THE DUNG OF OUR OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS...the Manhattan Declaration

-Titus 3:1-8-

Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities,

to be obedient, to be ready for every good work, 2 to speak evil of no one,

to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.

3 For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray,

slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in

malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.

4 But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared,

5 he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness,

but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and

renewal of the Holy Spirit, 6 whom he poured out on us richly

through Jesus Christ our Savior, 7 so that being justified by his grace

we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

8 The saying is trustworthy, and I want you to insist on these things,

so that those who have believed in God may be careful to devote

themselves to good works. These things are excellent and profitable for people.

I posted this on Twitter the other day and I wanted to share it with you here. It is graphic and bold driven by the desire to see evangelicalism return back to its fundamentals biblically. To be God-centered; Christ-centered; Gospel-centered; Cross-centered once again. This surrounds the latest of evangelicalism's attempt to be culturally relevant, politically expedient in order to overcome the moral maladies sweeping through our nation. However this has been attempted again without the centrality of the gospel of sola fide being proclaimed as the cure.

Here is my post from Twitter:

"The Manhattan Declaration is the dung dropped from the bowels of an evangelical cobelligerent ecumenism, with the gospel of sola fide shrouded in Rome's Papal robes."

The current partnership with Romanism among mainline evangelicals is bewildering to me. Even those well respected leaders within the reformed camp that I admire and hold in high esteem have now lended their signatures and ministries in support of this latest foray into politics via a Papal mandate. Ecumenism has been the mantra of Rome for centuries. They are inclusive by theological wrested conviction. Cults always are. They will marry error with some truth and call it orthodoxy. But the rags of their skewed gospel cannot hide the nakedness of their false teachings. Satan would like nothing more than for you to worship anything except the biblical Jesus and His gospel even if what he is counterfeiting comes in the name of Jesus through social, political, even moral means.

Abortion, same sex marriage and Christian freedoms are all spiritual issues and cannot be battled with carnal weaponry. The minister of the gospel has been given a heavenly charge to not let anything detour them from "the ministry of the Word and prayer." Two powerful weapons: the Word of God and prayer! And when those things are done in the power of the Holy Spirit - the church can "take every thought captive to the obedience of Christ."

The supplanting of the centrality of gospel preaching and gospel truth coupled with the utter disregard for biblical fidelity and yoking with unbelievers in ministry within culture is jack-hammering away at the very foundations of biblical Christianity. And once again, hell is burning while the church sleeps!

The Reformation of the 1500's led by Luther gave birth to Protestantism and recovered the gospel of justification by faith at a great cost to many. Many sacrificed their lives for the glory of Christ and His truths. With the signing of this document, their names and contribution in history for the preservation of biblical Christianity has been trampled under foot - let alone the very Word of God. So I come to you concerned and burdened for this latest trend again. We need revival beloved; we need reformation; we need to be calling our leaders to repentance in this area of ministry.

Let us remember our heritage; let us remember our heavenly charge to preach the Word in season and out of season; let us remember what biblical Christianity means; and may we serve Him with an undivided, uncompromised zeal. The hope for this world (abortionists, homosexuals, religious rights deterrentists, etc.) is the same as it is for you and I - the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. Petitions, declarations, political rally's cannot change the heart of anyone.

Let us not let anything eclipse the gospel as we serve daily in our neighborhoods, towns, cities and communities.

Lord, revive us again...