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VOLUME 12, ISSUE 8 WAY OF LIFE LITERATURE FEBRUARY 25, 2011
Friday Church News Notes
Evangelical College Names Catholic President
Friday Church News Notes, February 25, 2011 www.wayoflife.org
The following is from Proclaiming the Gospel, February 2011: “The
evangelical world was taken by surprise when the Board of Trustees of the
King’s College, in New York City, announced that it had unanimously
approved the appointment of Dr. Dinesh D’Souza to serve as the school’s fifth
president. ‘D’Souza is a model of the ideal King’s College graduate,’ states the
college website. D’Souza’s own website states that he is ‘a believing Catholic
but a poorly practicing one.’ On December 2, 2010, a special inauguration
ceremony for President D’Souza took place at New York’s Fifth Avenue
Presbyterian Church. This is a very liberal church pastored for many years by
the late Dr. John Sutherland Bonnell, an apostate known for his work to break
down the walls between Catholicism and Protestantism. In 1966 he received a
silver medal for his ecumenical accomplishments by Pope Paul VI, during a
private audience. Billy Graham was famously criticized by the late Dr. Martyn
Lloyd-Jones for having Bonnell on the platform of one of his Crusades in
Great Britain.”
CHRISTIAN ATHLETE REFUSES TO WRESTLE FEMALE
OPPONENT
The following is excerpted from Religion.blogs.cnn.com, Feb. 17, 2011:
“A high school wrestler in wrestling-crazy Iowa forfeited a tournament match
Thursday after refusing to grapple with a female opponent. ‘As a matter of
conscience and my faith, I do not believe that it is appropriate for a boy to
engage a girl in this manner,’ Joel Northrup said in a written statement,
according to the Des Moines Register. Northrup is home-schooled but wrestles
as a 112-pound sophomore for Linn-Mar High
School in Marion, Iowa. He was a state title
contender with a 35-4 record, CNN affiliate
KCRG-TV reported. His erstwhile opponent,
Cassy Herkelman of Cedar Falls, advanced by
default at Des Moines’ Wells Fargo Arena.
Herkelman (20-13), a freshman, and Ottumwa,
Iowa sophomore Megan Black (25-13) are the
first two girls ever to qualify for the state
individual tournament, which goes back to
1926. ... Northrup, the son of a minister, had indicated after the first pairings
were announced Sunday that he might take the forfeit. ‘My understanding is
that they’ve got strict convictions (as a family), and I respect them,’
Herkelman's father, Bill, told the Register at the time. ‘I don’t have any ill will
toward them and I don’t think it's any kind of boycott about her being a girl.’
Northrup said as much in his statement: ‘I have a tremendous amount of
respect for Cassy and Megan and their accomplishments. However, wrestling
is a combat sport and it can get violent at times. ... It is unfortunate that I have
been placed in a situation not seen in most of the high school sports in
Iowa.’” [Concluding Note: After winning by default on February 17, Cassy
Herkelman lost to Jordan Jones and Matt Victor and was out of the tournament
on February 18. Joel Northrup was also eliminated when he lost to Tyler
Willers (Des Moines Register, Feb. 18, 2011).]
BIBLE DISTRIBUTORS
KILLED BY PIRATES
The following is excerpted from
“Four Americans Killed,” FoxNews,
Feb. 22, 2011: “Four Americans
aboard a yacht hijacked by Somali
pirates have been killed, Fox News
has confirmed. U.S. forces responded
to gunfire aboard the yacht Quest at
approximately 1 a.m. Tuesday, but
discovered all four hostages had been
shot by their captors. Despite attempts
to save their lives, all four hostages
died of their wounds. ‘We express our
deepest condolences for the innocent
lives callously lost aboard the Quest,’
said Gen. James N. Mattis, U.S.
Central Command Commander in a
news release. Two pirates died during
the confrontation and U.S. forces
found the remains of two other pirates
already dead aboard the vessel.
Thirteen pirates were captured and
detained, along with two already in
custody. A total of 19 pirates were
involved in the hijacking. The yacht
Quest was hijacked on Friday off the
coast of Oman and U.S. forces had
been closely monitoring the vessel. ...
The Adams have been sailing the
world with a yacht full of Bibles since
2004.” According to an Associated
Press report for Feb. 20, 2011, the
Adams had been distributing Bibles to
schools and churches in remote
villages in areas including the Fiji
Islands, Alaska, New Zealand, Central
America and French Polynesia.
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VOLUME 12, ISSUE 8 WAY OF LIFE LITERATURE FEBRUARY 25, 2011
EVOLUTION AT “EVANGELICAL” CALVIN COLLEGE
The following is excerpted from “False Teaching Rife at
Calvin College,” Around the World with Ken Ham, Feb. 17,
2011: “More and more people are finding out what is really
being taught at Calvin College in Michigan. For instance,
Dan Harlow is professor of biblical and early Jewish studies
in the Department of Religion at Calvin College. In a recent
paper, he stated the following: ‘Recent research in molecular
biology, primatology, sociobiology, and phylogenetics
indicates that the species Homo sapiens cannot be traced
back to a single pair of individuals, and that the earliest
human beings did not come on the scene in anything like
paradisal physical or moral conditions. It is therefore
difficult to read Genesis 1-3 as a factual account of human
origins. In current Christian thinking about Adam and Eve,
several scenarios are on offer. The most compelling one
regards Adam and Eve as strictly literary figures--characters
in a divinely inspired story about the imagined past that
intends to teach theological, not historical, truths about God,
creation, and humanity...’ (Perspectives on Science and
Christian Faith, Vol. 62, No. 3, Sept. 2010). In response to
feedback the college has received about what this professor
believes and teaches (and he is just one of many with
compromising beliefs at this ‘Christian’ college), the office
of the President of Calvin College stated the following:
‘What does Calvin College teach about evolutionary
biology Calvin affirms that the one true God is the creator
and designer of the universe. ... the department also accepts
the biological theory of evolution (descent with modification
over time) to be the best explanation for understanding the
commonality and diversity seen among all living creatures
on earth...’ If there is no literal Adam and Eve, no literal Fall,
then there is no origin of sin and no need of a Savior. The
false teaching of Calvin is destructive to biblical authority
and the gospel.”
FIVE WESTERN LEADERS SAY MULTICULTURALISM HAS FAILED
The following is from Agence France-Presse, Feb. 11, 2011:
“French President Nicolas Sarkozy declared Thursday that
multiculturalism had failed, joining a growing number of
world leaders or ex-leaders who have condemned it. ‘My
answer is clearly yes, it is a failure,’ he said in a television
interview when asked about the policy which advocates that
host societies welcome and foster distinct cultural and
religious immigrant groups. ‘Of course we must all respect
differences, but we do not want... a society where
communities coexist side by side. If you come to France,
you accept to melt into a single community, which is the
national community, and if you do not want to accept that,
you cannot be welcome in France,’ the right-wing president
said. ‘The French national community cannot accept a
change in its lifestyle, equality between men and women...
freedom for little girls to go to school,’ he said. ‘We have
been too concerned about the identity of the person who was
arriving and not enough about the identity of the country
that was receiving him,’ Sarkozy said in the TFI channel
show. British Prime Minister David Cameron, German
Chancellor Angela Merkel, Australia's ex-prime minister
John Howard and Spanish ex-premier Jose Maria Aznar
have also recently said multicultural policies have not
successfully integrated immigrants. Merkel in October said
efforts towards multiculturalism in Germany had ‘failed,
totally.’ The comment followed weeks of anguished debate
sparked by the huge popularity of a book by a central banker
saying that immigrants, in particular Muslims, were making
Germany ‘more stupid. Britain's Cameron last week
pronounced his country's long-standing policy of
multiculturalism a failure, calling for better integration of
young Muslims to combat home-grown extremism.”
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VOLUME 12, ISSUE 8 WAY OF LIFE LITERATURE FEBRUARY 25, 2011
A “CRITICAL EYE”
Recently a graduate of a fundamental Baptist Bible college
told me that he had learned at school not to have a “critical
eye.” He learned that he shouldn’t be critical of the music
that was played, because the important thing is to “have a
heart for God” and to be “edified” even if the music is
questionable. I believe this gets at the heart of the
philosophy that is taught in many IB churches and schools
which is helping break down the walls of spiritual
discernment and open people to wrong influences. A critical
eye can be good or bad, depending on how it is defined. A
critical eye is wrong if it is a product of a carnal attitude and
a bad spirit. It is wrong if it is judging according to personal
opinion and feeling rather than the clear teaching of God’s
Word. To judge things in the churches by one’s opinion and
tradition and background and feelings and to set my
conscience up as a law for others is the sin that is
condemned in Romans 14. Paul said, “Who art thou that
judgest another man's servant to his own master he standeth
or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to
make him stand” (Rom. 14:4). He was talking about judging
others in matters in which the Bible is silent. This is clear
from the context, which is diet and holy days (Rom. 14:1-6).
The New Testament sets up no laws about diet and holy
days, so it is wrong to judge other brethren in such things.
There is personal liberty here. To set my conscience up as a
law for others, when I do not have clear Scripture to back
me up, is legalism. In those two ways, it is wrong to have a
“critical eye” (judging with a bad attitude and judging on my
own opinions). But to judge godly judgment is not wrong. In
fact, we are commanded to “judge righteous
judgment” (John 7:24). We are to “prove all things” (1
Thess. 5:21). We are to imitate the Bereans who tested
everything by Scripture (Acts 17:11). We are to love God’s
Word and hate every false way (Psalm 119:128). The
Scripture is given for reproof, correction, and instruction in
righteousness (2 Tim. 3:16-17). Paul had a critical eye
toward false teachers and worldlings like Demas. I
remember when I went to Bible School at Tennessee Temple
in the mid-1970s. I was only one year old in the Lord, but I
had a powerful dose of salvation and I had devoured the
Bible during that year and I knew that God wanted me to
test everything by it. Psalm 119:128; Acts 17:11; and 1
Thessalonians 5:21 were as precious and real to me then as
today. I began to see things that I felt were wrong,
particularly the shallow, unscriptural soul winning (I have
since labeled it Quick Prayerism), the man-centeredness, the
carnal over exaltation of man, the big numbers big church
bragadociousness, and the refusal on the part of the leaders
and visiting speakers to speak out plainly on some important
issues (and men). I had a “critical eye,” and insofar as I had
an ungodly attitude and lack of mercy and compassion and
“balance” I was wrong, but insofar as I was identifying
things that were unscriptural and wrong, I was right. By
God's grace, I have grown in the depth of my spiritual life
over these past four decades and I believe and hope that I am
much more merciful and compassionate and gracious than I
was when I was a new Christian, but I also thank the Lord
that I have not given up my “critical eye” in a biblical sense.
I still reject the things I rejected 35 years ago, because they
are still unscriptural. If ever there were a time to have a
critical eye in a right sense it is today. It will keep you
protected spiritually. It is the devil who wants everyone to
give up all criticism. If we do that, we have no shield. I am
concerned that many IB churches and schools are putting
humanistic eye wash in the biblical critical eye. At the same
time, I have often emphasized the importance of not having
a carnal critical spirit, of always giving the church leaders
the benefit of the doubt, etc. Consider, for example, the
sermons “Keys to Fruitful Church Membership” and “I Am
Not Your Pastor,” which can be found with the search engine
at the Way of Life web site.
ROBOT WITHOUT A BRAIN
The following is from Creation Moments, February 17,
2011: “A robot that can move about on its own must be
programmed in great detail. Instructions must be given to
each moving part. These instructions must also be able to
direct the robot under all anticipated conditions. If there is
any error in the instructions or an encounter with unexpected
conditions, the robot will probably just freeze in place. Even
slime mold can do better than this. Even though slime mold
cells are not connected to each other by nerves, when the
cells join together, the resulting organism is able to move. It
is able to deal with unexpected circumstances moving about
by shifting liquid to change their collective bag-shaped
body. Taking their cue from slime mold, a research group
from Tohoku University in Japan has used the same
principle to make a mobile robot. The robot is able to move
across any flat surface by shifting liquid around, which
changes pressure on different parts of the robot. It is made of
14 interconnected syringes, each with a motor to move the
water. It moves around randomly until it is given a direction.
Then the motors synchronize, and the robot begins to move
in the commanded direction. This slime-mold type
arrangement adjusts to changes in environment just like the
real thing. Leave it to God to accomplish a complicated task
with a simple design.”
Slime mold
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VOLUME 12, ISSUE 8 WAY OF LIFE LITERATURE FEBRUARY 25, 2011
F E L L O W S H I P
The following by Buddy Smith is from his e-mail post
Heads Up! for February 16, 2011, smiletex@bigpond.net.au:
“Fellowship is a word often used and seldom understood. It
only truly exists between people who actively contribute to
their relationship. It is a two way street. It must be so in
order to be true fellowship. Many mistakenly call it
fellowship when they receive multiplied kindnesses from
others, but contribute nothing to the relationship. They are
mistaken. That's not fellowship. That is ‘religious welfare.’
That’s being ‘on the dole’ in church. They are addicted to the
‘ministry of mooch.’ Others think it is fellowship when they
are always the giver. They contribute the lion’s share to the
relationship, but receive nothing in return. We commend
them for their gracious generosity, for their longsuffering,
for their perseverance. These are the ‘parents’ of fellowship.
These are ‘striking the match’ they hope will ignite a
kindred spirit in the other person's heart. But the truth is,
one-sided generosity is not true fellowship. It could be
called evangelism or compassion or mercy, but it should not
be called fellowship. Fellowship is that blessed sharing, that
sweet partnership of hearts in which each person is always
investing in the other person. It is one of the
purest expressions of love. The story of the blind man and
the cripple is an old one, but so illustrative of Christian
fellowship. I saw it firsthand at our local nursing home not
long ago. Two old men, one blind and the other crippled,
demonstrated to me what fellowship is. The blind man
donated his feet and the crippled man donated his eyes.
Dave, the blind man, pushed Tom, his crippled friend, in his
wheelchair, around and around the exercise area. Each
contributed something to the friendship and both were
enriched by the experience. They enjoyed a simple,
primitive fellowship. In essence, that’s what true fellowship
is. It is me and you each contributing something to our
relationship. It means we are too mature to be sponges. It
means we are too wise to be welfare providers for the
slothful. Modern churches are full of ‘welfare’ recipients,
always sitting around, hoping for a hand out, but never
contributing anything. These churches always have a few
‘welfare providers’ who contribute almost everything, and
do almost everything that is done in the churches, and
receive virtually nothing back from the ‘welfare recipients.’
Fellowship involves sharing. It is that unique relationship
enjoyed by Heaven’s cripples who help each other along the
way to the Father's house.”
Conclusion
Friends in Christ, do not be discouraged by any of this. It is God’s will that we know the times (1 Ch. 12:32; Mat. 16:3)
and that we be as wise as serpents and harmless as doves. These things remind us that the hour is very late, and we need to
be ready for the coming of the Lord. Are you sure that you are born again Are you living for Christ day by day “And
that, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep: for now is our salvation nearer than when we
believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the
armour of light. Let us walk honestly, as in the day; not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not
in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts
thereof” (Rom. 13:11-14). This material is sent only to those who personally subscribe to the Fundamental Baptist
Information Service list. To SUBSCRIBE or UNSUBSCRIBE or CHANGE ADDRESSES go to http://
www.wayoflife.org/fbis/subscribe.html. Way of Life Literature, P.O. Box 610368, Port Huron, MI 48061, 866-295-4143,
fbns@wayoflife.org. David Cloud is the director of Way of Life Literature and author of the Friday Church News Notes.
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