https://banneroftruth.org/us/resources/articles/2017/holy-bride-today/?utm_content=buffer12cc5&utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook.com&utm_campaign=buffer

The Religious Nature of Yoga | Apologetics

Source: The Religious Nature of Yoga | Apologetics

Well, here I go again, being all hateful and stuff!

I saw an Ad on Facebook for one of the various audiobook distributors. It featured as a graphic a book about self-discipline with the image of someone in a Yoga pose. I replied that I really only needed the Bible and indwelling Holy Spirit to learn proper discipline and didn’t need a false religion to help me. If course I received some backlash. I can understand that sort of thing from the pagan world, but not from professing Christians. I probably wouldn’t have replied at all but I noticed that a few Christians I know had ‘liked’ the Ad. In answer to the backlash that accused me of going around looking for stuff to hate that I was only providing information I thought might be useful. I had after all mentioned that although many in the West do not think of Yoga as a religion, it’s originators really do and have accused the West of co-opting their religion.

The last thing I left my ‘Christian’ friend who thinks I am a hater is the link you see in this post. Of course this is FYI only and not meant to judge anyone. I think it’s important to be well informed.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/acts-of-faith/wp/2017/01/03/evangelicals-should-be-deeply-troubled-by-donald-trumps-attempt-to-mainstream-heresy/?utm_campaign=buffer&utm_content=buffer9fa92&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_term=.f92e7a69df0a

A Man Named Martin Luther – The Moment – YouTube

This is Part 2 of 2. It contains excellent treatments of various Roman Catholic doctrines not found in Scripture, their origins and history.

A Man Named Martin Luther – YouTube

This is Part 1 of 2 and an excellent biography of Luther’ life and times.

Waldron’s Cascade Argument – The Confessing Baptist

Source: Waldron’s Cascade Argument – The Confessing Baptist

If you are unfamiliar with the ‘cascade’ argument, the term refers to the cessation of charismatic gifts in the church. The article presents a really good explanation of that argument and there is also a link to a debate concerning charismatic gifts between Sam Waldron and Michael Brown. A similar debate between Sam Waldron and Matt Slick can be found here.

If Christians want to stop the ‘Christmas wars’ they could just stop fighting. After all, it takes two opposing parties to start a war. Maybe we didn’t start it, but we sure are complicit in it’s continuance

What if the atheist/humanist side’s real issue is being exposed to the God the Bible tells us they hate the God they know exists (the Bible tells us that too).

If thats true (See Romans 8:7 & Romans 1), perhaps they need to stop hating the God they know.

One way for that to happen would be for Christians to stop ‘warring’ with them and pray a simple prayer that God would open hearts to receive the Gospel and that he would send someone to share that message.

And BTW, if you are one of His children through faith, having turned your back on sin and turned to Christ, sharing the message of the cross is actually the best gift you could give anyone who doesn’t know Jesus as Savior and Lord.

http://apprising.org/2008/09/15/stay-away-from-the-shack/

Without doubt, 2 Peter 3:9 is the single most popular verse used to dismiss the reformed doctrine of election, bar none. Usually the meaning of the verse is assumed without taking any time to study it, which is the very hallmark of tradition. In fact, traditions are so strong that many do not even see the need to study the verse because they believe there is no need to do so. I have to admit that I did this for many years. Those most enslaved to their traditions are those who believe they do not have any. First of all then, let us read the verse in its context.

2 Peter 3:1-9 – This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up your sincere mind by way of reminder, that you should remember the predictions of the holy prophets and the commandment of the Lord and Savior through your apostles, knowing this first of all, that scoffers will come in the last days with scoffing, following their own sinful desires. They will say, “Where is the promise of his coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all things are continuing as they were from the beginning of creation.” For they deliberately overlook this fact, that the heavens existed long ago, and the earth was formed out of water and through water by the word of God, and that by means of these the world that then existed was deluged with water and perished. But by the same word the heavens and earth that now exist are stored up for fire, being kept until the day of judgment and destruction of the ungodly. But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.

The first thing we notice is that the subject of the passage is not salvation but the second coming of Christ. Peter is explaining the reason for the delay in Christ’s “second coming” He is still coming, and will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night (v. 10).

The second thing to notice is the clear identity of the people he is addressing. He speaks of the mockers as “they” but everywhere else he speaks to his audience as “you” and the “beloved.” This is very important because the assumption that is usually made is that the “you” the “any” and the “all” of 2 Peter 3:9 refers to everyone on the planet.

But surely “all” means all, right? Well usually, yes, but not always. This has to be determined by the context in which the words are found. For example, when a teacher is getting ready to start a class and asks his students, “Are all here?” he is not asking if every last living person on planet earth is present in the room. Rather he is referring to all the students enrolled in the class. It is context that provides the basis for a sound interpretation.

So, the question in 2 Peter 3:9 is whether “all” refers to all human beings without distinction, or whether it refers to everyone within a certain group. The context indicates that Peter is writing to a specific group and not to all of mankind  “to those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours” 2 Peter 1:1. The audience is confirmed when Peter writes, “This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved.” (2 Peter 3:1)

Can we be even more specific? Yes, because if this is the second letter addressed to them, the first makes it clear who he is writing to. 1 Peter 1:1 – “Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect” So Peter is writing to the elect in 2 Peter 3, saying:

“This is now the second letter that I am writing to you, beloved…. But do not overlook this one fact, beloved, that with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day. The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” (v. 1, 8, 9 – emphasis mine)

If the “any” or “all” here refers to everyone in human history, the verse would prove far more than Arminians would want to prove – it would prove universalism rather than Christianity. (Universalism is the false doctrine that teaches that everyone will ultimately be saved, with no one going to hell). If God is not willing that any person perish, then what? No one would ever perish! Yet, in context, the “any” that God wills not to perish must be limited to the same group he is writing to, the elect, and the “all” that are to come to repentance is the very same group. Christ’s second coming has been delayed so that all the elect can be gathered in. God is not willing that any of the elect should perish, but that all of them come to repentance.

Rather than denying election, understood in its biblical context, it is one of the strongest verses in favor of it.

Posted by John Samson on October 30, 2005 07:34 PM