Is Justification a Process? By Nathan Williams

A couple weeks ago I wrote on the biblical definition of justification. I believe it is vital to understand that, biblically-speaking, justification is a declaration of righteousness given by God concerning man. This past week I have been studying the doctrine of justification in preparation for a speaking opportunity on the topic of the Roman Catholic Church. I had been somewhat familiar with the Catholic Church before, but recently have grown in my understanding of the differences between Catholic and Protestant views of justification. It has always been confusing to me why so many Protestants are quick to link arms with Catholics and act as if there is little to no difference between the two systems. I have been challenged again that there is a substantial difference and that Luther did not protest in vain.
One of the major differences comes when the Catholic Church teaches that justification is initiated at baptism and that baptism is absolutely necessary for salvation. Here is a quote from the Catholic Encyclopedia:
“Baptism as an infant cleanses from original sin, removes other sin and its punishment, provides justification in an initial form, provides spiritual rebirth or regeneration, and is ‘necessary for salvation.’”
It is interesting to note that this quote says that baptism provides justification in its initial form. This leads to another major difference in the two views of justification. Catholics believe that justification begins at the moment of baptism, but that it is not complete until the person actually becomes righteous before God. They deny a forensic declaration of righteousness and insist that justification is a process and not a position before God. Within such a system, it makes perfect sense to speak of the inception and increase of justification. It is something the sinner must work at throughout his or her life on earth. Those who have been baptized “work for eternal life by means of love-inspired virtues that are the fruit of the divine grace infused in the soul” (Lewis & Demarest, Integrative Theology).
Because of this, the typical Roman Catholic bases his salvation on his own level of sanctification (what God is presently doing in him), and not what Christ did for him on the cross. Because of this belief, those in the Catholic Church hold to the idea of “merit of worthiness.” Basically this means that free moral acts which are done in the state of grace earn merit before God.
Another major difference in the two views is that, according to the Catholic Church, justification can be lost and regained. (This of course fits with the idea that justification is a process.) Any time a Catholic commits a mortal sin he loses his justification but can regain it back again by performing the sacrament of penance. This sacrament involves contrition, confession, satisfaction, and absolution. If the process of justification is not completed here on earth, the sinner must spend years in purgatory being purified of any remaining sins.
But how does the Roman Catholic understanding of justification line up with Scripture? Can justification be rightly viewed as a process that can be lost and then regained by good works? No way.
The reason we need a forensic declaration of righteousness is because our sins have condemned us before God. God has examined the human race and has found us guilty before Him. Romans 1:18 explains that God’s wrath is revealed against all unrighteousness and ungodliness. Romans 3:23 informs us that we have all fallen short of the glory of God. There is no way we can live up to the standard of absolute holiness that He has set. It is impossible.
The question to ask is: Can the guilty justify themselves? NO! When we attempt to merit God’s saving grace we have destroyed the very essence of grace. Grace is God’s unmerited favor and there is no way humans can ever earn grace. If we were to come to God with all our good works in hand and seek to exchange them for a home in heaven, we would still fall well short of the perfect standard God has set. Romans 4:4-5 says that “…to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness.” This idea is echoed in Romans 11:6: “If it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works, otherwise grace is no longer grace.”
The point of this article is to remind and encourage Christians that justification is not a process we must pursue. It is something that has been secured once-for-all by the Lord Jesus Christ. Those who attempt to earn a right standing before God through their own good works are attempting the impossible. No one can merit His righteousness. And that is why we thank God for the perfect life and substitutionary death of His Son Jesus Christ. Without His life and death imputed to us we would still be lost in our sins, standing guilty before a holy God, with nothing but the filthy rags of human works.

Puritan Quote of the Week

Without the heart it is no worship. It is a stage play. It is an acting of a part without being that person, really. It is playing the hypocrite."
STEPEHEN CHARNOCK

WHAT DO YOU SAY WHEN YOU SEE A BILLBOARD LIKE THIS?????? Rev. Charles J Paul

When this billboard says there is one God. That is true there is only one True God Almighty.

But here is were the unity Trap comes in.
1- To say that there are many paths to God is false, and a very dangerous statement to make. For it leads people to think that finding God is as easy as taking a walk on a nature trail. In our fallen state of sin that we are all born into. There is not one of us righteous and not one of us seeking after God. In fact we are all under His wrath and said in His Word to be His enemy. To use the path terminology we must then say, the only way for a person to be drawn to the path that leads to Christ [ and it is a narrow one] is to be drawn there by God the Father.

2- The term let’s talk fascinates me. You see as believers in the one true God there is nothing that unites us with other religions. In fact the ONLY conversation that will matter will be the presentation of the Holy Word of God Almighty for God and God Alone has the sovereign power to save sinners from the penalty of an eternity in Hell.http://www.truthmattersinc.org/declarations.html

3- Today let us stand with boldness and wave high the banner of truth. No where in Holy Scripture does it say that those on the wide road and those on the narrow road are going to end up at the same destination. And nowhere does it say that as those born again we still have all things in common with those that are not.

HERE IS THE BILLBOARD FROM Truth Matters

A CALL TO ACTION...............

We are calling the church
amidst our dying culture,
to repent of its worldliness,
to recover and confess
the truth of God's Word
as did the Reformers,
and to see that truth embodied in doctrine, worship, and life

Stand with us join the movement get involvedhttp://www.truthmattersinc.org/get_involved.html

Let's take theTRUTH of God's Word to the World.

It is that TRUTH and that TRUTH only that will forever MATTER

What About . . . The Divinity of Christ? By Dr Ligon Duncan

http://www.fpcjackson.org/resources/apologetics/deity_of_christ.htm

God’s Absolute Sovereignty By John MacArthur

No doctrine is more despised by the natural mind than the truth that God is absolutely sovereign. Human pride loathes the suggestion that God orders everything, controls everything, rules over everything. The carnal mind, burning with enmity against God, abhors the biblical teaching that nothing comes to pass except according to His eternal decrees. Most of all, the flesh hates the notion that salvation is entirely God’s work. If God chose who would be saved, and if His choice was settled before the foundation of the world, then believers deserve no credit for any aspect of their salvation.
But that is, after all, precisely what Scripture teaches. Even faith is God’s gracious gift to His elect. Jesus said, “No one can come to Me, unless it has been granted him from the Father” (John 6:65). “Nor does anyone know the Father, except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him” (Matt. 11:27). Therefore no one who is saved has anything to boast about (cf Eph. 2:8, 9). “Salvation is from the Lord” (Jonah 2:9).
The doctrine of divine election is explicitly taught throughout Scripture. For example, in the New Testament epistles alone, we learn that all believers are “chosen of God” (Titus 1:1). We were “predestined according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will” (Eph. 1:11, emphasis added). “He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world . . . He predestined us to adoption as sons through Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the kind intention of His will” (vv. 4, 5). We “are called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son . . . and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified” (Rom. 8:28–30).
When Peter wrote that we are “chosen according to the foreknowledge of God the Father” (1 Peter 1:1, 2), he was not using the word “foreknowledge” to mean that God was aware beforehand who would believe and therefore chose them because of their foreseen faith. Rather, Peter meant that God determined before time began to know and love and save them; and He chose them without regard to anything good or bad they might do. We’ll return to this point again, but for now, note that those verses explicitly state that God’s sovereign choice is made “according to the kind intention of His will” and “according to His purpose who works all things after the counsel of His will”—that is, not for any reason external to Himself. Certainly He did not choose certain sinners to be saved because of something praiseworthy in them, or because He foresaw that they would choose Him. He chose them solely because it pleased Him to do so. God declares “the end from the beginning . . . saying, ‘My purpose will be established, and I will accomplish all My good pleasure’” (Isa. 46:10). He is not subject to others’ decisions. His purposes for choosing some and rejecting others are hidden in the secret counsels of His own will.
Moreover, everything that exists in the universe exists because God allowed it, decreed it, and called it into existence. “Our God is in the heavens; He does whatever He pleases” (Ps. 115:3). “Whatever the Lord pleases, He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deeps” (Ps. 135:6). He “works all things after the counsel of His will” (Eph. 1:11). “From Him and through Him and to Him are all things” (Rom. 11:36). “For us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things, and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him” (1 Cor. 8:6).
What about sin? God is not the author of sin, but He certainly allowed it; it is integral to His eternal decree. God has a purpose for allowing it. He cannot be blamed for evil or tainted by its existence (1 Sam. 2:2: “There is no one holy like the Lord”). But He certainly wasn’t caught off-guard or standing helpless to stop it when sin entered the universe. We do not know His purposes for allowing sin. If nothing else, He permitted it in order to destroy evil forever. And God sometimes uses evil to accomplish good (Gen. 45:7, 8; 50:20; Rom. 8:28). How can these things be? Scripture does not answer all the questions for us. But we know from His Word that God is utterly sovereign, He is perfectly holy, and He is absolutely just.
Admittedly, those truths are hard for the human mind to embrace, but Scripture is unequivocal. God controls all things, right down to choosing who will be saved. Paul states the doctrine in inescapable terms in the ninth chapter of Romans, by showing that God chose Jacob and rejected his twin brother Esau “though the twins were not yet born, and had not done anything good or bad, in order that God’s purpose according to His choice might stand, not because of works, but because of Him who calls” (v. 11). A few verses later, Paul adds this: “He says to Moses, ‘I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.’ So then it does not depend on the man who wills or the man who runs, but on God who has mercy” (vv. 15, 16).
Paul anticipated the argument against divine sovereignty: “You will say to me then, ‘Why does He still find fault? For who resists His will?’” (v. 19). In other words, doesn’t God’s sovereignty cancel out human responsibility? But rather than offering a philosophical answer or a deep metaphysical argument, Paul simply reprimanded the skeptic: “On the contrary, who are you, O man, who answers back to God? The thing molded will not say to the molder, ‘Why did you make me like this,’ will it? Or does not the potter have a right over the clay, to make from the same lump one vessel for honorable use, and another for common use?” (vv. 20, 21).
Scripture affirms both divine sovereignty and human responsibility. We must accept both sides of the truth, though we may not understand how they correspond to one another. People are responsible for what they do with the gospel—or with whatever light they have (Rom. 2:19, 20), so that punishment is just if they reject the light. And those who reject do so voluntarily. Jesus lamented, “You are unwilling to come to Me, that you may have life” (John 5:40). He told unbelievers, “Unless you believe that I am [God], you shall die in your sins” (John 8:24). In John chapter 6, our Lord combined both divine sovereignty and human responsibility when He said, “All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out” (v. 37); “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him, may have eternal life” (v. 40); “No one can come to Me, unless the Father who sent Me draws him” (v. 44); “Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes has eternal life” (v. 47); and, “No one can come to Me, unless it has been granted him from the Father” (v. 65). How both of those two realities can be true simultaneously cannot be understood by the human mind—only by God.
Above all, we must not conclude that God is unjust because He chooses to bestow grace on some but not to everyone. God is never to be measured by what seems fair to human judgment. Are we so foolish as to assume that we who are fallen, sinful creatures have a higher standard of what is right than an unfallen and infinitely, eternally holy God? What kind of pride is that? In Psalm 50:21 God says, “You thought that I was just like you.” But God is not like us, nor can He be held to human standards. “‘My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways,’ declares the Lord. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts’” (Isa. 55:8, 9).
We step out of bounds when we conclude that anything God does isn’t fair. In Romans 11:33 the apostle writes, “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor?” (Rom. 11:33, 34).

Osteen Said What? IMPORTANT REPOST

Joel Osteen said what?

Take the time to watch this video with your Bible and your heart open. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=di9-PebV634

What you will hear in this video will be what you hear from all of the modern day seeker friendly teachers. notice there style may change but the false message they proclaim stays the same.

For your sake compare what you hear today in light of Holy Scripture. And stand firm on the Word of God not feelings.

1 Corinthians 6:9-11 and the Lordship Debate by Matt Waymeyer

One of the fundamental issues in the debate over “lordship salvation” concerns whether or not obedience to God is an inevitable fruit of conversion. In the preface to the first edition of The Gospel According to Jesus, John MacArthur wrote:
I have never taught that some pre-salvation works of righteousness are necessary to or part of salvation. But I do believe without apology that real salvation cannot, and will not, fail to produce works of righteousness in the life of a true believer. There are no human works in the saving act, but God’s work of salvation includes a change of intent, will, desire, and attitude that inevitably produces the fruit of the Spirit.
This belief that regeneration inevitably results in a spiritually transformed life is one of the main tenets of lordship salvation.
In contrast, many opponents of the lordship view deny that good works are an inevitable result of conversion. For example, consider Zane Hodges, founder of the more radical form of non-lordship teaching known as “Free Grace” (hereafter FG). Hodges argues that the view that “faith inevitably produces good works” is “a theological construct which cannot be established from the Bible” (Absolutely Free!, 216). Elsewhere Hodges writes, “How strange that in our day and time we have been told so often that fruitlessness is a sure sign that a person is unsaved. Certainly we did not get this idea from the Bible” (ibid., 118). According to Hodges and other FG teachers, an individual can believe in Christ and yet show forth absolutely zero fruit in terms of obedience to God or love for Christ. Put another way, they believe in a regeneration which may or may not result in a visibly changed life.
Of the many passages which contradict FG teaching, one of the clearest is 1 Corinthians 6:9-11. The apostle Paul writes:
(9) Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, (10) nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God. (11) Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of God.
The reason this is such a problem for the FG system is that Paul makes it clear that those whose lives are characterized by wickedness (i.e., “the unrighteous”) will not inherit the kingdom of God. In short, such individuals stand condemned, and their only hope for eternal salvation is to repent and believe in Christ.
FG teachers object to this understanding of 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, insisting that there is a vast difference between entering the kingdom of God (as all believers will do) and inheriting the kingdom of God (as only obedient believers will do). According to the FG view, those Christians who are carnal and disobedient throughout their lives—i.e., “the unrighteous” in 1 Corinthians 6:9—are saved and will enter the kingdom, but they will not inherit the kingdom in the sense of receiving eternal rewards and reigning as co-heirs with Christ. Sadly, according to FG, the experience of these believing-but-not-inheriting members of the kingdom will be so dreadful that Jesus described it like this:
- “Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and cast him into the outer darkness; in that place there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth’” (Matt 22:13).
- “The master of that slave will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour which he does not know, and shall cut him in pieces and assign him a place with the hypocrites; weeping shall be there and the gnashing of teeth” (Matt 24:50-51).
According to FG, these verses are not a description of a person in hell—they describe the future experience of an unrighteous believer who will enter but not inherit the kingdom of God. In the eyes of FG teachers, then, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 poses no problem for their view that many genuine believers show forth no spiritual fruit and live their entire lives in utter spiritual barrenness.
In contrast, I believe a more careful look at 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 shows that “the unrighteous” are unbelievers, that inheriting the kingdom is the destiny of all true believers, and that all who live a life of wickedness demonstrate themselves to be unsaved, regardless of what they confess with their mouths (see Matt 7:21-23).
The Identity of “the Unrighteous”
In 1 Corinthians 6:9, “the unrighteous” is what is known as the substantival use of the Greek adjective adikos (“unrighteous”). This may sound technical, but it simply means that the adjective “unrighteous” is being used alone, independent of a noun, and therefore takes on the meaning of a noun itself. In other words, “the unrighteous” is a good translation, for it simply refers to people who are unrighteous. Such people, Paul says, will not inherit the kingdom of God.
Although FG teachers insist that “the unrighteous” in 1 Corinthians 6:9 are unrighteous believers, there are at least two difficulties with this view. First, Paul has already defined “the unrighteous” as unbelievers earlier in the very same context. In 1 Corinthians 6:1, as Paul begins the discussion which he is continuing in verses 9-11, the apostle writes: “Does any one of you, when he has a case against his neighbor, dare to go to law before the unrighteous, and not before the saints?” In this verse, Paul sets “the unrighteous” [also the substantival use of adikos] in contrast to “the saints,” making it clear that they are unbelievers (also see v. 6 where Paul refers to these same individuals as “unbelievers”). Therefore, when Paul refers again to “the unrighteous” later in the same discussion in verse 9, it is not difficult to know whom he is referring to: unbelievers whose lives are characterized by unrighteousness.
Second, when the Greek adjective adikos [“unrighteous”] is used substantivally in the New Testament, it is never used in reference to those who are regenerate (see Matt 5:45; Luke 18:11; Acts 24:15; 1 Cor 6:1; 1 Peter 3:18; 2 Peter 2:9), and it is commonly used to refer to unbelievers in contrast to believers. For example, note the substantival use of adikos in the following verses:
- Matthew 5:45b: “He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous [adikos].”
- Acts 24:15b: “there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked [adikos].”
- 2 Peter 2:9: “The Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous [adikos] under punishment for the day of judgment.”
This does not mean that true believers never sin or that they are unable to commit acts of unrighteousness. In fact, in 1 Corinthians 6:8 the apostle Paul uses the verb form of the word “unrighteous” [adikeo] to rebuke the Corinthians for sinning by filing lawsuits against each other—“you yourselves wrong [adikeo]…your brethren.” In this way, 1 Corinthians 6 serves as a good illustration of the lordship position: The Corinthian believers did commit acts of unrighteousness (as the verb adikeo in verse 8 indicates), but their lives were not characterized by an unbroken pattern of unrighteousness (the substantive adikos in verse 9).
The Meaning of “Inherit”
When Paul says that “the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God,” the FG view is that although every believer will enter the kingdom, not every believer will inherit it. To support this assertion, Zane Hodges and other FG teachers point out that the words “enter” and “inherit” are not synonymous in their dictionary meanings.
The New Testament speaks of believers seeing the kingdom (John 3:3), entering the kingdom (Matt 7:21), receiving the kingdom (Mark 10:15), inheriting the kingdom (1 Cor 15:50; Gal 5:21), and having an inheritance in the kingdom (Eph 5:5). The fact that these verbs are not perfectly synonymous with one another hardly disproves that each is being used to describe the experience of every believer (albeit by emphasizing slightly different nuances of the believer’s relationship to the kingdom). In Mark 10:14-15, for example, receiving the kingdom, entering the kingdom, and having the kingdom belong to you are all used interchangeably in reference to the experience of everyone who believes. Does the fact that these three words are not synonyms undermine this fact? Not at all. More, then, needs to be said.
The real test comes in examining the passages which speak of the believer inheriting the kingdom (Matt 25:34; 1 Cor 6:9-10; 15:50; Gal 5:21; cf. Eph 5:5; James 2:5). Although I am convinced that each of these passages lead to the conclusion that every believer will inherit the kingdom, I will limit my comments to what I think is the clearest, most significant problem for the FG view: Matthew 25:34.
In Matthew 25:31-46, Jesus is describing what will happen when He returns to this earth in glory and sits on His glorious throne (v. 31). At this time, He will gather the nations before Him and separate humanity into two groups of people (v. 32), placing the sheep on His right and the goats on His left (v. 33). The sheep, of course, represent believers (vv. 34-40) and the goats represent unbelievers (vv. 41-45). Later, Jesus describes how He will tell the goats: “Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels” (v. 41). But first He addresses the sheep, saying to them: “Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (v. 34; emphasis added). All believers, Jesus says, will inherit the kingdom.
According to the FG view, Jesus should have divided humanity into three groups: (1) the righteous sheep who will inherit the kingdom, (2) the unrighteous sheep who will enter but not inherit the kingdom, and (3) the unrighteous goats who will depart into eternal fire. But instead, He divided them into two (and only two) groups of people: (1) the sheep who will inherit the kingdom and (2) the goats who will go away into eternal punishment. These two groups are otherwise known as the blessed ones and accursed ones (vv. 34, 41), the righteous and the unrighteous (v. 46). Again, all true believers will inherit the kingdom of God.
The Transformation of the Corinthian Believers
After stating that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom (v. 9a), the apostle Paul lists out various categories of wicked people who are part of “the unrighteous”: fornicators, idolaters, adulterers, effeminate, homosexuals, thieves, the covetous, drunkards, revilers, and swindlers (vv. 9b-10). He is not referring to people who commit sins in these areas. Rather, he is speaking of people whose lives are so characterized by these sins that they are defined by them—they are the unrighteous. Such individuals, Paul says, will not inherit the kingdom (also see Gal 5:19-21; Eph 5:5-6; Rev 21:8; and Rev 22:14-15).
Then comes verse 11: “Such were some of you; but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of God.” Paul says that none of the Corinthian believers fall into any of these categories of unrighteousness. This is how some of them previously lived as a way of life, but no longer: “Such were some of you” (v. 11a).
The use of the imperfect tense (“were”) indicates something that was continuously true in the past but is no longer true. In other words, some of these believers were previously fornicators, homosexuals, drunkards, etc. But something changed, something brought about a radical transformation in their lives. And that something, Paul says, was God’s work of conversion: “But you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of God” (v. 11b). As Gordon Fee writes, the apostle Paul is saying to the Corinthian believers: “Your own conversion, effected by God through the work of Christ and the Spirit, is what has removed you from being among the wicked, who will not inherit the kingdom” (The First Epistle to the Corinthians, 245). In contrast, FG people seem to read verse 11 as if Paul had said: “And such are some of you, even though you were washed, sanctified, and justified.”
The conclusion, then, is inescapable. Paul says there are two kinds of individuals in this world: (1) the wicked who will not inherit the kingdom, and (2) those who have been converted by the work of God, all of whom will inherit the kingdom. There is no third category of individuals who have been truly converted but who continue in the same unbroken pattern of wickedness that previously characterized their lives. After all, the grace of God is not only free, it is also powerful, refusing to lie dormant in the hearts of those who have truly believed.

Email from Judy

Dear Rev. Paul,

I wanted to thank you for your quick response to my question, and for shedding more light on the subject for me. Thank you for your guidance. I will investigate the links you provided me and keep in mind your concerns about the Ministries you have mentioned. Fortunately, I believe God has led me to my current church where I am learning to deepen my studies and my walk with God. I appreciate your honesty and concern for the spiritual well being of Christians.

May God guide your path.

Judy Fancher

Thank you Judy,
May God Bless you. If we can be of any more help please contact us.
Rev Charles J Paul

The Urgency of Preaching By Dr Albert Mohler Jr.

And how will they hear without a preacher?Romans 10:14

Has preaching fallen on hard times? An open debate is now being waged over the character and centrality of preaching in the church. At stake is nothing less than the integrity of Christian worship and proclamation.
How did this happen? Given the central place of preaching in the New Testament church, it would seem that the priority of biblical preaching should be uncontested. After all, as John A. Broadus--one of Southern Seminary's founding faculty--famously remarked, "Preaching is characteristic of Christianity. No other religion has made the regular and frequent assembling of groups of people, to hear religious instruction and exhortation, an integral part of Christian worship."
Yet, numerous influential voices within evangelicalism suggest that the age of the expository sermon is now past. In its place, some contemporary preachers now substitute messages intentionally designed to reach secular or superficial congregations--messages which avoid preaching a biblical text, and thus avoid a potentially embarrassing confrontation with biblical truth.
A subtle shift visible at the onset of the twentieth century has become a great divide as the century ends. The shift from expository preaching to more topical and human-centered approaches has grown into a debate over the place of Scripture in preaching, and the nature of preaching itself.
Two famous statements about preaching illustrate this growing divide. Reflecting poetically on the urgency and centrality of preaching, the Puritan pastor Richard Baxter once remarked, "I preach as never sure to preach again, and as a dying man to dying men." With vivid expression and a sense of gospel gravity, Baxter understood that preaching is literally a life or death affair. Eternity hangs in the balance as the preacher proclaims the Word.
Contrast that statement to the words of Harry Emerson Fosdick, perhaps the most famous (or infamous) preacher of this century's early decades. Fosdick, pastor of the Riverside Church in New York City, provides an instructive contrast to the venerable Baxter. "Preaching," he explained, "is personal counseling on a group basis."
These two statements about preaching reveal the contours of the contemporary debate. For Baxter, the promise of heaven and the horrors of hell frame the preacher's consuming burden. For Fosdick, the preacher is a kindly counselor offering helpful advice and encouragement.
The current debate over preaching is most commonly explained as a argument about the focus and shape of the sermon. Should the preacher seek to preach a biblical text through an expository sermon? Or, should the preacher direct the sermon to the "felt needs" and perceived concerns of the hearers?
Clearly, many evangelicals now favor the second approach. Urged on by devotees of "needs-based preaching," many evangelicals have abandoned the text without recognizing that they have done so. These preachers may eventually get to the text in the course of the sermon, but the text does not set the agenda or establish the shape of the message.
Focusing on so-called "perceived needs" and allowing these needs to set the preaching agenda inevitably leads to a loss of biblical authority and biblical content in the sermon. Yet, this pattern is increasingly the norm in many evangelical pulpits. Fosdick must be smiling from the grave.
Earlier evangelicals recognized Fosdick's approach as a rejection of biblical preaching. An out-of-the-closet theological liberal, Fosdick paraded his rejection of biblical inspiration, inerrancy, and infallibility--and rejected other doctrines central to the Christian faith. Enamored with trends in psychological theory, Fosdick became liberal Protestantism's happy pulpit therapist. The goal of his preaching was well captured by the title of one of his many books, On Being a Real Person.
Shockingly, this is now the approach evident in many evangelical pulpits. The sacred desk has become an advice center and the pew has become the therapist's couch. Psychological and practical concerns have displaced theological exegesis and the preacher directs his sermon to the congregation's perceived needs.
The problem is, of course, that the sinner does not know what his most urgent need is. She is blind to her need for redemption and reconciliation with God, and focuses on potentially real but temporal needs such as personal fulfillment, financial security, family peace, and career advancement. Too many sermons settle for answering these expressed needs and concerns, and fail to proclaim the Word of Truth.
Without doubt, few preachers following this popular trend intend to depart from the Bible. But under the guise of an intention to reach modern secular men and women "where they are," the sermon has been transformed into a success seminar. Some verses of Scripture may be added to the mix, but for a sermon to be genuinely biblical, the text must set the agenda as the foundation of the message--not as an authority cited for spiritual footnoting.
Charles Spurgeon confronted the very same pattern of wavering pulpits in his own day. Some of the most fashionable and well-attended London churches featured pulpiteers who were the precursors to modern needs-based preachers. Spurgeon--who managed to draw a few hearers despite his insistence on biblical preaching--confessed that "The true ambassador for Christ feels that he himself stands before God and has to deal with souls in God's stead as God's servant, and stands in a solemn place--a place in which unfaithfulness is inhumanity to man as well as treason to God."
Spurgeon and Baxter understood the dangerous mandate of the preacher, and were therefore driven to the Bible as their only authority and message. They left their pulpits trembling with urgent concern for the souls of their hearers and fully aware of their accountability to God for preaching His Word, and His Word alone. Their sermons were measured by power; Fosdick's by popularity.
The current debate over preaching may well shake congregations, denominations, and the evangelical movement. But know this: The recovery and renewal of the church in this generation will come only when from pulpit to pulpit the herald preaches as never sure to preach again, and as a dying man to dying men.

Bad Porn.......By Dr Phil Ryken

Last month's post on Naomi Wolf's essay "The Porn Myth" provokes many useful lines of practical and theological reflection. Wolf's basic argument is that, contrary to feminist expectations, easy access to pornography has not been liberating for women, but makes men (especially) more selfish and therefore less able to enjoy real relationships, including sexual ones. Wolf even goes so far as to commend a biblical approach to sexuality.One of Wolf's comments is especially arresting: "For most of human history, erotic images have been reflections of, or celebrations of, or substitutes for, real naked women. For the first time in human history, the images' power and allure have supplanted that of real naked women. Today, real naked women are just bad porn."This comment grieved me, because as a pastor I know that it is true, and that women (and men) in the church are suffering as a result. The body of a man's wife ought to be a source of mystery and delight to him (see Song of Songs). But when he drinks water out of stolen cisterns, to use the biblical imagery, her beauty is degraded. Then rather than fueling their romantic passion with mutually satisfying pleasure, their sexual relationship becomes something to use and throw away. So here is another reason for men to avoid any and all contact with any and all pornography: If you use pornography, it will degrade the sexual cement of your marriage and dishonor a woman who deserves better than to be treated like bad pornography.

Question from Judy

In the last few years, I have begun deepening my walk with God. In part, because God lead me to exposure to the teachings of Joyce Meyer. I have recently come to understand, in part, my ignorance and need to dig deeper into scriptures in order to come closer to God and to fully understand the denominations and their positions on the Gospel. As you know this is a time consuming task...and we, as Christians, need to dedicate our lives to this pursuit. However, since we are all fallible, I do believe that God can use ministers despite their inaccuracies. This said, we all need to strive for Biblical accuracy. I wonder if you could clarify the points on which you believe Joyce Meyer's teaching are Biblically incorrect. If I have been misinformed, I would like to know those areas in which I must focus my own study to make sure that I am Biblically correct. I do not know the extent of deviation that you perceive, or the length of time involved in answering my question, but if you cannot take the time to address the matter fully, perhaps you can outline it for me and direct me to where I can study the issues more in depth.

Thank you for your time.

May God lead your path,

Judy Fancher

Judy,
This is an excellent question. First of all I want to praise God for the fact that you are searching for the truth.
When it comes to the teaching of Joyce Meyer the first thing that stands out to us is her teaching focuses more on man’s own attitude towards situations then God being Sovereign over all things. In the seeker friendly movement you will find more teachings that have to do with a person own feelings than suffering for the Gospel’s sake, Repentance, Reverence towards Holy God etc.

When it comes to inaccuracies I will say we are all subject to error, but when it comes to a teacher they are to study to show themselves approved. And that does mean approved buy men but by God through Holy Scripture.

God can not work through inaccuracies only through His infallible Word.

In the case of Joyce Meyer it is much more than a small error in the expositing of a tough verse in Scripture. It is a whole philosophy based on positive thinking, health and wealth and feeling your best today. But lacking any sound Biblical Doctrinal Teachings.

The main point of Doctrinal error with Joyce Meyer is related to her belief that man can choose his or her destiny as it pertains to Salvation. This is a very serious error that will lead people astray instead of to Christ. She believes if a persons says and believes what they are saying then it will happen. And if it does not happen then there must be sin in that person’s life. Or they have not sown enough money into for example the work of her own ministry.

You see using Scripture as our guide we see that this is not supported contextually. What this is. Is the power of positive thinking. And what it is not is sound biblical teaching.

What you must keep in mind as you listen to a persons teachings. Is does Scripture support what is being said. And that does not mean just because the person is putting Scripture to what they are saying. But are they teaching a sound doctrinal belief contextually from Holy Scripture.

So with that said I would look at Joyce Meyer as more of a motivational speaker. Someone who will make you feel good for the moment. But as a sound teacher grounded in the Word and its doctrinal Truth. I must say avoid that kind of teaching. I have included a link to some posts from our blog site last month that will help you http://truthmattersinc.blogspot.com/2007_08_01_archive.html

Also for scriptural support that will help you make a sound comparison in the future I have included our Declarations page http://www.truthmattersinc.org/declarations.html

Thank you for your question
And may our Lord Bless you
Rev Charles J Paul

Church Leaders and Wolves

Paul's address to the Ephesian elders in Acts 20 instructs about the duty of Christian leaders to proclaim the truth and to guard the flock against wolves. First Paul recalled his previous practice in Ephesus:
How I did not shrink from declaring to you anything that was profitable, and teaching you publicly and from house to house, solemnly testifying to both Jews and Greeks of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. (Acts 20:20, 21)
Preaching that people should repent and believe is an important theme in Luke/Acts (Luke 24:47; Acts 2:38; Acts 17:30, 31; Acts 26:17-20; et al). Paul's preaching resulted in the formation of a church in Ephesus. Elders were appointed, and these were addressed by Paul as he headed to Jerusalem. What he said to them reveals what is truly important for all churches.
And now, behold, I know that all of you, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, will see my face no more. Therefore I testify to you this day, that I am innocent of the blood of all men. For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God. (Acts 20:27)
Notice, first of all, that the phrase "preaching the kingdom" is synonymously parallel with his description of his preaching in verse 21, "repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ." The message of the kingdom was not some message like the social gospel as some claim today, but the gospel of the kingdom is repentance and faith (see Mark 1:14, 15). These are the terms of entrance into the kingdom.
Secondly, notice that Paul claimed innocence from bloodguiltiness. This means that had he not proclaimed both the terms of entrance into the kingdom, and the whole of what God has revealed of His purposes, Paul would have imperiled their souls, failed his sacred mission, and brought guilt upon himself for failing to warn them of coming judgment (see Ezekiel 33:6). These same responsibilities apply to pastors and other church leaders today. This is so very important because the flock must be equipped to withstand the onslaught of the inevitable wolves who will arise.
These wolves are the subject of Paul's warning to the church leaders:
Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood. I know that after my departure savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock; and from among your own selves men will arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away the disciples after them. (Acts 20:28-30)
It is important to see that the wolves come from two sources: outside and inside the church. Wolves are always inimical to the well-being of sheep. It is the responsibility of shepherds to make sure the sheep are safe from the wolves. To do this, the wolves must be identified. The way they are identified is through their teachings. Paul described the practice of the wolves: "speaking perverse things." The word "perverse" means "twisted" or "distorted." Their teachings are a distortion of the authoritative teachings of Christ and His apostles. Anyone is a wolf who purposely gives distorted teaching and refuses to repent when shown his error from the Scriptures. The elders must guard the flock against such people.
Notice what happens through the teachings of the wolves: they "draw away the disciples after them." False teachers and prophets have a message that comes from themselves, not from the whole counsel of God. The reason these wolves draw disciples away after themselves is that they are the only source of this teaching. If the church is proclaiming the true terms of the covenant and the whole counsel of God, whatever "perverse" doctrine is being promoted by wolves will not be heard from the faithful pastors and elders. Perverse doctrine cannot be found through valid implications from authoritative Scripture. Therefore, if the wolves succeed in giving some of the sheep an appetite for what they are offering, the sheep will have to follow the wolves to get that appetite fed. Since this is not from God, they are being drawn away from the true sheepfold and into spiritual peril and perhaps damnation.
This is a very serious situation. In John 10 Jesus uses a sheepfold analogy to show that robbers do not go through the true door: "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who does not enter by the door into the fold of the sheep, but climbs up some other way, he is a thief and a robber" (John 10:1). Jesus is the door of the sheep (John 10:7). Jesus has ascended bodily into heaven. His teachings as given in the New Testament delineate the boundaries of the sheepfold. The elders of the church are responsible to uphold the true words of Christ and His apostles. They are responsible to identify those robbers who will not abide in the teachings of Christ. False teachers refuse to do this job: "He who is a hireling, and not a shepherd, who is not the owner of the sheep, beholds the wolf coming, and leaves the sheep, and flees, and the wolf snatches them, and scatters them. He flees because he is a hireling, and is not concerned about the sheep" (John 10:12, 13). Jesus is the true Shepherd, and the under-shepherds (the term "pastor" is from the word "shepherd") are to feed the sheep the pure words of God and guard them from perverted words. Those who refuse to do so are hirelings.

You Will Know Them by Their Fruits

You Will Know Them by Their Fruits - Matthew 7
Jesus' teaching that, "You will know them by their fruits," is well known and often repeated. What is amazing, however, is that most of the time people come to conclusions about what this means that have nothing to do with the issues Jesus raises in Matthew 7. They often think of "fruits" as being character qualities, popularity, or the ability to do supernatural signs. I will discuss each of these ideas and then show what Jesus did mean.
Let us examine the passage. In Matthew 7 Jesus warned about false prophets:
Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they? Even so, every good tree bears good fruit; but the bad tree bears bad fruit. (Matthew 7:15-17)
First, personality traits are not fruits. On the outside, false prophets look like sheep. They are often very nice people who are kind, endearing, disarming, affable, winsome, and possess many other wonderful qualities. The false idea that these qualities are what Jesus means by "fruits" causes many people to be misled by false prophets. What they fail to realize is that the Dalai Lama has such qualities and he is hardly a Christian. Having a charming exterior is often the "sheep's clothing."
The number of one's followers is not fruit. Many assume that popularity is a sign of good fruit. But the context shows something entirely different: "Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it" (Matthew 7:13, 14). The false religious leaders of Israel had more followers than Jesus did. This can hardly be what Jesus meant by "fruit."
And signs and wonders are not fruits. Again we must consult the context:
So then, you will know them by their fruits. Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven. Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.' (Matthew 7:20-23)
People who call Jesus "Lord," come in His name, and do works of power are false prophets if they refused to abide within God-given boundaries. This is an important concept. This is lawlessness.
The boundaries are those that God's ordained spokespersons set. For us, they are the teachings of Christ and His apostles (See Hebrews 1:1, 2; 2:3, 4). Jesus was the prophet that Moses predicted and to whom we must listen (Deuteronomy 18:15; Mark 9:2-7; John 5:46, 47; et. al.). The book of Hebrews contains this warning: "Anyone who has set aside the Law of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace?" (Hebrews 10:18, 19). Lawlessness disregards the terms of the covenant. Jesus has revealed the terms and boundaries of legal belief and practice under the new covenant, like Moses did under the old. John warned about this in his second epistle: "Anyone who goes too far and does not abide in the teaching of Christ, does not have God; the one who abides in the teaching, he has both the Father and the Son" (2John 1:9).
Understood in this way, false prophets are those who teach and practice lawlessness. They do not abide within the once-for-all determined boundaries of New Testament teaching. We can see this as we continue in our Matthew 7 passage:
Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded upon the rock. And everyone who hears these words of Mine, and does not act upon them, will be like a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and it fell, and great was its fall. (Matthew 7:24-27)
The lawless ones do not abide by the teachings of Christ. They are the false prophets. The fruits by which they are known are their teachings, not their personalities, the number of their followers, or their miracles.
To underscore how important judging teaching is, we will examine Paul's address to the elders in Jerusalem. We will see that guarding the flock is a key duty of pastors and elders.

Raising the Error-Alert By John MacArthur

Why do so many evangelicals act as if false teachers in the church could never be a serious problem in this generation?

Vast numbers seem convinced that they are “rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing—and do not know that [they] are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked” (Revelation 3:17).
In reality, the church today is quite possibly more susceptible to false teachers, doctrinal saboteurs, and spiritual terrorism than any other generation in church history. Biblical ignorance within the church may well be deeper and more widespread than at any other time since the Protestant Reformation. If you doubt that, compare the typical sermon of today with a randomly chosen published sermon from any leading evangelical preacher prior to 1850. Also compare today’s Christian literature with almost anything published by evangelical publishing houses a hundred years or more ago.
Bible teaching, even in the best of venues today, has been deliberately dumbed-down, made as broad and as shallow as possible, oversimplified, adapted to the lowest common denominator— and then tailored to appeal to people with short attention spans.
Sermons are almost always brief, simplistic, overlaid with as many references to pop culture as possible, and laden with anecdotes and illustrations. (Jokes and funny stories drawn from personal experience are favored over cross-references and analogies borrowed from Scripture itself.) Typical sermon topics are heavily weighted in favor of man-centered issues (such as personal relationships, successful living, self-esteem, how-to lists, and so on)—to the exclusion of the many Christ-exalting doctrinal themes of Scripture. In other words, what most contemporary preachers do is virtually the opposite of what Paul was describing when he said he sought “to declare . . . the whole counsel of God” (Acts 20:27).
Not only that, but here’s how Paul explained his own approach to gospel ministry, even among unchurched pagans in the most debauched Roman culture:
I, brethren, when I came to you, did not come with excellence of speech or of wisdom declaring to you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know anything among you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling. And my speech and my preaching were not with persuasive words of human wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power, that your faith should not be in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. (1 Corinthians 2:1–5)
Notice that Paul deliberately refused to customize his message or adjust his delivery to suit the Corinthians’ philosophical bent or their cultural tastes. When he says later in the epistle, “To the Jews I became as a Jew . . . to those who are without law, as without law . . . to the weak I became as weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some” (1 Corinthians 9:20-22), he was describing how he made himself a servant to all (v. 19) and the fellow of those whom he was trying to reach. In other words, he avoided making himself a stumbling block. He was not saying he adapted the gospel message (which he plainly said is a stumbling block—1:23). He did not adopt methods to suit the tastes of a worldly culture.
Paul had no thought of catering to a particular generation’s preferences, and he used no gimmicks as attention-getters. Whatever antonym you can think of for the word showmanship would probably be a good description of Paul’s style of public ministry. He wanted to make it clear to everyone (including the Corinthian converts themselves) that lives and hearts are renewed by means of the Word of God and nothing else. That way they would begin to understand and appreciate the power of the gospel message.

God Driven Church. By Dr Steve Lawson

http://www.newreformationministries.org/home/140001931/140001931/files/The%20God-Driven%20Church.pdf

Who is Being Deceived?????

Below is an email received here at Truth Matters.

Dear Chuck,

I am sorry to see the ministers names you have listed on your web site as false teachers. To the contrary, they have lead many into a personal relationship to Jesus Christ.

It is you, sadly, that I believe has been deceived. You were such a good pastor and leader to the homeless people of Philadelphia at the Dream Center. I am praying for you and your family.

Very truly yours,

Bob Sofronski

Following are the comments of Rev. C Paul

First of all we all must understand what makes a person a false teacher. Of course it would be if they are teaching anything that does not line up with the source they claim to represent. In the case of a preacher they are to represent Christ by careful study of the Word so that it is the whole council of God’s Word being preached, that first and foremost includes the Doctrine in which the church stands or falls Justification by Faith Alone through Christ Alone. I must emphasize that the Bible clearly states this Sola or Alone. Salvation is fully a work of God not man. To stray from that not only leads people astray but is heresy. http://www.truthmattersinc.org/declarations.html

So then we must now come face to face with this reality if God’s Word clearly declares this Truth and we see clearly that it does. Then any teacher or preacher teaching and preaching something contrary to Holy Scripture would be a what? A FALSE TEACHER

As to the comment that I have Been Deceived that is TRUE I have been Deceived. I would like to put my emphasis on HAVE BEEN as it is plain to see in my bio I am blessed to say that I have been set free from the many lies, deception and trickery of the seeker friendly movement. And now I find full authority in the power of Holy Scripture http://www.truthmattersinc.org/staff.html

You see this is why I want to see the Truth of God’s Holy Word in the hands of His people. Because if we don’t come face to face with the Truth of God’s Word then what we are saying is that there are two Gospels and we know from Holy Scripture this to be not True.

In response now to the point made that I was such a good Pastor when I was leading a ministry that reached out to the poor and under privileged, seems to say that now that I embarrass the Truth of Scripture and have set out to tell the World I am some how now a Bad Pastor.

Well lets look at the word Pastor the word means Sheppard we are to be showing the world that we are men called by God Almighty to Sheppard His Flock not ours. We are to care for the sheep and more then anything else FEED THEM. That does not mean a diet of junk food and stories but the Whole council of God’s Word. You see a person can only come to A TRUE saving relationship with Christ through His Word. http://www.truthmattersinc.org/declarations.html

Our mission here at Truth Matters is plain to see on our web site http://www.truthmattersinc.org/ we are in pursuit of a modern day reformation .

Until such a day when I can been convinced by Holy Scripture that we are wrong then I say to the World HERE I STAND I CAN DO NO OTHER my conscience is held captive by the Word of God.

Understanding Islam By John MacArthur

With all that is going on today, can you help me gain a basic understanding of Islam? How does it differ from biblical Christianity?
Islam is actually a word that means “surrender” or “submission.” Islam claims to be fully surrendered to the will of Allah. And the will of Allah, Muslims believe, was revealed through his prophet Mohammed. The revelation is written down in the Muslim holy book, the Koran.
There are six basic articles of faith in Islam and five duties. A simple Islamic doctrinal statement would look something like this:
Muslims believe that Allah alone is the one true deity. He has neither mother nor father; similarly, he has no sons or daughters. He is not a Trinity; he is not the God of the Old Testament; and he is not the God of Christianity. Allah, according to Islam, is the god of all humanity.
Muslims believe in all the “Messengers and Prophets of Allah.” According to Islamic literature, Allah sent thousands of prophets (Jesus being one), but Mohammed is the greatest of them all.
Muslims believe in “the Revelations and the Koran.” They believe the Koran is the most holy book. Islam also recognizes other sacred writings, including the original manuscripts of the Bible. But Muslims claim that all other holy writings have been corrupted and tainted by translation and copyist errors. Only the Koran is pure, and every word of the Koran is the word of Allah, as given directly to Mohammed.
Muslims believe in the angels of Allah. They believe angels are created beings that have no material or physical needs. Angels require neither food nor drink. The angels are inferior to Allah but superior to humans, and they may be either good or evil.
Muslims believe in a day of judgment. Muslims believe all the dead will be raised to stand trial before Allah, and they will be judged according to their works. It is hoped by most Muslims that if a person follows Islam and does enough good deeds to outweigh the bad, Allah may allow such a person to enter paradise rather than sending that person to hell. But there are no guarantees of this. One’s ultimate destiny is subject solely to the will of Allah. In Islam, there is no atonement for sin or promise of forgiveness, and no assurance of any kind — except for those who die in jihad. Those people, martyrs, are guaranteed eternal life in paradise.
Muslims believe in “Qadaa and Qadar.” These Arabic words signify Allah’s timeless knowledge and power to execute his plans. Islamic determinism goes far beyond the biblical doctrine that God is ultimately sovereign over all, working all things together for good. Instead, Islamic predestinarianism amounts to a kind of fatalistic determinism, where everything that occurs — both good and evil — is thought to come directly from the hand of Allah.
Muslims also have five duties, known as the pillars of Islam. Islam itself is said to be built on these five “pillars”:
1. The first duty is the recitation of the Islamic declaration of faith, known as the Shahadah.
2. The second duty is prayer five times a day.
3. A third duty is charity (known as Zakat).
4. A fourth duty is the annual fast — actually a month of fasting — called Ramadan.
5. A fifth duty, required of every Muslim at least once in his life (unless it is utterly impossible by some restraint), is a pilgrimage to Mecca, called the hajj.
Islam is fundamentally and irreconcilably opposed to biblical Christianity. Islam teaches that Jesus Christ was a mere man–a prophet, and not God incarnate. Islam also denies that Jesus died on a cross. Obviously, if Christ did not die on the cross, He did not have to rise from the dead; so Islam denies the resurrection, too.
Islam further teaches that no one can have salvation but a Muslim. Even though a Muslim can never know whether he has salvation, only Muslims can have it in the end.
Much more could be said, but clearly, Islam and Christianity are mutually exclusive. Both claim to be the only true way to God. Both cannot be right.

Ministry Integrity, Dignity, and Soundness

Quoting James White . . .
[We can] by the means we use to proclaim the gospel, alter it and in fact empty the cross of its power, making it void. If we use worldly words of wisdom - human methodologies that prove we really do not trust God's Spirit to make God's message come alive in the hearts of His people - we may see "results" but they will not be abiding results to the glory of God. They will be man-made, and the resultant church anything but divinely blessed. An impure Gospel results in impure saints at best, or pure hypocrites at worst. Today the emphasis is upon the "end result" and being "user friendly." The fact that men of God are called to be His ambassadors and to proclaim His message without diminishment or alteration has been lost to a large portion of those who stand behind pulpits today.
Today the "minister" who is intent upon making himself "just one of the boys" or a "clown for Jesus" will gain an audience. How far from the attitude of the ambassador who, invested with the authority of the one who sent him to deliver a message, treats that proclamation with the dignity due to its author, resulting in the hearers likewise treating the message with dignity and respect. How little respect is shown the proclamation of God's message today! Congregations tell their pastors to keep it to twenty minutes - we want more music, more entertainment! Give us "gospel lite."
If you do not consider God to be holy and worthy of honor and fear and respect - if you do not believe His Word a divine gift of grace, His very speaking (but instead view it as the musings of men) - you will have no basis upon which to view the teaching of Christian truth as something with authority and dignity. This is what gives rise to the audacious demand on the part of most evangelicals today that the proclamation and content be tailored to meet "their needs"! As if the Holy Sovereign of the Universe is limited in the message He can deliver to His creatures by what His creatures feel they "want" to hear!

The Gospel According to Islam By John MacArthur

Ever since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, the already ecumenical climate in America has reached new heights. In an effort to distinguish between the extremist Muslim terrorists and the mainstream Muslim population, the media has called for an even higher level of tolerance and acceptance of the religion of Islam than usual.
In a 2002 issue of Newsweek, for instance, religion editor Kenneth Woodward asserts that “mere tolerance of other religions is not enough” and that “even the acceptance of other religions as valid paths to God is insufficient” (“How Should We Think About Islam?” Newsweek, December 31, 2001 / January 7, 2002, p. 104). According to Woodward, “the most important theological agenda of the new millennium” is for committed Christians, Jews, and Muslims to “find within their own traditions sound theological reasons for valuing other faiths without compromising their own” (ibid., pp. 104-05).
Sadly, the influence of this sentiment can be seen even in the church. In fact, in a relatively recent Christianity Today article, Wheaton College professor James Lewis recommends that Christians “seek Muslim prayer partners and together beseech the true, one and only God to have mercy on us” (“Does God Hear Muslims’ Prayers?” Christianity Today, February 4, 2002, p. 31).
When evangelicals capitulate and attempt to soften the offense of the gospel in this way, they blur the lines between the god of Islam and the God of the Bible. But now is not the time for blurring lines. Now is the time to draw lines—lines between truth and error, and between the one path to heaven and the many paths to hell.
Islam rejects the Trinity and the God of the Bible, insisting instead that Allah alone is the one true deity. It denies that Jesus is God, that He died on the cross, and that He was raised from the dead. Instead, say Muslims, Jesus was but one of thousands of prophets sent by Allah, the greatest of them being Mohammed. In other words, Jesus was merely a man.
Islam rejects the salvation of forgiveness through Christ, teaching that only Muslims can be saved. According to the Koran, if a person follows Islam and does enough good deeds to outweigh the bad, Allah may allow him to enter paradise, but even then he can’t be certain. The only sure pathway to heaven is killing and being killed in jihad, a holy war.
Islam gives lip service to the Bible as a holy book, but it undermines and denies every fundamental doctrine about sin and salvation taught in the Bible. In fact, Islam today is the most powerful system on earth for the destruction of biblical truth and Christianity—thousands of Christians are dying under Islamic persecution, especially in the Middle East, Africa, Indonesia, and other parts of Asia.
Clearly, Islam and Christianity are mutually exclusive. Both claim to be the only true way to God, but both cannot be right. There is no atonement in Islam, no forgiveness, no savior, and no assurance of eternal life. The gospel of Jesus Christ is a message of hope; Islam is a religion of hopelessness.
Making these kinds of distinctions may not be politically correct, but it is critical if the purity of the gospel is to be protected. Put simply, there is no salvation outside of Christ. When this truth is compromised, the gospel is abandoned—and so is the only hope that we can offer to those who are not our enemies, but rather our mission field.

Martin Luther's Definition of Faith: An excerpt from "An Introduction to St. Paul's Letter to the Romans,"

Faith is not what some people think it is. Their human dream is a delusion. Because they observe that faith is not followed by good works or a better life, they fall into error, even though they speak and hear much about faith. ``Faith is not enough,'' they say, ``You must do good works, you must be pious to be saved.'' They think that, when you hear the gospel, you start working, creating by your own strength a thankful heart which says, ``I believe.'' That is what they think true faith is. But, because this is a human idea, a dream, the heart never learns anything from it, so it does nothing and reform doesn't come from this `faith,' either. Instead, faith is God's work in us, that changes us and gives new birth from God. (John 1:13). It kills the Old Adam and makes us completely different people. It changes our hearts, our spirits, our thoughts and all our powers. It brings the Holy Spirit with it. Yes, it is a living, creative, active and powerful thing, this faith. Faith cannot help doing good works constantly. It doesn't stop to ask if good works ought to be done, but before anyone asks, it already has done them and continues to do them without ceasing. Anyone who does not do good works in this manner is an unbeliever. He stumbles around and looks for faith and good works, even though he does not know what faith or good works are. Yet he gossips and chatters about faith and good works with many words. Faith is a living, bold trust in God's grace, so certain of God's favor that it would risk death a thousand times trusting in it. Such confidence and knowledge of God's grace makes you happy, joyful and bold in your relationship to God and all creatures. The Holy Spirit makes this happen through faith. Because of it, you freely, willingly and joyfully do good to everyone, serve everyone, suffer all kinds of things, love and praise the God who has shown you such grace. Thus, it is just as impossible to separate faith and works as it is to separate heat and light from fire! Therefore, watch out for your own false ideas and guard against good-for-nothing gossips, who think they're smart enough to define faith and works, but really are the greatest of fools. Ask God to work faith in you, or you will remain forever without faith, no matter what you wish, say or can do.

Taking the Offensive

"Take . . . the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God" (Eph. 6:17).

All the armor Paul lists in Ephesians 6 is defensive, with one exception: the sword of the Spirit. That's your offensive weapon for defeating Satan.
We've seen that Roman soldiers carried two swords: the large broadsword and the small dagger. The Greek word translated "sword" in verse 17 refers to the dagger, which was anywhere from six to eighteen inches in length and was carried in a sheath or scabbard at the soldier's side.
The dagger was a common weapon. The Roman soldiers who arrested Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane were each armed with one (Matt. 26:47). Peter used one to cut off the ear of the high priest's servant (Matt. 26:51). A dagger was used to kill James, the brother of John (Acts. 12:2). Hebrews 11:37 tells us that such a weapon was used against the heroes of the faith.
"The sword of the Spirit" isn't a direct reference to the Holy Spirit as such. The implications is that since our enemy is spiritual, our weapons also must be spiritual (2 Cor. 10:4). Our sword is spiritual because it is the Word given by the Holy Spirit. He inspired its writing and through it convicts and redeems sinners (John 16:8; Heb. 4:12-13). The Word abides in you and transforms you. It supplies everything you need for a godly, victorious life. It builds you up and produces holiness (Acts 20:32). And it equips you for good works by teaching, reproving, correcting, and training you in righteousness (2 Tim. 3:16).
The Bible is a powerful and effective weapon. The question is, Do you know how to use it? Do you diligently study it and apply its principles to your life? Do you have a storehouse of biblical truth to draw from in the heat of battle?
The Roman dagger was a precision weapon aimed at a specific spot to produce a specific result. Similarly, the sword of the Spirit is most effective when you apply specific biblical principles to specific situations in your life. Do you do that?

Monergism vs. Synergism

This is a full-length in-depth essay on the biblical doctrine of monergistic regeneration as compared with synergismhttp://www.monergism.com/thethreshold/articles/onsite/whatismonergism2.html. My aim in this essay is to show from Scripture that faith is the result of regeneration, not the cause of it. A corresponding aim is to show that the opposite view is unscriptural and harmful to our understanding of the Gospel. Monergism and synergism are terms that may or may not be familiar to you but are of immense importance to evangelicals if we hope to maintain fidelity to the Scriptures as we enter the new millennium. This God-honoring but largely forgotten truth is critical to the blessing and renewal of the Church and key to understand if we are to successfully reform our thinking along biblical lines. These words describe two very distinct views of God's saving grace - the process wherein God changes a person from "dead in sin" to "alive in Christ."

What Is Monergism?

Monergism: In regeneration, the Holy Spirit unites us to Christ independent of any cooperation from our unregenerated human nature. He quickens us through the outward call cast forth by the preaching of His Word, disarms our innate hostility, removes our blindness, illumines our mind, creates understanding, turns our heart of stone to a heart of flesh -- giving rise to a delight in His Word -- all that we might, with our renewed affections, willingly & gladly embrace Christ. The Prophet Ezekiel inspired by the Holy Spirit asserted "I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow my decrees and be careful to keep my laws. They will be my people, and I will be their God." (Eze 11:19, also 36:26) The Apostle Paul said, "For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you, because our gospel came to you not only in word, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with full conviction." (1 Thess 1, 4, 5). I.e. In regeneration the word does not work alone but must be accompanied by the "germination" of the Holy Spirit. And again "...you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God." (1 Pet 1:23)
The Century Dictionary defines it as follows:
"In theology, the doctrine that the Holy Spirit is the only efficient agent in regeneration - that the human will possesses no inclination to holiness until regenerated, and therefore cannot cooperate in regeneration."
It means that the very desire for faith, by which we believe in Him who justifies the ungodly comes to us through regeneration -- and if anyone says that this belongs to us by nature and not by a gift of grace, that is, by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit amending our will and turning it from unbelief to faith and from godlessness to godliness, he/she ignores the teaching of the Apostles, for Paul says, "...Even when we were dead in sins, [God] hath quickened us together with Christ, by grace ye are saved." and "...he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit." (Titus 3:5) And again, "For by grace you have been saved through faith; and this is not your own doing, it is the gift of God" (Eph. 2:8). or if anyone makes the assistance of grace depend on the humility or obedience of man and does not agree that it is a gift of grace itself that we are obedient and humble, he contradicts the Apostle who says, "What have you that you did not receive?" (1 Cor. 4:7), and, "But by the grace of God I am what I am" (1 Cor. 15:10).
It is in contrast to synergism which the Century Dictionary defines as
"...the doctrine that there are two efficient agents in regeneration, namely the human will and the divine Spirit, which, in the strict sense of the term, cooperate. This theory accordingly holds that the soul has not lost in the fall all inclination toward holiness, nor all power to seek for it under the influence of ordinary motives."
For more in-depth treatment of this topic click here....

Dever on Evangelism

In the foreword to Mark Dever's new book, The Gospel and Personal Evangelism, C. J. Mahaney writes:
That’s why, for many years now, I’ve been pestering Mark to write this book. It’s so that by the grace of God, church members and pastors and you and I will notice those we once ignored. It’s so that we will befriend sinners who are without hope and without God. It’s so that we will share with them the good news of Jesus Christ’s substitutionary sacrifice on the cross. It’s so that someday those lost souls might turn from their sins and trust in the Savior’s death and resurrection on their behalf. And then, there will be some serious rejoicing—on earth and in heaven (Luke 15:10)!You can read the Contents, as well as the Foreword, Introduction, and Chapter 1, online for free.Here are some blurbs for the book:
“Mark Dever’s personal devotion to Scripture has led him to think deeply, read widely, preach clearly, and write simply to the great blessing of the body of Christ. Evangelism is the church’s mandate, and the one reason the redeemed are still on earth. Doing it effectively requires doing it biblically. Mark teaches us how to mobilize our churches to do just that.”
John MacArthur, Pastor-Teacher, Grace Community Church, Sun Valley, California
“For most of us, personal evangelism is the reverse of easy, and so it becomes a task we evade. Mark Dever writes to shake us up about this, clearing our heads as to just what evangelizing involves and motivating our hearts to go to it realistically and responsibly. This is a word in season that will surely do a great deal of good.”J. I. Packer, Professor of Theology, Regent College
“At the heart of this book is a heart for the gospel. Mark Dever encourages, instructs, and challenges us to proclaim the gospel in all its fullness, grace, truth, goodness, and wonder.”Randy Newman, author, Questioning Evangelism and Corner Conversations
“Mark Dever has done every Christian and pastor a tremendous favor. With great humility, Dever helps us to connect the dots of our hopes for seeing people saved with the truth about the gospel and evangelism itself. This little book searches our hearts, corrects our thinking, calls us to faithfulness, and encourages us with practical examples and exhortations.”Thabiti M. Anyabwile, Senior Pastor, First Baptist Church of Grand Cayman; author, The Faithful Preacher

A 'D-List' star uttered a profanity about Jesus. Controversy ensues.

Yes we need to say something when our Lord's Holy Name is drug through the mudd, like is done is this new's week storyhttp://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20920371/site/newsweek/from/ET/. But let me ask you the person saying this is not a Christian, her eyes are blinded so this is what a person who is blind to Christ will say.

But what about all those who claim to know Christ? and yet preach and teach a false Doctrine, these are the people doing the damage to God's people. These are the people that must be confronted with the Truth.

Take a Stand with us here at Truth Matters as we contend for the TRUTH of GOD'S WORD.
Rev. Charles J Paul

The ME Church....................

Today we see to much of this type of Church. As God's people we must break away from these lies and go back to the Truth of God's Word for His Church.

May God Alimighty help us as we seek a Modern day Reformation.

Click here to see the ME church
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-AIo_ZZVFhE&mode=related&search=

What if you spent one year following every rule in the Bible?

As you read this article you will see how the world views Holy Scripture. But sadly we also can see this happening in the church. This happens when we depart from the Truth of God's Word. Remember Truth does Matter. Rev. Charles J Paul

Click here for News Week Article
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/20910659/site/newsweek/from/ET/

No need to let a little divorce get in the way of your ministry.

What you are about to read is a double standard, there are so many holes in this story that do not bring Glory to God. First of all for TBN to stand publicly with this, says all God's people need to know about Paul and Jan and their host's.

Marriage is a Covenant designed by God Almighty, for two people who claim publicly to be followers of Christ to treat Marriage like a throw away toy is beyond Wrong in the site of a Holy God. The people that follow TBN and people like Paula need to look closer at what they believe, and as they will see it does not line up with Scripture. It is then time for you to break away from them, and begin to grow in the truth of God's Word. Rev. Charles J Paul



Loud applause greeted famed life coach and female televangelist Paula White at her first public interview since the announcement of her divorce.



Megachurch Co-Pastors Announce Divorce
White appeared on the Trinity Broadcasting Network this week as both a guest and preacher, touching on the highly public divorce she's going through while encouraging others not to be swayed by life's trials.
"I embrace the concept that I would not let my trial be wasted in life," said White on a show hosted by contemporary Christian music artist Carman that aired Wednesday and Thursday. "I often say 'I didn't write the script, but I'm learning to live it out with the best of my ability for the honor of God, with dignity, with grace, with favor, embracing His word."
Paula and Randy White, co-founders and former co-pastors of Without Walls International in Tampa, Fla. – one of the fastest growing churches in the nation – announced their decision to split at a Thursday evening service late last month. Married nearly 18 years, the couple blamed the two different directions their lives were going. Both have been divorced before.
Quoting what Jan Crouch, co-founder of TBN, had once told her, Paula White said, "You know who you are and you know whose you are."
"I say this for Randy ... my former husband," she continued. "And Randy is a man of God. No one sets their life out and says, 'Boy, this is what I think I'm going to go through.' And people look at things as failure, why didn't this work. But I see 18 years of the rock that I was healed from and I'm grateful for the seasons in my life because I wouldn't be who I am without all the people that God has used to help me, to develop me, to cultivate me.
"Some of the greatest development in the men and women of God ... were those in adverse situation, those in opposition," White added. "But it pulled out because you had that decision. You can either gravitate and put your hand to the plow and say, 'Okay, God, I don't get this one; I don't even like this one. But still what do You have to say to me? I will not be moved.'"
White is releasing a new book in October that she says contains contents from her personal journals and that it exposes "the inner most of my being." In You're All That!: Understand God's Design for Your Life, White talks about discovering "who you are in Christ."
"Because when you know who you are and whose you are, I believe it gives you that inner fortitude and that strength to face whatever life situation you may have to go through," said White on the show.
"When I don't understand life, I'm not going to draw back. I have decided to do one thing even my mind doesn't comprehend it – draw nigh," she said.
"I believe when people can find out who they are, then you can be equipped to handle life's situations."
News of the trouble in the Whites' marriage was first picked up by The Tampa Tribune in May. The two were rarely seen preaching together anymore as Paula's own ministry works were keeping her busy and growing her renown while Randy was pursuing another church start in Malibu, Calif.
Criticism broke out from former Without Walls staff who said the Whites have shifted their focus to money and fame. Paula White earlier said she knows followers will feel disappointed by the announcement given that evangelical Christians hold marriage as a sacred institution.
Randy White, who took "100 percent responsibility" for the split, will continue to lead Without Walls as senior pastor.
Aware of the critics, Christian artist Carman said people who don't have the "wherewithal" to assess the situation should not judge or "open that person up to look," as he stated it. He told Paula White that she is at the top of her game right now.
Still, with her divorce taking place in the public eye, White said, "Everything God brings me through ... I promise Him, I will hold my hand out to someone else and allow myself to say 'He lifted me through this, He'll life you through this.'
"That's what I think it's about. It wasn't simply for me."
Preaching to the television audience, White said, "Life events will not define who you are. God says who you are. You are somebody."

Here are some other Comments.........

1- Divorces are a direct result of sin, sinning, and sinful behavior. Divorce occurs in marriages long before either person files the paperwork. Divorce is supposed to be the solution to an irresolvable problem in the marriage. Is there a problem in any Christian’s life that the Lord cannot resolve? Is there any sin too great that the Lord cannot forgive? God hates divorce, Malachi 2:16! God did not say adultery was grounds for a divorce. It is not the adultery, but the hardness of your heart that demands a divorce. Adultery can be forgiven, but a harden heart is too prideful to forgive or to hear from anyone, including God.Marriage is a vowed relationship with the Lord. The only other vowed relationship anyone has with the Lord is their vow to accept Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior. Marriage vows come BEFORE anyone’s “Calling” into ministry. If your ministry is interfering with your marriage, then step down from ministry, immediately, and heal your marriage. It makes you wonder who are Christians following, the pastor, or Jesus Christ? My Bible says to have the mind of Christ, not the mind of the pastor. The many members of the congregation may choose to stay with a pastor who is living in sin or openly committing sin(s). They may say it is out of love and forgiveness, but not really. It is out of pride and selfishness. A sinful pastor will continue to lead them astray, but it is by their personal choice to follow. Whose voice do you follow? If the pastor’s heart is not contrite and humble enough to step down, for a season of healing, then it is only a matter of time before they fall down and take many with them.Ecclesiastes 5:4 states; do not make a vow to God and break it; do not make a vow to God and then say that it was a mistake (paraphrased). You, your spouse, and the Holy Spirit have formed a threefold cord. You now, must break your relationship with God before you can break you relationship with your spouse. Who wants to follow a pastor who is no longer in relationship with God? God has never and He will never tell anyone to get a divorce or to marry someone else because you missed Him in your choice of a spouse. Stop lying about the Word of God. God hates divorce! God also hates lying! I don’t think that God makes any exceptions to His Laws for the rich and famous even if they still claim to be pastors of HIS church. Pastor Leo Bogee

2- I know nothing about this particular case, but from reading the above I cannot help but conclude that there has to be some connection between the huge increase in the Christian divorce rate and the huge emphasis in contemporary church culture on "MY life", "who I am", "ME ... ME ... ME ...". Large parts of the modern western church seem to have lapsed, without realising it, from a body that existed to serve the pleasure of God by putting what is right above what feels good, and into a society where God exists to serve our very individual happiness, fulfilment etc. The sad thing that seems to happen when a high profile Christian marriage ends in divorce is that many struggling couples who looked up to them as role models say, "Well, if they can't make it, what hope is there for us," and they give up too. I would suggest that there needs to be concerted prayer for the marriages in Pastor White's church.

3-Paula White is now trying to come off as the "victim". I don't buy anything she says. She now wants to lean on the word of God. Why didn't she do it before. I've been married for 35 years and we've had plenty of tough times. I got married when I was only 18 years old but we made it last because we love God and wanted to honor our vows. My only prayer is that the body of Christ will wake up and start worshipping God and not these weak examples we call leaders. Shame on you if you still believe anything either one of them says. Trust God and only believe Him because He'll always remain true. TBN won't rebuke these "superstar" christians because they need them for their praise-a-thons. God is not pleased with any of this but one thing I know for sure...this is only the beginning. As for Ms. Bynum and her situation, the marriage was failed from the beginning because he was another woman's husband. Let's not forget that this is marriage number two for ALL these "leaders". God gives His instructions on divorce and to my knowledge, nobody fell into anyone of His catergories. I will be supporting my local church more than ever because I know those who are "laboring among" me.