Sunday 23 June 2013

Five Joyce Meyer quotes you won't post on Facebook

Joyce Meyer is one of the most popular Christian speakers and authors around today. In 2005 TIME Magazine placed her 17th in their list of the most influential evangelicals in America. She has sold millions of copies of her books and it would be hard to find many more popular names within Christianity today. Popularity however is not to be the measure by which we judge a person but we are to 'try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world'. Matthew 12:37 says 'by thy words thou shalt be justified, and by thy words thou shalt be condemned'. It is biblical to look at a person's words that we might test them by scripture to see if they are true, but sadly in Joyce Meyer's case we find that there is much to be concerned about. Although she is often quoted by Christians on social media, there is nothing in the following statements which any believer could recommend to their friends. (It is not our desire to quote anyone out of context and if it can be shown that any of the following quotes have been taken in such a manner we will gladly remove them)

Wednesday 5 June 2013

How essential are the non-essentials?

Within Christianity there are many doctrines which are absolutely fundamental to the faith; the Virgin Birth, the Deity of Christ, Justification by Faith to name but three. Across denominational lines all believers will hold to these truths, they are essential doctrines. One cannot truly profess to be a Christian and deny such things. Yet there are also many matters which are of lesser importance such as the issues of head covering, our view on the millennium or the form of church government. Our salvation is not dependent on us having the correct view on these issues, so how then are we to approach them? Are we to be indifferent towards them and consider anything beyond the fundamental doctrines of the faith to be of no importance? How essential are the non-essentials?