Chaos in the Pulpit

Berean Baptist on December 23, 2019

In Revelation 2, Jesus rebuked the church at Thyatira. This church had many characteristics of modern apostate churches. One of these is leadership and exemplifies how dangerous it is for churches to depart from the standard in God’s word for choosing leaders.

            The Bible is clear on this subject, but largely ignored by those who ordain women into the office of pastor. This is not God’s intent as Paul wrote women must keep silent in the church. They are not permitted to instruct the assembly. They must be in submission according to the creational principle established when God made Adam first, and then rather than making a helpmate from the original ground, He took Eve from Adam’s side. She was taken from his side to show she could not be head over him.

            Our culture counters this with feminism and demands equality in every venue. The Bible is not against equality. Men and women are equal but serve in separate roles. Each is valuable in their sphere of influence but are chaotic outside of it. When women are chosen as pastors, it upsets God’s order and teaches people wrongly contributing to their misunderstanding and disobedience to scripture. Thus, this progressiveness (?) does not help but hinders. It degrades and destroys society.

            The teaching that women can fill the office of pastor feeds into the second problem at Thyatira which is dilution of doctrine. The choice of men as pastors is Bible doctrine, while subverting it is the doctrine of Satan. When the wrong person is in leadership, a plethora of bad doctrine ensues. Practically nothing is sacrosanct in the Christian faith, and all is subject to change according to time and culture.

            This could never be because God is unchangeable. If we admit to a change in doctrine, we are not safe. We must know correct doctrine to be saved, so where will we find it? Is it subjective according to a half-baked preacher who said he spoke to Jesus last night? What happens when another comes along and says, “No, Jesus spoke to me and said something different. Which way went the Spirit of the LORD from me to speak to thee?” (1 Kings 22:24). Do you see the problem? There are many battling prophets vying for the attention of the church with horribly bad doctrine. They say God spoke to them when God has not spoken (Deuteronomy 18:22).

            What is the solution? It can only be the objective infallible word of God. The Bible does not change. Since it was completed two thousand years ago, not one word has changed. This prevents changing doctrine. It prevents salvation by multiple means depending on the day of the week. No, God is consistent from day one. His word is settled forever in heaven.

            This church does not ignore the Bible nor tolerate those who do. Change in doctrine invites rebuke from the Lord. The modern church will stand in judgment for their perversions because each one keeps the truth of salvation from the ears of the people. The problem for them is they are not true churches. If you see a woman in the pulpit, you are looking at a deceitful imposter. These are counterfeits and are wicked at the highest level. They stand in pulpits in sanctuaries, a place that is trusted. Their lies will send people to hell.

            Beware of false teachers. They will destroy your soul.

                                                                        Pastor V. Mark Smith

How Do I Forgive Me?

Berean Baptist on November 18, 2019

One of the most common issues I encounter in counselling concerns guilt because of sin. As you know, I am never shy of preaching the horrible weight of sin that is against us, and that preachers ought never to let sinners off the hook by saying people feel too guilty already and we do not want to add to their guilt. No, if you are not a Christian, you do not understand how deeply guilty you are. If I can pound that point home clearly and without equivocation, only then I have done my duty to the gospel. You need forgiveness of your sins through the blood of Jesus Christ.

However, pay close attention. The Bible says nothing about forgiving yourself of sin. Much less does it speak of a person who trusts Christ as having any time in their life regardless of their sin that they must forgive themselves. The Bible never allows a Christian to think Christ’s forgiveness is not enough—that we need to take an extra step and work on forgiving ourselves before we are made whole.

The question, “How do I forgive myself,” was answered insightfully by H.B. Charles in a recent devotional. He said, “The most faithful response to this question is to reject it as an illegitimate question. The biblical teaching about forgiveness can be summarized in two main ideas: God forgives sinners freely, completely, and sacrificially. Ultimately, divine forgiveness is paid for by the cross of Christ. Christians must forgive those who wrong us, as God has forgiven us for the sake of Christ. That’s it. Sermon over. There is no third point. God has forgiven us, and we must forgive others. Period…the Bible does not teach that we should forgive ourselves. It does not explain how to forgive ourselves. It does not say anything about forgiving ourselves whatsoever.”

            Charles went on to say that self-forgiveness is self-centered psychology that suggests we are the ones who need to be appeased. In effect, it suggests that we are the God that is offended which he termed not just erroneous, but blasphemous. And yet, this concept is often found in self-esteem preaching. In self-help books, this is often part of their step program much like AA has a twelve-step program to wellness.

            Self-forgiveness betrays the sacrifice of Christ by proclaiming it less than sufficient. It is nothing less than one more self-righteous works religion that is the backbone of all false religions. Adam began this religion by grabbing fig leaves to cover his nakedness. Self-forgiveness is another fig leaf that is odious to God’s grace in the full and free pardon of sin in Christ. Self-forgiveness evidences a person does not understand the work of Christ. The same people who would never think of doing penance by working the beads of a rosary have in fact embraced the same religion by laboring to emancipate themselves from guilt figuring how they can forgive themselves.

            Charles also made this comment: “You do not need to supplement divine forgiveness with any self-forgiveness. Your forgiveness in Christ is complete. Receive it. Remember it. And rejoice in it. If your testimony is, ‘God has forgiven me,’ that is enough! You do not need to forgive yourself.” I submit this is the heart of the gospel. It is a gospel of grace that leaves nothing for us to do. Notice Charles said, “Receive it.” You are the recipient not the giver. As in your salvation, you do not “accept” it as if it must be evaluated and found to meet your approval. No, Christ approved it, you only need to receive it.

            If you receive the forgiveness of sin accomplished by the grace of God, it is enough. Nothing needs to be added. Indeed, God wants nothing from you nor accepts anything from you. Christ took care of it. “There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.” (Romans 8:1)

                                                                                    Pastor V. Mark Smith

Honoring Women

Berean Baptist on March 19, 2018

Psalm 128:3

Sometimes I wonder how people can think the Bible is an old dated book that is irrelevant to the issues of the modern world. The truth is the Bible is amazingly modern and has answers for many of our dilemmas. The problem is we don’t like the answers.

A case in point is this verse in Psalm 128. The first part of verse 3 says, “Thy wife shall be as a fruitful vine by the sides of thine house.” Sit down because you might not like this. The psalmist made one of the most politically incorrect statements he could make. He indirectly affirms that women are weaker constitutionally and require special support. The fruitful vine is a tender plant that cannot stand on its own but requires a superstructure to support it. It grows up the side of the house and only then is it able to bear its plentiful fruit. In this case, the structure is a strong family unit that is anchored by a husband who takes care of his wife and in turn she bears him children that are pleasing and honorable.

Although seeing this in the verse may be difficult, the concept is plainly taught in many places of scripture. None is a clear as Peter says in 1 Peter 3:7 when he calls the woman the “weaker vessel.” He said that men should dwell with their wives in knowledge, understanding his and her God-given roles. It is his job to protect her not only from those who would do her harm physically, but also those who would do her harm spiritually. The serpent beguiled Eve, not Adam, which led to the fall (1 Timothy 2:13-14).

The sense that women need protection is not a strange tenet of Bible thumpers. It turns out to be one of those pieces of inherent knowledge that God put into the human heart just like knowledge of His existence, of heaven, and of hell. Though there are some societies in which women are dominant as matriarchs, I know of none in which women are charged with protection of men. We know instinctively to shelter women and to risk dying for them should it be a choice between the man’s life or theirs.

This brings me to one of today’s hot topics. Should women be allowed to serve in the military in combat roles? No one mistakes there are times when women have been forced to defend and they have afforded themselves well. This is not about whether women should be excluded because they are never courageous. The problem is putting women in the position to protect men and to take the fall for them when this is against what God put instinctively in the heart.

Political correctness says that anyone who does not see women in all ways equal to men is a misogynist. However, there is no use lying to ourselves on this front. Women are not the same as men physically and are not suited for the same rigors of wars that men fight. They are not the same and neither is there a need to be. There is no inferiority in being different. Men and women are equal in worth to God, but He made us different to perform distinct functions.

Put yourself into a foxhole with your daughter. Who gets shielded from bullets? What man lets her be killed to protect him? What man lets any woman take a bullet for him? We aren’t wired this way and if there is anything a woman should cherish it is to be so revered by a man that he would give his life for her without ever thinking their roles should be reversed.

The Bible simply has a better way of doing things. The God who made us knows how to use us. If the world has a problem with this, we understand. The world has forever tried to suppress innate knowledge. What we do not understand is why any Christian would argue with it. We do not need a political debate on this. The Bible has already settled the debate.

 

Pastor V. Mark Smith