Revivals come and revivals go …
But true repentance lasts forever.
Category: Simple Faith
“Worship” has been reduced from its Biblical meaning of living lives in obeisance (humble submission) and obedience to God …
To music that makes us feel good.
Although music can be a good thing …
Somehow, I think we lost our way.
God speaks …
Therefore, I am.
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion …
But not to a Christ of their own perception.
He created and defines us …
And not us Him.
Jesus never said we’re saved by asking Him into our heart …
But by surrendering to His Kingdom rule and doing His Father’s will.
That’s called repentance.
Those who proclaim anything less …
Are preaching a lie.
The me-centered, contrived intensity that many call “worship” these days …
Is an affront to God’s holiness.
In the New Testament, true worship is living lives of obeisance (humble submission) and obedience to Him, as He mandates …
Rather than projecting our own carnality onto Him to feed our own soulish needs.
Let’s return to the true God of Scripture with authentic worship …
As actually defined and commanded by Him.
Because when we relate to God on His terms rather than ours …
Amazing things of eternal significance will start happening in your own life and those around you.
Authentic citizens of God’s Kingdom …
Are the greatest force for reforming earthly kingdoms.
History proves this time and again …
And God is not yet done with history.
If, however, you’ve not the grace to heed His call outside your own comfort zones …
Then at least don’t diss those who do.
It’s ironic how some think that elevating Christ as the Living Word …
Means discounting His written Word of Scripture.
Is Christ divided?
He’s all or nothing …
Because there is no pick-and-choose Jesus.
A “relationship” with a purely subjective Jesus, apart from His plenary authority of Scripture as His written Word …
Leads to inauthentic faith.
Likewise, “truth” based on the plenary authority of Scripture without Jesus alive in us …
Also leads to an inauthentic faith.
Each extreme – born of an endless cycle of reaction to the other – chronicles two tragic trends of Church history.
Unfortunately, we still see these extremes played out today.
Authentic faith embraces the fulness of Christ:
Both His Person …
And what He has revealed in His written Word of Scripture.
Nonetheless, where my subjective perception of Him differs from His written self-disclosure, objective precepts and propositional truths of Scripture …
I must yield to Scripture.
There can be no maturity in Christ or functional communities of believers apart from these essentials.
Salvation isn’t about “asking Jesus into your heart”.
There’s nothing in the New Testament which says that.
Rather, it’s about repenting and submitting to His Kingdom …
On His terms, not ours.
When we stand before Him on that final day …
It will be the only Gospel that counts.
Someone asked if I believe in female clergy.
No way, no how!
But then again, I don’t believe in male clergy either. 😉
Seriously, there is no clergy/laity divide in the New Testament.
Instead, we are ALL commanded to submit one to another as we minister to each other …
No matter what differing function, diverse gift or level of grace we’ve been given.
The true Gospel calls us to repentance through the uncompromising conviction of the Holy Spirit …
Rather than appeal to our vanities through the compromising enticements of men.
God and “me” are not the church …
But God and “we” just might be.
There is no Christ …
In a “Jesus” on our terms.
Likewise, there is no ekklesia …
In a “church” on our terms.
Nor is there true “worship” …
When defined on our terms.
So in all our ways
Let’s humble ourselves
And submit to God …
As He defines Himself
And so much more
In His written word of Scripture.
Cynicism isn’t a retreat from evil …
But from good.
What is existentialism, and why does it matter?
Existentialism is a worldly philosophy which believes that each individual can define – on their own terms – what is true, right and real based on their own perceptions and personal sensibilities.
Many “Christians” do this, whether consciously or not.
They often claim to have a “high view” of Scripture, but then discount anything in it which contradicts their own perceptions and sensibilities.
Whether they call themselves “Progressive,” “Red Letter,” “Beyond Evangelical,” “Deconstructed,” “Neo-orthodox” or whatever …
They set themselves over God’s plenary authority of Scripture by defining truth, reality and morality on their own terms to suit their own purposes.
Inevitably, this leads them to project their own perceptions and sensibilities onto Jesus Himself …
To create a “Christ” after their own likeness and image.
In essence, they end up worshipping themselves by deceiving themselves through their false Christ …
Who is nothing more than a representation of themselves.
Like any idol, this “Jesus” of their own creation then justifies their religion of self …
Both to themselves (whether knowingly or not) and to those they seek to deceive (again, whether knowingly or not).
Unfortunately, our “churches” today are filled with such people …
Because many “churches” find it’s easier to cater to their narcissism than call for true repentance.
Existential deception is a defining issue of our times because the real Jesus didn’t choose to leave everything up to our personal foibles and follies …
But chose to authoritatively define Himself – and what is ultimately true, real and right – through Scripture as His written Word.
Anything less is a lie.
We can not deserve, earn or initiate God’s grace …
Otherwise, it’s not grace.
But once offered …
We certainly can turn from it.
Otherwise, it’s likewise not grace.
The Bible doesn’t say to believe in yourself …
But to die to self.
Jesus never said to forgive yourself …
But to forgive others and then ask God to forgive you.
The Gospel isn’t about affirming you …
But about repenting and surrendering to Christ’s rule.
Only then will you find yourself …
Your freedom …
And your validation …
As defined by Him.
Faith is trust …
And thus the antithesis of doubt.
Reformed Theology says it’s impossible to reject God’s grace when offered …
Based on the philosophic concept that doing so would involve human autonomy against God’s sovereignty.
The flaw is that Reformed Theology does not see that there is a third option, which runs throughout Scripture.
The choice isn’t Calvinism = God’s Sovereignty …
While Arminianism = Human autonomy.
Rather, Biblical doctrine shows that God is so sovereign …
He can offer not only undeserved grace, but also the undeserved choice to reject that grace.
That’s why Scripture repeatedly says that apart from God extending His grace to us, salvation is impossible …
But there’s not a single passage in all of Scripture that says His grace is irresistible.
Denying God’s sovereign right to delegate that choice is, at its core, a denial of His sovereignty.
We are bound by the limits of our fallen nature, which makes us spiritually “dead in our trespasses and sin”.
We are not spiritually sick, but dead.
Free will, therefore, is a myth apart from God’s grace giving us the option to choose Him …
Because those who are spiritually dead have no choice in and of themselves.
Fundamentally, we have no human autonomy or ability to choose anything apart from what God has chosen to delegate and enable.
According to His sovereign will, however, He didn’t want puppets on a string …
So He gave Adam the option to choose sin and death – as He knew he would – by rejecting His rule.
Adam chose foolishly.
Christ, according to His eternal plan …
Then defeated sin and death through the Cross to give us the option to choose righteousness and life by submitting to His rule.
This is what makes God’s grace so amazing.
Choose wisely, therefore …
While you still have a choice.
The irony of hard core “Calvinism” is that it diminishes God’s sovereignty …
By claiming He can’t delegate to others the option to resist His grace when offered.
Can a God who is so limited truly have absolute sovereignty?
This is the inherent contradiction in their “reformed” theology.
They have great insight on many things, but can not reconcile their philosophic concept of God’s “sovereignty” …
With His right to delegate, as He chooses, whatever He chooses – including the choice to reject His saving grace.
They are thus trapped in a fundamental internal contradiction …
Of defining God as so sovereign, He can’t actually be sovereign.
There are only four passages in the entire New Testament which mention singing God’s praises together when we gather as the church.
And in those verses, there is just one reason given for that congregational singing …
And it’s not “worship.”
Rather, it’s to encourage one another.
That’s it.
Nothing else.
In fact, the New Testament never refers to singing or our gatherings as “worship” …
And the Greek words often translated as “worship” have absolutely nothing to do with what we call “worship” these days.
So the popular idea that we go to a “worship service” where we sing and do other things to invoke, experience or encounter God’s presence …
Doesn’t exist in the New Testament.
Nope, not, nada …
Just ain’t there.
Rather, that’s rooted in the Old Testament idea of the temple, where people went to encounter God.
In contrast, under the New Covenant, we have become God’s temple because He now dwells in us and among us.
Thus, we are commanded to sing and participate together for our mutual encouragement – one to another – as we express God’s presence already in us.
Nothing more, nothing less.
So let’s stop distorting Scripture by putting on staged performances designed to make us encounter “God’s presence” …
And calling that “worship.”
It’s not. It’s just carnality masquerading as spirituality to justify the prevailing corrupt practice of turning “church” into a spectator event performed by a few from an elevated stage.
Instead, let’s return to what the New Testament actually commands in our gatherings:
By joyfully participating together as we share and sing God’s praises with each other to express His presence already in us…
For the simple purpose of edifying and mutually building up one another.
Maybe then true worship will start to more fully emerge among us …
As people stop thinking of “worship” as a staged Sunday event and finally start living lives of reverent, sacrificial obedience to Him throughout the rest of the week.
Most of what we call “worship” today …
Is so contrived and manipulative as to be an affront to God.
Most, however, are so unwilling to submit their concept of “worship” to what the New Testament actually says is worship …
That they don’t even care.
Because God loves us, He offers grace without merit …
While also requiring repentance in return.
Claiming anything less on either point …
Emasculates the Gospel.
Plumbline Faith 