The Cultural Relationship of the Church Towards Society

So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith. Galatians 6:10

Introduction

While compassion and assistance towards those less privileged in society should be of concern to all who are blessed with an excess of material goods, Is the mission of the Church that of being the defender and voice of the poor and re-distributor of resources? Are Christians commissioned by God to take up these causes? Will the believer stand in judgment and be condemned by Christ for failing to be socially responsible? And what about the Christian's involvement in politics, participation in the common defense of his nation or directing other public policy?

In answer to all these questions, it is noteworthy that Scripture has very little to say about the Christian's social responsibility to unbelievers. While some would argue that Galatians 6:10, has clear application to this issue, it does so only in a secondary manner as of first concern is the welfare of other believers. Additionally, while the Old Testament prophets, and Jesus too (cf., Matthew 5:7), made constant pleas for justice, their pleadings were, for the most part, on behalf of Israelites who were being oppressed by fellow Israelites; in defiance of the Law of God that He gave to the sons of Jacob through Moses.

Where Most Stand

Historically, the manner in which professed Christians viewed their place in culture and its responsibility to society can be divided into five positions:

1). Roman Catholicism teaches that their fellowship was established by Christ through Peter as the first visible head of the Church, a position that is passed down to each succeeding Pope; that it is the Kingdom of God on earth; that union with the Roman Church is essential to salvation as it alone is the repository of all truth; that the Pope is endowed with all authority on earth, over all society and its material and spiritual needs; and historically it has considered its self as the arbiter of all justice and therefore has power and responsibility to make war on any that would threaten its unparalleled place. However, in recent years the Roman Church has taken a less aggressive stance in exerting its self-proclaimed supremacy. Not surprisingly, Roman Catholicism has evolved into a socially “minded” institution and is also the leading voice calling for ecumenicalism, not only of all professed Christians, but of all religions.

2). Lutherans intrude redemptively into the culture that surrounds them, but only to evangelize and disciple converts while letting God providentially retard the spread of evil through civil governments.

3). The Anabaptists chose to shun society, its cultures and all others—be they Christian or not—of differing beliefs from their own; believing that all culture outside of their own is hopelessly contaminated by sin.

4). Christian Liberalism has historically conformed to socialism and therefore believes that wealth and property must be redistributed for the benefit of all. It has been noted by many that so-called Christian liberalism suffered an irreversibly demise with the advent of World War I. However, though liberalism has by-and-large run its course through the churches and been exposed as heresy, many of its teaching are once again influencing a mixture of professed Christian fellowships.

Chief among these teachings is the idea that all of mankind, its societies and cultures falls under the jurisdiction of Christians in the sense that believers are required to work for the common welfare of all. The Liberal forms this thesis by errantly presuming that the world is good because God is in the world—everywhere and in everything—and especially in humanity. According to this view, creation may be perverted, sinful, broken, but it is not evil, because God made it and He maintains it. Therefore, according to this line of reasoning, due to the scope of God's immanence there exists a universal responsibility to our “neighbor,” which supersedes (and according to many Liberals, completely trumps) all immaterial values such as Bible-inerrancy, Christ's deity, mankind's depravity and the absolute need for Jesus' substitutionary sacrifice. In fact, many within the fold of liberalism would deny that any of these values hold any relevance.

Christian liberalism, due to its denial of orthodox Christian beliefs, is “Christian” in name only. It places heavy emphasis in equalizing the social-economic welfare of all members of society, but rejects the unconditional truth of the death and resurrection of the incarnate Son of God (among other key Christian teachings). Their “social gospel” seeks to bring about Utopia through human efforts and categorically denies the need of Divine intervention in order for righteousness, peace and justice to reign on Earth.

Closely aligned with this position is Neo-evangelism and Neo-orthodoxy. While maintaining that personal regeneration is necessary for individual salvation these theological positions believe that the Church has neglected the social implications of the Gospel.

5). Finally, there is the Reformed position, which believes that society must be forcibly restructure so as to transform it into meeting their ideals of a biblical standard.

Naturally, by the beginning of the nineteenth century, the Reformed position on culture had failed—you cannot force Christian virtues upon either believers or unbelievers (cf., Revelation 3:20)—as even the Puritans fell first into sinfulness and eventually settled into Unitarianism. Moreover, by this time the idea of a cultural/societal conquest had lost much of its momentum as an insurmountable hurdle in the form of ever increasing “discoveries” of culturally diverse peoples throughout the continents and islands of the sea, all of whom were without the Gospel, confounded Reformed thinking. Also, the growing uneasiness over the seemingly high antiquity of man and the world (i.e., evolutionary theory), the shock of revolutionary horrors in France and bloody Civil War in “Christian” America eroded all hope of those in the Reformed camp of being able to dominate society and bend it to its standard.

The massive influx of the knowledge of newly discovered pagan cultures and civilizations and the question of, how Christ was to transform these non-Christian cultures, was perplexing in its self. This topic, though poignant and hotly debated within the Reformed churches, was becoming less important than the more basic question of, how Christians themselves could retain any real sense of attachment to Christ while so-called Christian cultures were engage in salvage bloodshed amongst each other. Finally, the rise of rationalism and the theory of evolution served to stymie and corrupted the Reformed position, leaving it with no answer to the question of how the Church of God is related to the culture/society that surrounds it.

Neo-fundamentalism holds like beliefs with the Reformed, whereby they believe that activism on the part of believers is necessary in bringing about conformity to Christian ideals. Unlike Neo-evangelism, Neo-fundamentalism has maintained scriptural orthodoxy—to some degree—however, of serious concern is its tendency to slip into legalism, to separate its self from other Christians and its rejection of intellectualism.

As demonstrated, none of these positions neither can nor ever will be able to answer the question of the Christian's responsibility to the culture/society in which they live, because all of these positions are not based on Scripture. Therefore, the question of the scope of Christian responsibility remains. And believers must seek out and find the biblically based answer as we do in fact have a God-appointed responsibility in and to the world.

Where I Stand

Conservative Christians (those who affirm the authority of Scripture) have always placed heavy emphasis on individual salvation and personal evangelism: i.e., the biblical mandated necessity of Christians telling the message of salvation by God’s grace through belief in the finished work of the Cross (Matthew 28:18-20; Luke 24:47; Acts 1:8), without regard to the cultural, economic or social status of those who are lost and dead in sin. And without regard to the structure of government under which any particular culture is ruled.

But it is this prominence of Gospel preaching within conservative circles that vexes liberalism—and to some degree the other four positions—above all else. They would argue, with their “heads in the clouds” conservatives in general, particularly those who believe in the literal biblical teaching of a pretribulational rapture and premillennial return of Christ, fail to take action against the injustices that surrounds them. Even those of the Reformed and Neo-fundamentalist viewpoint tend agree with this criticism.

In fact, the biblical belief in pretribulationalism and premillennialism (aka, dispensationalism) has been widely blamed for the supposed cultural retreat of Christians over the last century. There has literally been a barrage of continuing criticism of dispensationalism in this regard and an interesting question has been raised, which goes beyond whether or not Christians are to exercise activism regarding societal concerns: Does dispensationalism have a distorted view of how to best serve our fellow man?

In answering this key question it is of first importance to recognize that the Lordship of Christ over all creation and its creatures—encompassing every area of life—is the essential rule of dispensational theology. Furthermore, this theology is derived directly from the Scripture—“dispensationalist follow a consistently literal method of interpretation…the term literal…should be understood as the normal, customary approach to any literature” (Paul Enns, Moody Book or Theology, pg., 520). This method of biblical interpretation is the basis of dispensational doctrines, which are formed without a need for synthesizing help from non-Christian thought and without the need to either spiritualize or allegorize Scripture so as to suit ones “private interpretation.”

Conclusion

The dispensational view of culture is formed and works within the limitations of God’s plan for history and is sensitive to the timing of His progressive unfolding of both revelation and history. A dispensational view of culture does provide for cultural impact, mainly through indirect means as individuals develop and display the character of Christ. Finally, a dispensational view of culture believes in victory inside history, but not in the present Church age. While limited progress is currently possible, final victory awaits Christ’s return, the resurrection and His Adamic curse reversing decree, whereby all of mankind will eventually live in an equitable state of dignity and material blessing.



I Want To Be Like Paul

Introduction

The Gospel is a message of shame, defeat and foolishness! At least this is how the world views the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. And sadly, many Christians are facilitating this view, because no matter the zeal that they have regarding their own salvation experience, they neither know the full extent of the Gospel message nor are they empowered by the Spirit to present it to the unsaved.

Thus, whether confronted at their own doors by trained Jehovah’s Witnesses or Mormon missionaries or faced down by peers who are pagan hedonist or atheist evolutionist the best defense for their faith that many Christians can muster is empty clichés. This is a sad but true commentary. Especially so since Jesus said: “I am the Light of the world; he who follows Me will not walk in the darkness, but will have the Light of life;” “believe in the Light, so that you may become sons of Light” (John 8:12;12:36). And Paul affirms: “For so the Lord has commanded us, I HAVE PLACED YOU AS A LIGHT FOR THE GENTILES, THAT YOU MAY BRING SALVATION TO THE END OF THE EARTH” (Acts 13:47).

Stop and ask yourself this question: Do you really desire to preach Christ? After all, who would want to undertake the task of carrying this most ridiculed and hated message to the very people who despise it above all else.

Who Can Believe This

About 2000-years ago a man named Jesus from the tiny remote Roman province of Galilee claimed He was the promised Messiah of the Jews (Luke 4:17-21). He went about the ancestral territories of the Jews making this claim, performing a wide variety of miracles, healing all sorts diseases and maladies and offering the long awaited Kingdom of God to the Jews.

His message was flat-out rejected by the Jews. As so too was His claim to being their Messiah; and the miraculous signs and wonders that He showed the Jews, to verify His claim, were attributed by them to be works of the devil. The Kingdom that He offered them, though every Jew had longingly awaited its fulfillment, they also rejected and instead they decided to remain under domination and in servitude to Gentile powers (Deuteronomy 28).

So adamant was their rejection of Him, His message and the Kingdom that He offered that the Jews turned Jesus over to the Roman governor of the province of Judea and accuse Him of treason against Rome. They testified to governor Pontus Pilate that Jesus claimed He was the King of the Jews. To this end the Jews demanded Jesus be put to death in the manner prescribed by Roman law for rebel slaves: “Crucify Him,” they demanded. “Pilate tried to set Jesus free, but the Jews kept shouting, “If you let this man go, you are no friend of Caesar. Anyone who claims to be a king opposes Caesar.” When Pilate heard this, he brought Jesus [before the Jews]…“Here is your king,” Pilate said to the Jews. But they shouted, “Take him away! Take him away! Crucify him!” “Shall I crucify your king?” Pilate asked. “We have no king but Caesar,” the chief priests answered. Finally Pilate handed him over to them to be crucified” (John 19:12-16).

But neither Pilate nor the Jews exercised any real power or authority over Jesus, because: “this Man,” was “delivered over by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God.” While He was “nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men,” and they “put Him to death” (Acts 2:23), it was always God’s intention all along that they should do this. While these “godless men” are forgiven of this sin (and all other sins except the sin of unbelief), history shows us that both the Jews and the Romans eventually suffered grave consequences for this heinous act. They were not condemned as one having no hope of grace, but the wheels they set in motion at the Cross brought both civilizations to eventual ruin.

However, God’s plan is never hindered by man: “their rejection [of Him] is the reconciliation of the world” (Romans 11:15); because “God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men’s sins against them” (2 Corinthians 5:19). Because “now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself” (Hebrews 9:26). To the glory of God, He has made a full display of the fact that “the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

This is an incredible tale! Hardly believable! And the only record of it is found in the New Testament.

Overcoming The Stigma Of The Cross

While the message is quit simple--God has forgiven the entire world of its sins and if you believe in the sacrificial death of Christ Jesus you are saved from God’s judgment of the sin of unbelief--yet it is the hardest idea that any human mind will have to process (1Corinthians 1:23; cf., Romans 9:23). Additionally, the presentation of the Gospel, because of its very nature, will always solicit questions from the unbeliever. You must be prepared to answer these questions, but these question can only be answered after you have gained a thorough understanding of the underlining doctrines of salvation: election, propitiation, redemption, regeneration, imputation, reconciliation,  forgiveness, justification, righteousness, sanctification, perfection and final glorification (1 Peter 3:15). Only through the Spirit-illuminated study of God’s Word will you arrive at the satisfactory understanding of these great doctrinal truths (2 Timothy 2:15-16).

Also, the believer must be walking in the Spirit (Romans 15:18, 19), and not in the flesh, if he ever expects to be used by God to effectively bring His saving message to the walking dead of the world (cf., Hebrews 5: 11, 12). Only by the Spirit can we overcome our fears and doubts (Romans 15:13); only by the Spirit can we accurately present the biblical message that we have stored in our brains (2 Corinthians 1-10). And only the Spirit can change the human heart and convince (John 16:8; cf., John 1:13; 3:5-8) the world that the message we proclaim is not an utter absurdity, but is in fact the absolute truth with regard to mankind’s fallen condition in sin and God’s remedy for the evil that besets us all of our long sad days (Titus 3:3-5).

Conclusion

Paul said that he “is not ashamed of the Gospel.” In fact he and the other believers of that day had built a worldwide reputation for proclaiming Christ. So much so that when the Believers arrived in Thessalonica it was said of them, “These men who have upset the world have come here also” (Acts 17:6). Even while imprisoned in Rome awaiting his death sentence for his witness of Christ, Paul still proclaimed Him. By the power of the Spirit all who endeavor to serve God can do no less. Paul was so tireless in presenting the Gospel while imprisoned that some in Caesar’s own household believed and were saved (Philippians 4:22). Quite possibility, even some of Caesar’s hardened bodyguards were amongst those who believed in Christ’s sacrificial work on the Cross (Philippians 1:13).

For no other reason than for my love of the One who first loved me, I want to be like Paul (1 Corinthians 11:1-3).

The Church Is Becoming Nothing

I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5).

Introduction

I recently became sharply concerned after reading two articles that appeared simultaneously on a popular “prophetic” blog. In the first article, the author complains that a recent court ruling has set a precedent whereby students in public university will eventually be forced to refute their Christian faith as prerequisite for attaining further education. In the second article, the author warns that political forces “of darkness are wheeling and dealing, planning and scheming, to keep you from knowing the truth…And to shut down all conservative and Christian voices.”

Trimming Dead Branches

I am concerned, because the idea that any Christian would be alarmed by these incidents or see them as exceptionally problematic in our generation is beyond my understanding. Especially so, because Christ said: “If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world…the world hates you…If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you…He who hates Me hates My Father also…But they have done this to fulfill the word that is written in their Law, ‘they hated me without a cause’” (John 15:18-25).

The word for hate used here by Jesus means “hate, pursue with hatred, detest.” This is frightening knowledge: knowing that your association with Christ is the basis for the entire world population of unbelievers loathing and despising your very existence. How are believers to deal with such fanatics? How do we cope with this knowledge? Simply by knowing that, “they have done this to fulfill the word that is written.” This means that hatred for Christ and His disciples in necessary in the overall plan and purpose of the Father.

Believers are comforted to know that if God says that something shall be, then it must be necessary. In this sense, we have one thing going for us that the general public has not: we know that God’s purpose will in the end be worked out. This is the significance of something being necessary: it lets us know that God is in control of what is seemingly out of control.

Again, the thought that “they hated me without a cause” can be a scary thing if one does not know God and His plan. Knowing the predetermined plan of God is, however, one of the comforting aspects that prophecy provides for the people of God (cf., 1 Thessalonians 4:13). Reflecting on this fact will inspire a calm and reassured frame of mind (cf., Philippians 4:7) and not outrage or surprise that is apparent in the tone of the authors quoted above.

Can’t We Just Get Along?

What really concerned me about the two articles is that in the latter “conservative and Christian” are grouped together as though the two ideologies are two sides of the same coin. And this is occurring more and more frequently in both Christian and secular discussions. While a Christian can be “conservative” as this word is popularity defined by politicians and talk show pundits, a conservative is by no means exclusively Christian.

Conservative presidential candidate Mitt Romney is not Christian, he’s Mormon. Conservative talk show host Glenn Beck converted to Mormonism. Make no mistake; anything either of these two guys says or does is tainted by Mormon dominionist theology. This said, while both of them, and my nice Mormon neighbors too, have strong family values and a good work ethic, none of them will be sitting down with my family for Sunday dinner. I will, however, proclaim to them the real Jesus Christ and his saving power.

Sarah Palin is a conservative and by her own a confession a Christian. If she were to attain high office, which would she be motivated to govern by: her Christian values or her conservative values? There are distinct differences in the two worldviews, though they do intersect at certain points.

The all-time heroes of the conservative movement are Sean Hannity and Rush Limbaugh. Hannity is a Catholic and there is no way to shield or gloss over the fact that grave, irreconcilable differences exists between orthodox Protestant Christianity and Catholicism. As for Limbaugh, he just celebrated his fourth marriage (certainly not a Christian virtue). If you are a fan of these two characters, you should take some time to examine their worldview and not blindly supporting their ideals.

As an example, headlining Limbaugh’s wedding reception was a performance by Elton John. Hannity, on a recent show of his, had a conservative panel that discussed, among other topics, the fact that even though Elton John is homosexual and outspoken concerning the rights of others like him, he is an okay guy, mainly because he refuses to support the boycott of Arizona by many in the entertainment industry and he holds to many conservative principles. While Hannity did not say he agrees with his panelist's assessment regarding Elton John, neither did he verbally disagree. I'm not one to slam someone for being homosexual as though it is somehow the worst of all sins, but it is sin and those who engage in its practice are sinners. It would have been refreshing if Hannity pointed this out, instead of merely allowing others to acknowledge Elton's conservative leanings.

Non-born again conservatives have the same thing lacking in them as non-born again liberals--there's no difference in either--they both lack the saving power of Christ. Who knows whether or not any the above mentioned political conservatives had on many occasions heard the Good News and being presented with the Divine opportunity to accept Christ, instead, they rejected its message of saving grace. So why would any Christian want to align themselves with these individuals?

Sadly, all too often we hear from Christians (including Pastors and Teachers) that “conservatism” and “Christianity” are synonymous at their core moral beliefs. This, I believe, is a false statement, because it is my understanding that Christianity is diametrically opposed to all non-Christian belief systems.

At Their Core

Not long before the two articles mentioned were published another was published on the same blog by a different author who stated: “In years past there were many more truly born again Christians who stood firm on the morals and precepts proclaimed in God’s word. They are the ones who did the voting and they placed their vote for individuals who had morals and were of good character.”

My reaction to this statement is, Was Washington or Jefferson or Franklin for that matter born again? There is compelling evidence to the contrary that shows: Washington was a devoted deist and free mason; Jefferson was a humanist of the highest order (try reading the “Jefferson Bible” and not being offended); and Franklin was a pagan hedonist given over to sick sexual practices and possibly worse.

Were they saved? Perhaps they were, although they were certainly inconsistent and misguided with regard to the fundamental precepts of orthodox Christian doctrine, but none-the-less believers in Christ as Savior--maybe? I don’t know, but God does. As for being conservative, I believe that history bears out that they were in fact all politically conservative.

Additionally, in recent times, the most reviled American presidents amongst so-called conservatives are Carter and Clinton. Carter is unashamedly blunt in his abhorrence for the Jewish state and Clinton is an adulterer and yet both claim to be born again believers. Of course, Obama is hated too. While he denied being a Muslim--and attended for over twenty years what is thought by some to be a Christian church--he never actually claimed to ever being born again.

No one questions the fact that the three mentioned here are political liberals. But are they evil because of their liberal worldview? Or, is the fact that they all have rejected God’s Word, to varying measures, that is causing them ruin?

In contrast, the most beloved conservative, Reagan, never claimed he was born again. In fact, he said the church he attended never used that terminology. As for the Bush’s: Both are ardent advocates for a pagan “new world order.” While George the first never said he was born again, George the second did. Also, George the second believes that Christians, Jews and Muslims all believe in the same God.

Are any of these recent presidents believers in Christ as Savior--maybe? I don’t know, but God does. The question remains, Did Franklin or any of these Presidents possess “morals and good character?” By worldly standards the answer is: yes, for all of them. But conservatives have one set of standards, which they consider moral and good, while liberals go by another set of standards, which they also consider moral and good.

However, the idea of “good and moral” are merely subjective abstractions in all anti-Christian worldviews, whether or not it is liberal or conservative. And neither conservative nor liberal standards are good and moral in God's eyes if the person behind the ideology is not born again. Why? Because, “God credits righteousness apart from works” and “righteous deeds are like a filthy garment” if faith in Christ as Savior is absent from the heart.

As Christians we have our own set of morals--the law of Christ--which tends to intersect with the ethos of many worldviews, but never-the-less is incomparable to all others. Scripture clearly teaches that the various agendas of the world are contradictory to the one agenda of Christ. So it should come as no surprise that neither liberalism nor conservatism as humanistic political ideologies or religious moralism have any place in the Body of Christ!

Jesus made this promise to the Church: “In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). Therefore, the Church has no need to cooperate or associate with any political or religious philosophy that denies our singular core belief in the risen LORD, regardless of any perceived moral and ethical similarities to our own.

One Nation Under God

In answer to the question, Can’t we just get along? No! Why? Christ says, “the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me;” and “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 14:16; 18:36). Unambiguously Paul warns: “Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness” (2 Corinthians 6:14, cf., 1 Corinthians 15:33)?

Take heed the words of the prophet Samuel:

“This will be the procedure of the king who will reign over you: he will take your sons and place them for himself in his chariots and among his horsemen and they will run before his chariots. He will appoint for himself commanders of thousands and of fifties, and some to do his plowing and to reap his harvest and to make his weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. He will also take your daughters for perfumers and cooks and bakers. He will take the best of your fields and your vineyards and your olive groves and give them to his servants. He will take a tenth of your seed and of your vineyards and give to his officers and to his servants. He will also take your male servants and your female servants and your best young men and your donkeys and use them for his work. He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his servants” (1 Samuel 8:11-17).

Politics in all its guises is a perversion by Satan against the covenant of self-rule that God gave mankind through Noah (cf. 8:21-9:17). Therefore, you can never gage the true intents of a ruler’s heart--even the ones that seem good, usually end up being turn-coats--because sadly, most who seek to ruler over others generally are only interested in enriching themselves, paying off their political debts and perpetuating their re-election so that they can gain greater loot. Politicians are not friends of the Church. They may pander to Christians for our votes, but any favors we receive from them come with a price.

While the liberal churches have fastened themselves to politics for many years so as to promote their social justice ideology--quite successful, I might add--should this be the path that the churches of God tread?

The Christian Way

Christ in His discourse to the Apostles in John 15 and 16, sought to prepare them for His soon coming departure. He wanted to strengthen them so they might endure the coming shock of the world’s maniacal hatred towards them. Now that he was about to leave them, He knew they would be tempted to leave him and return to their former lives; so he tells them to abide in him. He knew they would be tempted to separate from each other to head their own sects; so He tells them to love one another. He knew they would be tempted to compromise their faith and to conform to the world when they met with hardships; so He warned them of their responsibility to bear fruit or face the even worse hardship of being set aside.

Most significantly, He prayed to the Father for them and for all believers: “I am no longer in the world; and yet they themselves are in the world, and I come to You Holy Father, keep them in Your name, the name which You have given Me, that they may be one even as We are…I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one” (John 17:11; 14; 15).

Thus the fellowship held together in spite of unceasing threat of annihilation and both history and current events speaks to this truth. Paul faced constant peril and death and yet he proclaimed the Gospel; likewise the early Christians, as so too the Reformers. In our time, in Africa, India, China and every Muslim country believers die for preaching the Gospel.

So why do American believers think we need a cooperating government, forced morality on unbelievers and material prosperity in order to proclaim Christ? This way of thinking is beyond the understanding of many; especially those Christians who are at this very moment being imprisoned, tortured and killed for their faith and yet refuse to renounce Christ.

As Christians: “we walk by faith, not by sight;” “Christ lives” in us; and we are called to be “imitators of those who through faith and patience inherit the promises. So why is there so much fear and confusion in the Body of Christ? Why are we lending so much support, time and energy to politics? Will worldly agendas save us, help us in our walk or secure our inheritance? Can you not see, if we need allies in government, God will see that true allies are elected; if all lived God-honoring lives, there would be no need for preaching of the Savior; and the Father has seen to it that we possess every spiritual blessing necessary to complete Christ’s unfinished business of proclaiming the Gospel to the world and to make disciples!

Granted, no one wants to be persecuted, censored or excluded from advancement because of our faith, but if this is the price to pay for the cause of Christ--even if imprisonment, torture or death are imminent--then it is necessary to the divine purpose so pay it gladly. And do not ever rely on humanistic political ideology to aid or save you.

Here’s a good lesson: Twice Paul appealed to Rome; the first time he did this he was asked to leave town by the rulers; and the second time (Acts 26:32) he did this it resulted in his execution! In no way did Christ ever suggest that we seek out political solutions to ease our hardship or to assist us with that which He committed to Christians alone!

The Path To Nothingness

I am not suggesting that Christians not vote--vote your conscience--but understand we got better things to do (proclaiming the Gospel and making disciples) than to get caught up in worldly political views or to endorse a candidate for political office.

“But our inalienable rights are being trampled on,” say the conservatives. They say, “We need to return the country to the Founding Fathers' intent.” The so-called Christian patriot says, “I’m fighting for the God-given rights that the Founders recognized and wrote into the Constitution.” If you are this “patriot” you probably spend a good deal of time talking about the Constitution. Let me ask one question, When was the last time you told someone the Good News that there is salvation from sin by the grace of God through faith in Christ’s sacrifice?

As for me, I vote, but I pray, first and foremost, that those elected to office will hear and receive the Good News and thus be saved. This is the godly thing to do: make “entreaties and prayers, petitions and thanksgivings…on behalf of all men, for kings and all who are in authority, so that we may lead a tranquil and quiet life in all godliness and dignity. This is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:1-4).

Consider this: Three hundred years after the death and resurrection of Christ the churches merged with the State and for a short time great things were accomplished for both the cause of Christ and for the sake of empire. Three hundred years after this, one church became the State and after a short time deepest darkest characterized by ignorance, filth, immorality, famine, disease, bloodshed and death descended upon Christendom. This church, while it attained power, wealth and influence, became nothing with regard to bearing fruit for Christ. Coincidence? I think not and I fear the current desire of some in the Body of Christ to win the political landscape will surely lead to the same end--nothing accomplished for the cause of Christ--if they succeed.

Our Sole Solution

Let’s face it, there are hard times coming to all humanity, including Americans: the saved and unsaved alike. And no human government--capitalistic, socialistic, conservative or liberal--will be able to “let the good times roll” again until the Rapture takes place. Then, not long after this event, Anti-Christ will reign over a brief period of economic prosperity and false universal goodwill.

As for now, the current situation of worldwide economic upheaval and continuous corrupt world governments, I believe, is God’s doing as He warns and prepares the world for judgment and signals all believers to look upwards!

While you may disagree with dispensational theology, the fact remains that dire times are ahead for all. But I am in no means fatalistic. I recognize that God has determined that all of humanity and angels have choices to make. Choices that He holds us exclusively accountable for. However, no one should fail to recognize or to dismiss the fact that the hand of Providence is at work bringing about that which God has decreed as necessary to His plan and purpose for creation.

Therefore, I’d like to suggest a radical solution: let’s stop every so-called ministry we are currently involved in and do the only ministry that the Church has been commissioned to, that is: to proclaim the death and resurrection of Christ and to make disciples. Or at least let’s make this fundamental responsibility the primary focus of our ministries.

The dispensation of grace is waning quickly and the depravity of men’s hearts is waxing exceedingly. Daily I am plagued by a sense of the imminent doom for those who are lost. I feel we are out of time and the time we had we squandered on wrangling “about words, which is useless and leads to the ruin of the hearers.”

Therefore, my purpose in writing is to extol you to: stop shaking your fist at the darkness; stop demanding of those who are dead and blind to conform to Christian virtues; stop trying to win converts with worldly “purpose driven” methods; stop trying to win converts with prophetic interpretation (in my experience, there is not a person gripped by Satan who gives Bible prophecy more credence than Nostradamus, Edgar Cayce or even a tabloid horoscope). And stop going to church to do penance or as a though it’s your weekly good luck charm.

Instead, do the following:

Believe Jesus is the Savior.

Get instruction on doctrine that is based on literal interpretation of Scripture.

Confess to God your sins as often as you sin.

Pray to be a soul winner.

Pray for the lost that their eyes may be finally opened.

Be continuously filled with the Spirit so that you are being led of the Spirit.

Proclaim the Gospel to all whom God sends you to.

Finally, make disciples. I take this to mean that those who rightly respond to the Gospel are to be trained in all of the above.

The Philadelphian age has not passed and who can to say for a fact that it has even begun. Maybe the Scripture was prepared for a time just as this; when darkness looms heavily and the first bands of the approaching storm are now sweeping ashore (cf., Revelation 3:10).

Let us take to heart the possibility that we may be the last generation of Church saints and let us come to the “unity of the faith;” proclaiming Christ to the walking dead that we are engulfed by. Maybe then it will be said of us too, that we “have upset the world” (Acts 17:6). In my estimation, anything short of this exposes all of us as “wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked” Laodiceans.

The Diligent Christian

Introduction

Grace, more than any other single word, defines of the sum-total of all that is Christianity: its beginning; its message and mission; and its consummation. All that God has done through the work of Christ on the cross and through His eternal divine purposes and decrees for this current age has been lovingly designed so that hell-deserving sinners are saved, preserved and ultimately presented like Christ in the Father’s House.

Grace is a superhuman rule of life that grows out of one’s acceptance of God’s will—a will, which He first impressed in the heart of the sinner and then enables compliance by the power of the Spirit—so that conformity to the will of God is a voluntary act of free choice. Only such action is acceptable to God since it alone harmonizes with the new relationship He seeks with mankind—a relationship that is in no way forced, but based on faith in Christ—whereby the unbeliever is instantly accepted by Him and made complete in Him possessing every spiritual blessing.

The people who are now saved by grace are of a new order of beings: They are a new creation; they are renewed by the Spirit; they are perfectly saved; they are eternally safe in Christ; and they live lives that are pleasing to God. In contrast: the people of the old creation (the creation that was spoiled by Adam’s rebellion) are ruined by both the sin nature and personal sins; the people of the old creation are wholly lost; the people of the old creation are doomed forever; the people of the old creation in and of their own selves will always fail to realize the holy will of God.

Of First Consideration

Clearly (if you have read your Bible), dealing with the destiny of human beings is racked with grave responsibilities that are as limitless as eternity. For those willing to explain the truth of God to others, there must first be the understanding of the measureless responsibility that accompanies the presentation of the Gospel. As taught in Scripture, before attempting to preach the Good News, painstaking Bible study, prayer and godly living must be the norm for both the novice and seasoned Gospel messenger. In the light of eternal issues—such as salvation versus damnation—it would be better that the messenger die rather than to misrepresent God’s message of grace, fail to prepare the “ground” though prayer or to live a worldly lifestyle that compromises his/her testimony.

Therefore, heed the warnings set forth in Scripture:

God, “gave us the ministry of reconciliation;” know your Bible so that you are always, “accurately handling the word of truth;” and if anyone, “or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to what we have preached to you, he is to be accursed; finally, “in all things show yourself to be an example of good deeds” (2 Corinthians 5:18; 2 Timothy 2:15; Galatians 1:8, 9, Titus 2:7).

It is unacceptable that many Christians, by and large, are not stirred up to their sole responsibility of rightly preaching the Gospel to the lost. Substituting good intentions or zeal for the Gospel, but failing to disseminate the accurate facts, which enter into the divine way of salvation by grace alone, has been demonstrated to be “accursed” by God. Make no mistake; the Great Commission is given to every Christian and with it goes the demand for painstaking study and the warning against misstating God’s message of grace through faith in the saving death and resurrection of Christ!

Hopefully, you have given (or you will give) ample consideration to what is written here and as a sane person you will not treat these facts lightly. Again, Bible study, prayer and a daily life that is pleasing to God by the one who is made alive unto service to God is essential, as nothing short of this glorifies God. And nothing short of this will be fruit-bearing or bring to the believer eternal rewards. In the present, which is during our brief sojourn in the world, the result of obedience to the Great Commission is full of personal experiences of overflowing love, joy and peace: this amounts to a daily life lived in the full measure of divine blessing provided under grace, which is beyond human estimation.

Conclusion

“The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance;” so get with the program and do your part! Why? Because “the day of the Lord will come like a thief, in which the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.” Are you willing to take responsibility for the eternal damnation of a loved one (or for anyone) who you “could of-should of-would of” preached the Good News to, but didn’t?

“Since all these things are to be destroyed in this way, what sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness, looking for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be destroyed by burning, and the elements will melt with intense heat!”

“But according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.”

“Therefore, beloved, since you look for these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, spotless and blameless, and regard the patience of our Lord as salvation; just as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given him, wrote to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction.”

“You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, be on your guard so that you are not carried away by the error of unprincipled men and fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To Him be the glory, both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.” (2 Peter 3:9-18).

Jesus Who? Part 2

Introduction

I’ve lived in Las Vegas for many years now; the first 7-years I spent as a casino executive at a major gaming conglomerate. I’ll never forget what was told to me at my first interview with the corporate VP to whom I would eventually be subordinate. He said, “Our job is to take all the money from everyone as quickly as we can, because if we don’t take it they’ll just give it to a competitor. We create illusion for everyone who walks into our sphere. It doesn’t matter what illusion a person envisions, as long as everyone feels like they have a real chance at the ultimate: ‘breaking the bank.’ They go home and brag to their friends about it and can’t wait to come back and try again.” Ironically, at about this same time period, I was watching a Simpson’s episode where Mr. Burns opens a casino in Springfield. After being presented with several lame designs for his casino he says to the architects, “I know what people like: it’s got to have sex appeal and a catchy name.” And so he builds his casino based on this premise. He then turns into a Howard Hughes type recluse and to his personal assistant Smithers he says, “I’ve discovered the perfect business: people swarm in, empty their pockets and scuttle off.”

I cannot help to think how religion is not unlike the gaming industry. All religion, including the so-called Christian religion, is a mere illusion of chance, but those who participate in it imagine they have gained a real shot at the ultimate state of self-gratification: the feat of earning immortal bliss—“There’s a lady who’s sure/All that glitters is gold/And she’s buying a stairway to heaven. When she gets there she knows/If the stores are all closed/With a word she can get what she came for…And she’s buying a stairway to heaven.”* As noted in the song, most are imprudently satisfied with the notion that chances are, in this life or the next, they’ll finally hit the jackpot. But there exists a distinct contrast between religion and Christ. Most will never realize this: the distinction is that of knowing Christ and His saving power to change mankind into beings that are truly fitted for eternal life; versus the chance, regardless of degree of probability, that one can “buy” or more rightly eventually win “a stairway to heaven.”

Christ Who?

Who is Christ and why does he need to save mankind? While both are profoundly relevant question, today’s focus is an attempt to put into words—albeit the words of a mere mortal man, that being this writer—who Christ is.

Christ has been rightly identified as one Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus is always a popular personage with everyone. He was crooned about by the depraved Elvis and is mentioned frequently in the rants of foul mouthed rappers; He is the baby Jesus loved by the likes of Ricky Bobby in the movie “Taladaga Nights;” He is, according to many false teachers, the means to financial success, total health and worldly comfort; to the liberal minded, He is the epitome of social reform and ethical living. Jesus is a popular and valuable “brand” for anyone seeking political office, sellers of goods or services and a variety of pundits with varying agendas. He is many things to many people but few know Him as the only person capable of purchasing from GOD mankind’s eternal forgiveness from sin. Rarely is He the Christ preached by the Apostles and therefore not the real Jesus who saves men and women from their sins.

Jesus, as He really is, is not the popular Jesus of cliché printed on T-shirts and bumper stickers or political speeches and He is not the superficial good luck charm of entertainers and sports figures. Jesus in reality is the Lord Jesus Christ, the Creator of the universe who is offended by humanities sin (Colossians 1:16); who had to die as man on the cross to redeem us through His shed blood (Colossians 1:14, 20); and who then rose from the dead to be set, “far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the one to come” (Ephesians 1:21). Finally, it is this Jesus who, “is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom” (2 Timothy 4:1). However, as things are as they are, the real Jesus, that is the Christ, was and still is “despised and forsaken of men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; and like one from whom men hide their face, He was despised, and we did not [and do not still] esteem Him” (Isaiah 53:3). Sadly, for most all of mankind it is perfectly okay, even, “politically correct” to know about Jesus, but a gross display of closed mindedness to know Jesus as the Christ.

Conclusion

There really is no such thing as chance. It is not for chance sake that Bill Gates is who he is, the Arabs have all the oil, you, me and everyone are who we are, etc., but “by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God” (Acts 2:23) what was, is now and yet to come exists according to His will. Even in the world of gaming chance is not present; the win or “take” of the casino (the casino never loses or gives) is based on algorithmic formulae, physics and the absolute certainty that another rube will shortly roll the dice, pick up the cards or pull a handle.

And knowing Jesus—He is the mighty God, the perfect man, the only Savior, the eternal King, and Lord of lords—the true Christ of creation and salvation is life eternal. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life” (John 3:16). Life is not an accident of chance, neither is your salvation nor immortality, rather, it is GOD’s predetermined plan that Christ should die that you might live!

*“Stairway to Heaven”, from Led Zeppelin's Led Zeppelin IV Source : Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin. Recorded: 1971 Songwriter: Led Zeppelin Producers: Jimmy Page Copyright : 1971. Atlantic Records

Jesus Who? Part 1

Introduction

The Son, with regards to the triune nature of GOD, is LORD of the universe (Colossians 1:16-19). The Gospel concerns GOD’s Son and His work for us to remove our sin. The Son of GOD came as the Savior (1 John 4:14); salvation is a gift freely given, not earned. Our part is to believe the work of salvation the Son offered to the Father on behalf of all mankind. And once we believe, we are to become His disciple and then to declare the Gospel to others, in unending faithfulness to the Savior, to make disciples of the others who accept as true our declaration so that they too can fulfill the calling (1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

But if our declaration focuses on something else other than the cross and His resurrection it is not the Gospel of Christ—it is a “different Gospel”—and if we take away from Christ any part of His pre-incarnate nature or the absolute necessity of “God our Savior” (Titus 3:4-7), having to “became flesh” (John 1:14), we have “another Jesus” (2 Corinthians 11:4), who is not the Jesus that saves—it is antichrist (2 John 1:7). In which case, even where the name is the same, that is the name of “Jesus,” it is not the Jesus of the Bible. It is a different or another Jesus (allos, gk.), with superficial similarities.

T. A. McMahon states that he was once engaged in a conversation in which it was said: “Brother, I’m not interested in any of your divisive doctrinal talk. All I care about is knowing that a person loves Jesus. If someone tells me that, no matter what church he goes to, he’s my brother in Christ!” McMahon then comments, “I felt compelled at least to get a question in before the conversation ended. ‘When you talk with someone who tells you he loves Jesus, do you ever ask that person, “Jesus who?”’ This is a critical question, because as McMahon also comments: “‘Jesus who?’ Is a pivotal question for every believer in Christ. We should first of all ask it of ourselves, testing our own beliefs about Jesus (2 Corinthians 13:5; 1 Thessalonians 5:21). Misunderstandings about Him inevitably become obstructions in our relationship with Him” (Electronic media, T.A. McMahon, Jesus Who?, electronic media, http://www.thebereancall.org/node/5838, 1995). And we jeopardize the relationship with Jesus that others could have, if we preach a distorted message, which promotes “another Jesus.”

Wolves

The most critical issue at stake is that “another Jesus,” as already mentioned, cannot save. Additionally, there is “another Jesus” that takes on many forms in the world and all of them are actively promoted, while GOD the Son, that is, the biblical Jesus is demeaned or ignored. Even worse, this putrid phenomenon is prevalent within the churches. Dr. Walter Martin warned in his classic sermon: “There is a twofold warning to the Christian Church. Now we are speaking this morning on the warnings of GOD…that after the apostles would leave the Church there would be savage wolves…Ravenous wolves who will enter in and they will not spare the flock…We have those savage wolves today… Apostates who deny the only LORD GOD and our Lord Jesus Christ. Apostates who will ordain you if you deny the Trinity, the Deity of Christ, the virgin birth, the bodily resurrection, and the second coming…Apostates who have come in and are chewing up the Church…Paul said, I warned you day and night for three years to the point of tears.” (For full text see: http://www.letusreason.org/Wf26.htm; cf., Acts 20:17-38).

Granted, revisions of the Christian message have always been with us, but today Paul’s prophecy has taken on exponential dimension as the denigration of Christ and His work is as rampant and contemptible in the churches as it is in the world. This is a truly sad state of affair and yet it was made known prophetical by Christ. “Many” He said, “will come in My name, saying, 'I am the Christ,' and will mislead many” (Matthew 24:5). While this verse is to find ultimate fulfillment in the Tribulation, John the Apostle reminds us: “even now many antichrists have appeared; from this we know that it is the last hour” (1 John 2:28). The truly sad thing is many in the Church have failed to take Christ’ admonition to heart: “See to it that no one misleads you” (Matthew 24:4). So much so is this fact confirmed that many false religions and some of the pseudo-Christians cults would blush at what is now being said from so-called Christian pulpits.

Who Do They Say He Is?

Jesus asks all His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And “who do you say that I am?” Can we like Peter unashamedly answer, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God” (Matthew 16:13-16).

In November 2003, then President George W. Bush, a self-proclaimed born again believer, stated: “I believe in an Almighty God, and I believe that all the world, whether they be Muslim, Christian, or any other religion, prays to the same God. That’s what I believe.” This is a disturbing sentiment, but widespread in the churches where it is almost automatically assumed that Allah and YAHWEH are one-and-the-same. Putting aside other religions for now the question begs to be asked, Is the Almighty GOD that I or any other Christian prays to the same as the god of Islam? The answer to this is emphatically no!

To discover this fact, all one needs to do is a cursory examination of how Muslims view Jesus. In the Muslim mindset Jesus is a created being and not eternal: “The example of Jesus, as far as GOD is concerned, is the same as that of Adam; He created him from dust, then said to him, “Be,” and he was” (Sura 3:59). As is plain to see, according to their sacred scripture, He is merely a created human being. Furthermore, the Islamic Jesus is not the Lamb of GOD who was slain for the sins of mankind: “And for claiming that they killed the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the messenger of [Allah]…For certain, they never killed him. Instead, [Allah] raised him to Him…Everyone among the people of the scripture was required to believe in him before his death. On the Day of Resurrection, [Jesus] will be a witness against them (Sura 4:157-159). Finally, salvation is earned by the Muslim in the “Five Pillars of Islam,” which states the specific works that the Muslim must perform in order to be saved. (A description of these “ways” to Islamic salvation can be found here: http://www.carm.org/five-pillars-of-islam).

It should be clear that Allah is not Almighty GOD of the Bible and the Muslim Jesus is “another Jesus.” If you, however, a believer in Christ agree with the former President in this matter, it gives me no pleasure in telling you that you are deceived (2 Corinthians 4:4). My sincere hope is that you will earnestly seek the Father in prayer to ask Him to show you the truth of who He says Jesus is—“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened, so that you will know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints” (Ephesians 1:18).

Then there is the case of Buddhism, which is a religion of morality; its belief system emphasizes an ethical way to live in the here and now in order to gain the ultimate state; which they call Nirvana (again we see a works based creed). Regarding deity, Gautama, the founder of Buddhism did not deny the existence of gods; he taught that the worship of gods obstructed one’s quest for Nirvana. He never claimed to be a god; instead, he claimed to be one who pointed the way to Nirvana, but each adherent finds their own path to walk in life. Additionally, according to Buddha the gods exist in the cosmos as the totality of creation, but are themselves finite, impersonal and impermanent beings. Therefore, they is no Almighty GOD who is an infinite and eternal Deity; no need for the Savior; no worship of, praying to or believing in Deity to save. It offers no form of redemption, forgiveness and no heavenly hope; the only salvation it offers is in the individual’s own self. Buddhism also teaches that Bodhisattva, that is, one who has reached Nirvana, can voluntarily materialize on earth to help the rest of mankind. Christ is no Bodhisattva; He came not to offer sound advice to live by so that we can achieve Nirvana. Instead, “He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself;” and “He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world” (Hebrews 9:26; 1 John 2:2).

Buddhism has much in common with humanism and atheism, but Buddhism is not atheism just because they don’t believe in an infinite, eternal and personal GOD. It is more like pantheism, where the impersonal “force” of the universe causes its self into being in never ending cycles of annihilation and re-beginning. While there are many noble and humanitarian teachings found in Buddhism, such as those that educe compassion and understanding for our fellow man, these cannot save. And Buddha is no Savior of mankind. What is alarming, however, is that some Christians seem to think there is little difference to Buddhism and Christianity and they ignorantly think it possible to harmonize its practices and teachings into the Church.

Pantheism, as briefly described above, is the position that deity and nature is the same thing. Pantheism comes from two Greek words, pan meaning all and theos meaning god. It teaches that all the universe: the stars, galaxies, planets, mountains, wind, rain, flora and fauna, etc., are the totality of what deity is. So, the pantheist says, that creation is god, and therefore, he holds all things sacred. In contrast, biblical Christianity teaches that GOD is separate from His creation and He created it (Gen. 1:1-30), whereas pantheism says that deity and creation share the same nature and essence.

A huge problem with pantheism is that it logically cannot account for the existence of the universe. The adherent believes the universe is infinitely re-born from the void. Therefore, the force/deity, which is the universe, also has a beginning--each time it is re-born--by causing itself into existence. But how can something bring itself into existence? This is impossible! This leaves us with the question of where force/deity comes from as nothing can cause itself. Pantheism cannot answer this question and it naturally leads to absurdities.

Conclusion

Is Christianity any better than the religions of the world? Of all the religions that exist how can it be that only Christianity is true? If GOD exists, is it not better to assume that He uses all religions and that all paths lead ultimately to Him? Why should anyone trust in Christianity over Islam, Buddhism or anything else? There is a simple answer to all of this: truth is absolute; there is no such thing as relative truth or subjective truth. Therefore, if it is true what we learn in the Bible concerning all that Jesus said and did, then all religions are false. If it is true that Jesus claimed that He alone is the way, the truth and the life and that no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6), then no other religious ideals, no matter how sincere, can offer another way to GOD through salvation—and salvation is a necessity for all mankind. Either Jesus is true and all the religions of the world are false or the religions are true and Jesus is false. There are no other options—“If it is disagreeable in your sight to serve the LORD, choose for yourselves today whom you will serve…but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15).

English translation of the Koran taken from, Submission.org, Copyright © 1997-2007, www.submission.org/suras

The Business of the Church

The letter to the Romans is unquestionably the most in-depth doctrinal dissertation of all of Paul’s writings to the Church of God. It is in the opinion of many Bible students the most powerful human document ever written; and this whether or not any other document we speak of is inspired by the Holy Spirit. With this assessment I fully concur.

To this letter we owe the conversion of some of the greatest church leaders of all time:

Augustine, is one such conversion story, who throughout his life had embraced paganism, hedonism, philosophy and the heretical Gnostic teachings of Mani. He was highly educated and it was not long before he recognized the foolishness and utter hopelessness of each of these systems. In a moment of utter despair, finally, he cried out to God. Then he claims to hear a child’s voice saying, pick up and read. He took this as a sign from God to read the Bible and so he states of his conversion experience: “I had heard of Anthony, that coming in during the reading of the Gospel, he received its admonition…[and] he was forthwith converted unto [God]. Eagerly then I returned to the place where…I laid the volume [the letter to the Romans] of the Apostle [Paul]…I seized, opened, and in silence read that section on which my eyes first fell: not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts (Rom 13:13,14). No further would I read; nor needed I: for instantly at the end of this sentence, by a light as it were of serenity infused into my heart, all the darkness of doubt vanished away.” (“The Confessions of Saint Augustine:” Book XIII, Paragraphs 28 and 29).

Then there is the case of Martin Luther:

Martin Luther was a 16th century Roman Catholic priest and theology professor. By this time in history the church in Rome had long since degraded to promoting a ritualistic works-based religion. Luther, a priest and scholar of this unscriptural religion, describes his spiritual state as such: “I hated that word “righteousness of God,” which, according to the use and custom of all the teachers...[means] God is righteous and punishes the unrighteous sinner…I was angry with God…it is not enough, that miserable sinners…are crushed…by the law…and also by the gospel threatening us with his righteousness and wrath…I raged with a fierce and troubled conscience.” But eventually, he went on to change the course of Western civilization when: “At last, by the mercy of God, meditating day and night, I gave heed to the context of the words, namely, ‘In it the righteousness of God is revealed, as it is written, He who through faith is righteous shall live’…There I began to understand…merciful God justifies us by faith…Here I felt that I was altogether born again” (Luther’s Works Volume 34, Career of the Reformer IV, St. Louis, Concordia Publishing House, 1960, p. 336-337). His enlightenment sparked the Protestant Reformation, which brought untold millions out a religion of death through works and into a relationship of life with God through grace by faith.

The letter to the Romans drove others, already saved by grace, to a more fruitful walk in the Lord. As is true of John Bunyan, a Puritan preacher who in 1658, was indicted for preaching without a license. In that same year, the British monarchy, which was previously overthrown some years earlier by Parliament, was restored and the throne was assumed by Charles II. And England returned to a strict support of the Church of England only. As such, all non-sanctioned churches were closed and all citizens were required to attend their respective parish church. It became a punishable crime to conduct church service except in accordance with the rituals of the Church or for one not in the Church of England’s religious orders to address a congregation.

Bunyon was subsequently arrested for these crimes against the government sanctioned Church of England and suffer imprisonment in 1660, until 1672, when King Charles II issued the Declaration of Religious Indulgence. In that year John Bunyon became pastor of St. Paul's Church and on May 9, 1672, he was the recipient of one of the first licenses to preach under the new law. However, in March 1675, he was again imprisoned for a period 6 months when King Charles II withdrew the Declaration of Religious Indulgence, but was once again released when enforcement of the law was relaxed. It was during this second stint in prison, while studying Romans that he wrote “Pilgrim’s Progress,” which since the 17th century has taught countless believers how a Christian relates to the world.

Finally, there is the case of John Wesley, who while listening one day as Luther’s preface to his commentary on Romans was being read, found his own heart “strangely warmed” and out of that came the great evangelical awakening of the eighteenth century.

I do not agree with everything that these men taught, but one thing is sure, in their studies of Paul’s letter to the Romans they unquestionably found the “power of God [unto] salvation.” Romans is an intense and soul-penetrating line of reasoning, which makes clear, under the conviction or illumination of the Holy Spirit, all of the “whys” we as humans have concerning God. And it portrays the clearest presentation of the Gospel, which is the ultimate display of God’s almighty power—for the Gospel is the “power of God [unto] salvation.”

The letter to the Romans is the New Testament document that every Christian ought to be thoroughly familiar with. If you, who call yourself a Christian, cannot think through the book of Romans without your Bible in front you, then I urge you to make that your goal. Master this book—be so well acquainted with it that you can outline it and think of its great teachings without referring to your Bible. This will require careful and more importantly prayerful reading, study and working through the details—I have spent nearly three years in this endeavor and barely have I scratched its surface!

“So, for my part, I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God [onto] salvation to everyone who believes,

to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written,

 “BUT THE RIGHTEOUS man SHALL LIVE BY FAITH” (Romans 1:15-17).

As already stated, Paul, the Apostle of the risen Savior, is the author of Romans. He penned this letter by way of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit sometime between A.D. 56-58, while he was in the Greek city of Corinth. He wrote the book less than a mere thirty years after the crucifixion and resurrection of Lord Jesus. Surely, the memories of these events were still sharply etched in the minds of Christians all over Rome’s empire. And this letter was sent to teach and instruct them, to remind them of the meaning of these events and to incite them to action in fulfilling their God-commissioned duty with regard to the unfinished work of Christ in the world, which is: “repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations” (Luke 24:47).

It is fitting that Paul penned this letter, because he is Christ’s chosen apostle unto the Gentile world; making this letter in no way limited to the generation of Roman believers to whom he initially wrote, but it has relevance to all generations of mankind (cf., 2 Timothy 3:16). Paul is the Christ-chosen declarer of the Gospel of Grace (Acts 20:24) for this dispensation of grace, to which the Church belongs (Romans 11:6). He is the revealer of the heavenly character (Ephesians 2:6), calling and destiny of the Church as the Body of Christ and as God’s House (Ephesians 1:3-14; 1 Corinthians 12:27; 2 Corinthians 6:16; Ephesians 2:21). In fact, every doctrine essential to Christianity has been laid down by the Apostle and no one else, other than Christ through the Spirit, is associated with the message that was given to him (Ephesians 3:7, 8 ).

So much so are these facts proven that throughout church history, to depart from the teachings of Paul has been heresy (cf. 2 Peter 3:15, 16). But to receive Paul’s gospel is salvation,—“Now I make known to you, brethren, the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received, in which also you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:1 & 2). We dare not glory in a man—“to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forever”—not even Paul is due any praise, as salvation in all of its wondrous workings is completely of God’s sovereign grace. However, our Lord Jesus said: “he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me” (John 13: 20).

What did Paul preach? What is his Gospel? With regard to the preaching of Christ and his cross it is not unique. His Gospel is none other than the witness of all believers, beginning with the Twelve, down through all those whose chief desire is to serve and glorify our God; the one and only true God! And this is that Gospel:

“For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received,

that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,

and that He was buried, and that He was raised

on the third day according to the Scriptures,

and that He appeared…to all the apostles;

and last of all, as to one untimely born, He appeared to me also”

(1 Corinthians 15:3-8).

Again, this is the Gospel. There is nothing fancy or outwardly attractive about it and yet the preaching of the Gospel finds its purpose in one great Scriptural word: Salvation. This is a word that covers more than deliverance from the penalty and condemnation of sin; which has been imputed to all mankind through Adam (Genesis 5:1; cf., Romans 5:14; 1 Corinthians 5:22). It also conveys the deliverance from the present power of sin in those who are born again. Of this present power of sin in the believer’s life Paul says, “For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do…I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature…I have the desire to do what is good, but I cannot carry it out…When I want to do good, evil is right there with me;” because sin still clings to the believer in the form of our sin natures. This nature we have inherited from our parents (Romans 7:14-25). Of this pitiful state he continues, “What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?” But of our deliverance he says, “Thanks be to God—through Jesus Christ our Lord.”

Additionally, the ultimate working of salvation is seen in the final unfolding and development of the saved one into the image of Christ; this is possible because all believer are in Christ and His righteousness is imputed in them (Romans 8:10; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Colossians 1:27; Philippians 1:6). Finally, the word salvation includes a whole series of other great doctrines and revelations in which the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are seen working toward the transformation of the individual, body and soul, into a celestial being and a partaker with Christ of the heavenly glory: “But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30).

Salvation, which includes “righteousness and sanctification, and redemption” is the mighty working of the Triune GOD toward the heavenly perfection of everyone who believes. Blessed indeed are all who yield themselves totally to His saving power! However: “our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God”—and because of the universal Satanic blindness upon the minds of unregenerate people (2 Corinthians 4:3, 4), the scope of the transforming work of salvation is neither always understood nor clearly presented. And there is another force of the Devil at work. Even where such knowledge of the Gospel is boldly assumed, that is within the Church, many so-called Christian religious leaders are in fact unregenerate, therefore they are blind. Being unable to see, they have ignorantly turned away from the real Gospel, which they cannot know anyway and they boldly proclaim a “different gospel” of social reform, ethical culture, humanitarianism, morality and other weird, unscriptural doctrines of demons (cf., 1 Timothy 4:1).

In turning from the true Gospel, (1 Thessalonians 2:9) “for a different gospel; which is really not another,” they reveal their rejection of the one Gospel of Grace and display their unbounded enthusiasm for unworthy substitutes because of their “desire to distort the gospel of Christ” (Galatians 1:6 & 7). It is clearly evident that the riches of the glorious Gospel of Christ have not dawned on them (John 8:44).

I became a Christian during the early half of the 1980’s, through grace by faith in the risen Savior. This was an exciting time to be saved. At this time the liberal theology of those who espouse the Christ-less social gospel held no sway in the Church as it does today. While there is nothing intrinsically wrong with morality and social reform, when these become the goals of the Church and are substituted as the way to salvation rather than the finished work of Christ on the cross, these ideals are mere doctrines of demons. Oddly enough, though predictable, the Christ-less social gospel has taken root today in many churches of God, through the teachings of Pastor Rick Warren and others. It is even influenced, too, by President Obama’s 20-year indoctrination under the Reverend Jeremiah Wright. For the record, President Bush is also guilty of espousing and promoting a form of liberal theology.

While liberalism was a shade of what it is today, the predominate “different gospel” movements of the 80’s, were dominion/replacement theology and “charismania.” The first of these was promoted by the Reverends Jerry Farwell and Pat Robertson. Their basic claims are: that the Church is endowed by God to enter the realm of politics for the purpose of forcing moralistic virtues on the unregenerate (as seen in the agendas of the anti-abortion, anti-gay, prayer in school, etc., proponents). Replacement theology, which some in the dominion camp rejected, puts forth the unscriptural notion that God has completely reject Israel as His covenant people because of her constant sin, taken back all of the promises and blessing He bestowed on her and transferred them to the Church.

Furthermore, dominion/replacement theology, besides its unscriptural doctrines, helped give rise to the modern conservative movement and its apostles: the conservative talk show hosts. These false apostles make claim that the movement is a godly continuation of America’s “Judeo/Christian heritage” (whatever that is). In doing so they seek to lump together Mormons, Catholics, orthodox Jews and so-called evangelical Christians as peoples of common shared beliefs.

Once again, for the record, let me empathically state that I share no beliefs, neither common nor uncommon, with Mormons, Catholics, orthodox Jews and many so-called evangelical Christians—I hope you can see, as a regenerate person not blinded to the wiles of Satan, the dangerous “different gospel” that right-wing talk show hosts and their so-call conservative Christian sympathizers are foisting on the Church for the sake of political gain. Please call to mind that this same group of self-anointed apostles of the “Judeo/Christian heritage” proclaimed themselves and their leaders as saviors long before that title was usurped by political liberals for Barrack Obama.

The other Christian movement and the most dangerous “different gospel” of them all, has been widely identified as “charismania.” Before I go any further it behooves all of us for me to state and you to hear this: “Am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a bond-servant of Christ” (Galatians 1:10). By “charismania” I am not speaking of the average Christian who believes that the charismatic sign gifts have continued in an unbroken line from New Testament times. While the Bible states that the sign gifts would eventually cease, there is no objective evidence to prove that they have in fact ceased. Speaking in tongues or merely believing that there are, “varieties of gifts…varieties of ministries…varieties of effects…to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good,” does not qualify one as a “charismaniac.” No, “charismania” occurs when one takes their understanding of the gifts of the Spirit to extremes. So that, eventually, it becomes the understanding of the “charismaniac” that anyone who does not believe and practice as they do are not experiencing full Christian blessing or not at all saved by grace.

Charismania is the most dangerous “different gospel,” because of its seemingly scriptural basis, due to many of its leaders’ creative talent for twisting God’s Word for personal gain and the individual followers of this movement who lust after these teachings because it speaks to their flesh.

Furthermore, Charismania has perpetuated and increased the false idea of a full gospel or second blessing. This idea has no scriptural basis, is not associated with and is in fact contrary to the Gospel of “righteousness and sanctification, and redemption” through the finished work of Christ on the cross. It has also bred and given birth to the heresies of the health and prosperity gospel; an unhealthy emphasis on signs, wonders, miracles and angelic visitations; self-proclaimed apostles and prophets; eastern mysticism and pagan spiritism (Emerging Church movement); and its worse child, the one-world religious order of ecumenicalism through the combined abominations of worshipping mammon (commercialism, globalism) and compromise with idolatry, science and philosophy. This final heresy is even now breaching the womb and will find fruition in the coming worldwide political, economic and spiritual order of Anti-christ and his false prophet.

I realize that I have offended most if not all of you. So, once again for the record, let me unambiguously state: I do not believe that all theological liberals, evangelicals with a conservative political agenda and all or at least most charismatics are in need of salvation. I do believe that some of the persons so classified above, especially those who are Christian conservative and charismatic, are believers of the risen Christ our Savior. I hope that those of you whom I offended can forgive me. I have purposely not given an in-depth dissertation of any of the above mentioned “different gospel” movements tainting the pure Gospel of Scripture and the minimal descriptions I have offered are, no doubt, the cause of any offense—I hope that each of you will undertake careful study of this subject. However, any of you who are truly saved and yet: 1. Define your Christianity by a humanistic worldview; 2. Seek to ride the backs of Christians for political power; 3. Annul Israel’s place in God’s heart in an misguided attempt to claim her covenant blessings or for any other reason; 4. Or if you are one “tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming” (Ephesians 4:14); I encourage you to fully investigate for yourselves what the Bible teaches; and not what I or any other teacher expounds!

To any who fall into one of the above classifications, as I have no desire to further offend anyone with my words, I’ll let Paul speak:

“If anyone advocates a different doctrine and does not agree with sound words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with the doctrine conforming to godliness, he is conceited and understands nothing; but he has a morbid interest in controversial questions and disputes about words, out of which arise envy, strife, abusive language, evil suspicions, and constant friction between men of depraved mind and deprived of the truth, who suppose that godliness is a means of gain” (1 Timothy 6:3-5).

And then he says:

“This is a trustworthy statement; and concerning these things I want you to speak confidently, so that those who have believed God will be careful to engage in good deeds. These things are good and profitable for men. But avoid foolish controversies and genealogies and strife and disputes about the Law, for they are unprofitable and worthless” (Titus 3:8,  9).

In my own loose interpretation of Paul: “don’t major in the minors.” And this at the expense of your one true calling, which is completing Christ’s unfinished business in the world that He left to His Church: the proclamation of the Gospel, “the power of God unto salvation” to every one that believes Christ is the only Savior.