TRUTH

TRUTH will always triumph. TRUTH is Revealed, Absolute, Propositional, Transcendent, Incarnate and Transforming!

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Dr. Death Dies

Dr. Death Dies

This week Jack Kevorkian died. In one sense he never truly lived.

It is always a cause for grief when an Image Barer dies. Death is not normative in the Creative Order. Adam brought death to all men when he sinned. So this death is one in millions that pays the price through the imputation of Adam’s flagrant disobedience. This is not cause for celebration. It is however cause for reflection and analysis.

Dr. Kevorkian championed a posture on death that is clearly and absolutely contrary to Christian Theism. He merely reflected a growing perspective in the culture of the West. Life & death are the purview of God alone. He spent time in prison for his crimes against humanity. On Friday I visited an aunt & uncle in a care facility. It is indeed sad to witness the scores of emaciated and dysfunctional people simply waiting to die. That said, wait we must.

As a nation we are reaping the judgment of God for embracing a perspective on life that is contrary to Truth. We have aborted over 50 million Image Bearers since 1973. Those little people, and YES they are people, are no less deserving of life than those that Kevorkian went to prison for killing. Schizophrenic to the max.

Dr. Kevorkian, as all men, will face the Creator of life. My understanding of Scripture indicates he already has. I am not called to pass judgment on his eternal state. I am called to do so on his conduct while living. He was a killer. He blasphemed the Author of life in his theological and philosophical postures. He deserved to die. Scripture views muder as a capital offense.

Life is the purview of the Giver of Life, Jehovah God. Do not be deceived. What a man sows he also reaps. Tragic is the best description of this man’s journey. He died never having lived. I encourage my readers to live. He that has the Son has life. Do you?

Saturday, May 28, 2011

Theological Metrics for Minnistry

Great post from Michael Oh over at Desiring God on the Danger of "Fruitfulness" in the minister's life without his own purity. Here's an excerpt:

The second “cardinal sin” of leadership is mistaking “fruitfulness” for holiness. We can often become easily enamored with the shininess and abundance of “fruit.” “Successful” ministry is not measured by numeric indicators. When Christ addresses the seven churches in Revelation, does he commend the larger churches and rebuke the smaller? Does he compare growth rates and highlight numbers? No. Instead, he hits at the heart of character, faith, endurance, compromise, idolatry, and immorality.


Sunday, May 22, 2011

Refreshing Humility

This past week I enjoyed an exchange with a friend and Seminary Professor. Our perspectives were quite different on an issue. There were 3 or 4 back & forth exchanges. The paragraph below was his final post. How absolutely refreshing to find a truly learned man display such grace and humility.
I agree completely with the spirit of your penultimate paragraph, though I cannot help but think we are closer to each other than it seems on this issue. Maybe I’m wrong, but I’m guessing that one of us (probably me) isn’t communicating as clearly as preferred. But maybe we are in disagreement, and if so, I await the day that all will be clear. Since we weren’t raptured today, I’m guessing that day will be in the future. :-)

Saturday, May 14, 2011

Blatant Insult to God

Blatant insult to God
Letters to the Editor
By Tom Fillinger, Columbia
Published May 12, 2011


Pastor BRYANT Wright is quoted as saying, “Jesus Christ loves all mankind. He loves homosexuals who are engaging in homosexual activity ...” (“At USC, gay students protest SBC president’s honorary degree,” April 28).

Psalm 5:5 and Psalm 11:5 are without ambiguity or confusion. Literally, Psalm 5:5 says, “God hates all the ones working (present tense) iniquity” (Barnes on the OT, Psalms Vol. 1, p.42).

The Scripture makes clear that homosexual activity is iniquity/sin, and those practicing such conduct are excluded from heaven (1 Corinthians 6:9-10).

In the interest of the authority of Scripture, which we in the Southern Baptist Convention claim to embrace, and the honor due the God we serve, I appeal for a correction to be posted on this assertion. It is false, incorrect and a blatant insult to God and his Word.

Editor’s note: In the interest of clarity, here are Southern Baptist Convention president Bryant Wright’s full remarks as presented in the April 28 Courier article:

“It’s really a false charge that when you simply teach what the Bible says about sin, that you’re a hateful person. Jesus Christ loves all mankind. He loves homosexuals who are engaging in homosexual activity. He loves heterosexuals who are engaging in immoral heterosexual activity.

“But he does call on us — because he has paid the penalty for our sins on the cross — to be willing to repent of sinful behavior. We’re just teaching what God’s standard is for sexual purity. The gospel is a wonderful message of good news, but it is a message of truth, and sometimes people are not always open or perceptive to God’s truth.”

Sunday, May 8, 2011

World Population Growth & Missions Startegy

May 9, 2011

One of the significant improvements in the ministry of the Local Church in the past two decades has been the issues of Strategy & Focus. We have been more intentional. That is good.

The link that follows provides graphic evidence for the growth of populations around the Globe. We should be shaping our endeavors to take the gospel to the areas that project the greatest growth. We should invest the greatest resources in areas that provide the greatest challenge and potential kingdom results.

What say you?

http://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2011/05/world_population_forecasts?fsrc=rss

Thursday, April 28, 2011

Genuine Humility

Monday - May 2, 2011

I was once asked by an Elder, "Tom, do you have a problem with pride?" I think my response SHOCKED him. I simply said, "Don't we all?"

In light of the focus of the May 1 News Letter on Shepherding & Scholarship, I thought it appropriate to remind myself and others about the importance of humility. Should God grant us the high privilege of achieving some measure of excellence in these two critical areas, we should be profoundly humble.

The following material appeared in Kevin De Young's BLOG on April 27, 2011 and is acknowledged here with much gratitude. Kevin's posts supply me and others with rich material for personal and corporate ministry on a daily basis. THANKS Kevin!

Jonathan Edwards:
An eminent saint is not apt to think himself eminent in any thing; all his graces and experiences are ready to appear to him to be comparatively small; but especially his humility. There is nothing that appertains to Christian experience, and true piety, that is so much out of his sight as his humility. He is a thousand times more quick-sighted to discern his pride, than his humility: that he easily discerns, and is apt to take much notice of, but hardly discerns his humility. (Religious Affections, 334-35)

Are you often aware of your own humility? Then you’re probably not humble.

Have you noticed your pride? Then you may be more humble than you realize.

Here are two signs of Christian maturity: a keen eye to discern your sins and blessed self-forgetfulness.

Father, make me humble. Make me love the Lord with all my heart and love my neighbor as myself. Give me that glorious paradox: the ability to see my sin and at the same time look away from myself. And when I am tempted to posture and position as the world does, remind me that the meek will inherit the earth.

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that at the proper time he may exalt you. (1 Peter 5:6). ESV

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Introducing Jesus Christ

March 7,2011 #10

Steve Harvey shares how he would introduce Jesus Christ were he to be given that distinguished opportunity.

How would you engage that glorious honor?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvCd_ANIKys&feature=related


King of Kings - LORD of LORDS

Coming King!