Last Days...

You can go to any prophecy site or read any "End Times" book and they will all tell you that these are the last days and Jesus can return at any minute. They will point you to all sort of signs in the weather, economy and violence in the world. I believe the only sign we need is that Jesus rose from the grave.

I received this e-mail below in one of my daily subscriptions, and I think it describes a time we are in. If things were bad 400 years ago how much worse are they now? Do you think we are in the evilest of times? I invite you to read some of the new stories online such as a woman in Tyler, TX being arrested for encouraging her 7 and 10 year old children to engage in sexual acts for the entertainment of other adults who paid to come to their house and watch. By the way, the kids were taught these things as young as age 5.

Before God killed off all life with the exception of 8 humans and some animals, the Bible says that mans mind was continually on evil. How close are we now? Do we believe God will judge the ungodly and unrighteous as He did in the past, other than by flood of course? Some of the more charismatic brothers can scream revival is taking place all they want, but I see no hint of man humbling himself before a Holy and Just God with a broken heart and broken spirit turning to God in repentance and faith. As we pass all these people clothed in "religion", clothed in something other than the righteousness of Christ, do we care? Are we doing our part as instructed by God to tell them?

Rom 10:14 How are they to call on one they have not believed in? And how are they to believe in one they have not heard of? And how are they to hear without someone preaching to them?

Now for the e-mail-

We should be holiest in evil times. The profaneness of the times should not slacken our zeal--but heighten it. The looser others are -- the stricter we should be. The way to hell is a well-trodden road. "Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do evil" Exodus 23:2. Dead fish swim down the stream -- living fish swim against it. Mere professors cut the garment of their religion according to the mode and fashion of the times. Let us keep up the vigor of our zeal, in degenerate times. We should by a holy contrariness -- burn hotter in a frozen age. We live in the dregs of time; sin is grown common and impudent. It is excellent to walk contrary to the world. Let us be as lilies and roses -- among the briars. Sin is never the better because it is in fashion! The impiety of the times, is a foil to set off grace all the more, and give it a greater luster. This plea will not help at the last day-"that we did as most others did." God will say, "Seeing you sinned with the multitude -- you shall go to hell with the multitude!" Oh, let us keep pure among the dregs! Let us be like fish, which retain their freshness, in salt waters. It is better to go to heaven with a few -- than to hell in the crowd! "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat:" Matthew 7:13-14

Thomas Watson (1620-1686)

You Will Know Them by Their Fruit

Hmmm, October 24th since my last post? Well, no need to rush into anything I guess.

Michael sent this to me the other day and I thought it was relevant to the world today and in our own family recently. Should we question? I think we watch, probe and correct wrong thinking. I personally, I'm sure there are many who disagree with me on this, never take someone at their word when they profess to being a believer. Usually it only takes a few simple non-offensive, we have to be PC...lol, questions to see where someone truly is in their relationship with Christ. Don't forget according to the latest stats, 85% of Americans are professing Christians, yet we kill more babies than any other civilized or third world country in the world. We also have this battle raging on the definition of marriage. Which again, no other civilized or third world country has even considered because not even animals in the wild mate with their own kind. I would think that would be simple if America was filled with that many believers. Anyway, I could get way off the topic heading in this direction.

Looking forward to hearing what people think on this.

Should We Question Professions of Faith? Quoting Mark Dever . . .

"Sometimes I get the feeling that people think there's something wrong with questioning the reality of a profession of faith. It's legalistic, or judging, or holier than thou. Or something. But if evangelists want to see lost sinners saved, and if evangelists know that we sinners can deceive ourselves, then it's not surprising that we want to try to make sure (with all appropriate qualifications about our limitedness) that conversions professed are conversions possessed. Or is it just sour-faced theologians who think about such things? Are preachers who think about such things unevangelistic?

Here's what one preacher said, reflecting on Jesus' parable of the sower and the soils.

"There are so many stony ground hearers, who receive the Word with joy, that I have determined to suspend my judgment till I know the tree by its fruits. I cannot believe they are converts until I see fruit brought back; it will never do a sincere soul any harm."

Does such a determination seem uncharitable or unevangelistic? What preacher would say such a thing? That was George Whitefield. I don't think George Whitefield was unevangelistic for wanting to know a tree by its fruit, and neither are we today. In fact, I think such a concern would actually help our churches to do more real evangelism. And besides, as Whitefield says, such caution "will never do a sincere soul any harm."

What should we do? Encourage the new believer in all things good. Remind them of the gospel. After some appropriate time (which would vary much from case to case) they should be baptized and join a church. They should regularly hear the preaching of the Word, commune, fellowship, pray and obey the Word. They should be building relationships in order to do that. And they should be told to hope in Christ alone for their salvation. Our desire is to find every professor getting safely home to heaven.

And then what about counting converts?
The final tally will be made by God in due time. And that's the only tally that matters. "