Tag: Christian

Liberal Christian

Have you ever had a friend claim to be Christian, and also liberal? What’s that all about?

Bob SnyderLeave a comment

liberalchristians
 

I don’t know how people can give their liberal political ideologies more authority than their self-professed faith.  It would seem that their political ideologies are more important to them than what God has said.  Let me explain.  There are many worldviews.  If you don’t like the one your parents gave you, you can always develop you own, or adopt one.  Colleges seem to be one of those places where young people adopt a different worldview.

I happen to have what I, and many others, would call a, “Christian worldview.”  What that means, is that my beliefs about everything, yes everything, are determined by what God says in His word, the Bible.  I order my beliefs from the ordinances of scripture.  So, my political ideologies are determined by my Christian worldview.

So if someone asks, “Bob, why do you hate abortion?  It is a woman’s choice.”  I reply with, “Murder is wrong, and murdering a child in the womb because of your sexual immorality is reprehensible.”  I can say this and assert it. Because, I can build that opinion on systematic and Biblical theology.  When you read your Bible in context, and apply the proper hermeneutical method of exegesis to the text, you get doctrines.  Those doctrines provide the basis for our morality.  So, my morality is built on the doctrines of God, from His word.  So, my stance on abortion is that it is the murder of an infant in the womb, due to the sinfulness of the murdering mother.

Then we throw other beliefs about other moral issues in there like, theft, welfare, work, love, sexuality, and so on.  Guess what?  The Bible determines what I believe about all of those things as well.  Since that is the case, cumulatively they make up the ideologies of my Christian worldview, which is what I use in determining what is acceptable politically.

This seems foundationally simple to me.  I don’t understand those who sit across the aisle and defend something like abortion, or gay marriage, while still claiming Christ as their Savior.  “Doesn’t His word mean anything to them?  Don’t they want to be obedient to Him, because of the great love, and work He did to save them on the cross?  How can they afflict Him more while He hangs from the cross?”  To advocate horribly sinful, and abominable things, while claiming Christ as your Savior, is tantamount to throwing refuse on Him, while He hangs suffering on the cross.

I’ve tried to ask people like this to justify their positions Biblically for me.  I’ve never encountered one person who could do this.  There have been a few who have tried, but their usually open theist heretics, or some other very liberal theological bent that doesn’t hold the Bible as authoritative.  This gives them the wiggle room they need to pervert the word.  This is another sickening thing.  To see someone pervert and abuse the word of God.

I suppose a person could be very new in the faith, and not have the maturity to understand what they are doing.  This is why I can’t make the blanket statement that they are all unsaved heretics.  I can definitively say, that if a person persists in their sin, and loves the worldly life, and sinful cultures opinions, more than God’s, they are not saved.  I can’t do that with people I only know in passing.  It worries me drastically more when I’ve known someone for a very long time, and they are like that.

So you claim that you are pro-choice(abortion), for social programs, for big Federal government, for gay marriage, for no fault divorce, for euthanasia, for socialism, communism, pro-gun grabbers, pro-illegal immigration, and you think that God is O.K. with that?  We don’t know the same God.  The God I know is loving, but He is also just, holy, righteous, true, and He has communicated His will for us, to us, in His word.

Book Reviews

A Necessary Book for your Christian Library, Foxe’s Book of Martyrs from Hendrickson’s Classics.

Bob SnyderLeave a comment

DSCN4714
 
Most of you are familiar with this title. It is an edifying record of several martyrs from the early Church. Every Christian should own a copy of this book, and read it for their growth. We need to know what happened and the culture in which it happened. We need to understand that it could happen again in our own country, and that it is happening now all over the world. If you don’t have a hard copy of this book and only have a digital copy, I suggest you get this one. It is affordable, well done, and printed in the U.S.A.
 
DSCN4719
 
DSCN4721
 
DSCN4716
 
DSCN4715
 
DSCN4720
 
Digital copies are fine, but what happens when tech doesn’t work? What happens if a ruling class decides to issue an electronic update and your devices all rewrite your Christian books? Hard copies, put away in a library are insurance against that. I know, they take up a lot of room, and cost money, and can burn up in a fire, but they are important for archiving valuable information. This book contains content that would help us to act appropriately, in future situations that could be similar or the same. Reading about Christians who were pursued, persecuted, and killed for their faith, should help us understand that their convictions were strong. Stronger than their fear of death. We should all hope that if we, by God’s providence are to be martyred, that He would grant us the grace that these precious ones of His received.

We can read about the Apostles, and men like Polycarp who knew John. Here is an excerpt from the book,
“Polycarp, the venerable bishop of Smyrna, hearing that persons were seeking for him, escaped, but was discovered by a child. After feasting the guards who apprehended him, he desired an hour in prayer, which being allowed, he prayed with such fervency, that his guards repented that they had been instrumental in taking him. He was, however, carried before the proconsul, condemned, and burnt in the market place.
The proconsul then urged him, saying, “Swear, and I will release thee;–reproach Christ.”
Polycarp answered, “Eighty and six years have I served him, and he never once wronged me; how then shall I blaspheme my King, Who hath saved me?” At the stake to which he was only tied, but not nailed as usual, as he assured them he should stand immovable, the flames, on their kindling the fagots, encircled his body, like an arch, without touching him; and the executioner, on seeing this, was ordered to pierce him with a sword, when so great a quantity of blood flowed out as extinguished the fire. But his body, at the instigation of the enemies of the Gospel, especially Jews, was ordered to be consumed in the pile, and the request of his friends, who wished to give it Christian burial, rejected. They nevertheless collected his bones and as much of his remains as possible, and caused them to be decently interred.”

We can also read about men from the Reformation like, John Wickliffe, John Huss, and Martin Luther. What these people did to preserve and spread God’s word, so that we could have it today, should make us appreciate their dedication and spur us on to remain faithful during persecution.

Church · cultural · marriage

Kim Davis and Religious Liberty.

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.

Book Reviews · Theology

Richard Baxter, “The Reformed Pastor” Chapter 2, Section 2, #13, “With earnest desires and expectations of success.”

Bob Snyder2 Comments

13. If you would prosper in your work, be sure to keep up earnest desires and expectations of success. If your hearts be not set on the end of your labors, and you long not to see the conversion and edification of your hearers, and do not study and preach in hope, you are not likely to see much success. As it is a sign of a false, self–seeking heart, that can be content to be still doing, and yet see no fruit of his labor; so I have observed that God seldom blesses any man’s work so much as his, whose heart is set upon the success of it. Let it be the property of a Judas to have more regard to the bag than to his work, and not to care much for what they pretend to care; and to think, if they have their salaries, and the love and commendations of their people, they have enough to satisfy them: but, let all who preach for Christ and men’s salvation, be unsatisfied until they have the thing they preach for. He never had the right ends of a preacher, who is indifferent whether he obtain them, and is not grieved when he misses them, and rejoiced when he can see the desired issue. When a man does only study what to say, and how, with commendation, to spend the hour, and looks no more after it, unless it be to know what people think of his abilities, and thus holds on from year to year, I must needs think that this man does preach for himself, and not for Christ, even when he preaches Christ, how excellency whatever he may seem to do it. No wise or charitable physician is content to be always giving physic, and to see no amendment among his patients, but to have them all die upon his hands. Nor will any wise and honest schoolmaster be content to be still teaching, though his scholars profit not by his instructions, but both of them would rather be weary of the employment.
I know that a faithful minister may have comfort when he wants success; and “though Israel be not gathered, our reward is with the Lord (Isa. 49:5);” and our acceptance is not according to the fruit, but according to our labor: but then, he who longs not for the success of his labors can have none of this comfort, because he was not a faithful laborer. What I say is only for them that are set upon the end, and grieved if they miss it. Nor is this the full comfort that we must desire, but only such a part as may quiet us, though we miss the rest. What if God will accept a physician, though the patient die? He must, notwithstanding that, work in compassion, and long for a better issue, and be sorry if he miss it. For it is not merely our own reward that we labor for, but other men’s salvation. I confess, for my part, I marvel at some ancient reverend men, that have lived twenty, thirty, or forty years with an unprofitable people, among whom they have scarcely been able to discern any fruits of their labors, how they can, with so much patience, continue among them. Were it my case, though I dare not leave the vineyard, nor quit my calling, yet I should suspect that it was God’s will I should go somewhere else, and another come in my place that might be fitter for them; and I should not be easily satisfied to spend my days in such a manner.

Apologetics · cultural

It is Time to Stop Praying for God to Bless America, Now What?

Bob Snyder1 Comment

As the satanists in Detroit go to celebrate the unveiling of a 9 ft. tall 1 ton idol of their god, we have to see this against the backdrop of everything else that is happening in our once great nation. The picture below is of a statue of baphomet or satan. You can see the little children there looking up at him, the goat head, horns, and pentagram on his forehead.

At least half of us Americans want gay marriage to be legal and moral, are fine with abortions as long as they are safe for the mother, want drugs to be legal and moral, are fine with divorce and bluntly don’t see the need for such an antiquated notion like marriage.  After all, most of us, myself and perhaps a few of you, were raised by a single mother.  We also want to not work and have everything free to us.  I wonder, if this is what people want when they exercise their free will, if there isn’t a better way?  I say, “Let’s all be slaves of Christ and give up our sinful wills!”  This illusion that we are somehow basically good is nonsense!  Without God restraining us from being as evil as we could be, it would be like the days of Noah, but worse.  Just look around and see how it is now!

So my solution, the only one I see, is that we as Christians start praying for God to violate everyone’s will in this country.  I want Him to discipline us as sons.  I want Him to crush the proud and humble them.  I want Him to bring all the sinners to repentance and faith in Him.  After all, He is the only one, true, and living God.  So let’s pray for God to discipline America as a nation.  Let’s pray for Him to make us repent.  Don’t let us have a choice, because we know what we would choose, just like the Israelites chose the gold calf and orgies when God used Moses to bring them forth from Egypt.  We would choose the same.  So, we don’t want a choice for America!  No, we want God’s will for America! We want all of us, as a nation to repent and believe upon Jesus Christ as our Lord, Master, Creator, and Savior!

Apologetics · Theology

“…the LORD has put a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets;…”

Bob SnyderLeave a comment

“…the LORD has put a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets;…”

“Micaiah said, “Therefore, hear the word of the LORD. I saw the LORD sitting on His throne, and all the host of heaven standing by Him on His right and on His left. “The LORD said, ‘Who will entice Ahab to go up and fall at Ramoth-gilead?’ And one said this while another said that. “Then a spirit came forward and stood before the LORD and said, ‘I will entice him.’ “The LORD said to him, ‘How?’ And he said, ‘I will go out and be a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all his prophets.’ Then He said, ‘You are to entice him and also prevail. Go and do so.’ “Now therefore, behold, the LORD has put a deceiving spirit in the mouth of all these your prophets; and the LORD has proclaimed disaster against you.” “

(1 Kings 22:19-23 NASB)

In 1 Kings 22:19-23 we read some information that can initially be troubling to some. It is often quoted by atheists seeking to shake the faith of a believer. Properly understood, it is harmonious with the rest of God’s word. So don’t let it trouble you. Let’s see if we can shed some light on it.

We know that God is truth. We know that He is righteous and holy. Reading this passage, if not properly exegeted, could lead one to believe that God caused false prophets to lie. This would seem to conflict with what we know of the attributes of God displayed to us in the rest of His word. This seeming conflict is easily remedied when we read the scripture in context.

We understand that Satan, has to answer to God. We read this in the book of Job. Satan cannot do anything unless God allows him. This might be a tough concept, but think about it. Satan has to ask permission to do what he was doing to Job. Satan is a creature, created by God. Satan is not God’s equal, or opposite. God could destroy Satan at this very moment. God doesn’t because He is using Satan to accomplish His good will.

Ahab was one of the most wicked kings in all history. God had already pronounced judgment on him. All of Ahab’s prophets were telling him to go to war at Ramoth-Gilead, and that he would succeed.

“…Three years passed without war between Aram and Israel. In the third year Jehoshaphat the king of Judah came down to the king of Israel. Now the king of Israel said to his servants, “Do you know that Ramoth-gilead belongs to us, and we are still doing nothing to take it out of the hand of the king of Aram?” And he said to Jehoshaphat, “Will you go with me to battle at Ramoth-gilead?” And Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “I am as you are, my people as your people, my horses as your horses.” Moreover, Jehoshaphat said to the king of Israel, “Please inquire first for the word of the LORD.” Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said to them, “Shall I go against Ramoth-gilead to battle or shall I refrain?” And they said, “Go up, for the Lord will give it into the hand of the king.” But Jehoshaphat said, “Is there not yet a prophet of the LORD here that we may inquire of him?” …”

(1 Kings 22:1-7 NASB)

Then, we see that Jehoshaphat asks Ahab to inquire of another prophet, a prophet of the LORD or (Yhvh) So Ahab sends for Micaiah.

“…The king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “There is yet one man by whom we may inquire of the LORD, but I hate him, because he does not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. He is Micaiah son of Imlah.” But Jehoshaphat said, “Let not the king say so.” Then the king of Israel called an officer and said, “Bring quickly Micaiah son of Imlah.” Now the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat king of Judah were sitting each on his throne, arrayed in their robes, at the threshing floor at the entrance of the gate of Samaria; and all the prophets were prophesying before them. Then Zedekiah the son of Chenaanah made horns of iron for himself and said, “Thus says the LORD, ‘With these you will gore the Arameans until they are consumed.'” All the prophets were prophesying thus, saying, “Go up to Ramoth-gilead and prosper, for the LORD will give it into the hand of the king.” Then the messenger who went to summon Micaiah spoke to him saying, “Behold now, the words of the prophets are uniformly favorable to the king. Please let your word be like the word of one of them, and speak favorably.” But Micaiah said, “As the LORD lives, what the LORD says to me, that I shall speak.” When he came to the king, the king said to him, “Micaiah, shall we go to Ramoth-gilead to battle, or shall we refrain?” And he answered him, “Go up and succeed, and the LORD will give it into the hand of the king.” Then the king said to him, “How many times must I adjure you to speak to me nothing but the truth in the name of the LORD?” So he said, “I saw all Israel Scattered on the mountains, Like sheep which have no shepherd. And the LORD said, ‘These have no master. Let each of them return to his house in peace.'” Then the king of Israel said to Jehoshaphat, “Did I not tell you that he would not prophesy good concerning me, but evil?” …”

(1 Kings 22:8-18 NASB)

As you can see, by adding the context of the surrounding scripture we can easily understand what is happening here. God did not cause the prophets to lie. He allowed Satan to have the spirits controlling the false prophets to lie. God used their sins sinlessly to accomplish His righteous judgment against Ahab, a wicked king. The fact that God restrains evil every moment doesn’t seem to enter into our minds, but if he didn’t we would all be worse than Pharaoh or Hitler. When God allows evil spirits or men to act how they want, we get surprised, as if God is the bad guy. Our pitiful minds default to sinful criticism of the one truly good being. That is how messed up we are. I hope this helps. If you have questions, ask your Pastor and Elders, first. If they can’t answer you feel free to ask in the comments section. If I can’t answer, I’ll try to find someone who can. God bless you.

Apologetics · cultural · evangelism

Christian Against Christian? The Divisiveness of Sin.

Bob Snyder1 Comment

I’ve been reading lots of unbiblical articles and posts, written by Christians who are criticizing the opponents of gay marriage. Most of these articles misquote and twist scripture. Which is interesting in itself, because they accuse the conservative Christians of doing that very thing. They say things like, “Christians shouldn’t judge.” We all have heard this canard and recognize it as a misunderstanding of scripture. We are to judge what God has already judged in His word and we are supposed to live our lives by it. He is the author of the law. Our laws are supposed to agree with His and they are supposed to be used in the process of judging right from wrong and good from evil. Government is ordained to agree with His laws and enforce them for the good of His people. Secularists don’t get this and won’t, unless they become regenerated by God. One of the things that strikes me from Romans 1 is this statement from God. “and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same, but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.”(Romans 1:32 NASB) Did you get that last part, “Christians?” This part here, “give hearty approval to those who practice them” This is why we can’t give our approval to redefining marriage to accommodate what by definition can’t be called marriage. I am surprised that Christians could give their approval to what is against God’s decree.
The other thing I am surprised by is the lack of understanding, grace, and love towards a world that is dying in sin. We can’t put our noses in the air and only say, “gays are going to hell.” We also can’t just expect them to see our loving example and then repent and put their faith in Christ. So there are two extreme reactions we are having to this. One is the extreme of disdain without mercy, the other extreme is love without truth. Both leave the sinner without the necessary information.
We have to temper our response to sinners sinning. We should not be surprised when people act in keeping with their natures. What should our response look like? It should reasonably and accurately proclaim the truth of the Bible in a loving attitude that is genuinely concerned that the person they are addressing is headed to eternal torment where God will be pouring out His wrath on them for ever. If you are not moved by that thought to proclaim the love of Christ as expressed by His work on the cross, then you need to examine your heart. The regeneration of the sinner by the Holy Spirit does not leave a person the same. Christ’s love is not permissive or tolerant of sin. It is a perfecting love that conforms the regenerate into His likeness.

Theology

Something That Calvin Said…

Bob Snyder1 Comment

Way back, long ago there was a reformer named John Calvin.  In a book that he wrote, “Institutes of the Christian Religion” he wrote many an interesting notions.  One of these notions I truly chuckled at due to its relevance today, albeit applied to a different group of people.  You see, back in the 1500’s the Roman Catholic Church had these pope guys who fancied themselves vicariously god on Earth.  As such, they came up with all kinds of new revelations that weren’t in the Bible, and when people expressed an interest in reading the Bible for themselves these, “popesicles” would actually tell people that it was dangerous and bad for them to try to read it, and that they were the only ones allowed.  Except, they didn’t care much for the Bible and would come up with all kinds of new spiritual heresies to teach everyone.  This is not unlike a problem we have today.  We see it with all of the liberal, “Christians” who tell us the Bible is allegorical, up to individual interpretation, or inaccurate.  They use a feeling, or cultural consensus to interpret the Bible through.  We know that God wrote the Bible, His Holy Spirit illumines it and His intent to us, if indeed we have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.  I contest that liberals do not if they so demonstrate, by misinterpreting, twisting, and corrupting the Bible to coincide with their heretical beliefs.  Here is what Calvin said about it all of those years ago;

Chapter 9. All the principles of piety subverted by fanatics, who substitute revelations for Scripture.

Sections

1. The temper and error of the Libertines, who take to themselves the name of spiritual, briefly described. Their refutation. 1. The Apostles and all true Christians have embraced the written Word. This confirmed by a passage in Isaiah; also by the example and words of Paul. 2. The Spirit of Christ seals the doctrine of the written Word on the minds of the godly.
2. Refutation continued. 3. The impositions of Satan cannot be detected without the aid of the written Word. First Objection. The Answer to it.
3. Second Objection from the words of Paul as to the letter and spirit. The Answer, with an explanation of Paul’s meaning. How the Spirit and the written Word are indissolubly connected.

1. Those who, rejecting Scripture, imagine that they have some peculiar way of penetrating to God, are to be deemed not so much under the influence of error as madness. For certain giddy men have lately appeared, who, while they make a great display of the superiority of the Spirit, reject all reading of the Scriptures themselves, and deride the simplicity of those who only delight in what they call the dead and deadly letter.

But I wish they would tell me what spirit it is whose inspiration raises them to such a sublime height that they dare despise the doctrine of Scripture as mean and childish.

If they answer that it is the Spirit of Christ, their confidence is exceedingly ridiculous; since they will, I presume, admit that the apostles and other believers in the primitive Church were not illuminated by any other Spirit. None of these thereby learned to despise the word of God, but every one was imbued with greater reverence for it, as their writings most clearly testify. And, indeed, it had been so foretold by the mouth of Isaiah. For when he says, “My Spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seed’s seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and for ever,” he does not tie down the ancient Church to external doctrine, as he were a mere teacher of elements; he rather shows that, under the reign of Christ, the true and full felicity of the new Church will consist in their being ruled not less by the Word than by the Spirit of God. Hence we infer that these miscreants are guilty of fearful sacrilege in tearing asunder what the prophet joins in indissoluble union. Add to this, that Paul, though carried up even to the third heaven, ceased not to profit by the doctrine of the law and the prophets, while, in like manner, he exhorts Timothy, a teacher of singular excellence, to give attention to reading (1Ti_4:13). And the eulogium which he pronounces on Scripture well deserves to be remembered, viz., that “it is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect” (2Ti_3:16). What an infatuation of the devil, therefore, to fancy that Scripture, which conducts the sons of God to the final goal, is of transient and temporary use? Again, I should like those people to tell me whether they have imbibed any other Spirit than that which Christ promised to his disciples. Though their madness is extreme, it will scarcely carry them the length of making this their boast. But what kind of Spirit did our Saviour promise to send? One who should not speak of himself (Joh_16:13), but suggest and instil the truths which he himself had delivered through the word. Hence the office of the Spirit promised to us, is not to form new and unheard-of revelations, or to coin a new form of doctrine, by which we may be led away from the received doctrine of the gospel, but to seal on our minds the very doctrine which the gospel recommends.

2. Hence it is easy to understand that we must give diligent heed both to the reading and hearing of Scripture, if we would obtain any benefit from the Spirit of God (just as Peter praises those who attentively study the doctrine of the prophets (2Pe_1:19), though it might have been thought to be superseded after the gospel light arose), and, on the contrary, that any spirit which passes by the wisdom of God’s Word, and suggests any other doctrine, is deservedly suspected of vanity and falsehood.

Since Satan transforms himself into an angel of light, what authority can the Spirit have with us if he be not ascertained by an infallible mark?

And assuredly he is pointed out to us by the Lord with sufficient clearness; but these miserable men err as if bent on their own destruction, while they seek the Spirit from themselves rather than from Him. But they say that it is insulting to subject the Spirit, to whom all things are to be subject, to the Scripture: as if it were disgraceful to the Holy Spirit to maintain a perfect resemblance throughout, and be in all respects without variation consistent with himself. True, if he were subjected to a human, an angelical, or to any foreign standard, it might be thought that he was rendered subordinate, or, if you will, brought into bondage, but so long as he is compared with himself, and considered in himself, how can it be said that he is thereby injured? I admit that he is brought to a test, but the very test by which it has pleased him that his majesty should be confirmed. It ought to be enough for us when once we hear his voice; but lest Satan should insinuate himself under his name, he wishes us to recognise him by the image which he has stamped on the Scriptures. The author of the Scriptures cannot vary, and change his likeness. Such as he there appeared at first, such he will perpetually remain. There is nothing contumelious to him in this, unless we are to think it would be honourable for him to degenerate, and revolt against himself.

3. Their cavil about our cleaving to the dead letter carries with it the punishment which they deserve for despising Scripture. It is clear that Paul is there arguing against false apostles (2Co_3:6), who, by recommending the law without Christ, deprived the people of the benefit of the New Covenant, by which the Lord engages that he will write his law on the hearts of believers, and engrave it on their inward parts. The letter therefore is dead, and the law of the Lord kills its readers when it is dissevered from the grace of Christ, and only sounds in the ear without touching the heart. But if it is effectually impressed on the heart by the Spirit; if it exhibits Christ, it is the word of life converting the soul, and making wise the simple. Nay, in the very same passage, the apostle calls his own preaching the ministration of the Spirit (2Co_3:8), intimating that the Holy Spirit so cleaves to his own truth, as he has expressed it in Scripture, that he then only exerts and puts forth his strength when the word is received with due honour and respect.
There is nothing repugnant here to what was lately said (chap. 7) that we have no great certainty of the word itself, until it be confirmed by the testimony of the Spirit. For the Lord has so knit together the certainty of his word and his Spirit, that our minds are duly imbued with reverence for the word when the Spirit shining upon it enables us there to behold the face of God; and, on the other hand, we embrace the Spirit with no danger of delusion when we recognise him in his image, that is, in his word. Thus, indeed, it is. God did not produce his word before men for the sake of sudden display, intending to abolish it the moment the Spirit should arrive; but he employed the same Spirit, by whose agency he had administered the word, to complete his work by the efficacious confirmation of the word. In this way Christ explained to the two disciples (Luk_24:27), not that they were to reject the Scriptures and trust to their own wisdom, but that they were to understand the Scriptures. In like manner, when Paul says to the Thessalonians, “Quench not the Spirit,” he does not carry them aloft to empty speculation apart from the word; he immediately adds, “Despise not prophesying” (1Th_5:19, 1Th_5:20). By this, doubtless, he intimates that the light of the Spirit is quenched the moment prophesying fall into contempt. How is this answered by those swelling enthusiasts, in whose idea the only true illumination consists, in carelessly laying aside, and bidding adieu to the Word of God, while, with no less confidence than folly, they fasten upon any dreaming notion which may have casually sprung up in their minds? Surely a very different sobriety becomes the children of God. As they feel that without the Spirit of God they are utterly devoid of the light of truth, so they are not ignorant that the word is the instrument by which the illumination of the Spirit is dispensed. They know of no other Spirit than the one who dwelt and spake in the apostles–the Spirit by whose oracles they are daily invited to the hearing of the word.

evangelism · hate · sharing the gospel · Theology

Why do You Hate Me?

Bob SnyderLeave a comment

Is it because I give to the needy? Is it because I am compassionate to the undeserving? Is it because I help the sick at my own peril? Is it because I endure your ridicule? No, it is because of Jesus.
As a Christian who shares the gospel, I have experienced the hate of some. Don’t misunderstand me. There are some who will earnestly listen to the gospel. Out of those most don’t repent and believe, but at least they were genuinely interested in listening to what I had to say. There are others who feign interest. Some just walk away while they shake their heads and mumble. I’m not talking about any of these types. I am talking about the type who get outraged that you would even dare to mention the, “J” word to them! The people who get so angry that you are afraid they might punch you in the face. It is as if you burned their house down or something. These are the types I am talking about.

We all know that the Bible tells us we will be hated and mistreated, but until it happens to you it is difficult to grasp why. You might see yourself doing all kinds of benevolent things and loving on people like no bodies business, so it is a shock to you when someone hates you. Jesus said, “…32Jesus answered them, “I showed you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you stoning Me?” 33The Jews answered Him, “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy; and because You, being a man, make Yourself out to be God.”…” in John 10:32-33 (NASB) This often sticks in my head. Jesus’ biggest offense was to claim to be God. Some of the Pharisees hated Him for this. It was a good reason to stone Him to death according to them. We can see this same attitude today towards our brothers and sisters in Christ. Think about it for a moment. All of the kind loving things you have done in Christ’s name, poof! Vanish in a moment out of the memory of the hateful person who recoils at the mention of Jesus. It is all fine and dandy as long as you are being benevolent, but mention the reason why you are being loving and merciful and watch out. The next thing you might see could be a rock headed for your noggin. It just doesn’t compute to us right off why someone would respond like that, but we have to look at some truths to understand. If a person is not saved they are a friend of the world. James 4:4 says, “…You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God. …” So if you are God’s child how do you suppose the enemy will desire to treat you? In John 15:18-20 Jesus says, “…18“If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. 19“If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. 20“Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.…” It makes me wonder if we aren’t too concerned with having easy or being well liked. I mean, nobody likes to get hurt or suffer right, but Jesus was pretty clear about capitulating and being a friend of the world. Cheer up though, if you are sharing the gospel in the face of this suffering Jesus also said this to His disciples, “… 21“Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child; and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. 22“You will be hated by all because of My name, but it is the one who has endured to the end who will be saved.

23“But whenever they persecute you in one city, flee to the next; for truly I say to you, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel until the Son of Man comes. …” If we learn from their example, we can see that all, but John was martyred for their testimony of Christ crucified. They persevered all the way to the end. We can to with God’s grace.

Apologetics · Theology

You Can’t Sell What’s Not Yours!

Bob Snyder2 Comments

Deal-Devil-Dude-e1383095467983

I’m sure you have all read a story, seen a movie, or television show, where the plot revolves around the main character selling his soul to the devil by signing some contract. Usually it is for fame, fortune, power over enemies, or to get the girl. Come to think of it, usually it is a combination of those things. Growing up in America during the 80’s, freedom was the centerpiece of what it meant to be an American. I never felt more free than when I was about 12 years old. I was old enough to go anywhere I wanted, as far as my bike could take me, and young enough to not have the responsibilities of taking care of myself or others. I would ride my bike to, “Black’s Bridge” and play by the river. I would take my BB gun and shoot dragon flies, or whatever else would sit still long enough. My cousin and I would catch snakes and keep them in a 5 gallon bucket, only to dump them in my mom’s bed while she slept. If I had to come up with a time in my life where I felt free, that would be it. If you wanted to be a patriotic little man, you needed freedom.

As I grew I started to feel the bands of oppression tighten around me. I needed a job. I had to pay my bills. I married a woman who had two small sons. I needed a better job. I had to be a good role model. I needed to teach the boys how to be good men. My wife and I had two daughters, so I had to be more tender and help my wife help them. I had to keep my marriage strong. No time for difficulties at work. Appliances wear out and break. Everything costs money. Unexpected surgeries send us into debt. Life starts choking the feeling of freedom away pretty quick.

I found out that the laws were overly restrictive as well.  I still don’t understand how property taxes can be legal.  I also don’t understand the legal requirement to have a concealed permit to carry a firearm.  Apparently we now aren’t free to practice our religion either.  Bake a cake or get shut down.  While babies are being denied their freedom by being aborted.  We really aren’t free in America.

Only when I started thinking spiritually about it did it start to make more sense. As a young man I was Arminian and slightly Pentecostal in my theology. I had no problem with thinking a person could sell their soul to the devil. It was theirs after all. Of course I thought it was wrong to do so, but theoretically, it could happen. I also had the sense that it was impossible, niggling at the recesses of my mind. Later in life, as God worked in my sanctification, He brought me into a fuller understanding of my sinfulness and His holiness. This in conjunction with learning more about soteriology lead me to understand that I am not my own. In fact, no human being owns themselves. We are all created by God for His glory.

Now the premise of selling your soul to the devil just seems ludicrous. You simply can’t sell what you have no rights to. God has the authority.  The problem here is that my pre-conversion soul is already a slave to sin nature, because of the fall. The devil doesn’t have to buy it. It is fallen from the start.  That doesn’t mean the devil owns it.  He is a fallen creature too.

Not to mention, the devil doesn’t have the means to purchase a single soul, nor does he have the authority to purchase one. He is a creature himself. He is under the same authority we are. Theoretically, his only purpose for purchasing a soul would be to rend it from the saving hands of Christ. Since it isn’t possible for God to lose even one of the elect, this is not a concern.

If souls could be bought and sold, we as fallen creatures would make a market out of it for sordid profit, to be sure. Ignoble and greedy, we would make slaves of souls. God in His sovereignty and providence has ensured that won’t happen. We do however; need to be rescued from the slavery that we are in before conversion, the bondage of the soul to sin. God in His sovereignty made man. He made him in full knowledge that he would fall when tempted. He made man, knowing who He would save from sin and who He would not. He made man, knowing that He would curse his progeny for the original sin, with death. All people born after the fall are born as slaves to sin because of the fall. We are all sinners and dead spiritually.

The Holy Spirit makes the elect alive according to the will of the Father, so that we can sense our sin and need. It becomes real to us. In this conviction, the elect seek reconciliation with God. In the newness of life they are driven, compelled, and ravenous, for relief of the condition of condemnation. The knowledge of our own personal sin is the impetus that drives us to the foot of the cross.

The same God who made us, who knew that we would be sinners, also made a way for us to glorify Him according to His sovereign decree. God in the second personage of the Trinity put on flesh at the incarnation, being born of a virgin, by the work of the Holy Spirit, according to the will of the Father, Christ Jesus, our Passover lamb became the vessel for the wrath of God that our sins warrant. He in obedience to the Father suffered the very wrath of God, that we deserve upon the cross, to justify us. The penalty being paid by the one who was innocent, paying the penalty for the guilty who justly deserve it. All of this was planned out from the very beginning.

I hope we can see that it is ludicrous to think for a moment that our souls are our own, and free to sell. The devil is just another creature and your soul is already a slave to sin. Our only hope is to recognize our need for a redeemer. Only God can fathom the depths of our debt. We cannot rightly perceive how sinful we are. He alone can justly account the measure of wrath we deserve and He alone can atone. So don’t delay. If God has convicted you of your sin, repent of it and believe upon Jesus’ work on the cross for your justification. Pray that God will redeem your soul from sin and you will be His for eternity.  Better to belong to God than be able to sell your soul for any worldly gain.