way God can Reprove us is through, Stubborn Rebellion.

"hardeneth his neck"

1. Procrastination Hardeneth His Neck. (I'll do it later.)
Pro 27:1 Boast not thyself of to morrow; for thou knowest not what a day may bring forth.

Look also at Exodus 8, when the plague of frogs came upon the Pharaoh. Pharaoh asked Moses to remove the frogs, and Moses said when and Pharaoh said in Exodus 8:10 "To morrow".

2. Pride Hardeneth His Neck. (I'm not gonna make a fool of myself)

The Devil will sit down with you in the church pew and tell you not to go up front and give your lif over to Christ. He will tell you that you will be embarrassed. Pride will escort you to Hell in chains.

3. Pleasures Of This World will Hardeneth His Neck. (I'd rather love the things I have than the love God)

Don't get wrapped up in the pleasures of this world. God warns us.

2Ti 3:4 Traitors, heady, highminded, lovers of pleasures more than lovers of God;

Rom 10:3 For they being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God.

The Devil will whisper in your ear, oh you don't want to become a Christian and give up what you have.

There will come a time when you will cross the deadline, and scripture says he shall "suddenly be destroyed".

God is a God of Judgement and Righteousness. Scripture warns us again:

2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

God will send "strong delusion" so people "should believe a lie"!!

God spoke to these people over and over again, but they will be damned because they "had pleasure in righteousness.

Man will reject God for the last time, and God will give them up!

This is why we have so many cults, etc. These are people who knew the Truth, but believed not the Truth, often reproved, who has hardeneth is neck and God has sent them strong delusions that they may believe a lie!

People think, oh I can just call on Jesus in due time. I'm sorry to tell you friend, scripture says:

Joh 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him:

and I will raise him up at the last day.

No man can come to Jesus, except the Father draw him. How is this done? By the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit draws us to Christ, it is the Holy Spirit that convicts.

The Bible teaches that the time will come when you will so insult God for the last time, by saying no to the Holy Spirit for so many times, that God will give up working in your heart.

Three times in the beginning of Romans, God speaks of giving them up, giving them up and giving them over.

That sudden destruction is a heart beat away.

Don't get the idea the eternity is way off in the future, because with sudden destruction, there is no remedy.

God has spoken to you and me over and over. God has spoken to us even today.

God also says if you continue to harden your neck, you will be destroyed. There are no second chances, there is no remedy.

Why would God reprove you and me?

It is because He loves us.

What if you think that your already crossed the deadline?

If you can still call on the name of the Lord, you haven't crossed the deadline!

Praise God!

Anyone who wants to be saved, can.

If you have no desire to be saved you have already crossed the deadline!

We are all one heart beat away from Heaven, or one heartbeat away from Hell.

Where will you spend eternity?

Scripture says:

Heb 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:

After we die, we will be judged.

How will you do in front of the throne of God as he reveals every sin on the "big screen tv" for all to see?

It is not to late, to repent and trust in the Lord Jesus as your Savior. It is because of our sin, our iniquities, that He died on the cross, defeated death, and offers us the free gift of eternal life!

-Jon

Why I Am A Fundamentalist
Sermon Preached in 1926 by Earle V. Pierce, D. D.

"If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do? "Psalm 11:3.

WE HAVE GIVEN TO US in the Bible three commandments concerning three different situations in which the Christian will find himself. First, we have Jesus' command to His disciples: "Go and disciple (i.e. evangelize) the nations." Go and give men the Gospel.But in giving the Gospel, you will meet with men from without who will resist you and will persecute you. Peter, in his first letter, third chapter and fifteenth verse, after speaking about suffering for righteousness' sake, says: "But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear." So, in giving your Gospel, if men persecute you, accept it and never be cowardly enough to refuse to confess your faith, if you are asked, even though that means further persecution.There are not only people without the Gospel and people outside of the church who are enemies of the Gospel, but, through the subtlety of Satan, men will appear within the church who are its enemies because they deny Christ as the redeeming, atoning Lord—the Lord who purchased them with His own blood. This is the touchstone of error—that the atoning blood of Jesus is denied. Against these we are told to contend, to fight. Jude, the brother of the Lord, says in verses three and four of his epistle: "Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ." Here, then, you have the Christian program: (1) the offer of the Gospel to all who will take it; (2) the attitude of meekness toward non-Christians who persecute you; but (3) war on those who from within the sacred precincts of the Church seek to destroy the Faith. Those who accept this whole program are today called "Fundamentalists." If I shall be able to show you what a Fundamentalist is, you will know why I am one. A Fundamentalist is one who believes...

There Are Foundations

The word "Fundamentalist" is a new word in the religious world. It is a recent name. Names are necessary. They are symbols of ideas. It is not the best thing in the world to be nameless. There are some people who object to being branded. They say they will not carry labels. But labels are also necessary, and the absence of them may be embarrassing, as when a goat was being shipped by express with a tag of destination about his neck. Later, the man in charge of the shipping car was thrown into consternation because he found, as he declared with wide-eyed astonishment and perplexity, "That goat ate up where he is going!" Probably the goat was a Modernist or a Conservative who refused to wear a label! But it bothered the man in charge of shipping the goat and it bothers us today not to know definitely where people are going and with whom they are going.

Some Important Definitions

But if the word "Fundamentalist" needs to be clearly understood, so also does the word "Conservative."

A "Conservative" is, properly, "one who believes in conserving what has been gained." He is not a spendthrift. He believes that the present is the product of the past and that you cannot throw away the past without destroying the present. He believes he should "prove all things and holdfast that which is good."

A "Progressive" is one who would leave the past and all it contains, looking only to the present and the future, willing to make new tools day by day. His virtue is that he welcomes the useful new; his vice is that he despises the tested past. He repudiates the "static" and wants only the "dynamic," forgetting that no man can have power who does not have something to stand on. How fast would the train go if the roadbed were not "static"?

"Liberals" are those who would be a law unto themselves. They object to any authority except that which emanates from or through themselves. Especially do they object to the authority of the Word of God.

"Rationalists" are those who would settle everything by the unaided, unenlightened human reason. They do not need divine revelation. They must find everything for themselves. They deny revelation in the sense that the Bible teaches it.

"Materialists" believe only in the forces of the physical world. They deny the supernatural, the superphysical.

"Modernists" are those who believe that in modern times we have information that utterly discredits that of former times concerning God and man, sin and salvation, and the Bible. The Christian Century, a liberal paper, is right in saying, "There is a clash here (i.e. between Fundamentalism and Modernism) as profound and as grim as between Christianity and Confucianism. Amiable words cannot hide the difference."A Fundamentalist is, then, first of all, one who believes that there are foundations. He believes that this is an orderly universe, that law prevails in the very constitution of things. He believes that there is a constitution. He believes that the past conditions the present and the present, the future. He insists that while there are many things of a transient and more or less non-essential nature, there are certain elements that have originated in the past and are so germinal that they cannot be discarded without denaturing the organism.When I was a mere boy, my father taught me that there were six mechanical principles, and only six, and I have remembered them by the rhyme he gave us:

"There are the lever, the pulley,The inclined plane, too;The wheel on its axle,The wedge and the screw."

Will you tell me how far a man would get in building, or in any form of mechanics, who was not Fundamentalist enough to accept these principles and work in accordance with them?You will find the mathematical world full of Fundamentalists. They will tell you that there are certain axioms, self-evident principles, that are at the bottom of all calculations. They will insist that the multiplication table is as bright and new as when it was first invented, or discovered, that it does not need any revising and that one need not be ashamed of believing in it because it dates back even beyond the time of Moses.Many of us are also Fundamentalists in government. We believe that there are foundations in government. One of our axioms is: "Government gets its just rights from the consent of the governed." Our constitution is important! Abraham Lincoln was a Fundamentalist in government. He staked everything upon the Constitution. He stated at Gettysburg that we were then "engaged in a conflict to test whether our nation, or any nation so constituted, could endure," that is, whether we would abide by the laws of our own making. Are we not convinced today that he was right? Are we not, as a nation, face to face with the problem again? Will we obey our laws? Will the foundation stand?

Foundation Facts

But what are the foundation facts in Christianity? That is the question. They will be, will they not, those which Christianity itself declares to be Fundamental? The fundamentals of the Bible will be what the Bible itself declares to be fundamental and essential. Modern Fundamentalists merely stand for those things which the Bible insists upon. It is not hard to find these. The teachings of the Bible concerning itself, concerning God, man, sin and salvation, Christ, His person and His work are as plain as the daylight itself to anyone who will look into the Bible. It is not a question as to what you find in the Bible that causes division, but whether the things which are found are essential to a true faith and to salvation.Fundamentalists are those who declare that the Bible has the right to declare its own foundations, that Christianity is what it claims to be and not something else, that the salvation of the Bible is not subject to the revision of men. But Modernism is gradually and rapidly drifting to the position of postulating as Christianity something which has not the remotest connection with Christ. This seems too strange for a thinking person to believe. But it is a fact declared by the Modernists. Men are saying, as I myself have heard them say, "My Christianity is of such a nature that it would not be affected even if it should be proven that Jesus Christ did not die, did not rise from the dead or even that he did not live." What do they mean? They mean that they now have in printed form, no matter how they got them, some teachings as to how to live, some social principles, and this they call "Christianity." But "Christianity" means the "anity" of Christ, if it means anything. You have no right to call anything "Rooseveltian" if it does not agree with the position that Roosevelt took.Now Christ distinctly declared that the teachings about human relations were not the heart of His message but were only the arms and legs (i.e. that by which it touched the everyday life). His central message was: "This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent." The acceptance of Christ's person and work at His own estimate is certainly the least that can be called Christianity. You might as well make a being that had no brain and call it a man, as to emasculate the teachings of Christ by cutting Him out as the Divine Redeemer and still call it Christianity. The Christianity which is according to Christ—according to the Bible, according to the prophets and the apostles—is the only Christianity there is. All else that takes the name is as false as the Bolshevist who claims to be an American.

Fundamentals Are Worth Fighting For

This is what distinguishes him from the mere Conservative. You will hear many men say, "Well, I believe in the fundamentals; I think that they are important, but I do not join the Fundamentalist movement because I do not like their ways, and I do not see the need of raising a disturbance. I believe in preaching the truth and not wasting time in combating error." But the Fundamentalists fall into line with Jesus and with Jude in fighting error in the church of God as well as in proclaiming the truth and suffering persecution.There are some real pacifists in the world, some people that will not fight over anything; but they are very few. Most people will fight when they realize that something precious is in danger. Every normal person, and certainly every normal Christian, hates a conflict, shrinks from it with a deep and awful dread. But every normal person also knows that active evil is never checked by acquiescent virtue. As has been said, "The wicked may flee when no man pursueth, but he flees faster when a righteous man is after him."Some tell us to "deal only in the positive, to preach our gospel, pay no attention to errors and leave the other fellow alone." That looks well on paper and sounds very pretty, but it will not stand the light of history or of reason or of the Word of God. The best of seed will not dispense with the need of cultivators with which to attack the weeds. Food and drink and following the laws of hygiene are necessary, but when poison has been taken intentionally or unintentionally in your family, you do not just say, "Now here is some nice meat and potato; don't pay any attention to the poison, "but you administer the proper antidote. No doctor will operate on you without making a complete campaign against germs, nor would you want him to. If you were building a house and someone persisted in tearing out the foundations as fast as they were laid, would you smile and go calmly on with your work, letting him do this, even if he were "such a sweet man"?

Old Testament Fundamentalists

I will not take time to bring you all the proof that the Bible contains regarding the right of Fundamentalists to fight indifference of the faith, for then I would have to read you most of it. However, I ask you to point out one prophet that was not sent to denounce sin, error of doctrine and unrighteousness of life. There were prophets among the people who were not Fundamentalists, who preached "Peace, peace, when there was no peace"; but who were they? Why are not their sermons in the Bible instead of those of the fighting Jeremiah? Because God did not send them. Read your Bible even with one eye open, and you will see that the prophecies of the Bible are the sermons of the Fundamentalists who believed in fighting with all their might. But there is many a church today that would not have one of them as pastor. Do you think that Isaiah or Jeremiah would last very long in a church of today? How would Micah and Amos fare? Would they not be dealt with as in the days of old?

New Testament Fundamentalists

But come to the New Testament. Jesus was not a fighter, was He? He just preached the Gospel, just healed, just talked nice to people! He never called people hard names! It was always comfortable to be about Him, wasn't it? Strange how people read their Bibles. They seem to have a blind spot. There are great parts of it that they never see.What was Christ's attitude toward the Pharisees and the Sadducees, the two great religious groups of the day? He called Herod "a fox." He called the Pharisees and Sadducees "hypocrites" and "whited sepulchers" and "wolves." He warned His disciples against them. He declared war on them. He did not denounce the sinners nor those who persecuted Him, but He did believe in war upon those in the religious group who sought to destroy the faith and bring a curse instead of a blessing upon men.He taught His apostles so well that they followed the same plan, witnessing to the world, submitting to the persecution, but fighting those who would pervert the faith. Paul called such "dogs." John called them "anti-Christs." John forbade anyone to wish them God-speed or to welcome them into the house. In his second epistle, verse nine, he says, "Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God."Many of the Modernists have taken to themselves the title "Progressive." Let them have it. God's Word states that the "Progressives" who do not abide in the teachings of Christ have not God, and certainly no one would contend that "Progressives" in religion today are abiding in the teachings of Christ, except such of His social teachings as appeal to them. They do not abide in His teachings concerning Himself, concerning the Old Testament, concerning the inspiration which the apostles were to have by which they wrote the New Testament, concerning His death and resurrection and coming again and kingdom. They throw aside with scant courtesy even His teachings through His apostles who were called for the very purpose of carrying to the full the things which He could not reveal while on earth.

Battle Books

Many of the books of the New Testament were written especially to correct errors of doctrine and, therefore, must have been written by Fundamentalists, men who believed that the fundamentals must be fought for. Romans was written against the Legalists and the Antinomians. Galatians hurls its invectives against the Judaizers. Ephesians and Colossians were against the Gnostics. In his epistles, John had clearly in mind the false teachers of the day. Most of the epistles strike at some departures from the faith, and they do not treat them as inconsequential, neither do the writers say, "Of course, if the false teachers are living nice lives, then they are not to be spoken against!" In the gospels, Jesus again and again warns against false doctrine, and in His revelation through John, He speaks sharply to the church in Pergamos "because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam ... so hast thou also them that hold the doctrine of the Nicolaitans, which thing I hate. Repent; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will fight against them with the sword of My mouth" (Rev. 2:14-16). He says to the church in Thyatira, "Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess" (Rev. 2:20). Evidently it makes some difference to the Lord what people teach as well as how they live. The church in Philadelphia was warmly commended because thou "hast kept My word, and hast not denied My name" (Rev. 3:8). Does it make no difference whether churches today keep His Word or not? Does He care whether His divine Name is denied or not? Does He care whether churches bearing His name stand for the fundamentals of His faith or deny them? There can be but one answer to those who believe He has spoken.If, then, you do not wish to keep company with Fundamentalists, you will have to go outside of the Bible; you will have to "abide not in the doctrine of Christ," and then you are assured that "God is not with" you. Is it not better to stay by the truth and upon the foundations? And aren't you glad that the foundations cannot be moved and that they are therefore worth fighting for?They are our precious heritage; let us hold them fast. We have the sure Word of God. Will you not take this as your guide? We have a divine Lord. Will you not take Him as your Lord? We have One who was "the payment of our sins." Will you not accept the payment, the Atonement, and let Him be your Savior? Will you not build upon the "only foundation which can be laid, which is Jesus Christ"? He is the true Fundamentalist who plants his faith on the Rock, the Christ revealed in the Old Testament, in the Gospels and in the Epistles. He shall not be moved! He shall stand with Christ forever!





Fundamental Evangelistic Association

1476 W. Herndon, Suite 104Fresno, California 93711 U.S.A.

Telephone 559-438-0080 : Fax 559-438-0089

Calvinism & predestination. A theological train wreck!

Recently, in a small group session, the topic of "predestination" was brought up. Now this wasn't brought up in a discussion, this was the discussion. This wasn't a discussion for debate, but came across as a discussion of fact.
The idea of predestination really bothers me. Most people think of Calvinism when they think of predestination, so lets take a look at Calvinism and go from there.

Calvinism
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Part of a series on Calvinism(see also Portal)

John Calvin
Calvinism (sometimes called the Reformed tradition, the Reformed faith, or Reformed theology) is a theological system and an approach to the Christian life that emphasizes the rule of God over all things.[1] It was developed by theologians such as Martin Bucer, Heinrich Bullinger, Peter Martyr Vermigli, and Huldrych Zwingli and influenced English reformers such as Thomas Cranmer and John Jewel, but it bears the name of the French reformer John Calvin because of his preeminent influence on it and because of his role in the confessional and ecclesiastical debates throughout the 16th century. Today, this term also refers to the doctrines and practices of the Reformed churches of which Calvin was an early leader. Less commonly, it can refer to the individual teaching of Calvin himself.[2] The system is best known for its doctrines of predestination and total depravity.

Now according to the definition of "Wikipedia", Calvinism, is a "theological system and an approach to the Christian life that emphasizes the rule of God over all things".
There is NO doubt in my mind that God rules over everything. He is, after all, omnipresent, omnipotent, and omniscience.
There is NO debate over that, in the Christian community.
The last part of the "Wikipedia" definition states, "The system is best known for its doctrine on predestination and total depravity".
Now there are 5 major points associated with Calvinism. These points are referred by acronym as, T.U.L.I.P.

T - Total hereditary depravity.
This means that when children are born, they inherit the sin of Adam and are "totally hereditarily depraved", and therefore unable to respond the Gospel message of Christ Jesus.

U - Unconditional election.
This is the "predestination" aspect of Clavinism. This means that God had created a master list of people who will be saved and those who will go to Hell. This list was developed before Genesis 1:1 and is unchangeable.

L - Limited atonement.
This just basically means that Jesus didn't die for ALL men, just those on the master list.

I - Irresistible grace.
This means that the Holy Spirit is sent by God to those on the master list to be saved, because of there "total depravity". This creates in them a saving Faith in Christ Jesus. After this, the Holy Spirit guides the saved people on the master list, to complete understanding and interpretation of the Bible.

P - Perseverance of the saints.
This means that when a child of God is saved, he/she can not be lost.

As with any denomination, scripture can be twisted to suit ones purpose.
Recently, Calvinism has slithered its ugly way through the back door of many Southern Baptist churches. (see: http://www.christianpost.com/article/20071129/calvinism-on-the-rise-in-southern-baptist-life.htm)
A hint that Calvinism is at play, is when quotes from people like John MacArthur or John Piper come up. (Doesn't scripture say, "prove ALL things.."?)

Lets look at scripture commonly used by Calvinists.

Joh 6:37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
Joh 6:38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. Joh 6:39 And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
Joh 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

The Calvinist will take John 6:37 out of context, to support the T.U.L.I.P. ideology of "irresistible grace".
According to this doctrine, God choose who will be saved and who will be lost, regardless of an individuals response to the Gospel. Though the first part may imply "irresistible grace", you can not take the scripture out of context.
If you just take a look down at John 6:40, the context is explained. The Gospel is not limited to those on the master list, the "elect". The Gospel is for whosoever will, and the elect are the whosoever will. John chapter 6, refutes the T.U.L.I.P. doctrine.
Christ Jesus died for whole world

(Jn. 6:51; compare Luke 2:10,30-32; John 1:29; 3:16; Rom. 15:8-12; Eph. 2:11-22; 1 Tim. 2:6; Heb. 2:9; 1 Pet. 3:19-21; 1 John 4:14).
It is God's expressed will for all men to saved (Jn. 6:40; compare John 3:16; 1 Tim. 2:4; 2 Peter 3:9).
Any man who believes on the Lord Jesus Christ has eternal life (Jn. 6:40,47,51).

The Gospel of John repeatedly emphasizes a UNIVERSAL call, from God, to invite sinners to believe in Christ.
Now, Mr Calvinist will say, "whoa whoa, look at verse 44. Well lets, shall we?

Joh 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him: and I will raise him up at the last day.

This verse does not prove that God sovereignly choose who is on the master list.
The Bible repeatedly tells us that God desires ALL men to be saved.

1Ti 2:4 Who will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.

2Pe 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.

It is true that no man can come to the Father unless He draws him, but:

Joh 12:32 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me.

Wait.... Did that verse say ALL men or the Elect?
..and how does God draw ALL men to Christ? By the Gospel.

2Th 2:14 Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

People are not lost because they are not chosen, elect or on the master list...

2Th 2:10 And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved.
2Th 2:11 And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie:
2Th 2:12 That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

Why are people lost? "because they receive not the love of the truth, that they might be saved."

In John chapter 6, Jesus was talking to a crowd of Jews who had followed Him after the miracle of multiplying loaves. Though the Jews were looking for a messiah, and a king, their minds were set on wordly things. Jesus irrefutably proved His messiahship to the Jews by His birth, life, and miracles. The Jews still weren't impressed and still asked for "a sign" (verse 30) and they did not believe (verse 36).
Did the Jews not believe because they were not "chosen" or "elect"? No, they had HARD HEARTS!
Christ Jesus wept over Jerusalem prior to his crucifixion:

Mat 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

It is not because the unbelieving Jews were not chose or elect. Jesus would have saved them all. Instead they denied Jesus. The rejected Him. The over all problem with the Jews was their will.
Jesus would, but they would not.
Like the Jews, man has the complete will to reject or receive God. It is this message that is taught over and over again in scripture.

We can not deny that God draws people to Jesus. It is impossible for a anyone to come to Christ Jesus except God draws him, enlightens him and convicts him.
This is exactly what God does, through the Holy Spirit.

Joh 16:8 And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

God has the absolute knowledge of who will and who will not be saved by the Gospel.

1Pe 1:2 Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied

God has told us who is chosen. Those that receive the Gospel of Jesus Christ will be saved!

The most famous scripture in the Bible, John 3:16 clearly states:

Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

For God so loved the WORLD, not the "elect".

In closing, misinterpretation of scripture is dangerous.
Calvinism and predestination is a serious theological train wreck. Don't get caught looking at the wreck. We are called to test everything, according to scripture.
What would the point of evangelism be if predestination was correct? A fruitless labor of duty, not a labor of love desiring to do the will of God by preaching the Word to every living creature.
To believe in the Calvinist concept, you can go all the way back to Genesis and say that Adam did not have free will to sin against God.
The Calvinist theory would be interpreted to say that God predestined Adam to sin, so that God can send people to Hell, if He doesn't like them.
I wouldn't dare posture at that theory, because it flies in the face of scripture.

God does in did draw us near, but we have the free will to choose to accept the Gospel, or deny the Gospel.

What is the will of God? That ALL are to be saved.

Joh 6:40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

This is why evangelism is so important. We are commanded to go into ALL the world and preach the Gospel. People who haven't heard the Gospel are not destined for Hell because they haven't heard the Gospel, but are destined for Hell because of sin. God must punish sin. God is Holy, Just and Righteous. God is the Law, and by the Law we will be judged.

-Jon

Welcome.

I just wanted to take the opportunity to welcome everyone to my blog page.

Please feel free to mark this page in your favorites, as I will be posting things when the mood hits, or as I feel led to.

One of the first things I would like to ask you is, do consider yourself to be a good person? If you answered yes, why not try out the Good Person quiz at this link: http://www.livingwaters.com/good/

If you are a Christian, I would like to share a quote with you from the "Prince of Preachers", Charles Hadden Spurgeon. He said,"Have you no wish for others to be saved? Then you are not saved yourself. Be sure of that." Are you fulfilling our commission as Christians? Dear Christian friend, as ask you to please, view this message, entitled "Hells Best Kept Secret",http://www.livingwaters.com/listenwatch/stream_hbks_broadband.asx

I would like to thank you for taking the time to visit my "welcome note".I will be back to discuss my thoughts on "snakes in the pulpit", the new emergent church movement, cults, doctrine, bible versions, media, etc. in blogs to come.If you have thoughts, views, questions or oppinions, please feel free to send them to me.

Thanks again, and have a great day and may God Bless you!