Stories of Change - Christ Redeems!

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.

Why Christians Won't Habitually Sin

By Justin Edwards

Whoever commits sin also commits lawlessness, and sin is lawlessness. - 1 John 3:4

The following comes from page 1951 in the John MacMarthur Bible Commentary and addresses the fact that born again believers do not habitually sin.

Why Christians Won't Habitually Sin

This passage begins with the phrase "Whoever commits sin" (v. 4). Commits translates a Greek verb that conveys the idea of habitual practice. Although genuine Christians have a sin nature (1 John 1:8) and do behave sinfully, their confession of sin (1 John 1:9; 2:1) and acceptance of forgiveness prevent sin from becoming the unbroken pattern of their lives (John 8:31, 34-36; Romans 6:11; 2 John 1:9). God builds a certain growing awareness about sin that provides four effective reasons why true Christians cannot habitually practice sin:

1. Genuine Christians cannot practice sin because sin is incompatible with the law of God, which they love (1 John 3:4; Psalm 119:34, 77, 97; Romans 7:12, 22); whereas habitual sin betrays the ultimate sense of rebellion - living as if there were no law or ignoring what laws exist (James 4:17) - in short, lawlessness.

2.  Genuine Christians cannot practice sin because sin is incompatible with the work of Christ (1 John 3:5). Christ died to sanctify (make holy) the believer (2 Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 5:25-27). Habitual sin contradicts Christ's work of breaking the dominion of sin in the believer's life (Romans 6:1-15).

3.  Genuine Christians cannot practice sin because Christ came to destroy the works of the arch-sinner, Satan (1 John 3:8). The devil is still operating, but he has been defeated, and in Christ we escape his tyranny. The day will come when all of Satan's activity will cease in the universe, and he will be sent to hell forever (Revelation 20:10).

4.  Genuine Christians cannot practice sin because sin is incompatible with the ministry of the Holy Spirit, who has imparted a new nature to the believer (1 John 3:9; John 3:5-8). This new nature shuns sin and exhibits the habitual character of righteousness produced by the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22-24).

Are You Living a Lie?

By Justin Edwards

When I come across brothers and sisters in Christ who have a similar testimony as me, I rejoice in the fact that God removed the scales from their eyes like He did mine, but I am made all the more aware that there are still so many people out there who cling to a false assurance of salvation. Carnal Christianity, as it is called, is a cancerous epidemic in the visible church today. It gives rise to a false security, which oftentimes comes in the form of trusting in a prayer someone once prayed at the altar, or perhaps even "rededicating" one's life to Christ. The reality is, however, such decisionism - determining out of one's flesh that they are "gonna get it right this time" or trusting in the once-said prayer prayed 20 years ago as the assurance of salvation - will only lead to death because the evidence of salvation is nowhere to be found in the life of this professing Christian. Please allow me to explain why that is the case.

Are you living a LIE?

The Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is the power of God unto salvation for all who believe (Romans 1:16). We are not born again because of something we do, no, we are born again because God supernaturally transforms us. He does not make our old life better, no, He actually makes us a new creation. It is therefore futile and unbiblical to believe that man can simply just change the way he thinks, or as someone like Rick Warren teaches, to undergo behavior modification (Pelagianism). That is why so many people, though they profess to believe in God or Jesus, profess to know Him but they deny Him with their works (Titus 1:16) and walk as enemies of the cross because they have their minds set on earthly things (Philippians 3:18-19). Scripture, on the other hand, tells us the grace of God teaches us to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to live soberly, righteously, and godly lives today (Titus 2:11-14). In other words, being conformed to Jesus Christ is not an option for the believer, it is a necessary consequence. And it is not because of some methodical man-made plan, but because of the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit to those who have been regenerated, or born again.

My dear friends, as I trust many of you know but some may have not come to grips with these biblical facts, there is no such thing as a continuously carnal Christian! Yes, Christians do sin, but the difference between the Christian who struggles or wrestles with their sin and their flesh and the carnal Christian - that is, the non-Christian or Christian in name only - is that the Christian is a slave to the righteousness of Christ whereas the non-Christian is a slave to their sin. The one is a slave to God, while the other is a slave to the god of this world. The one is a slave to obedience, while the other is a slave to disobedience. The one follows their Master every day, not just superficially on Sundays like carnal Christians who follow the devil Monday through Saturday. The one is a child of God, while the other is a child of wrath. The one has in store for him the riches of the Kingdom of God as a co-heir with Christ, while the other has stored up for him the fury of God's wrath for His unrepentant heart. While the one has crucified his flesh with its passions and desires, the one still continues to love the world, manifesting the works of the flesh and the pride of life, revealing that the love of God is not in him.

Do you see the difference? Merely believing the facts about Jesus does not save you. An emotional experience that urged you to "make a decision" for Christ or "ask Jesus into your heart" on a Sunday morning does not save you. Yes, there are no doubt born again believers who have done both of these things and are sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption, but they are not saved because of what they did. They are saved in spite of what they did because salvation is the work of God alone by His grace alone. However, it must be made clear, if one made such a decision, and their life reflects one that is in rebellion against God, that "decision" or superficial prayer did absolutely nothing but give you a false assurance of salvation.

This is what the Word of God says:

Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God. - 1 John 3:9

Can it be any more clear? Now, perhaps this might need to be hashed out a bit to avoid any confusion as to sinless perfection, the heretical doctrine that teaches that Christians do not sin. Let us then look at the words of the great 19th-century preacher, J.C. Ryle:

A person who has been born again, or regenerated, does not habitually commit sin. He no longer sins with his heart and will and whole inclination. There was probably a time when he did not think about whether his actions were sinful or not, and he did not always feel grieved after doing evil. There was no quarrel between him and sin; they were friends. But the true Christian hates sin, flees from it, fights against it, considers it his greatest plague, resents the burden of its presence, mourns when he falls under its influence, and longs to be completely delivered from it. Sin no longer pleases him, nor is it even a matter of indifference to him; it has become a horrible thing which he hates. However, he cannot eliminate its presence within him.

If he said that he had no sin, he would be lying (I John 1:8). But he can say that he hates sin and that the great desire of his soul is not to commit sin at all. He cannot prevent bad thoughts from entering his mind, or shortcomings, omissions, and defects from appealing in both his words and his actions. He knows that "in many things we offend all" (James 3:2). But he can truly say, in the sight of God, that these things cause him grief and sorrow and that his whole nature does not consent to them. What would the apostle say about you? Are you born again?

That is the question, professing Christian - are you born again? Are you solely and completely sold out to God? Have you forsaken everything as the Lord Jesus Christ commanded in Luke 14:33? Have you denied your will, control, and lusts of the flesh, taking up your cross as you slay the misdeeds of the body, and continuing to follow after the Lord Jesus Christ as He commands in Luke 9:23? Or, professing Christian, does your life give evidence that you continue to fulfill the pleasures of your flesh? Do you continue to ride the fence trusting that, although you know you're not living right, one day you will submit to Christ? That God is full of infinite chances and will allow you to continue to trample on the blood of His Son as if you hated Him?

The fact is, dear carnal Christian, you hate God. You are His enemy. Your lip service is only making your destination to hell more comfortable. Unless you cry out to God out of the brokenness of your soul for having offending His holiness and disregarding the grace He freely offers you, you will die in your sins. Jesus said in Luke 9:24-25,

For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. 25 For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and is himself destroyed or lost?

Is your sin worth it, carnal Christian? Is your sin worth an eternity in hell? This is what Jesus commands in Matthew 5:29-30:

If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

Please don't go to hell, dear carnal Christian! Repent from your sins and turn to the Lord Jesus Christ! For if you continue procrastinating, if you continue seeking the pleasures of life and the abominations of the flesh (1 Corinthians 6:9-10), the eternal destruction of your body and soul will be the pleasing aroma of a Holy, Holy, Holy God, and He will be glorified in the fury of His wrath against you. Do not be deceived. Do not justify your lifestyle. He knows your every thought and your secret sins, and demands for you to obey the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Out of Christ flows living water, my friend. Jesus did not command you to invite Him to come into your heart - He commanded you to follow Him! His yoke is easy and His burden is light and He will give you rest for your soul (Matthew 11:28-30). Take refuge in the grace of Almighty God. Run to Him with nothing in your hands. Turn your back on this world and the things of it. Neither your friends nor your sin is worth an eternity without the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Call on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, repent from your sins, and be saved!

Now, returning to the opening paragraph of this post, I'd like to direct you to the following video. My new friend, Jay Wingard, posted this on his wonderful blog, Soli Deo Gloria, and I want to share with you. Both Jay and Ryan Richie (from video) have seemingly identical testimonies to my testimony. As false converts for 20+ years, we trusted in a prayer, was deceived by the incomplete doctrine of "once saved always saved", and fooled into believing that there are two types of Christians - holy Christians and carnal Christians. Such false assurance permitted us to live the worldly lifestyle, and it's only by the grace and mercy of God that we now stand covered by the blood of Jesus Christ and eternally sealed by the Spirit through repentant faith. I pray Ryan's testimony, in addition to this post, will cause you to examine yourself to see if you are truly born again (2 Corinthians 13:5).

I'm always available to talk about your situation. All you have to do is ask.

Who Am I According to God? Who Are You?

By Justin Edwards

I am not good (Romans 3:12).

I was a sinner in rebellion against Almighty God (Romans 3:23; 1 John 3:4).

I loved my sin and I loved darkness (John 3:19 ; Psalm 36:1-4)

I was a mere hearer of the Word (James 1:22).

My righteous acts were filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6).

I was a thief, an adulterer, a murderer, an idolater, a blasphemer, a fornicator, a drunkard, and a liar (Matthew 5:21-22; 27-28; 1 Corinthians 6:9-10). 

I was a friend of the world and an enemy of God, in fact, I hated Him (James 4:4).

I was a slave to my sin and hostile to the Law of God (John 8:34; Romans 8:7)

The works of the flesh were manifest in me  (Galatians 5:19-21)

I loved the world and the things of the world, and the love of the Father was not in me (1 John 2:15).

The world loved me (John 15:19).

I was a child of wrath and lived to gratify the lusts of my flesh (Ephesians 2:3).

I followed the ways of the world and submitted to the god of this world (Ephesians 2:2).

I did not understand the things of God, nor could I (1 Corinthians 2:14).

I was a dead man walking (Ephesians 2:1).

I did not seek God (Romans 3:11).

I willfully lived in sin and was of the devil (1 John 3:8).

I hated the brethren (1 John 5:1-2). 

I walked in darkness (1 John 1:6).

I lived according to my sinful nature and had my mind on what that nature desired (Romans 8:5). 

I was born into sin (Psalm 51:5).

I lived as an enemy of the cross and my mind was set on earthly things (Philippians 3:18-19).

I was ashamed of the name of Jesus (Luke 9:26).

I stored treasures on the earth (Matthew 6:19-21).

I tried to serve two masters (Matthew 6:24).

I lived in worldly sorrow (2 Corinthians 7:10).

I claimed to know God but my actions denied Him (Titus 1:16).

I was on my way to hell, and deservedly so (Romans 6:23)

But God!

Snatched me out of the flames because of His grace and mercy! (Romans 9:16; Ephesians 2:8-9; Ephesians 1:4-6)

I have been granted repentance (2 Timothy 2:25).

I have been adopted as a son according to the sovereignty of God and the counsel of His own will (Ephesians 1:4-11).

I have been washed, sanctified, and justified by faith alone (1 Corinthians 6:11; Hebrews 10:10; Romans 3:24; Romans 5:1).

I am clothed with the righteousness of Christ (Philippians 3:9).

I have been made alive in Christ Jesus (Ephesians 2:4). 

I am forgiven and redeemed (Ephesians 1:6).

I am born again of the Spirit of God (John 1:13; John 3:5-6; 1 Peter 1:23).

I am the prodigal son (Luke 15:24).

By God's grace, I am surrendering to the Lordship of Jesus Christ (Luke 9:23; Luke 14:33; Luke 18:22).

I have God's seed planted in me and no longer live a habitual lifestyle of sin (1 John 3:9).

I have the yoke of Christ upon me so I may learn from Him (Matthew 11:3).

I am a sheep of the Good Shepherd, and nothing in all of creation can snatch me out of His hand (John 10:27-29; Romans 8:38-39).

I have been chosen to bear fruit that will last (John 15:16).

I abide in Christ and He abides in me (John 15:4; 1 John 2:24-25, 28).

I have overcome the world (1 John 5:4-5).

I am purifying myself in cooperation with the Holy Spirit (1 John 3:3; 2 Corinthians 7:1). 

I love the commandments of God and they are not burdensome to me (1 John 5:3).

I desire to love the Lord my God will all of my heart, soul, mind, and strength (Matthew 22:37-40).

I desire to love all of my enemies (Matthew 5:44; Luke 6:27-28).

I have a passion to reach the lost (Mark 16:15).

I love God and am able to love God because He first loved me (1 John 4:10).

I am hated by the world because the world hated Christ first (1 John 3:13; John 15:18).

I am sealed by the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption (Ephesians 1:13-14).

I am a co-heir with Christ (Romans 8:17; Galatians 4:7).

My life is not my own because I have been bought at a great price (1 Corinthians 6:19-20).

I am crucified with Christ and it is no longer my life but Christ who lives in me (Galatians 2:20).

I have the Peace that passes all understanding (Philippians 4:7; John 14:27).

I have the enduring Hope within me (1 Thessalonians 1:3).

I am covered by the blood of Christ and can boldly approach the throne of God (1 John 1:7; Hebrews 4:16).

I am dead to sin and can no longer live in it (Romans 6:2).

I am a new creation (2 Corinthians 5:17).

I have died to myself and am now free from sin (Romans 6:6-7).

I am a slave of the Lord Jesus Christ (James 1:1; Romans 6:22).

I am a slave to obedience (Romans 6:16-18).

Nothing good lives in my sinful nature, which is still in me, but does not have dominion over me (Romans 7:18; Romans 6:14)).

There is no condemnation in me for I am in Christ Jesus and have been set free from the law of sin and death (Romans 8:1).

By the power of the Holy Spirit I now walk according to the Spirit (Romans 8:4-5; Galatians 5:16).

I have a Father in heaven by whom I call, "Abba", like a child who calls upon his daddy (Romans 8:15).

I share in the sufferings of Christ (2 Corinthians 1:5; 1 Peter 2:20-21; 2 Timothy 3:12).

I am most blessed through persecution and there is a great reward awaiting me in heaven (Matthew 5:10-12; 1 Peter 4:14-16).

I can count it all joy when I got through all kinds of trials (James 1:2-3).

I am more than a conqueror (Romans 8:37).

I offer my body as a living sacrifice to God because this is my reasonable service (Romans 12:1).

I am no longer conformed to the world but am being conformed to likeness of Christ (Romans 8:29).

I am being transformed by the renewing of mind (Romans 12:2).

I am storing my treasures in heaven, where I am an eternal citizen (Colossians 3:2; Philippians 3:20).

There is waiting for me a glorified body, which I will receive in the twinkling of an eye at the last trumpet call (1 Corinthians 15:51-52).

I seek to not be yoked with unbelievers or anything of the world (2 Corinthians 6:14).

I hate sin and the things that God hates (Psalm 119:104).

I am blessed by the fruit of the Spirit within me (Galatians 5:22).

I have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires (Galatians 5:24).

I am a child of light (1 Thessalonians 5:5).

I am faithful (Ephesians 1:1)

I am called to be holy as God is holy (1 Peter 1:15; Hebrews 12:14).

I desire to imitate God (Ephesians 5:1).

I desire to conduct myself worthy of the Gospel of Christ (Philippians 1:27).

My strength is in Christ (Philippians 4:13).

Christ is my life (Colossians 3:4).

I am not ashamed of the name of Jesus or the proclamation of the Gospel (Matthew 10:32; Romans 1:16).

I long for the appearing of Christ, and there is a award awaiting me in heaven (2 Timothy 4:8).

God works in me to do His will and act according to His good purpose (Philippians 2:13).

By God's grace, I am a doer of the Word (James 1:22).

I live for the will of God (1 Peter 4:2; 1 Thessalonians 4:3).

I love the brethren (1 John 4:7).

I am kept from the wrath of God (1 Thessalonians 1:10; Revelation 3:10).

I have eternal life (1 John 5:11-12).

And I will reign with the King of kings and the Lord of lords forever and ever (Revelation 5:10). Amen!

So, who am I? I am nothing...apart from Christ (John 15:5).

How about you? 

Who are you according to the Word of God?

Is there anything in the second list you cannot identify with? Do you find yourself trapped among the things in the first list? What other things might be included in these lists pertaining to the old and new natures?

Let's talk about it - please post your questions or comments below.

God Hates Westboro Baptist Church

By Justin Edwards

Westboro Baptist Church is in the news again after threatening to picket the funeral of 9-year old Christina Taylor-Green, who was among six victims shot and killed by Jared Loughner in Tucson, Arizona on January 8, 2011. It is now being reported this Independent Baptist Church will not picket the funeral of Taylor-Green in return for air-time in the media.

WBC is known for their hateful demonstrations at military funerals and other funerals of note. From their website, godhatesfags.com, WBC explains the content of their picketing on the About Us page:

WBC engages in daily peaceful sidewalk demonstrations opposing the homosexual lifestyle of soul-damning, nation-destroying filth. We display large, colorful signs containing Bible words and sentiments, including: GOD HATES FAGS, FAGS HATE GOD, AIDS CURES FAGS, THANK GOD FOR AIDS, FAGS BURN IN HELL, GOD IS NOT MOCKED, FAGS ARE NATURE FREAKS, GOD GAVE FAGS UP, NO SPECIAL LAWS FOR FAGS, FAGS DOOM NATIONS, THANK GOD FOR DEAD SOLDIERS, FAG TROOPS, GOD BLEW UP THE TROOPS, GOD HATES AMERICA, AMERICA IS DOOMED, THE WORLD IS DOOMED, etc. (capital letters original)

While there are indeed many things that God hates, some of which can be found in the article I Hate Green Beans, He does not command us anywhere in Scripture to condemn people for their sinful behavior nor to take advantage of grieving families. On the contrary, this is what God expects of us when engaging lost people:

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, - 1 Peter 3:15

Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity. 6 Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned, as it were, with salt, so that you may know how you should respond to each person. - Colossians 4:5-6

Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear. - Ephesians 4:29

But the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. - 1 Timothy 1:5

All speech should flow from our mouths with the purpose of drawing people to Christ through the Gospel. This is not done by rude, insidious behavior. The charades of these moralistic Pharisees manifest no fruit of the Spirit and I hesitate to consider these people born again Christians. Though they profess the doctrines of grace, they seem to be more of the hyper-Calvinistic type.

If you are someone who has been offended by the hateful actions of these professing Christians, please know they by no means represent the heart of God and the heart of the Body of Christ. Yes, God does hate sin and we as Christians must condemn sin for what it is (unholy offense against a holy God), but God also calls all men everywhere to repent and believe the Gospel. Yes, our lifestyle as Christians is to be separate from an unholy world (2 Corinthians 6:14), but that does not mean we are to hate those from whom we are to separate. On the contrary, we are to share the truth with them in love (Ephesians 4:15) in hopes they might come to a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ.

If you are from WBC and you happened across this article, your actions are antithetical to what Scripture teaches of biblical Christianity. I call you to repent from these hateful actions. What you are doing is an offense against God for it tarnishes the reputation of His Church - His True Church who is called to

Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. - Ephesians 4:2

Anything that offends God, He hates. God hates what you are doing and what WBC represents. It is detestable to Him. I call you to fall on your face before Almighty God and plead with Him to forgive you of these deplorable acts against your neighbors and your enemies. Every time you open your mouths online, in the media, and at funerals, you are breaking the second greatest commandment to love your neighbor as yourself (Matthew 22:39). Repent and believe in the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ, and He will shine His light, love, and grace through you so you can be the true salt of the earth.

For more information on Westboro Baptist Church from a biblical perspective, please see the following articles from CARM and gotquestions:

Westboro Baptist Church

Does God Hate Fags?

Are You Born Again?

By J.C. Ryle

This is one of the most important questions in religion. Jesus Christ says, "Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God"-John 3:3.

Are you born again? It is not enough to reply, "I belong to the church; and I suppose I am." Thousands of nominal Christians have none of the marks and signs of being born again which the Scripture has given us.

Would you like to know the marks and signs of being born again? Give me your attention, and I will show them to you out of the first epistle of John.

First of all, John says, "Whoever is born of God does not commit sin;" and again, "Whoever is born of God sins not."-I John 3:9; 5:18. A man born again, or regenerate, does not commit sin as a habit. He no longer sins with his heart and will and whole inclination, as an unregenerate man does. There was probably a time when he did not think whether his actions were sinful or not, and never felt grieved after doing evil. There was no quarrel between him and sin; they were friends. Now he hates sin, flees from it, fights against it, counts it his greatest plague, groans under the burden of its presence, mourns when he falls under its influence, and longs to be delivered from it altogether. In one word, sin no longer pleases him, nor is even a matter of indifference; it has become the abominable thing which he hates. He cannot prevent its dwelling within him. If he said he had no sin, there would be no truth in him (I John 1:8). But he can say that he cordially abhors it, and the great desire of his soul is not to commit sin at all. He cannot prevent bad thoughts arising within him, and short-comings, omissions, and defects appearing, both in his words and actions. He knew, as James says that "In many things we offend all" (James 3:2). But he can say truly, and as in the sight of God, that things are a daily grief and sorrow to him, and that his whole nature does not consent unto them.

I place this mark before you. What would the Apostle say about you? Are you born again?

Secondly, John says, "Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ, is born of God"-I John 5:1.

A man born again, or regenerate, then, believes that Jesus Christ is the only Savior by whom his soul can be pardoned; that He is the divine person appointed by God the Father for this very purpose, and that beside Him there is no Savior at all. In himself he sees nothing but unworthiness, but in Christ he sees ground for the fullest confidence, and trusting in Him he believes that his sins are all forgiven. He believes that for the sake of Christ's finished work and death upon the cross, he is reckoned righteous in God's sight, and may look forward to death and judgment without alarm. He may have his fears and doubts. He may sometimes tell you he feels as if he had not faith at all. But ask him whether he will rest his hopes of eternal life on his own goodness, his own amendments, his prayers, his minister, or his church, and see what he will reply. Ask him whether he will give up Christ, and place his confidence in any other way of religion. Depend upon it, he would say that though he does feel weak and bad, he would not give up Christ for all the world. Depend upon it, he would say he found preciousness in Christ, a suitableness to his own soul in Christ, that he found nowhere else, and that he must cling to him.

I place this mark before you. What would the Apostle say about you? Are you born again?

Thirdly, John says, "Every one that does righteousness is born of Him"-I John 2:29.

The man born again, or regenerate, then is, a holy man. He endeavors to live according to God's will, to do the things that please God, to avoid the things that God hates. His aim and desire is to love God with heart and soul and mind and strength, and to love his neighbor as himself. His wish is to be continually looking to Christ as his example as well as his Savior, and to show himself Christ's friend by doing whatever Christ commands. No doubt he is not perfect. None will tell you that sooner than himself. He groans under the burden of indwelling corruption cleaving to him. He finds an evil principle within him constantly warring against Grace, and trying to draw him away from God. But he does not consent to it, though he cannot prevent its presence. In spite of all shortcomings, the average bent and bias of his way is holy-his doings are holy, his tastes holy, and his habits holy. In spite of all this swerving and turning aside, like a ship beating up against a contrary wind, the general course of his life is in one direction-toward God and for God. And though he may sometimes fell so low that he questions whether he is a Christian at all, he will generally be able to say with old John Newton, "I am not what I ought to be, I am not what I want to be. I am not what I hope to be in another world, but still I am not what I once used to be, and by the Grace of God I am what I am."

I place this mark also before you. What would the Apostle say about you? Are you born again?

Fourthly, John says, "We know that we have passed from death unto life, because we love the brethren"-I John 3:14.

A man born again, or regenerate, then, has a special love for all true disciples of Christ. Like his Father in heaven, he loves all men with a great general love, but he has a special love for those who are of one mind with himself. Like his Lord and Savior, he loves the worst of sinners, and could weep over them; but he has a peculiar love for those who are believers. He is never so much at home as when he is in their company. He is never so happy as when he is among the saints and the excellent of the earth. Others may value learning, or cleverness, or agreeableness, or riches or rank, in the society they choose. The regenerate man values Grace. Those who have most Grace, and are most like Christ, are those he most loves. He feels that they are members of the same family with himself. He feels that they are his fellow-soldiers, warring against the same enemy. He feels that they are his fellow-travelers, journeying along the same road. He understands them, and they understand him. He and they may be very different in many ways-in rank, in station, in wealth. What matter? They are Jesus Christ's people. They are his Father's sons and daughters. Then he cannot help loving them.

I place this mark also before you. What would the Apostle say about you? Are you born again?

Fifthly, John says, "Whatever is born of God overcomes the world"-I John 5:4.

A man born again, or regenerate, does not make the world's opinion his rule of right and wrong. He does not mind going against the stream of the world's way, notions and customs. "What man will say?" is no longer a turning-point with him. He overcomes the love of the world. He finds no pleasure in things which most around him call happiness. He cannot enjoy their enjoyments: they weary him: they appear to him vain, unprofitable, and unworthy of an immortal being. He overcomes the fear of the world. He is content to do many things which all around him think unnecessary, to say the least. They blame him: it does not move him. They ridicule him: he does not give way. He loves the praise of God more than the praise of men. He fears offending Him more than giving offense to man. He has counted the cost. It is a small thing with him no whether he is blamed or praised. He is no longer the servant of fashion and custom. To please the world is quite a secondary consideration with him. His first aim is to please God.

I place this mark also before you. What would the Apostle say about you? Are you born again?

Sixthly, John says, "He that is begotten of God keeps himself"-I John 5:18.

A man born again, or regenerate, is very careful of his own soul. He endeavors not only to keep clear of sin, but also to keep clear of everything which may lead to it. He is careful about the company he keeps. He feels that evil communications corrupt the heart, and that evil is for more catching than good, just as disease is more infectious than health. He is careful about the employment of his time: his chief desire about it is to spend it profitably. He is careful about the friendships he forms: it is not enough for him that people are kind and amiable and good-natured; all this is very well; but will they do good to his soul? He is careful over his own daily habits and behavior: he tries to recollect that his own heart is deceitful, the world full of wickedness, and the devil always laboring to do him harm; and, therefore, he would sincerely be always on his guard. He desires to live like a solider in an enemy's country, to wear his armor continually, and to be prepared for temptation. He finds by experience that his soul is ever among enemies, and he studies to be watchful, humble, and prayerful man.

I place this mark also before you. What would the Apostle say about you? Are you born again?

Such are the six great marks of being born again. Let every one who has gone so far with me, read them over with attention, and lay them to heart.

I know there is a vast difference in the depth and distinctness of these marks in different people. In some they are faint, dim, feeble, and hardly to be discerned. In others they are bold, sharp, clear, plain, and unmistakable, so that any one may read them. Some of these marks are more visible in some, and others are more visible in others. It seldom happens that all are equally manifest in one and the same soul. All this I am quite ready to allow.

But still after every allowance, here we find boldly painted six marks of being born of God. Here is an inspired Apostle writing one of the last general epistles to the Church of Christ, telling us that a man born of God, Does not commit sin, Believes that Jesus is the Christ, Does righteousness, Loves the brethren, Overcomes the world, and Keeps himself. I ask the reader to observe all this.

Now what shall we say to these things? What they can say who hold that regeneration is only an admission to outward church privileges, I am sure I do not know. For myself I say boldly, I can only come to one conclusion. That conclusion is, that only those people are born again who have these six marks about them; and that all men and women who have not these marks, are not born again. And I firmly believe that this is the conclusion to which the Apostle wished us to come.

Reader, have you these marks? Are you born again?

(HT: O Christian Articles)

No Fruit, No Conversion

"Let it be a settled principle in our religion that when a man brings forth no fruits of the Spirit, he has not the Holy Spirit within him. Let us resist as a deadly error the common idea, that all baptized people are born again, and that all members of the Church, as a matter of course, have the Holy Spirit. One simple question must be our rule: What fruit does a man bring forth? Does he repent? Does he believe with the heart on Jesus? Does he live a holy life? Does he overcome the world? Habits like these are what Scripture calls 'fruit.' When these "fruits" are lacking, it is profane to talk of a man having the Spirit of God within him." (J.C. Ryle)

"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit."(Gal 5:22-25)

(HT: Sola Sisters)

The Fire - A Message for Church People

By Justin Edwards

This message is for church people. If you consider yourself a Christian, then you must watch this. You will either be edified, convicted, or your heart will be further hardened from the truth.

Transcript below:

The Fire

Have you ever thought that there would be people that have gone to hell today that never thought that they would get there? I mean, they might have thought that they would go there but they never really believed that they will go to hell. They never actually knew what hell is going to be like. They never actually believed that someday they would go there and that probably they were good – you know?

But after all, they’re Christians. Of course they never thought that they would go there, but they are there. Right now. Many of them cursing God because some preacher told them that God was love and that love was tolerance and that God would never let them feel condemned.

Ever heard the phrase, a sugar makes the medicine go down. More like a little truth makes deception acceptable.

I want to be very clear on something: I have a heart for every soul – lost and saved. But this video from the very first idea of it until the very last edit that I’ve made was made for church people. I have spoken out in the past and I think it’s funny because a lot of church people have come up to me and they say, “You’re gonna turn off the lost people off.” or “you would make sinners want nothing to do with you.” They missed the whole point. I am talking to you. I am talking to church people. The people that already think they believe in Christ. The people that serve in churches. The people that evangelize the lost. The people of the Church.

I want to tell you something: it is a absolute, no second question, no explanation, no hearing of your life’s story, impossibility for you to be saved and yet live in a continuous state of worldliness. And you say things like, “God will forgive me. God was with me since I was a kid. After all, I got saved a long time ago. Surely He will just forgate about this.”

And you say things like that but you keep on doing all of the evil you can. You intentionally indulge in your favorite sin. And when there is still time to stop. While there is still time for you to just think about and say “No I do not want to do it”. In the same breath you say, “Boy I am sure God is merciful”.

But Christ seated at the right hand of the Father looks down from Heaven and He says, “Do you have any idea what your forgiveness cost me? I’ve had my flesh tore out my neck, and back and legs. I had thorns jammed into my head. I was stabbed in the side. gore gushed from my hands and from my feet and from my back just to cover the thing you so lightly indulge in. But in truth, this thing that I went in the physical. They were nothing compared to what I was going through the spiritual. If you multiply all of these physical things that I’ve gone through times a thousand. It still cannot cover your one sin.

Don’t you know that God, the Father, beated me to pieces? He obliterated me beyond recognition. He took the cup of Wrath that had your name on it and He splashed it on my perfect, sinless and bleedy face. And what is worst, God did this to me with a smile. It pleased Him to crush me for you.

That’s what your forgiveness cost me.”

Most professing Christians have never realized their actually need for Christ. They have been invited to Him in such a way that seems like, “oh I am doing God a favor just to believe in Christ.” They have never been told that the very first level of Christianity is a complete denial to all of your desires and to everything that you ever being. They have never been clearly shown that whosoever doesn’t wake up in the morning in die to every one of his desires is not even worthy of walking in Jesus’ footsteps.

They do not understand that being a Christian means that they are crucified to the world and that the world is crucified to them. That means the world thinks of you as a fool that has nothing to contribute to society and that there is nothing that the world offers that you desire. Thet you have now nothing to do with sin and everything to do with God.

It has been told by many professing Christians that Jesus said and meant, no one can serve two masters. You will hate one and love the other every time. If you do not mind very much when people use His glorious Name in vain. If you do not mind of seeing places that are build on sin. If you do not feel deeply offended at the fornication in your favorite movies. At the scoffing of the glorious Name of Jesus and the jokes that defile his very throne and slap His face in rebellion, then you hate Him. It is not very hard to figure out because Jesus said, you will hate the one and love the other always.

If you love the world, you hate Him or else Jesus was wrong. But you say, “No that isn’t truth. I love Jesus. Jesus is Lord.” But who are you trying to convince? Isn’t interesting when anyone brings a word of correction about your sin. You immediately pass them off as unChrist-like and judgmental. It is digusting that it is more of a scandal to this church culture to reprove sin than is to laugh at it. The one who says, sin is wrong is judgmental and the one who commits it and encourages others to do it is Christ-like – how disgusting!

You do not want to be like God. You just want people to back off when they are starting to reprove the very thing you were in love most with.

Truth love for God means truth hatred for sin.

In Matthew 7 and in Luke 13, Jesus says that many will be telling Him on that Day that He is the actual Lord of their life. But He will say, “Depart from Me, I never knew you.”

Your profess faith in Jesus means absolutely nothing.

You say, well you know that you really can’t judge a book by it’s cover. Well I heard a great preacher recently say that that whole idea is invented of Satan. Because Jesus said, you can judge a book by it’s cover because in John 15, He said, you will know false prophets by their fruit.

Tell me how long will it actually take you if you walk to a apple tree and there were fruits of apples all over for you to say, “It’s a apple tree”? A good tree cannot bear bad fruit and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. That’s what Jesus said. Jesus said, “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire…” (John 15:5-6)

No one has to hear what you have been through. No one has to know that from what you have been saved. All they have to do is look at your fruit. You have been serving in church your whole life but look at your fruit for a second. What about the things that come out your mouth when you talked to people in conversations? What are your affections set toward – are they God things?

You can tell Him that you have sit in church, you can tell Him that He is Lord. But if you die without bearing Christ’s fruits, you will go to hell for all of eternity. And ten millions years will pass and you will be under the weight of this thing that no human on earth can bare for even a second. And, it will be like no time has past in eternity – no time. A hundred years pass and is the same – you are there. There you are suffering the Wrath of God because you believed some lying preacher that was a wolf in sheep clothing that just tried to encourage you and so you are maybe saying as many already have,

“Hey, you are judgmental.” “You are unChrist-like.” “You are condescending.” “You are heavy.”

“You are turning people off by they way that you talk.” Can’t you see that I want you to live?

As the main purpose of your existence to live. That is God number one desire. The biggest problem in the Bible if you would read it that God is faced with is that if He just, He cannot forgive you.
Go talk to the lost people on the streets and see if they don’t tell you that God is forgiving. They have heard of the trenmendous love of God and yet, they are still with the very sin that crushed and murdered Him. And so are many of you.

“Hey let’s watch a movie tonight! What there is nudity and there is 12 ‘GD’s'? A hundred and forty ‘F’ words? That’s alright, I’ve freedom in Christ.” Freedom from what? Freedom to let the worst words that can be spilled out of a human mouth serve you. Entertainment and yet, you still claim that you love Him with your whole heart? You make lau- you make jesters at the very things that murdered Him? Not only that, but you spit in the bloody face of the Lamb of God as He hangs on a jack of wood taking your wrath and you say, “Don’t worry! He forgives.” Do you know the character of the god you serve? In the book of Jeremiah, God’s people have been wicked by serving other gods and having their affection set on other things and willfully sinning and not saying that they have sinned.

And not acknowledging their need for God. We find in Jeremiah chapter 14 repenting genuine biblical repentance for the people of God and he said, “Lord, we confess our wickedness and that of our ancestors, too. We all have sinned against You. For the sake of Your reputation, Lord, do not abandon us. Do not disgrace Your Own glorious throne. Please remember us, and do not break Your covenant with us.” (Jeremiah 14:20-22).

It’s really good repentance it’s really genuine. It’s better than most of you had prayed. But what may shock you is God’s response, “Even if Moses and Samuel stood before Me pleading for these people, I wouldn’t help them. Away with then! Get then out of my sight!” (Jeremiah 15:1). Then He told Jeremiah, “Do not go to funerals to mourn and show sympathy for these people, for I have removed My peace and protection from them. I have taken away My unfailing love and My mercy.” (Jeremiah 16:5).

These weren’t the lost people of the world. These were His people.

So you are maybe questioning, “Hey, why are you saying this to me? To me you still sound judgmental.” Well I heard a story of a young man that was dying on his deathbed. His brother was there next to him. And, he said, “Brother, why have you been so indifferent to me about my soul as you have been?” Brother said, “Indifferent? I haven’t been indifferent to you! I’ve spoken to you often about it.” Brother said, “Yeah, you’ve spoken but I think if you would remember that I was going down to hell you would have been more earnest with me.”

Every time you hear a sermon and you see a video, or you hear a song that is convicting or anything. You have chance to either to repent or to harden your heart. Some of you have watched a video that I’ve made in the past and you’ve thought, “Man, that’s very good or maybe you’ve told me hey, I will start changing. Thank you for this, and this but you really haven’t decided to change and tap in in the grace of God. You’re hardening your heart against Him. You are making it harder for yourself. Don’t make your judgment twice as bad for hearing the Word of Lord and then ignoring it.

I am telling you about hell and I am you that some of you are going there unless you repent. But, if you harden your heart in your whole life and die without repenting. You will look back in the day that you have watched this video and from the flames of hell, you will curse. You will curse the day you were born. You will curse this day and you will say, I wish I’ve even never watched because now I know that he was right. Now I know that hell is real, that he wasn’t just to scare me and that I was going. I was going to burn there for all of eternity. Now I see the truth. Now I see.

I got to tell you something very solemn, there is nothing in this life that you can do that will take away the glory of God. And, in the end He will be glorified in your life.

There’s a verse in Scripture that talks about that for all of eternity, the lake of fire will be open for people to come and see the fierce wrath of God. And that they will be able to observe how majestic He is and they will see in awe of their hearts and they will come back and worship Him. The line of heart stops their enemies as their blood sprinkles all over their robes and they will come bow before Him and say Holy holy holy is the Lamb which taketh the sin of the world. But, do you know what mercy is? Mercy is that you can choose. And, so, you choose will God be glorified by your damnation and eternal punishment or will He be glorified by your salvation and your worship.

I’ve realized that a lot of you think that I am crazy. I was told that. But ask yourself , What is going to matter when you are on your deathbed- if you get one, and when you are just a few breath away from death. What is going to matter? Is it going to matter whether or not you have been in college? No. It will not matter if I have written a song. Or, whether or not, I’ve painted a picture and done anything. Nothing is going to matter when you are breaths away from eternity.

Don’t you think that you have wished that you, when that time comes, that you would love God the way you said you did? Would you actually flip the tv off, a little more, to study His Godly scriptures? I know I will. No matter how much I have done then I wish I would have done more.

But the good news is: Christ is calling. He is calling loud within the streets. He is calling for you to come. He is holding the door of mercy as wide as it can be open and He is saying, “Come and dine with Me!”

To dine with Him you have to die to you. The One whose Name you have abused and whose cross you have mocked by the way that you lived is alive and He is coming. But you may die before He does.

All you have is now!

“Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; Nor His ear heavy, that it cannot hear. But your iniquities have separated you from your God; And your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.” (Isaiah 59:1-2)

(HT: Sermonjamtranscript)

Koran Burning - A Call to Repentance

By Justin Edwards

AP

Most of you have heard by now of the Westboro-Baptist-like antics being planned by Dove World Outreach Center pastor Terry Jones. After reading more about the story this evening, I struggled with whether I wanted to discuss it all as, quite frankly, it doesn't deserve the attention this church is seeking. A few things come to mind: pride, anger, vengeance, hate, and revilement. This Koran burning certainly does not represent peace, love, joy, longsuffering, kindness, love, patience, gentleness, or self-control. So with that in mind, I decided to address a couple of recent comments from this wayward pastor in the hope that the Body will be edified and nonbelievers will understand these actions are inexcusable and not representative of Christ in any way.

I want to be clear that any religion that denies the fundamentals of the Christian faith is indeed demonic. I say this because anything that draws attention and focus away from the person of Jesus Christ as the Son of God, His finished work on the cross to atone for sin, His bodily resurrection, and draws away from He being the one and only Way of salvation is of the devil. It is the antichrist spirit. Thus, anyone who denies these absolute truths forfeits the only way they will see heaven. By denying these truths, they condemn themselves to an eternal hell, and the very point of this blog is to boldly proclaim that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Way, Truth, and the Life and no man goes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6). If you are a Muslim reading this, please see this post: Cling to the Cross! A Message for Muslims.

That being said, what Dove World Outreach is planning for September 11 is at best grave ignorance, and at worst evil. Not only are they jeopardizing American soldiers, missionaries, and Christians worldwide, their actions are not exemplary of Christian behavior.

What they are doing is inciting more violence and hatred for Christians. If they cared anything about the souls of Muslims, they would be handing out Gospel tracts or forming an evangelical coalition to witness to Muslims around the globe (after all, they do consider themselves a "world outreach").

Despite protests and death threats, Terry Jones insists they will continue with the Koran burning. They have even been denied a permit from the fire department, yet through defiance will proceed. A rebellious spirit is not a godly spirit.

Showing his ignorance of Scripture, Jones is quoted saying,

We feel it's maybe the right time for America to stand up. How long are we going to bow down? How long are we going to be controlled by the terrorists, by radical Islam? (source)

Reminiscent of the ecumenical patriotism of late (re: Glenn Beck, evangelicals et al), since when is it the church's job to stand up to geopolitical crises? Since when is it the church's business to be entangled with the things of this world? 2 Timothy 2:3-4,

You therefore must endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ. ⁴ No one engaged in warfare entangles himself with the affairs of this life, that he may please him who enlisted him as a soldier.

Moreover, since when does the true church, the Body of Christ, bow down to anything but Almighty God? Last I checked, the gates of hell will not prevail against the Bride of Christ. We certainly will never be controlled by another power, especially Islam.

Islam is just like anything else of this world and the only way to change anything about it is to present the Gospel of Jesus Christ to its practitioners. It is likely the only way Islam will be destroyed is by the sovereign hand of God in these last days, but in the meantime, we need to be speaking the truth in love to these lost people, not inciting them to hate us and hate our God.

Responding to the death threats the Dove church members have been receiving, Jones said,

We will not be responsible. We are only reacting to the violence that is already there in that religion. (source)

It seems Jones hasn't read the command of Jesus to love our enemies. Matthew 5:43-45,

You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.

Yes, Islam has waged war against the West. Yes, Islam's modus operandi is to infiltrate all fabrics of society and conquer with violence until they can reestablish their global caliphate (which won't happen because God has other plans). Yes, Islam is technically "of the devil" as Terry Jones proclaims. But this is a secular issue in that the church has no business in "standing up for America". That's the government's job - even if they are inadequate or refuse to do so. The decision to burn the Koran on September 11 is foolishness and wicked rebellion.

Consider the following Scriptures,

Ephesians 5:9-11,

(for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), ¹⁰ finding out what is acceptable to the Lord. ¹¹ And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather expose them.

Philippians 1:9-11,

And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in knowledge and all discernment, ¹⁰ that you may approve the things that are excellent, that you may be sincere and without offense till the day of Christ, ¹¹ being filled with the fruits of righteousness which are by Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God.

Colossians 1:9-11

...[We]ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding; ¹⁰ that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; ¹¹ strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, for all patience and longsuffering with joy;

Notice anything about the verse numbers? It was not my intention to pluck relevant verses numbered 9-11, but for some reason I can't and won't chalk it off as coincidence. I'm actually smiling now thinking God had something to do with that. In any case, the text of these passages have an emphasis on the fruits of righteousness - that is, the fruit of Christ Himself. Everything we do, whether by word or deed, must be done in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ. And if our actions serve to turn people away, rest assured they are not a fruit of righteousness.

Pride will be the downfall of this pastor and this church. I can only imagine the potential fallout as a result of their actions. No doubt they have been rebuked by a large number of born again believers, and their continued rebellion may very well reveal the nature of their hearts.

I plan on posting this message on their website and facebook pages. You can do the same by following the links below:

Dove World Blog

International Burn a Koran Day


If just one reader has a change of heart because of this post, I would be very grateful.

This is a call to repentance. This is a call for you to repent from your pride and seek forgiveness of your anger, lack of self-control, lack of humility, lack of meekness, lack of gentleness, and lack of love. I call you to repent and ask forgiveness for placing Americans in danger, and more importantly, for placing your brethren around the world in danger. It grieves me to think a born again believer will lose their head in an Islamic country because of your rebellion. Repent and confess your sins to God as He is faithful to cleanse you from all unrighteousness.

I leave you with these words from the Apostle Paul:

Philippians 2:3-4

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. ⁴ Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.

1 Corinthians 10:31-33

Therefore, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God. ³² Give no offense, either to the Jews or to the Greeks or to the church of God, ³³ just as I also please all men in all things, not seeking my own profit, but the profit of many, that they may be saved.

For the love of the brethren and the testimony of Jesus Christ, repent!

Works of the Flesh and the Fruit of the Spirit - Part 2

By Justin Edwards

In Part 1 of Works of the Flesh and the Fruit of the Spirit it was mentioned that the Bible gives us information that describes what a born again Christian looks like as well as what an unbeliever looks like, whether that means there is no profession of faith or a false profession. When one puts their faith in Jesus Christ and God saves them from their sins, God changes them from the inside out. Hebrews 10:14 tells us those who have been purchased by the blood of Christ are being made holy, or are being sanctified:

For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

This is a continuous process in the life of the born again believer. When Christ imputes His righteousness to us and we are justified before His Father in heaven, He begins a work in us that He will see to perfection. The Apostle Paul in Ephesians 2:10 tells us,

For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Please understand that when God saves us from the pit of our wretchedness, He begins a work in us that He ordained before the foundations of the world. This reveals the sovereignty of God, and our salvation is not for our sake, but for His glory. This process of sanctification is a means to make us holy. We begin to hate the very things that nailed Him to the cross and we learn to love Him with all of our heart, mind, and soul - for this is the greatest commandment. So a professed believer living a life of habitual sin, even justifying their sins, is completely antithetical to what the Bible clearly proclaims is the result of regeneration.

Just as there are obvious works of the flesh that lead to death and eternal separation from God (sexual immorality (homosexuality, fornication, adultery, etc.), idolatry, hatred, drunkenness, thieves, slanderers), God tells us there are manifestations of His character in the heart of the believer, and these will become more evident in us as we grow in His grace - as our minds are conformed to Christ, as we are made holy as He is holy. In 1 Corinthians 6:11, Paul tells us in regards to our former selves,

And such were some of you. But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God.

And because we have become new creations in Christ Jesus (2 Corinthians 5:17), the characteristics of God, the fruit of His Spirit, will be manifest (obvious, evident) in the life of the born again believer. Galatians 5:22-26

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.24 And those who are Christ’s have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. 25 If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking one another, envying one another.

Notice in verse 24 that those who are Christ's have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. When we were born again of the Spirit and Christ took up residence in us, we died to ourselves and are no longer slaves to sin (Romans 6:6-7). This does not mean we have final victory over our sinful nature, for this will not happen until we receive our glorified bodies at the resurrection, but we indeed will no longer be slaves or controlled by our sinful nature. Rather, we will be slaves to righteousness (Romans 8). The power we have over sin comes from the very characteristics of God within us as born again believers. In his New Testament Commentary, John MacArthur gives us a detailed description of each of these attitudes commanded by God and characterized in the lives of those who belong to Him:

Love: one of several Greek words for love, agape, is the love of choice, referring not to an emotional affection, physical attraction, or a familial bond, but to respect, devotion, and affection that leads to willing, self-sacrificial service.

Joy: a happiness based on unchanging divine promises and eternal spiritual realities. It is the sense of well-being experienced by one who knows all is well between himself and the Lord. Joy is not the result of favorable circumstances, and even occurs when those circumstances are the most painful and severe. Joy is a gift from God, and as such, believers are not to manufacture it but to delight in the blessing they already possess.

Peace: the inner calm that results from the confidence in one's saving relationship with Christ. The verb form denotes binding together and is reflected in the expression "having it all together." Like joy, peace is not related to one's circumstances.

Longsuffering: patience which refers to the ability to endure injuries inflicted by others and the willingness to accept irritating or painful situations.

Kindness: tender concern for others, reflected in a desire to treat others gently, just as the Lord treats all believers.

Goodness: moral and spiritual excellence manifested in active kindness. Believers are commanded to exemplify goodness.

Faithfulness: loyalty and trustworthiness.

Gentleness: better translated "meekness." It is a humble and gentle attitude that is patiently submissive in every offense, while having no desire for revenge or retribution. In the NT, it is used to describe three attitudes: submission to the will of God, teachability, and consideration of others.

Self-control: this refers to restraining passions and appetites.

Understanding these Godly attitudes as the manifestation of Christ within each born again believer should help make it clear how they give us power over sin and enable us to pursue a holy lifestyle. If we walk in the Spirit, we will not fulfill the lusts of the flesh. We are called out from the world to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. Matthew Henry elaborates,

The fruits of the Spirit, or of the renewed nature, which we are to do, are named. And as the apostle had chiefly named works of the flesh, not only hurtful to men themselves, but tending to make them so to one another, so here he chiefly notices the fruits of the Spirit, which tend to make Christians agreeable one to another, as well as to make them happy. The fruits of the Spirit plainly show, that such are led by the Spirit. By describing the works of the flesh and fruits of the Spirit, we are told what to avoid and oppose, and what we are to cherish and cultivate; and this is the sincere care and endeavor of all real Christians. Sin does not now reign in their mortal bodies, so that they obey it, Ro 6:12, for they seek to destroy it.

Christ never will own those who yield themselves up to be the servants of sin. And it is not enough that we cease to do evil, but we must learn to do well. Our conversation will always be answerable to the principle which guides and governs us, Ro 8:5. We must set ourselves in earnest to mortify the deeds of the body, and to walk in newness of life. Not being desirous of vain-glory, or unduly wishing for the esteem and applause of men, not provoking or envying one another, but seeking to bring forth more abundantly those good fruits, which are, through Jesus Christ, to the praise and glory of God.

So what about you? Have you examined your life lately? Have you considered whether these works of the flesh or the fruit of the Spirit is manifest in your life? Take a moment to evaluate your spiritual health and compare it to what the Word of God says is the evidence of a child of God. Manifesting the fruit of the Spirit and denying the lusts of the flesh is not a matter of working for your salvation, for salvation is by the grace of God alone through faith alone in Jesus Christ alone; however, manifesting fruit and denying the flesh are the result of genuine faith in the Lord and Savior. Consider these words from Ephesians 2:1-3 and Ephesians 5:8-11,

¹ And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins, ² in which you once walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience, ³ among whom also we all once conducted ourselves in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children of wrath, just as the others.

8For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light 9(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) 10and find out what pleases the Lord. 11Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.

And finally in 1 Peter 1:13-15,

13 Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and rest your hope fully upon the grace that is to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; 14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance; 15 but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 because it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

 I hope you see the difference.

Works of the Flesh and the Fruit of the Spirit - Part 1

By Justin Edwards

One of the evidences Christians have in their tool box for assurance of salvation is whether the fruit of the Spirit is manifest in them. This fruit includes 9 characteristics:  love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.  Contrarily, the works of the flesh are evident in the unregenerate, unsaved person, which are:  sexual immorality, lewdness, idolatry, sorcery, contentions, drunkenness, and revelries.  When we walk in the Spirit as Paul tells us in Galatians 5, we will not satisfy the lust of the sinful nature.

Sadly enough, there are many professing Christians who habitually practice these worldly lusts, and the Word of God says they will not inherit His kingdom - not because they lost their salvation, but they were never truly saved to begin with. Jesus Christ is the author and perfecter of our faith, and we will be sanctified as we grow in His grace. The born again believer who falls to the temptations of sin will be convicted unto repentance and confession to the Lord. Having no sensitivity or acknowledgment of sin in one's life is evidence they are not a child of God. Galatians 5:16-18,

I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Matthew Henry expounds:

If it be our care to act under the guidance and power of the blessed Spirit, though we may not be freed from the stirrings and oppositions of the corrupt nature which remains in us, it shall not have dominion over us. Believers are engaged in a conflict, in which they earnestly desire that grace may obtain full and speedy victory. And those who desire thus to give themselves up to be led by the Holy Spirit, are not under the law as a covenant of works, nor exposed to its awful curse. Their hatred of sin, and desires after holiness, show that they have a part in the salvation of the gospel.

Now we see the works of darkness in Galatians 5:19-21:

Now the works of the flesh are evident, which are: adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lewdness,  idolatry, sorcery, hatred, contentions, jealousies, outbursts of wrath, selfish ambitions, dissensions, heresies, envy, murders, drunkenness, revelries, and the like; of which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. 

Matthew Henry continues:

The works of the flesh are many and manifest. And these sins will shut men out of heaven. Yet what numbers, calling themselves Christians, live in these, and say they hope for heaven!

In his New Testament commentary, John MacArthur elaborates on the word practice:

Here is the key word in Paul's warning. The sense of this Greek verb describes continual, habitual action. Although believers undoubtedly can commit these sins, those people whose basic character is summed up in the uninterrupted and unrepentant practice of them cannot belong to God. [Regarding not inheriting the kingdom of God] - the unregenerate are barred from entering the spiritual kingdom of redeemed people over whom Christ now rules, and they will be excluded from His millennial kingdom and the eternal state of blessing that follows it.

Christ and the works of the flesh cannot be manifest at the same time. Either the flesh controls us, or Jesus controls us - for no man can serve two masters. If you are a born again believer, you used to be of darkness,  satisfying your lusts, and indeed served another master other than Christ. But now that you have been made alive in Christ, the works of the flesh will no longer be manifest (obvious, evident). You are now children of light, walking in the light, and not in the darkness. Christ is now manifest in your life, you have died to yourself, and have become a new creation. Your heart and mind are set on things above, and your mind will become less conformed to the world and more conformed to Christ as your mind is renewed by the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God is within you. 

MacArthur also defines these lusts that are evident in the heart by habitual practice:

Fornication: The Greek word is porneia, from which the English word pornography comes. It refers to all illicit sexual activity, including (but not limited to) adultery, premarital sex, homosexuality, bestiality, incest, and prostitution.

Lewdness: The word originally referred to any excessive behavior or lack of restraint, but eventually became associated with sexual excess and indulgence.

Sorcery:  The Greek word pharmakeia, from which the English word pharmacy comes, originally referred to medicines in general, but eventually only to mood-altering and mind-altering drugs, as well as the occult, witchcraft, and magic. Many pagan religious practices required the use of these drugs to aid in communication with deities. 

Contentions and Heresies:  Many of these sins manifested in the area of human relationships have to do with some form of anger. Hatred results in "contentions" (strife). Jealousies (hateful resentment) result in "outbursts of wrath" (sudden, unrestrained expressions of hostility). 

Drunkenness and Revelries:  Probably a specific reference to the orgies that characterized pagan, idolatrous worship. Generally, it refers to all rowdy, boisterous, and crude behavior.

As mentioned, those who habitually practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. Continuous, unrepentant practice of these sins would indicate that one has not been regenerated as these lusts are contrary to the Spirit within the believer.

In Part 2, I will present the fruit of the spirit and how these Godly attitudes characterize the lives of only those who have been saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus. While the works of the flesh are manifest in those who do not know Christ in their hearts, the fruit of the Spirit is the manifestation of God in the heart of every born again believer.

The Unfruitful Works of Darkness vs the Fruit of Light

By Mike Ratliff

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not become partners with them; for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. (Ephesians 5:6-11 ESV)

In the passage above is the the word “fruit.” It is a translation of the Greek word καρπὸς or karpos. This word appears some sixty-six times in the New Testament. In most cases, it is used in reference to the the fruit of plants as in Matthew 21:19 or the produce of the earth (James 5:7, 18). However, its extended meaning in the New Testament is one in which we should pay special attention as well as to its opposite, ἀκάρποις or akarpois, which is translated in this passage as “unfruitful.” In this form, ἀκάρποις is the dative, plural of ἄκαρπος or akarpos. The dative plural simply means that this part of the phrase is an indirect object of the action of the sentence. In any case, this may be more significant than it first appears.

Μηδεὶς ὑμᾶς ἀπατάτω κενοῖς λόγοις· διὰ ταῦτα γὰρ ἔρχεται ἡ ὀργὴ τοῦ Θεοῦ ἐπὶ τοὺς υἱοὺς τῆς ἀπειθείας. μὴ οὖν γίνεσθε συμμέτοχοι αὐτῶν. ἦτε γάρ ποτε σκότος, νῦν δὲ φῶς ἐν Κυρίῳ· ὡς τέκνα φωτὸς περιπατεῖτε· ὁ γὰρ καρπὸς τοῦ Πνεύματος ἐν πάσῃ ἀγαθωσύνῃ καὶ δικαιοσύνῃ καὶ ἀληθείᾳ· δοκιμάζοντες τί ἐστιν εὐάρεστον τῷ Κυρίῳ. καὶ μὴ συγκοινωνεῖτε τοῖς ἔργοις τοῖς ἀκάρποις τοῦ σκότους, μᾶλλον δὲ καὶ ἐλέγχετε. (Ephesians 5:6-11 GNT)

Here is my word for word translation of this passage: No one you let deceive in empty words; through these for comes the anger of the God upon the sons of the disobedience. Not then become co-partakers of them; you were from then dark, now but light in Lord; as children of light walk! The for fruit of the light in all goodness and rightness and truth – proving what is is well-pleasing to the Lord, and not be co-partner in the works the fruitless of the dark, more but also rebuke.

The usage of  καρπὸς when referring to its extended meaning, not literal fruit, expressly indicates that it is not a question of deliberate, self-determined action on man’s part. Instead, it is that ‘fruit-bearing’ which follows from a believer turning to God and the power of the Holy Spirit working in him or her. I have three Pear Trees, one Crab Apple Tree, two Maple Trees, and one Oak tree in my yard. Their fruitfulness is unique to their nature. In the same way, spiritual fruit is automatic in the Christian. We do not  produce fruit because of our effort, but because of the Holy Spirit working in and through us. God has changed our nature from what we were before regeneration to what we are now. This is why our Lord said in Matthew 7: 20:

Thus you will recognize them by their fruits. (Matthew 7:20 ESV)

Now let’s look at unfruitfulness. I am sure that you noticed that ἄκαρπος, “unfruitful” is the same word as καρπὸς, “fruitful” or “fruit,” with a ἄ prefix. This the same thing we do in English by putting a prefix of “a” on a word to make it mean the exact opposite. So, if we put the “alpha-negative” on the front of καρπὸς, which means fruitful, we have a word that means “unfruitful, fruitless, barren, or unproductive,” and that is exactly how ἄκαρπος is used in the New Testament. It is found eight times in the New Testament. In the parable of the Sower in Matthew 13 it refers to the “thorny ground hearer.” In the book of Jude it is used to refer to apostates who are “clouds…without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withers, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots…”

So, as I stated above that a believer’s fruitfulness is part of their nature, so is the unfruitfulness part of the nature of the unbeliever, especially those who think they are Christians, but are only deceived. These are the ones who wreak havoc in the visible church with their unfruitful works of darkness. This unfruitfulness is natural behavior for the unregenerate. This is why our Lord was so positive about that statement in Matthew 7:20.

In Ephesians 5:11, The Apostle Paul warns believers to have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose or rebuke them as we bear fruit for God’s glory.

Soli Deo Gloria!

(HT: Possessing the Treasure)