A New Year's Challenge For You And Me

It is not uncommon, as one year clicks over to the next, for people to commit themselves to new patterns for living. Such New Year’s Resolutions typically focus on self-improvement themes: lose weight, quit smoking, or improved organizational skills.

This year why not make a resolution that will matter for more than a few days or weeks? Why not make a resolution that can last for eternity? Why not boldly share the gospel more than ever before?

It is a sad fact that most Christians did not share the gospel with anyone during the previous year. Many endeavor to live their faith or give to missions, but most Christians ignore passages commanding us to “go into all the world and preach the gospel” (Mk 16:15) or to act as “a royal priesthood” and “proclaim the excellencies” of God (1 Ptr 2:9).

Do you realize that between last New Year’s Day and this one an estimated 56.6 million people took their last breath and passed into eternity? How many of them had friends or relatives who are Christian, but never shared the gospel? How many delivered pizzas, provided home repairs, or worked with Christians who were willing to be friendly and talk about every subject imaginable: football, the weather, golf, the latest unemployment rate, but never the gospel?

In the time it takes to read this sentence, about one second, two people died. Between now and tomorrow at this time, while you consider how to respond to this challenge, nearly 155,000 people will discover first-hand how Holy our God is. For many of them, the wrath which God has been storing up will begin to be poured out (Rom 1:18; 2:5-6; Heb 9:27).

There are many missionaries in the fields reaching the lost. There are many preachers boldly proclaiming God’s Word. You can find great men and women of faith who debate with the best and brightest minds foolish enough to challenge the authority of Scripture. However, none of those people have the ability to reach your friends, your neighbors, your relatives, or the people who come across your path every day. Who will reach them if not you?

For some time I have taken my car to the same auto shop. The girl at the counter, Kristine, is always pleasant. I usually have short exchanges with her as I drop off or pick up my vehicle. God convicted me recently that I was wasting opportunities to share the gospel. So the next time my truck acted up, I was ready. I had prayed for an opportunity, and I took along a few resources in case she had questions.

The first few minutes of our conversation were typical. I explained the problems that needed attention, and she thanked me for coming in. Next, I mentioned that the problems worsened the night before, as I drove to church. Then I asked “By the way, do you attend a church?”

This is a great question to ask. The answer gives you tremendous insight into the person’s beliefs and understanding of eternal matters.

Kristine, as it turns out, had a few bad experiences with churches as a youth and had only recently attended a couple services at the request of a friend. This naturally led to the next question, “You’ve gone to a few church services. What do you think happens when you die?” She explained that everyone goes somewhere. Now, most people believe life is not the end, but I wanted to know if Kristine had the right answer, so I continued, “Where do you think you will go?”

Kristine confidently stated that she would go to heaven, because she’s living a pretty good life.

This is one of Satan’s favorite and most successful lies. He used the same approach in the Garden of Eden that he uses today (Gen 3:1-5): convince people they can’t possibly understand what God’s Word means, there must be an alternative, another understanding, such as, live a pretty good life and you’ll go to heaven. This is a lie that Christians must correct, and we can only correct it if we ask and then speak the truth in love.

Kristine and I had a ten minute conversation about God’s standards, and how to know for certain what will happen when you face Him on Judgment Day. She soon realized that her destination was not heaven at all, and she was very concerned. I explained the hope that I have through repentance and faith in Christ, and I left her a book to read along with a gospel tract. Before I left, she thanked me for the conversation. The next time I go to the shop, I will follow up and see how she is doing.

I do not believe the statistics that claim 80% of those in America are Christian, but even if the real number is as low as 20%, if every one of those Christians shared the gospel with only five people, statistically every person in America would hear the gospel by the end of this year! Can you share the gospel with five people this year? Of course you can (1 Cor 1:5). The question is: Are you willing?

Don’t wait, because it might be too late. Think of the police officers gunned down in Lakeland, Washington, on November 29, 2009. If you had been in that coffee shop the day before, would you have shared the gospel with these officers? Because a short twenty-four hours later, it was too late.

Christian, you are like a doctor who knows the patient has terminal cancer. Don’t put off telling them about their illness because you might make them feel uncomfortable, or you’re not sure if you’re the right person. You have the cure. Share it!

I’m not saying that you should run up and down the street grabbing people, or screaming the gospel message, but when you have a conversation with someone, won’t you pray that the Holy Spirit will bring the strength and the right words to share the gospel? Won’t you pass out, or send out, a few gospel tracts? Aren’t you willing to start-up a conversation with a stranger and see how the Holy Spirit will use you, before it’s too late?

What New Year’s Resolution could make more of a difference for eternity?

What If Today Were August 8, 1945?

What if today were August 8, 1945 and you were a citizen of Nagasaki, Japan?

Only two days ago, on August 6, a nuclear bomb was dropped on the city of Hiroshima. You stand in a city 198 miles away, perhaps a four or five hour drive.

Though hard to comprehend this new and massive weapon, you would know the stark realities of the destruction. In addition, you would have seen or heard of the warning pamphlets dropped by U.S. planes. You would have heard the allied radio broadcasts urging your government to accept an immediate cease fire. You would know that citizens of your city had been told to flee to safety or suffer a similar fate.

What will you do? You must decide.

You know the danger, but you can not know that if you put off your decision until Noon tomorrow, you could be one of the 30-40,000 killed when a bomb known as “Fat Man” detonates.

What if today, right now, you faced a similar warning? A warning you’ve seen on TV, heard on the radio, overheard people talk about? A warning that you now read with your own eyes.

Will you seek safety, or ignore the fact that tomorrow, or tonight, or one minute from now it might be too late?

The clear warning I speak of is this: “man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment” (Hebrews 9:27)

When you die and face judgment, will you be innocent or guilty? God will rule on your fate based on the Ten Commandments (Rom 2:6-11) How will you do?

If you have ever stolen anything (regardless of value), you are guilty of theft (the eighth commandment). In God's holy eyes, you are a thief.

If you have ever told a lie, you are guilty of breaking the ninth commandment. In God's holy eyes, you are a liar. The Bible warns that all liars shall have their part in the Lake of Fire (Rev 21:8).

If you have ever looked at someone other than your spouse with lustful thoughts, you are guilty of breaking the seventh commandment. In God's holy eyes, you are an adulterer.

The Bible says that no thief, fornicator or adulterer will inherit the kingdom of God (1 Cor. 6:9-10).

There are many choices you can make, but only one will provide safety from the destruction to come. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life." and "I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved." (John 14:6; 10:9)

Will you head this warning of your guilt and fate? Will you seek the safety of God’s Son, Jesus Christ? He paid for your sins. When Jesus died on the cross it was like a legal transaction where your crimes were paid in full. All that is required of you is to respond to these warnings. How? Agree with God that you have broken his laws and repent (decide right now to turn from all sin) and put your full trust in Christ to save you. He will forgive and forget your sin. Then read the Bible and do what it says.

It is up to you. You have been warned. You can repent and trust in Christ, or you can ignore the warnings just like tens of thousands of people who woke up in Nagasaki on August 9, 1945 but did not live to see the next day.

(Image is from pamphlet dropped in Japanese cities by the U.S. Office Of Warfare Information)

What Was Your Greatest Gift?

While listening to a sermon last weekend, the pastor stated that the grace which God offers to sinners is the greatest gift ever. I wrote it down; not as a sermon note but as an idea for a conversation starter.

As Christians we are reminded to not conform to the world (Rom 12:2) but we do live in it, and for good reason: the world is the source of the harvest! (Matt 9:37)

Those who are in the world know the world and it's comings and goings. They do not care about the things of God, they dislike God's Word, and they hate Christ. (John 17:14, 16; Matt 10:22; 1 John 3:13)

Discussions about the news and other timely topics can frequently lead to discussions about eternity and the gospel. Because of this, Christians should be aware of such topics and ready to use them to begin or continue conversations.

Such was the case at a local restaurant the other day. Our waitress was taking orders when one of the men at our table mentioned Christmas preparations. I asked the waitress, "Kristi, speaking of Christmas, what is the best gift you've ever received?" She stopped and thought. After a moment I said, "Think about it, then let me know what you come up with."

One thing I learned from bold men of God like Mark Cahill and Tony Miano is that an interaction with a lost person should be a conversation, not a presentation. If your intent is to get through a checklist of the gospel, then do you really care about the person or getting another 'notch' on your gospel-gun?

I was looking forward to what Kristi might come back with, to continue our conversation, when she appeared with refills of water and iced-tea. She looked at me and told me of an item she had received many years ago. I asked her to think about gifts that last longer. I explained that as a boy I really wanted a toy ray-gun, but after a year or so I no longer placed any value in it and had moved on to wanting something else. She went off in thought.

When she next returned, she had a big smile on her face. "My dog! I bought my dog, as a gift for myself, and I love him." She showed me his photo, told me about his habits, and explained the breed. We discussed dogs that each of us had owned in the past, and then I said, "Even though you love your dog and he's been a great pet, I was wondering if you could think of anything that might last for eternity?" This led to a conversation in which I learned of her Catholic training as a young girl, and her disillusion with religion. I was able to explain that I'm not religious and was not trying to push any religion, I simply wanted to explain what I thought the greatest gift is, as described in the Bible.

We had a brief discussion of sin, our need for salvation, the Holiness of God, and the simple steps required of us: repentance and faith. Before leaving I gave her a copy of "One Heartbeat Away" by Mark Cahill, along with a note and an email address for her to send questions to me.

Between now and Christmas approximately 2.1 million people will die. Many of them will stand before God and suddenly understand how Holy He is and how wrong they were to believe the world's lies and false hopes. They will have eternity to think about their rejection of a God who stood ready to forgive. Before that happens, are you willing to put aside your pride, your shyness, and your fear of rejection to share the gospel and give these people something to think about while they still have time?

Today is the day of salvation, now go and plant a seed!

Proof That God Exists

Don't take my word for it... take this test for yourself.

How Bad Is The "How Good Is Good Enough" Book?

I must admit that I was suspicious of what I would find even before I cracked open the book "How Good is Good Enough?" by Andy Stanley. Stanley has made his theology clear, and I would argue that he is wrong on a number of points. Still, I wanted to see what he had to say about the most important topic each of us must consider during this lifetime: our eternal destination, and how to plan for it.

This book claims to address "what it really takes" to get to heaven. This is a powerful claim by the author, and one that has the potential to save or derail many people. Let's take a peek inside.

Stanley claims early, while talking about the common belief that good people go to heaven, "Every major world religion subscribes to the notion that our deeds here on earth determine our destination in the afterlife." (pg 21)

We could debate endlessly what Stanley means by "deeds" or "religion" I suppose, and this brings to the table early the problem with books such as this one: it remains nebulous enough to make it hard to pin anything down. Is Stanley including Biblical Christianity in his survey? Does he not consider Biblical Christianity a religion? There is enough squishy-ness here to make even a long-term politician admire the wiggle room he cuts out for plausible deniability. Unfortunately, Stanley is a pastor who should be clear in his message and take a firm position on the truth. Early on in this book, one wonders if that will be possible.

Stanley next makes the curious claim that the Old Testament is of no help, and specifically claims that "there is no connection between the Ten Commandments and heaven. None. Nada. Zero. It doesn't exist." (pg 40)

How any serious student of the Bible can make such a claim is beyond me, unless he is purposely attempting to redefine God's plan. The Bible is clear that the Ten Commandments are a mirror that reveal our sinful nature. They are a tutor to lead us to Christ. They expose the futility of trying to live a good life, and clearly reveal that there is "none good but God."

Stanley soon dismisses the entirety of the Old Testament as "a system of rules to live by" with "no eternal ramifications to keeping or breaking God's law." (pg 43) He even states that the Old Testament "seemingly ignores the issues of eternity". (pg 43) What of passages such as Isaiah 66:24, which clearly teaches that transgressions (breaking the law of God) will result in eternal torment? Look also to Isaiah 1:28, which warns that sinners will be crushed and those who forsake the Lord are doomed. Look too at Psalm 9:5, "You [God] have rebuked the nations, You have destroyed the wicked; You have blotted out their name forever and ever." Who are the wicked? Those who transgress God's law. What happens to them? They are blotted out forever. These points are repeated and clarified in the New Testament in verses such as Second Thessalonians 1:8-9.

The Bible is not a collection of disassociated books, like Stanley implies here, it is God's revelation to mankind of His redemptive plan of salvation through His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

As Stanley begins to get to the heart of his argument, he plays loose and fast again with the truth. In rapid succession he states that "Jesus taught that good people don't go to heaven." (pg 49) and states that this idea "was so unsettling that Jewish religious leaders had the man arrested and crucified" for it. Nonsense. Jewish leaders had Jesus arrested and crucified for claiming to be God, not for teaching that "good people don't go to heaven". Even this claim that "Jesus taught that good people don't go to heaven" is twisting scripture mightily. Christ went well beyond this Kindergarten-level exegesis by teaching there is "none good, not one." He was building upon the Old Testament declaration of Jeremiah that "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked;" (Jer 17:9, KJV)

We get additional insight into Stanley's mind-set when he proclaims judgment upon God on page 53. After showing that Christ magnified the Ten Commandments prohibition on adultery by stating that God also examines the heart, regardless of the completion of the act (Matt 5:27-28), Stanley dares to state, "Now that's not fair, and certainly not reasonable." Dangerous ground indeed.

This also is where Stanley begins to go completely off-track with his understanding of the gospel. He ends Chapter 7 speaking of how Jesus seemed to contradict Himself when he assured "bad people" that they had a place reserved in heaven while the "best people" did not. In fact, what Christ was pointing out was that unless people recognize their sinfulness, humble themselves, repent and believe the gospel (that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah) they would not be saved.

Stanley's misunderstanding of repentance is evident a number of places following this poor introduction in Chapter 7. Not only through the balance of this little book but also on his church web-site. It is clearly shown, for example, in his discussion of what happened at Calvary with the salvation of one of those crucified alongside Christ. According to Stanley there was "no turning over a new leaf" for the thief who asked Christ for mercy. Yet, it is clear from scripture that the thief did exactly that. Read Luke 23:39-43,

One of the criminals who were hanged there was ​​hurling abuse at Him, saying, "Are You not the ​Christ? ​ ​Save Yourself and us!" But the other" [criminal] "answered, and rebuking him said, "Do you not even fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed are suffering justly, for we are receiving ​what we deserve for our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong." And he was saying, "Jesus, remember me when You come ​in Your kingdom!" And He said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in ​Paradise." (NASB)

This is the Biblical model for salvation through repentance and faith. Note that the first criminal was defiant to the truth, even taunting the Lord on the cross, "Are You not the Christ? Save Yourself and us!" His heart was deceitful and wicked, with no humility or sorrow.

The second criminal was completely different. He was sorrowful, "we indeed suffer justly". He was humble, "we are receiving what we deserve". He was repentant, "do you not even fear God?" and realized his lost state without salvation. He then sought expressed his faith in Jesus Christ. "Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom." This last statement was an admission of who Christ is, and His power to save. It was an act of faith and a hope for the future.

Stanley sees only part of the picture, and for that his book is to be avoided.

Stanley does point out that most worldviews and religions get this all wrong by believing that good people go to heaven. It is unfortunate that he then scrambles the true message of hope that God offers for those who will repent and believe in the gospel.

In Part II of this book, Stanley focuses in on the forgiveness offered by God, and gets the basic idea right. It is a shame that he neglects to point out that forgiveness is not possible without humility and repentance. Scripture is clear that darkness has no place in light, and that those who continue in sin are of the devil. Stanley ignores these warnings. He apparently hopes he can charm people into agreeing with the easy part of the gospel (accepting unconditional forgiveness) without having to change anything about their sinful lives. The Bible teaches otherwise, and a clear warning for those who follow the easy path (described as "the wide gate" in Matthew 7:13) is given in Matt 7:15-23:

Beware of the ​false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ​ravenous wolves. You will ​know them by their fruits. ​Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes nor figs from thistles, are they? So ​every good tree bears good fruit, but the bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit. ​ Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, you will ​know them ​by their fruits. ​ Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.

​Many will say to Me on ​that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many ​miracles?'

And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; ​depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness.'

Stanley clings to the mistaken view that "believing in Him is the only requirement" for salvation, but the Bible teaches otherwise. "Even the demons believe, and shudder." - James 2:19

Given the choice between the entirety of the Bible, and Stanley's interpretation, I will choose the Bible. I hope you do too.

There will be many who die believing they are Christians, who have some level of confidence that they will breeze into heaven on the day of Judgment. But many will be wrong. Please do not be led astray by the ravenous wolves who would lead you off the true path. Recognize your sin, repent (turn from it with a firm commitment to avoid sin with the help of the Holy Spirit) and put your trust in Jesus Christ to save you. He will save you, you cannot save yourself. Trust Him now. Today is the day of true salvation.

A Review Of Ken Ham's "Why Won't They Listen?"

Ken Ham, the well known founder and president of Answers In Genesis and the Creation Museum in Petersburg, KY, is the author of numerous books.

Why Won't They Listen was originally titled Creation Evangelism, explores one of the key problems faced by Christians hoping to fulfill the Great Commission in the U.S.A. of the early 21st century, and countries with similar cultures.

What similarities, specifically? A poor understanding of the Word of God.

Mr. Ham equates many societies with the Greeks of the 1st century, with little knowledge of the Bible, little knowledge of the attributes of God, little care for moral absolutes, little history of mankind in a moral sense, and an assumption of the Bible as being little more than stories believed by a strange group of uneducated people.

In the United States, for example, there is a significant downturn in moral values, and a resulting rise in crime and other societal ills, which all seem to date back to the point in the 1960's when public schools became hostile to the Bible and prayer. Adding to this was the introduction of evolution indoctrination as the only viable explanation of why things are the way they are. In an arena where truth was supposed to be king, evolution became the truth, the Bible was relegated to the status of a kept-at-home relic.

As a result the USA adult population, raising younger generations, which have little or no confidence in the Bible as the true Word of God, and little understanding of the moral truths and consequences contained in the Bible.

Mr. Ham contends that evangelists must treat the members of such societies the way Paul did in Acts 17: First you must explain the basic truths contained in the Bible, only then can they understand the true meaning of their sin and their peril without a savior. Part of this explanation must include conveying the fact that evolution is based on faith and theory, it is not the scientific fact so many believe it to be.

The effects of evolution on society is deep and wide-spread. If evolution is true, then we are all the result of random mutations, we are all the result of prior organisms fighting for survival and doing whatever they had to get a step ahead of weaker organisms, if there is no God and no afterlife, then there are no moral absolutes. I can do whatever I can get away with, or convince you to let me get away with. If I amass power, I can do significantly more. There are no boundaries, there is only what someone can get away with.

This is exactly what we find in leaders around the world who reject the concept of God and rise to positions of power. Suddenly pragmatism and greed are king. Murder is a tool to repress opposition, or to motivate the masses.

But we do not need to look at the Hitlers and Pol-Pots around the world to see evidence of those who discount God, we see it in increased child-abuse, abortion, sex-slave rings, divorce, embryonic stem-cell harvesting, all manner of sexual perversions and combination's, and much more.

Why are there so many side effects to evolution? As Mr. Ham states, "[evolution] is a philosophy of life which teaches that man, independent of God and independent of revelation, determines truth. Thus, man’s opinions determine truth."

This is the world that modern evangelists increasingly face.

What is the answer? In the words of Martin Luther, "It was by the Word that the Church was founded and by the Word also it shall be re-established." Put simply: Christians must defend and expose the truth by enlightening people with the Word of God.

The answer espoused by Mr. Ham is not to attack issues, but to proclaim the truth.

As Christians we can reject abortion, we can stand for marriage, we should work to help those who are helpless, we should proclaim the need for civility and honor, but each should be defended and proclaimed using God's word, including Genesis 1 through 11.

When a Christian gets into a conversation about right and wrong, the way to argue for absolutes is to declare the absolute moral giver.

Legislation is not the answer, slick marketing campaigns are not the answer, even passionate arguments are not the answer: the inerrancy and trustworthyness of God's Word, combined with the peril for those who reject it, is the answer.

Mr. Ham proposes a four-step process.

1. Christians must understand and proclaim the inerrancy of Scripture, from Genesis 1:1 through Revelation 22:21, and churches must teach how to defend these truths.

2. Christians must understand that the humanistic movement is an attack on Christianity, and be prepared to give a defense to their falsehoods and propaganda.

3. Those ministries that can reach into the broad media and around the world must join in to promote these truths and pound the foundations of the evolutionists, humanists, atheists, and others.

4. When Christians fight issue battles, they must do so using the Word of God, the only way to prick the heart and achieve long-lasting change.

I agree with Mr. Ham that the earth is relatively young. A day is a day, and not billions or millions of years. I also agree with the literal reading of Genesis 1-11. There was no death until the fall of Adam and Eve, and consequently evolution is a fallacy. I also agree with his call to action: proclaim the truth and stand upon God's Word!

However, I think he overstates his case a bit with statements of how no one can understand God, including Christians, if they disagree. Mr. Ham states,

"And because the non-Christian has been indoctrinated to believe in millions of years of death, suffering, disease and bloodshed, he doesn’t understand how there can be a God of love. This person is not going to understand about a God of love until he puts on the true, uncompromised, biblical glasses, including the timeline of history: from Creation, through the Fall, the Cross and Resurrection, and the final Consummation of all these. Also, until the Christian has put on these same glasses, he will not be able to explain this seemingly contradictory world of death and life, health and disease, and joy and suffering to the non-Christian."

I must disagree with the distance Mr. Ham attempts to reach here. I was, until enlightened, just one of these non-Christians. I was, until enlightened, just such a Christian: believing in the atoning work of Christ while also believing that people in lab coats were diligently working to find truth wherever it lay. My heart ached for the lost, and in my own poor way I was attempting to share the gospel.

I now know the lengths to which scientists will go to bend the results and the interpretation to preclude a conclusion of anything divine. Take for example the declaration of Richard Lewontin, an evolutionist biologist and geneticist:

"We take the side of science in spite of the patent absurdity of some of its constructs, in spite of its failure to fulfill many of its extravagant promises of health and life, in spite of the tolerance of the scientific community for unsubstantiated just-so stories, because we have a prior commitment, a commitment to materialism. It is not that the methods and institutions of science somehow compel us to accept a material explanation of the phenomenal world, but, on the contrary, that we are forced by our a priori adherence to material causes to create an apparatus of investigation and a set of concepts that produce material explanations, no matter how counter-intuitive, no matter how mystifying to the uninitiated. Moreover, that materialism is an absolute, for we cannot allow a Divine Foot in the door." Richard Lewontin, Billions and billions of demons, The New York Review, p. 31, 9 January 1997.

I also understand that many Christians, with a desire to understand God's handiwork displayed before us, are responsible for many scientific discoveries, and their faith is enhanced, not challenged.

Mr. Ham makes a great point, however, in that by neglecting our responsibility to defend God's Word modern Christianity has self-inflicted cracks to form in our own foundation.

Overall, Mr. Ham has produced a book that is a worthwhile read which sheds light on the difficulties a Christian will encounter in modern "civilized" society.

This book is available online, for no cost, in its entirety. It is also available in paperback from the same page.

Armor up Christian!

Those Who Are To Be Accursed Can Be Closer Than You Think

"False prophets are to be found in the circles of the most orthodox, and they pretend to have a fervent love for souls, yet they fatally delude multitudes concerning the way of salvation. The pulpit, platform, and pamphlet hucksters have wantonly lowered the standard of divine holiness and so adulterated the Gospel in order to make it palatable to the carnal mind...Any preacher who rejects God’s law, who denies repentance to be a condition of salvation, who assures the giddy and godless that they are loved by God, who declares that saving faith is nothing more than an act of the will which every person has the power to perform is a false prophet and should be shunned as a deadly plague." - A. W. Pink

"As we have said before, so I say again now, if any man is preaching to you a gospel contrary to what you received, he is to be accursed!" - Paul, Galatians 1:9

Be on guard and be ready to give your defense.

Dave finds it "disturbing" that someone is watching?

David Letterman, who found it "creepy" and "disturbing" to discover that someone was watching him, seems to have missed the fact that God is omnipresent.

If Dave Letterman thinks the man who planned to blackmail him wanted payment, he needs to consider the fix he will be in on Judgment Day without a savior.

This interesting article by Russell D. Moore examines all of these issues, and the irony, in detail.

Show Me The Proof!

A frequent argument proclaimed by atheists and agnostics is: "There is no proof of God. Show me some proof."

There are many answers to this. I will discuss two in this post.

First, such non-believers do not want to know the truth, so they simply deny the obvious. This has been true ever since the first men walked the earth.

It was true when the Israelites wandered in the desert; one minute in the presence of God, the next minute seeking their own solutions.

It was also true during the life of Christ that men denied who He was.

In Matthew 12:38-45, Jesus talks about those who see Him in the flesh, hear His words, witness His miracles, and still refuse to believe because He would not show them a sign when they demanded one. Christ said to them,

"An evil and adulterous generation craves for a ​​sign; and yet no ​​sign will be given to it but the ​sign of Jonah the prophet; for just as ​Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so will ​the Son of Man be ​three days and three nights in the heart of the earth."

What Jesus meant by this was that He would not be commanded by them, to show the particular sign that they wanted to see. He is God, not the sinner. He is not slave to the sinner, desperately hoping and waiting to be called upon to demonstrate His abilities. Instead, He says, He will demonstrate His divinity according to His timing, according to His plan. Amazingly, He lets them know exactly what to look for as The Sign: His resurrection from the dead.

Secondly, mankind already has many facts, many signs and many wonders that are certain proof of God's existence, they simply choose to deny them. Here are just a few:

1) Creation demands a Creator. Otherwise you must believe that nothing, with no cause, created everything in an orderly way. Not just animals, but space, time, dust, rocks, water, DNA, order itself, laws, mathematics, gravity, and on and on.

2) Evil demands God. What? Yes, I said that correctly. Here is how: You agree that there is evil in the world? Of course you do. But, how can there be evil unless we agree that there is a standard of good outside your opinion and my opinion? This standard of good must be something other than human, or the opinions of good and evil would vary widely, but they do not. This means there must be a Moral Law Giver who transcends humanity, and established the standard for 'good'. This Moral Law Giver is God.

3) The Bible. OK, I can hear some readers moaning already. You will argue, "You can't prove the existence of God by using the Bible." Why not? Can't I use the symphonies of Bach as proof that he was real, or the writings of Benjamin Franklin as proof that he was real? Of course I can, and therefore I can use the Bible, which claims to be the Word of God, as proof that God exists and caused the Bible to be written down.

4) The resurrection of Christ. Some will immediately say, "But there's no proof of that." Oh, yes, there is. First of all, eyewitness testimony is documented in the Bible (there were over 500 witnesses). Non-Biblical sources from contemporaries also establish that something quite unusual happened in Jerusalem after the crucifixion. They Jews, who tried to end the worship of Jesus, could not produce a body. In addition, the followers of Christ, who scattered widely during His trial and crucifixion, came back - bold and certain of their faith. Finally, the resurrection was such a momentous event in human history that the calendar suddenly changed.

These are just a few of the many proofs of God's existence. The most personal, however, is your conscience.

The word conscience means 'with knowledge'. You know that you have violated God's moral standard (the Ten Commandments) every time you stop and think about them.

Consider: how many lies you have told in your life, how many times you have been unjustly angry with others, how many times you have used God's name in a casual or disgusted way (this is blasphemy), or how many times you have taken something (regardless of value) that did not belong to you? If you have done each, you are a liar, a murderer at heart, a blasphemer, and a thief in God's eyes (and these are just four of the Ten Commandments). You know this is true because God placed the knowledge of His absolute good moral code inside you. Your conscience, which is right now telling you that these are wrong, and that (absent salvation) when you stand before Him on Judgement Day, you will be guilty.

You know it by how you feel: ashamed, perhaps embarrassed, convicted. You also know that guilt demands punishment, and the Bible tells us that the punishment for sin is eternity in hell.

If that concerns you, then you should also know that Christ died on the cross, and was resurrected three days later, just as He said He would, as a sign to you and all of humanity that He is the only way of salvation from the coming judgment. Once you understand this, you need do only two things: repent, and make Christ your Lord.

Repentance means to stop in your tracks, recognize that you are a sinner, that you are tired of a lifestyle as a rebel. You are ready to conform to God's desire: To seek after God; To live for God.

Making Christ your Lord means that you will pray to Him, read His Word (the Bible), and obey His commandments. You recognize that He is in charge and that you are ready to allow Him to control your every thought and deed.

If you are ready to repent and surrender, then cry out to Him in prayer. He will hear the prayer of the repentant. Then, read your Bible and do what it says. Find a local church (you can get help here or here). Living Waters also has some material that may help: Save Yourself Some Pain.

Men frequently deny the obvious. The Bible foretells that although men deny God's existence, they will have no excuse on Judgment Day:

"For ​​since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, ​​being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse." Romans 1:20

The time to stop denying is now.

Ask Jesus Into Your Heart? What Verse Is That?

So many people today believe they are Christians because at some point they "asked Jesus into their heart". In addition, many of these same people try to lead others to Christ by giving a testimony and encouraging them to "ask Jesus into your heart".

Isn't this the way people are supposed to come to salvation, by asking Jesus into their heart?

No, it is not. To prove it to yourself, try to find a Bible verse to support it. You cannot. The fact is, asking Jesus into your heart is a man-centered gospel message.

I have asked several people who believe in this approach to salvation, "Where in the Bible do you find support for telling someone to 'ask Jesus into your heart'?" The responses are typically: Romans 10:9-10 and Acts 8:37.

Let's consider each of these verses, beginning with Acts 8:37, which reads (NASB):

"And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he answered and said, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”

This occurs during a conversation between Philip and an Ethiopian eunuch. The conversation follows the command from an angel of the Lord for Philip to go over and speak to the Ethiopian.

During this conversation, Philip explains how Jesus was the fulfillment of the Old Testament prophecies, and clearly shares the gospel. In addition, from the context we can confidently infer that Philip explained baptism as an act of obedience to demonstrate your re-birth as a Christian. (Acts 8:25-40). It is at this point that Philip says, "if you believe with all your heart, you may." Philip is talking about Baptism, which should only follow true repentance and faith. Philip understood this, and it is clear from the context that the Ethiopian understood this as well. It is also clear that 'asking Jesus into his heart' is not what happened here.

In addition, the Greek word that is translated "believe" is pisteuo, which means to commit one's trust to, or to place your confidence in. It is clear that a belief such as this is not the type of hope that is associated with crossing one's fingers, or hoping that just maybe something might be true. This is a belief that is certain. This is a belief that allows you to take confident steps in an uncertain and ever-changing world.

What about Romans 10:9-10, which says:

"that if you confess with your mouth Jesus as Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved; for with the heart a person believes, resulting in righteousness, and with the mouth he confesses, resulting in salvation."

Frequently, those who claim that "asking Jesus into your heart" is all that is required, skip right past the opening phrase, "if you confess with your mouth."

Confess what? Read on as the passage explains that you must confess "that Jesus is Lord."

Salvation is not about you asking Jesus into your heart, it is about confessing that Jesus is Lord. As Lord, He decides if He will provide salvation, not you. How does He make this decision? According to his own words, only if you "Repent, and believe the gospel." (Mark 1:15)

Repentance means that you agree with God that His standard is the right standard, that you have fallen short of His standard through the many sins you have committed, and you are ready to give up control of your life to Him. You are saying, 'Not my will, Lord, but yours. Not my way, Lord, but yours.' Turn from your life of seeking to fulfill the pleasures of the flesh, and begin to obey Christ as Lord of your life.

Once you confess in this way by crying out to God for mercy, you have demonstrated that you believe in your heart (that is, you place your confidence in God). Only then will Jesus save you from the wrath you deserve.

Jesus is not a product that can be taken off the shelf at your whim, consumed to make you feel better, and then put into the pantry until you need Him again. You are a sinner. Your lying, theft, lust, hatred, disobedience, dishonoring God, coveting others' possessions, and more have condemned you. You are not in control. You deserve to be cast out. Christ will save you only if you repent, and believe the gospel.

Christ endured horrific pain in the flesh, and (more importantly) the pouring out of God's wrath so that you and I could be forgiven. The fact that some people think salvation is a matter of placing a courtesy call to the Lord God makes me shudder in fear for their false confidence.. (Matt 7:21-23)

Revelation Song

The Revelation Song is about how God has revealed Himself to us, not about some fresh understanding of God. We already have an understanding of who God is:

Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD God Almighty. He alone provides salvation, through Jesus Christ, for fallen sinners like you and me.

If only people would not forget this.

He is Holy. He is Just. He is God. He is all we need.

There is nothing wrong with looking for a new revelation, a new understanding, a deeper, fresh understanding... as long as you are looking for it in God's Word.

That is called spiritual growth. Along with such growth comes an increased desire to please the Lord, to live for the Lord, to surrender to the Lord, to rely upon the Lord.

Unfortunately, too many people think they can find new understandings through men who proclaim new revelations, new insight, which God has revealed uniquely to them and only as they allow their mind to break free of the chains of the plain meaning of the text.

Such proclamations mock God. He was able to record His Holy Word for mankind to understand plainly. Mankind did not need to wait 2000 years before, suddenly through a fallen man, the Holy Bible could be understood.

"There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death." -- Proverbs 14:12

Surrender to Christ alone. Read the Bible. Do what it says. Repeat. Spiritual growth is no more complicated than this. Then, go and tell the gospel to someone who does not know the Lord.

As for the Revelation Song... I love this song because it recognizes the holiness of God. This always leads to true worship.

Christian: Remember What You Have Heard

Have you ever done a "double-take"?

You know, where you look at something, look away, then feel compelled to look again?

The term supposedly originates from movie directors wanting to study a scene one more time to make certain everything was filmed correctly. This double-look at the take eventually found its way into the common vernacular to mean: looking a second time, or looking more intently.

In a recent Bible Study, our group was looking at a passage from Revelation 3. As the discussion continued, I found myself doing a double-take, and looking intently at verse 3.

To quickly summarize, Revelation 3:1-6 documents a letter to the church of Sardis which Christ had the apostle John write down. Christ acknowledges the works of the church, but condemns them for activities that are empty of worship. In His words, "you have a name that you were alive, but you are dead."

Christ then says, "Wake up..."

It is a stern, forceful, attention grabbing command. He wants their full attention.

We now arrive at verse 3, where Christ gives the church direction. His instruction, which caused me to double-take, is "remember what you have received and heard;"

What had they "received and heard"?

We need to remember that Christ is writing a letter to the church in Sardis. The church is the body of Christ, so these are believers; or non-believers who are part of a body of believers. Therefore, what they had "received and heard" was the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, and very specifically, the gospel.

Why was it important for the church of Sardis to remember what they had received and heard? I think the answer is two-fold. On first read, I think he is telling them to remember the source of salvation: Christ alone. As they perform their works, they are to perform them as an act of worship to their savior.

In addition, I think He is telling them that going out into the world and doing a bunch of works is meaningless if they do not share the gospel!

How do I draw this conclusion? Because the church of Sardis was known as an active church in a mostly non-Christian city. They were actively involved in the community. This was probably similar to how many churches today are involved in communities: clothing drives, feeding the hungry, helping the sick, caring for those who are at the end of their rope, taking in the homeless, or repairing damaged homes. The list of things churches, then and now, get involved in is endless. But without the gospel, it is also meaningless for more than a short time.

Christian, "Wake up!" Remember what you have received and heard!

Looking good before a fallen world is meaningless if you leave those you help as hopeless, lost, and doomed as they were before you dug the new well, painted a few walls, or filled an empty belly.

Remember that "faith comes from hearing, and hearing from the Word".

Remember that we are not called to go into the world and act like nice people, we are to go into the world and make disciples! (Matt 28:19).

If you are involved in community activities, thank you for physically expressing the love of the Lord. But sooner or later your witness must become verbal. As Paul wrote in the second letter to the Corinthians, "But having the same ​spirit of faith, according to what is written, “​​I believed, therefore I spoke,” we also believe, therefore we also speak..." (4:13)

Overcoming The Fear Of One-On-One Witnessing

Too frequently I have passed up opportunities to share the gospel. I’m not talking about the times I’ve looked back on a situation and suddenly realized that God gave me a perfect opportunity, but I did not recognize it. I am talking about those times when I know, clearly, this is an opportunity, and I don’t take it. I just could not get the words out. It’s nearly always because of pride, which manifests itself as fear.

Recently, I as I read through Paul’s letter’s to the Corinthians, I was struck by the fact that he, clearly one of the best examples we have of a witness for Christ, also struggled with fear and pride. Thankfully, his words can help us overcome these self-imposed feelings. Below are a few of the verses that helped me recently to share the gospel with a lost person. I hope they help you the next time you have an opportunity to share the good news of the gospel.

In 2 Cor 1:3-4, Paul tells us that God is “the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our affliction...” The word for affliction can also mean crushing pressure, something we perceive as extremely difficult to overcome, such as fear welling up inside. Paul says that even in times like these, God is merciful, and comforting, even to the point of abundance (v5)! Imagine that. We can trust in God to fill us comfort to the point of overflowing!

In 2 Cor 1:8, Paul describes the mental and physical torment he suffered from, so much so that he and his companions were “burdened excessively, beyond our strength, so that we despaired even of life;” What was the source of this suffering? Was it similar to what we face today: the fear of asking a question, or of having someone get annoyed and walk away, or to refuse to speak with us? No, Paul’s torment was real and physical. He believed he was to suffer a horrific execution for his evangelism.

How our fears pale in comparison! Thankfully, we can depend on the same God to deliver us that Paul depended on to deliver him. Paul did not rely upon clever mental tricks, or smooth language, or in-depth study. 2 Cor 1:9-10 says Paul and his companions purposely minimized their own abilities “so that we would not trust in ourselves, but in God who raises the dead; who delivered us from so great a peril of death, and will deliver us, He on whom we have set our hope.” God has the ability to save anyone, at anytime, from any peril. Trust Him. Set your hope in Him. Allow Him to conquer your fears.

Is there any fear we should cling to, that we should hope for? Oh, yes, but it’s a fear that God can use to save the lost.

2 Cor 5:11 says, “Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade men…” Paul clearly understood what faced men after death, “it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment.” (Heb 9:27) The fear we should hope for is a genuine fear in the heart of the person we share the gospel with. Our fear should be nothing, their fear should be all consuming, leading them to realize that without God’s mercy, offered through Christ Jesus, they will face a God of wrath on Judgment Day.

Once you cling to the hope that others will fear God, then the love of Christ will control you (2 Cor 5:14) not a self-imposed fear of man. That’s when you will join the ranks of the “ambassadors for Christ” (v20), to become one of those who represent the One who sent them: not in fear, but in resolve and obedience.

From the letters to the Corinthians, we see that Paul clearly understood his hope as a forgiven child of Christ. You too can claim these promises and victories, such as 2 Cor 3:12, “Therefore having such a hope, we use great boldness in our speech...” to give up your fear to God and boldly share the gospel with the lost.

Just as their is no place for darkness in light, there is no place for fear in true faith, hope, and obedience. (John 8:12, 1 John 1:5)

Another Evolution Story Proving Creation...

For many, this is the "Year of Darwin" as they celebrate the 100th anniversary of his birth.

I find tremendous irony in the activities planned not only here, but around the world, to celebrate the birth of Darwin. The same people who are celebrating his birth routinely mock or persecute Christians for celebrating the birth of Jesus. But, I digress.

The point of evolution is frequently to prove the Bible is in error. After all, if evolutionists can prove that creation is just a story, then they can argue that morals, salvation, redemption, Christ, resurrection, etc., are also mere stories. If the Bible is not the authority, then each person (well, actually, the biggest person) gets to set the rules. That's why they work so hard to prove that life spontaneously generated, and that we're all nothing more than gelatin that figured out how to grow eyes, legs, and complex organs.

Such is the case with researchers at the Scripps Research Institute in La Jolla, California.

According to Fox News, on January 13, 2009, this group of scientists are reporting that are witnessing self-replicating molecules in the lab-environment, that "even evolve and compete".

I am certain that evolutionists all around the world are greeting this story with glee, and are ready to confront the next Christian who dares mention the creation account given in Genesis.

They desperately (even through the power of law) try to force us to accept this evolution nonsense, but they refuse to consider the Hand of God in the wonderful design of the universe.

Consider this recent story, however, as another example of their desperation as revealed when we look closely at how they must qualify their work. To illustrate this, I've bolded some of their language as I quote portions of the article.

The title of the article contains the first clue: "Life As We Know It Nearly Created In Lab"

Nearly? Is that science? Nearly? My junior high science teacher would not have accepted a paper from me if I reported on the results of an experiment I "nearly" achieved.

The article then talks about the 'science' that pins the mystery of life "down to roughly" chemical reactions which occurred 4 billion years ago (a number which seems to change every year, and is almost certain to change again this year) to "perhaps in a primordial soup or maybe with the help of volcanoes or possibly at the bottom of the sea..."

I'm not making this up, and we're only 45 words into the article! So far the article has already identified numerous assumptions: "roughly... perhaps... maybe..." and "possibly". My science teacher called these "guesses".

Remember that this stuff is forcably taught to your children in public schools. Somehow the qualifiers are dropped and suddenly this stuff is described as fact.

But our article is just getting started. There's more we can find without being much of a detective.

The very next paragraph says that the scientists "have created something in the lab that is tantilizingly close to what might have happened" long ago.

Wait a minute! The scientists created this stuff? Um, are they arguing for the Bible now? Genesis 1 describes how God "created" the world, the universe, the stars, the planets, and everything else. Now, scientists are demonstrating that organized chemical reactions require creation. Why isn't that the story? Of course, God did not need a fancy lab, or a model to follow, or millions of dollars, or multiple researchers to make attempt after attempt until He sort of got it right.

Further, these researchers talk about materials that might be "tantalizingly close" to what "might have happened"? This is the state of modern science, and we are supposed to believe this?

Why are Christians afraid of any of this evolution nonsense? The best science can come up with is demonstrating that you need a modern lab environment, meticulous design, carefully planned out conditions, to maybe demonstrate something that might have happened?

Ah, but the article continues. The scientists then say that what they created is, "not life..." But they did manage to build molecules that self-replicate. Some accomplishment! They studied God's creation, then designed some simple replica that is not life. This is a scientific breakthrough? It seems like proof of God's design to me.

What they did was try to re-create simple RNA. But, the article admits, "RNA can't run a life form on it's own" but it "might have been" involved billions of years ago. It just needed some "chemical fix" to make the leap. I suppose that in the beginning the RNA phoned up the local chemical fix-it shop to request assistance?

Finally, the article talks about the known roles of RNA and DNA (the real building block of life), and reveals that "In today's world, RNA is dependent on DNA for performing its roles..."

So, DNA is needed for RNA to have any function. But, the scientists think that RNA somehow might lead to DNA. This means that their experiment is working in reverse! DNA is needed for RNA to have any function, but they are working to prove that RNA can lead to DNA? I think they should consult their textbooks. The experiment is in direct conflict with what is known by scientists today.

Come on, Christian, stand firm in your faith (1 Cor 15:58). The evolutionists have no certain knowledge, only a bunch of theories, money, and political clout to force feed their world-view upon others.

It's ironic that they are proving creation with their experiments, yet they work fiecely to force our silence regarding the magnificent design and creation recorded in the Bible.

New Survey Shows Most Self-Described Christians Ignore Biblical Truth

Shortly after Christ was captured by Roman soldiers, at the insistance of the Jewish leaders, He was brought before Pontius Pilate. As the Roman governor of Judea, Pilate could pass sentence on Christ, or free Him.

As Pilate considered the fate of the Savior, he asked Him, "What is truth?"

The Greek word that is translated "truth" is aletheia (pronounced al·ay·thi·a). This word means, essentially: that which is objective in any matter. Another definition is: certainty, fact.

Truth is a question mankind has wrestled with, and, according to a new survey from the Pew Forum on Religion and Public life, Christians today fail to recognize what is truth.

Before I jump to the results of the survey, let's cover a few Biblical definitions of truth:

• God is truth (Deut 32:4, Isa 65:16) and His truth is unchanging (Num 23:19, Titus 1:2)
• The Bible is God's Word (Isa 34:16, Rom 1:2)
• The Bible is True (Psalm 119:160)
• Christ is truth (John 1:17)
• The gospel is truth (Eph 1:13, 1 Thess 2:13)

From this we know that the Bible is the true Word of God, and that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is part of that truth.

What is the gospel of Jesus Christ?

In John 14:6, Jesus answers Thomas about the only path to heaven when He says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me."

Further, as you read the Bible, you discover that the path to Christ is repentance from sin (Matt 4:17, 2 Cor 7:10, Rev 3:3), and surrendering your life to Christ (Rom 6:19, Col 4:1, 1 Cor 7:22).

The Bible also warns us that many people will miss the truth of the gospel. Read Matthew 7:13-14:

"Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is small and the way is narrow that leads to life, and there are few who find it."

It appears that most of America's self-reporting Christians are looking at a wide gate.

Note: The term Christian, as used by the survey, is self-reported. That is, a person is a "Christian" if they call themselves a Christian. This is an objective standard. For the balance of this article, you can assume that I am using the objective standard. However, my desire is that people turn to God's standard (as shown above) and become true Christians.

Consider the fact that this new study finds that most Christians in America believe that you need not be a repentant slave to Christ to obtain salvation.

In fact, an astounding 65% of Christians say that many religions can lead to salvation! Before you dismiss this number and think, "well, there are Episcopal's and Baptists and Lutherans..." that is NOT what the survey respondents meant by "many religions". Upon further questioning, the Pew Forum discovered,

• More than 8 in 10 say that at least one non-Christian religion can provide Salvation.
• 69% say that Judaism provides salvation
• 52% say that salvation can be found in Islam
• 53% say Hinduism can provide salvation
• An astonishing 56% say that people with "no religious faith" can still obtain salvation, and
  
• Most amazingly, 42% say that atheists can obtain salvation.
  

How? Well, according to the survey respondents, all of these people can achieve salvation by what they believe or by their actions. What Bible verse is that?

If these self-reported Christians do not understand how others can achieve eternal life, what does that say about their own walk with the Lord?

Please, if your views conflict with the scripture above about the gospel, consider the following passage from Matthew 7:21-23,

"Not everyone who says to Me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter.

Many will say to Me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles?'

And then I will declare to them, 'I never knew you; DEPART FROM ME, YOU WHO PRACTICE LAWLESSNESS.'"

The only way we can know the truth... the only way we can share the truth... the only way to obtain salvation is to search out the truth of the gospel in the Bible.

The Bible is truth. The gospel is truth. Surveys are not. Beliefs are not. Feelings are not.

Know the truth, and share it with others... even those who sit in church with you.

The State of Modern Evangelism

I subscribe to a daily e-mail feed called Grace Gems. Each day I receive a devotional writing. Some are short, some are long. Some reference audio for listening.

I found the one from New Year's Day very instructive with regard to evangelism. I have reproduced it below (Grace Gems uses Public Domain materials, and gives permission for use of their material). This message was originally produced by Arthur Pink. The emphasis found is mine. I hope you enjoy this excerpt. If so, you can find the full message here.


Arthur Pink, "Present Day Evangelism"

The nature of Christ's salvation, is woefully misrepresented by the present-day "evangelist." He announces a Savior from hell--rather than a Savior from sin! And that is why so many are fatally deceived, for there are multitudes who wish to escape the Lake of fire--who have no desire to be delivered from their carnality and worldliness!

The very first thing said of Him in the New Testament is--"You shall call His name Jesus--for He shall save His people...[not "from the wrath to come," but] from their sins" (Matthew 1:21). Christ is a Savior for those realizing something of the exceeding sinfulness of sin, who feel the awful burden of it on their conscience, who loathe themselves for it, and who long to be freed from its terrible dominion. He is a Savior for no others. Were He to "save from hell" those still in love with sin, He would be a minister of sin, condoning their wickedness and siding with them against God. What an unspeakably horrible and blasphemous thing, with which to charge the Holy One!

True, as the Christian grows in grace, he has a clearer realization of what sin is--rebellion against God; and a deeper hatred of and sorrow for it. But to think that one may be saved by Christ, whose conscience has never been smitten by the Spirit, and whose heart has not been made contrite before God--is to imagine something which has no existence in the realm of fact. "It is not the healthy who need a doctor--but the sick" (Matthew 9:12). The only ones who really seek relief from the great Physician, are those who are sick of sin--who long to be delivered from its God-dishonoring works, and its soul-defiling pollutions.

As Christ's salvation is a salvation from sin--from the love of it, from its dominion, from its guilt and penalty--then it necessarily follows, that the first great task and the chief work of the evangelist, is to preach upon SIN: to define what sin (as distinct from crime) really is, to show wherein its infinite enormity consists, to trace out its manifold workings in the heart, to indicate that nothing less than eternal punishment is its desert!

Ah, preaching upon sin will not make him popular nor draw the crowds, will it? No, it will not; and knowing this, those who love the praise of men more than the approbation of God, and who value their salary above immortal souls, trim their sales accordingly!