Calling Sin, "Sin"

Are we willing to call sin “sin” not because it is big or little, but because God’s law forbids it?  We cannot categorize sin if we are able to live a life of holiness.  God will not let us get away with that kind of attitude.


Jerry Bridges, “The Pursuit of Holiness,” p.19

Devote Yourself to Perfection

If you would now devote yourself to perfection, perhaps you must part with some friends, you must displease some relations, you must alter your life.  Nay, perhaps you must do more than this — you must expose yourself to the hatred of friends, to the jest and ridicule of clever mockers, and to the scorn and derision of worldly men.  But had you not better do and suffer all this than to die less perfect, less prepared for mansions of eternal glory?  Indeed, suffering all this is suffering nothing.  For why should it signify anything to you what fools and madmen think of you?  And surely it can be no wrong or rash judgment to think those both fools and mad who condemn what God approves, and like that which God condemns.  But if you think this too much to be done to obtain eternal glory, think, on the other hand, what can be gained instead of it.

William Law, “A Practical Treatise Upon Christian Perfection,” as cited in “A Burning and A Shining Light,” edited by David Lyle Jeffrey, p. 135


Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God.  2 Corinthians 7:1

Random Apostasies and Heresies

It's that time again, ladies and gentlemen, so let's just jump right in there!

Interesting interview with the son of the hate-filled heretic cult leader Fred Phelps.  Phelps and his bunch have no clue about the Gospel; we can hope they change for the better now that Phelps is dead.

Andy Stanley is getting worse.

Jesse Duplantis, one of the big Word of Faith heretics, says that if “healing” [WOF style] isn’t for today, then nothing in the Bible is.  And this claim gets lots of acclaim from his lemming followers.

Answers In Genesis has an excellent article with huge concerns about the “Noah” movie.

Heaven is For Real is getting a lot of attention by apologetics ministries as well as by just people with good discernment.  The book is unbiblical nonsense, which means — guess what? — the movie will be just as bad.  In my last RA&H post I linked to a commentary by David Platt about the movie.  Well, there are three good reviews I’ve read this week which I want to share with you.  The first one is surprising because it comes from a secular source - CNN!  Next up is Randy Alcorn. 

Another book about visiting heaven is highlighted by Tim Challies in his series of examining bestsellers: 90 Minutes in Heaven.  I recommend that after you read this abridged review, take some time to look at his full review — to which he links in this review.  It is a very, very unbiblical book.

I just learned that a Christian dating site is using a system created by a Mormon!  Of course that isn’t the real issue — the real issue is that the root philosophy behind that Mormon’s idea is itself is not something Christian dating groups should be using.

Methodists.  More and more assemblies —with their wolf leaders — are embracing homosexuality.  This time the Boy Scouts of America has revoked a Methodist church charter for their support of a homosexual scoutmaster.

Patriarchy is not the Problem.  Vision Forum is.

John Hagee’s teachings about “blood moons” has gotten a lot of exposure recently.  Tim Challies reviews Hagee’s book.

Tim Challies also continues his series about false teachers by addressing Benny Hinn.

Bill Gothard has also been in the news in apologetics circles.  He has issued a statement supposedly repenting of his sins over the past few decades — sins that have been coming to light this past year as more women come out with their testimonies.  The question is, can we trust Gothard’s honesty at this point?

A new book claiming biblical support for same-sex relationships receives an excellent critique from Albert Mohler.

Rachel Held Evans is a wolf to fear.

Timothy Keller has caused flags to be raised with his new book, “Center Church.”  It seems he is one of those who belief in the false idea of “contextualization.”  Not only does the Cripplegate address the errors of Keller’s philosophy, but No Compromise Radio also questions the mindset.

An excellent resource is available for those reaching out to Mormons; A Timeline of Joseph Smith’s First Vision.  Some good information demonstrating the many versions which contradict each other.

The Convicting Spirit

Thou Blessed Spirit, Author of All grace and comfort,

Come work repentance in my soul;

Represent sin to me in is odious colours that I may hate it;

Melt my heart by the majesty and mercy of God;

Show me my ruined self and the help there is in him;

Teach me to behold my Creator,

his ability to save,

his arms outstretched, his heart big for me.

My I confide in his power and love, 

commit my soul to him without reserve,

bear his image, observe his laws, 

pursue his service, 

and be through time and eternity

a monument to the efficacy of his grace,

a trophy to his victory.

Make me willing to be saved in his way,

perceiving nothing in myself, but all in Jesus:

Help me not only to receive him but

to walk in him,

depend upon him,

be conformed to him,

follow him,

imperfect, but still pressing forward,

not complaining of labour, but valuing rest,

not murmuring under trials, but thankful

for my state.

Give me that faith which is the means of salvation, 

and the principle and medium of all godliness;

May I be saved by grace through faith,

live by faith,

do the work of faith.

Perceiving nothing in myself, may I find in Christ

wisdom, righteousness, sanctification,

redemption.

From The Valley of Vision, Puritan Prayers and Devotions, p.66, 67

What Do You Put In Your Mind?

Do we willingly spend our hard-earned money on Hollywood films that instill in us the opposite of what the Bible commands?  Do we welcome into our homes the flaunting of sin that glorifies the flesh and curses the Name of Jesus while on Sundays we glorify Him at church? (Matthew 22:37).  Is it possible to obey God with the whole mind while feeding on godlessness?  The answer is no; yet we do let strangers “creep” into our homes and minds. …

Sinful entertainment deposits rubbish in the mind, giving Satan a foothold in our lives (Ephesians 4:27, KJV).  Once there, he thrashes around even as we sleep.  Whatever has entered the theatre of the mind crosses the welcome mat as a thief an begins its lethal work of breaking down defenses.  The moral compass that once guided our nation’s people has been ridiculed and rejected, making sin the national sport and pastime.

Franklin Graham, "Hollywood: Entertaining Ourselves To Death?" Decision magazine, April 2014, p.4-5

Where, O death, is your victory?

"Social Justice" Leads to Hell

I have no problem if a church wants to use something like a food pantry or a clothes closet as a platform for sharing the Gospel.  That’s wonderful.  I’m not criticizing that.  But if we simply go out and dig wells, educate people, and treat pandemic diseases (as Rick Warren espouses) without presenting the Gospel, we’re wrong.  I truly wonder how Rick Warren can be standing for, proclaiming, and defending the Gospel when he is involved in ecumenical activities with Catholics, Muslims, and other such groups — just for the sake of social justice.  Such spiritual enterprises are a clear violation of 2 John 9-11, Romans 16:17, 2 Corinthians 6:14, and many other passages. …

When we go out and give money away to people, without tying the Gospel to our actions, it is nothing but a waste of money.  Even if the money buys poor people nicer clothes, what good will that do them when they stand before the Lord?  If the money gives them an education, or ends their illiteracy, how will that help them on Judgment Day, if you have not given them the Gospel?

Brannon Howse, Twisted Scripture, Twisted Theology, p.112, 119

Random Apostasies and Heresies

There is never, NEVER a break from this stuff, and I can report on only so much without consuming all my time.  It’s a lot of work being a sheepdog!

I’m sure by now you’ve heard all the claims for the manuscript which has been discovered, and for which claims are made about it saying Jesus had a wife; it doesn’t take a whole lot of discernment to know it is fraudulent - whether 1500 years old or recently forged.

The Methodist Church is getting to the point where it won’t be long before they will be like the PCUSA, ELCA and Episcopal denominations - full blown apostasy!  A UMC church partnered with an Episcopal church to host Jesus Seminar members to give talks about Jesus.  Of course the Jesus of the Seminar is NOT the Jesus of the Bible.  What are good UMC assemblies doing remaining with this denomination?!?

Heaven Is For Real is coming out as a movie; from the book full of unbiblical nonsense, and which is a big hit among Christians.  It is frustrating to me that discernment in the church is so severely lacking, and that pastors don’t decry these “travel to heaven” books from the pulpit!  David Platt has a strong message about such foolishness.

Speaking of books full of false teaching, how about Joel Osteen’s “Your Best Life Now”?

Sola Sisters posted a bunch of links to articles dealing with the KJV Only false teachings.

Hip and Thigh has posted a list of links to articles about cessationism, continuationism, and spiritual gifts.

H&T also posted a review of Appendix 1 of Michael Brown’s “Authentic Fire.”

Here’s a cult I hadn’t heard of.

Oh yes, more Roman Catholic foolishness as people flock to see a “miracle tear” from a statue of “Mary.”  The Idolatry and gullibility among Romanists is simply amazing. 

A new booklet is available from Lighthouse Trails Research Ministry which exposes the false teachings of Jim Wallis.  The information from the booklet is posted as an article.  Hint - Wallis is not now, nor ever has been, a Christian.

Mormon women, instead of seeking the truth outside of the cult of Mormondom, want to be ordained as Mormon priests!  Sigh.

Last week I linked to an article by Matt Walsh which demonstrated that Jesus was not all about “just getting along.”  Mormon Coffee read that article also, and has directed it against Mormons with these questions:
Does it offend you, Mormon friends, to be shown that you are following a false prophet? Does it upset you when we demonstrate that your church is not the kingdom of God on earth as it claims? Does it hurt your feelings when we point out that the Bible says all your so-called works of righteousness are but filthy rags before our holy God? Or when we warn you that the Christ of Mormonism is a “different Jesus”? Or when we proclaim that your only eternal hope is to trust in the true Christ, and to trust in Him alone? So be it. It may not sound especially nice, but we implore you on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God.

They have links in that paragraph directing the reader to various articles backing up their statements.

Well, that’s it for this episode of “RA&H”!

Did They Really Say That?!?

“Now, God used faith substance to make everything that He made ... in every one of those words they were filled with faith substance, because words are nothing but containers ... Every time God speaks, He can’t help but to speak words that are filled with faith ... God’s guts are called faith stuff ... Everything in Him is faith ... What’s in His heart is faith ... If you were to cut God open you’d see nothing but faith.  Every time He opens His mouth now, He automatically fills those words with His faith material.”

Creflo Dollar, “The Just Shall Live by Faith,” Changing Your World, TBN 9/20/98.  Cited by Hank Hanegraaff in Christianity in Crisis, 21st Century, p.374.

Where does one begin with this!?!?

What is “faith substance”?  Well, it’s an abuse of Hebrews 11:1 of the KJV (one of the easiest versions versions to abuse) which says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”

From this, the Word of Faith heretics claim, “See, faith is a substance!”  Of course this is nonsense because faith, like love, is not something you can touch.  The Greek word KJV translated as “substance” is hypostasis, which means “assurance,” “confidence,” or “being sure,” etc.

More modern translations say:

“faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen”  NAS/ESV

“faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.”  NIV

“faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.”  HCSB

“faith is being sure of what we hope for, being convinced of what we do not see.” NET

Once it is proven that faith is not a “substance,” the rest of Creflo Dollar’s (and all other WOF heretics’) claims immediately collapse in on themselves.

The nonsensical idea that “words are containers” has been developed to promote the whole faith substance theology.  Logic dictates that words cannot “contain” anything.

Claiming God has “guts,” and that one could even consider cutting God open, all stems from other WOF heresies which claim that God is a physical being, much like the god of Mormonism.

Creflo Dollar is a first-class heretic, and has proven over and over again that he is not even a Christian.  He is another tool of Satan to mislead non-discerning people astray.

More Apostasy in the United Methodist Church

A reader of my blog sent me the following in an e-mail.  I received permission to post it (name withheld by request).  

I attend a United Methodist Church in the West Ohio Conference, and the student pastor of my church attends United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio.   The Gospel reading for last Sunday was on John 11 (Jesus raising Lazarus from the dead), and so the sermon was based on this.   In the sermon, he mentioned Heidi Baker and that she had increasing connections with his seminary.   This disturbed me, so I decided to look it up.

Sure enough, Heidi Baker is associated with the seminary.  (United is one of two United Methodist seminaries in Ohio, so this isn't some odd seminary.  This is a seminary within a mainline denomination).   She gave the commencement address there in December of 2013.  Her own husband was receiving a doctorate of ministry there.  And he wasn't the only one within the NAR movement.   Randy Clark was also receiving a doctorate of ministry, as were lesser known people in their movement.

Upon further research, I learned that Randy Clark has had a huge impact on the seminary.   Along with Heidi, he's spoken at conferences that were sponsored by the seminary.  He has held conferences in which there is a time of "ministry and impartation."  :(    This is the guy who, when he went to the Toronto Airport Church, he "imparted" the Toronto Blessing to that church..... :(

It really disturbs me that these folks are worming their way into mainline denominations now, getting advanced degrees, and influencing fellow students and professors....people who will be in the pulpits of many mainline denominations (not just United Methodist).  I really feel like people need to be warned about these folks.

Here are some of the links that I found that back up what I'm saying:
United Theological Seminary to Hold Advent Commencement
United Theological Seminary
Notes from the Pastor's Office | Tag Archive | united theological seminary
Randy Clark
GlobalAwakening.com - Dr. Randy Clark
Rolland Baker | Alabaster Group
Christian Healing Certification Program
United Theological Seminary to Host Randy Clark for 2nd Holy Spirit Seminar
Randy Clark Scholars: Presenting the Gospel as Jesus Intended - In Love, Authority and Signs and Wonders
GlobalAwakening.com - Dr. Randy Clark and Dr. Tom Jones Graduate from United Theological Seminary

Those who are in UMC assemblies and want to remain true to the faith should leave the UMC and be independent or form another denomination.  The UMC is on a downward spiral towards total apostasy.