Posted on 01/27/2008 7:56:14 PM PST by Manfred the Wonder Dawg
January 25, 2008
ESV Romans 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
In recent days I have spent time in Lima and Sullana Peru and Mexico City and I have discovered that people by nature are the same. Man has a heart that is inclined to selfishness and idolatry. Sin abounds in the remotest parts of the land because the heart is desperately wicked. Thousands bow before statues of Mary and pray to her hoping for answers. I have seen these people stare hopelessly at Mary icons, Jesus icons, and a host of dead saints who will do nothing for them. I have talked with people who pray to the pope and say that they love him. I talked with one lady who said that she knew that Jesus was the Savior, but she loved the pope. Thousands bow before Santa Muerte (holy death angel) in hopes that she will do whatever they ask her. I have seen people bring money, burning cigarettes, beer, whiskey, chocolate, plants, and flowers to Santa Muerte in hopes of her answers. I have seen these people bowing on their knees on the concrete in the middle of public places to worship their idol. Millions of people come into the Basilica in Mexico City and pay their money, confess their sins, and stare hopelessly at relics in hope that their sins will be pardoned. In America countless thousands are chained to baseball games, football games, material possessions, and whatever else their heart of idols can produce to worship.
My heart has broken in these last weeks because the God of heaven is not honored as he ought to be honored. People worship the things that are created rather than worshiping the Creator. God has been gracious to all mankind and yet mankind has hardened their hearts against a loving God. God brings the rain on the just and unjust. God brings the beautiful sunrises and sunsets upon the just and unjust. God gives good gifts unto all and above all things he has given his Son that those who would believe in him would be saved. However, man has taken the good things of God and perverted them unto idols and turned their attention away from God. I get a feel for Jesus as he overlooked Jerusalem or Paul as he beseeched for God to save Israel. When you accept the reality of the truth of the glory of God is breaks your heart that people would turn away from the great and awesome God of heaven to serve lesser things. Moses was outraged by the golden calf, the prophets passionately preached against idolatry, Jesus was angered that the temple was changed in an idolatrous business, and Paul preached to the idolaters of Mars Hill by telling them of the unknown God.
I arrived back at home wondering how I should respond to all the idolatry that I have beheld in these last three weeks. I wondered how our church here in the states should respond to all of the idolatry in the world. What are the options? First, I suppose we could sit around and hope that people chose to get their life together and stop being idolaters. However, I do not know how that could ever happen apart from them hearing the truth. Second, I suppose we could spend a lifetime studying cultural issues and customs in hope that we could somehow learn to relate to the people of other countries. However, the bible is quite clear that all men are the same. Men are dead in sin, shaped in iniquity, and by nature are the enemies of God. Thirdly, we could pay other people or other agencies to go and do a work for us while we remain comfortably in the states. However, there is no way to insure that there will be doctrinal accuracy or integrity. If we only pay other people to take the gospel we will miss out on all of the benefits of being obedient to the mission of God. Lastly, we could seek where God would have us to do a lasting work and then invest our lives there for the glory of God. The gospel has the power to raise the dead in any culture and we must be willing to take the gospel wherever God would have us take it. It is for sure that our church cannot go to every country and reach every people group, so we must determine where God would have us work and seek to be obedient wherever that is.
It seems that some doors are opening in the Spanish speaking countries below us and perhaps God is beginning to reveal where we are to work. There are some options for work to be partnered with in Peru and there could be a couple of options in Mexico. The need is greater than I can express upon this paper for a biblical gospel to be proclaimed in Peru and Mexico. Oh, that God would glorify his great name in Peru and Mexico by using a small little church in a town that does not exist to proclaim his great gospel amongst a people who desperately need the truth.
I give thanks to the LORD for allowing me the privilege of going to these countries and broadening my horizons. The things that I have seen will be forever engraved upon my heart. I will long remember the pastors that I spent time with in Peru and I will never forget Adolfo who translated for me in Mexico. I will relish the time that I spent with Paul Washer and the others. When I think of church I will forever remember being on top of that mountain in Sullana at that church which had no electricity and no roof. I am convinced that heaven was looking down on that little church on top of that mountain and very few people on earth even know that it exist. Oh, God I pray that the things of this world will continue to grow dim and that God’s people will be caught up in his glorious presence.
Because of the truth: Pastor: J. Randall Easter II Timothy 2:19 "Our God is in heaven and does whatever He pleases."(Ps. 115:3) "He predestined us according to the good pleasure of His will."(Eph. 1:5) Those who have been saved have been saved for His glory and they are being made holy for this is the will of God. Are you being made holy? Spurgeon says, "If your religion does not make you holy it will damn you to hell."
Of course there was no Roman Catholism unril about 300AD... surely you know that...
***Why, thank you, Mark, for such a great honor. ***
Oh no, don’t thank me. I must thank you.
***”One man of you shall chase a thousand: for the LORD your God, he it is that fighteth for you, as he hath promised you.” — Joshua 23:10***
Judging by the number of Presbyterians dropping over the years, you may need that multiplier and more.
“objective proof that it is”
Objective proof is inductive reasoning (a posteriori) and that only renders “probable” conclusions, therefore, the correct statement is “I believe....”. “Pure Christianity” is a belief system and since this is a fallen world and we are fallen people saved by grace, we can’t know that our particular faith system is “pure”. Paul says, “we see through a glass darkly...”
The Catholic Church started in 33 AD at Pentecost.
St. Peter (and St. Paul) went to Rome where both were martyred.
I don’t know why you’re seemingly hung up on the Roman Catholic Church. I follow the Church that Jesus Christ left for us, also known as the Catholic Church. Our Orthodox brethren are also part of the Catholic Church. Same beliefs, same creed and doctrine, different coloured drapes on the walls.
Yawn.
That old hound ain’t hunting and it never did.
It’s time to put’er down.
It’s just senseless barking.
“God has no reason to test anyone.”
Of course He does.
Deut. 8:15-16, “Who led thee through that great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought, where there was no water; who brought thee forth water out of the rock of flint;
Who fed thee in the wilderness with manna, which thy fathers knew not, that he might humble thee,
and that he might prove thee,
to do thee good at thy latter end;
Even the Psalmist knew this,
Psa 26:2 Examine me, O LORD, and prove me; try my reins and my heart.
Psa 139:23 Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts:
***What do you think, tc?***
Sounds like you have an axe to grind, K.
But no, I love the Patristics except for their negative theology and so did Calvin and Luther. Unfortunately your co-congregants have turned secular and liberal.
I assume you get the pointy hat with that award? ;)
Kosta: "That's one thing she is not, HD."
I think she's very smart for identifying the line between what conservatives think and what they are willing to say. She says it for them in a funny way and has made millions of dollars doing it. Of course she steps over the line on occasion, but that usually just boosts book sales. God bless America. :)
“...hey are both reformed from orthodoxy because orthodoxy is much simpler and more primitive than them.”
Primitive, well yup, that’s us, primitives. Its what makes us dangerous to them. We’re not quite white enough either, but that’s another story, one we had forgotten but have been recently reminded of.
Mark, we were around celebrating the Divine Liturgy for 1500 years before that crowd of descendants from 16th century malcontents came along, and we’ll be celebrating the same Divine Liturgy for 1500 years after their descendants have long since converted to Mohammedanism. :)
***Mark, we were around celebrating the Divine Liturgy for 1500 years before that crowd of descendants from 16th century malcontents came along, and we’ll be celebrating the same Divine Liturgy for 1500 years after their descendants have long since converted to Mohammedanism. :)***
You know that, and I know that, and deep in the recesses of their flinty little hearts and souls, so do they.
Some of them will convert and practice with the same fervour that they practice cultic Christianity, some of them will not and be submerged into purely secular society and some will wander over our way.
“...and some will wander over our way.” Nah...Mohammedanism.
Yeah, that one. But we were talking anout my tagline, not my opinions about of the NT. Orthodoxy is the same Christianity that canonized the Bible. If that is not pure Christanity, then what is?
LOL! What is Roman Catholic? The earliest Apostolic Fathers (i.e. +Ignatius) speak of the catholic church and orthodox faith. The Eastern Church wa slikewise Roman. The Greek side of the Empire considered itself Roman, and the capital of the Roman Empire was even relocated to Constantinople, the New Rome. The Creed does not say "I believe in One Holy Roman Catholic Church" but "in One Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church."
Yup, the more primitive the closer to the original church...that's us.
:>)
How about my personal blog? Is that ok? I’m not sure about all these new fangled things :>)
It’s not ALL wrong, just the Paul stuff :>)
Belief is something you have that you have not seen and hope it is whatever you expect it to be. I don't have to precede my statement with "I believe" because it is a known fact, relative or absolute, it makes no difference. The fact is that we are the least changed, but rather represent a continuum of doctrine worship as the Church that canonized the NT.
Now, if you wish to accuse the Church of the 4th century of doctrinal impurity, you certainly are entitled to your opinion, but that doesn't change the fact that such an accusation would be hard to reconcile with that Church's ability to infallibly select and produce the Christian canon.
Staying that a posteri arguments are only "probable" is certainly true in some cases. In others it is not. Do you doubt that Henry VIII lived? Do you think it's probably that he didn't?
Bottom line: my tagline is a lot more factual then claiming indwelling spirit.
BD: Of course He does....Deut 8:15-16, Psalm 26:2, Psalm 139:23...
BD, I am very well aware of the existance of sections of the Bible (Job is certainly one of them) which say that God is testing us.
Nevertheless, God has no reason to test us. We believe God is omnisceint and doesn't need to "find out."
In all instances of biblical mention of temptaton or testing it is used for the same end: a moral message. Somoene is used as an example for others to learn. So, on what basis do you differentiate testing and tmepting?
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