Friday, May 1, 2009

DISCERNMENT

"In an age where the greatest sin is offensiveness, and the greatest virtue is inoffensiveness; it is difficult to share a message where - at it's core - is offensive to the mind of fallen man."

~ Pastor Erwin Lutzer ~



I have been asked to teach a bible study at church this coming Fall. Last year, I was surprised to be allowed to teach The Truth Project to some women at our church. It is a powerful and needful study on the Christian world-and-life-view. Basically The Truth Project helps the Bride to recognize the philosophies and myths we've been taken captive by 'out there'. 'Out there' being in the culture - sociology, anthropology, science, history, government, humanitarianism, etc.... The Church seeing rightly looking out.


I believe God has opened the door for me to teach again this Fall because it is important to continue on in this theme. Whereas The Truth Project was addressing having a biblical worldview in subjects outside the Church, this next class would be about the need for biblical discernment and zeal for Truth within the Church. This course of study will do much to edify the women to understand why contending for the faith is everyone’s privilege and duty. Biblical discernment is the need within the Church.


The goal of this course of study is to help us become vigilant, high impact Christians who love Truth and who are willing to live by it and contend for it, even at great personal cost. Lofty goal indeed!


This is the Thursday evening study I am proposing – it would be an 11 week semester:



DOES THE TRUTH MATTER ANYMORE? (5 parts)

Teacher: Pastor John MacArthur
Publication: CrossTV/WordPictures

http://www.revver.com/video/926607/does-the-truth-matter-anymore-john-macarthur/





10 LIES ABOUT GOD (3 parts)

Teacher: Pastor Erwin Lutzer
Publication: CrossTV/WordPictures

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qooBBE_ktyQ&feature=related





WHO ARE YOU TO JUDGE (3 Parts)

Teacher: Pastor Erwin Lutzer
Publication: CrossTV/WordPictures

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9R_UsRDxuw&feature=related

You are able to watch a portion of the 1st part using the above link.




"The mission of amusement produces no converts. The need of the hour for today's ministry is believing scholarship joined with earnest spirituality, the one springing from the other as fruit from the root. The need is biblical doctrine, so understood and felt, that it sets men on fire."

~ CH Spurgeon ~



"I cannot endure false doctrine, however neatly it may be put before me.
Would you have me eat poisoned meat because the dish is of the choicest ware? It makes me indignant when I hear another gospel put before the people with enticing words by man who would fair make merchandise of souls; and I marvel at those who have soft words for such deceivers. 'This is your bigotry,' says one. Call it so if you like; but it is the bigotry of the loving John, who wrote, 'if there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him Godspeed; for he that biddeth him Godspeed is partaker of his evil deeds.'

I would to God we all had more of such decision, for the lack of it is depriving our religious life of its backbone and substituting for honest manliness a mass of tremulous jelly of mutual flattery. He who does not hate the false does not love the true; and he to whom it is all the same, whether it be God's word or man's, is himself unrenewed at heart.

Oh, if some of you were like your fathers, you would not have tolerated in this age the wagon loads of trash under which the gospel has been of late buried by ministers of your own choosing. The apostle spake by inspiration when he said, 'If we or an angel from heaven preach to you any other gospel than that ye have received, let him be accursed.'

According to modern effeminacy he ought to have said, 'Let him be kindly spoken with in private, but pray make no stir. No doubt the good brother has his own original modes of thought and we must not question his liberty. Doubtless he believes the same as we do, only there is some little difference as to terms.'

This is treason to Christ and treachery to truth and cruelty to souls.

If we love our Lord, we shall keep His words and stand fast in the faith, coming out from among the false teachers. Nor is this inconsistent with charity; for the truest love to those who err is not to fraternize with them in their error, but to be faithful to Jesus Christ in all things."

~ C.H. Spurgeon ~


Amen! Amen!

Oh, how I pray this course of study will be approved and God will be pleased to set aflame a passion for True Truth in the belly and bones of His Bride.