Blog Posts of Note

This is an ad-hoc weekly column where I share some of the best blog posts I’ve come across in the previous week. Some are notable for their content, while others are calling you to action to help pray about an issue or for fellow bloggers.

Twenty-Three Great Sins Of American Evangelism — Why We Must Pray For A Reformation Again

While reading a great blog Theology Today, I came across a mention of the above post over at Al Tosap Al Davaraiv which lists the 23 reasons why the author feels a reformation is needed in this day and age.

I don’t know much about the American church, but I think it’s apt to say that the author’s observations are true for the Visible Church as a whole.

Quoted is the original post:

Many Christians today are calling for revival. They are wrong to do so. Revival is the imbuing of what already exists with new life. In the past, Evangelical Christianity has experienced renewed vigor from the Holy Spirit in great moves of God many call revivals. These are times, such as the Welsh Revival, when God, in a special work, in response to the need of the church and the prayers of the saints, breathes into the church and individual saints new spiritual power to live holy lives and to witness.

What we need is a reformation much like the Protestant Reformation. God didn’t revive the Roman church. To make it stronger and more powerful would be to aid the kingdom of Satan because its doctrine was Satanic. God called a remnant out of the Roman church to return to biblical doctrine and practice. Thus, Historical Evangelicalism was born. Modern Evangelicalism is not the same. We have gone into sin and lost doctrines that are essential to make biblical faith possible and added others that make biblical faith impossible. We must not seek new vigor for Evangelicalism. We must change it or simply leave it to return to Historical Evangelicalism, that is, the faith once for all delivered.

May it please God, not to revive an old donkey, but to make us a lion again.

1. The Lost Doctrine of Regeneration.

If we aren’t changed, we aren’t saved. Jesus said that if we are His sheep, we will obey His commands and if we don’t, we aren’t His (John 10, Matthew 7:18)

2. The Lost Doctrine of Sanctification.

If we aren’t being made progressively more holy, we aren’t saved (Romans 8:28-29).

3. The Lost Doctrine of Personal Holiness.

If we aren’t radically different than those around us, we aren’t saved (Matthew 10:17, Matthew 16:6, Luke 6:26, Ezekiel 36)

4. The Lost Doctrine of Corporate Holiness.

If our churches and institutions aren’t pure from false teaching, false teachers, and any who hold to false teaching, they are no longer Christian institutions. We must change them immediately or stop supporting them in any way whatsoever and leave them (Deuteronomy 12-13, I Corinthians 5:9-13, Revelation 2:6, Revelation 2:14-16, Revelation 2:19-24).

5. The Lost Doctrine of the Glory of God.

If we seek our own glory or success, we are sinning (Philippians 1:12-18, Psalm 145, Matthew 23).

6. The Lost Fellowship of Suffering.

If we avoid embarrassment for being Christians, don’t worry. We aren‘t (Matthew 10:32-33, Romans 10:9-10).

7. The Lost Leadership of Men.

If men don’t act like men again with courage and self-sacrifice, all is lost. Our fathers gave their lives for correct doctrine. Many of today’s pastors and leaders won’t risk being called “insensitive.” Men, let the ladies be sensitive. You be godly. And lead. And die (I Timothy 2:9-3:13).

8. The Lost Doctrine of the Sufficiency of Scripture.

If we read books other than the Scripture for Christian doctrine, we are blaspheming, calling God a fool or a liar (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

The only two proper uses of other religious works are 1) to illuminate Scripture by way of explanation or example by another more discerning or more familiar than we are, or 2) to research false teaching in order to expose the lie and expel the false teacher for the protection of those weak in the faith and for the preservation of the holiness of each of the saints and for the preservation the corporate holiness of the church, Christian school, or any other Christian institution (1 Corinthians 5:9-13).

9. The Lost Doctrine of Truth over Relationship.

If we value anyone, even our families, over being right with God in practice and doctrine, we aren’t saved. This is a call back to holiness and sacrifice, not meanness. Read and take seriously what Moses and Jesus taught in the following references. You will see that following God under either the Old Covenant or the New Covenant meant that many would be separated from families, friends, and loved ones who will not accept the truth. Much false teaching and many other sins in the church are tolerated simply because one brother will not sever ties with another who has fallen. In other words, will you be willing to be divorced by your spouse because he or she will not tolerate God in the house? Pastors, will you jeopardize your career for the gospel? Many will not. This is a disgrace unfit for the kingdom of God. Choose you this day whom you will serve! (Deuteronomy 13, Matthew 10:32-39)

10. The Idolatry of Love.

If we worship the god preached in most of Modern Evangelicalism, we are idolaters, because the god of most Evangelicals is only love. The God of Scripture is much more (1 John 5:6, Deuteronomy 4:24, Deuteronomy 5:9).

11. The Sin of Reproving the Reprover. (The New Phariseeism — Unbiblical Rules Against Telling The Truth.)

If we continue to adopt the unscriptural ethics of the idolaters of love, we will continue to be like the Pharisees of old, adding laws God has never given, and honoring human tradition over Scripture. In our zeal for the soft, the sentimental, and the mediocre, we hate the prophet and make artificial rules to silence him (Amos 5:10, Amos 5:14-15, Matthew 11:16-19, Amos 7:10-17).

12. The Idolatry of the Effeminate. (Worshipping the Uber-mommy.)

The American jesus isn’t the Jesus of Scripture. It’s a bizarre mix of god, goddess, man, and an uber-mommy unknown to Scripture. We have idolatrous pictures of this imaginery girlygod standing at a knobless door, unable to conquer the human heart that Yahweh, the true God, created. This contradicts both reason and Scripture (Exodus 20:4-6, Revelation 1-3, Nahum 3:13, Leviticus 19:17-18, 2 Timothy 2:1).

13. Self Idolatry.

If we continue to preach self-esteem, we deny Christ, Who taught us we are filth. Filth awaiting judgment (Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23)

14. The Idol of the God Who Serves Me.

If we continue to seek earthly blessings from God, rather than self-denial, we continue to indulge our emotions and expect riches and health on Earth, while our souls die (Luke 22:19, 1 Corinthians 9:27).

15. The Lost Doctrine of the Value of Doctrine.

If we continue to deny the importance of strong biblical doctrine, we are self-contradictory fools, valuing the doctrine that says no doctrine is to be much valued (2 Timothy 2:14-18).

16. The Lost Doctrine of the Powerlessness of the Church and Its People.

If we continue to speak as if God cannot act without our cooperation, we will remain idolaters, blaspheming the Sovereign Yahweh, and worshipping a domesticated god we control (Deuteronomy 11:25, John 6:44-65).

17. The Lost Doctrine of Redeeming the Time.

If we continue to spend time in secular entertainment, we will remain unfaithful servants, not evangelizing those for whom God has made each one of us responsible, all the while poisoning our souls with the humor of Satan, the mindset of this world, and the desires of the flesh (Ephesians 5:15-16).

18. The Lie of “Impacting the Culture.” (Whatever That Means.)

If we continue to engage in this and other nebulous doctrinal sophistries, we will go to our graves, not fulfilling the Great Commission, which calls us to the specific task of teaching individuals the Scripture. Culture is the world, and is to be shunned. Learn the customs of politeness and modesty. Avoid the contamination of the values of any human culture. Love not the world (Romans 12:1-2, 1 John 2:15-17).

19. The Lost Obedience to Witness. (Evangelicals Who Don‘t Evangelize Are Lying!)

If we continue to cower, and not witness, we disobey Christ’s last command on Earth and refuse to disciple anyone as Christ taught us to. All His students were required to witness almost from day one. How have we come to the point at which a man can be called a Christian who isn’t regularly witnessing? It is dishonest. It is disobedient. It is inexcusable. May God damn the preacher who says otherwise. The book of Jude, and Ezekiel 33.

20. The Lie of Relevance.

If we continue to attempt to “make the gospel relevant”, we are apostates, leaving the original gospel, which God told us was plenty relevant since it, and only it, is the power to save from eternal wrath. Are we smarter than God? (Romans 1:16)

21. The Lost Doctrine of God’s Hatred for the Wicked. (Lost to the people, hidden by the preachers.)

If we continue to speak and preach about the god who is only love and does not hate evil and the workers of evil, we are idolaters and lie to our hearers, damning even our own children to eternal hell unless they rebel against us and return to the God of Scripture Who is loving to the repentant and burning in His anger against the unrepentant (Psalm 55).

22. The Lost Doctrine of Repentance.

If we continue to preach belief without Christ’s call to repentance from all known sin, we have another gospel and will spend eternity in hell, with the blood of our followers on our hands (Jude 4, Matthew 4:17).

23. The Lost Doctrine of the Fear of God.

If we continue to tell people that God is to be respected and not feared, we are liars whom God will judge eternally in hell. Most of our preachers have lied to us on this issue (Malachi 1:14, Hosea 3:5, Hosea 11:10-11, Daniel 5:25-26, Jeremiah 2:19, Jeremiah 5:22-24, Jeremiah 10:7, Jeremiah 10:14, Isaiah 2:10-19, Isaiah 33:6, Isaiah 50:10, Isaiah 57:11, Isaiah 59:19, Isaiah 64:1-2, Jonah 1:8-16, Jude 4, Habakkuk 3:2-16, Matthew 10:28).

With much thanks to Phil Perkins.

How To Botch An Altar Call

I could be wrong but I have this theory that much of the ills in the Visible Church today is because we have a great many people who call themselves Christian but aren’t.

That’s rather harsh you say, but when most are Christians after they answer a bad altar call and say a simple prayer without first acknowledging their sins and being truly repentant, I don’t think there’s a rebirth!

Asking Jesus Christ into one’s “Jesus-shaped hole” in one’s heart does not a Christian make!

Alan at Real Christianity has a great post on how bad altar calls really are today. You should also read the follow-up post Just Say This Prayer?? complete with a fine example of a bad altar call courtesy of Joel Osteen.

HT: Real Christianity.

Our Sins When We Count Them

Just how sinful are we when we sit down and really think about it?

S. J. Walker at A Lion Has Roared gave me a whole buffet table of thoughts to mull over after reading his 95 Theses of My Personal Reformation.

HT: S. J. Walker.

Beware Of Light Thoughts Of Sin

This can make one weep with repentance!

Except for a handful, where can we find such who preach sin as it should be preached?! Instead, we listen to self-improvement courses in church and ways to manage our money and be rich in this world?!

Charles Spurgeon:

“Sin . . . exceeding sinful.” — Romans 7:13

Beware of light thoughts of sin. At the time of conversion, the conscience is so tender, that we are afraid of the slightest sin. Young converts have a holy timidity, a godly fear lest they should offend against God. But alas! very soon the fine bloom upon these first ripe fruits is removed by the rough handling of the surrounding world: the sensitive plant of young piety turns into a willow in after life, too pliant, too easily yielding. It is sadly true, that even a Christian may grow by degrees so callous, that the sin which once startled him does not alarm him in the least. By degrees men get familiar with sin. The ear in which the cannon has been booming will not notice slight sounds. At first a little sin startles us; but soon we say, “Is it not a little one?” Then there comes another, larger, and then another, until by degrees we begin to regard sin as but a little ill; and then follows an unholy presumption: “We have not fallen into open sin. True, we tripped a little, but we stood upright in the main. We may have uttered one unholy word, but as for the most of our conversation, it has been consistent.” So we palliate sin; we throw a cloak over it; we call it by dainty names. Christian, beware how thou thinkest lightly of sin. Take heed lest thou fall by little and little. Sin, a little thing? Is it not a poison? Who knows its deadliness? Sin, a little thing? Do not the little foxes spoil the grapes? Doth not the tiny coral insect build a rock which wrecks a navy? Do not little strokes fell lofty oaks? Will not continual droppings wear away stones? Sin, a little thing? It girded the Redeemer’s head with thorns, and pierced His heart! It made Him suffer anguish, bitterness, and woe. Could you weigh the least sin in the scales of eternity, you would fly from it as from a serpent, and abhor the least appearance of evil. Look upon all sin as that which crucified the Saviour, and you will see it to be “exceeding sinful.”

HT: Possessing The Treasure.

Erm, Christoga?!

That’s right, ladies and gentlemen! Presenting the combination of Christianity and Yoga, where you meditate on Scripture as you do the breathing exercises and contort yourself into the various yoga poses!

Here’s a video excerpt from the DVD where you can learn what the ‘Moses staff’ pose is… UGH!

You know what’s more worrying? Comments like this at Amazon where the product is being sold:

It’s about time Christians were exposed to the wonderful benefits of yoga! I bought this DVD and have done the workout twice, and already am experiencing the positive changes. The workout itself is about 70 minutes long, beginning with centering and stretching, advancing to strengthening and action, and finishing with an exercise of balance and guided relaxation, with a peaceful backdrop of candles and crosses. The positions have been renamed to fit a Christian theme - Prodigal Son, Noah’s Arch, Lazarus, and Holy Rollers, which made me laugh and was thoroughly enjoyable. Throughout we have beautiful Janine Turner (Maggie from Northern Exposure) reciting some of my favorite and most inspirational Scripture verses. The DVD is completely Christ-centered, and teaches us to worship Him not just with our minds, but bodies as well. I bought this DVD because I was worried that my prayer life was lacking. This is an excellent way to incorporate Christ’s Word into your soul.

Sister! This isn’t Scriptural, and neither does renaming yoga poses to fit a Christian theme make them any less pagan! Ever read of Shakespeare’s “a rose by any other name would smell as sweet” (Romeo and Juliet) or rotten in this case!

Where’s discernment gone to?

To quote John MacArthur and Charles Spurgeon:

The doctrinal ignorance of the evangelical church is shocking; matched only by its cowardice.

– John MacArthur

I believe that one reason why the church of God at this present moment has so little influence over the world is because the world has so much influence over the church.

– Charles Spurgeon

HT: A Little Leaven.
Quotes by John MacArthur and Charles Spurgeon taken from Reformation Nation.

Prayers

Pray for Jacqui and Michelle — Jacqui has CVS (Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome), so pray that she’ll recover soon and pray for strength and comfort for Michelle.

Soli deo Gloria!

Photograph “Computer Time” by Thomas Hawk.