Wednesday, June 20, 2018

Don't The Sincere Beliefs Of Non-Christians Matter To God? - Greg Koukl

The video below from the Stand To Reason ministry is only 4 minutes long, but it is definitely worth watching and sharing.

Greg Koukl, who is presenting the message in the video, is the Founder and President of "Stand to Reason" - a Christian ministry whose goal is to equip Christian ambassadors with knowledge, wisdom, and character.  .  .  .  STR focuses on the basics, the fundamentals of theology and ethics, and the fundamental tools of thought. .  .  .  While STR may not be unique in the information they give, they are distinctive in the way they use the information.

STR teaches careful reasoning and well thought-out answers - so that Christians will be able to participate in public discussions (at home, at work, or at the university) - and present the Christian worldview in the debate.  STR encourages Christians to develop coherent answers to questions that challenge Christianity so that your faith is deepened, and thereby (you) are emboldened to share the Gospel in a gracious and compelling manner.

Greg Koukl received his Masters in Philosophy of Religion and Ethics at Talbot School of Theology (Biola University), graduating with high honors - and his Masters in Christian Apologetics with honors from Simon Greenleaf University.  He is an adjunct professor in Christian apologetics at Biola University.

Greg has spoken on more than 70 college and university campuses, both in the U.S. and abroad, and has hosted his own call-in radio show for 27 years advocating “Christianity Worth Thinking About.”  He has debated atheist Michael Shermer on national radio, and Deepak Chopra on national television on Lee Strobel's “Faith Under Fire” television series.

Greg Koukl tells us:

"I’m animated by the conviction that Christianity and Christian values, if properly understood and properly articulated, can “stand to reason” in the public square.  The truth is on our side, but whether that truth will make a difference depends on whether or not the church (you and I) is trained to engage others in gracious yet incisive dialog.

There’s a desperate need to equip followers of Jesus Christ to explain and defend Christian beliefs and values with people who don’t understand our language and who don’t accept our source of authority (the Bible). 

That need is especially acute for two groups: (1) an emerging post-modern generation that has lost confidence that any claims to truth are legitimate, and (2) an increasingly relativistic church grounded more on personal experience than in biblical truth."

We see two effects of the 1963 decision by the Supreme Court to remove God from our schools, and eventually from the public square: 

(1) the Post-Modern, i.e., Secular Liberal worldview which declares there is no absolute truth, and

(2) the spread of Liberalism in many churches and denominations, based upon their view that the Bible is not the Holy Spirit INSPIRED, Holy Spirit INERRANT, Holy Spirit LITERAL Written Word of God - but is a only a metaphorical, mystical, but effective guideline for Christian living.  Based upon that Liberal view of the Bible - a theology can be defined which will support any pre-chosen theological compromise with the Secular world.

There is a name for those beliefs.  It is called RELATIVISM - and its only criteria is:  "If it feels right to you, it IS right for you!"   Since 1963 the government controlled American Education System has been teaching those Relative Moral Values to our children, starting in Kindergarten and extending through their college/university life. 

Standing on the strength of that 1963 Supreme Court Decision - Relative Moral Values have replaced Positive Moral Values in our educational institutions all across America.


In this short video, Greg Koukl emphasizes standards that I have long espoused:

1. Your theology, your Christian beliefs, must be based solely upon the Bible - and YOU should be able to defend, from Scripture, your Statement of Faith, your Statement of Biblical Beliefs.  I would suggest that EVERY Christian should take the time to put your personal Statement of Faith in writing.  That affirms in your mind what you believe - and it gives you the Biblical knowledge and courage needed when witnessing to non-believers.

2. When you encounter a new ministry, be it a church (pastor, teacher, theologian, scholar) - a parachurch organization or ministry - or any alleged Christian online ministry  ~  the first thing you should should look at is their Statement of Faith.  Why?  What they declare in their Statement of Faith - is what they teach.  And if that is not built upon and supported by Scripture - it is a false theology. 

I once had a church in the Midwest tell me that they will not post their Statement of Faith on their web site - "Because they do not want to offend anyone."   Really?  You will hide what you believe about God and His Word - to not offend the non-believing world?  Folks, would YOU be comfortable worshiping in such a church?  Not me!


This I found on the Stand To Reason "Statement of Faith" web page:


10. Men are justified on the simple and single ground of the shed blood of Christ and upon the simple and single condition of faith in Him Who shed His blood, and are born again by the quickening, renewing, cleansing work of the Holy Spirit, through the instrumentality of the Word of God.  These alone become children of God and receive eternal life.

After viewing this video, you might want to further explore that web site.  I would suggest that since you are already on their web site, click on ABOUT, then on Statement of Faith - and explore that page more thoroughly.


Now, take four minutes and see what you think about the STR video:

DON'T THE SINCERE BELIEFS OF NON-CHRISTIANS MATTER TO GOD?
Greg Koukl, Stand To Reason, 2-12-2018
https://www.str.org/video/dont-sincere-beliefs-non-christians-matter-god


I pray that this discussion and video have been edifying for you and that it suggests ways to enhance your Christian faith and  your Christian witness.

God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,

Bill 


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