The failure of the church to learn from the past has caused a multitude of problems with regard to false teaching and heresy creeping into, then hanging around within, the church. The heresy of Arius was thought to be dead until it was brought back to life through the teaching of the Jehovah's Witnesses. Granted, this heresy is not even remotely orthodox so it cannot be classified as false teaching within the church. However, had the church in the late 19th century took a stand, this soul damning false teaching may not be nearly as prevalent as it is.
In the 5th century, another heresy sprang up, from within and not outside of the church, that was quickly squashed by the early church fathers. There are pockets of this teaching, sporadic at best, that are still around to this day. However, after initially being defeated by the early church, it re-emerged later with some modifications. That mutated, metastasized version is still very much alive and kicking, within and outside the church. It is the forerunner of the works-based system within the Roman Catholic Church, as we will see as we move along. It is also the dominant view within the Protestant church as well, if people will be completely honest about the situation.
"If I ought, I can."
Those words were uttered by the 5th century British monk, Pelagius. He broke onto the scene when he became exercised over a prayer that was circulating around the Christian world. That prayer was written by Aurelius Augustine, also known as St. Augustine of Hippo. He was the preeminent church leader at this time. The prayer simply stated this:
"Lord, give what Thou commandest, and command what Thou wilt."
Pelagius took a massive amount of exception to that statement. He believed that God would never command mankind to do something that they were incapable of doing through the power of their own free will. He also believed that man was not completely and totally corrupted by sin through the fall. Man could still do things, through his own free will, to please God. No one was contaminated by sin through the fall. Adam was responsible for his sin and his alone. Sin, and it's corruption, was not passed on to Adam's posterity. Men were not born in sin. According to Pelagius, a baby was born TABULA RASA, which is Latin. That phrase translated means A BLANK SHEET OF PAPER. In other words, Pelagius believed that every baby was born totally and perfectly capable of obeying and pleasing God through its own free will. He denied the doctrine of Original Sin.
As this controversy progressed, it became clear that this wasn't merely a squabble over minute details and words. The arguments struck to the very core of Christianity. It called into question the nature of God, man and, ultimately, the gospel. The arguments became more crisp and what was at stake came into focus: Does mankind need God's grace to stand before Him in righteousness?
Pelagius said no. God's grace is nice but it is not necessary. Man can exercise his will, obey God and choose not to sin. Augustine said yes. Man is dead in sin, ruined in Adam. Man is completely dependent on God's grace and can do nothing apart from it.
Augustine's prayer was, for lack of better terminology, a plea for help. He realized that everything in our life depended on grace. Basically, he was saying, "God, you command us to do this; grant us the ability and help us to do this. God, you command us to do that; grant us the ability and teach us how to do that." This thinking was ridiculous according to Pelagius because he believed that man already had the ability within himself to do all these things. To ask God to grant the ability to do what man was already able to do was belittling and stupid. We were not that dependent on God to need to ask for His grace to do anything. In other words, Pelagius believed that to ask God to grant us grace to do anything was an affront to human nature because humans were capable to do anything God commanded. He was a humanist, a moralist. Front and center, now in the church, were the humanistic teachings of the Greco-Roman empire, with the doctrine of the natural ability of man, that had been a major influence for centuries.
Pelagius, because of his humanism, believed that man was born perfect. Man was not tied to the sin of Adam. Adam was responsible for his sin. Man was responsible for his. He was completely capable of obeying God. Of course, there were those people who did choose to sin and the death of Jesus on the cross was beneficial to them. With a mental understanding, man could then use his own intelligence and free will to choose forgiveness without any kind of NECESSARY influence outside of himself. NECESSARY is the key word here.
What Pelagius believed and taught is flatly rejected by the testimony of Scripture. Scripture plainly teaches that because of Adam's first sin, he died spiritually and physically as well. Because of that sin, all mankind carries a corrupt nature and the guilt of it is passed on to his posterity; namely, all mankind. If you deny this doctrine, known as Original Sin, and deny the fact that man is dead in trespasses and sin then there is going to be problems. If you deny the effect of Adam's sin on his posterity and believe that each individual is created with the same capacity as Adam then everything else you believe and build upon that foundation is going to be wrong, too. The logical conclusion to this teaching, that man is born in the same way that Adam was created, is that man does not need a Savior. Only a sinner needs a Savior.
Pelagius rejected the doctrine of Original Sin. Adam sinned for Adam and no one else. His sin did not pass on to the rest of man. Each individual man was born with the same clean slate as Adam. Sin was not inevitable. He even taught that there were many people who never sinned. Of course, the question becomes, "Well, did these sinless people die?" Pelagius taught that these people would have died anyway. Adam would have done the same. He was created as a mortal being and would have died even if he had not sinned. By putting together his belief that man's will is not subject to the consequences of the fall and the denial of a corrupt, sinful nature, Pelagius effectively made salvation by grace through faith unnecessary.
In 412 AD, the Council of Carthage was convened to address this issue. Both sides of the argument were there to make their case for their beliefs. The Council overwhelmingly agreed with Augustine. They concluded that the Word does teach that men are conceived and created in sin.
Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity,
And in sin my mother conceived me...(Psalm 51:5)
Man's will is not free as Pelagius taught but is bound up and held in bondage to the sin nature present in every individual. Men will choose according to their nature when they are unregenerate. Men will ALWAYS choose according to their nature unless God moves.
Pelagius and his followers were declared heretics. In part, the Council said:
Whoever says that Adam was created mortal and would, even without sin, have died by natural necessity, let him be anathema...(Council of Carthage 412 AD)
Romans 6:23 says that the wages of sin is death. Wages are something you earn. Because of our disobedience, death was what was earned. It was the wage. One of the main proofs of the fact that we are sinners is because we die physically, since we are living in a state of spiritual death as well. The teaching of Pelagius that man was going to die anyway removes the biblical evidence for God having the warrant to place the curse of death on man for his disobedience. If un-fallen man was going to die anyway then God making the claim and threatening that "the wages of sin is death" becomes goofy and gobbledygook.
In today's "church", where anything and everything goes, it's the height of arrogance and "not Christ like" to pronounce any kind of judgement or curse on anybody. But, the council realized the importance of what was being taught. This issue changed the gospel, plain and simple. The "anathema" was taken from Galatians 1:
But even if we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed! As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed! (Galatians 1:8-9)
The word translated accursed is the Greek word anathema. It means exactly what the translation says...accursed. Doomed to destruction. Without hope of being redeemed. Basically, Paul was saying they were going to hell and to let them go. They were cut off from salvation or the possibility of being saved. In a broader sense, he was also saying it was to "cut them off" from the church, from being able to teach in the church so as to lead souls to destruction through heretical teaching.
There were 3 different councils that condemned Pelagianism in all its forms. 6 years after the council of Carthage, a general council of African churches reaffirmed what the council of Carthage stated. But, in the time between Carthage and the general council, Zosimus, the bishop of Rome, sided with Pelagius and what he taught. He wrote a letter in 412 condemning the Council of Carthage, its anathema of Pelagius and what it concluded. The council disregarded Zosimus and his letter, knowing that the Scripture was on their side.
Church historian Philip Schaff stated:
This temporary favor of the Bishop of Rome towards the Pelagian heresy is a significant presage of the indulgence of later popes for Pelagianizing tendencies.
History of the Christian Church
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
Volume III
P. 798
It was these Pelagian beliefs, advocated by the Bishop of Rome, that led to the development of the works righteousness system of the RCC. We will launch from there in the next round. It is not going to be an RCC bash session but the history will help to explain the need for the Reformation and beyond.
Saturday, May 30, 2020
Sunday, May 10, 2020
The Gospel...A History Lesson Part 1
As I was thinking about how to move on from one petal on the TULIP to another, I realized that I couldn't just yet. We need to do a little history lesson. This post, and the next 1 or 2 that follow, should've been how I started this series. For that, I apologize because I'm afraid that this may be a confusing point to insert this bit of information. It is, however, going to be good information that'll help give understanding where it may be lacking. It may also be the revelation of some new understanding, which was my case. I have learned new things through studying for this series of posts. The historical information in this post has been taken almost entirely from a set of videos I found on you tube called Amazing Grace: The History and Theology of Calvinism. They are produced by theapologeticsgroup.com, a website that was created by Eric Holmberg, the host / narrator in this series. They are probably the best I have seen on this topic. Thanks to my friend Doug Gilliland for telling me about them.
Paul told the Ephesians as he was preparing to leave them:
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 20:29-30)
Paul knew that people from without, and within the church, would come and begin to teach things that were not in accordance with "the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints" (Jude 3). That is exactly what began to transpire.
Ever hear of the JW's? Jehovah's Witnesses? The heresy they teach is nothing new. The teaching that Jesus was not God and a created being was proposed and taught long before the Jehovah's Witnesses were even a thought in anyone's mind. Arianism was unleashed on the church by a man named Arius in the 4th century. He taught that Jesus was a created being and not divine, just like the JW's. In 325 AD, a meeting in the city of Nicea, consisting of more than 300 leaders of the church, was convened to discuss this teaching of Arius. The council concluded that Arius' teaching was heresy and he was condemned as a false teacher. Athanasius led the charge, the heresy was defeated and, for the most part, put in check in just a few years. That is where it stayed for many years....defeated. This is pure speculation on my part but I can only assume that this teaching raised it's head from time to time throughout the years. But it didn't make a "comeback" until a group of students, led by Charles Taze Russell in the late 19th century, began a bible study and published what they were "learning" in a journal called The Watchtower--Announcing Jehovah's Kingdom. Had the leadership of the church did in modern times what the leadership did in the time of Arius, the heresy of the JW's would have been squashed. But, and this is just personal opinion, the churches at large were already infected by horrible doctrine and couldn't take a stand against this or anything else for that matter. They had not learned from their past. That is the problem.
At this point, the video made a very good point. Tradition and church councils do not trump or override Scripture. R.C. Sproul, who has since passed on to glory, said this:
"Although tradition does not rule our interpretation, it does guide it. If, upon reading a particular passage, you have come up with an interpretation that has escaped the notice of every other Christian for two thousand years, or has been championed by universally recognized heretics, chances are pretty good that you had better abandon your interpretation"
Dr. R.C. Sproul
The Agony of Deceit, pp. 34-35
Protestant churches today, except for the confessional churches such as confessional Lutherans and Presbyterians, do not recite the old creeds of the church fathers and councils from ages past. Those churches will tell you that they HOLD to these confessions but you will not hear those confessions recited or taught. Why? I think sometimes it is merely an oversight. I know solid churches where the biblical gospel is preached and the Scripture is taught and held in high regard but creeds and confessions are not recited, studied or taught. But then there are churches that intentionally stay away from them. People who intentionally do not read early church fathers or attempt to learn from them. Why is this?
People who are raised in a situation that is very rules oriented, strict, overbearing and critical will either become the same way or will have a response of swinging to the other side and be more likely to let things slide and give the benefit of the doubt, even when it may not be the best course of action. This is because they are trying to be charitable to other people and do not want to offend or hurt. They do not want to become what they didn't like. People coming out of churches like this will either embrace that or they will go in the opposite direction. They may not necessarily go into lawlessness but they will most definitely have a soft edge. They have been confronted so much and called to the carpet so much that they will be non-confrontational and too forgiving. In an attempt to keep the peace, things that should be addressed are swept under the rug. In much the same way, in an attempt to distance themselves from the Roman Catholic Church, which adopted the confessions, creeds and traditions to a fault and elevated them to a status on par with, or even above, Scripture, Protestant churches went in the complete opposite direction, ignoring church history altogether. This mistake in judgment has been to the detriment of the church as a whole. Philosopher George Santayana said many years ago:
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it".
This holds true to the church. If the church cannot remember where it has been; if the church will not remember and learn from the men who have gone before; if the church refuses to hold on to the truths from the past then when some new type of heretical thinking comes our way, which is really not a new type of heretical thinking but something from the past under a different name, the church is caught off guard and horrid teaching is allowed in. You need look no further than the Word of Faith movement (Montanism and metaphysical cults), the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) movement (Montanism), the progressive (Read: Emergent church, liberal "christianity") movement (thank you Enlightenment). These sects teach heresy, plain and simple. And they are mainstream. Their ideas have infiltrated to a staggering degree. Yet, the church slumbers away.
The list could go on and on. When people say, "Well, I don't need to study commentaries from old, dead guys...I'll just let the Spirit tell me what that means", there's going to be trouble. Yes, the Spirit is to lead us and illuminate the truth. But it is not always the Spirit that is leading your understanding, especially if you are coming at the Word or a topic with a decided bent already. The "spirit" will make the thing mean or say what you want it to mean or say. It's arrogant to the core to think you don't need to read what those who have gone before think on a subject. That type of thinking has caused much damage to individuals in particular and the church at large.
Paul told the Ephesians as he was preparing to leave them:
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 20:29-30)
Paul knew that people from without, and within the church, would come and begin to teach things that were not in accordance with "the faith which was once for all handed down to the saints" (Jude 3). That is exactly what began to transpire.
Ever hear of the JW's? Jehovah's Witnesses? The heresy they teach is nothing new. The teaching that Jesus was not God and a created being was proposed and taught long before the Jehovah's Witnesses were even a thought in anyone's mind. Arianism was unleashed on the church by a man named Arius in the 4th century. He taught that Jesus was a created being and not divine, just like the JW's. In 325 AD, a meeting in the city of Nicea, consisting of more than 300 leaders of the church, was convened to discuss this teaching of Arius. The council concluded that Arius' teaching was heresy and he was condemned as a false teacher. Athanasius led the charge, the heresy was defeated and, for the most part, put in check in just a few years. That is where it stayed for many years....defeated. This is pure speculation on my part but I can only assume that this teaching raised it's head from time to time throughout the years. But it didn't make a "comeback" until a group of students, led by Charles Taze Russell in the late 19th century, began a bible study and published what they were "learning" in a journal called The Watchtower--Announcing Jehovah's Kingdom. Had the leadership of the church did in modern times what the leadership did in the time of Arius, the heresy of the JW's would have been squashed. But, and this is just personal opinion, the churches at large were already infected by horrible doctrine and couldn't take a stand against this or anything else for that matter. They had not learned from their past. That is the problem.
At this point, the video made a very good point. Tradition and church councils do not trump or override Scripture. R.C. Sproul, who has since passed on to glory, said this:
"Although tradition does not rule our interpretation, it does guide it. If, upon reading a particular passage, you have come up with an interpretation that has escaped the notice of every other Christian for two thousand years, or has been championed by universally recognized heretics, chances are pretty good that you had better abandon your interpretation"
Dr. R.C. Sproul
The Agony of Deceit, pp. 34-35
Protestant churches today, except for the confessional churches such as confessional Lutherans and Presbyterians, do not recite the old creeds of the church fathers and councils from ages past. Those churches will tell you that they HOLD to these confessions but you will not hear those confessions recited or taught. Why? I think sometimes it is merely an oversight. I know solid churches where the biblical gospel is preached and the Scripture is taught and held in high regard but creeds and confessions are not recited, studied or taught. But then there are churches that intentionally stay away from them. People who intentionally do not read early church fathers or attempt to learn from them. Why is this?
People who are raised in a situation that is very rules oriented, strict, overbearing and critical will either become the same way or will have a response of swinging to the other side and be more likely to let things slide and give the benefit of the doubt, even when it may not be the best course of action. This is because they are trying to be charitable to other people and do not want to offend or hurt. They do not want to become what they didn't like. People coming out of churches like this will either embrace that or they will go in the opposite direction. They may not necessarily go into lawlessness but they will most definitely have a soft edge. They have been confronted so much and called to the carpet so much that they will be non-confrontational and too forgiving. In an attempt to keep the peace, things that should be addressed are swept under the rug. In much the same way, in an attempt to distance themselves from the Roman Catholic Church, which adopted the confessions, creeds and traditions to a fault and elevated them to a status on par with, or even above, Scripture, Protestant churches went in the complete opposite direction, ignoring church history altogether. This mistake in judgment has been to the detriment of the church as a whole. Philosopher George Santayana said many years ago:
"Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it".
This holds true to the church. If the church cannot remember where it has been; if the church will not remember and learn from the men who have gone before; if the church refuses to hold on to the truths from the past then when some new type of heretical thinking comes our way, which is really not a new type of heretical thinking but something from the past under a different name, the church is caught off guard and horrid teaching is allowed in. You need look no further than the Word of Faith movement (Montanism and metaphysical cults), the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) movement (Montanism), the progressive (Read: Emergent church, liberal "christianity") movement (thank you Enlightenment). These sects teach heresy, plain and simple. And they are mainstream. Their ideas have infiltrated to a staggering degree. Yet, the church slumbers away.
The list could go on and on. When people say, "Well, I don't need to study commentaries from old, dead guys...I'll just let the Spirit tell me what that means", there's going to be trouble. Yes, the Spirit is to lead us and illuminate the truth. But it is not always the Spirit that is leading your understanding, especially if you are coming at the Word or a topic with a decided bent already. The "spirit" will make the thing mean or say what you want it to mean or say. It's arrogant to the core to think you don't need to read what those who have gone before think on a subject. That type of thinking has caused much damage to individuals in particular and the church at large.
Monday, April 27, 2020
This is for Dads
Today is my son's birthday. He would have been 29 years old today. I have a word for fathers. This will be brief. This will be important.
My son, Nathan, killed himself on September 22, 2016. He was 25.
When he was young, I worked every hour I could work. I wanted my wife to stay home with my son and, eventually, my daughter. So, I worked every hour of overtime I could work plus delivered pizza in the evening on the side. Fathers, money is not everything. As a matter of fact, it's nothing.
What little time I spent with my son was strained. I was an athlete. I played baseball from the time I was old enough to hold a bat and put on a glove. There was not a sport that I could not play. There was not a sport in which I wasn't decent if I played. I wanted an athlete...someone to follow in my steps...someone with the same interests that I had. That was not Nathan. I tried to force him into that mold but that was not who he was. He was creative. He was fantastic at drawing and painting...not a ball player. The first painting he ever did won the Grand Champion ribbon at the 4-H Fair in 2003. He was 12.
This is going to sound absolutely horrible but it is nothing but the truth. I was kind of ashamed of my son.
I was as lost as a ball in tall grass at this time. I was selfish. I wanted everybody to look at my son and think how great of a teacher I was...that he could play ball so well because of me and my ability to teach him how to play ball so well.
Wicked and vile. That's what I was.
If I have learned anything from the death of my son it is this...
I would spend less time at work...
I would teach him responsibility and consequences for actions...
I'd be interested in the things he was interested in....
And I'd teach him the gospel...the real thing
Dads, I understand that you have to pay the bills. I also understand that if the bills take every bit of your time and effort to pay then they are too much for you and you've bit off more than you can chew.
Dads, I understand that you want your kids to like you and to be your friend and to think you're a "cool dad". That's great. I wanted that, too. But, that ain't your job. Your job is to do what is the best for your children, which is to teach responsibility. Not to wink at stuff and play it off as if it was not a big deal. Trust me...over the course of time, it will become a big deal and then it may be too late. Discipline your kids. Teach your kids responsibility and consequences. You are a derelict parent if you do not do the hard work of discipline. They may not like it. They may get mad. They may say mean and hurtful and terrible things. Oh well......they'll get over it. They need the discipline. They need what's best for them in the long run, not what's the easiest thing to do to get them to be ok right now.
Dads, I understand that you want your sons and daughters to have the same likes and hobbies that you do. That may not happen. If it doesn't, do not force it. If you love baseball but your son likes painting, then I suggest that you develop an interest in art. If he likes to draw Pokemon cards, draw Pokemon cards with him even if you can't draw water out of a well...know what I am saying? If your girl wants to have a dress up tea party with every Barbie doll and stuffed animal on your block, ask what color lipstick does she want to use. Have I made my point?
Dads, your kids need the gospel. The real gospel. The gospel of grace, not the gospel of do nice things and try harder to be a good person. If the church you attend doesn't preach the gospel...the real gospel....then you need to split and find a church that teaches the gospel of Jesus Christ. If you don't know what that is, you can refer to my post "Hindsight" for an overview. Or, you can refer to any of the posts on this website with the word "gospel" in the title. They'll help you. If that isn't enough for you, then I'd refer you to a couple of you tube videos called "The Acropolis of the Christian Faith" or "The Shocking Youth Message", both by Paul Washer. Both are stellar examples of the preaching of the gospel.
I can't go back and have a REDO with my son or my daughter, for that matter. But, maybe, I can share some things that I learned the hard way with the rest of you.
Parenting is not easy. It is not for the faint of heart. It is not for the weak. But, I will have you know this.....
Your children were not a surprise to God. He is sovereign and in total control. He gave them to you. He gave Nate and Holly to Debbie and I. Why He saw fit to give my precious son to a 21 year old, immature boy, I will never know. I was a horrible dad. I mean absolutely terrible. I do not understand the purposes of God. I cannot understand an infinite God with a finite mind but I trust that His purposes were fulfilled for Nathan through Deb and I.
Your children are YOURS by the sovereign hand of God Almighty because He saw fit to give them to you. Please, do not fail the assignment He has given you only to find out, too late, that you have failed the assignment He has given you.
My son, Nathan, killed himself on September 22, 2016. He was 25.
When he was young, I worked every hour I could work. I wanted my wife to stay home with my son and, eventually, my daughter. So, I worked every hour of overtime I could work plus delivered pizza in the evening on the side. Fathers, money is not everything. As a matter of fact, it's nothing.
What little time I spent with my son was strained. I was an athlete. I played baseball from the time I was old enough to hold a bat and put on a glove. There was not a sport that I could not play. There was not a sport in which I wasn't decent if I played. I wanted an athlete...someone to follow in my steps...someone with the same interests that I had. That was not Nathan. I tried to force him into that mold but that was not who he was. He was creative. He was fantastic at drawing and painting...not a ball player. The first painting he ever did won the Grand Champion ribbon at the 4-H Fair in 2003. He was 12.
This is going to sound absolutely horrible but it is nothing but the truth. I was kind of ashamed of my son.
I was as lost as a ball in tall grass at this time. I was selfish. I wanted everybody to look at my son and think how great of a teacher I was...that he could play ball so well because of me and my ability to teach him how to play ball so well.
Wicked and vile. That's what I was.
If I have learned anything from the death of my son it is this...
I would spend less time at work...
I would teach him responsibility and consequences for actions...
I'd be interested in the things he was interested in....
And I'd teach him the gospel...the real thing
Dads, I understand that you have to pay the bills. I also understand that if the bills take every bit of your time and effort to pay then they are too much for you and you've bit off more than you can chew.
Dads, I understand that you want your kids to like you and to be your friend and to think you're a "cool dad". That's great. I wanted that, too. But, that ain't your job. Your job is to do what is the best for your children, which is to teach responsibility. Not to wink at stuff and play it off as if it was not a big deal. Trust me...over the course of time, it will become a big deal and then it may be too late. Discipline your kids. Teach your kids responsibility and consequences. You are a derelict parent if you do not do the hard work of discipline. They may not like it. They may get mad. They may say mean and hurtful and terrible things. Oh well......they'll get over it. They need the discipline. They need what's best for them in the long run, not what's the easiest thing to do to get them to be ok right now.
Dads, I understand that you want your sons and daughters to have the same likes and hobbies that you do. That may not happen. If it doesn't, do not force it. If you love baseball but your son likes painting, then I suggest that you develop an interest in art. If he likes to draw Pokemon cards, draw Pokemon cards with him even if you can't draw water out of a well...know what I am saying? If your girl wants to have a dress up tea party with every Barbie doll and stuffed animal on your block, ask what color lipstick does she want to use. Have I made my point?
Dads, your kids need the gospel. The real gospel. The gospel of grace, not the gospel of do nice things and try harder to be a good person. If the church you attend doesn't preach the gospel...the real gospel....then you need to split and find a church that teaches the gospel of Jesus Christ. If you don't know what that is, you can refer to my post "Hindsight" for an overview. Or, you can refer to any of the posts on this website with the word "gospel" in the title. They'll help you. If that isn't enough for you, then I'd refer you to a couple of you tube videos called "The Acropolis of the Christian Faith" or "The Shocking Youth Message", both by Paul Washer. Both are stellar examples of the preaching of the gospel.
I can't go back and have a REDO with my son or my daughter, for that matter. But, maybe, I can share some things that I learned the hard way with the rest of you.
Parenting is not easy. It is not for the faint of heart. It is not for the weak. But, I will have you know this.....
Your children were not a surprise to God. He is sovereign and in total control. He gave them to you. He gave Nate and Holly to Debbie and I. Why He saw fit to give my precious son to a 21 year old, immature boy, I will never know. I was a horrible dad. I mean absolutely terrible. I do not understand the purposes of God. I cannot understand an infinite God with a finite mind but I trust that His purposes were fulfilled for Nathan through Deb and I.
Your children are YOURS by the sovereign hand of God Almighty because He saw fit to give them to you. Please, do not fail the assignment He has given you only to find out, too late, that you have failed the assignment He has given you.
Saturday, April 25, 2020
The Prophetic Word Made More Sure
2 Peter 1:16-21...we would do well to remember and understand this admonition. Below is a smattering of articles concerning or videos from modern-day "prophets" who have heard from god ( little "g" is purposeful ) about COVID-19. This is pathetic. The reason I show this is because these people are not on the fringe. They are working their way into mainstream if they are not there already. They are false teachers; they are ravenous wolves; they are to be marked and avoided at all costs because these people do not speak for the living God. They do not know Him. They are lost and need our prayer.
Pay attention to dates on the videos and articles. These things are key. Some of the videos may have a bit of length. Some are very short. I will let you decide to watch or not. It is, however, important to know what is happening in the name of God. This is serious business. The dates the videos were posted are obviously a later date than the time that the "prophecy" was spoken in them. Keep that in mind. Kenneth Copeland is in here more than once. That's because he has blasphemed God on several occasions here in the last few weeks. That is not something that has just started with him, for sure, but this stuff is his most recent.
I am also hoping that these series of videos and articles will spur you all to dig for yourself. I want to say this again and I can't overstate this...This lunacy is not on the fringe any longer. It is coming right through the front door of the "evangelical" church and is being embraced far and wide. Study...research...put the pieces of the puzzle together because this all intertwines into a big convoluted mess.
I'm merely posting what's going on with the COVID-19 because it is recent and up-to-the-moment. There are so many false prophecies from these "prophets", and others just like them, that have nothing to do with COVID-19 whatsoever. It is bizarre stuff....and blasphemous...and heretical...and damaging.
God does speak...through His Word. As I have heard Justin Peters say, "If you want to hear God speak, read your Bible. If you want to hear God speak audibly, read it out loud."
Right on and Amen......
And now, for your perusing pleasure...watch, read and, more than anything else, learn and have your discernment sharpened by comparing these charlatans to the Scripture.
Tracy Cooke's dream Video posted on March 24
Word of the LORD came to Ken Copeland Video posted March 19
Kenneth Copeland pronouncing judgement on COVID -19 Video posted March 30
Ken Copeland blows on COVID-19 Video posted April 7
COVID-19 declared dead March 27 Article about Global Day of Prayer with "Pastor" Benny Hinn and "Pastor" Chris Oyakhilome. About this article, I will say this: 'Pastor" Chris is an African pastor. Africa is absolutely overrun with the WoF and NAR movements. That is the dominant version of "christianity" on the continent. Their blasphemous teaching does not only reach Africa. Because of the internet, it can make its way here, too. Very recently, there was a video of this "pastor" sent to Debbie and I, from someone we care very deeply for, and we were told that he was "right on". My friends, he is not "right on". He is a charlatan, a hack, a heretic and is to be marked, avoided and exposed.
Chris Rosebrough on Shawn Bolz .......This video was posted on March 18. I tried to link to the story / article that Pastor Chris Rosebrough refers to in this video but I could not. For whatever reason, it wouldn't allow me to do so. Probably something to do with it being property of Fox News. In this video, Pastor Chris is referencing a Fox News story about Shawn Bolz, published on March 3, and his "prophecy" regarding the coronavirus. Shawn Bolz is known as the "Google Prophet" because whenever he is doing his prophecy thingy and calling out people from a crowd, he is ALWAYS carrying a smartphone or a tablet. Think about that for a bit and consider the implications. Pastor Chris touches on that some in this video. This video is important to watch because it does 2 things. Pastor Chris puts the timeline together as to what Shawn Bolz "prophesied" and when he "prophesied" it and what is actually happening. It also goes into why Shawn Bolz is called the "Google Prophet". It proves he is a charlatan and liar. Please take the time to educate yourself.
Shawn Bolz Article published March 23
Bethel Healing Rooms Article published April 7. Read the first paragraph of this article and you should be able to see the irony and, sadly, the falsehood of their teaching about healing. Read it carefully and pay attention. These people are frauds and should be called out as such. They cannot do what they say they can do. They are liars.
If you wish to see some more in depth teaching and exposure of these frauds, then I would recommend these videos to you......
Justin Peters
Chris Rosebrough
These two gentleman are incredibly gifted teachers...very solid teaching. So good at helping to discern. I have learned a ton from Chris Rosebrough and Justin Peters both.
Pay attention to dates on the videos and articles. These things are key. Some of the videos may have a bit of length. Some are very short. I will let you decide to watch or not. It is, however, important to know what is happening in the name of God. This is serious business. The dates the videos were posted are obviously a later date than the time that the "prophecy" was spoken in them. Keep that in mind. Kenneth Copeland is in here more than once. That's because he has blasphemed God on several occasions here in the last few weeks. That is not something that has just started with him, for sure, but this stuff is his most recent.
I am also hoping that these series of videos and articles will spur you all to dig for yourself. I want to say this again and I can't overstate this...This lunacy is not on the fringe any longer. It is coming right through the front door of the "evangelical" church and is being embraced far and wide. Study...research...put the pieces of the puzzle together because this all intertwines into a big convoluted mess.
I'm merely posting what's going on with the COVID-19 because it is recent and up-to-the-moment. There are so many false prophecies from these "prophets", and others just like them, that have nothing to do with COVID-19 whatsoever. It is bizarre stuff....and blasphemous...and heretical...and damaging.
God does speak...through His Word. As I have heard Justin Peters say, "If you want to hear God speak, read your Bible. If you want to hear God speak audibly, read it out loud."
Right on and Amen......
And now, for your perusing pleasure...watch, read and, more than anything else, learn and have your discernment sharpened by comparing these charlatans to the Scripture.
Tracy Cooke's dream Video posted on March 24
Word of the LORD came to Ken Copeland Video posted March 19
Kenneth Copeland pronouncing judgement on COVID -19 Video posted March 30
Ken Copeland blows on COVID-19 Video posted April 7
COVID-19 declared dead March 27 Article about Global Day of Prayer with "Pastor" Benny Hinn and "Pastor" Chris Oyakhilome. About this article, I will say this: 'Pastor" Chris is an African pastor. Africa is absolutely overrun with the WoF and NAR movements. That is the dominant version of "christianity" on the continent. Their blasphemous teaching does not only reach Africa. Because of the internet, it can make its way here, too. Very recently, there was a video of this "pastor" sent to Debbie and I, from someone we care very deeply for, and we were told that he was "right on". My friends, he is not "right on". He is a charlatan, a hack, a heretic and is to be marked, avoided and exposed.
Chris Rosebrough on Shawn Bolz .......This video was posted on March 18. I tried to link to the story / article that Pastor Chris Rosebrough refers to in this video but I could not. For whatever reason, it wouldn't allow me to do so. Probably something to do with it being property of Fox News. In this video, Pastor Chris is referencing a Fox News story about Shawn Bolz, published on March 3, and his "prophecy" regarding the coronavirus. Shawn Bolz is known as the "Google Prophet" because whenever he is doing his prophecy thingy and calling out people from a crowd, he is ALWAYS carrying a smartphone or a tablet. Think about that for a bit and consider the implications. Pastor Chris touches on that some in this video. This video is important to watch because it does 2 things. Pastor Chris puts the timeline together as to what Shawn Bolz "prophesied" and when he "prophesied" it and what is actually happening. It also goes into why Shawn Bolz is called the "Google Prophet". It proves he is a charlatan and liar. Please take the time to educate yourself.
Shawn Bolz Article published March 23
Bethel Healing Rooms Article published April 7. Read the first paragraph of this article and you should be able to see the irony and, sadly, the falsehood of their teaching about healing. Read it carefully and pay attention. These people are frauds and should be called out as such. They cannot do what they say they can do. They are liars.
If you wish to see some more in depth teaching and exposure of these frauds, then I would recommend these videos to you......
Justin Peters
Chris Rosebrough
These two gentleman are incredibly gifted teachers...very solid teaching. So good at helping to discern. I have learned a ton from Chris Rosebrough and Justin Peters both.
Tuesday, March 17, 2020
Yesterday the Good.....Today the Bad and the Ugly
I mentioned earlier about comparing and contrasting a proper response to God's holiness and the nonsense happening today. I was advised that slamming all of it into one post was not the right thing to do so I focused on the positive in yesterday's post. Here is some of the negative. Below is a video from Bethel in Redding, CA. Bill Johnson is pastor there. It is supposedly God's presence in a glittery "glory cloud" falling down and enveloping the congregation.
We have seen from several examples that, even when God's chosen ones are in His presence or merely see Him in a vision, they either hide their face, as was the case with Moses, cry out in despair, as was the case with Isaiah or fall prostrate before Him in fear, as was the case with Peter, James and John at the transfiguration or John as he saw a vision of Jesus when he was given the Revelation of Jesus Christ. In the following video, you will notice that such a reaction is absent.
In Exodus 33, God directly tells Moses that "no man can see Me and live!" (Exodus 33:20)
Correct me if I am wrong, but I'm pretty sure that being immersed in a "cloud" that is supposed to be God's glory would constitute seeing God, would it not?
Give the video a little bit of time. The "cloud" starts falling around the 1:00 mark. When you hear the lady singing, "I see the cloud", focus on the lighting in the top right corner. You will be able to see it beginning. It becomes more easy to see and prominent a little while later. What I want you all to notice is the reaction of the people. Hooting, hollering, clapping hands, screaming, cheering...The lady in the background singing, "I am not afraid". Friends, she should be afraid, as well as those with her in that room because they are not worshipping God. If that were God in that "cloud", they wouldn't be acting as they are. They'd be on their faces, crying out for mercy...if they weren't insinerated on the spot.
You all judge for yourselves if this is biblical......
I could post video after video after video of blasphemous stuff done in the name of God, masquerading as the work of the Holy Spirit. But I will leave you with only one. This is from the Lakeland, FL revival that took place in the late 2000s. The man is Todd Bentley. He was removed from ministry because of an adulterous affair. I'm not throwing stones about that. If you know my background from reading this blog or know me personally, who am I to throw rocks in a glass house? I'm not focused on the adultery. I am, however, focused on the heretical teaching. Thus, the reason for the upcoming video.
Subsequent to his removal from ministry, after a short time, he was restored to ministry. Among those present at his re-installation was Bill Johnson of Bethel. So, let that sink in a bit after you have viewed this. One thing you will learn, if you do enough research and go down enough rabbit holes, is that all of these people and churches and organizations involved in this idiocy are interconnected in some way, shape or form. It is amazing. I beseech you all to do some research. Discernment is everybody's business and informing yourself as to what the enemy is up to, or has been up to, can only help you be able to help those you love. It is really quite fascinating to see how it all fits together. And it is incredibly sad. The quality of this video is really crummy but you will get the gist. Listen to what he says....especially what he claims God says to him.
So, without further ado, for your consideration.......
We have seen from several examples that, even when God's chosen ones are in His presence or merely see Him in a vision, they either hide their face, as was the case with Moses, cry out in despair, as was the case with Isaiah or fall prostrate before Him in fear, as was the case with Peter, James and John at the transfiguration or John as he saw a vision of Jesus when he was given the Revelation of Jesus Christ. In the following video, you will notice that such a reaction is absent.
In Exodus 33, God directly tells Moses that "no man can see Me and live!" (Exodus 33:20)
Correct me if I am wrong, but I'm pretty sure that being immersed in a "cloud" that is supposed to be God's glory would constitute seeing God, would it not?
Give the video a little bit of time. The "cloud" starts falling around the 1:00 mark. When you hear the lady singing, "I see the cloud", focus on the lighting in the top right corner. You will be able to see it beginning. It becomes more easy to see and prominent a little while later. What I want you all to notice is the reaction of the people. Hooting, hollering, clapping hands, screaming, cheering...The lady in the background singing, "I am not afraid". Friends, she should be afraid, as well as those with her in that room because they are not worshipping God. If that were God in that "cloud", they wouldn't be acting as they are. They'd be on their faces, crying out for mercy...if they weren't insinerated on the spot.
You all judge for yourselves if this is biblical......
I could post video after video after video of blasphemous stuff done in the name of God, masquerading as the work of the Holy Spirit. But I will leave you with only one. This is from the Lakeland, FL revival that took place in the late 2000s. The man is Todd Bentley. He was removed from ministry because of an adulterous affair. I'm not throwing stones about that. If you know my background from reading this blog or know me personally, who am I to throw rocks in a glass house? I'm not focused on the adultery. I am, however, focused on the heretical teaching. Thus, the reason for the upcoming video.
Subsequent to his removal from ministry, after a short time, he was restored to ministry. Among those present at his re-installation was Bill Johnson of Bethel. So, let that sink in a bit after you have viewed this. One thing you will learn, if you do enough research and go down enough rabbit holes, is that all of these people and churches and organizations involved in this idiocy are interconnected in some way, shape or form. It is amazing. I beseech you all to do some research. Discernment is everybody's business and informing yourself as to what the enemy is up to, or has been up to, can only help you be able to help those you love. It is really quite fascinating to see how it all fits together. And it is incredibly sad. The quality of this video is really crummy but you will get the gist. Listen to what he says....especially what he claims God says to him.
So, without further ado, for your consideration.......
The Gospel...Completing the Foundation
Isaiah saw a vision of God and thought he was going to perish. He cried, "Woe is me!". Why? Because he, being a totally depraved, sinful creature had seen the perfect, holy God Almighty. And he was undone. He was terrified because the darkness of his sinful heart had been exposed by the brightness of God's holiness. In the company of holiness, the sinful heart will seek the solitude of secrecy because, as Jesus told us in John 3:19-20, "This is the judgment, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved the darkness rather than the Light, for their deeds were evil. For everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come to the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed." When the sinful person comes into contact with a holy God, the prideful heart will melt into a puddle of fear, awe, unworthiness and reverence.
Moses, when tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, had an encounter with the "angel of the LORD". Literally, that means "messenger of Yahweh" and, in context, it turns out to be the Lord Himself talking to Moses out of the burning bush. When the Lord spoke to Moses, He told him to take off his sandals because he was on holy ground. And, when in the presence of the Lord and His holiness, Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God.
At the transfiguration of Jesus, Peter, James and John witnessed Him in all His glory. But in Matthew 17:5, when God the Father spoke and said, "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!", they fell face down to the ground, terrified, in verse 6. Why? Because this is a proper response when in the presence of the God of the universe.
"Then I turned around to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lamp-stands; and in the middle of the lamp-stands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash. His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength. When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man..." (Revelation 1:12-17 NASB)
When the Spirit of God came to John and, supernaturally, revealed this vision to him, John saw Jesus, the Son of God, the second Person of the Trinity. John saw Jesus in all His glory. John saw Jesus in all His blazing holiness. John saw Jesus in all His might. John heard the voice of Jesus in all its authority. Keep in mind, this John had been with Jesus from the very beginning. He had seen the miracles Jesus had done. He was there when Jesus had healed people. He had seen the transfiguration. He had been in the garden the night Jesus was betrayed and was agonizing in prayer over what awaited Him on the cross. He was at the cross. He saw Jesus die. He was at the empty tomb. He saw the grave clothes of the Lord Jesus folded up and laying where Jesus had been and he knew that Jesus had risen. He had been a witness to all of these things...and so much more. How did John react to the vision of Jesus he saw? He fell at the feet of Jesus as if he were a dead man.
So, why line all of these events from Scripture up and examine them? Because they provide a picture. They give a glimpse of what it is to be in the presence of a holy God, the transcendent creator of the universe. Sinful mankind is brought to his knees in front of the radiant holiness of God. We cannot stand next to His perfection. And these men, all of them justified by grace through faith, saved from their sin, were terrified in His company. When men truly know how sinful they really are, they will fall on their faces in reverence, awe and fear before an all righteous, infinitely holy God.
This is where the gospel starts.
This is the foundation upon which the gospel is built...God's holiness.
This must be the starting point.
If men do not understand who God is, beginning with His holiness, then how will they ever be able to understand how desperate is their plight before Him?
If men do not understand how wicked they are before God, how can they ever understand their utter need for Him to step in and save them?
Moses, when tending the flock of his father-in-law Jethro, had an encounter with the "angel of the LORD". Literally, that means "messenger of Yahweh" and, in context, it turns out to be the Lord Himself talking to Moses out of the burning bush. When the Lord spoke to Moses, He told him to take off his sandals because he was on holy ground. And, when in the presence of the Lord and His holiness, Moses hid his face because he was afraid to look at God.
At the transfiguration of Jesus, Peter, James and John witnessed Him in all His glory. But in Matthew 17:5, when God the Father spoke and said, "This is My beloved Son, with whom I am well-pleased; listen to Him!", they fell face down to the ground, terrified, in verse 6. Why? Because this is a proper response when in the presence of the God of the universe.
"Then I turned around to see the voice that was speaking with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lamp-stands; and in the middle of the lamp-stands I saw one like a son of man, clothed in a robe reaching to the feet, and girded across His chest with a golden sash. His head and His hair were white like white wool, like snow; and His eyes were like a flame of fire. His feet were like burnished bronze, when it has been made to glow in a furnace, and His voice was like the sound of many waters. In His right hand He held seven stars, and out of His mouth came a sharp two-edged sword; and His face was like the sun shining in its strength. When I saw Him, I fell at His feet like a dead man..." (Revelation 1:12-17 NASB)
When the Spirit of God came to John and, supernaturally, revealed this vision to him, John saw Jesus, the Son of God, the second Person of the Trinity. John saw Jesus in all His glory. John saw Jesus in all His blazing holiness. John saw Jesus in all His might. John heard the voice of Jesus in all its authority. Keep in mind, this John had been with Jesus from the very beginning. He had seen the miracles Jesus had done. He was there when Jesus had healed people. He had seen the transfiguration. He had been in the garden the night Jesus was betrayed and was agonizing in prayer over what awaited Him on the cross. He was at the cross. He saw Jesus die. He was at the empty tomb. He saw the grave clothes of the Lord Jesus folded up and laying where Jesus had been and he knew that Jesus had risen. He had been a witness to all of these things...and so much more. How did John react to the vision of Jesus he saw? He fell at the feet of Jesus as if he were a dead man.
So, why line all of these events from Scripture up and examine them? Because they provide a picture. They give a glimpse of what it is to be in the presence of a holy God, the transcendent creator of the universe. Sinful mankind is brought to his knees in front of the radiant holiness of God. We cannot stand next to His perfection. And these men, all of them justified by grace through faith, saved from their sin, were terrified in His company. When men truly know how sinful they really are, they will fall on their faces in reverence, awe and fear before an all righteous, infinitely holy God.
This is where the gospel starts.
This is the foundation upon which the gospel is built...God's holiness.
This must be the starting point.
If men do not understand who God is, beginning with His holiness, then how will they ever be able to understand how desperate is their plight before Him?
If men do not understand how wicked they are before God, how can they ever understand their utter need for Him to step in and save them?
Friday, February 21, 2020
This is NOT of God
I found this on Chris Rosebrough's website a long time ago. The link I posted will take you straight to where I found it on his site. I thought that this would kinda fit nicely with what we are going to be talking about here in the next few weeks when we talk about scriptural figures who had an actual encounter with God and how they reacted as opposed to how people react today when they SUPPOSEDLY have an encounter with God. Here's a spoiler for y'all......
What people today are encountering and calling God...it's not God.
This is one of the scariest things I think I've ever seen. And it takes place in a "church". This is a few years ago at Bethel Redding to be honest. But that doesn't take away from the fact that it happened. And this woman still speaks at Bill Johnson's "church" regularly.
I will tell you, this is hard to watch. Scary stuff.
heidi-bakers-demonic-impartations-at-bethel-church
What people today are encountering and calling God...it's not God.
This is one of the scariest things I think I've ever seen. And it takes place in a "church". This is a few years ago at Bethel Redding to be honest. But that doesn't take away from the fact that it happened. And this woman still speaks at Bill Johnson's "church" regularly.
I will tell you, this is hard to watch. Scary stuff.
heidi-bakers-demonic-impartations-at-bethel-church
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)