Friday, January 4, 2008
Heresy Alert!!!!
Good old Joel is at it again.
Here is what the Mormons believe about God and Jesus:
1. IS THERE MORE THAN ONE TRUE GOD?
The Bible teaches and orthodox Christians through the ages have believed that there is only one True and Living God and apart from Him there are no other Gods (Deuteronomy 6:4; Isaiah 43:10,11; 44:6,8; 45:21,22; 46:9; Mark 12:29-34).
By contrast, the Mormon Church teaches that there are many Gods (Book of Abraham 4:3ff), and that we can become gods and goddesses in the celestial kingdom (Doctrine and Covenants 132:19-20; Gospel Principles, p. 245; Achieving a Celestial Marriage, p. 130). It also teaches that those who achieve godhood will have spirit children who will worship and pray to them, just as we worship and pray to God the Father (Gospel Principles, p. 302).
2. WAS GOD ONCE A MAN LIKE US?
Christianity says no! This is blasphemy!
John 4:24; 1 Timothy 6:15,16), He is not a man (Numbers 23:19; Hosea 11:9; Romans 1:22, 23), and has always (eternally) existed as God — all powerful, all knowing, and everywhere present (Psalm 90:2; 139:7-10; Isaiah 40:28; Luke 1:37).
By contrast, the Mormon Church teaches that God the Father was once a man like us who progressed to become a God and has a body of flesh and bone (Doctrine and Covenants 130:22; "God himself was once as we are now, and is an exalted man, and sits enthroned in yonder heavens!" from Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 345-347; Gospel Principles, p. 9; Articles of Faith, p. 430; Mormon Doctrine, p. 321). Indeed, the Mormon Church teaches that God himself has a father, and a grandfather, ad infinitum (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 373; Mormon Doctrine, p. 577).
3. ARE JESUS AND SATAN SPIRIT BROTHERS?
The Bible teaches and orthodox Christians through the ages have believed that Jesus is the unique Son of God; he has always existed as God, and is co-eternal and co-equal with the Father (John 1:1, 14; 10:30; 14:9; Colossians 2:9). While never less than God, at the appointed time He laid aside the glory He shared with the Father (John 17:4, 5; Philippians 2:6-11) and was made flesh for our salvation; His incarnation was accomplished through being conceived supernaturally by the Holy Spirit and born of a virgin (Matthew 1:18-23; Luke 1:34-35).
By contrast, the Mormon Church teaches that Jesus Christ is our elder brother who progressed to godhood, having first been procreated as a spirit child by Heavenly Father and a heavenly mother; He was later conceived physically through intercourse between Heavenly Father and the virgin Mary (Achieving a Celestial Marriage, p. 129; Mormon Doctrine, pp. 546-547; 742). Mormon doctrine affirms that Jesus and Lucifer are brothers (Gospel Principles, pp. 17-18; Mormon Doctrine, p. 192).
This doesn't mean someone shouldn't vote for Mitt. I post this to show the heresy in Joel's theology. He said he and Mitt shared a common bond in Christianity!
Well, Mitt, Joel, and I don't!
Maybe Good old Joel should study just a little more before he preaches to 40,000 people next Sunday!!
Hell- what happened to you?
Most Christians believe every word the Bible has to say about Heaven but most have a hard time with Hell.
Many atheist and skeptics think of hell, as Robert Ingersoll did when he called hell "the scarecrow of Christianity".
This is why many preachers today refuse to preach on the subject.
Jesus talked about Hell and Judgment a lot. As a matter of fact, 13% of his words were on hell. That is a whole lot of one's words on one subject.
I don't talk about the Tar Heels that much!!
Read the words of a Jonathan Edwards (I read this sermon @ CVCC as a college freshman- I was lost at the time!)
Read carefully and beware!! This is just part of his sermon (sermon in quotes)
Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God
by Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758)
"The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked: his wrath towards you burns like fire; he looks upon you as worthy of nothing else, but to be cast into the fire; he is of purer eyes than to bear to have you in his sight; you are ten thousand times more abominable in his eyes, than the most hateful venomous serpent is in ours. You have offended him infinitely more than ever a stubborn rebel did his prince; and yet it is nothing but his hand that holds you from falling into the fire every moment. It is to be ascribed to nothing else, that you did not go to hell the last night; that you was suffered to awake again in this world, after you closed your eyes to sleep. And there is no other reason to be given, why you have not dropped into hell since you arose in the morning, but that God's hand has held you up. There is no other reason to be given why you have not gone to hell, since you have sat here in the house of God, provoking his pure eyes by your sinful wicked manner of attending his solemn worship. Yea, there is nothing else that is to be given as a reason why you do not this very moment drop down into hell.
O sinner! Consider the fearful danger you are in: it is a great furnace of wrath, a wide and bottomless pit, full of the fire of wrath, that you are held over in the hand of that God, whose wrath is provoked and incensed as much against you, as against many of the damned in hell. You hang by a slender thread, with the flames of divine wrath flashing about it, and ready every moment to singe it, and burn it asunder; and you have no interest in any Mediator, and nothing to lay hold of to save yourself, nothing to keep off the flames of wrath, nothing of your own, nothing that you ever have done, nothing that you can do, to induce God to spare you one moment.
And let every one that is yet out of Christ, and hanging over the pit of hell, whether they be old men and women, or middle aged, or young people, or little children, now hearken to the loud calls of God's word and providence. This acceptable year of the Lord, a day of such great favour to some, will doubtless be a day of as remarkable vengeance to others. Men's hearts harden, and their guilt increases apace at such a day as this, if they neglect their souls; and never was there so great danger of such persons being given up to hardness of heart and blindness of mind. God seems now to be hastily gathering in his elect in all parts of the land; and probably the greater part of adult persons that ever shall be saved, will be brought in now in a little time, and that it will be as it was on the great out-pouring of the Spirit upon the Jews in the apostles' days; the election will obtain, and the rest will be blinded. If this should be the case with you, you will eternally curse this day, and will curse the day that ever you was born, to see such a season of the pouring out of God's Spirit, and will wish that you had died and gone to hell before you had seen it. Now undoubtedly it is, as it was in the days of John the Baptist, the axe is in an extraordinary manner laid at the root of the trees, that every tree which brings not forth good fruit, may be hewn down and cast into the fire.
Therefore, let every one that is out of Christ, now awake and fly from the wrath to come. The wrath of Almighty God is now undoubtedly hanging over a great part of this congregation. Let every one fly out of Sodom: "Haste and escape for your lives, look not behind you, escape to the mountain, lest you be consumed."
This sermon was not given by some screaming, yelling, foaming at the mouth uneducated preacher. Jonathan graduated from Yale and read this sermon word for word. So much for human persuasion.
Historians say you could hear people moan and groan as they heard this sermon being read. The truth of the Word of God stung them!
As a college freshman I was scared, confused and convicted. My English teacher at the time called this interesting literature! Many in our class were slightly amused. This is how people receive this message today. The fear of hell will never save anyone only the conviction of the Holy Spirit that draws people to Christ.
God used this sermon to start a Great Awakening among God's people at the time. May He do the same today.
Sunday night I will start a 3-part series on Hell
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Can I Lose My Salvation? Part 2
Can a believer, once saved, indwelled by the Holy Spirit of God, and cleansed by the blood of Christ, lose their placement in heaven? Does the Good Shepherd lose His sheep? Can a believer lose their salvation?
It doesn't matter what I think or you think, the question is what does God's Word say?
I. The Holy Spirit's Sealing
Ephesians 4:30
"And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption".
Ephesians 1:13
"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your Salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory".
Tony Warren made this comment:
That Greek word Sealed there is [sphragizo], meaning to stamp as secured. Clearly, believers are secured by the Holy Spirit of God, not by their own works, and so how could they suddenly find themselves unsecured? And note carefully that it is until the redemption of the purchased (purchased in the blood of Christ) possession. It is absolutely ludicrous to take this verse and claim that it really means we are not secured by the Holy Spirit until the day of Redemption. Indeed, it would be tortuous of God's Word to do so. Christ went to prepare a place of inheritance for us, but He also sent the Holy Spirit to seal (secure) us unto the day of our redemption of that Purchased inheritance. Nothing could be plainer. Again note, Holy Spirit of Promise. God does not break His promises. Man assuredly does, but God does not. We are by His power Sealed, preserved unto the day of the consummation. Christ sent the Comforter to us precisely to assure perseverance and preserve us in Him.
John Piper preaching on Eph. 1:13-14 says this about being sealed by the Holy Spirit
What Does "Sealed" Mean?
"There are two great words here that aim to help us feel secure in God's love and power: the word "sealed," and the word "guarantee." Let's see if we can unseal this word "sealed" and look inside. What does it mean that believers have been sealed by the Holy Spirit (v. 13)? The word is used at least three different ways in the New Testament.
1. In Matthew 27:66, the tomb of Jesus was secured by sealing it and putting guards around it. In Revelation 20:3 God throws Satan into a pit and seals it over so he can't escape. So one meaning is locking something up, closing it in.
2. Another is found in Romans 4:11 where Abraham's circumcision is called the sign and seal of the righteousness he had by faith. And in 1 Corinthians 9:2 Paul says that his converts are the seal of his apostleship. So a second meaning of sealing is giving a sign of authenticity.
3. A third meaning is found in Revelation 7:3 where the seal of God is put on the forehead of God's servants to protect them from the wrath coming upon the world.
So what did Paul mean in Ephesians 1:13 when he said that believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit? No matter which of these meanings you use the basic truth is the same.
If the Spirit seals shut, the point must be that he seals in faith and seals out unbelief and apostasy.
If the Spirit seals us as a sign of authenticity, then he is that sign and it is the Spirit's work in our life which is God's trademark. Our eternal sonship is real and authentic if we have the Spirit. He is the sign of divine reality in our lives.
Or if the Spirit marks us with God's seal, he protects us from evil forces which won't dare to enter a person bearing the mark of God's own possession.
However you come at this message contained in this word "sealed," it is a message of safety and security in God's love and power. God sends the Holy Spirit as a preserving seal to lock in our faith, as an authenticating seal to validate our sonship, and as a protecting seal to keep out destructive forces. The point is that God wants us to feel secure and safe in his love and power."
Amen!
It doesn't matter what I think or you think, the question is what does God's Word say?
I. The Holy Spirit's Sealing
Ephesians 4:30
"And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption".
Ephesians 1:13
"In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your Salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise,
Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory".
Tony Warren made this comment:
That Greek word Sealed there is [sphragizo], meaning to stamp as secured. Clearly, believers are secured by the Holy Spirit of God, not by their own works, and so how could they suddenly find themselves unsecured? And note carefully that it is until the redemption of the purchased (purchased in the blood of Christ) possession. It is absolutely ludicrous to take this verse and claim that it really means we are not secured by the Holy Spirit until the day of Redemption. Indeed, it would be tortuous of God's Word to do so. Christ went to prepare a place of inheritance for us, but He also sent the Holy Spirit to seal (secure) us unto the day of our redemption of that Purchased inheritance. Nothing could be plainer. Again note, Holy Spirit of Promise. God does not break His promises. Man assuredly does, but God does not. We are by His power Sealed, preserved unto the day of the consummation. Christ sent the Comforter to us precisely to assure perseverance and preserve us in Him.
John Piper preaching on Eph. 1:13-14 says this about being sealed by the Holy Spirit
What Does "Sealed" Mean?
"There are two great words here that aim to help us feel secure in God's love and power: the word "sealed," and the word "guarantee." Let's see if we can unseal this word "sealed" and look inside. What does it mean that believers have been sealed by the Holy Spirit (v. 13)? The word is used at least three different ways in the New Testament.
1. In Matthew 27:66, the tomb of Jesus was secured by sealing it and putting guards around it. In Revelation 20:3 God throws Satan into a pit and seals it over so he can't escape. So one meaning is locking something up, closing it in.
2. Another is found in Romans 4:11 where Abraham's circumcision is called the sign and seal of the righteousness he had by faith. And in 1 Corinthians 9:2 Paul says that his converts are the seal of his apostleship. So a second meaning of sealing is giving a sign of authenticity.
3. A third meaning is found in Revelation 7:3 where the seal of God is put on the forehead of God's servants to protect them from the wrath coming upon the world.
So what did Paul mean in Ephesians 1:13 when he said that believers are sealed with the Holy Spirit? No matter which of these meanings you use the basic truth is the same.
If the Spirit seals shut, the point must be that he seals in faith and seals out unbelief and apostasy.
If the Spirit seals us as a sign of authenticity, then he is that sign and it is the Spirit's work in our life which is God's trademark. Our eternal sonship is real and authentic if we have the Spirit. He is the sign of divine reality in our lives.
Or if the Spirit marks us with God's seal, he protects us from evil forces which won't dare to enter a person bearing the mark of God's own possession.
However you come at this message contained in this word "sealed," it is a message of safety and security in God's love and power. God sends the Holy Spirit as a preserving seal to lock in our faith, as an authenticating seal to validate our sonship, and as a protecting seal to keep out destructive forces. The point is that God wants us to feel secure and safe in his love and power."
Amen!
Wednesday, January 2, 2008
Friends!
Everyone needs a good friend.
The Bible say this about friendship
9Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! 11Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone?
Ecclesiastes 4:9-11
This video by Tim Hawkins really hits home. We all need a good friend especially in a time of need.
Thank God for men like Cletus! Where would you be today without good friends?
The Bible say this about friendship
9Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their toil. 10For if they fall, one will lift up his fellow. But woe to him who is alone when he falls and has not another to lift him up! 11Again, if two lie together, they keep warm, but how can one keep warm alone?
Ecclesiastes 4:9-11
This video by Tim Hawkins really hits home. We all need a good friend especially in a time of need.
Thank God for men like Cletus! Where would you be today without good friends?
Can I Lose My Salvation?
Happy New Year!
Just returned from Big God with our Students, so I haven't blogged in a while.
I want to do a few posts on "Can I lose my salvation?" And I will post opinions from people smarter than I.
Here is a commonly used text to refute eternal security and here is John MacArthur's response taken from Pulpit Magazine:
Does Hebrews 6:4-6 teach that a true believer can lose his salvation?
For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. Hebrews 6: 4-6
No. In that passage, the writer of Hebrews is speaking to the unsaved who have heard the truth and acknowledged it, but who have hesitated to embrace Christ. The Holy Spirit warns them, “You had better come to Christ now, for if you fall away it will be impossible for you to come again to the point of repentance.” They were at the best point for repentance–full knowledge. To fall back from that would be fatal.
Because they believe the warning is addressed to Christians, many interpreters hold that the passage teaches that salvation can be lost. If this interpretation were true, however, the passage would also teach that, once lost, salvation could never be regained. There would be no going back and forth, in and out of grace. But Christians are not being addressed, and it is the opportunity for receiving salvation, not salvation itself, that can be lost.
The believer need never fear he will lose his salvation. He cannot. The Bible is absolutely clear about that. Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand” (John 10:27-29; see also Rom. 8:35-39; Phil. 1:6; and 1 Pet. 1:4-5).
If you are in Christ, rejoice. Your salvation is secure forever.
(Today’s post adapted from the MacArthur New Testament Commentary on Hebrews, p. 146.)
Just returned from Big God with our Students, so I haven't blogged in a while.
I want to do a few posts on "Can I lose my salvation?" And I will post opinions from people smarter than I.
Here is a commonly used text to refute eternal security and here is John MacArthur's response taken from Pulpit Magazine:
Does Hebrews 6:4-6 teach that a true believer can lose his salvation?
For it is impossible, in the case of those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, and have shared in the Holy Spirit, 5and have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the age to come, 6and then have fallen away, to restore them again to repentance, since they are crucifying once again the Son of God to their own harm and holding him up to contempt. Hebrews 6: 4-6
No. In that passage, the writer of Hebrews is speaking to the unsaved who have heard the truth and acknowledged it, but who have hesitated to embrace Christ. The Holy Spirit warns them, “You had better come to Christ now, for if you fall away it will be impossible for you to come again to the point of repentance.” They were at the best point for repentance–full knowledge. To fall back from that would be fatal.
Because they believe the warning is addressed to Christians, many interpreters hold that the passage teaches that salvation can be lost. If this interpretation were true, however, the passage would also teach that, once lost, salvation could never be regained. There would be no going back and forth, in and out of grace. But Christians are not being addressed, and it is the opportunity for receiving salvation, not salvation itself, that can be lost.
The believer need never fear he will lose his salvation. He cannot. The Bible is absolutely clear about that. Jesus said, “My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me; and I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand” (John 10:27-29; see also Rom. 8:35-39; Phil. 1:6; and 1 Pet. 1:4-5).
If you are in Christ, rejoice. Your salvation is secure forever.
(Today’s post adapted from the MacArthur New Testament Commentary on Hebrews, p. 146.)
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Monday, December 24, 2007
Family Tree
Do you ever look up your ancestors and find out who is making up your family tree?
Many of us may be very proud to find out who our relatives are. You may, very well, be related to some very famous and important people.
I think I am related to Dean Smith some how. Can't prove it but we just seem close for some reason.
Jesus had a very peculiar family tree. You would think the Son of God would be related to the religious elite of history. Nothing could be further from the truth. Let's take a look at 4 women listed in his genealogy.
These are taken from John MacArthur's great book "God With Us"
1. Tamar
"Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar,"
The first outcast was Tamar, the Canaanite daughter-in-law of Judah. She gained notoriety in Genesis 38 by resorting to deception, prostitution, and incest when she couldn't get a child any other way. Tamar disguised herself as a prostitute and tricked Judah into having sexual relations with her. From that illicit union were born twin sons, Perez and Zerah, and thus Tamar and her son Perez joined Judah in the Messianic line. Despite prostitution and incest, God's grace fell on all three of those undeserving persons, including a desperate and deceptive Gentile harlot.
2. Rahab
"Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab"
The second outcast was also a woman and a Gentile, but she made prostitution her livelihood. Rahab was no paragon of virtue, but she put her faith in the God of Israel and demonstrated it by protecting the two men Joshua sent to spy out her city. God spared her life and the lives of her family when Jericho was besieged and destroyed (Josh. 2:1-21; 6:22-25), and, brought her into the Messianic line. She became the wife of Salmon and the mother of the godly Boaz--David's great-grandfather.
3. Ruth
"Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth"
Ruth, the wife of Boaz, was the third outcast. Though she was a Moabitess and former pagan, having no right to marry an Israelite, God's grace brought Ruth into the family of Israel, and through Boaz, into the royal line. She became the grandmother of Israel's great King David.
4. Bathsheba
"And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah,"
The fourth outcast was Bathsheba. She entered the Messianic line through adultery with David. The son of their sinful union died in infancy, but the next son born to them was Solomon (2 Sam. 11:1-27; 12:14, 24), successor to David's throne and continuer of the Messianic line. Once again, by God's grace Bathsheba became the wife of David, the mother of Solomon, and an ancestor of the Messiah.
I hope you can see how the genealogy of Jesus Christ is immeasurably more than a list of ancient names; it is even more than a list of Jesus' human forebears. It is a beautiful testimony to God's grace and to the ministry of His Son, Jesus Christ. He is truly the friend of sinners who came to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance (Matt. 9:13).
Many of us may be very proud to find out who our relatives are. You may, very well, be related to some very famous and important people.
I think I am related to Dean Smith some how. Can't prove it but we just seem close for some reason.
Jesus had a very peculiar family tree. You would think the Son of God would be related to the religious elite of history. Nothing could be further from the truth. Let's take a look at 4 women listed in his genealogy.
These are taken from John MacArthur's great book "God With Us"
1. Tamar
"Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar,"
The first outcast was Tamar, the Canaanite daughter-in-law of Judah. She gained notoriety in Genesis 38 by resorting to deception, prostitution, and incest when she couldn't get a child any other way. Tamar disguised herself as a prostitute and tricked Judah into having sexual relations with her. From that illicit union were born twin sons, Perez and Zerah, and thus Tamar and her son Perez joined Judah in the Messianic line. Despite prostitution and incest, God's grace fell on all three of those undeserving persons, including a desperate and deceptive Gentile harlot.
2. Rahab
"Salmon the father of Boaz by Rahab"
The second outcast was also a woman and a Gentile, but she made prostitution her livelihood. Rahab was no paragon of virtue, but she put her faith in the God of Israel and demonstrated it by protecting the two men Joshua sent to spy out her city. God spared her life and the lives of her family when Jericho was besieged and destroyed (Josh. 2:1-21; 6:22-25), and, brought her into the Messianic line. She became the wife of Salmon and the mother of the godly Boaz--David's great-grandfather.
3. Ruth
"Boaz the father of Obed by Ruth"
Ruth, the wife of Boaz, was the third outcast. Though she was a Moabitess and former pagan, having no right to marry an Israelite, God's grace brought Ruth into the family of Israel, and through Boaz, into the royal line. She became the grandmother of Israel's great King David.
4. Bathsheba
"And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uriah,"
The fourth outcast was Bathsheba. She entered the Messianic line through adultery with David. The son of their sinful union died in infancy, but the next son born to them was Solomon (2 Sam. 11:1-27; 12:14, 24), successor to David's throne and continuer of the Messianic line. Once again, by God's grace Bathsheba became the wife of David, the mother of Solomon, and an ancestor of the Messiah.
I hope you can see how the genealogy of Jesus Christ is immeasurably more than a list of ancient names; it is even more than a list of Jesus' human forebears. It is a beautiful testimony to God's grace and to the ministry of His Son, Jesus Christ. He is truly the friend of sinners who came to call not the righteous but sinners to repentance (Matt. 9:13).
Birth of Jesus Quiz!!
If you know the answers to the questions please let me know.
How many Kings came to see Jesus at His birth?
How many Magi came to see Jesus at His birth? Where did they come from?
Did the angels ever sing at the birth of Jesus?
Did the shepherds and wise men all come to the same place to see baby Jesus or different places?
Is Jesus God?
Is Jesus the Lord of your Life?
Read this great quote:
"The world is happy to let Jesus Christ be a baby in a manger, but not willing to let Him be sovereign King and Lord that He is. Yet that is the central truth of the Christmas story: the Child of Christmas is God."
How many Kings came to see Jesus at His birth?
How many Magi came to see Jesus at His birth? Where did they come from?
Did the angels ever sing at the birth of Jesus?
Did the shepherds and wise men all come to the same place to see baby Jesus or different places?
Is Jesus God?
Is Jesus the Lord of your Life?
Read this great quote:
"The world is happy to let Jesus Christ be a baby in a manger, but not willing to let Him be sovereign King and Lord that He is. Yet that is the central truth of the Christmas story: the Child of Christmas is God."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)