Fight With Character
Notes
Transcript
Sermon Tone Analysis
A
D
F
J
S
Emotion
A
C
T
Language
O
C
E
A
E
Social
Review
Review
False Doctrines
Leads to Division
Fight For True Love
1. In what ways is the Gospel still under attack today?
What are the most dangerous threats to the gospel today?
What are the most dangerous threats to the gospel today?
It’s impossible to answer what’s “most” dangerous to the gospel today without God’s knowledge of everything. But here are some prominent threats that loom on the horizon:
The prosperity “gospel.” The belief that the gospel is about God making us rich is a lie. Jesus came to save us from sin and reconcile us to God (; ), giving us every spiritual blessing () and promising us suffering in this life and glory in the next (, ).The attack on penal, substitutionary atonement. Many people reject the idea that on the cross God punished Jesus for the sins of his people. But to reject this is to reject the heart of the gospel itself ().The rejection of the wrath of God. People today are extremely uncomfortable with the idea of a holy God who will punish sin. But if we reject the wrath of God we lie to ourselves about the fundamental problem the gospel saves us from (; ; ).The rejection of sin. Some argue that sin is just an idea that people in power use to make others behave the way they want them to. But the Bible presents sin—and especially God’s wrath against sin—as humanity’s fundamental problem. Reject sin and you’ve rejected our only Savior who “died for our sins” ().A man-centered view of the universe. We like to think that we run things around here. We like to think that no one can tell us what to do or believe—after all, we have rights! But the Bible presents exactly the opposite picture: we live in God’s universe (). He made us (). He rules over us (; ). We either worship him or hate him—and face the consequences (, ; ). A man-centered view of the universe is the opposite of the gospel and leaves no room for the gospel.“All paths lead to God.” People like to think that whatever anyone believes is fine so long as they’re sincere. People like to think that God will accept everyone in the end. After all, isn’t he a loving God? But the gospel is a radically exclusive message: Jesus alone is the way, the truth, and the life (). “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved” (, NIV).Other threats: widespread belief in a brand of “tolerance” which, in fact, is not very tolerant but is fundamentally a rejection of universal truth; cultural materialism; nihilism/philosophical unbelief/radical skepticism; the ever-continual attacks on Scripture, even from within the church.
The false teachers do not in fact carry out, or by teaching false doctrine fail to carry out, the kind of responsibility given to stewards in God’s household. Their influence is disruptive and they constitute a liability to the welfare of the οἶκος θεοῦ (see esp. Lips 1979:145–7; Verner 1983). This corresponds well with the issues of what constitutes legitimate teachers and teaching addressed in this passage and throughout 1 Timothy (cf. Tit 1:7).
What pulls people away from the true gospel?
What pulls people away from the true gospel?
How can we change that trend?
How can we change that trend?
2. What are the elements of a simple gospel message?
2. What are the elements of a simple gospel message?
Elements should include;
Sin
23 since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God;
Law ,
3 For God has done what the law, weakened by the flesh, could not do: by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and to deal with sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 so that the just requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.
Law Rom 8:3,4
Death
23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Jesus Christ John 3:16
Repentance ,
9 because if you confess with your lips that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For one believes with the heart and so is justified, and one confesses with the mouth and so is saved.
9 But you are not in the flesh; you are in the Spirit, since the Spirit of God dwells in you. Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. 10 But if Christ is in you, though the body is dead because of sin, the Spirit is life because of righteousness.
Easton’s Bible Dictionary Repentance
(1.) The verb metamelomai is used of a change of mind, such as to produce regret or even remorse on account of sin, but not necessarily a change of heart. This word is used with reference to the repentance of Judas (Matt. 27:3).
(2.) Metanoeo, meaning to change one’s mind and purpose, as the result of after knowledge. This verb, with (3.) the cognate noun metanoia, is used of true repentance, a change of mind and purpose and life, to which remission of sin is promised.
Evangelical repentance consists of (1) a true sense of one’s own guilt and sinfulness; (2) an apprehension of God’s mercy in Christ; (3) an actual hatred of sin (Ps. 119:128; Job 42:5, 6; 2 Cor. 7:10) and turning from it to God; and (4) a persistent endeavour after a holy life in a walking with God in the way of his commandments.
Faith Rom 5:1
3. What rules and regulations do some current preachers add to the gospel?
3. What rules and regulations do some current preachers add to the gospel?
GraceNotes - no. 66 by Dr. Charlie Bing
Why Is Lordship Salvation So Popular?Archive Home
A question often asked by those who hold the Free Grace position is Why is Lordship Salvation so popular? The Free Grace position teaches salvation by grace through faith alone in Christ alone, meaning that an unsaved person cannot do anything or make any commitment (such as submitting to Jesus as the Master of one's life) in order to be saved, and that believe means to be convinced or persuaded of the truth of the gospel. The Lordship view stands in opposition to the Free Grace position by teaching that an unsaved person must believe in Jesus Christ as Savior and submit to Him as Lord (or Master) of his life. They teach that believe includes submission, commitment, and obedience. Though specific biblical answers could be given (see past GraceNotes), here we simply state some reasons why Lordship Salvation is so popular.
Misinterpreted Scripture. Failure to distinguish between the passages in the Bible that pertain to salvation and those that pertain to the Christian life (or discipleship) lead many to a Lordship view. They confuse justification and sanctification issues, which makes the Lordship "gospel" include many conditions of commitment and obedience. Unfortunately, this adds human merit to the gospel. Preaching these texts as conditions for salvation may produce more outward commitment, but it also induces guilt and doubt.Law verses Grace. Lordship theology often comes from confusing law and grace. Transferring the moral laws of the Mosaic Law to the age of grace after Jesus Christ has fulfilled the Law makes law-keeping an important part of salvation--if not at the front end as a condition for salvation, then at the back end as proof of salvation. Lordship adherents believe those who are truly saved will keep the moral laws of the Old and New Testaments demonstrating that Jesus is the Master of their lives. But this view not only ignores the change of dispensations between Law and grace, that is, the difference between God's program for Israel and His program for the church, it also ignores the reality that no one keeps all the laws perfectly.New-old Calvinism. There has been a great resurgence of strong deterministic Calvinism, especially among young adults. Lordship theology is a necessary result of this theology, because in this view God elects some to salvation and gives them faith to believe. That divine gift of faith cannot fail, therefore it guarantees a persevering life of submission to Jesus as Lord if one is truly saved. This view of Christianity preaches the necessity of a full commitment to Jesus Christ, which is commendable in itself, but not if it is a test of salvation. The preaching of commitment attracts many young adults who respond to such challenges. Unfortunately, it is very likely that many or most of these "young, restless, and Reformed" Calvinists do not understand the whole package that makes commitment the condition for salvation.An Unrealistic View of Sin. An unwillingness to admit that Christians can sin severely or continuously leads many to a Lordship view, because they are not willing to concede that such people are saved since they have not made Jesus their Lord. While it is grievous when Christians sin, a more biblical approach is to recognize that this reality is reflected throughout the Bible. Grace gives people the freedom to serve God or their own selfish desires. Unfortunately, not all choose to serve God, but the solution is not to make the gospel more difficult with additional conditions. Labeling these people as unsaved ignores or deals insufficiently with the Bible's teaching about God's discipline and the church's discipline for sinning Christians and their loss of temporal and eternal rewards. It is also possible they never really understood the simple gospel to begin with and are not saved.A Cure for Worldliness. A sincere and legitimate concern about the worldliness of modern Christians also causes many to adopt a Lordship position. They conclude that worldliness results from a gospel that makes salvation too "easy." They believe that if salvation is available only to those who are fully committed to the lordship of Christ, then godliness is guaranteed. To them, believe is not sufficient as the condition for salvation; it must be believe and submit or believe and commit. Unfortunately, this changes the condition of the gospel from faith alone to faith plus something the sinner must do.Human Nature. Our natural human aversion to grace feeds the Lordship view. Since creation, humans have wanted to contribute to their salvation in their own way. This appeases the ego that craves significance, even if it is only the feeling that "I helped" or "I am fully committed," therefore I am saved. This appeals to the subtle sinful tendency of all humankind toward legalism - the self-inflating attitude that I can do something on my own to become acceptable to God. The prevalent legalism in almost all religious systems welcomes this Lordship theology.Misleading Rhetoric. Lordship adherents have influenced many by their derogatory rhetoric and misrepresentation of Free Grace views. For example, the Free Grace position is sometimes called the "no-lordship" position even though its adherents believe that the lordship of Jesus Christ is essential to His provision of salvation and godly sanctification. The difference is that Free Grace adherents don't think commitment to Jesus as the Master of one's life is the issue in salvation. The issue is believing in Jesus as the One who died for one's sin, rose again, and guarantees eternal salvation. Commitment to Christ as Master is an issue of sanctification (that is, the Christian life or discipleship). Lordship adherents also make charges of "easy believism," which is misleading since no one says believing is easy. It is simple, but not necessarily easy. Another derogatory charge is that the Free Grace view is "antinomian" (lawless) and gives believers a license to sin. While Free Grace adherents do not believe Christians are under the Old Testament Law, they do recognize the New Testament commands with the understanding that these commands makes Christians Christlike, but they don't bring or prove salvation. The Free Grace position teaches that good works and holiness are God's desire for every Christian.Hear-say. People tend to repeat the language and rhetoric passed on to them without evaluating it theologically or biblically. Sayings like "Receive Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior" and "If He is not Lord of all, He is not Lord at all" have become part of popular Christian lingo. Usually, little thought goes into these phrases before they are used and repeated. Using such language does not confirm someone as Lordship, but is certainly pushes them that way.Censorship. Frankly, those who hold a Lordship position, especially the Reformed Calvinists, have a lot of influence. That position dominates the publishing industry and academic institutions, and holds large conferences popular with young adults. As ugly as it sounds and is, that control purposely excludes the Free Grace perspective from the academic and popular forums, institutions, and publications, so Lordship Salvation flourishes. So-called "academic freedom" is not always so.
Conclusion
Conclusion
All these reasons can be reduced to one: Failure to comprehend the full riches of God's free gift of grace leads many Christians into Lordship Salvation. Their perspective implies that such grace is too good to be true, so it requires from a person either commitment to the lordship of Jesus Christ to be saved, stay saved, or prove that one was ever saved. Free Grace, on the other hand, accepts the amazing and underserved nature of God's saving grace and therefore teaches that eternal life can only be received through the response of faith apart from any merit on the sinner's part.
*GraceNotes are designed for downloading and copying so they can be used in ministry. No permission is required if they are distributed unedited at no charge. If you do not have a pdf viewer you may click here to download a free version.
4. What “different doctrine” is taught in our world today?
4. What “different doctrine” is taught in our world today?
4 Big Heresies Still Alive in the Church
Mike Leake Borrowed Light
Mike Leake Borrowed Light
Mike Leake📷
Most heretics come from an attempt to tie together paradoxes in the Scriptures.
After reports had been published that Mark Twain had died, the still living author wrote into the New York Journal with this quip: “The report of my death was an exaggeration”. I wonder if we could say the same about some of the early heresies — because they aren’t quite dead yet.
What is heresy?
What is heresy?
Heresy is not the same as error.Heresy is the choice to abandon the widely accepted teaching on an essential doctrine and embrace one’s own view.Heresy is to “preach another gospel”, as Paul stated in .Technically speaking something is not a heresy just because the church deemed it so. It is heretical because it is teaching which has abandoned the “pattern of sound teaching”.
Here are four heresies which aren't quite dead yet:
📷
1. Judaizers: "Good deeds or efforts contribute to salvation."
1. Judaizers: "Good deeds or efforts contribute to salvation."
One of the first group of heretics were the Judaizers. Most heretics come from an attempt to tie together paradoxes in the Scriptures. They begin well-meaning but take things further than they ought to go. The Judaizers began by asking a right question about the relationship between Judaism and Christianity. When uncircumcised Gentiles began following Christ and claiming the promises to Israel, these life-long Jews wondered how the Old Testament laws applied to non-Jewish followers of Jesus. Did they have to become circumcised and follow Jewish customs in order to be equal members with the Jewish Christians?
This well-meaning question was addressed in by the Jerusalem Council. The answer was that Christ had fulfilled the Old Testament and was setting aside the old categories. As Paul summarized in God was “abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace…” It was union with Christ and not works of law which qualified a person for the promises of God. The Judaizers did not accept this answer and gave Paul issues in all of his missionary travels.
Photo courtesy: ©Unsplash
📷
The fundamental problem of this heresy:
The fundamental problem of this heresy:
Their fundamental problem was that they held that something other than union with Christ was necessary for salvation. According to a recent study by Lifeway and Ligonier, 36% of self-identified evangelicals believed that “by the good deeds that I do, I partly contribute to earning my place in heaven”. This is the same belief as the Judaizers held. Any belief which holds that our good deeds or efforts contribute to salvation is firmly in the same stream as the Judaizers.
Photo courtesy: ©Unsplash
📷
Another early heresy was Gnosticism. Though Gnosticism had various forms one of the most pernicious—and one that is still present today—is Docetism. Docetism was an early Christological heresy which taught that Christ only appeared to be human. The foundation of Gnostic philosophy was that all physical matter was evil and all things spiritual were good. Therefore it was unthinkable that God would actually take upon human flesh. This belief also led to either severe asceticism (punishing the flesh) or licentiousness (since they physical had no connection with the eternal).
Most believe the apostle John had a docetic form of Gnosticism in his sights in the writing of 1 John. The Bible is clear, “By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God.”
Photo courtesy: ©Unsplash
📷
Anytime we exalt the spiritual above the physical we, too, are falling prey…
Anytime we exalt the spiritual above the physical we, too, are falling prey…
In our day it’s likely more common for people to deny the deity of Jesus than his humanity. Yet the dualism of Gnosticism/Docetism is alive and well. Christian Science and New Age have a strong bent towards Docetism, but the truth is, anytime we exalt the spiritual above the physical we too are falling prey to the dualism of these philosophies. Our bodies matter. This world matters. To deny this is to agree more with early Gnostics than the Bible.
Photo courtesy: ©Unsplash
📷
3. Prosperity Gospel
3. Prosperity Gospel
The ancient form of this modern heresy didn’t really have a name, but it appears in . In this text Paul speaks tongue in cheek about those in Corinth who have “already become kings”. The Corinthians believed that they were living in the blessings that are reserved for the future. To steal a popular phrase the Corinthians believed that they were to begin living their best life now. They believed true things but applied them at the wrong time. They wished to acquire on earth what should be sought in heaven.
Photo courtesy: ©Thinkstock/tommaso79
📷
This quote from prosperity gospel teacher Kenneth Hagin would have been right at home with the Corinthians:
“I believe that it is the plan of God our Father that no believer should ever be sick…It is not—I state boldly—it is not the will of God my Father that we should suffer with cancer and other dread diseases which bring pain and anguish. No! It is God’s will that we be healed.”
The problem, as Paul taught the Corinthians, is that such thinking is only true in the age to come. There is no crown without a cross. This modern iteration of an ancient heresy is deadly. It harms those who are suffering, it detracts from the gospel, and breeds cynicism when promises which God never made do not come true.
Photo courtesy: ©Unsplash
📷
“Look at that innocent baby”? I doubt we realize we are affirming heresy when we say such a thing. Likewise when 83% of evangelicals affirmed the statement, “A person obtains peace with God by first taking the initiative to seek God and then God responds with grace”, I doubt they intended to affirm heresy. But it’s true. Pelagianism is a heresy from the time of Augustine (and it’s other form Semi-Pelagianism) which refuses to die.
Pelagius was bothered by a quote by Augustine who said, ““Grant what Thou commandest, and command what Thou dost desire.” Pelagius believed that such teaching was leading to immorality. He believed Augustine was so exalting divine sovereignty that he was denying human responsibility.
Photo courtesy: ©Unsplash
📷
Pelagius’ logic was that if God commanded something…
Pelagius’ logic was that if God commanded something…
then humans must have the ability to carry it out. He further taught there is no such thing as original sin. We are born with a clean slate, according to Pelagius.
Augustine did not deny that humans were created with a freedom of will. Humans can do exactly what they desire. Yet, because of the fall humanity, apart from grace, will always desire evil. Augustine turned to -13to defend his view of grace. It is God who is at work in us “both to will and to accomplish”.
It wasn’t grace, per se, that Pelagius had a hard time with. It was necessary grace that he could not swallow. Therefore, Pelagius firmly believed that God responds to us and not the other way around. Apparently, 83% of professing evangelicals agree.
is the Lead Pastor at FBC Marionville in Marionville, Missouri. He is currently pursuing his M.Div. at Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Mike is married to Nikki, and they have two children, Isaiah and Hannah. You can follow him on Twitter @MikeLeake.
Photo courtesy: ©Unsplash
This article is part of our larger resource library of terms important to the Christian faith. From heaven and hell, to communion and baptism, we want to provide easy to read and understand articles that answer your questions about theological terms and their meaning.
5. What should the goal of ministry be?
5. What should the goal of ministry be?
5 But the aim of such instruction is love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and sincere faith.
6. How does a pure heart happen? (Gospel)
6. How does a pure heart happen? (Gospel)
1 Truly God is good to the upright, to those who are pure in heart.
Psalms
4 Those who have clean hands and pure hearts, who do not lift up their souls to what is false, and do not swear deceitfully.
Psalms
Christianity Today, 1956–1957, Volume 1, Numbers 1–25 Pure in Heart
Pure in heart denotes the moral blamelessness of the inner life, the center of which is the heart, in conformity with the view that “Every sin puts a foul mark on the soul.”—H. A. W. MEYER.
This was opposed to the hypocrisy of the Scribes and Pharisees. They made clean the outside of the cup and platter, while their inward part was full of ravening and wickedness (Luke 11:39). But Christ demanded purity of heart, for when the heart is impure, the whole man is defiled.—JOHN J. OWEN.
7. What about a good conscience? Is there anything that bothers your conscience that you need to correct?
7. What about a good conscience? Is there anything that bothers your conscience that you need to correct?
8. Can we truly love without sincere faith? Why or why not?
8. Can we truly love without sincere faith? Why or why not?
Evangelical Commentary on the Bible II. Warnings against False Teachers (1:3–7)
The heart is a person’s innermost being. Paul says that the heart must be pure, that is, “cleansed” (NEB a clean heart). The pure heart is the heart continually cleansed from sins by the purifying work of God.
Conscience is man’s God-given ability to self-consciously evaluate the rightness or wrongness of an action because he is made in the image of God. Even though man may suppress the truth (Rom. 1:18) or damage the conscience’s function, it remains an instrument by which God’s standards, “the requirements of the law,” are written on the hearts of men. One has a “bad” conscience when he “knows” he has done something wrong or has failed to do the right. A good conscience is the self-conscious awareness that people have who “desire to live honorably in every way” (Heb. 13:18).
The third channel is faith, trust in God and reliance upon him. This faith must be sincere. Love is channeled through those who genuinely believe that God provides by his Spirit the very love they are called to give.
Some (i.e., the false teachers) have wandered away from the concern for a cleansed heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith and have turned to meaningless talk.
These false teachers want to be teachers of the Law. Since the usual reference to law in the New Testament and especially in Paul is the law of God and since Paul’s correction of their views in verses 8–11 deals with the moral law of God and in the order found in the Ten Commandments (at least from the last third of v. 9 through v. 10), the law they want to teach is the Old Testament law of God. Yet, they do not really understand the words they are mouthing, thereby misunderstanding and misconstruing the Law itself.