I Don’t Believe in Atheism

Posted on by kevinjandt

“Atheism is a strange thing. Even the devils never fell into that vice.” -C. H. Spurgeon

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I don’t believe in atheism.

I don’t believe people, when they say they don’t believe in God.

I don’t believe God is a mystery that cannot be known.  He’s real, He’s alive, and all are responsible to know Him.

Of course I realize people claim to be atheists; it seems to be somewhat popular these days.  Atheists say they don’t believe in God or a god.

For today’s discussion I’d like to say that nobody really believes what they say because the Holy Scriptures contradict them.  I realize this is a circular argument in their eyes but for me the argument ends there, it’s just that simple.

A so-called atheist might say, “you can’t prove there’s a god” and since I’ve come to this conclusion, I don’t believe it, or we can’t see God so we don’t believe it.

God has revealed himself to mankind and just because we say we don’t believe it doesn’t make it so.

Romans 1:19-23 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.  Pressing to be wise, they became fools and changed the glory of the in corruptible God into an image made like corruptible man-and birds, and four-footed animals and creeping things.

Man is without excuse.   God has revealed Himself through nature.

Hebrews 1:1-3 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…

Man is without excuse.  God has revealed Himself through His Son.

Luke 1:1-4 Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and minister of the word delivered them to us.  It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainly of those things in which you were instructed.

Man is without excuse.  God has revealed Himself through His Word.

Opponents of God are free to believe or not believe as they wish but they must know that won’t release them from accountability.  Every human in all of history will stand before God and give account of their life.  Nothing will be left hidden.  Every sin you’ve ever committed will be brought before the Just Judge and a verdict will be rendered.

You might say well my sin isn’t that bad, or I’m a relatively good person compared to that guy….

You need to compare your life to the life of Christ and see how you measure up to His standard.  Perfection is the measuring stick by which you will be judged.  Every thought, word and deed for the entirety of your life must be perfect.

You may not like this, you may not believe this and you may not accept this as truth, but that won’t change it.

You can laugh, you can scoff, you can ridicule but what you can’t do is escape it.  I must warn you today not to take that chance.

Ezekiel 3:17-19 “Son of man.  I have made you a watchman for the house of Israel: therefore hear a word from My mouth, and give them warning from Me:  When I say to the wicked, ‘You shall surely die,’ and you give him no warning, nor speak to warn the wicked from his wicked way, to save his life, that same wicked man shall die in his iniquity; but his blood I will require at your hand.  Yet, if you warn the wicked and he does not turn from his wickedness, nor from his wicked way, he shall die in his iniquity; but you have delivered your soul.”

So why are there people that call themselves atheists?  Again the answer is simple.

No accountability.

If they say they don’t believe what the Bible says, they don’t have to give account for their sin.  They can live guilt free and never have to answer for how they lived their life.

Turn to Christ, see Him as the only One that can save and cast your cares upon Him.  Matthew 7:24 “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock…

 

Kevin

A Sure Guide to Heaven – Part 3 – The necessity of conversion

Posted on by kevinjandt

John 3:3 Jesus answered and said to him, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

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This statement is every bit as shocking to people today as it was to Nicodemus at the time Jesus spoke these words.  John 3:9 Nicodemus answered and said to Him, “How can these things be?”  Here was a leader of the Jews, a religious man, with lots of training and he missed the simple fact that he needed to be converted to enter the kingdom of God.

Conversion is necessary.  That is exactly what Jesus is telling us today, just as He did when He walked this earth, just as Joseph Alleine is explaining to us in this remarkable third chapter of his book.  There is a “disconnect” among evangelicals today about what it means to be converted.

Conversion is radical and violent.  It comes at a great cost because there is pain involved, pain at the recognition of your sin.  Imagine your heart being ripped out of your insides and being replaced with a new heart.  This is major surgery and without anesthesia.

Ezekiel 36:25-27 Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean; I will cleanse you from all your filthiness and from all your idols.  I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.  I will put My Spirit within you and cause you to walk in My statues, and you will keep My judgments and do them.

The conversion described is not a high attainment of some advanced Christians, but every soul that is saved undergoes this change…

What is it that you count necessary?  Is your bread necessary?  Is your breath necessary?  Then your conversion is much more necessary.  Indeed, this is the one thing necessary.  Your possessions are not necessary; you may sell all for the pearl of great price, and yet be a gainer by the purchase.  Your life is not necessary; you may part with it for Christ, to infinite advantage.   Your reputation is not necessary; you may be reproached for the name of Christ, and yet be happy; yes, you may be much more happy in reproach than in repute.  But your conversion is necessary; your salvation depends upon it; and is it not needful in so important a matter to take care?  On this one point depends your making or marring to all eternity.  But I shall more particularly show the necessity of conversion in five things. Page 50-51

Does this resonate with you today?  If not I plead with you to read it again and meditate on these words.  It is all that really matters.  Your conversion is necessary.

1: Without conversion your being is in vain

Verily you are in vain, except you are for God.  It were better you had no being than not be for Him.  Would you serve your end?  You must repent and be converted; without this you are to no purpose; indeed, to bad purpose. Page 51

Did he really say that?

What a blow to our self esteem…

This is a reality check…

2: Not only man, but the whole visible creation is in vain without conversion

O dreadful thought! That God should build such a world as this, and lay out such infinite power, and wisdom, and goodness thereupon, and all in vain; and that man should be guilty, at last, of robbing and spoiling Him of the glory of all!  O think of this.  While you are unconverted, all the offices of the creatures are in vain to you. Page 54

3: Without conversion your religion is vain

O soul! Do not think when your sins pursue you, that a little praying and reforming your ways will pacify God.  You must being with your heart.  If that is not renewed, you can no more please God than one who, having unspeakably offended you, should bring you the most loathsome thing to pacify you; or having fallen into the mire, should think with his filthy embraces to reconcile you. Page 55

4: Without true conversion your hopes are in vain

The hope of comfort here is vain.  It is not only necessary for the safety, but comfort of your condition, that you be converted.  Without this, you shall not know peace (Is. 59:8) Page 56

Spiritual sloth is but a scurvy in the mind, and carnal security a mortal lethargy. Page 57

Now, to say God is merciful and to hope that He will save us without conversion, is in effect to say, ‘We hope that God will not do as He says.’  We must not set God’s attributes at variance.  God has resolved to glorify His mercy, but not to the prejudice of His truth, as the presumptuous sinner will find to his everlasting sorrow. Page 58

5: Without conversion all that Christ has done and suffered will be, as to you, in vain

That is, it will in no way avail you to salvation.  Many urge this as a sufficient ground for their hope, that Christ died for sinner; but I must tell you, Christ never died to save impenitent and unconverted sinners, so continuing.  A great divine was accustomed in his private dealings with souls to ask two questions.  What has Christ done for you?  What has Christ wrought in you?  Without the application of the Spirit in regeneration, we have no saving interest in the benefits of redemption.  I tell you from the Lord, that Christ Himself cannot save you if you go on in this state. Page 59

It would be dishonourable to God to bestow His choicest riches on them that have more pleasure in their sins than in the heavenly delights that He offers.  God would lose the praise and glory of His grace, if He should cast it away upon them that were not only unworthy but unwilling. Page 61 & 62

Are you unwilling? 

Hear then His own words; ‘Except ye be converted, ye shall in no wise enter into the kingdom of heaven.’  ‘Ye must be born again.’  ‘If I was thee not, thou hast no part in me.’  ‘Except ye repent ye shall perish’ (Mt xviii 3; Jn iii 7; Jn xiii 8; Lk xiii 3).  Page 63

These are powerful words.  Very few preachers say these things anymore because it seems so harsh to the listener.  Yet imagine if your child was playing on the train tracks and a train was coming.  How would you want me to communicate the impending disaster that was coming his way?  Should I do it in a gentle easy tone or scream at the top of my lungs to “GET OUT OF THE WAY!”  So why would those living a life that will condemn them to hell be any different?

If you don’t have testimony of your conversion, maybe you aren’t converted.  Do you know when God removed your heart of stone and placed in you a heart of flesh?  Do you know the day you were born again?  If not do something about that.  I suggest get on your knees and beg Him to show you your sin and then beg for His converting grace.  This is sorrow not to be regretted.

Kevin

When is it time to leave a church?

Posted on by kevinjandt

I had a conversation with a friend last night and he announced to me he and his wife were leaving our church.  I am grieving this loss and I began to think about why one would leave a fellowship of God’s Church.  There are certainly legitimate reasons to leave which I think primarily revolve around the lack of the gospel or truth.  If this is the case that person should go seek restoration and call leadership to repentance (Matthew 18:15-17) or in the case of a sinning leader scripture speaks clearly how to handle (1 Timothy 5:19).

What if we just don’t like what comes from the leadership?  This really is the point of the rub.  Can we disagree and still be in fellowship?  Can we be like-minded and still have some points of disagreement?  Paul tells us to strive for the unity of the gospel (Philippians 1:27).  This is a major problem, sinful man likes autonomy.  Merriam-Webster defines autonomy as “self-directing freedom and especially moral independence”, we like this don’t we?  Isn’t this what it usually comes down to?  I don’t like to be told what to do, if it disrupts my world-view I would rather rebel than consider my-self directed freedom.  Scripture is full of examples of this.

Matthew 8:19-20 Then a certain scribe came and said to Him, “Teacher, I will follow You wherever You go.”  And Jesus said to him, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.”

Do we understand that following Christ is difficult?  Have we not seen the many examples the Lord Himself has provided.  What about John Chapter 6?  This message was so shocking and so scandalous that Jesus ran them all off, all but the twelve that is.  This shook people to the core.  John 6:61 When Jesus knew in Himself that His disciples complained about this.  He said to them, “Does this offend you?”  verse 66 From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.

But this was Jesus right?  If Jesus was the one getting up and preaching it would be no problem.  If He made challenging demands it would not be an issue.

Hebrews 13:17 Obey those who ruler over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls as those who must give account.  Let them do so with joy and not with grief.  For that would be unprofitable for you.

The writer of Hebrews gives us clear direction that we are to be submissive to leaders in the church.

John MacArthur commenting on this verse:

That God is a God of principle, that God is not a God who says, do your own thing. But God has some very strong and very rigid and very clearly defined standards of behavior…

In order that those who read might understand that joy is produced by obedience. And in order the readers might understand that witness to the world depends upon the consistency of the pattern of their living.

And I want you to notice how this submission is ordered, verse seventeen, “Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves,” and we’ll stop there. Now here is a responsibility toward God. You say it sounds to me like a responsibility towards some rulers. Yes it is, but the wonderful thing that is evident in this text and evident in other texts in the New Testament is this, that God, now watch it, that God mediates much of His rule in this world through men. God has done that for a long time. Throughout the Old Testament God mediated His rule at times through kings, through prophets, through judges. And in this age God mediates His rule through Spirit-controlled men. Someday God will mediate His rule in the living Christ who sits on the throne of David and rules in the world and the kingdom, right? And He’ll mediate His own kingdom. But at this time God is literally ruling His people through certain Spirit-led men.

These men were ordered of the Spirit of God to have the rule of the church. They do not rule for themselves, they rule in the stead of Christ. They are called undersheperds, and that’s really what I am. That’s what your pastors are, that’s what any pastors are in any given church. So when in seventeen it says obey them that have the rule over you and submit yourselves, the submission here is not really to men but it is to God, as He rules, mediating His rule through Spirit-controlled men. So there were in that assembly, as in all early local churches gifted men, chosen by the Lord, granted to the church to rule.  You can read or listen to the sermon here:  http://www.gty.org/Resources/sermons/1642

Here is the issue.  Pastors and Elders are called to rule well.  Not for their own gain.  Believers are called to submit to them.  This is an act of the will, a decision to do so.  Many will attempt to say I’m submitting myself to God but they won’t submit to men appointed by God.  The truth is they are NOT submitting to God.  This submission thing is a big deal to God.

So what should we do if we disagree?  I’ve already shown above that we are to go to those that we have disagreements with or that have sinned.  Proverbs 1:5-6 A wise man will hear and increase learning, and a man of understanding will attain wise counsel.  If we don’t follow this we are doing the opposite.  Proverbs 18:1-2 A man who isolates himself seeks his own desire; he rages against all wise judgment.  A fool has no delight in understanding, but in expressing his own heart.

The issue with my friends was persecution and trials that came from making tough decisions and challenging stances.  Are these sin issues?  They may or not be depending on how they are handled.  This is why one should attain wise counsel.  Didn’t Jesus teach us that persecutions would come when we stood on His truths?

Matthew 5:11-12 “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake.  Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecute the prophets who were before you.  We know Paul affirmed this 2 Timothy 3: 12 Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.

Jesus also said we should count the cost.  https://uncommonfaith.org/2012/11/16/count-the-cost/

Is this a salvation issue for my friends?  I hope not but I know the scripture shows them to be in rebellion to God’s Word.  I say that as the most loving thing I can possibly say to them.  They have rebelled against God’s authority through His Church.  Is it time for them to leave?  NO, it’s time for them to talk and work through the issues, not flee.  I hope they will attain wise counsel and search diligently to see if they are in sin.  I hope they will seek restoration.  This is what scripture call them to do.  What is my responsibility?  I must pray for them and I must plead with them to work through this.  If we call ourselves Believers then we have a guide book.  We must use that to seek truth and to seek like-mindedness.  Not because my opinion matters, but because God’s opinion matters.

Kevin

My Bible…

Posted on by kevinjandt

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Psalm 119:159-162 Consider how I love Your precepts; Revive me, O LORD, according to Your lovingkindness.  The entirety of Your word is truth, and every one of Your righteous judgments endures forever.  Princes persecute me without a cause, but my heart stands in awe of Your word.  I rejoice at Your word as one who find great treasure.

I’ve been thinking recently about those that claim Christianity but never crack open a bible.  They don’t bring them to church, they rarely go to them for guidance and they don’t use it in the way it has been prescribed by scripture.  Can you truly be a “Believer” and never, if rarely, open God’s Word?

I know you can in extreme examples such as the thief on the cross, the Lord told him he would be in paradise with Him today.  This man never went to church and probably never read the Tora.  He was saved to glorify God, just like all Believers.  I’m not talking about something like this.  I’m talking about Joe Christian that attends a service frequently, probably weekly and would identify himself as an evangelical.  He might even say he’s “born again”.

I want you to look around this weekend when you go to church and see how many people are carrying their bibles.  Take a sampling and then do an estimated percentage in your head.  Would it be shocking if it was less than 50%?  How about less than 10%?  How many read their bibles daily?  According to a recent article by Christianity Today, 80% of church goers don’t read daily.  Here is the article.

http://blog.christianitytoday.com/ctliveblog/archives/2012/09/lifeway-research-ed-stetzer-most-churchgoers-do-not-read-bible-daily.html

 

Are you in awe of God’s Word and find it as one who finds great treasure?  This may give you an indication of your condition before God.  Don’t check out just yet.  Why would I say that?

In Matthew Chapter 5 Jesus begins His Sermon on the Mount with what it means to enter the kingdom of heaven.  Do you remember this?  This is a road map to salvation.  You will be “Blessed” makarios – supremely blessed such as a blessing reserved for the “gods”.  I don’t intend this to be a lesson on the Beatitudes but I want to point to verse 6.

Matthew 5:6 Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.

This tells a considerable story about those that don’t hunger and thirst for righteousness.  They won’t be filled right?  You can’t hunger when you’re not hungry.  You can’t thirst when you’re not thirsty.   Jesus tells us if we’ve been poor in spirit and mourned over our sin, if we’ve become meek (power under control of the Spirit) we WILL then do these things.  This is a natural outflow of what happened to us in salvation.

Jesus said you will know them by their fruits.  What fruit is He talking about?  When Jesus changed my life, I had a desire to know Him more.  I wanted Him and His Word.  I craved Him like a hungry and a thirsty man starving in the desert.  It was my changed nature.  I didn’t force myself to “like” the bible.  It just was that way.

People come to church or profess Christ for lots of reasons.  Does it include a testimony?   “I was this….” (You insert all the nastiness you were) And now “I’m this…” (God changed you to something completely different) without a dramatic change in your life, your profession might not be real?

How many times have you been saved?  If it’s more than once you’re probably not saved.  Does that sound judgmental to you?

Matthew 5:3 Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.   What was it like to be poor in the ancient world?  It was humiliating to say the least.  You had to beg for every scrap of food you ate.  You had to beg people to be merciful; crouched in the corner too ashamed to even look up.  This is what Jesus is describing.  We must come to a point where we realize we can do nothing for ourselves.

When did you realize that your sin separated you from God?  When did you understand that your sin had you headed to hell?  Don’t dismiss this today, I beg you.  Can you be saved without reading your bible?  Maybe, but I think it’s very rare.  Romans 10:17

The other reality of this is what Jesus called the wide road that leads to destruction and many go in by it (Matthew 7:13-14).  Read God’s Word and be saved.  I implore you today.  If you claim salvation and don’t hunger and thirst for God’s Word, I encourage you to examine yourself.

There is dust enough on some of your Bibles to write ‘damnation’ with your fingers. —Charles Spurgeon

Kevin