Category: Authority

NEW YORK – Anne Rice has had a religious conversion: She’s no longer a Christian.

“In the name of Christ, I refuse to be anti-gay. I refuse to be anti-feminist. I refuse to be anti-artificial birth control,” the author wrote Wednesday on her Facebook page. “In the name of … Christ, I quit Christianity and being Christian. Amen.”

Rice, 68, is best known for “Interview With a Vampire” and other gothic novels. Raised as a Catholic, she had rejected the church early in her life but renewed her faith in recent years and in 2008 released the memoir “Called Out of Darkness: A Spiritual Confession.”

Hillel Italie
Associated Press

Continue reading “In the News: Queen of Vampires No Longer a Christian” →

Consider the following quote:

“For the postmodern and mystic, … words are only symbols for a subjective interpretation of and experience with the “Living Word.” (Randall Price, Searching for the Original Bible, page 27).

This quote accurately describes the attitude of the majority of religious people in our day. The Bible, while a comfort and precious object, has little bearing on their daily walk. Their view is that a relationship with Christ is sufficient, and that it can be obtained on their own terms.

But, in truth, our understanding of Christ, and our relationship with Him depends upon His written word. It is the “word of life” we are to be “holding fast” (cf Philippians 2:16). It is that which perfects a man (2 Timothy 3:16-17). It must be known and obeyed.

The sermon seeks to explain what is, and what is not Autonomy, as revealed and defined in the Scriptures, especially regarding the Lord’s Church.

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

Two questions are answered in this lesson.

• Is every individual who asks worthy of benevolent help?
• Is the church limited with regard to whom they offer benevolent help?

Sermon PowerPoint: Click Here .

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

I am going to include in this post all of the sermons preached by brother Keith Greer in our recent meeting, November 7-12, 2009.

The Perils of Postponement (Saturday)
Sermon PowerPoint: Click Here .
Sermon Audio: Click Here .

Rise Above Minimal Service (Sunday Class)
Sermon PowerPoint: Click Here .
Sermon Audio: Click Here .

Prayerlessness (Sunday AM)
Sermon PowerPoint: Click Here .
Sermon Audio: Click Here .

Uncompromising Faith (Sunday PM)
Sermon PowerPoint: Click Here .
Sermon Audio: Click Here .

Will God Bless America? (Monday)
Sermon PowerPoint: Click Here .
Sermon Audio: Sorry, did not record.

Same Principles in Every Age (Tuesday)
Sermon PowerPoint: Click Here .
Sermon Audio: Click Here .

Keys to Joy (Wednesday AM)
Sermon PowerPoint: Click Here .
Sermon Audio: Click Here .

Gratitude (Wednesday PM)
Sermon PowerPoint: Click Here .
Sermon Audio: Click Here .

God Said, But… (Thursday)
Sermon PowerPoint: Click Here .
Sermon Audio: Click Here .

Brother Greer did a fine job this past week, and I commend each of these lessons to you!

The sermon is based upon a well known sermon chart, in which it is established that man must not go beyond the doctrine of Christ. Things such as the doctrines of men, perversions or changes of the gospel, acting outside of personal faith, standards of righteousness established by men, and the wisdom that emanates from man are condemned in scripture.

Sermon PowerPoint: Click Here .

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

The New Testament reveals characteristics concerning the church established by Christ. This church, as contrasted with the denominations of our day, is the only legitimate religious organization in which Christians should be members. This sermon reveals what are the identifying characteristics of that church.

Sermon PowerPoint: Click Here .

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

In 2 Corinthians 10, Paul gives one of his many defenses of his work as an Apostle of Jesus Christ. Paul affirms that he came to the Corinthians with the gospel, and as such, with the authority of Jesus Christ.

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

The divine wisdom of God has established the roles of men and women in the home. The husband is the head, and must be deferential and loving in his treatment of his wife. The wife is submit to the leadership of her husband in the home (Ephesians 5:22-33; 1 Peter 3:1-7).

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

Balderdash – NONSENSE (Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary).

A popular board game around our house is called Balderdash. In the game, you anonymously submit a nonsensical definition of some obscure word, hoping that others are convinced that your “made up” definition is the correct one. In effect, you make the definition plausible enough to bluff someone into believing it is authentic. You can imagine the laughter when the definitions are read aloud. Of course, the cards used in the game have the real definition of the word, and are the final authority.

False teachers have done the very same thing from the beginning of time. They attempt to bluff the ignorant into accepting their doctrines as truth. The sophistry of these ungodly individuals has an appeal to it that is unmistakable. It’s appeal serves to deceive the credulous, and they are led away into the apostasy.

In the end, remember that there is only one real authority in religion. It is God’s Word. Despite the appeal and seeming plausibility of the sophist’s claims, all he really has to offer is balderdash.

A very poor holy man lived in a remote part of China. Every day before his time of meditation in order to show his devotion, he put a dish of butter up on the window sill as an offering to God, since food was so scarce. One day his cat came in and ate the butter. To remedy this, he began tying the cat to the bedpost each day before the quiet time. This man was so revered for his piety that others joined him as disciples and worshipped as he did. Generations later, long after the holy man was dead, his followers placed an offering of butter on the window sill during their time of prayer and meditation. Furthermore, each one brought a cat and tied it to the bedpost.

Source Unknown

The moral to the story is this: Tradition can be a good thing. In fact, apostolic traditions form the canon of scripture, (cf. 1 Corinthians 11:2). However, the blind following of tradition can not only lead to absurd practices, but unscriptural ones, endangering our souls. Let us all know and understand the scriptural reasons behind all that we teach and practice.

In the Reader’s Digest the other day I found a list of 10 of the most annoying phrases that people use Phrases like “fairly unique” (either it is unique or it is not); and “at this point in time” (an overused expression that I must confess I have used from time to time).

Among these annoying phrases was “The way I see it. . . “ or some equivalent. In the list, I found it the most objectionable of all, because it has been used so often to justify a position or practice that is at odds with the word of God. People seem to feel that they are a sufficient source of authority for their religious beliefs or moral practices. It just isn’t so!

The only just reason to defend a position or practice is because God sees it that way! Remember the song, “The Bible tells me so. . .”

Stan

The sermon contrasts five different views of Baptism, using Mark 16:16 as a reference.

• The Atheist View
• The Universalist View
• The Catholic View
• The Protestant View
• The View of Our Lord

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Sermon PowerPoint: Click Here .

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

This seventh sermon preached by Jerry Fite in our gospel meeting May 9-14, 2009 reveals the only legitimate way we can find common ground religiously.

Sermon PowerPoint: Click Here .

Sermon Audio: Click Here .

This sixth sermon preached by Jerry Fite in our gospel meeting May 9-14, 2009 establishes the absolute necessity of respecting the authority of God’s word.

Sermon PowerPoint: Click Here .

Sermon Audio: Click Here .