Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Looking For Christian Reviews On This Essay!





When I read the title of the latest post over at Herescope: Restoring the Gospel of Salvation, I was excited to read it. The title of the article, however, was a bit different from the title of the post, which asks, "Does not the salvation of sinners trump national restoration?"



Without revealing my reaction after reading the editorial, I present it here - in its entirety - so that readers can write their own thoughts, comments, positive and/or critical reviews about what was written in the essay. I am especially interested in what other Christians think about the article, though all are invited to share their opinions as well. I plan to reveal my thoughts, comments and reactions to the post sometime over the next two days.

Happy reading! I encourage each Christian reading here to put on your apologetics hat and take some time to comment about what you have read!

In Christ,


Christine

*******


Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Restoring the Gospel of Salvation

Does not the salvation of sinners trump national restoration?




An Editorial by Rev. Dr. Orrel Steinkamp



There is a new virus going around. Its called Christian political war gaming. Once the virus strikes it becomes a near obsession. I know a number of people who don’t get enough sleep because they are at their computers doing political war games. Once they lived healthy Christian lives. Their passion was the Gospel of saving individual sinners. Now they rarely have the time or energy for their former passion. Their affections have been alienated. They need a Gospel intervention.

Former websites that defended the Gospel of salvation now are mostly devoted to restoring an illusive American past and proving our present president is a stealth Muslim attempting to make America a Muslim caliphate. Joseph Farah, World Net Daily Christian conspiracy expert, is sure Obama has specific plans for Christian concentration camps.

Even if all this is true, why should this divert us from our mandate of preaching the Gospel to every creature? Why should we be attempting to infiltrate and dominate every political entity before the time of God's vengeance?

Paul wasn't worried about imperial palace intrigue in Rome. Obama is just being a politician from the Left. Like all politicians before him he has an agenda. We do not have to accept these principles and we can vote our conscience and financially support the campaigns of our choice. In the current political stalemate this could qualify me as a liberal. Well! I didn’t vote for Obama and I didn’t vote for McCain. I was comfortable with making a write-in choice, one I know my every reader would support. I don't like Obama's stance on many things personally, and I deeply resent his reference to two fathers on fathers day. But neither did I appreciate "born-again" President Bush's statement to Muslim leaders that we both pray to the same God.

Nevertheless, Romans 13 states with clarity that God puts up rulers of His choice for His purposes. I may not agree with God's choice and can't always see His purpose, but I am commanded to pray for the rulers our Sovereign God raises up.

Is it for Christian evangelists to suffer near frenetic emotional exhaustion in the political war games arcade? Is the eternal purpose of God hanging on such a thin thread? Is the biblical Jehovah really such a wimp deity, and a weak onlooker to the affairs of men, hoping Christians will overcome politically and take back dominion our God supposedly lost in the Garden of Eden and a establish the kingdom of God in the earth?

America survived Clinton, Hoover, and a corrupt Ulysses Grant, and it will continue to survive if it is God’s will. My God is a sovereign who could overcome Egyptian Pharaohs (after Israel was in bondage for 300 years) and could even raise up Cyrus, a pagan ruler, to accommodate Israel’s return to Jerusalem. Paul never ever looked to Rome except to use his Roman citizenship for the furtherance of the Gospel.

How must we look to the persecuted church? Are we by example suggesting they become political terrorists for the Kingdom of God and unnecessary martyrs? Janet Porter, in her June 8, 2010 WorldNetDaily column, suggested that some of us were like the pious Germans who held high their hymnbooks so they wouldn’t see the cattle cars on their way to exterminate Jews. (A classic false dichotomy.) What could they have done? Lay themselves on the tracks? The German Christians were culpable, not because of their hymn singing but because they made common cause with the goals and destiny of the Third Reich, as did the Vatican in Rome.

Jesus, whom we say is our example, shunned (not a strong enough word) political pursuits in the name of the Kingdom of God. Recall the story of when Jesus was arrested in the garden of Gethsemane. Peter rushed to action and struck off the soldiers ear. Jesus was so perturbed that He instantly restored it and said to Peter "put your sward [sic] in its sheath" (John 18:11).

The Jerusalem that Jesus entered was a political hotbed. The people were involved in every possible action to drive out the pagan Romans from the holy city. When Jesus entered on Palm Sunday He purposefully fulfilled an Old Testament prophesy of the coming messiah by riding into the city on a young donkey. "Hosanna in the Highest" the crowd cried. Hosanna means “save us now." They treated Him as political messiah who would use his supernatural powers to drive out the Romans and RESTORE JERUSALEM. Did they look for a suffering savior who would bear the sins of the people? Hardly! By the time Jesus went to the cross they were all long gone.

Even the Romans saw Jesus as political threat. The quisling Jewish leaders, in collaboration with the Romans, were afraid of a political uprising. But the Messiah came for the redemption of sinners, not a political restoration of the Jewish State. It is safe to say the reason Jesus died nearly alone is because it was not "His Hour" to Judge the nations. It was only "His hour" to go to the cross. Why did He die nearly alone?

The Jews, and even His disciples, expected Jesus "to save now, hosanna." The Dominionists today are crying "hosanna now." They claim we can restore what Jesus failed to do in His first advent. But the resurrected Jesus had to tell His disciples that it was not for them to know the times and the season that the Father has fixed, by His own authority," to restore the Kingdom to Israel.

On the cross Jesus could have called 10,000 angels for His rescue. But this would have totally contravened the plan of redemption from sin decreed by God (not "decreed" by a fake apostle!) from the foundation of the world. Redemption from sin remains to this day the focus of the kingdom of God. Jerusalem was filled with zealots (we would call them undercover militia). They were called the sicarii (Latin for dagger), for they hid daggers in their robes to assassinate Romans and collaborators. Even the Essene community at the Dead Sea was calling for a final battle between the Sons of God (Israel) and the Sons of Darkness.

Into this political milieu Jesus never uttered a solitary political word. He made it plain that “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). He, however, looked forward to when the Son of Man would RETURN and when He then would judge the nations. But until that great and awesome Day of the Lord, when the Savior would return on the clouds of glory, He was not striving for an earthly kingdom. He was content with establishing a church, His body upon the earth. Many in His day were offended by Him because He apparently had not political ambitions. Judas is speculated to be among them. Jesus asserted with force that His day to rule the nations awaited His second return, when He would judge the nations like a shepherd divides His sheep from the goats.

G. Peter Wagner, chief apostle of the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR), made a tactical decision to see Dominionism as temporarily consistent with democracy. I have not been able to locate when and where Wagner made such an "apostolic decree." But, indeed, the Kingdom of God cannot ultimately be a democracy. For Wagner and any other Dominionist, the democratic process can only be a way station on the road to their "kingdom of God on the earth," which is prior to the real Parousia.

Wagner's tactical decision (as opposed to strategic decision) was a major change. It opened the way for the false apostles and prophets to enter the political arena. So now "apostle" Lou Engle is free to lay apostolic hands of blessing on 3-time divorcee Newt Gingrich. Now the NAR apostles and prophets, thanks to Janet Porter and WorldNetDaily, can take their equal places in politics. Now they have the blessing of James Dobson, who endorsed Janet Porter’s May Day event at the Lincoln Memorial. Now Cindy Jacobs, prophetess extraordinaire, who had a visit of the Seraphim in her room that caught it on fire, can share the stage with Newt Gingrich. Now Rick Joyner, who has his own political action organization which he calls the Oak Initiative -- and who reportedly made a trip to heaven and heard Martin Luther repent of the Reformation -- can rub shoulders with James Dobson.

So now these self-anointed, self-appointed apostles of the NAR, laden down with false signs and wonders, false apostolic decrees, and false prophets -- who compete with each other in imaginary "can you top this" fraudulent oracles supposed to be from God -- have been given the kiss of acceptance by Christian Right politicians, including James Dobson. The apostles and prophets see this as a match made in heaven, a giant step toward appointing apostles as governors of every state and province in the world, complete with in-house prophetic seers to make supernatural decisions.

But I for one see it as blip in church history (like the Montanists of the 1st century), a match made in the pit of political desire for power before our King returns in His glory.

24 comments:

Al said...

An excellent post, Christine, wisely highlighting that this false kingdom here on earth is just that. Your faith and belief in a Kingdom yet to come will be your just reward. Keep the faith.

Matt W. said...

There is little that is more damning to a lost soul than moral reform apart from Christ. Once a person "gets their act together" and starts engaging in "clean living" they will see themselves as having cleaned up their own act, and gotten themselves on the right course, and therefore now must be good enough, and have no need of Jesus. We have no need of the Government to enforce Christian morality, we need to proclaim the Gospel, disciple those who repent and become Christians, and let the power of Almighty God bring about a radical transformation in their lives.

Far too many in this movement would seem all to much at home with the Pharisees of Jesus day, demanding that people followed all the rules on the outside, regardless of the condition of their heart. Why did Jesus spend time eating with Tax collectors and sinners? Teaching prostitutes and the basic scum of Jewish society? Because they were the reachable. It's very easy tell someone living in gross and obvious sin that they need to repent, they see their sin every day, but a self righteous Pharisee is another story all together.

[Christine, I am not calling you a Pharisee, but I do see your focus lately as sadly misguided, and I hope that you will recognize the dangers of going down this road.]

I myself am a conservative and a patriot. That being said, my first commitment is to the Kingdom of God. I trust in Him. For many decades this nation has been in full out rebellion against God, and He has shown that he is indeed slow to anger, but did we expect that we would get away with it forever? As I said, the sorry state of our nation is not the precursor, it is the result, the end game. Does this mean that our best days are behind us (speaking of the nation)? Maybe and maybe not. Will we look for a political solution, and political victories, or will we return to the center of our calling, do what God has called us to do, and leave the details (and the nation) up to Him?

Matthew 28:18-20 [ESV]
And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

First we see that the basis for our going forth and boldly proclaiming the Gospel is that "All authority" belongs to Christ. Then we see that it is the proclamation of the Gospel that comes second, making disciples refers to souls being redeemed (in this context, not every context), and the baptism of repentance, which He speaks of here comes after Salvation, and it is then that we teach them to observe all that He has commanded us, this is the time of discipleship. And at the end, the glorious promise that He will be with us always, even to the very end.

We do not need the aide of false religions, or false prophets. We do not need to rely on the Government or political groups, or lobbyists, or whatever. We don't need to check with James Dobson and his weak phychobabble to see what must be done next.

If we obey Christ, follow Him and trust Him fully, then and only then will we be doing what we are supposed to be doing, and times are in His hands.

Matt W. said...

OK, so he lost me at the end there, honestly, I am not familiar with some of what he was talking about when he got down there.

That being said, even though he was fairly inarticulate, and didn't make his point particularly well, I have to say, I do agree with his overall point.

As Christians our number one priority is to call sinners to repentance, individual sinners, not the nation. Political change is not our number one goal. That is not to say that we disengage from politics, certainly we should vote, and we should remain educated on the issues, and we should not fear to talk about them, but we must talk about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, even to the exclusion of politics, NEVER the other way around.

I think he would have been much better served to talk about the fact that one of Jesus own Apostles was a zealot, and left that life behind to follow Jesus and gave his life entirely to the proclamation and furtherance of the Gospel.

For many years there was much complacency among Christians because the USA was a "Christian Nation" and now that it is clear that this is not the case the primary reaction of Christians is to fight political battles?

The election of President Obama is not the precursor of serious problems in our society, it is the result.

The man is correct in stating that even political leaders are put in place by our Sovereign God, even if we can't see His hand at the time. Colossians 1:16 says, "For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him." He is over all, none come to power except that it will serve his ultimate purpose.

When the Kings of old would claim a "Divine Right To Rule" they were almost correct, what they had was a Divine RESPONSIBILITY to rule. And they will be held to account, but not by any man, but by God. While the American Presidency is something different, as it is not a Kingship, and a person holding that that position does bear some accountability before men, either at the ballot box, or before Congress, if they had the strength of conviction or the personal principles to exert such authority, the ultimate answer will be given to God. And what if a President found some way to become a permanent dictator and utterly destroy every liberty we have ever possessed in this nation, would that person be doing an end run around the plan of God? I think not.

I do think that this person has some excellent points in this article, I just wish that he had been able to make them better. We must be about our Father's business, and that business is the proclamation of Gospel of Jesus Christ to a dying and sin cursed world, not the restoration of the USA.

This is one reason why I so strenuously object to the Manhattan Declaration, a movement which seeks to enforce moral standards on hell-bound sinners, without regard for the state of their souls, and just as bad, but even more disturbing, it does seeks to enlist the help of other hell-bound sinners who embrace false religions without regard for their souls either.

[To be continued... ]

Unknown said...

Hi Christine,

Mixed feelings on this one. The author definitely did make some good points. Declaring the truth and discipling the young Christians is definitely the top priority. And he also makes a very good point about not getting so distracted or obsessed by things political that you are no longer productive for the kingdom. That can be quite a struggle at a time when so much of the government and pop culture hovers between barely tolerant and openly hostile toward believers. It can rob you of peace and joy if you take your eyes off Jesus.

At the same time, I see his writing as filled with the same type of false choices that he points out in others. While the victory will come through Christ, we are called to be witnesses. A long stretch of indifference toward things political by believers has resulted in a growing list of challenges and restrictions to proclaim the Gospel even as our nation's Constitution guarantees it. We cannot be witnesses unless we are free to proclaim the truth and we actually do proclaim it. I know of no way to accomplish this without engaging in all public venues, including politics. It is very true that Christ did not go into politics. And while many on the left point out that he fed the hungry, he didn't set up a government feeding program either. But when the Pharisees and other leaders and teachers of the law came at him, denying the truth, he did not turn silent. He faced them boldly with the wisdom of the Father. If we are to be imitators of Christ, this too, must be part of our calling.

Anonymous said...

I find the essay simplistic and filled with unintentional ambiguity from a false understanding of biblical hermeneutics.The author makes some valid points which if directed towards Dominionists,and neocon crowd of pseuodchristians are valid.And the one towards the zionist was correct.But we are to be the salt of the earth,and fight evil whilst praying for our leaders.Furthermore,we are seeing the Great Apostasy take place,and the author is redirecting attention away from our duties by lumping all Believers that are proactive politically or in seeking to restore the nation with nominal Believers.We are under God's judgment in this nation,as well as the entire world,and the wrath of God is being poured out in measure,and soon to be done so in full.But we mustn't aid in our destruction by wrongly assuming we have no place in the political arena.The NWO is here.One World Government is a heartbeat away as nations go bankrupt,and the earth groans and travails,and false flag events are planned to bring us into a Fascist Global Gulag until the 2nd Coming of Jesus Christ.The author is way offbase with the comment on the Divine Right To Rule.The Bloodline Illuminati and Royal Bloodlines believe they are gods,not getting their authority from God.Much more could be said,but I beleive the author is simply confused about the devices of Satan,and how all religions at an organized level were hijacked in the early 20th century through the WCC and NCC,and frankly much earlier.But there has always been a remnant of Believers that hold fast the Gospel and cling to God's Word,and have the discernment to leave apostate churches and movements.

Kevin said...

Hi Christine,
Just one correction to the article--Montanism got its start in the 2nd century, not the first.

Christinewjc said...

Thank you all for expressing your heartfelt thoughts on this very important topic.

I appreciate the differing opinions because I think it helps each of us to reach towards the truth.

My response will be posted soon in a new blog post.

I encourage more readers to share their comments here in this thread or in the new one that will be posted later today.

Thanks for that correction, Kevin. Because you are a history professor, I trust that your correction is accurate! BTW, since the Christian religion is part of your studies, do you know anything more about The New Apostolic Reformation (NAR)? I'm still busy typing my response and haven't had a chance to do research on it yet.

Christinewjc said...

Bad news people. I was adding additional comments and links to my saved draft (that I had been working on for about four hours!!!) and it suddenly just disappeared!!! Since I didn't publish it yet, there appears to be no way to retrieve the information. Arrgghhhh!!!!

I have NO IDEA how or why this has happened! Does anyone else know? Any ideas on how to possibly retrieve it?

For now, I will just include here what I was typing into the blog post when it suddenly disappeared:

While doing research, I ran across a website that contained some amazing information. I do not know whether or not it is legitimate, but present the link (below) as a Talk Wisdom Reports - You Decide topic.

First, I found the link via American Grand Jury.org in the comment section.

Here is the link:

Global Analysis International Intelligence: HODGES CORRESPONDENCE TO THE HIGHEST LEVELS
LETTERS ON THE CRIMINAL BLOCKING OF THE RELEASES TO THE BRITISH MONARCHY, OBAMA AND MR TIMOTHY WILLIAMS, HEAD OF INTERPOL, WASHINGTON, D.C.
Saturday 19 June 2010 23:36

Anonymous said...

Thank you for posting this. I believe it's an error for the gentleman to suggest that Christians shouldn't be watchful and make a stand against corruption in the government. I detected a condenscending tone in his paragraph concerning WND and "Christian concentration camps". Even though "God puts up rulers of His choice for his purposes", that's not to say we, as Christians shouldn't make a stand when that ruler is evil. Many Christians are making a serious mistake in being willfully ignorant role politics plays in the freedoms we have. Of course the first love and duty of a Christian is to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. But that can't be done if we just sit back and let law after law get passed eventually prohibiting that. Christians have differing roles to 'play' in the effort to spread the Gospel. Not all are preachers, or evangelists, or pastors, or prophets, etc. There also has to be support on the political front.
I don't want to get too long "winded" here. Thank you for the opportunity to comment.

GMpilot said...

Matt W.: “I am not calling you a Pharisee, but I do see your focus lately as sadly misguided, and I hope that you will recognize the dangers of going down this road.”

CJW: “Global Analysis International Intelligence: HODGES CORRESPONDENCE TO THE HIGHEST LEVELS
LETTERS ON THE CRIMINAL BLOCKING OF THE RELEASES TO THE BRITISH MONARCHY, OBAMA AND MR TIMOTHY WILLIAMS, HEAD OF INTERPOL, WASHINGTON, D.C.
Saturday 19 June 2010 23:36"

You haven't listened to a word Matt said, have you?
The headline you ran has no connection with what you said at the top of this column, unless one reads between the lines of that headline (which looks to me like a very official-sounding scam).

Despite what you said at the header, it appears you do indeed believe that 'national restoration' trumps the 'salvation of sinners.' I hope you will explain why in your post.
Like Matt, I saw you starting down this road two years ago. Just what is the desired result of this national restoration, and just how far will you need to go in order to achieve it?

...and how often do you save when you write? I've never lost data that easily: what did you do?

emilswift said...

One of the above "commentators" called this guy's use of Scripture into question but I for one thought his presentation of Jesus' refusal to operate in the socio-political arena simple and accurate. But when he starts to rant about this NAR conspiracy, it seems like he's falling into a similar ditch as those he's critiquing. (BTW -- it's C. Peter not G. Peter) When he says that C. Peter Wagner "made a tactical decision to see Dominionism as temporarily consistent with democracy" and then admits, "I have not been able to locate when and where Wagner made such an "apostolic decree", it seems ridiculous; he's accusing this guy of some decision that he THINKS he made but has nothing to back it up? Like others who commented before me, I think the blog would have been easily defensible if he'd stopped about half-way through.

Christinewjc said...

Hi Stevex09,

Thanks for your input. Perhaps I should have not been so longwinded in my response. Then, I wouldn't have suffered the agony of losing it all so abruptly when I tried to add to an already long post!

I agree with specific parts of what each person here has already written. However, IMO, you summed it up quite well when your wrote:

"I believe it's an error for the gentleman to suggest that Christians shouldn't be watchful and make a stand against corruption in the government."

I agree wholeheartedly!

However, I must admit that I have friends who are not political - at all - and they would more likely agree with Matt's view when he wrote, "I see your focus lately as sadly misguided, and I hope that you will recognize the dangers of going down this road."

I also have friends who depend on me to keep them informed about what is being said in the blogs since they realize that the Media of Mass Deception is not telling them the truth.

One friend - who attends a Christian church that refused to get involved in the CA Proposition 8 battle (in the 2008 election). My church was actively involved with informing people about the real issues and exactly what is at stake regarding free speech and religious freedom. In case you are not familiar, a YES vote on Prop. 8 was to put marriage in the CA Constitution as the union of one man and one woman. It passed, but the homosexual activists were absolutely LIVID and there is a current active court case to repeal the proposition.

This particular friend also objects to what I write about Obama on my blog and Facebook page - so she deleted me as a friend! Her excuse was that it might offend her other Facebook friends! Recently, I found out through a mutual friend that she is quite bothered about our little "spat." Apparently, she asks about me each time she talks with our mutual friend.

During a discussion with our mutual friend, I wrote back in a text message, "I have dealt with her type many times - but they were non-Christians so it was difficult to have my writings criticized by someone I thought was a true friend. I'm over it. Lets just drop it."

When my friend worried about us reconciling, I wrote, "Ah - it is what it is. I've learned not to try to wake people up about what is happening in America when they want to keep their heads in the sand."

This is an example of the political division between Christian believers about this particular administration as well as politics in general.

It seems to be clear as day to me that all Christian believers should have opposed Obama's candidacy. The radical pro-abortion stance of Obama is the main reason I thought this way. All of the radical associations, Marxism and corruption since the election has cemented my resolve that Obama is not a Christian and has anti-Christian, anti-Israel, and anti-biblical views, policies, attitudes, and has enacted laws that are terribly harmful to our Constitutional Republic. But the worst part is that all he has done is contrary to both Christian and Orthodox Jewish (not the liberal Jews) beliefs.

Ah! Now I'm being longwinded! I guess this will suffice for my answer to the author's editorial.

In my original post that got zapped, I also included links to two websites. Each of them are daily reads for me and have very important blog posts in the sidebar that I believe all should read!

1. Daily Thought Pad

2. New Zeal

Christinewjc said...

GMpilot,

Matt is entitled to his own opinions about "what road" I am traveling. I'm sure that other Christians probably agree with him. See my comment to Stevex09.

What I did was save my post in the draft mode on Blogger. Since it was saved the night before, I didn't think that there was a chance that I might lose it the next day. As I was adding to the post in draft this morning, perhaps I touched the wrong key on the keyboard and it was zapped? I don't know. But this RARELY ever happens so I didn't think I needed to save the post on my computer notepad. Heck - even when I get timed out over at my forum page, the computer saves what I was writing and it reappears when I sign back in! Must be a different situation with Blogger.

Of course the salvation of sinners trumps national restoration. That's a given. The nations of this world will one day fall to dust and blow away. But the Kingdom of Heaven lasts forever.

You asked:

"Just what is the desired result of this national restoration, and just how far will you need to go in order to achieve it?"

That's a very good question. Perhaps I could answer it more fully in a new blog post. For now, I will just say that I would like to see a restoration of honor, truth, justice, and what our Founding Fathers created for us at the birth of this nation - a Constitutional Republic.

Christinewjc said...

Hi Emilswift,

Thanks for the correction to C. Peter Wagner's name.

Like I have already mentioned in my previous comments, there are parts of Rev. Dr. Orrel Steinkamp's editorial that I do agree with. However, there are sections that I find questionable as far as accuracy is concerned.

Perhaps the questions we have and the errors we are seeing could be cleared up if we go to the reference page provided by the Herescope blogger. Here's the link:

Let Us Reason.org: The “New Apostolic” church movement

I've got a headache right now so I plan to read it another time. Anyone else want to read it and make a summary about it here in comments?
:-)

Christinewjc said...

Gary,

I'm with you on this. Mixed feelings about the editorial. As usual, you make excellent points!

I especially liked:

"It can rob you of peace and joy if you take your eyes off Jesus."

So true!

I don't know what people who don't have the promises of Jesus Christ in their lives - and the hope, power, and confidence of the Gospel - do without such knowledge!

Anonymous said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Sosthenes said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Christinewjc said...

Al wrote:

"...this false kingdom here on earth is just that.

Wisely stated!

This is where the social justice create-a-utopia-here-on-earth liberal Christians get it wrong! Trying to create something that only Jesus can bring about is futile.

I always come back to Jesus words when he stated, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! For I have overcome the world."

Jesus certainly proved that when he died on the cross at Calvary for the remission of mankind's sins and rose again on the third day to demonstrate his power over death and the grave.

I love Chris Tomlin's song, "I Will Rise."

Part of the lyrics:

Jesus has overcome
And the grave is overwhelmed
The victory is won
He is risen from the dead

And I will rise
When He calls my name
No more sorrow
No more pain

I will rise
On eagles wings
Before my God
Fall on my knees

And rise
I will rise

And I hear the voice of many angels sing
Worthy is the Lamb
And I hear the cry of many longing hearts
Worthy is the Lamb...


That is a song that I NEVER get tired of listening to!

Jesus is the only Savior! He is the only One who is worthy!

Praise God for His unfathomable Provision in Christ! There is no greater love.

View the YouTube music video:

Chris Tomlin: "I Will Rise" (Live)

Kevin said...

Hi Christine,
I don't know anything about the The New Apostolic Reformation. I have to admit I don't know too much about many of the modern religious offshoots in Christianity!

Here is a link to Montanism:
http://www.tertullian.org/montanism.htm

It is an interesting version of Christianity, especially since it had prophets who were women.

About the computer problems--I wonder if you should type all of your material into Word (and have it set to automatically save every couple of minutes) and then just copy and paste to Blogger? I'm not sure if Blogger will allow that.

Christinewjc said...

Thanks Kevin. In my studies I have found that many of the modern religious offshoots (e.g. - check out my new post on Apologist Greg Koukl's essay about Oprah's "The Secret.") turn out to be heretical. When I have time, I will check out the link you have provided.

About the computer problems. Since 2004, there have only been three incidences where I had lost an entire blog post. I'm not sure if each one happened while I was using the saved draft mode on Blogger. Apparently, it is safer to publish a post right away. Once published, I would need to purposely delete the post in the "edit post" mode.

I prefer to work in the Blogger compose box, but from now on, if I haven't completed a post and plan to save it in draft mode, I will copy and paste it into a Word document so that I don't lose it.

Thanks for the info, link, and tips!

Matt W. said...

Christine,
I lost a fairly long post not that long ago, so while I still use the blogger composer for short ones, I have been doing long ones in Word... not that I've been blogging all that much lately. Anyway, what I've found is, if you do ever need to copy and paste from Word to blogger, paste it into the "edit HTML" tab of the blogger composer, otherwise the formatting issues are a killer. You still might have to go through and put your paragraph spacings back in, but at least it will be readable.
Matt

Christinewjc said...

Sorry Anonymous! I removed your comment by mistake!

I have retrieved it from my email notifications and have re-posted it here:

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Looking For Christian Reviews On This Essay!":

I find the essay simplistic and filled with unintentional ambiguity from a false understanding of biblical hermeneutics.The author makes some valid points which if directed towards Dominionists,and neocon crowd of pseuodchristians are valid.And the one towards the zionist was correct.But we are to be the salt of the earth,and fight evil whilst praying for our leaders.Furthermore,we are seeing the Great Apostasy take place,and the author is redirecting attention away from our duties by lumping all Believers that are proactive politically or in seeking to restore the nation with nominal Believers.We are under God's judgment in this nation,as well as the entire world,and the wrath of God is being poured out in measure,and soon to be done so in full.But we mustn't aid in our destruction by wrongly assuming we have no place in the political arena.The NWO is here.One World Government is a heartbeat away as nations go bankrupt,and the earth groans and travails,and false flag events are planned to bring us into a Fascist Global Gulag until the 2nd Coming of Jesus Christ.The author is way offbase with the comment on the Divine Right To Rule.The Bloodline Illuminati and Royal Bloodlines believe they are gods,not getting their authority from God.Much more could be said,but I beleive the author is simply confused about the devices of Satan,and how all religions at an organized level were hijacked in the early 20th century through the WCC and NCC,and frankly much earlier.But there has always been a remnant of Believers that hold fast the Gospel and cling to God's Word,and have the discernment to leave apostate churches and movements.



Posted by Anonymous to Talk Wisdom at June 29, 2010 10:45:00 PM PDT

Christinewjc said...

Re-posted as requested:

Anonymous:

It shouldn't be the main thing.

I think this takes many forms like Liberation theology or Social Justice and this error just keeps reinventing itself. And worship leaders start making comments like 'you can't have worship without justice'.

Liberals were always telling me to be heavenly minded was to be no earthly good. I think when we're so earthly minded, we're no heavenly good.

Anonymous said...

"Ratzinger, however, was dogged in his opposition. He claimed that liberation theology flirted with the idea that Christ's kingdom can be fully realized in this world through social action, which contradicted Christian belief and, he thought, could easily lead to sanction for non-Christian notions of political utopia. An example he gave was Nazi Germany. Ratzinger's censures, silencings and broadsides over the length of the 1980s effectively crippled the philosophy's influence and wounded the prestige of sympathizers like the Jesuits."
- http://209.157.64.201/focus/f-news/1394392/posts

from:

http://xcatholic.yuku.com/topic/3355/t/Liberation-Theology.html?page=1