Devotion
BY Herschel Smith
3 years, 3 months ago
My opinion is that without renewal and reformation of the church in America, there is no basis upon which to save the republic. It lacks any foundation upon which to build. If we cannot save the republic, we cannot hope to build a new one.
For there to be reformation in the church, we must go back to the basics.
On January 24, 2021 at 11:39 pm, The Wretched Dog said:
“… without renewal and reformation of the church in America, there is no basis upon which to save the republic.” — very true. And from my (limited) experience with non mainline denominations, we are in trouble! My local pastor (Evangelical Presbyterian) is supposedly reformed, and he is absolutely committed to the lies that America is still systemically racist, that to be white is to be necessarily racist, that George Floyd was murdered-by-cop, blah, blah, blah. I stay because the congregation is about 50-50, and I am working to change hearts and minds, as it were.
Thank you for posting Pastor Jeff Durbin and Apologia Church – my favorite digital church!
TWD
On January 25, 2021 at 8:24 am, Ned said:
My favorite digital church as well, since you first posted here.
Thanks.
On January 25, 2021 at 12:19 pm, John Carter said:
“The Church” will never, can never, fix anything.
All of our problems in the USA stem from people not having a personal relationship with God through their conscience. The dry words of the church cannot ever awaken the true yearning for truth that a seeking soul must have in order to follow God, and His Will.
Jesus, Himself, said to seek God by going into the closet and being still, to know God. God knows everything and He doesn’t need you to tell him anything or to ask for anything, you only need to listen.
On January 25, 2021 at 12:29 pm, Herschel Smith said:
@John Carter,
Your comment is so full of theological error it’s difficult to know where to begin.
First of all, smart guy, the “church” doesn’t refer to an institutional church. The church is His people, His elect, those who are called.
Second, God doesn’t say anything to you in a voice. Revelation is closed. God doesn’t speak. God HAS SPOKEN. It’s past tense, not future tense. The words are in the Scriptures.
No man yearns for His will or His words. He has to be regenerated by the spirit of God. Without this, man is lost.
Finally, your prayers are when you speak to God, not when God speaks to you. God doesn’t speak to you. Or to me.
On January 25, 2021 at 2:41 pm, Bob in NC said:
‘God doesn’t speak to you”
Herschel, I have to respectfully disagree with you on that. There have been only a few times that He has spoken to me over the past 35 I have been a Christian- never audibly, but I know without doubt it was God. I will share just one instance…
When I driving to visit a guy from the church whose child was hospitalized very close to death. I was thinking about what I could say to him that would be comforting. It was at that moment that God impressed me with just three words: “But if not” It seemed such a strange thing to do that I remember questioning it all the way there.
But when I told him, the father broke down and wept, and said they were the words he needed to hear at that time because he was questioning God’s mercy. They came from what had been his favorite Bible story as a child from Daniel 3:15:
“Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego answered and said to the king, “O Nebuchadnezzar, we have no need to answer you in this matter. 17 If that is the case, our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. BUT IF NOT, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.”
On January 25, 2021 at 3:06 pm, John Carter said:
Herschel, you told me everything I need to know about your “christianity” with this one line, “First of all, smart guy,”, tells me everything I need to know about you and your mindset.
A born again turkey is still a turkey.
On January 25, 2021 at 3:19 pm, Chuck said:
Herschel…There are indeed references to the physical church throughout scripture. The living God is not closed, he speaks to us thorough his creation, this also is mentioned throughout scripture. I don’t see that John said anything about a “voice”. I was born with a thirst for his words and his will and it has grown exponentially as I have matured. Is not His spirit….a voice? Am I not a man then? You have it backwards, our “prayers” are merely words, or a “voice”. The living God has no use for our words, that also is mentioned throughout scripture. God speaks to me, and all of us though his spirit and His love. As John said, you only need listen. I also read where pride comes before the fall. The fall, is misunderstanding the instructions he continuously and lovingly gives us every moment of our lives. Pride blinds.
On January 25, 2021 at 3:38 pm, Herschel Smith said:
@Chuck,
So let’s go back even further into basic theology than before.
Revelation is comprised of two elements: “General revelation,” and “Special revelation.”
General revelation is how God manifests Himself through creation. It is enough to leave men accountable to God. See Romans 1. However, as Paul points out, while leaving men accountable, it’s not enough to save. Men suppress general revelation in unrighteousness.
Men need special revelation (the Scriptures) because that is the power of God unto salvation. Men cannot discern special revelation without regeneration by the Holy Spirit. God is sovereign.
God does not speak to you, or to me. He speaks to no one today. He has spoken. Past tense. Charismatic churches are teaching falsehood.
Revelation is closed. Whomever adds to the words of God is guilty of cosmic sin. All scripture is inspired by God, and profitable for teaching, reproof, correction, and training in righteousness, that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for EVERY good work. 2 Timothy 3:16. There are no good works necessary that are not covered in Scripture. We need nothing besides the bible.
You need no other inclination, revelation, manifestation, or leading. We have it all in the Holy Writ. Everything He wants us to have, everything we need.
As for a physical church, I think you misunderstand basic Christian doctrine here. Of course there are references to the church. The church is the body of believers. See the WCF on definitions.
This is carefully worded, so as not to exclude, for example, a reformed Baptist communion from the body of Christ because Presbyterians don’t happen to agree on them with baptism, or vice versa.
What John was referring to was the institutional church, e.g., a denomination. He said, and I quote, “The Church” will never, can never, fix anything.” Of course, this is false.
The church (i.e., the body of Christ) is salt and light. It is God’s design that his body effect the world, take dominion of it, and conquer it for His glory. Far from being unable to effect change in the world, it is the ONLY THING that can effect change in the world.
@John,
I’ll let this comment slide, but only once. It’s my house, my rules. Don’t squat and soil my floors. You should speak less authoritatively, especially when not discerning my words, not thinking through your comments before making them, and including so much theological error, while authoritatively telling me what can or can’t happen in response to my post.
On January 25, 2021 at 3:44 pm, Chuck said:
I see……. And so does God. Farewell.
On January 25, 2021 at 3:47 pm, Herschel Smith said:
Farewell Chuck.
In response to that statement that God has no use for our words, he commands us to pray. Further, there is one thing He desires (so says the Scriptures). True worshipers. We worship with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Those include words.
On January 25, 2021 at 4:50 pm, sunny said:
Oh, no! This has turned into quite the mess hasn’t it?
There are things that I definitely don’t agree with in what The Captain has said and also JohnC and Chuck said. But I’m not gonna fight over it nor cause division because of it.
Just remember one thing: you can’t receive something from God that you don’t use your faith to get. If you don’t believe for it, you’ll never receive it.
God is moving in ways at this time that we’ve not seen before. There will be a great harvest of people coming into the kingdom of God. I want to be a part of that.
sunny
On January 25, 2021 at 4:56 pm, Herschel Smith said:
I don’t see this as a mess at all. I see America in great need of sound theological instruction.
Even your faith is a gift from God (Eph 2:8). It isn’t something you muster up. In the “ordo salutis” (order of salvation), regeneration comes first. Faith does not. Faith is a response to regeneration by the Holy Spirit. So even your faith has been given to you as a gift.
Without it, men do not, and cannot, believe.
In the coming days, I see a great need to go through this in more basic detail, based on my time in seminary and training by Dr C. Gregg Singer, Dr. Ligon Duncan and Dr. Douglas Kelly.
On January 25, 2021 at 8:05 pm, Fred said:
Some of you are denying the Holy Spirit of God. Careful!
[ “Faith is just one such good work.” ]
Under Holy Father God, having given the lost sinner to Jesus, there is a threefold operation unto salvation.
Jesus saves the lost sinner.
***The Holy Spirit convicts the lost sinner.***
And the witness (soul winner, messenger) shares Scripture, and very specifically and most importantly the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Yes, Jesus saved them BEFORE they heard the Scripture.
That is the basic answer to every point of seeming disagreement that was made above. It’s irrefutable. Jesus before there was a was, knew you and saved you, if you are truly saved, then coming under conviction, you received the Gospel with joy. Your works, having put your hand to the plow are now fit for the Kingdom of God. These works also being foreordained are now used for God’s mighty purposes even as wicked and resistant as you (I am) may be.
God will not be denied, for you were called, you were called unto good works, not out of good works, or because of good works. Faith is just one such good work, without which it is impossible to please God, but neither of which are possible at all without God for how can you have faith in that which you know not?
“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
And how does one come to God. He must believe. And how does he believe; he hears the Gospel. And how does he hear the Gospel (***this right here is where people get sideways and deny the sovereign power of God Almighty, don’t deny the third person of the Trinity!!!), he hears the Gospel by conviction of the Holy Spirit***, for without that, nobody can even understand the words of God in His Scriptures. And how is it that he is convicted by the Holy Spirit; he belongs to Jesus since before there was a before.
(you can read the bible at somebody 24/7/365. You can set up Christian re-education camps in North Dakota where all they listen to is the bible. Doesn’t matter, nobody understands the holy and inspired Word of God without the Spirit of God!!!)
Don’t deny the third person, His operation (no, I’m not making a modalist case), and His power. Nobody every heard and rightly understood the words of Holy God except that the Spirit of God revealed them to him. Now, apologize to God for denying Him, since His Spirit is as much God as the Father and the Son.
“Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.”
It is the unseen Holy Spirit that brings the evidence out of the void of knowledge making it substantive to the hearer and causing his faith. You put your faith in the cross although you weren’t there 2k years ago, why? Because you’re one of the cool kids? No, not hardly. Fact is, you didn’t even really understand one lick of what you were were doing when you got saved. Well, it’s about 7:30, guess I’ll mosey on and get saved now by my own faith? Still, a hard no.
They were given by the Father
Jesus saved them
The Holy Spirit convicted them
They heard the Gospel from Scripture
Please just give up and surrender to God already. You really will have a much better time of it. And I say this as much to myself as anybody.
Ps. Don’t @ me about somebody who got saved without hearing the Scripture. I know it happens, but those are the exceptions that simply prove the rule, it’s not us, it’s not them, it’s all God, and only God.
As far as I know anybody can be saved, since I don’t know who will be. That’s faith!!! God didn’t give me His cut list of names so I don’t bother trying to figure out who gets saved. I just do my job. I simply tell anybody who will listen what it is that Jesus has already done for them. This is faith, and much pleasing unto Holy God.
Diligently seek Him. Seek His kingdom. In this is our reward.
On January 25, 2021 at 9:07 pm, Fred said:
Ps. If you have a revelation that isn’t already in the Scriptural record, you didn’t get it from Holy God!!! Be careful. If it agrees with Scripture, do it. If not, don’t. This is why we MUST read the bible with all devotion, making daily our prayerful desire to hear and understand His holy word known to God then opening His word with reverence, seeking Him, and we must, read it cover to cover, on top of specific topics and books and sections studies that we do. If you claim Christ, HELLO, you ought to at least bother to read His book. I recommend reading the NT first, even reading it twice. The OT makes more sense if we have some solid NT background before we undertake to read the entire OT.
God may impress upon you the need to, for example, go tell people about Jesus on the cross, but that is ALREADY what we are commanded to do. God may impress upon you the need to go to Nigeria and teach new Christians, but this is ALREADY in His holy word. God may impress upon you to take diligent and very earnest care of a local body of believers, His church, but that’s already in Scripture. Etc.
God told you that Trump would have a second term? That’s not in the bible. He might yet have a second term, but you didn’t hear that from God.
How do you spot a phony? Listen carefully; the devil and his workers are a fraud of God. Everything evil does has a ring of truth but it’s all a lie. So, how do spot a phony? You know the real thing, cover to cover, making one of your life’s work to know Him by His scripture that He gave you. That’s how you know a phony, by knowing for certain the real thing.
What a wonderful gift!!! Did you know that in many places in the world they don’t have a bible. They get together under cover from government and other religious zealots and each brings a scrap of pages or some memorized verses. A great many churches in the world don’t even have a complete bible!!!
Americans are throwing away what, they know not. You need a case of bibles and other materials squired away. They may come for the bibles before the guns!!!
On January 26, 2021 at 9:44 pm, Sisu said:
Herschel, I am confident you can speak to G-d’s purpose for each of us based on scripture with more certainty than me. Regardless, I offer for your reflection the following reference search of the words “love one another” as they appear in scripture:
https://www.biblegateway.com/quicksearch/?quicksearch=love+one+another&version=KJV
Peace and understanding.