Baa, Baa, Fake Sheep

By Justin Edwards

But what I do, I will also continue to do, that I may cut off the opportunity from those who desire an opportunity to be regarded just as we are in the things of which they boast. For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into apostles of Christ. And no wonder! For Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also transform themselves into ministers of righteousness, whose end will be according to their works. - 2 Corinthians 11:12-15

You can't fool all of the sheep all of the time. 

Post Title and Illustration Courtesy of The Sacred Sandwich

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 Coming of the Lord - Part 2 (A Message on Pastors)

By Justin Edwards

In a day where there is so much apostasy and heretical teachings spewing out of wolves and robbers in the church, Loran Livingston humbly presented a difficult but timely message on the calling of the pastor. This is not a job or a career, but an appointment by God. 

As mentioned last week and the basis for this 5-part series on the Lord's return, the Apostle Paul closes each chapter of 1 Thessalonians with a reference to the return of Jesus Christ. Most of the October 3rd message was somewhat of a detour from the expected topic, but it was an extremely important message nonetheless.

My wife and I were talking over dinner how blessed we are to be under the shepherding of Pastor Livingston. His passion and love for his flock bleed through his words and actions, and we are so thankful to be led by this servant of the Lord. So with that, I'd like to invite you to listen or watch the following message from 1 Thessalonians 2:1-20.

If you are a pastor needing encouragement or perhaps you need to be challenged to examine your ministry, this is a must-listen. The message also contains a call for every professed believer to examine themselves. Just as Paul reminded the Thessalonians of the apostles' blameless behavior and exhortation to walk worthy of our calling, so too must a preacher called by God live beyond reproach and shepherd the local flock to be diligent in seeking after the holiness of God.

You are witnesses, and God also, how devoutly and justly and blamelessly we behaved ourselves among you who believe; 11 as you know how we exhorted, and comforted, and charged every one of you, as a father does his own children, 12 that you would walk worthy of God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory. - 1 Thessalonians 2:10-12

There is an urgency to clean out our closets as the Day of the Lord quickly approaches. Our pastors must be driven exclusively by the will of the Lord Jesus Christ and be faithful to feed the sheep every time they step behind the pulpit. Each of them will stand before God to give an account for what they did with the work God has entrusted them with.  Moreover, each of us in the Body of Christ will stand before Him at the Bema Seat to give an account of how we spent our invaluable time on this earth. And every non-believer, self-righteous churchgoer, and Christian-in-name-only will stand before God at the Great White Throne Judgment to give account for why they rejected Christ or refused to submit to Him as Master over their lives. Their love for the world, pride of life, and/or religiosity will have blinded them all the way to the Lake of Fire. Don't be that person. Please, please don't be that person.

If you are reading this and are unsure of your salvation, please don't let your pride continue to hinder examining yourself. Time is of the essence as the Lord Jesus Christ is returning any moment. Watch or listen to this message, read the book of First John, check out the many resources on this blog, or contact me personally, but please, don't wait another minute. Many professing Christians will be sentenced to hell because they refused to walk through the Narrow Gate - I pray and hope that won't be you.

A Message on Pastors video (link good for 3 weeks)

A Message on Pastors mp3

But we, brethren, having been taken away from you for a short time in presence, not in heart, endeavored more eagerly to see your face with great desire. 18 Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us. 19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? 20 For you are our glory and joy. - 1 Thessalonians 2:17-20

The Black Church and the Prosperity Gospel

By Al Mohler

The scandals surrounding Atlanta’s Bishop Eddie Long now center on allegations of sexual immorality put forth by four young men who had been teenagers under his ministry. But previous attention had been directed at the financial elements of his ministry at Atlanta’s New Birth Missionary Baptist Church.

Eddie Long is a teacher of prosperity theology, a perverse distortion of the gospel that transforms the message of Christ into a message of secular salvation through wealth and prosperity. Scholars of the movement have studied why it is that poor, disadvantaged, and disenfranchised people seem so drawn to a false gospel that leaves them poor but makes their preachers wealthy. They seem to find encouragement and hope, even a source of pride, in a pastor who preaches prosperity and lives in ostentatious wealth, even as they contribute their own meager funds.

The Bible is clear in warning against false prophets who preach false gospels and those who would use spiritual authority for their own wealth. The world is scandalized by the false promises of prosperity, and believers in Christ should be just as scandalized about this false promise. But Christians should be far more concerned about the eternal consequences of prosperity theology — its false promise of salvation through financial abundance, of health and wealth through the exercise of “seed faith.” Missing from the prosperity gospel is the message of salvation through faith in Christ alone — a salvation that makes every believer unspeakably wealthy in the grace of Christ but does not promise earthly riches or unblemished physical health.

Writing in the “Houses of Worship” column in today’s edition of The Wall Street Journal, DeForest B. ["Buster"] Soaries, Jr., pastor of the First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens in Somerset, New Jersey, writes of the scandal of the prosperity gospel and its popularity among African American churches:

The prosperity gospel—the idea that God guarantees truly faithful believers physical health and financial wealth—is not new. But cable and satellite television broadcasting have turned prosperity preachers into celebrities that have followings similar to musicians and movie stars. A movement and a theology that once seemed like an aberration among black churches now appears to be mainstream.

He writes further:

Teaching that desire for more material possessions is a sign of one’s religious piety is simply offering a justification for crass consumerism. Prosperity theology elevates greed to a virtue instead of leaving it as one of the seven deadly sins. 

Of course, it is much easier for clergy to preach this gospel when they are living proof that the “system” works. Hence the celebrity-like lifestyles of so many religious leaders. The fact that the people most likely to do well in the prosperity gospel movement are the people at the top suggests that it is all an ecclesiastical pyramid scheme.

Soaries seems mostly concerned in this article about the false promises of wealth and the economic effects of these teachings on African Americans. All Christians should share his outrage and know that prosperity theology is found among all races and ethnicities. The television screens are filled with their messages and heresies.

But the central problem with prosperity theology is that is is a false gospel. The prosperity preachers do not promise too much. They promise all the wrong things.

Of course, The Wall Street Journal is an interesting place to find an article on prosperity theology. The editors of that famous newspaper know what leads to financial wealth — that is their business — and they know that prosperity theology leads into deeper poverty. It’s only those at the top who drive the expensive cars and ride in private jets.

(HT: Standing for God)

Kirk Cameron on Evangelism

By Justin Edwards

Kirk Cameron closed the inaugural Resolved conference in 2005 with a powerful message on evangelism. Whether or not you are a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ or just eager to be encouraged and equipped to obey the Great Commission, then please take the time to listen to this mp3.

Every born again believer is called to preach the Gospel to the ends of the earth. This calling is not reserved to only international missionaries. We are all charged with this mission to make Christ known, and if you find yourself lacking in this area and are ready to make a change, you can begin here.

We must all be zealous for good works, and the greatest of these is sowing seeds to the lost. The Harvest is near - let us be diligent in sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ in these final hours.

Kirk Cameron - Evangelism mp3 download

The Fire of Holiness vs. the Spirit of Perversion

By J. Lee Grady

Moral failure in our ranks has become an epidemic—and the only solution is a heaven-sent spiritual housecleaning.

I’m sure you felt as heartsick as I did when you heard about the nightmarish charges leveled against Atlanta preacher Eddie Long of New Birth Full Gospel Baptist Church. While I passed through two airports last Thursday, CNN was airing the sordid details of the lawsuits filed by two young men who are accusing Long of coercing them into sex. Two more men have since come forward with similar lawsuits.

Whether the charges are true or not (please pray for Long and his church during this ordeal), it was awkward to hear newscasters suggesting that a married Pentecostal bishop had abused his power and carried on secret gay affairs. What’s really sad is that in our sexually desensitized culture people don’t even blush when they hear such talk about a minister.

In a sermon last Sunday, Long dismissed the allegations and vowed to fight his accusers. Most members of his 25,000-member church rallied behind him, even after incriminating photos began circulating. Long has not explained the suggestive photos of himself or how the young men obtained them, but he declared he is “not the man” he is portrayed to be in the lawsuits.

At this point it is Bishop Long’s word against the four men, and we will soon endure the embarrassment of a civil trial that could be very ugly—and even more shameful if evidence supports the accusations. As with the Catholic child abuse cover-up, and numerous recent scandals among Christian leaders, the name of Jesus will be dragged through the mud and Christians will be broad-brushed as hypocrites who preach one thing and do another.

I started noticing a disturbing trend way before the allegations against Bishop Long surfaced. A sinister spirit of perversion has invaded the ranks of charismatic churches. Here are just a few examples that have been reported to me by people familiar with the situations:

The leader of one supposedly Christian ministry encouraged the wives of two men to have adulterous affairs, and then asked the women to provide detailed descriptions of their activities.

A group of traveling ministers routinely met for weekend getaways that included wife-swapping.

The male leader of a “prophetic” church on the West Coast seduced several men in his core leadership team. (The church shut down after the sin was exposed.)
A pastor learned that members of his staff were having sexual affairs in the sanctuary of his church, and he did nothing to stop the debauchery.

A church in the Southeast hosted a marriage seminar in which Christian couples were encouraged to install poles in their bedrooms so wives could engage in pole dancing prior to sex. (Question: Didn’t pole dancing originate in strip clubs? Did someone visit a strip club to get this idea?)

Forgive me for being so graphic. It gives me no pleasure to describe sins that should never be named among believers, especially those who claim to be “Spirit-filled.” Any leader who engages in or tolerates such behavior has no business laying his filthy hands on people in a church and pretending to have the Holy Spirit.

The spirit of perversion resembles the cult of Baal worship, which caused ancient Israel to backslide constantly. In the New Testament, it is associated with Jezebel, the priestess of Baal, and it manifests when false teachers invade the church and lead people into idolatry and immorality (see Rev. 2:20). It attacks church leaders because the enemy’s goal is to contaminate the people through defiled pulpits.

God raised up an Elijah to confront Baal and Jezebel. To pull down the stronghold of perversion in today’s compromised church, we must have an army of fearless men and women who live in the fire of holiness and who preach the Word without compromise. Not perfect people, but those who have allowed the Refiner to consume their selfish pride and materialistic greed—the breeding grounds of perversion. Not self-righteous people, but humble, broken men and women like Elijah, who was prepared on the backside of the desert before he confronted Baal’s prophets on Mount Carmel.

We need holiness, and true holiness is not legalism. We preach the mercy of the cross and God’s amazing love for sinners. We offer forgiveness and healing to those who have been immoral. The blood of Jesus and the renewing power of the Spirit can free any repentant person from the bondage of sexual sin. But we must also warn believers that those who turn from Christ, and return to perversion, have trampled His blood and “insulted the spirit of grace” (see Hebrews 10:29).

We must preach the full gospel, not a neutered version that avoids any mention of sin, judgment or holiness. The redemption of Jesus does not give us a license to sin, and those who teach such heresy will be held especially liable.

My prayer is a desperate one: Lord, baptize us in the fire of Your holiness! I hope you are desperate for the same flame. Ask Him to rekindle the Refiner’s fire in you.

—————————————-

J. Lee Grady is contributing editor of Charisma.

(Source: Charisma online)

(HT: Faith News Network)

Sanctification: The Law of the Spirit

By Mike Ratliff

There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1 ESV)

In this post we will look at Paul’s “therefore” he placed in the passage above. In other words, in Romans 8:1 Paul begins an important summary and conclusion which is related to his preceding arguments. We normally find that argument in the passages directly preceding the “therefore.” However, this “therefore” introduces the staggering results of all Paul’s teachings in the first seven chapters of Romans, which would include justification by faith alone on the basis of God’s overwhelming grace.

Οὐδὲν ἄρα νῦν κατάκριμα τοῖς ἐν Χριστῷ ᾿Ιησοῦ. (Romans 8:1 GNT)

Nothing then is there now condemnation to the ones in Christ Jesus. (Romans 8:1 – word for word translation from Koine Greek to English)

The “therefore” in the ESV is coming from the Greek particle ἄρα or ara, which denotes, first, transition from one thing to another by natural sequence; secondly, logical inference; in which case, premises are either expressed or to be variously supplied. It is translated in the New Testament as therefore, then, consequently, and as a result. The word translated as “no” in the ESV and “Nothing” by me is οὐδὲν the accusative, singular form of οὐδείς or oudeis, which is a very good word to use here to describe “absolutely nothing.” However, this whole phrase swings on the word “now,” which is the word νῦν or nyn, which indicates the “present time, now.” The following is a quote from Mounce’s Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words page 474:

Understanding nyn is important theologically because it is used to reveal the current status of a Christian’s relationship with God. This comes through one of the most blessed phrases in the Bible, “but now.” The full implication of the gospel was hidden for ages, but now it is it is revealed that through Jesus Christ the promises are given to the Gentiles along with Israel (Ephesians 3:5). Therefore, those in Christ are “now” lights in the Lord (Ephesians 5:8). Paul explains that even as Gentiles were once enemies of God but now receive mercy because of Israel’s rejection of the Messiah, so Israel is now disobedient so that they may now receive the same mercy offered to the Gentiles (Romans 11:30-32).

Similarly, 1 Pet. 2:10 assures that , “once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have receive mercy” (cr. 2:25, “for you were like sheep going astray, but now you have returned to the Shepherd and overseer of your souls”). Christians are called to a holy life because of grace “now” revealed through the appearing of the Savior (2 Timothy 1:10). Those in Jesus Christ are now justified by his blood and also now have received reconciliation (Romans 5:9, 11)…

What about that word “condemnation”? I heard Steve Furtick sorta preach on this passage the other day and his usage of this word was that this was that internal voice inside “condemning” us or making us feel guilty for not being “good enough” et cetera. Of course, Furtick and the rest of the emergent’s concept of grace is at best confused. The more they try to run from what they call “fundamentalism,” the more they find themselves being pinned down by legalism because they reject the clear teaching from God’s Word about grace and law. This word is κατάκριμα or katakrima, which means to divide, separate, judge. With the suffix of μα, which we have here, this is actually the result of judgment. This is a condemnatory judgment. It is only found in Romans 5:16, 18, and 8:1. In any case, Paul is telling us here that those in Christ have no condemnation from God. Why?

For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do. By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit. For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. 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. Those who are in the flesh cannot please God. (Romans 8:2-8 ESV)

Why did Jesus, who is God the Son, come in the flesh? It was to bear the sins of those He came to save. He did succeed. This is why there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus. Paul makes some very interesting statements in this passage. Those truly in Christ walk not according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit. After that he makes comparisons. Paul is talking about the mind-set of those in Christ in comparison to those who are not. The regenerate have a different set of affections, mental processes and direction of the will than the natural man. The unbeliever’s basic disposition is to satisfy the cravings of their unredeemed flesh. Those whose minds are set on the flesh are hostile to God because they are spiritually dead, therefore, those truly in Christ have minds that are not set on the flesh and they are not hostile to God because they have been baptized into Christ and belong to Him.

You, however, are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But if Christ is in you, although the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness. If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit who dwells in you. (Romans 8:9-11 ESV)

As I listen to the emergents give their reasons for their theology of unbelief and Christian agnosticism, I know that they would simply scoff at this study and say that I am just a Biblical literalist and we have no ability to really understand the Bible. Well, you know, if in fact the Spirit of God dwells in you, then you are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit and that means that He will guide you into all truth and help you to see and understand God’s Word. When I see these people try to say they are the real “christians” who doubt and are full of unbelief and we are all a bunch of legalists because we can read and understand God’s Word, teach it and preach it, then I know that what we are dealing with there are people who are desperately religious, but they do not know my Lord nor does His Spirit dwell in them because, if He did, they would understand and see.

Soli Deo Gloria!

(HT: Possessing the Treasure)