My Apology
The following is my apology. Now, before you jump to conclusions and wonder, "why is this guy saying I'm sorry?" Well before one jumps to any conclusions, the reader should be aware that the word "apology" has not primarily meant. Allow me to entertain your thoughts for a moment.
First, an "apology", as defined by Webster's dictionary is primarily "a formal justification; defense". To "apologize" then is to "make a defense of ones opinion, position, or actions." Essentially it is to give reason for why you think what you think or do what you do. Personally, my calling in my Christian faith by God at this point is in the field of apologetics. Thus, I defend the true Christian faith as was "once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3).
Now, the spirit of the age is a peculiar one. It is one of laxity and toleration. Toleration to the point that there is no such thing as absolute right or wrong. Rather, everyone is entitled to their own beliefs about whatever they want, including religion. This position is known as "relativism" or "subjectivism" because each person is their own determining agent of what is right for them, or rather what is true for them. Each person is truth unto themselves Now, as a Christian, I personally stand against such an idea. In fact, anybody who professes to be a Christian would be inconsistent in there profession if they held on to such an idea of truth as part of their worldview. As Christians who are supposed to believe the Bible as the Word of God, we should know that the personal, almight, sovereign God of the world is a God who desires that his redeemed creatures know the truth.
Jesus said in John 8:31-32 two things that would take place if we abide in His word. He said, "If you abide in my word, you are My disciples indeed and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." First, ONLY those who "abide" in the word of God are those who are disciples of Christ. Interestingly enough, the text here uses in indicative phrase which is to say that those true followers of Christ abide in the word. This is how they are identified. The text is not saying that in order to become a disciple you must abide in the word; that would make the text hypothetical. Instead, the text is saying what disciples of Christ do. Secondly, if we abide in the word, Jesus says, "you shall know the truth." "The truth". Jesus did not say you would know the "truths" (plural). Why not? Because truth is one. There is no such things as many truths in the mind of God. Truth is the whole. Truth is consistent. This means that there cannot be two truths of something which are contradictory to each other. One of the views is true and the other is false. Now, what does the Bible say about lies? First, it is important to note that just a little further down from where Jesus spoke the words just read, he says this to the Jewish Pharisees, "Why do you not understand my speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it." Jesus says quite a bit here. First of all, he says that no lie proceeds from God. Rather, all lies, especially about God and the true faith given by God to the saints comes from Satan himself, the Father of lies. Further, he says that those who are not of God, that is those who do not have the Holy Spirit (cf. Romans 8:9; I Cor. 2:12-14) are not "able" - note very clearly the choice words of Jesus, the all-knowing almighty God in the flesh - to listen to the word of God. Now, my ministry that I am called to is to bring truth to the lives of those whom I come across. Sometimes the truth is not welcomed because the sinful hearts of man does not like the things of God (cf. Romans 8:6-7; Jeremiah 17:23, Matthew 15:19).
So now let me offer my reason why I do what I do in questioning other faiths apart from that faith that was once for all - not this: the faith has been completely and infallibly delievered by God - to the saints. I question other people's belief that are not in accord with truth FIRST because I love God. I love my redeemer. I know what my redeemer has spoken in regards to what we must believe and what is the truth. As shown earlier, the God of Scripture has said clearly that if one abides in the word they shall know the truth. My friends I have been in the word for over 8 years ever since I became a Christian on July 21, 1997. To some this is young, but many in my Christian life have seen that God has gifted me toward theological studies and such. I currently serve my church as a Bible teacher as well. Certainly a high honor and not to be taken lightly since God will hold me more accountable than others. When people presume to know God - this is taking God's name in vain; the sin of presumption - I get offended and even disappointed that some don't know God. The prophet Jeremiah spoke of this concern Israel when he said "For my people are foolish, they have not known Me. They are silly children, and they have no understanding. They are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge." Did God have pity on Israel for this? Nope. They were judged. Never to be heard from again, only as the "10 LOST tribes of Israel." For me, when somebody says something about God or what they think he says and its not true, I grieve because the One whom I love is not being accurately represented. Secondly, I love truth. My prayer since I became a Christian has been that God would guide me continually into the truth. This he has done through the God-breathed SCriptures which alone are able to "make one wise unto salvation" and are alone useful for "doctrine, reproof, correction and training in righteousness and are able to thoroughly equip and make the man of God complete" (cf. II Timothy 3:15-17). Thus, when someone professes to know something of the Christian faith APART from the Scriptures or not taught in the Scriptures, then I get disappointed because that person is not in the truth. "If you abide in my word...." Jesus did not say if you are on "10 hits of acid" you will know the truth. The Bible makes it very clear that true knowledge of God and the Christian faith comes only through the Scriptures.
Finally, I challenge people's faith when it differs from Scripture because I love them. That may sound difficult, but it is love that wants to see someone else come to the knowledge of the truth. If I didn't love them I would just sit there and let them end up in hell since God will punish idolatrous views of Him that men have created (cf. Romans 1:18-32). It is love that reaches out to say, "I think you are wrong, and should reconsider your views in the light of Scripture." Jesus did this many times. A bare reading of the Gospels will show that Jesus engaged in debates quite often to rebuke and correct. The apostles especially did this as well. In fact, many of the New Testament letters are defenses against false doctrines. Galatians is Paul's rebuke of the entire Church at Galatia for their apparent abandonement of the true Gospel. Paul, under direction of the Holy Spirit, clearly said, "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preache to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have recieved, let him be accursed."
My friends, there is ONE TRUE FAITH of God that has been once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3). It is my intention and calling I believe to be used of God to help preserve that precious faith. For no other "gospel" saves. There is no other way to heaven than that which God has given to us in Christ and revealed in the SCriptures alone.
My prayer is that this will find its way into the minds of my friends and acquintances who have "seen me in action" as of recently. That they night know now why I do what I do. While I don't expect all to agree with it, at least now it should be clear where I stand and gladly sing to the hymn, "On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand..."
First, an "apology", as defined by Webster's dictionary is primarily "a formal justification; defense". To "apologize" then is to "make a defense of ones opinion, position, or actions." Essentially it is to give reason for why you think what you think or do what you do. Personally, my calling in my Christian faith by God at this point is in the field of apologetics. Thus, I defend the true Christian faith as was "once for all delivered to the saints" (Jude 3).
Now, the spirit of the age is a peculiar one. It is one of laxity and toleration. Toleration to the point that there is no such thing as absolute right or wrong. Rather, everyone is entitled to their own beliefs about whatever they want, including religion. This position is known as "relativism" or "subjectivism" because each person is their own determining agent of what is right for them, or rather what is true for them. Each person is truth unto themselves Now, as a Christian, I personally stand against such an idea. In fact, anybody who professes to be a Christian would be inconsistent in there profession if they held on to such an idea of truth as part of their worldview. As Christians who are supposed to believe the Bible as the Word of God, we should know that the personal, almight, sovereign God of the world is a God who desires that his redeemed creatures know the truth.
Jesus said in John 8:31-32 two things that would take place if we abide in His word. He said, "If you abide in my word, you are My disciples indeed and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." First, ONLY those who "abide" in the word of God are those who are disciples of Christ. Interestingly enough, the text here uses in indicative phrase which is to say that those true followers of Christ abide in the word. This is how they are identified. The text is not saying that in order to become a disciple you must abide in the word; that would make the text hypothetical. Instead, the text is saying what disciples of Christ do. Secondly, if we abide in the word, Jesus says, "you shall know the truth." "The truth". Jesus did not say you would know the "truths" (plural). Why not? Because truth is one. There is no such things as many truths in the mind of God. Truth is the whole. Truth is consistent. This means that there cannot be two truths of something which are contradictory to each other. One of the views is true and the other is false. Now, what does the Bible say about lies? First, it is important to note that just a little further down from where Jesus spoke the words just read, he says this to the Jewish Pharisees, "Why do you not understand my speech? Because you are not able to listen to My word. You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it." Jesus says quite a bit here. First of all, he says that no lie proceeds from God. Rather, all lies, especially about God and the true faith given by God to the saints comes from Satan himself, the Father of lies. Further, he says that those who are not of God, that is those who do not have the Holy Spirit (cf. Romans 8:9; I Cor. 2:12-14) are not "able" - note very clearly the choice words of Jesus, the all-knowing almighty God in the flesh - to listen to the word of God. Now, my ministry that I am called to is to bring truth to the lives of those whom I come across. Sometimes the truth is not welcomed because the sinful hearts of man does not like the things of God (cf. Romans 8:6-7; Jeremiah 17:23, Matthew 15:19).
So now let me offer my reason why I do what I do in questioning other faiths apart from that faith that was once for all - not this: the faith has been completely and infallibly delievered by God - to the saints. I question other people's belief that are not in accord with truth FIRST because I love God. I love my redeemer. I know what my redeemer has spoken in regards to what we must believe and what is the truth. As shown earlier, the God of Scripture has said clearly that if one abides in the word they shall know the truth. My friends I have been in the word for over 8 years ever since I became a Christian on July 21, 1997. To some this is young, but many in my Christian life have seen that God has gifted me toward theological studies and such. I currently serve my church as a Bible teacher as well. Certainly a high honor and not to be taken lightly since God will hold me more accountable than others. When people presume to know God - this is taking God's name in vain; the sin of presumption - I get offended and even disappointed that some don't know God. The prophet Jeremiah spoke of this concern Israel when he said "For my people are foolish, they have not known Me. They are silly children, and they have no understanding. They are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge." Did God have pity on Israel for this? Nope. They were judged. Never to be heard from again, only as the "10 LOST tribes of Israel." For me, when somebody says something about God or what they think he says and its not true, I grieve because the One whom I love is not being accurately represented. Secondly, I love truth. My prayer since I became a Christian has been that God would guide me continually into the truth. This he has done through the God-breathed SCriptures which alone are able to "make one wise unto salvation" and are alone useful for "doctrine, reproof, correction and training in righteousness and are able to thoroughly equip and make the man of God complete" (cf. II Timothy 3:15-17). Thus, when someone professes to know something of the Christian faith APART from the Scriptures or not taught in the Scriptures, then I get disappointed because that person is not in the truth. "If you abide in my word...." Jesus did not say if you are on "10 hits of acid" you will know the truth. The Bible makes it very clear that true knowledge of God and the Christian faith comes only through the Scriptures.
Finally, I challenge people's faith when it differs from Scripture because I love them. That may sound difficult, but it is love that wants to see someone else come to the knowledge of the truth. If I didn't love them I would just sit there and let them end up in hell since God will punish idolatrous views of Him that men have created (cf. Romans 1:18-32). It is love that reaches out to say, "I think you are wrong, and should reconsider your views in the light of Scripture." Jesus did this many times. A bare reading of the Gospels will show that Jesus engaged in debates quite often to rebuke and correct. The apostles especially did this as well. In fact, many of the New Testament letters are defenses against false doctrines. Galatians is Paul's rebuke of the entire Church at Galatia for their apparent abandonement of the true Gospel. Paul, under direction of the Holy Spirit, clearly said, "But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preache to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have recieved, let him be accursed."
My friends, there is ONE TRUE FAITH of God that has been once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 3). It is my intention and calling I believe to be used of God to help preserve that precious faith. For no other "gospel" saves. There is no other way to heaven than that which God has given to us in Christ and revealed in the SCriptures alone.
My prayer is that this will find its way into the minds of my friends and acquintances who have "seen me in action" as of recently. That they night know now why I do what I do. While I don't expect all to agree with it, at least now it should be clear where I stand and gladly sing to the hymn, "On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand..."
posted by prchdaword at 8:43 PM
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