You Really Don’t Want Anything to Do with the god of Progressive Christianity, Do You?

Would you want to read an author who wrote a book full of contradictions and told of things that happened but really had not? Further, that this author made claims for himself trying to convince you they were true when they were lies?

That is what has happened within the ranks of something that has invaded churches which profess the Christian faith! The infiltrator is a malicious group of persons identified as “Progressive Christianity!” They are made up of theologians, scholars, seminary professors, denominational leaders, pastors, teachers, and church pew occupiers.

Notice I have used a small “g” when using the word, god, as applied to this group of persons who claim to be “progressives” regarding the Christian faith.

I use the capital “G” when using the word, God, as identifying the true deity Who is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. He is also the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. But further, Jesus is literally God revealed in human form. Of equal importance is the fact that God is the Author of that very special volume of information known as the Bible or the holy Scriptures!

But back to the progressive crowd. While they refer to a god and try to relate the Bible to their deity, it a most pathetic endeavor to say the least. According to these people, what is reported in the Bible is to viewed in the following ways:

1. The flood at the time of Noah never really happened.
2. There is no such God Who takes vengeance or brings judgment on people or nations.
3. Jonah was not swallowed by a great fish, etc.
4. There is no Hell or such a thing as eternal punishment.
5. There is no Satan in existence nor are there demon spirits.
6. There was no virgin birth.
7. There was no atonement – actual quote on this is: “Jesus did not die for our sins. Let that be said a thousand times. Jesus did not come from God to rescue fallen, sinful, inadequate, incompetent people like you and me. That is an image of a God who comes to us from outside to rescue this terrible and fallen creation. That is an idea from which we need to escape.” From “Living the Questions – The Wisdom of Progressive Christianity” by David M. Felten and Jeff Procter-Murphy, p. 114 – HarperCollins, publishers.
8. Jesus is not going to return to this world. A chapter in the above-mentioned book is titled, “Debunking the Rapture.”
9. The discussion on original sin is such that no word has yet been invented in the English language to accurately describe it!

The issue comes down to this in regard God’s revelation to humans by means of the Scriptures – is this statement true or is it not, and is Almighty God the One responsible for the Bible having come into existence? “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: that the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.” [2 Timothy 3:16-17 (KJV)].

Now do you see why I used a small "g" in the word god as it pertains to progressive Christianity? Their god is in a sense identified with the Bible -- but their god is one that is very contradictory in things he has allegedly revealed in his "book!" And he tells of things that actually did not happen, according to the progressives!

Yes, the god of the progressives does really exist. Avoid him at all costs! Now take a close look at his feet – notice, that they are not human with toes on the end – they are cloven hooves!

And Jesus answered and said unto them, “Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.…. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many…..For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” [Matthew 24:4,5,11,24 (KJV)].

Don't Blame Me -- It's Jesus' Fault -- He Taught Me to Do It!

"...it is written..." --- Jesus in Matthew 4:1-11

Why do I do it? How did I get into such an awful habit? It has actually become an addiction in my life over the years! It is what "anonymous" of W. VA referred to as "spouting off Bible verses." See comments on my post of April 5, 2008. I'm not sure if "anonymous" is male or female or something in between. As mentioned in reply at that time, it sure takes a lot of guts to make your statement and then refuse to identify yourself!

Anyway, about this addiction -- it was immediately after Jesus came into my life and did a major make-over from top to bottom -- inside and out! And so, as I began to read and study the Scriptures, portions began to be etched in my memory. I noted that Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit would come and teach me -- He would guide me into the truth and show me things to come. (See John 14 - 16 on that).

I also observed that Jesus was a "Bible verse spouter" on many occasions starting with an encounter with someone out in the middle of nowhere. Oh, I almost forgot -- unfortunately there are persons within the ranks of what claims to be Christianity (theologians, seminary professors, pastors and laity) who don't believe that Satan and demons actually are real and literally exist! So just whom was Jesus talking to out there in that waste land?

Jesus' most lengthy time of "spouting Bible verses" took place when He was talking with Cleopas and a companion. He engaged in conversation with them after His resurrection from the dead. At one point He gives them a mild rebuke and then starts "spouting:"

Then He said to them, "O foolish ones, and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! Ought not the Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into His glory?" And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself. --- Luke 24:25-27

How long do you suppose the "spouting of Bible verses" continued on that occasion as a couple of pairs of eyes were suddenly opened and the realization set in that Jesus was no longer in the grave, but very much alive!

There were a lot of other "spouters" of Bible verses also -- Matthew did it -- Paul and Peter -- in fact, there was quite a gang who did it. Some of those fellows in the Old Testament did not start their statements with, "It is my opinion or I think..." but a "Thus says the Lord..." An interesting way of "spouting off," is it not?

So it's Jesus' fault plus the example set by a number of others that I do it too. I find myself doing a lot of it in my sermons and teaching!

Now then, what can be done about this addiction to "spout off Bible verses?" For starters, how about a BVSA (Bible Verse Spouters Anonymous)? Hey, they have such groups for alcoholics, gamblers and people who eat too much, so why not such an organization for those of us who are addicted to "spouting off Bible verses?"

To show there are no hard feelings about this, I nominate "anonymous" of W. VA to get this thing up and running. Maybe over time our culture will be purged of all tendencies to "spout off Bible verses" and "anonymous" of W. VA will no longer have to go through trials and tribulations of such a practice on the part of persons such as I!

So the next time you hear someone "spouting off Bible verses" just remember it is not likely his or her fault -- the blame has to be placed on Jesus, Who showed us how it is done!

To whom shall I speak and give warning, that they may hear? Indeed their ear is uncircumcised, and they cannot give heed. Behold, the word of the LORD is a reproach to them; they have no delight in it. --- Jeremiah 6:10

For a Few, Celebrating the Greatest Victory Ever!

He is risen!

"Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.".... And after eight days His disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. Jesus came, the doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, "Peace to you!" Then He said to Thomas, "Reach your finger here, and look at My hands; and reach your hand here, and put it into My side. Do not be unbelieving, but believing." And Thomas answered and said to Him, "My Lord and my God!" Jesus said to him, "Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." --- John 10:17, 18; 20:26-29

This is being posted a day early due to the fact that come tomorrow morning Jean and I will be off to a rather early start. We will journey 27 miles to the church we have been working with for over 8 years in Gipsy PA. If you want to take a look at it plus some other things we have posted there, slip on over to Gipsy Christian Church -- a Musings of a Maverick link is there to bring you back here.

We will be having an Easter Sunrise service at 7:00 AM. After that we will be having an Easter fellowship breakfast in our newly acquired church hall just across the parking lot from the church. We do more than the cinnamon rolls and coffee thing -- our men do eggs, potatoes, sausage, pancakes, toast with all the trimmings! Yes, there are some doughnuts too! So we have a great time of fellowship -- it's just like family!

Then we will go back to the church for our regular worship time at about 9:30 AM for more celebrating.

Our celebration involves the greatest victory ever won in the history of the human race. It was won by the Lord Jesus Christ over the human enemies of sin, death, Satanic forces, and Hell!

A gang of people thought they had finally gotten rid of Jesus that day 2,000 years ago when they saw Him die on a Roman cross -- bunch of blind fools! Three days later He came out of the tomb alive! What does it all mean?

By virtue of our true repentance from our sins -- the receiving of Him into our lives as our personal Savior and Lord we have not only victory over sin, Satan, death and Hell, but the "fringe benefits" which are a part of all that:

• His promised living presence with us always (Note this in the Great Commission statement in Matthew 28).
  
• His promised peace to give rock solid assurance as we continue our journey in this perilous world -- while the storms swirl around us, within is that still small voice saying, "Peace, be still!" Also, a reminder from out of the Psalms, "Be still and know that I am God!" (Also note His reference to peace in John 14 & 16).
  
• His promised power as imparted by the Holy Spirit (Note this in the opening portion of the book of Acts).
  
• His promised provision for the meeting of our needs as mentioned by Paul in Philippians 4.
  
• His promise of a prepared place -- so special in so many ways including the fact that it is totally free from all corruption, pollution, conflict, pain and sorrow. Something great to look forward to when our journey here on earth has ended, is it not? (Note this in John 14 and further details in Revelation 21).
  

Unfortunately over the decades past there has been the infiltration of one of the most deadly heresies within the ranks of the church ever perpetrated in the history of the human race -- those "scholars," theologians, professors of theology and pastors who say/teach that Jesus did not literally come back from the dead! Mention is made somewhere on the vast acreage of Circuit Rider's Range of a seminary student who was very excited about entering the ministry and while in seminary he had a professor who did not believe that Jesus was resurrected from the dead. This charlatan seemed dedicated to convincing students in his class that this was so. The student in question could not handle that -- dropped out of seminary -- abandoned what he believed had been a call to the ministry and his life ended up a disaster!

For a few of us -- let the skeptics, inside the church as well as out in the world, rave on in their blindness and their first magnitude ignorance that Jesus is still in the grave -- we know better, do we not? After all when you are in conversation and fellowship with Him each day you know that more than a corpse is necessary for such experiences!

I do often sort out the human race by using such terms as "few" vs. "many" -- the reason? Because that's how Jesus often did it when referring to humanity -- separated into two categories -- "few" and "many!" But more about that at a later time.

I serve a risen Savior, He's in the world today; I know that He is living, whatever men may say......He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today! He walks with me and talks with me along life's narrow way. He lives, He lives, salvation to impart! You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart. --- from song, He Lives, written by Alfred H. Ackley

Why Did He Do It?

Want to upset some people in a split second? Just ask them to tell you why Jesus Christ died on a Roman cross! Of course, this assumes a rather important fact -- that you know beforehand by personal experience as to the reason, and that you haven't fallen for some of the heresy floating around this world as to why Jesus was executed on that cross.

Be aware that some of the heresy has penetrated the ranks of those who claim to be Christian in faith! There are those who say Jesus was just an ordinary human being such as you and I, and not God in human form -- that He set a rather noble example for us to follow and that is about the extent of it -- oh yes, He taught some pretty good principles which we should try to practice, if we should feel inclined to do so! And the main reason He ended up on a Roman cross as a common criminal is that He caused some trouble and if He had been smart, He would have kept His mouth shut and high-tailed it out of town, avoiding all that confrontation stuff!

Let's consult the divinely inspired record as to what it was all about -- just read a few statements which spell it all out:

This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. --- 1 Timothy 1:15

For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures....--- 1 Corinthians 15:3, 4

For the love of Christ constrains us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ's behalf, be reconciled to God. For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. --- 2 Corinthians 5:14-21

For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: "Who committed no sin, nor was guile found in His mouth"; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness; by whose stripes you were healed. For you were like sheep going astray, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls. --- 1 Peter 2:21-25

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation (satisfaction) for our sins. --- 1 John 4:10

Today is Good Friday -- a very special day for those who are followers of Jesus Christ, as we remember again His sacrifice of Himself on our behalf, give thanks and praise, and renew our commitment to do His will each day so long as He gives us breath to live in this world.

What does it mean to you?

Review How to Become a Christian and give thanks again for God's overwhelming love for each of us.

Have a glorious time this Sunday in celebrating Jesus' victory over sin, death, and Satan and his forces on our behalf!