An Athiest on how to Evangelize

Below is a video I first saw at teampyro.blogspot.com and I believe this is a video every Christian should see.

This is Penn from the magic act "Penn and Teller". It is obvious that the person that witnessed to Him had a profound effect, mainly from his attitude. We do not have to be skilled orators to tell others about Christ, We just have to care.

Merry Christmas to All

Have you ever been to a birthday party and the guest of honor was ignored while everyone was celebrating, but not really aware of what the occasion was? Maybe they are having a party for the sake of a party. That is what Christmas has become for many. Do not forget the Savior this Christmas.

A little something from the prince of preachers

The Death of My Best Friend
by C. H. SPURGEON

A Brief Autobiographical Excerpt of his Conversion and Subsequent Experiences

There was a day, as I took my walks abroad, when I came hard by a spot forever engraven upon my memory, for there I saw this friend, my best, my only Friend.... MURDERED.
I stooped down in sad affright, and looked at Him. I saw that His hands had been pierced with rough iron nails, and His feet had been rent in the same way. There was misery in His dead countenance so terrible that I scarcely dared to look upon it. His body was emaciated with hunger, His back was red with bloody scourges, and His brow had a circle of wounds about it: clearly could one see that these had been pierced by thorns.
I shuddered, for I had known this Friend full well. He never had a fault; He was the purest of the pure, the holiest of the holy.

Who could have injured Him? For He never injured any man: all His life long He "went about doing good." He had healed the sick, He had fed the hungry, He had raised the dead: for which of these works did they kill Him? He had never breathed out anything else but love — and as I looked into the poor sorrowful face, so full of agony, and yet so full of love, I wondered who could have been a wretch so vile as to pierce hands like His.
I said within myself, "Where can these traitors live? Who are these that could have smitten such an One as this?"

Had they murdered an oppressor, we might have forgiven them; had they slain one who had indulged in vice or villainy, it might have been his desert; had it been a murderer and a rebel, or one who had committed sedition, we would have said, "Bury his corpse: justice has at last given him his due."

But when Thou wast slain, my best, my only-beloved, where lodged the traitors? Let me seize them, and they shall be put to death! If there be torments that I can devise, surely they shall endure them all. Oh! what jealousy; what revenge I felt! If I might but find these murderers, what would I do with them!

The Criminal Discovered

And as I looked upon that corpse, I heard a footstep, and wondered where it was. I listened, and I clearly perceived that the murderer was close at hand! It was dark, and I groped about to find him. I found that, somehow or other, wherever I put out my hand, I could not meet with him, for he was NEARER to me than my hand would go.
At last I put my hand upon MY BREAST. "I have thee now" said I — for lo! he was IN MY OWN HEART — the murderer was hiding within my own bosom, dwelling in the recesses of my INMOST SOUL.

Ah! then I wept indeed, that I, in the very presence of my murdered Master, should be harboring the murderer — and I felt myself most guilty while I bowed over His Corpse, and sang that plaintive hymn..."Twas you, MY SINS, my cruel sins, His chief tormentors were; Each of my crimes became a nail, and unbelief the spear."

Amid the rabble rout which hounded the Redeemer to His doom, there were some gracious souls whose bitter anguish sought vent in wailing and lamentations, fit music to accompany that march of woe. When my soul can, in imagination, see the Saviour bearing His cross to Calvary, she joins the godly women, and weeps with them; for, indeed, there is true cause for grief, cause lying deeper than those mourning women thought. They bewailed innocence maltreated, goodness persecuted, love bleeding, meekness about to die — but my heart has a deeper and more bitter cause to mourn.

MY SINS were the scourges which lacerated those blessed shoulders,
and crowned with thorns those bleeding brows; my sins cried —
"Crucify Him! Crucify Him!"
— and laid the cross upon His gracious shoulders.
His being led forth to die is sorrow enough for one eternity;
but my having been His murderer, is more,
infinitely more grief than one poor fountain of tears can express.

If Christ has died for me, ungodly as I am, without strength as I am, then I cannot live in sin any longer, but must arouse myself to love and serve Him who hath redeemed me. I cannot trifle with the evil which slew my best Friend. I must be holy for His sake.

HOW CAN I LIVE IN SIN WHEN HE HAS DIED TO SAVE ME FROM IT?

Limited Atonement

The doctrine of "Limited atonement" states that Jesus Christ's substitutionary atonement on the cross is limited to those who are elect.

Several leaders in the Southern Baptist Convention recently held a conference called The John 3:16 conference aimed at debunking Calvinism. The topic that has gotten the most attention is "Limited Atonement" presented by Dr. David Allen, dean of Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary's School of Theology. The reason for so much attention on his particular session is his criticism of many leaders in the reformed arena, but I want to deal with his rejection of the doctrine of Limited Atonement.

First I am going to make a statement that is going to have many blowing smoke out of their ears, but please continue reading before you do any severe damage to nearby objects, pets or children. Ok? Are you ready? Here goes: If you do not believe in Limited Atonement you are not a Christian. Now take a few relaxing breaths , calm down and let me explain.

The word "elect" is used in scripture to mean those that have been, are or will be saved.

Mathew 24:31 And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Romans 8:33 Who shall bring any charge against God's elect? It is God who justifies.

Titus 1:1 Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God's elect and their knowledge of the truth, which accords with godliness,

If I counted correctly their are 14 places in the New Testament that refer to those that are saved as "elect". So we can legitimately substitute the word "saved" for the word "elect" and my opening sentence would have read like this-

The doctrine of "Limited atonement" states that Jesus Christ's substitutionary atonement on the cross is limited to those who are saved.

To argue against "Limited Atonement" is to argue for (1) universalism or (2) that Christ's blood was not sufficient because He paid the price for people who are in hell.

Either position is heretical and cannot be held by a true Christian.

I am not arguing that Dr. Allen is not a Christian, only that his biases are not allowing Him to view the subject clearly.

The doctrine of Limited Atonement as well as the other doctrines of Grace are foreign to most Christians and are not clearly understood.

Having one sided conferences condemning another groups views will only divide the Southern Baptist Convention. Several leaders in the Calvinist movement have called for a debate on the doctrines of Grace and I challenge Dr. Allen and the other participants in the John 3:16 conference to accept. An open discussion presenting both views clearly, honestly and with respect is the only way to insure the denomination is not pulled apart by this controversy.

Related links:

An overview by Timmy Brister

Challies.com reports on Dr David Allens message

The result of true evangelism

How does this help your Self- Esteem

God is in Control

Earlier tonight I had been thinking about the financial situation of our country, and how people must be struggling with the price of gas and groceries. At least struggling compared to what we are used too in this great country.

As I thought about this I walked outside and looked at the sky toward the north and saw stars everywhere, I turned and looked to the south and stars were everywhere. Everywhere I looked I saw stars. Science tells us that those stars are millions of miles away, that is further than I can possibly imagine. As I pondered this I realized that God is not only here with me, but He is also present on each one of those stars at this very moment. He has been present in every inch of all the universe since He spoke it into existence. That is a mighty big God and even that doesn't come close to showing His glory.

Job 22:14....he walks on the vault of heaven

Job 9:6 who shakes the earth out of its place,and its pillars tremble; 7 who commands the sun, and it does not rise; who seals up the stars; 8 who alone stretched out the heavens and trampled the waves of the sea;

Psalms 89:11 The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them. 12 The north and the south, you have created them; ...

Exodus 15:11 “Who is like you, O Lord, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders?

And yet a God like this showed mercy on a foolish speck like me.

How can we worry when we serve a God like this?

Does anything happen that He does not know?

Does He not work everything for our good if we love Him, even suffering?

We cannot know what lies ahead whether God will bless America or remove it from the face of the earth, but all things are in his hands.

Psalm 86:5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon you.

Lamentations 3:32 but, though he cause grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love;

Psalm 86:5 For you, O Lord, are good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call upon You.

1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

1 Chronicles 16:34 Oh give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; for his steadfast love endures forever!

What is Regeneration?

Regeneration means reborn or bring back to life.

At the fall when Adam sinned that in the day He ate of the tree of knowledge He would surely die. Physically Adam began to die, but he did not die physically that same day.

Genesis 2:16 And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, "Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; 17 but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die."

He did die spiritually on that day. Because we are also sinners and Adams descendants we inherited this condition as well as the rest of the curse. Thus a need for regeneration or to be reborn.

Romans 7:11 For sin, taking occasion by the commandment, deceived me, and by it killed me.

Ephesians 2:1 And you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins,

2:5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved),

Being dead in sin does not mean that the soul ceases to exist but rather we are seperated from God. We become incapable of responding or reacting to God because sin has placed a barrier between the fallen creature(us) and a Holy God.

John 6:44 No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.

Notice in this verse the word “can” meaning We lack the ability to come to Christ. We can only come if God draws us.

You are probably thinking “ Wait you said we are spiritually dead and unable to respond to God.”

We are, but look at the following verse:

John 11:43 Now when He had said these things, He cried with a loud voice, "Lazarus, come forth!" 44 And he who had died came out bound hand and foot with graveclothes, and his face was wrapped with a cloth. Jesus said to them, "Loose him, and let him go."

When Christ called Lazarus out of the grave, Lazarus did not have the power to respond. He was physically dead. But Christ “regenerated” his physical body, so that he could respond.

In the same way that Lazarus experienced physical regeneration, We experience spiritual regeneration when Christ calls us to him. Southern Baptists calls it “coming under conviction”. When we experience regeneration we suddenly come to the realization of our utter lostness and need for God, we are now spiritually alive again and capable of coming to God.

Everyone that is truly regenerated will come to repentance through faith.

John 6:37 All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out.

6:38 For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.

6:39 This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day.

6:40 And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day."

John 5:24 "Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

5:25 Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live.

Titus 3:5 not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit,

Who is God?

Exodus 3:14 God replied to Moses, "I AM WHO I AM. This is what you are to say to the Israelites: I AM has sent me to you."

Spirit

John 4:24 God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.

Changeless

Hebrews 1:12b But You are the same, and Your years will never end.

All-Powerful

Genesis 17:1 When Abram was 99 years old, the Lord appeared to him, saying, "I am God Almighty. Live in My presence and be devout."

Genesis 18:14a Is anything impossible for the Lord?

Genesis 18:25c Won't the Judge of all the earth do what is just?

All-knowing

Romans 11:33 - 36 Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and the knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments and untraceable His ways!

For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been His counselor?

Or who has ever first given to Him, and has to be repaid?

For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.

Psalm147:5 Our Lord is great, vast in power; His understanding is infinite.

Job 37:16 Do you understand how the clouds float, those wonderful works of Him who has perfect knowledge?

Everywhere

Psalm 139:7-12 Where can I go to escape Your Spirit?

Where can I flee from Your presence?

If I go up to heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, You are there.

If I live at the eastern horizon [or] settle at the western limits,

even there Your hand will lead me; Your right hand will hold on to me.

If I say, ";Surely the darkness will hide me, and the light around me will become night"; -even the darkness is not dark to You.

The night shines like the day; darkness and light are alike to You.

Eternal

2 Peter 3:8 Dear friends, don't let this one thing escape you: with the Lord one day is like 1,000 years, and 1,000 years like one day.

Revelation 1:8 "I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "the One who is, who was, and who is coming, the Almighty."

Holy

Isaiah 6:1a,3 I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne, and His robe filled the temple.....And one called to another: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Hosts; His glory fills the whole earth.

Righteous

Deuteronomy 32:4 The Rock-His work is perfect; all His ways are entirely just.

A faithful God, without prejudice, He is righteous and true.

Romans 1:17-18 For in it God's righteousness is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith. For God's wrath is revealed from heaven against all godlessness and unrighteousness of people who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth,

Love

Psalm 145:9 The Lord is good to everyone; His compassion [rests] on all He has made.

John 3:16 For God loved the world in this way: He gave His only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.

1 John 4:8 The one who does not love does not know God, because God is love.

Jeremiah 31:3 I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, I have continued to extend faithful love to you.

1 Timothy 1:17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

What happens to those who never hear the Gospel?

Those that have never heard the Gospel will be judged according to their consciences. Every evil deed or evil intent will condemn them.

Romans 2:12 For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law
13 (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified;
14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves,
15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)
16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.

Luke 8:17 For nothing is secret that will not be revealed, nor anything hidden that will not be known and come to light.


God has revealed himself both in nature and in the conscience of Man so no one has an excuse.

Romans 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness,
19 because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse,
21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

No one escapes Judgement that does not repent and accept Christ.

Revelation 20:15 And anyone not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire.


But those with little knowledge are far better off than those that sit in the pew every Sunday but remain lost.

Luke 10:13 "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you.

Luke 12:4 "And I say to you, My friends, do not be afraid of those who kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. 5 But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear Him who, after He has killed, has power to cast into hell; yes, I say to you, fear Him!

An attempt at understanding freewill and election

If we are going to understand election we need to start with the fall of Man.

After sin was introduced, and God entered the garden looking for Adam, what did Adam do?

Genesis 3:10 So he said, "I heard Your voice in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; and I hid myself."

He hid, and Man has been hiding from God ever since.

Revelation 6:16 and said to the mountains and rocks, "Fall on us and hide us from the face of Him who sits on the throne and from the wrath of the Lamb!

We will not come to God on our own.. Rather we run from God and the acknowledgement of our sins.

God desires that all of us would come to him, but none of us will come on our own. So God does not choose who will go to hell, we choose hell ourselves. The problem is without God calling us and convicting us of our sins, we will continue in them, thus rejecting God and deserving hell.

Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.

The existence of the World and all that is in it is clear evidence of God, yet we will not come to him without him initiating the call by placing conviction and guilt on our hearts. Therefore God Chooses some of us, for his own Divine reasons and through no merit of our own, to bring to him.

Matthew 20:16 So the last will be first, and the first last. For many are called, but few chosen."

Matthew 22:14 For many are called, but few are chosen."

Psalms 65:4 Blessed is the man You choose, And cause to approach You, That he may dwell in Your courts. We shall be satisfied with the goodness of Your house, Of Your holy temple.

This is the reason that Man is responsible if he goes to hell, but God deserves all the credit for salvation.