Thoughts and Theology: Examine yourself

Sunday, April 20, 2008

Examine yourself

3 comments:

Dr. Russell Norman Murray said...: Excellent visuals...; April 20, 2008 at 9:51 PM
Anonymous said...: Go here:

http://revver.com/video/710502/joel-osteen-christless-christianity-white-horse-inn/; April 24, 2008 at 1:30 AM
Jeff said...: I think this Paul Washer video speaks against easy-believism. You can't just say, "I went forward in church one day and prayed a salvation prayer," and use that as your 'fire insurance,' then go and live like the devil. The Bible says that you will know them by their fruits. If you are truly born again, there will be a life change. God changes a person from the inside out. There are certain things that are immediate (i.e., if you were a heroin addict before you were saved, you will no longer be a heroin addict), and there are other things that are gradual (i.e., your actions will not be perfect, but the Holy Spirit will gradual work on you to conform you more and more to the image of Christ, as you grow in spiritual maturity and get to know Jesus better and better, mainly by spending time in His Word and in prayer, as well as telling others about Him).

Ray Comfort says there are false converts, who may have gone forward at an evangelistic crusade, or maybe went forward at some church, or maybe said some prayer, but they were never truly born again. Probably the most outstanding example of this, IMO, is Larry Flynt. According to Wikipedia:

"He had a one-year flirtation with evangelical Christianity, converted by evangelist Ruth Carter Stapleton (sister of President Jimmy Carter) in 1977. He continued to publish his magazine, vowing to "hustle for God," became "born again" and claims he had a vision from God while flying his jet."

I remember seeing him interviewed on TV way back then, and him claiming to be born again. When asked if he was going to continue publishing Hustler magazine, he said 'yes.' Even way back then, I could see there was obviously something wrong with that picture.

For anyone who says, "Well, maybe he really was born again," or for anyone who might say, "There's nothing wrong with pornography, so leave the guy alone," check out what it said further down on that Wikipedia page on Larry Flynt that I saw. Be warned---this is shocking:

"December 1978, child pornography distribution still being legal under USA law, Hustler published photographs of naked children as young as three-years of age in sex scenes alongside an article, "Children, Sex and Society," advocating an end to age of consent, calling for acceptance of adult-child sex, and legalization of incest. In February 1975 in an article entitled "Adolescent Fantasy" an uncle is photographed sexually with his niece. October 1976 a naked girl scout is photographed soliciting sex in August 1981, a nude young girl, photographed with her dollies, saying to the viewer; "You would be surprised what a 'little girl can do. ..." Flynt published a reoccurring cartoon called Chester the Molester, written by Hustler editorial cartoon director Dwaine Tinsley, which depicted molestation of children. In May 1984 Tinsley was found guilty of sexually abusing his daughter. Tinsley had contributed 145 Hustler cartoons of violent child kidnapping and rape. Upon his release from prison, Tinsley was rehired at Hustler."

This is blatant proof to me that Flynt was never truly born again.

It seems to me that Hebrews 6:4-6 is speaking against such 'false converts' when it says, "It is impossible for those who have once been enlightened, who have tasted the heavenly gift, who have shared in the Holy Spirit, who have tasted the goodness of the word of God and the powers of the coming age, if they fall away, to be brought back to repentance, because to their loss they are crucifying the Son of God all over again and subjecting him to public disgrace."; April 24, 2008 at 10:25 AM

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