Thursday, November 5, 2009

Another Example of a "partial rapture"?


Understanding The Letter To Sardis

Q. I really enjoy your website and appreciate your teaching and insight.  In the letter to the church in Sardis in Rev. 3, I understand these letters are to the believing church.  In verse 2 “I have not found your deeds completed in the sight of My God”, and then in verse 5 talking about erasing your name from the book of life leaves me with a question as to these believes losing their salvation.  Although I understand that Jesus has taken our sin away and we can not work or have “deeds” to receive that salvation, can you explain the deeds part and the fact that their names could be removed from the Book of Life.


A. In the Letter to Sardis (Rev. 3:1-6)  the members are separated into 2 groups, those who will walk with the Lord dressed in white and those who won’t. Those who won’t are warned to obey what they heard at first, which was the gospel.  Belief in the gospel is necessary to make their deeds complete. Those who take His advice and rely on the gospel are promised that their names will never be blotted out of the book of life. In other words they’ll have eternal life.

I believe Sardis represents the liberal denominations who never teach the need to be born again, but that people inherit eternal life through church membership or infant baptism. At the rapture, the people who believe only that will be left behind, their deeds incomplete, while the ones who believe we must be born again to see the Kingdom (John 3:3) will be taken.

President Obama is not Ceasar



 While certain people are disenchanted with their legally democratically elected officials. No offense to any who voted, but, you get what you vote for. 


God did NOT invent democracy, Man did. God treats Kings as a higher form or government. Why? it more resembles himself. as well as easier for God to change the heart of a King than the entire Democratic or Republican Party.


If you think God is with you as far as Politics is concerned, you will be shocked. God puts men in authority, and the Scripture leaves no one with an excuse about rebellion....this is not our home.


Likewise, President Obama is just a man, he is not Caesar nor the Anti-Christ, nor your enemy. God loves Him as much as he loves you and You are called upon to Pray for Him.


 If you do, God is with you.
 If you don't God resists you.
God resists the Proud and while you may exercise your choice to "be political" 
Jesus requires you as a Christian to love. 
You are required to love and Pray for those who despite fully use and abuse you.
Likewise, as Jesus died in Obedience to his Father, the question to you is,


Will you pass the Test President Obama presents to your faith?


Or will you fail and become a little "anti-christ" setting yourself up as authority and making decisions contradicting the Scriptures God gave you to live?


The Choice is hard, in three years you can revoke the choice you made, but the Testing of your Heart, your Soul, your Mind, your Strength, and your Faith is Now.


Who are you consumed by? Jesus or President Obama.




  Prince of Peace?
 
by Terry James




Jerusalem is at the center of Middle East controversy, the city placed on the proverbial chopping block by the American president and the international community for division in order to bring about a Palestinian state. More than that, it is peace in our time the world leaders say they seek. There is a new prince in this process, and he has, in effect, just been anointed as such by the globalist organization that officially pronounces such commendation.
 
President Barack Obama was named the 2009 winner of the Nobel Peace Prize  October 8, 2009. His nomination was actually made nine days into his presidency, then his selection as winner was announced October 8. The decision, made from a record 205 candidates, was unanimous.
 
Despite his brief time in the international spotlight, Mr. Obama received much glowing praise, such as that from Mohamed ElBaradei, director general of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, and a former Nobel Peace Prize winner: "In less than a year in office, he has transformed the way we look at ourselves and the world we live in and rekindled hope for a world at peace with itself," ElBaradei said. "He has shown an unshakable commitment to diplomacy, mutual respect and dialogue as the best means of resolving conflicts" (Joel Rosenberg’s Weblog, 10/9/09).
 
Obama's being vaulted into the position of chief peacemaker by those who help serve as king-makers before the world's media, thus the eyes and ears of the world, raises many questions—especially in the minds of those who look beyond first-glance meaning. Questions rise to the surface of this anxiety-fraught time. Why has a  man of only 48 years of age, who has no accomplishments of any distinction in matters of international peace-making, and little experience in anything else except community organizing in Chicago, and a few hours spent actually working in the U.S. Senate before being elected president of the United States, suddenly been declared the top man of peace by the Nobel committee?



Despite Mohamed ElBaradei's acclamation of Obama's peace-making, there is no such achievement to be found, only claims of achievement.


For example, President Obama met in July with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev in Moscow on nuclear arms control. The leaders agreed that their negotiators would work out a new limit on delivery vehicles for nuclear warheads of between 500 and 1,100. They also agreed that warhead limits would be reduced from the current range of 1,700-2,200 to as low as 1,500.



Yet, despite the fact that the Obama Administration has agreed to step back from installing a land-based defensive missile shield in parts of Europe in order to placate them, the Russians recently announced a step up in their strategic nuclear capability. This announcement followed Obama's talking on his trips to Europe and beyond about how America will begin downsizing its nuclear arsenal in the hope others will follow suit for the sake of one day achieving total nuclear disarmament.


One must ask: Is this true achievement in the matter of world peace—or is it shades of "peace in our time" in 1939?



Such "peace-making"—applied to Israel and the Mid-East peace process—is especially troubling, although quite intriguing, in my view. Joel Rosenberg wrote about the possible surreptitious things that might currently be plotted in that regard. Rosenberg foresees a scenario where the United Nations Security Council might, in an effort to take the spotlight off Iran's developing nuclear weapons, instead shine it on Israel. The UN, observably an anti-Israel organization in large part, would through Security Council resolution, in Rosenberg's  scenario, force Israel, which has never acknowledged possessing nuclear weaponry, to join the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). Israel would then be forced to open itself to inspection. Any refusal might lead to an international coalition against the Jewish state in an effort to force it to comply. This could be attempted, either through severe sanctions against Israel, isolating it from the world community of nations, or even by attacking it, as happened against Saddam Hussein's Iraq in both recent Gulf conflicts.



Secondly, Rosenberg ponders the possibility of the international community creating, then recognizing, a Palestinian state through fiat, rather than through a negotiating process. Such unilateral action would almost certainly set up a confrontation of biblical proportions, he believes.
 
The world community has long wanted Israel to give in to demands, but has shown no such impatience for the leaderships of Israel's antagonists. Rosenberg correctly points out that President Obama has increasingly—in recent speeches given while he travels the world—taken the lead on this effort. He is demanding that Israel return to its pre-1967 borders, divide Jerusalem, and allow the Palestinians to have a state with contiguous borders (thus cutting Israel proper in two).



We return to the questions Obama's winning the Nobel Peace Prize flushes into the open. I am privileged to have friends and colleagues who think deeply in these matters, especially on their possible prophetic implications. One such confidant has proffered fascinating thoughts on recent developments regarding the Nobel Prize for peace as they relate to eschatology as we near the end of the age. I find his analysis particularly thought-provoking, so, without giving the writer's name, upon his request that I not mention it in his exclusively shared remarks, I'll give a few of these thoughts here.



"The Nobel Peace Prize [to Barrack Obama] was awarded purely for political reasons, and perhaps for strategic reasons. Its timing is bizarre. He must have been nominated within 10 days of being sworn in. He had not then, nor has not since, achieved any tangible progress toward peace. He was not rumored to be among the finalists. However, the vote was unanimous. The announcement came weeks before expected.



It has interesting implications regarding several military issues currently facing the US and Israel. Overtly, Obama has yet to decide whether to commit further troops to Afghanistan. However, more subtly, Obama has to consider military options with respect to Iran. Yesterday's papers reported the possibility that the US was gearing up to take direct military action against Iran. This was based on the accelerated development of the Massive Ordnance Penetrator, or MOP, bunker-busting bomb. While this story is probably false, the US may have been planning to assist Israel in striking Iran, either by providing arms, intelligence, over flight permission or logistical support. The Nobel Peace prize renders an affirmative decision to make war or assist Israel in making war significantly more difficult.



Finally, given the terrorist threat under which the US finds itself, and given the serious risk of nuclear attack on US cities and the need to retaliate as a matter of self-defense, the Nobel Peace Prize may result in a conflict of interest wherein Obama's tacit peace pledge conflicts with his sworn duty to defend the Constitution and the US. In my opinion, the pressure of being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize is particularly acute in this time period between it having been awarded and his accepting it.



I am convinced that the Antichrist will be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize someday. I am not prepared yet to say that it was designed with the Antichrist in mind, but I do think that the committee that now decides the winners is spiritually compelled to award it to Antichrist types and specifically for the benefit of those who advance the New World Order and are enemies of Israel.



In short, the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Barack Obama has been intentionally designed to frustrate any efforts on the part of the US to help Israel defend itself against Iran.



Strange developments are afoot while the world looks for the prince that shall come, and we who name the name of Christ look for the true Prince of peace.

Romaine from someone who was there....


It was a Sunday night in 1992...The large auditorium was packed as usual for the worship and the study. At the time, considered one of the largest churches in America, Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa was like this every night of the week. Pastor Chuck Smith wasn't teaching tonight, but rather his assistant, Pastor Romaine


This former marine is well known for his unusual approches to expository (verse by verse) teaching as well as his unique topical sermons... In the pulpit or in the chuch office, you just never know what to expect from this very blunt, outspoken to the point of rude, but honest and straight up servant of God.

We were all in for a treat. I loved going down there, loved the worship leaders who were fast becomming my good friends, and just felt all of the warm fuzzies you can feel at a time like this... that all changed when I saw
Romaine. I sat up on the edge of my seat and looked at this guy. He looked out over the congragation eyes hooded and peicing. I remeber smiling to myself and thinking, " Oh he's really fired up about something, this is going to be good',and it was...

Standing there till there was silence, and that always happened pretty quickly with him... He just looked around at the 5000 or so people there. Then he raised his arm. In his hand was his well worn preching Bible. Holding it up over his head caused a stir and people started to cheer clapping worshipping ect... He growed and barked in his Drill Instructor voice...

"NO!", and threw the book hard against the wall some many feet away. As it flew the cheering turned to gasps of horror and screams. The bible hit the wall with a thud and fell to the floor. There was dead quiet. A mans voice from the back of the room shouted "
Romaine, men have died for that book!" The man in the pulpit said with a growl "No one died for that book over there... Its just a book, paper and leather." Then Romaine made a statement that haunts me to this day...

"The Bible is not the fourth member of the Trinity"

Pause, then he said... " I always knew you were a bunch of heathen idolitors, you worship a book... paper and ink. How many of you keep a bible as a ceterpeice of your home decorating, and dont read it? or only read it on sundays when you are here in church...By the way, we should burn the building down too Im afraid there are those among you who worship this building rather than He whom the building is ment to honor, cause you only think about God when you are in here!"

He then began to recite these scrptures, as his bible was still laying lifeless on the floor...

For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4:12

1Thessolonians 2:13 For this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you accepted {it} not {as} the word of men, but {for} what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.

"How do you suppose the work of God is done by a book if you done read it and apply what it says to your life?" He then quotes Psalm 119:105 "Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path." how can this be a "light" if you dont take it off the shelf and open it up?" He asked... "For certainly the truth is that the Bible is just a book until it is read. People have died for the right to read this book this is a fact, and the fact is that miliions of lives have been changed by reading it."

I bring this memory up in my blog because we have all been astounded by the events surrounding the bogus...and maybe not so bogus... Newsweek story regarding the "desicration of the koran" and the resulting rioting over this. Lives have been lost over paper and ink. Its crazy...

There are all sorts of wacky accusations flying around from certain GI's saying that this did happen, to the LA Times newspaper stating that somehow President Bush caused all of this to happen. I think that this shows just how crazy this is. We all know that disgruntled clerics are using this to try to discredit our efforts in the region...


Romaine's point was that its not the fact that a book has the word "holy" on it or that the words in the book are divinely inspired even what the pages say, its you reading the words on the pages of the book that makes it a sacred thing, the Living Word... With out your eyes beholding it,and the Holy Spirit illuminating it to your soul, the book is just an inanimate object. It is the worshipper that gives embodiment to worship and the student and his desire to know that brings holiness to the pages of sacred text. God didnt inspire the printing press, but the authors of the books of the Bible, and our hearts to understand what is written therein.

For these people to go crazy over a story that may or may not be true... to riot over a bit of paper and ink is madness, and to say this is a religion of peace is also madness. If the koran is what they revere, look at how that "scripture" effects them, moulds them and shapes their character. That is the true test of any faith, not the words of the book but how they are lived out in the day to day struggles of life.

For the Afghans to toss away all that they have worked towards over this bogus story shows the lack of inner evolution. That is tragic. It makes me wonder about the future and how we in the west can effectivly dialogue with such people. They are in the stone age, and seem to want to stay in this unevolved state. I pray that the sons of Ishmael with someday see the light and walk in the truth of the True and Living God. Untill then the world will stay locked in this sibling rivalry between the true and spiritual sons of Issac and the true and spiritual sons of Ishmael. It is a struggle that will come to a good end but the enduring will be long and bloody.

What about you? Get that Bible off the shelf and start to read it. Ask God to open it up to you to see its truths, and to bless your life,... to cause a inner revolution in your own life. God will change you through the reading of His word...and by changing you for good, will change the world, one reader at a time
.

by Hokule'a Kealoha

What's Wrong With the Gospel? ~ Keith Green



What's Wrong With the Gospel?

Section 1: "The Missing Parts"

by Keith Green

Introduction

I know that the title of this article will possibly raise some worried eyebrows. At first glance, some might say to themselves, "Oh no, Keith has gone too far this time!" But let me quickly put those possible reactions to rest. To the question, "What's wrong with the Gospel?" I can easily answer, "Absolutely nothing!" That is, of course, if you're talking about the Gospel of the Bible - the very message that Jesus preached - what the apostles Peter, Paul, John, and the others devoted their very lives (and deaths) to. (Phil. 1:20-21)

No, there's nothing at all wrong with this message from heaven. But what about the stuff that's being preached today? Is it truly "gospel-preaching"? Are the evangelists that preach in churches and arenas, on radio and television - are they preaching what Jesus called the Gospel?
1 And what about the mountains of modern "gospel literature"? You know, the tracts, pamphlets, comic books, newspapers, etc. Do they really contain the same message - the whole message - about the salvation that Jesus offered? How are we answering the awesome question that people are still asking the Church, as they asked on the day of Pentecost, "Men and brethren, what shall we do to be saved?"2

Is Our Gospel The Gospel?

I believe with all my heart that Jesus would be ashamed of most of the "gospel" messages and sermons that are being preached today, mainly because they lack almost every major point He Himself preached on. (Mark 8:38; Rom. 1:16; II Tim. 1:8) How dare we try to change the Gospel. We remove most of its vital parts, and replace them with artificial limbs of our own. (Gal. 1:6-7)

Isn't Jesus the master evangelist? Shouldn't we judge our evangelism by His example?
3 Was His message anything like what we're hearing today? It is my intention to try to briefly cover in Section 1 each of the major parts of the Gospel that have been "surgically" removed in most of today's preaching. And in Section 2, we will go over each of the "new additions" that have become a very part of our modern gospel.

The Removed Parts Of The Gospel

The Blood of Jesus. It's a fact that the very word blood scares people. It's also a fact that the blood of Christ scares the devil, because it is the only cleansing agent for a sin-sick soul.4 Can you imagine what the preaching and writings of Paul would have been like, if he had been as squeamish in proclaiming the magnificent power and beauty of the blood of Jesus as our generation of preachers are? What we have now is a bloodless gospel!

Today, people are afraid to think and preachers are afraid to make them. The whole concept of Jesus being the Passover Lamb of the Old Testament
5 has been lost - "It takes too much time and thought to explain," you will hear some say. (Heb. 5:11-14) "We need to simplify the Gospel so that we can reach the masses." Oh, what logic! Remove the blood from the preaching of the Gospel, and you remove the power to conquer the devil for the souls of men!

The Cross of Jesus. Paul said, "I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified." (I Cor. 2:2) Nowadays it's "Jesus Christ and what He can do for you!" You cannot have more exact opposites than the Bible's Christ-centered Gospel,6 and our modern, cross-less, me-centered gospel.

Today, if anyone preaches self-denial as a condition of discipleship, you can hear the comments afterwards: "old-fashioned," "harsh," "legalistic." I dare say that our Lord would have as much trouble finding acceptance among our preachers as He had among the religious leaders of His own day.



Here's what A.W. Tozer says about the cross... "The cross is the most revolutionary thing ever to appear among men. The cross of Roman times knew no compromise, it never made concessions. It won all its arguments by killing its opponent and silencing him for good. It spared not Christ, but slew Him the same as the rest. He was alive when they hung Him on that cross. and completely dead when they took Him off of it. That was the cross the first time it appeared in Christian history.

"With perfect knowledge of all this, Christ said, 'If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself take up his cross and follow Me.' So the cross not only brought Christ's life to an end, it also ends the first life, the old life of every one of His true followers...this and nothing less is true Christianity. We must do something about the cross, and there's only one of two things we can do - flee it or die upon it!"

The Threat and Terrors of Hell, and the Guilt of Sinners. We often hear people say, "I'm tired of hell-fire and brimstone preaching!" "Well," I often reply, "when was the last time you heard any?" It is true, very few people preach on hell anymore - it is no longer in vogue. We shouldn't scare the poor sinners, no, that wouldn't do. They're just unfortunate, misguided souls, right? Wrong! The Bible clearly shows that they are rebels who have robbed and dishonored the living God, infinitely offending Him.7 They have no right to look at themselves in any other light.

But we, smart as we are, have decided to help God along. He doesn't understand our generation as well as we do. The things Jesus emphasized in His preaching were all right for the Jews, but our generation needs a more gentle, loving tone. "Tell 'em about heaven!" We talk about heaven, about the "rewards of being born-again," but we completely neglect the other side of the "two-edged sword."
(Heb. 4:12) What right do we have to remove things from the Gospel that Jesus Himself gave great place to in His own preaching?8

The Law of God Preached to Convict One of Sin. Pages could be written on this subject, but there is room for only one brief example. When the rich young ruler came to Jesus, he asked a very direct question: "Good Master, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" Can you imagine what our preachers would answer him today? "Just admit you're a sinner, accept Jesus as your Personal Savior, go to church, pay your tithes, try to be good, and you're in!" But what was Jesus' answer? "You know the commandments... if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments." (Matt 19:17; Mark 10:19) The commandments?? Why they went out with Cecil B. DeMille! Isn't this the "age of grace"?

Well, the truth is Jesus wasn't preaching the commandments to him as the way of salvation, He was using the commandments to specifically convict him of his particular sin - greed. That rich boy loved the bucks, and Jesus knew just how to flush him out of the bushes -
preach the Law! And that's exactly what the Law is for- "For through the Law comes the knowledge of sin" (Rom. 3:20), that's what Paul said. The Law must be preached - not as the way of salvation, but as a searchlight put on the sinner's heart, so he can see how utterly rotten he is, compared to the way God requires him to be. (Gal. 3:24)

But today again, we are wiser than God. Our preaching isn't filled with "dos and don'ts." No, we don't want to scare the "liberated generation" away. Why, if we said that fornication was wrong, or drugs, or abortion, or any other specific sin, people would feel all condemned and then how could they get saved? But that's just it, Jesus preached the Law to the rich young ruler so that, after feeling condemned about his greed, he could turn and obey Jesus and find true treasure in heaven.
"Go and sell all you possess and give it to the poor, and you shall have treasure in heaven, and come, follow Me." (Mark 10:21) Unless people are truly convicted of sin, if they do not fully see that they are totally condemned by the requirements of God's Law, then it is virtually impossible to show them the need for a savior. Why, what would they need to be saved from? Fun?

That is why our modern gospel must dwell on "all the good things God'll do for you if you'd just accept Him!" We can't convince a sinner that he needs a savior by just getting him to admit that, "Well, generally, yes, I am a sinner." He must see how the Law of God totally condemns him as a sinner,
9 and then the beauty of the Gospel, the glory of the cross, the marvelous power of Christ's blood will be able to penetrate his anxious, waiting mind and heart. Only by the preaching of the Law can a man fully desire to be saved from his sin. For, "I would not have come to know sin except through the Law. "(Rom. 7:7)

The Fear of God and the Judgment Seat of Christ. Instead of the awesome majesty of Jehovah, today the Lord is presented as a sort of "ice cream man-Santa Claus." And the Church is the "candy store" where you can get "every goodie your heart desires." Jesus Himself is portrayed as "a sweetie pie," so good, so loving, so forgiving, and so gentle, that you can almost hear the preacher whisper, "Aw, He wouldn't hurt a fly..." But what happened to "It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Heb. 10:31) or "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom'? (Proverbs 9:10)10

The wise, new editors of modern preaching rhetoric have conveniently wiped out every reference to the Almighty's severity while emphasizing only His kindness. This they do, ignoring the balanced, biblical view of Paul,
"Behold then the kindness and severity of God." (Rom. 11:22)

Repentance as Necessary for Forgiveness. It has always amazed me how the Church could have evolved to such a state as it is in now, with such clear, direct teaching from the Lord Jesus as to what is necessary to be right with God. Please read the first five verses of the 13th chapter of Luke. Here, Jesus is told the news about some Galileans who were executed by the Romans. He then says, "Unless you repent, you will all likewise perish." Using another example, He then repeats the same exact sentence.

I cannot conceive of conversion without repentance. The teachings of Jesus and the apostles are full of commands to "repent and be saved!"
11 Repentance is not just "being sorry" - that is only conviction. Repentance is not merely a change of heart and a change of mind, it is a change of action! God requires that if we are sincerely convinced that sin is wrong, then we will turn from it to God, and commit ourselves to not take part in sinful deeds any longer. God blesses such decisions and commitments with abundant grace. And it is by that grace that we can fulfill the desires of the Spirit within us.

But because there is so little real conviction of sin brought about by the preaching of our modern gospel, we cannot truly require repentance anymore. If we did, no one would "come forward" at all. For repentance is easy to him who sees how ugly and horrible sin is, but repentance is impossible where the Law does not convince the sinner of his wicked heart, compelling him to turn from his sin into the arms of a waiting, compassionate God. You see, all these removed parts of the Gospel are connected. In God's wisdom, every aspect of the appointed way of salvation is irreplaceable.

It is true that without God loving us first, we could not be saved. He made the first move, He always does. But He will not do what He requires of the sinner himself to do - and that is to repent!

God's Sorrow and Broken Heart Over Sin. The picture of God as presented today by evangelists is that of an optimist - a positive-thinking good ole boy who lives in heaven, high above the trouble on earth, where everything is rosy, "and the skies are not cloudy all day." Why, how could anything bother the living God? He isn't really troubled by all the mess down here, He has everything under control!

But again, the Bible paints a different picture of our King. Just look at Jesus weeping over Jerusalem
(Luke 19:41), or the pleadings of God with the nation of Israel through the prophets Isaiah or Ezekiel.12 This God, the one in the Bible, is continually striving with men through His Spirit. It says in Proverbs, "The eyes of the Lord are in every place, watching the evil and the good." (Proverbs 15:3) That means that God saw every rape committed today, He saw every murder, every person that starved to death, every pornographic film and book, every abused and battered child. How can anyone believe that He sees this and does not grieve? Of course God can grieve. Doesn't the Bible implore us not to "grieve the Holy Spirit of God"? (Eph. 4:30)

You see, God is the most hurt and dishonored being in the universe. He could stop all this mess, all the perversion and crime and corruption any time He wishes, but He doesn't! Why? Because He waits for the souls of men and women.
"Regard the patience of our Lord to be salvation," Peter said. (II Peter 3:15) But the Church, which doesn't have one millionth of the compassion that God has, has turned around and created a god in its own image and likeness. A carefree, cheerful, above-it-all God. And then the Church has conveniently removed from the "gospel" it presents all reference to the pain and sorrow in God's heart. The Church doesn't want a God who's grieved with sin, because then this God would be grieved with them... (and He is!)13

The Necessity of Holiness to Please God. Hebrews says without holiness "no one shall see the Lord." (12:14) It is true that Jesus commands us to be perfect. (Matt. 5:48) It is also true that you most likely have never met a perfect person, nor do you probably ever expect to be perfect yourself. Nevertheless, we still have those uncomfortable words of the Lord, "Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect"!

Now, because of our dilemma in finding ourselves to be such numskulls, and seeing the demands of Jesus, we have invented some pretty interesting and
caraaazzeey doctrines. Some Christians have said, "Well, when God looks at us, He doesn't really see us anymore, He sees Jesus instead. And when there's ever sin in our hearts, if God should happen to look at the wrong moment, He'll see a smiling face of Jesus there, instead of seeing our sin. So God sees me as holy - even though I'm not! But...I really am...er, well, you know what I mean!" (I don't happen to believe that God is that easily fooled, not even by Christians.)

Another stranger-than-truth doctrine is that blessed refuge of backsliders called "the carnal Christian." In this example of pretzel-logic, we are led to believe that any "believer" who isn't really "walking with the Lord" at the present time, and is indulging in the things of the world and the lusts of the flesh, can still be considered a "Christian," but not a Christian of the 1st class, no, a Christian of the 2nd
class... a "carnal Christian." Here we have a case of the "believer" who doesn't believe. Oh, he still "believes" that God is God, and that there is a heaven and hell, and so on (but don't forget, the devil believes all these things too!-James 2:19). He knows all the right things to say to convince granny, the pastor, and his Christian friends that he's still hanging in there. He even sort of believes it himself. Seems he's got everybody fooled - everybody that is, except God! The Bible is clear that "If we say we' have fellowship with Him, and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. " (I John 1:6)14

Today, possibly the greatest insult to the Gospel has been the almost total neglect of the preaching of holiness for the Christian. Jesus doesn't want to make believe that we're holy, He wants to impart His holiness to us by the Holy Spirit. But because people are not being driven to the cross, convicted by His Law to repentance and real rebirth, then we have to spend hours in our seminaries trying to find suitable, complicated ways to explain away the obvious meanings of Scripture.

To all this you might be saying, "But what about all those people getting saved by the efforts of good men and ministries out there? They're not preaching the way you say they should, and
they still have converts!" Well, the immediate answer to that question is, "The people are not getting saved because of their messages, they're getting saved in spite of them." But unfortunately, many of the people who make "decisions for Christ" through large evangelistic crusades, do not even attend church regularly in the years that follow. (And as you probably well know, "attending church regularly" does not guarantee that one is a true believer.) But let's take a closer look at what kind of "converts" today's gospel usually produces.

What's Specifically Wrong With Our Modern Gospel?

It's Me-Centered Instead of Christ-Centered. First and foremost, it is the gospel that appeals to the selfish. Instead of honoring God, it places the sinner at the center of God's love and plan. But the Bible places Jesus at the center of God's plan, not the sinner.

One of the most well-known phrases of modern evangelism is "God loves you and has a wonderful plan for your life!" But the sober, biblical truth that needs to be presented to the sinner's mind is "You have made yourself an enemy of God, and in your present state of rebellion there is absolutely no hope for you." In fact, God's "plan" for the sinner at this point in his life is to separate him from His presence forever, in hell. However unpopular or unlovely that may sound, it is the only truth and reality about anyone who is an enemy of God through sin.

The whole line of reasoning in our modern gospel continues on and on in this mistaken way. "Sin has separated you from God, 'and His wonderful plan for your life.' Jesus came and died on the cross, so that you may experience 'His wonderful plan for your life.' You must accept Jesus now, so that you will not miss out on 'His wonderful plan for your life!'"
You, you, you, you!!! It's all for YOU! I'm not sorry to say this, but Jesus did it all in obedience, for His Father's glory. (Phil. 2:8-12) Of course, it infinitely benefits those who love, serve, and honor Him, but that was a secondary consideration, not the primary one. (Please read Ezek. 36:22-32.) If people come to Jesus mainly to get a blessing, or only to get forgiveness, they will ultimately be disappointed. But if they come to give Him their lives in honor and worship, then they will truly have forgiveness and joy - more than they could ever imagine! (I Cor. 2:9)

It's Shallow, Cheap, and Offered as a "Bargain." Our gospel reduces the good news to a "come and get it while you can" sale. We make every effort to take all the bones out - everything that might offend someone, might make them hesitate or put off their decision. Jesus didn't do this. He never lowered the requirements for anyone. One had to be completely sincere, totally humbled, having counted the cost, willing to leave everything, family and property, "count all things loss" so that they might "gain Christ." (Phil 3:7-8) When that same rich young ruler "went away sad, for he had many possessions" (Matt. 19:22), Jesus didn't go running after him shouting, "Hey, wait a minute! Let's talk this thing over, it isn't as bad as it might sound. Maybe I was a little too harsh!"

Maybe we're so eager to "see the converts," to publish "how many got saved at our last concert" in the bulletins to our supporters, that we'll do anything to rush someone into a "decision" before he's had a chance to really make one. The problem is, if you have to rush him into it, he probably will change his mind later anyway. For as a friend of mine says, "If somebody can talk them into it, somebody can talk them out of it!"
(I Cor. 1:17)

Salvation is Shown as a Barter or Trade, Instead of the Result of Obedience by Faith. We offer forgiveness of sin like Monty Hall on "Let's Make a Deal." I've even heard, "You give Jesus your sin, and He'll give you salvation in return!" No one in the Bible ever thought so low of the grace of God to talk about the gift of eternal life like it was for trade. It is a gift! You can't earn it, or buy it, or give anything in return for it. How it must offend the Holy Spirit to hear people talk of His Jesus so. (Acts 8:18-23)

It Produces Selfish, "Blessed," and Feelings-Oriented "Converts." Anyone who is made to believe he becomes a Christian under such preaching will seldom bring forth the true fruits of a real convert. He will remain just as selfish as he always was, only now his selfishness will take on a religious form. If he wants something for himself, he will say he "has a burden" for something, or he will say, "It is the desire of my heart," or some other religious-sounding phrase like that. He will pray selfishly, desiring blessings for himself, and even if he does pray for others, it usually will be for selfish reasons. After all, when he "accepted the Lord," he was told how much Jesus wanted to bless him and how much God had stored up for his account, and how the Bible was like "a checkbook full of promises, just waiting to be cashed!"

Such a person always seeks to "feel" good about himself, his own church, his own pastor, etc. His whole world is built on
feeling blessed. He was never shown how he was created to bless God... God was not created to bless him. (Psalm 149:4; Phil. 2:13)

As you can see, the "converts" described above are not like those pictured in the book of Acts, when the Church was new and the fire was hot. Take a look at
Acts 2:41-47 and 4:31-35, and you will see the tender spirit of love, and the mighty spirit of power that prevailed among the brethren in those early days. I believe that one of the great reasons that "everyone kept feeling a sense of awe" (Acts 2:43), was because "they were continually devoting themselves to the apostles' teaching and to prayer. "(vs. 42) I believe that Peter and the others made every effort to convey the whole message of the Gospel when they preached and taught, and that is why the Spirit of God could anoint and bless the new converts so powerfully- God always anoints the truth! (Isaiah 55:11)

1) Matt 4:23; Mark 1:14-15; Luke 3:16-18.
2) Luke 3:10,12,14; Acts 2:37,16:30
3) Eph. 5:1, I Peter2:21; I John 2:6
4) Matt. 26:28; Acts 20:28; Rom. 3:25, 5:9; Eph. 1:7, 2:13; Col. 1:20; Heb. 9:14,22, 10:19, 13:12; I Peter 1:2; I John 1:7; Rev. 1:5, 5:9, 12:11, 19:13.
5) Exodus 12:23-24; Isiah 53:7; Luke 22:15; John 1:29,36; I Cor. 5:7; I Peter 1:19; Rev. 5:6,12, 7:14, 22:1,3.
6) Matt 10:38; Luke 14:27; I Cor. 1:17-18; Gal. 6:14; Eph. 2:6; Col. 1:20; I Peter 2:24
7) John 8:44; Acts 13:9-11; I Cor. 6:9; Gal. 4:16: Eph. 2:1-3; James 4:4; II Peter 2:12-19.
8) Matt. 5:22; 8:12, 10:28, 13:41-42, 49-50, 22:11-14, 23:13,33, 24:48-51, 25:30,46; Luke 13:26-28.
9) Rom. 2:12,20, 3:20-21, 4:15, 5:13,20, 10:4; I Cor. 15:56; Gal. 2:16,19, 3:10-11; James 29:11.
10) See also Deut. 5:29, 10:12; Joshua 24:14; II Kings 17:39; Psalm 2:11, 15:4, 19:9, 25:14, 31:19, 33:18, 34:7,9,11, 52:6 60:4, 67:7, 72: 5, 85:9, 86:11, 103:11,13,17; 111:5, 112:1, 147:11; Proverbs 8:13, 10:27, 13:13, 14:26-27, 15:16, 16:6, 19:23, 23:17, 28:14, 31:30; Isiah 8:13; Jer. 32:39-40; Malachi 3:16, 4:2; Matt. 10:28; Luke 1:50; Acts 10:35, 13:26; II Cor 7:1; Eph 5:21; Phil. 2:12, Heb. 12:29; I Peter 1:17; Rev. 14:7
11) Psalm 7:12; Isiah 30:15; Ezek. 18:32; Matt. 3:2; Mark 1:5, 6:7,12; Acts 2:38, 3:19, 8:22, 17:30, 26:19-20; Rev. 2:5,16, 3:3,19
12) Isiah 1:18, 54:7; Exek. 18:23,32, 33:11; Hosea 11:8.
13) Psalm 78:40-41; Mark 3:5.
14) Here are only a few of the many Scriptures that say this over and over again, in the clearest possible terms: Psalm 5:4,6; Matt. 7:22; John 3:20-21; II Cor. 6:14; IJohn 2:4,9-11, 3:10, 4:20