Fighting Five Articles of Interest

Dr. Mohler's Blog

Two Rival Religions? by Al Mohler

Christianity v. Liberalism


Fideo-Blog

John Calvin and the Servetus Controversy Explained

by Jason Robertson

Short summary of the Calvin/Servetus controversy.


Reformation Theology

Whoever Trusts in His Own Mind is a Fool by John Hendryx

John explains the foolishness of trusting in one's own mind and heart.


Challies.com

Spiritual Friendship by Tim Challies

Tim discusses the importance of spiritual friendship in the life of a Christian.


Press On Until Glory

Christianity is a War by Leon Brown

Leon asks fellow Christians, "Are you in the battle?"

A.W. Pink: "The Holy Spirit"-The Spirit Quickening (11/32)

http://www.pbministries.org/books/pink/Holy_Spirit/spirit_11.htm

Chapter 11

The Spirit Quickening

We shall now confine ourselves to the initial operation of the Spirit within the elect of God. Different writers have employed the term "regeneration" with varying latitude: some restricting it unto a single act, others including the whole process by which one becomes a conscious child of God. This has hindered close accuracy of thought, and has introduced considerable confusion through the confounding of things which, though intimately related, are quite distinct. Not only has confusion of thought resulted from a loose use of terms, but serious divisions among professing saints have issued therefrom. We believe that much, if not all, of this would have been avoided had theologians discriminated more sharply and clearly between the principle of grace (spiritual life) which the Spirit first imparts unto the soul, and His consequent stirrings of that principle into exercise.

Quickening Is the Initial Operation of the Spirit

In earlier years we did not ourselves perceive the distinction which is pointed by John 6:63 and 1 Peter 1:23: the former referring unto the initial act of the Spirit in "quickening" the spiritually-dead soul, the latter having in view the consequent "birth" of the same. While it is freely allowed that the origin of the "new creature" is shrouded in impenetrable mystery, yet of this we may be certain, that life precedes birth. There is a strict analogy between the natural birth and the spiritual: necessarily so, for God is the Author of them both, and He ordained that the former should adumbrate the latter. Birth is neither the cause nor the beginning of life itself: rather is it the manifestation of a life already existent: there had been a Divine "quickening" before the child could issue from the womb. In like manner, the Holy Spirit "quickens" the soul, or imparts spiritual life to it, before its possessor is "brought forth" (as James 1:18 is rightly rendered in the R.V.) and "born again" by the Word of God (1 Pet. 1:23).

James 1:18, 1 Peter 1:23, and parallel passages, refer not to the original communication of spiritual life to the soul, but rather to our being enabled to act from that life and induced to love and obey God by means of the Word of Truth—which presupposes a principle of grace already planted in the heart. In His work of illumination, conviction, conversion, and sanctification, the Spirit uses the Word as the means thereto, but in His initial work of "quickening" He employs no means, operating immediately or directly upon the soul. First there is a "new creation" (2 Cor. 5:17; Eph. 2:10), and then the "new creature" is stirred into exercise. Faith and all other graces are wrought in us by the Spirit through the instrumentality of the Word, but not so with the principle of life and grace from which these graces proceed.

Quickening Imparts Life

In His work of "quickening," by which we mean the impartation of spiritual life to the soul, the Spirit acts immediately from within, and not by applying something from without. Quickening is a direct operation of the Spirit without the use of any instrument: the Word is used by Him afterwards to call into exercise the life then communicated. "Regeneration is a direct operation of the Holy Spirit upon the human spirit. It is the action of Spirit upon spirit, of a Divine Person upon a human person, whereby spiritual life is imparted. Nothing, therefore, of the nature of means or instruments can come between the Holy Spirit and the soul that is made alive. God did not employ an instrument or means when He infused physical life into the body of Adam. There were only two factors: the dust of the ground and the creative power of God which vivified that dust. The Divine omnipotence and dead matter were brought into direct contact, with nothing interposing. The dust was not a means or instrument by which God originated life. So in regeneration there are only two factors: the human soul destitute of spiritual life, and the Holy Spirit who quickens it.

"The Word and Truth of God, the most important of all the means of grace, is not a means of regeneration, as distinct from conviction, conversion and sanctification. This is evident when we remember that it is the office of a means or instrument to excite or stimulate an already existing principle of life. Physical food is a means of physical growth, but it supposes physical vitality. If the body is dead, bread cannot be a means or instrument. Intellectual truth is a means of intellectual growth, but it supposes intellectual vitality. If the mind be idiotic, secular knowledge cannot be a means or instrument. Spiritual truth is a means of spiritual growth, in case there be spiritual vitality. But if the mind be dead to righteousness, spiritual truth cannot be a means or instrument.

"The unenlightened understanding is unable to apprehend, and the unregenerate will is unable to believe. Vital force is lacking in these two principal factors. What is needed at this point is life and force itself. Consequently, the Author of spiritual life Himself must operate directly, without the use of means or instruments; and outright give spiritual life and power from the dead: that is, ex nihilo. The new life is not imparted because man perceives the truth, but he perceives the truth because the new life is imparted. A man is not regenerated because he has first believed in Christ, but he believes in Christ because he has been regenerated" (W. T. Shedd, Presbyterian, 1889).

(Please click here to continue reading, "A Spirit Quickening")

Spurgeon Monday: "A Hard Case"

http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/2453.htm


SERMON HIGHLIGHT

"What is this stopping that gets into men's ears? It is, of course, first of all, original sin, that taint of the blood which has spoiled every human faculty, and has closed the ear from hearing even the voice of God himself. Man does not hear God's voice because he does not want to hear it. His will, his mind, his nature altogether is estranged from God.This original sin engenders in men great carelessness about divine things. How quickly they are aroused by talk about politics! With what attention they will listen to a lecture upon matters relating to their health, or upon the fastest method of making money; but when it comes to the soul and its eternal destiny in heaven or hell, when it is concerning the bleeding Savior and the loving Father, and the gentle wooing Spirit, men think we are doting, talking fancies, telling dreams, and they pooh-pooh it all, and cast it behind their backs. If it be a matter of any worth to them, they will possibly think of it to-morrow; but they scarcely imagine it is worth while to trouble themselves about it now. Their ears are stopped by carelessness."

A Hard Case

A Sermon(No. 2453)

Intended for Reading on Lord's-Day, February 23rd, 1896,

Delivered byC. H. SPURGEON,

At the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington.

On Thursday Evening, February 18th, 1886.

"For God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed; then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction, that he may withdraw man from his purpose, and bide pride from man. He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword."—Job 33:14-18.

HOW PERSEVERING is divine love! "God speaketh once." I have heard many a father say to his child, "Do not let me have to speak again." But the great Father has to speak again, and when it is written, "God speaketh once, yea twice, yet man perceiveth it not," we see how great is the stubbornness of the human heart, and we also see the gentleness of divine love. When Elihu said, "God speaketh once, yea twice," he meant that the Lord speaks repeatedly. Divine lovingkindness hath many voices. God often speaketh to us in our childhood. Some of us hardly recollect when first our Lord called us, as he called Samuel, saying, "Samuel, Samuel," and each for himself answered, "Here am I." We cannot forget the voices of our youth and boyhood,—the messages that the Lord sent to us through loving parents and kind-hearted teachers, or the direct admonitions of the Holy Spirit. God spake to us, and spake to us again, and spake to us yet again; but we regarded not his voice. There are none so deaf as those who will not hear; and we were among those who would not hear even that voice to which heaven and earth attend, that voice which even the dead will one day hear, when they that hear shall live.Do we not admire the great patience of God with us? I am sure we ought to do so; and if we do, it will make us repent of our negligence of the divine voice, so that, henceforth, we shall say with David, "When thou saidst, Seek ye my face; my heart said unto thee," note that, "my heart said unto thee, Thy face, Lord, will I seek." Oh, for the quick ear to catch the faintest sound of the divine voice! Oh, for a ready heart, waiting for those tender condescending admonitions which the Lord is waiting to speak to us!But God has voices which he uses in such a way that men must and shall hear. There is not only the patience of love, but there is also the omnipotence of love. God does not merely attempt to make men hear, but he succeeds in doing it. When the splendor of his love makes bare his holy arm, and he puts forth all his force, the unwilling heart is made willing in the day of his power, the rebel spirit is led in chains of love, a willing captive to his conquering Lord.I am going now to speak somewhat of that matter; and, keeping to our text, I want to say, first, that man as very hard to influence for good. His ear has to be opened; his heart has to be broken off from its evil purposes; his pride has to be conquered; there are many things to be done before men are fully influenced to their eternal salvation. Then, secondly, God knows how to come at them. By day or by night, by voices heard when they are in the midst of their business, or "in a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falleth upon men, in slumberings upon the bed; then he openeth the ears of men, and sealeth their instruction." Thirdly, thus the Lord accomplishes great purposes for me: "That he may withdraw man from his purpose, and hide pride from man. He keepeth back his soul from the pit, and his life from perishing by the sword."

(Please click here to continue reading, "A Hard Case")

W. Robert Godfrey: "Calvin: Why He Still Matters"

http://www.wscal.edu/resources/WRobertGodfrey_Calvin.php

Calvin: Why He Still Matters
by W. Robert Godfrey, Ph.D.First published in Evangelium, Vol. 7, Issue 1

There can be no serious doubt that Calvin once mattered. Any honest historian of any point of view and of any religious conviction would agree that Calvin was one of the most important people in the history of western civilization. Not only was he a significant pastor and theologian in the sixteenth century, but the movement of which he was the principal leader led to the building of Reformed and Presbyterian churches with millions of members spread through centuries around the world. Certainly a man whose leadership, theology, and convictions can spark such a movement once mattered.

Historians from a wide range of points of view also acknowledge that Calvin not only mattered in the religious sphere and in the ecclesiastical sphere, but Calvin and Calvinism had an impact on a number of modern phenomena that we take for granted. Calvin is certainly associated with the rise of modern education and the conviction that citizens ought to be educated and that all people ought to be able to read the Bible. Such education was a fruit of the Reformation and Calvin.

Others have insisted that the rise of modern democracy owes at least something to the Reformed movement. One historian said of Puritanism that a Puritan was someone who would humble himself in the dust before God and would rise to put his foot on the neck of a king. Calvinists were strongly persuaded that they must serve God above men, and that began to relativize notions of superiority and aristocracy. King James I of England, who was also James VI of Scotland, once remarked as he looked at Presbyterianism in Scotland: “No bishop, no king.” If the Church is not governed by a hierarchy, certainly the political world does not need to be governed by a hierarchy either. Such Calvinist attitudes toward kings helped contribute to modern democracy.

Calvinism contributed to modern science with an empirical look at the real world. Calvin contributed to the rise of modern capitalism in part by teaching that the charging of interest on money loaned was not immoral. He was the first Christian theologian to do so.

When we look at that list—theology, church, education, science, democracy, and capitalism—here was a man that mattered. He had a profound influence on the development of the history of the West. But does he still matter? Should we care today to revisit John Calvin—who he was, what he thinks—and believe that what he taught is still significant, still valuable? Yes, he still does matter. John Calvin matters still above all because he was a teacher of truth. If truth matters, then John Calvin still matters because he was one of the great teachers of truth, one of the most insightful, faithful teachers of truth, one of the best communicators of truth. He was a teacher who had taken to heart the words of Jesus: “You will know the truth and the truth, and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32).

Mr. Leon Panetta was interviewed on television recently when it was announced that he was going to be appointed by president-elect Obama to be the head of the CIA. In his brief remarks, Panetta commented intriguingly that in the entrance of the old CIA building were the words, “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.” That verse from Scripture has probably been wrenched out of context and been misused more than most verses of Scripture. Often people who are concerned about the truth and quote this verse are interested only in an abstraction about truth, or only interested in turning this verse into a poetic slogan. It sounds great: “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.” They seem seldom to quote the verse in context, where Jesus said, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free.” John Calvin knew the context of that verse. He knew the only way to know the truth was to know Christ’s word. And it was because he knew Christ’s word—because he studied Christ’s word, because he treasured Christ’s word—that Calvin was such a great teacher. John Calvin was a teacher of the truth of God’s Word.

(Please click here to continue reading "Calvin: Why He Still Matters")

Fighting Friday: The Evil Tongue by Thomas Watson

http://www.biblebb.com/files/TW/tw-eviltongue.htm

The Evil Tongue

by Thomas Watson (1620-1686)

"And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity." (James 3:6)

The apostle James in this Scripture, describes the evil of the tongue, "The tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity."

1. "It is a fire." It burns with intemperate heat; it causeth the heat of contention; it sets others in a flame.


2. "A world of iniquity." It was at first made to be an organ of God's praise, but it is become an instrument of unrighteousness. All the members of the body are sinful, as there is bitterness in every branch of wormwood, but the tongue is excessively sinful, "full of deadly poison" (verse 8).

Doctrine: The tongue, though it be a little member, yet it has a world of sin in it; the tongue is an unruly evil. I shall show you some of the evils of the tongue.

1. The evil tongue is the silent tongue; it is wholly mute in matters of religion; it never speaks of God or of heaven, as if it cleaved to the roof of the mouth. Men are fluent and knowledgeable enough in other things, but in matters of religion their lips are sealed up. If we come into some people's company, we do not know what religion they are of, whether Jews or Mohammedans, for they never speak of Christ; they are like the man in the gospel, who was possessed with a dumb spirit (Mark 9:17).

2. The evil tongue is the earthly tongue; men talk of nothing but the world, as if all their hopes were here, and they looked for an earthly eternity; these have earthly minds, "He that is of the earth, speaketh of the earth" (John 3:31).

3. The evil tongue is the hasty or angry tongue; it has no command of passions, but is carried away with them, as a chariot with wild horses. I know there is an holy anger, when we are angry with sin: Christ had this anger when they made the temple a place of merchandise (John 2:15). That anger is without sin, which is against sin; but that is an evil tongue, which is presently blown up into exorbitant passion; this "tongue is set on fire from hell." A wrathful spirit is unsuitable to the gospel; it is a gospel of peace, and its author is the Prince of Peace, and it is sealed by the Spirit, who came in the form of a dove, a meek peaceable creature. You who art given much to passion, whose tongue is often set on fire, take heed you dost not one day in hell desire a drop of water to cool thy tongue.


4. The evil tongue is the vain tongue, that vents itself in idle words: "Under his tongue is vanity" (Psalm 10:7). A vain tongue shows a light heart; a good man's words are weighty and prudent; his lips are as a tree of life to feed many and his speech is edifying, "The tongue of the just is as choice silver"

(Proverbs 10:20). But, "The mouth of fools Pours out foolishness" (Proverbs 15:2). How many idle away the day of grace in frivolous discourses? A wise man's words are like gold, weighty, and will sink into the hearts of others; but the words of many are light and feathery and will make no impression, "Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give an account thereof in the day of judgment" (Matthew 12:36).

5. The evil tongue is the censorious tongue, "Who art thou that judgest another?" (James 4:12). Some make it a part of their religion to judge and censure others; they do not imitate their graces, but censure their failings. Such an one is an hypocrite, for this comes from pride. Were men's hearts more humble, their tongues would be more charitable. The censurer sits in the chair of pride, and passeth sentence upon another, and does reprobate him; this is to usurp God's prerogative, and take his work out of his hands; it is God's work to judge, not ours. He who spends his time in censuring others spends but little time in examining himself and does not see his own faults. There is not a greater sign of hypocrisy than to be overhasty in judging and censuring persons.

(Please click here to continue reading, "The Evil Tongue")

Fighting Five Articles of Interest

Challies.com

Idolatry Old and New by Tim Challies

Tim's commentary on the Michael Jackson memorial service.

Desiring God Blog

The Gospel: Spread It or Lose It by John Piper

The vital importance of faithfully spreading the Gospel.

Dr. Mohler's Blog

Evangelicalism's Terminal Generation by Al Mohler

Dr. Mohler asks, "Is this evangelicalism's terminal generation?"


Reformed Baptist Fellowship

Dead Men Walking by Alan Dunn

What does it mean to deny yourself, take up your Cross and follow Christ?

Pyromaniacs

Divine Sovereignty and Human Responsibility, Again by Phil Johnson

Phil answers the question of divine sovereignty and human responsibility in regards to salvation.

"FIGHTING MAD" or other articles/items of interest

Ligonier Blog

Table Talk Magazine's Commemorative Issue Celebrating John Calvin's 500th Birthday

Read the entire issue of this month's Table Talk Magazine for free

Renewing Your Mind Offer for July 8 – July 9: Joel Beeke's "Living for God's Glory: An Introduction to Calvinism"

You can receive Joel Beeke's introductory book on Calvinism "Living for God's Glory: An Introduction to Calvinism" for any amount that you donate to Renewing Your Mind Radio Station.

A.W. Pink: The Holy Spirit: "The Holy Spirit Regenerating" (10/32)

http://www.pbministries.org/books/pink/Holy_Spirit/spirit_10.htm

Chapter 10

The Holy Spirit Regenerating

Self-Regeneration Is Impossible

The absolute necessity for the regenerating operation of the Holy Spirit in order for a sinner’s being converted to God lies in his being totally depraved. Fallen man is without the least degree of right disposition or principles from which holy exercises may proceed. He is completely under a contrary disposition: there is no right exercise of heart in him, but every motion of his will is corrupt and sinful. If this were not the case, there would be no need for him to be born again and made "a new creature." If the sinner were not wholly corrupt he would submit to Christ without any supernatural operation of the Spirit; but fallen man is so completely sunk in corruption that he has not the faintest real desire for God, but is filled with enmity against Him (Rom. 8:7). Therefore does Scripture affirm him to be "dead in trespasses and sins" (Eph. 2:1).


"But as many as received Him, to them gave He power to become the sons of God, to them which believe on His name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God" (John 1:12, 13). The latter verse expounds the former. There an explanation is given as to why any fallen descendant of Adam ever spiritually receives Christ as His Lord and Master, and savingly believes on His name.

First, it is not because grace runs in the blood—as the Jews supposed. Holiness is not transmitted from father to son. The child of the most pious parents is by nature equally as corrupt and is as far from God as is the offspring of infidels. Second, it is not because of any natural willingness—as Arminians contend: "nor of the will of the flesh" refers to man in his natural and corrupt state. He is not regenerated by any instinct, choice, or exertion of his own; he does not by any personal endeavor contribute anything towards being born again; nor does he cooperate in the least degree with the efficient cause: instead, every inclination of his heart, every exercise of his will, is in direct opposition thereto.
(Please click here to continue reading "The Holy Spirit Regenerating")

Fighting Five Articles of Interest

DeYoung Restless and Reformed

Why Do the New Calvinists Insist on Complamentarianism? by Kevin De Young

Old & New Calvinist Complamentarianism vs. Calvinist Egalitarianism or in laymen's terms: Should women be ordained to teach and preach?


Institute for Nouthetic Studies Blog

Controversy in the New Testament by Jay Adams

Jay Adams shows from the New Testament that we should be steadfast in defending truth and rooting out false doctrine.

Challies.com

Your Suffering Does Not Just Belong to You by Tim Challies

Tim Challies' comments on Ligon Duncan's new book Does Grace Grow Best in Winter?

Reformation Theology

The Vital Necessity of Knowing the Power of Truth in Our Own Experience by John Owen

Excerpt from John Owen's Vindicae Evangelicae showing Christians how to refute those with theological errors while having a humble spirit.

Ligonier Blog

Christians and Government by R.C. Sproul

Taken from the book Now That's A Good Question, R.C. answers the question about the Christian's submission to government authorities.

"Fighting Mad" or other items of interest

Pulpit Magazine

Inward, Upward, or Outward? by John MacArthur

The church's one purpose is to glorify God by seeking and saving those that are lost.

Dr. Mohler's Blog

The Governor, a King, and the Trajedy of Adultery by Al Mohler

Dr. Mohler's commentary on the Mark Sanford situation.

Spurgeon Monday: Christian Sympathy

http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/0479.htm

SERMON HIGHLIGHT:

"Beloved, will you remember the blessed example of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ; for this, surely, will teach you not to live for self. "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for our sakes he became poor, that we through his poverty might be rich." His heart is made of tenderness, his bowels melt with love. In all our afflictions he is afflicted. Since the day when he became flesh of our flesh, he hath never hidden himself from our sufferings. Our glorious Head is moved with all the sorrows which distress the members. Crowned though he now be, he forgets not the thorns which once he wore, amid the splendors of his regal state in Paradise he is not unmindful of his children here below. Still is he persecuted when Saul persecutes the saints, still are his brethren as the apple of his eye, and very near his heart. If ye can find in Christ a grain of selfishness, consecrate yourselves unto your lusts, and let Mammon be your God. If ye can find in Christ a solitary atom of hardness of heart and callousness of spirit, then justify yourselves, ye viscose hearts are as stones to the wailing of the desolate. But if ye profess to be followers of the Man of Nazareth, be ye full of compassion; he feeds the hungry lest they faint by the way; he bindeth up the broken in heart and healeth all their wounds; he heareth the cry of the needy and precious shall their blood be his sight; therefore be ye also tenderhearted also very affectionate the one toward the other."

Christian Sympathy

A Sermon for the Lancashire Distress*(No. 479)

Delivered on Sunday Morning, November 9th, 1862,

by Rev. C. H. SPURGEON,

At the Metropolitan Tabernacle, Newington

"Did not I weep for him that was in trouble? was not my soul grieved for the poor?"—Job 30:25.

IN ENDEAVORING TO JUSTIFY the ways of God, Job's three friends came to the harsh conclusion that he would not have been so severely afflicted if he had not been a very great sinner. Among other accusations against the afflicted patriarch, Eliphaz the Temanite had the cruelty to lay this at his door, "Thou hast not given water to the weary to drink, and thou hast withholden bread from the hungry." Such a slander we may describe as "speaking wickedly for God," for in his ignorance of the great laws of Providence towards the saints in this life, the Temanite had uttered falsehood in order to account for the divine procedure. God's own testimony of Job is that he was "a perfect and an upright man, one that feared God and eschewed evil;" and certainly he could never have earned the character of "perfect" if he had been devoid of pity for the poor. Richly did the three miserable comforters deserve the burning rebuke of their slandered friend, "Ye are forgers of lies, ye are physicians of no value. O that ye would altogether hold your peace and it shall be your wisdom."
(Please click here to continue reading "Christian Sympathy")

Fighting Friday: I Can't Repent by Ichabod Spencer

Reformed Perspectives Magazine, Volume 9, Number 19, May 6 to May 12, 2007

I Can’t Repent

This article is taken from Spencer's incredible two-volume book,

A Pastor's Sketches. [1853] By Ichabod S. Spencer

Ichabod Smith Spencer was born in 1798 in Rupert, VT. He was unconverted until just after his 18th birthday. The previous year his father died and this left him utterly devastated. "It is highly probable that his father's death so deeply felt, and so great a trial, was sanctified to his soul, and overruled to lead his mind and heart, so dark and trembling, to the only true ‘Rock of hope and support.’ It was more than a year, however, after this event occurred, before the grace of God changed his heart, and turned his feet into the way of life."

He was converted in Granville, NY and was educated at schools in the upstate NY region. He became a school teacher, and his fame grew to the place that he was in great demand. In fact, in 1830 he was called to be President of the University of Alabama, and in 1832 the President of Hamilton College of NY. He refused these both as the Lord had by this time called him to preach. He was called to serve as colleague-pastor of the Congregational Church in Northampton, MA in 1828, the church made famous by Jonathan Edwards.

He refused a call to Park Street Church, Boston, the largest in New England at this time because of his tender health. Later in 1832 he accepted the call to the Second Presbyterian Church of Brooklyn, NY. This was a church planting effort with no building and about 40 people. He remained at this post the rest of his life, thus spending 22 years at this church. By the time of his death the church had grown to be one of the largest and most influential in all of NY State. His biographer states that he was one of the greatest preachers the American Pulpit produced during that era. At the same time, his greatest gift and legacy was in the pastoral ministry. He was a true shepherd.

He was a man fully committed to the doctrines of grace, and he constantly preached upon the themes of total depravity, sovereign grace, free justification by faith in Christ alone, the certainty of the judgment to come, the greatness of the mercy and love of God. He preached these themes both publicly and from house to house. As great and gifted a preacher as he was, and as effective as his sermons were to awaken sinners, it was his personal ministry that was most mightily blessed by God as he dealt with anxious inquirers.

(Please click here to continue reading, I Can't Repent)

Notes from the Harvest Field Vol. 1, No. 1

("Notes from the Harvest Field" will be an on going series of evangelistic encounters primarily from the Neighborhood Outreach ministry, Placerita Baptist's Spanish ministry and personal one-to-one encounters I may have during the week.)

"And He was saying to them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest." (Luke 10:2)

Newhall, Saturday morning June 27, 2009

Open air preaching and encounter with man with one arm

I participate in Placerita Baptist's Spanish outreach ministry on Saturday mornings with the men from Master's Seminary and Master's College. We go out into the streets of Newhall on San Fernando Road and Newhall Avenue to witness and open air preach to the Hispanic men on the street who are waiting to find work. We take donuts and water out to them and invite them to church, and then we either do an open air sermon or one-on-one witnessing. There were only two teams today, and I was able to preach on Romans 1:16-17 twice to a total of twenty men with Ricardo Morales translating the sermon in Spanish for me. The open air sermons generally run between 20 to 30 minutes, and Ricardo or whoever is translating for me will follow up by doing a summary of the sermon and asking if anybody has any questions.

The second crowd was the biggest one that I have preached to so far out in the open air (12 -14 men). I preached to six men during the first sermon. The main blessing and advantage of preaching to these men is that the majority of them will stay and listen to the sermon for the whole time since they're waiting for work any way. One or two of the men may become disinterested and walk off, but the majority of them will stay, listen to the sermon, and are invited to ask questions after the sermon.

After the last sermon, Ricardo and I walked over to where the other team was speaking to a few of the men, and we were able to speak to a gentleman who had only one arm. After speaking to him for a few minutes in Spanish, Ricardo indicated that he was very interested in speaking to us. He had questions concerning the Genesis account and the virgin birth that would have taken us time answer, (our team was about to leave) so Ricardo left his phone number and promised that he would have lunch/dinner with him some time during the week.

Please for pray that man, the men that we preached to, and also pray for me as I study and prepare to preach from Rom. 1: 18-21 this coming Saturday, Lord willing.

Glendale, Saturday evening June 27, 2009, Part 1

Stephan, Armenian from France visiting family in Glendale. His sister later joins the conversation.

Last Saturday, my wife was having dinner with her friend in Glendale, so I decided to go with my wife and stop by the mall where Greg Elsasser and the "Last Word" ministry team do their open air presentations. A family friend of ours leads one of the ministry teams that joins the "Last Words" team, but we missed him by a few minutes so I decided to hang around and listen while my wife was having dinner with her friend. After the two open air presentations, I was able to share the gospel with a few people who were sitting around the stone benches which are situated across the mall and within listening distance to where the open air presentations were made.

One of my encounters was with a young man named Stephan who is Armenian and originally from France. Stephan is here on vacation for about a few weeks to visit relatives. I introduced myself and asked him about his church background. Stephan told me that he is a member of the Armenian church back in France, but he doesn't take church seriously. We were then joined by his sister. I introduced myself once again to Stephan's sister, and she pretty much reiterated what Stephan said. She wanted to know why people in her church were so serious about their religion, but their lives didn't show it. Stephan's sister also wanted to know why in the Genesis account that Eve was the one to take all the blame.

I explained to Stephan and his sister that there are professing Christians even in my church who claim to be Christians, but only possess head knowledge about the Bible and Jesus Christ. These professing Christians have not repented and given their lives over to Christ. I explained the importance of repentance to them after sharing the Law and Gospel with them, and gave them the example of Jesus' encounter with the rich young ruler. After defining repentance to them and stating that repentance is more than just a person saying, "I'm sorry" and continuing in their sin, I gave the example of Jesus' encounter with the rich young ruler. I explained to both of them that the rich young ruler knew that Jesus was the Messiah and he also knew that Jesus was the key salvation because he came up to Jesus and acknowledge that by asking Him, "Good teacher, what must I do to be saved?"

However, when Jesus posed those two questions in Matthew 19 and Luke 18 to the rich young ruler and asked him to "take up his cross and follow Me", the rich young ruler walked away because he loved his money more than Christ because he was very rich. So I told both Stephan and his sister that if there is anything in their lives that they value more than Christ whether it be their family, friends, relationships, or money like the rich young ruler they are not true disciples of Christ because they haven't taken up their cross and followed Christ. I encouraged both of them to think about these things and reiterated that they needed to repent of the their sins and to put their trust in faith in Christ as their Lord and Savior.

Concerning Stephan's sister's question about the Eve issue, I explained to Stephan's sister that both Adam and Eve were responsible for the sin committed in the Garden of Eden since Adam was the husband and head of the family. Adam's sin was that he did not fulfill his obligation as spiritual head of the family by either interceding or rebuking Eve when he had the opportunity.

(Stephan also posed a question to me during our conversation which I will explore on a later post.)

Analysis:

When a person asks a question about hypocritical Christians or professing Christians, it is always important to acknowledge the fact that there are those type of Christians out there and to emphasize that they are false Christians. You will also need to go to Scripture and give examples of what true Christianity looks like. First, you may want to define what the Biblical definition of repentance is and give some examples in the Bible of a person that is repentant and of a person that is unrepentant. A favorite example that I use all the time of a non-repentant person is Jesus' encounter with the rich young ruler (Matt. 19, Luke 18). The same example I used with Stephan and his sister.

Moreover, it is also important to show the person asking that question what the true characteristics of a Christian are. I will usually take that person to Galatians 5 and talk about the fruit of the Spirit, and tell them that those are the marks of a true Christian and sometimes contrast that passage with the deeds of the flesh just a few verses down which are the marks of the unbeliever. You can also emphasize that the true Christian has a desire for holiness, and an ongoing repentant attitude toward his sin. I will be taking a closer look at the important principles of the nature of true repentance and counting the cost in a future post.

Helpful Bible Verses to Use:

Non-repentance/Counting the Cost: Matt. 19: 16-26; Luke 18: 18-34

Fruits of the Flesh/Fruits of the Spirit: Gal. 5: 18-26

Professing/False Christians: 1 John 2:19

Helpful Resources for Further Study:

The Marks of Saving Faith by John Mac Arthur Part1 & Part 2 (Pulpit Magazine Articles)

North Hollywood, Sunday afternoon June 28, 2009

Luciano, Indonesian-Muslim teenager

This is probably one of the best encounters I've ever had during my ten plus years in doing this type of evangelism. Luciano is an Indonesian-Muslim teen who was sitting on one of the stone benches at the North Hollywood MTA train station as I approached him. Luciano was totally open to listening about Christianity and had a lot of questions. I gave a description of Christianity by starting with who God is, His attributes, a summary of the Genesis account, a brief history of the birth of the nation Israel, the coming of Christ, the purpose of Christ dying on the cross for sinners, and the nature of true repentance.

Luciano had many questions about Christianity and about his Muslim faith as well. He had questions about the trinity, the deity of Christ, prayer, fasting (including Ramadan), and other world religions especially Roman Catholicism (Luciano thought Roman Catholicism is the same as Christianity). I spent about half and hour to 45 minutes talking to him.

The highlight of this encounter is when we were talking about the issue of prayer, and Luciano asked me if Christians received "goodies" from God when they pray. I really didn't understand what Luciano was saying, but I explained to him that praying is simply talking to God, and that you can talk to God any time and any where. Luciano thought that prayer was regulated to a specific time and place. Luciano told me that Muslims pray three times a day at specific times. I told Luciano that I do have a set time for prayer and Bible reading every morning, but a Christian can speak to God any time he wants due to the fact that Jesus is our Mediator and because it says in the Bible "to pray unceasingly". I gave Luciano an example of prayer by praying for him and our time together and asking the Lord to bless our time to together and save him if it was His will. I also explained to Luciano that the relationship between God and the Christian is like the relationship between a father and a son/daughter. At that moment, I asked Luciano if he had a good relationship with his father. Luciano acknowledged that he did. I then told Luciano that like a son or daughter who can go to his earthly father to take his requests and concerns to him, Christians can do the same thing to their Heavenly Father because of what Jesus did on the cross for Christians.

I asked Luciano if he was clear about his understanding of Christianity as opposed to other religions which relied on good works in order to be saved. Luciano said he was and thanked me for spending the time explaining Christianity to him. I encouraged Luciano to read the materials that I gave him which included a Bible, and invited him and his family to stop by our church.

Analysis:

When a person indicates that he has no clue what Christianity is, it may be wise to start from the beginning with them rather than pointing out their sin to them right away. As this society becomes more and more pagan and ignorant about Christianity, you will have to use this tactic more often. The majority of the missionaries use this method especially in dealing with people in foreign lands who have no clue what Christianity is. An example of this, is Paul on Mars Hill in Acts 17 where he started with who God is as compared to the idols that the Greeks worshipped.

Take your time in answering the persons questions, and try to direct the conversation back to the Gospel so you can keep on track. Usually when a person asks these type of questions, it is a means to throw the Christian off track from his Gospel presentation and place doubt in his mind. In this case, Luciano was different. He was interested and eager to learn. Please pray for him if he comes to mind.

Helpful Bible Verses to Use:

Creation Account: Gen. 1 - 3

God as Creator: 1 Chron. 16: 26; Neh. 9: 6; Psalm 19: 1, 24: 1-2, 33:6; Col. 1: 16-17

Paul beginning with God when preaching to the Athenians: Acts 17: 22-34

Helpful Resources for Further Study:

Evangelism in a Pagan World by Ken Ham (Article)

Why Won't They Listen? The Power of Creation Evangelism by Ken Ham (Video)

Grace Evangelism by Grace Grace Community Church (Teacher's guide also available)

Fighting Five Articles of Interest

Ligonier Blog

Farmers and the Rest of Us by Gene Edward Veith

Interesting article on the doctrine of vocation.


Pulpit Magazine

An Understanding Way by John MacArthur

John discusses some ways to be an understanding husband.


Possessing the Treasure

Three Kinds of Death by Mike Ratliff

Mike explains the three kinds of death.


What Happens When God Leaves Us to Ourselves? by Mike Ratliff

The scary thought of God leaving us to ourselves and our sins.


Biblical Christianity

Michael Jackson's Mourners: grieving as those who have no hope by Dan Phillips

Michael Jackson, Mike Taylor, and the hope that Christians cling to.


"FIGHTING MAD" or other items of interest:

Lawman Chronicles

On the Steps of the Lincoln Memorial by Tony Miano

Tony's encounter with a member of the American Atheist Society on the stairs of the Lincoln Memorial.

Surph's Side

Tim Keller's Redeemer Presbyterian Church Goes Emergent: Contemplative Spirituality/Eastery Mysticism Now Taught

by Denise

Has Tim Keller gone emergent?

Also Ken Silva from Apprising Ministries wrote an article in response to the Surph's Side article called "The Way of the Monk".

Here is the is the link from the Redeemer Presbyterian Church website which is currently offering the "Way of the Monk" class.

A.W. Pink: "The Holy Spirit" (9/32)

http://www.pbministries.org/books/pink/Holy_Spirit/spirit_09.htm

Chapter 9
The Work of the Spirit

It is a great mistake to suppose that the works of the Spirit are all of one kind, or that His operations preserve an equality as to degree. To insist that they are and do would be ascribing less freedom to the Third Person of the Godhead than is enjoyed and exercised by men. There is variety in the activities of all voluntary agents: even human beings are not confined to one sort of work, nor to the production of the same kind of effects; and where they design so to do, they moderate them as to degrees according to their power and pleasure. Much more so is it with the Holy Spirit. The nature and kind of His works are regulated by His own will and purpose. Some He executes by the touch of His finger (so to speak), in others He puts forth His hand, while in yet others (as on the day of Pentecost) He lays bare His arm. He works by no necessity of His nature, but solely according to the pleasure of His will (1 Cor. 12: 11).

(Please click here to read the rest of the The Work of the Spirit)

Fighting Five Articles of Interest

Ligonier Blog

The Nadir of Ignorance by R.C. Sproul

R.C. on worship.

The Sense of Touch in Worship by R.C. Sproul

The importance of touch in worship.

Tim Challies

Death is No Escape by Tim Challies

Tim comments on the Richard Evans World War II book, The Third Reich at War, and the justice of God.

Reformation 21

Consider Christ in Affliction: An Open Letter to True Believers by Joel Beeke

Article by Beeke encouraging Christians to trust and emulate Christ when suffering affliction.

DeYoung Restless and Reformed

I Like What the Bible Teaches by Kevin DeYoung

Christians should not only know what the Bible teaches. They should learn to like and love God's sacred Word.

"FIGHTING MAD" OR OTHER ARTICLES OF NOTE:

Dr. Mohler's Blog

The Assurance of Things Hoped For by Al Moher

Dr. Mohler's address to the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary at the service commemorating the sesquicentennial of the seminary’s founding.

Spurgeon Monday: Comfort for the Desponding

http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/0051.htm


SERMON HIGHLIGHT:

"One more form of this sad condition. There are some of us, dearly beloved, who have not as much zeal for the glory of God and the salvation of men as we used to have. Months ago, if we saw a soul going to destruction, our eyes were filled with tears in a moment; if we did but see a man inclined to sin, we rushed before him with tears in our eyes, and wished to sacrifice ourselves to save him; we could not walk the street, but we must be giving somebody a tract, or reproving some one; we thought we must be for ever speaking of the Lord Jesus; if there were any good to be done, we were always first and foremost in it: we desired by all means to save some, and we did think at that time that we could give up ourselves to death, if we might but snatch a soul from hell. So deep, so ardent was our love to our fellowmen, that for the love we bore Christ's name, we would have been content to be scoffed at, hissed at, and persecuted by the whole world, if we might have done any good in it. Our soul was burning with intense longing for souls, and we considered all things else to be mean and worthless; but ah! now souls may be damned, and there is not a tear; sinners may sink into the scalding pit of hell, and not a groan; thousands may be swept away each day, and sink into bottomless woe, and yet not an emotion. We can preach without tears; we can pray for them without our hearts. We can speak to them without feeling their necessities; we pass by the haunts of infamy—we wish the inmates better, and that is all. Even our compassion has died out. Once we stood near the brink of hell, and we thought each day that we heard the yellings and howlings of the doomed spirits ringing in our ears; and then we said, "O God, help me to save my fellow-men from going down to the pit! "But now we forget it all. We have little love to men, we have not half the zeal and energy we once had. Oh! if that be your state, dearly beloved; if you can join in that, as your poor minister, alas! can do in some measure, then may we well say, "Oh that I were as in months past!"

Comfort for the Desponding

A Sermon(No. 51)
Delivered on Sabbath Morning, November 25, 1855,

by the REV. C. H. Spurgeon

At New Park Street Chapel, Southwark,

"Oh that I were as in months past."—Job 29:2.

FOR THE MOST part the gracious Shepherd leads his people beside the still waters, and makes them to lie down in green pastures; but at times they wander through a wilderness, where there is no water, and they find no city to dwell in. Hungry and thirsty, their soul fainteth within them, and they cry unto the Lord in their trouble. Though many of his people live in almost constant joy, and find that religion's ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace, yet there are many who pass through fire and through water: men do ride over their heads,—they endure all manner of trouble and sorrow. The duty of the minister is to preach to different characters. Sometimes we admonish the confident, lest they should become presumptuous; oftentimes we stir up the slumbering, lest they should sleep the sleep of death. Frequently we comfort the desponding, and this is our duty this morning—or if not to comfort them, yet to give them some exhortation which may by God's help be the means of bringing them out of the sad condition into which they have fallen, so that they may not be obliged to cry out for ever—"Oh that I were as in months past!"At once to the subject. A complaint; its cause and cure; and then close up with an exhortation to stir up your pure minds, if you are in such a position.

(Please click here to continue reading "Comfort for the Desponding")

Fighting Friday: "Satan's Schemes" by George Whitefield

"Fighting Friday" will now be a regular feature on this blog site highlighting a classic sermon or article every Friday. This weeks sermon is "Satan's Schemes" by George Whitefield and edited by Tony Capoccia from Bible Bulletin Board.

http://www.biblebb.com/files/whitefield/SCHEMES.HTM

Preface

For more than two centuries, George Whitefield has been considered the most brilliant and popular preacher the modern world has ever known. He began preaching at an early age of twenty-two and his voice startled England like a trumpet blast. He boldly preached the fundamental doctrines of the Christian faith and was attacked by clergy, the press, and even mobs. Most of His preaching was in the open air to crowds of twenty to thirty thousand people. Yet for all his popularity and impact he remained a man of humility and deep spirituality. He died at the age of 55 and had preached an estimated 30,000 sermons. His penetrating comments are as wise and relevant today, as they were when he first preached them. His sermons have been consistently recognized, and their usefulness and impact have continued to the present day, even in the outdated English of the author's own day.

Why then should expositions already so successful and of such stature and proven usefulness require adaptation, revision, rewrite or even editing? The answer is obvious. To increase its usefulness to today's audience the language in which it was originally written needs updating.

Though his sermons have served other generations well, just as they were preached in the eighteenth century, they still could be lost to present and future generations simply because, to them, the language is neither readily nor fully understandable.

My goal, however, has not been to reduce the original writing to the vernacular of our day. It is designed primarily for you who desire to read and study comfortably and at ease in the language of our time. Only obviously archaic terminology and passages obscured by expressions not totally familiar in our day have been revised. However, neither Whitefield's meaning nor intent have been tampered with. Tony Capoccia

Satan's Schemes

by

George Whitefield (1714-1770)

"In order that Satan might not outwit us. For we are not

unaware of his schemes. "[2 Corinthians 2:11]

These words were spoken by the Apostle Paul to the church of Corinth. In that church there was an unhappy person, one who had committed the sin of incest, and of a kind that does not occur even among pagans: The man had taken his father's wife; but either on account of his wealth, power, or for some other reason, like many notorious offenders today, he had not been exposed to the discipline of the church. The Apostle Paul, therefore, in his first epistle, severely reprimands the church for this neglect of discipline, and commands them, "When you are assembled in the name of our Lord Jesus and I am with you in spirit, and the power of our Lord Jesus is present, hand this man over to Satan, so that the sinful nature may be destroyed and his spirit saved on the day of the Lord," that is, they should solemnly excommunicate him; which back then was commonly followed with some bodily disease.

The Corinthians, being obedient to the Apostle, as soon as they received this reproof, like dear children, submitted to it, and cast the offending party out of the church. But while they were endeavoring to amend one fault, they unhappily ran into another; and as they formerly had been too mild and negligent, so now they behaved towards him with too much severity and resentment. The Apostle, therefore, in this chapter, reproves this, and tells them, that "The punishment inflicted on him by the majority is sufficient for him:" that he had now suffered enough; and that, therefore, lest he should be tempted to say with Cain, "My punishment is more than I can bear;" therefore, "Forgive and comfort him, so that he will not be overwhelmed by excessive sorrow."

Now that he had given proof of his repentance, you now needed to forgive him, to confirm your love towards him, and to restore him in the spirit of meekness; "In order that Satan, (who is trying to tempt him to despair) might not outwit you." Satan wants the church to be unforgiving and to be the vehicle that drives the repentant sinner to despair, thereby representing you, the church, as being merciless and cruel, and to cause the Holy Name of Christ to be blasphemed, by which you are called; "for we are not unaware of his schemes:" we know very well how many subtle ways Satan has to distract and deceive unguarded and unthinking men.

Thus, as Satan has many schemes, and as his quiver is full of other poisonous darts, besides those which he shoots at us to drive us to despair, I shall, this morning, discuss the following,

I. First, I will briefly attempt to help you understand who Satan is.

II. Secondly, I will point out to you the principal schemes, he generally uses, to lead astray new converts to Christ, and also prescribe some remedies against them.

(Please click here to read the rest of "Satan's Schemes")

On the Passing of Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett

In less than 24 hours, we have lost two of this cultures greatest pop icons in the fair haired beauty Farrah Fawcett, and the self-proclaimed "King of Pop" Michael Jackson.

Farrah Fawcett rose to instant stardom because of the seventies show Charlies Angels. She was also America's favorite pinup girl whose poster sold by the millions and adorned the walls of many males and adolescent teens. She would later star in a made for television movie called the "Burning Bed" where she brought to the forefront the issue of husbands abusing their wives.

Michael Jackson was the gifted singer and dancer who made his start along with his brothers and formed the Jackson 5 where Michael was the lead singer. Jackson would later blossom as a solo singer and dancer, and would later create the biggest selling album of the time called Thriller with memorable hit songs such as "Billie Jean" and "Beat It". Jackson was one of my favorite recording artists when I was a teen. I was in high school when Thriller was released.

Fawcett and Jackson were rich, famous, adored by millions, and now are dead without Christ. So sad. There is no evidence that either Fawcett or Jackson had repented of their sins and put their trust in faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. Fawcett claimed that she knew God from published reports during her bout with cancer, but it seemed that the God she knew was a God of her own making and not the God of the Bible. Jackson was a former Jehovah's Witness, and in his later days became involved with the Black Muslims.

This society has been brought back to the reality of the finality of death once again because of their adoration for these two cultural icons. Many in this society who have been lulled to sleep by the pleasures of this world are once again peering at death face to face. It's an opportunity for Christians once again to use this event as an opportunity to proclaim the Gospel to their unsaved friends, co-workers, and family members. An opportunity to remind them of the uncertainty of life and the judgment to come (James 1: 11, James 4:14, Heb. 9:27). An opportunity we cannot afford to pass up.

Fighting Five Articles of Interest

Pulpit Magazine

The Importance of a Good Example, by John MacArthur

John describes a recent sports story involving a high school basketball coach and how being a good example to young people is better than winning championships.

Tim Challies

Sharing the Gospel in the Gay Village, by John Bell (guest blogger)

Tim's friend John Bell, pastor of New Baptist Church in Toronto, shares his experiences evangelizing the LGBT community. This article does a good job in describing and giving an example of one aspect of evangelism which is friendship/relationship evangelism especially in the challenging enviroment of the LGBT community.

Reformation Theology

Understanding Romans 10:17, by John Samson

Does one only believe in Reformed Theology/Calvinism because he has heard it multiple times? John Samson answers this question.

Monergism

Principles in Reformed Apologetics/Evangelism, by John Hendryx

John Hendryx gives some insight into Reformed Apologetics/Evangelism.

"FIGHTING MAD" or Other Items of Note

Pulpit Magazine

The Marks of Saving Faith, Part 1, by John Mac Arthur

The Marks of Saving Faith, Part 2, by John Mac Arthur

What are the characteristics of a true believer? John examines this issue in these two very helpful articles.

Los Angeles Times

Robert Schuller taps his daughter to lead ministry's grand comeback, by Dana Parsons

Robert Schuller chooses his heir apparent.

Hell: Fact or Fiction

In considering the N.T. Wright issue concerning his view of hell coupled with the fact that one of my people from our evangelism ministry asked me if I could provide some Bible verses concerning hell, I thought it may be a good idea to put those verses I am preparing for her on the blog so it can be referred to again.

The Bible is quite clear regarding the existence of hell. Jesus mentions the subject of hell more times than almost any other subject (I believe money is the number one subject). The only way a person can worm his way out of the existence of hell in the Bible is to change its' definition or to say its allegorical which is not the case. You should use the following verses along with the article concerning the N.T. Wright issue by Dan Phillips as further reference. Also, you may want to look at Hell Under Fire. It is a book of essays on the subject of hell by theologians such as Al Mohler, J.I. Packer, Douglas Moo, and others. Two more resources you should consider concerning this subject is Death and the After Life by Robert Morey and International Outreach's book of sermons by Jonathan Edwards on the subject of hell called The Torments of Hell. Here are the verses:

"Then they will go forth and look on the corpses of the men who have transgressed against Me For their worm will not die and their fire will not be quenched; and they will be an abhorrence to all mankind." (Isa. 66:24)

"Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake,these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt." (Dan. 12:2)

"For behold, the day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze," says the LORD of hosts, "so that it will leave them neither root nor branch." (Mal. 4: 1)

"But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ' You good-for-nothing,' shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, 'You fool,' shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell." (Matt. 5:22)

"If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell." (Matt. 5: 29-30)

"Do not fear those who kill the body but are unable to kill the soul; but rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell." (Matt. 10:28)

"Nevertheless I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you. And you, Capernaum, will not be exalted to heaven, will you? You will descend to Hades; for if the miracles had occurred in Sodom which occurred in you, it would have remained to this day. "Nevertheless I say to you that it will be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment, than for you." (Matt. 11: 22-24)

"So it will be at the end of the age; the angels will come forth and take out the wicked from among the righteous, and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." (Matt. 13: 49-50)

"I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. (Matt. 16:18)

"If your eye causes you to stumble, pluck it out and throw it from you It is better for you to enter life with one eye, than to have two eyes and be cast into the fiery hell." (Matt. 18:9)

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites, because you travel around on sea and land to make one proselyte; and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves." (Matt. 23:15)

"You serpents, you brood of vipers, how will you escape the sentence of hell?" (Matt. 23:23)

"Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you gave Me nothing to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave Me nothing to drink; I was a stranger, and you did not invite Me in; naked, and you did not clothe Me; sick, and in prison, and you did not visit Me.' "Then they themselves also will answer, 'Lord, when did we see You hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not take care of You? The King will answer and say to them, 'Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me.' "Then He will also say to those on His left, 'Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels; (Matt. 25: 41-46)

"If your hand causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life crippled, than, having your two hands, to go into hell, into the unquenchable fire," where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.] "If your foot causes you to stumble, cut it off; it is better for you to enter life lame, than, having your two feet, to be cast into hell, where THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE, AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.] If your eye causes you to stumble, throw it out; it is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye, than, having two eyes, to be cast into hell, (Mark 9:43-47)

"But I will warn you whom to fear: fear the One who, after He has killed, has authority to cast into hell; yes, I tell you, fear Him! (Luke 12:5)

"Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham's bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. "In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. "And he cried out and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.'" (Luke 16: 22-24)

'THEREFORE MY HEART WAS GLAD AND MY TONGUE EXULTED; MOREOVER MY FLESH ALSO WILL LIVE IN HOPE; BECAUSE YOU WILL NOT ABANDON MY SOUL TO HADES, NOR ALLOW YOUR HOLY ONE TO UNDERGO DECAY. 'YOU HAVE MADE KNOWN TO ME THE WAYS OF LIFE; YOU WILL MAKE ME FULL OF GLADNESS WITH YOUR PRESENCE.' (Acts 22: 26-28)

"For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment;" (2 Pet. 2:4)

And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. (Rev. 20: 13-15)