FACING PERILOUS TIMES...reacting biblically to the disintegration of our culture

by Pastor Lars Larson, Ph.D.

Introduction:
Not long ago I received an E-mail from one of our church members who expressed many of my own feelings and thoughts of recent months. He voiced his quandary on how he should act and react biblically toward what we are witnessing—the moral and spiritual meltdown of our culture. He also stated his concern and sense of regret for the anger he had toward those whose relentless efforts to de-moralize our nation have gained recent and significant victories. They seem to be gaining ground rapidly in defeating decency, as they lead our society to jettison our traditional moral values and overthrow our historic social institutions. Indeed, there have been recent “victories” by those who oppose historic Christian morality. This is particularly apparent in the matter of homosexuality.

• The Supreme Court overturned a state’s right to enforce anti-sodomy laws.
• Massachusetts legalized homosexual marriages.
• Television programs celebrate homosexual values and behavior and commercials advertising these programs are aired throughout the day.
• An “openly gay” man is a bishop in the Episcopalian denomination.
• State legislatures are outlawing “discrimination” of refusing to hire a transgender person.
• I have read that a California business or non-profit organization (churches are exempted) may be fined $150,000 for refusing to hire a man who dresses as a woman.

Aside from these specifics, we are continuing to witness the general declension of our moral values and cultural institutions. Marriage is viewed only as an option, entered into only after two people live together in sin. To view sexual activity as restricted to the marriage relationship is an archaic idea. Pre-marital sex is the norm. Virginity until marriage is rare. Of course, broken homes, multiple divorce and remarriage, are common. Scarcely can a family be found which as been untouched by the tragedy and consequences of a broken marriage.

Moreover, society in general has become very coarse. Foul language is part of every day speech. Subjects that were once too private and personal to mention, are now a matter of public discourse, talked about and joked about openly. Words and terms that no decent person would have once used in public are part of our common speech and are voiced in our schools to our children. Television programs and commercials display graphic sexual images and themes, and present subjects that would have caused the general public to blush a generation ago. But today they are the subject of sitcom entertainment, soap operas, and trashy “novels” and magazines. In the face of all that we see unfold before us we ask ourselves, what is God doing and how would He have us act and react? How are Christians to think and respond to what we are witnessing? Here are some proposals:

I. First, reaffirm to yourself and to those around you that the Bible, God’s Word, is authoritative and sufficient to guide us through these days. Paul exhorted Timothy that he was fully equipped with the Scriptures to confront and respond to any situation that a wicked world and a corrupt church could pose (2 Tim. 3:16f). We have the same Scriptures given to us by the same God, Who has promised to guide us and help us bear witness of His truth to this fallen world. The Scriptures are sufficient to inform us of what God is doing and what He would have us do in response to what is unfolding before us.

What do the Scriptures teach us about God and His purposes in His world? What should we take special note of as we seek to understand God’s will for us? (1) First, we must affirm the Bible teaches that God is the Sovereign Ruler of history. Even when times are difficult and people are manifesting sin to a great degree, our Lord God is ordering events to further His own glory in history. The sin we are witnessing in society is the result of God’s judicial hardening. Sin is the consequence of sin for sin itself is God’s judgment upon sin. The wages of sin is more sin, which results in death (Rom. 6:23). When sin abounds in a culture, it is certain that God has withdrawn His mercy and grace and has allowed sinful people to pursue their sinful desires, thereby assuring their overthrow and condemnation. (2) Although God is sovereign in His rule over history, it does not negate the free agency of sinful people. Free agency is to be distinguished from free will, as it has been historically understood. The Bible teaches the free agency of people to choose to sin. People make their own decisions about what they believe and do. God is not the author of sin. He does not force people to do what they do not want to do; rather, he overrules the sinful inclinations and actions of sinners in order to accomplish His purposes. The Bible teaches that God is sovereign over sinful men, but that sinful men are, nevertheless, accountable to God for their sinful actions. One day God will judge everyone according to the works each one chose to commit in this life (Rom. 2:6; Rev. 20:12f). Free will, on the other hand, has been defined as man’s innate ability to choose any of all options offered in a given situation—he has the ability in himself to believe and obey God. This is not a teaching of the Bible. God’s Word reveals that man’s will has been so effected by sin that he is both unable and unwilling to live so as to please God. He chooses to sin because he is a sinner; he will choose to do no differently. Only the grace of God in the new birth can change the very nature of a sinner into that of a saint, one who seeks purposely, granted imperfectly, to live in faith and obedience to God. (3) God has called and equipped us for this hour to bear witness of Him. God has placed each of us in His world, in the land in which we are living, and in this time in history, in order to glorify Him before a fallen world. God “has made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation” (Act 17:26). God would have us bear witness of His Word to our lost generation.

II. Second, of what are we to bear witness? We are to make known to the world the glory of God. To what are we referring when we speak of the glory of God? The glory of God is the truth of Who God is in His Being and attributes. When we say that we have “seen” the glory of God, we are saying that we have come to understand in a measure Who God truly is in the wonder and beauty of His nature and we have come to see His hand in the affairs of mankind. It is the ongoing mission of the people of God to declare the glory of God to their generation. This declaration involves announcing and teaching others where God may be known and seen, what He is doing and what He will do in history.

The Bible tells us that we may see the glory of God through observing His “works”; God is revealed through what He does.

All thy works shall praise Thee, O Lord; and thy saints shall bless Thee. They shall speak of the glory of thy kingdom, and talk of Thy power, to make known to the sons of men His mighty acts, and the glorious majesty of His kingdom. (Psa. 145:10-12)

We are to draw the attention of people about us to God’s mighty acts so that they might see His glory. “Declare his glory among the heathen; His marvelous works among all nations” (1 Chron. 16:24).

The Scriptures speaks of various “works” of God by which God has revealed Himself.


(1) God reveals His glory to us through His work of Creation.

The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night shows knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. (Psa. 19:1-4)

The work of God in creation reveals the glory of God in that He is shown to be a wise, powerful, and good God, Who has created the heavens and the earth and all that is in them.

(2) God reveals His glory in His on-going work of maintaining and ruling over His creation. This is what is commonly known as God’s providence. One once summarized providence in this way:

God upholds all things by His power; governs the world by His wisdom; looks down upon the earth, takes notice and care of all His creatures in it, and makes provision for them, and guides and directs them to answer the ends for which they were made; which is the sum and substance of Providence. (John Gill).

God not only created the world, He governs His world through history. King Nebuchadnezzar, the pagan king of Babylon, learned this truth and which resulted in him glorifying God:

I, Nebuchadnezzar, lifted up my eyes unto heaven, and my understanding returned unto me, and I blessed the most High, and I praised and honored Him that lives for ever, whose dominion is an everlasting dominion, and His kingdom is from generation to generation, and all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and He does according to His will in the army of heaven, and among the inhabitants of the earth, and none can stay His hand, or say unto Him, “What doest thou?” (Dan. 4:34-35)

As people recognize that the events of their lives are due to God dealing with them, whether for “good” or “bad”, they are given a glimpse of the glory of God. It should be our desire and design, therefore, to declare that God is ruling in the heavens and the earth, and that He is the One who overrules the affairs of all of His creatures, whether they are believers or not. God is the Preserver of all life, and He is the Provider for all His creatures through His providence. We are to draw people’s attention to this spiritual truth to the end that they might see His glory, acknowledging Him, seeking Him, and believing on Him.

(3) God reveals His glory through His judgments upon His enemies and the salvation that He brings His people. The great Old Testament event that revealed God’s glory was the Exodus of Israel from Egypt. In this one event God glorified Himself in both judging Egypt and redeeming His people from bondage. The Lord brought the events of the Exodus in order to reveal His glory to the world.

For the Lord your God dried up the waters of Jordan from before you, until you were passed over, as the Lord your God did to the Red sea, which He dried up from before us, until we were gone over, that all the people of the earth might know the hand of the Lord, that it is mighty, that you might fear the Lord your God for ever. (Josh. 4:23f)

God in His sovereignty even hardened pharaoh’s heart more than once so that he would resist releasing Israel’s release, thereby showing the glory of God in the remarkable way that Egypt was overthrown and destroyed. God said to pharaoh, “for this cause have I raised thee up, for to show in you My power; and that My name may be declared throughout all the earth” (Exo. 9:16).

(4) God reveals His glory chiefly through His Son, Jesus Christ, Who secures salvation for His people and overthrows the enemies of His Father. John could write of the glory of God in Jesus,

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

The nature of God is best seen in the person and work of the Lord Jesus, the Son of God. In Jesus we see God in the flesh displayed before us. The Son of God has revealed to us what God is like and what His will is. In His manner, in His teaching, in His deeds, in all His life through all His person, Jesus revealed the glory of God. Of course the glory of God was most fully manifested in the death and resurrection of the Son of God. In Jesus dying on the cross for sinners, the glory of God’s love, grace, mercy, wisdom, power, justice, and goodness is most fully on display. But Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection also glorifies God in that it secured the certain overthrow of God’s enemies and their condemnation in His judgment. Jesus Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father. He ascended into heaven and He was given glory in that He was enthroned to rule over heaven and earth. King Jesus even now is the Sovereign Ruler of history. Jesus as Lord is ruling over the nations, using His authority to bring salvation to the ones given to Him from eternity by the Father, and to bring condemnation and damnation to those who refuse to believe and submit to His rule. The Apostle Paul expressed this truth in the form of a question toward those who might reject his assertion:

What if God, willing to show His wrath, and to make His power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction, and that He might make known the riches of His glory on the vessels of mercy, which He had afore prepared unto glory?” (Rom. 9:22f)

We are to bear this message to the world of our day. We are to declare to all about us Who God is, that He is the Creator and Ruler over His creation. We are to make known that God has established moral and religious laws by which He expects all of His creatures to abide. We are to make the world understand that all men and women will stand before God on Judgment Day and be judged according to the standard of His law. But we are also to make known far and wide the glorious gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We are to publish the good news that there is forgiveness of sins and eternal life to be found in Him. We are to tell people that if they turn from their sins, turning in faith to the Lord and Savior, they may experience the glory of God in their own lives, being graciously forgiven of their sins and being transformed into the glorious moral and spiritual image of Jesus Christ.

III. Third, Christians should seek to keep themselves “unspotted” from the world in which we live. “Pure religion and undefiled before God and the Father is this,…to keep himself unspotted from the world” (James 1:27). What we are watching unfold daily before our eyes is a great cause of grief and disappointment. As Lot’s righteous soul was vexed from him living in Sodom, Christians are grieved by what they are witnessing in our increasingly godless and wicked culture. But there is more than just grief associated with a Christian living in a fallen and decadent society; there is danger. Lot’s life became one of compromise and loss. His sense of righteousness, core values, and strength of conviction suffered loss in Sodom. Living in a wicked world will take its toll upon our sensibilities and our values if we are not careful and fail to keep our hearts pure and tender before the Lord. Do not allow the world to shape the moral and spiritual values of your family. Do not view the world’s display of wickedness on television and film. Do not regard as entertainment that which God regards as abominable. Either control what comes into your home and heart, or shut off the source. Do all that you can do to preserve the purity of the consciences of yourselves and your children.

IV. Fourth, know with certainty that God is judging and will continue to judge our nation. Some argue, “God will begin to judge us if we do not turn from our wicked ways.” Wrong. God is already judging us. He is turning us over to our enemies in a measure. Granted, He has given us victories. We thank Him for His mercy and plead for more. But we have no biblical reason to hope for the well being of our nation and its citizens as we continue on our present course. We love our country. We are patriotic. We support our military and president. But as Christians we know with certainty from God’s Word that our land will not prosper while our people refuse to repent of sin and seek God. God is the only true source of security in this fallen world. Whether our people want to accept it or not, God has removed in a measure the protection that we once enjoyed as a nation. Terrorists are as much under the sovereign control of God as any preacher or missionary or church congregation. God is using evil, merciless men, as he once used Sennacherib of Assyria, Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, to punish evildoers; they are His “servants” (cf. Isa. 7:17ff; Jer. 25:9). Times and events will only grow worse until and unless there is a deep, thorough, turning to God on the part of our populace and our leaders. 911 did not bring this about. Nor will ten more 911s, unless God in His mercy and grace turns toward us and grants His presence and power to save us from our sin, even from ourselves.

V. As Christians we need not despair, but we are to entrust ourselves to our God Who will bring an end to all of this confusion, violence, and vileness, at the Second Coming of Jesus Christ. Therefore, be earnest and faithful in prayer. Pray for God’s mercy, grace, and glory to be manifested. Pray for our churches. Pray for our political leaders. Seek to influence the passage of legislation. Be willing to suffer humiliation, ridicule, and rejection, for stating the truth before others. Give God glory for His mercy that he has shown you through the Lord Jesus Christ.

In conclusion, although what we see with our eyes is distressing tends to be disheartening, we should not be pessimistic or discouraged. We are living in days in which the glory of God is being manifested in judgment. Praise be to God for the manifestation of His wisdom, power, and justice in the overturning of wicked men. They will not prosper. They are not “winning.” Their acts of iniquity, their revolting against God’s righteousness, their opposition to the people of God, are all sure signs of their certain and impending overthrow by God. As Paul sought to encourage the Christians of his day, we may encourage one another:

It is a righteous thing with God to repay with tribulation those who trouble you, and to give you who are troubled rest with us when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed. Therefore we also pray always for you that our God would count you worthy of this calling, and fulfill all the good pleasure of His goodness and the work of faith with power, that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thess. 1:6-12)

Although the destruction of the wicked is certain, let us pray that God’s glory be manifested more greatly in bring salvation to men, women, and children even in these dark days. God is glorified in saving sinners. He is more greatly glorified in saving great sinners. Today, the opportunity for bringing glory to God is perhaps greater for Christians and their churches than any time in recent history. The darker the night, the brighter the light. We have the opportunity before us to manifest the great love, grace, mercy, wisdom, justice and power of God through the salvation of sinners through the gospel, the same gospel that has saved us from our sin. Let us go to sinners, the worst of sinners, as the Lord Jesus Himself modeled for us, and seek to win them to the Savior. May we pray that God use us greatly to glorify Him as we publish the good news that God forgives and saves sinners.

AMEN

GAY SEX BOOK LEFT OPEN AND IN FULL DISPLAY...read about this shocking and unfortunate incident and what you can do about it

But understand this, 

that in the last days there will come times of difficulty.

-2 Timothy 3:1

UPDATE: 

A MUST LISTEN TO RADIO BROADCAST

BY BRANNON HOUSE ON THIS ISSUE 

FEATURING AN EYE WITNESS (MOTHER OF THREE)

TO THIS INCIDENT. 

Brannon House is a dear friend of mine and colaborer in the Lord for the gospel. I appreciate him greatly and him taking a stand on this issue. Read the following report he gives and then be encouraged to take some positive steps he is providing to help minimize this kind of thing from happening to you and your child in the future. As a disclaimer: if the book left open would have been of a heterosexual couple engaging in sex acts, I would be just as outraged.  Though homosexuality is not at all condoned biblically, the issue being represented here is not a gay-bashing or homophobic concern.  I have worked off and on pertaining to the AIDS issue since 1987 and have participated and produced many events where the gay community was also invited. So the main concern here is one of propriety and decency concerning what our children are exposed to when going to a family book store chain like Barnes and Noble.

From Brannon Howse at Christian Worldview Network:
On June 5th, my eleven year old son joined me in a visit to our local Barnes and Noble Bookstore. I was horrified at what my son saw. Open on a table was a very large, full-color, picture book displaying a man in full frontal nudity. The cover was two men kissing with the title GAY SEX. This book was filled with full-color pictures of gay men doing what they do.

The assistant manager told me that this was the second time that night this book had been laid open in the store. She also informed me that such books were regularly found in the men's room. she said a young boy had been sexually assaulted in the bathroom at this store and the man was never caught. The assistant manger walked me to where the book was normally kept. Was it behind a counter? No, it was on the top shelf of a bookcase that any 13 year old could reach. Welcome to the 21st Century where being gay is mainstream and celebrated as normal in a family bookstore. Listen to find out what I am going to do. (Download or listen to the MP3 - click here). (Right click and select "Save Target As")

After sharing these disturbing stories with me, the assistant manger walked me to where the book was normally kept. Was it behind a counter? No, it was on the top shelf of a bookcase that any 13 year old could reach. Welcome to the 21st Century where being gay is mainstream and celebrated as normal in a family bookstore. Click the link at the bottom of this article and listen to my national radio program to find out what I am going to do.

I returned to the Barnes and Noble the next day to document the placement of their pornographic books. I have three places where books that included pictures of either homosexual porn or heterosexual porn were placed throughout their bookshelves. One section of books was low enough that my five year old could have pulled them from the shelf. Collierville, TN does not have an ordinance that requires this type of material to be behind a counter out of reach of children or moved into a restricted area that requires a person to be 18 or older to enter. 

To read the entire story click here.


Here are some helpful thoughts from blogger Carla Rolfe speaking as a Christian wife and mother of seven.

Laws governing sexuality explicit material. 

Of course I don't live in TN but I was under the (ignorant?) impression that it was a rather common law in the states, that such material available in books, magazines, videos and dvd would be restricted to 18 and older customers. It wasn't that long ago that in our society that material wouldn't even be found in a mainstream bookstore. To find that material, you had to go to the "other side of town" to that little building that was unamarked, but that everyone knew what they sold. While in terms of time it really wasn't that long ago, it does say a lot for just how much our culture has changed in such a short period of time. There's a convenience store in town that Kev had to stop shopping at, because their hardcore porn magazines are on full display at the front of the store. It was impossible to avoid them in the store, so instead he chose to avoid the store. Bearing in mind we're in Canada, where the laws pertaining to these things are far more liberal than those in the states, and especially in the southern, "Bible Belt" states.

The Campaign to Normalize Homosexuality. 

It has apparently become so "normal" to accept the gay lifestyle as just another lifestyle, that the fact that this material is sold at Barnes and Noble, hasn't appeared to really upset anyone all that much. It bothers me, that this doesn't bother more Christians. It makes me wonder which kind of pure wickedness will be next to be accepted as "normal". It makes me grieve for the next generation.

Guarding our Eyes (and those of our children). 

I have never seen the kind of material that Brannon Howse's son was exposed to last week, and I hope I never do. I have friends in law enforcement who have as part of their field, had to investigate child pornography. They will say that the images of unnatural acts they have seen are burned into their memories, forever. Some of them need ongoing counselling to deal with just having those images in their minds, and these are adult men and women.

I know that many will disagree about the damage that images can cause, but the testimonies of countless adult men and women who are addicted to porn, or who were formerly addicted to porn, should be enough to give us all pause for thought as to the potential for harm of placing things before our eyes, that should not be there. This caution goes quadruple for children, that aren't even close to being old enough to process what they see from a mature, discerning worldview. I have read (as I'm sure others have as well) testimonies from former porn addicts (and violent criminals as well) who often say that being exposed to "adult" images as children, is what began their life in that arena. I can't prove that there is a connection between "adult" images seen by children and a sinfully wicked lifestyle as an adult, but it sure seems obvious to anyone really paying attention. (There may be statistics that bear this out, I haven't researched it to know). Based on what I just said, how do "homosexual adult" images have any bearing on the mind of a child? I cannot begin to guess for certain, but I suppose it just deepens the damage - especially considering the culture we live in that shoves this lifestyle in our faces and fully expects us to embrace it.

Boycotting Blatant Ungodly Businesses & Business Practices. 

Well there's a big ole can of worms. Does it work? I don't know, some will say yes and others say no. I think it's really more of a matter of conviction. Does ABC business sell trash? Yes, and I don't shop there. Does XYZ utility company support some anti-God, anti-Christian organization or association? Yes, many of them do, but that doesn't mean we're going to shut the lights, phone, cable, sat, water & gas off, just to not be connected to them in some way. We all have to make choices all day long based on our Christian convictions. Where we shop, what we watch on tv, sites we visit on the internet, what we read offline, etc. If in this case, Barnes and Noble refuses to change their policy regarding their homosexual porn literature (and I can't see why they would), then it's up to individual Christians to make the choice on whether or not to shop there. Bearing in mind, pretty much every other mainstream bookstore carries the same stuff, so no matter where you shop for books & such, you're going to run into this to one degree or another. Welcome to living in a fallen world where sinners act like sinners. God's grace and mercy on those sinners is what changes them - not boycotts...

Thank you Carla.

The following link below is one way that you can help be salt and light in our decaying society; a way to visibly demonstrate love for your neighbor.  It is a petition you can fill out and it will take you about one minute to do so.  May I encourage you, as I have already done, to sign this petition that Brannon is spearheading to let your voice be made known to the good folks at Barnes and Noble and to the leadership of the city of Collierville.  This is a legal, Christ-honoring way to express your views as a believer on this issue.  As a father of five teenage sons and daughters this was a must moment for me to do.

Please continue to pray for Brannon in his effort to be a Christian voice representing the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ right where he lives in this matter.  It is a good example for us all to follow.

Thank you in advance for your participation.

Live out Loud...

Steve

2 Cor. 4:5

Help Protect the Children in Your City and State 

By Signing the Petition to the Barnes and Noble Executives

THINK BIBLICALLY - NOT CULTURALLY...the needed "conversation" with a pomo culture

Pragmatism is a four letter word.

You may be living under the delusion that
because you think your city has more dogs than Christians;
is one of the least churched in America; and is spiritually darker
than any other place in our country (yeah right); that you have to
grunge up God, to preach about God. Not true grasshopper.
The sinful nature of man has not changed; the character of
the gospel has not changed; the person of our
Lord Jesus Christ has not changed.
Don't be a spiritual game show host playing with the truth.
You wanna have a "conversation" that matters?
Then spend less time contextualizing the truths of
Jesus and more time proclaiming them.
When the pulpit becomes a place of holiness and reverence,
the pews and the pedestrians will really be changed for eternity.
It's not your gimmicks, tricks, methods, and techniques that affect lives;
it is His gospel, by His grace, to His glory that only matters.
It's not about us; it's all about Him.

Think biblically/not culturally.

"What Is needed today is a Scriptural setting forth of the character of God-His absolute sovereignty, His ineffable holiness, His Inflexible justice, His unchanging veracity.

What Is needed today is a Scriptural setting forth of the condition of the natural man-his total depravity, his spiritual insensibility, his inveterate hostility to God, the fact that he is "condemned already" and that the wrath of a sin-hating God is even now abiding upon him.

What is needed today is a Scriptural setting forth of the alarming danger in which sinners are-the Indescribably awful doom which awaits them, the fact that if they follow only a little further their present course they shall most certainly suffer the due reward of their iniquities.

What is needed today is a Scriptural setting forth of the nature of that punishment which awaits the lost-the awfulness of it, the hopelessness of it, the unendurableness of it, the endlessness of it. It is because of these convictions that by pen as well as by voice we are seeking to sound the alarm." -A.W. PINK

cf, Romans 3:10-18; Romans 3:19-20; Romans 3:21-26; Ephesians 4:1-3; Titus 3:1-8

Depart from Scripture... You Depart from God and a Reverence for Him...a few certain thoughts about the ECM

“For My hand made all these things,

Thus all these things came into being,”

declares the LORD.

“But to this one I will look,

To him who is humble and contrite of spirit,

and who trembles at My word."

-Isaiah 66:2

Legalism and the ECM

The ECM in their search for significance within a postmodern culture has left behind the "old paths" rather than maintaining them. In their striving to figure out how to do church in our day, I think that they are creating their own legalism--a postmodern arrogant cultural relevance legalism that says the gospel will have meager effect if not contextualized and the church will have little growth or impact if it doesn't adapt to culture.

Temporal vs Eternal

Emergent Christianity guts the faith to appeal to culture; and their myopic view of the kingdom of God predisposes them to be more concerned with the temporal, than the eternal.

The ECM has two Fundamental Flaws:

• 1.) a lack of reverence for God and His Word; and
  
• 2.) the unquenchable need to contextualize the Christian faith in adapting it to culture.
  

This is gangrenous to authentic Christianity. Erosion of the truth always begins with the subtle wandering away off the path of the essentials of the faith.

You don't go liberal by reading your Bibles;

you go liberal by not reading them.

Culture or Scripture - the Determining Authority?

In the hallowed ecumenical halls of Emergent theology (and yes they have one) postmodernity becomes the hermeneutic by which they interpret Scripture, rather than Scripture being the hermeneutic that correctly interprets postmodernity.

McLaren, Pagitt, and Bell (the uncertain trinity of Emergent Christianity) all depart from the soundness of biblical Christianity into various errant and nefarious doctrines at precisely this point.

FROM THE COMBOX: IMHO: the EC's theology is methodological by nature, not biblical, rooted in culture. THEN, they take their cultural paradigm's and convert them into their ecclesiology, Christology, missiology, and theology. What is derived is not Scriptural, but certainly marketable. Again, it is the seeker sensitive movement with an attitude. Lastly, it results in liberal socialism by making planetary concerns primary concerns. I.e. redemption is just not thought of in terms of saving souls, but in saving the environment. Everything from the fictitious Global Warming, to abortion, gay rights, war, stem cell research, euthanasia, etc. (all valid concerns) trump the eternal concerns of the gospel. In fact, their gospel is now defined chiefly by the cultural moorings of society rather then by Scripture. Ergo, the social gospel has found new friends in the ECM; and by design it cannot help but be ecumenical as it reinvents the meta of language, religion, missions, church, and solutions to human rights issues. And you must fit into their worldview of these things or be considered out of the conversation and outside the purview of Emergent Christianity. That breeds legalism. This is their worldview. Don't drink the Kool-aid. Campi 2 Tim. 2:15

Church Dystopia... what's driving the emerging/emergent movement?

Ecclesiastical negativity; biblical uncertainty; theological infidelity; spiritual unrest; and the thirst for cultural relevancy.

Point of Clarification: dystopia is an imagined place or state where everything is considered unpleasant or bad.  I chose that word because it seems to really typify the sentiment of most ECM leadership about the local church today.  Therefore, it seems that the ECM adherents are desperately looking to invoke change to accommodate their pomo-sensibilities.  After all, postmodernism has become the new hermeneutic by which the ECM interprets Scripture rather than Scripture being the true hermeneutic which clearly interprets postmodern culture.

Your Weekly Dose of Gospel...it's the folly of what we preach (not contextualize) that saves

There has been a well spirited and vigorous discussion on this blog and others about the postmodern notion of contextualization of the gospel. Without being redundant (for you can read the other articles and the metas on this subject here at COT if you choose) I am concerned about this latest trend in evangelicalism to make our methods in how we do evangelism and the messenger in who does it seemingly more important than simply the message it self.

As the Apostle Paul says in a very powerful clarification of the cross and the prohibiter inherent to the message of the cross:

"Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men." -1 Corinthians 1:20-25 (emphasis mine)

There is an offense to the cross beloved: "a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles." But to the elect of God (those who are called of both Jew and Greek) "Christ [is] the power of God and the wisdom of God." And no amount of cultural identification, relevantism, or analysis will add to, increase, make or produce one more convert to Christianity. It is the gospel we proclaim - "we preach Christ crucified..." that saves. And notice, this pleased God to design effective evangelism by the preaching of the cross to save. It is this "folly" - proclaiming Jesus Christ the Lord to those who are perishing that honors God. Not calling in the latest marketing gurus; Barna pollsters; contextualized techniques; seeker sensible and relevant services.

The words of Paul in Philippians 1:21

serve as convicting commentary

on this situation at hand when he says:

"all seek their own interests, not those of Jesus Christ."

The gospel IS relevant in and of itself beloved; and it needs no dressing up, or propping up to make inroads into the depraved sinful hearts of unregenerate men or women today in any culture. It alone is the power of God unto salvation...

This is what is needed in evangelical circles today. Not to contextualize the truth, but to reclaim the purity of the gospel message and to lovingly, boldly, uncompromisingly, unapologetically, and accurately herald its life-saving message.

My friend and mentor, Dr. John MacArthur, has really captured this burden in a recent interview on this subject. I commend his timely remarks to you highly:

You have no doubt heard the arguments: We need to take the message out of the bottle. We can't minister effectively if don't speak the language of contemporary counterculture. If we don't vernacularize the gospel, contextualize the church, and reimagine Christianity for each succeeding generation, how can we possibly reach young people? Above all else, we have got to stay in step with the times.

Those arguments have been stressed to the point that many evangelicals now seem to think stylishness is just about the worst imaginable threat to the expansion of the gospel and the influence of the church. They don't really care if they are worldly. They just don't want to be thought uncool.

That way of thinking has been around at least since modernism began its aggressive assault on biblical Christianity in the Victorian era. For half a century or more, most evangelicals resisted the pragmatic thrust of the modernist argument, believing it was a fundamentally worldly philosophy. They had enough biblical understanding to realize that "friendship with the world is enmity with God. Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God" (James 4:4).

But the mainstream evangelical movement gave up the battle against worldliness half a century ago, and then completely capitulated to pragmatism just a couple of decades ago. After all, most of the best-known megachurches that rose to prominence after 1985 were built on a pragmatic philosophy of giving "unchurched" people whatever it takes to make them feel comfortable. Why would anyone criticize what "works"?

Whole churches have thus deliberately immersed themselves in "the culture"--by which they actually mean "whatever the world loves at the moment." We now have a new breed of trendy churches whose preachers can rattle off references to every popular icon, every trifling meme, every tasteless fashion, and every vapid trend that captures the fickle fancy of the postmodern secular mind.

Worldly preachers seem to go out of their way to put their carnal expertise on display--even in their sermons. In the name of connecting with "the culture" they want their people to know they have seen all the latest programs on MTV; familiarized themselves with all the key themes of "South Park"; learned the lyrics to countless tracks of gangsta rap and heavy metal music; and watched who-knows-how-many R-rated movies. They seem to know every fad top to bottom, back to front, and inside out. They've adopted both the style and the language of the world--including lavish use of language that used to be deemed inappropriate in polite society, much less in the pulpit. They want to fit right in with the world, and they seem to be making themselves quite comfortable there.

(source: Jim at Old Truth)

"That's What Christmas is All About Charlie Brown"

Though only a fragment of the story, here is a simple biblical reading of the real meaning of Christmas as told through the iconic warmth of the Charlie Brown character, Linus. What is the real meaning? The blessed incarnation of Jesus Christ the Lord - "Immanuel, God with us."

This is a small, yet profound blessing that every holiday season this will be heard by millions through network TV via this beloved comic strip turned animation. Enjoy it with your whole family and be sure to share it with a few friends who, like Charlie Brown, may be screaming to know what Christmas is all about.

Read the Whole Story
Steve
Phil. 2:5-11

HT: JT

What's the Answer for a Culture in Decay, Decline and Despair?The Lord Jesus Christ: Immanuel, God with us

The Sufficiency of the Gospel
The church has the most powerful, explosive, life-changing, transforming truth in all of history - the gospel of Jesus Christ! It [the gospel] saves one for eternity (John 6:39, Ephesians 1:3-14); it completely changes someone into a new creation (2 Corinthian 5:17); it forgives sin and cleanses us thoroughly from our sin (2 Corinthian 5:21, Ephesians 1:7); translates us from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light (Colossians 1:10-14; 1 Peter 2:9); grants us eternal life (John 3:16); secures heaven as our home forever (John 14:1-6); it overcomes death for it is eternally built upon the foundation of the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (1 Corinthians 15:50-58); it defeats sin and brings us into intimacy and peace with God forever (Romans 5:1); and it is rich in grace and mercy (Ephesians 2:1-10) without which we would all be forever lost with no hope (Galatians 5:2-6).

It is completely efficacious for the believer in Christ, past, present and future (Romans 8:20-30). We are saved (Ephesians 2:8-9); we are kept (John 17:12, Jude 1); and we will be presented one glorious day (Jude 24). IOW, we are justified; sanctified; and glorified (Romans 8:29-30) through the gospel of our risen Lord and Savior - Jesus Christ the Righteous. Is it any wonder the Apostle Paul boldly proclaims, "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes." (Romans 1:16). And again in 1 Corinthians 9:16, "...for woe is me if I do not preach the gospel."

Spiritual Substitutes 
Sadly, not many today are saying that anymore. If the gospel of Jesus Christ is all sufficient and accomplishes all saving grace, then why is the church not about proclaiming its truth with the boldness and conviction it demands? One significant reason is that the true gospel has been replaced by a different gospel (Galatians 1:6-8). One that is watered down, convoluted, a cheap imitation disguising itself as the real thing. Some of these "other gospels" are: pragmatism - just give me what works; entertainment - I want to feel my God not know my God; pop-psychology - God and His word are deficient, man's word and philosophy is sufficient; the self-esteem movement - denying yourself is passé, self-love is everything; mysticism - truth has been replaced with experience; easy-believism - just raise a hand, sign a decision card, walk an isle and presto... you have an instant Christian. The Emergent/Emerging Church - where postmodern culture, not biblical truth--is dictating how the church should function and be defined; human potentiality movement - coming to Jesus to have a better marriage, more fulfilled job, or to realize your best life now, instead of honoring Him as Lord of your life regardless of personal benefits; and most recently, "Evangelical Co-Belligerence - (ECB)" - political remedies for moral maladies is now the latest trend to try and stop the tide of decay of family values plaquing our nation.

As popular as some of those things might be, none of them is the gospel of Jesus Christ!

This kind of Laodicean thinking has produced a Jesus who can elect but cannot save; who can knock at the door, but cannot open it; who can justify, but cannot glorify; who can make decisions, but cannot make disciples.

Is it any wonder that J.I. Packer says of American Christianity that it is, "

success oriented, manipulative, and self-centered. Three thousand miles wide and one inch deep."

The Almost Christian
What is then the true gospel and what are its components? What did Jesus really mean when He said, "Follow me!"? (Matthew 28:19). This is one of the crucial issues facing the evangelical community in our day. Contrary to popular opinion it is not materialism; it is not communism, it is not Marxism, narcissism, or hedonism. The issue today is the reverence for and the purity of the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. That alone is the rudder that guides the church - it is the nexus of the matter.

Take away the truth of the gospel and the church turns into a religious bar serving up whatever mixture of intoxicant faith that will be imbibed by those who are drunk on their own righteousness never desiring to be awakened from their stupor. And the lamentable thing is that they think they are saved. That is precisely why I am a firm believer that many people attending our churches week after week have made some sort of emotional verbal assent to Christ, but are not truly regenerated. They enjoy all the niceties of worship, fellowship, music, service, communion, etc, but have never been confronted with the reality of their sin, their need for a Savior, the eternal consequences of rejecting Christ, the awfulness of the wrath of God, the necessity for submission to the Lordship of Christ, the complete atoning work that Jesus accomplished on the cross, what His grace entails, and so crucially, what kind of faith is saving faith. Otherwise their epitaph will read, "They did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved" (2 Thessalonians 2:10b).

I am utterly convinced, that one of the greatest mission fields in the United States today is the local church.

Walking an Aisle--the Narrow Road that Leads to Heaven?
Have you ever attended an evangelistic outreach service at a concert, missions conference, church meeting, etc..., where you heard gospel altar calls or appeals such as, "accept Jesus in your heart today"; "just lift up you hand and walk this aisle and you are saved"; "say this sinners prayer with me and if you do you're a Christian"; "make Jesus Lord of your life"; "there's a God-size hole in your heart and He alone can fill it"; or "just be bananas over Jesus"?

As familiar sounding as these phrases are, it may surprise you that not one of them is even remotely biblical or associated to the gospel according to Jesus. He does not want your hand raised, beloved, He wants your life surrendered! (Matthew 7:21). He doesn't desire you to be bananas over Him, but He does desire that you are obedient to Him (John 14:15, 15:14-16). There is not a hole in your heart to be filled but your entire life to be transformed (Colossians 1:10-14). You don't make Jesus Lord of your life - He is Lord... period. The question is will you submit to Him as Lord and honor Him for who He is and all He claimed to be (Hebrews 1:-8; John 1:14, 8:58; 14:5-9)?

No Cheap Grace Allowed
Have you considered the cost of what it means to be a disciple of Jesus Christ... to follow Him? The content of the gospel is confessing Christ as Lord and believing in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead (Romans 10:9-10); believing on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and you will be saved (John 1:12, 3:15-18); that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures (1 Corinthians 15:3-4); for by grace you have been saved by faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; not as a result of works, that no one should boast (Ephesians 2:8-9). Here we have a glimpse of the saving work of Jesus Christ. It requires believing, confession, trusting in His complete work from the cross to the resurrection, it is by God's grace and His enabling faith, and it is His gift to you - you can't earn it no matter what.

Notice that coupled with God's loving grace, is the call for our conformity and submission to all He commands. Though we do not participate in our salvation; we do participate in our sanctification--and yet, it is still all of grace (John 15:5). This is a mystery beloved: God's sovereignty and man's obedience woven together in our sanctification--ouyr daily growth and conformity to Christlikeness (Titus 2:11-12).

Let's look at three essential commands of the Lord to become His disciple: that you deny yourself; take up your cross; and follow Him (Matthew 16:24).

"What Does it Mean to Follow Jesus?"

1. DENY YOURSELF:
To deny yourself means to come to the end of yourself; to be done with yourself; to see yourself as bankrupt from any ability to save yourself; to not place any trust whatsoever within yourself to be saved. The Lord did not come to "complete us" or to help us "get in touch with ourselves." Far from it. The Lord is calling for us to be finished with ourselves: our desires; our goals; our ways; our own truths; our agendas; our self-made religious whims, ceremonies or inventions. We must "deny" ourselves to be His disciple. John Calvin says it this way: "the sum of the Christian life is the denial of self"- and I thoroughly agree with him. We must come to Christ not putting our confidence in our own "goodness", because we have none (Romans 3:10), but solely in what Jesus has done for us. The prophet Isaiah brings us to the end of our own righteousness by affirming, "All our righteous deeds are like filthy garments" (Isaiah 64:6). I recognize this is a hard way, for our entire culture shouts at you to trust in yourself, you control your own destiny, it is personal power and self esteem that will set you free. The most flamboyant, bold, misguided, foolish example of this is the recent fascination with psychic power. Out of all the religions in this world, and there are thousands of them, there are really only two kinds; the religion of human achievement; and the religion of divine accomplishment. The religion of human achievement says that man is good, man can save himself, man can earn his way to heaven through good works, etc...

Christianity on the other hand says man is totally depraved, completely sinful, by nature children of wrath, sons of disobedience, none are good, and, in fact, no one does what is good (Roms. 3:10-18). Christianity says human achievement cannot save and that to have salvation someone must have divinely accomplished what man could never do. Jesus Christ fulfilled on the cross what no man or manmade religion could ever do - satisfy God's wrath against all sin and abolish the penalty of sin. He "died once for all, for all time" (Hebrews 10:12). His sacrifice is complete not requiring any additional word. When Jesus cried out on the cross "It is finished!" He was proclaiming that He had achieved the atonement as the Captain of our Salvation (Hebrews 2:10). When any man embraces, surrenders and submits to Jesus Christ, by grace, as Lord and Savior of his life (2 Corinthians 4:5), he then has as Paul says, "peace with God" (Romans 5:1). In other words, the war is over. "If God is for us who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31). The answer is clear... no one. And the converse is also true, if God is against you who can be for you? The New Age movement? Buddha, Mohammad, or Krishna? No. Sun Young Moon, J.Z. Knight or Shirley McClain? No. Can praying on your rosary or trusting in the Pope in Rome? No. You must deny yourself; jettison all confidence in your own ability to save yourself and cling to Christ alone.

That is why Jesus says in the Sermon on the Mount, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven" (Matthew 5:3). "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but by Me" (John 14:6). Jesus is absolutely exclusive in His claim. He is the only living and true way! There is no other way to heaven no matter how noble, good, or satisfying it may seem. You must be bankrupt of human achievement, and place your belief only in Christ for your redemption (John 3:16).

2. TAKE UP YOUR CROSS:
All people in the world have one thing in common - a sin nature. We are all born into this life with sin in our heart that needs divine healing. It's difficult for us to imagine this when we see little new-born babies who are so pure, gentle, sweet and innocent. Scripture tells us though that we are "by nature children of wrath" (Ephesians 2:3); "behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin my mother conceived me" (Psalms 51:5); and again the Psalmist affirms this reality when he says, "the wicked are estranged from the womb; those who speak lies go astray from birth" (Psalms 58:3). That is why our "old man"; our "old self"; our sin nature needs to be dealt with. We need a new nature that is not rooted in sin but rooted in righteousness! (read Ephesians 2:1-10). Two natures cannot co-exist with each other (read Romans 6) and that is why in order to receive a new nature the old one must be brought to Calvary and crucified!

The Apostle Paul was proclaiming this truth when he explodes with this amazing statement in Galatians 2:20. "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ Jesus lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me, and delivered Himself up for me." And again in Romans 6:6 he says, "knowing this, that our old self was crucified with Him, that our body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin." When we come and place our faith and trust in Jesus Christ and what He has accomplished at Calvary, at that moment we are crucified with Him. Our old self or nature is executed, put to death, and we are made alive unto God...new creations in Christ Jesus our Lord! That is painful for the old man doesn't want to die, but live. Oh friend, but we must come the way of the cross if we desire to have eternal life in Jesus Christ.

3. FOLLOW HIM:
Last but not least, we must follow Him. I can't think of a better definition of a Christian than one who follows Him--who obeys the Lord and His Word. The masses would come from miles around to hear our Lord preach, see Him perform miracles and acts of healing. However, Jesus said to the onlookers that they would have "to eat His flesh and drink His blood" if they wanted to be His disciples (John 6:37ff). What did He mean by this? Every time Jesus said follow Me, He was headed to the cross. He was meaning to partake of the crucified life. As my friend, John MacArthur, so susinctly says, "to give all that you are for all that Jesus is." This means that we must love Him more than all other loves - father, mother, brother, sister, son and daughter. Jesus isn't saying "hate your families." But what He is saying is, that He must be first love of your life. (read Luke 14:26-27; Rev. 2:4). The gospel is Jesus Christ and Him crucified, buried and risen bodily on the third day. It is good news that there is eternal life in Christ, victory over sin, hope beyond the grave for those who place their faith and trust in Him. Oh my dear friend, consider the cost.

DIGGING DEEPER:

• "The Gospel According To Jesus" by Dr. John MacArthur;
• "Faith Works" by John MacArthur;
• "A Guide To Christ" by Solomon Stoddard;
• "Gospel Fear" by Jeremiah Burroughs

LIFE APPLICATION:

1. What is the most important thing in the world to you? At what cost would you be willing to give it up?

2. Read through the Gospels of Matthew and John. What did our Lord require of those who would be His true disciples?

3. Why is it unbiblical to assume that you can take Jesus as Savior, while not acknowledging Him as Lord of your life?

4. In what ways is the Gospel according to Jesus different from the "easy-believism" that much of contemporary evangelism espouses today?

5. Pray that the Lord will give you an understanding of what His work on the cross cost Him, what your life in Him will cost you, and what the cost would be in rejecting him.

You're so Vain, You Probably Think This Post is About Youor... learning to speak the truth in love

A Timely and Necessary Re-Post

The Christian blogosphere has recently morphed into a Geraldo-esque mentality as of late. Broadcasting the behind the scenes failings of others as verbal sport not only feeds the trolls, but at its foundation is anything but Christlike. There even seems to be an increased preoccupation today by some who relish in publicly declaring certain evangelical figures unbelievers when those leaders have not directly denied the gospel or the essentials of the faith. Enough already! Who do we think we are? Rather than use this powerful medium to speak from a biblical worldview about the issues facing the church and culture today, some blogs have adopted an insidious "Entertainment Tonight" - Christian celebrity guise and gossip approach. This trend is disturbing and unprofitable for the kingdom of God beloved. I realize that some call it cutting edge; others call it fair game; some say it is just the age-old problem of "foot in mouth" disease. Whatever you want to call it, at a minimum it is bad form and at worst it is malicious slander—it is sin.

Let’s be clear, it is one thing to fulfill the duty and command of Titus 1:9 where the Apostle Paul states, "...instruct in sound doctrine and refute those who contradict." We all have a responsibility, as faithful Bereans in the body of Christ, to examine what ANYONE might say in matters on doctrine and theology and hold them accountable to the teachings of Scripture as to their claims. There are no “Protestant Popes” (despite the supercilious stature of some evangelical leaders) who think that when they speak, we must obey with unquestioned "amens" and blind loyalty. Biblical scrutiny is not only necessary, but it is a command of God's Word (Acts 17:10-12; 2 Tim. 2:15, 3:16-17; 1 Thess. 5:18ff). NO ONE is exempt from being held to the standard of the authority of Scripture even though some Christian leaders, seminaries, pastors, authors, musicians, etc. get their ecclesiastical shorts in a knot thinking they are exempt from such inquiry by any of the laity. But beloved, it is quite another thing, however, to lower oneself to the stature of a "kiss and tell Enquirer" and publish exposés on others personal failings, sin issues, or doctrinal differences by responding with hyperbole, lies and unsubstantiated digs; and to do so as if it were fact. Matthew 18:15-20, Galatians 6:1-3 should govern these kinds of things rather than drive-by bloggers anxious to get the inside story. "Let's get someone in power" is poor motivation for any true Christian communicator.

What’s veery disappointing, is that when you do question some of "them", they will not just disagree with you, but they want to hurt you. It’s amazing how many links on your blog will suddenly vanish, opportunities for ministry will cancel, weekend church functions get indefinitely postponed, and phone calls from once close associates don’t get returned, etc…

So with that concern and burden, I offer the following article that I first presented at a theological symposium several years ago on the theme of worship, music and the CCM industry at Cedarville College. I hope that you will be encouraged, challenged, edified and shaken. Let’s all use this tremendous gift of the blogosphere to promote God’s Word, hold each other accountable to its truths, and if we come across knowledge of another’s shortcomings, doctrinal departures from orthodoxy, or one being ambushed by sin, let it be dealt with according biblically for the purpose of seeing another repentant, walking faithfully with the Lord, and restored to fellowship (the importance of the local church beloved) and not for the titillating reason of exposé.

Let the Redeemed... Say So!

“Thy statutes are my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.” - PSALM 119:54

In one concise statement David introduces us to the Hymnbook of Heaven elucidating the triumvirate of Christian service - doctrine, worship and life. Thy statutes (doctrine); are my songs (worship); in the house of my pilgrimage (life). Just as the doctrine of justification by faith alone is like Atlas bearing on its shoulders the entire evangelical knowledge of saving grace; so is doctrine, worship and life the three central pillars for music ministry. True Christian music is God-conceived (doctrine); Christ-centered (worship); and Spirit-controlled (life). Take away any one of these pillars and the building topples. For example: a powerful doctrine sung in glory to Christ with an impure life is noise to the ears of our holy God. Conversely, an obedient life given in worship to Christ absent of sound doctrine will be empty praise and on the path to error. Lastly, right theology sung out of the beauty of holiness but vacant in worship to Christ leads to pride or self-glory and the chastisement of the Father.

In Christian music we are missing the key pillar, the cornerstone, which the other two rely upon - sound doctrine! There has already occurred a much needed return to praise and worship in the church and we’ve observed that across the board in evangelicalism. There has also been, in recent years noted scandals with both tele-evangelists and Christian artists, bringing a heightened call for more personal integrity, holiness and ecclesiastical accountability. Though we have not arrived in those areas, we are on the path, nevertheless, the Achilles heel of our industry is the blatant absence of sound biblical theology which has effected every level of Christian music. This is most evident in it’s message. Christian music, originally called Jesus Music that once sang fearlessly about the gospel, now sings of a Christless, watered-down, pabulum-based, positive alternative, aura-fluff cream of wheat, mush-kind-of-syrupy God-as-my-girlfriend kind of thing. There is an obvious reason this has taken place: artists primarily feel; theologians primarily think. We need artists who will balance their zeal with knowledge to invest their lives in the daily discipline of Bible study, and then, to write with the fire, passion and enthusiasm which that study has illumined to communicate the glorious language of the church - the holy Word of God! Until this occurs, we are guilty of sentencing a generation of Christians to simply “feel” their God, rather than to know their God! In the early days of my own music ministry I wrote songs that neither represented good music or precise theology. It is out of the crucible of those experiences that God convicted me, which drives me to speak passionately to these issues.

In Greek mythology there is portrayed a villainous son named Procrustes, of his father Poseidon, who would arbitrarily prescribe ruthless, torturous phenomenon for patrons of his hostel. He would force his travelers to fit into his "procrustean bed" by stretching his victims or severing off their limbs. In much the same way, there have been men throughout the ages that have tailored the truth of God's Word , having laid it upon the "procrustean beds" of deceived, depraved minds stretching its truth or lopping it off to suit their itching ears. The Apostle Paul says, “we are not like, as so many, peddling the Word of God for profit.” Though others did, he would not succumb in making retail of the truth - selling it as cheap merchandise for whatever worldly prominence or power might be bought. Truth to the Apostle was a non-negotiable. Paul’s commitment to the truth wasn’t for sale.

In 1 Timothy 3:15, Paul says that the church is the "pillar and support of the truth.” How we handle the truth of God’s Word determines and defines everything - our worship, our fellowship, our missions outreach, our music, our daily walk with the Lord, our effectiveness in ministry and ultimately our eternal destiny! You see, no one ever lives greater than their view of God! And our view of God is formed by what He has revealed in His Word. We may see His invisible attributes, eternal power and Godhead revealed through general revelation (Rom. 1:18-23), but the self-revelation of who God is and His redemptive plan for man is solely revealed in special revelation - the Word of God (Psalm 19:7-11)! Therefore, if in our worship we pervert His Word, we pervert the truth about God. If in our songs we distort His doctrine, we distort a right view of Him. If in our preaching we misrepresent the Scriptures, we misrepresent the Savior. And if in our worship we twist His truth, we dishonor His character. (2 Timothy 2:15)

What’s at stake here is not desired shelf space at Target or Wal-Mart; but actually the gospel, the authority of Scripture, the life of the church and the character of God! That is why a proper, systematic theology consistent with the totality of Scripture must saturate our musicology. Under the banner of Soli Deo Gloria, this must be the predominate purpose of all our psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, to preserve, promote, proclaim, protect and preach the Word.

History is a lucid teacher and we can learn from her. Give ear to the account of one man’s battle against the roaring lion of modernity in his time:

Charles Hadden Spurgeon spent the final four years of his life at war against the trends of early modernism which he rightly saw as a threat to Biblical Christianity. Spurgeon wanted to warn his flock about the dangers from moving away from the historic positions [of the truth]. ‘Biblical truth is like the pinnacle of a steep, slippery mountain,’ Spurgeon suggested. ‘One step away, and you find yourself on the down-grade. Once a church or individual Christian gets on the downgrade,’ Spurgeon said, ‘momentum takes over. Recovery is unusual and only happens when Christians get on the ‘up-line’ through spiritual revival.’ History has vindicated Spurgeon’s warnings about the down-grade. In the early part of the twentieth century the spreading of ‘false doctrine and worldliness’—theological liberalism and modernism—ravaged denominational Christianity throughout the world. Most of the mainline denominations were violently if not fatally altered by these influences. A hundred years later, we are seeing history repeating itself again…. ‘False doctrine and worldliness’—the same two influences Spurgeon attacked—always go hand in hand, with worldliness leading the way. Christians today tend to forget that modernism was not first of all a theological agenda but a methodological one.

We are seriously close, beloved, to being on the down-grade in Christian ministry, if, in fact, we have not already begun the slide. Though we are seeing an unprecedented interest by the secular arena with more press, publicity, and ownership of Christian publishing and CCM entities, I believe there are some danger signs we can’t ignore:

• an absence of biblical truth;
• a reductionist gospel;
• lascivious living;
• being unequally yoked with the unbelieving industry;
• syncretism;
• pragmatism;
• aberrant and heretical themes accepted;
• worldliness in business practice;
• relativism;
• moral pluralism;
• experientialism;
• and the justifying thread in it all - the love of money producing all sorts of evil.

Much like in Spurgeon’s era or in the days of Paul, sound doctrine is at wholesale rates and godly character is at bargain bin prices. The question still confronts us, why is biblical theology vital for the life of the church and the spiritual health of the believer? Why is it essential for the future survival of Christian ministry? Answer: because sound doctrine clearly taught and obeyed will always produce godly living and bring glory to God; but unsound doctrine disseminated will be nothing more than gangrenous words to the body of Christ - producing nothing but poisoned, sinful lives. Even if expressed through the most gifted of orators or sung through the most stirring of melodies, in the end, it weakens the entire church!

When our grip on the sword of the Spirit is loosened and our spiritual muscles have atrophied, the “once for all delivered to the saints faith” (a term synonymous referring to Scripture) is hastily replaced by a saber of our own carnal invention. We cannot fight the good fight of faith with fleshly weaponry!

We can see the effects of the dumbing-down of doctrine by the pervasive tolerance of another gospel which has resulted in redefining Biblical language. Sin is no longer called sin, but sickness; disobedience is now called disease; and adultery is simply referred to as addiction. This psychological sanctification has replaced the Scriptures and the work of the Holy Sprit in the predetermined work of God to conform us daily to Christ. “Sanctify them by Thy truth, [Jesus said,] Thy Word is truth.” Only the truth of God’s Word is sanctifying truth for all matters of life and godliness! “The sum of Thy Word is truth.” We are to be “ handling accurately the word of truth.” We are to proclaim “The word of truth, the gospel.” Why? For God has “exalted His Word even above His name.”

It is infinitely hazardous when the church embraces a Freudian anthropology justifying oneself for the purpose of abandoning personal responsibility (the abuse excuse) and allowing one to attach the blame outwardly to one’s environment, or on Mom and Dad, rather than finding solutions that come from only God Himself. Giving people a sense of becoming and belonging, addressing felt needs instead of real needs is the “theology” of the hour. Churches now hire full time psychological counselors fortuitously replacing faithful pastors and elders who are the ones called by God to shepherd His flock! “Preach the Word…” is no longer the mandate of men of God but rather, “Go ye into all the world and relate!”

Os Guinness is spot on in his analysis when saying, “This… sea change is a particularly important precedent because it was not so much from Calvinism to Arminianism as from theology to experience, from truth to technique, from elites to populism, and from an emphasis on ‘serving God’, to an emphasis on ‘serving the self’ in serving God.”

He is devastatingly correct! Even at the seminary level that change is evident. Men are no longer being taught today to preach expositionally, but experientially. They are not taught to shepherd, but to be students. The object of faith is no longer Christ but self-esteem; the goal of faith is no longer holiness, but happiness; the source of faith is no longer the Scriptures, but experience. Spurgeon says it right:

“A new religion has been initiated, which is no more Christianity than chalk is cheese; and this religion, being destitute of moral honesty, palms itself off as the old faith with slight improvements, and on this plea usurps pulpits which were erected for gospel preaching.” “An aversion to doctrinal Christianity has been growing for several decades, along with an increasing intolerance for doctrinal and confessional accountability. Evangelicals have embraced the technologies of modernity, often without recognizing that these technologies have claimed the role of master rather that servant.”

Church growth expert, George Barna, arguing for how the church must find new ways to reach a post-church generation with the gospel, says,

“Busters do not believe in absolute truth. This means that they, for the most part, reject the Bible as having any real answers. Thus, proposing Jesus Christ as the solution to a person’s sin problem is not likely to make any significant impression.”

Did you hear that? Dear people, the gospel never begins with man and his need but with God and His glory! Truth by definition is exclusive. When we declare the Scriptures to be the truth and Jesus Christ as the way, the truth, and the life, who is full of grace and truth, we are declaring that every other claim to “the truth” is false. Every other way is a dead end. Every other faith system asserting eternal life is a path leading to death. Crossover that! Make that seeker-friendly! Commercialism won’t tolerate a God-conceived, Christ-centered message! You can crossover an artist or an author into the pop world, but you can’t crossover the message - there is an offense to the cross!

In a culture where absolute truth is considered obsolete it’s only inevitable that people will sink to the lowest common denominator to try to make sense of the extremes between depravity and salvation. Again, Barna gives evidence to this:

“It is critical that we keep in mind a fundamental principle of Christian communication: the audience, not the message, is sovereign.”

This is very dangerous.

Where the audience, the seeker, is sovereign there is only one plumbline that governs our worship, forms our theology, determines our effectiveness—does it work? And this is measured only by numbers! In order to build an entire ministry, music or otherwise, on a seeker-friendly premise, a few critical things have to modified. First and most critical is the gospel. Jesus Christ will no longer be proclaimed but masked. We’ve seen this change take place gradually over the last ten years. Instead of saying Jesus Christ is Lord we now say I believe in God. Then we no longer referred to God as God but as He or in some liberal circles as she. That was modified to say that love is the answer—after all who can argue with love. This digressed from calling God, God, to our higher power or the man upstairs or the boss or the chairman of the board, or my friend or the force, etc. This is what I refer to as "theological ebonics.” (translation: theological ebonics - the trivialization of Christianity.) What is eternal is being traded for what is temporary with a helter-skelter recklessness. God has created man in His own image and it has been said today that man has now returned the favor! As the Lord said to a wayward Israel, “You thought I was just like you.” God’s commentary on modernity is direct and clear, “Every man is doing what is right in his own eyes.” Brethren, that philosophy is not just in the world, but heartbreakingly that is the pervading fundamental principle governing the minds of many in the church today as well.

What does all this have to do with the responsibility of the musician to Biblical Theology? The answer is - everything. You see, the arts very rarely set the course for the church or society, but most times it mirrors what is already taking place. To encapsulate, if there be a famine of God’s Word in the pulpit, then the music that we are hearing in the pew will be just as weak, just as diluted and just as compromised.

J.I. Packer saw this trend many years ago,

“The outside observer sees us as staggering from gimmick to gimmick and stunt to stunt like so many drunks in a fog, not knowing at all where we are or which way we should be going. Preaching [and singing] is hazy; heads are muddled; hearts fret; doubts drain strength; uncertainty paralyses action…. Unlike the first Christians who in three centuries won the Roman world, and those later Christians who pioneered the Reformation, and the Puritan awakening and the Evangelical revival, and the great missionary movement of the last century, we lack certainty.”

Sadly, that is evangelicalism's current autobiography.

We need to be pounding on Wittenburg’s door again - back to the foundation and convictions of the Reformers - back to the truth of Sola Scriptura… Scripture alone! Packer again demonstrates uncommon insight when asserting:

“Theologians are called to be the church’s water engineers and sewage officers; it is their job to see that God’s pure truth flows abundantly where it is needed and to filter out any intrusive pollution that might damage health.”

At one time the great singer/songwriters were the great theologians. Martin Luther; John and Charles Wesley; Isaac Watts, to name a few, have given the church a wealth of tremendous music that feeds our minds and enriches our souls because they wrote out of the depth of God’s truth. That’s the distinguishing mark missing today: His Word - our music; His theology - our doxology; His lawbook - our songbook; His statutes - our songs!

The songs that we compose and the ministries that we forge must square with the Word of God: “Thy statutes are my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.” Also in verse 172, “Let my tongue sing of Thy Word, for all Thy commandments are righteousness.” Here we have the content and theme of David’s song before the Lord, “Thy statutes…and Thy Word… for all Thy commandments are righteousness.”

The subject matter is crystal clear, it is God’s Word. Is there any greater message to sing or preach? Is there any greater love to proclaim? Is there any greater desire in our hearts than to do what Psalm 69:30 says, “I will praise the name of God with song, and shall magnify Him with thanksgiving.”

Truth should always result in praise!

The greatest declaration found anywhere in the Bible on the sufficiency of Scripture is in a song: Psalm 19:7-9. The Psalmist again reminds us that the redeemed people of God are to sing a new song to the Lord. “God gives His new creation a new song, a different song, a distinctive song, a purer song, and a more beautiful song than anything the world can produce.” It is the sweet song of salvation that new creations delight to sing to their Redeemer! We “sing with the Spirit and [we] shall sing with the mind also.” (emphasis added). Doctrine leads to the overwhelming joy of doxology for all true worship is first cognitive and begins in the mind, which ultimately finds expression in shaping and transforming the life!

Great doxology is born out of the depth of theology! Doxology comes from two Greek words: doxa, meaning glory; and logos, meaning word. A doxology then is a word of glory, a note of praise, a saying ascribing worth. The reason why we study theology, which is the summation of His Word, is to know Him deeply and more fully; and it is out of that knowing which comes the humble and joyous utterance of worship, melody and praise!

Doxologies in the New Testament are abundant. One example is Jude 24, a majestic doxology of our future glorification with Christ:

“Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.”

This is the language of overflowing gratitude - the good theme of the King’s glorious works inherited from the wisdom of the Scriptures. We are pilgrims on a journey to the Son and in this journey the Lord has given us a heavenly song to sing!

Music is powerful and must be used wisely not frivolously. No one ever buys a book, takes it home and memorizes it in its entirety; but with music just after a few listens, it can be imbedded in your thoughts for a lifetime. That is why biblical truth needs to permeate the very fabric of our music. Still under the constraint of God’s Word, surely there is room for artistic license, when it comes to personal testimony about everyday life, relationships and common experiences. But we can never take artistic license when it comes to His person-hood, acts, gospel, truth for fear that we might trivialize what is profound and sentimentalize what is holy. In other words, we should never unwittingly play marbles with diamonds.

We should heed Colossians 3:16: "Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Biblical theology in music honors the Lord when rendered with thankful hearts to Him, in response to His Word dwelling richly in our lives.

Spurgeon again confronts us with a riveting story of the importance of the Word of God:

"In the days of Nero there was great shortness of food in the city of Rome, although there was abundance of corn to be purchased in Alexandria. A certain man who owned a vessel… noticed many hungry people straining their eyes toward the sea, watching for the vessels that were to come from Alexandria with corn. When these vessels came to the shore, one by one, the poor people wrung their hands in bitter disappointment, for on board the galleys there was nothing but sand which the tyrant emperor had compelled them to bring for use in the arena. Then the merchant… said to his shipmaster, ‘Take thou good heed that thou bring nothing back with thee from Alexandria but corn; and whereas aforetime thou hast brought in the vessel a measure or two of sand, bring thou not so much as would lie upon a penny this time… for these people are dying, and now we must keep our vessels for this one business of bringing food for them.

Alas, I have seen certain mighty galleys of late loaded with nothing but mere sand of philosophy and [entertainment], and I have said within myself, ‘I will bear nothing in my ship but the revealed truth of God, the bread of life so greatly needed by the people."

May the ship of Christian music and publishing bring to the shores of a drowning world, its galleys full of nothing except the life-preserving hope of God’s Word—through the gospel of Jesus Christ!