Little Children Keep Yourselves From Idols

by Mike Ratliff

Little children, keep yourselves from idols. (1 John 5:21 ESV)

My bags are packed. We have finished the first leg of our trip and tomorrow we fly to Washington, DC. This morning I received an email from a friend imploring me to go to his site and follow a link he had setup to a discernment site that had information on a very well known Christian “leader” who most believe is the numero uno “exegete” in the Church. I have many of this man’s books and use some of them in my research for these articles even though I disagree with him on some very important issues. As I read what he had written, my first reaction was to dismiss it as an attack by the enemy to divide the elect. However, I did pray and ask God to show me what to do. I followed the link and was very surprised by what I found. 

Traveling

I will be traveling to Oklahoma today then to Washington, D.C. through the 9th of November. I will try to write and post some during that time, but that is up to God to provide the time and guidance. Please pray for my wife and I to have a safe trip.

Soli Deo Gloria!

Father Forgive Them

by Mike Ratliff

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful. (Luke 6:35-36 ESV)

Probably the command from our Lord that is the most difficult for us to obey is found in Luke 6:35 (above). That is, it is hard or difficult if we are full of pride and are self-focused. However, as the master vinedresser prunes us as we abide in the True Vine and the refiner burns away the fleshly dross from us in the refiner’s fire, we will be humbled as we surrender to the potter, as the clay should. This humbling is what is required for Christlikeness to become manifest in and through us. Why? If we are being driven by pride then we will be self-focused and operate as if we are the center of our universe, much like my one-year old grandson does. However, the humble believer is one who has given that up as something that hinders their walk with the Lord. He or she sees the things of this world, the very things the world runs after, as nothing but dung in comparison to what they have in Christ. He becomes their all-in-all. Their love for Him spills over into all parts of their lives and for the Saviour’s sake they love their enemies and are merciful to all just as He was and is. Our Lord demonstrates the epitome of this as He was crucified. 

Heaven Is Worth Suffering For

by Mike Ratliff

James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings. Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. (James 1:1-4 ESV)

“I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33 ESV)

While the emergents and other forms of relativistic Christianity attempt to refocus Christians to this present age, we are clearly taught throughout the New Testament that what awaits us after we leave this life is that for which we should really be preparing. In the world, we will have tribulation (θλιψιν) (John 16:33). Θλιψιν symbolically means grievous affliction or distress that applies pressure or burden upon the spirit. Θλιψιν is used to give the picture of one being crushed. At the same time we are given these warnings about our life here as resident aliens, we are also given encouragement beyond measure. 

Taking Up Your Cross and Following Jesus

by Mike Ratliff

The saying is trustworthy, for: If we have died with him, we will also live with him; if we endure, we will also reign with him; if we deny him, he also will deny us; if we are faithless, he remains faithful– for he cannot deny himself. (2 Timothy 2:11-13 ESV)

God’s ways are amazing to me. I put together last night’s post, Bearing Fruit, with the focus of the disciple of Christ Jesus being revealed through their abiding in Him. However, the focus at the end of the post and in the discussion that followed it soon became apparent that the real focus of this post was the costliness of following Jesus. All of us in the discussion shared how we had lost friendships and even closeness in our families because of it. This is notwithstanding the outright hostility many of us have experienced from those who view our obedience to God as legalism. Their view is that relationships take priority over obedience to God. 

Bearing Fruit

by Mike Ratliff

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus you will recognize them by their fruits.” (Matthew 7:15-20 ESV)

The fruit of a ministry in God’s economy is not the number of people “converted” under it. No, the fruit, which will be what God will use to judge, refers to the effectiveness that ministry has in leading and developing within those who are ministered to by it unto a Christ-like life produced by the Holy Spirit (Galatians 5:22,23). What is it that those God uses in these ministries do that achieves this? They teach their flock sound doctrine from God’s Word. The Holy Spirit takes these truths and applies them to the hearts of the flock. It is not emotion or feelings. It is being transformed by the renewal of their minds because they are being living sacrifices unto God (Romans 12:1,2). 

Spiritual Growth as Confirmation of Election

by Mike Ratliff

For you know how, like a father with his children, we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory. (1 Thessalonians 2:11-12 ESV)

Doctrine is a vital part of the true Church. Many of us may disagree on some things pertaining to our faith and still call one another brother or sister, but there are some things, from the sound doctrines from God, that are non-negotiable. I am constantly amazed when those who disagree with the clear exegesis from God’s Word will counter with human philosophy or attempt to use human reason to void what the Bible actually says. The veracity of God’s Truth is unimpeachable no matter who believes it to be so or not. One of those clear truths from God’s Word that is under severe attack in our time is the role and extent that regeneration plays in the life of the believer. Some claim that all that is required to be “saved” is the saying of some prayer or saying that he or she agrees with some “truth.” God’s Word tells us, however, that regeneration is a washing that changes everything (Titus 3:5). There will be solid and observable changes in those saved by grace through faith as a gift from God. 

Signs of the Close of the Age

by Mike Ratliff

“Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.” (Matthew 7:15 ESV)

The Church in our time appears huge, but this is only in appearance. It is thousands of miles wide, but only a fraction of an inch deep. Much of what claims to be Christian is not and proves it by what is actually its focus and what (or who) it actually worships. The focus has its foundation in pragmatism and its worship is nothing more than self-aggrandizement. They give lip service to their own version of “Jesus” who bears little if any resemblance to the Jesus we read of in God’s Word. This counterfeit Christianity is the majority while the true Church, which is made up of those saved by grace through faith because of God’s election and effectual calling is the minority. This should not surprise us because the Word of God tells us that this will be case as this age comes to a close to make way for the age to come. 

The Doctrine of Election and the Natural Result of Rejecting It

by Mike Ratliff

But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honored use and another for dishonorable use? (Romans 9:20-21 ESV)

I was a teenager in the 1960’s. My generation, the Baby-Boomers, are known for their rebellion against authority. I was no flaming radical, but like most in my generation, I did question the right of those in positions of authority over me. However, I enlisted in the US Navy in 1973 and quickly found out what submission to authority was really all about. All through boot camp and data processing training in the Navy, I discovered how important it was to obey commands and work under the authority of those over me. This hit home to me in a big way when I went to fire fighting school as part of my basic training. 

Treasure and Dung

by Mike Ratliff

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21 ESV)

The doctrine of imputation is under severe attack in our day. Those who have made the mistake of seeking a peace with those who desire to change or do away with this doctrine have erred egregiously. This doctrine must never be negotiated. Why? The changes certain people desire to make to this doctrine would change our justification from being according to faith alone to a combination of faith and works. According to Galatians 5:3, this would make us obligated to keep the whole law, which none of us can do. Only our Lord Jesus Christ kept the commandments perfectly, therefore, His righteousness is imputed to those who trust in His obedience to be justified. 

Answering a Fool According to His Folly

by Mike Ratliff

As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned. (Titus 3:10-11 ESV)

Secular humanism, relativism, pluralism, et cetera are worldly philosophies that have invaded the visible Church. These ways of the world when applied to the Church are some of the things that “stirs up division” within the Body of Christ. Other things that cause this would be majoring in minors such as taking things from the Bible that are not explained in detail enough to be taken literally because they are given to us in an arbitrary fashion. Some take these minor points and make them major points in the gospel stirring up division. Also, some simply want to argue. They hate the truth and are not interested in it being explained to them in detail. All of these are the ones Paul was speaking of in Titus 3:10-11 (above). It is a total waste of time to contend with these people continually. There comes a time when, through God’s wisdom, that we move on and have nothing to do with these divisive people. 

The Loving and Patient Hand of God

by Mike Ratliff

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words. And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.  (Rom 8:26-27 ESV)

I am still on the road, but should be home this evening. I spent much of my time over the last several days with my 13 month old grandson. His mental and physical development over the last several months has been amazing. His understanding of how to function in his environment has grown as well. He has his own little personality and ways. It is a joy to see this creation of God in action. However, he must still be watched closely and his mother and father still have to provide for his needs and protection. He does not know what is good for him or what is bad. He is very smart, but his mental development is that of a toddler. I asked God to show me something profound during this trip. I went to visit my parents this weekend as well. They are both in an assisted living center. They are in their 80’s. I learned much during that visit as well about the stages of our lives and how God is intimately involved throughout in our care and development.

Weekend Trip

I will be traveling over the next 3 or 4 days. I hope to be back home and writing again on Sunday evening. Please pray that God will give us a safe, edifying, and God-glorifying trip.

A Biblical Example of Self-Righteousness

by Mike Ratliff

For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. (Revelation 3:17 ESV)

Self-Righteousness: the attempt to meet God’s standards based upon one’s own merits.

A thorough study of our Lord’s earthly ministry reveals with certainty the following truth. Our Lord was merciful in every instance to those who were broken, humbled, and spiritually helpless before Him. On the other hand, the proud, the self-righteous, and the self-sufficient He rebuked and shunned, which is thematically summarized for us by James our Lord’s brother in his epistle. 

Self-Righteousness and Accusing the Brethren

by Mike Ratliff

He also told this parable to some who trusted in themselves that they were righteous, and treated others with contempt: “Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’ But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:9-14 ESV)

Self-Righteousness: the attempt to meet God’s standards based upon one’s own merits.

In the truth war, some though they perhaps mean well, from a confused theology foundation and concept of genuine holiness and Christlikeness, are continually accusing many of us of things that seemed designed to discourage and divide. Their “standards” of Christian conduct that reveals whether a person is genuinely in God’s will or not is based on a set of values that are very hard to find in the only place that counts, the Word of God. Instead of being based in our Lord’s own teachings and those of the inspired writers of the Word of God, they have created their own standards that our enemy uses in his accusations of those who are truly obeying God in the truth war. 

Blasphemy and the Fear of God

by Mike Ratliff

10 p You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, 11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me q at Antioch, r at Iconium, and s at Lystra—which persecutions I endured; yet t from them all u the Lord rescued me. 12 Indeed, all who desire to v live a godly life in Christ Jesus w will be persecuted, 13 while x evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and y being deceived. (2 Timothy 3:10-13 ESV)

Receiving Christ’s Word and becoming like Him in our conduct will unavoidably mean being treated by the world in the way it treated Christ. “I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world” (John 17:14). The believer is privileged to participate in the fellowship of His suffering (Philippians 3:10), and it is only as we are willing to bear His reproach and suffer for His sake that we are promised that we will reign with Him (2 Timothy 2:12). Jesus Himself was blasphemously accused of being demon-possessed. They hated Him without a cause (John 15:25). The believer, like Christ, must be willing to be misunderstood and have his good works maligned. Since our best efforts in serving Christ are mingled with sin and human imperfection, it should come as no surprise that our motives and behavior will be misinterpreted because of our forthright identification with Him. “All who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will be persecuted” (2 Timothy 3:12). A mark of the world is to call evil good and good evil (Isaiah 5:20).

20 Woe to w those who call evil good 
and good evil,
x who put darkness for light
 and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet
and sweet for bitter! 21 Woe to those who are y wise in their own eyes,
and shrewd in their own sight! (Isaiah 5:20-21 ESV)

The Effectual Call

By Mike Ratliff

1After these things the word of the Lord came to Abram in a vision: c “Fear not, Abram, I am d your shield; your reward shall be very great.” 2 But Abram said, “O Lord God, what will you give me, for I continue [1] childless, and the heir of my house is Eliezer of Damascus?” 3 And Abram said, “Behold, you have given me no offspring, and e a member of my household will be my heir.” 4 And behold, the word of the Lord came to him: “This man shall not be your heir; f your very own son [2] shall be your heir.” 5 And he brought him outside and said, “Look toward heaven, and g number the stars, if you are able to number them.” Then he said to him, h “So shall your offspring be.” 6 And i he believed the Lord, and j he counted it to him as righteousness. (Genesis 15:1-6 ESV)

In Genesis 15:1-6 (above), God gives us through His prophet Moses probably one of the most important truths found in His Word. This truth is all wrapped up in God’s Sovereignty. In v1 we read that through a vision given to him by God, Abram learns that God is his shield and that he will receive a great reward. In vv2-3 we witness Abram’s fear and his plea for an heir from his own loins. His focus is temporal, but he recognizes that unless God ordains it, there will be no child of his own. Here we see that Abram is no different than us. When he is in control then he is dominated by fear and unbelief. However, in vv4-5 God gently deals with Abram’s unbelief and fear by assuring him that he would indeed have a son and that his descendants would be innumerable. From this we learn that God’s promises are eternally focused even if they have temporal elements. We are called to believe based on His character not our circumstances. In these two verses, we have God’s effectual call of Abram. In v6 we read that Abram believed the Lord, and God counted it to him as righteousness. As a result of every effectual call by God, the one called by God believes Him and as a result He justifies them. They are saved by grace through the saving faith that accompanies every effectual call. 

The Good Fight And Why It is Necessary

by Mike Ratliff

Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses. (1 Timothy 6:12 ESV)

I had a very wonderful experience last night. My wife and I attended the meeting of our Care Group at Church. After prayer, we viewed lesson two in the Proclaim series. This is a series on teaching laypersons how to be more evangelistic. After the video, we did an exercise that was a survey of how we personally reacted to certain situations. Then we added up the scores. Most people are very strong in one or two of the six styles, which are Direct, Intellectual, Testimonial, Relational, Invitational, and Serving. I got a 15 on Direct, 16 on Intellectual, 15 on Testimonial, 10 on Relational, and single digits on the last two. Following this, we had a sharing time. When it was my turn, the leader stopped me as I began to share some exciting things that God was doing in this ministry. He then asked me to share about my seizures and how God was using that in my walk and ministry. Then he had everyone come and lay hands on me and pray for God to continue to work through this for His glory. I was weeping through it all.  After that everyone seemed much more loose and the sharing became much deeper. We left a couple of hours later rejoicing in the fellowship and how God is going to use each of us in the building of His Church. 

Fallen Fallen Fallen

Click here.

Let Down Your Nets For A Catch

by Mike Ratliff

And when he had finished speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” (Luke 5:4 ESV)

The builder and sustainer of the Church, the Body of Christ, is the Lord Jesus not any man (Matthew 16:18). The building of the true Church is accomplished as God works through the foolishness of preaching to draw people from the darkness into the light and life that is found in Christ alone. It is built up in Christ through the means of grace, which are ordained by God not men. While we see that it is God who actually is doing the building, He has chosen to work through His servants to accomplish that which will bring Him glory. These servants that He uses as fishers of men are symbolically like the fishermen in their boats on the Sea of Galilee who cast their nets to catch fish to sell as their business. Let us make some comparisons. 

The Reprobate Mind

by Mike Ratliff

And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God’s decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them. (Romans 1:28-32 ESV)

We have been looking at unbelief and the utter foolishness it begets. Also, I have been in discussion with several of you about the trials you are currently going through that are, for the most part, oppression resulting in despair as you are dealing with others who either claim to be Christian, but prove they aren’t by their reprobate lifestyles or they claim to be superior in knowledge about nearly everything and so attack those who profess to be Christian in an attempt to disavow the gospel, the atonement, our desperate need for redemption, and that Jesus Christ came to fulfill that role. I have been dealing with this as well, but instead of despair or fear while I have been going through this, I have felt nothing but pity for the one whom our enemy as assigned to attack me and this ministry. The superior attitude is offset by an arrogance that is so off the scale that it is laughable to one whose faith is strong. As they attempt to cast doubts on God’s sound doctrine and say stupid things like, “everyone knows that the bible is nothing more than a book of symbolism so you can’t use those exegetical techniques you use to prove anything!” Really? Wow, and why am I to believe this person? It is because he or she says so that’s why. This person uses many of the same arguments that the emergents use, but claims to not be part of that. In fact, he or she appears to be pagan, but actually, aren’t the emergents moving more and more into that realm of stupidity that is marked by fuzzy logic, disavowing all proof and claiming to know the truth is a mark of arrogance? As I said, dealing with this person has not been stressful for me at all. Instead it has been a great source impetus to dig into God’s Word to show the deep ignorance of the reprobate mind in contrast to the grand and deep truths given to us by our loving God.

The Incarnate Word Part II

by Mike Ratliff

And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?” And Jesus answered them, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.” (Luke 5:30-32 ESV)

Spiritual blindness is the result of darkness of the heart not being subject to the light of life that comes from the Lord Jesus Christ alone. Those in this darkness are ruled by their unbelief. They may consider themselves to actually be quite knowledgeable about Christianity or “Jesus” or religion, but they do not possess saving faith because they are unregenerate. They are still of the “opinion” that the sound doctrine of the atonement for the sins of those whom God saves is just another incomprehensible religious thing that elevates a “mythical God, and a mythical Jesus” way out of proportion to the actual mission of Jesus, et cetera. Men such as Bart Ehrman who wrote Misquoting Jesus would be one of these. Of course, his thesis has been soundly rejected by all sound Bible scholars, that is, those who are diligent in the soundness of their approach to interpreting Scripture. On the other hand, there are some whose unbelief has only been made darker and deeper by their acceptance of Ehrman’s fallacy and others like his. 

The Incarnate Word

by Mike Ratliff

That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life– the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us– that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. (1 John 1:1-3 ESV)

The unbelief manifested from an unregenerate heart is a wonder to behold. What is it? It is a total absence of the faith that is present in every heart that has been quickened by God. Those in this unbelief “question everything,” that is, when it concerns the gospel and sound doctrine. I suppose we should stop being surprised when these same people have no problem believing the utter nonsense associated with mysticism or avatars or that “all religions are okay with our pluralistic God.” It is the manmade that is easily accepted by the unregenerate mind while it completely rejects in abject rebellion the biblical gospel. 

Christ Our Redemption

by Mike Ratliff

Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died–more than that, who was raised–who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. (Romans 8:33-34 ESV)

The “Emergent” gospel is one that claims that the sound doctrines of orthodoxy which teach us about the atonement, advocacy, and propitiation of Christ for the sake of His sheep are unnecessary “add-ons“ to Christ Jesus and, in fact, simply get in the way of truly knowing and emulating Him. If that is so then why did the God-inspired writers of the New Testament give these sound doctrines to us in such great and clear detail? These are not “doctrines” of demons. These are not “doctrines” made up by men. No, these are the doctrines given to us by God Himself that reveals God to us, gives us the truth about our own sinfulness and spiritual bankruptcy outside of His grace, and the superiority of Christ our Saviour, our Advocate, Our propitiation, our Redeemer.

A Jesus Manifesto?

by Mike Ratliff

But as for you, teach what accords with sound doctrine. (Titus 2:1 ESV)

Some friends sent me an email they had received from Frank Viola pertaining to The ReChurch Library in which he discussed his new book Finding the Organic Church. He then talked about how well it was selling and then made suggestions that Christmas was coming and what a great gift it would make, et cetera. Then he thanked Leonard Sweet for his contributions in their developing something called A Jesus Manifesto. I honestly did not know what to expect as I read the “manifesto.” As I went through it point by point I began to realize that the focus of this “manifesto” was to abolish within the believer much of what we are taught throughout the New Testament that are actual manifestations of the growing in Christlikeness within genuine Christians. It also attempts to do away with all doctrines and the processes surrounding systematic theology in which we learn the depths of God’s sound doctrines.