We know well what it means for people to be dissatisfied with Christianity, or to blurt out “I’m finished!” and publicly walk away. I’ve even heard people proclaim that the term “Christian” has been so torn apart in the battle-to-the-death between liberals and conservatives that there’s no longer any point in using the term at all. Should we all be post-Christian now?

Yet some of us are still hanging in there. In fact, in the midst of the increasing skepticism, a number of good things are happening. For one, more people are speaking up about what’s wrong with the institutional church, making bolder calls for it to change and adapt. This is good. Don’t forget that Christianity has its heritage in the Jewish prophets, who took the religious institutions of their day to task for a multitude of sins. And the first-century rabbi whom Christians follow modeled himself on the great prophets of the Hebrew Bible. It’s high time for a more prophetic, more counter-cultural Christian faith.

Knowing the Doubts from the Inside…

I tried to warn evangelical leaders about Glenn Beck’s rallies but most of them laughed at me. Now Satan is the one laughing at them as “Christians” run head-long into embracing non-Biblical theology and call it “Christian”.

Greg West in the Mormon LDS Examiner validates my pre-Beck rally warnings to Evangelical leaders on my radio program, columns, e-mails, and phone conversations. I told them that partnering with Beck in a spiritual enterprise would send the message that Mormons are Christians.

Greg West writes:

As a Mormon, I have to consider an unintended message throughout Beck’s work, which has culminated in this event. That message is: “Mormons are Christian believers.” Despite nearly two centuries of misrepresentation and religious envy by sectarian Christianity, Beck has achieved the visibility, prominence, and has had the time day after day, week after week, to speak openly and truly about his core beliefs. Those statements of faith have disoriented and confused those who had previously believed the lies about Mormons.

Jim Garlow, a popular and influential pastor who partnered with the Mormon faithful in California to defend traditional marriage was quoted recently in CNN’s Belief Blog, saying, “I have interviewed persons who have talked specifically with Glenn about his personal salvation – persons extremely well known in Christianity – and they have affirmed (using language evangelicals understand), ‘Glenn is saved…’ He understands receiving Christ as Savior.”

Hallelujah! The light bulb has been switched on after nearly two centuries! Every single member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints believes that a person must be “born again” and receive Jesus Christ as his Savior and Redeemer. Our holy books teach that salvation comes only in and through the atonement of Christ and that there is no other way a person can be saved…Glenn Beck’s beliefs are mainstream Mormon beliefs. Joseph Smith, the Church’s founder, was a Christian prophet. He was an apostolic witness of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

“God’s Book” is today’s quote from Mr. Spurgeon.

The Bible is the writing of the living God— each letter was penned with an Almighty finger; each word in it dropped from the everlasting lips; each sentence was dictated by the Holy Spirit. Even though Moses was employed to write his histories with his fiery pen, God guided that pen. It may be that David touched his harp, and let sweet Psalms of melody drop from his fingers; but God moved his hands over the living strings of his golden harp. … (Read the entire quote here)

“Book of Martyrs 36″ is the next excerpt from The Book of Martyrs by John Foxe.

Gardiner himself was then tormented in the most excruciating manner; but in the midst of all his torments he gloried in the deed. Being ordered for death, a large fire was kindled near a gibbet, Gardiner was drawn up to the gibbet by pulleys, and then let down near the fire, but not so close as to touch it; for they burnt or rather roasted him by slow degrees. Yet he bore his sufferings patiently and resigned his soul to the Lord cheerfully. …(Read the rest here)

There is a certain charismatic “church” in the metro area in which I live that advertises heavily on TV during the evening news hour. Some of their commercials are supposed to be humorous like the ones in which a fellow with an Australian accent supposedly stops random people on the street to ask them what their favorite “church” is. Of course, they all say that its the church they are advertising. All through the commercials they play Gary Glitter’s Rock & Roll Part 2 in the background, which you probably know as “the Hey Song,” and, of course, the dude with the cool Aussie accent looks so relevant… In any case, each commercial ends with the line where they give the name of the church then say, “Religion that works!” They have other commercials of course. Some show people running down the aisles of their auditorium or people falling on the floor. Nearly all those commercials say something like, “Come here, because this is where God is.” I noticed lately though that they have moved to a new level. They now have family groups who all stand around smiling and talk about the transforming power they have gone through by being there and finding God’s purpose for their lives as they were put to work serving in that “church.”

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Ordinary Means of Grace III-The God Ordained Means of Preaching-1 Corinthians 1:17-2:16

Ordinary Means of Grace IV-Preaching with the Wind Blowing-Rev. 1:12-20

Recently Bill O’Reilly very pointedly asked Glenn Beck why he avoids the culture war. On the same-sex “marriage” issue Beck, who purports to be a conservative, said that he really doesn’t care what people do as long as it doesn’t affect him. He then quoted Thomas Jefferson who said, “If it neither breaks my leg, nor picks my pocket, what difference is it to me?”

An odd comment coming from a so-called Christian conservative who held up a Bible on his 8/27/10 TV show and told his audience that Americans must start reading it. I’m in total agreement with Glenn. In fact I’m thrilled that he pointed folks to sacred Scripture. The Americans who take his advice and read the Bible will discover what it says in reference to homosexuality. Here are two examples: 

“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God” (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

“…God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet” (Rom 1:24-27).

God has promised us the strength for victory over sin, including homosexuality, to all those who trust in Jesus Christ for their salvation. (1 Corinthians 6:11; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Philippians 4:13)  Continue reading

“A Trip to Heaven” is today’s quote from Mr. Spurgeon.

Christ is the chariot in which souls are drawn to heaven. The people of the Lord are on their way to heaven, they are carried in everlasting arms; and those arms are the arms of Christ. Christ is carrying them up to His own house, to His own throne; in time His prayer— “Father, I want those you have given Me to be with Me where I am” shall be completely fulfilled. …. (Read the entire quote here)

“Book of Martyrs 35″ is the next excerpt from The Book of Martyrs by John Foxe.

Dr. Constantine, an intimate acquaintance of the already mentioned Dr. Aegidio, was a man of uncommon natural abilities and profound learning; exclusive of several modern tongues, he was acquainted with the Latin, Greek, and Hebrew languages, and perfectly well knew not only the sciences called abstruse, but those arts which come under the denomination of polite literature. (Read the rest here)

“Vayahiy Press” is a new publications ministry website for Justification by Grace. This link will present that announcement.

As evangelicals bend their Bibles like Gumby to try and make baptized, and practicing, Mormon Glenn Beck a Christian we’re seeing more and more strange spiritual bedfellows come emerging.

As we have seen, the passage Ephesians 5:18 is a command. The verb forms of “do not get drunk” and “be filled” are both present tense, imperative mood, passive voice. The imperative mood equates to a military command and something the Christian does control. Neither not getting drunk with wine unto debauchery or Spirit-filling are optional, but rather mandatory for Christians. You may ask, “how so?” This is clearly shown to be the will of God in Ephesians 5:17, just one verse earlier, “Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is.” Never forget my brethren, God would not give us command unless we were being put in charge of carrying out the command, so it’s up to us to obey. 

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