Apostasy

by

John MacArthur on Spiritual Formation, the Holy Spirit, Rock Star Pastors and Christian Discernment Ministries

By John MacArthur

 Spiritual Formation:  “It’s very dangerous, the spiritual formation. It’s a pagan approach. It’s more like Hinduism than Christianity.”

 The Holy Spirit:  “(W)hen God the Father’s honor is under attack, everybody rises to defend Him…….. When Christ is attacked as to His deity or as to the nature of the cross, we get a movement like Confessing Evangelicals, we get documents responding to ECT [Evangelicals and Catholics Together] on the Gospel. We get T4G, The Gospel Coalition. We get everybody mounting a massive effort to protect the integtrity of the Gospel, Christ, the cross and His vicarious substitutionary atonement. But the Holy Spirit is just being slaughtered everywhere and where is the outrage?”

 Rock Star Pastors:  “(Rock Star pastors) don’t want to ask anything of anybody. Just superficial, name Jesus and rock and roll with us and you’re going to Heaven.”

 Christian Discernment Ministries:  “The Apostle Paul named names all through the New Testament: good, bad and indifferent. There are times when the Church has to be warned when something is dangerous, that’s part of spiritual responsibility…… I think there are times to name names. I have a rule about that and that is, I will respond to anyone who has published something, but nothing that is private. And that’s fair.”

Erin Benziger’s interview with Dr. MacArthur can be read in its entirety here.

 Additional Resources 

John MacArthur: “Who would have thought that John Piper would have Rick Warren at a Desiring God conference?”

John MacArthur: “Don’t Go To A ‘Flat Screen Church’.”

Charismatic Chaos (by John MacArthur)

 

by

Counterfeit Miracles , Warnings From Way Back Then ……

John W. Robbins

Editor’s note: This is the Foreword (edited for space) to the new edition of Benjamin Warfield’s 1918 lectures on Counterfeit Miracles, to be released by The Trinity Foundation in June. As the United States becomes more religious, it becomes more superstitious; it is rediscovering and reinventing full-blown heathen religion – signs and wonders, priests, shrines, meditation, “spiritual formation,” “incarnational worship,” spiritual communities, healings, asceticism, monasticism, ecstatic “speech.” Warfield’s explanation of Biblical miracles and his dissection of modern heathenism are more timely today than they were 90 years ago.

Despite the growing interest in religion, most churchgoers in America – perhaps most churchgoers worldwide – seem never to have read the Bible. That in itself is a damning indictment of contemporary churches. Suppose a literary club were organized to study Shakespeare, but read only snippets from his plays and a few sonnets, and spent most of its meetings doing other things. Would we call it a Shakespearean society? Hardly. Yet churches that claim to be Christian have not taught their members even the most basic things about Christianity. Most of them, in fact, depreciate the truthfulness and importance of Scripture, and instead emphasize religious ritual; social, charitable, and political activity; and emotional experience. It’s as if the Shakespeare society ignored Shakespeare and spent its time bowling. Churches neither encourage nor practice the intellectual experience of studying the Word of God. That, if it is to be done at all, is to be done only by the experts – the academicians in seminaries and universities. Continue reading →

by

Kingdom of God vs. Women Preachers

“But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.” (1Co 11:3)

“11 Let a woman learn in silence, in all subjection. 12 And I do not allow a woman to teach nor to exercise authority [over] a man, but to be in silence.” (1Ti 2:11-12 LIT)

“34 ¶ Let your women be silent in the churches, for it is not allowed to them to speak, but to be in subjection, as also the Law says. 35 But if they desire to learn anything, let them question their husbands at home; for it is a shame for a woman to speak in a church. 36 ¶ Or did the Word of God go out from you? Or did it reach only to you?” (1Co 14:34-36) Continue reading →

by

“Exciting Worship Opportunity”?

I received this email from our dear brother,  Dr Paul M Elliott from Teaching The Word Ministry  today , as a subscriber to the news letters and I am sharing the warning with you all.

1John 4:1  Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets have gone out into the world.

I would also like to please ask the reader,  brother or sister here,  to please keep Dr Paul in your prayers as he has had some serious health issues to overcome in the last couple of months . We value the ministry of Dr Paul, he has been instrumental in  my understanding of how important Discernment is in the life of a believer, in light of the so many different streams of false teachings that are at the order of the day. Thank you for your prayers.

Email from Dr Elliott : Continue reading →

by

Beware ! of the Wide Road that Leads to Destruction

“Joel Osteen openly and confidently says how broad his message is – he’s not even disguising himself any longer as a servant of righteousness. The tickled ears continue to follow him, but the sheep do not follow the voice of a stranger.”   Quote by Justin Edwards

John 10:27-30  My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.  (28)  I give them eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of my hand.  (29)  My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them out of the Father’s hand.  (30)  I and the Father are one.” Continue reading →

by

Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God (Narrative) – Jonathan Edwards

This sermon can go without any added words and a must listen to unregenerate sinners. Oh that God might bring salvation unto His elect, and be glorified. Oh sinner come to Christ while He is near and willing.

by

Concerned To Discern

By on Apr 17, 2012

Does anybody care?

A wonderful and horrible thing is committed in the land;  The prophets prophesy falsely, and the priests bear rule by their means; and my people love to have it so: and what will ye do in the end thereof?Jeremiah 5:30-31, KJV

As could be agreed upon by most believers, Christians have the right, even the duty, to evaluate and hold accountable to Holy Scripture those who profess the evangelical faith but who, for reason of their manifest beliefs and behaviors, appear to be departing from the faith.[1]

Jude told his readers to “contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints” (Jude 3). To shirk this responsibility means that believers are being disobedient to the faith once for all delivered. To all Christians, the Spirit gives His anointing which places upon them the responsibility to discern the “spirit of truth” from the “spirit of error” (1 John 4:6; 2:20-21, 27). To the congregation at Rome Paul wrote:

Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple. Romans 16:17-18 (Compare Philippians 3:17-19.) Continue reading →

by

The Hebrew Roots Cult

The Hebrew Roots Cult ~ by Jim Pruitt

4/1/2006

Titus 1:10-11, 13-14 For there are many rebellious men, empty talkers and deceivers, especially those of the circumcision, who must be silenced because they are upsetting whole families, teaching things they should not teach…For this reason reprove them severely so that they may be sound in the faith, not paying attention to Jewish myths and commandments of men who turn away from the truth.

What an insidious and devious Enemy we have! The ability to take devout men and women of God who are zealous for good works and twist their desires so as to put them back into bondage to the Law illustrates the truly evil nature of Satan.

I had the recent misfortune of encountering a cult which is growing in influence within Christianity. It is not to be confused with Messianic Judaism or simply seeking to explore the Jewish culture within which most of the Bible was written. Although there are many organizations which are promoting this general view and their specific doctrines often vary, it is generally known as the Hebrew Roots Movement. Continue reading →

by

Judging Others – Should Christians Judge?

Naming Names of False Teachers & False Prophets

By Martha Mac / SO4J.com ® / SO4J-TV & Video Productions

Judging Others— Should Christians Judge? – We are NOT to Judge a person’s MOTIVES (Matt 7:1), but we ARE to Judge a Fellow Christian’s: FRUIT / ACTIONS (Matt 7:15-20,John 7:24,1 Cor 5:12–13) to make sure they’re NOT Teaching & Living Contrary to God’s Word, and Essential Christian Doctrine is Correct. Apostle Paul judged 8 Times,& Named the Names of 8 False Converts in 2nd Timothy –

We also encourage you to further read a short article called: BEWARE OF FALSE TEACHERS.

Romans 16:17 (KJV)

    “MARK THEM which cause DIVISIONS & OFFENCES CONTRARY TO THE DOCTRINE which you have learned; and AVOID them.”

Continue reading →

by

James White – How do you distinguish Biblical Christianity from false teaching?

Seven minute video clip

With many different Christian denominations, and many different, contradictory messages being preached (even within the same denomination) how can someone work out who’s telling the truth about what Jesus actually taught? If the Bible is, as Christians profess, the Word of God then it’s obviously of vital importance to understand what that word is actually saying, but how can you distinguish Biblical Christianity from false teaching? Continue reading →

by

Justin Peters A Call for Discernment South African Seminar Tour – From: 1 – 17 JUNE 2012

FROM: 1 – 17 JUNE 2012

WHAT IS THE SEMINAR ABOUT?

Peter warned his readers and indeed us today that “false teachers will be among you who will secretly introduce destructive heresies” and they “will make merchandise out of you” (2 Pet 2:1-3). Many of today’s false teachers can be found in what is known as the Word-Faith movement, more commonly referred to as the Health and Wealth, or, Prosperity Gospel. Popular American prosperity preachers such as Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Joyce Meyer, TD Jakes, and Joel Osteen are attempting to redefine biblical Christianity by teaching dangerous doctrines designed to distort the Gospel and to enrich themselves at the expense of the poor, the desperate, the sick, and the widows. These false teachers have provided a model for many African preachers to follow and they too are leading many astray. Can we really speak things into existence? Did Jesus die spiritually? Are we little gods? Should all Christians speak in tongues? Should people be slain in the Spirit? Is it always God’s will to be healed? If a person is not healed is it because of a lack of faith? Do signs and wonders authenticate the Gospel? What is the true Gospel? You are invited to attend a seminar entitled A Call for Discernment led by Justin Peters as he explores all these questions and many more from a purely biblical perspective. Continue reading →

by

The War of Truth

Charles Spurgeon Sermon

Exodus 17:9 (King James Version)

9And Moses said unto Joshua, Choose us out men, and go out, fight with Amalek: to morrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in mine hand. Continue reading →

by

Christ’s Resurrection and Our Newness of Life

C. H. SPURGEON

Delivered on Lord’s-day Morning, March 29th, 1891,
At the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington

(No. 2197)

“Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”—Romans 6:4.

I HAVE AFORETIME preached upon the whole verse,* so that this morning I shall take the liberty to dwell chiefly upon the latter part of it—”Like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

The idea that the grace of God should lead us to licentiousness is utterly loathsome to every Christian man. We cannot endure it. The notion that the doctrines of grace give license to sin, comes from the devil, and we scout it with a detestation more deep than words can express. “How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?”

On our first entrance upon a Christian profession, we are met by the ordinance of baptism, which teaches the necessity of purification. Baptism is, in its very form, a washing, and its teaching requires cleansing of the most thorough kind. It is a burial, in which the man is viewed as dead with Christ to sin, and is regarded as rising again as a new man. Baptism sets forth, as in a picture, the union of the believer with the Lord Jesus in his baptism of suffering, and in his death, burial, and resurrection. By submitting to that sacred ordinance, we declare that we believe ourselves to be dead with him, because of his endurance of the death penalty, and dead to the world and to the dominion of sin by his Spirit; at the same time, we also profess our faith in our Lord’s resurrection, and that we ourselves are raised up in union with him, and have come forth through faith into newness of life. It is a very impressive and vivid symbol, but it is without meaning unless we rise to purity of life.

Continue reading →

by

Judgement Of Unbelievers

Romans 1:18-19  –   For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all
ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.

RELATED ARTICLES:

 The Justice Of God In The Damnation Of Sinners
by Jonathan Edwards

Sinners In The Hands Of An Angry God
by Jonathan Edwards

God’s Answers To Man’s Excuses

God’s Answers To Man’s Questions

God’s Righteous Judgment by Mike Ratliff

The Sin of Unbelief by Charles Spurgeon

A Nation Abandoned By God by John MacArthur

Who Will Not Inherit the Kingdom of God?The Great White Throne Judgment by Steve Lawson

A good reason to leave God? by Dan Phillips

Does God create people knowing they will end up in hell? by John Samson

Does God Love His Enemies? by John Samson

Modern Myths: Man Is Basically Good by D James Kennedy{video}

Woe to Those Who Call Evil Good, and Good Evil by James R White      {video}

Continue reading →

by

Biblically-Anemic Preaching: The Devastating Consequences of a Watered-Down Message

John MacArthur

2 Timothy 4:2

Those who are familiar with my ministry know that I am committed to expository preaching. It is my unshakable conviction that the proclamation of God’s Word should always be the heart and the focus of the church’s ministry (2 Tim. 4:2). And proper biblical preaching should be systematic, expositional, theological, and God-centered.

Such preaching is in short supply these days. There are plenty of gifted communicators in the modern evangelical movement, but today’s sermons tend to be short, shallow, topical homilies that massage people’s egos and focus on fairly insipid subjects like human relationships, “successful” living, emotional issues, and other practical but worldly—and not definitively biblical—themes. These messages are lightweight and without substance, cheap and synthetic, leaving little more than an ephemeral impression on the minds of the hearers. Continue reading →