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Psalms Psalms 89:1–18 “I will sing of the steadfast love of the LORD, forever; with my mouth I will make known your faithfulness to all generations. For I said, “Steadfast love will be built up forever; in the heavens you will establish your faithfulness.” You have said, “I have made a covenant with my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant: ‘I will establish your offspring forever, and build your throne for all generations.’” Selah Let the heavens praise your wonders, O LORD, your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones! For who in the skies can... Continue reading

In the conversation that has recently erupted regarding the authenticity and reliability of Codex Sinaiticus, a concern has been raised regarding how higher critics, particularly those featured in a recent BBC documentary, are using this manuscript in order to cast theological doubt on such core Christian doctrines as Christ’s deity and his resurrection appearances. The fear expressed by some, who cannot read Sinaiticus, is that because these Higher Critics point to particular features of the codex as alleged proof to support their hypercritical views of the New Testament, the manuscript itself is corrupted and that it is not only unwise... Continue reading

The controversy that has flared up recently regarding the Lutheran Doctrine of Baptism has inspired many brothers in the Reformed Camp to send me emails and point me to the writings of the Reformers outside of the Lutheran stream of the Reformation in order to note how similar their understanding of the Biblical texts that teach the efficacy of Baptism sounds to the Lutheran understanding of these same texts. Below, are posted several quotes without their author's name next to them. (None of them are Lutherans). Here is the list of authors/sources for the quotes posted below: Martin Bucer, Calvin’s... Continue reading

What did the early Church Fathers believe regarding the eternal fate of the wicked? Did they believe in universalism (Rob Bell's "Love Wins" ) or in annihilationism (Conditionalism)? Nope. They believe in the long standing Biblical doctrine of Hell. They believed it was eternal, conscious punishment and clearly argued against both univeralism and annihilationism. The reason for this is simple. This is what God's Word clearly and unambiguously says awaits those who persist in sin and unrighteousness and do not repent and trust Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins. Ignatius of Antioch
 "Corrupters of families will not inherit the... Continue reading

I can neither confirm nor rule out the rumors that Steven Furtick is working on his own version of the Bible. The inability to get definitive answers is, after all, part of the elusive nature of rumors. That being said, I've come to be in possession of what may or may not be excerpts of Biblical passages from the forthcoming, Furtick Audaciously Revised Translation of the Bible. I've reproduced the excerpts below. Matthew 5:20 - “For I tell you, unless your audacity exceeds that of the bloggers and haters, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 7:21 -... Continue reading

The Catholic News Agency is reporting that the Pope says everyone can do good, regardless of belief. In a mass delivered by Pope Francis on May 22nd, 2013 at St. Martha's residence in the Vatican, Francis claimed that every human person despite his or her beliefs can do good, and a sharing in good works is the prime place for encounter among those who disagree. Said the Pope: “The Lord created us in his image and likeness, and we are the image of the Lord, and he does good and all of us have this commandment at heart: do good... Continue reading

When was the last time you read a transcript from a bona fide heresy trial? Chances are you've never had an occasion to read anything like that. Therefore, let me introduce you to an ancient document that contains the transcript of a real heresy trial held in 381 A.D. at the Council of Aquileia against the heretics Palladius and Secundianus. As you will read, the defendants were charged with and found guilty of teaching the Arian Heresy. It is important to note that a trial like this, if held today, would be mocked and ridiculed and condemned not only by... Continue reading

I never cease to be amazed by the many treasures I find as I study the writings of the ancient Church Fathers. These were not men who ignored the scriptures or who tore them down in the name of "church tradition". Instead, over and again you see in their writings an authentic desire to be faithful to the scriptures and wrestle with its meaning while defending the church from heretics as well as helping the faithful properly understand its correct meaning. One thing that is very apparent in the writings of the Church Fathers is that neither Tridentine Roman Catholicism... Continue reading

Can We Trust the History in the New Testament documents? The short answer to this question is, absolutely! From time to time, Christians may encounter an atheist or nonbeliever who is armed with the latest "higher" critical arguments against the veracity of the New Testament documents. These opponents of Christianity claim to have evidence that Matthew didn't write the Gospel of Matthew or that the Gospel of John wasn't written until the early 3rd century, etc. But, if you take the time to read good scholarship on these matters you will find that, for all their claims to being deep... Continue reading

Penal substitution has a long and distinguished pedigree, and was expressely articulated by many in the early Church. Sadly, the myth of the doctrine’s supposed ‘late development’ continues to be perpetuated in books and theological seminaries all over the world. To set the record straight, we have included a few extracts from ancient Christian writings here, all of which are discussed in more detail in the book,Pierced for Our Transgressions. In many cases, the entire works from which the extracts are taken are available from those wonderful people at the Christian Classics Ethereal Library HERE. --- Clement of Rome [c.... Continue reading

Have you ever heard a popular 'praise song' proclaim the Biblical doctrine of Original Sin? Probably not. But, that is exactly what one wonderful old hymn from the early 16th century does. It is entitled, "All mankind fell in Adam's fall" and it worships the Lord by proclaiming what scripture reveals regarding humanity's fallen sinful nature. It then proclaims Christ and his death in our place as the solution for our fallen sinfulness. This hymn is reproduced below. All mankind fell in Adam's fall by Lazarus Spengler Performance by Clyde McLennan of smallchurchmusic.com Your browser does not support the HTML... Continue reading

What is preaching? This is a question you've probably never asked. The reason that you've probably never asked this question is because, well, the answer seems self evident. We've all been to church and heard the preacher man preach. So, what kind of question is the question "what is preaching"? Answer: a good one. It's a question you really should be asking. But, more importantly it is one that you need to search in scripture to find the answer to. When you do that you are likely to discover that the Biblical answer to this question isn't exactly what you've... Continue reading

Get the Poll Creator Pro widget and many other great free widgets at Widgetbox! Not seeing a widget? (More info) For an in-depth Biblical explanation as to how Steven Furtick narcissistically twists the scriptures and misreads God's Word, watch the resources posted below. Continue reading

There is an epidemic of Narcissistic Eisegesis a.k.a. Narcigesis, infecting the churches in America today. Pastors and Bible teachers have mastered the art of allegorizing all of the characters and details of every Bible story in order to make the stories about YOU. Therefore, I've decided to give a little 'how to' advice regarding this Bible twisting technique in the hopes that by doing so you'll see the obvious problems with this way of approaching the Biblical texts. So here we go. How to Narcigete Any Bible Story In 4 Easy Steps Primary Assumption: Every Bible story is about YOU.... Continue reading

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INDIANAPOLIS - A newly released PIRA Survey of the Biblical texts reveals the real reasons why the unchurched do not attend church and the results are sending shockwaves through the seeker-driven and missional camps. Chris Rosebrough, lead researcher for Pira, the organization responsible for this Biblical survey said, "For decades the conventional wisdom in the broader church growth and missional movements has told us that the reason why unchurched people don't attend church is because they think church is boring and irrelevant. Although true, the conventional wisdom has not been able to satisfactorily explain why unchurched people feel that way.... Continue reading

Let us remember that as Christians we are citizens of two countries. I pray this hymn helps you hold on to this very real fact. There Is Another Country Performance by the Pirate Christian Pipes There is another country I've heard of long ago, Most dear to them that love her, Most great to them that know. We may not count her armies, We soon will see her King; Her fortress is a faithful heart; Her pride is suffering, And soul by soul and silently Her shining bounds increase, And her ways are ways of gentleness, And all her paths... Continue reading

With the U.S. Presidential elections about to take place and there being so much confusion regarding whether or not a Christian can vote for a Mormon, this explanation of the Biblical Doctrine of the Two Kingdoms may prove helpful for many Christians as they head to the polls. Introduction When Pilate asked Jesus whether he was the king of the Jews, he replied by saying, ‘My kingdom is not of this world’ (John 18:33,36). This statement has been the starting point of a long series of attempts to define the relation between Christians and the world, and indeed the church... Continue reading

On the day when Peter made his great confession of Christ, our Lord gave a promise to the church. That promise was that the gates of hell would not prevail against the church. Here's what Matthew saw and reported: “Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the... Continue reading

Dear David, We haven't met. But, despite the fact that I'm writing to you on a blog, I don't live in my mother's basement. I don't own a bean bag and I don't survive on a steady diet of Cheetos and Mt. Dew. I am however, married. I have three children of my own and a grandson. I also have a degree in Religious Studies and Biblical Languages and I also have a Masters degree in Business Administration and the emphasis of my graduate work was Leadership. I felt it necessary to explain that about myself because you have a... Continue reading

Happy Reformation Day! I am firmly convinced that if you understand the history of the Reformation including an understanding of Medieval Roman Catholicism and Martin Luther's torturous sojourn through it that you will have the ability to better spot the false theology that has crept into today's church. To help you gain an understanding of that history I'm providing you with links to download FREE books and other resources that you can add to your digital library that will aid you in better understanding the historic Christian faith. Enjoy and Be Edified by these Free Resources! Chris Rosebrough @PirateChristian Here... Continue reading

An excerpt from Martin Luther's Commentary on Galatians Who gave himself for our sins. - Galatians 1:4 Paul sticks to his theme. He never loses sight of the purpose of his epistle. He does not say, "Who received our works," but "who gave." Gave what? Not gold, or silver, or paschal lambs, or an angel, but Himself. What for? Not for a crown, or a kingdom, or our goodness, but for our sins. These words are like so many thunderclaps of protest from heaven against every kind and type of self-merit. Underscore these words, for they are full of comfort... Continue reading

Note: You can download a PDF version of this post by clicking here Introduction Biblical literacy and literacy in regard to the writings of the ancient church provide the Christian disciple with an almost impregnable defense against the mythological ravings of liberal apostates and Emergent heretics. This is why I frequently admonish people with C.S. Lewis’ advice regarding the importance of reading old books. Case and point is this amazing epistle written by Clement of Rome. It was written no later than 95. AD. and it demolishes the arguments of liberals and progressives who insist that the Gospels were not... Continue reading

by C.S. Lewis There is a strange idea abroad that in every subject the ancient books should be read only by the professionals, and that the amateur should content himself with the modern books. Thus I have found as a tutor in English Literature that if the average student wants to find out something about Platonism, the very last thing he thinks of doing is to take a translation of Plato off the library shelf and read the Symposium. He would rather read some dreary modern book ten times as long, all about "isms" and influences and only once in... Continue reading