The Need to Address Alternative and New Religious Movements

 As I begin to study Ephesians 5:14 where the apostle Pauls says, "Wake up, O sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you." In order to understand the biblical concept of the word "awake" or "wake up" is to look at God's Word to shed light upon its biblical meaning (1 Cor. 2:14). First, there are numerous references to scripture that will allure to its true biblical meanings (Isa. 26:19; Rom. 13:11; 1 Th. 5:5, 6; 1 Cor. 15:34) The Greek Meaning of the Word "Awake" First, the Greek verb meaning of the word "awake" or "wake up" means "to wake" or raised the dead (Isa. 26:19) Also the comparison of the Greek verb (gregoreo) which also means "to keep watch, be on guard. (Eph. 5:14) Therefore the rendering of the word "awake" or "wake up" is that the spiritual slumber must no longer sleep by which it demonstrates sinners dead in sin. (Eph. 5:1, 2)  People who are dead in their tr...

Today, I preach on "What Does Justice Looks Like?" which is a series of messages I will be preaching for the next several weeks. There is a need to address this particular issue about what is true biblical justice. There are some within Reformed evangelicalism that do not have a clear definition nor understanding of what is true justice or else social justice. When it comes to true biblical justice is the church's attitude and responsibility towards those who are less fortunate than others especially the poor marginalized and indigenous minority and people of color. Whenever we speak about biblical justice is God's way of justice by which it is based upon His righteousness. Anything that falls short of the biblical justice of God is nevertheless pretension and hypocritical. (Matt. 23) The religious leaders of Christ's day are that the Pharisees and scribes wanted to be in Moses sit by which it was based upon their own self-authority by which it was not sanctioned ...

  Outline   Text: Micah 6:1-3  I. God's Calling for the People of Israel to Plead Their Case (Mic. 6:1)     A.   God's witnesses         1. The mountains.         2. The hills.     B. God's Indictment (Mal. 3:5)        1. Sorcererers (v. 5a)        2. Adulterers        3. False witnesses     C. Injustice        1. Wage workers (Lev. 19:13)        2. Widows and the fatherless (Deut. 24:17)        3. Immigrants II. God's Indictment Against the People of Israel (Mic. 6:2)     A. God's calling upon the mountains and the enduring foundations of the earth (v. 2)        1. To be God's witness.        2. God's striving with the people of Israel.    B. The cause by which God's striving against the people of Israel (Mal. 3:5) ...

  The apostle Paul to Timothy his son in the faith says, "Timothy, guard what has been entrusted to your care." (1 Tim. 6:20a)  What were Timothy's duties and responsibilities in preaching the gospel? First, Timothy's duty was to guard to the truth of the gospel because there were those who sought to undermine the true nature and character of Christ's message. We must understand the gravity by which many professing Christians seek to "devalue" the message of Christ's gospel. (Gal. 1:8-9) Throughout this article, I will begin to address what elders duties and responsibility concerning the gospel. There are implications by which apostle Paul warns against godless chatter and the opposing ideas of what is falsely called knowledge. (v. 20b) The emptiness and futility of empty talk and knowledge ("gnosis") of those who debate about the law and Gnosticism denigration of the Person and work of Jesus Christ are very much evident within the professi...

Text: 2 Timothy 3:16 "All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness." There are many professing Christians who would challenge whether scripture is inspired by God! There is a frontal attack upon the authority and inspiration of the Bible. Such an attack comes in the form-critical analysis, deductive approach, deconstruction theory, and a wave of neo-orthodoxy.  The progression by which there is an attack upon the Bible strikes at the heart of the authority of scripture and its inspiration.  First, what is the normal text by which scripture is "inspired" by God? According to 2 Timothy 3:16, it says, "Every scripture is given by inspiration of God." In so many words "Scripture is God-breathed out by God." Every word of scripture is in fact inspired by God by which the Holy Spirit is the Author of the Bible (v. 16) Once again proof of the inspiration of sc...

 There has to be biblical proof concerning the inspiration of the scripture!  There are numerous passages of the Bible that will affirm the inspiration of the Bible (2 Tim. 3:16). The apostle Paul says, "All scripture is given by inspiration of God..." Scripture is breathed out by God by which clearly reveals that the Bible is divinely inspired by God. God is the Author of scripture. As the Author of the Bible that it is impossible for God's Word to be in error. Why? Because the character of God is Divine Truth (Jn. 14:26). The Holy Spirit who is God does not contradict the truth of scripture. Those who claim that the Bible is not God's inspired Word are what the Holy Spirit does not bear witness to. The Holy Spirit is that of Divine Truth by which He leads believers into all truth. When it comes to the meaning of the inspiration of scripture is that many of the biblical authors of the Bible were under the guidance and inspiration of the Holy Spirit. (2 Pet. 1:21) The...

 Text: 2 Timothy 3:16 "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction and training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work." (ESV) Questions of Discussion   1. What is the meaning of the inspiration of scripture? (See, 2 Pet. 1:21)  2. What was the intended purpose of God regarding the authors of the Bible?  3. Did the biblical authors of the Bible express their feeling? (Rom. 10:1)  4. Was the authors of the Bible stenographers? 5. What is "dictation" theory? 6. What are some examples of the biblical writers who were under the guidance and inspiration of the Holy Spirit? 7. What is the proof of the inspiration of scripture? 8. Name some theological terminology that is in relation to the inspiration of the Bible? 9. What are the "theory" of inspiration? What is liberalism understanding of the inspiration of the Bible? 10. What is the purpose of the nature of scriptur...

Text: John 10:4 Preface: Knowing "How to" Discern Biblical Truth Acknowledgment  Introduction:  God's Written Word? Or God's Spoken Word? Outline of Message I. "Christian" Mystics with the Church Today (Col. 2:18)    A. Take pride in the superiority of knowledge (v. 18)    B. They entertain angelic beings. (v. 18)    C. Intruding into the spirit world. (v. 18)     1. Entertaining such divine personage ("Jesus")     2. Visitation into the "third" heavens   D. They claim to have seen something; they ain't seen nothing. II. God's Elect: Chosen by God (Jn. 6:37, 44)    A. God's foreknowledge and predestination of the saved (Eph. 1:3-11)    B. God has chosen "certain" individuals unto salvation (Jn. 10:2, 4)    C. The sovereignty of God, predestination, and election. III. The Marks of Professing Believers (Matt. 7:15ff)    A. They are wolves in sheep's clothing. (v. 15)    B. Th...

The Nature of the Glory of God Text: Prov. 25:2 Introduction It is true that God is not going to share His glory with man. There are those within the professing church today who are convinced that they can "unfold" God's divine mysteries. (Col. 2:18) Outline of Sermon Introduction A. The depths of the wisdom and knowledge of God (Rom. 11:33)    1. God's unsearchable wisdom and knowledge (v. 33)      2. God is unlimited in His knowledge and wisdom by which is beyond man's understanding. B. The deep things of God    1. God knows the mind of the Spirit. (Jb. 11:7; Psa. 92:5)    2. What is revealed by the Spirit of God. (Ac. 1:7) C. The Concealing of the things of God (Deut. 29:29; Prov. 25:2)   1. God's secret wisdom and knowledge.   2. The deep mysteries of God.     a. "Who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct Him?     b. The counseled instructing the Counselor. I. The Difference Between the Glo...

 The apostle Paul warns against individuals who claim to see into the spirit world! According to Colossians 2:18 where it says, "Let no one cheat you of your reward, taking delight in false humility and worship of angels, intruding into those things which he has not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind." There are key components within this particular passage of scripture that spells out the nature of those who claim to have seen something by which they have not seen anything. The most shocking of many professing Christians is that of intruding into the spirit world as if they know all that goes on into the spiritual realm. They also claim to have had a conversation with the Universal Spirit (God) through which their spirit departed from their bodies (OBE). Within many Gnostic systems, belief is in the exaltation of the spirit as to the denigration of the flesh. When it comes to the Person of Jesus Christ most Gnostics believe that it is impossible for the Spirit Christ...

 Different things mean to different people! There are many professing Christians who throw along biblical words like throwing away toilet paper. It is so important to define such biblical concepts with the standard definition of the Bible (1 Cor. 2:13). The most basic of Bible interpretation is comparing scripture with scripture. When it comes to the biblical concept of the "secret things" of God or the hidden things of God is that there are numerous passages of scripture that will shed light upon its biblical meaning.  The question is what is the biblical meaning of the word "secret things?" According to Proverbs 25:2, it says, "It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter." When it comes to the secret things of God is that the glory of our Lord is to conceal a thing (v. 2) The Sovereign Will of God is to conceal that which is not made accessible to ordinary men. There are spiritual vandals within the church...

 As we begin to look at John chapter 3 verse 29 where it says, "The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom's voice. That joy is mine, and is now complete." It is very important to know the historical background of this particular verse under study simply because of the fact that there is so much misunderstanding when it comes to God's Word. There is a lot of biblical ignorance among those who called themselves Christians by which they professed to be saved (Matt. 7:15-24). Professing believers are those who claim to be saved by which they do not know the Lord. They appear to be saints but they are saints in sinner's clothing (Matt. 7:15). Those who are truly saved are those whom God has chosen unto His election of grace (Jn. 6:37, 44). First, Christ is Sovereign Lord over the church by which the Spirit indwells (Eph. 5:25; 1 Cor. 6:19). Christ is the head of ...

 Text: Deut. 13:1; Matt. 24:24 "If a prophet, or one who foretells by dreams , appears among you and announces to you a miraculous sign or wonder." (Deut. 13:1) "For false Christs and false prophets will arise and perform great signs and wonders, so as to lead astray, if possible, even the elect." (Matt. 24:24) Introduction Why is it so important to address the issue of false prophets? The reason for such is that so many of God's people have such a misunderstanding as to what is a false prophet. Many within the church are convinced that God is speaking through modern-day prophets these days to give such supernatural revelations, signs, and wonders. In so many words just like there were prophets then in the Old Testament that there are prophets NOW. If in fact there are modern-day prophets within the church today then why is it necessary to have God's written Word? According to Ephesians 2:20: "built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with...