airō | Surrendering to the Lordship of Jesus Christ

airō Has Moved - Please Update Feeds

2011-09-06T11:00:00.000-04:00

All traffic to airō will now be redirected to the new website. Please update your RSS feeds, blog rolls, and other subscriptions to the new page at http://airocross.com and be sure to subscribe at the new location. Looking forward to seeing you on the other side!

airō Is Moving!

2011-09-01T10:30:00.002-04:00

I am pleased to inform you airō has gotten a major face lift and will be moving to the Wordpress platform. I am still transitioning a bit as I update formatting issues with older blog posts, but for the most part the new site is ready for you to enjoy. This blogspot will remain active for the next week, and then all traffic will be redirected to the new website. Eventually, this blogspot will be turned off. So with that, please join me at the new website and share with all of your friends - it's a much needed improvement and I think you will be pleased. The new URL is http://airocross.com or simply click airō. Don't forget to subscribe to the new website! :)

Justice, Mercy, and Grace

2011-08-19T11:54:00.000-04:00

By Justin Edwards

Justice is getting what you deserve, mercy is not getting what you deserve, and grace is getting what you don’t deserve.

When we are witnessing to the lost, it is oftentimes important to define the terms we are using to communicate the Gospel. In one conversation last night during our weekly outreach, after one gentleman expressed he must prove that he was deserving of salvation, I quickly asked him what grace is. He defined it as love, so I proceeded to explain to him what justice, mercy, and grace is as defined by Scripture. These terms and their meanings seem to largely be lost among today’s society, so let’s briefly take a look at each in hopes they will help you better understand and communicate the glorious Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Justice is getting what you deserve.

When we hear of justice today, it’s usually in the form of its antonym, injustice. We hear of social justice and perceived abuses of justice, but it is rare on the streets when someone can provide a correct definition of justice. The best way to do this is to figuratively take the individual into the courtroom.

If we break the law, there is a consequence. For example, if we get a ticket for going 55mph in a 35mph speed zone, the right or just thing for the judge of the court would be to fine us for our violation of the traffic law. If 20 people showed up in the courtroom that day with traffic violations in the same speed zone, the judge should still fine every person for the violation against the law, regardless of “everybody else was doing it”. We, individually, are responsible to obey the law, and when we violate the law, we each are responsible to pay the debt owed. The judge is a good and just judge when he gives us what we deserve.

In the same way, we have all broken God’s law. We have all lied, stolen, blasphemed God’s holy name, lusted and murdered in our heart, among many other offenses against Him. Because God is a good and just judge, the Supreme Judge of the universe, He must punish the crimes committed against Him. If He overlooked our crimes as if they never happened, or merely accepted an apology from us on the day of judgment and let us go free out of His holy courtroom, then He would be corrupt and unjust. It is because of His goodness that our sin must be punished, and it is why we deserve His justice and death sentence to eternal hell.

See this article for more on the justice of God: Jesus: Holy and Righteous God of Love and Wrath – Part 3

Mercy is not getting what you deserve.

Mercy is deliverance from the justice we deserve. The Bible says that God is rich in mercy (Ephesians 2:4) and saves us not because of anything we have done, but because of His mercy alone (Titus 3:5). We deserve His justice and His wrath against us in the eternal lake of fire because we have sinned against an infinitely holy God. Even so, God has chosen according to the counsel of His own will (Ephesians 2:5) to be merciful to some (Romans 9:22-23) to forgive them their debts owed to Him.

It’s important to understand that God does not show mercy at the expense of His justice. In fact, overlooking these crimes would be a great injustice as mentioned before. The Bible says that God’s wrath must be satisfied (1 John 4:10), which means every sin, or crime, that has ever been committed against Him by any human that has ever walked the earth, whether thought, word, or deed, must be punished. That’s why Christ had to die on the cross – to shed His blood to make atonement (to pay the debt) for these sins. All who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ by repentant faith had their sin transferred to Christ and their crimes were punished through Him. The very wrath we deserved was poured out on God’s own Son – He bore our iniquities and took our punishment (Isaiah 53).

So though God shows mercy to His sheep, their sins do not go unpunished. Justice is either served through the shed blood of Christ, or justice is served through the punishment of unrepentant sinners in hell for eternity. Christ paid a debt He did not owe because we had a debt we could not pay. Because God’s wrath was satisfied and justice served, His mercy abounds for those He saves. That is justice and mercy working together.

Grace is getting what you don’t deserve.

The man we spoke with last night believed he had to prove himself worthy of salvation – that is what Catholics and Mormons believe. Indeed, if we had to work for grace, then it would not be grace at all, it would be merited favor. The Bible teaches that salvation is absolutely and completely of the Lord (Ephesians 2:8-9; Hebrews 12:2; Philippians 1:6; 1 Corinthians 1:26-31). Even our faith and repentance are gifts, otherwise they would be works (2 Timothy 2:25; Ephesians 2:1-10).

In the last moments of Christ’s crucifixion, as He hung there in spiritual agony as the result of the weight of sin of the world and God crushing His Son with His full wrath, Jesus said, “It is finished”, and then He gave up His spirit (John 19:30). Not only was His work to save men from their sins completed, but He affirmed there is nothing left to be done. No more work, no more sacrifice, nothing at all. There is nothing any of us can do to add to the finished work of Christ. It is finished! The person who believes they have to prove themselves worthy of salvation does not understand the price paid for sin, nor do they understand grace and are still dead in their sins.

We are born spiritually dead (Ephesians 2:1), we are blinded by the god of this world (2 Corinthians 4:4), and it is impossible for us as natural men to understand the things of God (1 Corinthians 2:14). We are deserving of God’s justice, but according to His will (John 1:12-13) and the glorious riches of His mercy, He has chosen to deliver His people from His wrath and give them what they don’t deserve.

God’s justice and mercy are hinged upon the cross by His sovereign grace. He gives us what we can never earn, namely eternal life, while meeting all the requirements to satisfy His justice. Now that is amazing grace!

This article was originally posted at The Speak:Truth Project

Furtick's Elevation Church on Evangelism

2011-08-18T09:49:00.002-04:00

By Justin Edwards

Curious of Elevation Church's method of evangelism? Invite them to church! That's right, Elevation's position on evangelism is to train their congregation to invite people to church so they can be wooed by the flashing lights, rock music and hip hop, and anything else culturally relevant to the itching ear. Who needs to know the Gospel and proclaim it when all you have to do is work up the courage to invite people to hip entertainment ala Steven Furtick and his team of rock stars?

The following is a snippet from an email response to a dear brother of mine. I marked out his name to keep him anonymous. My friend's inquiry to Elevation was as follows:

What does elevation do as far as evangelism? Any training or witnessing ministries within the church?

Here is the August 16, 2011 response from Elevation Church "Connections Pastor" Larry Brey:

In case the above image is difficult to read, the text is as follows:

Hey _____,

Great hearing from you and thanks for your question. The best evangelism training we have is to teach people how to invite their friends to come to church with them. We view it as a partnership, they invite them and we do everything we can to create an amazing worship experience. Most people have to work to be comfortable to invite people to church and the best witness they can be is to live their life out in front of the people. Hope that helps. Have a great day and God bless -- Larry Brey, Connections Pastor

Evangelism at Elevation Church (source)

So, their "best evangelism training" is inviting people to church - where is that in Scripture? Last I checked, Ephesians 4:11-12 is still the mandate of the local church:

And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ...

The job of the local church is to equip the saints for the work of ministry, to build up the body of Christ. In other words, it's to equip them to GO, fulfilling the commands of Christ in Matthew 28:18-20 and Mark 16:15. Larry Brey's response is further proof that Elevation Church is not for the Body of Christ, but rather for catering to the lost, which Steven Furtick himself so eloquently said when he declared a few years ago,

If You Know Jesus This Church is NOT for you! (source)

Elevation Church is not for the equipping of the saints for the work of the ministry and shepherding the flock to grow in holiness (1 Thessalonians 2:11-12), but for feeding spoiled milk to nonbelievers and false converts alike. In other words, Elevation has redefined church from God's intention and design.

Perhaps even more disturbing, is the exhortation to be "the best witness they can be is to live their life out in front of the people." That sounds an awful lot like the unbiblical advice from the popular quote,

Preach the Gospel always, and if necessary, use words.

On the contrary, this is what Scripture says,

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” 14 How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” - Romans 10:13-15

Indeed, how beautiful are the feet who GO out into the world to preach Christ and Him crucified! How marvelous that God has made us to be vessels to proclaim His unspeakable love, grace, and mercy to sinners everywhere - outside the church doors! How humbling it is that we are to be used as instruments in God's plan of redemption, proclaiming the glories of Christ, the holiness and righteousness of the Just Judge of creation, and the salvation offered through the blood sacrifice by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone.

Yet, all Elevation Church aims to do is teach people how to invite people to church and "live the Gospel"? There is no such thing as "living the Gospel"! The Gospel is God satisfying His own wrath against mankind in order that man might be saved from his enslavement to sin and the wrath of God to receive eternal life in Christ. We are to not be "ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek" (Romans 1:16). That is the Gospel, and we are to proclaim it!

This is serious, my friends. If you attend Elevation Church, please do consider what is at stake here. Do you know the Gospel and can you communicate it? Does Elevation's position line up with Scripture? Are you learning more how to socially interact with people than learning the deep things of God? Are you being shepherded unto holiness, being exhorted to no longer be conformed to the world and be transformed by the renewing of your mind, or are you learning new ways to mix churchianity and the things of this world?

Elevation's method of evangelism is preposterous, and anyone caught up in this mega-business should seriously consider fleeing - for your sake and the sake of those you meet who will never come to church with you. Asking people to come to church is a good thing, but it is absolutely no substitute for your commission to share the Gospel by your own lips. I recommend you begin here.

I also recommend the following article as it relates to the Church's mission of evangelism: The Gospel Is for Christians.

Rick Perry and The New Apostolic Reformation

2011-08-16T11:32:00.002-04:00

By Justin Edwards

There have been many warnings over the last few weeks with regards to Rick Perry's The Response prayer event in Houston, Texas on August 6, 2011. I shared Brannon Howse's warning on the blog a couple of weeks ago, and other warnings can be seen at Sola Sisters, an extensively detailed piece from Apprising Ministries entitled IHOP Enters Dominion/Christian Rights Politics, another piece from Howse titled The Emergence of The New Religious Right And Its Threat To The Church, Chrystal Witt's piece Divorcing America from Baal?, and Marsha West's response post-prayer event that offers great insight to the good, the bad, and the ugly that took place at The Response.

What, or who, exactly has Rick Perry aligned himself with? The links above clearly show what is taking place behind the scenes unbeknownst to many conservative Christians. Many participated or supported Perry's prayer event last week, including best-selling author and watchman on the wall, Joel Rosenberg. In fact, Rosenberg said in this article the day after the prayer event,

Some evangelicals were critical of ”The Response.” They urged people not to attend because they have serious and fundamental theological differences with some of those involved in the event. A few emailed me and urged me not to participate. I heard those concerns and I have strong disagreements with some of the participants, too. But the truth is the vast majority of organizers and participants of this prayer meeting were theologically, morally and ethically solid evangelical, Bible believing followers of Jesus Christ.

It is unfortunate that Rosenberg has not done his research and cannot see the undercurrent of deception that is taking place. What's more, despite the "serious and fundamental theological differences" and having "strong disagreements with some of the participants", he chose to endorse the event anyway. Those whom we have serious and fundamental theological differences with happen to believe that before Christ will return to this earth, it is the church's mandate to pave the way for the Kingdom, that Christ won't return until the Kingdom has been established by Christian world domination. This domination, according to dominionists, will occur by taking over the government and cultural landscape. Lighthouse Trails has a recent piece titled, Will the Evangelical Church Sell Out the Gospel for a Dominionist Political Agenda? that offers the following definition:

The Gospel of Salvation [according to dominionism] is achieved by setting up the “Kingdom of God” as a literal and physical kingdom to be “advanced” on Earth in the present age. Some dominionists liken the New Testament Kingdom to the Old Testament Israel in ways that justify taking up the sword, or other methods of punitive judgment, to war against enemies of their kingdom. Dominionists teach that men can be coerced or compelled to enter the kingdom. They assign to the Church duties and rights that belong Scripturally only to Jesus Christ.

These, then, are not merely "strong disagreements" that we can just push to the side for the sake of unity as Rosenberg has suggested. The compromise at hand is one that is centered on the Gospel and has major implications for the Body of Christ, of which many believers are being deceived into co-mingling, or even substituting, patriotism and moralism with our mandate in the Great Commission. As was said in this article concerning Glenn Beck and Evangelicals from last year, "we must not compromise the Gospel on the alter of ecumenical patriotism!"

With this background, I now share with you something from the secular media. I by no means am a fan of Rachel Maddow, but she brings up some very serious concerns even though the root of her concerns are not the same for Christians. The following video shows just who Rick Perry has aligned himself with, and that the New Apostolic Reformation has chosen him to be their vessel to establish the Kingdom of God on earth. After showing various clips of C. Peter Wagner, Mike Bickle, Cindy Jacobs, and John Benefiel, Maddow closes with the following:

Rick Perry did not just do a prayer event in Texas that was a no-non Christians allowed event, Rick Perry did a prayer event that involved a specific Christian political movement, a movement that has political goals, and wants a political vehicle, and that seems to want a Rick Perry presidential candidacy to be their political vehicle. The Texas Observer begins its story about these new self-styled apostles with a story about a visit two of them paid to Governor Perry in Austin in 2009, quote, "The pastors told Perry of God's grand plan for Texas. A chain of powerful prophecies had proclaimed that Texas was "The Prophet State," anointed by God to lead the United States into revival and Godly government. And the governor would have a special role." The New Apostolic Reformation appears to have chosen Rick Perry as their candidate, as their vehicle for their political goal, which is of course, world domination, blah blah blah. Rick Perry is announcing his unofficial start to his presidential campaign this weekend in New Hampshire, South Carolina, and Iowa, after hosting a stadium prayer event with all of these folks, and frankly, getting away with no one in the beltway media reporting on who those folks are or why they did just this stadium prayer event with Rick Perry.

Here's the video in full:

So the secular media is picking up that these self-appointed prophets and apostles are getting behind the presidential candidacy of Governor Rick Perry. They have seemingly "chosen Rick Perry as their candidate, as their vehicle for their political goal, which is of course, world domination". This is not just something to have "strong disagreement" with, but to accept that we indeed have "serious and fundamental theological differences" that include the Gospel itself. As such, we have clear guidance from Scripture as to what to do in this type of situation:

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, “I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, 18 and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty.” - 2 Corinthians 6:14-18

We must separate ourselves from these false teachers, and continue to admonish, rebuke, and warn our brothers and sisters in Christ who are being caught up in the deception of ecumenical patriotism.

At this point, I do not see myself getting behind Rick Perry, even if he is a born again believer. He is clearly deceived and lacks discernment, and if his candidacy has any role in the NAR, Joel's Army, the Manifests Sons of God, Latter Rain, etc., gaining a ~~foothold~~ stronghold, then I want nothing to do with it and will continue to sound the alarm against it.

Do You Know This Repentance?

2011-08-15T10:13:00.005-04:00

By Justin Edwards

Do you know of the godly sorrow that produces repentance leading to salvation (2 Corinthians 7:10)? Have you turned from sin toward Christ to love Him and obey Him as He rightly deserves as sovereign Lord and King? If you do not know this kind of repentance, then you are still a slave to your sin. As I mentioned on facebook on Saturday,

Repentance means to let go of what you shouldn't love, and embrace Whom you should love. You can't love God and love sin at the same time, nor can you live for Christ and continue to live in sin at the same time. Love God and live, or love sin and die.

Let's now take a look at another biblical definition of repentance as defined in the note for Acts 26:20 in The New Geneva Study Bible:

"Repentance means changing one's mind, so that one's views, values, goals, and ways are changed, and one's whole life is lived differently. Mind and judgment, will and affections, behavior and lifestyle, motives and plans: all are involved. Repenting means starting to live a new life.

"The call to repent was the fundamental summons in the preaching of John the Baptist (Matthew 3:2), Jesus (Matthew 4:17), the Twelve (Mark 6:12), Peter at Pentecost ( Acts 2:38), Paul to the Gentiles (Acts 17:30; 26:20), and the glorified Christ to five of the seven churches in Asia (Revelation 2:5, 16, 22; 3:3, 19). It was part of Jesus' summary of the gospel that was to be taken to all the world (Luke 24:47). It corresponds to the constant summons of the Old Testament prophets to Israel to return to the God from whom they had strayed (e.g., Jeremiah 23:22; 25:4, 5; Zechariah 1:3-6). Repentance is always set forth as the path to remission of sins and restoration to God's favor, while impenitence is the road to ruin (e.g., Luke 13:1-8).

"Faith and repentance are themselves fruits of regeneration. But as a practical matter, repentance is inseparable from faith. Turning towards Christ in faith is impossible without turning away from sin in repentance. The idea that there can be saving faith without repentance, and that one can be justified by embracing Christ as Savior while refusing Him as Lord, is a dangerous error. True faith acknowledges Christ as what He is, our God-appointed king as well as our God-given priest, and faith that trusts in Him as Savior will submit to Him as Lord also. To refuse this is to seek justification with an impenitent faith, which is no faith.

"The Westminster Confession says that in repenting

a sinner, out of the sight and sense, not only of the danger, but also the filthiness and odiousness of his sins, as contrary to the holy nature and righteous law of God, and upon the apprehension of His mercy in Christ to such as are penitent, so grieves for and hates his sins as to turn from them all unto God, purposing and endeavoring to walk with Him in all the ways of His commandments (Westminster Confession, 15.2).

"Feelings of remorse, self-reproach, and sorrow for sin generated by fear of punishment, without any wish or resolve to forsake sinning should not be confused with repentance. David expresses true repentance in Psalm 51, having in his heart the serious purpose of sinning no more, and of living a righteous life (Luke 3:8; Acts 26:20)."

Have you this repentance, my friend? If your faith is absent of this repentance, then you do not understand life-saving faith. Please see the link on Eternal Life, or contact me if you'd like to talk about it. Don't waste your life, and don't wait until it's too late - you are not promised tomorrow. Repent and believe the Gospel.

Abortion in America

2011-08-12T09:46:00.004-04:00

By Justin Edwards

In the following must-hear message titled America: The Modern-Day Valley of Slaughter, Tony Miano warns:

Judgment begins with the house of God. There are many in the American church today who are not truly pro-life. They claim to be pro-life yet they vote as if they are pro-choice. When they vote, they put their own quality of life over the lives of unborn children. They vote for candidates who are on par with their views on fiscal and defense issues, while willingly turning a blind eye to their murderous views regarding the unborn. If you claim to be pro-life, but vote for ANY reason for candidates who are pro-choice, then you are pro-choice! Stop lying to yourself, stop lying to God, you are pro-choice! You are not pro-life if you allow for the murder of the unborn because of the crimes of the father. If you think that it is OK to abort children because of rape and incest, you are willingly allowing for the murder of children because of the crimes of their father. Repent. If you don't repent, then you are co-conspirators and accomplices to the murder of the unborn.

Please take an hour to watch or listen to this message and share with your professing Christian friends who vote for pro-choice candidates. I also highly recommend the following message by Curt Arend:

Abortion: America's Holocaust

Here is Tony's message available for audio download: America - The Modern-Day Valley of Slaughter

The Reigning King

2011-08-10T09:54:00.000-04:00

By Justin Edwards

Transcript:

"He is the heir of all things.

He is the Creator of the universe.

He is the radiance of Divine Glory.

He is the facsimile of God's nature.

He is the providential Lord.

He is the successful High Priest.

And finally, He is the reigning King!

After He provided purification for sins He sat down.

Where?

At the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.

He sat down at the Supreme Place in of all the universe.

You see, in the ancient world the right hand of the monarch symbolized royal power, absolute authority, and unparalleled glory.

At the accomplishment of His purifying work, Jesus rose from the dead, ascended into heaven, and He sat down at the Father's right hand - to reign.

And one day He will leave that throne again.

He will return to this place as King to judge.

The unequaled greatness of God's Son.

God's Final Word.

He is the heir of all things.

You belong to Him.

He is the Creator of the universe!

He made you.

He is the radiance of Divine Glory!

To walk away from Him in any direction is descent.

He is the facsimile of God's nature.

All you need to know about God you will find in Him.

He is the providential Lord.

All of your ways have been marked out by His design.

He is the successful High Priest.

Purification for your sin can be found in no other source.

And He is the reigning King.

The One to whom you owe ultimate allegiance.

The One to whom every man, every woman, every boy, every girl will one day bow." - Art Azurdia

Is the Oslo Terrorist a Christian?

2011-08-04T09:00:00.001-04:00

By Justin Edwards

Is Anders Behring Breivik a Christian? Not be a long shot:

(HT: Grace in the Triad)

Project Pride Charlotte (Gay Outreach)

2011-08-02T12:21:00.001-04:00

The 2011 Pride Charlotte Festival takes place on August 27th in Uptown Charlotte, NC, and is the culmination of gay pride week celebrating the local lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community (LGBT). With the recent passing of New York state law legalizing homosexual marriage, the turnout for this event is expected to be greater than otherwise anticipated (Chicago estimates 750,000 attendees during the Chicago Pride Festival).

If you have a compassionate desire to seek the lost in the gay community, we invite you to join us in sharing the Gospel of Christ with the participants of Pride Charlotte. We expect this to be a challenging day as sexual immorality, wickedness, and rejection will abound, nevertheless, into battle we must go – and we have a plan.

We are currently raising money to purchase 20,000 customized Gospel tracts to distribute for this event. As we have raised about 70% of the funds necessary to purchase the tracts, we can still use your financial support to achieve our goal of $700. If you are unable to attend this event, this would be a great way for you to partner with us. Please see The Rainbow Gospel Tract Fundraiser for details.

With the help of committed evangelists, we will be able to distribute all of these tracts and take opportunity to engage in one-on-one witnessing as the Lord permits. The Rainbow Promise message is one of truth and love and makes no direct charge against the sin of homosexuality. Contrary to the message of some street preachers who preach condemnation with their own wicked speech, our message will be one of patience, humility, and grace as we seek to save that which is lost. After all, it is only by the grace of God that any of us have been saved from the bondage of our sin and the wrath of God to come, and it is this message we proclaim that sinners will be saved through the blood of Jesus Christ by repentant faith.

We pray the Lord will stir you with courage to join us on the streets to engage the homosexual community with the only Hope of salvation. As Christ said to His disciples in Matthew 9:37-38,

The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.

Will you labor with us? You are free to join us for the whole day or as time permits you. Please RSVP at the facebook event page and let us know if you have any questions.

Though we go into battle facing “the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12), we go not into battle alone. Our God is greater than he that is in the world, and He has armed us with the armor of Light to boldly go forth to make His name known to the ends of the earth, even the darkest of places. Let us take refuge in our Great God and King, our strength and the Rock of our salvation, our fortress and our shield, trusting that He has equipped us for every good work. Let us be faithful servants of the Most High God, loyal to the Great Commission set before us, being vessels of truth to seek and save that which is lost. Soli Deo Gloria!

The Rainbow Promise Fundraiser (Gospel Tract)

2011-07-30T09:00:00.000-04:00

Originally posted at The Speak:Truth Project

The Gospel tract for the upcoming Pride Charlotte Festival August 27, 2011 has been finalized! Josh Earl did an outstanding job with the art design and I’m so thankful that God has enabled us to produce our first customized Gospel tract for such a large event.

If the recent Pride Festivals that followed New York’s passing of a same-sex marriage law in June is any indication of the turnout to be expected in Charlotte (the Chicago Pride Festival estimates 750,000 attendees), then this is going to be a major opportunity to share the Gospel with thousands of people.

And this is where you come in! Beginning today, we are asking you to join us in raising money to purchase 20,000 tracts (4×6″ postcard-size) from Custom Tract Source before August 12, 2011. You can help us in the following three ways (MUCH thanks to those who have already contributed!):

1. Contributing financially (every $1 counts!)
2. Sharing this post with your social networks
3. Praying for this fundraiser and for the August 27th event

The Speak:Truth Project will post details for the Project Pride Charlotte event in the next week or so, but we encourage you to begin considering donating to this cause for Christ that at least 20,000 patrons of this festival will receive the Gospel. These tracts will be accompanied by love and compassion for the lost, as such were some of us who were once dead in our trespasses and sins but by Grace have now been washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God (1 Corinthians 6:9-11; Ephesians 2:1-10).

Below are the front and back of the Gospel tract (click image for closer view or see text at bottom of post for convenience):

Won’t you prayerfully consider contributing to this mission set before us? Paypal has made fundraising quite easy – you don’t even need a Paypal account to donate! Just click on the image below to pay with your Paypal account or by other means. If you’d like to send a check instead, please Contact us for mailing information. And, of course, whether you can contribute financially or not, we greatly value your prayers for this fundraiser and the event to take place on August 27th. May our great God and King be glorified in this endeavor, and may the Glorious Lamb receive the reward of His suffering – thank you for your support!

The Rainbow Promise

The rainbow is one of the most beautiful phenomena we have the privilege of sighting in nature. Under the right conditions, the human eye can see the majestic display of the colors red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. While rainbows naturally occur in the sky when sunlight shines through droplets of moisture in earth’s atmosphere, they have much greater significance than merely being a meteorological occurrence. Many thousands of years ago, God promised He would never again destroy all living things by a global flood. God Himself said, “I have set My bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and the earth…And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh.”

God destroyed the earth because man had become so wicked that “every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” Though God promised to destroy all life on earth, He also promised to save Noah and his family – and God keeps His promises!

Yet another promise from God is that only the righteous will inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. Because God is fair, He has given us a way to know whether or not we are righteous – the 10 Commandments. Have you kept them? Let’s find out: Have you ever told a lie? Have you ever stolen something? Have you used God’s name in vain? Have you looked with lust? If you are honest with yourself and before God, you would have to admit you have broken at least 4 of God’s commandments. This would make you a lying thief, a blasphemer, and an adulterer at heart. If you died a sinner today, God must give you what you deserve – eternal hell – because He is a good and just God. Does this concern you?

But God also promises He is rich in mercy! 2,000 years ago, God stepped off His throne in heaven to save His people from their sins. Jesus Christ, the Son of God, became a man and fulfilled the righteous requirements of the Law by living a sinless life. Because of His great love for sinners, He shed His precious blood on the cross to satisfy God’s wrath against mankind. God punished, crushed, and killed His own Son so that all who believe in Him would be saved through the righteousness of Jesus Christ. After lying 3 days in the grave, Jesus conquered death and was raised from the dead, and now sits at the right hand of God waiting to return to cast wickedness into the lake of fire once and for all.

God commands all people everywhere to repent (turn from a lifestyle of sin) and turn to Him to love Him and obey Him. He promises to all who place their full trust in Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross to heal them from their sickness of sin. Jesus says, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him.” Call upon the name of the Lord to be saved from the bondage of sin, and He promises to give you eternal life and save you from God’s wrath to come. You can then walk in newness of life and you will be set free from the slavery of sin.

Just as the rainbow shines brightest against the backdrop of the darkest storm clouds, the Hope of Jesus Christ shines brightest in sinners most afflicted and destitute in the darkness of sin who have been saved by the glorious grace of God! Do you want to be set free and experience true love, peace, and hope in Jesus Christ?

For more information on how to receive the free offer of salvation and other resources, please visit http://thespeaktruthproject.com

Jesus Christ Is Your Only Hope

2011-07-29T10:38:00.002-04:00

By Justin Edwards

Cast yourself upon Christ and flee from the wrath to come - He is your only Hope!

Say No to Rick Perry's "The Response" Prayer Event

2011-07-28T11:44:00.001-04:00

By Justin Edwards

The Christian right is once again being swept into the next spiritual revival bandwagon led by American politicians and religious leaders (remember Glenn Beck's rally?). Texas Governor Rick Perry has called Americans to join him August 6th, 2011 for a time of prayer and fasting for the United States of America. On the surface, this sounds like a noble and biblical idea to petition God to bring revival in America and turn this country from its moral depravity. The Response website explains:

America is in the midst of a historic crisis. We have been besieged by financial debt, terrorism, and a multitude of natural disasters. The youth of America are in grave peril economically, socially, and, most of all, morally. There are threats emerging within our nation and beyond our borders beyond our power to solve.

Our nation is at a crossroads. More and more Americans are perceiving the critical juncture we find ourselves in – the future of our nation is determined by the courage of its people: first, in recognizing the magnitude of our common trouble; then, by uniting to seize the unique opportunity this moment offers us. Our response can, in part, determine our future and define for our children – and their children – what kind of nation they will govern, serve, and lead...

...Our hope is found in the One who might turn towards our nation in its time of great need – if we, as a nation would turn to Him in repentance, prayer, and fasting. The call of God to His people in times of great trouble is to gather together and call on Him with one voice, one heart, and a unified desire to see great blessing and great glory come to our nation again. The power of unified prayer from a humble gathering of the saints is found in the hope that He might answer us, and turn the tide of trouble and threats that stand against us.

Rick Perry invites you:

However, as one peels back the layers and understands who is organizing this event, it should give all Christians great pause. Heretics and heretical theologies are the pillars of this movement. I therefore urge you to consider what Brannon Howse has recently revealed in his article, Why I Believe Christians Should Not Participate in Governor Perry's "The Response" Why It is NOT Just A Prayer Event

The article is a must-read for every Christian or church who is considering participating in this event, as Brannon warns,

I do not believe this event will aide in reclaiming the country, restoring liberty, or prosperity, and it certainly will not prompt God to bless America. I believe such an event will actually hasten God's judgment on our nation...

...I do not believe those participating in The Response, and other such projects, are guilty by association but guilty by participation. I believe they are guilty of giving credibility to false teachers by choosing to unite with false teachers. Ephesians 5:11 says, "And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them." 2 Timothy 3:5 says "and from such people turn away."

...The mixing of evangelicals with false prophets for the sake of the culture war is really an offense to the Gospel. God is not dependent on us to violate Biblical principles in order to be successful at restoring righteousness. How can we restore righteousness through an unrighteous manner? How can we hope to restore Biblical principles within government when we have willingly violated Biblical principles within the church? The end does not justify the means.

God is watching and I contend that our efforts are being thwarted by God as Divine judgment for setting aside Scriptural warnings and uniting with false teachers in spiritual enterprises intertwined with our Christian activism.

When Christians compromise the gospel and unite with false teachers in spiritual and political enterprises, regardless of the political outcome, we will have lost because we gave credibility to false teachers and their false gospel. I believe this is Satan's strategy. Satan has moved his false teachers into our camp as a religious Trojan horse and Christian leaders have embraced the Trojan horse of false teachers...

...Entering into spiritual services or enterprises with false teachers is a clear violation of God's Word. Thus, how can God bless the church in America and our nation when Christians and Christian leaders are in direct disobedience to God's Word? How can Christians and Christian leaders repent of sin while participating in an event that in and of itself is something for which to repent? To repent means to turn from sin. I believe Christians and Christian leaders that participate in The Response, or have participated in other events with false teachers, need to repent for their unbiblical event that is ironically calling for repentance.

I believe that many American Christians will allow their commitment to reclaiming the country, reclaiming Congress, lowering taxes, and defeating the progressives trump their commitment to the Biblical mandate declared in 2 Corinthians 6:14. Christians are commanded in 2 Corinthians 10:3-5, to expose every high and lofty thing lifted up against the principles of the Lord.

American Christians should not and cannot rate success on whether or not we "reclaim America." Our success or failure must be based on whether or not we have been faithful servants of the one and only true God and have earnestly contended for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3).

Please do continue to the entire article as Brannon gives details and links exposing exactly who is organizing and endorsing the event (some may or may not surprise you, like Dr. James Dobson, John Hagee, C. Peter Wagoner, and Mike Bickle). Ultimately, "Prayer is important, prayer for a nation is important, political leaders who recognize this are vital to our national health. But a right thing done in a wrong way is wrong. The end never justifies the means!!" Indeed, which is why American Christians must refuse to participate and sound the alarm to those who might.

Why?

2011-07-22T16:16:00.000-04:00

By Justin Edwards

Are you seeking the Savior, or stuff? Are you seeking Life, or mere life enhancement? Why exactly do you profess to know or follow Christ?

The Gospel Is for Christians

2011-07-22T11:36:00.000-04:00

By Justin Edwards

My family traveled to Georgia last week and as we were driving through Atlanta, I got a chance to listen to the Janet Medford Show. I was tuning in late to an interview with Mitchell Chase, author of The Gospel Is for Christians. I had never heard of him before, but this interview was excellent and I found myself "amening" throughout the conversation.

Having listened to the entire show a couple days ago, there's a couple of things I'd like to highlight.

Mitchell succinctly defined the Gospel as a "work of Christ on behalf of sinners to satisfy the wrath of God." I've also heard it recently said the Gospel is God saving us for Himself, by Himself, from Himself. Think about that for a moment. The plan of redemption, as Mitchell said, is not a Plan B for humanity. There is no Plan B. The plan of redemption is Plan A and always has been. It is not a reaction to fallen humanity, it is merely the unfolding of history according to God's eternal plan to save a people for Himself to glorify Him and enjoy Him forever.

The cross, therefore, is the centerpiece of redemptive history. God's redemptive purposes for mankind are centered on the cross, a work that was foreordained in eternity past according to the counsel of God's own will. Knowing this, how humbling is it then for His children to be the recipient's of the riches of His divine grace and mercy, to not only partake in the glories of the Kingdom in this life and the next, but to partake in the plan of redemption by being the vessels by which the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is proclaimed to the ends of the earth.

The primary mission for the church is to proclaim this message of Good News. This is the responsibility of the hands and feet of the Body of Christ, namely you and I as individuals, to GO out and make disciples. While the Gospel is surely proclaimed from faithful pulpits preaching the whole counsel of God, the primary purpose of the pulpit is not evangelism. While it is acceptable to invite the lost to come to church with us (and we should), this is not a substitute for evangelism. No, Jesus said to GO. As we are shepherded, equipped, and prepared in the local church for evangelism (as we should be), our mandate is to take the message of Christ and Him crucified to the world. Church is a time of Christian fellowship, teaching, correction, exhortation, conviction, sanctification, and being stirred unto good works. But evangelism takes place outside of the church doors, where the darkness hides, the blind walk, and the wanderers navigate the wilderness of the world with no compass. Our mandate is to take the message of Hope to the hopeless, not depending on the corporate church to bare that responsibility as that is not the corporate church's primary responsibility - it is yours and mine.

How then do we become compelled to be faithful to the Great Commission? By truly understanding the Gospel in that it not only saves us from the bondage of sin and the wrath of God, but it gives us eternal life and changes us to be conformed to the Lord Jesus Christ. We are changed from being dead in our trespasses and sins into new creations walking in newness of life. When we are born again, we are awakened from the spiritual dead and given Life, namely Jesus Himself. Hopelessness is exchanged for an enduring Hope, condemnation is exchanged for Grace, wrath is exchanged for mercy, and love for the world is exchanged for love of the worthy and glorious Lamb of God.

That is what the world needs, and God has designed His plan of redemption in a manner to utilize His found sheep to call His lost sheep to repentance. He has blessed us with the mandate to proclaim the mercies of God against the backdrop of the wrath to come. Such sinners were we who have been showered with grace - how can we not be compelled to tell others the truth and glory of the Gospel of Christ that they would also be recipients of God's love, grace, and mercy?

I'm really looking forward to reading Mitchell Chase's book (you can purchase it here at Amazon and read reviews from Al Mohler, Tim Challies, and Tullian Tchividjian). In the meantime, I hope you take the time to listen to Janet Medford's interview with Mitchell as they cover other topics including repentance, the attributes of God, and the current condition of the visible church. The interview is covered in the first 20 minutes of the show's first segment: Janet Mefferd-7/14/2011-Hour 1-Janet Mefferd Radio Show

Should Christians Keep the Torah?

2011-07-21T10:10:00.000-04:00

By Justin Edwards

We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; 16 yet we know that a person is not justified [1] by works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ, so we also have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ and not by works of the law, because by works of the law no one will be justified. - Galatians 2:15-16

The law only brings sin and death - it cannot save us. It does not bring salvation, nor does it sanctify us. Our righteousness comes through the perfect keeping of the law by Jesus Christ imputed to us by repentant faith. Alone.

To the Ends of the Earth

2011-07-18T09:29:00.001-04:00

By Justin Edwards

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” - Acts 1:8

My friend and dear brother in Christ, Bobby McCreery of Athens, Georgia, shares his testimony as a street preacher with Marcus Pittman in the following video from Crown Rights Media. Please take a moment to get to know Bobby and learn more about his ministry at To the Ends of the Earth. The Lord is doing a great work in this family and I am honored to know Bobby personally and serve with him on the streets.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Could Lazarus Have Said 'No'?

2011-07-14T12:11:00.000-04:00

By Justin Edwards

Dr. James White addresses this question in the following video. The text in question is from John 11, where Jesus promises that He will raise Lazarus from the dead in verse 23:

Jesus said to her, “Your brother will rise again.”

In reference to the question posed then, could Lazarus have refused to come forth when Jesus commanded with a loud voice in John 11:43:

“Lazarus, come out.”?

Absolutely not, as this would necessarily imply that Jesus could have failed in His promise to raise Lazarus from the dead.

For a more detailed commentary on this issue as it relates to sinners who are dead in their sin being raised to spiritual life, please see the following article addressing John 5:25: The Dead Will Hear and Live

Now, from James White:

The Sovereignty of God Bible Test

2011-07-13T10:18:00.000-04:00

By Justin Edwards

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. - Ephesians 1:3-6

Thanks to John Samson for posting the following "Sovereignty Bible Test", which cleverly emphasizes the sovereignty of God in all things, most especially our salvation. The origins of this quiz is unclear, but I'm thankful it is making its rounds across the internet. Enjoy!

Eph 1:11 – “him (God) who works all things according to the counsel of his will.”

1. If God works all things after the counsel of His will, how much does He work to the will of you, me, Satan, etc.?

A. None.

B. 20%

C. 50%

D. 85%

Isaiah 14:24 The Lord of hosts has sworn: “As I have planned, so shall it be, and as I have purposed, so shall it stand.”

2. How much of what He purposes to come to pass, doesn’t?

A. All of His purposes will come to pass

B. Some of His purposes will not come to pass

C. A few of His purposes will not come to pass

D. A lot of His purposes will not come to pass

Romans 8:29, 30 For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.

3. How many do you think have been called, justified, or glorified that He did not first foreknow or predestinate?

A. Write in your answer: ___________________

John 10:14, 15 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.

4. Where does this scripture say that Jesus laid down his life for the sheep and the goats

A. It doesn’t

B. It doesn’t, but I just know He meant the goats, too

John 6:65 “no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”

5. How many come to Jesus that were not first given to Him by the Father?

A. 0

B. 5,000

C. 5,000,000

D. 10,000,000

John 6:37 All that the Father gives me will come to me

6. How many that the Father gave Him will not come to Him?

A. Two

B. A couple of thousand

C. A couple of million

D. Trick question, it says they will all come to Him

John 10:28, 29 I (Jesus) give them (My true sheep) eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will 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.

7. How many sheep do you think have been snatched from either God’s or Jesus’ hands?

A. None

B. 50,000

C. 500,000

D. 1,000,000

Rev. 13:8 and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain.

Rev. 20:15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

8. Considering this, and other related scripture, God having to blot out a name from the book of life would mean:

A. God makes mistakes.

B. Some have been snatched from Jesus’ hands?

C. God didn’t know that some of His sheep were really goats.

D. None of the above.

Matt 13: 10, 11 Then the disciples came and said to him, “Why do you speak to them in parables?” And he answered them, “To you it has been given to know the secrets of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been given.

9. Jesus himself declared that one of the reasons why He spoke in parables was that the truth might be concealed from whom it was not intended. Is this fair?

A. No.

B. Yes.

C. Who are we to question God?

D. I’m going to pretend I didn’t see that verse.

Romans 8:28 we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.

10. How many things do not work for the good of those who love God?

A. 10% of all things

B. 40% of all things

C. 85% of all things

D. Trick question, the Bible says all things work for the good of those who love Him

Mark 14:30 And Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you (Peter), this very night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny me three times.”

11. (A) Could Peter not have denied Jesus three times before the cock crowed twice?

Answer here: ____________________________

11. (B) Did Jesus coerce Peter to deny him, or did Peter do it of his own heart and will?

Answer here: ____________________________

Exodus 4:11 [God Himself asks the rhetorical question] “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the Lord?”

12. Is this fair?

A. Yes.

B. No.

C. Who are we to question God?

D. I’m going to pretend this isn’t in the Bible

OK. the test is over, but in truth, the whole of life is something of a test as we learn just how Sovereign God is in all things and we learn to trust in His loving care.

Did the test make you think about just how Sovereign God truly is? Hope so.

“In Him we live and move and have our being.” (Acts 17:28)

Speech Seasoned with Grace

2011-07-11T11:58:00.001-04:00

By Justin Edwards

My wife, Jennifer, and I took our two children up to the neighborhood pool late yesterday afternoon to wear them out a bit before bedtime. For some reason, Sundays are not conducive to nap times so a little time in the sun and water always does the trick. After an hour so, I overheard two of the lifeguards mention God and Jesus, but couldn’t hear the specifics of the conversation. I switched babies with Jen (the youngest is nine months old) and waded over to the lifeguard stand to see what the conversation was about. When I arrived, I believe it was Morgan who said she was not about to have “that” conversation with Travis, so of course I cordially said with a smile, “well, I’d like to have that conversation, what are you talking about?”

Travis jumped in to say he thought Jesus was a conman and seemed to say He deceived people into believing the miracles He performed. I asked Travis how he knew whether that was in fact true, and he told me he didn’t know for sure. We ended up getting into a great conversation and I was able to share the Gospel with him. At this point in Travis’ life, he admits to believing in God, but doesn’t really know who He is or what He has done, and most of all he says we can’t know for sure. Essentially, Travis has broken the 2nd commandment to not form any graven images for he has created a god in his own mind to conform to himself.

Travis admitted to never reading the Bible and everything he thought he knew of Christianity was based on what he saw in professing Christians – hypocrites, corrupt preachers, and judgmental Pharisees. I told Travis he could not base his understanding of Christianity on people but on the person of Jesus Christ as revealed in the Word of God. I also told him to never take a preacher’s word for truth simply because it comes from the mouth of a so-called preacher, but he must search the Scriptures for himself to discover the truth. At the end of our conversation, I pointed Travis to our website here and told him I would bring him a Bible next time we go to the pool. If everything I told Travis was indeed true about the afterlife, and it is I urged him, then he must do everything in his power to come to an understanding of the truth and avoid the lake of fire. I pray the Lord uses this conversation to cause Travis to seek the Truth that he would find it.

Something that really struck me during our conversation was Travis’ comment that I was the first professing Christian he’d spoken with who had not gotten mad – that I was not angry toward Travis or getting heated in an argument. Of course, I have no idea how many of these types of conversations Travis has had with professing Christians, and his perception of how a conversation goes is a subjective interpretation, but it served as a reminder that we must be careful with how we engage the lost with our speech.

1 Peter 3:15 tells us,

…but in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect…

With gentleness and respect – every single conversation we have when engaging the lost with the Gospel must be centered on the Hope that is found in Jesus Christ alone. We must do this in a manner that is not condemning of the person, for as Christ said, they are “condemned already” (John 3:18). There is no reason why we should ever be coarse in our speech toward sinners, and we must always take heed to respect the individual to whom we are speaking.
In Colossians 4:6 we are commanded,

Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer each person.

It is pointless and vain to engage the lost in spiritual conversations for the sake of argument or trying to prove a point. This is not to say that argument (reasoning) doesn’t have it’s place (it most certainly does), but what good is it to seemingly win an argument for mere bragging rights? What good is it to be overzealous toward people to leave sour tastes in their mouths and the impression that we are angry, judgmental, condemning, or self-righteous (although truth spoken, no matter how gracious, is sometimes perceived as such by some people)? No, our speech must be gracious. It must be seasoned with grace and truth, pertinent to the questions that are asked. Be forthright in your speech, but do not lack grace so to disgruntle the listener. We must not give our hearers any reason to find fault in our speech, but rather,

having a good conscience…when [we] are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame. – 1 Peter 3:16

We are not responsible for the religious hypocrites who, in the name of God, blast sinners with condemnation. Whether they are the Westboro Baptist types, Pelagian heretics who preach on the street, or the run-of-the-mill pew warmer blind by the planks in their own eyes, God will deal with them. However in light of these hypocrites, we must all the more be sure that

no corrupting talk come out of [our] mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. – Ephesians 4:29

No matter the hearer, whether fellow Christian or non-believer, we must speak the truth in love. After all, this is all part of our sanctification that we

…must rid [ourselves] of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from [our] lips. – Colossians 3:8

It was encouraging and a blessing to be told that my speech toward Travis was implied to be “seasoned with salt”. I pray the Lord uses my testimony before Travis to draw Travis to Himself, and I pray this post might serve to remind and edify my brothers and sisters to be wise and mindful of your speech toward outsiders, holding fast to the following from 2 Timothy 2:24-26:

And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but kind to everyone, able to teach, patiently enduring evil, correcting his opponents with gentleness. God may perhaps grant them repentance leading to a knowledge of the truth, and they may come to their senses and escape from the snare of the devil, after being captured by him to do his will.

May the Lord continue to conform us to our Great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

This post was originally posted at The Speak:Truth Project

The Pearl of Great Price

2011-07-08T10:22:00.000-04:00

By Justin Edwards

The kingdom of heaven is like a merchant in search of fine pearls, who, on finding one pearl of great value, went and sold all that he had and bought it. - Matthew 13:45-46

"I want this pearl. How much is it?"

"Well," the seller says, "it's very expensive."

"But, how much?" we ask.

"Well, a very large amount."

"Do you think I could buy it?"

"Oh, of course, everyone can buy it."

"But, didn't you say it was very expensive?"

"Yes."

"Well, how much is it?"

"Everything you have," says the seller.

We make up our minds, "All right, I'll buy it," we say.

"Well, what do you have?" he wants to know. "Let's write it down."

"Well, I have ten thousand dollars in the bank."

"Good- -ten thousand dollars. What else?"

"That's all.. That's all I have." "Well, I have a few dollars here in my pocket."

"How much?"

We start digging. "Well, let's see--thirty, forty, sixty, eighty, a hundred, a hundred twenty dollars."

"That's fine. What else do you have?"

"Well, nothing. That's all."

"Where do you live?" He's still probing.

"In my house. Yes, I have a house."

"The house, too, then." He writes that down.

"You mean I have to live in my camper?"

"You have a camper? That, too. What else?"

"I'll have to sleep in my car!"

"You have a car?"

"Two of them."

"Both become mine, both cars. What else?"

"Well, you already have my money, my house, my camper, my cars. What more do you want?"

"Are you alone in this world?"

"No I have a wife and two children....."

"Oh, yes, your wife and children, too. What else?"

"I have nothing left! I am left alone now."

Suddenly the seller exclaims, "Oh, I almost forgot! You yourself, too! Everything becomes mine--wife, children, house, money, cars--and you too." Then he goes on. "Now listen--I will allow you to use all these things for the time being. But don't forget that they are mine, just as you are. And whenever I need any of them you must give them up, because now I am the owner."

(HT: Sermonindex)

So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple. - Luke 14:33

Stories of Change - Christ Redeems!

2011-07-06T11:37:00.001-04:00

By Justin Edwards

The one who has been saved by the grace of God through the Lord Jesus Christ experiences a real, tangible, inward change of the heart that leads to a life of sanctification. Titus 2:12 tells us that grace

train[s] us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age.

We see in Galatians 5:22-23 that God manifests His character in us as we grow in grace:

the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

In Colossians 3:5-17, we see a contrast between the old man who was dead in his sins and facing the wrath of God yet to come, with the new man who has become a new creation in Christ to be a slave of His righteousness. As we are conformed to the likeness of Jesus, the works of the flesh will no longer be manifest in us (see Galatians 5:19-21), and we are in fact commanded to crucify these things in our flesh and walk in newness of life:

Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all.

If we are no longer slaves to our sin but slaves to God (Romans 6:22), let us walk in this reality as sons and daughters who want nothing more but to honor our King by presenting our bodies as living sacrifices to Him (Romans 12:1-2). Paul tells us in the third chapter of Colossians:

Put on then, as God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience, 13 bearing with one another and, if one has a complaint against another, forgiving each other; as the Lord has forgiven you, so you also must forgive. 14 And above all these put on love, which binds everything together in perfect harmony. 15 And let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Are these Scriptures a reality in your life? Are you dwelling in the Word of God that it would dwell in you richly? Is grace teaching you to deny worldliness and ungodliness? Are you learning to live a godly, self-controlled, righteous life in this present life? Have the chains of sin been broken that you walk in newness of life, having crucified your flesh with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:24)?

Jesus came to save His people from their sin. He came to heal the sick. Do you have yet to be saved, do you have yet to be healed from the disease of sin? Do you wish to be made free? The reality is that Jesus

gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to purify for Himself a people for his own possession who are zealous for good works. - Titus 2:14

Christ redeems and Christ purifies His people. Do you want to be made pure?

The beauty of grace is not only that it saves us from God's wrath to come, but it saves us from the bondage of our sin. The Hope of Christ is that we can be freed today, not just in the life to come. God's grace not only saves us, but it changes us so that we experience the abundant life of Christ now.

Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed. - John 8:34-36

The people in the following video know and remember a time when they were lost and hopeless. Can you? Can you identify with their stories? All Christians can. If you cannot, let's talk about it.

Proclaiming the Truth to Hecklers & Encouraging Believers to Witness

2011-07-04T09:46:00.000-04:00

By Justin Edwards

These two videos from Tony Miano are very instructive. In the first video, Tony completes the reading from 1 John, calling for people to examine themselves in light of the Word of God. If one does not believe in the God of the Bible as defined by the God of the Bible, then one has created a god in their own image. If one does not believe in Jesus as defined through Holy Scripture but instead cherry picks particular verses to form their religious dogma, then they have created a false jesus - one that does not exist. I call such people to consider what has been presented in the following series: Jesus: Holy and Righteous God of Love and Wrath

In the second video, Tony speaks with Oscar, a fellow believer who has struggled in openly sharing his faith with strangers. Listen to Tony encourage Oscar, and if you find yourself in the same shoes as Oscar, pray that God would give you the courage and help you overcome your fears in witnessing to strangers. You may find the resources at The Speak:Truth Project helpful.

Citylight Baptist Church - The Say Yes! Project

2011-07-01T08:00:00.002-04:00

By Justin Edwards

My friend Brian Norris and his family are moving to Charlotte, NC to build a church that is Gospel-centered and Christ-focused, and he needs your help! Beginning today, July 1st through July 3rd, Brian is launching a fundraiser for financial support to build the church that God has called him to pastor. I'll let Brian tell you a bit more about the vision for Citylight Baptist Church:

I am so excited for what God has in store for Citylight. As one who is on the streets of Charlotte weekly proclaiming the Gospel, I can tell you many people are open to hearing the truth of God's Word, and so often they ask about a local church to attend. Most of the people we speak with in Uptown Charlotte are poor or homeless and have no means of transportation other than the public transit system. What Citylight will provide is a biblically grounded church, rooted and faithful to the essential truths of Scripture, located just outside the center city along major transit routes.

The Norris Family

As you learned in the short video above, Citylight will be a church whose primary purpose is building up the Body of Christ to go out and make disciples of all nations, whether they be found in one's own backyard or halfway around the world. The Gospel of Jesus Christ will be faithfully proclaimed while practicing the life-changing implications of the Gospel through serving and ministering to the local community. Citylight will be a church that does not compromise its biblical convictions, and will shine brightly in the midst of darkness that has so corrupted many American churches today who aim to conform to the world instead of God's Word.

Brian has been commissioned by Eastside Baptist Church of Greeneville, Tennessee, where he served as youth pastor for seven years under the leadership of Pastor David Fox. Citylight is accountable to their sending church, Eastside, in addition to a board made up of three church pastors and their churches' leadership teams. These churches function in an advisory role and keep Citylight morally, financially, and doctrinally accountable. Please see the following link to learn more about Citylight's statement of beliefs: Beliefs.

The Say Yes! Project is asking you to prayerfully consider joining the Norris family in their pursuit to build a Christ-exalting, New Testament church in the heart of Charlotte, NC. There are 6 ways you can partner with Citylight:

1. Consider giving monthly - no gift is too small.
2. If you are a blog-owner or social media user, write a post about the campaign.
3. Repost the following link on social media: www.citylightbaptist.org/yes .
4. Ask your friends to link to this post. (Please ask them to ask their friends to do the same.)
5. Make the “say YES!” image your facebook or twitter profile picture from July 1-3.
6. Share the vimeo video.

Citylight's goal is to partner with 200 donors giving $5, $10, $20, $30, or $40 a month for a period of three years.

Without further adieu, I'll let Brian tell you a bit more about the campaign July 1-3 in the video below. If you are led to financially contribute to Citylight Baptist Church, the Say Yes! logo will be posted in the sidebar through July 3rd for you to click and donate. I am honored with the privilege to share this new ministry with you and invite you to join my family as we support Citylight Baptist Church for the next 3 years.

You Do Not Believe Because...

2011-06-23T09:37:00.002-04:00

By Justin Edwards

You do not believe because you are not part of my flock. - John 10:26

Last Friday's post Atheists Hate Jesus, but Some Don't Realize It has created quite the stir in the comment section. Many Atheists have commented asking many questions about "the Christian God" (as they say), but the answers given have not satisfied them. I do not blame them since the Bible clearly states it is impossible for them to understand:

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. - 1 Corinthians 2:14

My experience has been that quoting such a verse only serves to make them more angry. Not only does it anger Atheists, but it angers professing christians who do not accept the Bible as the infallible Word of God. Such would be the case from a fellow that goes by the name of Former Conservative (FC) who runs a blog titled Confessions of a Former Conservative. Most, if not all, of the commenters came from his blog, which serves to attack Christian websites/blogs of whom he disagrees with ridicule and snarkiness. FC holds much disdain and contempt for fundamental evangelical Christianity, and the fruit that he shows can be described in no other way than this:

If anyone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen. 21 And this commandment we have from him: whoever loves God must also love his brother. - 1 John 4:20-21

Examples of this hatred have come through many blog posts at the Former Conservative website. He has ridiculed many of my own blog posts, in addition to posts by Tony Miano, Defending. Contending., Trisha Ramos, and Steve Sanchez. FC abhors the Holy Bible and Jesus' command to "Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation" (Mark 16:15). Although I have never mentioned FC on airō before now, he has been the inspiration for a few blog posts including Jesus Died for Me and the recent 4-part series Jesus: Holy and Righteous God of Love and Wrath.

The reason for this post is to address in more detail a comment from one of the commenters (named "depizan") from Friday's article, who said:

"All of His sheep will hear His voice and follow Him, and all who come to Him He will never cast out."

Some of the people questioning your take on the Christian God are, er, His sheep. Are you really that certain that your take is correct and not theirs? How can you say they haven't come to him? I'm pretty sure only God would know that, yes?

I assumed "depizan" is referring to FC, and perhaps one or two others commenters on the post who share an equal disdain for fundamental evangelical Christianity as FC. Ultimately this is a disdain for the God of the Bible. Whether admitted Atheist, liberal christian, or anyone else who does not believe the God of Scripture, there is a reason for this given by Jesus Himself (who liberal christians claim to believe yet oftentimes reject or seek to deconstruct the rest of Scripture. Some call themselves "red letter christians").

Jesus did not shy away from the doctrines of grace (commonly called "Calvinism" today), but rather He was bold in their proclamation. Take, for instance, the verse posted at the top of this article where Jesus said,

You do not believe because you are not part of my flock.

Note that this does not say,

Because you do not believe you are not part of my flock.

It is important to understand that Jesus is saying the reason they do not believe is because they are not one of His sheep, for if they were one of His sheep, they would indeed believe. The verse follows Jesus' parable of the sheepfold and the testimony of the Good Shepherd. In John 10:26, Jesus was speaking to the Jews who rejected Him and accused Him of blasphemy by claiming to be God.

Going back to the beginning of the chapter, Jesus gives the parable:

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door but climbs in by another way, that man is a thief and a robber. 2 But he who enters by the door is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes before them, and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice. 5 A stranger they will not follow, but they will flee from him, for they do not know the voice of strangers (John 10:1-5).

The thieves and robbers Jesus is referring to are the blind Scribes and Pharisees who do not exalt Christ, but rather exalt their own self-righteousness and promote their man-centered agendas. This would also apply to any modern/postmodern preacher whose motives are anything but of God. To this end, J.C. Ryle comments,

The false shepherd of souls is he who enters the clerical office with little or no thought about Christ, from worldly and self-exalting motives, but from no desire to exalt Jesus, and the great salvation that is in Him.

These false shepherds will scatter the sheep. When a sheep, a born again believer, hears the truth of God's Word, he is drawn by it in such a way that it soothes his soul. When the Gospel is proclaimed, they are stirred and excited, never growing tired of hearing about the love of God to save men and women from their sin. These do not follow the voice of a stranger, but rather they know and follow the voice of their shepherd.

Jesus continues in John 10:11, 14-15:

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep...I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know the Father; and I lay down my life for the sheep.

Here Jesus makes the unpopular claim that He, as the Good Shepherd, laid down His life for His sheep. He did not lay His life down for all, for all are not His own. Christ laid His life down for those the Father gave Him from eternity past (John 6:37; Ephesians 1:4). Christ laid His life down for His sheep, and He knows them each by name (verse 4). When they hears His voice, they will follow Him without exception, and they will love Him and obey Him, being sanctified in the truth of God's Word (John 17:17). Amazingly, just as the Father knows the Son and the Son knows the Father, so too does the Son know each of His sheep the same.

Speaking of these truths found in the Gospel of John (in addition to pointing out that God's sheep have been commissioned to call His remaining sheep through the proclamation of the Gospel), my friend John Samson comments,

From John’s Gospel, we can make the following scriptural statements: All that the Father has chosen to be His from eternity, He has given to the Son (John 6:37); and all whom He has given to the Son, the Son knows (John 10:3); and calls (John 10:3-5); and all whom He calls, know Him (John 10:14) and recognize His voice (John 10:4-5) and they come to Him (John 6:37) and follow Him (John 10:4, 27); and the Son lays down His life for His sheep (John 10:11); and He gives them eternal life (John 10:28) and keeps them in the Father’s word (John 17:6), so that not even one of them is lost (John 6:39), to glorify the Son forever (John 17:10). This is the indestructible foundation for an infallible salvation that rebounds in the end to the glory of both the Father and the Son.

None of Christ’s sheep finally reject His word. Though He allows some of His sheep to resist the word for a long time, never do they reject it finally. Jesus said, “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me.” (John 6:37). What a promise! And what a privilege we have in sharing the Gospel with people, as we witness the Good Shepherd rounding up His sheep.

So what of those who are not part of Christ's flock? Returning back to John 10:26, they do not believe because they are not of the sheepfold of the Good Shepherd. Even more bluntly in John 8:39-47, Jesus said of those who do not believe:

...Now you seek to kill me, a man who has told you the truth that I heard from God...If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and I am here...Why do you not understand what I say? It is because you cannot bear to hear my word. You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father's desires...because I tell the truth, you do not believe me...Whoever is of God hears the words of God. The reason why you do not hear them is that you are not of God.

What is the cause and effect? People who reject the God of the Bible and do so until death do not understand the things of God because they cannot hear the voice of Christ. They are spiritually deaf. Because the truth is spoken, they do not believe. It is because they are not of God, but of the father of lies, Satan. They are in bondage to their sin and the devil has blinded them so they cannot see the Kingdom of God (2 Corinthians 4:4). It is only those who are of God, who are of His sheepfold, who can hear the words of God and be changed into a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).

When praying to His Father in John 17:1-26, Jesus interceded for His sheep:

I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. 7 Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you. 8 For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours. 10 All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them. 11 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. 12 While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. 13 But now I am coming to you, and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. 14 I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 15 I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth. 18 As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. 19 And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth.

According to Christ Himself, the world hates you when you love the truth, namely Jesus and His Holy Word to us, which includes the infallible writings of the Old and New Testament. Believers were given by the Father to the Son, and it is these for whom He laid down His life. Jesus does not intercede for anyone other than the sheep of His flock. He guides us and guards us and will sanctify us in and by His Truth found in the inerrant Word of God, the Bible. The world hates us because we are not of the world, but God has called us out of the world to no longer be like the world.

This leads me into a biblical warning for "Former Conservative":

If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. - John 15:18-19

FC, it is clear the world loves you as its own. I say this for no other reason but to call you to examine yourself per 2 Corinthians 13:5 through the Word of God. I encourage you to begin in the book of 1 John. You have managed to build a following of people who reject, deny, and hate the God of the Bible, and they commend you for your attacks against born again believers. Satan has further deceived you into thinking you are journeying a worthy cause. Not only is this confirmed in your hatred for the Body of Christ as evidenced in your writings, but it is further established by the following from 1 John 4:5-6:

They are from the world; therefore they speak from the world, and the world listens to them. 6 We are from God. Whoever knows God listens to us; whoever is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

The world listens to you and loves you, FC. That is a major red flag, one that you must heed. Whether or not you will heed the warning I do not know - that will depend upon whether or not you are of God for God's children love the truth, love the brethren, and love the holy and righteous God of love and wrath. Plead for mercy from God, FC. Until you know you've been born again and have received eternal life, plead with Him day and night that He would make His truth known to you, that He would sanctify you by His Word. Plead with Christ to give you eyes to see and ears to hear that you would love all of the attributes of God, to receive Him as your Lord and Savior, that you would receive God Himself to spend eternity with Him in glory.

Back to the original question posed by "depizan", a conclusive question might be asked:

is Former Conservative one of God's sheep?

At this point, FC may be one of God's sheep, but his fruit indicates he has yet to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd. I pray God does indeed call FC by name that he would repent and follow the Lord Jesus Christ of the Bible.

In closing, I post the following message to any of the sheep who frequent Former Conservative's website or any other person who is not yet born again. Perhaps there is only one of you reading, but know this: the Good Shepherd knows you by name and He is calling you to come into the fold. Listen to His voice and follow Him. He declares for you to repent and trust in Him alone for your salvation, and when you do, He promises you abundant life (John 10:10). The world loves its own, and they hate the Lord Jesus Christ and His sheep, but the Good Shepherd is calling you out from among them. He did not die for the world, but He did die for you. God stepped down from His throne in heaven that you would be reconciled to Himself through the blood of Jesus Christ, that you would receive the riches of His mercy and grace and reign with Him forever!

Listen to the voice of your Shepherd as He calls you forth from among the spiritually dead. Forsake everything that has kept you from the Lord. Leave the crowd behind, lay down your pride, and never look back. If you desire to know who Jesus really is, if you feel the draw of the Holy Spirit, if you want to know exactly what Christ did and why He did it for His sheep, then please read about The Suffering Servant. If you have any questions about anything, I offer you the same as I offered Jon in the comment section of this post.

One of God's lost sheep is out there somewhere, perhaps amongst the readers of Confessions of a Former Conservative. If that is you, come to Christ. Come to the Lamb and be healed. Come to the King and receive the reward of your inheritance. Come to Lord of the Harvest, and live!

The Spirit and the Bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price. - Revelation 22:17

Oh little sheep, fix your eyes on the cross:

Rebellion or Reconciliation?

2011-06-20T14:48:00.000-04:00

By Justin Edwards

Find out who you really are. Voddie Baucham gives us the questions and the answers to:

1. Who am I
2. Why am I here
3. What is wrong with the world
4. How can what is wrong, be made right.

Will you continue to rebel, or have you been or will you be reconciled to God through the Lord Jesus Christ?

Atheists Hate Jesus, but Some Don't Realize It

2011-06-17T10:05:00.001-04:00

By Justin Edwards

I received a comment from an Atheist on a post regarding friendship evangelism at airō yesterday, and wanted to share it here with you. Cary seemed honest in his inquiry so I was happy to reply to him candidly. His comment was a bit lengthy (read it in its entirety HERE), so I will just post the crux of his question:

Why do evangelists always seem to think that the only reason I’m not a Christian is because A) I hate Jesus or B) I’ve never heard of him?

Below is my response to Cary. Keep in mind that when engaging Atheists, we are not mandated to convince them with arguments (although argument certainly has its place), but rather we are to proclaim the truth as it is written in the Word of God. We must be honest and true to Scripture, no matter how difficult these truths might be to the hearer. Proclaiming these truths, we trust that the Word of God is the sword of the Spirit,

praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication… that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak. – Ephesians 6:17-20.

——————————————————————–

Hi Cary,

Thanks for the reply and I appreciate your honest and amicable tone. It seems some of your reply was directed at the girl who wrote Tony the letter, so I will reply to points where I may be able to answer biblically and theologically.

Firstly, I can empathize with your feelings toward Christians whose motivation for evangelism seem to be about numbers or winning arguments. The biblical mandate, however, is to proclaim the Gospel biblically without concern for numbers or winning arguments. This should naturally lead to witnessing encounters rooted in genuine compassion and concern for the lost soul, thus taking however much time is necessary, if possible, to convey the truth of God’s Word regarding salvation.

To your first question, non-Christians may not openly profess to hate Christ, but their not loving Him by acknowledging Him as Lord or submitting to the Law of God is rebellion against their Master. Further, professing Christians can and often do hate God as revealed in their lifestyle of sin and love for the world. Jesus is clear that the world hates Him, and as a result will hate His chosen ones and the truth:

If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. – John 15:-18-19

We find in James 4:4:

Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.

These are just a couple of examples for why the Bible says you hate Christ. You may not hate Him as much as you possibly can, but you are naturally an enemy of Him because you do not worship Him. According to the Bible, this would make you in violation to the 1st Commandment because you have placed yourself on God’s throne to live your life according to your will, instead of submitting to the Lordship of Christ and acknowledging His rule and reign in your life. This holds true for the Christian false convert who professes to know God but by their deeds they deny Him (Titus 1:16). Paul also talks about them in Philippians 3:18-19:

For many, of whom I have often told you and now tell you even with tears, walk as enemies of the cross of Christ. 19 Their end is destruction, their god is their belly, and they glory in their shame, with minds set on earthly things.

I was one of those false converts for many years. So whether false convert or Atheist or idolater, the Bible defines these types as enemies of God because they do not love Him. You might find the following article helpful that contrasts the difference between a child of God and a child of the god of this world (Satan): Who Am I According to God? Who Are You?

To your second point, you say you and “we” already know “all of this”, but what you fail to understand is head knowledge does not equate to salvation. My experience has been, even here in the “Bible Belt”, is that most professing Christians do not have a biblical understanding of the Gospel. We do not, then, operate on assumptions when evangelizing that everyone already knows the Gospel. I have heard it said by 2 or 3 different foreign missionaries asking when American churches will be requesting missionaries to come to the U.S. to proclaim the Gospel in America. It is truly a sad state of affairs in a country that was so rich in Christian heritage, but has now fallen into grave rebellion against God.

Biblically speaking, the reason why you are not a Christian, perhaps at least not yet, is because you are still dead in your sin (Ephesians 2:1). Not only are you born condemned in sin (John 3:18), but the god of this world has blinded your mind so you cannot see the light of the Gospel (2 Corinthians 4:4). Therefore, “the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God” (1 Corinthians 1:18). Moreover, “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14).

Speaking of childbirth [as you mentioned], the Bible says you must be born again to see the Kingdom of God (John 3:3). That is why you cannot see. You can no more cause yourself to be born again than your child can cause himself or herself to be born from the womb. No intellectual argument, no matter how convincing, can convert you. It comes “…not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:13). However, the Bible also says in John 6:37, “whoever comes to me I will never cast out.”

So the question for you, Cary, is will you continue to suppress the truth of God (Romans 1:18), or will you exercise faith and trust in Christ? God says in Hebrews 11:4 “without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.”

Perhaps God will use this discussion to draw you close to Him by seeking the truth in His Word. Perhaps He will have mercy on you and reveal Himself to you in greater measure that you might turn to Him and be set free from the bondage of your sin and the god of this world. Perhaps you will hear the voice of the Son of God and He will call you forth from the spiritual dead to give you eternal life. Perhaps you will recognize Christ calling you to come eat from the Bread of Life and drink from the Living Water, that you may never hunger or thirst again. Perhaps God will produce in you a contrite heart that you will grieve over your offenses against Him, which will produce repentance leading to salvation. Perhaps you will hear the voice of the Good Shepherd, who calls His sheep by name, that you may respond to His irresistible call of grace to follow Him. Perhaps your soul will be awakened that you might receive the reward of your inheritance as an adopted son of the Most High and a co-heir with Christ to rule in His eternal kingdom.

But then again, perhaps you like your life just the way it is and would rather be left in your trespasses and sin. God is rich in mercy and grace, and the door is open for you to walk through. We are told to strive to enter through the Narrow Gate, meaning we must do everything in our power to be sure we are on the narrow road that leads through the narrow gate to eternal life. Are you happy with the status quo to continue doing things your way, or are you honest enough in your search for truth that you would embark on a journey to investigate the claims of Christ? The truth is there for those seeking it, so the ball’s in your court. I suggest you start in the Gospel of John or the book of Romans.

I hope to hear from you soon, Cary – I’ll be praying for you and thanks for taking the time to comment.

This article was originally posted at The Speak:Truth Project

Jesus: Holy and Righteous God of Love and Wrath - Part 4

2011-06-14T12:14:00.000-04:00

By Justin Edwards

Last week I posted the first three parts of this series that outlined some of the attributes of the Lord Jesus Christ, who is the only true God. In Part 1 it was shown that Jesus is the God of the Old Testament; that He is unchanging; that He is the Alpha and the Omega; and that He is a God of love, mercy, and grace. Part 2 outlined that Jesus is a holy and righteous God; and Part 3 showed that He is a just judge who will pour out His wrath on those who have rebelled against Him (those who reject the Gospel or live a lifestyle contrary to it). Yet, for those with ears to hear and eyes to see, there is Good News!

Despite His terrible and just wrath against the wicked - all born into this world who have a sinful nature - the Lord Jesus Christ is rich in mercy. He has provided a way out for sinners to escape the wrath to come. If you have a penitent heart for having sinned against God, pay attention to what the Bible says about the Savior.

The Suffering Servant

The prophet Isaiah gives the most detailed account of just how much Christ suffered for His people. From a human perspective, yes, it was the Jews who murdered Jesus, and it was the Romans who washed their hands of this crime, but ultimately, it was not they who crushed the Son of God. It was His own Father who crushed Jesus. God killed His own Son, and it pleased Him to do so. Why? Because this was God's plan all along - to redeem a people for Himself through the Lord Jesus Christ (Titus 2:14). Let's turn our focus to Christ's sufferings in Isaiah 53:1-12, which was written over 700 years before the 1st coming of Christ:

Who has believed what he has heard from us? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? 2 For he grew up before him like a young plant, and like a root out of dry ground; he had no form or majesty that we should look at him, and no beauty that we should desire him. 3 He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4 Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. 5 But he was wounded for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his stripes we are healed. 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned—every one—to his own way; and the Lord has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. 8 By oppression and judgment he was taken away; and as for his generation, who considered that he was cut off out of the land of the living, stricken for the transgression of my people? 9 And they made his grave with the wicked and with a rich man in his death, although he had done no violence, and there was no deceit in his mouth.

10 Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. 11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities. 12 Therefore I will divide him a portion with the many, and he shall divide the spoil with the strong, because he poured out his soul to death and was numbered with the transgressors; yet he bore the sin of many, and makes intercession for the transgressors.

Listen to C.J. Mahaney portray the account of Christ's sufferings from the 2007 Resolved Conference message titled The Suffering Servant.

The Redemptive Savior

Why did Christ come? He most certainly did not come to give you your "best life now", nor did He come to merely give us an example for which to live by. Scripture tells us He came to shed His blood, without which there can be no remission of sin (Hebrews 9:22):

She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins. - Matthew 1:21

Who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. - Romans 4:25

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, - 1 Corinthians 15:3

So Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. - Hebrews 9:28

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. - 1 Peter 2:24

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. - 2 Corinthians 5:21

The Love of God

Why did Christ have to die? As shown above, the shedding of blood is necessary to atone for sin. There is no other way. Why is this the case? The only answer I have is it is the infinite wisdom of God that decreed it necessary, and our thoughts are not God's thoughts, neither are our ways His ways (Isaiah 55:8). If He said it is good and necessary, then it must be good and necessary and I accept that by faith. But what was the motivation behind it all? The Good News is based on love:

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. - John 15:13

By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers. - 1 John 3:16

I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. - John 10:11

In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. - 1 John 4:9-10

For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7 For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— 8 but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. - Romans 5:6-8

Ironically enough, Love epitomized is the most hated person in the world.

Jesus the Only Way

You have no doubt heard that Christ said in John 14:6,

I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.

Whether you have heard it once or a thousand times, it remains true. You must go through Jesus Christ by faith in order to receive eternal life. There is no life found in Buddha, Allah, Mother Earth, New Age philosophy, the Catholic jesus, the Mormon jesus, the liberal jesus, the social justice jesus, or any other jesus who is not the Narrow Way Jesus. This is what He says,

Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. - Matthew 7:13-14

Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. - Luke 13:24

Only those with contrite hearts will enter the kingdom of God as the Apostle Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians 7:10,

For godly grief produces a repentance that leads to salvation without regret, whereas worldly grief produces death.

If you want Life and to escape God's wrath, this is what Jesus says to you:

I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst. - John 6:35

Everyone who drinks of this water will be thirsty again, 14 but whoever drinks of the water that I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life. - John 4:13-14

I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? - John 11:25-26

Do you want this Bread and Water? Do you want Life?

Jesus Is Worthy

The Son of God is worthy for you to come to Him.

He was crushed by His own Father to demonstrate His love toward sinners. Are you a sinner?

God killed His own Son, who willingly laid His life down for His sheep. Are you one of His sheep?

Jesus refrained from saving Himself so that He could save and heal the sick. Are you sick from the disease of sin?

Beaten, cursed, afflicted, bruised, scorned, mocked, tormented, and brutalized - is He not worthy of your worship, praise, devotion, allegiance, love, and surrender?

A perfect man, the only one to ever grace this earth, became sin so His Father could punish Him as our substitute. He bore the iniquities of His children. Are you one of His children? Is He not worthy for you to come home? To receive your inheritance?

The angels know He is worthy and sing,

Worthy is the Lamb who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing! - Revelation 5:12

The saints exalt Him by singing,

Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created. - Revelation 4:11

The glorified creatures of heaven proclaim,

Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!...Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” - Revelation 7:10-12

Is the Lord Jesus Christ not worthy of you to join the heavenly choir?

Purchased to Be Set Free

Jesus tells us in John 8:34-36

Truly, truly, I say to you, everyone who commits sin is a slave to sin. 35 The slave does not remain in the house forever; the son remains forever. 36 So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed.

Dear friend, do you want to be set free? Do you want to know and have true freedom? Freedom from the bondage of your sin, freedom from the god of this world, freedom from your enslavement to your flesh, freedom from the love of the world and the things of this world? Do you want this freedom? This is why Christ purchased His people with His own blood - to set them free! He bought us to set us free!

Jesus, a holy and righteous God of love and wrath, will set His people free. If you are of His people, and you are weary from the chains, cry out to Christ to be set free. Don't wait any longer, today is the day of salvation. To illustrate this point, that Christ bought us to set us free, listen to Paris Reidhead below. Truly, when our freedom is purchased by One so worthy, we will want nothing more than to be His slave.

Won't you be a slave to Christ? That is the Good News, dear friend. The freedom is yours for the taking - become a slave to the worthy and glorious risen King. Yield your life to Christ, and be free.

Salvation - Ian Thomas

2011-06-13T09:57:00.000-04:00

By Justin Edwards

"Salvation involves the reoccupation by God of a guilty sinner in such a way that Jesus Christ has the unchallenged, absolute, perpetual right to dictate the terms whereby that individual henceforth will run his life." - Ian Thomas

Jesus: Holy and Righteous God of Love and Wrath - Part 3

2011-06-10T09:23:00.001-04:00

By Justin Edwards

In that day the Lamb shall become a Lion. A lion captures its prey by its mighty jaws, and once it is caught, he crushes his prey and conquers his prey and consumes his prey. So it will be in this last day for the Lion of the tribe of Judah as He will capture and crush every unbeliever outside of Himself. So terrifying... - Steven Lawson

In a day where most people believe that God has only three attributes - love, grace, and mercy - it is imperative that we effectively communicate all of God's attributes, including His holiness, righteousness, justice, and wrath. By excluding any of these attributes or denying them, one is preaching, teaching, or believing in a different god altogether - one that doesn't exist. God is all of these things, and most emphatically He is holy, holy, holy (Revelation 4:8).

Part 1 of this series briefly outlined from Scripture that Jesus is the God of the Old Testament, that He does not change, that He is the Alpha and Omega, and He is gracious, merciful, and loving. We'll get into these latter three attributes later, but not without first discussing his other attributes. Part 2 briefly outlined God's holiness and righteousness, and this post will discuss the justice and wrath of God, who is none other than the Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of lords and the King of kings.

I remind the reader that if you do not base your understanding of Jesus Christ on the Word of God, then you have no objective standard from which to base your opinion. And that is all you have - opinion. You have built your house on a bed of sand, and in the end it will fall. You must trust in the Jesus of the Bible, the whole Jesus, lest you never receive His enduring love and face the fury of His wrath.

Let's continue our understanding of the Lord Jesus Christ as found in Scripture.

Sin Is Lawlessness

Before we discuss the justice and wrath of God, we must first take a look at sin. Sin is simply defined in 1 John 3:4 as

Everyone who makes a practice of sinning also practices lawlessness; sin is lawlessness.

Sin is breaking the law of God, and living a sinful lifestyle is living in lawlessness. It is rebelling against God's commandments. Because God is holy and righteous, rebellion against His wisdom provokes Him to wrath as we see in Deuteronomy 9:7:

Remember and do not forget how you provoked the Lord your God to wrath in the wilderness. From the day you came out of the land of Egypt until you came to this place, you have been rebellious against the Lord.

The Law that He has given us to love is found in the 10 commandments (Exodus 20:1-21), yet we are a rebellious people and do not love the ways of the Lord as we ought. Some of us hate the commandments, others dismiss them, while others try to live by them as if doing so will earn them a ticket to heaven by their own self-righteousness. However, the Bible says it is impossible for unbelievers and religious hypocrites to submit to the Law of God:

For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile to God, for it does not submit to God's law; indeed, it cannot. - Romans 8:7

We therefore stand as men and women condemned under the Law of God. There is nothing that we need to do to be condemned nor is there anything that God must do to condemn us as we are condemned already (John 3:18). We, by nature, are sinners, and as sinners we do what naturally comes to us - sin. As such, God has appointed Himself through the Lord Jesus Christ as sovereign judge to carry out the sentence of condemned sinners.

God Is Just

God doesn't do things because they are good, something is good because God does it. Because He is a good judge, He will leave no crime against Him unpunished. He must carry out justice for every sin that has ever been committed by every human that has ever walked the planet (Jeremiah 17:10; Matthew 16:27; 1 Corinthians 4:5). Sin is a violation of God's holiness, therefore His holiness must be vindicated by punishing every single sin that has violated His holiness. Every injustice will be brought into account.

Scripture often uses righteousness and justice as synonyms, so let's look at a few more verses displaying this attribute:

God is a righteous judge, and a God who feels indignation every day. - Psalm 7:11

Far be it from you to do such a thing, to put the righteous to death with the wicked, so that the righteous fare as the wicked! Far be that from you! Shall not the Judge of all the earth do what is just?” - Genesis 18:25

Does God pervert justice? Or does the Almighty pervert the right? - Job 8:3

Therefore, hear me, you men of understanding: far be it from God that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty that he should do wrong. - Job 34:10

To declare that the Lord is upright; he is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in him. - Psalm 92:15

But the Lord sits enthroned forever; he has established his throne for justice, 8 and he judges the world with righteousness; he judges the peoples with uprightness. - Psalm 9:7-8

What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! - Romans 9:14

And I heard the altar saying, “Yes, Lord God the Almighty, true and just are your judgments!” - Revelation 16:7

Jesus Christ the Judge

Because God is upright and good, He must punish wickedness as it is an affront to His holiness. In order to carry out justice, there must be a judge. The Lord Jesus Christ is that judge, and Scripture is clear that He will not allow the wicked and those who disobey Him to go unpunished. This is what the Bible says:

The adversaries of the Lord shall be broken to pieces; against them he will thunder in heaven. The Lord will judge the ends of the earth; he will give strength to his king and exalt the power of his anointed. - 1 Samuel 2:10

The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. - John 5:22-23

And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. - Acts 10:42

The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, 31 because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead. - Acts 17:30-31

They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them 16 on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus. - Romans 2:15-16

I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingdom: - 2 Timothy 4:1

The Wrath of Jesus

So how will Jesus carry out God's justice in the future (as opposed to his present judgment per Romans 1:18-32, etc.)? A survey of the Revelation of Jesus Christ reveals many judgments will come upon mankind through wars, plagues, famine, natural disasters, and other supernatural terror. Angels and demons alike will carry out these judgments, and it will be known by mankind who is judging them. On that day, the wicked will seek refuge, but there will be no escape from the wrath of Christ:

Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains, 16 calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb, 17 for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?” - Revelation 6:15-17

In that day, we see how this Great King will come in glory:

...when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with his mighty angels 8 in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. 9 They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might, 10 when he comes on that day to be glorified in his saints, and to be marveled at among all who have believed, because our testimony to you was believed. - 2 Thessalonians 1:7-10

When Christ comes, the One who is called Faithful and True, He will come in righteousness to make war as He judges the wicked. He will strike them down as the Lord treads the winepress of the fury of His wrath:

Then I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse! The one sitting on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he judges and makes war. 12 His eyes are like a flame of fire, and on his head are many diadems, and he has a name written that no one knows but himself. 13 He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood, and the name by which he is called is The Word of God. 14 And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses. 15 From his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations, and he will rule them with a rod of iron. He will tread the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God the Almighty. 16 On his robe and on his thigh he has a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords.

Jesus Christ is not coming as a gentle and meek Lamb, He is coming as the fierce Lion of the tribe of Judah to destroy the wicked and their works, and this includes everyone who disobeys the Gospel and rebels against His righteousness. All sinners who remain on that day will be

...slain by the sword that came from the mouth of him who was sitting on the horse, and all the birds were gorged with their flesh. - Revelation 19:21

After Christ establishes His earthly Kingdom and reigns for 1,000 years, He will resurrect from the dead those who rebelled against Him. This is what the Bible says is in store for the wicked as they face the final, righteous judgment of the Lord Jesus Christ:

Then I saw a great white throne and him who was seated on it. From his presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. 12 And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the book of life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. 13 And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. 14 Then Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. - Revelation 20:11-15

Will that be you on that great and terrible day? What Jesus do you profess to know today? Is it a jesus you have crafted with your mind, who is corrupt by overlooking sin? Is it a jesus who loves, loves, loves, yet is not holy, holy, holy? Is your jesus more concerned with social justice and solving people's problems than he is with the salvation of men's souls? I tell you, if your Jesus is none other than the Jesus that has been revealed in the Bible, then you are worshiping an idol and you will face the wrath of the Lamb of Almighty God.

This is no day to be playing with your eternity. In Part 2 I posted a link to a message by Dr. Steven Lawson on the Great White Judgment, and I think it's important enough to post it again here. You can find the article at this link, or for convenience, you can view the video below.

There is still good news to be discussed, please continue to Part 4.

Proof That God Exists

2011-06-09T09:06:00.000-04:00

By Justin Edwards

Go to Proof That God Exists

If you’ve never visited presuppositional apologist Sye TenBruggencate’s web page, then it’s a must that you do. He provides an easy-to-understand interactive tool to fundamentally prove the existence of God through logic. For a little while now, I’ve been interested in studying presuppositional apologetics so to strengthen my understanding of logic to be used in witnessing encounters. I’ve been able to pick up things here and there (thanks to Chad Williams and Dustin Segers), and finding Sye’s website has helped me understand it more systematically. I’m really eager to study this more in depth.

From the website, Sye states:

You have likely heard that it is impossible to prove that God exists. You have heard wrong. Not only can the existence of God be proven, denying the proof undermines rational thought. It is true that God does not need anyone, let alone this website, to prove His existence. The Bible teaches that the existence of God is so obvious that we are without excuse for denying Him. No one needs proof that God exists, I simply offer these 8 steps to the logical proof of God’s existence in addition to what you already know (and may be suppressing).

Whether you are an unbeliever or someone desiring to sharpen their understanding of the nature of laws and how they are necessary to prove anything, then please do visit Sye’s website, Proof That God Exists. If one doesn’t start with God, then they have no basis for rational thought unless they borrow from the Christian worldview, which states God is the author of truth, logic, mathematical laws, scientific laws, and moral laws . You will find this basic proof very useful when engaging Atheists and/or moral relativists on the street and elsewhere.

You may also find the following from CARM helpful: The Christian Worldview, the Atheist Worldview, and Logic.

On the Box hosted Sye as a guest on Episode 105 last week – check it out below as they discuss presuppositional apologetics:

Jesus: Holy and Righteous God of Love and Wrath - Part 2

2011-06-08T11:33:00.001-04:00

By Justin Edwards

Is the Jesus you know the Jesus of the Bible? Or is the jesus you know a figment of your imagination - one that you have crafted to be palatable with your lifestyle and worldview? If you do not have an objective and absolute source of truth from which to base your understanding of Jesus, then all you are left with is your opinion, the consequences of which will leave you condemned.

What do you know of The Great White Throne Judgment?

There are many types of jesus' in the world today - there's the mystical jesus, the prophet jesus, the good teacher jesus, the good example jesus, the philanthropic jesus, the liberal jesus, the social gospel jesus, and the "love wins" jesus. These jesus' are mere figments of people's imaginations because none of these jesus' exist. They are false christs and have no power to save because they are dead gods created after man's own image. They base these jesus' on mystical experiences or on loose interpretations of Scripture, cherry-picking verses while ignoring the rest of the Bible.

The Jesus of the the Bible, on the other hand, is the glorious and sovereign King of the universe. He is Lord of lords and there is none like Him. He is supreme ruler of creation, robed in glory, majesty, power, and honor. This Jesus is beautiful and pure, and He is worthy of praise and worship. No, there is none like Him. And as yesterday's post clearly showed, the Jesus of the New Testament is the God of the Old Testament, and this God does not change. He is the First and the Last and He is a God of compassion, mercy, grace, and love. But His attributes do not stop there. The same Jesus who is compassionate, merciful, gracious, and loving is the same Jesus who is holy, righteous, just, and wrathful. Without understanding this Jesus, the One represented by the whole counsel of God, then one cannot know Him, or worse, one is not known by Him.

Let's begin with the holiness of God.

God Is Holy, Holy, Holy

And one called to another and said: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory!” - Isaiah 6:3

And the four living creatures, each of them with six wings, are full of eyes all around and within, and day and night they never cease to say, “Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come!” - Revelation 4:8

Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders? - Exodus 15:11

There is none holy like the Lord; there is none besides you; there is no rock like our God. - 1 Samuel 2:2

The Lord reigns; let the peoples tremble! He sits enthroned upon the cherubim; let the earth quake! 2 The Lord is great in Zion; he is exalted over all the peoples. 3 Let them praise your great and awesome name! Holy is he! - Psalm 99:1-3

And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. - Luke 1:35

What have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? Have you come to destroy us? I know who you are—the Holy One of God. - Mark 1:24

But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus' knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” - Luke 5:8

What does it mean to be holy? Most simply, it means to be set apart. God is totally set apart from man. There is none like Him. He is totally "other". Note too that no other attribute of God is so elevated than that of His holiness. To make this point, R.C. Sproul says in The Holiness of God,

Only once in sacred Scripture is an attribute of God elevated to the third degree. Only once is a characteristic of God mentioned three times in succession. The Bible says that God is holy, holy, holy. Not that He is merely holy, or even holy, holy. He is holy, holy, holy. The Bible never says that God is love, love, love; or mercy, mercy, mercy; or wrath, wrath, wrath; or justice, justice, justice. It does say that he is holy, holy, holy that the whole earth is full of His glory (source).

We must begin with the holiness of God; we must begin with the holiness of Christ, who is God. Jesus Christ is holy, holy, holy, and there is none like Him. Let us now look at the righteousness of God.

God Is Righteous

The Lord is righteous; he has cut the cords of the wicked. - Psalm 129:4

The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he. - Deuteronomy 32:4

Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. - Psalm 97:2

Your righteousness is righteous forever, and your law is true. - Psalm 119:142

Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 6 In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’ - Jeremiah 23:5-6

What is righteousness? This attribute of God defines His goodness, rightness, perfection, and justice. Psalm 18:30 says,

This God—his way is perfect; the word of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him.

His standard for good is perfection and is revealed through the Law. This is why we all fall so short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). This is what is revealed about the Law of the Lord in Psalm 19:7-9:

The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether.

Yet, those who hold contempt for the perfect Law of God will by judged by the perfect Law of God. If you find yourself being one who has rejected the Word of God or dismissed it for any reason, or perhaps you love your sin more than the righteousness of Christ, know that you will be held accountable for your contempt of His righteousness. Psalm 1:5-6 tells us,

Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
for the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
but the way of the wicked will perish.

And perish you will if you are not reconciled by God through the Lord Jesus Christ. You will perish by the justice of God and under the wrath of God. You will perish under none other than the wrath of the Lamb, the Lord Jesus Christ, who was, who is, and who is to come.

This leads us into Part 3 that covers the divine justice and wrath of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus: Holy and Righteous God of Love and Wrath - Part 1

2011-06-07T09:43:00.002-04:00

By Justin Edwards

Opinions may be hazardous to your soul - read the source of Truth.

Who exactly is Jesus? Was He merely a great teacher that provided us an example for which to live by, or is He God Himself who was manifest in the flesh 2,000 years ago to save His people from their sin? Did Jesus come to merely show us how to love, or did He come to testify to the Truth, proclaiming a message of salvation rooted in repentance and faith? Did Jesus come to tell us that "love wins" in the end, or has He commanded all men everywhere to repent unto Life lest they remain condemned under the wrath of divine judgment? Who really is Jesus, and how can we know He is who He says He is?

The opening paragraph provides a brief contrast between today's liberal and missional postmodern jesus that has plagued the visible church and the Jesus who is clearly shown to be God in the inerrant and sufficient Holy Scriptures. The false jesus of postmodernism tells us the church should be only concerned with social justice and healing the world with a positive message of "love". They aim to redefine Christianity so to rid it of the Gospel, which is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes (Romans 1:16). The god of this world has blinded them to the glorious Gospel (2 Corinthians 4:4) and they have exchanged the truth of God for a lie (Romans 1:25). They are ignorant of the One True God of Scripture: the Lord Jesus Christ, the God of both the Old and New Testament.

Let's take a look at Scripture to see who Christ really is. By observing just a few verses (not exhaustive by any means), we can easily see that neither the God of the OT nor Jesus changes, we see that Jesus is the God of the Old Testament, we see that both God of the OT and Jesus is Lord, and we see that both are one in the same - the Alpha and Omega. If we do not base our understanding of Christ on the Word of God, then all we are left with are opinions based on the figment of our imagination, the consequences of which are fatally hazardous to the soul.

God Does Not Change

For I the Lord do not change... - Malachi 3:6

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. - James 1:17

God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind... - Numbers 23:19

Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever. - Hebrews 13:8

God of the OT and Jesus Are Both Lord

For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe. - Deuteronomy 10:17

They will make war on the Lamb, and the Lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called and chosen and faithful.” - Revelation 17:14

I charge you in the presence of God, who gives life to all things, and of Christ Jesus, who in his testimony before Pontius Pilate made the good confession, 14 to keep the commandment unstained and free from reproach until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 15 which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, who dwells in unapproachable light, whom no one has ever seen or can see. To him be honor and eternal dominion. Amen. - 1 Timothy 6:13-16

Jesus Is God

God said to Moses, “I am who I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I am has sent me to you.’” - Exodus 3:14

Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” - John 8:58

See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. 9 For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily. - Colossians 2:8-9

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. - John 1:1

The Alpha and Omega

Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god. - Isaiah 44:6

“Listen to me, O Jacob, and Israel, whom I called! I am he; I am the first, and I am the last. - Isaiah 48:12

When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. But he laid his right hand on me, saying, “Fear not, I am the first and the last - Revelation 1:17

And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write: ‘The words of the first and the last, who died and came to life. - Revelation 2:8

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.” - Revelation 22:13

Now having established that Jesus is the God of the Old Testament, let's take a look at a few Scriptures showing God having compassion and showing grace toward His people (even to the wicked) in both testaments.

God Is Merciful, Gracious, and Love

The Lord passed before him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. - Exodus 34:6

For the Lord your God is a merciful God. He will not leave you or destroy you or forget the covenant with your fathers that he swore to them. - Deuteronomy 4:31

For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you. - Psalm 86:5

For your steadfast love is great above the heavens; your faithfulness reaches to the clouds. - Psalm 108:4

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. - John 3:16

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. - John 13:1

He did good by giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, satisfying your hearts with food and gladness. - Acts 14:17

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. 36 Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. - Luke 6:35-36

Yet even though Jesus is a God of love, grace, and mercy, Scripture reveals He is also a holy, righteous, just, and wrathful God. We'll take a look at these attributes of God later this week. Please continue to Part 2.

Calvinism: "Salvation Is of the Lord"

2011-06-06T17:31:00.000-04:00

From The Grace Community Blog on an excerpt taken from a sermon titled “A Defense of Calvinism” by C. H. Spurgeon

Calvinism: “Salvation is of the Lord”

That is just an epitome of Calvinism; it is the sum and substance of it. If anyone should ask me what I mean by a Calvinist, I should reply, “He is one who says, Salvation is of the Lord.” I cannot find in Scripture any other doctrine than this. It is the essence of the Bible. “He only is my rock and my salvation.” Tell me anything contrary to this truth, and it will be a heresy; tell me a heresy, and I shall find its essence here, that it has departed from this great, this fundamental, this rock-truth, “God is my rock and my salvation.” What is the heresy of Rome, but the addition of something to the perfect merits of Jesus Christ—the bringing in of the works of the flesh, to assist in our justification? And what is the heresy of Arminianism but the addition of something to the work of the Redeemer?

Every heresy, if brought to the touchstone, will discover itself here. I have my own private opinion that there is no such thing as preaching Christ and Him crucified, unless we preach what nowadays is called Calvinism. It is a nickname to call it Calvinism; Calvinism is the gospel, and nothing else. I do not believe we can preach the gospel, if we do not preach justification by faith, without works; nor unless we preach the sovereignty of God in His dispensation of grace; nor unless we exalt the electing, unchangeable, eternal, immutable, conquering love of Jehovah; nor do I think we can preach the gospel, unless we base it upon the special and particular redemption of His elect and chosen people which Christ wrought out upon the cross; nor can I comprehend a gospel which lets saints fall away after they are called, and suffers the children of God to be burned in the fires of damnation after having once believed in Jesus. Such a gospel I abhor.

Todd Friel on Challies/Piper/Warren

2011-06-03T09:47:00.000-04:00

By Justin Edwards

Todd Friel discusses Tim Challies' review of the John Piper interview with Rick Warren:

Christless, Secular "Worship" Music at North Point

2011-06-02T10:36:00.000-04:00

By Justin Edwards

A popular trend in [post]modern evangelicalism is secularizing the worship service to be more palatable to the itching ears in attendance at ~~churches~~ entertainment venues across America. Whether it's Elevation Church covering Rage Against the Machine's "Bulls on Parade", or NewSpring Church covering AC/DC's "Highway to Hell", the music in many churches today is aimed at appealing to the carnal nature instead of aiming to glorify and worship the Lord Jesus Christ with pure and holy hearts.

Two Scriptures I'd like to mention before leading into the video below are from John 4:23-24:

But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.

and Philippians 4:8

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.

With these in mind, the following video comes from Andy Stanley's North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, GA. These talented men put together a medley of songs from musicians ranging from the last few decades, many of whom have at least one thing in common: worldliness. About 25 musicians were covered in the medley, including The Beatles, Elton John (twice), Beyonce, Aerosmith, Destiny's Child, Maroon 5, Jason Mraz, Bob Marley, Poison, and Whitney Houston. Not only did these "worship" leaders sing music that had absolutely nothing to do with Christ (not that all music must, but this is church after all), but the musicians they covered very much love this world and the things of the world, whether they be homosexuals, lovers of themselves, fornicators, lovers of money, or idolaters - of whom Scripture tells us will not inherit the Kingdom of God:

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. - 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

There is no need to go outside of Scripture to preach a message on love, especially no need to bring the world into the church to suit itching ears (2 Timothy 4:3-4). The message preached and the music for worship must be Christ-centered, intended to build up the saints, not to stunt Gospel-centered spiritual growth. Church is to be the Christian's refuge for God-exalting worship, not a place where worldliness is accepted and praised. While we are to go out into the world to share the Gospel with sinners such as those listed in 1 Corinthians 6:9-10, church is not intended to conform to the world to make it more entertaining to sinners. As one facebook commenter said yesterday,

What you draw them with is what you have to keep them with.

Indeed, which is to say these churches collectively show by their fruit that they love the world and the things of the world (1 John 2:15-17). If you find yourself in one of these seeker-sensitive, postmodern, man-centered, flesh-appealing, Gospel-less, idol-worshiping, life-enhancement "churches", then you must come out from among them (2 Corinthians 6:14-18).

We have been separated as a holy people to serve the One True Holy God, who has saved us from our sin, who has caused us to crucify our flesh with its passions and desires, and who has decreed that all believers purify themselves from the things of the world, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God (1 John 3:3; 2 Corinthians 7:1). We are to worship God in the spirit of holiness rooted in the truth of Holy Scripture, and we are to meditate on "whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, [and]...anything worthy of praise."

Let us live and worship like it, becoming holy as He is holy:

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” - 1 Peter 1:14-16

Jesus Christ, the Sovereign Savior

2011-05-31T09:57:00.000-04:00

By Justin Edwards

From Dr. Steven Lawson's Foundations of Grace, chapter 9 titled The Greatest Expositor of Grace - The Lord Jesus Christ: Matthew, Mark, and Luke (pg. 244):

(red emphasis added)

Jesus Christ clearly affirmed His absolute sovereignty in all realms of His creation. This supreme authority is seen especially in matters dealing with the salvation of men. Christ is sovereign over His workers and their circumstances, for which reason the gospel advances victoriously. Moreover, He is endowed with authority over fallen men, so that He is able to bring the elect to faith in Himself. Christ brings to pass all that is necessary for the accomplishment of the Great Commission. By His authority, the gospel will triumph:

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” - Matthew 28:18-20

As our Lord issued His Great Commission, He claimed the absolute sovereignty and universal dominion to undergird and ensure the success of the worldwide enterprise of the gospel. The authority of Christ guarantees that the preaching of God's Word will bear fruit in the hearts of men. He has the authority to send the Holy Spirit to convict of sin, righteousness, and judgment. He has the authority to overcome all obstacles and to open hearts. He has the authority to grant repentance and saving faith. He has authority to covert His enemies and to build up His church. As a result, His servants will be raised up and disciples will be made. Let there be no uncertainty: Jesus has unlimited authority, especially in the execution of the Great Commission for the saving of the elect.

Affirming this divine annunciation, [James Montgomery] Boice writes, "The declaration of Christ's authority on earth means that he has authority over those who are not yet believers. That is, his authority extends to the people to whom he sends us with the gospel. It follows, on the one hand, that Christianity is to be a world religion. No one is outside the sphere of his authority or es exempt from his call. On the other hand, this is also a statement of Jesus' ability to bring fruit from our efforts, for it is through the exercise of his authority that men and women actually come to believe and follow him."

Why Are You Saved?

2011-05-25T09:38:00.000-04:00

By Justin Edwards

But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the firstfruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth. To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. - 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14

A brother recently shared with me the following sermon by Pastor John Weaver, which is part 2 of 6 in his series titled, The Doctrine of Election. Packed full of Scripture testifying to the sovereign election of God, this message is a must-listen for those embracing the biblical doctrine of election or those eager to learn the truth behind it.

I encourage you to check any preconceived notions about election at the door and dig deep to ask yourself one question -

"Why are you saved?"

Pastor Weaver will help answer that question:

The Doctrine of Election - Part 2

Open Letter Rebuke and Call to Repentance for Harold Camping

2011-05-23T17:38:00.001-04:00

By Justin Edwards

Dr. James White of Alpha and Omega Ministries has just posted an open letter calling for the repentance of false teacher Harold Camping of Family Radio, who as expected failed in his prediction of judgment day on May 21, 2011. If you were deceived by Camping's cult through Family Radio, wecanknow.com, or through any other means, please know today is also the day for you to repent. I encourage you to begin with the following link: Eternal Life

Do not take for granted that you already know how to go to heaven, for if you were deceived by Harold Camping, there's a good chance you are deceived into believing a false gospel and remain under the wrath of God. Please do post a comment or contact me privately if you need someone to speak with regarding your salvation.

Dr. White begins his rebuke with the following:

Dear Mr. Camping:

In July of 2009 you and I engaged in a debate on the Iron Sharpens Iron radio program concerning your teaching that the church age had ended and that Christ would return on May 21, 2011. I trust you recall our exchange. I am also aware that you have at least seen my book, Dangerous Airwaves: Harold Camping Refuted and Christ's Church Defended. I have been seeking to warn people about your teachings, sir, for about a decade. I know others have been warning the church about you longer than I.

Mr. Camping I am writing to seek your repentance and the most God-glorifying outcome of the debacle of your failed May 21, 2011 prophecy/teaching. I am not writing to engage in debate with you. The time for debate ended on May 22, 2011. It is now time for you to repent and seek to undo the massive damage you have done, first and foremost, to the cause of Christ.

Let me first list the items you need to repent of, openly and publicly (for you are a public person, and your teachings were disseminated all around the world).

Continue reading this call for repentance here: An Open Letter to Harold Camping of Family Radio

UPDATE: Per his Family Radio show last night, Harold Camping remains unrepentant. Click here for details: Harold Camping: Unrepentant False Prophet Refuses to Stop Dragging Christ's Name Through the Mud

Camping Cultists Yield Scoffers Against True Christianity

2011-05-21T08:04:00.000-04:00

By Justin Edwards

Thanks to Trisha Ramos from Fish with Trish for posting this yesterday. It pretty much sums up the consequences of Harold Camping's false prophecy as a cult leader, which will ultimately tarnish the truth of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. We certainly have our work cut out for us - let us begin and stay on our knees.

Lunchtime Evangelism

2011-05-19T10:33:00.000-04:00

By Justin Edwards

A couple of weeks ago I was thinking about the blessed opportunity of a local brother who is able to open-air preach in Uptown Charlotte every Friday on his lunch break. Uptown is a very busy, pedestrian-friendly city center populated with corporate businesses, shops, and restaurants, thus giving this brother potentially hundreds of people to hear the proclamation of the Gospel each week. As I thought about his personal ministry, I began to wish I was able to do such a thing – and then it hit me after a few moments – I DO have such an opportunity to engage the lost during my lunch break! I immediately rejoiced and thanked God for revealing to me another avenue for which I can share the Gospel with a dying world.

My workplace happens to be along a busy bus route that services local public health, social services, and a chemical dependency center. Any time I pass these bus stops, there’s anywhere from a handful to 1 or 2 dozen of people, so there’s usually always someone there to engage. Since last week, I’ve been able to get out there 4 or 5 times, spending anywhere from 10 to 35 minutes during my lunch break.

The challenging part about this type of witnessing is that you have a limited amount of time to share the Gospel with the buses coming every 20 minutes. I’ve realized I need to sharpen my delivery of the Gospel as I ran out of time on a couple of occasions, so this is going to bless me in that regard. When time allows, it’s wonderful to be able to share deeper truths with people, but oftentimes we must be concise and keep the focus on the essentials of the Gospel.

After meeting a professing Christian and encouraging her for about 10 minutes yesterday, the bus arrived and I was able to hand out 10 or so more tracts to those waiting to get on the bus. I proceeded across the street on the way back to my truck when I saw 3 men waiting for the outbound bus. I looked at my watch and saw that I had a few minutes left before I had to get back to work. I handed a tract to each one and told them the back of the tract contained the “trillion dollar question.” Anthony began reading the tract on the spot, reading it intensely in fact. I really didn’t know what to say as he was concentrating, then all of a sudden he cracked a slight smile and said, “man, I think I was fine until I got there” – he was referring to adultery in the heart, the sin of lust.

As God would have it, for the next 20 minutes I was able to share the best news that Anthony had ever heard. We talked about the Law of God and the fact we have all sinned against Him, and we all deserve the just punishment in hell. When I explained to Him the sacrifice of Christ and the beauty of the Savior to redeem a people for Himself, he was taken aback as he had never heard it explained like that before. It was apparent Anthony could feel the weight of his sin and the bloody price paid for sinners as he wiped tears from his eyes several times during our conversation.

I pleaded with Anthony that if he hears the voice of the Son of God speaking through me and the Word of God, if God had given him ears to hear the voice of the Good Shepherd to repent and follow Him, then don’t wait any longer. Today is the day of salvation, and the Lord of glory is worthy to be served, loved, obeyed, worshiped, and praised with all of our heart, mind, soul, and strength. This Jesus who is coming back in flaming fire to take vengeance upon those who disobey the Gospel of Christ, who will show no mercy to those who refuse to bow down to Him today, is offering mercy to sinners now! I told Anthony if he believed everything I was saying as truth, and he wants to be set free from the bondage of his sin, putting on the yoke of Christ to learn from Him, then just cry out to Him calling upon the name of the Lord to save him from his sins. I told him he doesn’t need to repeat a prayer or go to the alter of a church, he just needs to get alone with God and be reconciled to him.

Then Anthony said,

I think I just did that.

I said,

what do you mean?

He responded,

I didn’t cry out loud, I just cried out inside – in my heart.

“Hallelujah” burst from my lips in near unbelief, it was incredible.

To see the sovereign work of God in a man is indescribable if what had just happened was genuine. As the bus came over the hill, I gave Anthony my card and explained to him the resources found on airō. I told him I’d love to get up with him and talk more about this, and he was eager to send me his email address. Anthony explained to me he knew everything in his past had driven him to this point in time to speak with me, and I told him I expected to hear from him. I gave him a Gospel of John and also pointed him to 1st John, and he was on his way.

As you might imagine, I rejoiced the whole way back to work. I was so thrilled by this Divine appointment that I got out of my truck with the keys still in the ignition and the engine running. I can’t say in absolute terms that Anthony was born again yesterday, but if what I witnessed was indeed the manifestation of sovereign grace, I trust God will finish the work He started in Anthony regardless of whether he follows up with me.

This is just one amazing story of Grace working through me to touch the life of another potential sheep of the Good Shepherd. By taking a few minutes out of my day to reach out to others, God has blessed me richly through the proclamation of the Gospel during my day. I want to ask you to consider how you might be able to do the same during your day.

What kind of opportunities might you have throughout the day that you’ve never considered before? Are you also along a transit route? Are you near a shopping center or other type of pedestrian-friendly area? Can you take half of your lunch break to go out and hand a few tracts to people? Who is just right outside your door that you’ve never engaged? If you have this opportunity, won’t you consider getting out of your comfort zone, stepping out on faith to see what God will do?

Let’s hear about it!

Originally posted at The Speak:Truth Project

Go!

2011-05-16T12:34:00.001-04:00

By Justin Edwards

"If you allow the impartation of Jesus Christ to overtake you, suddenly it all works. Because it's Him imitating Himself, and He's very good at being God."

Incredible video on the strength we find in Christ to do HIS work:

Scoffing and Harold Camping's May 21st Cult

2011-05-16T09:36:00.000-04:00

By Justin Edwards

The hype of Harold Camping's false prophecy will continue to get louder as we approach this Saturday, May 21, 2011. In the audio and brief article below, Christian apologist Dr. James White of Alpha and Omega Ministries addresses some of the issues regarding the fallout from Camping's failed prophecy. What can Christians do in response to the certain scoffing (2 Peter 3:3-4) that will follow on May 22 and beyond? What should our response be to those who have been so deceived by Camping and the wecanknow.com cult? How do we protect our churches from their heresies and influence within the Body of Christ?

These questions and more are answered by Dr. James White:

Harold Camping and May 21st - Sermon Audio

In addition, you can listen to Dr. White's debate with Harold Camping from 2009:

Harold Camping Debates Dr. James White - Part 1

Harold Camping Debates Dr. James White - Part 2

James White Reviews His Debate with Harold Camping

Harold Camping Reviews His Debate with Dr. James White

Some Thoughts on the End of the World

05/14/2011 - James White

Can you imagine what it will be like for Campingites around the world a week from today? Listening to the news, waiting to hear about earthquakes at 6pm all around the world? Maybe saying goodbye to loved ones? Giving away personal items, all the time, wondering….

I listened to two NPR reports on Camping's prophecy today, and it was truly disheartening to listen to these folks. One lady had been about to enroll in medical college, but did not, so that she could warn people about "Judgment Day." Another man had left wife and children behind, as they did not "believe." A couple, the woman expecting their second child in June, were interviewed. They had given up everything, and had just enough money to make it till May 21. After that…well, they will be destitute. The New York Post just reported on a man who squandered his $140,000 life's savings to buy advertisements in the New York area promoting the May 21 prophecy. Can you imagine the chuckles of all those going to work on Monday the 23rd as they pass those advertisements? Thanks, Mr. Camping.

Well, are you ready? Even those living in a pretty sheltered world are starting to hear about May 21 now. The date is met with chuckles and smiles by most. Another end times prophet, more reason to question those nutty Christians. Atheists are planning Rapture Parties. Documentaries will be made about what happens on May 22nd. Disappointed followers will be looked at closely. Concerns, quite valid concerns, exist about some choosing to depart this world forcibly should they live to see May 22nd. Some of Camping's callers have been calling to ask about euthanizing their pets before May 21, and an atheist group has set up a pet rescue program where, for only $135, they will come get your dog or cat after you are raptured (the offer is good for ten years!).

I have thought a good deal about the whole thing lately, being one of those who have sought to expose Camping over the past decade. One thing is for sure, no one will be able to accuse me of having ignored the issue. It has never been a prime focus, it has never been a top priority, but there are few major ministries who have been "on target" with Camping's false teachings any longer than we have. My debate with him left no questions in the minds of any who were willing to listen, but, of course, that's the problem. Campingites are an odd bunch.

Now, I firmly believe Jesus is coming again. He could come today, He could even come on the 21st---no one on earth, even a false prophet, can keep Jesus from coming back for His bride. But He is not coming back only for Campingites (and they have surely added belief in May 21 as part of what one must believe to be saved). Every time some maverick like Camping decides to go off the reservation and promote a prophecy like this, scorn is brought on all of us who believe Jesus is coming again. The mockery factor will be quite high come Monday the 23rd.

I do not know what Camping is going to do on Monday the 23rd. He has closed every door on his options. He has said the Bible guarantees it. There is no plan B. This is it, plain and simple, no question marks after May 21, 2011? or the like to fall back on. I have thought he might spiritualize it, like Miller did back in 1844 or so, but he has really not left that option open either. He could always claim a blown calculation (we provided him with examples of errors in his numbers last year, in fact), but that would leave him without much credibility as a number-cruncher, and his system is nothing if it isn't based on number-crunching. Will he even show up on Open Forum on Monday? I mean, at 89 years of age, you'd think retirement would all of a sudden become a very viable option.

I can't imagine what a Monday, May 23rd, 2011 Open Forum broadcast would be like, however. Can you imagine the calls? Not only the mockery from unbelievers, but the anger from his own followers? It would probably be the highest rated program ever, to be sure. Their servers would melt down on the Internet side. But that would be temporary, and one can surely predict the collapse of Family Radio as a result of Camping's second major prophetic failure. One would hope, at least, that finally he would be removed and taken off the air so as to deceive no more. But, you would have thought that would have happened back in 1994. It didn't. There is always an audience for false prophets.

And of course there is the issue of what Campingites will do in the future. Let's be brutally honest: Campingites are, in the main, very odd people. As a whole they reject authority. They tend to be loners who do not like being around others. That's why they bought his attack on the church so easily. Many will not want to repent of their following a false prophet, embracing false doctrine, and attacking Christ's church. And I should emphasize this, that is exactly what must be demanded of any and every follower of Harold Camping after the May 21 date passes---repentance. If they show up at your church, be warned! They have engaged in sinful slander of Christ's church and the gospel, and they should be exhorted to repent and confess their errors before being given, over a period of time, access to the fellowship of believers once again. They should be watched carefully by elders to see if they have truly repented or whether they are just putting on a show so that they can once again bring their odd views and beliefs into the church.

At the same time, some of these folks will be absolutely positively devastated when their clock shows them it is May 22nd and the sun will rise in a matter of hours. They will have nothing left, and, given that Camping lied to them and said "the Bible guarantees it," many, many will abandon all belief in the Bible as Scripture. Atheist groups will be touting former Campingites who "saw the light" in the coming months. Remember that in the years after the failed 1975 prophecy of Jehovah's Witnesses, about a million people left the Watchtower. But, they did not join any other religious organization. They became the religiously abused, the burned out, the "don't talk to me about that stuff" crowd. And while I doubt Camping has that many followers, there will still be a large number who will throw it all away, saying the Bible is not worthy to be believed, all because Camping twisted it and distorted it and lied to his followers. He will have much to answer for on the real judgment day, which, at age 89, is very close at hand for him.

So once again, many thanks, Harold Camping. You will once again make the Bible, the Gospel, and the cross, a mockery, all because of your insatiable pride and arrogance. This time, the Lord allowed you to fall into more rank heresy in the process, but still, you say enough "right things" to bring mockery and disrepute upon all who hold the Bible to be the Word of God. Your followers will stand to condemn you on judgment day, to be sure, but more importantly, God well knows how many of us have tried to reason with you, tried to show you the error of your ways. You refused, and now the time is coming for judgment indeed. May 21st is judgment day after all: for Harold Camping, for Family Radio, and for all who have followed Camping into heresy and error.

(HT to John Samson for the video below)

Countdown to Deception - Harold Camping and the May 21st Cult

2011-05-14T12:27:00.001-04:00

By Justin Edwards

Millions of professing Christians are set to be woefully deceived 7 days from today on May 21, 2011. This is the date that false prophet Harold Camping of Family Radio has predicted the end of the world. In my article on January 4th titled May 21, 2011 and the Harold Camping Cult "Prophecy", I explained some of the heretical teachings of Camping, which have established him as a damned false teacher and cult leader. Here's a short video from Hank Hanegraff on this false prophecy:

When May 22 comes, what will his followers from the wecanknow.com cult say? Might this contribute to further apostasy leading up to 2 Thessalonians 2:3:

Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first...

There are many other things taking place around the world that are setting the stage for Christ's return, and I think this day of deception on May 21, 2011 just might be one of them. We shall see - even so, come quickly, Lord Jesus!

If you are reading this post as one of Camping's followers, please take a moment to read the simple message of salvation at the following link - God's plan is not nearly as complicated as the false prophet Harold Camping has taught: Eternal Life

Please do post your comments, questions, or concerns below.

Brannon Howse Interview w/ Jimmy DeYoung

2011-05-13T12:50:00.001-04:00

By Justin Edwards

Re-post - This post disappeared due to blogger server maintenance:

Yesterday I had the chance to listen to the following interview from Brannon Howse with Jimmy DeYoung of Prophecy Today, and what a fascinating and lively discussion it was! From the Worldview Weekend Radio show notes:

Brannon Howse: Aired May 10, 2011

Brannon’s guest is Jimmy DeYoung. This is one of the best programs we have ever had. The wealth of information on the Middle East, Israel, rebuilding the Temple in Jerusalem and the coming wars is overwhelming. Jimmy also explains why he believes John Hagee is a heretic and why he believes Glenn Beck is so dangerous to the real church. The volume of Scripture DeYoung quotes to make his points is in itself worth hearing.

Indeed, I hope you also get the chance to listen - our King is coming soon!

Click link to download: Brannon Howse with Jimmy DeYoung 5/10/11 mp3

The Tale of a Good Person

2011-05-11T10:06:00.000-04:00

A few weeks ago the Eternal Life page was completed at The Speak:Truth Project and I decided to include it here on airō's Eternal Life page as well. It is also posted below for your convenience:

The Tale of a Good Person

John would be considered a model American citizen. As a 42 year old paramedic, he was in the business of saving lives and received various awards for his stellar character and work ethic including Paramedic of the Year, Rookie Medic of the Year, Community Service Award, Mentor of the Year, and the Above and Beyond Award. He was a loving husband and a father of 3 boys, who were fortunate to have a dad so involved in their education and extra-curricular activities. John served at the homeless shelter once per month and volunteered his time at the free medical clinic several times a year. He was loved by many and anyone he came in contact with would have considered him to be a good person. John would have considered himself to be a good person for it’s the very thing he was striven to be.

During his last service as a paramedic, John was responding to a multi-car pileup on a major interstate when a drunk driver swerved and hit him from behind. He died instantly at the scene.

Sadly, John is in hell now. Why? Because he thought he was a good person. He thought he was good enough to go to heaven.

This is the mindset of most professing Christians in America today. Many believe they are Christians by birthright, are Christians because they have a good relationship with “the church”, or because they are good people, especially compared to the likes of Adolph Hitler or Charles Manson. In John’s case, he believed in God (as most Americans do) and thought his heart for his community and devotion to his family would earn him the right to go to heaven. But the one thing John never came to grips with was his sin, especially his pride in thinking he was good enough to go to heaven.

The Law of God

The Bible tells us that we were born into sin (Psalm 51:5) and there is no one righteous (Romans 3:10). Righteousness simply means perfection. Perfect in every way, including behavior, attribute, attitude, and word. It is God’s standard that He requires of every human in order for them to go to heaven. In other words, we must be perfect (Matthew 5:20).

Although in the eyes of men John would be considered a good person, and rightfully so, he was not perfect. We know this from Scripture, specifically according to the perfect standard for which God judges righteousness. These are known as the 10 Commandments found in Exodus 20:1-17 and Deuteronomy 5:6-21, and God uses these to reveal our sin (Romans 3:19-20). By going through these eternal laws of God, we can easily see how none of us have hit the mark of perfection:

You shall have no other gods before me – if you have ever worshiped a god other than the one true God, then you have worshiped a false god and are guilty of breaking the 1st commandment.
You shall not make for yourself an idol – if you have ever crafted a god to worship, you are guilty of breaking the 2nd commandment. Furthermore, if you have created a god in your own image to cater to your lifestyle, you have broken this commandment. Most Americans are worshiping an idol god whom they have crafted in their minds.
You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God – this is known as blasphemy or using the name of the Lord in vain. We are to treat the name of God with reverence. Any time we use His holy name to express frustration, anger, flippancy, or disgust, we break this commandment. This includes “omg”, etc.
Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy – if you have not perfectly set aside a day of rest and worship unto the Lord each week all the days of your life, then you are guilty of breaking this commandment.
Honor your father and your mother – if you have not perfectly honored your mother and father, then you are guilty of breaking the 5th commandment.
You shall not murder – perhaps you have never committed premeditated murder, but Jesus said in Matthew 5:21-22 that if you so much as call anyone a fool, then you have already committed murder in your heart. This includes hatred, unjust anger, or cursing someone. If you’ve done this one time, then you have broken the 6th commandment.
You shall not commit adultery – it does not take an unfaithful act of cheating on one’s spouse to be considered adultery. Jesus said in Matthew 5:27-28 that if you lust in your mind then you have committed adultery in your heart. This means any premarital intimate or sexual encounter you have had, any look at soft or hard pornography, any sexual thought toward any person at all in person, by watching movies, listening to music, or reading books, magazines, or online material makes you guilty of breaking the 7th commandment.
You shall not steal – that pencil you stole in elementary school, the pack of gum from your childhood friend, cheating on a test, illegally downloading music from the internet, petty theft, shoplifting, or grand larceny – it’s all theft. If you have stolen anything regardless of its value, then you have broken the 8th commandment.
You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor – in other words, you shall not lie. There is no such thing as a “white lie”. If you have ever told a “non-truth”, stretched the truth, or given a false statement to anyone for any reason, then you have broken the 9th commandment.
You shall not covet – have you ever desired something that was not yours? Have you ever said, “man, I wish I had that”, or “I wish I had him or her”? This shows a lack of appreciation for the things you do have, and these wrong desires could lead to other sins including murder, adultery, or theft. If you have ever coveted material possessions or people, then you are guilty of breaking the 10th commandment.

John thought the 10 commandments were a good moral code to live by. Especially in his adult years, he tried to live with the utmost integrity and did his best to never lie to anyone. He certainly did not steal or hate anyone, and remained faithful to his wife during their 20 years of marriage. But John did not consider his secret thought life to be a big deal. He assumed it was normal to admire pretty women in bikinis, whether it was at the beach or on the grocery store magazine rack. And although he was somewhat rebellious as a teenager and dishonored his parents, he had incredible respect for them now.

John thought his outward actions of being a model citizen and family guy would be his ticket to heaven. He thought God would approve of his “goodness” and the scales would tip in his favor to give him access to the streets of gold. But what John did not see in himself was that his heart was deceitful and desperately wicked above all things (Jeremiah 17:9). His heart deceived him and he never knew the God of the Bible – the One and Only True, Holy, Righteous, and Just God of all creation. He was thus guilty of breaking the first two commandments.

The Problem of Sin

In James 2:10, we see that anyone who attempts to live by the law is guilty of breaking every law when they break one law. To make matters worse, any time we don’t do what we should, we are guilty of sinning (James 4:17). And that’s our problem – sin. Sin is the breaking of the Law of God, whether we do so willfully or unintentionally. If we sin once in our entire lives, we are considered lawbreakers (1 John 3:4).

The penalty for breaking the Law of God one time is death (Romans 3:23). In fact, it was one single sin that made all of creation fall when Adam chose to disobey God in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3). It is sin, therefore, that has separated us from a right fellowship with God, and it is sin that has condemned us to an eternal hell (John 3:18).

From the moment we were conceived, all of mankind was condemned, including yourself. Each of us deserve the justice of a Holy God for having failed to meet His perfect standard of good. If left to receive the punishment for our crimes, God would be just to send every person to everlasting hellfire. The consequence for our sin would be conscious torment forever and ever because of Who we have offended (Matthew 25:41, Revelation 14:9-11, Revelation 20:10-15, Revelation 19:14-16, 2 Thessalonians 2:8-10, Matthew 5:29-30, Matthew 10:28, Mark 9:48).

There Is Good News

But God is rich in mercy! His eternal plan before He created the universe was to send His one and only Son to be the propitiation (satisfaction) for sin’s punishment (1 John 4:10; 1 Peter 1:20-21). Over 2,000 years ago, a virgin Jewish teenager named Mary gave birth to the Son of God (Luke 1-2). Jesus was 100% man and 100% God (John 1:1-18). After walking a life of perfect obedience to His Father, Jesus of Nazareth went up to a trash heap called Calvary to lay His life down for His sheep (John 10:11).

No other sacrifice could appease God’s wrath against mankind. It required the blood of an innocent, perfect sacrifice to be a substitute for the sins of man (Hebrews 9). As the unblemished Lamb of God, Jesus actually became sin and was punished by His own Father (2 Corinthians 5:21; Isaiah 53:3-6). God’s furious wrath poured out on His own Son as if Jesus was sin personified. This atoning sacrifice has now made a way for you to be forgiven of your sins. And why did He do this?

Love:

In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. ¹⁰ In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. – 1 John 4:9-10

God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. – Romans 5:8

To fulfill God’s promise to Himself to raise His Son from the dead, after Christ had paid for our sins in full, God resurrected Him unto life! (Matthew 28:5-6; 1 Corinthians 15:20). Jesus now reigns in heaven at the right hand of His Father (Hebrews 12:2), and is waiting to come back again to establish His Kingdom on earth (Revelation 19:11-16; 20:4-6).

That is the good news, dear friend. Jesus Christ paid a debt He did not owe because you have a debt you cannot pay. There is nothing that you can do to add to the work that Christ has already done. That is why He said,

It is finished. – John 19:30

If you try to be justified by your good deeds as John the Paramedic did, you will surely experience the same judgment as John in the lake of fire for all eternity (Galatians 3:11, 5:3-4).

You Must Repent and Believe

If you have yet to be made alive by the grace of God, then you are still dead in your sins (Ephesians 2:1, 5) and the wrath of God hangs over your head (Colossians 3:6; Ephesians 2:3). Yet, out of the infinite mercy of God for His children, He has paved the way for His sheep to receive eternal life – through faith alone in the Lord Jesus Christ alone! God has called all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30). God is calling you to repent. He is calling you to turn away from the sin that separates you from His holiness. He is calling you to turn from your idols, to turn from the control of your life, to turn from serving yourself, and to turn toward Him to receive His gift of grace through faith. This type of faith is a repentant faith where you must give up on yourself and your sinful lifestyle to trust in God to save you from His wrath and the enslavement to your sin.

That is what you are – a slave. You are either a slave to your sin or you are a slave to the righteousness of Jesus Christ (Romans 6:16-18; John 8:34), but you cannot be a slave to both (Matthew 6:24). Neither can you love God and love the world and the things of this world (1 John 2:15). The Bible says in Romans 10:9-10 that if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. You must call upon the name of the Lord (Romans 10:13), but this is not mere lip service, dear friend.

It will cost you everything (Luke 14:33). Jesus has called His sheep to deny themselves, pick up their crosses daily, and follow Him (Luke 9:23). He has called His sheep to forsake all for Him, and to value Him and love Him more than their family, their friends, and even their own lives (Luke 14:25-33; Matthew 10:37-39). Jesus has called you to lay down your life for Him, to count it as nothing, and when you do by the grace of God, He promises you eternal life!

The Promise of Eternal Life

This is what Jesus said of those who recognize their sins against God and desperate need of a Savior. These are people who feel conviction and sorrow, a godly sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:10), for breaking God’s Law and being the very reason for the crucifixion of the Son of God. If that is you, He is speaking these words to you, dear friend:

I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst. – John 6:35

Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. ²⁹ Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰ For My yoke is easy and My burden is light. – Matthew 11:28-30

Whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life. – John 4:14

And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. – John 17:3

Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14 For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. – Matthew 7:13-14

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. ²⁸ And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. ²⁹ My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father’s hand. ³⁰ I and My Father are one. – John 10:27-30

Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. – John 3:3

All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. ³⁸For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. ³⁹ This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day. ⁴⁰ And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day. – John 6:37-40

I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. – John 14:6

I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this? – John 11:25-26

Do you believe this, dear friend? Are you weary? Are you looking for rest for your soul? Is the weight of your sin bearing down on you? Do you feel the Spirit of God drawing you into His embrace? It does not matter what you have done or who you have done it with, God has called you to repent from your sins and throw yourself before the cross of the Lord Jesus Christ. If you are one of His sheep, listen to the voice of the Good Shepherd and follow Him. You must be clothed with the righteousness of Jesus Christ so that God can declare you not guilty of your crimes against Him. If you have been born again, then cry out to God, turn away from the things that are separating you from Him, trust that He is your Savior, and yield yourself to the Lordship of Christ! Knowing this of Jesus:

there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. – Acts 4:12

If God has poured out His grace upon you (1 Peter 1:3) according to the riches of His mercy (Ephesians 2:4-5; John 1:12-13), this is what He promises:

For as the heavens are high above the earth,
So great is His mercy toward those who fear Him;
¹² As far as the east is from the west,
So far has He removed our transgressions from us. – Psalm 103:11-12

He removes the sins from His children as if they never sinned and sees them only as righteous, holy, and without blemish because they have been bought with the blood of Jesus Christ. The most marvelous thing about this is you don’t have to wait for eternal life, and it may be yours today – instantly!

New Life in Christ

Now friend, think on these things. Diligently seek after God in faith and He will reward you (Hebrews 11:6). If you have believed on the Son of God and trusted in Him alone as your Lord and your Savior, He has planted His seed in you to empower you to hunger and thirst for the things of God (1 John 3:9) that you should no longer walk in darkness (1 John 1:5-10). Begin reading your Bible and obey what you read. Spend time with God in prayer every day so that you will walk in the Spirit and be prepared for whatever comes in your path. Surround yourself with mature Christians so they can instruct you and encourage you. Find a solid, Bible-believing church so you can be shepherded in the faith, and be baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Be submissive to the work of the Holy Spirit so

…by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which isyour reasonable service. ² And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. – Romans 12:1-2

We’d like to hear from you if the amazing grace of God has set you free from the bondage of your sin (John 8:36) and saved you from the fury of His wrath (Romans 2:5). If you have any questions about anything you have read or are struggling in the assurance of your salvation, please do not hesitate to contact us through our Contact page. You might also find our Resources page to be beneficial to you.

May our great God and Savior Jesus Christ be glorified in your life today and the life to come…Soli Deo Gloria!

We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. – Romans 6:4

Friendship Evangelism - Is It Biblical?

2011-05-10T13:47:00.001-04:00

By Justin Edwards

What should be the basis of our evangelistic efforts? Should Scripture be our guide or should we depend upon what we perceive to be the best methods according to cultural perception? Should we be confrontational or relational? How did Jesus and His disciples evangelize the lost? Do we have to develop friendships with people before sharing the Gospel? Or can we share the Gospel with any stranger?

In the following article from December 2009, Tony Miano addresses these questions and more in his article titled, Why Friendship Evangelism Is Neither Friendship Nor Evangelism. I hope you take the time to read this compassionate yet truthful article explaining why friendship evangelism is not Scriptural.

I also added a video from Tony below his article, which I encourage you to watch to see how this biblical approach brings conviction to the heart in order for grace to cover sin.

Why Friendship Evangelism Is Neither Friendship Nor Evangelism

Not long ago, I received the following message from a friend on Facebook. While it is a topic I've tackled many times in the past, I thought the way my friend honestly asked her question accurately expressed how many Christians feel about sharing the gospel with their friends. Her words also helped to reaffirm what I have believed for a very long time. "Friendship Evangelism" (as it is most commonly taught and practiced by Christians) is neither friendship nor evangelism.

With my friend's permission, I would like to share her note with you; and then I will answer her question.

I have made a lifetime of friends, and up until about 6 years ago, I was a partier and not walking with the Lord. Since become a Christian, I have made myself known to all, but not gone out of my way to share the gospel. I know my friends "think" they know what the Bible says and I also know that they don't want me to preach or share. I have hoped that Facebook would encourage them to ask me, but they don't.

I watch like a voyeur, their lives on FaceBook and I hate it. I see them post pictures of nights on the town, glazed eyes, draped over a different guy in each shot. Today I read as they talked about spending money frivolously and obnoxiously. I see so much "selfism" and today it really started to hurt.

I keep thinking that, by example, they might want to know more or ask...instead I see them avoid my page and my comments. They never address anything I say regarding our Savior, God, or the written word, and only comment on the "regular" things I post.

Most of my "friends" from the past, I still DO care about their salvation. I'm certain that my approach will mean the end of life-long friendships. Should I just keep exposing the Lord to them? Our Christmas cards and small other things are about all the contact we really have. Should I just go for broke and risk turning them off completely? I know it would mean the end of friendships in most cases.

Part of me knows that losing these friendships shouldn't matter. I'm more concerned that is I can keep the door open, they might ...might...someday come to repentance. I want the door to remain open.

I need some advice. I'm pretty sure your going to tell me to go for it...but I thought you might have a perspective or a way that I should use as an approach . . .

[P.S.] I'm thinking of how to approach evangelizing them. I know the approach that Ray uses, letting them convict themselves through the 10 Commandments (which really works) and you too have mastered it. I have also been told tho have them read the word themselves because the word has power. As a chicken, I was hoping to be "non-confrontational" and send it in a letter. A letter of love, and a pouring out of my heart for them. But that leaves them with the ability to not answer, or reply. I know that God would use me MUCH better if I had the nerve to deliver my (HIS) message in person. I want to engage their minds. I've never been a "chicken." I don't want to fail God. I want my (HIS) words to pierce. So...praying and waiting for His inspiration and His way to lead me, and maybe your words will help push me into the world. I'm NOT ashamed of Him, I'm afraid of them, so to speak. I know if He is with me, who can be against me? Why...do I struggle? Oh, the flesh.

Before I answer my friend's questions, it is important that I preface my commentary with a few clarifying remarks. First, my commentary is not a critique of my friend--of neither her love for Christ nor her love for people. I do not question her salvation or the genuineness of her desire for her friends to be saved. My commentary is, however, a pointed critique of what I believe is a profoundly effective tool of Satan--"Friendship" or "Relationship" evangelism.

I believe many Christians practice "Friendship Evangelism" with sincerity. But sadly it is a sincerity most often born out of ignorance--an ignorance of the Word of God in general and evangelism in particular. At the same time, I feel no such obligation to charity toward authors, pastors, teachers, speakers, and movement leaders who propagate this spiritual fraud upon followers of Christ--both true and false converts. Theirs will be a stricter judgment (James 3:1).

Now, let me take a moment to answer a couple of baseless objections to my position before I even articulate my position. I do this in advance of making my case because I know for some Christians "Friendship Evangelism" is treated like a sacred cow, an essential evangelism tradition. I use the word "tradition" since there is no biblical support for this methodology and philosophy for ministry. And it's traditions like this one that are evidence of the sad reality that evangelicalism, especially the American variety, has yet to completely break free of Rome.

Allow me to make it very clear that Christian evangelists are called by the Word of God to be both friendly and relational. "If I give away all I have, and if I deliver up my body to be burned, but have not love, I gain nothing" (1 Corinthians 13:3). To be opposed to "Friendship Evangelism," as it is most commonly practiced, is not to be opposed to friendship or relationships. But a godly and biblical Christian will put God and friends before and above friendships. More on this later.

Secondly, a common objection to an argument against "Friendship Evangelism" is, "There are many ways to share the gospel and friendship evangelism is one of them." Not so. There is only one way to communicate the gospel, which can take but a few forms--the Bible's way. Any methodology that is extra-biblical (meaning: the Bible neither commands nor condemns the activity), the method should be approached and applied with extra care and caution. The spurious fruit and the measurable harm done by "Friendship Evangelism" is evidence the American Church has thrown caution to the wind and has operated carelessly when applying this extra-biblical, faux-evangelistic methodology.

With the above in mind, I will now address my friend's questions and concerns.

My friend wrote:

"I have made myself known to all, but not gone out of my way to share the gospel."

In a sentence my friend summed up one of the great deficiencies of "Friendship Evangelism." With fewer than 5% of all professing Christians sharing the gospel with a single person in a year's time, it's pretty obvious that most Christians practicing "Friendship Evangelism" are part of that indefensible number. Why? Because in "Friendship Evangelism" the Christian spends far more time making themselves known to their friends than making Christ known to their friends.

Many Christians who practice "Friendship Evangelism" have been led to believe that it is evangelistic to live a perceptible Christian life in front of unbelievers or to say to openly admit to unbelievers that they are Christians. There is nothing remarkable about such an admission, especially in America. The majority of the American population will indicate on surveys and censuses that they are Christians. Many Christians will answer the "What religion are you" question with "I'm a Christian" for no other reason than they are not Jewish, Muslim, or Atheist. To check the Christian box is the default position or most Americans. But many are no more Christian than the Jew, Muslim, or Atheist.

Part of the evidence that "Friendship Evangelism" is not evangelistic is the practice makes the Christian known but it all-too-often fails to make Christ known.

My friend wrote:

"They [her friends] don't want me to preach or share."

Modern evangelicalism has wrongly placed an unregenerate sinner's felt needs over their very real need of salvation. This is not to say that we shouldn't address a person's felt needs. In doing so, one can often discover that the root of a particular felt need is sin; which then presents the opportunity to share the Law and the gospel with that person. However, where evangelicalism has woefully dropped the ball is in the practice of trying to meet felt needs and stopping there, as if to address felt needs is the same as evangelism.

More to the point regarding my friend's assertion: of course the unregenerate doesn't want their Christian friends to proclaim the gospel to them. Why? They hate Jesus. They love their sin and they hate God. Cockroaches don't run to the center of the floor and square dance when you turn on the kitchen light. They flee to the dark regions underneath the cabinets and appliances. They hate the light. And so does the unregenerate sinner. Their love for the darkness of their sin is so great that any holy light brought to bear in their lives is not only uncomfortable and unpleasant. It's detestable.

Sadly, modern evangelicalism has responded to this reality by doing everything it can to engage lost sinners in their culture and according to their felt needs without ever bothering to flip the light switch of the gospel. Evangelicalism has allowed how lost people feel about "the light" determine whether or not it shines the light. Frankly, it doesn't matter what the lost person wants. What matters is what they need. And what they need is salvation by the grace of God alone, through faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone. What they need, whether they feel it or not, is to to repent and believe the gospel.

My friend wrote:

"I keep thinking that, by example, they might want to know more or ask...instead I see them avoid my page and my comments."

Part of the evidence that "Friendship Evangelism" is not evangelistic is the practice of "Assisi-ism."

Francis of Assisi is far-too-often quoted as saying, "Preach the Gospel at all times and when necessary use words." There are two problems with this quote: 1) it is unbiblical; and 2) Assisi never said it. Catholic scholars have methodically and exhaustively searched the extant writings of Assisi and cannot attribute the quote to him. These days, this is common knowledge. Yet Christians continue refer to the mythical quote and worse, apply it in their lives. The quote also has a modern-day translation. It goes something like this. "Live your life in such a way that people ask you why."

While it is true that our good works, when performed for the glory of God alone, can cause lost people to glorify God (Matthew 5:16); that is not to say by living a Christian life in front of lost people that they are going to see Jesus in you. Why? The reason is simple enough. Unregenerate sinners are spiritually blind.

"The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned" (I Cor. 2:14).

The gospel is a spoken message--meaning it is communicated in verbal and/or written formats.

"How then will they call on him of whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, 'How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!' But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, 'Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?' So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ" (Romans 10:14-17).

With 150,000 people dying every day, and the vast majority of them facing God's judgment (Matthew 7:13-14), it amounts to depraved indifference to wait for the lost people around us to see something special in us and ask what's different about us. We are commanded by God's Word to go (Matthew 28:18-20) and preach (Mark 16:15) the gospel to as many people as we can, whenever we can, as often as we can. Time is far too short to wait for spiritually blind people to see Jesus in Christians who are still clothed in sinful human flesh.

My friend wrote:

"I'm certain that my approach will mean the end of life-long friendships."

The tragic result of "Friendship Evangelism," as it is most often practiced by Christians, is that friendships often become more important than the soul of friends. Christians have been wrongly convinced that they must take time (often lots of time) to cultivate relationships with people so that, someday, they may gain the lost person's permission, to "earn the right" to share the gospel with them. So the Christian invests time, energy, and resources sincerely trying to establish loving and caring relationships with people. Is it wrong to do that? No. But the all-too-often tragic result of the practice is that if the Christian every gets the courage or desire to share the gospel with their lost friend, they won't. Why? The reason: the Christian doesn't want to do anything to jeopardize the relationship they've worked so hard to build. So, again, the friendship becomes more important than the soul of the friend.

Upon closer inspection, this is really selfish behavior. Does the Christian believe that they are so valuable that their lost friend can't live without them? Or is it that the Christian derives so much pleasure out of the relationship, from what their lost friend does for them that they don't want to ruin a "good thing?"

Jesus said, "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends" (John 15:13). If Christians truly love their lost friends they will give up everything, even their very lives, certainly their relationships, so that those same lost friends might have eternal life. Or do Christians really want their friends to be with them more than they want them to be with Jesus?

My friend wrote:

"Part of me knows that losing these friendships shouldn't matter. I'm more concerned that is I can keep the door open, they might ...might...someday come to repentance. I want the door to remain open."

No Christian can close a door God wants open. No Christian can open a door God wants shut. God is sovereign. And He doesn't need our help. The gospel alone is the power of God for salvation (Romans 1:16). God, by His grace, chooses to use His children to communicate that life-saving gospel to a lost and dying world. No one goes to heaven because we've made friends with them. And no one goes to hell because we've failed to establish relationships with people.

In closing, let me reiterate that Christians should be friendly with people. We should speak the truth in love. Evangelism isn't a game. It's not a sport. It is what God has called every follower of Christ to do. Evangelism is a lifestyle--not that the way we live our life is evangelism; but rather our verbal proclamation of the gospel should permeate every aspect of our life and impact every relationship we have.

My friend understands all of this. She knows what she must do. She acknowledged as much toward the end of her note. And I hope I've answered her questions, and maybe some of yours, too.

Bin Laden Evangelism Survey

2011-05-07T21:39:00.002-04:00

By Justin Edwards

The following article was originally posted at The Speak:Truth Project:

Yesterday on airō I posted an article titled Osama, Terrorism, Despair, and Hope and closed with how the death of Osama bin Laden has given us an incredible opportunity to share the Gospel with the lost. No doubt every person you come in contact with has an opinion on the matter, and I can think of no easier way to transition into a spiritual conversation than using bin Laden as an icebreaker.

In the aforementioned article, I mentioned I would put together a list of survey questions to ask folks in order to share the Gospel with them. Living Waters offers a similar Survey Pad, and I think such a strategy would be perfect to employ during an evangelism outreach. Here’s what I’ve got so far:

1. Where were you when you heard the news about the terrorist attacks on 9/11? ________________________

2. Where were you when you heard the news about Osama bin Laden? _________________________________

3. What was your initial reaction? _____________________________________________________________

4. Do you believe they should have captured him to be put on trial?
___________________________________

5. Do you feel safer now that bin Laden is dead? __________________________________________________

6. Do you believe the United States will be attacked in the near future?
_________________________________

7. Where do you believe Osama bin Laden is now? ________________________________________________

8. Where do you believe Ronald Reagan is? ___________

9. How about Hitler? __________

10. Pope John Paul II? _________

11. Saddam Hussein? _________

12. Ghandi? __________

13. Mother Teresa? ____________

14. Timothy McVeigh? __________

15. Michael Jackson? ____________

16. Princess Diana? __________

17. Joseph Stalin? __________

18. John F. Kennedy? ____________

19. Among these people, how did you determine whether they went to heaven or hell?
_______________________

20. If a terrorist avenged bin Laden’s death right here and right now with a bomb, where would you go? __________

21. Do you consider yourself to be a good person? _____________

22. How many lies have you told…

From this point on, you can take them through the Law and the Gospel, such as the way Ray Comfort lovingly instructs the young man in the video below.

I plan on printing these out in a Word document to keep with me, especially during evangelism events. What are your thoughts? Do you have any questions to add? If you decide to use this strategy to witness to people, we’d love to hear about it in the comments below!

Update: For your convenience, you can download this survey from Google Documents here: Bin Laden Evangelism Survey

Osama, Terrorism, Despair, and Hope

2011-05-05T11:54:00.000-04:00

By Justin Edwards

The world has been in a whirlwind since the news of the death of Osama bin Laden broke late Sunday evening. Reactions have varied from celebration to condemnation, with many Christians struggling with how they should respond to the death of the world's most notorious killer of the last 2 decades. In his article, A Christian Response to the death of Osama bin Laden, Randy White revisits the evil acts of bin Laden in recent years:

Osama bin Laden is a clear enemy. As the leader of Al Qaeda, he is responsible for the death of over 3,000 men, women, and children on 9/11, as well as those who died on the USS Cole, the deaths of US servicemen shot down in Somalia in Operation Restore Hope, the 301 persons killed and 5,000 injured in bombings of U.S. Embassies in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam, the bombing of a synagogue in Tunisia, the deaths of 180 people in a nightclub in Bali, and the list goes on. Clearly, Osama bin Laden has been the deadliest terrorist of this young century (HT: Worldview Weekend).

Osama bin Laden was a cold-blooded murderer who deserved death. Christians can rejoice that this wicked man has received temporal justice for his crimes against humanity, and we can rejoice that he can no longer take another innocent human life. Yet, while we can rejoice that bin Laden is history and can harm us no more, the reality is he is in hell and has yet to face God's final justice - in that, we cannot rejoice, but more on that later.

Although bin Laden is dead, the threat of terrorism did not die with him. In fact, his death will likely be a catalyst for near-future attacks. Coincidentally, about a week before May 2, I saw that Wikileaks had released information regarding repercussions of a bin Laden capture or assassination. In this report, Al-Qaeda threatens to unleash a nuclear hellstorm if Osama is caught or assassinated. The terrorist organization has supposedly hidden a nuclear bomb in Europe, ready for detonation should Osama be incarcerated or killed. It is not unlikely that such a threat is imposed within the United States, given our security risks on the border among other things.

In my opinion, killing OBL is another win for Islam. The U.S. was absolutely justified in this assassination, but the consequences will be more attacks and restricted freedoms. Not only might Al-Qaeda accelerate its efforts to attack the United States, but there may be an increase in lone wolf terrorists or bin Laden sympathizers to unleash their frustrations against perceived tyranny of the United States. In fact, Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula publishes a high quality English-language magazine, Inspire, to recruit and instruct Muslims in the West to carry out terrorist attacks in their home countries. They released their 5th edition in April:

With this is mind, the threat of so-called "soft targets" being attacked has significantly increased since the killing of Osama bin Laden. Security has been heightened in major cities around the country, and agencies are being encouraged to employ security measures that would invade the privacy of American citizens. The following CBS report explains that routine patdowns may become the norm for entry into these soft targets:

As the next few weeks unfold, we will likely see an increase of Muslims memorializing bin Laden. In fact, the location of his killing is already becoming a shrine for his admirers, where one Muslims states:

I've come here today to see a piece of our history...Osama was a good Muslim who fought for Islam. He was a hero to us. I expect in time to see all sorts of tourists here, even Japanese and Americans.

This shrine may serve as a rallying point and pilgrimage for bin Laden's followers to pay their respects. What we are seeing is faithful Muslims supporting one of their heroes - a martyr in their eyes.

Such is the sentiment that may bring about a new wave of terror in the United States. The world is already in turmoil with a failing economy, natural disasters, and Middle East turmoil, and with the perhaps imminent threat of terrorist attacks in the United States and Europe, we can expect more death and restricted freedoms.

So what does this mean for you? What kind of emotions do you feel knowing that the world has significantly become more volatile, as if it wasn't volatile enough already? Are you afraid? Are you fearful of the unexpected? If all you have is this life now, then there really is no hope for you. If this world, which ultimately offers you nothing but temporal happiness, despair and death - an evil place where wickedness reigns and immorality destroys, if this world is the only one you have to cling to - then you are utterly hopeless. At any moment, your life could be taken from you, and the chances of that happening have now increased by the death of one evil man.

If death knocked on your door today, would you find yourself in the same place as Osama bin Laden? The truth is, if you are still living for yourself and for this world, if you have need of nothing and are trying to live in a manner that you believe would make you worthy of heaven, then you are just as guilty as bin Laden and will face the same judgment as he will face. While the wrath of God may come down more severely upon bin Laden, God's wrath is still unfathomable upon those who refuse to obey the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. You may think such a position is incredulous, and I don't blame you, but that doesn't change the reality that you are a law-breaker and deserve the wages of your sin.

To read more about this and how you can avoid facing the same judgment as Osama bin Laden, please see Eternal Life.

Now, for my brothers and sisters in Christ - we have an incredible opportunity to use the killing of Osama bin Laden to proclaim the Gospel. First of all, as opposed to those without Christ, we have an enduring hope! As we are secured by grace, it doesn't matter if we should be the victims of a terrorist attack. We are not to fear the unexpected on this earth, for our hope is in the One who has conquered death and has established a kingdom for us to rule and reign with Christ for eternity! This is the Hope that is within us, and we must be constantly ready to share this with others.

Secondly, I expect most people are willing to talk about the death of Osama bin Laden. I can think of no easier way to transition into a spiritual conversation than using this instance to break the ice. In the days to come, I may put a list of survey questions together to use in witnessing encounters, but for now, consider asking people this simple question:

Where do you think Osama bin Laden is now?

This will be a springboard for you to eventually ask the person where they will go when they die.

Most of us have lost people close to us. The news of Osama bin Laden just might be a catalyst that sparks a new wave of terrorism, which could ultimately play into God's prophetic timetable. In any case, the hour is now all the more urgent to proclaim the Gospel. While we really don't know how any of this will play out, God, on the other hand, is in absolute control. He is sovereign over all nations, people, angels, and devils, and these events are proceeding just as He has ordained them to proceed. We do not know every detail of the future, but we do know that Christ is returning, and looking at the condition of the world today, I believe He is at the doorstep.

If you have doubts as to where you will spend eternity, please do visit the Eternal Life page. If you are unsure of your salvation, please don't hesitate to contact me. If you know you are saved by the grace of God, what are you going to do with your life from here on out? We have only one purpose in this life once we are bought by the blood of Christ - to love and obey Him with all of our hearts and to make His name known.

Let your conduct be worthy of the Gospel of Christ... - Philippians 1:27

1914 False Prophecy from The Watchtower

2011-04-29T09:43:00.003-04:00

By Justin Edwards

Dr. James White of Alpha and Omega Ministries has posted an excellent illustration, based on a 1984 Watchtower publication, that clearly shows the Watchtower Society to be a false prophet organization. Make sure you read Dr. White's explanation, then consider printing this image to keep in your Bible for the Jehovah's Witness that knocks on your door. A brother and I are meeting with a JW in a few weeks, Lord willing, and I will be sure to have this handy. Make sure you click the image for full size.

As another false prophecy is about to NOT be fulfilled, please see the following article: May 21, 2011 and the Harold Camping Cult "Prophecy"

For additional resources on Jehovah’s Witnesses, see: Cults and World Religions

A Fascinating Reminder of the 1914 False Prophecy

I used to spend a lot of time on the subject of the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society. It was the second major group I tackled and studied. I still have a huge number of their old, old books, shelves of them, actually. I also have a whole set of what are called "bound volumes," yearly compilations of all of the Watchtower and Awake! magazines. Of course, much of this is now available digitally on the Watchtower Library CD Rom (which isn't easy to get hold of, but not impossible). Anyway, I just checked the dark corner of one of my shelves and pulled out the bound volume for the Watchtowers of 1984. On the cover of the May 15, 1984 publication (repeated on page 4) is a picture of a group of elderly people, all looking upward. The title give is "1914: The Generation That Will Not Pass Away." You will look in vain for such confident promises in today's Watchtower publications, as they have effectively buried the 1914 prophecy, but it was front and center for many decades. In fact, on page 5 of this same publication we read, "If Jesus used 'generation' in that sense and we apply it to 1914, then the babies of that generation are now 70 years old or older. And others alive in 1914 are in their 80's or 90's, a few even having reached a hundred. There are still many millions of that generation alive. Some of them 'will by no means pass away until all things occur.'---Luke 21:32."

Well, I was sent this graphic a few days ago. It contains that same cover picture (I double checked it in my own printed edition), but identifies each and every person in the picture by name, and gives the date when they all passed away. A tremendous testimony to the status of the Watchtower Society as a false prophet---just like Harold Camping already is (1994), and will be proven yet again in about three weeks. False prophets come, false prophets go, but Christ continues to build His church, not by the popularity of His teachings, but by the changing of the heart.

(HT: John Samson)

Great Outdoors, Fellowship, and Evangelism

2011-04-28T16:08:00.000-04:00

This article was originally posted at The Speak:Truth Project

One of my most favorite things to do in life is to enjoy the great outdoors. Last Saturday, a group of us headed to Grandfather Mountain in Western North Carolina to meet up with a couple of dear friends, Josh and Steve, who recently moved from Charlotte to pastor Higher Ground Church of God in Pineola, NC. We also brought our families with us, so while we hiked the mountain, our wives and children spent the day hanging out.

The weather could not have been more perfect. We got started around 10am and I was excited about all the people we would be seeing on the mountain. The ice got broken for tract distribution as a gentleman took our picture near the Mile High Bridge, and I responded in kind with a Million Dollar tip!

Aaron and I both brought tracts with us for the hike, and between us both, I imagine we were blessed to hand out approximately 50 tracts. We may have only spoken to one individual for a few minutes on one occasion, but dozens of people received the Gospel in their hands. This gentleman in particular had mentioned he has been meaning to read his Bible and “get things right” for a while, so I can only imagine what it meant for him that we spoke the truth of God’s Word to him on the side of a mountain (literally on a ladder on the side of a mountain!). Most people were elated and appreciative of what we handed them, and on a couple of occasions we met believers, which is always an encouraging experience.

The best part of our day was our time of fellowship together, especially during lunch. Aaron had prepared a devotional about peaks and valleys and where our focus must remain through times of prosperity and trying times – on Christ. We also sang a couple of songs and worshiped the Creator together. It was really a sweet moment and epitomized what true fellowship is for the Body of Christ. It seems most of our conversations throughout the hike were centered on God, and it was such a blessing to be in the company of like-minded believers who desired the same fellowship.
So dear friends, I encourage you to consider an outing where you might fellowship and worship our God in the great outdoors. It is so refreshing to “get away” for a day and spend time in God’s creation with other believers. It also affords you the opportunity to witness to the lost literally on “the ends of the earth”.

Even if you are not in a group, always keep Gospel tracts handy and have courage to hand them out wherever you go. Had we left our tracts at home, it would have been a wasted opportunity to get the Gospel in the hands of folks we may have otherwise had no other contact.

Do you have any plans for this spring and summer? Camping, hiking, fishing, mountains, beach, four-wheeling, horseback riding, lakes, rivers, etc.? If not, try making some – and don’t forget your tracts!

You can check out the rest of our photos on facebook.

Jesus Died for Me

2011-04-25T10:45:00.000-04:00

By Justin Edwards

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. - 1 Corinthians 1:18

Jesus died for me. A wretched sinner. I lived as an enemy of the cross. I loved the world. I loved my sin. Though I loved God with my lips, I hated Him with my lifestyle. My mind was set on earthly things. I pursued the riches of this world. I was proud. I wanted to control my life. I wanted to do things my way. I was a hypocrite. Compared to others, I was a good person. Compared to God, I was hopeless. "Moral values" were my god. As long as I didn't hurt others, it was ok for me to hurt myself through a reckless lifestyle. I was a professing Christian. I trampled on the blood of Christ. I took pleasure in the sin that nailed Him to the cross. I was religious. I was lost. But Jesus died for me. For me!

What did I do to receive this greatest act of love where Jesus laid His life down for me? Nothing, absolutely nothing. What could I do? There was nothing good in me. There was nothing in me that God looked upon me favorably to say, "Ah yes, this one deserves My grace." No, I did not deserve God's grace. No one does. The only thing any of us deserve is His justice and wrath - the due punishment for our crimes against an infinitely holy and righteous God.

There was no amount of effort that could make me deserving of heaven. There was no amount of good works to outweigh by bad works. There was no amount of cleaning myself up that would warrant me worthy of salvation. After all, it was actually impossible for me to clean myself up, and trust me, I tried many times. The reality was that I was a slave to my sin. I was in bondage to the works of the flesh, and the reckless and proud lifestyle I lived was merely an outward manifestation of the condition of my heart. And because I was "saved and baptized" when I was 8 years old and was taught "once saved always saved", it really didn't matter what kind of lifestyle I lived because I was forgiven and eternally secure. Little did I know grace was not a license to sin, nor does a prayer or "decision for Christ" equal salvation. Even so, my pride caused me to believe God would overlook my sin, even though my lifestyle was an abomination to Him.

So why did God save me 2 years ago? I can tell you it had nothing to do with me, but everything to do with Him. A secret only known to God, He chose me before the foundation of the world to lay His life down for me. While I was dead in my sins and was an enemy of God, He chose to extend His mercy to me. To bring glory to Himself, and for this reason alone, He chose to give me a new heart so that I could see exactly who I was, and more importantly, I could see Who He is. I am nowhere in the equation, but solely for His glorious purposes, of which I know not, He chose to make me His son and a co-heir in the Kingdom of Christ.

That is grace, my friend. There is no other way.

I deserved the punishment, but Christ took my punishment instead. I deserved the wrath of God, but Christ bore this wrath for me. Every single sin - whether thought, word, or deed - I deserved to recompense, but Christ paid my debt for me because I could not. The perfect, spotless, Lamb of Almighty God took my hell, so that I could receive eternal life with Jesus in heaven.

That is love, my friend. There is none greater.

It is for this reason I am able to love God. If He had not loved me first, it would be impossible for me to love Him. If He had not made me a new creation, it would be impossible for me to desire God. If He had not given me a new heart, it would be impossible for me to serve and obey Him. And if He had not shone His light through me, it would have been impossible for me to understand the Gospel.

But none of these things make any sense to those with hardened hearts. As the Scripture at the top of this post indicates, the cross is utter foolishness to those who are perishing. They think it folly that anyone can pay for their sin except for themselves. They mock the blood of Christ and consider it disgusting to be covered by such a thing. The god of this world, Satan, has blinded them so they cannot see the truth that is in the Gospel (2 Corinthians 4:4), and in their natural state as children of wrath,

The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. - 1 Corinthians 2:14

But when God saves sinners by His grace alone, He gives us eyes to see and a mind to discern the things of God. Because of this, we are able to respond to Christ with a hunger and thirst for righteousness, and God enables us to pursue Him with a passion to love Him with all of our mind, heart, soul, and strength. This causes us to depart from iniquity (2 Timothy 2:19), deny worldliness and ungodliness (Titus 2:12), to flee from idolatry and sexual immorality (1 Corinthians 10:14; 6:18), and to come out from under the influence of the world (2 Corinthians 6:14-18).

Believers understand just how costly it was for Christ to lay His life down for His sheep. Jesus paid our fine so we would not receive our just and eternal punishment in hell, and for that we are eternally grateful. It is now our reasonable service to offer our bodies to Him as living sacrifices, holy and acceptable to Him (Romans 12:1). Out of love for Him and love for His beautiful yet gut-wrenching sacrifice, we have no greater desire than to obey Him and flee from the things that crucified Him. We are compelled to lay our lives down for Christ because we have been the benefactors of the riches of His grace and mercy.

Christ is our Savior. Christ is our Lord. Christ is our King. And me, a wretched sinner, He laid His life down.

Christ died for me. Did He die for you?

By Grace Alone at God's Expense

2011-04-22T14:48:00.000-04:00

By Justin Edwards

I am nearly finished with the short work of Sinclair Ferguson titled, By Grace Alone: How the Grace of God Amazes Me. The inspiration for the book came from the beautiful hymn written in 1946 by an African pastor, Emmanuel T. Sibomana, titled "O How the Grace of God Amazes Me." Christians can take the grace of God for granted, often forgetting exactly how costly the price of grace was for sinners. When we realize just how costly it was for Christ to purchase His sheep for which He died, understanding that God created the heavens and the earth to display His glory and humans to bestow the immeasurable riches of His mercy and grace, we can rest and stand in awe of the wonder and beauty that is in Christ.

The following excerpts are from chapter 3, At God's Expense, and I thought they were fitting and timely for a Good Friday article. The most amazing part of what today represents is that Christ could have saved Himself from the bloody cross. He could have called forth the armies of heaven to crush His enemies. He could have escaped the torment of that cross, but He didn't, and He sustained the furious wrath and devastating punishment from God, His own Father. He refrained from doing any of these things for one reason alone: in order for Christ to save sinners, He could not save Himself. There is no greater love than this!

I highly recommend Sinclair Ferguson's book, which can be found at a reasonable price at the Ligonier Store.

At God's Expense

"O How the Grace of God Amazes Me" takes us, step by step, through various dimensions of God's saving grace. The third verse brings us to the theme of this chapter - salvation was costly to God. E.T Sibomama writes:

Jesus, God's Son,
Suffered on Calvary's tree -
Crucified with thieves was he -
Great was his grace to me,
His wayward one.

Into Loneliness

...The whole story of Jesus' passion, His arrest, His trial, His suffering, and His public execution is one of appalling loneliness and isolation voluntarily experienced in order to restore us to fellowship with God.

After the meal in the upper room, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsamane. There He sought consolation from His Father and encouragement from His disciples. He took Peter, James, and John (His "inner circle") and separated them from the others in the group. Then He isloated Himself even from them, and was entirely on His own.

In the hours that followed, this movement into isolation continued and intensified. He was further separated from His disciples, friends, and family members - although they came, bravely, to be with Him at His execution. This was surely the hour the aged Simeon foresaw when he said to the young Mary, "a sword will pierce through your own soul" (Luke 2:35).

From His arrest until He was helped to carry His cross by Simon of Cyrene, Jesus had no close contact with human help - indeed, His one sighting of Simon Peter was when curses rang out from the disciple's lips (Matt. 26:74; Luke 22:61). Did Jesus also feel a sword piercing His soul as He heard the words, "I do not know the Man!" Only at Golgotha did He have further contact with those who had known Him best and loved Him most.

But there was much more - and much worse. Jesus felt Himself to be abandoned by God and cried out on the cross: "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (Matt. 27:46)...

The Christ

...Jesus is the Christ: He fulfills all three of these roles [prophet, priest, and king]. The ultimate role of the prophets, priests, and kings was not merely to minister to their contemporaries but to point them forward to Christ - who Himself would be the very Word of God, who would offer the ultimate sacrifice that would take away sin, namely Himself, and who would be the Monarch whose kingdom would never end.

Such a person had been promised in the Old Testament - a prophet greater than Moses (Deut. 18:15-19), a priest after the order of Melchizedek (Ps. 110:4), a king who would reign forever as the Son of David (Ps. 2:6). Jesus is the promised Messiah, the Christ...

...Contrary to what those who wanted to destroy Jesus thought they were doing, they were themselves caught up in the purposes of God to bring salvation to sinners through His Son (Acts 2:23).

Before their blinded eyes, Jesus was fulfilling His messianic ministry.

Prophet, Priest, and King

Notice how all of this emerges. The men who were guarding Jesus began mocking and beating Him. They blindfolded Him and demanded: "Prophesy! Who is the one who struck you?" (Luke 22:64). They played with Jesus: "Prophet! Prophet! If you are a prophet, prophesy!"

Then, as Jesus' passion progressed, Herod and his soldiers also ridiculed and mocked Him. They dressed Him in elegant, regal robe, then sent Him back to Pilate (Luke 23:6-12). It was as if they were saying, "If you are a king, you should be dressed like a king."

Then, as people sneered at Him and mocked Him during His crucifixion, one of the criminals crucified beside Jesus said, "If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us" (Luke 23:29).

That was the specific task of the high priest. That was his unique and supreme ministry on Yom Kippur, the annual Day of Atonement. He made sacrifices for the forgiveness of his own sins and then took sacrificial blood into the Holy of Holies - the holiest place of all, so sacred that it was entered only once a year, and then by only one man. On that sacred day, he would sprinkle the blood of a sacrificed animal on the symbolic throne of God on earth and pray for the forgiveness of the people. He entered the presence of God that day to "save others," endangering his own life as he did so (Ex. 28:35).

So when the dying thief turned to Jesus and said, "If you are the Christ, then be the Great High Priest - save Yourself and others," he did not realize that saving others was precisely what Jesus was doing. To do that, He had to lose His own life.

They mocked Him as though He were not a true prophet. But soon Jesus would turn to the dying thief who said, "Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom" (Luke 23:42). He would speak to him with the majesty and authority of the final and true Prophet: "Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise."

That dying thief saw something that nobody else had eyes to see. He saw that Jesus was the King, and that His kingdom would extend beyond the death of both of them.

He was indeed the Christ.

In the last hours of Jesus' life, the whole land became dark. The Gospel writers simply note the fact without comment or explanation. The event may have reminded them of more than one significant event in the past. One of them surely would have been the Day of Atonement, when the high priest moved from the outer courts of the temple into the darkness of the hidden, inner room of the Holy of Holies in order to sacrifice and pray for the people. In that hidden room, the sun never shone. The great sacrifice was offered to God far from prying eyes.

On the day of Jesus' crucifixion, the whole land was turned into the Holy of Holies where Jesus the High Priest made not the annual but the final sacrifice for sins. The symbolism was fulfilled in the reality. Thus, the symbol itself was no longer needed. The great curtain in the temple was suddenly torn in two - from the top to the bottom (Luke 22:45). The way to God was now open. God Himself deconsecrated the temple in this dramatic way.

Jesus really was the High Priest. All earlier high priests were mere pictures, actors in a lengthy drama communicating a message to those who watched, pointing forward to the One who was to come and revealing Him to those who had eyes to see. Jesus Himself was the reality. Unlike the earlier sacrificial dramas, this time the High Priest went into the immediate presence of God. On the altar of Calvary, He shed His own blood. Because His was the real sacrifice, God confirmed that it was acceptable to Him by desecrating the temple from heaven. It was as if He were saying "This is not needed any longer." He destroyed the old order. It had served its purpose.

At the Cross

...Crucifixion was a horrible death. It was a slow death. Men eventually died by asphyxiation. As they weakened, they could no longer raise their bodies sufficiently to make breathing possible. Yet we read of Jesus crying out with a loud voice (Luke 23:46). Was this only a great final effort on His part?

In addition, Jesus appears to have died long before He was expected to (John 19:31:33). Is Luke drawing our attention to the fact that Jesus chose the moment of His death - that, in a special sense, He died deliberately, sovereignly, and actively? It seems He chose the moment with regal authority, calling out with a loud voice, "Father, into Your hands I commit My spirit" (Luke 23:35). Then He bowed His kingly head and breathed His last.

In Luke's account of the crucifixion, it is fascinating to notice the frequency with which the word save is used. "He saved others; let Him save Himself" (Luke 23:35). "Save Yourself (Luke 23:36). "Save Yourself and us" (Luke 23:39).

...At the cross, the word that was most frequently on peoples' lips, even in abusive statements, was the key to everything that was happening. The One who was being despised as Prophet, as Priest, and as King actually was God's Prophet, Priest, and King - the Christ, the Savior. He was actually doing what they were cynically calling out for Him to do. They, however, spoke in ignorance; they did not understand that if He was to save others, He could not save Himself.

Here, then, is the mystery of the cross, its whole secret...

Blasphemy and Treason

...The two charges leveled against Jesus were blasphemy (that He had made Himself equal with God) and treason (that He had rejected lawfully constituted authority).

Why were those two charges so significant? It was because these are the charges each of us faces before the judgment seat of God.

In that court, I am guilty of blasphemy, because I have made myself rather than God the center of the universe.

I am also guilty of treason, since I have sought to overturn His lawfully and graciously constituted authority over my life.

Blasphemy and treason were also the crimes of Adam. These are the age-old crimes of which every one of us - old and young, rich and poor, wise and simple, famous and infamous - stands accused. We are on the same charge sheet. We are all guilty.

But Jesus has come!

Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned he stood,
Sealed my pardon with his blood:
Hallelujah! What a Savior!

How well this is expressed in Christopher Idle's words:

He stood before the court,
On trial instead of us;
He met its power to hurt,
Condemned to face the cross.
Our King, accused of treachery;
Our God, abused for blasphemy!

Jesus came and suffered all this to take our place, to bear our judgment, to deal with our sin, and to save us.

All this we see in the intricate weaving of Luke's tapestry portraying Jesus' passion. The central motif is now clear: Jesus Christ died for sinners, the Just for the unjust, to bring us to God (1 Peter 3:18).

The meaning of the cross is this: "While we were yet sinners, Christ died for us" (Romans 5:8).

He took my place. I take His grace. He becomes my Savior.

Is that true for you?

Not for my righteousness,
For I have none,
But for his mercy's sake,
Jesus, God's Son,
Suffered on Calvary's tree -
Crucified with thieves was he -

Are you able to sing?

Great was his grace to me,
His wayward one.

Why the Resurrection of Christ Matters

2011-04-21T08:59:00.000-04:00

By Justin Edwards

And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back—it was very large. 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. 6 And he said to them, “Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.” - Mark 16:4-7

The very cornerstone of our Christian faith rests upon the resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ. As we approach the memorial day of our risen Lord, let us meditate on His resurrection and the price that He paid to redeem a people for Himself, which He set out to do before the foundations of the world (1 Peter 1:20).

The resurrection matters because:

Our Lord is the Resurrection (John 11:25).

Without Christ, no man shall see God (John 14:6).

If there be no resurrection, then we are the most pitiful of humans (1 Corinthians 15:19).

My brothers and sisters in Christ, our Lord has indeed risen from the dead! His Spirit did not remain in Hades, nor did His flesh see corruption or decay (Acts 2:31). But He was given power over death and has destroyed the work of the devil! (Hebrews 2:14; 1 John 3:8). In Him we have life, yet those apart from Him shall only see death. But,

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. - 1 Peter 1:3-5

If you are walking in the Spirit of the Lord this Resurrection Season, you have much for which to be grateful. Although you cannot repay what Christ did for you, the least you can do is offer your body as a living sacrifice to Him (Romans 12:1). Pray that God draws you into His grace more each day, that you will find out what is pleasing to Him so that you may cast off the works of the flesh and practically walk in newness of life. Pray that He gives you a fire, hunger, and thirst for His righteousness through the Word of God, helping you prioritize your day to spend time with Him in prayer and study. And pray that God gives you a passion for the lost, that they might know of the Resurrection through your obedience to

Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. - Mark 16:15

Let us make much of the resurrection of Christ, for through the blood our sins are washed away, and through His life we are given Life Everlasting!

Between now and this Sunday, I encourage you to take your time reading through 1 Corinthians 15:1-58. It is one of the most beautiful portions of Scripture where we find that if we only have hope in Christ for this life, then we believe in vain; but since Christ has been raised from the dead, like the Apostle Paul, we may

be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith— 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. - Philippians 3:9-11

For your convenience, you can spend time with Him now in the chapter posted below. May you be found in the riches of God's grace and mercy, dwelling in the glorious Hope of the Resurrection and the Life, holding fast to your First Love, that you would share in His inheritance as a co-heir of Christ on the throne of the Eternal Kingdom of God. Come quickly, Lord Jesus, come!

(If you are unsure whether you will be resurrected with Christ, please see: Eternal Life)

The Resurrection of Christ

Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me was not in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them, though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we preach and so you believed.

The Resurrection of the Dead

Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised. For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished. If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied.

But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For as by a man came death, by a man has come also the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.

Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? Why are we in danger every hour? I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.” Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.

The Resurrection Body

But someone will ask, “How are the dead raised? With what kind of body do they come?” You foolish person! What you sow does not come to life unless it dies. And what you sow is not the body that is to be, but a bare kernel, perhaps of wheat or of some other grain. But God gives it a body as he has chosen, and to each kind of seed its own body. For not all flesh is the same, but there is one kind for humans, another for animals, another for birds, and another for fish. There are heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is of one kind, and the glory of the earthly is of another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory.

So is it with the resurrection of the dead. What is sown is perishable; what is raised is imperishable. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory. It is sown in weakness; it is raised in power. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. But it is not the spiritual that is first but the natural, and then the spiritual. The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the man of heaven.

Mystery and Victory

I tell you this, brothers: flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable. Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed. For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality. When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:

“Death is swallowed up in victory.”
“O death, where is your victory?
O death, where is your sting?”

The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.

"God Has Forgiven You" Church Sign

2011-04-19T14:43:00.002-04:00

By Justin Edwards

"God Has Forgiven You" were the words of a church sign I passed by in March on the way to our weekly evangelism outreach at UNC-Charlotte. As I drove passed the sign, I could hardly believe what I read, so I made a U-turn to make sure I read it correctly. As you can see in the picture, my eyes did not deceive me.

I had never heard of Metropolitan Community Church of Charlotte or its parent organization, The Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches. With a church sign that read, "God has forgiven you", and seeing the term "universal", my initial thoughts were that it was some kind of Christian Universalist organization. I did not, however, expect to learn what I did through research, but more on that later.

Obviously, what struck me the most was that a church had the audacity to suggest that God has forgiven every person who would read this church sign, which would logically extend to all of humanity. How do they know this is true? Certainly, they do not, as Scripture is clear that God has only forgiven those who are by grace covered by the blood of Jesus Christ through faith (Ephesians 2:1-10). While the leaders of this church are no doubt sincere in their desire to comfort people, they are deceived and they are deceiving (2 Timothy 3:13), and sadly for them, they are mere slaves to their father the devil (John 8:44).

It is true that God has a common love for mankind (John 3:16), just as He shows common mercy (Psalm 145:9) and common grace to the world (Titus 2:11). In fact, it is common love, mercy, and grace that people live by every day, lest they be judged immediately and receive the just penalty for their sin (Romans 2:5). Moreover, this common grace and mercy restrains men and women from being as evil as they could possibly be. Otherwise, we would all be much worse than Hitler. It is also by this common grace that people are able to act in righteous ways, thus performing good deeds and being kind and charitable to their neighbor (Romans 2:14). We as humans are made in the image of God (Genesis 1:26), so we are like Him mentally, socially, and morally, although sin has corrupted our created likeness of Him (Romans 5:12).

But this common love, grace, and mercy does not equal forgiveness for all people. It is only a specific love (1 John 4:9-10; Romans 5:8; John 10:11; 1 John 3:16), a specific grace (John 6:37, 39, 44, 65; 17:2), and a specific mercy (John 1:12-13; Romans 9:15-18; Ephesians 2:4-5) that leads individuals to repent from their sin and turn to God through faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:36). So while God's love is unconditional toward mankind, forgiveness from God is conditional upon faith and repentance (Acts 3:19; 17:30; 20:21; Mark 1:15).

Upon my research into Metropolitan Community Church, I immediately discovered this church is more than seemingly a Christian Universalist organization, but it is primarily a church for homosexuals and their allies. From the Charlotte church's page What Is MCC?, they state:

Refusing to accept that God did not love lesbian and gay people, Reverend Troy
Perry founded Metropolitan Community Church on October 6, 1968 when 12
brave lesbian and gay Christians met for worship in Rev. Perry's living room in Los Angeles, California. Today, there are thousands of worshippers in hundreds of Metropolitan Community Churches found all over the world.

MCC Charlotte, founded in 1980, continues to share the Good News of God's
transformational love and acceptance with everyone, including those of every
ability, race, creed, gender, age, national origin, lifestyle, sexual orientation or
tradition.

As one might expect, the rest of the Charlotte church's website is absent of anything resembling the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no mention of the holiness of God, nor mention of His righteousness, His justice, or His wrath. In respect to these aforementioned attributes of God, there is no mention of His grace, mercy, love, or kindness toward sinners. And as there is no mention of sin anywhere on the website, there is no mention of the wages of sin - eternal hell. Instead of proclaiming Christ and Him crucified (1 Corinthians 2:2) and the power of God for salvation (Romans 1:16), Metropolitan Community Church of Charlotte preaches a social justice jesus who embraces all people into the family of God, especially unrepentant homosexuals. This false gospel preached by MCC is, unfortunately, only "loving" people to eternal hell, and these false teachers will experience severe judgment should they not repent from their destructive heresies (Galatians 1:6-9; 2 Peter 2; Jude 1).

The truth is, God has commanded all men everywhere to repent (Acts 17:30) from their lifestyle of sin. Just as He has commanded the repentance of drunkards, fornicators and adulterers, so to He commands the repentance of homosexuals:

Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality [or women], 10 nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. - 1 Corinthians 6:9-10

If you are reading this article as a practicing homosexual and perhaps one who is a member of the Universal Fellowship of Metropolitan Community Churches, this message has not been written to espouse hate or bigotry or intolerance. I want you to know the Truth that is found in Christ Jesus, the biblical Jesus who is not preached in churches such as this Metropolitan organization. Because God is holy, He hates sin, and He demands perfection from any who would enter the kingdom of heaven. This righteousness that He demands of all men cannot be found within us, but only through the perfect righteousness of the Lord Jesus Christ. By grace through faith, God can pronounce the sinner not guilty and forgive their sins through the righteousness of Christ.

If you believe that God forgives people by just overlooking their sin, then you are deceiving yourself. I do not have to tell you that homosexuality is a destructive lifestyle. It is as destructive as any sinful lifestyle, and this sin has you enslaved to the god of this world (John 8:34; 2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 2:1-3). But in Jesus Christ, the biblical Jesus, there is Life! In Him there is true freedom (John 8:36; 2 Corinthians 3:17), and if you cry out to God to deliver you from this lifestyle, confessing your sin before Him out of a contrite heart (2 Corinthians 7:10; Psalm 51:17), seeking to be covered by His precious blood, He will save you from your sin, from spiritual death, and the torment of His just and holy wrath (Romans 10:9-10, 13; 1 Thessalonians 1:10; Colossians 2:13).

It is no coincidence that you discovered this article. If God is drawing you into His grace and out from the clutches of sin, then don't wait another minute. Today is the day of salvation (2 Corinthians 6:2).

The following video excerpt shows that salvation is just as possible for homosexuals as any other sinner who recognizes himself as such (Mark 2:17). David has been set free from his sin and has become a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17), and God can do the same for you if you just cry out to Him. You can see the video in its entirety here: Jesus Christ Saved Me from 27 Years of Homosexuality.

So has God forgiven you? I pray that He has or will, but it will only be by the grace of God alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone. It will only be because you have been born again (John 3:3-5). You can learn more about this here: Eternal Life

For additional resources for homosexuality rooted in the love and grace of Christ, please see:

Rodgers Christian Counseling

Exodus Global Alliance

Stephen Bennett Ministries

Donald Trump: "I am Christian"

2011-04-12T09:58:00.000-04:00

By Justin Edwards

Donald Trump appeared on CBN News this morning apparently courting the evangelical right in a bid for a 2012 presidential nomination. I first discovered this interview yesterday as CBN published a portion of that interview where Trump professed to be a Christian. As there was no mention of Jesus during the clip, which of course was disappointing especially since the interview took place on a Christian network, I was inclined to give somewhat a benefit of doubt in hopes the full interview would be posted and reveal any mention of Jesus Christ. To my disappointment, my expectations fell flat.

Below is the full interview with CBN correspondent David Brody. As you will see, Donald Trump will appeal to the conservatives of America, but if this testimony is representative of what is in Mr. Trump's heart - a form of religiosity - then let us be in prayer for this presidential candidate that he might come to know the risen Lord Jesus Christ through faith and repentance.

To understand more why this interview was disappointing yet typical of a professing American Christian testimony, please see the post yesterday at The Speak:Truth Project titled, A Rich Man's Testimony. When you come across a testimony from a professing Christian on the streets in witnessing encounters, it's essential to know how to share the Gospel with someone who professes to be a Christian yet doesn't seem to know what faith in Christ is. This article will help you learn what to do.

Why Every Calvinist Should Be a Premillennialist

2011-04-11T10:51:00.001-04:00

By Justin Edwards

If you want to get the future right, you've got to get Israel right and you've got to get God's sovereign electing purpose right. - John MacArthur

I am currently going through a series from John MacArthur titled, Why Every Calvinist Should Be a Premillennialist, and wanted to go ahead and share it with you (HT: Defending. Contending). I am halfway through Part 4 and am finding the material to be richly informative of the amillennial view that the Church has replaced Israel to receive her promises from God as Israel has forfeited her rights to those promises through apostasy. Parts 1 and 2 provide great introductions to the series, and Parts 3 and 4 have been rich in Scripture giving key evidence that God's promises to Israel are eternal and not dependent upon her faithfulness to God.

MacArthur poses 5 questions to be answered in this series:

1. Is the Old Testament amillennial?

2. Were the Jews of Jesus' day amillennial?

3. Was Jesus amillennial?

4. Were the Apostles who wrote the New Testament and those associates of the Apostles amillennial?

5. Were the early church fathers amillennial?

Leading up to these questions, MacArthur gives the following brief explanation and quotes Horatius Bonar, a 19th Century Scottish-reformed theologian, in his work titled, Prophetic Landscapes. Keep in mind Bonar penned this is 1847:

So to say it simply, to hold the view of amillennialists, called replacement theology, that the church replaces Israel in the promises of God, Israel as God's Elect is no longer God's Elect, cancelled out, to come up with this idea that there therefore is no real earthly Kingdom to fulfill those promises and that they are fulfilled in the spiritual life of the church both now and in heaven, you have to deny the nature of divine sovereign election. You have to basically say that when God called Israel His Elect, and when God gave them unconditional, unilateral, irrevokable promises, He didn't keep them, or He doesn't keep them, so that election doesn't mean permanent election, it might be temporary as in the case of Israel.

I don't know anybody who believes in the doctrine of election who thinks its temporary with the elect angels, or temporary with the elect Son or temporary with the elect church, so this has to be a category invented to accommodate replacement theology. The second thing that has to happen is, you cannot interpret Scripture in the normal meaning, the normal sense in which it is written both in the Old Testament and the New Testament because clearly in both testaments promises are made to Israel. Therefore Israel doesn't mean Israel, a thousand years doesn't mean a thousand years, reigning in Jerusalem doesn't mean reigning in Jerusalem, it means something else...something not apparent in any normal interpretation of the language. So you can see there are some extremes here in trying to make this work theologically when you have to reinvent the doctrine of election which is so sacred to us and when you have to change the normal meaning of the language.

Now, I want to having said that, say this, that throughout history there have been some in Reformed circles of great note who didn't buy this. I am particularly, as you probably known, drawn more to Scottish Reformed theology than I am to Dutch Reformed theology. And one of my favorite Scots in the area of theology is Horatius Bonar. He's a nineteenth century preacher, Scottish preacher and theological writer. In 1847 he wrote prophetic landmarks and he took a position very different from his Reformed friends, very different. He was always a strong advocate of the doctrines of sovereign grace. He was always a strong advocate of the doctrine of election. He affirmed as well that election was forever and therefore affirmed the primacy of the destiny of the Jews in the scheme of eschatology. So he was going against the grain of his day and his compatriots. This is what Bonar wrote in 1847: "The prophecies concerning Israel are the key to all the rest. True principles of interpretation in regard to them will aid us in disentangling and illustrating all prophecy. False principles as to them...that is Israel...will most thoroughly perplex and overcloud the whole Word of God," end quote. And that's right back to what I said and when I said it I hadn't yet found Bonar's comment. He says you can't get eschatology right if you don't get Israel right.

Source
He further wrote of his conviction as to biblical clarity on this matter. And his language is so magnificent that it needs to be thoughtfully repeated. So let me read to you what Bonar wrote in 1847. "I am one of those who believe in Israel's restoration and conversion, who receive it as a future certainty, that all Israel shall be gathered and that all Israel shall be saved. As I believe in Israel's present degradation, so do I believe in Israel's coming glory and preeminence. I believe that God's purpose regarding our world can only be understood by understanding God's purpose as to Israel." Now remember, this is a time long before they had ever been gathered back into their land.

He went on to say, "I believe that all human calculations as to the earth's future, whether political or scientific, or philosophical, or religious, must be failures if not taking for their data or basis God's great purpose regarding the latter day standing of Israel. I believe that it is not possible to enter God's mind regarding the destiny of man without taking as our key or our guide His mind regarding that ancient nation, that nation whose history so far from being ended or nearly ended is only about to begin." He went on to say this, "He only to whom the future belongs can reveal it. He only can announce the principles on which that future is to be developed. And if He set Israel as the great nation of the future and Jerusalem as the great metropolis of earth, who are we that without philosophy of science we should set aside the divine arrangements and substitute for them a theory of man? Human guesses concerning the future are the most uncertain of all uncertainties and human hopes built upon these guesses are sure to turn out the most disappointing if not the most disastrous of all failures. I believe that the sons of Abraham are to re-inherit Palestine and that the forfeited fertility will yet return to that land, that the wilderness and the solitary places shall be glad for them, and the desert will rejoice and blossom as the rose. I believe that meanwhile Israel shall not only be wanderers, but that everywhere only a remnant, a small remnant shall be saved. And that it is for the gathering in of this remnant that our missionaries go forth. I believe that these times of ours are the times of the Gentiles and that Jerusalem and Israel shall be trodden down of the Gentiles till the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled. I believe that the completion of what the Apostle calls the fullness of the Gentiles will be the signal for the judgments which are to usher in the crisis of earth's history and the salvation of Israel and the long-expected Kingdom."

Why did he believe that? Because that's exactly what the Bible says.

Indeed. You can download each message below or go to the original link here: Why Every Calvinist Should Be a Premillennialist

Why Every Calvinist Should Be a Premillennialist, Part 1

Why Every Calvinist Should Be a Premillennialist, Part 2

Why Every Calvinist Should Be a Premillennialist, Part 3

Why Every Calvinist Should Be a Premillennialist, Part 4

Why Every Calvinist Should Be a Premillennialist, Part 5

Why Every Calvinist Should Be a Premillennialist, Part 6

John 3:16 - "Whosoever" and "the World"

2011-04-09T10:36:00.000-04:00

By Justin Edwards

Tradition tells us that God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever will believe in Him will not perish but have everlasting life. However, this is what the Scripture says:

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

ESV: For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.

If you are open to reconsider tradition and learn what this most popular Bible verse actually means, then please take a moment to watch the following videos from Jim McClarty and James White. You might be surprised that what you thought to be true is not, and this Scripture actually fits well in reformation theology. In short, John 3:16 speaks of those who believe or "all the believing ones" will not perish, not that anyone can believe.

You may also find this brief article from John Samson also beneficial: Understanding John 3:16

What Is Wrong with NON-Lordship Salvation? - Part 7

2011-04-07T11:13:00.000-04:00

By Justin Edwards

On March 19th the Bible Prophecy Blog posted an article by Dr. Andy Woods of Sugar Land Bible Church refuting the biblical doctrine of "lordship salvation" titled, What Is Wrong with Lordship Salvation? I'm very thankful this was posted and praise God for the opportunity to carefully examine critical and essential doctrines of the Christian faith that are under attack by modern evangelicalism. As a result of Dr. Woods' article and by God's grace, I was able to sharpen my understanding of God's work in salvation and hopefully provide you understanding of what this doctrine does and does not teach. The series was broken up into the following 6 previous parts:

Part 1 - Introduction

Part 2 - Saving Faith

Part 3 - Repentance

Part 4 - Carnal Christianity

Part 5 - Sanctification

Part 6 - Biblical Assurance of Salvation

And now,

Part 7 - Conclusion

Be diligent in searching the Scriptures

In my own experience in discussing these issues with various people and reviewing the work of those on both sides of the debate, I conclude that much of the controversy is derived from a gross misunderstanding of what lordship salvation teaches, which gives birth to misconceptions and misrepresentations when dismissing or condemning this doctrine. At root, as I understand it, whether or not one adheres to lordship salvation is the view through which one sees the work of salvation. On the one hand, those who view salvation as a work of God alone for the glory of God alone (monergism) accept "lordship salvation" as nothing more or less than the pure Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. While through the lens of synergism, on the other hand, believers view salvation as a work of God with the cooperation of man to achieve salvation, which lends to the misunderstanding that any type of commitment to Christ or repentance from sin are additional works instead of gifts from God.

Even within this theological divide, there are those who profess such biblical truths that faith and repentance are gifts from God, yet this reality does not permeate their subsequent understanding of soteriology (doctrine of salvation). For example, one might claim that faith is a gift from God, but they would deny that God chooses to give faith to those He elected from eternity past, but rather each individual must exercise their faith out of their human ability to do so in order to be saved. These two ideas are diametrically opposed to one another, yet one might resign to say they don't understand how it works out exactly, they just know God's sovereignty and man's free will somehow work together. Sadly, this is theological laziness.

It is one thing to not understand a biblical doctrine and continue seeking God to reveal His divine mysteries to us, it is quite another to incessantly remain ignorant on a doctrine because one is bent on remaining stuck in traditions of men and therefore has no desire to search the Scriptures for themselves. It is then out of this seemingly willful ignorance that one tosses around falsehoods and fallacies about the teaching of lordship salvation proponents. This is why it is imperative that we study to show ourselves approved in order that we might bring glory to God (2 Timothy 2:15) and refrain from falsely accusing the brethren.

With that said, many who supposedly reject what is known as "lordship salvation" simply do not understand what it actually means. They rely on others to tell them what it means rather than study the issue and the biblical doctrines themselves. This is damaging to the proclamation of the Gospel because the message going forth is one that is not complete, such as a gospel defunct of biblical repentance (turning away from a sinful lifestyle to God in faith).

Dr. Woods is one such person from what I have researched through his church's website. As far as I can tell, Dr. Woods is a sincere man who may love the Lord, but he is significantly confused in his theology. Reading through Sugar Land's statement of faith, they have elements of the sovereignty of God and work of the Holy Spirit to sanctify those God justifies. If sanctification is an absolute and direct consequence of justification, then Dr. Woods' positions from his article on saving faith, repentance, carnal Christianity, and assurance conflict with his statement of faith. This type of confusion is rampant in the visible church, which has left many sheep disillusioned and giving perhaps many more nominal christians false assurances of salvation. Especially around the doctrines concerning salvation, the following Scripture from James 3:1 is ever so important:

Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.

This applies to preachers and teachers of the Gospel, and preachers and teachers of false gospels. I do not know the heart of Dr. Woods nor would I assume anything about him, but I would call him to repent from the repentant-less gospel he is preaching, to humbly submit himself to the Lord that he might gain the knowledge of the truth in matters of soteriology, and contend for the faith that was once delivered to him. At the end of the day, the message we preach will be out of the abundance of our hearts, so it is critical we examine what we believe lines up with the Word of God, most especially in matters of salvation, lest we deceive ourselves and deceive those who listen to us. The consequences for not doing so could be damning if we fall outside of orthodoxy into heresy (Galatians 1:8-9).

To close this series out, I'd like to briefly outline what lordship salvation is and what it is not.

What Lordship Salvation Is NOT

1. Lordship salvation does not teach that one must change their behavior before coming to Christ.

2. Lordship salvation does not teach that one must consciously assess every area of one's life and consciously forsake every single sin and idol before coming to Christ.

3. Lordship salvation does not teach that there is no such thing as a Christian living carnally.

4. Lordship salvation was not developed as a response to fight carnal Christianity.

5. Lordship salvation does not teach salvation through justification by faith plus works.

6. Lordship salvation does not steal the joy of salvation or take away assurance of salvation from born again believers.

7. Lordship salvation does not teach that one must be perfectly obedient or is sinless after one is saved.

8. Lordship salvation does not confuse sanctification with justification.

What Lordship Salvation IS

1. Lordship salvation teaches salvation is monergistic (a work of God alone) whereby God is the absolute author and the absolute finisher of our faith for which He may get the glory alone.

2. Lordship salvation teaches that saving faith is more than an mental assent to knowledge about Christ, but rather a trust in the Person of Christ and His work on the cross to not only save us from the wrath to come but also to save us from the bondage of our sin.

3. Lordship salvation teaches that repentance is more than just a change of mind about sin and Christ, but it involves a change of mind, a change of heart, and a change of attitude toward sin. The result of genuine repentance rooted in godly sorrow will be a change of behavior. In essence, the faith that saves is a repentant faith where one turns from a sinful lifestyle toward God in faith.

4. Lordship salvation teaches that this repentant faith is a gift from God whereby the Holy Spirit changes the heart of the sinner, thus enabling the person to respond positively to grace through repentance and faith. God actually plants new desires in the heart of the new believer where they will increasingly hate sin and love God.

5. Lordship salvation teaches that love for God will be evidenced by a life of obedience and a lifestyle of repentance.

6. Lordship salvation teaches that because salvation is of the Lord, the regenerated believer will submit to the authority of the Lord and Master of all creation to live a patterned life of habitual obedience.

7. Lordship salvation teaches that the believer will be gradually conformed to the image of Christ in cooperation with the Holy Spirit through sanctification. This sanctification begins at the moment of justification.

8. Lordship salvation teaches there is no distinction between a disciple and a believer. All believers are disciples.

9. Lordship salvation teaches that while a Christian may act in carnal ways, carnality will not be the patterned lifestyle of the believer and such carnality is only temporary. All Christians are disciplined by God and convicted by the Holy Spirit to repent from their sinful behavior.

10. Lordship salvation teaches biblical assurance of salvation by examination of one's life through the objective Word of God, not based on past emotional experiences or prayers.

11. Lordship salvation teaches that believers will continue in the faith as it is God who keeps us. This means the believer will continue to surrender to the Lordship of Christ in increasing measure.

12. Lordship salvation is the historical and biblical doctrine of orthodox Christianity.

Much confusion can be cleared up if one honestly assesses what is being taught by lordship salvation proponents and considers the clear teaching of Scripture on these matters. Some folks are fundamentally ignorant of the truth of this doctrine, while others work as the pawns of Satan to destroy souls by blurring the lines of truth and illusion. A significant reason for why there are so many false converts in American churches today is because of the diluted and polluted message taught from pulpits and the decisional evangelism so rampant today. This has led to a distinctly unbiblical category of "carnal Christians" and will contribute to many professing Christians burning in hell for all eternity under the wrath of a God they did not know.

If you are still struggling with this doctrine or even still deny its truth, please ask yourself:

Have I, myself, surrendered to the Lordship of Christ?

If you have not or do not know the answer to this question, then please, by all means, post a comment below or message me privately. This is no matter to take lightly as it is of utmost important for you to know that Christ is your Lord as much as He is your Savior. After all, Jesus Himself said in John 10:27,

My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

Do you hear His voice? Does He know you? Do you follow Him? All sheep do, so please be sure you have this assurance by biblical examination of your heart.

If you have questions about any information contained within these articles, please post your comments in the appropriate parts of this series.

May God alone be glorified by these efforts to contend for the faith, and may the Body of Christ be stirred proclaim the unadulterated Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ!