We are living in the prophesied last days of moral confusion and spiritual rebellion and a great falling away from Biblical truth. As the prophet Isaiah was inspired to write:
“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, Who put darkness for light and light for darkness, Who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter!” Isaiah 5:20
Christians have always had a sacred responsibility to speak God’s word both privately to individuals as well as publicly to those in authority. The Church in Australia though seems to have lost its nerve and has gone silent. Once again, the words of Isaiah could be applied to ourselves.
“Israel’s watchmen are blind, they all lack knowledge; they are all mute dogs, they cannot bark; they lie around and dream, they love to sleep. They are dogs with mighty appetites; they never have enough. They are shepherds who lack understanding; they all turn to their own way, they seek their own gain. ‘Come,’ each one cries, ‘let me get wine! Let us drink our fill of beer! And tomorrow will be like today,or even far better.’” Isaiah 56:10-12
Rarely do we hear a pastor or denominational leader speak with clarity, boldness or conviction regarding the issues of our day. Even worse, there are more than a few who would even discourage such an activity claiming that it is a distraction from preaching the gospel. But by the grace of God though, there still are servants of the Lord Jesus Christ such as Rev. Chris Wickland in the UK. Rev. Wickland says that a number of recent issues have left him deeply ‘vexed’, and I would contend that anyone who is a genuine believer in the Lord Jesus Christ should be vexed as well.
Rev. Wickland is right the King of England should step down or be told to do so. One cannot claim the exalted title of being the head of a Christian denomination and at the same time not defend God’s people against those who are seeking to destroy it.
However, the Church of England is not alone. The rot of spiritual compromise has also infected the Church of Rome. As Rev. Wickland states:
“Then I saw some other footage this week of the Pope blessing all the illegal migrants coming into the country… and it’s just like one of those forehead slapping moments. It’s like why do we have a woke pope? Why do we have in this country an apostate archbishop and a whole bunch of viper bishops that sit underneath her? Why, why are we living in times where we seem to have this? Where’s the good men? Where’s the good leaders? Where’s the brave men? Where’s the brave leaders that speak up against injustice? Where are they?
“Instead, we have the archbishop going to the mythical country of ‘Palestine’ and talking about the occupiers. What you mean [by occupiers] is Israel and the Jewish people that live there, and actually all those other people that live there. So, they’re the ‘occupiers’, are they? Again, we have a virtue signalling head of the Church of England who is more interested in looking good to the liberal left rather than standing up for the truth of the gospel.”
Again, Rev. Wickland makes an excellent and salient point. The Vatican is the most protected, as well as restricted, country in the world. If the Pope really wanted to make a point about showing hospitality to refugees, then he should welcome them into his own country first. In short, he should practice what he preaches. Anything else is political posturing under the guise of Christian compassion. But of course, the Pope won’t do that even though he has the material resources to do so.
There is an even more important rebuke which the vicar is issuing though, and it’s where are all the men and women who own the name of Christ and who are willing to speak the truth in love? Being a prophet is messy and dangerous. That is why they are routinely despised, rejected and even killed (Matthew 23:29–36).
Unbelievers Want the Truth?
There is a strange irony which Rev. Wickland picks up on next. It’s that unbelievers long to hear the truth. We saw this especially during Covid when the churches — especially in England — enthusiastically shut their doors. Conservative commentator, Douglas Murray, who as a homosexual is not a natural ally of Christians, wrote at the time how saddened he was at both the closure of churches as well as the missed opportunity for spiritual leadership.
In Matthew 23, Jesus rebuked the Pharisees calling them “blind guides”, “blind fools” and even “snakes” and a “brood of vipers”. In fact, Jesus calls them “hypocrites” in one form or another no less than seven times!
There is no greater rebuke for a Christian than to be labelled as a hypocrite. Indeed, the most terrifying words one could ever hear from the Lord Jesus after rightly calling Him “Lord, Lord” is the response, “I never knew you; depart from me you workers of lawlessness” (Matthew 7:23). When followers of Jesus then are ashamed to declare what God’s Word says to an increasing hostile culture are we not guilty of hypocrisy?
Large swathes of the Christian Church today want to be liked by the world. They don’t want to confront or challenge people about their sin or the injustices they see in the world around them. They are like the Church of Laodicea:
‘I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realizing that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked.” Revelation 3:15-17
We are already in the Biblical prophesied end times, the Laodicean church will be left behind to face the wrath of God with the coming Trumpet and Bowl judgements of Revelation 8 and 16.
“Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” Matthew 7:22-23
How come many will be ignorant of what is necessary to gain eternal life? Sadly, many people are selective about what they want from God and it invariably relates to improving their experience in this life, e.g. prosperity gospel.
David Clarkson, author of The Conviction of Hypocrites (1622–1686) lists spiritual things that many are ignorant of. He writes: “They consider not that there must be regeneration…that there must be a new creation…There must be a universal change in every part of the soul…There must be holiness in life… A renouncing of the world… Mortification… A taking up the cross.”
These can only be achieved by repentance, accepting Jesus as Lord and Saviour thereby receiving the Holy Spirit to enable the believer to live a Christian life.
Those who are born again of the Holy Spirit will know what is needed. However, countless people who consider themselves Christians are closed to these truths and are ignorant about what God requires for salvation. These kinds of people will think far too highly of themselves. “Self-love will not suffer them to deal impartially with their souls,” says Clarkson. This self-love deceives the hypocrite and causes him to flatter himself with only positive opinions. Truly, God must open their eyes and remove their blindness if they are to be saved.
If someone is able to rightly judge himself to be a sinner, there is still one final hurdle to be faced. Being able to see oneself as he is, he must now see God clearly. Clarkson says that many fall victim to “misapprehensions of God.” People will often mistakenly suppose that God is more merciful than He actually is. They think that God will neglect justice in order to issue forgiveness, which He will not.
Clarkson characterized such a thought process like this: “Though I allow myself in this or that sin, and fall into it now and then, why it is but a little one, and God is gracious, he is not so strict and rigid as some would make him.”
People will often assume what God is like based on what they want Him to be like, instead of how the Bible describes Him. Is the Bible false? Is God a liar? When Jesus said: “I am the way,” was He mistaken? We can confidently answer these questions with a “No.” Therefore, God will not make an exception for anyone (and make Himself a liar) in order to pardon an unbeliever. People must know Jesus as their Lord and Saviour and be born again by the Holy Spirit to receive eternal life.
Pastor and author David Platt warned young Christians this week that taking a “casual, comfortable, cultural” approach to their faith, neglecting God’s command to proactively share the Gospel, and instead pursuing material successes, will lead to a wasted life.
“Be finished and done with a form of Christianity that says, ‘Pray a prayer, go to church, live it up in the world, go to some conferences and coast your way to Heaven,’” the Virginia-based pastor said during the annual Passion conference in Atlanta this week. “That’s not Christianity, because it’s not following Christ.”
Evangelical Baptist pastor David Platt pleads with an audience of thousands of adults and teens for them to spread the Gospel to unreached people at the annual Passion 2022 Conference in Georgia.
Platt, the lead pastor of McLean Bible Church, told the 65,000 young adults gathered inside the Mercedes Benz Stadium that to follow Jesus means allowing the Gospel message and mission to “dictate everything you think, desire and do, dictate your plans, dreams, how you’re going to live, what degree you’re going to get and how you’re going to make and spend money for the spread of God’s great love in Jesus among the nations.”
“You will waste your life if you get caught up in this American dream,” he continued. “Don’t do it. Lift your eyes above the distractions. Look at the destiny of this world. The train of history is headed towards people of every nation, tribe, and tongue, enjoying and praising Jesus. Jump on that train.”
Platt spoke directly about the U.S., noting it is “quite possibly” the one place in the world with the greatest access to the Gospel, set apart from the many countries whose citizens “don’t have access to someone who can tell them about Jesus” and “don’t have followers of Jesus or churches proclaiming the Good News of God’s great love.”
Displaying the Radical Stratus map, showing the myriad places around the globe where the Gospel is not accessible, the pastor explained the importance of international missions work.
“This is why we don’t say, ‘Well, I don’t know why we talk about unreached people around the world when there are unreached people on my campus, there are unreached people in my neighborhood,’” Platt said. “You say, ‘How do you know?’ Because they’re on your campus. They’re in your neighborhood. They have access to the Gospel. You’re it.”
“We’re talking about people who don’t have anyone near them to tell them about Jesus,” he added.
In light of that information, Platt closed his message by urging the Passion conference attendees to use their platforms, access, careers, finances, etc., to share the Gospel with people who have never heard it.
“Based on this picture of God’s Word and this picture in the world, I want to plead with you tonight to refuse to settle for a casual, comfortable, cultural Christianity,” he said. “I want to plead with you to refuse to do what millions of Christians and leaders of churches are doing in our country — to turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to 3.2 billion people and thousands of people groups who have never heard the Gospel.”
Platt told the crowd their purpose, as believers, is to tell others about Jesus. “You are not living if you’re not living for this,” he said.
“As a result of His ultimate rescue, God’s glory shines in this broken world not only through strengths but also through scars, ” he concluded.
“Live for this. If necessary, die for this — for people from all nations to hear and receive the Good News of God’s great love in Jesus.”
George Barna, the lead researcher at the Cultural Research Center, explained in a statement. “’Christian’ has become somewhat of a generic term rather than a name that reflects a deep commitment to passionately pursuing and being like Jesus Christ.”
Of an estimated 176 million American adults who identify as Christian, just 6% or 15 million of them actually hold a biblical worldview, a new study from Arizona Christian University shows.
The study shows, in general, that while a majority of America’s self-identified Christians, including many who identify as evangelical, believe that God is all-powerful, all-knowing and is the Creator of the universe, more than half reject a number of biblical teachings and principles, including the existence of the Holy Spirit.
Strong majorities also errantly believe that all religious faiths are of equal value, people are basically good and that people can use acts of goodness to earn their way into Heaven. The study further showed that majorities don’t believe in moral absolutes; consider feelings, experience, or the input of friends and family as their most trusted sources of moral guidance; and say that having faith matters more than which faith you pursue.
Parishioners of Lakewood Church led by Pastor Joel Osteen pray together during a service at the church in Houston, Texas, on September 3, 2017
One of the most disturbing results was that most adult US Christians don’t believe Holy Spirit is real. Some 62% of self-identified born-again Christians contend that the Holy Spirit is not a real, living being but is merely a symbol of God’s power, presence or purity. These people obviously do not believe the Bible is God’s Word because it reveals that unless a person is born again with the Holy Spirit, Jesus will say to them on judgement day “depart from me I do not know you”. Jesus told the disciples the Parable of the Ten Virgins to show us what the church will be like in the last days before His return. All were asleep when He came and half were not born again.
“Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise... the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’” Matthew 25:1-12
With most of the denominational churches in the USA accepting gay marriage and transgender priests it is obvious that these Cultural Research Center figures are an accurate depiction of the church and fits with the Bible’s prophesied apostasy in the last days.
In this Direct interview, John Anderson (former Deputy Prime Minister of Australia) is joined by Greg Sheridan, widely-respected foreign editor for The Australian. . They discuss the Christian foundations of Western civilisation and the profound importance of religion at a societal, cultural and individual level. They delve into the deep rationality that often undergirds Christian faith, and question the capacity of atheistic philosophies to truly nourish the human soul. Greg Sheridan is one of Australia’s most influential national security commentators, who is active across print media, television and radio and also writes extensively on culture. He has written eight books. His latest, Christians: The Urgent Case for Jesus in Our World is a compelling argument for the modern relevance and importance of the New Testament. As foreign editor of The Australian, he specialises in Asia. He has interviewed Presidents and Prime Ministers across the world.
Greg Sheridan widely-respected foreign editor for The Australian. has written an impassioned, informed and utterly compelling case for the truth and importance of Christianity in our lives. He presents a strong argument for the historical reliability of the New Testament, meets the living Jesus there, explores the extraordinary personality of Paul, celebrates Mary’s activism and examines the magnificent richness of John.
Filled with insights, intelligence, warmth and humour, Greg also introduces us to a range of fascinating Christians today, among them political leaders, and young activists offering the radical Christian interpretation of love to their generation. His book explores the journey of those who have been guided by faith, such as Gemma Sisia, whose school in Tanzania has transformed the lives of thousands of children, and the dynamic Chinese Christians pursuing their beliefs under harsh restrictions. He examines where Jesus can be found in popular culture and talks to Christian leaders – Pentecostal, Catholic, Evangelical and others – in Australia, the US and Britain.
At a time when the chasm of understanding between secularism and faith has never seemed wider, Christians is timely, relevant and convincing.
‘At the heart of the Christian story is the truth about the life of Jesus … Greg Sheridan’s book is a good read about Good News.’ Peter Comensoli, Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne
‘If there is ever going to be a Renaissance of Christian belief to save us from the dreariness of much secular humanism, it will come from a book like Christians. I will be buying it and giving it away to believers and sceptics alike.’
Watch this video: an unbeliever who knows and is impressed by Greg’s work as a journalist interviews the author. He now believes there is a valid case for God that needs to be explored.
I am a fan of Professor Carl Trueman and have and will continue to use him to expose where our western society is headed. Carl Trueman is professor of biblical and religious studies at Grove City College in Grove City, Pennsylvania. He has written more than a dozen books, including Histories and Fallacies: Problems Faced in the Writing of History, Luther on the Christian Life, The Creedal Imperative, Cultural Amnesia, Expressive Individualism, The Road to Sexual Revolution and his latest book The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self.
In this interview, John Anderson former Deputy Prime Minister of Australia and Professor Trueman, discuss his latest book The Rise and Triumph of the Modern Self. It deals with self in an age of culture wars, including the societal shift of the perception of happiness and gratification, the technological revolution, and the sexual revolution and its ties to authoritarianism.
TOPICS COVERED IN THIS VIDEO:
00:16 Introducing Professor Carl Trueman 1:00 How does history give us a unique understanding of where we currently are as a society? 3:41 How do today’s trends have similarities to the Reformation? 6:42 Abolition of the private sphere in the technological revolution 8:38 What is the modern self? 11:08 The morality of capitalism and the right to be happy 12:43 The old and new atheism 14:36 The danger of great ideas and fascism 16:35 What is anticulture? 25:00 Social Darwinism 26:18 Cultural Marxism and the sexual revolution 30:42 How is modern society Freudian? 33:29 Gratification and discipline in the modern age 35:42 Victimhood and the modern dissatisfaction phenomenon 37:16 The transgenderism movement and authoritarianism 41:21 The ideological affirmation model 47:00 Freedom of speech is under attack 52:50 Cancel culture led by the elites 54:20 What can we do as individuals amid a divided society? 58:50 How can Christianity shed light on our culture for a return to decent humanity? 1:03:30 Are things going well for progressives?
If you enjoyed this video of John Anderson interviewing Carl Trueman then you might want to subscribe to his channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtnY. as he interviews the world’s foremost thought leaders about today’s pressing social, cultural and political issues. John believes proper, robust dialogue is necessary if we are to maintain our social strength and cohesion. As he puts it; “You cannot get good public policy out of a bad public debate.”
LIVING ETERNAL NOW 