Lastly, we should discern if we are following a Pastor blindly or we are truly following God. Days after the fraud has been revealed, it is shown that there are many who still support the pastor even when there are things revealed which are contrary to the bible as shown in the previous posts.
http://jasonljq.blogspot.sg/2012/07/how-should-christian-respond-to-chc_09.html
http://jasonljq.blogspot.sg/2012/07/how-should-christian-respond-to-chc.html
We have to be careful if we are treating a particular pastor in a position which is above God as revealed in the bible. We have to be careful not to treat a pastor as an idol. This is particularly if he teaches contrary to the bible.
Pray about it. Pray that God gives you the wisdom and the courage to make a decision which He favors. Discern the scriptures and examine yourself if what the pastor has taught is biblical.
"But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs." 1 Tim 6: 6-10
"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." 2 Timothy 2: 15
"There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, 4 treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God" 2 Timothy 3: 2-4
Showing posts with label Charismatism-Prosperity Gospel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Charismatism-Prosperity Gospel. Show all posts
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
How Should a Christian Respond to the CHC Saga? (Part 2)
The financial fraud is a criminal offense in the eyes of the law and time will tell if Kong Hee will be convicted. Now however, what’s worse is that Kong Hee has not announced any words of apologies or repentance. In his tweet, he says, “Anyone can say anything but they cannot take away the belief of the countless whose lives were transformed as a result of the endeavour.” The endeavour was referring to the ‘Crossover Project’, where the funds were used to support the international singing career of Ho Yeow Sun. The reason Kong Hee had embarked on the project was because he had hoped that through the music of Ho Yeow Sun, the love of God would be made known to those listening to the music.
If Sun had been singing christian hymns and spreading the gospel, I think it would be more of a reason to embark on the project. However, just do a quick search on Google Images for her and it will be filled with many photos of her wearing revealing and sexy clothes. A music video of hers, entitled ‘China Wine’ has totally no indication at all in telling a message of God.
Remember that God is holy, and therefore, believers are to be holy. Now instead of telling a message of God’s love, you stir up the lustful desires in many men with revealing attire and sultry dances. Didn’t Jesus commands that anyone who lusts after a girl has already committed adultery with her in their hearts? How many have been lured into the sin of adultery by her?
What is the means by which the gospel is preached? Jesus commands His disciples, go and make disciples of all nations, and teaching them to obey everything that He had commanded. His commands are contained in the bible, the Word of God. There is no other way to proclaim the love of God other than to preach from the bible. The love of God cannot be proclaimed in a general message of love where there is no or implicit mention of God. The medium through which God is proclaimed is the bible and only through the bible.
Would Jesus favor the ‘Crossover Project’? That this is the right means through which His salvation be proclaimed? Why strive for a singing career in hollywood and not in more remote areas of the world where more would not have heard of the gospel? Why live in such a lavish house which is said that monthly expense go above $20,000?
to be continued...
If Sun had been singing christian hymns and spreading the gospel, I think it would be more of a reason to embark on the project. However, just do a quick search on Google Images for her and it will be filled with many photos of her wearing revealing and sexy clothes. A music video of hers, entitled ‘China Wine’ has totally no indication at all in telling a message of God.
Remember that God is holy, and therefore, believers are to be holy. Now instead of telling a message of God’s love, you stir up the lustful desires in many men with revealing attire and sultry dances. Didn’t Jesus commands that anyone who lusts after a girl has already committed adultery with her in their hearts? How many have been lured into the sin of adultery by her?
What is the means by which the gospel is preached? Jesus commands His disciples, go and make disciples of all nations, and teaching them to obey everything that He had commanded. His commands are contained in the bible, the Word of God. There is no other way to proclaim the love of God other than to preach from the bible. The love of God cannot be proclaimed in a general message of love where there is no or implicit mention of God. The medium through which God is proclaimed is the bible and only through the bible.
Would Jesus favor the ‘Crossover Project’? That this is the right means through which His salvation be proclaimed? Why strive for a singing career in hollywood and not in more remote areas of the world where more would not have heard of the gospel? Why live in such a lavish house which is said that monthly expense go above $20,000?
to be continued...
Sunday, July 08, 2012
How Should a Christian Respond to the CHC Saga? (Part 1)
I just got back from a Japan trip for a family tour and to visit a missionary couple in Fukuoka. Just before I left, the news of CHC pastor Kong Hee falsifying the church’s financial account was reported in the news. Many people came to his defense. Among them, many quoted Matthew 7:1, “Do not judge, so that you won’t be judged.” to criticise Christians who have given disapproval to the actions of Kong Hee.
Firstly, this is not the true meaning of Matthew 7:1. The verse does not mean that we should not point out from the mistakes of others. In the same chapter, Mt 7:15 records, “Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves.” How are we to identify false prophets? Doesn’t that involve judging them to see if what they preach and do are what the bible approves of? Doesn’t it take careful judging to see amongst the sheep if one of them is a wolf waiting to devour the rest of the sheep?
Mt 7:16 goes on, “You will recognize false prophets by their fruit...” It carries on in 7:17-20, “every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, neither can a bad tree produce good fruit....So you will recognize them by their fruit.” How do we recognize if we are not allowed to judge? The very nature of recognizing if someone is a true teacher of God’s Word involves judgement. It involves careful discernment. Careful discernment if a person who claims to be a teacher of the bible has produced good fruit. That is, if he has lead a life that God favours, by doing good, not only in outwardly actions where it is visible by surrounding man, but more importantly, having a truly pure heart with inwardly good intentions which only God can see.
Jesus in fact commands us to judge righteously. Jesus once went into the temple and began to teach. The Jews were astonished at the authority of His teaching. But yet, they began to reject His teaching and even claimed that there is a demon inside Him (John 7:20). Jesus responded to them not to judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgement (John 7:24). To judge if He is in fact a demon, or the true Son of God.
So what did Jesus meant when he spoke the words in Mt 7:1? Jesus was speaking to his disciples to be on guard against the hypocritical, unfair, self-righteous, harsh judging by the Pharisees. The Pharisees judge others but they themselves are committing the same sin or even worse sin. They command people to do good but they themselves are not doing it (Mt 23). They impose overly self righteous moral standards and laws to the people which they themselves are not observing. They cheat the possessions of widows’ (23:14), did not exercise justice and mercy (23:23). Jesus condemns the hypocrisy of the Pharisees in a whole chapter in Mt 23.
Jesus is not telling us that we are not to recognize the mistakes of others if they have truly committed a wrong. He is telling us not to be the kind of people who would judge other people’s wrong and yet, ourselves committing the same kind of sin that they have just judged. This is the hypocritical judging that Jesus does not allow us to have. He says in Mt 7:3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” He carries on in 7:5, “You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
An example of hypocritical judging is if someone is watching pornography, yet he rebukes another brother for looking lustfully at scantily clad women in a magazine. Isn’t the case of pornography worse?
Jesus wants us to first examine ourselves for any sin that we might have first before we rebuke the similar sin in others. Thus, in the case of Kong Hee, when we read of the financial fraud that he has committed, let us examine ourselves of any financial fraud that we might have committed too. Have we ourselves gain any dishonest profits or possessions?
But this is not to say that we can just take a neutral stance towards his case of financial fraud. Financial fraud in the eyes of the law already warrants a life imprisonment sentence to the convict. There were two previous large scale financial fraud cases in Singapore. The first one, involved an employee in Asia Pacific Breweries who falsified 117 million. He was sentenced to 42 years in jail. The other involved an employee in Singapore Airlines who falsified 34 millions and was sentenced to 24 years in jail. In contrast, Kong Hee falsified 26 million and the highest penalty is a life time imprisonment.
The secular law already warrants such judgement against Kong Hee. What more the bible which examines in the inner most depths of the hearts of man? We have to be on guard against greed. We have to be alert to judge and recognize a church leader who is involved in financial fraud.
to be continued...
Firstly, this is not the true meaning of Matthew 7:1. The verse does not mean that we should not point out from the mistakes of others. In the same chapter, Mt 7:15 records, “Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravaging wolves.” How are we to identify false prophets? Doesn’t that involve judging them to see if what they preach and do are what the bible approves of? Doesn’t it take careful judging to see amongst the sheep if one of them is a wolf waiting to devour the rest of the sheep?
Mt 7:16 goes on, “You will recognize false prophets by their fruit...” It carries on in 7:17-20, “every good tree produces good fruit, but a bad tree produces bad fruit. A good tree can’t produce bad fruit, neither can a bad tree produce good fruit....So you will recognize them by their fruit.” How do we recognize if we are not allowed to judge? The very nature of recognizing if someone is a true teacher of God’s Word involves judgement. It involves careful discernment. Careful discernment if a person who claims to be a teacher of the bible has produced good fruit. That is, if he has lead a life that God favours, by doing good, not only in outwardly actions where it is visible by surrounding man, but more importantly, having a truly pure heart with inwardly good intentions which only God can see.
Jesus in fact commands us to judge righteously. Jesus once went into the temple and began to teach. The Jews were astonished at the authority of His teaching. But yet, they began to reject His teaching and even claimed that there is a demon inside Him (John 7:20). Jesus responded to them not to judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgement (John 7:24). To judge if He is in fact a demon, or the true Son of God.
So what did Jesus meant when he spoke the words in Mt 7:1? Jesus was speaking to his disciples to be on guard against the hypocritical, unfair, self-righteous, harsh judging by the Pharisees. The Pharisees judge others but they themselves are committing the same sin or even worse sin. They command people to do good but they themselves are not doing it (Mt 23). They impose overly self righteous moral standards and laws to the people which they themselves are not observing. They cheat the possessions of widows’ (23:14), did not exercise justice and mercy (23:23). Jesus condemns the hypocrisy of the Pharisees in a whole chapter in Mt 23.
Jesus is not telling us that we are not to recognize the mistakes of others if they have truly committed a wrong. He is telling us not to be the kind of people who would judge other people’s wrong and yet, ourselves committing the same kind of sin that they have just judged. This is the hypocritical judging that Jesus does not allow us to have. He says in Mt 7:3 “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?” He carries on in 7:5, “You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.”
An example of hypocritical judging is if someone is watching pornography, yet he rebukes another brother for looking lustfully at scantily clad women in a magazine. Isn’t the case of pornography worse?
Jesus wants us to first examine ourselves for any sin that we might have first before we rebuke the similar sin in others. Thus, in the case of Kong Hee, when we read of the financial fraud that he has committed, let us examine ourselves of any financial fraud that we might have committed too. Have we ourselves gain any dishonest profits or possessions?
But this is not to say that we can just take a neutral stance towards his case of financial fraud. Financial fraud in the eyes of the law already warrants a life imprisonment sentence to the convict. There were two previous large scale financial fraud cases in Singapore. The first one, involved an employee in Asia Pacific Breweries who falsified 117 million. He was sentenced to 42 years in jail. The other involved an employee in Singapore Airlines who falsified 34 millions and was sentenced to 24 years in jail. In contrast, Kong Hee falsified 26 million and the highest penalty is a life time imprisonment.
The secular law already warrants such judgement against Kong Hee. What more the bible which examines in the inner most depths of the hearts of man? We have to be on guard against greed. We have to be alert to judge and recognize a church leader who is involved in financial fraud.
to be continued...
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Blind Leaders of Blind
On one occasion, Col. Robert G Ingersoll, the agnostic lecturer of the last century, was announced to give an address on Hell. He declared he would prove conclusively that hell was a wild dream of some scheming theologians who invented it to terrify people.
As he was launching into his subject, a half-drunken man arose in the audience and exclaimed: "Make it strong, Bob. There's a lot of us poor fellows depending on you. If you are wrong, we are all lost. So be sure you prove it clear and plain."
If hell is not real, does it matter what sins i commit, for there are no consequences?
But what if hell is real? (Luke 16:19-30)
If all roads lead to heaven, does it matter what my belief is? For couldn't I just believe in my dog?
But what if there is only one road, one way, one path? (John 14:6)
If doing good can lead me to heaven, does it matter how much good I do, for it is sufficient?
But what if I am not doing enough good? Not enough to guarantee me a ticket to heaven? (Romans 3:23)
If the bible teaches of a loving God who loves me dearly, wants me to be reconciled to Him in His eternal joyous Kingdom, wants to take care of me, wants to wipe off every tear that I have ever shed, is willing to accept me into His Kingdom regardless of the evil deeds I have done, is willing to die the most tragic death ever, to save me despite my sin, why am I hardening my heart to reject Him? (Man)
As he was launching into his subject, a half-drunken man arose in the audience and exclaimed: "Make it strong, Bob. There's a lot of us poor fellows depending on you. If you are wrong, we are all lost. So be sure you prove it clear and plain."
Matt 15:14 "If the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch."
If hell is not real, does it matter what sins i commit, for there are no consequences?
But what if hell is real? (Luke 16:19-30)
If all roads lead to heaven, does it matter what my belief is? For couldn't I just believe in my dog?
But what if there is only one road, one way, one path? (John 14:6)
If doing good can lead me to heaven, does it matter how much good I do, for it is sufficient?
But what if I am not doing enough good? Not enough to guarantee me a ticket to heaven? (Romans 3:23)
If the bible teaches of a loving God who loves me dearly, wants me to be reconciled to Him in His eternal joyous Kingdom, wants to take care of me, wants to wipe off every tear that I have ever shed, is willing to accept me into His Kingdom regardless of the evil deeds I have done, is willing to die the most tragic death ever, to save me despite my sin, why am I hardening my heart to reject Him? (Man)
Saturday, March 26, 2011
The Parable of the Sower - Retold for a new generation (Matt 13)
Jesus once told his disciples a parable of the sower.
A sower who sowed the seeds of the gospel sowed it across a field.
Guarding against Procrastination (Matt 13:19)
Some of the seeds fell beside the road where birds came and ate them up. The seeds are those who hears the gospel yet do not understand it. The devil comes and snatches away what is in the their hearts.
Are you this seed? Are you still procrastinating in believing the Word of God? Without faith first, can you understand? Has the devil snatched away what's is in your heart?
Being Prepared for Persecution (Matt 13:20-21)
Some of the other seeds fell on rocky places, where the soil is thin. They immediately sprang up because of the thin soil. Yet when the scorching sun shined upon them, they withered away for they had no roots. These seeds are those who hear the gospel with joy immediately. They might make emotional yet superficial commitments to Christ but the commitments are not real. They remain interested till persecution comes and there's a price to pay.
Are you this seed? Will you forsake what you received immediately with joy when persecution, inconvenience, costs, come into the picture?
Godliness in handling Prosperity (Matt 13:22)
There were some other seeds which were sowed among thorns. The seeds grew but were choked out by the thorns. These seeds are those who hears the Word, yet the world's worry and the deceitfulness of wealth choke their understanding of the Word and they become unfruitful. The make superficial commitments without true repentance. Yet, can't break from the love of money and love of the world.
Are you this seed? Are you a friend of the world, yet enemy of God? (James 4:4) Are you the rich ruler who cannot give up his possessions to follow Christ? (Matt 19:16-27)
Wouldn't a prosperity gospel introduce more 'weeds' to choke budding seeds? Why would we introduce more weeds when there are already many as there already is?
Guarding against Barrenness (Matt 13:23)
Finally, there were seeds which fell onto good soil. They are those who hears, and understands. Such bear fruits of repentance and fruits of the Spirit. They bear fruits of thirty fold, sixty fold and a hundred fold.
Are we bearing fruits or are we barren? The good tree bear good fruits. Any other tree is thrown into the fire. As such, only the seeds that grow into fruit bearing plants enter the Kingdom of God.
Which seed are we?
Do we guard against procrastination in believing God's Word or do we thirst for it?
Are we prepared against persecution or fall away when we have to bear the cost?
Do we sow seeds of the gospel or sow weeds of wealth's deceitfulness?
Are we barren plants or good trees that bear good fruits?
For the Master,
Jason
A sower who sowed the seeds of the gospel sowed it across a field.
Guarding against Procrastination (Matt 13:19)
Some of the seeds fell beside the road where birds came and ate them up. The seeds are those who hears the gospel yet do not understand it. The devil comes and snatches away what is in the their hearts.
Are you this seed? Are you still procrastinating in believing the Word of God? Without faith first, can you understand? Has the devil snatched away what's is in your heart?
Being Prepared for Persecution (Matt 13:20-21)
Some of the other seeds fell on rocky places, where the soil is thin. They immediately sprang up because of the thin soil. Yet when the scorching sun shined upon them, they withered away for they had no roots. These seeds are those who hear the gospel with joy immediately. They might make emotional yet superficial commitments to Christ but the commitments are not real. They remain interested till persecution comes and there's a price to pay.
Are you this seed? Will you forsake what you received immediately with joy when persecution, inconvenience, costs, come into the picture?
Godliness in handling Prosperity (Matt 13:22)
There were some other seeds which were sowed among thorns. The seeds grew but were choked out by the thorns. These seeds are those who hears the Word, yet the world's worry and the deceitfulness of wealth choke their understanding of the Word and they become unfruitful. The make superficial commitments without true repentance. Yet, can't break from the love of money and love of the world.
Are you this seed? Are you a friend of the world, yet enemy of God? (James 4:4) Are you the rich ruler who cannot give up his possessions to follow Christ? (Matt 19:16-27)
Wouldn't a prosperity gospel introduce more 'weeds' to choke budding seeds? Why would we introduce more weeds when there are already many as there already is?
Guarding against Barrenness (Matt 13:23)
Finally, there were seeds which fell onto good soil. They are those who hears, and understands. Such bear fruits of repentance and fruits of the Spirit. They bear fruits of thirty fold, sixty fold and a hundred fold.
Are we bearing fruits or are we barren? The good tree bear good fruits. Any other tree is thrown into the fire. As such, only the seeds that grow into fruit bearing plants enter the Kingdom of God.
Which seed are we?
Do we guard against procrastination in believing God's Word or do we thirst for it?
Are we prepared against persecution or fall away when we have to bear the cost?
Do we sow seeds of the gospel or sow weeds of wealth's deceitfulness?
Are we barren plants or good trees that bear good fruits?
For the Master,
Jason
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Are you seed thrown onto rocky soil?
From John MacArthur, Matt 13.
"If your confession of Christ, however you define it, if your confession of Christ, I'm talking about you personally, does not come from a deep inner conviction of your sin, does not come from a deep sense of lostness, does not include a tremendous desire for the Lord to cleanse and purify and lead you, if your confession of Christ does not involve a great hunger for self-denial and self-sacrifice and a willingness to suffer for His sake, then you have no root and it's only a matter of time.
And something will come along and you'll burn up and die, because you're not willing, as Jesus said, to take up the cross and follow Him. And if you're not, you're not worthy to be His ... what? ... His disciple.
Only God can break up that stony heart and if you've got that kind of heart, you need to pray and ask the Lord to do for you what He promised to do for Israel in Ezekiel 36:26 when He said, "I'll take away your stony heart and give you a heart of flesh."
And so, He says there are ... there are these who hear but they never clean out the soil. The world is still there. And money is still there. And that's exactly why Jesus said - You cannot serve God and money ... you either hate the one and love the other or despise the one and cling to the other. That's why John said - If any man love the world, the love of the Father is ... what?... not in him.
You can't be that double-minded man. The soil that is going to produce the fruit must be cleansed of that stuff and that is why I'm so convinced in my heart that true salvation only occurs where there is true repentance...where there's a willingness to deal with sin in the life and that is a marvelous and gracious work of God.
"If your confession of Christ, however you define it, if your confession of Christ, I'm talking about you personally, does not come from a deep inner conviction of your sin, does not come from a deep sense of lostness, does not include a tremendous desire for the Lord to cleanse and purify and lead you, if your confession of Christ does not involve a great hunger for self-denial and self-sacrifice and a willingness to suffer for His sake, then you have no root and it's only a matter of time.
And something will come along and you'll burn up and die, because you're not willing, as Jesus said, to take up the cross and follow Him. And if you're not, you're not worthy to be His ... what? ... His disciple.
Only God can break up that stony heart and if you've got that kind of heart, you need to pray and ask the Lord to do for you what He promised to do for Israel in Ezekiel 36:26 when He said, "I'll take away your stony heart and give you a heart of flesh."
And so, He says there are ... there are these who hear but they never clean out the soil. The world is still there. And money is still there. And that's exactly why Jesus said - You cannot serve God and money ... you either hate the one and love the other or despise the one and cling to the other. That's why John said - If any man love the world, the love of the Father is ... what?... not in him.
You can't be that double-minded man. The soil that is going to produce the fruit must be cleansed of that stuff and that is why I'm so convinced in my heart that true salvation only occurs where there is true repentance...where there's a willingness to deal with sin in the life and that is a marvelous and gracious work of God.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Charismatism - from Got Questions
Question: "What is the Charismatic movement?"
Answer: The Charismatic movement is an interdenominational Christian renewal movement and is one of the most popular and fastest-growing forces within the Christian world today. The movement traces its roots to 1906, at the Azusa Street mission in Los Angeles, California, a Methodist-sponsored revival. It was there that people claimed to have been “baptized by the Holy Spirit” in the manner recorded in Acts chapter 2 during the celebration of Pentecost. People speaking in tongues and miracles of healing roused people to a spiritual frenzy. The people who attended those meetings spread their enthusiasm throughout the United States, and the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement began.
By the early 1970s the movement had spread to Europe, and during the 1980s, the movement expanded with a number of new denominations evolving from it. As such, it is no longer unusual to see its practice in many other denominations such as Baptists, Episcopalians, and Lutherans, as well as non-denominational churches.
The movement takes its name from the Greek words charis, which is the English transliteration of the Greek word for “grace,” and mata, which is the Greek word meaning “gifts.” Charismata, then, means “grace gifts.” It emphasizes the manifestations of the gifts of the Holy Spirit as a sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit. These gifts are also known as the biblical “charisms” or a set of spiritual gifts which supposedly gives an individual influence or authority over large numbers of people. The prominent gifts among these “charisms” are speaking in tongues and prophesying. Charismatics hold that those manifestations of the Holy Spirit given to those in the first-century church may still be experienced and practiced today.
The Charismatic movement is most known for its acceptance of speaking in tongues (also known as glossolalia), divine healing, and prophecies as part of the grace of the power of the Holy Spirit. Most meetings are for prayer and spirited singing, dancing, shouting “in the spirit,” and raising hands and arms in prayer. Also, anointing the sick with oil is often part of the worship service. These are the primary reasons for the movement’s growth and popularity. While growth and popularity are certainly desirable, they cannot be used as a test for truth.
There is controversy over whether elements of the Charismatic movement are based on genuine expressions of worship or impassioned outbursts of emotion. Oftentimes, Charismatic preachers are labeled as charlatans or outright frauds, and worshippers displaying Charismatic expressions are dismissed as ignorant or unbalanced.
The question remains: is the Charismatic movement scriptural? We can best answer that question this way: we know that since the creation of mankind Satan’s insidious master plan has been simply to put a veil between God’s children and God’s inerrant Word. It began in the Garden of Eden when the serpent asked Eve, “Did God really say . . .?” (Genesis 3:1), thereby raising doubt as to the authority and authenticity of what God has said. Ever since that day, he continues to attack the inerrancy and sufficiency of Scripture. Without question, we know that Satan has stepped up the pace of this strategy (1 Peter 5:8).
Today, we are witnessing a growing menace of demonic activity in the realm of the miraculous. Where Satan does not succeed in taking the Bible from us, he works hard at taking us from the Bible. He does this simply by getting Christians to focus their attention on the claims of men and women to some supernatural experience. As a result, those who seek after the experiences of others have neither time nor interest in searching the Scriptures for God’s truth.
There is no denying that God performs miracles. Some of what occurs in the Charismatic movement very well may be a true work of the Holy Spirit. However, the core truth is this: the Body of Christ does not need new apostles, nor new faith-healers, nor self-styled miracle workers. What the Church needs is to return to the Word of God and proclaim the whole counsel of God in the power and love of the Holy Spirit.
Answer: The Charismatic movement is an interdenominational Christian renewal movement and is one of the most popular and fastest-growing forces within the Christian world today. The movement traces its roots to 1906, at the Azusa Street mission in Los Angeles, California, a Methodist-sponsored revival. It was there that people claimed to have been “baptized by the Holy Spirit” in the manner recorded in Acts chapter 2 during the celebration of Pentecost. People speaking in tongues and miracles of healing roused people to a spiritual frenzy. The people who attended those meetings spread their enthusiasm throughout the United States, and the Pentecostal/Charismatic movement began.
By the early 1970s the movement had spread to Europe, and during the 1980s, the movement expanded with a number of new denominations evolving from it. As such, it is no longer unusual to see its practice in many other denominations such as Baptists, Episcopalians, and Lutherans, as well as non-denominational churches.
The movement takes its name from the Greek words charis, which is the English transliteration of the Greek word for “grace,” and mata, which is the Greek word meaning “gifts.” Charismata, then, means “grace gifts.” It emphasizes the manifestations of the gifts of the Holy Spirit as a sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit. These gifts are also known as the biblical “charisms” or a set of spiritual gifts which supposedly gives an individual influence or authority over large numbers of people. The prominent gifts among these “charisms” are speaking in tongues and prophesying. Charismatics hold that those manifestations of the Holy Spirit given to those in the first-century church may still be experienced and practiced today.
The Charismatic movement is most known for its acceptance of speaking in tongues (also known as glossolalia), divine healing, and prophecies as part of the grace of the power of the Holy Spirit. Most meetings are for prayer and spirited singing, dancing, shouting “in the spirit,” and raising hands and arms in prayer. Also, anointing the sick with oil is often part of the worship service. These are the primary reasons for the movement’s growth and popularity. While growth and popularity are certainly desirable, they cannot be used as a test for truth.
There is controversy over whether elements of the Charismatic movement are based on genuine expressions of worship or impassioned outbursts of emotion. Oftentimes, Charismatic preachers are labeled as charlatans or outright frauds, and worshippers displaying Charismatic expressions are dismissed as ignorant or unbalanced.
The question remains: is the Charismatic movement scriptural? We can best answer that question this way: we know that since the creation of mankind Satan’s insidious master plan has been simply to put a veil between God’s children and God’s inerrant Word. It began in the Garden of Eden when the serpent asked Eve, “Did God really say . . .?” (Genesis 3:1), thereby raising doubt as to the authority and authenticity of what God has said. Ever since that day, he continues to attack the inerrancy and sufficiency of Scripture. Without question, we know that Satan has stepped up the pace of this strategy (1 Peter 5:8).
Today, we are witnessing a growing menace of demonic activity in the realm of the miraculous. Where Satan does not succeed in taking the Bible from us, he works hard at taking us from the Bible. He does this simply by getting Christians to focus their attention on the claims of men and women to some supernatural experience. As a result, those who seek after the experiences of others have neither time nor interest in searching the Scriptures for God’s truth.
There is no denying that God performs miracles. Some of what occurs in the Charismatic movement very well may be a true work of the Holy Spirit. However, the core truth is this: the Body of Christ does not need new apostles, nor new faith-healers, nor self-styled miracle workers. What the Church needs is to return to the Word of God and proclaim the whole counsel of God in the power and love of the Holy Spirit.
Prosperity Preaching: Deceitful and Deadly by John Piper
When I read about prosperity-preaching churches, my response is: “If I were not on the inside of Christianity, I wouldn’t want in.” In other words, if this is the message of Jesus, no thank you.
Luring people to Christ to get rich is both deceitful and deadly. It’s deceitful because when Jesus himself called us, he said things like: “Any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33). And it’s deadly because the desire to be rich plunges “people into ruin and destruction” (1 Timothy 6:9). So here is my plea to preachers of the gospel.
1. Don’t develop a philosophy of ministry that makes it harder for people to get into heaven.
Jesus said, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” His disciples were astonished, as many in the “prosperity” movement should be. So Jesus went on to raise their astonishment even higher by saying, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” They respond in disbelief: “Then who can be saved?” Jesus says, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God” (Mark 10:23-27).
My question for prosperity preachers is: Why would you want to develop a ministry focus that makes it harder for people to enter heaven?
2. Do not develop a philosophy of ministry that kindles suicidal desires in people.
Paul said, “There is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.” But then he warned against the desire to be rich. And by implication, he warned against preachers who stir up the desire to be rich instead of helping people get rid of it. He warned, “Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs” (1 Timothy 6:6-10).
So my question for prosperity preachers is: Why would you want to develop a ministry that encourages people to pierce themselves with many pangs and plunge themselves into ruin and destruction?
3. Do not develop a philosophy of ministry that encourages vulnerability to moth and rust.
Jesus warns against the effort to lay up treasures on earth. That is, he tells us to be givers, not keepers. “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19).
Yes, we all keep something. But given the built-in tendency toward greed in all of us, why would we take the focus off Jesus and turn it upside down?
4. Don’t develop a philosophy of ministry that makes hard work a means of amassing wealth.
Paul said we should not steal. The alternative was hard work with our own hands. But the main purpose was not merely to hoard or even to have. The purpose was “to have to give.” “Let him labor, working with his hands, that he may have to give to him who is in need” (Ephesians 4:28). This is not a justification for being rich in order to give more. It is a call to make more and keep less so you can give more. There is no reason why a person who makes $200,000 should live any differently from the way a person who makes $80,000 lives. Find a wartime lifestyle; cap your expenditures; then give the rest away.
Why would you want to encourage people to think that they should possess wealth in order to be a lavish giver? Why not encourage them to keep their lives more simple and be an even more lavish giver? Would that not add to their generosity a strong testimony that Christ, and not possessions, is their treasure?
5. Don’t develop a philosophy of ministry that promotes less faith in the promises of God to be for us what money can’t be.
The reason the writer to the Hebrews tells us to be content with what we have is that the opposite implies less faith in the promises of God. He says, “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:5-6).
If the Bible tells us that being content with what we have honors the promise of God never to forsake us, why would we want to teach people to want to be rich?
6. Don’t develop a philosophy of ministry that contributes to your people being choked to death.
Jesus warns that the word of God, which is meant to give us life, can be choked off from any effectiveness by riches. He says it is like a seed that grows up among thorns that choke it to death: “They are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the . . . riches . . . of life, and their fruit does not mature” (Luke 8:14).
Why would we want to encourage people to pursue the very thing that Jesus warns will choke us to death?
7. Don’t develop a philosophy of ministry that takes the seasoning out of the salt and puts the light under a basket.
What is it about Christians that makes them the salt of the earth and the light of the world? It is not wealth. The desire for wealth and the pursuit of wealth tastes and looks just like the world. It does not offer the world anything different from what it already believes in. The great tragedy of prosperity-preaching is that a person does not have to be spiritually awakened in order to embrace it; one needs only to be greedy. Getting rich in the name of Jesus is not the salt of the earth or the light of the world. In this, the world simply sees a reflection of itself. And if it works, they will buy it.
The context of Jesus’ saying shows us what the salt and light are. They are the joyful willingness to suffering for Christ. Here is what Jesus said, “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. You are the salt of the earth. . . . You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:11-14).
What will make the world taste (the salt) and see (the light) of Christ in us is not that we love wealth the same way they do. Rather, it will be the willingness and the ability of Christians to love others through suffering, all the while rejoicing because their reward is in heaven with Jesus. This is inexplicable on human terms. This is supernatural. But to attract people with promises of prosperity is simply natural. It is not the message of Jesus. It is not what he died to achieve.
Luring people to Christ to get rich is both deceitful and deadly. It’s deceitful because when Jesus himself called us, he said things like: “Any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple” (Luke 14:33). And it’s deadly because the desire to be rich plunges “people into ruin and destruction” (1 Timothy 6:9). So here is my plea to preachers of the gospel.
1. Don’t develop a philosophy of ministry that makes it harder for people to get into heaven.
Jesus said, “How difficult it will be for those who have wealth to enter the kingdom of God!” His disciples were astonished, as many in the “prosperity” movement should be. So Jesus went on to raise their astonishment even higher by saying, “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” They respond in disbelief: “Then who can be saved?” Jesus says, “With man it is impossible, but not with God. For all things are possible with God” (Mark 10:23-27).
My question for prosperity preachers is: Why would you want to develop a ministry focus that makes it harder for people to enter heaven?
2. Do not develop a philosophy of ministry that kindles suicidal desires in people.
Paul said, “There is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.” But then he warned against the desire to be rich. And by implication, he warned against preachers who stir up the desire to be rich instead of helping people get rid of it. He warned, “Those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs” (1 Timothy 6:6-10).
So my question for prosperity preachers is: Why would you want to develop a ministry that encourages people to pierce themselves with many pangs and plunge themselves into ruin and destruction?
3. Do not develop a philosophy of ministry that encourages vulnerability to moth and rust.
Jesus warns against the effort to lay up treasures on earth. That is, he tells us to be givers, not keepers. “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19).
Yes, we all keep something. But given the built-in tendency toward greed in all of us, why would we take the focus off Jesus and turn it upside down?
4. Don’t develop a philosophy of ministry that makes hard work a means of amassing wealth.
Paul said we should not steal. The alternative was hard work with our own hands. But the main purpose was not merely to hoard or even to have. The purpose was “to have to give.” “Let him labor, working with his hands, that he may have to give to him who is in need” (Ephesians 4:28). This is not a justification for being rich in order to give more. It is a call to make more and keep less so you can give more. There is no reason why a person who makes $200,000 should live any differently from the way a person who makes $80,000 lives. Find a wartime lifestyle; cap your expenditures; then give the rest away.
Why would you want to encourage people to think that they should possess wealth in order to be a lavish giver? Why not encourage them to keep their lives more simple and be an even more lavish giver? Would that not add to their generosity a strong testimony that Christ, and not possessions, is their treasure?
5. Don’t develop a philosophy of ministry that promotes less faith in the promises of God to be for us what money can’t be.
The reason the writer to the Hebrews tells us to be content with what we have is that the opposite implies less faith in the promises of God. He says, “Keep your life free from love of money, and be content with what you have, for he has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we can confidently say, ‘The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?’” (Hebrews 13:5-6).
If the Bible tells us that being content with what we have honors the promise of God never to forsake us, why would we want to teach people to want to be rich?
6. Don’t develop a philosophy of ministry that contributes to your people being choked to death.
Jesus warns that the word of God, which is meant to give us life, can be choked off from any effectiveness by riches. He says it is like a seed that grows up among thorns that choke it to death: “They are those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by the . . . riches . . . of life, and their fruit does not mature” (Luke 8:14).
Why would we want to encourage people to pursue the very thing that Jesus warns will choke us to death?
7. Don’t develop a philosophy of ministry that takes the seasoning out of the salt and puts the light under a basket.
What is it about Christians that makes them the salt of the earth and the light of the world? It is not wealth. The desire for wealth and the pursuit of wealth tastes and looks just like the world. It does not offer the world anything different from what it already believes in. The great tragedy of prosperity-preaching is that a person does not have to be spiritually awakened in order to embrace it; one needs only to be greedy. Getting rich in the name of Jesus is not the salt of the earth or the light of the world. In this, the world simply sees a reflection of itself. And if it works, they will buy it.
The context of Jesus’ saying shows us what the salt and light are. They are the joyful willingness to suffering for Christ. Here is what Jesus said, “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. You are the salt of the earth. . . . You are the light of the world” (Matthew 5:11-14).
What will make the world taste (the salt) and see (the light) of Christ in us is not that we love wealth the same way they do. Rather, it will be the willingness and the ability of Christians to love others through suffering, all the while rejoicing because their reward is in heaven with Jesus. This is inexplicable on human terms. This is supernatural. But to attract people with promises of prosperity is simply natural. It is not the message of Jesus. It is not what he died to achieve.
Wednesday, June 02, 2010
This is very sad
Leviticus 10:1-3
1 Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to his command. 2 So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD.
2 Samuel 6:5-7
5 David and the whole house of Israel were celebrating with all their might before the LORD, with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, sistrums and cymbals.
6 When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. 7 The LORD's anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down and he died there beside the ark of God.
John 4:23-24
23Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. 24God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."
1 Peter 1:16
"Be Holy for I am Holy"
Thursday, May 06, 2010
Biblical worship – God will be honored
Biblical worship – God will be honored
Worship has to be favored by God. Worship has to honor God. Nadab and Abihu offered the wrong fire contrary to God’s command and were struck dead by God.
Leviticus 10:1-3
1 Aaron's sons Nadab and Abihu took their censers, put fire in them and added incense; and they offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, contrary to his command. 2 So fire came out from the presence of the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. 3 Moses then said to Aaron, "This is what the LORD spoke of when he said:
" 'Among those who approach me
I will show myself holy;
in the sight of all the people
I will be honored.' "
Aaron remained silent.
God-revealed means of worship and holiness of worship has to be observed, lest we end up doing irreverent actions like Uzzah who tried to support the ark from falling but was struck dead by God where just moments ago, David and the whole house of
2 Samuel 6:5-7
5 David and the whole house of
6 When they came to the threshing floor of Nacon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. 7 The LORD's anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down and he died there beside the ark of God.
Offering with a truthful heart has to be observed lest we end up like Sapphiras and Ananias, who offered with deceit.
Acts 5:3-5
3Then Peter said, "Ananias, how is it that Satan has so filled your heart that you have lied to the Holy Spirit and have kept for yourself some of the money you received for the land? 4Didn't it belong to you before it was sold? And after it was sold, wasn't the money at your disposal? What made you think of doing such a thing? You have not lied to men but to God."
5When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened.
We see from these events that worship to God has to be favored by Him. Not by man. Worship to God has to be according to His ways, not our liking. With the joy of having God favor our worship, we are also reminded of the severe wrath of judgment upon worship that is not according to His will.
So what is the worship that God favors?
It is not the worship of the Old Testament as revealed on the pattern of the mount. It is not the dancing and clanging of cymbals done when certain victorious events have occurred. It is not the worship that happened in the temple, holiest place, or holiest of holiest. The book of Hebrews records that when the new covenant of Christ comes, it has replaced the obsolete worship ways of the Old Testament.
Worship is not the pattern shown during the apostolic period captured mainly through the book of Acts where much of the worship did not have an orderly structure. But God in His divine will flourished the early church. And in AD 95, God revealed to the last surviving apostle John, the pattern of worship in heaven.
In Revelations 4 and 5, the circle of elders worship the slained lamb through the singing of hymns, and all glory was given unto the lamb. With harps and hymns serving praise and conviction to the Lord who was slained for us.
The worship was carried out in a holy manner. For our God is holy, and as the angels proclaimed, holy, holy, holy is the God Almighty.
Some questions to think about worship.
Is our worship holy? Or is it influenced by the attractions of this world?
Is our worship for the sole glory of God? Or it is to bring name and knowing to individuals?
Are we worshiping in truth or are we worshiping to our liking?
Are we worshipping in spirit or are we worshipping in unrepentance, continual living in sin and coming to worship with a hypocritical heart?
Are we sincerely pursing a worship that God favours and not a worship that man favours?
Is our worship for the edification of man that they are led to worship God and understands His Word of Life? Or are men being stumbled by distractions in our worship?
Worship is for the glory, holiness and favor of God, and the edification of man that they can in spirit and truth, worship God.
May God favor our worship.
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