The idea that the Christian message should be kept pliable and ambiguous seems especially attractive to young people who are in tune with the culture and in love with the spirit of the age and can’t stand to have authoritative biblical truth applied with precision as a corrective to worldly lifestyles, unholy minds, and ungodly behavior. And the poison of this perspective is being increasingly injected into the evangelical church body.
– John MacArthur
Your Wednesday sermon of the week is Biblical Womanhood by Voddie Baucham. This message is also very apropos to men (so don’t you guys think you can skip out on this week’s sermon).
And don’t forget to check out Baucham’s two messages on Biblical Manhood too.
We should often repeat to [our children] that God is so holy, and yet so gracious that, rather than He would on the one hand destroy man or on the other leave sin unpunished, He made His own Son a sacrifice for it, appointing Him to be humbled that we might be exalted, to die that we might live.
– Philip Doddridge
1702 – 1751
We’ve already seen what Mormonism has historically taught and believed about Christians (in spite of their current ecumenical, seeker-friendly image presented to the public). But what is the Mormon position on Islam, the religion of the sword? The following quotes may surprise you.
There had been men, doubtless many men in the various ages of the world, who had light and who had a degree of the Spirit of God. I believe myself that Mahomed, whom the Christians deride and call a false prophet and stigmatize with a great many epithets—I believe that he was a man raised up by the Almighty, and inspired to a certain extent by Him to effect the reforms which he did in his land, and in the nations surrounding. George Q. Cannon, 1883, Journal of Discourses, Volume 24 Page 371
The great religious leaders of the world such as Muhammad, Confucius, and the Reformers . . . received a portion of God’s light. Moral truths were given to them by God to enlighten whole nations and to bring a higher level of understanding to individuals. . . . Our message therefore is one of special love and concern for the eternal welfare of all men and women, regardless of religious belief, race or nationality, knowing that we are truly brothers and sisters because we are sons and daughters of the same Eternal Father. In an original letter From the First Presidency, Reference: Apocryphal Writings and the Latter-day Saints, C. Wilfred Griggs (editor), February 15, 1978, Page 29
Latter-day Saints accept all truth, wherever it may be found, as part of our religion—whether in the Quran or in other good books. David Stewart, 2003, Message of Friendship: Muslims and Latter-day Saints, Page 1
Latter-day Saints recognize Muslims as brothers and sisters, children of our Heavenly Father, with whom we can find much common ground. LDS Prophet and Apostle Gordon B. Hinckley stated: “we value our Muslim neighbors across the world.” Latter-day Saints respect the strong family values and moral accomplishments of Muslims as well as Islamic contributions to science, literature, history, philosophy, medicine, and the arts. David Stewart, 2003, A Message of Friendship: Muslims and Latter-day Saints, Page 1
Latter-day Saints recognize the terms God and Allah to refer to the same being in different languages. David Stewart, 2003, A Message of Friendship: Muslims and Latter-day Saints, Pages 1-2
Similarities can be found between the “Five Pillars of Islam” and LDS beliefs. David Stewart, 2003, A Message of Friendship: Muslims and Latter-day Saints, Page 2
Muslims strive to perform a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in one’s lifetime. The travels of the early Latter-day Saint pioneers are in many ways comparable to those of devout Muslims. The sacrifices made by many LDS families to attend the temple at least once in a lifetime, and much more frequently, if opportunities allow, are in many ways similar to the sacrifices made by Muslim pilgrims to Mecca. David Stewart, 2003, A Message of Friendship: Muslims and Latter-day Saints, Pages 3-4
When one considers who the source of these two false religions is, it’s no wonder that Islam and Mormonism would have many striking similarities.
Coming soon: The Mysterious Islands.
James warns us there is such a thing as a dead faith—a faith which goes no further than the profession of the lips, and has no influence on a man’s character (James 2:17). . . . The only safe evidence that we are one with Christ, and Christ in us, is holy life.
– J.C. Ryle
1816 – 1900
Good video, but it seems to end just when he’s getting warmed up.
HT: Rock Springs
You wonder why people choose fields away from the States when young people at home are drifting because no one wants to take time to listen to their problems. Ill tell you why I left. Because those Stateside young people have every opportunity to study, hear, and understand the Word of God in their own language, and these Indians have no opportunity whatsoever. I have had to make a cross of two logs, and lie down on it, to show the Indians what it means to crucify a man. When there is that much ignorance over here and so much knowledge and opportunity over there, I have no question in my mind why God sent me here. Those whimpering Stateside young people will wake up on the Day of Judgment condemned to worse fates than these demon-fearing Indians, because, having a Bible, they were bored with it—while these never heard of such a thing as writing.
– Jim Elliot
1927 – 1956
HT: Desert Pastor
Just when you thought the hirelings were done with the “sex sermons,” here comes Eagle Pointe Church and their stab at being relevant to the world. In fact, they’re so relevant to the world that their upcoming sermon series is on the topic of sex and comes with the following disclaimer:
We’re kicking off a new teaching series called “God – Love – Sex” – where we’re going to have a very open, honest, and blunt talk about Love, Relationships, Dating, Marriage, & Sex. BTW: Parents – some material may be inappropriate for younger audiences – parental discretion is advised.
Wow. A “sermon” that is not suitable for children. Search the Scriptures as much as you want, you won’t find Jesus or the Apostles having to give a warning that their message may not be suitable for children. But we do find the exact opposite, don’t we?
But whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in Me to stumble, it would be better for him to have a heavy millstone hung around his neck, and to be drowned in the depth of the sea. (Matt. 18:6)
I wonder how the Church survived the last 2,000 years without sex sermons. Try as I might, I cannot find this type of nonsense anywhere in Church history.
Seriously guys, it’s time to move onto exploiting some other lust, the sex sermons are so yesterday.
The Gospel contemplates every descendant of Adam as a fallen, polluted, Hell-deserving, and helpless sinner. The grace which the Gospel publishes is his only hope.
– A.W. Pink
1886 – 1952
Your Wednesday sermon of the week is a powerful one from Albert N. Martin.
Warning to Professing Christians is one of those messages you won’t hear in most churches that dot the landscape of American Christianity today.
Albert N. Martin delivers a convicting exposition of Matthew 7:21, a verse that I have wrestled with countless times (and still do). I’d also venture to say most readers of DefCon (who are supportive of our work here) have also been challenged by this verse at some point in their walk.
With that said, I not only recommend this sermon to the readers of DefCon who support us, but I also submit that this needs to be heard by those who give us the most resistance (like those who sit under such teachers as Robert Schuller, Perry Noble, Joel Osteen, Rick Warren, Mark Driscoll, etc.).
If you won’t listen to us (because we’re all just a bunch of prude “Pharisees”), perhaps you may give this sermon a chance and heed the warnings contained within. Although this sermon was delivered in 1994, it is just as apropos–if not more–today!
One of my favorite quotes from this sermon is in response to those who hide behind their sins with the excuse “nobody’s perfect.” Albert N. Martin says:
This is the hypocrites couch; this is the believer’s bed of thorns.
He also asks this cutting question in regards to Christians and their worldliness:
When you’ve got to suck at the world’s fountains for fulfillment, where in the world are you?
__________________________________________________________________________
I also highly recommend another exposition of Matthew 7:21 by John Thompson entitled The Saddest Words Ever Spoken. It was DefCon’s sermon of the week for January 03, 2008. Click here to go to the post to listen to it.
Some want to live within the sound of church or chapel bell; I want to run a rescue shop within a yard of hell.
– C.T. Studd
1860 – 1931
HT: Desert Pastor
It’s easier to cry against a thousand sins in others than it is to mortify one sin in ourselves.
– John Flavel
1627 – 1691
If a man is so proud that he will not see his faults, he will only quarrel with you for pointing them out.
– Charles Spurgeon
1834 – 1892
HT: Desert Pastor
Would that God would make hell so real to us that we cannot rest; heaven so real that we must have men there, Christ so real that our supreme motive and aim shall be to make the Man of Sorrows the Man of Joy by the conversion to Him of many.
– Hudson Taylor
1832 – 1905
Your sermon of the week is Separating From Unbelievers by John MacArthur. And yes, in spite of what you see in the lifestyle of the average professing Christian (and even the average pastor), there actually is a biblical mandate for believers to separate from unbelievers.
And for those who will have the typical knee-jerk reaction (who won’t listen to the messages but simply assume what MacArthur is saying), he is not advocating a monastic lifestyle. He simply expounds on the biblical doctrine of separating ourselves from unbelievers including what it is and what it is not.
This is a great refresher about a doctrine that was commonly practiced by the church until recently.
Separating From Unbelievers (Part 1)
Separating From Unbelievers (Part 2)
You’ve seen the shameless marketing of Christianity through Christian sunglasses, you’ve been disgusted with the Christian socks and shoe inserts, and you’ve endured the horrendous attempt to “spread the gospel” via trampy Christian jeans; now I present for your perusal The 60 Worst Christian T-Shirts Ever.
All of these shirts are marketed for professing Christians and gobbled up by professing Christians.
The following 60 Christian t-shirts only scratches the surface. I could have easily reached 100 but why waste any more of your time?
To view the rest, click below.
Mere head knowledge will be as unhelpful to the soul on judgment day, as a painted fire is unhelpful to the frozen body on a cold day. Theoretical knowledge may make the head giddy, but it will never make the heart holy. He who lives in sin, without repentance, shall die in sin, without forgiveness.
– William Secker
Birth Un/Kn – 1681
The following quote comes from an article from the More Books and Things blog:
A regular Bible (the living Word) is obviously no longer enough to satisfy our spiritual hunger. We want the pretty one that is relevant to ME! The one that gives us SELF esteem. The cool one that LOOKS the nicest. The one that will help US! The one that entertains US. In a nutshell, we want the ME version, when the whole reason God gave us His Word in the first place was to reveal HIMSELF to us.
It hits nail on the head, doesn’t it?
See related:
Christ Alone Wyoming 