Absolute Dominion: September 2007

Sunday, September 30, 2007

Spurgeon on Glorifying Christ

Into other places we might take you where very clearly the object is the extolling of doctrine. From the first of January to the last of December the brother bitterly contends for the favorite corners of his faith. Doctrine, with certain friends, is everything, and their rigid orthodoxy is the one care of their life. Now, against a sound creed and the doctrines of grace we have not a word to say. God be thanked that we love these things as much as those who exalt them above measure; and are not a whit behind the chiefest of these champions in our zeal for orthodoxy; but still our Lord is, and must be, the leading theme of our ministry, and we must continue to exalt him rather than Calvinism, or any other system of theology. We are bold to say it, much as we love the Master's throne, we love the Master better still; and dearly as we love battling for the walls of his vineyard, yet the clusters of his Eshcol are sweeter to our taste. We love Christ better than creed, and we think we would rather magnify our Master than any set of truths, however important they may be.

There are certain doctrinal brethren, good enough in their way, but still you can evidently see that the doctrine of election is a thing that they contend more for than the doctrine of the redemption of Christ; or if it be redemption, it is rather the specialty of redemption than the divine sacrifice itself. I love to preach the distinguishing grace of God, but I am far from thinking that some four or five points comprise all the truths which God has revealed. Be it ours to preach the doctrines as Dr. Hawker preached them, with Christ as their sum and substance; "a full Christ for empty sinners," be this our theme. To a great extent it is true of a ministry that seeketh only to exalt doctrines, that it hath not the fullness of the Holy Ghost in it, for of the Holy Spirit it is written "He shall glorify, me."

Source: Bible Bulletin Board

The Holy Spirit Glorifying Christ

I stumbled across this powerful piece by C.H. Spurgeon tonight and wanted to share it with you. Read it and be blessed.

"He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you." (John 16:14)

We always need the Spirit of God in our preaching; but I think we more especially require his divine direction and instruction when the subject is himself: for the Holy Spirit is so mysterious in his varied attributes and operations, that unless He himself shall reveal himself to us, and give us the words in which to speak of Him, we shall surely fail either to understand for ourselves, or to enlighten others. In his light we see light, but without him we grope like blind men in the dark.

Certain sins against the Holy Ghost continually exist in a degree in the Christian Church. Unholiness of life grieves the Holy Spirit. When Christian men walk not according to the gospel; when their conversation is not ordered according to the pattern of Christ, then the Holy Spirit who hath no fellowship with unholiness, with draweth himself in a measure from the Church. Discord, too, strife among brethren, forgetfulness of the new commandment, that we love one another, grieveth the sacred Dove: for as his nature is peaceable, as his office is to be the peace-giver, so he tarrieth not where there is the din and noise of contending parties. So, also, when he perceiveth his saints to be diseased with worldliness, when we prefer the treasures of Egypt to the reproach of Christ, and seek rather the things which are seen, which are temporal, than the things which are not seen, which are eternal, than again is the Holy Ghost quenched, and departeth from our midst. Above all, pride, and that murmuring, rebellion, unbelief, obstinacy, and self-seeking which pride leads to--all this grieveth the Holy Ghost, for he dwelleth with those who are "humble and of a contrite spirit;" and where there is the voice of murmuring, where one man seeketh to lift himself above another, and all to exalt themselves above their despised Lord, the Holy Ghost hideth himself and suffereth barrenness to take the place of plenty, and death to reign where once life triumphed. These are a few of the common and the constant infirmities of the Church, by which the Holy Ghost is much hindered in those marvelous manifestations which otherwise would be common and usual in the midst of our Israel.

Continue reading here.

Doug Pagitt - Persona Non Gratis

It looks like the SBC managed to summon up the intestinal fortitude necessary to get rid of at least one of the emergent/contemplative/New Age promoters which fill their bookstores and who are featured speakers at their various state conventions. And while this is a nice - and long overdue - start, the SBC sure has a long way to go in order to clean up its house as can be seen in the information below garnered from Lighthouse Trails Research:

Source: From the Lighthouse

LTRP Note: Below is an update regarding yesterday's story: "Doug Pagitt No Longer Speaking at Southern Baptist Convention Wired2Grow." Christian Research Service spoke with Public Relations at the BSCNC office yesterday (Sept. 28th) and was told why Pagitt was not going to be a speaker at the event.

We pray this move by the Southern Baptist Convention (North Carolina) to reject the emerging church movement will set a precedent. While LifeWay Christian Stores (SBC) still carries books by Pagitt and other emerging church leaders, perhaps the actions of BSCNC will inspire LifeWay leaders to break ties with contemplative and emerging spiritualities.

The following is a partial list of contemplative/emerging authors represented at LifeWay. Some of these also promote outright the New Age:

Ken Blanchard
Laurie Beth Jones
Tony Jones
Brennan Manning
Pete Scazzero
Gary Thomas
Richard Foster
Spencer Burke (The Ooze)
Eddie Gibbs
Ryan Bolger
Ken Wilber

Saturday, September 29, 2007

In the Absence of a God-King

I've only recently begun to consider a few seemingly unrelated modern events, historical facts, and current trends and then prayerfully reflect upon them in the light of inerrant, inspired scripture.

Please understand that I'm not claiming any divine revelation here, no angelic choirs have descended into my bedroom under cover of night, nor have I been communing with the modern oracle of Delphi, Benny Hinn. I'm simply posting my thoughts and that's it.

Recently a new breed of militant atheist has arrived on the scene in the persons of Christopher Hitchens, Richard Dawkins and Sam Harris. In essence each of these men lays out the same tired old charges as all atheists, but what sets these three apart from their atheist bretheren is the fact that they publicly, vociferously, and angrily announce in print and in person what their peers used to only whisper about behind closed doors. In effect they lay out the charge that "religion" - read Christianity - is poisonous, evil, libelous, morally repugnant, foolish and even a form of child abuse.

None of the aforementioned charges are really anything new, atheists have been making these wildly absurd claims for as long as there have been atheists, but the difference today is that the unholy alliance of Hitchens, Dawkins and Harris actually have a pop culture audience. In the past everyone except for the other atheists and those who were easily impressed and fancied themselves as "intellectuals" wrote guys like these off as what they are, cranks.

As I've written before, the unregenerate virulently, violently, and passionately hate the One True Living God. This is the clear teaching of scripture and is easy for the discerning believer to see in day to day life. Man wants to be his own god, therefore man hates the real God for really being God. Sure it's petty and foolish, even childish, but that's the way our sin nature works.

But back to our atheist trio; these men are simply acting out for all to see the true, unvarnished hubris of sinful man. They're publicly stating the same kinds of things that all sinful men have thought or felt from time to time. This also includes us as believers during our conversation with the world prior to walking in right relationship with our Creator God through the shed blood of His Son Jesus Christ our Savior. Historically atheists haven't fared quite as well as they do today with their book deals, radio interviews, television spots, and debate invitations. Modern secular-humanist governments naturally lend themselves toward atheism, therefore modern day anti-theists enjoy both the unprecedented liberty to espouse their perversity and the unprecedented ability to make a tidy profit while doing it.

Sinful men learned quite early in the game of politics that in order to be an effective and authoritative ruler one needed at minimum to be chosen of "god", and for maximum effect he would need to declare himself to actually be "the god", hence the term god-king. As you might imagine the likes of Hitchens, Dawkins and Harris would be a rarer sight than a unicorn under the dominion of a god-king, for obvious reasons.

Even as recently as modern times we've had god-kings enthroned and enshrined by their populace. Consider, for example, the emperors of Japan who reigned as god-kings until the end of the second World War and the diminutive, androgynous, platform shoe and bouffant wearing god-king of the DPRK who even now is benevolently ruling and reigning, and who reportedly lovingly creates beautiful rainbows daily over his happy subjects.

Apart from the dripping sarcasm in the above sentences what should also be apparent is the fact that secular governments inevitably find themselves in competition with organized religion. This is because even - sometimes especially - within secular governments men fancy themselves as somehow more enlightened, more noble, more worthy of the power inherent in government. Government at its base is the embodiment of societal control.

Government seeks to control men and direct societies. This is what governments do.

Even righteous men aren't immune to the allure of great power and the potential for great wealth, and human government offers the potential for vast amounts of both. By nature sinful men seek after popularity, renown, power, recognition, and influence. What better place to satisfy one's sinfully endowed god-king complex than within human government?

Well, since you've asked, the other place to satisfy those desires is organized religion. Upon reflection these two seemingly disparate entities - government and religion - mirror one another nearly perfectly.

They both exert power and control over men.

They both exact tribute from men.

They both demand fealty from men.

They are both organized into discrete local, state, national, and international bodies.

They are both "managed" by the precepts and doctrines of men.

The major difference between the secular human governmental institutions of men and the religious institutions of men is that the secular government doesn't have "the god's" endorsement. Secular governments - and therefore by default governmental agents - lack the "divine seal of approval" whereas the religious institutions are happy to display their theistic credentials and tout their deity's tacit approval of their institution and its related religious activities.

According to my understanding of the Holy Bible and eschatology there will someday arise a great man of sin on the earth who will be wildly successful at selling the concept of the god-king on a global scale. This super-politician/clergyman will somehow blend the temporal power of the state and the eternal power of the divine and will meld the disparate concepts of church and state into one, the church-state. Of course this will be done through satanic power and influence but it will be done nonetheless. While this may sound like the stuff of nightmarish Orwellian fantasy or kooky religious hocus-pocus I take the Bible quite literally and believe there are a number of end-times prophecies yet to be fulfilled, and that the rise of the anti-christ is among those yet future events prophesied by inspired scripture.

From where I sit looking around at the state of the world today with rampant apostasy and lack of Biblical knowledge among professing Christians, the ecumenical leanings of the mainline Protestant denominations, the RCC, and the emergent ooze; not to mention the New Age concept of the god within us all, which both emanates from and resides within most of the false religions of the world, it seems not too far a stretch to see these seemingly separate movements slowly yet inexorably coalescing around the ultimate man of sin, the damnable god-king of Revelation.

This final, ultimate man of sin seeks to usurp the unique office of Christ and will someday demand and receive the worship of men. Though he will rule for a season the Infinite Creator and Judge of the universe has also prophesied the anti-christ's final doom in the eternal lake of fire.

He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. (Revelation 21:17)

Thursday, September 27, 2007

On the Sin of Public Education - Part 2

Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it. (Proverbs 22:6)

I've said it here before, and I'll say it again. If you are a Christian parent and you are sending your children into the godless, pagan, soul-destroying institution commonly known as the public school system - which is the spiritual equivalent of passing them through the fire to Moloch - PULL THEM OUT NOW!!!

And thou shalt not let any of thy seed pass through the fire to Molech, neither shalt thou profane the name of thy God: I am the LORD. (Leviticus 18:21)

Face it folks, there's really no valid reason for the children of Christians to be sent to those abominable places -no, there really isn't. However there are multiple viable alternatives, but like an addict trying to go cold turkey it won't be easy.

In order to go "cold turkey" on the state run school system it has to be important to you.

It has to be a priority for you.

It has to matter to you.

And no, your child's school isn't different, your child's teachers aren't different, and your child's school administrators aren't different. Don't deceive yourself. Don't be lulled into a false sense of complacency.

Friends, it's time to pull your head out of the sand and face the hard facts that public education in the United States isn't neutral, it is virulently anti-Christian and promotes a satanically inspired secular humanism and moral relativism for 6 to 8 hours a day for 13 - or more - of your child's most formitive and impressionable years. Your evening devotionals and Wednesday/Sunday services - while commendable - can't compete with this type of sweeping and all-inclusive indoctrination.

And we wonder why kids are flocking from the church in record numbers after graduating high school?

Are you not making the connection here?

Well just in case you're not please take a moment to review the extremely tiny sampling of damning evidence linked below:

Gay Book Flap Erupts Again At Lexington School

Teacher reads 2nd-graders story about 'gay' wedding

Gideons arrested after school officials complain they were handing out Bibles

District lifts ban on parent over pro-'gay' book

Godless Public Education and Sin

Education or Illusion?

Time for a second Exodus

The Harsh Truth About Public Schools

NEA: Trojan Horse in American Education

On the "sin" of public education

The Outcasts of The Modern Church

Monday, September 24, 2007

Truth Matters

It seems that Doug Pagitt, one of the more vocal and recognizable preachers of the non-gospel of the emergent confusion has finally come out and taken the position that the gospel he preaches and believes is a different gospel than that which John MacAruthur preaches and believes.

This is an important development for many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that many orthodox believers within the Christian blogosphere have gone on record charging that the emergent message is in fact another gospel. John MacArthur's position on the gospel is crystal clear since he is a prolific writer and has been a pastor for more than 30 years whereas most of the "pastors" of the emergent confusion are relatively new on the scene. Coupled with their predilection for obfuscation, word games and engaging in shameless logical fallacies their "new kid on the block" novelty tends to mask their true beliefs behind a veneer of false humility.

At the root of the emergent confusion is their rejection of Biblical authority and their inability or refusal to believe the truth, preferring instead to believe a lie. According to scripture this is the state of the natural man - to deny the Spirit of truth and suppress the truth in unrighteousness. They prefer things to be subjective and fuzzy and would rather avoid all that "divisive" doctrine stuff. They embrace mystery and decry the arrogance of those who dare to claim that "by His Spirit and revealed Word man can know the truth of God".

On the subject of the aversion to truth Spurgeon well said:

Lastly, we speak to some of you who know nothing about the Spirit of truth, nor about the truth itself. It may be that some of you are saying, "We care not much which of you are right, we are happily indifferent to it." Ah! but, poor sinner, if thou knewest the gift of God, and who it was that spake the truth, thou wouldst not say, "I care not for it;" if thou didst know how essential the truth is to thy salvation, thou wouldst not talk so; if thou didst know that the truth of God is—that thou art a worthless sinner, but if thou believest, then God from all eternity, apart from all thy merits, loved thee, and bought thee with the Redeemer's blood, and justified thee in the forum of heaven, and will by-and-bye justify thee in the forum of thy conscience through the Holy Ghost by faith; if thou didst know that there is a heaven for thee beyond the chance of a failure, a crown for thee, the lustre of which can never be dimmed;—then thou wouldst say, "Indeed the truth is precious to my soul!" Why, my ungodly hearers, these men of error want to take away the truth, which alone can save you, the only gospel that can deliver you from hell; they deny the great truths of free-grace, those fundamental doctrines which alone can snatch a sinner from hell; and even though you do not feel interest in them now, I still would say, you ought to desire to see them promoted. May God give you to know the truth in your hearts! May the Spirit "guide you into all truth!" For if you do not know the truth here, recollect there will be a sorrowful learning of it in the dark chambers of the pit, where the only light shall be the flames of hell! May you here know the truth! And the truth shall make you free: and if the Son shall make you free, you shall be free indeed, for he says, "I am the way, the truth, the life." Believe on Jesus thou chief of sinners; trust his love and mercy, and thou art saved, for God the Spirit giveth faith and eternal life.

Sunday, September 23, 2007

A Tough Pill to Swallow

The unregenerate maintain their own sinful reasoning as their ultimate authority and highest court of appeals which inevitably results in a man-centered worldview.

This is the state of the natural man without the enlightening of the Holy Spirit and is representative of a mental and spiritual state at enmity with God. If the One True Living God is not your ultimate authority, and if your worldview is not radically filtered through and determined by His Word, then you are His enemy.

A failure to submit to His authority is by default to submit to another authority, which is typically the authority of self. The natural man seeks to be autonomous and I honestly think this basic error, an error which hearkens back to the fall in the garden, is the fertile ground upon which the man-centered non-gospel of the seeker sensitive, purpose driven, and emergent harlot churches has taken root and born much bitter fruit in these last days. We can see from scripture that the church has been infiltrated by unbelievers who cloak themselves as believers. Sadly many of these massively deceived unbelievers honestly think they’re Christians and won’t know the truth until they are told by the Lord to “depart from Me“! How horrific!

By nature men are lovers of themselves and seek to suppress God’s truth in unrighteousness. With an elevated sense of self worth and a constant nagging need for self-esteem they place themselves - wittingly or unwittingly - in Christ’s unique role as Ruler and King.

Saturday, September 22, 2007

Spiritual Prostitutes

According to a report over at Spiritual Pathways Ministries soon to be divorced "pastrix" Juanita Bynum is back on her feet after being beaten by her husband "Bishop" Thomas Weeks, and she's now ready to usurp the unique role of Christ as High Priest of His church and begin interceding on your behalf before the Almighty - just as soon as you cough up $200,000 for her new state of the art "threshing floor" (a.k.a. prayer room) that is.

For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; (1 Timothy 2:5)

And here all this time I thought there was One mediator between God and man, the Lord Jesus Christ. I don’t recently recall hearing of any “mediatrix” outside the Mary worshipping fringes of the heretical RCC, but I must say the prospect certainly is dizzying.

Perhaps pastrix-mediatrix Bynum should seriously consider an ecumenical alliance with the RCC since they’re usually up for some good heresy almost anytime of the day or night. Maybe then she could officially become a pastrix-mediatrix co-redemptrix, but I doubt the Pope would be agreeable to the idea of handing over his “Vicar of Christ” post to an upstart competitor for the title of anti-christ.

The blasphemy of pastrix-mediatrix co-redemptrix dual-divorcetrix Bynum is simply breathtaking. Between her blasphemous spiritual harlotry and Paula White’s blasphemous request for “atonement offerings” I can’t tell which of the two is the worse spiritual prostitute.

Thou shalt not bring the hire of a whore, or the price of a dog, into the house of the LORD thy God for any vow: for even both these are abomination unto the LORD thy God. (Deuteronomy 23:18)

Emergent Confusion is no Mystery

Strange Baptist Fire has posted an excellent piece on the current melee between the emergent confusion and those who hold to the doctrines of grace.

Postmodernism’s Clash With Calvinism
Putting aside perhaps, some of the extreme KJV only folks that I’ve encountered, I have yet to find a group or mindset that is as "anti-Calvinism" as the Emerging Church Movement. Sure, there are some like Mark Driscoll who have a background in this movement while simultaneously espousing Calvinism, but they are far from the majority of those who identify themselves with this postmodern re-thinking of church and Christianity.

From all of the reading that I’ve done so far of Emerging blogs, the best explanation that I can come up with for this clash has to do with something about Calvinists and also something about postmodernists. Calvinists tend to value doctrinal precision, whereas Emerging Church postmodernists embrace mystery (some would say that they tend to shroud the revealed will of God in mystery) and prefer living with doctrinal gray areas.

When he wrote his 19th century "Warnings to the churches" J.C. Ryle could not have known about today’s Emerging movement, however - this statement of his - I think summarizes the conflict that we often see between Calvinists and Postmodernists:

"He who dares to say of one doctrine that ‘it is true,’ and of another that ‘it is false,’ must expect to be called narrow-minded and uncharitable…"

Continue reading this article here.

Friday, September 21, 2007

Prophet, Priest, and King

I was meditating on God's Word tonight and began thinking about the manifold errors of the emergent church movement. This aberrant, cultish stain on the fabric of the Bride of Christ's gown is a relatively recent yet wildly successful development in the devil's ongoing efforts to lure sinful men down a path that leads toward a big flashing neon sign that says "HEAVEN", but which is in truth the broad way that leads to everlasting destruction.

The emergents never cease to amaze me with the mental gymnastics they employ in order to dance around the edge of truth.

Sometimes they dodge and weave.

Sometimes they obfuscate and deny.

Sometimes they protest and whine.

And sometimes they rage and attack.

Yet the more I learn about the shallow "I'm okay, you're okay" easy-believism espoused by the adherents of the emergent message of false hope and empty promises the clearer it becomes that root of the problem with the emergent crowd is their wholesale aversion to authority.

They loathe it.

They upbraid it.

They reject it.

God's Word is authoritative. It is His full and complete revelation to men and its truth is self attesting. It answers the all important question "what must sinful man do in order to be reconciled unto a Holy God?", and it is true because He says it's true. It's a matter of God's authority vs. man's authority. The natural man in his fallen state automatically has himself set up as his own god in his heart. This situation is the unavoidable consequence of the fall and is inborn into every child that enters this world, with the exception of One; the Lord Jesus Christ.

Since the natural state of man's heart is sinful and he holds his own sinful reasoning as the ultimate authority - the highest court of appeals - through which all information flows including matters of life, living, morality, ethics, and his entire system of belief - his worldview - he is the enemy of God. Sinful men hate God. Sinners don't "like Jesus but hate the church", sinners hate God and anything to do with Him fervently and completely, though whether or not this visceral hatred always reaches the level of conscious awareness in every sinner is a different matter entirely.

There is no way around this untenable situation because there is only One True Living God, the Infinite Creator and Judge of the universe, and sinful man isn't Him. The law of God exposes to men that they are desperate and doomed to eternal punishment because they are utterly unable to meet God's requirement of absolute holiness and perfection due to their sin nature. Men cannot keep God's perfect law and are are thus summarily condemned and damned by the law.

But God, Who is merciful and just chose in His good pleasure and by His unmerited grace not to leave men doomed and without hope under the law. Instead He stepped out of eternity and down from His throne of indescribable glory to become a simple man born of a humble, unknown, common Jewish handmaiden in a nondescript, unimportant backwater Middle Eastern village during a time when the tiny seemingly insignificant nation of Israel was under the iron fisted rule of the greatest military power the world had ever known.

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)

Why did God do this? Was it for something good he saw in sinful men? Are we the "pearl of great price" for which Christ suffered and died an unspeakably agonizing death upon the cruel cross of Calvary in order to purchase? Were we worth it? The short answer is, no. He did it for no other reason than because He is completely good and chose by His own counsel and perfect will to rescue some men from certain destruction.

As it is written, Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated. What shall we say then? Is there unrighteousness with God? God forbid. For he saith to Moses, I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion.

So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy. For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.

Therefore hath he mercy on whom he will have mercy, and whom he will he hardeneth. Thou wilt say then unto me, Why doth he yet find fault? For who hath resisted his will?

Nay but, O man, who art thou that repliest against God? Shall the thing formed say to him that formed it, Why hast thou made me thus? Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?

What if God, willing to shew his wrath, and to make his power known, endured with much longsuffering the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction: And that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy, which he had afore prepared unto glory, Even us, whom he hath called, not of the Jews only, but also of the Gentiles? (Romans 9:13-24)

Everyone won't be saved, that heresy is known as universalism. Yet even more unsettling is the fact that all who profess Christ won't be saved either.

Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7:22-23)

How can we explain this? From inspired scripture of course, and its clear teaching that there are two streams of Christianity living side by side, one genuine and one false:

Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field: But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also. So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares? He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them. Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn. (Matthew 13:24-30)

The emergent church is the bastard child of the union of the unholy trinity of the doctrine of Robert Schuller who has usurped Christ's role as the Holy Prophet of His people, the false teaching of Rick Warren who has usurped Christ's role as High Priest of His people, and sinful love of self which in the natural man always usurps Christ's unique role as King.

Prophet, Priest and King: in these roles Christ exercises the full range of His power and authority over His people as their teacher and exhorter (Prophet), their intercessor and high priest (Priest) and their absolutely sovereign and omnipotent ruler (King). The Bible explains all this clearly, but sinful men don't want to hear about these things, instead they seek to suppress the truth in unrighteousness.

Men like Robert Schuller want to speak of a new reformation that's based on sinful man's self-esteem and on being man-centered instead of God-centered. This is nothing more or nothing less than religious-humanism in contradistinction to the more commonly known secular-humanism.

The poisonous seeds of Robert Schuller's man-centered spiritual pornography bore fruit in the person of one Rick Warren, a boot-licking Schuller disciple who has taken Schuller's anti-gospel message and refined it with the aid of modern mass-marketing, public relations and successful management techniques. Warren's negative deceptive impact on the broader professing church is hard to overstate. His media arm reaches around the world and his high powered public relations spinmeisters diligently massage, rework, and redefine his message of self empowerment to make it sound almost exactly like Biblical Christianity, almost. Warren's gospel appeals to the lowest common denominator and reinforces man's sinful tendency toward self-centeredness with another gospel that seeks to satisfy "felt needs" with a Christianized placebo.

A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. (Galatians 5:9)

Interestingly the emergent church is a reactionary movement against the shallow, self-absorbed, cookie-cutter sameness and generic plainness of Warren's seeker-sensitive pseudo-gospel message. All the seeker-sensitive churches tend to follow Warren's Devil Driven methodologies and formulas in unflinching lockstep, which has produced a virtual army of spiritual zombies who stumble blind and dead in their sins and trespasses all the while believing and being reassured that they are truly born-again Christians, and the emergent zombie killers loathe them for it. Yet in their rebellion and zeal the emergents have taken it upon themselves to reimagine and challenge everything including the very foundations of the Christian belief system. In this they go too far in their efforts to distance themselves from the Schuller-ized/Warren-ized false Christianity which currently pervades and dominates the modern American spiritual landscape.

"We can't be too sure about the things the Bible says and means" they say.

In their false humility and rebellion against God's authoritative revealed Word they say things like "We're not arrogant enough to think we can KNOW FOR SURE what to believe".

Hogwash.

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. (2 Timothy 2:15)

But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: (1 Peter 3:15)

The emergent error was spawned from the seeker-sensitive error which was spawned from the same man-centered error that resulted in the fall of man in the first place. It all ends up back at authority. Either God is God or man is god, but not both. The answer man gives to the question of authority determines whether the One True Living God sits upon His rightful place on the throne of one's heart leading to eternal life, or whether our own natural, sinful corrupted reasoning rules and reigns leading to death and destruction. One authority leads to joy unspeakable in the presence of the Lord forever, and the other authority leads to eternal damnation and hellfire.

And when he had called the people unto him with his disciples also, he said unto them, Whosoever will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it; but whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and the gospel's, the same shall save it. (Mark 8:34-35)

Thursday, September 20, 2007

It's Here! Get Ready For This One!

A Slice of Laodicea Flashback

I've graciously received permission from Ingrid Schlueter to reproduce Slice archives here at Absolute Dominion, therefore from time to time I'll be devoting space to highlights from both the original Slice site, and the more recent effort which was sadly lost due to web hosting debacle.

So sit back and enjoy as Absolute Dominion humbly presents selected Slice posts from a who's who procession of Biblically sound Christian thinkers representing the Christian blogosphere including the likes of: Pastor Ken Silva of Apprising Ministries and Christian Research Net, Jim Bublitz of Old Truth, and Ingrid Schlueter of VCY America and Slice of Laodicea.

Posted by Ingrid on December 28, 2005 @ 04:13 PM
Well, you knew this was coming. It was just a matter of days, really. I just opened an Urgent DHL Worldwide envelope from Warner Brothers in Los Angeles delivered ten minutes ago to my home office. I don't go looking for this stuff. Really and truly. Out of the package came a letter that reads this way:

Dear Media,

Enclosed, please find the "Polar Express Preaching and Teaching Resource DVD" enclosed as promised. You may use these as give-aways, to post on your websites and to cover the Polar Express DVD release project as requested. (I never requested any such thing!)

With the amazing response from churches, youth groups and families to the incredible teaching tools included on the Resource DVD, it makes a great story, news piece and resource...

With this DVD you will be able to:

Access a message from Jim Burns to pastors and parents
Watch the Polar Express trailer
View Teaching clips
View teaching clip illustrations from author Max Lucado
Access Q and A with Tom Hanks and Robert Zemeckis...

Let us know what else you will need from us to help get the word out regarding ways in which people can learn great lessons and gain a strong understanding of THE most important messages from this film! Thanks for everything!

You may be interested in an interview with Paul Lauer, head of marketing for Motive Entertainment (Polar Express, The Chronicles of Narnia, The Passion, etc.) If you're interested in speaking with him, feel free to contact us anytime.

The Polar Express movie, where a child travels to the North Pole to see Santa and the Elves and gets home in time for Christmas is said to have DEEP, SPIRITUAL meaning. Max Lucado says so. He didn't mention the sizable fee he gets for endorsing this. Money crosses palms, voila! Deep spiritual content. The whoredom worsens by the hour within the evangelical church.

What's next? Preaching and teaching resources on every movie that comes out? How about Kill Bill? Aren't there some spiritual lessons in that movie? Or the marketers could go backwards in time and have sermon ideas for everything from Terminator to Sponge Bob. It certainly makes being a pastor a whole lot easier and think of the crowds! Forget those nights in prayer and in the study of God's Word. Head for the local cineplex, get a giant tub of popcorn. Sit back. You've got your Sunday message. It's really that easy. And you don't really even need Max Lucado.

Here's what Max had to say about The Polar Express.

"Give faith a chance, won't you? This is the message of the Polar Express. Much more, this is the message of God."

Max Lucado

(Ching, ching. Hear that cash register ring...)

Here's the website for the new, spiritually approved version of Polar Express, just for pastors and leaders.

Wednesday, September 19, 2007

The Passive-Aggressive Henry (Rick) Frueh

I wrote Henry (Rick) Frueh off a long time ago.

As my limited readership may recall Pastor Rick posted a screeching screed on his blog earlier this year decrying the truth telling of Ingrid Schlueter and Pastor Ken Silva. As is my custom I took a stand against his reckless and baseless diatribe and then summarily added Rick Frueh's opinions and his blog to my mental list of utterly useless things.

After I left the contents of my post over at his blog in the comments section (which incidentally and unsurprisingly weren't posted) Rick dropped by Absolute Dominion and voiced his displeasure in my comments section in his typical passive-aggressive manner.

Fast forward to today. I was reviewing the websites of a few of the finer, scripturally sound thinkers active in the Christian blogosphere, which of course includes Jim Bulitz's Old Truth, and by sheer coincidence what do you think I found? If you guessed "More nasty diatribes by Rick Frueh" then you are correct! And it wasn't just any random little run of the mill diatribe, not by a long shot! It was the mother lode! A mega-pack value-sized dissertation chocked full of Rick Frueh's fevered high-noon fantasies, half-baked notions, and nearly incoherent ramblings carefully gathered from across the Internet. Leave it Jim Bublitz to do his homework and turn in his thoroughly researched offering at the top of his class.

Apparently Pastor Rick has been busily and ardently informing anyone who'll listen of his spiritual superiority, moral authority, and inspiring piety all the while reminding them of how prideful they are for articulately and faithfully expressing their closely held beliefs; assuming of course that those beliefs represent Biblical, doctrinal, orthodox Christianity. On the other hand if you're unsure of precisely what you believe and why you believe it, or if you are a "friendly emergent" then (as you can read in the comment he posted here), Pastor Rick is pretty much cool with you, bro. I must ask you Rick, does pride really "pretty much trump everything else"? Really?!? Hmmmmm...I've sure met some humble Mormons and JW's. In fact most of the cultists I've met are really nice folks by the world's standards, but I suppose that's a different post for a different day.

But back to the subject at hand, what we see most tellingly and frequently (especially when it comes to his well established pattern of reckless, clumsy, thoughtless posts followed by wheezing apologies and backpedaling), is Rick Frueh's trademark passive-aggressive behavior. Rick is apparently a classic case passive/aggressive beta male with an interesting twist - he attempts to mask the traditional beta male sniper role by smearing himself with a thin veneer of Christianity. There's a certain irony to reading Rick Frueh's whining, meandering, soft-pedaled responses when he's called on the carpet for his typically baseless, frantic, and hyperventilating rants. In my personal opinion he's downright womanish. Rick's theology - such as it is - smacks of effeminate Christianity and in print reads just like plain old common sentimental theology, which is a wholly debunked, shallow, trashy, emotionalism that's fit for nothing.

Even after only limited exposure to his blog and to the comments he's posted in the various metas around the Christian blogosphere I was able to quickly discern that Rick is a smarmy spiritual twerp of the lowest order; a Christian blog troll. This sort of realization is always particularly saddening to me, especially when the troll in question professes Christ. It pains and distresses me and I pray for people like Rick Frueh, I really do.

But back to my observation about Pastor Rick's spiritual androgyny; there is a noticeable dearth of virile Christian masculinity within the broader professing church. Whether it's the product of our failed government school system that wants boys to be girls and girls to be boys, or whether it's the unintended consequences of the undeniable feminization of American society it's easy to see that the modern American church is full of men-in-skirts spiritual sissies who are running scared.

They're scared of doctrine.

They're scared of the whole counsel of God.

They're scared of taking a bold stand for Christ.

And most of all they're scared - and offended - by real men who DO take a bold stand for the Lord.

In fact I believe this secret fear is at the root of Henry (Rick) Frueh's problem with Ingrid Schlueter, Ken Silva, Jim Bublitz and the numerous other vocal Christians who daily take up their crosses and follow after Christ. I believe Pastor Rick is incensed and offended that Ingrid Schlueter, a godly and commendable Christian woman, is a bolder Christian warrior who expounds a more unflinching and virile faith than he himself possesses. I also believe that when Rick Frueh witnesses others taking bold, unwavering stands for the faith that was once and for all delivered to the saints he's painfully reminded of his own weak-kneed, watered down, effeminate version of "faith" and therefore his own sinful pride is pricked. Pride is Rick's recurring theme. It's all over his blog and in most of his comments. I believe Rick is guilty of projecting his own deep seated, unresolved pride issues on others in a bizarre effort to soothe his own guilty conscience.

In conclusion it's my opinion that Pastor Henry (Rick) Frueh is a dissembling, angry, simpering, pathetic little man who spends much of his time muttering shibboleth as he figuratively dumps boiling oil upon the contemptible blasphemers and heretics who are guilty of the unforgivable sin of not holding to the Gospel According to Rick. Don't make Rick angry, you wouldn't like him when he's angry, or on second thought maybe you would since he becomes much more submissive and pliable during the passive phases that grip him after he's caught with both feet planted firmly in his mouth - which is evidently the case more often than not.

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

Deathwish

I read a recent series on Erwin McManus over at Apprising Ministries and decided to share a few observations on the subject. I'm a long time reader of Slice, CRN, and Apprising and I've corresponded in the past with Pastor Ken Silva so I'm somewhat familiar with McManus and his ilk. I'd also like to take a moment to note that I applaud and appreciate the important work for the Lord that's being conducted in the Christian blogosphere by these ministries.

Like many other discerning believers I've noticed the most common theme among the Emergents, Seeker Sensitive, and Purpose Driven church growth apostates is their man-centered gospel. They continually look within themselves for the answers to life's problems and circumstances as opposed to looking outward and upward toward God and seeking Him in His Word. Of course they'll drizzle a little Jesus on top of their man-centered spiritual buffet - take what you want and leave the rest! - and they'll flavor it with a dash of "church speak", but in the end it's the same old hell spawned anti-theology that the devil has been dusting off and trotting out in various forms in order to deceive sinful men for ages.

More recently however I’ve begun to notice the correlation between the aforementioned groups and the occult. Their self-esteem building workshops, their "hero within" fetishes, and their positive confessions can all be traced back to the most ancient origins of witchcraft and occultism.

Consider one important aspect common to the doctrine each of the aforementioned groups - but which they often try to obfuscate - their predilection toward positive confession and how the practice parallels witchcraft:

Both believe human words are or can be imbued with spiritual power.

Both believe that words, spoken correctly (either through the positive confession of "God's Word" or by a proper incantation) can channel spiritual power to affect the temporal world. (Incidentally this is also the cornerstone of the word-faith heretics’ belief system whose doctrine is the "kissing-cousin" of the human potential advocates within the broader harlot professing church.)

Both believe that man has "a god" inside of him or is actually "a god" himself. (Again we hear the echoes of "potential" and inherent human
worth.)

It's clear that Erwin McManus himself and his ministry reside on this slippery slope based on a few of the comments which were quoted in Ron Foster's article over at Apprising Ministries:

"...I am created to create the future..."

"The quest to live out your dreams begins by unleashing your creative spirit..."

"Inspired by an ardent and sincere belief in what we offer..."

It brings to mind the scripture: "IN VAIN THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE COMMANDMENTS OF MEN”- (MATTHEW 15:9)

Friend, if you find yourself caught up in the emergent, seeker sensitive, and/or purpose driven harlot religious systems I pray you'll flee from the clutches of those satanic stooges, those demonic dupes of the devil and embrace the singular truth of Christ crucified as revealed in the whole counsel of God, the Holy Bible.

One day each of us will stand before the Infinite Creator and Judge of the universe and give an account of what we did with Jesus Christ during our time on earth and many, MANY who thought they were Christians will hear on that day the terrible words "...depart from Me..."!

Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: (Matthew 7:13)

Friend, the modern professing harlot churches have turned the gospel upside down. They teach of a heaven that's wide open and waiting for anyone who'll whisper a quick "sinner's prayer" and optionally get dunked in a tank of tap water, and they teach of a hell - if they mention it at all - that's nearly impossible to stumble into. That is not the gospel message and that doctrine is certainly not to be found anywhere in the Word of God.

True Christianity is about the death of self to the glory of Christ. True Christianity is about taking up one's cross and following daily after the Lord. The cross is a cruel instrument of death, not a plastic toy to be tossed to and fro and juggled and fondled like a dime store novelty. The cross isn't to be used as a spiritual back-scratcher to ease our worldly itches, it's meant to slay us dead that we might become dead to sin in order that Christ might live in us.

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. (Galations 2:20)

If we don't hate what Christ hates and love what Christ loves then how can we call ourselves His obedient servants? How can those who are called by the name of the Lord, who ought to be separated and set apart as a peculiar people, the ecclesia - literally the "called out ones" - the church of Jesus Christ, be so comfortable within the corrupted worldly systems that are dominant not only outside, but inside much of the professing church? How has it gotten so bad? Why do men stand idly by and allow spiritually corrupted pulpit pimps to prostitute themselves and their churches and become unseemly stains upon the gown of the Bride of Christ?

Where are the bold defenders of truth in this present darkness?

1In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the LORD sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.

2Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

3And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

4And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

5Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts.

6Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:

7And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

8Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

9And he said, Go, and tell this people, Hear ye indeed, but understand not; and see ye indeed, but perceive not.

10Make the heart of this people fat, and make their ears heavy, and shut their eyes; lest they see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and convert, and be healed.

11Then said I, Lord, how long? And he answered, Until the cities be wasted without inhabitant, and the houses without man, and the land be utterly desolate,

12And the LORD have removed men far away, and there be a great forsaking in the midst of the land.

13But yet in it shall be a tenth, and it shall return, and shall be eaten: as a teil tree, and as an oak, whose substance is in them, when they cast their leaves: so the holy seed shall be the substance thereof. (Isaiah 6:1-13)

Saturday, September 15, 2007

Word-Faith Doctrinal Profile

From the Watchman Expositor
Word-Faith Movement
by Clete Hux

Founder/Founding date: As a movement rather than an organized group, there is no founder or founding date, per se. The philosophical roots extend to Gnosticism. E.W. Kenyon (1860-1948) was perhaps the earliest modern exponent to blend the movement's eastern mystical and New Age elements with Christian teaching.

Official Publications: None. Two prominent publications are Kenneth Copeland's "Believer's Voice of Victory" and Kenneth Hagin's "The Word of Faith" magazines. There are scores of books, newsletters, pamphlets by various authors Hagin, Kenyon, Copeland, Capps, Price, etc.

Organizational Structure: Has no key universally acknowledged leader or central headquarters. The teachers of the movement all have their own churches and followings.

Unique Terms: The God-kind of faith; the force of faith; the Anointing; spirit-man; spiritual death of Christ; born-again Jesus; authority of the believer.

Other Names: Word-of-Faith, Positive Confession, Faith-formula, Health & Wealth Gospel.

HISTORY
Born in 1860, E. W. Kenyon is generally recognized as the founding father of the modern Word-Faith Movement. Beginning as a Methodist, he became quite ecumenical, associating with the Baptists. Some of his work even resulted in the founding of a few Primitive Baptist Churches. Late in life, Kenyon moved into Pentecostalism. At the same time, he combined elements of the metaphysical cults, such as Christian Science, New Thought theology, and Unity School of Christianity (D.R. McConnell, A Different Gospel, pp. 31-35). "The doctrines of correct thinking and believing accompanied by positive confession, with the result of calling a sickness a symptom (denial of reality supported by a Gnostic dualism) are not found in Christian writings until after New Thought and its offspring had begun to develop them. Therefore, it is not unreasonable to state that the doctrine originated and developed in these cults, and was later absorbed by Christians in their quest to develop a healing ministry" (H. Terris Neuman, An Analysis of the Sources of the Charismatic Teaching of Positive Confession, p. 43).

Though obviously not the movement's originator, some have also called Kenneth Hagin the "grand-daddy of the faith teachers" (Sherry Andrews, "Kenneth Hagin ‹ Keeping the Faith," Charisma, October 1981, p. 24). In a survey of readers of Charisma (a major Charismatic magazine) concerning those ministers that influence them the most, Kenneth Hagin was 3rd, ranked behind only TV evangelist Pat Robertson, and the heir apparent to the Word-Faith movement throne, Kenneth Copeland (Kenneth Hagin, Jr., Charisma,"Trend Toward the Faith Movement," August 1985, pp. 67-70).

DOCTRINE

God
Word-Faith teachers claim that God operates by spiritual law and is obliged to obey the faith-filled commands and desires of believers. He not only reveals prosperity teaching supernaturally to the Word-Faith teachers, but personally and verbally confirms their unique interpretations of Scripture (Copeland, Laws of Prosperity, pp. 60-62).

They say the Abrahamic Covenant is the basis for commanding God to do His part in the covenant. Robert Tilton says, "we make our own promises to do our part, then we can tell God, on the authority of His word, what we would like Him to do. That's right, you can actually tell God what you would like His part in the Covenant to be" (God's Miracle Plan for Man, p. 36). Kenneth Copeland says, "as a believer, you have a right to make commands in the name of Jesus. Each time you stand on the Word, you are commanding God to a certain extent, because it is His Word" (Our Covenant with God, p. 32). Copeland goes so far as to say that "God was the lesser party and Abraham was the greater" in the covenant between them (Copeland, Legal and Vital Aspects of Redemption, 1985, Audio Tape #01-0403).

The Faith teachers also make God into a big man. Copeland says, "God is...a being that stands somewhere around 6'-2," 6'-3," that weighs somewhere in the neighborhood of a couple of hundred pounds, little better, and has a hand span of nine inches across" (Spirit, Soul, and Body, 1985, Tape #01-0601). Morris Cerillo, in an alleged out-of-body experience, describes God: "Suddenly, in front of this tremendous multitude of people, the glory of God appeared. The form that I saw was about the height of a man 6 feet tall, maybe taller, and twice as broad as a human body, with no distinguishing features such as eyes, nose, or mouth" (The Miracle Book, pp. x-xi).

Man

Word-Faith teachers say that not only is God a big man, but man is a little god. Kenneth Hagin has asserted, "man...was created on terms of equality with God, and he could stand in God's presence without any consciousness of inferiority.... He made us the same class of being that He is Himself.... He lived on terms equal with God.... The believer is called Christ, that's who we are; we're Christ" (Zoe: The God Kind of Life, pp. 35-36, 41). "God's reason for creating Adam was His desire to reproduce Himself...He was not a little like God. He was not almost like God. He was not subordinate to God even" (Copeland, Following the Faith of Abraham, 1989, Tape #01-3001). He also proclaims, "You don't have a God in you ‹ you are one!" (Copeland, The Force of Love, 1987, Tape #02-0028). Morris Cerillo says "the whole purpose of God was to reproduce Himself. ...you're not looking at Morris Cerillo, you're looking at God, you're looking at Jesus" (The End Time Manifestation of the Sons of God, Audio Tape 1, Sides 1 &;2).

Christ

The deity of Christ is compromised. Kenneth Copeland, in relating what Christ supposedly told him, says, "don't be disturbed when people accuse you of thinking you are God...the more you get to be like Me, the more they are going to think that way of you. They crucified Me for claiming that I was God. But I didn't claim I was God. I just claimed I walked with Him and that He was with Me" (Copeland, "Take Time to Pray," Believer's Voice of Victory, #15, 2 February 1987, p. 9). "Jesus was on the earth just a man, not the son of God" (Frederick K.C. Price, Tape #RP 19, May 1993). And Kenneth Hagin says, "You are as much the incarnation of God as Jesus Christ was" (The Word of Faith, December 1980, p. 14).

Atonement

The very important doctrine of the atonement of Christ is distorted. Frequently Word-Faith teachers unduly over-emphasize the spiritual death instead of the physical death of Christ. "Physical death will not remove sins" (Hagin, The Name of Jesus, p. 29). In other words, it took the spiritual death of Jesus to atone for sins. "Do you think that the punishment of our sins was to die on the cross? If that was the case, the two thieves could have paid our price. No, the punishment was to go into hell itself and to serve time in hell separated from God" (K. C. Price, Ever Increasing Faith Messenger, June 1990, p. 7).

According to Word-Faith teachers, when Adam rebelled, or "committed high treason," he not only betrayed God by turning over to Satan what God had given him, he also took on the nature of Satan. So, to redeem mankind and creation from Satan's legal control, Jesus, as the second Adam, had to die not only physically but spiritually. This may be acceptable among some evangelicals. But where it has led Word-Faith teachers is not. They say Jesus not only bore our sins on Calvary, but also took on the actual nature of Satan himself. "Just as Adam died spiritually, Jesus died spiritually. The spiritual death He suffered caused His physical body to die.... When Jesus accepted the sin nature of Satan into His Spirit He cried 'My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?' He was separated from God... He was ushered into the bowels of hell" (Kenneth Copeland, Classic Redemption, p. 13; emphasis added). "Spiritual death means having Satan's nature" (Hagin, The Name of Jesus, p. 31).

Just a man on earth, and taking on the nature of Satan at the cross, Jesus becomes just a sinner in need of redemption. At the resurrection Jesus is a born again man from the pit of hell. "Jesus was born again in the pit of Hell....The Church started when Jesus was born again in the gates of Hell" (Charles Capps, Authority In Three Worlds, pp. 212 13).

Other Doctrines

1) Positive Confession: The Theology of the Spoken Word (Rhematology), or thought actualization, is commonly known as positive confession. It stresses the inherent power of words and thoughts. Each person predestines his own future by what he says verbally and by how well he uses spiritual laws. As such, it is as if we live in a mechanistic universe instead of a personal one (see, Kenneth Copeland, Laws of Prosperity, p. 15; Charles Capps, The Tongue A Creative Force, pp. 117-118; Releasing the Ability of God, pp. 98-99, 101-104).

2) The Gospel of Health: Isaiah 53 is used to justify blanket coverage for the physical healing of every Christian who has enough faith. "...it is the plan of our Father God in His great love and His great mercy that no believer should ever be sick, that every believer should live his life full span down here on earth and that every believer should finally just fall asleep in Jesus" (Hagin, Seven Things You Should Know About Divine Healing, p. 21). Hagin also denies having a headache for forty-five years, labeling such as "simply symptoms rather than any indication of a headache" (In the Name of Jesus, p. 44).

3) The Gospel of Wealth: A central tenet of the prosperity gospel is that God wills the financial prosperity of every Christian. If a believer lives in poverty, he/she is living outside God's intended will. "You must realize that it is God's will for you to prosper" (Copeland, Laws of Prosperity, p. 51).

BIBLICAL RESPONSE

1) God is the unique, Sovereign of the Universe (1 Timothy 6:15). God is pure spirit (John 4:24). There is no biblical basis for teaching that God has His own body, as an essential part of His nature or being. This would be more in line with Mormonism than orthodox Christianity.

2) Man is unique from the rest of Creation, but is not Divine. He was created in the image of God (Genesis 1:26, 27; 9:6), but bearing God's image does not make him a "little god." By definition, God is an "uncreated" or self-existent Being. Obviously, humans were created and therefore are not self-existent or divine; only God has a divine nature (Galatians 4:8; Isaiah 1:6-11, 43:10, 44:6; Ezekiel 28:2; Psalms 8:6-8).

3) Christ is Eternal, the Only Begotten Son, and the Only Incarnation of God (John 1:1, 2, 15; 1:14, 18; 3:16; 1 John 4:1). In Him dwelt the fullness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9). By receiving the limitations of humanity (Philippians 2:6-7) Jesus forwent the exercise of some of His prerogatives as God. But He did not cease to be God. It is also impossible for the natures of God or man (Christ was both on earth) to cease being what they are.

4) The nature of the atonement had to do with Jesus' physical death on the cross being the payment for sins (Hebrews 9:22). Christ said, "It is finished" (John 19:30), which translates tetelistai meaning "paid for in full." Payment for our sins took place on the cross (Matt. 26:28; 1 Pet. 2:24; Col. 1:20-22; Heb. 10:10, 12, 14, 19 20). There was nothing more to pay beyond the cross (Heb. 10:18).

5) God is the only One who ever created reality by the power of His Word (Genesis 1:3). He does not have or need "faith." Faith is depending on something outside ourselves. If God depends upon something outside Himself, He is not Supreme and therefore not God. Man, not God, is in need of faith. The faith referenced in Mark 11:22 and Hebrews 11:3 is clearly "the faith which has God as its object," not "the kind of faith that God has."

6) The use of words for Positive Confession One may help or hurt another by words of encouragement or condemnation, by telling the truth or misleading, etc. But to treat words as if they were some "star wars" type weapon by which reality is manipulated or altered is not biblical, but occultic.

Joyce Meyer = Witch Queen?

Speaking of spiritual Jezebels one is forced to consider Joyce Meyer, as her worldwide ministry is unarguably a force to be reckoned with. As the Watchman Expositor deftly reveals in their article by the same name, "What Joyce Wants, Joyce Gets".

Joyce Meyer is found to be among the many thistles and thorns currently choking the landscape of the modern professing church, and she and her ministry are shills for the temporal and carnal "benefits" of the aberrant, heretical Word-Faith movement. These spiritual snake-oil salesmen - and saleswomen! - will tell you with full conviction that you have the spiritual, creative power within you to speak your reality into existence. Name it and claim it they say! You decide your temporal conditions by the words that come out of your mouth, by your "confession"; thus saith the word-faith shamans.

As has been pointed out here at Absolute Dominion in a separate article, the practice of positive confession is the cornerstone of the word-faith heresy and it is the kissing cousin of the occult practice of incantations. Both seek to literally manipulate or control the natural/physical world by means of intoning certain carefully crafted phrases and relying upon the inherent spiritual power of words spoken by human beings which emanate from the "deity" or "divine spark" residing within each of us.

This spiritually poisonous concoction is yet another Satanic trick being foisted upon lost and blind humanity with the diabolical intent of satisfying the temporal desires of man in order that he might live fat and happy, lacking in no good thing, in order that he might not be driven to the end of himself and by the grace of God alone recognize his need for a Savior and by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ be reconciled with the One True Living God.

The worst kind of deception is the kind that mixes just enough truth and just enough "church-ianity" together with the lie to serve as some sort of "truth placebo". This is the type of empty faith and false teaching that sends countless thousands - millions? - of people home each Sunday singing of a heaven they'll never see and praising a God Whom they've never known.

Paula White's Blasphemy

In one fell swoop the deceiving, divorcing, "pastrix" Paula White manages to negate the atonement of the Lord and substitute an empty and blasphemous man made "atonement offering" in place of the cross of Christ.

The hubris of the concept is simply breathtaking, do these word-faith heretics have no shame? Do they have no boundaries? Is there nothing sacred in their perverse eyes?

And while we're exposing the rank heresy of this corrupted spiritual Jezebel may I remind her faithful followers that by participating in or otherwise enabling her blasphemy you are a guilty partaker of her sin and iniquity before the Infinite Creator and Judge of the universe, and as such you are in dire need of repentance and must turn away and flee from the wickedness being perpetrated by that so-called ministry.

Positive Confession

"Positive Confession" is the cornerstone of the heretical Word Faith movement.

The Watchman Expositor has an excellent piece on the history of positive confession and its inextricable links to the occult. The similarities between the Word Faith positive confessors and the occultists are astonishing. Consider:

Both believe human words are or can be imbued with spiritual power.

Both believe that words, spoken correctly (either through the positive confession of "God's Word" or by a proper incantation) can channel spiritual power to affect the temporal world.

Both believe that man has "a god" inside of him or is actually "a god" himself.

The article on positive confession over at the Expositor puts it this way:

Positive Confession is the belief that if a believer speaks "spiritual" or "faith-filled" words then he can have what he says. Unfortunately, this influence has invaded the church and continues to cause much turmoil and confusion.

Many of the teachers of the word-faith movement believe that words are so powerful that they can influence the physical and spiritual worlds. For example:

In The Tongue, a Creative Force (1976), positive confessionist Charles Capps, teaches that there are powerful "spiritual" words. Such words, which are ordinary words, can under certain circumstances, become vehicles for creative or supernatural power.

When "faith-filled" spiritual words are spoken (as words of power), they can alter the physical and spiritual world. Capps says, "You see there is more to it than just saying it. The words must originate from the inner man where spiritual power is released through words."

Friends it's time for the remnant believers within the true Church of Jesus Christ to boldly stand for the eternal truths and sound doctrines contained in His Holy Word and roundly refute the manifold heresies emanating from the Word Faith, Emergent, Seeker Sensitive, and Purpose Driven harlot churches. These are metastasizing cancers within the Body that need to be treated like any other invading parasite; they must be cut out at the roots and cast away.

It will be painful and it will be unpleasant, but the only the foolish or the mad would prefer to limp sickened and infected through their lives as opposed to having the offending invading illness or diseased member permanently removed.

And if thine eye offend thee, pluck it out: it is better for thee to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye, than having two eyes to be cast into hell fire: (Mark 9:47)

Prosperity Pimps

It's abundantly clear that entire segments of the professing church are wholly outside the faith once and for all delivered unto the saints and are preaching an itching ears false gospel which is centered squarely upon filthy lucre. These covetous charlatans have abandoned the pursuit of God and His righteousness and exchanged it for the pursuit of worldly temporal riches. This "prosperity gospel", of course, is really no gospel at all.

But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. (Matthew 6:33)

"No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and wealth" (Matthew 6:24).

This false gospel is known by many names, "Name it and claim it", "positive confession", "Blab it and grab it" but it is perhaps most commonly known as the prosperity doctrine.

Like every other deception spewed forth into the professing church from the pit of hell the prosperity procession has its own so-called "anointed leaders”. The prosperity pimps are always seen sumptuously arrayed in their finest suits and designer shoes, jetting about in their private aircraft, making a prey of widows and the fatherless, and otherwise generally behaving just like their father the devil.

"And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light." (2 Corinthians 11:14)

And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves. (Matthew 21:13)

The short video below powerfully exposes the prosperity doctrine for what it is, a sham and a hoax being perpetrated upon the foolish that turn their backs on the weighty matters of the gospel and instead chase after temporal worldly riches in a vain effort to satisfy their carnal and evil appetites.

HAT TIP: Christian Research Net

Friday, September 14, 2007

Indonesian Ruminations

I just returned from Jakarta, Indonesia recently. Jakarta is a city of more than 12 million documented citizens, but it also contains an estimated 2-4 million additional undocumented "drifters". Indonesia is an island chain (technically an archipelago) whose denizens simply come and go from island to island without anything like "border control".

To put it in perspective Jakarta's population density is comparable to taking a city that's roughly the geographic size and population of Tokyo - without the well planned infrastructure - and then throwing the population of the city of Atlanta in on top of it.

To put it mildly I've never seen such a press of humanity in my life. I've also never seen such abject poverty and human suffering in the midst of such displays of fabulous wealth. There are the "haves" and there are the "have nots" and there's no middle ground; no middle class. The very rich and the very poor literally live side by side. Beautiful modern condominiums and skyscrapers rise from shanty towns surrounded by filth and filled with misery.

A constant, choking blue-grey smog hangs over everything - at all times of the day and night - and what might have been a scenic river flowing through the middle of town flows with trash and various unidentifiable forms of flotsam and jetsam. I believe it would have literally caught fire and burned if someone threw in a lit match.

I was shocked, amazed, and saddened. As you might be aware Indonesia is also home to the largest Muslim population on earth. Everywhere I looked I saw the star and crescent adorning the towering spires of mosques. Most of the women wore head coverings and on Friday night as I lay upon my bed I listened to the doleful din of Friday night prayer calls emanating from the giant loudspeakers adorning the dozens of mosques dotting the city's landscape.

It was surreal and gave me pause to seek the Lord of Glory with a truly broken heart. My heart was wrenched at the rampant deception and hopelessness gripping that country. I saw small children, no older than my own, sleeping alongside the roads or begging random passersby.

I was reminded of the pain of sin and the terrible toll it has taken upon mankind since the fall. I was also reminded that in and of myself I have nothing to offer; no peace, no solace, and no hope apart from the hope of glory which the King of Glory has placed within me. Yet this hope is more than enough and His grace is more than sufficient.

For me Indonesia served as an object lesson in the utter hopelessness of fallen man. An intense and pervasive sense of oppression hung in the air not unlike the ubiquitous smog. It was so thick I felt I could cut it with a knife. I can only describe it as demonic. Indonesia is a known hotbed of sex traffic and illegal drugs in Southeast Asia. It's a seedy, backwater part of the world where every base sin and corrupt impulse is available for depraved men to indulge in to their black heart's content.

To say I was appalled at the condition of Jakarta would be an understatement.

Oh, Father God help us to be salt and light in a sin sick and dying world. Oh, King of Glory may your light shine through those who are called by Your Holy Name as a flame shines forth from a lamp. May we be debased and may You be glorified, may we decrease and may You increase in all things and in every area of the life that You've given to each of us.

May all praise, and glory, and power, and honor, and strength, and wisdom, and riches be unto Your Holy Name forever and evermore. Amen.

Thursday, September 13, 2007

Purpose-Driven Sex Ed--Coming to a Church Near You

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Another One Bites the Dust

Sadly my favorite online Christian discernment resource has been shuttered. Ingrid Schlueter's website Slice of Laodicea experienced a catastrophic deletion event sometime last week on or around Thursday 9/6/07. Apparently the site went down, and as Ingrid later discovered - and describes in her own words below - Slice was not only down but was also "out".

Slice of Laodicea was the reason I began blogging my thoughts on Christian life in general and the state of the church in particular. I was exhorted and inspired to expound the unchanging truth of the Holy Writ and the unalterable sovereignty of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob through reading the godly counsel at Slice. Furthermore I was introduced to giants of the faith such as Dr. Greg Bahnsen and Cornelius Van Til through the Slice meta, whose edifying manuscripts I have voraciously devoured.

It may seem strange to some of my readers - as it seems a bit strange to myself - but there are a few life altering, course changing events in our lives that act as signposts upon the paths the Lord has set before each of us. Most of us can probably point to a few of these significant moments in our life and identify them as having a profound effect on our future choices and decisions. Well, for me Slice was one of those "signpost moments", and I pray that it has affected my small sphere of influence for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ in the same way it has affected my personal walk with Him.

In honor of Slice my sidebar link to that site will be changed to direct readers to the Internet Way Back Machine's Slice archives and I have requested permission to post old Slice articles here for the edification of the Christian blogosphere, and to serve as a witness to and bear testimony against the broader unbelieving world at large.

Solo Dei Gloria.

CD

A Statement from the publisher of SliceOfLaodicea.com

Last week I attempted to take a few days off, but Thursday morning I learned that Slice was inaccessible for some reason. After days of attempting to learn what the problem was from the hosting company, iPower, after hours on hold and even with the help of several people, we finally learned today that Slice's database was deleted by the company. There's nothing left of it. The countless hours of work I put into the writing on that site are lost. I would warn anyone who uses iPower as a hosting company that this could also happen to you. I owned the copyright on the material and they never even checked with me before taking the word of another person that the site was gone and deleting it. Worse still, I could not even get a straight answer on what had actually happened for days. Whatever you think of Slice, it is very difficult to lose the work that you spent so much time doing. I will not be starting over. I want to thank every single reader who added to the important discussions about the church.

The sole motivation I had in publishing Slice was to show readers why the church has gone off the rails and to point them back to the Scriptures. I know that something terrible has happened to the American church because I have witnessed all on a very personal level. I was never cynically writing about things, I believed with all my heart every word that I wrote. I don't believe that the old paths are right because they are old. The old paths spiritually are right because they were rooted in Holy Scripture. I long and yearn for more churches like this, where men of God stop pandering to the fleshly desires of carnal men and begin once again to preach with utter confidence in the Holy Spirit and His work through the Word. Publishing Slice has been a learning experience. I have never in my life had worse insults hurled at me at a personal level and from men who claim that they love Jesus. Women, as a rule, were respectful in their disagreement. The men were vicious. I will always remember one comment on a hate site. One of the contributors had dared to say something kind about a post I had put up. A commenter by the name of "Rick" wrote, "finding a good article on Slice is like finding a nickel in a spittoon." When you pour your heart and soul into something and this is the response from "fellow Christians", cheap shots that ignore the countless sermons, devotionals, hymns and encouragement posted, it can be devastating.

But I have seen something else in publishing Slice--believers all over the world who truly care about truth. There are still so many who truly love Jesus Christ and who care about the purity of the Gospel. They don't want to be part of the lukewarm compromised evangelicalism that abounds today. This is what encourages me that all is not lost. There will always be those who spit at you. Look what they did to the Lord of glory! My advice to all who love truth is to persevere and don't give up because of the hatred that comes at you. Just carry on each day, doing what the Lord puts in front of you to do, however mundane or simple it is. The Lord rewards faithfulness. The Lord bless all of you, and may our love for Him be a shining light in the darkness. I will continue blogging at my personal site, A Quiet Place, for those who need respite and occasional encouragement. (www.ingridschlueter.wordpress.com.)

Ingrid Schlueter
Christos Kurios

What Happened?

The original shutdown of Slice occurred when the discovery was made that that Ipower was incorrectly billing Tim Challies, my former webmaster, for the hosting that began in March. Ipower did not establish new account information when Slice restarted in March of this year and instead began billing Challies again, who did not notice until last week. Challies incorrectly believed Slice was defunct as of January and told them the site was no longer in existence. Nobody checked. What destroyed Slice was what Ipower did, or did not do when they tried to bring Slice online. My current webmaster explains:

"Ipowerweb made a weak attempt to restore the website. However, the attempt failed because they did not properly install Wordpress and allowed the WordPress installation file (install.php) to be publicly available for any anonymous user to re-install WordPress. Thus, this allowed the database to be overwritten with new (empty) tables. The result of this careless mistake is that all the contents (articles, posts, comments) of the tables was lost. The original error of shutting down the site was compounded by a careless restoration attempt on the part of the host. It may still be possible to restore from a backup point prior to the shutdown of the site, however; after several phone calls and emails with Ipowerweb tech support I have not received an answer or any further help of any kind. The original shutdown was not their fault, but the poor support that followed is solely their responsibility."

- Core Web Solutions

Saturday, September 8, 2007

Life and Death

It used to be hard for me to understand why so many who profess to be Christian were so comfortable with and in the world. Then I learned from scripture that there are two streams of Christianity that live and work side by side. One stream is the true body of Christ, God's children chosen before the foundations of the world, and the other stream are the pretenders, the tares sown by the enemy, the goats who profess Christ verbally and/or intellectually but deny him in their hearts and in their deeds.

Friendship with the world is enmity with God. Christians cannot serve God and mammon and we are not to be unequally yoked with unbelievers. Certainly we are required to fellowship with those who profess Christ, but we are just as certainly required to rebuke and correct those selfsame individuals in love when they err from the precepts of God as revealed in His Holy Word.

This is true love. This is true fellowship. This is not the "I'm okay, you're okay" easy-believism of the liberal post-modernist's fevered high noon fantasies. It may "feel good" to intellectually embrace and kiss one another and pooh-pooh away our "petty differences" in order to attain a false temporal unity, but when those so-called petty differences besmirch and distort the words Christ Jesus and subvert the revealed truth of God then they are not so petty after all.

The natural man is God's enemy and apart from the enlightenment and salvation made available solely through the shed blood of Jesus Christ - the Son of God - men will burn in hellfire forever. Period. End of story.

This may seem like a strident message. This message might be construed by some as unloving or intolerant, but this is the true message of love; namely God has made a way, but He has also set the terms and sinful man must meet God on the terms He has set and not by some alternate arrangement created by sinful man.

Any other message, program, or philosophical invention that seeks to circumvent the clear admonition of scripture as touching how sinful man is to be reconciled to a Holy God is another gospel, a falsehood, a sham, and a hoax. There is but one narrow way for condemned and guilty man to be pardoned, and The Way, The Truth, and The Life is found nowhere except in The Name that's above every name, Jesus Christ the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords, the Almighty and Everlasting God.

Your Best Life Now!

Or maybe not.

I wonder if Smilin' Joel's sickly sweet message that "Gawd luuuuuvs yew 'n has a wunnerful plah-yun fer yer life" might have soothed the angry Hindu mob that intended to murder Pastor Pabitra Kata in Bangalore, India?

I wonder if Pastor Kata had just promised prosperity, health, and the "abundant life" to his congregants and meticulously avoided all that messy sin, judgment, and hell nonsense if his message might have been better received by the locals?

I wonder if he'd just taken the time to conduct some basic market research in order to determine the felt needs of the surrounding villagers and then tailored his messages accordingly - you know, for "Bangalore Bob" and his kith and kin - if he would have still been beaten nearly to death?

I wonder...

"He was beaten with thick sticks, kicked on his jaw and face and dragged on the road," according to statements obtained by VOM from witnesses. "He was screaming because of the pain and praying out loud, asking God to forgive the attackers.

"He was bleeding profusely from his jaw and ear, and was unable to see. In spite of his painful cries, the attackers continued striking him until the police arrived and stopped the beating," the sources reported.

Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do.
(Luke 23:34)

Read the entire article here.

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Sunday, September 30, 2007

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