False Christian teachings, trends….
The video of this post is from a series R C Sproul was doing on Assurance of Salvation. This lecture is on False Assurance. He cited two common errors about assurance early in the video and carefully explained those to his audience. [I wrote out a list of points about this 23-minute lecture for those who want to know what the video contains.]
The February newsletter briefly discusses the following topics: Why Do So Many Reject God’s Gospel? Spiritual Blindness; Worldliness; Religious Pride; Religious Indoctrination; Self-Righteous Pride; Deceitfulness of Sin; Willful Ignorance; Family Loyalty; and Spiritual Deadness. [There are also links and descriptions of tracts that address many issues surrounding the unbiblical RCC gospel and the true gospel.]
Although many New Testament writers including Paul wrote that Christians are to actively fight sin and engage in spiritual warfare, he also says that they are to stand strong in the Lord. This seems to imply that they are to let go and trust God’s strength, but is that compatible with the rest of the instructions in the New Testament? Dr. Lloyd-Jones provides a helpful analysis of this. The resolution, he says, is that Christians are called to fight but also to rely on God for the power to fight.
The big named pastors in the Pastor Michael Grant video of this post are clearly veering from the Bible. They are making up their own religion. They are making errors that were characterized by other “theological liberal” so-called Christian denominations that were discussed recently herein, namely, Willow Creek Churches.
This sermon is being reposted to publish a 4-minute typed quotation from the sermon that I found to be very significant. Most of the quoted portion was not in MLJTrust’s points. The quotation gives their points more meaning. The quotation is beneficial in that it provides the proper perspective on the Christian battle. In 20 years, I’ve never heard it put as MLJ put it; maybe you will find his words meaningful also.
Christians are called to fight a spiritual battle but how are they to fight? What role do they play in this struggle? Are they to be passive, or are they alone to be the ones engaging the enemy? Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones preaches on spiritual warfare and the responsibility that Christians have to be fighting in their lives. The phrase “Let go and let God” is popular today among many Christians, but is it Biblical? Are they to just surrender to God and let Him fight all of their battles? Dr. Lloyd-Jones presents strong arguments from Scripture that demonstrate otherwise…. [This sermon helped me to see some inconsistencies in my spiritual walk, according to the scriptures; it may help you do the same.]
…Dr. Lloyd-Jones points out that the devil primarily uses pride to refocus people off the things of the Lord. One of his main methods in this is to take a person’s gift— whether it is singing, speech, knowledge, intellect or even conversion experience — and use it to make its possessor feel self-reliant and that they are above the spiritual state of other believers. …We should see ourselves as members of the body of Christ where every part is important. …We should care about what God thinks of us, not what people think. …Self in all its manifestations dishonors God, his grace and the gospel.
The MLJ sermon of this post is another in his series on the wiles of the Devil. In the process of his teaching herein, he said quite a lot that applies to the word-of-faith, prosperity gospels and the Charismatic church. His words clarified their great claims via biblical passages. The thrust of his message was to show believers yet another way in which the Devil undermines a believer’s walk with the Lord, rendering them ineffective, discouraged…. [A song is attached to the post because in that song, one can hear the kind of process that MLJ discussed, in terms of laying down one’s self-striving and surrendering to Christ; quitting on self-guidance and receiving His.]
Christians can feel as though the Lord has withdrawn His smile from them and are concerned that their current or difficult state may mean that they are not truly a Christian. …This ought to be a great comfort in hardship. Adversity encourages the Christian not to rely on their good works, but to be encouraged that they are being matured and prepared for future glory with Christ. They should not question their justification when they experience trials and suffering. Instead they should remember that when they confess their sins, God is faithful and just to forgive and cleanse His people from all unrighteousness. [I added more detailed points for the initial 19 minutes of the sermon and a brief video about how God purifies the saint via tribulation.]
The following are a few points from the MLJ sermon of this post: Christians are meant to have assurance of salvation and know the joy of their salvation. The devil tries to rob Christians of the joy of their salvation through his wiles and subtle attacks. The devil first tries to give Christians a false assurance and peace through a hurried and forced conversion without a true change of heart. This results in an artificial and superficial faith. Characteristics of a false assurance include:
No radical change or new life, just a modification of the old life.