Discernment - Truth Offends

There are many people wittingly or unwittingly bringing error and heresy into the church.
Some of them have conferences that people are encouraged to attend or stream into the church.
There are times when a lot of truth is taught, and yet a little poison can do much damage.
They can be men or women.

Christians need to be discerning, and we need to know the Scriptures to be able to examine what we hear to see - whether these things are so.
Sometimes some thing may sound wise or even Scriptural when you look at a verse or two, but then we still need to look at ALL of the Scriptures.
It is easy to be fooled, and some people teach in ambiguous terminology that can even confuse me as to their meaning.

There are some people who call people heretics when the people accused are teaching Biblical truth, so how do we know who is telling the truth?
We need to know essential Bible doctrines.

People can be at different levels of spiritual growth, so we should try to show grace to those who may truly be Christians while still warning of the error.
Even then, people may shun us or block us on social media.
It should be the truth that offends rather than our rudeness.
We need to remember that we did not always have as much Biblical knowledge as we might now, and we still have plenty of room for spiritual growth and Biblical study.

I'm concerned that some of my best online friends might shun me for often being unable to make it to church anymore (due to different health issues) ... and not having a local church that I feel I can join even for the times I do make it.
I get discouraged about these things, because I want to obey God.
I want to be able to go to church, and it makes me cry sometimes when I'm not feeling up to even going to any church.
When I do go, I have been struggling to even make it through the service.
I am blessed with streaming Biblical churches online, but it is hard to not have more.
I am blessed by online fellowship, since I'm unable to get much in person.
So, we need to be careful before making blanket statements about individuals.


Three articles on discernment that I recommend:

1.   Discernment: Spiritual Survival for a Church in Crisis  - GTY

2.   False Teachers & Deadly Doctrines - Tim Challies

3.   7 False Teachers In The Church Today - Tim Challies

"Satan’s greatest ambassadors are not pimps, politicians, or power-brokers, but pastors" .- Tim Challies

Lordship Salvation Controversy - With A Twist

Sometimes I have trouble coming up with things to post on my blog, but then a conversation I have online brings up issues that I think are worth sharing.

This is one of those times.

There are still those out there who try to condemn Lordship salvation, although many have shifted away from that.

I remember way back when I was 17 and at a missionary school (that I dropped out of after a few weeks).
The evangelism leader did not want us to bring up Lordship when we were going to go out and evangelize on a college campus.
I spoke up for Lordship, because I didn't feel that I could do that (not talk about Lordship).
Yes,  I didn't feel I did well when I did actually go out that one time in actually saying a lot (we didn't stay that long and I'm normally shy).
Still, in the group, I opened my mouth and rambled about the two kinds of Lordship.

I remember hearing people discussing Lordship with each other after the group meeting....not with me.

Well, today, someone brought up this issue again, only this time it's calling MacArthur a synergist.

I'm sorry that it's hard to read, but I can't figure out how to change the color with the embedded comment.

One of my responses (edited only for typing mistakes) to Tim Irvin (after he also shared a video with snippets & some preaching that someone had put together to refute John MacArthur):

I used to go to Grace Community Church, and MacArthur is sound Biblically.
Anybody can try to twist what someone says by snippets.

And by this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. 1 John 2:3 NASB

John MacArthur doesn't believe in salvation by works. Trust me on this. He believes salvation is from above. The rich young ruler did not obey, because he did not have true faith. True faith will obey & submit to God. If a person does not submit, then it is evidence that they don't have faith.

“And why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say? Luke 6:46 NASB

But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. James 1:22 NASB

MacArthur is not Roman Catholic.
He believers in imputation, and he does NOT believe works are meritorious for salvation.

This is from one of MacArthur's books: "Both James and Paul view good works as the proof of faith—not the path to salvation."
I hope people will read it.

Does James 2 contradict Romans 4?

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Another comment I made in response to the synergism accusation:

The new birth is also a monergistic operation, which means God’s Spirit alone accomplishes it (as opposed to synergistic, which means that human effort participates in the process). - John MacArthur

Sin & The Work of The Spirit

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I also shared separate links that you may want to read.

An Introduction To Lordship Salvation - GTY

Justification and Sanctification How do they Differ? by J.C. Ryle

Fruits of Repentance - GTY
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And this is his commandment, that we believe in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another, just as he has commanded us. Whoever keeps his commandments abides in God, and God in him. And by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit whom he has given us.
1 John 3:23-24 ESV

Who Is Jesus?

(For disclosure, I'm a female, and this is a personal blog.)

Jesus' birth was foretold and He was referred to as God.

There is so much in both the Old and New Testaments that makes it clear that Jesus is God the Son.  From His virgin birth, to His death on a cross, etc.,  it was all foretold in the Old Testament and made manifest in the New.

"Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.   Isaiah 7:14 NASB
(Immanuel means God with us or "With us is God.")

For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.  Isaiah 9:6 NASB

"But as for you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, Too little to be among the clans of Judah, From you One will go forth for Me to be ruler in Israel. His goings forth are from long ago, From the days of eternity."  Micah 5:2 NASB

Isaiah 53 prophesies His death ...that He bore the sin of many.

Son of God

God the Father sent His Son to take on flesh:

John 3:16-18 refers to Jesus as the only (unique) begotten Son of God.
Since Jesus is eternal, and He was involved in Creation, we know that this helps us to understand that He is a Son different than believers who are adopted children of God.
Cults try to twist this into making people think that He was created rather than being one of the Trinity involved in Creation.

In John 1:1-3, Jesus was called the Word, and the world was created through Him.

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.  John 1:14 NASB

For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh,  Romans 8:3 NASB

He was referred to by John the baptist as the true light coming into the world:

There was the true Light which, coming into the world, enlightens every man.  John 1:9 NASB

Jesus Himself talked about having come down out of Heaven.

"For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world."  John 6:33 NASB   (In John 6:35 He says that He is the bread of life.)

Jesus' equality with the Father....He is not the Father as some twist things into a schizophrenic confused deception - not accepting that God doesn't have to meet our finite understanding.
This is about unity and equality of two of the Trinity.

Jesus announced that He and the Father are one in John 10:30.

God  referred to Himself to Moses as the I AM,.

Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was born, I am.”  John 8:58 NASB

So, the Jews wanted to kill Him when Jesus said this,, because He was making Himself equal with God.

The Bible also says:

For in Him all the fulness of Deity dwells in bodily form,  Colossians 2:9 NASB

In Philippians 2:6-7 it is said that He existed in the form of God, but He took the form of a bondservant "being made in the likeness of men."

Old Testament passages and New Testament passages connect things together:

Who has ascended into heaven and descended? Who has gathered the wind in His fists? Who has wrapped the waters in His garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name or His son's name? Surely you know!  Proverbs 30:4 NASB

“Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”  John 8:56 NASB

Confession of who Jesus is - is necessary:

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
1 John 4:15 NASB

Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also. 1 John 2:23 NASB

By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; 
1 John 4:2 NAS

He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?"  Simon Peter answered, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."
Matthew 16:15-16 NASB

🔗 Who do you say that Jesus is?

Do you celebrate Christmas?   Find out more of why He came:
🔗 Understanding Why Jesus Came To Earth To Be Born

Grace To You & The Hillsong Controversy

Truth does divide, but we can't ignore error ....
Grace To You has posted some blog articles related to Hillsong during the past couple of days.

Hillsong Music's Weakness 

Hillsong's UnBiblical Message  

The articles by GTY aren't just about music (although one of them is focused  more on the lyrics of the songs).
I am thankful that they have addressed this.

Hillsong's music is very popular in many churches due to the music being pleasing to the ears.
While not all of Hillsong's lyrics are wholly bad, you can see symptoms of poor teaching in many of them.

Hillsong churches are not known to be bastions of solid Biblical teaching.
Like many churches today, sound theology does not seem to be a priority.

Grace To You highlighted one of  Hillsong's churches in California - where the teaching and atmosphere encourage a low view of God.
Sadly, this kind of a low view of God and Scripture, eisegetical teaching, and rock concert mentality are not all that uncommon in America.  It's not just a Hillsong issue.

A lack of sound Biblical teaching, and lack of reverence for God generally leads to unBiblical practices in the church.

Here are a just three symptoms:

Casualness about the things of God

Allowing women to teach and or exercise authority in the church

Allowing people who practice sinful lifestyles to lead

This leads to a church full of people who are either unbelievers or are spiritually malnourished.

Christianity without distinct doctrine is a powerless thing. It may be beautiful to some minds, but it is childless and barren.  - J.C. Ryle

I was rereading a portion of Chapter 2 of Reviving New England (by Pastor Nate Pickowicz) recently, and I'm afraid that many pastors today practice one of more of his examples of wrong ways to handle Scripture.
Even some seemingly good churches can fall into some error by lopsided teaching.
I believe that J.C. Ryle also talked about how it can be wrong to put too much focus in preaching on one point of doctrine to the detriment of others.

Let us never forget that truth, distorted and exaggerated — can become the mother of the most dangerous heresies! - JC Ryle

Ryle also wrote warnings of error to churches (highlighted in the following post on Monergism's site):
15 Key Quotes from J.C. Ryle’s “Warnings to the Churches”

I'm glad that GTY is pointing out serious problems to warn the flock (other Christians), and to encourage right thinking.
This is what leaders in the church should do (although some churches may go overboard when that is most of what they do).
That is not the case with Grace Community Church though.
If people think that it is, then they probably have not really looked into what is taught there.

Christians do need to to pay attention to warnings.
We need to know the Scripture better than we do.
We need to take God more seriously than we do.
It is so easy to get sucked into error and heresy when we don't filter what we believe through the lens of Scripture.

UPDATE: Additional GTY Article on Hillsong
Hillsong & Man  - Here is a partial quote in their response to what Hillsong teaches:
"..., even the greatest victim still needs to appreciate the depth of his own guilt in order to grasp his need for the Savior."

Spiritual Leaders & Discernment

Thoughts About Spiritual Leaders

I have been reading 1 Corinthians again, and I have looked at some of the commentary notes as well.
I'm not the best about real study at all, but things stand out to me at different times that provoke thought.
The following is the result of some of my reading and thoughts.
(Note: I'm a female, and thus not qualified to instruct men.  I hope that this can be edifying, and maybe it will encourage both my readers and myself to dig in further and meditate in a Biblical sense).

So then let no one boast in men. For all things belong to you, whether Paul or Apollos or Cephas or the world or life or death or things present or things to come; all things belong to you, and you belong to Christ; and Christ belongs to God.
1 Corinthians 3:21-22

Roman Catholics try to place a supreme importance on Peter, but 1 Corinthians 3 demonstrates that this should not be.  Heresy often begins with a wrong interpretation of Scripture, or the placing of anything above or equal to Scripture.

The foundation of the church is Christ. He is the only foundation to be laid...not Peter (1 Corinthians 3:11).
We learn truth from the Word of God, and anything that contradicts should be avoided.

Church planters and waterers are servants with great responsibility, but it is God who is to be extolled rather than the workers
(1 Corinthians 3:7).
Paul laid the foundation (of Christ) for many churches, but it was all of God's grace.
The church belongs to Christ.

It's kind of fun to think of all the Biblical pastors & evangelists out there as belonging to me (1 Corinthians 3:22).  I guess that could mean ones from the past too!   I certainly have learned from a lot of  people.  
Pastors, teachers, and evangelists don't have a special "in" with God that I don't, though some have been a lot more diligent in their prayer and Bible study than I am.
Every Christian can have that kind of relationship with God, though many of us do not have the responsibility that leaders do.

While we can have affection for our teachers, we should not make idols out of them or boast in them.  One pastor who teaches the Word isn't to be considered higher than another teacher of the Word who may have a different way of speaking, and all true believers are one in Christ.  Men do disappoint us.  God will test their hearts and work as well as our own.  We can imitate them, but only insofar as they are Christlike and faithful.

It's good to think about that all things belong to Christians (and it will be even better in the future), and we are Christ's.  He is in us, because we are in Him.

Discernment:  The article HERE by Grace To You is superb (except the quoting of C.S. Lewis, which I know would have been better left out...especially considering the topic).

The following are just a couple of quotes of John MacArthur from a position article "Discernment: Spiritual Survival for a Church in Crisis.":

"Some say that doctrine divides.  That's true!  If you set aside biblical truth and remain silent for fear of offending people, opposition will disappear, but so will some other things like truth, holiness, and God Himself."

"Confronting sin effectively puts a wall of division between the world and the church by separating those who obey the Lord from those who don't.  It's essential that believers draw the line between right and wrong."

Protecting The Pulpit & A Story About Captives

I recently rented the movie Alone, Yet Not Alone.
It was about  Lutheran settlers (Germans) in Pennsylvania in colonial times, and the relationships of the British, the French, natives, and the settlers.

 At first I thought it was not impressive with the acting, but as it went along the story captivated my attention and left me tense not knowing how it would end.

People were killed, and children and a woman were taken hostage.
Some later made a final attempt to escape.
Well, if you are interested to know what happened, you can choose whether to watch it or not.

(We weren't sure if one word was used wrongfully, but the two sites we use said there wasn't any language problem.  I'd have to watch again to be certain.)

 Joni Eareckson Tada sang the title track at the end of the movie.

 

Grace To You had a very good post recently about guarding the pulpit. 

 I've been troubled by connections of some of the pastors I have admired and benefited from the teaching of who have allowed themselves to be aligned with those who have compromised truth and strayed into or plunged into error.

 I don't want to write everybody off, because I have made some mistakes along with family members in sharing things by people who turned out to not be good or to be falling into error (or falling more into it later).

 Tolerance of false teachers and teaching by pastors and church leaders can cause much grief and trouble - though we must be careful not to write off everybody who teaches truth themselves and wrongfully makes these associations.  Sometimes it is in ignorance.

Guarding The Pulpit