Doctrine, Part 3 of 3

We have our marching orders as Christians. A soldier without direct and clear orders is a confused and impotent one. The enemy of the church, Satan, would have it no other way than to beguile us with contrary gospels and faulty doctrine. Paul warned the Ephesian elders that he had not shunned to give them all of God’s counsel, and that with his departure perverse men would come to lead away disciples after themselves, 20:27, 29-30.

Doctrine, Part 2 of 3

Clearly, our Lord took doctrine seriously, as anyone giving the New Testament an honest reading would likewise conclude. It is actually very simple: God gave us His written and infallible word to be the basis and ground of our life. It contains the message of our creation, sin’s entrance, the promises and prophecies of the Redeemer, their realization, and the gospel that saves.

Doctrine, Part 1 of 3

But they also have erred through wine, and through strong drink are out of the way; the priest and the prophet have erred through strong drink, they are swallowed up of wine, they are out of the way through strong drink; they err in vision, they stumble in judgment. For all tables are full of vomit and filthiness, so that there is no place clean. Whom shall he teach knowledge? and whom shall he make to understand doctrine? them that are weaned from the milk, and drawn from the breasts. For precept must be upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little, Isaiah 28:7-10.

Grains of Sand, Part 2 of 2

The apostle warns the Colossians, as he did the Galatian churches (Galatians 5:8) that this teaching does not come from God but from the carnal minds of men, 2:22. We learned in Galatians 5:6 that only by faith in Christ manifesting itself through love is our sanctification affected; the apostle goes on to inform these Christians that this teaching about adding anything to the gospel of grace hinders its efficacy.

Grains of Sand, Part 1 of 2

I would like to share a pair of analogies that impress an invaluable point regarding a believer’s state or condition after coming to faith in Jesus Christ our Lord. The first was given to me by a pastor/teacher at the Duluth Bible Church years ago. The second is an improvisation of an illustration I took from a wedding ceremony Pastor Ken Anders performed this last August. I hope we find them mutually encouraging. First however, we will take a short stroll through Colossians.

Christian Liberals, Part 2 of 2

This is where Christianity departs from liberal thinking. Liberals want to allegorize Scripture. They wish to broaden the way to God by making Christ a way like flavors of ice cream; don’t like vanilla? Just have cherry instead! They want to dismiss the more “embarrassing” passages of Scripture as mythical. They want to strip Christ of His unique place as God-man and only Savior.

Christian Liberals, Part 1 of 2

What is a liberal? Oxford defines “liberal” as “willing to respect and accept behavior or opinions that differ from your own.” To go a step further, what is a Christian liberal? A Christian liberal as far as I understand the concept has ejected certain narrow, limiting and literal views espoused by the majority of the church for the last two thousand years. It is my belief that when the church began in Jerusalem and spread throughout the entire civilized world under the authority of Paul, Peter, John and others that there was no such thing as a Christian liberal; at least not one who would long be tolerated within the professing church.

My Testimony at Living Stones

My interview with Living Stones News has arrived,where I share my story about my writing,my faith,and my long walk away from God. I spent a good many years pretending at being a follower of Jesus Christ,fully convinced that a hollow proffession of faith was the only entrance fee required. I had no interest in God,Christ,the Bible or other believers. Everything that Scripture said would become a new love for me in this new life did not; I bore no spiritual fruit.

My writing and my lifestyle were dark,and the worst of it are thing kept between my God and myself;things that He suffered me to endure and learn from. My writing is part of my witness,and I pray to God that my daily life is the better part of that witness,so it can be said of me that no one thinks me to be more than he sees or hears from me. I only hope that what believers and unbelievers alike see in me is a life saved by the Son of God.

To Christ my Lord I give the glory,who bore with me these many years and gave me a wonderful gift that I used to advance doctrines of demons. If you want to read more about my testimony and back story,follow the link to Living Stones News. I am grateful for their willingness to publish my testimony,and I pray that others (parents) find this information useful. Contact me via email if anyone has further questions regarding the subject matter.

Read the Article at Living Stones

Salvation is of the Lord, Part 9 of 9

“But what saith it (faith)? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach; That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed,” Romans 10:8-11.

Salvation is of the Lord, Part 8 of 9

Christ is a Savior, and He gives eternal life on the sole condition of faith. When we turn from grace (the unmerited favor of God) to working for our salvation we have become a transgressor and impugn the free gift God offers in His Son. Galatians 2:16-21 addresses Christians who believe they are saved by grace but revert thereafter to the works of legalism. This is folly. Either Jesus is our Savior and deserves the title, or the redemption He provided on the cross was insufficient to save us or keep us saved. Choose. All of the “thou shalt not’s of Scripture have been summed in these words: love your neighbor as yourself, Romans 13:9. Walking in love toward one another fulfills the law’s requirements, Romans 13:10.

Salvation is of the Lord, Part 7 of 9

Paul concludes his discourse by informing us that we may walk in the Spirit if the Holy Spirit dwells in us; and that if we do not possess the indwelling Holy Spirit, we are not Christ’s. The next question to arise is simple: how do we know we possess the Holy Spirit? What must occur?

Salvation is of the Lord, Part 6 of 9

But someone may now ask: what is the gospel? What is it precisely, and what does it contain? What must I believe? These are fair questions, and the Bible does not leave them unanswered.

“Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: And that he was seen,” 1st Corinthians 15:1-5.

Jesus confirmed this by telling us that our "work" was to "believe in Him whom [God] sent," John 6:29.

Salvation is of the Lord, Part 5 of 9

We read “Be faithful unto death and I will give you the crown of life,” Revelation 3:10. Isn’t this verse teaching that works are necessary to retain salvation? No, it isn’t. These are various rewards the saints will receive for rendering service to Christ in this life. Rewards come through our obedience, but salvation (which is not a reward but a free gift, Romans 6:23) comes through faith. The crown of life is the martyr’s crown, as the context reveals, which saints who die from persecution receive upon going to be with Christ.