Category: Campus Commentary

Don’t Believe a Half-Gospel

2/28/2017

Tonight I preached on 1 John 4:17–18:

By this, love is perfected with us, so that we may have confidence in the day of judgment.…There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.

These are words of promise given to the children of God, those who have been born again by the Holy Spirit. This is the promise: if you believe in Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, you need no longer fear God's judgment.

John is not saying that no one should fear God's judgment. In fact, if you do not believe in Jesus Christ, fearing God's judgment is exactly what you should be doing. Jesus said,

He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. (John 3:36)

The Apostle Paul repeated Jesus' message:

Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. (Romans 5:9)

Notice that salvation from the wrath of God is a promise given to those who have been justified by His blood. Apart from His blood, there is no escape from God's wrath.

This is the true Gospel. It says, "The wrath of God abides on you. You stand condemned before God. Believe in Jesus Christ and be saved." In other words, the true Gospel sees fear of God's judgment as a necessary precursor which compels us to receive God's grace.

But there's a half-gospel that is taking over.

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Does IU Want Jesus on Campus?

8/19/2015

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If you've been around campus the past few days, you've maybe noticed a question chalked on the campus sidewalks: DOES IU WANT JESUS ON CAMPUS?

Wondering what this question means? I'll give you a hint: Indiana University is making a push to oust committed religious student organizations from its campuses. For decades, Jesus Christ has been more and more an outlaw here in Bloomington in particular, but this new University-wide policy signals a bold step for the University in making war on Christ and His kingdom.

Find out more at the CNCF Fall Kickoff in Woodburn 101 this Thursday at 8 PM (after CultureFest).

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Shameless . . . Unashamed

8/17/2015

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Today we went on campus to help freshman students and their families carry mini-fridges, futons, and other dorm-room paraphernalia from their cars to their new rooms.

This week is Welcome Week. It's one of the University's most intense times of assimilating new students into the decadent culture of the University. Don't know what I mean? Here's a poster that shamelessly adorned the hallway of one floor we were on today:

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“Consent” and the Destruction of Sexuality

4/24/2015

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There's a segment in many Christian marriage ceremonies called the Declaration of Consent. If you've been to a traditional wedding, it was that part where you got confused and thought to yourself, "Wait, I thought they were supposed to say, 'I do.' Why'd she just say, 'I will'?"

That's the Declaration of Consent. Here's the wording from the Presbyterian Book of Common Worship:

Will you have this man to be your husband, and will you pledge your faithfulness to him, in all love and honor, in all duty and service, in all faith and tenderness, to live with him, and cherish him, according to the ordinance of God, in the holy bond of marriage?

The Woman shall answer,
I will.

Indiana University is currently on an ostentatious crusade against sexual violence, and it's very tuned in to this whole consent thing. Here in Bloomington we're in the midst of Little 500 week, one of the most decadent times of college partying in the entire nation, and a time each year when sexual assault becomes commonplace. Last week…

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“THINK Before You DRINK”

4/22/2015

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On my way into Wright Food Court at IU, I saw this bulletin board display, courtesy of IU's Residential Programs and Services:

This coming weekend is IU's renowned Little 500—an historic bike race and an excuse for students to give themselves over to drunkenness and immorality.

So what's the best reason we can come up with to keep students from getting wasted out of their minds, acting like fools, committing crimes, getting arrested, and maybe even dying? How can we make self-restraint palatable to impetuous young partyers? Never mind the fact that drunkenness is destructive to their lives, that it corrupts their minds and endangers their eternal souls…

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RFRA and the Christian Conscience

4/3/2015

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IU President Michael McRobbie just released this statement earlier this week in response to Gov. Pence's signing of Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA).

People like the woman at the head of the Disciples of Christ denomination will browbeat you into thinking that the RFRA encourages Christians to spurn sinners, the very people Jesus spent His time with while on earth, instead of helping them. (We'll set aside the irony of this argument from liberal Christians, who do not even consider homosexuals to be engaging in sin…)

No faithful Christian is suggesting that we ought to avoid associating with sinners, or even decline to serve them. That's the wrong question. We are to be friends of sinners. The question is not one of whether or not we are to love sinners. The question is, What qualifies as participating in and promoting ungodliness?

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One Day In

1/12/2015

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It's only the first day of classes at Indiana University–Bloomington, and we just received this Crime Alert from the University:

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Blog

Don’t Believe a Half-Gospel

Does IU Want Jesus on Campus?

Shameless . . . Unashamed

“Consent” and the Destruction of Sexuality

“THINK Before You DRINK”

RFRA and the Christian Conscience

One Day In

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