Carnal Christianity - B.B. Warfield's Response to Lewis Sperry Chafer

"'It is a grievous error to teach that a true believer in Christ can stop short in 'carnality.'"

"[Lewis Sperry] Chafer's characterization of the carnal man actually 'assigns to the lower class [of Christians] practically all the marks of the unregenerate man.'"

"He who believes in Jesus Christ is under grace, and his whole course, in its process and in its issue alike, is determined by grace, and therefore, having been predestined to be conformed to the image of God's Son, he is surely being conformed to that image, God Himself seeing to it that he is not only called and justified but also glorified.  You may find Christians at every stage of this process, for it is a process through which all must pass; but you will find none who will not in God's own good time and way pass through every stage of it.  There are not two kinds of Christians, although there are Christians at every conceivable stage of advancement..."

quoted from B.B. Warfield's "Review of Chafer" (p.326-327) in Christ the Lord: The Reformation and Lordship Salvation Edited by Michael S.Horton (p.161-162)

Quote - Jerry Bridges

"It is time for us Christians to face up to our responsibility for holiness.  Too often we say we are 'defeated' by this or that sin.  No, we are not defeated; we are simply disobedient!  It might be well if we stopped using the terms 'victory' and 'defeat' to describe our progress in holiness.  Rather we should use the terms 'obedience' and 'disobedience.'  When I say I am defeated by some sin, I am unconsciously slipping out from under my responsibility.  I am saying something outside me has defeated me.  But when I say I am disobedient, that places the responsibility for sin squarely on me..." -The Pursuit of Holiness by Jerry Bridges (p.84-85) 

Missions Statistic

This is a sad and discouraging statistic, but motivates me towards mobilizing our churches towards greater faithfulness, integrity, and sacrificial giving....
"Less than 6% of global Christian giving goes to support world missions, with outreach, evangelism, and translation work among non-Christians attracting the least money.  'The average church member donating his $2.75 a week, gives out of this only $0.15 to support Christian foreign missions.'  In fact, the annual total amount of church money embezzled is $16 billion, more than the $15 billion spent on foreign missions.'"

The Great Commission: Evangelicals and the History of World Missions edited by Martin Klauber & Scott Manetsch (p.127)

May we be people who demonstrate by our giving and spending that we care more about the unsaved than we do about ourselves.