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Do Not Grow Weary in Declaring God's Word

There has never been a time when so much sound biblical teaching has been available at the fingertips of the ordinary person. And, thank the Lord, much of it is free. On the other hand, there has never been a time when such a vast amount of poor and heretical theology has been available to the same people. So much that I cannot keep up with it all.

Many of our brothers and sisters are held captive by bad or inconsistent theology... theology that will not be able to bear the weight of the onslaught of ideologies and plausible arguments being waged against the Church. We should not behave angrily as if this was entirely their fault. It seems plausible to many Christians because that is all they have ever known. So we must patiently, with gentleness and respect pluck them from the fire by openly declaring the whole counsel of God. Is it sad that one of the greatest mission fields is the visible church itself and it grieves me to see it, but we must press on and simply carry out our role to proclaim the word of God, and let Him determine the results. So do not grow weary. He is sovereign and will take your faithful work and make it fruitful.

A Page from Hell's Playbook: the Subterranean Origins of Certain Equality and Justice Doctrines

by Dr. Thaddeus Williams

If I were the devil—which some of you may believe after reading on—if my sworn mission was to devour the Christian faith from the inside out, then here is what I would NOT do. I would not slither into a Sunday service, breathing blasphemy and dragon fire, bragging about my triumphs at Auschwitz, commanding the congregation, “Deny that God is God!” I would not be an idiot.

I would dress up to look like justice, compassion, or equity, or some other ideal Christians would be quick to ‘Amen!’ I would sink my teeth and suck the true, biblical content from those words—not that many of the Enemy’s people know the true, biblical content of those words to begin with—then inject it with the venom of new meaning, a meaning that is antithetical to the Enemy’s definition of such silly words. Then I could get nearly every faithful Tom, Dick, and Sally to deny the Godhood of God while they think they are merely being more just and compassionate. I could get them to deny the Gospel itself while they think they are merely caring for the oppressed. Even better, I will include in that injection certain policies that are almost certain to further hurt the oppressed, the same policies I’ve used over and over to crush image-bearers. It’s the perfect evil trifecta I try to achieve in all my ploys. Rob worship from the Enemy, dupe the Enemy’s church, and inflict even more oppression on as much of that despicable race who bears the Enemy’s obnoxious image as possible.

Inclusion, Exclusion and Prejudice: Ellen Page, Chris Pratt and the MSM

I understand that actress Ellen Page called out Chris Pratt for attending an 'infamously' anti-LGBTQ church. While not commenting on his specific church, I am trying to get my head around this common secular logic which they seem to apply to just about any local church or school which takes the Bible seriously.

Wouldn't it actually be anti-LGBTQ to EXCLUDE those who identify as LGBTQ by withholding the gospel from them? More and more people like Page assume that declaring the gospel to LGBTQ people is somehow discriminatory, but the opposite it true - it is radically inclusive. It is actually the same gospel that we all need for our sins. Jesus did not die for good people but for sinners like me. So no one is being singled out as if some deserved God's grace but others do not. Theologically conservative churches (like mine) do not exclude any people from any nation with any sin, who by grace, willing come to Christ to be saved from it. And that's why we have sinners of all types in our pews. It seems what people (like Page) are offended by is that LGBTQ is even classified as sin to begin with. These false narratives are really a kind of tactic and grandstanding that is getting really boring.

Changing Laws does not Change Hearts

"On the issue of social justice, it is important to remember that changing laws does not change hearts. Changing a law may get you compliance, but it will never get you repentance, which is--or should be--the goal (at least for those who profess to be followers of Christ). Unjust laws are the by-product of unjust hearts (Mk. 7:17-23). As Christians, we must not only desire that people *do* right, but that they *be* righteous (Rom. 12:2)." - Darrell Bernard Harrison

The new social justice movement has very little (if any) understanding of human nature and the degree of our corruption as human beings. If they had free reign to enact every law and educational reform they wanted, do they honestly think it would solve the worlds problems? It would not even scratch the surface. Our problem is much, much deeper than that. The problem with humanity is pre-political. It is a spiritual problem.

This inherent denial of total depravity in the movement reveals a complete lack of self-awareness. Jesus did not come to die for good people but for sinners. The kingdom of heaven is not for people who think they are righteous, but for those who know they are not. When you can only see other people's sin and not your own, you do not even have a basic understanding of the gospel. Forgiveness towards others is not possible for people who think they need no forgiveness. And since the social justice movement will never solve all the world's problems, they will always remain unforgiving and demand justice now.

You Did Not Choose Me - Commentary on John 15:16

by John Calvin

16.You have not chosen me. He declares still more clearly that it must not be ascribed to their own merit, but to his grace, that they have arrived at so great an honor; for when he says that he was not chosen by them, it is as if he had said, that whatever they have they did not obtain by their own skill or industry. Men commonly imagine some kind of concurrence to take place between the grace of God and the will of man; but that contrast, I chose you, I was not chosen by you, claims, exclusively, for Christ alone what is usually divided between Christ and man; as if he had said, that a man is not moved of his own accord to seek Christ, until he has been sought by him.

M. Night Shyamalan and the Necessary Shattered-Glass World

Guest Post by Jared Moore

[Glass has several things that may violate your conscience. Know your conscience. Be sure to look it up before you watch at Plugged In or Common Sense Media.]

*Additionally, if you want some very detailed interaction with Glass from a Christian worldview, check out the Glass episode of the Pop Culture Coram Deo Podcast (available on iTunes, GooglePlay, Stitcher, TuneIn, Pod Bean, etc.).

Augustinian Theology Vs. Semi-Pelagianism

by R. C. Sproul

This classic issue between Augustinian theology and all forms of semi-Pelagianism focuses on one aspect of the order of salvation (ordo salutis): What is the relationship between regeneration and faith? Is regeneration a monergistic or synergistic work? Must a person first exercise faith in order to be born again? Or must rebirth occur before a person is able to exercise faith? Another way to state the question is this: Is the grace of regeneration operative or cooperative?

Monergistic regeneration means regeneration is accomplished by a single actor, God. It means literally a “one working.” Synergism, on the other hand, refers to a work that involves the actions of two or more parties. It is a co-working. All forms of semi-Pelagianism assert some form of synergism in the work of regeneration. Usually God’s assisting grace is seen as a necessary ingredient, but it is usually dependent on human cooperation for its efficacy.

The Reformers taught not only that regeneration does precede faith but also that it must precede faith. Because of the moral bondage of the unregenerate sinner, he cannot have faith until he is changed internally by the operative, monergistic work of the Holy Spirit. Faith is regeneration’s fruit, not its cause.

According to semi-Pelagianism regeneration is wrought by God but only in those who have first responded in faith to him. Faith is seen not as the fruit of regeneration, but as an act of the will cooperating with God’s offer of grace.

What is Semi-Pelagianism?

Semi-Pelagianism is theological position midway between Pelagianism and the teachings of Augustine of Hippo regarding the origins of the experience of salvation. Pelagianism placed salvation in the power of human free-will; Augustine ascribed salvation (regeneration, new birth) wholly to God's grace; the Semi-pelagians held that salvation was initially prompted by God's grace, but depended for its effect on human cooperation.

Are All Sins the Same Before God?

by Jeff Durbin

There's a lot of talk today about abortion and national sin. There's also a significant display of ignorance about God's Law and His judgment upon nations (including pagan nations). I saw a few people arguing that though child sacrifice is sin, it's not like God would pick any one particular sin to judge a nation and drive them out of a land. I mean, "Hey, we're all sinners, right? All sins are the same to God, right?"

This is sheer, unbiblical ignorance. And it shows that theology matters. Bootleg theology can sound so true until we open our Bible and simply read. Unbiblical views and ignorance of God's Law, today, tend to show up in moments like this.

As a start: All sins will separate you from God for all eternity no matter how "small". Yes. Very true. However, keep in mind, God didn't call for the death penalty for theft. He did for murder. So, no. Not all sins are the same before God. There are heinous sins and crimes for which God has stiffer penalties; for individuals and for nations.

Furthermore, there is a category of specific sins for which God says He judges (even pagan nations) and drives people out of a land. These sins run across the sexual and even child sacrifice (Leviticus 18; 20). Look at this regarding the sexually perverse in Leviticus 18:

Pelagianism in the Formation and Reformation of the Christian Church

PRINTABLE PDF

Guest Post by Rev. C. R. Biggs

Part I

By the middle of the second century,the Church had developed the Apostle's Creed which contained the foundational doctrines, or essential beliefs of the Christian Church. In the 4th century, the doctrines of the Trinity and the two natures of Christ had been established at the Councils of Nicea in 325 AD, Ephesus in 431 AD, and Chalcedon in 451 AD. The doctrine of soteriology however, or the doctrine of salvation and grace had not been clearly and systematically established until Augustine and the Pelagian controversy in the 5th century in the West. These doctrines of Salvation and Grace would continue to be debated throughout church history, through the Medieval period, the Reformation, and up to the 20th century. In contrast to these Augustinian doctrines of sin and grace, the controversial doctrine of Pelagianism would reappear in many forms to challenge these doctrines.

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by Dr. Thaddeus Williams

by John Calvin

Guest Post by Jared Moore

by R. C. Sproul

by Jeff Durbin

Guest Post by Rev. C. R. Biggs

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