I just turned in my last research paper for the Master's Seminary (assuming I don't get it back with the big words typed across the top "REWRITE!"). It's sort of weird because I've spent the last four years of my life turning in research papers at this school! But, I just turned in my last paper and am awaiting the next step, Lord willing, in life--pursuing a PhD at Baptist Bible Seminary in NT under the supervision of Dr. Rod Decker. I plan to do research in the area of intertextuality and/or the NT's use of the OT.
Though at times, I feel like this kid:I must bear in mind that if God brings you to it, he'll see you through it. Praise God! I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at TMS and am grateful to the LORD for carrying me through the programs there. I feel like my preaching skills, exegetical precision, and theological accuracy has solidifed--and for that, I am tremendously thankful to God!
“Tell stories from the pulpit!” is often a phrase that many expository preachers decry, but I am of the opinion that there is the proper place and use for such “stories.” By stories, I do not mean that you read a 3-page story downloaded from the internet to support a point. By story, in this present context, I simply mean a short anecdote, a pithy illustration, a visual simile so that the audience can see what you are saying.
As the preacher, you want your people to track with you at all times in the sermon. You want them to see it, feel it, taste it, smell it, and be there! You want there to be an audible gasp at the climax of your illustration or anecdote. Obviously, the prince at this was Charles Spurgeon. He was the master of causing you to feel what you are hearing. Read this excerpt:
“It is pleasant to pass over a country after a storm has spent itself; to smell the freshness of the herbs after the rain has passed away, and to note the drops while they glisten like purest diamonds in the sunlight. That is the position of a Christian. He is going through a land where the storm has spent itself upon his Saviour’s head, and if there be a few drops of sorrow falling, they distill from clouds of mercy, and Jesus cheers him by the assurance that they are not for his destruction. But how terrible is it to witness the approach of a tempest: to note the forewarnings of the storm; to mark the birds of heaven as they droop their wings; to see the cattle as they lay their heads low in terror; to discern the face of the sky as it groweth black, and look to the sun which shineth not, and the heavens which are angry and frowning! How terrible to await the dread advance of a hurricane—such as occurs, sometimes, in the tropics—to wait in terrible apprehension till the wind shall rush forth in fury, tearing up trees from their roots, forcing rocks from their pedestals, and hurling down all the dwelling-places of man! And yet, sinner, this is your present position. No hot drops have as yet fallen, but a shower of fire is coming. No terrible winds howl around you, but God’s tempest is gathering its dread artillery. As yet the water-floods are dammed up by mercy, but the flood-gates shall soon be opened: the thunderbolts of God are yet in his storehouse, but lo! the tempest hastens, and how awful shall that moment be when God, robed in vengeance, shall march forth in fury! Where, where, where, O sinner, wilt thou hide thy head, or whither wilt thou flee? O that the hand of mercy may now lead you to Christ! He is freely set before you in the gospel: his riven side is the rock of shelter. Thou knowest thy need of him; believe in him, cast thyself upon him, and then the fury shall be overpast for ever.” (Morning and Evening, Morning, Feb. 25th)
May we be those preachers who apply this to our preaching so that we’re not exegetical dump trucks backing up to the Sunday morning dock and then dumping everything upon our hearers. We will sooner drown them with boredom than save them with the gospel!
One of the greatest calls of God given to man is the responsibility to preach His divine message to lost souls. That all men are sinners, doomed for God’s terrifying and eternal wrath is the fundamental truth and underlying predicament revealed in the Scriptures—both Old and New Testaments. What is so common, unfortunately, in today’s churches is for the Bible to be set aside and replaced by dramas, pithy pep-talks, seeker-sensitive dialogues which may give a few truths here and there intermixed with many untruths.
God’s Word clearly reveals that it is through the word of Christ that one believes and is saved (Rom 10:17). Therefore, how ought we as preachers to seek to save one’s soul if we set aside the only means that can accomplish that very reality? Of course, the preacher cannot save the soul of anyone. But it is God speaking through the preacher who speaks His words boldly with clear application so the listeners know that “a prophet has been in their midst” (Ezek 33:33).
How utterly foolish it is for pastors and preachers who have been entrusted by God to shepherd, feed, and protect their flock to set aside the living, active, and sharp sword of God’s Word. It is the Word which gives life. It is the Word which convicts. It is the Word which reproves. It is the Word which reveals and offers salvation. It is The Word of Life that can forgive one’s sins and reconcile a radically wretched sinner with a wholly worthy God. Preacher—hear the plea, never forsake the Word of God. Preach it! And then preach it more! And then preach it over and over again. Preach it cover to cover. Preach it thoroughly. Preach it provocatively. Preach it authoritatively. Preach it applicationally. Preach it as if you were the mouthpiece for God declaring not your own words but His words—because YOU ARE! Therefore, preacher, PREACH THE WORD.
I have been convicted recently regarding my prayer life. I think all Christians face this periodically. And though all Christians do pray, we all acknowledge that we don't pray enough. It's painfully convicting to read through the Scriptures, do an in-depth study of the prayers therein, and then compare them with our own prayers. Most of the time, this leads to the conclusion that our prayers are very man-centered (anthropocentric) rather than God-centered (theocentric). How disappointing this must be to our great God!
As I was talking with a man in our church today over lunch, we discussed the utter necessity to persevere in the practice of prayer. We must not give in to the laziness of prayer that so often characterizes our prayers. Why is it that our mid-week prayer services are often the least attended service in the church calendar? Why is it that when we open it up for corporate prayer, very few people pray? And those that leastdo pray, it's usually the women.
Of course, I praise God for the prayers of the women, but where are the men? Where is the male leadership when it comes to this essential discipline in the Christian life? I firmly believe that part of the reason the church is in the current state it's in lies in the sad--albeit true--reality that our men have failed to lead in being fervent prayer warriors in our churches! I've thought on this quite a bit and I think I'm right in this regard.
I believe that a prayerless Christian is a non-Christian. One who claims to have fellowship with God MUST commune and communicate with his God. Consider this thought: the health and vibrancy of your spiritual life may be ascertained by looking in your prayer closet. If you do this, what is the spiritual state of your life? Are you dead already? Are you in critical condition? Are you in ICU? Is the ambulance coming to pick you up already?
Let us take heed to the convicting--yet necessary--words from Martyn Lloyd-Jones:
"When a man is speaking to God he is at his very acme. It is the highest activity of the human soul, and therefore it is at the same time the ultimate test of a man's true spiritual condition. There is nothing that tells the truth about us as Christian people so much as our prayer life. Everything we do in the Christian life is easier than prayer" (Studies in the Sermon on the Mount, 46).
Last night I preached on Psalm 19:7-14 on God's Revelation in His Word. The text is absolutely packed with truth regarding the doctrine of the Bible ("bibliology"), the character of God ("theology proper"), and the doctrine of salvation and sanctification ("soteriology"). If you so choose, I will post the link here if you want to listen to it. I was greatly blessed in my studies and even while I was preaching as the text encouraged and challenged my heart anew. Praise God!
Also, here's a tidbit from The Valley of Vision:
I thank thee that many of my prayers have been refused-- I have asked amiss and do not have, I have prayed from lusts and been rejected, I have longed for Egypt and been given a wilderness. Go on with thy patient work, answering 'no' to my wrongful prayers, and fitting me to accept it. Purge me from every false desire, every base aspiration, everything contrary to thy rule. I thank thee for thy wisdom and thy love, for all the acts of discipline to which I am subject, for sometimes putting me into the furnace to refine my gold and remove my dross. No trial is so hard to bear as a sense of sin. If thou shouldst give me choice to live in pleasure and keep my sins, or to have them burnt away with trial, give me sanctified affliction. Deliver me from every evil habit, every accretion of former sins, everything that dims the brightness of thy grace in me, everything that prevents me taking delight in thee (p.77).
One week-night, when I was sitting in the house of God, I was not thinking much about the preacher's sermon, for I did not believe it. The thought struck me, How did you come to be a Christian? I sought the Lord. But how did you come to seek the Lord? The truth flashed across my mind in a moment—I should not have sought Him unless there had been some previous influence in my mind to make me seek Him. I prayed, thought I, but then I asked myself, How came I to pray? I was induced to pray by reading the Scriptures. How came I to read the Scriptures? I did read them, but what led me to do so? Then, in a moment, I saw that God was at the bottom of it all, and that He was the Author of my faith, and so the whole doctrine of grace opened up to me, and from that doctrine I have not departed to this day, and I desire to make this my constant confession, "I ascribe my change wholly to God."
We announced yesterday that Israel sign ups are now open to anyone interested in going with us! We have limited spaces you won't beat the price--anywhere! Just to let you know how fast this is going, we announced it yesterday in church and by the end of the morning we had four people signed up with the deposit handed in. So don't waste time! Pray about it, and then when the Lord confirms your desire to go, write a check and send it to us so we can secure your spot for this unforgettable trip!
We had a wonderful time this February in the land of Israel and we trust it'll be the same this December.
Lou Priolo. Teach Them Diligently: How to Use the Scriptures in Child Training (Woodruff, SC: Timeless Texts, 2000).
Abstract: This work assists parents in the role of child training in that it clearly explains the need for the parent to know the Scriptures, understand the Scripture, and apply the Scriptures to every aspect of life—including parenting! He focuses on the reality that child rearing involves the Holy Spirit, the Scriptures, and time.With God’s help and with His sufficient Word, the Christian parent and implement God’s Word in every aspect of parenting and trust God to bring about the result that would bring Him the greatest honor and glory.
Review by: Geoffrey R. Kirkland
associate pastorl CCC
Priolo begins the work by stating: “There are at least three essential ingredients necessary to produce the Christ-like maturity you are to be endeavoring to produce in your children. They are the Spirit, the Scriptures, and time” (2). Noteworthy, the Scriptures can be learned by any child as soon as he is capable of understanding anything! Of course, Priolo argues through the course of the book, the goal of parenting is to make the child like Christ. That is an impossible task humanly speaking, but nonetheless, it is the task which God has sovereignty granted to all parents!
After the introductory chapter, he proves the necessity of teaching the Scriptures to the children. In fact, he spends a bulk of the chapter exhorting the parents to know the Word themselves first! He says: “If you are going to teach your children God’s Word, you must know the Scriptures yourself” (11). To quote him at length:
“What then are the means whereby you may impress these Scriptures on your heart? They are regular Bible reading and Bible study, biblical discourse (letting the word of Christ richly dwell within you involves ‘teaching and admonishing one another with psalms [and] hymns [and] spiritual songs,’ etc.), especially with your children (‘and you shall …talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up’), listening to the teaching and preaching of God’s Word, and, perhaps most importantly, daily meditation on the Scriptures (which we shall study later). Yet beyond all of this, having God’s Word on your hearts means that the Scriptures are governing all areas of your life. When God’s Word is on your heart, it affects your entire life” (13).
An important truth as revealed in Deuteronomy 6 is the reality of teaching the child “in the milieu”—that is, in the situation itself.
The necessity of convicting and correcting with God’s Word is also important as the parent not only seeks to teach the Word of God, but the parent must convict the child of sin and correct that behavior to put off the sin and put on Christ as Lord.
Not only is the book very theological (which it is) and biblical (which it is), but it is loaded with very practical helps. He gives, for instance, some practical examples of training the child with the Scriptures: start the child on a regular program of Scripture memory, train the child to meditate on Scripture, apply appropriate Scripture passages to all areas of life, train the child to obey your instructions the first time, train the child to communicate biblically, and train the child to think biblically about all aspects of life.
He includes a helpful chapter on disciplining children and ascertaining how and when to discipline the child. How young is too young? How old is too old? When should the discipline take place? In public? In private? Hard? Soft? What if the child says, “I’m sorry?” All of these are questions that Priolo answers with biblical support in the chapter entitled The Rod and Reproof.
Perhaps the biggest lesson I learned from the book was Priolo’s emphasis on teaching the child in the moment. If the child is caught in a lie, take the time and get to the root issue in the child’s heart, bring appropriate Scriptures to the fore, and help the child himself think through how he ought to change and what practical ways he can start to implement this change!
I would highly recommend this book to any young married couple who will soon have children. I would also commend this book to all couples who are in the midst of raising children. Not only are there practical helps contained in the book, but Scripture verses are replete in every chapter! It is, indeed, a manual on how to use the Scriptures in child training
We have looked at seven of the most serious assaults of the Roman Catholic Church on biblical Christianity. To review, here they are:
1. The Supremacy of God’s Words in the Bible
2. The Sufficiency of God’s Son
3. The Singularity of God’s Gospel
4. The Sovereign Grace of God
5. The Security of God’s Children
6. The Sanctity of God’s Church
7. The Severity of God’s Judgment
We have looked at each of these briefly giving the Catholic view and then the Scriptural rebuttal which, in every case, contradicts and trumps the RC doctrine. I am troubled when I read of a movement forming (which is actually one of many), Evangelicals and Catholics Together (ECT) which is signed by leaders of both the RC church as well as the Evangelical church (signed in 1994, 1997, 2002 and most recently in 2005). ECT says:
We give thanks to God that in recent years many Evangelicals and Catholics, ourselves among them, have been able to express a common faith in Christ and so to acknowledge one another as brothers and sisters in Christ. We confess together one God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; we confess Jesus Christ the Incarnate Son of God; we affirm the binding authority of Holy Scripture, God’s inspired Word; and we acknowledge the Apostles’ and Nicene creeds as faithful witnesses to that Word.
The very last thing I can ever think to do would be to sign an agreement with another religion that anathematizes (i.e. damns as worthy of eternal hell) those who believe in justification by faith alone apart from human merit. The RC church teaches in the Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 1459:
The sinner must "make satisfaction for" or "expiate" his sins. This satisfaction is also called "penance."
And again in paragraph 1477:
"In this way they attained their own salvation and cooperated in saving their brothers.”
I am troubled by this. If there is a Christian who says he can join hands in agreeing with the Catholics who deny the very fundamentals of true biblical Christianity, then have reason to approach these individuals, with love, and exhort them to stop treating the RC church as “brothers and sisters” but to start evangelizing them as lost sinners heading to hell who are in desperate need of a Savior.
In conclusion to this, what can we as bible-believing, blood bought, heaven-bound saved sinners do? Let me suggest three applications: 1) Expose the deeds of darkness by faithful expositional and biblical preaching (Eph 5:11) 2) Be on guard so as to not be carried away by every wind of teaching (2 Pet 3:16-18) 3) Pray and evangelize to your Roman Catholic friends with patience, love, gentleness and humility (1 Pet 3:15)
One final note, one of the best resources out there for Christians to learn about Catholicism is Mike Gendron’s website. He has an excellent page with excellent and helpful articles. This is an invaluable resource!
We have seen already the first four attacks of the Roman Catholic (RC) church on the orthodox doctrines as found in Scripture. Here is the summary of seven of the attacks:
1. The Supremacy of God’s Words in the Bible 2. The Sufficiency of God’s Son 3. The Singularity of God’s Gospel 4. The Sovereign Grace of God 5. The Security of God’s Children 6. The Sanctity of God’s Church 7. The Severity of God’s Judgment
We will look at the next three attacks in brief.
Fifth, the Roman Catholic church is attacking the security of God’s children. This is not only a clear assault on the clarity of Scripture’s teaching on the believer’s security, but it also incorporates the doctrine of soteriology. By this I simply mean that when the RC church says that your salvation is not absolutely secure, that means that you, therefore, have some part to play in keeping yourself saved. With that in mind, on the contrary, consider:
Jude 1:24-25 24 Now to Him [Jesus Christ] who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.
From this verse it seems as though Jesus Christ is the one who secures our salvation and keeps us safe. The RC church says that no one is ever absolutely and eternally saved from sin. That is what purgatory is for. When you commit a mortal sin, then you, essentially, lose your salvation until you do enough penance, confession and good works to merit yourself back. This is unfortunate, discouraging and anti-biblical.
According to the RCC, one who knows that he has eternal life has committed the "sin of presumption" (Catechism of the Roman Catholic Church, paragraph 2092). Regarding this issue of the believer’s security, one more strong support will suffice:
Romans 8:35-39 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? 36 Just as it is written, "For Thy sake we are being put to death all day long; We were considered as sheep to be slaughtered." 37 But in all these things we overwhelmingly conquer through Him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, 39 nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Sixth, the Roman Catholic church is attacking the sanctity of God’s Church. The fact that the RC church claims to be just as authoritative as the Word of God in written form (i.e. the Bible). That the RC church says that both what the Pope says and also what he claims are infallible is another faith. It’s another religion. It’s a false religion. The Pope is not the head of the church. Peter is not the head of the church. Mary is certainly not the head of the church (cf. Luke 1:47). Jesus Christ is the Head of the church. Period. He shares His Headship with no one--certainly not the Pope.
Ephesians 1:22-23 22 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fulness of Him who fills all in all.
Colossians 1:18 18 He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; so that He Himself might come to have first place in everything.
Colossians 1:24 24 Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I do my share on behalf of His body (which is the church) in filling up that which is lacking in Christ's afflictions.
May we all recognize that the Church of the Lord Jesus Christ (that is, those who are truly regenerate and have come to Christ as Lord and Savior by grace through faith and have turned from sin and submitted their lives to Christ) will obey and submit to Jesus Christ as the sole Head of the Church.
Furthermore, the church is holy. It is consecrated. It is set apart. Let us never forget Nadab and Abihu (cf. Lev 10) who came to offer a sacrifice before the Lord with strange fire. They came into God’s holy and awesome presence in an unsatisfactory way and God struck them and dealt with them severely. Oh how I can envision God’s judgment coming on the false church of Jesus Christ (cf. Gal 1:8-9).
Seventh, the Roman Catholic church is attacking the severity of God’s judgment. The sheer fact that Roman Catholicism teaches that a person can go to so-called “purgatory” (which really doesn’t even exist) to atone for sins is a blatant broadside upon the clear judgment of God.
Hear these severe verses of the wrath of God that we must understand:
Psalm 5:5-6 5 The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes; You hate all who do iniquity. 6 You destroy those who speak falsehood; The LORD abhors the man of bloodshed and deceit.
Revelation 20:10 10 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.
Revelation 14:9-10 "If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he also will drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is mixed in full strength in the cup of His anger; and he will be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb.
The RC church attacks the severe judgment of God upon all those who reject Him. We know from the Sermon on the Mount that many will think they are believers to awake after death and shockingly and bitterly find that they will be cast forever into conscious, eternal torment hel and ultimately the lake of fire:
Matthew 7:13-14 3 "Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. 14 "For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it…. Matthew 7:22-23 22 "Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?' 23 "And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.' May we be love our Catholic friends and share with them the glorious gospel of salvation which all unbelievers need to hear! May we seek to do this with patience, love, gentleness and with biblical authority.
We have made mention of seven crucial biblical truths that are under attack by the Roman Catholic (RC) church:
1. The Supremacy of God’s Words in the Bible
2. The Sufficiency of God’s Son
3. The Singularity of God’s Gospel
4. The Sovereign Grace of God
5. The Security of God’s Children
6. The Sanctity of God’s Church
7. The Severity of God’s Judgment
We previously have touched upon how the RC church is attacking the supremacy of God’s Word as well as the sufficiency of God’s Son as the efficacious and sufficient sacrifice for sins. But today, I want to look at the next few:
Third, The Roman Catholic Church is attacking the singularity of God’s gospel. Here’s what I mean. To say that believing in Jesus Christ alone or, to use more biblical phraseology, that Jesus is “the way, the truth and the life and no one comes to the Father but through [Him]” is not enough is to attack the singularity of the biblical gospel. The RC church adds to God’s “gospel” indulgences to remit punishment for sin. This, however, is completely absent from the Bible. Moreover, the Bible is absolutely clear that there are no “indulgences” that can remit punishment for sin. That’s what eternal hell is for, and still, even that, can never fully satisfy the penalty and payment for sin. Listen to these texts:
Psalm 49:7-8 7 No man can by any means redeem his brother, Or give to God a ransom for him-- 8 For the redemption of his soul is costly, And he should cease trying forever--
Hebrews 9:22 22 And according to the Law, one may almost say, all things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness.
So here, the only way to atone for sin is through the shedding of blood. It is another essential crux of the RC church to say that the Pope is the “head of the church.” Well, Scripture clearly says otherwise and, sorry to say, the pope is not infallible, inerrant or inspired by God when he speaks. Listen to God’s Words:
Colossians 1:18-20 18 He [Jesus] is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the first-born from the dead; so that He Himself might come to have first place in everything. 19 For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fulness to dwell in Him, 20 and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven.
Ephesians 1:22-23 2 And He put all things in subjection under His feet, and gave Him as head over all things to the church, 23 which is His body, the fulness of Him who fills all in all.
So it is not the Pope here who is the head over all things given to the church, but rather it is Jesus Christ, the God-Man.
Fourth, the Roman Catholic church is attacking the sovereign grace of God. This is one of the clearest truths in all the Scripture and the RC church eliminates all of the glories of God’s grace from the inspired Word of God. The RC church says that God’s grace is insufficient to atone for all of our sins. To say it differently, God is impotent or incapable of forgiving us all of our sins at the moment of conversion. That is, to be brash, why they must go to confession and confess their sins before a (human and infallible!) priest, why they must do good works to merit their own salvation and why they must go to purgatory to purify sins after death before entering heaven. Scripture is convincingly true that there is no purgatory (it’s either eternal heaven or eternal hell), and there is no need to go to confession and confess sins before a human priest.
1 John 1:7 7 but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.
Luke 23:39-43 39 And one of the criminals who were hanged there was hurling abuse at Him, saying, "Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!" 40 But the other answered, and rebuking him said, "Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? 41 "And we indeed justly, for we are receiving what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong." 42 And he was saying, "Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!" 43 And He said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise."
May it be known that the RC church is attacking the sovereign grace of God in salvation which offers regenerate people forgiveness of sins in total. There is no sacrifice left to be accomplished. There is no need for another sacrifice. If there were, then the sacrifice of Christ on the cross would have been insufficient and, hence, we would be still dead in our sins and without hope (cf. 1 Cor 15:1-22).
It is my prayer that we understand these RC doctrines that are so false and so antithetical to the Scriptures and, with love and gentleness, confront these dear people with the truth so as to rescue them from the damning trap of Satan’s gospel wrapped in Christian garb which only leads to eternal hell.
I noted a couple of days ago that the Roman Catholic Church (RCC) is attacking seven crucial doctrines found in the Bible.
The Roman Catholic Church is attacking: 1. The Supremacy of God’s Words in the Bible 2. The Sufficiency of God’s Son 3. The Singularity of God’s Gospel 4. The Sovereign Grace of God 5. The Security of God’s Children 6. The Sanctity of God’s Church 7. The Severity of God’s Judgment
I want to address the first two today and hopefully, bit by bit, equip you and encourage you to reach out with love, compassion, humility and an open Bible to your Catholic friends.
First, The Roman Catholic Church is attacking the Supremacy of God’s Word as revealed in the Bible.
This matter of attacking the Word of God is no foreigner to today’s contemporary evangelicalism and all the fads and new church movements that have risen and fallen as of late. Yet, every attack on the Word of God has failed and failed miserably. Is it no wonder that the Word of God has been attacked for thousands of years and yet it still stands true. It still stands the same. It doesn’t need to adapt to culture or any other contemporary mindset? Let us recall the words of Isaiah:
Isaiah 40:8 8 The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.
So, to the matter at hand, the RCC is attacking the supremacy of God’s Word as revealed in the Bible because, fundamentally, the RCC states that the Word of God is not the sole authority as having come from God (this is excluding general revelation, that God reveals Himself in and through creation and nature, that we would adhere to). The RCC has three supreme authorities. Yes they claim the Bible is one of them. The second is that the Pope has the authority to declare "inspired words." The third infallible authority is church tradition, that is, what has been passed down through the ages. However, this is in stark contrast with what we read in God's Word, for the Word of God declares repeatedly:
2 Timothy 3:16-17 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; 17 that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.
Matthew 4:4 4 But He answered and said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.'"
1 Thessalonians 2:13 13 And for this reason we also constantly thank God that when you received from us the word of God's message, you accepted it not as the word of men, but for what it really is, the word of God, which also performs its work in you who believe.
Acts 17:11 11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily, to see whether these things were so.
I give all those Scriptures to show from Scripture that Scripture alone is sufficient for life and godliness (notice the deliberate exclusion of the Pope, apostolic succession, church tradition). Be aware that the RCC church denies (and “anathematizes”) anyone who denies papal authority or church tradition as inspired! We must respond to this with:
Galatians 1:8-9 8 But even though we, or an angel from heaven, should preach to you a gospel contrary to that which we have preached to you, let him be accursed. 9 As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to that which you received, let him be accursed.
Second, The Roman Catholic Church is attacking the Sufficiency of God’s Son. Wow, we could spend days and weeks and months proving biblically that Jesus Christ alone (notice, again, the deliberate exclusion of Mary, the pope, tradition, priests, indulgences, confession, rosary, etc) saves a person from hell. Permit me to give a few clear Scriptures:
Acts 4:12 12 "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men, by which we must be saved."
John 14:6 6 Jesus said to him, "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.
Acts 16:31 31 And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved, you and your household."
Romans 10:9-11 that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved; 10 for with the heart man believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, "Whoever believes in Him will not be disappointed."
Purgatory at the core distorts the sufficiency of Christ because the RCC teaches that one atones for sins in purgatory before entering into heaven. If this is the case, then that demands that Christ's death on Calvary's cross was insufficient to atone for all the sins of those who believe. This is a false gospel.
Furthermore, let it be known that when the RCC says that in order to be saved you must believe in Jesus PLUS anything else, that is clear-cut heresy. The disturbing reality of the RCC church is that it is so-called “Christianity” when, in reality, when you peel back the layers of tradition, popery, Mariolatry and other “olatries” you find a slide leading millions (and billions!) of souls to hell while thinking all the time that they are genuine “Christians.” Christian, be prepared. Trust in the supremacy of God’s Word and the sufficiency of God’s Son.
I posted a series of blogs about a year and a half ago on the Roman Catholic Church (hereafter, RCC) seeking to expose some (of the many!) of its flaws and where and how it contradicts what the Bible clearly teaches. So, because of the need again, I will post (and add and revise) them in the coming days.
I have been burdened and disheartened and discouraged by the false and deceiving doctrine that is being taught in this religion. The sad part is, this RCC is indoctrinating millions and millions of people with false truth so that they think they’ll go to heaven when in reality they will wake up in hell (no purgatory).
So, permit me for the next few posts to get some of this stuff mingling in my brain out. I’d like to give seven RCC attacks on what the Bible teaches. And this will, then, reveal to us that Roman Catholicism is, indeed, false religious system in the dress of “Christianity.” Unfortunately, millions and billions of souls have no idea that they are deceived. Here are the attacks:
The Roman Catholic Church is attacking:
1. The Supremacy of God’s Words in the Bible 2. The Sufficiency of God’s Son 3. The Singularity of God’s Gospel 4. The Sovereign Grace of God 5. The Security of God’s Children 6. The Sanctity of God’s Church 7. The Severity of God’s Judgment
It is my hope that over the next few posts that I can elaborate more not only on the RCC doctrines and beliefs (and heretical teachings) on these issues, but also offer a biblical and sound rebuttal to equip you to evangelize with love and patience your Roman Catholic friends.
Hebrews 10:10-14 10 By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. 11 And every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; 12 but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time onward until His enemies be made a footstool for His feet. 14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified.
The core of biblical Christianity is the reality that Jesus Christ bore the sins of His own people in full. That is to say, the simple gospel presented in the Scriptures is that all humans have sinned and are damned to eternal hell to pay for sin unless God Himself intercedes.
To my knowledge, every other world religion claims that man plays some part in salvation (paradise, utopia or whatever). But according to the Bible, this only damns a person to eternal hell because no man can ever work his way into eternal life. The simple reason for this is that all humans have sinned (Psalm 143:2). There is no one who does right before God and never sins (Ecclesiastes 7:20). So, this is where we as humans are in desperate need for God Himself to intercede if He wants to save us.
And this is precisely what God did—through Jesus Christ. Jesus is the Messiah who was foretold in the Hebrew Scriptures (i.e., the Old Testament). He is the image of the invisible God (Col 1:15) and the exact representation of God’s nature (Heb 1:3). Therefore, Jesus—being very God Himself—is the only One who is able to save sinners such as you and I from our sin.
He lived a perfect life without ever sinning but yet paradoxically he died a criminal’s death. He died the most horrific punishment having never committed one lawless deed—ever! And this He accomplished for sinners such as you and me.
This means of salvation is only attributed to the sinner’s life by “faith” alone (Eph 2:8-9) in Jesus Christ. Therefore, salvation is totally ‘outside of us’ and is accomplished in full by another in our behalf. When the sinner believes upon Jesus Christ with saving faith—as opposed to the mere intellectual knowledge or sheer temporal faith—he is instantly, supernaturally, and immediately justified by God. That means that the sinner is not only declared by God, the Perfect Judge, to be absolutely sinless but, on the flip side, the sinner receives the absolute perfect righteousness of Jesus Christ. This is the glory of salvation.
This, however, is not the end of the story for the Christian. The Christian, having been justified, then is a “new creature” and therefore “old things have passed away” (2 Cor 5:17). It is inevitable, then, that the redeemed sinner would endeavor to live a life to honor, obey, and serve the One who saved him from all of his sins. This is a life of obedience. This is a life of conforming to the image of Jesus Christ—what is theologically termed “sanctification.” This is the inevitable result of justification.
It is my hope today that God would stir your heart anew with the glory and the simplicity of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Never forget that you—if you believe upon Christ—have been saved by God. For, after all, “salvation is of the LORD” (Jonah 2:9).
In the last number of months, with the demands of ministry and the obligations of school I have been reminded that I must persevere in the practice of daily prayer. This is the primary duty for all Christians—the businessman, the mother-at-home, the college student, the Jr and Sr High kid, and especially the pastor.
All believers must make it a daily ambition to pray to God. Prayer energizes the soul with a firm and steadfast trust in the Lord and His Sovereignty. Prayer reminds the sinner that He is not in control, the Almighty Omnipotent is. Prayer expresses to God that which we are unable and incapable of doing in our own strength and ability. But what a confident assurance every genuine Christian has, namely, God has all ability to accomplish anything to bring Him the greatest glory and to conform each of His children (i.e. “Christians”) to the image of Jesus Christ.
A prayerless Christian is an oxymoron—it cannot nor does it exist. A prayerless preacher of the gospel ought to step out of full-time ministry. Any person claiming God to be his Master and who neglects the Christian (essential) discipline of prayer is a prideful and arrogant person who thinks he can live the Christian life in his own (feeble, human, and fallen) strength. May we take the verses to mind from Paul’s letter to the church in Colossae:
Colossians 1:9-14 9 For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding,10 so that you may walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;11 strengthened with all power, according to His glorious might, for the attaining of all steadfastness and patience; joyously12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in light.13 For He delivered us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son,14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins.
Packer, J.I. and Mark Dever, In My Place Condemned He Stood: Celebrating the Glory of the Atonement. Wheaton, IL: Crossway, 2007.
To reclaim with the centuries of Christians, the cross of Jesus Christ is, no doubt, the absolute centerpoint of evangelical (“biblical”) Christianity—period. In this much-needed in our modern liberal-bent, wishy-washy evangelical day, Packer and Dever put the infinitely glorious atonement of Jesus Christ, his penal substitution, the propitiation of the Father’s angry and fierce wrath, and the accomplished work done in place of the Christian by Jesus Christ hails as the thematic thread weaving every chapter together with breathtaking beauty. This work is absolutely needed because of the modern-day attack on the biblical doctrines of penal substitution and divine propitiation. In the book, JI Packer, Mark Dever, Ligon Duncan, Albert Mohler, Jr., and CJ Mahaney all unite and remind everyone that the truth has been and still is central in biblical Christianity,
Man of Sorrows! What a name
For the Son of God, who came
Ruined sinners to reclaim:
Hallelujah, What a Savior!
Bearing shame and scoffing rude,
In my place condemned He stood;
Sealed my pardon with His blood;
Hallelujah, What a Savior!
Indeed this has been sung since the mid nineteenth century and shall be sung til our Lord returns. As Mohler states in the foreward: “If we truly stand together for the gospel, we stand together for the fact that Christ died on the cross as our substitute, paying the infinite penalty for our sins we could never pay” (15).
Current evangelicals may be puzzled over the modern-day objections to this biblical truth. Western liberal unorthodoxy is essentially declaring that violence is always immoral and since the biblical doctrine of penal substitution at its very heart explicitly affirms that Jesus suffered severe, divine, and infinite wrath from God the Father, then this must—no doubt—be the most heinous account of human violence ever created. Truth be told, this is not a created account. Contrariwise, this is at the heart of the gospel. At the fore of the modern-day liberal critics is a misapprehension of the sinfulness of mankind. If we truly understood just how wretched we really are then we would understand the infinite wrath from Almighty God that we deserve in the eternal Lake of Fire.
The first chapter is really an introduction (and reiteration) of the doctrine of the atonement and penal substitution as the Scriptures speak of it. For the Apostle Paul, the reality that Christ bore our penalty in our place is the very heart and soul of the atonement. Hear what Paul says,
2 Corinthians 5:21 21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
Galatians 3:13 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us-- for it is written, "CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE "—
Galatians 2:20 20 "I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.
What these phrases have in common is the unified theme that Jesus Christ was crushed by the Father for sinners; that is, in the place of, or on behalf of sinners! What a redemption!
Packer then unPacks the “heart of the Gospel” for about 30 pages in chapter 1 talking about propitiation, God’s anger, the atonement, and what it means for us as sinful creatures who believe in Jesus Christ to be at peace with the Holy God of the universe!
The second chapter in the book talks about penal substitution and clearly, concisely, and cogently defines just what this phrase means and how the Scriptures do, in fact, affirm that Jesus Christ—the God-man—paid the infinite penalty that we sinful, immoral, and idolatrous creatures deserve by bearing the eternal and infinite punishment from the Father as our substitute.
Mark Dever follows Packer in speaking of the blood of Christ and how we are saved by being cleansed by His blood. He dealt with the critics and listed a number of opposing theories and viewpoints to penal substitution. Yet Dever confidently and rightly affirmed that penal substitution is “the dominant atonement image used in the Bible” (106). He concluded with exhorting the reader to be atonement-centered. It is, Dever argues, impossible for one to be ‘too-atonement-centered.” Therefore, we must center our lives around Christ’s atonement.
Packer concludes the work by giving a brief—albeit helpful—introduction to John Owen’s magnum opus, The Death of Death in the Death of Christ where he unswervingly and biblically and irrefutably affirms that Jesus Christ’s death on Calvary’s cross actually accomplished salvation for sinners. Therefore, as Owen asserts, when Jesus died on the cross, he finally and fully accomplished redemption and thereby saved His own elect only for eternal salvation.
In conclusion, I note Spurgeon and how responds to some criticisms from those who believe in universal redemption (unlimited atonement):
“We are often told that we limit the atonement of Christ, because we say that Christ has not made a satisfaction for all men, or all men would be saved. Now, our reply to this is, that, on the other hand, our opponents limit it: we do not. The Arminians say, Christ died for all men. Ask them what they mean by it. Did Christ die so as to secure the salvation of all men? They say, “No, certainly not.” We ask them the next question—Did Christ die so as to secure the salvation of any man in particular? They answer “No.” They are obliged to admit this, if they are consistent. They say, “No. Christ has died that any man may be saved if…”—and then follow certain conditions of salvation. Now, who is it that limits the death of Christ? Why, you. You say that Christ did not die so as infallibly to secure the salvation of anybody. We beg your pardon, when you say we limit Christ’s death; we say, “no, my dear sir, it is you that do it.” We say Christ so died that he infallibly secured the salvation of a multitude that no man can number, who through Christ’s death not only may be saved, but are saved, must be saved and cannot by any possibility run the hazard of being anything but saved. You are welcome to your atonement; you may keep it. We will never renounce ours for the sake of it” (quoted on 129).
I highly recommend this essential and extremely-needed work. It is simple enough that the newest Christian can read and comprehend, yet it is saturated with enough Scripture and theology that even the most brilliant of theologians have meat to chew on until that Final Day.
Till then, let us keep laboring for the biblical gospel where our Savior bore the Father’s wrath in place of sinners who believe in Him. This is cause for great glory and joy!
I must bear in mind that if God brings you to it, he'll see you through it. Praise God! I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at TMS and am grateful to the LORD for carrying me through the programs there. I feel like my preaching skills, exegetical precision, and theological accuracy has solidifed--and for that, I am tremendously thankful to God!
I must bear in mind that if God brings you to it, he'll see you through it. Praise God! I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at TMS and am grateful to the LORD for carrying me through the programs there. I feel like my preaching skills, exegetical precision, and theological accuracy has solidifed--and for that, I am tremendously thankful to God!
