A Generation Hating the Truth

There have been periods in history when the preservation of the very life of the church depended upon the capacity and readiness of certain great leaders to differentiate truth from error and boldly to hold fast to the good and to reject the false; but our generation does not like anything of the kind.  It is against any clear and precise demarcation of truth and error.

D. Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Knowing the Times, pg.39

"Ancient Words"

Holy words long preserved

For our walk in this world

They resound with God's own heart

Oh, let the ancient words impart

Words of Life, words of Hope

Give us strength, help us cope

In this world, where e'er we roam

Ancient words will guide us home

Chorus

Ancient words ever true

Changing me and changing you

We have come with open hearts

Oh, let the ancient words impart

Holy words of our Faith

Handed down to this age

Came to us through sacrifice

Oh heed the faithful words of Christ

Holy words long preserved

For our walk in this world

They resound with God's own heart

Oh let the ancient words impart

Chorus

Ancient words ever true

Changing me and changing you

We have come with open hearts

Oh, let the ancient words impart

Michael W. Smith

Stand By Your Convictions

When principles that run against your deepest convictions begin to win the day, then battle is your calling, and peace has become sin; you must, at the price of dearest peace, lay your convictions bare before friend and enemy, with all the fire of your faith.

Abraham Kuyper

Random Things Needing Discernment

Lots of things in the news this past couple weeks which need to have warnings about.  Hold on to your hats!

Steven Furtick, narcissist.  Real Christians should avoid him like the plague while he can feed his goats all day long.

Perry Noble is being revived with the help of another false teacher, Steven Furtick.  Wolves run in packs.  (I hate to bust Noble’s bubble, but “alcoholism” isn’t a disease.  It’s a lack of self control.)

The World Race and Adventures in Missions has connections to IHOP — go figure!

Interesting article about Billy Graham’s apostasy over the years, and how it developed.

Pastor Gabe examines another “contemporary Christian” song, “Above All”, demonstrating problems with the lyrics.  We’ve sung this in the past at our former church, prior to me examining songs on my blog.  I agree with Pastor Gab, and never really liked it.

“Christian astrology” is just as much of an oxymoron as is “Christian psychology.”  Scattered Sheep has an excellent article explaining problems with the idea of the gospel in the zodiac, and the false teachings of the “soothsayers of the Second Advent.”

Seven types of false teachers in the church today.

I just have to share this one about false teacher Shawn Bolz.

The New Apostolic Reformation is getting nuttier by the day.  Another example of their nuttiness is this “prophecy.”

For those who haven’t been around enough to know about heretic Jim Bakker, this should give you a good laugh — he spent time binding demons in hell so Trump would win the presidency!

Gloria Copeland is just as much a heretic as is her husband Kenneth.

It’s gotta be true because I saw it on the Internet.

Fred has another episode in his review of the book, Navigating Genesis.

Test every doctrine and every teacher.

So what happens at a goat pen on Super Bowl Sunday?  Something from Satan.

There is no such thing as a “prayer language” — NO SUCH THING!

Dr. Oz and “Faithful Fridays” — talk about the devil’s workshop!!!!  Priscilla Shirer and Carl Lentz will be deceiving more and more people.

Another church is giving the unrepentant predator Clayton Jennings an open forum.  What is wrong with these people who are supposed to be shepherds?!?

Well, that’s it for now; make sure you still have your hats!

Do You Love Truth?

The lover of truth must choose, in every way possible, to do and say what is right, even when threatened with death, rather than save his own life.

Justin Martyr, First Apology 2:1

Another Bad “Christian” Song

I’ve never heard of the song, “My Victory,” but a friend pointed me to it last week and I finally have time to address it.  It seems to be the latest song used over and over again at the assembly we left two years ago.  

The writers of this song are Charles Bentley, Darren Muligan, David Crowder, and Ed Cash.  Take a look at the lyrics.

You came for criminals and every pharisee 

You came for hypocrites, even one like me

You carried sin and shame, the guilt of every man

The weight of all I’ve done nailed into Your hands

Oh, your love bled for me

Oh, your blood in crimson streams

Oh, your death is hell’s defeat

A cross meant to kill is my victory

Oh, your amazing grace, I’ve seen and tasted it

It’s running through my veins, I can’t escape its grip 

In you my soul is safe 

You cover everything

Oh, your love bled for me

Oh, your blood in crimson streams

Oh, your death is hell’s defeat

A cross meant to kill is my victory

BRIDGE

Behold the lamb of god

Who takes away our sin, 

Who takes away our sin 

The holy lamb of god 

Makes us alive again

Makes us alive again

Behold the lamb of God 

Who takes away our sin

Who takes away our sin

The holy lamb of god

Makes us alive again

Makes us alive again

Oh, your love bled for me

Oh, your blood in crimson streams

Oh, your death is hell’s defeat

A cross meant to kill is my victory

Nothing like a little repetition to work up those emotions!  As for the theology in the lyrics, my friend said, It’s truncated theology.  "The cross meant to kill is my victory" - no it isn't.  Our victory is in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ and doesn't stop at the cross which was an instrument of suffering for the sake of our sins but it doesn't stop there.  "Your death is hell's defeat" - no it isn’t; Jesus rose from the dead—that is death's defeat.  There is no mention in this song of Jesus’ resurrection. It could have been written by a Catholic wanting to put Jesus on the cross over and over again…

I have to agree with my friend 100% on this one.  Music leaders, where is your discernment?!?!

Why the Hatred of Deceived People?

While researching false teachings on the Internet I often come across sites which not only attack the false teachings but also attack the followers/adherents of these false teachings, belittling them and really just being downright mean.

I really don’t understand this.  These people are actually bigoted against the deceived people, and often will misrepresent the teachings they follow just to make the people look totally foolish!

What is more interesting to me is that they do not treat pagans the same way.  Does it ever occur to them that these deceived people are really the same as the pagans — and some of them are indeed pagans because they are cult members!  Catholics and Mormons seem to get the most invectives, as if Jehovah’s Witnesses or Christian Scientists, et al, are any less deceived.

You who are calling yourselves discernment/apologetics ministries and yet behave in this manner are bringing disgrace to the name of Christ.  Don’t attack the people — attack the teachings and expose the teachings biblically to show why the people are being deceived!  Expose the false teacher by comparing their teachings to Scripture, but don’t attack them personally.  Expose the false teachers for their behavior and why the behavior is wrong rather than just calling them names.

Yes, the Mormon religion is from Satan, but the Mormons themselves are deceived and need the gospel just as much as does the average pagan on the street who your are so willing to hand tracts too.  Yes the Roman Catholic religion is corrupt with apostate and heretical teachings, but the Catholic person is deceived and in need of the truth just as does the pagan you hand tracts to.

Why is it these sort of people have no problem going everywhere with all sorts of tracts trying to get the average Joe or Jane on the street to take one and perhaps have a seed planted so they will seek truth, but they have no desire to reach people in cults or apostate religions?  Is it because they have a semblance of Christianity that they are to be hated rather than pitied?  Would these “apologists” rather refuse access to the truth for these people because they happened to be deceived by a teaching that is hated?

It doesn’t matter whether the person is a Catholic, a Mormon, a Jehovah’s Witness, a Freemason, a Hindu, a Muslim, etc.  If you have the truth and they need it — reach out to them.  Don’t just attack them as being stupid or ignorant, or fools, etc.  They are all lost and need the light to expose the darkness they are in.

Drop your bigotry against the people because of the religion or non-religion they follow, and treat them as Jesus would treat them.

Some Things for Edification, Some to Just Think About

How NOT to Follow the Holy Spirit.

Interesting information about the angel Gabriel.

Steve Bricker has an excellent study of the Holy Spirit’s work in Acts, and some lessons about it.

Mary:  Who She Was (and Wasn’t)

Did Paul pray for the dead?  An excellent article examining one of the “proof” texts used by Roman Catholicism to defend the false doctrine of purgatory.

The necessary existence of God.

When Christians Act Like Mormons.  Think about your evangelistic ideology.

Have Christians lost the art of biblical discernment?

Godly speech in a culture of profanity.

The tragedy of Biblical illiteracy and the remedy needed.

A very interesting article about “cross-heresy addiction.”  I’ve known many people like this, who jump from one false teaching to another, and I have learned it isn’t unusual for those leaving one cult to fall in with another.

I can fully empathize with Michelle, and agree with her responses!  (Except that the command against women teaching men is in the context of the assembly, not on blogs, books, etc.  Woman can certainly teach men outside of the assembly.)

The Arian Snare  — prevalent in too many “churches” today.

Did Old Testament men treat wives as property?

Some Roman Catholic Dogmas

The following information was found in my files on a page I tore out of sometime in the past.  There is nothing on the page which identifies what the publication was.  However, I think it is good information to impart to my readers so you can see just how recent some of these teachings were declared dogma by the Roman Catholic Church.

Some of the dates on this list are approximate (note that a few of these false ideas originated before Roman Catholicism itself).  Many of these dogmas were debated for years before being established as official dogma (the first two, especially, entered the Church prior to Roman Catholicism, which only began to exist in the later 4th century).

300 A.D.  Prayers for the dead.

300 A.D.  Making the sign of the cross.

375 A.D.  Veneration of angels and dead saints.

375 A.D.  Use of images in worship.

394 A.D.  The Mass as a daily celebration.

431 A.D.  The title “Mother of God” assigned to Mary.

526 A.D.  Extreme Unction (Last rites).

593 A.D.  Doctrine of Purgatory — Gregory I.

600 A.D.  Prayers to Mary and dead saints.

786 A.D.  Worship of cross, images, and relics.

995 A.D.  Canonization of dead saints.

1079 A.D. Celibacy of priesthood.

1090 A.D.  The Rosary.

1190 A.D.  Indulgences.

1215 A.D.  Transubstantiation — Innocent III.

1215 A.D.  Auricular Confession of sins to a priest.

1220 A.D.  Adoration of the wafer (Host).

1414 A.D.  Cup forbidden to the people at communion.

1439 A.D.  Purgatory proclaimed as a dogma.

1439 A.D.  The doctrine of the Seven Sacraments confirmed.

1545 A.D.  Tradition declared of equal authority with Bible — Council of Trent.

1546 A.D.  Apocrypha added to the Bible.

1854 A.D.  Immaculate Conception of Mary.

1870 A.D.  Infallibility of the pope in matters of faith and morals — Vatican Council.

1950 A.D.  Assumption of the Virgin Mary (bodily ascension into heaven shortly after her death.

1965 A.D.  Mary proclaimed to be Mother of the Church.

There are other dogmas which are also late entering the RCC, such as the Papal Office; Mary’s perpetual virginity, her office as co-redeemer and co-mediator; baptismal regeneration; mortal vs venial sin; et al.  Not a single one of these can be supported biblically.

What About the Apocrypha?

I have often been told (including very recently in the comment section of an article I wrote) that the Protestants “removed” the Apocrypha from the Bible; the claim being that the Apocrypha was part of Christian canon from the beginning.  However, when one reads a wee bit of history they will find the early church did not consider this material to be canon.  Even the Catholics didn’t canonize the Apocrypha until the Council of Trent in 1546, mainly in opposition to the Protestant movement, so as to provide support for some of their man-made doctrines.

John Bois, who was one of the New Testament translators of the KJV, was also part of the group which translated the Apocrypha.  He wrote the following:

The reasons assigned for not admitting the Apocryphal books into the canon, or list of inspired Scriptures are briefly the following:

1.  Not one of them is in the Hebrew language, which was alone used by the inspired historians and poets of the Old Testament.

2.  Not one of the writers lays any claim to inspiration.

3.  These books were never acknowledged as sacred Scriptures by the Jewish Church, and therefore were never sanctioned by our Lord.

4.  They were not allowed a place among the sacred books during the first four centuries of the Christian Church.

5. They contain fabulous statements [in the sense of being fables] and statements which contradict not ply the canonical Scripture but themselves; as when in the two books of Maccabees Antiochus Epiphanes is made to die three different deaths in as many different places.

6. It inculcates doctrines at variance with the Bible such as prayers for the dead and sinless perfection.

7.  It teaches immoral practices, such as lying, suicide, assassination and magical incantations.

For these and other reasons, the Apocryphal books which are all in Greek, except one which is extant only in Latin, are valuable only as ancient documents, illustrative of the manners, language, opinions and history of he East.

So don’t let the Roman Catholics intimidate you into thinking we don’t have important Scripture in our Bibles; what we have is all the the original Church considered Canon.