Why Do Some Denominations Reject the Bible?

Friday's Edition of

What Does the Bible Say?

Gospel-Driven Disciples

A-Z Biblical Resource

 

Send your bible questions to askpastorgregg@gmail.com

 

Pastor Gregg,

With the Bible (the Word of God) so clear on the subject of the sin of Homosexuality, how do Christian denominations (i.e... United Methodist church, American Episcopalian church, and the Evangelical Lutheran church of America) accept homosexuality? I left the ELCA because of this issue.

I realize that this question may be too controversial for your blog, but you can always reply to the e-mail.

Blessings, Brian Todd

This is a good question Brian and the answer is easy though not pleasant. As a matter of fact there will many who think the answer is not loving, kind, or even nice. Our standard however, is the bible and not what we “feel” is nice but what does the bible say?

First, we need to realize that not everybody who claims to be a Christian or who claims to follow the bible actually is a Christian.

"Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.'” (Matt 7:21-23, ESV)

Only believers have the Holy Spirit of God. One of the duties of the Holy Spirit is to teach God’s truth to His children. One of the signs of being a true believer is loving and desiring the Scripture, not to mention obeying the Scripture. There are at least two ramifications possible if one does not have the Holy Spirit; first, an individual does not belong to God and second, one has no one to teach the truth of God. As a result one becomes very susceptible to false teaching and their own emotional and subjective reasoning.

Most, if not all main-line denominations such as the United Methodist, American Episcopalian, and the ELCA have long ago abandoned the scriptures as inspired and authoritative. Unbelieving individuals, regardless of how moral, well meaning, and intellectual have infiltrated these and other denominations. As a result, for quite some time mainline and liberal denominations have not been Christian in the sense of being redeemed, Christ-like and Christ followers as prescribed by the New Testament. Unbelievers will always reject, alter, or miss-apply the truth of Scripture because they do not have the Holy Spirit to teach them correctly and to prevent heresy or doctrinal error.

So, Brian, the answer as I said is easy. Liberal and main-line denominations stopped treating the bible as divinely inspired and authoritative. They no longer interpret the bible with the same hermeneutics as you or I. We believe God said what he meant and meant what he said. When the plain sense of scripture makes sense, we are to seek no other sense. The bible is to be interpreted from a literal, historical, grammatical and contextual hermeneutic. Most main line or liberal denominations interpret scripture from differing hermeneutics, such as spiritual or allegorical rules of interpretation.

Of course, many people simply discard and reject anything that does not agree with their reason or sensibilities. When man becomes the judge of what Scripture says rather than letting God say what he said, the result is similar to the experience of the children of Israel during the period of the judges:

“In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.” (Judges 21:24, ESV)

You have denominations and individuals rejecting God’s laws and standards and establishing their own sense of scripture. Sense they have rejected God’s laws and standards God rejects them and allows them to go their own way, for a while. Remember there is coming a day of judgment when God will set the crooked path straight and make all things right!

Thanks for your question! Thanks for reading the Gospel-Driven Disciples.

Driven by Fear!

What Drives You?

“Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others.” (II Corinthians 5:11, ESV)


That the Apostle Paul was “driven” is no secret. We can find throughout the epistles little clues that give us some insight into the soul and psyche of this beloved Saint of God. No doubt his visions of God drove him through all of the obstacles, both spiritual and physical that he encountered. Also, there is no doubt one could make a good sized list of other things that drove him, such as his hope of a glorified body, his love for Christ, the need before him, and even the realization of the impending judgment of the lost.

One thing stands out boldly in this ultra-personal letter of the Apostle Paul to the believers in the Corinthian Church, and that was his understanding of the judgment of God of his life and ministry. Paul was motivated or driven by the fear of the Lord. It was his acute awareness of this fear that caused him to persuade men to Christ.

This statement comes on the heels of what Paul had written in verse 10. Paul wrote in Chapter five, verses 1-5 that the dangers he faced, the enemies he faced, and the battle he was waging took his life, could very well destroy his present body. If his body was destroyed God had made an immortal and heavenly body to clothe his soul. As a result of this confidence Paul was able to be encouraged. Paul knew he walked by faith and that his confidence was in the Lord. Paul also was motivated by his desire to please God while he was living and to please God after his physical death as he would appear at the Bema Seat of Christ.

Paul reminds the Corinthians that all believers will stand judgment at the Bema Seat after their transformation. Paul stated emphatically that God would reveal the secrets of the hearts of the believers and judge their works as Christians. This revelation and judgment would result in the receiving of rewards or the loss of rewards.

Paul was earnestly motivated to be acceptable to God. Paul made note of the terror which belongs to the Lord. Paul was aware of “how terrible the scrutiny” of the Lord really is. This fear that Paul experienced when he thought of this severe and perfect scrutiny produced an awe and reverence in Paul that motivated him to live for Christ rather than himself and caused Paul to always be about the business of sharing the gospel. The fear of the Lord is the fear that the Lord excites or generates. The Lord is the object of this fear.

“Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.” (Ps 2:11, ESV)

“The fear of the LORD is clean (pure), enduring forever…” Ps 19:9, ESV)

“The counsel of the LORD is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.” (Ps 25:14, ESV)

“submitting to one another out of reverence (fear) for Christ.” (Ephesians 5:22, ESV)

Paul acted under the influence of his earnest sensation of reverencing the Lord as the Lord is worthy. In all of Paul’s attitude and actions he was aware that God was entitled to a level of respect, awe, reverence, and worship that was only befitting of God. Paul knew that this God would one day perfectly scrutinize this life and ministry, so Paul persuaded men in light of that awareness. Influenced by the fear of the Lord seeing the deep dark secrets of Paul’s heart and knowing that God would judge severely his activities Paul preached the gospel.

How do you perceive or view God? Do you have a truly healthy and earnest “fear” or reverence/respect for the character and nature of God? Or have you been led down the path by those with little or no understanding of God’s glorious character and have made God to be similar or equal to you? Is God a buddy, a pal, a holy dude that serves you? Or is God so Holy, so righteous, so just, and so glorious that He excites awe and respect from you as you are privileged to both know and serve Him?

What motivates or drives you?

Would You Pray?

Study the Bible with us!

Beginning Sunday evening, August 1st, 2010 we will be conducting a home bible study. We will begin this study at 5:00 PM and it is open to everyone in our neighborhood and the surrounding areas.

We are looking forward to studying the First Epistle of John each Sunday evening. We will examine this letter paragraph by paragraph as we seek to discover the intended meaning of John for his audience. As we determine the intended meaning we will then examine the ways that we can apply the truth of this letter to our everyday lives. The goal of this time together is four-fold:

• Exegetical and expositional study of God’s Word – what does God say to us?

• Inspirational and practical fellowship with one another – how can we love and serve one another?

• Soundly and lovingly building up families together one by one – how can we serve the families of our neighborhood in a way that strengthens the family core?

• Spreading a passion for the supremacy of God in all things – how can we fulfill our purpose of knowing God and loving Him forever?

Our vision is to treasure all that God is by exalting our Lord and Savior; by edifying believers in the faith; by expressing our commitment to God through hospitality and fellowship; by extending ourselves and our resources to our brethren first, and those outside the family of God; and by evangelizing the unconverted. Our vision includes the belief that our greatest obligation is to delight in our God. For God created us for His glory and God is most glorified by us when we are most satisfied in Him.

Why I am posting this here? I am hoping to enlist all my internet and blogging friends to put this study on your prayer list and your calendar of events. I am hoping to enlist all of you to pray for God’s blessing on this weekly bible study. Second, I am hoping to enlist some real time prayer warriors – by that I am hoping that some of you will commit to praying for us at 5:00 PM on Sunday evenings while we are conducting the study.

We live in a community probably just like yours – it is spiritually dark. The Northwest in general is a very spiritually burned over area. We live in a very economically depressed community, a community of meth use and addiction, and a very immoral community. When Paul arrived at Corinth and saw the sin and the broken lives he was deeply stirred in his soul. As a result he planted the Church at Corinth. Ever since driving into the city of Longview five years ago, and seeing and surveying the condition of the lives of the majority of this city, my spirit has been stirred within me.

I hope some of you will consider praying for us regularly. You can follow along with the study by selecting the Sermon/Bible Study Tab each Sunday. Once we begin I will be posting the previous week’s study on that page.

I will post this notice a couple to times in July and maybe a couple of times in August as a reminder. This is serious business! This is serious warfare where we will be engaging the enemy on his turf using God’s word to take every wicked and evil thought captive and rescuing some souls out of the fire as Jude wrote about. This won’t be easy. That is why your diligent and fervent prayers are being sought!

We have 35,000 souls in the city of Longview and 12,000 in the City of Kelso and 100,000 in Cowlitz County which includes the communities of  Longview, Kelso, Castle Rock, Woodland, Toutle, Ryderwood, Kalama, Silver Lake, Rosewood, Ariel, Cougar, and Yale.

Are You Anxious? Don't Be!

Exhortation, Encouragement and Enlightenment:

 The Means of True Peace

In Philippians 4, Paul is giving final instructions to the believers of the Philippian fellowship. Among a number of final exhortations, Paul instructs the believers on how to have true peace in their lives. They are to consistently rejoice in Christ, they are to be reasonable, or to have reasonable expectations, they are instructed “not to be anxious” about anything, and they are to pray with thanksgiving by means of supplication. Finally, Paul instructs them to “think” or mediate on things that are worthy of the nature of God and the character of their spiritual lives. In doing these things the Philippian believers and we as well, are able to maintain consistent peace in our lives.

What does it mean, “do not be anxious about anything?” The Greek word translated as “be careful” (KJV); “be anxious” (NKJV and NASB); “do not be anxious” (ESV) is μεριμναω. This word is used some nine-teen times in the New Testament. It is translated as “take thought, care, be careful, have care.”

Ou word means “to care for someone or something.” This care or concern may be about something that may or may not happen in the future. It can also means “to be intent on something,” as a hound dog is intent upon a trail. It can be used to signify “to strive after something.” In reference to our lives it usually takes on the meaning of “anxious expectation of something or anxiety in the face of something.” It is usually linked with fear.

Μεριμναω comes from the word μεριμνα which means care or anxiety. This word actually comes from μεριζω which basically means distraction. It comes from the idea of “to divide or to split into factions.” Hence, the idea is that when we are not trusting in Christ, rejoicing in Him, and praying, various problems can cause our heart (mind) to be split into factions of worry, concern, and care. These problems can leave our “peace” divided, leaving us distracted from our primary position of trust in Christ.

From this word we see the idea of “being drawn in different directions.” The “thing” that causes this being drawn in different directions or this distraction from faith in Christ is considered to be “a care”; hence it is considered to be an “anxious care.”

The word in 4:6 is a verb; it means “to have a distracting care” or “to be anxious about.” To understand this verb fully we see that it is used in the present tense. This is not be a one time, or an off and on again response, but we are to continually, consistently, or to always have no distracting or anxious thoughts. This verb is used in the active voice which means this action is done by us. There is no magic formula, or mystical elf or angel that is going to wave a magic wand and the thoughts and feelings of anxiety disappear. We are responsible to rest in God and not to have or maintain anxiety. This verb is in the imperative mood which makes it a command. It is not an option to choose if and when it is convenient to us. We are expected to obey this command.

The appeal of the soon return of the Lord is the basis for this command. Christ will soon be returning to set all things straight and to establish a kingdom in righteousness, therefore do not have concerns that distract you from that promise and drive you from Christ. In all of these things that come at you or upon you, turn to Christ and pray, be thankful and make your requests known to God, rather than worry or suffer anxiety.

Can you see the meaning of this word? More importantly can you see how the primary meaning of our word anxious relates to you? We must constantly be on our guard in order to not be distracted from Christ and from focusing on something or someone that may or may not harm or affect us in a negative way. Of course this is more often easier said than done. I face this temptation everyday as I continue to be unable to find a job and as we face the reality of foreclosure on our home. 

Fulfilling God’s command to “be anxious, or not to worry or be concerned about anything” is very difficult at best. Fulfilling this command is a way in which we as God’s children are able to reflect the character and nature of God as we are directed in I Corinthians 10:31.

Study the following passages in their context to gain a more complete understanding of our word:

merimnao

Matt 6:25, 27, 28, 31, 34, 10:19
Luke 10:41, 12:11, 22, 25, 26
I Corinthians 7:32, 33, 34, 12:25
Philippians 2:20, 4:6

merimna

Matt 13:22
Mark 4:19
Luke 8:14, 21:34
II Corinthians 11:28
I Peter 5:7

 merizo

Matt 12:25, 26
Mark 3:24-26, 6:41
Luke 12:13
Romans 12:3
I Corinthians 1:13; 7:17, 34
II Corinthians 10:13
Hebrews 7:2

Sources:

Vines Complete Expository Greek Dictionary
Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament
Moultan and Milligan’s Vocabulary of the Greek Testament
The Englishman’s Greek Concordance of the New Testament
Kittel’s Theological Dictionary of the New Testament, Vol. 4
The Wycliffe Exegetical Commentary of Philippians, Moises Silva
Saint Paul’s Epistle to the Philippians, J. B. Lightfoot
A Reader’s Greek New Testament
NASB, KJV, NKJV, ESV translations of the Bible

Is This Your Prayer?

"Today, may I engage in nothing in which I cannot implore your blessing and in which I cannot invite thy inspection."

No More Bull Live Ilustrated Service

No More Bull, Illustrated Rodeo Sermon Extravaganza!

"I think they should tax churches. Most churches are amusement centers anyhow. And you have to pay taxes on amusement." - Leonard Ravenhill

I found this disqusting advertisment or commercial for a church in Nashville, TN on The Museum of Idolartry website and thought I would share it with you. As a pastor and a Christian gentleman, I apologize to those who have been burned, hurt, or otherwise abused by these so called churches and pastors. It makes me dirty and I need to go take a shower.

4th of July Rodeo Commercial from Cornerstone Church on Vimeo.

Irrefutable Irony?