We who preach the gospel must not think of ourselves as public relations agents sent to establish good will between Christ and the world. We must not imagine ourselves commissioned to make Christ acceptable to big business, the press, the world of sports or modern education. We are not diplomats but prophets, and our message is not a compromise but an ultimatum. A.W. Tozer
Therefore let God-inspired Scripture decide between us; and on whichever side be found doctrines in harmony with the word of God, in favor of that side will be cast the vote of truth. --Basil of Caesarea
Once you learn to discern, there's no going back. You will begin to spot the lie everywhere it appears.

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has strengthened me, because He considered me faithful, putting me into service. 1 Timothy 1:12

Sunday, July 30, 2023

I've Been Told I Have a "Religious Spirit"

Posted on Facebook by Famine in the Land:

If you've been accused of having a "religious spirit" it probably means you're like the Bereans (Acts 17:11) - that's a compliment. This accusation is commonly used to justify an unbiblical teaching, new revelation, demonic or manufactured manifestation (gold dust, glory cloud, angel feathers, etc), or some mystical encounter with God or an angel. You will be accused of “having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power” (2 Tim 3:5). Conveniently, they will ignore the rest of the passage: “while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.” (2 Tim 3:13-17).


Most of these accusers have been deceived by imposters - modern day "apostles" and "prophets" who masquerade as servants of God but are actually servants of Satan (2 Cor 11:13-14).


It's the accusers who have a "spirit" that's false:

"For if someone comes and proclaims another Jesus than the one we proclaimed, or if you receive a different spirit from the one you received, or if you accept a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it readily enough." (2 Corinthians 11:4).

Saturday, July 22, 2023

A Grave Error By Reformers


The gravest error of the reformers Luther and Calvin was that they did not go back far enough toward the source of truth. Even though Luther popularized, and Calvin affirmed, the term “Sola Scripture,” both men relied heavily on Augustine, whose false teachings stemmed from multiple factors, including reliance on very poor Latin translations of the Bible. His personal foibles in regards to sexuality led him to regard even sex as God intended—that is, exclusive and faithful relations between husband and wife—to somehow be sinful (much as a recovered [drunk] who becomes a militant prohibitionist, and refuses to see that full prohibition of alcohol is not a Biblical doctrine). And his personal hatred and loathing toward Pelagius that led him to import many aspects of his old Manichean religion into Christianity, and make up a “heresy” out of whole cloth and falsely attach the name of Pelagius to it.


To be truly free of Romanism and pursue Christianity, one must also reject any extra-biblical source as a basis for doctrine, building theology on the Bible, the whole Bible, and nothing but the Bible, rather than relying on the shaky and often contradictory positions of so-called “Church fathers.”


Email from “DN” to The Berean Call, published in July 2023 issue.