Fear of Punishment, Promise of Reward?

Wired by God

There are some people who mistakenly think that it is wrong for anyone to respond to the gospel, simply for the reward of Heaven. Their belief is that we should do what's right just because it's right, not because of fear of punishment or promise of reward.

However, such idealism is unrealistic. We are sinners with desperately wicked hearts, and we are incapable of such noble motives.

However, God has "wired" us to respond to rewards and punishments. From the moment we are born, we have the ability to respond positively to a smile and negatively to a frown. We respond positively to incentives. We work towards a wage, run to win the medal, and climb to reach the highest peak. Again, it's our nature to be motivated by these things.

That's why we have court systems that threaten punishment to lawbreakers. If we violate traffic rules we are punished by a ticket or even imprisonment.

It is therefore evident that it is legitimate for any sane person to respond negatively to the threat of Hell and positively to God's free gift of eternal life.

Today's witnessing clip:

(HT: Atheist Central)

Christian Women - Are You Causing Men to Sin?

By Ingrid Schlueter

This video is a rare glimpse of a pastor actively addressing the modesty issue, not as a ranting legalist, but as a loving pastor, concerned for his flock. Ideally, these issues should be taught by older women to the younger. But if that isn’t happening in a church, then the pulpits need to address it. John Bunyan, author of Pilgrim’s Progress, once wrote on the low-cut dresses of his day and how they caused men to sin. Some things never change.

(HT: Crosstalk Blog)

The Mother of All Harlots

By Justin Edwards

This week's message from the series, When Christ Returns, is titled The Mother of All Harlots. Pastor Livingston covers Revelation 17 as he teaches on this allegorical woman of the Great Tribulation.

Just who is this harlot? Just who is this spirit of false religion? She has already manifested herself over time, and is even more evident today. This harlot is most revealed through perhaps the largest religious organization in the world - find out what that is.

Direct mp3 download: The Mother of All Harlots mp3

 

Common "Gotcha" Questions

What About Jeffery?

"Do you understand that IF the Bible is true and you die Saved you will be sharing eternity with Geoffrey Dahmer? There is incredibly good evidence – and much research into the matter – and the general consensus is that Dahmer’s conversion to Christ four years before his death was 100% genuine. Even if you DOUBT this, let’s pretend this is actually the case. How would you feel about sharing a place in heaven with him, when someone else who might live an otherwise exemplary life but is in Hell simply because they do not believe in God or Jesus?" Michael

This sort of question is in the special category of "Here’s a question that you dare not answer. It gives me an excuse to reject God’s mercy and end up in Hell. Aren’t I clever?"

These are a dime a dozen, and can be quickly cut and pasted from the Internet and effectively confound the average Christian. They range from "Can God make a rock He can’t lift?" To "Can't a man look sexually at a perspective wife?" to "So if Hitler repented and trusted in Jesus, he’s in Heaven?"

Think of the Day when you stand before God, and every one of your secret sins comes out as evidence of your guilt. What are you going to say to try to justify yourself? "I refused to repent because I had this very clever 'Let's pretend' scenario of Jeffery Dahmer and Hitler going to Heaven."

Also, it seems that one of the hardest things to get across (to atheists in particular) is that no one will end up in Hell for "not believing in Jesus." Sin is “transgression of the Law” (see 1 John 3:4). On Judgment Day, God will punish people for murder, rape, theft, adultery, hated, lust, pride, ingratitude, rebellion, etc., not for failing to believe in Jesus.

Through the gospel, God freely offers humanity the gift of everlasting life. Please, put these slow-brained scenarios aside, and make peace with Him, while you still have time.

Today's witnessing clip:

(HT: Atheist Central)

"Worship" Music at Elevation Church - Rage Against the Machine?

By Justin Edwards

For the sake of personal friendships, I have rarely posted anything about Steven Furtick's seeker-friendly megachurch, Elevation Church of Charlotte, NC. Neither will I elaborate on this post today except to ask, how is this "worship" music possibly bringing glory to God as it conforms to the world rather than conforming to the likeness of Christ. God has called us to worship in spirit and in truth, not conform to the leftist anarchist music of Rage Against the Machine. Bulls on Parade? Where is the discernment? If you go to Elevation, I hope you consider how problematic this is. The music video below epitomizes the fallen state of the post-modern American church.

 Lyrics to Bulls on Parade below video.

Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever.- 1 John 2:15-17

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

Lyrics to Bulls on Parade:

Come wit it now!
Come wit it now!
The microphone explodes, shattering the molds
Ya either drop tha hits like de la O or get tha f*** off tha commode
Wit tha sure shot, sure ta make tha bodies drop
Drop an don't copy yo, don't call this a co-opt
Terror rains drenchin', quenchin' tha thirst of tha power dons
That five sided fist-a-gon
Tha rotten sore on tha face of mother earth gets bigger
Tha triggers cold now empty ya purse

They rally round tha family! With a pocket full of shells
They rally round tha family! With a pocket full of shells
They rally round tha family! With a pocket full of shells
They rally round tha family! With a pocket full of shells

Weapons not food, not homes, not shoes
Not need, just feed the war cannibal animal
I walk tha corner to tha rubble that used to be a library
Linin' to the mind cemetery now
What we don't know keeps tha contracts alive an movin'
They don't gotta burn tha books they just remove 'em
While arms warehouses fill as quick as tha cells

Rally round tha family, pockets full of shells
Rally round tha family! With a pocket full of shells
They rally round tha family! With a pocket full of shells
They rally round tha family! With a pocket full of shells
They rally round tha family! With a pocket full of shells

Bulls on parade!
Bulls on parade!
Bulls on parade!
Bulls on parade!
Bulls on parade!

(HT: The Museum of Idolatry)

Mormonism vs. Christianity

By Justin Edwards

This is an excellent message on Mormonism from Kirk Cameron and Ray Comfort. Whether you are a Mormon looking for biblical answers or a born again Christian looking to share the true Gospel with a Mormon, you must watch this. We as born again believers should not shy away from Mormons when they knock on our door or we meet them in public. We must share the truth with them in love and show them how they do not have to work for their salvation, but rather by trusting in the completed work of Jesus Christ alone, they can rest in the grace and mercy of God for their eternal security.

Salvation: How to Be Absolutely Sure

Some time ago, on a flight to Oregon, I sat next to a woman who asked where I was going. “Sisters, Oregon,” I answered. “Do you know where it is?”

Assuring me that she did, the woman asked, “What’s your business there?”

After I said I was writing a book about how we can be sure we are going to heaven, she marveled, “You mean you can know that you are going to heaven?”

Realizing God had opened a door for me to tell her about Christ, I reinforced that we can know for certain our eternal destiny, saying, “We can afford to be wrong about going to Sisters, Oregon, but not about going to heaven.”

How Can We Be Sure? The truth is, we can be sure about where we will spend eternity. We can know with certainty that when we die, we will go to heaven. But how can we be sure? Many people struggle with the certainty of their salvation, especially new believers.

How can we know where we stand with God? The Bible teaches that the assurance of salvation rests securely upon four unshakable pillars:

Pillar #1 God Cannot Lie!

First, assurance is based on the absolute trustworthiness of Scripture. Throughout the New Testament, we read God’s promises to save all who will believe upon His Son. The Bible says, “Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved.”(1) This is a promise! All who have committed their lives to Jesus Christ may have the firm confidence of salvation based upon the infallibility of God’s Word.

Jesus said, “The one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out.”(2) If you come to Jesus with genuine repentance and faith, He promises that He will save you. We can know Jesus has received us because, quite simply, He said so! When the Bible speaks, God speaks. And what God said, He will surely do. He will save all who call upon Jesus Christ. You have His word on it.

Pillar #2 Jesus Paid It All

Second, assurance rests on the finished work of Jesus Christ. When Jesus died on the cross, He bore our iniquities, enduring God’s wrath, and cried out, “It is finished!”(3) By this, He meant that the full atonement for all our sins-past, present and future-has been made. His work of redemption now completed, our entire sin debt is paid in full.

Just as salvation comes from believing in Christ alone, so does assurance. As we trust in Christ’s perfect sacrifice for our sins, the certainty of eternal life floods our hearts. No matter how great your sin, God’s grace is greater still. The Bible says, “Come now, and let us reason together. … Though your sins are as scarlet, They will be as white as snow; Though they are red like crimson, They will be like wool.”(4)

Pillar #3 The Great Convincer

Third, assurance comes through the inward witness of the Holy Spirit. A divinely produced gift, assurance is bestowed by God’s Spirit to all true believers. It is the Holy Spirit’s ministry to convince our hearts of our salvation. In actuality, no preacher, evangelist, parent or friend can give us assurance. Neither can we work it up within ourselves. Only the Holy Spirit Himself can give us the absolute certainty of our eternal salvation.

The Bible says, “We know by this that He abides in us, by the Spirit which He has given us.”(5) … “By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit.”(6) … “The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.”(7) This means, the Holy Spirit who convicted, called and converted us also convinces us that we belong to Christ. It is the Spirit’s inward witness that persuades us of the genuineness of our salvation.

Pillar #4 New Life in Christ

Fourth, assurance comes through the evidence of a changed life. Ultimately, assurance is confirmed within us as we see God conforming us into the image of Jesus Christ. All who have been born again will see clear evidences of a new life in Christ. While we will never become perfect in this life, we will, nevertheless, experience a changed life. It is this inward transformation that provides strong confirmation of our salvation.

The book of First John details what are the vital signs of our new life in Christ. The Apostle John writes, “We know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments.”(8) In other words, we may be certain that we know Christ as we see within us a desired and willing obedience to God’s Word. Likewise, John writes, other vital signs will follow: Love for other people,(9) love for God,(10) refusing the world,(11) understanding biblical truth,(12) righteous behavior,(13) opposition from the world(14) and answered prayer.(15) As we see this spiritual fruit produced in our lives, we may be confident that Christ lives within us.

Full Assurance of Salvation Here are the four sturdy pillars on which the assurance of our salvation rests. Giving “full assurance of hope”(16) regarding our personal relationship with Jesus Christ, these pillars provide unshakable confidence of eternal life.

As I told the woman on the plane, we can be wrong about earthly directions but not about our eternal destiny. In our salvation we must be sure. Assurance of salvation is God’s blessed gift for all who believe: “These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, in order that you may know that you have eternal life.”(17)

Be absolutely sure!

(1) Romans 10:13, NASB. (2) John 6:37, NASB. (3) John 19:30, NASB. (4) Isaiah 1:18, NASB. (5) 1 John 3:24, NASB. (6) 1 John 4:13, NASB. (7) Romans 8:16, NASB. (8) 1 John 2:3, NASB. (9) 1 John 2:9-11. (10) 1 John 2:12-14. (11) 1 John 2:15-17. (12) 1 John 2:20-27. (13) 1 John 3:4-6. (14) 1 John 3:13. (15) 1 John 3:22-24. (16) Hebrews 6:11, NASB. (17) 1 John 5:13, NASB. Bible verses marked NASB are taken by permission from the New American Standard Bible, ©1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977 The Lockman Foundation, La Habra, California

Article by Steven J. Lawson for Decision Magazine, January 2001

(HT: New Reformation Ministries)