Christian Bloggers

Nathan Busenitz of Pulpit Magazine will complete a three-part series on the Christian in the blogosphere tomorrow. He asks the question, "What principles should guide Christians who interact on blogs?" The blogosphere provides an open forum for healthy theological discussion and Christian education. However, as with any good thing, there are those that abuse the privilege. Busenitz draws attention to this truth and reminds us to examine our hearts and our motives before "jumping in."

I'm a Heretic

I confess that I am a heretic. Dr. Jerry Falwell has found me out. I refer the reader to Tom Ascol's recent blog where he comments on the following statement by Falwell to nearly 2,000 prospective students of Liberty University:

"We are not into particular love or limited atonement. As a matter of fact we consider it heresy."

While I disagree with Dr. Falwell's interpretation of the purpose and scope of God's love and Christ's atonement, I would not call him a heretic deserving the flames of hell. As a matter of fact, I have gone to great lengths to correct those who have remarked that they did not believe those of a semi-Pelagian persuasion (such as Dr. Falwell) teach a false gospel and therefore are not truly saved.

However, lest one misunderstand the ramifications of the word "heresy," consider the words Peter:

1 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves. 2 Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; 3 and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep. 4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment; 5 and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; 6 and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter; 7 and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men 8 (for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds), 9 then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment. [2 Peter 2:1-9 NAU]

According to Peter, if I am a heretic as Dr. Falwell claims, then I should be disciplined by my church unless I repent of my interpretation of Scripture that God does not specially love all men equally and that Christ's atonement actually saves and does not merely make one savable. And, given the fact that my oldest daughter is currently considering where she will continue her education following high school graduation next year, I take it from Dr. Falwell's comment that she, also a heretic like her father, would not be considered by Liberty University.

Now for the irony of all of this. I am very grateful for the ministry that Liberty University has had in my own life. You see, it was in the midst of working towards a Bible diploma from Liberty University that I came to my heretical Reformed persuasions. I was studying Church History as one of my electives and began for the first time ever to read about heretics like Martin Luther, John Calvin, John Knox, John Owen, Jonathan Edwards, George Whitefield, William Carey, Charles Spurgeon, and others. This inflamed my passion to read R. C. Sproul, John MacArthur, John Piper, etc.

So, Dr. Falwell, I have you to thank (not blame) for making me a heretic.

Life in HD

I must admit that I am fascinated with the current technology in television. As I sat in the home of a friend just before Christmas and watched the SEC football championship on a 42" screen in high-definition I felt as if I was right there on the field with the players. Every image was clearer than I have ever seen before. It was almost real life.

This past Sunday I preached a sermon entitled "Men Like Trees, Walking" from Mark 8:22-26. It is the story of Jesus' healing an unnamed blind man brought to Him by a few of the man's friends. Due to the flow of the narratives in Mark 8, many believe that this miracle is performed not only for the blind man, but to send a message to the disciples as well concerning the progressive nature of sanctification.

Our spiritual vision is distorted much like this man's physical sight after Jesus' first touch. As Paul put it, we see in a mirror dimly. But Paul goes on to say that on the day we see Christ face to face, all will be crystal clear. Our spiritual vision will one day be better than high-definition.

The truth that every believer needs to address is why it is that we see things only partially. Why do we see things as a blur when God has clearly revealed all we need to live a life of great faith in His Word? Our vision is clearest as the Holy Spirit illumines God's Word, allowing us to understand the doctrines of the Christian faith. Our faith matures as we hear the Word and heed the Word. We demonstrate a clearer vision as we put into practice those things that the Spirit illumines.

Yes, we will one day see things crystal clear. But is that your passion today?

Church Hopping

Last week Baptist Press had an article entitled "Study examines why adults switch churches." The top 10 reasons for leaving a church other than residential relocation are highlighted in the article. The following was noted:

To understand why adults choose to change churches, 415 "non-mover" church switchers -who changed churches for reasons other than changes to their residential location -were surveyed in December 2006. The top two specific reasons people leave their church have to do with their needs not being fulfilled by their previous church. Of all reasons churchgoers choose to leave their previous church, the top specific reason is because the "church was not helping me to develop spiritually," encompassing 28 percent of non-mover church switchers. Another 20 percent of respondents said they left because they "did not feel engaged or involved in meaningful church work."

In God's providence I had just finished reading this article when I decided to clean some old files off of my laptop. In doing so I ran across an article by Lance Quinn, pastor of The Bible Church of Little Rock, entitled "Counseling People Who Desire to Leave Their Local Church." This is an important issue concerning sanctification and maturity in the Christian life. With Quinn's permission I am providing a link and encourage you to read his paper and compare it with the reasons given above. Pastors will find this to be a valuable resource in counseling those that are contemplating leaving their congregation for another local church (and, I might add, in seeking to join their local church from another locally). Quinn makes this vital point:

"What do we make of the motives of those who choose to leave their local church for preferential reasons only?... If they leave for the sake of fulfilling their own preferences, it is simply not a good reason to leave... We have not nor would not say they are leaving because of willful sin... If a person leaves for preferences' sake, they show themselves to be leaving for reasons that can only be summed up by their present lack of maturity... The simple fact is this: all immaturity is not willful sin, but it is nonetheless a failure to conform to the ultimate standards of God's law."

I realize that this type of type of teaching will not lend itself to popular church growth methods. However, that is not the point. Our calling as believers is to live in obecdience to the Word of God - to hear it and to heed it. Take care, brethren, that your "preferences" do no cause you to stumble.

Sending Mixed Signals

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi's visit to Syria has drawn the ire of many in Washington. President Bush rightly suggested that her meeting with President Assad is "sending mixed signals" to the Syrian government and called the meeting "counterproductive."

Upon hearing this news, I immediately lashed out in the flesh against the Democrats who are proving to be polar opposites to everything and anything that could be "productive" in the Bush administration. I believe the Dems are right to press some of President Bush's policies. That is why our Constitution is one of the greatest governmental documents ever written. It allows for checks and balances. However, this freedom is often abused by leaders on both sides of the aisle. They often react by swinging the pendulum too far in an attempt to provide balance.

As I pondered this debacle on the part of Pelosi I began to think of the Christian's walk in this world. I wonder how often professing believers "send mixed signals" to an unbelieving world by giving the appearance of identifying with people and things that prove to be "counterproductive" to the cause of Christ and the gospel. It is a difficult thing for the believer to be in the world but not of the world. But that is why God leaves us here. Jesus prayer to the Father in John 17 was that the Father leave us in the world to sanctify it in truth as He is truth. We must guard our hearts and minds in this regard. While people's perceptions are often incorrect, they are perceptions nonetheless that frame their opinion not only of us but of Christ as well. We must take great care in all of our relations to reflect Christ and His holy name.

From Toronto to Emmaus

James White has done it again! His latest release, From Toronto to Emmaus , absolutely refutes any and all of the so-called "evidence" that the Talpiot tomb is the tomb of Jesus of Nazareth and that Jesus was married to Mary Magdalene and had a child named Judah.

The book covers in detail the three areas of "evidence" that the founders of the documentary The Lost Tomb of Jesus purport, which recently aired on the Discovery Channel. These three "evidences" are: 1) the inscription on one of the ossuaries ("bone boxes") which the founders claim to be the name "Mary Magdalene"; 2) the DNA from bone fragments in these ossuaries; and 3) statistical data that allegedly proves that this is in fact the family tomb of Jesus of Nazareth.

White follows up with the main sources used in determining what he correctly proves is a myth. Each of the sources admits to have been misled, either through lack of information or outright dishonesty. While their findings were accurate, they were only accurate in so far as the information they were provided. From that, the founders put a "spin" on the findings to reflect their presupposed notions about the tomb. Sources admit to being taken out of context. Of course, the founders never admit to any of this, nor do they share any evidence that would prove their findings inaccurate. They simply leave out some of the details.

Why is this book so important? White shares his concern:

As an apologist, a writer, a professor, an elder in the church, I long to see believers equipped to do the task of ministry. But we live in a society trained, from infancy, to disbelieve. The Christian worldview has been utterly overthrown, not only in the society as a whole, but sadly in a large portion of that which calls itself the "Church." For many complex reasons the front door of the church has been of little use in keeping the influence of a very anti-biblical, anti-Christian way of thinking out of the church. As a result, many who have been introduced to the faith in a context where the full spectrum of biblical truth is not presented are in little position to engage the strongest challenges of the opponents of Christianity today. An inconsistent theology often leads to an inability to defend the faith. These believers, insofar as a work of grace has been done in their hearts, will persevere in the faith, but without discernment and knowledge they will be crippled in their ability to give witness to the risen Christ who lives through them. [p. 6]

That is what is at stake. The Lost Tomb of Jesus provides one of the greatest challenges to the resurrection of Christ today. On this Easter, I encourage you to get this book, read it, and prepare yourself to defend the faith against this myth.