Apologetics

by

Really? Are these products necessary?

Here’s the product description of this Bible designed to dumb down and trivialize God’s Word for kids.

Let this family of adorable bruins introduce your little cubs to God’s Word!Color pages featuring favorite Berenstain Bears characters * Complete NIrV written at third grade level * Book introductions * Dictionary * Reading plan * Presentation page * For early readers ages 4 to 7 * Size: 5.5″ x 8.5″ x 1.75″ * 2048 pages, hardcover from Zonderkidz

I wonder how kids ever learned the Bible for the past two thousand years before the Berenstain Bears came along.

And after your little ones grow up (in age, not in godly maturity) you can ween them off Bible stories told by silly bears as you introduce them to r father n hvn: up 2 d8 txts frm d bible.

Here’s the product description:

“T8st & C dat d Lord is good! Psalm 34:8.” Message your friends with these cryptic biblical texts. Includes a dictionary of abbreviations and symbols; brief summaries of books of the Bible; insights into the Ten Commandments and the Beatitudes; and more. 144 pages, softcover from Westminster John Knox.

And here is how the publisher describes the book:

Ride the next wave of electronic communication! This book is a collection of “up 2 d8 txts frm d bible,” guaranteed to get you and your text-messaging friends laughing as well as reflecting on “d word” as never before Included are text messages sent from around the world to the ship-of-fools.com website and complemented throughout by Simon Jenkins’ witty cartoons.

Do you still ponder what’s wrong with the church in the West?

by

Examining the evidence of Mormonism.

Two former Mormons explain the evidence they discovered that led them out of Mormonism and into Christianity in this eleven-part video from the John Ankerberg Show.

One:

Continue reading →

by

Did King David have to pay for his sin in Hell?

In recent years Mormonism has been trying very hard to appear as if they are Christians (a far cry from historic Mormonism who openly opposed biblical Christianity), and due to Mormonism’s great PR, many folks have bought this lie, believing that Mormonism is just another branch or denomination of Christianity (a recent example can be seen here).

But anyone who takes the time to study what Mormonism actually teaches and believes (and who knows the biblical doctrines of the Christian faith) is well aware that nothing could be farther from the truth. Christianity and Mormonism are not compatible. Mormonism preaches another gospel with another Christ; neither of which can save.

There are many examples that can be cited of the great chasm of theology between biblical Christianity and Mormonism, but today I wanted to bring your attention to Mormonism’s version of the unforgivable sin, the concept of Mormon purgatory, and Mormonism’s doctrine of Blood Atonement.

Simply put, the LDS doctrine of Blood Atonement teaches that some sins a man commits cannot be cleansed by the shed blood of Christ and that man has to shed his own blood (die) in order to atone for that sin (as if man’s own blood is of greater value and is more efficacious in washing away sin than that of the Son of God).

Although this post is not primarily about Mormonism’s doctrine of Blood Atonement, being acquainted with it will help you better understand the concept of Mormon purgatory as well as their version of the unforgivable sin. You can find out more about the Mormon doctrine of Blood Atonement here: The Mormon doctrine of Blood Atonement as taught by Brigham Young and here: The Doctrine of Blood Atonement as taught by the Mormon organization.

Roman Catholicism is credited with creating the  fictional place between Heaven and Hell called purgatory which they claim is where sinners burn off (atone for) their sins. In reality it was just a way to make more money for Rome. Mormonism, on the other hand, did not invent a new place of torment or suffering, they just employ Hell itself as the place where some sinners pay for their sins.

Where Mormonism’s Blood Atonement leaves off with the sinner paying for his sin on earth, Mormon purgatory picks up in the afterlife.

The following excerpts come from Spencer W. Kimball (the twelfth president, prophet, seer, and revelator of the Mormon church) from chapter nine of his book The Miracle of Forgiveness. After seeing what Mormonism teaches about forgiveness, you’ll wonder what’s so miraculous about it.

From Page 127:

The murderer denies himself salvation in the celestial kingdom, and in this sense he cannot be forgiven for his crime.

So there’s no forgiveness for murderers? Try to find that in Scripture.

From Page 128:

Another scriptural character responsible for murder-and this in conjunction with adultery-was the great King David. For his dreadful crime, all his life afterward he sought forgiveness. Some of the Psalms portray the anguish of his soul, yet David is still paying for his sin.

The Prophet Joseph Smith underlined the seriousness of the sin of murder for David as for all men, and the fact that there is no forgiveness for it. “A murderer, for instance, one that sheds innocent blood, cannot have forgiveness. David sought repentance at the hand of God carefully with tears, for the murder of Uriah; but he could only get it through hell: he got a promise that his soul should not be left in hell.”

Wow! According to Mormonism David is still paying for His sin and he’s in Hell clinging to the promise that eventually he’ll get out because God won’t leave him there forever?

From Page 129:

Man’s mortal life is given him in which to repent and prepare himself for eternity, and should one of his fellowmen terminate his life and thus limit his progress by making his repentance impossible, it would be a ghastly deed, a tremendous responsibility for which the murderer might not be able to atone in his lifetime.

Since when does man atone for any of his own sins? Atonement for sin is what Christ–the spotless Lamb of God–came to earth to accomplish. If man could do it then there would be no need for a Savior.

From Page 131:

Even unpardonable sins should be repented of. The murderer does not have eternal life abiding in him, but a merciful God will grant to every soul adequate rewards for every good deed he does. God is just. He will compensate for every effort to do good, to repent, to overcome sin. Even the murderer is justified in repenting and mending his ways and building up a credit balance in his favor.

Man does not build up his own credit balance. He is incapable of doing such a feat. This is why Christ died, in order to remove our sin and credit His righteousness to us (2 Corinthians 5:21).

As if this wasn’t enough to send you running, on this same page (131) Kimball quoted Joseph Smith when he said that murderers “could not be baptized for the remission of sins, for they had shed innocent blood.” Then Kimball quoted Doctrines & Covenants 42:18 when he said “Thou shalt not kill; and he that kills shall not have forgiveness in this world, nor in the world to come.“

So, according to Mormon theology, not only would King David have to suffer in Hell to atone for his sin of murder, but so would the likes of Moses and the Apostle Paul (and they still would not receive forgiveness). Apparently the Apostle Paul was unaware of this minor detail because he was under the (inspired) assumption that “to be absent from the body is to be with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8)
and “to live is Christ and to die is gain”  (Philippians 1:21).

And lest you think you’re safe because you’ve never murdered anyone, remember that Jesus equated being angry with your brother to that of murder; both being in danger of the judgment (Matthew 5:21-22).

The Mormon teaching that some sinners are outside the realm of Christ’s atonement and God’s forgiveness is not only completely foreign to the Bible but the Mormon doctrine of Blood Atonement and the idea that murderers cannot be forgiven but must seek repentance while in Hell is utterly blasphemous, for it ascribes to the sinner’s suffering and shed blood a purity and cleansing power that Christ’s suffering and shed blood was supposedly insufficient to provide.

There is only one transgression that the Bible clearly expresses that will not be forgiven, and it is the blasphemy of the Holy Spirit. Matthew 12:31-32 says:


Wherefore I say unto you, All manner of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven unto men: but the blasphemy against the Holy Ghost shall not be forgiven unto men. And whosoever speaketh a word against the Son of man, it shall be forgiven him: but whosoever speaketh against the Holy Ghost, it shall not be forgiven him, neither in this world, neither in the world to come.

Notice the Bible says that “all manner of sin” will be forgiven except “blasphemy against the Holy Ghost.” Mormonism has once again taken the liberty to add to and alter God’s perspicuous Word.

No sinner is ever justified before God or has their sins cleansed because they died or suffered for their own transgressions. Only sinners who have put their faith in Christ have had their sins removed by Him (Acts 10:43, Romans 5:2, 1 John 3:5), and they are saved from the wrath of God by the precious shed blood of Christ (Romans 5:9, 1 Peter 1;18-19) not by man’s shed blood nor by man suffering in purgatory or Hell.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9

__________________________________________________________

You can read Kimball’s The Miracle of Forgiveness online here.


by

Quotes (876)

Let us strive to know more and more, every year we live, our need of a mediator between ourselves and God. Let us seek more and more to realize that without a mediator our thoughts of God can never be comfortable, and the more clearly we see God the more uncomfortable we must feel. Above all, let us be thankful that we have in Jesus the very Mediator whose help our souls require, and that through Him we may draw near to God with boldness, and cast fear away. Out of Christ, God is a consuming fire. In Christ, He is a reconciled Father. Without Christ, the strictest moralist may well tremble, as he looks forward to his end. Through Christ, the chief of sinners may approach God with confidence, and feel perfect peace.

– J. C. Ryle

1816 – 1900

HT: JC Ryle Quotes

by

Sermon of the week: “The Rise and Fall of the World” by John MacArthur.

John MacArthur Your sermon of the week is The Rise and Fall of the World by John MacArthur from his study in the book of Daniel.

The Rise and Fall of the World (Part 1)

The Rise and Fall of the World (Part 2)

The Rise and Fall of the World (Part 3)

by

Jehovah’s Witness Resources

Here are a few quick links to some solid information which, by God’s grace, you may use to share the Gospel of Grace with those JW’s who knock on your door on Saturday morning in order that Christ’s lost sheep who are trapped within the Kingdom of the Cults might be set free by the hearing of His mighty Word of power!

to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever.   Amen. – Jude 1:25

Image courtesy of aomin 

Jesus is Jehovah – Triablogue

Effective Verses to Show that Jesus IS Jehovah – Department of Christian Defense

The Deity of Jesus Christ – Department of Christian Defense

by

Mormon prophet lends credibility to a wild claim.

Mormonism is known for its tall tales: Claims of Quaker-like people living on the moon, people living on the sun, God living on the planet Kolob, spiritual vegetables, black skin being a sign that you’re cursed of God, or Joseph Smith’s claim that he was visited by two members of the Trinity in the secluded woods (depending, of course, on which version of his vision you actually believe).  

Then there’s this doosey from Spencer W. Kimball, the twelfth president, prophet, seer, and revelator of the Mormon church writing in his book The Miracle of Forgiveness (pages 127-128) about an encounter a fellow Mormon had with a still-living biblical character.

Meet 6,000+ year-old Cain:

On the sad character Cain, an interesting story comes to us from Lycurgus A. Wilson’s book on the life of David W. Patten. From the book I quote an extract from a letter by Abraham O. Smoot giving his recollection of David Patten’s account of meeting “a very remarkable person who had represented himself as being Cain.”

“‘As I was riding along the road on my mule I suddenly noticed a very strange personage walking beside me—. His head was about even with my shoulders as I sat in my saddle. He wore no clothing, but was covered with hair. His skin was very dark. I asked him where he dwelt and he replied that he had no home, that he was a wanderer in the earth and traveled to and fro. He said he was a very miserable creature, that he had earnestly sought death during his sojourn upon the earth, but that he could not die, and his mission was to destroy the souls of men. About the time he expressed himself thus, I rebuked him in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by virtue of the Holy Priesthood, and commanded him to go hence, and he immediately departed out of my sight . . . .”

by

Sermon of the week: “Thou Shalt Not Kill” by Phil Johnson.

Your sermon of the week is Thou Shalt Not Kill by Phil Johnson. This is the next installment of Johnson’s series on the Ten Commandments that is being featured on DefCon every other week as your Sermon of the Week (on Thursdays).

by

Quotes (873)

 Tragically, the many warnings given in the New Testament about spiritual deception are not taken seriously. People are so comfortable in their church or religion that they have no hunger for spiritual truth. Deluded by arrogance, they deny their ignorance of God’s Word. Many Christians have only a superficial knowledge of the Gospel. They know Jesus died for the sins of the world, but they don’t know why He had to, or why it pleased the Father to crush Him (Isa. 53:10).

– Mike Gendron

by

How an LDS faction is born.

In light of the question posed in Coram Deo’s recent post, and in light of this fictional article about a Mississippi farm boy claiming revelation that the LDS church is apostate, I offer for your listening pleasure an audio piece that you can stream (for free) or download (for a small fee) from the podcast This American Life about how a real faction/split from Mormonism occurs with all sides claiming inspiration, revelation, and heavenly visitations (just like Joseph Smith).

You can find the podcast here. (The part of interest is the first 22 minutes of the hour-long podcast.)

The reason this piece is relevant is because we so often hear the mantra from the Mormon camp that Christianity is false as evidenced by its denominations, while Mormonism is true because they’re one and united, without any splits, divisions, or denominations.

This, like so many other LDS claims, is simply not true. Mormonism is rife with splits and divisions. You can see them chronicled here: The Lie of LDS Unity.

by

Sermon of the week: “The Deity of Christ – An Examination of the Verses the Cults Use” by Charlie Campbell.

Your sermon of the week is one that defenders of the faith are going to love. The Deity of Christ – An Examination of the Verses the Cults Use by Charlie Campbell examines the eight most commonly used verses that Jehovah’s Witnesses employ to attack Christ’s deity. Campbell does a fantastic job of presenting the texts as the Jehovah’s Witnesses do (twisted and out of context), then he goes point by point as he dismantles each of their misrepresentations using the light of Scripture.

HT: The Atlantic Baptist

by

Quotes (871)

It is easier to hate than to love–and some of us may often find ourselves dangerously close to creating our own Ninevah. Perhaps the people that inhabit our “Ninevah” are abortionists, homosexuals, political enemies, cultists, or an ethnic group we are uncomfortable with. The question we must honestly consider is this: will our prejudice cause us, like Jonah, to be guilty of silence, or will we intentionally express the heart of God? Jonah chose silence and hate rather than obedience and love.

– David Sper

by

Samaritan Ministries endorsement.

I wanted to share with the readers of DefCon how thoroughly thrilled my wife and I are about Samaritan Ministries. As an alternative to the high cost of secular insurance companies (many of which fund practices opposed to Christianity), Samaritan Ministries helps Christian families cover medical expenses by use of a network of contributors (members).

Instead of paying a monthly insurance fee, your monthly contribution goes directly to an actual family in need. You receive the name, address, and need of the family assigned to you, then you send your designated share amount directly to that family (along with a card or note of encouragement if you wish). Other needs that are not publishable (meaning they are not covered by Samaritan Ministries) are advertised in the monthly newsletter and members can give to those needs if they choose.

In the event that you incur a medical expense, you simply submit your need to Samaritan Ministries and you receive checks (along with cards or notes of encouragement) from other members to cover your medical expenses. 

I wholeheartedly endorse this ministry and can speak first hand about the value and effectiveness of it. We’ve been members for over a year and have benefited twice: once when one of our children was having breathing problems requiring two separate trips to the E.R. and most recently when our youngest was born, Samaritan Ministries covered the entire cost of the midwifery services and all associated tests and bloodwork. It is virtually impossible to find an insurance company willing to cover maternity unless it is through an employer. Samaritan Ministries recognizes that children are a blessing and by covering maternity needs they don’t perpetuate the idea (directly or indirectly) that children are a burden (financially or otherwise).

Notable members of Samaritan Ministries include Doug Phillips and Voddie Baucham. Baucham offered this endorsement:

Coming into the whole Samaritan Ministries thing and not knowing how it worked, not understanding anything about it, and just really wondering…was terrifying. Then I turned around and watched how Samaritan took care of that whole need [for a fellow pastor’s son]. Samaritan members came along, helped them…the doctors were happy to work with them…it was after that I signed up.

I understand better now than I did before how corrupted medicine has become because of the insurance industry. We walk in and say we’re self-pay, and immediately they take 30, 40, 50 percent off the top. That’s just because all the markup that exists because of insurance and also because of Medicare. These doctors are so happy to not have to deal with all that stuff, that they pass those savings on to you.

When you’re going to the doctor’s office and all you have to do is pay the $10 co-pay, you’ll go for any little thing. Your sense of independence, your sense of trusting in the Lord, your sense of trying to take care of things and do preventative medicine-that goes out the window if the only thing you have to think about is that $10 co-pay, not realizing at all that by participating in that system, you’re actually contributing to these escalating prices.

We love it. I enjoy sitting down, writing my check to a family, feeling that I’m just directly partnering with them, partnering with that need, praying for them. It’s wonderful, and that has been helpful to us.

I encourage readers to check out this wonderful ministry of Christians helping Christians. You can learn more by going to their website:

http://www.samaritanministries.org/

Also check out their blog:

http://www.samaritanministries.org/blog/

And you can even find them on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/samaritanministries

You can also learn more about this incredible ministry for Believers by Believers by viewing this video:

by

Sermon of the week: “Honoring Authority” by Phil Johnson.

Your sermon of the week is Honoring Authority. This is part six of a fantastic series on The Ten Commandments by Phil Johnson. Look for the next installment in two weeks.

by

Slouching toward Soylent Green?

From One News Now from March 30, 2011:

According to a Florida-based pro-life organization, a biotech company is using aborted fetal cell lines to test food flavor enhancers.

Debi Vinnedge, executive director of Children of God for Life, is calling for a boycott of major food companies partnering with Senomyx, a San Diego-based firm that produces artificial flavor enhancers using aborted fetal cell lines to test their products. She explains the process.

“They take their artificial flavor enhancers, which are made using little molecules, and they put them on that aborted fetal cell line [which] elicits a response…,” says Vinnedge. “So they know whether they’re getting the right reaction, whether it’s going to produce that proper sweet taste as opposed to maybe another flavor.”

The pro-life activist argues there is no need to use aborted fetal tissue in this process, saying the truth is that Senomyx can use other cell lines, such as from animals. That, she says, raises the question of why those alternative sources are not used instead.

“…In one of their responses to us, [Nestlé] said this is such a well-established cell line that was used widely in scientific research — and so what? It doesn’t matter that it is. It’s just readily available,” she remarks.

The tissue in question comes from a baby aborted in the 1970s. Scientists create a cell line, freeze it in liquid nitrogen, and then take it out for use in their experiments.

The primary firms doing business with Senomyx are Pepsico, Kraft, Campbell Soup, and Nestlé.

A follow-up from One News Now from April 05, 2011 shows Cambell Soup is severing ties with the Senomyx, but Pepsico is standing firm:

Outrage continues over major food companies and their relationship with a firm that uses aborted fetal cells to test food flavor enhancers.

Campbell Soup, Nestlé, Solae, Pepsico and Kraft have been listed as partners with the bio-tech firm Senomyx (see earlier story). Debi Vinnedge, executive director of Children of God for Life, tells OneNewsNow one company was quick to respond.

“Campbell Soup actually met earlier and made the decision to sever all relations with Senomyx,” she reports. The firm has also been removed from the Senomyx website.

Solae has responded by saying it does not have an active relationship with Senomyx, but it is still listed as a partner on the latter’s website. Nestlé points out the fetal cell line being used worldwide is from a baby aborted in the 1970s, and it would be difficult to stop using them. The response from Vinnedge?

“Well, that’s ridiculous. Of course they can do it,” says the spokeswoman. “There’s no reason to use aborted fetal cell lines to test food additives.”

She adds that Pepsi was “very, very evasive” in its response. “Pepsi simply talked about how great it was going to make their beverages taste,” she states, “and that their goal was to reduce sugar and MSG in products.”

Vinnedge says the boycott continues against the remaining firms.

You can read the original alert to boycott these companies here, and you can read the e-mails to these companies (and their responses) here.

HT: RevivalAndReformation

by

Quotes (870)

The most terrifying words any professing Christian could ever hear would be the Lord Jesus declaring: “I never knew you, depart from me” (Mat. 7:23). On judgment day those words will be heard by many who once made professions of faith and claimed to be followers of Jesus. Yet very few evangelical leaders appear to be concerned.

– Mike Gendron

by

Sermon of the week: “Why Every Calvinist Should be a Premillennialist” by John MacArthur.

John MacArthur I was tempted to replace the image for this week’s speaker to that of a can of worms. Judging by the title of the sermon, you can imagine why.  Your sermon of the week (in six parts) is Why Every Calvinist Should Be a Premillennialist by John MacArthur.

I expect that this sermon will cause a stir in the comment thread, but based on MacArthur’s teaching in this series (backed up by copious amounts of Scripture), I don’t see how a postmill or amill position can stand. But, with that said, I am anxious to read the comments and will gladly check out any sermons or lectures that our postmill and amill readers wish to link to in an effort to learn more about this intriguing subject that, until just a few years ago, I never knew existed.

Why Every Calvinist Should Be a Premillennialist (Part 1)

Why Every Calvinist Should Be a Premillennialist (Part 2)

Why Every Calvinist Should Be a Premillennialist (Part 3)

Why Every Calvinist Should Be a Premillennialist (Part 4)

Why Every Calvinist Should Be a Premillennialist (Part 5)

Why Every Calvinist Should Be a Premillennialist (Part 6)
by

“Can we warn about a ravening wolf spiritually while simultaneously throwing an arm around him?”

That’s a fantastic question from a fantastic article recently posted by Worldview Weekend entitled:

Rick Warren’s Infiltration of the Reformed Faith

This is a must-read for everyone who’s concerned with what’s been happening lately in Reformed circles.

Here’s a quote from the article to whet your whistle:

“Rick Warren desires credibility and influence more than anything else, and he has been able to accomplish both over much of the religious landscape in America over the last decade. Some important holdouts have been the celebrity pastors of the Reformed book/conference circuit who were in stated opposition to him for his handling of Scripture and his man-centered, false gospel. All of that is changing quickly. What Rick Warren needed was to win over a leader whose status was great enough among Reformed evangelicals who could deliver the holdouts into his arms. He found such a man in John Piper. . . . Warren’s photo ops with Reformed leaders do nothing for the truth, and they do everything for Rick Warren’s relentless campaign for credibility and influence among those who should know better.”

Read the entire article from Worldview Weekend here.