Returning (briefly?) to the issues of false teachers banging the gong for, emphasizing "Four Blood Moons" and the ridiculable Nimrod antichrist theory, I was only going to focus on one of the five solas.
But that might not explain where I'm coming from; so, in short, these are the five solas:
Sola scriptura-trusting only in Scripture as God's Word revealed to mankind. Not Bible plus anything else. Just the Bible.
Sola fide-faith alone, not faith plus works, faith plus ritual, faith plus anything. Faith alone in God, not in church, nor angels, or anything else. Just Faith. In God.
Sola gratia-Grace alone-recognising that Salvation is available only from God, and only on His terms.
No one can earn Salvation; it is a gift freely given by God.
Solus Christus-Christ alone-no other name given under heaven by which man can be saved. It is all of His work and His sacrifice on our behalf that makes Salvation, being re-united with God, possible.
Soli Deo gloria- only God is worthy to be Glorified and worthy to receive worship from His creation.
Bye the bye, although the Catholic church has much to do with Latin, they don't own the language, and the Reformers who gathered together under the banner of the five solas also worked in that language in opposition to the Catholic church.
So, Sola scriptura. This Tom Horn with his Nimrod fantasy uses a passage of Scripture as his jumping off point but then populates his mythos with creatures substantiated by other sources, which means that he does not follow Sola scriptura. So I confidently reject his theories just as the Reformers of Luther's day would have, had such ridiculous notions been floated in their presence.
Jude, half brother of Christ, wrote in his book warning against false teachers.
Jude quotes from non-canonical books just as the Tom Horn types do but here is the difference:
Jude was inspired by the Holy Spirit, and while the sources may not be canonical, we can trust that
the events mentioned in those books actually occurred, or else the Holy Spirit working through Jude would not have allowed their addition into the canon.
Likewise, the Four Blood Moon theory which has more adherents due to its boosting by "Evangelicals" who have some gravitas...hogwash and garbage. Why?
Because the entire mythology is built upon the foundation of mis-quoting Scripture, as I noted in an earlier post.
To say that the "moon darkening" mentioned in conjunction with the Day of the Lord is in fact what is happening now, that such natural occurrences prove to be a harbinger of the return of Christ is simple heresy.
My friend who brought this to my attention confidently stated that Christ will return sometime in 2014 or 2015 because of these moons. My initial response was to invite him to dinner at my house in January 2016. There! I've tired out your eyes enough for this post.
7 comments:
I belong to an independent Baptist church which accepts and fully utilizes the five solas. This isn't just Doug dreaming up stuff-that is what the false teachers do-Jude said of such false teachers who pretend to follow Christ but bring heresy into the church:"
12These are the men who are hidden reefs in your love feasts when they feast with you without fear, caring for themselves; clouds without water, carried along by winds; autumn trees without fruit, doubly dead, uprooted;
13wild waves of the sea, casting up their own shame like foam; wandering stars, for whom the black darkness has been reserved forever."
Jude is pretty cool.
How do you square sola fide with Matthew 25:31-46, Romans 2:6, James 2:17, Revelation 20:12?
Hi Lu-I'll try to do this in short rather than nattering on too much.
Matthew 25:31-46. Christ speaking prophetically about the situation when He returns as King, ruler over all of Creation. Don't get thrown by the sheep and the goats reference-the sheep aren't saved by their good works just the same as the goats are not damned by their lack therof.
It is still Christ Who determines who goes into which group. It's never about how good we are as people, as that isn't what makes heaven possible.
Romans 2:6.Actually, back it up to 2:4
"4Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?
5But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,
6who will render to each person according to his deeds:
7to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life;
8but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation."
The kindness of God leads us to repentance-that kindness is exemplified by Christ coming to make a sacrifice on our behalf to restore us to a right relationship with God.
I am not saved because I am among 'those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality', I am saved because God saved me. the 'perseverance in doing good' is not for my own glory and honor, but I am moved to glory in God, honor God and thank Him for immortality, eternal life.
Those who are hardened, who reject Christ are "those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation."
James 2:17, I agree is a passage which has been controversial.
Here's a thumbnail: If I say that I have faith but have no works, I would be a liar, as true faith will produce works. As James states, if I only pay lip service and say, "Go in peace, be warmed and be filled." to someone cold and starving, I would not be showing works congruent my faith-I would be a hypocrite, talking a big game but not being a true disciple of Christ.
But again, Lu...those who have not been saved by Christ could do good, great works every moment of their lives and it would be for naught as far as Salvation. That is still only a gift from God. He does the deciding, and the good news is that no-one is ever beyond the grace of God-he is still in the saving business.
Revelation chapter 20-start at verse 4 instead of 12.
All the saints from Adam to whoever is last are part of the first resurrection mentioned in verses 5 and 6. The second resurrection, called the White Throne judgement, when the books are opened is when all are judged according to their deeds.
Here's the simplest way I can express the difference:
When God looks at those who have been saved, He sees Christ and His righteousness which washes away their sins. We appear perfectly sinless to God not because we are, but because of Christ.
Those whose sins are NOT covered by Christ will stand in the White Throne judgement and answer for their own sins.
I'm not trying to scare you or anyone, Lu, but it is scary.
I appreciate that you are looking for answers and the best thing I can tell you is that asking God for those answers is the best first step.
May God Bless you, friend.
those who have not been saved by Christ could do good, great works every moment of their lives and it would be for naught as far as Salvation. That is still only a gift from God. He does the deciding
A God who refuses to save good people is not worthy of worship.
And Lu, we are where we have been for years:as Frank said, the crux of the biscuit is that no one is good, that all have gone astray.
I accept that, and I know that it is hard for you to accept.
It is why Christ had to come down to live as a man, live a sinless life so as to be able to make the acceptable sacrifice on behalf of sinners like me.
Bye the bye, I was quoting Frank Zappa above, from his song "Stinkfoot" on the Apostrophe' album. Frank had a lot of anger towards God and Christians, but he had some excellent music.
those who have not been saved by Christ could do good, great works every moment of their lives and it would be for naught as far as Salvation.
So... a person who does good all their life is still not good?
Hi Lu-haven't been feeling chipper the past few, so haven't checked the FDW in a while.
"So... a person who does good all their life is still not good?"
Look at the last word in my comment that you copied.
Salvation. Talking about "all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
Meaning that no one can ever be good enough on their own to merit Heaven.
It took God humbling Himself, perfectly good and without sin, coming down from Heaven and dying in our place as a perfect, sinless substitute so that, trusting in Christ's righteousness, sinners such as I am can be forgiven.
Watch for another fun post soon.
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