The Manhattan Declaration, Sounds Good Doesn't It?Prophecy Chat by Sharon L. Clemens

HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THE MANHATTAN DECLARATION? SOME CHRISTIAN RADIO HOSTS ARE TOUTING IT AS A SIGN OF REVIVAL IN AMERICA...BUT IS IT? As sincere believers pray for spiritual revival, be sure that Satan is quick to infiltrate the good intentions of many in order to deceive. The Manhattan Declaration, a document that is circulating through Christian groups, purports to be a uniting instrument of morality and social change. But according to evangelical leaders such as John MacArthur, the document leaves out the key component for Christian unity--a definition of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Only under a clear declaration of salvation by grace, through faith--not of works--can the label "Christian" be applied [Ephesians 2:8-9]. To see John MacArthur's views on The Manhattan Declaration, [Click Here].

Following is one of the main reasons MacArthur sites for NOT signing the Declaration:

"Although I obviously agree with the document's opposition to same-sex marriage, abortion, and other key moral problems threatening our culture, the document falls far short of identifying the one true and ultimate remedy for all of humanity's moral ills: the gospel. The gospel is barely mentioned in the Declaration. At one point the statement rightly acknowledges, "It is our duty to proclaim the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in its fullness, both in season and out of season"--and then adds an encouraging wish: "May God help us not to fail in that duty." Yet the gospel itself is nowhere presented [much less explained] in the document or any of the accompanying literature. Indeed, that would be a practical impossibility because of the contradictory views held by the broad range of signatories regarding what the gospel teaches and what it means to be a Christian."

This Declaration is another attempt to save the world without saving souls. Chuck Swindoll summed up the problem of empty social reform by quoting Dr. J. Vernon McGee: God didn't tell us to clean the fish bowl; He told us to fish! [ Mark 1:17] This Declaration represents false Christian unity based on social reform, or human works. Satan loves to get the Church of Jesus Christ involved in fruitless campaigns that clean up the outside without saving from the inside out. As our Lord said, the pig will return to the mud unless there is true conversion [ 2 Peter 2:22]. But since the signers of the Declaration cannot agree on how to be "saved," the Gospel is omitted--making it powerless to achieve real social change.

THE CAUTION IS THAT THOSE WHO DO NOT SIGN WILL BE LABELED COMPLACENT OR DIVISIVE.

True Christianity, through the call of Christ, His justification of our sins and the sanctification of ours lives to reflect the righteousness of Christ Jesus, naturally results in true moral revolution and social reform [Romans 8:29-30]. NO TRUE BELIEVER IN CHRIST JESUS WOULD DENY OUR NATION DESPERATELY NEEDS MORAL IMPROVEMENT...WE JUST DO NOT AGREE ON THE WAY TO ACCOMPLISH IT! When conversion takes place, each believer becomes a vehicle of God for social reform, but it must begin with true salvation, by grace alone through faith alone. Many of the signers of the Declaration would never agree that salvation does not also include works righteousness. But, without faith in the atoning work of Christ ALONE, there is no conversion, and no Christianity.

[Click Here] for the recent article by [Lighthouse Trails Research Project], detailing the contents of the Declaration and its hidden agenda. Any so-called Christian movement that is NOT based on the true Gospel is not of God--it is false unity that is leading to the one-world false church and its Babylonian Mystery Religion of New Age Spirituality. Many are being deceived in these days by their lack of discernment. Recall that our Lord warned us in [Matthew 24] that deception would be Satan's primary weapon in the end times. Satan already occupies the world; he is now infiltrating evangelical groups with his lies and manipulation. Don't be deceived.

In Him We Wait, Work, and Watch,
[Luke 12:35-59]
Sharon
[Prophecy Chat is a weekly commentary of current events in light of Bible prophecy. Sharon L. Clemens is an evangelical, premillennial, dispensational teacher of eschatology. She can be reached for comment or questions by e-mail at farmgrove@verizon.net]

Can You Walk On Water? Neither Could Peter!Prophecy Chat by Sharon L. Clemens

Special note: all specific scriptures referenced below are linked to BibleGateway.com, making your study easier.

    I am indebted to the Apostle Peter. He is a perfect example of believers who blow it--not once, but several times. But, our Lord's mercy restored him each time he fell, and repented. Peter lived to bear much fruit in the Kingdom of God.

    A favorite Bible story is of Jesus, walking on the water, and Peter's less-than-stellar attempts to do so as well. But the story is not about Peter's attempts to share in Christ's miracle; it is about what happens when believers fail. We all do it. As they say, the Lord may be leading but "we didn't get that memo." Something got in the way: disobedience, a failure to read His Word and pray on a regular basis, worldly distractions. The list of rationalizations is endless, but the results are always the same. The storm came, and we took our eyes off Jesus.

Matthew 14:25-33

    "Now in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went to them, walking on the sea...And Peter answered Him [Christ] and said, 'Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water.' So He [the Lord] said, 'Come.' And when Peter had come down out of the boat, he walked on the water to go to Jesus. BUT WHEN HE SAW THAT THE WIND WAS BOISTEROUS, HE WAS AFRAID; and beginning to sink he cried out, saying, 'Lord, save me!. And immediately Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him, and said to him, 'O you of little faith, why did you doubt?' And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased."

     * The disciples were in a small boat on the Sea of Galilee. A strong wind came up--a "contrary" wind that was not cooperating with where the disciples wanted to go. As they struggled with the wind, the Lord came to them walking on the water. Note that it was the fourth watch of the night--that portion of the night from 3:00 to 6:00 a.m. This is the darkest part of the night, right before the dawn. It is when the storms of life take us to the darkest depths of the struggle that we begin to take our eyes off Christ.
     * I give Peter credit for his spontaneous boldness. He often responded first, and with enthusiasm while the others held back. The rest stayed safely in the boat, but Peter said, "Lord if it is You, command me to come to You on the water." Peter took the opportunity to exhibit great faith in the face of adversity.
     * Note also that Peter did not presume on our Lord. He asked permission to come to Him on the water. We do not accomplish great things for God through our own strength; we are completely dependent on Him and His purpose. It doesn't work to step out when the Lord is not leading in that direction. John 15:5--"...He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without me you can do nothing." It is for His glory, not our own, that He allows great works. We must be sure we are operating on His orders, not our own will.
     * Peter got out of the boat and headed toward Jesus. But, he made a fatal error--he started watching the wind and waves instead of Christ. The circumstances of the storm began to sink him! Peter was a great starter; it was finishing he had some trouble with. But as he sank, he cried out, "Lord, save me!"
     * Good answer, Peter. IMMEDIATELY Jesus stretched out His hand and caught him. But Christ chided Peter for missing his moment. His lack of faith caused Peter to doubt.
When we get out of the boat and step out in faith, fear can sink us, if we let it. Fear is not of God.
When they got into the boat, Peter now clinging to our Lord's arm, the wind ceased. The storm accomplished the purpose for which our Lord sent it--to demonstrate our dependence on Christ, alone.

All storms will end. How we weather the storm depends on our faith to "walk on water."
In Christ Jesus, we are able to walk above our circumstances, no matter what the storm.
He makes a path through all sorrow--He can even make stormy water firm enough to walk on.

[Romans 8:35-39]
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
...Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us.
For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,
nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing,
shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

THE STORMS ARE COMING--Will We Sink, Or Stand!

    With dark clouds brewing over the nations of man, it is a good reminder that in Christ Jesus, we can ride out the waves. There is an image in the heavenly throne room of God that comforts me. In Revelation 4 and 5, the war room of God is described in glorious detail. This "room" is command central during the Tribulation. The believers raptured before the Tribulation are there, around the throne, represented by the twenty-four elders [4:10; 5:8-10]. And before the throne, separating the multitudes of heavenly redeemed from the exalted throne of the Lord God Almighty, is "a sea of glass, like crystal." This "sea" is solid, but transparent. Those who approach the throne walk on this crystal sea into the holy presence of God. In heaven, we will all walk on water like a crystal sea, because the storms of life are no longer present. We will exist in the holy presence of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit for all eternity.

    Only through Christ Jesus do we gain access to that throne. As the elders sing, "You [the Lamb] are worthy to take the scroll, and to open its seals; for You were slain, and have redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation..." This is the redeemed church in heaven, cleansed by the blood of the Lamb. [5:8-10]

    Let us keep our eyes on Jesus, maintaining our walk of faith EVEN THROUGH THE STORMS, and waiting with anticipation for His return to "receive [us] to Himself." [John 14:3] Come, Lord Jesus!

In Him We Wait, Work, and Watch,
[Luke 12:35-59]
Sharon

[Prophecy Chat is a weekly commentary of current events in light of Bible prophecy. Sharon L. Clemens is an evangelical, premillennial, dispensational teacher of eschatology. She can be reached for comment or questions by e-mail at farmgrove@verizon.net]