The Narrow Way

“Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. “You will know them by their fruits. Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? “So every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. “A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. “So then, you will know them by their fruits.
“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 will enter. “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. “And the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. “Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. “The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.” When Jesus had finished these words, the crowds were amazed at His teaching; for He was teaching them as one having authority, and not as their scribes. (Matthew 7:15-29)

For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works. (2 Corinthians 11:13-15)

Examine yourselves, whether ye be in the faith; prove your own selves. Know ye not your own selves, how that Jesus Christ is in you, except ye be reprobates? (2 Corinthians 13:5)

Repent and believe the gospel!

Continue to repent and believe the gospel!

The gate is narrow, and so is the path. Take care that you are walking in the narrow way!

Don't practice immorality with the one hand and worship God with the other!

There is no such thing as a carnal Christian!

Don't allow ANYTHING to dictate your Christian beliefs other than the Word of God!

Praying a prayer one time does not make you a Christian!

Being baptized does not make you a Christian!

Salvation by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone makes you a Christian and walking in the way of righteousness thereafter is evidence of the supernatural regenerating work of the Holy Spirit!

A hatred of sin and a love of righteousness and truth is the mark of a born-again new creature in Christ!

A turning away from unbroken patterns of sin and rebellion is the fruit of the inner working of the Spirit in a true believer's life!

An intellectual assent to the truth claims of Jesus Christ or a belief in God is not evidence of salvation! The demons believe this and tremble! Do you have a demonic faith?

A life submitted to the Lord Jesus Christ will be markedly different from that of those who merely profess Christ or add Him to their worldly lives as a mere accessory!

God changes His own! Jesus makes a difference in His own! Sanctification is the defining work of the Holy Spirit within the truly born-again!

Are you like the world? Do you love the world? Do you call yourself a disciple of Christ? Do you bear bad fruit? Is it possible for a true Christian to continually bear bad fruit? Jesus Christ says it isn't. Is He a liar or are you a liar? How many times will you rededicate your life over, and over, and over again? Oh ye of little faith! How many conferences or seminars will you attend chasing after a "great move of God"? How is God working in your life? Is God working in your life?

You will know them by their fruits.

“A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. “Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. “So then, you will know them by their fruits.
“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 will enter. “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?’ “And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.’

Which are you, friend?

Are you practicing the will of the Father, or are you practicing lawlessness?

Oh self-righteous sinner, don't say to yourself "I know Jesus"! For I will then say to you that God is able to raise up stones to claim they know Jesus! I ask; "Does Jesus know you?"

Which foundation are you building upon? Is sand or is it rock? Are you on the narrow way or the broad way? Are you a tree bearing good fruit or are you a tree bearing bad fruit? Are you doing the will of the Father and going to heaven or are you practicing lawlessness and going to hell?

There are only two possibilities. Examine yourself. On that final day to come will your confession hold true? Don't trust in yourself. Don't trust in your works. Don't trust in your false teachers. Don't trust in your heart which is deceitful above all things. Trust in God's Living Word alone.

Go! Go! Run your race with your eyes steadfastly fixed solely upon Jesus Christ! God be with you!

Sin Not

Do nothing that you would not like God to see. Say nothing that you would not like God to hear. Write nothing that you would not like God to read. Go no place where you would not like God to find you. Read no book of which you would not like God to say, “Show it to Me.” Never spend your time in such a way that you would not like to have God say, “What are you doing?”

J.C. Ryle 1816 - 1900

Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemer. (Psalm 19:14)

HAT TIP: Reformation Nation

Joel Osteen: Heretic

I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed. As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:6-9)

Are you still "on the fence" about Joel Osteen and his cotton candy, saccharine, man-centered, ear tickling, non-gospel of nothingness which spews forth like a wretched, vomitous, corrupted mass from his sinless, bloodless, Satanically inspired Nerf theology?

If so, then maybe it would help if you took a few moments to listen to the distinctness of the true gospel preached by Paul Washer when juxtaposed with Osteen's damnable rank heresy.

Patience, Faithfulness & Obedience

I have yet to speak on God's behalf (Job 36:2)

We ought not to court publicity for our virtue, or notoriety for our zeal; but, at the same time, it is a sin to be always seeking to hide that which God has bestowed upon us for the good of others. A Christian is not to be a village in a valley, but "a city set upon a hill"; he is not to be a candle under a bushel, but a candle in a candlestick, giving light to all. Retirement may be lovely in its season, and to hide one's self is doubtless modest, but the hiding of Christ in us can never be justified, and the keeping back of truth which is precious to ourselves is a sin against others and an offence against God.

If you are of a nervous temperament and of retiring disposition, take care that you do not too much indulge this trembling propensity, lest you should be useless to the church. Seek in the name of Him Who was not ashamed of you to do some little violence to your feelings, and tell to others what Christ has told to you. If thou canst not speak with trumpet tongue, use the still small voice. If the pulpit must not be thy tribune, if the press may not carry on its wings thy words, yet say with Peter and John, "Silver and gold have I none; but such as I have I give thee." By Sychar's well talk to the Samaritan woman, if thou canst not on the mountain preach a sermon; utter the praises of Jesus in the house, if not in the temple; in the field, if not upon the exchange; in the midst of thine own household, if thou canst not in the midst of the great family of man.

From the hidden springs within let sweetly flowing rivulets of testimony flow forth, giving drink to every passer-by. Hide not they talent; trade with it; and thou shalt bring in good interest to thy Lord and Master. To speak for God will be refreshing to ourselves, cheering to saints, useful to sinners, and honoring to the Savior. Dumb children are an affliction to their parents. Lord, loose all Thy children's tongues.

This devotion was taken from Morning and Evening by C.H. Spurgeon.

Ambassador-Soldiers

Quoting John MacArthur from his book The Truth War (pages 25-26):

The gospel message in all its component facts is a clear, definitive, confident, authoritative proclamation that Jesus is Lord, and that He gives eternal and abundant life to all who believe. We who truly know Christ and have received that gift of eternal life have also received from Him a clear, definitive commission to deliver the gospel message boldly as His ambassadors. If we are likewise not clear and distinct in our proclamation of the message, we are not being good ambassadors.

But we are not merely ambassadors. We are simultaneously soldiers, commissioned to wage war for the defense and dissemination of the truth in the face of countless onslaughts against it. We are AMBASSADORS - with a message of good news for people who walk in a land of darkness and dwell in the land of the shadow of death (Isaiah 9:2). And we are SOLDIERS - charged with pulling down ideological strongholds and casting down the lies and deception spawned by the forces of evil (2 Corinthians 10:3-5; 2 Timothy 2:3-4).

Notice carefully: our task as ambassadors is to bring good news to people. Our mission as soldiers is to OVERTHROW FALSE IDEAS. We must keep those objectives straight; we are not entitled to wage physical warfare against people or enter into diplomatic relations with anti-Christian ideas. Our warfare is not against flesh and blood (Ephesians 6:12); and our duty as ambassadors does not permit us to compromise or align ourselves with any kind of human philosophies, religious deceit, or any other kind of falsehood (Colossians 2:8).

If those sound like difficult assignments to keep in balance and maintain in proper perspective, it is because they are indeed. Jude certainly understood this. The Holy Spirit inspired him to write his short epistle to people who were struggling with some of these very same issues. He nevertheless urged them to contend earnestly for the faith against all falsehood, while doing everything possible to deliver souls from destruction: "pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh" (Jude 23).

So we are ambassador-soldiers, reaching out to sinners with the truth even as we make every effort to destroy the lies and other forms of evil that hold them in deadly bondage. That is a perfect summary of every Christian's duty in The Truth War.

Who Suffered on the Cross?

The Holy Bible teaches that Jesus Christ, God Incarnate, God the Son, suffered on the cross and endured the humiliation and shame in place of those who would be saved by grace through faith in Him alone. He suffered infinitely, completely, and perfectly for fallen man’s abominable and offensive sin, imperfection, trespass, and unrighteousness.

He came to save sinners.

He died for the ungodly.

His perfect and sinless shed blood fully satisfied the Father’s wrath against the sins of those who believe on Him and are saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ alone.

Because He lived a perfect and sinless life and suffered a perfect and obedient death as the Lamb of God which fully satisfied His Father’s wrath He thereby, being glorified and restored to His royal position where He was with the Father from before the foundations of the world, is able to impute His perfect righteousness to those who are called by His Holy Name and who are saved by grace through faith in Him alone. Jesus Christ justifies the ungodly who come to Him by grace through faith in Him alone and translates them from spiritual death unto spiritual life causing them to become a “new creature in Christ”, a redeemed being, who has been “born-again” of His Spirit (The Holy Spirit of God) and restored into right relationship with the Father through the imputed righteousness of the Son.

Only God Himself could have paid the price for sinful man’s fall, and God Himself did pay that price in the person of Jesus Christ, the Son by Whom all things were Created and by Whose Word all things are sustained.

May all praise and glory and power and honor and strength and wisdom and riches be unto the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ forever and evermore! Amen!

God the Son suffered in my place on that cross. This is the most pride crushing God-centered fact of the New Testament. I can do nothing but fall on my face in humble obedience and worship before the Infinite Creator and Judge of the Universe Who endured all things and was tempted in all ways as I am, but yet without sin, and Who by His Incarnation became my Kinsman Redeemer.

How can I not be awestruck, amazed and dumbfounded by such an incredible thing? How can I do anything else but love Him, worship Him, and obey Him Who set aside His throne of glory, stepped out of eternity into time, clothed Himself with humility, and became a man making Himself of no reputation all for the joy set before Him?

Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)

He is my one hope, my only truth, the one way of salvation, the narrow gate, and no one comes to the Father but by Him Who was, and is, and is to come, the Risen Lord of Glory Jesus Christ the Son of God!

Thanks for asking Who suffered on the cross!

Oneness Pentecostals Are Secretly Trinitarian

I posted the comment below in a thread over at Heal the Land in response to several Oneness Pentecostal adherents who were active in the meta. In particular this comment was in response to "Crimson Wolf":

Crimson Wolf,

Yes I can “talk”. I merely chose to copy and paste (and provide due credit to men abler than I) in a spirit of love and earnest prayer that the Holy Spirit might open some eyes to the truth and to encourage my fellow servants of the Lord Jesus Christ, my Savior and King.

In fact I’ve carefully read through the posts that you, Manuel, Jesusman and Dr. Ward provided in order to try to focus my responses with Biblically based, scripturally supported, and Christ centered teaching.

To be quite honest, apart from the vitriolic personal attacks, belittling sneers, and requisite fear, loathing, and hatred that has been consistently (and sadly) demonstrated by you personally and some of the other Oneness contributors to this thread one overarching thought has struck me throughout this exchange: Oneness folks are closet Trinitarians!

The truth is that Oneness thought secretly - and cleverly - “borrows” orthodox Trinitarian teaching by intellectually mugging it in a dark back alley and coming out on the other side wearing its clothes pretending that they belong to the Unitarian camp.

I’ll admit that I was a bit stunned when the pieces all came together and I have surely appreciated this dialogue. I pray that it has served to bring much glory to God and it has certainly helped to deepen my feeble understanding of the glorious Risen Savior Jesus Christ which has in turn served to further humble me before His infinite wisdom, grace, mercy, pity and boundless love. Praise be to His Holy Name forevermore!

You see, I’ve come to realize the Oneness folks who have commented here thus far have clearly and repeatedly affirmed and demonstrated an intrinsic belief in a monotheistic trinity of sorts. The Oneness God’s “manifestations” or “modes” as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit have been readily confessed and heartily embraced by the Oneness representatives in this thread.

Therefore it’s become clear to me that the primary difference that has been articulated by the Oneness contributors herein is rather than confessing a “trinity of being” like I - and all true orthodox Christians - affirm, the Oneness camp confesses a “trinity of activity”.

Yet this distinction does not result in less mystery, it creates more. In fact the Trinitarian “mystery” so frequently derided by the Oneness camp remains in that based on the Oneness positions expressed in this very comment thread we find that one indivisible God can and does exist in at least three distinct ways (or manifestations or modes if you prefer) and He does so fully, personally, and simultaneously.

So now I’m left scratching my head and wondering if it’s so non-offensive to Oneness sensibilities and their concept of God’s Unitarian monotheism to believe God can and does “manifest” Himself fully, personally, and simultaneously in three distinct ways from time to time, then why is it so offensive to believe that God continually exists in this manner eternally? The latter is the basic, historic teaching of the doctrine of the Trinity.

I’m not trying to be a jerk or back you Oneness guys into a theological corner here, I’m genuinely curious. Could some or all of you give a calm, reasoned, rational explanation of this seeming anomaly?

Thus far none of Oneness Pentecostal commenters active in the thread linked above has offered any response to my simple inquiry.