There’s More to Calvinism than the Five Points of Calvinism
Although the Synod affirmed five points of doctrine as opposed to the five points of remonstrance, it never intended that anyone would limit Reformed theology or Calvinism to these five points. That would be like taking one court case and regarding it as definitive of the entire American justice system.
Episcopalians Continue Bleeding Members, Attendance at Alarming Rate
“We have lived for too long like that shamed and bleeding woman. She’s had to endure finger-waggers blaming her for her own illness. Anger and anxiety over membership loss in this church has frequently prompted finger-waggers to use that image of unstoppable hemorrhage – and it’s been going on for almost exactly 12 years, since we began to tell the truth about who we were and are and are meant to be. We have consulted plenty of ecclesiastical doctors, without much relief – until we began to find the temerity to reach out and touch Jesus’ robe.”
How Do I Know that God Loves Me?
How do we know God loves us? Because Jesus died for us. Through his sacrifice sin is paid for and God’s wrath against us came to an end. When we are wondering what God thinks of us as his people, when we are in doubt of God’s affection for us, we look back. God’s love is not seen today in our satisfaction in this life, but yesterday in his own satisfaction in his Son. God’s love is best seen, not in a pleasing providence in our lives, but in divine propitiation in the death of Jesus Christ.
4 Things to Tell Your Worries
Everything in our lives comes to us by God’s grace. Our life, our breath, our salvation, our growth, our endurance in faith–everything. And his grace is sufficient. It is a well that never runs dry. We can depend and rely upon his grace for he has promised to never leave or forsake us. He has promised to complete the work he began in us. We can trust and believe that he will give us the grace we need to make it through whatever circumstances that cause us to worry.
From Shepherding to Prison Rules: The Three Stages of Christian Parenting
Peaceful relations start to break down between the parents and children, and the parents begin to get slightly desperate. Panic begins to set as the parents foresee the complete war that is on the horizon. A storm is brewing. Winter is coming. A buffer is needed. A mediator. Something to temporarily distract the children from the general angst that is beginning to foment in their hearts. That something is Netflix.
The Pedophile’s Deception
And these men know which churches to target. They flock to the ones that teach there are no “true victims,” that people invite abuse by sinning in some way. They look for the ones engaged in “sin leveling,” telling parishioners that all sins are equal in both God’s eyes and the church, and will be treated the same way. They feel at home in churches that distrust civil authorities and strive to handle offenses “in-house.” If they’re really lucky, they’ll find a church that will make victims apologize to them!
The Perspicuity of Scripture
The Holy Spirit indwells us and enables us to interpret and apply His Word, and it is the Holy Spirit who leads us into all truth. We are utterly dependent upon the Holy Spirit. Without Him, we cannot rightly understand anything in His Word. We don’t need to be great scholars to understand God’s Word, we simply need to be born-again, humble children indwelt by the Holy Spirit. Yet, even as believers, we know that not everything in Scripture is easy to understand.
Thoughts on Changing Seasons
You can probably tell that I like the changing of the seasons, but I know not everyone does. That’s a choice. I don’t always welcome these seasons, of course. Ask me how excited I am about winter snow when I have to shovel our driveway. But life always brings change, whether that change is predictable or unpredictable. I live in the strange reality of not loving predictability and routine, but still very much wanting to be in control. So often life reveals how God laughs at my grasping for control.
Halloween is Canceled! (Unless You Can Do These 5 Things…)
Do you let your kids do Halloween? It’s an important discussion to have with fellow believers since many are so split on the issue.
ISIS Is Perpetrating Mass Genocide Against Christians – But the World Doesn’t Care, Says Rev. Franklin Graham
Rev. Franklin Graham has slammed the world’s lack of response to the shocking genocide being carried out against Christians and other minorities by the Islamic State terrorist group.
When prayer is hard: 10 Bible verses to help you talk to God
Sometimes we don’t feel like praying, sometimes we wonder what it’s achieving, and sometimes we just don’t know how.
6 Tips for Making Modesty Happen All Year Roundby Bethany Baird Check out Bethany’s top six tips for dressing modestly 365 days a year. |
10 Reasons Why It Will Be Okayby Erin Davis It’s going to be okay, friend. Here are ten reasons why. |
Freebie Friday! In a Pit with a Lion on a Snowy Dayby Erin Davis Are you facing a big decision? We’ve got a freebie to help you make the right call. |
When You’re Face to Face with a Lionby Beecher Proch When a decision you’re facing looks as scary as a lion, what next? |
Should Type-R Charismatics Get A Free Pass?
In October 2013 Grace to You (GTY) hosted the Strange Fire conference at Grace Community Church to launch John MacArthur’s book Strange Fire. The conference critiqued those on the fringe of the charismatic movement who flagrantly misrepresent the work of the Holy Spirit. The conference caused quite a stir, to say the least. But […]
Obama Asks Novelist About “Suspicious” Christians with “Us Versus Them” Mentality
Christian News Network reports:
Following release of interview footage with Barack Obama and Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Marilynne Robinson, some are expressing concern about Obama’s remarks regarding those of the Christian faith.
“Tell me a little bit about how your interest in Christianity converges with your concerns about democracy,” Obama asked Robinson, being the interviewer.
“Well, I believe that people are images of God. There’s no alternative that is theologically respectable to treating people in terms of that understanding,” the novelist replied. “It seems to me as if democracy is the logical, the inevitable consequence of this kind of religious humanism at its highest level. And it [applies] to everyone. It’s the human image. It’s not any loyalty or tradition or anything else; it’s being human that enlists the respect, the love of God being implied in it.”
Obama Asks Novelist About ‘Suspicious’ Christians with ‘Us Versus Them’ Mentality
Strangers And Aliens (5): The Imperishable, Immutable Word (1 Peter 1:22–25)
Travel broadens our horizons. It helps us to see that this is a great big world filled with an amazing variety of people, cultures, and wonders. In a way, traveling can even be transformative. When we return home you we are not quite what we were when we left. An especially long journey teaches us […]
Historic discovery: Archaeologists find Biblical city Sodom which was “destroyed by God”
According to Express:
A decade of digs at the site to the east of Jordan have established the remains of a large Bronze Age city, that experts suspect is Sodom.
According to the Bible, the city was destroyed alongside Gomorrah, as a judgement from God because of its residents involvement in vice and homosexuality which were considered deviant at the time.
A large amount of the city has now been revealed after 10 years, including defences and many plazas connected by roads, and it appears it was abandoned for 700 years before being reoccupied.
Pro-Abortion Female ‘Pastor’ Laura Young Leads Prayer Rally to Bless Abortion Clinic
They concluded, “Our religious traditions call us to offer compassion, not judgment. People who work for Planned Parenthood give care and respect to those in need, doing God’s work. For this we are grateful.”
“Let no man deceive you by any means: for that day shall not come, except there come a falling away first,” 2 Thessalonians 2:3 (KJV)
EDITOR’S NOTE: Honestly, with this story, I don’t even know where to begin. Do we discuss the great “falling away” from Bible truth prophesied in 2 Thessalonians? Do we go to Revelation 3 where it talks about the end times Church of Laodicea that Jesus spues out of His mouth? Perhaps Revelation 18 where a voice from Heaven warns “come of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.” Or maybe all three? Any way you slice it, watching female “pastors” preaching that abortion is a “blessing from God” is absolutely a fulfillment of last days Bible prophecy about the condition of the professing Christian church right before the Rapture.
In Ohio, United Methodist Church “pastor”, Reverend Laura Young, says she believes pro-life protesters in front of Planned Parenthood and other abortion facilities have “misguided faith.” In fact, she thinks these clinics should be blessed, which is why she went out to an abortion facility called Preterm on October 8th in Cleveland. In 2014, Preterm was involved in the abortion-related death of Lakisha Wilson.
How the Bible feels about female “pastors”: “But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.” 1 Timothy 2:12 (KJV)
Young explained her acceptance of abortion like this: “Christianity, like most faiths, is founded on love. Watching protesters shouting judgment and hate based on what they call religion is horrible. Is that loving God? Is that loving your neighbor as yourself?”
Welcome to the Church of Laodicea, your last days counterfeit “christian” experience. Click for more…
Think Progress reports that the group hopes their “blessing” will protect Preterm from “preachy protesters, as well as encourage the strength and bravery of those providing and relying on its services.” Young plans to go out to other abortion facilities in the state if their event in Cleveland is successful.
Young also says religious groups are fueling the so-called war on women. She explained, “Women are being attacked at a moral level by the radical Religious Right. They’ve hijacked the political discussion. This event is an opportunity for progressive religious leaders to stop the silence. We need to be in the conversation.”
The abortion reverend heads up a group called the Ohio Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice, and they run an “all-options” counseling hotline for women facing crisis pregnancies. She said, “It breaks my heart to know women are sitting in pews across the country feeling shamed, believing that they’re cursed for making this decision. That’s a question I get a lot on the phone, ‘Am I going to hell?’ When God instead is there to support women through it all.”
On their website, the group says their mission is to “ensure reproductive choice through education, advocacy, and counseling. The Coalition seeks to give clear voice to the reproductive issues of people of color, those living in poverty, and other underserved populations.”
As LifeNews previously reported, on July 29, the Planned Parenthood Clergy Advocacy Board said the undercover videos exposing the organization’s organ harvesting business are simply an attack on women’s health care. Jeffrey Walton from the Institute on Religion and Democracy reports that the board is made up of religious leaders from the United Church of Christ, Episcopal Church and American Baptist Churches as well as clergy from Reformed Jewish and Unitarian Universalist congregations.
Planned Parenthood Baby Parts Buyer StemExpress Wants “Another 50 Livers per Week”
In a statement the clergy said, “As faith leaders committed to justice, honesty, and liberty, we are troubled by the decades-long campaign of harassment against Planned Parenthood and those they serve. Our faiths demand care for those marginalized by poverty and other oppressions. Faith leaders have supported Planned Parenthood for nearly 100 years because of our shared goals: every person — regardless of income, race, or religion — deserves access to safe, affordable, high-quality health care.”
They concluded, “Our religious traditions call us to offer compassion, not judgment. People who work for Planned Parenthood give care and respect to those in need, doing God’s work. For this we are grateful.”
Rev. Franklin Graham and Baptist theologian Albert Mohler commented on Planned Parenthood’s lucrative business after the footage was released. Rev. Graham said,“Abortion is a sin and is clearly murder in God’s eyes. The people who perform it have no conscience, so I’m not at all surprised that they would be selling organs, tissue, and body parts from babies. Planned Parenthood should be put out of business. They’ve done enough damage.”
In some ways, Mohler used even stronger language than Rev. Graham to describe Planned Parenthood and said they “stand at the epicenter of the Culture of Death.” He also dismissed the abortion giant’s justifications for their executive’s unbelievable comments.
He said, “They are not going to be able to explain this video away. I have no reason to believe that the video is anything less than totally credible. But, even if Planned Parenthood somehow finds a way to evade justice in terms of criminal activity, the part of the video that Planned Parenthood does not –and cannot — deny reveals their senior medical director enjoying a conversation over a meal in which she describes tearing apart the bodies of unborn human beings in order to get the desired organ: “I’m gonna basically crush below, I’m gonna crush above, and I’m gonna see if I can get it all intact.” source
What If We Regulated #CocksNotGlocks
http://thefederalist.com/2015/10/13/what-if-we-regulated-cocksnotglocks/
John Brown of Haddington On The State Of Believers In The Judgment
Believers shall be adjudged to everlasting life on account of Christ’s fulfillment of the law in their stead…and their sentence will correspond with the nature, though not with the merit of their gracious qualities and works, particularly their kindness to poor saints, which shall be publicly mentioned as a mark of their union with Christ, […]
Another Gospel
The Apostle Paul admonished the Galatian Church for turning to another gospel, warning them of sly false teachers that would twist the one true gospel, leading them astray. These days the number of “false gospels” out there is growing by leaps and bounds. At 9am central this morning we are joined by Don Venoit of […]
Take the Trinity Test
Tim Challies, together with Rebecca Stark, put together a test on the Trinity. Here is some info on the test.
Thirty-Four on the Three in One: Which Are Not True?
In his little book Delighting in the Trinity, Michael Reeves calls the Trinity “the governing center of all Christian belief” and “the cockpit of all Christian thinking.”1 In other words, it’s not an irrelevant or secondary doctrine, but of primary importance.
How well do you know this central doctrine of Christianity? I’ve put together a little quiz so you can test yourself. Here are 34 statements related to the Trinity. Which ones are not true? (There’s a link to the answers at the end of the post.)
Take the Trinity Test here.
VIDEO: “Apostle” Bill Johnson’s Bethel Church…Heidi Baker…demonic impartation
From Churchwatch Central:
This footage of Heidi Baker (of Iris Global) was filmed at Bethel Church of Redding, California. It is important to remember that many churches around the world are influenced by these ministries (including Hillsong and C3).
After watching the contents of the below video, the obvious question is this: Why would parents want their kids involved or associated with these people?
Warning: This footage may disturb some viewers!
This is What Apostasy Looks Like
As I have often said, sin and rebellion, if left unchecked, will simply produce more sin and rebellion. It all just spins out of control and compounds, accelerates and multiplies. This is of course true of the individual, but it is also true of a culture or even a church.
When known error and sin is embraced and excused, then more sin and error will be run with. Pretty soon we have full blown apostasy, if we are talking about a believer or a church or a denomination. As sin goes by un-repented of, and even condoned and justified, then we have what Scripture refers to as apostasy.
Various passages speak to this, and offer strong warnings about falling away and hardening one’s heart and being deceived by sin. Let me just offer a few of these here:
Acts 20: 29-31 I know that after I leave, savage wolves will come in among you and will not spare the flock. Even from your own number men will arise and distort the truth in order to draw away disciples after them. So be on your guard!
1 Timothy 4:1-2 The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons. Such teachings come through hypocritical liars, whose consciences have been seared as with a hot iron.
2 Timothy 3:1-9 But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God – having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people. They are the kind who worm their way into homes and gain control over gullible women, who are loaded down with sins and are swayed by all kinds of evil desires, always learning but never able to come to a knowledge of the truth. Just as Jannes and Jambres opposed Moses, so also these teachers oppose the truth. They are men of depraved minds, who, as far as the faith is concerned, are rejected. But they will not get very far because, as in the case of those men, their folly will be clear to everyone.
2 Timothy 3:13 Evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived.
2 Peter 2:20-22 If they have escaped the corruption of the world by knowing our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and are again entangled in it and are overcome, they are worse off at the end than they were at the beginning. It would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than to have known it and then to turn their backs on the sacred command that was passed on to them. Of them the proverbs are true: “A dog returns to its vomit,” and, “A sow that is washed returns to her wallowing in the mud.”
Strong words and strong warnings. But for many folks they seem to be falling on deaf ears. And one of the clearest ways to discern if apostasy is breaking out in a church or Christian group is to simply note if the reigning sins of the age are being committed or defended by them.
If the sins being most championed by the world at a given time are also being celebrated, affirmed and promoted by a church body, then you likely have a major case of apostasy going on. And usually in such a situation, the best advice that can be given is to run for your lives. Leave that hell hole and have nothing to do with their iniquity and perversion.
Today the two sins most being pushed in the secular culture are homosexuality and abortion. Both have almost become sacred activities which must always be promoted and never spoken ill against. Yet we find some pastors, churches and denominations also fully promoting these abominable sins.
Consider this utterly mind-boggling story out of the US:
More than a dozen religious leaders from a variety of denominations gathered last week to support abortion and “bless” a Cleveland abortion facility. The “blessing” of the Preterm facility was initiated and coordinated by Rev. Laura Young, a Methodist priestess and the executive director of The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice’s (RCRC) Ohio chapter.
“Bless this building,” prayed Rev. Tracey Lind, Dean of Cleveland’s Trinity Episcopal Cathedral, at the abortion facility. “May its walls stand strong against the onslaught of shame thrown at it. May it be a beacon of hope for those who need its services.”
RCRC is based in Washington, D.C. Its national president, Rev. Harry Knox, participated in the Cleveland demonstration as well, and told the Columbus Dispatch, “I’m here today standing alongside my fellow clergymen and clergywomen to say, thank God for abortion providers.”
Knox is a “married” homosexual who has also spearheaded same-sex “marriage” efforts in Georgia and Florida.
The group held signs that said to be pro-abortion is to be “pro-family” and “pro-faith.” Other signs read, “Good women have abortions.”
One demonstration participant, Molly Marvar, had positive things to say about her abortion at the Cleveland Preterm clinic, calling her abortion a great, caring experience, and a privilege. “It was a defining moment for me,” she said. “It’s really important to me that I speak up about my abortion to help other women.”
“There is a reverence for life that happens in this clinic,” Marvar told Think Progress. “And the decision to get an abortion is often a really, really, spiritual decision.” In an interview with Think Progress, Young explained that she believes God supports abortion. “Women who have had abortions are being attacked at a religious level, and the faith community has a moral obligation to heal these spiritual wounds,” she said.
Young, a self-described “progressive theological thinker and a feminist,” said if her demonstration and “blessing” is successful, her group will bless other state clinics as well. She recently testified against a pro-life bill in the Ohio senate, along with Unitarian, Universalist, United Church of Christ and Episcopalian clergy.
Wow, this is such a monstrous, demonic and ungodly situation that I am almost left speechless. These folks stand completely condemned by their own mouths, and of course by the word of God. We know that God never blesses that which is evil. He can only curse it.
And these people are simply bringing curses and the just judgment of God down upon themselves. They are the perfect illustration of just what wholesale apostasy looks like. They perfectly reflect the Isaiah 5:20 which pronounces God’s judgment on those who call good evil and evil good.
Unless these folks repent, they are in a real bad way. We can pray that the satanic blinders will be removed from their eyes, and that they will see the gross error of their ways. And we can also pray that their wilful deception and promotion of all things Satanic is stopped dead in its tracks.
Satan is alive and well on planet earth and we see the clearest of illustrations of this with this group. While they might be on the extreme end of deception, perversion and apostasy, bear in mind that plenty of other churches and church leaders are quickly moving down this very same path.
How many even so-called evangelical leaders and churches are pushing all things homosexual, including homosexual marriage? How many are making excuses for baby killing and attacking prolifers who seek to keep the innocent from being lead to the slaughter?
While some of these Christian may not have fully gone down the path of apostasy and rebellion against God, they are certainly well on the way. And my same advice applies to them as well: we can pray for them and ask God to help free them from their deception and blindness before it is too late.
And if need be, we can pray that if they cannot or will not be improved, that they will be removed. Things are that serious: when church leaders actually lead their flock astray, then they are quickly heading into a most dangerous place indeed, where only the righteous judgment of God is the proper answer, if repentance is not forthcoming.
As Jesus said so plainly and powerfully: “If anyone causes one of these little ones–those who believe in me–to stumble, it would be better for them if a large millstone were hung around their neck and they were thrown into the sea.” (Mark 9:42)
Muslim Converts To Christianity Risk All For New Faith
It’s a familiar scenario – Raphael, the son of a Muslim Imam converts to Christianity and is soon after threatened with death. The extremist Islamic Boko Haram group have already warmed up for the killing act by burning his stores, father’s house, offices, and thereafter killed one of his cousins. Their chilling message has been unmistakably clear: reconvert to Islam, or die………… Click here for full story
Bible Prophecy Teacher Jack Van Impe Back From The Brink Of Death
He’s been in active ministry for 68 years, longer than most of his peers have been alive. He rivals Billy Graham in his longevity and, in his knowledge of Scripture, but he almost died in a hospital bed back in April, only to return six months later on Oct. 3 to share his back-from-the-brink story. He is Jack Van Impe, the man many refer to by his nickname, “The Walking Bible.” The 84-year-old televangelist returned to his show with a message about the dangers of an emerging combination of Islam and Christianity, called “Chrislam”………… Click here for full story
More Parents Turning To Homeschooling
Recent data from the U.S. Department of Education shows a massive demand for homeschooling among American families, especially over the past decade. Homeschooled students are said to now represent about 3.4 percent of the school-age population………….. Click here for full story
Why the Appearance of Design in Biology is Best Explained by the Existence of God (Video)
This video, excerpted from J. Warner Wallace’s presentation of the evidence for God (from his book, God’s Crime Scene), summarizes the case for Gods existence from the appearance of design in biological organisms. What are the reasonable attributes of design we recognize in intelligently created objects? Do these attributes exist in biological organisms, and, if so, what intelligent source is most reasonable as an explanation? For a robust review of the collective case for God’s existence from eight pieces of evidence “inside the room” of the natural universe, please refer to God’s Crime Scene: A Cold-Case Homicide Detective Examines the Evidence for a Divinely Created Universe. (For more information, visit http://www.ColdCaseChristianity.com)
To see more training videos with J. Warner Wallace, visit the YouTube playlist.
Loving Money Is Suicide
In episode 706, we share an excerpt from a sermon Pastor John preached on loving money more than loving Jesus.
The Only FOMO to Fear
Missing the boat, missing the bus, missing a spouse, missing a promotion, missing a stock tip, or missing a date with friends — we have all experienced missing out.
And that’s why the fear of missing out (FOMO) is a universal experience in the human condition.
And our phones don’t make the situation any easier. Social media is a constant refresh of our comparisons with others, and a constant recharge of our fears of missing out.
I suspect many of my worst phone habits are borne from FOMOphobia. FOMO and social media go hand-in-hand, even down to the new Oxford English Dictionary entry (“FOMO — n. colloq. fear of missing out, anxiety that an exciting or interesting event may be happening elsewhere, often aroused by posts seen on a social media website”).
We want to know, we want to see, we want to Tweet. We don’t want to be left out of a “cool kid conversation.” We want to be “in the know,” we want to hear the beeps and pings, and we want to refresh our feeds to make sure we aren’t missing anything.
The truth is that FOMO is neither unique nor modern. It predates the acronym coined in 2004, it predates wifi and our always-connected phones, and it precedes our fast-typing opposable thumbs. FOMO is an ancient phobia with a backstory that reaches back in the human experiences of yore.
The Birthplace of FOMO
In fact, FOMO is the primeval human fear, the first fear stoked in hearts when a slithering serpent spoke softly of a one-time opportunity that proved too good to pass up.
Eat from the one forbidden tree, Eve, “and you will be like God” (Genesis 3:5).
What more could Eve or Adam want? Escape your creaturehood. Become your own boss. Preserve your own independence. Define your own truth. Become all-knowing. Delight in autonomous regality. Keep all the glory for yourself. Becoming gods and goddesses! Who could refuse the irresistible chance to become godlike with just one bite?
Oh, these words were loaded with a succulent promise too good to be true. And it was. It was false. It was flattery. It was Satan’s attempt to dethrone God, by spinning words into an insurrection by God’s own darling creatures.
In other words, FOMO was Satan’s first tactic to sabotage the God-man relationship, and it worked. And it still does.
A Spark To Forest Flame
It wouldn’t end there. Inside of Satan’s one lie was a spark that would kindle in the human heart and spread into a forest fire of FOMO that has never since been extinguished. Every day sinners are still animated by the empty promises of reaching some level of self-sufficiency where God will finally become unnecessary.
And that means FOMO still smolders in the human heart. FOMO insinuates that God’s fallen creatures are missing out, and that makes it the easiest dupe in advertising. Any marketing novice can pull off a successful FOMO-based marketing campaign with minimal ingenuity.
FOMO shapes our desires from childhood into adulthood. FOMO is there in midlife crises and falls into our empty nests. FOMO burns into the elderly years when the sting of missing out becomes more and more obvious.
So if such fear is primeval and universal, where do we go from here? How do we think through FOMO as Christians? Where does FOMO die?
Where FOMO Dies
One of the longest running object lessons on the FOMO phenomenon is from Jesus in Luke 16:19–31, in a story about eternal loss and eternal glory.
The story begins with a rich man (who is socially and financially not missing out in any felt way) and Lazarus, a poor man (who is pitifully and reproachfully missing out in every possible way). But this contrast is merely temporary, because both men die and face eternity.
The story of the rich man and Lazarus is the grand story of FOMO role-reversal. By the end, we find a formerly rich man (who lost everything) and a formerly beggar (who gained everything). The former rich man now faces eternal torment as a beggar who must plead for a drop of water to cool the agony of judgment. The beggar now faces eternal delight as a redeemed sinner whose regrets and fears have been washed away in the eternal joy of God’s restorative presence.
So the rich man, turned eternal beggar, focuses on FOMO for his loved ones. He pleads: Resurrect the beggar Lazarus and send him back into the world to my five brothers, to tell them of eternal life, that they will hear and believe and escape this wretched eternal missing out. This is the desperate cry of the Rich Man’s FOMO (Luke 16:29–31).
The moral of the story is made obvious by the storyteller (Jesus): Where God’s word is opened, read, and embraced by the hearer, there is no eternal fear — only eternal restoration of all that was missed out on in this life.
One Legit FOMO
In other words, there’s one legitimate FOMO we should all fear: the fear of unbelief and missing out eternally.
If you see God’s wrath, if you feel it in your bones (because you take the words of Scripture with deep earnestness), and if you have escaped that wrath in the Blood of Jesus Christ, then your one legitimate fear in life is gone and the chains of FOMO in your life have been decisively broken forever. FOMO is now dead to you.
In Christ, the sting of missing out is eternally gone. This is one of the promises of the gospel that drives needy, FOMO-plagued sinners to embrace the gospel of Jesus Christ. In him is the promise of no loss eternally. All that has been lost will be found in him. All that we have missed will be summed up in him.
The wealthy man in Jesus’s parable paints a portrait of the greatest tragedy in this life. In the rich man’s life, any FOMO could be silenced by money. He grabs and grabs and fills his arms and fills his belly and fills his life with pleasures. He grabs everything but Christ. The wealthy sinner played the fool of God-ignoring self-sufficiency, and never embraced God as his greatest treasure, and filled his life with everything but what his soul truly needed (worship).
In this condition of unbelief, the rich man now incarnates the one most dreaded missing out, an eternal missing out, a weeping-and-gnashing-of-teeth kind of missing out.
FOMO is nothing to play with — it’s real, and unbelief is really frightening. “Therefore, while the promise of entering his rest still stands, let us fear lest any of you should seem to have failed to reach it” (Hebrews 4:1).
Unbelief is a FOMO worth losing sleep over — but it’s the only one.
Pleasures Forever
For those in Christ, eternity will make up for every other pinch and loss that you ever suffered in this momentary life. The biblical doctrine of heaven proves it.
Heaven is the restoration of everything broken by sin in this life. Heaven is the reparation of everything you lost in this life. Heaven is the reimbursement of everything you missed out on in this life.
Poor Lazarus learned this blessed truth: Heaven is God’s eternal response to all of the FOMOs of this life. Heaven will restore every “missing out” thousands of times over and over again throughout all of eternity (Acts 3:21).
Or to slightly alter the words of Paul: I count every deprivation in my life as no expense at all in light of never missing out on the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord for all eternity (Philippians 3:8).
Related Articles
Why Pastors Have Few Deep Friendships
I’ve heard it so many times that I almost expect it: pastors are lonely. They often minister among people they say they love, but don’t know well. They have few deep friendships. Here are 10 reasons why we struggle with finding friends:
- Someone taught us never to have close friendships in a church. Several of my seminary professors and most of my early mentors told me never to get close to church members. I’m grateful now that I didn’t listen well – but I have friends who continue to follow that advice.
- We’ve been hurt in the past. I understand why my professors and mentors said what they said. They had risked being vulnerable with church members, and it cost them. Their openness led only to pain, and they don’t the next generation of leaders to experience the same.
- We assume this ministry is not our last one. If we think that this church is only one stop on our ministry journey, it’s harder to develop deep friendships. Who wants to invest deeply when you know this role is a fleeting one?
- Many of us are introverted. Even people who speak publicly every week can be introverted and private. I suspect church members would be surprised by how many of us are drained by events like fellowship dinners. We sometimes seclude ourselves just to get some rest.
- Others are uncomfortable around us. I remember a church member whose family never invited me to dinner because they thought their dishes weren’t good enough for their pastor. That struck me as odd, not only because I’m just a normal guy, but also because most of my dinners at the time were delivered through a drive-thru window!
- Our spouse has been hurt. We can often handle it when our feelings are hurt, but it’s tougher when our spouse has been wounded. Protecting our spouse from hurt sometimes means avoiding deep relationships.
- We don’t want anyone to know us well. For pastors who admit this reason, it’s often because we don’t like who we are. We know we need to do better in our devotions. We fear others will see that we don’t always love, evangelize, or minister like we should.
- We get tired of people. It’s not that we don’t love people; it’s just that it feels like we’re around people all the time. Taking a break from people, though, usually means closing the door to friendships.
- Some of us were raised in churches with superficial relationships. At some level, we’re all products of our upbringing. When you’re raised around surface-level Christian friendships, that kind of relationship might be all you know.
- Even believers get jealous and competitive. As pastors, we fear getting too close to particular people, lest others get angry. And, even among pastors, we struggle getting to know one another because we compete against each other for members. In the end, everybody loses.
Three Telltale Signs of a Foolish Christian
When you read how Scripture defines a fool, who first comes to mind?
For me, it’s always someone else.
I don’t consider myself a fool, at least not very high up there on the “foolishness index” Scripture provides in the book of Proverbs.
But reading Ephesians 5:15-21 tells me something different. Paul says, “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise” (15). This warns me that without intentionality to walk in wisdom, I can quickly drift toward foolish living.
Without intentionality to walk in wisdom, we can quickly drift toward foolish living.
Paul’s commands in that passage are challenging.
They tell me I’m not wise by default.
They tell me that I can look wise and accomplished to the world and the church; but to God, I’m, well, a fool at times.
While Paul doesn’t provide an exhaustive description of what foolishness looks like, he does share three key elements of what it looks like to live wisely. Wise believers are to make “the best use of time” (16), “understand what the will of the Lord is” (17), and “be filled with the Spirit” (18).
In my time studying this passage, I felt a special bite of conviction when I flipped the positive commands into negative descriptions of what a foolish Christian looked like.
1. You don’t care about wasting time.
If you surf the internet without aim for hours on end, constantly browse your Twitter feed, or watch TV like the average American (five hours daily) — you might be a foolish Christian.
Life is a vapor (James 4:14). Each hour wasted is an hour that you can and will never get back. Wise Christians, like Moses, pray for God to teach them to number their days to gain a heart of wisdom (Psalm 90:12). Observing our distracted society gives Moses’ prayer special relevance today. Numbering our days involves numbering our hours — and even minutes — that can be easily lost without intentionality and setting the right priorities.
Why are we to make the best use of time? We live in evil days (Ephesians 5:16). Our enemy is on the prowl and wants us to waste our lives and effectiveness for Christ. An estimated 150,000 people die each day, many of whom do not know the One True God.
Christian, make it your aim in life to make the most of your time in these evil days. You’re a part of a spiritual war and can advance the cause of Christ by stewarding your God-given time on earth wisely. Don’t be a fool.
2. You don’t seek to understand the will of the Lord.
God’s will is not some magical lock-box we only unlock by luck, incantation, or owning a certain number of Petra CDs. God wants us to know his will for us; that’s why he has revealed it to us in the Scriptures. We know what to believe, how to live, and what our part is in God’s mission on earth through the Scriptures. They contain everything we need for righteous living and for bearing fruit — everything (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Through prayerful obedience to the Word and a faithful pursuit of Christ, we can know and follow God’s will for our lives and grow in his wisdom (Romans 12:1-2; John 14:21; Psalm 19:7).
Foolishness comes by neglecting Scripture and prayer, avoiding commitment to a local church, or simply by making no effort to discern how to live a life that pleases the Lord (Ephesians 5:10).
Christian, don’t be a fool. Understand the will of the Lord and live accordingly.
3. You don’t live by the Spirit.
Believers are powerless to live the way God wants us to and to accomplish what he has for us if we don’t let God live through us by his Spirit. Foolish Christians may be living by their own power either because of ignorance (they just aren’t aware of how to walk by the Spirit) or by choice (they may be mad at God or unwilling to repent for their sin).
According to Paul, the Spirit-controlled Christian is characterized by:
…addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. (Ephesians 5:19-21)
This means that, from both our hearts and lips, there will be a natural flow of Scriptural truths and deep thankfulness to others and to the Lord.
Not living by the Spirit may mean Christians feel far from God, have trouble getting in the Scriptures (John 14:26), struggle with assurance (1 John 3:24), lack guidance (Romans 8:14), live defeated by sin (Romans 8:13), and lack power in evangelism (Acts 1:8).
Christian, live by the Spirit. Make melody in your heart toward God through singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Make your heart happy in God as you read Scripture and remember his faithfulness to you in the past, his provision for you in the present, and the future grace you will receive when Christ returns. Give thanks to God for all he has done for you in Christ. Plug your life into the divine power source that makes living the Christian life not only possible, but filled with joy.
The good news, if you have found yourself a foolish Christian at times, there’s still hope. The foolish Christian who repents by taking Ephesians 5:16-18 to heart will lay a solid foundation for a life filled with wisdom.
My hope is that you would take this message to heart and examine your life. You’d be a fool not to.
Which of these three traits is most convicting to you right now?
[Post Credit: Kevin Halloran]
RELATED POSTS:
- How to Be Productive According to the Bible
- A Three-Step Diet to a Healthier Soul
- Don’t Let False Security Dupe You
The post Three Telltale Signs of a Foolish Christian appeared first on Unlocking the Bible.
Take the Trinity Test
Tim Challies, together with Rebecca Stark, put together a test on the Trinity. Here is some info on the test.
Thirty-Four on the Three in One: Which Are Not True?
In his little book Delighting in the Trinity, Michael Reeves calls the Trinity “the governing center of all Christian belief” and “the cockpit of all Christian thinking.”1 In other words, it’s not an irrelevant or secondary doctrine, but of primary importance.
How well do you know this central doctrine of Christianity? I’ve put together a little quiz so you can test yourself. Here are 34 statements related to the Trinity. Which ones are not true? (There’s a link to the answers at the end of the post.)
Take the Trinity Test here.
3 Responses When An Idol Has Taken the Throne
Every heart has a throne. And on that throne sits something (or, perhaps, someone). Every day, without fail, each of us comes to that throne to present ourselves as obedient slaves.
Most contemporary people scoff at this. “Slave? I’m not a slave to anyone! I’m free, and I do whatever I want.” To which the Apostle Paul would calmly respond, “Oh, really?” Or, to use his words:
Do you not know that if you present yourselves to anyone as obedient slaves, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin, which leads to death, or of obedience [to God], which leads to righteousness?
~Romans 6:16
“Either” is a pretty clear word. Either we present ourselves to be God’s slaves, or we present ourselves to be sin’s slaves. As the prophet Bob Dylan once said, “You’re gonna have to serve somebody.”
Most of us, of course, don’t do this consciously. We do it reflexively and instinctively. Something is at the center of our hearts. It’s that thing that commands our obedience, that thing we feel is most important to us, that thing that we’ve just got to have to be fulfilled. Whatever it is you can’t live without…that is your master.
So what do we do when we notice that something other than God has crept onto the throne of our hearts?
1. Identify the usurper.
Christian counselors often talk about four “core idols” that dominate our hearts—power, control, approval, and comfort. Which one of those speaks loudest to you? What is your idol of choice? Which replacement god has your ear?
Notice that none of those four idols are bad things on their own. It’s when they become ultimate in our lives—commanding our obedience and ruling our emotions—that they displace God as our Master and become wicked. As John Calvin said, evil is not typically desiring something bad, but desiring something good too much. It’s not loving a bad thing, but elevating a good thing to a God thing.
Paul provides a simple test to identify your core idol(s). “Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, to make you obey its passions.” The Greek word for passions is intense: it means a desire that completely overwhelms. To find out what idol has snuck into your heart, ask yourself, “Where are my emotions most out of control?”
What makes you angry—not just mad, but uncontrollably, vehemently angry? What causes you fear—not just everyday anxiety and worry, but panicked, terror-stricken, paralyzing fear? What drives you to sadness—not just disappointment, but despairing, inconsolable sadness? What in your life, if threatened or lost, drives you over the emotional edge of anger, fear, or sadness? That is king of your heart.
2. Look at the destination.
In Romans 6:16, Paul doesn’t just say that we all serve someone. He says that whatever master we choose leads to a certain destination. And every master besides God leads to death.
If your offer yourself as a slave to approval, your life will be plagued by constant self-pity, envy, hurt feelings, and inadequacy. If you are a slave to comfort, you won’t be able to say “no” to the pleasures of food, or sex, or drugs, or pornography. If you are enslaved to power, you’ll become domineering, harsh, even abusive. If you are enslaved to control, you’ll worry all the time; you’ll lose your temper a lot; or you’ll manipulate others to get your way.
That’s why Paul ends Romans 6 by saying, “The wages of sin is death.” It’s not just that sin leads to hell when we die. In the context of Romans 6, Paul is saying that when we allow idols to be our masters, we’ll get a glimpse of those hellish wages now. As Tim Keller says, “Sin is a master that always pays, on time and in full.”
3. Put God back on his throne.
Once we identify our core idols and recognize their destructive destination, we need to kick them out. We don’t do that through moral resolve; we do it by accepting the grace of a completely different Master.
“The wages of sin is death,” Paul says, “but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom 6:23). There is a Master who doesn’t require us to work to get his pleasures. He gives them as a gift. Every other master threatens, “If you don’t work hard enough for me, I’ll make you miserable.” Money says, “Fail to obtain me, and you’ll be poor and cursed.” Relationships say, “Fail to obtain me, and you’ll be alone and miserable.” But God says, “I give you all of my joy and my blessing as a gift. You don’t have to work for it. You can’t earn it. It’s not a wage, it’s a gift.” The blessings of God are received, not achieved.
The irony of serving idols is that they promise so much and deliver so little. They promise freedom and life, but the wage they pay out is captivity and death. Jesus, on the other hand, is the fountain of freedom and life itself. He is more reliable than money, more satisfying than any romance, more worthwhile than any victory, more enduring than any earthly honor. So we say, with Isaiah, “What kind of idol can even compare with a God like this” (Isa 40:18)?
For more, be sure to listen to the whole message here.
My Haman Heart
It happened again recently. There I was reading my Bible passage for the day and dutifully minding my own business, when a few verses I have read countless times before leapt off the page and started messing with me!
I saw that I needed to confess my self-absorption and embrace His part for me in His grand, eternal plan.
I’ve always loved the story of Esther—the intrigue, the irony, the heavenly activity hidden from earthly eyes. Prudent and courageous Queen Esther is a hero of mine. And I have always held Haman up to scorn and derision for his arrogant and cruel self-absorption.
But this reading was different. There it was in black and white: “Yet all this is worth nothing to me, so long as . . .” (Est. 5:13). Suddenly, I was identifying more with Haman than Esther.
Emotional Flip-Flop
Haman was a man of deep emotions. In one verse he was both “joyful and glad of heart” and then suddenly “filled with wrath” (Est. 5:9). He had been over-the-top happy to be the sole guest of his king and queen at a magnificent feast. But on his way home to boast about his special treatment, his joy is overridden with rage when he noticed Mordecai’s snub.
Nevertheless, he goes home, gathers his friends and family, and lists in detail all his good fortunes—his financial success, his many sons, his political power—and then comes his crowning announcement: “Tomorrow also I am invited by her together with the king” (Est. 5:12).
What would the casual reader expect to be the next words out of his mouth? “What a lucky man I am! Come again tomorrow, and I’ll share every juicy detail! I might even give you my autograph.”
But no, the very next words out of his mouth are, “Yet all this is worth nothing to me, so long as I see Mordecai the Jew sitting at the king’s gate” (Est. 5:13). And those words of jealous discontent set in motion the total destruction of Haman and his household.
It was those very words that unexpectedly stood out to me. “Yet all this is worth nothing to me so long as . . . “ You see, I am wonderfully blessed, too. But I am troubled by my Haman heart that all too often rises up to say, “Yet all this is worth nothing to me so long as _______________.” And I fill in that blank with my worry or fear of the day.
Rejoicing in His Plan
That morning I saw it more clearly than ever before. Way down deep, where few people ever have access, I am Haman. When things are going well, I am “joyful and glad of heart.” But when someone or something doesn’t respond in the way I think they should, my joy dissipates and my heart is saddened. I dwell on it too much, wasting precious emotional and spiritual energy (of which none of us has unlimited resources). I saw that I needed to confess my self-absorption and embrace His part for me in His grand, eternal plan.
God is never mentioned in the book of Esther, but He is powerfully moving on behalf of His people and His kingdom purposes then and now. Perhaps you can’t see God working in your life, but don’t trust your earthly eyes. His ways are far beyond ours (Isa. 55:8–9) and nothing is impossible with God (Luke 1:37).
May He open our eyes to see beyond our circumstances into His glorious purposes.
What is your “so long as”? Is there someone’s name whose mere mention provokes you to anger? Confess it. Weed out this troubling root of bitterness before its poison destroys you and those around you (Heb. 12:15). Is there some action God must take for you to rejoice with Him in His plan for your life?
May God help us to own our Haman hearts. “When my soul was embittered . . . I was like a beast toward you” (Ps. 73:21–22). May He open our eyes to see beyond our circumstances into His glorious purposes.
Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever (Ps. 73:25–26).
If you enjoyed this post, you may want to read “This Isn’t What I Signed Up For.”
An Organic Journey Towards the Doctrines of Grace
In two minutes, Trip Lee talks about the uniqueness of his journey towards the doctrines of grace and how he saw these doctrines in the scriptures before he read them in a book.
More Resources by Trip Lee
- The Gospel in Two Minutes (video)
- Hope and Help for the Porn Addict (video)
- Why Fame Cannot Make You Happy (audio)
A La Carte (October 14)
Today’s Kindle deals include just a few titles: Trusting the Shepherd by Haddon Robinson ($5.83); True For You, But Not For Me by Paul Copan ($2.99); A Journey Through the Life of William Wilberforce by Kevin Belmonte ($2.99); Truth Matters ($0.99) and Truth in a Culture of Doubt ($3.50) by Andreas Kostenberger; An Introduction to Biblical Ethics by David Jones ($2.99); Perspectives on Children’s Spiritual Formation by Various ($2.99).
Patrol Your Borders
Erik Raymond discusses an important principle of time management: patroling your borders.
Parenting Persons, Not Projects
This is good: “I want to be the best mother I can be, but perhaps the most efficient way to go about this is to remove my child from the center of my universe. Perhaps then I will allow myself to be a holistic human being; and perhaps then I can grant my son that same freedom.”
Bad News, Indeed
You may have heard the rather surprising news that Playboy will no longer publish nude pictures in their magazine. Al Mohler explains why this is truly noteworthy (and not necessarily good news). “Playboy has outlived its ability to transgress and to push the moral boundaries. As a matter of fact, it was a victim of its own sad success.”
A Grief Like No Other
This article offers wisdom and counsel for comforting a friend who has lost a child. “So many of my friends have gone through the unspeakable agony of losing a child—whether in vitro, in infancy, or adolescence—but this is a lonely, solitary agony that even those closest to the parent cannot really shoulder.”
Planned Parenthood Drops Fetal Tissue Fees
This is a very small step forward, but a step forward nonetheless since it forces Planned Parenthood to admit wrongdoing.
This Day in 1735. John and Charles Wesley first set sail for Georgia to preach the gospel to the Americans. *
Book Deals
This week’s deals from Westminster Books include a few I recommend: Transforming Homosexuality, The Imperfect Pastor, and The New Pastor’s Handbook.
Warfield’s “The Biblical Doctrine of the Trinity” Annotated
Fred Sanders has shared what looks like a very helpful resource—an annotated version of B.B. Warfield’s article “The Biblical Doctrine of the Trinity.” It is a 20-page PDF and is free for the taking.
Featured Blogs
Christian Headlines Daily – Wednesday, October 14, 2015
http://www.christianheadlines.com/
Top Headlines
New ‘Jesus-Centered Bible’ Highlights Old Testament Passages That Refer to Christ
China Intensifies Crackdown on Christian Churches
‘Clueless’ Actress Stacey Dash Condemns Planned Parenthood
South Africa: Christian Denomination Votes to Lift Ban on Same-Sex Marriage
Amish Family Wins Court Battle over Daughter’s Cancer Treatment
Obama Interviews Author Marilynne Robinson, Discusses America, Faith, Values
Methodist Clergy Lead Rally in Support of Abortion
Tennessee Gun Store Offers Discount for Christians
Christian Broadcasting Studio Raided in Egypt
Rick Warren’s Daughter on Family Struggles: ‘Pain Births Beauty’
Opinion
Dealing with Miscarriage and Stillbirth
Why Playboy’s Announcement is Bad News
What We Mean by ‘Mine’: Working for God’s Kingdom
The War against ISIS: a Spiritual Battle
Gaining Ground for Life: The Successes of the Pro-life Movement
10/14/15 Being a Part of the Family
READING: Matthew 13, Luke 8
TEXTS AND APPLICATION: These must have been hard words for Mary to hear when she and her sons came to see Jesus. They could not get to Him because of the crowds, and others announced to Him that His family was looking for Him. The combination of Mark and Matthew’s accounts reveals words that surely pierced Mary’s heart: “Who are My mother and My brothers?” (Mark 3:33) . . . “My mother and my brothers are those who hear and do the word of God” (Luke 8:21).
If Mary and His family heard these words as, “He doesn’t even know us,” that reality may have convinced them of their concern that He was already out of His mind (Mark 3:21). But, Jesus was hardly out of His mind. Instead, He was teaching them these truths:
- The question was not whether Jesus knew His family; it was instead whether they knew Him as the Son of God. Even Mary and her other children would need a Redeemer, and Jesus would expect from them the same repentance and faith He expects from all of us. Their shared bloodline did not eliminate their need for atonement through the shed blood of Jesus.
- Nobody guarantees his relationship with God based on his family of origin, heritage, etc. Only those who do His word (beginning with following Him in repentance and faith) are in God’s family.
- If we claim to be children of God, how we live really does matter.
In addition, this text points to relationships among the people of God that sometimes are more real and lasting than relationships within our family of origin. Bring together a few believers, and “brother” and “sister” titles can become so much more than terms we use only when we can’t remember each others’ names. We really do become family.
I am so grateful today for people like Lawrence, Katherine, Dave, Linda, Sonney, Christie, Will, Melissa, Ronnie, Carol, Brandon, Stephanie, Kevin, Bethany, and so many others who have been my Christian family through the years. Brothers are sisters within the family of God — all who follow God daily — are gifts, indeed.
ACTION STEPS: Send an email or a note today to someone who has been a special part of your Christian family. Then, make sure you are a genuine brother or sister to someone else today.
PRAYER: “Thank you, Lord, for drawing me into Your family and giving me a family.”
Our Time is Short
What is The Gospel?
God made everything out of nothing, including you and me. His main purpose in creation was to bring him pleasure.
The chief way in which we as humanity do this is through loving, obeying, and enjoying him perfectly.
Instead of this, we have sinned against our loving Creator and acted in high-handed rebellion.
God has vowed that he will righteously and lovingly judge sinners with eternal death.
But God, being merciful, loving, gracious, and just, sent his own son, Jesus Christ, in the likeness of man to live as a man; fulfilling his perfect requirements in the place of sinners; loving, obeying, and enjoying him perfectly.
And further, his son bore the eternal judgment of God upon the cross of Calvary, as he satisfied the eternal anger of God, standing in the place of sinners. God treated Jesus as a sinner, though he was perfectly sinless, that he might declare sinners as perfect.
This glorious transaction occurs as the sinner puts their faith (dependence, trust) in the Lord Jesus Christ as their substitute. God then charges Christ’s perfection to the sinner, and no longer views him as an enemy but instead an adopted son covered in the perfect righteousness of his son.
God furnished proof that this sacrifice was accepted by raising Jesus from the dead.
God will judge the world in righteousness and all of those who are not covered in the righteousness of Christ, depending on him for forgiveness, will be forced to stand on their own to bear the eternal anger of God.
Therefore, all must turn from sin and receive Christ Jesus as Lord.
Ready to start your new life with God?
Who do you think that I am?
With that brief question Jesus Christ confronted His followers with the most important issue they would ever face. He had spent much time with them and made some bold claims about His identity and authority. Now the time had come for them either to believe or deny His teachings.
Who do you say Jesus is? Your response to Him will determine not only your values and lifestyle, but your eternal destiny as well.
Consider what the Bible says about Him: Read more
Resource Links
CanIKnowGod.com is a website inspired by LifesGreatestQuestion.com, with new content, images, audio and video that will help you understand more about who God is and how to know Him. The site is mobile responsive and has an infinite scroll which makes for a very user-friendly experience. After you indicate a decision on CanIKnowGod.com, you are directed to a page that details what it means to have a new and transformed life through Jesus Christ. There’s even a Facebook page for daily updates, encouragement and scripture sharing.
Look to Jesus
Have you ever felt a little lost and wished there was a quick-start guide to your relationship with God? This is it!
30 Day Next Steps
John Beckett, a leading Christian businessman, has written a series to read over 30 days for new believers.
New Believers Guide
The New Believer’s Guide is a series of articles designed to show you how to walk in the new life Christ has given you— a life of faith and freedom.
Jesus Booklet
Jesus is the Savior of the world. Discover who Jesus is today in this series.
About Christianity
Know Jesus Christ and your life will be transformed
Truth2Freedom Blog Disclaimer
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— Augustine
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