Truth

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When Presuppositions Lead Men Astray

This post is not to throw stones but to point out to all of us how dangerous our unexamined thoughts are. We see this in casual ways when we infer what wasn’t written or implied – such as when we read Bible passages that are very familiar. Another way is when we defend a position – in politics or religion, related to style of worship or doctrinal distinctives. What follows is an example of a blogger for whom I have much respect has written a post to make the point that we each should “draw the line” on what music is good and proper – ostensibly in worship.

This post is NOT a forum to debate whether “Christian rap” or “Christian hip-hop” is good; the reason for this post is to examine the subtle tendency we have to use faulty logic (making sweeping arguments without discriminating actual facts) and misapplication of Scripture (based on unexamined presuppositions).

In this post http://5ptsalt.com/2012/05/16/christian-rap-is-a-lost-cause/ the author condemns a form of music by saying it “uses the ways, lusts, pride, dress and manner of the world.” And he gives no example of “Christian rap” that fulfills this charge. Nor does he acknowledge that nearly every generation of Christians makes a similar charge at what’s new in music – as Spurgeon did with organs in churches. Handel used grand orchestras to portray his message of God’s glory and people today still love some of his music without loving his Lord. Was Handel as guilty as the un-named “Christian rappers”?

In his follow-up post, http://5ptsalt.com/2012/05/17/qa-where-do-you-draw-the-line-in-music/ he conflates rap and hip-hop, condemning both as wanting to redeem the culture. He has a quote attesting to this under LeCrea’s picture – but does not tell us who spoke those words. It appears to be the author of the post, as those exact words appear later in the post. In making this claim of what the goal of “Christian hip-hop” is, he fails to provide one shred of evidence in support. LeCrea does not make any statement, in the video linked to, that the culture should or can be redeemed. The quote from Tripp says that “many today believe the hip hop culture is unredeemable” and how he hopes to REACH that culture with the gospel. He does not claim to want to redeem the culture – he wants to invade the hip-hop culture with truth.

The author slams several people as supporters of “Christian hip-hop” and, therefore, advocates of the unbiblical mission of redeeming the culture; naming Mark Dever and Thabiti Anyabwile in this regard. But in the video of Thabiti Anyabwile that is linked to, he DOES NOT say that culture can or should be redeemed, by hip-hop of anything else. He said that music (in this case, hip-hop) that carries reformed biblical truth can pierce the culture and form worldviews. There is no evidence that Thabiti or Dever support cultural redemption in either post.

Making these allegations without providing evidence and while misapplying what documentation is provided is wrong headed. Truth is important. Those who push for cultural redemption or cultural reformation should be properly exposed – with clear and convincing evidence rather than unsupported allegations. But we who claim Christ must be truthful and honest in our examination of the facts and allegations. I fail to find anything of substance in these posts, only mere allegations and a refusal to answer questions about sources and basis for judgment.

It is my prayer that the author of those posts repent and honestly report departures from biblical truths without resorting to half-baked arguments based on misquotes or neglect of the facts. It is my prayer that you and I likewise investigate the cause we do not know, as did wise Job (Job 29:16). We should think the best of brothers and sisters in Christ and be slow to throw allegations at people. Discuss the issues, use facts and sound logic. May God have mercy on all of us – for we each fall short in myriad ways each day.

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Quotes (895)

[Jonah] was exceedingly displeased and even very angry (Jonah 4:1) because Nineveh had been spared from destruction. Jonah was far more deeply concerned with the fate of a single plant than he was with perhaps a million or more never-dying souls who had just turned to the living and true God.

What a lesson for us today. How many of us are far more deeply concerned over our gardens and our clothes, our houses and our businesses, our cars and our gadgets, than we are with the millions of perishing–yet never-dying–souls all around us. How many of us are “exceeding[ly] glad” for something that adds a little more to our own comfort and ease and luxury, but we are utterly unconscious and without a care or a thought as to whether there is joy, exceeding joy, in Heaven over one sinner who repents (Luke 15:10).

Furthermore, like Jonah, we are “exceedingly displeased” and even “angry” if anything happens to disturb our comfort and upset the course of our day. The unsaved in their blindness may bow down to wood and stone, for all we care, provided the worms do not get into our gourds and the hot east wind does not blow upon us.

– G. C. Willis

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Quotes (891)

Holiness has a mighty influence upon others. When this appears with power in the lives of Christians, it works mightily upon the spirits of men; it stops the mouths of the ungodly . . . . I am sure we have found, by woeful experience, that in these debauched times, when religion is so bespattered with frequent scandals, yes, a general looseness of professors, it is hard to get any to come into the net of the Gospel. . . . If they were but holy and exemplary, they would be as a repetition of the preacher’s sermon to the families and neighbors among whom they converse, and would keep the sound of his doctrine continually ringing in their ears.

– William Gurnall

1617 – 1679

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Quotes (889)

Today’s families are suffering because the concepts of biblical family government–unknown to many in these last generations–have been replaced by humanistic and so-called “modern” ideas about child rearing that have produced anarchy in the home. Home has become simply a “crash pad”–a place to make a quick stop for food, clothes, and sleep. Each family member’s energies are focused on relationships and activities outside the home; there is little life within the family circle. The wisdom of past generations is disregarded; hence, grandma and grandpa find it best to live far away. Fathers focus all their attention on their work outside the home to supply the material needs of the crash pad and the family’s ever-increasing lust for entertainment. Mothers seek outside responsibilities in response to their discontent with life at home. Children put their trust in the wisdom of the group and seek security in peers, demanding more and more entertainment outside of the home.

– William & Colleen Dedrick

From: The Little Book of Christian Character & Manners

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Scam Into Blessing – Part 13

The Liberian night swirled around us with all of its smells. Mosquitoes were buzzing around us, but by now I had just about tuned them out. The conversation inside the house had ceased and as the men inside listened to us, they were also praying for Paul Zawolo that the Holy Spirit would enlighten his eyes and make him a new creation in Christ.

I continued, “Paul, you know that if I were to ask you just one more question, we would be able to determine that you have broken at least six of the Ten Commandments.” Paul simply nodded as he continued to look down at his feet.

Me: “Paul, James 2:10 tells us the truth about our breaking the laws of God, ‘For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.’ Therefore, according to the Bible, it does not matter whether you have broken five of them or just one and kept the other nine. It is like taking a rope with ten knots tied in it. You are hanging off the edge of a cliff onto the end of the rope that is your only lifeline. Which one of those ten knots do you want me to take a knife and sever?”

Paul: “None of them, otherwise I will die!”

Me: “That rope is like the law of God. It was given to us as a measuring stick to show that we cannot hope to attain such a level of goodness. The children of Israel could not keep them, I cannot keep them, and you cannot keep them. So, considering our verse in James, the truth is that you, Paul Zawolo from Loma County, have broken every one of God’s laws. Therefore, you are guilty and deserve to be thrown into hell forever!

Continue reading →

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Quotes (724)

God’s electing a certain definite number is a manifestation of His glory. It shows the glory of His divine sovereignty. God is declaring His absolute sovereignty over His creation. He is showing us just how far that sovereignty extends. In purposely choosing some and passing on others, He shows that His majesty and power are unparalleled. Those who do not see glory and dominion in election simply do not understand God. They are not aware of His greatness, and do not understand grace. Grace is defined in election. God chose His people to happiness and glory long before they were born. He chose them out of the mass of fallen mankind. He loved them before they knew Him. He chose them when they did not deserve to be chosen. That is grace! The doctrine of election shows that if those who received God’s grace had earnestly sought it, it was God’s grace that caused them to seek it. It shows that even their faith itself is the gift of God, and their persevering in a way of holiness unto glory is also the fruit of electing love. Believer’s love of God is the fruit of and because of God’s love to them. The giving of Christ, the preaching of the gospel, and the appointing of ordinances are all fruits of the grace of election. All the grace that is shown to mankind, either in this world or in the world to come, is comprised of the electing love of God.

– Jonathan Edwards

1703 – 1758

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Quotes (463)

I want you to beware of that self-righteous spirit that defines these crises as a judgment on America; that may be true, but beloved, even if it is a judgment on America, even if we’re going to see a greater meltdown – I’m not making predictions here, I am not here as a prophet, I don’t know what’s going to happen – but we do have enough principles in the scriptures to be able to discern these things.

And while these crises may be a judgment on America, you must understand that that would be secondary purpose in the intentions of God and it would be secondary to His discipline upon His own church. His discipline upon everybody that professes to know the name of Christ…

The Bible says that God’s judgment begins with the household of God (1 Peter 4:18). And listen to me, this is really important, think about the broad scope of things in that which has passed as Christianity over the decades.

After decades, decades of insipid preaching, compromise with Catholics and cults, charismatic charlatans, academic arrogance, corrupt spiritual leadership, political power brokers, and unscrupulous publishers who give a platform to them all, beloved; God’s discipline on His own people is way overdue.

It’s time to clear out the money changers from the temple and if it takes an economic crisis, if it takes political change of massive proportions to bring that about, to purge out the false elements and to purify His church to speak with boldness in a time of spiritual darkness, then we as His people should be willing to embrace that because the surpassing priority in our lives is to love the Lord our God with all of our heart, soul, strength and mind and to see the purity of His purpose advanced because the consequences to us are secondary.

God and His kingdom are the supreme priority and if it takes a massive world calamity to shake all this garbage out from within the walls of the church and to cause the rats to flee when the light goes on, then bring it!

Bring it!

Let’s bring it so that the purity of the church can be restored. God is much more concerned, beloved, with the holiness of His people and the holiness of His church than He is with the state of American economics and politics.

– Don Green

From his sermon entitled “Serious Faith for Serious Times” preached in October, 2008 from the GraceLife Pulpit.

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“No, the LDS church does not teach that!”

How many times have you tried to reason with a Mormon by showing them why the things they are being taught are false? Well, for one thing, not all Mormons believe exactly the same thing. Yes, it’s true. In fact,  have encountered Mormons who doubt the validity of the Book of Mormon. One visitor to this site claims to be a teacher at his local Mormon church and claims to have taught things that made his local authority get up and leave.

However, that dyed-in-the wool, LDS thru-and-thru Mormon who still clings to Joseph Smith as a prophet of God, still buys the whole “golden plates” story as truth, and who will defend with every fiber of his being, they will answer our claims about the history and teachings of the Mormon church with scorn because we are anti-Mormon, bigoted, etc. Therefore, let’s look at some of the things a Mormon will deny, and whether or not those things are true. This is but a small sample.

“The Mormon church has never taught polygamy!”

  • “The only men who become Gods, even the Sons of God, are those who enter into polygamy. Others attain unto a glory and may even be permitted to come into the presence of the Father and the Son; but they cannot reign as kings in glory, because they had blessing offered unto them, and they refused to accept them.” (Brigham Young, 8/19/1866, recorded in Journal of Discourses, vol. 11 p.269)

“The Mormon church does not teach we can become gods!”

From Gospel Principles, an official LDS teaching manual:

  • Since we could not progress further in heaven, our Heavenly Father called a Grand Council to present his plan for our progression (see Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pp. 348, 349, 365). We learned that if we followed his plan, we would become like him. We would have a resurrected body; we would have all power in heaven and on earth; we would become heavenly parents and have spirit children just as he does (see D&C 132:19-20). (This also refutes the idea that the Mormon church does not believe in a “Heavenly Mother”.)
  • When we lived with our Heavenly Father, he explained a plan for our progression. We could become like him, an exalted being.
  • Exaltation is eternal life, the kind of life God lives. He lives in great glory. He is perfect. He possesses all knowledge and all wisdom. He is the Father of spirit children. He is a creator. We can become like our Heavenly Father. This is exaltation. If we prove faithful to the Lord, we will live in the highest degree of the celestial kingdom of heaven. We will become exalted, just like our Heavenly Father. Exaltation is the greatest gift that Heavenly Father can give his children (see D&C 14:7).
  • Those who receive exaltation in the celestial kingdom through faith in Jesus Christ will receive special blessings. The Lord has promised, “All things are theirs” (D&C 76:59). These are some of the blessings given to exalted people: (2) They will become gods. (3) They will have their righteous family members with them and will be able to have spirit children also. These spirit children will have the same relationship to them as we do to our Heavenly Father. They will be an eternal family…(5) They will have everything that our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ have–all power, glory, dominion, and knowledge.

“The Mormon church does not teach that God the father had sex with Mary!”

  • “The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints proclaims that Jesus Christ is the Son of God in the most literal sense. The body in which He performed His mission in the flesh was sired by that same Holy Being we worship as God, our Eternal Father. Jesus was not the son of Joseph, nor was He begotten by the Holy Ghost.” (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p. 7)
  • “Jesus Christ is the Son of Elohim both as spiritual and bodily offspring; that is to say, Elohim is literally the Father of the spirit of Jesus Christ and also of the body in which Jesus Christ performed His mission in the flesh…” (First Presidency and Council of Twelve, 1916. Cited in Ensign. April 2002. p.13.)

“We are too Christians!”

  • The MYSTERY of Babylon the great, is mother of harlots and abominations of the earth, and it needs no prophetic vision, to unravel such mysteries. The old church is the mother, and the protestants are the lewd daughters…What prayers, what devotion, or what faith, ‘since the fathers have fallen asleep,’ has opened the heavens; has brought men into the presence of God; and to the spirits of just men made perfect, and to an innumerable company of angels? The answer is, not any: `There is none in all christendom that doeth good; no, not one…All kingdoms but Daniel’s set up in the last days, must break to pieces. So success to the (divisions of christians): they will help hasten the latter-day glory. God and Mormonism forever! (Brigham Young, Christendom is Babylon, Times and Seasons, volume 6, Nauvoo, Illinois, Feb 15, 1845, p.810-811.)
  • Doctrine and Covenants 123:7–It is an imperative duty that we owe to God, to angels, with whom we shall be brought to stand, and also to ourselves, to our wives and children, who have been made to bow down with grief, sorrow, and care, under the most damning hand of murder, tyranny, and oppression, supported and urged on and upheld by the influence of that spirit which hath so strongly riveted the creeds of the fathers, who have inherited lies, upon the hearts of the children, and filled the world with confusion, and has been growing stronger and stronger, and is now the very mainspring of all corruption, and the whole earth groans under the weight of its iniquity.

The purpose of this post is not to “bash” Mormons, but rather to show them that they have not been told the truth about the history of what the former leaders taught and practiced.

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Quotes (363)

Every true revival is always, and without exception, based on the Word of God; the Bible is the only revealed Truth in the world and, in fact, ever has been; there is not a spiritual problem that is not addressed in the Word; there is not a difficulty for which it does not have a solution; there is not a question that it cannot answer; there is not a life that the God of its pages cannot change; there is not a broken heart that its Words cannot mend; there is not a darkness that its Light cannot dispel; not a sin that the Blood of its pages cannot wash away.

— The Expositor’s Study Bible, Commentary on 2 Chronicles 34

HT: Herescope.

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Sad news from Old Truth.

Jim Bublitz of Old Truth has published his last post (for at least a long time) due to his health taking a serious turn for the worst. You can read his last post here. Please keep Jim in prayer as he suffers daily and still has to face incredible struggles in the future.

I fondly remember stumbling upon Jim’s discernment/reformed blog Old Truth just over a year ago, and it encouraged me tremendously. At the time God was doing a work on my heart and was calling me to come out of the circus church. However, I was beginning to think there was something wrong with me because I was surrounded by lukewarm professing Christians who did not hunger and thirst for holiness. Instead, these people only wanted to have their ears tickled by the oh-so-funny pastor and they would get a glazed look in their eyes when I spoke of anything other than superficial trivialities around the pastry table after service. I truly had no one to “fellowship” with.

It was refreshing to come across Jim’s blog and it assured me that–although I was physically without other iron to sharpen iron–the work God was doing in me was real and there were (and are) many others in the Body out there who God has also called out of Churchianity, and we can encourage each other even if we’re on the other side of the world.

Old Truth, along with some other blogs, inspired me to start Reformation Nation and eventually this blog, Defending. Contending. Thanks for all you’ve done Jim!


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Does Anyone Else Find This Weird?

At WorldNetDaily’s Weekend Commentary, Jonathan Falwell wrote about the increasing revulsion of the Bible and how the United States has, as a nation, discounted and ignored God’s Word. He concluded by exhorting Christians to continue reaching out despite the fact that the world will hate us and revile God’s Truth.

Well said, Pastor, though I found this a little disturbing yet slightly amusing as I finished reading your article:

REMINDER: On Aug. 11-13, the historic Thomas Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Va., will host the Innovate Church conference, with “The Purpose-Driven Life” author Rick Warren serving as our headline speaker. Other special guests include: Chuck Colson, Tom Mullins, Jim Cymbala and Ed Stetzer.

It makes me wonder what your stance is, really. On one hand you decry the revulsion of God’s Truth and exhort many to boldly go forth with it, yet on the other hand you have invited one man — Rick Warren who not only waters down the Gospel but preaches another — to your church to “… empower and energize the ministries of pastors, pastors’ wives, church staff members and lay leaders across our nation”?

Is it me or is there a sharp contrast between what he writes and what he seems to subscribe to?

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More truth on a cup of coffee than many churces offer on a whole Sunday.

cups.jpg Sometimes the culture hits the nail on the head. In this case, it was on a cup of coffee.

A recent trip to Starbucks revealed another great gem of truth from their The Way I See It series (see my previous post on another The Way I See It ).

The following quote–printed on the coffee cup–came from a man named Bernie Brillstein recognized as a film and television producer (so the cup says). It is The Way I See It # 291:

“In a world where celebrity equals talent, and where make-believe is called reality, it is most important to have real love, truth and stability in your life.”

If I didn’t know better I’d think this guy was referring to the current state of the American church. But then again, I don’t know that he wasn’t.


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Quotes (279)

John MacArthur Truth—including historical facts, assurance, and objective, distinct, knowable, authoritative propositions that demand to be embraced as true—is an essential concept in authentic Christianity. All the other aspects of religious experience flow from the truth we believe and simply give expression to it. Take away the ground of truth, and all you have is fluctuating religious sentiment.

– John MacArthur