What is the big deal about Obama's change of opinion on gay marriage?

What is the big deal about Obama's change of opinion on gay marriage?

http://the-end-time.blogspot.com

This week Obama came out and said openly that he now supports gay marriage. This caused a political earthquake in America and around the world. Some rushed in with money to support him so any potential second term may gain them political advantage of turning their deviancy into law. Some said his stance shows "moral leadership."

The pressure ramped up on other world leaders, who immediately were pressed into stating, or re-stating their views. At once, the wolves circled the Australia Prime Minister, who had to 'defend' her views against gay marriage. The UK was pressed to follow Obama's 'lead.'

In all cases though, we know that his open stance set a global precedent. And not just for gay marriage, but also for gay adoption and ultimately for redefinition of the foundational rock of our culture: families united under God.

Now we know that Obama's change in stance, or "evolution" as he calls it, is simply a crafty accession to a political timing. I mean, everyone could see this coming, and Southern Baptist Preacher and president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary Al Mohler said essentially we all knew where Obama stood from the beginning and it was only a matter of time until he came out for gay marriage unequivocally.

So on that last basis, people are saying, since we all knew this was coming, what's the big deal?

Well, it IS a big deal. Franklin Graham said of Obama's shift toward public and government support of gay marriage:

"“President Obama has, in my view, shaken his fist at the same God who created and defined marriage. It grieves me that our president would now affirm same-sex marriage, though I believe it grieves God even more,” Graham said in a statement. “This is a sad day for America. May God help us,” he said.

Here is why Obama's change from a likely stance toward acceptance of gay marriage to an affirmed stance of homosexual unions codified under the force of law is a big deal: it's public sin.

Graham is right when he says America has shaken her fist at God. God does not tolerate flaunted sin. He is grieved over all sin, of course, national and individual, but to openly defy God's law regarding marriage and the family, affirming sin at the national level, takes it up a notch. God had even made a provision for a distinction between unintentional sin and defiant sin in Old Testament Law and he set rules for atonement for each:

"But if just one person sins unintentionally, he must bring a year-old female goat for a sin offering. The priest is to make atonement before the Lord for the one who erred by sinning unintentionally, and when atonement has been made for him, he will be forgiven. One and the same law applies to everyone who sins unintentionally, whether he is a native-born Israelite or an alien. But anyone who sins defiantly, whether native-born or alien, blasphemes the Lord, and that person must be cut off from his people. Because he has despised the Lord’s word and broken his commands, that person must surely be cut off; his guilt remains on him." (Numbers 15:27-31).

And no one can say that homosexual unions under government establishment and approval is an unintentional sin. Look at this verse from 2 Peter 2:6-10--

"If he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)— if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials and to hold the unrighteous for the day of judgment, while continuing their punishment. This is especially true of those who follow the corrupt desire of the sinful natured and despise authority."
The authority spoken of here is God's authority, lordship authority and the celestial hierarchies.

So no one can say they were unaware that homosexuality is a sin. We were given an actual example of what is going to happen to the ungodly, and were then told that this will happen again to the ungodly because they had not heeded that example. In the case of Sodom and Gomorrah (and Admah and Zeboiim as per Deuteronomy 29:23) an entire region was destroyed due to public and flagrant sin. In the case of the US, remember that Obama is an elected representative of the majority of 311 million people and a representative speaks for the majority of the people. So this week Obama publicly and intentionally flouted God's law for the sanctity of marriage the way He has ordained in the bible.

So you can see that it is not just a matter of one guy changing his mind about how he feels about homosexual marriage. It is a matter of a man who was elected to lead the most blessed nation on earth (after Israel) who represents and speaks for the majority of them, a king of the world, who is supposed to righteously govern according to God's standards but instead publicly flaunts God's ordinances. He has shaken his fist at God.

We consistently kill millions of unborn babies despite being told not to pass our children through the fire and sacrifice them. (Leviticus 18:21). We affirm deviancy. We allow 'no-fault' divorce. We make empty professions of faith and practice idolatry. When the gay-promoters lash out at the bible believers they call us "intolerant." They will soon discover how INTOLERANT God Himself is toward sin. Nineveh was smote for wickedness. Sodom, Gomorrah, Admah and Zeboiim was smote for homosexuality and wickedness. Israel was punished for empty religion and flouting or abandoning God's laws. God judged the world because "the wickedness of man was great in the earth" (Genesis 6:5a). America is no different than any other nation or the world.

But let's bring our attention to a part of the verse that is a promise. The first part of the verse spoke about condemnation. The second part is a promise. Here is 2 Peter 2:6-9a:

"If he condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah by burning them to ashes, and made them an example of what is going to happen to the ungodly; and if he rescued Lot, a righteous man, who was distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men (for that righteous man, living among them day after day, was tormented in his righteous soul by the lawless deeds he saw and heard)— if this is so, then the Lord knows how to rescue godly men from trials..."
He KNOWS how grieved we are to hear these things. He KNOWS how trapped we feel, we who did not elect him and who do not hold to these deviant standards. He KNOWS we are distressed by the filthy lives of lawless men. He KNOWS. He rescues the godly. He rescues.

Did he not rescue Noah, that righteous man, perfect in his generations? Did He not rescue Lot? Does He not promise to rescue us from the coming wrath? (1 Thessalonians 1:10). We are not appointed to wrath. (1 Thessalonians 5:9).

So? What is God waiting for? 2 Peter 3:7-9 has the answer--

"But the heavens and the earth which are now preserved by the same word, are reserved for fire until the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men. But, beloved, do not forget this one thing, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance."God waited for 400 years to judge the Canaanites. He waited until the fourth generation of the Amorites, until their iniquity was full. (Gen 15:16).

However at a certain point a nation does cross the line. Has America crossed it? As Franklin Graham said, Marriage "was defined not by man, but by God Himself. ... This is a sad day for America. May God help us."

Israel Unity

Arranging Deck Chairs or Plugging the Hole?

Arranging Deck Chairs or Plugging the Hole?

by Heidi Swander May 9, 2012 www.olivetreeviews.org  Join us on Facebook

"The motivation for Christians working to delay the coming collapse of our nation is not to preserve our way of life, but to buy more time to share the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ with as many people as possible before America is swept away by God's judgment," (emphasis mine). Read that again. This statement by Pastor Robert Jeffress in his book, Twilight's Last Gleaming: How America's Last Days Can Be Your Best Days, revolutionized my thinking on the important matter of actively affecting the culture around us during these days of moral decline.

As we catapult toward this fall's coming election, the debate will grow more heated. "Many Christians equate efforts to stop the murder of the unborn, uphold the biblical principles of morality, and elect godly leaders with rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. 'If we are going down anyway, why bother?' people wonder." Pastor Jeffress isn't at all sure about that way of thinking, and having read his explanation about why he is unsure, I'm inclined to agree.

"I have a different perspective today. While our responsibility to delay our culture's decay is not our primary mission here on earth, it is a necessary prerequisite if we are to fulfill our ultimate calling of pointing people to Jesus Christ," (emphasis mine). Point well taken! I was motivated by Pastor Jeffress' position here.

If the purpose of standing up against abortion or battling the incessant encroachment of homosexuality or trying to bring our culture back from the brink of all-out socialism is simply, "a better America," then that does nothing to inspire me. I would have to throw my hat in the ring with those who say, "Let the ship sink." But if the rationale behind running for office or fighting to put people of principle in positions of leadership or working to defeat an ungodly congressional bill is the eternal goal of, "redeeming the time," in order to provide ample opportunity for as many souls as possible to come to eternal life, that is a goal I can thoroughly stand behind!

And then he poses this question: "How do you balance your primary calling to share the gospel with the calling to stand up against ungodliness in our nation?" That was the premise for the book. It's more than a fair question and it's one that demands an answer from each of us.

He talks about being salt and light in our world as Jesus admonishes us. "Most Evangelical Christians understand (even if they don't obey) the mandate to serve as lights in this dark world, pointing people to Christ's offer of salvation to all who believe. But I have discovered that many Christians do not comprehend Jesus' command to delay the decay of our culture by acting as salt in the world," (emphasis mine).

One important issue Pastor Jeffress points to in regard to this is the relativism that is engulfing not just our society but, more disastrously, the community of those who call themselves, "e
Evangelical Christians."

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Purchase this encouraging and englightening book in our online store for $19 + S/H!.

We become tasteless salt and a diminished light." And he warns, "When Christians lose their motivation to be restrainers of evil, it is only a matter of time until society crumbles under the weight of its own sin." That observation reminds me of Paul's teaching about the Holy Spirit restraining evil through the vessels He indwells (us), and our understanding that once we are taken Home all hell will, quite literally, break loose. We must not abdicate our responsibility in advance.

Let's get practical. How does this book's premise relate to this fall's election and our responsibility to participate in it? At the very least it means we should plan to vote. I have heard some opine that they won't even vote this time around. I remember reading an article by a fairly well-known Christian editor who actually suggested that the last time around. I don't know how many took heed to his advice, but you can clearly see that the results were not advantageous to the cause of the gospel.

Additionally, we must be informed when we vote. That means we must know as much as we can about the individuals we are voting for and the issues that will be on the ballot so that we make a well-informed decision. That is the kind of voting that will honor our Father and will, if God chooses, allow more time for souls to come to Jesus.

That's just one example. It certainly doesn't stand alone. But if we, as children of God, take seriously Jesus' mandate to be salt and light in every area of our life, you can see how it could affect the culture we live in and provide more time for the lost to be drawn to the Savior.

"Sometimes God judges without delay," Pastor Jeffress writes. "However other times there is a delay between explosive choices a society makes and the natural collapse that comes from removing the spiritual and moral support structures of a society, just as there is with an implosion.

"You and I are living in that pause in history between explosion and implosion," he says. "Our future hope is that the coming darkness that will engulf America and every other nation in the world will be followed by the dawn of Christ's return, when He will establish a new heaven and a new earth. But until that time, God has left us on earth during these twilight years for a very specific purpose."

May we continue to act as salt and light until the day Jesus calls us Home.

A minha graça te basta. Stênio Marcius

Meia Hora com João Alexandre

Return to Jekyll Island - The Federal Reserve

Rare tornado touches down in France over the weekend

Rare tornado touches down in France over the weekend

Rare tornado in Tokyo kills one

Rare tornado in Tokyo kills one
http://the-end-time.blogspot.com.br/

Fox News reports,
"A tornado tore through an area just northeast of the Japanese capital Sunday, injuring at least 30 people, destroying dozens of homes and leaving thousands more without electricity. Firefighters and helicopter medical teams rushed to the area after the tornado struck the city of Tsukuba, 40 miles northeast of Tokyo. A 14-year-old boy was in serious condition, and 10 others were being treated at hospitals, the local fire department said. Details of their injuries were not immediately available. NHK footage showed rows of houses that had lost roofs, apartment complexes with smashed balconies and shattered windows, and crooked telephone poles that could barely stand. NHK also showed footage of a swirling gray cloud it said was taken by a passer-by. The number of homes damaged was still unknown, it said. Initially, the fire department had said 30 to 50 homes were destroyed. NHK TV reported that some 200 homes were damaged. Tokyo Electric Power Co. said 24,000 homes were without electricity as strong winds and lightning added to the tornado damage. Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant, which went into multiple meltdowns from last year's tsunami, was not affected by Sunday's tornado or storm, TEPCO said. Tornadoes are relatively rare in the Tokyo area."

In Revelation, Jesus showed John visions of the future. John saw the weather act in ways that defied description. Angels held back the wind so no breeze blew. Hail fell that weighed 100 pounds each. There were droughts and famines and waters turning to blood and mega earthquakes.

In Matthew 24, the disciples asked "when will these things be? And what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?” (Mt 24:3). Jesus answered of the things that would happen and they were the same as the things He showed John.

Between His telling us and His showing us, Jesus has taken great care to alert the generation that will see these things come to pass. The purpose is to show the saved the truth of His word and to assure us that our Redemption draws nigh. For the unsaved, it is to let them know God is in control and that He is coming to judge sinners and to punish Israel. In effect, he is speaking to the entire world, because there is only saved, and unsaved.

The normal is becoming extinct as surely as the dodo bird and the passenger pigeon. The new normal is uncertainty, perplexity, and un-safety. Why is no place safe? Just because a place has never or rarely experienced an earthquake does not mean that they won't. Just because a place hardly or never has tornadoes doesn't mean they can't. Just because a volcano in your backyard never exploded doesn't mean it wouldn't. Eventually, all these things will affect all people, everywhere.

"And the kings of the earth, the great men, the rich men, the commanders, the mighty men, every slave and every free man, hid themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains, and said to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb! For the great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?”" (Revelation 6:15-17).

You are able to stand because of your position before Christ. If you have repented and accepted Him as savior and Lord, you are justified. He, the Judge, has rendered the verdict, and that verdict is PARDON for your crimes (sins). If you have not repented, you are not justified and the Judge will render the verdict GUILTY. What happens to the guilty? They go to jail. In this case it is hell.

"For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to all men by raising him from the dead.”" (Acts 17:31). This verse is speaking of God appointing Jesus as Judge of all mankind.

There will not be a jury of your peers, there will not be a defense lawyer. There will only be you, and the Judge. Can you withstand the wrath of the Lamb? No. But you can escape it by repenting, announcing your guilt and the Judge who is merciful, will pardon you. You must do it before He arrives in the courtroom, though, (before your death) because after that, all is fixed. It will be too late.

"And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:" (Hebrews 9:27).

And because you don't know the date of your death, you don't know when the arresting officers will come get you (the death angel), so announce your guilt now and ask the Judge for mercy. And you don't even have to wonder of the Judge will grant it, because He has already said that He will!

"That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." (John 3:15-18)

The Spirit of Anti-Christ

http://gracethrufaith.com

You must teach what is in accord with sound doctrine. (Titus 2:1)

Dear children, this is the last hour; and as you have heard that the antichrist is coming, even now many antichrists have come. This is how we know it is the last hour. They went out from us, but they did not really belong to us. For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us. (1 John 2:18-19)

These days, any kind of teaching about the coming anti-Christ is very popular. But less than 60 years after the cross John was already writing about the spirit of anti-Christ being evidenced in the false teaching that would later come to be known as “gnosticism”. The fact that those false teachers had come from among believers gave them a certain credibility in the growing church, but in John’s view the error of their doctrine proved that they had never been true believers. “For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us” (1 John 2:19)

What’s New?

We’ll explore the power of that observation in a minute. But first let’s review the basics of gnosticism as it was being presented in John’s time. In essence gnosticism held that all spirit was good and all flesh was evil. They further believed that good and evil cannot exist together, so neither can spirit and flesh. Therefore God, being Spirit, could not dwell in Jesus, with His body of flesh. Jesus, being a man and therefore evil, couldn’t have been sinless, so He couldn’t have qualified to be our redeemer. Because of this, they claimed, the path to salvation was not through His death on the cross, but through the progressive attainment of secret spiritual knowledge (Greek: gnosis). This same idea permeates Freemasonry, Scientology and the New Age religions, demonstrating that gnosticism in various forms is still around today.

Now back to John’s amazing declaration. “For if they had belonged to us, they would have remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us.” If these proponents of gnosticism had truly received the Gospel in their hearts, they wouldn’t have begun propagating false doctrine. Their belief in the truth would have prevented this. The fact that they were teaching lies proves that they had never believed the truth.

Think about that. The fact that they were teaching lies proves that they never believed the truth. Ever hear a speaker who sounded so good and was so persuasive, but put forth a view that you knew to be at odds with Scripture? I’m not talking about ancillary things like how old we’ll be in Heaven, or what the Millennium will be like on Earth, but basic components of the Gospel.

Let’s take the Doctrine of Grace for example. “For it is by grace you have been saved through faith – and this not from yourselves it is the gift of God – not by works so that no one can boast” (Ephe. 2:8-9).

According to the way I read 1 John 2:18-19, any teacher who denies that salvation is by grace alone is teaching a lie. If he says we have to do more than believe and receive in order to qualify for eternal life it means the truth is not in him. Remember, grace plus work is no longer grace.

Can You Believe That?

And what about those who believe the false teaching? “But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and all of you know the truth” (1 John 2:20). Here John explained that just as those who have the truth in their hearts would be constrained from teaching lies, so also we who believe the truth will be constrained from believing those lies. Those who claim to be Christian but then join a religion that rejects the truth in favor of lies, demonstrate that they never really believed the truth in the first place.

“The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved.” (2 Thes. 2:9-10)

The implication here is that those who are perishing knew the truth but refused to believe it. Their unbelief was willful and intentional. Many scholars believe these people will not get a second chance to believe the truth after the rapture but will be deceived by the false teaching of the anti-Christ and will perish.

“For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers who say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths (mythology).” (2 Tim. 4:3-4) 

Again, the notion here is of willful and intentional rejection of the truth in favor of more palatable lies. I’m convinced John was of the opinion that the people Paul was writing about here didn’t just stray away, they never believed in the first place.

A Tale Of Two Gates

In Matt. 7:13-14 Jesus said, “Enter through the narrow gate. For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it. But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.”

Some religions promote a way of salvation based on works. Others try to combine grace and works. They may claim to be Christian or they may claim a different God. But they are all on the broad road heading for the wide gate. The small gate is labeled “grace” and the narrow road is called faith alone.

This is what led Jesus to issue the warning that not everyone who calls Him “Lord” will enter the Kingdom. Even if they drive out demons and perform miracles in His name, He will deny ever knowing them (Matt. 7:21-23). They’re on the broad road.

He said only those who do the will of the Father in Heaven will enter the Kingdom. And what is the will of the Father? Listen to the Lord’s own words.

“All that the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to me I will never drive away. For I have come down from heaven not to do my will but to do the will of him who sent me. And this is the will of him who sent me, that I shall lose none of all that he has given me, but raise them up at the last day. For my Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in him shall have eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day” (John 6:37-40)

Our Father’s will is that everyone who looks to the Son and believes in Him shall have eternal life. It’s the shepherd’s job to keep the sheep, and it can never be said that the Good Shepherd saved us but then couldn’t keep us. If we present ourselves to the Father as sinners in need of a Savior, and ask that the death of His Son be considered as payment in full for our sins, the Father will place us under the protective care of His Son and no power in Heaven or on Earth can ever can ever steal us away. If we happen to wander off for some reason, He will track us down and bring us back because it’s the Father’s will that the Son should lose none of us.

As I understand 1 John 2:18-19 then, believing that trusting in Jesus alone can’t save us is evidence of the spirit of anti-Christ. If someone thinks they have to do even part of the work, or that even though He did save them He could subsequently lose them, that’s the spirit of anti-Christ. Those who believe these things may have come from among us, but they never really belonged to us. Selah 05-05-12

Christ at the Checkpoint

Sanitization or Sanctification

Sanitization or Sanctification?
By Bob DeWaay
http://cicministry.org/articles.php
A reader phoned me recently and explained how he has seen churches depart from Bible teaching only to institute various programs for better living. He made an intriguing statement: "These programs do not sanctify, they sanitize." And he was absolutely right about that.

Let me unpack that idea and show from Scripture that this is the case.
It is possible to use human wisdom and good advice programs in order to help people achieve better living. It is possible to get an alcoholic sober, an abusive husband to be considerate and caring, a compulsive gambler to quit, a person driven to make money at the expense of family to change priorities, and to help an unhappy person become happy. All of this can be done without any special work of grace. In fact, it can be done without religion at all.

I once heard a debate between two college professors, one an atheist and the other a Christian. Toward the end of the debate the atheist made an interesting statement. He said, "You do not need a god or religion to have a good, happy life. I have been happily married for many years, have wonderful children and grandchildren, live a moral life, and could not ask for anything more from life. I do not need religion and neither do you." Sadly, many Christians have so redefined Christianity that they would not know how to respond to such a statement. It is true that many people lead happy, relatively moral lives without God. But what they cannot obtain is right standing before the Holy God who created the universe.

When Christianity is reduced to a "better-living-through-religion" program it does not offer anything that some atheists (like the one in that debate) already have. It is telling when churches fill up their docket with seminars designed to help people solve life problems through general revelation. General revelation is available to all through the normal means of knowing. All societies have their own aphorisms which they pass along—their collective "good advice." It is not a sin to give people good advice gleaned from general revelation, but neither is to confuse that advice with Christ's mandate: "Teaching them to observe all that I commanded you" (Matthew 28:20a).

Two key differences differentiate good advice from the commands of Scripture:
1) Good advice is never binding and can be safely (from an eternal perspective) ignored.
2) Good advice is not sanctifying.

The atheist with a nice family and a happy life is clearly not sanctified. The term "sanctification" means to be made holy. Holiness cannot be gleaned from general revelation. So those helped by good advice drawn from human wisdom may be sanitized, but unless they repent and believe the gospel they will never be sanctified. Sanctification comes through redemption and the means of grace. Paul wrote: "But by His doing you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, so that, just as it is written, "Let him who boasts, boast in the Lord" (1Corinthians 1:30, 31). That atheist was boasting against the Lord! Christians can only boast in the Lord.
Dispensing human wisdom can produce many satisfied customers. A local pastor, known for preaching the prosperity gospel, was exposed in the newspaper for his lavish lifestyle and possible misappropriation of church funds. One of his members wrote a letter to the editor defending the pastor. The letter writer cited all of the positive changes that had happened since attending that church: a better family, better finances, freedom from addiction, and so forth. But he did not mention anything distinctive to Christianity. Some people who believe the health and wealth gospel actually are healthy and wealthy. But so are some atheists.

Many churches simply have given up salvation and sanctification and settled for sanitization—clean and happy "Christian" living without regard to holiness in the sight of God. Paul discusses this in Colossians:
If you have died with Christ to the elementary principles of the world, why, as if you were living in the world, do you submit yourself to decrees, such as, "Do not handle, do not taste, do not touch!" (which all refer to things destined to perish with use) in accordance with the commandments and teachings of men? These are matters which have, to be sure, the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body, but are of no value against fleshly indulgence. (Colossians 2:20-23)

The cleaned up sinner is still "fleshly" because the only alternative to the flesh is the Spirit, and people do not receive the Spirit by works of law:
This is the only thing I want to find out from you: did you receive the Spirit by the works of the Law, or by hearing with faith? Are you so foolish? Having begun by the Spirit, are you now being perfected by the flesh? (Galatians 3:2, 3)
There is no definite article with "law" in the Greek; Paul is speaking of "works of law." Whether the Mosaic Law or any other, people do not receive the Holy Spirit by works of law.
Anyone without the Holy Spirit is unsaved and unsanctified (see Romans 8:4-8). Anyone without the Spirit is motivated by the flesh (1John 2:16, 17). A person may be able to change his lusts (i.e., from the lust of the flesh to the boastful pride of life) through human wisdom dispensed through a program, but no one can escape the lusts of the world by any means except for a work of grace through the gospel. The law can restrain evil, but it cannot produce holiness.

We do not escape from worldly corruption by any means other than the promises of God found in Scripture: "For by these He has granted to us His precious and magnificent promises, so that by them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world by lust" (2Peter 1:4).

This being the case, why have so many churches filled their sermons and programs with ideas gleaned through general revelation that amount to good advice? The answer is found most likely in their constituency. Clear teaching of the word of God will sanctify those who are truly saved. Jesus prayed: "Sanctify them in the truth; Your word is truth" (John 17:17). That means that God does a work of grace on the inside that changes the motivations of the heart, not just certain behaviors (Hebrews 4:12). The behavior does change, objectively, because the Bible contains instruction in godly living that should be taught with the binding authority of God. These instructions are commands, not good advice. They cannot safely be ignored. But the good news is that God's grace comes to us through His word, enabling and motivating us to obey Him.

A church becomes filled with unsaved people when "better living through Jesus" teachings and programs become the norm rather than gospel preaching and Bible teaching. The people are there to find the sort of life the atheist bragged about having. They may get a nice, happy life through human wisdom dispensed in the name of Christianity.

But holiness is what such persons cannot find through human wisdom. Holiness comes from a work of grace, not a decision to change some things for the better. Sinners lacking the gospel but sanitized through a church program may end up in a worse condition than before. If, in the name of Christianity, the drunkenness or marriage problems go away, those who benefited may think they are saved when, in fact, they are lost. False assurance is dangerous and if not remedied will lead to eternal damnation.

The good advice approach assumes that humans possess the motivation and ability they need; that they simply need instruction on how to put what they already have to work. The real situation is that we are sinners without hope and without God in the world (Ephesians 2:12). We do not have an engineering problem; we have a spiritual one. That spiritual problem is remedied by what God does by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8)—not what we do through human wisdom. The Bible tells us to "pursue" sanctification, because without it we will never see the Lord (Hebrews 12:14). Only sanctification through the blood of Jesus makes us fit to see the Lord. Sanitization through good advice cannot do that.

Published by Twin City Fellowship
Critical Issues Commentary
P.O. Box 26127
St. Louis Park, MN 55426
952-935-3100pastorbob@twincityfellowship.com

Higienização ou Santificação?

Higienização ou Santificação?

http://discernimentocristao.wordpress.com/2012/05/01/higienizacao-ou-santificacao/

Um comentário biblicamente baseada em questões atuais que afetam você

Por Bob DeWaay

Um leitor me telefonou recentemente e explicou como ele viu igrejas se afastarem da Bíblia através da implementação de vários programas e métodos para se ter uma vida melhor. Ele fez uma declaração intrigante: “Esses programas não santificam, eles higienizam”. E ele estava absolutamente certo sobre isso. Deixe-me descompactar essa idéia e mostrar a partir da Escritura como isso funciona.

É possível usar a sabedoria humana e programas que se baseiam em bons conselhos, a fim de ajudar as pessoas a alcançarem uma vida melhor. É possível transformar um alcoólatra num homem sóbrio, um marido abusivo em um ser atencioso e carinhoso, um jogador compulsivo que rasga o dinheiro da família, em uma pessoa focada em dar uma vida confortável para os seus, ajudar uma pessoa infeliz a se tornar feliz. Tudo isso pode ser feito sem nenhum trabalho especial da graça de Deus. Na verdade, isso pode ser feito sem religião nem fé.

Uma vez ouvi um debate entre dois professores universitários, um ateu e outro cristão. No final do debate, o ateu fez uma declaração interessante. Ele disse: “Você não precisa de um deus ou religião para ter uma vida boa e feliz. Fui casado por muitos anos, tive filhos e netos maravilhosos, vivi uma vida moralmente correta, e não poderia querer mais nada da vida, sou um homem realizado. Eu não preciso de religião e nem você. “

Infelizmente, muitos cristãos têm redefinido, mudado tanto o caráter do cristianismo, que simplesmente não saberiam como responder a tal declaração. É verdade que muitas pessoas são felizes, levam uma vida relativamente correta moralmente falando, e isso tudo, sem Deus. Mas o que não podem obter é legitimidade diante do Deus Santo, que criou o universo.

Quando o cristianismo se reduz a uma melhora de vida através da religião, ele não pode oferecer nada mais do que os programas de alguns ateus (como aquele em que o debate) já têm. Isso é explícito em igrejas que enchem sua programação com seminários, encontros e pregações destinados a ajudar as pessoas a resolverem os problemas da vida através da revelação geral. O que chamo de “Revelação Geral” é o montante do conhecimento humano, colhido através de séculos de experiência social, e que está disponível para todos através dos meios normais do conhecimento. Todas as sociedades têm os seus próprios aforismos, uma espécie de sabedoria social, que passam ao longo dos tempos, os seus “bons conselhos”. Não é pecado dar às pessoas bons conselhos recolhidos a partir da revelação geral, mas também não podemos confundir esses conselhos com ordenanças de Cristo.

“Ensinando-os a observar tudo quanto vos ordenei” ( Mateus 28:20).

Duas diferenças fundamentais dos bons conselhos sociais dos mandamentos das Escrituras:

1) Um bom conselho pode ser ignorado.

2) Um bom conselho não é santificação, não significa obedecer a Deus.

O ateu com uma boa família e uma vida feliz é claramente uma pessoa não santificada. O termo “santificação” significa ser feito santo. Segundo a bíblia, o individua que renuncia ao seu ponto de vista pessoal e ao da sociedade, e concede que apenas a palavra de Deus dirija a sua vida, é considerado santo, e portanto, bem visto aos olhos de Deus. A bíblia também informa que a Santidade não pode ser adquirida a partir da revelação geral. Portanto, aqueles que são ajudados por bons conselhos extraídos da sabedoria humana, podem ser higienizados, o que significa ter uma vida humanamente equilibrada, mas a menos que se arrependam e creiam no evangelho, nunca serão santificados.

 A santificação vem através da redenção pelos meios da Graça. Paulo escreveu:

“Mas vós sois dele, em Jesus Cristo, o qual para nós foi feito por Deus sabedoria, e justiça, e santificação, e redenção; Para que, como está escrito: Aquele que se gloria glorie-se no Senhor. I Coríntios 1:30-31

Aquele ateu estava ostentando seu orgulho pessoal contra o Senhor, baseado no sucesso da aplicação da sabedoria humana! Mas o cristão só pode se orgulhar do Senhor, pois seu equilíbrio espiritual, que é o que realmente conta, depende exclusivamente de Deus.

A aplicação da sabedoria humana pode produzir muitos clientes satisfeitos. Um pastor local, conhecido por pregar o evangelho da prosperidade, foi exposto em um jornal local de uma cidade, pelo seu luxuoso estilo de vida e possível desapropriação de fundos da igreja. Um de seus membros escreveu uma carta ao editor do jornal defendendo o pastor.

O autor da carta citou todas as mudanças positivas que aconteceram desde de que passou a frequentar a dita igreja daquele pastor: uma família melhor, finanças melhor, libertação do vício, e assim por diante. Mas ele não mencionou nada que fosse característico ao cristianismo. Algumas pessoas que acreditam que o evangelho de Jesus da saúde e riqueza, na verdade são saudáveis e prósperas materialmente, mas o que elas não observam é que assim também são muitos ateus.

Muitas igrejas simplesmente desistiram de pregar a salvação e a santificação e se estabeleceram como uma espécie de “agência” para a higienização limpa e feliz da vida “cristã”, sem levar em conta a santidade aos olhos de Deus. Paulo fala sobre isso em Colossenses:

“Se, pois, estais mortos com Cristo quanto aos rudimentos do mundo, por que vos carregam ainda de ordenanças, como se vivêsseis no mundo, tais como: Não toques, não proves, não manuseies? As quais coisas todas perecem pelo uso, segundo os preceitos e doutrinas dos homens; As quais têm, na verdade, alguma aparência de sabedoria, em devoção voluntária, humildade, e em disciplina do corpo, mas não são de valor algum senão para a satisfação da carne”. Colossenses 2:20-23

O limpo pecador ainda é “carnal”, porque a única alternativa para a carne é o Espírito, e as pessoas não recebem o Espírito pelas obras da lei:

“Pensai nas coisas que são de cima, e não nas que são da terra; Porque já estais mortos, e a vossa vida está escondida com Cristo em Deus”. Colossenses 3:2-3

Não há artigo definido no grego com relação a palavra “lei” no sentido de mosaica. Isso significa que Paulo não está se referindo especificamente as “obras da lei” judaica, mas a qualquer regra de vida que possa existir. Isso significa que as pessoas não recebem o Espírito Santo por se deixarem moldar por bons programas, filosofias humanitárias, ou qualquer outro conhecimento que as leve a ter uma vida socialmente equilibrada.

Esse detalhe se aplica a qualquer pessoa sem o Espírito Santo, consequentemente não salva e santificada:

“Para que a justiça da lei se cumprisse em nós, que não andamos segundo a carne, mas segundo o Espírito. Porque os que são segundo a carne inclinam-se para as coisas da carne; mas os que são segundo o Espírito para as coisas do Espírito. Porque a inclinação da carne é morte; mas a inclinação do Espírito é vida e paz. Porquanto a inclinação da carne é inimizade contra Deus, pois não é sujeita à lei de Deus, nem, em verdade, o pode ser. Portanto, os que estão na carne não podem agradar a Deus.” Romanos 8:4-8

Se aplica a qualquer pessoa sem o Espírito de Deus, motivada 100% pela natureza humana:

“Porque tudo o que há no mundo, o desejo da natureza humana, o que os olhos desejam e o orgulho da vida, não é de Deus, mas do mundo. E o mundo passa, e os seus objetos de desejo também; mas aquele que faz a vontade de Deus permanece para sempre.” I João 2:16-17

Uma pessoa pode ser capaz de fazer uma higienização de seus desejos através da sabedoria humana, através de um programa, mas ninguém pode escapar das paixões do mundo, por qualquer meio, exceto por um trabalho da Graça de Deus através do evangelho. Leis, regras, programas ou filosofias, podem restringir o mal, mas não pode produzir santidade. Nós não podemos escapar da corrupção do mundo por outros meios que não sejam as promessas de Deus encontrados na Bíblia.

“Pelas quais ele nos tem dado grandíssimas e preciosas promessas, para que por elas fiqueis participantes da natureza divina, havendo escapado da corrupção, que peles desejos há no mundo.” II Pedro 1:4

Sendo este o caso, por que tantas igrejas encheram seus sermões e programas com idéias recolhidas através da revelação geral, se cercando de uma multidão de bons conselhos sociais? A resposta se encontra provavelmente na política de manutenção de seus clientes. Claro que a Palavra de Deus ensina a santificar aqueles que são verdadeiramente salvos. Jesus orou:

“Santifica-os na verdade; a tua palavra é a verdade” ( João 17:17 ).

Isso significa que Deus faz uma obra da Graça, no interior das pessoas, que muda as motivações do coração e não apenas certos comportamentos.

“Porque a palavra de Deus é viva e eficaz, e mais penetrante do que espada alguma de dois gumes, e penetra até à divisão da alma e do espírito, e das juntas e medulas, e é apta para discernir os pensamentos e intenções do coração” Hebreus 4:12

Nesse contexto o comportamento se altera de forma radical, porque a Bíblia contém instrução sobre a vida piedosa, que deve ser ensinada como elo de ligação a Deus. Estas instruções são comandos, não bons conselhos. Eles não podem ser ignorados ou serem vistos como opitativos. Mas a boa notícia é que a Graça de Deus vem a nós através de Sua palavra, habilitando-nos e motivando-nos a obedecê-Lo há partir de um conceito racional espiritualizado.

A igreja torna-se cheia de pessoas que não foram salvas, quando ensinamentos e programas sobre “uma vida melhor através de Jesus”, se tornam a norma e não a pregação do evangelho e o ensino da Bíblia. Nessas igrejas as pessoas são atraídas ali para encontrar o tipo de vida que aquele ateu se gabava de ter. Elas realmente podem ter uma vida agradável e feliz através da sabedoria humana que lhes foi dispensada em nome do cristianismo, isso é um fato.

Mas a santidade é o que essas pessoas não poderão encontrar através da sabedoria humana. Santidade vem de uma obra da Graça, e não de uma decisão de mudar algumas coisas para melhor. Pecadores sem o evangelho, mas higienizados através de um programa de igreja, podem acabar em uma condição pior do que antes. Se, em nome do cristianismo, os problemas da embriaguez ou do casamento possam ir embora, aqueles que se beneficiaram podem pensar que são salvos, quando na verdade, eles estão perdidos. Essa falsa segurança é perigosa, e caso não seja sanada, certamente levará à condenação eterna.

O fracasso da abordagem dos problemas humanos com bons conselhos, está em pressupor que os seres humanos possuem a motivação e capacidade correta de que necessitam, o que está lhes faltando simplesmente são instruções sobre como colocar para funcionar o potencial para o bem que eles já têm. A situação real é que somos pecadores sem esperança e sem um Deus no mundo.

“Que naquele tempo estáveis sem Cristo, separados da comunidade de Israel, e estranhos às alianças da promessa, não tendo esperança, e sem Deus no mundo.”Efésios 2:12

Nós não temos um problema de engenharia, temos um problema espiritual. Esse problema espiritual é remediado unicamente pelo o que Deus faz pela Graça mediante a fé.

“Porque pela graça sois salvos, por meio da fé; e isto não vem de vós, é dom de Deus. “ Efésios 2:8

Esse problema é insolúvel por meio de sabedoria humana. A Bíblia nos diz para “seguir” a santificação, pois sem a qual nunca alguém jamais verá o Senhor (Hebreus 12:14).

“Segui a paz com todos, e a santificação, sem a qual ninguém verá o Senhor.” Hebreus 12:14

Apenas santificação através do sangue de Jesus, na força do Espírito Santo, nos torna aptos para ver o Senhor. Higienização interior através de bons conselhos, programas ou filosofias, jamais poderão fazer isso.

Fonte: Twin City Fellowship Critical Issues

Bem, é exatamente isso que as igrejas de um modo geral estão fazendo. Elas estão mudando o foco da pregação, que no tempo dos apóstolos era centrada na salvação da alma, para um enfoque social. Todo o trabalho da maioria das igrejas tem se centrado na salvação social do indivíduo, e não de sua alma.

No contexto cristão pós-moderno, o problema crucial do indivíduo não está mais em seu coração, mas em sua adaptação aos desafios da realidade contemporânea. Isso se caracteriza como uma alteração de diagnóstico da realidade do homem segundo a bíblia. Interferir no diagnostico que Deus fez da problemática de sua própria criatura, supostamente motivado pela “boa” intenção em ajudar ao próximo, é externar um grau de estupidez colossal usando a infeliz idéia de melhorar o ótimo. Isso só é possível obviamente há partir do orgulho.

A bíblia nos ensina que orgulho vem imediatamente antes do tropeço, “A soberba precede a ruína, e a altivez do espírito precede a queda.” Provérbios 16:18 O coração do homem é ruim por essência. Brincar de concertar o homem como a igreja evangélica contemporânea está brincado, é o mesmo que brincar de ser Deus.

Esse posicionamento é estranho, e só comprova que o sistema da igreja evangélica do século XXI está fadado ao fracasso, assim como estava o seu antecessor, o sistema religioso dos irreconciliáveis judeus. Como seu irmãos mais velhos, toda essa fétida estrutura afundará sobre o seu próprio peso. E aos genuínos cristãos caberá, mesmo fazendo parte do todo, não se contaminarem, restando-lhes o consolo de serem recebidos por aquele que é incorruptível e cheio de misericórdia não fingida.

Que só Deus nos influencie!
Roberto aguiar

Noah´s flood as a type of the end-time rapture English interpreted in Portuguese

O evangelho sanguessuga e o aprendizado pela perda

Por Valmir Nascimento

Perda. Eis uma palavrinha escurraçada do vocabulário gospel-triunfalista desses dias. Ela foi banida aos porretes dos púlpitos e jogada para escanteio na vivência cristã, a fim de abrir espaço para expressões mais agradáveis e imponentes: bênção, vitória e prosperidade.

Assim, o evangelho (digo: marketing gospel) vai se tornando sanguessuga (Pv. 30.15), a gerar filhos Dá e Dá, preocupados somente com o lucro, mas nunca com a perda. Dá-me isso; dá-me aquilo e dá-me aquilo outro.

E isso é um problema sério. Cristãos formados com os olhos voltados para o ganho financeiro/material mantém a fé inabalável somente até a primeira adversidade. Quando o vento bate à porta eles logo devolvem suas credenciais e voltam de onde saíram: o mundo.

A Bíblia deixa evidente a importância de os discípulos de Cristo estarem preparados para a perda. Paulo revela essa verdade ao escrever:
“Mas o que era para mim era ganho reputei-o perda por Cristo; e, na verdade, tenho também por perda todas as coisas, pela excelência do conhecimento de Cristo Jesus, meu Senhor; pelo qual sofri a perda de todas estas coisas, e as considero como escória, para que possa ganhar a Cristo”. [Fp. 3.7,8]

Nancy Pearcey afirma que “quer o sofrimento seja físico, quer seja psicológico, o método que Deus usa para vermos em que estamos fundamentando nossas vidas é a perda. Quando perdemos a saúde, ou a família, ou o trabalho, ou a reputação, e a vida desmorona e nos sentimos perdidos e vazios, é quando percebemos o quanto nosso senso de propósito e identidade estava de fato ligado a essas coisas. É por isso que temos estar dispostos a permitir que Ele tire essas coisas de nós. Temos de estar ‘dispostos a morrer’”.

Assim como o soldado não deseja a guerra, o cristão não deseja a perda. Entretanto, da mesma forma que ele se prepara continuamente para a batalha, assim devemos nos preparar para os momentos de dificuldades. Afinal, ela tem muito a nos ensinar sobre nossa vida com Cristo.

O apóstolo Paulo aprendeu que a perda mostra que a nossa capacidade não vale nada (Fp. 3.3-6). Moisés viu que a perda proporciona experiência com Deus, depois de perder o conforto do palácio de Faraó e ir para o deserto. José aprendeu que a perda prova a nossa fé, ao manter-se inabalável mesmo em meio a várias adversidades. E, por fim, com Davi aprendemos que a perda revigora a nossa fé.

• a perda mostra que nossa capacidade não vale nada
• a perda prova nossa fé
• a perda proporciona experiência com Deus
• a perda revigora nossa fé

Enfim, a perda nos faz perceber a nossa pequenez e a grandiosidade de Deus. E a primeira coisa que precisamos ‘perder’ ao nos entregarmos a Cristo é o nosso próprio ‘eu’, negando-nos a nós mesmos (Lc. 9.23)
Pense nisto!
***

Valmir Nascimento Milomen é Advogado Licenciado e Analista Judiciário Federal. É editor do excelente blog “E agora, Como Viveremos?” e agora colaborador do Púlpito Cristão

By What Authority Can They Do This?

http://gracethrufaith.com/ask-a-bible-teacher

Q. By what authority do pastors/teachers grant themselves the privilege of choosing which portions of the bible they deem relevant, while completely disregarding other sections of scripture? A prime example are teachers who totally and willfully ignore all prophetic passages from the Bible. Also, how this will impact the affected believers who are under these pastor/teachers. Will they be judged unfavorably by the Lord for the careless, or indifferent actions of those who have oversight over them?

A. I don’t believe pastors have the authority to pick and choose what parts of Scripture they’ll teach. I believe doing so is a breach of trust that deprives their flock of important parts of God’s revealed word. James 3:1 says those who teach will be judged more strictly, and I imagine this includes teachers who omit major portions of the Bible.
On the other hand, I have great admiration for those few pastors who take their flock through the whole Bible from Genesis to Revelation, and then start over and do it again. It allows people to put the entire Bible in perspective and gives them a more comprehensive understanding of everything God said to us.
As for the believers under their care, each of us is responsible for ourselves. We can’t use the excuse of having a poor teacher to justify a lack of knowledge on our part. The Lord never intended for us to have to rely on others for instruction.