A "FLASH IN THE PAN"
The inappropriate attention that I am giving to this recently released document, "The Manhattan Declaration," reminds me of the hulabaloo surrounding that tacky movie "The Last Temptation of Christ" last century. The movie was a bomb. And had less attention been paid that exercise in idiocy, it would have fared even more dismally. And shortly after the flash-in-the-pan film came out, it went back in the can. This so-called "declaration," an exercise in ecumenical, oxymoronic, pseudo-theology, will go the way of "Temptation."
"WHEN SIGNATURES DON'T COUNT"
I am also reminded of a piece of "legislation" that was about to be passed by our Congress during the '70's that was brought to the floor of our legislatures by none other than Madely Murra O'Hare herself, a piece of law that would end all religious broadcasting. Gullible Christians by the score took strange, often difficult to read copies of this proposed legislation to church with them and enlisted thousands of folks to sign a petition that would be sent to our Senators, demanding that they vote "no" to O'Hare's law. Well, lo and behold, there never was such a proposal, either by O'Hare or anyone else. Yet, when the petitions reached Washington it had thousands upon thousands of signatures.
The number of signatures for "The Manhattan Declaration" has now grown to over 300,000, including the names of many of our leading conservative evangelicals.
AN "UNEQUAL (AND UNBIBLICAL) YOKE"
I am sitting here with my Bible open to 2 Corinthians 6, and verses 14-18. The plain teaching of this passage forbids precisely what we see taking place in not only this document when Christians join with Roman Catholics, but in earlier documents as well, e.g., "Protestants and Catholics Together." Protestants have obviously forgotten why we are called "Protestants." (John MacArthur's notes on this passage are without compromise and relevant to this Manhattan Declaration and those who have signed it, i.e., endorsed it).
A VERY LOFTY (AND APPARENTLY HEAVENLY) CLAIM
Perhaps you saw this as well. On page 1, under "Declaration," you will read these words, "We act together in obedience to the one true God." In the context of the entire paragraph, it appears that the authors are convinced that this document is written in obedience to a recent command from God Himself, tempered by Scripture and "human reasoning." This smacks of the Roman doctrine that makes tradition equal to Scripture.
AN UNTIL NOW, NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE, DOCTRINE OF ABROGATION
However, if they do believe that God wanted them to write this document, intimating the "Fatherhood of God" and proclaiming a modified "universalism," they surely must have wrestled with the question of being "unequally yoked together with unbelievers" and concluded God has more or less abrogated 2 Cor. 6:14.
A "FIRE FIGHT" WORTH OUR BRIEF ATTENTION
During the Vietnam War, skirmishes between small units of oppossing forces came to be called "fire fights." The term may have been coined in some other war, but I became familiar with it because of Vietnam. They were, in fact, battles. And each fire fight was necessary in order for our troops to kill the enemy and defend themselves. The media recounted almost daily particular fire fights from that day.
I see the passing uproar over this document as a skirmish, with oppossing forces in the mix, believers and unbelievers fighting side by side, confused, deceived, and deceiving. It is an "ecumenical exercise in futility," a perhaps a well-intentioned exercise. But an exercise that must now be addressed if for no other reason than that it has surfaced and garnered the attention of Christians who have chosen to sign and those who have publicly come out against it.
WHAT EXACTLY DID THEY MEAN?
What this "Manhattan Declaration" needs now is further clarification from the authors.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Wednesday, November 25, 2009
The "Manhattan Declaration:" More thoughts on its short-comings and dangers
I am very decidedly, anti-ecumenical. Certain mainline denominations have jettisoned the Lord Jesus, His exclusivety, His atoning blood, and the Bible, like the pagans did Jonah, in order to save themselves (from the embarrassment of having to say they actually believe in Jesus and the Bible). They have failed miserably. Instead of gaining favor with the world, as they hoped to do, they have found disfavor with their own numbers who have left them (and wisely so), as well as shown themselves absurdly ridiculous to the world.
On more than one occasion, however, I have come across a Presbyterian (PCUSA), an Episcopalian, and a Methodist minister who are genuine believers. They are as rare as hen's teeth, but there are some out there. With these gentlemen, I will fellowship, I can fellowship.
Roman Catholics are a different breed all together. One of the world's largest cults (the other being Islam), I have nothing in common with them whatsoever. To the mainline denominations and the Romanists, the Gospel means something entirely different from what the Bible plainly proclaims. And being that these apostates proclaim a "different gospel" and a different Jesus, fellowship is definitely forbidden. They are, in fact, along with Islam, "anathema" (Gal. 1:6-10).
The "Manhattan Declaration" is an unashamedly ecumenical document. The authors have set forth false common grounds amongst themselves upon which they might fellowship and cooperate, none of which include agreement on what the Lord Jesus actually accomplished once and for all. Agreeing on vital social issues does not make for nor does it necessitate Christian fellowship.
The Gospel is not a social issue but a spiritual one, centering unapologetically on the finished work of God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit, in the work of repentance, justification, redemption, forgiveness, sanctification, new life, and reconciliation through and only through the Substitutionary Atonement of the Lamb of God, Jesus the Christ. This is where the Manhattan Declaration fails; it pollutes the Gospel.
As I have stated in an earlier post on this same topic, the "Declaration" is a redundancy, a mere rehashing of issues covered before in this same vain fashion. A perusal of this document may stir one to sign it. But a careful and thoughtful reading should give one pause.
On more than one occasion, however, I have come across a Presbyterian (PCUSA), an Episcopalian, and a Methodist minister who are genuine believers. They are as rare as hen's teeth, but there are some out there. With these gentlemen, I will fellowship, I can fellowship.
Roman Catholics are a different breed all together. One of the world's largest cults (the other being Islam), I have nothing in common with them whatsoever. To the mainline denominations and the Romanists, the Gospel means something entirely different from what the Bible plainly proclaims. And being that these apostates proclaim a "different gospel" and a different Jesus, fellowship is definitely forbidden. They are, in fact, along with Islam, "anathema" (Gal. 1:6-10).
The "Manhattan Declaration" is an unashamedly ecumenical document. The authors have set forth false common grounds amongst themselves upon which they might fellowship and cooperate, none of which include agreement on what the Lord Jesus actually accomplished once and for all. Agreeing on vital social issues does not make for nor does it necessitate Christian fellowship.
The Gospel is not a social issue but a spiritual one, centering unapologetically on the finished work of God the Father, Jesus the Son, and the Holy Spirit, in the work of repentance, justification, redemption, forgiveness, sanctification, new life, and reconciliation through and only through the Substitutionary Atonement of the Lamb of God, Jesus the Christ. This is where the Manhattan Declaration fails; it pollutes the Gospel.
As I have stated in an earlier post on this same topic, the "Declaration" is a redundancy, a mere rehashing of issues covered before in this same vain fashion. A perusal of this document may stir one to sign it. But a careful and thoughtful reading should give one pause.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
The "Manhattan Declaration:" Much ado about somethings: But is it enough?
The "Manhattan Declaration" is a well written, well thought out, ecumenical declaration concerning the threats looming over the family, marriage, life, and religious liberty. Whether or not it makes any difference at all in our society is yet to be seen. My bet is that it will not.
The areas of life addressed in this "Declaration" are not merely issues of significance for individuals, to be decided by these individuals, or by congregations or by religious denominations or religious organizations, but matters that are ultimately decided by our government. Our nation has drifted so very far from its founding values and its Constitution, that individual rights and religious freedoms sit on the precipice of annihilation.
Marriage, which was once strictly a religious concern and historically has fallen under states' rights, has been increasingly given over to federal authority. And life itself, taken for granted as God-given for our first two centuries, is now seen as despensable and sometimes an inconvenience that can and should be removed either by abortion or euthanasia.
Religious liberty has also gone the way of individual liberties. Homosexuals, abortionists, and other liberal minded groups and individuals along with the introduction of Islam into our society, have proposed in the last decade "hate crime" legislation that could, and indeed would, silence those pastors/preachers in this nation who preach the Bible without compromise, those who do not ignore Scripture that clearly denounces deviant lifestyles. The silencing of these preachers would effectively silence the church and end religious freedoms/protections guaranteed in the First Amendment. The church in America could very possibly devolve into a church like that approved by communist China.
Missing in this "Manhattan Declaration" (and regrettably so) is any word on the encroachment of the "spirit of the Antichrist," Islam, into our nation's government and our communities. The First Amendment does indeed grant all religions the freedom to freely practice their religion on our shores. But our Constitution also guarantess protection against our enemies, "both foreign and domestic." Islam is both an enemy foreign as well as domestic. Religious liberty is no longer "religious" nor is it a "liberty" when any religion plots and publicly declares its desire to overthrow our government and install itself as the only true government and the only true religion in all the nation and the world as Islam has done and continues to do.
With our current administration in Washington headed by an extreme liberal in the White House (which in itself is un-Constitutional, no President has this much power under the Constitution), Islam has found a willing ear in the cowardly, politically correct and intolerant American politician. The 57 Islamic nations on this globe and the 1.4 or so billion Muslims have found the American government spineless, afraid to defend itself against Islam's violations of the Constitution, fearing being labeled "Islamophobic" more than we fear our enemy itself. And American Muslims and their organizations are silently undermining our Constitution as they have their way with our public scholls, universities, private industry, and our government.
The Manhattan Declaration is, quite frankly, a rehashing of concerns that the American church has dealt with for several decades to no avail. The church in America is powerless. And another declaration or "manifesto" is not going to make any difference, no matter how many evangelicals or Catholics or Orthodox folks sign it. This latest declaration will very likely fall by the wayside.
Liberal seminaries, liberal pastors and theologians, and "your best life now" heresies have so weakened the church, both the visible church and the true church, that it is just a silly and trivial entity, absolutely powerless and irrelevant. It is not the "Manhattan Declaration" that will change America, it is men of God standing up and preaching the word of God without compromise, with "fear and trembling" in the presence of God Himself, who can change the course that our nation has willingly and gladly fallen into.
The true church in America must, must follow the examples of our founding fathers and stand up for truth once again, willing to risk life and limb, both in the political arena as well as in the defense of our religious and individual liberties. In our nation, and thankfully so, government and Christian principles were deliberately designed to work together for the good of all people, one not infringing upon the other. Islam, political correctness, and extreme liberalism in Washington are working to bring about the downfall of America.
We have big fish to fry, fish the church is to its own hurt overlooking.
http://demossnews.com/manhattandeclaration/press_kit/manhattan_declaration_signers
The areas of life addressed in this "Declaration" are not merely issues of significance for individuals, to be decided by these individuals, or by congregations or by religious denominations or religious organizations, but matters that are ultimately decided by our government. Our nation has drifted so very far from its founding values and its Constitution, that individual rights and religious freedoms sit on the precipice of annihilation.
Marriage, which was once strictly a religious concern and historically has fallen under states' rights, has been increasingly given over to federal authority. And life itself, taken for granted as God-given for our first two centuries, is now seen as despensable and sometimes an inconvenience that can and should be removed either by abortion or euthanasia.
Religious liberty has also gone the way of individual liberties. Homosexuals, abortionists, and other liberal minded groups and individuals along with the introduction of Islam into our society, have proposed in the last decade "hate crime" legislation that could, and indeed would, silence those pastors/preachers in this nation who preach the Bible without compromise, those who do not ignore Scripture that clearly denounces deviant lifestyles. The silencing of these preachers would effectively silence the church and end religious freedoms/protections guaranteed in the First Amendment. The church in America could very possibly devolve into a church like that approved by communist China.
Missing in this "Manhattan Declaration" (and regrettably so) is any word on the encroachment of the "spirit of the Antichrist," Islam, into our nation's government and our communities. The First Amendment does indeed grant all religions the freedom to freely practice their religion on our shores. But our Constitution also guarantess protection against our enemies, "both foreign and domestic." Islam is both an enemy foreign as well as domestic. Religious liberty is no longer "religious" nor is it a "liberty" when any religion plots and publicly declares its desire to overthrow our government and install itself as the only true government and the only true religion in all the nation and the world as Islam has done and continues to do.
With our current administration in Washington headed by an extreme liberal in the White House (which in itself is un-Constitutional, no President has this much power under the Constitution), Islam has found a willing ear in the cowardly, politically correct and intolerant American politician. The 57 Islamic nations on this globe and the 1.4 or so billion Muslims have found the American government spineless, afraid to defend itself against Islam's violations of the Constitution, fearing being labeled "Islamophobic" more than we fear our enemy itself. And American Muslims and their organizations are silently undermining our Constitution as they have their way with our public scholls, universities, private industry, and our government.
The Manhattan Declaration is, quite frankly, a rehashing of concerns that the American church has dealt with for several decades to no avail. The church in America is powerless. And another declaration or "manifesto" is not going to make any difference, no matter how many evangelicals or Catholics or Orthodox folks sign it. This latest declaration will very likely fall by the wayside.
Liberal seminaries, liberal pastors and theologians, and "your best life now" heresies have so weakened the church, both the visible church and the true church, that it is just a silly and trivial entity, absolutely powerless and irrelevant. It is not the "Manhattan Declaration" that will change America, it is men of God standing up and preaching the word of God without compromise, with "fear and trembling" in the presence of God Himself, who can change the course that our nation has willingly and gladly fallen into.
The true church in America must, must follow the examples of our founding fathers and stand up for truth once again, willing to risk life and limb, both in the political arena as well as in the defense of our religious and individual liberties. In our nation, and thankfully so, government and Christian principles were deliberately designed to work together for the good of all people, one not infringing upon the other. Islam, political correctness, and extreme liberalism in Washington are working to bring about the downfall of America.
We have big fish to fry, fish the church is to its own hurt overlooking.
http://demossnews.com/manhattandeclaration/press_kit/manhattan_declaration_signers
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
October 28 in Persecuted Church History
312: 32-year-old Roman emperor Constantine defeats Maxentius at Milvian Bridge. Before the battle, Constantine had seen the symbol of Jesus, chi-rho, in a vision, accompanied with the words "By this sign conquer." He is considered Rome's first Christian emperor.
1949: Jim Elliot, missionary to Ecuador's Auca Indians, writes in his journal the most famous of his sayings: "He is no fool who gives what he cannot keep to gain what he cannot lose.
2001: Sixteen Christians are shot and killed as Muslim militants stormed the church service they were attending in Bahawalpur, Pakistan.
2008: Father Bernard Digal (48), died after succumbing to injuries he suffered in an attack by Hindu militants in Kandhamal, Orissa in late August.
HT: Voice of the Martyrs
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
New Sermon Audio: WHEN THE END IS THE BEGINNING- Mark 15:42-16:8
Here is the audio from Sunday's message at North Fork Baptist Church. This message concluded our 13 month long sermon series through the Gospel of Mark. Next week we begin a four week series titled THE FUGITIVE from the Book of Jonah
Monday, October 26, 2009
The Offense of the Cross ... at Penn State
I am constantly flabbergasted by the extreme sensibilities of the educated elite. I'm just glad the six complainants and all involved at Penn State did not choose to burn buildings or behead students wearing the offensive t-shirts at the center of a controversy that turns out to be not-much-of-a-controversy. The "religion of peace" would have heads rolling if the shirts had featured pictures of Mohammed.
The t-shirts, as you will see in the picture in the link, do seem to "sport" a cross on the front when it is actually a likeness of the stripe on the helmets of PU's football team. But it certainly startled the bejesus out of a handful of folks (a "handful" if one has six fingers per hand). The Anti-Defamation League joined in to fight this perceived threat of the resurrection of the crucifixion of you-know-who. There was fear apparently, that tents were going to pop up on campus with Pat Robertson preaching to lost souls, destroying the First Amendment of the Constitution faster than an Obama Democrat.
The problem was some who saw the t-shirts being worn on-campus saw something "that some say resembles a cross." It's kinda like those folks who see Mary in urine in the snow, Jesus on a piece of toast, and Elvis at the 7/11. Yes, it's that serious. Fortunately, no one took this little moment of madness too far being that there was no urine involved ...or toast or Elvis.
All in all, the school handled it very well. Go PU!
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,569665,00.html
The t-shirts, as you will see in the picture in the link, do seem to "sport" a cross on the front when it is actually a likeness of the stripe on the helmets of PU's football team. But it certainly startled the bejesus out of a handful of folks (a "handful" if one has six fingers per hand). The Anti-Defamation League joined in to fight this perceived threat of the resurrection of the crucifixion of you-know-who. There was fear apparently, that tents were going to pop up on campus with Pat Robertson preaching to lost souls, destroying the First Amendment of the Constitution faster than an Obama Democrat.
The problem was some who saw the t-shirts being worn on-campus saw something "that some say resembles a cross." It's kinda like those folks who see Mary in urine in the snow, Jesus on a piece of toast, and Elvis at the 7/11. Yes, it's that serious. Fortunately, no one took this little moment of madness too far being that there was no urine involved ...or toast or Elvis.
All in all, the school handled it very well. Go PU!
http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,569665,00.html
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