Final Preparations to Receive the New Age Christ

Prof. Johan Malan, Middelburg, South Africa (March 12, 2008) www.bibleguidance.co.za

All Scripture quotations are from the New King James Version, unless otherwise stated.

Christianity experiences unprecedented attacks on its foundational truths. These attacks are motivated and coordinated by evil forces that are intent on deceiving all people as a prelude to revealing the Antichrist and physically establishing Satan’s kingdom on earth. Their main obstacle is biblical beliefs in the deity, atoning death, resurrection and second coming of Jesus Christ. As a result, attacks against evangelical Christianity are on the increase, being aimed at discrediting the canonical books of the Bible, and thus also the God and Saviour of the Bible.

From Truth to a New Spirituality

From Truth to a New Spirituality

By Berit Kjos – March 10, 2008

Background information: Prophets and teachers who mislead their flock

Deceived by a counterfeit “Jesus” – The twisted “truths” of The Shack & A Course in Miracles

A New Mask for an Ancient Secret, The Emerging One Church of the New World

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“The hope of the New Age faith, or New Spirituality, is that when this One Humanity has achieved its ‘divine potential’ and all separation has been purged from the world, then world problems such as ‘tribalism’ and poverty and hatred and violence will be left behind. The world will then be transformed by this New Humanity into a divine new world of peace, love, good will, and sharing where everyone can be free to worship his own inner (immanent) ‘God’ of his own understanding in his own way.

“The call for this New Age ‘kingdom of God’ is now being so widely heeded, even in today’s Christianity, that the building of humanity’s Ark of Oneness is suddenly nearing completion.” Tamara Hartzell

Seeds of Compassion

My friend Derek Schroeder is going to witness and street preach on 4/13 & 4/15 at the Seeds of Compassion event in Seattle. Please pray for him that he’ll boldly preach the gospel as God wills.

Below are the names of those participating in “InterSpiritual Day” April 15, 2008 for “Youth & Spiritual Connection”:

• His Holiness the Dalai Lama, a simple Buddhist monk
• Archbishop Desmond Tutu, Episcopal Archbishop of South Africa and Nobel Peace Prize Recipient
• Dr. Ingrid Mattson, President of the Islamic Society of North America
• Rabbi David Rosen, Chairman of the International Jewish Committee on Interreligious Consultations
• Roshi Joan Halifax, Zen Buddhist Master and abbess of Upaya Zen Center
• Rob Bell, emergent Christian leader, writer, and pastor of Mars Hill Bible Church in Grandville, Michigan
• Sister Joan Chittister, Benedictine Catholic nun, writer and teacher
• Pravrajika Vrajaprana, Hindu philosopher, writer, and teacher
• Doug Pagitt, evangelical author, pastor of Solomon’s Porch in Minneapolis, emergent Christian leader
• Episcopal Bishop Steven Charleston, President and Dean of Episcopal Divinity School and a Professor of Theology
• Linda Kavelin-Popov, co-founder of the Virtues Project
• Reverend Samuel Berry McKinney, civil rights leader and pastor emeritus of Mount Zion Baptist Church in Seattle
• Father William Treacy, Interfaith leader, founder of Camp Brotherhood
• Ahmed Tijani Ben Omar, Muslim scholar and spiritual leader
• Guru Singh, Sikh philosopher and spiritual leader
• Steven Shankman, the UNESCO Chair in Transcultural Studies, Interreligious Dialogue and Peace (Online source)

See also: SEEDS OF COMPASSION EVENT: ROB BELL, DOUG PAGITT WITH DALAI LAMA

and: DALAI LAMA

Pragmatism

by Mike Ratliff

For which of you, desiring to build a tower, does not first sit down and count the cost, whether he has enough to complete it? (Luke 14:28 ESV)

Postmodernism : A general and wide-ranging term which is applied to literature, art, philosophy, architecture, fiction, and cultural and literary criticism, among others. Postmodernism is largely a reaction to the assumed certainty of scientific, or objective, efforts to explain reality. In essence, it stems from a recognition that reality is not simply mirrored in human understanding of it, but rather, is constructed as the mind tries to understand its own particular and personal reality. For this reason, postmodernism is highly skeptical of explanations which claim to be valid for all groups, cultures, traditions, or races, and instead focuses on the relative truths of each person. In the postmodern understanding, interpretation is everything; reality only comes into being through our interpretations of what the world means to us individually. Postmodernism relies on concrete experience over abstract principles, knowing always that the outcome of one’s own experience will necessarily be fallible and relative, rather than certain and universal.

Postmodernism is “post” because it is denies the existence of any ultimate principles, and it lacks the optimism of there being a scientific, philosophical, or religious truth which will explain everything for everybody – a characteristic of the so-called “modern” mind. The paradox of the postmodern position is that, in placing all principles under the scrutiny of its skepticism, it must realize that even its own principles are not beyond questioning. As the philosopher Richard Tarnas states, postmodernism “cannot on its own principles ultimately justify itself any more than can the various metaphysical overviews against which the postmodern mind has defined itself.” – From Faith and Reason

Pragmatism:
Function:
noun
Date:
circa 1864

1 : a practical approach to problems and affairs <tried to strike a balance between principles and pragmatism> 2 : an American movement in philosophy founded by C. S. Peirce and William James and marked by the doctrines that the meaning of conceptions is to be sought in their practical bearings, that the function of thought is to guide action, and that truth is preeminently to be tested by the practical consequences of belief

Postmodernism is a term that that is claimed by the Emergent Church movement. This philosophy in the first part of the 21st Century has come to dominate Western thinking. In each area of thought within it we find that, invariably, pragmatism is its root. Pragmatic philosophy says that everything is relative because ultimate, transcendent truth does not exist. This makes reasoning with a pragmatist extremely frustrating.

The Four Cups of Wine of Passover

by Mike Ratliff

And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. (Luke 22:19-20 ESV)

After our study on the institution of the Lord’s Supper last week in the post Do This In Remembrance of Me, I was asked to give more detail on the four cups of the Passover. In my study I mentioned that the cups each have a name. Do these cups have any significance for Christians? Let’s see.

Five Responses to the Resurrection of Jesus

by Mike Ratliff

Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men.  (Matthew 28:1-4 ESV)

Jesus is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! According to Paul in his first epistle to the church in Corinth, the doctrine of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the lynchpin of our faith.

But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. (1 Corinthians 15:13-14 ESV)

If the resurrection of Christ is not true then Christianity is based on a myth and our faith is in vain. Therefore, we must hold tightly to the fact that our Lord is Risen. On the morning of our Lord’s resurrection there were several people who witnessed different aspects of it. Their responses to it varied drastically.

Christ the Power and Wisdom of God

by Mike Ratliff

For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (1 Corinthians 1:18 ESV)

As I write this it is Saturday evening. Tomorrow is Easter. In our last few posts we have looked at the last Passover meal our Lord had with His disciples when He instituted the Lord’s Supper and revealed the New Covenant sealed in His blood. Then we looked at the timing of the arrest, trial, scourging, crucifixion, death,  and burial of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw where the three Jewish Feasts, Passover, Unleavened Bread, and Early First Fruits lined up exactly with the three days and nights in which people were given authority over our Lord in order to fulfill them.

All genuine believers know that our Lord did not stay in the tomb. He was resurrected on Sunday morning of Nisan 17. We find the Biblical accounts of this in Matthew 28, Mark 16, Luke 24, and John 20. However, if you do a search on the internet using the term “Resurrection Foolishness” or “Empty Tomb,” for instance, you will find some godly accounts of these things, but you will also find many accounts of resistance and scorn and skepticism. I fully intended to write a post for Easter about our Lord’s Resurrection, but as I began my research and Bible reading for it, I was drawn to 1 Corinthians 1:18-25.

Do This In Remembrance Of Me

by Mike Ratliff

Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. (John 13:1 ESV)

And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. (Luke 22:14-20 ESV)

I write this on Maundy Thursday. This is the traditional day that our Lord instituted the Lord’s Supper. Tomorrow is Good Friday and this Sunday is Resurrection Day or Easter. Easter has become a special time for me over the last few years as God has drawn me more and more into His light. This year, at least it seems so to me, God is laying on the hearts of His people what a wonderful thing our Lord did for us on that cruel cross, enduring the Father’s wrath against our sin, even unto death. The night before this, however, He poured Himself into His disciples.

My Best Friend

Our friend Cristina (Baptist Girl) has posted a poem she has written that blessed me tremendously. Here is her introduction.

I just wanted to share a poem I wrote about the Lord being my best friend, and He is. He is the one true friend that sticks by you, loves you, listens to you and is a friend no matter what. If He is not your best friend, I pray someday you will Trust in what He did on the cross to bear the sinsof His children.

Follow this link to the poem.

Issues, Etc. Cancelled

Today with no advanced notice the discernment radio show, Issues, Etc. with Todd Wilkins and produced by Jeff Schwarz., was canceled by the Luther Church Missouri Synod. Both men were let go.

I have often been blessed by this show and it is indeed sad and disturbing that this “denominational group” would axe a ministry that was not only popular, but highly effective in defending salvation by sola fide. I invite you to pray about what you should do about this. Also, please view the attached video.

New Creations

by Mike Ratliff

As many of you know, my nephew Travis was diagnosed with a brain tumor over Christmas week at the end of last year. A few weeks later he underwent surgery to remove the tumor. Analysis of the tumor revealed that it did contain some type 3 cancer cells so he had to undergo several weeks of chemo-therapy. His last treatment is this Friday, the 21st of March, which is Good Friday. He is doing remarkably well. However, even more joyous to me is the spiritual growth I have witnessed in my sister’s family since all of this happened.

I am reminded of Romans 8:26-28.

All Things New

Faith: Life

by Mike Ratliff

“Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith.” (Habakkuk 2:4 ESV)

For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” (Romans 1:17 ESV)

Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” (Galatians 3:11 ESV)

For, “Yet a little while, and the coming one will come and will not delay; but my righteous one shall live by faith, and if he shrinks back, my soul has no pleasure in him.” (Hebrews 10:37-38 ESV)

The real author of Sacred Scripture is the Holy Spirit. When the Spirit of God frequently repeats Himself, He thereby appeals for special attention. Look closely at Habakkuk 2:4, Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, and Hebrews 10:37-38. Since the right doctrine comes from the Holy Spirit and He has declared that the righteous shall live by faith so often we must discern that this is doctrine and it is of highest importance. Also, these truths, this doctrine, must be preached and taught to believers as much as possible. Since all genuine believers have the Holy Spirit they should unhesitatingly receive this doctrine by their regenerated faith.

Education and Relation: Truth and Love

by John Piper

Think with me for a moment about education and relationships. Some of you care deeply that education not ignore or marginalize relationships of love. They are essential in real, lasting, life-changing education. Amen.

So I turn to the Bible. I find in place of the words, “education” and “relationship,” the words, “truth” and “love.” So what does the Bible say about how truth and love relate to each other? There are at least four ways of talking about this relationship.