All posts filed under: Apologetics

A Little Alcohol Is Too Much

Published by

The Christian who advocates or condones “drinking in moderation” is providing Satan an opening he would not have with an individual committed to total abstinence. By medical definition, alcohol is a drug. The moderate drinker is naive if he does not recognize the peril of eventually becoming addicted himself. The condition of the drunkard is tragic; and God’s Word gives clear warning of the final tragedy. The individual who refuses to have anything to do with such a dangerous taskmaster is wise indeed. No alcoholic ever intended to become an alcoholic when he/she took the first drink. And no individual who persistently refused to take the first drink ever became an alcoholic. The church of Jesus Christ must take a bold stand against this evil that in the end “bites like a serpent, and stings like a viper” (Proverbs 23:32, NKJV). The effects of alcohol are vividly described in Proverbs 23. There is a physical and emotional impact. “Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaints? Who has wounds without cause? …

A Biblical Perspective on Gamling

Published by

Part 1 Gambling, both legal and illegal, is a phenomenon gaining unprecedented acceptance. Because it is so widespread, Christians must look at this activity to determine the ethical and moral implications. Gambling Defined Advocates of gambling often try to place this activity in the same category as other ventures which involve risk. They describe farming, business, insurance, and even investments as gambling because the outcome is unpredictable and losses can occur. In this way they hope to transfer the respectability of legitimate ventures to gambling. L. M. Starkey, Jr., has made the following helpful observation: Life does have its normal risks which one must accept with faith and courage. These normal risks are in no sense equivalent to the risks in a game of chance. Gambling devises artificial risks in the hope of excessive gain far beyond what the investment of time, money, or skill would justify. In gambling the chance is unrelated to any creative effort called for by the farmer or the stockbroker in the responsible investment of his mental, monetary, and physical funds. 1. To distinguish …

A Biblical Perspective on Gambling

Published by

Part 2 A careful reading of Scripture makes it clear there are many biblical principles which show gambling is an evil to avoid. When people recognize God’s authority they will honor the principles which show gambling is evil. 1. Gambling is wrong because it is a disregard of responsible stewardship. The Bible clearly teaches that all things belong to God. “The earth is the LORD’s, and everything in it, the world, and all who live in it” (Psalm 24:1). Since all things belong to God, people are placed in the position of stewards who must give a proper accounting for everything given to them in trust. The first step in a faithful administration of this stewardship is the giving of self to God. Believers must recognize they are not their own (1 Corinthians 6:19). They have been redeemed with a price, not of silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Jesus (1 Peter 1:18,19). The churches of Macedonia set a worthy example of personal dedication when “they gave themselves first to the Lord” (2 Corinthians 8:5). Life, with all …

The Gospel of Jesus’ Wife: How a Fake Gospel-Fragment Was Composed

Published by

 Francis Watson of the University of Durham has provided a six-page analysis (PDF) of the Coptic fragment which seems to say Jesus was married. This is the most in-depth examination I have seen yet. Professor Watson concludes that The text has been constructed out of small pieces – words or phrases – culled mostly from the Coptic Gospel of Thomas (GTh), Sayings 101 and 114, and set in new contexts. This is most probably the compositional procedure of a modern author who is not a native speaker of Coptic. Among other scholars weighing in, see Gary Manning Jr., Darrell Bock, Christian Askeland, Michael Kruger, Peter Williams and Simon Gathercole, Dirk Jongkind, Daniel Wallace. HT: Scot McKnight Article Source: Justin Taylor Related articles Harvard refuses to publish Jesus-wife manuscript fragment (winteryknight.wordpress.com) “Jesus’s wife” fragment judged fake, Harvard rejects (zionistoutrage.com) Expert: “Wife of Jesus” fragment looks like a modern forgery… (patheos.com) Daniel B. Wallace responds to the “Jesus has a wife” media sensationalism (winteryknight.wordpress.com) Durham University professor calls the “Jesus had a wife” manuscript fragment a forgery (winteryknight.wordpress.com)

How to work the Altar

Published by

Here is a humorous yet sad take on how ministering at the altar have evolved into a dark and devilish showmanship. It reminds me of my sad experience in 2004. I flew to Orlando, Florida from san francisco to attend a conference where a famous and one of my favorite preachers was speaking. On the third and final night, as he invited people to the altar, he said he would personally lay hands on everyone. Thirty minutes later he started praying for groups of 20. I found myself in one of those groups with this guy trying to knock me over by placing his foot behind my heels and with his hand on my forehead trying to push me backward. I was determine that night to give no one a courtesy fall. I removed his hand from my head after wrestling with him for at least a minute, and stepped over his foot and never went to any of his meetings again. Oh Yes! I remove my name from his mailing list and stop sending …

Is Social Drinking Satan ‘s Cruel Deception?

Published by

The term social drinking suggests that the consumption of alcohol in respectable surroundings is in some way different from drinking in other environments. There was a time when it would have been unthinkable that we would have to speak out against social drinking among Christians. The fact that such a problem has grown to the currently distressing proportions shows what a powerful and insidious influence the present age exerts on the church of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit can deliver from the shackles of social drinking, and we plead with all Christians who have fallen into this bondage to cry out for God’s help immediately. Many people who experience psychological problems (and some of them unfortunately are Christians) are tempted to seek an easy solution in “a little bit” of alcohol. But what was used as a supposed cure has caused even greater problems. We are set free through Jesus Christ, not through a drug that dissipates and destroys us when we submit to its influence. Every one of the 13 million problem drinkers in …

The curse of Generational curse

Published by

The idea of a generational curse has captured the thinking of many Christians because it sounds so reasonable. Without doubt, parents have an influence on their children through inherited traits and parental teaching and example. But God holds individuals responsible for their choices and sins, not the sins of ancestors. The biblical passage on which the extreme teaching of generational curses is based must be revisited in order to see how Scripture has been misapplied. Instructing the Israelites concerning the second commandment, God said, You shall not bow down to them [idols and other gods] or worship them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generationsof those who love me and keep my commandments (Exodus 20:5,6). Let’s unpack the verse by sharing some arguments against generational curse that I find compelling: – The word “curse” is nowhere found in the Exodus passage. -If the punishment God …

Slain in the Spirit – part 1

Published by

The phrases “slain in the Spirit,” “falling under the power,” or “resting in the Spirit” are not found in the Bible. They are used, however, to describe the experience of falling to the floor under the power of the Holy Spirit. Although being slain in the Spirit seems to be a distinguishing characteristic of some recent revivals and evangelistic ministries, there are recorded accounts of people falling under the power of God or being slain in the Spirit in 18th and 19th century revivals. Some of the earlier recorded prostration experiences were related to sinners falling under conviction for their sins. More frequently in the modern Pentecostal/Charismatic revival, believers who are slain in the Spirit experience an extended, intense time of inner work of the Spirit tailored to the specific nature or needs of the individual. Some expositors have noted that in all biblical instances of the powerful presence of God causing one to fall prostrate, the position was always face down, while in contemporary instances, the worshipper falls backward. When the number of worshippers …

Modern Day Manifestation of the Spirit – Intro.

Published by

Misunderstanding and controversy have swirled around the happenings in every revival since New Testament times. When the divine manifestation of tongues was heard on the Day of Pentecost, skeptics declared the Spirit-filled believers drunk (Acts 2:13). In similar fashion, in the early days of 20th century Pentecost, many skeptics in mainline churches also misunderstood the Spirit’s outpouring and declared the Spirit-filled believers to be demon possessed. Such criticism and controversy, however, are not limited to attacks from non-Pentecostals. Some who have been reared in Pentecostal churches also disagree over which manifestations of the Spirit are biblical and therefore appropriate. Critics of extra-biblical manifestations declare them to be inappropriate because the exact same manifestations cannot be found in the Bible. Proponents of such manifestations counter, also citing scripture to justify their experiences, but remote passages used for support are often extremely distant or unrelated to the modern-day manifestation. Yet in spite of the lack of strong scriptural support, the Assemblies of God recognizes those instances in Scripture where individuals were in an abnormal physical and spiritual …

Dancing in the Spirit

Published by

Is it Biblical? Dancing in the Spirit must be clearly distinguished from social dancing and from choreographed or orchestrated dancing, even if the latter were to take place in the church sanctuary. Instances of dancing in the Spirit, as seen in the 20th century Pentecostal revival, have generally involved a single participant spontaneously “dancing” with eyes closed without bumping into nearby persons or objects, obviously under the power and guidance of the Spirit. But again, this manifestation by itself is not an indication of greater spirituality, or a pattern that all worshippers are to seek. If the experience happens, it is because the worshipper has become so enraptured with God’s presence that the Spirit takes control of physical motions as well as the spiritual and emotional being. The biblical account of David dancing before the Lord is not an example of dancing in the Spirit. Scripture says “David danced before the LORD with all his might (2 Sam. 6:14), thus describing the personal joy and thanksgiving that David consciously expressed to the Lord. Based on …