Moving Day–Be Back Soon

Just a note to say that I am in the process of moving into a new home, hence the delay in the blog posts. I hope to have everything settled by this week and bring part 3 of our series by the weekend. God bless.

Steven Long

There Is No Such Thing as a SeekerPart 2 - What does it mean to "seek"?Steven Long 6/02/12

Our last post on this topic confronted the idea behind most seeker sensitive churches that so-called friendship evangelism was foreign to Scripture. Of course, there's a lot more to seeker churches than that, but this is the method which drives most of their evangelism zeal.

I left the open-ended question in the last post of what it really meant to seek God and that is what we will focus on in this post. The apostle Paul clearly states,

There is no one that seeks after God (Ro 3:11 ESV). Many are confused by this because they see the myriad of the world's religions and think, "Doesn't that prove that people seek after God? If they're not seeking after God why so many religions?"

The first rule in understanding a Biblical passage is that we must keep the verse within its proper context. First, we must look at the context of the verse itself, which would include everything up to this point and the verses immediately following (3:10). Then we will look briefly at the Old Testament quote and see how Paul is applying it to his audience. Once we take these steps the picture will become much clearer and we will have an understanding of what is meant by "seeking God." Let's begin.

First, it is important to understand the logic behind the first three chapters of Romans. Paul is making a case for universal sin–that is, both Jew and Gentile are under the same condemnation. The Jew has no advantage over the Gentile because he is a Jew with God's Law; in fact, he is more accountable for having God's Law (Ro 2:24, 27). The Gentiles, likewise, are without excuse because they do by nature what is written in God's Law without having the Law (Ro 2:14). In chapter 3 Paul now pinnacles the idea of universal sin by declaring (1) the wickedness of all men, whether Jew or Gentile (Ro 3:10-14) and the righteousness of God in judging all men based upon faith rather than works (Ro 3:25-30). Now that we've looked at the first three chapters from a bird's eye view, let's move on to a more detailed analysis.

Paul spends the first chapter of Romans demonstrating the righteous wrath of God on the ungodly. He begins with his usual salutation (vv. 1-7), expresses his desire to come to Rome (vv.8-15), and then gives a reason why he desires to preach the gospel (vv.16-17). At this point, he goes on, and finishes out chapter 1 on the effects of sin in the human heart (vv.18, ff). Note what the downward spiral of sin has caused:

1. Dishonoring & unthankfullness of the Creator (vv.19-21)
2. The worship of creation rather than the Creator (22-25).
3. Homosexuality (vv.26-27)
4. God gives them over to do whatever they desire (28-31)
5. An honoring and encouragement of evil things (v.32).

So the progression continues rapidly after the fall of Adam. But note #2 on the list: they still desire to worship something. Remember that Paul has stated that no one seeks God. The first conclusion we may draw from this passage is this: A desire to worship does not necessitate seeking God.

The second chapter opens with Paul rebuking those who teach the Law of God to the Gentiles. Are they committing the same acts as what they are teaching against? Do they commit adultery? Do they rob temples? Are they using God's kindness to continue to live instead of repenting? (Ro 2:1-5, 17-24). Paul states that God will judge each man according to the things he has done–whether under the Law or without the Law (Ro 2:12-16). He conclueds chapter 2 by clarifying what true circumcision is. It is a circumcision by faith through the Spirit of God (Ro 2: 29). The defining distinction in this chapter is that it is written to those who have the Law of God and teach others (i.e, the Jew or one who is religious). Therefore, we can conclude this about chapter 2: Being religious or having a form of religion does not mean one is seeking God.

Chapter 3 opens with Paul declaring that, in standing with God, all are on equal ground. It doesn't matter whether you are Jew or Gentile. In order to substantiate this claim he strings together several Old Testament quotations from the Psalms. Our verse, verse 11, is actually pulled from two parallel Psalms, Psalm 14:1-3 and Psalm 53:1-3. The actual OT quote states, The LORD looks down from heaven on the children of man, to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. Does this mean then that Paul was wrong? Do people then actually seek God. The answer would be an emphatic NO! for the Psalm gives the answer in the very next phrase: "They have all turned aside" (Ps 14:3). Paul, then, is not adding something to the text. More than likely he is stating the conclusion to his audience that is alluded to in the Psalm, the conclusion being that God looked down and saw that no one was seeking Him. So in this case we can thus conclude this: Seeking God is not about religion.

However, as simple as that may sound, there is another aspect that must be explored; one that cannot be ignored. What about the passages in Scripture that command people to seek God? If no one seeks God then why is it commanded? This is what will be explored in our next post.

Steven Furtick: Preaching to the Dead and Starving the SheepDan Long 6/03/12

God's Word makes it very clear that there is no such thing as a "God Seeker." As a matter of fact it is quite the opposite. The Bible labels the entire human race with these characteristics: "dead in trespasses and sins," Ep. 2:1; Ep 2:5; Col. 2:13; Mat.8:22; 1John 3:14, "slaves to sin," Jn. 8:34; Ro. 6:20; 2Pe. 2:19, "enemies of God," Ro. 5:10; James 4:4 "minds set on the flesh," Ro. 8:6-7"hostile towards God," Ro.8:7And to be even more specific, that there is "no one who seeks after God," Ro 3:10.

 Yet "seeker friendly" Pastors are twisting scripture, and taking passages out of context to make their messages more palatable to people who are at war with God, "dead in their trespasses and sins," and "enemies of God." These "Pastors" (you cant really call them Pastors because they care nothing for the sheep, but are egotistical wolves, seeking their own personal gain) have turned the purpose of the church of Jesus Christ on its head. They are adjusting their sermons, in order to placate the non Christians in their churches who are spiritually dead, and depriving those who may be genuine Christians from sound Biblical doctrine.

For example, Steven Furdick of Elevation Church said that his church does not exist for Christians. He says, even if a person in his church gave their lives to Christ as early as last week, the moment they came to Christ, Elevation Church stopped existing for them. Really??? I thought the purpose of the church was to build up the body of Christ. In Ephesians 4:11-16 Paul gives the  the genuine "purpose of the church." The purpose of the church is to " equip the saints for the work of ministry," not primarily to minister to unbelievers, but for the purpose of "building up the body of Christ," (verse 12.) The reason for building up the believer is to bring him or her to maturity in Christ, verse 13, so that the believer will not be "carried about by every wind of doctrine, verse 14, but will "grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, verse 15.

Evidently, Paul thought knowing right doctrine was top priority in order to keep the believer from falling into error. And yet "seeker friendly" Pastors like Steven Furtick say that the purpose of the Church, doesn't exist for the Christian. He says that after a person comes to faith in Jesus Christ, the next step for them is to get into a "small group and serve," not so that the new Christian can learn sound doctrine, but so that they can "serve." In his video called "What is the Purpose for the Church?" Furdick goes on to say "We preach Jesus so people far from God can know Jesus, and then we train them up so that others can know Jesus. It's called 'kingdom multiplication."

So the purpose at Elevation Church is not to make disciples, through teaching and preaching the Word. The purpose of Elevation Church is to bring people to Christ, and then immediately train those new believers to bring others to Christ. This is done at the expense of genuine discipleship. Jesus calls us to make disciples, but evangelism is only the first step. We don't immediately train people to go out and make new disciples. We are to disciple new believers by teaching them sound doctrine. And yet what does Furdick do? He mocks those who desire sound Biblical doctrine.

After mocking those who hold to the "Doctrines of Grace saying, "If you need the Doctrines of Grace by John Calvin to excite you, your in the wrong church," he arrogantly says...."there are 720 churches in Charlotte (where Elevation is located) I'm sure we can find one where you can stuff your face until your so obese spiritually that you cant even move."

What a blasphemous statement! "Whether a person is a Calvinist or not, the Christian needs right doctrine and good theology to grow. This isn't my opinion; look at what Paul says to Titus in Titus 1:9. Every Pastor is called by God to " give instruction in sound doctrine, and also to rebuke those who contradict it. "Paul also tells Titus in Titus 2:9 that he is to "teach what accords with sound doctrine."

And yet seeker friendly pastors are contradicting God's Word by avoiding sound Biblical doctrine, and even mocking those who desire it, when a genuine believer will truly desire it. I'm not minimizing evangelism. It is extremely important. We are called as Christians to reach the lost and to preach the gospel of Christ to our family, neighbors, friends, co workers, and strangers. But we are not to elevate (no pun intended) evangelism over sound doctrine. If we don't know sound doctrine how will we ever be able to disciple anyone?  Steven Furtick needs to repent of his blasphemy, and his whole idea (which is unbiblical) of the purpose of church, and do what a Pastor is called to do, preach sound Biblical doctrine, and stop starving the sheep.

What Modern Youth Group Should Look Like Steven Long 6/01/12

From the most recent issue of Voice of the Martyrs. Support the persecuted church with your prayers and financial gifts.

Eulalia—A.D. 304

Thirteen-year-old Eulailia yearned to die for Christ. She live in Merida, Spain, during the "Great Persecution," when Christians in the Roman Empire were commanded to sacrifice to the gods or face execution. Eulalia's parents, afraid of what she might do, sent her away from home to live in the coutnryside. But Eulailia's fiery spirit could not be quenched. She escaped the house where she was staying one night and appeared before the Merida tribunal the next morning.

"Ar you not ashamed to cast your own souls and those of others at once into eternal perdition by denying the only true God, the Father of us all, and the Creator of all Christians, that you may put them to death?" Eulalia asked the tribunal. "Behold, here am I, an adversary of your satanical sacrifices. I confess with heart and mouth God alone." She told the tribunal that she would not worship their three pagan gods or the emperor. Enraged, the tribunal judge called an executioner and demanded that Eulalia be tortured. Before the executioner began his work, the judge offered Eulalia freedom from the severe punishment if she would sacrifice to an idol.

The young Christian did not feel the need to respond. She upset the images, altar, censor and sacrificial books that sat on the table before her. Two executioners immediately stripped her and tortured her with hooks and torches.

As she counted the gashes in her body, Eulalia exclaimed, "Behold, Lord Jesus Christ! Thy Name is being written on my body; what great delight it affords me to read these letters, because they are signs of Thy victory! Behold, my purple blood confesses Thy holy Name." She spoke with great happiness and peace; she didn't even seem to feel pain as the blood poured out of her body.

After piercing Eulalia's body repeatedly with their hooks, the executioners applied burning lamps and torches to the wounds in her side and abdomen. Finally, they ignited her hair and she suffocated. Eulalia died loving her Savior more than her own life.

Perhaps our youth should be learning more of this than playing games and listening to "cool" music. I would much rather my children emulate this kind of devotion than trying to be cool for the world.