Why Modern "Evangelism" is Not Evangelism At All

"Instead of seeking the elect by presenting food for sheep, the preached Word of God which the Holy Spirit uses to convict the elect of their sins, many are seeking the bottom line: numbers. Since numbers have often become the standard by which to judge a ministry's 'success' and, not wanting to offend or drive people away, much of the modern 'church' is no longer preaching the sinfulness of man or the bloody offense of the cross. As a result, the 'church' is offering the wrong kind of food. Instead of food for sheep, much of today's 'preaching and evangelism' is food for... goats, and goats are now everywhere!" - Eric Holmberg

Paul Washer - The Reason You Preach The "Hard Things"

Doug Pagitt. Heretic or Not?

- By Todd Friel

With the exception of the other "H" word (hell), there is no more serious word in Christianity than: heretic.

While our beloved church fathers did not fear to label a heretic, we do. And rightly so. To label someone a heretic is to label them anathema; damned.

Disagreeing over non-essentials (spiritual gifts, communion, modes of baptism, etc.) is a healthy in-house debate that allows us to "agree to disagree" while maintaining fellowship. Disagreeing over essentials (such as the five solas) is another issue.

To be clear, if a teacher distorts the character and nature of God the Father, Son, Holy Spirit, salvation by grace alone through faith alone, or does not esteem the Bible to be the inerrant, infallible, inspired Word of God, we cannot be in fellowship with that person. They are indeed, anathema.

It has never been more difficult to determine when someone distorts these glorious doctrines. Today's emergent movement speaks a different English language. Black is purple and orange is wet.

Asking an emergent leader like Doug Pagitt to define justification is like nailing honey to a tree. Still, I gave it a try. Pastor Pagitt makes it as clear as he is able that there is no real hell and God will deal with good Buddhists and Muslims the same way He will deal with Christians.

Attached you will find an edited four minute version of our fifteen minute Way of the Master Radio "conversation." Would you please listen to it and answer the question, "Is this heresy?"

Do not do so without serious consideration. You may want to listen to the entire interview. http://podcast.wayofthemasterradio.com/audio/podcasts/1007/WOTMR-10-22-07-Hour1.mp3

Like Jude, we are called to defend the faith given once for all time. Are Doug Pagitt's comments orthodox, aberrant (bad, but not damning) or flat out heresy?

Please click the Feedback button below and share your position. Please be pithy. Simply answer: "Orthodox," "Aberrant" or "Heresy," and then explain why in one clear sentence.

Let's not be emergent, let's be clear.
Part 1


Part 2

If Election Is True, Why Evangelize?

Paul Washer - Pray And Ask Jesus Into Your Heart? Make A Decision?

"Do you see why there's no power in that thing...Do you see why there's no power in that thing they call 'the Gospel'? Because it's not the Gospel that they're preaching. It's not, and I'll take any man to task who says it is. It's not." - Paul Washer

What would the modern preacher have done?

Listen to the story Paul shares then ask yourself that question.

Paul Washer - New Sermon - Genuine Prayer

Genuine Prayer ***NEW***

Giving Your All - More Of God Means Less Of The World

Regeneration and Self Denial ***A Must Listen To***

Present Your Bodies - Part 1

Present Your Bodies - Part 2

Present Your Bodies - Part 3

I Am Under Obligation

The Knowledge Of God

The Vine And The Branches

I Wish That You Were Cold Or Hot

The Heart Of The Gospel

Guide Posts and Warning Signs

There Is Too Much Riding On Eternity

The Greatest Text In The Bible

The Meaning Of The Cross

Who's Slave Are You?

Your Ultimate Purpose

Paul Washer - "I Hate 'You Lack Jesus'" - Do You Have A Passion For Christ?

Todd Friel Holds Joel Osteen To The Bible

PART 1


PART 2

Allah And Jehovah Are Not The Same God

There is one verse in the Koran that every Christian should know about. It is the one verse in all the Koran that says Jesus Christ DID NOT die on the cross.

PART 1

PART 2

Problems Of Evangelicalism

You can read C Michael Patton's entire article HERE

1. Vast evidence of a growing doctrinal deterioration on the essentials and implications of the Gospel.

2. The expansion and influence of the “Prosperity Gospel” throughout evangelicalism.

3. The loss of the concept of meaningful church membership and the rise of the “audience-only” model of church participation.

4. The loss of the theological “center” in mainline churches at the precise time many evangelicals are open to reconsidering the mainline vision of worship, especially in Anglicanism.

5. The triumph and glorification of unchecked pragmatic entrepreneurialism, especially in worship, but in all areas of evangelical life.

6. The corrosive and compromised influence of Christian publishing in shaping evangelicalism, as exemplified in the rise of Joel Osteen, The Prayer of Jabez and the Prosperity Gospel.

7. Growing chaos in the theological and practical preparation of pastors, especially in the “emerging” church.

8. The failure of the “Seeker” model to use its vast resources and influence to produce a Christian counter-culture or challenge the “program centered/facilities centered” model of evangelicalism.

9. The lack of rising “Billy Graham” quality new leaders for the larger evangelical movement.

10. The failure of most evangelical denominations to broadly embrace and effectively mentor the current church planting movement.

11. The demise of quality Biblical preaching at the hands of technology and entertainment.

12. The apparently fatal infection of much of the emerging church movement with the failed theology of 20th century liberalism.

13. The cannibalism of evangelicalism on issues related to theological, cultural, social and political diversity.

14. The inability of evangelicalism to find its roots in the history of the church.

15. Inability to provide effective discipleship to new believers which involves a grounding in the faith both in belief and practice.

16. Intellectual apathy and laziness.

17. Inability to effectively engage culture due to stereotypes created from the above expressed points.

18. Movement to a short term model of missions which fails at sufficiently incarnating the Gospel, gravitating toward the unnecessary reproduction of western evangelicalism which suffers from all the above expressed points expressed.

Do you have any to add? Do you agree or disagree with the ones presented?

True Church Conference 2008

Attention Pastors & Elders...Please consider attending a true church conference such as this...

John Piper - What Should You Do And Never Do With Evil?

What Shall It Profit A Man To Gain The Whole World?

Jesus Christ's Limited Atonement

Paul Washer - Why I Preach In Alot Of Places Only Once

Paul Washer - Teach Us How To Pray

Todd Friel Interviews Emergent Church Leader Doug Pagitt

Part 1


Part 2

"Altar-Call Salvation" - A Doctrine of Demons

The Gospel and the Vindication of God’s Glory

“The foundation of our justification — our acquittal, our forgiveness — is not a flimsy sentimentality in God, nor is it a shallow claim of human worth. It is the massive rock of God’s unswerving commitment to uphold the worth of his own glory, to promote the praise of his holy name and to vindicate his righteousness.

The God-centeredness of God is the foundation of his grace to the ungodly. If God were not committed first to vindicate the worth of his own glory, there would be no gospel and no hope, for their would be no glorious God.”

- John Piper, The Pleasures of God (Sisters, OR: Multnomah Publishers, 2000), 166.

Paul Washer - How To Witness

Paul Washer - What Does It Mean That Jesus Died?

Paul Washer - Culturally Relevant? - I Am Not Ashamed Of The Gospel!

Granger's Man-Made Blue Print

I was really edified by This Video From Granger (sarcasm).

In all seriousness, how can any regenerate man or woman not be sickened by this garbage?

Rather than purse gospel preaching that God uses to convert the lost and add them to the church, these churches feel they need to be attractive to the lost AS THEY ARE in their unregenerate state. This is impossible unless the church is drastically changed from its Biblical calling. The false theology is that sinners have something in them that must be appealed to in order to “woo” them into Christianity. The Bible teaches that the Holy Spirit convicts people of their sin. Unregenerate people cannot see the things of God as being attractive until after they are converted.

One of our readers, Rob, recently left a comment on another article but I felt it applied here as well.

Rob says: "Let me ask you this: Where will this ultimately stop? Where is the line drawn? Ultimately this will lead to a church that is NO DIFFERENT than the culture it is attempting to engage. And when that occurs, why would anyone want to attend church? There is nothing "holy" and "separate", and Set apart for the sanctity of the Lord.Last time I read through Leviticus, I believe God STRUCK DEAD Aaron's two sons who offered "strange fire" to the Lord.When I see the video like above, I fear for the youth pastor. Does he not REVERE the Lord as HOLY? It's just another sad example of pastors who have decided that the TRUTH of God's WORD preached is not enough to save. Otherwise the gimmicks wouldn't be neccessary."

Romans 12:2 Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

1 John 4:5-6 They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them. We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

Poll Question(s)

Incase you are wondering, there seems to be a glitch in the system that is preventing the poll questions from running properly.

John Piper - Entertainment Mindset - Part 1

John Piper - Entertainment Mindset - Part 2

Paul Washer - More Of God Means Less Of The World

Giving Your All - More Of God Means Less Of The World ***NEW***

Regeneration and Self Denial ***A Must Listen To***

Present Your Bodies - Part 1

Present Your Bodies - Part 2

Present Your Bodies - Part 3

I Am Under Obligation

The Knowledge Of God

The Vine And The Branches

I Wish That You Were Cold Or Hot

The Heart Of The Gospel

Guide Posts and Warning Signs

There Is Too Much Riding On Eternity

The Greatest Text In The Bible

The Meaning Of The Cross

Who's Slave Are You?

Your Ultimate Purpose

Two Of My Favorite John Piper Videos

For anyone who wonders about the Supremacy of Christ, please watch this 10 minute video. Believers will be encouraged; unbelievers should tremble...and then repent and put their full trust in Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior....

JESUS CHRIST IS LORD!


The Prosperity Gospel...

Martin Luther

The greatest threat to the cause of Jesus always
arises from those who lay claim to being His children.

-Martin Luther

"We Are Most Concerned About Being Culturally Relevant" - Senior Pastor Buckingham

"Whatever is pure". Here we enter into a portion of the secret to Christian contentment that could profitably be addressed by a book-length treatise. We live in a day where we literally wallow in impurity. You cannot drive down a street without seeing billboards that are filthy and impure. You check the distance to the car in front of you and it has a profane and disgusting bumper sticker. You turn on the radio to get news and you are assaulted by impure words and concepts. We are surrounded by that which is unholy and impure. And yet we are called to purity ourselves. John told us, "And everyone who has this hope fixed on Him purifies himself, just as He is pure" (1 John 3:3). Purity speaks to us of remaining unspotted by the world, holiness helps us to consider the separation, the "differentness" that should be ours.

Even the objects of our love should be different, for to love the world is to be the enemy of the Father. "But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior" 1 Peter 1:15). Holiness and purity are extensive, speaking to the broad range of our lives, behavior, thoughts, and speech.

We wish to be like Christ, and as He is pure, we too desire purity. Or...do we? Truly this is one of the most convicting portions of this text, for to be able to focus upon what is pure, what is holy, and to think upon these things, we must know experientially purity and holiness.

And yet, in a day when the church is trying to look as much as possible like the world, where we dress like the world, talk like the world, are entertained by the world, how can we even begin to fulfill this command? For many in church-ianity today, the very idea of being holy, separate, and pure, is counter to the real goal of "reaching the world". But where do you get the idea from Scripture that you reach the world by capitulating to it and becoming its mirror image? When Paul said he became all things to all people he was not even contemplating the idea of becoming worldly in thought or behavior, speech or dress.

To think upon that which is pure requires us to have a passion for purity, a desire for holiness. And that desire, that passion, has to come from the Holy Spirit Himself. We must pray that He will enlighten our minds to see how the Word defines holiness, and how vital it is to our contentment and peace. We cannot expect the Holy Spirit to not be grieved by our lifestyle when we purposefully choose to revel in that which is unholy.

So [will this be] a year where we will strive to be holy, as He is holy, and seek to think upon those things that are pure, to the benefit of our sanctification? Will we be we able to look back a year from now and see progress here? Let us put forth serious effort to focus our minds upon what is true, honest, just, holy and pure. Will we be in danger of looking very unlike the world around us? Yes, and what a blessed danger it is!"

- James White

Joel Osteen - 60 Minutes

After watching Joel Osteen on 60 minutes this evening, I am re-posting this video by John Piper.

Discerning Discernment

The Meaning and Significance of Hebrews 5:12-14 in the Christian’s Call of Discernment

RYAN HABBENA

“What’s your spiritual gift?” I have heard this question asked and answered many times. In my experience, the most common response to this inquiry is: “I have the gift of discernment.” When asked what this means, the person often answers, “I can automatically tell when something is evil.”

The Scriptures speak to the subject of discernment in various ways. While the Bible indeed affirms “discernment” as a spiritual gift (1 Corinthians 12:10), the truth is that all Christians are called to be “discerners” (see 1 John 4:1, 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22). The question then naturally follows: “How do we acquire the ability to discern?” There are those who would answer in unison with the above example, simply stating: “I just know it my heart! I just know.” Note, for instance, Neal Anderson’s take on this subject: “Spiritual discernment is our first line of defense against deception. The Holy Spirit has taken up residence in every believer, and He is not silent when we encounter the counterfeit. Discernment is that little ‘buzzer’ that goes off inside when something is wrong.” While the Holy Spirit has indeed taken up residence in every believer, rather than relying upon an automatic, subjective “buzzer” that is supposed to “go off inside,” we are informed in Hebrews that believers are equipped with discernment via different means. Hebrews 5:12-14 speaks directly to this subject. In what follows I will engage in some “basic exposition” on this central text regarding discernment. Following this I will apply its teaching to how we all are called to be trained discerners in order to avoid the deception that surrounds us.

The Context of Hebrews 5:12-14

The author of Hebrews recognized the danger in the midst of his readers. Many who repented and believed in Jesus the Messiah were being tempted to return to the stipulations and practices of the Mosaic Covenant. Those who had the yoke of the Law removed needed to be warned against apostasy in order to stand firm in the word of Jesus Christ. In both comforting and convicting fashion, the author of Hebrews systematically demonstrates that Jesus is superior to all that was held dear under the Old Covenant. He is greater than the prophets who came before Him (vs. 1:1-2), He is greater than the angels (vs. 1:4-13), He is greater than Moses (vs. 3:1-6), and He is greater than the Levitical/Aaronic priesthood (chapters 5-10). In establishing his case and exhorting his readers, the author wants to teach his readers about the significance of Jesus being of the priestly “order of Melchizedek” but laments: “Concerning him we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing” (Hebrews 5:11). This, in turn, brings us to the significant passage pertaining to discernment.

Expounding Hebrews 5:12-14

“For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.” (verse 12)

Good Biblical interpretation will examine context and usage to discover meaning and function. In light of this, the author’s use of imagery in this text must be carefully considered. He first notes his frustration at their spiritual “dullness of hearing” which indicates an inability to receive further instruction. Shifting metaphors, he then uses food imagery to describe the word of God and further diagnose their condition. The need for “milk” in this context is an indictment of the reader’s spiritual maturity. Needing “milk” indicates spiritual infancy. Just what is “milk” and “solid food” in this context? Recalling the brief discussion in chapter 5 prior to this text, and looking forward to what will be resumed in chapters 7-10, the author wishes to teach his readers about Jesus’ priesthood. This entails going in-depth regarding the order of Melchizedek, biblical typology and fulfillment, and applying the significance of these truths to their current situation. These theological truths are considered “meaty stuff” and, thus, solid food. These truths were necessary to hear, understand, and heed, in order to avoid the temptation in their midst – returning to the sacrificial system of the Old Covenant.

“Milk,” on the other hand, is synonymous with the “elementary principles of the oracles of God” (vs. 12). These would be considered the “basics” one learns upon initiation into New Covenant community. Many have postulated as to what specifically the author is referring to with this phrase. The most compelling definition comes through reading the immediate context. In chapter 6:1-2, the author exhorts: “Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity, not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment.” (Hebrews 6:1-2)

These are the “elementary principles” of the New Covenant. These are the “foundation” of the faith. These truths are the “milk” of which all believers partake. The problem was that of perpetual infancy. Commentator George Guthrie well notes that the author of Hebrews is “describing in no uncertain terms a level of immaturity among his readers. Spiritually they are like babies still suckling at a mother’s breast, unconcerned with the rich, hearty foods of the adults’ table.” Rather than remaining in this infantile state, the call is to maturity. This leads to the further admonition: “For everyone who partakes only of milk is not accustomed to the word of righteousness, for he is an infant. But solid food is for the mature, who because of practice have their senses trained to discern good and evil” (Hebrews 5:13, 14).

In this portion of the text the author makes clear his concern regarding maturity: Only partaking in the “milk” of the elementary principles of the faith stunts spiritual growth. What then is the solution to this state of “spiritual infancy?” The answer? Become accustomed to the “word of righteousness.” The believer in Christ is called to grow in order to be able to process and be nourished by “solid food.” The author of Hebrews has carefully constructed this “word” throughout the flow of the epistle. This “word” was referred to in the introduction of the letter, and subsequently at the beginning of chapter two:

“God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world . . .”(Hebrews 1:1-2)

“For this reason we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away from it. For if the word spoken through angels proved unalterable, and every transgression and disobedience received a just penalty, how will we escape if we neglect so great a salvation? After it was at the first spoken through the Lord, it was confirmed to us by those who heard.” (Hebrews 2:1-3)

Thus, given the context of the epistle, the “word of righteousness” is the message of the person and work of Jesus Christ. It is the message that comes from the righteous One and produces righteousness in those who respond in faith. This message entails the teachings of Christ, His Apostles and Prophets, and the proper view of the Old Testament in light of the coming of the Messiah. In our contemporary context, it is the Scriptures, the 66 books of the Old and New Testaments upon which the Holy Spirit has placed His seal. We are called to become “accustomed” to this word spoken through Christ – to become well acquainted with the Scriptures. The way we become accustomed is through the “practice” of engaging the word. This produces the ability to “discern good and evil.”

Discernment is presented at the culmination of the admonition. Again, we must allow the context to speak to what the object of discernment, “good and evil,” meant to the original audience. Discerning of moral good and evil certainly comes through devotion to the word and is implied in this text, however “good and evil” has a more specific application in this passage. The Hebrew Christians who were being tempted to return to the terms of the Old Covenant knew the moral stipulations of the Law well. What they lacked, however, was the ability to discern what was permissible and what was forbidden now that age of Messianic salvation had arrived. They needed their “senses trained,” their rational faculties, through growing in the teachings of the New Covenant. This is in accordance with the overall intent of the epistle – to teach them what had been “bound” and what had been “loosed” under the terms of the New Covenant. Thus, the way to discernment was laid out: Become well-acquainted with the message of Christ and see all things through His perfect, completed work.

What Maturity Produces

As we consider this admonition we do well to note the author’s central concern: The people of God are called to grow in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. He wasn’t calling them to move past or away from the Gospel. He still recognized that faith and repentance towards God was “foundational” (6:1). His desire was for the maturity of his readers in the Gospel. When we become well-acquainted with the sovereign power and sufficient work of Jesus Christ through the word, discernment is cultivated and deception is avoided. Be sure, the aim of maturity in the word of God is not simply the accumulation of academic knowledge. Rather, the aim is to become well-acquainted with the person and perfect work of Jesus Christ. The Scriptures, spanning from Genesis to Revelation, are the account of God’s purpose to save through His promise. And as Paul proclaimed regarding Jesus: “For as many as are the promises of God, in Him they are yes; therefore also through Him is our Amen to the glory of God through us” (2 Corinthians 1:20)

Growing in the Word: The Way to Discernment

The applications that arise from Hebrews 5:12-14 are convicting. This passage speaks to the prime reason why discernment is lacking and deception is rampant in the church. We are failing to grow in the Spirit-led means of discernment – devotion to the word of God. This passage indicts the seeker-sensitive streams of Christianity that strain out any difficult or deemed “offensive” Scriptures and thus neglect the whole counsel of God. This passage indicts the contemplative and emergent streams of Christianity that toss aside pure devotion to the word and place man-made practices and philosophies in its stead; thus neglecting the means God has chosen to train His people for godly living. Ultimately, this passage reveals every believer’s urgent need to be trained for discernment through faithful devotion to the Scriptures.

Discernment comes through training. When Christians fall prey to deception we should not think it is because an automatic buzzer has failed to sound. Rather, it is because we fail to avail ourselves of what God has provided to train us in discernment. The thoughts, worldviews, and beliefs of this world have been embedded in our minds. This is every person’s “default position” until regeneration occurs. When we believe in the Gospel, the battle for our minds begins. Because of this reality, we are called to the transformation that comes through the power of the word: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12:2).

Since all of eternity will not exhaust the depths of the word of God, there certainly is no point in this life where we have “arrived,” where we may cease our growth through feeding upon God’s word. No matter where one is at in Christian maturity, we all need to continue to grow in the knowledge and grace of Jesus Christ. Doing so will train our senses for discernment and cause His word to be hidden in our hearts so we will not sin against our Savior.

May we all then heed the call that is for our own safety and spiritual growth:

Therefore leaving the elementary teaching about the Christ, let us press on to maturity not laying again a foundation of repentance from dead works and of faith toward God, of instruction about washings and laying on of hands, and the resurrection of the dead and eternal judgment. And this we will do, if God permits. (Hebrews 6:1-3)

Election and Predestination

"Election and Predestination are but the exercise of God's sovereignty
in the affairs of salvation, and all that we know about them is what has
been revealed to us in the Scriptures of Truth. The only reason why
anyone believes in Election is because he finds it clearly taught in
God's Word. No man, or number of men, ever originated this doctrine.
Like the teaching of Eternal Punishment, it conflicts with the dictates
of the carnal mind and is repugnant to the sentiments of the
unregenerate heart. And like the doctrine of the Holy Trinity and the
miraculous birth of our Savior, the truth of Election must be received
with simple, unquestioning faith."

Arthur Pink

To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak, I have become all things to all people, that by all means I might save some. 1 Corinthians 9:20

The Gospel to Mars Hill NOT Mars Hill into the Church

Over the years I have pondered a contradiction in the life of Paul. In the book of Galatians, Paul strongly denounced any compromise with Judaizers (those who claimed Christians must keep Jewish laws like circumcision and food laws). He even rebuked Peter for compromising on this matter (Galatians 2:14). Yet according to Acts 21:23 – 26, Paul went through a Jewish rite of purification and entered the temple where sacrifices were offered for him and his companions. Such behavior apparently contradicts what Paul taught in Galatians.

But Paul’s foremost concern was the gospel. Paul had been warned that if he went to Jerusalem he would be bound by the Jews and handed over to the Gentiles (Acts 21:11). When the disciples tried to prevent his going he said this: “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus” (Acts 21:13). Paul’s purpose for going was “the name of the Lord Jesus” which signifies His person and work, i.e. the gospel. Paul’s enemies pressed charges against him stating that he was seeking to persuade Jews to forsake Moses and not circumcise their children (Acts 21:21). Later Claudius Lysias told Felix that the Jews were accusing Paul over questions about their law (Acts 23:28, 29).

So to forestall that issue and focus back on the gospel itself, Paul followed the advice he was given: he took a Nazirite vow and went through purification. He also did this to reassure the Jewish believers that his mission to the Gentiles did not mean he forbade Jews from keeping their customs if they saw fit. What Paul anathematized was the teaching that all Christians, Jew or Gentile, must practice the stipulations of the Mosaic Law to be right with God. Accordingly, circumcision was a matter of Christian liberty; the Jews were free to practice it as they saw fit. Paul was not forcing Jews to give up circumcision by divine command, but making it a matter of liberty.

Paul explained his practice: “And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law, though not being myself under the Law, that I might win those who are under the Law” (1Corinthians 9:20). Paul was not obligated by Christian duty to keep all the stipulations of the Mosaic covenant. But his total commitment to preaching the gospel to all compelled him to come to Jerusalem “as a Jew.” This same principle can be seen in his earlier missionary practices when Paul continually entered synagogues in various cities. For example: “Now when they had traveled through Amphipolis and Apollonia, they came to Thessalonica, where there was a synagogue of the Jews. And according to Paul's custom, he went to them, and for three Sabbaths reasoned with them from the Scriptures explaining and giving evidence that the Christ had to suffer and rise again from the dead, and saying, ‘This Jesus whom I am proclaiming to you is the Christ’” (Acts 17:1-3). By preaching in the synagogue Paul was not implying that ones finds salvation through the traditions of the synagogue. Nor was he implying that what was typically taught in the synagogue is what people should believe. He went there to preach the gospel to them from their own Scriptures.

In the same chapter of Acts, Paul visited Mars Hill and preached to Greek philosophers according to their manner of discourse. But he preached Christ and the resurrection (Acts 17:18; 30, 31). Earlier I cited 1Corinthians 9:20 about Paul becoming “as a Jew.” Here is the rest of his statement: “to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, that I might win those who are without law. To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some. And I do all things for the sake of the gospel, that I may become a fellow partaker of it” (1Corinthians 9:21-23). What he did on Mars Hill illustrates what Paul meant by that. In the synagogue he reasoned from scriptures, on Mars Hill he debated ideas about the nature of God and proclaimed that Christ had been raised from the dead so they were accountable to repent.

The error that many people make, especially those in the Purpose Driven and Emergent movements, is that they take Paul’s practices and teachings employed in the public arena to preach the gospel and apply them to the church. Many times have I heard 1Corinthians 9:20-23 cited to justify changing the church to make it attractive to the world. This is a category error.

Let us consider Paul’s address to the Ephesian elders. He recounted to them how he had preached the gospel: “solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ” (Acts 20:21). God used Paul’s preaching to establish a church in Ephesus. He also described his teaching in that church: “Therefore I testify to you this day, that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose [KJV “counsel”] of God” (Acts 20:26, 27). Paul’s charge to these elders reveals the need to carefully guard the well being of the flock: “Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them” (Acts 20:28 – 30).

Outside of the church, in the public arena, Paul became all things to all men, i.e. he was willing to go into their arena and speak the gospel to them according to their customs of public discourse. Inside the church, Paul taught that elders are to carefully guard the flock and make sure they are not harmed by wolves. The church is to be a safe place where God’s flock is fed the pure word of God. As Paul departed he said, “And now I commend you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build you up and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified” (Acts 20:32). Nothing is to be taught in the church that is not according to the whole counsel of God and also summarized as “the word of His grace.” The sensibilities of Jews or Greeks outside the church cannot determine what is taught inside the church.

Let us now consider Paul’s stern rebuke of the Judiazers in Galatia in this light. There were those who wanted to attack Christian liberty by requiring circumcision: “But not even Titus, who was with me, though he was a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised. But it was because of the false brethren secretly brought in, who had sneaked in to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, in order to bring us into bondage. But we did not yield in subjection to them for even an hour, so that the truth of the gospel would remain with you” (Galatians 2:3 – 5). Paul guarded the truth of the gospel and would not tolerate false teaching or practice in the church.

Further evidence for Paul’s distinction between what might need to be done outside the church for the sake of the gospel and what could not be tolerated as a legal requirement inside the church is seen in his dealings with Timothy: “Paul wanted this man to go with him; and he took him and circumcised him because of the Jews who were in those parts, for they all knew that his father was a Greek” (Acts 16:3). So on one hand, inside the church, Paul would not tolerate a demand that Titus be circumcised. But on the other, outside the church for the sake of the gospel going to the Jews, Timothy was circumcised.

There have been those who resolved this apparent conflict by claiming Paul was being inconsistent in Acts 16 and Acts 21 and was guilty of hypocrisy. After all, Paul is not infallible. However, we have to consider authorial intent. Did Luke, as the Holy Spirit inspired author of Acts, give any contextual hints or evidence that his readers were to understand that Paul was being hypocritical and downright in error? The answer is “no.” Paul’s journey from Ephesus to Jerusalem, through various courts and trials, then by ship and on to Rome is portrayed by Luke as that of a great man of God forthrightly testifying of the gospel everywhere he went. Luke gives no hint that we are to see Paul as a hypocrite. Elsewhere in Acts when someone’s motives were wrong, they were rebuked (like Simon Magus in Acts 8). Luke intends for us to see Paul in a positive light.

I conclude therefore that outside the church we are to take the gospel to any venue that arises and boldly proclaim it. That others (like the Greek philosophers on Mars Hill) use the same forum to debate ideas does not sully the gospel preacher who goes there. We are also to avoid needless offense to people outside the church. But inside the church, we must carefully maintain purity of teaching. The church is not a venue for Judiazers, philosophers, and false teachers.

We can fall into error in two ways. One is to turn the church itself into “Mars Hill.” No, the church is not a forum for hearing diverse ideas and human wisdom; it is to be fed nothing but the pure word of God. The other error is to so isolate ourselves (for whatever reason) that we fail to go out into the arena of public debate and proclaim the gospel. The church is not to be a cloistered community. When the medieval church created cloistered communities (monasteries) the results were neither purity in the church (they fell into mysticism) nor evangelism outside.

The pattern revealed in the New Testament must be followed. We live in a day in which the biggest threat is the world coming into the church. This we must fight. But in the fight, let us not fail to simultaneously go forth into the arena of public debate and proclaim the gospel. This approach will be honoring to God.

The Man Church - Another Example Of "Churches" Using Evil To Appeal To The Multitudes

CLICK HERE to see another video link from Fox News about this "church".

The Sin of NOT Fighting For The Truth

Once again...another terrific post by Jim Bublitz over at http://www.oldtruth.com/.

Quoting John MacArthur:

"As always, a war is being waged against the truth. We are on one side or the other. There is no middle ground--no safe zone for the uncommitted. Lately the question of truth itself--what it is and whether we can truly know it at all--has become one of the major points of contention. We also happen to be living in a generation when many so-called Christians have no taste for conflict and contention. Multitudes of biblically and doctrinally malnourished Christians have come to think of controversy as something that should always be avoided, whatever the cost. Sadly, that is what many weak pastors have modeled for them.

Controversy and conflict in the church are never to be relished or engaged in without sufficient cause. But in every generation, the battle for the truth has proved ultimately unavoidable, because the enemies of truth are relentless. Truth is always under assault. And it is actually a sin not to fight when vital truths are under attack.

That is true even though fighting sometimes results in conflict within the visible community of professing Christians. In fact, whenever the enemies of gospel truth succeed in infiltrating the church, faithful believers are obliged to take the battle to them even there. That is certainly the case today, as it has been since apostolic times. ...

When we stand before the judgment seat of Christ, believers from this generation will not be able to justify their apathy by complaining that the strife of conflict over truth just seemed "too negative" for the kind of culture we lived in--or that the issues were "merely doctrinal" and therefore not worth the effort.

Remember, Christ rebuked the churches in Revelation 2 - 3 who had tolerated false teachers in their midst (2:14-16;20-23). He expressly commended the Ephesian church for examining the claims of certain false apostles and exposing them as liars (2:2). Churches have a clear duty to guard the faith against false teachers who infiltrate. Christ Himself demands it.

At the same time, we need to notice carefully that a polemical defense of the faith by no means guarantees a healthy church, much less a healthy individual Christian. Christ also rebuked the doctrinally sound Ephesians for departing from their first love (Revelation 2:4). As vital as it is for us to enlist in the Truth War and do battle for our faith, it is even more important to remember why we are fighting--not merely for the thrill of vanquishing some foe or winning some argument, but out of a genuine love for Christ, who is the living, breathing embodiment of all that we hold true and worth fighting for."

Paul Washer - Men Have Only Two Problems

Paul Washer - Pray And Ask Jesus Into Your Heart? - Testimony Of A Dying Man's Conversion

'Creative Worship Experiences' or Strange Fire?

Over at http://www.oldtruth.com/ Jim Bublitz has posted another wonderful, well written, much needed article for all to read. The original posting is here: http://www.oldtruth.com/blog.cfm/id.2.pid.795

Thank you Jim!

'Creative Worship Experiences' or Strange Fire?

On this Lord's Day, Chad is back to talk about one of the most chilling passages in the bible, and how it relates to one of the most popular church-packing trends of our day. If you attend a church that feels called to orchestrate creative worship experiences for the masses, you'll want to tune in for this post. Right away, you know the premise is faulty, just by the way it's designed to cater to people. That's not the aim of true worship. Chad takes over now and unpacks for us this key passage in Leviticus 10:3 - "Then Moses said unto Aaron, This is it what the LORD spake, saying, I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me, and before all the people I will be glorified. And Aaron held his peace".

The subject of what is appropriate worship to the Lord has been the focus of much discussion here on Old Truth in recent weeks. The worship of the church has been corrupted to the point that the church is scarcely distinguishable from the world in it's worship. The commands of God have been put aside, scripture has been forgotten, and creativity and innovation have replaced them. Ignorance of scripture has grown to the point where those who claim to be God's people insist that God does not prescribe the manner in which the church is to worship and that he is in fact pleased and glorified with innovation and creativity. The antics of many so called churches is closer to the worship of the Golden Calf in Exodus 32 than it is to the worship of the Lord typified in Revelation 4.

Frequently the excuse used for innovating worship is that God is creative and he made man in his image, therefore we glorify God by being creative in worship. Not only is there no scriptural support for such a claim but this type of thinking shows a dangerous and inexcusable ignorance of scripture. The command of scripture is "You shall be holy for I am holy" 1 Pet 1:16, not "You shall be creative for I am creative". Worship as devised in the heart of man is unaccepted by God and condemned as idolatry (Gen. 4:5, Ex. 32, Duet 27:5) and God brings sure judgment on those who would be so bold as to transgress. Ignorance of the commands of scripture is no excuse as we shall see.

In his book "Gospel Worship", Jeremiah Burroughs 1599-1646 expounds upon Leviticus 10:3 and shows us that the Lord is angry with innovative worship and that only worship which He commands is acceptable. Burroughs begins by opening to us the judgment that befell Nadab and Abihu. He points out that these men were most noble men, the sons of Aaron and appointed by God to be priests, yet all of this did not protect them from the God's judgment when they deviated from the prescription of worship that God had commanded.

Question: What was their sin?

Answer: Their sin was offering strange fire that God had not commanded them. But had God ever forbidden it? Where do we find that God had ever forbidden them to offer strange fire, or appointed that they should only offer one kind of fire? There is no text of Scripture that you can find from the beginning of Genesis to this place where God had said in so many words expressly, "You shall offer no fire but one kind of fire." And yet here they are consumed by fire from God for offering strange fire.

I find in Exodus 30:9 that they were forbidden to offer strange incense, but I do not find that they were forbidden to offer strange fire. In Leviticus 6:13, and divers verses in that chapter, we find that God had appointed that they should constantly keep the fire on the altar burning and never let it go out. It seems that it was God's intention that they should make use of that fire and that fire only. God would have them to pick out his meaning. God sent fire down from heaven upon the altar. In the latter end of the ninth chapter, God sent down fire from heaven and gave them charge to keep that fire on the altar constantly and to never let it go out. So it seems that God would have them pick out his meaning, that because He had sent down fire from heaven upon the altar and gave them power to keep it constantly, God would have them understand therefore that what incense or sacrifice He would have them use should only be that fire and no other. It should be noted, though, that God never did say to them directly in these words, "You shall make use of this fire and no other," but God would have them understand this. That's their sin, therefore, offering strange fire.

In connection with this judgment of Nadab and Abihu, Burroughs shows us how it is that God will be sanctified by those who draw near to him thus opening the meaning of our text, "I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me and before all the people I will be glorified".

"I will be sanctified," That is, "I will be hallowed." It is the very same word that you have in the Lord's prayer, "Hallowed be thy name," only that's the Greek word and this is the Hebrew. But if you would translate this into Greek, you must translate it by the same that Christ spoke when he taught his disciples to pray, "Hallowed be Thy name." Hallowed and sanctified are all one. "Lord, let they name appear to be holy."

"I will be sanctified," that is, "I will have my name appear to be holy. I will make know unto my people, and to all the world, that I am a holy God." That's the meaning of "I will be sanctified." I will be known to all the world as a holy God.

"And before all the people I will be glorified." So it is in the latter part of the verse. It is as if God should say, "I account it to be My Glory that I should be manifested to be holy before all the world."

"I will be sanctified," that is, "I will have my people demean themselves so as to hold forth their acknowledgment of My holiness, so that by their behavior, I my appear to be a holy God. I will be sanctified by them, or otherwise, if they shall not in an active way sanctify My name, that is, if they shall not demean themselves so as to hold forth the glory of My holiness, then I will be sanctified upon them. I will demean and carry Myself towards them so that by My actions upon them I will make it appear what a holy God I am."

So God is sanctified in two ways:

One is by the holiness of His people in their conduct towards Him, holding forth the glory of God's holiness. So you have it in 1Pet 3:15 "Sanctify the Lord God in your hearts." The saints sanctify God in their hearts when they fear God as a holy God, and reverence Him and love Him as a holy God. They sanctify HIM in their lives when their lives hold forth the glory of God's holiness. Then God is sanctified.

But then, if we do not do so, God sanctifies himself in ways of judgment upon those who do not sanctify His name in ways of holiness. Thus you have it in Ezekiel 28:22 "And say, thus the Lord God, behold I am against thee, O Sidon, and I will be glorified in the midst of thee, and they shall know that I am the Lord, when I shall execute judgment in her, and shall be sanctified in her." This is all one with "I will be glorified in the midst of them." And in Ezekiel 38:16 and 23 you have verses to the same purpose: "And thou shalt come up against my people of Israel, as a cloud to cover the land, that the heathen may know Me, when I shall be sanctified in thee, O Gog, before their eyes" (verse 16). "Thus I will magnify Myself, and I will be known in they eyes of many nations, and they shall know that I am the Lord" (verse 23). In the way of the execution of judgment, thus I will sanctify myself, so I will be sanctified in those that draw nigh unto me."

"In those that come nigh Me," that is, especially in the priests who approach God (Ezekiel 42:13). They approach God especially , but it is meant generally of those who deal in God's worship. "Whosoever shall come to me, let them look to it. They must sanctify My name; they must so demean themselves in My worship as to hold forth My name to be holy. Otherwise, I will manifest Myself against them in the ways of judgment; for I will appear to be a holy God. I will have the glory of My holiness in one way or another from those who come near Me."

To confuse creativity with holiness is a great folly. It must always be remembered that we can offer nothing in our worship to the Lord that is acceptable to him that he has not first commanded. You remember Deuteronomy 27:5 "And there you shall build an altar to the Lord your God, an altar of stones. You shall wield no iron tool on them." Here we are to learn an important lesson. The Israelites had not yet entered the promised land, they could not yet build the altar that God provided the pattern for. They were, therefore, to leave the stones uncut, they were allowed no creative input in their worship. All designs of their own hearts were foul in God's sight, therefore they were not allowed to fashion the stones according to their own designs. So it is with us, out of our hearts come filthiness (Matt 15:19). Those who would suggest that our creativity ‘in doing church' and our innovations in worship are pleasing to God will do well to consider these things, for God says, "I will be sanctified in them that come nigh me."

Comment: Just to head a couple of arguments off at the pass: Chad's post is not intended to promote one particular type of music such as hymns. Nor is this post about "old music is always better". We realize that hymns were once new, and even today there are other acceptable types of worship music besides hymns. The things that Chad brings up in this post are intended to go deeper than that.

Please post your comments on the original posting by Jim here: http://www.oldtruth.com/blog.cfm/id.2.pid.795

A Conversation With John Piper And John MacArthur

John Piper - "I Am Afraid...Of The Entertainment Culture"

When Does God Become 100% For Us?

Answering a Good Question

I have asked the question in public, “When does God become 100% for us?” And I have given an answer that rightly troubles thoughtful, biblical people. So this article is an effort to answer their question.

In my message to the Desiring God National Conference on Sunday, September 30, I answered the question like this:

What the Bible teaches is that God becomes 100% irrevocably for us at the moment of justification, that is, the moment when we see Christ as a beautiful Savior and receive him as our substitute punishment and our substitute perfection. All of God’s wrath, all of the condemnation we deserve, was poured out on Jesus. All of God’s demands for perfect righteousness were fulfilled by Christ. The moment we see (by grace!) this Treasure and receive him in this way his death counts as our death and his condemnation as our condemnation and his righteousness as our righteousness, and God becomes 100% irrevocably for us forever in that instant.

The question this leaves unanswered is, “Doesn’t the Bible teach that in eternity God set his favor on us in election?” In other words, thoughtful people ask, “Did God only become 100% for us in the moment of faith and union with Christ and justification? Did he not become 100% for us in the act of election before the foundation of the world?” For example, Paul says in Ephesians 1:4-5, “[God] chose us in [Jesus] before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ.”

Is God then not 100% for the elect from eternity? The answer hangs on the meaning of “100%.” With the term “100%” I am trying to preserve a biblical truth found in several passages of Scripture. For example, in Ephesians 2:3, Paul says that Christians were “children of wrath” before they were made alive in Christ Jesus. “We all once lived [among the sons of disobedience] in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, like the rest of mankind.”

So Paul is saying that, before regeneration, God’s wrath was on us. The elect were under wrath. This changed when God made us alive in Christ Jesus and awakened us to see the truth and beauty of Christ so that we received him as the one who died for us and as the one whose righteousness is counted as ours because of our union with Jesus. Before this happened to us, we were under God’s wrath. Then, because of faith in Christ and union with him, all God’s wrath was removed and he then became, in that sense, 100% for us.

Similarly in Romans 8:1, there is the crucial word “now.” “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” The implication of “now” is that there was once condemnation over us and now there is not. A real change in God’s disposition toward us happened in the moment of our regeneration and faith and union with Christ and justification.

Notice the phrase “in Christ” at the end of Romans 8:1. This is why God’s disposition toward us is different when we believe in Christ. When we believe in Christ, we are united to him—that is, we are “in Christ.” This means that his death counts as our death and his righteousness counts as our righteousness. This is why there is now no condemnation, whereas before there was. Before Christ bore the curse of the law and we were united to him by faith, we were under the curse of the law. “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us” (Galatians 3:13).

When Paul uses the language of God being “for us,” he speaks of it in the context of what Christ has done for us in history. For example, in Romans 8:31-32, he says, “If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?” Not sparing his Son is the act that secures God’s being 100% for us forever.

So was God 100% for us from eternity because we were elect? In one sense, yes. It was 100% certain that he would bring us to faith and save us. But when I ask the question, “When did God become 100% for us?” I mean more than: “When did it become 100% certain that God would save us?” I mean: “When did it happen that God was for us and only for us? That is, when did it happen that the only disposition of God toward us was mercy? Or: When did God become for us so fully that there was not any wrath or curse or condemnation on us, but only mercy?

The answer, I still say, is at the point when, by grace, we saw Christ as a supremely valuable Savior and received him as our substitute sacrifice and substitute righteousness. In other words, it happened at the point of justification. The implication of this is that all our works, all our perseverance, all our continuing faith and obedience does not cause God to be 100% for us, but is the result of his being 100% for us.

Paul’s logic in Romans 8:32 is that because God gave his Son to die for us therefore he will give us all things with him. That is, God will see to it that we persevere to the end not only because we are elect, but because Christ died for us and we are in Christ. That is the logic of 1 Corinthians 1:8-9: “[God] will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” The call is mentioned as the ground of God’s faithfulness to sustain us to the end.

Therefore, exult in the truth that God will keep you. He will get you to the end because in Christ he is 100% for you. And therefore, getting to the end does not make God to be 100% for you. It is the effect of the fact that he is already 100% for you.

Glorying in the gospel with you,

Pastor John

John Piper - Why Do You "Receive" Jesus Christ?