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Liberty Advocate http://www.libertyadvocate.com
Enemies of the Cross of Christ
We are surrounded by the enemies of the Cross of Christ. Some enemies of the Cross are professing sinners. Some enemies of the Cross are professing Christians. They sit beside you in the church pew. And they preach from the pulpit. Paul writes to the Philippians: “For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things” (Philippians 3:18, 19). Sinners and false Christians are enemies of the Cross of Christ because the Cross crucifies the lusts of the flesh. The life of a true Christian demands a life of holiness. The Message of the Cross preaches the gratification of sinful passions to be inconsistent with salvation. Our sins are crucified; our sins are nailed to the Cross. Paul instructs the Colossians (Colossians 2: 13, 14): 13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross. When we repent of our sins and ask Jesus into our heart, He cleanses our heart and all our past sins are nailed to the Cross. All of our transgressions are blotted out. And with the help of the Holy Spirit, we are empowered to live a life of holiness; we overcome the power of the world; we glory in the Cross: “But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world” (Galatians 6:14). But sinners and false Christians love the world! Instead of embracing the Cross, they embrace worldliness. But God’s Word clearly warns us about the love of the world: “Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (1 John 2:15, 16). Moreover, sinners and false Christians love the world and want the world to love them. And they want the Church to unconditionally accept them. They want to be pampered and encouraged to feel good about themselves in their sinful state. But Paul proclaims: “For Christ sent me not to baptize, but to preach the gospel: not with wisdom of words, lest the cross of Christ should be made of none effect. For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God. . .But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness. . .”(I Corinthians 1:17, 18,23). The Gospel message of the New Testament is “Christ crucified.” But the Jews hate the Cross of Christ because they demand a Messiah who will set up an earthly kingdom and make Israel a great nation. And sinners and false Christians hate the Gospel message of “Christ crucified” because they believe it is foolishness. The
Apostle Paul warns in his second letter to Timothy (II
Timothy 4:2 – 5
Alas, the time has come! We do not want to hear the sober, sound doctrine of the Word of God, teaching purity of heart and life. We do not want to hear about the salvation of the sinner or the sanctification of the saint. We want to hear new and novel things. We want indulgent preachers who will wink at our sins and not stress a holy life. We do not want to hear the Biblical doctrine that there is power in the Cross of Christ; we want to hear the scientific doctrine of the power of psychology. We do not want to hear about lives transformed by the power of the Holy Spirit; we want to hear about lives transformed by the power of positive thinking. We have replaced Biblical doctrine with fables - manmade doctrines. We have replaced “Christ crucified” with man glorified. We glory in man's efforts; we do not glory in the Cross. For example, the false gospel of Christian Humanitarianism preaches that we may become perfect without Divine aid. Christian Humanitarians talk about Christ, but distort His mission as coming to crusade against social evils. Christian Humanitarianism preaches and teaches the life of Christ as a reformer instead of our Redeemer and Saviour. This is a manmade doctrine! This is a fable! This is a lie! Instead of preaching against “old” sins, Christian Humanitarians preach causes, or “new” sins: The sin of poverty. The sin of pollution. And other social evils. They preach multiculturalism, saving Mother Earth, and good works for the improved welfare of humanity. Christian Humanitarians emphasize social sins and ignore personal sins. In other words, Christian Humanitarians emphasize man's efforts unaided by Divine help. They deify man. They despise the Cross of Christ. They substitute “man glorified” for “Christ crucified.” They believe the Message of the Cross is foolishness. Christian Humanitarians deny the central message of New Testament evangelism is “Christ crucified.” Christian Humanitarians are enemies of the Cross of Christ. Christian Humanitarians such as Rick Warren are joining hand in hand with other enemies of the Cross of Christ to build a global community with a one-world religion – religious humanism, or secular humanism. Rick Warren and other false religious leaders are shifting away from “sin issues” – like abortion and gay marriage – and are more interested in “uniting” in causes such as poverty, HIV/AIDS, climate change and human rights. Religious humanists, including Christian humanitarians, glorify man’s power to save the world. (See
Crucifying Christianity @
http://www.libertyadvocate.com/Crucifying%20Christianity.htm Even on many evangelical Christian campuses, there is an emphasis on social justice and good works instead of evangelism and righteous living. False teachers cleverly teach some true doctrine and include false teachings with it. Many Christian schools preach Christian Humanitarianism, not “Christ crucified.” Students are not taught the Truth – the doctrine of the Cross of Christ. Instead they are indoctrinated with the false gospel of Christian Humanitarianism. I witnessed this crusade for Christian Humanitarianism while visiting my alma mater last year – Southeastern University of the Assemblies of God in Lakeland, Florida. Many students were wearing t-shirts crusading against poverty in Africa. During chapel, a special offering was collected to fight human trafficking. Outside the cafeteria, tables were set up collecting money for another social cause. Southeastern is not a Christ-centered school. The School is not crusading for Christ, but crusading for man – Christian Humanitarianism. Southeastern is a man-centered school. No t-shirts were worn crusading for lost sinners. In chapel, no offering was collected to send Bibles to foreign nations. Outside the cafeteria, no tables were set up collecting money for world evangelism. There was no mention of Jesus Christ who came to set us free from the bondage of sin. And, sadly, the student body is polluted with drugs, alcohol, fornication and other “old” sins that are no longer denounced or disciplined. It is no longer a true Christian school. True Christian schools teach a life of purity and expect their students to live a life of holiness. A student body polluted with sin desperately needs the Message of the Cross! O Southeastern, humble yourselves, and pray, and seek the face of the Lord, and turn from your wicked ways and be healed! “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land” (II Chronicles 7:14). O Southeastern, what can wash away your sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. Men who profess to be Christians and teach “man glorified” instead of “Christ crucified" are false teachers. They teach the damnable heresy of Christian Humanitarianism that denies the Lord shed His blood on the Cross to save sinners. Christian Humanitarians deny the Cross; therefore, they bring upon themselves and their followers the destruction of their soul and eternal damnation. The Apostle Peter warns us: “But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction” (II Peter 2:1). Southeastern must repent and preach the Message of the Cross instead of the damnable heresy of Christian Humanitarianism. Christian Humanitarians deny the power of the Cross. Christian Humanitarians are enemies of the Cross of Christ. The heart of the gospel
is that God sent His Son to die on the Cross for sinners. Without the Cross of Christ, there is no reconciliation between God and sinner. Without the Cross of Christ, there is no redemption. Without the Cross of Christ, there is no sanctification. Without the Cross of Christ, there is no justification. Without the Cross of Christ, there is no atonement. Without the Cross of Christ, there is no salvation. Without the Cross of Christ, lost souls are doomed to eternal damnation. The Message of the Cross cleanses the heart, redeems humanity, purifies society, and saves us from sin and hell. But the preachers are silent about the Message of the Cross. And the congregations are silent about the Message of the Cross. We no longer sing old hymns that teach the Truth: salvation, redemption, sanctification, and other Biblical doctrines. We must repent and return to worshipping the Lord in Spirit and in Truth, and the Cross is that Truth. Arise, O true Christian, lift up your voice and proclaim the Gospel message of the Cross of Christ!
The
Old Rugged Cross
On
a hill far away stood an old rugged cross, The
emblem of suff’ring and shame; And
I love that old cross where the dearest and best For
a world of lost sinners was slain So
I’ll cherish the old rugged cross, Till
my trophies at last I lay down; I
will cling to the old rugged cross, And
exchange it some day for a crown. Oh,
that old rugged cross so despised by the world, Has
a wondrous attraction for me; For
the dear Lamb of God left His glory above, To
bear it to dark Calvary. So
I’ll cherish the old rugged cross, Till
my trophies at last I lay down; I
will cling to the old rugged cross, And exchange it some day for a crown.
In
that old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine, To pardon and sanctify me. So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross, Till
my trophies at last I lay down; I
will cling to the old rugged cross, And exchange it some day for a crown. To
the old rugged cross I will ever be true; So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross, Till
my trophies at last I lay down; I
will cling to the old rugged cross, And exchange it some day for a crown.
Karen Pansler-Lam, J.D. Liberty Advocate http://www.libertyadvocate.com July 2010
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