Five Reasons You Need to Study Theology
by Nathan W. Bingham on February 25, 2009 · 1 comment · 182 views
Words such as theology and doctrine come with negative connotations for many Christians. This is a great tragedy, as I firmly believe every Christian needs to study theology to some degree in their Christian walk. Along with Andrew’s series on the importance of Biblical doctrine, there are many reasons why Christian’s need to study theology. In no particular order here are five reasons you need to study theology, and hopefully some of these you won’t have considered before.
You’re a theologian already…
Why do you need to study theology? Because theology isn’t something only a Professor of Theology has–we all believe something about God and therefore are theologians in our own right. However, what needs to be asked is whether what you believe is correct, and the study of theology can help answer that question.
Your love for Jesus is intrinsically linked with your knowledge of His Word…
Why do you need to study theology? Because Jesus said, “If you love me, you will obey what I command.” (John 14:15) I heard someone remark that a certain Christian may not have been that great theologically, but that was okay because they really loved Jesus. However, Jesus says that if we love Him, we will obey what He commands. How can we obey Him if we don’t go to His Word to rightly know His commands?
Your doctrine will determine how you live…
Why do you need to study theology? Because what you believe (your doctrine) will determine how you live (your practice). This can be seen in everyday life. If you believe something to be poisonous, you simply won’t drink it. Similarly, your beliefs about God and His Word determine how you live day to day. For example if you believe God only speaks through His Word then you will study it diligently, however if you believe God speaks through impressions and the like, then you’ll listen for that still small voice. The aforementioned example drastically changes how a person goes about determining God’s will for their lives, and illustrates why you need to study theology.
Your affections will determine what you study…
Why do you need to study theology? Because what your affections are placed upon will determine what you spend your time studying. If your hobby is photography you will want to study the subject to know how to improve your photographs and to increase your love and appreciation for that pass-time. Likewise, if you’re a Christian and your primary affection is upon God, why would you not want to study His Word to increase your love and appreciation for Him and His gospel?
Your humility depends on it…
Why do you need to study theology? Because without studying theology it is possible that you will think too highly of yourself, and not high enough of God. It is true that knowledge puffs up (1 Corinthians 8:1), however the Scriptures rightly understood and applied, will give you, for example, the knowledge of man’s utter depravity and wretchedness before God, and also of God’s magnificence, holiness, sovereignty and grace, which can only serve to send a true convert to his knees in humility.
May God be glorified as you study theology, humbly opening His Word with the desire to know more about His special revelation to man.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Monday, February 2, 2009
the rebuke...
Friends and Family, here is the rebuke I wrote to my house, check it out:
Timothy a disciple of Jesus Christ, to the loyal and Biblical Man Shack:
This is the letter I write to you, for the purpose of crucifying the flesh, sanctification, Biblical Manhood, the training in responsibility and ultimately the Glory of God. There is no greater goal to pursue then the glory of God and I pray your life is laid down that He may be made known; that He is high and lifted up and we a lowly heathens not worth of anything good.
My friends, this is the situation we find our self in, useless without the grace of God. Reflect on who you are! Think! Of what good am I to God apart from Him? Nothing! We are sinners laying hold to the Grace provided by our Savior. Our good works are nothing more then dirty rags in His sight. We offend God with our good works, how dare we offer Him dirty rags! He is infinitely worthy of every good thing, and yet we try to offer him rags? Not just rags, dirty rags! Knowing this, and how our God sees our good works, what is His view of our sin? Does He not hate our sin so much more? Is it not our sin infinitely offensive to Him? And yet how often do we sin? How often does pride rise up in our lives? We would challenge God as King of the universe once pride has begun to control our actions. We are no longer thinking of Him and His will, but our own best interests. We decided to knock God off His thrown and jump onto it declaring ourselves to be king. Does God not hate this?! Yes, indeed He does!
And let us continue to examine ourselves; we are unable to do anything good apart from the Grace and Kindness of our Merciful God. We were born enemies of God! We were born hating Him and His ways, desiring our ways over His in every choice. We did not seek God He sought us! If we could have, we would have wallowed in our sin and enjoyed every moment of it, only to desire more of it the next day. In our nature, left to our self, we drink down sin like “simply orange” or water after being in the summer heat. Always wanting more and only ever being satisfied for the moment. Should these thoughts not humble us Christians? If what I said is true, and we know it is because the Word of God does not lie it must draw us to a greater understanding of His Holiness and our own wickedness.
And even now, after we have salvation we continue to disobey Him. God has given us His law, His standard to live by but we daily break those commands and do not repent. There are some days we do not even think to thank God for saving us, but yet we live on His earth, use His toilet, breath His air, look at His plants and even enjoy His people…with out gratitude. But please, listen to me, the list does not stop there! We wear His clothes, sleep in His bed, live in His house, wash our clothes in His washing machine, use His dishes, eat His food, live in His body, wash in His shower and some of us even drive His car. All of this done, with out constant thanksgiving and even, at some points, we even react with maltreatment to the things God has given us. By maltreatments, I mean this: no taking care of what God has given us.
Please lend your ear as I expound upon this. In no way do we deserve what we have. The things of this house, couches, beds, clothes, hot showers; the list goes on and on. But you must agree friends; we do not deserve any of this! It’s only because of God’s grace have we received anything good! To think and say we might deserve something from God is pride and a false understanding of human nature! Though it would be correct to say that we do deserve something from God, I’m not contradicting my self in saying that. Because what I speak of is death. What I speak of is eternal punishment and banishment in to His wrath never to be set free. What I say we deserve, is nothing good to happen to us. What I say we deserve is to be shunned into His torment with no way of escape. I say we deserve a rebel’s fate! Men, listen, this what we deserve!!! This is what each one of us has brought about because of our own actions! Because of our own sin, and turning from God. Praise the Lord for His Grace.
Therefore, let it be known and understood in the Man Shack, that God owes us nothing. And what He does owe us, is eternal damnation into His fury, we can truly say we should receive for fire to fall down. But, Fearless House Leader, what now? Why do you tell us all this? Some of us know this, though it is good to hear again. Listen, friends, I tell you these things for a reason and I hope it draws you into a more holy life style.
Hence, now please, let me address the topic at hand. Here it is: You are not your own. The things you have are not your own. Your body is not yours. You don’t have the right to think what you want, say what you want and do what you would like to with your body. Why? Because it’s not really your body, it’s His, you are merely renting it. It’s but a tent on a pilgrimage to Heaven. The Bible is our guide line for living and it battles the flesh in every area. But we are called to obey it, live by it and if needed, to die by it. As Christians we would gladly lay our life down for the cause of Christ and His greater Glory!
Paralleled with that truth, is this one: The items you have been given are not your own, you are a mere steward of them. Anything you own, or you use, be it a TV, a Car, a glass, the clothes on your back…you are called to maintain. Why is that? Because they are not your own, and you do not have the right to do with them what you please. Men, do not forget that we just discussed our unworthiness to have anything good. How dare we receive something good from God, a gift of convenience, something to make our life on earth better; yet we treat it wrongly. We leave our clothes on the floor. Those clothes, a gift from God, do not leave them on the floor, take care of them…you don’t even deserve to have clothes. Leaving dishes dirty in the sink, mistreatment of what God has given you. Fellas, this is not pleasing to God. Could you imagine giving your wife a gift, a card and she treats it like any other peace of paper. It has no value to her. What would you think and how would you feel? Now listen to me, that situation is not even a close comparison to us and God! Simply because your wife might have blessed you and you blessed her back with a card; we have never blessed God. And yet we treat the things we do not deserve as if God owed them to us. We may not say that with our lips but we most certainly say that with our life style.
Therefore, let us take heed to our past actions and our rape of the gifts God has given us. I pray this has put things into a different perspective for us, that we may live in a more pleasing way to Him who has called us. God, in His infinite wisdom and grace has poured these blessings into our lives; more then we can even count. Look around and consider, that fact that you can even look around is a blessing from God! Is He not wonderful; is He not worthy of all the praise all the days of our lives? Yes indeed He is! As a result, Men, let is not fall from remembering His grace in our everyday life. Let us no longer treat the things He has given us with disgrace, as men of God, may we be the ones who are most honoring to Him who gives us life.
Furthermore, is this life should not be burdensome, and living in such a way will lead to a better life on this earth. Though I do not dare say life will be easy, or that we should strive for a comfortable life. However I am saying this: When, how we act and what we do is pleasing to God, nothing else matters. And it will live to a future lifestyle that will be more pleasing to our Savior. Consider this, many of you men desire to be married and live with a wife one day. What a great day that will be, and I will be very pleased, as God will be, to see you become a servant to your wife. Therefore let it be known, how you live now will be how you live when you get married! I did not stutter, but I do wish to repeat that because it is very important and something everyone should contemplate as they reflect on their own life. Thus I say again, how you live now will be how you live when you get married! Men within The Man Shack, if you were married at this moment, would your wife be happy with your life style? I think this is a question that must be answer and regarded as important. Why is this true? I would argue, because there is no greater role then being a husband to your wife. Knowing that, let us now regard how we live currently as preparation for the future and what an honorable role that is to prepare for. Looking across the United States and the state of our husbands, many of them have failed in this area. Maybe even some of your fathers have failed, and I say with a resounding voice, may that never be us! May we never fall into that trap as so many have! By Gods grace we will not trip and fall and we can be the best husbands to our wives. Now, please do not feel that I am straying away from the topic at hand. Let me point you back to the simple fact, if how we are acting now would not be satisfying to our wives, then neither will it be in the future. You would have to agree that our God is not pleased with this. He does not smile on our ill preparation for such an important and vital role. Please listen to what I’m saying; I only say it with your best interests in mind. Ponder what has been spoken already and listen to what is still to be said.
Listen, fellas, I’m not only preaching to you, Lord knows I’m preaching to Timothy Reeves as much as I’m preaching to anyone in this room. Do not feel like I’m pointing the finger at you as I stand the high and mighty house leader. Not so brethren, not so. I am just as guilty of the same sins, and the same irresponsibility as any who lives in the Man Shack. I do not stand on a pedestal while you are all below, no sir, men, when it comes to this; you and I are on the same level. I’m in need of the blood of Jesus just as much, if not more then anyone here. This does not come from a proud heart, and if it comes across that way please know you are mistaken. I mislead people with my actions at times and I’m prone to be prideful. But even if I did say these things out of pride, the question is this: Is what has been said here true? Are these words that have been coming out of my mouth true, and what does that mean for my life?
This is what I say in response to these questions: Yes these things are truth, and these truths should transform our lives. They should bring us to the point of brokenness and humility before our Holy God. These truths should give us a greater love for Him and His grace. These truths should silence us, and force us to fall on our knees to worship Him, all praise and Glory to our God and Him alone.
Lastly, it may be said that these truths should cause us to live different lives. I would be willing to say, if we have heard these truth and are not changed…then we don’t not truly know them. They have not sunk into the deepest parts of our souls, captured our hearts or brought us to the point of true repentance. Men, please take these things to heart and believe what I tell you.
Gentlemen, here my final words and I pray our lives are lived differently from hence forth. I am calling you to a standard of excellence, living a life of cleanliness for the Glory of God, to be responsible for the things you own and the things which belong to this house. These are the things I’m going to require of you, if you sign the paper and commit to this life style. Please note this is not anything more then what our God requires of us. I would not dare add to what the Lord has said and require more then what He has called us to.
Take to thought and meditate on what has been said, some of these are harsh words and difficult to take in. But, do not be discouraged God will give you strength and will continue to mold you into His image, for His Glory Alone as He sees fit. Amen.
Timothy a disciple of Jesus Christ, to the loyal and Biblical Man Shack:
This is the letter I write to you, for the purpose of crucifying the flesh, sanctification, Biblical Manhood, the training in responsibility and ultimately the Glory of God. There is no greater goal to pursue then the glory of God and I pray your life is laid down that He may be made known; that He is high and lifted up and we a lowly heathens not worth of anything good.
My friends, this is the situation we find our self in, useless without the grace of God. Reflect on who you are! Think! Of what good am I to God apart from Him? Nothing! We are sinners laying hold to the Grace provided by our Savior. Our good works are nothing more then dirty rags in His sight. We offend God with our good works, how dare we offer Him dirty rags! He is infinitely worthy of every good thing, and yet we try to offer him rags? Not just rags, dirty rags! Knowing this, and how our God sees our good works, what is His view of our sin? Does He not hate our sin so much more? Is it not our sin infinitely offensive to Him? And yet how often do we sin? How often does pride rise up in our lives? We would challenge God as King of the universe once pride has begun to control our actions. We are no longer thinking of Him and His will, but our own best interests. We decided to knock God off His thrown and jump onto it declaring ourselves to be king. Does God not hate this?! Yes, indeed He does!
And let us continue to examine ourselves; we are unable to do anything good apart from the Grace and Kindness of our Merciful God. We were born enemies of God! We were born hating Him and His ways, desiring our ways over His in every choice. We did not seek God He sought us! If we could have, we would have wallowed in our sin and enjoyed every moment of it, only to desire more of it the next day. In our nature, left to our self, we drink down sin like “simply orange” or water after being in the summer heat. Always wanting more and only ever being satisfied for the moment. Should these thoughts not humble us Christians? If what I said is true, and we know it is because the Word of God does not lie it must draw us to a greater understanding of His Holiness and our own wickedness.
And even now, after we have salvation we continue to disobey Him. God has given us His law, His standard to live by but we daily break those commands and do not repent. There are some days we do not even think to thank God for saving us, but yet we live on His earth, use His toilet, breath His air, look at His plants and even enjoy His people…with out gratitude. But please, listen to me, the list does not stop there! We wear His clothes, sleep in His bed, live in His house, wash our clothes in His washing machine, use His dishes, eat His food, live in His body, wash in His shower and some of us even drive His car. All of this done, with out constant thanksgiving and even, at some points, we even react with maltreatment to the things God has given us. By maltreatments, I mean this: no taking care of what God has given us.
Please lend your ear as I expound upon this. In no way do we deserve what we have. The things of this house, couches, beds, clothes, hot showers; the list goes on and on. But you must agree friends; we do not deserve any of this! It’s only because of God’s grace have we received anything good! To think and say we might deserve something from God is pride and a false understanding of human nature! Though it would be correct to say that we do deserve something from God, I’m not contradicting my self in saying that. Because what I speak of is death. What I speak of is eternal punishment and banishment in to His wrath never to be set free. What I say we deserve, is nothing good to happen to us. What I say we deserve is to be shunned into His torment with no way of escape. I say we deserve a rebel’s fate! Men, listen, this what we deserve!!! This is what each one of us has brought about because of our own actions! Because of our own sin, and turning from God. Praise the Lord for His Grace.
Therefore, let it be known and understood in the Man Shack, that God owes us nothing. And what He does owe us, is eternal damnation into His fury, we can truly say we should receive for fire to fall down. But, Fearless House Leader, what now? Why do you tell us all this? Some of us know this, though it is good to hear again. Listen, friends, I tell you these things for a reason and I hope it draws you into a more holy life style.
Hence, now please, let me address the topic at hand. Here it is: You are not your own. The things you have are not your own. Your body is not yours. You don’t have the right to think what you want, say what you want and do what you would like to with your body. Why? Because it’s not really your body, it’s His, you are merely renting it. It’s but a tent on a pilgrimage to Heaven. The Bible is our guide line for living and it battles the flesh in every area. But we are called to obey it, live by it and if needed, to die by it. As Christians we would gladly lay our life down for the cause of Christ and His greater Glory!
Paralleled with that truth, is this one: The items you have been given are not your own, you are a mere steward of them. Anything you own, or you use, be it a TV, a Car, a glass, the clothes on your back…you are called to maintain. Why is that? Because they are not your own, and you do not have the right to do with them what you please. Men, do not forget that we just discussed our unworthiness to have anything good. How dare we receive something good from God, a gift of convenience, something to make our life on earth better; yet we treat it wrongly. We leave our clothes on the floor. Those clothes, a gift from God, do not leave them on the floor, take care of them…you don’t even deserve to have clothes. Leaving dishes dirty in the sink, mistreatment of what God has given you. Fellas, this is not pleasing to God. Could you imagine giving your wife a gift, a card and she treats it like any other peace of paper. It has no value to her. What would you think and how would you feel? Now listen to me, that situation is not even a close comparison to us and God! Simply because your wife might have blessed you and you blessed her back with a card; we have never blessed God. And yet we treat the things we do not deserve as if God owed them to us. We may not say that with our lips but we most certainly say that with our life style.
Therefore, let us take heed to our past actions and our rape of the gifts God has given us. I pray this has put things into a different perspective for us, that we may live in a more pleasing way to Him who has called us. God, in His infinite wisdom and grace has poured these blessings into our lives; more then we can even count. Look around and consider, that fact that you can even look around is a blessing from God! Is He not wonderful; is He not worthy of all the praise all the days of our lives? Yes indeed He is! As a result, Men, let is not fall from remembering His grace in our everyday life. Let us no longer treat the things He has given us with disgrace, as men of God, may we be the ones who are most honoring to Him who gives us life.
Furthermore, is this life should not be burdensome, and living in such a way will lead to a better life on this earth. Though I do not dare say life will be easy, or that we should strive for a comfortable life. However I am saying this: When, how we act and what we do is pleasing to God, nothing else matters. And it will live to a future lifestyle that will be more pleasing to our Savior. Consider this, many of you men desire to be married and live with a wife one day. What a great day that will be, and I will be very pleased, as God will be, to see you become a servant to your wife. Therefore let it be known, how you live now will be how you live when you get married! I did not stutter, but I do wish to repeat that because it is very important and something everyone should contemplate as they reflect on their own life. Thus I say again, how you live now will be how you live when you get married! Men within The Man Shack, if you were married at this moment, would your wife be happy with your life style? I think this is a question that must be answer and regarded as important. Why is this true? I would argue, because there is no greater role then being a husband to your wife. Knowing that, let us now regard how we live currently as preparation for the future and what an honorable role that is to prepare for. Looking across the United States and the state of our husbands, many of them have failed in this area. Maybe even some of your fathers have failed, and I say with a resounding voice, may that never be us! May we never fall into that trap as so many have! By Gods grace we will not trip and fall and we can be the best husbands to our wives. Now, please do not feel that I am straying away from the topic at hand. Let me point you back to the simple fact, if how we are acting now would not be satisfying to our wives, then neither will it be in the future. You would have to agree that our God is not pleased with this. He does not smile on our ill preparation for such an important and vital role. Please listen to what I’m saying; I only say it with your best interests in mind. Ponder what has been spoken already and listen to what is still to be said.
Listen, fellas, I’m not only preaching to you, Lord knows I’m preaching to Timothy Reeves as much as I’m preaching to anyone in this room. Do not feel like I’m pointing the finger at you as I stand the high and mighty house leader. Not so brethren, not so. I am just as guilty of the same sins, and the same irresponsibility as any who lives in the Man Shack. I do not stand on a pedestal while you are all below, no sir, men, when it comes to this; you and I are on the same level. I’m in need of the blood of Jesus just as much, if not more then anyone here. This does not come from a proud heart, and if it comes across that way please know you are mistaken. I mislead people with my actions at times and I’m prone to be prideful. But even if I did say these things out of pride, the question is this: Is what has been said here true? Are these words that have been coming out of my mouth true, and what does that mean for my life?
This is what I say in response to these questions: Yes these things are truth, and these truths should transform our lives. They should bring us to the point of brokenness and humility before our Holy God. These truths should give us a greater love for Him and His grace. These truths should silence us, and force us to fall on our knees to worship Him, all praise and Glory to our God and Him alone.
Lastly, it may be said that these truths should cause us to live different lives. I would be willing to say, if we have heard these truth and are not changed…then we don’t not truly know them. They have not sunk into the deepest parts of our souls, captured our hearts or brought us to the point of true repentance. Men, please take these things to heart and believe what I tell you.
Gentlemen, here my final words and I pray our lives are lived differently from hence forth. I am calling you to a standard of excellence, living a life of cleanliness for the Glory of God, to be responsible for the things you own and the things which belong to this house. These are the things I’m going to require of you, if you sign the paper and commit to this life style. Please note this is not anything more then what our God requires of us. I would not dare add to what the Lord has said and require more then what He has called us to.
Take to thought and meditate on what has been said, some of these are harsh words and difficult to take in. But, do not be discouraged God will give you strength and will continue to mold you into His image, for His Glory Alone as He sees fit. Amen.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
An update on my life...
Friends and Family,
First I would like to start off by wish you all a happy new year! I hope Thanksgiving, Christmas, and your new year went well! They are very exciting times of the year and it was great to see many of you over Christmas and thanksgiving.
I have currently in my third year at the Honor Academy. Because the Lord has poured out His Grace, this year I don’t have to pay any money. My ministry placement has covered the cost of this third year. I would like to thank all of you for supporting me at my first two years of the Honor Academy.
I would like to tell you how my year has gone so far and about something new and exciting! This year has been great! In August I started courting a girl by the name of Melonie. There is a picture of her and me on the right hand side and the top of your page. She is 20 years old, from California and loves Jesus a lot! I met her at the Honor Academy and have known her for little more then two years. There are two different waves at the Honor Academy, an August wave and a January wave. I’m on the August wave and she just graduated the January wave. With that she is back in California working and going to college.
Other exciting things have been happening in my life. This year I live in a house and not in the dorms. I have the chance to cook food in a kitchen and wash dishes in a sink. This is very different life after living in the dorms for two years. I am given $154.00 a month to go out and buy food. Wal-Mart is the closest store to shop at and it’s where I buy most of my food.
I have the same ministry placement this year. So if you forgot, I work in Global Expeditions as the Promotions Supervisor for the TrueNorth Leadership Seminar. I have a team of eight interns, they are my call team. This year has been a harder year in our call center. Our ministry (Teen Mania) has different aspects of it, Battle Cry, Acquire the Fire (ATF), Extreme Camps, Global Expeditions (GE), Creation Fest, TrueNorth Leadership Seminar (TNS), The Honor Academy (HA) and Teen Serve. The main way we have to recruit people to join the HA or to come on a GE mission trip is through ATF. Youth come to ATF then sign up for one of the two. In my department, TNS, our major feed is ATF as well. With all that said, you can understand the ripple effect when I tell you that our ATF numbers have been lower then ever this year. Not many people are ATF means not many anywhere else in the ministry. Not many people also hurts the ministry financially, as you can see from my food money they stretch every penny. Our department is not excluded from this impact. That is why this year has been one of the hardest for my department. Please continue to pray for Teen Mania Ministries.
Also, if you are on the internet please check out my blog at: www.timothyreeves.blogspot.com (which were on right now) I have a lot of updates to my life and things on my heart. I try and write on it once or twice a week. I also will be going on a mission trip this summer; the goal is Scotland for one month, more information on that to come.
I love you all, God Bless!
Monday, January 12, 2009
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Rob who? pt. 2
Friends and family,
I’m sorry it has taken so long to write pt.2 on Rob Bell. I hope many of you have not forgotten what was said before. I spoke briefly on why we should expose false teachers. I spoke out of Eph 5: 8-12, Gal 6:1, 2 and Matt 23. You may read it below in my blog history.
Now is time to move into some of the things this man actually believes.
The first strike I would like to put on his record is, guilty by association. This is something common I think people mistakenly over look. In our law system, it’s possible to not commit a crime but still be guilty for it. For example, I live in the quads here at Teen Mania. My quad is called “The Man Shack” and there are about nine men total in our house. If three of us hop in Andrews gangsta mobile and pull a drive by; Dathan is the one who shoots, Andrew drives and I’m in the back seat praying, who’s guilty of the crime? All three of us are. This was also played out in the Bible. Many stories in the Old Testament God had the Israelites kill entire cities, men, women, children and some times live stock. If you remember Joshua eight, the Israelites took over Ai, killed all the men, women- captured the king and took the live stock. The women did not fight the war? No. But they were indeed killed. Let’s take another Biblical example; all of humanity, guilty of sin before we’re even born. Why, because one man sinned, if that’s not guilty by association (by being born human) I don’t know what is.
With all that said how is Mr. Bell guilty by association? He has Mr. Doug Pagitt ( who dose not believe in the Doctrine of Hell and is one of the leaders within the Emerging church), Mr. Shane Claiborne (huge emerging fellow), Donald Miller (who wrote “Blue like Jazz”) and Mr. Brian Mclaren (who does not believe that Jesus is God, is very post modern and does not believe in the Doctrine of Hell) come preach at in his pulpit. This is what I mean when I talk about guilty by association. Mr. Bell has men who do not believe in the same Jesus of the Bible, come and peach at his church! They are not Christians according to 2 John 9.
Some might say: Maybe he does not know what they believe. To this I would say two things. One: If you don’t know what someone believes and you let them come preach from the Word of God, what a negligent Shepard. A man, who does not learn about their Theology before they teach one of the biggest churches in the United States, should not be a pastor at all. Two: If you know anything about these men, they clearly agree with one another and even write books together. To say: “these men do not agree theologically with each other” is a statement made out of ignorance.
Strike one for Mr. Bell- guilty by association. This strike alone should be enough for all of you to throw him out Christian. Why? Read Titus 1: 5-9, Mr. Bell should be the one exhorting and convicting those people who contradict sound doctrine. But we find just the opposite happening; he is allowing, encouraging and teaching it himself.
Christian- do you need more then this first strike call him a false teacher? No doubt I will be giving you more strikes, but that’s not the point. Ask your self, what standard am I holding my teaching and preaching to? How much compromise will I let in? Is Jesus precious enough to you to that you will test everything like 1 Thessalonians 5:21 tells us to? Please I beg of you, hold it up to the Truth of God’s Word and let every man be a liar and God stand true!
More strikes to come.
I love you all and pray that God well keep and preserve you.
tim.
Reformata.
I’m sorry it has taken so long to write pt.2 on Rob Bell. I hope many of you have not forgotten what was said before. I spoke briefly on why we should expose false teachers. I spoke out of Eph 5: 8-12, Gal 6:1, 2 and Matt 23. You may read it below in my blog history.
Now is time to move into some of the things this man actually believes.
The first strike I would like to put on his record is, guilty by association. This is something common I think people mistakenly over look. In our law system, it’s possible to not commit a crime but still be guilty for it. For example, I live in the quads here at Teen Mania. My quad is called “The Man Shack” and there are about nine men total in our house. If three of us hop in Andrews gangsta mobile and pull a drive by; Dathan is the one who shoots, Andrew drives and I’m in the back seat praying, who’s guilty of the crime? All three of us are. This was also played out in the Bible. Many stories in the Old Testament God had the Israelites kill entire cities, men, women, children and some times live stock. If you remember Joshua eight, the Israelites took over Ai, killed all the men, women- captured the king and took the live stock. The women did not fight the war? No. But they were indeed killed. Let’s take another Biblical example; all of humanity, guilty of sin before we’re even born. Why, because one man sinned, if that’s not guilty by association (by being born human) I don’t know what is.
With all that said how is Mr. Bell guilty by association? He has Mr. Doug Pagitt ( who dose not believe in the Doctrine of Hell and is one of the leaders within the Emerging church), Mr. Shane Claiborne (huge emerging fellow), Donald Miller (who wrote “Blue like Jazz”) and Mr. Brian Mclaren (who does not believe that Jesus is God, is very post modern and does not believe in the Doctrine of Hell) come preach at in his pulpit. This is what I mean when I talk about guilty by association. Mr. Bell has men who do not believe in the same Jesus of the Bible, come and peach at his church! They are not Christians according to 2 John 9.
Some might say: Maybe he does not know what they believe. To this I would say two things. One: If you don’t know what someone believes and you let them come preach from the Word of God, what a negligent Shepard. A man, who does not learn about their Theology before they teach one of the biggest churches in the United States, should not be a pastor at all. Two: If you know anything about these men, they clearly agree with one another and even write books together. To say: “these men do not agree theologically with each other” is a statement made out of ignorance.
Strike one for Mr. Bell- guilty by association. This strike alone should be enough for all of you to throw him out Christian. Why? Read Titus 1: 5-9, Mr. Bell should be the one exhorting and convicting those people who contradict sound doctrine. But we find just the opposite happening; he is allowing, encouraging and teaching it himself.
Christian- do you need more then this first strike call him a false teacher? No doubt I will be giving you more strikes, but that’s not the point. Ask your self, what standard am I holding my teaching and preaching to? How much compromise will I let in? Is Jesus precious enough to you to that you will test everything like 1 Thessalonians 5:21 tells us to? Please I beg of you, hold it up to the Truth of God’s Word and let every man be a liar and God stand true!
More strikes to come.
I love you all and pray that God well keep and preserve you.
tim.
Reformata.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Do I need to say more?
“I was trying to point out I’m not opposed to gays having their partnership. I’m opposed to gays using the term marriage for their relationship.” - Rick Warren
http://www.sliceoflaodicea.com/purpose-driven-madness/rick-warren-im-not-opposed-to-gays-having-their-partnerships/
http://www.sliceoflaodicea.com/purpose-driven-madness/rick-warren-im-not-opposed-to-gays-having-their-partnerships/
Monday, December 22, 2008
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