Romans 3:28 and James 2:24. Do They Contradict?

The great reformer Martin Luther perhaps coined the phrase “sola-fide”, Latin for “by faith alone”. What is believed to come by faith alone? Justification is believed to come by faith alone. What is justification? Justification is a legal term. It means to be fully pardoned of guilt and considered fully good. The sinner is fully guilty before God and needs a full pardon. If the sinner is pardoned by God for all wrong doing he is considered justified. So Martin Luther, along with the reformers, taught that one is pardoned by God and viewed as perfectly good only on behalf of faith. The sinner is not justified by anything else which he might physically, mentally, or emotionally do.

The Lord’s Supper

When partaking of the Lord’s Supper we must keep in mind that it is not an act of superstition. It is not a ritual to make us magically feel better about ourselves because we are participating in “religious-like behavior”.

First of all, it is very important to remember what Scripture teaches about the Lord’s Supper. It is for believers only. 1 Cor 10:16 says “Is not the cup of thanksgiving for which we give thanks a participation in the blood of Christ? And is not the bread that we break a participation in the body of Christ?”

The Book of Job (Not The Problem of Evil, But The Problem of God!)

Allowing evil is not a problem for God. Therefore, evil is not our ultimate problem, God is. We are all at the mercy of a God we cannot control. This seems to be Job’s greatest contention. Job is not asking “why does a loving God allow suffering” or “why would God allow me to suffer so greatly?”. After all, Job himself is the one who said “shall we accept good from God, and not trouble? (2:10)”

Contrary to common thought, Job is wondering “what is the point of living or existing when God does all that He pleases apart from us? How can we possibly take comfort in managing our own lives when God Himself is un-manageable? What possible assurance do we have in this life if we are dealing with an unsafe and unpredictable sovereign Being?” Such a God permits catastrophes if He so wills, and even to those He favors!

The Four Spiritual Flaws (A Critique of The Four Spiritual Laws)

Another way of asking it is: “Have you heard of the flaws of the Four Spiritual Laws?” I assure you, I have posted this with the best of intentions. I have nothing personal against Bill Bright who penned this famous gospel tract. Nor do I have anything against witnessing. Rather, I am all about witnessing, but in the most biblical way. This is because I believe the most biblical way is also the most effective way. I do not believe that TFSL’s (The Four Spiritual Laws) are it. There are many gospel tracts devised by well intentioned modern evangelicals. However, because our post-modern world is primarily searching for “inner-peace”, “acceptance”, and “a purpose for life”, the modern church’s gospel has adjusted to satisfy such needs. This is instead of teaching and proclaiming the real gospel which satisfies God’s needs, namely, His justice being carried out because of our lawlessness, either in us, or in us vicariously through Christ!

A Message To Catholics (Jesus Christ: Our Last and Only Hope)

I heard it once asked “Is fear the heart of love?” I would respond to that question by saying “not one bit”. Love itself is the heart of love. Fear, in the sense of being virtuous, is the heart of living rightly without dire consequences. Proverbs 1:7 says “the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge”. Does this mean fearing the Lord will help you with your geometry homework? Not quite. Context, context, context. The first few chapters in Proverbs explains that if you don’t live like you fear the Lord you live like the Lord ought to fear you! Now which of these two ways of thinking is in line with making right decisions? The answer is clear. In addition, the rest of Proverbs 1:7 says “fools despise wisdom and discipline”. We are not to be fools, thus careless of what God desires, but fear God so as to make wise choices. So fearing the Lord is advantageous in the sense of living rightly, but not gaining salvation.

The Wonderful Purpose of The Law Within The Gospel!

This is part of an outline I taught on at my college to a group of believers and unbelievers. Most Christians have a poor and unbiblical understanding of what the law is for and what grace is for. Most believe that grace is to make an easier way to God instead of the law. This is profoundly untrue. The law was never intended to be a way to God! I recommend reading ‘The Law and the Gospel’ by Ernest Reisinger in order to have a comprehensive knowledge of law and grace. In summary, the law was given so that we would need grace, and grace was given so that we would fully live according to the law. Chew on that for a while! You won’t hear that in many churches today.

What isn’t the gospel?

The gospel isn’t having good feelings about God. It isn’t believing that “God” exists. It isn’t believing that Jesus historically existed or died. It isn’t believing that Jesus loves you. It isn’t believing that you’re going to heaven when you die.

Knowledge of God or theology even belongs to Satan and demons. Simply proper knowledge of God is of no real significance. James 2:19 You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that-and shudder.

The gospel begins with understanding our sin problem.

What In The World Is Biblical Faith?

This is a topic that has been heavy on my heart. However, I’d like to keep my points short and simple and leave you with much Scripture at the end. There is a lot of confusion in the Church today as to what faith is. The particular faith I am referring to in this thread is not our saving faith, but the faith we are to grow in as believers. In other words, I will address the type of faith that the believing Christian possesses. “Saving faith” is the faith given by God to an un-regenerate soul in order to credit Christ’s righteousness to them. Our saving faith is our initial faith because it means we are declared forever right with God; however, we all continue in an ever developing trust in Christ after this happens. It is our increasing trust, our increasing faith, which I will dispel upon. Let us call it “the believer’s faith”, as it is the faith in which all believer’s are to continually pray and trust God with.

What is not the believer’s faith?

In short, the believer’s faith is not immaculate positivity, flawless optimism, complete suspension of doubt, or even believing the impossible is possible. Jedi Knights have this kind of faith. Even those who hold to ‘The Secret’ have this kind of faith, and even eastern mystics have this kind of faith.

Prosperity Pimps

Here is a sermon by Donnie Swaggart, Jimmy Swaggart’s son, revealing the sin of the prosperity, health, and wealth gospel. He refers to prosperity gospel preachers as “prosperity pimps”, and rightfully does so. This is one of the most amazing things I’ve seen in a while.

Part 1:

Part 2:

Part 3:

Here are some quotes he said that stuck out to me:

“[Upset] when a preacher tells you that if you give so much that God has to give you so much in return… that’s a lie.”

“[Upset] when a preacher stands up and says the blessing of Abraham is wealth… that is a lie. The blessing of Abraham is justification by faith. The bible says “Abraham believed God and God accounted it unto him as righteousness”.”

“[In tears] we are selling Jesus… we are selling the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords… we are selling Jesus Christ, the one who bore the stripes upon His back, who took our punishment that we deserve… we are selling Him at bargain based prices.”

“These prosperity pimps make prosperity a means of lively-hood. Have you ever noticed the only ones driving the Rolls-Royce is them and not you?”

KNOW WHAT YOU BELIEVE AND WHY. LEARN THE BASIC POINTS OF THE GOSPEL BY CLICKING HERE.

Life: What is its purpose?

This is an excerpt to a video I made and placed on YouTube. Here is the link, or watch the video below. I thought I would post it on my blog as well.

Attempting to discover the meaning of life is the ultimate vanity of vanities. Even those who have everything end up with nothing. The irony of life is that it doesn’t matter if one is a King or a peasant, a business man or an aborted baby. Death is the great humiliator for everyone. It is everyone’s fate.

Here are the last words of a man on death row: “Whether a King or a street sweeper, we all have to dance with the Grimm Reaper.”

No one dies who wont eventually die anyways. If you are alive now, you are as good as dead because death will reach you eventually without your consent or control. You were born apart from your will, so you will die apart from your will. So while we are alive on this side of death, what are we to do? What is our purpose? Is there anything of eternal significance for us here? Does it even matter what we do? This is the theme of the book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible, but it is not the conclusion…

Is Merely Wanting To Be Saved A Work Of Salvation?

I will jump right into the heart of my response and say “yes” it is a work. I personally conclude this because 1. I believe this to be logically true, and 2. I believe this to be scripturally true. First I will dispel why I believe this to be logically true.

The illustration was once used on me that salvation for the sinner is no different than receiving a gift. Those who sought to counsel me on this matter meant well and are still dearly loved friends in Christ. But there we were sitting at the table. A small box was slipped over to me. “Now Cameron. I’m giving you this present. I want you to have it. Now if you take it, is that a work?” My answer was “yes…it is!” The conversation seemed to be going no where. We changed the course of our discussion after that point. We began to talk about other points of the gospel.