....ANTAGONIZ.... http://antagoniz.com *Derived from grk words associated with CONTEND for the faith in the book of Jude* Sun, 04 Jan 2009 20:42:14 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.3 en What Is Truth? http://antagoniz.com/2009/01/04/what-is-truth/ http://antagoniz.com/2009/01/04/what-is-truth/#comments Sun, 04 Jan 2009 18:07:26 +0000 RG Hanner http://antagoniz.com/2009/01/04/what-is-truth/ Dudley Hall presents an excellent assessment of where we are today in this “Truth is the issue,” article posted in December. According to the emerging church spin doctors, truth is not absolute, cannot be objectively defined, and is non-transferable to proceeding generations. Hopefully, the following extracts will entice you to read the entire article so you will be better equipped to join the “Contend for Truth” mandate explicitly prescribed in scripture. [rgh]

 ”We live in a culture that is confused about truth. We don’t trust truth. If absolute truth exits, we aren’t sure anyone can find it. In this vacuum, we spin data to gain power. Whoever wins the spin game, rules.”

“Periodically, I hear someone say that we would be better off if we had more persecution. It is not hard to find. Just get in public and declare that the Bible is the authoritative truth of God. Get on Larry King and declare that Jesus is the only way to the Father. You can find valid persecution if you present a true Christian worldview.”

 http://www.sclm.org/index.php

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]]> http://antagoniz.com/2009/01/04/what-is-truth/feed/ When To Praise Schism http://antagoniz.com/2009/01/01/when-to-praise-schism/ http://antagoniz.com/2009/01/01/when-to-praise-schism/#comments Thu, 01 Jan 2009 20:20:25 +0000 RG Hanner http://antagoniz.com/2009/01/01/when-to-praise-schism/

“Divisions and separations are most objectionable in religion. They weaken the cause of true Christianity…,But before we blame people for them, we must be careful that we lay the blame where it is deserved. False doctrine and heresy are even worse than schism. If people separate themselves from teaching that is positively false and unscriptural, they ought to be praised rather than reproved. In such cases separation is a virtue and not a sin.”  J.C. RYLE

http://www.apostatearminian.com/page5.html

]]> http://antagoniz.com/2009/01/01/when-to-praise-schism/feed/ John Piper Exhorts Us To Love Jesus In 2009 http://antagoniz.com/2009/01/01/john-piper-exhorts-us-to-love-jesus-in-2009/ http://antagoniz.com/2009/01/01/john-piper-exhorts-us-to-love-jesus-in-2009/#comments Thu, 01 Jan 2009 13:46:03 +0000 RG Hanner http://antagoniz.com/2009/01/01/john-piper-exhorts-us-to-love-jesus-in-2009/ May we earnestly follow the exhortation of John Piper to “Love Jesus” in 2009. He defines clearly what it should mean when we confess our love for Christ:

  • I admire Jesus Christ more than any other human or angelic being.
  • I enjoy His ways and His words more than I enjoy the ways and words of anyone else.
  • I want His approval more than I want the approval of anyone else.
  • I want to be with Him more than I want to be with anyone else.
  • I feel more grateful to Him for what He has done for me than I do to anyone else.
  • I trust His words more fully than I trust what anyone else says.
  • I am more glad in His exaltation than in the exaltation of anyone else, including me.

http://www.desiringgod.org/ResourceLibrary/TasteAndSee/ByDate/2008/3476_I_Love_Jesus_Christ/

]]> http://antagoniz.com/2009/01/01/john-piper-exhorts-us-to-love-jesus-in-2009/feed/ Is Heaven For The Godless? http://antagoniz.com/2008/12/29/is-heaven-for-the-godless/ http://antagoniz.com/2008/12/29/is-heaven-for-the-godless/#comments Mon, 29 Dec 2008 14:42:26 +0000 RG Hanner http://antagoniz.com/2008/12/29/is-heaven-for-the-godless/ Steve Camp posted a New York Times Op-Ed column documenting the spiraling beliefs of the nation through a recent Pew report. http://stevenjcamp.blogspot.com/ Personally,  I am convinced our culture isn’t the problem.  I would place the responsibility for these heretical beliefs at the feet of pseudo evangelical leaders who have abandoned the Historic-Apostolic Gospel. These now include John Hagee’s denial that Jesus is the Messiah [antichrist], Billy Graham’s rejection of the exclusivity of Christ [universalism], Brian McClaren and Tony Campolo’s embracing of all religions leading to God [pluralism] and Tony Jones and the Emerging Church movements affirmation of unrepentant homosexuals as Christ followers and candidates for ordination [apostasy]. See the post below on Billy Graham’s Universalism and then respond with your thoughts? [rgh]

 “In June, the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life published a controversial survey in which 70 percent of Americans said that they believed religions other than theirs could lead to eternal life.

This threw evangelicals into a tizzy. After all, the Bible makes it clear that heaven is a velvet-roped V.I.P. area reserved for Christians. Jesus said so: “I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” But the survey suggested that Americans just weren’t buying that.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/27/opinion/27blow.html?_r=2&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1230562911-779Fz0DvPta2F+njB8dxQw

]]> http://antagoniz.com/2008/12/29/is-heaven-for-the-godless/feed/ Is Billy Graham a Universalist? http://antagoniz.com/2008/12/28/is-billy-graham-a-universalist/ http://antagoniz.com/2008/12/28/is-billy-graham-a-universalist/#comments Sun, 28 Dec 2008 22:05:32 +0000 RG Hanner http://antagoniz.com/2008/12/28/is-billy-graham-a-universalist/ I am fighting off the temptation to be depressed after watching Billy Graham publicly deny the historic gospel of the exclusivity of Christ while advocating the heresy of universalism! Had I not viewed it for myself I wouldn’t have believed this to be possible. Tragic!  His heretical comments will most certainly effect sympathetic rationalizations by some and sharp denunciations by others. However, it should produce a Pauline reaction in all of us. ”….if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed….As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed,”  [Gal 1:8-9]. Paul’s spirit inspired imprecation includes heresy proclaimed by a perceived hero of the evangelical faith doesn’t it?  I have had no problem speaking these words over the likes of Brian McClaren, Tony Campolo or Tony Jones, but evangelist Billy Graham?  The following excerpt is from Vintage Christianity and the video is on youtube. You should watch this for yourself. [rgh]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=axxlXy6bLH0

 

Dr. Schuller: “Tell me, what is the future of Christianity?”

Dr. Graham: “Well, Christianity and being a true believer, you know, I think there’s the body of Christ which comes from all the Christian groups around the world, or outside the Christian groups. I think that everybody that loves Christ or knows Christ, whether they’re conscious of it or not, they’re members of the body of Christ. And I don’t think that we’re going to see a great sweeping revival that will turn the whole world to Christ at any time.”

“What God is doing today is calling people out of the world for His name. Whether they come from the Muslim world, or the Buddhist world, or the Christian world, or the non-believing world, they are members of the body of Christ because they’ve been called by God. They may not even know the name of Jesus, but they know in their hearts they need something that they don’t have and they turn to the only light they have and I think they’re saved and they’re going to be with us in heaven.”

.

http://vintagechristianity.wordpress.com/2007/07/24/billy-graham-denies-the-gospel/

]]> http://antagoniz.com/2008/12/28/is-billy-graham-a-universalist/feed/ God Grant To Us The Courage of Martin Luther! http://antagoniz.com/2008/12/27/god-grant-to-us-the-reforming-courage-of-martin-luther/ http://antagoniz.com/2008/12/27/god-grant-to-us-the-reforming-courage-of-martin-luther/#comments Sun, 28 Dec 2008 00:09:22 +0000 RG Hanner http://antagoniz.com/2008/12/27/god-grant-to-us-the-reforming-courage-of-martin-luther/ “If I profess with the loudest voice and clearest exposition every portion of the truth of God except precisely that little point which the world and the devil are at that moment attacking, I am not confessing Christ, however, boldly I may be professing Christ. Where the battle rages, there the loyalty of the soldier is proved, and to be steady on all the battlefields besides, is mere fight and disgrace if he flinches at that point.”

         Martin Luther

          Ken Silva pastor-teacher http://apprising.org/

]]> http://antagoniz.com/2008/12/27/god-grant-to-us-the-reforming-courage-of-martin-luther/feed/ Christless Christianity http://antagoniz.com/2008/12/20/christless-christianity/ http://antagoniz.com/2008/12/20/christless-christianity/#comments Sun, 21 Dec 2008 00:21:51 +0000 RG Hanner http://antagoniz.com/2008/12/20/christless-christianity/

Wow! I have developed a sincere appreciation for ministers and ministries who not only adhere to, but courageously contend for, the ”Historic-Apostolic Gospel.” This review of Michael Horton’s newest book will thrill all who are likeminded. READ and SHOUT! [rgh] 

“Christless Christianity” is anti-gospel error with a smile. It has enough truth, or perhaps words associated with the truth, to maintain plausibility, and enough error to pander to the cravings of our sinful hearts and minds. Our ability to obey is massaged, our spirituality is pampered, but our sins, true guilt, total helplessness, our need for Jesus Christ and his substitutionary death are neglected, ignored, and replaced.”

http://www.reformation21.org/shelf-life/christless-christianity-the-alternative-gospel-of-the-american-church.php

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]]> http://antagoniz.com/2008/12/20/christless-christianity/feed/ Can A Christian Deny The Virgin Birth Of Christ? http://antagoniz.com/2008/12/19/can-a-christian-deny-the-virginal-conception-of-christ/ http://antagoniz.com/2008/12/19/can-a-christian-deny-the-virginal-conception-of-christ/#comments Fri, 19 Dec 2008 15:13:44 +0000 RG Hanner http://antagoniz.com/2008/12/19/can-a-christian-deny-the-virginal-conception-of-christ/ Dr. Al Mohler answers the question with clarity and testicular conviction. Can a  person confess Jesus Christ but deny the virginal conception and actually be a true christian in the biblical sense? Absolutely not! It is more than hypocrisy to claim belief in Jesus Christ through the testimony of biblical revelation and then cast suspicion upon it’s integrity and inerrancy. [rgh]

 “Can a true Christian deny the virgin birth? The answer to that question must be a decisive No. Those who deny the virgin birth reject the authority of Scripture, deny the supernatural birth of the Savior, undermine the very foundations of the Gospel, and have no way of explaining the deity of Christ….Anyone who claims that the virgin birth can be discarded even as the deity of Christ is affirmed is either intellectually dishonest or theological incompetent.”

“Christians must face the fact that a denial of the virgin birth is a denial of Jesus as the Christ. The Savior who died for our sins was none other than the baby who was conceived of the Holy Spirit, and born of a virgin. The virgin birth does not stand alone as a biblical doctrine, it is an irreducible part of the biblical revelation about the person and work of Jesus Christ. With it, the Gospel stands or falls.”

http://www.albertmohler.com/commentary_read.php?cdate=2003-12-19

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]]> http://antagoniz.com/2008/12/19/can-a-christian-deny-the-virginal-conception-of-christ/feed/ John Piper: Egalitarian Confusion Hurts People! http://antagoniz.com/2008/12/18/john-piper-egalitarian-confusion-hurts-people/ http://antagoniz.com/2008/12/18/john-piper-egalitarian-confusion-hurts-people/#comments Thu, 18 Dec 2008 23:14:06 +0000 RG Hanner http://antagoniz.com/2008/12/18/john-piper-egalitarian-confusion-hurts-people/ The Council on Biblical Manhood and Womanhood included the following  introduction to their recent newsletter. The gender issue is one of the most divisive topics of our day. Be sure to check out the incredible CBMW site for some of the most  biblically serious analysis that can be resourced in the church today. [rgh]

  “In a recent post on his website, DesiringGod.org, entitled “Pursue Mature Manhood and Womanhood,” John Piper made this claim, “The egalitarian impulses of the last thirty years have not made us better men and women, in fact, they have confused millions.” He goes on to say, “This confusion hurts people. It is not a small thing. Its effects are vast. I agree with [Dr. James] Dobson when he says, ‘Feminist resistance to making manhood and womanhood significant in behavior and role determination is partner to some of the most painful social and spiritual issues of our day…Piper goes on to prescribe the treatment: “What we all need is solid teaching from the Bible about the differences God intends between man and women.” He cites his own helpful books and CBMW.org as resources for such Bible teaching.” (more…)

]]> http://antagoniz.com/2008/12/18/john-piper-egalitarian-confusion-hurts-people/feed/ The Emerging Rebellion! http://antagoniz.com/2008/12/16/the-emerging-rebellion/ http://antagoniz.com/2008/12/16/the-emerging-rebellion/#comments Wed, 17 Dec 2008 02:14:19 +0000 RG Hanner http://antagoniz.com/2008/12/16/the-emerging-rebellion/  Adam Walker Cleveland, contributor to the book An Emergent Manifesto of Hope, edited by Emerging Church leaders Tony Jones and his pastor Doug Pagitt, declares the following:  

“If it is the Bible that is causing us to delay accepting and celebrating LGBT [lesbian, gay, bisexual, transsexual] persons as being fully human and fully created in the image of God, just as they are, then perhaps we need to say, “Enough with the Bible already…”

http://www.sliceoflaodicea.com/emerging-church/emerging-church-enough-with-the-bible-give-us-homosexuality-in-evangelicalism/

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