Click here: Tony Miano Arrested for preaching in the UK
This is an incredible story about Tony Miano's recent persecution by British law enforcement. The theme that homosexuality will continue to be the catalyst of an increase in Christian persecution in the West seems self-evident at this point. The Church must do more to prepare the body to respond, to give a defense, an apologetic for the exclusive claims of the Christian worldview. We must be busy proclaiming, defending, and refuting any view that is contrary to the teachings of Christ. In addition, we must be willing to invest the time and energy necessary to ensure that we are providing the very best proclamation, defense, and refutation that our personal gifts, talents, and skills will permit. In other words, Church, let us exercise diligence in the acquisition and application of these critical skills for the sake of the gospel!
In another story, it seems the battle in Texas over abortion has also escalated to absurd levels. See the article below.
This is an incredible story about Tony Miano's recent persecution by British law enforcement. The theme that homosexuality will continue to be the catalyst of an increase in Christian persecution in the West seems self-evident at this point. The Church must do more to prepare the body to respond, to give a defense, an apologetic for the exclusive claims of the Christian worldview. We must be busy proclaiming, defending, and refuting any view that is contrary to the teachings of Christ. In addition, we must be willing to invest the time and energy necessary to ensure that we are providing the very best proclamation, defense, and refutation that our personal gifts, talents, and skills will permit. In other words, Church, let us exercise diligence in the acquisition and application of these critical skills for the sake of the gospel!
In another story, it seems the battle in Texas over abortion has also escalated to absurd levels. See the article below.
Abortion activists in Texas chanted ‘Hail Satan’ as pro-life residents began singing the hymn Amazing Grace outside the state capitol building on Tuesday.
The incident occurred as the battle continues to rage over a proposed late-term abortion bill being considered in the Senate. Blogger Adam Cahm captured the chanting on video, and a number of pro-life residents present posted about the matter on Twitter and Facebook.
Click here to continue to story: Blasphemy of Pro-Abortion Satanic chanting.
"The Church must do more to prepare the body to respond, to give a defense, an apologetic for the exclusive claims of the Christian worldview."
ReplyDeleteOR maybe emphasize that it is NOT an exclusively Christian worldview? I mean the prohibition of homosexuality comes from the Old Testament originally.
What the churches need to do is do what they've been too spineless to do for at least 100 years now: teach that excluding sinners is OK. No more "We have to accept EVERYONE" -- we don't. Scrap "faith alone" as meaning anything other than consideration for admission, and begin using church discipline on sinners rather than "Oh, how cute: faith alone faith alone faith alone" when parishioners are living in adultery, fornication, or homosexuality.
And yet, I already know your response : "That's mean. The gospel is for sinners."
The gospel is for the outside world: once they get in the church its time for the hammer of the Law. Paul didn't say let the man who was banging his father's wife keep doing it and say "Faith alone faith alone faith alone; the gospel is for sinners" -- he said excommunicate him. And if you don't agree with me on this, YOU are excommunicated.
If you spent a little more time reading my blog, you would not think my disagreement with you would be where you thought it would be. I actually agree that one the most glaring problems in the Christian Church is the number of unbelievers who are members. I do agree we must purge the leaven from the body. Scripture is unambiguous on this fact.
ReplyDeleteMy problem with your comment is that you seem to disparage "faith alone" and blame the problem on that biblical doctrine. James answered anyone who professed to have faith while living like demons live. They have the faith of demons if their Christian confession is absent fruit. Faith alone does not mean fruitless faith.
Genuine salvation produces genuine repentance, genuine sanctification, genuine fruit.
My comments were generic, not necessarily directed at you personally. As for "faith alone" the problem is precisely that faith alone is NOT a Biblical doctrine, at least not in the way it is preached. The New Perspective on Paul fixes the problem a bit by seeing justification by faith alone as meaning as justified for entrance into the church rather than a once for all justification that becomes a license for sin. But the traditional Protestant model is that faith alone is a license for sin, and no matter how hard they try to hide that fact it keeps proving itself by their lives.
ReplyDeleteThe idea of justification by faith as an act is directly taught with clarity by Scripture. "Having been justified" by faith.
ReplyDeleteNPP is terribly misguided and has been addressed by D.A. Carson in Variegated Nomism.
Faith guarantees fruit, this is the Protestant doctrine. Modern teachings by young, rebellious know-it-all pastors have resulted in gross misunderstandings. But those of us with a reformed soteriology have not abandoned the Biblical doctrine of sola fide, not have we retreated into easy believism or cheap grace which is what you seem to be describing.
Well then enjoy the homosexualization of your churches because your false doctrine leads directly to immorality.
ReplyDeleteYour argument is absurd, a non sequitur at its very core. Our Church excommunicates people who are living sinful lives and refusing to repent. IF you think you can provide for your own continued self-justification, it is you who does not understand the perfect holiness of God and who downgraded grace all the while elevating the abilities of depraved sinners.
ReplyDelete"Our Church excommunicates people who are living sinful lives and refusing to repent." So you say, and maybe its true. But so long as you throw your ecclesiastical weight behind the vapid motto "faith alone" you are supporting churches that don't, and of course most people who heard your vain talk about faith alone aren't part of your church or under its discipline, and you are giving them the impression that immorality is fine. Second hand faith alonism is a very dangerous thing.
ReplyDeleteThe best argument in favor of faith alone is non sequitur at its very core: The prophet says "the just shall live by faith" therefore nothing is needed but faith! But anyone with half a brain even would know that what the prophet means is the just will live out their faith, that their faith will have real world implications on how they live. Hence what the prophet is saying is the opposite of faith alone.
Your argument displays a great deal of ignorance concerning sola fide. I agree with your assessment that Churches are in a sad state. But that state has nothing to do with sola fide. Churches who reject this doctrine are equally in just as bad a state. They tend to think their good works earn them favor with God, or makes them more spiritual or places them in a higher category. They won't say this, but their speech indicates it is exactly how many of them think.
ReplyDeleteIf it is true that our church and many churches like ours hold to sola fide and we practice excommunication and we do not think one with true faith will live a godless lifestyle, then your view that there is a link between cheap grace and sola fide is defeated. Why don't our members live like demons? After all, they hold to faith alone!
The reason the Church has issues with unregenerate people in its membership is not sola fide, it is the refusal on the part of the church to remove them when they see them. Even the true Church in Corinth had immoral people in it that they had to deal with. Your argument is an argument from false cause.
You don't know how to listen. My argument is not just about the church, so the mindless statement "
ReplyDeleteThe reason the Church has issues with unregenerate people in its membership is not sola fide"--who is talking about the church having 'unregenerate' people in its membership? Not me.
I'll let you have as many 'unregenerate' people in your memebership as you want -- I don't care.
What I'm talking about is the effect on society. WHen people outside your church hear your faith alone nonsense what do they do? They live immoral lives. Gone are the days where people believe in faith alone and go to church and get controlled by the church -- 95% of people who believe in faith alone are in the wild. Faith alone has convinced them to not even go to church. And these people are destroying society, and you caused it by teaching them faith alone, so enjoy your stay in hell.
If you still don't understand my point, please read this: http://descriptivegrace.wordpress.com/2013/07/07/why-in-non-mainline-churches-do-parents-actually-teach-their-children-the-bible/
I see. We come to the doctrine of total depravity and regeneration once more. God regenerates men, imparting the gift of faith through the preaching of the gospel. It is not some naturalistic decision located within the human will. Unsaved men do not decide to follow Jesus because it makes sense, or for any other reason like that. The LORD opens the heart to receive the good news. And when this happens, the born again natural immediately places the highest premium on pleasing God, not because there are rules of repentance, but because of an amazing love for the amazing God of amazing grace! A hatred for sin begins to grow and a desire to move away from self, to die daily, replaces any desire toward sinful and riotous living.
ReplyDeleteAgain, you don't really understand the issue. All your Reformed types know how to do is parrot a bunch of mumbojumbo. Let me make it real clear for you.
ReplyDeleteIn my estimation the whole notion of “regeneration” taught by you guys is nonsense. But let’s assume for the sake of the argument that it were true.
When you are teaching “faith alone” are the only people who hear you the “regenerate”? No. So you have the “unregenerate” who “think” they have faith but don’t (I’m speaking as if I believed your system, you understand) and they are hearing this crap about “faith alone” too.
What will the “unregenerate” who “thinks” he has “faith” do when he hears justification is by “faith alone”? He will go out and sin. Yet, if he were to hear that living morally is a requirement for justification, then even though “unregenerate” he would curb his sinning.
So the message of “faith alone” has a negative effect on society because it tells the “unregenerate” that they no longer need to curb their sinning — just sin with full gusto. [And the "unregenerate" are by far more numerous.]
But — this is your lame argument — the “regenerate” know that sinning because of “faith alone” is wrong; they know that “faith alone” is not a license to sin. So what? Its time to get back to reality.
In reality there is no distinction between the regenerate and unregenerate — at least not in the way that you imagine. The real distinction is that certain people don’t sin very bad and others do. Certain people no matter what they believed and no matter what religion they were in would live moral lives — and everyone else will live a very sinful life unless restrained by a works-based religion from doing so.
Those you call “regenerate” are the people who are going to be good no matter what. Whether they have faith in Jesus or in Hari Krisna or Baal, they will be about the same morally. So the message of “faith alone” doesn’t really hurt them.
But those you call the “unregenerate” are those who need a works-based religion to convince them to curb their wickedness. And the message of justification by faith alone makes them full-on evil and totally depraved. They aren’t born totally depraved — nobody is — but the message of “faith alone” makes them totally depraved.
Not only this, but who is the message of “faith alone” tailored to? Not to the good people who would be good no matter where they were. Oh no! It is tailored to the wicked, the so-called “unregenerate.” The “unregenerate” are, in fact, the only people who buy into the doctrine of “faith alone”! The “unregenerate” invented the doctrine of faith alone as a way to justify their wickedness!
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteYou are wrong to say that only morally good people adopt faith alone! The reality is stacked against you! Conversion is genuine, it is real. People go from being liars, God-haters, Atheists, fornicators, drunkards, to not being those things. That is the first point.
ReplyDeleteSecond, you seem to be arguing against faith along from a pragmatic idea. We do not preach faith alone because it makes society better or worse. We don't preach anything out of pragmatic concerns for society. We teach and preach faith alone because this is the clear message of Scripture. A living, genuine faith alone in Christ alone by grace alone for the glory of God alone according to Scripture alone. It is too bad that you see this message as lending itself to society degradation. Whether that is true or not is no bother to me. Men are responsible for their sin and the moral law of God etched in the human conscience leaves men without an excuse for their wicked behavior, faith alone or not be proclaimed.