Reforming to Scripture or Reforming to Culture?

Our culture is embracing same sex marriage and promoting homosexuality as normal practice. The latest denomination to reform itself to the culture’s values is the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America. The ELCA news service ran this article on August 13, 2009, ELCA Clergy Support Gay, Lesbian Rights, Ordination, Survey Says.[1] Then on August 19, 2009, the social statement "Human Sexuality: Gift and Trust" was amended and adopted by a more than two-thirds majority vote at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, meeting in Minneapolis.[2] On August 21, the official ELCA NEWS SERVICE posted an article, ELCA Assembly Opens Ministry to Partnered Gay and Lesbian Lutherans.[3]

Within the ELCA there is a group that is concerned with reforming to Scripture called Lutheran CORE.[4] The opening line of the ministry section that describes who they are says: “Lutheran CORE is a coalition of pastors, lay people, congregations and reforming groups. We seek to preserve within the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America the authority of the Word of God according to the Lutheran confessions.” In a news release,[5] Mark Chavez, director of the Lutheran Coalition for Reform (CORE), says, Lutheran CORE leaders renounce ELCA decision to endorse gay marriage and to allow pastors to be in same-sex relationships. Ryan Schwarz of Washington, D.C., a member of the Lutheran CORE Steering Committee stated, “The assembly has voted to remove the ELCA from the universal Christian consensus on marriage and homosexual behavior. Lutheran CORE intends to remain faithful to the clear teaching of Scripture and the consistent teaching of the Christian Church worldwide and throughout time.” For those who appreciate the late Martin Luther, you have to appreciate this group within the ELCA who desire to stop the slide further to the left of Scripture. Schwarz also went on to say, “The ELCA Confession of Faith says that Scripture is ‘source and norm’ of the church’s faith and life, but this assembly has shown that the ELCA is willing to violate what it officially says it believes about the Bible.” It is also refreshing to hear the words of Jaynan Clark, president of the WordAlone Network, (The WordAlone Network is one of the renewal organizations that make up Lutheran CORE) say: “It is appalling that ELCA leaders brought these proposals to a vote. The church should not be voting on whether or not to follow the teaching of the Bible… Luther’s stand was on the Word of God and sound reason. He was not convinced then, and we are not convinced now. We just voted out the Word of God, sound reason and the good orders of creation.”

Be careful when you say that Lutherans are embracing gay clergy. Remember that under the heading of any denominational name like Baptist, Lutheran, Presbyterian and Methodist there are subgroups that range from liberal to conservative and differing degrees between the two poles. Under the name, “Lutheran” you have the Evangelical Lutherans Church in America, The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod and Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod. The Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod has a statement regarding the latest discussion of the ELCA. Dr. Gerald B. Kieschnick, president of LCMS, said, “ELCA’s vote is contrary to the synod’s biblical interpretation. The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod has repeatedly affirmed as its own position the historical understanding of the Christian church that the Bible condemns homosexual behavior as ‘intrinsically sinful.’ It is therefore contrary to the will of the Creator and constitutes sin against the commandments of God.”[6]

The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod has also made a statement regarding ELCA’s recent decision. Rev. Mark Schroeder, president of the Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod (WELS), stated, “To view same-sex relationships as acceptable to God is to place cultural viewpoint and human opinions above the clear Word of God.”[7]

Luther was determined throughout his life to reform his beliefs to the authoritative Word of God. It seems that the ELCA is determined to reform their beliefs to the norms of society. The Bible condemns homosexuality and the ELCA condones it? Pray for those within the ELCA, such as CORE, who are taking a stand. Thank God for the other Lutheran groups seeking to stay faithful to Scripture regarding the issue of homosexuality.

We must always be reforming ourselves to the authority of Holy Scripture—God help us to stand!

A must read:

**Click here for Gagnon's website [http://www.robgagnon.net/ ]





[1] http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Churchwide-Organization/Communication-Services/News/Releases.aspx?a=4209

[2] http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Churchwide-Organization/Communication-Services/News/Releases.aspx?a=4232

[3] http://www.elca.org/Who-We-Are/Our-Three-Expressions/Churchwide-Organization/Communication-Services/News/Releases.aspx?a=4253

[4] http://www.lutherancore.org/

[5] http://www.lutherancore.org/pdf/newsrel-8-21-09.pdf

[6] http://www.lcms.org/pages/internal.asp?NavID=15620%20

[7] http://www.wels.net/cgi-bin/site.pl?2617&collectionID=1651&contentID=95806&shortcutID=31623

The Fury of the Wind (new modern hymn)

A good friend of mine, Eric Schumacher, has written another "modern hymn" that I highly recommend checking out...

http://www.reformedpraise.org/songs/modernhymns/the-fury-of-the-wind/


Here is a description:

This text by Eric Schumacher is a beautiful mixing of the fiery descriptions and words of God in Job and the need that seeing such wrath stirs within the human soul to “flee to Christ.” We would all be “knocked off our high horse” if God were ever to appear to us the way He did to Job in the final five chapters of the book. What a frightening and humbling experience that would be! Our only sane response would be to fall before the feet of the Holy One. It is this very realization of our mortal and sinful selves that shows us the need that we have for the Holy God to make provision for us (no other could possibly do so!). God the Son is the only one who can “make you stand in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy” (Jude 24).This text can also be set to a traditional tune.

You can download the MP3 on the website http://www.reformedpraise.org/songs/modernhymns/the-fury-of-the-wind/

Lyrics:
The fury of the wind,
The raging of the sea,
How small a whisper do we hear
Of our God’s majesty!
The thunder of His pow’r,
O, who can understand?
Before the fullness of His wrath
O, who of us could stand?

“Shall man find fault with God?”
He asks of man below.
“Now, gird yourself to answer Me.
And tell Me, if you know:
Who made the earth and sea?
Who speaks and stars obey?
Who plays with creatures of the deep?
Who gives the beast its prey?”

You, Lord, can do all things,
And none can stay Your hand.
I uttered what I did not know
And could not understand.
Before Your greatness, Lord,
I fall upon my face.
And, by such glory stripped of pride,
I cast myself on grace.

The raging wind and sea
Cause me to flee to Christ,
Who bore the tempest of God’s wrath
To be my sacrifice.
Though in the storm I’m blind,
I trust my Sovereign’s plan.
I know that my Redeemer lives
And with Him I shall stand.

ApologetiX Jehovah

Dear Jehovah Witnesses,

Please listen to this song.

If you want to buy the album, check it out here: http://www.apologetix.com/store/store12.php

If you are mad that Christians would make a parody of a Steve Miller song...............well--go find a discussion board to air your complaints.... I happen to like the song!

***They will be in Washington, Iowa on August 8th.***

ApologetiX returns to Iowa next Saturday, our only concert of 2009 in The Hawkeye State.

Here are the details:Sat, August 8 at 7 p.m. Hamakua Place 604 S. Iowa Ave.Washington, IA 52353

Here are some nearby cities and how many miles away they are:Iowa City (35), Burlington and Cedar Rapids (60), Davenport and Bettendorf (75) Galesburg IL (105) and Des Moines (110).

To purchase advance tickets at a discount, please go to: http://www.apologetix.com/concerts and click on this concert. If you attend, keep in mind that we always meet with friends and fans in the lobby after our shows. Hope to see you there!J.J. JacksonApologetiX (That Christian Parody Band) http://us.mc589.mail.yahoo.com/mc/compose?to=j@apologetix.com

The Christian View of Death—Absent from the Body and Present with the Lord

We have a material body and an immaterial soul/spirit (Genesis 35:18; 2 Kings 17:21; Matthew 10:28; Acts 7:59)
• Genesis 35:16-18 Rachel began to give birth and she suffered severe labor. 17 When she was in severe labor the midwife said to her, "Do not fear, for now you have another son." 18 It came about as her soul was departing (for she died), that she named him Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin.

• Matthew 10:28 28 "Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.

• Acts 7:59-60 59 They went on stoning Stephen as he called on the Lord and said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" 60 Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them!" Having said this, he fell asleep.

• Luke 23:42-43 42 And he was saying, "Jesus, remember me when You come in Your kingdom!" 43 And He said to him, "Truly I say to you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise."
•**Luke 23:43 –both Jesus and the thief died and were buried, but Jesus while on the cross said they would be in paradise “today”.


At the moment of death, our soul separates from the body and departs to be with Christ (2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:20-25; Hebrews 12:23; Revelation 6:9-11; 20:4 )• 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 6 Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord-- 7 for we walk by faith, not by sight-- 8 we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord.

• Philippians 1:20-26 20 according to my earnest expectation and hope, that I will not be put to shame in anything, but that with all boldness, Christ will even now, as always, be exalted in my body, whether by life or by death. 21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 But if I am to live on in the flesh, this will mean fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose. 23 But I am hard-pressed from both directions, having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for that is very much better; 24 yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake. 25 Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith . . .


Our material body returns to dust (Genesis 3:19) and we remain in a disembodied state in heaven (2 Corinthians 5:8; Philippians 1:23) until the resurrection (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18).• Genesis 3:19 19 By the sweat of your face You will eat bread, Till you return to the ground, Because from it you were taken; For you are dust, And to dust you shall return."


At the second coming of Jesus Christ , believers who have died will return with him and receive their resurrected bodies first; the believers who are alive at that time will be transformed as well (1 Thess. 4:13-18; 1 Cor. 15:20-23, 51-52)
• 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 13 But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. 14 For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so God will bring with Him those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. 15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

• 1 Corinthians 15:20-24 20 But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who are asleep. 21 For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead. 22 For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming, 24 then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father . . .

• 1 Corinthians 15:51-52 51 Behold, I tell you a mystery; we will not all sleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.


A resurrected body is the final phase of our redemption (Rom. 8:23; Philippians 3:20-21) Other resurrection passages: Matthew 22:23-33; John 5:24-29 [*our deeds are produced by God 3:21], 11:23-27; Acts 24:15; Revelation 20:4-6, 12-15 )
• Romans 8:23 23 And not only this, but also we ourselves, having the first fruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our body.

• Philippians 3:20 - 4:1 20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ; 21 who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory, by the exertion of the power that He has even to subject all things to Himself.

• Matthew 22:23-33 23 On that day some Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) came to Jesus and questioned Him, 24 asking, "Teacher, Moses said, 'IF A MAN DIES HAVING NO CHILDREN, HIS BROTHER AS NEXT OF KIN SHALL MARRY HIS WIFE, AND RAISE UP CHILDREN FOR HIS BROTHER.' 25 "Now there were seven brothers with us; and the first married and died, and having no children left his wife to his brother; 26 so also the second, and the third, down to the seventh. 27 "Last of all, the woman died. 28 "In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had married her."
• 29 But Jesus answered and said to them, "You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God. 30 "For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 31 "But regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God: 32 'I AM THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, AND THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB '? He is not the God of the dead but of the living." 33 When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.

• John 5:24-29 24 "Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. 25 "Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 "For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; 27 and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man. 28 "Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, 29 and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment. [***Deeds are evidence of God’s work among confessing believers… John 3:21 21 "But he who practices the truth comes to the Light, so that his deeds may be manifested as having been wrought in God." ]

• John 11:23-27 23 Jesus said to her, "Your brother will rise again." 24 Martha said to Him, "I know that he will rise again in the resurrection on the last day." 25 Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?" 27 She said to Him, "Yes, Lord; I have believed that You are the Christ, the Son of God, even He who comes into the world."

• Acts 24:15 15 having a hope in God, which these men cherish themselves, that there shall certainly be a resurrection of both the righteous and the wicked.

See also: http://alwaysreformingtoscripture.blogspot.com/2008/05/absent-from-body-present-with-lord.html

 Therefore we also have as our ambition,

whether at home or absent,

to be pleasing to Him.

2 Cor. 5: 9

The Troubled Soul (PS 42) by CJ Mahaney

You need to download and listen to the sermon below. I preached on Psalm 73 Sunday and I heard a great sermon preached live via the internet of C.J. Mahaney's sermon on Psalm 42 from RESOLVED 2009

click on the title The Troubled Soul PSALM 42
MP3
C.J. Mahaney
Mon, Jun 15, 2009


http://www.resolved.org/

Sermon: The Called Ones of Jesus Christ (Romans 1:6)

Sermon Text:
Romans 1:6 among whom you also are the called of Jesus Christ

For the audio download of this sermon click here

(I preached this sermon in 2006)




Sermon Notes:

What does it mean that the Roman believers are “the called” of Jesus Christ (see also Jude 1)?

There are at least two uses of the word called

(1) The General Call: a call that comes through the preaching of the gospel (Matt. 24:14; Mark 13:10; Acts 8:40).

(2) The Effectual (Effective) Call: The effectual call is effective, that is, it always results in salvation (Romans 8:30, Romans 1:6-7; I Corinthians 1:9, 26; II Peter 1:10)

"Effective calling is an act of God the Father, speaking through the human proclamation of the gospel, in which he summons people to himself in such a way that they respond in saving faith."
Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan, 1994) 693.

Commentaries of Romans that see the special use of calling here:

- Douglas Moo
“ ‘Call’ and its cognates are used by Paul to express an “effectual” calling. What is meant is not an “invitation” but the powerful and irresistible reaching out of God in grace to bring people into his kingdom.”
Douglas G. Moo, The Epistle to the Romans, NICNT (Grand Rapids, MI.: Eerdmans, 1996) 54.

- Thomas Schreiner
“Here it denotes the effective call accompanying the preaching of the gospel. Those who are called exercise faith in Christ (see 8:28-30). To say that Roman believers are “beloved by God” and “called to be saints” applies language to the church that was used for Israel as God’s elect people.”

Thomas R. Schreiner, Romans, Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament ( Grand Rapids: Baker, 1998) 36.

- Albert Barnes
The called of Jesus Christ. Those whom Jesus Christ has called to be his followers. The word called (see ver. 1) denotes not merely an external invitation to a privilege, but it also denotes the internal or effectual call which secures conformity to the will of him who calls, and is thus synonymous with the name Christians, or believers. That true Christians are contemplated by this address is clear from the whole scope of the epistle. See particularly Roman chapter 8.
http://www.studylight.org/com/bnn/view.cgi?book=ro&chapter=1

- Matthew Henry
“The called of Jesus Christ; all those, and those only, are brought to an obedience of the faith that are effectually called of Jesus Christ.”
http://www.ccel.org/h/henry/mhc2/MHC45001.HTM

- Leon Morris
When we think of our position as Christians we are inclined to think first of what we do, and so we speak of our faith or our commitment or the like. But Paul stresses God’s initiative. Christians are people whom God has called. He goes on to speak of being called to belong to Jesus Christ. There is a responsibility attaching to call. Those called belong to Christ. Their lives are his.
Leon Morris, The Epistle to the Romans, IVP (Leicester: IVP/Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1988) 52

Other key text:
Rom 8:28-30 And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to {His} purpose.For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined {to become} conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren; and these whom He predestined, He also called; and these whom He called, He also justified; and these whom He justified, He also glorified.

**See 1 Cor. 1:18-31 for this effectual calling of God.**

The ultimate purpose in God choosing and calling us is so that no one would boast before him.

Examples of the divine/effectual call:
One non-salvific example—the raising of Lazarus (Jn 11:39-44)
Salvific—the apostle Paul (Acts 9:1-6; 22:3-11)
Salvific—Lydia (Acts 16:13-14)

Mohler Responds Well To The Tiller Shooting

Mohler article: A Wicked Deed in Wichita: A Test for the Pro-Life Movement