Easy Believism at VBS

I stumbled upon a church who was sharing their excitement about almost 400 children making decisions to make Jesus their Forever Friend at Vacation Bible School (VBS). Almost 60 of these children then went through a baptism class to be baptized. What startles me about telling children to make Jesus their Forever friend is that this language is not found in Scripture. I understand the desire for sinners to be saved. I want children to know Jesus as well; however, we must be sure that they understand the gospel before we treat them like Christians. If we tell children that “Jesus is their forever friend because they accepted Him” and this language is not in the Bible, then we just lied to these children. The sad reality is that Jesus can be your “forever friend” and you still go to hell. If children do not repent and believe in Christ, believing He lived and died to forgive them of their sins and rose from the dead to bring them into right relationship with God, they’re not Christians. Consider the words of Christ, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matt. 16:24). Does that sound like a “typical friendship,” especially like the friendships children currently understand? Not in the least.

What is missing from “asking Jesus to be your forever friend?”  Continue at Jared Moore

The Truth About the Lordship of Christ by John MacArthur (Book Review)

What does it mean to say that Christ is Lord? More importantly, what does it mean to say that He is your Lord because to say that is to acknowledge His right to rule over you. In The Truth About the Lordship of Christ, John MacArthur makes clear that affirming that Christ is Lord is more than walking an aisle, raising your hand, or simply repeating words,

 

“Becoming a Christian means being sick of your sin, longing for forgiveness and rescue from present evil and affirming your commitment to Christ to the point where you are willing to forsake everything. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: it isn’t just holding up your hand  or walking down an aisle and saying, ‘I love Jesus.’ It is not easy, it is not user-friendly or seeker-sensitive; it isn’t a rosy, perfect world where Jesus gives you whatever you want. It is hard, it is sacrificial, and it supersedes everything” (pg. 27)

Beginning with the parable of the sower in Matthew 13:4-8, “This story tells us that in response to the preaching of the gospel, there are at least four different possible results. And only one of them is genuine reception, producing righteousness.” (pg. 14), moving to the parable of the nets (Matt. 13:47-50), Dr. MacArthur shows that, “Time and again in the New Testament, the Lord brought up the idea of identifying the true disciples as well as the pretenders.” (pgs. 14-15)

Where true saving faith is present something of the image of Christ is seen, “A true disciple acts like Christ. Of course, there’ll be lapses because of our humanness, but nonetheless there will be evidence of Christlikeness in the life of a true believer.” (pg. 17) Where saving faith is present there will also be a loyalty to Christ. One that cuts through all other loyalties, “In Matthew 10:34…[Jesus states], ‘Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword.’” (pg. 19) It is not that we look for conflict, conflict is inevitable. We are not purposely seeking to be offensive to the world, we are inherently offensive, “If you were of the world, the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.” (John 15:19)   Continue at Eric T. Young

THE LORDSHIP OF CHRIST...the foundation of sola gratia