Is there no one left to speak for me?
 Friedrich Gustav Emil Martin Niemöller [1892-1984] was a German theologian and Lutheran pastor who served from 1931 to 1937 at Saint Anne’s Lutheran Church in Dahlem, a wealthy suburb of Berlin. Believing as a young man that Germany needed a strong leader to promote national unity and honor, Niemöller thought that could be achieved by Adolf Hitler and the National Socialist Party touting nationalist slogans and advocating autonomy for private worship of the Christian faith. Niemöller voted for the Nazis, both in the 1924 Prussian state elections and in the final national parliamentary elections of March 1933.1 Most Germans hailed Adolf Hitler’s appointment as German chancellor on January 30, 1933, but few were more jubilant than Protestant church leaders, who welcomed the possibility of national regeneration. Yet, following Hitler’s rise to power and Nazism’s interference in church governance, Pastor Niemöller became a disillusioned and outspoken critic. Niemöller had come to the ministry late in life, at nearly 40 years of age. A gifted charismatic preacher, he soon became widely known for his critical sermons against the state and the view that neopaganism was being encouraged by the Nazis. As a consequence, Pastor Niemöller was frequently arrested between 1934 and 1937. In February 1938, he was sent off and held in solitary confinement in Sachsenhausen concentration camp. In 1941, the Gestapo transferred the pastor to Dachau. The last eight years of Nazi rule, Niemöller spend in Nazi prisons and concentration camps. Martin Niemöller was a complex man and a self-confessed antisemite, in contrast to modern Evangelicals, who are viewed as Israel’s best friends due to the Abrahamic Covenant, which came about when God said to Abraham, “I will bless those that bless you and curse those who curse you, and I’m giving you the land.” As an aside, I went in 2013 with my friend Ralph Hallow [1938-2020], the celebrated chief political correspondent for the Washington Times, to his scheduled interview with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. When asked in the foyer outside Abbas’ office, “Why do the Evangelicals back the Jews over the Palestinians?” I answered by paraphrasing Genesis 12:1-3;7: “God said to Abraham, ‘I will bless those that bless you and curse those who curse you, and I’m giving you the land.’” The official responded, “So you’re saying that I’m not a son of Abraham?” I replied, “You are a son of Abraham, and you came through Ishmael.” All hell broke loose. Ralph and I were thrown out of PLO Headquarters in Ramallah for articulating the very last truth that God spoke to Moses in Deuteronomy 34:4: “This is the land that I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, saying, ‘I will give it to your offspring.’” Niemöller’s unscripted remark from his 8-year period of captivity is what he’s best known for today. He said: “First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out – because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out – because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me – and there was no one left to speak for me.” Pastor Niemöller’s colleague Dietrich Bonhoeffer [1906-1945] didn’t fare as well. A Lutheran pastor, theologian, and anti-Nazi dissident, Pastor Bonhoeffer’s theology would not lead him away from the German public square, but instead deeply and profoundly into it. In witnessing the atrocities of the Nazi Regime and the unspeakable human suffering, Bonhoeffer became involved in a plot to assassinate Hitler. Imprisoned for the last two years of his life, Pastor Bonhoeffer was executed at dawn on the morning of April 8, 1945, having been led naked into the execution yard while prison guards jeered and ridiculed him. At the foot of the scaffold, Bonhoeffer paused to kneel and pray, then got up and climbed the steps to the gallows. Using a meat hook from a slaughterhouse, Bonhoeffer was then slowly hoisted by a noose formed of piano wire. Asphyxiation is thought to have taken half an hour … one of the last gruesome acts of Adolf Hitler.2 The SS camp doctor who witnessed Bonhoeffer’s death later recalled a man “devout, brave and composed; I have hardly ever seen a man die so entirely submissive to the will of God.” Pastor Martin Niemöller came to the realization that compliance and doing nothing, as expressed in his ‘they came for’, is that which led Germany to Adolf Hitler, a despot “who consorted with crazies and criminals and was often seen carrying a dog whip in public.”3 Niemöller’s adage is especially prescient and current as America drifts idly towards the abyss, having surrendered the culture to religious secularism over the last 100 years or so. Last week, Canadian Pastor Derek Reimer was arrested by Calgary police over his protest at a drag queen story time at a public library. Tucker Carlson reports: “Canada has now become an atheist totalitarian state with amazing speed, and in Canada, it’s now become a crime to object to sexualized Drag Queen Shows for children … you’re not allowed to say a word. “Late last month a pastor in Calgary was violently thrown out of an all ages – in other words, children’s Drag Queen story hour – for daring to object to the sexualization of children. “In Canada, showing any disloyalty at all to the Trudeau government can get your bank account frozen, your truck seized.” rumble.com/v2bjqx8-tucker-calls-out-christian-leaders-silence-amid-lefts-war-on-christianity-n.html Jesse Kelly’s insight from last week comes to mind: “We’re not playing offense yet. We’re in the early stages of playing real defense. But no offense yet. It will take time to learn. You’ll know we’re playing offense when we’re pushing OUR values in schools. Not just stopping theirs. When we’re building OUR statues …” Contemporary American Christendom looks like the boxer in Apostle Paul’s account from 1 Corinthians 9:26. It is nothing more than shadow boxing – just beating the air and failing to land any telling blow. Unlike early America, where 106 of the 108 early American colleges were distinctly Christian, if contemporary Christianity even dares to get into the ring with its opponent, secularism, it just flails around like one beating the air. Yet, praise be to God as Gideons and Rahabs are beginning to stand. David Lane American Renewal Project 1. encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/martin-niemoeller-biography 2. bonhoefferblog.wordpress.com/2009/12/19/more-on-the-execution-of-dietrich-bonhoeffer/ 3. Eric Metaxas, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy. |
Is Banking In America About To Be Fundamentally Changed Forever?
Breaking News Updates – March 14, 2023
| Is Banking In America About To Be Fundamentally Changed Forever? |
| BY MICHAEL SNYDER/ECONOMIC COLLAPSE BLOG MARCH 14, 2023 |
| Many believe the endgame of where we are heading is the widescale acceptance of digital currency controlled by the Federal government. With the loss of confidence in the banking system the Government will ride in to rescue the day but the price of that ‘security’ will be complete and total control over everything in the monetary system. |
Did you think that the Federal Reserve was just going to stand by and watch the U.S. banking system completely collapse?
In response to the stunning failures of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank, the Federal Reserve announced a rescue plan on Sunday evening that is going to radically change banking in America forever. All deposits at Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank will be fully guaranteed and will be available on Monday.
Of course the Federal Reserve can’t just make an exception for these two banks. If they are going to do this for them, that means that they are going to have to do it for everyone else too. So what this means is that from this point forward the Federal Reserve is essentially promising to guarantee every bank account in America. Considering the fact that more than 19 trillion dollars is deposited with U.S. banks, that is quite a promise to make.
I want to show you that I am not exaggerating one bit. The following is the announcement about this new plan that was just posted on the official website of the Federal Reserve…
To support American businesses and households, the Federal Reserve Board on Sunday announced it will make available additional funding to eligible depository institutions to help assure banks have the ability to meet the needs of all their depositors. This action will bolster the capacity of the banking system to safeguard deposits and ensure the ongoing provision of money and credit to the economy.
The Federal Reserve is prepared to address any liquidity pressures that may arise.
The additional funding will be made available through the creation of a new Bank Term Funding Program (BTFP), offering loans of up to one year in length to banks, savings associations, credit unions, and other eligible depository institutions pledging U.S. Treasuries, agency debt and mortgage-backed securities, and other qualifying assets as collateral. These assets will be valued at par. The BTFP will be an additional source of liquidity against high-quality securities, eliminating an institution’s need to quickly sell those securities in times of stress.
With approval of the Treasury Secretary, the Department of the Treasury will make available up to $25 billion from the Exchange Stabilization Fund as a backstop for the BTFP. The Federal Reserve does not anticipate that it will be necessary to draw on these backstop funds.
After receiving a recommendation from the boards of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the Federal Reserve, Treasury Secretary Yellen, after consultation with the President, approved actions to enable the FDIC to complete its resolutions of Silicon Valley Bank and Signature Bank in a manner that fully protects all depositors, both insured and uninsured. These actions will reduce stress across the financial system, support financial stability and minimize any impact on businesses, households, taxpayers, and the broader economy.
The Board is carefully monitoring developments in financial markets. The capital and liquidity positions of the U.S. banking system are strong and the U.S. financial system is resilient.
Depository institutions may obtain liquidity against a wide range of collateral through the discount window, which remains open and available. In addition, the discount window will apply the same margins used for the securities eligible for the BTFP, further increasing lendable value at the window.
The Board is closely monitoring conditions across the financial system and is prepared to use its full range of tools to support households and businesses, and will take additional steps as appropriate.
Please don’t just skim those paragraphs.
Take the time to read them in detail, because what the Fed just did literally changes everything.
From now on, nobody will have to worry that their bank will fail, and the Fed has decided to completely end the war against inflation.
Translation: the Fed’s hiking cycle is dead and buried, and here comes the next round of massive liquidity injections. It also means that the Fed, Treasury and FDIC have just experienced the most devastating humiliation in recent history – just 4 days ago Powell was telling Congress he could hike 50bps and here we are now using taxpayer funds to bail out banks that have collapsed because they couldn’t even handle 4.75% and somehow the Fed has no idea!
That analysis is right on the money.
I warned that our system could not handle higher interest rates, and higher rates were directly related to the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank.
So there won’t be any more rate hikes.
In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised at all if the Fed started cutting rates very soon.
In addition, all of the fresh money that the Fed will be injecting into the financial system now will be highly inflationary.
We are being told that the Fed’s plan won’t cost taxpayers a dime, but the truth is that inflation is a tax on all of us.
So the financial community may be praising this “extraordinary intervention” by the Fed, but there will inevitably be a very high price to pay for spraying money around so recklessly.
But what other choice did the Fed have?
As I have repeatedly warned my readers, our fundamentally flawed system simply cannot survive without artificial support.
As a result of the Fed’s reckless rate hiking strategy, U.S. banks are now sitting on 620 billion dollars of unrealized losses.
That is “billion” with a “b”, and that is a ticking time bomb that is not going to go away any time soon.
Meanwhile, the housing bubble is imploding, we are heading into the worst commercial real estate crisis in all of U.S. history, and now faith in the U.S. banking system has been greatly shaken.
This crisis is not even close to over.
And every time there is a new eruption somewhere, the Fed will try to put the flames out with generous injections of fresh liquidity.
Virtually everyone applauds when the Fed starts spraying money around, but by now all of us should realize that this story is not going to have a happy ending.
Many believe the endgame of where we are heading is the widescale acceptance of digital currency controlled by the Federal government. With the loss of confidence in the banking system the Government will ride in to rescue the day but the price of that “security” will be complete and total control over everything in the monetary system.
Central bankers will be able to see what is in your bank account, who you transact with, what you purchase, and anything else they are curious about in your financial life. That full transparency with the state removes all elements of privacy, while also giving the institutions the ability to censor any and all transactions, regardless of whether they have a legitimate reason or not.
Anything and everything that requires an exchange of currency can be monitored, and transactions can be denied for such things as firearms, meat, or other (currently) legal but politically incorrect purchases. Already the World Economic Forum is launching a coalition to reward people with “carbon credits” for using fewer resources. Digital currency will also allow the government to seize assets at will.
This is the type of power and economic system the Book of Revelation describes where no one can buy or sell without the ‘authority’ of the Beast and his mark.
Digital currency makes this all possible and thanks to current events, it may be a lot closer than you think.
Originally published at The Economic Collapse Blog – reposted with permission.
The Sword Of The Lord ~ Dr. Shelton Editor ~ February 17, 2023
Judges 7:20 King James Version (KJV)
And the three companies blew the trumpets, and brake the pitchers, and held the lamps in their left hands, and the trumpets in their right hands to blow withal: and they cried, The sword of the Lord, and of Gideon.
An Independent Christian Publication, Standing for the Verbal Inspiration of the Bible, the Deity of Christ, His Blood Atonement, Salvation by Faith, New Testament Soul Winning and the Premillennial Return of Christ; Opposing Modernism (Liberalism), Worldliness and Formalism.
The Amen Corner
Most evolutionists seem to know everything about the missing link except that it is still missing.
When one fellow admitted to me that there were a few missing links in the evolutionary chain, I advised him that in reality his whole chain is missing. -Dr. Shelton Smith
Give me one hundred preachers who hate nothing but sin, fear nothing but God and who love nothing more than the lost souls of men and I care not one wisp whether they be clergymen or laymen. -John Wesley
The only permanent pain and harm that can come to me from the offenses committed against me is the irreparable injury I do myself by hatred of those who wrong me! -Harry Rimmer
A leader, once convinced a particular course of action is the right one, must have the determination to stick with it and be undaunted when the going gets rough. -Ronald Reagan
Live every day as if it were your last. Do every job as if you were the boss. Drive as if all other vehicles were police cars. Treat everybody else as if he were you.
Infidelity reproves nothing that is bad. It only ridicules and denounces all that is good. It tears down but never builds up, destroys but never imparts life, attacks religion but offers no adequate substitute. -Joseph R. Paxton
I saw about a peck of counterfeit dollars once. Did I go to the window and throw away all my good dollars? No! Yet some reject Christianity because there are hypocrites, or counterfeit Christians. -William E. Biederwolf
The future success of America is not in the Constitution, but in the laws of God upon which this Constitution is founded. -President James Madison
Leave tomorrow’s trouble to tomorrow’s strength, tomorrow’s work to tomorrow’s time, tomorrow’s trial to tomorrow’s grace and to Him who is God today and tomorrow.
There are those who believe that a new modernity demands a new morality. What they fail to consider is the harsh reality that there is no such thing as a new morality. There is only one morality. All else is immorality. -President Theodore Roosevelt
I remember two things: I am a great sinner and I have a great Saviour. And I don’t suppose a [former] slave trader needs to remember much more than that. -John Newton
An infidel said, “There is one thing that mars all the pleasures of my life.”
“Indeed!” replied his friend. “What is that?”
He answered, “I am afraid the Bible is true. If I could know for certain that death is an eternal sleep, I should be happy; my joy would be complete! But here is the thorn that stings me. This is the word that pierces my very soul – if the Bible is true, I am lost forever!”
Mormonism: The Devil Made Me Do It
by Chris Cole
In the Bible, the temptation that Satan made to Adam and Eve is quoted in Genesis 3:5: “God knows that, when you eat of it, your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.” This doesn’t mean “knowing” in the sense of “recognizing,” but rather in the sense of “determining.” Satan tells the first couple that disobeying God will liberate them from the control of God, so that they can determine good and evil for themselves, apart from the standards of God.
That temptation is a lie (John 8:44). There is no autonomy from God, not even for Satan himself (Job 1:6-12). It should be obvious that Satan cannot give what he himself does not have.
In Mormonism, there is a doctrine that says that Jesus and Satan were brothers in their preexistence. The Father put a challenge to them to carry out His plan of salvation. Satan offered, instead, a plan of universal salvation. The LDS website explains it this way (references are to Mormon scriptures): “It was in this setting that Satan made an unwelcome and arrogant proposal to change Heavenly Father’s plan so that it provided universal salvation for everyone (see Moses 4:1). Before we discuss how he claimed to accomplish this, it is important to note that Satan is referred to in these verses as ‘the father of all lies’ (Moses 4:4). On another occasion he is called ‘a liar from the beginning’ (D&C 93:25). We would be absurdly naïve to assume that Satan was telling the truth when he made this exaggerated claim of universal salvation.”
According to Mormonism, how is the individual supposed to make the right choice between the Father’s plan of salvation and Satan’s? Their answer is found in Doctrine and Covenants 9:8: “Behold, I say unto you, that you must study it out in your mind; then you must ask me if it be right, and if it is right I will cause that your bosom shall burn within you; therefore, you shall feel that it is right.”
Do you see any parallels there? While the biblical God commands us to believe on the basis of His word alone, the Mormon God says that each person will be able to decide on the basis of a subjective feeling. Go back to Genesis 3:5 above. Is that not the same thing that Satan offered, falsely, to Adam and Eve?
While Mormons claim that their doctrine is the rejection of Satan’s lies, that doctrine is the same as Satan’s lies, as recorded in the Bible.
The only hope for the Mormon is to repudiate his autonomous determination of what is right or wrong and to submit to the infallible declaration of truth by the triune God of the Bible.
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The Road to Poverty
The Road to Poverty
Posted by Sarah Hopkins
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs’s is the kingdom of heaven” Matthew 5:3
The road to poverty is one all children of God will travel, sooner or later. For there is no other way there than to travel this road. It is the way…to the kingdom of heaven. What is this road? And why must the true children of God travel it?
Poverty is not something we like in rich America, or anyplace in the world. For which one of us does not aspire to riches. Some may not care about money, but we all seek riches in their many forms and fashions. Riches may be strength, health, beauty, family heritage, loved ones, self confidence, self righteousness, a code, a creed, a cherished reputation, a talent or skill, one’s accomplishments, material possessions, or a devoted love for one’s self. It is sustenance in some form that we would hope on, place our trust upon, revel in. But what is the road of poverty? That is another story. A sad one, one where you will mourn, suffer loss, become dependent, feel pain.
The road to Christ, a true awareness and faith in Him from the heart is paved with sorrows, lack and need. For to find Him, in truth, or more accurately for Him to find you, there must be this acknowledgement of our utterly destitute state without Him. It’s the beginning of understanding the magnitude of our depravity in view of His holiness. Just a glimpse, for we can never truly come to a full understanding of this truth in the carnal wicked world in which we live. Only in heaven will we see this truth as profoundly as it is.
Blessed are the poor in spirit. Who are they? How did they get there? They are the ones who lack in spirit and know it. They may be the forgotten one, the drunk, the glutton, the homeless person who no one cares about, or that rich widow sitting alone day after day with no friends, no loved ones anymore. It’s that person who suffers need and is desolate. In a word poor. The one who sees how fragile they are, how needy they are, how desperate they are for love, for forgiveness. These poor souls don’t hope in themselves, or money, or anything or anyone life has to offer, for they have long given up on all of that, they hope in God. For He is their only hope. They are poor! They cannot help themselves. They are blind beggars on the street corner of life, crying out, to God. God hears them. God sees them and loves them, as they are without money to pay, or works to offer. He sees them in their helpless condition and He loves them and He takes them in His arms, in His care, because they believe on Him. They believe on the Saviour Jesus Christ, with out works to pay for His love and acceptance, but rather in the freeness of His love for them.
Why do these poverty stricken people find what seems to elude most of the world? Because they need it a little bit more. They are desperate that’s why, a desperate poverty stricken broken heart hungers more, and believes because it’s his only hope, his last hope. They don’t have anyplace else to go. That’s why many people come to Jesus finally, it’s their only hope. Because….they are poor. That is why Jesus said He came to preach the gospel of the kingdom of God to the poor, because the one trusting in riches can’t get there from here, until they find themselves on the road to poverty in whatever form it takes.
Should you find yourself on the road to poverty, and you recognize the Saviour of the world on this road, because that’s where He is, Rejoice! For if you place your hope in Him alone, your destination will be the greatest wealth you could ever possess.
In the end the reality is that every single person will one day experience the road of poverty, either in this life or the next. Because the truth is, without Christ we are all horribly poor, whether we know it or not.
“For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” John 3:17
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If you are suffering as a Christian, thank the Lord for it. Becoming poor in spirit is one of the trademarks of the mature saint. Amen and amen. Pastor Steve <><
SBC Pastor Says Disfellowship of Saddleback Church (Former Pastor Rick Warren, Current Pastor Andy Wood) Will Be Overturned at Annual Meeting
March 8, 2023 Jeff Maples
It is likely that you are familiar with the recent controversy surrounding Saddleback Church, previously led by Rick Warren and presently led by Andy Wood. The Southern Baptist Convention made the decision to disfellowship the church due to its ordination of women to the pastorate, following an investigation by the denomination’s credentials committee and subsequent recommendation to the Executive Committee.
While the committee encountered difficulty in immediately determining whether or not Scripture or the Baptist Faith and Message permitted women to serve in such a capacity, after extensive “research” and “study,” and under pressure from select conservative voices within the denomination, the correct decision was ultimately reached in disfellowshipping Saddleback.
However, this action prompts further inquiry. Although the decision to disfellowship should be applauded, it is pertinent to question why it took so long to reach this conclusion, as well as why it was a challenging decision to make.
Despite all of this, some Southern Baptist pastors are still lamenting the loss of a hopelessly progressive organization that masquerades as a church while lifting its proverbial middle finger to the commands of the Lord to lead according to His word. While castigating William Wolfe, an SBTS employee for publicly stating his desire for all of the truth surrounding the January 6 “insurrection” to be revealed by releasing all of the footage, SBC pastor, Dwight McKissic then makes the assertion that he believes that the decision to disfellowship Saddleback will be overturned at the annual meeting in June.
Given the current demographics of the Southern Baptist Convention, it’s not unreasonable to believe that McKissic could be on to something here. After all, These are the same people who voted for JD Greear, Ed Litton, and Bart Barber as convention presidents for five consecutive years and have no remorse for doing so.
If the Southern Baptist Convention actually does overturn the decision to disfellowship Saddleback Church, then the denomination has clearly caved to the effeminate-feminist agenda and has clearly adopted the position that women can be pastors. At this point, all bets are off and it will be clear that God’s hand of restraint has been removed from the denomination and there is no limit to the amount of rebellion not just on this issue, but other issues as well.
What Exactly is Saving Faith and How do We Know We Have It?
Nothing is more important than our salvation! Nothing on this blog site is more important than this article. Salvation, don’t leave earth without it!!! In Christ, Pastor Steve <><
March 7, 2023 Jeff Maples
As Christians living in a world that is hostile to God, we face a barrage of challenges to our faith every day. These attacks come in the form of anti-Creation propaganda, such as evolution and theories about the origins of the universe, as well as an all-out assault on Christian morals and values. It is not uncommon for these spiritual attacks to cause us to doubt our own faith and feel fear.
Many modern Christian churches have neglected the crucial role of biblical apologetics which provides a solid foundation for defending the Christian faith. A strong apologetic approach begins with the recognition that the Word of God is the ultimate authority and uses it to interpret the world around us. However, too many churches have adopted the dangerous idea that we should interpret Scripture through our own limited human reasoning rather than using Scripture to interpret the world. This approach is flawed and undermines the authority of God’s Word—and it often leads to doubt.
It is with this understanding that we approach the doctrine of faith and understand what it means to have a saving faith in the midst of a world that hates God. In the New Testament, faith is defined as a strong and confident belief in God, his promises, and his Son, Jesus Christ. The Greek word for faith, “pistis,” is used throughout the New Testament to describe this kind of belief.
The biblical understanding of faith consists of three elements:
- Notitia: This is the knowledge or information aspect of faith. It refers to a person’s understanding and knowledge of the Gospel message, particularly the fact that salvation comes through faith in Jesus Christ. In other words, you’ve heard the truth, or you’ve heard about the truth, but not necessarily given any thought to the veracity of the claims.
- Assensus: This is the intellectual or cognitive aspect of faith. It involves assenting to the truthfulness of the Gospel message, based on the knowledge and understanding of it. Assensus means acknowledging the truth of the Gospel and accepting it as true but not necessarily having placed your trust in it.
- Fiducia: This is the personal or volitional aspect of faith. Fiducia involves a personal trust and reliance on Jesus Christ for salvation. It is the act of placing one’s faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, entrusting one’s eternal destiny to Him.
Fiducia is the most important aspect of saving faith and since this is where most professing Christians fall short, this is where we will spend our time. At its core, Fiducia is the means by which we receive the free gift of salvation that is offered to us through Jesus Christ
First and foremost, having a saving faith consists of all three of these elements and it is the belief in the gospel of Jesus Christ and it is the understanding and acceptance of the message that Jesus died for our sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day. But it is far more than just an intellectual acceptance of the facts. Saving faith is a personal response to the truth of the gospel, a recognition that our sin has separated us from God, and a repentant heart that is turned toward Christ upon whom we place our full trust in Jesus as our Savior and Lord.
Fiducia is the most essential component of saving faith because it is the active trust that we place in Jesus Christ. This is the element of saving faith that only God can grant us. Ephesians 2:8-9 explains that it is “by grace that we have been saved through faith” and that even that is not of ourselves, but a “gift of God.” There is no amount of intellectual assent we can give to the gospel that will change our hearts and cause God to save us—it must be wholly a work of God Himself.
When we truly believe in Jesus, we are not just acknowledging that he exists or that he did certain things in history, including dying on the cross. We are actively entrusting our lives to him, surrendering our wills and our hearts to his lordship. This trust is far more than just a mere one-time decision; it is an ongoing relationship granted and maintained by Christ Himself that deepens and grows over time.
In Scripture, we see many examples of Fiducia in action of which Abraham’s faith is arguably one of the most important and well-known. When God called Abraham to leave his home and go to a new land, Abraham responded in faith, trusting in God’s promise to bless him and make him into a great nation. Despite his own intellectual doubts and questioning, this trust was not just a passive belief in God’s existence or goodness, but an active obedience to God’s call on his life. As James 2:22-23 says, “You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, ‘Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.’”
Similarly, we see Paul arguing that it was the gospel itself that Abraham heard and believed in Galatians 3:8, “And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, saying, “In you shall all the nations be blessed.’”
Knowing that it is the gospel itself, the Word of God, that is the power unto salvation (Romans 1:16), we must see that it is the gospel itself that grants saving faith. It is God’s word that transforms us, causing us to believe by removing our hearts of stone and giving us a new heart of flesh.
We also see an example of saving faith played out in the story of the woman with the issue of blood. In this often overlooked but powerful passage from the Gospel of Luke 8:40-56, we witness a woman who had suffered from a discharge of blood for twelve years and had exhausted all her resources on doctors, yet still remained unhealed. However, upon hearing Jesus, her faith in Jesus was unwavering, and she reached out to touch the fringe of his garment, and at that moment, she was immediately healed.
Some may argue that it was the woman who came to Christ before Christ even knew who she was, but this misses the point and fails to understand the work of the Trinity in salvation. Had she not already had a saving faith, she would have never reached out to touch Christ’s garments. Her faith was not just a mental acknowledgment of who Jesus was; it was an active trust in his power to heal and save. Jesus himself affirmed her faith, saying, “Daughter, your faith has made you well” (Mark 5:34).
So how do we know we have this saving faith, this faith that goes beyond an intellectual assent or general knowledge? The Scriptures tell us first and foremost to trust in the promise of Christ. But there are evidences we can point to as well. A saving faith leads to a transformed life. When we trust in Jesus, we are not just saved from the penalty of our sins, but we are also given new life in Christ.
In 2 Corinthians 5:17, Paul reminds us that being in Christ means becoming a new creation. Our old self passes away, and we embrace a new way of living that is devoted to God and his commands. This transformation is made possible through sanctification, which leads us to despise not only the sins of others but also our own. We begin to love what God loves and hate what he hates, although our love and hate will not be perfect. As we put our trust in Christ and follow him, we receive the Holy Spirit’s power to live a life that pleases God and bears fruit for his kingdom.
Having a saving faith empowers us to face the onslaught of hostility toward God, toward our beliefs, our values, and our convictions with confidence. The world will hate us for believing what seems foolish to a lost and dying population (1 Corinthians 1:18), but Jesus reminds us that if they hate us, it’s because they hated Him first (John 15:18). If you still find yourself attracted to the fleeting pleasures of sin and feel no remorse for your wrongdoing, or if you do not find the world’s hostility towards God repulsive, it is likely that you do not possess saving faith.
Wow! Epic Scripture-Twisting by SBC President to Paint Pro-Abortion Women as Victims
The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) is devoid of strong Biblical leadership. The last three SBC presidents of this convention are awful, each condoning homosexuality, abortion, CRT and the WOKE movement. The disfellowshipping of Saddleback Church and their like is one of the few bright spots as of late. Blessings, Pastor Steve <><
March 6, 2023 ~ Jeff Maples
…This is a clear demonstration that this isn’t about women being victims, it is about pro-abortion God-hating activists fighting to the extreme for their right to practice their religious sacrament in their death cult. And, Southern Baptist Convention president, Bart Barber defends it.
Later in the thread, when tagged, Barber responds by asking the original poster if he believes the woman in this video is a victim. Keep in mind the question isn’t about…
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We’ve been arguing that the soft-peddling Southern Baptist establishment is compromised on the issue of abortion. As a matter of fact, it has become the official position of the establishment class of the Southern Baptist Convention that no matter what the circumstances are, women who have abortions, by the very virtue of being a woman, are automatically victims of abortion and have no accountability for the crimes they commit against innocent unborn children.
Last year, prior to the annual meeting, I reported that Southern Baptist Convention Ethics and Religious Liberty (ERLC) president, Brent Leatherwood, signed an open letter to state lawmakers calling on them not to criminalize abortion for the mother.
I then reported prior to his election that Southern Baptist Convention presidential candidate, Bart Barber was making the same argument—that mothers are not responsible for the murder taking place at an abortion clinic.
This is absolutely insane and I never thought I’d see the day when Southern Baptists openly argued on such a wide scale that abortion is an act of murder, but that the only person who has veto power over the murderous act is not responsible for it.
But now, Barber has taken his ungodly position to epic levels of Scripture twisting, even suggesting that 2 Corinthians 4:4 releases her of her culpability because the “god of this world has blinded her” to her crimes.
In a post on Twitter by Wesley Russell, you can hear a pro-abortion activist arguing that girls shouldn’t have to carry the children of their rapists, but then takes it to the extreme logical conclusion of the abortion industry screaming “f*** them kids.”
This is a clear demonstration that this isn’t about women being victims, it is about pro-abortion God-hating activists fighting to the extreme for their right to practice their religious sacrament in their death cult. And, Southern Baptist Convention president, Bart Barber defends it.
Later in the thread, when tagged, Barber responds by asking the original poster if he believes the woman in this video is a victim. Keep in mind the question isn’t about whether or not a rape victim is the victim (she is), but the question is whether or not these pro-abortion activists yelling “f*** them kids” are victims. Clearly, they are not. But, according to Barber, because of of 2 Corinthians 4:4, they are—or at least, could be.
Of course, this begs the question if this verse would also excuse other criminals. Would Bart Barber use this verse to let the rapist off the hook too? I mean, after all, the god of this world has blinded him too, right? Or, what about a white supremacist who committed murder? Would he let Amaud Arbery’s killers off the hook because the god of this world has blinded them too?
Do you see how illogical and asinine this line of unreasonable reasoning is? Why give a pass to mothers who kill their children? After all, Romans 1:20 says we are all “without excuse.”
Transhumanism And The Mark Of The Beast
BY JOEL/CHRISTIAN EVIDENCE FEBRUARY 22, 2023
Breaking News Updates – February 22 , 2023
With the rapid development of technology and the growing interest in Transhumanism, many have started to wonder how it may relate to Bible prophecy.
Is it possible that the Bible prophesied the rise of transhumanism?
What Is Transhumanism?
Transhumanism is a philosophical, scientific, and essentially religious movement that seeks to merge humans with emerging technology, such as brain chips and genetic engineering. By doing so, transhumanists believe that we can enhance our intellectual and physical capacities; transcend our biological limitations, including death; and create a more evolved species they call the “posthuman.”
While this may seem like wacky science fiction, transhumanism is actively being pursued by prominent scientists and global elites, and is actually a vital component of the “Great Reset” proposed by Klaus Schwab, founder of the World Economic Forum (WEF). Schwab argues that the Fourth Industrial Revolution will lead to “a fusion of our physical, digital, and biological identities,” forcing us to re-examine “what it means to be human.”
In fact, the globalists have already begun their pursuit of merging humans with technology through the administration of COVID-19 injections, although few people realize it. Some of these injections incorporate transhumanist technologies, such as nanotechnology and genetic engineering, providing a pathway for future modifications to human DNA.
Transhumanism and the Mark of the Beast
Many proponents of transhumanism advocate for the modification of human DNA to achieve their goals of enhancing humans and ultimately creating posthumans. Some have also proposed implanting chips that are linked to one’s digital identity, which could further integrate technology into the human body. The WEF recently stated that “technology will become more intertwined with the body in the form of implants.”
These proposals are very interesting in light of the Mark of the Beast prophecy. As many are aware, implants have the potential to fulfill the mark in the hand or forehead, as described in Revelation 13:16-17. However, there is another intriguing characteristic of this mark that could also relate to transhumanism.
According to Revelation 14:10-11, accepting the mark of the beast is a fateful decision with eternal consequences, rendering the recipient unredeemable. Bible scholars have long wondered how the acceptance of the mark could result in eternal damnation, and whether a mere chip implant is enough to fulfill this characteristic. Could it be possible that transhumanism will modify humans genetically to such an extent in the near future that they are no longer created in God’s image, making them beyond salvation?
It might be difficult to fathom why anyone would consent to such a thing. However, the desire for human enhancement, including the eradication of diseases, reversal of aging, and extension of lifespans, among other things, may make the mark an appealing option for many. The recent COVID-19 pandemic serves as a stark reminder of the lengths people are willing to go to in the hopes of overcoming suffering and the threat of death.
It is also worth noting the link between transhumanism and the alien/UFO phenomenon, which may play a role in the end times deception as I have previously speculated. This connection could further increase the appeal of receiving the mark, as many secularists believe that extraterrestrial beings could offer us advanced technology to transcend the limits of human evolution.
Transhumanism and the Image of the Beast
Other proponents of transhumanism propose even more radical approaches to achieve their goals. One such approach is the uploading of human consciousness into a robot to achieve eternal life. I know it sounds absolutely crazy, but the 2045 Initiative anticipates this becoming a reality between 2030 and 2035.
This initiative is especially interesting in light of Revelation 13:15, where the False Prophet is said to bring an “image of the beast” to life. The animation of this image, which is likely to be a form of AI robot, is probably the climax of the False Prophet’s series of lying wonders. It is so convincing that people believe the image is truly alive or has consciousness, leading to even greater worship of it (Rev. 13:13-15).
Could it be that the False Prophet will deceive humanity by claiming to have transferred the Antichrist’s consciousness into the image, when in reality, it is powered by demonic forces, advanced AI, or some other means? Some have even suggested that the first person to successfully transfer their consciousness into a robot will be viewed as a god with immense power.
Transhumanism and the Days of Noah: A Modern Parallel?
The biblical account of Noah also provides an interesting parallel to the transhumanism movement, which is significant in light of Jesus’ warning that His return will resemble the days of Noah (Matt. 24:37). Genesis 6:9 describes Noah as being “perfect in his generations.” Scholars often interpret this phrase to mean that Noah’s genetic lineage was uncorrupted by the “sons of God” or fallen angels who mated with human women to produce a race of giants (Gen. 6:4).
Similar to Satan’s attempt to corrupt the human genome through spiritual intervention and disrupt God’s plan of bringing the Messiah into the world through the seed of a woman (Gen. 3:15), transhumanist efforts to create a posthuman species could corrupt the human genome and disqualify people from redemption. This parallel further reinforces what I discussed above about the mark of the beast.
Conclusion
It is very possible that the emergence of transhumanism was prophesied in the Bible and will have a significant role in the future Tribulation, particularly with regards to the mark of the beast. However, it is important to keep in mind that this is still speculative, and transhumanism may simply be another manifestation of the ancient deception that tempted Eve in the Garden of Eden with the promise of god-like abilities (Gen. 3:5).
It is also important to recognize that transhumanists’ pursuit to surpass human limitations can only be achieved through accepting Christ. The hope for a future free of pain, sorrow, and death is only possible through Him (Rev. 21:4). If you have not yet repented of your sins and accepted Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I urge you to do so without delay.
Originally published at Christian Evidence – reposted with permission.
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