•  Subscribe in a reader

  • Subscribe in Kindle

    Receive updates from this blog in your email:

Pitfalls in Redemptive-Historical Preaching and Suggested Remedies

What is the message of the Bible? As you answer this question, here are some pitfalls to avoid and remedy so that you may preach the full counsel of God. More »

Download Lecrae’s New CD for Free

Lecrae's New CD Church Clothes is out, and you can download it for free! More »

Reformed Cast Interview about The Harry Potter Bible Study

Scott Oakland recently interviewed me about my book The Harry Potter Bible Study. More »

Adolf Hitler’s Thoughts About Romney coming to Liberty University

I thought this was funny. More »

My Thoughts on Mitt Romney Speaking at Liberty University’s Spring 2012 Graduation

Should Liberty invite Mormons to speak at their graduation(s)? I try to answer this question using Liberty's own words. More »

Ten Contemporary Sacred Cows that Need to be Tipped

It's time for some cow tipping! More »

Three Youtube Videos we use in Family Worship

Share My wife and I have two children; one is four years of age and the other is about to turn three. Here are three videos from youtube that we use during More »

What’s Wrong With the Church?

Some issues that need to be answered by local churches. More »

Monthly Archives: May 2011

10 Things That Both Heaven AND Hell Are Full Of

May 31, 2011   Jared Moore   No comments

In light of Scripture, here are 10 things that both heaven and hell are full of:

1. A love for the lost. These “loves” are distinctly different: one is the love God has for all sinners even though they are unworthy of His love (Rom. 3:23, John 3:16); while the other love is the selfish love those in hell merely have for their unbelieving loved ones (Luke 16:27-31).

2.  God’s glory. Heaven is full of God’s glory due to His holiness and love being revealed through His mercy (Rev. 7:13-17); while hell is full of God’s glory due to God’s holiness and love being revealed through His wrath (2 Thess. 1:5-10).  Those being tormented in hell endure God’s vengeance, which reveals God’s love to His people in heaven and on earth (2 Thess. 1:5-10, Rom. 12:19).

3. A Desire to preach the gospel. Angels in heaven desire to preach the gospel (1 Pet. 1:12); and sinners in hell desire to have someone preach the gospel to their loved ones that are still living (Luke 16:27-28).

4. Bowing knees before Christ. Whether in heaven or hell, all entities bow and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord (Phil. 2:9-11).

5. Sinners that prayed the “sinner’s prayer.” Those sinners that prayed to God in repentance and faith, and yielded fruit as a result of His work in them are in heaven (Rom. 3:23, Rom. 6:23, Rom. 5:8, Rom. 10:9-14, Phil. 2:12-13); however, those that prayed the sinner’s prayer without repentance and faith, and without resultant fruit are in hell (Matt. 7:20-22).

6. Sinners that outwardly looked like Christians while on earth (Matt. 25:1-13). Those that are outwardly clean because of the inward work of God the Holy Spirit are in heaven (Col. 1:21-23); while those that were outwardly clean due to their own work apart from the Spirit’s working are in hell (Matt. 7:21-23).  Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life, and no one comes to the Father except through Him (John 14:6).

7. Local church members. Not every person that belonged to a local church on earth is in heaven.  Only those that yielded fruit due to being born again by the work of God the Holy Spirit are in heaven (John 3:3-8, 2 Cor. 5:17).  The rest are in hell (Matt. 13:24-30, John 3:3-8).

8. Sinners that called Christ “Lord” while on earth. Not everyone who said to Jesus “Lord, Lord” are in heaven.  Many will call Him Lord, and yet, go to hell (Luke 6:46, Matt. 7:21-23).  Those however that have forsaken all things and followed Christ in obedience are in heaven (Luke 14:26-33).

9. Sinners that preached Christ’s name. Those that were sent by God to preach Christ’s name are in heaven (Rom. 10:15, 1 Pet. 1:12, Matt. 28:18-20).  Those that preached Christ’s name without truly knowing Him are in hell (Matt. 7:22-23).

10. Sinners that performed mighty works in Christ’s name. Some that performed mighty works in Christ’s name are in heaven (2 Cor. 12:12); while some that performed mighty works in Christ’s name are in hell (Acts 19:13-15, Matt. 7:22-23).

What are your thoughts?

Incoming search terms for the article:

Dressing Immodestly? 9 Negative Responses You Encourage

May 28, 2011   Jared Moore   No comments
Share

Ladies, I want you to know that you do not encourage one single positive response from men whenever you dress immodestly.  If you choose to bring attention to yourself sexually by dressing immodestly, you encourage these 9 negative responses:

1. A denial of your mind.  By encouraging men to look at you sexually, you encourage them to not think about the fact that you have a mind.  If a man does not care about your mind, he does not care about you.

2. A denial of your value.  You are more valuable than your physical appearance and your sexual availability.  Your value comes ultimately from your Creator (Gen. 1:27).  By encouraging men to focus on you sexually, you do not encourage them to value the main elements that make you valuable in God’s eyes.

3. A denial of your need for provision.  Although we live in a growing egalitarian society, Christian women should want their husbands to be their primary providers (1 Tim. 5:8, Eph. 5:28-29).  Whenever you encourage young men to look at you as a sex object, you encourage them to not consider how they can provide for you as faithful Christian husbands.

4. A denial of your need for protection.  In the Scriptures, husbands are expected to protect their wives (1 Pet. 3:7).  When a man is looking at you sexually, and he is not your husband, he is unconcerned about protecting you.  If he was concerned about protecting you, he would desire to protect you before he looked at you sexually.  In other words, marriage and protection are a result of love, and come before sex.

5. A denial of your value as God’s image-bearer.  When you encourage men to view you as a sex object, you encourage them to see you as created in the likeness of something less than the image of God.  You might be a little higher than the animals in their eyes.

6. A denial of God’s value in creating all the elements that make you a human being.  If you are a professed Christian, then you represent Christ in all that you do, including in how you dress.  By portraying yourself as a public object for sexual lust, you encourage young men to value your appearance above everything else about you; thus, you encourage them to only value God’s creating ability in your outward appearance.  Every element of you was fearfully and wonderfully made, not merely your outward appearance (Gen. 1:27, Ps. 139:14).

7. A denial of your humanity.  Your humanity includes more than you being viewed as an avenue for sexual lust.  If you are stripped of everything except your sexual worth, then you are diminished to something less than human, slightly above an animal, if that.  If you think deeply about this, thousands of women are being sold into the sex trade every year.  Their “owners” value them only in a sexual way.  Why would you voluntarily encourage men to only value you in a sexual way?

8. A denial of your good works.  If you encourage a man to look at your body instead of your good works, you encourage him to selfishly use you instead of enjoying the Lord (1 Tim. 2:10). You should rather encourage a man to enjoy the Lord through enjoying you sexually within marriage; instead of encouraging men to sinfully enjoy you without enjoying the Lord.  It is impossible for men to enjoy the Lord by looking at you as a sex object.

9. A hiding of God’s glory.  When you encourage men to check out your body instead of your face, you encourage them to look at you sexually, an act that only your husband should participate in.  If you are a Christian, your goal should be to encourage others to run to Christ.  By encouraging men to look at you sexually, you encourage them to run to sin, instead of communicating by your modesty that your body is not for sexual immorality, but is for the Lord (1 Cor. 6:13).  You are not your own, for you were bought with the blood of Christ (1 Cor. 7:23).  How you dress either reveals this truth or hides it.

What are your thoughts?

Incoming search terms for the article:

Share

SBC Calvinism: Like John Ryland Sr. or William Carey?

May 26, 2011   Jared Moore   1 Comment
Share

I imagine that you’ve heard the story: At a minister’s meeting in 1786 in Northampton, John Ryland Sr., an elder Baptist pastor that was leading the meeting, invited the young brethren to suggest a subject to discuss.  William Carey eventually responded, asking if the command to the Apostles by Christ to go into all the world with the gospel was binding on all succeeding ministers unto the end of the world as well?  Ryland responded: “Young man, sit down!  When God pleases to convert the heathen, He will do it without your aid or mine!”  Carey was not deterred, and the rest is history.  You can clearly see a difference here between Carey and Ryland here.

Now, which do you think looks more like Southern Baptist Calvinists: Carey or Ryland?  The answer is obvious; however, if you do not believe me, then look at these statistics from the New Millennium Ministers Study by NAMB in 2007:

Yes, Calvinist Southern Baptist pastors still baptized people; and the resulting numerical difference between the Calvinist and non-Calvinist SBC pastors’ baptisms is so close that it’s negligible.  I trust that statistics would prove as well that SBC Calvinists give to missions and participate in missions comparably to SBC non-Calvinists (since I’ve been on mission trips with Southern Baptist Calvinists, and I have had them speak evangelistically in my church).

The bottom line is if William Carey would not be a threat to the SBC today if he were alive, then the majority of Southern Baptist Calvinists are not a threat either.  You cannot come against most SBC Calvinists and Calvinism in the SBC, and be in favor of William Carey being a part or a leader in the SBC if he were alive today.

What are your thoughts?

Incoming search terms for the article:

Share

Do you Love God? Do you Love your Brethren? Maybe…

May 26, 2011   Jared Moore   No comments
Share

What does it mean to “love” someone? How do we define “love” today? What do you think of when you think of the word “love”?

Merriam Webster’s definition of “love” as a verb:

“transitive verb1: to hold dear : cherish 2 a: to feel a lover’s passion, devotion, or tenderness for b (1): caress (2): to fondle amorously (3): to copulate with3: to like or desire actively : take pleasure in <loved to play the violin>4: to thrive in <the rose loves sunlight>intransitive verb: to feel affection or experience desire”

Merriam Webster’s definition of “love” as a noun:

1 a (1): strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties <maternal love for a child> (2): attraction based on sexual desire : affection and tenderness felt by lovers (3): affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests <love for his old schoolmates> b: an assurance of love <give her my love>2: warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion <love of the sea>3 a: the object of attachment, devotion, or admiration <baseball was his first love> b (1): a beloved person : darling —often used as a term of endearment (2)British —used as an informal term of address4 a: unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another: as (1): the fatherly concern of God for humankind (2): brotherly concern for others b: a person’s adoration of God5: a god or personification of love6: an amorous episode : love affair7: the sexual embrace : copulation

Out of all these definitions of love, not one of them is the biblical definition.

Matthew 22:37-39 reads, 37And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. 38This is the great and first commandment. 39And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Voddie Baucham in his book Family Driven Faith argues that Americans and Christians alike have bought into the Greco-Roman definition of love. The above Merriam-Webster definitions of love prove this reality. Virtually every movie and sitcom on TV communicates this Greco-Roman definition of love.

Dr. Baucham writes about 4 myths promised by this Greco-Roman love, lies that most westerners have been deceived into believing. 1. Love is a Random Force. We’ve all heard or said, “We don’t choose who we fall in love with.” The problem is that if you can fall in love, you can fall out of love. 2. Love is an Overwhelming Force. Love is something that “happens” to you, not a choice you make. 3. Love is an Uncontrollable force. We’ve all heard someone say, “We just fell out of love.” How many times has this been used as an excuse for divorce? 4. Love is a Sensual Force. Sex equals love in today’s terms. Instead of people asking, “Did he pop the question,” we hear “did you sleep with him?”

Based on Matthew 22:37-39, Baucham argues that “love” is biblically defined as an act of the will, accompanied by emotion that leads to action on behalf of its object. Loving with your heart in the local church is often thought of primarily as a feeling, but this isn’t the biblical definition. Biblically, to love with your heart is to love with your “will.” Love is a choice.

Love is also accompanied by emotion. If a man’s will is determined to love, then he will be emotional about his response, for his entire existence will be determined in fulfilling his will. The Greco-Roman myth teaches that emotion leads and determines love; while the Bible teaches that emotion accompanies the choice to love; but the choice leads, not the emotion.

Love also leads to action on behalf of its object. Jesus said in John 14:15, “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.” If all of you, your heart, soul, and mind, are loving God, then this love will always produce action. Unfortunately, I believe this Greco-Roman view of “love” has encouraged Christians across this world to sit around and wait to “fall in love” with Christ again. Instead of Christians being driven by the choice to love Christ with all our hearts, souls, and minds, we are sitting around waiting to “catch” love, like catching some disease.

Have you ever been more “on fire” for Christ than you are today? Were you more excited about Christ years ago than you are now? If so, the answer to our sin isn’t found in sitting around waiting to “fall in love” with Christ; the answer is to repent, rise up, and choose to be on fire for Jesus.

We are commanded to love God; therefore, we must make this choice, or we will never be on fire for Christ; and we will be flippant in our Christian walks, sporadic in our church attendance, and our prayer lives and Bible study as well; and all of this inconsistency will have its root in our misunderstanding of love, as if it’s something we have absolutely no control over.

Furthermore, not only are we to choose to love Christ, but the second greatest commandment is like it, we are also to choose to “love our neighbors as ourselves.” This too isn’t something we “catch” or something that happens to us at a point in time when we “get shot by cupid’s arrow.” We must determine to love our neighbors as an act of the will, accompanied by emotion that leads to action on behalf of our object(s).

Based on the biblical definitions of love presented above, do you love God? What about your brothers and sisters in Christ? What actions towards God and your brethren reveal your love?

Incoming search terms for the article:

Share

What is Abortion… Medically?

May 25, 2011   Jared Moore   No comments
Share

These methods for abortion come from Dr. Kenneth Magnuson’s (SBTS) lectures and notes in his Survey of Christian Ethics course:

1)      Manual Vacuum Aspiration (MVA): a manual syringe is used to suction fetus out of the womb (used up to 10 weeks).

2)      Suction Curettage (Vacuum Aspiration): usually used early in first trimester.  The cervix is dilated, a tube is inserted into the uterus and a strong vacuum removes the fetus (up to 14 weeks).

3)      Dilation and Curettage (D&C): usually used later in first trimester.  Cervix is dilated and a sharp looped instrument is used to scrape the wall of the uterus.  The uterine lining and fetus are removed by suction (up to 24 weeks or so).

4)      Dilation and Evacuation (D&E): used in 2nd trimester.  Similar to D&C, only with the increased size of the baby, the baby must be cut to pieces in the womb and then extracted.

5)      Saline injection (salt poisoning): used in second trimester abortions.  Saline solution is injected into the amniotic sac.  The baby is poisoned as well as severely burned.

6)      Hysterotomy: this is a method used in third trimester abortions.  It is the same procedure as a c-section, except that the baby is killed in the process.

7)      Dilation and Extraction (D&X or “Partial Birth Abortion”): performed on women in the 2nd and 3rd trimesters.  Said to be safer for the mother, and easier for the doctor than D&E, since the “fetal tissue” is tough at this stage, and sometimes difficult to cut.

8)      RU 486 (Mifepristone): discovered in 1980 by Georges Teutsch, a biochemist employed by the Paris based pharmaceutical company Roussel-Uclaf.  Testing of this pill on women subjects began in 1983, and was approved for use in France in 1988.  Usually used between week 5 and week 9.  Blocks a hormone that the baby requires as a nutrient, causing death.  Prostaglandin or something similar is then used to cause contractions and expel the baby.

9)      Some clinics offer non-surgical medical abortions using Methotrexate and Misoprostol in the early stages of pregnancy (usually before 7-8 weeks LMP—“last menstrual period”). Not approved for this purpose by the FDA, but have been used by many doctors.

Since Roe Vs. Wade in 1973, roughly 1.5 million babies have been aborted per year in the United States.  That’s roughly 55 million murders.  Pray for our country, and God’s mercy.  Speak up for the unborn!

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Share
« Older posts

  • They Harry Potter Bible Study

Powered by WordPress | Designed by: best suv | Thanks to trucks, infiniti suv and toyota suv