Why is it that Christian teachers feel the need to emphasize everything but the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Today specifically, I am talking about these teachers preaching about pre-destination and election or another part of the TULIP Calvinist theology. Of course I understand the need to proper theology. But is theology more important than God? I hear these people speak more about their election than I hear them speak about the Grace of God, the sacrifice of Jesus or the power of the Holy Spirit.
Sometimes I wonder if these teachers recognize that the only ones they are speaking to are those who already agree. The old saying that they are “preaching to the choir” is appropriate. Has anyone come into the Kingdom because they found out about Limited Atonement? I’m curious what they think good teaching looked like before Calvin.
Don’t get me wrong – I am not anti-Calvin. I grew up in a Presbyterian Church and so understand the importance of Calvin’s thoughts in the development of the faith. I agree with some and disagree with others (Personally, my least favorite teaching from Calvin was his view of debt, but that is for another day). My point isn’t to argue Calvinism vs. Arminianism. It’s to argue for the teaching of the Gospel, the teaching of Justification (getting right with God) and Sanctification (growing in holiness – becoming more like Jesus), the teaching of the Trinity, being Christ-Centered, the Attributes of God, etc. The list is so large of the things that will build the Kingdom and disciple believers that you can speak for years on these things and never have to repeat the same teaching twice!
The fact that most of the people in the United States are no longer Biblical Christians should be enough to cause every Christian teacher to preach the Gospel message every time they speak. The fact that most of the people going to Christian Churches in the United States live no differently and look no differently than non-Christians should be enough to cause every Christian teacher to preach the difference between those who are being saved and those who are not. Not enough Christians realize that we can either live by the Spirit or live by the flesh and that these things are opposites, incongruous and impossible to do at the same time.
If you are a Christian and you struggled with some of the concepts above, it is probably time to find a teacher who is more interested in growing your faith. For those teachers who insist that they should continue to preach about your pet theological argument, I pray that you remember your calling to baptize them and teach them to obey all that Jesus has commanded. Everything else is good, but not of first-importance.
Monday, October 31, 2011
Monday, October 17, 2011
October 21 - Judgment Day?
Time to discuss Harold Camping's Judgment Day prophesy.
When we last left Mr. Camping, he was telling us that the true Christians (presumed to be his Family Radio listeners because the Church is no longer God's vehicle for salvation) would be raptured up on May 21 and that the unsaved would be suffering on this earthquake shaken world for the next five months until October 21. At this time, Judgment Day would arrive and destroy all non-believers (destroyed - not sent to hell - since according to Harold Camping, there is no hell).
When everything continued as usual on May 22, the world awaited his response to the experience that nothing changed over the past 24 hours. A few days later, we heard Harold Camping explain this experience the same way all false prophesies have been explained throughout time - it was spiritual:
“Indeed, on May 21 Christ did come spiritually to put all of the unsaved throughout the world into judgment. But that universal judgment will not be physically seen until the last day of the five month judgment period, on October 21, 2011.” - Family Radio Website
However, now Harold Camping is telling us something a little different. He has done this by redefining the Rapture. Historically, the Rapture is the next event in the Christian's future where, according to 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, we are told that we will meet Christ in the air and our bodies will change from perishable to imperishible 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 (note: a spiritual body is not a spirit, it is a body). Now Camping is telling us that the Rapture is just a marking of time for when no one else can be saved.
So we have come to the last week before Camping's Judgment Day and at The Ark Church, we will boldly stand up against Harold Camping and hold fast to the Bible. Camping's eisegesis of the Word of God has resulted in incorrectly prophesying the Rapture and the Judgment Day and has brought many of his listeners to financial, emotional and spiritual ruin.
In love, we at The Ark invite all Family Radio listeners to join us for services on October 22, Saturday night at 7:30 and Sunday morning at 10:30. It is time that you who have been faithful to Harold Camping's false teachings come back to the Church that Jesus instituted and will be here until the day our bodies are taken to be with Him at the true Rapture. It is time for you to come back to the Church that awaits you with open arms. It is time to return to a family that can encourage you, keep you accountable and cherish you as you put your life back together from the obstacles that Harold Camping has placed in your path.
We pray for all of you who have been followers of Harold Camping and want you to know that you have a REAL Church home here.
When we last left Mr. Camping, he was telling us that the true Christians (presumed to be his Family Radio listeners because the Church is no longer God's vehicle for salvation) would be raptured up on May 21 and that the unsaved would be suffering on this earthquake shaken world for the next five months until October 21. At this time, Judgment Day would arrive and destroy all non-believers (destroyed - not sent to hell - since according to Harold Camping, there is no hell).
When everything continued as usual on May 22, the world awaited his response to the experience that nothing changed over the past 24 hours. A few days later, we heard Harold Camping explain this experience the same way all false prophesies have been explained throughout time - it was spiritual:
“Indeed, on May 21 Christ did come spiritually to put all of the unsaved throughout the world into judgment. But that universal judgment will not be physically seen until the last day of the five month judgment period, on October 21, 2011.” - Family Radio Website
However, now Harold Camping is telling us something a little different. He has done this by redefining the Rapture. Historically, the Rapture is the next event in the Christian's future where, according to 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18, we are told that we will meet Christ in the air and our bodies will change from perishable to imperishible 1 Corinthians 15:42-44 (note: a spiritual body is not a spirit, it is a body). Now Camping is telling us that the Rapture is just a marking of time for when no one else can be saved.
So we have come to the last week before Camping's Judgment Day and at The Ark Church, we will boldly stand up against Harold Camping and hold fast to the Bible. Camping's eisegesis of the Word of God has resulted in incorrectly prophesying the Rapture and the Judgment Day and has brought many of his listeners to financial, emotional and spiritual ruin.
In love, we at The Ark invite all Family Radio listeners to join us for services on October 22, Saturday night at 7:30 and Sunday morning at 10:30. It is time that you who have been faithful to Harold Camping's false teachings come back to the Church that Jesus instituted and will be here until the day our bodies are taken to be with Him at the true Rapture. It is time for you to come back to the Church that awaits you with open arms. It is time to return to a family that can encourage you, keep you accountable and cherish you as you put your life back together from the obstacles that Harold Camping has placed in your path.
We pray for all of you who have been followers of Harold Camping and want you to know that you have a REAL Church home here.
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