Is Communication Technology Good or Bad?

Technology, especially communications technology, popularized theological expression.  Turn on the television and select your favorite preacher or Bible teacher.  If one does not suit your individual preference, switch to another; there are hundreds available.  Theological and academic credentials are no longer necessary to exegete the Full Counsel of God.   All that is necessary is to have an “experience” with God.  Diploma mills have risen to the occasion for those who want a theological degree without earning it.  An uneducated, ill-equipped clergy, each generation growing exponentially with the expansion of communication technology, will result in an unhealthy church. The way to eliminate false doctrine is to, “Hold fast the pattern of sound words which you have heard from me [Paul], in faith and love which are in Christ Jesus’ (2 Timothy 1:13). Then use technology to spread true doctrine.

Old Testament Israel has a notable resemblance to the New Testament Church;  they are the people that belong to God. The Old Testament people of God had priests and prophets to lead in worship and teach the Full Counsel of God.  After the death of Solomon, Jeroboam appointed himself as the leader of the people of God.  What a mess!   Jeroboam’s unbiblical theology reminds me of  cultural individualism and church autonomy.  “And Jeroboam said in his heart” (1 Kings12:26),  but he didn’t humble himself to realize “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked…” (Jeremiah 17:9). Since Jeroboam did not know (very likely) or simply ignored the Full Counsel of God, he established his own place to worship and his own idols. Then he explained to the church: “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt!  And he set up one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan.  Now this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan.   He made shrines on the high places, and made priests from every class of people, who were not of the sons of Levi” (1 Kings 12:28-31).

Jeroboam interpreted or rather changed the Word of God to fit his agenda.  The church followed him because he had become a celebrity among the people.  A few words from that text standout as a warning to those who profess the Christian religion:  [Jeroboam] “made priests from every class of people, who were not of the sons of Levi.”  R. L. Dabney made the comment that “Jeroboam corrupted the religion of Israel partly by making priests of the lowest of the people”  (Discussions, vol. 2, pg.69).  Communication technology may be good or bad.  It is good if the theology is faithful to the full counsel of God. It is bad if the theology is false.

Thanksgiving 2016

Psalm 104 shows the scope of God’s creative power in the works of His creation so that God demonstrates his governing hand over creation.  God creates, preserves and governs all things.  To understand thanksgiving one must understand God’s providence.  The word providence comes from two Latin words “pro” and “videre” meaning to see before hand.  God is not merely a spectator, passively knowing in advance, what will happen through his foreknowledge.  He knows in advance because he plans in advance.  The Children’s catechism explains the doctrine of providence.  “God’s works of providence are, His most holy, wise, and powerful preserving and governing all His creatures, and all their actions.”

There was a time in this country when thanksgiving was recognized as a legitimate aspect of life.  Even the holiday we call Thanksgiving reminded people and especially Christians that all of our worldly goods were a result of God’s gracious hand.  Today Thanksgiving is merely a long holiday weekend that marks the beginning of Christmas shopping.  There are more sales advertisements in the Thanksgiving day newspaper than any two Sunday newspapers put together.  We have more goods and products being consumed today than ever before.  We have more to be thankful for, in the way of material wealth, than ever before.  Yet, there is less interest in thankfulness than ever before.  Even so, God’s government is in charge of “all His creatures and all their actions.”

Government is almost a dirty word, because we attach the wrong ideas to the concept called government.  When the word government is used, most people automatically think of a political structure.  Sometimes the word government reminds us of a place called Washington D.C,  Montgomery, AL or any city hall in America. 

The dictionary says the word government means the exercise of administrative powers.  Another dictionary definition was:  “the political direction and control exercised over the actions of the members, citizens, or inhabitants of communities, societies, or states.”  Christians must be aware that the word government when applied to Christianity means something very different from when it is applied to political thought.

A government of the people by the people and for the people is bad thinking in biblical terms.

Divine government is defined by that activity of God whereby He rules all things sovereignly, with purpose, ultimately disposing all things according to the counsel of His will.  God is the governor of the universe.  No, God is not just the governor of the Universe.  He is the King of the Universe.  He is the cosmic monarch.  But, unlike a finite monarch, God rules with a righteous right hand.  As the Heidelberg Catechisms says:  “Providence is the almighty and ever present power of God by which he upholds, as with his hand, heaven and earth and all creatures. 

Unfortunately, American contemporary Christianity has tried to dethrone the cosmic king of the Universe and make him the president of a democracy.

God’s government extends over all creation.  “Whatever the Lord pleases, He does, in heaven and in earth, in the seas and in all deep places” (Psalm 135:6).  I have heard a people say that God wanted to bring revival to such and such place and God wanted to do this and that.  How ridiculous; God does whatever he wants to do.

God’s government has no place for chance and luck.  The common understanding of chance has to do with probabilities.  At the root of chance is an event without a cause.  Likewise, there is no such thing as luck.  Chance and luck is nothing more than fatalism.  It is an effect without a sufficient and antecedent cause.  

God causes all things to come into being and God powerfully preserves all things that come into being, God powerfully governs all things that come into being.

Happy Thanksgiving is not complete without Thanksgiving for God’s Government.

The Power of Words

The equivocation of language is the result of misusing words. Equivocation refers to ambiguous words and gibberish talk that attempts to hide the truth. The equivocation principle denigrates the proper use of the language in our culture. The intentional effort to equivocate language has been with us since the fall of the human race.  In fact, deceit was one of the causal factors in the fall.  It was the father of deception that said to Eve, “Has God indeed said… (Genesis 3:1).  From Adam and Eve to the last baby born, there will always be the twisting of language.  Although sophistry is similar to equivocation, there is a difference. Sophistry uses stealth and specious arguments to deceive the other person. The Sophists of the 5^th century B.C. were famous for turning philosophical skepticism into the impossibility of absolute knowledge, which in essence denies absolute truth.

The biblical doctrine of sound words is necessary to avoid the equivocation of language.  “Hold fast the pattern of sounds words which you have heard from me…”(1 Timothy 1:13).  I translate it from the Greek text in terms of having an outline of healthy words.  There are three parts to this short phrase from the Bible.  The command is have or to hold fast.  The pattern refers to a summary account or an outline of sound words.  Sound words are healthy words, which provide good health for the soul. Words start wars and words bring peace. The power of words can destroy or save.

Unfortunately, worldly passions lead to words of confusion and words of strife rather than sound words.  The result is forgotten doctrine.  But aside from what I call necessary forgotten doctrine, people tend to ignore words of eternal importance:

Human beings are born sinful creatures

Human beings  deserve eternal damnation and punishment

God is longsuffering, compassionate, and merciful

Call on God for today is the day of salvation

If sound words have been taught, why do Christians misunderstand simple Bible doctrine?  If sound doctrine has been taught why do so many professing Christians believe that sinful man can save himself?  These questions should not be taken lightly.  A summary of the sound words from God imprinted on the souls of men, women, boys and girls would eliminate these questions.

A summary of sound words is not equal to quoting Bible verses.  It has often been said that biblical texts may be found to prove almost anything.  Unbelievers, liberals, the ignorant and scholarly alike use Bible verses taken out of context to prove their opinions.  One Bible verse does not equal the entire Word of God.

The goal of every Christian should be to gather a summary of the Word of God so that God is exalted and man is put down.  For instance, the doctrine of God must be relative to God’s nature and the doctrine of man must be relative to man’s nature.  When we hold fast to the healthy words of Scripture we will save ourselves and our progeny from theological error.

Error in doctrine will almost inevitably lead to error in practice.  When a man believes wrongly, he will act wrongly.  The very cause of division, schism, quarrels, and bickering in the church is a result of wrong teaching.  Why?  Because we have ignored the outline of healthy words from Scripture

We cannot hold fast to something unless we understand it.  The task is not easy, but it is necessary.  God’s people are custodians of God’s truth and they must hold fast to His truth in faith and love.

We must not only leave a summary of the Christian religion to the coming generations, we must hold on to that summary of the Christian religion by the power of the Holy Spirit so we will have reasons to believe.

It was the use and misuse of words that compelled me to write Theological Terms in Layman Language.

https://www.amazon.com/Theological-Terms-Layman-Language-Doctrine/dp/0985618159/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=1479309382&sr=1-6

Federal Control Over Local Schools

In 1926 Dr. J. Gresham Machen gave his testimony before the house and senate committees on the proposed Federal Department of Education. Machen said, “We do not, I think, want a Federal Department of Education because such a department is in the interests of a principle of uniformity or standardization in education which, if put into practice, would be the very worst calamity into which this country could fall.” The Federal Government, using greenbacks as leverage, eventually did what Machen warned them not to do. He was right! This country is in an academic calamity. Federal authority over local schools is like giving an intoxicated person the keys to the car.

Dr. Machen’s speech resonates with intellectual reasoning and rational discourse.

The reason why I am opposed to this proposal [establishing a Federal Dept. of Education] is that it represents a very ancient principle in the field of education. Education, which, it seems to me, has been one of the chief enemies of human liberty for several thousand years – the principle, namely, that education is an affair essentially of the State, that education must be standardized for the welfare of the whole people and put under the control of government, that personal idiosyncrasies should be avoided. It is a very ancient thing – this notion that the children belong to the State, that their education must be provided for by the State in a way that makes for the State’s welfare. But that principle, I think you will find if you examine human history, is inimical at every step to liberty…this principle of thoroughgoing State control in education.

The notion that the children belong to the State and that their education must be provided for by the State assumes the familial role in the development of the child. In political philosophy it’s call statism. Statism means the state is the savior of its subjects. Dr. Machen points out “the utter falsity of the popular notion that philosophy has no practical effects upon the lives of the people.” If you don’t believe me Google “postmodern education theory” and find out what public education is doing.(http://www.xenos.org/essays/comparing-modernist-and-postmodern-educational-theory.)

The intellect requires the use of rational God given logical processes.  The scholar only needs to memorize, believe and put into practice the information provided by the school teacher. The state is not interested in teaching the student how to think; it is interested in teaching them what to think by means of communicating information. The state does not want intellectual subjects.  The word intellect comes from the Greek word suniemi, which refers to “understanding or insight into something.”    The state wants “schooled” students (scholars) rather than intellectual development, learning the rules of logic, and using their rational ability. The word scholar taken from the Greek word schole refers to the place where students and teachers meet. The teacher teaches the student information.

I’m not necessarily opposed to public education.  I’m opposed as was Dr. Machen to Federal control over local schools. That takes me to the thesis of my blog: “the notion that the children belong to the State and their education must be provided for by the State” therefore, the student is obligated to the State.

Unfortunately, many Americans are not interested in the philosophy of education.  However, if we do not have a philosophy of education, random entropy will prevail.  Any philosophy of education ought to begin with local government (people in the local community) regulating the schools. That includes academic, social and every other aspect of the education of children.

Vote For:

Candidates with political views more inclined toward the Ten Commandments.

Americans who hold to a Judeo/Christian ethic have a choice in the upcoming election.

The following comments are based on observation, news reports, and the political affiliation of each candidate.

One candidate has respect for the Ten Commandments.  The other candidate has little if any respect for the Ten Commandments.

1. One candidate has God in the party platform. The other candidate has gods in the party platform.  (first three commandments)

2. One candidate believes in the individual work ethic. The other does not.  (fourth commandment)

3. One believes in rule by order according to the constitution. The other does not.  (fifth commandment)

4. One believes in the sanctity of life (pro-life). The other believes in abortion which is a form of murder. (sixth commandment).

5. One believes marriage was constituted by God between a man and a woman. The other does not, but rather believes in same sex marriage. (seventh commandment)

6. One believes in the right of the individual to work and provide for the family and help others in need. The other believes the individual must work for the government and redistribute the wealth of the nation.  (eighth through the tenth commandment)

In summary one candidate is opposed to the doctrine of statism and the other is an advocate of this ungodly doctrine.   Statism gives the state (government) sovereignty and authority over the citizens of the state.  To put it in simple language, the state becomes a god that promises to provide salvation for its subjects.

If ethics are important to the well being of a nation, then the choice is very simple.

Reformation 2016

October 31, 1517 is a special day in church history. It was on this day 499 years ago that Martin Luther challenged the church with his 95 theses. Luther never intended to start a new church or to divide the Roman Catholic Church. Luther simply wanted to see reform within the church.  He saw the condition of the church and wanted to debate some theological issues that seemed unorthodox for Christianity. Although others paved the way before him, most historians credit October 31, 1517 as the beginning of the Protestant Reformation. The Protestant Church was a product of the 16^th century Reformation in Europe.

By the end of the 20^th century, the Protestant Church had lost its meaning and purpose. The word protestant is derived from the Latin word protestari which has the root meaning “to protest.” James Davidson Hunter, Professor of Sociology and Religious Studies at the University of Virginia, correctly assessed the historical perspective.  He said that “the Protestant Reformation in the 16^th century created one of the most fundamental cultural divisions in the history of Western Civilization.” He goes on to say, “the practical efforts of the Reformation have, at least in the U.S. context, become both politically and culturally defunct.”  The Protestant Church is no longer protesting against the ungodly world and life views that prevail within the halls of evangelicalism.

Martin Luther protested against the deviation from the fundamental teachings of Christianity. He argued that the church must return to the doctrine of sola fide (faith alone). Sola fide teaches that man is declared righteous in the sight of God by an act of God. The contrary heresy was that man was made righteous, a prevailing doctrine in the modern evangelical church. The authority by which Luther would argue for the doctrine of “justification by faith alone” was sola scriptura (by Scripture alone). Luther realized that Holy Scripture is the ultimate authority for the church. From these “protests” (by faith alone, by Scripture alone, and others) the Protestant Church was born.

Since reformation is the subject of our discussion, let me define a couple of terms before I continue:

1. Reformation – the recovery (or discovery) of biblical truth
2. Revival – the practice of biblical truth after it has been recovered or discovered

When God sends reformation some will embrace it and others will hate it. “At a time when God manifests himself in such a great work for his church, there is no such thing as being neuter.”  This statement may be found in an essay written by Jonathan Edwards during the time of reformation and revival at his church in Northampton, Mass. Jesus said, “He who is not with Me is against Me (Luke 11:23).

When God sent the angels to Sodom to warn Lot of the impending judgment, Lot warned the unreformed men, but they ignored Lot. The minds of the wicked men of Sodom simply could not be reformed. Why did those wicked men not experience the kind of reformation and revival that Jonathan Edwards saw at Northampton? There may be different reasons.

One of the primary reasons for the absence of reformation is from ignorance.  Reformation and revival will never proceed from those who have never been shown the truth from the Bible. Then there are those who have been shown the truth, but they refuse to embrace the truth. If professing Christians have no concern or interest in truth, then the Spirit of God may not reside in their souls. Obviously reformation cannot take place if people are unconcerned about truth.

Disinterest in truth, reformation, and revival should be a grave concern to the church. The church that is not reforming will devolve its corruption to the next generation. Sooner or later the church will become so corrupt it will be called Ichabod (the glory has departed from Israel). If professing Christians have no concern or interest for truth, then the Spirit of God may be absent from those souls. If the Spirit of God is absent, then there cannot be reformation.  If there is no reformation (re-discovery of biblical truth), then there cannot be a revival. True biblical reformation will always precede revival. If revival is the first order of business, the result is a false man-made salvation or people seeking to earn salvation by their moral choices. If Christ is our Savior then our salvation is not man-made, but quite on the contrary our salvation is God-made. If Christ is our Lord then we seek to please Him in all our moral choices, rather than making moral choices to please ourselves.

It is an error to think that biblical reformation is a concept discovered by Martin Luther 499 years ago on October 31^st. “What Luther did was to rediscover vital Christianity and to give it afresh to the world” (The Works of B. B. Warfield, Vol. 9, p. 463)

Biblical reformation is just that ‒ it is biblical. Our reformation forefathers simply recovered and practiced the long forgotten concept that “the church reformed is always reforming.” Remember, a church that is not being reformed by the Word of God will devolve its corruption to the next generation.

The 17^th century Puritan, Francis Turretin, said the call to reformation is such that “a man is bound to purge his faith and worship of all the errors and superstitions by which it could be corrupted so that he may retain religion pure from every stain (vol. 3, p. 217).   Is it possible for a man to purge his faith and worship of all errors and superstitions?  Is it possible to remove all the corruption that comes from the sinful heart? Is it possible for our religion to be pure from every stain? The challenge is great and only possible if we are always being reformed by the Word of God. The Bible instructs us how we may remove all the corruption that comes from the sinful heart. Our religion will never be completely pure from every stain, but if there is any purity at all, it will be the result of reformation. Are we willing to work for the recovery of biblical truth

There is an axiom that says “if you don’t use it you lose it.”  If we apply that to the concept of reformation, we must say that if we don’t use the Word of God, we will lose the Word of God. In this materialist and consumeristic age one may argue that the Word of God is in abundance. Everyone has one, two, or maybe even five in the house.  If you visit the bookstore you will find the youth Bible, the serendipity Bible, the boys Bible, the girls Bible and a whole host of Bibles to accommodate most any need you might have. Even so, I say we are in danger of losing the Bible for several different reasons:

1. It is possible to lose the Word of God because of indifference.
2. It is possible to lose the Word of God because the Scriptures are not studied.
3. If the preaching of the Word of God is despised, then the word of God may be lost.
4. It is possible to lose the Word of God because it is considered irrelevant.

I’ve met too many professing Christians who are indifferent toward the Word of God and some of them, strange as it may seem, attach little importance to the Word of God.  Then there is an equal number who simply do not study the Word of God. Whether we lose the Word of God through neglect, unbelief, or disobedience, we are brought to the same end. Sin, vice, and misery are the natural results of losing the Word of God. Without the Word of God, men and women will hate true worship. Without the Word of God false worship will replace true worship.  So without the Word of God the church has no purpose.

A brief study of church history will reveal that the Bible has been lost to a lesser or greater degree at certain times and places in every period of the history of the church. The question we must ask is: What about today? The church as a whole is in a sad state. Survey after survey reveals that many, and from my experience most professing Christians can’t even name the Ten Commandments. Although they may use popular or even orthodox religious language, many have little understanding of salvation through grace by faith in Christ alone. Practice does not precede knowledge, despite the assertions made by religious professors. You must know something before you can believe something and you must believe something before you can practice something.

When the Holy Spirit has done His work and changes the hearts of His people, then being reformed by the Word of God will continue throughout their lives. Being reformed by the Word of God will touch every part of your soul ‒ the mind, the emotions, the will.  Once a child of God discovers the law and the gospel intellectually and emotionally it will have an effect on his or her decisions. There will be an outward manifestation of his or her love for truth. Being reformed by the Word of God is a necessary principle that must not be avoided by the church

Recovering the law and the gospel is ultimately important. We cannot put it off any longer!  What will we devolve on the shoulders of the next generation if we do not seriously seek reformation in the church, thus affecting every area of life including our religious, familial, social, economic, and political lives. To defer reformation to another person or another time is dangerous indeed, because such thinking and actions will surely provoke God’s wrath. There is a choice: reformation or judgment!

After Jonah experienced personal reformation he took the reformation to Nineveh. The Word of God says Jonah preached a sermon that went something like this: “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown” (Jonah 3:4). Apparently Jonah’s preaching was very powerful, because the whole city repented in sackcloth and ashes. How wonderful to see the universal nature of reformation that was occasioned by their faith in God. How wonderful to see the reformation move from city streets to the palace, from the common man to the heads of state. The undeniable truth from the book of Jonah is that the reformation at Nineveh saved that city from God’s impending judgment, unlike the city of Sodom.

God’s warnings are all around us. In the church, out of the church and throughout the natural world, God sends His warnings. True ministers of the Word of God who preach the full counsel of God are instruments of God to warn all people of God’s coming judgment (please read Ezekiel 33:1-11). Reformation is absolutely necessary for the church and culture!

Judgment of the Unreformed Church

The word reform denotes a change from one way of life to another way of life.  The book of Jonah depicts the true nature of reformation in the most universal sense.  There may be a few preachers who talk about reformation, but they do not appear to take reformation very serious.  When they do talk about reformation they are often concerned with constraint and circumscription’s that limit reformation.  Let me make it clear that when I use the word reformation, I have biblical reformation in mind.  Biblical reformation is the discovery or either the recovery of biblical truth.  Since reformation is the recovery of biblical truth, we should hasten to bring it about.  Recovering the truth of the law and gospel is ultimately important for the survival of the church, because such recovery integrates dignity and moral standards.

Look at the little ones among us.   While some of us are getting ready to die, they’re getting ready to live.  What will we devolve on the shoulders of our children and grandchildren if we do not seriously and sincerely seek reformation in the church, thus affecting every area of life including our religious, familial, social, economic, and political lives?  An insincere reformation is no reformation at all.

The book and life of Jonah reflect the principles necessary for reformation in the church that will lead to reformation in the culture. Being reformed by the Word of God is necessary to grasp the substance of life and eternity.  To ignore reformation is dangerous indeed, because without reformation God’s wrath will be provoked.

Deuteronomy 4:25 – “When you begat children and grandchildren and have grown old in the land, and act corruptly and make a carved image in the form of anything, an do evil in the sight of the Lord your God to provoke Him to anger, I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day. . .”

Doing evil provokes God to anger. From 1450 B.C. to 600 B.C. the people of God provoked God to the point that His glory departed from the temple in Jerusalem.  It was symbolic of God’s favorable presence leaving the people that professed to believe Him.

The people in Sodom tried neutrality.  It didn’t work.  When the wicked men of Sodom were told of the eminent destruction they just couldn’t believe it was true.  The nearness, the uncertainty, greatness and eternity of God’s punishment and wrath doesn’t seem dreadful or miserable for the unreformed man.  Natural man cannot be reformed and wicked men will not be reformed, but those whom God has called to Himself can and must seek reformation.  The choice is simple:  reformation or judgment.

The reformation in Ninevah was not permanent.  Every generation must seek reformation according to the Word of God.  It was for that reason that the 16^th century Reformation reformers used the Latin phrase:

“Ecclesia reformata semper est reformanda”

“The church (being) reformed (by the Word of God) is always reforming”

Every Christian and every generation must rediscovery the truth of the Word of God, so the beauty, majesty, and dignity of God will be evident in the church.

After Jonah’s personal reformation he went to preach reformation to the whole city of Nineveh or to put it in other terms Jonah preached to a culture unfamiliar with the true and living God.  Jonah went through the streets of Nineveh preaching a very simple, but very persuasive sermon: “Yet forty days, and Nineveh shall be overthrown.” Apparently Jonah’s preaching was very powerful and very convincing, because the whole city repented in sackcloth and ashes.

The repentance at Nineveh was universal and was occasioned by their faith in God.  The unexpected, but sudden reformation at Nineveh began with the people and very quickly reached the heads of state.  The undeniable truth from the book of Jonah is that the reformation at Nineveh saved that city from God’s impending judgment.  “Then God saw their works, that they turned from their evil way;  and God relented from the disaster that He had said He would bring upon them and He did not do it (Jonah 3:10).”  The sinful people at Nineveh were about to have the wrath of God poured out upon them.  But God showed mercy after the people of Nineveh were reformed.

What we learn from Jonah and Nineveh is that reformation and the people turning from their evil ways averts God’s threatened judgment.  Not only from Jonah,  God spoke through the prophet Jeremiah and said, “The instant I speak concerning a nation and concerning a kingdom, to pluck up, to pull down, and to destroy it, if that nation against whom I have spoken turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I thought to bring upon it (Jeremiah 18:7).”

God not only calls the church to reformation, but God calls nations to reform. The church should be the light on the hill. Once the church has recovered the truth of God’s grace, the church must then take that truth to the culture.  Our present national sins should be of great concern to the church.  Today God’s people feel the threats of every international, national, and local crisis that erupts.  We sense the coming economic calamity.  We see the moral catastrophe that accompanies a form of godliness among so many professing Christians.

The people of Nineveh believed the Word of God.  This is the central principle of reformation “they believed the Word of God.”  Then they fasted.  Like Jonah, you’ll have to experience personal reformation first.  Rediscover God’s truth.  The light of God’s truth will light up a passion for reformation that will work itself out as a revival.

The well intentioned Christian may say:  “We know of God’s impending judgment, but preaching God’s judgment will chase people away and we’ll never get to save them.” It is correct that the church cannot save anyone. God saves and He uses His word to convict sinners of their sins.  When the “Lord opened her (Lydia’s) heart to heed the things spoken” she was able to believe and seek reformation from the written Word.

The majority of the church and most of our nation has not given attention to the terrible threats of God.  A few sermons have been preached about reformation and the imminent dangers if the church continues unreformed.  Those sermons have largely been ignored.  God is angry with the gross hypocrisy and the great heresies that plague the professing church.    The church will do well to listen to God’s threat of judgment.   The church will do well to cut out all the talk about reformation, and stop amusing themselves with egocentric worship.  Useless talk and self-worship will find its end in God’s judgment. The present unreformed church simply refuses to preach the simplicity of God’s grace, man’s sinful condition and in particular the doctrine of God’s salvation.

The church must recover the full counsel of God for reformation in the church extending to the culture.  Judgment of the unreformed church may be prevented, if the church will:

• Seek God’s counsel from His Word
• Hide God’s Word in the heart’s mind
• Declare God’s Word without shame
• Delight in the Word of God and never forget it

Reformation is the recovery of biblical truth.

Natural man cannot recover biblical truth.

Wicked men will not recover biblical truth.

God’s covenant people are the only instruments of reformation.

Will we do any less than the Ninevites?

Will we believe?

Will we repent?

If so, God may relent from the disaster that is coming upon us!

What Does Your World Look Like?

In your community, town, state, and nation, there are embedded worldviews. A worldview helps you identify the way you understand life. Principles, good or bad, build and express your worldviews. Dr. J. P. Moreland explains the nature of a worldview:

A person’s worldview contains two important features. First, it includes the set of beliefs the person accepts, especially those about important matters such as reality, God, value, knowledge, and so on…[and] a worldview includes the rational structure that occurs among the set of beliefs that constitute it. (Kingdom Triangle, by J. P. Moreland, p. 33)

Worldviews are formed and confirmed by the way a person interprets the world around him or her. Christian worldviews derive from truth, because God is truth. Ungodly and unbiblical worldviews are derived from falsehood (lies) articulated by Satan, the father of lies. It only takes one step to turn a legitimate discipline in life, like being human into a worldview, which then turns into a false god. To put it another worldviews may become your object of worship.

The easy way to identify and express worldviews is the “ism” attached to the end of a noun. When the noun forming suffix, “ism,” is added to the end of a noun, it describes an ideology or a way of life. Christians should have some knowledge of how the various “isms” affect them corporately as a church and individually as Christians.  It is the duty of Christians to formulate a worldview that places the God they worship in the centerpiece of their thinking. It is a way of life that has ultimate value for you, your community, your town, or your nation. When the majority assume a worldview, it is “the dominant worldview”.¹ The following worldviews are mere samples of many used in modern/postmodern culture.

Theism is the fundamental worldview of the Christian religion.  Theism is the worldview that acknowledges our relationship to God in a personal way and further that God’s nature and character is what is claimed in the Word of God.

Humanism is contrary to theism. A brief description of humanism: “Humanism asserts that the nature of the universe depicted by modern science makes unacceptable any supernatural or cosmic guarantees of human values” (American Humanist Association). An ancient Greek philosopher named Protagoras has given the modern humanist a motto:  “Man, the measure.”  Protagoras believed that man was the measure of all things.

Secularism is the most misinterpreted worldview. The root of the word Secularism is derived from the word secular.  The word secular describes the here and now. Secular is actually a good word because we all live in the here and now. However, when you turn it into a worldview it means, “Live for today, because there may not be a tomorrow.”  Secularism is probably the most influential worldview and is in direct opposition to theism.  Theism places the importance on the sacred rather than the secular, the divine rather than the human, the truth rather than expedience, and the good life rather than the happy life.

Naturalism is the worldview that denies the existence of a theistic God.  Naturalism believes the Universe is natural and energy and matter is the substance of existence.  Naturalism denies the spiritual nature of man.  Humanism, secularism, and naturalism are contrary to thesim and supernaturalism.

Individualism is the worldview that produces irresponsible and mass confusion in the church and in the culture. An individual person is a creative work of God.  However, when the noun forming suffix, “ism,” is added to the word “individual,” it describes an ideology or a way of life.  Individualism may become a false god to the individual.  The philosophy of individualism places self at the center of life. “I am and there is no one else besides me” (Isaiah 47:10).

Statism is the worldview that gives the state all sovereignty and authority over its “collective equals.”  Webster defines it as “the principle or policy of concentrating extensive economic, political, and related controls in the state at the cost of individual liberty.”  The state then becomes the savior of those collective equals. Statism recruits egalitarianism as an accompanying worldview.  Egalitarianism is the worldview that claims all people are equal.  Allan Bloom in his book, The Closing of the American Mind, reasons that, “Although every man in a democracy thinks himself individually the equal of every other man, this makes it difficult to resist the collectivity of equal men.”  This however, is another danger in our American democratic system.  The result of two centuries of American democratic federalism has produced the statism of our present day. This is one of the most influential worldviews in the United States.

Victimizationalism is a passive worldview that was popularized by an unbiblical therapeutic generation accompanied by a litigious society.  It is a worldview void of any biblical understanding.  The basic assumption behind victimizationalism is the goodness and worth of self.  It is built on the unbiblical notion that “I am and there is not one else besides me” (Isaiah 47:10).  This unbiblical destructive worldview essentially says, “When something bad happens to me it is the fault of someone else.  On a practical level the alleged victim says, “Since it is their fault, they must pay me some money.”

Feminism was born at the feet of egalitarianism, individualism, and statism. The fundamental ideology is that women have equal rights, the same rights that men have as a secular worldview. If taken to its logical end, it would mean that women desire to dominate men. Now, where did that come from? Maybe from the mouth of God! “To the woman he [God] said, ‘I will greatly increase your labor pains; with pain you will give birth to children. You will want to control your husband, but he will dominate you’” (Genesis 3:16). As punishment for breaking God’s covenant, Eve the woman would desire to control Adam the man. It has been part of the old man (sinful nature) since the beginning.

There are many more worldviews, but the real question is, which will your choose? There are plenty of ungodly worldviews like pragmatism, consumerism, sophism, deism, hedonism, narcissism, relativism, utilitarianism, and multi-culturalism; Just to mention a few of the most popular false gods. Three letters, “ism,” may lead a professing Christian down a destructive path. Look and listen for “isms” then do a little research and study the whole counsel of God, because there you will find the truth.  Christian worldviews derive from truth, because God is truth. Ungodly and unbiblical worldviews are derived from falsehood (lies) articulated by Satan, the father of lies.

1. The Dominant Culture: Living in the Promised Land

Egalitarianism and Racial Ignorance

The classical meaning of race and racism has been practically effaced by the literary jargon of the 19^th and 20^th century. The common use of the word race allegedly refers to a class of people related by blood, ethnic similarities, traditions, et al. It has become a common practice to add the English suffix “ism” to caricature a word to the degree of a world and life view. Then racism becomes a term meaning the supreme exaltation of a race of people. The consequence would be the hatred for a different ethnic group. The imago Dei (the image of God) is a natural resident for all human beings according to Christian theology. R. L. Dabney’s Systematic Theology posits, “we learn that man, unlike all lower creatures, was formed in the ‘image of God – after His likeness.’  The general idea here is obviously, that there is a resemblance of man to God.

There is a certain ubiquity associated with the term racism.  To show the shallow rational and mental effort put into defining words we only have to turn to Webster’s Dictionary.  It describes racism as “a belief that human races have distinctive characteristics that determine their respective cultures usually involving the idea that one’s own race is superior and has the right to rule others.”  Then Webster defines race as “a group of persons related by common descent, blood, or heredity.”  According to Webster there is a difference in races when using the term “race” but when using “racism” the subjectivity shifts only to “a belief” that there are differences in races.  God created one race, the human race, but because of sin they are divided into various ethnic groups. The mass media, powerful politicians, and elusive educators have successfully duped Americans into believing that definitions to words are unnecessary.  We live at a time when ignorance hides under the charm of scholarship and true education is condemned by uneducated scholars.  Anti-intellectualism has been crowned queen of the public square.

The greatest gift God gave the human race was a rational mind.  (Please note:  The greatest gift God gave the children of God is the grace of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ.)  An uneducated man may use his rational faculties.  However, an educated man may suppress his rational faculties.  An uneducated man may employ principles of logic while the educated man may employ the principles of confusion.  We have cultural elites treating words with contempt and stirring up confusion.  The sad effect will eventually show its face.  One day people will learn, maybe too late, that words are meaningful.  Then many will look back and realize theological and philosophical principles relating to life and culture should not have been ignored.

The contemporary church has adopted the imaginary assumption that God ordained an egalitarian undefined people called human beings.  In so doing the church ignores the basic principle of taxonomy found in Genesis chapter one.  God not only classified His creation, He ordered the division of nations, boundaries, and an inheritance by separating them into their various lands (Genesis 10).  They were nations with various ethnic and cultural distinctions.  When we avoid the distinction of nations, ethnic groups, and cultural milieus (popularly misinterpreted as racism) we promote the sin of egalitarianism.  I need only to remind you that the amalgamation of the races was a sin against God (Genesis 11).  The Bible teaches that it is a sin to despise or hate another person for any reason, especially because of their natural birth.  The sin is not “racism” but that of pride, envy, and murder.  It is humanism that has reversed God’s plan.  It is humanism with its beloved children (multi-culturalism, despotism, and the one world order) that say “let us build ourselves a city and a tower reaching to the heavens; let us make a name for ourselves.”

The passion of every human being is the desire to be equal to God. It began with the first two people representing the human race. They were charmed with the idea they could “be like God” (Genesis 3:5). Natural man says, “I am and there is no one else besides me” (Isaiah 47:10). Egalitarianism is a world view popularized by the war cry of the French Revolution, ” Liberty, Equality, and Fraternity.” Egalitarianism or the rarely used term, ultimate equalism, is wicked to the core. The human race is only equal in terms of, “all are sinners.” R. L. Dabney rightly declared, “The extreme claim of equality is false and iniquitous.  For out of the wide natural diversities of sex and of character must arise a wide difference of natural relations between individuals and the State.  To attempt to bestow identical franchises upon all thus appears to be unjust, and, indeed, impossible.” There are universal natural distinctions found in human beings.  However, he also believed “There is a natural moral equality between all men, in that all are generically men.  All  have a rational, responsible and immortal destiny, and are inalienably entitled to pursue it;  all are morally related alike to God, the common Father; and all have equitable title to the protection of the laws under which Divine Providence places them.”

I pray that the sanctifying power of the Holy Spirit may reach the hearts of those professing Christians who have adopted the modern concept of rationalism and the postmodern concept of subjectivism.  I pray they will adopt the Word of God to understand life and faith. May we all agree with the inspired words of the Psalmist:

“Give me understanding according to Your word”

“Deliver me according to Your word”

“Teach me Your statutes”

“For all Your commandments are righteousness.”

Psalm 119:169-176

How to Win Friends and Influence People

1. Don’t insist on telling the truth on every occasion
2. Don’t insist on preserving a man’s good name
3. Don’t insist on keeping promises
4. Do be willing to hide the truth if it benefits your cause
5. Do be willing to tell a lie, even if it hurts another person
6. Do be willing to flatter someone to accomplish your goal

The above six points may win alleged friends and may influence someone, but the six points are ungodly and anti-Christian.

In a society consumed by postmodern rhetoric the ninth commandment, “Do Not Lie” does not fit into the new reality agenda. Friends may not harmonize with the truth; therefore, telling the truth on every occasion may result in a loss of friends.  However, Christians do not have a choice between friends and truth.  The ninth commandment requires a person to tell the truth about his or her  neighbor.

I have alleged that the world of communication technology has changed the way people think.  It has been said that we are living in the fastest age in human history.  We know that time is not relative.  The measurement for time is consistent.  There are 60 minutes for each hour, etc and it always has been.  What is different is what we can accomplish in those 60 minutes compared to a few generations ago.  For instance, no one would travel very far out of the community for regular worship services and church related activities.  Now days it is not uncommon for people to drive to different towns or communities to associate with a local church.  Human history is moving at the same pace it has always moved.  However, with the speed and flow of information, the acquisition of information is faster than it has ever been before.

Telephone (FAXs), radio, television and computer networks have greatly enhanced the ability to instantaneously communicate ideas. We must not denigrate the positive dimensions of electronic communications, but on the other hand, we must not ignore the negative factors of electronic communications.

Radio has a variety of music, talk shows, preachers and teachers with their own programs.  Many of them promote anti-intellectual agendas with a wide variety of very different biblical doctrines.  Television, video, and smart phones have the same influence, but the visual elements corrupt or maybe even destroy the thinking process.

On top of all this, we live in the postmodern era.  Many Ivy League colleges teach literary deconstructionism as the accepted method for interpreting human language.  Deconstructionism teaches that the author uses words to compose a literary piece, but those words are meaningless to the recipient until someone deconstructs the words and gives them meaning.  This means there is no absolute truth for any written communication. To put it another way the author had no real intention to convey absolute truth with the words.  The ninth commandment must be understood based on two inseparable biblical concepts.  They are human communication and truth.

Why are professing Christians becoming less inclined to believe in absolute truth?

They are disinclined to believe the first eight commandments.

They are inclined to believe there are many gods.

They do not believe the true God requires true worship.

They do not have the proper reverence for God.

They do not work and worship according to God’s commandments.

They do not respect the authority of God.

They do not value life or property.

They do not place any value on truth.

Most of what Christians read, hear, and see is fantasy, therefore the truth of reality does not satisfy the human lust for power and excitement.

The doctrine associated with the ninth commandment is derived from the whole counsel of God; it is exceedingly wide and very deep.  There are two doctrinal principles derived from a study of the ninth commandment.

The first principle is that where there is a lie on the tongue, Satan is in the heart.  Professing Christians allow Satan to deceive them into believing that truth is relative to circumstances, conditions, and cultures.  Christians who reject the truth will be drawn into the vortex of Satan’s lies.  For too long truth and error have slept comfortably in the same bed.

The second principle is that for those who have violated this commandment, there is refuge in the righteousness of the one who is the Truth, the Lord Jesus Christ. Run to Him, confess, repent, ask forgiveness and be restored into the joy of God’s saving grace.

You may deceive people and allegedly win friends and influence people, but God cannot be deceived and He will never be influenced with lies.