Looking for God in all the wrong places by Mike Oppenheimer

Looking for God in all the wrong places

We see more and more of the church looking to the world for a connection. Some claim that God is everywhere, throughout the world in every culture God is expressed.

On the subject of Culture (M7 conference of the Nazarenes) the speaker is Jon Middendorf who has been introducing emergent teachings and practices to the Nazarene church:

“We look for evidence of the divine and we find it in nature, in art, in literature, in music in film, so, rather than fear the surrounding culture, and the surrounding cities which predictably results in a bunker mentality the emerging congregation embraces the culture and expects to find God in it” the emerging congregation embraces the culture recognizing that its not all pretty but it embraces the culture and even then expects to find god in it because there is nowhere god isn’t. there are many places where the church isn’t but I don’t think that means there are places where god isn’t.”

Is God in his explanation? The church has done outreaches to nearly every culture to man, there is no need to denigrate her to give credibility to the movement. Perfect love casts out fear, to have this love one must have biblical faith- those in mission work are not fearful of culture they have gone into the cultures, societies and the worlds religion for millennia. Those involved in the emerging church will not critique the culture; instead it criticizes the church!

When did God start being in culture? The Bible tells us the evidence for God is in God’s creation in nature, not in the things manmade. but Rom. 1:17-20 “The just shall live by faith.” …For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse.”

The dictionaries definition of “culture” is: “The quality in a person, or society that rises from interest in arts, letters, scholarly pursuits, etc. 2. a particular form or stage of civilzation: Greek culture.—The Random House Dictionary

“2. the development and refinement of mind, morals and taste 4. Anthropol. The sum total of the attainments and learned behavior patterns of any specific period or people”—Funk & Wagnall’s Standard Dictionary

“tillage, cultivation 4: the customary beliefs, social forms, and material traits of a racial, religious, or social group.” —The Merriam-Webster Dictionary.

Cultures are developed by man’s interests, they are expressions of ones beliefs and religion in their customs, – cultures are not benign. Ancient cultures caused societies and communities to be bound together by common interests and often religion was a priority, permeating their lifestyle. To say the emerging congregation embraces the culture and expects to find god in it sounds too similar to the indigenous peoples movement and is just as wrong. In fact “Many Nations One Voice Celebration” Conference held at Silver Springs, MD (Co-Sponsored by the Elijah List) emergent leader Brian McLaren joined himself with Richard Twiss, Terry LaBlanc, Randy Woodley, Jonathan Maracle, Suuqinna & Qualmaniq who are all involved in promoting the indigenous people movement to the nations.

God has not been, nor is he present working in each culture. Israel was told “Do not learn the way of the Gentiles.” Ps. 106:35 “But they mingled with the Gentiles and learned their works; and it became a snare to them.” This can certainly happen , and is happening to the church when it looks to culture.

God does not dwell in manmade cultures, those who do not know God but have other gods. To embrace culture is the Zietgiest of our day. If the divine or God can be found in the culture– in art, in literature, in music, in film, etc. then do we need to preach Christ in the church to the culture. Since there is no “Christian culture” what is the culture influenced by? Individuals and their collective values; which are subject to change. God’s Truth does not change and it transcends culture. However God has the capacity to reach and change culture and the values for the better (to his values) but this can only occur by those promoting the gospel. The Church is to bring the gospel to the culture it exists in, God is cannot be found in any culture without the Gospel.

Cultures are developed by man’s interests, they are expressions of ones beliefs and religion in their customs, cultures are not benign. Ancient cultures caused societies and communities to be bound together by common interests and often religion was a priority, permeating their lifestyle.

The Bible does not use the word culture but addresses culture and society as the world. The Bible addresses people groups as “nations”; their religion and how they worship their gods. Satan is the god of this age the ruler of this world system- this includes all cultures which are under sins affect. Eph 2:1-2 tells us of people being dead in trespasses and sins, because they walk according to the course of this world, they are sons of disobedience. This is why we are told “not be conformed to this world …” God’s solution- 1 Cor.2:12: “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God’, we are then in the world but not of it. We are instructed to go into all the world and preach Christ (Mt.28:19).

The cultures are part of the world system which are antagonistic to God. John 17:14: “I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.” God’s word is the light that has come into the darkness. Jesus in John 14:17 “the Spirit of truth, the world cannot receive.” The world includes cultures and societies.

I Jn. 2:15-16: “Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world– the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life– is not of the Father but is of the world”

The Bible teaches the world and its system are condemned. The majority of cultures in the world have a religious basis; the roots of manmade cultures came from the tower of Babel, God did not approve. There are enough Bible examples to illustrate that God did not approve of cultures in ancient Bible times. God told Israel Deut.18:9: “When you come into the land which the LORD your God is giving you, you shall not learn to follow the abominations of those nations.”

We need to apprehend this Biblical viewpoint to see this correctly, or we will be lost in a plethora of opinions, of new ways to evangelize and conduct church.

God called Abraham OUT from Ur that was a pagan culture. He did not leave him there to find God in it, neither did he send him back to reform it. Moses was brought up in the Egyptian culture and was removed into the wilderness. After 40 years of preparation God then sent Moses to call Israel OUT of Egypt. He did not have him reform it or look for evidences of God in it (Heb. 11:27), because there were none.

The influence of emergent relative thinking has you begin with a wrong premise so you will come to an erroneous conclusion. Middendorf is a main example of this influence. The fact that out culture is post Christian and moving further away as time goes on proves that the church that has the power of God is not impacting it as we should. We should consider that when the church begins to look like its contemporary culture we can call it “emergent culture,” as it has taken on the properties of secularism. The basis of God found in the culture or other religions is pure ecumenism. The trend is to find common ground in other religions because God has been working in all the cultures. As one adopts this model they will interpret scripture by the culture. Cultures change, God and his word does not. As believers that follow Christ we are sanctified by the word and the culture should see us as different, not the same we are to offer something that the culture cannot.

Middendorf: “… The emerging conversation questions any image of God any message from God any interpretation of Scripture any expression of Faith or any practice of the Church that doesn’t look like Jesus.”

There are far more things being practiced in the emergent church that do not look like Christ than do. Putting Christian labels on yoga, labyrinth walking, eastern type meditations, accepting the Eucharist and other Catholic rituals etc. does not make any of this look like Jesus or suitable for spiritual practice. I find it difficult to understand how statements like these are overlooked when the opposite is being done. How aware are the youth in the church

He further said “Then give me a concise definition of the emerging church The emerging church is simply a body of believers seeking to live the way of Christ in a post modern era.”

If this were accurate then they would not be questioning the word like they do but submitting to it as their guide to a spiritual life so they can reach people in the culture and subculture. Instead they are letting the culture develop their lives at the same time thinking they are affecting it with the spirit of Christ.

We are told that because culture has changed the church must change to reach the culture. Actually the culture is looking for something that is proven, true and rock solid, something that does not change but is the same, the truth does not change. We do not need to rethink- they do. We have the truth that has been the same for ages. We only need to explain it better not change it.

Preview of the Upcoming DVD-Featuring Gary Gilley and John Leofler

Preview of the Upcoming DVD-Bev Turner Introduction

Naz Net and the new Emerging Spirituality

Naz Net is a internet community for Nazarenes let me first say there are a lot of good folks there as in many web communities. I do not wish to attack the community at large but take to task some comments I found there on a thread I posted on.

But I have also found Naz Net to be a vehicle for Emergent heresy within the Nazarene community hence this warning

I found this comment here by Dennis Bratcher a professor from the liberal Nazarene Point Loma University.

Here is the comment

“Third, I read nowhere in any of Scripture that anyone has been or will be cast into hell because they believed the wrong thing. That is a total rationalistic misconception of the nature of God and what grace is about. We are not saved, or condemned, based on what we believe. We are saved by grace, through Faith, and it is not dependant on our own doing, on what theory of the Atonement to which we subscribe, which theory of inspiration we hold, or to which denomination we belong. And for that, we are all thankful!”

The two following comments were follow ups to Dennis Bratcher’s post

“Thanks for your clear concise post Dennis, praise God we are not saved by right belief, that is grace indeed. If we were there would a very empty heaven.”

“The world is totally fed up with Christians who have been arguing about doctrine for 2 millennia but have rarely shown the love of Christ. My suggestion is that for the next 2000 years, we do it differently. We rarely discuss doctrine and focus on living like Him. Let’s see what 2000 years of that will do.”

“Belief in Jesus, the Living Word of God. Not His gospel, not our doctrine, … not our understanding.”end quotes

My comments: Wow this folk’s is heresy. How you can you believe in Jesus but not believe in His gospel? The Good News of Jesus is the gospel and who so ever believes in Him will be saved. You cannot separate belief in Jesus apart from His gospel. Many would profess to believing in Jesus. Even the demons believe in Jesus and shudder. Many cults and false religions believe in Jesus but its a believe in a different jesus and a different gospel which will save no one.

 

Right belief is essential to salvation or else that would lead to the belief that everyone is saved ie.. Universalism.

I know that the  gospel of Jesus Christ as recorded in scripture is correct, while at the same time allowing people to not believe it. Faith requires that people have liberty not to believe.

And agreed we are saved by faith but faith comes by what?

Faith comes by hearing the Word of God.

Romans 10:17¹⁷ So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”

So what Dennis is stating is that belief does not come into play because of faith.

That’s not what the scriptures teaches.

You need to believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ in order to be saved.

Romans 10:14-15

¹⁴ How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And how shall they hear without a preacher? ¹⁵ And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: 
   “ How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace,
      Who bring glad tidings of good things!”

 

1 Thess 2:13  

¹³ For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.

Hebrews 11:6

⁶ But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him. 

Heb 10:39

 

³⁹ But we are not of those who draw back to perdition, but of those who believe to the saving of the soul.

Belief and faith walk hand in hand. You need to believe in the gospel of Jesus Christ which in itself is sound doctrine.

1 John 5:10

¹⁰ He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself; he who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son.

I could quote many other verses as well to numerous to list.

Believing in sound doctrine is not some sort of gnostic or intellectual belief (as some in Naz Net would have you believe).

You are lead into sound doctrine and truth by the Holy Spirit.

John 16:13

¹³ However, when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth; for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever He hears He will speak; and He will tell you things to come.

John 16:8-10

⁸ And when He has come, He will convict the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment: ⁹ of sin, because they do not believe in Me; ¹⁰ of righteousness, because I go to My Father and you see Me no more;

There is that word believe again.

Now whether you will heed the Holy Spirit or grieve Him and not believe is up to you.

Are we to be surprised at what is happening?

No of course not because the scriptures have already addressed folks like some at Naz Net here in scripture.

2 Tim 4:3-4

³ For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine, but according to their own desires, because they have itching ears, they will heap up for themselves teachers; ⁴ and they will turn their ears away from the truth, and be turned aside to fables.

According to scripture we are to ignore people like Dennis and Hans among others who promote heresy.

Titus 1:14-16

¹⁴ not giving heed to Jewish fables and commandments of men who turn from the truth. ¹⁵ To the pure all things are pure, but to those who are defiled and unbelieving nothing is pure; but even their mind and conscience are defiled. ¹⁶ They profess to know God, but in works they deny Him, being abominable, disobedient, and disqualified for every good work.

I spent some time on reviewing the final cut of the DVD we will be distributing in June 2009. The thing that really made my jaw drop was Dennis Bratcher and others on Naz Net are sounding more like Elkhart Tolle and Oprah Winfrey (even though they may deny this).

Their statement’s and views are running in lock step with the new age agenda of Oprah Winfrey and Elkhart Tolle.

We will go into this on the DVD.

I would not want to end this article without sharing the true gospel  Of  Jesus Christ with all.

Believe in the gospel and have faith that what God wrote in scriptures is true and you will be saved.

 

The gospel of Jesus Christ is admit you are a sinner in need of a Savior Romans 3:23-26 I beleieve that both belief and faith are at work here.
Believe in the actual facts of the gospel 1 Cor 15:1-8
Jesus died to pay for our sins Romans 5:6-8
Jesus rose from the dead to show that payment was accepted 2 Cor 5:21
Then trusting on Gods provision Romans 10:9-11

Can Dennis and his comrades even see their error anymore?

I really hope and pray that the Holy Spirit will wake these folks up.

We also need to consider what the scriptures state that there is a time that God will send a great delusion.

2 Thess 2:11-12

^“11 And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, ¹² that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”

What Oprah and Tolle are teaching and preaching are very much in agreement with what The Emergent Church teaches and practices, Brian McLaren, and a lot of what is being promoted at the Naz Net community. All these folks are a lot closer in belief  than perhaps they would tend to acknowledge.
The point here is they are very far apart from biblical Christianity that agrees with what the scriptures teach.

 

 

 

 

How to Know When Your Church Shows Signs of Emerging..

By Roger Oakland

The world is changing. So is the Christian evangelical church. There was a time— not that long ago—when the Bible was considered to be the Word of God by the majority of evangelical Christians. Now that we are well into the third millennium and the post-modern, post-Christian era, the term evangelical can mean almost anything. What has happened? Why is this happening and what is the future for mainstream Christianity?

For the past several years, I have been speaking around the world on current trends that are impacting Christianity. After these presentations, I am approached by Christians who come from many different church backgrounds. Many are expressing their concerns about what is happening in their churches, troubled by the new direction they see their church going. While they may not always be able to discern what is wrong, they know something is wrong and that it needs to be addressed.

Further, many have told me they have attempted to express their concerns with their pastors or church elders. In almost every case, they were told they had a choice to make—get with the new program or get out of the church.

This move towards a reinvented Christianity (one designed to “reach people”) seems to be here for the long haul. It is not just a passing fad. I am often asked by concerned brothers and sisters in Christ to provide an explanation in order to help them understand what they have encountered. They want to know why these changes are underway and what to expect in the future. As well, they want to know what, if anything can be done, to stem this tide. It is for this reason I am writing this commentary—to provide biblical insight regarding the Emerging Church and where it is heading in the future.

The Gospel According to the Scriptures

Throughout church history, various trends have come and gone. While culture changes from place to place, biblical Christianity has always been based upon the central message of the Bible which is the gospel of Jesus Christ and the message never changes.

This gospel message is about who Jesus Christ is, and what He has done. A child can understand the gospel message. This message proclaims that life here on planet earth is finite and that life after death is eternal. The good news is that we can be saved from our sins if we will repent and simply ask for forgiveness and follow Him.

How we respond to the gospel message during the time we have on earth determines where we spend eternity—heaven or hell. Jesus, the Creator of the universe, provided a way and the only way we can spend eternity with Him. It is a matter of making a personal decision whether or not we will accept the plan He has provided.

God’s adversary does not want mankind to understand the simple message. His plan is to deceive the world. If he can blind people from the gospel or convince them that they believe the gospel when indeed they do not, his plan has been successful. Throughout the ages, countless billions have been duped, either rejecting the truth, or believing that they had believed the truth when instead they had been deceived.

The Gospel According to Postmoderism

Times change! However, the gospel must remain the same no matter what else changes. We are now living in the postmodern era. In a sincere attempt to reach the postmodern generation with the gospel, it seems many Christians have become postmodern in their thinking.

Perhaps the term postmodern is new to you. Let’s examine what it means.

First, the modern era was characterized by a time of rational thinking based on factual observation. Many claim the modern era ended in the mid 1900s.

The postmodern mindset moves beyond the rational and the factual to the experiential and the mystical. In other words, in the past it was possible to know right from wrong and black from white. In the postmodern era all things are relative to the beholder. What may be right for you may be wrong for someone else. There is no such thing as absolute truth. The only thing that is absolute is that there is no absolute.

We now live in a time in history that is characterized as postmodern. Professors at universities teach students there is no right or wrong. All things are relative. The gospel message to the postmodern mindset is far too dogmatic and arrogant. They say it is necessary to find a more moderate gospel that can be accepted by the masses.

Many church leaders are now looking for ways to reach the postmodern generation. They believe they can find the appropriate methods to do so without changing the message. However, in their attempt to reach this postmodern generation, they have become postmodern themselves and have changed the message. As the gospel is fixed upon the Scriptures, the gospel cannot change, unless of course it becomes another gospel. I believe this is what is happening in the Emerging Church.

He Didn’t Come

Many have noticed that since the turn of the millennium, their churches have changed positions on Bible prophecy and the Second Coming of Jesus. Many have given up on the return of Jesus. From the ‘60s on there was an excitement about the imminent return of Jesus. The Jesus People were excited about Bible prophecy and could see signs that Jesus would descend from the heavens for His Bride at any moment.

The year 2000 was of particular importance. When Jesus didn’t show up, it seems many were apparently disappointed. “Perhaps Jesus has delayed His coming,” some have said. Others are even taking the position that He may not be coming at all, at least not in the manner we have been taught. They are now convinced that we need to be busy about “building His Kingdom” here on earth by “whatever human effort is required.”

The Gospel of the Kingdom

One of the main indicators that something has changed can be seen in the way the future is perceived. Rather than urgently proclaiming the gospel according to the Scriptures and believing the time to do so is short, the emphasis has now shifted. No longer are “signs of the times” significant. The battle cry is very different. A major emphasis among evangelicals is the idea that the world can be radically improved through social programs.

This concept, while on the surface may sound very good, has some serious biblical implications. According to the Scriptures, there will be no kingdom of God until the King arrives. All the human effort man can muster up will fall short of bringing utopia. In fact, according to the Scriptures, fallen man will lead us further down the road to a society of despair and lawlessness just like it was in the days of Noah.

Thus, this purpose-driven view of establishing global utopia may be a plan, but it is “driven” by humanistic reasoning and not led by the Holy Spirit. While it is of course good to do good unto others, all the goodness that we can do will not be good enough. Pastors and church leaders who get involved in such man-driven programs can usually be identified by certain characteristics:

• Sound biblical doctrine is dangerous and divisive, and the experiential (i.e.,mystical) is given a greater role than doctrine.
• Bible prophecy is no longer taught and is considered a waste of time
• Israel becomes less and less important and has no biblical significance
• Eventually the promises for Israel are applied to the church and not Israel (Replacement Theology).
• Bible study is replaced by studying someone’s book and his methods
• Church health is evaluated on the quantity of people who attend.
• The truth of God’s Word becomes less and less important
• God’s Word, especially concepts like hell, sin and repentance, is eventually downplayed so the unbeliever is not offended.

Spiritual Formation and Transformation

Much of what I have described provides the formula for a dumbing-down of Christianity that paves the way for an apostasy that will only intensify in the future. This trend away from the authority of God’s Word to the reinvented form of Christianity has overcome all evangelical denominations like an avalanche. Few Bible teachers saw this avalanche coming. Now that it is underway, few realize it has even happened. 

However, there is another big piece to the puzzle that must be identified in order to understand what is emerging in the Emerging Church. While biblical Christianity has been dumbed-down and the light of God’s Word diminished, another avalanche of deception is underway that is equally devastating.

This is best described by the Word of God giving way to experiences that God’s Word forbids. The best way to understand this process is to recall what happened during the Dark Ages when the Bible became the “forbidden book.” Until the Reformers translated the Bible into the language of the common person, the people were in darkness. When the light of God’s Word became available, the gospel according to the Scriptures was once again understood.

This trend, which is underway today, shows us that history is in the process of repeating itself. As the Word of God becomes less and less important, the rise of mystical experiences is alarming and these experiences are being presented to convince the unsuspecting that Christianity is about feeling, touching, smelling and seeing God. The postmodern mindset is the perfect environment for the fostering of what is called “spiritual formation.” This teaching suggests there are various ways and means to get closer to God. Proponents of spiritual formation erroneously teach that anyone can practice these mystical rituals and find God within. Having a relationship with Jesus Christ is not a prerequisite.

These teachings, while actually rooted in ancient wisdom (the occult), were presented to Christendom post-New Testament and not found in the Word of God. The spiritual formation movement is based upon experiences promoted by desert monks and Roman Catholic mystics – these mystics encouraged the use of rituals and practices, that if performed would bring the practitioner closer to God (or come into God’s presence). The premise was that if one went into the silence or sacred space, then the mind was emptied of distractions and the voice of God could be heard. In truth, these hypnotic, mantric style practices were leading these monks into altered states of consciousness. The methods they used are the same that Buddhists and the Hindus use as a means of encountering the spiritual realm

Such methods are dangerous, and are not sanctioned in the Bible – God gives no instruction for this. On the contrary, he warns severely against divination, which is practicing a ritual or method in order to obtain information from a spiritual source. While proponents of spiritual formation (like Richard Foster) say these methods show that the Holy Spirit is doing something new to refresh Christianity, I would suggest that what is happening is not new and is not the Holy Spirit.

The spiritual formation movement is being widely promoted at colleges and seminaries as the latest and the greatest way to become a spiritual leader in these days. These ideas are then being exported from seminaries to churches by graduates who have been primed to take Christianity to a new level of enlightenment.

Signs the Emerging Church is Emerging

There are specific warning signs that are symptomatic that a church may be headed down the emergent/contemplative road. In some cases a pastor may not be aware that he is on this road nor understand where the road ends up.

Here are some of the warning signs:

• Scripture is no longer the ultimate authority as the basis for the Christian faith.
• The centrality of the gospel of Jesus Christ is being replaced by humanistic methods promoting church growth and a social gospel.
• More and more emphasis is being placed on building the kingdom of God now and less and less on the warnings of Scripture about the imminent return of Jesus Christ and a coming judgment in the future.
• The teaching that Jesus Christ will rule and reign in a literal millennial period is considered unbiblical and heretical.
• The teaching that the church has taken the place of Israel and Israel has no prophetic significance is often embraced.
• The teaching that the Book of Revelation does not refer to the future, but instead has been already fulfilled in the past
• An experiential mystical form of Christianity begins to be promoted as a method to reach the postmodern generation.
• Ideas are promoted teaching that Christianity needs to be reinvented in order to provide meaning for this generation.
• The pastor may implement an idea called “ancient-future” or “vintage Christianity” claiming that in order to take the church forward, we need to go back in church history and find out what experiences were effective to get people to embrace Christianity.
• While the authority of the Word of God is undermined, images and sensual experiences are promoted as the key to experiencing and knowing God.
• These experiences include icons, candles, incense, liturgy, labyrinths, prayer stations, contemplative prayer, experiencing the sacraments, particularly the sacrament of the Eucharist.
• There seems to be a strong emphasis on ecumenism indicating that a bridge is being established that leads in the direction of unity with the Roman Catholic Church.
• Some evangelical Protestant leaders are saying that the Reformation went too far. They are reexamining the claims of the “church fathers” saying that communion is more than a symbol and that Jesus actually becomes present in the wafer at communion.
• There will be a growing trend towards an ecumenical unity for the cause of world peace claiming the validity of other religions and that there are many ways to God.
• Members of churches who question or resist the new changes that the pastor is implementing are reprimanded and usually asked to leave.

What does the Future Hold?

If the Emerging Church continues unfolding at the present pace, mainstream evangelical Christianity will be reinvented and the gospel of Jesus Christ according to the Scriptures will be considered too narrow and too restrictive. In other words, the narrow way to heaven that Jesus proclaimed will eventually be abandoned for a wider way that embraces pagan experiential practices. I call this reinvented, re-imagined form of Christianity that is unfolding—“Christian Babylonianism”.

This new form of Christianity will replace biblical faith with a faith that says man can establish the kingdom of God here on earth. The Word will continue to become secondary to a system of works driven by experiences.

An ecumenical pattern towards unity with Rome will become more apparent. Those who refuse to embrace this direction will be considered spiritual oddballs that need to be reprimanded. Those who stand up for biblical faith will be considered the obstructions to the one world spirituality that is promoted as the answer for peace.

The best way to be prepared for what is coming is to gain an understanding of what is happening now. While there are not many who seem to discern the trend underway, there are some. Without the Bible and the Holy Spirit as our guide, the darkness that is coming would be overwhelming. However, the light of God’s Word penetrates the darkness and there are those who are being delivered from deception and see what is taking place.

I am convinced we are seeing apostasy underway, exactly as the Scriptures have forewarned. This means that this current trend is not likely to disappear. We must continue to proclaim the truth in the midst of deception with love. As Paul instructed Timothy:

And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will (2 Timothy 2: 24-26).

There are still pastors and churches who are dedicated to proclaiming the truth. Find out where they are and support them. If you are in a location where this does not seem to be possible, seek out materials that are available from solid Bible-based Christian ministries and hold Bible studies in your own home.

And keep looking up! Jesus is coming soon.

The Authority of Scripture

 

Let me preface this article by saying that I have many friends and acquaintances within the Church of the Nazarene denomination. I truly believe that numerous people in Nazarene pews have limited or no knowledge of this problem, and I hope that they will be as troubled as I was when I discovered this false teaching. I also hold that many leaders and pastors within the denomination have not sensed this as well. I seek not to condemn the denomination, but to call it to awareness. The Church of the Nazarene must confront this seed of heresy before it takes root in coming generations. This is of incredible importance. In all love, I ask and plead that you will hear my words for the sake of the purity of the Bride.

One day in February 2006, I was searching the internet for the Church of the Nazarene’s statement of belief. Along the way, I found this on the Southern Nazarene University’s website.This is a statement of what they desire to teach in their theology department.

The Christian Scriptures

(1) We introduce students to the Old and New Testaments.

(2) We try to lead them into a love for the Scriptures. Through our classes we present a comprehensive picture of the biblical narrative.

(3) We introduce students to the structure of the Bible so that they will not be lost in or discouraged by the Bible’s size and complexity.

(4) The doctrine of the Scriptures that the Church of the Nazarene embraces is our norm.

(5) We teach that the Old and New Testaments inerrantly reveal the will of God in all things necessary for our salvation. They are authoritative in all things that relate to faith and Christian practice.

(6) “Whatever is not contained therein is not to be enjoined as an article of faith” We pay attention to the diverse contexts in which the various writings of Scripture emerged, and to the unique ways in which individual writers bore witness to divine revelation.

(7) For us, the authority of the Scriptures is soteriological (salvation). The realm in which the Scriptures are authoritative concerns our salvation.

(8) Salvation, of course, includes both Christian faith and practice. Hence, where the Scriptures speak on matters of ethics–how the life of Christ is manifest in the Church and His disciples– they are authoritative. ¹ (Line numbers added)

This paragraph astounded me for numerous reasons. In this article, I wish to logically analyze it using Scripture, history, and reason. Before I state my disagreements with it, I must say there are areas in which I overwhelmingly agree with it. First, I desire that all people would come to know and love the Scriptures (Lines 1-2). This whole article would be pointless if I disagreed. Second, it is essential in Biblical studies to be introduced to the framework of Scripture (Line 3). This aids young and old believers by helping them avoid troublesome context issues. Third, I agree that whatever is not contained in Scripture should not be considered as an article of faith. If we begin to include extraneous teachings into our statement of beliefs, we have returned to one of the Roman Catholic errors that we still protest. Now I will attempt to kindly address the areas in which I find myself to be in opposition.

In this fallen world, the church is under constant scrutiny and attack. Whether it is from societies, governments, or even so-called Christians; we, the “salt of earth,” must be firm and decisive on certain essential points of doctrine. If we are not, we must question whether we deserve to even bear the name of Christ. Why be called Christians when we contradict a basic part of the faith? I have known the Church of the Nazarene to be sound in the basics of Christianity; however, this came into question when I read, “We teach that the Old and New Testaments inerrantly reveal the will of God in all things necessary for our salvation. They are authoritative in all things that relate to faith and Christian practice.” I, too, believe in the plenary inspiration of Scriptures, and therefore, I must believe that God’s Word is inerrant in all things concerning our salvation. Though I agree with this statement, I still find it to be weak in nature. God’s Word is not limited to “inerrancy” only in salvation. If we honestly believe the following verses, we must maintain that Scripture (in its original texts) is veracious in every aspect.

2 Timothy 3:16-17

All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work. (NASU)

2 Peter 1:20-21

But know this first of all, that no prophecy of Scripture is a matter of one’s own interpretation, for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God. (NASU)

God inspired the Scriptures entirely, and we must hold fast to the principle that God is perfect in all His works, in regards to anything. He did not even allow a man’s interpretation, will, or opinion to enter His Word. Jesus and the apostles were shown to be quoting Scripture on numerous occasions, each time as being authoritative. Why shouldn’t they quote Scriptures? They are perfect as its Author is perfect. Consider God’s goodness and perfection from His Word!

Matthew 5:48

Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”‘ (NASU)

Psalms 19:7-8

The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul; The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes. (NASU)

James 1:17-18

Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. (NASU)

Deuteronomy 32:4

The Rock! His work is perfect, For all His ways are just; A God of faithfulness and without injustice, Righteous and upright is He.” (NASU)

If we truly believe that God is perfect in His nature, we must contend that His works are unquestionably perfect. It is insane to suggest that the Perfect would do something imperfect. For this reason, we must conclude that God’s Word is the inerrant truth in every aspect. There can be no compromise or middle ground. This leaves the University’s statement in a weak and possibly troublesome position. This is not their fault entirely; the denomination has allowed this through the weakness of their own statement of beliefs. Examine the Church of the Nazarene’s statement for yourself.

These are the beliefs Nazarenes hold to be true. They are common to Christians world-wide:

We believe in one God-the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

We believe that the Old and New Testament Scriptures, given by plenary inspiration, contain all truth necessary to faith and Christian living.

We believe that man is born with a fallen nature, and is, therefore, inclined to evil, and that continually.

We believe that the finally impenitent are hopelessly and eternally lost.

We believe that the atonement through Jesus Christ is for the whole human race; and that whosoever repents and believes on the Lord Jesus Christ is justified and regenerated and saved from the dominion of sin.

We believe that believers are to be sanctified wholly, subsequent to regeneration, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

We believe that the Holy Spirit bears witness to the new birth, and also to the entire sanctification of believers.

We believe that our Lord will return, the dead will be raised, and the final judgment will take place. ² (Emphasis added)

By omission, both of these statements allow for gross misinterpretations. Holding to them, I could decide to believe that the Scriptures do not contain truth outside of faith and practice. As much as this statement makes Christian unity easy, we stand to lose much more if this error creeps into any church. In an issue this important, we must be specific in our beliefs in order dispel even the shadows and whispers of trouble.

This brings me to the heart of my disagreement; my concern lies in the text of lines 7-8.

For us, the authority of the Scriptures is soteriological (salvation). The realm in which the Scriptures are authoritative concerns our salvation. Salvation, of course, includes both Christian faith and practice. Hence, where the Scriptures speak on matters of ethics–how the life of Christ is manifest in the Church and His disciples– they are authoritative. ¹

Again, I agree that the Scripture has authority in soteriology, but we cannot risk error by limiting statements to salvation alone. For when we leave the door open, the heresy creeps in. The error takes its form in this paragraph as the word “realm.” How can the Nazarene denomination claim to believe in the “plenary inspiration” of Scripture then say that it is only “authoritative” regarding the “realm” of salvation? This appears to be a glaring contradiction.Let us suppose for the sake of argument that God’s Holy Word revealed in the sixty-six books of the Bible is only authoritative concerning soteriological applications. I could never trust the historical aspects of Scripture. It would become easy for me to believe that the story of the creation was fiction. Did all those kings of Israel and Judah actually exist? Probably not. Why should I believe that the story of Ehud is authentic? It seems incredible and unlikely. Scientifically speaking, the Bible would be outdated at best, useless at worst.

If we believe that God is God, then God’s Word must be the perfect authority in every realm.The Bible is not a reflection of God’s truth (which some Presbyterians have been lured into) nor does it merely contain God’s truth (as many of the Pagans erroneously suggest). The Scripture was, is, and will always be the truth. What I am saying is not new! The fathers of the Church of the Nazarene agree entirely with my dissertation. Jacob Arminius, a pillar of the Wesleyan tradition predating John Wesley, said this in his book, Disputations.

Disputation 6 – On the Authority and Certainty of The Holy Scriptures

The authority of the word of God, which is comprised in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, lies both in the veracity of the whole narration, and of all the declarations, whether they be those about things past, about things present, or about those which are to come, and in the power of the commands and prohibitions, which are contained in the divine word. ³

At what point did people in the Nazarene denomination drift away from such sound doctrine? This makes a clear statement for the veracity of Scripture – in every aspect.

John Wesley crafted the Twenty-Five Articles of Religion (originally 1784, expanded 1804).This is the man the Church of the Nazarene proudly states as a great forefather of their faith. The Twenty-Five Articles of Religion contain numerous statements on basic Christianity. Let us see for ourselves what Wesley’s words say concerning Scripture!

V. Of the Sufficiency of the Holy Scriptures for Salvation

The Holy Scriptures contain all things necessary to salvation; so that whatsoever is not read therein, nor may be proved thereby, is not to be required of any man that it should be believed as an article of faith, or be thought requisite or necessary for salvation… ⁴

This statement is in unison with the Church of the Nazarene’s basic statement of faith. I still stand firm in my position that this is a weak statement (though I find myself in agreement). However, John Wesley clarifies his position on this issue. In the following sermon, he is preaching against those men who twist and alter the Word of God for their own purposes. Along the way, he makes a solid declaration on what a good preacher should be. More importantly,Wesley quotes the same Scripture I did to back up His beliefs.

Sermon 136 – On Corrupting The Word Of God (2 Cor. 2:17)

…In the next place, they (Sound preachers) are as cautious of taking from, as of adding to, the word they preach. They dare no more, considering in whose sight they stand, say less, than [or] more, than He has assigned them. They must publish, as proper occasions offer, all that is contained in the oracles of God; whether smooth or otherwise, it matters nothing, since it is unquestionably true, and useful too: “For all Scripture is given by inspiration of God; and is profitable either for doctrine, or reproof, or correction, or instruction in righteousness,” — either to teach us what we are to believe or practise, or for conviction of error, reformation of vice. They know that there is nothing superfluous in it, relating either to faith or practice; and therefore they preach all parts of it, though those more frequently and particularly which are more particularly wanted where they are. ⁵ (Emphasis added)

Notice how Wesley makes it obvious that the Word of God is entirely true, for every part of it has to do with our faith and practice. Therefore, if we set this alongside his previous statement concerning Scripture, we see the reason for why the Bible contains “all things necessary to salvation.” It is because he firmly believes that all Scripture is veracious and relates to our salvation. In my eyes, I see Wesley as sound on this issue. However, this statement from the Southern Nazarene University does not seem to incorporate in its statement that all Scripture relates to our faith. Instead, it gives an impression just the opposite. This impression comes through fiercely in line 8 which reads, “Salvation, of course, includes both Christian faith and practice. Hence, where the Scriptures speak on matters of ethics–how the life of Christ is manifest in the Church and His disciples– they are authoritative.” See, this allows and teaches us to have a divisive view of Scriptures – that parts that don’t directly speak about ethics and faith somehow have a lesser level of validity. This is not the stand of Arminius, Wesley, or myself. Instead, we desire to have an entire view of Scriptures – where Scripture is inerrent in salvation because all of the Word is about salvation. Using this line of reasoning, if some person were to stand up and say that Abraham might not necessarily have been a real person, I would quickly object for they are depriving us of the truth of Abraham which most surely relates to soteriology. This can be said of every verse in the Bible. Consider this logic; since the Bible is entirely true for all of it relates to salvation, it is most certainly veracious concerning history, science, and any other realm.

As you have probably already deduced, I am not a member of the Church of the Nazarene. Do not discard this article for this reason, but examine it even more closely. Remember the ages past when Welsey and Whitfield worked together for the cause of Christ! It is in that spirit that I write this. I am not writing to tangle with a sideline debate, but instead I write to call for clarity on an essential doctrine. I can love and fellowship with Nazarene brothers and sisters, but not with any who would pervert the authority of Scriptures! I am deeply troubled by this, and I hope you are as well. I also will admit that this problem is by no means limited to your denomination. It is now becoming a popular idea as our faith is being battered by our humanistic Western society. Christianity is now becoming a religion based on how we feel and what we want. Many churches want peace at the price of purity and doctrine. This false teaching, limiting the Bible, is a step in the wrong direction. Eventually, the church will find itself in control of a religion of its own invention, and it will no longer be Christianity. In that day, those heretics will determine what is veracious; they will choose what suits their warped desires. May this never be – in any denomination, in any church!I hope for the sake of the Church and especially your youth that you prayerfully consider the clarity of your doctrine. May I propose and offer the following statement, which is my own declaration logically based on the Word of God:”Scripture, being found as eternally inerrent and inspired of God, is veracious and authoritative concerning every aspect of physical and spiritual existence. The Bible has been provided as our only completely truthful standard of theology, ethics, science, history, and every other realm into which its limitless grasp extends.”

For God’s Glory,

Scott MacDonald

“Emerging Theology” Is An Oxymoron

Sandy Simpson is one of the speakers in our upcoming DVD.
Here is Sandys latest article on Jon Middendorf.
“Emerging Theology” Is An Oxymoron
Comments on Jon Middendorf’s “Emerging Theology” M7 Conference Session Audio
by Sandy Simpson, 5/8/09

It is very important to start this article by pointing out that (1) the term “Emerging Theology” is oxymoronic and (2) a better term for what Middendorf is repeating from the teachings of Brian McLaren, Leonard Sweet, Eddie Gibbs, Ryan Bolger and many other Emergents should have been called “Emerging Beliefs” or “Emerging Orthopraxy”.

The reason the term “Emerging Theology” is an oxymoron is that true Biblical Theology is not “emerging” but continuing. The true body of Christ is not making up new “theologies” to suit the times or postmodern thought. Postmodernism has its origins in a Satanic worldview practiced by the devil himself. In fact we need to reeducate people to think Biblically, objectively and to believe in objective truth. The Church is to hold to the teachings of Jesus Christ, the Apostles and Prophets in the written Word of God (2 Thes. 2:15), which makes up true Theology. We are not to add (Pr. 30:6), subtract (Rev. 22:18-19), go beyond (1 Cor. 4:6) or run ahead of the written Word (2 John 1:9). But that is exactly what Emerging Church (EC) leaders are doing, including Middendorf. Read my article on how the Emerging Church is teaching against some of the core doctrines of the Church and adding things that the Bible does not teach or promote. Middendorf bought into the EC paradigm and recommends a number of their materials in this session. So right from the outset, beginning with the title of Middendorf’s M7 session, his teaching is unbiblical.

Synopsis: There was no theology presented in this lecture, per se. The overriding theme was that the EC wants to help Christians “find God in the world” and for them to “look like Jesus”. Sounds good but what does that mean? Does that mean going back to Roman Catholic liturgy and the Eucharist which Middendorf promotes? Does it mean incorporating mystical and New Age practices into the churches? Does that look like Jesus? I think not.

The tactic of any cultic groups is to isolate and indoctrinate. Middendorf is using both those techniques to secure followers in the Nazarene denomination for the Emerging Church. He uses isolation in two major ways. He first isolates by not allowing true “conversation” even though that is the stated goal of the EC. He does not want to listen to true criticism of the movement and subtly, and not so subtly, puts dissenters down by using terms like those with “ugly questions” and those who “carve and manipulate” people. It is clear, from his teachings in this session and others, that he is not able to argue his case with clarity and in fact claims in this session “it feels funny to be the person up here trying to nail down then what we mean when we say emerging or emergent theology”. Maybe because he never really defines any theology in this session and the EC has no real definitions on where they stand because that would necessarily alienate people. He further isolates people by getting them involved in a close relationship with another EC church and the Roman Catholic Church (RCC), which is not even Biblical Christianity at all. So all the people following the Middendorf model are put in close personal contact with others who are exchanging the same views over and over again while claiming they are having an open conversation. But if dissent is not allowed then it can never be a true conversation but rather indoctrination. This is what is interesting because while the EC advocates claim their movement is about orthopraxy it is really about repeating the same tired teachings of the EC over and over again until people accept the false ideas, which is classic brainwashing. So while claiming to not have an emphasis on doctrine, it is just the opposite. The emphasis is always on the false teachings of the movement restated, and when you try to change the belief system of people you are teaching doctrine, pure and simple, no matter what you call it. No, they are not about Biblical doctrine; they are about repeating false doctrines endlessly.

2Pe 2:1 But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them—bringing swift destruction on themselves.
1 Tim. 6: 3-5 If anyone teaches false doctrines and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, he is conceited and understands nothing. He has an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between men of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.

Middendorf is not being a watchman for the sheep of the Nazarene denomination but is instead guiding false teachers and false doctrines into the Nazarene churches and making excuses for them while pretending it will do no harm.

Ga 2:4-5 This matter arose because some false brothers had infiltrated our ranks to spy on the freedom we have in Christ Jesus and to make us slaves. We did not give in to them for a moment, so that the truth of the gospel might remain with you.
ze 33:6 But if the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the trumpet to warn the people and the sword comes and takes the life of one of them, that man will be taken away because of his sin, but I will hold the watchman accountable for his blood.’

Following is the full transcript of the M7 session with commentary by Sandy Simpson. The text that is indented and in italics is the transcript. My comments are not indented and are in normal text. Again, this transcript is from Jon Middendorf’s “Emerging Theology” M7 Conference Session Audio on “An Official Site of the Church Of The Nazarene”, http://www.m7conference.org/ResurrectionStories/tabid/181/Default.aspx

Jon Middendorf-And so there was this created appetite after about six years or so and that combined with the realization that we were slowly but surely, surely even in a college town losing generations of young people. I think that’s where we got the permission to try and do something different.

By using the word “permission” Middendorf is subtly trying to persuade people that bringing EC ideas was a decision made by the Nazarene leadership. Perhaps it was.

Read the rest of Sandys article here Sandy is referring to the M7 conference ( the word G7 is a typo)-

http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/EmergingTheology.html 

Brian McLaren Wants End Time Believing Christians Robustly Confronted

From my friends and brothers and sisters in the Lord at Lighthouse Trails

Brian McLaren Wants End Time Believing Christians Robustly Confronted
[B]eloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour: Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? II Peter 3:1-4
If you are a Christian who believes that the Bible is God’s inspired Word and believe that Jesus Christ will be coming again, you are being marginalized. And you might not even know it. It may surprise you to know where this marginalization is coming from. We’re not speaking of the world today . . . we are talking about people who say they are Christians and who happen to be very influential. In fact, one of them, Rick Warren, was just named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most influential people in the entire world.1

In an April 2009 article in Sojourner’s magazine by emerging church leader, Brian McLaren, McLaren clearly has targeted Christians. But not just any Christians. McLaren is talking about Christians who believe Jesus Christ is coming back again, suggesting that these type of Christians are the reason there is no peace in the Middle East. He says what these end-time believing Christians are doing is “terrible,” “deadly,” and “distorted.”

McLaren says that he grew up with a dispensational view (the belief that Jesus Christ will return and establish his kingdom on earth) but has come to realize this view is “morally and ethically harmful.” He likens this belief system to racism in the 50s and 60s and says:
These doctrinal formulations often use a bogus end-of-the-world scenario to create a kind of death-wish for World War III, which–unless it is confronted more robustly by the rest of us–could too easily create a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Anyone who is familiar with the writings of occultist Alice Bailey or New Age author and futurist Barbara Marx Hubbard knows that they believe this very thing. In fact, McLaren is sounding more and more like them all the time, and his article in Soujourners is further proof of that.

It isn’t just Bible-believing Christians who McLaren is upset with – he’s also angry about Israel and the very idea that she is a special nation in the eyes of God. This is why he names Christian Zionists and Dispensationalists in particularly, because they tend to be two groups who hold fast to the belief that Israel is indeed a special nation to the Lord.

It is ironic that just a week ago, the House of Representatives passed the HR1913 hate crimes bill, which is supposed to deter hateful behavior toward others. Here, McLaren, who was chosen to be an advisor to Obama (a strong proponent of hate crime legislation), is speaking so hatefully about those who hold to biblical beliefs saying they must be robustly confronted by “the rest of us” [all human beings except the biblical ones].

Others have joined McLaren in this effort to silence and marginalize biblical Christians. Rick Warren’s chief apologist (and we were told, a staff member at Saddleback) recently posted an article on the Internet that said ministries that defend the faith (he referenced Lighthouse Trails) were like mentally unstable cultists, “who are not normal people, average complainers, critics and typical dissidents who are generally unhappy about life itself . . . they are deadly.” (Please contact Saddleback Church if you wish to verify this: (949) 609-8000.)

Tony Campolo, in his book Speaking My Mind, says that “‘rigid’ Christians who believe in the possibility of Jesus’ soon return” are “the real problem for the whole world.” According to Campolo, they are to blame for wars, and a host of other evils in the world. This is what Alice Bailey and Barbara Marx Hubbard believe–and their obvious hostility towards believers shouts out from the pages of their writings.

There are others too who speak in derogatory language about Christians who believe Titus 2:13, which is: “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.” In Mark Driscoll’s book Vintage Jesus, he ridicules Christians who believe there will be an Armageddon and a rapture (pp. 44, 157).

Perhaps one of the more serious attacks on Christians waiting for Christ’s return (serious primarily because of his huge influence) comes from Rick Warren where he states in The Purpose Driven Life that those who study Bible prophecy are not fit for the kingdom of God. Most readers may have missed this because of the way the passage is organized, but if one studies this carefully, with a Bible by their side, it is not difficult to see. Roger Oakland explains:
Warren tells readers to think about something other than Bible prophecy: “If you want Jesus to come back sooner, focus on fulfilling your mission, not figuring out prophecy.”

Warren ends this section of his book by stating that Satan would have you “sidetracked from your mission” and by quoting Jesus out of context, Warren says, “Anyone who lets himself be distracted [by studying Bible prophecy] from the work I plan for him is not fit for the kingdom of God” (Living Bible). But Jesus was not referring to His return when He made that statement, which in the King James Version says: “No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God” (Luke 9:62). The Purpose Driven kingdom of God leaves no room for Bible prophecy, and in fact, condemns those who study it. The apostle Peter, inspired by the Holy Spirit, had a different view. He writes: “We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts.” (II Peter 1:19)

Christians are called to witness and be watchmen. No Scripture exists that tells us to ignore the events that have been pointed out as signposts indicating the return of Jesus. If we do, we might be like the foolish virgins who fell asleep waiting for the bridegroom (Matthew 25:1-13).(from Faith Undone, pp. 154-157)
In Warren Smith’s book, Reinventing Jesus Christ, Smith discusses something Barbara Marx Hubbard calls the Selection Process. This is a process that New Agers believe in which Armageddon will only have to happen if those who believe in it (biblical Christians) remain on the earth for thus there would be a self-fulfilling prophecy. She believes, as does Alice Bailey (the woman who coined the term New Age), that the world cannot evolve, and there cannot be peace until it is rid of these kind of people. If it is, then there can be what is termed an Alternative to Armageddon. Sound far-fetched? Just keep in mind that Barbara Marx Hubbard is a respected author–in fact, she was instrumental in the early stages of what is now the lobbying group for the soon-to-be Department of Peace that over 60 Congressmen are supporting.

We believe that this effort to put labels like cultist on believers will only grow. Another example is emerging church writer Thomas Hohstadt, who asked in a recent article: How Do We Know We Are Not in a Cult? He answered this question by basically saying that you are a cult if you believe you have all the answers and if you believe truth can be contained or absolutely defined. You see, in emerging spirituality doubt and uncertainty are exhalted, and the opposite “virtues,”–certainty and faith–are condemned. Incredible as it seems, those who stand on the Word of God will, in the end, be called evil, deadly, and cultish.

The growing hostility against Bible-believing Christians continues. And yet, in Matthew 24:6, Jesus comforts us with these words: “[S]ee that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.” Let us remember and take heed to the words Jesus told his disciples: “I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work” (John 9:4). As believers we will stand for the truth, but we will continue to love those who persecute. We are inspired by the many saints who have gone before and courageously, by His grace and strength, stood. “Therefore, brethren, stand fast.” (II Thessalonians 2:15)

Related:
Bible Prophecy on Trial

Brian McLaren, Rethinking the Second Coming of Christ

Will the Evangelical Church Help Usher in the “Age of Enlightenment” and the Coming False One?

Is the Emerging Church Right? “There is no second coming of Jesus Christ.” by Larry DeBruyn