Monday, March 03, 2008

"Touch not my seminary anointed and do my Reformed prophets no harm!"

Jer 6:10 To whom shall I speak and give warning, that they may hear? Behold, their ears are uncircumcised, they cannot listen; behold, the word of the LORD is to them an object of scorn; they take no pleasure in it.

Jer 7:2 "Stand in the gate of the LORD's house, and proclaim there this word, and say, Hear the word of the LORD, all you men of Judah who enter these gates to worship the LORD. Jer 7:3 Thus says the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel: Amend your ways and your deeds, and I will let you dwell in this place. Jer 7:4 Do not trust in these deceptive words: 'This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.'

I am constantly astounded at the lengths "Christians" will go to be accepted and accepting of other professing Christians.

Clearly we live in a day where people are so undiscerning that when someone claims the name of Christ and/or Reformed, why, they must be our brother or sister in Christ! Except.... that they deny biblical doctrine or live lives that are contrary to Scripture (1John 1-2).

Its at the point now where I believe "Reformed" is the new "Evanglical". And neither mean anything other than "man-centeredness". Christianity at large has the Magisterium Mentality and the laziness of the Reformers and Romanists.

Ok, I've fired away and clearly someone's going to think I'm way out in left field. I understand that. I'll explain more of what I mean.

In talking to dozens and dozens of "Christians" and "Reformers" and reading their blogs and articles and such, I've noticed a growing trend in their thinking.

They continually run to a commentary, catechism or creed to know what to say or think or believe. Forget going straight to God and His Word. That's too hard! Just give 'em the Cliff Note version. After all, the Word is merely baby milk, but the theologians...well, now, THERE'S where the meat is!

The continuing list of what a Reformer can hold to as optional yet find "unity" by holding to the TULIP (well, sort of) and Creeds:

Feminism: women can be pastors and leaders over men in church (see the RTS Orlando pushing Synergy feminist conference). Reformed Theological Seminary (Orlando) and evangelical feminism…
Emergent Church Movement junk
Jesus' physical return
Our physical resurrection
Satan as our current enemy
Justification by faith alone
Adam is literal
Fruit of the Spirit
Creation in literal 6 days
Impeccability of Christ
Lordship of Christ
Not using freedoms in Christ to cover evil; causing a brother to stumble
Not Getting Drunk
Repentance
Gospel includes the resurrection of Jesus
Literal hell
Annihilationism
The Narrow Road excludes many people (the Broad Road) (aka no Universalism)
The Trinity



This leads me to ask, what makes anyone a Christian? Because they SAY they are?

This POMO age has created "Christians" that not only do not know biblical doctrine, they don't live by it nor do they think its clear. Instead it has trained "Christians" to think ignorance as a virtue rather than a vice. That riding the fence is GOOD rather than BAD. I'm sorry people, but when a PROFESSOR at a SEMINARY doesn't know that God created the universe in six LITERAL Days, its time for him to pack up, go home, study Scripture ALONE, and sit under biblical teaching in a biblical church.

Its not rocket science.
Truth IS knowable. Jesus said it is.

What I can't understand is that when a "Christian" teacher/preacher blathers on with grotesque language, contrary to Ephes. 4, that's lauded as relevant or passed off as "immaturity". However, when pointing out the gross error and unacceptable according to Scripture, people like me are written off as "judgmental" and "unloving". I see hypocrisy written all over this.

In criticizing Driscoll, one PCA pastor cussed me out and then said "now, I have to go finish my sermon for tomorrow".

Yeah, THAT'S honoring to the Lord.

People! Do you really think God in heaven winks at our sin? At our foul or course language? That He doesn't really see or count against us, our "acceptable sins"? That in God's view, the "good" outweighs the "bad"?

I hear in defense of Driscoll, "well at least he's trying to reach others" or "its just a different methodology or style difference."

God will NOT allow such nonsense.

Jas 3:1 Not many of you should become teachers, my brothers, for you know that we who teach will be judged with greater strictness.

Jas 3:9 With it we bless our Lord and Father, and with it we curse people who are made in the likeness of God. Jas 3:10 From the same mouth come blessing and cursing. My brothers, these things ought not to be so. Jas 3:11 Does a spring pour forth from the same opening both fresh and salt water? Jas 3:12 Can a fig tree, my brothers, bear olives, or a grapevine produce figs? Neither can a salt pond yield fresh water.

Jas 3:13 Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good conduct let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom.

Jas 3:14 But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. Jas 3:15 This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.

Jas 3:16 For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. Jas 3:17 But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. Jas 3:18 And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace.

How did God deal with the shepherds of Israel? Did He wink at their sin and excused it as being merely "immature"?

Jer 6:13 "For from the least to the greatest of them, everyone is greedy for unjust gain; and from prophet to priest, everyone deals falsely. Jer 6:14 They have healed the wound of my people lightly, saying, 'Peace, peace,' when there is no peace. Jer 6:15 Were they ashamed when they committed abomination? No, they were not at all ashamed; they did not know how to blush. Therefore they shall fall among those who fall; at the time that I punish them, they shall be overthrown," says the LORD.

Jer 6:17 I set watchmen over you, saying, 'Pay attention to the sound of the trumpet!' But they said, 'We will not pay attention.' Jer 6:18 Therefore hear, O nations, and know, O congregation, what will happen to them.

Jer 6:19 Hear, O earth; behold, I am bringing disaster upon this people, the fruit of their devices, because they have not paid attention to my words; and as for my law, they have rejected it. Jer 6:20 What use to me is frankincense that comes from Sheba, or sweet cane from a distant land? Your burnt offerings are not acceptable, nor your sacrifices pleasing to me. Jer 6:21 Therefore thus says the LORD: 'Behold, I will lay before this people stumbling blocks against which they shall stumble; fathers and sons together, neighbor and friend shall perish.'"

Jer 7:4 Do not trust in these deceptive words: 'This is the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD, the temple of the LORD.'

Jer 7:23 But this command I gave them: 'Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people. And walk in all the way that I command you, that it may be well with you.' Jer 7:24 But they did not obey or incline their ear, but walked in their own counsels and the stubbornness of their evil hearts, and went backward and not forward.

When "Christians" want to "do Christianity" their own way, they will come under HIS rebuke, if not wrath. God is still the same today as He was in ancient times. HIS NAME WILL NOT BE MALIGNED by those who cuss, swear, joke, and trivialize about HIM, HIS Word, and His Son.

God will not look down upon someone and say "Well, they are sincere, its ok". I am not talking about an ignorant newborn Christian. However, even THEY can see how wrong a lot of this garbage is.

When a "pastor" heartily approves of doctrine and conduct contrary to Scripture, he has disqualified himself.

And I might say here that "methodology" reveals one's doctrine. If one is wrong, the other will be also.

How in the world can anyone who claims to be a study of Scripture put filthy language under the Romans 14 catagory?

Eph 5:3 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Nor should there be obscenity, foolish talk or coarse joking, which are out of place, but rather thanksgiving. 5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.

Eph 5:6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Eph 5:7 Therefore do not associate with them;

Eph 5:11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them.

Eph 5:15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.

God cares not just about HOW we live, but our doctrine as well. There is no such thing as optional biblical doctrine. All Truth is to be believed and obeyed. HE is our MASTER, DICTATOR, BOSS. HE dictates to us how we all are to live, not live, get saved, not get saved, minister, etc. He has told us in His Living Scriptures. Do you believe it? Or are you your own master? Do you relegate God's commands to something you'll get around to when you have the time? When it finally becomes important to you?

When "Christians" call heretics "brothers" they are violating Scripture and are leading others to follow suit.

Scripture is clear that we are to divide from heretics and expose their dark deeds, NOT CODDLE THEM. Such nonsense is what the Fluff N Stuff "Christians" do: luuuv everyone to Hell because they don't want to divide from those that claim Jesus.

"Touch not my seminary anointed and do my Reformed prophets no harm!"

We must test all people, songs, books, authors, pastors, teachers, Bible-study leaders, and of course ourselves by the Word of God. No one gets a free pass. I don't care if ALL the Seminaries agree on something, if they are contrary to Scripture, they must be exposed.

Knowing Greek or Hebrew never saved a soul. It doesn't matter if you never learned it. It doesn't help you know the deep Truths of Scripture. If you really think that, then you are in lock-step with the Gnostics and Charismatics who have similar notions. And you also neglect the Person and Work of the Holy Spirit and the sufficiency of Scripture.

Truth is knowable. Any doctrine that is harder to understand in Scripture is just that: harder, but not impossible to know.

It begins with the Gospel of Christ Jesus and how HE not just us eternally God the Son, but is Creator, and that took on the form of man, lived a sinless life, but was crucified, took the wrath of the Father against sinners, died, and was buried and that on the third day He rose again from the dead according to the Scriptures. It is His resurrection that declares Him to be God and is what justifies us. (Romans 1:3-4; 4:25)

As to embracing a person who holds to a works justification (Wright, even Martin Luther):

Rom 4:5 And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,

Gal 1:6 I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel-- Gal 1:7 not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the gospel of Christ.

Gal 1:8 But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. Gal 1:9 As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.

Gal 1:10 For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ. Gal 1:11 For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel.

There is but one Gospel and there is but one way of Justification. Scripture tells of no other. His way IS narrow and few that find it. Romans 10:9-10 clearly make it VERY narrow indeed.

3 comments:

Stephen said...

Solid post! Keep it up. we're reading.

:)

Prodigal Knot said...

As always, excellent scriptural truths! Thanks Denise! Keep abiding in the Word, Jesus Christ.

Prodigal Knot said...

I have to add that I, too, have been noticing that many, when confronted with scripture that is plain, refer me to Adam Clarke or some other commentator. What these people fail to remember is that Barclay bcame a Universalist, Clarke had some very, very off-the-wall theories outside of scripture and Barnes was tried for heresy twice!

Faith in men is vanity. There is only One Who is Good and He is God. If the average Joe or Jane cannot figure out what the scriptures say, then God did a poor job of communicating Himself to us. That is what many seem to say. The longer I'm a Christian, the less I am disposed to believe what men say at all!

Men say baptism doesn't mean anything, it's just a symbol and is not required. Please show me a plain scripture that says that!

Men say that people who've died unsaved are in hell and are being tortured by Satan at this very moment. No scripture backs that up unless you think Christ was being literal in the story of the rich man and Lazarus. In the same Gospel, Matthew explains that Jesus did not speak to the people without using parables. See Matthew 13:34–35

I could go on, but people would rather believe men than God and I don't know why!!!