Hollywood is Programming your Boys to be Weaklings and Perverts.

March 5, 2017 Bob SnyderLeave a comment

Hollywood is acting as a tool of satan. We need to be like Elijah against the false prophets, the servants of baal.

Modern TV shows, commercials, and movies are programming young boys and girls to be confused about their gender roles. There are no masculine role models for boys. The only heroes in the movies are comic book superheroes. If they happen to be a moral hero, they are often portrayed as being weak due to their, “goody two shoes” ideals. Male characters in shows are now portrayed as cowering in fear as the 90 pound girl comes in to save him. Interesting to note, the male actors chosen, are small pretty boys.

There’s no more John Wayne, Charles Bronson, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Chuck Norris, or Stallone types. Oh no, we can’t have that! Men that look like the everyday man, men who don’t look like a pretty little girl, men who go out and do things men are supposed to do, like defend women and children, protect the innocent, seek justice, provide for the needy and so on.

Nope, the modern movie man is a simpering idiot, a slave to his infantile fleshly desires. All he is good for is smoking pot, making excrement jokes, eating cheetos, and seeking to fornicate with whoever he can be they male or female. That is the role model hollyweird wants your boys to be raised on.

They want to raise generations of degeneration, slaves to their lusts. I remember when they first started putting girls kissing girls on TV and tried to make everyone think it was, “hot.” I told my friends and coworkers, “Don’t be fooled! First this, then men with men, then a free for all. All kinds of perversion will follow. You are encouraging homosexuality by watching girls kissing girls!” They all laughed at me. Well now look where we are! Don’t for a minute think it is going to stop there.

I feel sorry for young men growing up in this. We have to be their role models. We have to turn the programming off! We have to stand up and show them how godly men are to handle temptation, adversity, pain, emotional distress, prolonged suffering, toil filled work and labor, strength in submission to God ordained authority, how, why, and when to fight physically against others, dogged determination, independence, reliance on God, and what He has gifted you with. If you are an older man, stop telling war stories or tall tales. Tell these young men about real situations and how you handled them, how you should have handled them, and perhaps show them the next time you are in a tough situation. Don’t take the easy way out. They are watching us. Point them to God.

Godly women, I am asking you to adorn yourselves inwardly with a gentle spirit. I implore you to not go along with Hollyweird in allowing them to portray girls as naked play things, and claim that is liberation. The eyes that are closed to the gospel of Jesus only see the outward allure of an ever increasing nakedness. The desire is to deny what shame we should properly feel for being naked. When Adam and Eve sinned against God by breaking the one and only command He gave them, God cursed all creation. When they ate of the fruit of knowledge between good and evil, they knew they were naked, and tried to cover themselves. God took away their bad attempt to cover themselves and their sin with leaves, and made for them a better covering, one that required death, and the blood of a sacrifice. The hides that he covered them with, and subsequently our clothing is to remind us of the shame of our sins, and the sacrifice of Christ to atone for them.

People from the beginning looked forward to His coming. We look backward to His crucifixion and forward to His return. Don’t sell yourselves, don’t buy the lies. Liberation is not sexual liberty! Liberation is freedom from sin in Christ Jesus! Older women, be the women of virtue for the younger women to emulate and learn from. You can be a Proverbs 31 woman today in this day and age, even despite and against the lie of neo-feminism. The Proverbs 31 women did all kinds of things the neo-feminist says women are being stopped from doing by the Christian religion.

They say the patriarchy is bad. Well, i got news for theme, God set it up and said it was good. He is our Father in Heaven, Christ is His Son, and the Holy Spirit is referred to as a male. If Jesus can submit to death on a cross, to condescend to save vile, sinful, creatures, you can submit to your husbands and demonstrate the kind of sacrificial, non-self-seeking, gentle, merciful, grace-full, love that Jesus displayed.

There is no such thing as a perfect husband, except the Bridegroom of the Church, Christ Jesus. So let’s all pray that Hollyweird would go on strike. Let’s pray that they all are replaced with Christian writers, and actors. Let’s pray for the ones who stay to be saved by God. Turn off the programming. If anyone should be programming the kids it should be the God, His word, and His Church.

Church · cultural · election · God · gospel · Liberal Christian · SBC · Theology · Uncategorized

Traditionalists of the Southern Baptist Convention, (SBC and their Attacks on Calvinism.

January 23, 2017January 23, 2017 Bob Snyder1 Comment

As of late, you may have noticed some personal attacks on Calvinists, and on Calvinism in general coming from men within the SBC. These men are calling themselves, “Traditionalists.” I wonder whose traditions they are identifying with? I wonder if they know the real history of the SBC? I wonder if they understand that their roots are in Calvinism? I wonder, when they accuse us of following traditions of men, if they ever look at themselves and their own traditions? The following two sections of scripture are about the Pharisees and their hypocritical keeping of traditions. It is identified as wrong, and not to be emulated.

Colossians 2:8 (NASB) ⁸ See to it that no one takes you captive through philosophy and empty deception, according to the tradition of men, according to the elementary principles of the world, rather than according to Christ.

Mark 7:8-9 (NASB) ⁸ Neglecting the commandment of God, you hold to the tradition of men.”
⁹ He was also saying to them, “You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition.

This section of scripture is about imitating Paul as he imitates Christ. This tradition is good, and to be kept.

1 Corinthians 11:1-2 (NASB) ¹ Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ.
² Now I praise you because you remember me in everything and hold firmly to the traditions, just as I delivered them to you.

So call yourself a traditionalist if you like. I don’t care. Hate the doctrines of grace, if that is how you think. Chase all of us evil Calvinists out of the SBC, but I’ve got news for you, we’ve been the theologically conservative salt in your denomination. When we leave, you will fly headlong down the road to liberalism and eventual irrelevance.

Church · cultural · gospel · love · marriage · Uncategorized

Do You Want to be a Happy Old Married Couple?

September 26, 2016September 26, 2016 Bob SnyderLeave a comment

I often overhear people say things like, “Oh what a cute old couple.” or “I want to be like them when we get old. They look so happy.” They say these things when they see a happy old couple. I don’t know if they think about what it takes to get there. First, you have to be a married couple. You can’t do it if you are just shacking up, or getting married and divorced every few years. You also have to be happy. Not just momentary happiness, but the kind of contentment, and joy, that can still smile, and talk with a young person even when their arthritis is causing them so much pain it would put most people in tears. So a long lasting marriage gives the two time to get to really, and truly know each other. It gives them time to put that knowledge into expressing love to them as they would love themselves. This knowledge doesn’t come easy most times. When you put two sinners together in a marriage, sin is going to happen. It is an opportunity for the one who is sinned against to demonstrate the gospel by giving grace to the other. Remember, grace is unmerited favor. While we were yet sinners Christ died for us. Not only that, He bore our sins, and the punishment for those sins. While your spouse is wrong, and may have hurt your feelings, die to yourself and submit to Christ the way He submitted to the cross. This long lasting marriage is ordained by God. It is a covenant between Him, and the Husband, and Wife. This should not be taken lightly. If you truly want to be a happy old married couple, trust and obey God. Read His word and pray together. Be humbled together and convicted together. When the kids are grown and you are alone with each other, you will be forced to confront the successes and failures you’ve made over the years. Accept and appreciate God’s sanctifying work in your marriage for your own personal growth and use it to love others well.

Apologetics · Church · God · gospel · heresy · Repentance · sanctification · saved · sharing the gospel · Sovereign choice · Theology · Uncategorized

The Differences Between Sins, and Mistakes.

August 12, 2016July 31, 2025 Bob SnyderLeave a comment

Recently, I had a conversation with a person on social media about sins, and mistakes. Their first assertion was that, sins are the willful transgression of the known will of God. The second assertion was that people are not culpable to God for mistakes that they make. Lastly, they failed to define what mistakes are, even when asked several times. I quickly identified this as a Nazarene Church member, because I had been a member for approximately 19 years give or take. I decided since they came to my page to discuss this issue that it was a proper opening to engage them. I typically don’t go to other people’s pages and comment on things I don’t agree with. I see it as bad etiquette, but if they come to me, so be it. Listed below is the section 5.3 Sin, Original and Personal from the Nazarene Church’s Preamble and Articles of Faith;

“5.3. We believe that actual or personal sin is a voluntary violation of a known law of God by a morally responsible person. It is therefore not to be confused with involuntary and inescapable shortcomings, infirmities, faults, mistakes, failures, or other deviations from a standard of perfect conduct that are the residual effects of the Fall. However, such innocent effects do not include attitudes or responses contrary to the spirit of Christ, which may properly be called sins of the spirit. We believe that personal sin is primarily and essentially a violation of the law of love; and that in relation to Christ sin may be defined as unbelief.

(Original sin: Genesis 3; 6:5; Job 15:14; Psalm 51:5; Jeremiah 17:9-10; Mark 7:21-23; Romans 1:18-25; 5:12-14; 7:1-8:9; 1 Corinthians 3:1-4; Galatians 5:16-25; 1 John 1:7-8

Personal sin: Matthew 22:36-40 {with 1 John 3:4}; John 8:34-36; 16:8-9; Romans 3:23; 6:15-23; 8:18-24; 14:23; 1 John 1:9-2:4; 3:7-10)”

As you can see from their article, it is what has led some of them to their minimization of sin, thus diminishing the importance of the gospel, as well as creating a legalistic approach to righteousness. This last consequence is also a product of their doctrine of Entire Sanctification. Their doctrine of Entire Sanctification is also a product of their minimization of sin. This is what Article 10 says about Entire Sanctification;

“X. Christian Holiness and Entire Sanctification

10. We believe that sanctification is the work of God which transforms believers into the likeness of Christ. It is wrought by God’s grace through the Holy Spirit in initial sanctification, or regeneration (simultaneous with justification), entire sanctification, and the continued perfecting work of the Holy Spirit culminating in glorification. In glorification we are fully conformed to the image of the Son.

We believe that entire sanctification is that act of God, subsequent to regeneration, by which believers are made free from original sin, or depravity, and brought into a state of entire devotement to God, and the holy obedience of love made perfect.

It is wrought by the baptism with or infilling of the Holy Spirit, and comprehends in one experience the cleansing of the heart from sin and the abiding, indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit, empowering the believer for life and service. Entire sanctification is provided by the blood of Jesus, is wrought instantaneously by grace through faith, preceded by entire consecration; and to this work and state of grace the Holy Spirit bears witness.

This experience is also known by various terms representing its different phases, such as “Christian perfection,” “perfect love,” “heart purity,” “the baptism with or infilling of the Holy Spirit,” “the fullness of the blessing,” and “Christian holiness.””

Not that long ago the Nazarene Church made some changes to their Articles of Faith. What I linked to is their current one. They have clarified it to some degree, but you can’t lay all the blame on the average Church goer for their personal affirmation of false doctrines. After reading the Articles of Faith, I can see what they are trying to express, but it can confuse the layman. I think this is mostly due to their Ordo Salutis, and Semi-Pelagianism that is all part of the traditions of a portion of the people in the denomination. From what I understand they are slowly trying to move away from the errors of Semi-Pelagianism that were made in the past.

If you are old enough you’d remember a different looking CotN. The girls mostly wore dresses, and dancing was not allowed. They looked and acted like Pentecostal versions of the Mennonites almost. Some believed that a person could be entirely sinless in their life. That is what their personal understanding of their doctrine of Entire Sanctification looked like. If you read it now, you can see it is a bit more nuanced, but you can also see how it could lead someone to believe the other way. When you look at Wesley’s writings on the topic, if you have a good theological foundation, you can see where he is heading. The problem lies in the fact that so many people are very simple in their education and ability to reason, that they take his work to mean what it appears to mean at a superficial reading. I’m not saying I agree with his conclusions. I actually think he was poorly repaving a road that had been well paved, and traveled long before him, by men more learned and brilliant.

I see Wesley as more of an evangelist and less of a theologian. I understand him to be attempting to make room for people who don’t know, or believe, everything rightly all the time to still be saved. All of us are wrong all the time about something whether we know it or not. That doesn’t ruin our justification. I used to think the Trinity was best expressed as the Father, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit as all three parts of God. I had no idea that was the heresy of partialism. Once I was taught by more mature Christians from scripture that they are three persons, one God I was able to repent of my heresy. Was I not saved back then? I think I was, but I was a material heretic. I was not a formal heretic. If I’d persisted to death in a heresy, and rejected all correction, then I would have proven to be a false convert and formal heretic.

The person I was having the discussion with was of the old fashion persuasion. They didn’t read Wesley. They just took a superficial approach to their denomination’s doctrines and ran with it. So for them, sin was simply willfully transgressing a known law of God and it excludes mistakes, infirmities, failures, faults, emotions, (feelings) and thoughts. They also argued that a Christian will stop sinning completely, even though I showed them 1 John 1:8 and explained that John was addressing Christians. I was also told that if I sinned and then died immediately after, without repenting, that I would go to Hell. This is another one of their misguided beliefs. They believe that a genuine Christian can apostatize by willfully sinning. What I was dealing with was a Semi-Pelagian. It is interesting because they make a categorical error by contrasting sins with mistakes. I don’t know if it ever occurred to them that a sin is always sinful, but a mistake can be sin or not sin. I mentioned this and got no answer. The same can be said for the other things listed that they say are not sin. We know that having a lustful thought pop into your head and dwelling on it, is a sin. We must take every thought captive so it doesn’t come to fruition in deed. We also know that to God we are guilty of that sin. It sure is a good thing that Christ justified me, and paid for all of my sin. I am exceedingly sinful, and exceedingly thankful for His righteousness that He imputed to me. I think this eludes the Semi-Pelagian. They are in a works righteousness faith where they must maintain their position of being righteous by works. This particular flavor of Semi-Pelagian makes this task less daunting by watering down sin and man’s responsibility. In so doing they rob God of the glory, as it were. So much the worse for them, as many of them are not truly saved, but still lost. Of course, I would not say that all of them are lost. Some may be material heretics, just waiting to be corrected and brought to repentance. Could you be the one to speak into their lives with the truth?

Church · cultural · God · love · marriage · Repentance · Theology · Uncategorized · under God

Men, Submit to God. Women, submit to God. He says, submit to your Husbands.

April 5, 2016April 5, 2016 Bob SnyderLeave a comment

So, you are a modern woman, and you have heard, perhaps even said, “I can do what I want! You don’t own me! I don’t need a man!” Well, if you are Christian woman, you should eschew such ignorant, godless, rhetoric. It is prideful and selfish. Very unbecoming of a Christian man or woman. I am so sick of how the world has been portraying husbands and wives. Let’s not allow the culture to define us. Let’s be defined by God’s word.

Imagine a man who claims to be Christian, and won’t submit to God’s word. Instead of doing what God has commanded, he does what he wants. Is that a man who is at war with his sinful flesh, or is that a man who is giving into his flesh?

Imagine a man who claims that nobody has ownership of him. We know that is wrong. God tells us in His word that our bodies do not belong to us. A husband’s body belongs to his wife. A wife’s body belongs also to her husband, but God owns them both. They are His creatures. The ones who die in rebellion, will burn forever in Hell. He will pour out His righteous wrath on them for eternity.

Imagine now, an arrogant, prideful, man exclaiming that he doesn’t need a woman. That man is calling God a liar. Why, the very first book in God’s word explains why He made Eve. It was because it was not good for man to be alone. God made for him a helpmate. Everyone knows that men need women. If we are to be fruitful and multiply it is obvious. So, to subdue the Earth, we must have wives and they must have husbands.

Modern notions of gender are so diabolically satanic. They defile, degrade, and mock what God has made for our good and His glory. The enemy loves it every time a feminist howls in rebellion, every time a man becomes a selfish boy. We need to embrace our roles as God has defined and ordained them to be. We should reject what culture says. The cultural hermeneutic says, “The verses in the Bible that tell a woman to submit to her husband, the verses that say a woman should not teach or have authority over a man, the verses that tell men to support their families, to be the spiritual leaders of their homes and Churches, the word of God that tells us how to live as godly men and women should not be applied as God intended because modern culture’s consensus is superior.” Well, last time I checked, we don’t ask culture to explain God to us, we read His words and hear straight from God Himself in the reading of it. I don’t have to consult the latest social pundits. God has spoken, and He has done so with the ultimate authority that entails.

Want to know why your marriage doesn’t work? Want to know why you are miserable in your Church? Want to know why your children run your home? Simple, you have forsaken God’s will as expressed in His word. Rebels and scoundrels, each and every one of us! Repent and believe the word of God and live to please the Savior who has bled and suffered for you on the cross of His crucifixion. Christ submitted to the will of the Father to cleanse for Himself a bride. That bride is the Church. It submits to Christ. Submit yourselves to His headship as Lord and master of your lives. This means even unto death. We must love our wives as Christ loved the Church. Christ died for us while we were yet sinners. We did not deserve His love or sacrifice. We were, by nature His enemies, and He died to save us. Men, love your wives when they don’t deserve it. Women love your husbands when they don’t deserve it. Men, submit to Christ. Women, submit to your husbands, not because he says to, but because the one, true, living God, almighty says to!

Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body. Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing. Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.
[Ephesians 5:22-33 KJV]

Husband, head, protector, provider. Not what T.V. says, not what the movies show.

Church · cultural · Uncategorized

The Church has Surrendered the Royal Law to the Secular Federal Government.

March 17, 2016March 17, 2016 Bob SnyderLeave a comment

An argument against socialism, undeclared socialism, and communism from a Christian perspective.

The Church has been robbed of one of it’s greatest joys, and duties. Mark 12:31, “ “The second is this, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” ” Since we have surrendered this joyful grace and duty to secular government, we will not experience some of the fruit of the gospel the way our predecessors did.

Think about the things that are done by the government, with tax dollars, allegedly on our behalf. Here is a short list of some semi-socialised and socialised systems in America; public schools, universities, health care/hospitals, social security, disability, medicare/aid, housing subsidies, foster homes, nursing homes, and government jobs. Before there was a large centralized federal government, the Church performed most of these functions. If you were born in a hospital chances were that it was built, and paid for by the Church. Education was a priority of the Church. Schools and universities were started by Christians to train up men of God, for the service of our Lord. Children were treated like spiritual beings, in need of the same gospel as their parents. They were instructed in doctrine and theology. They were catechised and experienced confirmation, before acceptance in the Church. The most prominent building in the center of most towns was the Church, with its high steeple holding the cross aloft for all to look upon. Orphans were taken care of by the Church. Christians built, funded, and staffed orphanages, and sanitariums, to help those in need. The hungry and needy came to the Church for help. The Church taught people to put away money for themselves in their old age, and to leave an inheritance for their posterity. The elderly were taken care of by their families. People sought provisions from God, dispensed through His Church.

The Church was blessed with the duty and ability to love their neighbor as themselves. The joy they must have known, demonstrating God’s love and grace to His creatures in their state of need. The fellowship they shared, the sense of community, the sympathy for the suffering, identifying with other humans in their sorrow, feeling and sharing together the human experience of the divine, ministering to the elderly and dying, all of this service flowing from hearts that have been regenerated by Holy Spirit, people in the newness of spiritual rebirth, obedient to God and their new affections, all testifying to the glorious work of His gospel on and in them.

All of this grace and love shown to those in need, brought their gaze tenderly upon Christ and His cross. The faithfulness of the Church, worked out in their lives, gave them a glimpse of the gospel they had heard, but never known. Being blessed in such a way, as to have been helped and provided for when in deep distress, grows a fondness towards God and His body. People were brought into the communion of believers, as the Holy Spirit convicted them, in light of the goodness of God, demonstrated through His people.

Our current state is so much the worse. We’ve attempted to alleviate the, “burden” of the Church with social programs funded by taxation. We’ve removed God as our King. We’ve taken Him from His throne and cast an idol to be placed upon it. Human government on the throne, accepting our praises, worship, and our supplications. We abide atrocities, in hopes of a morsel of provision, to be doled out for the loyal subjects, while waiting expectantly for our false gods to take care of our children, widows, orphans, sick, needy, and old. Everyone one of us, isolated and in our own compartments, safely tucked away from the suffering of our fellow man. “It is not my problem, isn’t there a government program for that?” We cry out when we gaze up from our electronic distractions to see the plight of a poor unfortunate soul in need.

Our reliance has shifted from the providence of God in His mercies, to the politburo. The few political elite imagine new laws to solidify their reign, and foist them upon us, as new commandments to be followed without question. What was once the domain of the Church is now being dictated by our new secular gods. What is marriage? Who is my brother? What is tolerance? What is a right? Are all questions our world asks the government to answer. We wait for them to rule from on high and give us answers. People wait in lines the first of the month for their food, after receiving their unemployment, social security/disability, welfare, food subsidies, and so on, with nobody in particular to thank, just the nebulous government, who doles out just enough to get by and keep them enslaved. We need to repent, and enter into the realm of politics and public service as we are called vocationally. We need to be the salt and light in all arenas of public affairs. We need not be afraid, but rather boldly proclaim the joy of knowing the Lord. “For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.” Philippians 1:21 NASB

Apologetics · Book Reviews · Church · cultural · eccumenism · evangelism · God · Uncategorized

Todd Friel’s, “Judge Not” is an Ambitious Book that Attempts to Assess the Maladies of the Modern Church in America.

January 23, 2016January 23, 2016 Bob Snyder1 Comment

It is a daunting undertaking. One I was apprehensive about. I was doubtful that the problems could be covered in a book that is only 320 pages long. Overall, Todd’s book accomplishes what it was intended to do. In an effort to promote what I deem a necessary work, I would strongly encourage all Christians to purchase and read this book. However, I don’t want to spoil any of the, “Ah-ha!” “Amen!” or “Ouch!” moments. This means that I won’t reveal all of my favorite quotes. The full title of the book is, “Judge Not, How A Lack Of Discernment Led To Drunken Pastors, Peanut Butter Armpits, & The Fall Of A Nation.” The title is no misrepresentation to act as a hook. It is a hook, don’t get me wrong. It is just very true and disturbing. The astonishing authenticity of it is the hook.

For those tens and tens of loyal listeners, Todd needs no introduction, but for the rest of the world, Todd Friel is the host of the Christian radio program, “Wretched Radio.” He is also the host of, “Wretched TV” on NRB network. Todd and the guys over at Wretched, put out quality programs, Biblically addressing issues and trends, that concern us as Christians. Todd’s previous book, “Jesus Unmasked” detailed, and highlighted Christ through the entire Bible. I was curious about his latest book, because his previous one was so good. Even though it was a hard act to follow, he can be happy with his latest book. It was quite different from his previous one.

We look around and wonder how we got here. As a kid, I was raised in a home without Church. My parents were both former Roman Catholics. Mom is Italian. Her family was traditionally Roman Catholic. My Dad’s family is German, and very Roman Catholic as well. Both of my parents deserted the religion of their families for different reasons. My Mom left because her family deserted her, and disowned her because she was a child of mixed blood. Her Dad was Lithuanian, NOT Italian! My Mother was also enjoying the freedom of the 60’s. My Father left Roman Catholicism after reading the Bible for himself. They decided to raise us without formal religion and to allow us to figure it out for ourselves. I grew up thinking that all of the people who went to a Church were Christians. I had now idea how wrong I was. Whenever I was invited to a Church for Sunday School, Vacation Bible School, Mormon Talks, SDA, Jehovah’s Witnesses Kingdom Hall, or Mass, I thought they were all Christians. I was so confused by the variances and disparities I witnessed. From the 60’s on to present day, Churches in America have done little to help people like me who were lost.

With chapter headings like, “Happy Clappy Church, Twisting Scripture, Messed-up Messianic Movements, and Gospel Off-centeredness” Todd takes aim at pretty much all of the problems with the modern Church in America. Many of the things he brings forward have been concerns of mine for years. Some of the things were new to me. I had no idea some of those things were going on. If you are like me and have been keenly aware that something is wrong, and perhaps you weren’t quite able to put your finger on it then this is the book for you.

Here is the Table of Contents,

We’ve probably all been to a, “Happy Clappy” Church. They are the ones that solely focus on God’s love. They are generally pretty seeker sensitive and rely on entertaining the masses. Many of us have friends or family in the Messianic movement and have concerns. Todd echoes these concerns and talks frankly about the problems within the movement. Todd also shines light on the New Apostolic Movement. Very troubling things are coming out of it. It also is being accepted as orthodox by many well meaning Christians.

This book was a quick read. It usually takes me quite a while to read a theology book, but with Todd’s sense of humor and direct approach, I was able to read it pretty quick. If you have read some religious books and found them to be dry or slow, you won’t have this problem here. Todd’s writing is engaging and intelligent. Get this book and read it. After you are done, you’ll be able to think of at least a few people you know who will need to read it as well. I really enjoyed it and it helped me gain some needed perspective on the state of the Church, the gospel, evangelism, and what I can do to help. You can purchase your copy from Wretched’s store, or Amazon.

Apologetics · Church · cultural · debate · firearms · hate · Liberal Christian · Theology · Uncategorized

Christians, Firearms, Self-defense, and Protection of Others.

December 23, 2015 Bob Snyder2 Comments

First off, let me say that this is not a matter that should cause us to break fellowship with one another, or to become polemic. We reserve polemics for the enemy. We should never turn our cannons on ourselves. No friendly fire inside the camp. This is a matter of adiaphora. Personal convictions on this should be arrived at via much study and consideration of scripture.

That being said, recently Dr. John Piper wrote an article on the topic. His view is one of personal pacifism. He does not own a firearm and does not encourage others to own one. He strongly believes that the Bible is clear on how a Christian should respond to evil and violence. Here is the link to his article. Dr. James White wrote an article that expressed an alternative and different position. His article was not polemic, nor was he demonstrating a lack of love or grace. You can read his article here. There have been many knee-jerk emotional responses on both sides of the issue. People are pulling out the, “Depart from me! You are of a different spirit!” phrase and flinging it around. This is an issue we can disagree on. It is not a primary article of faith.

Personally, I’ve always thought it was more loving to defend the victims of evil against evil, even with deadly force. I recently read an article from Dr. John Piper where he explains his convictions about guns, and using them in defense. He seems to be pretty clear that he doesn’t think it is something a Christian should do. I, along with many other Christians disagree with him on this issue. However, I won’t let this become a divisive issue. It is a matter of adiaphora. I happen to agree with Dr. James White’s stance on the use of weapons, and the reasons to employ them.

If I see an elderly person being mugged, I will stop the mugging. If I see two men beheading a person in the street, I will stop them. If I see a group of men gang-raping a woman, I will stop them. If you are the victim of evil men, then you better hope that God, in His providence, directs someone like me to your aid. We are supposed to love people, seek justice, and what is right. I strongly believe it is more loving to defend the victims against the evil of sinful men, than it is to allow those evil men to work out their demonic desires. If it can be stopped without employing lethal force, then I believe that is what we should do. If a person is physically able to pull someone off of their victim and hold them for the police, then they should do so. If they are looking at a situation that requires lethal force to stop the taking of human life, the rape of a person, be they man woman, or child, or the brutalization of a person by a group of thugs, then it is more loving and just to end the evil being wrought. It is actually hateful to allow the evil to continue. It demonstrates contempt for law, justice, and righteousness.

On a larger scale, like the Nazis and Jews, Dietrich Bonhoeffer came to the conclusion that he must act against the Nazis. He could not sit by and watch the genocide of the Jewish people. America couldn’t sit by and watch it either. I believe it is actually a hateful thing to sit by and allow evil men to murder others. I would not feel, or reason myself to be in the will of God, by allowing atrocities to go on around me, while I sat patiently waiting for them to be finished. I wouldn’t act out of a sense of self-preservation, but rather out of self-sacrifice, compassion, and love for the victims.
While Bonhoeffer drew the line at killing. He himself would not directly kill. I would. I would not do it lightly. I don’t come to this conclusion with bravado or some egocentric notion of heroism. I don’t have a Master’s degree or a Doctorate. I am not a seminarian. I am a Christian. God has given me a functioning mind that can reason and think. He has also given us His word and His Spirit. It is our obligation as Christians to think deeply and honestly about this topic. We should not take it lightly, nor should we lack grace for brothers with a different strongly held conviction on this topic.

Church · cultural · marriage

Kim Davis and Religious Liberty.

September 6, 2015September 6, 2015 Bob Snyder1 Comment

Listen, I’m no Kim Davis fan. Now don’t get your dander up just yet. I didn’t say that I agreed with the judge and liberals either. Yes, I would have a problem with a muslim woman demanding her religious liberty to do or not do, “x” in the workplace. No, I don’t agree with what they are doing to Kim Davis. This boils down to Americans deciding which god they are going to believe in or at least make the central one of their society. Things are coming to a head. People can’t be on the fence anymore. With the death culture winning lost unregenerate hearts left and right, it is going to get worse, not better. Abortion, divorce, euthanasia, and gay marriage, all lead to human decline not human flourishing. It glorifies God for us to flourish and spread His image bearers around the creation.

The left would have everyone believe that we should treat all religions the same under the constitution. They have used this artifice for a while now and got many of us to buy in, for the sake of our own religious liberty. Our country was never intended to be anything other than a country of Christians. The intent of religious liberty was for us to be free from a monarch declaring whether we would be Catholic, Protestant, or Anglican. (more or less) We would be able to decide for ourselves what religion we wanted to be. Now what did our founding fathers understand those options to be? Did they consider satanism a religion? Or how about hinduism? The short answer is a resounding NO! They considered them to be cults, or pagan. They never thought or intended for those to be options for their descendants. They understood that only the Christian faith was a true religion and when they thought about liberty in the Christian faith it was Christian liberty to choose the things not specifically mentioned in scripture, for instance you could believe in the credo-baptism like an anabaptist Puritan, or you could be a paedo-baptist like the Presbyterian. You could be a Methodist even… I guess… I don’t know why you would want to? Just a joke my Arminian brothers. The point is religious liberty has been being misused and misapplied for several decades now and we are reaping the fruit.

So Kim Davis is the latest adult victim of the death culture. Sure millions of babies have been killed and millions of marriages dissolved, and millions of children have grown up in single parent homes, but don’t let that bother you. Keep on harping about Kim Davis. I hope she is what it takes to wake up the religious right in our country. I hope that this outrage will focus us all together to finally recognize what the founding fathers intended and to stop being fooled, bamboozled, and confused by the satanic left. We need to wake up and declare this country to be a Christian country, one of Christianity as the main and central faith, even if you aren’t a Christian there is no denying that Christianity equals human flourishing, scientific discovery, medical progress, inspiring art and architecture. Wherever Christianity has been, humans have flourished. When it is booted out the cultures sometimes die slowly like in Europe, or they go under in a fast violent overthrow like in the islamic states. So recognize that the only reason America has been great is God, and without the God of the Bible we will fall. As always, repent of your sins, believe in the justifying work of Jesus Christ on the cross, and follow Him.

Apologetics · Book Reviews · Church · Theology

Neat Little Book, A Review of, “I Am A Church Member” by Thom S. Rainer

November 18, 2014November 18, 2014 Bob SnyderLeave a comment

The Pastor at the SBC Church I attend gave these booklets out to everyone last Sunday after Service as an early Christmas present. It didn’t take long to read. I am a slow reader, so for me that is saying something. It was pretty concise and brief. Packed in a small booklet between two hard covers is a primer, if you will, on being in The Church and being in A Church simultaneously, instead of one or the other. The ideas inside this book truly express the gospel, and what it means to be part of the body. I encourage all new Christians and those of us who have matured to read this booklet. For the younger folks it will help them understand what this is all about and for us a bit further along it will help us remember what we are to be about. We aren’t in a social club, even though we socialize with one another. We aren’t there for the benefits, even though we do benefit from corporate worship and ministry to the body. We are there for the love of God and the worship of Him who made us. In the abounding overflow of His love expressed to us by Christ crucified we should lavish that same love on the body as we minister to each other and share the glorious gospel of Jesus with those who have never heard. As a healthy body, made of healthy members, we can magnify Christ and glorify God, through the proclamation of His gospel, His word, and our love for one another. This book is a great reminder and primer.

Some complain that this is legalistic or that the scripture verses are out of context. Some also complain about the contracts at the end of every chapter. I answer that by saying you need to look at the intent of the book. You don’t have to sign the contracts and turn them in. They aren’t binding. I think they are kind of silly myself. As an entire mission, I agree that the local Church needs to shape up, but it can’t be done by people obligatorily signing up for things. The idea within this booklet is for you to have a changed heart and then you’ll want to do the things within the booklet. The problem with the Church is that it is full of unchanged people. You can’t expect them to, “get on board” when they aren’t even on the team. So to the critics, I ask, “Are you sure you are saved?” If you are then you won’t hate the Church.

Available for purchase here

amazon

Christianbook

and from Holman the publisher

ISBN: 9781433679735

Trim Size: 0.24 x 5.00 x 7.00

Page Count: 96

Weight: 0.50

Binding: Paper Over Board

Status: IP

Publication Date: May 2013

I Am a Church Member: Discovering the Attitude that Makes the Difference by Thom S. Rainer