Does The Calvary Road Lead To Revival?

Are you broken enough? Well start getting more broken, otherwise you might just keep revival from breaking out near you! That's the idea that you might come away with after reading Roy Hession's popular book The Calvary Road. Chad is back to help us sort out what's true and what's not, on the topics of revival, sanctification, and Christ's work on the Cross. His last post generated over 150 comments, numerous emails and blog links, and a few angry responses from fans of the book. Even a priest wrote in to let us know that we "prots" are bound to disagree. Hmm. Well, this time around, Chad takes us into another chapter of the book. ... [Read More!]

The Calvary Road Leading To Confusion

If your pastor ever holds up a book from the pulpit
(other than the bible) and says "If you want to know what our church is all about, read this book", it probably ought to be setting off red flags for you. What's even worse is when that book contains subtle errors that are capable of leading an entire congregation into wrong thinking about the work of Christ and false notions of revivalism. Here's the testimony of how that very thing happened at one conservative church. It underscores how easily error can slip into a church, and how needed discernment is today. ... [Read More!]

Discernment: Detecting The Voice of The Enemy   John Murray

A shepherd protects his sheep from their enemies. Wolves enter in among the sheep. The wolves which harass the church of God are emissaries of false doctrine and of evil practice. Satan is never out of his diocese and his specialty is to destroy the pure witness and the fellowship of the church of God. Perhaps there is no more ominous feature of members of the church than the lack of discernment; they can listen to what is good and true, and to what is bad and false, without discrimination. If we are to live in a world where the enemy is active and error is rampant, we must be imbued with a good measure of critical faculty, and here the elders in tending the flock must cultivate for themselves, and inculcate in the members of the church, that sensitivity to truth and right, so that they and the people will be able to detect the voice of the enemy. ... [Read More!]

Martin Luther: a 'Child' and Scholar of The Catechism   Martin Luther

It is not without good reason that we recommend the use of the Catechism, and desire and entreat its being taught; for we see, alas! that many pastors and preachers are very negligent, and throw contempt on their office and these doctrines; some led away by high attainments in philosophy, others from mere laziness and love of ease. Added to this, we have to contend with the disgraceful vice, and secret evil of sloth, security, and weariness of laborious duties, which leads many to think the Catechism a mean and contemptible compilation of doctrines; which having once been read over, may be thrown into a corner and never again consulted. ... [Read More!]

The Rumpled Theology of CS Lewis    Link

Discerning Christians need to be aware that, while much of CS Lewis' apologetics are sound, and his understanding of life penetrating, his theology was somewhat of a mess. Even his "friends accused Lewis of a rumpled dress and a somewhat rumpled theology too". As Gary Gilley points out, his theology was deficient at best in the key areas of Scripture and salvation. He believed in neither Sola Fide nor Sola Scriptura, two of the battle cries of the Reformation. ... [Read Link]

God's Glory and the Problem of Evil    Link

A belief statement about the purpose for evil said:
"God has allowed evil to provide us with a choice. God can bring good even out of evil, and God promises victory over evil to those who choose Him". This statement contains one truth, one half-truth, and one outright falsehood. In this blog article, Tom Chantry demonstrates what happens when men try to produce doctrine out of their own reasoning; they produce conclusions that are both unbiblical and unreasonable. The only rational theology is that which proceeds from the mind of God. ... [Read Link]

No Theology? A Mind is a Terrible Thing To Waste   Bruce Shelley

Many modern Christians would rather not discuss the central teachings of Christianity. They are not sure that ideas about religion--or theology--are all that important. "I love flowers," a minister once said, "but I hate botany; I love religion, but I hate theology". This widespread attitude often springs from good reasons. Theology can be dull, or much worse, it can be ruthless. In Christianity, however, the answer to bad theology can never be no theology. It must be good theology. God gave us minds, and he surely expects us to use them in thinking about his truth. ... [Read More!]

The Relevancy of Doctrine - Part 3

Martyn Lloyd-Jones explains how the great concern of the New Testament Epistles is not about the size of the Church, it is about the purity of the Church. The Apostles never said to the first Christians, "You are antagonizing people by emphasizing doctrine. Say more about the love of God and less about the wrath of God. They do not even like the Cross, and they cannot abide the story of the resurrection! Drop that talk about the wrath of God!" Not so do the Apostles speak! ... [Read More!]

The Relevancy of Doctrine - Part 2

Unlike the current evangelical trend, the late Martyn Lloyd-Jones understood how nothing could be more relevant than truth and doctrine: "Take the New Testament, take the history of the Christian Church, or take individual Christian experience, and you will see that true doctrine is always urgently relevant. It is of supreme importance for the whole life of the Church." ... [Read More!]

Who Are You Calling a Pharisee? and Why?

(Originally posted 12/1/05) - JC Ryle warned that if you dare to say of one doctrine that 'it is true' and of another 'it is false', you can expect to be called narrow-minded and uncharitable. And as Paul Crouch from TBN demonstrates, you can often expect to be called a 'Pharisee' as well: "I'm tired of Scribes, Pharisees, hypocrites blocking God's bridges when the harvest is perishing out there and God's calling the body to come together. Let Him sort out all this doctrinal doo-doo, I don't care about it!". But before you call someone a Pharisee, consider this advice. ... [Read More!]

The Effects of Following 'Partial Truth'

Spurgeon noted that: in certain parts of David Livingstone's missionary travels, he tells us, that his guides were either so ignorant or so determined to deceive him, that he could have done far better without them than with them; and he had constantly to refer to his compass, lest he should be led astray. Now, I would not say a hard thing if I did not believe it true; but I do solemnly think that there are some professed teachers of the Word, who are either so ignorant of spiritual things in their own hearts, or else so determined to preach anything but Christ, that you might do better without them than with them; and hence you have an absolute necessity to turn perpetually to this great compass [the bible] by which alone you can steer your way. ... [Read More!]

Pastors Can't Answer Basic Doctrine Questions    Link

In case you missed it, the Riddleblog posted the results of a walk-up survey given to pastors at a recent ministry convention. Take a look at their answers to basic questions like these, and remember - these are pastors:
Is justification by: works, faith and works combined, or faith alone? Is justification a one time declaration or a life long process? Are you familiar with the doctrine of imputation?... [Read Link]

"My Sunday School Teacher Says Hell is Made Up"

I received an email this morning which said: "A Sunday school teacher at our church is now telling us that hell is made up! He gave us the link below to read. Can you please take a look at it and help me to defend truth?". Although Universalism isn't new, it's growing in popularity now days, as more and more people want to find ways to "air condition" Hell. ... [Read More!]

Pastoral Success Depends Upon Personal Holiness

In the 19th century, Horatius Bonar pondered the genuine soul-winning success of some of the greatest pastors: "Whence came their success? Why, may not the same success be ours? We may take the sermons of Whitefield or Berridge or Edwards for our study or our pattern, but it is the individuals themselves that we must mainly set before us; it is with the spirit of the men, more than of their works, that we are to be imbued, if we are emulous of a ministry as powerful, as victorious as theirs". Bonar concluded that there was a certain quality that any great pastor has, and it is an oft-lacking quality that pastors are still in need of today. ... [Read More!]