Posted on 01/27/2008 7:56:14 PM PST by Manfred the Wonder Dawg
January 25, 2008
ESV Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
In recent days I have spent time in Lima and Sullana Peru and Mexico City and I have discovered that people by nature are the same. Man has a heart that is inclined to selfishness and idolatry. Sin abounds in the remotest parts of the land because the heart is desperately wicked. Thousands bow before statues of Mary and pray to her hoping for answers. I have seen these people stare hopelessly at Mary icons, Jesus icons, and a host of dead saints who will do nothing for them. I have talked with people who pray to the pope and say that they love him. I talked with one lady who said that she knew that Jesus was the Savior, but she loved the pope. Thousands bow before Santa Muerte (holy death angel) in hopes that she will do whatever they ask her. I have seen people bring money, burning cigarettes, beer, whiskey, chocolate, plants, and flowers to Santa Muerte in hopes of her answers. I have seen these people bowing on their knees on the concrete in the middle of public places to worship their idol. Millions of people come into the Basilica in Mexico City and pay their money, confess their sins, and stare hopelessly at relics in hope that their sins will be pardoned. In America countless thousands are chained to baseball games, football games, material possessions, and whatever else their heart of idols can produce to worship.
My heart has broken in these last weeks because the God of heaven is not honored as he ought to be honored. People worship the things that are created rather than worshiping the Creator. God has been gracious to all mankind and yet mankind has hardened their hearts against a loving God. God brings the rain on the just and unjust. God brings the beautiful sunrises and sunsets upon the just and unjust. God gives good gifts unto all and above all things he has given his Son that those who would believe in him would be saved. However, man has taken the good things of God and perverted them unto idols and turned their attention away from God. I get a feel for Jesus as he overlooked Jerusalem or Paul as he beseeched for God to save Israel. When you accept the reality of the truth of the glory of God is breaks your heart that people would turn away from the great and awesome God of heaven to serve lesser things. Moses was outraged by the golden calf, the prophets passionately preached against idolatry, Jesus was angered that the temple was changed in an idolatrous business, and Paul preached to the idolaters of Mars Hill by telling them of the unknown God.
I arrived back at home wondering how I should respond to all the idolatry that I have beheld in these last three weeks. I wondered how our church here in the states should respond to all of the idolatry in the world. What are the options? First, I suppose we could sit around and hope that people chose to get their life together and stop being idolaters. However, I do not know how that could ever happen apart from them hearing the truth. Second, I suppose we could spend a lifetime studying cultural issues and customs in hope that we could somehow learn to relate to the people of other countries. However, the bible is quite clear that all men are the same. Men are dead in sin, shaped in iniquity, and by nature are the enemies of God. Thirdly, we could pay other people or other agencies to go and do a work for us while we remain comfortably in the states. However, there is no way to insure that there will be doctrinal accuracy or integrity. If we only pay other people to take the gospel we will miss out on all of the benefits of being obedient to the mission of God. Lastly, we could seek where God would have us to do a lasting work and then invest our lives there for the glory of God. The gospel has the power to raise the dead in any culture and we must be willing to take the gospel wherever God would have us take it. It is for sure that our church cannot go to every country and reach every people group, so we must determine where God would have us work and seek to be obedient wherever that is.
It seems that some doors are opening in the Spanish speaking countries below us and perhaps God is beginning to reveal where we are to work. There are some options for work to be partnered with in Peru and there could be a couple of options in Mexico. The need is greater than I can express upon this paper for a biblical gospel to be proclaimed in Peru and Mexico. Oh, that God would glorify his great name in Peru and Mexico by using a small little church in a town that does not exist to proclaim his great gospel amongst a people who desperately need the truth.
I give thanks to the LORD for allowing me the privilege of going to these countries and broadening my horizons. The things that I have seen will be forever engraved upon my heart. I will long remember the pastors that I spent time with in Peru and I will never forget Adolfo who translated for me in Mexico. I will relish the time that I spent with Paul Washer and the others. When I think of church I will forever remember being on top of that mountain in Sullana at that church which had no electricity and no roof. I am convinced that heaven was looking down on that little church on top of that mountain and very few people on earth even know that it exist. Oh, God I pray that the things of this world will continue to grow dim and that God’s people will be caught up in his glorious presence.
Because of the truth: Pastor: J. Randall Easter II Timothy 2:19 "Our God is in heaven and does whatever He pleases."(Ps. 115:3) "He predestined us according to the good pleasure of His will."(Eph. 1:5) Those who have been saved have been saved for His glory and they are being made holy for this is the will of God. Are you being made holy? Spurgeon says, "If your religion does not make you holy it will damn you to hell."
It's not my idea. This is what the Bible says.
we have absolutely no idea how God differentiates between knowing and causing.
If God "knows" something will happen, will that thing happen?
Yes.
How long has God known this thing that's going to happen?
From before the foundation of the world since God is omnicient and nothing is unknown to Him.
Therefore, God "knows" every sinful act all men will commit. And those who don't believe in Christ will perish. Yet God creates them anyway, doesn't He, knowing full well which man will sit with Him in heaven and which man will spend eternity in hell?
Why? Because that's how God created each of us, some acquitted by Christ alone and some condemned by their own sins whom God has chosen not to cover by the sacrifice of Christ.
"O LORD, I know that the way of man is not in himself: it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps." -- Jeremiah 10:23
There is no difference between God's foreknowledge and God's ordination. It's all as God purposes it. One way or another.
You're really asking why God created any of us in the first place, and the answer to that can only be, "for His good pleasure and His eternal glory."
I see you don't refute any of the Scriptures I gave. There's plenty more. Romans 8 & 9; Colossians; Galatians; John...
"Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?" -- Romans 9:21
Man does not give himself a new birth. He must be born again by God's gift of the Holy Spirit. And it's God's call. Not ours. Christ will open the door to anyone who knocks, but as Augustine reminds us, it is God who not only opens the door but causes us to even want to knock.
"For who maketh thee to differ from another? and what hast thou that thou didst not receive?" -- 1 Corinthians 4:4
Christians should rejoice in the answer to that question. Maybe that's why the world works so hard to keep the truth from them.
lol.
Aren't we the most fortunate of men and women? 8~)
***That is because there is no “altar” in most Protestant churches. There is no need to sacrifice Christ again. His one-time perfect sacrifice was offered to and accepted by God at Calvary, per Hebrews.***
Do you think so little of what Christ did that you would be willing to deny the importance of the sacrifice of the Mass? I know, I know. Paul didn’t tell you guys personally to follow the words of Christ, so you don’t. You guys don’t believe in Transubstantiation; the words and actions of the first Christians were so much hooey and the Church Fathers are considered by the Reformed to be incompetent fools. St. Augustine is merely one of the misled, until the Reformed delves into his heretical period, and then, by gosh, it’s all love and devotion and brotherhood.
The priest, as a member of the congregation should be looking, with the people, up to God and addressing Him as a people, not as in the Protestant prayer barns with the prancing, dancing, shouting, haranguing, snake oil salesmen shaking their fists, stamping their feet, and pounding their Bibles.
Look at the televangelists. They are trying to be rock stars, or great and wise statesmen, or squeeze the tears from your eyes as they squeeze the cash from your wallet.
I find it easier to be in a spiritual frame of mind in a Catholic Church as opposed to a gymnasium or arena. But if somebody finds differently, so be it. The place that I have felt the greatest presence of God is in the Dom in Cologne, Germany. The feeling was almost overwhelming as I walked into it. No, I haven’t been to St. Peter’s yet.
Westminster Cathedral was also awe inspiring, and we have a number of places like that in the US and Canada.
Pepy’s Diary. No more sure chronicler of the times than he.
http://www.pepysdiary.com/p/796.php
“During 1648, Cromwell’s letters and speeches started to become heavily based on biblical imagery, many of them meditations on the meaning of particular passages. For example, after the battle of Preston, study of Psalms 17 and 105 led him to tell Parliament that “they that are implacable and will not leave troubling the land may be speedily destroyed out of the land”. A letter to Oliver St John in September 1648 urged him to read Isaiah 8, in which the kingdom falls and only the godly survive. This letter suggests that it was Cromwell’s faith, rather than a commitment to radical politics, coupled with Parliament’s decision to engage in negotiations with the king at the Treaty of Newport, that convinced him that God had spoken against both the king and Parliament as lawful authorities. For Cromwell, the army was now God’s chosen instrument.[26] The episode shows Cromwell’s firm belief in “Providentialism”—that God was actively directing the affairs of the world, through the actions of “chosen people” (whom God had “provided” for such purposes). Cromwell believed, during the Civil Wars, that he was one of these people, and he interpreted victories as indications of God’s approval of his actions, and defeats as signs that God was directing him in another direction.”
Bad thing to join military with religious fanaticism. Shades of Islamic method there.
I think that the mistranslation of Greek to Latin is at the heart of it all. I don’t see it as a great theological barricade. The Schism is practically over, praise be to God.
Then why do they call it an “altar call”?
The problem will never be corrected until fallible men stop telling children they are "another Christ."
The DVD is worth the money just to witness that one scene alone.
Look, when somebody Gnostically declares themselves in a selected elite, essentially a snooty community that believes that they are going to wind up in Heaven while everyone else is going to hell and there’s nothing that they can do about it, why not take others’ property?
If they are going to Heaven no matter what they do, then it doesn’t matter to them, WHAT they do. There’s no getting away from the fact that the Puritan descendents were a notoriously greedy bunch, using whatever power (usually governmental) to settle the score from their past, in which they had to leave England and were booted out of the normally liberal and accepting Netherlands.
The Scottish bankers, good Presbyterians all, squeezed every penny out of the folks here short of putting a gun to their heads. And then went into government to protect their money interests. Pierre Trudeau was a good example.
Let ‘em discuss the violence inherent in their system. I’d encourage it. They are a mean people, impoverished theologically, and, from what I’ve seen, suffer from that in their everyday lives.
***For Cromwell, the army was now God’s chosen instrument.[26] The episode shows Cromwell’s firm belief in “Providentialism”—that God was actively directing the affairs of the world, through the actions of “chosen people” (whom God had “provided” for such purposes). Cromwell believed, during the Civil Wars, that he was one of these people, and he interpreted victories as indications of God’s approval of his actions, and defeats as signs that God was directing him in another direction.”***
Oh yes. And there are a bunch of Cromwells posting actively right here. If God is within them, God is directing them. If God is directing them, then He only directs them in His way. They are incapable of not following His will. Therefore everything they do is God’s will. They can do no wrong since God is within them.
Fascinating philosophy to have. The ramifications are, of course, horrendous.
***But his righteous flourish scattering the idols of the altar was really really cool as depicted by Richard Harris in the film, “Cromwell.”***
Catholics don’t have idols on their altars. But do continue. This fantasy life that the Reformers have must make up for their other theological shortcomings.
Just catching up, but if the RCC believed in Faith Alone, why were so many killed for believing that during the Reformation.
And I meant to address this.
Nothing is "meaningless." Everything was created by and for and through Christ Jesus for the glory of God. How could anything then be "meaningless?"
The Westminster Confession says that the "chief purpose of man is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever."
That's a wonderfully uplifting point of view. Nothing "meaningless" about it.
We preach the word of God because God tells us that Scripture and its illumination by the Holy Spirit are the means God has ordained to reach His children and to "renew their minds" to the truth.
We don't know who's among the "elect of God" and who isn't. We can be assured of our own salvation because Christ tells us if we believe He is our Saviour, then we have been redeemed by His sacrifice and our faith is real.
We have indications of other people's salvation because Christ told us we will "know them by their fruits;" and only a good tree planted by God will produce good fruit, and any tree not planted by God will be pulled up.
But we have no power to change anyone's mind or heart. That's God's job. We simply preach the word in season and out, "confident God giveth the increase."
Nothing you say, no argument you make, can either increase or diminish the number of those saved. It's already set in stone.
That's not my idea. That's what God says.
If ye then be not able to do that thing which is least, why take ye thought for the rest?" -- Luke 12:25-26"And which of you with taking thought can add to his stature one cubit?
Seeing his days are determined, the number of his months are with thee, thou hast appointed his bounds that he cannot pass" -- Job 14:4-5
"And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation" -- Acts 17:26"Who can bring a clean thing out of an unclean? not one.
I would urge you to read these verses and see what God is telling you. It's very good news. Christ has risen. All who believe on His name have been redeemed, by the grace of God alone.
Mercy triumphs over justice.
"Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." -- Ephesians 6:11
Amen.
What Christ did was save the eternal souls of all His sheep. All history builds to Christ risen from the cross. All future flows from Christ risen on the cross.
And it was a one-time offering, made by Christ and accepted by God.
Read Hebrews.
Therefore I deny the Mass. Period. It blasphemes the accomplished work of Christ. It is offered by "another Christ" repetitively.
But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God; From henceforth expecting till his enemies be made his footstool. For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified." -- Hebrews 10:11-14"And every priest standeth daily ministering and offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins:
As for me, I don't care for any modernist rendering of a church. Have you seen the new cathedral in L.A? It's atrocious, IMO. I like a small wooden structure with sloping pews and the pulpit center-stage. Much like Alpha-8-25-02's beautiful little church back east.
A kirk in the valley. That's my preference.
But Richard Harris swiping away the idols on the altar in the DVD of "Cromwell" is stirring.
IIRC he even turned the altar around to transform it back into a pulpit facing the congregation.
All in all, a terrific scene.
I have no idea why anyone calls it an “altar call.” I don’t call it an “altar call.” I don’t really believe in “altar calls” and I’ve certainly never seen an “altar call.”
Trust the LORD, it will be as he wills.
My father-in-law came to live with my wife and I after he had a stroke. He was Eastern Orthodox. Every Sunday I invited him to come with us to church. After a couple months, he said yes. He started coming every Sunday. His son was surprised and asked him why. He told him he really enjoyed it. Our Pastor preaches THE GOSPEL every Sunday.
My father-in-law died last March. Before he died my wife prayed with him and asked him if he believed THE GOSPEL and had Faith in Jesus Alone. He said yes.
Trust the LORD.
I know my father-in-law would never have listened if it was his Bible believing Baptist son-in-law trying to explain THE GOSPEL to him, but in the end he did hear THE GOSPEL and he believed.
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