Pilgrim’s Corner

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Sin: The reason for the season.

I recently heard Don Kistler make the statement that “sin is the reason for the season” and he is absolutely right. Christ coming to earth as a human wasn’t for . . .

Your self-esteem . . .

Your personal finances . . .

Your financial success . . .

Your gift exchange party . . .

Your social status . . .

Your temporal happiness . . .

Nope, Jesus came because of your sin and mine. He was the perfect substitution for the object of God’s righteous wrath that we so justly deserve. So this holiday, remember sin is the real reason for the season!

For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many. Mark 10:45

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21

Merry Christmas!

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Christmas Perspectives.

Similar to the previous post Thanksgiving Perspectives, I wanted to take the opportunity to recommend that you keep the Christmas holiday in perspective. I offer the following two things I believe will help you to do this: Download and listen to this sobering message by Bill Wilson and view the video on this post.


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Straw men should not play with fire.

There’s a new purveyor of false doctrine in town, and they’re using the same argument often used by Atheists to deny God’s justice and punishment of the wicked. The New Covenant Group argues against Hell using a famous but woefully ignorant line of argumentation commonly employed by those who deny God’s existence. Before I address this and show you not only the absurdity of the argument but how to easily dismantle it, I want you to watch the following video from NCG to better understand the problem:

I originally found the above video on The Museum of Idolatry and the following was Chris Rosebrough’s commentary:

Here’s a nifty trick used by almost ALL false teachers. Ignore the clear teaching of the Bible and build a straw man argument based upon a distorted view of the evidence (in this case via suppression of clear Biblical data). Then beat up on the straw man that you’ve constructed (that shouldn’t be because hard [sic] straw men don’t fight back).  Once the straw man is good and dead then assert your own position as if it were the truth.

That’s precisely what’s happening in this video put out by the “New Covenant Group” that claims there is no hell.  Pay REAL CLOSE attention to the fact that NONE of the passages where Jesus teaches the doctrines of God’s wrath and eternal punishment are discussed. Instead, there is only an appeal to an artificially constructed Jesus that was built using only partial data and warped human reasoning.

Chris certainly hit the nail on the head and now  I would like to explore this straw man that the thespian and his pastor in the above video concocted.

First of all I want to make it clear that the sovereign, glorious, majestic, holy God of all creation isn’t a grovelling middle-aged, balding man like the theatrical blasphemer in the above video. Secondly, God begs and grovels for no man! Until you begin to understand the infinite holiness and unparalleled awesomeness of God you won’t begin to understand the fallacy of their argument.

The proposition that God wants us to love Him but if we don’t He will then send us to Hell for all eternity is a misrepresentation of the Gospel and is the product of this very poorly constructed straw man.

It’s not a matter of if we don’t love Him then He’ll cast us into Hell, mankind is already going there. There is no neutrality in the issue of man standing before God. God is not wringing His hands hoping someone, somewhere, will love Him. We are born into iniquity, there is no good in us, we are always doing evil, and we do not seek after God (Ecclesiastes 7:20, Romans 3:11, 23).

Secondly, we are already in judgment. The Bible is clear that the wrath of God already abides on sinners (John 3:36) and that those who do not believe in the Son of God are already judged (John 3:18). We are not floating around this life in a state of neutrality and after our death we’ll then find out if we are going to receive Heaven or Hell.  No, we are drudging around this life with the fetters of sin constantly about us. We are tethered to the abyss of Hell from birth because we are born unregenerate and hostile to God; it is our very nature.

Thirdly, their argument is absolutely fallacious because God knows that unless He calls us, we aren’t going to love Him anyway (John 6:44, John 17:2). And every one of us who are His elect, His chosen, His children were on that same road. It wasn’t until God in His infinite grace, mercy, and love toward us (while we were yet still sinners) rescued us from our rebellious and hostile stance against Him.

The concept that God wants us to love Him or He’ll throw us into Hell is a concept absolutely foreign to Scripture and any serious Bible student should know that. This warped depiction of the holy Triune God of all creation by these mockers in the above video is based solely on their blatant misrepresentation of Scripture (or more specifically a total absence of Scripture). And the furtherance of their lie is wholly dependent upon the biblical illiteracy of their church members.

We are not saved by our act of choosing to love God, and conversely we don’t have to refuse to love God to be found guilty and thus be cast into Hell. Without Christ we already stand condemned!

But the good news is that God loved us so much that He offered His only Son as a propitiation for our sins. Jesus Christ took on human form and willingly gave up His life as a perfect substitute to save us from the wrath of God and from the Hell that we so justly deserve. The condition of escaping Hell is not based on our loving God, it is based on the finished work of Christ at Calvary.


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See also Denying Hell: The bandwagon is getting quite full and Hell is necessary




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Bemoaning the bemoaning of the secularization of Christmas.

It’s that wonderful time of the year again–the Christmas season. But unfortunately, along with the fresh snow, smell of baked goods, time spent with family and friends, and joyous holiday memories in the making, this time of the year also comes with an unavoidable annoyance. No, not fruitcake. I’m referring to all the keep Christ in Christmas campaigns with their bumper stickers and yard signs, and it’s Ok to wish me a Merry Christmas car magnets and buttons.

Do I have a problem with Christ being remembered as the reason Christians celebrate Christmas? Absolutely not. Am I happy with the removal of Christ from the very holiday that’s supposed to be celebrating His birth? No way. Do I think the secularization of Christmas is a positive trend? Certainly not. Am I pleased with the mass consumerism that Christmas has become? Never. Is this post about whether or not Christians should even celebrate Christmas? Nope.

This post is about my issue with the yearly keep Christ in Christmas campaigns accompanied with all their recommended boycotts of stores that choose “Happy Holidays” over “Merry Christmas.” My issue with these campaigns, however, is not in the substance of their arguments (stopping the expunging of Jesus Christ from Christmas), but my issue is in their misapplied efforts to correct what they deem as a sin almost equivalent to Judas’ betrayal of Christ. These folks with the best of intentions have grossly misdiagnosed the problem: It’s not them (the world), it’s us (the church).

Before I continue I want to acknowledge that it’s true, Christmas’ origins aren’t even Christian and most of the Christmas traditions we cherish today (Christmas trees, candy canes, tinsel, bulbs, stockings, mistletoe, yule logs, eggnog, etc.) cannot be supported by Scripture. Although I understand that there are many who want to argue against Christmas on those points, this is not what this post is about. The basis of this post can be summed up by these two points:

1. – Many of the most vocal opponents of the secularization of Christmas make nary a peep all year long to the secularization taking place within the church itself.

2. – These same folks fail to recognize that the true source of the removal of Christ from Christmas is only a result of the removal of Christ from our culture due to the removal of Christ from our churches; something that began a long time ago (long before secular retailers opted for “Happy Holidays” over “Merry Christmas”).

The secularization of Christmas is just a visible sore caused by the underlying affects of a cancer that’s ravaging the church. Trying to “save Christmas” while the bigger issue looms over us is like baling out a sinking boat with a thimble or putting a band-aid on a bullet wound. Your efforts may make you look busy and cause you to feel that you’re doing some good, but in reality they’re both just a waste of time against the tidal wave of the inevitable. Additionally, your efforts also adversely serve as a diversion from the real problem.

I am convinced that the efforts of these social-conscious Christians is not only futile, but distracting. You only hear from these Christians around the Christmas season bemoaning the secularization of the holiday while they remain passive to the secularization that’s crept into their churches all year long with its deadly poisons of lukewarmness and rank heresy.

So what’s my solution? Am I complaining just to complain and be a Scrooge? Not this time.

My recommendation is that first, these seasonal activists recognize that the world is acting like the world. We wouldn’t expect a goldfish to act like a tiger, so why do we expect unregenerate sinners to act like Christians during Christmas time, or at any other time for that matter?

Those of the flesh are hostile toward God. Forcing them to keep Christ in Christmas accomplishes nothing but provides them with a false sense of religious security: “But God, I went to church every Christmas.”

Secondly, stop holding Target, Starbucks, Wal-Mart, and  GAP responsible for the spiritual stagnation of your community, church, and family, and start holding your pastors responsible! When your pastor preaches cutesy little candy-coated, Osteenesque-type, esteem-building, Christ-less lectures about your best life now, protest that!

Finally, teach your children the true meaning of why we celebrate Christmas. Emphasize the real reason Christ stepped from Heaven to be born among men. Be faithful to your calling as parents to teach your children the faith, and don’t abdicate that responsibility to some biblically illiterate youth pastor.

Never let your kids for one moment think that the real story of Christ’s incarnation is about anything other than Christ and Him crucified. The whole point of Christ’s birth was not for gift exchanges and office parties, it was about God making Him who knew no sin to become sin on our behalf so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5:21).

So here’s my question: If these proponents of keeping Christ in Christmas prevailed today, and everybody put Christ back in Christmas tomorrow, in the realm of eternity, what will they have actually accomplished? Would they have not successfully created a throng of hypocrites who honor God with their lips but whose hearts are far from Him?

Continuing to bemoan the absence of Christ from Christmas while remaining quiet on the absence of Christ in our pulpits is like complaining about the smoke burning your eyes while your house is burning down with your family trapped inside.

Have a Merry Christmas.


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Are we supposed to pray for the wolves?

wolves-among-us1

Imagine if you will, the following scenario:

A shepherd guarding his sheep observes a wolf among the flock cloaked in sheepskin. He stands up and yells “Wolf! Wolf! Run! Run!” And immediately the sheep begin to scatter, but not all. A small group turn to the sheep dog and, with an arrogant smirk plastered across their faces, respond, “But did you pray for the wolf?”

Bewildered as to why these sheep were ignoring his warning, the shepherd reiterates the danger of the wolf’s presence with an even more impassioned plea for the sheep to escape the impending doom that’s about to befall them. However, they stand firm and go back to their grazing on the plush green grass beneath their feet.

Mumblings of,”Who is he to judge?” and, “As for me I’ll be praying for the wolf” can be heard among them as they reassure themselves of their peace and safety while the wolf takes them out one by one until there are none left.

There are many one-liners regurgitated by ‘wolf defenders’ designed to silence those who would try to warn the flock. If you’ve ever exercised your discernment regarding a false prophet, there’s no doubt you’ve encountered the all famous “judge not” defense ripped and twisted from its context.

However, there’s another less popular but equally insidious argument used by wolf defenders that’s designed to put shepherds, sheep dogs, and watchmen on the defense. The diversionary tactic I speak of is “Are you praying for _________?”

This trite platitude is usually employed in the context that we’re not supposed to expose the wolves but only pray for them, and if we have not prayed for them then we are somehow committing a greater wickedness than the wolves themselves if we dare criticize them (woe to those who call evil good and good evil).

This often-used excuse to avoid defending truth and to–conversely–help further the advance of those devouring the flock got me wondering; are we supposed to pray for the wolves?

First of all I want to say up front that I do not believe praying for a wolf is wrong, a sin, nor am I saying that you shouldn’t do it. Furthermore, this post is not intended to discourage you from doing so, but only to raise the question are we supposed to pray for the wolves?

I would also like to preface this thesis by clarifying that when I speak of wolves in this post, I am not referring to the rank and file who have fallen under the spell of their leaders, but the leaders themselves (Think: Helen Ukbato, Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Gloria Copeland, Rob Bell, Brian McLaren, Doug Pagitt, et al).

With that said, allow me to present some thoughts on this matter.

Continue reading →

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One year ago today.

Judgment Day It was exactly one year ago today that my wife’s stepfather (a very high degree Mason) passed away after being diagnosed with cancer a month previous to that. She took care of him at his home and after his passing she penned her thoughts–only recently revealing them to me.

With her permission her letter is reprinted below for your edification.

I have just had my first real, up-close experience with death. There are a few things I observed that I would like to share:

I have known people that have passed on and you mourn a little and have the usual thoughts like, “Why them? It’s just not fair,” “But he was such a good man,” “She was just so young”, or, “Well, at least they are in a better place now.”

They’re right, life isn’t fair. Praise God that life isn’t always fair. If it was fair, there would be no hope whatsoever for me a wretched soul, or for you or for anyone. I deserve an eternity in hell and it is only by the grace of God and God alone, that if He so chooses I may escape the punishment I am deserving of and enter into an eternity with Him.

If only people knew and realized the truth that none of us are good, no not even one, then they would know better than to say “But he was such a good man.”

How can they say “They are in a better place now, at least they are out of pain.” Do they know this? Do they know that this person was a believer? If not, they must not know either, that there is much more pain in the Lake of Fire than there is here on earth.

The next thing I realized was what a shame it is the way we spend so much of our lives. We work so hard at the trivial, materialistic things in life that I guarantee will someday not matter to you one bit! All of the “things you possess don’t matter one iota when you are stuck lying in a bed, immobile, facing what is to so many, too many – the unknown.

My stepfather was diagnosed with cancer on September 4th, 2008, just under 1 month after his 61st birthday. On September 5th we brought him home on hospice. He always loved working on his computer. He would spend hours in his back room playing on it.

While I was at his home caring for him, I would offer to set him up with my laptop so he could do what he enjoyed. He tried this a couple of times, but it just didn’t work like it used to. His mind wasn’t sharp and he didn’t have the energy or desire to do what he could once do so easily. He was just like one of my children to me. I wanted to give him anything I could to make him happy. I would sit and think “what could I bring him that he could enjoy.” I would bring sweets, watermelon, tacos, anything I thought would taste good to him, but he didn’t really care about food that much either. I would bring him better nightgowns, a new toothbrush, a good electric shaver…anything that I thought might bring him just a moment of pleasure. The problem is, that he had a whole life of sinful pleasure and now there was only one thing that he needed now, and that was to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. I tried a couple of pathetic attempts to talk to him, about his need for Christ. But, I still had time so I figured I would get to it at some point and besides I had sent my pastor to speak with him so I knew he had heard the Gospel from him, (a lousy excuse, I know.)

My stepfather often had visitors, which is more than many people have. So often people are left in institutions to die with no one by their side, no one to show them kindness in their final days, no one who can offer them the Gospel.

The only time they see their loved ones is when they are coming to claim what they feel rightfully belongs to them. Many people came to claim their part of my stepfather’s belongings. His brother came first, asking for his truck, my mother wanted to make sure she was on his life insurance policy and other possessions were passed out like candy.

My step-father had been getting along okay considering the circumstances. He was bedridden, but for the most part still had his wits about him. He was on heavy pain meds so he had good and bad moments.

On October 1st everything sort of fell apart. I will spare you unnecessary details, but the nurse had come out to bathe him that morning and another nurse had come to check on his vitals and such. He was in some pain after he had to move around in bed to be bathed so the nurse gave him some liquid morphine and from that moment on, he was no longer with us. The next day he slept almost the entire day. I had to call the CNA out to help me change his bedding and when we tried, he would scream and cry out in pain. It was so awful. I was fighting back tears as I watched this man wince with every slight movement or touch. It was so agonizing and excruciating for him just thinking of it brings me to tears. At one point I had to tell the nurse to stop, I could not bear to see him in this amount of pain. I can only imagine or liken this to what it must be like in hell. Unfortunately in hell, there is no one there to be your advocate, to stop the torture for you, to save you.

After we got through changing the bed he slept all the rest of the day. His mouth was so dry it was cracked and bleeding. I would try to moisten it with a wet sponge, but it did no good. It was this moment that made me think about the rich man who was begging for just one taste of water; the man who realized the mistake he had made and begged for someone to go and warn his family that they may be spared. This rich man was now my stepfather lying in that bed and it was now too late. Too late for me to share the Gospel with him, too late for me to warn him!

My sister called me the next day–he had passed away. I went to my mom’s and all the family was standing around mourning, waiting for the funeral home to come and get him and then it came. The usual utterances, “He’s in a better place now, he is out of pain.” And I wanted to scream! How can you say that? How do you know that?

How stupid I was! How foolish! Oh how my heart aches that I had not been courageous enough to share the GOOD NEWS with him, this dying man who needed hope, needed a Saviour.

How foolish we all are. Where do our treasures really lie? If we truly believe and realize what happens to a nonbeliever when they leave this world why then are we not willing to say anything? Why are we so ashamed to offer hope and knowledge of salvation to these people who are just like we once were? Or are we really so fooled by this twisted concept of Christianity that American churches serve to us on our silver platter that we don’t care!

I can only imagine my stepfather, as the rich king was pleading that someone go and warn his family. Only 7 months later, his brother passed away from the same illness and as far as I am aware, never came to a saving knowledge of our Lord.

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When the world’s your mistress.

Civility

But you, beloved, ought to remember the words that were spoken beforehand by the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, that they were saying to you, “In the last time there will be mockers, following after their own ungodly lusts.” These are the ones who cause divisions, worldly-minded, devoid of the Spirit. Jude 1:17-19

For every form of wickedness under the sun there’s always someone out there who will find a way to excuse it and justify it. But it’s downright scandalous when that someone claims to be a brother or sister in Christ. We expect the world to act and behave like they do because it’s their nature as sons and daughters of Adam, but Christians are supposed to have a different nature as children of God.

The church is designed to be in the world like a boat is designed to be in the water. However, the boat is in trouble when the water gets into it as much as the church is in trouble when the world gets into it. Well, like water in a boat, the world has been seeping into the visible church for quite awhile now, and it’s sinking.Sinking Boat

If this is not troubling enough, what is even more troubling to behold are those people in the boat (fellow Christians) who are upset at those who are trying to bail the water out of the boat.

I’ve noticed an increasing trend within Christendom of those who not only enjoy the water being in the boat, but are actively engaged in fighting against those who are desperately trying to get the water out of the boat.

There’s a special breed of proud and haughty sin-defenders within the church that’s arisen and they’re getting more vocal (and oftentimes very nasty) in their verbal assaults against anyone who dares to address the sin and worldliness rampant within the church.

Has anyone else noticed how most of the people who disagree with what we say on DefCon are walking lockstep with the seductive mistress known as “the world?” Has anyone else noticed that those who are most ardently opposed to what we do on this blog are those most friendly with the world and all of its lusts?

Do they not realize that their adulteress friendship with the world is evidence that they’re enemies of God?

You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. James 4:4

You’ve seen them. They swoop in anytime someone on DefCon (or other blogs for that matter) dares to raise legitimate concerns over the way Christianity is displayed by those who profess to be Christians. Anytime Perry Noble, Mark Driscoll, Gary Lamb, or the likes are exposed, the usual gaggle of professing Christians charge into the blogosphere to attack us in defense of their sacred idols.

CultureBut their crusades don’t end with their defense of Noble, Lamb, and Driscoll; they also defend whatever is lowbrow, juvenile, culturally hip, culturally cool, and culturally relevant, no matter how antithetical to Christianity these passing fads are.

When anyone speaks of holiness, turning from sin, and untangling oneself from the world (as the Bible so clearly teaches) these soldiers of pragmatism are found front and center with swords drawn to advance their jihad of carnal Christianity via the sly spreading of seeds of doubt (did God really say that?), their endless word games, and their vitriolic attacks that are so condescending, and so vicious that they make attacks from Atheists look mild in comparison.

If you take the time to check out the blogs and websites of those professing Christians who most vehemently oppose us you’ll notice that almost every single one of them reveals their veiled hostility toward God and the fact that “the love of the Father is not in them” by virtue of their love of the world. This is not my standard of judgment, but God’s.

Do not love the world nor 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 and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world. 1 John 2:15-16

What part of “do not love the world” do they not understand?

They set filthy shows and blasphemous movies before their eyes. They set God-dishonoring music before their ears. And instead of these being secret sins, they not only have the audacity to boast about their ways, but they even encourage others to defile themselves with these fleshly lusts as well. And they’re even so proud of their mingling with the world that they wear their affairs with their mistress like badges of honor.

Duck QuackThey talk like the world, they walk like the world, they dress like the world, and they act like the world, and yet we’re supposedly the crazy one’s if we assume they’re still part of the world. In spite of all their outward expressions and actions, we’re supposed to believe they’re not actually of this world merely because they have Jesus on their lips. Essentially they’re telling us to listen to their words and pay no attention to their actions. But even their words betray them!

John MacArthur hit the nail on the head when he said:

Worldly preachers seem to go out of their way to put their carnal expertise on display—even in their sermons. In the name of connecting with “the culture” they want their people to know they have seen all the latest programs on MTV; familiarized themselves with all the key themes of “South Park”; learned the lyrics to countless tracks of gangsta rap and heavy metal music; and watched who-knows-how-many R-rated movies. They seem to know every fad top to bottom, back to front, and inside out. They’ve adopted both the style and the language of the world—including lavish use of language that used to be deemed inappropriate in polite society, much less in the pulpit. They want to fit right in with the world, and they seem to be making themselves quite comfortable there.

Incarnational Living

So what exactly is the kind of stuff these Christians who are in love with the world defending? It’s what you’ll see if you walk into the average church in America in the 21st century. Brace yourself:

– Elvis impersonator-led worship singing.

– The Cotton Patch Gospel.

– “God” wants you to party and mess you up.

– Pastor Perry Noble having a beer drinking song played by the “worship” band before their “worship” service.

– Pastor Perry Noble having the “worship” band play AC/DC’s Hell’s Bells for their Easter service.

– Dancing to Michael Jackson’s Thriller in church.

– Redneck Jesus Freaks.

– Pastor Mark Driscoll’s mockery Jesus Christ on his t-shirt.

– Pastor Mark Driscoll’s profane and blasphemous speech from the pulpit mocking our Lord.

– Using regurgitation to give a “testimony.”

– Girls dancing to NSync in church under an illuminated cross.

– Rudeness and vulgarity during church announcements.

– Pastor Ed Young’s 7-day sex challenge.

– Pastor Paul Wirth’s 30-day sex challenge.

– Double entendres with the “Christian” book Going All the Way.

– The mockery of the ordinance of baptism by churches.

– Singing a worldly 80’s song as a worship song while swinging your socks in the air.

– Pastor Ed Young acting like he’s on MTV.

– The gospel according to Bruce Springsteen.

– The gospel according to The Beatles.

– Ultimate “Christian” wrestling.

– “Christian” man retreats.

– “Christianity” is all about music.

– “Christianity” is about Potty humor.

– The American church’s insatiable appetite for sex in their sermons and advertising.

– All manner of church advertising and gimmicks.

– Likening the Christianity to drug induced wickedness.

– A video aimed at youth involving injured clowns and evil chickens.

– A church for those who like hot rods.

– Las Vegas-style church and “Christian” gambling paraphernalia.

– Church poker games.Earth

And these are just the tip of the iceberg amongst the myriad of other examples that leaves most people unable to tell the difference between the “church” and the world.

Sadly not only is this worldly entanglement rampant among those professing to be Christians, as I said before, it’s actually encouraged! See examples 2, 39, and 93 in the post who’s pastoring our youth pastors?.

Righteousness, sanctification, and holiness are now taboo words with many who want their “Jesus” icing on top of their worldly cake. They want to keep one foot in the world and one foot in the church and they come unglued when anyone suggests that this is possibly evidence of a false conversion.

But this all begs the question: When the world looks at the “church” aren’t they supposed to see a difference between them and the church, and not feel as if they’re just looking into a mirror?

This reminds me of the old bumper sticker that reads: “If you’re a Christian then act like one.” I couldn’t agree more.

Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress, and to keep oneself unstained by the world. James 1:27

So with all of this in mind, I put forward this question: If Christianity became illegal in this country, and you were arrested and charged with being a Christian, would there actually be enough evidence to convict you?

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age . . . Titus 2:11-12

Righteousness

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Nothing but the blood.

It Is Finished


For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement. Leviticus 17:11

What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. Hebrews 9:22

For my pardon, this I see,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
For my cleansing this my plea,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

And from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To Him who loves us and released us from our sins by His blood. Revelation 1:5

Nothing can for sin atone,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
Naught of good that I have done,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. 1 Peter 1:18-19

This is all my hope and peace,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
This is all my righteousness,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. Romans 5:9

Now by this I’ll overcome—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus,
Now by this I’ll reach my home—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace. Ephesians 1:7

Glory! Glory! This I sing—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus,
All my praise for this I bring—
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. Acts 20:28

Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. Revelation 5:9

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Bible translation comparison chart.

The following is a chart comparing the different English translations of the Bible. I hope this helps you in selecting a translation.

It was another chart similar to this one that led me to purchasing (and later embracing) the New American Standard (NASB) as my preferred translation.

And don’t forget to click here to vote for your preferred translation.


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Seeking your forgiveness.

Moon Oftentimes in our zeal to defend truth and contend for the faith, we cross the line. And in spite of having a team of contributors that hold each other accountable, sometimes things slip through the cracks that should have never seen the light of day.

A while back a contributor posted a video that mocked our Savior. The post was quickly pulled and when explained to this brother why it was pulled, he was gracious and completely understood. Unfortunately I have fallen into this same error myself and posted a video from The Church You Know that, in retrospect, I should have never posted.

I think my justification was “it’s not as bad of a mockery of our Lord as that other video we pulled.” But is any mockery acceptable? Is there a level of mockery that is ok to post and a level that isn’t? Certainly not. All mockers–no matter how reserved or how intense–will suffer the wrath of God.

I have refrained from publishing many posts in the past that I felt could be a stumbling block to another, but sadly I failed to be as diligent in my last post. Regardless of the motive, or my intentions, I contributed to the mockery of the Church by posting a video on DefCon that I never should have. For this I am truly sorry.

Although my intention was not to offend or cause a fellow brother or sister to stumble, I believe that I have done just that. It is for this reason that I firstly ask forgiveness from God, and secondly ask forgiveness from you.

I am truly sorry to any and all who I caused to stumble and to God whom I have offended. I take full responsibility for what has happened and I have removed the video. I ask DefCon readers to forgive me.

Sincerely,

– The Pilgrim

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Nada Scriptura?

Maturity

The world’s false religions and cults have many similarities, and one common thread among them all is their disbelief / distrust / disdain for the Bible.

And among these groups, five stand out as surprising when you consider that they believe themselves to be Christian, and as everybody knows, “Christians” believe the Bible . . . don’t they?

Whether it’s the Jehovah’s Witnesses who discourage individual understanding of the Scriptures . . .

Thus the Bible is an organizational book and belongs to the Christian congregation as an organization, not to individuals, regardless of how sincerely they may believe that they can interpret the Bible. For this reason the Bible cannot be properly understood without Jehovah’s visible organization in mind.

The Watchtower / October 1, 1967 / Page 587

. . . even going so far as to employ scare tactics that you’ll become apostate for reading the Bible on your own or in a small group:

They say that it is sufficient to read the bible exclusively, either alone or in small groups at home. But, strangely, through such ‘Bible reading,’ they have reverted right back to the apostate doctrines that commentaries by Christendom’s clergy were teaching 100 years ago…

The Watchtower / August 15, 1981/Pages 28-29


Or whether it’s the Mormons spreading their seeds of doubt . . .

It was apparent that many important points touching the salvation of men, had been taken from the Bible, or lost before it was compiled.

Joseph Smith /Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith /Page 10

. . . and blatantly attacking the Word of God:

This congregation heard brother O. Pratt scan the validity of the Bible, and I thought by the time he got through, that you would scarcely think a Bible worth picking up and carrying home, should you find one in the streets.

Brigham Young / Journal of Discourses / Volume 3 Page 116

Or whether it’s the liberal churches who “take the Bible seriously but not literally.”

Liberality

Or whether it’s the Emergents whose greatest “virtue” is ambiguity, and whose mantra is “did God really say that?” all the while dismissing the importance of the very Bible they claim to believe:

This is part of the problem with continually insisting that one of the absolutes of the Christian faith must be a belief that “Scripture alone” is our guide. It sounds nice, but it is not true. In reaction to abuses by the church, a group of believers during a time called the Reformation claimed that we only need the authority of the Bible. But the problem is that we got the Bible from the church voting on what the Bible even is… When people say that all we need is the Bible, it is simply not true.

Rob Bell / Velvet Elvis / Pages 67-68

I grew up thinking that we’ve figured out the Bible, that we knew what it means. Now I have no idea what most of it means. And yet I feel like life is big again—like life used to be black and white, and now it’s in color.

Kristen Bell (Rob Bell’s wife) / Christianity Today / November 2004

Or whether it’s the Roman Catholic Church who in times past would burn you at the stake for merely possessing the Scriptures in your native tongue, but who now settle for pompously looking down their noses at you for daring to hold God’s inspired, infallible Word above that of their fallible, uninspired popes, priests, and man-made traditions.

Stake

So, whether you’re discouraged from reading your Bible, or the Bible is impugned so that you conclude it can’t be trusted, the desired result is always the same: Once you put down the word of God, or place some other “authority” above it, heresy will always follow.

As Gary Gilley aptly said in his book This Little Church Went to Market:

Today, virtually every heresy found in the Christian ranks can be traced back to some form of rejection of the Bible as God’s final authority. It may be pragmatism (which adds success to the Bible); mysticism (which adds experience); tradition (which adds the past): legalism (which adds man’s rules); or philosophy such as psychology (which adds man’s wisdom). The end result is all the same: the Word of God takes a back seat to the inventions and imaginations of men.

Essentially, all these false religions and cults have one goal in mind: To get you to stop trusting the words of the living God and instead, put your trust in their organization. As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord and we will trust His word over the lies, rumors, heresies, doubts, and traditions of these false organizations. But what about you? When the question of the authority of Scripture comes up are you going to believe the empty words of false prophets, teachers, popes, and organizations, or the words of God Himself?

GalaxyFor the most part these counterfeit groups would agree that God created the heavens and the earth and that He is the architect of everything from the vastness of the galaxies yet to be discovered by man, to the tiniest microorganisms that are more complex than any supercomputers that we could ever build. And with few exceptions I’m confident that these groups also believe that God sustains His creation and that He’s omnipotent, omniscient, and all powerful.

Yet ironically they do not believe He had or has the power to sustain and preserve His word from generation to generation. How convenient for them that the God of all creation has this one weakness (that their popes, prophets, and programs can help God out with).

God was very clear about the tenacity of His Word: It is forever settled in Heaven (Psalm 119:89), it endures forever (Isaiah 40:8, 1 Peter 1:25), the smallest letter or stroke of the law shall not pass (Matthew 5:18), and Heaven and earth will pass away before His word does (Matthew 24:35, Mark 13:31, Luke 16:17, Luke 21:33).

Yet the false prophets will have you believe that the sovereign God who created and sustains the universe simply could not ensure the preservation of His own Word, but their “new revelation” on the other hand, is accurate and can be trusted in spite of the fact that their doctrines keep being added to, subtracted from, and changing from prophet to prophet, from leader to leader, and from pope to pope.

Bible The Scriptures are for our instruction and to provide hope (Romans 15:4), for teaching (Deuteronomy 11:9, 2 Chronicles 17:9), for equipping Christians for good work (2 Timothy 3:16-17), and it gives us assurance of salvation (1 John 5:13).


Furthermore, God’s Word is more precious than silver and gold (Psalm 119:72), it’s a lamp, a light, and the way of life (Proverbs 6:23), it’s a lamp unto our feet (Psalm 119:105), it teaches us to fear the Lord (Deuteronomy 17:19), it purifies (Psalm 119:9), it gives understanding to the simple (Psalm 119:130), it teaches us so that we can walk in His paths (Isaiah 2:3), it sanctifies (John 17:17, Ephesians 5:26), it testifies to Jesus Christ (John 5:39), it leads us to Jesus Christ (Galatians 3:24), and it judges our thoughts and attitudes (Hebrews 4:12).

DeconstructionWhen you consider what God’s Word does, you can see why false religions and cults wish to separate you from it! If they can drive a wedge between you and the word of God, then they will have successfully separated you from the only source by which to measure truth. Then you are easy prey for their new revelations, their other gospels (Galatians 1:6-9), and their false christs.

So, I have three questions:

1. The Bereans were commended for searching the Scriptures to assure that what the Apostle Paul was teaching was accurate (Acts 17:11). Why are these false religions and cults advising you not to take up the Scriptures to see if what they’re teaching is true?

2.The Apostle Paul told us that our struggle is against spiritual powers and forces of wickedness (Ephesians 6:11-12) and in this fight he tells us to put on the armor of God (Ephesians 6:13), in which one of these is the sword of the Spirit–the very word of God. Why would false religions and cults want to disarm you from one of the best offensive and defensive weapons God has provided the Believer and instructed him to wield?

3. Jesus Christ, the Apostles, and the Disciples read the Scriptures and quoted from them regularly. In fact, when Satan tried to thwart Jesus’ mission on earth by twisting Scripture, Jesus quoted from the Scripture each time in rebuttal, effectively disarming the father of lies with the words of truth (Matthew 4:1-11). If the Scriptures were good enough and valuable enough for Jesus Christ and the Apostles, why do the false religions and cults say that they’re not good enough for you?

CultsFor all the reasons above it is apparent why false religions and cults reject the Bible and the idea of Sola Scriptura. When those groups claiming to be “Christian” are compared to the Light of the Scriptures they always come up short and their errors, falsehoods, heresies, and soul-damning doctrines of demons are exposed. If they can get you to doubt the Bible, they will quickly fill that void with their own “authority.”

Remember, we were never told that man shall live on the Church, the prophets, or popes, but we are told that man shall live on “every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Deuteronomy 8:3).

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” – John 8:31-32

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For more on the Bible see : Bible Reference Notes – The Holy Scriptures


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The life and death of Madalyn Murray O’Hair.

In spite of this documentary attempting to paint Atheist Madalyn Murray O’Hair in a favorable light, you can’t help but see the irony of her life in the oddity surrounding her death.

In this documentary the true O’Hair is revealed including a domestic incident which resulted in her battery on police officers which led to her running from the law. Also included is O’Hair’s desire to defect to Russia during the height of the Cold War, but even the Godless Soviet Union wouldn’t take her so she did the next best thing . . . she helped bring Communism to America.

However, in spite of her life being devoted to mocking God and hating Christians, it was her death that was the events surrounding her death that I found most interesting. Scoffers are a dime a dozen, but O’Hair’s demise was anything but normal.

As with any documentary dealing with God-mockers, viewer discretion is advised.

Part One:

Part Two:

Language Warning: Uncensored profanity at 9:47

Part Three:

Part Four:

Part Five:

Also check out the famous Walter Martin vs Madalyn Murray O’Hair debate on this post.

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The brewing storm and the coming demise of Defcon.

Persecuted Not Persecuted

There’s something in the air. You can’t see it, you can’t smell it, but you can feel it. It’s not necessarily tangible but you can sense its impending approach.

It is persecution. And not just “they-laughed-at-me-because-I-go-to-church” persecution that we’ve all come to consider as persecution here in America, but an intense, relentless, horrifying persecution. A persecution of the likes of which we have never seen.

I’ve pondered posting the following thoughts earlier but I did not want to sound like an alarmist, a conspiracy theorist or jump to any conclusions. However, I just viewed the short video at the bottom of this post and realized that I am not the only one who can see the thunder clouds on the horizon. The video encouraged me to pen my thoughts on this matter to share with those who also hear the clapping of the distant thunder.

The tide is changing, the pendulum is swinging, and the winds are shifting. Although the American government, legal system, churches, and mindset of the masses have been changing for quite some time now, it seems like lately those changes have been increasing in speed.

Intolerance, antagonism, opposition, and hostility against Christians are growing not only from outside the Church, but even more so from within.

This coming persecution will not affect those merely professing Christianity (like the average Emergent or mega-church attendee for example). Instead this persecution will be waged against those who tenaciously hold to the exclusivity of the Gospel; that salvation is found only in Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12).

I once believed that the coming inevitable persecution would be against all who claim Jesus as their Savior, but I’ve come to realize that this is not true. Those who are merely professing Christians who just go to church need not fear. The persecution will be directed at those whose lives and doctrine actually reflect and bear the mark that God has called them out of this world because all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Timothy 3:12).

We are warned of the great Falling Away from the Faith (2 Thessalonians 2:3) and that the love of many will grow cold (Matthew 24:12) and that Christians will betray one another (Matthew 24:10). Those who are secreted within the true Shepherd’s flock that are currently among us but have never been of us (1 John 2:19) are the ones that will give us over to whatever persecuting body comes down the pike. It’s those who we once counted as brethren–those whose books we purchased, those whose sermons we listened to, and those sitting next to us in the pew–that will eventually deliver us up with a Judas kiss.

* We’ve seen many who claim the name of Christ—who fully believe they are bound for Heaven—fall under the charming spell of a political leader who is responsible for the bloodshed of countless children. These professing Christians cast their ballots for this king to rule over them and they justified it!

* We’re seeing laws being proposed to squelch any speech the government deems as “intolerant” or “hateful.”

* We’re seeing sinful lifestyles being given a protective status while anyone who disagrees is deemed an enemy and their right to free speech is being revoked.

* We’re seeing false teachers rise up from the floorboards like cockroaches at such an alarming rate that they’ve deluged our churches with their diseased false doctrines and have sickened the Body of Christ.

* We’re seeing those who’ve stood along side us (nodding their heads in agreement when we take on cults like Mormons and Jehovah’s Witnesses), only to turn on us with a savage bloodlust when we hold their favorite “evangelical” leaders to the same Biblical standards and doctrinal integrity we hold the cults to.

* We’re seeing once respected men in the Faith begin holding hands with the enemy and push for a religious ecumenicalism that will eventually try to stamp out all those who believe Jesus meant what He said when He said He was the only way to the Father (John 14:6).

These and many other signs are coming together to create the perfect storm. When things begin heating up and moving forward, expect to see sites like DefCon taken down for violating some fairness or tolerance law. Expect to see pastors (who take a stand for the purity and exclusivity of the Gospel) removed from the pulpit and jailed as is already happening. And as things get worse, expect to lose your job, your home, your family, your friends, and even your very life as those who call themselves Christians pick up stones to kill you, thinking they’re doing God a service (John 16:2).

Those who have come to cherish the fellowship and encouragement of fellow believers on blogs such as this (because they’re outcasts at their local church), and those who rely on sound Biblical teaching from sermons on the internet (because their pastors are doing yet another “sermon” series on sex) will suffer as this once thriving venue dries up under hate crime laws.

It won’t be long before the true believers of Jesus Christ will be forced to go underground, not because of a lack of churches, but because of persecution and the fact that leaven has infected almost every church in America and those who resist will not be permitted to exist.

The blood of the martyr is the seed of the Church. It was in times of prosperity that Israel turned her back on God and it is with us as well. It wasn’t until Israel suffered greatly that they returned to their Creator. Whatever is soon to happen–no matter how terrifying it may be–we must remember that God has ordained it to accomplish His purposes.

History testifies this is going to take place, current trends indicate this is about to take place, and Scripture reveals this will take place.

We must be ready and prepared. We must do everything possible to make our families ready and prepared. We must remain steadfast and we must trust that God is sovereign in the storm as much as he is in the calm.

_________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________

It seems to me that persecution never hurts the Church and prosperity always does.

-Paul Washer

_________________________________________________________________

See also: John MacArthur’s sermon A Nation Abandoned by God.

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The preaching of the cross is foolishness . . . to Roman Catholics.

evil-looking-pope

Most Catholics would disagree with the title of this post. They would cite their veneration of the cross in images, sculptures, and jewelry as proof positive that they not only adore the cross, but in fact even idolize it.

However, the issue I wish to address is not in regards to the Catholics’ adoration of the physical symbol of the cross itself, nor their devotion to that physical symbol. The issue at hand—where the cross is an offense to Roman Catholics—is in its preaching.

The Romish religion has long been antithetical not to the symbol, but to the meaning and purpose of the cross. The Biblical view of the cross is that this was where the Father caused all of our iniquity to fall upon Him, and it was where the the perfect, spotless, unblemished, Lamb of God stood in our place taking the very punishment and wrath of God that we so rightly and justly deserve, and where it pleased the Father to crush His Son and put him to grief.

Paramount to the true preaching of the cross is the fact that Christ uttered “it is finished.” But paramount to Roman Catholicism (and necessary for its continued existence), is the heretical idea that “it is not finished.” This keeps its people in subjection to the organization (and with that subjection of course comes money and power).

Roman Catholicism teaches that you must do some part on your own to merit God’s favor, that your redemption was not purchased complete and in-full on the cross. Not only is this in stark opposition to the Scriptures, but it renders the Savior’s sacrifice as being insufficient. It is because of this that Romanism rejects the true Gospel of the cross of Christ; exchanging the once-and-for-all perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 3:18, Hebrews 7:27, 9:12, 9:24-28, 10:10-12) for a false doctrine of an imagined (and wholly unattainable) righteousness based on man’s efforts. This is why the preaching of the cross is foolishness to Roman Catholics.

Would God be a just and righteous judge if He can be bribed with our measly works? What self-righteous works can fallen man possibly offer to a holy and righteous God anyway?

Your effort to offer God what you think are righteous enough works is equivalent to standing before a judge facing the charge of murder and telling the judge, “I gave money to a charity once, I haven’t shoplifted since high school, I helped my neighbor pull weeds in his yard, and I always leave my waitress a big tip.” None of these niceties will satisfy the required punishment for your guilt of murder anymore than your church attendance, reciting of a rosary, the lighting of a candle, being baptized, or even wearing a crucifix will satisfy God’s requirement for the punishment that you and I deserve for sinning against an infinitely holy God. All of your “righteous” works are filthy rags!

What do you possibly think you can offer God that was not already provided in the death of His only begotten Son upon the cross?

The Vatican’s continued proclamation of such things as the necessity of the sacraments for salvation is simply another gospel and thus is anathema.

The Apostle Paul dealt with this matter already when he wrote to the Church in Galatia rebuking the Judaizers who sought to preach another gospel. They said salvation came from Christ and circumcision. Beware of the one who says it’s Christ and anything else that saves. If something–anything–other than Christ’s shed blood is necessary to save you, then the death of Christ was insufficient and God’s own blood was not enough.

Yet the Romish system today not only says salvation comes from Christ and something else, but that the “and” consists of numerous conditions and requirements added to the perfect sacrifice of Jesus Christ–far beyond what the Judaizers ever proposed!

How in the world, if the Judaizers were wrong for adding just one work to Christ’s sacrifice, can Rome justify adding numerous works to Christ’s sacrifice? Because the preaching of the cross is foolishness to those that are perishing; foolishness because they believe redemption can’t be that simple.

Let’s look at just one example of why I say that the preaching of the cross is foolishness to the Romish religious system: Purgatory.

Continue reading →

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What are the two most influential books in the last 500 years?

whole-lot-of-books

I’d like to pose the following question: What are the two most influential books–one for good, one for evil–from the last 500 years?

There is no right or wrong answer necessarily, but I wish to hear the opinions of DefCon readers on this query.

– What book written in the last 500 years was most influential for good, and why?

– What book written in the last 500 years was most influential for evil, and why?

I look forward to your answers.



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The preaching of the cross is foolishness . . . to Mormons.

garden-of-gethsemaneThe Mormon organization has no problem with Masonic symbols, occultic symbols, and even inverted pentagrams adorning their temples, but they draw the line when it comes to that offensive cross. The two most common ‘excuses’ they provide for their aversion to the cross are:

1). “The cross is a pagan symbol.”

And the pagan symbols in Mormonism are not pagan? Not to mention the pagan practices that go on inside.

2). “We wish to focus on Jesus’ life, not His death.”

Ah, in this one statement Mormons reveal that they have absolutely no idea the true purpose of Christ’s coming to earth nor what it meant for Him to become a propitiation for the believer’s sins. Neither do they understand the fundamentals of the Christian faith or the very Gospel itself. For the Gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 15:1-4) and it is the power of God unto salvation for everyone who believes. How can you possibly “focus on His life” at the exclusion of His death . . . the very reason He came to earth (Mark 10:45)?

The preaching of the cross is a stumbling block to the Jew and foolishness to the Gentile (1 Corinthians 1:23) but it appears to be both to the Mormon.

Mormons not only have an aversion to the symbol of the cross like a vampire to a crucifix, but Mormons have an aversion to what the cross represents. Just like Satan who desires nothing more than to avert the sinner’s gaze away from the redemptive work accomplished by Jesus on the cross, Mormons attempt to direct the attention of their followers away from the redemptive work accomplished by Jesus on the cross as well. For example:

In the Garden of Gethsemane, Christ took upon himself the sins of all mankind.

Gospel Principles

Page 70

1997

The night preceding His crucifixion, Jesus Christ . . . . took upon Himself the burden of the sins of mankind from Adam to the end of the world.

Milton R. Hunter

The Gospel Through The Ages

Page 182

1945

Jesus, therefore, preceding crucifixion, had His last great struggle, while in mortality, with Satan and with death and came forth victorious.

Milton R. Hunter

The Gospel Through The Ages

Page 183

1945

If you’re believing in a “savior” that bore your sins in the Garden of Gethsemane, then you’re believing in one of the many false Christs that the True Christ warned us about, and you are still dead in your sins and will face the righteous, holy, and eternal wrath of God when you die.

Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sins (Hebrews 9:22), but Mormonism would have you believe that the Garden of Gethsemane was where Jesus bore our sins and that His ‘sweating’ (not ‘shedding’) of blood had something to do with our redemption. The context of ‘shedding of blood’ is not an expelling of some blood in your sweat, but that of death. I am in no way diminishing the suffering of Christ in the Garden, but it was not the place where He atoned for our sins.

The foreshadow of Christ throughout the Old Testament was of the death (shedding of blood) of a worthy substitute (e.g. the animals killed to ‘cover’ Adam and Eve’s nakedness, the ram in the thicket in place of Isaac on the alter, the blood of the lamb on the doorposts in Egypt, etc.). All of these required the death of an animal, not merely the loss of a little of its blood.

If this corrupt doctrine of LDS were true, then the Mormon “Jesus” could have essentially atoned for the sins of mankind the first time He scraped His knee playing as a child, or the first time He cut His hand while working as a carpenter.

Although nowhere in Scripture can even the idea be found that Christ paid for our sins in the Garden of Gethsemane, this doesn’t stop Mormonism from teaching this heresy.

But what saith the Scripture?

And He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. – 1 Peter 2:24

crucifixion

But Mormonism is not content with diverting your attention away from the finished work of Christ on the cross; they also blasphemously attack the very efficacy of the sacrifice of our precious Savior!

Are you aware that there are certain sins that a man may commit for which the atoning blood of Christ does no avail? Do you not know, too, that this doctrine is taught in the Book of Mormon?

Joseph Fielding Smith

Doctrines of Salvation

Volume 1 Page 133

Joseph Smith taught that there were certain sins so that man may commit, that they will place the transgressors beyond the power of the atonement of Christ. If these offenses are committed, then the blood of Christ will not cleanse them from their sins even though they repent. Therefore their only hope is to have their own blood shed to atone, as far as possible, in their behalf. This is scriptural doctrine and taught in all the standard works of the Church.

Joseph Fielding Smith

Doctrines of Salvation

Volume 1 Page 135

But under certain circumstances there are some serious sins for which the cleansing of Christ does not operate, and the law of God is that men then have their own blood shed to atone for their sins. Murder, for instance, is one of these sins; hence we find the Lord commanding capital punishment.

Bruce R. McConkie

Mormon Doctrine

Page 92

1966 Edition

We must believe that this same Jesus was crucified for the sins of the world, that is for the original sin, not the actual individual transgressions of the people; not but that the blood of Christ will cleanse from all sin, all who are disposed to act their part by repentance, and faith in his name. But the original sin was atoned for by the death of Christ, although its effects we still see in the diseases, tempers and every species of wickedness with which the human family is afflicted.

Brigham Young

Journal of Discourses

Volume 13 Page 143

1869

It will be necessary here to make a few observations on the doctrine set forth in the above quotation, and it is generally supposed that sacrifice was entirely done away when the Great Sacrifice [i.e., the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus] was offered up, and that there will be no necessity for the ordinance of sacrifice in [the] future: but those who assert this are certainly not acquainted with the duties, privileges and authority of the priesthood, or with the Prophets.

Joseph Smith

History of the Church

Volume 4 Page 211

It is not to be understood that the law of Moses will be established again with all its rites and variety of ceremonies; this has never been spoken of by the Prophets; but those things which existed prior to Moses’ day, namely, sacrifice, will be continued. It may be asked by some, what necessity for sacrifice, since the Great Sacrifice was offered? In answer to which, if repentance, baptism, and faith existed prior to the days of Christ, what necessity for them since that time?

Joseph Smith

History of the Church

Volume 4 Page 212

Christ did his part to atone for our sins. To make his atonement fully effective in our lives, we must strive to obey him and repent of our sins.

Gospel Principles

Page 75

1997

Christ’s atonement makes it possible to be saved from sin if we do our part.

Gospel Principles

Page 75

1997

It is true that the blood of the Son of God was shed for sins through the fall and those committed by men, yet men can commit sins which it can never remit.

Brigham Young

Journal of Discourses

Volume 4 Page 54

1856

There are sins that men commit for which they cannot receive forgiveness in this world, or in that which is to come, and if they had their eyes open to see their true condition, they would be perfectly willing to have their blood spilt upon the ground, that the smoke thereof might ascend to heaven as an offering for their sins; and the smoking incense would atone for their sins, whereas, if such is not the case, they will stick to them and remain upon them in the spirit world. I know, when you hear my brethren telling about cutting people off from the earth, that you consider it is a strong doctrine; but it is to save them, not destroy them.

Brigham Young

Journal of Discourses

Volume 4 Page 53

1856

I do know that there are sins committed, of such a nature that if the people did under the doctrine of salvation, they would tremble because of their situation. And furthermore, I know that there are transgressors, who, if they knew themselves, and the only condition upon which they can obtain forgiveness, would beg of their brethren to shed their blood, that the smoke thereof might ascend to God as an offering to appease the wrath that is kindled against them and that the law might have its course. I will say further; I have had men come to me and offer their lives to atone for their sins.

Brigham Young

Journal of Discourses

Volume 4 Pages 53-54

1856

No matter how current LDS apologists try to spin it, the fact is they do not believe that Christ’s sacrifice (in the Garden of Gethsemane or on the cross) was sufficient to cleanse you from all of your sins. They continue to believe the blasphemous doctrine that you must still do something on your behalf to merit God’s favor. Former LDS prophets have even gone so far as to teach that the shedding of your own blood is required for remission of sins. This is known as the Doctrine of Blood Atonement and is one of the many LDS doctrines that modern-day Mormons have tried desperately to distance themselves from (you can find out more about this utterly Satanic doctrine here and here).

However, one only needs to look as far as Holy Scripture to see the error and folly of this false gospel of Mormonism. The same God who can redeem Israel from all her iniquities (Psalm 130:8) can surely redeem sinners from all of their iniquities. In spite of Mormonism’s claim that there are “some sins” that men can commit that the blood of Christ cannot atone for, the inspired Word of God tells us the exact opposite:

But if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. – 1 John 1:7

Jesus gave Himself to redeem us from every lawless deed (Titus 2:14) as we are justified and saved from the wrath of God by His blood (Romans 5:9). Reconciliation was accomplished by the shedding of Christ’s blood on the cross (Colossians 1:20) and we are redeemed not by perishable things, but by the precious blood of Jesus Christ (1 Peter 1:18-19).

In spite of what the false teachers of LDS would have you believe, Christ’s sacrifice was not only sufficient to put away sin (Hebrews 9:26) and obtain eternal redemption through His blood (Hebrews 9:11-12), but it was done once and for all (Hebrews 7:26-27).

So when a Mormon comes to you bringing their long laundry list of things you must do to be saved, remember that Jesus paid the debt, it was sufficient, it is finished, and “there is no longer any offering for sin” (Hebrews 10:10-18)!

Jesus came in order to take away sins (1 John 3:5) and yet Mormons say He did not accomplish this. Who are you going to believe? A false organization led by false prophets, rife with false prophecies all pointing to a false “Jesus” and a false “gospel,” or the holy and inspired Word of God that has stood the test of time?

For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. – 1 Corinthians 1:18

See related: The preaching of the Gospel is foolishness . . . to Roman Catholics

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Happy birthday DefCon.

defcon

Yesterday, April 15th, marked DefCon’s one-year anniversary.

Since changing from Reformation Nation to DefCon one year ago, we’ve had over 370,000 views and our top three posts are:

Taking a closer look at Todd Bentley . . . literally.

How Do You Read Romans 1:16?

John MacArthur on Mark Driscoll.

Thank you to all our readers for the support and encouragement we’ve received over the last year and thank you for your faithful and continued readership.