Watch this short video that explains the total sovereignty of God by R.C. Sproul. This is an excellent explanation of this particular doctrine that so many people either miss or don’t want to hear.
In response to yesterday’s blog and the hooplah it raised over on Facebook I give you the results of prosperity preaching. False prophets abound in this world. Be warned!!!
This is the kind of junk that makes my blood boil!! Watch as Oprah and Joel Osteen talk about his “faith” in this recent interview on her new show. Appalling!! There are more if you can stand to watch! So if you think this man is a “Christian” then you have issues yourself! Repent and believe!!!
Letters to the Editor (Borrowed from my friends at Sacred Sandwich)
Posted: January 9, 2012 in UncategorizedDear Christianity Today:
In response to Paul D. Apostle’s article about the Galatian church in your January issue, I have to say how appalled I am by the unchristian tone of this hit piece. Why the negativity? Has he been to the Galatian church recently? I happen to know some of the people at that church, and they are the most loving, caring people I’ve ever met.
Phyllis Snodgrass; Ann Arbor, MI
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Dear Editor:
How arrogant of Mr. Apostle to think he has the right to judge these people and label them accursed. Isn’t that God’s job? Regardless of this circumcision issue, these Galatians believe in Jesus just as much as he does, and it is very Pharisaical to condemn them just because they differ on such a secondary issue. Personally, I don’t want a sharp instrument anywhere near my zipper, but that doesn’t give me the right to judge how someone else follows Christ. Can’t we just focus on our common commitment to Christ and furthering His kingdom, instead of tearing down fellow believers over petty doctrinal matters?
Ed Bilgeway; Tonganoxie, KS
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Dear CT:
I’ve seen other dubious articles by Paul Apostle in the past, and frankly I’m surprised you felt that his recurrent criticisms of the Church deserved to be printed in your magazine. Mr. Apostle for many years now has had a penchant for thinking he has a right to “mark” certain Christian teachers who don’t agree with his biblical position. Certainly I commend him for desiring to stay faithful to God’s word, but I think he errs in being so dogmatic about his views to the point where he feels free to openly attack his brethren. His attitude makes it difficult to fully unify the Church, and gives credence to the opposition’s view that Christians are judgmental, arrogant people who never show God’s love.
Ken Groener; San Diego, CA
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To the Editors:
Paul Apostle says that he hopes the Galatian teachers will cut off their own privates? What kind of Christian attitude is that? Shame on him!
Martha Bobbitt; Boulder, CO
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Dear Christianity Today:
The fact that Paul Apostle brags about his public run-in with Peter Cephas, a well-respected leader and brother in Christ, exposes Mr. Apostle for the divisive figure that he has become in the Church today. His diatribe against the Galatian church is just more of the same misguided focus on an antiquated reliance on doctrine instead of love and tolerance. Just look how his hypercritical attitude has cast aspersions on homosexual believers and women elders! The real problem within the Church today is not the lack of doctrinal devotion, as Apostle seems to believe, but in our inability to be transformed by our individual journeys in the Spirit. Evidently, Apostle has failed to detach himself from his legalistic background as a Pharisee, and is unable to let go and experience the genuine love for Christ that is coming from the Galatians who strive to worship God in their own special way.
William Zenby; Richmond, VA
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Kind Editors:
I happen to be a member of First Christian Church of Galatia, and I take issue with Mr. Apostle’s article. How can he criticize a ministry that has been so blessed by God? Our church has baptized many new members and has made huge in-roads in the Jewish community with our pragmatic view on circumcision. Such a “seeker-sensitive” approach has given the Jews the respect they deserve for being God’s chosen people for thousands of years. In addition, every Gentile in our midst has felt honored to engage in the many edifying rituals of the Hebrew heritage, including circumcision, without losing their passion for Jesus. My advice to Mr. Apostle is to stick to spreading the gospel message of Christ’s unconditional love, and quit criticizing what God is clearly blessing in other churches.
Miriam “Betty” Ben-Hur; Galatia, Turkey
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EDITOR’S NOTE: Christianity Today apologizes for our rash decision in publishing Paul Apostle’s exposé of the Galatian church. Had we known the extent in which our readership and advertisers would withdraw their financial support, we never would have printed such unpopular biblical truth. We regret any damage we may have caused in propagating the doctrines of Christ.
As we enter 2012 the presidential races are in full swing. Watch Joel Osteen’s take on Mitt Romney and the cult known as Mormonism. Still think this man is a Christian? Perhaps you might want to rethink that opinion. 1 John 4:1 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world.
Four weeks ago I was lazily sitting around the parsonage with Tanya and the dogs. It was just one of those days when I was completely wiped out. As I was drinking a cup of coffee the doorbell rang. That’s nothing out of the ordinary. If you are a rural pastor you know exactly what I’m talking about. Anyway, I answer the door and there, before me, is a man I have never met (I would later find out that I did respond to his farm once to help put out a tractor fire – yes, I’m a volunteer firefighter, too, but I digress). He asked if he could talk to me and I responded in the affirmative taking him downstairs to my study. As we just talked about nothing in particular for a bit I could sense there was more on his mind than idle chit-chat. I asked him if there was something specific he wanted to talk about and he then broke down and wept. He lay his life before me with everything from a recent automobile accident to his aging and dying mother to problems at home. He also told me how his life felt so hopeless and he didn’t know who to turn to. He said that his dad told him to come talk to me as I had talked to him before at the request of a congregation member. I began to dig a bit deeper as the conversation progressed and found out he was not a believer, but that he had been reading his Bible lately. I listened intently as he told me that God’s Word was the only place he seemed to find any comfort lately. I praised God for that and then I began to explain to him about sin and its consequences, which he understood. I then told him about God’s grace and mercy and led him through the Scriptures on what God has said and done through His Son Jesus. I told him that it is only through obeying the biblical command of “Repent and believe” that anyone could be saved. He was crying as I shared Christ with him. I began to cry, too, and then he told me that God had moved him to repentance and faith in Christ, not only as his Savior, but as Lord as well.
Wow!! I had just witnessed the re-birth of a baby Christian!! What a glorious sight to behold! Well, we talked some more and he said he wanted to begin coming to church and I said that would be wonderful. True to his word he showed up the following Sunday with family in tow. We talked several other times and I was recommending some help for some other issues in his life.
Last week I was at the bookstore with family ordering coffee when my cell rang. It was the fiancee of this new Christian’s son. She was crying and very abruptly told me that this new baby Christian had died. Apparently he had a heart attack and died in his sleep. He was 48 years old. I preached his funeral last Saturday and as sad as it was for many (he had lots of friends who filled our little church with about 250 capacity) it was a glorious day! I was able to relay this story first to his family, which he had already done in his excitement, then to many more people, many of whom had never heard the gospel.
I thank God for His great providence! For His steadfast love and mercy! I thank Him for letting me get to know this man, even for such a brief time! I have witnessed people professing faith in Christ before, but this one man, who I only knew for three short weeks, had more of an impact on me than I could ever explain. If reading this doesn’t help you understand God’s providential control of all things, then no study of systematic theology ever could.
May the Lord bless you and keep you!!!
