Are They Preaching the Gospel at Bethel?

The gospel "is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes," (Ro. 1:16). The apostle Paul makes it clear that it is the power of God, not that it only contains power so that we could somehow make it powerless.
For example, Paul tells the Philippians:

Philippians 1:14-18 (ESV) And most of the brothers, having become confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, are much more bold to speak the word without fear. Some indeed preach Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from good will. The latter do it out of love, knowing that I am put here for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but thinking to afflict me in my imprisonment. What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.

So whether the gospel was preached from false motives or pure, Paul rejoices that the gospel is preached. Why? Because the gospel is power. The Holy Spirit connects Himself with the preaching of the gospel and saves sinners. The Spirit is always present with the preaching of the gospel.
Why is it then that preachers like Kris Vallotton of Bethel Church in Redding California teach that in order for the gospel to have power, it must accompany signs and wonders? Is this biblical, or does Vallotton and others like him take passages that talk about signs and wonders out of context?
In this podcast episode I review a sermon that Valloton preached at Bethel called "The Gospel of Power." We also look at an article by "Let Us Reason called " "The Purpose of Signs and Wonders." Enjoy!

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Why "Jesus Calling" Should be Added to the Bible

In our last post we looked at how the book Jesus Calling by Sarah Young was a direct assault on the sufficiency of Scripture. We saw that Jesus Calling encourages Christians to seek the voice of God outside of the only way He has promised to speak to His people, through the Scriptures. Nowhere does the Bible ever direct us to go outside of itself to hear the voice of God.

In this post we will be discussing whether or not Jesus Calling is on the same level as Scripture. If it is, it should be obeyed and honored by God's people in the same way that Scripture is.

Direct Revelation

Is the canon of Scripture closed or is God still giving special revelation? If God is still giving direct revelation today then it stands to reason that books such as Jesus Calling should be added to the canon.

2Timothy 3:16 makes it clear that "All Scripture is breathed out by God." And, since every word of God is authoritative, every word received must be heeded and obeyed. So, if someone claims to receive direct revelation from God and then writes down the messages they receive for all to read, they are, in essence, putting their writings on the same level as Scripture.

Sarah Young claims to receive direct revelation from Christ.

"The following year, I began to wonder if I could change my prayer times from monologue to dialogue. I had been writing in prayer journals for many years, but this was one- way communication: I did all the talking. Increasingly, I wanted to hear what God might want to communicate to me on a given day. I decided to "listen" with pen in hand, writing down whatever I "heard" in my mind," (JC P.10).

"My journaling thus changed from monologue to dialogue. This new way of communicating with God became the high point of my day," (JC p.12).

Jesus even gives her specific commands such as to listen for His directives, to walk closely with Him each moment and to relax in His "healing presence." Commands about remaining close to Jesus, walking in His presence, and giving anxiety over to Him are replete throughout the book.

"Walk closely with Me each moment, listening for My directives and enjoying My Companionship," (March 23, p.66).

"RELAX IN MY HEALING PRESENCE . As you spend time with Me, your thoughts tend to jump ahead to today’s plans and problems. Bring your mind back to Me for refreshment and renewal. Let the Light of My Presence soak into you, as you focus your thoughts on Me," (Jan. 2, p.3).

Notice the phrase, "Let the Light of My Presence soak into you." Soaking prayer is a part of contemplative spirituality, a dangerous practice that comes straight from Roman Catholic monasticism, brought into the Protestant Church with the help of Richard Foster and Dallas Willard. But that's for another post. For now, we are going to focus on the direct revelation that Young is supposedly receiving from Jesus Himself.

Young claims that only the Scriptures are infallible and inerrant:

"The Bible is the only infallible, inerrant Word of God, and I endeavor to keep my writings consistent with that unchanging standard, (J.C. P.12).

Is Jesus speaking or not? If He is, you better believe His words are infallible and inerrant! If there's any doubt whatsoever, it is foolish to write down and publish what may have come from either a deceitful heart, or worse, another spirit.

Only at the end of the introduction to the book does she say:

"I have written from the perspective of Jesus speaking, to help readers feel more personally connected with Him. So the first person singular ("I," "Me," "My," "Mine") always refers to Christ; "you" refers to you, the reader," (JC p.12).

Although she says she has "written from the perspective of Jesus speaking," on the very same page she says:

"My journaling thus changed from monologue to dialogue. This new way of communicating with God became the high point of my day," (JC p.12).

In the last paragraph of the introduction, she says,

"Themes of thankfulness and trust recurred often during my listening times. These themes are quite prevalent in the Bible, and they are essential for a close relationship with the Lord."

In an interview with CBN, Young says:

"It felt a little awkward the first time I tried it, but I did receive a short message. The content was biblical, and it addressed themes that were current in my life: trust, fear, and closeness to God."

So there is more going on than just writing from the "perspective of Jesus speaking," "dialogue" between Young and Jesus is taking place.

As I said in the beginning of this post, nowhere does Scripture command us to seek God's voice through impressions, inner voices, or promptings. But the Bible itself claims to be sufficient for all of life, and for every situation:

2 Timothy 3:16-17 (ESV) All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.

As I pointed out in the last post, the Word of God alone is what is needed to "complete, and equip" the Christian for "every good work."

God Has Spoken

The opening verses of the book of Hebrews make it clear that God has spoken once and for all through His Son in these last days:

Hebrews 1:1-2 (ESV) ​Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.

(ESV Study Bible Notes) Four points of contrast occur between vv. 1 and 2: time of revelation ("long ago" vs. these last days); agent of revelation ("prophets" vs. Son); recipients of revelation ("fathers" vs. us); and, implicitly, the unity of the final revelation in the Son (cf. the "many times and in many ways" in v. 1, implying, by contrast, that this last revelation came at one time, in one way, in and through God's Son). Since God has spoken finally and fully in the Son, and since the NT fully reports and interprets this supreme revelation once the NT is written, the canon of Scripture is complete. No new books are needed to explain what God has done through his Son.

Is Jesus Calling on the Same Level as Scripture?

I think we can answer that question by looking at just one passage of Scripture.

Psalms 19:7-11 (ESV) 7 The law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple:

Can Young say that the words she supposedly received from Jesus are "perfect" and "sure," making the simple wise?

8 the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;

Are the words of Jesus in J.C. "right" and "pure, enlightening the eyes" as Scripture claims to do?

9 the fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the LORD are true, and righteous altogether.

Is every word of Jesus in J.C. "clean," "true, and righteous altogether?" Does J.C. cause us to fear the LORD as Scripture does?

10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.

Scripture has the right to make these claims, does J.C.?

11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

I think you can see my point. If Jesus has truly spoken to Sarah Young then His words to her are on the same level as Scripture; they have to be. Every word God speaks is authoritative and must be heeded and obeyed without question.

I'm sure Sarah Young would never have the audacity to say that J.C. is on the same level as the Bible. But if Jesus Himself spoke to her, and,"Every word of God proves true" (Proverbs 30:5) then the words of Jesus in J.C. should be added after of the book of Revelation.

 

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6 Ways You Can Protect Yourself Against False Teachers

The media is saturated with Charismatic preachers and teachers performing wacky signs and wonders ranging from the creepy, to the silly.

 

From self proclaimed prophet Bill Johnson's "glory cloud," to Jesse Duplantis's "conversations" with God, experiencing the supernatural seems to be, and from the mouths of these preachers, should be the "norm" for every Christian.

But rarely, if ever, will you hear these teachers expound Scripture. I'm not saying they don't use Scripture in their "sermons." They do. But they use Scripture to validate their "supernatural experiences" not for "teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work," 2Timothy 3:16-17.

What these teachers are actually doing is leading their people away from God, and not to Him.

They are causing their people to rely upon personal experience rather than what God has already said in His inspired, inerrant Word.

Scores of Christians are regularly tuning in to these hucksters and being deceived by their false visions, prophesies, and "supernatural experiences." They think they're being taught the Word of God, when in actuality they're being led astray.

So what are some things we can do to keep us from falling prey to these false prophets?

1.Read the Bible, and I mean large portions of it daily.

I can't stress this enough. You can't read a chapter a day and think that's enough to be discerning. The average reader can read 5-7 chapters in 30 min.

Just doing this alone will greatly reduce the chances of falling prey to these teachers.

2.Read through entire books of the Bible.

Don't just flip open the Bible and start reading. Start in a book and read it all of the way through.

3.Find Pastors and teachers who expound the Scriptures.

Here are a few to get you started.

Grace to You

Ligonier

Desiring God

Truth For Life

4.Read Church History.

You don't have to go to Bible college or seminary to learn Church History. There are blogs, web sites, and even apps (iTunes University) to help with this.

Why read Church History? Because there is "nothing new under the sun," Ecc. 2:9. Tim Challies puts it this way:

In many ways the history of the church is a history of action and reaction. Much of Christian theology has been developed and strengthened in reaction to error and heresy. When we visit the past we can see how error has arisen in the church and we can see which errors have already arisen and have been decided by a consensus of the church. This can be valuable as we face the inevitable error in our own day. Many Christians engage anew in battles over doctrine for which they could receive a great deal of guidance from great theologians of days past. By studying what has happened, we can avoid future errors and even the patterns that precede error.

5.Study Theology.

Everyone is a theologian. The question is are you a good theologian or a bad one? Studying theology can give us a sound biblical foundation and protect us from error. Wayne Grudem's Systematic Theology is a good place to start.

6.Test the teacher.

If the Bereans were commended for testing what the apostle Paul was saying by the Scriptures (Acts 17:11) then we have every right to test what our teachers are saying by the Scriptures.

One of the most sobering passages in Scripture not only applies to the False Teachers, but to those led astray by them as well:

2 Peter 2:1-3 But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing upon themselves swift destruction. And many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of truth will be blasphemed. And in their greed they will exploit you with false words. Their condemnation from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep."

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Bart Simpson and the Doctrine of Vocation

Several years ago I caught part of an episode of the Simpsons. The Simpson family was sitting at the table ready to have a meal. Bart Simpson was asked to pray. He bowed his head, closed his eyes and said, "Thanks for nothin God. We got this food ourselves."

I worked. I bought. I cooked.

Unfortunately, that's the way many people think. "I worked for the money to buy the food, then I went to the grocery store and bought the food, after that I cooked the food. So, why am I thanking God for the food?" Even Christians can fall into this way of thinking. We pray and thank God before each meal, but we often fail to see just how much God was involved in providing that meal for us.

God works through the ordinary

This is where the "doctrine of vocation" comes in. The word "vocation" comes from the Latin word for "calling." God calls people to their particular stations in life. He calls them to be farmers, truck drivers, teachers, factory workers, grocery clerks, police officers, fire fighters. All of these vocations are necessary for society to function, and God uses these vocations to provide, protect, and bless us.

Your job is your calling

Most people outside of the Christian Faith do not acknowledge that God has called them, but He has nonetheless. He is the One who gives them the skills and abilities to do the work that He has sovereignly placed them in- Acts 17:26 " And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place,"

God at Work

So have you ever thought about all of the vocations involved in the breakfast you ate this morning? In his book God at Work, Gene Veith puts it like this:

"When we pray the Lord’s Prayer, observed Luther, we ask God to give us this day our daily bread. And He does give us our daily bread. He does it by means of the farmer who planted and harvested the grain, the baker who made the flour into bread, the person who prepared our meal. We might today add the truck drivers who hauled the produce, the factory workers in the food processing plant, the warehouse men, the wholesale distributors, the stock boys, the lady at the checkout counter. Also playing their part are the bankers, futures investors, advertisers, lawyers, agricultural scientists, mechanical engineers, and every other player in the nation’s economic system. All of these were instrumental in enabling you to eat your morning bagel."

"Though He could give it to us directly, by a miraculous provision, as He once did for the children of Israel when He fed them daily with manna, God has chosen to work through human beings, who, in their different capacities and according to their different talents, serve each other. This is the doctrine of vocation."

Sorry Bart

And this is why we can be genuinely thankful to God for the meal we are about to receive. Through the vocations of many different people, it truly was God who provided the breakfast you ate this morning. Sorry Bart.

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Not Only Does Theology Matter...Doctrine Does, Too

Okay, so the title is a bit misleading. Your doctrine is always determined by your theology. Not surprising then that Brian Houston of Hillsong fame totally flunked the basic Theology quiz.  Not only did he NOT know what Modalism was, he accused pastors who tried to correct him of being demonic and evil like the "same persons Jesus refers to in the book of Romans and Galatians"[source]. What's worse, is that he deleted his tweets when further pressed.

Folks, theology really does matter–especially if you are a pastor with thousands of people following you and hanging on your every word. If a pastor is not familiar with even the basic tenets of doctrine then he certainly has no business being the shepherd of souls.

Keep fighting the good fight and stand for Truth.


Steven

5 Reasons Why Morality Won't Save You

Why is it that so many sermons, teachings, and even blog posts are about a moralistic Jesus that always did good deeds but wasn't concerned too much about doctrine. Why has doctrine become such a dirty word in our day? I even saw a blog post this morning called 5 Ways You Can Spot a Jesus Follower. According to this blogger Gandhi could have been a "Jesus follower". They forget that our Lord talked much about doctrine. He was concerned about truth. And the whole reason He came was to work for us, not have us work for Him. They focus specifically on the moral acts of Jesus not understanding that these acts were for us. These moral acts of Christ would one day be applied to all of God's elect by faith. So here are 5 reasons why morality won't save us.

1. All are born in Adam

1Corinthians 15:22 For as in Adam all die.....
We all have two major problems. First, Adam’s sin is counted as our sin. As our Representative Adam was acting on our behalf. When he sinned we sinned. God counted his disobedience in the garden as our disobedience. This means that even if we never committed any sin of our own, we would not be innocent. Our Representative failed therefore we failed (Romans 5:12-14). Second, we inherited Adams nature. Because of this we are all born dead in our trespasses and sins. We are slave to sin and children of the devil. So to try to do good before a Holy God is futile. Our works are tainted with sin.

2. God demands perfect obedience to His Law

Matthew 5:48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
God does not grade on a curve. There are no second chances. His standard is perfection. James makes it clear that if we keep the whole Law and yet fail in just one point, we are guilty of breaking all of it (James 2:10).
So if it were possible for you to go throughout your entire life loving God with all of your heart and loving your neighbor as yourself and then right at the end of your life have a covetous thought, everything good you have done up to that point will count as nothing. Failure to obey the Law at one point is failure to obey it at all points.

3. The Law was not given for the purpose of salvation

Romans 5:20 Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more,
The Law has no power to make us obey. As a matter of fact the more we try to obey it the harder it becomes to obey. This is because the purpose of the Law is to show us our sin and not to save us (Romans 3:20). Paul speaks about his struggle with obeying the Law even as a Christian. He says in verses 14 and 15 "For we know that the law is spiritual, but I am of the flesh, sold under sin. For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate." At the end of the chapter he cries out "Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" Then he gives the answer, "Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord!" The Gospel is what fuels our obedience, not the Law.


4. Christ obeyed the Law for us

Just as Adam was the Representative of the entire human race, so Christ represented those He came to save. Adam was placed in the garden by God and given this one command: Genesis 2:16-17 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, "You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die." Adam broke God's Law and as a result plunged the entire human race into sin. Christ came as the New Adam (1Corinthians:15:45) and kept all of God's commands. He represented us by doing what none of us could ever do, keep the entire Law perfectly. This is freeing news! God has done for us what He demands from us, perfect obedience to his Law, and punishment for every time we broke His Law. Christ did both as our Substitute.

5. Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone

God has provided for us in Christ something we could have never achieved for ourselves- perfect righteousness. This righteousness is outside of us. It is not something that comes from us. It is a gift given to us for free.
Romans 5:17 For if, because of one man 's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 2:8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
Any non Christian can do "good works." Morality will never save. Only the work of Christ on your behalf received by faith will save!

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Work Without Faith Is Dead

James tells us that faith without works are dead.

James 2:26 For just as the body without the spirit is dead, so also faith without works is dead. (NASB)

But Paul tells us that the opposite is also true- Anything we do apart from faith is sin. So if the good works we do are void of faith they are dead works.

Romans 14:23 But whoever has doubts is condemned if he eats, because the eating is not from faith. For whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.

Just as faith without works is dead, works without faith are dead. The reason is because works apart from faith either become about us, a "look at me" mentality, or they become about "moralism," I do these works in order to gain God's approval.

Doing like Jesus?

With so many books and sermons about living like, and doing the things that Jesus did we have become a church concerned more about "doing" than "knowing." And yet if you look at Paul’s letters you find that "knowing" comes first and "doing" comes second. You can't "do" until you "know." To "do" and "live" like Jesus before you "know" what Jesus did for you is putting the cart before the horse. And yet thanks to "pastors" like Steven Furtick and Perry Nobel doctrine has become a dirty word.

Although it seems that the Perry Noble video talking to Pastors about "the jackass in the church" who wants to be fed can no longer be found, here is Steven Furtick with such Pastoral care and concern telling his people, in so many words, how wrong it is to want to be fed.

 

The fuel that drives the works

Yet the Apostle Paul saw doctrine as the fuel that drives the works. The Gospel is what separates moral works from good works. Good works are works done in faith. They are works done with the knowledge that God accepts them on behalf of what Christ has done for me. Because Christ has lived a perfect life on my behalf and then died for every time I broke His Law I can love and serve my neighbor without fear of punishment. Im no longer doing the works to appease God, Christ’s death on my behalf has appeased Him. How do I know this? Doctrine!

Colossians 3:3-4 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

Colossians 2:13-14 And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross.

Romans 3:21-22 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction:

Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

Paul tells us in Col. 3:16 to let the Word of Christ dwell in us richly. Then he goes on to say that we are to "teach" one another. Doctrine comes first. "Knowing" gives us "power" to do the works God has called us to do. Works like being a good husband, wife, parent, employee, employer, loving and serving our neighbors in our vocations, serving in our local church, all of these are what the Bible calls "good works." These works are to be done in faith. Don't get me wrong. I'm not trying to minimize what James says. Faith without works is dead faith. But what really, really bothers me is that so many in the Church today have such a low view of doctrine. As if the Apostles creed was a "doctrine of deeds."

Acts 2:42 And they devoted themselves to the apostles ' teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.

Works are natural for the Christian. But a work without faith is a dead work.

Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

 

 

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