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Do Doctrines Actually Divide the Church?

cute skunk

I heard a phrase recently while listening to a podcast.

A pastor was reviewing the spiritual struggles of the churches over the last 150 years. Basically since the Civil War.

He was discussing the movement of seminaries away from solid, biblical authority. Showing the rise of spiritual Modernism and Liberalism in places like Princeton. And how those trained in the seminaries and Christian colleges brought their weak teachings back to the churches. Affecting all denominations.

He also spoke of the formation of Fundamentalism, the creation of the National Association of Evangelicals, and the rise of the New Evangelical movement.

A movement that now deeply influences every church in our modern age.

The incredible significance of New Evangelicalism is due to its spiritual philosophy that saturates virtually every church that calls itself “Evangelical”. And even many that identify as “Fundamental”.

These churches are increasingly following the basic New Evangelical mantra, “Doctrine divides while service unites“.

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How is the Lord Truly Glorified?

Do it my way Woman

“For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.” (Philippians 2:13)

If we do not let the Lord work in us, then the works we produce will be of our own creation. And He will not get the glory. It is either His working or ours; either His Spirit or our own that produces the works.

If we do the work, then the world will not see Christ. They will only see us and our “Christian” good works.

They will see good works done in His name. But not those done in and through His Spirit.

The Father is not glorified in the good works which we do in our own strength. He is only glorified by His own working done by His Holy Spirit.

His works are done by His activity in us; not in our activity dedicated to Him. Even though we may give Him the credit.

We do a good deed for someone. We sing a beautiful solo in church. We preach a great sermon. We give our “tithe”. Or we give extra money for some special project of the church or for some other Christian ministry. We pray for people on our list. We read a couple chapters of the Bible every day.

We help an old lady across the street.

If our Christian “good works” are done according to the intense, devoted, will-power of our own spirit – even out of our own deeply sincere Christian spirit – even with the best of “loving” intentions – then the Lord is not glorified.

God Will Do His Own Work

We are not meant to work on His behalf. We are not here to serve some spiritual cause.

Nor to work for a Christian “movement”. No matter how good that Christian cause may be or how good that movement may be.

We are called to yield to the Lord and rest in Him, by faith.

We are called to obey the truth through the Spirit.

We are called to wait for Him as He works in us to do those things which He wills according to His good pleasure. And according to His timing.

God is not glorified in the strength or dedication or devotion of our Christian “will power”.

The only one glorified by that is the Christian himself.

Image by Geralt from Pixabay

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The “Law of Love” Cannot Save You

man on back with love stick

There are many forms of the Law.

The Old Testament Levitical priesthood system was the original version.

But men have created innumerable other forms of that system of morals, rules, and rituals to replace the original law.

The very law that the Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled. By bringing in another law. A better Law.

Which is the Law of faith.

Continue reading “The “Law of Love” Cannot Save You” →

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By Faith Alone: Part 2 – More Than Fluffy Poetry

light bulbs hanging from sky

The Lord IS the Spirit of Christ – the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is God. He is a Person. He is active and moving within every Christian.

He is the One who lives within us TO DO the things that He has commanded us to do. And to NOT DO the things that we should not do.

This is why the Bible says that we must be “obeying the truth through the Spirit.” (I Peter 1:22)

But what does this mean? Really?

We see that phrase, “through the Spirit“, and then basically walk right on by it. Like we tend to do with a great deal of the word of God.

We tend to see these phrases as a kind of poetic excess that the Lord has put into His word. Or we think that the King James translators suffered from an abundance of flowery language and superfluous rhetoric.

Or that they wrote with a kind of middle-English “God talk”. As some like to say to put down the KJV.

And therefore, the words are not treated seriously.

We ignore incredible spiritual truths that have been placed right in front of us.

Continue reading “By Faith Alone: Part 2 – More Than Fluffy Poetry” →

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“Crucifixion” is a Finished Deal

3 crosses clouds artwork” I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless, I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.” (Galatians 2:20)

Many believe that this verse is speaking of an ongoing process in the believer’s life.

As if, this crucifixion continues daily in our lives.

As if, the work of crucifixion is not complete. And we are still left to go through a self-crucifixion process. Daily nailing ourselves upon a spiritual cross to deal with our sins and iniquities.

A process, that even believers are supposed to do daily.

But this is not true. This is not what this passage means!

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By Faith Alone We Stand

 

Woman Breaking Chains

“… by faith ye stand.” (II Corinthians 1:24)

Is our relationship with the Lord based upon our ability to be obedient?

That ability is popularly taught as the strength of our Christian willpower, devotion, sincerity, willingness to sacrifice, choices to be unselfish, choices to love others, and our dedication to bringing our will into line with what the Lord wants us to do. 

Which, for all practical purposes, is taught as a combination deal between us and the Lord; as the way we can overcome our bad tendencies, lack of discipline, lusts, bad habits, and a host of other bad stuff we cope with as believers. 

However, that is not what the Bible really teaches.

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A Visit from Some Watchtower Folks

Christ is your righteousness Heart

So, last Saturday morning some people from the Jehovah’s Witness group stopped by to ask me some questions. 

They were friendly. And less aggressive than some of the other visitors I’ve had. 

I get somewhat regular visits from folks. Sometimes JW’s. Sometimes Mormons. 

I think I may be on a list of some kind. Maybe they give certain guys my address as a punishment of sorts. 

You know, to go see this guy just in case they can convert me. Maybe they’ll even get a prize if they do. 

Which reminds me of the churches that used to give out prizes if you brought a guest to church or to Sunday school.

Like a free airplane ride or a steak dinner!

Continue reading “A Visit from Some Watchtower Folks” →

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The Myth of “Natural History”

Baboons at the Piano

No matter where you go these days someone is trying to sell something that has to do with “natural foods”.

The health food industry is a billion dollar goldmine. Everyone wants to try to get in on the action.

All they have to do is talk about how their food is natural or how their special product uses natural processes to accomplish amazing results and people will buy their stuff. Which is always more expensive than the synthetic stuff.

But how much of all this stuff is truly natural is rarely known. Or admitted.

It’s kind of like all the talk about “natural law” or “natural ethics” or even “natural history”; it all sounds interesting. It all sounds plausible.

But mostly it’s just a big steaming pile of horse manure.

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Comfort in the Fire

Fire Forging a Sword

“This is my comfort in my affliction: for thy word hath quickened me.” (Psalm 119:50)

Affliction is a necessary component to the life in Christ.

Without affliction, we go astray. Without affliction we “go to seed” as they say.

No one truly seeks pain or suffering. But it is an inescapable process that we must endure in order for the Lord to make us what we should be.

This is how He prepares us for the joys of eternity with Him.

Continue reading “Comfort in the Fire” →

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