Heaven Is Real; Hallucinations Are Not

You’re probably aware of the hit movie “Heaven Is for Real” and the popular book it’s based on. Recently, various television news programs have invited John MacArthur to explain why he rejects the story of Colton Burpo’s trip to heaven. But in those brief, edited interviews, much of John’s biblical critique ended up on the cutting-room floor. We thought it would be appropriate to take a short break from our current blog series and explain in more detail why the truth about heaven isn’t found in hallucinations and near-death experiences, but in the Word of God alone. –GTY Staff

Given the rising tides of militant atheism, postmodern skepti­cism, biblical illiteracy, self-love, and gross immorality, what are we to make of the current interest in heaven?

One thing is clear: It does not signal any significant upsurge of interest in what biblical revela­tion teaches about heaven. On the contrary, the data actually seem to indicate that lots of people are simply making up whatever concept of heaven pleases them. The ideas about heaven that get the most press are mostly figments of the human imagination that bear little (if any) resemblance to that glorious realm of Christ’s kingdom as it is described in God’s Word.   Continue at John MacArthur

See also: Are Visits to Heaven for Real?

Are All Sins Equally Heinous? A Response to Barnabas Piper

In a recent article, Barnabas Piper criticizes Christians for the manner in which they confront the sin of homosexuality.  The problem with these confrontations, argues Piper, is that they are not equally distributed over other sins.  What about the sin of fornication?  Or divorce?  Why do these not get equal attention?

This is certainly one of the most common objections to Christians who confront homosexuality.  But, I think there are a number of problems with it.  Let me mention just a few:

1.  This objection can be a distraction from the real issue.  When someone is confronted with sin, one of the most common defenses is to “accuse the accuser.” Maybe they weren’t compassionate enough.  Maybe they weren’t gentle enough.  Maybe the confrontation wasn’t executed precisely right.

While these reverse accusations might even be true, they are often made in order to deflect attention from the main issue, namely the sin in a person’s life.  There is no better way to avoid repentance than to say to one’s accuser, “Oh, yeah? Well you sin too.” The best defense is a good offense.

It would be like complaining to the police officer about getting a speeding ticket simply because he didn’t give everyone in your lane a speeding ticket.

Thus, when Christians have the courage to confront a sin like homosexuality in our culture (and yes, it does take courage), I am not sure the main focus needs to be on how poorly they confront other sins.    Continue at Canon Fodder

Is Sexy a Sin?

“If you got it, flaunt it!” …So goes the advice to women around the world.

If you want to attract a man, you have to put yourself on display—you’ve got to be sexy. Lest I make this sound like a diatribe against secular culture, I should mention that Christians have offered me this advice too. Well-meaning but (in my opinion) misguided women have suggested that if I ever wanted to get married, I needed to “advertise” more.

I have been thinking a lot about this over the past month, and I have to admit that I wasn’t sure I even wanted to talk about this here. I worried people would think, “There is just another one of those frumpy, outdated, Christian women wishing for the good ole days of Victorian England (or whatever era was most prudish).” Let me be clear, I don’t think there is anything wrong with taking care of your body and wanting to look beautiful.

But “sexy”? …Let’s think about that together.

Hearing how the word “sexy” is thrown around in everyday conversations, it’s everywhere! Everything from food to cars is now “sexy.” (I can’t lie—there is something special about a bacon cheeseburger!) But it seems almost anything can be considered sexy today. Back in the 1990s Kenny Chesney sang about a girl who thought his tractor was sexy. In 2006 Justin Timberlake crooned that he was bringing sexy back. During last weekend’s Superbowl, even a web hosting company was called sexy (I wish I could un-see that commercial!)   Continue at Candi Finch

What is Morality Other Than Harm?

Is morality limited to questions of direct harm? That question is not just a matter of moral theory — it also informs our most urgent political and cultural debates. Back in May, columnist Eric Zorn of The Chicago Tribune asserted: “To me, immoral conduct is that which harms others, period.”

That seems to be a straightforward statement, especially in light of its context. Zorn was writing a column in which he dismissed common arguments against same-sex marriage. I his concluding section he argued, “I will not debate the morality of various forms of private sexual conduct between consenting adults and neither should our lawmakers.” Since no one is harmed, Zorn argues, there is no real moral issue with respect to the sexual activities of consenting adults.

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In truth, a good many people agree with him. His logic is encapsulated in the 2003 U S. Supreme Court decision in Lawrence v. Texas that invalidated all laws against homosexuality. I am fairly confident that the vast majority of Americans would be tempted to accept Zorn’s argument, and younger Americans especially. My guess is that this would include many Christians, especially younger Christians.

Is Zorn right? There is certainly wisdom in his acknowledgment that harm to others, and particularly any intentional harm, is immoral. The problem is the restriction of his definition to others as understood in a radically individualist scheme. If we restrict morality to that which directly causes harm only to specific persons, we will eliminate an absolutely essential moral horizon — the community of which individuals are a part.     Continue at Al Mohler

The Tragic Lessons of Penn State — A Call to Action

No one thought it would end this way. Joe Paterno, the legendary head football coach at Penn State University heard of his firing by the school’s board of trustees by phone last night. Just two weeks after achieving the most wins of any NCAA Division One football coach in history, Paterno was fired. His firing — a necessary action by the Penn State board of trustees — holds lessons for us all.

Almost a decade ago, a graduate assistant told Coach Paterno that an assistant coach, Jerry Sandusky, had been observed forcing a young boy into a sexual act in the school’s football locker room showers. Sandusky was himself a big name in Penn State football, and he was considered a likely successor to Paterno if the head coach had retired. Sandusky also ran an non-profit organization for boys, and he brought the boys onto the Penn State campus. He continued to do so even after his own retirement from Penn State’s coaching staff.  Keep Reading >>>

Are Americans Getting Comfortable With Immorality?

A Thursday Gallup poll shows the number of Americans who believe the overall state of moral values in the U.S. is poor has dropped seven percentage points to 38 percent. Meanwhile, the number of those who believe the country's morality is excellent or good has risen eight percentage points to 23 percent.

Fewer Americans also believe the country's moral values are getting worse. Sixty-nine percent, down from 76 percent in 2010, say the state of moral values is worsening, while 22 percent, up from 14 percent, believe it’s getting better.

But just by looking at the media, it’s not apparent why more Americans have a positive outlook on U.S. morality today.

"If you look at our popular entertainment, you have a situation where Americans are essentially bombarded immoral or amoral messages," said Matt Philbin, the Culture and Media Institute's managing editor and editorial director. Read it all HERE

Tormented Souls

We must realize the strategy of the world and the devil is to make sin look and feel normal. As one theologian put it, “Our great security against sin lies in being shocked at it.” But in a world awash with sensuality in everything from beer commercials to teeny-bopper shows on Nickelodeon we are in grave danger of becoming insensitive to sin.
I’ll never forget the time in seminary a bunch of us were watching Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade–relatively speaking, a pretty safe movie. But there’s a scene where it comes out (verbally, not visually) that Indiana Jones and his father have slept with the same Nazi woman. This little revelation is meant as comic relief, and indeed the line from the father and the expression of his son when he finds out his dad had sex with the woman he did are delivered with good effect. Many people in the seminary room, men and women, laughed. At this point an older seminary student piped up, “Guys, that’s fornication. A man and his father should not be sleeping with the same woman. It’s not funny.” This man was not very popular at that moment, but he was right. Read the rest HERE

THOUGHTS FOR YOUNG MEN ...by J.C. RYLE

And I will not shrink from warning all young men to remember the seventh commandment; to beware of adultery and sexual immorality, of all impurity of every kind. I fear that we don't very often speak on this part of God's law. But when I see how prophets and Apostles have dealt with this subject, when I observe the open way in which the Reformers of our own Church denounced it, when I see the number of young men who walk in the wicked footsteps of Reuben, and Hophni, and Phinehas, and Amnon, I for one cannot, with a good conscience, hold my peace. The world becomes more wicked because of our failure to teach and preach on this commandment. For my own part, I feel it would be false and unscriptural delicacy, in addressing men, not to speak of that which is preeminently the "young man's sin."

 Read the rest HERE

Sexting and the Teenage Girl - Part 1

Part 2