Random Selections

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I Want to Start Sharing the Gospel, Part 2

In my last article, I shared three things that I believe every Christian must be doing before they step out into the world to start sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ: study the Word of God, pray, and give worship and praise to the Lord who saved you. All three of these things are the necessisties of any Christian walk. There can be no growth and maturing without them. And they are absolutely essential in preparing one’s self for the spiritual warfare that is the saving of souls. Today, in the theme of preparing ourselves for witnessing, I want to address some rather unbliblical methods that are being employed by Christians, ministries and churches that should avoided. Believe it or not, it really does make a difference about how you share your faith. The methods that I want to share today are very popular, but they are antithetical to the gospel and have often been responsible for creating false converts, those who profess a faith in Christ, but have never truly repented and put their faith in them. If we are to be obedient to the command to preach the gospel, then we want to avoid those methods that are not in line with God’s word.

God Has a Wonderful Plan for Your Life

Perhaps one of the most common evangelistic approaches today is for the Christian to approach an unrepentant, unregenerate sinner and to explain to him or her that God deeply and truly loves that person and has a “wonderful plan” for their life. The pitch usually states that all the joys of this world are insufficient, always leaving us wanting more. We chase after the elusive concept of happiness, but are never really satisfied. But if the sinner will just “accept Jesus” who died for their sins (a concept only briefly mentioned and never explained) then God will grant them peace, love and joy in abundance, fulfilling all the wants and desires the world never could. The sinner is then encouraged to pray a prayer, to make Jesus their Lord, and then is told without question that they are a Christian and to never, ever doubt it.

This approach sounds so kind and loving, ensuring the lost person that the promises of God will be extended to them without question, so how could there be anything wrong with it? Unfortunately, there is a lot wrong. Let’s start with the fact that the presentation that God “loves the sinner” is innacurate. A sinner, by definition, is a lawbreaker and rebel against the Lord who created him or her. Remember that God is holy and righteous, so much so that a guilty sinner cannot stand in His presence and not be destroyed. In fact, Psalm 7: 11 states, “God is a just judge, and is angry with the wicked every day.” It is a false statement to tell a sinner that God loves them when there are standing in a rebellious state before Him. Such a claim leaves the sinner believing God likes them “for who they are” and that their sins are not really an abomination before Him. If they do not understand the nature of their sin, sinners will not repent before a holy God.

Another problem is the promise that God has a wonderful plan for the sinner. This is problematic on many levels. First off, in their sinful state, the only plan God has for them is judgment. Certainly, this in not “wonderful.” Secondly, if a person truly becomes a Christian, Jesus taught His followers, “Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him,” (John 13: 16). If Christ is the Christian’s master, and Christ was so hated by the world that He was persecuted and crucified, what is the promise for the Christian? Followers of Christ can expect the world to hate and persecute them, and that life in this world will not be comfortable for them. The promises of peace and having an “abundant life” for the Christian are not tied to worldly comforts, but having peace with God through Christ’s shed blood and by no longer being shackled to our sinful nature. Yet, to the unregenerate sinner, such a promise of a “wonderful life” is devoid of such meaning because they lack understanding of their sinful state and coming judgement. Christians dare not use the fruits of salvation as a draw card to entice the unbeliever into becoming a Christian.

Just Let People See Jesus in You

In our current, post-modern culture, telling someone that their life is considered sinful before God and they are pending His righteous judgment is probably the worst “sin” a person can commit. In fact, telling people that your beliefs are right and their’s are wrong is equally terrible in the eyes of society. So the church has developed a much less assertive method of evangelism. This is the “live your life in such a way that people just have to ask you about it” method. I have heard on many occasions from professing Christians that we shouldn’t be pushy or preachy with unbelievers. We should just live good and kind lives. This will clearly lead those around us to see there is something different about us and cause them to ask us what it is. When they do, then we can tell them that Jesus gives us that joy and peace that the rest of the world lacks. Unfortunately, when you press the issue, most Christians will admit that this rarely, if ever happens.

The sad truth of the matter is that this method of evangelism accomplishes nothing. While the Christian must live a life of obedience to God, without an explanation of what the gospel is and why we obey the Lord out of love, the sinner has nothing to differentiate our “good lives” from that of the Hindu, the Muslim or the atheist. Their standard of “good” is a worldly standard, and they will equate the goodness of the Christian is the same as any other religious, or non-religious, person. In other words, they have no real reason to believe that your “good life” is any different than anyone else’s, so there is no need to believe there is anything special about it.

The other problem with this is that the unsaved person is standing before God with His holy and righteous wrath awaiting them. If we desire to see them saved from the fires of Hell, why are we hoping to entice them with a few good works? To borrow an analogy from Ray Comfort, if you saw a neighbor’s house on fire, would you walk up and down the sidewalk in a happy and kind manner hoping to draw them out? Or would you run up to the door, yelling and screaming about the danger they were in and urging them to flee to safety? If you truly care about the unsaved sinner, you will warn them about the danger now, while there is still time.

Friendship Evangelism

Friendship evangelism is a modern concept that teaches the Christian must befriend and nuture a realtionship with a person before the subject of Jesus ever comes up. In fact, it is stressed that the Christian must “earn the right” to share the gospel with that person before they ever open their mouth on the subject. The belief is that if we, as Christians, do not earn this right, then we could drive off the person by being too “preachy” or “judgmental” and they will never “accept Jesus.”

Such a method denies several things. First, it denies the very power of the gospel itself. If the gospel is the power of God unto salvation (Romans 1:16), then I never need to dress it up, ease it in, or earn the right to proclaim it. It is the very message of God that Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners. There is no more important message to share with someone, a message that has eternal consequences. To delay sharing it because I need to “earn the right” denies that the simple proclamation of it is insufficient and that I must add something to it, my own work, before it can be used.

Secondly, it denies the manner throughout scripture we see it proclaimed. During His earthly ministry, Christ confronted sinners with their desperate need for salvation. In John 3, Nicodemus comes to Jesus by night with great flowing words of praise. Christ did not even hesitate, but told him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God,” (John 3: 3) Jesus did not attempt to win this influential teacher as a friend, rather he drove straight into the heart of the matter, wasting no time. In the following chapter, Jesus speaks to the woman at the well in Samaria. Once again, we see our Lord wasting no time addressing the alduterous lifestyle of a woman who just met him. He did not attempt a long, extended effort at befriending her, Jesus spoke plainly to her about her greatest need. And if theses examples are not enough, look to Peter at Pentecost where he addressed the crowds and 3,000 came to repentance and faith (Acts 2). Or look to Paul on Mars Hill in Athens where Paul spoke to a crowd of pagan philosophers (Acts 17). In neither case did either of these apostles attempt to befriend the crowds, they simply proclaimed the gospel, trusting in the power of God to bring salvation.

Lastly, it denies the command of God Himself. Jesus commanded His disciples, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature,” (Mark 16: 15) and to “…make disciples of all the nations…” (Matthew 28:19). If we practice friendship evangelism, as it is defined today, then we are stating we do not have to follow this command until we feel we are good and ready. We are going to delay the need to obey God’s command until such a time as we feel comfortable to do so. Yet, nowhere in scripture is such a caveat given. Nowhere does Christ command that the gospel message be delayed until a more opportune time. In fact, we are reminded continually that we do not know the hour of Christ’s return, or even when our last breath with be. The gospel message is one that must be proclaimed with urgency. To delay that because we must make them our friend first denies that God will take that person out of this life at a time of His choosing, which could be well before that “friendship” is established. If we practice this method, we are assuming God will allow that person to never encounter death until we have share the gospel with them. That is a dangerous presumption to make. We should never delay this most important message of all.

So What Do I Actually Say?

There is in fact a truly biblical method of evangelism. A method that exposes the unregenerate sinner to his condemned state before God and his desperate need for a Savior. In my next article I will address this method specifically.

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I Want to Start Sharing the Gospel, But Now What?

If you have been reading my articles lately, you have probably noticed a very consistent theme, that being that Christians are commanded to share the gospel with the lost. I have been writing these articles for the very purpose of awakening the church to the desperate need in our world for the glorious gospel of Jesus Christ to be preached. It has been my sincere hope and prayer that these articles may have caused even a small number of Christians to stop and evaluate whether they have been obedient to the command of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. If you are one that has realized he or she has not been doing so, but realize you need to be, you may be asking, “What do I do now? Just how do I go about doing this?” It is my hope and prayer that over the next few articles I can answer these questions and help equip you to biblically share the great and glorious message that Jesus Christ came to save sinners. Today, there are three things I want to encourage you to do as you go about preparing yourself to evangelize the lost.

First and foremost, before we ever wade out into the world to share the gospel, we need to be about the business of praying to God. A Christian must pray that God would give him wisdom, boldness and an unquenching thirst to preach the gospel to the lost. Christians must pray for humility, confessing their sins and repenting of them, and praying that they would not seek their own recognition and glory. Rather, Christians should pray that they would seek only to glorify the Lord by preaching His truth, not seeking to persuade with our own vain philosophies, but by speaking His revealed Word. Christians must pray for the Lord to break through the hardened, stony hearts of sinners and that He would reveal their need for Christ as their Savior. That He would cause the scales to fall from the eyes of the lost and cause them to see Christ in all His glory. Christians should also pray for steadfastness, an unwavering desire to preach the true gospel, no matter the opposition, or even persecution, that they may face. We must pray that we never become weary in doing good even when the world seeks to shut us up, when our friends and family tell us to stop being “so preachy” and even when our local churches refuse to support us because we are “judgmental.” We must pray that we would never stop sharing the gospel because we seek to please God alone and desire to bring a lost and dying world to Him. Prayer is one of our most potent and valuable weapons because it causes us to come to the throne of grace, seeking the power and equipping of our sovereign Lord. Never seek to accomplish the task of evangelism under your own “power.” Rather seek the power of God Himself to do the work.

Secondly, Christians need to become thoroughly equipped in the study of the scriptures. Human wisdom and philosophy can accomplish precious little when it comes to proclamation of the gospel. Remember that those who are lost are slaves to sin and are spiritually dead. Our words alone will never penetrate the rocky soil of an unregenerate heart. Only the Words of God Himself can break up that stone and make the heart into fertile soil. Therefore, we must be diligent to study the Bible daily, but not just to find scriptures that bolster our arguments. Such study accomplishes little because we are not seeking the actual context and application of God’s Word. If we fail to discern the true meaning of a passage, we may end up ripping scriptures out of context and doing damage to the message itself. Rather, we should study that we might grow in all wisdom and understanding. We should study so that our lives are so impacted by the Word, that every aspect of how we live changes to reflect the image of our Savior. In doing so, not only will we gain the words necessary to share with the lost, we will actually demonstrate that we believe them because our lives will reflect it. All the objections and obstacles that man can offer against God find their demise in the very words of our Lord. Study, memorize and learn to apply all of the scriptures on a daily basis.

Third, remember that you were once a lost and condemned sinner too. Remember that you had sinned against the very Creator who gave you life and breath through your wicked works. Remember that you had broken His laws, that you had been a liar, a thief, an idolator, a blashpember, one who lusted and fornicated, who harbored unjust anger in your heart, one who had sought only to please himself above all others. That in your sinned darkened stated, had you died and stood before God, who is perfectly righteous and holy, you would have been judged guilty and rightly condemned to an eternity it Hell. Yet, while you were still a sinner, God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die for you on the cross. That Christ lived the life of perfect obedience to the law that you could not. That He willingly went to the cross to suffer a brutal and humiliating death, the one that you deserved. That three days later, He rose again, defeating death and giving you a promise of eternal life. Remember that one day, God sent someone to you to share this glorious message of salvation. That He opened your eyes and softened your heart. That God miraculously granted you repentance and faith and caused you to be born again. And as you remember these things, glorify the Lord through worship and praise. Remember that you were once dead and He made you alive. Rejoice that God took an unworthy sinner like you (and me) and adopted you as His child. Then, in your praise and adoration of Him, seek to obey His command to preach this glorious message to others.

By equipping ourselves in these three areas – prayer, study and worship – we prepare ourselves for the spiritual warfare of saving souls. We are equipped with God’s power rather than our own and we are using His weapons in this battle. The preaching of the gospel is not an effort to improve lives, change minds or rescue the culture. The preaching of the gospel is two things: first, it is the glorification of our great God and Savior; second, it is a rescue mission to save souls on a path to Hell. Therefore, we dare not treat this lightly. Let us be fully prepared, with all God has to offer us, before we step foot onto the battlefied.

In my next article, I intend to speak on the biblical presentation of the gospel and to point out the errors of modern evangelical “evangelism.”

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Tony Miano: “Don’t Give Up on Society”

This last Sunday on Cross Encounters Radio, Tony Miano and I shared a recent sermon he preached in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, entitled “Don’t Give Up on Society.” The main points of the message are: 1) Christians must remember who they were before they came to faith in Christ; 2) Christians must remember who they are in Christ; and 3) Christians must remember what God has commanded them to do. This was a powerful sermon that I believe Christians should take the time to listen to.

Listen online

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Sermon of the Week – Crisis of Faith and the Goodness of God by Brian Borgman (Conclusion)

This week’s Sermon Feature is the conclusion to the 4 part “Crisis of Faith and the Goodness of God” by Pastor Brian Borgman of Minden, NV.

If we haven’t had a Crisis of Faith yet in our walk with God, we will someday. Pastor Brian addresses the heartache and struggles in this encouraging and edifying sermon series from Psalm 73. Enjoy Part 4 of 4 as this week’s Sermon of the Week. Be sure to listen to Parts 1, 2, and 3 as well.

Play MP3 for Crisis of Faith – Part 4 of 4

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You may have to click “maybe later” past the “sign up” page on Sermon Audio for the download the audio file.

Pastor Brian’s Church: Grace Nevada

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Sermon of the Week – Crisis of Faith and the Goodness of God by Brian Borgman (Part 3)

Crisis of Faith and the Goodness of God – Part 3 of 4

by Pastor Brian Borgman.

Continuing on this week with part 3 of this 4 part sermon series. If we haven’t had a Crisis of Faith yet in our walk with God, we will someday. Pastor Brian addresses the heartache and struggles in this encouraging and edifying sermon series from Psalm 73. Enjoy Part 3 of 4 as this week’s Sermon of the Week.

Play MP3 for Crisis of Faith – Part 3 of 4

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You may have to click “maybe later” past the “sign up” page on Sermon Audio for the download the audio file.

Pastor Brian’s Church: Grace Nevada

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The Bible For Bloggers – By Bryan Chapell

Wise words by former Covenant Theological Seminary President, Bryan Chapell. This was posted on the Gospel Coalition website and has a little something for everyone of us who write blogs, read blogs, and comment on blogs. Enjoy this read, it is very profitable for our approach to the written word on the internet and seeks to glory Christ in all we do as our first and foremost function.

The Bible for Bloggers

Bryan Chapell | Aug 27, 2012

What biblical principles should guide Christian bloggers? I am increasingly thinking about this question because maintaining the mission and reputation of the institution I lead increasingly requires me to respond quickly and frequently to questions, assertions, and criticisms from the unjuried world of the blogosphere.

I do not think I have always responded well. Defending truth may well require correction and rebuke (2 Tim. 4:2). Still, I confess discomfort with the ready sarcasm and flip accusations that seem so prevalent in the world of blogs and but so foreign to the biblical ethic of esteeming others more highly than ourselves (Phil. 2:3-4).

Listening to the “ouch” from others about things I have written, and feeling the “ouch” from what others have written, have convicted me of the need to think more seriously about the biblical benefits and boundaries of such words—a task also urged by leaders with similar concerns at a recent meeting of The Gospel Coalition’s Council.

I am particularly concerned about two issues: What general principles should guide Christians in distributed communication, and what special principles should guide Christians when they address issues about and to the church in such communication?

Some may shrug off the question of what is proper Christian communication on the internet, saying it is hardly likely that all internet dialogue will honor the rule of Christ. Even Christians may argue that internet sites and social media create something of a digital lunchroom where participants not only expect the conversation to be free flowing but also less accountable to the standards of traditional media.

Of course, the context and genre of communication properly influence our judgment of what Christians can or should say. We do not expect a stage play to sound like a Sunday sermon, or a website to be as careful as a catechism. But if Christians are to be salt and light in every sphere of life, then they must also consider what should characterize internet communication that honors Christ.

The present era is not the first in which Christians have considered whether the Bible’s standards apply to new forms of communication. Gutenberg, Marconi, Coughlin, Hearst, Limbaugh, Drudge, Huffington, and Zuckerberg represent waves of new communication approaches that have changed the shoreline of expectations regarding what utterances can or should be distributed. Still, we limit our God if we presume that he cannot establish transcendent standards of truth and love that supersede changing communication expectations.

As a Christian who believes in the lordship of Christ over the whole of life, I know that I have a responsibility to discern what the Bible requires of me in all aspects of life—even those of the web. [1] I also know that I cannot here address all possible issues (such as those faced by bloggers in lands of persecution). Still, I hope the following discussion of biblical principles will make all of us who engage in internet communication more conscious of applicable biblical principles—and also a bit more reflective before hitting the “post” button.

I. Christian Communication Must Be True

Christian communication that purports to be true, should be. That’s obvious, but some additional specificity may be helpful—and challenging. The third commandment (which requires care for God’s name, particularly in taking oaths and vows in support of the truth) and the ninth commandment (which is more narrowly concerned with malicious slander) plainly forbid spreading falsehoods in either personal or public communication. [2]

The Bible repeats the requirement of guarding the truth many times and in many ways in both the Old and New Testaments (e.g., Ex 23:1; Lv 19:11-16, 35-36; Ps 82:2-3; Prv 23:10; 31:8-9; Rom 12:9-10; 2 Cor 12:20; Eph 4:25; 2 Tm 3:3; Jas 3:17; 1 Jn 4:20). The judgment of charity binds us not only to tell the truth but also to seek to interpret other’s statements and actions in the best light (Mt 7:12; 1 Cor 13:6-7). We are also obligated to protect the reputations of others against slander, innuendo, false implication, and even the damage to truth caused by inappropriate silence (Zech 8:16; Prv 17:15; 1 Tm 6:4; 2 Tm 4:16).

These standards of truth are high, but they merely form the ground floor of the biblical architecture for communication that honors God. Simply telling the truth is not enough.

II. Christian Communication Must Be Provable

The Bible does not allow us to publish what we think is true if we cannot prove it. Before we disseminate favorable or unfavorable information we are required to ensure and evidence its accuracy.

Continue reading here: The Bible for Bloggers On Gospel Coalition website

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A Word of Encouragement

“I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service, though formerly I was a blasphemer, persecutor, and insolent opponent. But I received mercy because I had acted ignorantly in unbelief, and the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen (1 Timothy 1:12-17 ESV)

The words of the Apostle Paul written to Timothy should serve as great encouragement to those of us who have been saved by the shed blood of Jesus Christ. As I read those words, I was reminded that, despite my wretched sinfulness, despite having no good thing in me that would cause God to desire me, He demonstrated His love for me in that He sent Jesus Christ to redeem me.

Like Paul, we should see ourselves as the chief of sinners. Daily we should remind ourselves that our very sins put Jesus on the cross. That it took the shed blood of the Son of God Himself to pay the price we owe to God. Yet He did so willingly, of His own accord, so that He might bring glory to the Father. That in doing so, He might demonstrate His mercy by redeeming vile, wretched, rebellious sinners for His use.

In fact, it is Paul’s statement that “…Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example…” really caused me to stop and think. Jesus Christ saved us to be examples of His perfect patience to those He will save. In other words, when we are saved by God, we are cleaned up for His usefulness and put on display as His craftmanship. When God saved me, I was a rebellious sinner, even though some thought I was a “nice guy.” Yet, I lied, cheated, blasphemed and other sins I do not wish to mention. Those that knew me then would know I was not really all that “nice.” Yet, today, God’s sanctifying work in me is put on display by Him for one reason, to show the perfect patience in transforming a vile sinner into a tool useful for His work.

That is what God does when He saves us, He transforms us for His use! If you are anything like me, it is very easy to see all the faults, failings and sins that we still struggle with while we are in this flesh. We may even begin to wonder if we are truly saved because of that. Yet, here in Paul’s pastoral epistle, we see that the issue is not about us and what we can do, but in God’s finished work of salvation and his ongoing work of sanctification. It is not about us being able to say what we have conquered in our flesh, it is about God being able to boast in his sanctifying work alone! We weren’t saved so we could claim there was something just awesome about ourselves, which there never was, but so that we could be a light, a signpost pointing others to the very Savior they didn’t even know they needed, Jesus Christ.

I encourage my brothers and sisters in Christ, if you struggle with your walk, if you have trouble in finding assurance, look the this passage by Paul. You were saved and are being sanctified for one reason, to be evidence of the amazing work of your Savior. Find peace and comfort in knowing that “…he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6 ESV)

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Sermon of the Week – Crisis of Faith and the Goodness of God by Brian Borgman (Part 2)

Crisis of Faith and the Goodness of God – Part 2 of 4

by Pastor Brian Borgman.

If we haven’t had a Crisis of Faith yet in our walk with God, we will someday. Pastor Brian addresses the heartache and struggles in this encouraging and edifying 4 part sermon series from Psalm 73. Enjoy Part 1 of 4 as this week’s Sermon of the Week.

Play MP3 for Crisis of Faith – Part 2 of 4

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You may have to click “maybe later” past the “sign up” page on Sermon Audio for the download the audio file.

Pastor Brian’s Church: Grace Nevada

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This Girl Desperately Needs the Gospel, Will You Give it to Her?

This is the picture of a young fourteen year old girl. Most of us would look at her and think she was probably a normal kid without a care in the world. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, she has been charged as having murdered her newborn son shortly after his birth. According to the Polk County Sheriff’s Office, this young girl (I am leaving out her name for obvious reasons) became pregnant, lied about it to her parents, concealed the pregnancy by wearing loosed clothes, then gave birth in her bathroom. Once the 9-1/2 pound baby boy was born, she choked the life out of him and hid him in a shoe box underneath soiled laundry in her room. After a series of events, the child’s body was discovered and the young girl was arrested.

Christians, it might be easy to dismiss this tragic event as one of a handful of terrible events in our country. It might be easy to say that this is not representative of our youth as a whole. Or it might be even easier to lay this at the hands of liberalism in our country, claiming that they have been indoctrinated to believe promiscuity is the norm and that they should never be burdened with the results. A thought made all the easier to believe when one realizes had she gone to an abortionist, she would have never been arrested. But I have to ask you, do we not bear some responsibility here? Haven’t we, as the church, as the salt and light in a dark and dying world, failed young girls like this because we have failed to affect the culture through the preaching of the gospel?

Before this post gets assaulted with the obvious theological implications of personal responsibility for sin, sovereignty of God, and such, please understand I am not saying that the Church is personally responsible for this young girl’s sin. It is her’s and she will be held accountable for it. But what I am referring to here, what I have been getting at for several articles now, is that the Church has a duty to preach the pure and unadulterated gospel throughout the world, including our own back yards. Yet, for some time now, Christians have failed to do this in numerous ways. We have claimed evangelism is a gift instead of a command, thus denying our need to do it. We have shuffled the responsibility to the preacher instead of doing it ourselves. We have settled for seeker-friendlyism, allowing churches to dilute or change scripture to attract the unsaved masses into what is supposed to be gathering of the saints. Or when we attempt to evangelize, we settle for a “God has a wonderful plan for your life” model which is unbiblical and an adulteration of the true gospel. Or worse, have even tried to shut down the true preaching of the gospel as if it is something to be apologized for (as in this picture where a student is apologizing for Pastor Emilio Ramos’ message).

With such obvious efforts to avoid the command to preach the gospel, the church has lost it’s influence over the culture, and the post-modern, secular humanist mindset has filled that void. A mindset that denies that humanity has been made in the image and likeness of God. That denies life is created by God in the womb, but rather is an amalgamation of proteins that washed up on the beach. That exalts personal enjoyment and fulfillment as the highest human achievement, and teaches that any obstacle to that achievement should be done away with. That denies the sinfulness of man and denies that a judgment will one day be applied.

With such a loss of church influence, is it any wonder that the youth in our culture show little restraint in their sinful behavior? They have been told that they are inherently good and that whatever they choose to believe is true. Yet, amazingly, the culture acts shocked and horrified when someone like this young girl takes that mindset to its logical conclusion. In a culture that exalts personal fulfillment, kids are getting a mixed message when they actually take it to it’s full extent.

Christians, we are the ones who have the real answers! We are the ones with the words of God who declares good from evil, right from wrong. We are the ones who can point our culture to the Scriptures and show that people are not good, but wicked from birth. We can declare to them that they are trapped in their sinfulness, bound only to their sins which make them rebels against the Lord. Then, and only then, does the actions that this young girl committed make sense. She is not a good kid that somehow society failed, she is a wicked sinner following her base desires. And, thanks to a sinful culture that celebrates sin, she was able to justify what she did by what she had been taught.

This is why we cannot and must not abdicate the command of our Lord to preach the gospel and to make disciples, because young people like this girl are trapped in their sins and the only answers that they have are given to them by a sin burdened culture. They are the blind leading the blind (Matthew 15:14). Only Christ can remove the scales from their eyes and make them see the ditch they are headed for. Only Christ can expose their hearts for the sin hardened stones that they are. Only Christ can break down the walls of sin and recreate a heart of flesh. Only Christ can make people a new creation. And it is we who were once one of them that Christ has commanded to preach this life saving gospel. What else is there to give this world that can do more? What else should we occupy our time with that has more value that saving young girls like this from hearts that lead to murder of newborn children? Can you honestly look back during the last year and tell yourself you have spent time in pursuits that brought more honor and glory to God than the preaching of the gospel?

I implore my Christian brethren to look at the picture of this young girl again. Might she be the girl you saw standing next to you at the store? Maybe she is a friend of your daughter’s? Or maybe even your own child? Knowing what you know now, would you have taken that extra five minutes to share the gospel with her? Knowing that one day she would murder her child, would you plead with her to repent of the life of sin she was living? Would you pray earnestly for her salvation? Now, I ask you this, what about those whose futures you do not know? You do not know if they will murder a child or if they will become a successful CEO. But you do know this, they are sinners just like you were, and they are bound for Hell, just as you once were. Isn’t that reason enough?

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Vaughan Roberts Fighting His Battle without Compromise

The web lit up this evening on Facebook and Gospel Coalition due to this important interview with Vaughan Roberts posted by blogger David Ould. I believe it is an important contribution to the current discussion of the Christian faith and homosexuality. As you’ll see when you read this article, Vaughan Roberts has enter the discussion of same-sex attraction from the INSIDE rather than commenting from the usual faith-based outside position. I was very uneasy in just reading the headline because I have great respect for Roberts as a pastor and theologian. But I must say, I was encouraged by Roberts uncompromising Biblical stance on his own very real battle of which he goes into very personal detail. Be sure to read the full interview by Julian Hardyman at the link below.

From davidould.net”

“In a tremendously brave move Vaughan Roberts, rector of St Ebbe’s, Oxford, and a prominent leader amongst English evangelicals has announced that he experiences same-sex attraction and yet he remains celibate since this is the clear teaching of Scripture.

It’s helpful for background to understand that in the Church of England, in which Vaughan is an ordained minister, we have had increasing interventions by theological liberals over this issue, advocating for the acceptance of homosexuality in general and the blessing of same-sex relationships. Vaughan’s statement and interview ought to be read not least as a contribution to that debate.

Vaughan has issued the following press release,

In the preface to a new edition of my book “Battles Christians Face”, which features eights areas of struggle, including homosexuality, I write that, to a greater or lesser degree, I face them all myself. Close family and friends have known for a considerable time that I experience same sex attraction. None of the issues in the book define me. As a single man I am celibate, because I believe the Bible teaches that the right context for sex is only in marriage between a man and a woman.

My motivation for writing the preface and answering the questions in the interview in “Evangelicals Now” is pastoral. I believe there is value in a greater openness to talk about these issues in evangelical churches. I hope to encourage those who experience same sex attraction and yet believe that fulness of life is to be found in Christ and holding to his teaching. Singleness can be challenging at times, but I have many good friends, and a loving family, and I thank God for the blessings and opportunities it offers.”

Continue reading here: David Ould’s Blog Post

Full interview by Julian Hardyman here with more questions and answers

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Sermon of the Week – Crisis of Faith and the Goodness of God by Brian Borgman

Crisis of Faith and the Goodness of God – Part 1 of 4

by Pastor Brian Borgman.

If we haven’t had a Crisis of Faith yet in our walk with God, we will someday. Pastor Brian addresses the heartache and struggles in this encouraging and edifying 4 part sermon series from Psalm 73. Enjoy Part 1 of 4 as this week’s Sermon of the Week.

Play MP3 for Crisis of Faith – Part 1 of 4

Download MP3

Pastor Brian’s Church: Grace Nevada

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The Mormon Moment? Religious Conviction and the 2012 Election

To vote or not to vote…that is the question. At least it has been the question at Defending. Contending. for many months now. We have all discussed whether a Christian should or can vote for a Mormon candidate…or if we should or can vote for a pro-abortion, pro-gay marriage candidate, or if we should just stay home and not vote at all. Previous articles: Mormon President?, Vote for Mormon?

I don’t have a solution for the good readers of DefCon, as this is split along many different lines of conviction. However, I do offer this interesting video of a round table discussion at Southern Seminary this week. The title tells the story:

“The Mormon Moment? Religious Conviction and the 2012 Election”

The roundtable discussion features Albert Mohler, Russell Moore, Greg Gilbert, and Mark Coppenger. This video contributes to the conversation and helps each of us think through the issue from several angles. The panel discusses what Mormonism is, where they have appeal to our society, how it is a false gospel, and what impact a Mormon President of the USA might have on the world stage.

 

(you may have to press “play” twice)

**** This video is in no way an endorsement for either candidate or an endorsement for not voting, but a contribution to the discussion.****

Southern Seminary Resources Website

Panel Discussion MP3 Download

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The Ultimate Act of Submission

Submission is a common theme in the Bible. At times it is interpreted improperly, causing a reaction of repulsion in many. Does the title of this article make your stomach turn a little? This is a theme we must explore.

Is submission only about wives submitting to husbands as Paul commands in Chapter 5 of his letter to the Ephesians? Do you immediately see that domineering husband pounding his fist on the table calling his wife to submit? I hope you’ll readily agree that there is so much more to submission than just wives submitting to husbands, but often this is the only picture non-Christians have of Biblical submission. I want to propose to you that there is a form of submission – the ultimate act of submission – that makes Christians unique in the world.

Even the words “submit” and “submission” have such a negative connotation in the world today. They carry a negative connotation because the concept (or misconception) stomps on our self-centered independent spirit. We don’t WANT to submit, because we are self-sufficient, self-reliant, self-righteous, self-centered, selfish…it is all about us – me, myself, and I. We reject the idea of submitting to another, even if we don’t admit it, the reaction is tucked deep into our hearts.  How can I submit to another when my focus is locked like a tractor beam on ME!?! I don’t have to submit to anyone else, some might say. I am free and independent.

Are we free and independent? Or are we to submit to something greater? So, what is the ULTIMATE act of submission for all of mankind?

We know we are to submit to the Government and authorities that God has put over us (1 Pet 2:13-17, Rom 13:1-7). This is beautiful and gospel centered, but not the ultimate act of submission.

Children are to submit to their parents (Eph 6:1-3). This is beautiful and gospel centered, but not the ultimate act of submission.

Slaves are to submit to masters…or more realistic today, employees are to submit to employers (Eph 6:5-8). This is beautiful and gospel centered, but not the ultimate act of submission.

Wives are to submit to their own husbands (Eph 5:22-23). This is beautiful and gospel centered, but not the ultimate act of submission.

As believers, we are all to submit to each other (Eph 5:20-21). This is beautiful and gospel centered, but not the ultimate act of submission.

Husbands are to submit to Christ (Eph 5:23-33). This is beautiful and gospel centered, but not the ultimate act of submission.

We must do all these. Its not negotiable. But there is still something greater. If all these Biblical commands are not the ULTIMATE act of submission, what is?

Prayer.

Man giving into dependency on his creator is the ULTIMATE act of submission. Simply praying.

Prayer is the ultimate act of submission for mankind because it forces us to look away from self and look to another in dependency. We must set our self-sufficiency and self-reliance down in the hallway before entering the prayer room to face our maker and find sufficiency in HIM and reliance on Him and dependence on HIM.

Jesus tells us: “But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” (Matthew 6:6 ESV)

You get no fame when praying in secret. You get no accolades from those who hear when praying in public like the Pharisees. It can’t be an act. I’m not talking about public prayer, which is often a time when we show off and pray so men can hear us. I’m talking about the secret really prayer. It must be true submission to our God. We find yourself face-to-face with God in the Throne Room of Heaven and faced with the decision to submit to Him or to treat Him as our cosmic vending machine. Do we face Him and pray for what we want and then expect God provide because He is submissive to US? Or do we fall on our face in desperate reliance on the one who holds the stars in the sky (Heb 1:1-3)?

What does it look like for you? Is prayer for you just a chore or a laundry list of wants delivered as fast as possible? Or is prayer a time when you fall on your Abba, Father in complete reliance, dependency, worship, joy, and conversation. Is prayer cold and distant? Brief and lacking passion? Or are your regularly moved to tears and daily plead with God for His mercy and grace? What does it look like for you?

Paul and the other writers of the New Testament bring prayer to the forefront often with the following commands:

First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people… (1 Timothy 2:1 ESV)

Rom 12:12 – be in constant prayer
1 Cor 7:5 – devote yourself to prayer
2 Cor 1:11 – help us by prayer
Eph 6:18 – praying at all times in the spirit
Phil 4:6 – don’t be anxious…but in everything by prayer
Col 4:2 – continue steadfastly in prayer
1 Thes 5:17 – pray without ceasing
2 Thes 3:1 – pray for us
Heb 13:18 – pray for us
Jam 5:13 – if anyone is suffering…let them pray
Jude 1:20 – building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit
Rev 5:8 and 8:3 – we see the prayers of the saints in heaven

And from the Gospels:

Mat 6:5 – and when you pray you must not be like the hypocrites
Mat 6:9 – Pray like this…our Father
Mat 21:22 – and whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive
Luke 6:28 – pray for those that abuse you
Luke 10:2 – therefore pray earnestly to the lord of the harvest to send out laborers
Luke 22:40 – pray that you will not enter into temptation

Obviously Jesus, who was obedient and submissive to the Father, prayed in secret as our example. Jesus made prayer a priority:

Mathew 14:23 – And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray.
Mark 1:35 – And rising very early in the morning, while it was still dark, he departed and went out to a desolate place, and there he prayed.
Mark 6:45-46 – Immediately he made his disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, to Bethsaida, while he dismissed the crowd. And after he had taken leave of them, he went up on the mountain to pray.
Mark 14:32 – And they went to a place called Gethsemane. And he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”
Luke 6:12 – In these days he went out to the mountain to pray, and all night he continued in prayer to God.

Prayer is the air that the Christian must breath. If we come with a laundry list of wants and desires and not with a heart of true and complete submission, are we even praying at all? If we come self-reliant and self-sufficient, have we really come at all? I doubt it. How can we enter the Throne Room of Heaven with anything less than hearts on fire?

If we were faced with what Isaiah saw in his vision of the Lord on the throne in Isaiah 6, would we pray the same way we pray every day? Or would we respond as Isaiah did, “Woe is me, for I am a man of unclean lips!”  We need to get on our knees and prostrate in full submission and hear from our LORD.

Prayer is the ultimate act of submission for mankind, and I say mankind because there was another form of submission that has already been fulfilled. It is the true one and only holy and righteous act of submission that was fulfilled by Jesus Christ on the cross. God himself, in the form of man, equal to God but stripped of his majesty and glory was submissive to the Father to the point of death on the cross (Phil 2:5-8) having been made to be the sins of the elect adopted children of God (2 Cor 5:21). The Son of God submitted to the full punishment and death for all the sins of his adopted siblings. This can never be duplicated and will never be repeated because it is finished. Finished in Christ, who submitted for us once and for all.

Are we able to submit to our God in the truest sense? To submit to Him through prayer? Or will we hold onto our self-sufficient, self-reliant, self-centered disbelief?

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Under New Management?

Have you ever had a favorite restaurant? One that just seemed to get everything right? The right menu, the right mix of flavors, the attitude of the employees, even the ambiance. When you walked in, you just felt right at home. Then one day, you drive up and you see the dreaded sign, the one that says “Under New Management.” You might approach with a bit of apprehension, but you figure, “Hey, it can’t be that bad right? I doubt they changed everything…did they?” But when you get inside, everything was different! The decor was different, the employees were different, even the menu was completely changed! It may have had the same name on the outside, but it wasn’t the same restaurant anymore. I have to imagine that the readers of this blog might be feeling that apprehension right now, so let me try to relieve some of that concern.

When Pilgrim brought me on about a year ago, I was truly humbled and blessed to be a part of this blog. I was a part time blogger who managed to eek out a couple dozen hits a month with articles about the gospel and about evangelism. Pilgrim took the time to read what I had written and offered me a spot with the Defending Contending crew. Since that time, I have been greatly encouraged and blessed by the those who have read my articles. And while I could never hope to match the quantity and quality of some of our writers, I was thrilled to be a part of something that brought glory to God.

Earlier this month, Pilgrim advised me of his intent to step down from running this blog. Like many of you, I’m sure, I was stunned. But what shocked me even more was his request that I take the reigns of the blog! Me, a contributor with only one year under his belt, and only a fraction of the articles posted that others had done! I was humbled beyond words. After much prayerful consideration, I accepted Pilgrim’s gracious offer to helm the site and prayed that in doing so it would bring glory to our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

So that is how we got from there to here. What happens next? Does the menu get changed, the decor thrown out, a total and complete overhaul? No, not exactly. I have no intention of doing any kind of dramatic change over in the flow and content of Defending Contending. Readers of this blog appreciate the biblical, gospel centeredness that the contributors of this blog have brought to a wide variety of topics. Additionally, this blog’s willingness to openly address false teachers and teachings in a time where everyone wants to “play nice” has been a staple that I believe has always been appreciated. I intend to see that these things continue as they always have done.

But there is one thing that I simply must admit. I am not Pilgrim, nor can I ever hope to replace him. He has been a tireless servant of the Lord, bringing numerous articles to the site. While his articles will always remain on this site, his presence will greatly be missed. Anyone who has ever read my articles knows that my writing style and my content is different from Pilgrim’s. He has often spent much time digging into the false teachers and the cults, much to all of our benefit. However, my passion has been in the realm of evangelizing the lost and edifying the church so that they may fulfill the Great Commission. That being said, I intend to keep writing as I have been, albeit more consistently than I did before. Simply by the absence of Pilgrim’s writings and a more consistent effort of my own, some noticeable change in the flow and content will be noticed. Additionally, I may try to recruit new writers to help this site continue to grow and reach as many people with the gospel as possible. If the Lord allows this, each writer will bring his or her unique gifts to this blog and, over time, there may be noticeable changes. But as I said before, I have no intention of overhauling what we have already established here. I desire for Defending Contending to remain a light shining in the darkness of this world. I pray God continues to use us to point everyone to Jesus Christ and Him alone.

I thank Pilgrim for bringing me on with this team. I am grateful to my fellow contributors who have graciously allowed me to add my meager two cents here. I am blessed that you readers have read, commented on and even shared my articles. And most of all, I am grateful to my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ who, twelve years ago, opened my eyes to the depth and depravity of my sin. Who condescended to save me from the judgment to come. And who today has opened the door to an undeserving wretch to be a light in this world, to be used on this blog and in other venues to preach His glorious gospel of grace.

If you all will have me, I look forward to serving you and our common Savior in the days to come. Thank you.

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Things I have learned: The Total Depravity of Man

Over Memorial Day weekend of this year, my wife and I became emergency foster parents. I won’t divulge any details about them or the situation. Suffice it to say, since taking them into our custody, we have had to move to a larger home, and incur much financial difficulty. But that isn’t the point of this post. There are some things I have seen in these children (and the entire situation) that make very vivid illustrations of things we have been saying here on this blog (and elsewhere).  I will begin with the total depravity of man.

One of the children is a little girl who has (quite literally) never been told “No.” Everything she has ever wanted has simply been given to her. And she has never had to go through anything that was the least stressful or inconvenient. So she has never had to face disappointment, and she has never had to endure loss. All she ever had to do was cry and throw a tantrum, and she got whatever it was she wanted. So when a situation arises and she must go through something like separation from her siblings, she would cry and drool and throw herself on the floor and lose her mind—all because she never had to endure hardship.

What does this have to do with man’s depravity? Only everything. You see, this child was born with the same problem you and I were born with: she was born with a spirit that was only concerned with one thing, and that is pleasing itself. Think back to the 1980’s, the hit song from the British rock group Queen—“I want it all. I want it all. I want it all. And I want it”—when?—“I want it now.” We want it all. Everything we see, we want. And we don’t ever want to do anything we don’t want to do. And when we don’t get what we want, or we have to do something we don’t want to do, we throw a spiritual hissy fit. We may not cry and throw ourselves on the ground like this little girl, but we, in our spirit, buck up against God because we didn’t get our way. We are the king of our domain, and we’re gonna do and get what we want. Wasn’t that the desire of Lucifer, the brightest of all the angels? Isaiah 14:13-14—“13 I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God; I will also sit on the mount of the congregation On the farthest sides of the north; 14 I will ascend above the heights of the clouds, I will be like the Most High.” Boy is that us or what? “I will do whatever I want to do, and I don’t care who gets in my way, I’ll run them over if I have to.”

Why? Because we think we deserve everything we want. And it is precisely that desire that brings forth sin. James 1:14-15—14 But each one is tempted when he is drawn away by his own desires and enticed. 15 Then, when desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death. It is only our desire that is to blame for sin and death. When we want something, we will do whatever we have to do in order to get it. And if that desire is not turned toward God, and if that heart remains separated from Christ, then the end of that man is death, what John calls the “second death” (Revelation 2:11, 20:6, 20:14, 21:8). James says, in another section, James 4:1—Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? Again, we see the reason for any sin, no matter how grievous—up to and including beginning a war—is our desire for what we want. We want it, and we will kill anyone we have to in order to obtain it. Instead of asking God. If we seek the Lord, He will give us the desire for the things of God. But we don’t. we don’t want to. So we go about seeking the things that please us in ways that leave God out of the picture. “I want what I want, and I don’t want no God telling me I can’t have it! If He won’t let me have it, then…well…I’ll do it my way!” Does that last part sound familiar?

And it is these desires that rule in our hearts from the time we are born. Listen, no one has to teach a child how to disobey mom and dad. Did you ever have to sit your 6-month old down and say, “Now son, here is how you disobey me”? Of course that’s silly, but that is how silly it sounds when people say that man is not totally depraved from birth! Put two infants in the same room together, put ONE toy in between them and stand back and watch what happens. They don’t race to see who can share that toy with the other first. They’ll fight and tug over that toy, and 9 times out of 10 the one who gets the toy makes sure the other one gets the toy—right upside their head! This is nothing new; this goes all the way back to the earliest times in man’s history. After the flood waters resided, we read in Genesis 8:21—Then the LORD said in His heart, “…the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth…” And if that heart is not guided toward thinking of others—and especially toward God—then that heart will simply grow colder to others and more distant to God. It takes discipline to change a child’s heart. If that child is not corrected, that child will grow up thinking the world owes him everything he wants, and if the world doesn’t give it to him, he’ll take it any way he can get it. Solomon said in Proverbs 22:15—Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; the rod of correction will drive it far from him. Matthew Henry said this—

“We have here two very sad considerations: – 1. That corruption is woven into our nature. Sin is foolishness; it is contrary both to our right reason and to our true interest. It is in the heart; there is an inward inclination to sin, to speak and act foolishly. It is in the heart of children; they bring it into the world with them; it is what they were shapen and conceived in. It is not only found there, but it is bound there; it is annexed to the heart (so some); vicious dispositions cleave closely to the soul, are bound to it as the cion to the stock into which it is grafted, which quite alters the property. There is a knot tied between the soul and sin, a true lover’s knot; they two became one flesh. It is true of ourselves, it is true of our children, whom we have begotten in our own likeness. O God! thou knowest this foolishness. 2. That correction is necessary to the cure of it. It will not be got out by fair means and gentle methods; there must be strictness and severity, and that which will cause grief. Children need to be corrected, and kept under discipline, by their parents; and we all need to be corrected by our heavenly Father (Heb_12:6, Heb_12:7), and under the correction we must stroke down folly and kiss the rod.”

Man is depraved from birth. The Bible is very explicitly clear on this. And if that foolishness that is bound up in your child’s heart isn’t driven out, then you will wind up with a delinquent and a criminal headed for prison at best, or a lost sinner headed for Hell at worst.

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Tony Miano’s “Cross Encounters” is now on Blog Talk Radio

The confused looking man in the picture is your’s truly as I maintained the call screen switchboard for Tony Miano’s new Internet radio program, “Cross Encounters.” We have written about Mr. Miano, who authors a blog by the same “Cross Encounters” name, previously on this site, and I must say it is an honor and a privilege to work with him on this new endeavor.

I met Tony three years ago via Living Waters evangelism training program. We had previously talked online due to my seeking him out because of our mutual backgrounds and my desire to learn a truly biblical presentation of the gospel. Tony was instrumental in bringing me to the Ambassadors’ Academy, a three day intensive training program for street evangelists. And while that program is no longer in operation, many street evangelists can thank Tony Miano directly for his passion, his determination and his devotion to biblical evangelism which he has passed on to them. I count myself blessed to consider him a mentor and friend.

Recently, due to the poor economic times, Living Waters had to lay off several employees and Tony was one of those among them. While this was truly sad for all involved, Tony has not ceased his efforts to continue preaching the gospel and encouraging others to do the same. By God’s grace, Tony was able to be part of an evangelism effort in London during the Olympic Games, from which he just recently returned. Additionally, he has started an internet radio program called “Cross Encounters,” of which he says, “Cross Encounters Radio will air every Sunday evening, 6-8 PM (PST). The show will focus on the glorification of Christ and the proclamation of His gospel. We will tackle current events and ongoing social issues through the lens of a Christian worldview. We will have guests on the program: authors, bloggers, apologists, pastors, teachers, evangelists, and whoever else we think would help Christians to grow in their love for Christ and the knowledge of His Word. We won’t shy away from hot-button topics, whether they are social or theological. And false teachers will not find our program a safe place to hide. We won’t allow any elephants in the room.”

I was humbled and blessed, and a bit shocked, when Tony extended an invite (more like a very less than subtle hint) for me to join him as the official “sidekick” on this program. After about 5 seconds of thought (can you tell this was a difficult decision) I enthusiastically accepted. As I was not near my house when this happened, there was a bit of logistics involved (part of which involved borrowing my dad’s office for two hours). Additionally, I had to learn the switchboard so I could screen calls and monitor the chat room. Thankfully, Blog Talk Radio makes these fairly user friendly!

During our first program, Tony and fellow evangelist, Bobby McCreery, discussed the recent Olympics outreach, they played audio clips in which they talked with YWAM members in London who were not preaching a true gospel message, as well as one of Tony’s open air messages, and took calls from listeners. We had over two hundred listeners for our first program and are thrilled at some of the responses. I encourage you to listen in live, or even download the weekly podcasts to listen to and share. Please help us to make this program a blessing to the Lord and to reach people with the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.

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Quotes (944)

http://allenmickle.files.wordpress.com/2007/06/packer.jpg

There is, then, available in this world a sure message from God, tried and true, unfailing and unchanging, and it needs to be proclaimed so that all may know it. The messenger who delivers it will have the dignity of being God’s spokesman and ambassador. Nor self-aggrandizement or self-advertisement is involved, for the messenger neither invents his message nor asks for attention in his own name. He is a minister – that is, a servant – of God, of Christ, and of the Word. He is a steward of God’s revealed mysteries, called not to be brilliant and original but diligent and faithful (1 Cor 4:1-2). Yet to be God’s messenger – to run His errands, act as His courier, and spend one’s strength making Him known – is the highest honor that any human being ever enjoys. The servant’s dignity derives fro the dignity of his employer, and the work he is set to do.

– James Inell Packer

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How Dare You Keep Me Accountable to That!

ACCOUNTABILITY
Accountability is a funny thing. When we become Christians we eventually come around to knowing that we need accountability. More often, however, we make it our priority to get really good at holding others accountable. We are very serious and committed to the accountability of others regarding their faith, their witness, and their obedience. From time to time our friends will come to us and return the favor and it is very difficult to accept. It is never easy to be on the receiving end of the accountability stick.

In all our efforts to ensure our loved ones (and acquaintances…and total strangers) are toeing the proverbial Christian line, I believe that we routinely miss the 2 most important Christ-like behaviors. In all our zeal and good intentions, there are 2 areas to which we never call others to account. I want to focus on these 2 traits that Christ exhibited that truly require our utmost attention in holding ourselves and others accountable. Bear with me as I put the microscope on each of us (author included) and shoot very close to home here. I expect this to sting a bit because it stung greatly as it was revealed to me. We are very quick to call others to account, but are we holding them accountable for what is really important?

**Disclaimer – this article is directed towards our efforts in the accountability of others and not targeting our personal convictions. Many may hold strong convictions in the areas listed below, which I do not intend to criticize in any way. My concern is strictly with what we are missing in our accountability. **

As we sit back and ponder the ways to which we can leave our mark on the accountability factor for all those we know, we must think of the most Christ-like traits…several come to mind immediately:

1. Accountability to how we dress and modest feminine clothing.
2. Accountability to what we watch on TV and the music we listen to.
3. Accountability to having a TV at all!
4. Accountability to what preachers we listen to…or who that preacher has associated with at one time.
5. Accountability to proper doctrine!
6. Accountability toward homeschooling, women in the workplace, who we vote for, holidays we do or don’t celebrate, how much we give and where we give.
7. You name it and we will keep you accountable to it!

We are so good at calling these out when we see it. Are we definitely getting towards Christ-likeness with these? Are these common topics bringing the beauty of Christ to mind? I must say, they do not. Do these things really jump out as the Christ-like traits? They do not. Are these the behaviors that really resemble Christ? Are these the behaviors that our sanctification is leading to? Sanctification is the process of squeezing us through the meat grinder so that when we come out the other side we look more like Christ. Is this what it looks like? I think not. Each of these may require accountability as will drugs, alcohol, sexual impurity, and lying. But we are still missing 2 huge ones that are vital to our witness.

CHRIST-LIKENESS
So, what are we missing? We are so quick to hold others accountable, yet we miss these. I propose that the 2 traits most Christ-like requiring an increase in attention for accountability are:

1. Demonstrating humility.
2. Loving one another.

1. Humility: Was Christ humble? Yes – infinitely so! In Philippians 2:5-9 we see that Christ humbled Himself by leaving his glory in Heaven and emptying Himself to be in the form of a servant – a human. He had to be come nothing to be like us. He was humble to the point of obedience in death on the cross. Christ was infinitely humble. In Zechariah 9:9 it was prophesied that He was to come humble, on a donkey. He didn’t come like the king that He is, with an entourage, trumpets, majestic horses, and great fanfare. He came on a donkey, lowly and humble, a man of no reputation.This is a Christ-like trait that we should be demonstrating as Christians. We should be known as humble. Is that our reputation? Is this one of the things that people say of you?

Now, with focusing on humility, I don’t mean that we need to be humble when we come to hold others accountable on the laundry list above. I mean we need to HOLD others accountable to being humble! We need to come to our brothers and sisters and encourage them to be like Christ – lowly, humble, gentle, and kind in all things…even in our strong and bold defense of the gospel.

Paul, James, and Peter get in the act as well in 1 Corinthians 10:1, James 4:6-10, and 1 Peter 3:8, 5:5-6, where we are told to humble ourselves, be tenderhearted, like Christ who was meek and gentle. “A bruised reed He will not break, and a faintly burning wick He will not extinguish.” (Isaiah 42:3)

Are we urging each other to be humble? Are we stirring each other up towards humility? Are we seeking a humble spirit? Christ was humble and we should be humble. We need help being humble since it is contrary to the sinful pride and arrogance buried deep in our hearts.

2. Love: Was Christ Loving? Yes, of course, infinitely so! This is a touchy subject, however, because talking about Christ and His love can quickly brand you as a liberal with no backbone. I address this below. One of our tenants is “I love you enough to tell you the truth.” This is admirable in many many cases and horrendously unloving in many others. Do we sense the balance and do we see the line enough to not cross over it like a bull in a china shop? The line – the distinction – is defined by trait number 1. If we approach others with humility and true love for that person then it will be profitable. If we approach them in pride and arrogance then we are just hiding behind the word LOVE while we feed the self-righteous monster inside us. Do we truly demonstrate the Christ-like love we are called to?

Again, I’m not speaking of holding others accountable to the laundry list above in a loving way, I’m talking about HOLDING others accountable to love one another. We must love one another as followers of Christ.

All the laws and commandments are boiled down to two: Love God will all your heart, and love your neighbor as yourself (Mat 22:34-40). The commandments come down to truly loving our neighbor. In John’s first epistle, he summarizes a long passage about love by stating that this is what we were commanded: “believe in the Lord Jesus and love one-another.” (1 John 3:22-24). We are commanded to love one another. Why is this overarching commandment the one least discussed? I suggest a reason below.

Are we seeking a spirit of love towards one another? Are we stepping out of our obsession with ourselves long enough to actually love one another? Are we calling each other to love? Are we holding each other accountable: a) in love, and b) to love? Are we placing love for one another as the primary commandment and law between mankind where it belongs?  We should be. We need helping in loving one-another. We have to stop loving ourselves if we are to love one-another.

YOU LIBERAL
How dare you hold me accountable to that! Shouldn’t we be bold with the truth? Yes, if you can do it in a Christ-like manner with love and humility. Don’t we have a responsibility to call out the unrepentant sin, false doctrine, and immodesty? Yes, if we can do it in a Christ-like manner with love and humility. I can hear some shouting and the computer screen, “That’s weak! That is classic liberal, touchy feeling, God is love, ecumenical, mumbo jumbo!” Or, maybe you aren’t vocalizing it but if we are honest, those of us in the fundamental and reformed camp must admit that we cringe at the “God is love” crowd and the “peace and love” crowd. Isn’t this all for the hippy Jesus freaks and the ecumenical crowd? If we are honest, our impulse is to recoil from the suggestion that we must hold each other accountable to Humility and Love as the utmost importance.

But, let’s not recoil. Instead let’s make our greatest desire to be Christ-like. Let’s give into the sanctification process and let our attitudes be conformed into the image of Christ who was infinitely humble and infinitely loving. He commanded us to love. These concepts aren’t owned by the emergent church and Rob Bell. Love and humility is owned by Christ! He is the founder of such things. Take it back. Let us be known as those who are truly humble and truly love one-another…even our enemies and those who disagree with us.

If we want to be like Christ, we must humble ourselves in the form of a servant and to the point of death, while loving one another preemptively and sacrificially to the point of death.

We need to help each other in this.

Let’s together hold each other accountable to be more like Jesus.

by

The Fall of the United States of Rome. (Repost)

Martin Lloyd-Jones (1899-1981) offers a sobering warning from the grave:

“If the West goes down and is defeated, it will be for one reason only: internal rot. . . . If we continue to spend our lives in jollification, doing less and less work, demanding more and more money, more and more pleasure and so-called happiness, more and more indulgence of the lusts of the flesh, with a refusal to accept our responsibilities, there is but one inevitable result—complete and abject failure. Why did the Goths and Vandals and other barbarians conquer the ancient Roman Empire? Was it by superior military power? Of course not! Historians know that there is only one answer: the fall of Rome came because of the spirit of indulgence that had invaded the Roman world—the games, the pleasures, the baths. The moral rot that had entered into the heart of the Roman Empire was the cause of Rome’s ‘decline and fall.’ It was not superior power from the outside, but internal rot that was Rome’s ruination. And the really alarming fact today is that we are witnessing a similar declension in this and most other Western countries. This slackness, this indiscipline, the whole outlook and spirit is characteristic of a period of decadence. The pleasure mania, the sports mania, the drink and drug mania have gripped the masses.”