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Thursday, March 21, 2013

So-Called American Pro-test-ants, fail to even protest Rome, calling Satan their brother in Christ, and Roman Catholism a "denomination"

The Ascent of the Antichrist

  Reformed Baptist Fellowship  
Pope Francis

In what can only be called a strange sign of the times in which we live, Evangelical reaction to the election of a new Roman Pontiff ranges from mildly encouraged to wildly enthusiastic.  Perhaps this only reflects the effete civility of our day.  Perhaps it means that American Christians have entirely abandoned theology for politics.  Or perhaps it certifies that Protestantism is dead.  Whatever the reason, when a few have dared mention what was for centuries the settled opinion of the entire Protestant world – that any “Pope” is and must be Antichrist – many within their own ranks have cried foul.

Insults, Lies & Evaluations
If I call the Pope the Antichrist, do I insult him?  After all, it’s not as though I said the Pope’s mother wears combat boots; I am making a more subtle and significant point.  An accusation of “insult” requires definition.  What is an insult, and is it always wrong?
Some have hurled cruel curses against the Popes, but to the Christian, such language is unworthy.  Others paint all Catholic clergy as sexual deviants, which is simply “false witness,” and yes, there is a commandment against it.

Sometimes, though, what sounds like an insult is actually a carefully reasoned evaluation.  It is normally an insult to call someone a “Nazi,” but some historians have called Sir Oswald Mosley – the English fascist sympathizer – a “Nazi.”  They are not insulting him so much as evaluating him.  Similarly, Protestants have called the Pope the “Antichrist.”  Is this insult or evaluation?

Antichristos
I suppose many Catholics see evangelicals as a pack of “Left Behind” watching fanatics who imagine the Antichrist as a futuristic horned monster who runs around eating children and slapping barcodes on everyone’s forehead.  Goodness knows too many evangelicals are exactly that; maybe this accounts for some of the concern that we are being a little unfair with the Pope.
But this is a recent delusion.  For most of history, Protestant Evangelicals have understood antichrist as a character and a concept best described by the Apostle Paul in II Thessalonians 2:1-12.  Here is the text:

Now concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we ask you, brothers, not to be quickly shaken in mind or alarmed, either by a spirit or a spoken word, or a letter seeming to be from us, to the effect that the day of the Lord has come.  Let no one deceive you in any way. For that day will not come, unless the rebellion comes first, and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of destruction, who opposes and exalts himself against every so-called god or object of worship, so that he takes his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.  Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?  And you know what is restraining him now so that he may be revealed in his time. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work. Only he who now restrains it will do so until he is out of the way.  And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the breath of his mouth and bring to nothing by the appearance of his coming.  The coming of the lawless one is by the activity of Satan with all power and false signs and wonders, and with all wicked deception for those who are perishing, because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. Therefore God sends them a strong delusion, so that they may believe what is false, in order that all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.

We may summarize four descriptives of the Antichrist:
  1. He will seek to enforce faith in himself on the whole earth.
  2. He will call himself God.
  3. He will promote himself with counterfeit miracles.
  4. He will deceive men into believing a lie which condemns rather than saves.
American Evangelicals now look for one great Antichrist figure at the end of the age whose temporary ascendency will be the harbinger of Christ’s return, but this is something of a contemporary anomaly.  Historically Protestants considered the words of I John 2:18 – there are “…many antichrists…” – and concluded that the spirit of antichrist is greater than any one person or even institution, but that with the passage of history one central Antichrist could be expected to rise.  The consensus position was that this has been fulfilled in the institution of the papacy.  Is that an insult, or a reasonable exegetical conclusion?

Popish Abominations
Our confession summarizes the case against the Pope by repeating the Protestant consensus: he is the Antichrist.
The Lord Jesus Christ is the Head of the church, in whom, by the appointment of the Father, all power for the calling, institution, order or government of the church, is invested in a supreme and sovereign manner; neither can the Pope of Rome in any sense be head thereof, but is that Antichrist, that man of sin, and son of perdition, that exalteth himself in the church against Christ, and all that is called God; whom the Lord shall destroy with the brightness of his comingSecond London Confession of Faith, Chapter XXVI, Paragraph 4
Does this evaluation square with II Thessalonians 2?

1. The Antichrist will “exalt himself against every so-called god or object of worship.”   In other words, he will be the head of a megalomaniacal religion.  He will not replace the worship of false gods with the worship of the true God, but rather with the worship of himself.  Today’s Catholics argue their own relevance by citing more than a billion adherents worldwide.  In so doing, they only highlight their leader’s compliance with the first descriptive of the Antichrist.  Priests have not brought the gospel, but the sword, the inquisition, and the invented terrors of purgatory – only to say, “Look to us, and we will save you from it all.”  Even in our age, when papal ambition wears a cloak of civility, the grand celebrations and claims of vast influence are a very visible form of self-exaltation.

2. The Antichrist will “take his seat in the temple of God, proclaiming himself to be God.”  Ever since Wednesday evening we have been hearing what a humble man Pope Francis is, but his supposed humility is undercut by the titles he has assumed.  He has allowed himself to be called “Holy Father.”  Of course Jesus Himself told us (in Matthew 23:9) to call no man “Father” because God in Heaven is our Father.  Moreover, in Colossians 1:18 and elsewhere we are told that Jesus Christ is the Head of the church, yet the Pope assumes this title as well.  Finally, when Jesus was preparing to leave He promised to send another to stand in His place, namely the Spirit of Truth. (John 14:17)  So the Holy Father, the Head of the Church, and the Vicar (one who stands in the place of) of Christ are none other than God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.  What exactly are we to think of a man who assumes all three titles to Himself?  Has he not proclaimed himself God?

3.  The Antichrist will come with “all power and false signs and wonders.”  American Catholics don’t like to talk about it, but the first purveyors of fake miracles were not Pentecostal frauds but Roman Catholic frauds.  The system of “sainthood” is based upon fraudulent wonders, as is the false sacrament of the mass.  The priest supposedly performs a miraculous transformation of bread and wine into the dead body and blood of Someone who is at the same time risen and seated in heaven.  The net effect of this counterfeit supernaturalism is to leave the common adherent in awe, unwilling to question the priests who hold the keys to heaven and hell.  Yet not only is none of it verifiable, none of it is remotely consistent with the teaching of Scripture.  The pope is the great beneficiary of this grand confidence scheme – the recipient of the loyal adulation of the superstitious.

4. The Antichrist will “delude” men into “believing what is false,” with the result that they are “condemned.”  As a prop to their ambition the Popes have denied the transaction which sits at the very heart of the gospel: the imputation of Christ’s righteousness fully and freely to everyone who believes.  In its place they have erected a monstrosity – a false gospel in which grace has been conferred by God to the Pope, who distributes it wherever he wills – forgiving sins, but always at a price.  Catholics are taught that the church, through its sacraments, will grant them just enough grace to avoid damnation, but this is an abominable lie.  It turns the hearts and eyes of men away from the freely offered grace of Christ and toward men.  Those who die trusting in this false gospel will be dragged down to hell alongside the Popes who have invented it.
So our Baptist forefathers, together with all other Protestants, were onto something when they identified the Pope as the great Antichrist.  Certainly every Pope has met the description offered by the Apostle, and no other man or institution has ever come close to matching them.

What Should We Say?
But is it insulting?  Is it hopelessly mean to call the head of someone else’s faith “the Antichrist”?  Would it not be more civilized to smile and say what a nice, humble man he is and how glad we are that he supports traditional marriage and opposes abortion?
If the Apostles are an example to us, we ought to realize that part of the task of proclaiming the good news is to oppose heresy in every form.  That is why Paul wrote in Galatians 1:8-9, “But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed.  As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed.”
Wasn’t Paul being horribly impolite?  Of course he was, but he was willing to accept the scorn consequently heaped upon his words. As he said in the very next verse, “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servantof Christ.”
As servants of Christ, faithful pastors have no choice but to identify the Antichrist whenever he exalts himself.  This is no “anti-Catholicism.”  We love our Catholic neighbors; we love them so much that we would rather they not go to hell!  To that end, every faithful minister of the gospel must speak the truth.  Pope Francis is the Antichrist.  He is the man of sin and the son of perdition, and one day he will be destroyed by the brightness of the coming of the Lord.
 
Tom Chantry, Pastor

Knox Confession 1560 #19

Chapter 20 -
General Councils, Their Power, Authority, and the Cause of Their Summoning

As we do not rashly condemn what good men, assembled together in general councils lawfully gathered, have set before us; so we do not receive uncritically whatever has been declared to men under the name of the general councils, for it is plain that, being human, some of them have manifestly erred, and that in matters of great weight and importance. So far then as the council confirms its decrees by the plain Word of God, so far do we reverence and embrace them. But if men, under the name of a council, pretend to forge for us new articles of faith, or to make decisions contrary to the Word of God, then we must utterly deny them as the doctrine of devils, drawing our souls from the voice of the one God to follow the doctrines and teachings of men. The reason why the general councils met was not to make any permanent law which God had not made before, nor yet to form new articles for our belief, nor to give the Word of God authority; much less to make that to be his Word, or even the true interpretation of it, which was not expressed previously by his holy will in his Word; but the reason for councils, at least of those that deserve that name, was partly to refute heresies, and to give public confession of their faith to the generations following, which they did by the authority of God's written Word, and not by any opinion or prerogative that they could not err by reason of their numbers. This, we judge, was the primary reason for general councils. The second was that good policy and order should be constitutes and observed in the Kirk where, as in the house of God, it becomes all things to be done decently and in order. Not that we think any policy of order of ceremonies can be appointed for all ages, times, and places; for as ceremonies which men have devised are but temporal, so they may, and ought to be, changed, when they foster superstition rather than edify the Kirk.

Knox Confession 1560 #19

Chapter 19 - The Authority of the Scriptures

As we believe and confess the Scriptures of God sufficient to instruct and make perfect the man of God, so do we affirm and avow their authority to be from God, and not to depend on men or angels. We affirm, therefore, that those who say the Scriptures have no other authority save that which they have received from the Kirk are blasphemous against God and injurious to the true Kirk, which always hears and obeys the voice of her own Spouse and Pastor, but takes not upon her to be mistress over the same.

Knox Confession 1560 #18

Chapter 18 -
The Notes by Which the True Kirk (Church) Shall Be Determined From The False, and Who Shall Be Judge of Doctrine

Since Satan has labored from the beginning to adorn his pestilent synagogue with the title of the Kirk of God, and has incited cruel murderers to persecute, trouble, and molest the true Kirk and its members, as Cain did to Abel, Ishmael to Isaac, Esau to Jacob, and the whole priesthood of the Jews to Christ Jesus himself and his apostles after him. So it is essential that the true Kirk be distinguished from the filthy synagogues by clear and perfect notes lest we, being deceived, receive and embrace, to our own condemnation, the one for the other. The notes, signs, and assured tokens whereby the spotless bride of Christ is known from the horrible harlot, the false Kirk, we state, are neither antiquity, usurped title, lineal succession, appointed place, nor the numbers of men approving an error. For Cain was before Abel and Seth in age and title; Jerusalem had precedence above all other parts of the earth, for in it were priests lineally descended from Aaron, and greater numbers followed the scribes, Pharisees, and priests, than unfeignedly believed and followed Christ Jesus and his doctrine . . . and yet no man of judgment, we suppose, will hold that any of the forenamed were the Kirk of God. The notes of the true Kirk, therefore, we believe, confess, and avow to be: first, the true preaching of the Word of God, in which God has revealed himself to us, as the writings of the prophets and apostles declare; secondly, the right administration of the sacraments of Christ Jesus, with which must be associated the Word and promise of God to seal and confirm them in our hearts; and lastly, ecclesiastical discipline uprightly ministered, as God's Word prescribes, whereby vice is repressed and virtue nourished. Then wherever these notes are seen and continue for any time, be the number complete or not, there, beyond any doubt, is the true Kirk of Christ, who, according to his promise, is in its midst. This is not that universal Kirk of which we have spoken before, but particular Kirks, such as were in Corinth, Galatia, Ephesus, and other places where the ministry was planted by Paul and which he himself called Kirks of God. Such Kirks, we the inhabitants of the realm of Scotland confessing Christ Jesus, do claim to have in our cities, towns, and reformed districts because of the doctrine taught in our Kirks, contained in the written Word of God, that is, the Old and New Testaments, in those books which were originally reckoned as canonical. We affirm that in these all things necessary to be believed for the salvation of man are sufficiently expressed. The interpretation of Scripture, we confess, does not belong to any private or public person, nor yet to any Kirk for pre-eminence or precedence, personal or local, which it has above others, but pertains to the Spirit of God by whom the Scriptures were written. When controversy arises about the right understanding of any passage or sentence of Scripture, or for the reformation of any abuse within the Kirk of God, we ought not so much to ask what men have said or done before us, as what the Holy Ghost uniformly speaks within the body of the Scriptures and what Christ Jesus himself did and commanded. For it is agreed by all that the Spirit of God, who is the Spirit of unity, cannot contradict himself. So if the interpretation or opinion of any theologian, Kirk, or council, is contrary to the plain Word of God written in any other passage of the Scripture, it is most certain that this is not the true understanding and meaning of the Holy Ghost, although councils, realms, and nations have approved and received it. We dare not receive or admit any interpretation which is contrary to any principal point of our faith, or to any other plain text of Scripture, or to the rule of love.

Peter's Leadership Model in Acts 1-10


There is a beautiful story in Numbers chapter 22 that is written as a historical narrative, not an allegory or a parable.  In it God uses two different Asses to preach.  The first is an actual ass, Balaam’s donkey, which the Lord used to preach to Balaam.  The second is the money-grubbing televangelist (or false-prophet) Balaam who would “prophesy” whatever spiritual message you wanted to hear, for the right price.  Balaam is converted, in a sense, and is then used by God to preach against God’s enemies.  I am often reminded of this bit of church history when I think of the Apostle Peter and myself.  If God can use Balaam, Balaam’s donkey and Peter then surely God can use a sinner like me.
           
            Since Peter is so prevalent throughout the New Testament I felt the need to confine the information that I will be expounding on to the fist half of the book of Acts.  There are three separate stories there that I feel best-articulate Peter’s leadership characteristics.  These would include: Peter’s Pentecost sermon in Acts chapter two, Peter and John disobeying the Sadducees in Acts chapter four, and Peter preaching to the Gentiles in Acts chapter ten. 

            Following Christ’s bodily resurrection and ascension, Peter shows several of our leadership qualities in the Pentecost sermon from Acts chapter two - willingness to take a stand, influence of others, effective communication skills, leading change, and expressing his passion for Christ. 

           
            Though a simple fisherman Peter’s sermon reflects a deep theological understanding of the Old Testament and how that points us to Christ as its fulfillment in the New Testament.  I often hear young pastors today, who have not been to seminary, justify themselves by the fact that the Apostles had no seminary training.  The truth is that spending night and day with God incarnate for years is the best seminary training anyone has ever received.  Peter also models for us servant leadership in how he preaches what Christ empowers us all to preach: repentance and the forgiveness of sins found exclusively in Jesus (Luke 24).  He shows bravery, influence and team building not just in standing amongst the other Apostles but also in taking the spotlight to proclaim Christ.  He shows effective communication in confronting sinners (the Jews) with their sin (murdering the Messiah).  He beautifully weaves bits of Old Testament passages together with contemporary headline news to craft a theologically rich sermon that explains to these Jews why Jesus was the Messiah they had been waiting for and how it was God’s purpose, not just their ruler’s, that he should be put to death.  He then calls these sinners to believe in Jesus, to be baptized and become fellow disciples (i.e. The Great Commission from Matthew chapter 28). 

            In the Gospels we see a completely different Peter.  I heard a sermon once as a kid called “Peter: the Apostle with the foot-shaped mouth” this briefly describes Peter’s tendency, like mine, to run his mouth off without thinking first.  Peter’s passion at Pentecost shows a deep change within him from the days when he would question, rebuke, reject and deny God.  Peter is still brash and bold but he’s now committed to be a
pastor (or shepherd) of Christ’s sheep (John 21).  Now, since he’s seen both Christ’s resurrection and ascension personally, Peter is unstoppable.  He fears neither the embarrassment in calling his fellow friends and Jews Christ-killers nor does he fear bodily harm from angry Sadducees.  His sole concern is turned toward fulfilling Christ’s commissions.  When threatened by the religious rulers of his day in Acts chapters 3 & 4 his response is, if it is better for us to obey you, mere men, or God you must judge but I’m going to keep preaching Christ.  For Peter influence and teambuilding meant confronting sinners with their Savior and then pastorally shepherding with care and instruction any sheep (or disciples) that God put under him (see 1st and 2nd Peter). 

            After the Lord raises a girl from the dead for whom Peter prayed over. Then the Lord directs Peter’s feet to preach to a house full of Gentiles in Acts chapter 10.  Peter exemplifies again Christ’s teaching that a real leader will spend their time, serving.  While externally to us it looks like Peter is leading change in being the first to extend the Gospel to the Gentiles, Peter makes it clear that its not him “leading” as much as its him “following” God.  Preaching Christ because Christ empowers him to in John 21, preaching to the Gentles just like God told him to in Acts 10.  In this act God is slowly sanctifying Peter, shaving off his own natural racism that can be seen in Paul’s public rebuke of Peter in Galatians chapter 2 and Peter’s surprise that God would extend Salvation by Grace through Faith to non-Jews in Acts 10 & 15.  

           

            In all of this we see the light of Christ being reflected in the very earthen vessel of the Apostle Peter as he strives to keep the Church together by preaching and teaching, by prayer, by spreading the Gospel and confronting sinners with their sins, with facing open opposition and persecution from Pharisees and Sadducees, by standing up to the very people that killed Jesus and not stepping aside, or being passive or being tolerant and accepting of diverse religious opinions. He confronted the Law-based, Works-righteous church of his day with the Gospel and the established church crumbled before selfless men who proclaimed not themselves and their pragmatic leadership principles but the Gospel of Jesus and Christ crucified for sinners.

In application, I would just like to remind us that while Scripture records moments of personal discouragement, it nowhere encourages doubt, disbelief, discontentment or even disappointment with God.  Where Scripture instructs it instructs us in repentance, faith, trust, belief and contentment with God’s sovereign rule over the universe.  When Christ predetermines Peter’s martyrdom in John 21 his initial response, like ours would be, Lord you can’t do this it isn’t fair.  Yet by the time of his death Church History tells us that Nero was seeking to kill him and the church in Rome encouraged Peter to flee the city and he got as far as the city gate and was reminded by Christ of the death He had ordained for him and Peter stopped, turned around and headed back into the city to die (Foxe, 2010).  Even in this Peter models for us both servant-hood and leadership.  We can only pray that God would grant each of us but a little of this titan’s strength, faith and boldness to do what he’s called each us to do, to Lead and to Follow faithfully until the time of our own appointed ends.

Sunday, March 17, 2013

my teaching for Sunday school


XII. Education – Baptist Faith & Message
Christianity is the faith of enlightenment and intelligence. In Jesus Christ abide all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. All sound learning is, therefore, a part of our Christian heritage. The new birth opens all human faculties and creates a thirst for knowledge. Moreover, the cause of education in the Kingdom of Christ is co-ordinate with the causes of missions and general benevolence, and should receive along with these the liberal support of the churches. An adequate system of Christian education is necessary to a complete spiritual program for Christ's people.
In Christian education there should be a proper balance between academic freedom and academic responsibility. Freedom in any orderly relationship of human life is always limited and never absolute. The freedom of a teacher in a Christian school, college, or seminary is limited by the pre-eminence of Jesus Christ, by the authoritative nature of the Scriptures, and by the distinct purpose for which the school exists.
So we have 3 main points: 1st Christianity leads us to deeper education and we’ll briefly look at Church history and how the fields of education, science & medicine were all originally based on the precept that God wants us to know things- so we observe and learn and then use that information to benefit others, 2nd point our accumulation of knowledge is always subservient to our Biblically revealed knowledge of God, so if my study of archeology tells me Jesus never existed well we’ve got eyewitness testimony in the NT that that is not true, or if my study of space (astronomy) tells me the universe has always been here (eternal) and no one ever created it well the Old Testament tells us that’s also not true, so I would need to look again. 3rd point is what is the Christian parent’s responsibility in how our kids are schooled & should it be: Public, Private, Christian or Home school?  
1 – educated important, 2 – education subsidiary, 3 – who’s responsible for education?
Intro:
READ Deuteronomy 6:4-7  “Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one. You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise.” Hebrew history reveals that the father was to be diligent in instructing his children in the ways and words of the Lord for their own spiritual development and well-being. The message in this passage is repeated in the New Testament where Paul exhorts parents to raise children in the "discipline and instruction of the Lord" (Ephesians 6:4). This instruction includes not only formal education, but also the early education parents give to a child, this discipline is designed to plant the child firmly on the foundation upon which his life is based. In biblical times, children were primarily educated and socialized by their families and simply by living and working in their community.
Sect 1 – education is important
Why do you think Christians considered Education so important? 
Education:
Jesus calls us to make and be disciples (learners). To a Jew this meant spending 15yrs dedicating yourself to your Rabbi’s teachings in Acts 2 after the Resurrection the disciples started teaching and never stopped. In the Early Church a book called the Didache was amassed as to what should be taught to Christian disciples, kids included. All kids in the Church were pushed not just to learn the Didache, but also to learn a trade to benefit the local community. Christianity wasn’t the first to start schools, many Greek philosophy schools already existed for rich boys but Christian schools like Justin Martyr’s or Augustine’s were the first to teach both boys and girls and the rich and poor. They were taught to read and write – so that they could study the Bible. Martin Luther and John Calvin were both strong advocates of universal education including reading, writing, grammar and religion, even at task payer expense. Along these lines, most of the top universities, including Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Oxford, and Cambridge, were originally founded by Christians as religious schools.
Medicine:
Charity organizations, orphanages, soup kitchens, and hospitals were all created because Christians had a high view of the value of people because it is what Scripture taught, back in Rome only the rich had doctors and healing clinics. The historian Seneca said that the Romans were proud that they drowned their own children who showed obvious birth defects and they considered it tough to reject the desire to pity the less fortunate. So it wasn’t until AD 369 Bishop of Cesseria Basil created the world’s first hospitals, where people could learn a trade while recuperating like a vocation school + hospital all in one.

Science:
Francis Bacon and William of Akom were both Christian theologians that introduced the idea of observational science to the world – for them theology came 1st, and science was created to support theology like a table leg. From the 13th – 18th century every major scientist expressed his motivation for learning science religiously, learning about the world God created. Men like Leonardo Di Vinci the godfather of Anatomy, or Copernicus, Galileo, and Kepler who were all towers of the astronomical sciences were Christians. And it was Lutherans historically that backed these early Christian scientists, like Galileo, when they were being devalued by the Catholic Church. And it was Calvinists later that supported science and created the Royal Society of London 1645, in which 70% of the scientists were Puritans and this was the scientific community of its day. 


Sect 2– education is subsidiary
Is there a way to resolve conflicts between the Bible and Science today?
Theology has been called “the queen of the sciences” because our knowledge of God informs every other area of education.
A Christian schoolteacher can be wrong, a pastor and Sunday school teacher can be wrong, and parents can be wrong on any particular viewpoint theologically. So, as we teach our children spiritual things, they need to be taught that the only source of absolute truth is the Scripture READ (2 Timothy 3:16.) Therefore, perhaps the most important lesson we can teach our children is to follow the example of the Bereans READ (Acts 17:11) “examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true,” and to test all things they are taught—from whatever source—against the Word of God.

Education begins with the reality of God’s existence and the fact that He has communicated to us through creation, His Word, and His Son. As we learn more of God’s creation, our understanding of God’s wisdom and power deepens. As we study God’s Word, we become more equipped for God’s work. As we grow in our knowledge of God’s Son (2 Peter 3:18), our love for Him increases and our service for Him intensifies.
Sect 3 - who’s responsible for education?
What are some pluses and minuses for home, private, Christian or public schools?

Regardless of where or how we think children should receive their formal education: Public, Private, Christian or Home school, the principle found throughout all of Scripture is that of ultimate responsibility. The child’s education both formal and specifically spiritual education is not left with either the State or the Church but rests with parents.
The issue in Scripture is not what type of general education our children receive, but through what paradigm that information is to be filtered. Are you teaching them a Biblical worldview?
It is imperative that Christian parents teach their children the Word of God from a young age, showing them how to incorporate it into their daily lives, trusting continually in God. Spiritual training is even more important than academic training, and it doesn't happen by accident; it must be purposeful and habitual. Public schools—and even some private and Christian schools—can be spiritual battlegrounds for our children. Children tend to adopt the values of those with whom they spend the most time, which makes it crucial for parents who do not opt to home school to spend significant time indoctrinating their children in the truth of the Scriptures. The child who is well versed in biblical principles will easily see the falsehood of the claims around them and may very well be used by God to counter the lies with His truth.
Concl
Some people see education as a cure-all for society’s ills. However Scripture reveals that, education, in and of itself, does nothing to combat ungodliness. In fact, knowledge, apart from the love of God, leads to pride. Paul was a highly educated man, having been trained in the best Jewish school of his day, and he used his education to communicate effectively to people of many cultures. Yet Paul’s education certainly did not make him holy, and he warned of those who were “always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth.” Simply knowing facts does not make one a better person, and it is indeed possible to be a highly educated fool.

There are very few things we can do in this world that are more important than praying for our children and raising them to have hearts that love and desire to serve God. Ultimately, parents are going to have to answer to God for how they raise and educate their children.
We need to prayerfully consider how we can better educate our children in the Christian faith. What steps can we take to be better teachers and examples to our kids? 



Friday, March 15, 2013

GO Pink GO!

"God did not elect any sinner because He foresaw that he would believe, for the simple but sufficient reason that no sinner ever believes until God gives him faith, just as no man sees until God gives him sight." - A.W. Pink

Seeker Sensitive?

We are called to see that the Church does not adapt its thinking to the horizons that modernity prescribes for it but rather that it brings to those horizons the powerful antidote of God's truth. It is not the Word of God but rather modernity that stands in need of being demythologised.
David F. Wells No Place for Truth pg. 100

Universalism/Annihilationism

"Though there be no fears of annihilation in heaven, yet there be many wishes for it in hell, but to no purpose; there never will be an end put, either to their being, or their torments."
- John Flavel   “You’re creating a Christian message that’s warm, kind, and popular for contemporary culture. . . . What you’ve done is you’re amending the gospel, the Christian message, so that it’s palatable to contemporary people who find, for example, the idea of hell and heaven very difficult to stomach. So here comes Rob Bell, he’s made a Christian gospel for you, and it’s perfectly palatable, it’s much easier to swallow. That’s what you’ve done, haven’t you?” - from Martin Bashir’s Interview with Rob Bell

Jesuits are to Protestants, what the Sith are to the Jedi!

Who Are the Jesuits? Why the First Jesuit Pope Could Signify the ‘New Evangelization’ of Christians

As the conclave in Rome elected the first Jesuit pope to power yesterday, the move has turned the spotlight on the order of the Jesuits, and how the new pope may usher in the “new evangelization” of Christians and the world at large.
The History of the Jesuits
The Society of Jesus, which later became known simply as the Jesuits, was founded in 1534 by Ignatius Loyola, a Spaniard like Pope Francis. The mission of the organization was to spread Roman Catholicism throughout the world, and to protect the power of the pope and the practices of Roman Catholicism from the Protestant Reformation, so that the pope may remain God’s authority on the earth.
“That we may be altogether of the same mind and in conformity, ….  if [the Church] shall have defined anything to be black which to our eyes appears to be white, we ought in like manner to pronounce it to be black,” Loyola wrote in Rules for Thinking with the Church.
Ignacious Loyola, the co-founder of the order of the Jesuits
The Protestant Reformation, which resulted in the counter-Reformation by the Jesuits, was sparked by a monk and scholar named Martin Luther, who served the Roman Catholic Church in Wittenburg, Germany. As Luther began studying the Scriptures after he was appointed to a Chair of Biblical Theology, he became consumed with a passion to discover what it meant to be a Christian. In the Catholic Church, he had seen men trying to earn their way to Heaven, but as he read the Bible, he realized that salvation was through faith in Christ alone.
“I think I’ve found the truth at last,” the classic film Martin Luther depicts Luther as stating to a Church official. “By faith man lives and is righteous, not by what he does for himself, be it adoration of relics, singing of masses, pilgrimages to Rome, purchase of pardon for his sins, but by faith in what God has done for him already through His Son.”
Following the revelation, Luther began to challenge the doctrines of the Roman Catholic Church, compiling a list of 95 thesis where he asserted that Catholic doctrine contradicted the Scriptures. He was later summoned to appear before a meeting of the Church, and was declared a heretic and excommunicated.
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As Luther began to spread the Gospel throughout Germany, and others joined in to take the Scriptures to the uttermost parts of the earth, decrying Catholic doctrine, the order of the Jesuits was also formed to spread Roman Catholicism. It soon became an effort to stop Protestantism and to take the world by storm for the Catholic Church.
“As the object of the society was the propagation and strengthening of the Catholic faith everywhere, the Jesuits naturally endeavored to counteract the spread of Protestantism,” the Catholic Encyclopedia outlines. “They became the main instruments of the Counter-Reformation; the re-conquest of southern and western Germany and Austria for the Church, and the preservation of the Catholic faith in France and other countries were due chiefly to their exertions.”
Loyola later composed the Jesuit constitution, outlining the laws, mindsets and behaviors that Jesuits are to follow, namely putting the pope first in all things. The nations that Jesuits converted were required to likewise submit to the authority of the Roman Catholic Church.
Jesuits in Modern Times and National Reaction to the Election of a Jesuit
Georgetown University’s Jesuit Residence
While the Jesuits are no longer seen as the army that they once were, their influence remains throughout the world, including through the educational system, which trains devout Catholics to infiltrate all of society by giving them the skills to work in a variety of fields.
“The Jesuit schools [of the 16th century] played an important part in winning back to Catholicism a number of European countries which had for a time been predominantly Protestant, notably Poland and Lithuania,” reports state. “Today, Jesuit colleges and universities are located in over one hundred nations around the world.”
Seattle University notes that it “is one of 28 Jesuit universities in the United States.” Other colleges and universities include Xavier University in Cincinnati, Ohio; Loyola University in New Orleans, Louisiana; the University of San Francisco in California; LeMoyne College in Syracuse, New York and Georgetown University in Washington, D.C.
The Jesuits also continue to be a highly evangelistic and missional sect that some believe are secretly pervasive in their spread of Catholicism. Many Catholic missionaries are sent throughout the world to convert the masses to the religion, and there remains contention with Protestantism as the Roman Catholic Church is referred to by some as the “only true Church.”
With the election of Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio as the first Jesuit pope in history, a number of Jesuit organizations have enthusiastically applauded the move.
“It has been a truly historic day for the Society of Jesus as we learned that our brother, Cardinal Jorge Maria Bergoglio, was selected to lead the Catholic Church as Pope Francis I,” Gregory F. Lucey of the Association of Jesuit Colleges and Universities said in a statement following the announcement of the new pope. “As Jesuits, we emphasize social justice in our ministry, and we are gratified to have a leader who will continue to live out this mission on a global stage. We pray that the Pope’s grounding in Ignatian spirituality will guide him as he carries out this extraordinary calling to lead the Church of the 21st century.”
“The Jesuits of the New Orleans Province rejoice with the whole Church at the election of Pope Francis I,” stated Mark A. Lewis of the New Orleans Jesuit branch. “While none of us know him personally, we are pleased at his solidarity with the poor.”
Barack Obama also issued a statement yesterday regarding Bergoglio’s appointment.
“On behalf of the American people, Michelle and I offer our warm wishes to His Holiness Pope Francis as he ascends to the Chair of Saint Peter and begins his papacy,” he wrote. “Just as I appreciated our work with Pope Benedict XVI, I look forward to working with His Holiness to advance peace, security and dignity for our fellow human beings, regardless of their faith. We join with people around the world in offering our prayers for the Holy Father as he begins the sacred work of leading the Catholic Church in our modern world.”
Bergoglio’s Life as a Jesuit and His Possible Influence as Pope
Bergoglio serving in his capacity as cardinal.
As Jesuits take a vow of poverty, Bergoglio, who became a Jesuit in 1958 and was promoted in 1973, was stated to have lived very simply in Argentina, riding the bus to work and living in an apartment where he cooked his own meals. While he reportedly opposes homosexuality and abortion, he also has chastised the Church for being too strict in some areas.
“In our ecclesiastical region, there are priests who don’t baptize the children of single mothers because they weren’t conceived in the sanctity of marriage,” he once stated, chastising his priests. “These are today’s hypocrites. Those who clericalize the Church. Those who separate the people of God from salvation. And this poor girl who, rather than returning the child to sender, had the courage to carry it into the world, must wander from parish to parish so that it’s baptized!”
Bergoglio was also sued in 2005 after being accused of conspiring with the junta in 1976 to kidnap two Jesuit priests. He denies the allegations.
While it is unknown as to exactly how Bergoglio’s identification as a Jesuit will play out in his role as pope, his first speech to the people subtly referenced his Jesuit leanings.
“First and foremost, I would like to pray for our emeritus Pope Benedict XVI that Christ and the Madonna watch over him,” he stated, and again remarking, “Tomorrow, I want to go pray to the Madonna that she may protect Rome.”
According to reports, Jesuits refer to the virgin Mary as Madonna Della Strada.
Because of Bergoglio’s emphasis on Mary in his first speech, and making prayer to the Madonna one of his first acts as pope, some state that it is possible that he may seek to make Mary co-redemptrix as Pope John Paul II once did. The move would thus recognize Mary as a part of the redemption of mankind.
“The revered Mother of God, … joined … with Jesus Christ in one and the same decree of predestination … as the noble associate of the divine Redeemer,” Pope Pius XII once stated.
“He may resurface that attempt,” Mike Gendron of Proclaiming the Gospel Ministries told Christian News Network. “If he goes this route and makes her co-redemptrix, it would be unprecedented.”
Dr. Terrence Tilley of Fordham University’s Department of Theology states that Bergoglio’s selection of the name “Pope Francis” might be telling.
“We don’t know what it means, but it certainly is the name of St. Francis of Assisi and Francis Xavier (the co-founder of the order of the Jesuits), both of whom were missionaries,” he said. “I think that makes a big difference and suggests that he is going to be strong for the new evangelization.”
Gendron agreed.
“The goal of every pope has been to make the entire world Catholic,” he stated. “They’re into world dominion. … Their eschatology is that Jesus won’t return until the world is Roman Catholic.”
Already, some Protestants are embracing the Roman Catholic Church and the appointment of the new pope. As previously reported, Rick Warren, author of the best-selling book The Purpose-Driven Life and globally influential megachurch leader, was enthusiastic about the election of the new pope. Warren called for fasting and prayer this week for the cardinals that would be voting on the matter. After Bergoglio was appointed as successor, Warren Tweeted to his over 900,000 followers, “Welcome Pope Francis, Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio. You have our prayers.” He included the hashtag “habemus papum,” meaning “We have a pope!”
“No, Mr. Warren. Christians don’t have a pope,” remarked one reader. “YOU might have a pope, Mr. Warren, but followers of Jesus Christ do not!”
Many evangelicals have also been joining together with Roman Catholics in efforts such as 40 Days for Life, The Manhattan Declaration and the March for Life. Vatican-instituted holidays such as Lent are also increasingly being observed by Protestant churches nationwide, as well as other days marked on the liturgical calendar.

1 of the 100 most important objects in the British Museum according to the BBC


Reformation centenary broadsheet
Leipzig, Germany, AD 1617
This broadsheet depicts the early Reformation of the Christian Church as a prophetic dream of Friedrich III, often known as Frederick the Wise, the canny Elector of Saxony.

Elector Frederick was a political protector of Martin Luther, who in 1517 began what was to become known as the Reformation, creating the Protestant form of Christianity in Europe.

This broadsheet is, in our terms, a strip cartoon showing a sequence of events within the ‘elector’s dream’, with each element in it a scene depicting a different stage in Luther’s progress.
In one corner, Luther receives true insight in the form of a shower of words pouring down from God the Father, and Christ, onto the open page of a bible. In another he offers his work to the Elector Frederick.

Luther is also shown writing on a church door with an enormously long pen, which is a reference to the moment traditionally thought of as the beginning of the Reformation. On 31 October 1517, Luther publicly posted his 95 Theses in the town of Wittenberg.

The pen stretches across half of the picture to emphasise the importance ot the written word to Protestants, as opposed to images which were popular in the Catholicism of the time. The end of the pen passes through the ears of a lion and knocks off the tiara, or crown, of the pope of the time, Leo X, hence the lion. This is a clear reference to Luther’s criticism of the authority of the Pope as head of the Catholic Church in Rome.

in 1617 German Protestants seized on the idea of commemorating a centenary of Luther’s actions at Wittenberg as a means of attracting support for their hero in the light of increasing hostilities between Catholics and Protestants. Opposing armies were ultimately to clash in 1620 at the Battle of White Mountain near Prague, a decisive victory for the Catholic Imperial forces that resulted in the outbreak of the Thirty Years War.




Thursday, March 14, 2013

I love Spurgeon!

The moment the Church of God shall despise the pulpit, God will despise her.

CHSpurgeon

Now, the Word is given to us first here in the Bible, as it is written; it is given to us, secondly, from the lips of God’s own chosen and appointed ambassadors. He that despises either of these two, will soon find himself growing lean in spirit. The book, the Word, is like the flour, but the sermon is the bread, for it is through the sermon that the Word is, as it were, prepared for human palates, and brought so that human souls may be able to receive it. The moment the Church of God shall despise the pulpit, God will despise her. It has been through the ministry that the Lord has always been pleased to revive and bless his Churches, and you will notice, that these revivals in which it was boasted that there were no ministers engaged, have come to nought ere long; for those that stand, are those in which God gets to himself glory and honor, by using instrumentality. It is a wrong idea altogether, that God is glorified by putting instrumentality aside. That is not his glory. His glory is, that in our infirmity he still triumpheth, and that with his own right hand he is able to lay hold upon some jaw-bone of an ass, and yet slay therewith heaps upon heaps of Philistines. It is the weakness of the instrumentality used that has a tendency to glorify God, and hence he very seldom is pleased to work without some means or other. Most Christians who have grown rich in grace, have been great frequenters of the house of prayer.[1]

[1] Charles H. Spurgeon, Spurgeon’s Sermons: Volume 7, Bread for the Hungry, A Sermon Delivered on November 10th, 1861.

James Arminius vs the God of the Bible

"The providence of God is subordinate to creation; and it is, therefore, necessary that it should not impinge against creation, which it would do, were it to inhibit or hinder the use of free will in man." The Works of James Arminius, Vol. 2, p. 460

Wesley vs the Bible on Prevenient Grace

Wesleyan Thomas C. Oden of Drew University defines universal prevenient grace as follows: "...the grace that begins to enable one to choose further to cooperate with saving grace. By offering the will the restored capacity to respond to grace, the person then may freely and increasingly become an active, willing participant in receiving the conditions for justification."

John Wesley himself said, "Human beings are totally incapable of responding to God without God first empowering them to have faith. This empowerment is known as "Prevenient Grace." Prevenient Grace doesn't save us but, rather, comes before anything that we do, drawing us to God, making us WANT to come to God, and enabling us to have faith in God. Prevenient Grace is Universal, in as much as all humans receive it, regardless of their having heard of Jesus. It is manifested in the deep-seated desire of most humans to know God."

Evangelical Baptist theologian Millard Erickson says, "It is here that many Arminians, recognizing human inability as taught in the Scripture, introduce the concept of prevenient grace, which is believed to have a universal effect nullifying the noetic results of sin, thus making belief possible. The problem is that there is no clear and adequate basis in Scripture for this concept of universal enablement."...Calvinist Thomas Schreiner likewise says that, "Prevenient grace is attractive because it solves so many problems, but it should be rejected because it cannot be exegetically vindicated."

Arminianism Contrasted

According to Arminianism, chapter 7 of Paul's Epistle to the Romans refers to the unbeliever and not the believer. Man has the capability to choose or reject God even while unregenerate. God provides a "common grace" that is given to all men, that enables them to overcome the effects of the fall and gives sufficient power to exercise their "free will" in order to choose or reject God. God "predestines" to salvation only those people who He "foreknows" that in the future will choose Him through their own free will. God's action is dependent on the choice that a person makes. As a result of the ability to exercise "free will", even after becoming a Christian or becoming regenerate, a person can reject the faith, fall away, lose their salvation and be condemned to hell. Assurance of salvation cannot be known and people can lose and regain their salvation as they will, sometimes many times.
Gary Hand Jacobus Arminus and Arminianism  

It seems that the whole progress of biblical revelation and church history through the ages has been forged out of the fire of controversy and the often angry struggles over truth. It is these great debates that have preserved the church from error and when the church grows lazy and fat, unwilling to be corrected, the world loses its only hope of salvation. It is never easy to correct, nor is it pleasant, but we are to "preach the truth in love." However, neither are we to pretend that our laziness, ignorance and apathy in defending the truth are really attempts to preserve the bond of unity. With Luther, we must say, "Unity wherever possible, but truth at all costs."Our attempt is to resurrect polemical debate as a means to the end of waking up a decadent and grossly unfaithful church and helping it make its way forward toward a second Reformation. And at a time when most Americans who claim to be Bible-believing Christians cannot, according to major studies, even articulate the basic message of the Gospel, what could be more relevant? Nevertheless, sometimes there are casualties of "friendly fire."
Michael Horton

Monergism vs. Synergism

"And I will put my Spirit within you, and you shall live...Then you shall know that I am the LORD; I have spoken, and I will do it, declares the LORD." - Ezekiel 37:14
No one can believe in Jesus unless God grants it (John 6:65) and ALL to whom God grants it will believe (John 6:37) The Spirit gives life, the flesh counts for nothing (John 6:63). A syllogism which leaves no room for synergism.
John Hendryx

"If grace depends on our cooperation then it is no longer grace." -Martin Luther
At the heart of the Reformation was one of the most fundamental questions of the Christian faith: How can I be saved from eternal damnation? The answer of all the leading Reformers was one and the same: only by God's free and sovereign grace. As J. I. Packer and O. Raymond Johnston have pointed out, it is wrong to suppose that the doctrine of Justification by faith alone, that storm center of the Reformation, was the crucial question in the minds of such theologians as Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, Martin Bucer, and John Calvin. This doctrine was important to the Reformers because it helped to express and to safeguard their answer to another, more vital, question, namely, whether sinners are wholly helpless in their sin, and whether God is to be thought of as saving them by free, unconditional, invincible grace, not only justifying them for Christ's sake when they come to faith, but also raising them from the death of sin by His quickening Spirit in order to bring them to faith.
Michael A. G. Haykin

Synergism is "...the [erroneous] doctrine that there are two efficient agents in regeneration, namely the human will and the divine Spirit, which, in the strict sense of the term, cooperate. This theory accordingly holds that the soul has not lost in the fall all inclination toward holiness, nor all power to seek for it under the influence of ordinary motives."To put it simply, synergism is the belief that faith is produced by our unregenerated human nature.

"I say that man, before he is renewed into the new creation of the Spirit's kingdom, does and endeavours nothing to prepare himself for that new creation and kingdom, and when he is re-created has does and endeavors nothing towards his perseverance in that kingdom; but the Spirit alone works both blessings in us, regenerating us, and preserving us when regenerate, without ourselves..."
Martin Luther Bondage of the Will, pg. 268

Faith in the living God and his Son Jesus Christ is always the result of the new birth, and can never exist except in the regenerate. Whoever has faith is a saved man.
C.H. Spurgeon from Faith and Regeneration

Semi-Pelagianism

According to Semi-Pelagianism, human beings are affected by sin but can still choose the good and, in the common formulation of the medieval period, "God will not deny his grace to those who do what lies within them" (repeated substantially in Benjamin Franklin's famous adage, "God helps those who help themselves."
- Michael Horton The Christian Faith, pg. 561   Arminianism & Semi-Pelagianism: While distinct, what these two views hold in common is that they both are synergistic soteriological constructs. These heterodox belief systems about grace are plaguing the church of the 21st century. In all synergistic theology, sola fide cooperates with God's grace as the human fulfillment of a condition for the actualization of a saving possibility (a mere possibility) that God universally offers. Such a faith-contribution is itself a principle standing ultimately independent of God's action of grace; it owes exclusively to man's natural endowment with a free will and thus arises out of an inherent capacity of the natural man. Because election is God's response to foreseen faith (a non sequitur), faith becomes to some extent the cause or sine qua non of salvation, and we again have justification because of "conditioned" faith, with Grace merely perfecting Nature. Arminianism thus reintroduced the dialectics of Nature and Grace by setting faith over against grace as an independent, autonomous, (ultimate, not penultimate) principle.
Monergism.com

Knox Confession 1560 # 17

Chapter 17 - The Immortality of Souls

The chosen departed are in peace, and rest from their labors; not that they sleep and are lost in oblivion as some fanatics hold, for they are delivered from all fear and torment, and all the temptations to which we and all God's chosen are subject in this life, and because of which we are called the Kirk militant. On the other hand, the reprobate and unfaithful departed have anguish, torment, and pain which cannot be expressed. Neither the one nor the other is in such sleep that they feel no joy or torment, as is testified by Christ's parable in St. Luke XVI, his words to the thief, and the words of the souls crying under the altar, "O Lord, thou that art righteous and just, how long shalt thou not revenge our blood upon those that dwell in the earth?"

Knox Confession 1560 #16

Chapter 16 - The Kirk (Church)

As we believe in one God, Father, Son, and Holy Ghost, so we firmly believe that from the beginning there has been, now is, and to the end of the world shall be, one Kirk, that is to say, one company and multitude of men chosen by God, who rightly worship and embrace him by true faith in Jesus Christ, who is the only Head of the Kirk, even as it is the body and spouse of Christ Jesus. This Kirk is catholic, that is, universal, because it contains the chosen of all ages, of all realms, nations, and tongues, be they of the Jews or be they of the Gentiles, who have communion and society with God the Father, and with his Son, Christ Jesus, through the sanctification of his Holy Spirit. It is therefore called the communion, not of profane persons, but of saints, who, as citizens of the heavenly Jerusalem, have the fruit of inestimable benefits, one God, one Lord Jesus, one faith, and one baptism. Out of this Kirk there is neither life nor eternal felicity. Therefore we utterly abhor the blasphemy of those who hold that men who live according to equity and justice shall be saved, no matter what religion they profess. For since there is neither life nor salvation without Christ Jesus; so shall none have part therein but those whom the Father has given unto his Son Christ Jesus, and those who in time come to him, avow his doctrine, and believe in him. (We include the children with the believing parents.) This Kirk is invisible, known only to God, who alone knows whom he has chosen, and includes both the chosen who are departed, the Kirk triumphant, those who yet live and fight against sin and Satan, and those who shall live hereafter.

Knox Confession 1560 # 15

Chapter 15 -
The Perfection of the Law and The Imperfection of Man

We confess and acknowledge that the law of God is most just, equal, holy, and perfect, commanding those things which, when perfectly done, can give life and bring man to eternal felicity; but our nature is so corrupt, weak, and imperfect, that we are never able perfectly to fulfill the works of the law. Even after we are reborn, if we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth of God is not in us. It is therefore essential for us to lay hold on Christ Jesus, in his righteousness and his atonement, since he is the end and consummation of the Law and since it is by him that we are set at liberty so that the curse of God may not fall upon us, even though we do not fulfill the Law in all points. For as God the Father beholds us in the body of his Son Christ Jesus, he accepts our imperfect obedience as if it were perfect, and covers our works, which are defiled with many stains, with the righteousness of his Son. We do not mean that we are so set at liberty that we owe no obedience to the Law--for we have already acknowledged its place--but we affirm that no man on earth, with the sole exception of Christ Jesus, has given, gives, or shall give in action that obedience to the Law which the Law requires. When we have done all things we must fall down and unfeignedly confess that we are unprofitable servants. Therefore, whoever boasts of the merits of his own works or puts his trust in works of supererogation, boasts of what does not exist, and puts his trust in damnable idolatry.

Knox Confession 1560 #14

Chapter 14 -
The Works Which Are Counted Good Before God

We confess and acknowledge that God has given to man his holy law, in which not only all such works as displease and offend his godly majesty are forbidden, but also those which please him and which he has promised to reward are commanded. These works are of two kinds. The one is done to the honor of God, the other to the profit of our neighbor, and both have the revealed word of God as their assurance. To have one God, to worship and honor him, to call upon him in all our troubles, to reverence his holy Name, to hear his Word and to believe it, and to share in his holy sacraments, belong to the first kind. To honor father, mother, princes, rulers, and superior powers; to love them, to support them, to obey their orders if they are not contrary to the commands of God, to save the lives of the innocent, to repress tyranny, to defend the oppressed, to keep our bodies clean and holy, to live in soberness and temperance, to deal justly with all men in word and deed, and, finally, to repress any desire to harm our neighbor, are the good works of the second kind, and these are most pleasing and acceptable to God as he has commanded them himself. Acts to the contrary are sins, which always displease him and provoke him to anger, such as, not to call upon him alone when we have need, not to hear his Word with reverence, but to condemn and despise it, to have or worship idols, to maintain and defend idolatry, lightly to esteem the reverend name of God, to profane, abuse, or condemn the sacraments of Christ Jesus, to disobey or resist any whom God has placed in authority, so long as they do not exceed the bounds of their office, to murder, or to consent thereto, to bear hatred, or to let innocent blood be shed if we can prevent it. In conclusion, we confess and affirm that the breach of any other commandment of the first or second kind is sin, by which God's anger and displeasure are kindled against the proud, unthankful world. So that we affirm good works to be those alone which are done in faith and at the command of God who, in his law, has set forth the things that please him. We affirm that evil works are not only those expressly done against God's command, but also, in religious matters and the worship of God, those things which have no other warrant than the invention and opinion of man. From the beginning God has rejected such, as we learn from the words of the prophet Isaiah and of our master, Christ Jesus, "In vain do they worship Me, teaching the doctrines and commandments of men."

Wednesday, March 13, 2013

Meeting Pope Francis

 

Argentine cardinal selected by Catholic cardinals on second day

 Pope Chosen: White smoke emerges from the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel, in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Wednesday. IMAGE
AP Photo: Gregorio Borgia. Pope Chosen: White smoke emerges from the chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel, in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Wednesday. IMAGE
Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church select Jorge Mario Bergoglio as pope to succeed Benedict XVI.
Cardinal electors of the Roman Catholic Church on Wednesday night selected Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina to succeed Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI and lead the church through a time of crisis.
On the second day of the conclave, thick white smoke billowed from the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel and church bells rang at the Vatican, signaling to the world there is a new pontiff.
A crowd of thousands gathered in St. Peter's Square cheered wildly, and more people streamed into the square upon learning of the development. Millions of people worldwide followed the procession of events on live television and on the Internet.
Bergoglio, whose chose the papal name Pope Francis, changed into his papal white cassock, got a pledge of loyalty from the cardinals, stopped and prayed in the Pauline Chapel for a few minutes and then headed to the balcony overlooking St. Peter's Square to greet the crowd. French Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, the protodeacon, announced "Habemus Papam!" (Latin for "We have a pope") and then introduced him to the world in Latin.
The new pope, the first from South America, then was to deliver his first public words as pontiff.
The first Mass likely will follow a few days later.
Bergoglio, 76, has spent nearly his entire career at home in Argentina, overseeing churches and shoe-leather priests. The archbishop of Buenos Aires reportedly got the second-most votes after Joseph Ratzinger in the 2005 papal election, and he has long specialized in the kind of pastoral work that some say is an essential skill for the next pope.
The selection of a new spiritual leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics came after the 115 cardinals in the conclave voted twice Wednesday morning in the Sistine Chapel following an inaugural vote Tuesday. They pledged in Latin to never reveal details of the secret ballot. A two-thirds majority — 77 votes — was needed to become pope. Black smoke spewed out from the makeshift chimney Tuesday night and earlier Wednesday, meaning no pope was selected in the initial rounds.
The German-born Benedict, 85, announced unexpectedly last month that he was stepping down, saying he no longer had the strength to lead the church. He was the first pope to resign since Gregory XII in 1415.
Click to see the world's Catholic population
Click to see the world's Catholic population
The selection process came amid more upheaval and uncertainty than the Catholic Church has seen in decades. There was no consensus front-runner going into the process, and no sense that one man has what it takes to fix the many problems.
The next pope will face a church in crisis. Benedict spent his eight-year pontificate trying to revive Catholicism amid the secular trends that have made it almost irrelevant in places like Europe, once a stronghold of Christianity. Clerical sex abuse scandals have soured many faithful on their church, and competition from rival evangelical churches in Latin America and Africa has drawn members away.
Closer to home, the next pope has a major challenge awaiting him inside the Vatican walls, after the leaks of papal documents in 2012 exposed ugly turf battles, allegations of corruption and even a plot purportedly orchestrated by Benedict's aides to out a prominent Italian Catholic editor as gay.
The election of a pope is a centuries-old process. Since 1271, the church's highest-ranking clerics, the cardinals, have voted in a conclave — from the Latin “with a key” — which was instituted as a result of one of the longest papal vacancies in history, two years and nine months.
The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Knox Confession 1560 #13

Chapter 13 - The Cause of Good Works

The cause of good works, we confess, is not our free will, but the Spirit of the Lord Jesus, who dwells in our hearts by true faith, brings forth such works as God has prepared for us to walk in. For we most boldly affirm that it is blasphemy to say that Christ abides in the hearts of those in whom is no spirit of sanctification. Therefore we do not hesitate to affirm that murderers, oppressors, cruel persecutors, adulterers, filthy persons, idolaters, drunkards, thieves, and all workers of iniquity, have neither true faith nor anything of the Spirit of the Lord Jesus, so long as they obstinately continue in wickedness. For as soon as the Spirit of the Lord Jesus, whom God's chosen children receive by true faith, takes possession of the heart of any man, so soon does he regenerate and renew him, so that he begins to hate what before he loved, and to love what he hated before. Thence comes that continual battle which is between the flesh and Spirit in God's children, while the flesh and the natural man, being corrupt, lust for things pleasant and delightful to themselves, are envious in adversity and proud in prosperity, and every moment prone and ready to offend the majesty of God. But the Spirit of God, who bears witness to our spirit that we are the sons of God, makes us resist filthy pleasures and groan in God's presence for deliverance from this bondage of corruption, and finally to triumph over sin so that it does not reign in our mortal bodies. Other men do not share this conflict since they do not have God's Spirit, but they readily follow and obey sin and feel no regrets, since they act as the devil and their corrupt nature urge. But the sons of God fight against sin; sob and mourn when they find themselves tempted to do evil; and, if they fall, rise again with earnest and unfeigned repentance. They do these things, not by their own power, but by the power of the Lord Jesus, apart from whom they can do nothing.

Knox Confession 1560 #12

Chapter 12 - Faith in the Holy Ghost

Our faith and its assurance do not proceed from flesh and blood, that is to say, from natural powers within us, but are the inspiration of the Holy Ghost; whom we confess to be God, equal with the Father and with his Son, who sanctifies us, and brings us into all truth by his own working, without whom we should remain forever enemies to God and ignorant of his Son, Christ Jesus. For by nature we are so dead, blind, and perverse, that neither can we feel when we are pricked, see the light when it shines, nor assent to the will of God when it is revealed, unless the Spirit of the Lord Jesus quicken that which is dead, remove the darkness from our minds, and bow our stubborn hearts to the obedience of his blessed will. And so, as we confess that God the Father created us when we were not, as his Son our Lord Jesus redeemed us when we were enemies to him, so also do we confess that the Holy Ghost does sanctify and regenerate us, without respect to any merit proceeding from us, be it before or after our regeneration. To put this even more plainly; as we willingly disclaim any honor and glory from our own creation and redemption, so do we willingly also for our regeneration and sanctification; for by ourselves we are not capable of thinking one good thought, but he who has begun the work in us alone continues us in it, to the praise and glory of his undeserved grace.

Knox Confession 1560 #11

Chapter 11 - The Ascension

We do not doubt but that the selfsame body which was born of the virgin, was crucified, dead, and buried, and which did rise again, did ascend into the heavens, for the accomplishment of all things, where in our name and for our comfort he has received all power in heaven and earth, where he sits at the right hand of the Father, having received his kingdom, the only advocate and mediator for us. Which glory, honor, and prerogative, he alone amongst the brethren shall possess till all his enemies are made his footstool, as we undoubtedly believe they shall be in the Last Judgment. We believe that the same Lord Jesus shall visibly return for this Last Judgment as he was seen to ascend. And then, we firmly believe, the time of refreshing and restitution of all things shall come, so that those who from the beginning have suffered violence, injury, and wrong, for righteousness' sake, shall inherit that blessed immortality promised them from the beginning. But, one the other hand, the stubborn, disobedient, cruel persecutors, filthy persons, idolaters, and all sorts of the unbelieving, shall be cast into the dungeon of utter darkness, where their worm shall not die, nor their fire be quenched. The remembrance of that day, and of the Judgment to be executed in it, is not only a bridle by which our carnal lusts are restrained but also such inestimable comfort that neither the threatening of worldly princes, nor the fear of present danger or of temporal death, may move us to renounce and forsake that blessed society which we, the members, have with our Head and only Mediator, Christ Jesus: whom we confess and avow to be the promised Messiah, the only Head of his Kirk, our just Lawgiver, our only High Priest, Advocate, and Mediator. To which honors and offices, if man or angel presume to intrude themselves, we utterly detest and abhor them, as blasphemous to our sovereign and supreme Governor, Christ Jesus.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Knox Confession 1560 #10

Chapter 10 - The Resurrection

We undoubtedly believe, since it was impossible that the sorrows of death should retain in bondage the Author of life, that our Lord Jesus crucified, dead, and buried, who descended into hell, did rise again for our justification, and the destruction of him who was the author of death and its bondage. We know that his resurrection was confirmed by the testimony of his enemies, and by the resurrection of the dead, whose sepulchers did open, and they did rise and appear to many within the city of Jerusalem. It was also confirmed by the testimony of his angels, and by the senses and judgment of his apostles and of others, who had conversation, and did eat and drink with him after his resurrection.

This one is better Star Wars Coexist ha ha ha


Realistic Coexist Sticker explained...