Therefore, seeing we also are compassed about by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us,

looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.

For consider Him that endured such contradiction from sinners against Himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds. Hebrews 12:1-3 (my bold)

The believer’s  joy, to which the word rejoiceis related, is twofold. First, it offers you a picture of life as it is while simultaneously comforting you in this certain knowledge:  no matter what you endure or where you are, even in the midst of all of the “trials and tribulations”, you will be all right. Take a look in the mirror and tell yourself that real quick!   Secondly, it reinforces truth. Knowing that God’s law is the natural foundation for peace, prosperity and contentment  settles you as you go through. Fundamentally, the joy that Im talking about  is a peace of mind in absolutely certain knowledge that, at the end of it all, eternal life with Christ awaits those who are obedient to the will of God

Joy isnt synonymous with happiness. Too many (saints?) are lusting after happiness, but have no joy. Happiness is based on circumstances. If my circumstances turn out good, then I’m happy. If my circumstances turn out bad, then I’m not happy. The etemology of happiness has its roots in a 1520’s phrase which meant “good fortune”.

But how does that square with 1 Thessalonians 5:18 which says in everything (literally every circumstance) give thanks for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you?

Well, it can’t because it has a source malfunction. While the pursuit of happiness is based on the  vicissitudes of life,  joy is based on an unchanging and eternal God. Thus, circumstances do not affect my joy.

Purpose driven joy immediately takes control when life threatens to overwhelm you. When the enemy comes in like a flood. When you have lost something you feel is valuable to you. When things don’t happen like you want them to happen when you want them to happen.

My goal isnt simply to define joy for you, but to remind you of the purpose —and power— of  joy.

David wrote: “Thou dost show me the path of life; in Thy presence there is fullness of joy, in Thy right hand are pleasures for evermore.” (Psalm 16:11 RSV)

You can run a check to see if your joy is righteous. Check to see if when troubles show up, you seek circumstantial relief or do you hunker down and cling to the promises of God. If you are able to know and confess to yourself that what God has done before, he can do again, your joy is right. If you can take it a step further and confess that even if he doesn’t change the situation, he is still able (reference Daniel 3:16-18), your joy is show nuff right!

David does really set forth a picture of the inner workings of joy. He was a man much acquainted with trouble and pains. Yet his confession always extolled the law of the Lord as his hope for resolution.

The law of The Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of The Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of The Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of The Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of The Lord is clean, enduring for ever; the ordinances of The Lord are true, and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover by them is thy servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.” Psalm 19

Joy is not ours, it is God’s gift to us. In other words, we have no ability to produce this joy on our own.  God gives us his supernatural joy to help us navigate through the pitfalls of our sojourn. Joy then isnt the product of the natural mind but the product of the Holy Ghost. If it is not a product of the natural mind, then pursuing any solution apart from the guidance of the Holy Ghost will produce very limited and pale imitations of what God intended for you to experience.

The concept of joy as expressed in the Bible contains a wealth of synonymous terms but they cannot easily be differentiated. The commonest is simchah translated as “joy,” “gladness,” “mirth”. Then there’s sameah, which means “to be bright,” “to shine”, but generally used figuratively “to rejoice,” “be glad”.  These definitions only define the expression of joy, but its purpose. In this regard, the Word of God presents a much more complex virtue than any definition can adequately express.

JESUS JOY

Purpose driven joy then is a result of our seeking first the kingdom of God. Too many of us seek after things that do not satisfy. But when we seek God and our place with him, we discover that life really is beautiful (smile right there). We become focused on God and the things of God. We become what I would call seeking saints. We seek to please God and consequently find a reciprocity of joy in our own lives.

Biblical joy is inseparable from right relationship with God. If God is actually present and active in our lives, the joy He experiences  is fulfilled in us PS 16:11. Joy is the sign that your life has truly found its purpose! This, too, is a revelation of God, for no one can come to Him and find the purpose of life unless He, by His Spirit, calls and reveals it.

Purposeful joy motivates us to serve God and accomplish his purpose in our lives.

How could Jesus have joy in the situation he was in? It was excruciating  becoming King of kings, Lord of lords and our High Priest—the Savior of all mankind.  There was a preordained joy in him that confirmed the cross ordeal would come to pass, thus fulfilling the will of God. There was joy in heaven that the plan of God was moving forward, and God would then have more sons and daughters. His suffering on his cross produced joy unspeakable in us as we carry ours.

Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your Lord.

Have you ever asked yourself these questions? If you have, then you’re no different from millions of other Christians who have sought to understand the meaning of their lives. Many people it seems, want to know the “will of God”, but it slips by them like a silent whisper. Have you looked at other people wondering how they could be so secure in doing kingdom work? If you have, wonder no longer because behind the “secret” of their security is a solid goal and a purpose they have come to understand, accept, and practice. Its called the will of God. Think of God’s will, not as a secret, but as hidden treasure. As hidden treasure, he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

What is God’s “Will”?

I heard someone say “God’s will is God’s word”. I agree with that. You can be sure that if you are doing something or supporting something the Word of God has deemed sin or unacceptable to God, then it is not his will.  Conversely,  just because something is difficult (even beyond your capabilities) doesn’t mean it is not the will of God.  I would add to that God is his will and his word (John 1:1-3). The primary source for discovering God’s will for your life, is in the pages of God’s word.  Its in the lines and between the lines. Its both what is said as well as what is not said. Again, he has placed it there for you to earnestly seek out.  The treasure you seek is not just information, but rather the One who holds the information. Please understand that because it is treasure, there exists a degree of difficulty (including the time factor) in finding it.  No one finds treasure laying about in the open.

We know from Romans 12:2 that whatever the will of God is, it is good and perfect and pleasing. So we don’t have to be afraid of it. We also know from Jeremiah 29:11 that God has predetermined a strategy to bring you to an “expected end” (his expectation, not ours).

The word will is translated from the Greek “thelema” which means “to will”. This doesn’t signify some demand, but an expression of pleasure towards the object of God’s pleasure (you). Thelema was used by biblical writers to designate what God Himself does of his own good pleasure and what he had ordained out of his sovereignty. In short, what God has planned for you is because he wants it.

So does God has a plan for your life? Absolutely. When I say plan I mean something he created you uniquely to do and because of that He will likewise equip you to complete that task. His plan for you will ultimately accomplish two major purposes:

(1) bring another person into reconciliation with God resulting in glory and praise for God;

(2) bring glory and praise to God resulting in another person being reconciled to God

This seems to be what Solomon surmises in Ecclesiastes 12:13. “…here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.”

Within those two broad intents lie the plan that God has for you. It is not filled with specifics for a reason.

It is God’s desire that we all know His will for us. If a Christian misses God’s will its like missing a turn on a lonely highway and being lost on an unfamiliar detour. So knowing God’s will is very important. As a matter of fact if you don’t discover it, you will live your (Christian) life unfulfilled, unhappy and unfruitful. Knowing and living in his will for you will dramatically set you apart from those who meander aimlessly through church life.

I was teaching a discipleship class once and I asked for a show of hands from all those who knew what God had specifically called them to accomplish. Out of approximately 30 odd people, only 4-5 people raised their hands. When I asked those few to share their specific calling, the numbers got even smaller.  The answers were more or less general in nature.

It suggested to me that a vast majority of the rank and file church attendees are clueless as to the meaning of the lives. They come to church, participate in church activities (perhaps faithfully) but inside are deeply dissatisfied without understanding the reason for their dissatisfaction.  Consequently when you are not 100% convinced of God’s will for your life, you will always be in flux and susceptible to deception that appeals to answering that question with temporary solutions.

There are not two wills of God, but there are two aspects of his will.

One is a general will for all people.

For example, it is God’s will that all people be saved. (2 Peter 3:9)  It is God’s desire that we are blessed and in good health (1 John 3:3). God has called us unto holiness, not uncleaness (1 Thess 4:7).

Most become satisfied with these generalities. They are good, but beyond that is something specifically, that God has determined you should accomplish. Like Solomon, building the first temple or like Paul taking the gospel to the Gentiles. Or like Mary bearing and delivering the Christ. Remember Moses was chosen to tell Pharoah, “let my people go!”. What about Jesus who was born to die for the sins of the world?

Now, what about you? Do you know his will for you? If you know it, are you passionately working it out for God’s glory?

The Dunamis Word blog takes a look at the doctrine of the homosexual denomination United Progressive Pentecostal Church based in Atlanta. In his post “When progress takes you to hell“, Pastor Burnett writes

Obviously even gay folk can pimp congregations. In this organization, the chief apostate has the ability to change what he wants to change within this church at any time. Here is the statement that affirms such directly from their web site listed below:

“While the leaders and founding members of UPPC are adamant about connecting the Body of Christ in progressively minded fellowship, without the rigors and mandates of a reformation, there remain some uniting principles that guard our fellowship from heresy and hypocrisy.  These tenants from our Basis of Union, and are non-negotiable throughout our Covenant Connections. Should our Basis of Union come into question for amendment, it can only be changed as a result of an Apostolic Conclave or by the sovereign will of the Founder and Chief Apostle, Oliver Clyde Allen III.”

Did you read the words heresy and hypocrisy??? You mean to tell me that they don’t believe that encouraging same gender unity is a heresy? They don’t believe that tucking a bible under their arm after being in an illegal and illicit and biblically condemned relationship is hypocrisy?

The UPPC apes pentecostalism, biblical titles and tithes, but somehow finds it “heretical” go against its swiss cheese “Basis of Union” which includes having sex with people of the same gender. Read the whole story

One of my favorite blogs Journal of a Battling Christian reviews one of the debilitating philosphies  of our age and how it affects organizations like Exodus International who promote reparative therapy.  His post “The Century of The Self, Freud and Reparative Therapy” shows how self-centered ideology can come to no good when dealing with homosexuality.

I’ve sort of gone back and forth in my mind in regards to Exodus International. On the one hand I am in support of their desire to minister to Christians who have unwanted same sex attractions and to help people come out of the “Gay lifestyle” (for the lack of a better term).

On the other hand I am in total disagreement with their support and avocation of Reparative Therapy, Freudian psychology and so forth. For an alternative viewpoint on the issue and for a more Biblical approach to counseling I highly recommend reading Richard Ganz’ book Psychobabble and Jay Adams’ book Competent to Counsel.

I consider myself therefore to be a “sympathetic critic” of groups such as Exodus International and Focus on the Family. I do not critique them in order to discourage them in their efforts, rather as a theologian and Christian I want to seek to encourage them to rethink some of their ideas, methods and practices so that they might become more thoroughly Biblical in their approach.

I too am an opponent of reparative (or conversion) therapy. For Exodus to continue partnering with this unbiblical approach is damaging to their cause and is creating a chorus of voices who see overcoming homosexuality as something they can pay to get done on a therapist’s couch. When it fails (which it will) they are angry, bitter and vocal. Read the whole story

Speaking of deception, Sola Dei Gloria writes a good peice on what causes deception. No doubt about it, deception is running rampant not just in the world (ponzi schemes, etc) but in the church as well. Its everywhere and some people want to keep our attention on unimportant things while the spiritual crooks keep up their attacks on the vunerable and ignorant. But are those deceived really innocent?

“What causes deception? We like to believe that people lying to those they deceive cause deception. However, if we think critically about that (yes, I know that post-modernists have lost that ability, but humor me) deception is not the direct result of the lie, but is only takes effect when the one being deceived desires something from the deceiver such as a relationship or something else that is offered. The deceived believe the lie in order to receive something else that they want.”

Sure there are deceivers, deceiving spirits, wolves, false teachers,  and the likes prowling the church in search of victims, but you dont have to be one. Here’s some  excellent teaching on how to protect yourself from deception.

Thankfully, this was devoid of the gratuitous set ups that are usually the custom of stale TBN interviews. Chironna gave Hines liberty to express what was “burning in his heart” at that time. And what followed was 99.9% lean meat. It was clear that Hines was speaking truth because there were no perfunctory “clap right here” moments for the audience. Either the audience wasn’t accustomed to such strong meat or they were so enraptured they didn’t do the usual studio audience happy shout and dance at the “blessing and miracle” speeches.

Hines spoke clearly about the message and meaning of holiness. In his exposition he explained that holiness is an identity and our personal responsibility to reflect holiness. His very direct message: the church has an identity crisis.

Interestingly enough, Hines said the catalyst prompting his search for the true biblical definition of holiness was seeing the much talked about —albeit shameful— Tonex interview by Lexi.

“I was watching television, this interview that was being done by this one Christian singer, gospel singer… and I won’t call his name,  he had been to our church and had really blessed us but these were some years after, he was on television confessing to being a born again, homosexual believer in God, continue to pastor his church,  God loves him and he loves God and we just have to accept him like that . And something happened to me Mark.  I felt a real…sadness. There’s a whole generation of young people being influenced now by this music, but the lifestyle doesnt represent the music nor does the music and the lifestyle go together.”

That began an awesome exposition of holiness and the inherency of identity.

Bishop Hines understood and articulated what it at the root of the gross indecency (and the passive acceptance of it) of behavior: the church does not value holiness. I would even say the church has lost the true meaning and application of holiness. Thus, the problem with people like Tonex and the gay christian movement’s ideology he now champions, is an clear result of the church’s moving away from holiness.

Hines addressed a common fallacy used by some as a cloak to justify sin as well as the off track gospel music industry which is by and large is operating under the influence of religious homosexuals.

One of the more striking points he made is that love is God’s ability while holiness is his identity.

Hines said that he is encouraging pastors everywhere to return to preaching holiness. He’s probably seen enough of the tricks, gimmicks and hollow messages used to fill seats with false converts.

This is good, sound teaching that’s well worth your 15 minutes to watch, hear and heed. Yes, we really need a radical return to holiness.

Watch the full  June 7 broadcast with Bishop Darrell Hines. The interview begins at 1:05.

[An elder] must hold firmly to the trustworthy message as it has been taught, so that he can encourage others by sound doctrine and refute those who oppose it. Titus 1:9 NIV

You must teach that which is in accord (in harmony with) sound doctrine. Titus 2:1

There is no way we can accurately ascertain the scope of God’s will and then live out the will of God without an balanced and consistent understanding of his word. That balanced and consistent understanding is given to us primarily through the teaching of sound doctrine. Sound doctrine accomplishes two things: (1) it guards against deception, and (2)it guides others into spiritually healthy men and women of God (Ephesians 4:14-15).

Paul instructed both Titus and Timothy to be careful not to change what he had taught them and to anticipate that some in the church would depart from the faith and pay attention to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils. And consequently, reject sound doctrine.

The word “sound” comes from the Greek word hugiaino translated as “hygiene” or “health.” This obviously has a medical aspect to it. So in short sound doctrine is healthy doctrine. The opposite of healthy its unhealthy. Thus, we can conclude that not everything which sounds good to the ear or feels good to the body, is healthy for the soul.

What we need today if we are to be effective and remain steadfast in the work of the Lord is a radical return to God’s word and the foundations that produce good, healthy fruit.

Doctrine has gotten a bad rap in the contemporary church. Its been compared to heartless dogma and legalism which restricts and controls people unnecessarily. The truth is that doctrine is simply a body of principles presented for acceptance or belief. But not all doctrine is good doctrine.

How do we convey sound doctrine?
The primary tool of conveying sound doctrine to others is through teaching because teaching is about the how and the why. Its instruction that must be given carefully and received with diligence. Thus, the best way for you to show me properly is to teach. Remember the old saying “If you give a man a fish, he’ll eat for a day. But if you teach a man to fish, he’ll eat for a lifetime.” Its the same with sound doctrine. If you really want me to become a healthy, fruit-bearing follower of Christ, you will teach me sound principles. If you want to keep me locked into a unhealthy co-dependency on you do the opposite. And that’s exactly what false teachers do.

The word “teach” occurs twenty times in Matthew alone, and Jesus is called Teacher there about ten times. If we look at the whole NT, the two nouns for teaching or doctrine occur over fifty times, while the verb to teach occurs over ninety times. The word teacher appears at least fifty-eight times. Half a dozen other related words appear on another twenty occasions.

When Paul urges Titus to “refute” (this is what I consider polemics) those who oppose sound doctrine, we must take it seriously and do it. One tactic used by those who oppose balanced healthy teaching is the “mystery” approach. In essence, they claim no one can really know the truth, so we are responsible for finding and living our own truth. Judges 21:25 gives us insight on such a teaching: In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did that which was right in his own eyes.
Dr. Bob Wright of Denver says this is a mockery of Christian maturity:

We do not need answers; we need to grow up and learn to accept the paradoxes of life! True Christian maturity is said to be measured by our commitment in the face of final paradox rather than by any kind of knowledge. People who want answers are just immature, that’s all.
Our faith is recognized by specialists in comparative religion as being by far the most intellectual religion of all; that the New Testament puts a heavy priority on the regeneration of the intellect that the Bible in both the Old Testament and the New makes it perfectly plain that the term heart means the seat of the intellect, or the mind as our capacity to reason; therefore all the problems we face are to be solved first by allowing the Bible to change our minds about the truth, and then by learning what God’s answer is to our problem, as God defines and explains both problem and answer.
The results are predestined to be successful and to infallibly meet the needs of the believer sooner or later. The Bible itself calls this process “making disciples,” and the primary method is said to be by something called teaching.

Sound doctrine and homosexuality
The teachings of homosexual affirming theology stands against much of the cornerstone tenets of our faith.

• Teaching that same gender sexual expression is normal opposes the creative nature of God (Col 1:16, Romans 1:25)
• Teaching that homosexuality is acceptable by God opposes the biblical definition and penalty of sin (Dan 9:5, 1 John 3:4)
• The teaching that Christ was ignorant of contemporary homosexual relationships, thus silent opposes the divinity of Jesus Christ specifically his omniscience. (John 8:58, Ps 33:13-15) (
• Teaching that homosexual have no need to repent opposes the authority and applicability of the Word of God. (Mt 4:4)

Homosexual affirming doctrine isn’t different from other unhealthy teachings, it is unhealthy teaching.

Bishop Vickie Gene Robinson, the Episcopal church’s first bishop of abominations quite possibly has lost any resemblance of a person who at some point in his life recognized truth. What’s more disturbing is that the multiple lies he spouts are commonplace teachings among gay christians. How can a person claiming Christ embrace and promote such things? Well, it doesn’t come overnight. It takes an enormous amount of spiritual energy to continually override the truth and embrace a lie. I dont say it often, but the bishop is demon-possessed. I don’t say that to “demonize” him, but because it is a recognition of what is speaking from inside him.

How do you explain the poison dripping from this collar wearing serpent? What about Jesus’s red letter words (for all the Tony Campolo fans):

If God were your Father, you would love me, for I came from God and now am here. I have not come on my own; but he sent me. Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desire. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me! John 8:42-45 NIV (our bold)

Anyone who engages in this type of systemic lying and rejection of the truth, is not a child of God, but a descendant of the devil. That’s why those in the gay christian movement unless and until they repent and renounce these beliefs cannot even so much as consider them “brothers and sisters in Christ”. They are no more brothers and sisters than the people Jesus was addressing in the above passage.

GCM Watch has covered Robinson’s litany of lies and his vengeful reign as a so-called bishop before, so I wont revisit what’s in the video in detail here. But you can read here, here and here to see biblical responses to the doctrines of devils out of Robinson’s mouth. And as we explained before most of the articulation of contemporary gay christian theology is credited to John Boswell’s book Christianity, Social Tolerance and Homosexuality.

h/t: Americans for Truth about homosexuality

When addressing homosexuality, I believe the Bible uses that particular sin in the “corporate” sense meaning that when a group or society practices and/or accepts homosexual conduct as normal its a sign of complete moral decay.

Homosexuality is not necessarily greater or less than any other specific sin regarding individuals, but is rather a mark a society has completely broken down in EVERY matter of sin when homosexuality is engaged in accepted corporately. Romans 1:18-32 comes to mind.

I believe that there is particular emphasis given to homosexuality because  essentially it attacks the very foundation of the creation of man. Man was created in the very image of God with the divine mandate to marry and bear children. This command is still in full effect. In this same gender sexual activity literally attacks the foundation of the scripture Genesis 1:1-28. In essence, if you can destroy the beginning you can destroy the future promise.

Homosexuality (and homosexual marriage) is a physical mockery of the spiritual marriage of Christ as the bridegroom and his Church as the bride. Such mockery has the potential to destroy the future promise if you disprove the beginning.

Now when I say “destroy” I’m not speaking of the literal sense because ALL things will come to pass. What I’m saying is that when a society in the corporate sense accepts homosexuality they are in essence attempting to destroy the foundation AND the promise, hence EVERYTHING in between.

In summary the Corporate acceptance homosexuality is a direct mockery of the foundations of creation. Therefore, the Corporate acceptance/engaging of homosexuality is a spiritual rejection of Creation in Genesis through Promise of consumantion in Revelation via physical homosexual activity.

In my summation it would then appear that these homosexual groups/movements are not merely “confused” but are antichrist in their intent, whether cognizant or not, on destroying Christ and his Church. This is why no believer should ever sanction or agree with any entity –whether secular or religious– that declares homosexuality to be an acceptable sexual expression in the eyes of God.

Finally, let me clearly state that this is NOT in any way shape or form an indictment on “individual” homosexuals. They like any other sinner need to repent, believe and turn away from their sin. Their individual sin(s) are no greater than anyone else’s. It is rather my opinion on the movement in the aggregate sense and its implications on biblical faith and why so much emphasis is directed towards that particular sin.

I was on my company’s track team while stationed at Fort Campbell in the Army. I remember the training we had to do before the division race. Because we pressed hard, we took second place in division. That was a huge feat! I also remember when I completed my first forced road march in the Army. It was 17 miles under the punishing sun of White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. With full gear. I remember the joy of accomplishment that flooded me when I reached the end without stopping… and without any help. I kept telling myself “just keep moving”.  I will never forget that powerful lesson of endurance. Even though it was quite scary going into it, I made it. I think about it often when I am in the press of living holy.

Being in the press and pressing forward is a common theme in life. In fact, the stories we all are inspired by the most are those where the person pressed through difficulties and made it. Some even go on to achieve great things. What most saints fail to remember is that conflict and challenge confront all, whether saved or unsaved. The difference? We have supernatural help, hope and promise on our side.

If you discipline yourself,  it increases your ability to not only help others, but greatly decreases the possibility that you are caught off guard and fall by the wayside.

Consider if you will 1 Corinthians 9:

24 Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run in such a way that you may obtain it. 25 And everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown. 26 Therefore I run thus: not with uncertainty. Thus I fight: not as one who beats the air. 27 But I discipline my body and bring it into subjection, lest, when I have preached to others, I myself should become disqualified.

and 2 Tim 2:1
…if a man also strive for masteries, yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully

The word strive means to “devote serious energy and effort”.

The reason why serious energy and effort is devoted because the challenge may have an extra ordinary degree of difficulty. As I have said before, difficult is not synonymous with impossible.

Notice that even with all the striving, there must be temperance (balance). We are not perfection freaks that need to prove we are “sin free” 24 hours a day. To be honest, such attitudes smacks of self righteousness and are an affront to the grace of God. On our “best day”, our righteousness is as filthy rags. In fact, in the very next chapter of 1 Corinthians Paul warns us to “take heed lest we fall”.

The doctrine of perfectionism is just as spiritually destructive as antinominanism.  The concept of perfection, as in never making a mistake, never committing a sin, never doing wrong, never being disobedient doesn’t exist in scripture.  Thus, the mastery Paul speaks of attaining refers to power over, not eradication.

If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. 1 John 1:9 NIV

Don’t mistake this to mean the bible agrees with our sin. Rather, it simply acknowledges it while quickly providing God’s solution.

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word has no place in our lives. 1 John 1:10 NIV

Life —following Jesus Christ as a committed disciple— means there are times when you will have to moderate your progress based on multiple unforseen factors that occur during your sojourn on earth. Like driving I20 from Atlanta to Dallas (or any other traffic movers), especially with all the road construction, you learn to make adjustments while continuing on to your destination.  The adjustments may cause delays, but delays don’t spell finality.   But you can’t allow delays to become passivity and thus cessation of the goal.

Take some time to reevaluate whether you are striving for mastery in your struggle. Are you devoting serious energy and effort? Are you pressing to reach your goal? Do you have goals?  Even if there are temporary setbacks, are you willing to get up, look forward and press anew?

If you are not willing, failure is almost certain.  But if you are willing to follow the example of the Savior (Heb 12:1-3) who pressed his way to the cross, the rewards are beyond imagination.

Whether they are in the gay christian movement, prosperity hirelings, emergent church, or any other the other false Christian they are ravenous wolves seeking to steal your money and damage your soul.

One thing is for sure, you do not want to fall under the seductive control of a false teacher. If you dont, do your self a favor and become familiar with their tactics, motives, agenda and lifestyle through the bible’s expose of false teachers in the first century church. They battled with the same thing.

The questions come from a teaching by John MacArthur. At the link are answers to the questions, but make sure you look up the passages and read.

1. Who were the first false teachers eliminated from the church at Ephesus?

2. What was Timothy’s responsibility in Ephesus?

3. What is significant about the sentence structure of 1 Timothy 1:3-4?

4. What kind of authority did Paul grant Timothy in verses 3-4?

5. Why was Ephesus a key city in Asia Minor?

6. How many false teachers were exerting influence in the church at Ephesus? Why do they go unnamed?

7. Explain the meaning of the Greek verb translated “teach no other doctrine”.

8. What were the false teachers using as the basis of their teaching?

9. What was Timothy not to occupy his mind with (1 Tim. 1:4)?

10. How did Paul characterize the teaching of false teachers throughout his pastoral epistles?

11. What does Satan endeavor to do wherever God establishes truth?

12. What did the apostle Paul warn the Ephesian elders about (Acts 20:20- 32)?

13. How is false teaching subtle?

14. What is the effect of questions that false teachers stir up ?

15. What are essentially the two religions in the world? What do they teach?

16. What was Paul’s analysis of any teaching that is contrary to the gospel of Christ (Gal. 1:8;)?

17. What does God desire to see in the church? Support your answer with Scripture.

18. What three things produces love? Explain each one.

19. What is the goal of a false teacher?