Sound The Trumpet

What is a contemporary church and why is it wrong?

For years, there has been a very contentious debate regarding The Chronicles of Narnia. On its face, this series presents the secular reader with an allusion to the battle of good and evil which has raged since Lucifer pronounced his intent to ascend above God. However, a cursory examination of Lewis’ theology compared with the series The Chronicles of Narnia shows this series to be nothing more than a blasphemous attempt by the devil, himself, to mingle paganism and mythology into Christianity.

Lewis’ Theology

As you consider the following quotations from C. S. Lewis in his various works, please keep the following ideas in mind:
In the Word of God, there are many references to water. In this context, we are looking most notably at the Water of Life.

James 3:11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? A fountain cannot send forth water which is both bitter and sweet. The Word of God and salvation from our Lord is most definitely sweet water.

As you will see from Lewis’ quotes, his water certainly is not the sweet water of the Word of God. Moreover, Lewis outright denies the Word of God, often comparing it to pagan traditions.

Isa 5:20 Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!

His teachings are those which would appease the widest population: the pagan, the Catholic, the Hindu as well as the ecumenical.

1Ti 4:1-4 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils; (2) Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron; (3) Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth. (4) And they shall turn away their ears from the truth, and shall be turned unto fables.

Lewis on Paganism:
"The question was no longer to find the one simply true religion among a thousand religions simply false. It was rather, "Where has religion reached its true maturity? Where, if anywhere, have the hints of all Paganism been fulfilled?"...Paganism had been only the childhood of religion. Where was the thing fully grown? (The Everlasting Man was helping me here.) There were really only two answers possible: either in Hinduism or in Christianity" (Lewis, Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life, 1966, pp. 235, 236)

Mat 7:14 Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.

Jesus was quite plain. There is only one path to heaven, only one path to salvation. It is a narrow path and, sadly, there are only a few people who find it.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

When people find the only true path to salvation, they have found Jesus.

"I had some ado to prevent Joy and myself from relapsing into Paganism in Attica! At Daphni it was hard not to pray to Apollo the Healer. But somehow one didn't feel it would have been very wrong - would have only been addressing Christ sub specie Apollinis." (Green, 2003, p. 276)
Apollo, "a Christ sub-specie," really?

Exo 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

"I have therefore no difficulty accepting, say, the view of those scholars who tell us that the account of Creation in Genesis is derived from earlier Semitic stories which were Pagan and mythical." (Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms, 1964, p. 110)

"...as I believe, Christ,...fulfills both Paganism and Judaism..." (Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms, 1964, p. 129)

Do I need to comment on this claim that Christ fulfills paganism? Really? There is only one God, not many. That one God was made flesh in Jesus. Though Jesus was 100% man, He was also 100% God.


Lewis believed there are many paths to heaven:
"There are people in other religions who are being led by God's secret influence to concentrate on those parts of their religion which are in agreement with Christianity, and who thus belong to Christ without knowing it. For example a Buddhist of good will may be led to concentrate more and more on the Buddhist teaching about mercy and to leave in the background (though he might still say he believed) the Buddhist teaching on certain points. Many of the good Pagans long before Christ's birth may have been in this position." (p.176, 177) (Lewis, Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life, 1966, pp. 176, 177)

See my comments from above. There is only one path to Heaven and that is through Christ.



Lewis believed salvation was by works:
"There are three things that spread the Christ-life to us: baptism, belief, and that mysterious action which different Christians call by different names--Holy Communion, the Mass, the Lord's Supper" (Lewis, Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life, 1966, pp. .62,63)

Eph 2:8-9 For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: (9) Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Salvation is a result of the sacrifice Christ made for us. There is nothing we can do:  no communion, no mass, no supper nor anything else we can do to earn our way to heaven. If one does not accept the free gift of salvation offered by Christ, he will not see heaven.

Lewis believed a Christian could lose their salvation:
"... a Christian can lose the Christ-life which has been put into him, and he has to make efforts to keep it" (Lewis, Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life, 1966, p. 49)
"There are people (a great many of them) who are slowly ceasing to be Christians ..." (Lewis, Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life, 1966, p. 162)

Mat 25:46 And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.

John 3:15-16 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. (16) For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

The gift of life is one given by God. There is no one more powerful than God, no one powerful enough to revoke a gift offered by God. More importantly, God promises that salvation is everlasting life. C. S. Lewis proves, again, that he had no real knowledge of the Scriptures.



Theistic evolution:
Nature's "pregnancy has been long and painful and anxious, but it has reached its climax" (Lewis, Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life, 1966, p. 172)

"He made an earth at first 'without form and void' and brought it by degrees to its perfection" (Lewis, Miracles, 2001, p. 125)

"For long centuries God perfected the animal form which was to become the vehicle of humanity and the image of Himself" (Lews, 2001, p. 177)
The topic of evolution versus the truth of the Word of God is one of ceaseless debate among the fools of the world. Anyone who openly, honestly, looks at science and compares science to the Word of God can see just how much of a fairy-tale any form of evolution is. God created the world, and all things in the world, in six literal, twenty-four hour days.

Salvation or acceptance by God does not require repentance:
"This process of surrender...this willing submission...is not something God demands of you before He will take you back...." (p. 59-60)

"Safety and happiness can only come from individuals, classes, and nations being honest and fair and kind to each other." (Lewis, The Case for Christianity, 2000)

"I believe in Purgatory." (Lewis, Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer, 2002, pp. 108-109)

Lewis believed in purification after death:
"...whatever inconceivable purification it may cost you after death." (Lewis, Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life, 1966, pp. 108, 172, 174, 175, 182)

Mysticism
"I do not at all regard mystical experience as an illusion. I think it shows that there is a way to go, before death, out of what may be called 'this world'..." "One thing common to all mysticisms is that temporary shattering of our ordinary spatial and temporal consciousness and of our discursive intellect." (Lewis, Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer, 2002, pp. 63-65)

"Of course I pray for the dead. The action is so spontaneous, so all inevitable, that only the most compulsive theological case against it would deter me. And I hardly know how the rest of my prayers would survive if those for the dead were forbidden..." (Lewis, Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer, 2002, p. 107)

Platonic Theology
Plato was "an overwhelming theological genius." (Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms, 1964, p. 80)

Outright denial of the Word of God
Job is "unhistorical." (Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms, 1964, p. 110)

"I have the deepest respect for Pagan myths, still more for myths in the Holy Scriptures" (Lews, 2001, p. 71)

"I have therefore no difficulty accepting, say, the view of those scholars who tell us that the account of Creation in Genesis is derived from earlier Semitic stories which were Pagan and mythical." (Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms, 1964, p. 110)

Lewis’ belief in mythology is one rooted in a fable. 1 Tim 4:1-4 (above) describes the progression of turning away from the truth of the Word of God unto fables, unto doctrines of devils. The end result of Lewis’ intermingling of mythology and Christianity results in his outright denial of the Word of God.

I could easily refute each of Lewis' claims. My hope is that the sensible Christian will allow the Holy Spirit to show them the fallacies of Lewis' claims.

James 3:11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?

Many people have been duped into believing Lewis’ works are Christian allegory. They are not. They are an exercise of pagan mythology applied to children’s fiction. I believe Lewis’ works are an effort to dilute the Word of God by establishing a parallel between true Christianity and  Lewis’ beloved mythology. In the Chronicles of Narnia series, Lewis makes mythology, witchcraft and the supposedly Christ-like character of Aslan to be equal with each other.

Some Thoughts Regarding The Chronicles of Narnia.

After his resurrection, Aslan said, "If the Witch knew the true meaning of sacrifice, she might have interpreted the Deep Magic differently. That when a willing victim who has committed no treachery is killed in a traitor's stead, the Stone Table will crack and even Death itself will turn backwards." (Lewis, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, 1994) It appears that the 'deep magic' is the code or law of Narnia. If we were to assume the parallel between Christianity and the world of Narnia existed, we would have to assume that the 'Deep Magic' is a type of the Word of God. In fact, Aslan said, "Do not cite the Deep Magic to me Witch. I was there when it was written." So, we have the first blasphemy: If the author is attempting to parallel The Chronicles of Narnia with Christianity, then the 'Deep Magic' is a parallel to the Word of God. We cannot compare any magic to the Holy Word of God! To do so would make God Himself a liar as God pronounced witchcraft (the practice of using magic) to be a sin! The second major failing is in Aslan as a picture of Christ. Aslan's sacrifice was to save the life of Edmund alone, not for the sins of the entire race. Aslan laid his life down as a substitute for one person’s transgression. Christ’s sacrifice was for the sins of all man. Second, when Aslan laid down his life, it was not a substitutionary atonement, as we see in Christ, to atone for the sins of man in the eyes of a holy, sinless God, it was the result of a bargain with the White Witch. The stain of death is a requirement on mankind as a result of the curse of sin. This requirement is upon all men, even to this day. Third, while the sacrifice of Christ is available to all men, Aslan's sacrifice did nothing for those who were followers of the witch. Where every man who draws a breath can be drawn to Christ and receive salvation, Aslan’s redemption was for one and only one person. Moreover, Christ's sacrifice causes men to be drawn to Him from serving the enemy. There were no such convert's as a result of Aslan's sacrifice.

It is quite clear that the witch used witchcraft; it is argued that she is evil and using the tools of evil is only expected of her. What of the other witchcraft in the book? The entire plot is based on the magical wardrobe. Were it not for the wardrobe, the two son's of Adam and the two daughter's of Eve would never have made it to Narnia and thus, to their parallel savior, Aslan. After they began their journey to find Aslan, Peter, Susan and Lucy were given tools and weapons (we'll get to who gave the gifts in a moment). Two of the weapons had supernatural powers: they were a bow and arrows and a dagger. Both were described as weapons that 'could not easily miss'. Additionally, Lucy was given a magic potion that would 'heal any wound'. Later, in the presence of Aslan, she used this to heal her brother's wound. Why was this needed? If Aslan were truly a parallel of Christ, would not he, himself heal Edmund's fatal wound? Why would a magical potion be required when the allegorical parallel of the Son of God is present? And, where did Peter, Susan and Lucy get their magical weapons and potions? Along their journey to meet Aslan, they met the 'Prince of Christmas'. This 'Prince of Christmas' was a jolly, fat man with a bag of gifts riding in a sleigh. Again, Lewis is introducing an aspect of the anti-Christ in the form of an alternative to Christ: Santa Claus.

When the final battle took place, who were the combatants? Of course, there was Peter and his siblings, but there were others as well.

• Satyrs: the half-man, half-goat animal of Greek mythology.
• Centaurs: the animal from Greek mythology with the torso of a man and the body and legs of a horse.
• Werewolves: A werewolf in folklore and mythology is a person who shape-shifts into a wolf, either purposely, by using magic, or after being placed under a curse.
• Giants
• Bacchus: The Greek god of drunkenness.

Without examination, one could argue that these characters represented the evil opponent in the battle with God; however, this argument would be false. These characters were representatives of both sides of the battle.

Throughout the tale, there are also Influences from the Wiccan religion:

• The river God
• Trees with souls and humanity
• Animals having a role which is equal to or higher than humans (Aslan, the centaurs, etc.)

The climax of the tale was the great battle between good and evil. I can see how some would parallel this to the battle of Armageddon. However, in the battle of Armageddon, the battle is fought by Christ, not by the saints with Him. Moreover, it is not a fight at all – Christ speaks and the enemies fall dead. Aslan had to physically attack the witch.

Everything listed above is reason enough to avoid the book series. But if you assume there to be a parallel between this fiction and the Word of God, and if you assume Aslan is Christ, then there are some key elements that are wholly blasphemous.

In the parallel, it is assumed that the battle is between good and evil. Where Aslan is the leader of the good and the witch is the leader of the evil. If the parallel exists between the fiction and the Word of God, then you would have to assume that the witch represents Satan. The witch killed Aslan, and some power higher than Aslan allowed him to come back to life. There are several problems with this:

John 19:30 When Jesus therefore had received the vinegar, he said, It is finished: and he bowed his head, and gave up the ghost.

Jesus willingly gave his life for the sins of all mankind. Jesus' life was not taken from Him by His nemesis Satan. Satan does not have the power to take the life of any believer, let alone the Lord Jesus!

John 10:17-18 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. (18) No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.

• Aslan's life was restored by some other power or grace alluded to by the 'Deep Magic'. Jesus overcame the grave of His own accord and power. (Jn 10:17-18)

With the understanding of Lewis’ theology (based upon his own quotations), it is easy to see how he could be deluded into believing that his work was allegorical to the work of Christ. However, with that same understanding of Lewis’ misguided, if not blasphemous, theology, it is also impossible to see how a true believer in the Word of God, one in whom the Spirit of Truth dwells, could ever accept this work as an allegorical parallel to the Word of God. As a parent who loves and serves Christ, I could not allow my children to read this series.

Works Cited

Green, R. L. (2003). C.S. Lewis: A Biography. Harper Collins Entertainment.
Lewis, C. S. (1964). Reflections on the Psalms. Mariner Books.
Lewis, C. S. (1966). Surprised by Joy: The Shape of My Early Life. Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich.
Lewis, C. S. (2000). The Case for Christianity. Broadman & Holman Pub.
Lewis, C. S. (2001). Miracles. Harper One.
Lewis, C. S. (2002). Letters to Malcolm: Chiefly on Prayer. Mariner Books.
Lewis, C. S. (2003). Letters of C. S. Lewis. Mariner Books.
Lewis, C. S. (2009). The Great Divorce. Harper One.
Lews, C. S. (2001). The Problem of Pain. Harper One.

Is everything okay? Is something bothering you? I would love to share your burden.

The gossip is cunning and sly much like a fox. She is constantly looking for ways to collect information. She wants to share your burden - she wants to share it with the world. As a sin, gossip is a dangerous one. Gossip is one of Satan’s best tools. If you have a church that is genuinely on fire for God, how else could Satan effectively destroy the church from the inside out? Like Satan himself, a gossip is subtle, sly, ambiguous and bent toward the destruction of another. Gossip is often concealed behind the mask of “concern” for someone else. Listening to gossip is far more palatable if you are sharing in someone’s concern for another. A conversation may begin with one person saying, “I really hate to bring this up, but I am worried about…” Perhaps the gossip will turn to a confidant saying, “I just don’t know who else I can talk to about this…” If you are a gossip, you can always talk to the Lord about it. After all, the Lord is the one who can ultimately fix the problem. If you are prayed up, you could even consider going directly to the person you are concerned about! Perhaps your concern will be the motivation they need to fix the problem (if there is one at all). Romans chapter one shows us some very dire consequences for certain actions. Many people point to Romans 1 as one illustration of what the Lord thinks of the lifestyle sodomy (homosexuality). Yes, the Lord does take a hard line against the lifestyle of sodomy, but, sodomy is not the only sin listed in Romans 1. The Lord’s view on these sins is dire - the wrath of God is revealed. It is never good to be the object of the wrath of God!

Rom 1:18-19 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; (19) Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.

This passage is “revealed” to those who “hold the truth in unrighteousness.” In other words, this passage would seem to have an application for those who know the Word of God. Perhaps this could apply to someone who regularly sits in a church and hears preaching from the Word of God. Perhaps it is someone who knows enough about the Bible to put on a good show, but not really know what it means to be a Christian. In any case, this passage is clear: The wrath of the Lord may be poured out against these people at any time.

Rom 1:28-31 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; (29) Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, (30) Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, (31) Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:

The Lord lists a number of things in this list, but we will only deal with one aspect: gossip. You may think that gossip is not in this list, but it is! Did you see it? The gossip is in the covetous one, the malicious one, the envious one, the deceitful one, the whisperer, the backbiter, the proud and the boastful. These attributes are all attributes of the reprobate mind. Anyone in their right mind knows the lifestyle of sodomy is an abomination but we are not so quick to realize that there is another list of abominable actions:

Pr 6:16 These six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him: (17) A proud look, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, (18) An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief, (19) A false witness that speaketh lies, and he that soweth discord among brethren.

In this passage in Proverbs, we see that it is an abomination to speak lies and sow discord among the brethren. We can immediately see the gossip there. But as we look at the list in Romans 1:28, the Lord lists covetousness, maliciousness, envy, deceit, malignity, whisperers and backbiters. Do those sound familiar when you think of a gossip? All of these are traits of a gossip! Let’s look at them each individually and how they apply to the gossip. The first in this list is covetousness. The gossip would likely deny all of these traits if she were confronted about the sin of being a gossip, but she would certainly deny being covetous. After all, if she is degrading someone in gossip, the trait she is degrading or making fun of is something she would not want, right? Ah, that is one of the keys. Often, the gossip will make fun or make degrading remarks about someone if they have something she wants. A gossip might say, “Just look at that new Coach purse. I would never carry something like that.” When she says this, she is really jealous and trying to look as though she does not care. She is coveting what the other person has and out of her pride, she is trying to make it look like she does not care. Of course, envy, appearing a little later in the list, walks hand in hand with covetousness. Jealousy is a dangerous emotion that must be removed from the heart of the believer. This ties in directly with the list of abominations the Lord listed in Proverbs 6! The Lord literally hates a proud look! Another aspect of her pride in gossip is her desire to be popular. She wants the attention of other people, other gossips, who are looking for the dirt! In order to be popular she has to spread the dirt, or gossip, around, but she also has to accumulate the dirt. In her slyness, she may come to people seeming concerned, asking, “Are you ok? Is everything alright?” seeking those nuggets to build upon. In her false concern, she reveals her true colors. If she is concerned about someone, wouldn’t it be best to pray about it? Malice and malignity are two more aspects of the gossip. As the gossip is jealous of what another person has, the gossip’s envy turns to malice. Malice is defined in Webster’s 1828 Dictionary as Extreme enmity of heart, or malevolence; a disposition to injure others without cause, from mere personal gratification or from a spirit of revenge; unprovoked malignity or spite. Consider some of those: enmity of heart, a disposition to injure others without cause for mere personal gratification or spite. Here is another aspect of the gossip’s heart that is revealed by Scripture. A gossip has a desire to injure someone's testimony out of spite, for personal gratification or for no cause at all! When compared to Proverbs 6, this is the “heart that deviseth wicked imaginations,” and the “feet that be swift in running to mischief.” Again, it is a sin that the Lord absolutely hates! The gossip is deceitful, in other words, the gossip is a liar. Perhaps she will take a small nugget of truth and add to it or twist it in such a way that the truth could not be found with a search warrant. Or, a gossip may make up the facts all together. So, if the gossip is perfectly willing to lie in the form of gossip, she has proven she cannot be trusted in other things. After all, she is deceitful, she is a liar! If the gossip is deceitful, and a liar, we see yet another abomination from Proverbs six – a lying tongue! Is there anything that needs to be said in a whisper? Gossip flourishes on secrecy and rides on the wheels of a whisper. A gossip is cowardly. If she hears of a problem, she does not consider going to the source of a potential problem. Instead, the gossip will work in the shadows. Finally, from Romans 1, we see that the gossip is a backbiter, or one who slanders, falsely accuses or speaks ill of the absent. The gossip does not have the courage to confront someone to their face. The gossip can only speak of another behind their back. True, the gossip is a coward, but the gossip is likely only afraid of the truth.

Pr 26:20 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.

Where there is a talebearer, or gossip, there is strife. We have already looked at the traits and some of the goals of the gossip. Another goal of the gossip is strife. Yes, the gossip is interested in building herself up, in making herself look better, but one of her methods for doing this is not by making herself better, but by making others look worse. The strife she causes is destructive and when the gossip is silenced, the strife ceases. All of this is a sad commentary on the gossip. But the fruits of the gossip may be even sadder. The gossip causes several things to happen.

1Ti 3:8-11 ¶ Likewise must the deacons be grave, not double tongued, not given to much wine, not greedy of filthy lucre; (9) Holding the mystery of the faith in a pure conscience. (10) And let these also first be proved; then let them use the office of a deacon, being found blameless. (11) Even so must their wives be grave, not slanderers, sober, faithful in all things.

First, we see that the ministry of a gossip is limited. If the gossip is a man, then he would be disqualified from becoming a deacon. If the gossip is a woman, her actions would disqualify her husband from becoming a deacon as well.

Ps 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me

Next, we see that the gossip, with their sin or inequity, in their hearts will have their prayers blocked. The Lord simply will not hear them!

Pr 21:23 Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.

The gossip will face troubles in their heart.

Pr 6:12 A naughty person, a wicked man, walketh with a froward mouth. (13) He winketh with his eyes, he speaketh with his feet, he teacheth with his fingers; (14) Frowardness is in his heart, he deviseth mischief continually; he soweth discord. (15) Therefore shall his calamity come suddenly; suddenly shall he be broken without remedy.

In fact, the gossip, the person who sows discord in the body of Christ, can expect sudden calamity or destruction. This could be the most frightening aspect of all. To think that a few idle words could bring the judgment hand of God in to someone’s life in the form of sudden destruction.

Rom 1:28-31 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; (29) Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, (30) Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, (31) Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: (32) Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

Perhaps the saddest part is that the gossip has pleasure in their sin even when they know the penalty of their sin!

Mt 12:36-37 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. (37) For by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.

Jesus gave us a firm warning: we will give an account for every idle word. Will that be a time of pleasure for you or a time of pain?

As we look at what kind of church to consider, we must look more deeply into the reasons why we are distinctly Baptist. What does it mean to be a Baptist? The names we often ascribe to different religious groups (Baptists, Presbyterian, Methodist, Roman Catholic, Mormons, etc.) are clear indicators of what we believe and why. I have said this before, but I will say it again: I am a Baptist. That begs the question, "Why am I a Baptist?" I am a Baptist because I believe the Bible. It really is that simple! As I examine the Bible, and compare it to other sects and religions, I cannot see any other cult, sect, religion or practice that honors and adheres to the Word of God. In class, I was given a simple acrostic which clearly defines some of the major differences between a true Baptist and some of the other religions out there (later in the series, we will look at some of the differences between a true Baptist and others who claim to be Baptist). That acrostic spells BAPTIST. In this article, we will look at the first letter: B, for Biblical Authority. As we examine the authority of the Bible, must realize that the Bible is the very Word of God. Yes, there are many books which claim to be The Bible, which are not. You cannot be a Bible believer if you do not hold the Bible in your hand. We will discuss which is actually the Bible in a future article.

1 Thes 2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe.

There is a clear proclamation that the Bible is the very Word of God. Yes, it was received through the hands of men, but it is still the Word of God. Imagine someone taking transcription. That is very much like what the penmen of the Bible did: they were transcribing for the Lord. Understanding that the Bible is the Word of God, and likewise understanding that God is sovereign, then we must logically assume that the Word of God is our authority. We must also assume that the Word of God is truth since God cannot lie.

2 Pet 1:20-21 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. (21) For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.

If the Bible is true and is the Word of God (and it is), then we must accept all of it as it applies to us. This verse explains to us that there cannot be any private interpretation of the Bible. So, the Bible simply says what it says.

2 Tim 3:15-17 And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. (16) All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: (17) That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.

Finally, Paul wrote to Timothy under the inspiration of the Holy Ghost and admonished him that all Scripture is good to be used for doctrine, for reproof, for correction and for instruction in righteousness. The Bible is the ultimate authority for all matters of faith, practice of worship, and lifestyle of the believer. Regardless of what any single person or group of people may believe to be true, the Bible must be considered the final authority. If the opinions of any person or group of people disagree with the Bible, those opinions should be discarded. We can accept the Bible (KJV for the English-speaking people) as our ultimate authority because of the nature of the Scripture. The Scripture is the very WORD of GOD to man. We know that God simply cannot lie, and the Bible has proven itself to be the Word of God! Men have tried to elevate creeds and traditions to be equal to the Word of God. Most notable of these are the Mormon Church with their Book of Mormon and the Roman Church (aka Catholic) with their various creeds, councils and the ramblings of their pope - all of which seem to change the truth of the Word of God to suit the leaders of the church at the moment. However, as a BAPTIST, one must accept and rely upon the Bible as their sole and final authority. If some doctrine or practice contradicts the Bible, it must be discarded in favor of the Biblical truth.

Every day we make choices. The clothes we wear may not seem all that important in the grand scheme of life to anyone other than ourselves. Our clothes, however, speak volumes about us. Complete strangers may be able to surmise our gender, age, ethnicity, economic status, education, vocation, personality, and even character based upon what we wear. Employers, teachers, parents and peers will all take notice of our attire. The adornment of our bodies can either reinforce or change their ideas about each of us. The way we dress just may make the difference in obtaining a job, receiving an “A” on a school presentation, or making a good first impression and quickly earning the respect of our friends. Before we decide what we should wear tomorrow, let’s consider what God has to say on the subject of modesty.

Many of us will spend time gathered around a cake celebrating the anniversary of a loved one's birth. We will have a cake, perhaps some gifts. But all in all, someone's birthday is a special occasion.

Now, suppose today was your birthday. Everyone shows up for your party. Oh, there is a lot of food, and gifts. Oh, wow, gifts piled high almost touching the ceiling. You think, "Just look at all of this stuff. People must really love me." Then, all of a sudden, someone yells out, "Let's open presents." Your heart races. After all, it is your birthday, all of those gifts must be for you, right? Names are called and gifts are passed out. One by one, everyone gets a gift but you. "Where is my present. It's my birthday," you wonder.

What must Jesus wonder on His birthday? We spend the weeks leading up to Christmas hurrying about putting up decorations, shopping for presents for everyone on the list and going to parties. Some even deliver their child to an image of an antichrist in the form of a bearded, obese man in a red suit (that, my friend, is another article). Where is Jesus in all of this? When we take time to recall what Christmas is really about, we must remember that Christmas is not a season of gifts, it is the season where we should celebrate the greatest gift ever given - the gift of eternal life.

We would all say that Christmas is about Christ. we can see that even the atheists know this simple truth. They fight Christmas with a passion. Why? Because Christmas should be about Christ and they know it. Yet, so many of our Christian brethren take Christmas to a new commercialized depth. My friend, take time to celebrate the birth of Christ.

Romans 6:23b ... the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

I must also ask if you have accepted that gift. There is no better time than the Christmas season to accept the free gift of eternal life and there is no better gift you can give Jesus than to allow Him to save you.

“My daughter likes Twilight. What should I do?”

That is a very serious problem on a number of levels. The “Twilight” series is a very dangerous threat to the home. Because this series of books and movies is such a threat, and because of the reasons I will outline below, I would immediately be concerned about my daughter’s salvation.

There are many problems with this series. On the surface, it may seem like any other love story (not that those are necessarily healthy or right). In this case, the love story centers around murder and a lust for blood. Those two traits exist, by default in a vampire. The lead character, Bella, is in love with a vampire! Right away, anyone with half a brain will equate vampires with Satanism and the occult. Sadly, however, many have been blinded to this fact just as Bella was in the series.
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As I was scanning through the guide looking for something to watch, I came across something called "Handel's Messiah Rocks."  I admit, I was curious, so, I watched a few minutes of it.  It was a complete and total perversion of Handel's Messiah.
In the few minutes I watched, I saw immodestly dressed women, and men who could easily have been confused for women dancing and jumping around a stage to the sounds of a combination of a full orchestra, overdrive electric guitars, drums and vocals singing the almost familiar words of "The Messiah."  I say almost familiar.  The words they were singing were not the actual words from "The Messiah."  The words they were singing were not based on the KJV.
Clearly, these people were presenting themselves as Christians.  But, were they?  Of course,  I cannot say if they are actually Christians or not.  However, I can draw some observations from the Scriptures.

2Cor 6:14-18 Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? (15) And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? (16) And what agreement hath the temple of God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. (17) Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, (18) And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.

In this passage, the Lord is asking the same question several times over.  How can light and darkness co-exist?  How can Christ and Belial agree?  What fellowship does God have with idolatry?  How can one who is saved stand with one who is an infidel?  They simply cannot.  As Christians, we are to be separate, distinctly different and set apart.  A part of salvation is repentance.  When we are saved, we repent, or turn from, our sinful nature.  So, when it comes to something like music, what does that mean?  It means that the music we listen to as Christians should be completely and distinctly different from the music we listened to when we were not saved.  Like every other aspect of our lives, the music we listen to is an indicator of where we are headed.  When you were saved, did you want to change the music you listened to?  Even a little? If not, perhaps you were not saved.
Some people claim you can take Christian words and apply them to the worldly music.  For something to be Christian, it has to be completely Christian.  We cannot walk partly in the world and partly in the Lord!

Lu 9:62 And Jesus said unto him, No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God.

Jesus was making the point that we cannot keep ourselves in the sins and cares of the world while claiming to follow Him.  Jesus plainly said that one who looked back was unfit for the Kingdom of God.  The worldly Christian music is just that.  It is someone who wants the benefits of being  a Christian while holding on to the vice of ungodly music.
If you are genuinely saved, the Lord has already nudged you about some things.  How did you respond to the nudge?  Was music something the Lord nudged you about?  If you are listening to Christian Rock, or other contemporary (so-called) Christian music, and you are saved, the Lord has nudged you.
How can you tell what is good music and what is not? Here are several things to help guide you in the choice:

1. Music should encourage you to get closer to God?
2. Music should encourage you to worship in a pure way.  That is, the music should not cause you to move your body in a sensual or immodest way.  That is, the music should not cause you to draw attention to yourself. Your worship should always direct attention to God.
3. If the words were removed, the music should still be honoring to God. Often, the music of the so-called Christian rock (rap, country, etc.) is identical to it's worldly counterpart. In fact, if you removed the words, could not tell the difference between the two. 
4. The musicians should have a good testimony.  Their life, as it is now, should clearly reflect the change Christ has made in their lives through salvation.  Their testimony should be clear and their lives should prove their testimony. Often, the clearest illustration of the contemporary musician's lacking walk with God is illustrated in their attire.  

Are you willing to change your music?

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