D. JAMES KENNEDY MINISTRIES PRESENTS
TRUTHS THAT TRANSFORM.
THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION MARKS A BIG ANNIVERSARY
THIS FALL BUT WHAT DOES IT HAVE TO DO WITH YOUR LIFE
TODAY?
WE'LL LOOK AT THE NEED TO BE "SEMPER REFORMANDA, OR
"ALWAYS REFORMING" TODAY ON TRUTHS THAT TRANSFORM.
♪
WELCOME TO TRUTHS THAT TRANSFORM, A PRODUCTION OF
D. JAMES KENNEDY MINISTRIES, WHERE WE ARE STANDING FOR
TRUTH AND DEFENDING YOUR FREEDOM.
THIS YEAR WE CELEBRATE THE 500TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE
PROTESTANT REFORMATION, WHICH BEGAN WHEN MARTIN
LUTHER NAILED HIS 95 THESES TO THE CHURCH DOOR
IN WITTENBURG, GERMANY.
AT THE TIME, EVEN LUTHER COULD HARDLY HAVE KNOWN
WHAT HE WAS UNLEASHING.
BECAUSE OF THE REFORMATION, THE BIBLE
BECAME WIDELY AVAILABLE TO INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS OF THE
CHURCH, AND THE TRANSFORMING POWER OF
THE WORD OF GOD CHANGED THE WORLD.
THE REFORMERS REDISCOVERED THE TRUTH THAT JESUS WAS
NOT MERELY LORD OVER SOME SEQUESTERED SPIRITUAL
REALM, BUT OVER EVERYTHING.
SO HOW DOES THAT AFFECT YOUR LIFE?
ON TODAY'S PROGRAM, WE WILL LOOK AT THAT
QUESTION.
YOU WILL SEE THE STORY OF A MAN WHO WROUGHT MAJOR
CHANGE IN AN AMERICAN INSTITUTION BASED UPON
REFORMATION PRINCIPLES.
AND WE WILL SHARE A NEW RESOURCE WITH YOU THAT
WILL SHOW YOU HOW TO SEEK TO DO GOD'S WILL IN EVERY
SPHERE OF LIFE.
IT'S A BRAND NEW BOOK FROM OUR MINISTRY CALLED MAKE
YOUR LIFE COUNT: DISCOVER GOD'S PLAN FOR THE REST OF
YOUR LIFE, AND JOHN RABE, ONE OF THE CO-AUTHORS WHO
IS PART OF OUR MINISTRY TEAM, IS HERE WITH ME TO
DISCUSS IT.
JOHN, WELCOME.
THANK YOU FRANK, ALWAYS GOOD TO BE WITH YOU.
GREAT TO HAVE YOU HERE AS WELL; WE THOUGHT THIS BOOK
WAS IMPORTANT TO MAKE AND TO DO, WHY DO YOU THINK
IT'S NEEDED IN THIS TIME?
WE HAVE A REAL PROBLEM TODAY FRANK, WITH
CHRISTIANS FOR A NUMBER OF REASONS.
I THINK THE PROCESS OF SECULARISM IS PART OF IT,
JUST BIBLICAL MISUNDERSTANDINGS, BUT WE
HAVE A REAL PROBLEM WITH CHRISTIANS UNDERSTANDING
GOD'S WILL AND GOD'S DESIGN AND GOD'S PLAN FOR
EVERY AREA OF LIFE.
THEY HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF IT ON SUNDAY MORNING,
THEY HAVE AN UNDERSTANDING OF GOD'S WILL IN THEIR
SPIRITUAL LIFE, BUT WHAT WE FOUND IS THAT THEY VERY
OFTEN LACK A BIBLICAL UNDERSTANDING OF HOW GOD
RELATES TO ALL THE OTHER SPHERES OF LIFE INCLUDING
OUR WORK, OUR DAILY WORK, OUR LABOR IN THE LORD, THE
GOVERNMENT, THE WORLD OF SCIENCE, OUR FAMILIES, AND
SO WE WANTED TO PUT TOGETHER AN EASY TO READ
RESOURCE THAT WOULD HELP PEOPLE TO EASILY
UNDERSTAND GOD'S SOVEREIGNTY AND GOD'S
DESIGN AND CHRIST'S LORDSHIP OVER EVERY AREA
OF LIFE, HE DOESN'T JUST APPLY TO SUNDAY MORNINGS.
ONE OF THE REFORMATION PRINCIPLES WAS THAT THERE
IS NO SEPARATION IN LIFE FOR THE CHRISTIAN BETWEEN
SECULAR THINGS AND SCARED THINGS.
THE REAL CHALLENGE HERE IS APPLYING A BIBLICAL WORLD
VIEW TO THE SEEMINGLY SECULAR PARTS OF LIFE.
WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF HOW PEOPLE STRUGGLE WITH
DOING THAT?
THIS IS REALLY AN IMPORTANT POINT BECAUSE I
FOUND THAT MANY EVEN MOST EVANGELICAL CHRISTIANS WHO
BELIEVE THE BIBLE STILL HAVE TROUBLE SEEING HOW
GOD RELATES TO ALL OF THEIR DIFFERENT AREAS OF
LIFE AND ALL THEIR DIFFERENT AREAS OF
EXPERIENCE.
IN THE REFORMATION, THEY RECOVERED THE IDEA THAT
THERE IS NO DIVIDE BETWEEN THE SACRED AND THE
SECULAR, THAT THE THINGS OF GOD ARE EVERYTHING,
THAT ALL OF IT IS GOD'S CREATION, HE'S LORD OVER
ALL OF IT AND SO THERE'S NOT SOME SPECIAL SPACE OR
SOME SPECIAL PART OF LIFE THAT HE'S LORD OVER TO THE
EXCLUSION OF THE OTHERS.
THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT BECAUSE WE'RE FALLING BACK
INTO THAT VIEW POINT IN A VERY SECULAR CULTURE.
I REMEMBER TALKING TO A GUY ONCE AND I THOUGHT
THIS WAS UNFORTUNATE, HE WAS ELDERLY AND HE SAID I
WASTED 50 YEARS OF MY LIFE BEING A DENTIST BUT NOW
I'M FINALLY LIVING FOR THE LORD.
WELL, HE DIDN'T MEAN THAT HE HAD JUST BEEN CONVERTED
AFTER HE RETIRED FROM DENTISTRY; HE WAS SAYING
HE WASTED HIS TIME AS A DENTIST.
AND MY FEELING ON THAT WAS, NO YOU'VE
MISUNDERSTOOD.
GOD WANTS DENTISTS, GOD HAS CREATED PEOPLE TO BE
DENTISTS AND CREATED PEOPLE TO BE PLUMBERS AND
CREATED PEOPLE TO BE COMPUTER SCIENTISTS AND
EVERY REALM OF HUMAN EXPERIENCE, BUT WHEN WE
SEE THIS THICK LINE, THIS BRIGHT LINE DRAWN BETWEEN
THE SCARED AND THE SECULAR THEN ONLY THE THINGS ON
THE CHURCHY SIDE ARE OF VALUE AND EVERYTHING ON
THIS SIDE BECOMES VALUELESS.
WELL, THE PROBLEM IS, IS THAT ALMOST ALL OF OUR
LIVES ARE LIVED OVER ON THE "WORLD" SIDE OF THE LINE.
SO HOW DO WE MAKE MEANING OF THAT, EITHER WE SAY IT
HAS NO MEANING, OR WE RECOGNIZE THAT GOD HAS
INDEED ORDAINED ALL OF THE SPHERES OF DAILY LIFE,
INCLUDING THE ONES THAT USED TO BE CALLED SECULAR,
AND THAT HE HAS A DESIGN AND INTENTION FOR US IN
EACH OF THOSE.
RIGHT.
DUTCH THEOLOGIAN AND PRIME MINISTER ABRAHAM KUYPER
SAID THERE'S NOT ONE SQUARE INCH IN THE WHOLE
DOMAIN OF HUMAN EXISTENCE OVER WHICH CHRIST WHO IS
SOVEREIGN OVER ALL DOES NOT SAY MINE, IT'S ALL
UNDER HIS SOVEREIGN AUTHORITY.
WHAT DOES THE WORLD LOOK LIKE WHEN CHRISTIANS TAKE
THAT SERIOUSLY, WHAT DOES IT LOOK LIKE WHEN WE BEGIN
TO APPLY THE WORD OF GOD TO ALL OF THESE SPHERES
THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT IN THIS BOOK.
WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE IS POWERFUL REFORMATION, AND
THAT'S ACTUALLY WHAT WE SAW HAPPENING BEGINNING IN
THE 1500'S BEGINNING WITH MARTIN LUTHER.
THE WORD OF GOD WAS BROUGHT TO BEAR ON EVERY
AREA OF LIFE, AND AS A RESULT, AMERICA IS ONE OF
THE RESULTS OF THAT HAPPENING, THAT WHEN
PEOPLE TAKE THE BIBLE SERIOUSLY AND USE THE WORD
OF GOD, APPLY THE WORD OF GOD TO EVERY SPHERE OF
LIFE, IT TRANSFORMS EVERY SPHERE OF LIFE AND SO JUST
AS A RESULT OF THE REFORMATION, YOU HAVE
WIDESPREAD EDUCATION AND WIDESPREAD LITERACY FOR ALL.
YOU HAD THE PROLIFERATION OF HOSPITALS TO CARE FOR
THE SICK WHO HAD BEEN NEGLECTED AMONG THOSE WITH
A NON-BIBLICAL WORLDVIEW.
YOU HAD A CHANGE IN POLITICS WHERE LIBERTY
BECAME VALUED AND WE RECOGNIZED THAT KINGS AND
RULERS WERE CORRUPT AND THAT THEY NEEDED TO HAVE
THEIR POWER CHECKED.
WHEN WE BRING CHRIST'S SOVEREIGNTY TO BEAR IN
EVERY AREA OF LIFE, WHAT WE SEE IS COMPLETE
TRANSFORMATION OF ALL THE AREAS OF LIFE.
ONE OF THE REASONS THAT WE'RE OFTEN SO INEFFECTIVE
AND FEEL LIKE WE'RE BEATING OUR HEADS AGAINST
THE WALL IN DAILY LIFE IS BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T BROUGHT
THE MIND OF CHRIST TO BEAR ON EVERYTHING AROUND US,
WHEN WE DO, MAJOR TRANSFORMATION HAPPENS AND
THE WESTERN WORLD IS REALLY A RESULT OF THAT.
FRIENDS THIS BOOK AGAIN IS CALLED MAKE YOUR LIFE
COUNT: DISCOVER GOD'S PLAN FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.
WE WANT TO SHARE THIS BOOK WITH YOU, AS OUR THANKS
FOR A GENEROUS DONATION TO THE ONGOING WORK OF OUR
MINISTRY.
IF YOU'D LIKE A COPY OF THIS BOOK MAKE YOUR LIFE
COUNT: DISCOVER GOD'S PLAN FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE
SIMPLY WRITE TO US AT:
OR CALL TOLL FREE:
OR GO ONLINE TO:
WHICH STANDS FOR MAKE YOUR LIFE COUNT.
JOHN, THANKS FOR BEING WITH US, IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE.
THANK YOU FRANK, ALWAYS ENJOY IT.
OCTOBER 31ST, IT MARKS THE 500TH ANNIVERSARY OF
MARTIN LUTHER STRIKING THE SPARK THAT LAUNCHED THE
PROTESTANT REFORMATION.
BUT THESE DAYS, MANY PEOPLE OFTEN DON'T EVEN
KNOW WHAT IT MEANS TO BE PROTESTANT.
DO YOU?
DR. D. JAMES KENNEDY GIVES US A CRYSTAL-CLEAR PICTURE
OF WHAT THE REFORMATION WAS CHIEFLY ABOUT, AND WHAT IT
MEANS TO BE A PROTESTANT, IN THIS PORTION OF HIS
MESSAGE, "THE REFORMATION: THEN AND NOW."
OCTOBER 31ST IS, OF COURSE, REFORMATION DAY.
IT IS THE BIRTHDAY OF PROTESTANTISM.
ARE YOU A PROTESTANT?
MANY PROTESTANTS AREN'T.
WHY THEY HAVE NO MORE IDEA WHAT THE REFORMATION WAS
ABOUT THAN THEY COULD EXPLAIN TO YOU THE SPECIAL
THEORY OF RELATIVITY.
THEY HAVE NO MORE IDEA WHAT THE GOSPEL IS THAN
THOSE THAT LIVED IN THE DEPTHS OF THE DARK AGES.
THEY ARE MEMBERS OF A CHURCH BY ACCIDENT OF
BIRTH, AND THEY ATTEND BY MERE HABIT, AND THEY WOULD
HAVE NO MORE IDEA WHEN THEY WENT INTO ONE CHURCH
WHETHER THE PREACHER WAS PREACHING THE GOSPEL OR
WHETHER HE WAS PREACHING THE ABSOLUTE ANTITHESIS TO
IT.
WHAT LUTHER REDISCOVERED WAS SIMPLY "GRACE."
AND IF ANYONE HAS THE IDEA THAT GRACE IS SOMETHING
THAT YOU EARN BY YOUR GOOD LIFE OR YOUR GOOD WORKS,
YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT GRACE IS.
GRACE IS THAT WHICH IS TOTALLY UNEARNED, TOTALLY
UNDESERVED, TOTALLY UNWORKED FOR.
IT IS FREE; IT IS GIVEN TO PEOPLE WHO DESERVE THE
VERY OPPOSITE.
IT IS HEAVEN GIVEN TO PEOPLE THAT OUGHT TO GO TO
HELL.
IT IS THE ASTOUNDING, AMAZING GRACE OF GOD WHICH
IS UNLIKE ANYTHING IN THIS WORLD.
AND WE SIMPLY TURN IT AROUND AND MAKE IT INTO
SOME KIND OF MERIT OF OUR OWN.
NOW IT SEEMS THAT THERE IS SOMETHING PECULIAR ABOUT
FALLEN SINFUL MAN WHICH MAKES IT SOME WAY
SEEMINGLY IMPOSSIBLE FOR HIM TO HOLD ON TO GRACE
FOR TOO LONG.
BUT CHRIST, IN THE EFFULGENCE OF HIS GLORY
AND THE WONDER OF HIS GRACE, DIED ON THE CROSS
AND ROSE FROM THE DEAD AND OFFERS SALVATION FREELY,
GRATUITOUSLY, GRACIOUSLY TO EVERY UNDESERVING,
UNWORTHY SINNER WHO WILL BELIEVE IN HIS CROSS.
UNDESERVED, UNEARNED- THAT IS GRACE.
AND LUTHER CAME ACROSS THAT PASSAGE IN ROMANS
1:17, WHICH IS CALLED THE "BIRTH TEXT" OF
PROTESTANTISM.
IT IS CARVED INTO THIS PULPIT IN FRONT OF YOU:
"AS IT IS WRITTEN, THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH"
ROMANS 1:17.
I THINK HE SUMMED IT UP SO VERY WELL WHEN HE PRAYED
THIS PRAYER.
THIS IS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A PROTESTANT.
THIS IS WHAT IS MEANS TO BE A CHRISTIAN.
THIS IS WHAT THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST IS.
HE SAID, "O LORD JESUS CHRIST, BE THOU MY
RIGHTEOUSNESS AND BE THOU MY SIN."
THAT IS WHAT IT MEANS TO BE A CHRISTIAN, TO HAVE
THE PERFECT RIGHTEOUSNESS OF JESUS CHRIST CLOTH YOU
AS A WHITE ROBE, AS OUR SINS WERE ALL IMPUTED TO
CHRIST.
HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS IS IMPUTED TO US AND WE ARE
MADE FAULTLESS TO STAND BEFORE THE EYES OF AN
ALL-HOLY GOD.
SALVATION IS BY GRACE.
IT IS UNEARNED, UNDESERVED, UNMERITED.
IT IS PROVIDED BY CHRIST ALONE, AND IS RECEIVED BY
A SIMPLE TRUST IN HIM.
ARE YOUR TRUSTING IN YOUR OWN RIGHTEOUSNESS, YOUR
OWN GOODNESS, YOUR OWN MERIT?
IF SO, YOU ARE RIGHT BACK WHERE THEY WERE BEFORE
ABRAHAM, BACK IN PAGAN DARKNESS.
THAT IS WHAT EVERY PAGAN RELIGION IN THE WORLD
BELIEVES.
BUT CHRISTIANITY IS THE GOSPEL OF GRACE FREELY
BESTOWED UPON ALL WHO WILL BELIEVE.
AS DR. KENNEDY EXPLAINED TODAY, THE HEART AND SOUL
OF THE GOSPEL IS THAT WE CAN BE JUSTIFIED BEFORE A
HOLY GOD THROUGH FAITH ALONE IN JESUS CHRIST'S
WORK ON OUR BEHALF.
AND THAT TRUTH WAS REDISCOVERED BY MARTIN
LUTHER AND OTHERS AS THEY PUT ASIDE THE ERRORS OF
MEN THAT HAD CREPT INTO THE CHURCH'S THEOLOGY AND
WENT BACK TO THE SCRIPTURES ALONE.
IN OUR OWN DAY, THE NEED TO BE SEMPER REFORMANDA,
OR "ALWAYS REFORMING" IS AS GREAT AS IT WAS THEN.
AS YOU'RE ABOUT TO SEE, ONE MAN- AL MOHLER-
DISCOVERED THAT NEED FOR THE CORRECTION OF GOD'S
WORD IN ONE OF AMERICA'S LARGEST SEMINARIES.
AND LIKE MARTIN LUTHER, HE DID SOMETHING ABOUT IT.
THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY IS
THE OLDEST OF THE SIX SOUTHERN BAPTIST
SEMINARIES.
LIBERALISM SPREAD WIDELY ON THIS FACULTY, SO THAT
BY THE 1960'S, THE FACULTY WAS THOROUGHLY LIBERAL.
SOUTHERN SEMINARY WAS OUR MOST PRESTIGIOUS SEMINARY
AND LITERALLY, LITERALLY WE HAD 2 PROFESSORS WHO
WERE INERRANTISTS.
ONE STUDENT WHO GRADUATED FROM THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST
THEOLOGICAL SEMINARY IN THE 1980'S WAS ALBERT
MOHLER.
WHEN I ARRIVED HERE AS A STUDENT IN 1980, TO BE
HONEST, I HAD A DUAL EXPERIENCE.
ON THE ONE HAND, I WAS THRILLED WITH THE
INSTITUTION.
IT REALLY HIT ALL OF MY INTELLECTUAL INTEREST
BUTTONS.
BUT THE OTHER SIDE OF IT WAS THAT THEOLOGICALLY I
BECAME VERY MUCH AN ALIEN.
AS I BEGAN TO HEAR THINGS THAT I JUST KNEW WERE NOT
RIGHT.
BY THE TIME ALBERT MOHLER GRADUATED FROM THE
SEMINARY WITH HIS PH. D THERE WAS A BATTLE FOR
THE TRUSTWORTHINESS OF THE BIBLE RAGING ACROSS
THE INSTITUTIONS OF THE SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION.
SOUTHERN BAPTISTS DID NOT SUPPORT THE IDEA THAT
THEIR MONEY, GIVEN TO THE DENOMINATION WAS GOING TO
PAY THE SALARIES OF PROFESSORS HERE WHO WERE
UNDERMINING THE FAITH OF THE YOUNG MEN AND YOUNG
WOMEN WHO THEY WERE SENDING TO THIS INSTITUTION.
A MOVEMENT BEGAN AMONG THE CHURCHES TO APPOINT
CONSERVATIVE TRUSTEES OF SOUTHERN SEMINARY WHO
BELIEVED IN THE FULL INERRANCY AND
TRUSTWORTHINESS OF THE BIBLE.
BUT THERE WAS VERY LITTLE THAT COULD BE DONE UNTIL
YOU HIRE A NEW CHIEF EXECUTIVE.
AND SO IN 1993, THEY WERE ABLE TO INITIATE A SEARCH
FOR A NEW PRESIDENT AND GOD RAISED UP R. ALBERT MOHLER.
WHEN I WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT, THAT WAS JUST
THE OPENING OF THE DOOR TO THE KIND OF REFORMATION
THAT HAD TO TAKE PLACE.
AND AS SOON AS I WAS NAMED, EVEN BEFORE I WAS
ELECTED, THE BATTLE STARTED.
THE SEMINARY HAD A STATEMENT OF FAITH CALLED
"THE ABSTRACT OF PRINCIPLES" THAT ALL
PROFESSORS WERE SUPPOSED TO ABIDE BY AFFIRMING SUCH
BASIC CHRISTIAN TRUTHS AS THE TRINITY, THE BODILY
RESURRECTION OF CHRIST, AND THE NECESSITY OF FAITH
IN CHRIST FOR SALVATION.
I WOULD HAVE TO SAY THAT ALMOST EVERY ARTICLE IN
THE ABSTRACT HAD TO HAVE BEEN COMPROMISED BY
TEACHING IN SOME WAY OR ANOTHER.
WHEN I WAS ELECTED PRESIDENT, AND FOR MANY
YEARS BEFORE THAT, I ENCOUNTERED A FACULTY WHO
CLAIMED AN INDIVIDUAL RIGHT OF INTERPRETATION OF
THE CONFESSION OF FAITH.
WELL, THAT MEANS THAT THE CONFESSION OF FAITH IS
ABSOLUTELY MEANINGLESS.
EVERY SINGLE FACULTY MEMBER HAS TO SIGN A
CONTRACT PLEDGING TO TEACH IN ACCORDANCE WITH AND NOT
CONTRARY TO ALL THAT IS CONTAINED THEREIN.
I KNEW WHEN I DELIVERED MY OPENING CONVOCATION
ADDRESS BACK IN 1993 THAT IT WAS, IN ESSENCE, A
DECLARATION OF WAR.
AND SO WHEN I WALKED IN THE CHAPEL FOR THAT FIRST
CONVOCATION, A GOOD NUMBER OF THE STUDENT LEADERS
ACTUALLY STOOD AND TURNED THEIR BACK TO ME AS I
PREACHED.
I PREACHED A MESSAGE ENTITLED "DON'T JUST DO
SOMETHING, STAND THERE," ON THE NATURE OF SOUTHERN
SEMINARY AS A CONFESSIONAL INSTITUTION.
I WALKED THROUGH THE CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS OF
THE FACULTY MEMBER, AND THEN I WALKED THROUGH THE
CONFESSION OF FAITH.
AND I SAID, "IF YOU STAND IN THESE TRUTHS, THEN YOU
NEED TO STAY HERE.
BUT IF YOU DO NOT, YOU HAVE ALREADY HEARD BY THE
VERY WORDS OF THE CONTRACT YOU SIGNED THAT YOU SHOULD
NOT BE TEACHING IN THIS INSTITUTION."
DR. MOHLER'S COMMITMENT TO REFORMING THE SEMINARY
IGNITED A FIRESTORM OF PROTEST AMONG STUDENTS
AND FACULTY.
THERE WERE DAYS IN WHICH I HAD PROTESTERS IN THE
HALLWAYS, STUDENTS FOR UPWARDS OF 70 DAYS WITH A
VIGIL, AND A SIT-IN.
THAT DRAWS ATTENTION.
WE HAD TELEVISION CAMERAS ALL OVER THE PLACE.
WE HAD HELICOPTERS OVER THE CAMPUS EVERY TIME WE
HAD SOME KIND OF EVENT.
I WAS AMBUSHED BY REPORTERS SEVERAL TIMES A
WEEK.
I SAW SOMETHING HANGING FROM ONE OF THE TREES, AND
I TURNED TO MY VICE PRESIDENT, AND I SAID,
"WHAT'S THAT?"
AND A LITTLE AWKWARDLY, HE SAID, "THAT'S YOU."
I'D BEEN HUNG IN EFFIGY.
NOW I KNOW THAT IT'S BEEN DONE TO OTHERS BEFORE.
IT'S NOT SOMETHING I HAD CONTEMPLATED BEING DONE OF
ME.
BUT YOU KNOW, SOMEHOW THE LORD JUST USED ALL OF THAT
TO STEEL MY RESOLVE.
I WOULDN'T BE SURPRISED IF AL DIDN'T FEEL THE NEED
FOR A FOOD TASTER FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS THERE, THE
FIRST COUPLE OF YEARS HE WAS THERE, BECAUSE I MEAN
HE WAS HATED.
IT WAS A VERY STRANGE THING TO COME HERE FROM
LIKE THE IDYLLIC SUBURBAN ATLANTA NEIGHBORHOOD, JUST
NORMAL FAMILY WITH TWO KIDS, TO BE VAULTED HERE
TO A DIFFERENT CALLING.
THERE WERE PROTESTS OUT IN THE FRONT LAWN OF OUR HOME
WHICH IS QUITE FINE TO A FOUR YEAR OLD AND A ONE
YEAR OLD WHO JUST ASSUME IT'S A PARTY, THEY DIDN'T
UNDERSTAND, THEY WEREN'T READING THE HEADLINES,
THEY WEREN'T WATCHING THE EVENING NEWS, THEY WEREN'T
READING THE STUFF THAT WAS GOING ON AND SO THEY WERE
REALLY PROTECTED FROM THAT.
MANY WERE THE DAYS EARLY ON WHEN AL WOULD COME HOME
FOR DINNER AND I WOULD JUST SEE THIS LOOK ON HIS
FACE, YOU COULD JUST TELL BY HIS DEMEANOR THAT SOME
OTHER SHOE HAD DROPPED, AND THAT SOMETHING ELSE
HAD HAPPENED.
ONE OF THE MOST SENIOR MEMBERS OF THE FACULTY,
TURNED TO ME AND HE SAID, WE HAVE OUR OWN RIGHT
TO INTERPRET WHAT THE CONFESSION OF FAITH SAYS.
YOU HAVE NO RIGHT, NOR DO THE TRUSTEES, NOR DOES THE
SOUTHERN BAPTIST CONVENTION, NOR DO THE
FOUNDERS OF THE INSTITUTION, HAVE ANY
RIGHT TO SAY, 'THIS IS WHAT EVERYONE MUST
BELIEVE.
THIS IS HOW EVERYONE MUST UNDERSTAND THESE WORDS.'
AND HE LOOKED TO ME AND SAID, "WHAT ARE YOU GONNA
SAY TO THAT?"
AND I SIMPLY SAID, "YOU'RE FIRED."
AND THERE WAS A BIT OF SHOCK IN THE ROOM.
AND, HE TURNED TO ME, AND HE SAID, "YOU'LL NOT GET
AWAY WITH THAT."
AND THE REASON FOR THAT, WHICH HE MADE CLEAR, IS
BECAUSE HE HAS A CONTRACT.
BUT YOU KNOW, HE JUST SAID THAT EVERYONE HAS THE
RIGHT TO INTERPRET EVERY TEXT FOR HIMSELF.
SO ALL OF A SUDDEN NOW, WE HAD TWO SETS OF RULES: ONE
SET OF RULES WHEN IT CAME TO THE CONFESSION OF
FAITH- YOU CAN INTERPRET IT ANYWAY YOU WANNA
INTERPRET IT- AND THEN ANOTHER SET WITH HIS
CONTRACT.
DR. MOHLER, BECAUSE WE HAD A MAJORITY OF THE TRUSTEES
WHO ELECTED HIM AS PRESIDENT HE WAS ABLE,
OVER TIME, TO SUBTRACT FROM THE SEMINARY MOST OF
THOSE PROFESSORS.
NOW HE DIDN'T HAVE TO FIRE, BUT ONE OR TWO, MOST
OF THEM LEFT.
90% OF THE PEOPLE BELIEVED IN THE INERRANCY OF
SCRIPTURE BUT YOU HAD SEMINARIES WHERE 1% OR
LESS OF THE PROFESSORS BELIEVED THAT INERRANCY
AND WE WERE ABLE TO TURN IT AROUND SO THAT NOW, AS
I SPEAK TO YOU, WE HAVE 6 SOUTHERN BAPTIST
SEMINARIES AND EVERY PROFESSOR IN EVERY
DEPARTMENT OF EACH OF OUR 6 SEMINARIES BELIEVES IN
THE INERRANCY AND THE INFALLIBILITY OF EVERY
PART OF THE WORD OF GOD.
IT'S SO HARD TO THINK BACK TO THOSE DAYS NOW BECAUSE
THIS IS SUCH A HAPPY PLACE AND WE HAVE SUCH A
WONDERFUL TEAM OF PEOPLE HERE NOW WHO WORK WITH US
THAT IT STRETCHES THE IMAGINATION TO REALIZE
THAT IT WASN'T ALWAYS THAT WAY.
WHAT HARDLY SEEMS POSSIBLE IS THAT THE LORD HAS
PROSPERED THIS INSTITUTION IN WHICH WE'RE NOW ABLE TO
LOOK AT ABOUT 4500 STUDENTS, ONE OF THE
LARGEST THEOLOGICAL INSTITUTIONS IN THE
HISTORY OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH.
YOU KNOW, I OFTEN TELL PEOPLE, THE LORD ALLOWED
ME THE OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD THE SEMINARY THAT
I WOULD WANT TO ATTEND.
AS WE SEE IN THE LIFE OF DR. AL MOHLER, A
COMMITMENT TO THE TRUTH OF CHRIST AFFECTS EVERYTHING-
FROM YOUR WORK TO YOUR FAMILY TO YOUR CHURCH.
YET SO OFTEN, CHRISTIANS FAIL TO UNDERSTAND THIS.
THEY FIND THEMSELVES LIVING INEFFECTIVE LIVES
BECAUSE THEY DON'T SEE HOW GOD'S TRUTH CONNECTS TO
EVERY AREA OF LIFE.
UNDERSTANDING THIS IS ONE OF THE CENTRAL TRUTHS OF
THE REFORMATION, AND IT IS NEEDED NOW MORE THAN EVER.
HERE'S JENNIFER KENNEDY CASSIDY, MY VERY GOOD
FRIEND, TO TELL US ABOUT AN OUTSTANDING RESOURCE
THAT HELPS US DO THAT.
JENNIFER WELCOME.
THANK YOU, FRANK.
THE RESOURCE IS A NEW BOOK THIS MINISTRY HAS
DEVELOPED CALLED MAKE YOUR LIFE COUNT: DISCOVER GOD'S
PLAN FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.
IT SHOWS YOU HOW GOD'S DESIGN AND PLAN EXTENDS TO
EACH MAJOR SPHERE OF LIFE FROM OUR WORK TO OUR
FAMILIES, FROM SCIENCE AND THE WORLD AROUND US TO THE
GOVERNMENT.
AND IT DOES IT MORE READABLY AND SUCCINCTLY
THAN ANY BOOK I'VE EVER SEEN.
WE WANT YOU TO HAVE THIS VITAL NEW BOOK AS OUR
THANKS FOR YOUR GENEROUS DONATION TO THE ONGOING
WORK OF THIS MINISTRY.
SIMPLY WRITE TO US AT:
OR CALL TOLL FREE:
OR GO ONLINE TO:
WITH CHAPTERS WRITTEN BY FRANK WRIGHT, JERRY
NEWCOMBE, JOHN RABE, AND OTHER MEMBERS OF OUR
MINISTRY TEAM, MAKE YOUR LIFE COUNT IS A RESOURCE
THAT YOU NEED TO READ FOR YOURSELF, AS WELL AS
GIVING COPIES TO YOUR CHILDREN, YOUR
GRANDCHILDREN, AND YOUR PASTOR.
QUITE SIMPLY, THIS IS A BOOK THAT EVERY CHRISTIAN
NEEDS TO READ.
GOD NEVER INTENDED YOUR FAITH TO BE SOMETHING
THAT'S PUT IN AN ISOLATED COMPARTMENT ON SUNDAY
MORNING WHERE IT NEVER TOUCHES ALL THE DAILY
ISSUES OF LIFE.
AS THE GREAT THEOLOGIAN ABRAHAM KUYPER PUT IT,
"THERE IS NOT A SQUARE INCH IN THE WHOLE DOMAIN
OF OUR HUMAN EXISTENCE OVER WHICH CHRIST, WHO IS
SOVEREIGN OVER ALL, DOES NOT CRY, MINE!"
THIS BOOK WILL SHOW YOU HOW THAT'S TRUE IN EVERY
SPHERE OF YOUR LIFE- WHICH IS THE KEY TO BEING HAPPY,
EFFECTIVE, AND PRODUCTIVE IN THE LORD.
PLEASE, HELP US CONTINUE PRODUCING AND AIRING
PROGRAMS THAT BRING THE WORD OF GOD TO BEAR ON THE
MAJOR ISSUES OF THE DAY.
AND AS OUR THANKS FOR YOUR GENEROUS DONATION, WE'LL
SEND YOU THE BRAND NEW BOOK, MAKE YOUR LIFE
COUNT: DISCOVER GOD'S PLAN FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE.
SIMPLY WRITE TO US AT:
OR CALL TOLL FREE:
OR GO ONLINE TO:
THERE IS A TENDENCY TODAY, IN A DIVIDED WORLD, TO
WANT TO GLOSS OVER OUR DIFFERENCES.
FOR SOME, THE PROTESTANT REFORMATION- OR EVEN THE
IDEA OF "PROTESTANTISM" IS KIND OF EMBARRASSING.
BECAUSE TO BE PROTESTANT MEANS TO BE "IN PROTEST"
OF SOMETHING.
WHEN MARTIN LUTHER NAILED HIS 95 THESES TO THE
CHURCH DOOR IN WITTENBURG 500 YEARS AGO, HE WAS
DOING SO IN OPPOSITION- IN PROTEST- TO THE ROMAN
CATHOLIC CHURCH.
IN OUR DAY, MANY ON BOTH SIDES OF THE DIVIDE WOULD
RATHER ACT AS IF IT HAD NEVER HAPPENED.
SEVERAL EVANGELICAL SCHOLARS HAVE WRITTEN
RECENT BOOKS PROCLAIMING THE REFORMATION TO BE
OVER, AND EVEN ASSERTING THAT MUCH OF IT WAS ONE
BIG MISUNDERSTANDING TO BEGIN WITH.
IN A POSTMODERN ERA, SOME FIND IT HARD TO IMAGINE
ANY TRUTH CLAIM WORTH DIVIDING OVER.
BUT WHILE A DESIRE FOR UNITY IS OFTEN
COMMENDABLE, THE APOSTLE PAUL IS CLEAR THAT UNITY
CANNOT BE AT THE EXPENSE OF THE TRUTH OF THE
GOSPEL.
AND THE TRUTH OF THE GOSPEL, REDISCOVERED BY
MARTIN LUTHER AND THOSE WHO FOLLOWED HIM, IS THAT
WE WHO ARE SINNERS CAN STAND BEFORE THE JUDGMENT
SEAT OF A HOLY GOD ONLY CLOTHED BY FAITH IN JESUS
CHRIST.
JESUS DIED TO PAY THE PENALTY FOR OUR SINS ONCE
AND FOR ALL, AND HE LIVED THE PERFECT, RIGHTEOUS
LIFE THAT YOU AND I HAVE MISERABLY FAILED TO LIVE.
BUT BY FAITH- FAITH ALONE- IN JESUS CHRIST, WE ARE
SAVED.
AS THE APOSTLE PAUL TELLS US, "FOR BY GRACE YOU HAVE
BEEN SAVED THROUGH FAITH.
AND THIS IS NOT YOUR OWN DOING; IT IS THE GIFT OF
GOD, NOT A RESULT OF WORKS, SO THAT NO ONE MAY
BOAST."
TO BELIEVE THAT SALVATION IS BY FAITH ALONE AND THAT
IT IS THE WORK OF CHRIST ALONE IS WHAT IT MEANS TO
BE A PROTESTANT.
WE LOVE AND RESPECT OUR CATHOLIC FRIENDS, AND WE
STAND TOGETHER WITH THEM ON THE SANCTITY OF LIFE
AND MARRIAGE, AND AGAINST SECULARISM.
BUT WE ALSO DO NOT PAPER OVER THE REAL DIVISION
THAT WAS EXPOSED 500 YEARS AGO- THE DIVISION BETWEEN
THE TRADITION AND OFFICIAL TEACHING OF THE ROMAN
CATHOLIC CHURCH AND THE BIBLICAL THEOLOGY OF THE
REFORMERS.
I INVITE YOU TO CHECK OUT OUR MINISTRY MOBILE APP
FOR YOUR SMART PHONE OR TABLET.
YOU CAN WATCH ALL OF OUR PROGRAMS, AS WELL AS
ACCESS DAILY DEVOTIONALS, BIBLE VERSIONS, AND
EVANGELISM TRAINING MATERIALS.
AND IT'S ALL FREE.
JUST GO TO THE APP STORE FOR YOUR DEVICE AND SEARCH
FOR D. JAMES KENNEDY MINISTRIES.
WE ARE STANDING FOR TRUTH AND DEFENDING
YOUR FREEDOM.
I'M FRANK WRIGHT.
THANKS FOR JOINING US FOR TRUTHS THAT TRANSFORM,
WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME!
NEXT WEEK ON TRUTHS THAT TRANSFORM.
WHO AM I?
I'M A CHILD OF THE KING, THE PRINCE OF A ROYAL REALM.
WHY AM I HERE?
I AM HERE TO SERVE AND GLORIFY THE ALMIGHTY AND
TO ENJOY HIM FOREVER.
THIS REINTERPRETATION OF TITLE 9 IN OUR VIEW HURTS
WOMEN, IT AFFECTS THEM WANTING TO LIVE IN AN
ALL-WOMEN'S DORM, IF AFFECTS THEIR PRIVACY
INTERESTS, IT AFFECTS THEIR ABILITY TO COMPETE
IN ATHLETICS.
THAT'S NEXT WEEK.
TODAY'S PROGRAM IS AVAILABLE ON DVD FOR YOUR
GIFT TO THIS MINISTRY OF ANY AMOUNT.
PLEASE CALL, WRITE, OR LOG ON TO OUR WEBSITE TODAY.
THIS HAS BEEN A PRODUCTION OF
D. JAMES KENNEDY MINISTRIES
For more infomation >> Opel Corsa 1.3 CDTi 5-DRS EcoFlex S/S Design Edition (Airco/BlueTooth) - Duration: 0:54. 
For more infomation >> Renault Mégane 2.0 16V tech line LEER / WEINIG KM`S - Duration: 1:00. 
For more infomation >> #VOYAGE AU QUÉBEC - CANADA - JOUR 7 - Duration: 8:43. 
For more infomation >> Toyota Corolla Verso 1.6 VVT-i Linea Luna - Duration: 1:00. 
For more infomation >> ❤ 90 minutes de musique de sommeil de Brahms et de chansons de lit français pour mère et le bébé ❤ - Duration: 1:37:00. 
For more infomation >> Peugeot 208 1.0 VTI 50KW/68PK 5-D LIKE, 27.000 KM. - Duration: 0:57. 
For more infomation >> Trying To Speak HINDI - Duration: 3:54. 
For more infomation >> How to make your BEATS new again! - Duration: 4:09. 
For more infomation >> Detlef D. Soost stellt meinen Kanal vor! - Duration: 0:11. 
For more infomation >> Comptine pour surmonter sa peur des araignées - Duration: 0:46. 
For more infomation >> 【ホンダ シビックタイプR 新型】開発責任者「目指したのは究極のFFスポーツ」 - Duration: 5:40. 
For more infomation >> ''Uzun Zamandır Yoktum Demişler Hüseyin Öldü Şimdide Yazsınlar Kral Geri Döndü '' - Duration: 0:23. 
For more infomation >> TG5 - VACCINI APPROVATI DALLA CAMERA ,LEGA NORD E 5 STELLE FRATELLI D' ITALIA NON APPROVANTI - Duration: 3:18. 
For more infomation >> 149379 - Duration: 3:44. 
For more infomation >> Come capire se è la donna della tua vita in base a come ti risponde ai messaggi - Duration: 6:21. 
For more infomation >> Le 6 mosse per imparare ad essere stronza (e quindi piacere agli uomini) - Duration: 5:16. 
No comments:
Post a Comment