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.
Category: Simple Truth
Many “churches” seek to thrill and entertain the masses by abandoning New Testament norms …
Not for the ultimate benefit of their members, but their “leaders”.
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.
Sometimes, prophetic voices speak truth to those who don’t want to listen and don’t want to know.
Not to convince them …
But to remove all excuses when they stand before a just and holy God on that fateful final day.
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.
There are no “worship leaders” in the New Testament.
Nope, not, nada.
In fact, the very concept is utterly missing from “church” and “worship” as actually taught in the New Testament.
Why is that?
Could it be that our notions of “church” and “worship” are more about post-Biblical presumptions …
Than what God actually says in His written Word?
Being willing to acknowledge the many disconnects between church as we’ve come to know it and how the New Testament explicitly defines and commands it …
May get you in trouble, but often is the first step towards finding the latter in lieu of the former.
Yet it is the road less traveled.
“See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.”
- Colossians 2:8
Functional, sustainable ekklesia (i.e., “church”) is impossible …
Among those who reject the plenary authority of Scripture as God’s revealed, transcendent and propositional truth.
It’s like cats trying to herd themselves.
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.
Have you ever noticed how so-called “Christians” who selectively dismiss the original intent, meaning and authority of Scripture so they can make it say whatever they want …
Inevitably do the same with our nation’s founding principles and Constitution?
This should be no surprise …
Because their hubris knows no bounds.
The key to success in business, as in life, is legitimately meeting people’s needs …
Rather than using them to meet yours.
Profits and wages, then, are simply your portion of that added value you create for others.
Four things not found in the New Testament:
- Current prevailing concepts of “pastor;”
- Current prevailing concepts of “tithing;”
Current prevailing concepts of “worship;” and
Current prevailing concepts of “ministry.”
Each of those is needed to sustain the others.
Yet take away even one of them, and the whole edifice of “church” as we’ve come to know it collapses …
Leaving, perhaps, the beginnings of church as the New Testament actually commands it.
May God bring forth those with the courage to pursue what’s authentic, as He defines it …
Rather than remain stuck in post-Biblical human traditions.
State-ratified vice …
Is State-ratified bondage.
It’s one thing to allow private sin …
But another entirely for the State to publicly endorse it.
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.
It brings no dishonor to God …
To honor what is honorable in a nation and its founding principles.
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.
“Who are you to judge? God knows my heart.”
Yes. Yes He does:
“The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” (Jer 17:9)
Which is why, in fact, we ARE to judge …
But righteously. (Jn 7:24)
Which means wisely applying God’s external standards of what’s true, real and right…
To internally justified lies, distortions and immorality.
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.
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.
Because God loves us, He offers grace without merit …
While also requiring repentance in return.
Claiming anything less on either point …
Emasculates the Gospel.
God’s raw, unmitigated written Word bears stark witness against those who promote existentialism, relativism, “progressive” liberalism …
Or any other competing post-modern “ism” of our day.
Which is why they all hate both the totality of Scripture …
And the authentic God of Scripture.
Plumbline Faith 