Evangelicalism is Fighting For it's Very Life

The bible warns of increasing deception and of wolves
that will come in sheep's clothing. Is the church prepared?
A well known pastor had this to say about modern Christianity: It seems to me that if any one problem out strips all the others in the church, it is the utter lack of spiritual discernment; the ability to discern truth from error regarding God and the things of God. ... [Read More!]

'I Don't Need Creeds, I Just Believe in The Bible'    Link

One of the signs of the evangelical movement's ahistorical attitude is its downplaying or outright denial of creeds. Those who say "the New Testament is my only creed" or "I just believe in the Bible" affirm nothing distinguishing them from a multitude of cults. They beg the question of interpretation.
This article illustrates the need for interpretive creeds using a classic example from the 4th century, and gives seven considerations for the use and value of creeds. ... [Read Link]

Should We Judge The Salvation of Others?

Recently several blogs were discussing the pit falls of labeling professing Christians as unbelievers. I've been on the receiving end of this kind of abuse myself, as some in the seeker-driven camp have emailed to inform me of my eternal destiny. But some pastors and church historians say that we may be doing more harm than good if we create a moratorium on all such judgments. One leader even said "THE biggest problem in the church is its inability and unwillingness to distinguish true Christians from false. It's literally killing the church". ... [Read More!]

Does God Hate The Sin, But Love The Sinner?    Link

Handy sayings are sometimes used to convey a certain truth in a simple way; but too often the slogan ends up being so simple that it actually conveys a falsehood. One of these is "God hates the sin, but loves the sinner." I understand the truth of grace that is the attempt here, but it is actually not what the Bible says. Stand To Reason takes a look at this issue from scripture... [Read Link]

Quiz: What's Your Theological Worldview?

This quiz is not only interesting, but it can help you think-through some biblical issues that don't come to mind very often. Here are the results of my quiz; I was a little surprised by the outcome. ... [Read More!]

God is The Seeker, So Let's Be Sensitive To Him

Although we want to remove false barriers to worship, there are problems with the "seeker-sensitive" approach. Most importantly, its main premise flies in the face of the Bible's teaching. Romans 3:11 says, "No one seeks for God." ... [Read More!]

Why Pray If Things Are Predestined?

Although it's an almost abandoned doctrine in the modern church, predestination is inescapable in the pages of the bible. So the question
is often asked, if God has already decided the outcome of things,
what difference does "prayer" make? The answer may not be as
complicated as you think. ... [Read More!]

Is Church For Christians, Or For Seekers?

Most churches that try to be seeker-sensitive end up being seeker-centered. The church becomes for the seeker rather than Christians. That's what Gregory Koukl says, in his article entitled: What's Wrong with Being Seeker-Centered?
But how does the bible define the church's role, and how should The Great Commission impact the way we do church?
... [Read More!]

A Puritan Compass That Leads To Doctrinal Truth

Sometimes it's just easy to loose sight of the forest through the trees, and so it is with the teachings of the bible as well.

From the quill of the 17th century Puritan John Flavel, comes this excellent one-paragraph summary of the bible. It's "old truth" that we can use as a compass, in evaluating modern methods and movements:

"Whatever religion or doctrine condones or makes allowances for sin is not of Christ. The Doctrine of Christ everywhere teaches self-denial and mortification of worldliness and sin. The whole stream of the gospel runs against those things. Scripture emphasizes the 'holy' and the 'heavenly' (not the sinful and the worldly). The true gospel has not even the slightest tendency to extol corrupt nature, or feed it's pride by magnifying it's freedom and power. And it rejects everything that undermines or obscures the merit of Christ, or tries to give any credit to man, in any way. ... [Read More!]

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