Holiness Is At The Heart Of The Issue Of Sin

Therefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober,

and rest your hope fully upon the grace

that is to be brought to you at the

revelation of Jesus Christ:

as obedient children, not conforming

yourselves to the former lusts, as in your

ignorance; but as he who called you is holy,

you also be holy in all your conduct, because

it is written, “Be holy, for I am holy.”

1Peter 1:13-16 (cf. Leviticus 11:44-45).

      I have attempted in these blogs to stir up within a person the desire to examine themselves in order to make any necessary changes, those changes that can only come from the inside, and to be demonstrated on the outside, to conform to the image of Jesus Christ, to become Authentic Biblical Christians. At the root of being an Authentic Biblical Christian and our union with Jesus Christ is holiness. This doctrine of holiness, that which is the very foundation of Authentic Biblical Faith far too often does not receive the attention that it deserves. The standard for holiness for many years has been lowered and even with those who attend to promote holiness do so with a zealousness that does more harm than good, therefore it is not just cultural Christians that have deprecated this knowledge and practicality of holiness, there is a lack of knowledge according to the Scriptures, a promoting of a theology that does not conform to God’s word leaving behind a trail of disillusionment and false teaching.

All a person has to do is to turn on the TV on Sunday morning, and at other times as well, to see that it takes little effort to bring together great crowds of people bringing them together calling them to “higher life,” and “consecrated meetings.” There is a huge phenomenon that the curious attend, that being “religious affections.” People are seeking sensationalism, exciting addresses, even by strange preachers or women, loud singing, hot rooms, crowded buildings with those attending showing sight of strong semi-religious feelings. All this seems good, but is it real? Is it deeply rooted, solid, and lasting? Watching the shows where performers perform with loud shrills, reaching high almost shrill notes and holding those notes for long periods brings the crowd to their feet with clapping and shouting, but when a good singer does not perform in such manner the response of the crowd is not the same, it is more silent. People want sensation, maybe due to a life that is mundane, boring, etc. Movies are more violent, more things are blown up, and the digital films are feeding the sensations and emotions of the movie goers: I have painted this with a broad stroke for there are those exceptions that are good, but this is not generally the case and anyone can check this out for themselves.

The question(s) that must be asked are: Do those who attend such sensational, and emotional, with well-spoken speakers, pastors, etc., become more holy, meek, unselfish, kind, good-tempered, self-denying, and Christ-like at home? Do they become more content with life, with their positions in life, or are they craving more sensationalism, looking for something different, more appealing? Are they better fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, children, and do they treat others with the love of God? Can these people enjoy a quiet day on Sunday, a day without all that noise, and excitement, and just live by means of God’s grace? Lastly, do they grow in grace, charity, charity towards those who do not necessarily agree with them in every jot and tittle of their religion? It may seem that at times that I am harsh, but do not be dismayed for only those things that are clearly spoken to God’s children in the Bible that I stand adamant with, but there are things of indifference that I may disagree with but will stand adamantly against such things. Therefore, it is what the Scripture says, and nothing else, for it is by God’s word that we learn to live and grow in sanctification as we apply His commandments to our lives.

These are serious questions and need to have an answer, to be considered so that there is a promotion of real practical holiness bringing people to conform to Authentic Biblical Faith. Yet, I am afraid that these “mass-meetings” and the false teachings do not promote Authentic Biblical Faith, for they do not promote private home religion, private Bible reading (Do you read your Bible daily?), private prayer (Has prayer been delegated to dinner time?), and a private walking daily with God. The data retrieved by those who are examining the Church paint a dower picture of the Church, with high divorce rates, and young people leaving the Church or are seeking those sensational and emotional services. Some would disagree with me and say; “This is occurring: people are more pious, more religious, and lives are being changed, but I cannot find proofs that this is happening in any large scale in the Church. You see it is easier to be a Christian with sensationalism, and emotionalism, accompanied with loud and simple songs that tickle the ears, even sympathizing with the affirmed, and needy, than to be consistent Christians in a quiet setting, in some out of the way, in some inconspicuous place, even in conspicuous places where one shows that they are Christian, every one can see, it is all to show their piousness. These cultural Christians know much about consecration, but are ignorant of the very first principle found in God’s word, that is conversion.

The call that is going out is for men and women to return to the foundation of the Christian faith, and that foundation is holiness: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1).

And he showed me a pure river of water of life,

            clear as crystal, proceeding from the

throne of God and of the Lamb…. And there

            shall be no more curse, but the throne

of God and of the Lame shall be in it, and His

            servants shall serve Him. They shall see

His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads.

            There shall be no light of the sun, for the

Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign

            forever and ever.

                                                Revelation 22:1,3-5

Sanctification is by holy living

Richard L. Crumb

    

We Are Responsible: God Is Not To Blame

Blessed is the man who endures

temptation; for when he has 

been approved, he will receive

the crown of life which the Lord

has promised to those who love Him.

Let no one say when he is tempted, 

"I am tempted by God;" for God

cannot be tempted by evil, nor does

He Himself temp anyone. But

each one is tempted when he is

drawn away by his own desires and enticed.

James 1:12-14

     There, there it is, man must "do" to be saved, to receive the "crown of life." Oh! How man misuses Scripture! Proof Scriptures are the crux of falsehood. Take a Scripture out of context, not only of the present chapter, but the book, the Bible as a whole and you can prove anything that a person desires to approve. This is the problem with man, they are totally depraved, they are fallen, sinful, in their natures, and evil does exist. Evil is outside of God, and God does not commit evil in order to promote His cause. Man, who is fallen, allows temptation, that is, to do other than what God has commanded, is "drawn away by his own desires." Approval is not salvation, it is God approving of your lifestyle, the very things that you say and are demonstrated in your life. To do good is not of yourself, and here I am not speaking of philanthropic works that even the pagans do, those who are atheistic do, for when God is loved, devotion to Him by means of faith, that which God has enabled you to have then your works are His works: "Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect" (James 2:22). This verse is speaking of Abraham, but this account was for us to give to us this rule, faith from God working in us produces works that are of God. Do you want to be justified before God? Then your works must be from God, due to your devotion to God, by means of the faith given to you by God: "You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only....For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also" (James 2:24,26). These Scriptures beg the question: "By what means is your works, that is if you have any." Oh! You say, I am a good person; I go to Church every Sunday, (Well, most of the time), and I read the Bible every chance I get, (Well, most of the time), and I give a 10th of my income to the Church (Well, most of the time), and I don't beat my wife, or kids, and I mow the lawn, and help my neighbors (Well, most of the time), so, I am a good person, I am working and by faith (Well, most of the time). Pride is a problem of sin, and pride will cause a man to fall from God's grace, it places faith upon the wrong thing, the wrong person, whether you know it or not. Maybe you will not admit to being a prideful person, that is pride to say that you are not prideful for man does little that he does not receive from man, adulations of self and which is adscititiously received. God states: "But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: 'God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble' (Proverbs 3:24). Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded....Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up" (James 4: 6-8,10). God enables you to draw near to Him, but God will not take you by the hand and draw you to Him, for He has given to man all that man needs to come to Him, therefore man is without excuse and God cannot be blamed for sin. 

     Cultural Christians are just that: cultural! They have allowed the culture of the secular world to be more important in their lives and are drawn to this culture due to their desires. These desires are placating their emotion, their feelings, and this can be seen by the practices involved in their Churches. Their theologies are not Scriptural, oh, they have some semblance of being Scriptural because they have some part of the constitutions, or writings for the Church that are Scriptural, but as a whole they do not follow Scripture. This I have been showing by those Churches that have allowed homosexuals to become part of the leadership of the Church, and have given to such abnormality a sense of normality which they teach to those who attend their services. 

     What are the basic truths of Authentic Christian Biblical Faith? Let me list them;

1. God loved the world so much that He sent His only son, Jesus Christ, to redeem us.

2. Jesus Christ willingly left the glory of the Father and became a man.

3. Jesus was despised by many people. He was rejected and experienced sorrow and grief.

4. Jesus suffered because of our sin.

5. Jesus went to the cross and took our sins with Him so that through His death we could have eternal life when we repent of our sin and accept what He has done for us.

6. Jesus rose from the dead and ascended to heaven whee He now is in the presence of the father and intervenes for us. 

7. Because of what Jesus has done, we can come into the presence of God with confidence and get the help we need when we are in trouble.

8. God gives the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit to those who enter into a relationship with Jesus Christ.

9. It is the presence of the Holy spirit in our lives that makes us true Christians.

10. The influence and activity of the Holy Spirit in our lives works to transform us and make us the kind of people god intended us to be.

11. True believers will be raised form the dead and live forever in God's presence.

     The appropriate response to these facts would be one of great excitement, true humility, hatred of sin, humble hope, firm in faith, heavenly joy, ardent love and unceasing gratitude. These responses can come only when a person comes to know how depraved and sinful he is and is in need of a Savior. A true believer has come to know the infinite value of what Jesus Christ has done and now responds appropriately. I pray that this is your response.

Let us hear the conclusion

    of the whole matter:

Fear God and keep His commandments,

    for this is man's all. For God will

bring every work into judgment, 

    including every secret thing,

whether good or evil.

                             Ecclesiastes 12:13-14

Remember Your Creator

Richard L. Crumb

We Are Accountable To God: Not Excusable

LORD, what is man,

that You take knowledge

of him? Or the son of man,

that You are mindful of him?

Psalm 144:3

Therefore, 'Come out from 

among them and be separate,

says the Lord.

Do not touch what is unclean,

and I will receive you. 

I will be a Father to you,

and you shall be My sons 

and daughters,

says the LORD Almighty.

2Corinthians 6:17-18

     God does not sit back and watch idly as we go about our business; no He is actively involved in His creation. This He does within our circumstances of life by means of His Providence. The Hebrew word for "knowledge" (Yada) as quoted in the above verse has a larger meaning than simply knowledge of something, for it is to know by observing, thinking, and to know through experience. By God's observance He is able to know who are His children and to whom He has required to come out from among the unclean and to be separate as a people devoted to Him. If God is truly your Father then we are His child, a son, and a daughter to Him. But, man cannot, as it seems, just accept what God has said for they rationalize, and this rationalization is found to occur when it is spoken of about the nature of man and sin. Man makes excuses for their sin thinking that God will not hold them accountable by His standards, those standards that man cannot keep. This is circular reasoning: I sin due to my fallen nature, and my fallen nature causes me to sin, and sin is abhorrent to God, and God allowed sin, therefore my fallen nature is not due to me, it is due to the allowance of God, therefore I cannot be held accountable for my sin, therefore, I sin: round and round it goes. Actually man blames God in the finality. Man's pride will not allow for the blame to be place on him. This form of thinking allows for the culture of the world to become acceptable and this we can see by those Churches that allow for homosexuality, abortion, and women as preachers (this is said not to put the importance of women in the Church, only to follow what has been set forth in Scripture), living together without marriage, allowance for divorce for almost anything, wearing of skimpy clothing, both male and female, so that they are sexually desired. When the message of the Gospel and the requirements of God are placed before such ones, they ignore the facts and are not open to the message of the Bible. The Gospel message must be plainly communicated and demonstrated adequately if there be any chance of overcoming the objections of those who are calling themselves Christians, but are in fact only cultural Christians who allow the world to be a larger influence in their lives: they have not obeyed God's word to "come out from among them, to be separate people."

     The Gospel is plain, yet there are many things that are hard to explain; therefore, start with the basics. You see, if man does not come to know, that is to fully believe that they are fallen creatures who are in need of a Savior then they will not become converted, they might believe, they might participate in Church, they might even agree to the facts presented, but they are not converted for they do not have the basic fact: they are sinful and they cannot do anything about that fact. This sinfulness cannot be atoned for by any act of charity, or philanthropic actions; it requires that God who has chosen them from the beginning of time to enable them and to grant to them the gift of grace and faith so that they can become a son or daughter, and then by means of that conversion become a people separated unto God. After the basics are accepted, then it is time to tackle the more difficult questions so that they may have a defense for their faith. 

     God is not to be blamed for sin! We cannot say that they goodness of God and His justice is adequate for us to be saved due to the fact that we cannot do this ourselves. We must not just say this, we must believe this with our whole heart and soul, that is we must not be just believers, even Satan believes in God, in His Son, we must be converted which means that we are not the same as before, we are now what the Bible calls us, new creatures in Christ: :Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures" (James 1:18). Sanctification is complete in Jesus Christ for all of God's creatures, that is those to whom God has granted eternal life, but we cannot just sit back and say, "well I am perfect in Christ, therefore I have nothing that I need to do to make me sanctified." What foolishness this is, yet there are and have been those who have promoted that they by becoming Christian are perfect: this we know is not true by our lives, now, historical, and will be in the future, for we must live for God now, and to become sanctified in this life until God takes us home to be with Him whereby there will be no sin, all sanctification will be applied to that one, but until we are fallen creatures, and evil does exist, both with us, and with those who will not accept Scripture. 

     We are not to become stoic, to acquiesce to this fact, we are to live, enjoy this life, fun and wonderful experiences are ours, only that we being free to live for God will enjoy God's blessing. It is when God is first in our lives, that we are devoted to Him that we can be all that God desires of us and our wives, children, friends will benefit from this association to God and His Word. No matter what comes to us by way of persecution, tribulation, sufferings, we have a sure hope that God who has elected us to salvation will be with us in all things and will never allow us to suffer more than we can handle: "And we have such trust through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life" (2Corinthians 3:4-6). I think it is time to say: "HALLELUJAH!"

For we walk by faith,

     not by sight.

We are confident, yes,

     well pleased rather

to be absent from the body

    and to be present with the Lord.

                                    2Corinthians 5:7-8

Praise God Your Father

Richard L. Crumb

It Is Our Experience Of The Veracity Of The Truth The Moves Us Forward In Our Spiritual Progress

Woe to him who covets evil

gain for his house, that he

may set his nest on high.

that he may be delivered

from power of disaster!

You give shameful counsel 

to your house, cutting off

many peoples, and sin against

your soul.

Habakkuk 2:9-10

     This stern pronouncement was not intended for the pagans; rather it was for the Israelites who did not teach the truth. This they did so that they may gain, to set themselves on high; to be powerful agents teaching the false to be truth. Nothing is new, for today we have those who claim to be Christian, leaders of Churches, pastors who teach and live as secular people, in homes worth millions, cars that only the rich can afford, and have come to believe that they are doing God's work. What a shame, and it is no wonder why Christianity is looked down upon, a thing to be shunned fearing that they too would be duped. Those who sit under such teaching are led to be cultural Christians and to accept that which God has condemned. The Scriptures are clear and cannot be misunderstood as some would have their flocks believe; that homosexuality is OK! God makes this so clear that to not follow His teaching on this matter brings disgrace upon the veracity of God's truth: "You shall not lie with a make as with a woman. It is an abomination" (Leviticus 18:22). Lust has defiled man since the fall of Adam, for it was a sin when the institution of marriage was disgraced, but there are those Churches, those that have many people attending their services who think that they are hearing the truth and believe that the love that Christians are to show to the world extends to those that God condemns, and this violently: "Do not defile with any of these things; for by all these nations are defiled, which I am casting out before you" (Leviticus 18:24). God's law in its entirety is to be kept. Why? Because God is God and His commandments are to be kept for by those commandments men can live well and have the blessings of God: "Therefore you shall keep My ordinance, so that you do not commit any of these abominable customs which were committed before you, and that you do not defile yourselves by them: I am the LORD your God" (Leviticus 18:30). Is this clear enough for you? How can anyone expect God to bless them when they do not follow His law? One can do good and receive good things in return, but to call them blessing from God is only to make God agree with sin and to set aside His commandments. What blasphemy! "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful; but his delight is in the law of the LORD, and in His law he meditates day and night" (Psalm 1:1-2). Are you walking in the counsel of the ungodly or standing in the paths of sinners? If so, leave, go to those that teach the truth of God's word for it is God to whom we please and not ourselves. The New Testament reaffirms this law of God: "Therefore God also gave them up to uncleanness, in the lusts of their hearts, to dishonor their bodies among themselves, who exchanged the truth of God for the lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever. Amen. For this reason God gave them up to vile passions. For even their women exchanged the natural use for what is against nature. Likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust for on another, men with men committing what is shameful, and receiving in themselves the penalty of their error which was due" (Romans 1:24-27). God will judge this sin: "But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?.... But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who 'will render to each one according to his deeds,'" (Romans 2:2-3,5). I will take another Church that claims to follow the Law of God:

Churches of Christ

Except for the Bible, there is no universal belief, creed, or confession of faith among the various independent Churches of Christ. Congregations of the Church of Christ, each individually led by local elders or pastors, set policy for their own individual congregations. Members believe they become a part of the Church of Christ when they are added by God as believing, confessing, repentant persons immersed in water (Baptism) for the forgiveness of sins. A confession of faith precedes baptism but does not include a declaration or denunciation of homosexuality. Most persons within the international fellowship of autonomous congregations would likely believe that homosexual activity is incompatible with living a faithful Christian life. Positions taken by Churches of Christ, through various church related publications and from church affiliated colleges and Universities, are almost unanimous in their opposition to homosexuality in any form. No congregations that condone homosexuality are known to exist; however, views on the issues of homosexuality and same-sex marriage among individual members range widely from very conservative to progressive. In 2007, several Church of Christ ministers and historians at Pepperdine University along with an organization called Soulforce openly questioned and criticized the seemingly prevailing views of the majority against homosexuality and same-sex marriage. (http://www.soulforce.org/article/1223). Marriage is not believed to be a sacrament of the church, and members are not required to be married "in the church", though the practice is common.

Many Churches of Christ are beginning to address this issue with an open and compassionate approach. Several universities associated with the fellowship have held forums and conferences to address the issue and to open up discussion on the approach Christians should take toward homosexuality.

Openly gay and lesbian persons will find it difficult to find a congregation willing to include them in church life if they are unrepentant of what the church considers an ungodly lifestyle. Even openly gay baptized believers who are celibate, though unwilling to change their beliefs concerning homosexuality, may find it difficult to be accepted. The "disfellowshipping" of gay and lesbian persons from congregations is not unheard of. However, many urban and even small-town congregations are actively opening dialog with and seeking to minister to the gay population in their locales.

Transgendered and Inter-sex issues have not been widely discussed or addressed.

The United Church of Christ has made a statement encouraging its churches to be "open and affirming" for LGBT people, but is not affiliated with the restoration movement that Churches of Christ are known for.
      Cultural Christians(?) do not follow the law of God, for they think that they are being like Jesus when they accept all forms of the culture. This is not Authentic Biblical Faith, it is what God has condemned and for us to allow this to exist within Churches that claim to be Christian, or not to openly speak against such practices makes us implicit in the wrong. The Reformation came about to remove the false teaching of the Roman Catholic Church: they were not afraid, even unto death to speak the truth. Are you? Am I? This is to make the change within a person from the inside out!


Be sober, be vigilant; because
     your adversary the devil
walks about like a roaring lion,
seeking whom he may devour.
                            1Peter 5:8


Prayer is needed; call on the mercy of God


Richard L. Crumb

A Faulty View Of The Nature Of Man And Of Evil Composes A Faulty Theology Of God

Saying, "Father, if it is Your will,

take this cup away from Me;

nevertheless not My will, but Yours,

be done."

Then an angel Appeared to Him

from heaven, strengthening Him.

And being in agony, He prayed more

earnestly. Then His sweat became

like great drops of blood falling

down to the ground.

Luke 22:42-44

     God sent to earth clothed in humanity His Wisdom to become the Son of God, the Son of Man to die as propitiation for sin: this Jesus Christ accomplished on the cross. The view of Arius and of Jehovah Witnesses is that Jesus was a created being who is a god but not God and that is why Jesus prayed with great tears that this event He was to endure on the cross would pass from Him and that God would accomplish the removal of sin by some other means. Does this sound like you when enduring troubles? Oswald Chamber in his book; "My Utmost For His Highest" makes this important statement of fact: "Our Lord received Himself in the fire of sorrow, He was saved not from from the hour, but out of the hour." Sorrow, persecution, tribulations, are a fact of life; history records this fact and we are experiencing the fact of sorrows: some more than others. If we take God out of Jesus then all we have left is a man who like a man could sin and our salvation would not have been a surety by Jesus Christ, therefore God would be judged as being, at least in some way, impotent, unable to fulfill His purpose, that purpose being a people who are devoted to Him, and who live by His commandments that are only there for the good of man. As God He would then make salvation possible without any possibility for sin not to be atoned; but this He could not accomplish as only God, for it was man that sinned and it would take man to demolish sin and to demolish it so that it could never raise its ugly head again. God has a Spirit cannot be seen by man, but God has His wisdom, His Wisdom that created all that is, that removes the possibility that God, as a single God, not a trinity, created a creature to do the work of creation. For if God could create an angel, as the Jehovah Witness preach and teach, as did Arius, then why not God create all other things? Why assign creation to an angel? And if He created an angel that could not sin, then why did He not create man so that man could not sin? If God created an angle that could not sin, who would only do the Will of God, then that angel is nothing more than a robot who has no will of his own. Yet, for God to accomplish His purpose, that is to save all those whom He elected to salvation, and to judge all others for sin, a sin that they themselves cannot remove, He clothed His Wisdom in human flesh, to die as a propitiation for sin and to do so His Wisdom by taking on human flesh would have all the issues that man faces to be faced by Him. Therefore the cross, being a horrible death assigned to criminals, would be a thing of great sorrow and as man He would feel all the effects of the cross and be affected in pain and misery. But this is why He came, to do the will of the Father: "Jesus said to them, 'My food is to do the will of Him who sent me, and to finish His work'" (John 4:34). By God taking on humanity in every way as man, this He did by the clothing of His Wisdom, and by this means then God would afflict His vengeance on sin, and judge sin so that it would be removed forever, never to return. This is the Goodness of God, His mercy overriding His judgment, that He would save some as predetermined by Him, and to judge sin in man who without Him would never be able to be saved by his own efforts. God is calling, man refuses to hear; all the information is available for man to make the right choice; man will not heed the information: Turn at my rebuke; surely I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you. Because I have called and you refused, I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded, because you disdained all my counsel, and would have none of my rebuke" (Proverbs 1:23-25). 

     This is serious! Some may object and say that if some are going to the Lake of Fire anyway and some are going to be saved: what is the problem, God has it all under control and has no need of me. Really, then your understanding of God is all mixed up, and so is your understanding of the nature of man, and of evil, sin. God did not make us a robot, and uses the humanity of man in all of its humanity; that is man is free to choose, man can either live for God and enjoy the blessings of God, or man can choose to live as he may desire. This is true for non-Christians, and for those chosen by God. For a chosen, elected person to not choose to live for God as he should, then all the second causes of his decision will fall upon him, and he will go to heaven as he is elected to do so, but not without the stench of smoke on him: "But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because the are spiritually discerned. but he who is spiritual judges all things, yet he himself is rightly judged by no one.... If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. if anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet as through fire" (1Corinthians 2:14-15; 3: 14-15). 

     We must come to grip with our true self, or true nature, our true condition, we are sinners and need a Savior. God must rescue us from ourselves. As fallen humans we must take seriously this condition and acknowledge that we do not have an adequate foundation on which to build Authentic Biblical Faith. We do not know the elected of God, therefore we preach the Gospel to everyone and to those who are elected they hear the Gospel and respond, and by means of His word the become sanctified in this life. We are of that sort, becoming sanctified and this we accomplish as we become devoted to God, to His provision for Salvation, Jesus Christ our Savior. Remember this: the cure for our sins is not forced upon us; it is offered to us. The question is will you respond positively for the Gospel or not? It will take an honest open approach will keep us from the conclusion that many have taken; that is to believe in the goodness of man so that he may choose salvation, and that evil was chosen by God from the beginning, not just decreed and that by God's Providence control the affects of evil, rather that evil can be overcome in this world so that man can become sinless in this life. This is denial of the truth of God's word and the conclusion from such denial is a theology that is blasphemy to God. Be away of your condition and grow spiritually, God has provided, His Word, His preachers of truth, and as He did for Jesus Christ He will provide His angels to keep watch over us and to lead us if we would just listen to them: "Then an angel appeared to Him from heaven, strengthening Him" (Luke 22:43; cf. Matthew 4:11). Paul gives great encouragement: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me" (Philippians 4:13). God, although invisible to our sight has given us, not a word of make disciples at all costs, even as some pagan religions teach that make disciples or kill those who will not believe, rather God through Paul wrote for man to read and by strengthen: "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present not things to come, not height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Jesus Christ our Lord" (Romans 8:37-39).

The heart of him who has

     understanding seeks 

knowledge, but the mouth 

     of fools feeds on foolishness.

                                     Proverbs 15:14 

Pray and Study His Word

Richard L. Crumb

 

The Truth: Man"s Heart Is Evil From Birth

And the LORD smelled a soothing aroma.

The the LORD said in His heart, 'I will 

never again curse the ground for man's sake,

although the imagination of man's heart

is evil from his youth;....

Genesis 8:21

The heart is deceitful above all things,

and desperately wicked; 

who can know it?

Jeremiah 17:9

Behold, I was brought forth in

iniquity, and in sin my mother 

conceived me.

Psalm 51:5

     The Bible is wrought through and through with the fact that man is evil, and is evil from his birth. Furthermore, man is evil due to original sin by Adam, carried forth unto his progeny. We cannot dismiss this fact, the Bible, the inspired word of God tells us that this is true. Therefore if man be evil from birth, and is totally depraved without moral goodness, a moral compass that leads us to live a life ordained by God, then we must not disbelieve for if we do then all we are saying is that the Bible is not true in everything that it speaks about. Man then just chooses what he wants to believe and discards the rest. We cannot ignore or ridicule this fact of man's nature, that it is fallen. It is this wickedness in man that twists and distorts their thinking and lures others into this same wicked thinking and actions. This sin, the fallen nature of man is inconsistent with a Holy God who cares for man, and has given to man how they should live for if they follow His advice their lives would be better, but their presuppositions, those of materialistic man, that which has infested the Church in many cases with this misunderstanding of man as told to us from God is simply; they do not believe the Bible. This is a serious matter.

     Oh! Richard, stop, you are being pedantic, even a bit diatribe in your writing; things cannot be as bad as you write! Just look at all the Churches, all the people that call themselves Christian, those that say they love God and are trying to live a Godly life. Don't they count for something? Yes! But! Are they following the Bible, or are they following some leader who does not teach the Bible except to use it for their own ends and lure others into falsehood? Has there been a downward spiral over the years leading men and women, even our children, so that they believe in doctrines that are not Biblical? Some still teach that Satan is some red-horned being with a tail, superstitions that make the Bible stores to be fair tales. These excesses among believers attribute to discredit the reality taught in the Bible. Therefore, so that you will not just see me as mean, a person who has an axe to grind, that even as you may have had happen in your life that your family thinks of you only by seeing your past and not what has actually changed, that God is doing a mighty work in you so that you are becoming devoted to Him, and are attempting in every way to live the life God approves. My question is: will they actually take time to examine what they believe, their Church's position on abortion, homosexuality, same sex marriage, divorce, etc., or will they just continue in this downward spiral, a spiral that only continues to get worse as our children take this false teaching deeper into the dark chasm of sin, allowing their fallen nature to become ever the so more removed from God? Let us see if evil has found a place in the Church? Maybe not your Church, but unless you have checked; how do you know? Therefore, so that I am not accused of being harsh, pedantic, and just mean I will; list Christian denominational positions on homosexuality: I think some of you will be surprised!

The Seventh-day Adventist Church:

The Seventh-day Adventist Church is opposed to same-gender sexual practices and relationships on the grounds that "sexual intimacy belongs only within the marital relationship of a man and a woman." It believes the Bible consistently affirms the pattern of heterosexual monogamy, and all sexual relations outside the scope of spousal intimacy are contrary to God's original plan. (Annual Council of the General Conference Executive Committee (October 3, 1999). "Position Statement on Homesexuality". Seventh-day Adventist Church Statements. Retrieved 2012-April-06.)

Anglican:

The Anglican Communion has been divided over the issue of homosexuality in several ways. The Church of England, the mother church of the Communion, currently maintains (according to the statement Issues in Human Sexuality) that same-sex partnerships are acceptable for laypersons but gay clergy are expected to be abstinent. ("Human Sexuality". Church of England. Retrieved 26 August 2010.The Lambeth Conferencee of 1998 called homosexuality "incompatible with Scripture" but this remains a purely advisory guideline as there are no communion-wide legislative bodies in the Anglican Church ("Resolution I.10: 

Lambeth Conference Archives – 1998. The Lambeth Conference. Retrieved 26 August 2010.

On the other hand, in 2003 the  Episcopal Church, which is the American body (province) of the Anglican Communion, approved Gene Robinson to the bishopric of the diocese of New Hampshire. Bishop Gene Robinson is the first openly gay (non-celibate) clergy to be ordained to the episcopate.(RICHARD VARA (11 January 2008). "Carey says Anglican Communion is in crisis.". Houston Chronicle. Retrieved 26 August 2010).

The Anglican Church of New Zealand has decided to allow homosexuals to become clergy.

Owing to the changing views regarding sexual morality of the Episcopal Church USA, in 2009 the Anglican Church in North America (ACNA) was formed as a conservative alternative to the Episcopal Church. Made up of parishes and dioceses that have left the Episcopal Church and of "Continuing Anglican" congregations, the ACNA claims to espouse a traditional Christian view of marriage being between one man and one woman.

Baptists: the Southern Baptist Convention, the largest of the Baptist denominations and the largest Protestant group in the U.S., considers same-gender sexual behavior to be sinful, stating clearly that its members "affirm God's plan for marriage and sexual intimacy – one man, and one woman, for life. Homosexuality is not a 'valid alternative lifestyle.' The Bible condemns it as sin. It is not, however, an unforgivable sin. The same redemption available to all sinners is available to homosexuals. They, too, may become new creations in Christ. (Position of SBC on sexuality in general).

The American Baptist Churches USA (ABCUSA) officially regards homosexual conduct "as incompatible with Biblical teaching(We are American Baptists',. American Baptist Churches USA. Retrieved 21 November 2009) however, there are a number of Baptist churches in the ABCUSA and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship that have more inclusive views.( Allen, Bob (30 March 2010). "Legal gay marriage pushes sexuality to the forefront for churches." Associated Baptist Press. Retrieved 26 August 2010.)The Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists, a group of some 50 churches and organizations, is committed to the "full inclusion" of gay and lesbian persons in their churches.("AWAB Mission" The Association of Welcoming & Affirming Baptists. 2006. Retrieved 27 August 2010.

The historically African-American denominations of the National Baptist Convention have issued no public statements on homosexuality; however, the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. does not allow its clergy to officiate at ceremonies for same-sex unions. ( Salmon, Jacqueline (19 August 2007). "Rift Over Gay Unions Reflects Battle New to Black Churches.". The Washington Post. Retrieved 27 August 2010.

     "Stances of Faiths on LGBT Issues: National Baptist Convention USA, Inc., Human Rights Campaign. Retrieved 26 August 2010.

      

There is so much confusion among the denomination, within denominations, so how does a laymen attend to this problem? The read and believe the Bible just as the Bible states: PERIOD! Leave the Church that teaches anything but Authentic Biblical Faith! Read Romans and see what the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write. 

But we know that the 

     Judgment of God 

is according to truth

     against those who

practice such things.

                       Romans 2:2

Pray for those who will not heed God's word

Richard L. Crumb

   

Even The Spirituality That We Have Is Corrupted By Our Human Nature

For I know that in me

(that is, in my flesh)

nothing good dwells;

for to will is present

with me, but how to

perform what is good

I do not find.

For the good that I will 

to do, I do not do,

but the evil I will not

to do, that I practice.

Romans 7:18-19

     Wholehearted Christians, those who are committed to Jesus Christ will admit that there is depravity in them and they find it hard to fight against their fallen nature. They want to live a life of obedience and as Paul mentioned in the opening verses; there is evil in man causing man to not do what he knows he ought. The human heart is corrupt. As they attempt to live out their convictions they find that they are selfish in their desires, and are feeble in their halfhearted attempts to do the right thing. Do you find this in yourselves? Do you acknowledge that there are two conflicting natures? Paul certainly did and if not for the Grace of God giving us aid so that we can bear our iniquities, our faults, and that He gives mercy, we would never be able to rise above our fallen human nature. This is not give an excuse for our fallen nature, for we are new creatures and have the Holy Spirit living within us, giving us direction, and praying with groaning for us; "Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered" (Romans 8:26), making intercession for us, so that we are able to rise above our iniquities and if we fail, we have a Father who by means of His Son's death on the cross will forgive us our sins. 

     We must admit for we see in ourselves, in the history of mankind that this is the condition of humanity. Yes, there are differences within each individual, nuances of sin that are theirs to deal with, but the underlying principles remain the same. Unfortunately this is the truth. How do we give an explanation for our failures for within each person are capabilities that human possess and then when we compare those capabilities with what we have done with them, we pale in the contrast. We cannot rationally explain! This is the explanation that makes sense: mankind has lost their relationship with God and man has become flawed, and this is every person that is born. From the sin of Adam and to his posterity depravity is the plague that makes up our fallen human nature. Yes, we can say 'NO!" but we don't! Not until we have the power to overcome this evil, and that power is given to all of God's children, and when we become devoted to God and place all other persons, things, etc. secondly, then and only then will be become more and more sanctified and our lives to become more and more in harmony with God's will as to how we should live. 

     Mankind in every nation has attempted to have a god, or gods, that will give them hope and assurance that things will be better, either here and now or in the future after death. The problem with mankind is that they are depraved, totally depraved, and they cannot know the truth  and come to know the true God who places moral restraints and gives us the knowledge that we can have ethical expectations. It when mankind sinks into more and more folly that they are further removed from the truth. The heart becomes harder and our response to God is handcuffed by our wickedness so that we cannot have the ability to respond. Our thinking becomes distorted and this adds to the problem, our fallen nature falls deeper into the dark pit of sin. Some think they are doing right, but they do not have the right understanding of our being, our fallen human nature. 

     Do not despair Christian, God did not leave us without aid, and He will not allow His people to be thrown into the Lake of Fire, Gehenna, for He will not lose any that He has chosen. We might not be able to overcome the consequences of our sin, or to override second causes, but we know this, we are new creatures in Jesus Christ, and we are secure that our home is with Him, for Jesus went to heaven to prepare for us a place whereby we live for eternity. This is the Good News: Jesus Saves! Unless we know the state of our humanity how will we be able to give due praise for what God has done for He came to earth to be the Son of God and do for mankind what mankind cannot do for themselves, even to die on the cross to make this possible. Mankind is not as some theologians would like us to be: to have some residual good that was not lost in the Garden of Eden by Adam's sin. Man is totally depraved, this is the Authentic Biblical Faith and Doctrine of the Church; but some would like it to be otherwise: it is not! God knows the state of our hearts, our fallen nature, and loves us just the same and will save us: at this point say hallelujah! 

Who shall separate us '

     from the love of 

Jesus Christ? Shall tribulation,

     or distress, or persecution,

or famine, or nakedness, or peril,

     or sword?....Yet in all these

things we are more than conquerors

    through Him who loved us.

                              Romans 8:35,37

Prayer is Praise To Our Holy God

Richard L. Crumb

The Hideous Misuse Of Scripture

Therefore humble yourselves 

under the mighty hand of God,

that He may exalt you in due time,

casting all your care upon Him,

for He cares for you. Be sober,

be vigilant; because your adversary 

the devil walks about like a roaring lion,

seeking whom he may devour.

Resist him, steadfast in the faith,

knowing that the same sufferings are

experienced by your brotherhood

in the world.

1Peter 5:6-9

     When upon reading the Scriptures you see; "Therefore" then take the time to know what is before this word. It is always context, context, context, and allowing Scripture to interpret Scripture. Why is "Therefore" in this Scripture? Peter has just taken the time to write to the elect (1Peter 1:2) and to admonish them to be humble and not proud, to yield to those men who were entrusted to them and that we are to be examples to the flock (1Peter 5:3). It is God who has called us (1Peter 5:10) and even though we may suffer for a time, He will establish us and strengthen us, and to settle us; and to Him be the glory and dominion forever (1Peter 5:11). Yet, how Scripture is misused, especially by those who are cultural Christians, those who have developed a theology that is contrary to Scripture but is pleasing to the ears. When we do not hold our beliefs according to Scripture then one such heretical and false teaching is about the nature of man. This is not something new; for Pelagius (360-420 A.D.), a British monk and theologian along with Coelestius, preached his idea as to how man is saved. Pelagius believed that man is created free, as was Adam, and that each man has the power to choose good or evil. Man according to Pelagius was uncontaminated by the sin of Adam and that sin is found to be universal in the world, it is because of the weakness of the human flesh. According to Pelagius it was not that the human will was corrupted by original sin. Only if man would cooperate with God in their attainment of holiness so that they may be saved, and to make use of such aids as the Bible, and of grace, reason and example of Christ, man has free will to do so. Therefore man can save himself by his own power, his free will to decide to be saved or not. This problem that Pelagius raised is perennial in the Christian Church. Modernism has accepted some form of this theology, some are said to be semi-Pelagius, others accept a form of Arminianism, all saying the same thing, man can save himself. Pelagius was condemned at the council of Ephesus in 431 A.D. John Cassianus, a monk, tried to find a middle ground, a compromise position so that both man and God could cooperate in salvation. These views are not Scriptural as has been pointed out; man is totally depraved, therefore he cannot save himself. Salvation is not possible by man's efforts, how could anyone know how much effort is needed so that the could find favor with God and be saved? Is it different for each man? Does God sit back and watch, wringing His hands wondering who would be saved? Or does God in His Providence cause all things, those things that are even of second causes, to fulfill His purpose, that purpose being so stated that He has elected some to salvation. The Greek words cannot be confused, for the word is elected and if so elected, then there must be another who is the elector: that elector is God. Yet, to tickle man's ears so that they are satisfied, that they are so good that they can be saved is the theology that is present in the Church leading to many other false avenues. All because of the misuse of Scripture and of human nature. 

      One such avenue that cultural Christianity has taken is "Prosperity Doctrine" that man can get from God whatever he may ask of God. Proof Scriptures are given to prove their theology, but this is so false for when anyone would take in the context of those Scriptures they would see that by these men what is being said is in contradiction to Scripture. But in order to keep the congregation, so that they do not lose more than they gain in congregants, this theology is promulgated as fact. This is twisting Scripture and a misuse of the truth of the Bible, a use that is most hideous in purpose. When Scripture is misused then all that is being done is to vilify Jesus Christ, the Gospel, even as has been done to give credence within Christianity for cruelty, and persecution. Zeal is good, but it can be misused, it is true commitment that distinguishes Authentic Biblical Faith from cultural Christianity. History provides a picture whereby some men who call themselves Christian were devoid of love and kindness, Christ was absent from the exercise of their faith. We do not have to look far to see that some men and women of the Christian Church today are also void of true Authentic Biblical Faith and their love and kindness is absent or that what the do demonstrate is so that they feel pious and holy: How could God not accept them? How tragic this is, that some would identify themselves as followers of Jesus Christ but in actuality they do not practice this in their everyday life, or that they have developed a theology that is akin to Pelagius, or Jacobus Armininius, or Weslyanism. These people have been exposed to the truth but the bring blasphemy upon the very nature of God. 

     Here is some good news; God is Providential, He is omnipresent, omnipowerful, omniscient, and by Him we find that He is not far from us and that we have our being in Him so that we are not to make God to be what He is not: "And He has made from one blood every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, and has determined their preappointed times and the boundaries of their dwellings, so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each of us; for in Him we live and move and have our being, as also some of your poets have said, 'For we are also His offspring.' Therefore, since we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Divine Nature is like gold or silver or stone, something shaped by art and man's devising. Truly, these times of ignorance god overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead."(Acts 17:26-31). God is a God of promise and He will not abdicate from doing what He has promised: this is good news, we can have assurance that God is in control even when men misuse Scripture. For us who seek to live as Authentic Biblical Christians and not by the culture of this world have God promise to aid is to be near us. Rejoice, our Savior lives, our God has a day when He will come and take home with Him all of His children, those elected, and destroying Satan forever. We are not being saved, we are saved. You cannot do more to be saved, Jesus did it all on the cross. Be devoted to God, live for Him at all costs, and He will bless you beyond whatever you may ask.

Blessed be the God and Father

     of our Lord Jesus Christ,

who has blessed us with every 

    spiritual blessing in the 

heavenly places in Christ.

                           Ephesians 1:3

Pray for Someone Today, be an Intercessor

Richard L. Crumb