Fighting The Truth War

Speaking to Christians: "So we are ambassador-soldiers, reaching out to sinners with the truth even as we make every effort to destroy the lies and other forms of evil that hold them in deadly bondage. That is a perfect summary of every Christian's duty in the Truth War." - John MacArthur (in the book "The Truth War")

The battle is not a physical battle of guns and swords, it is a spiritual battle and the enemy's chief weapons are lies and deception... which we let creep into our churches, some in small ways, others in large amounts--in some cases to the extent that a church is no longer Christian.

Martin Luther said, "If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and devil are at the moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved; and to be steady on all the battle fields besides, is mere flight and disgrace if he flinches at that point."

If you are a Christian you are in the battle... aren't you?

400 Years Or The End Of The World?

Dr. Ralph Winter passed away last month. He was named one of America's 25 most influential evangelicals by Time magazine in 2005 and has been a major influence in international missions.

Dr. Winter wrote an interesting paper that I read about six years ago. It described how God's kingdom is spread, even when we do not share the gospel do as we have been commanded to do. He noticed a 400 year cycle.

What happens is that about every 400 years something dramatic happens. Those events either force people out to spread the gospel, or they force outsides into Christian cultures where the outsiders then hear the gospel. We are at the point in that 400 year cycle when something dramatic happens.

On the other hand many signs point to the return of Jesus being very near... in particular Israel being in possession of their land.

Things are coming to a head at an increasing rate. North Korea is threatening to attack everyone and anyone who does the slightest thing to oppose them. The failed ideas of socialism are being imposed in America, with the predicable results of the division of society, and increased personal misery that will result in riots and violence answered by tyranny. Political unrest in Iran driving Ahmadinejad to create a crisis that takes Iranians attention off politics. The pot seems to be reaching a boiling point.

What should we be doing? What can we do? All of these events are bigger than us.

We should be obeying God. When is the last time you shared the gospel with a non-believer? How much support (prayer, encouragement, financial...) to you provide for those engaged in a full-time ministry of sharing the gospel?

Something is happening. It could be the peak of a 400 year cycle, it could be Jesus will return soon... but the answer is the same. Tell as many people as you can about what Jesus has done for you. Lead them to understand sin, its consequences and salvation through Jesus Christ.

The Biblical Role Of Government

What is the Biblical role of government? What should government be doing and what should it not be doing?

First we need to keep in mind the all government authority comes from God. (Romans 13:1)

Based on the Bible, here is what government is responsible for:

National Security
Restrain Evil
Protect the Innocent
Preserve Truth (ie. standards for weights and measurement, protect against fraud)
Protect Personal Property

So what about the church? What is the church's responsibility?

Spiritual Authority
Teach the Word
Fellowship of Believers (to encourage and point people to the right path)
Welfare (take care of the poor and needy)
Correct and Admonish
Judging (see Ezra for example)
Hold Leaders Accountable (includes a prophetic role)

How is our government doing? Are they protecting the innocent (the unborn for example)? Do our various state governments work to restrain evil (disobeying God) or encourage evil? Does our government protect personal property or take personal property and redistribute it to others?

How is the church doing? Does the church take care of the needy? Does the church correct and admonish? Does the church hold our leaders accountable?

How Does God Treat Nations?

I have a question for you... Does God's interaction with the nation of Israel in the Old Testament reflect how He interacts with nation's today?

How does God use nations? God blessed Israel when they turned to Him and he withdrew His blessing when they turned away. Actually He did more than withdraw His blessing, He punished Israel. He brought drought, insects, enemies and exile to punish the nation of Israel. National punishment hurt both those who still lived in obedience to God and those who had turned away.

What does God do with nations today? The Bible tells us that all governments are from God. Does that mean that governments are tools He uses to teach us? Tools He uses to drive us to Him?

In America we have replaced God with government. It is now government we turn to for salvation. Not salvation from sin, but salvation from anything and everything else. But the more we turn to government to save us, the greater our problems. Don't we know history? For each problem government "solves" they create the foundation for three or four new problems that will become the next big crisis... which of course the government is then called on to solve.

Turning to the government for salvation brings nothing but increased misery. Maybe this is what God is teaching us. It's the same thing He was teaching Israel in the Old Testament. Trust God. Turn to God. Obey God. He is our creator. He made us. He knows us. He loves us. Trust Him.

Truth, Lies and Propaganda

A good web site to know well is: http://www.propagandacritic.com/

Propaganda techniques are one of the major weapons used against Christianity and the truth.

Barney Frank referred to Justice Scalia as a 'homophobe' in interview (AP). What he is doing is using a common propaganda technique known as name calling. It sounds like something little kids do on the playground, and it is. But when it is used by a U.S. Representative, whom we assume has some maturity and intelligence, then it is a straight forward use of propaganda.

Propaganda has been a key weapon commonly used by the dictators, fascists, communists and the liberal left*. The liberal left has used it politically, culturally and theologically. It is an easy weapon to use when you don't care about truth, or care about other people, but care only about achieving your objectives. What's great about this weapon is that you can assert something that is known to be false (based on the facts), but facts are not important. If you repeat your propaganda enough times it will be believed.

This is how evolution and Darwism has come to dominate and be the only allowed viewpoint. Not through the power of scientific facts... there are none. But through the power of continual and repeated assertion, as well as the use of other propaganda techniques. (Such as bandwangon, fear and bad logic.) This is how moral corruption has been creeping into our culture for the past 50 years. This is how theological corruption has destroyed many of our good churches.

Propaganda techniques. Learn about them. Recognize them when they are being used against you.

*I've used an example of "name calling" here.

This Is What Is Coming

This video shows Paul Washer. I've listened to many of his sermons. He is very Biblical, the best Biblical teacher I've heard. He is also very sober minded. He is not a sensationalist.

I Want A Better Tomorrow

What would you do to make a better tomorrow?

Are you doing it?