For years now I have been accused of being many things in view of my basic defense of God’s sovereign work of salvation: I have been accused of being a Calvinist, a Hyper-Calvinist, a “Calvinist-heretic,” and even a “Calvinist-cultist.” What I find absolutely fascinating about all this tongue wagging is this:

It has never been my practice to use the label – “Calvinist” at all. 

Now, to my sovereign grace friends, please know that I do not vilify those who use such a label – let every man do what he is persuaded to do in his own conscience. Additionally, it should also be said that I have been committed to the realities of man’s total depravity, God’s unconditional election, an atonement that is particular and extensive[1], God’s grace which is irresistible, and the reality of the saint’s perseverance. Yet despite all of this, I do not go about with the label: “Calvinist.” For many Arminians, this practice of mine will probably be judged as utter hypocrisy; for some “Calvinists,” this is high treason. For myself, it is my highest preference for ministering the word as a follower of Christ, and, secondarily, it is the best way that I know how to honor the memory of one of my favorite Christians in all of church history: John Calvin.

Why do I say this?

Over the years, I have become deeply impressed with Calvin’s humility as a mere man and child of God, especially in view of his zeal for evangelism; his heralding of God’s authority in the Scriptures alone; his vehement opposition against Papalism and the adoration of mere men; and his insistence on using church fathers as mere guides to exegesis, not as final authorities of it. In fact, it is this latter priority of his that has so deeply affected my own life and ministry. During Calvin’s lifetime, the Roman Catholic church was showing all of the signs of man-centeredness that one could possibly imagine. Scripture had become an incidental decoration to Rome’s masterpiece of man-made tradition. Priests recited, not the authority of God as their ultimate source of truth, but only those church fathers whose views favored their own. When one studies such severe adoration of mere men during this period, it is difficult to avoid comparisons with that of the Pharisees in the 1^st century. Pick up a copy of the Mishnah, the written collection of rabbinic traditions, and you will find, line after line, authoritative instructions all prefaced with the formulaic expression: Rabbi ____ says. Line after line, their formulaic instructions all began with the premise, not of Scripture, but of the teachings of popular Rabbi’s throughout history. Such oral traditions, which the Pharisees vehemently defended, were rebuked as that which “nullified the commandments” of God, as the Savior declared. For the Pharisees, as well as the leaders of the Romish church, truth was decided by a contest between popular Rabbis and church fathers, not God’s Word. However, in the imitation of Christ Himself, Calvin refuted this slavery to tradition and hero worship, and directed others to the principle of Sola Scriptura, Solus Christus, Sola Gratia, Sola Fide, and Soli Deo Gloria. Without Sola Scriptura, all of the other Solas will be lost in the morass of human “wisdom” and reasoning.

I would urge the reader to pick up a biography of John Calvin, and you will discover that he sacrificed much in his life in order to deter others from the man-worship that was so prevalent in his day. As I learned more about this soldier of Christ, it seemed difficult to believe that he would approve of people going about identifying themselves by his name. At least, for myself, it is something that I cannot fathom doing for a few reasons. If I could imagine a way to honor the memory of John Calvin, it would be by heralding the only name which he sought to herald – the name of Christ alone.

But this is not my principal reason for avoiding such a label.

With or without John Calvin, bearing the name of Christ is a privilege that transcends imagination – and it comes at a great expense: the shed blood of the unblemished Lamb of God – Jesus Christ. It brings to mind Christ’s mercy and love in the salvation of this depraved sinner; it reminds me that the Father elected me, in His Son, despite my own wretchedness; it underscores the truth that the Good Shepherd laid down His life for me, as one of His frail sheep; it compels me to remember that my salvation has been brought about by His sovereign grace alone; it gives me hope in His continuing grace to persevere me to the end; and it reminds me that I have been bought with a price, therefore I am to glorify God with the whole of my body, life, and being.

Dear reader: above all, I am a Christian.

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[1] For years now I have employed the expression “extensive atonement” in view of the Apostle John’s numerical analysis of Christ’s atoning work: “After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands;” Revelation 7:9 (NASB) – italics mine. My book, All Nations Under God, details the reality of Christ’s atonement which is clearly particular, yet wonderfully extensive.

Satan’s great design and desire is to have us see nothing but a twisted version of reality. From the person and work of God down to the most mundane task in this life, the great accuser, deceiver, and Father of all lies delights in every form of deception that he can muster.[1] One of the greatest inventions created by the Devil is man-made religion, and I should add: this world is filled with such an invention. One of the reasons why man-made religion is such a tool of Satan is because it creates the false impression that there are many ways which lead to Heaven. Satan delights in this because it contradicts Christ quite directly, who said – “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through Me.” John 14:6 (NASB). When one sees the world in its reality, through the clear lenses of Scripture, a very stark reality is discovered: the path that leads to heaven is not broad, nor multi-faceted; instead, it is remarkably narrow as defined by the Savior Himself.[2] I mention this in view of our nation’s fascinating hunger for religious-speak during our great American tradition: the presidential election. How intriguing it was that the arbiters of the DNC convention sought an awkward reversal of their platform language to include references to “God” and “Jerusalem.” This strange shift followed the media’s analysis of the GOP’s convention, which was filled with more references to religion and God than one could possible count. For myself, I wouldn’t miss a minute of sleep if both parties would simply cease and desist from using God in their political venues, particularly when one considers the deities represented. Taking the representative candidates of each party, let us consider the religious views represented:

1. President Barak Obama: Barak Obama’s religion advocates the murder of the unborn, homosexual “marriage,” and a broad form of syncretism which sees no significance difference between Islam and Christianity. If the contradiction of this latter issue is not be apparent to the reader, I would refer you to the following articles already posted here at The Armoury: An Open Response to an Open Letter [Read this first]; The West’s Dangerous Ignorance of Islam; Scientology, Islam, and the Religious Messengers of Hatred; Obama, Islam, and the Munich Accord 2.0; Weak Leaders-Endangered Nation. All of this yields a deity that is alien to the Bible – though not alien to this world.

2. Governor Mitt Romney: The god whom Mr. Romney believes in and serves is just one deity amidst a system of what we might call progressive-polytheism – an invented idea from Joseph Smith – the creator of Mormonism. Without republishing the details of this matter here, let me supply the reader with some crucial facts about the false religion of the “Latter Day Saints,” already published here at The Armoury: Absolutely no Apologies; Hallowed be Thy Name; No Mr. Scarborough. If the reader wishes to see further evidence of the non-Christian nature of the cult of Mormonism, then please read their own document, Gospel Principles, and see, within the first few pages, that their religious system of thought is heretical to the core (highlighted portions on pages 13, 17 & 18).

Point: The religious-speak from both sides is fraught with deception, lies, and false claims – whether by ignorance, or by intentional deception. Thus, wrangling over who is using the name God, or not, is somewhat of an absurdity. Ultimately, it is all a part of a broader deception – one which engulfs the multitudes into mere religion, rather than Christ.

It is for this reason that the presidential election cycle is a bit of a cringe-creating moment for my own soul – especially when religion is injected into the race. Satan disdains Christians who are spiritually engaged in the things which matter most – i.e. the Gospel – and so his agenda is to engage us in debates about mere moralism, money, power, and national security. It is not that these issues are unimportant, but they can never take the place of the primacy of the Christ and the Gospel. Moreover, the souls of the men and women around us are of greater value than the material concerns of our nation – at least, this would be the genuine attitude of a Christian who understands what Christ taught: “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul?” Matt. 16:26.

But Satan does not want the Christian to be concerned about the souls of men. His desire is to obfuscate the reality that there are only two classes of humanity, spiritually speaking: the living and the dead.[3] Those who are without Christ are called, by Scripture, dead in their trespasses and sins. Those who are in Christ are made alive in Christ, and in the end, there are no other classes of humanity:

By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother. 1 John 3:10 (NASB)

All of the shades of grey that are created by Satan’s many religions are whisked away by the black-and-white reality of Holy Writ: truth vs. error; life vs. death. As Christians, we must remember to look at our politicians and political leaders through the reality of God’s Word, rather than the manufactured deceptions of Satan. When we do this, we should remember that our prayers for the souls of men are prayers that are rendered for those who are spiritually dead and face the condemnation of the Lord Jesus Christ unless they repent and believe in Him (Revelation 21:6-8). In all of our interest in politics, the souls of these men should govern our greatest concern. It is for this reason that Mike Huckabee’s comments on religion over the years have been particularly striking. As you might recall, Huckabee had queried about the religion of Mormonism and had asked a reporter (in 2007): “Don’t Mormons believe that Jesus and the devil are brothers?” He received much backlash for simply asking a perfectly good question, but sadly, no-one answered him. In the end, Huckabee sheepishly “apologized” for his question and retracted it entirely. Had he done some very simple reading of their own documents, he would have discovered that the answer to his question is yes. But now Mr. Huckabee has a different perspective on Mr. Romney’s spiritual standing, as he mentioned in the 2012 GOP convention:

“I care far less as to where Mitt Romney takes his family to church, than I do about where he takes this country.”[4]

This is a sad and disturbing admission from a man who claims Christ. Some of the greatest rebukes given to the nations of Israel and Judah came at a time when each kingdom was filled with an abundance of material wealth, power, mere morality, and national security. God, who is not satisfied with such external matters, often calls those religionists who herald such things “whores.”[5] Alternately, if a person is a Christian at all, he will be concerned about the spiritual condition of the souls of others – whether the person is a candidate for the presidency, or a homeless man on a street-corner. If a person is a Christian at all, he prays for the welfare his nation;[6] for the wisdom, well-being, and salvation its leaders;[7] and this he does with the chief desire that the name of God would be exalted among men.[8]

Satan’s deception is the lie of Lady Julian – “that all will be well, and all will be well.”[9] Satan whispers such things in the ears of men who believe that, by their own means and merit, all will be well. However, the believer must refute such deception and remember that when we pray for those who know not Christ, we are praying for dead men and women – that they would receive the gift of eternal life and be spared from the second death [Revelation 20:14]. We also pray remembering that we also once were dead, deceived, and enslaved by this world [Eph. 2:1-3, Titus 3:1-7], and therefore we are no better than those for whom we pray. In this, our hope and prayer is that Christ would grant them, by His mercy and grace, life eternal and the experience of everlasting joy in Him.

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[1] John 8:44 (NASB) — 44 “You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. Whenever he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own nature; for he is a liar, and the father of lies.

[2] Matthew 7:13

[3] 1 John 3:10 (NASB) — 10 By this the children of God and the children of the devil are obvious: anyone who does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor the one who does not love his brother. See also Ephesians 2:1-10.

[4] Read more: http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2012/08/29/transcript-former-arkansas-gov-mike-huckabee-speech-at-rnc/#ixzz26b6a4F00

[5] Hosea 5:3.

[6] Jeremiah 29:7

[7] 1 Timothy 2:1-4.

[8] 1 Peter 2:11-15.

[9] Chapter 27, 13^th Revelation of Lady Julian.

With the brutal murder of American ambassador Chris Stevens, along with three other American diplomats, our nation has been plunged into a new 9/11 crisis. As we watch these events unfold, we are simultaneously exposed to a bloviating lap-dog-media which remains fixated on arguments concerning the proper rhetorical methods and means by which politicians should respond to such a crisis; but, as usual, they are missing the larger point. The 9/11 of 2012 is not about what politicians might say within the first 24 hours of the media news cycle; nor is it about a shoddy movie which critiques the life of Muhammad; instead, it reveals the bad fruit of our nation’s commitment to a dangerous passivity, weakness, and spirit of appeasement – one that is dedicated to the practice of placating our sworn enemies, and not asking questions later. America’s foreign policy motif has become entirely obsequious, being unwilling to stand up against our growing enemy: Islamic jihad. Whatever takes place in the days and weeks to come, it must be understood that we have helped to create much of the unrest that we now face. The so-called Arab spring has not been a liberation movement for peaceful democracies, but is becoming a means by which whole nations are becoming swallowed by Islam. And whenever any criticism is leveled against the religion of Islam, our politicians and diplomats seem to be more eager to deride our 1st amendment freedoms rather than punishing murderers. It is painful to watch our nation’s leaders repeating some of the worst elements of human history, but they are indeed doing this. The nation of Judah was sacked by Babylon by way of the foolishness of king Hezekiah, who, 125 years earlier, sought to placate his Babylonian visitors by exposing his nation’s treasures and secrets:

And Hezekiah…showed them[1] all his treasure house, the silver and the gold and the spices and the precious oil and the house of his armor and all that was found in his treasuries. There was nothing in his house, nor in all his dominion, that Hezekiah did not show them. 2 Kings 20:13

From this one act, Judah’s future was sealed with this dark prophecy:

17 ‘Behold, the days are coming when all that is in your house, and all that your fathers have laid up in store to this day shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left,’ says the LORD. 2 Kings 20:17

Hezekiah’s attempt to appease and placate Babylon only served to guarantee Judah’s future demise as a nation. Simply put, the lessons of history should remind us that weak leaders beget nothing but endangered nations and citizens. Sadly, this present administration’s repeated pattern of appeasing our enemies has only served to embolden them to future and further hostility. Rulers who make choices for their own political expediency and gain fail to see that their actions go well beyond the next election cycle or campaign stop. Sadly, their self-absorption makes them numb to the fact that what they do, or fail to do, does have an influence on the policies and practices of our nation – even its safety within an increasingly dangerous world.

In the end, our greatest enemies are right here among us.

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[1] Representatives for Berodach-baladan a son of Baladan, king of Babylon

The disease of sin is both deadly and subtle. How often do we go about in our daily affairs without realizing its hidden presence in the ongoing battle of the Spirit and the flesh (Galatians 5:17)? The subtlety of our indwelling sin is what makes it so dangerous, because, as a disease, sin often eats away at our vitality while we ignorantly believe ourselves to be in the best of shape! Thankfully, the Scriptures give us the requisite prognoses that our sleepy conscience cannot supply. Ultimately, only the Great Physician, through the ministry of the Holy Spirit, can awaken our souls to the systemic reality of sin’s corruption.

There are many subtle sins that are common among men, however, I find that there is one that tends to infect believers with striking regularity. The sin of which I speak is the sin of presumption.

James is very direct when describing this dangerous tumor which is common among all men:  

James 4:13–16 (NASB) — 13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow, we shall go to such and such a city, and spend a year there and engage in business and make a profit.”14 Yet you do not know what your life will be like tomorrow. You are just a vapor that appears for a little while and then vanishes away.15 Instead, you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we shall live and also do this or that.”16 But as it is, you boast in your arrogance; all such boasting is evil.

Isn’t it interesting that James doesn’t allow us the latitude to excuse such presumption as that which is harmless. How easy it would be for the spiritual patient to declare: “Oh, I simply misspoke – a harmless mistake.” But James’ assessment of the matter is much more severe. A spirit and attitude which assumes the existence of another day, beyond today – which the Lord has not yet supplied, is more than an innocent miscalculation – James calls it evil arrogance. That’s a big pill to swallow, but it is a needed one!

Simply put, the mind that is set on the things below is much more prone to become infected with the expectation of tomorrow; however, the mind that is set on the things above will be quick to confess the conditional “if” much more readily than the adverb “when.”

Let us therefore confess with greater conviction and regularity: “If the Lord wills, we shall live…”

Rarely do we ever see genuine Christianity being given the time of day within our modern, sensationalistic media. If a man is a cult leader, a theological innovator, or a madman – then he is given “the microphone” and is marched out in front of a camera as a supposed poster-child of Christendom. Biblical genuineness and legitimacy isn’t titillating enough to make the evening news, therefore, its coverage is as rare as summer snow. Within the Twilight Zone of such a Universe thrives extremists such as the Westboro Baptist “Church” and “pastor” Terry Jones. If you will recall, it was in 2010 that Jones became the favored oddity of the news media when he promised to burn a copy of the Koran. In front of news cameras he repeatedly insisted that his message was an important one, especially since “God had told him” to do this. For the record, I do defend the 1st amendment rights of all citizens – even their right to say and do extremely stupid things. Without the freedom of speech – whatever that speech may be – this nation would quickly become a land of grave oppression.[1] Having said this, and as an exercise of my own right of free speech, I must say that Mr. Jones’ supposed Koran-burning “message” was one that had nothing to do with the Gospel at all, but seemed to be a desperate bid for personal attention on the national stage. Well, he got this… and more. His repeated insistence that God told him to do it was then followed by several appeals from government officials for him to cease and desist.[2] Shortly thereafter, Jones renounced his bid for Koran-burning fame, sheepishly announcing his change of heart on national television.[3] What is the message that might be gleaned from all this? The reality is that Mr. Jones doesn’t have a coherent or consistent message at all. Contrarily, the true God is not the author of such confusion (1 Corinthians 14:33). Back in 2010, I addressed this matter from the pulpit by focusing on the Apostle Paul’s description of his own ministry where he compares and contrasts a ministry of sincerity versus those who merely peddle the word of God:

2 Corinthians 2:14–17 (NASB) — 14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us in His triumph in Christ, and manifests through us the sweet aroma of the knowledge of Him in every place.15 For we are a fragrance of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing;16 to the one an aroma from death to death, to the other an aroma from life to life. And who is adequate for these things?17 For we are not like many, peddling the word of God, but as from sincerity, but as from God, we speak in Christ in the sight of God.

Audio: An Aroma of Life or Death, Part I

The shame of Jones’ actions in 2010 didn’t dissuade him at all, instead this cornucopia of madness was later washed down with a Koran-burning chaser in March of last year, and again in March of this year. In the more recent case, Jones was slapped with fine of $271.00 by the Gainesville Fire Rescue department – a miniscule amount compared to the grand cost of his obfuscation of the Gospel. But unfortunately, Jones’ peddling of God’s word does not end here. As of June 9th of this year it was reported that Jones has now erected an effigy of President Barack Obama, dangling from a noose, directly in front of his cross-laden Dove World Outreach Center building.

What a disturbing “outreach” message this is.[4]

With the cross of Christ in the background, and Barack Obama hanging from a noose in the foreground, one can only wonder what observers will think should they assume, falsely, that Jones has any association with the true message of Christ. Jones maintains that it is all a metaphor for his opposition to the president, and by this he believes that it is all well and good. To this I must ask: how do you reconcile this with the Apostle Peter’s mandate to “honor the king” who happened to be the emperor Nero at the time?

1 Peter 2:16–17 (NASB) — 16 Act as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. 17 Honor all men; love the brotherhood, fear God, honor the king.

In all of our freedoms, the genuine Christian must never use such freedom as a covering for evil, remembering that the desire to garner attention through shocking words and actions is a dangerous one – it is the religion of peddlers. In this one act of his, Jones has revealed himself to be nothing more than another religious jihadist, whose message is not Christ, but is instead the message of the violence and foolishness of men.

cc: Pastor Terry Jones, Dove World Outreach Center

For a more thorough treatment of 1 Peter 2:16-17, along with the general subject of patriotism and the Christian, please see the video below: The Marks of True Patriotism –

 

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[1] Unfortunately, there are those who confuse and conflate a defense for free speech with a defense for the particular views of men like Jones. When a person defends the principle of free speech, this does not mean that he agrees with all expressions of speech. Thus, the protection of Jones’ freedom of speech must not be construed as an agreement with what he is saying.
[2] Among others, Jones received appeals from President Barack Obama, Eric Holder, Hillary Clinton, and General Petraeus.
[3] Wikipedia: In an interview on the morning of September 11, the day of the intended protest, he said, “We will definitely not burn the Quran…Not today, not ever.” CNN wire staff (September 11, 2010). “Florida pastor calls off Quran burning”
[4] “When asked whether he thought his message might get lost behind the physical display of a black man with a noose around his neck, Jones said, ‘Quite honestly, I never even thought about that.’” Rich Abdill, The Broward Palm Beach New Times, June 8^th, 2012.

The Apostle John’s interlude of encouragement, found in 1 John 2:12-14, is remarkable. There, he addresses all layers of the church’s population, beginning with a general address to the whole church [little children], then directing his comments to the elderly as well as the youth. As Simon Kistemaker puts it in the New Testament Commentary:

“John appeals to his readers and summarizes his thoughts in poetic form. He addresses his readers according to categories: first, all the believers receive his exhortation; next he appeals to the fathers and then to young men.”[1]

In particular, I find it quite interesting that John repeats himself the most when addressing the elderly element of his audience. In fact, he repeats himself word-for-word when addressing this group, as follows: 

13. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning.

14. I am writing to you, fathers, because you know Him who has been from the beginning.

Why such repetition? I agree with those who remind us that repetition in Scripture normally has the design of strengthening the emphasis of a matter.[2] Thus, why does John offer an exact repetition to fathers? I would suggest that his point is to herald the seriousness of what he says about the true essence of Christian maturity. It is as if John is saying: “contentment in Christ alone is the sign of Christian maturity.” In many respects, it calls to mind the Lord’s teaching given when Philip requested that Jesus “show us the Father”:

Philip said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? John 14:8-9

What Philip did not yet understand was that he did see the fullness of the Father’s glory, through Christ, and it is enough. I would suggest that John’s point in 1 John 2 is quite simple, yet deeply profound: mature Christian faith confesses, with deep satisfaction, “I know the Father through the eternal Son of God – and it is enough.” In fact, such knowledge of the Father, through the eternal Son, is so satisfying that it is worthy of such repetition. We see such contentment in the life of John’s own student: Polycarp. Before his martyrdom, Polycarp confessed this same sense of contentment after being exhorted to renounce the eternal Son of God:

“Eighty and six years have I served him, and in nothing hath he wronged me; and how, then, can I blaspheme my King, who saved me?”

The simplicity of Polycarp’s confession is both beautiful and breathtaking. To know Christ is everything – it is enough – which is the very same lesson given to us from Polycarp’s mentor: the Apostle John. Of course, when John refers to such knowledge he does not mean a mere abstraction of thought or head knowledge. Instead, John’s frequent use of the word know (γινώσκω) is key to our understanding of what it means to love the God who first loved us in His eternal Son.[3] When John speaks of the Christian’s knowledge of God, he is expanding on the central essence of what it means to love God truly. This point is very important because John’s 1^st century audience was well aware of the Greek emphasis on erotic and hedonistic love. Such love was devoid of any relationship with others, but only had the focus of one’s self-pleasure and desire. Thus, the crucial distinction of the term love (ἀγάπη), as opposed to hedonistic love (ἔρως, ἡδονή), was that of the core idea of a relationship, i.e., to know someone truly and intimately. All of this points us to the essence of genuine maturity – to know and love the Father by knowing and loving His eternal Son, and to say, with repetition and great satisfaction: it is enough, because He is enough.

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[1] Simon Kistemaker, New Testament Commentary, 1 John (Baker Books, Grand Rapids Michigan, 1986), pp. 267-269.
[2] Three times the Apostle Paul tells us of the inability of a man’s works to yield the fruit of justification. God’s repetition, through Paul, is quite telling: Galatians 2:16 (NASB) — 16 nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we may be justified by faith in Christ, and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law shall no flesh be justified.
[3] 1 John 4:19 (NASB) — 19 We love, because He first loved us.

As one who prays regularly for those in governing authority, I offer the following Solemn and Sincere Warning to our President: Barak Obama:

As a NC resident, I consider yesterday’s Marriage Amendment victory as a bitter sweet one. Though I am thankful that God’s institution of marriage has been affirmed in our state’s constitution, I find it utterly disturbing that such a legal maneuver was required at all. It stands as a dark testament to the severe perversity and downgrade of our nation – a downgrade which has, for decades, winked at sexual promiscuity, adultery, and divorce. Today, we see the continued evidence of this downgrade such that, now, 50% of Americans support homosexual marriage. Mr. President, I mention all this as a prelude to your announced support for gay marriage today. I believe that your admitted “evolution” comes as no great surprise to most in our nation. Yet, I must say that the honesty of your recent admission is remarkably important, especially when considering the question of your religious faith. I have found it very interesting when people accuse you of being a Muslim. Of course, the nearly universal response to this, from most in the mainstream media, is that you are, in fact, a Christian – based upon your own public profession of faith. Even conservative politicians have gladly affirmed your profession. But what does any of this prove or resolve? While it is ultimately true that only God knows the hearts of men,[1] we must also acknowledge that conscientious believers must discern the professions of others by means of evaluating their fruit:

Matthew 7:19–21 (NASB) — 19 “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.20 “So then, you will know them by their fruits.21 “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven; but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven.”

A genuine Christian is one who has been born, spiritually, from above,[2] believing that Christ is the eternal Son of God, from above,[3] who died as the sinner’s substitute upon the cross[4] and rose again on the third day.[5] But such faith does not stand as a barren tree, but yields the fruit of loving obedience to Christ through a submission to his words and commandments:

John 14:21 (NASB) — 21 “He who has My commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves Me; and he who loves Me shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will disclose Myself to him.”

If we say that we know and love Christ, but reject His commandments, we then prove ourselves to be liars rather than genuine believers.[6] In all of this, we must come to recognize the importance of what the Savior is teaching us: He is revealing the horrific reality of those who merely feign faith in Him unto their own eternal damnation. It is in this very vein of consideration that I offer the following solemn and sincere warning to you Mr. President: Your recent confession of support for gay marriage reveals a very important and deeply troubling matter. At the same time, it reveals a very important sign-post, the message of which is crucial: If a man claims to be a Christian at all, then he ought to hold fast to the Lord’s commandments. However, rejection of Christ’s word should serve as a potent warning:

Matthew 19:1–6 (NASB) — 1 AND it came about that when Jesus had finished these words, He departed from Galilee, and came into the region of Judea beyond the Jordan;2 and great multitudes followed Him, and He healed them there.3 And some Pharisees came to Him, testing Him, and saying, “Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any cause at all?”4 And He answered and said, “Have you not read, that He who created them from the beginning MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE,5 and said, ‘FOR THIS CAUSE A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER, AND SHALL CLEAVE TO HIS WIFE; AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH’?6 “Consequently they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”

When creating the institution of marriage, God made them “male and female” – giving a clear indication of what is to be joined together as one flesh. Thus, “a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh.” The clarity of the Savior’s commandments could not be clearer: one man and one woman joined together in holy matrimony. Anything other than this is an unholy abomination. Do not be deceived Mr. President, he who has Christ’s commandments and keeps them – he it is who loves Christ truly as a genuine believer. By making your support for gay marriage known publicly, you have clearly revealed an allegiance, not to Christ, but with those who stand in opposition to the words and commandments of the Savior Himself. What the Scriptures call unnatural and indecent acts,[7] you have affirmed as legitimate behavior, and you have publicly revealed this as one who gives hearty approval to those who practice such things.[8]

Mr. President, genuine believers are certainly not perfect people, but their lives are marked by genuine fruit and forward oriented spiritual progress despite their trials and momentary setbacks along the way. Ultimately, no child of God will be known as one whose practice it is to regress backwards from the words and commandments of Jesus Christ. Thus, a genuine disciple of Christ will seek to stand by His words, rather than flee from them as you clearly have today. I implore you to consider the nature of the fruit of your actions this day – they are serious and solemn indicators of the true nature of your “religion.” Your actions this week serve as a sign-post, revealing a dangerous enmity against the very Creator of all things (including marriage). Mr. President, do not ignore these sign-posts – their message is cogent and clear. Your position on homosexuality is not the only matter that justifies the aforementioned warning (such as your continued support of those who abort and murder the unborn children of our land, your religious syncretism, along with your willingness to attend a racist church for 20 years). Yet, this recent admission of yours only strengthens the need to issue this Gospel call knowing that the wrath of God is promised to the “sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 5:1-6). The reality is that we must all give an account before the Lord someday – and that account will go well beyond whether or not we merely claimed to be a Christian in this life. The real question will be this: “Did we have a genuine faith – one which revealed itself through the fruit of loving obedience to Christ and His commandments?”[9] If not, then we must heed the solemn warnings of Scripture: Acts 17:31 (NASB) — 31 …He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men by raising Him from the dead.” It is this Jesus who is returning to judge the living and the dead; and though men may disobey His words now, with apparent impunity, they cannot escape His final justice and coming judgment.[10]

May God have mercy on you… may God have mercy on America

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As a side note….

In light of the tense political climate that we have here in America, I should note that this post would have been written to any president, no matter what his background or ethnicity may be. Should anyone doubt my resolve in this, then please note my convictions on the subject of racialism below:

Video: All Men are Created Equal?
from: www.wheredoyoustand.us

Finally, on a personal note, it has now been roughly eight years since the book The First Institution was completed and published. In its introduction, I addressed the disturbing trend of those who seek to redefine the institution of marriage. Here is a small excerpt:

“During the completion of this book, our nation has witnessed the anarchy of many judges, governing authorities, and politicians who have pressed an agenda to redefine the institution of marriage without any regard to law – whether the law of men or especially of God. The corruption of our culture has become so excessive, that it is actually considered to be a matter of debate as to whether men should marry men and women should marry women! But this pattern of corruption is the very earmark of a society that is being given over to its own wickedness. In light of this societal degradation, a very important question must be addressed: exactly who has the authority to define marriage and family? Judges and legislators in our own nation are laboring diligently to redefine what the nuclear family is, but do these individuals actually have the authority to establish the standards that define the family? The very simple answer from Scripture is: No. Only God has the authority to define the institution of the family, for He is the Author (Latin – auctor; Creator) of all things. This Latin word [auctor] is the foundation of our English words author and authority. Therefore, when we say that God has authority, we are acknowledging His office as the Creator and governor of all things…The terrifying reality is that those who deny the Creator have no real concept of the judgment that awaits them. The Scriptures remind us that one day all creation will bow in submission to the risen Son of God, and in that day every created thing in Heaven and on the earth will bow in submission and confess the absolute Lordship of Jesus Christ to the glory of God the Father. In that final judgment of mankind, all creation will make this universal declaration of God’s unquestioned authority, whether as a final confession unto judgment, or as an act of genuine worship by the disciples of Jesus Christ unto eternal glory. When His judgment is complete, there will be no petitions heard, no protests permitted, and not a single appeal will be entertained. The only sound that will fill God’s Supreme Court of justice will be the song of the Lamb, which will yield the eternal celebration of Christ’s victory and dominion over the entire Universe.” (The First Institution, A Theological and Practical Guide for the Reformation of God’s Institution of Marriage and Family, © 2004)

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[1] 2 Timothy 2:19 (NASB) — 19 Nevertheless, the firm foundation of God stands, having this seal, “The Lord knows those who are His,” and, “Let everyone who names the name of the Lord abstain from wickedness.”
[2] John 3:3 (NASB) — 3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”
[3] John 8:23–24 (NASB) — 23 And He was saying to them, “You are from below, I am from above; you are of this world, I am not of this world.24 “I said therefore to you, that you shall die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am He, you shall die in your sins.”
[4] 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NASB) — 21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him., 1 Peter 3:18 (NASB) — 18 For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, in order that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit…
[5] 1 Corinthians 15:16–17 (NASB) — 16 For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised;17 and if Christ has not been raised, your faith is worthless; you are still in your sins.
[6] 1 John 2:4 (NASB) — 4 The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him;
[7] Romans 1:26–27 (NASB) — 26 For this reason God gave them over to degrading passions; for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural,27 and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire toward one another, men with men committing indecent acts and receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error.
[8] Romans 1:32.
[9] James 2:14-26.
[10] 1 Corinthians 6:9-10.

I remain incredulous concerning the judgmental frenzy which surrounds the case concerning Trayvon Martin and George Zimmerman. I won’t recount the details of the case here, but must say that if you haven’t heard of the story concerning the death of Trayvon, just “google it” and you’ll find the twisted cornucopia of self-appointed judges, juries, vigilantes and executioners. If the case of Travon Martin and George Zimmerman proves anything, it is this: depraved men will gladly use a tragedy for their own profit and political gain. In writing this I have no intention to take any particular side, save this one:

Proverbs 13:10 (NASB) — 10 Through presumption comes nothing but strife, But with those who receive counsel is wisdom.

We have yet to receive the full counsel of a judicial review on this case, and yet this has not stopped the talking-heads within the media from adjudicating the thoughts, motives, and intentions of George Zimmerman. The reader should note that the biblical standard for dealing with such matters is radically different than that of the world’s. Ultimately, this matter ought to be tried by facts[1] rather than judgmental rumors, innuendoes, and speculation. The law of our land still declares that a man is presumed to be innocent until he is adjudicated as guilty by a court of law – not the media, the president, or any religious leader. The law of the land is that of non-presumption concerning a person’s guilt. Unfortunately, such a standard often falls victim to various desires for vengeance or personal gain. However, it is distinctly Christian to submit to such a standard of non-presumption as that which is given to us by governing authority[2] and, ultimately, biblical authority.[3] But sadly, too many today will seize upon a news item in view of how such an event can be twisted for their own gain via political influence, TV ratings, or book sales. Bizarrely, this case has already been adjudicated by the loudest voices in our land as being another example of racialism here in America. Even religious talking-heads have weighed in on this issue in order to insinuate, or to conclude, that Mr. Zimmerman was driven by racialism. I too have listened to his 911 call and have concluded this: it is, at best, inconclusive. We won’t know about the details of the case until it is given a more thorough examination by those who have the facts of the case and the testimony of witnesses.

I am sorry to say that I am not dramatically surprised by our President’s insinuation that the Martin/Zimmerman case should be examined through the prism of skin color, and thus, racialism; nor am I surprised by Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson’s unmitigated judgmentalism in this case; nor does the media surprise me – rarely do they allow the facts to get in the way of their own political narrative. What is particularly disgusting is to see religious leaders riding the same gravy train of judgmentalism and presumption in this. With their air of moral supremacy and presumed omniscience, one would think that they were the self-appointed fourth-member of the Trinity.

If anything happens to Mr. Zimmerman before his case is ever heard, then his bloodguilt will be upon the hands of all the self-appointed judges, juries, and executioners who decided to bypass the wisdom of ancient Scripture, while taking matters into their own hands:

Deuteronomy 19:15-20: 15 “A single witness shall not rise up against a man on account of any iniquity or any sin which he has committed; on the evidence of two or three witnesses a matter shall be confirmed.16 “If a malicious witness rises up against a man to accuse him of wrongdoing,17 then both the men who have the dispute shall stand before the Lord, before the priests and the judges who will be in office in those days.18 “And the judges shall investigate thoroughly; and if the witness is a false witness and he has accused his brother falsely,19 then you shall do to him just as he had intended to do to his brother. Thus you shall purge the evil from among you.20 “And the rest will hear and be afraid, and will never again do such an evil thing among you.”

Romans 13:1 Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those which exist are established by God.

Sadly, the Judeo-Christian ethic which informed much of the thinking of our founding fathers is being replaced with the worst forms of progressivism, political expediency, pragmatism, and racialism; and the evidence of this is being revealed from highest office in the land to the common man in the street. This is no small matter – it is extremely dangerous. If Mr. Zimmerman is lynched by the mob, the President won’t be able to right the wrong with a “Beer Summit” 2.0.

May God have mercy on our nation.

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[1] Deuteronomy 19:15–20

[2] Romans 13

[3] Deut. 19:15-20

Psalm 116:15
Precious in the sight of the LORD
is the death of His godly ones.

This afternoon I received word that our dear brother in Christ, Chris Drager, passed away from this life into glory. When I received this news I was, frankly speaking, numbed by the report. I need not here repeat the details of Chris’ longtime struggle with cancer, but it is sufficient to say that his passing was not a surprise – yet despite this, I was struck by the news of his passing. My response can be understood in view of David’s own despair over the dwindling number of faithful men in this world:

Psalm 12:1 Help,[1] LORD, for the godly man ceases to be, For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men.

In his passing, Chris has gained Christ – but I feel a great loss in his parting. Though I did not know Chris for long (during our six years in Minnesota), I must say that this dear saint is one of the most humble, gentle, passionate, and faithful servants I have ever met. When I had the chance to meet with Chris, along with other men in the ministry, I remember having an in-depth discussion about matters of theology and Christian practice. What I remember distinctly is the humility and grace with which Chris handled these discussions. Moreover, he expressed a great desire to embrace more than theological head-knowledge – he had a pressing desire to know and love Christ more fully through all that he learned. His unassuming manner revealed that precious commodity of humility which, sadly, is becoming quite rare in this loud and brash culture of pop-christianity and celebrity-evangelicalism. Chris was no celebrity-pastor, instead he was a faithful and passionate follower of Christ, husband, father, servant, pastor, and friend; and I can say that even my brief encounters with him revealed all of this rather persuasively. He is dearly loved, dearly missed, and is one of whom the world was not worthy (Hebrews 11:38).

May the Lord raise up more men like him.

Finally, we should remember by contrast, and with much sorrow, that when those who have no hope perish we say that they are dead. But when the saints of God pass from this life, we say, with much joy, that they sleep in Jesus.[2]

Therefore, to our dear brother, Chris Drager: rest well in our Savior.

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[1] Too often it is easy to read through the psalms without appreciating the sense of zeal and urgency that is expressed by the psalmist. The beginning of Psalm 12 is yet another example of this. The Hebrew word for “Help” is הוֹשִׁ֣יעָה (Hiphil Imperative > יָשַׁע ). David’s “request” is neither simple nor casual, but is given in the imperatival form; thus, his cry is an urgent one that is given in a great sense of distress. When David says “help” he is really saying “help!!!!!” as an urgent plea.

[2] 1 Corinthians 15:51

Whenever we loose the anchor of Holy Writ, we naturally drift into the dangerous waters of manmade "wisdom." In the worst of all cases, this leads to the shipwrecking of one’s faith (1 Timothy 1:18-20). Because the believer lives in a veritable ocean of secularism, religiosity, and bad thinking, it is incumbent upon him to guard the sacred treasure of what God has revealed in His Word. This is no casual task, but instead requires a militant mindset. Ephraim and Judah were enjoined to "press on to know the Lord" if they were to experience the blessing of His personal presence:

Hosea 6:3: “So let us know, let us press on [niredphah] to know the Lord. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; And He will come to us like the rain, Like the spring rain watering the earth.”

The 1st person common plural Qal imperfect form of radaph (translated as let us press on) reveals a very serious and intense thought. By this principal verb, the Lord implores His people to know Him, not casually, but with an intense pursuit that can be likened to a soldier’s hot pursuit in battle, or a hunter who earnestly seeks his prey.[1] Should we meditate on this concept at all, it should obliterate our insipid spirit concerning the knowledge of God through His Word.

I begin with this as a reminder of the words of Christ when he instructed the disciples on the matter of prayer:

Matthew 6:9: 9. “Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name…"

As an introduction to the subject of prayer, the Lord reminds us about the reality of God’s transcendence – a needful point in view of mankind’s fallen nature and tendency.[2] By beginning with the thought of God’s abode in Heaven, Christ reminds His disciples of the unmitigated sovereignty of His Heavenly father: "…our God is in the Heavens; He does whatever He pleases."[3] Then, having identified His Father in this way, He then continues to declare that His name is Hallowed or holy (hagiostheto). This concept is central to our pursuit of the knowledge of God. To say that God’s name is hallowed means that we acknowledge that He (along with His identity) is utterly set apart and distinct from all of creation. God’s revealed identity is no small matter. His name is that which communicates his unique and holy nature. Thus, if we are to be in a hot pursuit of the knowledge of God, we must be careful when considering the identity of His name.

Over the years, the holiness of God’s name has been undermined by various means. More recently we have seen evidences of this through the assumption that Mormonism is just another expression of genuine Christianity. We have seen evidence of this in interviews like that of Chris Wallace & Joel Osteen:

WALLACE: And what about Mitt Romney? And I’ve got to ask you the question, because it is a question whether it should be or not in this campaign, is a Mormon a true Christian?

OSTEEN: Well, in my mind they are. Mitt Romney has said that he believes in Christ as his savior, and that’s what I believe, so, you know, I’m not the one to judge the little details of it. So I believe they are. And so, you know, Mitt Romney seems like a man of character and integrity to me, and I don’t think he would — anything would stop me from voting for him if that’s what I felt like.

WALLACE: So, for instance, when people start talking about Joseph Smith, the founder of the church, and the golden tablets in upstate New York, and God assumes the shape of a man, do you not get hung up in those theological issues?

OSTEEN: I probably don’t get hung up in them because I haven’t really studied them or thought about them. And you know, I just try to let God be the judge of that. I mean, I don’t know. I certainly can’t say that I agree with everything that I’ve heard about it, but from what I’ve heard from Mitt, when he says that Christ is his savior, to me that’s a common bond.

With reasoning such as this, anyone who names the name of Christ is believed to be redeemed despite the fact that the Christ of Mormonism is a phantom. Should the reader doubt this, please read my article on this subject here. As well, several years ago there were similar problems raised through an ecumenical effort to conflate the identity of God the Father with Allah in An Open Letter and Call from Muslim Religious Leaders. My article on this issue is found here. And Rick Warren’s conflation of the names Isa and Jesus revealed yet another lackadaisical effort to pursue the true knowledge of the Lord:

I commend all Arabic Christians who reject the invented name of Isa and instead utilize the name Yasu for the hallowed name of Jesus. This reveals a reverence and love for the name that is above every name. Which leads me to another consideration of the importance of hallowing God’s name. It is often argued that Allah is merely the generic word for God in Islam. Actually, Ilah is the generic term, while Allah is considered to be the formal name of God. We see this in the repeated Quranic expression: "there is no ʾilāh [god] but al-Lāh [the God]." Because of this, Arabic Christians will often refer to the Lord as Rabb (Lord), or Al-Ab (The Father). Overall, I commend any and all efforts to distinguish and hallow the name of God from the apostasy of Islam. Historically, this has been a challenge for all generations and cultures. The distinction between the generic word for God versus a formal name is found throughout linguistic history. For example, Ba’al-zebub is refereed to, generically, as a god (elohey/elohiym). For that matter, the generic terms elohey/elohiym are used for numerous false deities as well as for Jehovah. However, it is never the case that the name Ba’al-zebub is used to identify Jehovah. In the N.T., there are countless deities who are named, and all are considered to be a god (theos), but there is no such deity that is simply called, by name, theos, or ‘o theos. Nor is God the Father ever referred to as Zeus, Artemis, or by any other particular name found within the endless list of false deities. Point: there is a grand difference between utilizing a generic word for deity versus a specific name, and therefore, it is important to remember that Jehovah is neither Ba’al-zebub nor Islam’s Allah.

Because of this, I commend Arabic Christians who endeavor to distinguish the name of God over and above the particular name of Allah as identified in the Quran. To the extent that they endeavor to do this, they are showing a diligent desire to hallow God’s unique name. However, many Muslims are trying to persuade Christians that the true identity of God is found in the Quran. This unfortunate effort is evident, in part, in the recent Christian/Muslim accord entitled, An Open Letter and Call from Muslim Religious Leaders:

"Muslims recognize Jesus Christ as the Messiah, not in the same way Christians do (but Christians themselves anyway have never all agreed with each other on Jesus Christ’s  nature), but in the following way: ‘…. the Messiah Jesus son of Mary is a Messenger of God and His Word which he cast unto Mary and a Spirit from Him….’ (Al-Nisa’, 4:171). We therefore invite Christians to consider Muslims not against and thus with them, in accordance with Jesus Christ’s words here."

This statement from An Open Letter is quite deceptive, especially since the full text of this verse is very important:

Al-Nisa 4:171. O "People of the Book! Commit no excesses in your religion: Nor say of Allah aught but the truth. Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) an apostle of Allah, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a spirit proceeding from Him: so believe in Allah and His apostles. Say not ‘Trinity’: desist: it will be better for you: for Allah is one Allah: Glory be to Him: (far exalted is He) above having a son. To Him belong all things in the heavens and on earth. And enough is Allah as a Disposer of affairs."

The writers of An Open Letter have generated no small amount of deceit. Their omissions are troubling, calling into question whether they are aware of the Quran’s teachings, or worse, it calls into question their sincerity overall. In order to believe in the Jesus of the Quran, one must deny His deity, and therefore the Trinity itself.  To do this would require apostasy from one of the most central truths in Christendom that has been upheld for over 2000 years.  Those who deny these truths are not Christians by definition. Additionally, the Quran’s teaching concerning the crucifixion reveals its hostility to the true nature and work of Christ.

Surah 4:157. "That they said (the Jews), ‘We killed Christ Jesus the son of Mary, the Apostle of Allah’—but they killed him not, nor crucified him, but so it was made to appear to them, and those who differ therein are full of doubts, with no (certain) knowledge, but only conjecture to follow, for of a surety they killed him not—"

To be blunt about the matter, the Jesus of the Quran is no more than a Gnostic myth.

As we seek to hallow the precious name of God, let us press on to know Him. This is no casual pursuit, but should be seen as all-out war. There are many forces, heresies, and false religions surrounding us which are trying to denigrate the fair name of our Father who art in Heaven. But dear Christian – we must resist this. For the Muslim his deity is, by name, Allah and bears no relation to God the Father, or Ilah Al-Ab.

If you are a Muslim, reading this post, please know that Ilah Al-Ab can only be known through His only begotten Son – Jesus/Yasu.

My prayer is that you, by grace, would know Him truly – “So let us know, let us press on [niredphah] to know the Lord. His going forth is as certain as the dawn; And He will come to us like the rain, Like the spring rain watering the earth.” Hosea 6:3:

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[1] "…Usually the term refers to a man or group pursuing another for purpose of making war…" Harris, R. L., Harris, R. L., Archer, G. L., & Waltke, B. K. (1999, c1980). Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (electronic ed.) (834). Chicago: Moody Press.

[2] Psalm 50:21: 21. “These things you have done and I kept silence; You thought that I was just like you; I will reprove you and state the case in order before your eyes.

[3] Psalm 115:3