Discernment

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Is It Accurate to Say That God Loves Sinners, But Hates Sin?

 By Dr Paul M Elliot

Church history records a variety of strongly-held positions on this question. Some have said that God loves all mankind equally. Others have said that God only loves His elect. Still others have said that God loves all men, but loves believers in a special way. What is the truth?

In the final analysis, we must be careful to say what Scripture says about the love of God and His attitude toward sin — no more, but also no less. And on the authority of Scripture, we must conclude that it is accurate to say that God loves sinners, but hates sin — but also that those who persist in their sin will personally experience the eternal wrath of God.

While We Were Still Sinners”

Romans 5:8 alone is a sufficient basis for the assertion that God does indeed love sinners: “God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” If God did not love sinners, He would not have sent His Son to die for them. But it is important to explain further.

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A Biblical Response to the Catholic-Evangelical Accord

John MacArthur – Grace to You

I want to take this opportunity to let you know about a document that you perhaps have heard of that’s called The Evangelicals and Catholics Together document, the Christian mission in the third millennium. And it’s something that was put together by Charles Colson and Richard John Neuhaus as a way to conciliate Roman Catholics and Evangelicals for basically purposes of evangelical mission in the world and purposes of the betterment of human life in America, by their definition. It’s being spread far and wide, quite remarkably it has shown up in one form or another in the major newspapers here in California and I’m sure all over the United States.

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The True Pattern of Love

~ J.C. Ryle

The love of the Bible will show itself in the general spirit and demeanor of a believer. It will make them kind, unselfish, good-natured, good-tempered, and considerate of others. It will make them gentle, friendly, and courteous in all the daily relations of private life, thoughtful for others comfort, tender for others feelings, and more anxious to give pleasure than to receive. True love never envies others when they prosper, nor rejoices in the calamities of others when they are in trouble. At all times it will believe, hope, and try to put to good use the actions of others. And even at the worst, it will be full of pity, mercy, and compassion. Would we like to know where the true pattern of love like this can be found? We have only to look at the life of our Lord Jesus Christ, as described in the Gospels, and we will see it perfectly exemplified.


Practical Religion, “Charity”, [Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1998], 171, 172.

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How Pietism Deceives Christians: The Errors of Elitist teachings in the Church

By on Jul 28, 2011

By Apprising Ministries special correspondent Bob DeWaay

There are no extraordinary Christians; but being an ordinary Christian is an extraordinary thing. How I wish I would have understood that when I was a new Christian. But I didn’t. Soon after my conversion I began a quest to become the best possible Christian.

In so doing I fell prey to teachings that promised me a Christian life superior to that of ordinary Christians. What I did not know was that I had embraced pietism. I didn’t become an extraordinary Christian and I did walk straight into error.

My journey into the “deeper life” oftentimes involved embracing contradictory teachings. For example, two of my favorite teachers in the early 1970’s were Watchman Nee and Kenneth Hagin. One taught a deeper Christian life through suffering[1]) and the other taught a higher order Christianity that could cause one to be free from bodily ailments and poverty.[2]The hook was that both claimed to have the secret to becoming an extraordinary Christian. I found out that they didn’t.

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Do not reject His righteousness

From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon

entitled “The Lord Is Risen Indeed,” delivered April 13, 1873.

Men think that they are to be saved by keeping God’s commandments. They are to do their best, and they conceive that their sincere endeavors will be accepted, and they will thus save themselves. This self-righteous idea is diametrically opposed to the whole spirit of the gospel. The gospel is not for you who can save yourselves, but for those who are lost. If you can save yourselves, go and do it, and do not mock the Savior with your hypocritical prayers. Go and stumble among the tombs of ancient Israel, and perish as they did in the wilderness, for into rest Moses and the law can never lead you.

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Examine Yourself

John MacArthur
Matthew 5-7; 2 Corinthians 13:5

Are you a Christian? Many people who claim to be point to some event in the past to substantiate their claim. But inviting Jesus to come into your life in the past is not proof that you are genuinely saved. In 2 Corinthians 13:5 Paul says to the Corinthian church, “ Examine yourselves, whether you are in the faith; prove yourselves (emphasis added).” He wouldn’t have said that if some event in the past were obviously the answer. The Bible never verifies anyone’s salvation by the past but by the present. If there is no evidence of salvation in your life now, you need to face the fact that you may not be a Christian. You need to examine yourself to see whether you are in the faith. How does one do that? Jesus shows us in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7).

The Distinguishing Mark of a Christian

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What is conviction of sin?

From a sermon by Charles Haddon Spurgeon entitled

“An Old-Fashioned Conversation,” delivered March 16, 1873.

The Lord shuts us up to hopelessness and helplessness in order that he may come, as a God of grace, and display his abounding mercy. All our hope lies in him, and all other hopes are delusions. The great work in conversion is not to make people better, so that they may come to God on a good footing, it is to strip them completely and lay them low, so that God may come to them when they are on a bad footing, or rather on no footing at all, but down in the dust at his feet. The Son of man is come to seek and to cave that which is lost, but it wants* God himself to convince men that they are lost; and the Spirit’s work of soul-humbling is just this – to get man to feel so diseased that he will accept the physician; to get him to feel so poor that he will accept the charity of heaven; to get him to know that he is so stripped, that he will no longer be proud of his fig leaves, but will be willing to take the robe of righteousness which Christ has wrought out.

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Promoting Contemplative SPIRITUALITY/MYSTICISM ok in Southern Baptist Convention

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on Jul 14, 2011

Lately I’ve written pieces like “Good” Experiences Aren’t Necessarily From God and Supernatural Gatherings In The New Downgrade here at this online apologetics and discernment work Apprising Ministries showing the sad slide of largely pretending to be Protestant evangelicalism and the growing falling away of the mainstream visible Christian community.

I’ve been documenting all of this for you as well as giving you much evidence of the apostatizing evangelical camp embarking on a spiritual game of Russian roulette by embracing highly subjective Contemplative Spirituality/Mysticism (CSM).

This is the type of Reformation-reversing so-called Spiritual Formation that’s being taught by Living Spiritual Teacher and Quaker mystic Richard Foster along with his spiritual twin and Southern Baptist minister Dallas Willard in their festering cult of Foster-Willardism.

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Discerning Discernment

Discerning Discernment

The Meaning and Significance of Hebrews 5:12-14 in the Christian’s Call of Discernment

By Ryan Habbena

“What is your spirtual gift ?” I have heard this question asked and answered many times. In my experience, the most common response to this inquiry is: “I have the gift of discernment.” When asked what this means, the person often answers, “I can automatically tell when something is evil.”

The Scriptures speak to the subject of discernment in various ways. While the Bible indeed affirms “discernment” as a spiritual gift (1 Corinthians 12:10),1 the truth is that all Christians are called to be “discerners” (see 1 John 4:1, 1 Thessalonians 5:21-22). The question then naturally follows: “How do we acquire the ability to discern?” There are those who would answer in unison with the above example, simply stating: “I just know it my heart! I just know.” Note, for instance, Neal Anderson’s take on this subject: “Spiritual discernment is our first line of defense against deception. The Holy Spirit has taken up residence in every believer, and He is not silent when we encounter the counterfeit. Discernment is that little ‘buzzer’ that goes off inside when something is wrong.”2 While the Holy Spirit has indeed taken up residence in every believer, rather than relying upon an automatic, subjective “buzzer” that is supposed to “go off inside,” we are informed in Hebrews that believers are equipped with discernment via different means. Hebrews 5:12-14 speaks directly to this subject. In what follows I will engage in some “basic exposition” on this central text regarding discernment. Following this I will apply its teaching to how we all are called to be trained discerners in order to avoid the deception that surrounds us.

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Demons and Magic

One of the best explanations I have heard on this subject – I pray this brings the truth to many – Elmarie


John MacArthur- Grace to You

January 14, 1973

The subject upon which we will be speaking tonight is one that perhaps has captured the attention of many of us in our particular modern day because it exists, in a certain sense, as a kind of a paradox. This is a very intellectual day. This is a day when men pride themselves on being rational. This is the era that is after the rational era in the sense that we’ve all discovered what logic means and what rationality means. And yet it is the midst of just such…such an era of education and higher learning and rationality and logic and all of these things that there seems to be a tremendous boom in the occult, the mysterious, the mystique, the things which are supernatural and which are irrational, unreasonable, and beyond education. And it’s becoming such a practical thing that it seems as though it hits us in every place in every way.

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“Is the Doctrine of Election Unfair?”

By John MacArthur

 

In spite of the clarity with which Scripture addresses this topic, many professing Christians today struggle in their acceptance of God’s sovereignty — especially when it comes to His electing work in salvation. Their most common protest, of course, is that the doctrine of election is unfair. But such an objection stems from a human idea of fairness, rather than the objective, divine understanding of true justice. In order to appropriately address the issue of election, we must set aside all human considerations and focus instead on the nature of God and His righteous standard. Divine justice is where the discussion must begin.

What is Divine justice? Simply stated, it is an essential attribute of God whereby He infinitely, perfectly, and independently does exactly what He wants to do when and how He wants to do it. Because He is the standard of justice, by very definition, then whatever He does is inherently just. As William Perkins said, many years ago, ‘We must not think that God doeth a thing because it is good and right, but rather is the thing good and right because God willeth it and worketh it.’

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Saved or Deceived

John McArthur (1 of 2)

Is it possible to understand the gospel message, have strong religious convictions, serve in a Bible-believing church, and be convinced you have a saving relationship with God, and yet still not get into heaven when you die? The Bible couldn’t be any clearer on the answer. Yes, many people will one day stand before God and be shocked as they hear Him say, “I never knew you; depart from Me.”

see more …….(2nd short video)

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The BIBLICAL Role Of A Woman

I was given the links to these two short video clips, by a friend and and sister in Jesus Christ. This one of the best biblical explanations concerning the place and role of the woman in the church and as a Christian wife and  mother. I thought it good enough to share with you all. There might be somebody out there who would benefit from better understanding our place and role in a Biblical sense. It is also our duty to adhere to the Word and it clearly spells out what the Lord expects of women.

In today’s post-modern society with women’s liberation movements world wide it is not correct for us to agree with and adhere to the world, but to follow our Lord’s instructions. The teaching of the Apostle Paul spells it out so clearly in his words in 1Tim 2:12  “I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet”. Often I have encountered women who say that this verse indicates to them that women should be reduced to being pregnant and in the kitchen, and be a slave to her husband although this is not at all what Scripture tells us. It is my prayer that these short clips bring joy and peace to the hearts of those women who do not understand this teaching. Blessings in His name. Elmarie

To see the video clips ….

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Oprah and Obama: Ecumenicising an Africa in need of Christ

Grant Swart

The letter which I have attached hereto, was brought to my attention a few days ago, sent to me by a family member and friend who has a sharp eye for matters pertaining to controversial political issues. Although the letter is of secular nature, I thought it might be relevant to the times we are living in here in Africa, where, as in the rest of the world, the momentum of the ecumenical movement has become unstoppable.

The recent embarrassing repeat visit to our shores by Oprah Winfrey, accompanied this time by an even more embarrassing, (to the Christian, that is), Michelle Obama as a “socially concerned” spiritual ally, provided the incentive for me to feel this letter justifiably be re-posted on our blog. Had Michelle Obama not insisted on using the church as a platform to preach her deceptive message, I might have felt otherwise and simply have left the politicking to the politicians.

I do realise that the content of the attached letter is in contrast to the usual material we post here, but the blatantly obvious ecumenical message which Michelle and Oprah carried with them on that visit, somehow seems to tie in with this openhearted local opinion Continue reading →

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Ritualism Among the Reformed

Dr. Paul M. Elliott

Colossians 2:11-17, Galatians 5:1-6

We are presently in the section of Colossians chapter two where the Apostle Paul  deals with the danger of legalism in the life and thinking of the believer, and in the life and ministry of the church. As we begin today, let me read this tremendous statement for you once again. And if you are able to open your own copy of God’s Word as you are listening today, I trust you will do so. Colossians chapter two, beginning at verse eleven. Paul writes this:

In Him [that is, in Jesus Christ] you [that is, you who have believed on Christ] were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with  Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead. And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it [that is, in the cross of Christ].

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