Jesus never told people they were saved by asking him into their heart …
But by repenting and submitting to his Father’s will and Kingdom.
If Jesus is truly in your heart, it’s because of the latter, not the former.
Those who proclaim otherwise …
Are preaching a lie.
How we measure “church” success:
Ministry by one gifted man to fifty others each Sunday morning …
That’s nice.
Ministry by one gifted man to hundreds …
Now you’re talkin’!
Ministry by one gifted man to thousands …
Mega success!!
How the New Testament measures church success:
Each using their gifts …
For ministry one to another.
The me-centered, overly subjective, need-a-high addiction to contrived intensity that many call “worship” these days …
Is an affront to God and His true holiness.
Fortunately, God is calling out those who want to serve Him on His terms, which is true worship …
Rather than feed their insecurities.
The prophetic says:
What those who don’t want to listen …
Don’t want to know.
Not to convince them …
But to convict them before a just and holy God.
Authentic citizens of God’s Kingdom remain the best hope for earthly nations.
History proves this time and again …
And God is not yet done with history.
It’s so ironic how some think that elevating Christ as the Living Word …
Means discounting His written Word of Scripture.
Is Christ divided?
A purely subjective Jesus without the plenary authority of Scripture as His written Word …
Leads to an inauthentic Jesus who is just Being and relationship but not Word and truth.
Likewise, the plenary authority of Scripture without Jesus alive in us …
Leads to an inauthentic Jesus who is just Word and truth but not Being and relationship.
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 all too evident today.
Maturity embraces the fulness of Christ – both His Person and what He has revealed in His written Word of Scripture.
Yet where my subjective perception of Him parts with His written self-disclosure and objective precepts, my perception must yield to Scripture.
There can be no maturity in Christ apart from these essentials of the faith.
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.
In the final day …
That’s the only Gospel that counts.
There are no “worship leaders” in the New Testament.
Nope, not, nada.
In fact, the very concept is utterly missing from “church” as actually taught in Scripture.
Could your notions of “church”, therefore, be more about your post-Biblical presumptions …
Than actually submitting to God’s Word instead?
Reject God’s authority of Scripture as revealed, transcendent and propositional truth …
And ekklesia is impossible.
It’s like cats trying to herd themselves.
Someone asked if I believe in women clergy.
No way, no how!
But then again, I don’t believe in men 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 the level of grace, differing function or diverse gifts we’ve been given.
The true Gospel doesn’t appeal to our vanities through the compromising enticements of men …
But convicts us of our sin through the uncompromised power of the Holy Spirit.
Hubris knows no bounds,
Which is why those who dismiss originalism in Scripture …
Inevitably dismiss originalism in our Constitution.
The key to success in business, as in life, is learning to legitimately meet people’s needs …
Rather than using them to meet yours.
Three things not found in the New Testament:
– Current prevailing concepts of “pastor”;
– Current prevailing concepts of “worship”; and
– Current prevailing concepts of “church”.
My God bring forth those with the courage to pursue the 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.
God and “me” are not the church …
But God and “we” just might be.
There is no Christ …
In a “Jesus” on your terms.
Cynicism isn’t a retreat from evil …
But from good.
What is existentialism, and why does it matter?
Existentialist 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 “Emergent”, “Progressive”, “Red Letter”, “Beyond Evangelical”, “Neo-orthodox” Christians 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 such 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.
“Assembly” is probably the closest English word to “ekklesia”, which is the original ancient Greek word commonly mistranslated as “church” in our English Bibles.
But even “assembly” falls short.
In the common usage of the day when the New Testament was written, “ekklesia” almost always referred to the participatory governing authority in a city …
Made up of local citizens appointed by a larger empire.
In Israel during Jesus’ time on Earth, the local ekklesia under Roman rule was the Sanhedrin.
Each city or provence had their own local ekklesia, appointed by the conquering Roman empire to assemble and manage the affairs of the city through local citizens.
Although it operated in submission to the Emperor’s authority, it nonetheless functioned internally as a democratic and fully participatory assembly.
The idea of Christ building His ekklesia, therefore, was subversive to Roman ears but fully in line with His further teachings on His Kingdom.
Unfortunately, “church” today has little to do – either as to form or function – with what “ekklesia” actually meant when the New Testament was written.
Christ’s ekklesia would be an assembly of those called by Him to gather and participate together…
In representing and advancing His Kingdom in their local community.
To really understand the Bible, we need to learn what it actually said when written, based on the meaning and context of the words used …
Rather than reading back into those words our contrary post-New Testament meanings.
We can not deserve, earn or choose God’s grace …
Otherwise, it’s not grace.
But we certainly can reject it.
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.
“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, right and real …
To internally justified lies, immorality and deception.
