Monthly Archives: May 2013

May 16 2013

Desiring God’s “Love Letter to a Lesbian” Disappoints

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John Piper’s Desiring God ministry put the story of a young Christian who struggles with lesbianism in a place where it does not belong.  The Front Page (here).

Delight in Truth’s disappointment is not with the story of conversion, and her declarations about God and His redemption.

Also, there is no disappointment in the correct theology described in this well written article.

I am also not disappointed with the attempt at evangelizing those who are in open rebellion toward God, and who practice lesbianism.

I am disappointed with the fact that Desiring God is promoting a person who apparently came to Christ, but who has not yet mortified her desires for the same-sex as prescribed by Romans 8:13.

“For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.”

She provides Scripture supporting the idea that homosexuality is wrong, sinful and abominable, but admits a struggle with it.  This young woman has not yet been completely set free, while the possibility of being set free exists! Quote:

“There was a time in my walk with Christ where I experienced a lot of temptation about falling back into lesbianism. These temptations caused me to doubt God’s word. My temptations and desires began to become more real to me than the truth of the Bible. As I was praying and meditating on these things, God put this impression on my heart: “Jackie, you have to believe that my word is true even if it contradicts how you feel.” Wow! This is right. Either I trust in his word or I trust my own feelings. Either I look to him for the pleasure my soul craves or I search for it in lesser things. Either I walk in obedience to what he says or I reject his truth as if it were a lie.

The struggle with homosexuality is a battle of faith.”

She continues to struggle with these “lesser things” and feelings while she understands that they contradict God’s word.

Mortification of the flesh is not easy.  Anyone who struggles with this level of flesh desire should not be promoted as an example in what is otherwise an exemplary ministry by John Piper.

When a compulsive liar who lies and exaggerates everyday, one who cheats every year on his income taxes, one who lives a continuous lie experiences the new birth, he will put to death the old tendencies of his nature and not want to commit them again.

When a heavy smoker quits smoking after Christ becomes the center of his life, he no longer desires the old cravings.  Same with drug and alcohol addicts.

The solution for mortification of homosexual desire is found in the sanctifying work of the Holy Spirit. There are many examples of those who have achieved this, not on their own, but through God’s supernatural work in their lives.

These are the ones who should be promoted as examples of the complete work of regeneration by the Holy Spirit.

May 15 2013

Moral Failure Among Church Leadership

How is it possible that we have failures such as Gosnell’s crimes, acceptance of sexual deviancy, and close to a moral anarchy-type system in our society?

Is it possible that the Church has failed in setting the proper example?

Is it possible that Church leadership shares a good portion of the blame?

A recent study out of Pennsylvania reveals that about 20% of pastors PUBLICLY hold morally corrupt views that are not biblical.  This goes a long way toward explaining why some churches have become the world, and they no longer are a shining moral beacon.

The Pennsylvania Pastor’s Network interviewed EVANGELICAL pastors from across the state, and here are some of the shocking results:

  • Exclusive salvation only through Jesus Christ: 89% teach that view
  • The Bible is the only completely reliable source of absolute moral truth: only 78% teach that view
  • Abortion is morally wrong: only 78% teach that view
  • Same-sex marriage is morally wrong: only 82% teach that view

The questions were focused on teaching, but the thrust of the study lets me believe that perhaps the numbers are much worse with respect to these pastor’s personal beliefs.  They are more likely to hold morally unacceptable views privately but suppress them publicly.

The main issue in the above study is the issue of inerrancy and infallibility of Scripture.

The ones who do not hold to absolute moral standards are also less likely to hold the Bible as the ultimate inerrant truth.

These are wolves in sheep’s clothes who shepherd or rather corrupt the flock.

On his way final way to Jerusalem, apostle Paul called a conference with the elders of the Ephesian church, and prophesied a painful truth which has proven to apply to the universal church along the ages.

Acts 20:

29I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. 30Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. 31So be on your guard! Remember that for three years I never stopped warning each of you night and day with tears. 

How painfully true this is in our day and age.  The spirit of Rob Bell has infiltrated the evangelical church and as many as 20% of the pastors have been corrupted according to this study.

But the glass is only half empty.  Praise God for the other 80% who continue to hold to biblical truth.

May God strengthen them by the power of the Holy Spirit!

May 14 2013

Gosnell’s Jury was Pro-Choice

Which makes the first degree conviction for ensuring the premature babies’ demise after they were aborted alive that much more significant.

Nine jurors were pro-choice which means they adopted a relative morality with respect to abortion.  Kind of like… everyone does whatever they want with their body.

Two jurors said they were neither pro-choice nor pro-life, which makes them indifferent to abortion.  

The remaining juror is assumed to be pro-life.

From the very beginning of the trial Delight in Truth was highly skeptical that a verdict of Murder One would come through.  Many experts expected a manslaughter conviction, at the maximum.  

The odds were overwhelmingly in Gosnell’s favor given the makeup of the jury, yet after hearing the testimony, the jury could not be indifferent to life.  The jury unanimously decided that those aborted babies were murdered by Gosnell.

The defense was shocked.  

They suspected coercion, or something fishy with the jury.  They insisted that each juror be questioned individually and asked if they agreed with the verdict.  

Each juror, one by one, was polled individually and each gave a resounding “I agree!” with the verdict.

A brief internet search reveals that this conviction may be the first of its kind in the post Roe v. Wade era.  It is a symbolic victory.  It shows how ridiculous it is to think that it is ok to kill a fetus in-utero, but it is murder to kill her post delivery.  It points to the double standard we accept in our society that it is ok to kill the unborn, as long as they are in the womb.

Let us hope that we will see a genuine pro-life shift in this country as a result of this trial.

Abortionists at large took notice of it, I guarantee it.

“When justice is done, it brings joy to the righteous but terror to evildoers.” Proverbs 21:15

image credit: YahooNews

May 13 2013

Guilty of Murder One!

PHOTO: Dr. Kermit Gosnell is seen during an interview with the Philadelphia Daily News at his attorney's office in Philadelphia, March 8, 2010.

In the case of abortionist Kermit Gosnell, the jury found him guilty of murdering three babies after they were born alive.

The careless disregard for human life, the sordid maneuver which snapped the cervical spine of those premee newborns, and the unapologetic attitude by Gosnell finally caught up to him.

It is amazing how long God has been patient  with this man.  The blood of thousands of unborn were crying out to God, and their cries could no longer be ignored.  The cries of the newborn whose “demise” was “ensured” by Gosnell penetrated to heaven.

The pro-life movement received an invigorating shot in the arm today.  Our legal system came through and dealt a blow to the abortion industry.  Perhaps the most powerful blow in 40 years, as the common citizen was exposed to the horror of abortion, and Gosnell was found guilty of murder.

Kermit Gosnell might be executed for his crimes.  He might pay with his life and in this life.

As horrible as this situation is, Gosnell still has a chance to repent.  He will pay for his crimes with life in prison or with execution, make no mistake about it.

But he still has the opportunity to accept the Gospel.  It is unlikely that a hardened soul like Gosnell will give in, but God can use the impending doom of his demise to make him see his depravity and his need for the Savior.

Image: Yong Kim/Philadelphia Daily News/AP Photo
May 12 2013

Treatise on the Trinity with a 6-Year-Old

6-year-old Michael: Daddy, are Jesus and God the same person or two different persons?

Daddy: Yes and Yes.

Michael: How is that possible?

Daddy: There is only one God.  The Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit are three distinct persons, but they are One.  And there is only One God.

Michael: I really don’t get it.

Daddy: Me neither. But we do not have to understand it.  We just have to believe it!

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May 11 2013

Abortion as Murder in the Legal System

The horrible case of kidnapper/raper/murderer Ariel Castro is one of the most sickening news events of the past year.

In a long list of despicable things this man did was the alleged act of violently causing his victims to miscarry their babies when he got them pregnant. It is alleged that he did this by punching the pregnant abdomen of his victims in addition to starving them.

It caught my attention that prosecutors are considering charging him with the murder of those unborn babies.

Lets break it down and see how inconsistent our society is with respect to abortion.

An evil man like Castro induces the death of a number of unborn children.  He will likely be convicted and spend a lifetime in jail as he should.  The issue here is between three parties: Castro, the unborn children who have been murdered, and the LAW.

Let us switch scenarios and examine what happens in Planned Parenthood every day.  Abortionists induce the physical death of millions of unborn babies and society gives them a pass.  Why? Because the pregnant mother says it is ok to murder her unborn child.

The result of Castro’s actions and the esteemed abortionist’s actions is the same: death.

Yet we treat them so differently as a society.  Castro will go to jail.  The abortionist will live the high life.

This schizophrenic morality which we practice as a society is the reason for this paradox.  Maternal consent for abortion DOES NOT IN ANYWAY change the outcome of that abortion.  It matters not if the abortionist is a violator like Castro or an abortionist in Planned Parenthood.

Abortion is an active process that kills someone.

Abortion results in death.

Abortion is murder.

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May 10 2013

How to Evangelize When Challenged by Unbelievers

In my post yesterday (here) I advocated an approach to evangelism which tackles the sinfulness of man head-on, and challenges the unbeliever to see and explain his depravity, and therefore see his need for a Savior.

A more systematic way of applying this concept was developed by the Ray Comfort/Kirk Cameron team from The Way of the Master.  It is a brilliant way to target the sinner’s depravity and get him to admit it.

Ray Comfort developed an acronym based on four questions WDJD (described here)

Would you consider yourself a good person?

Do you think you have kept the Ten Commandments?

Judgment by the Ten Commandments: If you were judged based on those 10 commandments, would you be guilty or innocent?

Destiny: do you think you will go to heaven or hell?

A typical conversation starts with the presentation of a “little” sin like lying or cursing using God’s name.

Have you ever lied?  Have you ever taken God’s name in vain?  Have you ever lusted in your heart, or have you ever committed adultery in your heart?

The sinner will say yes. The admission of guilt is the first step in Redemption, and this is one of the strengths of Comfort’s system.

The system concentrates on the unbeliever’s sin and his admission that an action like lying is wrong.  Once the sinner admits he has lied, he is presented with the concept of a holy and just God who cannot accept anyone who is sinful.

An admission of guilt leads to the next question: do you think you can enter heaven after you have committed these sins?

At this point many unbelievers will try to justify their sin by saying they are a good person and they have done many good things in their life, ie. an attempt to gain universal salvation by works.  Like in a “Karma” system.

The unbeliever now is cornered into basically saying: “I am a liar, all liars go to hell, but… I think I go to heaven because I have done many more good things.”  This is a logical absurdity.

At this point the Gospel makes a grand entrance.

The substitutionary sacrifice of God Himself, Jesus Christ makes it possible for liars to go to Heaven if they believe and obey Him. 

The strength of WDJD is that it confronts sin as an introduction to presenting the Gospel.  This is in stark contrast to the Gospel of Love presented in many circles today… God is love, God accepts you as you are…

WDJD way of evangelizing is effective if the unbeliever accepts the Gospel after he is presented with his sinfulness.  It is logical and recommended especially in those situations where unbelievers may have a Judeo-Christian background, but they have ignored its teachings.

An evangelist must understand that exposing sin is extremely important in presenting the need for Jesus, and that is why I think WDJD is useful when you are challenged by unbelievers.

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May 9 2013

What to Do When You Are Faced With the Opposite of the Gospel

It was an early Saturday afternoon when we decided to take the kids for a walk and some lunch on beautiful Pacific Coast Highway in Laguna Beach.

As we were walking we heard a strange chant and percussion-type music behind us.  It was  a procession of Krishna worshippers coming through.  In Hinduism and other eastern religions, Krishna is an avatar, or a physical representation of the supreme god Vishnu.

One of the members of this faith came over to me to invite my family to their family friendly temple.  Having studied the Bible and Christian apologetics more intensely in recent years I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to engage in theological discussion and see where these folks come from.

From the very beginning I told her that I worship the One and only Triune God as revealed in the Bible.

This led to a startling revelation.  The woman informed that she too is a Christian (Catholic) and that she worships Krishna and Christ… and that Krishna and Christ really come from the same “root word.” This of course is the opposite of truth.

She went on to explain how their supreme god is incarnated in different avatars, our Savior Jesus Christ being an example, and how they invite everyone to worship their personal avatar collectively with them.  Everything was about positivity and love, blah, blah, blah… Again the opposite of biblical truth.

Whenever a syncretic discussion of this sort ensues, I highly recommend to Christians to focus on one part of the Gospel: the depravity of man.  

I am referring to the fallen state of man, the evil that men do, the suffering and depravity that exists in the human race.  Expose their way of tackling this most central issue and how man can be redeemed.

She said she believes in the purity of the human soul (whatever that means) and that our mind is merely under influence.

Really?  If that is so, if the human soul is that pure, how is it that a Boston Marathon bomber or a Newtown shooter premeditated and carried out such evil acts out of his “pure” heart?  Why can’t one’s purity overcome such “influences?”

Of course she had no coherent answer, because the real answer lies in human hate and disobedience toward the Real God, our Creator. These people are blinded and they are not able to see their fallen nature.  If they stopped for two minutes to analyze the anger, the jealousy, the adultery, the greed that we all harbor in our hearts, they would realize that we are not pure at all.  They would realize we are in dire need of a perfect Savior.

There is no faith or religion on this planet that is able to resolve this depravity of man, other than the faith that claims that the perfect God Himself redeemed us via His Own sacrifice.

The most ironic thing is that the various avatars and incarnations of the gods of their religions suffer from the same shortcomings as humans: sexual desire and sin, jealousy, hate, war, etc. The very beings they worship are not perfect beings.

Be aware that they quickly turn the discussion to extremely abstract terms.  Instead of wrestling with real issues like why murder and adultery exist, they will go off on abstract tangents of dualism influence, mind over matter, meditation for purity, and such.

Instead of wasting precious time in discussing things in complex philosophical terms, be simple, and be direct.

Man was created in the image of God, but man fell due to disobedience and deserves eternal death.  In His Sovereignty and by grace, God made possible the redemption of man only by believing and obeying Christ, the perfect God-Man who redeemed us by His sacrifice.  Believers in Christ are saved from damnation and are made perfect again in the image of God upon their glorification.

That is the simple and direct gospel that non-Christian worshipers must hear.

How much more simple is this “foolishness” (1 Corinthians 1) compared to thousands and millions of gods and their stories and abstract explanations?

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May 8 2013

What is the Most Popular Verse in the Bible?

Holy Bible

Growing up in my church, John 3:16 was considered the “golden” verse of the Bible for good reason.  It contains an excellent synopsis of the Gospel.

However, I found interesting data on the most commonly searched Bible verses, and John 3:16 was not at the top of the list.

For example, King James Bible Online received 7 million visits in 2012, and their top searched verse was Psalm 23:4

“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.”

The next most popular verse was Philippians 4:13:

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”

John 3:16 came in third place.

It is interesting that even Christians try to focus on themselves, on the old “I,” and attempt to search for verses that will build up self-confidence.  Hopefully the result is confidence in Christ and not the self.

Recently pastor Greg Laurie addressed the issue of the changing popularity of Bible verses, and how John 3:16 is no longer the most popular verse.  In his opinion the most popular verse, even known and used widely by non-Christians, is Matthew 7:1-2:

“Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.”  

Greg Laurie was labeled as judgemental for speaking out against gay marriage and the gay social agenda, and these people used the Bible to get back at him.  Ironic how those who do not believe the Bible, will use the Bible when it suits their mood to excuse the sin in their life.

Laurie responded correctly by saying that this verse calls us to not condemn, and that in fact, we are allowed to make a judgement:

“But I am to make judgments in life. Every day, I make judgments. If I am stepping into the street, I look both ways to make sure it is safe. That is a judgment. If I see a dog and decide to pet it, only to change my mind when he suddenly bares his teeth and growls, then that is a judgment.  So I am to make judgments and evaluations as a follower of Jesus Christ. We must make judgments. But we must not condemn.”

The popularity of Bible verses changes with the agenda of men.  Men will use the Bible to accomplish their own goals, and they will use specific verses even to justify their sin.

But the Word of God never changes.

He stays the same yesterday, today  and tomorrow, regardless of His popularity.

May 7 2013

Romania, Turning Away from Life

I was born in Romania, but I spend the majority of my life in the United States, after the greatest country on Earth open its doors to my family on the basis of political and religious asylum back in the 1970-80’s.

I still follow news from Romania and keep in touch with relatives, but the latest news from there on the issue of life is extremely discouraging.

Romania is the number one country in Europe with the most abortions per capita. The latest statistics show that 480 abortions are done per 1000 live births. And these are only the official abortions. Only God knows how high the number really is.

For every two babies born alive, one baby is aborted.

Abortion became legal in Romania in 1990.  That first year when it was legalized, almost 1 million abortions were performed.  Keep in mind that everything is relative when it comes to numbers.  A country which numbered approximately 22-23 million people aborted close to 1 million babies in one year! In that year there were 3.2 abortions for every live birth!

The number of abortions per capita has dropped over the last 20 years but it remains the highest in Europe.

This is happening in a country that is 95% professing Christian.

So-called Christian.

The vast majority of those are Eastern Orthodox, while about 10% or less are Evangelical. Most of these Christians do not know Christ, and this is evidenced in their lifestyles. Drunkenness, witchcraft, pornography on TV, and political and financial corruption are rampant in Romania.

Despite thriving Evangelical, Baptist and Pentecostal churches there with people who love the LORD, the rest of the country shows an open disregard for God’s law and His justice.

I will venture to say that this may be one of the reasons why the country is struggling from every point of view.  Economic. Political.  Moral. You name it.

Romania has the Gospel.  Romania knows the Gospel.  It needs to make a stand for Life now, and it needs to come to Christ.  The opportunity for repentance continues… for now…

Isaiah 42:3 “A bruised reed he will not break, and a smoldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice;”