What's New 2005a

Below is eclectic and candid commentary, as well as information bulletins of site additions for 2005. Kind thanks to my dear wife for proof reading these comments from time-to-time. Most recent posts are shown first:

July through December 2005 is being published as a separate page due to the large file sizes for this year.

6/17/2005

There'll be no post this weekend. Diane and I are taking some long needed vacation.

6/12/2005

This week the Washington Times headline, Warring Anglicans face irreconcilable split, talk 'divorce' caught my eye. The headline and article are written as if the "split" is yet to come. Like many marital divorces, the "split" occurs long before the formal divorce. Fact is, like American culture, the division has been festering for several decades. The "break" occurred when the liberals ordained the homosexual Robinson and now it's going to get ugly. Even today's new age love and tolerance has limits. Anglicans have amassed billions of dollars in assets and the parties will simply not go their own ways. If the secrecy can be penetrated by reporters, It will be interesting to see how the local 'secular' judges adjudicate these issues.

Independent Bible churches are not immune to conflicts like this. A small group of believer will faithful pool assets for decades--buying real estate and building "their" modest church, chapel, or assembly hall. Often they are unaware of how the 'real' world works and how their assets may be targeted. If the church constitution is too congregational (democratic) in its structure, some outside group can infiltrate their corporate body and easily seize control of both the church's administration and the congregation's pooled assets. I've seen it happen more than once. Battling it out in court and take a toll on both the congregation's emotional well-being and their pocketbook. For this reason, I favor the 'home-gathering' style of fellowship. Keep it small and rotate the location. If you need larger facilities, say for holding various SS classes, rent the space. The cost of renting is often far less than owning and you also avoid hours of administrative duties.

6/4/2005

Military historian Victor Davis Hansen has an insightful view of the West's military and cultural struggle--entitled Our Strange War. I encourage readers to check it out. He is beginning to see that Christianity's decline in the West has opened a door of opportunity to the Islamic theocrats. How absolutely foolish, short-sighted, and hypocritical for the political and religious Left to aid and abet the Islamists.

Also great reading is Bruce Thornton's Muslims Have Desecrated Bibles and Churches

5/29.5/2005

In 1960, John F. Kennedy gave a speech to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association. The purpose behind his address was whether or not his Roman Catholic affiliation [superficial at best] disqualified him from the Presidency. Here is an excerpt of the speech into which I have inserted my own comments in blue text.

[B]ecause I am a Catholic, and no Catholic has ever been elected President, the real issues in this campaign have been obscured -- perhaps deliberately, in some quarters less responsible than this. So it is apparently necessary for me to state once again -- not what kind of church I believe in, for that should be important only to me -- but what kind of America I believe in.

Here Kennedy erected a false dichotomy (church vs. state), for one's religious and philosophic worldview most always informs one's political views. Exceptions arise when one's "religion" is purely outward and superficial. Historically, Americans were rightfully suspicious of Catholics due to the religious and political tyranny of Romanism in Europe.

I believe in an America where the separation of church and state is absolute; where no Catholic prelate would tell the President -- should he be Catholic -- how to act, and no Protestant minister would tell his parishioners for whom to vote; where no church or church school is granted any public funds or political preference, and where no man is denied public office merely because his religion differs from the President who might appoint him, or the people who might elect him.

Here we may find the origin of a radical view of separation of church and state commonly held by liberals and the Left today. Prior to this, it was common to think that one's religious views would "inform" one's behavior and that one's religious views had a direct bearing on which politician best represented each voter. Notice Kennedy's erroneous secular premise on the subject of education. Little did the public realize that it was Kennedy's core secular beliefs that would adversely transform American society, rather than his tie to the Catholic hierarchy.

I believe in an America that is officially neither Catholic, Protestant nor Jewish; where no public official either requests or accept instructions on public policy from the Pope, the National Council of Churches or any other ecclesiastical source; where no religious body seeks to impose its will directly or indirectly upon the general populace or the public acts of its officials, and where religious liberty is so indivisible that an act against one church is treated as an act against all.

Thus, Kennedy believed and helped to bring about, by the principle of the lowest common denominator, a major movement for a secular and atheistic America. Here Kennedy sets forth a radically non-American principle, that religion and religious persons would not "inform" their politicians. It was John Kennedy who relegated religious persons into second-class citizenship--unless they, like himself, would hold their religion to be of only nominal relevance to one's day-to-day views and behavior.

For while this year it may be a Catholic against whom the finger of suspicion is pointed, in other years it has been -- and may someday be again -- a Jew, or a Quaker, or a Unitarian, or a Baptist. It was Virginia's harassment of Baptist preachers, for example, that led to Jefferson's statute of religious freedom. Today, I may be the victim, but tomorrow it may be you -- until the whole fabric of our harmonious society is ripped apart at a time of great national peril.

Here Kennedy extols the virtue of religious pluralism and egalitarianism, while being ignorant to their adverse side effects. Notice that he said nothing about Eastern religionists nor the various cults. And having followed Kennedy's lame advice, how has America faired? We find the converse of what was promised; we find the "whole fabric of our harmonious society" ripped apart by the abandonment of the Nation's evangelical Judeo-Christian tradition.

5/29/2005

Again and again, the Left (both political and religious) proves itself capable of the most extreme manifestations of hypocrisy. Stories about alleged desecration of the Koran have been used to proclaim the supposed sins of Americans and the American administration in the Middle East. But what of the near daily desecration of all-things Christian in the West by the Left? Are people blind to the grotesque double standard? Such is the self-righteous arrogance of those who somehow believe they occupy moral high ground!

PS. The Koran is only a religious book; the 66 books of the Bible are the exclusive Word of God.

5/28/2005

Some visitors and readers of withChrist.org are seemingly overwhelmed by the pervasive nature of today's spiritual deception and heresy. The Internet is loaded with sites which highlight current day apostasy and a perpetual diet of this subject can certainly shift our heart's focus away from the Risen Christ and "things above." Read Colossians 3. The following comment by F. W. Grant will also be of value.

The sovereignty of God is what alone gives to the Christian heart comfort in view of a world full of evil, which is gone astray from Him. To know that after all, in spite of the rebellion of the creature, things are as absolutely in His hand as ever they were--this brings, and alone brings, full relief.

Still He rules over all, and where evil cannot be turned to good, limits and forbids it: He maketh the wrath of man (and Satan) to praise Him, and the remainder of wrath (what would go beyond this) He restrains [Psalm 76:10].

Much of what is taking place in Christendom today (be it the Cathedrals of Europe, the Purpose-Driven megachurch in America, or maybe even your own local congregation) are activities designed to bring about the syncretic religious framework for the end of this Age spoken of in prophecy. A majority of these so-called Christians follow "Jesus of Nazareth," in his pre-Cross ministry to Israel as their Messiah and King. They seldom move from the Synoptic Gospels. Not being born-again, they are unfamiliar with the Risen Christ--the Head of the Church. Unlike those spoken of in Colossians 2:19, they have never been joined to the Risen Head, and thus are not part of the Christ's spiritual Body.

5/21/2005

Today's culture is in the throes of a crisis of knowledge. Outside the sphere of "science," a pervasive skepticism rules the day. John Robbins summaries the problem quite well in Crisis of the Age. Born-again Christians are the only source capable of countering this paralyzing skepticism and collectively, we haven't done too well. At the root of the problem is a weak view of the Bible. In an effort to strengthen the Christian's view and understanding of the Written Word, we have linked J. Hampton Keathley's fine 10 part series, The Doctrine of the Written Word to our page The Word of God.

"Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God." Eph. 6:17

I was irritated by a recent American news reporter who suggested that the Islamic world's violent reaction to the false report of the Koran being flushed down a toilet was due to Muslims' unique view of the Koran as the literal Word of God. By contrast, he suggested that Christians don't view their Bible in the same manner. I hope this reporter will take the time to meet some Bible-believing Christian.

Why was Newsweek, a member of the Left-wing media, so willing to publish a story which later proved false? I believe the adage, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend" is at work. The Left would love to see more Islamic violence vented toward "Christian fundamentalists" and their missionaries. Further, the Left-wing media vaguely knows that the U.S. military has some connection to Christianity...and they don't like it! For example, witness the current ACLU lawsuit against the U.S. Air Force Academy claiming evangelicals hold and exercise too much influence!

5/20/2005

"It takes two-thirds of Congress, the President's signature and three-fourths of the states to change the Constitution...or just one judge." "And believe me, the Left learned that a long time ago." Texas pastor Rick Scarborough.

5/19/2005

For those familiar with our websites, you are aware that we lay claim to presenting truths of spiritual growth (largely focus in the various works of the late Christian author, Miles J. Stanford) for a biblically-based Christian walk. These truths are nothing more or less that the teachings of the Apostle Paul as set forth in his various Epistles. Further, we believe there is a balance between the objective and subjective aspects of one's experience, when by faith we embrace Pauline truth regarding the Christian life.

Consequently, it should come as no surprise that some of our most fierce adversaries are those who promote pseudo-Christian forms of spirituality. Some of the unsolicited emails received are unprintable and nasty. Prior to the Risen Lord Jesus graciously saving me from certain ruin, I wandered and dabbled for a few years in the various realms of mystical, occult, and Eastern spirituality. I have to say that the only dimension missing (?) among today's so-called Christian mystics is the role of hallucinogenic substances and mind-altering drugs. Biblical Christians should further be aware that ever since the drug explosion of the '50s & '60s, small fringe groups of so-called "Christians" have covertly used these hallucinogens claiming freedom pursuant to Paul's statements in verses: Col. 2:16,20-22; 1 Tim.6:17, Rom. 14:2, etc., and their twisted logic. Believer--"Beware!"

For a good introduction, see Renovaré - Mystical and Occult Spirituality and Gary Gilley's series on Mysticism, a Way of the Past, the Wave of the Future, Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, and Part 4.

PS. Christian readers should also be aware that many of today's medical and health practitioners are moving in mass to embrace forms of "alternative medicine." This includes yoga exercise. While the physical benefits of the stretching aspects of yoga are not an issue, they typically are never presented in isolation from their underlying Eastern religious framework. The popularity of yoga relies on Western naiveté. One is invited to a “yoga” class for the physical benefits of stretching, etc. However, it not long until the class instructor is subtly espousing a host of Eastern concepts. Simple Rule: Stick with a Pilates class taught by someone with no religious agenda. "Surely in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird" (Proverbs 1:17).

5/18/2005

Newest Moniker: "Out-of-touch Theological Activists" - It's no news that radical left-wing groups are busily at work on behalf of the Democrat Party. Nor it is news that they seethe with hatred toward most Christians, and are attempting to identify and assassinate any nominee judges with theistic worldviews. Nancy Keenan, president for the pro-abortion organization NARAL, has been busily "searching" financial records of potential nominees for judgeships to help Democrats identify individuals who may have "deeply held religious beliefs". The 'Inquisition' being held by secularists in the U.S. Senate continues. Read the story at Power Line and Robert Novak sites.

PS. Just as the political adversaries Pilate and Herod came together as "friends" (Luke 23:12) in the crucifixion of Jesus, so the political and religious Left in America is forging bonds in their opposition to genuine Christians and others who hold a theistic worldview.

5/13/2005

Love and compassion are pervasive buzzwords in the culture war. Biblical love and compassion are holistic and integrate both the mind (reason) and the heart (emotion). These are contrasted with any bifurcated approach which pits reason against emotion. It is into the realm of this holistic love that Christians are called to live. This love lays at the root of Western culture and can be found in its various literary expressions.

By contrast, think for a moment about the raging political agenda (war) of the gays* and others. Is it not about how love and compassion are defined? Is it not a war when they propagate the lie that they are experiencing love and Christians are practicing hate, and seek to trump any and all objections? Often, their arguments in favor of homosexual marriage are anchored in their so-called love based on their personal experience and emotion. In a relativistic era, how can anyone challenge their experience? How can anyone say that they are not engaged in a loving relationship? [Of course, God already has on multiple occasions during 6,000 years of recorded history.] Don’t they label anyone who doesn’t accept their definition of these two words as hateful and bigoted? Do you see the implications?

By redefining love to include lust between reprobate minds, an entire subculture launched a war against the existing culture, and now through hate seeks to overturn what is the traditional norm. Of course, it has additional dimensions—i.e., is more complex. For example, they deeply believe that their mental torment (psychological angst generated by their alienation from God) is being caused by Christians who accept the moral dualism spoken of in John 3:19. Notice the fundamental dualism between the moral spheres of light and darkness in the verse below. Their solution to their angst? Do away with or extinguish the purveyors of light and usher in the New Dark Age.

This is the verdict; Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God. (John 3:19)

* - or one step further, pedophiles. NAMBLA = North American Man Boy LOVE Association.

5/7/2005

CO-OPT - to take into a group (as a faction, movement, or culture): absorb, assimilate. This past week I've continued to reflect on the subject of love, and how this particular word has been co-opted by numerous individuals and groups.

Nearly thirty-six years have passed since the Lord graciously saved me and I cannot begin to number the times I've read the famous chapter on love--1 Corinthians 13 or have sat through a sermon on the subject. However, it was God the Holy Spirit who also inerrantly wrote via the Apostle Paul's pen in Romans 12:9:

"Let love be without hypocrisy. Abhor what is evil. Cling to what is good."

So, I asked myself the simple question, "What does love with hypocrisy look like?" Quickly my mind focused on the remainder of the verse. I asked, "Does love with hypocrisy refuse to abhor what is evil, and avoid embracing what is good?" Soon my mind began to seize on example after example.

For the past several decades, the meaning of love has been hijacked and largely redefined for use within the pervasive framework of moral relativism--even by Christians. This new love doesn't engage in any form of judgment and is characterized by a perverted form of tolerance. This so-called love is tolerant of all manner of evil and wickedness, and intolerant toward those who would seek to identify and scripturally restrain the same. Thus, when a Bible-based Christian sets forth Scriptural truth with any degree of certainty, they are viewed as being unloving, abusive and attempting to force their views on others. If one speaks persuasively in the realm of values, it is interpreted as a 'power-play' and a grievous offense, because the secular culture holds to an axiom that no opinion regarding values can legitimately claim superiority over any other. The common thinking today is to erect a philosophic wall of separation between scientific facts and moral and religious values. Within the context of this humanistic dogma, certainty of knowledge applies only to scientific facts, and never to moral and religious values.

5/6/2005

The whole Body benefits when the work is shared. Longtime faithful reader and 'news correspondent' Susan P. sent us a link to the article, SCARY STUFF, There’s a real venom on the Left against conservative Christians. You've heard much the same here, but it's always encouraging to hear it from an outsider and someone who can write well like Stanley Kurtz.

5/1/2005

Due to the perceived influence of the so-called "religious right", political losses and soul-searching by the Democrats and other Leftists, individuals of the religious left are being rediscovered. Such is the case with Jim Wallis, founder and editor of Sojourners Magazine. Since the recent presidential election, Wallis has been featured on both radio and TV talk shows, with focus on a new book, God's Politics: Why the Right Gets It Wrong and the Left Doesn't Get It. Wallis is a long-time voice for Marxist-socialistic politics and social policy with a Christian veneer. Here are some excerpts from '70s & '80s publications, Who is Jim Wallis and Sojourners?

Wallis, having long departed his Christian (even Plymouth Brethren!) upbringing, is also part of the syncretistic, interspirituality movement and the living spiritual teachers project. What are these?

Perhaps the simplest way to make the distinction is to say we're talking about experience, not doctrine. Though spirituality is a part of all religions, no religion can own it, and those who aren't comfortable with organized religion are no less involved in the journey. This approach honors questions, mysteries, and journeys of discovery over dogmatic answers, closed systems, and now-you've-made-it destinations. Respecting and drawing upon the world's great wisdom traditions (religions) as well as the latest insights from medicine, psychology, sociology, ecology, and the natural sciences, we speak to people from various religious traditions or no religious tradition at all.

4/30.5/2005

I have modified withChrist.org's Position Regarding Doctrinal Error And Those Who Hold It. Please read and tell us what you think. Suggestions on how to better communicate these issues are always appreciated.

4/30/2005

Here's more from the abyss of liberalism's hypocrisy--some further comments by Colorado's junior Sen. Ken Salazar (see 4/22/2005 post below). In an interview, Salazar said of James Dobson and Focus on the Family: "From my point of view, they are the Antichrist of the world." And just what is Mr. Salazar's point of view? It is the view of an anti-Christian bigot. The people of Colorado should ask themselves whether this individual truly represents them. If not, then ask him to step down or initiate a recall election.

4/25/2005

Hopefully, the gross hypocrisy of the Left and the Democrat Party, the so-called mixing of religion and politics, is obvious to any informed reader. Of course, I probably have an easier time seeing this since I had the privilege of living with this form of hypocrisy for the first 20 years of my life. Thus, I've seen the ugliness from the inside and it's nasty to the core. By and large, today's Democrat is an ardent secularist (scientific naturalist), who wraps himself in a thin veneer of religiosity to deceive the ignorant, is intellectually arrogant, and seeks to grab power by any means possible. Ironically, a high percentage of these individuals are liberal, American Catholics who turned their back on traditional Catholicism nearly a century ago. Consequently, all they can see is a gigantic, so-called right-wing religious conspiracy, which stretches all the way from Rome to their fundamentalist/evangelical neighbor next door. With a passion, they absolutely hate not having power. This is the context for the current battle in the U.S. Senate.

4/24/2005

I've put together some thoughts under the title, Are We Out To Change The World?. I don't lay claim to articulating them well, but hopefully readers will understand the arguments and provide healthy feedback.

4/23/2005

Growing believers often forget the long road which they've trod to arrive at their current state of maturity. It's easy to become discouraged by the seeming sea of infidelity that surrounds us. However, we should be content in being faithful in the small things and resist following the crowd into all the religious 'hoopla' of the world.

Ever since the 18th century Enlightenment*, the fields (John 4:35) have turned to hardened ground (Mark 4:5). One must employ techniques of cultivation to break through the crust before sowing seed. Blindness regarding mankind's lost estate in Adam is a near universal maxim--and a clear obstacle to the Gospel. The assumption that mankind has free will is so taken for granted that those who posit otherwise are viewed as being out-of-touch with common experience. The myth of free will pervades society like tobacco smoke in a pool hall.

Over the coming weeks, I will edit (for greater readability) and epublish a few of John N. Darby's letters on the subject of sovereignty, free will, and responsibility. A careful review of his correspondence shows that the spiritual conditions in the middle of the 19th century were much the same as they are today.

* - "a system founded upon the presupposition of faith in the omnipotence of human ability." Barth

4/22/2005

Vicious and vile anti-Christian bigotry continues to spread. From college professors, to Islamic militants, to homosexual activist groups, to leaders among the Democrat Party, they ooze contempt and hatred toward all things "Christian." Of course, this in part explains the psychological need for capitulation and accommodation on the part of many prominent so-called religious leaders. They fear conflict and tremble at the thought of confrontations. Cowards! How so unlike Jesus! Observe how He moved among the Pharisees and Sadducees of His day. Notice how He engaged them, then slipped from their grasp.

Never underestimate the possibility for the absurd. Here are some statements from Colorado's Sen. Ken Salazar who is Catholic. Ward Churchill move over!

"I think what has happened is Focus on the Family has been hijacking Christianity and become an appendage of the Republican Party."

"I think it's [Focus] using Christianity and religion in a very unprincipled way."

"...there has been a hijacking of the U.S. Senate by what I call the religious right wing of the country."

The truth of the matter is that the Religious Left Wing is being obstructionist and seeking a tyranny of the minority.

A great site for following the critical confirmation battles is confirmthem.

4/16/2005

Hi Dan,

Your website was the catalyst that sent me into a theological journey that will last the rest of my life. Prayer and study are necessary, but it's always nice to correspond with the engineer (curator) of the catalyst. I have searched the Scriptures and cannot find where it is specifically stated that Jesus was under, fulfilled or kept the Law. Please show me were I've overlooked it or enlighten me as to why I can't find it. Please explain why others say that Jesus did this.

[signed]

Dear [signed]

Please see the following quotation by William R. Newell > Vicarious Law-Keeping?

4/15/2005

Many of our visitors and some of our regulars remain aligned (mentally or in day-to-day living) with either fundamentalism or evangelicalism. However, several are coming to understand that neither of these realms recognize the vital need for true spiritual growth nor embody genuine biblical Christianity. Today's fundamentalist is typically swallow, legalistic, and has a 'hard edge,' while the evangelical is typically conflict adverse, worldly, and subject to chronic compromises in truth. Based on history, one could say the two are reactive and co-dependent upon each other. It is incumbent upon the growing believer to "...grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ." Ephesians 4:15.

Today, evangelicalism is in a struggle for its own identity. See my comments at the bottom of Dr. Donald Grey Barnhouse and Neo-Evangelicalism, Part III.

4/10.5/2005

For those who have requested comment on the views of the Rev. Clarence Larkin, I have published a brief review.

4/10/2005

From time-to-time, we receive comments from those who have fallen prey to what I call dispensational asceticism. These individuals have come to appreciate the unique role of the Apostle Paul and his message to the heavenly Church; however, they go too far in asserting a unitary citizenship for the Christian. This is contrary to the dual (primary and tertiary) citizenship model taught and lived by the Apostle Paul. Their hearts are in the right place; but their minds are not. This is typically the realm of soul eradication. Sadly, a few dispensationalists today even lay claim to being "super-spiritual" or "super-apostles" (2 Cor.11:5). A recent visitor living in Switzerland wrote:

Dear Dan,

I have read your article "Capital Punishment - Death Penalty." You are correct in stating that the "Noahic Covenant" is with the world (not Israel in particular). However as a Christian, I am not a citizen of the world. My citizenship is far above, where Christ is. In the world I am a sojourner and a pilgrim in a foreign land. So what concern to me is this question of capital punishment; indeed what right do I have to "interfere" in the affairs of a system to which I do not belong. This world is under the power of its prince and is not governed according to God's will--not until the Millennial Kingdom is established. Christians are not encouraged (or even commanded) to change this world or its order into God's Kingdom, as so many (especially in the U.S.) are trying to do, in utter futility and ignorance (or better disobedience) to Truth as given in the Word of God. [email slightly edited for clarity]

[signed]

_____________________________

Dear [signed],

The Church, the Body of Christ, holds dual citizenship. See Acts 16-23 were the Apostle Paul exercised rights under his Roman citizenship. One might ask, "If Paul believed Christians had only a heavenly citizenship, why then did Paul "interfere" in the Roman legal system? Why did he not just remain silent?" Similarly, why are the Pauline epistles filled with instruction regarding the earthly (Matt.20:30) institution of marriage? Why would the Hebrew epistle call marriage "honorable", if engaging in such an union was worldly and contrary to one's heavenly citizenship. Paul warns of those who "forbid" believers to marry (1 Tim 4:3).

Your "single" citizenship model is simply not Pauline! I believe your heart is in the right place, but you’ve gone too far…you’ve adopted an unbiblical asceticism similar to what Paul wrote about in Colossians 2:16-23. The Risen Lord does not deem the heavenly Christian’s moral influence ("salt") upon the world to be “interference.” Further, having this moral influence is not the equivalent of seeking to usher in the Millennial Kingdom--a patently false accusation.

While heavenly Christian are called to "live in the world", we are warned against spiritual warfare by fleshly means (2 Cor.10:3-5), being "entangled" by the affairs of the world (2 Tim. 2:4), adopting the "principles of the world (Col.2:8), or being a "friend of the world" (James 4:4). But nowhere are we taught to withdraw from the world. This is not Pauline. [also edited for clarity]

By His sovereign grace, mercy, and love,

Dan

_____________________________

4/9/2005

His Excellency, the Most Reverend Charles Joseph Chaput (Catholic archbishop)

“A man like Pope John Paul comes maybe once in a century…we could see through him to the face of God.”

Lewis Sperry Chafer

"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits" (Matthew 7:5-20). The kingdom warning here [Synoptic Gospels] is against false prophets who are to be discerned by the quality of their lives."

"The warning to the Christian under grace is against false teachers who are to be discerned by their doctrine concerning Christ (2 Peter 2:1; 2 John 1:7-11), never by their lives; for outwardly, false teachers are said to appear as the "apostles of Christ," and to be under the influence of Satan who himself appears as an "angel of light" (2 Corinthians 11:13-15). The attractive personality of the false teacher affords great advantage as a front for the appeal he makes for his false doctrine." [Emphasis mine.]

The Apostle John

“…for they loved praise from men more than praise from God. John 12:43

Paul – Apostle to the Non-Jew:

“He [Jesus Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.” Colossians 1:15

“He [Jesus Christ] is the Head of the Body, the church; He is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything He might have the supremacy.” Colossians 1:18

“For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have this fullness in Christ, who is the Head over every power and authority.” Colossians 2:9

“Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God [the Father]. Colossians 1:3

“The Son [Jesus Christ] is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of His being…” Hebrews 1:3

Peter – Apostle to the Jews:

“Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation, just as our dear brother Paul also wrote you with the wisdom that God gave him. He writes the same way in all his letters, speaking in them of these matters. His letters contain some things that are hard to understand, which ignorant and unstable people distort, as they do the other Scriptures, to their own destruction.” 2 Peter 3:15,16.

Oddly, John Paul II was not representative of American Catholicism (and other denominational expressions), neither was American Catholicism representative of the Pope. There existed a material disconnect. Contrary to Catholicism's claim to unity, Catholics are fragmented and divided--which comes as something of a shock to new converts. Many modern Catholics are not even theistic in their worldview. They are scientific naturalists, with a thin religious veneer. By contrast, the Pope expressed a valid theism. Read this link in First Things. It is a telling legacy that the Pope was never able to address the widespread, immoral secularism within his own flock.

4/6/2005

One regular correspondent writes:

It is a "sad state of affairs" when the "seeker" feels very comfortable at church and the "believer" does not.

4/2/2005

As Jewish talk show host Dennis Prager regularly admonishes his audience, "Clarity, not agreement." Often a better understanding can be gained by catching a glimpse of a subject's antithesis. Thanks to one of our readers for pointing out LiberalsLikeChrist.org (Ray Dubuque*), which can easily be considered the antithesis in perspective to withChrist.org and a prime example of another organized failure to 'rightly distinguish' Scripture. Here we find a site that treats the Word of God as the word of men as well as honors those historical voices who belittle the Apostle Paul (even calling him a "heretic") and much of New Testament revelation. Having an external religiosity, they have yet to set foot out of the past era of the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke). Christ's resurrection and ascension are experientially irrelevant to them. Paul's statement in 2 Cor. 5:16, "So from now on we regard no one from a worldly (Greek: sarx, i.e., "after the flesh", what is external) point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer" has absolutely no meaning to them. Mr. Dubuque, a flaming liberal, claims an appreciation for Christ after the flesh--Jesus of Nazareth. However, he portrays Christ as being racially black, rather than historically Semitic. Typically, liberals pick and choose small portions of the Synoptics, then twist them to support their liberal views. Interestingly, similar sentiment is widespread throughout Christendom, even if it is more subtle at the edges. Failure to understand and enter into union with the Risen and Ascended Lord Jesus Christ (through the "new birth" and spiritual growth) is at the core of all non-dispensational and pseudo-Christianity. The mark of Christendom, with all its ornate cathedrals, vestments, incense, sacraments, pomp and grandeur, is that centuries ago they lost connection with the Head--the Risen and Ascended Lord Jesus Christ, who at this very moment, sits at the right hand of the Father in Heaven. "He has lost connection with the Head from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow." Col. 2:19

Looking for more clarity? Try these articles: Scriptural Christianity, Paul, Lost and Found

* Mr. Dubuque is an ex-Catholic, retired United Methodist minister, and superlative example of the reprobate (adŏkimŏs - 2 Tim 3:8) Anglo-Catholic religious tradition.

4/1.5/2005

Our small community experienced some tragic deaths on Wednesday. The local veterinarian (mid-30s) and her young daughter both perished in a head-on collision with an eighteen wheeler at a high rate of speed. I had hired her husband last summer to help me with a deck project--nice guy and a conscientious worker. She had endeared herself in the area by her warm heart toward pets large and small (even our own), was deeply appreciated by all, and consequently many in the community are struggling to deal with the tragedy. A long-time friend (but not a Christian), turned to me in an effort to deal with the shock of the sudden deaths. I could tell that he didn't feel comfortable asking direct questions, but was curious to understand how I viewed death. We chatted briefly and I returned home and began composing a short, one-page article entitled, The Christian View of Life and Death. I hope to have the opportunity to share in with him. Both my wife and I agree that it is far better to share these truths with family and friends long before loved ones die, due to the emotionally-charged setting after someone is gone.

4/1/2005

Increasingly, mainline media (ABC, CBS, and NBC) and publications like the Los Angles Times, New York Times and the Washington Post simply facilitate propaganda and political tricks for the Left. Check out another fake memo (see "Is the Post Ducking Responsibility, 3/31) which became the basis for a widely-reported story that Republicans were attempting to gain political mileage with the Terri Schiavo tragedy.

3/31/2005

Today is both an end as well as a beginning to a serious struggle. The past week has been an intense moral, ethical, philosophical, and legal crisis for the Nation. To quote Hugh Hewitt, "It is a very serious day, and deserves serious thought from serious people." I will not attempt to go into detail regarding the various issues at hand, rather, I direct readers to listen and read commentary by men such as Hugh Hewitt and Dennis and Dr. Kenneth Prager. I'm sure there are other good sources of information as well. What I do wish to reflect upon is the crisis of government and culture that the Nation finds itself in and to hopefully shed a small bit of light on how we have arrived at this solemn point in history.

America's Founding Fathers were the products of Western civilization and all, philosophically speaking, held to a theistic worldview. While they certainly knew that paganism existed in obscure parts of the globe, they never envisioned the possibility that the long tradition of Western thought would be undermined to the point that atheistic naturalism or postmodernism would become widespread in culture. It was simply unfathomable to their minds. However, they were realists regarding their own labors to create a civil, just, and free society. Their brilliant design of constitutional, democratic, and republican government, its success, and resilience was understood to hinge upon The People. A little over two hundred years ago, John Adams said, "Our Constitution was made for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate for the government of any other." Since public education has effectively produced a nation of immoral and irreligious people, our government has become inadequate. A serious crisis looms.

Democracy, representative government, and the rule of law are all in the process of being voided. How? In short--judicial tyranny. No, we have not experience a violent revolution like that which occurred in Russia in 1913. Rather, our revolution took place over many decades. Due to the effects of postmodernism, most of today's judges do not look to find the meaning behind the authorship of various laws--"originalist". They create meaning by fiat because for them, words contain no inherent meaning except what it means to them. I understand this is a hard concept to understand, but this is the current intellectual state-of-mind of those who 'wear the robes'--judges, professors, and clerics. Supreme Court Justice Scalia explains the 'what' in more detail, but misses the 'why'--a postmodernist judiciary produced by public education. To quote the late Princeton professor A. A. Hodge, "...the United States system of national popular education will be[come] the most efficient and wide instrument for the propagation of Atheism which the world has ever seen."

So these 'rulings by fiat' are proliferating across the land. This week for example, the Colorado Supreme Court, in a 3 to 2 ruling, upheld a lower court that voided the death penalty sentence of a convicted rapist and murderer on the technicality that a jurist had brought a Bible into the deliberation room. The Bible was deemed "extraneous information" from which jurors could not be guided in their deliberations. There were conflicting accounts as to where the court's problem was with the presence of the Book (oddly the same Book which often is found in the main courtroom, unreferenced I'm sure) or whether the juror's reference to transcendent values invalidated the sentence. By all accounts it appears it was the latter and as such, tens of millions of Christians in the state of Colorado were disenfranchised from the public square and stripped of their constitutional right to free speech. The ruling suggests that only atheists and pseudo-religionists are fit to serve as jurors--a dream come true for members of Americans United for the Separation of Church and State.

3/26/2005

As reported in the Washington Post newspaper, America's humanistic Roman Catholic bishops are launching a “national campaign” to bring about an end to the death penalty in America. Using a variety of “tools of persuasion”, they plan to file legal briefs and flood publications and homilies [short sermons] with unbiblical and liberal arguments. Their central premise of a “consistent ethic of life” is based on longstanding religious rationalizations rather than the clear testimony of Scripture, for which Catholicism is legendary. As found throughout the world, the Roman Catholic hierarchy finds various allies in the political left—or is it the other way around?

In our small way, we seek to counter this false teaching. We have designed a concise, two-page presentation in favor of God’s death penalty imperative and the accounting for life (Genesis 9:5), which you can print and share. See Capital Punishment - Death Penalty The murderer has committed a crime worthy of death, the unborn have not. Since there is no moral equivalence, a singular ethical principle is inappropriate. The murderer warrants justice, while the unborn deserves protection and life.

Catholicism and liberal Protestants err because they fail to recognize the basic dispensational divisions of the Word as well as the appropriate realms for application of God's covenants.

3/25/2005

Truth Stranger Than Fiction? - Since we all live in the universe God created, truth is often the catalyst for fictional literature. Take for example the idea of a parallel universe often envisioned in science fiction novels. The reality is found in God’s New Creation entered via the portal of the spiritual--new birth. This birth is not the pseudo rebirths talked about among new age aficionados—mere shifts in consciousness or perception.

“For [the Father] has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves…” Col. 1:13

These intersecting realities are only seen and understood by those called, God’s elect--those who have received the indwelling Holy Spirit, and thus have the ability to experience the supernatural phenomena.

“…we speak of God’s secret wisdom, a wisdom that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began.

“We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us.

“The man without the [Holy] Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned.” 1 Cor. 2:7, 12, 14.

3/20/2005

Judicial Tyranny - This week, much ink, radio air, and pixels were focused on the extreme social engineering by two judges--one in California who issued a fiat degree that legal prohibitions against so-called "gay marriage" are unconstitutional and the other by a Florida judge to usher in legal euthanasia by snuffing the life of Terri Schiavo.

More Orwellian Double-Speak - Chairman of the DNC, Howard Dean, speaking in Toronto, Canada to the group, Democrats Abroad, called the opposition "brain-dead", then pledged to mimic their effective communication style. "The Democratic Party will not win elections or build a lasting majority solely by changing its rhetoric, nor will we win by adopting the other side's positions." Apparently, numbers of taken-for-serious Democrats consider "adopting the other side's positions" as a feasible winning strategy--as odd as that might sound to folks with their heads screwed on straight. Don't Democrats believe as deeply in their positions as Republicans? Or is it really all about having power? The Democrat's positions are largely secular and atheistic, or at best pseudo-Christian. Can we stomach another Gospel verse taken out of context? They really can't grasp the fact that a majority of Americans are genuinely religious. Dean told the crowd, "It will be difficult to win over the many Americans who appear to disagree with Democratic policies on social and moral issues, such as abortion." "We need to figure out how to talk differently about these issues." Why the use of the word "appear"? Need I interpret? Mr. Dean deeply believes that Americans only appear "to disagree with Democratic policies on social and moral issues." How can "brain-dead" Republicans hold reasonable policies on anything? In his mind, the reason Democrats lost the election was not about substance (which he believes is in short supply among his opposition), but rather about failing to make their message "simple" enough for the simpleton public. "Talking differently" will undoubtedly involve rhetoric designed to mislead as many as possible. Keep in mind, this is the very thing they believe the Republicans did to win. So to counter this ploy, always remember "truth is based upon the sense of the words rather than their sound." Liberal Washington Post John Harris confirms in his column today, "The most common question on the political left these days seems to be: How can we emulate [imitate] the right?" They best check with Hollywood--they're the best when it comes to acting. Bracketed comment mine.

3/13/2005

Some Christians are of the opinion that lack of "sound doctrine" in families and churches is largely to blame for our culture's slide into secularism. Further, they believe the influence of scientific humanism can be effectively offset by sound teaching at home and through the Sunday-Wednesday routine. While there is an element of truth to this, the overall logic is flawed. The little time parents and Sunday school teachers spend with youngsters is no way comparable to the time children spend in the classroom--public or parochial. This is not so much a criticism of parents, but rather a statement of reality regarding life in the modern 21st century. Further, public educators have proven themselves faithful in undermining any and all sources of knowledge (truth) other than their own--so-called reality. We again encourage you to read Bruce Shortt's book, The Harsh Truth About PUBLIC SCHOOLS.

3/12/2005

"[P]ublic education is the parochial education for scientific humanism." Joe R. Burnett, an editor of The Humanist magazine

Despite the evangelical revival over the past four decades, the United States is rapidly collapsing into an atheistic and repressively anti-Christian society. How has this occurred? Answer: The progressive effects of public education. The principle of the supremacy of the lowest common denominator (inherent in the classroom) is now expanding to include the public square as well. Everywhere you look, some minority is gaining the upper hand and repressing the rights of the majority culture. Can this trend be resisted? Yes, even today a serious war is being waged for the minds of men--largely through "New Media"--talk radio and the Internet. However, the forces of resistance are puny when compared with the government-funded mechanism which annually graduates millions of hardcore naturalist and atheists. Notice I said, "resisted," not reversed. A skirmish is won here or there, but the war is generally being lost. Since it was largely Methodists and Baptists who led the Nation down the road of public education, I suspect it would be within the power of these same groups to lead us out. Yet given their state of mind, the future does not look hopeful.

In an effort to try and reach this swelling mass of godless individuals (over the same 40 year span), evangelical churches have turned to pragmatism (end justifies the means) and accommodation to gain "results."

"Their method(s) is to descend to the level of those whom they attempt to reach in order to gain rapport and thus a response. This is a costly procedure. In utilizing the world's methods, music, dress, speech, and attitudes, the Christian is inevitably pulled down to the world's level instead of drawing the worldling to a spiritual level. The price paid in infinitely too high for what little is gained." MJS, TCGL, pp: 296, 297.

"Sadly, many Christians live much of their lives as though the naturalist were right...They may sincerely want to do the Lord's work, but they do it in the world's ways--using worldly methods and motivated by worldly desires for success and acclaim.

"We can go so far as to say that if Christians win their battles by worldly methods, then they have really lost. N. Pearcey, TOTAL TRUTH, pp: 362, 363.

3/6/2005

With great pleasure, we have republished an undated edition of Miles J. Stanford's 30 page, polemic paper, THE FAR LEFT and THE FAR RIGHT, which examines and contrasts various writers on the subject of spiritual growth. On the theological left are none other than: Oswald Chambers, T. A. Hegre, and J. Sidlow Baxter. On the theological right (not to be confused with what is right) are: Robert Brinsmead, Francis Schaeffer, John Stott, Jay Adams, and D. Martin Lloyd-Jones. This polemic also includes Miles Stanford's exposition of key verses in Romans Six regarding the subject of the believer's identification with Christ Crucified, Buried, Raised, Ascended, and Seated--the very heart of biblical Christianity and the central theme of withChrist.org.

3/5/2005

"And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the saints" (Eph. 6:18).

Without going into details, I would deeply appreciate the prayers of our readership for my middle son, who is a born-again believer. He was involved in a near-fatal accident nine years ago. Of late, he has become ill with strains of antibiotic-resistant infection contracted during a recent hospitalization. While his prognosis is uncertain, his doctors are optimistic for a reversal in his condition based on having dealt with prior cases. Truly the situation, along with the doctors and nurses, are in the Lord's hands.

"Therefore be clear minded and self-controlled so that you can pray... ...do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised [glorified] through Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 4:7,11).

3/4.5/2005

Some faithful readers of withChrist.org have wondered (out loud) regarding the wisdom of my recommending Nancy Pearcey's book, TOTAL TRUTH and what Miles Stanford would have thought. Some appear uncomfortable with her emphasis upon apologetics and philosophy, in contrast to theology and Bible exposition. If I have misunderstood any of you, I apologize. In the last chapter of her book, Pearcey does seek to anchor all in theology and spirituality--Lordship-centric and quasi-mystic à la F. Schaeffer as it is. Given that I encounter many dispensationalists who are inconsistent in their own biblical worldview, I believe her book has merit...to them. Much will be covered in my future book review.

Contrary to possible popular belief, Miles Stanford was not an anti-intellectual, so often encountered in fundamentalist circles. In fact, some of his detractors were leading fundamentalists. Rather, based on my three decades worth of correspondence and interaction, he was genuinely intellectual, but with a Christ-like heart of humility and compassion. He would often credit his dear wife, Cornelia, for dealing with his own rough edges. He was an voracious reader and had this to say about Dr. Francis Schaeffer and his writings. Underline emphasis mine.

"...dear Dr. Schaeffer, Presbyterian Covenant theologian that he is, and having written and ministered on other subjects with great help to many, including myself..."

So all can hear Miles in context, I will soon publish his Tri-S Series VII, THE FAR LEFT and THE FAR RIGHT. Stay tuned.

3/4/2005

This past week the heartland was shocked to hear that a man by the name of Dennis Rader was the vicious BTK serial killer, and that he had been living a life as an upstanding citizen and active member of a Lutheran church in Wichita, Kansas. Were you shocked? Does your understanding of the biblical doctrine of sin adequately explain this phenomena? Or, were you left scratching your head? If so, read on.

A portion from Miles J. Stanford's booklet, The Adamic Natures, should help clarify the matter.

A man [or woman] is a substantive entity, a person. The traits, or characteristics, of a man are non-substantive, and comprise his nature. A nature is a composition of attributes, and is not to be considered a substantive entity.* Some of the positive characteristics of the "old man", aspects of the old nature, are love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, meekness, and self-control. However lovely, these are but fleshly facsimiles of the fruit of the Spirit as found in Galatians 5.

On the other hand, some of the negative fleshly characteristics of the old man, aspects of that same old nature indwelling every man are, "adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, hatred, strife, jealousy, wrath, factions, seditions, heresies, envyings, murders, drunkenness, revelings, and the like."

Beautiful and beneficial as the positive characteristics of the flesh may be, all, including both the positive and the negative, are rejected of God. Why? Because their source is the condemned Adamic life. For "in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing."

* Contrary to the widespread error among many dispensationalists, who speak of "the sin nature" as being a substantive entity.

Dennis Rader is an extreme contrast example of the negative and positive fleshly characteristics of mankind's inheritance from the First Adam. In Adam, each and every one of us is a mixture of both positive and negative fleshly characteristics. In Christ, we become a New Creation. While many will immediately grasp the common sense nature of this as true, others will find it a stunning theological insight which will help in understanding God's truth in sanctification. It hit me like a brick...30+ years ago.

2/27.5/2005

Do You Measure Up? On a related note, multi-billionaire Bill Gates, in a speech before a meeting of state governors, hinted at the bankruptcy of American education by labeling high schools "obsolete." However, the problem goes far deeper than Gates lets on or is aware of. Statistics (available from the National Science Foundation) show that the United States ranks way behind Asia and European-industrialized societies in the numbers of graduates in engineering and science. Further, the U.S. system doles out degrees to illiterates and the typical American humanities degree is not worth the paper its printed on. Thus, American graduates are way outclassed when competing on the international field. And politicians wonder why American business has gone to outsourcing jobs. In the future, look for liberals (and state governors) to clamor for more money and to promote affirmative-action, labor legislation which gives points to graduates of the public schools (a form of protectionism) over against graduates from other countries who might truly know their stuff.

2/27/2005

Dr. Bruce N. Shott, graduate of Harvard Law School and Stanford University (Ph.D. - Fulbright Scholar) has recently released his 466 page (90 pages of end notes) exposé of public education in America, The Harsh Truth About PUBLIC SCHOOLS. Dr. Shott documents what I have been saying for nearly 10+ years, that the government-supported system of education was doomed to failure before the first school ever opened its door and thus to speak of "reform" is nothing short of "popular delusion." This is contrary to David Limbaugh's thesis (and shared by numerous other evangelicals) that public education wasn't inherently a problem until the schools were hijacked by secular humanists--thus Christians should be working to reclaim lost ground. I covered this point in my review of Limbaugh's book, Persecution. For real change (separation of school and state) to occur, the revolt against public education must forge an alliance with the coming revolt by retiring baby boomers against onerous property taxes--the primary source of funding for the bankrupt public educational system.

2/26/2005

What do AARP, Muslim mortgages, and homeopathy have in common? Answer: All three violate the principle of common sense reality--they're nonsense.

All three are attempts to stand reality ‘on its head’. This past week brought me into contact with the three subjects above. Like “Baghdad Bob” (Saddam’s minister of disinformation) who proclaimed daily “There are no American infidels in Baghdad!” while American soldiers were capturing government buildings the next block over, the mentioned subjects are three prime examples of people and ideas that simply don’t fit with the Creator’s universe. Some explanation is certainly in order.

Common Sense Reality. Nancy Pearcey, in her book TOTAL TRUTH, has a section (beginning at page 311) entitled Making Sense of Common Sense. The principle of common sense has basis in the philosophical tradition Thomas Reid and Scottish Common Sense realism. Put simply, “the reason our minds and senses are trustworthy is that God designed them to work reliably (making exception for lack of reliability when altered by drugs or disease) in the world He created” and “…embracing a philosophy that denies the truths known [shared in common] by experience is sheer craziness.”

AARP – The power to make it better? No, AARP is a force to make things worse. For those not yet 50 years old, AARP stands for the Association for the Advancement of Retired Persons--similar to the NAACP acronymn. Mostly known as a vehicle for procuring “seniors’ discounts”, this national organization has become one of the most powerful left-wing lobbyist groups on Capitol Hill. AARP solicits members and membership dues by mailing their widely-known AARP membership card to those in their late 40s and early 50s. Those who fall for the discount gimmick wind up supporting the organization’s left-wing and sometimes radical agenda. On Friday, AARP took out a full-page ad in the Money section of USA Today newspaper spouting nonsense regarding proposed changes to Social Security. Their clever ad suggests that those proposing “private accounts” were attempting to “tear down the entire house” of Social Security. This fear mongering is a typical tactic of Democrats and the liberal left. The article was packed with pure nonsense. I (a 56 year old male who certainly has a vested interest in the discussion) have begun working on an article which seeks to impart a basic understanding about the Social Security program and why the Democrat/Left are simply wrong on all points. The leadership of AARP are out of touch with reality when it comes to the financial status of Social Security.

Muslim Mortgages. The religion of Islam is a system of “works” with the greatest virtue being the act of killing infidels (non-Muslims) when the zealot identifies the least bit of resistance to the “true” faith. This same tenet can be found in Catholicism during portions of its history. Catholicism did have the ability to moderate these tendencies, while one must be concerned about whether Muslims can rein in their own violent extremists.

In the same USA Today, the cover story explained the growing phenomena of so-called “interest-free” Islamic loans. According to sharia law, Muslims are forbidden from either earning or paying interest. However, Muslim-owned finance companies on American soil are proliferating by offering these mortgages and other ‘structured’ financial products. The hocus-pocus here is that the Islamic bankers are simply re-labeling the interest being charged as “rent” and/or “fees”—often at a premium. Their ‘sharia-compliant’ products carry an effective APR of 150-200 basis points higher than a “Western” mortgage loan. The IRS recognizes the reality of these so-called “rent or fee” payments, and thus allows them to be deducted as interest on the 1040 tax form. Further, government-insured lender Fannie Mae is purchasing pools of these loans. What a sham and scam. I wonder what the future default rates will look like?

Homeopathy, a so-called “natural and drug-free” approach to health and medicine is cultic nonsense. Why? Because its central tenet (principle) is a metaphysical tenet which cannot be found to operate any where else in the known universe except in the minds of adherents. Its origin can be traced back to the German physician Samuel Hahnemann (1755-1843). Dr. Hahnemann developed an elaborate catalog of substances (medicines) which could be administered to individuals (patients) suffering from various maladies. One of the numerous novelties of the doctor’s approach was the principle that the effectiveness of a substance was inverse to its concentration or strength. Thus, the doctor’s “cures” were subject to dilution and succussion (shaking) with the claim of unleashing awesome power through the combination of the two. With each dilution, the potency of the cure was said to be exponentially increased and thus the contra-common sense claim that the most diluted solution was the most powerful. What’s in the bottle is nothing but water. How do Christians get drawn into believing this nonsense? A detailed explanation can be found in Examining Alternative Medicine – An Inside Look at the Benefits & Risks, Reisser, Mabe, and Velarge.

2/20/2005

We're coming down the home stretch with TOTAL TRUTH. Nancy Pearcey has produced a very well-written philosophical tome (yet at a level a well-read layman can comprehend) on the Scriptural mandate for a renewal in the way Christians think--Romans 12:2. I expect to write at least a brief review to be published at RenewingMinds.net. I have already linked the book's home page at that website. Despite the fact her Lutheran and Presbyterian/Reformed background limits her understanding of non-Reformation traditions (particularly the Dispensational heritage), she does a good job in outlining "evangelical" history relative to her central thesis.

The New York Times newspaper (NYT), highly popular voice for the radical far Left, got their hands on some secretly recorded tapes of conversions by George W. Bush before his 2000 election. Certainly their content will sharpen the knives of the religion-hating and anti-Christian bigoted left-wing politicos, who have long believed the conspiracy theory that George W is simply a lackey for the "Religious Right." Entitled In Secretly Taped Conversations, Glimpses of the Future President, the NYT story designed to identify and highlight potential scandal was first linked at DrudgeReport. The individual who 'wore a wire' was Doug Wead, a former Assemblies of God (Pentecostal) minister, liaison to evangelicals, and advisor to former President Herbert Walker Bush. Mr. Wead, writing a sociological book on the childhood of Presidents, sparked reporters interest and questions by making reference to the tapes existence. The NYT article provides insight into the delicate, verbal balancing act required of anyone in the public spotlight--especially politicians. While then Governor of Texas, Bush shrewdly aimed at not alienating either evangelicals or "unnerving secular voters", as well as carefully monitored several hot topics among conservative Christians like homosexuals and their agenda, foreign policy, and how they dealt with personal moral failure. One thing for sure, George Bush's political savvy was far greater than the Left's ongoing efforts to paint the President as a 'country bumpkin'. Articles like this are sure to provoke an organized effort by the Left to be more politically-savvy (engaging in their own balancing act) as well as more chameleon-like toward conservative religious voters. The Left is well equipped to genuinely play the role of Judas. Events mentioned in this article reinforce my longstanding belief that God remains active in the affairs of men. The question we must ponder is whether the administration of George W. Bush will represent a 'high water mark' for Christians or whether God will bless us with more leaders who have genuine ties to biblical morality and virtue?

2/13.5/2005

Some might wonder why this Journal has been rather silent for the past two weeks. Well for starters, I've had to face a number of challenges at work--demands of all sorts, particularly intellectual. Then, my wile and I are read (out loud on the sofa) Nancy Pearcey's book TOTAL TRUTH which I mention earlier. She's a accomplished writer--consequently the book's a real delight and fun to read, but also challenging. And finally, I've come across a number of new articles as well as have received some interesting email. All-in-all, its been three blistering, non-stop weeks. For those with interest in why some evangelicals have moved into Catholicism, you'll find fascinating Scot McKnight's article from the Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society - From Wheaton to Rome: Why Evangelicals Become Roman Catholic. I've linked it at my own critique of Scott Hahn.

2/13/2005

Sadly, the current state of the cyberworld has forced us to implement some email control. As the Internet currently functions, various marketing ploys, ad lists, and malicious virus programs scan the Internet to harvest email addresses. Increasingly, we found ourselves the target of all kinds of spam mail as well as our address used as the phony "From" line to launch computer viruses and worms. This change does not affect correspondents who have us entered in their current email address book. Rather, all new visitors are now directed to How To Email Us.

1/30/2005

Readers will not want to miss the February 7th edition of TIME Magazine which is now on newsstands. The lead article, Evangelicals in America, profiles the "25 Most Influential Evangelicals in America." The splash piece is likely part of the continued effort of the political Left (on behalf of the Democratic Party) to understand the how and the why of their November defeat, and to reinforce their fear and suspicion of a Christian theocracy sweeping America--which is utter nonsense.

According to the list selected by the magazine's investigative staff, the subtitle of the article would better read, "25 Most Politically-Conservative and Influential Evangelicals in America". What these so-called "journalists" fails to grasp is that politics is "downstream from culture". The article seeks to again portray the "Religious Right" in hackneyed conspiratorial tones. The sneering tone must help in selling the magazine to their left-leaning audience.

The list of "25" include:

Purpose Driven Rick Warren

Ex(?)-reconstructionists Howard and Roberta Ahmanson

1st Amendment defender David Barton

Fellowship Foundation's Doug Coe

Founder of Prison Fellowship--Chuck Colson

Hispanic Baptist minister Luis Cortes

Focus on the Family's James Dobson

Salem Communications co-founder Stuart Epperson

Bush speechwriter Michael Gerson

Neo-evangelical leaders Billy and Franklin Graham

NAE President and Pentecostal Ted Haggard

"Seeker-sensitive" pioneer Bill Hybels

Black Pentecostal, 'self-empowerment guru'--T.D. Jakes

IRD President Diane Knippers

High-profile and widely-know Tim & Beverly LaHaye

SBC lobbyist Richard Land

Ecumenical "emerging church" leader Brian McLaren

"Prospersity" advocate and Pentecostal-charismatic Joyce Meyer

Ex-Lutheran, now Catholic intellectural Richard John Neuhaus--founder and editor of First Things

Wheaton College church historian Mark A. Noll (see correspondence between Miles Stanford and Professor Noll in the right margin)

Executive editor of Christianity Today--J. I. Packer

Evangelical Catholic and Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum (a possible presidential candidate in 2008)

Messianic Jewish attorney Jay Sekulow (considered by some a "counterweight" to the nefarious ACLU)

One of W's biographers--Pentecostal-charismatic Stephen Strang (publisher of Charisma and,

Global missionary leader Ralph Winter.

Oddly missing, is Texas Professor Marvin Olasky--the brainchild and architect of compassionate conservatism and reported close friend of George W. Bush.

1/29/2005

For nearly ten years, we have followed (and at times participated in) various interactive, theological Internet forums. Forums are organized into discussion threads focused upon specific sub-topics. The quality spectrum of forums can range from the well run and highly edifying all the way to anarchistic free-for-alls where mudslinging is the rule. It's generally tough work for administrators and moderators to maintain standards and enforce order and protocol--and few are successful. A fair number (not all) of forum participants are refugees from America's public illiteracy system. Sadly, they can't spell nor construct coherent sentences, or are too lazy to make the effort. Further, many participants are adverse to reading and study (their Bibles or theological literature) and consequently come to forums to be spoon-fed easy and simplistic answers to complex questions.

In contrast to this group, there exists a handful of hungry hearts who are similar to the Apostle Paul's son in the faith--Timothy. These individuals take serious 2 Timothy 2:15: "Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." It is to these that the following comments are addressed.

Christian author and theologian, Miles J. Stanford wrote numerous polemic papers introducing dispensational-oriented believers to classic Pauline Dispensational theology--particularly its soteriological (redemptive) elements. Several of these papers were published collectively in paperback as PAULINE DISPENSATIONALISM.

A more extensive and in-depth treatment of classic Pauline Dispensationalism can be found in Roy A. Huebner's hardbound ELEMENTS OF DISPENSATIONAL TRUTH, Volume 1, Second Edition, (#1910) available for $35 plus shipping from Bible Truth Publishers. I have created a summary Table of Contents to give our regular readers an insight into the contents of the book. Click here.

These two books contain many of the answers to questions raised in theological forums regarding dispensationalism in general, and classic Pauline, Traditional, Progressive, and post-Acts 2 dispensationalism in specific.

1/18/2005

What seems to trigger such intense visceral emotion against the current Democratic Party (at least for me) is their utter blindness and grotesque hypocrisy. Yesterday, a so-called holiday* dedicated to the Rev. Martin Luther King, liberal Senator John Kerry was again at the podium harping upon a favorite Democrat hobby horse--Blacks supposedly being disenfranchised from the voting process. The gross hypocrisy of the Left stems from the fact that for decades the Democrats and their secular thugs (groups like the ACLU, People for the American Way, and Americans United for Separation of Church and State) have engaged in a relentless war to disenfranchise conservative religious citizens from the voting booth. As John Kerry** articulated during the debates, their fundamental premise is that religious principle is a private matter and should not influence public policy. To do so, supposedly violates the "separation of Church and State"--their erroneous interpretation of the Establishment Clause of the Bill of Rights. Of course this is totally absurd nonsense and contrary to the Nation's history, and thus deserves absolute contempt and ridicule. What's worse, the Democrats selectively apply their rule to conservatives only. Liberal religionists are free to cast their votes--and preferably more than once if possible. Further, when their twisted thinking is challenged, they believe they're standing on moral high ground! Who in the world can awaken them from their moral stupor?

* An Internet poll taken on CNN.com asked the question, "Will you do anything special to commemorate today?" At the time I viewed the results, it was 6% Yes and 94% No.

** Kerry's attempt to "sound more religious" during the campaign did not go unnoticed by the general public. Many clearly saw the political posturing and that his Roman Catholicism was nothing more than a thin veneer of ritualism. Like a majority of the Left, at core, he holds to a secular (atheistic) worldview. This facade of religiosity is widespread among American Catholics as well as liberal Protestants.

1/16/2005

Through a variety of circumstances, the low state of the Church has been repetitively driven home to me over the past several months. The most profound insight (IMHO) I've been shown is how contrary modern evangelicals (those who have imbibed the spirit of postmodernism) are to the Apostolic spirit of the NT. When the Apostles speak on the topics of love and unity, it is always in the context of the reality of genuine knowledge and truth. However, modern religious leaders have attempted to sever the virtues of love and unity from their NT context, and to transplant them into the alien soil of a relativistic culture. This process gives new and different meaning to these words, and the fraud should be seen as an abomination of the intent of both the human authors as well as the Holy Spirit. Further, when Christians discover an absence of so-called love and unity in families and the local church, a severe disillusionment is the result. In an effort to articulate what's happened, please read my recently written article, Criterion for Genuine Christian Ministry.

1/14/2005

Each week we receive a number of questions regarding dispensational theology from a spectrum of visitors--neophytes to those like ourselves who've spent years in study and research. As mentioned on our AboutUs page, we adhere to Classic Pauline Dispensationalism. In an effort to help the more studious visitors (particularly the young men who love the Lord and sense a call to leadership), I've put together a simple (draft) chart entitled Dispensationalism's Theological Landscape, which is sure to spark new and additional dialogue. Enjoy!

1/9/2005

With the ~~pending~~ democratic landslide election of Palestinian terrorist Mahmoud Abbas to succeed Palestinian terrorist Yasser Arafat, we are given to wonder how the American proponents of the messianic character of democracy (devoid of Christian roots) will be left scratching their heads. What they fail to realize is that, for some nations and people, religious ideology and hatred of Jews and Israel trumps any lure of Western-style personal freedom and economic well-being--a key premise of why the rest of the world should be eager to embrace democracy. No, some peoples would rather live in oppressive chains and eat dust than surrender their burning hatred of the Jewish people as well as Christians and Americans. Nevertheless, we continue to observe and read with interest about the so-called efforts to bring "reform" to the wider Middle East.

1/1/2005