Thursday, January 3, 2013

Why We Contend

Posted by Christine Pack

My sister and I have often lamented the fact that we have had friends separate from us over what they perceive to be as an unloving and judgmental attitude that we have about false teaching/false teachers. Our opinion? These precious (but undiscerning) women who have children who are growing up (as we do), will in all likelihood have children who go off to college, get handed a Rob Bell book by one of their "Christian" friends, and these young men/women who have been given NO doctrinal training about what false teaching is (but have instead been given a strong dose of "Judge not!") will come home at Thanksgiving break as Universalists. And their horrified mothers (our former friends) will wonder how on earth this could have happened. Well, we could solve that mystery for them! But unfortunately, they're no longer speaking to us.
"Fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up." Deut 11:18-19
Friends, do you not realize that it is a war out there? It's a spiritual battle, and we need to be suited up. Spiritual warfare is not puffing up your chest, and claiming the ability to name and rebuke demons (the "demon of fear," the "demon of unbelief," etc.) No, true spiritual warfare is fighting with biblical truth against these false and worldly ideologies that are just waiting to take your children's minds captive when they go out into the world.

I was a sitting duck when I went off to just a normal, run-of-the mill liberal arts college in a sleepy college town in the Bible Belt. These worldly ideologies are EVERYWHERE. On the first day of freshman Biology class, my professor had everyone in the class who identified themselves as "Christian" to stand up. After they did so, he said, "You won't be by the end of this semester." Obviously, his implication was that sure, they may have had their heads filled by their parents or churches with mushy, sentimental religious superstitions, but now, here, they would learn Truth.
"Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight." Isaiah 5:21 
"For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written, 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.' Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe." 1 Cor 1:18-21 
"Let no one deceive himself. If anyone among you thinks that he is wise in this age, let him become a fool that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it is written, 'He catches the wise in their craftiness,' and again, 'The Lord knows the thoughts of the wise, that they are futile.'" 1 Cor 3:18-20 
"We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ." 2 Cor 10:5
"Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming." Eph 4:14
"See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ." Col 2:8 
I absolutely know that some of these former friends of mine who have separated from me are born again believers. Now, I'm talking about the parents here. What they don't recognize is how vulnerable their children are if they are not getting deep, doctrinal teaching. It's not enough just to teach children moral virtues and topical studies. They need deep teaching, and they also need to know at least some of the names and specific teachings out there that are popular among teenagers/young adults (like Rob Bell's "Christian Universalism").

Parents, if you have not prepared your children to fight back with the only weapons the Bible tells us we have - and that is Biblical truth - your children will come home on break as evolutionary closet Universalists. Start now. Before your children leave your home, get a catechism study going, do a Read-The-Bible-In-A-Year study, do a Precepts study, train your children in obedience to God's command that we train them as spiritual warriors to be able to answer back to the lies of the world with the truth of God's Word.


 ADDITIONAL RESOURCES 

 Books 

Bibles/Bible Study


The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus
The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus - Workbook
The Stranger on the Road to Emmaus - DVD Videobook
Lord, Teach Me to Study the Bible in 28 Days
Herein Is Love, Vol. 1: Genesis
Herein Is Love, Vol. 5: Deuteronomy
My 1st Book Of Questions and Answers

For Parents

Training Hearts, Teaching Minds: Family Devotions Based on the Shorter Catechism
Proverbs for Parenting : A Topical Guide for Child Raising from the Book of Proverbs

Precepts Studies For Children

How to Study Your Bible for Kids
Extreme Adventures with God (Isaac, Esau and Jacob): Genesis, Chapters 26-36
Joseph--God's Superhero: Genesis 37-50
A Sneak Peek into the Future: Revelation 8-22

Pilgrim's Progress

Little Pilgrim's Progress for Children 
Dangerous Journey: The Story of Pilgrim's Progress

Young Earth Apologetics

Answers in Genesis
Answers in Genesis Video
The Creation Museum
Creation Ministries International
Already Compromised
Already Gone: Why Your Kids Will Quit Church (And What You Can Do To Stop It)
The New Answers Book, Volume 1
The New Answers Book, Volume 2
The Answers Book for Kids, Volume 1: Creation and the Fall
The Answers Book for Kids, Volume 2: Dinosaurs and the Flood of Noah
The Answers Book for Kids, Volume 3: God and the Bible
The Answers Book for Kids, Volume 4: Sin, Salvation, and the Christian Life
Demolishing Supposed Bible Contradictions Volume 1
The Lie: Evolution
Big Book of History
Adam's Synchronological Chart of History (James Ussher)

Rose Publishing (great resources for apologetics training)

Bible Charts, Maps, and Time Lines, Volume 1
Guide to the Temple
An Overview of the Bible
 Audio 

Seeds Family Worship (Bible verses set to music)

The Westminster Shorter Catechism Songs, Volume 1
The Westminster Shorter Catechism Songs, Volume 2

The Nativity Story
The Pilgrim's Progress
Dangerous Journey
IndoctriNation: Public Schools and the Decline of Christianity in America
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Thursday, December 27, 2012

We're All Hindus Now?

Posted by Christine Pack

Dr. Peter Jones
Truth Xchange
Christian talk show host Janet Mefferd recently had Dr. Peter Jones of the Truth Xchange on her show to discuss the growing influence of Hinduism in America, even among professing Christians. This is a very important topic, because in my experience, many Christians today seem to grasp the religious syncretism and idolatry of the Old Testament at only an intellectual level. You would get head nodding all 'round if you brought up the topic of religious syncretism, with your Christian friends affirming oh yes, that would be bad, very bad indeed, if Christians today were to try to syncretize their religious practices with forbidden pagan religious practices! Of course, the problem is that they might say this while they're tucking their yoga mats under their arms and heading out the door for a yoga class. This is the kind of disconnect that Dr. Jones addresses in this very informative interview. From the show:
"(Newsweek author) Lisa Miller cited polling data (in the 2009 article We Are All Hindus Now) showing that, conceptually at least, (Americans) are slowly becoming more like Hindus and less like traditional Christians in the ways we think about God, ourselves, each other and eternity. We do see it on a superficial level, of course, with our culture mainstreaming terms like karma, and yoga, and nirvana, avatar, and mantra.......How did this happen? And where is this trend headed? And most importantly, how should Christians think biblically in this day and age to avoid the spiritual pitfalls of openly - or unwittingly - embracing Hinduism." 
Janet Mefferd's interview with Peter Jones can be listened to in its entirety here.


 Additional Resources 

"Christian" Yoga?

Julia Roberts: "I'm Definitely A Practicing Hindu"

Doctor Prescribes "Therapeutic" Yoga For A Christian Woman

Yoga Can Be Hazardous To Your Health

Yoga Alliance Shows Its Hindu Teeth
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Friday, December 21, 2012

Sarah Leslie on the Mayan Doomsday Prophecy

Posted by Christine Pack

Mike LeMay and Amy Spreeman of Stand Up For The Truth radio interviewed Christian researcher Sarah Leslie of the Herescope website regarding the so-called Mayan Doomsday Prophecy and how New Age teachings have infiltrated today's church.

Many Christians have become swept up in the supposed doomsday hysteria, so for those who have, or for those who know someone who has, this interview is recommended listening.

This interview can be listened to in its entirety here.

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Thursday, December 20, 2012

God Came Down

Posted by Christine Pack

(Note: This article was originally published December 26, 2010)

Have you ever stopped to ponder why it is that, when the world attempts to portray what it would look like for the supernatural world to intersect with the natural world, the things they come up with are most often frightening and perverted in some way? Many examples of this come to mind: werewolves, vampires, Frankenstein, zombies, aliens, mummies, and so on. The human mind seems predisposed to think of the supernatural in a way that is scary, frightening, and most often a horrific perversion of what is normal and natural. From a Christian perspective, though, doesn't it make sense that the natural, unregenerated mind - in its sin-darkened state - can only conjure up a darker, more frightening version of what it "knows" (humans and human-ess) when attempting to make sense of the world? After all, the Bible tells us that man is darkened in his understanding, his wisdom is foolishness.

The truth is that, without benefit of the special revelation of God's Word, the Bible, the human view of that which is supernatural seems to default to the freakish and the frightening.

But what does it really look like for God to enter into time and space, and intersect with the natural world by taking on flesh and dwelling among us?

Scripture tells us the story rather simply:
“God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee,  to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary.  The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be.  But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God.  You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus.  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David,  and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.  Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. For no word from God will ever fail.”
“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.”
(Luke 1:26-38)
God, our omniscient, omnipotent, sovereign Creator, chose to enter into our world as.....what? As a magnificent archangel, so that everyone would know how glorious He was? No. Well, then, perhaps as a mighty king, as a sort of preview of Christ's eternal kingdom to come? No. God's own Son, God in flesh, entered into our world as a baby. A tiny baby, born to a poor carpenter and his betrothed, tucked away in a small town that was considered insignificant.

Let's first consider the fact that Jesus was even able to be born, live among us, and interact with throngs of people during his ministry in a way that wasn't, well, frightening. Think about it. Of all the supernatural beings ever imagined or conjured up in the imagination of man, Jesus was the most supernatural of all supernatural beings ever to walk among us. How was it possible that he even could walk among us without people falling to the ground in abject terror over his glory? How could people be in his presence without being consumed?  How could a mere mortal - Mary - carry him in her body?

There are glimpses of his glory and magnificence throughout the gospels: most notably, his miracles, Peter recognizing his Lordship and falling at his feet on the fishing boat, his transfiguration, his power over nature, his resurrection.

 God Came Near 

Among other things, I was a practicing Hindu before God saved me.  I actually ventured into a number of different religions and religious practices before being saved, but Hinduism seemed to make the most sense to me.  And even though I had very profound mystical experiences as a Hindu, I can't say that the God I wanted so desperately to reach and connect with ever felt near.  For me as a Hindu, "God" was remote, inaccessible, impersonal.  The idea of God "coming near" was too much for my mind to grasp.

What great love, then, had God the Father that He would make a way for Jesus to dwell among us.  And not only did Jesus, the most supernatural being ever to step foot on this earth, dwell among us, but He wasn't frightening. He wasn't grotesque or strange or freaky or odd, and His face didn't throw off beams of light (contrary to what the carol "Silent Night" claims).  In Jesus, God came near in an immensely personal way.  He was born as a baby, who grew to be a man. He entered into the mire of our human existence by becoming one of us, fully experiencing life as a human, suffering pain and sadness and temptation just as we do.

But why?  Why did God come near?

The elegant book of Hebrews unfolds much of this mystery for us, explaining that Jesus was tempted and yet never sinned:
"For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin." (Hebrews 4:15)
Again, why?  Why was it important for God to record in his Word that Jesus was tempted, yet did not sin?  It is because of this:

If Jesus came to earth and was not fully man, he would never have been able to make atonement for us.  The first man - Adam - acted on behalf of all mankind when he first sinned, way back in the Garden of Eden.  Thus, we inherited his - Adam's - sinful, fallen nature, which means that we are born into sin and we choose to sin.  And because of our sin, we are doomed:
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord." (Romans 6:23)
But Jesus came as the "second Adam" to represent all mankind in the way that the first Adam failed to.  He lived a perfect, sinless life, never sinning in thought, word or deed.   And then He willingly offered his life as an atoning payment for all who would repent and place their faith in his perfect sacrifice made on their behalf:
"For as in Adam all die, so those in Christ will be made alive." (1 Cor 15:22)
What greater love is there in all the world than this?  A sovereign creator God, who made us and has a righteous claim over our lives....and yet is intensely personal, and desires that all might come to repentance:
"The Lord is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9)
What great, good news this is!  This is the message of Jesus and Christmas and the Nativity and the Cross.  God came near.  God made a way for sinful, wretched men to be reconciled to a high and holy God.

For all those who are struggling with deep and difficult ideas of man and God and truth and eternity, and who have not yet bent the knee in humble submission to an infinitely holy - and yet merciful - God who has made a way for sinful men to be forgiven, may today truly be the day of salvation for you:
"For God says, 'In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of salvation I helped you.' I tell you, now is the time of God's favor, now is the day of salvation." (2 Cor 6:2)
photo credit: Martin LaBar via photopin cc

 Additional Resources 

God Came Near
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Monday, December 17, 2012

God Came Near....It Really Is True

Posted by Christine Pack
(Note: This article was originally published December 10, 2010)


Christmas was always my guilty pleasure every year as a New Ager. My wiccan-pagan-hindu friends would give me a hard time for putting up a tree and decorating, and not having the "strength of my convictions." But I just always loved the gaiety of the season: the parties, the food, the sparkle, the fun, the decorating. And it seemed so hopeful at heart, this idea that God could have actually come into the world. Impossible, of course, but hopeful.


Once I was born again, of course, Christmas became the most wondrous time of year to me because it was TRUE......God did step into humanity, piercing the veil between the natural and the supernatural, but even more than that, He did it so that wretched men and women could be reconciled to a high and holy God.  Amazing!

Soli Deo Gloria.

photo credit: HikingArtist.com via photopin cc



 Additional Resources 

To Christmas or Not To Christmas.....That Is the Question (Sola Sisters)

Christmas is Just A Christianized Pagan Celebration? Not So Fast..... (Sola Sisters)

God Came Near (Sola Sisters)

The Glory of Jesus (Sola Sisters)

Christmas Prophecies Fulfilled (Grace To You)

How Christmas Solves The Prophetic Puzzle (Grace To You)

Is There Anything Inherently Sinful or Dangerous in Delebrating Christmas? (Grace To You)

Should Christians Have Christmas Trees? (Grace To You)

The Attack on Christmas (Answers in Genesis)


 4 Part Series by Dr. Richard P. Bucher 

Christmas Is Not Pagan, Part 1 , Overview

Christmas Is Not Pagan, Part 2, Answering the Argument: "Christmas is obviously pagan because there is neither Biblical command nor precedent for celebrating Christ's birth."

Christmas Is Not Pagan, Part 3, Answering the Argument: "The first Christians never observed the celebration of Christ's birth until emperor Constantine in 313 AD officially tolerated Christians."

Christmas Is Not Pagan, Part 4, Answering the Argument:  "The date of Christmas (December 25), and its many customs all come from pagan sources. Therefore Christmas is pagan."


 Resources Specifically Refuting the Errors of Alexander Hislop 

Myths From Hislop: A Call To Examine Facts (Marcia Montenegro, CANA)

Exposé of Alexander Hislop's The Two Babylons (UK Apologetics)


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Sunday, December 9, 2012

Every Tongue Will Confess

Posted by Christine Pack


To celebrate our anniversary, my sweet husband took me to hear the Atlanta Symphony and the Atlanta Choral Society perform their annual Christmas program. There is a longstanding tradition in our country that, when the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah is performed, the audience, wherever they are, rises to their feet during the performance. I love this part! And at the same time, it made me sad last night to look around at that audience in downtown Atlanta and know that most of those in the audience who were standing at this majestic song are lost, and do not even know it. And yet, God's truth, so powerfully delivered in this choral piece, almost cannot be denied. I think this must be why people, even lost people, get to their feet.
"The fish of the sea and the birds of the heavens and the beasts of the field and all creeping things that creep on the ground, and all the people who are on the face of the earth, shall quake at my presence. And the mountains shall be thrown down, and the cliffs shall fall, and every wall shall tumble to the ground." Ezekiel 38:20 
"Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Philippians 2:9-11

 Additional Resources 

God Came Near

God Came Down

The Glory of Jesus
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Thursday, December 6, 2012

Ann Voskamp Gets Original Sin Wrong

Posted by Christine Pack

“What that first and catastrophic sin of ingratitude ruptured…union…can be repaired by exact inverse of the Garden: lifestyle gratitude …” (Ann Voskamp, One Thousand Gifts, p220)


A friend of mine read the above quote and observed thusly:
"The Doctrines of Ann Voskamp: 
Original sin = ingratitude
Result = broken union
Answer = "lifestyle gratitude"  
Let's see anyone support THAT with Scripture."
I am inclined to agree. On the subject of Ann Voskamp,  what I keep hearing is, Hey look, nobody has perfect doctrine, why are you picking on poor Ann? And my point is.....doctrine matters. As another friend noted on a rather frisky discussion thread on Facebook:
"Ann Voskamp makes it seem like Adam/Eve were ungrateful for all the Lord had given them. When in reality they were disobeying God's clear command to not eat of the tree - they listened to the serpent twist God's words and the doubt placed in their minds caused them to think they knew better for themselves than God did. Voskamp seems to be saying that just by living a life of gratitude, that will restore the union between God and man. There is nothing in regard to repentance for sinning against a holy God. Thankfulness does not bring escape from the wrath of God. True repentance brought by the Holy Spirit brings forgiveness and life. She done got the gospel wrong."
 Additional Resources 

An Open Letter To Tim Challies about Ann Voskamp (Sola Sisters)

Tim Challies Reviews One Thousand Gifts (Sola Sisters)

In Which I Ask Ann Voskamp's Forgiveness... (Tim Challies)

An Interview With Sarah Flashing About Our Open Letter To Tim Challies (Sola Sisters)

Concerning One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp (by Ken Silva)

Ann Voskamp: Mystical Estrogen (Fighting For The Faith radio show)

A Commentary On Ann Voskamp's "One Thousand Gifts" (by Marcia Montenegro)

Romantic Panentheism, a review of One Thousand Gifts (by Bob DeWaay)

What Is Panentheism? (Apprising)

Panentheism Is Not A Gift (Amy Spreeman)
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