Atoms are so tiny and most stars so distant that man has never seen them, yet we believe they exist based on the evidence we have. Likewise, when we say that we believe in a God we cannot see, and that the Bible is His special Book, our faith is not blind. It is founded on many rational, common sense reasons to accept His existence and to believe that the Bible is His trustworthy message and instruction manual to mankind.
If there is a Creator who made humans with the ability and desire to communicate (Genesis 1:26), we can expect our Creator to have the ability and desire to communicate with us (Genesis 1:3, 26, 28; 3:8). Furthermore, as our own practice of codes and contracts testify, a written account is the most dependable method by which to transmit and preserve vital communications. Would it be surprising then, that God’s message to mankind today should be conveyed in a book? Which leads to the question--"which book?" Several “holy books” claim divine origin, so what makes the Bible different?
Its claimOver 2,000 times in the Old Testament alone, the Bible claims that God directed what is written within its pages. “Thus saith the Lord” occurs 413 times. 2 Samuel 23:2 says, “The Spirit of the LORD spake by me, and His word was in my tongue.”
Its communication - God used willing men whom He “moved” to write His truth through their individual languages, personalities and cultures. We call this method, “Inspiration.” 2 Timothy 3:16 states, “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God....” 2 Peter 1:21 says, “For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.”
A rational conclusion - If the Bible was given to us by God, then it must be true and divinely preserved. “Thy word is true from the beginning, and every one of Thy righteous judgments endureth forever” (Psalm 119:160). The following tests confirm the Bible’s superiority to every other book, and that its claim of divine origin is true.
Science seems to constantly try to correct the Bible, but in fact, the Bible has repeatedly corrected science. For thousands of years “science” insisted the world was flat and held by gigantic animals. Yet, 2,000 years before Christopher Columbus' historic voyage, Isaiah spoke of “the circle of the earth” (40:22), and 4,000 years ago, Biblical Job said the earth hangs in space on nothing (26:7). Science is again bowing to the Bible as scholars are exchanging the once-popular theory of evolution for “Intelligent Design.”
Every major land feature and almost every place in the Bible have now been located. In addition, much of what the Bible says about the names, lives and culture of people has been confirmed by other historical sources. Dr. Nelson Glueck, one of the most outstanding Jewish archeologists of the 20th century, wrote, "It may be stated categorically that no archaeological discovery has ever contradicted a Biblical reference. [Instead], scores of archaeological findings have been made which confirm… in exact detail historical statements in the Bible.” [Rivers in the Desert, New York, Grove, 1960, p. 31]
God used forty men over a period of 1,600 years speaking three different languages to pen the sixty-six “books” that make up our complete Bible. Yet all of the pieces fit together perfectly to present one unified story of God’s plan of redemption. That feat is akin to asking forty different writers from around the world (from sixteen different centuries) to write a chapter of a novel with no collaboration. When compiled, the book they created would be one continuous, interconnected, non-contradicting story--in this case, the Story of Redemption.
God’s Word contains 3,856 verses of prophecy, yet not one prediction has ever failed. Such mathematical odds are impossible. The only reasonable explanation is a supernatural source--God.
Kings and emperors have sought to destroy the Bible. Scholars and skeptics have tried to disprove it. Religions have banned it. But after 2,000 years the Bible is still the best selling, most translated book in the world.
The timeless, universal principles and promises found in the Bible work for health, marriage, child rearing, finances, and more. It has given hope, joy, strength, peace, and comfort to multitudes. It enables men to change the way they live and to die without fear. The “preponderance of evidence” confirms that this book truly is God’s message to mankind. It describes His design for men, His dealings with men, and His deliverance of fallen men through reconciliation with Himself. Has this Book changed you?
Article #1 considered the reasons we believe the Bible as a whole, but what about some of those really “hard-to-swallow” Bible stories about the dawn of human history? Satan’s favorite tactic from the very beginning of time has been to cast doubt on the Bible--“You don’t really believe that do you?” (See Genesis 3:1-4.) If the first chapter of the Book is not true, how can we trust the rest of the Book? Be assured that even those earliest Biblical accounts are not only accurate, but are amply supported by reasonable evidence. Yes, we do believe in a literal six-day creation, a young Earth and a global flood because...
No extra-Biblical theory solves the mystery of the original source of matter, motion, information, intelligence, emotion, life, or intricate design. The Bible addresses ALL questions of origins with one rational statement, “In the beginning GOD created....” Unfortunately, man’s bias often prevents him from even considering the one possible solution that answers all the questions. It has been said that “the key that fits all the doors is the right key.” The Bible answer fits all the evidence.
The basis of science is observation and experimentation--“the scientific method.” Since no humans observed the beginning, and since those primordial conditions cannot be recreated, true science can never answer the questions of origins.
Every explanation, including evolution, is a religion that attempts to answer the three instinctive questions in the soul of each human being: Where did we come from? Why are we here, and where are we going? Evolution’s answer is, “Human beings arose as a kind of glorious cosmic accident resulting from the sequence of thousands of improbable events.”* This is not a scientific statement but a religious assumption demanding enormous faith. [*Dr. Stephen J. Gould in his introduction to What Darwin Really Said, by Benjamin Farrington, Schocken Press, 1996]
10,000 years ago the sun was ten percent larger, resulting in a much warmer climate with palm trees growing in Antarctica. [Nature Magazine, August 2, 2012, pp. 73-77]
At that rate, just one million years ago the sun would have been ten times larger than it is today, boiling the oceans.
Twelve million years ago the sun would have been touching the earth.
At a time when many churches, Christian leaders and Bible colleges are exchanging the KJV for newer Bible versions, why don’t we?
In fact, the opposite is true. The Bible is less read and less understood than ever before among professing American Christians (based on studies by Barna Research Group, Thom Rainer, Gary Burge, George Lindbeck of Yale).
The motivation for the King James Version was the need for one common English Bible to be used by all. “Repetition is the mother of learning,” but if the preacher uses one version, the Sunday school teacher uses another, and the student another, we lose the advantage of widespread, easy recognition and memorization of Scripture. Without a uniform Bible, the Scriptures will continue to lose their influence on our country, culture and churches. Instead of making the Bible more familiar, the multitude of versions have actually made it far less familiar to society.
One would expect any ordinary book that was hand copied for hundreds of years to contain serious errors. However, both the Bible and its method of transcription were far from ordinary. There is essentially no debate about the preservation of the Old Testament in the Masoretic line of manuscripts.
While Bible translators uniformly base their Old Testament versions on one family of manuscripts, there are two different families upon which translators base the New Testament, the Byzantine and Alexandrian families. These two collections of manuscripts are like two sets of identical twins born to the same parents. They are virtually identical within their set, but are significantly different (about five percent of the words) than the other set.
The Byzantine family contains about 2,000 complete hand-copied Greek New Testaments and 3,300 partials gathered from Europe, Asia and Africa dating back as far as A.D. 350. This set of almost identical copies has been in continuous use since the early church era. All of the early English NT translations, including the King James version, were based on manuscripts from the Byzantine family of texts.
The other family of manuscripts, discovered in the 1800's, has come to be known as the Alexandrian texts. This family is comprised of just two near-complete Greek manuscripts and about thirty partials dating from A.D. 135-400 and originated from Alexandria, Egypt. These copies lay “lost” and unused from the fifth to the nineteenth century.
Though no fundamental doctrines are changed in the lost Alexandrian manuscripts, the differences are significant. Two passages (Mark 16:9-20; John 7:53-8:11), numerous words and many verses (ex. Matthew 17:21; Mark 9:29; Acts 8:36-38) found in the Byzantine manuscripts are absent from the Alexandrian. In spite of this, all modern English translations except the New King James are based on the Alexandrian manuscripts.
Many scholars believe the Alexandrian manuscripts are closer to the original words of God primarily based on the assumption that “older is better.” But if these truly are God’s preserved words, why did they lie unused and uncirculated for 1,400 years? What if more “lost” books and manuscripts are found, differing another five percent from what we now have? How are we to be certain of the “pure,” unadulterated Word? God gave us a way to positively identify His preserved Word: Every word available to every generation (Ps. 12L6-7; 33:11; 100:5; 119:160; Isaiah 40:8; Matthew 24:35; 1 Peter 1:23-24). The Biblical test of purity is not “age,” but availability. God’s Word can never be lost any more than He could forget His name (Psalm 138:2). Because Almighty God has promised to safeguard and keep His word continuously available, there can be no “lost book” of the Bible, nor could God lose his pure and preserved line of copies for 1,400 years.
God has preserved every word of the Old Testament for every generation in the Masoretic texts, and every word of the New Testament for every generation in the continuously available Byzantine texts. A serious student of God’s Word should desire a “word-for-word” translation that is based on the divinely preserved texts translated by world-class linguists who deeply respect and believe it. In our opinion, the only English translation that currently meets those criteria is the King James Bible.
Most religious groups under the “Christian” label claim to be Bible-believers, but there are relatively few Bible practicers. Catholics and Mormons for example, claim to be “Bible believers,” but in actual practice they place tradition and extraBiblical revelations above the Bible. Bible practicers have existed since the apostles (Matthew 16:18). They refused to follow men or churches whose teachings or practices were contrary to the clear doctrines and principles of Scripture. They were often perceived as stubborn non-conformists for their refusal to compromise their beliefs.
They were usually unpopular and severely persecuted. The Bible-practicers have always had special names like Donatists, Waldensians, Lollards, Anna-baptists, Baptists, and more recently, “Fundamentalist Christians.” Bible practicers can be identified by several distinctives that have marked them through 2,000 years of history.
Bible practicers have always baptized only believers by immersion as the Bible teaches (Matt. 3:16; Acts 8:36-38). Sadly, eighty percent of Christian churches sprinkle infants, following the teachings of popes and tradition instead of the Bible, where no such practice can be found.
...for every doctrine and practice of daily life and church (2 Timothy 3:16-17). They have also believed in the right of each person to read and interpret the Bible for themselves. In contrast, Catholicism teaches, “Both Sacred Scripture and Sacred Tradition are the inspired Word of God, and both are forms of divine revelation,” and “The church’s hierarchy alone… is divinely authorized to decisively interpret Scripture.” [The Question & Answer Catholic Catechism, John Hardon, Image Press, 1981, pp. 37, 42]
(Ephesians 5:23; Colossians 1:18). These local churches refused to submit to popes, other churches, denominational heads, kings or governments when the commands of men contradicted clear Scripture. (Acts 5:27-29 “...we ought to obey God rather than men.”)
They believe “whosoever will....”, in other words, that each individual has the right to worship our God, another God, or no God; to freely interpret the Scriptures for himself, to believe them or to disbelieve them, to attend our church, another church, or no church “according to the dictates of one’s own conscience.” (Mark 8:34; Romans 10:13; Revelation 22:17) History abounds with examples of those who claimed to be Bible believers, yet, in violation of the Bible, persecuted true Bible practicers, often for their mode of baptism. We enjoy religious freedom in America largely because eighteenth-century Bible practicers called Baptists took the lead in advocating for it in Rhode Island, then Virginia and finally at the federal level. (Suggestion: Research Roger Williams and Baptist history in Colonial America.)
(Matthew 28:19; Mark 16:15). Bible practicing believers have died by the scores for refusing to be silent with the gospel of salvation by grace through faith in Christ alone. Silence might have meant a longer, easier life, but Jesus said, “...preach the gospel to every creature”, and because they were Bible practicers, they did at any cost.
Some others, like Brethren and Bible Churches, also generally hold and practice these beliefs. A couple of historic “Baptist distinctives” (not vital core doctrines) distinguish us from these close cousins:
Biblical authority for all matters of faith and practice
Autonomy (self-government) of each local church - no denominations
Priesthood of the believer - We have direct, personal access to God.
Two ordinances - Believers’ baptism by immersion and the Lord’s supper
Individual liberty - Freedom for all to believe as they wish
Salvation and baptism are required for church membership
Two church offices: Pastor and deacon, with “congregational” rule
Separation of church and state - No official state church
If this is what you believe, then historically, you are a “Baptist”.
• The church is the only institution founded by Christ and to which He promised that the gates of hell could not stop its advance (Matthew 16:18).
• The apostles spent their entire lives establishing local churches, beginning at Jerusalem, then Antioch, and all across the eastern world (Acts 2:47; 11:19-26; 13:1f, 15:41; 16:5).
• Everywhere Paul journeyed he left behind a local church.
• Seventeen of the twenty-seven New Testament books were actually letters sent to local churches.
• The church is the only Biblical training ground and base camp ordained by God to prepare the saints for carrying out Christ’s “Great Commission” of world evangelism and discipleship (Acts 13; Ephesians 4:11-16).
Something so important to Christ and the apostles, should certainly be important to their followers. A local church ought to be the most essential of all organizations to the Christian. It is worthy of our service, time, loyalty, financial support, and certainly our membership.
• Acts 6:5 describes the selection of the first assistant church leaders as being a church-wide decision. “And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen... and Philip, and Prochorus....” A church board or the pastor alone did not make the appointments. How might hundreds of people in that setting choose their representatives? In ancient Greek and Roman assemblies popular vote was as common as in our society. It is safe to say that the multitude voted in some manner. In fact, we have a good clue to exactly how they voted from Acts 14:23, “And when they had ordained them elders in every church....” The Greek word translated “ordained,” [keirotoneo], actually means to vote by raising the hand [Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance]. The practice and privilege of voting in any organization requires a clearly defined membership.
• Biblical church discipline also requires standards and criteria for membership, since even unsaved people were and are allowed to attend church services (1 Corinthians 5:1-5; 14:23; 2 Corinthians 2:6).
• It is not only Biblical, but wise. Choosing teachers and leaders only from those who share our beliefs and have committed themselves and their loyalty to our “team” is necessary to maintain the unity and consistency of the doctrines and directions of the church.
• Selecting our children’s workers only from our membership is also a practical step in the screening process that helps to protect our young people from harm.
Joining a local church places the believer within God’s spiritual chain of command and inside His “hedge” of protection. He becomes part of a family and a flock that is guarded and guided by the prayers and care of a “shepherd” and fellow-believers (Hebrews 13:17; Acts 20:28-29). A church family provides support and accountability for victorious godly living among its members (Galatians 6:1-2; 2 Corinthians 2:6-8). The church is also to be a safety net for genuinely needy members and others in the body of Christ (1 Timothy 5:3-16; Romans 15:26; Acts 6:1-7).
In order to most effectively further the cause of Christ, join a local church. When a member relocates, they should immediately seek another church of similar belief and practice to which they can formally commit themselves, and in which they can faithfully serve and continue to grow.
“Independent” simply means we do not belong to a formal organization of churches such as the Southern Baptist Convention. Our church calls its own pastor, determines what missionaries we support, and decides important decisions by congregational vote. We fellowship with other churches, but we are not linked together by any man-made organization. Nearly all Protestant churches and about 90% of Baptist churches belong to a denomination or convention, so why do we choose to remain independent?
If a “fellowship” means churches getting together for a meeting or potluck, we are all in favor. If it’s a defined organization with an elected president and officers, we are not interested in joining. Due to human nature, even the best of organizations tend to become marred by politics, pride and exclusivism, and to exert control over member churches in subtle ways.
“Most Independent Baptist churches are conservative in their beliefs and styles of worship and reject many things popular in denominational churches because of worldliness and appeal to the flesh. Many IBC’s have organized outreach ministries such as ‘soul winning’ in which groups go out and evangelize surrounding areas, bus ministries, prison ministries, and send missionaries and evangelists to other parts of the country or to other countries to start more churches. They tend to reject many things found in many denominational churches because they believe in the Biblical doctrine of separation.”
What other kind of church would a committed, Bible-practicing Christian WANT to be a part of? Read 1 Corinthians 6:13-14; Ephesians 4:17-24; 5:25-27; Philippians 4:8 and 1 Peter 1:15-19; 2:9.
The “denominational” or “convention” method of missions:
The “Independent” method of missions:
We have chosen to remain “independent” because denominations and conventions have no Biblical basis. They tend to replace Christ as the head of each church, to become corrupted by politics, to decline into liberalism, and are less efficient at evangelizing the world. We are committed to doing things “the Bible way” and to the historical and Biblical distinctives that have marked and blessed the Independent Baptist movement.
The March 2009, Time Magazine cover story was titled, “10 Ideas Changing the World Right Now.” Third on the list was “The New Calvinism”. To quote the article: “Calvinism is back! John Calvin's 16th century reply to medieval Catholicism... is evangelicalism's latest success story.” Ted Olsen, an editor of Christianity Today Magazine, is quoted in the article as saying, "Everyone knows where the energy and the passion are in the Evangelical world: with the pioneering new-Calvinist John Piper of Minneapolis, Seattle's pugnacious Mark Driscoll and Albert Mohler, head of the Southern Seminary of the Southern Baptist Convention. The Calvinist-flavored ESV Study Bible sold out its first printing, and Reformed blogs… are among cyber-Christendom's hottest links.”
This current trend raises a good question, “Is our church ‘Calvinist’? And if not, why not?”
We are not “Calvinists” because we do not adhere to John Calvin’s five core teachings regarding salvation as summarized by Calvin’s followers in 1619 at the Synod of Dort, and commonly referred to by the acrostic, “T-U-L-I-P”. These five doctrines are:
Calvin taught that mankind is so depraved and spiritually dead that no person can ever hear or desire God.
Calvin extended the depravity of man beyond what the Bible teaches to mean, not just total depravity, but total inability of man to hear or choose God, a belief with which we disagree.
Calvin taught that God has chosen (“elected, predestined”) a definite number of people to be saved, and that man has no choice, “free will” or responsibility in the matter. “Eternal life is foreordained for some, and eternal damnation for others.” [- Calvin’s Institutes, Book III, ch. 23, based on Romans 9:21] Calvin’s God is willing that many should perish, rather than, “…not willing that any should perish.” (2 Peter 3:9)
Furthermore the Bible says God’s will is for all to be saved, not just some. (John 1:12; 3:17; 1 Timothy 2:3-6; 2 Peter 3:9)
Like the seeming contradiction of Jesus’ absolute humanity and perfect deity, the answer to “Election vs. Free Will” is not either/or, but inexplicably, both. God has chosen men by His grace and sovereign will, and man also chooses God by grace through faith in His Word. Hell was not created for men (Matt. 25:41), and no man is in hell who did not have an opportunity for heaven (Romans 1:20). God is still “God”, and there are some matters about God that we cannot fully explain, including the paradoxes of His actions and character.
Calvin taught that Christ’s atoning death was only for the “chosen, the elect, His sheep, and the church”, based on Matthew 26:2, 25:32-33, John 10:15 and Acts 20:28.
But the Bible never says these were all He died for. In fact, it clearly states that Christ died “for the sins of the whole world”. (John 3:16; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 1 John 2:2; 4:14; Hebrews 2:9)
Calvin taught that it is impossible for the “elect" to reject God’s salvation. (John 1:12-13; Acts 13:48; Romans 9:16)
But the Bible says many can and do resist the draw of the Holy Spirit to salvation. (Proverbs 1:24-25; Matthew 23:37; Mark 10:21-22; Acts 7:51)
Calvin taught that if one is chosen, it is impossible for him to become unchosen. “The election made by God can neither be suspended nor altered, revoked, or annulled....” [- Synod of Dort, Article 11]
We agree with Calvin’s conclusion that a child of God can never be lost, not based on the false premise of “Unconditional Election,” but on the true promises of God. (John 10:27-28; 6:47; 1 Peter 1:3-5; Romans 8:1; Ephesians 4:30; Philippians 1:6; Heb. 12:2; 1 John 5:4)
An element of truth exists in all five points of Calvinism, but we do not hold any of them in the manner or to the extent that John Calvin taught them. Calvin’s conclusions are not founded solely on the Bible but in large part on logic apart from the Bible, while sidestepping other clear passages of Scripture. This is why it seems that few embrace his theology through Bible study alone, but by the writings of Calvin and his followers.
Reformed Theology is gaining in popularity among evangelicals, especially in the young adult demographic. Reformed churches are typically identified by the names “Presbyterian, Sovereign Grace, Congregational, United Church of Christ” or “Reformed”. Reformed Baptists began to appear in the 1960's. Other groups, including the Charismatics, are also being strongly influenced by Reformed teaching. Why do we choose not to be part of the Reformed church movement.
A distinctive of Reformed churches and theologians is that they hold to the five points of Calvinism. One can be a “Five Point Calvinist” and not be Reformed, but one cannot be Reformed without being a Calvinist. (See “Pastor, Why” article #7 on Calvinism.
The Westminster Confession is the primary statement of the Reformed faith. Article 28.3 states, “Baptism is rightly administered by pouring or sprinkling water upon the person.” According to Article 28.4, “Infants… are to be baptized.” One of the most consistent historical distinctives of Baptists is that we baptize only by immersion and only those who have made a conscious profession of faith in Christ. We have never baptized infants (paedobaptism), therefore “Reformed Baptist” is a contradiction of terms. One cannot be a “Reformed Baptist” any more than he can be a Lutheran Baptist. In fact, John Calvin, Martin Luther and many other Reformers were responsible for the genocide of those who practiced baptism by immersion after salvation (i.e. Anabaptists).
The sixteenth century Reform movement originated among Catholics as an effort to protest its heresy and vices (also called the “Protestant” movement) and to “reform” Catholicism to make it more Biblical. That period was aptly called “The Reformation.” Baptist roots however are not in the Catholic Church, but in the line of Bible-practicing separatist churches who were never a part of the Catholic Church or the attempts to reform it. (See article #4, “Why Are We Baptists?”) John Calvin was an early Reformation leader who was trained for the Catholic priesthood. In his own later words, he still believed the Roman Catholic Church was the true “Church of God” and condemned the Anabaptists for their refusal to join it and to help purify it [Calvin’s Commentary on Psalm 15].
Calvin was banished from the Catholic Church for strongly asserting the “lost” doctrine of salvation by grace through faith alone. This doctrine was never really lost. It was always taught among the Bible-practicing, separatist churches. Baptists were never Catholic reformers but separatists who refused to be “unequally yoked with unbelievers.” The term “Reformed Baptist” is not only a doctrinal contradiction but also a historical misnomer.
Reformed theologians are generally “literalists” until they come to the prophetic passages and promises of God to Israel. They do not apply the same rules of Bible interpretation to the prophetic books of Zechariah or Revelation as they do to the Epistles and Gospels. Reformed churches base their interpretations of prophetic passages on a system called Covenant Theology, which teaches that God has removed His promises of a land and future kingdom from Israel and given them to the gentile church, which is the new Israel. Historically this belief has helped fuel anti-Semitism and was a rationale behind the refusal of many churches to speak out against the Holocaust. By changing the promises and future prophesies of God to symbolism, Covenant Theology denies the promises of a future for national Israel, an imminent “rapture” of believers, a coming seven-year tribulation, or a literal 1,000-year reign of Christ on Earth (“Millennium”). Reformers generally believe that the world will get better and better with the help of the church, eventually turning Earth into a glorious Christian state to which Christ will return. Various positions of this belief are called Replacement, Dominion and Kingdom Theology.
This question is often voiced in various ways, such as, “Why do we still sing the old songs?, or “Why not more drama and music and shorten the sermons? The “Contemporary Church Movement” blossomed in the 1980's from a desire to make church appealing to unchurched people. Crosses came down, hymns were replaced with catchy choruses, organs and pianos moved over (or out) for the band, song leaders were replaced with worship teams, jeans replaced suits, pulpits were out and lecterns in, and the mention of “hell” and “sin” became taboo. There is nothing intrinsically Biblical about displaying crosses or singing from hymnals, and we are certainly in favor of reaching lost people. Before making any decision however, we should ask, “What Bible principles are involved?” and, “Where does this path ultimately lead us?”
When the Bible speaks of “the world” it is referring to the lifestyles, priorities, attitudes and appetites that are characteristic of unsaved people, and should not characterize the children of God. The Bible has nothing positive to say about the “world” to which many churches and Christians are seeking to appeal and appease.
According to contemporary church leader, Rick Warren, the first step to starting a new church is to survey the community to find out what people want in a church--then give it to them [The Purpose Driven Church, ch. 8]. Appeasing the world has never been Christ’s “good and acceptable and perfect will” for His bride (Ephesians 5:25-27; 1 Peter 2:9). It is insulting to Christ for His bride to strive to become like and to be loved by Christ’s enemy, the very world system that crucified Him. James calls it “adultery”. The core premise of the contemporary church and music movement is unbiblical, because it promotes conformity of the church and Christians to the world rather than to the holy image of Christ.
Bill Hybels, the father of the seeker sensitive movement, prominently confessed, “We made a mistake.... Our churches are a mile wide and an inch deep” [2007 Leadership Summit, Willow Creek Community Church]. If the movement’s own leaders do not like where their path has led, why should we choose to travel it?
The church is primarily for the building up of believers to go out into the world and reach lost people who are then brought in to be discipled and in turn sent out to win others (Ephesians 4). We certainly have no objection to inviting unbelievers to church, but we must not change the message or the music in order to be “liked” by lost people, or to appeal to their lost nature.
Rick Warren wrote, “Once you have decided the style of music for your worship you have set the direction of your church in far more ways than you realize” [The Purpose Driven Church, p. 280-281]. This striking statement by the world’s foremost contemporary leader is absolutely true and should prompt us to consider very carefully before changing our music. Do we want to direct our church toward the world, or away from it? Warren is right. The style of music we choose helps set the course.
(i.e. “Christian rock”). “Our music cannot be like the music of the world, because our God is not like their gods. Most of the world's music reflects the world's ways, the world's standards, the world's attitudes, the world's gods.... The popular music of the western world is the music of seduction and suggestiveness, a musical counterpart of the immoral, lustful society that produces, sings, and enjoys it.” [- J. MacArthur, Commentary on Ephesians]
We must not dilute our message, ignore Bible principles, employ worship music that is dissonant, harsh, sensual and suggestive, or seek to make the church appealing to the appetites of ungodly people, even to reach them. The true gospel will never be attractive to the unsaved in general, nor will it ever make them feel comfortable. Paul declared, “The preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness....” (1 Corinthians 1:18) We must remember that ultimately it is the power of God that reaches and changes people, not our human efforts to make the gospel more palatable. (Romans 1:16)
We usually think of Seventh Day Adventists in connection with Saturday worship, but they are one of the youngest Sabbatarian groups. Seventh Day Baptists are on record since the 1600's, and many born-again Jews have favored Saturday assembly since New Testament times.
Sabbath keepers often accuse Sunday worshipers of blindly following Catholic or pagan tradition, but the day of worship was not changed by the Catholic church or Emperor Constantine as the Sabbatarians and even the Catholic church itself claims. If this was the reason we worship on Sunday, our church would immediately revert to Saturday worship since the words of Louis Segur would certainly be true: “The observance of Sunday by the Protestants is an homage they pay, in spite of themselves, to the authority of the [Catholic] church” [Plain Talk About the Protestantism of Today, p. 213]. Sabbatarians generally insist the change to Sunday was incurred in A.D. 364 at the Council of Laodicea by its 29th Canon (command) which reads, “Christians must not rest on the Sabbath, but work on that day, rather honoring the Lord's Day [Sunday], resting then.” But this was not a new or changed doctrine. For instance, the 10th Canon reaffirmed the long-held position that: “The members of the church shall not marry their children to heretics;” and Canon 11 reconfirmed that “Female pastors are not to be appointed in the church.” The Council of Laodicea did not establish any new doctrine. It simply reaffirmed and codified the long-standing beliefs of the churches represented by the council participants. Furthermore, we have no historical evidence that the Catholic church, the Pope or Emperor Constantine had any contact or influence with that council.
Many ancient writings prior to A.D. 364 testify that churches assembled on Sunday long before the Council of Laodicea.
Sunday worship is not only historically based, but Bible based. Jesus gave the first day of the week new and special significance.
The New Testament refers to churches meeting on Sunday for teaching and breaking bread. (Acts 20:7; 1 Cor. 16:1-2)
There is no Bible mention of any church meetings held on any other day of the week than Sunday. (Don’t confuse the missionary work in Jewish synagogues with local churches. Acts 13:14-15; 16:13; 17:1-3; 18:4)
The 4th Old Testament commandment is conspicuously missing as the only one of the ten that is not repeated in any letters to the churches.
Since Calvary, we are no longer under the jurisdiction of the Old Testament law where the Sabbath command is solely found.
The Sabbath Principle of resting and honoring God every seventh day is timeless and universal, but the specific day is no longer mandatory. The conspicuous absence of any Apostolic command to worship on any specific day, and the clear relegating of the issue of holy days to a matter of “Christian liberty” in Romans 14:5-12 and Colossians 2:16, indicate that the day of worship is not a matter over which we should separate from or criticize others. Worship on one day instead of another does not earn favor with God, nor is it a sign of a “true” church or of greater spirituality. It is a personal matter in which each should be “fully persuaded in his own mind” and live accordingly.
Each day seems to bring a new tragedy. We hear of it daily in distant places in the news, and sometimes suffering strikes very close to home. One of the most frequent questions posed by skeptics to Christians, and one of the most common objections people give to the existence of God is this dilemma of “evil and suffering”. C. S. Lewis called pain, “Atheism’s most potent weapon against the Christian faith."
Charles Darwin was raised in a religious home and even studied for the ministry, but he rejected God and Christianity after the tragic death of his beloved ten-year-old daughter. In Darwin’s own words, “This was the final death knell for my Christianity.” The argument is often framed in this manner, “If there really is a loving, all-powerful God, why does He allow evil and suffering in His world? We will seek to answer that question with Biblical and rational answers.
For example: “Why did God allow sin to enter the world knowing all the consequences that would follow, including the death of His own Son?” Or, “Why did God create mankind knowing most would reject Him and spend eternity in hell?”
If God does not exist, then our own existence and suffering have little lasting value or purpose, and we have no real hope that emotional and physical suffering ever will be eliminated. Though we do not know all of the answers to all of the questions about God, we choose to believe that God DOES exist, that He does love us, and that one day He will end all suffering for those who trust Him for salvation.
The New Testament theology of suffering is quite foreign to our 21st century American mindset. Its truths can only be understood through a personal relationship with our Heavenly Father. The very question, “Why do Christian’s suffer”, reveals an unBiblical flaw in our thinking. The question we ought to ask is not, “Why suffering?”, but, “Why not?” Instead of praying for relief from their suffering, Peter and Paul prayed for more. First century believers embraced their crosses with joy. Today it seems we do all we can to avoid any crosses. We seemingly believe it is our right to always feel good and have every need met. We cherish every promise of God except one: “...In the world ye shall have tribulation” (John 16:33; Philippians 1:29; 2 Timothy 3:12). What is the Biblical theology of suffering?
- Sometimes God heals immediately (Acts 3:1-8)
- Sometimes God heals gradually (Philippians 2:26-27)
- Sometimes God does not heal until we have our new body. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10; 1 Timothy 5:23; 2 Timothy 4:20)
Psalm 23:4 says, “Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me. Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”
In the hands of our Heavenly Father, suffering is a powerful tool for great good and bountiful blessings. When pain comes, know that God is at work to do something big in your life! Here are a few blessings and benefits of suffering. God sends suffering...
- God may wish to glorify Himself through amazing healing, or...
- God may wish to glorify Himself through amazing grace. (2 Corinthians 12:9-10)
It is for these reasons that Paul could say in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, “In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.”
“Biblical fasting is voluntary abstinence from any legitimate thing for the sake of some spiritual purpose” [-Martin Lloyd Jones]. While most Bible fasts involved abstinence from food, the Old Testament prophet, Daniel, fasted from pleasant foods (Daniel 10:2-3), and Paul spoke of fasting from marital intimacy in 1 Corinthians 7:3-5. One might also “fast” from TV, certain foods, a favorite activity or hobby, or even from time sleeping. A fast may last any length of time, from skipping one meal to several days or weeks. Fasting is understandably one of the least popular disciplines in our self-indulgent, instant gratification culture. Sadly, “most Christians have generally abandoned fasting” [- Columbia Encyclopedia]. Yet it carries many benefits and rewards, and is undoubtedly a discipline we ought to practice more often!
- Detoxifies and deep cleans the blood, organs and brain
- Improves immunity against infections and cancer
- Relieves pain from cramps and arthritis
Matthew 6:18 promises, “Thy Father... shall reward thee openly.”
- A nation was spared (2 Chronicles 20:3; Esther 4:16)
- God's wrath was averted (Jonah 3:5, 10)
- Victory over temptation was achieved (Matthew 4:1-11)
- Power over demonic influences (Matthew 17:14-21).
- Some spiritual battles cannot be won without fasting.
- Disciples filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:14-2:4)
- Multitudes were saved (Acts 2:41)
- God’s truth was revealed (Acts 10:30)
- Missionaries were sent (Acts 13:2)
- Virtually every great revival and spiritual awakening in history can be traced to someone who was fasting.
- Fasting reveals the things that control me (1 Corinthians 6:12).
- What would be a struggle for me to give up for a week?
- David’s baby was dying (2 Samuel 12:16-17)
- Judah was facing defeat (2 Chron. 20:1-3)
- Ezra was going on a dangerous venture (Ezra 8:21f)
- Jerusalem was in ruins (Nehemiah 1:3-4)
- Esther’s people faced extermination (Esther 3:13)
- A nation faced destruction (Jonah 3; Joel 2:12-13)
- A father was desperate for his son (Matthew 17:14-21)
Fast whenever God alone can make a difference, and whenever I really want God to work--more than I desire ANYTHING else!
Our body is a temple of the Holy Ghost, and we are to care for it wisely. Be careful about extended food fasts or if you have medical conditions. In some situations, it may be prudent to ask a doctor’s advice. Above all, listen to and obey God’s voice.
Freemasonry is known by numerous names and organizations including Masons, Shriners, Lodges, The Scottish Rite, Order of the Eastern Star, Job's Daughters, Order of the Rainbow, and Order of DeMolay. Masons are widely recognized for their charitable works, hospitals and free medical care for children. But is Freemasonry something in which Christians ought to participate? We will let the Masons speak for themselves. All quotations below are from respected Masonic books and authors.
Traditions, Origin and Early History of Freemasonry by A. C. Pierson, p. 34 - “Masonic religion comes from the Orient and has reference to primitive religion, whose first occupation was the worship of the sun. Several Masonic authors claim that Masonry represents the oldest religious system in the world.”
Webb’s Monitor of Freemasonry by Robert Morris; p. 280 - “So broad is the religion of Masonry... that the Christian, the Jew, and the Mohammedan, in all their numberless sects, may and do harmoniously combine in its moral and intellectual work, with the Buddhist, the Parsee, the Confucian, and the worshiper of Deity under every form.”
This is an unbiblical doctrine called “universalism”.
Freemasonry: Its Aims and Ideals by J. Ward; p. 187 - “Freemasonry has taught that each man can, by himself work out his own conception of God and thereby achieve salvation.”
The Religion of Masonry by J. F. Newton; p. 37 - “...the Third Degree of Masonry testifies to the profoundest insight of the human soul, that God becomes man and that man may become God.” (This is an essential teaching of Mormonism with which Freemasonry has many similarities.)
Scottishrite.org/FAQ - “The Holy Book sits on the altar in the middle of a Masonic lodge. This Holy Book does not have to be Christian, like the Bible, rather it can be any Holy Book that is important to the members of the lodge.”
His name is conspicuously absent from Masonic rituals, prayers and writings, and is often deleted from passages when quoting from the Bible. An organization that has no room for Christ is not a place for Christ-loving Christians to find fellowship, even for noble causes.
The Kentucky Monitor, 13th edition - "All [ancient religions] believed in a future life, to be attained by purification and trials; in a state or successive states of reward and punishment; and in a Mediator or Redeemer, by whom the Evil Principle was to be overcome and the Supreme Deity reconciled to His creatures. The belief was general that He was to be born of a virgin and suffer a painful death. The Hindus called him Krishna; the Chinese, Kiountse; the Persians, Sosiosch; the Chaldeans, Dhouvanai; the Egyptians, Horus; Plato, Love; the Scandinavians, Balder; the Christians, Jesus; Masons, Hiram."
What Masonry Means by William Hammond; p. 171 - “Masonry’s conception of immortality is something for which man must qualify while still in the flesh. Through the fellowship of a moral discipline Masons are taught to qualify for the fellowship of eternal life.”
The Great Teachings of Masonry by H. L. Haywood, pp. 30, 31 - “The whole process [of the initiation rite] is like the moral and spiritual change which comes over a man who passes through the religious experience known as ‘conversion’. Masonic initiation is intended to be quite as profound and revolutionizing an experience. As a result of it, the candidate should become a new man.”
The Relation of the Liberal Churches and the Fraternal Orders by E. A. Coil, pp. 17, 18 - “Those brought up in ‘Orthodox’ Sunday schools and churches have to unlearn, deny or ignore much that has been taught them if they become members of a lodge.”
Many who have left freemasonry and written of their experience confess that, at first they were truly unaware of its religious history or teachings. They believed it to be merely a social organization that funded good causes and stressed moral and even Biblical values. In light of the teachings of Freemasonry, the clear command to Christians in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 gives the obedient believer no choice but to part ways with this organization and any of its branches. Believers in Christ are never to sacrifice Biblical truth for any reason, including good and noble causes or friendships.
Few issues among churches have become more divisive in modern times than “speaking in tongues”. But a brief historical glance will reveal that “ecstatic utterance” is not a new phenomenon at all. In Bible times it was practiced by pagan worshipers as well as Christians. In the 1800’s the practice was primarily found among Mormons, followed by the Pentecostals in the early 1900's. In recent decades nearly every “Christian” denomination from Catholic to Baptist has factions that speak in tongues.
Most who do so today believe they are being led by the Holy Spirit of God. How can we or a tongues-speaker know if this practice is truly Biblical? Is this really the Holy Spirit, or is it possibly something else? Fortunately, the Bible gives us a clear way to find out. First, some basic premises:
Satan is a master counterfeiter and deceiver. 2 Thessalonians 2:9 warns us that the anti-Christ will come “with all power and signs and lying wonders.”
No experience, feeling, preacher or teacher must ever take precedence over the Bible. The Berean believers in Acts 17:11 set an excellent example when they “searched the scriptures daily, whether those things that Paul said were so.”
Malachi 3:6 says, “For I am the LORD, I change not...”
THEREFORE any belief, practice or experience (in this case tongues) that does not line up on ALL counts with God’s Word cannot possibly be from God’s Spirit.
1 John 4:1 commands us to “Believe not every spirit, but try [test] the spirits whether they are of God....” The questions about whether “tongues” is intended for our day, what its purposes were, or what tongues actually is, might be debatable among good and godly people, but the TESTS by which we can evaluate them are clear and definite. They are found in 1 Corinthians chapters 12-14. Following are four of several Biblical tests:
- 14:33 “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.”
- 14:40 “Let all things be done decently and in order.”
14:27 “If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course....”
14:13 “Wherefore let him that speaketh in an unknown tongue pray that he may interpret.”
14:27b-28 “...let one interpret. But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church....”
14:34 “Let your women keep silence in the churches: for it is not permitted unto them to speak….” [in the context of tongues]
Tongues, as it is commonly practiced in many circles today, cannot be of the Holy Ghost. These and all of the other guidelines for tongues in 1 Corinthians 14-16 are neither suggestions nor optional. Directly after his passage on tongues, Paul wrote in 14:37, “The things that I write unto you are the commandments of the Lord.”
Our belief is that tongues in the New Testament was the ability to speak or understand a previously unlearned language.
Some may ask, “If the tongues generally practiced today cannot be a Holy Ghost gift, then what is it?” There is much controversy and many possible answers to that question. Suffice it to say, “We do not need to know what it is, to know what it is not.” If God still grants the gift of tongues today to some believers, (in our opinion He generally does not), its practice will line up perfectly with the Holy Spirit’s Biblical instructions for its use.
Society tends to perceive a “fundamentalist” as anybody who is extremist, dangerous or wacky. This perception, however, has nothing to do with the dictionary or historical definition. Unfortunately, not only does secular society have a distorted view of “fundamentalism”, but those within Christianity itself often perceive fundamentalism as “harsh, rigid, legalistic and judgmental.” Such words may describe a particular fundamentalist’s bad attitude or poor testimony, but they do not represent an accurate view of historic “fundamentalism.” Some fundamentalists themselves have distorted the historic definition by redefining the word around their personal preferences (dress, music, etc.), and personal loyalties (Bob Jones, Jack Hyles, Peter Ruckman, etc.). These lines become cultish rather than defining historic “fundamentalism”. So, just what is a “historic Christian fundamentalist”, and are you one?
Oxford Dictionary - “Fundamentalism: Strict adherence to the basic principles of any subject or discipline;” Examples include Orthodox Jews, Sharia Muslims, purist Marxists, polygamist Mormons, etc.
MacMillan Dictionary - “Fundamentalist: A Christian who believes that the exact meaning of every word in the Bible is the true meaning”
If I believe my “sacred book” is true, I ought to believe and practice ALL that it teaches.
If I do not believe my “sacred book” is true, why follow it at all?
Oxford Dictionary - “Fundamentalism: a religious movement which originally became active among various Protestant bodies in the United States after WWI, based on strict adherence to certain tenets (e.g. the literal inerrancy of Scripture) held to be fundamental to the Christian faith”
The late 1800's saw an infiltration of “Higher Criticism” (today called “liberalism” or “modernism”) into many churches, seminaries and denominations. One of its earliest vocal proponents was Dr. Charles Briggs, Dean of Biblical Theology at Union Seminary (NYC). He and others like him asserted that many parts of the Bible were actually later additions by unknown writers, and that God Himself was not the Author of Scripture. Today Liberalism and modernism essentially deny most of the supernatural claims in the Bible, from the inspiration and preservation of the words of God, to the virgin birth and bodily resurrection of Jesus. The turn-of-the-century battle over the Bible resulted in virtually all of the mainline denominations and seminaries moving toward or embracing liberalism.
Conservative Bible-believers reacted by separating from their liberal-leaning denominations and withdrawing their support from the wayward seminaries. Most who departed formed or joined new denominations that held to the “fundamental” beliefs. Those who separated but chose not to join any denomination sparked the “independent” church movement. [See “Why We Are Independent”, #6.] Those who separated from and stood against liberalism were called “fundamentalists”. During this time a well-known series of books was published entitled, The Fundamentals. They contained numerous articles by many noted conservative Bible-believing scholars defining and defending those Bible doctrines which form the “basic, core, essential teachings” of the Christian faith.
by some Bible-believers in the 1950's when several prominent Christian leaders, while still preaching the core doctrines, refused to separate from or stand against those who taught otherwise, i.e liberals and Catholics. This break-away movement sought greater acceptance in the public eye by being more “inclusive and tolerant” of false teachers and by keeping silent on secondary issues such as worldly culture and entertainment. These leaders dropped the “fundamentalist” label in favor of the term, “evangelical”. The most recognizable names behind this shift were Evangelist Billy Graham and Christianity Today Magazine.
If this is what you believe, then you too, are a “fundamentalist”.
“The devil himself could not invent punishments more severe. The ‘baptizers’ were scourged, stoned, and dragged about; their goods were plundered; red-hot iron plates were applied to their bare bodies; they were placed in instruments made to torture criminals; they were put into the deepest and darkest places of the prisons where they were afflicted with excruciating torments, and then slain.” Their crime: adult baptism [-Pieter J. Twisck, 16th century Dutch church historian]. Multitudes have died throughout history for obeying Christ in Biblical baptism. Yet some Christians see baptism as optional, and many who were sprinkled or baptized and later converted, have not seen the need to be rebaptized. Is it necessary to be baptized, or to be baptized again? First, three clarifications, then ten reasons why Christians should be Biblically baptized.
(Acts 2:41; 8:36-37)
1. Jesus, our supreme example, was baptized by immersion in water.(Matt. 3:13-17)
2. The Father was pleased with the baptism of His Son, as with all who obey Him. (Matthew 3:16-17; 1 Thess. 4:1; 2 Tim. 2:4)
3. Jesus’ closest disciples were baptized. (John 4:1)
4. Jesus’ closest disciples baptized His other followers. (Matthew 28:19; John 4:1-2)
5. Jesus’ later disciples, (the early church believers) were baptized. (Acts 2:4; 10:48; 16:30; 18:12)
6. The apostles commanded “every” disciple of Jesus in Acts to be baptized. (Acts 2:38; 10:48)
7. Every disciple of Jesus today ought to be baptized if physically possible and if comprehending its significance. (Matthew 28:19-20)
8. Baptism proclaims to the world the gospel message of Jesus' own death, burial and resurrection. (1 Corinthians 15:3-4)
9. Baptism illustrates our death to the old life and resurrection to the new life in Christ. (Colossians 2:12; Rom. 6:3-4)
10. Baptism states that I am willing to follow Christ to the death, just as John the Baptist and all the apostles.
If you have not been Biblically baptized by immersion after your salvation, why not publicly take your stand as a disciple of Christ with the multitudes of martyrs and disciples before us?
The New Testament describes a future event in which every Christian, dead and alive, will be caught up (“raptured”) out of this world to be with our Lord (references below). Many scoff at such a belief (see 2 Peter 3:3-4), but we can rest assured that everything the Bible teaches about our future is true, because everything it has taught about the past has proven true.
The word “rapture,” though not found in the Bible, is a good word to describe this sudden catching away of all believers. Unfortunately, many consider the rapture to be a spooky teaching among the fringe elements of
Christianity. Some writers propagate the myth that the rapture was untaught until the 1800’s. Many simply sidestep the issue by declaring that we cannot know the future with any certainty. However, the apostle Paul informed us that this doctrine of the any-day calling-out (“rapture”) of believers to be with the Lord ought to be a source of hope and encouragement to every Christian (1 Thessalonians 4:18).
The early Christians were looking for Christ eagerly, expectantly, imminently and instantly.
Among those of us who do believe in a rapture, there is disagreement regarding its timing--before, during or after the coming seven-year Tribulation. It is my belief that the rapture occurs before the Tribulation, making it the next event in Bible prophesy. This view is called the Pre-tribulation Rapture position. Following are nine Bible reasons why I believe it:
At this second stage, Christ will come all the way to earth, conquer the false messiah (“anti-Christ”) and Israel’s enemies, and establish His kingdom. An understanding of Christ’s return in two stages, starting with a rapture, resolves some seemingly contradictory Bible descriptions of His second coming. For example, compare Matthew 24:27-31 where He is seen, with 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 where He is unseen.
(Philippians 3:20; 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10; Titus 2:13)
(1 Corinthians 1:7; Philippians 3:20; 1 Thess. 1:9-10; Titus 2:13)
Would they be so eager if they knew they must first endure the global catastrophes and destruction described in Revelation?
Rev. 1-3 Focuses on the N. T. churches with 22 references
Rev. 4-5 Then John is called up to glory by a voice “like a trumpet”. (Note Rev. 4:1-2 - “Come up....”)
Rev. 6 The Tribulation begins and the church is never mentioned on earth again.
Rev. 19 Christ returns to Earth with His army of saints (vs. 14).
(2 Thessalonians 2:6-8)
This fits with a pre-tribulation rapture view when all believers and the influence of the indwelling Holy Spirit are removed from the earth.
What if a professing Christian “backslides” far from God, goes to prison, has an abortion, commits adultery or suicide--can he lose his salvation? Or what if he renounces his faith in Christ as Savior? The early church struggled with this question regarding those who denied Christ under severe torture. The Church of Christ, Church of God, Assembly of God, most Pentecostals and some Baptist churches believe there are conditions upon which one can lose their salvation. Here are ten reasons why it is impossible for a truly born-again child of God to become lost:
This is the very heart of the Biblical doctrine of salvation. (Acts 15:11; Romans 3:24-28; Ephesians 2:5, 8-9; 2 Tim. 1:9; Titus 3:5)
Acts 13:39 - “...All that believe ARE justified from ALL things.” This must include all future sins as well as all past sins. (cp. Romans 5:1, 9)
John 3:36 - “He that believeth on the Son HATH everlasting life....” (Also John 5:24; Romans 8:30) Something that is eternal can never cease, or it is not really eternal. New life in Christ is as eternal as God Himself. A saved person is promised he will live as long as God does.
Hebrews 10:10-14 assures us that, “…we are sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.... forever.” (cp. Ephesians 1:7; 1 John 1:7) If God’s forgiveness did not extend to future sins, then one would have to get re-saved every time he sinned again.
Philippians 1:6 - “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Also Deuteronomy 7:9; 1 Corinthians 1:9; 1 Thessalonians 5:24)
(cp. John 14:1-3)
Hebrews 13:5 - “...He hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.” Not only is God able to keep us saved, He promised He WOULD keep us saved. (cp. John 3:15; 4:14; 5:24; 6:35-58; 10:27-29; Note the many promises in the prior points as well.)
1 John 5:13 - “These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God, that ye may know [not hope] that ye have [present tense] eternal life....” (cp. 2 Timothy 1:7, 12)
(1 Cor. 1:2; 3:1-4)
They were not living right in many respects, but they were not “lost”, nor did Paul ever warn them of any danger of losing their salvation, only their testimony and reward. (1 Corin. 3:1-3; 12-15; 2 Corin. 5:10)
The Bible is clear: “Salvation is NOT probation!” Man is neither saved by works, nor kept saved by works. Since salvation is a free gift offered by grace and personally accepted by faith, the only way one might logically “lose” it is by personally and deliberately returning God’s gift as it was received. However, based on God’s numerous promises, He would never allow one of His own children to eternally and finally reject Him. The real question then is, “Have I been truly converted to begin with?” Paul exhorted the worldly Corinthian church to “Examine yourselves whether ye be in the faith” (2 Cor. 13:5). Are the signs and fruit of true salvation evident in your heart, mind and life? The evidences of salvation are found in Galatians 5:22-23 and 1 John.
God’s grace and “eternal security” are never a license to sin!
Read Matthew 7:16-20; Romans 6:1-2; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Titus 1:16.
Judas Iscariot is often held up as an example of one who lost his salvation. Was he saved and later lost, or was he never saved at all? Jesus gave us the clear answer in John 6:64, 70-71, and 13:10-11.
Much confusion has been created by the appearance of many groups with widely differing and even contradictory beliefs, yet all claiming to be “Christian.” Among the better known are Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormons (“Why...” #21) and Catholicism (#22). The confusion increases when evangelical leaders neglect to take a public stand against the unbiblical teachings of these sects, refuse to identify them as false cults, and even unite with them for campaigns and social causes. 2 Peter 2:1 warns, “There shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.” Paul commands us in Romans 16:17, “Now I beseech you, brethren, mark [identify] them which cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them,” and in 2 Thessalonians 3:14 he says, “If any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him....” In the next three articles we will use four core Bible doctrines (the Bible, God, Jesus and salvation) to help us learn how to identify and avoid the counterfeits.
They teach that the Bible cannot be understood without the aid of a teacher or another book (which can only be from their Watch Tower organization).
Charles Taze Russell was the founder of Zion’s Watch Tower Magazine and Tract Society, the mother organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses and Kingdom Halls. Russell wrote, “People cannot see the divine plan by studying the Bible for themselves. One who reads only my writings will come to the light, whereas one who reads only the Bible will come to darkness” [The Watch Tower Magazine, September 15, 1910, p. 298]. Jehovah’s Witnesses are taught to believe only what the Watch Tower writings and teachers say about the Bible, and are forbidden to even study anything else.
SCRIPTURES: Acts 17:11 - "They searched the scriptures daily, whether those things [what Paul said] were so." 2 Peter 1:20 - "...no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation...";
SCRIPTURES: Isaiah 9:6 - "For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace." Jesus IS the mighty everlasting God, Jehovah.
Also, Isaiah 43:11; 44:6; Matthew 1:23; John 1:1-2; 8:58-59; 10:30-33; 20:28; 1 Timothy 2:5; 3:16; Hebrews 1:8; 13:8;
SCRIPTURES: John 20:27; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Luke 24:13-15; 36-43 -- In verse 39 Christ emphatically denied that he was only a spirit, “...handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.”
They teach that everyone will one day live in Paradise. “Every person since Adam will be raised by Jesus when He comes to Earth to rule. They will be educated and will choose to follow Christ. By responding to the education provided, even those who once were dangerous as wild animals will change their ways” [The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life, 1968, pp 110-111, Watch Tower Society].
SCRIPTURES: Matthew 25:41; Rev. 20:15; 21:8;
John 3:36 - "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life, and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him."
If the Witnesses are right, then all of us, Witnesses and non-Witnesses alike, will go to paradise. But if the Bible is right, those who follow the J. W. doctrine of works and universal salvation will spend eternity in hell.
They teach that the most zealous 144,000 Jehovah’s Witnesses will be selected to help Christ rule over Paradise.
SCRIPTURES: Revelation 7:4-8 and 14:1-14 clearly state that the “144,000" are virgin Jewish male evangelists.
J.W.’s do not believe what the Bible teaches regarding the Bible, Jesus or salvation.
According to the Bible, the Jehovah’s Witness organization is a false cult concerning which we are to warn others.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints [LDS] is known for its family values and wholesome image. Mormons are generally conservative in politics and appear to be clean, moral people who promote abstinence from alcohol, tobacco and caffeine. They claim to believe the Bible and their services and songs are very similar to ours, but they are NOT a “Christian” church. Here are four Bible reasons why we must classify them as a “false religion.”
They teach that the Bible is incomplete, insufficient, corrupted and mistranslated.
SCRIPTURES to read: Galatians 1:8; 1 Timothy 3:16; Revelation 22:18-19; Also see “Why.... #1 and #2.
- "As man is, God once was; as God is, man may become." [Fifth LDS president, Lorenzo Snow, June, 1840]
- "You have got to learn how to be gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God the same as all gods have done before you." [Joseph Smith, LDS founder; Journal of Discourses 6:4]
- "The Lord created you and me for the purpose of becoming gods like Himself." [Brigham Young, J.O.D., 3:9]
SCRIPTURES to read: Psalm 90:2; Isaiah 43:10; 46:9; John 4:24;
SCRIPTURES to read: Isaiah 9:6; 43:11; 44:6; Matthew 1:23; John 1:1-2; 8:58-59; 10:30-33; 20:28; 1 Timothy 2:5; 3:16; Hebrews 1:8; 13:8;
As with all cults, Mormonism teaches that Jesus’ blood atonement alone is not enough to save us, but that He needs our help.
- LDS Articles of Faith, #3 - “We believe that through the atonement of Christ, all mankind may be saved by obedience to the laws and ordinances of the Gospel.”
- Mormon Doctrine, 2nd ed, p. 331 - “The gospel embraces all of the laws, principles, doctrines, rites, ordinances, acts, powers, authorities, and keys necessary to save....”
SCRIPTURES to read: Ephesians 2:8-9; Titus 3:5;
Whenever we label a teacher or a teaching as “wrong”, we simply mean that they contradict clear Bible teaching; it does not measure up to the Divine Standard and Rule Book given to us by our Creator. Never take anyone’s word alone for what the Bible says. Examine it for yourself so that you will not be deceived by Satan’s clever counterfeits. 2 Timothy 2:15-16 instructs us all, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. But shun profane and vain babblings, for they will increase unto more ungodliness.”
Most religious and demographic studies include Catholicism as a Christian sect. However, distinct and serious doctrinal differences exist between Bible-based Christianity and the teachings of Rome. Catholicism should not be considered Biblical Christianity for these key reasons:
The Vatican teaches that the Bible is not sufficient, insisting that church tradition and papal decrees are needed to supplement the Scriptures.
“…it is not from Sacred Scripture alone that the Church draws her certainty. Both sacred tradition and sacred Scripture are to be accepted and venerated with the same sense of loyalty and reverence.” [Pope Paul VI, Dei Verbum, Nov. 18, 1965, par. 9]
-“When Pope Pius XII defined this doctrine [‘The Assumption of Mary’--that Mary never died but was taken directly to heaven], he did not present explicit texts from Scripture or from Apostolic tradition. There is absolutely no clear and explicit testimony to the assumption in Scripture or in the writings of the Fathers of the first few centuries of the church’s life” [The Living Word in the Living Church, D. Murray, p. 24]. In other words, the Catholic author of this book admits that the pope dreamed up this doctrine, and since he was the pope and decreed it, it became so.
-In A.D. 1616, Pope Paul V condemned the famous astronomer, Galileo, to chains and torture in the dungeon, declaring him a “heretic” because Galileo believed the earth revolved around the sun. In 1829 Pope Leo XII finally corrected the “inerrant” papal decree of Pope Paul V. Numerous other examples of foolish, yet supposedly infallible, papal dictums are found throughout history.
As with the cults, though Catholicism pays lip service to the Bible, the reality is their traditions and directives take precedence whenever they contradict the Bible.
SCRIPTURE: Mark 7:7-9 - ...in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men.... Full well ye reject the commandment of God, that ye may keep your own tradition.
The Catholic Catechism, official guide to Catholic Church beliefs, contains 2,865 numbered statements. The following quotations are taken from Catechism of the Catholic Church, Simplified, 2014:
- “Outside the [Catholic] Church there is no salvation. All salvation comes from Christ through His Body, the Church, which is necessary for salvation....” [#846]
- i.e. Salvation is bestowed only through union with the Roman Catholic Church, not through Christ alone. This contradicts the Bible (as well as catechism #1259 below).
- “The sacraments are necessary for salvation. Each bestows a special ‘sacramental grace’, by which the Spirit transforms the recipients” [#1129].
- The Catholic “sacraments” are Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders and Matrimony. Catholicism teaches that each ritual, as well as the purchase of indulgences [1471-1473], shortens one’s time in Purgatory and moves one more quickly to heaven after death.
- “Those who die in God’s grace but are not yet perfectly purified are guaranteed eternal salvation, but they must undergo purification after death to gain the holiness needed to enter heaven. This “Purgatory” is totally different from the punishment of the damned. It is a cleansing fire.” [#1030-1031]
- i.e. Christ’s atonement is not sufficient to “perfectly purify” us.
- “Those who are ignorant of the Gospel and the Church, yet seek the truth and do God's will (according to their understanding) can be saved...." [#1259]
- “God's plan of salvation includes all those who acknowledge the Creator. Among these are the Muslims who profess the faith of Abraham and believe in one merciful God as mankind's judge on the Last Day.” [#841]
SCRIPTURES to read: Galatians 1:8-9 -- “If any preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.” Matthew 7:21-23; John 19:30; Acts 4:12; 16:30-31; Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 Timothy 2:5; Titus 3:5; Hebrews 9:27; 1 Peter 1:18-19;
The question might also be asked, “are Baptists and Protestants Christians?”, because the answer is the same. If anyone is trusting any church or any deed for salvation, he is lost. A truly born-again Christian might attend a Catholic church, but he cannot agree with Catholic dogma about salvation and be saved.
What do we have against being “gay”, or the “gay rights” movement? Are we just homophobic traditionalists stuck in the past? Actually, there are many rational, medical, social and Biblical reasons why we must reject and warn against the homosexual agenda and lifestyle.
Though Homosexuals make up only 2 to 3% of the U. S. population, they account for over half of all Hepatitis B, "gay bowel syndrome", tuberculosis and cytomegalovirus cases. (1)
“That which corrupts every single nation is the glorification and acceptance of homosexuality as ‘Natural’. It destroys Reason and Common Sense (Natural Law) and it throws out morality and God’s design of man.” - Dr. Ed Vitagliano (13)
...according to both the Old and New Testaments. Look up Genesis 2:20-24, Genesis 19, Leviticus 18:22-24, Romans 1:26-32, 1 Corinthians 6:9-11, 2 Timothy 3:1-4, 2 Peter 2:6-8, Jude 7, and Hebrews 13:4. As with any addiction or sin, one is “gay” by choice, not merely birth, making this a moral issue, and not a civil rights matter. Choices do have consequences. Every culture that has endorsed sodomy has done so to its own detriment. We must stand against all forms of immorality, and compassionately warn of the consequences. Jesus ate with thieves and fornicators, yet he never condoned their sin, but called them out of it. We must never be hateful or disrespect toward any fellow sinner, but, as “a true friend who will not let another drive drunk,” so we must be that true friend who does all he can to discourage others from traveling down the disastrous road of a “gay” lifestyle.
We are all sinful with individual predispositions toward certain sins. Some have a strong pull toward substance abuse, others toward anger or lust, and some toward homosexuality--yes, we really are “born that way”. However, that is never an acceptable excuse to choose to sin. No good judge can excuse a man for murder because he was born with a tendency to lose his temper. Christ offers freedom from any and every sinful bondage.
Unhealthy, Unsafe, Unfulfilling, Unnatural, Ungodly, and Avoidable
Why should some of us leave the comforts and companions of our homeland to live where another language is spoken, where the food is strange, where merely drinking the water can make you deathly ill, and where governments and even a majority of the people often don’t want us there? Is all that expense and sacrifice really necessary? The sad reality is that too many Christians do not think that missions is critical, and many more who would say that foreign missions is essential, are doing little to further the cause. Why do we emphasize missions? Why should every believer be deeply involved and committed to it? Why should all of us give, and why should some of us go?
The unreached are dying without ever hearing the good news
The last decade revealed a 50% reduction in Americans entering the mission force. Of those who answered the call, 43% never completed fund-raising “deputation”, 75% of those who made it to the field came home within three years, and only seventeen of every 100 who began the process, actually arrived and remained [Gil Anger, Researcher; 4/18/2005].
We must send, or be sent!
Meanwhile, three people die every second, 200 each minute, 12,000 per hour, and over one quarter million per day. At the same time, 496,800 babies are born each day, increasing the world population by over 200,000 daily. While the missionary work force is imploding, the world population is exploding! It is critical for EVERY church and EVERY Christian to be personally involved and emphasizing “Missions”!
(Psalm 9:17; John 3; Romans 6:23; Revelation 20:15; 21:8)
God is JUST and HOLY (Deuteronomy 32:4; Isaiah 6). A just ruler cannot knowingly allow a crime to go unpunished, and God knows every crime. (Psalm 5:4-6; 89:14; Romans 3:23)
God is JUST, MERCIFUL and GOOD (Psalm 25:8; 86:5). We rightly have merciful provisions in our laws for juveniles and the mentally infirm. Because everything God does is just and good and right, we can be assured that no person will be in hell who never had the ability and the opportunity to respond to the revelation and call of God in his heart. These include infants, very young children, the unborn, and the mentally incapable.
Jesus said, “...no man cometh unto the Father but by me” (John 14:6; ch. 3). Peter declared, “Neither is there salvation in any other, for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
Of all the times the Bible and Jesus refer to hell, they never indicate a way out. Hell is as eternal and as final as heaven. (Mark 9:43-48; Luke 16:22-31, note vs. 26; Revelation 20:11-14; 21:8)
(Matt. 28:19; Mark 16:15; Acts 1:8; 2 Cor. 5:14a) A child born and raised in a dark room hears noises from outside. He knows there must be more to his world than this lonely room. His heart and mind urge him to seek a way out of this blackness--there must be a way! He has a choice: be content to remain in the dark, or seek for an exit. A Bible, a gospel tract or a Bible-teaching missionary brings more light into the sin-darkened room. As the light of God’s revelation becomes brighter, the “Door” becomes more visible. And as that “Door” becomes more visible, it is far more likely that a soul in darkness will find it, and choose it. That is why we must be involved in missions--either in sending the light, or being sent as lights into a dark world!
Does the Bible teach “abstinence” or merely moderation of alcoholic beverages? While most agree that it is wrong to “get drunk”, is it really a sin to have an occasional social drink, a little wine with a special meal, champagne at a wedding reception, something to settle the nerves, etc.? Bible-believing Americans were once in near unanimous agreement that Christians ought not to drink alcoholic beverages. Now, like many other lines of distinction, this one seems to be falling by the wayside. Was alcohol just a traditional and cultural taboo, or are there truly Bible-based, as well as rational reasons to not drink alcohol?
These should be written on the label of every liquor container.
[Gallup Organization]
Proverbs is the “Wisdom” Book of the Bible. After reading its many admonitions about alcohol, one can only conclude that, if it is not a sin to drink alcohol, it is undoubtedly a foolish thing to do. According to the Bible, a wise person practices abstinence.
(Proverbs 4:17)
Alcohol is a factor in nearly half of all violent crimes and three quarters of domestic violence incidents. [National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence; NCADD.org; 2013]
(Proverbs 20:1)
No one can ever predict where that first sip will lead.
“One in every twelve adults now suffers from alcohol abuse or dependence along with several million more who engage in risky drinking patterns.” [NCADD.org; 2013]
(Proverbs 23:29-35)
(Isaiah 5:11-14 “Woe unto them that... follow strong drink.”)
(Leviticus 10:9-11; Proverbs 31:4-5; Isaiah 28:7b)
(Genesis 19:32-33; Habakkuk 2:15)
(1 Peter 5:8 “Be sober....” -- Repeated eight times in the N.T.)
(Leviticus 10:8-9)
Christians are called priests, kings and future rulers. (Rev. 5:10)
(Titus 1:7; 2:3; 1 Timothy 3:3, 8)
(Galatians 5:13; 1 Corinthians 8:9-13; Romans 14:20-23)
A mature person thinks in terms of responsibilities, not rights.
Believers are often called soldiers for Christ (1 Thessalonians 5:6, 8; 1 Peter 1:13; 4:7; 5:8). When is a Christian soldier “off duty”?
(1 Thessalonians 5:22)
“Alcohol has wrecked more lives, starved more children, and murdered more women than any other factor.” [Sir. W. Grinfell]
Why would a Christian desire to promote it or associate with it? Why not have a Coke?
✲ Do not be fooled--everybody is NOT doing it! 46% of American adults have not drunk ANY beer or wine in the last year [UDETC.org]. These abstainers are certainly not all Christians, just “wise”.
Society’s general perception has changed dramatically in favor of gambling, but has God’s? Just a generation ago, if one wished to legally gamble, he had to travel to far-off Nevada or New Jersey. Today, a casino is located within short driving distance of most towns, and the majority of people have no further to travel than the nearest convenience store in all but a few states to wager on state-run lotteries. Once a social taboo, gambling and gaming have gone mainstream, and have even become a common church fundraiser with raffles and bingo. Is opposition to gambling just an outdated hold-over from the past? Following are ten Biblical and rational reasons why we should oppose gambling.
Gambling violates the Biblical command, “Thou shalt not covet”
(Exodus 20:17; cp. Luke 12:15; Ephes. 5:3; Col. 3:5) Most people would not buy the raffle ticket to “help the cause” if there was nothing to win.
Gambling violates the Bible command to “be content”
(Philippians 4:11; 1 Timothy 6:6-8; Hebrews 13:5; cp. Gen. 3:6) The gambling industry cannot survive without covetousness, greed and discontentment. Remove these base elements from the human heart, and every casino would close down.
Gambling is a symptom of distrust of God’s ability to provide
(Psalm 50:10-12; Matthew 6:33; Philippians 4:19) Gambling gives a false hope -- If I win, I will never lack again. However, we are to look to God, hard work and wise use of the resources God provides, not the elusive “jackpot”, to meet our needs.
People would respond to an investment manager using their funds to buy Powerball tickets by rightly saying, “It’s not your money to take that risk!” The Christian’s money is not his either, but God’s, and he is to be a wise asset manager. (Deut. 8:18, Job 1:21; 1 Chron. 29:11-12; Ps. 24:1; Matt. 25:14-30; 1 Cor. 4:2)
The old “organized crime” has simply become legalized crime. “The ABC’s of gambling are addiction, bankruptcy, crime and corruption.” [Focusonthefamily.com, “Cause for Concern”] (Proverbs 28:20; 1 Timothy 6:9-10; James 1:14-15)
Read the “National Gambling Impact Study Commission [NGISC] Report to Congress” to find a host of gambling’s terrible unintended consequences on individuals, communities and families, including spouse abuse, child neglect and poverty. -www.ncfpc.org/specialngisc.html
NGISC Report to Congress -- “The annual average costs of job loss, unemployment and welfare benefits, poor physical and mental health, and problem or pathological gambling treatment is approximately $5 billion per year. This does not include gambling related incidences of theft, embezzlement, suicide, domestic violence, child abuse and neglect, and divorce.”
Proverbs 13:11 - “Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished; but he that gathereth by labor shall increase.” (Also Proverbs 10:4; 12:11; 13:4; 14:23; 20:4; 21:25; Acts 20:35; Ephesians 4:28; 1 Timothy 5:8; 2 Thessalonians 3:7-10)
1 Corinthians 6:12 “…I will not be brought under the power of any[thing].”
Billboards along our interstate highways read, “GAMBLING IS ADDICTIVE! CALL 1-800...”, and the first full week of every March is “National Problem Gambling Awareness Week”. Nearly 5% of teens and 6% of college students have a clinical gambling problem. Another 10-14% are at high risk of addiction. 1 Timothy 6:9 warns of “...foolish and hurtful lusts which drown men in destruction and perdition.”
(Proverbs 13:11)
“About one-third of all state lottery winners end up filing for bankruptcy” [Focus on the Family Mag.; Jan. 2002], and “80% of winners wished they had never won” [American Life, April 9, 2007].
Gambling is based on a desire for quick and easy wealth. An investment offers the possibility of long-term gain with patience. However, some investments can carry such risk and unreasonable promise that they become a “gamble”. Even legitimate investments can be wrong for a person if his motive is to get rich, or if he is trusting in his investments more than God to meet future needs.
