Unity around the gospel

The most dangerous truths are half-truths, dressed as whole truths, which are really not truths at all.  In an age where tolerance is the ultimate virtue, to say that you have the truth and that another person is wrong is the ultimate evil. There is truth behind tolerance when understood rightly. We tolerate those we are wronged by so that we might express Christ’s unconditional love.[1] But tolerance when understood as mere acceptance, though it sounds like truth, is really no truth at all. In a world that values open-mindedness above certainty, do we value open mindedness to know the truth or to avoid the truth, or worse, to reject the truth. G. K. Chesterton wisely said, “Merely having an open mind is nothing. The object of opening the mind, as of opening the mouth, is to shut it again on something solid. Otherwise, it could end up like a city sewer, rejecting nothing.” Its is so easy for the false values of the world, values like tolerance, and open-mindedness to creep their way into the church under the guise of unity and love. And the next thing you know, you have a broad-church movement that only affirms what we have in common with others, and never those distinctive’s that may set us apart. In a society where discernment means hate and correction and discipline mean oppression and abuse, will we allow scripture to transform our minds to think rightly about the issue of unity? As Paul says in Romans 12:2 “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” The reformers were transformed by the word and understood the necessity of holding to the truth, being willing to disunite from Roman Catholicism as it denied salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone through scripture alone for the glory of God alone. As Calvin remarked, “a dog barks when his master is attacked. I would be a coward if I saw that God's truth is attacked and yet would remain silent." How may we reflect the love of God, whilst defending the truth of God? We must let scripture transform our mind.

Why is Arminianism so dangerous?

In a time where unity trumps truth and acceptance trumps discernment and immorality is seen as more wicked that false teaching, we must recover the importance of the gospel. It is not good enough that someone has come to a sincere and thought out position. We must be ever reforming to the word of God especially when it comes to the harder truths of the gospel. St Augustine said that "If you believe what you like in the gospel and reject what you don’t like, it is not the gospel you believe, but yourself.” The bible places false teaching as the most grievous of sins. As Detrich Bonhoffer puts it “ False doctrine corrupts the life of the church at its source, and that is why doctrinal sin is more serious than moral. Those who rob the Church of the gospel deserve the ultimate penalty, wheras those who fail in morality have the gospel there to help them.”(the cost of discipleship.) Let us examine, therefore, the seriousness of the error of Arminianism, that it might not undermine the very gospel we have been charged to guard and to proclaim.

Do we preach the doctrines of grace?

Some would say that in order to reach out to unchurched or de-churched, non Christians or young Christians they wouldn't want the offensiveness of calvinism to impede their evangelistic efforts in reaching out to as many as possible. Doctrines such as predestination and limited atonement are often perceived as offensive and objectionable. So do we preach them, or leave them out of our preaching?

Responding to Arminianism - a defence of Calvinism

So what is Arminianism and how does Calvinism respond? How does Arminianism hold up when examined by scripture?

Soli Deo Gloria - To God Alone be the Glory

Why was man created? What is our purpose in life?

"Since God has spoken so clearly and saved so finally, the believer is free to worship, serve, and glorify God and to enjoy him forever, beginning now. What is the ambition of the evangelical movement? Is it to please God or to please men? Is our happiness and joy found in God or in someone or something else? Is our worship entertainment or worship? Is God's glory or our self-fulfillment the goal of our lives? Do we see God's grace as the only basis for our salvation, or are we still seeking some of the credit for ourselves? These questions reveal a glaring human-centeredness in the evangelical churches and the general witness of our day." (Michael Horton)

Sola Scriptura - By Scripture Alone Part 3: Does the bible support papal authority?

Matthew 16:18 “You are Peter and on this rock I will build my church” Peters confession of JC as the messiah was welcomed with an overflowing blessing. What did Christ really say? Was it to give Peter an authority and a papal succession that for ages to come would be His advocate on earth? Or did Christ mean something completely different? Let us examine scripture more closely.

Sola Scriptura - By Scripture Alone Part 2: What the reformers taught

In a postmodern world that questions, in the words of Pointious Pilate 'What is truth', what bedrock can we stand on as our guide in the face of trials and scrutiny? "My conscience is captive to the Word of God. Thus I cannot and will not recant"- These are the famous words of Martin Luther as He stood before the Diet of worms defending the truths that are taught plainly in scripture. It was the reformation theologians that recaptured the absolute sufficiency and uniqueness of Scripture. This is affirmed by the words of Sergius Bulgakov (1871 - 1944) who stated that scripture is "above all the sources of faith, especially of all tradition in all its forms," holding that Scripture is self attesting as "an inherent witness to itself," while tradition depends on it." (Sergius Bulgakov, The Orthadox Church,1935, pg 28, 22) We, like them must return to, and stand solely upon, the means of grace, the Word, for through it the church is created by God's Spirit as "Christ not only creates a redeemed communion but governs it as Prophet, Priest, and King. The church [therefore] is the recipient of God's saving revelation, never a source." (Michael Horton, The Christian Faith for pilgrims on the way, pg 186) Will we, like Luther stand firm to God's word and defend it from those who would desire to have it twisted? Let us be refreshed by the spirits work as it illuminated the scriptures to such amazing minds as Calvin and Luther, so that we can stand with them guarding the good deposit.