Are you challenged?

John 17

 15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one. 16 They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. 17 Sanctify them by Your truth. Your word is truth. 


The question really is for the church, for those that call themselves believers in Christ.

We are called to be set apart- to be sanctified.

But so many believers are filling up the church who don't want to hear the truth, they are more concerned with fitting in. There more concerned with following a man rather that caring if the pastor is teaching the word of God with boldness.

Are you challenged as you sit and listen?

Are you challenged as you Worship the Holy One of Israel- The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the World.

or

• Do you just attend church because its the right thing to do?
• Because its the cool thing to do in some hipster circles?
• Because the pastor tells great stories and makes you feel good about yourself?

Don't get me wrong, The Lord wants the best for us,but He wants us to be separate from the world not to be like it.

You really need to ask yourself the question; The church that I am sitting in, is it drawing me closer to the Lord and wanting to put off my flesh, or are you sitting in church careless of wanting to please the Lord, careless of being set apart, of bearing fruit, careless of being Holy for His glory.

Are you challenged?

Every Wind of Doctrine

Ephesians 4:14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting,

• ·         We need to be so careful today of the ideas and philosophies that go around today.
• ·         We need to be so careful with the heresies that go around today dressed in a form of godliness but denying its power.

The church today is slipping away from being Bereans who check everything anyone says with the truth of scripture and taking it as Gods word just because it has a couple versus added to what they say. 

I say all that because we can get so consumed when it comes to end time prophecy, and there are many websites that put out what they believe as truth but in the end it lacks clarity. There are teachings out there that are denying the rapture of the church, denying the realities of hell, putting their view above that of the Word of God, and these websites pull people in who are not checking what they say as right, they are not being discerning and then they come to church and pass out info on it.

We need to be students of the Word of God and not follow every wind of doctrine, and there are millions out there.

What we need to do if we hear something – ask?

1.       Does it line up with Scripture?

2.       What are their resources?

3.       What other websites do these people approve of?

4.       Is it glorifying man or God?

Our Lord is not a God of confusion, when we diligently seek out what His Word says, He will give us clarity.

Loving your enemies

I was listening to a message from John MacArthur and he shared this at the end of the message which bares repeating:

Below is the link and also the story:


https://www.gty.org/resources/sermons/2224/an-eye-for-an-eye-part-2

In the year 1567, King Phillip, II of Spain sent the Duke of Alva, and the Duke of Alva was notorious for his bitter hatred of everybody who embraced reformed Christianity.  It was the time of the reformation and people were turning from Catholicism to biblical Christianity and believing in Christ in a proper way.  And they hated those people.  In fact, the time of the of the Duke of Alva was known as the Reign of Terror in Spain, and the council of Alva was call the blood council, because they slaughtered so many people who embraced the reformed faith.

But the historians tell us about one man, a man named Dirk Willumzoon who became a Christian, a Protestant Christian, and thus was condemned to death in a torturous manner.  Somehow he made an escape and he began to run for his life.  It was near the end of winter and there were still some patches of snow on the ground, and as he ran and ran he finally came to the inevitable, a lake.  The lake was frozen, but not frozen very hard because winter was nearly over.  And yet he had no choice because he was being chased by one lone soldier.  And so he decided he’d run across the lake

And the historian says that as he ran, the lake ice began to crack and creek and shake under his feet as he pounded across.  But he didn’t stop because he wanted to avoid the terrible death that awaited him if he were caught.  He stretched his legs further and further in his strides until at last in one gasping leap he lunged himself and landed on the solidarity of the shore.  And as he began to take his next step he heard a cry of terror from behind him.  And he looked around, and the soldier who had been chasing him had fallen through and was clutching the ice for his life.

No one was near to help the soldier but Dirk.  But the soldier was his enemy. 

What would you do?  The historian tells us that Dirk went back, picking his way over the crackling ice, rescued his enemy, and brought him to safety. 

That’s the heart of the matter isn’t?  That’s the spirit of Jesus.  

The 70 Resolutions of Johnathan Edwards

The Resolutions of Jonathan Edwards (1722-1723)

Being sensible that I am unable to do anything without God’s help, I do humbly entreat him by his grace to enable me to keep these Resolutions, so far as they are agreeable to his will, for Christ’s sake.

Remember to read over these Resolutions once a week.

1. Resolved, that I will do whatsoever I think to be most to God’s glory, and my own good, profit and pleasure, in the whole of my duration, without any consideration of the time, whether now, or never so many myriad’s of ages hence. Resolved to do whatever I think to be my duty and most for the good and advantage of mankind in general. Resolved to do this, whatever difficulties I meet with, how many and how great soever.

2. Resolved, to be continually endeavoring to find out some new invention and contrivance to promote the aforementioned things.

3. Resolved, if ever I shall fall and grow dull, so as to neglect to keep any part of these Resolutions, to repent of all I can remember, when I come to myself again.

4. Resolved, never to do any manner of thing, whether in soul or body, less or more, but what tends to the glory of God; nor be, nor suffer it, if I can avoid it.

5. Resolved, never to lose one moment of time; but improve it the most profitable way I possibly can.

6. Resolved, to live with all my might, while I do live.

7. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if it were the last hour of my life.

8. Resolved, to act, in all respects, both speaking and doing, as if nobody had been so vile as I, and as if I had committed the same sins, or had the same infirmities or failings as others; and that I will let the knowledge of their failings promote nothing but shame in myself, and prove only an occasion of my confessing my own sins and misery to God.

9. Resolved, to think much on all occasions of my own dying, and of the common circumstances which attend death.

10. Resolved, when I feel pain, to think of the pains of martyrdom, and of hell.

11. Resolved, when I think of any theorem in divinity to be solved, immediately to do what I can towards solving it, if circumstances don’t hinder.

12. Resolved, if I take delight in it as a gratification of pride, or vanity, or on any such account, immediately to throw it by.

13. Resolved, to be endeavoring to find out fit objects of charity and liberality.

14. Resolved, never to do anything out of revenge.

15. Resolved, never to suffer the least motions of anger to irrational beings.

16. Resolved, never to speak evil of anyone, so that it shall tend to his dishonor, more or less, upon no account except for some real good.

17. Resolved, that I will live so as I shall wish I had done when I come to die.

18. Resolved, to live so at all times, as I think is best in my devout frames, and when I have clearest notions of things of the gospel, and another world.

19. Resolved, never to do anything, which I should be afraid to do, if I expected it would not be above an hour, before I should hear the last trump.

20. Resolved, to maintain the strictest temperance in eating and drinking.

21. Resolved, never to do anything, which if I should see in another, I should count a just occasion to despise him for, or to think any way the more meanly of him.

22. Resolved, to endeavor to obtain for myself as much happiness, in the other world, as I possibly can, with all the power; might, vigor, and vehemence, yea violence, I am capable of, or can bring myself to exert, in any way that can be thought of.

23. Resolved, frequently to take some deliberate action, which seems most unlikely to be done, for the glory of God, and trace it back to the original intention, designs and ends of it; and if I find it not to be for God’s glory, to repute it as a breach of the 4th Resolution.

24. Resolved, whenever I do any conspicuously evil action, to trace it back, till I come to the original cause; and then both carefully endeavor to do so no more, and to fight and pray with all my might against the original of it.

25. Resolved, to examine carefully, and constantly, what that one thing in me is, which causes me in the least to doubt of the love of God; and to direct all my forces against it.

26. Resolved, to cast away such things, as I find do abate my assurance.

27. Resolved, never willfully to omit anything, except the omission be for the glory of God; and frequently to examine my omissions.

28. Resolved, to study the Scriptures so steadily, constantly and frequently, as that I may find, and plainly perceive myself to grow in the knowledge of the same.

29. Resolved, never to count that a prayer, nor to let that pass as a prayer, nor that as a petition of a prayer, which is so made, that I cannot hope that God will answer it; nor that as a confession, which I cannot hope God will accept.

30. Resolved, to strive to my utmost every week to be brought higher in religion, and to a higher exercise of grace, than I was the week before.

31. Resolved, never to say anything at all against anybody, but when it is

perfectly agreeable to the highest degree of Christian honor, and of love to mankind, agreeable to the lowest humility, and sense of my own faults and failings, and agreeable to the golden rule; often, when I have said anything against anyone, to bring it to, and try it strictly by the test of this Resolution.

32. Resolved, to be strictly and firmly faithful to my trust, that that in Proverbs 20:6, “A faithful man who can find?” may not be partly fulfilled in me.

33. Resolved, always to do what I can towards making, maintaining, establishing and preserving peace, when it can be without over-balancing detriment in other respects. Dec.26, 1722.

34. Resolved, in narration’s never to speak anything but the pure and simple verity.

35. Resolved, whenever I so much question whether I have done my duty, as that my quiet and calm is thereby disturbed, to set it down, and also how the question was resolved. Dec. 18, 1722.

36. Resolved, never to speak evil of any, except I have some particular good call for it. Dec. 19, 1722.

37. Resolved, to inquire every night, as I am going to bed, wherein I have been negligent, what sin I have committed, and wherein I have denied myself: also at the end of every week, month and year. Dec.22 and 26, 1722.

38. Resolved, never to speak anything that is ridiculous, sportive, or matter of laughter on the Lord’s day. Sabbath evening, Dec. 23, 1722.

39. Resolved, never to do anything that I so much question the lawfulness of, as that I intend, at the same time, to consider and examine afterwards, whether it be lawful or no; except I as much question the lawfulness of the omission.

40. Resolved, to inquire every night, before I go to bed, whether I have acted in the best way I possibly could, with respect to eating and drinking. Jan. 7, 1723.

41. Resolved, to ask myself at the end of every day, week, month and year, wherein I could possibly in any respect have done better. Jan. 11, 1723.

42. Resolved, frequently to renew the dedication of myself to God, which was made at my baptism; which I solemnly renewed, when I was received into the communion of the church; and which I have solemnly re-made this twelfth day of January, 1722-23.

43. Resolved, never henceforward, till I die, to act as if I were any way my own, but entirely and altogether God’s, agreeable to what is to be found in Saturday, January 12. Jan.12, 1723.

44- Resolved, that no other end but religion, shall have any influence at all on any of my actions; and that no action shall be, in the least circumstance, any otherwise than the religious end will carry it. Jan.12, 1723.

45. Resolved, never to allow any pleasure or grief, joy or sorrow, nor any affection at all, nor any degree of affection, nor any circumstance relating to it, but what helps religion. Jan.12 and 13.1723.

46. Resolved, never to allow the least measure of any fretting uneasiness at my father or mother. Resolved to suffer no effects of it, so much as in the least alteration of speech, or motion of my eve: and to be especially careful of it, with respect to any of our family.

47. Resolved, to endeavor to my utmost to deny whatever is not most agreeable to a good, and universally sweet and benevolent, quiet, peace able, contented, easy, compassionate, generous, humble, meek, modest, submissive, obliging, diligent and industrious, charitable, even, patient, moderate, forgiving, sincere temper; and to do at all times what such a temper would lead me to. Examine strictly every week, whether I have done so. Sabbath morning. May 5,1723.

48. Resolved, constantly, with the utmost niceness and diligence, and the strictest scrutiny, to be looking into the state of my soul, that I may know whether I have truly an interest in Christ or no; that when I come to die, I may not have any negligence respecting this to repent of. May 26, 1723.

49. Resolved, that this never shall be, if I can help it.

50. Resolved, I will act so as I think I shall judge would have been best, and most prudent, when I come into the future world. July 5, 1723.

51. Resolved, that I will act so, in every respect, as I think I shall wish I had done, if I should at last be damned. July 8, 1723.

52. I frequently hear persons in old age say how they would live, if they were to live their lives over again: Resolved, that I will live just so as I can think I shall wish I had done, supposing I live to old age. July 8, 1723.

53. Resolved, to improve every opportunity, when I am in the best and happiest frame of mind, to cast and venture my soul on the Lord Jesus Christ, to trust and confide in him, and consecrate myself wholly to him; that from this I may have assurance of my safety, knowing that I confide in my Redeemer. July 8, 1723.

54. Whenever I hear anything spoken in conversation of any person, if I think it would be praiseworthy in me, Resolved to endeavor to imitate it. July 8, 1723.

55. Resolved, to endeavor to my utmost to act as I can think I should do, if I had already seen the happiness of heaven, and hell torments. July 8, 1723.

56. Resolved, never to give over, nor in the least to slacken my fight with my corruptions, however unsuccessful I may be.

57. Resolved, when I fear misfortunes and adversities, to examine whether ~ have done my duty, and resolve to do it; and let it be just as providence orders it, I will as far as I can, be concerned about nothing but my duty and my sin. June 9, and July 13 1723.

58. Resolved, not only to refrain from an air of dislike, fretfulness, and anger in conversation, but to exhibit an air of love, cheerfulness and benignity. May27, and July 13, 1723.

59. Resolved, when I am most conscious of provocations to ill nature and anger, that I will strive most to feel and act good-naturedly; yea, at such times, to manifest good nature, though I think that in other respects it would be disadvantageous, and so as would be imprudent at other times. May 12, July ii, and July 13.

60. Resolved, whenever my feelings begin to appear in the least out of order, when I am conscious of the least uneasiness within, or the least irregularity without, I will then subject myself to the strictest examination. July 4, and 13, 1723.

61. Resolved, that I will not give way to that listlessness which I find unbends and relaxes my mind from being fully and fixedly set on religion, whatever excuse I may have for it-that what my listlessness inclines me to do, is best to be done, etc. May 21, and July 13, 1723.

62. Resolved, never to do anything but duty; and then according to Ephesians 6:6-8, do it willingly and cheerfully as unto the Lord, and not to man; “knowing that whatever good thing any man doth, the same shall he receive of the Lord.” June 25 and July 13, 1723.

63. On the supposition, that there never was to be but one individual in the world, at any one time, who was properly a complete Christian, in all respects of a right stamp, having Christianity always shining in its true luster, and appearing excellent and lovely, from whatever part and under whatever character viewed: Resolved, to act just as I would do, if I strove with all my might to be that one, who should live in my time. Jan.14′ and July ’3′ 1723.

64. Resolved, when I find those “groanings which cannot be uttered” (Romans 8:26), of which the Apostle speaks, and those “breakings of soul for the longing it hath,” of which the Psalmist speaks, Psalm 119:20, that I will promote them to the utmost of my power, and that I will not be wear’, of earnestly endeavoring to vent my desires, nor of the repetitions of such earnestness. July 23, and August 10, 1723.

65. Resolved, very much to exercise myself in this all my life long, viz. with the greatest openness I am capable of, to declare my ways to God, and lay open my soul to him: all my sins, temptations, difficulties, sorrows, fears, hopes, desires, and every thing, and every circumstance; according to Dr. Manton’s 27th Sermon on Psalm 119. July 26, and Aug.10 1723.

66. Resolved, that I will endeavor always to keep a benign aspect, and air of acting and speaking in all places, and in all companies, except it should so happen that duty requires otherwise.

67. Resolved, after afflictions, to inquire, what I am the better for them, what good I have got by them, and what I might have got by them.

68. Resolved, to confess frankly to myself all that which I find in myself, either infirmity or sin; and, if it be what concerns religion, also to confess the whole case to God, and implore needed help. July 23, and August 10, 1723.

69. Resolved, always to do that, which I shall wish I had done when I see others do it. Aug. 11, 1723.

70. Let there be something of benevolence, in all that I speak.

David Wilkerson

A man who said it and meant it....

Why did we preach the law for so long in our church? We did it because many in our congregation were calling themselves Christians -- yet their lives didn't reflect it!

In those early years, many people came forward to the altar at the end of every service. They repeated a pastoral prayer and "accepted salvation by faith." Yet, most of those people never felt any conviction for their sin. They didn't experience godly sorrow -- and so their lives didn't reveal true repentance.

Supposedly repentant theater actors professed Christ on Sunday but went back to their blasphemous shows during the week. Homosexuals prayed for salvation but still indulged in their sinful lifestyle. Others confessed Jesus at our altar yet continued their adulterous affairs, fornication or drug use.

This is why we thundered conviction from our pulpit! The Holy Ghost led our pastoral team to expose all sin, rebellion and disobedience to his word. We preached hell so hot, people got up and left our services. And we preached heaven so real, compromisers trembled at the awesome reality of Christ's holiness.

Our preaching of the law was absolutely necessary at that time. It is God's mirror, revealing every hidden, secret thing. And it brought the people in our congregation to an awareness of the exceeding sinfulness of sin.

While some people ran out, others ran forward in genuine repentance. One of these was a booming-voiced actor named David Davis. He surrendered all to Jesus in true repentance. And today, he and his wife pastor a thriving church in Israel, where they've preached Christ for almost ten years.

While the true work of repentance was accomplishing its purpose in our church, the Holy Spirit then led us to preach the glory of grace. We taught on the New Covenant, on power over sin through the Holy Spirit, on walking by faith. In short, we began to build up the saints.

Through that whole experience, we also discovered the dangers of preaching only the law and focusing primarily on sin. If people are given a steady diet of this message alone, they begin to lose hope and wallow in despair, thinking, "I'll never measure up." They constantly turn inward rather than looking to the cross for hope.

Yet when a church is the Lord's, it can trust God's Spirit to bring the message of the law whenever it's needed. If Jesus sees his people lapsing into an "easy believism," he'll once again bring the lash of the law upon them, with all mercy and grace.

You see, repentance isn't a one-time experience. It's not some hurricane that strikes once and then is gone forever. Nor do we experience repentance only in a moment of crisis, and then merely talk about it the rest of our lives. No -- sorrow for sin should be our constant teacher!

Spurgeon testified, "I freely confess that I have a very much greater sorrow for sin today than I had when I came to the savior more than thirty years ago. I hate sin more intensely now than I did when I was under conviction. There are some things that I did not know to be sin then, that I know to be sin now. I have a much keener sense of the vileness of my own heart now than when I first came to Christ...

"Sorrow for sin is a perpetual rain, a sweet, soft shower, which to a truly saved man lasts all his life long...He is always sorrowful that he has sinned...He will never stop grieving until all sin has gone."

Be on Guard

Jud 1:4 For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of our God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.

The enemy comes around as an angel of light, to deceive even the elect. He uses people that have some significance in the world that people hold up in esteem to influence and persuade, but the reality is that they are far from what the scripture would call followers of Christ.

They really lead people astray, and the world is following suit. Mother Theresa is well known all around the world, but she was far from perfect and far from being completely obedient to what was commissioned to anyone who claimed allegiance to Christ. John Macarthur went and visited her and was wondering why she never tried to convert Hindu’s who were on their deathbed, people who needed to hear the gospel, people who be eternally damned if they did not repent of their sins and confess Jesus as Lord and Savior, when asked why she did not do this  and she stated, "If in coming face to face with God we accept Him in our lives, then we become a better Hindu, a better Muslim, a better Catholic, a better whatever we are.  What God is in your mind you must accept," end quote.

That statement alone would have anyone who reads the bible say, “Well that’s not true,” we know that there is no under name under name under heave by which we must be saved. We also know that when Paul wrote to the Galatians he stated in chapter 1 versus 8-9:

“But even if we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel to you than what we have preached to you, let him be accursed.  As we have said before, so now I say again, if anyone preaches any other gospel to you than what you have received, let him be accursed.”

We really need to ask ourselves:

1.       Is the Bible true?

2.       Do I believe everything it says?

3.       Am I will to search it out so I can show myself approved?

We cannot afford to believe something just because someone of significance says it, we must search the scriptures to see what our Lord says about it.

There are others that have believers chasing a rabbit trail that at times eventually has them question their faith. Because of the fact that prophecies that people claim do not come true, and they end up saying is it all worth it.

Two men to be careful of that are spreading the “blood Moon” idea are one, either out of their mind or two, doing it for profitable gain; Mark Blitz and John Hagee, of course what these guys are claiming is false and we must be Bereans and search the scripture. There are thousand listening and believing what they are saying.

Answers in Genesis have a great article that gives a lot clearer detail to help us understand what the scriptures speak of concerning the “Blood Moon”.

Jude wanted to write about the joys of the common salvation that all believers are part of, but he was compelled because of the heresies that were making head way to believers in the faith. There is so much that is going on and there is so much that is being believed that should be but is all of this we need to be diligent and studying the scriptures not falling for every wind of doctrine that comes our way.

Jesus is sufficient 

Beware of these Wolves

The church today is allowing so much of the world in their doors in the way that they do ministry, it rings true what Carter Conlon said in one of his most famous messages “Run” which was given after 9/11 in which he pleads for us to be so sensitive to the truth of God that he states how “truth is fallen in the streets”. Truth is crying out as wisdom does in the book of Proverbs to all who are simple minded.

 Pastors and teachers are more concerned about trying to be relevant and they are compromising the truth of the gospel, for a means of ungodly gain. (1 Tim 6:3-10)

The doctrine of repentance is never taught, and so people are getting a watered down truth that leads them to hell.

Where is the unction to proclaim the truth- Leonard Ravenhill

People are going to church believing they are saved because of what some wanna be pastor told them. They have been deceived because the pastor didn’t love them enough to tell the truth.

The church is getting these hipster pastors that try so hard not to offend and only teach a partial truth. When I say hipster I'm not saying with the way the dress that condemns them but they are not “sold out” for the kingdom, they are sold out for themselves. They must teach those that God has given them the whole counsel of God.

All too often we hear them say “it’s not my place to tell them, it Gods”. The truth of the matter is that Jesus gave gifts to men to be bold for Him to speak and teach His truth with clarity. If a man believes He is called by God to the ministry than he has an obligation to be obedient to what that really is. 2 Tim 3:16

This is a serious matter, people lives are at stake, people’s eternal lives, and these pastors are teaching a partial truth because they don’t want to offend. Did not Jesus say that His Word would cause division? (Luke 12:49-53)

Did not Jesus who is the Word, proclaim that there are sins that need to be repented of; and if that is the case would we not want to know what they were; and if we are committing them would we not want to repent (turn away) from them?

Why would we want to offend our Savior and do what He has said not to do?

So the duty of a pastor of a teacher of Gods Holy Word is to proclaim this truth; and by the way, Gods Word is not boring it doesn’t need our spin on it to make it attractive; it does that on its own. Beware of teachers out there who tell you how that shortened the message so it’s more palatable for the world, they took secular songs and added Christian words to them, beware of those that don’t preach the Word but give a motivational talks that only highlights their life.

God is love and His grace and mercy for us is sufficient-His Name is to be praised He alone is Worthy.

Preach the Gospel!!!

Judges 8:22

Then the men of Israel said to Gideon, “Rule over us, both you and your son, and your grandson also; for you have delivered us from the hand of Midian.”23 But Gideon said to them, “I will not rule over you, nor shall my son rule over you; the Lord shall rule over you.”

That’s the response of a true servant, someone who is humble enough to realize all the strength they have been given is from the Lord. All the victories that he was told would happen are from the mouth of the Lord. The people wanted a ruler, the people wanted a leader and they failed to look at the One who was already leading them.

That’s what the Christian church is doing today; we are looking for mere men to lead instead of someone who is completely sold out to Who Christ is.

Pastors and leaders today are so concerned about fitting in, so concerned about what everyone else is doing, that the church is looking more and more like the world rather than what God designed it to be.

The bible tells us that God will build His church, but now churches are having rock concerts with a light show and a fog machine, for what? We are downplaying the gospel and saying we are trying to reach this generation….Jesus will draw all men to Himself!!!!

The church needs to wake up, preach the gospel, preach repentance and stop trying to look or sound cool; we need to stop associating ourselves with those who preach another gospel.

To understand the fear of the Lord

Proverbs 2:1-5

My son, if you accept my words
    and store up my commands within you,
 turning your ear to wisdom
    and applying your heart to understanding—
 indeed, if you call out for insight
    and cry aloud for understanding,
 and if you look for it as for silver
    and search for it as for hidden treasure,
 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
    and find the knowledge of God.

Do we see the direction that is laid out for us,the progression that leads to an understanding of what the fear of the Lord is?

First one is accepting His Words, which is to take complete hold of, to take it as truth, to believe it with your whole heart. That's a big step because if we accept it as truth then there's a responsibility that we must consider as Mark 4:24 states “Consider carefully what you hear,”, really think about what you hear, and consider what you really hold dear to yourself.

The next one is to store up my commands, that is hiding it as a treasure since you believe it completely you hold it so dearly. Like the man who sold everything to buy a field that had the ultimate treasure. Its the same word used in chapter 10 of Proverbs "The wise store up knowledge, but the mouth of a fool invites ruin." If we desire to be wise than will desire to store up knowledge.

Which leads to the next action of turning our ear to wisdom, continually turning to hear what true wisdom is which is knowledge that is applied to life in which we should be applying our heart to understanding. The writer directs us to cry aloud, to look for it, to search it out as something precious.

How valuable does this sound?

How important is this?

When I really desire this then I will really seek it and heed what is explained, The Lord who inspired all of scripture knows how we are, knows the direction we can go. That why He gives these steps, thats shows a love we can never explain.

God is saying if you want to understand Me accept what I say, store it in your heart, turn your ear to hear, apply all that you are learning, call out for it, look for it, search for it intently.....then you will understand what the fear of the Lord is.

Annointing

From a message by Leonard Ravenhill:


I told a story once let me tell you it again. I was going in Dr. Tozer's study one day and there he had a bit of paper he was stroking and he said, "Len I would rather have that bit of paper than a letter from the president of the United States." And I said, "Why"? He said it's from a little black man in Africa his names is Dumas. D-u-m-a-s. He went into a Baptist church one night and the Lord came upon him and he got wonderfully saved. And when he got to the door the preacher said, "Well nice to see you. Hope you come again." He said, "Yes." "Anything I can do for you?" And he, 'said yes, yes, yes sir there is." He said "What?" He said "Give me a church. "What did you say?" He said, "give me a church. I've been looking all my life for the thing I found there at that altar." And he said "Listen, I'm a new man. My burden's gone! I felt the fetters break! I felt the burden go from off my back! I felt something surging and making me pure and wonderful! I want to tell everybody! Give me a church to preach."

"Oh well... have you had much formal education?" 'No.' "Have you been to bible school?" 'No.' Well that was an advantage if he'd only known. And he hadn't been to bible school, and so finally the preacher said "You just keep coming." "But man," he said "this is wonderful. I'd heard it preached about being a new creation, but it happened in my life and I'm a new creature; old things have passed away. You know, I don't have a desire; I don't have a appetite. Everything's new! I want God I want God I want God!! But the preacher was at least honest, he said "You know I used to be like that... I used to be."

You know you're very sure your God's chosen people and before long your very sure you're God's frozen people.

The little black man went out. He came back a month later. The preacher was preaching and thinking "Now who's that fellow there? Yes I know, I know, yea, yea, yea I know who he is, I think I know who he is. And going out he said "Hi brother how are you?" he said "Fine." He said "I'd like to ask you a question." and he said "Go ahead" the preacher said. He said "Would you give me a church?" "Yes I thought you were the fellow, only been in church twice and you ask for a church each time you come. Do you think I have a pocket full of them or something, and here's one for you and one for...? He said "Sir your right I haven't been here for a month. When you told me at the door you'd see me again," He said "Sir I walked up that road outside of the city, I found a forest, I went in the forest I found a path, I found a stream, I found a hole in the wall, and I put a mark on the wall and I stayed there 21 days and 21 night with my Bible." And he said "Lord you and I just the two of us, we're going to have it out. Did I go out of that door with an assurance 'I called you to minister?' or did I go out and say 'you will never get me to preach?' It's one of the two." He said "I ate no bread, I talked with nobody, I washed my face in the stream, and right in the middle of that 21 days the Holy Ghost came upon me. And the Spirit said, 'I've called you to preach. And when you lay hands on the sick, the sick will recover.

Go ahead.' Are you going to give me a church?"

"Well, we do have an elder's meeting on Wednesday night." If you could come back on Sunday." And the elders discussed it and said, "You know, he's a bit of a freak, you're not going to get rid of him. Now we do have a little tin church out on the other side of town, you know a shack, Why not give it to him? it's only got 5 members. And you know, he's ignorant and rude, and his grammar isn't good, and he couldn't deal with a text very well, he couldn't... truth is, all he'd do is ill treat it. And they wouldn't want to go hear him after a few days, a few weeks, and they will close it down and say, 'You see, you weren't called.'"

Why was Tozer reading this little dog-eared paper—and Tozer, he's about as emotional as a toothpick— and he kisses the paper and says "I'd rather have this piece of paper than a letter from the President of the United States." He said, "At last, the man I've heard so much about. I've got a letter from him. Dumas, the man they sent outside of town; the man they thought they would break his heart with five colored people. Now he has one of the stateliest churches in the city of Durban! I believe after about 1200 people every Lord's day to hear him minister. The little church that sat in judgment on him is still a little shrunken church. But listen friend, is the secret that he went a cave for 21 days and said "Lord, in the light of eternity you talk into this heart of mine and your going to tell me one of two things: either I'm anointed to preach or I'm not? (Did you ever do that preacher? It's tough.) That's not the secret.

As I remember the story it's this: that he went into that cave on the 17th of November, and every year more than 15 years in succession, when he came to the 17th of November he kissed his wife and children goodbye. I don't think he kissed the deacons, but he said goodbye to the deacons, and he went back into that cave and stayed 21 days and 21 nights. Only a few preachers can say amen to that, you'd better not because you dare not some of you. days to renew his anointing! Every year he's had new councils from God, new revelations from God, new anointings from God! There is no such thing as one filling with the Holy Ghost that's going to last you from here to eternity, I don't believe that. Do you believe that brother Murrel? No sir. There are repeated anointings; there are times when God will withdraw himself and make you feel as though your dropping into the nether most hell. He'll leave you alone to see if your going to struggle after His anointing or your gonna go on in your own eloquence and ability. The Lord thy God is a jealous God!

"Gave Himself"

Galatians 1:3-4 

Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, 4 who gave Himself for our sins, that He might deliver us from this present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, 5 to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.

Paul had a heart that rejoiced in every circumstance he was in, and in every circumstance he would face. This letter to the Galatians was a letter that Paul wrote to the church of Galatia questioning why they got caught up in the lies of Judaism after he spent so much time with them; explaining the scriptures, explaining the gospel which Christ revealed to him. His heart was broke and he was confused as to why they would go back to a system that didn’t work. Why they would go back to a system that doesn’t bring Christ glory.

We are no different, all too often we go back to something that doesn’t work, and we go back to something that doesn’t produce peace. We justify in our minds that we are all good and God understands. We cannot afford to believe the lies of the enemy; we must look to God if we are His. The Holy Spirit says to us today in this verse which is the most beautiful part of this letter here in verse four of chapter 1 which shows the heart of our Savior.

“Who gave Himself for our sins”…..

Think about that, “gave Himself” the Lord of all creation became the sacrifice that would set us free from the bondage of sin. As a church we need to be careful not to get caught up in the schemes of the enemy but run to Christ and look at what He says in His Word, that’s what gives us life, that’s what gives us hope.

Christ gave Himself to you to deliver you from this evil age.

Great Things

Jeremiah 45

The word that Jeremiah the prophet spoke to Baruch the son of Neriah, when he had written these words in a book at the instruction of Jeremiah, in the fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying, 2 “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to you, O Baruch: 3 ‘You said, “Woe is me now! For the Lord has added grief to my sorrow. I fainted in my sighing, and I find no rest.”’

4 “Thus you shall say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Behold, what I have built I will break down, and what I have planted I will pluck up, that is, this whole land. 5 And do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for behold, I will bring adversity on all flesh,” says the Lord. “But I will give your life to you as a prize in all places, wherever you go.”’

I believe in the midst of all that we go through there are times when we strive to no end; we strive to accomplish something that benefits only us. That maybe we will add something to our repertoire, a feather in our cap a collection on our wall, but at the end of the day we have to ask ourselves, does it glorify God?

It’s our human nature to strive to attain and if we are honest with our self we will say to make our self look good. But the life of a Christian is really all about humility it’s about seeking ways for God to get the glory. As we see in this chapter Baruch was having a pity party, he was feeling at the end of himself, never once thinking that God is allowing what he was going on for a purpose. Because that’s what God does, He’s sovereign. In this chapter God declares He will do what He please, and He still is God, but the provoking thought that is present in which God asks Baruch is…

“Do you seek great things for yourself;” It’s as if He is asking Baruch are you seeking great things for you or for Me? Are you concerned with how you feel or are you praying My will be done? He asks us that today beloved, and at the same time He says if we are doing that, He says do not.

God is sovereign, He is in control, His ways are way better than what we may conjure up. Before we start to ask why all this may be happening; let us rather ask “Lord help me see that you are doing something that is for your glory”.

That song “God of this city” is always worth listening to and I love the chorus which helps us to put in perspective that He is who He says He is.

For greater things have yet to come

And greater things are still to be done in this City

There is no one like our God

-Amen

Glory Revealed

Psalm 19 The heavens declare the glory of God;

And the firmament shows His handiwork.

2 Day unto day utters speech,

And night unto night reveals knowledge.

3 There is no speech nor language

Where their voice is not heard.

4 Their line has gone out through all the earth,

And their words to the end of the world.

Better than any master builder, greater than any construct that has been formed or planned. The bible records the greatness of God, His skillset is incomprehensible, the work of His hands is unmatched. How He created everything out of nothing is unfathomable, by us just going outside and looking all around and taking the time to look at the creation, there’s no doubt that something is behind the beauty of what we see. There’s no doubt that the Creator took the time to design all that was formed.

Romans 1 tell us in vs. 20 “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen.”  His invisible attributes in what He has created can be seen in nature, in the way everything works, in the setting of the sun and the moon, in the timing of fruits and vegetables in their harvest and to add to the thought of what He has done; think about how He had created you, how the bible tells us that we are fearfully and wonderfully made. That thought right there should make us take a few steps back and be in awe of who He is.

Isa 45:18 For thus says the Lord,

Who created the heavens,

Who is God,

Who formed the earth and made it,

Who has established it,

Who did not create it in vain,

Who formed it to be inhabited:

“I am the Lord, and there is no other.

If the heavens declare the glory of God, if all that surrounds us declare the glory of God, if Jesus who is God became a man and died on the cross for the sins of the whole world declare the glory of God. How much more should our life give Him all that He is worthy for, all the praise, all the honor is rightfully His. May He continue to work in each one of revealing His Son our King Jesus Christ even more until He returns. To God be the Glory.

The Chicago Statement

PREFACE

     The authority of Scripture is a key issue for the Christian Church in this and every age. Those who profess faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior are called to show the reality of their discipleship by humbly and faithfully obeying God's written Word. To stray from Scripture in faith or conduct is disloyalty to our Master. Recognition of the total truth and trustworthiness of Holy Scripture is essential to a full grasp and adequate confession of its authority.
     The following Statement affirms this inerrancy of Scripture afresh, making clear our understanding of it and warning against its denial. We are persuaded that to deny it is to set aside the witness of Jesus Christ and of the Holy Spirit and to refuse that submission to the claims of God's own Word that marks true Christian faith. We see it as our timely duty to make this affirmation in the face of current lapses from the truth of inerrancy among our fellow Christians and misunderstanding of this doctrine in the world at large.
     This Statement consists of three parts: a Summary Statement, Articles of Affirmation and Denial, and an accompanying Exposition. It has been prepared in the course of a three-day consultation in Chicago. Those who have signed the Summary Statement and the Articles wish to affirm their own conviction as to the inerrancy of Scripture and to encourage and challenge one another and all Christians to growing appreciation and understanding of this doctrine. We acknowledge the limitations of a document prepared in a brief, intensive conference and do not propose that this Statement be given creedal weight. Yet we rejoice in the deepening of our own convictions through our discussions together, and we pray that the Statement we have signed may be used to the glory of our God toward a new reformation of the Church in its faith, life and mission.
     We offer this Statement in a spirit, not of contention, but of humility and love, which we propose by God's grace to maintain in any future dialogue arising out of what we have said. We gladly acknowledge that many who deny the inerrancy of Scripture do not display the consequences of this denial in the rest of their belief and behavior, and we are conscious that we who confess this doctrine often deny it in life by failing to bring our thoughts and deeds, our traditions and habits, into true subjection to the divine Word.
     We invite response to this Statement from any who see reason to amend its affirmations about Scripture by the light of Scripture itself, under whose infallible authority we stand as we speak. We claim no personal infallibility for the witness we bear, and for any help that enables us to strengthen this testimony to God's Word we shall be grateful.

I. SUMMARY STATEMENT

     1. God, who is Himself Truth and speaks truth only, has inspired Holy Scripture in order thereby to reveal Himself to lost mankind through Jesus Christ as Creator and Lord, Redeemer and Judge. Holy Scripture is God's witness to Himself.
     2. Holy Scripture, being God's own Word, written by men prepared and superintended by His Spirit, is of infallible divine authority in all matters upon which it touches: It is to be believed, as God's instruction, in all that it affirms; obeyed, as God's command, in all that it requires; embraced, as God's pledge, in all that it promises.
     3. The Holy Spirit, Scripture's divine Author, both authenticates it to us by His inward witness and opens our minds to understand its meaning.
     4. Being wholly and verbally God-given, Scripture is without error or fault in all its teaching, no less in what it states about God's acts in creation, about the events of world history, and about its own literary origins under God, than in its witness to God's saving grace in individual lives.
     5. The authority of Scripture is inescapably impaired if this total divine inerrancy is in any way limited of disregarded, or made relative to a view of truth contrary to the Bible's own; and such lapses bring serious loss to both the individual and the Church.

II. ARTICLES OF AFFIRMATION AND DENIAL

Article I.
     We affirm that the Holy Scriptures are to be received as the authoritative Word of God.
     We deny that the Scriptures receive their authority from the Church, tradition, or any other human source.

Article II.
     We affirm that the Scriptures are the supreme written norm by which God binds the conscience, and that the authority of the Church is subordinate to that of Scripture.
     We deny that church creeds, councils, or declarations have authority greater than or equal to the authority of the Bible.

Article III.
     We affirm that the written Word in its entirety is revelation given by God.
     We deny that the Bible is merely a witness to revelation, or only becomes revelation in encounter, or depends on the responses of men for its validity.

Article IV.
     We affirm that God who made mankind in His image has used language as a means of revelation.
     We deny that human language is so limited by our creatureliness that it is rendered inadequate as a vehicle for divine revelation. We further deny that the corruption of human culture and language through sin has thwarted God's work of inspiration.

Article V.
     We affirm that God's revelation in the Holy Scriptures was progressive.
     We deny that later revelation, which may fulfill earlier revelation, ever corrects or contradicts it. We further deny that any normative revelation has been given since the completion of the New Testament writings.

Article VI.
     We affirm that the whole of Scripture and all its parts, down to the very words of the original, were given by divine inspiration.
     We deny that the inspiration of Scripture can rightly be affirmed of the whole without the parts, or of some parts but not the whole.

Article VII.
     We affirm that inspiration was the work in which God by His Spirit, through human writers, gave us His Word. The origin of Scripture is divine. The mode of divine inspiration remains largely a mystery to us.
     We deny that inspiration can be reduced to human insight, or to heightened states of consciousness of any kind.

Article VIII.
     We affirm that God in His work of inspiration utilized the distinctive personalities and literary styles of the writers whom He had chosen and prepared.
     We deny that God, in causing these writers to use the very words that He chose, overrode their personalities.

Article IX.
     We affirm that inspiration, though not conferring omniscience, guaranteed true and trustworthy utterance on all matters of which the Biblical authors were moved to speak and write.
     We deny that the finitude or falseness of these writers, by necessity or otherwise, introduced distortion or falsehood into God's Word.

Article X.
     We affirm that inspiration, strictly speaking, applies only to the autographic text of Scripture, which in the providence of God can be ascertained from available manuscripts with great accuracy. We further affirm that copies and translations of Scripture are the Word of God to the extent that they faithfully represent the original.
     We deny that any essential element of the Christian faith is affected by the absence of the autographs. We further deny that this absence renders the assertion of Biblical inerrancy invalid or irrelevant.

Article XI.
     We affirm that Scripture, having been given by divine inspiration, is infallible, so that, far from misleading us, it is true and reliable in all the matters it addresses.
     We deny that it is possible for the Bible to be at the same time infallible and errant in its assertions. Infallibility and inerrancy may be distinguished but not separated.

Article XII.
     We affirm that Scripture in its entirety is inerrant, being free from all falsehood, fraud, or deceit.
     We deny that Biblical infallibility and inerrancy are limited to spiritual, religious, or redemptive themes, exclusive of assertions in the fields of history and science. We further deny that scientific hypotheses about earth history may properly be used to overturn the teaching of Scripture on creation and the flood.

Article XIII.
     We affirm the propriety of using inerrancy as a theological term with reference to the complete truthfulness of Scripture.
     We deny that it is proper to evaluate Scripture according to standards of truth and error that are alien to its usage or purpose. We further deny that inerrancy is negated by Biblical phenomena such as a lack of modern technical precision, irregularities of grammar or spelling, observational descriptions of nature, the reporting of falsehoods, the use of hyperbole and round numbers, the topical arrangement of material, variant selections of material in parallel accounts, or the use of free citations.

Article XIV.
     We affirm the unity and internal consistency of Scripture.
     We deny that alleged errors and discrepancies that have not yet been resolved violate the truth claims of the Bible.

Article XV.
     We affirm that the doctrine of inerrancy is grounded in the teaching of the Bible about inspiration.
     We deny that Jesus' teaching about Scripture may be dismissed by appeals to accommodation or to any natural limitation of His humanity.

Article XVI.
     We affirm that the doctrine of inerrancy has been integral to the Church's faith throughout its history.
     We deny that inerrancy is a doctrine invented by scholastic Protestantism, or is a reactionary position postulated in response to negative higher criticism.

Article XVII.
     We affirm that the Holy Spirit bears witness to the Scriptures, assuring believers of the truthfulness of God's written Word.
     We deny that this witness of the Holy Spirit operates in isolation from or against Scripture.

Article XVIII.
     We affirm that the text of Scripture is to be interpreted by grammatico-historical exegesis, taking account of its literary forms and devices, and that Scripture is to interpret Scripture.
     We deny the legitimacy of any treatment of the text or quest for sources lying behind it that leads or relativizing, dehistoricizing, or discounting its teaching, or rejecting its claims of authorship.

Article XIX.
     We affirm that a confession of the full authority, infallibility and inerrancy of Scripture is vital to a sound understanding of the whole of the Christian faith. We further affirm that such confession should lead to increasing conformity to the image of Christ.
     We deny that such confession is necessary for salvation. However, we further deny that inerrancy can be rejected without grave consequences, both to the individual and to the Church.

III. EXPOSITION

     Our understanding of the doctrine of inerrancy must be set in the context of the broader teachings of Scripture concerning itself. This exposition gives an account of the outline of doctrine from which our Summary Statement and Articles are drawn.

A. Creation, Revelation and Inspiration
     The God, who formed all things by his creative utterances and governs all things by His Word of decree, made mankind in His own image for a life of communion with Himself, on the model of the eternal fellowship of loving communication within the Godhead. As God's image-bearer, man was to hear God's Word addressed to him and to respond in the joy of adoring obedience. Over and above God's self-disclosure in the created order and the sequence of events within it, human beings from Adam on have received verbal messages from Him, either directly, as stated in Scripture, or indirectly in the form of part or all of Scripture itself.
     When Adam fell, the Creator did not abandon mankind to final judgement, but promised salvation and began to reveal Himself as Redeemer in a sequence of historical events centering on Abraham's family and culminating in the life, death, resurrection, present heavenly ministry and promised return of Jesus Christ. Within this frame God has from time to time spoken specific words of judgement and mercy, promise and command, to sinful human beings, so drawing them into a covenant relation of mutual commitment between Him and them in which He blesses them with gifts of grace and they bless Him in responsive adoration. Moses, whom God used as mediator to carry his words to His people at the time of the exodus, stands at the head of a long line of prophets in whose mouths and writings God put His words for delivery to Israel. God's purpose in this succession of messages was to maintain His covenant by causing His people to know His name--that is, His nature--and His will both of precept and purpose in the present and for the future. This line of prophetic spokesmen from God came to completion in Jesus Christ, God's incarnate Word, who was Himself a prophet--more that a prophet, but not less--and in the apostles and prophets of the first Christian generation. When God's final and climactic message, His word to the world concerning Jesus Christ, had been spoken and elucidated by those in the apostolic circle, the sequence of revealed messages ceased. Henceforth the Church was to live and know God by what He had already said, and said for all time.
     At Sinai God wrote the terms of His covenant on tablets of stone as His enduring witness and for lasting accessibility, and throughout the period of prophetic and apostolic revelation He prompted men to write the messages given to and through them, along with celebratory records of His dealings with His people, plus moral reflections on covenant life and forms of praise and prayer for covenant mercy. The theological reality of inspiration in the producing of Biblical documents corresponds to that of spoken prophecies: Although the human writers' personalities were expressed in what they wrote, the words were divinely constituted. Thus what Scripture says, God says; its authority is His authority, for He is its ultimate Author, having given it through the minds and words of chosen and prepared men who in freedom and faithfulness "spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit" (2 Pet 1:21). Holy Scripture must be acknowledged as the Word of God by virtue of its divine origin.

B. Authority: Christ and the Bible
     Jesus Christ, the Son of God who is the Word made flesh, our Prophet, Priest and King, is the ultimate Mediator of God's communication to man, as He is of all God's gifts of grace. The revelation He gave was more that verbal; He revealed the Father by His presence and His deeds as well. Yet His words were crucially important ; for He was God, He spoke from the Father, and His words will judge all men at the last day.
     As the prophesied Messiah, Jesus Christ is the central theme of Scripture. The Old Testament looked ahead to Him; the New Testament looks back to His first coming and on to His second. Canonical Scripture is the divinely inspired and therefore normative witness to Christ. No hermeneutic, therefore, of which the historical Christ is not the focal point is acceptable. Holy Scripture must be treated as what it essentially is--the witness of the Father to the incarnate Son.
     It appears that the Old Testament canon had been fixed by the time of Jesus. The New Testament canon is likewise now closed, inasmuch as no new apostolic witness to the historical Christ can now be borne. No new revelation (as distinct from Spirit-given understanding of existing revelation) will be given until Christ comes again. The canon was created in principle by divine inspiration. The Church's part was to discern the canon that God had created, not to devise one of its own.
     The word 'canon', signifying a rule of standard, is a pointer to authority, which means the right to rule and control. Authority in Christianity belongs to God in His revelation, which means, on the one hand, Jesus Christ, the living Word, and, on the other hand, Holy Scripture, the written Word. But the authority of Christ and that of Scripture are one. As our Prophet, Christ testified that Scripture cannot be broken. As our Priest and King, He devoted His earthly life to fulfilling the law and the prophets, even dying in obedience to the words of messianic prophecy. Thus as He saw Scripture attesting Him and His authority, so by His own submission to Scripture He attested its authority. As He bowed to His Father's instruction given in His Bible (our Old Testament), so He requires His disciples to do--not, however, in isolation but in conjunction with the apostolic witness to Himself that He undertook to inspire by his gift of the Holy Spirit. So Christians show themselves faithful servants of their Lord by bowing to the divine instruction given in the prophetic and apostolic writings that together make up our Bible.
     By authenticating each other's authority, Christ and Scripture coalesce into a single fount of authority. The Biblically-interpreted Christ and the Christ-centered, Christ-proclaiming Bible are from this standpoint one. As from the fact of inspiration we infer that what Scripture says, God says, so from the revealed relation between Jesus Christ and Scripture we may equally declare that what Scripture says, Christ says.

C. Infallibility, Inerrancy, Interpretation
     Holy Scripture, as the inspired Word of God witnessing authoritatively to Jesus Christ, may properly be called 'infallible' and 'inerrant'. These negative terms have a special value, for they explicitly safeguard crucial positive truths.
     'Infallible' signifies the quality of neither misleading nor being misled and so safeguards in categorical terms the truth that Holy Scripture is a sure, safe and reliable rule and guide in all matters.
     Similarly, 'inerrant' signifies the quality of being free from all falsehood or mistake and so safeguards the truth that Holy Scripture is entirely true and trustworthy in all its assertions.
     We affirm that canonical Scripture should always be interpreted on the basis that it is infallible and inerrant. However, in determining what the God-taught writer is asserting in each passage, we must pay the most careful attention to its claims and character as a human production. In inspiration, God utilized the culture and conventions of his penman's milieu, a milieu that God controls in His sovereign providence; it is misinterpretation to imagine otherwise.
     So history must be treated as history, poetry as poetry, hyperbole and metaphor as hyperbole and metaphor, generalization and approximation as what they are, and so forth. Differences between literary conventions in Bible times and in ours must also be observed: Since, for instance, nonchronological narration and imprecise citation were conventional and acceptable and violated no expectations in those days, we must not regard these things as faults when we find them in Bible writers. When total precision of a particular kind was not expected nor aimed at, it is no error not to have achieved it. Scripture is inerrant, not in the sense of being absolutely precise by modern standards, but in the sense of making good its claims and achieving that measure of focused truth at which its authors aimed.
     The truthfulness of Scripture is not negated by the appearance in it of irregularities of grammar or spelling, phenomenal descriptions of nature, reports of false statements (for example, the lies of Satan), or seeming discrepancies between one passage and another. It is not right to set the so-called "phenomena" of Scripture against the teaching of Scripture about itself. Apparent inconsistencies should not be ignored. Solution of them, where this can be convincingly achieved, will encourage our faith, and where for the present no convincing solution is at hand we shall significantly honor God by trusting His assurance that His Word is true, despite these appearances, and by maintaining our confidence that one day they will be seen to have been illusions.
     Inasmuch as all Scripture is the product of a single divine mind, interpretation must stay within the bounds of the analogy of Scripture and eschew hypotheses that would correct one Biblical passage by another, whether in the name of progressive revelation or of the imperfect enlightenment of the inspired writer's mind.
     Although Holy Scripture is nowhere culture-bound in the sense that its teaching lacks universal validity, it is sometimes culturally conditioned by the customs and conventional views of a particular period, so that the application of its principles today calls for a different sort of action.

D. Skepticism and Criticism
     Since the Renaissance, and more particularly since the Enlightenment, world views have been developed that involve skepticism about basic Christian tenets. Such are the agnosticism that denies that God is knowable, the rationalism that denies that He is incomprehensible, the idealism that denies that He is transcendent, and the existentialism that denies rationality in His relationships with us. When these un- and anti-Biblical principles seep into men's theologies at presuppositional level, as today they frequently do, faithful interpretation of Holy Scripture becomes impossible.

E. Transmission and Translation
     Since God has nowhere promised an inerrant transmission of Scripture, it is necessary to affirm that only the autographic text of the original documents was inspired and to maintain the need of textual criticism as a means of detecting any slips that may have crept into the text in the course of its transmission. The verdict of this science, however, is that the Hebrew and Greek text appears to be amazingly well preserved, so that we are amply justified in affirming, with the Westminster Confession, a singular providence of God in this matter and in declaring that the authority of Scripture is in no way jeopardized by the fact that the copies we possess are not entirely error-free.
     Similarly, no translation is or can be perfect, and all translations are an additional step away from the autograph. Yet the verdict of linguistic science is that English-speaking Christians, at least, are exceedingly well served in these days with a host of excellent translations and have no cause for hesitating to conclude that the true Word of God is within their reach. Indeed, in view of the frequent repetition in Scripture of the main matters with which it deals and also of the Holy Spirit's constant witness to and through the Word, no serious translation of Holy Scripture will so destroy its meaning as to render it unable to make its reader "wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus" (2 Tim. 3:15).

F. Inerrancy and Authority
     In our affirmation of the authority of Scripture as involving its total truth, we are consciously standing with Christ and His apostles, indeed with the whole Bible and with the main stream of Church history from the first days until very recently. We are concerned at that casual, inadvertent and seemingly thoughtless way in which a belief of such far-reaching importance has been given up by so many in our day.
     We are conscious too that great and grave confusion results from ceasing to maintain the total truth of the Bible whose authority one professes to acknowledge. The result of taking this step is that the Bible that God gave loses its authority, and what has authority instead is a Bible reduced in content according to the demands of one's critical reasoning and in principle reducible still further once one has started. This means that at bottom independent reason now has authority, as opposed to Scriptural teaching. If this is not seen and if for the time being basic evangelical doctrines are still held, persons denying the full truth of Scripture may claim an evangelical identity while methodologically they have moved away from the evangelical principle of knowledge to an unstable subjectivism, and will find it hard not to move further.
     We affirm that what Scripture says, God says. May He be glorified.
     Amen and Amen.